Off to find St Nicolaus

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Day 3 – Off to find St Nicolaus – Tuesday November 28^th,2017

After a good night sleep, we are all packed and down stairs having breakfast at our Gasthaus.

Ahhh, soft boiled eggs. I love having soft boiled eggs in Europe. I don’t know why it’s just isn’t Europe until I eat my first soft boiled egg. Yes, we have arrived.

As we’re finishing breakfast Omi leans in close to Kirsten and me and asks, should we make ourselves a sandwich for today. Kirsten and I both look and smile and say Yea! I’m first and inline making myself a Dagwood sandwich, pick up a couple eggs and a handful of those cheese balls that are wrapped. I return back to the table and Omi is thinking… Kirsten trained you very well. Yes, she did.

The car is packed and were off to Stuttgart. Today we are taking back roads so I loaded our Navi who we’ve named Helga to take up to the Wasserkuppa. This is the tallest peak in the mountain range overlooking Fulda and Kirsten is hoping and wishing there will be snow. This is one of the areas that Footy was stationed at in ‘57-’58.

She’s not disappointed as were going up the mountain road we’re following a snow plow and yes, it’s plowing snow. Kirsten is so excited!!!

We arrive at the top of the Wasserkuppa and Kirsten is out and into the snow playing. It’s snowing large flakes and it’s sticking. Reminds me of all the winters delivering new papers at Fort Knox, I’ve had enough snow in my life, I think I’ll just take pictures.

After about 30 minutes of Kirsten playing in the snow, her fingers and toes are cold and she’s ready to get back into the car. Turn the heater up I’m freezing silly boy it’s cold out there, I turn up the heat while smiling.

Whenever there is lots of snow, the driving is always turned over to me. Well… until I get us out of the snowy slick roads. Just like driving in Kentucky.

We’re down the mountain and off to see the famous village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This is the famous little village that has so many pictures taken of it. It was even spared from WWII bombing because the guy in charge of directing the bombings remember seeing a picture on his mom’s wall at home and spared it. True story, look it up.

After a couple hours, we arrive and their Christmas Market. It doesn’t open until Dec 1^st. They are purist, which means they follow the rules of not opening their Christmas Market until December. So, we walk around and visit the shops and have a nice lunch.

Back into the car and off we go to Stuttgart. We are meeting up with Bea. She has a five-day trip and so for the next 3 days we’ll all be doing Christmas Markets.

On our way to Stuttgart, Kirsten ask me to pick another village so to see one more Christmas Market on our way to Stuttgart. I close my eyes, stab the map with my finger and presto we’re stopping at the village Schwäbisch Gmünd. Well sort of… Kirsten has this nifty app on her phone of all the Christmas Markets in Germany. So, I looked for a village on the map and looked up the village on the app. You know stabbing the map with my finger, touching the phone with my finger you get it…. TADAH!

Kirsten wizzes into town and finds us a parking space right up front. How she does it I don’t know, out the door and half way down the street waving Omi and I to catch up with her. We spend an hour and 2 cups of gluewine before we realize we’re going to be late getting to Stuttgart.

Bea, is not going to be happy!!!!

We’re back on the autobahn and Kirsten is making up time until we get within 5 miles of Stuttgart. Traffic comes to a crawl, yes, it’s moving but not fast enough. Every 5-10 minutes I’m getting a txt from Bea, where are you?

We are literally less than 3 miles and it takes us 30 minutes. The last txt from Bea ask are you walking? No Bea, we are crawling. Think NYC rush hour. I see the hotel, I jump out of the car walk the final block and see Bea waiting. You’d think she would be happy to see me, she asks where’s mom and Kirsten, not “hey, good to see you, how are you?”. I pointed toward Rudolf (the Car) as Kirsten is pulling into the hotel drop off loop.

Oh Yea, good to see you to Bea.

So here is the plan, Bea worked the flight to Stuttgart. Normally she spends one day and then works the flight home. This time she doesn’t return until Friday. It’s Tuesday evening and her hotel is right by the Christmas Market downtown Stuttgart. So …we’re staying with Bea.

Yes, you read it correctly we’re all sleeping in Bea’s hotel room. It’s just like Pine Mountain except were in Stuttgart Germany. Thank goodness Bea was able to get a larger suite so that someone, namely me wasn’t sleeping on the floor. Thank you, Bea.

You say why not get your own room for you and Kirsten. They are fully booked, Yea, I thought that!

After dropping our bags and everyone freshens up, were off to dinner. Bea takes us to this nice little German restaurant a block from the Hotel. I really like German food it tastes so good, Ok, the beer is also very good.

After dinner Omi wants to walk around and shop at the stores close to the Hotel. I get a bottle of wine and a bag of my favorite cookies.

Back at Bea’s room, we open the wine and celebrate. I really don’t remember what we were celebrating but that’s ok, I have a glass of wine and it’s going down smoothly.

Good Night

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