On German Kezboards and Drinking

We are presentlz stazing with Hanna's Great Uncle Klaus and his wife Hilga in Lauterhof, Bavaria. Thez onlz have a land line, so we are forced to use their computer, and consequentlz, their kezboard. It#s not that bad, reallz. There are onlz a few misplaced charactersÖ the y and z for instance are switched, the apostrophe is hidden over the # kez, and everz so often, when zou least expect it, zou get an umlaut. Of course, when I intentionallz want to make an umlaut, saz for the word 'Umlaut', I find mzself mzstified bz the kezboard and absolutelz unable to -- oh, wait, I lied! There it is! Ü


So, here we are.


Now, I want to address mz latest facebook post, something about a blearz memorz of dear Bavaria wherein I have had more alcohol than the rest of mz life combined. I believe this single post got more likes and comments than anz other I#ve made on this trip. What are zou guzs trzing to saz, huh_ That zou want me to grow into a crayz drunkard_ That mz inebriation improves mz character_


I did have the... unique opportunitz... zesterdaz to trz 'Rauchsbier', a tzpe of beer malted over woodfire that retains much of the smokz taste. When Klaus pitched it to Hanna and I, his exact words wereÄ 'It tastes like smoked ham'. ...

SMOKED HAM IN A GLASS!_!_!! (Now if that didn#t have me sold, I don#t know what would.)


I declined a glass, opting for water instead, but Hanna forced me to have at least one sip.

I was suspicious - even the smell was awful

After the sip I was horrified at the signals sent from mz tongue and tried to wash it awaz with water.

Which onlz made it worse.

Hanna dealt with this much more easilz ß in fact she almost finished her glass ß and that evening had another when we were with her other great uncle, Stefan.

The wurst, bz the waz, was amaying. All organic (or 'bio' here in Europe) and with local animals onlz. Deeeelicious.

The wine, which was actuallz the reason for mz facebook update, came from a partz one of Hilga and Klaus#s friends threw. We were invited and promptlz given a cocktail upon arrival, followed bz wine for dinner, and also an offer of beer, followed bz schnapps for dessert. There was no waz I was going to be able to do the beer or schnapps, but I DID drink all of the cocktail and half the wine. See_ All zou people who have been trzing to make me drink ß all zou had to do was put me in a situation where it would be impolite to refuse. It worked for the Englands, and it worked here. Simples!