My last days in my former hometown Braunschweig. Which I all well remember, having survived the war and grown up there till I left in 1961. Our house was in one the best areas at the edge of the city and directly across a big park. Nearby was and still is my high school, a gymnasium for new and classic languages and science. I walked up there, had a look. It is now an integrated lower and high school system housing many classes at all levels.
In 1945 after the American army tanks had entered Braunschweig, they occupied this large building for the distribution of food to the remaining civilian population, mostly children. A few days ago I walked up that path, past the school, and uphill. There are train tracks, and crossing them there is also a large private garden area, where my family also used to have a garden with a little stone house. I do remember, having visited there with my little boy when he was 3 years old. All lost in the 1070s after my mother died, when I was already many years in North America, then Canada. I made a picture of the Solanger entrance, now locked.
Up on top of this same road, just behind the train tracks, used to be bunkers, shelters from the WW2 bombings. As small children during the early 1040s we had to run up there every night for shelter. Interesting life. At least a little bit more exciting than just boring kindergarten.
My last visit there, that’s for sure, no living relatives. But the city as such is very pleasant, with many greens, parks, trees everywhere. I mostly enjoyed the inner -restored- city center of the old city with the dome and the lion, surrounded by many old half timbered buildings. Meeting nice people, discussing the past as well. Predominately, I guess as in most of Europe, are the enormous number of bakeries and pastry shops. It’s fun, just to hang out for a good cappuccino, sitting outside in the sun.
Some of the following pictures show our house, still there, the park across, the road past the school and uphill.
LIFE's STORIES, ADVENTURES & TRAVELS 
Coffee – Cafe – Kaffee
COFFEE – CAFE – KAFFEE
2020 the best year of my life, with a world wide pandemic, virus here, there and everywhere. What’s a person to do to have at least a feeling of a social life, especially if you are alone. Often I go out (in fact daily) for a walk, or take my bicycle, to the park, sit down, have a coffee. Better, yet, sit somewhere in one of the newly created outdoor cafes. Even sitting alone at a table feels better than sitting alone at home. YUK !
Coffee for many years has become an important part of my traveling life. In Europe, and on the continent. Victoria, BC, Vancouver Island: Although I have not tested all cafes, some are good, some not so, some are too expensive for the quality of coffee.
A decent cup for C$2.00 is pretty good. Murchies, 100 year old pattissery and eating place downtown. Not bad. Crust Bakery on Fort C$ around 2.00, also, but must sit outside, lots of street traffic. Other places (being that Starbucks closed down a lot) can go anywhere from C$2.50 to even over C$up to 4.00. Too expensive. My Italian shop in Victoria, on Blanchard, has the best Italian imports, everything (dozens of different panettones during Xmas season), and also a little corner cafe to sit. Regular coffee not so strong, espresso, Americano good. Prices good. [Reminds me of my Panettoni story: During Xmas 2015 went to Italy, from Cannes, bought a big Italian Panettoni, took it home to Canada in my suitcase.]. Yet, nothing beats a good Weihnachtsstollen.
While traveling in France, spending three months in Cannes, Mediterranean, ordering a coffee/cafe would always mean tiny cute little Espresso, good, but one shot. Netherlands, where I worked and lived for eight years is different again: You want to find a Cafe to sit down for a coffee ? Unless you intend to smoke pot or get some cannabis, those places are the ones. Real cafes bakeries for a coffee and dessert are bakeries (bakkerij patisserie). Germany, Berlin: There is a tiny historically old section, the Nikolaiviertel, one can sit down outside, have wonderful coffee, mostly coffee implies a little can, and have a cake. [Founded about 1200, the Nikolaiviertel of Alt-Berlin, together with the neighbouring settlement of Cölln, is the reconstructed historical heart of the German capital Berlin.]
St. Petersburg, Russia, is huge, a wonderful city. Near the Neva strolling along the Nevsky Prospect down to the landing dock for ships going to Finland, found a nice little restaurant, have a coffee. Good.
[Every morning I make my own cappuccino in my old-fashioned Italian Espresso machine.]. Continue enjoy, as long as you look at each other from the distance.