Thursday was Himmelfahrt (Ascension Day) and Friday was therefore a "trapped" day between the holiday and the weekend, so most people took it off. We took the train down to Bielefeld and then took a streetcar out to Brackwede, where some old friends from our church from our Bielefeld sabbatical met us with their kids' bikes for us to borrow. Two of their friends came along, and they had mapped out a 55 km. bike ride (mostly flat). It was very relaxing to let them keep track of directions with the GPS and map. Very pleasant to go toodling along on bike paths by streams, brooks, and farmer's fields with new corn. I was worried that I wouldn't be in good enough shape, but it was a very leisurely ride, chatting, stopping for morning coffee and tea (Gudrun brought both in thermoses), stopping at a church garage sale, stopping for lunch, stopping to look at a botanic garden, stopping for ice cream. I joked that it wasn't a cycling tour but a food and drink tour.
Underway-Bike Path
With the new leaves budding out, everything was very green. The tulips and pansies were in full bloom in the botanic garden. We went on a bike path right through Gutersloh without even catching a glimpse of the city.
Gutersloh Botanic Garden
There are so many fun things to see. I liked the dice on this gate.
Farmhouse with Dice on Gate
I've been teasing Rich that when we get home, we should decorate our house with a weathervane, a sundial, Bible verses, proverbs, and murals on the outside walls, and perhaps a duck pond in the garden. Here's a wall painting I liked.
Griffin on the outside of the music and art school wall
After the botanic garden, we stopped at a "light and air spa" on a little island in the river. There were deck chairs, presumably for enjoying the especially good light and air.
Light & Air Spa Rules
Jennifer taking it easy on the spa bench
After our cycling tour, Klaus and Cornelia served us tea and little sandwiches on their balcony overlooking Bielefeld. Cornelia has a cookie cutter to cut the cheese into shapes.
Sandwich with Fish-shaped Cheese
Most Germans live in apartments that they either own or rent, and they decorate the doors and use the landings outside their apartment doors as extra space for plants and things. I took some pictures of the doorways in Cornelia's apartment house.
Decoration on Apartment Door
Shoe Rack and Umbrellas in the Hall Outside an Apartment
After cycling, we stayed overnight with Sandra and Norbert, Rich's colleague from our Bielefeld sabbatical. Sandra is from Mexico and made us a great Mexican dinner, a real treat, since I'd resigned myself to no Mexican food till we get back to California. We went for a hike with them in the forest on the hills above Bielefeld and ate lunch by the castle above the music school where Sarah took lessons.
Breakfast with Sandra & Norbert - Lots of kinds of bread, cheese, jam, and wurst (not unwrapped yet)
Rich & Jennifer, Teutoburger Wald Hike
We took a train up to Kiel to visit Kellie, Sarah's German tutor and our favorite babysitter from Bielefeld days. She lives two blocks from the beach, so, although it wasn't really that warm, I got to walk barefoot on the beach for the first time since New Zealand. I must admit I miss the beach and mountains.
It was fun to see her children. Here's a picture of the girls' elementary school backpacks, very typical girl colors, with the school schedule inside the top flap, since even in elementary school they have different teachers for each subject.
Children's Backpacks
We came home late Saturday night, because I had my first concert with the recorder orchestra Sun. morning. We played a Handel march for the processional, some hymns, and a Mother's Day song for the confirmation service.
Recorder Orchestra Concert Epiphannias Church
Finally, a lot of people get impatient with the long wait at the lights and just jaywalk. Here's a stoplight that tries to reassure people that, yes, the light is working, and that it will be green soon.
Grün kommt=Green is coming
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