Chapter 2

(Music control)

Frau Christa took us to our room on the 3rd floor. It had just been built by her husband who is a carpenter, and still had the sweet smell of fresh cut wood. The room was big, well furnished, with a big balcony overlooking the vast green pastures. Beverly could not wait to wander on foot around the farm. We strolled the area dodging farmers on tractors and speaking to the horses and cows grazing in the fields. We have always enjoyed visiting the Wieskirche but never dreamed we would be sleeping right next to it. Each time we visit it we discover something new and beautiful.

We attempted to have lunch in one of the restaurants near the church but found they had closed until dinner. We drove to a nearby town and had a very nice lunch at the Gasthaus Post. There were no English speaking people there except for a little girl who was just learning English in school and she delighted in trying some of it out on us.

There was still plenty of daylight so we drove to Schwangau and revisited the St. Coloman church out in the middle of a cow pasture, and drove by the King Ludwig castles stopping momentarily to take pictures.

Our mission today would be to pay a return visit to the Linderhof castle. As we drove, the sky became partly cloudy with promises of rain later.

Fresh flowers were on each table. The food and service was great. Beverly had her mind on Gulasch soup but it was not on the menu so she ordered Rindfleischeinlange soup (meat and noodle soup). It turned out to be the best soup ever with homemade noodles and finely chopped beef.

Weikersheim is almost at the end of the Romantic Road and is very easy to find but not so for our apartment for the next two days. The only tourist information we could find consisted of a billboard on the side of the road with a town map. There was road construction that created detours and added to our wrong turns. We finally reached the Altstadt with the assurance that someone could give us directions. This is definitely not a tourist town and we had a difficult time finding someone who could speak English or understand our poor German. A young lady in the museum drew us a map.

We would be staying the next two nights at the Ferienwohnung Taubertalblick. When Beverly was browsing the the internet she found this apartment and called twice but each time the Frau hung up. I do not think she understood Beverly's poor German, so Beverly had a reliable friend in Germany make the reservations for her. When we arrived we were met by the Kämmlers who appeared a little distant at first but it only lasted for a short while and then they warmed up when we attempted to speak our limited German. They showed us our apartment on the 2nd floor. We could not believe how big it was. It was furnished with everything imaginable. The apartment would accommodate 7 people: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large living room, kitchen, balcony, and a dining room. The foyer even had a stand with slippers and a shoe brush. The kitchen had every appliance ever made. The view from our bedroom window was wonderful. We could look out of our window and look down from the mountain into the valley and see the Schloss and it's huge gardens. At night the Schloss was lit up in its entirety and made an interesting view.

Lunch was at the Hotel Stube in the marketplace. The food was so good we did a repeat visit for dinner (boiled beef with horseradish sauce). Beverly had some type of soup called Maltzen which was ravioli with pork and spinach.

October 3rd

We gave the Kämmlers their gifts and Chuck repeated his rehearsed line of which he had written down and memorized. “Wir Haben ein klein Geschenk fur Sie.” They laughed and gave us a bottle of wine made from the vineyards across the street. We said our good-byes and wished we could have stayed longer. They were a very sweet couple who were very hospitable. Surely a repeat.

Part 17

It was a cool day with the sun playing hide and seek with the clouds and the sun won. We were heading north and our first stop would be Hannoversch Münden (officially abbreviated to Hann. Münden). Beverly has always wanted to visit this town because of its half-timbered houses. Chuck says he wished he had a dime for each picture Beverly had of half-timbered houses. She found a farm on the internet that looked nice and had a DZ on the ground floor with a terrace. We thought that it would be nice to have a ground floor so we could take that opportunity to repack our suitcases without having to take all of them upstairs. She confirmed the reservation by e-mail but forgot to bring the address along. We found the Altstadt and headed for the Rathaus in hopes that someone could look up the address. This worked and a Frau that spoke English gave us the address. The historic Rathaus itself was unique in appearance both inside and out.

