A German Language bit of awesomeness

Balletttanzerin

(Ballet dancer)

Schifffahrt

(A travel by ship)

Rollläden

(A type of window blinds)

Fitnessstudio

(Fitness Studio)

Nussschnecken

(Pastry, rolled like a cinnamon roll or "snail")

German is not my mother tongue; therefore, as I learn it, I can find many things about the language that make no sense and that frustrate me to no end. Perhaps my favorite thing about the German language however, nay, perhaps the BEST thing that happens in this language is the triple letter. The Germans tend to combine many words into one very long word that means something else. Very rarely, the combined words are such that 3 of the same letter get put next to each other. So far as I can tell, this phenomenon does not occur in the English language. But it's the greatest, and, English Language, I have a recommendation for you. Be more like German, and put a silly amount of the same letter together in your words! It's so fun! I always keep my eyes out for these word delicacies. Fitnessstudio is the most recent find, and the collection of awesome words is growing, slowly but surrrely (see, wouldn't it be more fun if that were really spelled with 3 r's?!).

love always.

Oktoberfest (kurz)

On Saturday I went to Oktoberfest. THE Oktoberfest. Munich baby! I think this picture that I took in our beer tent kind of sums up the day. Prost!

Frenchie Windows

You may recall that a few weeks ago I took a very quick trip to Paris. What I loved the most are the way the windows on the buildings look. Maybe it was Paris giving these windows such character. But last weekend I traveled to Strasbourg, France and there they were! Waiting for me! More completely wonderful French windows! What is it about France that lends itself to having such spectacular windows? I think I want to take a window tour of France someday. Is that weird?

Things I love about DC, continued

Going through my list of postings, I noticed that there were a few that had never been published. Just rough ideas or thoughts quickly jotted down and saved for later elaboration. Well, this one that I've rediscovered has to do with the little things that I love about DC. For the record, I also found another one with things about DC that irritate me. But since I'm longing for DC today (my brain has reached German grammar capacity and might explode), I will focus on the good things about the place I called home for a while.

Union Pub has the world's best bartender. Dearest Lance, you are a genius bartender. It never failed to amaze me how good and clever you are at your job. And yes, I will cheers some Jameson to you for that (except, you'll have to provide it. You know.).

Along Constitution Avenue, across from the Vietnam Wall and on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences is the Einstein statue. Not only is it a huge, adorable, lovable statue of the man, but it's really a very well designed memorial to his ideas. This is a favorite of mine and is often missed by the passerby.

The island. If you're not Emma, you probably don't know, and I can't (and won't) explain it to you. It holds some of my very favorite memories of my life in DC, and I want to run out of my front door and jump onto it. Even one more time.

I miss the man who runs Jimmy T's and his mug selection. They are random. They are the best. And it's the perfect pick every time.

I'm sure I can find equally disturbing butcher goods for this here in Germany, but I miss walking through Eastern Market and grossing myself out looking at the pig knuckles and chicken feet for sale. What are they used for? I think I'm gonna be sick...

I miss the rosebushes and the way it gets so green so fast. I miss having such a great night that I can't help but pick a rose off of the neighbor's rosebush to keep on my windowsill for the night. I miss the way it suddenly cools off and becomes radiantly red, orange, yellow, and crisp.

I miss the psycho squirrels. They are the most intriguing, most ridiculous creatures I've ever encountered.

I miss being able to wear my cowboy rain boots. This wouldn't be DC-specific, except for that I had no reason to ever wear rain boots in Wyoming, and I don't have them with me in Germany-- too heavy. Does anyone want to walk in the rain with me when I come back?


Mm, I feel better now. Thanks for the happy memories.

Thinking of my homeland

God Bless America

9/11/01

We will never forget.

To the volunteers who risked their lives when we needed them most,

to the firefighters who risked their lives to save others,

to the policemen who kept us safe while our world was crumbling,

to the families who forever have an empty place at their tables,

to the American people who, as one, united admist tragedy,

and to the troops who still fight for our freedom and the freedom of others...

you are the reason that the United States is a land to believe in, fight for, and love.

Redefining "Tiny"

You're going to love this. Ok, really I just love this, and I hope that you can love it too. Guess what I did on Sunday? I went to...

 

LIECHTENSTEIN!

Can you believe that one? The most fun part of the whole trip was dreaming up ideas about the country with the 3 other friends who traveled with me. What is this place? Why is it so incredibly tiny? What does it mean to be one out of roughly 35,000 Liechtenstein-ers? Does anybody else find it amusing that we walked from Buchs, Switzerland, into Liechtenstein, into the capital of Vaduz, up to the castle, back down, through the entire city of Vaduz and into another called Triesen? We covered 1/3 of the length of the entire Western border of the country by foot. For comparison, to walk from Havre, Montana to Cody, Wyoming, what I estimate as a third of the length of the US from Havre, would take just less than 5 days! Since we went on a Sunday, everything was closed. We found a few open restaurants right below the castle where the cheapest plate was 16 Swiss Francs, so we walked to McDonalds in Triesen where one can purchase a cheeseburger (89 cents in the US) for 2.50 Swiss Francs. A bus ride back to Buchs was 4.30 Francs. Holy guacamole! It's expensive to live the life of a Liechtenstein-ian, -er, -ite (?). But let me tell you, Liechtenstein might be laughably small, but they picked a great little piece of land in the Alps there. Truly gorgeous, and I highly recommend making the journey.

Preferred method of transportation? Tiny train through tiny country?