USA (Illinois - Wisconsin - Minnesota - Florida)
August/September 2003

In front of the airplane window emerged the large seas. We approached Chicago. A few minutes later, we saw the gigantic metropolis on the bank of the Lake Michigan. John Hancock Center and the salient Sears Tower emerged.

Chicago - The windy city. The prelude of our America route, we, that are dad and I. In wonderful sunshine we explored the shady roads around our hotel in Downtown. Particularly impressing in this city surely are the multistoried buildings. Marvelously the history of skyscrapers can be experienced and how they became higher and higher in the last decades. In addition there is a lot of art, waiting to be explored. The view over the city is marvellous, standing on Sears Tower. It is incredible, these many lights. As far as you can see, the city is illuminated in orange. Also a must see or even better hear is the original Chicago Blues. Here the Chicago Blue offers the optimal point of approach. The city at sunset? The  J. Shedd aquarium opens a mad view of this city. Naturally we have the city dicovered the city by foot, meters about meters, but this is the best chance to see this huge metropolis. The old houses around North Astor Street, the city center around the Magnificent Mile and the Wrigley Building of the chewing rubber giant invited to one stroll in. At one night we joined a baseball game: The White Sox versus Anaheim. Surely  Chicago's traditional team won, but the play was rather boring.

After two days Chicago we drove eastward. A part of the country, that I didn't travel before. A agriculturally shaped landscape went through far fields. We reached Wisconsin Dells in the early afternoon and a large sign at the road "welcome Juergen and Joerg" welcomed us. We had arrived at Paul Wolter. A cordial receipt and we were accepted cordially. Paul told us about his family and the town Wisconsin Dells. And already we were in the middle in it, on our "Schwichtenberg Clan" route. I believe, we was just as curious about Paul's family, as Paul on us. Dad was limited in his conversation to "yes" and "No", however always nodded much-knowing and understood probably most. Then Paul made an investigation route with us. We toured Wisconsin Dells, where many people from Chicago come. Only 2,500 people live here, but every year more than 2.5 million tourist come here. Incomprehensibly! With the "original Ducks", a military landing vehicle from that WWII we "conquered" the Wisconsin River. Then we made a stop at an old mansion of a banker in Baraboo, where Paul helped renovating. Later this evening, we went to the house of uncle Bill. This house had a marvellous waterfall in the garden. The evening we spent in a waterski-show and conversed for a long time.

Time to say good bye and dad and I were very inspired by hospitality. The next destination was Faribault, close to Minneapolis. This was the highlight. We stayed with Jane and Ed... One first: We were spoiled five days on the finest. Thank you very much for it, was a beautiful time. With a cup coffee we had much to talk. Then we were really astonished: Jane had perfectly regenerated our family history. In a file we received was the complete knowledge over the American Schwichtenbergs. On the following day we drove to the First Bank of Faribault, owners are Dick and Lorraine (born Schwichtenberg) Carlander. It is a small, but fine bank. And I saw many parallels to the bank I work. It was interesting to be look behind the window blinds. By the way, drive-up teller's are hip  in the USA. Afterwards we investigated the country and Jane showed us the farms, where the first Schwichtenbergs settled down. Then we became acquainted with Dr. Donovan Schwichtenberg. He had bought his parents' house, a farm from the turn of the century - and it is still original! With Sandwichs and German beer we spoke about past and future and found out, that Gary Schwichtenberg (Hawaii) is a cousin of Donovan. This world is so condemned small. On the cemetery I could only shake my head. I had never before seen so many gravestones with the name "Schwichtenberg". The cemetery was fully of German names, this fit also to Jane's daily slogan on the T-Shirt: "Life is too short to be a German". In the evening, Jane had organized the legendary family meeting in the Peppermill's Bar. Jane appeared in pomeranian dress and there was a sign with large characters: "Schwichtenberg clan". 45 people came and I felt as a star. Dad and I shaked innumerable hands and from everywhere a camera flashed. Alma Schwichtenberg also joined this evening, she is 92 years and the oldest one in this round. Many discussions followed and I became acquainted with Maggie, over which the contact had come 1999. Dr. Donovan Schwichtenberg was the moderator in the evening and then followed my appearance. I was allowed to give a speech in English.... And no one had forewarned me; -) Dad had the more simple part, he gave the speech in German. No one understood it, but all were inspired. Pastor Krause conversed for a long time with dad, with a mixture from German and English and with help of the hands and feet it had even success. Then I was allowed to answer all the various questions and got a QWeizen from the bar tender, because I was recognized clearly to be a German. I call that AAA-service.

Ed and Jane are a sweet pair. We drove north to Park Rapids. At Long Lake they had rented a house. Jane tried in navigating and it was one of these days, on which Ed had 51% and Jane 49%. So from time to time we had to orientate ourselves new, but we finally found everything that we wanted. The house was ingenious. We made kanooing on Long lLake and enjoyed the day. Beside Jane's sister Hilda and the entire family joined us there, be sure, that we spent a wonderful time there. Long discussions, some beer and an interesting trip in the Itasca State Park stood on the program. In the Itasca State park is the source of the Mississippi River. Here you can cross the old Man's River by dry foot. After Jane had understood that the water does not flow uphill, we enjoyed the wonderful landscape in the park. Oh, there's a special anecdote. MAny, many years ago, Jane was a child and once asked her parents while they crossed the river by car, where Mr. Ippi was... Thus, we had much fun.

