Frankfurt on my mind

Germany was wonderful. Frankfurt and the book launch with several readings at universities and a school. The school children had even translated three of my short stories and when they read back to me one of my stories in German, it was pretty amazing. Uni of Dusseldorf and the Translation Studies students were next. A two hour train ride past the Rhine valley, very green and beautiful and castles in the far horizon. I met my translator Mayela for the first time. Beautiful grey-eyed Mayela and I read alternately. Eun San and Monica, Stephanie, Sigrid Roering, Antje Brake - suddenly these were no longer names on emails and I could put faces to the names. Very nice ones too. City tour on thursday with Sigrid including a tour of Goethe’s house. The Roman square and cafes that sell tall glasses of amber wine. Croissants for breakfast and morello cherries on the street corner. Yes, I have Frankfurt on my mind.