July 11

July 11th (sunny and warmer)
Today is our 37th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary to our good friends Norm and Gillian as well.
We parked outside the fully preserved town walls of Dinkelsbuhl which were completed around 1450. It remained unscathed during the Peasant War, the 30 Year War and First and Second WW’s. The Romantic Route which starts in Fussen and ends in Wurzberg has many towns and villages all of which are impossible to see at any one time. So far, we have thoroughly enjoyed every one. The cooler weather seems to have kept most of the tourists away.
After many pictures, we continued our drive to Rothenburg, believed to be the crown jewel of the Romantiche Strasse. At one point outside of Rothenburg, I noticed a sign on the road with directions to Bettenfeld. I knew I had heard the name before from Lydia, Steve’s younger sister. Of course, it is where Georg’s godfather Georg lived and where his Aunt Mina now lives. We decided to surprise her tomorrow with our arrival.
Again, with the aid of our new camp book, we were able to find a great location. While I read and had a little snooze in the afternoon, Georg took a reflective walk through the German countryside wondering what “could have been”, but happy in how his life turned out.
Spent the evening watching ducks, geese and goslings, turkeys, budgies and pigeons at a farmer’s field. Quite entertaining.
George is now up eight games on me in our nightly cribbage games.