What do I miss about Germany?

Beer gardens in the summer. Swimming in the mountain lakes and then lazing in the beer gardens. Eating sausages in the beer gardens. Beer gardens.

I'm confused about the soft boiled eggs. I've seen reference to soft boiled eggs elsewhere in Europe, surely American's eat soft boiled eggs at home? Although saying that I've never stayed in a rental or timeshare villa in the US that has had egg cups.

Hi Lee, I don't have enough experience in Germany to have a list, but I enjoyed reading yours.

I need to make it there more often. Of course for me there is the exoticism since i don't speak the language (only have the polite phrases and some vocab). So many more places there and in Austria I would love to visit.

No, JC, Americans do not generally eat soft boiled eggs at home. I don’t have egg cups.

I haven’t been to Germany very much, although I did go to Berlin last summer. I would like to go back. I enjoyed breakfast and beer!

And JC, even if Americans did have egg cups, most would not have egg spoons with which to efficiently eat the soft boiled egg.

I miss the well designed, practical and efficient gadgets in German housewares stores. My kitchen is full of things I use every day but there is always room for one more. Sadly I’ll miss my trip to my favorite 3 story housewares store in Munich this summer.

• Beer and beer gardens (and culture that separates work from play)
• Kaffee und Kuchen
• Brötchen (all varieties), dark bread, pumpernickel bread
• Variety of fresh juices, even at highway pit stops
• U-bahn, S-Bahn, ICE trains (all very efficient modes of transport)
• Timber-framed houses (and the bright red geraniums in the flower boxes)
• Berlin in particular (everything about it, including museums, night life, history, outdoor concerts, urban amenities)
• High quality of German-made products and designs (including smart packaging that has small environmental footprint)
• The German outdoors and nature
• Strong respect for the environment, including recycling and alternative energy
• I also miss my younger self when I studied abroad in Germany

The many kinds of wurst. My wife is a huge fan of currywurst, which I tolerate.

The last time we were in Frankfurt, we were wandering about and ran into a pop-up wine-fest. Real wine glasses. Sitting in the outdoors, drinking good German wine, listening to drunken Germans REALLY getting into that classic German song "Sweet Caroline" .

Good times.

" Coffee: How do the Germans manage to make their coffee so strong and rich without it being bitter? " The answer is in the brewing process . In Germany ( and many other parts of Europe ) coffee is not American style ( drip or percolated ) but made in true espresso machines . The advantage to such a machine is that it dramatically reduces the amount of time the water stays in contact with the ground coffee . This means that the acids in the coffee don't leach into the final product . A common mistake in the States is confusing strong coffee , as in Germany , with bitter coffee . As a lifelong coffee addict , I have been making my coffee for over forty years by grinding my own beans ( a dark Vienna roast ) , and using a swiss made ( Olympia Cremina ) espresso machine to pull the coffee . I only drink American style coffee at the point of a gun .

I have egg cups and egg spoons! I bought them after having delicious soft-boiled eggs in Germany, Austria, and France. I made soft-boiled eggs here, but the eggs in the US are not as good as European eggs (even free-range, organic ones). In my experience, the yolks are not as rich, large, or flavorful. So... I've given up on soft-boiled eggs in the US and really, really look forward to them in Germany!

We eat soft boiled eggs but have never used egg cups. I just scoop them into small bowls.
We have only been to Germany three times but do not recall egg cups. They make me think of the UK.

Coffee: I worked for a medical products company in the eighties. They had a significant European market. In the European office they had a clinical nurse from Sweden. When she had to come to the US for meetings, she always brought a jar of her instant coffee with her - to put in her cup of weak (in her opinion) American restaurant coffee.

Soft boiled eggs: most Americans haven't even heard of them. Sometimes I'll go to a restaurant over here for breakfast and order eggs, which they say on the menu, "any style". When the waitress asks me how I want them, I say, "soft boiled". Usually I just get a blank stare.

Our government discourages serving eggs that are not completely cooked, which soft boiled, sunny-side-up, or poached eggs are prone to be, due to the risk of salmonella. When it comes to a choice between regulating businesses so as to prevent salmonella in their eggs or telling people that they can't eat eggs the way they want them, our government always sides with business.

