France & Germany

How did I never post about our trip last June to France and Germany?

This was our first trip outside the UK together and when I originally tried to plan it for the previous summer, doing so just felt so complicated. I felt less sure about the logistics of getting around and mostly I couldn't figure out how to narrow down everything I wanted to show Craig or see myself.

Fortunately, as always, I worked it all out perfectly.

We rented a car to get from Frankfurt to Colmar which ended up being a really nice drive and not at all complicated until sorting out the parking situation as described by the AirBnB owner. Apparently there's free street parking in certain very random places and apparently we did find one of those places, down the way and around a couple corners, though I went back to check on whether the car had been booted a number of times.

And then we were in charming Colmar and aside from me being very cranky about everything for whatever number of reasons (the heat. it was the heat.) it was perfection.

What I didn't realize initially, but later came to find out when coming up with alternative plans for a rainy day, is that Colmar is also home to probably Craig's favorite all time painting.... 

The Isenheim Altarpiece. So we stared at that for a while even though as it turned out we definitely did not need any rain plans. 

Then I took us on a journey, walking us 5k in 100 degree heat through some vineyards connecting the villages of Ribeauville, Hunawihr, and Riquewihr. I had not experienced these temperatures in 24 months and I almost gave up half way because I am a destination person, not a journey person. Also there was some trepidation about whether I understood the bus routes to get us to and from this walk and whether we'd get stranded or lost at some point, but below you will see my confidence-in-me face and it totally paid off. 

During this dinner we had a very intense argument about stained glass styles in churches, as you do. I cried at the table. I cannot overstate how damn hot it was. Plus there is no a/c in France. Aside from that, this was one of my favorite meals of the trip.

Eventually we had to leave France, which is fine because I don't think they like me there, and we went to my happy place, Germany's Black Forest.

First we stopped by Freiberg im Breisgau to hike up a mountain and for the quintessential German experience of drinking a stein of pils at a long wooden bench overlooking the treetops and rooftops of southern Germany. Then we ventured into Triberg, where both their waterfalls and cuckoo clocks are record setting.

  

From there we made it to my family's home in Weinheim where everything is just the loveliest. Unfortunately my uncle was in America of all places when we were at their home but my aunt and cousins and their crazy dog were great hosts.

These are my cousins. We had fun playing Mario Kart, water gun fighting, practicing German/English, making waffles for breakfast and spatzle for dinner, and exploring nearby.

Oh we also went to Heidelberg. 

Finally we made it to Mainz where Craig was spending the month of July. We under-appreicated it that first day, wandering around in the blistering heat with no a/c in our hotel to return to and no indoor places to explore because it was Sunday and everything was closed. #sabbath. We did eventually go back to the hotel with tons of water bottles in tow, and I laid on a cold wet towel and watched Last Week Tonight until I fell asleep. Day 2 in Mainz was picturesque but then I had to leave which was a major bummer.

This was my third time in Germany and every time I go I think I'd really like to live there. Unfortunately I have no skills and suck at languages so :/
But hopefully we'll be back to visit soon.