It's Almost like Being Home with Friends

The second time I went to Europe was in 1981 and, that time, it was with my mother.  Before we left home, a friend of hers asked if we would be going to the Black Forest/Alsace region.  When we said yes, she gave us the name of her daughter and son-in-law who lived in that area.  One day, we just turned up on their doorstep and, out of that, was forged a very long term and wonderful friendship.  Sue and I found out we knew people in common and she had had my summer job with the Canadian Hydrographic Service after I moved on to another summer job.  Initially, I only visited them every two or three years but that has gradually escalated to annual and sometimes even twice-yearly visits.  Their guest book attests to the frequency - and it has been noticed!   In my defense, I have done my best to reciprocate their hospitality whenever I have been able to.  Needless to say, these visits have given me a sense of having a "safe haven" and almost a second home when I am overseas.  It doesn't hurt that they live in one of the prettiest places I've seen in Europe so going back is always a pleasure - not to mention their super hospitality.

So, for the end of my vacation, I stayed with them for about a week.  Sue and I got to visit Lahr and host one of her friends for dinner (as previously documented).  This past weekend, some friends of mine drove up from outside Zurich to stay with us.  We had a great time reconnecting and, also, I got to have an abbreviated visit with them to the Alsace Wine Route and one of the famous villages, Obernai.

Friday evening, Sue and I cooked dinner once the Jekers had arrived.  We had a good evening chatting and, or course, drinking wine; oh, the meal was pretty delicious as well.

Saturday, Roger and Kathrin took me to Obernai, one of Alsace's renowned wine villages, where we shopped and had lunch.  After that, we drove along the part of the Alsace Wine Route from Obernai to Dambach la Ville.  

Back chez Wendorf, we had a traditional tarte flambee dinner - sort of an "Alsatian pizza" - a thin pastry shell typically topped with creme fraiche, Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese, lardons (uncooked bacon) and, sometimes, mushrooms (the Forestiere version).  The dessert version is done with creme fraiche and fruit (usually sliced apples) and flambeed with brandy.  That evening ours was done with sliced pears and Amaretto.  Yummy!  Sunday evening, Sue, Keith and I went for dinner at the lovely restaurant in their village called Aux Bords du Rhin.  The weekend was a perfect ending to my stay in Alsace.

Monday morning, I took trains - one more that I expected - the Frankfurt airport where I stayed at a nearby hotel.  Because Deutsche Bahn is no longer the ontime/dependable train system it used to be, I missed connections and ended up taking trains from Orschweier to Offenburg; from there to Karlsruhe (where I missed the connecting train to the airport) so from there to Mannheim where they held the train going from there to the Frankfurt Flughafen (airport).  It was a bit stressful but I arrived only just over an hour later than I expected.  A friend of mine also happened to be staying near the airport so we met up for a late lunch and later for dinner.  It was a great way to end my wonderful vacation.  Next up were the flights on Tuesday from FRA to YVR and from there to YYJ.  That all went smoothly.  

Interesting "non-smoking" area on the train platform - just a painted line

Now, I have to reflect on about the vacation and how it all was for me in terms of learnings, challenges, etc.  I think, given I'd had surgery not long before I left, my itinerary was a bit ambitious.  However, with the support of friends and others, it all went very well.  I saw some amazing places and had unique experiences.  There were some glitches but none that couldn't be overcome.  Once I recover (and my bank account is somehow replenished), I will more than likely start planning the next adventure!

Thanks to everyone for following along on my trip.  Ciao, M