German food: Spätzle: those little dough dumplings they serve with a variety of meat dishes, particularly with Schnitzel. They have little flavor on their own, but soak up the flavor of the gravy or sauce on the meat. Also Käse Spätzle, the Schwäbish version of mac 'n cheese, with fried onions on top. Yum!

We eat soft boiled eggs but have never used egg cups. I just scoop them into small bowls.

What do you do with the soldiers?!?!?!?

I miss those little Nuremberg sausages! I started missing them the day I took the train away from Nuremberg.

And the delightful precision of German trains and informative signs for where to find your car along the train length. Love those!

As for egg cups, I didn't know what they were when I first moved to England in my 20's. Now I have a pair, made in St Petersburg, Russia, that were a souvenir-in-advance bought in the US in 2012, which I finally would have made good on this month. Too nice for soft boiled eggs, they're on display as a souvenir. (Correction, souvenir-in-advance)

Ok I'll bite, what are the soldiers???

JC, I'd be willing to bet that most Americans don't know what "soldiers" are.

We have some egg cups we bought in Europe, but most American eggs are too big to fit in them. I do sometimes get smaller eggs from people who own chickens, however. And as someone noted upthread, most American eggs are not nearly as tasty as most European eggs. (Also chicken, fruit, cheese... )

In the US, the only place I've seen soft-boiled eggs and soldiers (thin bread strips/ triangles for dipping in the egg yolk) on a breakfast menu is in NYC (Balthazar in SoHo) because they have a restaurant scene that caters to Europeans and all sorts of international travelers (plus they have locals of European heritage). I would think you may be able to find them in other metropolitan "foodie" cities like SF and Chicago and LA, but not so much even in DC. I grew up in Poland, so I've had plenty of soft-boiled eggs in my life, although hard-boiled was more popular and versatile. I have the right "tiny" spoon and the egg holder even at home (I had an egg "clipper" back in Poland, but don't see those anywhere in the US).

But I'm surprised that anyone would be surprised that "surely everyone" has the same tastes and traditions in the world. The US is not exactly like Europe, we have our own ways of doing things. We actually have to refrigerate our eggs for sale, whereas other countries do not. I bet we drink more iced tea than hot tea, as another example. Prior to maybe 10 years ago, I never saw a true espresso machine in a coffee shop, now they're everywhere.

PS. I can't believe I forgot spätzle !!!

"Soldiers" in this context refers to toast cut into rectangular pieces used to dip into the soft yolk of an egg.

Soft boiled eggs are not so common in most of the US in restaurants. Most of us go for the sunny side up or over easy fried egg instead if we are looking for the runny yolks. You can still dip your toast into those. Growing up, the only time I ever had boiled eggs of any kind were hard boiled at Easter (mom just didn't like any kind of soft cooked eggs, and we only ate what mom liked at home). And, just like with the underdone fried eggs, there was a push a few years ago against eating any egg that was not cooked to the point of being dehydrated due to fears of salmonella. Some restaurants still refuse to serve any eggs not well done.

Agnes: The egg "toppers" are available from Amazon. They have a surprisingly large selection of soft boiled egg cups and accessories. Maybe more people in the US eat soft boiled eggs than we think?

The egg "toppers" are available from Amazon.

Thanks for the tip! I didn't even know what it was even called. I figured if I couldn't find it in any store, including the high-end ones, it probably didn't exist. Of course Amazon is too obvious...

By the way, it looks totally different from the one I had growing up. Like I said, it was more like a clipper/ scissor. Not as sleek looking. That's why I wouldn't recognize it even if it was in front of me. Of course, this is a German brand...no surprise!
https://www.amazon.com/Rösle-Stainless-Topper-Silicone-Handle/dp/B0045YMQ36

I miss taking my big Weimaraner to restaurants and parking her under the table, where she was served a bowl of water before our drink orders were taken.

@lee: If you like Spätzle, which I do, you can easily make them at home. It is easiest with a tool to push them out as batter, but you can easily use a large spoon. My favorite recipe is for "vienna" spätzle, which I found in the Joy of Cooking. It has a richer mixture involving half-n-half. Since you are doubtless sitting around the house, try it out.

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/346143921355164830/

Ok I'll bite, what are the soldiers???

Others have beat me to it. 'Soldiers' are thin slices of buttered toast or bread (I prefer toast) with which to dip into the yolk of your cupped soft boiled egg. Apparently the phrase came into fruition during the 60's.

