Euro Trip: Aldekerk, Kerken, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

When we first arrived in Australia, Katharina was the first friend we made. She wasn't your typical girl and was a far cry from what we thought we knew about the German people. When she left us, Australia just wasn't the same. Of course we will make new friends, but some friends you simply can't replace.

We decided to get a bus down from Berlin. It only took about 6-7 hours but it wasn't pleasant. The time went quick as we were both focused on the result of the historical referendum on gay marriage. As you can imagine, 62% of Ireland voting in favour of it made us very proud of how far Ireland has come and the fact that we are now a beacon of light for countries who have anti-homosexual laws! Who thought our little nation would be setting an example of how things can be done! Don't you just get a certain sense of pride? During the journey, I was all stuffy and suffering with a sore back so sitting for long periods definitely didn't help, but it was worth it. The bus was comfortable and it got us to our destination bang on time so I don't think I can complain too much.

When we finally arrived in Duisburg, it was so nice to see Katharina, lovely Carlos, the car and Susan, the sat nav. Poor Carlos and Susan got a bit confused getting back as our exit on the Auto Bahn (motorway) was closed. The motorways in Germany are crazy as they have no speed limit. Eventually, they were able to get us back safe. It just took them a little bit longer. But none the less, they did get us to Katharina's mam's house quickly.

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Katharina's boyfriend, Danny Boy and her two lovely dogs, Paula and Lottie. They didn't even bark at us. I can now understand why Katharina missed her dogs so much. They are gorgeous. Very cute. You can nearly be certain that you will find Paula laying somewhere with a tennis ball usually in her mouth.

For our first evening, they prepared a lovely German BBQ that consisted of nice salads and lots of tasty meat. Lets just say it was more like a feast. Myself and Jason both thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the best part for Jason was the beer. He was a happy bunny. Later that evening, the lovely Bridget, Katharina's mam and George, her boyfriend returned from their night out. They were both very welcoming and very friendly. George had a nice bottle of whiskey for us. Such a kind thing to do!

The following emorning we were very kindly woken with a very 'Tasty tasty tasty' German breakfast, as my lovely tmammy would say. Up until that point I didn't even know what a German breakfast was. Want to know what it consists off? Ok, I will tell you. There's lots of those really nice bread rolls you get out of Lidil, but much nicer, with different styles of meats and yummy spreads.

Katharina and Danny Boy made sure we were both kept entertained with a day trip to the near by city of Xantern where we got to learn all about the Romans which was very interesting. The best part was the amphitheatre which we enjoyed exploring. Of course, imagining the type of barbaric fighting that would have taken place previously sends a shiver right down your spine. To be fair, the Romans are to be admired with their beautiful buildings and sheer power of their huge Empire. I take my hat off to them!

The next stop is a visit to the lovely old town of Xantern where we enjoyed a look around an old cathedral and a walk through the town enjoying a rather tasty tasty tasty ice cream. Its a very old, historical town. Definitely worth a visit.

Back at the house, Katharina's dad and his fiancée called round to say hello. They both seem very friendly. Later on we all treated ourselves to a donna kebab which proved a lot nicer than I thought. I told myself years ago that I would never eat one. And now I find myself munching on one and actually enjoying it. To be fair, they look a lot nicer than the ones at home.

After dinner, we went back out again, this time to a carnival in the near by town of Geldern, to meet up with Katharina's friends. It was good night with lots of fun to be found. The only problem was the large crowds of people everywhere. And Jason won a little teddy for me in a darts throwing game. He didn't do as well as he thought but as usual, I'm always very proud of him! In the end, we didn't meet up with Katharina's friends so we decided to leave early. We did get to meet Danny Boys lovely mother who seems very nice.

For our final day with our lovely German friends, Danny Boy drove us across the border into Acern, in the Netherlands where we enjoyed a fun game of crazy golf. Everyone was surprised that I was crowned the winner. I didn't just win, I won by a clear 8 points to the runner ups. Poor Jason didn't play very well. God bless him!

After my shocking win, it was time to take a look around Acern with a stroll along the river and a walk through its lovely town. We got to enjoy world famous Dutch chips and a little traditional Dutch snack that consisted of blended meat in breadcrumbs. I have no idea what it is, but it was very tasty. We topped it off with some yummy ice cream that was a lot nicer than yesterday's cheeky little treat. It was world class. Definitely made there fresh. If you visit the Netherlands, you have to try some nice ice cream.

To say thank you to Katharina and Danny Boy and of course the lovely Bridget and George, we decided to cook them all a lovely traditional Irish stew. Katharina even had Irish butter for our lovely bread. Everyone, I think, really enjoyed it. I think we did a good job and nearly everyone kept filling up their bowls. So that has to be a good sign. Later on we enjoyed a couple of drinks and a nice chat with our lovely friends.

I can honestly say we really enjoyed our trip to Kerken. Katharina, Danny Boy and Bridget were all very accommodating. They couldn't have done enough for us. Bridget's home and garden are both lovely. She reminds me of my own mother. I think if they were to meet, they would get along very well. Honestly, I really enjoyed my stay and it was great seeing Katharina in her own home and seeing all the things she talked about so much when we were in Australia together. We told them next year they have to visit us when we are back in Dublin. In terms of hospitality, they have both set the bar very high. Katharina and Danny Boy, 'Thank You!'

By Andrew

#friends #crazygolf #romans #carlos #2015 #Germany