Hamburg has welcomed us with the most beautiful weather, the most gracious hospitality of Nils and Judith, and best of all, the loving arms of my sister Alexis. Despite how much fun I was having in Spain, I feel like I get to relax in Germany. The purpose of the visit is to see Lex, not cram in every memorable sight, church, moorish architecture, art museum, and plaza around. Time spent doing nothing is still time well spent.
But of course, we haven't been doing nothing...
We walked around the Alster to downtown Hamburg and checked out the ruins of a church bombed by the Allied forces in WWII. We walked around Blankanese, the wealthy 'beach' (on the river) area. We visited the Beatles Platz where the Beatles first became famous way back in the day and sang every Beatles song that was engraved on the street. We went out to Lex's traditional Karaoke on Monday night. We ran along the river in the morning. We did calisthenics in Inno Park (and are ridiculously sore from it all). We rowed down the canals (Hamburg claims to be a watery-er city than Venice) in a classic row boat. And of course I have indulged in deliciously hearty german bread, much-needed German chocolate, a plethora of fresh organic fruit, and a tasty assortment of gourmet cheeses.
The boys Alexis takes care of are also great. Piet (10 months) is the happiest child I have seen and is quick to giggle and laugh, and rarely cries. He has mastered the art of crawling, doing baby yoga (in which his legs twist into the most contorted positions), and babbling in baby talk. Oh and he just learned to 'wink' aka wave which is the cutest thing ever. 
Finn is quite a mature five year old and loves making lists of the things he has planned for every day of the week. He is a bottomless pit of hunger when it comes to eating...and they eat the healthiest food in this house.
Jo (2 years), or der grosse junge (the big young man), has yet to warm up to me. And, unfortunately, my presence usually triggers him into unnecessary misbehavior. I did, almost, break through to him by making him a paper crane yesterday, but today he has resumed burying his face in Mommy's lap when he sees me.
