I started -- & finished it -- my last full day in Bodenburg.*****
"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." - M.Beard
Danke!!!***********
September 2011 Archives
nga & I left for the bus station at quarter to 7. The trains run every hour from Bodenburg - at 4min after. So we hopped the 7:04 train with all of the students just starting up school again after Summer break.
We had breakfast and coffee at our stop at the Hannover main train station - while swapping trains. Then said goodbyes at the airport.
Inga is adorable. She is always on the go - and always motherly. A bit of home.
My dad picked me up at 4pm. Crazy - that I can wake up in Germany, and then sleep that same night in my own bed.
When I got home - my whole family came to my parents for dinner. My sisters / their adorable babies / my mom tied German flag-colored balloons to the front door. It was cheesey - but appreciated. As much as I loved Germany - its always nice to come home and see how it has changed you.
Fresh new appreciations all around.***** What a great, great experience. PRost!!
*****Boat-Hopping/Sight-Seeing all around Venice.
Just to become familiar with the city - Hans, Ria & I hopped from boat to boat today.
**********LA. BIENALLE. Day #1.
Today I roamed the Gardinia section of the Bienalle. Art from so many countries. So many differing perspectives. It was amazing.**
**********LA. BIENALLE. Day #2.
More Bienalle - but today I walked through the Arsenale section. It housed Italy, China, and a few other countries' exhibitions.
**********FRIDAY -------- & MY LAST WEEKEND IN BODENBURG.
I checked out Santa Maria's church Friday, then hit up Peggy Gugenheim Museum, before catching a bus to the airport. I found a $79, one hour flight, back to Hannover.
Saturday morning I ran w/ Barbara & then ate breakfast with her family. I packed in the afternoon - and then ate dinner w/ Inga & her husband.
Sunday - I ran with Barbara again - & had coffe & breakfast with her family - again! Then Inga hosted a going away dinner that evening for me. These people are too wonderful.**
Anna & I woke up early, packed up, and got onto the 8am train to Hannover. She flew out early the next day - so we decided it was best to get her there, stay in a hotel, and then she is ready for the next morning's flight.
So I dropped her off and got her all situated, then I headed back to Bodenburg - to work the Saturday evening hours at the Kunstverein.
****** En ROute to VENICE.******
Ria & Hans invited me to travel with them - my last week here - to Venice. We left early on Sunday morning. Stopped once near Munich to eat our packed lunch - out on a bench on the edge of a forest. It was gorgeous. Then we continued on through the northern tip of Austria and into Italy. We stayed in Ala, Italy at a teeny hotel that night - and then left after breakfast Monday morning.
As for the journey. UNBELIEVABLE. The mountains - are amazing. I haven't read or slept at all during the first 12 hours of driving. Its far too beautiful --- I have to look out the window - at all times!!
Anna turned 25 on Friday. We started off the day - with a breakfast with Hans & Ria. Ria made a dense, delicious Apple cake with homemade whip cream. We toasted with champagne, even though it was 8:30am.. Ria gave Anna a beautiful dish and natural soaps, and Hans gave her one of the books from the Hortus Medicus Austellung at the Kunstverein. Anna is a nurse, and that exhibition dealt with all of the plants growing in the Bad Salzdetfurth area - that have benefits to our health.
Later, we did a little shopping and wandering in Bad Salzdetfurth. We checked out the Solebad Platz, had Ice Cream in the city center, and took the train home.
That evening Jens & Iris, [Hans' son and his wife,] invited us over for a BBQ and bonfire afterwards. It was great. Henry & Luis loved having a new visitor - and we laughed and ate and drank wine for a few hours with them.
