Mar 26 2025
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How I Summer In Germany

By Leila

When I’m summering in southwest Germany, my routine is very simple and very satisfying.

Summering In Germany: My Daily Routine

I’ve written about this before, but every summer I return to Germany feels better than the last and this trip to Lörrach in the German state of Baden-Württemberg was such a pleasure…Germany is one of the only places I can really relax. My days look something like this:

  • 8:00 am – wake-up and have a cup of coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice at home
  • 8:30 am – blog (well ahead of the traffic rush which begins at 7:00 am ET)
  • 11:30 am – go on a 5-kilometer jog with Heidi through the rolling hills of the Tüllingen
  • 1:00 pm – lunch
  • 1:30 pm – work
  • 3:00 pm – walk into the city for coffee and ice cream
  • 5:00 pm – finish work
  • 7:00 pm – dinner
  • 9:00 pm – deal with any West Coast clients
  • 10:00 pm – walk with Heidi
  • 11:00 pm – bed

If it’s Sunday, I’ll bike to Basel for coffee and then an evening service at Anglican Church Basel, which meets in the Niklauskapelle at the Basel Münster.

That may not seem like rest or vacation, but it is for me…I love my work but working on Central European Time is so much easier for me than being in California working on Pacific Time.

a river with rocks and trees

a child leaning on a railing over a river

a girl standing in front of a slide

a boy and girl standing on a sidewalk next to a car
Fresh-squeezed orange juice

a girl running in a plaza

I usually take my son Augustine into town with me for coffee, giving us a chance to chat about anything on this mind, then meet up with Heidi and Claire Marie for ice cream…I don’t workout in Germany like I do when home, but I hope the run each day “cancels out” the ice cream.

a boy sitting at a table with a bowl of ice cream
He didn’t like the flavors he had chosen that day…

a cup of coffee on a table

a girl eating ice cream

a girl eating a dessert

a boy eating an ice cream cone

a girl holding an ice cream cone

a building with a window and a sign

a sidewalk with tables and chairs and umbrellas

a room with tables and chairs

a two cups of coffee on a table

a child sitting at a table holding a glass of water

a boy sitting at a table with a cup of coffee

a yellow ice cream machine with a price list

a boy eating ice cream on a street

a plate of food with a cracker on top

a menu and a card on a table

a drink on a plate

a boy drinking from a glass at a table

a boy eating ice cream with a spoon

a child sitting at a table with a cup of coffee

a cup of coffee on a saucer with a spoon

a glass of ice cream on a plate with a spoon

We generally eat at home (my father-in-law is a wonderful cook), but no trip would be complete without a visit to Höllsteiner Hof, a hotel/restaurant that offers the best steaks in the region.

a building with trees and a street

a hand holding a paper with text

a hand holding a menu

a hand holding a menu

a cup of soup on a saucer

a salad on a plate

a girl eating a steak

a boy sitting at a table with a piece of meat on it

a steak on a plate with vegetables

a piece of meat on a plate

a bowl of food on a plate

a field with trees and power lines

a child walking on the street

The evening walks with Heidi are my favorite part of the day. My wife is a deep thinker and I’m grateful that after a decade of marriage, our conversations are becoming richer, not stale.

When we do return, we stock up on items that are either difficult to procure or far more expensive in the US. Dishwasher soap, protein bars, toothpaste…

a close up of a label

a shopping cart full of snacks

a cash register with boxes of food

We didn’t spend our entire time here…we went to Stuttgart to visit relatives…but it was such a relaxing time that always makes me thankful. As fun as it is to explore new places, returning to a place that you love is joy on an even higher level.

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