Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

April 3rd.

Well, we just finished a delicious breakfast here at the Krauters- ham and scrambled eggs and 3 varities [varieties] of cake- fruit cake, a sweet frosting cake and a pound cake which Bridges baked last night with Frau Krauter an interested observer. (Bridges is the other boy making the trip with George).

We have had a marvelous weekend here arriving Friday afternoon- a day earlier than we estimated a week ago. And now, after lunch, sure to be another big meal, we will go on up to the burg to unpack, wash clothes, and start sharing travel experiences. We have meetings and registration beginning tomorrow afternoon, classes Wednesday.

From Eberbach home, the trip was not particularly unusual. We pulled a fast one though. Instead of stopping Thursday night in Heilbronn, we went the 85 kilometers to Ludwigsburg in one day. The ride along the Neckar to Heilbronn was again beautiful- even in the rain. As we moved south the forests withdrew from the river's edge, the valley and lower slopes widened out and farms began to appear, all green and fresh in early spring. Above on the hilltops south of Eberbach were several castles much like those on the Rhine.

Just got back from a brief trip to the burg- many kids are just getting back and all have apparently had a wonderful time. One of the fellows on the Russian trip met Slavic (my Polish roommate last spring) at Warsaw for an evening and they had a great talk about old times at Stanford. The weather today is spectacular- springtime, warm and sunny, the blossoms just coming out, full of green and new life- a wonderful day to get back to the burg.

The country from Heilbronn to Ludwigsburg was much like that here in the Ramstal valley- rolling farmland- hard work on a bike. But we took it easy and walked up the long or steep hills and rode down. Friday morning we spent in Ludswigburg visiting two or three palace-castles there. Huse 460 room sprawling affair is one; the other only a small palace (actually a hunting lodge) about a block square. Around it are acres of wonderful woodland, now a nature preserve with paths to stroll on where we saw several deer and waterfowl. It was a pleasant stroll, much more fun than seeing the wastefully luxurious palaces. I don't like many secular, baroque buildings though some of the churches are beautiful.

Then from Ludwigsburg we rode easily the 20 kilometers to Beuttelsbach, arriving at 1PM and really glad to be back in the friendly, familiar grounds. We came straight to the Krauters and were immediately invited to stay here for the two nights before the burg opened. After a short trip up the hill to get our stacks of mail, we spent the evening talking about the trip etc. Yesterday morning I got a haircut and then spent a couple of hours cleaning and repairing the bike. After lunch while the Krauters were in the woods hauling some firewood, I spent the afternoon mounting about 100 pictures from the Black Forest and the first 2/3's of our bike trip. It is a long job for so many and I am glad to have it done before classes start. Also it was a quiet restful afternoon with Tschaikowsky music in the background on the radio and that was fine with me.

I am really eager to get back though and get going on the new quarter. I have met Professor Tarshers already a fineman about 45-50 with a darling 4 year old daughter and a European wife. He studied and taught at

a couple of hours to catch up on the news, and relax. We bought the week's Time magazine in Amsterdam, but a good reading of one day's N.Y. Times added a lot. After this interlude we arrived at the peace Palace at 4:15 to find that the building closed at 4, so we had a tourist-style look at the outside. Then the half-hour ride back out to the hostel, and another relaxing evening of talk and reading. These easy evenings seem to be the best formula with a days walking or biking, and a 10 pm lights out in the hostels prevents concerts, etc. anyway, so we just stay in after dinner and take it easy (and write letters like right now).

This morning up as usual, and away about 9 to bike to Rotterdam (30 km). It was against the wind all the way, some up and down, but we're getting stronger by now, did te distance in 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Went first off to American Express and I found 6 letters waiting for me - 3 short ones from Anne (who was suffering from finals at the time), the copies of Tuck's fine letters (congratulate him also on his improved regularity, and tell him I enjoy them as much as you do), and two newsy ones from you Mom. So it's bright spirits tonight! Say did I tell you? - don't write to Köln because Amer. Express has no office there. Write to Heidelburg, Germany c/o Am. Ex. Co. (16 Friedrich Ebert Allee) until 3/26, then back to the Burg. After a very short ride through Rotterdam, we bought train tickets to Köln, got here about 6:30 this evening. On the way (Utrecht, Arnhem, Emmerich, Oberhausen, Düsseldorf) we came through the Ruhr of course, and saw endless huge smoke stacks and heavy factories. It is really industry saturared I guess. (Should learn more about that next quarter in economics, and in our trip to Luxembourg).

To answer a few questions: I'm travelling with Bridges Mitchell; he's a sophomore, and was a cellist in the Stanford orchestra with Anne. Former math major probably changing social science. We've traveled together before (mainly on the Rome trip) as I may have mentioned. As to my paper and interviews with the mayor, the only written material he gave me was a copy of the Gemeindeordnung (also in German of course); otherwise all my information came from him - he speaks no English, but very good German. And as I've said before, I can understand almost all of what people say (even when Germans are talking to each other) and fill in by context the words I don't know. And if something was unclear, I'd ask and Herr Plessing would explain it in other words. So I guess the paper is also evidence of my progress in speaking and listening to German.

Our itinerary for the rest of the trip (subject to daily revision of course): tomorrow 3/23 - in Köln (Cologne)

on the Rhine! 3/24 - through Bonn, probably stop at Bad Godesburg 3/25 - to Coblenz 3/26 - part way to Mainz 3/27 - to Mainz 3/28 - part way to Heidelberg 3/29 - to Heidelberg

on the Neckar! 3/30 - in Heidelberg 3/31 - to between Heidelberg, Heilbronn 4/1 - to Ludwigsburg 4/2 - to Beutelsbach

Should be lovely!! Another letter soon (and one to Pops too).

Love, George