Besançon, France’s “secret city” May 9, 2011

So as I mentioned in my previous entry, the Mr. and I recently took a vacation to France and Spain.  I was a little nervous about the trip considering neither of us speaks particularly good Spanish or French, but this didn’t seem to bother the Mr. Some of my basic high school Spanish did come back to me, but I never learned any French so apart from “please” and “thank you,” I had pretty much no idea how to say anything. (We finally did learn the phrase for “the bill, please.” The Mr. initially had no idea so asked one waitress “péage?” which I am pretty sure means “toll.” She must have had a laugh over that.) I always felt slightly guilty that we asked pretty much everyone we had to speak to if they spoke English, but I consoled myself with the  fact that English is, for better or worse, the default universal language that most people know. Sometimes we’d be asked, “English or German?” And I’d quickly say “German!” just so I didn’t feel like the loser English-speaker who doesn’t know another language. Not that I’d get very far with German if the Mr. wasn’t there….

Besançon, France

Anywhoo, the first stop of our vacation was a city I just sort of stumbled onto, and had actually never heard of before. I was searching for a city somewhere in France where the Mr. and I could spend our first evening, that wouldn’t take any longer than 5 hours or so to reach. We wanted to keep the driving to a minimum on that first day partly because I knew we’d get a late start out the door (we always do), and partly just to keep from driving too much in a straight shot.  Having had my wallet stolen back in December, my Indiana driver’s license was unfortunately in that wallet and therefore has not been replaced. Even if I did still have it, I’m past the point where I’m legally allowed to drive here in Germany without passing a written driving test and getting a new license, but without any license at all it’s certainly not worth the risk to drive.  So we knew from the get-go the Mr. would be doing all the driving for the trip, and I was keen to try and make sure we didn’t do too much in any single day as I’m sure statistically that raises the risk for an accident. And one really doesn’t want to have an accident, especially on the autobahn. Anyway, I was googling places and came across Besançon, France. The distance was just right, and after reading this article from the Guardian, I was pretty much convinced.

Well, I’m happy to report that you can believe the hype: Besançon is really lovely. We arrived in the late evening and checked into an Ibis Hotel located a short 10-minute walk from the city center. I chose the Ibis because it was very central and also offered parking. (The underground parking was another adventure all to itself; I’m still always amazed when the Mr. successfully navigates unscathed through the extremely tight parking garages of Europe.) After we checked into our room, (which was very clean but sparse and featured a sort of “pod” bathroom…literally, it’s like a separate small room you step up into) we headed into town to try and find something to eat.

By the time we had walked along the river from the hotel to the city center and had snapped photos, it was already getting a little late, close to 9pm. We wandered along the narrow, winding streets, drinking in the lovely old architecture of the historic center and people-watching while they dined with sidewalk-seating at an impressive variety of restaurants. We checked out many menus at many restaurants, with me longing to feel a little hungrier so I could justify a huge steaming bowl of moules marinière, steamed mussels. The problem was that neither of us were particularly starved and therefore didn’t feel we could justify a big, expensive meal. Finally we spotted it, a Lebanese restuarant whose menu boasted some of my favorite foods; hummus, falafel, chicken skewers…and the photos accompanying each dish looked so appealing.  After a quick discussion outside, the Mr. and I agreed that what might make the most sense was to order maybe four appetizers instead of entrees so we could have a bit of several things that sounded good. It was the perfect plan.

We stepped inside and were greeted by an older woman who said something in French we didn’t understand, and then proceeded to figure out pretty quickly that English was better. She spoke English really well. She seemed very busy as many tables were full, but was friendly. We took a seat. There were two menus on the table that featured bright, colorful photos of various appetizers you could get, like hummus and falafel. She also came by and handed us more extensive menus, but we could readily see everything that appealed to us on the laminated colorful appetizer menu. We wanted to order a glass of house wine for me, and a bottle of beer for the Mr. She informed us she didn’t have the beer he wanted, but that they had a lovely Lebanese wine which we could share a small carafe of if we’d like instead. I didn’t care either way, and the Mr. agreed to sharing the wine. He knew it was pricey (14 euros for the carafe), but it was the beginning of vacation and we wouldn’t be spending that much on the meal with the four appetizers, so it seemed okay to splurge a little on the wine.

