Wir sind nun sechs Wochen in Deutschland und fliegen morgen zurück.Unsere Verwandten haben uns am letzten Tag um 12 Uhr zum Mittagessen und um vier Uhr zum Kaffee und Kuchen eingeladen. Die meisten Leute haben ein Esszimmer.   Bei unseren Verwandten ist der Esstisch mit einer Tischdecke belegt. Für jede Person ist ein großer Essteller gedeckt und zur rechten Seite liegt ein Messer und manchmal ein Suppenlöffel wenn Suppe angeboten wird. An der linken Seite liegt die Gabel und eine Serviette. Oberhalb des Tellers liegt der Dessertlöffel und ein Weinglas. In der Mitte des Tisches stehen die Schüsseln mit gekochten Kartoffeln, Gemüse und Fleisch und jeder nimmt sich was er möchte auf seinen Teller. Oft macht man ein Kompliment über den Geschmack der Gerichte und der Wein löst die Zunge zum vergnügten Gespräch (plaudern). Wenn jeder mit dem Hauptessen zufrieden ist wird Dessert angeboten danach fühlen die meisten Gäste das sie zuviel gegessen haben weil es so gut schmeckte.Nun ist es schon 14 Uhr und bei der anderen Verwandschaft sollen wir schon in zwei Stunden zu Kaffee und Kuchen sein.
 
We have now been in Germany for six weeks and are flying back tomorrow. On the last day, our relatives invited us for lunch at 12 noon and for coffee and cake at four o'clock. Most people have a dining room. At our relatives, the dining table is covered with a tablecloth. A large dinner plate is set for each person and to the right is a knife and sometimes a soup spoon when soup is offered. On the left is the fork and a napkin. Above the plate are the dessert spoon and a wine glass. In the middle of the table are the bowls with boiled potatoes, vegetables and meat and everyone takes what they want on their plate. Compliments are often made on the taste of the dishes and the wine loosens the tongue for merry conversation (chatting). When everyone is satisfied with the main meal, dessert is offered, after which most of the guests feel that they have eaten too much because it tasted so good. It is now 2 p.m. and we are supposed to be at the other relatives' for coffee and cake in two hours.
 
Kaffee und Kuchen  ist eine beliebte Tradition Gäste zu haben, besonders Verwandtschaft und gute Freunde. Manche Leute laden ihre Freunde zum Cafe ein wo dann speciale Kaffees und Torten angeboten werden.  Ein Torte ist ein Kuchen mit mehreren Schichten. Eine ganz berühmte Torte ist Schwarzwälder Kirchtorte. Die meisten Torten werden mit Sahne serviert.                                                   

​Unsere Verwandschaft hat uns zu ihrem Haus eingeladen.  Im Esszimmer war der Kaffeetisch gedeckt. Für jede Person ein Kuchenteller und an der rechten Seite eine Kuchengabel. Halbrechts eine Kaffeetasse mit Unterteller. In der Mitte des Tisches steht die Kaffekanne und der Kuchen, daneben eine Kuchenschaufel oder Kuchenzange mit der jeder sich ein Stück Kuchen auf seinen Kuchenteller legt. Manche Leute bestellen einen Kuchen von der Konditorei oder backen selber. Eine Konditorei ist ein Spezialgeschäft für gutes Gebäck.  Von der Konditorei kommt dann gewöhnlich eine Torte und die Gastgeberin macht Schlagsahne.  Sebstgebackener Kuchen ist oft Hefekuchen belegt mit Streusel, Pflaumen, Beeren, Aprikosen,Pfirsiche oder Äpfel, je nach Jahreszeit. Natürlich gibt es dazu auch Schlagsahne.

​Coffee and cake is a popular tradition when having guests, especially relatives and close friends. Some people invite their friends to the Cafe where special coffees and cakes are offered. A tart is a cake with several layers. A very famous cake is the Black Forest Church Cake. Most cakes are served with whipped cream.

