Globe trotting

It is possible that I am a terrible tourist.  It is not that I am impolite or do not wish to spend money, but more that I don't really care if I see anything or not.  Mostly I am concerned about food.  We spent the weekend in Paris and the only thing we saw was Notre Dame.  It was pretty neat, but the strawberries in Paris were to die for.  So sweet, so delicious; what is America doing so wrong that our strawberries only look like they will taste good?

Right now we are in Germany.  We plan to see a couple of actual tourist things later, but for now Izzy and I have just been out walking on a little path we found near the hotel.  It leads to a grocery store, a small bakery, and a playground.  And since the weather has been damp we have also seen several large snails.  How exciting!  When we haven't been outside, Izzy has been hopping around in what she calls her "wonderful, wonderful bed!"  Every little while she will freeze suddenly and ask alarmingly, "What's that noise, Mama?" and I will say, "It's a car outside" or "It's a bird" or "It's the heater."  

Izzy has been an interesting travel companion.  She has been surviving on boiled eggs, french fries, goldfish crackers, and treats for using the potty.  We had to revert back to a bribery system since the potty on the plane was so utterly terrifying that it made going to the bathroom a horrific experience.  Every potty for the next few days was a "scary potty."  We're back on track now, but I'm not really looking forward to the return flight. 

So far I would have to say that there are two big differences between Europe and the US.  First off, back in the states everything is carpeted, even some folks' bathrooms.  The floors here are all hardwood or tile, which is okay except that Izzy is a super duper crumb machine.  After an hour or two we might as well be walking on sand.  The second big difference is space.  Things are BIG in America; you can turn around in the shower and the aisles in stores are wide enough for two grocery carts.  Stores have huge parking lots because it is expected that everyone drives, while here almost everyone walks or rides a bike.  Matt is a pretty big guy and I am pregnant, so I appreciate the roominess back home.  Izzy, on the other hand, has very short legs, so things even out.