Roses are peach!!!

With Summer officially set in, I am envious of all those who have front  and back yards. For, I have none.  I live in an apartment with a tiny balcony to spare. So here I am, trying to spruce up my home with the colours of summer.  

              Plants are horribly expensive in Germany, especially rose plants. Yet, I could not control the urge to own one.  These miniature rose plants sit pretty on my coffee table!!

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today -- Dale Carnegie

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck - Emma Goldman

Sunday's in my city!!

Welcome to this week's edition of Sundays in my City hosted by Unknown Mami!! Thanks to her, Sunday's has turned out to be my favourite day of the week!! Two months ago, I had mentioned in my post here about my disappointed howling boy. Disappointed because the museum which he wanted to visit was closed!! We took him back yesterday to the Criminal Museum in Rothenburg Ob der Tauber, a good hours drive from home.

Quite an interesting museum, portraying the methods used to torture criminals in the medieval times. Pictured below are some shame masks put on  women for acts such as telling tales, or men who were lazy!!

This tickled my bones! Below is portrayed a double neck violin for quarrelsome women. On the spot they were locked into it, until they got along with each other. It seemed an effective measure.

A similar violin for a married couple who would constantly fight too. They too were locked up, till they got along as well!!

The above is a chain used for cheating at cards or dice. 

Finally, a cage for craftsmen who faltered at their jobs!! They would be locked in this cage and repeatedly immersed in water!! Am I glad, that I wasn't around during the medieval times!!!

A little boy and the Strawberry!!

This is a true story written by the mommy of a little boy. Mommy is very  fond of gardening, so when spring was round the corner, she decided to make a trip to the nursery to get a few plants to make the home look pretty. Now, the little boy also wanted a plant to call his own. No, he didn't need help from mommy to decide which one. He went looking around patiently, cause he wanted it to be the perfect little baby. Atlast he spotted one and said "This one's for me". A strawberry plant it turned out to be. Once home, he trusted mommy to be the caregiver and asked her oh so gently to plant it for him. 

Now that sonny had entrusted the plant to mommy, she had to see that the plant would not wither. Everyday the little boy would  go and see if the plant was okay. If it was too cold he would be worried, what if the plant didn't make it? Mommy assured him, that his baby was growing pretty. In no time, she grew to be a lush green beauty.

The time came for her to flower and what a delicate one it turned out to be. Little boy's joy knew no bounds. "A strawberry for me, A strawberry for me" he screamed. In a short while it dawned on him, that there were four in the family and only one flower. You see the little boy's heart is never selfish. He wanted a strawberry so badly for each one in the family. He prayed for more flowers and slowly more buds were to be seen.

Now comes little boys daddy.."Sonny" he says. "Do not count your chickens before they hatch. You see the flowers may not bear fruit. Remember mommy's tomato plants. They flowered in plenty, but there were only two tomatoes to see". Little boy is puzzled. He now prays fervently for the strawberries. You see he wanted to see them grow so badly. Everyday with a peek now and then, he finally spotted one for all of to see.

A beautiful berry with a petal still clinging on to her dearly. 

The little boy's heart was content, for there were not one, not two, but eight berries for

the family. Now he waits patiently for them to grow and ripen, so that he can enjoy them with mommy, daddy and his little sister.  The story does not end here. It will continue in a month's time with the pictures of the proud little boy with his strawberries!!

Hosted by Cecily and ???

Random Thoughts....

This has been one of those weeks where I have felt like doing nothing. Not exactly nothing. I did tidy up the house and clean a bit, make quick meals (the oven has been resting though) . Apart from that, my butt has been glued to the seat, blogging and playing around with my pictures(photographs). Thanks to my student Joel (from back home in India) who introduced me to Picnik, a photo editing software. Since then, I have been hooked on to it. I love what I can do to my pictures, beautify them with frames, add text(love to put the "With Love from Lohr" signature on the snaps), though I prefer leaving the originality of the picture as much as possible. Thank you Joel. I am humbled by the fact that we reversed roles for a moment, I was the student, he the teacher : D.

          Summer has officially set in and Lohr is transformed into an array of colours. Geraniums, Chrysanthemums, Petunias and now Roses. I could stand forever in front of this bush and admire these beauties. The picture was clicked using my phone. Click on it to enlarge and take in their beauty. Summer also means plenty of sunshine(it still feels cold though), ice-creams, a swim in the pool and lots of other things to do. What's interesting here is the fact that Germans plan their activities based according to the seasons. Winter is a time for sleighing, skiing, snowmen. Come spring, the bikes are out and you will see families cycling together. Now that it's summer, you will see the pools filled and a lot of people sunbathing. Yet to see what does Autumn bring?? So much for random thoughts!! Got to go...

Till Then,

With Love from Lohr.

            


  
                      

Black and White Wednesday -- St. Vitus Cathedral

Last month today(23rd) saw us as tourists in Prague,Czech Republic. These are shots of St. Vitus Cathedral, the most important church in the country and an excellent example of Gothic architecture.

