Loaded Bob's Jeep in a 5 pm downpour. Danielle drove us to the airport, at one point maneuvering away from a bad accident on I-71 in the rain. Check-in took only a few minutes so we had plenty of time to kill before our flight to Washington Dulles on a regional jet. The connecting 8 hour flight to Frankfurt was on a 737. We had crying babies nearby, several movie choices, and chicken dinner. Tried to get some sleep.
Monday, July 12 : FrankfurtArrived in Frankfurt 11:30 am local time (6 hrs ahead of Ohio time). Picked up by private shuttle to Scandic hotel in nearby Offenbach. Nice rooms. Walked along the Main river in the rain. Met up with the tour group for a bus tour into downtown Frankfurt. We walked around and visited the Dom (cathedral), then exchanged some dollars for euros and did some window shopping. 1 Euro worth about $1.25. Most of the city was rebuilt after WWII bombing - this will turn out to be true for almost every city we visit. Back at the hotel, Nancy showered while Pete and Andy walked some more. Our tour director Noel organized a reception (Andy's first legal drink: cider) and dinner at the hotel.
Afterward, the four of us took a taxi (Andy's first taxi ride) to the Sachsenhausen district across the river from downtown, where apfelwein (cider, or literally "apple wine") is the specialty. Hardly anyone around on this rainy Monday evening. Stopped into a tiny bar -- one room with U-shaped bar of capacity 10 max. Only the proprietor, a middle-aged frau, was there. We ordered apfelwein and soon a 70-year old friend of hers arrived. After learning we were American, she went into a tirade in mixed German and English about the division of Germany into 4 zones after the war, Hitler, and Bush. We headed down the street to a larger and friendlier pub for a plate of cold sausages and pils (pilsner beer). Taxi back to the hotel, where Bob and Any retired, while Nancy and I joined fellow tourist Otto from Australia for a walk around the corner for another beer at the local pub. Back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest. European hotels feature dual twin beds with only feather comforters. No washcloths either.