Routines and Castles

It has been really good getting into a normal routine and focusing a bit on everyday life before heading off on new adventures. School is going really well and I am finding ways to be useful in all my classes. I had to show my scary side to the year 12s with positive results and the year 10s have finally figured out that I can speak German. I commented on their "private" conversation when they should have been doing their work and they were horrified to learn that I could understand them! I have been enjoying my Spanish course at Düsseldorf Uni even if it does take me two and half hours to get there. The Spanish it at the right level but I've had some issues when asked to translate it into German - or vice versa. My third language into my second language?? Um, slight problem right there. It has been getting easier but I'm glad I am not trying to pass the course. I bike along to symphonic band every Tuesday night and apart from the fact that I need earplugs to hear myself playing, it is going really well. We have a concert on Sunday for the first of Advent which will hopefully go really well. Choir every Wednesday evening is also great fun and we'll be singing in Christmas markets over the next couple of weeks.

Over the weekend I went down south to visit the Franks. They used to live in Dunedin when I was in year 9 and I practised my German with their toddler. They now have a total of four kids and I had a very intense weekend keeping everyone amused. I hadn't realised how much I missed having little people around although I very nearly went hoarse from book reading! The train ride there was mostly pretty boring but there is one stretch along the Rhine where every corner reveals a castle on a hill. It's like travelling through a fairytale!

Hambacher Schloss

The Franks took me to see their local castles as well which is always a win situation with me. I don't think I'll ever get sick of visiting castles. On Friday we went to the Hambacher Schloss which is where German democracy originated and they have a very good exhibition all about it. Very interactive and we could all get dressed up as well which the kids loved.

The Franks dressing up (Alena, Kilian, Esra, Marit and Pavo)

Castle Trifels from below

On Saturday we went to Castle Trifels which has to be the coolest castle I've been in. It's located in the hills and sits out on a big cliff. For anyone who know what Gondor looks like, it has a jutting out rock formation exactly the same. What was great was that we could explore all over without a guide or anything and you really get the proper feel of being in a castle. Oh, and Richard the Third (the Lionheart) was imprisoned here after his third Crusade. Pretty cool huh? I certainly had a fantastic time!

The throne room