STUTTGART

We arrived at our friends, Ron and Keri Downers after leaving

Goslar. It was a long train ride but the train was a great

way to see the countryside. They live in Stuttgart.

The Downers drove us to Tubingen. It is a college town

with a lot of old history. 

The buildings are beautiful and old.

In the town square:

Next to the old church (cathedral). It was too big to get

the entire church in the picture.

The next morning we got up really early (5:00am) and drove

south to Garmisch. This is were the 1936 winter Olympics

was held. Behind us is the ski jump.

Then we hiked up the mountains (Alps) behind the

Olympic stadium.

There is a narrow pathway cut into the side of

the mountain you walk through to get to the other side

of the mountain. The river is beautiful and not

calm like it looks in the picture. It was raging.

Lots of waterfalls:

The Downers have a tradition that when you finally

reach this point in the hike you have to have your

picture taken with the wife on the shoulders

of the husband. It wasn't easy.

A view of the Alps from one point on the hike.

The farmers gather the grass for the goats and sheep and

put them on these poles. Then the animals come by and

eat from the stacks. I thought they looked like dead

bodies that had been staked up.

On our way down the mountain there was this awesome bridge. 

It is too bad that you can't see how high up it is. Quite scary.

Just another view of the valley from the Alps

We them drove over to another part of the Alps where they

had an Alpine slide. First you had to ride up the stair lift.

It was about a 20 min ride, it was that far up.

Then you got into one of these coasters

And down you went along this track.

I wish you could have seen how long and how twisty

the track went. It scared me too death. But it was one

of the funniest things I have ever done.

Then we drove over to the next town. I can't remember

what the name is and everyone is asleep so I can't ask.

But this is where we spent the night.

It's a quaint little town. We had the best German

food at a little cafe. Tom is having a blast practicing

his German. He is quite good.

I wish I took better pictures. I felt like I was in the

Sound of Music.

The little place we stayed was darling. This is the door

to our room. Look how thick the walls are. The room

by the way was named the Edelweiss Room. How

cool is that? 

Girls, remember dad singing Edelweiss at bedtime?

Well we have a big day tomorrow. We are going to tour

some really famous castles.