Afterwards we walked the town that had many restored half-timbered houses and several houses that needed repair. The town was very wealthy in the 12th century. It is surrounded by three rivers, Fulda, Weser, and the Werra and has a treasure of 700 half-timbered buildings. Intense efforts at restoration has made it one of the best half-timbered towns in Europe today. Motifs on wood adorn the houses with decorative doors of many colors built in 1400-1528. There is an old bridge in town that dates back to 1250. In the marketplace one of the attractions is the “Traces of Water” which is a water art where water sprays out of various fountains sporadically all over the marketplace. Beverly started having withdrawal pains because it was Monday and every store was closed and she could not shop. Then it dawned on her it was a holiday.

The farm is in a very small village outside of Hann. Münden called Volkmarshausen. After a few wrong turns, we found the farm, in the middle of a very small village that consisted of several farms and a combination post office/bakery. No restaurant. The farm consisted of half-timbered buildings from the 1700’s and the barn was showing its age. As we stepped out of the car the fragrance of the farm hit our nostrils and Chuck immediately asked why did you pick this place. Again he exclaimed “Val has the right idea, hotels”. Frau Heede appeared around the corner of the barn with her old farm clothes on, shoes in need of repair and her hair flying in the air. She had been waiting for us and greeted us with a big smile. She spoke no English. (HausHeede@t-online.de}. I think we were one of the first American tourists to stay here. Chuck was not convinced he would be staying here for three nights. The room was clean, comfortable, with no frills. We had a TV and one of those towels conveniently placed by the bed for what ever use you might choose. We had a good laugh when we found Ritter Sport candy on our pillow. No where else had we had this treat. When we opened our windows for a bit of fresh air, I am not sure which was most annoying, the farm fragrance or the flies coming thru the screenless windows.
We asked Frau Heede where we could get something to eat. That was the wrong move. She spoke so fast that the only thing we heard was there was nothing in that village. It was getting late and not knowing our way we opted for a McDonalds down the road. This would be our first and last McDonalds. The worst meal ever.

Back to the farm we were going to watch TV but there was only one station. We washed clothes and put them near the radiators to dry forgetting that a lot of Germans turn the heat off late at night and back on in the AM and this farm was no exception.

Part 18

October 4th

Had breakfast in the old farm house. We discovered that the Frau changed clothes several times during the day according to her duties and this morning she was dressed up. Later that day she put on another attire to collect her eggs. The wind had shifted and there was no farm fragrance. We shared breakfast with an older couple from Berlin who was interested in our English conversation. There was not much English around these parts. Beverly, raised on a farm, felt at home when the roosters crowed early in the AM and the cows mooed as they went to pasture.

It was a warm and sunny day and good for taking a boat ride. We headed to the nature park adjacent to the Altstadt and for 3 Euro each took a ride on the Fulda River. This ride was unique in the fact that we had to go in and out of the locks. Our boat had to wait inside the locks until the water level was raised high enough to allow us to cruise on the river. It was a warm and sunny day and we viewed some beautiful scenery from the upper deck.

Back to land we walked across a pedestrian bridge to the Altstadt to explore. As we walked the cobblestone streets we marveled at the ages of most of the buildings. The church we visited was from the 13th century and homes were from the 1500’s. Doctor Eisenbart was a famous character in this town hundreds of years earlier and his name was portrayed everywhere. There are Doctor Eisenbart chimes with revolving clockwork figurines that perform three times a day.

We had been told that there was good eating at the historic Rathaus, but today it was closed. Some locals suggested the Die Rablaus restaurant in the market place which we highly recommend. The chef came out of the kitchen to help us with the menu. Beverly had tomato soup with tiny shrimp on top with that delicious spoonful of cream that when stirred into the soup adds great flavor.

The farm has been downsized a lot over the years. Klause raises cows to sell but they are kept in a field down the road. Beverly can not get used to how the farmers take their cows to a field miles away from the barn. They rotate these fields to get the best grazing, and they take portable milking machines out to the fields to milk the cows. Klause's hobby is tractors of which he has several. Margaret loves gardening and is very active in the farmers union. She is always on the go. Today Klause was at the barn where some of the guests were riding one of his horses and playing with the donkey. The farm buildings have thatched roofs typical of this area. And for some reason most of the doors and shutters are painted green. We have come to love the north even though the land is flat. Margaret says it is so flat that when you look out the window you can see who is coming
tomorrow.

