Spanish Exchange!: Germany and beyond!

Me in three countries, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium!

Lotta!

It is a shame I can never seem to write about my holiday whilst still in the country I am talking about!

I am back in Spain now again and am rather exhausted! I have been back for a week and a bit now actually. Enrolled in evening Spanish classes twice a week right in the center of Madrid which is exciting and hopefully can give me more confidence with my Spanish!

Ok, well...Germany was amazing! I went for one week and it was full of exciting things! Breakfasts consisted of many different cheeses on fresh bread with tomato and cucumber, served with coffee! Yummm.

The train ride there was however quite stressful, after finally getting on the last (or so I thought) train of day I settled down and went to sleep. When I woke up again the train was stopped so I assumed it was my stop. I grabbed my suitcase and jumped off just as the doors were closing, it was freezing outside! Then I realised that no one was there to pick me up and it was one hour earlier than I was supposed to arrive, of course this had to be the day I ended up in the middle of nowhere. After mine and Storms traumatic walk to the train station, which left my hands shaking and heart beating a hundred miles per hour, and our sad goodbye it just really wasn't what I needed! But being a mature young adult I sorted out a train and let everyone know I was going to be late BEFORE I broke down in a corner on the phone to my dad.

So I got a different train, which was somewhat less comfortable than the first, for the rest of the way. Although not before they had to call an ambulance and delay the journey a while longer because some guy on the train didn't want to wake up! I tried writing in my journal on the train but because I was so tired tired it is barely readable and there are little entries where I have dozed off, woken up again and kept on writing about my dreams - I wasn't aware this was happening at the time!

When I arrived in Germany Lotta and her friend Carla were there to pick me up from the train station, for that day I just slept until about four. We drove to the Netherlands (about 5 minutes away) and I stood in three countries at once, then in the night we went out to a restaurant for some drinks. In Germany because the 'no smoking inside' policy has been enforced all the restaurants have now made cute little outdoor areas, with blankets and heaters so it is rather enjoyable!

For the first few days we stayed in Aachen at Lottas parents house, I bought some 'Printen' which is a biscuit thing only made in Aachen, quite yummy too. And we went to the Aachen 'kaiserdom', or if you like cathedral. Which is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe. And did a little shopping!

Then Susi, Lotta and I drove to Holland to meet up with Lottas family who were staying in a house near the beach. We stayed there for two nights, during which we went to the beach, obviously, played 'midget golf', bike rode, ate traditional Holland chips which come with mayonnaise, onion and another sauce, I saw a tiny house and taught them all how to play racing demonds! And Lotta, Susi and I drove to a little village with some really old houses and found to best soap on the planet!

Then it was back to Aachen for a night and from there on to Bonn, where Lotta lives. Where we stayed for the last two days. We went to the Kölner Dom, which was somewhat more impressive than the one in Aachen and climbed to the top, which is about 500 steps or so and worth it for the view! On my last night we went to the concert of a famous German reggae, pop, hip hop, singer called Jan Delay. It was a really fun concert and he was great at entertaining - even though I didn't understand him! And a good way to end my trip.

Although when I look back on it that week passed so quickly!

Now here I am back in Madrid, this weekend is yet another long weekend! It surprises me how many we have. It is highly likely I have had more long weekend here in one and a half months than we do in Australia in a year!

At the beach!