[Notes I had previously prepared for my day trip to Ludwigsburg from a tourist map/guide:
Schloss-Park: Frankfuter St and L113B
Schloss Favorite/Favorite-Park: Take Stuttgarter Straube/Schlossstr to end. It T's at Heilbronner St and Marbacher/L1124 (Note: Heilbronner will also take me to Frankfuter St)
Residential Place and Such: First go to Tourist info office at Marktplatz 6
- Guided tour at 13:30 for 6,50Euro; ask how to get there at info office
S-Bahn to Marktplatz: There should be a Musikhalle, follow streets:
- Myllustrabe to Mathildenstraube to Seestraube, pass over Wilhelmstraube/Rathaus to Kilchstraube, and it will be at the end of Kilchstraube
Marktplatz to Residential Palace:
- North to Lindenstraube, East to Schlossstraube (It's at the T mentioned above)
- In general, there's cool stuff along Stuttgarterstraube, ending with Residential Place and big park behind/North of the palace]
10:40 Stuttgart-Ludwigsburg [Link to Pics]
At the S-bahn station waiting for a train to Ludwigsburg to see 'The Residential Palace.' I must say I'm pretty proud of myself for weathering the jet-lag. I either got it so bad I didn't notice that much, or I was so determined to not let it get to me that I ignored it. Last night Pils and I walked around and saw the prettiest part of Stuttgart and their HUGE outdoor mall. The main park is gorgeous and I think I'll go back tomorrow and lounge/relax.
Interesting Fact: Stuttgart's outdoor mall is one of the largest in the world and it is the home of Mercedes-Benz. In fact, as I watched cars go by while we were hanging at Todi's [a restaurant] I saw only 1 Honda, 1 Toyota, 1 Fiat, a handful (literally) of Mini Coopers and the rest were Audis, BMWs, VWs and Benzs. Cars went by non-stop and they love squealing their tires.
Anyway, I had a area-specific local dish, whose name escapes me because its long and German, something like Malteshen - there may be a C in there too. It was awesome! It's a pasta-wrapped log of ground meat seasoned a lot like spinach florentine quiche, with lots of onion flavor and parsley. They cut it, pan-fry it with an egg and I had it with a salad and potato salad. The white dressing on the salad was great, not like ranch, and the potato salad was really great with mustard/vinegar and slivered potatoes; NOTHING like out 'german-style' potato salad, haha. I think I want to get more adventurous next time though. Pils had a curry bratwurst, which is also a popular dish and one I fully intend to try. Their brats are white which makes me think they're made of pure lean pork protein, but I know better.
12:30 Random Park I Found NW of Residential Place
I'll get back to what I was saying above (what we did last night/food) in a bit.
First, I really want to express my gratitude for my inherently awesome sense of direction. When I got here I realized that the one thing that terrifies most people, and even keeps them from traveling, is their fear of not getting around well or getting lost in general. Despite being anxious about everything else, mostly money and food, I have zero anxiety about getting around. I just seem to know where I'm going, even I find it a bit odd. Regardless, I'm thankful.
I snooped around the Residential Palace as best I could without paying. It's 8Euro to get in either the Residential Palace or the Park Favorite (though I thought the latter was only 3,5Euro and would've paid that), so I had to really assess if I wanted to go in. I got some good pics of both and walked about enough to know its not worth the money when I need to remember all the other places I'll be. Also, in those places I won't be able to squirrel away food for free like I can here, so, it's best to conserve where I can. It's a struggle though, I don't want it to decrease the overall quality of my experience, but I'm more satisfied in knowing I can get around easily and cheaply if I make wise decisions and I still find absolutely beautiful things, like this little tucked-away park I sit in now. I haven't had any issues with speaking, but I also don't need to talk that much and I think that's a valuable lesson/point of interest. In the states anytime I'm walking around or shopping, I know if I make a comment someone will hear and likely respond. I think that's the only reason I do it. Here, no one will know I'm talking to them and there's also plenty of ways to say 'hi' without opening my mouth; very good stuff to practice.
(Back to last night) After our delicious dinner; PS I'm not dumb enough to really believe brats are pure meat and good for you, we walked around to find a place to go and watch the soccer game. Now, I knew it was later cuz the game was at 20:45 and we ate around 19:30, but it was so light I stayed convinced, mentally, that it was much earlier. We found an Italian place with comfy chairs and an outside TV, there was also a hot blonde dude that I swore was giving me the 'eye', haha, and I ordered the local Stuttgart Pilsner. Pretty good, but I will prefer Imperial Stouts. Anyway, the game was cool, I loved(!) talking/laughing/joking with Pils like old times and Soccer players are just gorgeous, so watching the pre-game stuff was fun too. By 25 minutes in though, around 21:20, I was getting down to the bottom of my beer and I was basically really drunk with jet-lag and fatigue. Suddenly, I could barely keep my eyes open so Pilar said we should go and I was very grateful. We walked back and I read for all of 2 pages before I was out. It was around 22:00 and the sun was just setting! This morning I woke up once and went back to sleep and the second time I got up to see what time it was cuz it was really bright out; I thought it'd be about 10:00. It was only fucking 7:30, haha. So I slept for another blissful hour. I think I'm caught up on sleep now :)
Pilar's Boyfriend [Marcus] gets back from Berlin today and we're going to dinner and a beer garden!
