Unemployed Life

So since August 1st I have been officially unemployed, something quite exciting for me! Now, what have I been up to with all this free time? Lots! I have actually been quite busy, between visiting with friends, doing some travelling and playing softball. I was in Munich at the beginning of the month, then last week I went to Marburg and area for a night with a friend. And now my parents are visiting!

Lohrberg

Tamzin and I met up one day and explored an area of Frankfurt neither of us had ever been to. We went up to the Lohrberg, a hill in Seckbach that overlooks downtown. There are many small allotment gardens, a vineyard and an apple orchard. It was lovely to walk around, and then there was a restaurant where we ate lunch.

View of Frankfurt from Lohrberg

Bike Ride from Bad Vilbel

One Saturday I jumped on the SBahn and went up to Bad Vilbel, just north of Frankfurt. From there I was able to ride a short way down the Nidda river to the Kurpark. There they have a small gallery with a reconstruction of a Roman mosaic. It is a reconstruction of an actual one found nearby in the late 1800s. Entrance is free and there is a fair bit of information about the Romans in the area. 

Spring water flowing over the mosaic, as it would have in Roman times.

Shortly after I left the Nidda to go on the Grüngürtel hiking path. This was an interesting decision, as it was definitely not a specific bike path! I went up and down, over fields and along some very bumpy paths. 41 km later I made it back home! 

Is this really where the trail goes?

Marburg and Wiesenbach

In the middle of August I made another short trip. This time Anna took me to her area of Hessen: north of Frankfurt near Marburg. We started off the trip with a visit to Marburg, to see the Elisabethkirche, the old town and the castle. The old town is gorgeous with lots of old timber-framed houses. Unfortunately we did not catch a glimpse of the famous German actor Til Schweiger, who was filming that week in the old town. 

One of the lovely streets in the Oberstadt

View over Marburg from the hill, on the way to the castle

Many steps up to the castle!

And we finally made it! (And are already on our way down)

We then went to the small village, Wiesenbach, where Anna grew up. We stayed the night with her parents and the next morning I got a thorough tour (took a whole hour or so!). There are about 750 people there, and no shops. Very sleepy, and I get the feeling Anna is happy to be somewhere larger now.

Anna's house

Meeting Friends

Other than trips and sightseeing, I have been meeting up with various friends. I have gotten together with some of my old colleagues from school, plus spent some time with softball friends and housemates. I had a nice time visiting Dorthe and her new baby, Annabelle, before they fly to Canada for a wedding. 

Getting some smiles out of Annabelle!

More soon on our trip to Leipzig and Erfurt!