ALIVE AND WELL IN FREIBURG

Alright, we have regular access again. We would have needed to use our AIR BnB host´s office computer, which we didn´t want to do long term. The one Internet cafe was also a casino, full of cigarette smoke. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Beyond that, tShielklingen was wonderful. It is a small German town, workaday kind of place - very interesting to me with my German background.  The people of Germany, contrary to rumor, are very welcoming and friendly. nly problem is our knowledge of German is limited to Guten Tag, Ja, Denke, etc., so when people stopped and talked with us on the street we were really not able to respond. Frustrating, we need a class in German before returning.

We were in the Swalbian Alb region, a place of folling, heavily forested hills that resembles my native Pennsylvania... I have heard that many German immigrants settled there because of this resemblance.
Of course we hiked long distances through these bird song filled forests. Wildflowers were everywhere, along with timy frogs, orange/gold slugs, and pure white snails.

On our first day the hike took us through the nearby town of Hausen, a picturesque farming town. There was a fire department benefit going on, complete with a brass band. It was a good contact with Germany - the onlz#y sad thing about Hausen was a cemetary where all the gravestones were for 20 something men who died in 1944. There was a lot of anti Nazi graffiti in this region, with good reason... I hope they are not trying to reestablish themselves.

After the hike yesterday we spontaneously jumped on a bus to the neighboring town of Hutton. This was a lovely town, close to the rolling hills and thick forests. But people told us we couldnot get back to Shielklingen that day. After a lot of talking, laughing and gesturingwith a woman who lived near the train station, we determined there was one train we could get a train in 20 minutes. It cut our time in this area short, but it seemed like a good idea to take it.

Mark, our host told us we saw about 1% of what is available. There are castles, caves, and many miles of forest. We hope to return. We are now in Freiburg, a beautiful city where we are staying literally a short walk from the Black Forest. More to come.

Oh yes, we drink lightly, but can report that Italian wine and German beer are as good as you have heard.