The tale of two Staufens and a day in Rothenburg.

Today we explored the Black Forest, Schwarzwald in German.  Our destination was Staufen via  a scenic highway that took us high into the mountains.  From a vista we could see out across to the Rhine Valley. Depending on our trusty Inga we programmed "Staufen" into our GPS.  She has been right 100% of the time up until now.  We ended up in a small town of maybe 100 people, all small farms, no castle ruins overlooking  the town , no vineyards sloping up to the castle. no town center, no town!  Rick told us we would be entering a darling town of 7,500 people, cute downtown market square, wine tasting.  Well it turns out there are TWO Staufens in Germany!  After actually reading a real map, we located it.  

Staufen has been "Rick Steve'd". It is a darling little town on a babbling brook with an incredible pasterie, Cafe Decker.  We stopped to have a slice of Sacher Torte and Black Forest Cake with a cappuccino on their roof top patio.  It is a "real" town in that their are real businesses, butchers, bakeris, pharmacies.  Freiburgers come to Staufen to shop because the stores are smaller and the owners-clerks are friendlier.  It was well worth the journey.

Tuesday, 5/28, we drove over to Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the pouring rain.  We are to have rain for four more days and it is about 40 degrees.  Oh, well.  Even the Germans are complaining about the weather.

Rothenburg is a gem of a perfectly preserved medieval town dating back to the 1100's.  it is a walled city.  Their main economy  since the early 1800's has been tourism!  They do it well.  We are staying at the Hotel Gerberhaus, a small 20 room inn.  We enjoyed two walking tours, one of which is at night and called "The Night Watchman Tour" and is filled with slice of life gritty tales of medieval Rothenburg.  The city also has the best Medieval  Crime and Punshment Museum.  Masks of shame, thumb screws, leg and neck shackles, chairs of nails, tongue depressors for quarrelsome women!   Nothing to pleasant.  

The best of the Rhine and off to Baden-Baden

Woke up this Sunday, 5/26, morning to rain and 40 degree temps.  It didn't get much over 45 during the day with rain and fog all day.  We left Mainz after picking up a rental car and headed out for a driving tour of the Rhine River.  We took the scenic Rte 9 along the Rhine in order to see the robber-baron castles put on the top of the hills by petty rulers to levy tolls on the passing river traffic.  The steep slopes along the river banks are planted perpendicular to the river with vineyards.  Spiring is in the air.  The fields of mustard are glorious even in the fog.  Lilac bushes of white, lavender and deep purples are in full bloom.  Crepe myrtle is just starting to blossom.  The trees are lush with new growth.

We stopped to tour the Marksburg Castle which is the best preserved castle on the Rhine.  This castle has been in continuous private ownership since 1283.  It currently is owned and maintained by the German Castles Association.

Spending the night in the town of Trier on the Mosel River.  It is Germany's oldest city and the town folk brag that it was inhabited by Celts 1300 years before Rome existed according to our guide book.  We count Astoria Hotel as bed #8.  It is a small 15 room boutique hotel in the center of Trier.  It was quite charming but the best part is they serve a glass of champagne with breakfast!  Quite civil, don't you think!

Must tell you our little Renault came equipped with a GPS which is a life safer!  We have named her Inga and she is very easily understood.  She is very easily programmed even while you are in motion. Don't worry, I am acting navi-guesser while Don handles the wheel.

Monday 5/27 we woke up to sun.  Hallelujah!  We spent the morning exploring Trier before heading to Baden-Baden.  We drove the A5 for most of the trip before getting on some smaller and slower local roads.  On the A5 we had Audis, BMWs, Mercedes, Volvos, Fords, VW's, passing us at 150 kilometers an hour!  We could barely get the little Renault to 110!  We are staying in Centrum Baden-Baden at the Hotel Deutscher Kaiser.  A small 22 room hotel.   Baden-Baden is famous for its Casino and baths.  It is a very walkable and upscale city with lots do, restaurants and bier gardens and shopping.  

Finally arrived!

Hooray!  Finally in Germany.  We were able to do standby on an earlier flight that got us into Frankfurt at 6:30pm instead of 8:30pm.  The were two seats on the plane , one in Business Class and one in economy.  My knight in shining armor gave me the upgraded Business Class!  What a guy!  We managed to find the train station at the airport.  Boarded the S8 train that brought us to the Mainz Romisches Theater Station.  Bed #7 at the Ibis was a 2 minute walk from the train station.  We checked in and headed out to find some wonderful German food and a beer.  We ate at the Augustinerkeller Weinestrauant.  Don had the Schweinshaxe mit Sauerkraut and fried potatoes.  I had the Schweinelende auf Pilzrahmsobe dazu spatzle. You guys figure out what we ate.  Both were delicious!  