She came back with the drinks, and the Mr. explained to her that we’d like to order four appetizers instead of entrees as we aren’t that hungry. She then told us about a shared platter we could have for 22 euros each (44 euros total), and all the delicious things we would get on it. The Mr. explained again that we really weren’t that hungry, and would just like order the four appetizers. She took down our order and disappeared to tend other tables. Within 10 minutes, our falafel (small deep-fried patties made of highly-spiced ground chick-peas) and tabbouleh (diced parsley salad with burghul, tomato and mint) arrived. Both were delicious. I was in food heaven. After we had cleared those plates, our chicken skewers (with hummus…hmm..bonus…hadn’t expected that!) and the Mr.’s kofta (fingers, stars or a flat cake of minced meat and spices that can be baked or charcoal-grilled on skewers) arrived. Those, too, were absolutely scrumptious. We started to eat, and at some point, one of us remarked that “these plates are bigger, aren’t they?” and “hmm, yes…and this is an awful lot of food, isn’t it?” Actually, it was a TON of food on each plate…more like an entree-sized portion. The more we ate, the more we began to realize that there was no way these portions could be just appetizers. And sure enough, when the bill came, she had charged us for two appetizers and two entrees. With the pricey wine, it ended up being a very expensive meal, indeed. What happened was clearly a clash of cultures as her English was fluent and we don’t think there’s any real possibility she just misunderstood. But now we’re lefting wondering which culture we clashed with: French culture, where perhaps the idea of ordering four appetizers instead of entrees in a restaurant is tantamount to blasphemy, or Lebanese culture, where perhaps the restaurant owner “knows best” what’s good for you, even if you didn’t order it? If anyone has any insights to either French or Lebanese restaurant culture, I’d love to hear those thoughts!

A Market, Tasty Veg and Wine September 2, 2010

Despite being unemployed, I’m rarely bored. Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Bad Wimpfen

On Sunday of this past weekend, the Mr.  and I decided to head to a very picturesque medieval village near where his parents live called Bad Wimpfen. Over the weekend, they had a medieval market set up in the town center. There were all sorts of vendors and craftsmen, ranging from a blacksmith to a tanner (that area of the market was “fragrant,” to say the least) to a herbalist. We met up with his father and sisters and their families and walked around together.

While there, we enjoyed fresh fruit juice and a sort of “veggie pizza.” We also bought two metal letter stamps from one vendor, an “h” and an “f.” Look out for them on future post from me.

After the medieval market, we went to the Mr.’s parents’ house where had a nice time visiting with everyone. His mother had prepared a delicious dinner for everyone. Seriously: when I grow up, I want to cook like my mother-in-law. They’re vegetarian and she makes the most creative and delicious things. I dream of having an arsenal of great vegetarian dishes that I can easily and quickly prepare like her. I know it won’t happen overnight or magically, but I feel ready to have a kitchen again so that I can at least try to become a better cook.

The other fun excursion we had recently was to Wuerzburg’s “Weinparade,” happening in the market square until this Sunday. Sadly, there’s no actual parade (at least, not that I know of) but you can sample local cuisine and wine under tents owned by different wineries and restaurants. I had potato dumplings (a little like gnocchi but drier and in the shape of bullets) over a bed of spinach. The Mr. had 5 small sausages and sauerkraut. We shared. I also tried a dry Silvaner wine. We considered having gelato for dessert, but the weather’s taken a fall-like turn in chilliness, so a hot Nutella crepe sounded like a better idea. Anyway, I’ve convinced the Mr. that we should go to the Weinparade at least once more before the tents come down on Sunday. I’d like to try another type of wine.

