Where in the World are the Carolin-Vandenbergs?: Blog 2 from Frankfurt

Blog 2 - the EuropeanCaravans are actually in Europe!

Guten abend! Week two finds us in Deutschland, and I'm having a lot of fun digging into my year 12 brain that has been dormant for so long to try and speak German to the Germans. The conversations go something like this (I've translated to pseudo-English so you get the drift!)

"Hello, how are you? Can I please get a tram ticket to Allerheiligenstrasse?"

"Have you &(): for the ~{<*%£>\ with ~#%€\?"

"Sorry, I don't understand"

"You must before #%+{ (something about left side, I think) %++€£¥\ to the end of the station"

"Er, okay thanks"

(Renae) "Did you get all that?"

(Me) "um...sure!?"

Actually I am doing slightly better than that.

Here are some Amman, Jordan pics:

(Selfie with roman forum in background)

We left Amman with little sleep. People certainly like honking their horns till all hours, and just as the city began to still, our alarm went off. ("Every F****in' City" by Paul Kelly - if you don't know it, download it as it's the soundtrack to our trip...just don't play it with small children around)

But there is something unique, breathtaking and heartbreaking about Amman. You feel fortunate both to have experienced somewhere like it, and also with what you have, when you see so many with so little.

Flight to Germany was okay, only that it was our fourth with Royal Jordanian and we'd all exhausted the good things to watch and listen to...though Billie seemed content to watch The Croods on every flight. There's something goldfish-like about that girl!

Frankfurt is a pretty city. We've seen some of the old churches, the town square which is hosting an Italian Week fair (great night sitting under the setting sun, drinking Apfelwein (basically dry cider) and eating antipasto). We visited the Museum of Modern Art which was in a fantastic building a bit like a labyrinth (which kept the kids amused once the thrill of seeing canvas bags with writing on them wore off (yes Jess it's art, no Billie it's not dumb...well...).

We also went to a museum in pitch black. It was run by visually impaired guides and the aim was for you to experience the sensation of total sight deprivation. You were guided in a group of about 8 through rooms where you needed to rely heavily on hearing and touch. You were given canes to navigate your way around. As someone who works with hearing impaired, I found it fascinating. As someone who has minor panic attacks if you are not within a metre radius of her, Billie struggled a bit!

And yep, had beers in steins, and eaten all forms of sausage. Weather's still 30's, and I know that's drawing no sympathy from the Melbournians amongst you!