Last Day in Fellbach

The car is now in my hands, and runs well. For 15 years old, it seems in outstanding shape. Paperwork is complete. I leave tomorrow morning for Vienna.

Ferdi and I went to the Mercedes-Benz Museum (http://www.museum-mercedes-benz.com/) this afternoon, and I again wore out my hip walking. It was worth it. Patterned after Frank Lloyd Wright's design for the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, a fact which is acknowledged with a picture of "The Gugg" at the appropriate point in their time line, one rides up an elevator and walks down a huge spiralling gallery, with specimens and pictures and voiced narratives that trace a 122-year history both of the world and of the Daimler and Benz companies. The designers at Benz must never have had a year of boredom. The number of different classes of motorized vehicles, airplanes, boats, etc., on display is impressive, as is the corporate history, punctuated by recounts of the many world-changing events and trends that have affected DB's strategy, and as are the many generations of world-beating race cars on display. For €8 it was a steal. And, Ferdi Schmid (11) is a great companion and guide.

Tonight I will be taking the Schmids out to dinner, then getting a good night's sleep before hitting the trail eastward. [11:48 PM addendum: As I feared, Dietmar (Gig) has insisted on buying dinner. "It's my town," Gig insisted. "In New Hampshire or Cluj, I'll let you pay." Ok, Gig, but I'll hold you to that. Come soon.]

Friends like the Schmids are hard to come by. I thank you Gig, and Sabine, and Max, and Ferdi, for all you have done to get me launched toward Romania, and for making me feel so at home.

Gig drives in a race this coming weekend in Saxony. Go, Gig!