Perhaps it’s appropriate that this is the Mr.’s new favorite photo of me:

It’s the “Little Things,” Part 3 August 24, 2010

One of the things I really like about Germany (and that I’ll no doubt mention in my upcoming “I heart Deutschland!” post) is how green it is. Practically everywhere you go, you can find refuse receptacles divided into paper, plastic and garbage, giving you the option to recycle your newspaper instead of condemning it to a dump. We even have a “bio,” or composting container for the house where we can put coffee grinds, vegetable scraps, etc. that is emptied every week. This country is taking leaps towards making planet Earth happier, and I think that’s great.

So here’s what I don’t get, and I think it’s the no. 1 thing that bugging me about Germany right now: people don’t tend to drink tap water here, and they really think that you shouldn’t be, either.

Despite that fact that tap water in Germany is apparently considered “excellent” (http://www.thelocal.de/lifestyle/20100728-28789.html), many Germans don’t drink from the tap, even at home. Bottled water has, as of 2003, surpassed Germany’s per-capita consumption of beer . One might argue that this is a healthy trend of drinking less beer and more water, but I see the following problems with drinking such large quantities of bottled water: 1. it’s not very environmentally friendly and 2. it’s freakin’ expensive!

Still, I get it. Bottled water tends to taste better than the water that comes straight out of the tap here in Germany. I admit, I’ve struggled to adapt to how the water tastes in Würzburg as the water back in Edinburgh was absolutely superb – honestly, it was better than most bottled waters on the market. And there’s a lot of limescale here which is annoying the *%&$ out of me as it builds up on everything from the taps to the kettle (and I don’t even want to think about what it’s doing to our washing machine right now.) It also ruins a perfectly good cup of tea:

See the limescale "skin" on top? Yum....

But trust me, it could be worse. Growing up in rural Indiana, we had well water. As a kid, I didn’t particularly like drinking water but I also didn’t know that water could taste, well, good. The well water we had – while perfectly safe and healthy – always tasted and smelled slightly of rotten eggs. Nothing like a little sulphur smell to quench (or quell) your thirst!

Still, a Britta filter system goes a long way, in Germany or in Indiana, in helping water taste better. Not long after we moved here, the Mr. and I went out and bought a Britta. I won’t lie and say the water now tastes every bit as good as what you’d get from the bottle, but it is a big improvement both in terms of taste and I think even limescale reduction as my cup of tea seems to suffer less “skin” on top:

Limescale reduced!

Some limescale is still present, however, and no doubt bottled water would take care of the problem and lend itself to a more “perfect” cup of tea.  So…like I said….I get it. I do. Germany is a wealthy nation with a population that can afford “premium” water, so if that’s the choice that’s made, who am I to judge? I sometimes buy premium things when cheaper, more environmentally friendly options exist. I guess I’m making a similar choice when I go for the exotic fruit flown in from some far-flung region of the globe rather than the local apples, for example. So even if it’s not the best choice (environmentally or for the wallet), I can somehow understand and accept if Germans really want their bottled water instead of tap. But the biggest problem, and what does get my goat, is the reluctance to serve tap water in restaurants. Because then it’s not my choice to do something that’s more environmentally damaging; it’s forced on me.

Asking for tap water in a German restaurant is an embarrassing, nerve-wracking experience that probably won’t be met with an accommodating smile from your server. The social convention is that you order (and pay for, of course) still or sparkling bottled water – never tap. We’ve only asked for it (and only for me)  a couple of times since moving to Würzburg. I’ve heard in some cities waiters will flatly refuse to bring you a glass, and thankfully we haven’t encountered that yet, but asking for it so unpleasant that most of the time we simply cave and buy a bottle.

