Lasagne, cannelloni, spaghetti...

It's literally a Black Swan!!!

 Hello, and how are you? Today it's Monday and I just spilt an entire bottle of water over myself- classic. Here we are, on the eve of the beginning of another week, and I'm sure you've all had amazing weekends, right? Of course you have, Downton Abbey is finally back on television- wayhey! What will Lady Violet do next?? And that Thomas...what a rogue!!

This weekend I ventured out of my usual standard weekend plans a little bit. I even ventured a little bit outside of my standard country of residence here. On Saturday I went to Lorrach in Germany. Just for a spot of light shopping.

Kangaroos!

I went with one of my lovely new friends from the Irish Club. It was nice to get to chat to a girl for a change. Well, that is, a girl that I actually like talking to. There are not many of those. We had a great time shopping, and I totally got a few bargains in H and M...and a huge loaf of bread.

The view mid- hike

But, of course, it wouldn't be a blog entry if I didn't inform you that once more I attracted some freaks. This is my favourite weird encounter yet, I have to say. It still makes me laugh. There we were, getting into a lift in the train station in Germany, having literally just arrived. An older Italian man joins us. After shaking hands with us, he proceeds to say 'Spaghetti, lasagne, canelloni, linguine' and just lists different types of pasta.

Why?

If this had been any sort of omen for future events, I'd hazard a guess that it's a bad one. He was hard to shake off too. He walked behind us naming pastas and occasionally saying 'Bella! Italia! Mama!' while I smiled indulgently and tried to make my nervous laughter natural.

It was a pattern which continued for the rest of the shopping trip. For some reason, I just attract freaks. It is a scientific fact. Whether they want to tell me funny things, or try and touch me, or just ask directions: there they'll be, wherever I lead.

The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent at her house in Basel and we got yummy Chinese food and talked and it was just so lovely to have a girl to confide in, the sort of little things you just really need to tell your female friends that boys just wouldn't want to listen to. It's nice to be in confidence with someone, it's all very Jane Austen.                                                                   

Sunday morning I had a bit of a panic of 'Oh no! I've got not plans. What am I going to do??' So I went for a lovely long walk with the doggy for an hour and we got into all sorts of routes I hadn't been yet. Unfortunately, she was trying her best to seduce the boy doggies so insisted on stopping to bat her eyelashes and, well, show them her bottom (not very polite!) on a constant basis. It was amazing to watch.

Luckily, upon my return, I discovered that I had an invitation to go hiking in the afternoon with my friends Sam and Christelle. Donning my best shorts and walking shoes, I excitedly awaited my opportunity to stretch my legs. I headed down to catch a bus in the village. I was seated comfortably waiting for it to leave, and it began to fill up with OAPs. I made some polite small talk with the old lady next to me. And then, as the engine started, I realised I was on the wrong bus. I leaped from my seat in a Tom Cruise stunt double style, dived through the crowds of the elderly with some hurried Enschuldigungs and managed to get off just before the doors rolled shut.

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Seated on the right bus, I was able to start my journey.

Oh look, we're standing next to a herd of cows...in their field.

We were really a funny group. All of us had a different first language and a bit of both other languages. It might have made for some confusing times but somehow we managed it just fine. It was excellent practice for my German, and for my exceedinly rusty and almost forgotten French. We had some good times. Singing into a carrot, doing Karrotoke- oooh it's so bad it's good!, writing my own Ten Commandments on a slate in a cage, performing a lively rendition of 'If You're Happy and You Know It' with all actions included, getting lost and wandering through fields of cows. Asking 'Is that fence electric?' and getting through it fine, only to be shocked by a different fence- Alanis Morisette might have something to say about that. It ended up being a 3 hour something hike so it was pretty energetic and also educational and it just felt like a very healthy sort of day. We ended our walk back at their house in the village next to mine and we had a lovely pizza dinner and a drink of champagne and a further chance to practice our languages.

 I've enjoyed my weekend a lot, and I am really looking forward to next weekend as well. I'm going the whole way to Zurich, there is DEFINITELY going to be a few freaks talking to me en route!!!

The countryside where I was walking was beautiful and definitely worth a visit. The little Geman town of Lorrach is definitely worth going to for getting the same clothes 15 minutes away for half the price. Amazing.

Meanwhile, I am learning the true meaning of 'Sticks and stones' in work at the minute...but I guess you can't file a bullying in the work place report against a 5 year old, can you? But words still hurt!

Hope you're all well and haven't been too bored by my blog tonight! I'm sure there'll be a big drama soon enough and then everyone (but me) will be ecstatic!