Germany!

I love Germany!! Haha, Stephen and I had so much fun! We got there in the morning on Thursday and Almut and her sister Selma were there to pick us up! We went back to their house and napped for a little bit before eating lunch. Since it was Easter weekend we got to do their Easter traditions with them. Like Thursday is "Green Thursday" and we ate a spinach casserole! It was really good. Then we headed out to see the city of Aachen. It was about a 45 minute drive...and by the way, Stephen and I haven't been in a car since we got to London and had to take a taxi, so it was really cool! In Aachen we saw an old town hall that dates back to Charlemagne, and the Aachen Cathedral that is also that old. We went into a museum for the cathedral and saw lots of relics, like the bust of Charlemagne with his skull in it, and part of his thigh bone in another relic. We also saw what was supposed to be part of Jesus's sweat rag, and part of the sponge they fed him with when he was on the cross. And all of these things were in the most intricate golden pieces you've ever seen! Some were shaped like little cathedrals, some were shaped like saints, it was amazing! After all this we walked around then headed back to Duren, where they live.  On Friday we spent most of our day at a palace called Augustusburg in Bruhl. It was more magnificent and grand then anything i've seen in London! And the gardens were just as great. We took the tour but it was in german, at this point Stephen and I had gotten used to not understanding anything! Thank goodness Almut and Selma are fluent in english, and their parents did their best and talked to us quite a lot in english! After that we went and saw a castle ruins, called Burg Lineggen. We also got a turkish sandwich, i forgot the name of it. Then after all of that we got ice cream! Stephen and I split spaghetti ice cream! The vanilla ice cream was in the shape of noodles and there was strawberry topping on it! It was delicious! 

On Saturday we rode the train into Cologne. Right outside the station is the Cologne Cathedral which is beyond words! You have to see pictures to understand how grand it is! We started the climb up the 509 step spiral staircase but I only made it 263 due to my ankle :( Stephen, Almut, Selma, and Stefan (Selma's boyfriend) went all the way up. The pictures he took are amazing! Then we did some shopping!! I got some sandals and lots of touristy things! haha! 

Later on that night Almut, Selma, and Stefan took us to an "American bar!!" Haha! Stephen and I tried their german beer, while we ate "Texas cheeseburgers and fries!" It was probably the funniest thing being in Germany yet in an American themed restaurant. The burgers even came out with little American flags in them! We loved it!

On Sunday we went to church with the Schoffers! It was a catholic service all in german! We didn't understand what he was saying but we got the jist! I mean, it was Easter! Then we went back to their home for a traditional German holiday meal! They eat really well, and I'm jealous now that i'm back in London eating cereal. haha. Later on we had to fly back to London. It was terribly sad. Stephen and I didn't want to leave. 

A special thanks to the Schoffers for being so kind to us! You went out of your way and made us feel extremely comfortable in Germany! We had an amazing time! Thank you!

For the rest of you...we come home in 16 days. Crazy, right?