When Bill and I first moved back to Germany in 2014, we resisted signing up for a cell phone contract.  It was mainly because we didn’t know how long we’d be living here and we knew cancelling contracts in Germany can be a pain in the ass.  For three years, Bill has been buying me Vodaphone pay as you go top ups.  They run 25 euros each and I usually need at least one a month.  I get one GB before the speed is throttled… or, at least that was the way it was at first.

I got a new phone for Christmas.  In honor of the occasion, Bill decided to take me out today to sign up for a contract.  He chose O2 because they have a deal where you can get 10 GB of data a month for about 20 euros.  He later said it was closer to 30 euros, probably because they add a VAT or something.  I don’t know.  I am not the one paying the bill.

Before we went to the shop, located in Nagold’s fabulous Edeka supermarket, we stopped at Il Due for lunch.  I decided on the duck special.  Bill ordered swordfish.  He had a Pinot Grigio and I had a Barbera red.  Sadly, the duck came with hated mushrooms all over it, so we ended up trading plates. These are photos from my new iPhone 8+.

The swordfish was originally Bill’s choice, but I ended up eating it.  It came with a nice healthy side of vegetables and was covered with a tapenade with onions, capers, and black olives.  I was good today. I even ate the Brussel’s sprout.

Bill had the duck breast with its mushroom infested gravy.  It came with a side of cheesy potatoes, which Bill said were nice, and a side of vegetables.  I actually enjoyed the vegetables, which were cooked al dente and were very flavorful.  If I ate more vegetables, I might be less hulking than I am.

 

This was our third trip to Il Due.  Our first visit was a couple of months ago, even though we had been wanting to try the place for most of the time we’ve been here.  So far, we have not been disappointed by the food.  It’s always been excellent.  Service can be a little slow, but it’s always friendly and competent.  It’s a nice place to stop for lunch when we’re in Nagold.  Today’s lunch before the tip was about 60 euros.

We went to the O2 store after we ate and had to wait about fifteen minutes or so, since the young man who was working there was helping someone else.  When it was our turn, Bill asked if the guy spoke English.  He said a little.  Bill said he speaks a little German.  Then he proceeded to speak German for about 90 percent of their collaboration.

I was waiting for Bill to find the IBAN (account number), since he did not take my advice and get a German bank account and an EC credit card.  He says he’s going to rectify that mistake pronto.  I hope we’ll be here long enough to make it worthwhile.

Bill brought his passport and a utility bill, but neglected to write down the IBAN.  Fortunately, he found it on our water bill.

 

The guy the O2 employee had been helping before he helped us offered to translate if we needed it.  It turned out he spoke perfect English.  We have found that fewer people in Nagold speak English.  In a way, it’s kind of refreshing.  They don’t automatically slip into English when they hear Bill speak German and he gets in his practice.  I am myself learning more of the language, but can’t really speak it.  I understand a lot more now, though.  It’s good to watch the German ads on YouTube and the odd video my German friend, Susanne, shares with me.

We stopped by Edeka to pick up some Champagne for tomorrow night.  We left with several bottles of wine and a box of chocolates.

I was amused by the sweet, well-behaved dogs sitting outside the store.  I wish mine were like that.

We were checking out… and once again, I noticed the warnings on the boxes of tobacco.  I snapped this picture to remind myself to look them up online.  In one warning, there was a shirtless man pictured looking down.  I couldn’t help but wonder what he was looking at.  My guess is that the warning is that cigarettes cause impotence due to heart disease.  I love how blunt the warnings are.  They aren’t simple text like they are in America.  No… here, you get photographic evidence of how nasty cigarettes are.

 

Below are a few photos from Nagold today.  It’s still decorated for Christmas.  I always enjoy visiting Nagold.  It’s hard to believe we live only a few miles away and the landscape is so totally different.  I definitely think we should shop at Edeka in Nagold over the Real in Jettingen.  It’s a lot more pleasant.