Sunday, October 21

Yesterday was a train day, from Mainz to Basel, via Mannheim.  The train system may be a few minutes late at times, but then they make it up.  The ICE train that delivered me to Basel at 14:50 had left Amsterdam at 8:05.  That's fairly impressive,  considering the track problem just south of Koln which had meant that the train could not use the express corridor (where, I was told, it hits speeds of 300km/hr).  The fastest I saw on the monitor was 200, and it felt so smooth.

Rhonda was at the station in Basel and we step so easily back into our friendship.  It is wonderful!

Today I attended church with Robert.  He goes to a nice little church here in St. Louis.  A few years ago they got a new priest who is bringing in new people especially families.  I was told that the style has changed and the music, though still liturgical with lots of responses and chants, definitely has a modern feel.  My french is good enough that I could make out most of the singing (it was printed in the bulletin).  My oral language is much poorer, but I was able to figure out on which Gospel passage the sermon focused.  There were new members welcomed to the parish and we were all invited for a glass of wine in the foyer.  We did not stay.

Instead, this afternoon we visited Neuf Brisach, a fortified town built in an 8-point star.  It has 3 rows of trenches making it virtually impossible for attackers to survive.  The walls are impressively thick and very well preserved, considering it was built in the last of the 1600s. Today tourists are welcomed not only by the ancient fortifications, but also various art installations in the moat.

This will be a week to relax -- a welcome change from last week's rush.  But I love both!