Wawi

Italy is famous for its foods: cheeses, wines, pastas, pizzas. So is Germany: wurtzels, beers, pretzels, and CHOCOLATE! Some of the most accomplished chocolatetiers in the world who've made the most famous chocolate delicacies are from Germany. While in Germany for the second time, Shakira asked me if there was something specific I had in mind to during my week vacation from Italy. Truth be told, I didn't really want to do anything but enjoy the comforts of a friend and of a home so far away. I told her so, but she insisted that there must be something that I wanted to do while I was staying with her. So I thought about it. What did I want to be able to tell my family and friends about Germany when I return to America? Of course I want to tell them about the perfect meadows and fields, the hills and valleys where the green grass grew uninterrupted, where yellow and purple-flowering weeds sprung up without fear of being ripped away. Of course I want to talk about Beerfest and about the friendly people I met, and of course I want to explain how the German homes are the most charming, quaint little cabins in all of the world. But I realized that the best way to explain Germany would be to bring them back a little piece of it, and what better thing to bring from Germany than some famous German chocolate?

We researched. We found a chocolate factory with a tour, free samples, and a gift shop. They would even make you chocolate bars on request. We went there on the day before I left to go back to Italy-a chocoate icing on my German cake. And when we got there, we kind of laughed a little. The warehouse we showed up to was really rather small, the unguided "tour" was a brief walk past a few photographs whose descriptions were in German, and the factory itself was manned by three ladies who were bustling about in an effort to clean up before their shifts ended. I watched a ten minute film about chocolate production, purchased 65 euro cent chocolate bars as souvenirs for friends, and left the way I came. Turns out, the chocolate bars on request means you pick out an already formed chocolate bar which they melt and shape into a chocolate bar again with nuts in it or into little lollipops. The free sample were broken up pieces of a strange chocolate with rice puffs that the cashier took off the shelf. At least it tasted good.
Arrivederci, for now.
Love, Gabby