About the picture: We encountered lots of fog throughout our time in Germany. Notice the solar panels on the large building in the upper right. Lastly, this area has lots of farms with cows, sheep, goats, and horses.
Day 15 saw Kel and I driving north to Dublin for a flight to Basel, Switzerland. Once in the Basel airport, we had a choice between the France exit or the Swiss. We chose the Swiss and made our way outside for pickup by Kel’s friend, Stefi.
There were only two choices, so we had a 50/50 shot of being right.
We saw Stefi through a high chain-link fence on the France side. We headed inside, up a floor to the France side, and back down a floor. Once outside, we caught up with Stefi and learned the France side is easier to get to Germany. And it’s cheaper too.
On the bridge crossing the Rhine River (Switzerland to Germany) we encountered armed military personnel with body armor and serious rifles. These were not the AR-15s we can get in the States.
Before we got to the B&B in Hofgrund in the Black Forest, Stefi stopped for us at a grocery store for supplies. Some food was obvious, but I needed translation on some things. In the end, we managed to get miscellaneous snacks and foodstuffs like orange juice.
After getting settled in, we had supper at Gasthof Bum Hof, which was owned and operated by Angelika. Our friends, Christan and Petra, who live within walking distance of the B&B and the restaurant, joined us. I had snitzel and Black Forest cake. Everything was delicious, though I could do without the alcohol in the cake icing.
Christan had a beer and Coke with his meal. This is one drink—beer mixed with Coke in the glass. It tasted more like beer, but, in the end, it comprised two things I avoid, soda and alcohol.
Other European vacation posts:
Day 1 (London): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/10/18/vacation-day-one-london/
Day 2 (London-Rock ‘n Roll Tour): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/10/26/vacation-day-two-london-rock-n-roll-tour/
Day 3 (London-Harry Potter, Part 1): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/11/02/vacation-day-3-the-harry-potter-experience-part-1/
Day 3 (London-Harry Potter, Part 2): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/11/09/vacation-day-3-the-harry-potter-experience-part-2/
Day 4 (London-ABBA Voyage): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/11/17/vacation-day-4-london-and-abba-voyage/
Day 5 (London-Sunday Roast): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/11/30/vacation-day-5-sunday-roast/
Day 6 (London-Travel Day): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/12/13/vacation-day-6-travel-day/
Day 7 (Scotland-Hogwarts Express): https://georgegmoore.com/2025/12/28/vacation-day-7-the-hogwarts-express/
Day 8-9 (Ireland): https://georgegmoore.com/2026/01/13/vacation-days-8-9-ireland/
Day 10 (Ireland): https://georgegmoore.com/2026/02/01/vacation-day-10-ireland-in-the-rain/
Day 11-12 (Ireland): https://georgegmoore.com/2026/03/12/vacation-day-11-and-12-ireland/
Day 13 (Ireland) https://georgegmoore.com/2026/04/20/vacation-day-13-ireland/
Day 14 (Ireland) https://georgegmoore.com/2026/07/05/vacation-day-14-ireland/
I’m an author living in northern Virginia with a wife and a cat. In the late ’80s, I worked on the International Space Station project. I recently retired from managing a group of software engineers to focus on writing science fiction and speculative fiction. Learn more.