It's something so special to me, because I'm going to talk about our (the family) short trip to Hamburg. We went there, because we went to watch the musical of "The Lion King" which is my all time favourite movie since I was a child. I loved it from the first time I saw it and ever since the musical came to Hamburg I wanted to see it. And finally after more than ten long years of waiting I persuaded everyone to come see the musical. We decided that everyone pays their own ticket, because it's so expensive, and we also decided to go there a day earlier so we won't be too exhausted after the car drive, we stayed in a hostel which my parents decided to pay for. *^*
Since the show we wanted to watch was on a sunday afternoon we decided to go to Hamburg on saturday. We got up between eight o'clock and nine o'clock in the morning and had breakfast together. After that we packed the last things together and stuffed everything into the car's trunk.
It was such an uncomfortable drive this time, because the boyfriend of my sister decided to come with us my mum, my sister and I were squeezed in the back of the car. Nearly no space was in between us. XD Luckily Hamburg isn't that far from Berlin and it only took something like two and a half hours plus we had some breaks in between.
Finally in Hamburg we first went to the youth hostel were we stayed over night, prepared the beds for the night and stored our clothes in the closets. After that we went out again to explore a bit of Hamburg. We decided to leave the car behind and to take the trains, so it's more comfortable to travel through the city without looking for some parking spaces, for which you mostly have to pay.
We didn't do anything special and just explored the main city and "Reeperbahn" a bit. First we went to the city were we walked around and saw the town hall. While my sister and her boyfriend decided to go to dm (a drugstore) I found a huge crowd of cute little pandas. *^*
It was some advertisement thingy form WWV, because only something like 3000 pandas are left on the earth or something.
While waiting we took a few photos with the pandas or at least me. ^^ Just so cute! >_<
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| me and the panda |
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| and another one look at his smiling face XD |
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| so many pandaaaaaas ^o^ |
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| can you see me? XD |
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| just look at this cute face *^* |
It was so funny how the bears were stored in a cupboard. It looked just so funny to me. All the cute pandas staring at you from there. XD"
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| stored away XD |
Because it was in front of the town hall, we also decided to take some tourist pics. ^^
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| in front of the town hall |
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| the town hall |
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| a church XD" |
After wandering around a bit we decided to eat something, because everyone was hungry already. After a short discussion we decided to go into a mall and there we found Pizza Hut and went there to have pizza. Gosh I so love Pizza Hut pizza. *q* When we finally were all full we stayed a bit more at the mall, because my sister wanted to look for some new winter boots without heels. After looking for shoes we left the mall again and decided to look for some dessert. At least I wanted one so bad. XD
We stopped at a bakery to get something sweet and yummy and because it already was october (the time of Halloween) they had donuts wit marzipan bats and filled with chocolate. I had to have one. And it was soooooooooooo good! *Q*
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| the donuts ♥ |
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| my donut I just love bats so much ♥♥♥ |
After that we decided to make our way to the "Reeperbahn" the one and only street for …ähm… XD" well yeah I don't know why everyone thinks it so special there but well…
Luckily it wasn't that late and everything was still closed except some restaurants, grocery stores and tourist shops. We just walked the street down and back again, crossed an interesting looking club (which I forgot the name of XD). It was some "hole" in the ground which was opened like a car's trunk and then you had to follow the steps down to enter it. It looked very interesting.
Since my sister wasn't feeling well the whole day we decided to go back to the hostel instead to some bar. The whole time she looked like she was going to pass out.
Since there is a Lidl right across the street from the hostel we stayed at, we went there to get some sweets and drinks. It was the time I finally found the "Green Eared Bunny" from Katjes. XD But after trying it I decided that the "Green Eared Bears" taste much better. These gummi bears from Katjes are the vegetarian ones without gelatin.
