Strange Week

It's been a couple days since I've updated, and while none of them by themselves really had anything interesting happen, I do have pictures and random anec dotes from all of them that should make a pretty good post for your enjoyment.

Sunday I did end up going to the city center again to just wander around a little. The weather was gorgeous, which made for a lovely day of walking. I happened to find a brass quintet playing some music and filmed a couple pieces they played, but I didn't feel like uploading all of them so I just shared that one (Handel's Water Music, I believe?).

I also went back over to the St. Thomaskirche and took some pictures...

 I might try to go to church sometime here, but I don't know if they actually have church services or if it's just a historic place now.  Either way wouldn't really surprise me.

Most of my wandering didn't really amount to much; unless I'm with at least one other person, I don't really get much out of exploring somewhere new. Maybe it's the lack of being able to see a lot or know what to look for, maybe it's just because I'm introverted. Or a little of both. Probably a little of both.  I did get more pictures though!

Altes Rathaus

Opera House

Only foot traffic is allowed in this part of the city center

This last picture is of the ground. There are little grooves in the ground and it goes straight through all the streets. As the little guy with the cane shows, I think it actually is for people who are blind. I'm not 100% sure, but the fact that the grooves change at corners and go straight through all the streets makes me think it's to help orient people who can't see. Pretty cool!

Monday ended up being my only "full" day of practicum (9-5) at the hospital.  My main contact was sick still, and then on Tuesday the second music therapist got sick and then by Wednesday, all three were out and I didn't have to come in.  Thursday was a holiday (not sure which holiday) and then today, Frau Paetzolt told me nothing was really going on so I should just come in Monday.  Unexpected long weekend? Normally I'd be happy but I'm really not doing a ton right now, so getting out and doing something Monday will be great, especially settling in to a normal routine. I did take a couple pictures of the music therapy room at the hospital.

Yep, that's a steel drum on the right there. They have two!

I went to the bank with Caroline and got some money for groceries, so she and I went to Rewe and got food. I like that the food seems to be cheaper here - especially fresh produce! Fresh produce is cheaper than processed/already made food. I didn't end up getting strawberries yet because Caroline advised me against it - they're probably from Spain and not too fresh yet. Strawberries from Spain, no big deal. ;) Speaking of processed food, I was amused to find this:

How convenient! It comes with a bun and everything!

They also had hot dogs (wrapped in American cheese, no less). I've never seen anything like this in the US, though my boyfriend told me that Kroger sells them. *shudder*

I did, however, get some good ol' German Maultaschen!

YUM

I'd had them the day I arrived in Germany the first time I was here in 2009 but I didn't remember much about them, being really tired that day and also not feeling very well at the time. But I recalled liking them so I wanted to try them again. They're kind of like pirogi, but the meat in them is a lot like Braunschweiger, if you've ever had that.

Yesterday Caroline and I made a salad with greens, cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrot (I may or may not have also shredded part of my finger but we don't talk about that), and then we sautéed up some garlic, onions, bacon bits, and cut up the Maultaschen and put that in there as well and combined it in the salad when we were done. It was pretty darn awesome.

That's pretty much all that has happened in the last couple days. Hopefully I'll get out some this weekend and have more exciting stories for all of you.

Bis bald!