Charlotte's 60th Birthday

Besides our dear children, Werner and I have friends who are a generation plus younger than us, and the largest group is those fellow students Werner got to know when he was studying for his PhD at University of Florida (1988 - 1993) . Charlotte has for decades been the one to throw a party for the big "0" birthdays - we've been to her 40th, and 50th, and now the 60th. Every party has had a different theme, every one has included groups of friends and family, and every time it is so much fun.

The Gator group gets together now and again between Charlotte's birthday bashes, but for sure we can do it for Charlotte's birthday. And so we did.

This time, Charlotte celebrated again in Frankfurt, where she has worked and lived such  along time. Her digital invitation, an original video, was a combination of Pink Panther and 007 - clever and cool. We found a hotel and made our train reservations. 

Of course we went by train - we sit and read and stitch and snooze and get carried from here to there with such little stress. We made our own favorite sandwiches, packed a bit of chocolate - since Werner cannot travel without chocolate - and picked up a coffee along the way.

Frankfurt - the big city!!

This was one view - walking - from the station to our hotel. The population of Frankfurt is only 150,000 or so more than Bremen, but I think the suburbs feed a lot into the city. Really! It's the financial capital of Germany. Bremen is a Dorf in comparison.

And then, Party Time!  I didn't take enough pictures. Seems I have said that often lately and I will just have to do better. Anyway, some impressions.

Dörte and Christoph with Werner. 

Annette enjoying her Aperitif!

There was of course tasty food, and plenty of it.  One of the appetizers was a bit of something on what was amazingly like a Tater Tot. What? I asked the server and she said it was a mini Kartoffelpuffer.  I'm gonna say it was a Tater Tot and I am gonna be searching for them at the local supermarket. 

Charlotte has many "lives" as I suppose we all do. She stood before the assemblage to welcome them all and mentioned each - family, school friends, childhood friends, Gator friends (that's us), Frankfurt folks, and etc. We have met a few in the other groups here and there and it was wonderful talking to others we'd met before and others we had not - journalists from around Germany, artists, family. 

It's a bit like herding cats, but we got the Gators together for a photo doing the Gator chomp - Juliana, Beni, Annette, Joe, Dörte, Charlotte, Christoph, Nicole, Marjolein, Werner. There were a few missing we so wished were there - Jeremy, Anja, Susanne, Katja, Bodo and his lovely lady Sandra. Maybe next time? We will all forever miss Maus. 

Werner and Dörte and I walked Annette back to the train station since Annette had to work the next day (booo!!) and said goodbye to her there.

We talked and talked to others at the party. As always, I am so impressed by all the talent in Charlotte's circle of friends! What a cool bunch of folks.

Next day, we were invited to brunch at their studio. Wow. Such a lot of creativity in that place.  Not only the fans and the associated work, but paintings and projects and machines and ideas coming out of the woodwork. Harald gave us a tour of the cradle of ideas.

Later, there was more birthday cake and songs. 

After yummy brunch and lots of great conversation, we walked back to the hotel for a nap. Really, took our time and enjoyed the Altstadt, a Bratwurst, but we're old! Needed a little nap!

That evening, we met the remaining Gators for dinner. Marjoelein knew a great place on the river (and in addition she was our chauffeur for the night!). Super service, really good food, and as always, good conversation. We didn't get to see the Northern Lights that were supposed to be showing their loveliness over Germany that night, but you can't have everything.

So, goodbye all you neat folks.  Really, can't wait to see you all again. 

Next day, we got up late, had a filling breakfast and got the train to  home. No problems with connections or service and how relaxing to sit and read and snooze and look out the windows.  See ya, Frankfurt!