                                         

Tis the season to be Berry!!!!

One of my Mom's favourite questions when we chat is "What kind of fruits and veggies do you get over there?". Initially I would lament about what we do not get here. We missed our Indian veggies and seasonal fruits terribly. Now we have begun to appreciate the produce what we do not get back home and what is rather considered "EXOTIC"  in India. This post is for my Mama Mia, to get a peek into the fruits we love to eat. Pictured are cherries, raspberries, apricots, strawberries and peaches( yes, they look like apples).

What does your today look like?? Head over to Communal Global to see what the ladies are upto. You are gonna love them!! :-)

Our First treasures from the Floh Markt!

"Floh Markt" AKA Flea Market in English is a regular feature every weekend in Germany. When I first heard about it, the idea didn't sound appealing or rather was not made to sound appealing.  What I understood was people came and sold old items either not of use to them or no longer wanted. Friends suggested us to go and have a look. To prove me right, the first Floh Markt we attended saw us take a look at a lot of trash and nothing of value. We never attended any more, until I had a look at Frau's treasures. I was surprised at all the lovely things she had purchased at Floh Markt's in Germany. I proceeded to tell my husband with excitement that we could find treasures like her & it was with enthusiasm we attended one this weekend. Here are our treasures of which I am the proud owner now :)

Crystal basket and X'mas tree, 9 euros

Ceramic flour and Coffee containers, 8 euros

A painting of the Madonna, 3.50 euros

The next one is a favorite of the entire family. For me it was love at first sight. A ceramic plate( 9 euros) to be hung on the wall of a Deutsch Grandma with her grandchildren, and the goodies she has baked for them behind on a table. Reminded me so much of my mother along with my kids, she reading to them and all the Indian goodies she makes for them.

 My husband and I enjoyed this experience very much. We do plan to do more of this. Looks like I am beginning to love the German way of life!!!

P.S :- Would love to know whether bargaining is okay at such markets and if so, how do we go about??

                                          Hosted by Southern Hospitality

Sunday's in my City!

Today is my 50th post on this blog!! And I am very glad to be sharing it along with Sunday's in my City. When I began, this blog was more so for keeping myself mentally sane and occupied in this strange land. Never did I think that in the process I would be connected to people, make wonderful friends and above all have FOLLOWERS. Like every blogger, I wondered what would I write about, would anyone be interested in reading? I am amazed and humbled by the response,comments and all the messages I have received. Thank you all for your support and encouragement which motivates me and helps me survive in this fairytale land . 

                    Today, I bring to you the fairytale castle of Germany, The Neuschwanstein castle built by King Ludwig II. A very beautiful castle built on one of the most scenic locations on earth.  This is the castle Walt Disney used as an inspiration for Cinderella's castle at the Disney theme parks.

    

As you can see in the first picture, the castle is covered in clouds. Weather can play spoilt sport during a holiday and that's what it did to ours. I was disappointed with the rain, but nevertheless took consolation on the fact that I could return again since it was a 4 hour drive from home. To our surprise, the skies cleared the following day and we returned to view the castle against the setting sun. If you ever plan a holiday in Germany, Neuschwanstein should be on your "to visit" list. 

                

                          Thanks to Unknown Mami for hosting this event every Sunday where we can share our cities and also roam along with our fellow bloggers. 

Little Girl and Bubbles!!

What does an 8 year old who comes home  from school without any home work to do and cannot go out to play cause it's a rainy day do? BLOW BUBBLES!!

                                           

TODAY........

Today I went for a walk through the town. Though officially summer is not here as yet, it is beginning to feel like with all the hydrangeas and roses in bloom. All the houses in Lohr seem to be having geraniums growing out of their windows. Click on the picture to see what I mean.

What does your today look like?? Is it bright and colourful like mine?? Head over to Communal Global and have a look to see what the ladies have been upto TODAY!!

Fussball Fieber...

Before I begin, I would like to translate the title. Fussball (pronounced foosball) stands for football and Fieber is Fever. Deutschland is reeling with the fussball fieber. Yesterday was the first match played against Australia, and as you all know by now, the germans won. I am no fan of football, will never be. The boys(hubby and son) had settled down on the couch. My man watched it the typical german way, with beer in hand!!! At half past ten, with the win of Deutschland, we retired to bed since a long week lay ahead of us.

          Nothing had prepared me for what was to happen the next two hours. Honk, Honk, Honk!!! All the cars in Lohr seemed to have gone in a honking spree to celebrate their beloved country's win of the first match. Never, ever in the past eight months had I heard a honk in Deutschland. My husband says its rude to honk. To think of it, I haven't heard the honk of our car too ( maybe for the next win, I will slip down to the garage and honk away to glory!!!) 

