3 years – celebrate good times

Somewhere still unbelievable – it’s been three years that we’re here! Here, as in my new home in Germany, in a nice village, with a view on the hills of the Odenwald, away from the city and Randstadt in Holland where I lived for too long. (Yes, I am getting “germanized”, I even wrote “Randstadt” the german way ;)
Still, heimwee is a dutch word, but it’s origin is german, “heimweh”, meaning homesickness. Although I’ve lived over 30 years in one of the bigger cities in Holland, it is here in this little village where I feel home.
It’s just great here.. to name a few in random order …

* Watch the sun come up from behind the foggy hills in the morning

* See the sunset in the evening, goes down over the “Rheinland Pfalz” area. When it’s really clear one can see the windmills on the hils on the other side of the Rheinvalley

* School around the corner in a perfectly safe and almost car-free area, including an international school and preschool.

* Shops and supermarkets open until late in the evening, till 22:00 – and they are around the corner, the assortment is great and even have free parking places (meaning they’re both available and you don’t have to pay for them ;)

* Lovely neighbours and beautiful house to live in, even had my horse in the garden a few times ;)

* Loads of kids in the area, very kid friendly area

* Work close by; for a petrolhead great, as the Bundes AutoBahn here hasn’t got a speed limit, which means if all goes well, the trip work-home is done at high speed :)

* Did I mention already it’s great to drive here in the Odenwald? :)

* Lots of Castles and ruines around here, from Frankenstein to Alsbach and Auerbach as the ones better preserved.

* Lots of monuments and nice places, like the Goldenes Kreuz, Tannenburgruine, all on walking distance.

* A very good connection to cities nearby, with Tram (Strassenbahn) or Train (Station Bickenbach)

* A very nice home for my- although I need to bring them around quite often to evade specific people.

* The weather is so great – unlike the dutch climate – we got so much warm and sunny days here where it is possible to sit outside on the balcony in December in Tshirt, or when it might turn around and get cold, we’ve got at least snow.

* Even better, as there is a lot less lightpolution here, one is able to see the stars, like e.g. Orion here:

* My favorite “restaurant in town” on walking distance as well – and not only my favorite restaurant but also from my son. He feels at home there ;)

* The many friendly people over here – although Hesse is “known” for it’s not so friendliness, they are very wiling to help. That is, if you can understand Hessisch ;)) Knowing a bit of english most of the times helps here ;)

* For friends who are left stuck in Holland , when they want to have a short “holidaybreak” in the weekends, it’s a 3 till 4 hour drive and they’re here and can enjoy the luxury of doing nothing and no obligations.

There are so many things I could think of .. I’ll leave that to another day.. Or better.. Just drop me a note and come by ;)