As a toddler with finicky sleep habits, I would watch my father getting ready for work, which included a soft-boiled egg made in a white metal pot with a black rim and eaten out of an imitation cut-crystal egg cup with a teaspoon. Toast, coffee, and grapefruit (with a grapefruit spoon) This is the first time I've thought about that kitchen furniture and accoutrements in years --
thanks for sparking these memories.

What do I miss?

This sound, at noon, in my favorite Rhine town

Kaffeestunde, 16:00, everywhere

"Richtig - Falsch" visuals which evoke a chuckle but are ultimately ignored.

Ferries for pedestrians - and other infrastructure features which encourage walking, biking, etc.

Its the feeling of being in a safe, civilized country, full of history and culture completely different from home, yet somehow familiar. Its that attitude that people take pride in doing a job well, and responsibility for their behavior and appearance (like the quiet hours). In details, I agree the fresh bread, coffee and pastries are wonderful.

First soft-boiled egg I had was made by a college roommate the way her mother cooked them-- still soft all the way through, cracked into a glass, drink it down.

It was 20+ years before I finally had a proper soft-boiled egg in an egg cup. What a revelation! Love them in Germany.

Weich gekochtes Ei. I grew up in the States as a kid eating soft boiled eggs taken out of the shell and mixed with torn pieces of white sandwich bread with salt and pepper. Here in Germany you get a range of results based on where you stay. Too many times I get to the Hotel/Gasthaus breakfast bar and the eggs have continued cook in the covered basket to hard boiled. Made to order is best and worth the wait especially from Oma. I've been to hotels with an egg cooker of various types where you can cook your own, but it usually takes a few try's to get it right even with Staff help. I still enjoy eating the yolk with Semmel/Brötchen pieces and salt.

Black Forest Ham

It's interesting to realize that soft boiled eggs are not very well known . Both my wife and I grew up in homes where they were commonly made for breakfast , Perhaps living in NY City , we were exposed to the myriad cultural variations that are ubiquitous in this huge melting pot . That we both descend from central European backgrounds also plays a role . German style breads are common in NY City ( Bakeries on the upper East Side , and The Bronx ) . As has been noted , the German Rail system , and regional transit authorities ( Verkehrsverbunds ) are incomparable . Fortunately there is much availability of recorded music , as German orchestras are at the pinnacle of perfection - Berlin , Munich , Dresden , Leipzig with multiple ensembles in each city , and one of my favorites , The HR ( Frankfurt ) symphony Orchestra - https://youtu.be/y98qMtlEc2k

Yeah, I guess soft-boiled eggs are (were) more common around NY. I vaguely remember there being warm eggs served in the shell in the freshman dorms at RPI in 1962-3, although I never had one myself. But apparently, today, in most parts of the country, "eggs any style" does not include soft boiled, even with warnings.

I remember a little over 10 years ago, at a small gasthaus in southern Bavaria, my egg at breakfast was hard boiled. Then at dinner, at the same Gasthaus, I ordered a chef's salad because I had had a big meat-only dish at noon and wanted some greens. The salad came with a shelled egg, probably left over from the ones out at breakfast, and the yolk was runny (like I would have liked to have had at breakfast).

And, BTW, I have made my own Spätzle, using a maker like this one. I've tried several styles, but this one seems to work the best for me. I understand my grandmother made it by cutting dough off a board into the boiling water. Anyway I do it, it's always a mess to clean up, so, unless I'm making a big batch, I usually just use pre-made Spätzle.

Fans should consider an egg topper.

https://www.amazon.com/R%C3%B6sle-Stainless-Topper-Silicone-Handle/dp/B0045YMQ36/ref=sr_1_36?

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Advanced-Eggshell-Scissors-Cutter-Egg/dp/B07PXW17JR/ref=sr_1_12?

Fans should consider an egg topper.

Yes, but the real ones are handmade by your grandmother from leftover wool and therefore very colourful. We still have half a dozen of them in operation (they were part of her dowry when she married in 1920). She called them in her Franconian dialect "Eierhütle" (lit. "litte egg hats"). Something like such ones.

