Sunday, February 29, 2004
We have a nice few days, the days start out very cold, but also very sunny, so by afternoon it's pleasant. Jacob has been playing outside with Chloe, he loves to throw tennis balls and she loves to chase them. We are still trying to get things settled in the house, trying to figure out where everything is going to go. The idea of no closets to hide stuff in is a little alarming, but we are coming up with some solutions. Eventually it will all have a hiding place! Yesterday we went to look at some antique shops, just to see prices on some of the "schranks" which are like armoires. Most were very pricey, but we'll keep looking. We were trying to find the main entrance of one "Antik Mobel" store in the town of Lichtenau, we always see the back but can't find the front door. So we decided to drive through the old city gate and see if we could find it that way. Somehow we ended up on the top of the city walls - which are wide enough to drive on. There were a couple cars parked up there so it's obviously okay to drive on, but probably not a main thoroughfare. And definitely not enough room to turn around! We went all the way around and finally were able to get back down.
The first picture is one of the gateways we went through. In that same picture see the pointy roof with the snow on it? That's where we were driving around. The next picture is just another view of the old city center. After we got back down through the tunnels and gateways (which weren't built for SUV's, it was a tight squeeze) we decided we would come back another day, so the residents of Lichtenau would forget about the crazy Americans driving around on top of their historical city walls. I know the city is over 750 years old, not sure about the walls. We also went to downtown Ansbach and wandered around the market, it's always very busy on Saturdays down there. I got some more flowers - they are so pretty! I'm always amazed at how cheap they are over here, all the ones you see here were less than $10 altogether.
That gray thing covering the window is our blinds, they are like storm shutters. But everyone uses them in the evening, kind of makes your house into a maximum security building :) But supposedly it helps insulate, and in the summer keeps the sun out. I remember it being light until 10pm and then the sun coming back up at like 4:30 am. So that will be great in the summer!
While we were downtown we of course had some Greek food (or Turkish - very similar but don't tell them that) for lunch. We eat more of that than German food by far, it always so good. Today we went to the Army post of Wurzburg, to do a little shopping at their huge PX. And Kenny had his covert meeting in the parking lot to get our satellite system. Seems to be working, all of the channels aren't on yet but hopefully soon. Then we will be back in touch with the world, through a British perspective. And now it's Sunday evening, everyone is in bed and I will be shortly!
The first picture is one of the gateways we went through. In that same picture see the pointy roof with the snow on it? That's where we were driving around. The next picture is just another view of the old city center. After we got back down through the tunnels and gateways (which weren't built for SUV's, it was a tight squeeze) we decided we would come back another day, so the residents of Lichtenau would forget about the crazy Americans driving around on top of their historical city walls. I know the city is over 750 years old, not sure about the walls. We also went to downtown Ansbach and wandered around the market, it's always very busy on Saturdays down there. I got some more flowers - they are so pretty! I'm always amazed at how cheap they are over here, all the ones you see here were less than $10 altogether.
That gray thing covering the window is our blinds, they are like storm shutters. But everyone uses them in the evening, kind of makes your house into a maximum security building :) But supposedly it helps insulate, and in the summer keeps the sun out. I remember it being light until 10pm and then the sun coming back up at like 4:30 am. So that will be great in the summer!
While we were downtown we of course had some Greek food (or Turkish - very similar but don't tell them that) for lunch. We eat more of that than German food by far, it always so good. Today we went to the Army post of Wurzburg, to do a little shopping at their huge PX. And Kenny had his covert meeting in the parking lot to get our satellite system. Seems to be working, all of the channels aren't on yet but hopefully soon. Then we will be back in touch with the world, through a British perspective. And now it's Sunday evening, everyone is in bed and I will be shortly!
