Monday, August 29, 2011

Bicycle (Fahrad) Riding

We are enjoying many bike rides.  Liam can ride a two-wheeler now so we can all go "off-roading" on the extensive network of bike trails.  We're taking advantage of them and enjoying getting out together.  The boys and I would often take a ride during the day before school started.  On the weekend, Greg goes running while Alex and Carter ride along as his escorts.  We often all go biking together, too.  The boys have even gotten used to riding in the drizzle:)  They especially like the puddles that are left after the rain!

Greg helping Liam learn on our driveway.  Alex and Carter up ahead.

Liam, Alex, and Carter ready to ride!

Kaleb enjoys himself looking at my back:)...actually he usually falls asleep so all you see is his little helmet.  He's my co-pilot:)
Kaleb on his first ride!

We are getting lots of exercise and enjoying exploring the trails.  Traffic usually gives the right of way to the bicycles which is something to get accustomed to.  If you're sitting at a crosswalk waiting for an oncoming car, they often stop and let you go first.  So kind! 
German regulations are that you have a bell and light on your bike.  You can also register your bike with the local police which gives you a sticker for your bicycle and deters people from stealing it.  There are many bike stores in the little towns (two that I know of in Angermund) but I guess if you really want the best things for your bike you go to the Netherlands where they have EVERYTHING for a bike.  You could bring three kids and your groceries on your bike if you desired!  That's a super mom!:)  We mostly use ours for exercise and recreation, but bikes are certainly a means of transportation here.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Kaleb's New Ride

I had the van today while Greg was in Slovakia.  I dropped the boys off at school and then made my daily walk back to Kaiserwerth where we always park the van or catch the bus/train.  Since the school is in the middle of the city and on a two lane street, it is rather busy at the beginning and end of the day.  There is limited parking and I don't really want to deal with all the traffic.  So, we'll always be walking atleast a portion of our morning commute...even if I drive.

Kaleb was asleep so I stopped in at a quaint bookstore and bought a few calenders  for next year and then headed to the Rhine River Promenade.  I enjoyed the beautiful view and peaceful morning while I fed my sweet baby.  I'm lucky to be able to access such a majestic place in a few moments walk.  Nice memories:)

Then we headed to a baby outlet store that I had been told about.  In researching the location last night I made sure that I wouldn't be driving through Dusseldorf to get there...no need to add more stress to the driving at this point!  Well, I didn't take in to consideration that I would be going from Kaiserwerth instead of home.  So, as I was following the GPS to the outlet store I began to recognize parts of Dusseldorf and realized that indeed I would be driving through part of the city.  Thankfully it was 10:30am and everyone else was already at their destination or still on holiday and therefore away from the city.  I successfully made my way through the city and back to the Autobahn for the relatively short trek to Baby Bellman.

I have been researching the "perfect" stroller for dear Kaleb.  Our needs over here are much different than what they would be in the States.  I've been observing others while also researching on-line and decided it was time to take the plunge and buy something that we'd be able to fit in our vehicle easily (fold compactly), easily enter and exit the bus/train, protect Kaleb from the elements (we'll be on that bus whether it's raining and cold or not!), and a few other preferences.  I realized that there was not one stroller that would encompass all of my preferences, but could find one that meets most of our needs. 

This outlet store had atleast 100 strollers (push chairs), 100 prams (bassinets on wheels), and another 50 larger strollers...a little overwhelming!  The sales lady was very helpful in finding her English speaking co-worker that could help me narrow down the field.  They were certain that I needed one that had adjustable handles because I'm tall and a good sized stroller for my gross (large) six month old baby:)

And the winner is...Peg Perego. 
Happy Boy ready for the winter winds with his foot muff!

and now ready for the rain!

I also got a baby monitor (I fried the new one I brought from the States the first time I plugged it in...the difference between an adapter and converter!), bed rail, cute fireman kid umbrella for Liam, and couldn't resist nice German HABA wooden toys for Kaleb.  For all of you wooden toy lovers, Germany is the place to be!  There are shelves and shelves of nice wooden toys and games. 

