Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Our trip to Germany started with our son Carl taking Carl B. and Celia and me to Lambert Airport. As we were getting our boarding passes at the American Airlines ticket counter, the agent suggested that we try to go standby for an earlier flight because Chicago often got backed up in the late afternoon. All three of us agreed and went to the gate for the earlier flight. Because of gathering thunderstorms in Chicago, boarding for this earlier flight was delayed for 40 minutes and then we were told there were no seats left. So on to the gate from which our original flight was to leave. It, too, was delayed 40 minutes, but it turned out that the flight to Chicago was smooth, that we arrived in Chicago in time to make our connection and we were on our way to Frankfurt on American Airlines Flight 84 as planned by 6:50 p.m.

Wednesday, May 19:
At the Frankfurt airport we got our German Rail passes validated, then hopped the train for Koblenz. At Koblenz, the twenty minute time span was enough to catch an IC train for Trier. After arriving in Trier, we easily walked from the main train station to the Casa Chiara Hotel and checked in.

Carl and I walked to the Porta Nigra, found the tourist office near there and got information about a boat ride and tram ride we could do tomorrow and Friday. Then supper at McDonalds in the square and a quiet evening relaxing ended the day.

Thursday, May 20:
Met Carl at the downstairs breakfast room at 7:30 a.m. It was well supplied with fruit, brötchen, eggs, cereal, milk, different kinds of meat and cheeses and fruit. After breakfast, Carl and I walked to the waterfront to be sure we knew where we would board the ship to take us on a trip from Trier to Wasser-Billig and back on the Mosel River. We also visited the tourist information center to see if they had any helpful maps. After returning to the hotel, the three of us walked to the river where the ship, the Wappen Trier, was waiting. We boarded the boat a half hour early, had some soup and hot chocolate for lunch.

It was a pleasant one and a half hour ride before we got to Wasserbillig, actually crossing the border between the countries of Germany and Luxemburg in the process. Disembarking, we had a chance to walk the downtown streets for an hour or so, get a few food items (both countries use the Euro as their currency), then back on the boat for the trip back to Trier.

Had supper at a sidewalk cafe at a restaurant a few hundred feet from the Porta Nigra, then back the three blocks to Hotel Casa Chiara. A bit of CNN on the TV and then turned in for the night.

Friday, May 21:
Met Carl for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Good Breakfast! Went to the Porta Nigra to catch a tram ride on the Roman Express (two "wagons" hooked together and pulled by an "engine" with seats for about 20 on each wagon, with open sides but with roofs/ceilings. The narration describing each point of interest we passed was given/recorded in German, French, and English. The sights included, of course, the Porta Nigra, the 20 centuries old remains of the city gate that had been a part of the city wall in Roman times. The west tower is still 96 feet tall. The gate itself was constructed without any mortar but simply layering huge white sandstone blocks, held together by iron clamps (which were removed during the Middle Ages. Also on the tour we saw the Imperial Baths (a building complex covering 825 by 480 feet) not used after the early fifth century. Also saw the house which was the birthplace of Karl Marx and also saw the Cathedral to which Empress Helena is said to have brought Christ's robe. Included in the tour was the House of the 3 Magi, built around 1230 A.D. and is one of the few secular buildings to have survived. Also visited Jews Alley, where 300 members of the Jewish community lived on about 1.7 acres.

After the tour we had a bit to eat at McDonalds (one of the few restaurants with easily readable menus), then escorted Celia back to our hotel, then Carl and I walked to the train station to make arrangements to visit Luxemburg City by train tomorrow on our way to Osnabrück. I took an afternoon nap until supper time, then we again walked to the square near the Porta Nigra and all three of us chose "Toast Hawaii" for our evening meal at a sidewalk table at the Ante Portas Restaurant there. Then back to our hotel for a leisurely evening.