Still, there have been occasions when I’ve stubbornly asked for a glass out of principle. I mean, it’s water, for crying out loud! We all need to drink it, and if I’m already buying food, well, come on….The last time I made the Mr. ask was when we were having dinner at a Mexican restaurant in town. It had been a very, very hot day and I was dying for a glass of water. We had already spent quite a bit of money that day on food, drink, etc. and I didn’t want to pay for a bottle, so I had the Mr. politely ask for a glass. The waiter seemed surprised, but did eventually bring it. It was about the size of a shot glass. Two sips later, my thirst wasn’t really quenched. I was desperate for more, but there was no way in hell I was asking for another glass. Just before we left, I went to the bathroom and quickly filled my water bottle from the tap when no one was around. I guess that would have been even more embarrassing had I been caught.

So why this reluctance to serve from the tap? Well, firstly, and perhaps most importantly, there are economic reasons. Restaurants make a heck of a lot of money off of bottled drinks, and obviously bottled water is a big seller here in Germany. No one in the hospitality industry wants that to change. Secondly, you do pay for water by usage here, so technically that glass of water isn’t “free.” Still, if the restaurant simply tacked on a few additional cents somewhere else in the menu, that would undoubtedly cover any extra costs of giving everyone a jug of tap water. Economic reasons alone don’t justify why no one wants tap water, however. As best as I can understand it, apart from the thinking that bottled water tastes better, it seems to have become almost something of a class issue here in Germany. You don’t drink tap water if you are wealthy enough to do otherwise. Asking for tap water has the appearance of being “cheap.” But I think it’s a sad way of thinking for a country that prides itself on being so green and socially aware. There are a heck of a lot of people in other parts of the world that would gladly accept a glass of clean and safe German tap water.

So here’s my request, dear German restaurant industry: Please don’t make your customers feel guilty, or cheap, just because they’d prefer to drink something more environmentally friendly from the tap. Thanks in advance. (P.S. In the meantime, I’m going to work on caring less what you think and ask for it anyway.)

Update: The Mr. and I had lunch yesterday in our favorite restaurant. We ordered a glass of wine for me and a large Radler (mix of beer and lemon-lime soda) for the Mr. True to my promise, I had the Mr. ask for a glass of tap water to accompany my wine. The waitress responded (very politely, I’ll give her credit) that they had small or large still water (to buy, of course. She didn’t actually say it, but the understood implication was there.) I knew it had to happen sooner or later, I just wish it hadn’t been at my favorite restaurant…sigh.

Discovering Bamberg August 19, 2010

I thought I’d take a break from picking on Germany to share some photos of the trip we took yesterday to Bamberg. We didn’t really know what to expect of Bamberg other than we had been told it was very pretty and historic and interesting to explore. So armed with little more than that information, the Mr. booked us a “Bavaria Ticket,” which meant that we could travel from our flat in Würzburg to Bamberg station for only 28 euros. It covered all our transportation (bus & tram) from our flat to Würzburg train station, the one-hour train journey itself to Bamberg and return bus travel back to our flat in Würzburg (which we didn’t actually use because it was very late & rainy when we got back so we took a taxi instead). Anyway, it’s a brilliant deal. The Mr. thinks up to 5 people are allowed to travel on the ticket and you can use it to go anywhere in Bavaria on any day of the week. Using it on a weekday is particularly brilliant as the trains aren’t nearly as crowded.

We’ve been having long spell of chilly, rainy weather in our neck of the woods, so yesterday wasn’t a great day weather-wise for sightseeing. Still, the Mr.’s been staying at home rather than going in to the uni this past week, so we were both feeling a little shut in and needed to get out and do something.

We started off our Bamberg tour having a small lunch in Fässla brewery, which was founded in 1649.

