Gingerbread Haus - April 2021

 🐣🐇 Frohe Ostern 🐇🐣 

“We’ve had a visit from the Easter Bunny”

Hoppy Easter 🐣 Frohe Ostern 🐰 

As the ginger one was working we postponed our Easter Bunny 🐰 visit until tomorrow, thank goodness they don’t pay any attention to the calendar, news or radio.  The amount of Easter Sunday announcements that have gone above their heads is incredible.  We have a scavenger hunt, goodie basket and a trip out planned for “Easter” but for today we’ve had surprise garden visits, video calls and a movie or two.  I’ve managed to sneak off for a 🚿 which has magically turned into a 🛀🏻, relaxing soak here I come.  Only one week left till they go back to school. 🏫 

40 days and 40 nights

For lent this year I have given up Facebook, with a few very rare exceptions I have not commented, posted or even acknowledge Facebook, while I would love to claim it was done for some supreme religious sacrifice, or a testament to my will power, I honestly just got a little bit bored of it all.  It hasn't been as exciting as it used to be,so for lent we departed and  I lived a life that wasn't broadcast to all and sundry.  I think I have lost some "friends" but I have enjoyed not being tethered to the juggernaut of social media. That being said I am looking forward to my return and to all those people who will receive a little notification announcing that I have posted something for the first time in a while. On a side note I haven't totally deprived myself I have still had unfettered access to my Instagram accounts (yes I have more than one), I suppose you could say I swapped one vice for another.  Hey Ho, at least I tried, what did you do?

Flying Home for Easter

As the alarm went off at 4.45 am I couldn't help but wonder why I always seemed to get up earlier in the holidays than I do for work. Nevertheless I was off to the Motherland for a few days of relaxation and pampering and I couldn't wait.  I arrived at the airport in good time (as we always did) I breezed through passport control and security (I was only carrying a backpack and had removed all liquids the night before) and knowing now that there were extra gates I passed the time by walking up and down the concourse adding to my daily step count.  

I was tempted to buy something to eat but as it was still only half past six, I picked up some water and a yoghurt for later during the flight.  By the time our gate was announced a 7.05 I had already accumulated 5000 steps and had treated myself to a drink of a Chai Latte, a quick nip to the ladies to freshen up and I made my way to gate 44.  As I boarded the plane I picked up my complimentary three newspapers and found my seat.  As I was one of the last to board I knew I had both seats to myself and I made myself comfortable.  We arrived early and I left the plane, again breezed through customs to be met by...  

No one.  

Presuming that Ma and Pa were just delayed, I once again nipped to the ladies.  Then I called them, they thought my flight arrived at 10.25pm not 10.25am.  WTF?  They had still driven down on the off chance and were waiting for me upstairs, what a relief.  

I didn't know the exact plan for the week, but I did know that as yesterday was Good Friday, tomorrow being Easter Sunday, followed swiftly by Easter Monday all of the shops would be closed that meant one thing and one thing only on the Saturday between two public holidays, the supermarkets would be heaving.  Germans go in to panic mode when the shops are closed more than one day and they lose their minds.  The descend on the shops like there is an oncoming apocalypse 

London Baby

It was so nice to visit my old stomping ground.  Yes we always visit London every year at Christmas and during the summer holidays, but we never venture further than zone one. We had left booking our hotel until the last minute, surprise surprise, and were planning on giving AirBNB a try, hipster wannabes that we are.  I had mentioned it at school and the few people who had heard of it weren't overly enthusiastic about it, so I decided to give it a miss this time.  That left us with nowhere to stay, Tall Girl 1, had offered us some space on her floor, just as I was about to take her up on her offer GO had booked a hotel. It was a travelodge (nothing wrong with cheap and cheerful, especially in London) and it was in the Docklands.  Right around the corner from Custom House where I lived when I first moved to London, all those many moons ago.  See, before I was a North Londoner, I was an Eastender.  

We arrived and almost immediately I took charge (what's new there) I got us onto the tube towards Tower Hill (Hello Babs and Rog) we then changed onto the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) towards Bank and settled in for a relatively pain free journey.  Until we arrived at Custom House which was closed, I was convinced that we had gone a stop too far and made GO get off the train and walk around the EXCEL building towards the hotel.  It was after we had gone down the lift that I decided to just check on the phone.  I have tapped the screen a few times and as if by magic the hotel popped up along with our location. We/I were/was going the wrong way, and we hadn't missed our stop we had gotten off the DLR three stops early.  Anyhow we added a nice big total to our Fitbits that day, a theme for the week that had begun on our Saturday walk.  

As we settled into the hotel we decided that while we both knew London really well, especially the North and West sides,  we'd explore more of the East and South East.  We decided to spend our time in the Docklands, Greenwich, and Canary Wharf.  What fun we had,  more on the later.

Easter in Deutschland

Frohe Ostern

People always say that German's invented Christmas, the sights, sounds and smells of a Weihnachts markt are so evocative.  Everybody knows that the Christmas Tree was a German invention (Prince Albert gave one to Queen Victoria).  I also think that Germany has to be given credit for totally embracing the Easter festival.   

In one supermarket alone I found Easter themed rolls, biscuits, cakes, chocolate (that's a given), and salami!

I also found non Easter related POP CORN flavoured tic tac's, they really do taste like popcorn, not sure why you would wan them though?

Bunny rabbit shaped bread carrying a real boiled egg in it's basket.

Pappichen with the Easter salami

I love these things they are scrummy, chocolate covered marshmallows, mmmmh.

Mamilein with her Eastery tipple, Ei likor

Pappichen and I had the sniffles, so we decided to burn the biggers out with Jaegermeister - best night sleep in a long time!

My now Facebook famous Easter socks.