Our relatives invited us to their house. The coffee table was set in the dining room. A cake plate for each person and a cake fork on the right side. Half right a coffee cup and saucer. In the middle of the table is the coffee pot and the cake, next to it a cake spade or cake tongs with which everyone puts a piece of cake on their cake plate. Some people order a cake from the pastry shop or bake it themselves. A pastry shop is a specialty shop for good pastries. A cake usually comes from the pastry shop and the hostess makes whipped cream. Homemade cakes are often yeast cakes topped with crumbles, plums, berries, apricots, peaches or apples, depending on the season. Of course there is also whipped cream

​My granddaughter is in Germany and sent us these messages –
 
My granddaughter is in Germany and sent these messages May 11 at 21:07 Wed 21:07 You proposed. Plan a tour from Regensburg along the Main and Rhine to Cologne and from there to Amsterdam. May 12 at 7:25 p.m. Thu 7:25 p.m. Ollie's mom recommended these rivers too! Anita Dorrington; Great news! I see Aunt Lore on May 14-15, so in just a few days 🙂 Thank you for all your help! Anita Hello family! Germany update: We spent the afternoon in Munich. In the old town I found a traditional pub called NÜRNBERGER BRATWURST GLÖCKL AM DOM. We ate such a delicious lunch feast with a range of sausages, sauerkraut and fried potatoes. Our favorite was Käsekrainer, YUM! Followed by Rostbratwurstln. Do you remember which were your favorites? On the way to Aunt Lore now.

Aunt Lore is my late wife's sister. She lives with my brother-in-law in her own house near Regensburg in Bavaria. Her house has a beautiful view over a deep valley where a river meanders down to the Danube. The Danube is a 20-minute drive from her house. Regensburg is on the Danube.

After Berlin we drove through a lot of mountains and forests and our car never had a flat tire. We are very happy with our choice of Volkswagen. Gasoline consumption is very economical and engine consumption is no oil. We drove sometimes on the highway and sometimes on country roads to visit certain places. There are so many castles, palaces and churches and often spas with healing springs and old mines in Germany.

The private houses in Germany are mostly built on two floors with a steep roof and all have a basement. The hot water supply and the water pipes are in the basement. They are safe there from the winter frost. The preserved fruit and vegetables from last autumn are also kept in the cellar. The roof is steep so that the winter snow can slide off better. Near the house there is usually a woodshed so that the firewood stays dry and the house is warm in winter. When it gets cold in winter there is mulled wine or schnapps.

The next day we drive to Berlin. Berlin is the capital of Germany with 3.5 million inhabitants. You need a lot of time to see all the sights in Berlin. There are many ways to find anything you want.

Hop On and Hop Off Tours are bus tours to the most popular sights in downtown Berlin. Simply hop on the bus at any stop on the tour, hop off at a stop of your choice, and continue the city tour on the next bus on route. See tour route here. Timetable & Languages ​​(copied)

The Berlin's Best Bike Tour is ideal for anyone who wants to get an overview of Berlin's history, famous sights and architectural highlights. The guided tour begins in the former working-class district of Prenzlauer Berg, now a trendy and lively district with beautifully restored 19th-century buildings. Heading south towards the city center, the tour passes popular sights such as Museum Island, the Berlin City Palace construction site and Pariser Platz with the Brandenburg Gate, the city's most famous landmark, and the Hotel Adlon. Along the route, participants will also see buildings from the GDR era and learn how this architecture shaped the city center. A tour of Berlin's highlights would not be complete without the government district after the Wall with the historic Reichstag and modern glass and concrete the cityscape of Berlin. buildings such as the Federal Chancellery. During the city tour, the guide provides insights into current architectural debates and the historical events that shaped the Berlin cityscape. (copied)

​Who built the Berlin Wall and why? ( Kopiert von Berliner Stadtreklame)

The Berlin Wall was built by the German Democratic Republic during the Cold War to prevent its population from escaping Soviet-controlled East Berlin to West Berlin, which was controlled by the major Western Allies. It divided the city of Berlin into two physically and ideologically contrasting zones.

​Now we are in the west of Germany and driving through the Ruhr area, an industrial center north to the North Sea. Before we leave we need to find a gas station. We open the fuel filler flap and fill the tank with about 60 liters of petrol, check the engine oil and check the air pressure in our tires. Our first stop is in Papenburg, where there is a large shipyard that builds huge passenger ships. There you can book a private tour where you can learn how such a large ship is assembled. The climate at the North Sea is humid, cool and windy. The North Sea can be very stormy in winter, producing meters high tides (ebb tide) and centuries ago flooded many areas because the country is only a few meters above sea level. Therefore, 200 years ago, high dykes were built to stem the floodwaters, and safe farming is now practiced behind the dykes. The area is called Friesland and from there come the Friesian cows that are now known all over the world. There are seven islands off the coast that are visited by many tourists in summer. Ferries run to the islands from a small port town. In this area there is up to !000mm of precipitation. There is a large naval port in a bay. (Wilhelmshafen) Friesland is the land of the Anglo-Saxons who later settled in England. We stay overnight on a farm. (Holiday on a farm)