Ahhh....the one time I have had a lot of action in my life is the time I go awol from the blog. Beginning last thursday I went to a lot of events around the city. Beginning with a horse show on thursday. Entry was free so I went in the morning, for "work" mind you, and watched the Dressage competition. I had no idea what was going on but it was entertaining none the less, I made up amusing rules and scoring methods in my head most the time. The horses were graceful and sometimes seemed to float across the grounds. Unfortunately I did not get video of my interpretation as shown to Ryan, rather amusing. The setting didn't hurt either as it took place in front of the Schloß (castle). I never made it back on Sunday for the jumping competitions, that would have been fun to watch.
The Münster hotair balloon festival (photos) also stretched out over the weekend for four days. It was situated right on the lake along with music and food. I haven't been to a ballon festival since I was a kid so it was fun. It also meant the each evening fifty or so balloons would be floating over the city. Very fun.
We were graced with an entire weekend of sunshine and warmth for which I am very grateful. Leaves are already falling to the ground here and the coming of autumn feels less magical than usual. The surprise is lost on me here since the warm days are just little treasures to be found between all the cooler days. But R and I took advantage by sleeping/picnicking along the canal on Saturday. It is a favorite place for me to go, more so than the lake. The lake is in the city center and is often busy with people running, playing and barbequing. The canal is just far enough that it feels like a bit of an escape and there is still enough people watching to be had without feeling like the tranquility of a summers afternoon is lost. I love listening to the water and watching the barges float by.
The next day R and I escaped the city for a ride through the forest and corn fields, our end destination a cafe in the countryside with mini golf and canoeing. After our bratwurst and beer lunch (which were, more or less, our only options) we played a round of golf and at moments it was actually a little hot. I was pleased.
All in all, a wonderful way to spend a holiday weekend. Friday night, as we stood watching the balloons getting ready for their big show, I stood silently listening to the woman on stage singing. Many of her selections were good ol American favorites icluding Sweet Home Alabama. At one point, while singing Take Me Home, Country Roads, my heart swelled with love and missing. Certainly, being away from home reinforces the love and ties I have to Utah and to the US. It has been interesting being here, especially in a Presidential election year. Learning about this culture, one that I, admittedly, have judged in many ways superior to our own. Seeing it's flaws and in return being able to embrace more than ever all that I love about my home country. I feel excited and scared about our future as a nation, and optimistic. I also feel proud to be here at this time and be a representative of the US, to show the people what is good and right in our country and our people. So, I leave you with this:
Photos in Mosaic:
1. CIMG1787, 2. CIMG1758, 3. CIMG1745, 4. CIMG1638, 5. CIMG1734, 6. Untitled, 7. CIMG1755, 8. Rubin Cortes, 9. CIMG1634
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