OUR TRIP

We have returned from our trip to visit Amie and Albert in Stuttgart, Germany. It was wonderful to see them in their environment and their home. They both have done a superb job of assimilating and adjusting to life in Germany.
Instead of choosing to live the American life in Germany, they chose to blend in as best they can with the life of Germans. We could not have survived without Amie being able to speak German. Stuttgart is not a tourist town so it is not so common for people to speak English. Even when we were in France on the border of Germany, the French spoke German. In fact, we were at a winery in D'Alsace, France, and the owner complemented Amie on her well spoken German. Of course, the reading of the menu's was very helpful because pork is a main stay in Germany. I must say that I thought Mississippi was hard to be able to eat, Germany beats the south for everything being pork. But, we managed with salads and pomme frites, french fries. Albert seems to be very confident in his job as an engineer and easily adjusting to a different life. We must remember that Albert has not traveled as Amie. It just doesn't seem to bother him at all. He tries the German and of course you understand more than you can speak at first.
Now, on the their home - what a lovely and warm home they have put together with garage sales on the internet. They have some great buys- two chairs in excellent condition for 1 euro. A free chair by the road that Amie scrubbed and it looks just like the one from Ikea. Amie's creativeness has come out on her walls!!!! I know you all have seen the apartment but it can not be appreciated until you visit. You walk out of their apartment take a left and you are in a forest by a river. You feel as if you are in the country but get off their street and voila you are in a town. And of course, the transportation is easy and close. Amie and Albert have bikes to do some of their traveling or the train is a block away. In fact, that is how we went to the airport because their Porsche could not carry us and our luggage. I can not wait for Denver to take the light rail out to the airport.
We went to castles, palaces, lakes, winery's, down towns, flea markets, concentration camp, old Renaissance towns and a lot of walking. Stairs, stairs and more stairs.
Thank you Albert and Amie for a warm welcome and stay in your home and newly adopted country.