Day 306- Jaunt to Stuttgart

Ted decided to sleep in today. Then he had an errand to run. Since we bought tires, he wants to make sure the car is aligned. I don't blame him...tires are not cheap so we have to make them last!

Then we decided to take the S-Bahn to downtown Stuttgart. It's cold so we both bundled up. We're going to Bernhausen to catch the S-Bahn and we'll leave our car parked at the station and return.

The price for the U-Bahn which we can get in Plieningen and the S-Bahn are pretty much the same, I think. We're still trying to figure out what the difference is between the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn and we're having difficulty understanding.

Ted thought it was a more direct way of getting downtown, that is, no stops at small stations. But that wasn't the case at all. Not that it takes very long to stop, unload and and load. The Deutch (German) transportation system is efficient to say the least.

It took as long on the S-Bahn as on the U-Bahn, and I think cost the same (about $18 for two round trips). It's a bit expensive so we're going to be buying the monthly or annual pass...which would cut down on the expense. At least for me since I'll be the one using it more than my husband.

When we got downtown, it was amazing to me just how many people were down there walking about! The cold didn't seem to bother them and Starbucks was doing a HUGE business! I guess there are coffee drinkers all over the world!

I forgot my regular camera but thankfully, I had my cell phone which takes pretty good photos.  As you can see from  this photo, it is cold and yet, people are walking everywhere!

We didn't have a plan but I did want to try to find the department store down there. I was told I could get yarn and various sewing notions there. We had to stop someone to ask where it was. Interestingly, the woman spoke English well but did not know what a department store was. So I used a more descriptive way of explaining what I was looking for. I REALLY need to get back to studying my German!

I felt stupid because the store was right across from where we were standing!! The store did NOT look like any department store I'm familiar with but as soon as we got inside, it sure looked like a normal department store. We found the directory and the household items were on the third floor. I was able to pick up the crochet hook I was looking for. I brought all kinds of knitting needles and crochet hooks with me but I didn't ship an afghan crochet hook!! Go figure!

On the way out of the department store (after getting the afghan hook), I saw this display in the middle of the walkway.  I was thinking...anyone could just up and walk away with the ring but when I got closer, the display had a unique design.

The display allows you to try on the ring to see if it fits but you cannot remove it from the display!  This is very cool.  And you don't have salesperson hovering over you when you're just looking!







Ted also saw some beautiful, soft merlino wool that he wanted me to make into a scarf for him. I'm already making a scarf for him but I relented and said I would make it. He deserves it!

We then walked all the way back down Koenigstrasse (Kings Street) which is a pedetrian only street. There were street performers along the way and artists too. I was amazed that they would do art in such cold weather. At least it wasn't snowing!

I couldn't believe these guys were performing in this cold!  They played "When the saints go marching in" and I sang along just where I was standing.   

This guy (I think he was Australian) was playing that long horn.  It sounded very weird and beautiful at the same time.




 



We stopped into the other department store at the other end, looked around and then decided to go home. Luckily we didn't have to walk all the way back to where the first department store was because there was a station not 50 feet from the second department store.

By the time we got home, we were both hungry so I made supper and we sat and watched videos for the rest of the evening.

Saturday 1/23/10