Castles and Castles

I'm home.  Actually, this is very early of my third day home, but it's only now that I feel like I'm really back.*

The trip to Germany and Austria gave me everything (and more) that I'd wished for. My original goal was achieved: I got my castles.


*edited to add: I think my computer is angry with me for deserting it for ten days -- it's been flaked out since I got home.  This one post has taken three additional days to get moderately right.

GERMANY



AUSTRIA

Anke and Leslie -- Cousins!

However, I came back with unlooked for gifts of a much greater magnitude - ones that still blow me away. The first is that I reconnected with my German cousin Anke, who I hadn't seen in many years (12?). We had such a good time and she and her husband, Wolfgang, were so good to take me out to see new sights each and every day I was with them. But more than that, they showed me a depth of kindness and love that still quite overwhelms me.




Wolfgang (jam-maker extraordinaire), was our hardworking chauffeur.  He also protected me from curators who insisted on payment for pictures taken within the castles as well as making sure that Anke and I stopped to eat at regular intervals.

Mareike and Leonie

In Austria, I also got reacquainted with my niece, Mareike, who is now 11 years old and absolutely enchanting.  She's another one full of love.  She did her best to teach me German in the three days I was there and, for her, I really tried.  I vowed that next time I visit I'll be able to speak more than cave-man pigeon German with her.  She'll hold me to it!

An unexpected bonus was meeting my other dear niece, Leonie, for the first time.  She's the same age as Mareike and came up by train to Ohlsdorf all by herself.  It's obvious that Leonie and Mareike are very close, even as their personalities are in sharp contrast: where Mareike gravitated towards center stage, Leonie was more reserved and preferred to observe others from the sidelines.  But from there, I don't think she missed a thing!

Nati, Leonie, me, Mareike, Aaron and Nicole

It was so good to see my brother, Michael, and his wife Nati again after so many years.  I laughed when I saw that their 16 year old son, Aaron was now taller than his father (he didn't have a girlfriend when I saw him last either).

Michael

I went across the ocean because I wanted to see castles.  But there are castles and there are castles --they can be rock and mortar and they can be flesh and blood.  I got both.