I'll still be carrying Kaleb for now...he's so sweet and loves to be with me, but now we're ready for those excursions that need a stroller!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Duisburg Zoo

We went to the Duisburg Zoo today.  It is about 20 minutes from home so very convenient.  Despite being in the middle of the city, it is wooded and felt removed from the chaos.  It has a very peaceful setting to enjoy on a beautiful day.

In addition to the normal zoo animals, there are many extras.  Here are some of our favorites...




He got REALLY close!  We could almost touch him.
And our favorite...the dolphin show.  Lots of fun, even though it was narrated in German:)  We caught a few words here and there. 

She hit the ball with her tail.



The boys were all smiles, and Kaleb fell asleep!:)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The First Day of School

The boys all started school yesterday.  They were excited and did great!  The International School of Dusseldorf has a very positive and friendly atmosphere...it's not Blue Star Elementary which holds a special place with us:)  But it's a great school!
Alex, Liam, and Carter at school
 Monday was an orientation day for all new students.  They got to meet their teacher and spend about an hour in their classroom while the parents were given orientation, too.  It was a successful day as they felt comfortable and were all excited for the first day.  They weren't worried about this new place they were off to as they had already spent some time there.
Liam, Carter, Alex on the first day!

 
We were at the bus stop at 8:00am ready for our adventure.  The bus got to our connecting stop uncharacteristically late (due to construction) so we couldn't ride the bus that we were suppose to.  We were flexible though and caught a train to get us to the school just in time.  Today the bus was actually two minutes early...the construction isn't blocking a lane anymore.

The boys found their teacher and were off with a kiss and hug for both me and Kaleb.  No tears or uncertainty - not even from Liam since he already knew what to expect in his classroom.

Kaleb and I rode the bus home, went out to lunch with some of the other moms and then headed back to school to pick the boys up.  They were all smiles when we arrived.  They had a great day and lots of stories to tell...mostly about their classmates.  It is a very diverse school and there are students that don't speak English.  The boys are meeting children from all over the globe - kind of cool!

We walked to the bus stop which is about a block from the school and there were about 30 kids (mostly middle school and high school) waiting for the bus.  Kids ride the public transportation alone once they get to be 4th and 5th graders.  If they've been doing this since Kindergarten they know what to expect.  It is very safe on the bus and train and the other adults look out for the kids.  The boys were exhausted when we got to our connecting bus stop.  It had been a busy day!  Here they are waiting for our bus - tired boys.

Liam fell asleep on the bus on the way home.
 It was a successful start to the new year.  I'm sure they'll be tired for the first week or two...or longer for Liam.  He's never gone to any schooling outside of our home and now he's there all day.  I'm sure there will be more stories throughout the year.  But that's how our year started:)  Now I'm off to catch the bus to pick them up!:)

Six Months Old!

Our sweet baby is six months old!  Time goes so quickly.  Kaleb has had a busy little life!  He's a pleasant baby who is happy to go along with whatever we're doing.  We are blessed!

Six months ago.  Kaleb - one day old.
Kaleb is sitting up almost by himself and loves to stand with assistance.  He has no teeth yet but loves to put everything in his mouth.  He loves laughing and smiling, especially at his brothers.  I put him on the scale today and he weighs 23 pounds!  Here's some pictures of him...I couldn't choose just one:).








Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Dusseldorf Alstadt

We ventured on the bus and train to downtown Dusseldorf.  The boys had a good time showing Greg all that they have learned about public transportation.  Pushing the stop button is definitely the highlight!

We headed to Heinrich Heine Allee.  This is the Altstadt...the old town of Dusseldorf.  It is known by locals as "the longest bar in the world".  There are about 260 restaurants and taverns in the narrow alleys of about a 1 square km between the Rhine and the Heine Allee.  It really was a constant stream of tables.  There were lots of people out enjoying their Sunday.  Kaleb got lots of attention:)

We didn't stop to eat anywhere - we had brought our own snacks.  I rarely go anywhere with out something for our growing boys!  Here are the boys eating their new favorite snack...store bought fresh waffles.  We found a bench along the Rhine to help our sweet boys that are regularly found saying, "I'm still hungry."