Definitely the bread Brötchen Early morning walks to the bakery with the grandchildren.
Love seeing whole families out on their bikes together.
Fanta Orange that isn't neon colored with artificial chemicals
My 3 adorable bi-lingual grandchildren and the village they live in/

What I miss most about Germany are evening walks with my wife after a good meal and a glass of wine. We like Regensburg and Würzburg best for these walks. It is a chance to stroll with no particular destination along their rivers in the company of many other folks in quiet time of the day. When we need a break we find a bakery or an "Eis Cafe". My wife likes Spaghetti Eis and I am always happy for a cup of coffee. It is the best part of tourism in Germany for me.

sla019, I think what your grandmother made was what I've seen referred to as an "egg cozy." They're designed to keep the egg warm until you eat it. The capper or topper is to lop off the top of the egg so you can eat it with a small spoon and dip your toast fingers ("soldiers") into the yolk.

I miss the german language, my first trip to Graz Austria and Germany in 1994 was for business, I had no german language skills. My customer was automotive related, they helped test and design engine management systems. They mentioned their customers and spoke of Fau Veh, Bay Em Vey, I was sitting there wondering whothe hell are they talking about? They clued me in, VW, BMW. The alphabet is pronounced differently in German, how great is that. I had some Michelin maps I picked up before the trip, where is Munich? and Cologne? Oh I see it now, it is München and Köln.

I enrolled in the state university evening german language course and learned so much. My next trip to Austria and Germany in 1996 I felt much more comfortable speaking with the locals even though I still had rudimentary German skills.

Every where I go in Germany or Austria, I love listening and studying the small talk in restaurants or cafe's. Vielen Dank, bitte!
My first trip, I was so excited about driving on the autobahn at 120MPH in my rental Audi I missed my exit to head northwest toward Frankfurt, ended up in Wurtzburg for the night, still remember the breakfast with cold cuts, bread, jam, and soft boiled eggs. Toured the castle, enjoyed my short visit there. I was there in October, the weather at the time reminded me so much of my home in Oregon. What a wonderful place to be.....Deutschland

I miss the endless amounts and wide variety of fresh bread.

"The alphabet is pronounced differently in German" and all the other languages using the Latin alphabet pronounce it similarly. Only the English alphabet is an exception. Why should anyone pronounce the vowels for instance a [ei], e [i:], i [ai], o [ou], u [ju:]? Nobody else does!

Some Rick Steves suggestions for bring a little bit of Europe into your home:
- wash your socks in the sink
- serve coffee in tiny cups and charge for refills
- place a small dish by the toilet and charge for toilet paper
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/08/podcasts/the-daily/rick-steves-travel-virus.html

sla019, I think what your grandmother made was what I've seen referred to as an "egg cozy." They're designed to keep the egg warm until you eat it. The capper or topper is to lop off the top of the egg so you can eat it with a small spoon and dip your toast fingers ("soldiers") into the yolk.

@Jane: How silly of me! Unfortunately I've never risen to the level of rococo-like decadence to know what an egg topper is. ;) Thanks for the correction!

• serve coffee in tiny cups and charge for refills

One espresso really is sufficient and if you want unlimited refills of lattes and cappucinos then be prepared for an expanding waistline!

I have never mastered the "Off with their Head" method of loping off the top of a soft boiled egg with a knife or the "Tap on the Top" with a spoon. I usually end up somewhere in the middle with fingers help. Personally I still prefer the ground German filter/drip coffee. I never knew an egg topper existed, but I'll get one for home.

• serve coffee in tiny cups and charge for refills

I've seen coffee served in "tiny" cups (called demitasse ) in France, but not in Germany. And in Germany, coffee is normal served in a Kännchen, which holds two cups, and I have never been charged for a refill of my Kännchen.

One espresso really is sufficient

Amen to that. As I remember it seemed like one little demitasse cup of coffee in Paris had as much caffeine at a whole pot of normal coffee. One little swallow and your eyes sprang wide open. The French just don't waste time getting their caffeine fix.

I miss hearing German spoken. I don't speak it, but I loved hearing it in Berlin.
I miss schnitzel, bratwurst, doner kebab, wine, and beer.
I miss some of the Italian restaurants in Berlin - the food was really good.
I miss the pensione we stayed at - small, friendly, good breakfast. I recently checked and it's no longer open. :(
I miss the S-bahn. It was fun to ride it all around the city and see the sights.
I miss the huge department store KaDeWa in Berlin. It was fun to go to the international foods section and see Florida orange juice!

" One little swallow and your eyes sprang wide open. The French just don't waste time getting their caffeine fix ." Neither do the Italians !

