Folk Life Festival

This year's Folk Life Festival on the National Mall featured China. So on a very nice summer day that was not too hot and not too humid we checked it out

In the performance tent we watched a weeding dance

Mia and one of the performers

There were lots of other things to see as well like traditional music instruments

 More dancing

 A dragon dance

 Thai Chi

Aschaffenburg

Our last weekend on our two week trip to Germany we spend in Aschaffenburg where cousin Michael had invited us to stay with his family for a day.
First we had a nice lunch at their home and a little home made cake and coffee

Then we went into two and Michael showed us his office right next to the Aschaffenburg castle. Mia had to try the chair of an Bavarian state procsecuter

After this we had a  nice walk along the river

 Mia liked the playground by the river

Then we had dinner in the countryside at a large farm

Ab Evening with the Risch's

One evening Armin and Birgit invited us for dinner at their place in Hockenheim. Mia was excited to see their two cats

 When a neighbor's dog lost his ball in the bushes we all stared to look for it. It was never found though

 After dinner Mia helped watering the garden

Well - maybe she didn't help that much but she had fun

A visist from Franziska and her Family

Franziska and her family cam for a visit to Heidelberg
Since it was the first visit for Franziska we took her for a little sight seeing trip to the castle

 It was a very hot day so Mia cooled off with some Cactus ice cream

 Back in the old tow we looked for a place for lunch

After lunch we went off to the pool again

A Day at the Pool

We spent a sunny and hot Sunday afternoon at the Thermalbad - a nice public pool right at the river Neckar where we already loved to go on summer days more than 10 years ago.

 We also enjoyed the snacks there: French fries, beer and ice cream

 After the swim Mia did the really high monkey bars on the playground next to the pool

It was also a good playground for climbing

 For dinner we went to the Schwarze Peter = our favorite restaurant in the Weststadt

Oma's Visit in Heidelberg

Oma with Joachim and Mäxchen took the opportunity to see us on a hot Saturday in Heidelberg. The first stop was a shady playground were Mia could show some of her climbing skills.

 Oma also had some presents - including some Surprise Eggs

 .
After lunch in a nice beergarden we walked to a shopping street. Mia had lots to say and Oma was impressed by her German

Neckar River Cruise

Ji and Mia spent one afternoon with a river cruise on the Neckar

 At the turning point n Neckarsteinach they enjoyed a strawberry cake and ice cream

 One the way back the passed the old bridge again