Johann and Anna fly from Melbourne to Düsseldorf by plane and have to change trains in Dubai. Düsseldorf is the capital of Rheineland Westphalia. Düsseldorf is located on the Rhine and is close to the Ruhr area. The Ruhr area is a large industrial area. The name Ruhr indicates the river that flows into the Rhine, and there is a suspension railway in the Ruhr area. Her daughter lives in a suburb of Düsseldorf with her husband and two daughters, who live in their own house. The daughters are hard at school and learn German and English, they are members of the local swimming club and take part in swimming competitions. They are their parents' pride. Johann and Anna are always welcome when they take the long flight from Australia. They are usually very tired when they arrive and sleep well the first day. The next morning there are fresh rolls with butter, cheese or jam for breakfast, along with coffee or orange juice. The whole family has breakfast together at a nicely laid table. The children go to school at eight and the son-in-law drives his car to work. Johann and Anna accompany their daughter to shop in a department store or supermarket. You buy bread, butter, cheese, jam, pork, sausage, potatoes, onions and vegetables (peas, carrots also called carrots, spinach, cauliflower, sometimes sauerkraut). You take the tram home and then lunch is cooked. The lunch time is then roast pork for today with potatoes and sauerkraut and a nice sauce. In the afternoon they pick up the children from school and go for a walk on the Rhine, then spoil them with coffee and cake in the pastry shop and then rush home to the son-in-law who returns from work at 5:30 a.m. to have dinner together. They eat sandwiches with cheese, sausage or sometimes herring or tomato, and there is often a beer or a glass of wine to celebrate together. At the weekend they go on a trip together to the nearby mountains. There are quiet beech forests, lush meadows and friendly hostels where you can spend the night.
Horst