Fässla brewery

The Mr. and I each had a small glass of their dunkel, or dark, beer and shared bratwurst and sauerkraut (have I ever mentioned how much I love sauerkraut? Well, I do. De-lish.) The inside is actually pretty interesting. It’s a combination of a hotel, a beer garden with partial rain cover, a restaurant (with two different seating areas; one is very traditional and looks like what you would expect in an old brewery and was PACKED. We were seated in a quieter area that looks like a modern addition, and there were even toys for kids to play with), and the actual brewery! It was so cool. Down a long hallway, you could  see the bottles being filled and people at work. The Mr. and I were amazed how busy this place was at about 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon. The kitchen was getting ready to close just as we arrived and we quickly got our order in, but you never would have guessed as the seating area in the old part of the restaurant was completely full.

The brewery in the back

In general, we were surprised at how busy Bamberg city center was on a random Wednesday afternoon, but we did discover later on that festival of some sort was happening and we wandered through part of it.

Lunch finished, we headed off towards the old part of the city to check it out. Like in Würzburg, Bamberg seems to have a bigger market day happening in its city center on Wednesdays, too. I always love seeing the fruit & vegetable and flower stalls.

Market stall in Bamberg

At one point, the Mr. and I were crossing a busy street and he made it over before the light changed. I was stuck behind. An older gentleman asked me in German where the Dome Square was, and I understood him, but I had to answer that “I didn’t know” and “I’m sorry.” I pretty much say this phrase on a daily basis when I’m out and about. He then asked someone behind me and as he was turning around I was convinced he was going to step out in front of a bike speeding past us so I instinctively did the “mother thing” and put my arm out to stop him. I was then mortified that I had done this to a complete stranger who I figured was probably now thinking “crazy foreigner girl,” and I dashed across the street while it was still red (a big no-no in Germany where people follow rules), making an even bigger spectacle of myself, to retreat to the Mr. and walk quickly in the opposite direction from the nice old man. The Mr., however, dragged me towards the nice old man and the rest of the crowd toward the river:

They have gondolas in Bamberg!

Bamberg is really, really lovely. Not only do they have gondolas, but they also have an entire section of the city called “Little Venice;” beautiful homes that once belonged to fishermen but now undoubtedly are owned by the well-to-do.

"Little Venice," in Bamberg

These pictures sadly don’t do the city much justice as it was such a crappy day. But the Mr. fell deeply, deeply in love. He kept ooohing and ahhhing at every corner and every turn, and declared that Bamberg was one of his new favorite destinations in Germany. To be honest, it’s even more beautiful than Würzburg. And the reason for this is simple: Bamberg was one of the few cities in Germany that wasn’t destroyed during WWII (a nearby Artillery Factory prevented planes from getting near.) The Mr. thinks Würzburg was probably even more spectacular than Bamberg before the war as it’s a bigger city with historically more wealth and power, but those are the breaks. At least now I know we’ll get to go back and visit Bamberg frequently as he enjoyed it so much

After wandering around the river and Little Venice, we decided to head up the hill to Michaelsberg Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery. We foraged a bit on the grounds leading up to the abbey (tons of fruit trees, including apples, pears, Mirabelle and regular plums) and stuffed them into our pockets and mouths.

Plums from the grounds of Michaelsberg Abbey

Some fruit from the lower branches had been picked, but you’d think whoever runs the abbey would harvest the fruit higher up with equipment. The plums we had were the best I’d eaten yet; incredibly sweet and delicious.

Michaelsberg Abbey

We wandered the grounds of the abbey, and checked out the inside of the former abbey church, St. Michael’s Church. I don’t know; there’s something about opulent Baroque churches that annoys me. Yes, they’re beautiful (in a creepy, overpowering sort of way) but I can’t help but think that all that money and time spent creating such a jaw-dropping interior could have been better spent helping the poor and doing other, more Godly things. The Mr. reminds me, of course, that wasn’t the real purpose of the church back then, but it doesn’t make me like it any better. Stained-glass windows and gothic arches are about as opulent as I want my church interiors to be.  After checking out the church, we decided to get a cup of tea to warm up a bit and rehydrate.

