In the Land of Lego

We decided to spend our summer vacation in opposite ends of Europe this year. First, we drove north and spent one week in Denmark, returned to Erlangen for a week, and now we will travel south to Venice and Croatia.

We picked Denmark because so many of our German friends had told us that the beaches of Jutland are relaxing. So we rented a house about 300 meters from the North Sea. The only obstacles between our house and the beach were very large dunes.



We spent the sunny days on the beach or on our porch and were lucky enough to have a clear night for the lunar eclipse.



And it was relaxing, but when it rained, we had to find alternatives. So we spent one day at Legoland



and another exploring the Nazi bunkers on Houvig Strand.



We also looked forward to the sunsets.



Before we returned to Erlangen, we spent one night in Hamburg and visited the Fischmarkt on Sunday morning. It reminded me of the old Maxwell Street in Chicago, except that in Hamburg, the old Fish Auction Hall hosts a live band and sells beer from 5 AM.



I learned a lot about myself this trip. Mainly, I cannot sit still and relax for more than two days. On the days that we did NOT go sightseeing, I felt like I was wasting time just reading. I finished two thick books in one week, which is an accomplishment for a slow-reader, and yet, I still felt as if I had wasted my vacation. The kids and Oscar loved it, but I was bored (so was Bob).


This one is for Cara and Ursula.

Bierfests, Continued

In late June, there was the Zollhausfest, in our old neighborhood from our first lives in Erlangen.


Then there was Annafest in mid-July. Annafest is Forchheim's version of the Bergkirchweih, Erlangen's big beer festival, but less crowded.



And more recently, Kulmbacher Bierwoche, which is a smaller version of Munich's Oktoberfest.