Germany, I've missed you!

Last Wednesday we flew back to Germany for a week long mini vacation crammed in between a couple doctor appointments for Shelby’s back. I was very excited to be getting a little break from the island and the opportunity to catch up with old friends and shop. I’m sure I have not mentioned at all, ever, how terrible the shopping on the island is, but in case I have not, I’ll remind you again…it stinks! Colin was very excited to take another trip on the airplane, I was less excited when I remembered what it is like being trapped at 30,000 feet with a human chatterbox that has no mute or off button. First we flew from our island, Terciera, to Lisbon, Portugal which takes about 2.5 hours. Then we had to fly from Lisbon to Frankfurt, which is another 2.5 hours. Then we had to trek through the airport, collect our bags, clear customs, go get the rental car and finally drive an hour and fifteen minutes to the hotel in Ramstein. We were all wiped out when we got there and Shel and I should have been awarded some kind of medal for listening to Colin talk nonstop for the entire 9-10 hour trip. Sadly it was dark by the time we landed in Germany and got the rental car to drive to Ramstein, so I didn’t get to enjoy the scenery on the way there.

First thing we did when we landed on the mainland was hit McDonald’s in the airport of Lisbon. You might be thinking seriously, of all the places to run to you ran to McD’s?! Let me remind you I have not had a McD’s French fry and coke since I left the mainland two months ago. I haven’t had any other fast food chain’s fries or cokes either, there isn’t any on the island. So yes, we were excited for McDonald’s, hush!

During our stay we did a lot of visiting old friends and catching up with people. I went by the school and of course everyone had to do a double take wondering why in the world I was there. I had to explain that the minute we were moved to the island was pretty much the same time the doctors realized we never should have been medically cleared to move and by that time it was too late. So, we just get to visit often while Shelby gets his treatments. We did a lot of eating, all my hard work in the last two months at the gym went right out the window, but it was worth it. We visited the Gartenschau in Kaiserslautern to catch the very start of their annual pumpkin festival. We have seen this every year since we moved to Germany and I was thrilled we were there to see it again this year.

Gartenschau Kurbisfest 2012

We did a lot of shopping. We have a running “Ramstein” list now that we know Shelby makes regular trips back every six weeks. It mostly consists of German wine, and my Clinique make up that I cannot buy on the island. We hit the movies a few times to see some of the movies that have come out since we left but have not yet made it to the island. It usually takes three to four months after a movie is released in the theaters before it makes it to our island movie theater. It wasn’t the most exciting trip in terms of blog writing material, but we had a great time and were very glad to see and do the things we were able cram in. Shelby gets to go back again the end of Oct/first part of November but it will only be for one appointment, so it’s a quick turn and burn, not worth the obscene amount of money it takes to fly Colin and I off the island to accompany him. We are hoping to go along with him on his January trip since he will have at least three doctor appointments on that trip and will have to spend more than a night or two there.

After a long day of travel all we wanted to do was get back home and relax. We knew something was up when we hit the roundabout right outside the airport and there were cars parked all over the side of the road. That usually means one thing around here....bullfight. Our car ride home was slightly lengthened waiting for the intermission between bulls when they reopen the roads for cars to pass through while they are getting the next bull ready for release into the street. Thankfully we hit it just right and didn't have to wait too long for the road to open so we could pass through and get home. Only in the Azores!

In other news my first graduate class is over and done with. One down, eight more to go! I had a 98.77 average in that course, so hopefully all the classes are that easy for me and I can do just as well in the rest of them.