July 19th (sunny and warm)
Today, after breakfast, we drove with Georg’s Aunt Katie to Frankfurt to see his second cousin, Marta. Marta has come to Canada before and her husband Emil found us our first VW bus in 1972. Marta is 87 years old, seems in good health and still travels a lot. We had a little trouble finding her place because of a detour right in the middle of Frankfurt, but again, the AutoRoute program helped us out.
Visited, ate lunch and exchanged photos before the return trip of 2.5 hours to Mecklar. The drive was long, but it was lovely to be able to take Katie to see Marta and for us to see her as well. She sends her love and best wishes home to Canada.
Had more to eat – oh, have I mentioned that I am the heaviest I have ever been? Promise to go on a diet soon. Alfred and Anneliese want to come to Mexico next year, so will work on it for then.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
July 18
July 18th (sunny and beautiful)
This is the best hotel we could ever be at. Wake up whenever we want in our own suite, shower and then go down to a great breakfast. Alfred and Anneliese are fabulous hosts. They are extremely generous and will not allow you to pay for anything. Georg has given up fighting with Alfred. We have decided to leave them a monetary gift when we leave. That is the only way to even begin to repay them for their kind generosity.
Alfred and Anneliese packed lots of good food and drink, including snaps, for a long walk in the forest just outside of Fulda. First, however, we met up with their friends, Charlie and Renata at their lovely house for some champagne before all of us drove to the starting point for our walk. Seemed everyone was hungry so we ate even before our walk began.
It is possible to walk everywhere in Germany either by road or on marked pathways. We arrived at a restaurant in the middle of the forest that was originally a castle from the 1600’s. Here we had more to eat and drank some very good dark beer. There is an endless selection of delicious beers everywhere.
Upon returning to our cars at the end of the walk, we drove up a mountain to a monastery called Kreuzberg where they produce scrumptious beer served in a very authentic German beer garten. You cannot get more “Deutsch” than this. After saying our goodbyes to Charlie and Renate, we stopped at a couple of other points of interest before driving home to more food before going to bed.
This is the best hotel we could ever be at. Wake up whenever we want in our own suite, shower and then go down to a great breakfast. Alfred and Anneliese are fabulous hosts. They are extremely generous and will not allow you to pay for anything. Georg has given up fighting with Alfred. We have decided to leave them a monetary gift when we leave. That is the only way to even begin to repay them for their kind generosity.
Alfred and Anneliese packed lots of good food and drink, including snaps, for a long walk in the forest just outside of Fulda. First, however, we met up with their friends, Charlie and Renata at their lovely house for some champagne before all of us drove to the starting point for our walk. Seemed everyone was hungry so we ate even before our walk began.
It is possible to walk everywhere in Germany either by road or on marked pathways. We arrived at a restaurant in the middle of the forest that was originally a castle from the 1600’s. Here we had more to eat and drank some very good dark beer. There is an endless selection of delicious beers everywhere.
Upon returning to our cars at the end of the walk, we drove up a mountain to a monastery called Kreuzberg where they produce scrumptious beer served in a very authentic German beer garten. You cannot get more “Deutsch” than this. After saying our goodbyes to Charlie and Renate, we stopped at a couple of other points of interest before driving home to more food before going to bed.
July 17
July 17th (sunny and very warm)
Another beautiful day in paradise. The four of us drove into Bad Hersfeld this morning to go to the market. As far as we can see, most villages and cities have specific market days where vendors and farmers sell their produce and ware. Bad Hersfeld has changed a lot since we were here almost thirty years ago – a very cosmopolitan city of 35,000 people with a very active theater company attracting theatre-goers from all over Europe. As in most of the European cities, parking is not allowed or is very minimal inside the city allowing for pedestrian traffic which contributes to the “gemutlich” atmosphere.
Anneliese is a “shopaholic” which drives poor Alfred crazy. She is a very feminine girl and is constantly trying to get me in fluffy clothes and hairstyles. With all the food and drink I have been inhaling lately, I wouldn’t even try clothes on. Besides, what we have brought for our kind of travelling is perfect so far, but I am sure mine are shrinking.
In the early afternoon we were invited to Ferdinand’s 87th birthday. He is Anneliese’s father and we have so many wonderful memories from 1972 in this house with her mother and father. The four of us spent two months on and off staying there and experiencing farm life in the small village of Mecklar. The setting in Mecklar essentially has not changed, however, due to modern farming technologies and the economy, has altered the day-to-day activity in the village.
After many cakes and coffee and a long walk in the countryside, we returned to another meal of potato salad and bratwurst. Needless to say, very full of food and drink, we returned home and to bed.
