This week has just flown by, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.  It was a lot of work taking care of the most adorable twins ever, but totally worth it.  Though identical, Jakob and Pablo have very different personalities.  They are both very attentive.  Pablo is more quiet and serious, while Jakob is more outgoing.  They have the sweetest smiles and the cutest laughs.  I just love them and will miss them, as I will everyone else.

While the majority of the time was spent in the apartment, the last 3 days we took the babies on long walks in the forest, with access at the end of the street.  I wish I had a place like that so easily accessible.

Last night we picked up some very good dim sum at a local Chinese restaurant so Barbara wouldn’t have to cook.  When it was time to put the babies to bed, Danielle asked me to read to them one last time.  I brought some books with me, including Good Night Moon, a book I always buy babies.  I wish someone had videotaped it, because it was hysterical.  Pablo was quiet and attentive.  Jakob was so animated, shrieking and reacting with joy at every page.  Did I mention how much I’m going to miss them?

In a few minutes I will leave Dagmar’s apartment for the final time, and spend the rest of the morning at Barbara’s.  I have a 2:00 train to Frankfurt, where I will spend time with my friend, Jo.

Goodbye Hannover, it’s been fun!

6/11/18

I have been trying to post here since my arrival, with no success. I’m hoping to have better luck this time.

I flew out of Sacramento on Tuesday, 6/5 and after an uneventful journey, passing through San Francisco and Munich, I arrived in Hannover on 6/6. I found the Europcar counter at the airport, where I was happy to accept an upgrade to a car with automatic transmission at no additional cost. I was fine with a manual, but I’ll take the automatic any day.

I found my way to Barbara’s apartment, where I have spent most of my time since my arrival. I sleep at her sister, Dagmar’s. It is so nice to spend time with cousin Danielle, her lovely mother, Barbara, and her adorable twins, Jakob and Pablo. They will turn 7 months old this Wednesday. It is such a fun age. They took right to me. Barbara thinks they are fascinated because I am dark compared to the rest of them and am speaking a different language.

Yesterday cousin Sascha and her boyfriend, Marc, arrived from Cologne. Yay for more family! We all took the twins for a long walk in the woods down the street from Barbara’s place, leaving her alone to enjoy some peace and quiet. It was nice to get the fresh air and be outside.

Today I will try to take more photos of the family, since it will be the last opportunity to do so.

A few days ago I was walking down Barbara’s street and I saw something I hadn’t noticed on previous trips here. Two houses away on the sidewalk there were something I have learned are called Stumble Stones. They are installed in 22 countries and there are 67,000 of them. They commemorate the people forcibly removed from their homes during the Nazi era. There were five stones that named the people, their birth dates, when they were deported and the concentration camps they were at. It was a very sobering reminder of what occurred during that dark time. One day a year, people go and shine the ones in their neighborhood. We should never forget what happened, and hope it never happens again.

May 31, 2018

When I started this travel blog in 2016 it was to take the place of the blog I had for years using Blogger. I liked Blogger. I didn’t want to start another one. I really didn’t have a choice as Blogger hadn’t updated itself and was no longer supported using my iPad. I don’t find this blog as easy to use. I need easy.

I was very excited about our birthday trip to Paris. As I posted at the time, it took a turn on 11/9/16 when I woke up and discovered that Donald Trump had been elected president. I felt hopeless about our country’s future. Here we are today, on 5/31/18, and I have to say it’s worse than I feared. But this is a travel blog, so no more politics.

Towards the end of March my Uncle Jack called and told me he was going to Germany. My cousin, Danielle, had given birth to identical twin boys in November and he was going to Hannover to see her and to meet his first (and probably only) grandchildren. He hates to fly. Actually, he has a profound fear of flying. He then asked me if I would consider going too. I told him that I could probably do that as long as I could use my airline miles for my ticket, and if Jamie could come stay with Riley on the days Jim works. Done. I also checked with Danielle to confirm it would be alright for me to come, as she is currently living with her mom and I’m sure space is limited now. She was happy to hear the plans. She thought it would be best to come for a visit in June. I assumed Jack wanted me to actually fly with him. I spent the following day online looking for round trip flights from Kansas City to Hannover. Having to go to K.C. first definitely complicated things for me. I was growing frustrated trying to find acceptable flights using my miles, and also allowing for Jack to purchase tickets on the same flights. I decided I would have to call United Airlines and have someone help coordinate this. I called Jack first to tell him my plan. He replied that there isn’t a need to fly together. Oh! That changes everything!

Here’s the plan:

I’m leaving Sacramento on 6/5, flying to San Francisco, Munich, then Hannover, arriving 6/6. I’m renting a car and as far as I know I will be staying at Dagmar’s. She is Barbara’s sister and I’ve stayed with her during two other trips. I will stay one week in Hannover. Sascha will be able to visit for about four days, so no need for me to go to Cologne to visit her. I’ll then take the train to Frankfurt and will visit with my friend, Jo, for a few days. Then I’ll take the train to Paris on 6/16 and will fly home from there on 6/28. In Paris I’ll be staying in an apartment with my friend, Susan. More about that later.

Sadly, Jack was unable to overcome his fears. He stalled getting his passport, so he paid extra to have it expedited. When it arrived I think it freaked him out. He now says that he can’t possibly leave his yard for two weeks in the summer. I suggested he go for a shorter visit. No, he will go in October or November. Except I doubt he will. There will be another excuse. I’m very sad for Danielle, as I know how much his visit meant to her.

I wasn’t expecting a trip to Europe this year, but I’ll take it! I’m sad that Jim can’t go with me. He’s my favorite travel partner and I will miss him. I’m hoping it won’t be too long before we can take a trip together.