I didn't sleep very good last night. The wiener schnitzel from the train station vendor lost the war it waged against my stomach and was ejected quite effectively in the early morning hours. Once digestive peace was restored, I was able to get some sleep and dreamed about being home and receiving gift wrapped pieces of chicken.
?
My luck with trains strikes yet again as I start out for Stuttgart and end up back in Freiburg. As soon as the train pulls into the station in Stuttgart, it starts pouring. To make the trip worthwhile, I seek shelter in a nearby pub and order "gulashsuppe" which makes me and my tummy very happy.
Not much else to do on this soggy day but head back to Mannheim. Coincidentally, not only does the rain stop as soon as the train arrives at the station, but the sun starts to peek out from behind the clouds.
I met another hostel mate. John from Oregon is a food science graduate now working in Germany. John knows of a pub and invites me to join him for dinner. We join another group of three people we recognize from the hostel. The music is good, the beer is great and the pub food is delicious. Mannheim, where have you been all my life?
Made it back to the hostel exactly four minutes after evening lock out, but John and I were able to catch the desk clerk's attention and he very kindly let us in.
• ¤ •
"Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered."
~William Shakespeare
