A "taste" of home in Germany...

Gana always welcomes us-no matter what the season

Within our first few weeks of living here in Germany, we found our 'neighborhood restaurant'-Il Pomodora.   http://www.ilpomodoro-stuttgart.de/speisekarte.html

You know the type...they greet you by name when you enter, tell you what you would like for dinner, turn the other check when your kids aren't acting right and make you feel all full of warm and fuzzy as you are leaving and are already licking your lips anticipating your next visit. 

no carrots needed to lure us...just fresh Italian!

If you have visited us here in Germany, you have more than likely eaten with us at this little slice of a charm.  We go there in the winter when we need the coziness, homemade soup, and pizza to warm us up.  We go there in the spring when we want some fresh air but still need a blanket in order to sit outside.  We go there in the summer when we can ride our bikes stopping at every park on the way home to burn off all of the calories.  We go there with friends, we go alone, we go with guests...We go.  It is our neighborhood spot.  We go and we feel at home. 

In the beginning...

 It isn't just because the food is so delectable...We go there when we need someone to greet us, welcome us and help us feel like we aren't living in another country but rather making this our home. We go...and we eat.  That is what defines a neighborhood restaurant in any 'neck-of-the-woods'.  This is what helps us feel a little bit of home all the way across the ocean.....

 

blankets needed..

Germany De-Frosted...

Seems like the moment the heavy winter coats hit the basement, the snow boots hidden, and we have switched to light jackets, it is inevitable here in Germany that some street will be blocked off on any given weekend to host a festival.  Who doesn't love nice weather, a street filled with the smells of wursts and waffles cooking, the sound of bands playing, champagne bubbling and balloons popping. (and we all know what sound comes after that)









You can feel all of the happy energy here when the weather is de-frosted and people shed a  few layers.  But these festivities tend to be a bit dangerous for me not only because they include some type of street fare that must hit my lips but also because I don't understand what many of the vendors are saying to me...therefore nod in response... and end of walking around with a bag full of brochures promoting their local business. This past weekend, our little village blocked its streets, opened the shops on Sunday and welcomed us and our friends to come join...and of course, I went home with both a full stomach and bag of brochures.  

GOT BIKE?!?!

I have written about what a big part of life bicycles are here in Germany.  I have a huge respect for mine since she takes me places in a jiffy, is free to park and can help carry my groceries home.   She is a part of my everyday life here in Germany.  (It helps that I'm not pedaling down the road in 100 degree temps and 100 plus humidity...then I doubt she would be such a good friend) When I was in Munich last, I snapped this picture because you know the adage..."A picture is worth a thousand words"

Re-fried beans in Germany

(hummed to the tune of Bing's "Do You hear what I hear?")

Do you smell what I smell?..

The Bell, The Bell...

creeping up my nose

Let us hope the re-frieds will be nice!

Let us hope the re-frieds will be nice!

Nachos, tacos, and Buritos filled my nose with glee and left me remembering why I don't miss fast food so much.  There just aren't fast food restaurants every 3 blocks here in Germany.  Yes, there are  McDonalds, Burger King and KFC sprinkled in what I like to call the high tourist areas.  THEY ARE NOT LOCATED WITH EACH EYE BLINK.  But another American fast food was eaten by us this past weekend complete with taco sauce!

Our friends invited us to to see "Madagascar 3" at the cinema located on Patch Barracks.  (There are four U.S. bases located here in the Stuttgart area;Patch Barracks, Robinson Barracks, Panzer Kaserne and Kelley Barracks.)

Since we are not GS, TESA (Gov Contractor), or a Local Nationals we do not have access to get on base, other than as a guest of one of the above.  This was only my second time on a military base and I was again surprised at all of the security it took for us to obtain an "ok" to proceed thru the gate.  Once they had thoroughly checked under the hood, in the trunk and all the nooks and crannies of our car, we headed in for a fun day with our friends.

I again had the feeling of confusion at hearing all of the English being spoken around me.  But that confusion quickly went away as I ordered in clear English from the Taco Bell cashier.  We ate in an area with various American 'fast food' restaurants that brought back memories of the survival lunches I would have more often than not with the kids at the mall's food court.  We finished out our day at their cinema enjoying a funny movie that was all "auf English."

I have learned many exciting and interesting things about Germany since moving here, but I have also learned much about the U.S. military.  Over the past year and a half, I have gained a higher respect for all of the people that move around the world on a regular basis in order to serve and protect our country!   They deserve all the Taco Bells they want and much more!  (I wonder if there were German bases in America if they would serve a good flammkuchen and hefeweizen bier?)

Even the 'pre-show' brought excitement...

Karlshöhe

Astonishment- According to Webster-a feeling of being very surprised:amazement

Yes, that would describe the feelings I experience often when exploring here in Germany. 
 












I enjoy aimlessly wondering around discovering all of the hidden treasures; good restaurants, whimsical stores, historical sites and old steps that offer good people watching.  Again and again, I find myself being pleasantly surprised and left in a state of astonishment after stumbling upon yet another breathtaking beauty here in Germany. 

It is as if I am Alice, but rather than jumping down the rabbit hole, I jump into a storybook that transforms me to back to a time of old European charm.  However, it isn't a fantasy I am playing my role in that always seems to include old church bells ringing, cobblestone streets to walk down and children laughing, it is a non-fiction. 

The car was all snug in the Park House, so after one of my appointments, I decided to just start running without a destination in mind.  I happened to hop right into a charming non-fiction called, Karlshöhe complete with churchbells ringing, lush wine vineyards growing, vibrant rose bushes, statues greeting me as I ran past them and a Bier Garten begging me to come back when the story was finished.  That is better than any fantasy!