After two days at the lake it went back. We stopped in Minneapolis. Be sure, that we visited the largest Mall of the USA. The Mall OF America is gigantic shopping centre with a entertainment park in the center. In the evening we met with Maggie and Kurt Schwichtenberg in the Hard Rock Cafe. The two are really nice and we had much fun with the server and without... I am looking forward, when we see us again in two years in Germany.

Our plane left Minneapolis very early in the morning. We flew to Miami. After very hot days in the north we saw many clouds on the flight and it rained in Miami. And that, although I had rented a convertible. But rain was over very fast, so that we could drive most of the time with open roof. We found the hotel in the Art Deko District very fast. It lay a block from the beach and this beach is very beautifully for strolling and sun-bathing. We enjoyed it. One day we drove Downtown Miami, in order to do some sightseeing. Miami was not particularly fully, that means, the taverns was empty and you could unfold you towel comfortable at the ebach. Lincoln Road and the Ocean drive invited to stroll in.

Key west - probably one of the "Must See" in Florida. On the way to south it rained heavily. It was unbelievable, not even five meters of view and then the engine control light went, but we didn't get confused. At noon we arrived in Key West and the sun was out again, we had had best beachwheater. We strolled through the historical town centre and had a strange caribian feeling in these narrow lanes. We passed the beautiful houses, the mansion of Ernest Hemmingway and went to the southernmost point of the continental USA. Only 90 miles away from Cuba opened itself the view of the blue gulf of Mexico. We prepared thoroughly for the forthcoming sunset and bought an original Key West cigar from one of the many cigar stores. Thus we invested the 5 $ and sat down in bar at the port, igniting our cigar. Exactly in this moment clouds on the horizon drew up and gave us a bad idea... That was it... No sunset... The tourists sitting beside were amused about the numerous "unsuccessful attempts" to ignite our cigars.

We could enjoy the return trip from Key West with open roof. The German Sumemr Hit "Ab in den Sueden" (Going south) came out off teh speakers. Across 42 bridges the dream route "1" led us back on the mainland. The Everglades was our next destination. A landscape in that the eye loses itself. The grass appears endless. We had booked the only Lodge in the Everglades. However a true mosquito invasion prevailed in the rainy season. Completely different were the alligators, we needed quite a long while, until we had discovered the first one. Differently than assumed, the Everglades are not a swamp. It is a gigantic river, 80 miles broadly. The water is very clear and in the rainy season this river has the largest expansion, then alligators have much space, in order to distribute itself, which they also did. We investigated the national park in detail and enjoyed the off-season with the few tourists. Naturally we did an Airboat tour.

On the west coast we reached Ft. Myers. We took not the fastest way, but drove comfortably along the coast. The hotel was at Sanibel gateway and so we drove to this island the next morining in order to explore the beautiful beaches. One highlight was Gasparilla Island, much elegant and endless beaches. We enjoyed the travel and could feel the warm summer wind around the nose. Over the Skyway we reached Clearwater Beach in the proximity of Tampa. It was like hell. One day before Labor Day Florida, there were so many people staying at teh beaches. A giant party went off there and iso we decided to shorten our stay to a minimum.

Adults become children. The very expensive, but very worth seeing, Disney World was next. Epcot Center was not overcrowded and we had only short times to stand in the row. We came through very comfortably. "Mission to Mars" was the highlight. In a centrifuge we experienced the G-Forces of a rocket on their way to Mars. Around the lake there were amny different countries, showing the most typical things. It should be nationaltypical, but for my taste Germany was almost like Bavaria. Thus we spent the evening on a journey through the continents.

The enxt day, we had to drive a longer part. The Kennedy Space Center at the east coast wanted to be investigated by us. We explored the launch pads, where the space shuttle starts On the Close-Up-Tour, we had a very good chance to see this all really close. The gigantic Assembly Hall, wehere the space shuttles were assembled before launch was as interesting as the Apollo Hall with all the history of space travel.

Further on we made our way tothe  east coast in the elegant Palm Beach. We, like always, entered the hotel in Shorts and T-Shirt. Obviously I had booked a 5-Star-Hotel. We grabbed our bag by ourselves and rolled them directly to the reception. This were two leather-chairs and a real desk. Wow...An uneasy feeling overcame us. But all the same... We were hungry and so we went into the city. However we did not find a Fastfood restaurant. There was nothing than 1a designer shops. We decided then for the restaurant in the hotel, the first time in this vacation with long trousers.

Then we went back to Miami. We already knew the hotel and the place, therefore we drove very relaxed the "1" along the coast and made some stops in the old, fine bathing resorts such as Lauderdale by the Sea. We spent and refuelled the last day in Florida at the beach. At noon we drove to the airport and nearly three weeks later we would be home again. We started direction Europe then in the early afternoon - with many new impressions and a wonderful feeling, that we had met marvelous people and cousins. Thanks for the beautiful time!

View from J. Hancock Center / Chicago	Sunset in Chicago	Wrigley's Building
Dinner at Uncle Bill	The "Clan" Dan, Craig, Hilda, ich, Jane und Ed	Mississippi at La Crosse
Dr. Donovan Schwichtenberg's Farm	Donovan (2. v.r.) and his family	Alma Schwichtenberg
Sunset at Long Lake	Dinner with Kurt and Maggie in the Hard Rock Cafe	The Art Deko Disctrict of Miami Beach
Key West	Only 90 Miles to Cuba	The Everglades

Alligator	Beach at Sanibel Island	Epcot Center
Space Shuttle-Ramp	Palm Beach	Beach of Miami Beach

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