the Hills

The hills are alive with the sound of music? Wrong country, but close enough. Sunday we took a trip into the gorgeous, mysterious, and very green Black Forest. Despite the chilly and windy weather, it was a beautiful day spent winding through the mountains. 

Random Glockenspiels on the side of the road. Feed the meter a euro and it comes to life. We got there on the hour, so we were able to use the euro later to buy cake! Good life

And then of course here are the mountains. One of the many reasons why I've fallen in love with this place. Another is the Black Forest Cake, otherwise known as edible heaven (by me no one else...) 

Ich Liebe Dich

xoxo

I'm About that City Life

I have TWO adventures to write about, but here is the first.

Stuttgart 

Saturday, we took the S Bahn (the Stuttgart regional train) into the city for the first time. Stuttgart, I've learned, is very much my speed. It's a massive city, but it's massively spread out. There were no real skyscrapers or high-rising apartment complexes. But there were TONS of people, mostly German, some French, very few Americans. We emerged from the train station, deep underground (think New York subway system but much cleaner), and came up at the end of the Königstrasse, which I believe means "King Street." 

With the exception of Times Square, it is the busiest place I think I've been to thus far. Not only are people walking and shopping, but they're eating and sitting and people-watching everywhere. There are tables down the middle of the street (by the way, it's a pedestrian zone in case you didn't get the hint) that to an American might appear as if hey just sitting areas until a waiter appears out of no where to take your order. The cafes down this way are extremely expensive, though, because of the high volume of people, so we found lunch elsewhere (more to come on that later.) 

In the heart of the Königstrasse, at the edge of the city square known as the Schlossplatz, is the "New Palace," predictably located adjacent to the "Old Palace," that served as residence to the kings of Württemburg in the 18th and 19th centuries and was destroyed by Allied bombings along with most of the city during World War II.  It was rebuilt and now serves as the State Ministries of Finance and Education. 

The one place I really wanted to go was the Markthalle, where locals go to buy maybe two days worth of fresh ingredients from local vendors. 

It was here that we found our lunch: a sandwich cooked like a panini with thinly sliced ham and arugula and cheese. Add the Mezzo Mix, and it was a pretty filling meal for 5 euros. We ate in the garden across from the Stuttgart Opera House, which is where some of the Avengers is supposed to take place (they cheated and used Cleveland.) 

Basically I have fallen in love with Germany and Germans and the German way of life, and will be heartbroken to leave in August. 

Böblingen

Today we finally ventured beyond the walls of the "compound" into the foreign land where all I can say is GOOD MORNING, A BEER PLEASE, and count to ten... 

Welcome to Böblingen. Isn't it precious?

It only took us all of about an hour to hike up and down monstrous hills to get there, in 90 degree weather none the less. I come to Europe to escape awful Florida heat, and instead I bring it with me. Except here people apparently die of heatstroke at like 85 degrees? Bizarre. 

Dinner was completely amazing, especially since I realized I hadn't eaten since this morning, and all breakfast consisted of was two hard-boiled eggs -_- 

I had maultasche, which is basically a ravioli, and a green salad and potato salad. And it was all amazing. 

Tag eins

48 hours following "this morning"... I'm laying in a hotel in the middle of southern Germany, jet lagged and starving.

In case anyone was wondering, businesses are closed on Sunday so yeah if you get off of a nine hour flight with your stomach in knots because you're SO HUNGRY don't expect anything more than the Charley's in the PX on base... 

Oh fun fact the military hired a very large bright blue bus to pick up our massive family from the airport. A Mercedes Benz none the less and may I say that European taxi drivers are cray-to-the-zee like for real. (The bus below) 

So starving and exhausted and without a car or license or other mode of transportation following the whole bus ordeal, we haven't left Panzer base yet. It's fascinatingly small. I traipsed the whole length of the fence around it, and what I did find (OMG so perfect) were these little gardening bungalows that looked like they belonged to elves. I want one so badly!!! We don't do that in America.

Basically besides that I learned how to count to 10 special thanks to my charming boyfriend. And that was all for today... 

💙 Auds

Basically, This Post is About Burgers and Beaches

Obviously, Florida is a pretty sweet place to live. There's lots of water and sun and exciting hurricanes and really fantastic Cuban food that basically cannot be rivaled. We always said we were going to do all this stuff like go to the Keys and Miami, etc. and I've yet to pack my bags, but hey Sanibel is one sweet destination I have had the pleasure of migrating down there like a true snow bird numerous times, thank the Lord. 

Everything about Sanibel is really fantastic, if you ignore the old people and the 7 mph speed limit like ok what? but my favorite is Cheeburger Cheeburger. I pretty much pitch a fit about stopping here at least once every time we make it down to that glorious paradise. 

GO HERE AND GET A MILKSHAKE NOW. You shan't be disappointed. I suggest oreo, although the raspberry cheesecake one I had was off the chain for real doe. I don't have a picture of it; let's be honest it was gone in a good 5 minutes and I waited over a year for that thing (and I miss it more than anything.)

I mean... feel free to stuff your face. If you're brave enough to do the 1 lb. burger, more power to you. I've always wanted my picture on the wall with all the other foodies that braved such a feat in the past. 

ugh take me back. 

In the Beginning...

The sun, it rises slowly as you walk away from all the fears and all the faults you've left behind. ~Mumford and Sons

*Please pardon the tan-lines. They are a direct result of living in a "tropical paradise."*

*Also, shout-out to Jordee for owning really quite jewelry...*

The past four years have been a crazy, hectic, stressful whirlwind of late nights, countless tears, and excessive consumption of comfort foods (chiefly strawberry twizzlers and reese's pieces) . It was also a time of growing friendships, and those that fell apart, crazy weekend nights, mistakes made over and over again, and the shock of young love. 

Maybe I'll miss high school. For now, the shock of finally being FREE hasn't quite settled in. I'll always be thankful for what I've accomplished and learned, and for my lovely dysfunctional family and friends that put up with my crazy. 

I'm so ready for this next chapter. Let's ride.