An ABSURDLY long drive from Speyer (thanks to bad traffic, a stubborn gps, an impatient navigator and a skittish driver) we arrived at Rothenberg ob der Tauber. Our German friends described it thusly; "it's like German Disneyland and totally cliché... You'll love it." Well color me predictable; I sure as hell DID love it. The ancient walled city may have been partially reconstructed in the past few hundred years or so --specifically to attract tourism-- but th...

A quick trek to the neighboring village of Langweiler where Niklaus last lived before emigrating from Germany to America brought us to the doorstep of the last remaining Weichel family to live in the town. The huge family home is 150ish years old even though it now looks thoroughly modernized. Diana, Helmut's daughter, gave us a tour, complete with Germ-glish on our side and Engl-erman on hers. We then said goodbye to the beautif Palatinate and the ancient home...

Another full day with the Weichels, this time 90 Weichels total! We met for the Official Reunion at a hall in a small village not far from here. There was, of course, beer. And LOTS of delicious food. Oh, and the desserts were incredible. Ooooh so many different kinds of cakes and pies--all homemade of course. They do cake like they do cars around here: top notch! The official meeting began with the list of Weichels that have passed away in the past 5 years sinc...

It's 10:30pm and the sun has just set (which is pretty awesome, i have to say) I'm sitting in the giant open window sill overlooking the hotel's tiny but quaint biergarten, next to a stunning 1000 year old stone church. It's silent outside, save for a few crickets and the occasional Car on the autobahn in the distance... Side note: In Germany the cars deserve a capital C. I've seen nothing but BMWs, Audis, VWs and Porsches, not to mention more than 1 Lamborghini...

First German meal. It's loaded with cream cheese. Not a bad start, I'd say.