Dusseldorf is the state capitol of North Rhine-Westphalia.  80% of Dusseldorf was destroyed during WWII so it has since been rebuilt.  These are some of the remaining old buildings along the cobble-stoned roads and Rhine River.


Below is the Marktplatz and Rathus (Town Hall) dating in part from 1573.  It is a square that today was filled with cafe tables.



The equestrian statue is of the beloved elector Johann Wilhelm II who is said to have helped put Dusseldorf on the map by attracting talent from all over the country.
Our section of the Rhine River has a very fast current and lots of boat traffic.
Here's one of the many barges.  There's a minivan on deck, too.

There was a nice tree lined path along the Rhine.  Lots of bikers, runners, and walkers were enjoying the sun.  We haven't seen a lot of it lately with all the drizzle.  Almost everyday has had some degree of precipitation!  Liam, Kaleb, Alex, Carter and I were waiting on the path while Greg took some pictures. 

When we were finished walking around we found our way back to the Rheinbahn station.  At this location the train is underground.  The section that we usually ride is mostly all street level so the boys were excited to be under ground.  You can see that the stops are all very clean.  They say that it's actually volunteers that take pride in their local stop to keep it clean.  All of it really is clean and safe...the buses, trains, stops.  There is no eating or drinking on the transportation which probably helps.
Lots of time is spent waiting when using public transportation!  The boys are beginning to understand the signs at each stop which let you know when the train will arrive.  You can see it in the background.


Greg captured a train arriving:)













So that's glimpses of Dusseldorf.  There's much more to the city so we'll go to another area on a different day.  It's nice to be able to use the public transportation and not worry about driving in the city and finding parking! 

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Cell Phone

Saturday was shopping day since the stores are all closed on Sundays.  It makes the stores pretty busy, but does force you to relax on Sundays which is nice.

We got groceries at a new store.  Netto is similar to the many little grocery stores (Aldi, Lidl) that have random things in addition to a bakery and groceries.  There are four Nettos in Ratingen (15 mins. drive away), which is not a huge town.  There are two Netto stores literally less than two blocks away from each other!  They are surrounded by large apartment buildings so we figure the multiple stores survive because of all the foot/bike traffic and the people living in the buildings need some place to shop.  I imagine that we'll figure out which one we like the best.  But for now we have lots to explore!

Greg wanted to make chili so we went searching for ingredients.  The chili turned out good despite not finding everything he usually uses for it (chili beans and maple sausage).  I'm sure it will get better each time he makes it:)  The next thing he wants to make is his yummy homemade pizza.  First, we have to find yeast.

I want to make pancakes so I'm trying to gather the necessary ingredients to make them from scratch - no pancake mix here.  Syrup isn't here either so Sarah gave me a recipe to make it.  Sometime this week we'll try it out.  It's our last week of summer vacation!  Soon we won't have any extra time in the morning!!

We also got a small palm plant and another floor rug for upstairs.  The boys need more space to build legos without being on the hard floor and Greg likes greenery:).

Our last stop was to get me a cell phone. It should be easy, right.  Well, after lots of research and advice we were ready to make the purchase.  It's not quite as simple as just going to buy a phone...although it ended up being quite easy once we were educated.  We were advised to stay away from a plan and a go-phone that you can't refill the minutes (both mistakes others have made).  So, we needed a prepaid and refillable German SIM card with compatible phone that uses Greg's work phone's carrier (so that it's cheaper for me to call him)...and then find someone that spoke enough English to help us.

We ended up at Euronics, an electronics store in Ratingen...much like a Best Buy.  The man was very helpful and I got a red phone!

The boys like it...especially since it's a color in the German flag!
After getting the SIM card, the phone, and changing the phone's language to English I'm set.  I can add call credits to it whenever I need - supposedly at gas stations and back at the store.  You put money on the card and then as you call it uses the minutes - very similar to a calling card.  I can call Greg's German mobile phone and other Vodafone customers for 5 cents a minute.  Calling other carriers is 15 cents a minute.  I don't know about International roaming but I don't think I'll be doing that from my cell much.$$$!  I only plan on using the mobile in emergencies, to call Greg, and to be available if the boys' school needed me.  Otherwise, I'll use our land line.  It's just nice to have a mobile, especially with school starting next week.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Walking, Buses, and Trains, oh, my!