We sat together in our room and ate a lot of the sweets and talked a lot and had fun together. My mom and sister observed the building on the other side and every time someone walked across the corridor they screamed and commented it and started making tales about the people walking there. XD"" That was too funny to watch. XD"
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| everything is so pink even the bunnies were pink and white with one green ear. ^^ |
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| and the other stuff everything was so yummy |
We sat together in our room and ate a lot of the sweets and talked a lot and had fun together. My mom and sister observed the building on the other side and every time someone walked across the corridor they screamed and commented it and started making tales about the people walking there. XD"" That was too funny to watch. XD"
Around ten o'clock in the evening we had to go to bed. Which was quite annoying to me, because I wasn't tired at all. Eventually I fell asleep and had a super awful night, because the mattress was so hard I couldn't positioning myself right to sleep comfortable. Around four in the morning I suddenly woke up and discovered my mom and my sister being awake too. My mom had to go to the toilet and my sister was asking her if she should help her climbing down the ladder from the bunk bed. My mom found it that funny that she had to laugh. XD When she returned my sister's boyfriend was also awake and we talked a bit and sipped some water and suddenly my dad woke up a bit grumpy and was asking why everyone was awake and having fun. XD" No one of us was able to sleep right, but we then decided to go back to sleep.
The next morning started out quite okay. Even I got up without feeling too bad. After everyone finished dressing and stuff we went down to have breakfast. Nowadays it's so nice that hostels carry such a big choice. They even had some vegetarian spread, which I didn't try in the end. I mostly decide for muesli with yogurt at hostels. I also took some fruits and vegetables. I love it that they mostly have something fresh out there.
After that we went back to the room to undress the beds and to get our stuff back into the car. While my mom checked us out my dad and I stored everything back into the car's trunk.
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| one suitcase for all five of us, the "going out shoes" of my sister and me, and our purses XD |
Finally everything was in the car and also everyone. ^^ We took of towards the port. My sister and me hoped that we will get a parking space near the port so we can go back to the car later to change the shoes but we were unlucky and parked farer away so we had to change shoes at the car and had to walk in our super heeled shoes the whole day.
This was so stupid, because both of us tried out new ones this day. Luckily they are quite comfortable to walk in, even when the heel is so thin. At least for me, normally I don't wear shoes like that, but I like these ones quite a lot. ^^
After leaving the car we started of to the Elbe Tunnels. When we were younger we already visited them, but since my sister's boyfriend never saw them we decided to go there.
So annoying that we had to take the elevator down. Normally I'll prefer the stairs, but since I already wore the heeled shoes I wasn't sure if I make it down alive.
Have I already mentioned that we forgot to take a cam? Luckily I had my new iPod touch 5g with me. ^^ And with that I was the only one taking pictures all the time. The one above was taken with the front camera, that's why the quality is a bit different from the others. But who cares, better this than nothing. XP
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| the fam in the Elbe Tunnels |
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| and me also in the tunnels ^^ |
Have I already mentioned that we forgot to take a cam? Luckily I had my new iPod touch 5g with me. ^^ And with that I was the only one taking pictures all the time. The one above was taken with the front camera, that's why the quality is a bit different from the others. But who cares, better this than nothing. XP
When we decided to go back again the elevators for the cars arrived and we were allowed to enter it to get upstairs again. If I have to use an elevator I prefer the big ones for sure, but in general I hate all elevators and only take them when I have no other choice.
Finally on ground level again we made our way to the "Landungsbrücken"(the port) were a small discussion broke out, because my mom wanted to do a boat trip around the port to show it to my sister's boyfriend. Since I hate boats and boat trips and I already had to go on one for a few minutes this day I wasn't that fond of her idea. I always feel sick at boats, I hate them. It's the same like the elevator issue. XD"
In the end we decided that my mom, my sister and her boyfriend will do a tour and my dad stayed with me on safe land.
While waiting for them to be back I took a few pictures of the port and we sat down somewhere to get some warm drinks.
Finally we decided were we wanted to stay for the wait and we ordered our hot drinks. While my dad decided for coffee, as always, I went with tea, also as always. ^^ And with this something strange happened. When the waiter brought our drinks I first thought he forgot to give me a cup. And after looking stupidly at the teapot and guessing around my dad told my that the cup is right under the pot. XD I never saw such a strange tea set. I was so surprised that I had to take photos of it. ^^"
The funny thing is that now I always see these kind of tea sets everywhere. I never noticed them before. XD""""
When we finally finished our drinks we decided to leave, because it was getting cold. Since we decided to sit outside in a sunny spot it was just normal that it got cold after a while. First I had to go to the toilet and than we started walking around the "Landungsbrücken" again. Because, the boat was a bit late, my dad and me had to wait a bit longer than expected and we already checked out from which spot we had to take the shuttle boat to get to the "Stage Theatre".
