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| This is my "other" family, the Wihgrabs. I was an exchange student in Duderstadt, Germany in high school and lived for a year with this great group of people. I'm proud to say that I'm still in close touch with them, although these pictures wouldn't make you think so...they're close to 12 years old. I haven't gotten any new ones since I went to Martin's wedding, so I think it's time SOMEONE sent me some updated pictures!! ~:^) Actually, I DID get some new ones during the summer of 2004, as a friend and I took our vacation back to the Vaterland. Click HERE go to my 2004 vacation page. |
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| Mama in her finery, just before the church ceremony. |
| Here's the church that the Wihgrabs attended, the St. Cyriakus Kirche. It's my absolute favorite picture of it, as seen from Obertorstra�e, near Stiegstra�e, the street on which my family lives. |
| This magnificent edifice had its start in the 13th century. It's nicknamed the "Eichfelder Dom" (cathedral) as Duderstadt is in the region of Germany called the Eichsfeld, and Dom since it's one of the largest churches in the area. |
| Here's the whole group other than Martin and my German parents...Evi, Reimund, Beate, Annelie, Matthias and Christiane. |
| Another shot of the "Oberkirche" (another nickname) as seen from the "Wall", or rampart, that rings the "Altstadt" (old city). This wall heralds from the Middle Ages and was the outer fortification of the city. It's now a beautiful walkway resplendent with huge lindens and chestnut trees. |
| This is the "Rathaus", or city hall, of Duderstadt, a city that celebrated its 1,000-year birthday while I was there. Gives you a sense of history...we were just celebrating our bicentennial! This Rathaus is one of the oldest in the country. Duderstadt boasts some of the most beautiful "fachwerk" architecture in Germany, as exemplified here. |
| Here's one you're not gonna see anymore. Duderstadt now lies smack in the middle of Germany, but when I lived there, it was right next to the border between East and West Germany. I mean, you could see the watchtowers from my high school! This was taken when I went for my sister Beate's wedding in 1987 and is a sign from the Border Patrol that says "Stop! Border Here", warning intrepid souls that they really shouldn't go any further unless they wanted to become machine gun meat. The next time I went there, in 1991 for Martin's wedding, the border was of course fully open and we sailed through on a trip to visit the former Eastern block. Felt very weird. |
| A Mini Cooper, before Minis were popular! This was my friend Anke's car that she let me borrow to tool through the Black Forest and the Alps. I called it my little roller skate car. Can you imagine driving this thing through the mountains and on the Autobahn?! I feared for my life many a time! |
| Ah yes, Neuschwanstein, Crazy King Ludwig's famous "Cinderella" castle. An utterly amazing piece of work, one that, by the way, was never finished. In order to get to it, you either had to climb a rather significant hill or hop into a horse-drawn cart that took you to the top. Guess which one I chose?? |
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| Poppies in the city of Freudenstadt, one that was completely rebuilt after WWII. |
| Finally, a bit of effective street sign humor. Germans like their streets clean...can't say it any clearer than that! |
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