Spreche aus ein bisschen Deustch*

Before I get stuck into the happenings of today, I really need to spill something. I have only just come to the realisation that my family had been left of the bulk email list. Well...they came to the realisation and I got the questioning email. So apologies, I'll try to keep everyone informed. Rest assured it wasn't intentional. Aren't mothers supposed to be intuitive anyway?

On a better note: I came home from today to find a bowl of raspberries, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, and apples sitting on my kitchen table. It just blew me away. You see, Polli's mother had arranged to come by to pick some things up this afternoon. I wasn't sure I could be here, but she has a key for the time being, so that was no problem. I just expected upon my return to see a little note, not a note and some delicious fruit. It was the cherry on the icing on the cake.

The cake was a good day as detailed below, the icing was that it started to rain on the way home. Now rain is a great thing, especially during a hot day, and the fact that it gave me the chance to dance in the rain on my way home. I really did. Had my iPod all geard up with my music, and bam, it's made perfect by the dense rain drops that characterise summer drizzles. It felt good. "Whoever said sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."

So, anyway, today marked the first day of German classes at the Language Centre. It was a pretty good time. I was a little freaked at first as there's no one else from the exchange in my course. There is however another New Zealander. She, like most of the class, has followed their sweethearts to Germany and now want to learn the language. A couple are doing it for study purposes, some for fun, but the majority are simply romantics.

But it was good to get some real stimulation in, and conversation, albeit in German and using introductory questions repeatedly. It did, however, give me more confidence in speaking German, which I sorely needed when confronted with having to exchange traveller's cheques and then deposit them into a bank account. I got shunted round by two bank tellers, neither of whom could speak English nor wanted to slow down against my repeated requests. The only thing that kept me sane were some txt messages from back home admist all of this.

I also managed to get some more sightseeing in the day. "What?!" I hear you say "Have you not seen everything?!" and frankly, no I haven't. And I've decided that I'm going to have to see new things everyday to show you guys new photos (or at least pretend that it's new - you won't know the difference). The photo to the right is of the Rathaus (Mayor's office) taken just before the weather closed in.

This other photo is when I was trying to muck around with camera settings. I think I'm getting better at it. I mean, just look at the detail in either of the two photos here. To the left you'll see more of the Planten un Bloomen, and yes it's in the Japanese garden section. I think it's the running water that draws me there. It's a soothing sound, and one that reminds me of many memories.

So, the important things I learnt today besides construction of German verbs:

• Jaegermeister is only 9.90 EUR here for the full size bottle (I think that's cheaper than Duty Free in Australia, prove me wrong Josh);
• Cherry tomatoes are 1.29 EUR at Penny Markt;
• NZ Braeburn apples are 1.99 EUR for 1 kg;
• But Gummibaren are only 0.69 EUR;
• and Milka Schokolade is only 0.69 EUR for 100g.

So you tell me what I should be eating.