A Visit in March!

 

In March, Bob had to go back to the states for a 6-month training session and coupled with some work trips it was going to mean 3 weeks of being away. Rather than travel back I decided to stay as I am taking German lessons once a week and feeling like I needed to just stay put and feel more connected here.

Springtime arriving in Koln

My sister Maureen and my mother decided to help me out and come for a visit! We had 2 weeks of spring like weather, which we had not had at this point. It was such a welcomed change from dreary, cloudy, damp days!

Mom and Maureen on the riverfront in Koln

It was fun to share Cologne with them. I showed them around, walked their feet off, and had my mom hopping off and on the trams all around the city.

There are boats that travels up and down the Rhine for pleasure, but not until Easter do they really get underway again. We researched a bit and found one that was starting up, but it was south of us. We drove down to St. Goar, which was about an hour and a half away. We boarded there and went on for 2 1/2 hours. It was the first sunny day in a long time and we just soaked in the sun, sat back and enjoyed the sights. The sights were vineyards up and down the valley to the river, trains whose tracks run on both sides of the Rhine, castles and castles ruins (we had to have seen at least 20). It was such a delightful way to spend the day. Because of it being preseason, there were about 20 people on the large boat. We were able to get up and walk to the railings, take pictures without crowds, and sit back and enjoy a cup of tea on the deck.

 

Helen Spitler (FedEx friend) and me

Later in the week when Maureen’s husband, Thor arrived for a few days (in the midst of a business trip), we went back in the car to one of the castles and took a tour. Was neat to see the river from a different perspective.

Another day we spent in Düsseldorf that is about 30 miles north of Cologne. A very pretty city about half the size of Cologne. There is a very pretty walk on their very exclusive shopping street with bridges and a little river running up the middle of the street. We had lunch up in a tall TV tower, which revolved as you ate, so you had a view of the whole city in the hour you sat there. Beautiful town! They have a cool church in town that has a twisted spire. It is made of wood and the wood was not aged enough when it was built so as it dried it twisted and is misshapen.

 

We had some laughs, fun times, and great memories along the way. Thanks for sharing your vacation with me, Maureen and Mom!