Another beautiful day in paradise. The four of us drove into Bad Hersfeld this morning to go to the market. As far as we can see, most villages and cities have specific market days where vendors and farmers sell their produce and ware. Bad Hersfeld has changed a lot since we were here almost thirty years ago – a very cosmopolitan city of 35,000 people with a very active theater company attracting theatre-goers from all over Europe. As in most of the European cities, parking is not allowed or is very minimal inside the city allowing for pedestrian traffic which contributes to the “gemutlich” atmosphere.
Anneliese is a “shopaholic” which drives poor Alfred crazy. She is a very feminine girl and is constantly trying to get me in fluffy clothes and hairstyles. With all the food and drink I have been inhaling lately, I wouldn’t even try clothes on. Besides, what we have brought for our kind of travelling is perfect so far, but I am sure mine are shrinking.
In the early afternoon we were invited to Ferdinand’s 87th birthday. He is Anneliese’s father and we have so many wonderful memories from 1972 in this house with her mother and father. The four of us spent two months on and off staying there and experiencing farm life in the small village of Mecklar. The setting in Mecklar essentially has not changed, however, due to modern farming technologies and the economy, has altered the day-to-day activity in the village.
After many cakes and coffee and a long walk in the countryside, we returned to another meal of potato salad and bratwurst. Needless to say, very full of food and drink, we returned home and to bed.
July 16
July 16th (sunny and very warm)
Most of today we spent sitting in the beautiful backyard drinking beer with Alfred and Anneliese. They wondered if we wanted “to do or see anything in particular”, but we reminded them that we have been travelling and seeing so much for the last two months, it is just great to “sit and enjoy absolutely nothing”. We did, however, look at Anneliese’s pictures from her and Alfred’s 25th Silver Anniversary. Anneliese really goes all out for celebrations. This was as formal and cost more than most weddings would.
After a couple of delicious German beer in the very hot afternoon, and a long walk in and around Mecklar, we rode bicycles 20 kms round trip to a pizza place in Rotenburg and did not return until dark. I do not ever remember riding a bike that long in my whole life. We stopped halfway home at a lakeside and had another large beer. George proceeded to jump in the lake to cool off. My knees held out fine, but I won’t write what else sure hurt afterwards. Needless to say, it was to bed after that.
We are having a wonderful time and I can honestly say that the last couple of days have been too warm.
Most of today we spent sitting in the beautiful backyard drinking beer with Alfred and Anneliese. They wondered if we wanted “to do or see anything in particular”, but we reminded them that we have been travelling and seeing so much for the last two months, it is just great to “sit and enjoy absolutely nothing”. We did, however, look at Anneliese’s pictures from her and Alfred’s 25th Silver Anniversary. Anneliese really goes all out for celebrations. This was as formal and cost more than most weddings would.
After a couple of delicious German beer in the very hot afternoon, and a long walk in and around Mecklar, we rode bicycles 20 kms round trip to a pizza place in Rotenburg and did not return until dark. I do not ever remember riding a bike that long in my whole life. We stopped halfway home at a lakeside and had another large beer. George proceeded to jump in the lake to cool off. My knees held out fine, but I won’t write what else sure hurt afterwards. Needless to say, it was to bed after that.
We are having a wonderful time and I can honestly say that the last couple of days have been too warm.
July 15
July 15th (sunny and very warm)
Had a very relaxing morning enjoying the sights of Mecklar. It was a very hot and humid day with very little breeze. I forgot to mention that Alfred and Anneliese are hosting a young man from Le Mans, France for three weeks. He is here to learn German and his parents are determined that he has a command of the German language. Although he has been at it for six years, people say that I speak better than he does. He is very shy and does not seem that interested in improving his language skill.
In the afternoon, Georg and I, along with Daniel (A & A’s son) and his girlfriend Christina, watched all the French kids come down the fulda (river) in canoes. It is a three-hour ride and they get picked up at the other end. We plan on doing the same trip this Friday.
Alfred and Anneliese went to another birthday celebration during the day and Daniel cooked us a wonderful bratwurst barbecue before he headed back to his job in Nurnberg. He works in the insurance business in Nurnberg and takes the train home to Mecklar each weekend.
Later on, after dinner, we drove into Bad Hersfeld about 8 kms from Mecklar for beer and drinks at “Dasboothaus”. It was a lovely evening sitting by the water enjoying our drinks and conversation.
Had a very relaxing morning enjoying the sights of Mecklar. It was a very hot and humid day with very little breeze. I forgot to mention that Alfred and Anneliese are hosting a young man from Le Mans, France for three weeks. He is here to learn German and his parents are determined that he has a command of the German language. Although he has been at it for six years, people say that I speak better than he does. He is very shy and does not seem that interested in improving his language skill.
In the afternoon, Georg and I, along with Daniel (A & A’s son) and his girlfriend Christina, watched all the French kids come down the fulda (river) in canoes. It is a three-hour ride and they get picked up at the other end. We plan on doing the same trip this Friday.
