Aleta's Lab

170 km long, 100 villages and even more vineyards, from Marlenheim in the north to Thann in the south. We started south at Obernai, town #74. Purchased cherries at a stand by the road – 1,50 euro for 0.75 kg. Tasting rooms were often just inside a gate in the towns. One vintner, in Andlau (#62) seemed to enjoy chatting about wine and weather in California.

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…..