Dear You,
imagine that you possess a crystal ball, put a record on your antique record player, hum along with the Rolling Stones "I went to see a gipsy, to have my fortune read" - and then tell me that I eventually would be part of Bavarian village life - AND enjoy it.
If ever there was a City plant it would be me.
And now I watch for the second time in my life how two with colourful ribbons decorated trees - felled the day before - are heaved up against the very blue Bavarian sky. The sun smiles benevolent, the fire brigade plays a brass song, the village people cheer - and then the "Kär'wa" starts.
It is a parish fair - and in such a small village as this - yes, Tom: no shop, no café, that's why Yours Truly had to buy a car, 511 inhabitants - you soon know almost everyone, and that is nice.
Two days from afternoon till midnight you can sit on wooden benches and talk, eat cakes or Bratwurst, drink coffee or beer and feel good. The children enjoy it immensely - they sing ("I am a village child and proud of it") and rehearsed a dance, (and no: the two blonds in the photo above are not part of the triplets) and afterwards they run around while their parents are deeply engaged discussing the state of the world and drinking beer - and last year at night young men from another village came and nobbed the Kär'wa tree - revenge for the same crime the young men of this village committed the year before. :-)
All those joys I didn't know in a huge city. (And I very seldom drink beer).
Yours Truly, Britta
If you wondered about the title: 
And all this wonder is happening because wonderful grandchildren have arrived in the world. I know this magic.
ReplyDeleteDear Yael, aren't we lucky to have our grandchildren? I couldn't imagine that before, but now I am so thankful! As you say: children are magic, and it is such a treat to be among their energy.
DeleteDear Britta - I am sure that you are aware of the proverb "You can take the person out of the place, but you can't take the place out of the person". But even so, now cherish and enjoy your new to you life in a Bavarian village as you appear to be doing.
ReplyDeleteDear Rosemary, that's true, I will always remain "northern" and "Hanseatic" - but I love to add new traits.
DeleteAnd till now I have two flats - the huge one in the old building in Berlin, and the little one in Bavaria. At the moment I see the possibility (through kindergarten) that soon I can stay in Berlin more than till now - ideal would be 50:50 %.
Does the local fire brigade play brass songs only in small villages? I would love to be at the Fair to hear the fun :)
ReplyDeleteDear Helen, I think they only play here. But I am not sure, as the local sport verein attracts more than thousand members, and many Bavarians are volunteering in many branches.
ReplyDeleteI do have a problem, Helen: I tried and tried again to put your blog title - as the others - on my blogroll at the left side - but I can't put it there, and do not know why. Do you have a tip?
Britta,
DeleteTragically I am a technological midget :( I have to ring the grandchildren, whenever a computer problem arises.
It's good to live in a community where people know each other, and to be able to walk to the local shop and bump into others and have a brief chat. But I would have hated it when young because of what is missing. Having 2 flats gives you the best of both worlds.
ReplyDeleteDear Tasker, at the moment for the triplets the village is wonderful. When they grow up, we have a station here, and two bigger cities (519.000 and 130.000) are easily to reach.
DeleteThey seemed to be very impressed visiting me in Berlin - and told me that they liked it immensely (my son looked alarmed :-)
All I can say is that it sounds like absolute bliss.
ReplyDeleteIt is, dear Emma - especially as I have both options now.
DeleteAh, yes, I moved from a big city to a village, and lived there thirty odd years. Wonderful place to raise my grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI think too, dear Joanne, that for grandchildren it is great - I can not imagine raising children in Berlin; with our son we lived his whole youth in Hildesheim, 102.000 inhabitants.
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