Dinner that evening would be at a Greek restaurant in the neighborhood that we had been to before and enjoyed very much. The food is outstanding and the service superb. We had the best steak in Germany.

Margaret told us of an Octoberfest in walking distance from the farm and Beverly was out the door. It was called the krammer fest. To us this fest was better than the one in Munich. It was a pleasant surprise. There seemed to be mostly families there. Not quite as big as Munich but had all of the joy, food, and entertainment. We were probably the only Americans. There were rides for young and old. Something new was the booth selling corn on the cob. Beverly loved the strawberries placed on a stick and then covered in chocolate. There were tents with music and dancing. Some of the singers were so good we bought their CD (The Salzburgers). It was interesting to see how much the young Germans enjoyed the American songs of the 60’s and 70’s and they can sing every word in English.

Part 21

October 7th

We awoke to the sound of the rooster crowing and off we went for breakfast at a nice bakery around the corner from the farm. It was so good we made it a daily morning stop.

Today we would go via one of the backroads to Bremerhaven, through open fields with lots of cows, and many old farms. We had been given another warm and sunny day. Beverly was amazed at seeing cows out in the middle of nowhere grazing and then all of a sudden a canal was going through the middle of the field with a barge moving along carrying goods.

We took a ferry to Bremerhaven. It was hazy as we approached the shore and difficult to see the big tall buildings of this big seaport city.
The purpose of our visit was to see the new Erlebnismuseum (German Emigration center) and learn more about how our ancestors traveled to America.
We found a big parking garage on the waterfront near the center. As we were taking the elevator to the main level Chuck spotted a big shopping mall (Columbus center). Beverly was like a kid in a toy store. There were several stores, a bank, and a food court. And of course a candy store that sold very good quality candy made in Bremerhaven. The smell of Chinese/Asian food from the food court got our attention and we ordered up some delicious Chinese food. We were not sure if it was because we had not had any for awhile or not but it was extremely good. Beverly had crisp fried duck. Hope it was not “Bob the duck”.

The Deutsches Auswanderer museum, immigration center, Columbusstrasse Bremerhaven is a must see. It was built like the ship that the immigrants came over on and the gangway even creaked as we climbed into the ship. There were life-like passengers all through the ship and speakers telling the story of life at sea for these people. It is a wonder that anybody made it. At the end we went into a big room with computers that we could look up our ancestors.

Back home Margaret brought us some of her delicious kuchen. We hurriedly readied ourselves for another night at the fest. Tonight we sampled our first German BBQ sandwich. It was tasty. We spent most of our time in the tents listening to the music.

Part 23

October 8th

Today was another sunny and warm day, just perfect for revisiting Bad Zwischenhahn. This is a big resort on the North Sea not far from Oldenburg and frequently visited by the Germans. It includes a huge park surrounding the Zwischenhahn Meer. In the park there are several historical half timbered buildings with thatched roofs, an old windmill, and a restaurant specializing in smoked eel. We skipped the special.

At the shore line there were chairs filled with people soaking up the rays and watching the sailboats on the water. We jumped at the opportunity to take a leisurely tour boat ride for 7.50 Euro per person.

We then went to the main street where there were shops up and down the street. Lunch that day would be at Seekieker on the main street. The specialty was fried fish and it was great.

For the benefit of those who enjoy the outdoor museums, there is one in a town near Oldenburg that is outstanding. The buildings have thatched roofs and brick foundations which are typical of towns on the north sea. One of the buildings houses a kitchen that bakes bread in an old stone oven and we became the owners of the best raisin bread ever eaten.

October 9th

We paid 170 Euro for three nights, and said our good-byes to the Holleweges with sadness in our hearts to leave such great people. Margaret presented me with a hand made wooden angel that hangs in my home as a reminder of her friendship.