Saturday, May 22:
Paid our bill at the hotel after a good breakfast and headed for the Hauptbahnhof. Stored our luggage in a storage locker and took a train from Trier to Luxemburg City. Enjoyed the pleasant, sometimes stark, scenery between the two cities.

Upon arrival we spent a chilly hour or so walking the streets of Luxemburg and window shopping (well, mostly window shopping - we did get a couple of post cards and a book about Luxemburg. Since it was rather chilly, we decided to do some inside dining for a change at a bakery in a square that had some tables and chairs for customers to use. With the menus only in French, we had to guess- and point. Celia and I had "apple strudel" while Carl had a raisin roll, with apple juice to drink.

One shop on that street had a model of the "Kennedy car" for sale (the one in which President Kennedy was killed, with figures representing Secret Service men at each corner).

After a couple of hours in the city, we boarded the train heading back to Trier. After an uneventful trip to Trier, we got off the train, retrieved our luggage from the lockers, then boarded the next train to Koblenz. It was a fairly new double decker, where the first class section we were in was on the upper level - a very smooth and comfortable ride - almost reminiscent of the ICE trains.

When we got to Koblenz, we had an hour and a half wait for just such a train that would take us, with no further changing of trains, to Osnabrück. The InterCityExpress train traveled smoothly for a couple of hours, with a brief pause at Köln (Cologne) where they changed train crews.

As we were leaving Cologne for Düsseldorf we passed a large multistory building with nearly 50 large picture windows facing the train, each with a large easily readable number on a sign in that window. The windows were numbered sequentially, beginning with 1, but two of the windows had something else in addition to the number - namely, a live sexy young lady. We had already passed the building before we realized its significance. Celia recalls that #17 had a red bra, but she couldn't recall anything else.

Later, between Essen and Bochum, our train broke down. After an hour or so, they were able to limp along slowly and get up to Bochum, but then we were told they had to wait for more help. Eventually they got us rolling again, but we arrived at Osnabrück just over two hours late. I called Friedhelm, and, while he was on his way, I replenished my supply of Euros at the money machine at the Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof.

Friedhelm (with Celia and me) took Carl to Velpe, a neighborhood a few miles from Günter and Friedhelm, where Carl would be spending nights and some days with Alfred Hackmann and his wife Lisa. Then back to Friedhelm and Günter's, where we collapsed into bed almost immediately, about 11:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 23:
After a leisurely breakfast, Celia and I were dropped off at Hackmann's; Günter and Friedhelm had an all-day confirmation event to participate in. At Hackmann's, we spent the morning visiting, chatting and drinking.We walked outside to look at the yard and garden (including a hedgehog) so Mrs. Hackmann could set the table for lunch, which included white asparagus and meat. Then more hours of sitting around the table drinking and talking, including "kaffee" which included cake called "mole hill cake".

Later in the afternoon we took a walk around the neighborhood. One of the houses was brightly decorated for the day because, Alfred told us, a young lady in the family there had achieved her 25th birthday without being married. Günter and Friedhelm picked Celia and me up around 7:30 p.m.

Monday, May 24:
Alfred brought Carl here to Günter and Friedhelm's for the day. Celia and I learned from Carl, who had spoken to Emily, that Margaret Ellerman had passed away. Friedhelm showed Carl around the house and grounds here. Celia and I spent some time in the parlor looking at photos. Then, after lunch, Friedhelm took Carl to a neighboring farm that was still an "active" farm. I took a nap for several hours. Then Günter prepared a combination "kaffee" and supper - first the cake, then the supper.

About 7 p.m., as we were finishing supper, Ruth, a sister of Elly, whom Emily B. had gotten to know, dropped by. She is a member of "Dütt und Datt", an organization that is promoting the preservation of "low German". She wanted to meet Carl. The Wesfälische Nachrichten had an article about Carl's visit here and that he would be at the meeting of that society this coming Thursday evening at the fire house in Westerkappeln. She knew many of the same people and families in the area as Günter and Friedhelm and a lively discussion ensued, often involving Carl.

