It's now Tuesday morning, in Kent - the Garden of England.   The last few days in Germany were crammed full again.    Gabi, Isi and I met for lunch on Friday then went to Franzi's garden allotment which is about a 10 minute walk from her home.   We had a BBQ there and it was a beautiful warm evening.   On Saturday Michael took Gabi, Isi and myself on a drive through the Swiss Jura - what lovely countryside it is.   Everything so green and I am continually amazed at how many fields there are full of corn (maize) - and most of it is grown to feed the animals!    I have been thrilled down here in Southern Germany to see COWS IN THE FIELDS.    In Bavaria 99% of cows are kept in sheds.   We had lunch in a small village with surely the most expensive menu in all of the Jura - but we enjoyed our "Flambes" anyway.    They are a type of extremely thin pancake, similar in diameter to a pizza, with usually just cheese, bacon and sometimes onion on it too, although Isi had one with apple slices and cinamon, liberally doused with some type of liquer!!

On Sunday Michael and a friend took me to a Trash & Treasure market in France which was very interesting, although quite similar to similar ones at home.   Then in the evening we had a big family  night out at a reasonably local restaurant, high up on a hill.    It was called Eulenberg and the owner collected owls of every shape and size.   I was fascinated by them all.    After the family photo had been taken we came back to the table to find Michael had organised a HUGE Schwarzwaldkuchen (Black Forest Cake) for me.    See the photos below to see how luscious it was!!!    No doubt another few kilos packed on.  

Monday morning was my farewell to Germany and I can only say such a HUGE thank you to all of Roland's family who have made me so welcome and yes, it is such a pity he wasn't able to experience it all himself also.   I hope to have lots and lots of visitors from Germany so that I can repay the favours from my time here.

Isi & Franzi took me to the train in Basel and bade me a tearful farewell.    I managed the transfer at Mannheim with little difficulty with the exception that I sat myself down in a First Class compartment and had to  be told by the conductor I would have to move two wagons further down!!   Frankfurt airport is enormous and they keep changing the gate numbers where flights will depart from, so three times I had to go from one end of the Terminal to the other before my flight took off for London.     And Lufthansa has redeemed itself in my eyes!    The plane was nice fairly new Airbus, the Flight Attendants were very helpful and even managed to serve a quick snack on the short trip to London which lasted about 1.25 hours.   And Immigration in London was a breeze - the only problem being how to explain Australia's very average performance in the medal tally in the Olympics to my chatty Passport Control officer!!    Jean and Angus arrived only a couple of minutes after I got through Customs and whisked me off through London evening traffic to dinner at a Club in Teddington, which is on the banks of the Thames.    There is a lock there for barges and other boats going up and down the river which was more than interesting.    Jean and I are planning another overnight stay there later in the week so we can visit Kew Gardens and (perhaps) Bushy Park.

Sorry but I've inserted a couple of photos twice and can 't get rid of them!!!

Check out the Schwarzwaldkuchen!

The whole family group

Isi (the Firebrand!) and myself at a German BBQ

With Isi, Gabi & Kersten

Isi with her cousin Julian

Old town in Swiss Jura

Old wooden bridge in Swiss Jura

Isi & Gabi

Isi with --- Lucy??????

More old homes in Swiss Jura