Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

3.4.60

Dear Folks,

Well we just finished a delicious breakfast here at the Krauters - ham and scrambled eggs, and 3 varieties of cake - fruit cake, a sweet frosting cake, and a pound cake (which Bridger baked last night with Frau K. an interested observer). We've 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'll 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, and instead of stopping Thursday night in Heilbronn, we went the 85 km to Ludwigsburg in one day. The ride along the Neckar to Heilbronn was again beautiful, even in the rain. As we moved south, the thick forests gradually 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 up 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 in Warsaw for an evening, and they had a great talk about old times at Stanford.) The weather today is spectacular Springtime warm and sun, the blossoms just coming out, everything green and full of new life - a wonderful day to get back to the Burg.]

The country from Heilbronn to Ludwigsburg was much like that here in the Remstal - rolling farmland - hard work on a bike, but we took it easy and walked up the long or steep hills rode down! Friday morning we spent in Ludwigsburg, visiting 2 of the 3 Baroque palace-castles there. Huge 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 woodlands (now a nature preserve, with paths to stroll on), where we saw several deer and water fowl. It was a pleasant stroll, much more fun than seeing the wastefully (to me) 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 km to Beutelsbach, arriving at 1:15pm, really glad to be back in the familiar friendly surroundings. 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, to give it back in good order. 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 of our bike trip. It's a long job for so many, and I'm glad to have it done before classes start. Also it was a quiet, restful afternoon, with Tochaikowsky music on the radio, and that was fine with me. I'm really eager to get back though and going on the new quarter. Have met Prof. Tarshus already - a fine man, about 45-50 with a darling 4 year old daughter and European wife (he studied and taught at Cambridge before going to Stanford - economics seminar is my class from him). Lunch time is here. Another letter in a couple of days!

Love, George