Around 9 p.m. as she was leaving, the Hackmann's showed up - more chatting and drinking and visiting until 11 p.m. when Carl left with the Hackmann's.

Tuesday, May 25:
A very comfortable, leisurely breakfast; then by 10-10:15 we were on our way to pick up Carl for our trip to visit Irmgard and family in Pattensen about 100 miles from Westerkappeln. Since we had arranged by phone Monday that we would arrive some time after noon, we stopped for lunch at a Chinese restaurant, Zhao Yang in the neighboring town of Ronnenberg.. Celia had tomato soup while Friedhelm, Carl and I each had deep-fried pork dumplings.

After getting to Pattensen and asking for directions at a local auto dealership, we had no trouble finding Irmgard's place. We were warmly welcomed by Irmgard, then joined by her son Gustav and wife Brigitte. We chatted for a while, had Kaffee (including two kinds of cake - sponge cake and cheese cake) and chatted about earlier visits, including the fiftieth birthday celebration eight years ago and Mabel's visit with us here.

Carl was warmly received. Brigitte said he looked like the classic German; Gustav said he looked exactly like his "Opa" Paul. That was Irmgard's father, Wilhelm Ludwig Paul.

After several hours of visiting, we headed "home", stopping at the Bratpfanne Schnellrestaurant in Lotte for supper. Our selections included bratwurst, a fish fillet, a cheeseburger and lots of french fries. After dropping Carl off at the Hackmann's, we spent the rest of the evening watching television, including a hilarious film, "Dinner for one".

Wednesday, May 26:
After a leisurely breakfast, at the encouragement of Friedhelm and Celia, I decided to go for a long exercise walk along Sennlicher Weg. It was a pleasant walk of several miles and kind of necessary since I had not been able to do my daily three-mile walks since we started our trip. It was in the low 60's and very comfortable.

Got back in time for a light lunch, with cake. Then an afternoon nap; then getting ready for an afternoon/evening ride with Günter and Friedhelm to a restaurant in Längerich where Celia and I had invited Günter and Friedhelm to be our guests for supper. It was a Yugoslavian restaurant where we all ordered "Bosnian Halb-und-Halb" (called "Pula-pula" in Yugoslavian), consisting of four pieces of beef on a skewer and four large pieces of pork as well, plus Yugoslavian rice-with curry, and salad.

Then we went home for an ice cream treat of Günter's followed by a brief session of watching news on TV in their parlor.

Thursday, May 27:
I took a long walk along Sennlicher Weg, the road that Günter and Friedhelm's place is on, for my exercise this morning. Then more visiting, then lunch, then looking at slides. These slides included some from the summer of 1991 when the ten Cappelners from the USA Pastor Devin and Marilyn Jones, Carl Brakensiek and his sister Lucile, Layton and Dera Rehmeier, Alice Molitor and Bernice Hunt, along with Celia and me, had visited Westerkappeln.

We also saw slides from the summer of 1999 when Celia and I had invited our children, their spouses and children to a trip to Europe which included several days at Westerkappeln. We also saw slides of Günter's recent trip to Sicily.

After supper we went to Westerkappeln to attend a joint meeting of the Wersen and Westerkappeln societies that are seeking to honor and preserve the use of Low German. Carl Brakensiek was the honored attendee because, as was mentioned in a newspaper article of earlier this week, he still spoke the same version of Low German that his great-grandparents from Westerkappeln had spoken when they emigrated from this area in the mid-nineteenth century. Carl did a good job answering questions from the 30-40 attendees about himself and about Cappeln, USA. It was clear he was very much appreciated. By the time the meeting and photos and visiting were over, it was nearly midnight, so after a 5 minutes ride from Westerkappeln to Günter and Friedhelm's place, Celia and I hit the sack.

