Monday, May 3, 2010

The Germany Chronicles 1 - In which everything is bigger

Grüß Gott aus Bayern! (Hello from Oberammergau, Bavaria, in Germany)

Sorry, no pictures up yet. I can't upload my photo card at the internet cafe. However, I can tell you that the trip so far is going well and that we already have loads of pictures. I promise I will post them eventually.

The flight was good, though I was sitting beside a really skeezy and unpleasant guy who did not speak any language I recognized on the plane. He creeped me out: he kept shooting me these death glares as if I was doing something wrong despite the fact that I sat straight and unmoving, watching inflight films the whole time...

Anyways. Trip is starting out well, Michael is loving it and it's making me really happy to see how much he loves Germany so far! The countryside is beautiful and the mountains are breathtaking. Some still have snow on them!! It is absolutely beautiful... and very inspiring. Michael says the countryside is inspiring him to sing and that makes me feel great! I am happy to know that he is happy and that singing comes easily to him in this inspiring setting. I have high hopes for him for Weimar in August (where he will play in Cosi Fan Tutte).

Unfortunately, so far, we've had no luck whatsoever with the weather. It's cold and it's very rainy. It's only faint drizzles and Michael loves it, he says it's his kind of rain. However, it's also rather chilly for someone like me, who cannot provide her own body heat and needs to sunbathe like a snake to warm up her blood. I need sun, else I will turn into a living icicle soon... Despite that, I am eating some gelato of the best ice-cream parlour in the world, located here in Oberammergau, called Eis Cafe Paradiso. Yummy...

We've already visited Ettal with Michael, which is a beautiful monastery that was built 700 years ago. Loads of history and beauty. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, as we've landed on the 1st of May, we got the honour of seeing the erection of the May poles all throughout the small towns of Bavaria. It was wonderful. In Altenau, where I spent much of my childhood, they erected the tallest May Pole around. It was 45 meters high and dwarfed the poles from the other towns. Not bad for a small town nestled in the middle of nowhere in the mountains! We only saw the end of them bringing it up, but it was great. Michael also had his first German beer there.

The May Pole brings me to the title. Michael pointed out that everything is bigger here. He is quite correct. I cannot believe I had never noticed that before! From the electrical outlets (and the plugs that fit into them), to the light switches, to the toilet flushes; everything is HUGE! Where, in Canada, you'll have a tiny switch, in Germany, it will be three times the size at least. I think that the light switches average three square inches or something. I cannot believe I never noticed that in all the years I have been visiting!

But the biggest thing here (and this I knew, but I must point it out anyway): THE FOOD PORTIONS! I think I already gained 10 pounds and I'm not joking. The food is absolutely to die for! My grandmother has not lost her touch and everything she makes is still delicious! She greeted us with wonderful homemade strawberry cake! Yummy!! But, yeah... everything is huge. And, if you are eating at my grandmother's, you are expected to eat seconds. If you do not, she worries that the food is not good. She is very concerned that Michael does not like her food because he has not been eating as much as she expected from him, but that is because even HE, who usually eats a ton, gets full quickly on this amazing German food. He's had to convince my grandmother a few times already that he loves her food, tee hee!

The mountains here are also very big, especially in comparison to Montreal and, according to Michael, Ontario landscapes. The mountain air here is amazing and wonderfully refreshing. I would advise people to come and visit if they could.

Darn... I have so much more to write and so little time left... (stupid internet cafes!)

I guess I just have to conclude by saying that I am still jet-lagged, but life here is good. I am thoroughly enjoying my time here. I am just hoping the weather will improve a little so that I can actually go hiking with Mike!

That'll have to be it for today... I hope I can update again as soon as possible!

Tschüß!

3 comments:

  1. SENDING LOVE FROM CANADA!!!! <D

    We totally missed you at the Karaoke party u-u we were like: if Judith was here, she would totally sing <D

    Continue to enjoy Germany 8D

    Ryu <3

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  2. Thanks Ryu! I miss you too! T_T But, guess what? I passed Japanese!!! XD

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  3. OMFG 8D おめでとう!!! Congratulation!!!! <D

    I miss you tooo *huuuuug*

    ne~ ne~ <D Can you send me a postcard? 8D (if there is a castle...OR A DRAGON ON IT *A* <- crazy about dragon lol) I love it when my friends send me post card <D (so far, got one from Germany...one somewhere around Europe lol XD Kuujjuak Ô_o lol XD) pretty pleaaaase <3

    Ryu

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