Visitors while visiting

My first visitor Paul arrived Tuesday and we’ve been non stop since, which started with a welcome at the airport, then a 30 minute scavenger hunt trying to find our parking spot.  LOL.   Long walks, then eating and drinking.  Naturally G&R love to see Paul again with conversations taking wild turns in all directions.  Roland loved the Einstein bobblehead Paul gave him.  

Frauenstein and snake trails

Went for a beautiful walk with G&R and Roland’s half brother and his wife in the beautiful vineyards of Frauenstein.  After a couple of hours of walking on the Schlangenpfad (snake) trail we found the perfect reward in a local restaurant/winery.  I had schnitzel with grüne sauce (green sauce).  It was another banner day as the weather was perfect.  I love the way the Germans walk (with purpose) in nature, then eat and drink.  My kind of place.  I do believe I am walking enough to offset the heavy German food.

Rhein river picnic

Friday night picnic on the Rhein in Walluf with G&R, after going for a walk along with river naturally.   Fun watching the barges go by and catch the last rays of sun.  Moved on to another weinhütte where the wine was much better according to Roland.  It all tasted good to me. Met a couple of their friends who have a daughter as a consultant to World Bank and UN near Rock Creek Park.  Small world.  The days prior met up with friends from the office and my old hausmeister Joe.  Was great seeing them all again.

Saturday Market Day

Saturday’s market.   Balloons on cars for advertising.  Greta would not approve.

Ain’t no temple high enough

Last Sunday I went on another fantastic hike with G&R in Eppstein, as the weather has been perfect.  However, it seemed the trail mostly went up, as out goal was to get to the “Temple” (see last photo at the speck on top of the hill).  Ugh.  Another banner day for the activity graph on my Apple phone:  9.28 miles and 53 flights up.   What seemed to be a reward was another great dinner cooked by Gabi.

Hot Water Bottles provide warm comfort

I love the way many German hotel rooms, or Airbnb apartments, have hot water bottles, like in the old days, and shoe horns.  I love using mine on cold nights.

Blowin’ in the Winds of Strasbourg

In almost any major city of the world it seems you can find a street musician singing Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”.  We found this man singing it in a tunnel along the canals of Strasbourg France.  Naturally, Roland and I had to sing along with him - Gabi and Roland are huge Dylan fans after all.  Come to find out this man was born in Canada and had lived in Norfolk Virginia.  Seems he may have had some hard times, but managed to still entertain with his guitar and voice.

Apple wine anyone???

Last night enjoyed a beautiful evening in Frankfurt with Diane and Glenn.  Although we didn’t find an apple wine fest, we did make our own little festival in Sachsenhausen drinking apple wine and eating local foods such as handkäse mit Musik (1st time and I loved it – the only cheese I’ve heard of with no fat and the music is suppose to come the next day LOL) and schnitzel with Grüne Soße (green sauce).  Nice spending time with Glenn and Diane, and creating new memories in Deutschland.

Early morning vineyards

Enjoyed a few days this week (11-13) in the Alsace region of France with Gabi and Roland.  Perfect weather and it just happened to be harvest time, so tourists had to routinely make way for the tractors and trailers hauling grapes to the winepresses.  Enjoyed the early morning walks in the vineyards followed by picking up a fresh baguette and croissants for our breakfast.  Late night talks with Gabi and Roland over whiskey always proves to be entertaining and usually includes some singing.  Did you know that the Germans say “ha chē” to express a sneeze vice the American “ha chū”?  These are typical breakfast discussions. LOL.   Although the Alsace is turning into Disney Land for tourists, especially now that ebikes allow even the elderly to gingerly navigate the steep hills of the medieval towns, it remains charming and rich with history.  If you find the quite moments in the early morning and evening, it is truly magical.

Oui Oui

Taking a few days trip to the Alsace region of France.  Its harvest time and the grapes are all standing at attention waiting to be plucked from their ancient vines.  Early morning walk in the vineyards and last night late walk without tourists.  During the day its like Disney Land, as Gabi would say.  Today to Colmar and tonight dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Beblenheim.

Spa day

Couldn’t resist taking a spa day at the Kaiser Friedrich Therme.  Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe with natural hot springs after all.  The steam from the manholes really is from the springs.  Went today because it is damentag - women’s day, which matters to me since the therme prohibits bathing suits.  Great day!  Then weather was perfect for sitting out at Eden’s and walking in the Neroberg.