Bad Schwalbach revisited

Saturday, 14 October, we drove back into the Rhein Taunus for another hike around Bad Schwalbach. The hike we had done the week before was so super, we could not resist trying out another roundway we had found in our Walking book. This one started from the opposite end of the village, up near the Kurpark. Following a well marked trail, we headed out around the lake and up a steep climb, into the forest. The mixed hardwoods, Beech, Oak and Birch with an an occasional clump of "volunteer" pines, set the background for a fabulous day. The Beech are beginning to take on the "Copper Beech" colors and along with a few maples, showed some bright spots on the mountainsides. We have no trees with red leaves which add the pzazzz that I miss from NC fall foliage. Oh well, can't have everything. In NC it was a 3 hour drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway to see colors in October; from Frankfurt, we are lacing up our boots and ready to hit the trail in less than an hour! Of course, all our destinations are not so close, but the Taunus is right at our doorstep so to speak.

After 4 weeks, Jürgen is still plugging away at his Security course. One more week and we will know whether he will make the grade. He has surely studied hard enough for it. At least in Frankfurt Rhein Main airport, you can be assured the folks checking your luggage and carry-ons are well trained and know exactly what to look for!

I started my German Intensive course on Monday. The last formal class I took was in 1994, so needless to say, I had a few trembling knees when my turn came to say "auf Deutsch" why I was in the class. I should not have worried however. I had been placed (after testing my knowledge) in a midlevel class and found that the other members were at much the same level: lots of Strassendeutsch, not so good grammarr, but anxious to become better. The class looks like a meeting of the UN: 3 Italians, 3 Poles, 1 Czech, 1 Bulgarian, 1 Chinese, 1 Pakistani, 1 Persian (Iranian), 1 Algerian, 1 Congolian, 1Ukranian, 2 Japanese (cabin crew who work for Lufthansa), 1 Indian (Asian), 1 Serbian, 2 Spaniards and NO Americans....Yeah!!!! The interesting thing is that all also speak English. I read in the BILD newspaper today that there is a movement similar to that in Frence, to clean up the German language of "Denglish". From the complexion of this group, it looks like a hopeless project to me.

Our weather is turning cooler and I make the heat on in the mornings. I expect to see our first frost soon. I understand from nephew Francis and my friend Peggy, both of whom were traveling in the NE of America last week, that the first snowstorm of the year has occurred. Bet the Ski resorts are counting the green already, looking forward to a white Thanksgiving holiday.
Well, all the news for this week.

Back on the trails

After almost 10 months of virtual inactivity due to my second knee operation, I am FINALLY able to climb and hike again. The last time I was 100% fit was 1998, so this has been a "long haul"for us.
On Sunday, 8 October, we drove into the Taunus over towards the Rhine to Bad Schwalbach. From the outskirts of the village, we started a 14 km (around 8,5 miles) hike that took us through magnificent forests and up onto the high meadow lands. Along the way, we saw horses in the pasture and sheep in the fields, as well as a small herd of Scottish cattle with the lovely long auburn hair.
A field of wind turbines reminded me yet again how far advanced Germany and Europe are in conserving resources. The 7 we saw would provide enough energy for two villages in the area, with some left over!

I have become involved with a new group in Frankfurt named "the American Forum". We meet monthly to discuss current events involving America and the rest of the world. Using Chomsky's book Failed States, we had quite a lively discussion last week. Everyone agreed that the current administration had a severe and potentially deadly case of "do what I say, not what I do". Next month we move onto the hot topic of Climate change and will use Al Gore's book An Inconvenient Truth. Should be quite lively. The group is 3/4 German English speakers and 1/4 American. More on this meeting next month.

I was saddened to hear yesterday that a pathologist I worked for at Würzburg US Army hospital was killed in a paragliding accident in New Mexico. He was 46 years old and leaves a wife and 4 children oldest 16, youngest 6. They are a Morman family and surrounded by a community to care for them, but what a hard blow. Life is so short sometimes, but an event such as this just prove swe should live every day to the max........

Retirement continues to be a good life. Jürgen took his annual mountain-top hike from Oberstdorf in the Allgau, to Bozen Italy. While he was gone, sister Rebecca and cousin Marynell and I took a 12 day cruise to Norway, Iceland, Shetland and Faroes Islands. What a gorgeous part of the world this is. The fjords were magnificent and the terrain of Iceland, unforgettable.

We even passed thruough the Arctic Circle as we sailed around the northern Iceland coast.

In mid August, Rebecca and I met in NC to take sister Susie Q to Garden City Beach for 2 weeks. Great fun was had with family and friends coming in for various short stays. Amy and Eliza came without "the guys" and we played on the beach, ate great seafood and just sat around and talked. [I have uploaded 2 pictures but they don't seem to want to appear!] Oh well.

Curry