Friday, May 28:
I did the (now usual) morning walk after breakfast. Then more visiting and chatting until noon. Then we picked Carl up from the Hackmann's for the trip to Melle. As we were driving along the street in Velpe, Friedhelm saw someone on the sidewalk he wanted to talk with, so he stopped on the street, had a nice long chat with him, during which time another acquaintance joined the group of communicators. It was enjoyable watching them so comfortable as cars drove by.

After picking Carl up,we traveled to Melle. We had Wilhelmina's address but had to spend a bit of time finding it. She is a very gracious 84 year old lady, with a great sense of humor. At one point she asked Carl if he had room in his suitcase so she could climb in and go back to America with him. After her son and his wife joined the group, we had "Kaffee" including several cakes she had made.

Then shortly after 6 p.m. Friedhelm, Celia, and I headed back to Westerkappeln, stopping for supper at the Töttchen Restaurant. Spent a good deal of time chatting with Günter, Friedhelm, and a neighbor Louisa before going to bed.

Saturday, May 29:
Today was a travel day. We left about 9:30 a.m. with Friedhelm and Günter to get to the Osnabrück to meet Carl who was being taken there from Melle by Wilhelmina's son and his wife. I asked Friedhelm to take us to a Westerkappeln news stand first to see if the Low German meeting Thursday meeting had made the paper - it had - so I bought a copy of the paper to take along.

Our rendezvous with Carl was successful at the Osnabrück Hbf. in time to say our goodbyes to Friedhelm and Günter and catch the 11:38 a.m. InterCity train to Koblenz. We three had lunch in the dining car along the way -- Celia had creamed asparagus soup while Carl and I each had a good-sized serving of chili.

After a three hour ride, we arrived in Koblenz and checked into the Höhmann Hotel. Celia and I had a chance to use the Internet connection at the hotel to process our e-mail. Celia had accumulated one thousand and fifty e-mails to deal with since we had started our trip. Then an afternoon nap and supper at McDonalds.

Sunday, May 30 (Pfingsten):
After a good breakfast at the Hotel, we checked at the Verkehrsbüro to see if our GermanRail passes were valid for travel on the K-D steamers on the Rhine and Mosel.. We were told they were so we walked to the loading sites of the steamers (near the Deutsches Eck) to see about a one-hour ride up stream and a one hour downstream on the Rhine. We learned we would have to use the last "punch" on our GermanRail pass to accomplish that, so we declined.

We meandered back to our hotel, doing a good bit of window shopping along the way. All the stores were closed because of Pfingsten. At the hotel, Celia and I each spent a good bit of time working on e-mail.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Elly Kopka, a friend of Emily's along with an English-speaking acquaintance (and neighbor) of Elly's showed up at our hotel lobby as planned. We chatted almost two hours making plans for tomorrow. Her friend Christine walked with me across the street to the main train station to help me get the 3 one-way tickets from Koblenz to Neuwied that we would need to use tomorrow.

After our visitors left, the three of us went to a nearby restaurant and, after struggling with the menu a bit, we decided to order "Hawaii" which we assumed was like the Baked Hawaii or Toast Hawaii that we had found in other cities, a delicious blend of ham, cheese and pineapple on some kind of bread or pastry. When I was asked by the waitress whether we wanted the large size, I said, "Yes" because I gathered (correctly it turned out) that we were hungry. When they brought out the first two to the outside tables where we were sitting to eat our supper, it became clear that I had ordered three 16 inch pizzas. Carl and I polished off each of ours and Celia almost finished hers. They were good, and luckily, thin. It was a surprising but delightful ending to the day.

Monday, May 31:
Up for breakfast at the hotel as usual, then to the Hauptbahnhof to catch the 9:18 a.m. train from Koblenz to Neuwied. Elly arrived at the Neuwied station at almost exactly the same time we did. She drove us around Neuwied (a city of about 40,000 people) to see the sights, including the school where she had worked (now retired). She took us to her Wohnung where we spent the rest of the morning chatting, drinking and looking at photos of her trip to the U.S.

