Ich Bin Krank!

When we got back from our last trip to Germany, it took me about three weeks to feel like I was back to normal - I was very dehydrated (it's easy to drink lots of water during the week when I'm sat at my desk at work, but not quite so easy when you're busy and out and about at weddings and parties and whatnot), and I was somewhat constipated (yes, I know - too much information) due to the food here being so vastly different to what we seem to eat at home (and very yummy too). Isn't it amazing how just a change of food can really mess with your body systems?

I don't know if the amount I drank at the party on Saturday night has anything to do with it, but I feel distinctly under par today. I only had two glasses of champagne last night, and not a huge amount to eat, but I felt heavy-stomached and bilious during the night and through today. Thankfully I feel a bit better now.

So, we took a drive out to Ravensburg earlier today. We parked underneath a shopping centre and then headed out into the centre of town for a little wander and a browse. This picture is by a fountain next to the Town Hall there. We wandered for maybe 15-20 minutes before we headed back into the shopping centre as I needed the loo and we were all thirsty. After going to the loo we decided to have a quick look around a couple of the shops. Our first stop was a clothes shop, where Colin went in search of a fleece (he forgot to bring his coat with him and has been a bit chilly in the evenings when the temperature drops). I was almost speechless when, after he'd found a fleece, I picked up a tracksuity-looking jacket and said 'what about this' ... he turned up his nose, but I persuaded him to try it on, and when he did, he loved it - and it really really suits him. We wandered through the ladies' section, and I found a nice big purple scarf that I liked, so he bought that for me too. When we got to the checkout we discovered that the cashier didn't speak English, but we managed to communicate with the aid of my very limited German, which was sehr gut!

After looking at another couple of shops we headed back out into the streets of Ravensburg to a cafe we had passed earlier. We went in and established that the owner did not speak much English, so how proud of myself do you think I was to manage to order a coffee for Colin, a cappuccino for me, and lemonade for the boys, plus tiramisu and apple strudel, all in German!?

That tiramisu was absolutely huge, and extremely delicious (sorry, the picture is a little blurred), and tasted even better because I ordered it in German. Yes, I know I'm sad, but I feel a real sense of achievement. After our coffee and cake we got an ice-cream from the same cafe and then wandered back towards the car park, and came back here.

Later on we're off to The Teddy Bear, which is the restaurant where Julian (Andrea's youngest/Colin's stepbrother) is a trainee chef, for some dinner, which I'm really looking forward to.

Ah, it's so nice to get away for a short break. A change of scenery is always a good thing, so I guess when we get home again we'll be looking out for another cheap flight ready for our next trip out here. I just feel so at home here (sitting in the living room while the kids play on the Wii - I am so going to have to buy one when we get home - I've just done the hula hooping on the Wii Fit and managed 156 spins to Ethan's 4!)

More later ...