Cafe at Michaelsberg Abbey

The cafe was lovely and full of elderly people, apparently a German tour group of some sort. It was weird; the entire group cleared out at some point within about 10 minutes, and Thd Mr. and I were the only ones left sitting there.

After tea, we made our way back down to the old city center and wandered around a bit more. We saw the Bishop’s old and new residences (and by new, we’re talking 17th century) from the outside, as well as the old Town Hall which has a most impressive facade and location on the river. The entire old town of Bamberg is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, which makes it pretty darn impressive and well worth a visit.

Old Town Hall

We finally started feeling hungry for dinner (we did stop for coffee and cake, by the way. The Mr. and I can’t have a day out without coffee and cake!) so we stopped at a place on the river for dinner. It was a little too chilly to sit outside, so we opted for the cozier inside but directly in front of the door so we could at least see out. We decided that during dinner, we simply had to try a local beer that Bamberg is famous for: rauchbier, or literally, smoke beer.

When the rauchbier first arrived, The Mr. took a whiff and immediately went, “whoa.” He then had a taste. And even bigger, “whoa!” followed. He handed the glass to me:

Rauchbier...hmmm...I'm not so sure about this....

This beer packs a punch. The powerful stench of smoke hits you right in the face when you put the glass up to your lips. It’s a little like how I imagine a beer would smell were it to survive a house fire. Then you take a taste. It’s exactly how you imagine a beer that survived a house fire would taste. Huh.

But you take another sip. After all, this glass isn’t going to empty itself. Then, slowly, you start to get used to the stench and taste. Perhaps it’s a little like the British snack food Twiglets, you think. The first taste of a Twiglet has you reeling and disgusted. A few more bites, and you’re suddenly an addict. Anyway, a few sips later of the rauchbier, and you do start to almost like it. Is it because you actually do like it, or is it because you’re slightly drunk? You’ll just have to get your own glass to find out!

 

It's a winner after all!

The Secret Science of a Seat Upgrade & Fun While Fighting Jetlag July 14, 2010

I arrived back in Germany on Sunday morning, one day later than originally planned. Ah, the joy frustrations of travel. Here’s a recap of what happened:

I got to the Indianapolis Airport on Friday a little after 6pm, and had plenty of time to hang out in the food court area with my mom and dad before flying at 8.16 pm. We said our farewells, I went through security with no problems, and decided to try to speak to someone at the gate about my seat assignment for the trans-Atlantic flight. When I got to the gate, there were already two longish lines at both my gate and the one directly next to it. I figured out that the flight going to Washington Dulles had been delayed by two hours due to weather, so that meant quite a few people were going to miss their connecting flights. The agent at the desk I was waiting in line for appeared to be having a very, very bad day. She kept putting her head down on the desk and rubbing her temples. By the time I finally got up to the desk to speak to her, I had heard murmurings of “Chicago” and “delay”from people around me, and my question changed from “Can I have an aisle seat?” to “Is there a problem with the Chicago flight?” Her eyes got big and wild and she asked her colleague next to her if there was a problem with the Chicago flight, too? He goes, “Oh, yeah….mechanical failure. It hasn’t even left Chicago yet and will probably end up delayed by a couple of hours.” It was then determined that there was no way in you-know-what that I was going to make my connecting flight to Frankfurt. I felt badly I just had made her day worse, and offered her some ibuprofen. It was the least I could do. After a 10-minute break to “get some air,” she re-booked both my flights for the next day and I phoned my mom and dad to come and get me. My dad’s first words were, “Wow, honey…the time really flew by in between visits this time!” Har har.

Both flights on Saturday went smoothly. I had sort of hoped, however, that I might be able to angle for a seat upgrade on the trans-Atlantic flight given that I had been delayed for an entire day due to the mechanical failure.

First-class on a United 747: it probably looked something like this, but I wouldn't really know.

