Bob's your uncle

Friedburg 28/08/2016 - 05/09/16

Having somewhat neglected my duty as uncle and brother over the past few years while studying and working in Cardiff it was now time to make up for that and as such Sarah and I spent the week at Riffy's playing games with both the grown ups and the children whilst desparately trying to hold back the urge to say "my, haven't they grown" in regards to Lara and Nico my neice and nephew who I hadn't seen in far too long.

As Riffy was back at work and the little ones were at kindergarten our week in Friedburg also gave us a chance to sleep in late without feeling too guilty following on from the previous chaotic week. I mean people who know us also know that we never need an excuse to sleep in but we did so anyway. Left to our own devices until the afternoons we took the chance to do some serious mosying around. We mosied around the house. We mosied around the town. We mosied in and out of various bakeries filling our mouths with excellent German pastries and cakes which never disappoint. It was chilled and relaxed, exactly what we like. On a side note I discovered this week quite how strong Sarah's hatred for fizzy water is; the answer, incredibly strong.

In the afternoon we played with Lara, and Nico (who insisted on calling me Poots), building castles from wooden blocks then quickly knocking those blocks over in the most spectacularly violent way possible, throwing them around the trampoline and watching Peeepppper Pig *snort*. It was the first time I properly bonded with the two little ones as I'd only really had the opportunity to see them both for only ever a few days at a time before this week. I have to say, it's good fun being an uncle.

After playing with the kids and after they were put to bed it was time to play some proper games. I've always loved visiting Riffy and Fritjof because it guarantees that we'll play board games (probably in part through my own insistence) and this time was no different. Having visited the Alhambra in Granada I insisted on playing at least a few rounds of the game based on the palace complex. Dominion is another great game which Riffy bought for Sarah and me as a present when we lived in Cardiff and so naturally we had to play that as well. Our success at these games were......varied; we were competing with board game champions afterall.

Come the weekend F, Nico, Lara and us two packed up in the car ready with a picnic and headed into the countryside around Friedburg where we visited a couple of beautiful old medieval castles,  incidentally giving Riffy the rest she needed from the previous week as well. The castles were beautiful old moments rising up from the ground and the kids had a great time running around the old ruins and admiring the views from the tops of the tallest towers. I also definitely didn´t secretly pretend to be a king or lord roaming around the halls of my castle...definitely didn´t! Lara was also lucky enough to have a donkey around the grounds of the second castle which judging by her smiles she enjoyed thoroughly.

The week went by as quick as that and sadly it was time to leave again. We were heading back to Aachen which meant I was doubling back on the route I'd used to get to Friedburg but this time round Sarah was with me too. Car, train and coach.


Thank you so much for an awesome week, Riffy, F, Lara and Nico hopefully we'll be back soon enough :)

Until next,
      Bob