A Note about How German's Eat:
- They fucking love Gelato. It's everywhere and literally everyone walking around is eating ice cream. I love them for this reason.
- They also fucking love Doner kebabs, which is a gyro pita as far as I can tell. There's tons of tiny middle eastern places that sell them and falafel and other things. They always have pizza too, but I wouldn't trust it, haha. I also love them for this and I can't wait to try one. Pils says they're bad for you but vaca = lots of walking = eat whatever I want (within reason, I don't want to bust my stomach)
- They don't have bagels here, instead at every cafe/corner there are bakeries with pretzels and pastries and breads, all of which look tits, just no bagels. Must get a pretzel at some point!
13:30
Now I'm in another park South of Residezschloss (PS Schloss = Park), named Barenwiese. There's a dude in full-on business attire just lying in the grass, I like this. It's beautiful, there's all types of trees like willows, birds singing and a light breeze to cool down the hot sun.
Anyway, I can't believe I forgot to say before - while walking around the free parts of the palace there was a wooden staircase. While going up I thought, 'damn, these steps are at a slope and slippery,' but apparently had forgotten 5 minutes later upon my descent because the first 3 steps I took were basically frantic slides while I attempted to maintain my balance, not fall and get the fuck over to the railing. I now know why so many women died by falling down the stairs back in the Palace's original era. Mystery solved.
14:33
Got one of those pretzels on the way to the S-Bahn (though I think I'm on a DB Bahn train) and it was all deliciousness, plus its was only 0,65Euro. Cheaper than a diet coke at the supermarket! By the way, it's Coca-cola light here and it's not readily available. Coca-cola zero is more popular here. Also, I haven't seen Splenda, Equal or any artificial sweetener at all. It's not offered anywhere but there's a Starbucks in Stuttgart Hbf, so I'm gonna try and steal some. I had to use milk and real sugar this morning, which is a good habit-breaking activity, but I'd like some Splenda.
Actually, I'll just brag in general that I've been really good about that stuff. The crepes yesterday were made with mascarpone and the apples fried in butter; I had 3. This morning I had heavy/dense bread (x2), one with Nutella (tits) and the other with Activia of the fatty variety. Food is food I figure, and I need to fill my body during my travels. Plus, it was what Pilar and Marcus had. I'm not in any position to say 'I only eat light/fat free Activia', only an asshole would do that. While I'm undoubtedly an asshole, it's certainly not of the ungrateful variety!
15:40
Came back, after stopping in Stuttgart, to unwind and nap so I can rock it tonight! I'm actually already sore from all the walking, haha. Plus, I want to read about what I might do tomorrow.
PS the Bahn is on the honor system, I haven't had a ticket checked once! Is is wrong that that makes me mad I paid in the first place?
23:00
I crashed hard earlier and didn't wake up until 18:00, took a shower and hung out with Pils until we all went to Dinner. Marcus recommended the Roles-Royce of Sweibien dishes: Zweibelrostbraten mit Spatzle. It was basically a huge steak with onions in a au jus and the Spatzle is a homemade egg noodle (Remind Marcus to email me the picture!). I was really good and for 16,50Euro I thought it was worth it! A steak like that in the US costs at least $25. I also had another Stuttgart beer - Wulle, to me it tastes no different from Coors light, but it comes in really cool bottles with a pop-off top like some of the water bottles you see in the states. Marcus and Pilar are cuddly/happy and Marcus is clearly devoted to her. I can't help but think of Chris as it is exactly the way we used to act. I'm afraid I let my cynicism show when a bit ago I was about to go back to 'my' room. Pilar mentioned something happening 'before they were together', something Marcus refers to as 'BP' (Before Pilar), which I had already thought in my head. Anyway, I made some comment to hoping there wouldn't be an 'AP'. It probably would've been fine but I started spewing shit about how I knew it wouldn't work all along.... Shouldn't have said yes.... Blah -
It's my way of trying to make it seem like I wasn't fooled, deceived, duped into a love that never really existed. I'm strong enough, alone in this room half way across the world from home, to admit I was 100% in love with Chris, ending that relationship, though right, was the most difficult thing I've ever done. It made losing 130 pounds seem trifling. I've loved and lost and need to let it go; I will not let it mar the beautiful love of others. I must remember that when Chris and I were displaying that behavior it was sincere and authentic, there was no deception on either part, so that is an irrational thought. I was not deceived, we both changed from the people we had been, that is all and it happens. It does no good to talk about such things with others in love because I don't know their contracts, I can only wish and hope and pray for their continued happiness. Yet, if it should change, have faith that God is in control and my friend's pain will not go unrewarded/compensated for with future happiness. I will always wish for the best, but can't control the love of others and instilling fear based on my own experience is wrong. I am human, but I can choose to be better and not illustrate regret and envy due to that experience. I'm grateful I got to witness that behavior because I realize the need to trump my fear of deception, it will keep me from loving again, which I will.
I think my general plan for tomorrow is walk downtown through the park, take the S-Bahn to a free(!) castle and go to the grocery store with Pils. Then we're going to a beer garden and get doner kebabs.
Notes to Remember, per Marcus:
Berlin- Currywurst
Heidelberg/Berlin - Black Forest Cake
Apparently food at tourist places is good here and not just expensive shit like America, and in general you can get traditional fare just as good and cheaper in Berlin. Perhaps I shouldn't have taken that nap because I'm not tired now, haha. Oh well, I'll read and I'm sure I'll be out like a candle.
