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http://www.weingarten-online.de/servlet/PB/menu/-1_l1/go.htm
http://www.campusgermany.de/english/4.22.3.2057.html
http://www.kirikou.com/alemania/badenwuttermberg/barroco/weingarten/weingarten.htm
where we would catch the train.
Ravensburg is a medieval town that is
called the city of seven towers. We
saw them all and climbed the biggest
one... 210 steps. The view was
amazing from the top. It was originally
built behind a wall and still a part of the
wall remains. We then descended the
stairs (210 of them) and proceeded to
the train station. By the way
Ravensburg is where the
Ravensburger puzzles come from.
They have gamming celebrations there
throughout the year.
Lisa, Bernd and Lena saw us to the
train and we said our goodbyes. It was
so wonderful to have the opportunity to
meet them and to get to know them a
bit. They are delightful and Adam and
I have good memories to take home
with us. Perhaps they will come to the
United States again and we can return
the generosity.
Two hours later we were at our next
destination and were met at the station
by Regina Götz. Regina is a vivacious
young woman in her 30’s who is a
theologian. She just finished her
practicum and in a flat above the
church counseling center.
After looking at the genealogy book
and trying to figure out how we are
related, we had some cream and fruit
and tried to get acquainted. Regina
has studied four languages and
speaks English very well. She had a
need to know the correct word to use
as we talked so she got out the
German-English dictionary to choose
the precise word she wanted to use.
We spent most of the evening talking
about the languages we share and
that dictionary was open frequently...
so Adam got a photo of Regina with
her dictionary!!!!!
We planned our itinerary for the next
day and went to bed ready for the next
day’s adventure.
We had an early breakfast at the B&B and set off for the train
station. Today’s travel itinerary was the most rigorous of the entire
trip... four trains to catch in one day and only 10 minutes maximum
layover for each train to get to Weingarten, Germany, the home of
Lisa Greiner, one of our distant German relatives. We made the
trip just fine and Lisa picked us up with her daughter Lena. We got
to their home had some refreshments as we got to know each
other. Lisa is a teacher. She teaches what we would consider to
be upper elementary school. She also sings and does Cabaret
Theater. Lena is a typical 16 years old teenager. They both
spoke wonderful English so we had little problem with
communication. I found them both to be intelligent charming and
beautiful. Adam and I instantly felt welcomed by both of them. We
were also introduced to their new kitten and our love for pets
proved to be a common denominator.
A little later we got to meet Bernd, Lisa’s equally charming partner.
I liked him instantly, as he made us feel welcome in their home. He
is also in education and teaches in education and oversees
something that is similar to our student teaching program. We had
great conversations about the joys and frustrations of being a
teacher, and about the state of education in our respective
countries. Also we talked about politics and the value of travel in
our world today. Lisa and Bernd are in fact getting ready to leave
on August 1st to travel to Russia. They will take the Transiberian
Railway to Mongolia, where Lisa’s sister lives. Then they will go on
to China and fly home. Lena will meet them in Mongolia as well.
As we talked we found it extremely helpful to use an atlas while we
shared our travel plans. Adam found it quite humorous that we
kept referring to the Atlas as we talked, and we kind of laughed
about it. So before the night was through Adam had to get a photo
of Lisa, Bernd and the Atlas! We talked until about 11:30pm. The
time went quickly as we acquainted ourselves with our newfound
relatives.
29 July 05
Today we had breakfast and then Lisa and Lena took us to the
Lake of Constance. It is the meeting point of Germany, Austria and
Switzerland. The lake is about 30 minutes south of Weingarten,
and we went to hopefully get a glimpse of the Swiss Alps on the
other side of the lake. Unfortunately the weather was rather humid
and a haze covered the Alps.... so we imagined the Alps in our
minds. Even with the fog, the view was breathtaking. We got out
of the car and walked around town (can’t remember name of it) and
checked out the shops and the cafes there. We were hot so we
stopped to enjoy an iced coffee in one of the cafes. Then we
headed to another village for lunch. We ate outside by the lake. It
was beautiful. Adam had Wiener Schnitzel and I had a local dish
made of pork with spraetzel and cheese and potato salad. It was
very good and filling as well. Then we headed back to Weingarten
to the Monastery there. It houses a church with the oldest pipe
organ in the Alps. It was quite grand and the dome was decorated
in typical Baroque ornamentation. This organ was built by Graber
and is in one of my organ books at home. Beautiful place!!!!
When we got home we packed and prepared to travel by train to
meet Lisa’s cousin, Regin Götz. She lives just north of Stuttgart in
a small town called Vaihinger. It would take a little over three hours
to get there, but Bernd got online and printed out an itinerary for
us.