First Grocery Shopping Trip in Germany

We used the maps app to look up a grocery story and chose Aldi in downtown Frankfurt.  It was on a tiny street with no parking lot, so we were on our own to find parking on the street. After circling I decided to just have Dan drop me off and I would go into the store while he tried to find a parallel parking spot along one of the streets big enough for our Hyundai Santa Fe (a huge vehicle by European standards).  I entered the store and tried to take a grocery cart but they were chained together.  Someone saw me struggling and communicated in German and hand motions that I needed to insert a Euro to release the chain and take a cart.  (I later learned that when you returned the cart and reattached the chain you could retrieve your Euro.  A great way to make sure people return carts!)

The grocery cart thing left me a little shaken.  Then I began going up and down the aisles trying to decipher labels and find things we needed.  (If you need ANY type of cheese here you are in luck!).  All 4 of the cart's wheels rotate, not just the front wheels, which is great because the cart moves sideways so easily, but it is a little more difficult to control and I was worried I was going to run unto someone.  Ok, shopping done.  On to the checkout line.  I maintained my Covid distance in line.  The checker zipped through all my items while I scrambled to find my credit card to insert in the machine.  "Noch nicht!" (Not yet!) I quickly removed my card and began scooping my purchases into the grocery cart.  No bags provided here.  I am think -- I hope Dan finds parking soon and remembers to bring in our grocery bags!   "Jetz!" (Now!) I grabbed my card again and inserted it into the machine...upside down.  Glares.  Reinsert.  Then she said something else but I didn't understand.  With hand motions she said I needed to now sign.  Rushing, trembling I signed. Dan finally arrived to help put the groceries in bags.  I left the store a little shaken.

The parking place Dan had found was in front of some older German men.  It had been a tight squeeze getting into the spot so it was difficult to get out.  One of the German men came up to us and was telling us something about not parking there.  I hate to get in trouble!  Next we needed to stop at an ATM to get cash.  Once again we couldn't find parking so he dropped me off at the corner only to have someone honk at us.  I HATE getting into trouble!  Got the money.  Hopped in the car QUICKLY so no one would honk at us.  Got to the house and curled up into a ball in my favorite chair to recover.  Who would guess that a trip to the grocery store would be so stressful!