Hockey and politics

I had a very varied weekend this week. On Friday a colleague gave me hockey tickets in the morning, so I got to go to a second game in a week! It was fun, even with a score of 11-0 (for the Loewen of course). I was even brave enough to go and wait for an autograph afterwards. I got the goalies autograph, since he's one of the Canadians and I didn't have to worry about speaking German. As soon as I asked he asked me where I was from - must have given myself away by saying sorry multiple times in a sentence! Turns out he's from Port Alberni! 

Then on Sunday (yesterday) a friend was working at the open house at the Römer. She works for a company that runs Segway tours, so I got to try a small obstacle course on a Segway. Then I walked around the Rathaus (city hall). My favourite part was a stall with a large map of the world and another with the neighbourhoods of Frankfurt. You got to put a flag pin in where you are from and where you live in Frankfurt. I was the first pin in Vancouver!

Last night I had a special softball practice with one of the other teams we will play with this year in the Landesliga. We drove out to Kriftel, about half an hour down the Main. It was fun, but a very different practice than normal, and I missed knowing what to expect. Though I think this is the only joint practice we will have so it doesn't really matter. I did learn one thing though. When playing catcher I close my eyes if the batter swings. Now I know to always wear a mask (or a helmet with a cage since a mask doesn't fit over my glasses). At least I got hit in the chin, and it didn't even leave a mark! 

Spring!

We have been so lucky in Frankfurt. For the past 2 weeks we have had spring weather, with temperatures up to 18 degrees! I have been loving the weather and spending as much time as possible outside. Last weekend I biked to a friend's house in Zepplinheim, about 15 km from where I live. This weekend the weather was suppose to deteriorate, but it has still been great. A little cooler and a little rain yesterday morning, but we definitely can't complain for March! This afternoon I walked most of the way home from a friend's in Bornheim.

Bethmann Park, just north of the centre of downtown Frankfurt

A little Chinese garden in the middle of Bethmann park

Abitur time

I learned something new this week, thanks to now living in the city. At the end of Gymnasium (gr. 5-12), the students write their exams to receive their Abitur. This is the piece of paper that will allow them to go on to university. So I guess they are a big deal, especially because there are actually three types of high school (Gymnasium, Realschule and Hauptschule), and the other two do not give the Abitur. They must be about to write the exams, because the two local Gymnasiums near me now have all these good luck banners attached to all possible places, fences and poles out front. I first saw people putting them up before softball on Wednesday, and there were still people busy on my way home at 10 pm. Some seem to be put up by friends, others by parents. I even saw one that had a photo that looked to be a photo of the student on her first day of school, age 6.

Dublin

Last Monday was Fasching in Germany, and luckily for me a holiday. So of course I took off to Dublin :) My friend Jennifer (who I've known since we were 5) is studying medicine there and it was such a nice treat to go and visit her.

Trinity College bell tower

I flew into Dublin late Friday night, so we met up Saturday morning. We went straight to a free walking tour of the city, given by New Europe Tours. I've been on their tours in other cities, and they are always great. Again, this was an amazing tour. We lucked out with the sun shining (unusual I hear for Dublin) and blue sky. In about three hours I swear we went through the entire history of Dublin, from vikings to independence to eating babies. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal, you can read the entire proposal on other sites). Above is the bell tour in the courtyard of Trinity College. Apparently if a student walks underneath they will not graduate. Our tour guide said he is living proof of this.

For dinner I took the 39A bus out to University College Dublin, where Jennifer studies. We met up with a group of her friends at one of their residences. One of her friends made dinner, and after we played board games. It was a great evening, neat to meet some new people - a mix of Canadians, Americans and one Irish. Afterwards three of us went back into Dublin for a drink in a proper Irish pub :)

Looking rather wet!

On Sunday, Jen and I took another New Europe tour, this time on the train north east of Dublin to Howth. We hiked up to the top of the peninsula for a cloudy view, and then back along the cliffs. On the way up it rained on us, and we all ended up soaking wet by the time we stopped for lunch (of course half way there was a pub for lunch). Even in the rain I thoroughly enjoyed it. The landscape was amazing and it was just nice to be outside for a whole day. We had a group of Dutch guys, who were hilarious, and it was not too cold so the rain didn't really matter. Above was the sort of view from the top.

Finally the sun started to come out again!

This was just after stopping for lunch, where I realized that the rain had started to go through my rain coat. Everything, including me, was a bit damp. Somehow I also seemed to have water running down one side of me ...

A bit wet, a bit cold, but definitely happy to be there!

On the O'Connell Street bridge there is this plaque, commemorating a so called "Father Pat Noise". It was put up by an unknown group, and no one had heard of this guy. So the city did some research, and discovered he was made up. But the funny part is that when they took the plaque down the city made such a fuss that it was put back!

Stephen's Street Arcade

Monday Jennifer had classes, so I had the day to explore myself. I found this Stephen's Street Arcade, a Victorian covered market. There were a lot of random stores inside, but I found one coin collector with a big box of coins out front for 50 cents a piece. I spent some time sifting through it and chatting with the man running the stall. I ended up buying an Irish three pence coin, and also a British one from 1955. 

A picture for Papa!

Next I went back to Trinity College and visited their exhibit on the Book of Kells and the Old Library. The Book of Kell's exhibit was stellar, even though the actual book wasn't that interesting. They had whole sections explaining each part of how the Book of Kells was made, written and illustrated. This was perfect for me, as was the library :) This harp is the oldest harp in Ireland, though more recently restored and restrung.

Wish I could work in a library like this!!

Went down to Temple Bar (and area, not an actual bar) for lunch. I had lunch in the restaurant on the right with the red awning. It advertised traditional Irish food - so I had pasta!

Dublin double decker buses. Of course I sat in the front seat upstairs :)

The sun shining over St. Patrick's Cathedral

I wandered around for the rest of the early afternoon. I went back to see Christ Church Cathedral again, St. Patrick's and then tried to go see the Beatty Library. Sadly in the winter it is closed on Mondays, so instead I ended up in the Revenue Museum (because it was also free). It actually wasn't too bad! 

Then it was on the bus to the airport and back home. After such a nice weekend it was a bit depressing to have to go back. Tuesday morning I was very bitter about having to get up at 6:30, it actually took me a second to recognize my alarm! But then it was back into the busyness of school ...