Greifenstein

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This morning I spent time exploring an area where my dad was stationed. In fact, it was seventy years ago today that he arrived in Greifenstein. It is located up on a hill and has great views. I have one photo that he took from his billet in 1945 (see picture). And I took one from a similar location (see picture), but not quite the same. He mentions the castle and that he climbed the two towers, so I made a point to do the same (see picture). He also talks about the bells that ring out from the castle and I certainly heard them today. There is one set of bells that plays musical tunes and then there is the big bell in tower than chimes the hour (see picture). On the castle grounds is a sort of bell musuem (see picture). The name translates to something like Greifenstein Castle Bell World. Also today I drove through Wetzlar and stopped to walk around Asslar, two more places that Dad mentions in his letters. I don't know of any pictures he took of those places and I didn't take any either. After that I hit the road and drove east across Germany to Weimar. It is an experience driving on the autobahn with trucks poking along at 90 km/hr (~54 mph) and some speedsters in the left lane going as fast as they want to. I try to keep it between 110 and 120 (roughly 65-72 mph), but some of these cars pass me like I was standing still, so I have to keep an eye on the rear view mirror whenever I venture out into the passing lane.

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