Finally all of them landed safe again and we took of to the stop were we had to get on the shuttle boat. While walking there we decided to stop for some fries. These fries were one of the most yummy I ever had. They were one of these super sick and super potato-ish fries with a lot of salt on them. Just too good to be true. *^*
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| water, boats, cranes ... |
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| a few buildings at the port |
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| sadly you can't really see it but there is the Stage Theatre were "The Lion King" is taking place |
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| the dry dock |
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| and again |
Finally we decided were we wanted to stay for the wait and we ordered our hot drinks. While my dad decided for coffee, as always, I went with tea, also as always. ^^ And with this something strange happened. When the waiter brought our drinks I first thought he forgot to give me a cup. And after looking stupidly at the teapot and guessing around my dad told my that the cup is right under the pot. XD I never saw such a strange tea set. I was so surprised that I had to take photos of it. ^^"
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| where is my cup??? ;__; |
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| yeahyy I found the cup ^o^ |
The funny thing is that now I always see these kind of tea sets everywhere. I never noticed them before. XD""""
When we finally finished our drinks we decided to leave, because it was getting cold. Since we decided to sit outside in a sunny spot it was just normal that it got cold after a while. First I had to go to the toilet and than we started walking around the "Landungsbrücken" again. Because, the boat was a bit late, my dad and me had to wait a bit longer than expected and we already checked out from which spot we had to take the shuttle boat to get to the "Stage Theatre".
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| my dad while waiting ^^ |
Finally all of them landed safe again and we took of to the stop were we had to get on the shuttle boat. While walking there we decided to stop for some fries. These fries were one of the most yummy I ever had. They were one of these super sick and super potato-ish fries with a lot of salt on them. Just too good to be true. *^*
Finally at the shuttle stop we had to line up. There already was a huge crowed who wanted to get on one of these boats.
We made it on with the second batch of people and we had to sit at the deck, because I wanted it this way. I can't stay in, it's so unbelievable uncomfortable there and I'm just getting sick to fast there.
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| one of the "The Lion King" shuttle boats |
We made it on with the second batch of people and we had to sit at the deck, because I wanted it this way. I can't stay in, it's so unbelievable uncomfortable there and I'm just getting sick to fast there.
While the three minutes trip I took a few photos again. ^^
Finally we arrived and everyone was getting off of the boat. Since we were outside we had to wait a bit and while waiting I decided to take a picture of the theatre.
It was time to enter the theatre! I already felt so excited and was so happily smiling all the time. I still hoped that it would turn out great. We got ourselves something to drink and left our jackets/ coats at the wardrobe, made a short trip to the toilet and finally decided to look for our seats.
We had seats in the eighth front row and it was so near at the stage. I was so happy. My seat also was nearly in the middle of the stage. That means I was able to see something. The room itself wasn't that big but I was so happy that we decided on spending a bit more for the row more at the front.
While waiting we already were stunned by the big drums on the sides of the room and by the beautiful curtain at the stage.
Then it was time for the show to start. By then I felt so sick and excited I couldn't stand it anymore.
Suddenly "The Circle of Life" started to play and Rafiki (who was a woman in the musical) entered the stage to tell the story. I was so emotional at this moment that tears suddenly started to flow. I was so endlessly happy to be there. I still couldn't believe it even while I was sitting right there.
Everything was just so perfect and well conceived I couldn't believe it. Not only the stage design, the costumes, but also the show itself. Every time something more traditional african happened they used the big drums to create the perfect mood. The music was played by an orchestra (which is normal for musicals) but it was just so beautiful to listen to it live.
Also they used the stairs in the room off stage for the big animals to arrive to the introducing of Simba. This was so cool to watch. Every of the animals is so well created and designed, and the moves by the dancers and different characters are so fitting.
I also really liked how Zazu turned out. He is played by an actor and as a puppet and also is a separate figure when he was just flying around. The same goes for Pumba and Timon. Timon is a live sized puppet which is played by an actor and you can see the expressions of the actor and the puppet. They were just perfect. But what I like most are the gazelles and the cheetah. The actors were just perfect and the construction they designed for them are so awesome. Also the giraffes are so awesome. I couldn't believe how perfect designed everything turned out. And when you took a closer look you was able to see that every detail of the masks and constructions were inspired by the Disney movie. I loved it that you could see which character is which by just looking at the masks.