The gate agent in Chicago told me, however, that United would only be responsible to compensate in me in some way if I had been stranded in a city other than my city of origin (i.e. if I had been stuck in Chicago instead). I just accepted what she told me without any kind of fuss, but I still find it a little surprising that I wasn’t entitled to anything after being delayed for a full day due to circumstances within United’s control (i.e. not weather-related). Since I’ve never – ever – been given any kind of seat upgrade, and just about everybody else under the sun and their brother has at some point, I keep wondering what the secret formula for success is?  I know airline reward programmes offer upgrades, but I’m talking about all the people I hear about who get seemingly random ones. Is it sheer luck? Pushiness? Calamity? When the Mr. and I flew to Vegas to get married with my wedding dress in tow, I thought, “Maybe, just maybe….” Nada. Of course I’ve had flights cancelled, delayed, etc. but never an upgrade to show for it. And on numerous occasions I’ve graciously been the volunteer to swap seats to accommodate a family, or to balance out the plane…zip. I wonder, if I were struck by lightning on the tarmac walking out to the plane, perhaps then I’d get a seat upgrade? Even a teensy one?? Nah, probably not. Anyhow, I did manage to get an aisle seat and some sleep, so I’m thankful for both of those things. And of course thankful that the plane didn’t go down. Always a satisfied customer when that doesn’t happen.

The Mr. met me at the airport and I was VERY delighted to discover he had rented a car. I had warned him numerous times that my luggage was going to be very heavy and cumbersome, so it might be in our best interest to just rent a car instead of trying to take the train back. He was holding firm, though, that the train was more convenient and a better option (for him. See, this is key. Trying to lug around luggage on a train is never the convenient and “better” option for me.) When I saw him at the airport he explained that the train times on Sunday morning hadn’t really been ideal, so he decided at the last minute it might make more sense to just go ahead and rent something. He got a Volkswagen Scirocco, a little car with a whole heck of a lot of vroooom.

It goes real, real fast.

Since he had rented a car, we figured “why not make use of it?” and do a little sightseeing. Keeping me up on my feet would also reduce the chances of falling asleep on my bed in the middle of the day and turning into a snarling bear when wakened. So from the airport, we decided to go check out Darmstadt, a city that the Mr. had once studied in. Darmstadt town center is, well, kind of depressing. It was flattened during WWII and was rebuilt quickly and without character. I really found myself why we were bothering to visit at all. But then The Mr. took me to an area of Darmstadt that wasn’t destroyed and is full of gorgeous art nouveau houses and buildings. Count me impressed.

Darmstadt in all its glory.

After Darmstadt, we headed to a little village with a castle called Burg Stettenfels where we met the Mr.’s parents and his sister and her family for dinner.

Burg Stettenfels

We had dinner outside on the grounds of a castle overlooking the town. It was a beautiful evening; warm, but not too buggy or humid. I think I like summer in Germany, as long as it doesn’t get too hot. We’ll get to that in a minute.

In general I had trouble staying awake in the car for very long, but the good thing was that for some reason I would only need a power nap of 20 minutes or so, and then I would be awake for a while. Then I’d need a nap again, but I’d wake up. (Unfortunately the napping began a couple of times while the Mr. was in the middle of telling me something. Oopsy.) Somehow driving around and cat-napping in between destinations seems to be the ideal solution for jet-lag as you’re never allowing yourself to fall into a deep sleep but you are recharging the batteries a bit. (And at one point I woke up to find us driving 100 mph on the autobahn, so this is also an effective cure for jet-lag, causing instant alertness. Not that I’d recommend it, though.)

By the time we got home that night, I was pretty tired but still managed to stay up until about 11.30pm. Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep very well as Germany’s having a bit of a heat wave at the moment, and no one has air conditioning at home. Or on public buses. It’s just plain wrong, people. Today the temperature got up to 95 degrees, and I nearly died from a heat stroke walking into town, but that’s a story for another day.