Author: Caitlin Jenkins

Yesterday we celebrated Sabrina’s 3rd birthday! It’s hard to believe that she is already 3 years old! The day started off with a birthday donut from our favorite bakery, presents and a fun day at school with homemade cupcakes, balloons and happy birthday songs in English and German. After school we played bubbles in the park, learned how to fly a kite and pesto pasta (Bina’s favorite dinner)! The day ended with another cupcake and a dance party. All in all, I’d say it was a good start to year number 3!

I’ve started keeping Sabrina home from school on Fridays so that we can attend an English playgroup. That’s right, it’s a group of mom’s and kids and everyone speaks english! I think it’s as much a treat for Sabrina to play with the kids and toys as it is for me to speak english to other adults. The kids play while the moms talk and at 11:30, it’s story, cake and coffee time! After lunch and nap-time, it’s become part of our Friday fun day to get ice cream from the local ice cream shop. We’ve gone so many times that they know us and know Sabrina’s order: Schokoladeneis mit Streuseln in einem Kege bitte (choclate ice cream with sprinkles in a cone please)! When Adrian got home from work, we walked to a Bier Garten for dinner. It’s down the block from our house and is dog and kid friendly!

Saturday was the 140th birthday of the Leipzig Zoo. It also happens to be the 14th time Sabrina and I have visited the Zoo since arriving in Leipzig; I figured it made sense to go and celebrate! What a fun time we had. First off, it’s crazy hot here, 32 degrees celsius by 11am. Sabrina spent the morning running around the zoo, visiting arts & craft stations, getting her face painted and best of all, playing in the sprinklers with lots of other German kiddos.  I felt like a super prepared mom as I brought her bathing suit (all the other kids were running around naked)! I think it’s safe to say that she had fun:) After nap we walked to a beach along the river for beers, ice cream and some playing in the sand. One aspect of living in Leipzig that we have really enjoyed, and hope to bring back with us, is how often we bike and walk. We both agree that not having a car has been a nice change.

It is always nice when Adrian returns from a work trip, but it’s especially nice when that work trip is in Canada and he returns with a suitcase full of Canadian treats! Thank you Grandma Pam! En-route to Sherbrooke, QC to teach at a summer school, Adrian flew in and out of Montreal where he was able to stop in to see Rol and pick up some of our favourite (notice the spelling;) Canadian treats Pam had generously bought. Adrian’s flight back to Germany was a disaster and for a while it looked like Air Canada has lost his bag (i.e. no Canadian treats). Fortunately at 11pm on Saturday night, the bag was delivered to our apartment and we (ok, I) promptly opened a box of Shreddies for a mid-night snack!

While Adrian was away, Sabrina and I kept busy at playgrounds, playdates and jumping on the new trampoline in our backyard. Coop had fun too with his buddies at pack:)

We’ve had another fun and beautifully sunny week in Leipzig. For the first time since arriving in Leipzig, Adrian went to see a movie (Deadpool 2)! At the outset of the movie, there are 10 minutes for commercials, followed by an ice cream break. That’s right, an ice cream break! A list displays on screen with the 15 flavors and options of ice cream available to guests. You can get up to enjoy your icy treat or have it delivered to your seat. Germans love their ice cream! Another very unique part of the German movie experience is that half way through the film, they take a 10 minute snack break.

To continue with Adrian’s social streak, we went out to a fabulous roof top bar. According to Leipziger G-local (our go to blog for places to go in the city), it’s the place to be seen. There’s a beautiful view of the city and delicious mock & cocktails.

The local outdoor swimming pool opened this week and we’ve been swimming three times. It’s a beautiful space, lovely pool and the water isn’t too cold.

Our final adventure included a trip to another great bier garten. It’s dog friendly and has a playground. En route to the bier garten, we stopped for ice cream and to pose at a new favorite statue. While Adrian enjoyed a Heff and Pils, Coop slept in the shade under the table, Sabrina played in the sand and I had a gallon of sprit (we thought it was lemonade when made the order). As you can see from the picture below, it was a tough day for Sabrina:)

A famous tradition in Leipzig is the Wave Gotik Treffen! It is the world’s largest goth festival where upwards of  20,000 goths and people of all dark styles meet in Leipzig for a 4 day celebration. Sabrina and I decided to check out one of the signature events, the Victorian Picnic. Here, hundreds of elegantly costumed people meet up for an elaborate picnic or a stroll through Clara-Zetkin park. Sabrina was mesmerized by the Victorian style gowns and hats and kept saying ‘they are so beautiful!’ Not only are people wearing dazzling costumes, but their picnics put the average picnicker to shame. Their picnic baskets are packed full with proper dishes, candleabra, exquisite food and drink. My description does not do the craziness of the event justice; hopefully the pictures will:)

