For weeks, no, for months, we had prepared for our adventure in Germany! The trip description was clear: This was not going to be a walk in the park, it was going to be stairs and ladders, but with amazing views that would make up for the hard climbing.
So, we enjoyed a summer of practice hikes. I was fortunate to start working part time in July, and usually managed 2 hikes each week. During this time, Rancho San Antonio was one of my favorites. It took only 15-20 minutes to drive there, and offered a nice selection of more moderate and more challenging hikes.
We explored other favorite parks too, including Wunderlich, Windy Hill, and Portola Redwoods (quite likely the most exhausting hike, but well worth the effort).
On Sept 5, James' brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Monica, arrived to be our house sitters for the month. They live on the East Coast and were delighted at the opportunity to spend a month in California for vacation. We showed them around, and on Sept 6 Bob drove us to the airport. After all the news of parts coming off airplanes and clear air turbulence over the summer, the flight was blissfully uneventful and we arrived in Frankfurt with our carry on and backpacks, ready to roll! Regrettably, there was an incredibly long line at immigration and customs -- we waited for almost 2 hours! In the meantime, those who had passports from Schengen countries in the European Union breezed through an automated checkpoint and left us standing there, cranky and exhausted.
But when we got into the country, things improved. We were able to get our train pass very quickly with no problems and no line, and were soon sitting in our first class compartment trying not to yawn. It was a fairly direct, first the train to Nürnberg and then to Feucht, where our nephew Patrick was soon running up the station stairs to welcome us and bring us to the beautiful house that he and Nicole bought not too long ago.
After a walk to the Feuerwehrfest and then a stroll around the nearby lake, we had a delicious vegan bowl with many different vegetables prepared by our gracious hosts. We went to bed early to sleep off the jet lag and slept well in the comfortable guest room.
The next day, we went for a hike along the lakes to a very good restaurant, where Nicole's sister Verena had worked as a waitress for years while at university. The hike was great fun -- even new baby came along in a Snugli! And the food was really good as well. After that, we all went to Lisbeth and Herbert's (Nicole's grandparents) house to sit outside on the patio and have coffee and cake. It was such an enjoyable day, and we felt truly welcome.
On Monday (Sept 9), we took the S-Bahn to Nürnberg, walked of to the castle, and met up with our other Nürnberg nephew Simon, who had made reservations for a tour of the Kunstbunker. We met him at the rabbit sculpture just outside the bunker.
In retrospect, I think the Kunstbunker tour was the best tour we had during this vacation! The guide explained how, shortly before WWII started, the bunker was set up by connecting different cellars from breweries, and how air conditioned containers were added for paintings. Many art pieces (quite a few of them looted) were stored underground while the city burned. At the end of the tour, the guide also showed which of the houses of the historical center had been destroyed during a set of final air raids, and discussed how Nürnberg decided to rebuild. Interestingly, they kept the streets, and new houses had to keep the footprint of destroyed houses. But many houses were not restored but built in the style of the fifties.
After the tour, we met up with Simon's wife Zissy for lunch, and then we took the tram to the condominium apartment that Simon and Zissy recently bought. From the balcony, there is a beautiful view over the city.
When we arrived, it was almost time to meet up with Simon and Patrick's father, Klaus, who drove us all (minus Zissy) to Hembach for coffee and cake with his mother. She's now 88 and no longer as mobile as she used to be, but still very engaged with the life of her many grandchildren (most of them now Dr. or Professor Dr! So amazing!).
Klaus drove us back to Simon's house, and we had a delicious dinner of stuffed squash. Patrick joined us as well, which was a special treat. After dinner, we took the tram and S-Bahn back to Feucht. There, we went to bed early again because we weren't quite over the jet lag.