Alfred and Anneliese went to another birthday celebration during the day and Daniel cooked us a wonderful bratwurst barbecue before he headed back to his job in Nurnberg. He works in the insurance business in Nurnberg and takes the train home to Mecklar each weekend.
Later on, after dinner, we drove into Bad Hersfeld about 8 kms from Mecklar for beer and drinks at “Dasboothaus”. It was a lovely evening sitting by the water enjoying our drinks and conversation.
July 14
July 14th (sunny and warm)
We had a wonderful sleep in a real bed last night. Alfred and Anneliese’s house has four floors and we have our own bathroom and privacy on the top floor. We are very comfortable and are being treated like royalty with lots of good food, drink and conversation. We sure cannot complain about the weather. It is the hottest day so far. It is supposed to be this way for a couple of days and then they are expecting huge thunder storms.
George and I went for a long walk with the dog to see the places we remember from thirty years ago. Dropped in to see Ferdinand, Annie’s father, but he wasn’t home. In 1972, my brother Bill, George’s sister Gerlinde, and George and I spent a lot of time living with her parents, Ferdinand and Lisbeth.
We were included in an invitation to a friend (Bernard’s) birthday celebration near Bad Hersfeld in the early afternoon beginning with coffee and cake, followed by beer and appetizers and then a full dinner. The food was wonderful and the company even better. Most of the people could speak perfect English. After a long night of laughter and many different kinds of snaps, we headed back to Mecklar.
We had a wonderful sleep in a real bed last night. Alfred and Anneliese’s house has four floors and we have our own bathroom and privacy on the top floor. We are very comfortable and are being treated like royalty with lots of good food, drink and conversation. We sure cannot complain about the weather. It is the hottest day so far. It is supposed to be this way for a couple of days and then they are expecting huge thunder storms.
George and I went for a long walk with the dog to see the places we remember from thirty years ago. Dropped in to see Ferdinand, Annie’s father, but he wasn’t home. In 1972, my brother Bill, George’s sister Gerlinde, and George and I spent a lot of time living with her parents, Ferdinand and Lisbeth.
We were included in an invitation to a friend (Bernard’s) birthday celebration near Bad Hersfeld in the early afternoon beginning with coffee and cake, followed by beer and appetizers and then a full dinner. The food was wonderful and the company even better. Most of the people could speak perfect English. After a long night of laughter and many different kinds of snaps, we headed back to Mecklar.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
July 13
July 13th (mostly sunny, with some rain)
Only had about 120 kms to drive today to get to Georg’s cousins in Mecklar. I mentioned to Georg that he should call because it was only polite to inform them of our arrival time. It was good that he did because Anneliese thought we would be arriving one week later.
As we approached Bad Hersfeld, we began to get excited anticipating meeting with Georg’s relatives again. It has been twelve years since we have seen each other. They both looked well as did his Aunt Katie, Else’s older sister. She was exceptionally excited to see us as it has been even longer since we have seen each other. They have a beautiful home and have done so much work renovating and improving throughout the whole house. The garden is absolutely beautiful and they have lots of nice ornaments and furniture throughout. The home is like it is out of Better Homes and Gardens, but then Anneliese and Alfred have always liked everything perfect.
After having a couple of beer and catching up with each other, we joined about ten of their friends and were treated to a delicious meal at a lovely restaurant in Bad Hersfeld. It was so nice to see Barbel, Anneliese sister, who we have not seen for 35 years.
Very full, we drove home for snaps, beer and more good conversation before collapsing into bed. We have our own section of the house and will stay here until next week some time.
Only had about 120 kms to drive today to get to Georg’s cousins in Mecklar. I mentioned to Georg that he should call because it was only polite to inform them of our arrival time. It was good that he did because Anneliese thought we would be arriving one week later.
As we approached Bad Hersfeld, we began to get excited anticipating meeting with Georg’s relatives again. It has been twelve years since we have seen each other. They both looked well as did his Aunt Katie, Else’s older sister. She was exceptionally excited to see us as it has been even longer since we have seen each other. They have a beautiful home and have done so much work renovating and improving throughout the whole house. The garden is absolutely beautiful and they have lots of nice ornaments and furniture throughout. The home is like it is out of Better Homes and Gardens, but then Anneliese and Alfred have always liked everything perfect.
After having a couple of beer and catching up with each other, we joined about ten of their friends and were treated to a delicious meal at a lovely restaurant in Bad Hersfeld. It was so nice to see Barbel, Anneliese sister, who we have not seen for 35 years.
Very full, we drove home for snaps, beer and more good conversation before collapsing into bed. We have our own section of the house and will stay here until next week some time.
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