Deutschland

Wir sind jetzt in Deutschland. We're in Germany now. Unfortunately, Allie is sick with food poisoning (we think). She's been trying to get as much rest as possible in order to feel better. Hopefully everything will be right as rain tomorrow.

Speaking of rain, it's been doing that a lot lately. AND IT SNOWS! It snowed last week in Brussels, a little bit when we were in Paris, and there was a bit on the ground as we traveled through Germany yesterday. (German kezboards switch the y and z)

I won't bother trying to catch up on all that's been going on lately (only to write a whole post about bikes). Let me describe the goings-on in Germany...

Sandra met us at the train station, although I definitely didn't recognize her at first. Her hair is much shorter than mine now (like it was when she lived in Barcelona). Anton and Tobi were waiting for us at the apartment when we arrived here.

Anton ist gross! That means big, not disgusting. At 10 months of age, he crawls around the apartment exploring everything like a little detective. Apparently he prefers females, something undoubtedly learned from his father. Part of his detective work included a thorough search of Allie's chest, which continued even after I assured him there was no milk to be had there. With the support of a chair or table, he can stand on his little feet. Vacuum cleaners fascinate him.




A couple days have past since I started this post. Now I’m on the metro back in Brussels heading back to my apartment. On the tram a few moments ago a little girl was incessantly whining because she couldn’t beat a level of the game "Madagascar" for her Nintendo DS. She and her grandfather were speaking a jumble of English, German, and Russian. At one point she almost started crying, and he asked her how old she was, and did she really want everyone in the tram to think she was a big baby. Then the man took the DS, saying he was going to sell it to this guy (me). I offered twenty euros for it. “No!” she yelled. I left as grandpa was unsuccessfully attempting to beat the level for her.

Anywho back to the Germany things. Unfortunately Allie got food poisoning and was unable to do much beyond lie in bed and eat rice cakes for the duration of our stay. Saturday she was able to accompany me to the market, and Sunday she made it to Sandra and Tobi’s garden for a few hours. It seems like the hardest part of being sick for her was that she could not eat any of the tasty foods Muenster had to offer. (She did get to taste a dessert that we brought back on the train to Brussels, in spite of the fact that she was paranoid it had spoiled along the way and she would get sick again.)

The things that Allie missed out on were pretty fun. DJ Tobi was in the house at fyal (fuck you art lovers, a Muenster café). His set was mostly techno and house, with a little more pop/mainstream towards the end of the night to appease the barman.

Earlier that day there was plenty of work to be done in their garden. Sandra and Tobi rented a van to haul away trash. A couple from baby birthing class came along to help. I was on Anton duty. We had a small barbecue after the various jobs were taken care of.

The garden plots are owned by the city, and rented. Each plot has a tiny house just big enough to store equipment and hold keggers. There's a community of them, these garden plots. Almost a development of gardens. And in any development, you invariably are forced to put up with some interesting neighbors.

The garden nazi. Tobias gave him the moniker, although I suppose Jerry Seinfeld and I should share the credit. The first time I met Tobi last year, Sandra and I had been watching episodes of Seinfeld nonstop. We explained the episode The Soup Nazi to him. He wanted to know what kind of nazi he was. Based on Tobi's contempt for H&M clothing and any music not techno, he became the Music and Fashion Nazi.

In the year since I left, the nazi nomenclature was still in full force. The garden neighbor was upset because the husband friend from baby birthing class moved a bike from the path so that the van could pass. And besides that, when this man wanted to bring a car into the community (for similar reasons) 5 years ago, his request was denied. Garden Nazi yelled all of this while shaking his garden nazi fist in the air. Allie slept in the apartment :(