Day 59: Cafe Day

Change of Plans

I woke up this morning at about 7:30AM feeling pumped to get a head start on making it over to Heidelberg. I took my time around the apartment, having a cup of tea and catching up on the latest world news. Coming up with a plan for the day, I was slowly getting ready to hit the road by 9:30AM or so.

At around 9:00AM, as I was sitting on the couch, I started to feel my eyes naturally close. I chose not to fight it, and set a timer for a short 15 minute power nap. That 15 minute power nap turned into a 3 hour snooze fest. When I woke up, I felt refreshed, but as if an 800-pound gorilla was sitting on me again. Clearly, my energy levels are still not back to normal.

I decided to not risk it by driving over to Heidelberg for the day. Plus, I already lost 3 hours. By the time I would have made it over, it would already be early afternoon. I didn’t have plans to stay the night, so I’d only get a few hours to spend. Instead, I chose to postpone my Heidelberg trip and do a cafe day in Stuttgart.

Cafe Day

In addition to bakeries on every street, you’ll also find cafes everywhere. In Marienplatz, there are loads of cafes on every block. I decided to start my day at LIST Café & Vinothek. I had a delicious slice of Rüblikuchen (translation: carrot cake) and a cappuccino.

The cafe is right around the corner. It’s got a nice seating arrangement outside, and plenty of tables indoors. The weather today was beautiful, so I grabbed a table outside next to the entrance. I spent a few hours there, catching up on some reading.

I probably consume most of my knowledge by reading. I like videos, but I generally limit it for entertainment or for sports updates. I have a big appetite for non-fiction and fiction. On the non-fiction side, I’m making my way through a variety of reads on the founding of many foundational American businesses that have grown into today’s powerhouse brands (entertainment companies, sports brands, fast-food chains, small businesses, etc.)

On the fiction side, I’m currently making my way through The Chronicles of Narnia series written by C.S. Lewis. I don’t discriminate when it comes to genre. My favorite genres include science fiction, historical fiction, adventure, and 17th/18th-century English literature.

I’m also a big fan of fantasy world-creation stories, especially from influential and legendary authors like C.S. Lewis. World-building is as much an art as it is a science. C.S. Lewis was part of a foundational vanguard of authors who took world-building to a whole new level. They’ve created a life-long fan in me. So, I spent my afternoon pouring through the series.

A few hours later, I needed a change of scenery. The cafe was getting busy. I went to Strohberg, which is just down the hill. It’s got a really nice seating arrangement outside. The cafe sits right at the junction of two streets that fork. The junction makes a large patio area with a big looming tree. The cafe sits in the tree’s shadow.

Building up an appetite, I had a late lunch. They were only serving breakfast at the time, so I ended up having a pretty traditional German breakfast plate (bread, salami, cheese, butter, and such). The bread was amazing! My throat felt a bit scratchy, so I grabbed a hot tea to go with it. A few hours went by as I charged through another book in the Narnia series.

When I looked at the clock, I realized almost 6 hours had gone by sitting and reading. I needed to stretch my legs. I dropped by bag off in my apartment, and went for a walk around the downtown area. I was craving some scoops of ice cream, so I stopped by Claus Eismanufaktur & Deli. Their eis (translation: ice cream) is to die for, especially the Super Duper Schoko (basically, double chocolate with fudge).

Making my way eventually back home, I realized it was laundry day again. I threw some pizza bread into the oven as my clothes were getting washed. The pizza was alright. I wasn’t far from impressed, but it satisfied my hunger. A "C" on the Nutri-Score doesn't make me feel good either, although I don't really know what that it is or what it measures. But, my credit card appreciates the help.

With just under 1 month left, I’m looking forward to each and every experience to come as I finish my trip in Germany and in Europe.

Frieden und Liebe ❤️ (translation: peace and love)