From Grand Rapids to Flint via Lakeview and Frankenmuth

Back in 1995, Stan and Betty had especially enjoyed the opportunities to visit private homes. That's why they invited us to their house on Townline Lake.

The house at the lake. At Stan and Betty's: an autumn dream

Since Stan retired the former summer cottage became their home for five months of the year. During the second (more than) half they hibernate in their Florida home. (The plan was to start on the usual two days' drive south right after the Finkbeiner Reunion at Crediton.)

View from the lake to the house. The stairs lead down to the jetty

Stan put a lot of work into the house and its installations. He draws our attention to an iron-hooped wooden chest that his grandfather brought over from Germany in 1874. Two more recent immigrants join the party, a couple from Baiersbronn who went to the States in 1954. Lore is able to place them exactly. Betty serves home-made apple pie and peanut butter cookies, cider and coffee.

View on the lake. More autumn dreams

It's hard to leave this idyl, but we must go on to Frankenmuth.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, Historical Museum

Guenter with his wife and his sister. Guenter, Ilse, his wife (center), Ines, his sister

In the Historical Museum we are kindly received by an elderly member of the Frankenmuth Willkommen Committee. His German has a distinct Franconian accent. The little museum brings to life the development of Frankenmuth from the times of the difficult passage of the first settlers in 1845; they came as missionaries and hoped to convert the Chippewas to the Lutheran faith. They named St. Lorenz Church after the churches in their Franconian hometowns of Neuendettelsau, Rosstal, and Nuremberg. We meet with the name Finkbeiner in Frankenmuth as well: in 1967 Susan Finkbeiner was "Bavaria Princess", the museum has her portrait.

Frankenmuth, Michigan's Little Bavaria

Frankenmuth started to acquire its Bavarian touch in the 1950s, when the town was looking for new sources of income. They prefer to ignore the fact that, in Germany, Bavarians and Franconians are not necessarily on the best of terms. The sesquicentennial in 1995 was ennobled by the official acknowledgement of the Frankenmuth Oktoberfest on behalf of the Munich headquarters.

The outlets at Birch Run

Birch Run. Michigan's largest outlet mall

Most of us spent the afternoon there. 180 outlet stores cover a huge area so that a shuttle bus from one end to the other comes in handy. Famous brand names figure, but mostly with last year's fashions.

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

The world's largest Christmas store is open 361 days a year, but not on Christmas day. By then, the buying has to be finished!

Flint, Michigan

We stay overnight at the "Travelodge". Driving into the parking lot Steve gets too close to the (rather high) curb. The lowest step of the stairs leading down from the bus-door is torn off. Steve and Hartmut fasten it provisionally so it won't scrape along the ground. Steve finds a wooden block to put down as a substitute step. This will not have been the last breakdown of the bus.