Germany was a blast and many thanks go out to Germans #1 and #2 and their families for all their generosity. Yesterday was spent in Heidelberg, a neat University city with an American base. We wandered the market street, then climbed 320 stairs to an old castle.
The place was built of red stone and crumbling in places, but still lit up all around and open for tours on the inside. We spent our time wandering the extensive courtyards and spent our money elsewhere. We had traditional Schwäbisch cuisine at a restaurant in the student quarter and it was delicious! Schwäbisch, or Swabian, is the name for the region where I was visiting my friends and the food is rich and tasty. I had Käsespätzle, a kind of noodle with cheese, and plum dumplings in vanilla sauce for dessert. But this wasn't my first taste of Schwäbisch food; I tried several dishes at German #2's house over Christmas (her dad told me to tell everyone that I was a guest in a German doctor's home and he made me EAT). We had an interesting meat dumpling called maultaschen, spätzle, sauerbraten (in the cottage in the alps), and probably other things I can't remember. Then, at German #1's house, the three of us attempted to make dampfnudeln, a heavy dumpling baked in a pot with a caramel crust on the bottom. They were tough to make, but a lot of fun and very good with vanilla sauce and fruit compote. They're meant to be a main dish in a meal, but I think they would fit better into the dessert category in American sensibilities. But whatever they were, I intend to make them again as soon as I get back home!
And so now I'm in Málaga, catching up on some internet work in my spiffy hostel before I head out to a teahouse or a Flamenco show. I'm sure I'll have more to write later after I've seen some more of this town. But until then, be well. And Happy New Year!
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