Guten Tag from Frankfurt, Germany!
We arrived in Frankfurt, Germany late at night after a 5 hour train ride. Knowing we would be getting in late, then off to an early start, we found the closest hotel to the train station.
Where We Stayed
Where We StayedWe stayed at the Toyoko Inn Frankfurt Central Station. It was about a 5 minute walk to the hotel, and perfect for our budget. The first thing that really stood out about this hotel.. was the toilet. It was this futuristic contraption that actually had instructions on how to use it. This was the first real experience with a bidet. There were bidets in some of our stays in Spain and France, but they were separate toilets with a faucet. This was all in one. There were different angles you could put the little jet at. It was a whole thing. I wasn’t too thrilled with the use of the bidet. It was cold and abrupt. I felt violated! Seth on the other hand, loved it. He said it made him feel so clean. Mr. Clean. To each their own I guess.
The next thing we noticed was how small this room was. I am not sure where the confusion started, but we apparently booked a single room. As in for a single person. Just one. There was a tiny twin bed with one pillow. Seth went down to ask for another one, and they told him that he would be charged. So one little paper thin pillow and tiny bed it was. So cozy.
A German Roadtrip
We woke up early and headed back to the train station in Frankfurt, Germany, where we were picking up our rental car. We were about to embark on a German road trip! For this occasion we decided to drive instead of train, because we wanted to explore at our own pace. We have loved taking the trains, but once in a while you will see a super cute town go by and wish that you got to stop there. But more importantly, we wanted to drive on the Autobahn.
We rented all of our vehicles for this trip through Sixt thanks to a recommendation from a friend. For this trip we opted for a BMW 6 series with the M package. Perfect for going top speeds.
Nierstein, Germany
Nierstein, GermanyIf you’ve read the “About Us” section of our website, you will know that Seth was born in Wiesbaden, West Germany. It was still East and West Germany when he was there. Makes me feel old. So when planning our “world tour” we thought it would be fun to try to find the house he lived in and visit his parents’ old stomping grounds in Nierstein. Since it is only 25 minutes from Frankfurt, this was the first stop on our trip. His parents could not remember the street address to the house they lived in, but insisted they would remember from memory.
We started at the US Army Anderson Barracks Dexheim and facetimed Seth’s mom. She talked us through every turn and found us all the way to the street they lived on!
US Army Barracks in Dexheim
Once here, the houses all looked pretty similar, so Seth parked the car and off he went with his mom on facetime. He walked past a few houses holding his phone up so his mom could see. Keep in mind, it is a bright sunny day out, in the early afternoon, and this is a very small town. I sat in the car watching, and started to realize that people were staring at Seth through their windows, and eventually some lady came out and started yelling at Seth. He must have looked like a crazy person. I could only imagine what they must have been thinking! He tried to explain what he was doing by using a translator app, but I still don’t think she fully understood.
After that debacle and a few houses down, Seth’s mom recognized the house they lived in. We took a few pictures of Seth standing in front of it, and got out of there before someone called the cops on us.
Childhood home
Fun Fact
Months later we realized the house number was 33. This number has followed us around since we first started dating, and eventually we got married on 3/3.
Let’s Eat
Currywurst and Wienerschnitzel
We drove around the cute town of Nierstein for a little bit, obviously in search of food, but not much was open. Seth’s dad told us we had to try currywurst and wiener schnitzel (no, not the hot dog fast food chain), so the search was on. We drove about 30 minutes to the town of Raunheim and found some food. I started searching for the best schnitzel near me and a place called the “Corner Steakhouse” popped up. The menu sounded good and it had everything we wanted to try! We weren’t exactly welcomed with big open arms here. This might be a locals only kind of place and we didn’t get the memo. But that didn’t steer us away.
We ordered the Schnitzel Viennese style (which is a traditional schnitzel made with thin veal cutlet, breaded and fried), and currywurst (a steamed and fried pork sausage covered in a curry ketchup). The schnitzel was, in my opinion, the better of the two. Both items were very heavy. It would be the perfect drunk food! I am not a fan of curry, but I can appreciate it for what it is. And this currywurst was pretty good. The curry was mild, and the sausage was flavorful. I am glad to say that we tried it, but I don’t think I would be ordering these again!
The Autobahn
Back on the road, and we are finally about to get on the highlight of our journey. The Autobahn. Please read up on driving and local laws when visiting a new country! I would never want to be pulled over in a foreign country, so we made sure we did our homework. There were 2-3 lanes for the majority of our drive; the right lane being the “slower” lane (everyone was going about 65-75 mph in this lane), and the left lane is the “bats outta hell” lane. The Autobahn has speed limits on certain parts, more so in urban areas, and there are signs posted regularly indicating the legal limits. There are also parts that have no limits, and that is where the fun began. Seth’s idea of fun anyways.
We realized that German drivers are extremely aggressive, and also very polite at the same time. As soon as a car comes up quickly behind you, people immediately move over. Everyone uses their blinker! So refreshing. And the street is well paved and taken care of.
We drove for a few minutes getting comfortable, then realized we were at the part where there is no speed limit. Quickly, we merged into the left lane and off we went. We reached a top speed of 259kph, or 160mph! (Seth would have gone faster if the governor didn’t max out at 260kph. It was exhilarating and nauseating all at once. We reached this speed a couple times, but we averaged about 200-220kph, or 125-135mph. We got to Berlin a lot faster than I expected. For all the car people, and the need for speed fiends that are out there, I recommend experiencing the Autobahn before it is fully regulated!
Berlin, Germany
We arrived at our hotel in Berlin later that evening. We are staying overnight at the Seminaris Hotel. This is a super awesome, eco-friendly hotel. We were in the heart of Berlin, but felt like we were in the middle of a forest. The hotel is made up of all glass windows and is clean, artsy, and modern inside. It is located on the campus of the Free University of Berlin. Yeah that’s right. FREE. Free education. What a concept.
We refreshed ourselves and headed out in search of food. As we had pulled down the street to our hotel, there was a big sign that said “Biergarten”, so that is where we were headed. We found a cute restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating, a popular place filled with people of all ages. We took their recommendations, sat back, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. The weather was perfect. It was getting dark out but still warm; gentle breezes here and there. The air here smells nice and clean, which is surprising given we are in the middle of a seriously major city. I don’t remember Los Angeles or NYC ever smelling nice.
How many countries will we visit tomorrow? Follow along to find out!..
Pizza, Beer, and Football Fever
Necessary? No. Stop you dead in your tracks beautiful? Yes. As we wandered, the alleyway opened up to this huge square, and plopped us right in front of the Barcelona Cathedral, which is also known as The 
music, dancing, kids running around playing with giant bubbles. I could have sat there all day. We ordered our food, and yes, I cried (and years later I continue to get teary eyed) over the deliciousness of this food. Seth cried too. That is how seriously good this meal was. We ordered tuna tartar, and a parmesan fondue. Let me repeat that. PARMESAN FONDUE. Topped with roasted cherry tomatoes and a basket of bread. . Everything about this moment was perfect. I foresee myself saying that a lot on this trip. 
can tell that this place is old and rich in history. You can smell it..if that makes any sense. Damp and old, musty but lightly perfumed. Inside is spacious and airy with rows upon rows of pews, surrounded by hushed tones. You just get a feeling you can’t shake. 
