Arrived safely in Schweinfurt on Monday after a long day.
After the long flight and walk to the train station, navigating the train station was not as easy as I had hoped. First I didn’t know if Schweinfurt was local or long distance from Frankfurt (it is long distance) and when I was at the red (long distance) kiosk there were 4 stations with Schweinfurt in their names. So, I found the person-operated ticket counter and quickly had my ticket to Schweinfurt Hbv with a train change at Wurtzburg Hbv (a high speed train). Leaving from the Frankfort train station the scenery looked much like the United States. Mixed pine and hardwood forest, fences with wooden fence posts, and birds on wires. Buildings on the outskirts of Frankfurt are modern–mostly glass and steel–with German names I’ve never heard. We crossed a metal bridge over a small waterway with lots of graffiti on the way to the Frankfurt Main train station.
Rolling through the countryside, Germany looked more like the countryside in France. Different colored manicured small fields just outside of small villages with a big-steepled church in each one.
The train from Frankfurt arrived in Wurzburg late enough that the train to Schweinfurt was pulling away as I arrived. A helpful fellow traveler told me the next train to Schweinfurt was on track 10 (I was on 4) and was leaving in 8 minutes. I made it even with my 3 heavy bags and lots of stairs, including stairs to the second level of the train. Note to self: limit yourself to one bag and a backpack if you might be riding a train.
LuAnn and Dr. Valenzuela picked me up at the train and dropped me at my room with a promise to meet me for dinner. After unpacking, taking a much needed shower and a short nap, I met them at their hotel; we discussed the program a bit and headed for downtown Schweinfurt and dinner. We sat upstairs on a terrace and had a great meal of good German food and good German beer. It was a late night but much fun.
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