Friends have commented that Elias must be learning a lot on this trip. I think the central lesson for him so far--beyond learning to recognize Angela Merkel and subconsciously acquiring new vocabulary at an amazing rate--is that southern Germany is one big recreational paradise, created just for him. To help fuel that perception, we rode the Seilbahn (cable car) up to the top of Schauinsland on Saturday, then spent the next eight hours hiking down.*Schauinsland is kind of like a 1,284 meter high Whitman's sampler for the civilized hiker. Not sure what you'd prefer? Try a little of everything: grass and wildflower covered meadows; steep forested ravines with babbling brooks; Baroque churches nestled on hills overlooking grazing sheep; easy-to-access peaks with panoramas of the Rhine river valley. Too hot? Move to the damp, windswept side. To cold? Move to the sunny, dry side. Hungry? Sit on a bench in front of some cows to eat an apple, or hike down to a village for coffee and cake.
We're now almost halfway through our six-month visit to Germany, and the time has come to shift gears. Today, Elias begins school, and tomorrow, Stefan and I have an appointment to apply for visa extensions for me and Elias so we can stay in the country legally beyond next week.
*For those with a fear of heights, the enclosed cable car cabin is far less scary than climbing to the top of the Freiburg Muenster.
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