Switching we gears slightly, this weekend we took in our first European Handball game. It was a really exciting event and helped to satisfy our longing for sports. It’s tough staying on top of the NHL and MLB schedules being 6 hours ahead. The game was played in an indoor stadium up the street from our apartment with 5000+ fans cheering on their beloved Milos (the Leipzig goaltender). It’s a tradition that the audience stand when the players are introduced and don’t sit down until the home team scores their first goal. Fortunately, with the final score being 23-21 in favor of Leipzig, we were able to sit down within the first 2 minutes of play. Sabrina enjoyed the game, but more so meeting the mascots and playing in the children’s area which was equipped with a bouncy castle, handballs and nets.

This weekend Sabrina experienced another first, kayaking! Our friends Bernd and Dagmar took us out for a ride in their boats. German kayaks are a slightly different than North American kayaks. Think kayak style boat and paddles but open concept seating like a canoe. Sabrina sat between Adrian and I and was a total trooper during the almost 2 hour boat trip. There were a few splashes, lots of smiles and laughs, no tipping and only one quick stop by the German police! As we were paddling along, singing songs and admiring the scenery, we heard someone yelling at us in German. Adrian immediately asked if they spoke English and told me to turn the boat around as we were being pulled over by the police. In Germany, a boats name needs to be clearly legible. The boat we were using, does have a name but it’s black lettering on black paint; this was not copacetic with the authorities! After a quick exchange in German, we were sent on our way to enjoy the rest of our time on the water and with a directive to get some white lettering.

This past week and weekend we celebrated Ascension Day (aka Men’s Day) and Mother’s Day! In Germany, they don’t celebrate Father’s Day, but rather Men’s Day. It is a day for men of all ages to be feted and enjoy a day celebrating and partying with buddies. I told Adrian not to get any ideas about bringing this holiday back with us!

Mother’s Day is celebrated in a similar fashion as in North America. Adrian, Sabrina and Cooper gave me a great day! It started with Sabrina and I spending the morning at Auensee Park. It’s a beautiful park with a lake, playground, biking trails and a children’s train that takes you for a ride around the lake. Sabrina was thrilled to ride the train. She choo-chooed the entire way around the lake! In the afternoon, after some serious napping, we went to have a beer and ice cream at a patio along the river. Sabrina decided to ride her balance bike, making a 15 min walk into a 45 min walk:) The patio has a great sandpit full of toys for kids, and it’s dog friendly! German restaurants and bars often have play areas for kids; definitely makes eating out more enjoyable for parents! It was a great day.

Adrian and I had a great time at Hafenbar celebrating my birthday. It’s a beautiful Biergarten located in a very hip neighborhood. Adrian found this gem during our last trip to Leipzig when Sabrina was a newborn in summer 2015. It recently opened for the season; with a babysitter booked we thought my birthday was a great time to go back. The weather was perfect, 24 degrees Celsius at 7pm; can’t beat that in early May! They have great beer and delicious alcohol-frie beer too:) I thought it would be fun to include a picture from our first trip to Hafenbar and one from last night; there are only a few small differences eh;)

We had a fabulous Sonntag in Leipzig! The day started with a trip to the stable to meet Vinja. Vinja is a beautiful, gentle and friendly horse owned by our friends. This was Sabrina’s first up close and personal experience with a horse and she loved it! She fed Vinja carrots and rode, with lots of help, along some beautiful forest trails. She was happy and comfortable in the saddle; I told her not to get any ideas;) Both Adrian and I rode Vinja too. As Adrian put it, we were getting ready for the Greman Derby!

After our time at the stable, we spent the afternoon at the beach. We found a Hundestrand (dog beach) so Cooper was able to join us. Adrian and Sabrina were very brave and ventured into the cold water (it was 10 degrees Celsius)! I was cheering from the shore. We all had some ice cream, lunch on an outdoor patio (that’s right, in Germany we eat ice cream before the meal) and explored a beautiful lake only a few miles outside the city. I would say that beach days in early May are quite the treat.

To say that it was an adjustment for Cooper to move to Germany is an understatement. Apartment living was (is) tough for the pooch but he’s doing the best he can to adjust to our new digs and the new culture. After a bit of research we found the American equivalent to doggie daycare (aka Adventure Pack)! Coop goes on tour with the pack 2 to 3 times a week where he spends a couple hours running through the forest, chasing frogs, smelling animal tracks and playing with other pups! He comes home exhausted and sleeps for the rest of the day. A win win for all of us! Adventure Pack was a great find; to really do it justice, I want to include some pictures. This is one happy pup!