On Our Way Home after Five Weeks

Vineyards in Rudesheim

Grapes for Ice Wine

We have a quick breakfast and then scrape the frost off the car—it is currently 0 degrees centigrade.  I talk to Rita about the grape harvest which is almost finished for the year.  The grapes for Ice wine (a very expensive wine), will be picked after six days of freezing temperatures.  This has yet to happen this year.  At this rate, I’m sure it will be soon—maybe this week. 

The trip to the Frankfurt Flughafen is uneventful.  Following the airplane signs makes it easy and convenient to stay in Rudesheim.  Depending on the time of day, it can take 30-45 minutes to get there.  After dropping off, and videotaping the rental car’s condition, we discover we’re at the wrong Terminal--American is in Terminal 1, not 2.  We drag the luggage on, and off, the sky train, check it in and find the Admiral’s club.  The front desk clues us in on what the procedure is for the VAT tax refund.

For future info, once you go through the passport control check, go to the right.  There is a red phone on the wall to the right.  Call passport control and ask to have a passport controller come to stamp your VAT refund forms.  They will come within 5 minutes.  Sometimes the controller will ask to see the items to verify the form and purchases.  If the item is in your checked luggage, you might have an issue (we had some of our purchases with us).  We lucked out—they didn’t ask to see our loot.  If you want your refund now, you have to go back to the B area of the terminal.  However, you can also send your stamped forms from the States and have your refund put back on your credit card. 

Our nine hour flight into Chicago was good but very long.  Since Steve has platinum status, he had reserved seats in the exit row of economy class.  The leg room is like business class.  You are able to stretch out.  Upon arrival in Chicago, we pick up our luggage and go through customs which was very easy.  We just dropped off our form and walked on through.   So, all of our loot, including 10 bottles of wine, made it through with no problems.  We rechecked our luggage and then found out our flight was delayed because of high winds.  At 7:44 pm we boarded for a four hour flight into Santa Ana.  It was on this flight that I realized we were missing a carry-on bag with Christmas decorations, my pink West Point rain jacket, and Steve’s zip-up sweater vest.  I guess we were really tired.  You store your items in the overhead bins and you forget, after nine hours, what is where.  Upon arrival in the OC, we file a claim with lost and found.  Three days later our lost bags were recovered.  The Nuremberg angel will adorn the top of my daughter's Christmas tree this year and for years to come.