By Erik Skye

10 Jul 2011

Words du jour (Francais): hiver (winter), printemps (spring), ete (summer), automne (fall)

Light blue skirt with white polka dots, navy blue coarse-weave sweater, comfortable cork sandals, thick pink-rimmed glasses, soft curly-brown hair pulled back in a pink bungee, rounded nose, rounded checks, tiny fingers, energetic shin-bruised legs that won't stay still, dark brown rounded curious eyes (made to seem larger by the glasses). I wave at her and she waves back with a big smile. She must be 4 years old, and her father is more annoyed than amused at her antics as she plays with a little fuzzy grey penguin between outbursts. Sometimes she terrorizes her older brother, sometimes she sucks her thumb. Mother has a worried look as she watches (but Dad has this one; Mom has a new born baby to tend to also). They’re part of a French family travelling with me on the train back to Paris. I find the scene charming and have to keep from staring.

Sabine took me to a fish market in Stuttgart today. Who knew you could have so much fun with fish!  I had beer, Sabine had shrimp.  Then I had beer, and Sabine had roasted nuts.  Then I had beer.

There's a German saying:  "Once you ruin your reputation, you have nothing left to lose”. I like it.

We were walking along the streets of Stuttgart and came to a place where the song "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys was playing.  Sabine noted we were at the radio station headquarters for “Big FM” and pointed through a large glass window to the DJ sitting among equipment of the profession.  I took a photo of her, then turned the camera around to show her in the viewfinder.  She pouted.  I motioned for one more photo.  She fluffed her hair aggressively and then looked at me in a sexy way indicating she was ready.  I do just fine not knowing German.  (Easy to say when my lifeline Sabine is standing nearby.)  Anyway, I heard this song for the first time a couple years ago in Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland, Australia, which reminded me how proud I am to be American.

I noticed a map of mid-evil Europe on my tour of Guttenberg Castle yesterday. It showed borders of some pre-united German states extending significantly into what today is eastern France. As I crossed the French-German border on Day 7, I remember Naget remarking that a combination of German and French is spoken on the French side of the border while only German is spoken on the German side of the border.  If we were stopping in eastern France, that might be more relevant.  Instead, we zip through at 200+ kph.

I have a plug adapter to use my USA electrical devices here.  Germany and France have the same residential style electrical outlets.

Sabine was a gracious, outstanding host.  Thank you so much Sabine!!!

As I arrived back in Paris, it felt like home.  I efficiently maneuvered my way through the subways system back to Ceren's apartment.  Ceren has taught me the ways of the big city well.

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