déjà vu

Greetings from Munich! It's been an eventful couple of weeks. As you may recall, we flew to Edinburgh on the 10th, which also happened to be our eleventh wedding anniversary. We loved Edinburgh from the moment we landed. Our apartment was in the Old Town so we were able to see a lot just by walking around our neighborhood. We only ventured outside of the Old Town twice: first to see the botanic garden and second to see the nearby coastal town of North Berwick.

 Brenda at home among the trees.

 Does this tree look familiar?

The Scottish Parliament Building was just down the hill from our apartment, and we enjoyed wandering around the grounds one sunny afternoon. Rowan decided to lay down on the sidewalk at one point. I think he was teasing his mom.

 The Museum of Childhood was also nearby, and we thought Rowan might enjoy checking it out. There were a lot of interesting toys on display (including this creepy doll room), but it wasn't too interesting for Rowan because it was definitely more museum than playground.

Across the street from the Scottish Parliament Building are paths that lead up to Arthur's Seat, a big hill with great views of the surrounding area. The path was paved part of the way, but the rest of the path was muddy and rocky. Brenda (and her rain boots) did an impressive job of off-roading, but ultimately the path became too rocky and muddy for us to make it to the top. Next time!

 The coast in North Berwick. 

Can you find Brenda? (Hint: you may need a magnifying glass.)

Once we got back to Frankfurt life returned to normal for a few days. Brenda did some work on upcoming roles, our friend Simone spent time with Rowan one afternoon so Brenda and I could go out to dinner, and we got ready for Rowan's second birthday. Rowan had a great birthday. He got to open presents, eat delicious cake (made by mom), and hang out with several of his grown-up friends. It's amazing how much he's changed over the past year.

The birthday boy blowing out his candles.

Earlier this week the three of us took the train to Munich for Brenda's next engagement. She'll be performing Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Bavarian State Opera in early April. We love Munich, and we're staying just a block away from where we were in November. It's all seeming quite familiar. Rowan and I have been frequenting the same parks we visited this fall, construction is happening at the same places, and it's cold outside. This time, however, I am prepared. I brought my winter coat, hat, and gloves and can spend hours with Rowan in the sand without losing a finger to frostbite. Our friends Dan and Whitney arrive tomorrow, and we're looking forward to showing them some of our favorite spots in Munich. 

So that's what we've been up to. I hope you all have a great weekend, and we'll talk to you again soon!