I love the OT threads, Angie!
I'm in for lunch break checking CF out. l will have to think about US, nothing too crazy. I post long stories and have another. I have a place/story traveling. My wife and I flew into Zurich in February one year and spent some time across the border in Germany as well. My heritage is Swiss and German for my wife. We stayed at an old hotel in Mulheim. My wife speaks fluent German so was my tour guide. This old local hotel we booked prior noted full breakfast, lunch and supper. In the morning we came down for breakfast and the dining area was strange. A long table full of food but just two small tables with two chairs at each table. No one there so both empty. We took a table. The food was items we heard about growing up and saw/ate some old country dished with elders. Bread as black as night, blood sausage, other meats and sausages, boiled eggs, lots of breads and pastries. Nothing warm except coffee. My wife wouldn't try the blood sausage but was really good.
When going out to eat dinner in town the young girl at the desk asked us to stay for some local wine. Later they said they had a special supper planned so after some wine we stayed. Oh my, quite a difference from breakfast. Two more tables were added in lobby and they full. Supper was so authentically amazing as was wine and coffee. To add to that, it was cool eating at a place itself older than USA. It was the best two meal we had in our time there.
We plan to go back and will stay there again.
Another story but noteworthy and thinking of her as I write this. On that same trip we ended up flying a dachshund back home. Quite a surprise for our kids. She ruled the house, Dog ruled the farm. Lost her last year. I told my wife were NOT going back to Germany to get another. Dog is solo for a while.