Greetings from Munich, everyone!
We spent the better part of the day on trains from Lyon. One of these days I’ll be all jaded about how easy it is to get around Europe by train… but today is not that day.
We had a nice, leisurely breakfast, we took a tram to the TGV station, we stopped and grabbed a couple of cappuccinos… and then we sat around for a bit and wound up in a completely different country. We stopped in Kehl (just after Strasbourg) for 15 minutes while the police checked everybody’s passports, and we had to switch trains in Manheim, but otherwise, the only eventful bit of the journey was just… how uneventful it all was. They did take an extra long look at my American passport (Kristian and Lilian travel with their Finnish passports), but at this point I’m used to that.
The little logistical touches help make rail travel here so easy. In Mannheim, there were porters at each train door to help anyone struggling with large luggage. Our (assigned) seats had little screens on them staying which station we got on and where we’d be getting off. Not only does this help the conductors see who is supposed to be where, it also let us know that the seat next to me really was free for us to spread out onto (what I like to call Poor Man’s First Class™?).
We took a tram out to our AirBnB, where we were let in by a friendly neighbor who gave us the lowdown on every restaurant within walking distance. He also let us know that there is bakery, where the older woman who works there will give you extra pastries if she likes you.
Him: She’s going to act like she doesn’t like you, even if she likes you
Me: That’s ok, we live in France.
Kristian, I’m throwing down a gauntlet. You’d better come back with extra pastries tomorrow morning, or I will be forced to go on a charm offensive.
We ended up at an asian fusion restaurant. That’s what one does in Germany, ja? I texted this photo of Kristian and Lilian using all the translation power of their phones to try and read that sign over the bar to my stepmom… and she mentioned off-hand that it proclaims that the food is made “with love.”
Machines: 0
Humans: 1
I’m not usually big on posting photos of my food… but when the restaurant goes to the trouble of putting foam on your appetizer, you’re required to show off the photos. I don’t make the rules, I just follow them.
Lilian is not a fan of how chilly our AirBnB is, but I always sleep better in a cold room. We also each get our own duvet, which means that I get to wrap myself up like a little burrito, guilt-free!
(Kristian has rightly called me an absolute blanket hog-monster).
(Lilian takes after me on this).
Goodnight, everyone!
