June 22nd, Sinzi's Birthday

On Monday the 22nd after our wonderful trip to Berlin we returned to Unterricht (instruction, school). It was also Sinzi's birthday! But the little stink hadn't told anyone but me after seeing the big to-do that was put up for my birthday. Instead she brought a box of chocolates to share with us all. Very yummy. But she didn't realize when she bought them they were liquer sweets so most of them had an almost spicy taste from the alcohol. But still, yummy chocolate. To further celebrate, a large group went to Adrian's favorite Italien place. (just like Sinzi didn't want a big party, she's not a big fan of picking things and is happiest when she knows she's doing what someone else enjoy's.. thus, Adrian's fav. gotta say, its pretty good) In attendance were the usual: Sinzi, me, Adrian, Nancy, Elizabeth, Maria, and Marco, as well as Gladys, her husband and Helmut, her son. Her son speaks Spanish, German and English. This dinner was interesting. Sinzi and I were center table and to both sides of us everyone was speaking Spanish. I was the only person who didn't know a single lick. :( i didn't really like it. But Sinzi spoke German with me. Then Gladys made a comment about why I wasn't talking, except she said it in Spanish. no hable espanol Gladys! she laughed, attempted German, then it all went back to Spanish. Hahaha, truly i didn't mind. For the first time in my life i wish i knew just the beginning. Last month would have been AMAZING SPANISH PRACTICE. I could have spoken it every day. oh well. that is past now.

After dinner Sinzi (who would be leaving at the end of the week) and I headed to St. Nikolai Kirche to site see and go up in the tower for pictures. St. Nikolai is a memorial to the war. It was very badly destroyed but the city decided to leave it be and make it a monument. Hamburg was one of the worst destroyed cities in Germany and St. Nikolai actually acted as an aiming point due to its high steeple.

While in the tower I read a plaque and I really appreciated how it got its point across. It said something along these lines:
The air raid (Operation Gomorrha) on Hamburg by Allied Forces fell well outside of accepted war protocal due to it was an attack purely on civilians in an attempt to break the other sides war spirit. HOWEVER Germany was begging for what it got.
Ok ok it wasn't exactly those words, but i just really liked how it pointed out the unfortunate truth from both sides.

After the church we met Adrian to go shopping. We started in city center. Sinzi and I were seeking souveniors, so actually, city center wasn't the best place to look, its all clothes and local people high end shopping. We went with Adrian to a mall where he could by a jacket. This guy has absolutely no thermostat. He is either reeeally really hot, or reeally really cold. Okay, so Sinzi and I peruse the mall and find nothing, so we return to where we left Adrian as he is trying on a black and purple jacket. Omigosh it was great. Sinzi thought he was joking. The thing was soooo 80's and shiny.... and she let him know it. Then I had to tell her that he wasn't joking and poor Sinzi felt sooooooo bad. I don't think it bothered Adrian whatsoever. I told him about it later, telling him I had explained it to Sinzi by saying it was a very 'Mexican' fashion. He agreed. They like bright shiny things. But hey, so do I.
He later decided on an all black, shiny jacket by Diesel. I love Diesel. It cost over €130. Adrian at this point was still having a hard time coming around to the idea that i don't have that kind of money. He wanted me to buy something. And also, he is allllways taking 50 years to find a place to eat because even the cheapest joints aren't cheap enough, but then buys this jacket that he can't wear anymore because its now too hot. :P

ummm, right, anyway :D Sinzi and I traversed the city abit more but to no avail. I got tired and headed home. Unlike her I have four more weeks to seek out my souveniors. Oh also, while we were in Altona (part of the city) we walked by people speaking Romanian. It made her day, which is good, cause it was her bday!

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