So Much for German Efficiency

The airport isn't air conditioned. The flight is meant to leave in 15 minutes but we haven't even started boarding. The PA system is inaudible as well. A new airport will be good!

Dreary Day

It has been raining pretty steadily all morning and now is drizzling as we wait for the flight at our gate. We are very lucky we didn't have a walking tour on a day like today.

I just hit the duty free shop for discounted Famous Grouse blended Scotch and a special 1998 vintage Highland Park single malt. 18 year old Highland Park is my favourite so I hope this one is good too. Either it was a really good price or it isn't anywhere near as good as the 18 year old. We passed on the Leysieffer.

This airport seems a bit depressed and we're told it is to be torn down (together with a second airport) and a new one built. We have to connect in Frankfurt but I heard a flight called for New York JFK.

All Checked In

We are early so are shopping/looking around and Kim is full but still eyeing the Leysieffer strudel. We did the tax refund already for the Falke purchase. An hour to kill so Leysieffer it is...but maybe coffee only.

All Our Bags are Packed...

We strolled to a breakfast spot with thunder in our ears (but no lightning or rain) and are sitting in a covered spot outside having croissants and coffee. Kim also spied a strudel for the airport but it seems destined to be eaten now. We have a 12:05 flight to Frankfurt and then a 1:55 flight back home. There isn't a ton of connection time so I'm hoping we don't have real storms that cause delays, but there isn't any point worrying about it.

Amazingly we did sleep last night despite the heat. Cold showers and fans actually do a lot, but I will be glad to return to air conditioning.

I was amazed at the very large number of restaurants we saw last night, and that was only in one area. It feels like there are many more of them per capita here than there are at home. If we were to come back in cooler weather we would miss that vibe.

Question of the Day

How does one separate the sweaty icky stuff in the suitcase from the few remaining clean and unworn items like sweaters that weren't needed in this heat wave? And will the ginger caramel dessert be as good as the rest of the meal?

Savignyplatz

We scrambled to make Falke before closing time and I made my first purchase of the vacation with some running stuff and socks. Kim threw in some leggings and they stayed open for us for a bit.

We then decided to make a more concerted effort to find Cafe Florian in Savignyplatz and succeeded. The street stops as you approach the square but continues later. This time we found it and lucked out with an outdoor table for our last dinner of the vacation. The area has tons of outdoor spots and is very lively. We were tempted by Indian and by a tapas place, but decided to go with the earlier recommendation of a typical German place. The table was reserved for 9 but we agreed we wouldn't over stay our welcome. The half bottle of Chablis Premier Cru Montmain 2007 has arrived and the food has been ordered. I went for chicken curry salad and salmon trout and Kim ordered herring and lamb. The bread and dips are here so I'm trying to remember the old saying that "my eyes are bigger than my stomach" which I heard many times at Miss Montreal and later at Pumpernick's. (I'm blanking on the place that later became Murray's. Macy's?)

One other thought regarding today. We overheard a discussion in a group tour. At one point a person in the tour complained that Germany is being held down and that reparations being paid to Israel are the main problem. Sigh.

But that is not my lasting impression at all of today's Germany.

Resting and then Heading out Again

I've now checked us in for our flights tomorrow but had a bit of excitement doing so, as Air Canada didn't have online check in for Germany and Lufthansa (which operates the flights) only seemed to have my seats and none for Kim. Eventually I sorted it out.

We're going to go check out Falke for running gear although I don't know how one tries anything on in this weather. Then we either will find a place outside for dinner or head back to the food halls at Ka De We (and note the photos in the link).

By the way when we said goodbye to Alex he gave us a new business card which indicates his website so I'm putting it here so it can be captured by Google. Once I've cleaned this blog up and added photos I will send him the address for this blog and he can comment and tell me what I got wrong! I told him about my journal, so he didn't think I was randomly texting as he was talking.