Mein auto ist sehr schön!

OK, so I decided to rent a car to drive from Stuttgart to Frankfurt to Berlin to Hamburg. I know it´s a bit more expensive, but I wanted to see the countryside and I also wanted to drive on the Autobahn.

I initially reserved the smallest car they had, a VW Lupo without A/C. After doing some research and realizing that for only about $100 more I could get a much better car, I upgraded it. Well, when I went to get the car, they were out of the type I had reserved (note: seems like a good idea to make the reservation the day before to make this more likely). So, naturally, they upgraded me to the next level for the same price. This means I get to drive around in a s-w-e-e-t BMW 560L. At least I think that´s what it is because it has no external markings, which is a bit strange. It has a leather interior, A/C, and best of all A NAVIGATION SYSTEM!! It also runs on diesel, which is nice because diesel is about 20% cheaper than regular gas here.

So, after a nice breakfast at the hotel, I picked up the car and set off for Frankfurt. It was a nice ride with a little traffic, but not too bad. The weather was pretty grim, overcast most of the way, so it made for a nice ride. The navigation system is truly awesome. My next car must have this! You never have to worry about getting lost or knowing where you are. No futzing with maps or anything! Awesome!

I made it to the hotel www.motel-one.de and there was nobody at the reception. Instead there was a kiosk. Not really sure what to do, I went up to the kiosk and figured out how to enter my reservation information. After feeding my credit card to the machine, it spat out a ticket with my room number and a code for the door. That´s it! No human interaction necessary. A little strange, but very, very cool.

After dropping off my stuff, I drove around Frankfurt for a bit and parked the car. I like Frankfurt. It reminds me a lot of Charlotte, but with more foot traffic. There is a huge pedestrian road where there was a big market going on. Lots to see and do. I took a quick tour of the city by foot, walking by the Bundesbank and along the river. Had a nice lunch with fresh spargel (white asparagus), schnitzel, and potatoes. Later on I had "kaffe und kuchen" at a place called Tchibo. Strange store that is mostly a coffee shop but also sells linens and things type stuff. Their iced lattes are great though. Just like home.

I don´t think I´ve mention the escalators here in Germany. They are very cool. If no one is using them, they don´t move. But, if you walk up to it, it has a sensor and starts going in the direction you need it. What a great idea!

A lot of the steps here also have ramps on the side, which I assume are for bikes. Another innovative idea that I like. With all of the bikers here, it makes sense I guess.

Well, off to Berlin tomorrow!