Our Last Full Day in Europe
by Ben
30.07.2013 - 30.07.2013
26 °C
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Koning/Zemliak Family Europe 2012/2013
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The Gate to Hannah's School in Nancy
A wonderful three days with the Poirot family are behind us and only one full day in Europe remains. It was a sad and exciting prospect at the same time. We are eager to be home to see family and friends and experience the joys of a regular productive lifestyle. Nevertheless, we (perhaps just Muriel and I) are sad that the adventuring and sightseeing are now just memories.
Before we left our apartment in Nancy we purged our possessions of worn clothing and shoes to make space for a few souvenirs we bought during our travels. Since each of us only has one backpack and one daypack we needed to keep our acquisitions to a bare minimum. This is a good thing, otherwise we would have likely spent a fortune on the many items we definitely felt like buying but had no space for.
On our way out of Nancy we stopped by the school Hannah attended. The school has at least one structure that dates back to the late 1400's and has some large buildings that are certainly a couple of hundred years old. It is a large campus with a mishmash of buildings of which some are a bit rough around the edges. It was hard to imagine a 15 year old Hannah on her first day venturing into this maze of buildings with thousands of new faces moving to and fro. I would have felt more than just daunted by the prospect. We now have an even greater appreciation of her courage and pluck to have travelled from Canada to France and to live for three months in a totally new environment with only her exchange “sister” as a familiar face.
Hannah's School in Nancy
For the final time we took another “road trip.” It was a four hour drive to Frankfurt mostly along secondary roads through farmland. We had our last roadside picnic which was a hodgepodge of leftover food items. A saving grace was that we still had a bar of Swiss chocolate with which to end our repast. We also enjoyed our last few podcasts together. They have been an edifying addition to our travels. So for one last time I will list our favourites in no particular order as being the Vinyl Cafe, This American Life, DNTO, Wiretap, and Stuff You Should Know. I think our favourite family choice of music has been the quirky and eclectic music by Cat Empire, a band that hails from Australia.
Our apartment in Frankfurt is a “unique” affair which makes it the perfect place to spend our last night in Europe. It was just renovated a few weeks ago and even so it has a number of unconventional touches fir an apartment advertising on Booking.com such as a nearly transparent glass sliding door on the bathroom (use your imagination), a hidden fridge in the living room, blue LED ambiance lighting throughout, a living room sectional that could easily sit ten people and sleep six, and a bed with a flower studded purple headboard with a large blue portrait of a naked woman hanging over it. The owner who hails from Bulgaria has been renovating and renting apartments for nearly 12 years in Spain and has recently moved to Germany to create better opportunities for his children. Apparently, he must have found that this kind of decor was good for business. I am just wondering what line of work his clientèle are in and whether we are somewhat unusual customers for him.
We will watch the final episode of West Wing this evening, something Hannah and Abby thought would be appropriate to watch on the last evening of our trip.
Posted by KZFamily 12:07 Archived in Germany Tagged germany frankfurt
as to the clear glass for the shower and door , we were in a boutique hotel, business section of Sydney and that was our room. In fact it also had a wee sliding French window that opened to the main room. Not only could one see and say hello but also to the one on the throne. A phone was on the wall so you could accomplish business .. well nuff said. To the Naked Ladies,, part of the décor in many places, we have one on our bedroom .. my gosh.. we bought when first married, still present. Tasteful or course. 
It is hard to imagine Ben, Muriel, Hannah, Abby and Moe, that the nine month trek, sights and sounds of your European adventures, mishaps, challenges, thrills, gastronomical experiences is coming to a close. I for one have been thrilled to enjoy the armchair experience and have reveled in the blogs, delighted in the pictures and for a very short time sampled a snippet of your experience. Thanks for your inclusion of us at home, in your marvelous writings, clever puns and pictorial additions. I look forward to seeing you all soon and to hear in many days, months and years to come the tales of this wonderful family experience.
Love
(Auntie) Helen
by Helen Koning