In 1999, I had my first glimpse of Telgte, Germany. I was a team member with the Tomball community leadership which established a sister city relationship with this quaint northwestern German city and as such attended the official declaration activities. Today, Kathy and I arrived to attend more sister city activities and Telgte is rolling out the red carpet. It is the city’s 775th running of its city fair, the Maria-Geburtsmarkt.

Telgte is the image of the idealized German city–narrow cobblestone streets with bicycle traffic, flowers blooming everywhere, public art, baroque architecture, outdoor cafes and beer gardens, brick wine cellars, a beautiful church with tall steeple and a river with a water wheel that runs through the center of the city. It is peaceful, yet vibrant. The city planners are strict to keep the city’s look and feel intact. Kathy and I love it here–somewhere from deep inside our past heritage, this feels familiar.

We sat outside in a beer garden in the pleasant evening air, drank local beer, ate schnitzel, took a quiet walk and once again felt thankful for the year of travel we are experiencing. WEG