Parc Jardin Anglais

Today was one of MY better days. Boo pretty much always has fun, so I'm never unhappy, of course. But as I've stated before, it can be a little lonely and isolated here. 

After breakfast, we set out for the store to grab a sand bucket and shovel. Boo is always using other children's, and has asked for a bucket every time we go to the store. Today was the day I finally said yes. Then, we set out on the 2.6 km (1.6 mile) walk to Parc Jardin Anglais, or what I call Farm Park. It is located in the neighboring commune of Gasperich (we are in Merl). 

Our walk took us through an athletic complex, near the ISL (International School of Luxembourg), and by this village of abandoned, graffiti-covered buildings that totally don't fit the city. Maybe it's where all the graffiti artists go and leave the rest of the city alone for the most part. I wish I had taken more pictures, as there was some amazing art.

When we arrived, I knew we had hit another playground jackpot. Boo went sprinting full speed ahead, despite having just walked pretty far.

The inside of the structures had ladders and steps and benches everywhere.

Boo is going to have the strongest muscles from all the climbing the playgrounds promote. 

As you can probably tell from the lighting in the pictures, it would go cloudy and get cold, then the sky would break out and it would be warm and gorgeous. But the weather said 0% chance of rain so I didn't think much of it.

I first met a woman from Utah, who had randomly worked for a politician in Strongsville (right near Cleveland), because Boo ran up and announced, "Hi! I speak English. We are from Cleveland." Tasha had two boys and a girl: Otto (5), Axel (3), and Ingrid (maybe 18 months). Her husband works for Price Waterhouse Cooper, which I am learning is becoming the largest employer here. She answered a few random questions I had, helped me find a great bus route mapping app for my phone, and informed me she had a weekly mommy play group and that I must join them next week. Done and done. So I was feeling pretty great.

Tasha had her hands full and it was nearing nap and lunch time so she set off for home. I wrangled Boo to eat our picnic lunch real quick and then she was off like a flash when she heard more English. Jackpot. 

Brian also works for PWC as an economist, and he was there on lunch with his German wife, Miriam, and almost-four-year-old daughter, Hazel. The girls were getting along so well Miriam came back after dropping off Brian (originally from Milwaukee) and we chatted until the skies opened up and it started pouring. 

Miriam was AWESOME and insisted on giving us a ride home. Randomly, she goes to yoga across the street, so I'm going to check it out. We plan to meet up again soon. Right now, Boo is coloring on a roll of paper with some colored pencils I picked up on an IKEA run (in Belgium) last night.

I've met so many nice people, but today felt really good. Two weeks in, I'm starting to feel more comfortable.