What was to be my first day in Frankfurt turned out to be a day unsnarling a travel mess caused by U.S. Airways. This a pedometer that records the number of steps taken in a day. Usually I have 5-6 thousand, which includes a 45 minute walk. This day was fourteen thousand, with lots of walking around the airport.
A photograph of a description of the first part of what went wrong (I ended up with seven pages of notes by the end), kept mainly as evidence so I can get my $250 for an unexpected overnight stay in Chicago.
7am on a friday mornng. It took 38 minutes to get to the roped-in portion of the U.S. Air portion. They then sent me to the line of misfit toys, where I waited another 45 minutes before I could speak to someone.
But thank God I made it. Kloster Eberbach is in the Rhine Valley, about 40 minutes outside of Frankfurt. This is one of the rooms. The bed is very comfortable. I keep the window open and listen to all the chirpy birds outside.
Coolest. Bathmat. Ever.
A field just outside of Kloster Eberbach.
One of the vinyards. Large cranes are a necessity these days, as individual genetically engineered grapes can now weigh hundreds of kilos.
More vinyard.
Too bad they don't have any grape vines here.
Stefanie, my Big Nerd Ranch host, drives a cute mini convertable. The NeXT sticker proves her geek creds.
Wheeeeeeee!
There are lots of random fields of yellow flowering vegetation.
ObScooterPicture for Aaron. Rüd, Crüd, and socially Ünacceptable.
The Rhine River. Oh, and some more vines. There are vinyards on this side of the river, and lots of castles on the other.
Castle.
Stefanie, and a castle.
Castle, taken in motion from the road. My lens has an "Active Vibration Reduction", which supposedly lets you take photos from a moving vehicle. I guess they're right.
This is like cross between disney and a geodesic dome. Covered in grapes. No castle here.
Castle
Railroad stop signal
heh heh. he said ass man.
Train passing through.
While whipping through some small side town along the valley, we saw this guitar-playing hipping statue on someone's porch.
No place is safe from advertising.
There are trimmed and gnurled tree thingies around.
tree thingie at a coffee sop
German domestic day out.
BUBBLES!
MORE BUBBLES! Good Work, Terrie. (don't worry. Only one person in the world outside of me gets this joke)
While waiting for coffee and cake, the tree thingies, and a more distant tree looked too cool to pass up.
mmmm... Snacks...
The coffee shop / bubble emporium was a mile or two away from a scenic overlook. This gentleman is photographing said scenic overlook.
This tree kept jumping in my way. Damn trees.
Stefanie photographing a small bug, or something.
ObScenicOverlook.
They breed children for superpowers here. As DanWay says, "Das Übermenschkinder!"
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
A short walk down a path leasd you to giant war memorial. Just remember, you're only allowed two "direct into the sun" photographs in a lifetime.
Hugely huge angel. This is probably what they used to redevelop Jericho.
Leafy Labyrinth.
Detail of the memorial.
Local angelic weed pusher.
For some reason I enjoy photographing photographers.
This was taken up by the monument. This is where they grow small vehicles.
This area was where Brahms took walks and developed some themes for his music.
Said area where Brahms walked.
Castle. And Stefanie's cool Apple-hat.
German drivers are *amazing*. They can photograph and travel at insane Autobahn speeds at the same time.
This was a random fence gate visible from the road, up about 30-40 feet on a steep hill.
Stefanie and a mid-river castle.
Castle. With construction equipment.
Castle. This place is hip-deep in castles. You would figure the EU would have the place sprayed for them.
Elvis needs ferry boats.
German McDonalds selling an Indian burger.
Now we're on Sunday. Some moring pictures around the Monastary. The bulding on the right is our hotel / room area
The front door for the room area. The motorbike belongs to Stefanie's boyfriend.
Random stone stairs.
Even the birdhouses are historic
The white building straight ahead is the foodage and class area.
The classroom is on the second floor at the end.
The chapel
The Kloster's restaurant outdoor seating area. The weather has been incredible so far.
More chapel.
Random garden
This is the happiest dumpster I have *ever* seen. I want what hes having.
Old trees are cool
Another large crane. After a week of Big Nerd Ranch food, you need help getting into the shuttle bus.
AHH! THE TREES EAT PLANES!
top of the church.
Garden.
More Garden.
This area is undergoing restoration. Or else that's a holy backhoe. I've lost track of the latest changes to the Western Rite.
End of Sunday.