The boys and I went on our first excursion on the Public Transportation here.  The destination was not the objective, just riding somewhere.  We did get to where I had planned so we were successful!

We do not come from where there is an extensive public transportation system.  The boys have riden maybe once or twice before in their short lives.  I've been more times during traveling, but wouldn't call myself an expert yet.  You can imagine all of the questions the boys had during our expedition!  Some I could answer; other questions we answered together by observing fellow riders along the way.

Our journey began with a 2.5 minute walk to the bus stop.  The walk was easy...getting out of the house with four boys and myself ready on time was more of the feat!  The boys had lots of questions... How do we know when the bus will come?  Where is the bus?  When will it come?  What do we do with our passes?  When will the bus come?  We looked at the time table and I was glad I had on my watch so I could tell them how long until the bus arrived:)  We also noticed the bus stop across the street where we would get off when we got back.  (This is the stop we'll start at on the way to school everyday.)

The bus arrived and  I wasn't sure what to do with our passes.  They entitle us to ride as often as we want.  I showed the passes to the driver and he just waved us on.  The bus wasn't too full at the time so we could easily find a seat together.  We watched what other people did to learn lots of things.  We rode the bus for 13 minutes.  The boys often asked when it would be our stop.  It's good to know in advance how long you'll ride so you can inform your young travelers!

The boys were excited to be able to push the button for our stop.  When our stop came, we got off and had 6 minutes to transfer to a train across the street from the bus stop.
This is the street that we need to cross.  You can see the tracks in the foreground.

This is the type of train.

This is were we'll often transfer from our initial bus.  Busy place!  The "H" signs are the bus stops.  The elevated station is for the train. 
We rode the train for 14 minutes.  We arrived at our destination 2 minutes early and went to play in the Rhine Park.  This is a large green space (1 block by about 8 blocks) in the middle of Dusseldorf along the Rhine River.  It was pretty quiet Monday, but on the weekends it's filled with families enjoying picnics, soccer, frisbee, walks, bike riding, dog walking, running, or enjoying the traffic on the Rhine.  We played for awhile in a kid play area.  We met a nice family that moved here from New Jersey.  It's surprising when you actually hear someone speaking English after so often not knowing what is said around you.

Here are some of the things we learned on our excursion:
  • You only need your pass ticket when the driver asks for it.  But, if you don't have it when they want it you'll pay a hefty sum.
  • The time table tells you when to expect the bus or train.  The German system is on-time and reliable.
  • Being able to read a time table is an essential skill to learn!
  • There are LOTS of buses and trains.  Make sure you get on the correct number and that it's going in the desired direction.  You can reach almost any destination by bus or train around here.
  • There is a sign on the bus and train that tells you the next stop.  It is in German:)
  • You have to push a button on the bus and train to let the driver know you want to get off at the next stop. 
  • You have to push a button if the door on the train doesn't open and you need it to.
  • Sometimes the floor on the train doorway becomes steps and sometimes it remains flat.  Pretty cool to a little boy!:)
  • At the stop there is an electronic sign that will tell you when the next train or bus is expected. 
  • You need to be on the correct side of the street to catch the bus or train that will go in your desired direction.  The corresponding stops are not necessarily directly across the street from each other.
  • Keep track of how long it took you to walk from your stop so that you can get back with time to catch a ride home.
  • If the train is full you don't always get to sit together...but as it empties you can change seats.
  • There's lots of waiting while you're at the stop and riding.  Good time to read a book or do homework!
  • If it's raining you still have to wait at the stop.  Better invest in a good umbrella!!
We're going to try it with only one vehicle.  Greg will often need it for work.  So, the boys and I will become very familiar with the public transportation around here.  I don't doubt that they'll quickly be able to help others navigate themselves through a journey!