Spring Fling 2017, Bonn

Dr Anne has just returned from Bonn.  She was officiating at the RSCDS's Spring Fling organised by the Central Germany Branch.

There were 150 young folk.  Some were non resident but many travelled from all over the world.  The young folk stayed in Base Camp.

There were classes and dances all weekend. 

Friends met old friends.  People met new friends.

The girls from Munich.

Some of the committee and staff relax.

Supper at Base Camp.

Joana, Marilyn and Dr Anne at the dance.

The dancers.

The band.

Judith selling the hoodies and t shirts.

Dr Anne and Marilyn had a day in Cologne.

At the chocolate fountain.

In the museum.

Having a hot chocolate.

Taking a tour around Cologne.

Dr Anne ended up in Dusseldorf.

Max Brown's hotel.

Miss You

Eberlen, K. (2016). Miss You. London: Pan Books.

Miss You is one of the Richard and Judy 2017 Book Club.  Dr Anne picked it up in case she ran short of reading material on her trip to Central Germany.

After Spring Fling in Bonn, Dr Anne had decided to travel for a few days around her haunt of 1971 - the Cologne, Dusseldorf area.  It rained incessantly so Dr Anne decided to cut her losses and head for her haven in Portsoy.  

She picked up this book on the train from Dusseldorf - Cologne Airport.  She read it at the Cologne - Bonn airport.  She read it on the flight to Edinburgh, the train to Aberdeen and even the bus to Portsoy.  Dr Anne arrived home after 15 hours and continued to read.  In the morning she got up and did not a thing until the book was finished.  

So what held her attention about Tess and Gus...  It was Tess's story from the day she first saw Gus in Florence until she met up with him in Florence at the same place, a lifetime later. Tess had to change her plans because her mother died and she had to abandon plans for uni and bring up her autistic sister Hope.  Gus had lost his brother in a skiing accident and carried unneeded guilt by trying to please his parents, his girlfriend, his wife (brother's girlfriend).  He was doing a job he didn't really want to do.

This was a beautiful story of what life throws at you and the choices you make because of other people and happenings.  It has unsettled Dr Anne.  She reflects on some the decisions she made and why.  Today is the beginning of the rest of your life Anne.

Snake Head

May, P. (2002). Snake Head. London: Riverrun.

Dr Anne read the Peter May's Lewis Trilogy recently and enjoyed the content and the writing style.  She was standing in W H Smith on her way to Edinburgh and saw one of Peter May's China thrillers. This book took her from Aberdeen to London to Bonn where she was officiating at the annual Spring Fling of the RSCDS.

The story focused on the illegal immigration of the Chinese into the USA via Mexico.  A true load of immigrants were found dead in a fruit and veg container.  More sinister was the fact that they had been injected with the Spanish Flu of the early 20th century.   Li Yan the detective from China and Catherine Campbell a pathologist in Houston are part of the team who are investigating the crisis.  The two have a history together in China making the story all the more intriguing.  There was of course a major twist in the last chapter which changed the outcome at the end.

This was a great read for a major journey.  It wasn't so good as the Lewis Trilogy.  She awards 8/10.