For lunch she had made reservations at a restaurant in Alt-Neuwied. On the way there, we came upon an accident that blocked the road for a while, but the police soon cleared a path for us. Our table was near a large window overlooking the Wied River, where we could enjoy the scenery, watch ducks swimming and enjoy good food.

After lunch, she showed us a bit more of the city including a dike that was constructed in 1970 to help protect the city from the flooding of the Rhine River as had happened in the past when flooding caused a large part of the town to be under water. then back to her place until almost five o'clock when she took us to the shore of the Rhine to experience taking a ferry across the Rhine - and back. Ultimately, because there were not enough passengers waiting, the ferry would not make the trip.

Then Elly took us back to the Höhmann Hotel in Koblenz and dropped us off. For supper, Carl and Celia and I decided that the Hawaiian Pizza had been great, but too much, so we ordered two large Hawaiian pizzas and an extra empty plate. The three of us polished them off quite successfully before turning in for the night.

Tuesday, June 1:
After breakfast, I had a chance to use the computer in the lobby again to get the end-of-the-month data I needed from A.G.Edwards for St. Johns Cappeln financial records for the month of May.

We took the ICE train from Koblenz at 10:48 a.m., which got us to the Frankfurt Hbf. by 12:14 p.m. as scheduled. We checked into the InterCity Hotel across the street from the main train station- they already had some rooms ready for us at the early hour of 1 p.m.; then across the street for a quick lunch at McDonalds. We experienced the typical big-city begging as well as seeing men (and a woman also this time) helping themselves to leftover food and drink left on trays in the disposal tray racks at McDonalds by previous customers.

Having checked into the hotel, we had our Fahrausweiss from the hotel, good for unlimited travel on the subways, busses, and commuter rail in the Frankfurt area today and tomorrow. So Carl and I took the S8 commuter train that will take us to the airport tomorrow. We got off at the airport stop, found the American Airlines counter and got the info we needed about checking for our flight tomorrow. Then back to our hotel to put our feet up a while before supper.

We selected a restaurant called Prost Mahlzeit and we all selected a menu item we did not recognize, but it mentioned tomatoes and cheese. It turned out to be a tasty baked item that we would have described as two large potato pancakes covered by sliced tomatoes and melted cheese, served in a very hot deep ceramic dish.

Then back to our room for a bit of TV watching before turning.in.

Wednesday, June 2:
This was a long travel day. Woke up at 5 a.m. and not sleepy so Celia and I packed our suitcases and were ready to meet Carl for breakfast at 7 a.m. We then waited until the rush hour traffic was over, then checked out of the hotel. We caught the S8 as planned, got off at the airport, found a place to sit (a precious commodity in the airport) near the American Airlines ticket counter.

We had been told yesterday that the employees would report for work to check us in after 11:15 a.m. When the time arrived, we got in line for the A A counter, then went through security check - a great deal of hurry up and wait. We had no significant problems, and went to our gate with over an hour before we could board. There were no problems with boarding, nor delays in departure. The result was that we arrived in Chicago, after a long flight, almost an hour early. Again, we went through customs with no unusual hassle and got to our gate for our St. Louis flight over an hour ahead of time. The flight to St. Louis departed about 15 minutes late. When we arrived in St. Louis, I called Elaine - she arrived from her work office in St. Peters in about 20 minutes. We dropped Carl off at his place first and then home.

It was a very enjoyable trip. The U. S. involvement in Iraq almost never came up during our visits. One comment was, "All politicians (German or American) are liars". Another comment, "The Americans have always been a helping people and now they are helping the Iraqi people get their freedom back but the *+#+#*+#%# German politicians don't have the brains or memory to remember the Berlin airlift and if it weren't for that, they would all be digging ditches in Russia now". A third comment was similar to the second one above, just not as vehement.

Celia and I enjoy traveling, but we also enjoy arriving home.

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