May-Holidays Abound

May is a very heavy time for holidays - most people love the month of May for this very reason. And what is great about lots of workplaces, including MPI, is that if a holiday falls on a Thursday or a Tuesday, they will give the corresponding Friday or Monday off as a "bridge day". How great!

However, it is sad that since I am so pregnant, we can't fully take advantage of all these holidays and do some traveling. But we have gotten out of the house a bit.


May 1 - May Day: It is very similar to the US's Labor Day, with the exception that almost everything is closed. In the US, a holiday means sales and all the stores open. Here, everyone is on holiday, the grocery stores, department stores, even the public transportation runs a more 'relaxed' schedule. Last year on May Day we went to Aachen to visit the family of one of Art's coworkers. This year we met a couple from church at a famous park here in Dusseldorf called the Volksgarten (people's garden). It is rumored to have lots of strange and cool statues and architecture as well as several lakes, playgrounds, and lots of green space. We met up with Christy and Eric Zwygart and their 6 week old son Stanton. It was not the best outing we've ever had. Zach peed through his clothes on the train ride to the park, then I had to change him into new clothes as it started raining, on the train platform. Then the Zwygarts needed to stop and feed their little guy, so we let Zach run around a meadow area. He came walking up to us like a robot when we noticed that he had peed through his pants again, and socks and shoes. This time as I was changing him, I noticed that in my hurry on the train platform, I made an "interesting" diaper malfunction that allowed all of the urine to completely bypass the clean/dry diaper and run directly down his leg. We had to let Zach run around in a shirt and a diaper while his less wet, yet still dirty, pants dried in the sunshine. Not at all embarrassing. After Stanton finished eating, he had a major poop, so we had to wait for them to change him, then Zach also pooped, so then another change for him. By the time our two kids were fed, clean, and dressed, we had spent about 45 minutes just at the entrance of the park. We started walking on to see some of the park's sights when a snack stand caught our eye. Another quick break of fries and ice cream. As we were finishing up, it started to rain a bit again, then a bit harder. Lucky for us, we were by a bridge overpass, so there was a large area we could stand beneath for shelter. Then it started lightning and hailing. Easily the worst storm we have seen in Dusseldorf. Zach of course got bored just standing under the shelter, and kept wanting to stand at the very edge where the rain was coming down, so he could catch it in his hands. We let him for awhile until he started getting too wet - no extra clothes now! It finally let up enough to venture out, and we all decided to forget the wonders of the park and head home. Not the most productive outing, but it was enjoyable to meet Stanton Zwygart and spend some time with Christy and Eric. We were all exhausted when we got home, and all crashed into bed before dinner.

May 2 - Since May Day, the actual holiday was on a Thursday, most businesses, including Art's, gave Friday off as well as a "bridge day". We had entertained the thought of taking the train up to Munster for the day, but after I was so exhausted and sore from the outing at the park, we decided to stay closer to home. The weather was not good, so we didn't do much besides a trip to the playground and the store.




May 12 - Yet another holiday! We had decided that we would have a relaxing morning at home, then after Zach's nap, we would take a picnic lunch to a massive playground that is on the 712 line on the way to our church. Then, mid-morning, Jake and Maddy Shaw called and invited us to do the same thing (picnic lunch at a park) with them, but at a different park - AND THEY WOULD DRIVE! So of course we took them up on it. Sudpark is massive and has an area w/ lots of animals you can pet/feed/etc. They had sheep and pigs and rabbits. Lots of geese wandering around as well. We had a nice picnic lunch in a shady goose-poop-filled area then headed to see the animals. Zach did touch the sheep, and practice his new found skill of saying "baaa" when asked what sound a sheep makes. He also liked the rabbits. There was one humongous rabbit that was in an area just to himself - I contend it was because he kept eating the other rabbits. Then off to a little water park area. Zach loved splashing around in the water - none of it is deep, nor are there slides or anything like that. He, Art, and Jake probably spent an hour just walking and splashing through all the different levels while Maddy and I chatted on a picnic blanket in the shade. I was getting pretty tired, as was Zach, so we headed back home. Again, all three of us went to bed until dinner.

May 22 - The last of this month's holidays. I was getting so big and uncomfortable at this point that going anywhere and doing anything did not really appeal to me on my "day off". So we had a splendidly relaxing morning with Art and I watching several episodes of Scrubs, and me taking a nap during Zach's nap. After lunch, Art took Zach to ride some trains. Zach had been begging for days to ride a train. As we would leave the apartment he would ask me "fwain?", and I would say, "nope, we're going to ride a bus", and he would give me a disappointed "oh". When Art and Zach got off the bus at the train station, Zach pointed downstairs to the "real" trains - apparently the trams are no longer cool enough for him. When Art started walking with him to the elevator to take them down to the train, Zach got very very excited. The two of them rode the train and watched other trains at the Hbf for some hours. I had a very relaxing time at home while they were gone! It was a great holiday for all of us.

May 23 - Since the May 22 holiday was on a Thursday, Art again got Friday, May 23rd as a "bridge day". He arranged to take a tour of an aluminum smelting plant in Essen. The tour was given by the S.O. of Art's coworker, Patricia. No pregnant ladies allowed, so Zach and I just followed our normal Friday routine of going to church for bible study, coming home and taking a 2 hour nap, then having a late lunch. So not much of a holiday for me. Art got home sometime after 4pm, having thoroughly enjoyed his holiday. His other co-worker, Abijit (sp?) and his wife also went along, so they all had lunch together afterwards.

May is a great month in Germany - so many holidays and bridge days!