Here we are in Lorsch with the Marquardt family. We are being treated to some fantastic German hospitality in very comfortable surroundings.

So far we have been to the Bensheim Christmas market (I spent a year in Bensheim as an au-pair 11 years ago so it's great to visit here again) where we went up on the big wheel to get a good view of the town. We've sampled several different types of wurst, cheese, lebkuchen and been taken to a home butcher who makes his very own wurst in his cellar. We have stocked up with goodies for home including those of the liquid variety, Bensheim has its own vineyards too. Yesterday we visited Heidelberg Castle and walked around the markets there and up the hill to get a good view of the city itself, even here we seem to pass so many tourists especially Americans.

We are staying here now til Tuesday morning and then hoping to head to Brussels for the night and on to Calais late on Wednesday ready to catch the ferry back to Blighty on Thursday morning.