Che Viaggio!: 1980 Münster (7/9/1980)

Wednesday, July 9, 1980

Had our own compartment for nearly half the trip, then were joined by an older couple. In the scramble to rearrange seats, the alarm clock got lost, but it was found under the seat. Arrived in Hannover about 06:30. Used the restroom where the matron wanted Kathy to put on her extra shirt (not change shirts) behind the wall and not near the doorway because the lady in the gift shop next door was "shameless" (?). Got on the train headed for Dortmund, but it took a detour so we got off at Hagen. From Hagen we could take a train directly to Münster. In Münster I checked the telephone book for a number, but the N family was not listed. (Later found out they received their new phone only a week previously.) So we looked at the city map to find the location of their address, and which bus to take there. In the pouring rain we waited for the #6 bus to take us near Elke's house. We got off at the right street, but at first passed her apartment building because it wasn't numbered. The building was brand new and sections were still under construction. Elke was home with her two little girls; Rebekka, 2-1/2-years old and Anna, nearly 1. They were really cute, and Rebekka got Terry and Kathy to play with her, and even asked Kathy to accompany her to her room to get some books. We had a lunch of lamb (Kathy really liked it) which apparently Elke had gotten specially and was trying her hand at cooking it. She was very successful and I felt guilty about making her share it with us. We also had rice and cauliflower with a gravy, and for dessert we had custard pudding topped with rhubarb which Terry and Kathy really liked. Ulrich had come home for lunch, and then he returned to work on his moped. While Anna napped, the rest of us looked at photos, and then all the girls went to see downtown Münster which was restored to original after World War II. We saw the hall in which the Thirty Years' War Peace Treaty was signed (but did not go in further than the foyer which had an art exhibit). Then we went to the Catholic Diocesan seat to see the stark but dignified church. Vespers were about to be sung. Apparently a nun (Anne Catherine Emmerich, 1774-1824) from Münster has been beatified by the Pope. We continued through the old part of town past the expensive shops. It began pouring rain; supposedly Münster is the wettest city in Germany, but it is especially bad this year and the volcano of Mt. St. Helens is being blamed! We stopped for some Italian ice cream before going to Uli's office where we had parked the car. In Germany it’s the law that no child under 12 years of age can sit in the front seat, so both kids have carseats in the back. Because of us visitors, they got to sit on our laps in the back seat. After returning to the N's very nice apartment (with a huge autumn scene photo mural on a living room wall and no stove yet!) we had a small dinner of bread and cold cuts, including prosciutto crudo which Terry and Kathy really liked! There was also liverwurst, salami, boiled ham, tomatoes and onions, cream cheese, and peanut butter like the "natural" peanut butters in the

U.S.

We had a picture-taking session and the babies loved the flash!