Taxis in Germany were always better than those back home, and the ride from the airport to the hotel passed faster than expected. Before I could replay the previous night in my head, the cab pulled to the curb outside my temporary home. The driver unloaded my suitcase, and I tipped him twenty euros, earning a surprised look as he drove off. Inside, the lobby opened cleanly in both directions—the bar to the left, the ameni...

As if I had only closed my eyes for a moment, I heard my alarm go off. It was six o’clock and time to head to the gym for my morning workout. I got out of bed, put on a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt, tied my shoes, and walked out the door. I descended the two flights of stairs just as I had done the day before, but that day, I was looking forward to my workout and sauna a little bit more than normal. When I opened the...