We got up around five grabbed our stuff walked about 10 minutes to the bus station. Got a bus about 545 got to the train station and got on the one hour train to Frankfurt… Well, it was supposed to be an hour, but it turned out to be closer to two and so we were very glad that we had opted for an earlier train. Anyway, getting off the train and walking to the plane, couldn’t be easier in Frankfurt… it’s actually easier than driving to an airport. We spent some time in the very nice Lufthansa lounge and then got on a plane and flew first to Dulles and then onto Burlington. It was great to be back home.

gabe sent us a picture with his car.. he did some more racticing today.. and now feels ready to drive on real roads.  His girlfreind Mya comes in 2 days.. so she can be the copilot !

so nice to be home !

nite all. nite sam
-me

Today Diane and I drove our rental car Sixt .. and then walked to the used car dealer and finished the deal. It had been such a pleasure working with Tall at cara. This was exactly the car that we were looking for inexpensive, low mileage, fund to drive and safe.

On the way over, we walked by a traditional German clothing store where you could buy things like lederhosen and dirndls..  we coudn’t resist ! !

Talat gone early this morning with our registration and insurance to get the plates made for the car… And with that the car was ours! 

He said goodbye to our friends at Kara Auto. Talat I’ve been very wonderful to work with and we would recommend these guys to anyone who wants to buy a car there. Drove the car over to the university and gabe got to come out and take a look.

We left the car there and headed home. We noticed on the little picture frame with the video camera that it was snowing at home. !

Diane and I took a nice hike down through Gerbrunn and into the trails. its such a cute town !

Then a quick pasta dinner at home and then over to the parking lot near gabe’s lab to give him his first, and I believe only lesson on driving a stick

After a few rough starts, Gabe was driving around like a champ. I think he’s gonna really love having this car. On the way home we stopped to check the bus schedule. Diane and I have to leave at like a quarter before six tomorrow to get to the bus station to get to the train station to get to the airport in Frankfurt.

Then some quick packing and dog scratching, and then some sleep !

This had been a fantastic stay.  Gabriel has found a great place and a great situation. He’s been such a great host too.1

 

Early morning travels  tomorrow !

nite all, nite sam
_me

 

Today we went on a tour of Würzburgs main attraction Residenz . It’s a beautiful 18th century castle? Mansion? Hard to describe. It has like 180 rooms. It was the home of the archbishop/Prince of something or other. He hired Italian designers who did all these cool frescoes and beautiful marble. The building was almost completely destroyed in 20 minutes in World War II. And thanks to collaboration between German and believe it or not. American preservationist it was put back together in is really magnificent. We got a English-speaking tour guide which only happens I guess on Sunday and that was really nice. Then we just wandered around the place for a long time. Amazing stuff each room very different. We even got to see the room where Napoleon slept. 

After we left there, we walked down to find this really nice coffee shop that Gabe and I had found during my last trip. It’s run by an Albanian guy and his mom. Their whole theme is cheesecakes, though all of the cakes are very very different. We had a combination of things like trace Le cheesecake some sort of raspberry cake. I don’t remember exactly but it was delicious and so was the coffee.

Germany is very political so there was lots of posters around about the around war and other stuff. Germans pay very close attention to the news.

Then back to the house for a short bit some paperwork for the car purchase and soem picture hanging .

then we headed out walking distance to a sushi place that gabe had heard about. Couldn’t believe that there was a sushi place in walking distance from his home ,  and … It was absolutely delicious. Good is Japanese food. I’ve had anywhere in the world. It’s in this kind of weird Office complex. I can’t imagine how it stays in business, but I hope it does.

Been a beautiful walk home on this clear night. The moon and planes  were in a configuration that is always special to me.

http://johncohn.org/base/2012/03/26/monday-night-moon-and-venus/

 

We got home to find pictures from our friends, Sumner and G.. they got married this weekend !!!!!

It was a nice way to end the day. Tomorrow we buy the car Tuesday we leave for the Home.

nite all, nite sam
-me

day started out with breakfast salad.. a creation by Diane. Weird but good !

we drove to Bamberg.. about an hour away.. and about an hour to park !
beautiful city right on the river Main like Würzburg.   
One of its distinctions is that it was hardly bombed in WWII .. so many of the medieval structures are still standing.   Whereas Würzburg was supposedly the most damaged in the war.. with 77% of older uildings badly damaged..   Always weird to read that stuff

Its ‘Asparagus time’ all over the country. there are stands everywhere selling homegrown asparagus. But our quest was for the famous. Rauchtbeir (smoked bier) that Bimberg was famous for. We found it and it was delicious!

we went for a nice longish walk along the public gardens on one of the tributaries of the Main.. it was beautiful and quiet

Nova still doesnt speak german.. but she’s stilll finding ways to commincate witht he locals 

I’ve seen a sign some so we back there. It was kind of a fun band two guys and a girl playing old American pop songs and kind of a bluegrass way.

Then back home to Gerbrunn..

super nice day !

nite all, nite sam
-me