Day 11 - Sunday

Sunday is like a weekly holiday here in Bochum.  The couples all walk the streets with coffee, hand in hand looking at all the shop windows and commenting on the wares.  The older gentlemen sit at the tables at Cafe Central on Sudring Strasse (Southring Street) with beer or coffee.  They have woolen blankets on their laps because the air is chilled and they smoke and talk and stare.  It's quite a scene, very European.

Kierstie and I sauntered down Massenbergstraße (the ß is a funky German letter and sounds like ess) looking in windows and hunting for the Back Werk (a chain bakery).  I fell in love with the Gefugelrolle.  It's a hot turkey roll surrounded by pastry and cheese and it's to die for.  Kierstie had a Belegt (sandwich) and we each got a sweet and sat down at the table on the street, watching the pedestrian traffic while sharing treats and coffee.  The table across from us had 4 men talking and laughing animatedly.  The entire time, they were all worrying some kind of prayer beads in their right hands gesturing and generally having a good time, as if the beads were part of their hands.

A new German observation from me again today.  Germans love their dogs.  Not surprising considering the amount of breeds that come out of Germany.  The Rottweiler, the German Sheppard, the Dachsund, the Doberman and more.  Here the dogs are everywhere.  They are in the restaurants laying at the feet of their masters sleeping quietly and causing no issues.  Most stores have water dishes and dog treats outside and the dogs walk into the stores just as casually as the people.  Most dogs are leashed but there is the odd one walking free, dutifully weaving in and out of the legs just behind it's master.  Short version, they are Hund crazy over here.  

For your viewing pleasure, a view from our flat, facing south...

 

Lesson of the day, Sundays are for relaxing.  Having a beer, a coffee, not doing much of anything.  I used to hate Sundays for the simple reason that they inevitably led to Mondays and now I have to concentrate to even remember what day of the week it is.  Right on!

Ian