Almost Forgot!

Since we have literally no days off downrange, I spent this last weekend lazing around the hotel and around Mannheim. Saturday, I went to the Synagogue again (and it was a crowd the size one would expect of a Central/Eastern European Shul). There was just one family with like five little kids that was really cute, but aside from that it was mostly older Russians (since the majority of German Jews came to Germany following the breakup of the Soviet Union). I brought my friend Devin with me to Synagogue and it a unique experience for him.

Afterward we spent some time walking around Mannheim and seeing the famous water tower and the park surrounding it. We got back to the hotel at like 2 and I jumped in the pool because it got hot in the last week I was in Germany and because we had a pool.

This is the water-tower. I can't imagine they still use it.

Very nice. Miss you already, Mannheim!

Then we did something awesome. We made arrangements in this little bier-gaarten/restaurant called the alte-fass (means old-spigot) to go to this event they'd been advertising with fliers on the tables. It was an all-you-can-eat salad bar and barbecue! Man it was awesome!

The chef at work.

All day Sunday I lazed. Not only because of the no-days-off downrange thing, but because Sunday is still very much a Sabbath for Germany. Most restaurants and shops are closed. So I did mostly nothing and then we went to Ali's this little Turkish place near the tram stop for dinner.

Farewell Sandhofen!