Folks, there is less caffeine in that shot of espresso than there is in a cup of coffee.

Worst coffee ever, is a tie between Normandy and Belgium. Eeeek, truly disgusting. Give me coffee in Germany, Italy, Spain or Portugal please.

Knuckle of pork with pickled cabbage and Helles

Some Rick Steves suggestions for bring a little bit of Europe into your home:
- wash your socks in the sink

Allow me to clarify that we don't normally do that in Europe :-)

Allow me to clarify that we don't normally do that in Europe :-)

...but a lot of Rickniks do when traveling light in Europe.

I don't wash the socks in the sink.

But I do wash the undies in the shower.

Even at home.

Enjoy your breakfast.

Everything.

Nature, particularly the Alps region from east to west. Altstadts and little places here and there. I adore and miss Rothenburg (many do not).

Schweinshaxe with a thick, crisp crackling. Spätzle, but only if small and fried with onions and melted cheese (on a secondary road in the Black Forest I once had a concrete slab variety). Crispy brötchen, usually ham and cheese. Any style of coffee is better in Germany.

Eating out, a special mention to the Deutscher Hof in Iphofen for dinner and Cafe Bachbeck in Schiltach for coffee and cake.

I miss Rosenheim's Herbsfest, Oberstdorf's Viescheid, the 64 yr old man and his 84 yr old father-in-law we shared a table with at the Oktoberfest for 4 hours, breakfasts that should bring on a cholesterol coma, Landsberg am Lech at sunrise, Regensburg at sunset, walking narrow,winding streets for hours to wear off the big evening meal, cultural differences that really aren't that different, friendly staff who are so much more bilingual than we are, and the sadness that sets in every time we have to come home.

I miss everything that everyone has mentioned here! BTW, my mother made soft boiled eggs for us all the time wile growing up. We would often ask for them. As kids, we called them "egg in a cup" She even had the proper egg cups for us too! Thing is, I've never noticed them in Germany!

Lee, If we want soft boiled when out for breakfast, we just ask for 'dropped eggs'. Different appearance...more free flowing, but the result is the same. Maybe it is a regional thing with what the proper term is? Soft boiled eggs are a thing at my house, and growing up in each of our families, at least...just sometimes without egg cups. I think now, there are many people who won't eat eggs with runny yolks, but not the people I know.

I miss the public transport system in Munich. That is the only area of Germany that we have visited so I don’t know how transport is in other areas of the country. Last year we took the S8 to Herrsching and took the boat over to Dieben and over a weekend got a Bayern ticket to Salzburg. The convenience of the transport system in and around Munich still amazes me.

I don’t know how transport is in other areas of the country.

Although the transportation system in Munich is pretty amazing, it is in no way unique. A lot of German cities (Frankfurt, for example) have robust city transportation systems, but it doesn't end there. The entire rail system in Germany is impressive. It's the most extensive system in western Europe, only 1% less dense - rail miles (or km) per sq mile - than the far smaller Swiss system.

Some people here falsely claim that the German transportation system is only great for going between big cities, but I have found it is also very effective for visiting small towns. In 20 years, I have spent 158 nights in 38 places in Germany. All but 9 of those nights have been spent in places of less than 50,000 population, and over half (94 nights) were in 15 places smaller than 10,000. I got to 13 of those 15 places by rail; for only 2 places (Braunlage and Frasdorf) did I need a bus. I don't remember ever finding a place where I wanted to stay, but skipping it because there was no public transportation to it.

If we want soft boiled when out for breakfast, we just ask for 'dropped eggs'.

I think if I asked for a "dropped egg" in Colorado at best I'd get a blank stare (or there would be a broken egg on the floor). I'm pretty sure that's a term local to Boston (or New England). I lived in NY (Troy) for two years and western PA for 14, and I never heard that term in those places.

I know one can make poached eggs by dropping them into boiling hot water. I've made them that way myself; a little vinegar in the water helps set the whites. Maybe that's what you mean by "dropped eggs". I think restaurant here would understand the term "poached" eggs, even though they probably would warn you not to eat them for fear of them being under-cooked.

Mine is somewhat from 'left-field' but I do so miss wonderful, true yogurt in the large glass jars. Being born in Berlin and going back and forth (until now! grrr..) I grew up with this amazing burst of flavor in a jar. I am reminded that I have never found a frozen Turkish pizza outside Aldi in Berlin.

