Smile big!

Last night, I passed through the village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (I hope I spelled that right!) after sleeping out a thunderstorm in an inn. It was a charming town, overlooking a nice, wide river, and it was certainly funny to see all the buildings: the roofs was all red! I love traveling. It's easy to imagine a red roof, but never would I have thought to try had I not taken a new road and discovered things like red roofs and funny gravestones with painted faces. I played some games with the innkeeper's wee daughter.  It made me miss home and my own sisters, a bit. I taught her some of our games, like Throwing Stones (Ileana's favorite) and Animal Noises (mami hated that one, we drove her right over the edge, roaring like dragons all the night long!) and she taught me some of hers.

I don't know the language they speak in Rothenburg. I've had to mime everything I want to do. I've learned a few funny phrases and made some new friends, probably because I look so silly trying to explain "CAN I SLEEP HERE" or "CHEESE AND BREAD, PLEASE" with only my hands. I just smile a lot and I think that helps.

Also there were many handsome nights at the watchtower. I might have chosen to sing and dance nearby because of a certain lad with green eyes, but you'll never hear me admit it. Either way, I sang and dance for coin and twirled my skirts a bit and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back to the inn for sleep. I've not an inkling of what he said to me, but I'm sure it was something like "Oh, you're such a beautiful girl and a wonderful dancer and I shall surely wither away and die if you leave now."
I told him that he could come with me, at which point he said something else that probably meant:
"Leaving my post would disgrace my family honor. It seems we are destined to be star-crossed lovers of the best sort and many songs will be written about our doomed love. Farewell, my beauty!"
Well, maybe that's not exactly what he said, but I'm sure it's not far off, and girl can dream, right?

I still have a ways to go before I reach England. There's been a lot of rain and walking has been difficult. Luckily the cattle are moving in the hills and all signs point to fair weather ahead.  In Rothenburg, I found a group of people that reminded me of my own kin back in the east.  These people travel by boat, sailing throughout the mainland to buy, sell, see, and talk.  Fortunately, though none of them know my mother tongue, most of them know a Frankish language I picked up the last time my family went west.  I still smile a lot, but it's nice to be able to talk.  We're moving quickly on the swollen river. I expect I should get to the coast soon enough. Then it's only a matter of procuring a boat across the sea. I've never sailed over the ocean before; though it's only a short voyage, I'm mighty excited.

In the meantime I'm learning songs from all across the mainland. These river wanderers know many songs and many languages and I can't wait to share what I've learned, as well as what I know, with the people of London.

Pa pa,
-Tinka