Category: Europe

Dad entered WWII in December 1944, through Marsailles, France. In February and March of 1945 Dad’s unit fought through Worms and then crossed the Rhine near Mannheim and moved on to Heidelberg. After the war Dad stayed another year driving trucks for the army and I have heard that a good portion of the time was around Heidelberg. In this city was the first time I could actually picture him as a young man walking the same streets, taking the same tram to the same castle and just being where I was 70 years later. Melancholy…..

 

Visited a 12th century castle in a beautiful wilderness area near the German border and the Black Forest

Driving east from Paris we first encountered farmlands reminiscent of the American midwest. Spent the night in Reims, in an airbnb sort of under construction. Nice host. His suggestion for dinner took us to a restaurant where the server kept saying “not possible” to our requests. The next day we stopped in Metz for lunch and then we entered the Vosges mountains and on into the Alsace region of France.

Alex, Eric’s friend, picked us up at the Lille Europe train station and drove us to his family’s home. The landscape as we toured this southern part of Belgium made feel like I was coming home. We spent a lovely weekend with a wonderful, generous family.

• Most useful app has been “Transit” for train, bus and Velo bike rentals. That, and a compass app so we know what direction to go when leaving a subway.
• On the street, no one looks you in the eye. Even babies look away quickly. In shops however, as long as we attempt French, everyone is very helpful.
• Here is a collection of photos that don’t fit a particular post, or remind me of someone, or I just want to share…..

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

 

Feeling like locals tonight. Went to an Edith Piaf retrospective at 19:00, then dinner at 22:30. The show was at Essaion Theater, literally a cave, seating just 50 people. Caroline Nin performed the one woman show, all in French. We had reviewed Piaf’s biography before the show so I was able to follow along fairly well. Good music at a unique venue.