Leipzig



 With a few hours on my own, this afternoon was time to explore Leipzig city centre. Historically a trading city, Leipzig has stayed true to it's roots and now is a shopper's dream come true. There are a range of boutiques and department stores among it's historic buildings and arcades, which range from rennaissance to art deco.

After a couple of hours wandering it was time for a break at a nearby kaffeehaus. And how could I pass up a cafe featuring elephants?

Riquet has ties dating back to 1745 importing tea, coffee and chocolate from exotic places like South America and Africa. Happily there are no elephants on the menu, but a showcase full of tasty looking cakes: I chose a slice of "Frankfurter Kranz" featuring lots of buttercream icing, and a cup of very rich (and quite possibly boozy) hot chocolate.