I also really liked the costumes, with all the african prints, the dancers, the dances and everything is inspired so much by Africa. Also how they designed the sunrise. It just looks like in the movie. So perfect and well thought through.
Also the hyenas are so perfect in the musical. I always liked them, even when they are one of the bad guys, but they are just so funny and the realization of them in the musical was so awesome.
Because I can't find the right words to describe this perfectness I'm going to show you a few official pictures in random order.
And now I'm adding two videos too, so you might get a feeling for all this awesomeness. I was just so stunned by the stage design, the costumes, the actors, the music, the creation itself… just EVERYTHING!
The narrator also mentions that everyone who works there are from different nationalities and the actor of Simba adds that it actually are 15 different nationalities. At the end the narrator just say that everyone has to see the musical themselves to feel the extraordinary musical.
To add something more to my impressions of the musical is that I actually really liked it that it was so close to the movie. At first I thought nothing changed, but when Simba and Nala talked there were a few small changes in speech. They actually fitted it into our time and not the time of 1994 when the movie was first released. This was a bit strange at first but later okay to accept. They also changed a few scenes, left something out or added something. They also had these african dances in between, which was a nice touch to all of that.
The thing which annoyed me most was that Scar was suddenly dancing with Nala and that he was all lovey-dovey with her at some point. That was so strange… And the thing which annoyed my sister most was that they changed the beginning of "Can you feel the love tonight" a bit. The part which Pumba and Timon are singing. I actually thought that this wasn't that dramatic, but she was all sad about it.
I also really liked that nearly every actor/ dancer was some black people. This is going to sound so stupid, but I thought that it added this nice african feeling, even when they aren't from there.
I'm so sorry if this sounds stupid, but I'm trying to express how I felt and it's really hard not to just scream and fangirl.
And since we know that all of them are from different nationalities and different countries with different languages, I have to tell you that they spoke quite clear. Not everyone was accent free but nearly. To be honest, while singing the accent got in the way sometimes, but it was no big deal at all. At least for me, my sister and her boyfriend complained a bit about it.
All in all I can say that this musical is a MUST for everyone who likes/ loves the movie. The price might be a bit expensive, but you get an awesome show for it and it's absolutely worth it.
Last but not least, when we finally were out of the theatre and waiting for the boat to bring us back to the "Landungsbrücken" we took some more photos. I needed some memories and proof that I was there. ^^
After that we decided to have dinner and looked around for some nice restaurant. Well it wasn't that nice but we had something to eat and after finishing it we went back to the car to get back home.
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| more docks, and boats and shuttle boats |
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| and another one of the special shuttle boats. XD" |
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| water and the port |
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| a few super expensive buildings were some celebrities live or something |
Finally we arrived and everyone was getting off of the boat. Since we were outside we had to wait a bit and while waiting I decided to take a picture of the theatre.
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| "The Lion King" on top of the theatre's roof |
It was time to enter the theatre! I already felt so excited and was so happily smiling all the time. I still hoped that it would turn out great. We got ourselves something to drink and left our jackets/ coats at the wardrobe, made a short trip to the toilet and finally decided to look for our seats.
We had seats in the eighth front row and it was so near at the stage. I was so happy. My seat also was nearly in the middle of the stage. That means I was able to see something. The room itself wasn't that big but I was so happy that we decided on spending a bit more for the row more at the front.
While waiting we already were stunned by the big drums on the sides of the room and by the beautiful curtain at the stage.
Then it was time for the show to start. By then I felt so sick and excited I couldn't stand it anymore.
Suddenly "The Circle of Life" started to play and Rafiki (who was a woman in the musical) entered the stage to tell the story. I was so emotional at this moment that tears suddenly started to flow. I was so endlessly happy to be there. I still couldn't believe it even while I was sitting right there.
Everything was just so perfect and well conceived I couldn't believe it. Not only the stage design, the costumes, but also the show itself. Every time something more traditional african happened they used the big drums to create the perfect mood. The music was played by an orchestra (which is normal for musicals) but it was just so beautiful to listen to it live.
Also they used the stairs in the room off stage for the big animals to arrive to the introducing of Simba. This was so cool to watch. Every of the animals is so well created and designed, and the moves by the dancers and different characters are so fitting.
