MONSCHAU, GERMANY

I am so mad that I did not take a picture–of  all things–our breakfast. Boy do we have ALOT to learn from Europeans, guys. 

Breakfast was set for 9am, by our illustrious host, Wolfgang. He owns the home where we are staying but lives in another. We heard a “Good morning,” at our door right around 9 o’clock. 

We joined Wolfgang up a winding staircase to the kitchen, where the table was set for royalty. He served our offerings on gorgeous china plates, coffee cups and saucers, and egg cups that his grandmother owned. You could tell he was pleased when we remarked at how beautifully the table was set. 

If you can believe this, breakfast included a basket of warm, fresh-baked sesame rolls, seeded buns, and pumpernickel slices to be eaten with Danish butter, clotted cream, apple jam, and plum jelly. 

In addition, there were lunch-sized plates with cherry tomatoes, celery, carrot sticks, and cucumber slices. 

And to our surprise, the hard-boiled egg was set in an egg cup and covered with a fabric-lined dome that was tied at the top to keep the egg warm!

To top it off, there was piping hot, fresh coffee, with sugar and fresh cream options. 

But even better than this feast was the wonderful conversation we had with our host about his upbringing while living with his parents, and grandparents (he encourages this), his two sons, and snippets from his somewhat difficult life in Monschau.

He told us the cost of living is very high because of the extreme weather conditions. Last year was disastrous with monster rains that ultimately destroyed homes and took the lives of 143 people. It was truly wonderful to have had the honor of hearing some of his story. This is a theme we are learning –people you meet shape your experience.