Ah the joys of vacation. No rest for the mama that's for sure! Nothing like having a toddler wandering around a ferry boat to get that old heart rate up! Missing the dogs and missing our home but it's good to change the scenery.
Our first stop was near Heidelberg. We spent 3 lovely days with our friends there and had the chance to explore the castle and the vineyards about 30 minutes from them. I'm not sure it happens very often that a car with French registration comes in an buys several cases of German wine, but hey! It was good and it's nice to have some variety in life...and in wine!
The vineyards there are beautiful, laid out in perfect symmetry against the small hills. There are little dirt roads that form grids of bike and running paths through the vines. Lost amongst the Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay with the scent of warm grapes floating through the sunshine was like being in a painting. A moment to capture and spill out on to a canvas with hazy water colours. Beautiful.
I really like Germany. It's so different from our France. Germany seems to be so organized and proud, whereas France seems to enjoy lackadaisical whimsy with an attitude. They are such different peoples with a history between them that I will never truly comprehend.
We have now crossed the Channel and are with the family in England. It's nice to be "home" here even though I've now lived longer in France than I ever did here. The kids are happy to see Grandma and Grand-dad and hubster was able to watch his beloved Liverpool play on TV last night.
The intensity of Premiership league fans in England is incredible. Similar to my Packer relatives in the United States, true, but watching a friend tell his 2 year old to "kiss the badge" on his football jersey reminded me of people kissing the Pope's ring or bowing to a monarch. I'm not sure we've travelled all that far from the days of conquest, fighting, and squabbles. We've just changed it from France vs England to Chelsea vs Man United or Packers vs Steelers.
We really are funny creatures. But better to substitute football in any form for armed invasion in my opinion. When is the next world cup again?
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