I also really liked how Zazu turned out. He is played by an actor and as a puppet and also is a separate figure when he was just flying around. The same goes for Pumba and Timon. Timon is a live sized puppet which is played by an actor and you can see the expressions of the actor and the puppet. They were just perfect. But what I like most are the gazelles and the cheetah. The actors were just perfect and the construction they designed for them are so awesome. Also the giraffes are so awesome. I couldn't believe how perfect designed everything turned out. And when you took a closer look you was able to see that every detail of the masks and constructions were inspired by the Disney movie. I loved it that you could see which character is which by just looking at the masks.
I also really liked the costumes, with all the african prints, the dancers, the dances and everything is inspired so much by Africa. Also how they designed the sunrise. It just looks like in the movie. So perfect and well thought through.
Also the hyenas are so perfect in the musical. I always liked them, even when they are one of the bad guys, but they are just so funny and the realization of them in the musical was so awesome.
Because I can't find the right words to describe this perfectness I'm going to show you a few official pictures in random order.
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| all the animals arriving for the introducing of Simba belongs to |
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| Simba and Nala playing belongs to |
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| Simba and Scar belongs to |
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| Scar belongs to |
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| at the elephant graveyard belongs to |
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| Shenzi, Banzai and Ed belongs to |
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| Zazu in a cage belongs to |
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| young Simba and Mufasa source |
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| the sunrise, giraffes and cheetah source |
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| Zazu again source |
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| dancing/ fighting lionesses source |
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| adult Simba and Nala source |
And now I'm adding two videos too, so you might get a feeling for all this awesomeness. I was just so stunned by the stage design, the costumes, the actors, the music, the creation itself… just EVERYTHING!
the german version of "The Circle of Life"
and different scenes from the musical
a video about the costumes
Sorry that it's in german but I wanted to find videos from one of the shows in Hamburg plus I wanted to show you how awesome the costumes, puppets and constructions are.
The narrator just talks about what a success the musical is and that already more than
5 mio. people have seen the musical in Hamburg and than he starts going around and talking to the costume designer about what she created and how the actors have to projects the characters onto their puppets and not only on themselves. He also talks to the director of the musical in Hamburg who tells us that they aren't looking for puppet masters but actors and that they than have to learn how to act with the puppets. He also thinks that this is the most special thing on the "The Lion King" musical and that is why it is so different from all the others. The narrator also mentions that everyone who works there are from different nationalities and the actor of Simba adds that it actually are 15 different nationalities. At the end the narrator just say that everyone has to see the musical themselves to feel the extraordinary musical.
To add something more to my impressions of the musical is that I actually really liked it that it was so close to the movie. At first I thought nothing changed, but when Simba and Nala talked there were a few small changes in speech. They actually fitted it into our time and not the time of 1994 when the movie was first released. This was a bit strange at first but later okay to accept. They also changed a few scenes, left something out or added something. They also had these african dances in between, which was a nice touch to all of that.
The thing which annoyed me most was that Scar was suddenly dancing with Nala and that he was all lovey-dovey with her at some point. That was so strange… And the thing which annoyed my sister most was that they changed the beginning of "Can you feel the love tonight" a bit. The part which Pumba and Timon are singing. I actually thought that this wasn't that dramatic, but she was all sad about it.
I also really liked that nearly every actor/ dancer was some black people. This is going to sound so stupid, but I thought that it added this nice african feeling, even when they aren't from there.
I'm so sorry if this sounds stupid, but I'm trying to express how I felt and it's really hard not to just scream and fangirl.
And since we know that all of them are from different nationalities and different countries with different languages, I have to tell you that they spoke quite clear. Not everyone was accent free but nearly. To be honest, while singing the accent got in the way sometimes, but it was no big deal at all. At least for me, my sister and her boyfriend complained a bit about it.
All in all I can say that this musical is a MUST for everyone who likes/ loves the movie. The price might be a bit expensive, but you get an awesome show for it and it's absolutely worth it.
Last but not least, when we finally were out of the theatre and waiting for the boat to bring us back to the "Landungsbrücken" we took some more photos. I needed some memories and proof that I was there. ^^
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| in front of the banner |
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| and with the boat ^^ |
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| my ticket ♥ |
After that we decided to have dinner and looked around for some nice restaurant. Well it wasn't that nice but we had something to eat and after finishing it we went back to the car to get back home.
Nothing special happened and we arrived back home around ten in the evening and just went to bed, because everyone had to get up early next day.
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