The one thing they said to us is make sure you leave the key in the door before leaving. This did not seem to be a difficult task until we stopped several miles down the road for a potty break and discovered we had the key. So back to the farm we went to return the key.

Speaking of pottys along the highway, we have found them to be very clean. Some do not charge while others require a donation and there is usually someone there to see that one drops a coin in the plate. On a few occasions we have been to ones that have a turnstill that only lets you go through when you deposit a coin and it gives you a ticket. They are very sophisticated and sparkling clean with the seat that rotates and cleans itself after each use. Toilet paper can be an issue, but seems to have improved over the years. To eliminate any problems, we just purchase a soft brand at one of the stores in Germany.

Our next stay would be the very nice town of Celle where we would spend two days at the Hotel Am Braunen Hirsch (www.hotel-ambraunenhirsch.de). Free parking was in the back of the hotel and English was spoken. The hotel was only 800 meters from the Altstadt, and we did all of our exploring on foot. We wasted no time walking to the Altstadt. It was Sunday and most stores were closed. One of the locals suggested we eat at the Indiana steakhouse. It was a bad move. Since it was a warm and sunny day we chose to eat outside. Another bad move. Since it was a steak house we ordered steak. Wrong again. Chuck said the only thing good was the wine. It was hard to cut the steak (which was very tough) and swat the flies at the same time.

Celle is a very old town founded over 700 years ago and truly a must see. The Ducal palace was built in 1292 and has some beautiful gardens. Beverly did not miss the chance to see some of the 500 restored half timbered buildings, one of which was the famous Hoppenhaus. History abounds as we walked through this town. Chuck spotted an old Gothic church built in 1233 and we paid it a visit. The half timbered houses were of the 16th-17th century and escaped war damage over the years. The houses were well preserved, richly carved renaissance styles.

It was getting late afternoon and we started walking back to the hotel with every bit of confidence that we were heading in the right direction when suddenly we realized we were lost. We had used the church steeple as a landmark but could not remember which way to go from there. It was hard to find someone who understood our poor German enough to help us. We will never forget this very kind man, who drives a trolley around town, stop and try to help us. He called our hotel and got them to give him directions so he could help us.

Dinner that night would be at a historical tavern next door to the hotel (Brauner Hirsch). It was a hang out for the locals. The food was good and cheap. The one problem was no non smoking areas and I think everyone smoked. We managed just fine.

That night we turned on the TV and watched the breaking news of the earthquake in Pakistan on CNN.

Part 24

October 10th

Our breakfast consisted of a buffet spread of everything imaginable and we dined in a quaint glassed-in sunroom with the sun beaming on the glass.
We headed on foot back to the Altstadt and to the old historical Rathaus to get info on what to see and do. Shortly thereafter we found ourselves taking a German speaking horse and buggy tour of the town for 2.50 p/p. And then we hopped on the trolley for another tour. Guess what? It was the same tour guide that had helped us the day before when we were lost. He went out of his way to be extra kind to us. Sometimes he would get off the trolley and come to our seats and explain something that he thought we might not have understood. We paid 3 Euro p/p for 45 mins. And of course Chuck rewarded him with a big tip and he got a nice smile in return.

Lunch today at the beautiful historical Rathskeller was one of the best meals in Germany. Beverly had grilled Haxe with the best fried potatoes and sauerkraut ever. And for dessert she savored some ice cream with mixed berries topped with that tasty cream found only in Germany. It was almost too pretty to eat.

Today would be the first day in Germany that we did not make a wrong turn or get lost. But we almost became a casualty. We narrowly escaped being hit by a biker. There are a lot of bikers in Germany. Some are for pleasure rides and some are for modes of transportation. There are bike paths for bikers but some ignore them and use the pedestrian sidewalk. We have learned to keep a third eye out for them who hurriedly breeze by and do not slow down for the ones on foot. Some of them are very courteous and ring a little bell as they approach. Dinner that night was at the tavern again. Schnitzel and salad for 4.90 Euro p/p.

