Saarbrucken

Thursday 31^st May

I am writing this entry from my room in the Treviso Airport B and B. It’s a cute little room and importantly CLEAN. Having just spent 2 days in Germany I am reminded of how dirt Italy is in comparison. 

My New German Friend

I’ve had a great 2 days in Germany. We were very lucky as Dan’s friends Carlos and Emanuel had arranged for us to stay in 2 of their apartments in the same building as them. Although Saarbrucken does not have any world famous sites it was nice to be around people from home. We went shopping, in Primark! We had a Chinese in a restaurant called ‘Jasmin’.

We walked around the city/town whatever it is and found a little shop selling liquors. They have loads of different flavours, all of them in German so I had no real idea what they were meant to taste like but still it looked good. I would have taken more pictures but Jasmin had already been chastised by the shop assistant for being too happy with her camera. On a slightly more positive note they did give away some free samples :-) 

That night we had a BBQ in the garden. Well I say BBQ it was a German BBQ where there is fire underneath and the food swings from side to side. I’m sure it’s got a special name but I’ve no idea what that is. We ate lots of meat; BBQ’d vegetables and generally just spent time together, whilst being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Despite my best efforts to make ourselves taste vile apparently I’m too popular, frankly I could afford to be less popular. 

Carlos had arranged a secret cake as we were celebrating Dan’s 21^st Birthday from the previous week. So whilst Jasmin and Carlos tried to coordinate an excuse to sneak inside and bring out a cake I was left to make friends with some more of the local wildlife. Later that evening we had a wander into town, partly so that I could get a kebab, since Italy hasn’t mastered the art of drunken food yet. On our way back, we called into a local pub and had a German beer, well Carlos, Dan and I did, Jasmin drank some spirit, and I don’t even think it was German. Shame on you Jasmin! 

I was a little tired

Today we went to a little park and ate outside, under cover to avoid the rain. As soon as the rain had decided that it had finished the sun came out, very efficient, to be expected since we were in Germany. Having spent so much time in Italy where I was not eating a lot of meat and then to come to Germany where every meal revolves around it I’ve started to not be able to finish my meals. I’m not impressed. Once dinner was over we posed for pictures and probably got a little too close to the water’s edge, but no one caught us. 

We went on to a park which straddles the boarder of France and Germany. I suppose you could say today I walked to France but with a lack of physical boarders it was hard to tell which country we wandered around in. The signs where all in English, German and French. Apparently the entire area we had been staying in 50 years earlier had been part of France. Funny how boarders move.   

Best Boy Band Impersonation

Jasmin and I decided to perform some yoga.  And for some reason which now escapes me look at each other’s feet. Carlos told us of how there is a monorail type thing which is high above the park and you pedal and the thing moves. I’m not describing it very well so just think of it as a pedalo in the sky. Anyway we couldn’t ride the flying pedalo because it was closed.

One legged dog

Who's who?

The moment I had been dreading since arriving in Germany finally presented itself today, I had to drive the hire car. And it is amazing how quickly road rage can return to you. I drove directed by a combination of Jasmin and a printed sheet from Google and following Carlos in his car in front of us. Luckily Carlos did this because otherwise I highly doubt we would have found the airport even yet. The roads where filled with maintenance works which meant I didn’t have to drive too fast. It also meant that I had to drive in between 2 incredibly narrow concrete barriers. I‘ve decided after 4 months of not driving, I don’t miss it.  And just to prove my reputation as a good driver right, I crashed into another car, a parked car. This was whilst getting petrol, and as much as it pains me to say it, it was my fault. I think I’ll stick to my bike. Luckily there was no damage to either car and the owner of the other car was reasonable, otherwise who knows what could have happened. I’ve chosen to think he was reasonable; maybe he just didn’t have the energy to have a conversation in German with someone who clearly did not speak any German. Either way I was very grateful for his response.

Look NO damage!

Once inside the airport we had some food and a drink to calm my nerves. Dan also had some drinks as he doesn’t like flying. Being the supportive person that I am I had chosen a seat looking out of the window so we could see the planes land and take off. I really must start to think one of these days. Soon the time crept up when I had to say good bye again. I hate goodbyes, they don’t seem to get any easier the more I seem to say them, and off I went through security.