Backs to beds 2 and 3

What you say, you are repeating beds?!?!  After a great visit with Don's family in Albany, we returned to Charlotte, NC for a party.  Kate and Charlie threw a graduation party on saturday, 5/18, at home to celebrate Sarah's accomplishments.  About 60 friends and family came to the party.  We won the prize for the greatest distance traveled to the party but there were some very special friends from Richmond, VA that have been friends of the Neelers for 30 years!  Their children grew up together until the Neelers moved  to Charlotte.  A few of Kate's N.C. family also came.  Classmates of Sarah's were there also.  We were entertained by Spencer with song and guitar.  

Sunday, 5/19, we return to bed #2 and Pittsburgh!  Time to get ready for our international travels which start on Thursday, 5/23.

Off to Germany, finally, maybe, maybe not

Finally the day arrived, 5/23, and we are starting our European journey.  We left Pittsburgh  heading Philadelphia during some very very heavy thunder storms which delayed our flight by an hour.  Upon getting to Philadelphia we learned our flight to Frankfurt had just left!  Boo!  I must say U.S. Air was ready for this.  When we departed and spoke to a representative, they had already rebooked us on a flight thru London and then on to Frankfurt.  We were pleased as punch.  The flight to London was great.  No turbulence, good food and sleep.  We arrived into London to learn our flight to Frankfurt had been cancelled along with over 200 other flights!  We learned that a British Air flight may have had a bird strike and the engine caught on fire  shortly before we landed. No injuries on the landing, this is the good news.   As a result the airport closed all runways.  All flights were cancelled for the next four hours!  We then had to get into a queue to be rebooked.  Lufthansa had three people only handling rebookings!  The airport was in pandemonium and totally unprepared to handle so many people.  We were in a line for at least three hours.  They announced over the P.A system that all flights for the rest of the day were full and recommended people go home and rebook from their computers!   Then a phone number was distributed with Lufthsana phone number.  We were able to get a flight out the next night at 7pm.  Next challenge was a place to put our weary heads.  We used the tourist information hotel booking service as the airport and finally were able to secure a place about two miles from the airport, a Comfort Inn and bed #6.  

As I write this we are again at Heathrow airport waiting for our flight.  Next entry better be from Germany.:)

Off to Albany, GA

We left Charlotte on Monday, 5/13 and headed to sunny and hot Albany/Leesburg, GA and bed #5. We are in town to celebrate 210 years of life! Don's Mom is turning 90, his brother Tom just turned 70 and the baby of the family, Gayle, will be turning 50 in October. We will all be together except for Ron and Casey, who are busy with jobs and wedding planning back in CA but they will be with us via Facetime! Thank you Apple!

On Tuesday evening we attended a recital put on by Maria's voice coach, Marcy McCarty. We heard 7 amazingly talented teens ranging in age from 13 to 17. They could all be broadway stars someday! 

Today, May 16th we celebrate Nell's birthday with a special dinner at the Olive Garden with family and friends.Happy Birthday Nell, you are a beautiful woman who has raised four fabulous children.  

Graduation!

Beds 3 and 4. We drove to Charlotte , NC on Wednesday, 5/8. Fun to see the "leafing out" as we drove south from Pittsburgh. Spring is on procession. The azaleas, dogwoods, redbud and perennials are on display. We spent a couple nights with Kate and Charlie in Charlotte before heading up to Chapel Hill for Sarah's graduation from pharmacy school at UNC. The research triangle was graduation central for UNC, Duke, NCSU, Campbell and other smaller schools. On Friday, we visited the Sarah Duke gardens on Duke University campus. Saturday was Sarah's hooding and graduation. The proud parents, Kate and Charlie hosted a dinner at the Top of the Hill restaurant in chapel hill.

Bed #2

Thinking it might be fun to count the number of beds we sleep in during the next 4 months. Tonight is bed #2. We left PG on Tuesday and spent our first three nights at the other Nances in Watsonville. Today we flew out of Monterey thru LA to Pittsburgh, PA. Yes, part of the adventure. We are with Judy and Gary for several days, reconnecting with the family and
repacking again! Why did we bring four suitcases, a backpack, computer bag, electrical plugs for every device imaginable. Why aren't they standardized??? Judy and Gary picked us up at Pgh airport and we headed to Andoras on Mt. Nebo Road for a delicious dinner. We have heard from Barbara that Yasim has moved into our home in PG. She loved that we have a Christmas tree up! Why are Christmas trees only for December??