Stuttgart - 23 March (Wed)

Now that we were back in Suttgart to stay, I felt glad to think about staying in one place for three nights in a row. We didn't feel too much pressure to rush around and do many things. The main thing we needed to get done is a little shopping. Everything else would be bonus. We have been having a busy vacation, but we've been sleeping very well, sleeping a little late and having slow mornings. I think those are the things I don't get during the normal working days. We really shouldn't start working until 9:00 at least!

Penny and Alex went running together, but didn't leave until 7:00 or so. Alex lead them on a very steep climb to a beautiful view of the city. I think they both overdid it a little bit. Alex assumed that Penny would want a challenging run. They were worn out when they got back, but the view was apparently very good!

Meanwhile, Ramona took Finn, Keane and I around the corner. We stopped at a neighborhood bakery and then went right next door (and downstairs) to the PennyMarkt (small grocery store). We came back here the next two days too and it started to sink in how cheap some of the groceries are. Dairy products - milk, yogurt, quark (between sour cream and cream cheese) - were incredibly cheap and very high quality! The breads were cheap and extremely good. I really couldn't understand how it could be so cheap (subsidies?) and how ours could be so terrible and un-varied and how we can stand it.

Back at home, we had another simple (Brotzeit) breakfast and then started out to a swimming place in the south of Stuttgart - Fideraldo. There are several of these places in Stuttgart. This whole area is popular for "Bad" - mineral baths, hot baths and everything in between. Saunas and spas are popular and also indoor swimming places. It was similar to the place that we had visited in Schongau with Marget and Burkhard. There were three different water slides. One was reserved for people taller than Finn. It was like a ski-jump slide because you slid down (on your back) and then shot out of a slot and flew forward 10+ feet. You land on a soft, wet trampoline slide where you slam down into the water at the bottom. I tried it once, Penny once and Finn wished he could try it.

The hot pools were perfect. Alex helped me perfect the phrase "this is why we work" - to earn a few relaxing moments in such a place. It was very nice - complete escapism.

This had been a pretty good trip, which a short walk to the train, then a bus which dropped us off a couple of blocks from the place. Two things to note about this.....Alex was able to go to a nice website where he put in two different endpoints and it showed him a range of times when we could make the trip. We knew, for example, that we could be out on the bus stop at 15:18 or 16:50. The other thing is that I can't remember any trains, buses or streetcars being late the whole time we were there. It really made things luxurious - no worrying or confustion at all.

We knew we would be worn out from the swimming. Back in their neighborhood, we went to their favorite pizzeria. It was very cool to hear German spoken with a heavy Italian accent. All of the courtesy words were spoken in Italian - both by Alex and the waiters. The pizza was very good. We ate slowly. There's never a rush to be finished and to pay and leave. In Germany, if you don't ask for the check, it might never come. The owner came to our table and brought us complimentary shots of liqueur. Ah luxury.

The girls took the boys back to the apartment. Alex and I headed in the opposite direction so we could pick up some more beer. I always loved shopping for beer in Germany. The bottles are larger for the wheat beer - 0.5 l = about 16 oz (we usually get 12 oz beers in the US). AND - the beer (and wine) are so cheap too! (compared to the US). We won't even start talking about the quality or the variety again. We got a sampler case - which was about $20, but we paid several dollars in bottle deposits. Alex will have to bring the bottles back to this store to get the deposit.

The boys were ready for bed. They stayed up a little late reading bedtime stories, but they were pretty tired. The rest of us stayed up talking and playing games and sampling beers.