Don’t worry nothing’s gone wrong, other than that I’m having major blog photo layout problems, but I’m still working on HTML so hopefully I can be a bit more savvy on it all soon. But May just flew by! In fact, it flew by so fast that I’m going to finally share pictures I took from the Kirschblütenfest Fest and Cherry Blossom trees blooming (that really happened in April). And while doing so I’ll share what on earth I was doing all of May!
First of all, the Kirschblüten blossoms in Bonn were spectacular. Coming from D.C., where we also have our own spring cherry blossom spectacular around the Tidal Basin, I was really excited to experience this popular sight in Bonn. A few years ago a magazine named this street, Heerstraße, one of those places you’re supposed to see before you die. So phew, knocking things off my list before I hit 30. jk. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen cherry blossom trees in all their glory in D.C., Tokyo, and now here. I’ve turned in to a bit of a bloom chaser, I think!
The cherry blossom trees in Bonn bloom in mid-April and were a sight for sore winter eyes, if you ask me. The most famed street here in the Altstadt is, as I mentioned, Heerstraße, though they can be found all over town. I have searched for the origin of these blossoms and can’t find them,but I recently got a library card, so I’ll go hit the German history books and find out. I do know that Heerstraße was built for the rapid mobilization of the military through the city, and is one of the wider streets in the Altstadt, making it a perfect place for this tunnel of blooms. I’m not sure who planted them and when, but if anyone who reads this can point me in that direction, I’d appreciate it 🙂
We live pretty much on the edge of the Altstadt so I kept walking over and checking out the progress, just to be sure I didn’t miss anything! I think this is the first time in my life I’ve really paid attention to the progression of winter thawing and turning into a green spring in such detail. I know part of that is because I’m not working at the moment so I have more time to sit and watch the grass grow. On the other hand, the winter here, living further north than I ever have, was the gloomiest winter I’ve experienced and we didn’t even have any snow!! Seriously though, watching spring unfold here has been beautiful. Since we walk everywhere, passing the same tree day by day does allow one to notice these little things. I’m really into the circle of life lately apparently 😉
The day of the actual cherry blossom festival it was cloudy and cold, so we wandered for a little while, but it was a winding road of tourists, a weird flea market, and bad German rap and other music. So, yeah it wasn’t so spectacular. The highlight of the day for me was definitely eating this Steak and Truffle Australian pie from the Tazzy Food pie truck – like it says, it was “Totally Edible” (luckily! ha)
On to May.
Like I said, TIME IS JUST FLYING over here (clearly it just flies everywhere and I should get used to it)! But May was such an eventful month. Between visits from out of town friends (hey Josh and Krystal, and Kate!), connecting with the Girl Scouts Overseas in Bonn, studying for and passing my B1 German Exam, learning about the season of and proper cooking methods for Spargel (Germany’s white asparagus – look it up, yum), celebrating Sean’s birthday with friends at Flynn’s Inn Irish Pub, two picnics and a Rhine In Flamen BBQ, biergarten fun and a visit to BlowUp, and choir concert prep,things are great and non stop as we’re taking advantage of the spring and (mostly) better weather.
The last two weeks alone have been packed. With Sean gone in the U.S. for a little over 2 weeks of conferences, family and friend time, I was probably out and about even more keeping busy. He just got back yesterday (finally!), but my highlights:
- A spontaneous solo trip to Stockholm, Sweden (more on that on my next post!) but I fell in love with Stockholm. Really cool city and I loved learning more about Swedish culture, and reconnecting with my second cousin who lives in Sweden.
- 2 Bonn English Singers choir concerts and great time spent getting to know the lovely choir members better – click here to see the video of one of our songs from the second concert.
- I started volunteering at the Bonner Zentrallager Sachspenden – it’s the central refugee donation collection center for clothes and housewares and all the essentials for living. This has been fun and good language training- especially trying to tell an older German nun why we needed to separate the kids clothes in to jungen and madchen…sigh. (but I of course love these “cultural experiences” ha!)
- We’ve enough rain in the past week to cause the Rhine to raise so high in some parts that River cruises can’t get under bridges and unfortunately in Bavaria there have been more than half a dozen deaths as a result of flooding (check out Paris also if you haven’t seen the Seine, it’s nuts!)
- Free fitness in the Stadtgarten and many runs on the Rhine!
- And finally, in German language learning updates, I went to a fun German Stammtisch (casual conversation all in German) the other night and most frustrating: with almost 10 days of no internet in the apartment, I had about 8 calls total with the ISP trying to get this problem fixed, and they don’t speak ANY ENGLISH. Glad to know that internet issues with your provider are universal ha! (I almost lost my mind trying to talk to the people on the phone – but hey, again GREAT practice in German, right?)
June is going to be another really great packed month. I’m really savoring everything that’s here as our time in Germany will come to an end at the end of August. But before heading back to reality (yes, I’ve started the job search – ee!), we’ve got some amazing trips coming up and lots of plans for live summer music, picnics, bierfests, hikes and adventures with lots of local and visiting family and friends. 🙂
Today's the Day 
Love these! Especially the voyeur wedding one 😉