Day 8: Return to Germany

We leave today to go back to Germany. On the way we’ll stop at Swarovski headquarters. We may leave Italy, but someday I’ll return. I take one more chance to inhale the fresh country air and watch petals fall to my feet on my balcony. A cool breeze hissing through the trees, and children laughing...I will remember. Ciao!

I made sure to say, “Guten Morgen,” this morning. I ate a bowl of banana and peach, making a small bread for the drive back. Last night at dinner I ordered the Donald Duck from the kinder menu and I finished everything. I should’ve been eating from the kinder menu all along, but I enjoyed trying real Italian dinners including real pizza which is paper thin and caters more to the toppings.

We didn’t go straight back on our drive, but stopped at Swarovski in Austria. There’s a large store and almost cubist garden( it seemed fitting the cafe had a quote from Picasso.)

There was crystal everywhere. When walking to the store there’s a large mound of grass and hill with a face growing out, water pouring from its mouth and crystal eyes following you around the garden. I don’t know why, but there was a large bold crystal sign saying, “Yes to All.”

When entering its like walking into a star. Everything is bright, shinning, and rainbows there are constantly rainbows in your peripherals. The store had everything from jewelry (as expected) to binoculars. There were pencils with crystal where the eraser should be and balls of crystal keychains. Of course being my mother’s daughter I went to the clearance section. I bought materials to make a necklace and two keychains (one you build yourself). Daniel bought his girlfriend earrings which I’m sure she’ll love. It was sweet to see him so excited about the gift.

On the drive back we slept a little, watching mountains race us, and sometimes laughed while we talked of numerous things. We watched cars pass on the Autobahn and passed the manufacture of Mercedes and Porsche. I enjoyed the drive back, watching ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and part of a movie while Daniel drove, but all the while keeping my eyes on the countryside.

I feel lucky to be here and I’m trying to think of a thank you for them when I’m back. I’ll check with Daniel to see what to send his parents and for him I have ideas bubbling, but I can’t mention here since he’ll probably read what I wrote at some point.

I called home so Daniel could have some private call or something, it’s sweet to see him so excited. He’s loading pictures onto his computer now. I loved how many pictures he took and wanted of himself and how he’d ask me to take pictures ‘with’ him when he meant ‘of’ him and later I was taking flattering photos of myself.