Ich bin Pansdorfer!

Hello from Northern Germany!

I will try not to make this too long; I got on the internet for the first time in a couple days today and there were a bajillion emails, all of which were urget of course. I really need to finish up on the computer and go and join the living and breathing downstairs, but since I don't know when I'll get computer time again, another update!

Travel with me back in time and space to London last Saturday. (I'm sure other authors have given you more exciting time and space travel, but who cares? It's my blog!) I had a personal adventure exploring the town while Amy went to a 6-hour lunch with a friend. Got caught in the rain in London, which is not nearly as romantic and wonderful as it sounds. Really, it's just very wet and miserable. Eventually I made it to St. Martins-in-the-Fields and met up with Amy for our final concert of the project. Oh, and what a concert to end it on. Picture this: a mediocre Mozart-sized orchestra dressed in drammatic red and black. A conductor who had an uncanny resemblance to Dr. Brown. A program that would make any non-musician middle-aged woman's heart soar: Pachabel Canon in D, Bach Air on the G String, Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Vivaldi Four Seasons. The harpsichordist's lipsick unfortunately was the exact shade as her violently red dress, and the soloist wore no shoes while taking the most extreme rubatos immaginable in her cadenzas. All by candelight. And the audience loved it. They went WILD. These were tourists who had paid a hefty sum for a sub-par performance, and they thought it was brilliant. There was a standing ovation, an encore even. And it actually was wonderful in a way. Of course Amy and I laughed at how corny everything was, but these were musicians who shamelessly presented themselves and were adored by their audience. The encore was by far the best, and by far the strangest. Put yourself in a beautiful baroque church lit by candlelight, an orchestra with soloist playing a PIAZOLLA TANGO, and police sirens in the background. Really, if I ever write a screenplay, this will be a crucial scene.

The next day we explored Amy's old stomping grounds, and then with a few interviews. Oh yeah, and Paul Lewis took us out to Indian food. No biggy! It was really strange just sitting and talking with someone so famous; by the end of this year he will have played 12 proms concerts! But he's really down to earth, and very humble.

Monday Amy and I said goodbye on the tube. She continued on to Heathrow and I took the overground to Luton. What a strange airport and airline. Easyjet is incredibly cheap, and definitely culture shock. After standing in line forever, I realized that my ticket had no seat number. I asked the friendliest face I could find what this meant. It meant no assigned seats. Which meant absolute choas covered by British restraint. Naturally I just observed in shock as others fought their way through, and eventually I found my seat between incredibly overweight man and a very nice old woman who I'm not sure understood a word I said.

Upon my arrival to Hamburg (with minor difficulties at customs) I arrived a full 45 minutes late, but my welcoming party was still bright eyed. Nils, Mareike, Wiebke, and Ina picked me up and drove me to their house. One huge German dinner later we went swimming in the Baltic Sea.

The next morning we went camping. I know what you're thinking...Andy and camping do not belong in the same sentence. But I will let you know that I survived a whole day without running water. It was supposed to last for 3, but then we ended up getting running water via rain, so we retreated back to the comforts of the 21st century. Yesterday we went grocery shopping (an experience I recommend to anyone who goes to germany) and I cooked them my grandmother's spaghetti sauce while they made egg noodles. Mareike and I spent last night exploring Lübeck, which was wonderful. And now I think I'm going to a castle, so I really should get off the computer!