In spite of sciatic nerve issues in my back and leg that developed the morning I left Brussels, I enjoyed several days in and around Kehl with Rita, who had two weeks of vacation at the beginning of September. The…
42 Hours in Brussels
After some down time in my “home away from home” (Kehl), I zipped over to Brussels near the end of August to visit my friend Nazilta for a few hours. Waiting for the bus. Left to right: some random guy,…
Where Have You Been?
I imagine that’s a question a few people might be asking of me. Well, I spent a week in Hamburg with a wonderful family and new friends. Monday and Tuesday I toured the city. Wednesday and Thursday I spent in my room (mostly)…
Traveler versus Tourist
One of my goals for this trip is to be a traveler rather than just a tourist. How are they different? To me, a traveler lingers when a tourist zips by, through, in and out, or around. A traveler works…
Trains, Boats, and Buses
I’ve been on a number of trains, boats, and buses lately. The German transportation networks are well-run and extensive. They even include bikes but I haven’t rented one (yet) so my experience with those has been learning to stay off…
Trier, Oldest City
Today I took a nap right after breakfast because I was tired, and I knew I had a lot of walking to do in the hot sun. Turns out it was about 6.5 hours of walking. Whew! My feet and…
Next Phase
This first 10 days in Kehl have been wonderful! I’ve enjoyed the hospitality of Jurij, Anna, and Rita immensely. It’s nice to interact with everyone beyond Skype. Thank you Familie Kerschman! Now I will pop up to Mannheim for a…
You Can’t Do THAT In Kansas
On Monday, I walked to France. On Tuesday, I spoke English and German with an engineering student from Indonesia while sitting in a Vietnamese cafe. On Wednesday, I had my first döner kebab. Mmmmmm. On Thursday we visited French monkeys…
First Day – Family, Friends, and Frankfurt
One of the best moments of my first hour in the country was seeing these two, whom I dearly love, and getting to hug them both at the same time. Rita and Jas will always be family to me! They…
Like Jumping Beans in My Head
Okay, so here I am less than six days away from landing in Frankfurt. I’ve been more excited this month than I can remember being before. I’ve been describing it as like having jumping beans in my head. Fortunately, those beans are worn out…