So bibbert Deutschland (This is how Germany bibbers)

This was the title of a temperature map of Germany in one of the popular newspapers. Our dictionary translates the German word "Bibbern" as "jitters". A better way to describe this is "the thing you do when it's really cold". A bit like shivering but including a bit of "brrrr".

So why is Germany bibbering? Because of -20 degrees celcius! This is unusually cold for Germany, but not the coldest it can get. Fortunately we only got this in the night, so the mornings were a toasty -14C. For those who haven't yet experienced this, any exposed part of your body stings from the cold, but also gets numbed. Gloves and mittens don't work any more (though it's better to have them than not), and your skin really dries out alot. Just spending time outside seems to exhaust you, so that you feel like staying home, having a hot drink and a sleep under the doona.

Jo's brother Richard and his fiancee Michele were here to enjoy the weather. They are living in Philidelphia, so it wasn't a shock at all for them. Here's a photo of them with Owen, in an outfit they gave him.

On Sunday we braved the cold to go to Church. On the way home we stopped by our trusty pond, which was still (not surprisingly) frozen over. Here's a picture of Richard under the bridge. We were more adventerous this time, since the ice had had more time and colder temperatures to become really hard. It's fun to take a run-off and slide on the ice. You've got to be careful though that you don't take a tumble!



Owen had a really fun time with his Uncle. Richard somehow managed to get him to laugh out loud lots during the visit. Owen will miss him, though he laughs with Jo too. Nathan must be too boring - Owen only smiles at him.

Richard also started teaching Owen how to rap. Yo brother!

Did you know that you have to pay to go to a public toilet in Germany (actually throughout most of europe)? At the main train station, you have to pay 60c for a "Pissoir", and €1.10 for "Toilette". I hadn't noticed this until Richard took this photo - just in case you don't understand the words, there's helpful pictures to guide you to the right turnstile. Girls only get the expensive option.

In the same newspaper with the bibbering map, there was some interesting info and advice about cold weather. Here's a translation for your education:
0C. Water freezes. Disk brakes freeze. Door locks freeze shut.
-5C. Elephants and african antelope can get frozen ears. The reason - poor circulation.
-10C. Remove piercings from your face. Metal transfers cold readily - you can quickly get frostbite. [This is quite important advice, facial piercings are relatively popular here].
-12C. If you leave beer on the balcony, there is a danger of explosion. At -3C, your beer will already go flat!
-14.5C. Hedgehogs change their metabolism and go into a winter ridgidity.
-18C. Bacteria and mold have no chance. Meat doesn't go off at all.
-20C. The welded joints of the train tracks become brittle and start to tear apart.
-22C. Diesel petrol becomes gluggy. Normal petrol is no problem.
-24.5C. Rechargeable batteries, videocameras and digital cameras give up after 5 minutes.
-30C. Breathing becomes an adventure. Nosewings (nostrils??) can easily freeze together with each breath.
-32C. Car radiators with normal anti-freeze can burst.
-40C. Your eyelashes freeze together from the tear fluid.
-45.8C. Coldest temperature ever measured in Germany. 25th January 2002 at the "Funtensea".
-88.3C. Coldest temperature ever measured in the world. South pole.
-273.15C. Absolute zero. You can't get any colder. All atoms are still.