Bright, Sunshiny Day!

Hello! I may be missing out on some of my favorite Easter traditions, such as dying eggs, getting lots of chocolate shaped animal gifts, or listening to the Pines of Rome at First Plymouth, but its just about worth it to be here in Hamburg enjoying a couple of lovely sunny days. Hamburg until now has been a dreary, grey place, in my mind it's always raining, always cold and windy, but yesterday my opinion was completely changed. Erik and I rented bikes from the little do-it-yourself automated city bike rental station (positioned around the city so you can pick a bike up one place and leave it were you are going). We biked from his neighborhood to a lake somewhere more in the middle of the city where people were stretched out on long grassy lawns with crocuses jumping out of the ground everywhere. There were lots of happy dogs wandering around and happy guys braving the soft ground to play some muddy soccer. It was so sunny and nice, and SO NICE to be on a bicycle again. Today we walked to the botanical gardens, about 10 minutes from the apartment, and played frisbee until Erik's opera started. There were ducks everywhere, and flowers, and people smooching on benches. Must be spring! I even met a stranger today - which was one of my goals for this break, somebody from Freiburg who was sitting on the next bench over in the neighborhood park this afternoon, who recommended a place to go tonight to see a crappy punk show. "I don't know what bands are playing... but it doesn't really matter!"

....Aaaaand pictures.

Happy Easter!