Day 2---Christmas Eve

This morning we awoke at 5:50 AM to Katie's inability to breathe through her nose. It was so stopped up that she feared she would get hemorrhoids from blowing so hard. I got up and got her some Tylenol Cold and Sinus and it helped. We fell back asleep and got up around 8.

After Showering and watching German/English lounge-singing Christmas songs on the TV, we went to Breakfast at Der Beck for a chocolate croissant and Grüss something or another, coffee and Sprite (no ice). We went back to the room, ate, then to the grocery store for some food. Oh, we also got rolls at Der Beck.

Here is what we learned at the grocery store:

1) Mineral water does not mean it is not carbonated (this is the 2nd time I’ve done this---1st time in France when I was 15)
2) Cheese is much more difficult to decipher when in a different language
3) You have to buy the whole crate of apples, not just 2.
4) “Ich Keine sprecht Deutch” helps after the cashier gives you a long winded speech about said apples.
5) No grocery bags to carry your stuff (Katie knew this and warned me prior to going in).

We looked at the time and realized we had less than 30 minutes to check out, get to the rail station and board our train. However, we decided for a last ditch effort to find some apples. After all, last night there were hundreds of market tents and many of them had fresh fruit. After walking 5 minutes, we found our search was "fruitless," and decided to huff it back to the hotel. We did, however, stop quickly and get Lebkuchen (gingerbread); the shop being right outside our hotel.

The clock was ticking against us, we were good to have packed before breakfast. We made our way down 3 flights of stairs, fully loaded. Katie waited outside whilst I paid the bill.

There was a line to check out of the hotel. I was 3rd (time: 10:15 and the train leaves at 10:29) in line. The 1st guy came and went quickly. The 2nd guy paid with his credit card, signed it, then realized he paide too much. (They were speaking in English with an accent, so I assume they were something other than German/Austrian). The lady checking us out had to call the credit card company, cancel the rate, re-enter it at the lower rate and have him sign again. All of this took 3 to 4 precious minutes. It was not my turn, and I told her (as the previous guy should have) that we had no breakfast, stayed one night and I was done within a minute. Time: 10:20.

We had 9 minutes to make it to our track.

We made it with 2 to 3 minutes to spare. It was a great "speed walk" and I'm proud Katie moved so fast. It probably would have taken (at normal walking speeds) 10 minutes to walk there normally. That marathon training we did really paid off!

We are now speeding toward Munich through the scenic German country side. A layer of snow covers the rolling hills and farmlands. It looks like Katie may get her white Christmas afterall. We sit next to a an old German couple who appear well into their ways. I wonder what their story is....