1st Week in Hannover

Here are some pictures I thought you would like. The first is of an outdoor cafe table covered in snow with a window box in the background and the 2nd is a close-up of the window box with the start of spring bulbs. The restaurant is in a square just a block away called Ballhof, because it has a fountain with a ball in it.

Snow on outside tables, Ballhof

Windowbox

Ballhof with Marktkirche (Market church) in the background

Rich brought home some red and yellow tulips yesterday that have opened today, but it's pretty wintry outside right now. The low was ~19 and the high was ~23 F yesterday.

I've had an interesting week, exploring a bit and trying things out, trying to figure out how I want to spend my time. Mon. night Jens had us over for pizza. Tues. I tried a Frauenkreis (women's circle) from the church and a Scottish Country Dance group. The first was friendly, but they spent 20 min. discussing how to wash windows! The latter was v. disorganized, but I do like to dance, so I'll probably go back. Wed. I ate at the cafeteria with Rich and Jens and tried a recorder orchestra in the evening. Friendly, but lots of new music and the director writes the alto score in the wrong octave because she thinks it's easier for the kids to learn; consequently, I couldn't sightread it, which was frustrating. Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out how to spend my time. I did find a treasure of English books today in the English & Linguistics library at the university. I've been trying to use my tablet, but the selection of ebooks in our library runs more to romance and second-rate mysteries than anything I'd really like to read. I'm also exploring options for taking language courses. When the weather warms up a bit, I'm hoping to explore the city by bicycle. At the SCD group someone told me about an Indian shop that sells PG Tips tea, and I found it yesterday.

There are lots of concerts.  I bought tickets to a choral group for tomorrow night and we'll go to some Easter concerts. I'm thinking about how to join a choir. Rich's church doesn't have one at the moment. Rich has been fortunate in that there is a prof who is gone to N. America who is letting Rich use his v. nice, spacious office.

Chemistry Building, Leibniz University