/Summary: 1983 Trip to Europe

(July 6 to September 27)

As we were ready to leave Los Angeles, on our way to Frankfurt, Germany, we had to wait for President Reagan and Air Force One to take off. Emmy decided we would travel in a rental car and spend the nights in small hotels, but two nights of that was all she could take. We found a 1978 Dodge camper van at the US Army PX parking lot near Stuttgart.

The next 10 days included Paris, Chartres, and Compienge. Accidentally met Daughter Linda (she had a summer job at Villeroy & Boch in Mettlach, Germany) in Fougéres, France, a town none of us had even heard of earlier that morning.

In Dinan, as we walked down the long steep hill to the harbor, I reminded Emmy that she must walk up just as far as she walks down, so be careful. The next few days included visits to Mont St. Michel, Queen Matilde’s Bayeux tapestry, Normandy invasion beaches, Honfleur’s beautiful wharf area.

We toured Rouen, and the city of Arras, then Linda and friend Margit decided to join us to experience how we travel, so across Switzerland, on to Carcassonne, Arles, Avignon, and Nimes, France. Then to the French Riviera and Monaco.

Across Italy to Venice (Linda left us here), continued to northern Italy, into Switzerland, then Austria. We saw Munich, visited friends in Nürnberg, then to Bamberg. We have determined that no town gate surpasses the Maintor, at Marktbreit, Germany.

The fairy-tale towns of Rothenburg, and its neighbor Dinkelsbühl, must always be seen, then to Toni’s in Mettlach, Germany, for a few days rest. Toni’s home is about 180 years old, and is in the middle of a half dozen town-houses that share end walls. During our stay, a fire in the middle of the night badly damaged the neighbor’s home, but the thick stone wall between the homes, protected Toni from any damage.

We toured the Maginot Line and other cities in nearby France, visited several other cousins in Germany, then a few more days in France. We parked the camper in a garage in Mettlach, planning to return within six months or so, then to Frankfurt for our return to the US.

What a wonderful 87 day trip.