Europe excitement

Realizing how close I am to Italy, being in South Germany, is rather an exciting thought. I remember my giddy excitement as a little kid when my dad brought me Swiss chocolates after visiting Zurich and some of Italy and ever since then my interest towards Italian culture and the desire to visit it someday had been growing. And here I am now! It's rather funny how despite being in Germany, I am much more interested in seeing the neighboring countries instead. It's not that I don't find Germany interesting, in fact, I love the vast wheat fields, little farming towns, rolling green hills and even some of the larger cities. It's just that given the choice, I'd rather be by the seaside instead, and a warm one, preferably. Thus, the Mediterranean coast is my best (and closest) option. There is really nothing like waking up by the sea and taking a stroll in the warm morning sunlight, perhaps stopping by the bakery, full of people enjoying their morning coffee and a newspaper, to get your fresh bread and then heading home to have a sumptuous, leisurely breakfast on your balcony overlooking the promenade. -That's me reminiscing of our times spent in La Pineda. And it's view like these that make me want to come back for more (taken during my first trip to the Mediterranean coast in October):

...aaand, I'm back!

Back to the land where beer is same price as the water used to produce it. Why drink water then? :)

I think Germany is trying very hard to greet me with extra charm this time, as to make up for my first impression upon initial arrival: upon landing in Memmingen, I paid for the bus shuttle to the nearest train station, seeing how I was the only one heading in that direction, they gave me a taxi instead, straight to train station doors, no walking required! Trying to find the nearest beverage station, a group of giggling girls approached me, asking if I need a ticket (they have these non-person unique province tickets). Here I'm thinking to myself: “aha, I know this trick. So how much are they gonna ask for it?” while I am trying to calculate in my tired, dehydrated head how much I am willing to dish out for a second hand ticket, She says: “here, take it, owe got a group one, I don't need it anymore!”

Oh, heavens! What joy in these simple, unexpected encounters. SO not only did I save 20 euros, but also I am smiling and happy, despite my journey home taking over 6 hrs. Why not, when you receive pleasant surprises on the way?

And once again, I have to say that I am a huge RyanAir fan. Not only was this flight on time, it was half hour early ( not that I needed it), the baggage came out before I even got a chance to go to the bathroom, and it was 67 euros from Spain to Germany! What's not to like? They are awesome (well, besides being kind of like a flying “TV infomercial channel” non-stop. But that's how they make their extra money that we save on flying costs, so I am quite, quite ok with it!

And here I am now, in the country where the language makes no sense to me. My brain is still attempting to speak Spanish to everyone I see, I'm guessing it will take a few days to recover, just how I couldn't stop saying “danke, danke” in Italy. I'm just about 48 hrs behind on the language transitions, I guess :)

And so, with the last toe dip in the Mediterranean sea and few grains of sand still clinging to my skin, I am off to the great mighty Deutschland. I am trying my best to only live it one day at a time, really I am, but I am scared about what will come once this vacation is over and reality sets in. Which is inevitable now. 3 weeks have gone much too fast again, leaving me with endless memories and pictures and stories that will be remembered and told over and over again. Mom is the best traveling companion in the world and I feel so so blessed to have been able to experience all these countries and cultures, their history and traditions. I feel that we succeeded in merging with every culture to our fullest extent by walking the streets, participating in the markets, talking to the locals in whatever language was possible at the time...