Two Days in the Eifel

These pictures show the first place of "interest" that we visited in the Eifel area on May 7.

Ursula travelled with us to the Eifel as the intent of this trip was to visit cousin Brunhilde and her husband Hans - B. known to all as Bruni is a sister of U. & R. and was born in the same year as Helmut about one month later. ( The Becker family is: Dietrich, Ursula, Brunhilde and Renate ) {Zimmermann's & Beckers fit together like this - D. B., Wally Z., U. B. , Helmut Z. , B. B, Ingrid Z., R.B. & Klaus Z. were both born in '41 and I don't know which month R. was born in.} Confusion? Probably. Hanna Z. was much later and of the second Mother.

There are two rather dark pictures tthat llok like a church and this is the Maria Laach Catholic Monistary which is on the way to Hans & Bruni's. We stopped to look around they had some very nice flowers of which you see a couple of shots. I haven't located in the browser the shot of the wisteria covered walkway that was at the monistary.

The road is where we were driving between the monistery and Bruni's, the houses are either in one of the villages that we passed or in Arbach which is where they live. This last scene from the car window is of Bruni's barn side and house door and windows.

Their house is an old farm house with the barn attached. They have refurbished the inside in the old style with modern plumbing. They have both a wood stove and an electric stove in their kitchen. Hans likes to cook ceratin things on the wood stove. We were told that he is the main course cook and Bruni does salads and desserts.

They have a wood heater in the sitting room and had it all fired up the day we arrived. It was a rather damp day but not very chilly.

We took our things to the guest room on the thrid floor - lots of exercise for the "old woman's knees". You learn to plan ahead when you have too climb so many steps. the room had a slopped ceiling so we decided to sleep wih our heads at the foot of the bed and our feet under the low part of the ceiling so that we wouldn't bang our heads when getting up.

Bruni and Hans like antiques and have lots of them. She has a hobby of painting eggshells and does them beautifully - they are displayed all over the main floor area and in the open stairway also.

After a very nice midday meal Bruni, Ursula, Helmut, and I took a walk in the countryside and the dog went along. We all got a little wet as it rained while we were out - but we didn't melt. It is hilly in the area but we kept to the flatest roads as possible. Both the gals could easily keep up with Helmut but I am the big drag on the excursion. Bruni showed us where Hans cuts wood for their stoves. He buys it from the farmer and then cuts it himself.

The remainder of the day was spent in visiting and eating.