October 11th

Paid our 166 Euro and off to Hohenhameln to spend two nights with some very dear German friends. A trip to Germany is not complete without seeing them. There are not enough adjectives to describe how wonderful this family is. Both speak good English and have taught us so much about Germany. They have a daughter and son and a spoiled cat named Fritz. Our accommodations there were the whole downstairs.

Dinner that night was at a Greek restaurant, Dolphin Grill, in Hohenhameln. Very good food and service. That night we stayed up past midnight sharing stories.

October 12th

One will never go hungry at this house. Every time we turned around they were offering us something to eat. There was a big spread for breakfast.
Our first thing on the agenda was the Internationales Wind und Wassermuhlen museum in the little town of Gifhorn. We recommend this museum to everyone. It is an outdoor museum of many different life sized windmills from all over Germany and the world. The museum also includes the history of windmills and how they were constructed.

Of course we had to sample some of the butter cake made in front of our eyes in a wood burning stone oven located in the millhouse that is a timber framed building of lower Saxon style.

There is also an active Russian Orthodox church filled with gold and other riches on the premises.

We left there to visit the huge fields of heather and juniper that adorned the nature trail of which we walked. We will not elaborate on the next subject since we did post it earlier except to say Beverly could not believe her eyes when she was told that the conversion vans parked in the fields in the middle of nowhere were mobile homes for the “Snow Whites" dressed in their pink teddies waiting for their customers. Prostitution is legal in Germany.

That evening we would have a great home-cooked German meal and discuss German politics. Merkel had been elected and everyone was speculating.

Part 25

October 13th

Beverly, with tears in her eyes, said her goodbyes to our friends knowing it would be at least a year before we would see them again.

We headed toward Frankfurt and the Express by Holiday Inn hotel in a town called Morfelden-Walldorf. Today would be like any other day in that we made some wrong turns and were lost. Chuck was famous for making the mistake of stopping and asking someone on the street directions. He stopped and asked an elderly lady where the hotel was. Fifteen minutes later there were three elderly ladies arguing over who knew the correct way to the hotel. This was hilarious.

Even though this hotel was clean and comfortable we will not stay there again. It was too Americanized for us who like to savor our last night in Germany in a more German type setting. Even the continental breakfast was like the Comfort Inn back home. We chose this hotel because it was near the airport and offered shuttle service.

Before returning the car to the airport we grabbed a bite of food at the only restaurant in the area, the Ristorante Pizza. The service was poor and the pizza was OK. Not worth revisiting.

There was no problem returning the rental car, but it took us three hours to get a shuttle back to the airport due to two major accidents on the main roadways.

Back at the hotel we spent hours trying to pack eight suitcases worth of goods into five suitcases. Literally, we stuffed things in every nook and cranny. Beverly carefully packed Chuck's hand made German pocket knife in a check-in bag for security reasons. Later that night she changed her mind and switched her check-in bag to a carry-on forgetting about the pocket knife in the side pocket. This would later lead to disaster at the airport.

October 14th

After paying the 60 Euro for the room and 10 dollars for the use of the shuttle, we took the shuttle back to the airport, checked our suitcases in without any problem and headed for the gate. We passed the first of two security screening areas with flying colors. At the second screening desk the pocket knife was discovered on x-ray and we were immediately surrounded by security and a German police and arrested. We were detained, questioned and booked for having a weapon in a secure zone. We had forgotten to put it in the check-in luggage. Beverly could already imagine being put in jail. They took us down to the security office and we were told by one security officer that we would be fined a hefty amount and could be detained. Beverly looked so pitiful they decided to let us go without paying any fine and declared it an honest mistake. They blamed the security at the first desk for not finding the knife and preventing the arrest. We almost missed our plane by seconds as the attendant held open the door.

The flight to Newark was great. Again we spent hours in Newark trying to get home. They said the delay was due to inclement weather. The moral of the story is do not fly a puddle jumper in and out of Newark. The slightest amount of weather change holds up traffic that is already too heavy for the airport.

Home again, reminiscing about our 4 weeks in Germany and making plans on when we could return. We were blessed with a great trip and a lot of Kodak moments to add to our memories.

Chuck and Beverly Kronenburg