Wow, it's been a crazy first day! Somehow I managed to wake up at 6:45 without an alarm clock- I think the German birds did it. Ate a nice German breakfast of muesli and then took the bus into the city. We first stopped at the Bahnhof, or trainstation, to make reservations for the 8 hour trip to Plzen on Sunday. Bought a new pair of pants as my favorite jeans ripped on the way over... Bought some buttons at Karstadt (that's a conversation for another day!), visited Michi's(my cousin) workplace, the Evangelishes Krankenhaus, or hospital, and his school. Then we went to the Sparrenburg, an 800 year old tower/fortress that overlooks the city. One of my parent's first dates was there! Stopped at the post office to grab some stamps (it's apparently quite expensive to mail letters to the USA) and then ran back to the straßenbahn, or streetcar, to return to Vilsendorf. Annette, my aunt, had prepared the day's hot meal, a swedish summer soup with fish and potatos. Rested a little then got to cello playing until my grandparents arrived. Worked in the garden brieflz with Christian, mz uncle, and later returned to pick fresh johannesbeeren for rote grutze, perhaps one of my favorite desserts :) Played some cello out on the lawn for Andreas and Melanie who are to be married in August and then just sat around talking. I have so much more to say, but not the time. Here are some interesting things Iäd forgotten or learned:
Germans have long legs, or at least all the pants I tried on were too long.
One has to pay to use the restroom, about .50 euros.
Germans move with their refridgerators...
Everzone in Europe talks about soccer. Come on, USA, get on the bandwagon.
Czech crowns are crazy huge!

I'm quicklz forgetting how to think in English, so I greatlz apologize for my syntax :)
Off to bed to hopefully sleep a little longer tonight- going on a run durch den Wald mit Michi :)