Sam and Katie did their best to stay cool this morning, but we decided to try the real deal and went to one of the public swimming pools here in Bielefeld. I was going to take the kids by myself, but we ended up going pretty late in the afternoon, so Dave came along - everyone had already left the office for cooler environs. Thank goodness for Dave - it would have been more of a challenge if I'd done it myself.
We went to Naturbad Brackwede. It's south of where we live - we needed to take the tram and transfer once. There are pools closer to our neighborhood, but the draw of this pool is that it has no chemicals - it uses a biological filtering system.
We weren't the only ones to have this idea. There was a line waiting to get in. Sam and Katie were really excited. They haven't swam in months.
The pool was super crowded, but even so, it was still enjoyable. The bottom of the pool is lined with sand, so it is like swimming in a lake, but with no rocks or water weeds grabbing at your legs.
Dave and Grace competing for the highly coveted "palest person at the pool" award. The competition was stiff. Back home in Texas, when I take the kids to Randol Mill pool, I have no trouble picking them out of the crowd. They are usually the only blondes with pale skin. Here in Bielefeld, they don't stick out at all.
The pool is situated in a grove of trees.
After the swim - Sam, Katie, and Grace would have swam all day, but Dave and I tired of the crowds. Isaac started to get fussy too. (I think this was his first time swimming. Poor kid, being number four, his milestones just get mixed in with all the other action going on.)
Grace loved the sand next to the pool. She could sit on the edge of the pool and play in a sandy warm puddle or splash her hands in the water of the big pool.
The diving board was made to blend in with the surrounding trees.
Our little place in the shade. As we were walking home, we ran into Sam's friends, Jagoda and Yuma. Sam invited them over for cake and ice cream tomorrow. He'll be six years old! - it seems impossible to me. Wow, does time go fast.
Once we got home, Katie entertained herself by putting hats on Grace and Isaac. Grace just kept scooting around. Isaac lit up - he must have known the hat was a John Deere.
We went to Naturbad Brackwede. It's south of where we live - we needed to take the tram and transfer once. There are pools closer to our neighborhood, but the draw of this pool is that it has no chemicals - it uses a biological filtering system.
We weren't the only ones to have this idea. There was a line waiting to get in. Sam and Katie were really excited. They haven't swam in months.
The pool was super crowded, but even so, it was still enjoyable. The bottom of the pool is lined with sand, so it is like swimming in a lake, but with no rocks or water weeds grabbing at your legs.
Dave and Grace competing for the highly coveted "palest person at the pool" award. The competition was stiff. Back home in Texas, when I take the kids to Randol Mill pool, I have no trouble picking them out of the crowd. They are usually the only blondes with pale skin. Here in Bielefeld, they don't stick out at all.
The pool is situated in a grove of trees.
After the swim - Sam, Katie, and Grace would have swam all day, but Dave and I tired of the crowds. Isaac started to get fussy too. (I think this was his first time swimming. Poor kid, being number four, his milestones just get mixed in with all the other action going on.)
Grace loved the sand next to the pool. She could sit on the edge of the pool and play in a sandy warm puddle or splash her hands in the water of the big pool. 
The diving board was made to blend in with the surrounding trees.
Our little place in the shade. As we were walking home, we ran into Sam's friends, Jagoda and Yuma. Sam invited them over for cake and ice cream tomorrow. He'll be six years old! - it seems impossible to me. Wow, does time go fast. 
Once we got home, Katie entertained herself by putting hats on Grace and Isaac. Grace just kept scooting around. Isaac lit up - he must have known the hat was a John Deere.
Happy birthday to Sam. That cake-and-eis celebration sounds like a blast...wish I could get in on the action. I'm told a parcel will await him (and his mom) upon returning to TX...
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