All things foreign

Hamburg is a huge metropolitan city, much lager than what we were used to. We had to learn to get around with the subway and bus system. Luckily there are small grocery stores that can be walked to nearly everywhere. One of the first things we checked out was the shopping on Monckebergstrasse, to get a cell phone. They don't have Burger Kings like this back home! We got to stay in a hotel for a month while searching for our home and getting acclimated. The hotel was near Lake Alster, we loved to watch the sail boats and see all the beautiful mansions in the area. Ted took language lessons for a month, but only began to comprehend how the German language works. Our favorite thing so far is the bakeries on every corner filled with rolls, doughnuts, and cakes. Not having a car yet we learned to ride the subways and would fill our stroller up with the groceries we needed. We decided on a house in the west side of Hamburg in the boundaries of the only English translating ward here in Hamburg. We are close to our our American friends the Kennedy's and to the Elbe river and the forest. The only draw back is Ted's hour long commute on the subway. We moved into our house with only our 8 suitcases. It was just like camping. The first things we bought to start our new home were pillows and pots and pans. (The Kennedy's lent us some sleeping bags and a blow up bed). We found we had very nice neighbors, our landlord who lives around the corner lent us a lantern (few light fixtures in a new German house) and some dishes. Our neighbor across the street lent us their van while they were on vacation and Jana was able to fill it to the brim with new furniture from Ikea. We got our car and thus our independence a couple of months later.