After the Jet Lag: My Favorite Things, pt. 15

In remembering my Germany 2019 summer trip, I just wanted to share my VERY FAVORITE things.  My family, friends, and people I re-connected with while in Germany are among them, of course!  But I am talking about things that made my trip even more special - things I love for many reasons - for memory's sake and for just the plain happiness some things give me 

(many of them involve FOOD!!). 

One thing is BAKERIES - and the bread, pastries, and cake varieties they offer. 

And it isn't anything special - it just IS where you get your bread.  It's not a special trip - it is daily life.  You can go to the "bread aisle" in your local grocery store, but why do that when the bakery section is there too - or you can go to the bakery next door?! 

And find bread like this: 

And cake like this:  Streuselkuchen (on the right) - my FAVORITE!!

Which leads me to another favorite:  German breakfast.

Everything from savory to sweet - bread and boiled eggs.

Real butter and fruit preserves!

I love German food in general - for the most part - 

but a hearty breakfast, maybe after you've slept in just a little ... with family around the table =

THE BEST:

And speaking of sleeping ... German beds are also my favorite:

with their lighter summer duvets and heavy, Eiderdown feather beds in the winter...

It's the fluffiest kind of sleeping,

and in the summer, with the windows cracked just a little (or open a lot!), one can relax, breathe deeply and sleep soundly.

Window views lead me to think of gardens - and flowers.

I love the flower shops of Germany - and how inexpensively you can get fresh blooms.

I love German toys.  And while they have all the weird-looking dolls and tech-y toys American children have - and Legos (love them!) and such, my favorite is Playmobil:

I have Playmobil pieces from when I was a kid - and all 3 of my children have accumulated more.

What about traditional clothes - love them! 

 Trachten as they are called:

Dirndls for the girls

and Lederhosen for the boys.

SO CUTE!

And lastly - though not least nor comprehensive - 

I love dining al fresco in the summer time, and not just eating a meal but the 

Eiscafe' with its wonderful treats and coffee varieties:

with Spaghettieis being one of our top favorites!

Since this trip, I have learned to top off most every meal with an espresso.  (Believe it or not, the high and fast boil of its coffee beans and smaller serving size causes the espresso to have 25-50% less caffeine content than a longer cooked cup of coffee, so it may not keep you awake like a cup of Joe!)

Delizioso!

(I know that's Italian, but it sums it up well!)

And I will end this blog post with an espresso as well:

source