This reminded me so much of cricket crazy India and brought back memories of the past. We Indians celebrate a win by bursting noisy crackers, but definitely not for 2 hours!!! I remember the times when there would be these one day games and we would be hooked onto the screens. Runs of 4 or 6 would have us shrieking with delight and my mother constantly reminding us that girls voices should not be heard outside of the house. These matches would roughly end between 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. In my parents house, 8 at night is Rosary (Catholic prayers) time. Whatever we may be doing, however interesting a program on TV is, we stop our work and gather for our family prayers. During the course of the rosary, if India won the match, Nannu, our neighbour shopkeeper would begin to burst crackers. With the sound of the crackers we would triple the speed of the decade of the rosary. It would then become unbearable to listen to both the crackers and the muttering of prayers. With a hasty sign of the cross we would then dash to switch on the TV.  

As I lay in bed, I could not help but smile thinking of those days and could perfectly understand the reason for jubilation. But close to midnight, we did get fed up and was waiting for it to end. What with a sleepy boy coming to your room saying he is unable to fall asleep with all the honking!! I now fear the further matches and all the hoola it will create!! People tell me, its gonna get worse. So let me enjoy all the honking as long as it lasts, cause there wont be any for the next four years to come.

Pictured above is the lane right behind our house with flags flying high. Not only Deutschland, but also other countries. Do not ask me which countries are they.....

Sundays in my City!!

Its my favourite day of the week. Sundays in my city hosted by Unknown Mami. For those who do not me, I am May, an Indian expat living the life of a German!!! Yeah, the Germans love to holiday. I believe they plan their holiday a year in advance. Well that is one trait of theirs which we havent accomplished as yet. We have been going on impromptu holidays the past two weeks and I am eager to show you the places that have been very interesting to me. Before I proceed to describe this particular place, take a look at the pictures. If you are weak hearted, I suggest you to not proceed.

This is the well known BONE CHURCH or OSSUARY in Kutna Hora(belongs to the UNESCO list of the world cultural heritage), a little village an hour away from Prague, Czech Republic. It is believed that an abbot of the Sedlec monastery returned from a visit to Palestine with a pocketful of soil and sprinkled it on the cemetery surrounding the Chapel of All Saints.

        The graveyard then became a sought after burial site among the aristocracy of Central Europe. At the time of the thirty years war in the 17th century, the number of burial outgrew the space available, the older remains were exhumed and stored in the chapel. Urban myth has it that a monk went mad and made things from the bones, and there are stories to suggest that partially blind monks entrusted with the care of the chapel were the first to begin piling the bones in geometric shapes. 

There are strings of skulls and bones hanging from the ceiling as well as a chandelier. The chapel now contains the bones of upto 40,000 people. The visit to this chapel is quite eerie and I was wondering, was it this way that the dead wanted to be remembered??? Also couldn't help but wonder how did these ladies work day in and out surrounded by eerieness. I hope I didn't scare you with my Sunday posting. 

For more not so eerie Sundays head over to Unknown Mami and take a look!!!

Kids Zone.

It's more than six months since we moved to Germany. I thought I would now slowly introduce our way of life or lifestyle here. Today I bring to you the place where kids love to go and spend their time till eternity. The Spielplatz, Spiel for play, Platz for public space. In short, the play area or park.

             Every town or village in Germany has umpteen number of such "Spielplatz" which is a haven for both kids and mother's. When weather permits, such parks are filled with children of all ages and sizes. From babies in prams to quite older children who just wanna sit and relax or simply listen to their ipods. Not to forget the mother's who dress up in their best and show up.

The parks are filled with lots of play things for the children to play. Do you notice the slides?? Mothers of infants place their babies on their laps and slide down. The older kids are more daring and instead of sliding down the normal way, they prefer going on top of the steel cover and glide down. 

              My kids like to ride their bicycle in between play times. Notice the path and road to the side. They   had their own trail for biking around in circles. Not until one day, a lady stopped them and said that cycling was not allowed in the park. She pointed us to a board and this was what we saw.

It says, No Cycling, No Dogs allowed and Kids upto 12 only. A rule is a rule, no doubt about that. Then why was the lady correcting my son when she was sitting in the same park along with her dog? I had absolutely no explanation to this when repeatedly asked by my son, as to why was she breaking the law? Do you have an answer?

These are the benches where mother's sit together and chit chat. I came early to click these shots, cause I did not want anybody to wonder what was this crazy indian doing clicking away?  There are groups of different nationalities sitting together. Germans, Turks, and more who I do not know. You will never see two groups mingling together, never. Wanna know where do I belong?? No where!!  I am a lone Indian on one of these benches...:-)

This is the best part of the Spielplatz. A small stream running through. Kids love to have a splash here and play with their water guns.

Not to forget this old hand pump which is a charmer in the park. Its use....to fill balloons with water. Water balloon games.

If you ever happen to pass by this park and happen to see a lone Indian, either punching keys on the iphone, or nose buried in a book or simply lost in thought.......then yeah, that would be ME!!!!!!!