Day 5

Lotta

Sunday, May 26, Day 5

Nellie had to wake me at 8:30 so I could get up and dressed for breakfast at Jenny’s by 9:15. I even got a coffee before we left. I’m beginning to recognize the streets we take. Nellie is lucky to have both of her kids living so close by. At Jenny’s house, there was a definite Sunday-morning-after-a-big-Saturday vibe. Kids and parents had been out at a party till midnight, after working so hard at their garage sale all day. Lotta was still asleep when we got there, and Phil was slow to appear.

Oma and Lotta



We had eggs, cheeses, fruit, lots of nice bread, more coffee for some of us, in general a nice spread. Then Jenny went off to a fitness class, while her husband, Burge, supervised the robot lawnmower from his hammock on the deck, and Nellie and I moved on.

We went to Karl’s place, just up the road, and looked at the group of Nellie’s paintings residing there. He has a nice little apartment with a pleasant garden and a view of the hills on the other side of Aachen (to the Dreilander Punkt, in fact, where three countries meet). When we left and turned the corner, I knew exactly how far it was to Nellie’s. We admired everyone’s front gardens and listened to songbirds. On arrival, Nellie showed me the large papier-maché horse she had made, which is currently stabled in the garage. It was made some years ago, and needs some repairs and a fresh coat of waterproofing.

My leg was painful and I had to lie down, eventually having a short nap. Nellie was making a salad when I woke, so we had a light lunch. She promised me cake and coffee in a downtown café, so off we went to catch the bus.

Close to the city hall and cathedral area, we walked through an area of new housing that was just a calm as her neighbourhood, and even prettier. Nellie took me to her favorite café and we had delicious homemade rhubarb cake. That reminded me that my rhubarb back home will be ready for picking when we get back. From our seats outside the café, we could see the cathedral and one of the squares where a big flea market was taking place. 




As the weather was turning grey, and it was close to closing time, many vendors were packing up. We did a bit of aimless wandering and looking, then sat with to city hall behind us and the cathedral in front of us, watching the flea marketers packing up, as we discussed the history of Charlemagne and his city.




Another short walk brought us to the bus stop, and after the bus ride, yet another short walk brought us home. These short walks added up to another overachieving day for my Fitbit, and the beginnings of a blister on my foot. I have worn my new sandals ever since I got them!

We sat by the fire for a while, reading and looking things up, as we both do! We needed to find the story of the elephant I had noticed in town, while taking a picture of a window. 
The elephant is on the right!


Answer: Charlemagne was given an elephant (possibly white) by an Eastern caliph (see Wikipedia for more).

Nellie made us some homemade cream of mushroom soup for supper. After a little while by the fire, we watched the BBC News coverage of the European Parliament elections. That left me a bit confused, so here I am, writing in bed. Note: at 10 p.m. here, it is after sunset but still quite bright outside.

Comments

  1. MMHarrison27 May 2019 at 03:02

    Lovely shots of Aachen! Hope your leg feels better soon. XXX Mary

    ReplyDelete

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