'dropped eggs'. Different appearance...more free flowing

I have to agree with Lee on the result of asking for a "dropped" egg. :-)

That sounds a lot like a poached egg. A soft boiled egg is served in the shell like a hard boiled egg, it just has a runny yolk. When you say "free flowing" it sound like it is not served in the shell?

A lot of the small B&B places I stayed in Germany would have a basket of the soft boiled eggs on the breakfast buffet. As the morning went on, the ones remaining were moved to a different basket and freshly soft boiled eggs were placed in the first basket. There was always a stampede to the buffet when the fresh batch of soft boiled eggs arrived.

A couple places in Italy had baskets of raw eggs and a boiling device next to it. You selected your egg and then placed it into the hot water for the indicated time. They finally had to put up a sign in English at one of the hotels "The Eggs are RAW! Please cook them before attempting to eat!" with an arrow pointing to the cooker because so many people assumed they were already cooked and cracked open the raw eggs in their egg cups wasting the egg and making a mess.

I miss a lot about Germany, at least the parts and people I ran into. Hope to go back soon.

Coffee: How do the Germans manage to make their coffee so strong and rich without it being bitter? I so look forward to going to Germany to enjoy their coffee.

In addition to what steven said about using a true espresso machine (have an EU spec De'Longhi Magnifica Espresso Machine plugged into a German wall outlet in my kitchen right now). The kinds of beans makes a huge difference as it much more common to have blended Arabica/Robusta beans in Germany than in the US where we've been drinking 100% Arabica due to good Colombian marketing campaigns.

The difference between the two coffee varieties and the brewing method explains a lot of what people generally say about coffee in Europe vs America. The brewing method (machine) and the fact that Robusta beans have less lipids and sugars means coffee is generally brewed stronger with less acidity. Plus Robusta beans have almost 2x the caffeine content so a little goes a long way.

I personally purchase Lavazza Crema e Aroma Whole Bean Coffee from Amazon (70% Robusta & 30% of Arabica). It's a middling quality coffee but definitely MUCH closer to what you probably associate with Germany than any 100% Arabica coffee you will find in the states. Don't let the 100% Arabica coffee snob reviews deter you and give it a try. If you like what you like, who cares if people think Robusta is a "lower quality" bean.

DJ

You can get German coffee from Amazon too. I order Eduscho every now and then. Aldi's in the US (a German company) sells German roasts as well. But of course its not the same as being there.

And I agree its hard to believe that the roll-up metal window shutters aren't more available here for residences. They make so much sense.

A few other things I miss:

• Public transport: we lived in Munich and I rarely needed to drive my car.
• Excellent roads (except for the A8 near Munich;) ) and pass on the left only.
• V-markt (or similar): There is a good reason WalMart was not successful in expanding into Germany.
• Dönner
• Schorle: at least I can make this at home with my soda stream but it was nice being able to order it in a restaurant.
• Beer being available at almost any event. Some place beer was served that might surprise Americans: Preschool fest, Finish of the Tegernsee half marathon, etc.

DJ

In SF one can easily get German coffee (beans or ground) in the Russian stores, either 250 grams or 500 grammes, sometimes at the Polish or Chinese stores but that's rare.

I miss the typical traditional German breakfast, and also offerings non-existent here...Fleishsalat, Wurstsalat, etc. Luckily, getting German coffee is no problem. There used to be plethora of German beers, but still Flensburg Pils, Jevers, DAB etc are still available....just depends on the store.

Take a ride on the Wuppertal Schwebebahn circa 1902 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ud1aZFE0fU

Thanks so much for sharing that, Going !
It brought to mind, for the first time in forever, the toy dept at Wanamaker's dept store in Philadelphia, where there was a monorail (kid-size) and a carousel on an upper floor many stories above Market St.

The 8th floor inside:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F523754631646252302%2F&psig=AOvVaw1S0SdEE5H7Vp512j6ptFo-&ust=1597036509734000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCLCB0OCujesCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAG

It closed in 1984...

My husband and I haven’t seen our 3 grandchildren who live in Germany since October and our flights keep getting canceled. We are thankful for Facetime though since our grandson was born in March and have yet to meet him in person. I miss the beauty of the land, long walks in the mountains, delicious food and the beds with no top sheets only a duvet. I pretty much miss everything.