Guten Tag!
As many of you know, our oldest son Mark, is a Professor of English at Georgia State University (GSU). He and Shannon have a lovely home in Atlanta, and we always have a great time visiting them there. The good news is that they are going to be much closer to Valencia for a while. Currently, Mark is a visiting professor at the Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz, Germany – a wonderful adventure and career opportunity for him. And, since and it’s just a 2-hour flight from Valencia to Frankfurt and then a brief 40-minute train ride to Mainz, we are looking forward to seeing more of him as we explore Europe together between now and the end of June when we leave for Pennsylvania.
Eager to see him, we didn’t allow Mark much settling in time. He arrived in Mainz on April 2 and we showed up at his door on April 5. The first night, we had the obligatory schnitzel dinner and a glass of Riesling. Mark, still a bit jet-lagged, managed to show us around Mainz the next day to the tune of 20,000 steps.
Mainz, one of the oldest cities in Germany, is located on the west bank of the Rhine River. It’s a lovely small city with a mixture of old and new and a relaxed vibe.
Mainz is best known as the home of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the movable-type printing press around 1440.
In addition to teaching for a semester, Mark is working to strengthen the relationship between GSU and JGU. In particular, he is collaborating with the Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies – a research and teaching program focused on the Americas in a global context – to establish opportunities that will enhance students’ academic experiences and support various research activities. Obviously, we’re very proud of him and treasure every moment we spend together.
We’ll be meeting Mark in Belgium in about two weeks for another adventure. Then, Shannon arrives (YEAH!) in Mainz in early May. We’re letting her have an entire week to timezone-adjust before an adventure in Strasbourg, France where we’ll explore the Alsace wine region together. More Riesling along with Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc are in our near future. We’re also hoping to meet-up in Kefalonia, Greece in early June to celebrate some birthdays.
Auf Wiedersehen (until we see each other again)
About Us
Welcome to our little corner of the world where we invite you to embark on exciting journeys with us!
We’re Ed and Bonnie, a duo passionate about exploring the world and experiencing its wonders. Our love for travel isn’t just about discovering new places; it’s about sharing those moments with cherished family and friends like you.
Our hope is that you will feel like you’re right there with us, sharing in the excitement and wonder of each destination. Better yet, let’s plan a rendezvous somewhere wonderful! Learn more
So Glad you and Mark had a little time in Mainz which looks charmingly old world Germany. Especially impressed that Mark is working for the Obama Institute in T A Studies: right up his alley! And future travel that includes Shannon in the Alsace Region should be deliciously rewarding! We recently lunched with Angela and she looks greatly forward to sharing Kef with all of you June, so keep her posted! We head for Big Sur and Nepenthe next month to celebrate Nayan’s 94th!!! Weidersehen for now, Jo