July in Germany with Dear Friends
We try to visit our dear friends Scott and Gina at least once a year. They live near Wiesbaden, Germany. We go way back! We first met them on a tandem bicycle ride in Snohomish, WA almost 25 years ago! This year we brought our tandem and did a lot of bicycling together. In a very real sense, Scott and Gina are our co-Tandem Spirits. We’ve had a lot of good times together!!
Schwäbisch Gmünd with Ute and Winnie
After spending a few days with Scott and Gina, we made our way south into Swabia in Southern Germany and spent a day with Ute and Winne. They live in a wonderful town called Schwäbisch Gmüd. Virginia first met Ute back in the early 1970’s when they became “pen pals.” We met her in 1981 when we were studying in Kiel, Germany. It’s amazing how long their friendship has endured. We are truly fortunate to have such a long-lasting relationship with Ute and her husband Winnie (and their girls!!!).
While we were there we visited a nearby castle called Berg Hohenrechberg which rests on the top of a hill with a spectacular view of the region. In the distance you can see the Swabian Alps!
Varese and Trento, the Italian Stopovers!
It’s a long drive from Foligno to Wiesbaden. It’s also quite a jaunt from Schwäbisch Gmüd back to Foligno. This gives us an excuse to stop somewhere along the way and spend the night somewhere in northern Italy. This year, heading north, we stopped in Varese which is about 30 minutes north of Milano. We’ve been here a couple of times before and really enjoy the atmosphere.
On the way back we spent the evening in Trento, which is known for its Medieval and Renaissance historic center. It has a prestigious University as well. It’s one of those towns we need to go back and visit again.
