The end.....

Well.... it has been:

5 weeks

9,000 miles (that is with 3,400 added for tomorrow's flight as well)

2 countries (and a third we stepped into for a photo op)

13+ cities

4 plane rides

10+ train rides

numerous bus, subway, and trolley rides

1 HORRIBLE UGLY BLACK BOOT

2 kids

1 very tired exhausted mom

TOO MANY AMAZING AND FABULOUS EXPERIENCES TO COUNT

It is time to go home.....and time to end this blog.  I want to thank my families in Germany and Poland for being so hospitable, caring, funny, and all around enjoyable.  I want to thank those who read my blog- I had such a blast writing it and it was a kind of therapy for me. It is also something I hope my kids will be able to read and enjoy one day (or at least shake their heads in embarrassment heheheeh).

Tomorrow we wake up at the crack of dawn and fly out at 9am Hamburg time....

So to end it all- I leave you with a picture of the kids enjoying their last ice cream in Hamburg and a quote from Dr. Seuss that I have been chanting to myself over and over these past few days while saying goodbye to family and holding back tears:

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"

Planes....trains....and automobiles....the beginning of the end....

We flew out of Poland and landed in Koln, Germany where we were met by Adam and Ute.  The kids and I were so happy to see them again.  Of course we were welcomed back to Germany with a proper German meal consisting of pig(on the bone), potatoes, and good ole fashioned sauerkraut.  Oh and don't forget the German beer!!!

After a night of yummy food and drink, we reluctantly woke up early this morning to board the train for a 4 hour trip back to Hamburg, Germany.  All was going well till the two obnoxious Americans came on board 2 hours into the trip.  Here is my letter to them that I wrote as I sat there(pardon the language):

Dear Rude American Couple (i.e. jackasses),

There is nothing more annoying to me than a rude American in a foreign country.  It makes me so embarrassed for the rest of us Americans who come and visit.  You (wearing your Megadeath t-shirt) and your female companion (wearing an old German military jacket-really????!!!!) came on the train as if you owned it.  When you saw that someone else was sitting in your assigned seat you did not politely say "Excuse me I think that is my seat" (as most evolved humans would do).  OH no- that was not the way you showed your superiority- you decided to say in a very loud voice (perhaps because the noise blasting from your headphones caused some permanent hearing impairment) "THAT'S MY SEAT...YOU NEED TO MOVE!".  

After you were seated you then proceeded to loudly make comments on the smell of the sandwiches the people around you were eating(why cause it wasn't McDonalds????).  Not only were you making faces (like a 5 year old) but then you proceeded to hold your nose and make loud obnoxious comments (so that the whole train compartment could hear) such as "I'm going to throw up" and "I was hungry....now I am not". And my personal favorite "I am going to need a shower at the hotel after sitting here smelling this". 

I am only sorry that you were surrounded by kindly (English speaking may I add) German people who were too gracious to give you the time of day and kick your ass off the train.  They were kind enough to ignore you.  

P.S.- That goatee you are growing down to your chest looks about as "rocker" as your middle-aged beer belly.

Sincerely,

An American who thinks you suck