Monday 30
March 1981 - Bad Godesburg/Bonn
The decision was that we should
leave early this morning and to that end we would not eat at the flat, but on
the move! Well, we landed up having "only" fruit, coffee and yoghurt at
the flat and finally left at about 09.30!
It was overcast today and a lot
cooler and we walked down to Bad Godesburg to see a toy shop that Matt had seen
there, which wasn't too exciting. It was interesting to see the town square and
the shops, including a vending machine that sold poop scoops for people with
dogs! There was a marvellous scene outside one of the shops, with the
shopkeeper screaming like a virago at two blokes who were trying to deliver a
case of goods to her front entrance. We thought at first that she was going to
dump the case into the road in front of a passing car, but she finally desisted
- the temptation was obviously great though.
We caught a tram into Bonn and got tickets for the early train to Amsterdam tomorrow,
leaving at 08.31. The booking system was most impressive and we now know almost
to the inch where we must stand in the morning to get aboard. The fare was most
reasonable too, I think - R50.00 for the three of us, considering that the
single fare from London
to Birkhamstead was R4.50 (2.50 pounds).
From the station we went to the toy
shop so that Matt could make his major purchase of Playmobil. His total budget
was R110 from birthday presents (he had
his tenth birthday the day he and Rab flew out of Cape Town)
and in the end spent R40, leaving a reasonable remainder for purchases in the United States. I think his choice
was, in the end, a good balance. Anyway, he was thrilled and is now playing
with some of them.
On we went to a large department store
where Rab had seen some material she fancied. Jan left us there and then went
on to her work at the shop. (I think it was at this stage that she confessed
to having some problem in trying to move around with a group which had to reach
consensus on all major decisions!) Rab bought R40 worth of material at what
she said was a reasonable price. We then went back to meet Jan after an
abortive attempt to buy her a toaster with a travellers cheque which was not
acceptable to the shop.
After a cup of coffee while waiting
for her we went on to an old pub for lunch and very good it was too - Matt is
impressed with everything German and especially the potato dumplings! After
lunch we made a few more purchases, including two bottles of Cuja-Cuja and then
back home. We had intended going to the Museum, but found that it was closed on
Mondays. ( This was fortuitous as far as my travelling companions were concerned
since both loathed museums) On the way home we popped into another
department store - Hertie - to get Jan's toaster and saw some enormous stuffed
animals in the toy department. Life sized donkey, calf, sheep etc at prices
from R800 to R180! But marvellous to see.
 |
| Last Supperwith Jan |
We had a bite to eat at the flat
since the local pub was closed, it being Monday. Christine - Jan's secretary -
had popped around to bring Jan a present, which was a book of potato recipes
plus a couple of kilos of new potatoes. So for supper we had goulash soup and
new potatoes, plus, of course, cold meat etc etc and toast from the new
machine. We also polished off the odd litre of German white wine - OK, but
nothing to write home about - and then Jan brought out some home made Kirsch
given to her by a friend in Switzerland.
(It was Agnes and Claude in fact who we finally met in Sydney in 1987)
It was rather powerful proof alcohol and I declined any more after finishing
mine (and Rab's!). So we switched to Mandarin Napoleon, a glorious drink. I
eventually went off to bath, leaving Jan, just a little bit tipsy, talking to
Rab. We both felt that, despite her very good job and all her acquaintances,
she is quite lonely and had in fact rather enjoyed having us. (Having lived in foreign countries ourselves
now, I think it was not loneliness so much as just missing people with a similar
shared background.)
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