Should also set the record straight on dates. They're correct below, but off by a day in my earlier messages. The error seems a fair reflection of the general difficulty I've had figuring out what day of the week it is ever since I got here. Actually, I kind of like that about vacations.
Stuttgart - 16.11.08
Landed at Stuttgart on Sunday morning in a state of high excitement despite 15 hours of travel and almost zero sleep. The few short periods of unconsciousness I was able to achieve were interrupted by the sound of snoring nearby! My outrage was tempered by the discovery that I was the one doing it. Wonder who else I was keeping up.
The whole Selje family was there to greet me - Martin, Eva, Julia, and David. Any concern I might have had about my reception evaporated in a series of hugs and smiles, and we were soon off on a series of adventures: a walking tour of the Hohenheim area near their home during which we discussed the differences between castles and palaces; a drive into the Stuttgart city center where we watched the clock at the old castle strike noon - a spectacle that must be seen to be believed; a trip to Esslingen for lunch and a brief lesson on the proper pronunciation of spaetzle.
Waiting for the show to start at the Old Castle
Neither of them would say so, but both Martin and Eva have plenty of English and with Julia, who recently spent seven months in Australia, there to fill in the gaps, we were able to talk at length. I enjoyed everything we did together, but nothing more than that.
Well, except maybe the 11 hours of sleep I got once I went to bed!
Next day, the 17th, Julia was my tourguide throughout the morning, and we visited two towers on either side of the valley that envelopes Stuttgart. The first was a 150 meter behemoth that provided striking panoramas of the area but also wind blown temperatures of about 7-8 degrees Celsius, or 'bone-chilling if you're used to thinking in Fahrenheit. The second was just 30 meters, one you climb up yourself, but much nicer climate-wise.
After lunch, it was Martin's turn. We took the scenic route - the very scenic route - out to Lichtenstein Castle. Pulling into a nearly empty parking lot I observed that one of the nice things about traveling in November is that there are so few crowds to contend with. On the other hand, the down side of traveling in November is that many things are closed during the week. And so we found the castle. We consoled ourselves with a brief walk around the perimeter and then one of the best hot chocolates I've ever had at the Ritter chocolate factory.
Now that's a castle!
Wanted a shot of myself here, but Martin insisted on being in it himself
The highlight of the day was dinner at the 'un-restaurant' (my term). If I understood this correctly, it's a house in town that the owners turn into a business for two months out of the year (April and November), during which they serve a fairly simple menu and their homemade wines. The setting could not have been better suited to having more fun conversation with the Seljes.
Two glasses of wine and one of schnapps saw Martin and I a fair way toward unlocking some of the important secrets of the universe. It started, as these things often do, with a discussion of music - The Beatles, the Stones, Jethro Tull, and that exquisite harmony at the beginning of the Beach Boys' 'In My Room'. At one point, Julia mentioned something about black holes and the next thing I knew we were trying to figure out the meaning of everything.
Perhaps a later evening, another schnapps, or just greater facility with one another's language would have brought us success but, it being a school night, we all needed to hit the sack. Besides, what would we have had left to talk about next time?
So, tomorrow's airport day - Karelyn arriving mid-morning and Jean and Tommy after dinner. Look for other guest bloggers as the week wears on. Finally, three pictures from Bonnie's and my hike around Prague today.
A rare bit of sunlight - would love some more
Temperature dropping...
March of the penguins 
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