[Tojo]

Great photos Maureen

I spent an afternoon in Stuttgart a few years ago on the way back from a course at the IBM training centre in Herrenberg & really liked the city.

It will be interesting to see what happens about "Stuttgart 21" as the new Green / SPD parliament wants to hold a referendum on whether the project should continue or be mothballed. I must say that I like the station as it is & don't think that it should be messed with.

[Smurfysmurf]

Due to some unexpected circumstances (Mother Nature releasing her full fury on the South) the WT did not get to see Chattanooga this time, so we decided to send him on to his next destination but are hopeful, that he will be able to return to visit Chattanooga.

He spent the last two weeks in beautiful Sequatchie County, a small county and community in middle/SouthEast Tennessee. We are about two hours south of Nashville, two hours west of Knoxville and the Smokey Mountains and one hour north of Chattanooga. It's a small and close knit community but more and more people from Florida and the North are now moving into this area after falling in love with it's beauty during a visit.

Life in this community was pretty much as shown either in Laura Inglis' book or the Waltons, depending in which area you are interested in. For example..my great great grandfather came from a fairly wealthy family in the valley, but he traded his part of the property for land on the mountain because it was a better hunting ground. So, after the death of his wife, he took his six children and moved them up the mountain, married a girl from the mountain (big no no for a valley boy) and had another set of six children...most of his 12 children never left the mountain but had families up there. I am the grandchild of one of his grandsons..so when we moved here...I had a mountain full of relatives . This has changed in the last 10 years as more and more "outsiders" moved in and more and more "natives" moved to other areas of the country. In other words....we are a normal American community.

Anyway...it was a pleasure to show the WT around my "ancestrial" mountain.

Overview over Sequatchie Valley..home of Dunlap and surrounded by mountains





Fixing to drive up "my" mountain..aka Cagle Mountain


Driving up the mountain...you can always see school classes at the side of the road as they are studying the different layers of rock


I was happy to welcome WT to my home


WT was excited to see the woods, hoping to find some blue cousins of his


When he got tired of walking, he decided to ride out the remainder of the hike on Petee's back


He also enjoyed taunting the dogs when they were behind the kennel again..he was not quite as brave while they were outside

[Smurfysmurf]

Finally, it was time to make friends with Mogli, who took a break from napping to welcome WT


And finally...WT found his TN cousins..and there were quite a few of them..all of them speaking a funny accent..and some of them having some funny ways about them



He also met some special cousins from the old and new world


But eventually, it was time to leave the mountain again

Some views on the drive down



We even have a natural waterfall on the side of the highway, which is very pretty after heavy rains

[Smurfysmurf]

It was time to drive into Dunlap


Dunlap is a typical American small town


the brown building is the local post office, which so many smurfs had to pass thru on their way to Cagle Mountain


The historical area of Dunlap...btw the last three pictures are all of the same road..


As mentioned before, WT was visiting during the worst storm to ever hit this area. Even Dunlap had some damage which WT studied with great interest


He is now preparing to travel on, but we hope to welcome him back to see some more famous sights of TN.....he didn't tell me where he is going now, so sorry...can't give you a clue

[Tintin]

Hi Maureen

Thanks for the nice story and pictures...........
Better then the pictures from the big storm ......... well you know what i mean.

He is already on his way again i am very curious.
Can't wait to see the next story.

Tintin

[stampysmurf]

WT looks like he had a wonderful visit with his TN friends and family! What a beautiful area you live in!

[Gerda]

World traveler arrived in Ripon to a wonderfull smell drifting through the city streets so he had to go check out where it was coming from. I took him to our cookie factory where when they are baking and the wind is just right sends wonderfull smells all through town.

We then went to our memorial day parade where he watched my boys play in the band..

[Gerda]

We then took WT to Lambeau field up in Greenbay . Where he also walked through the hall of fame and saw the super bowl trophy.. Most impressive!

And he ended up his vacation at Mt Olympis water and theme park in Wis dells where he almost got swepped away on Poisidons rage. I only took a picture of him studying the map of the place as he became camera shy after his encounter with the wave where he almost lost his hat... and everything else he was wearing. But he did end up haveing a great time with us.

[Tintin]

Hi Gerda

Nice to see the WT smurf again.
And he had a great time when i look at the pictures !!

Thanks for the pictures !!!!!

Tintin

[smurfowen]

When is it my turn?

[stampysmurf]

Happy to see WT and his smurfy travels again! He looks like he's enjoying his stay with you!

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Great to see that WT is having a great time, Gerda. But tell me please, where is his fellow?

[Gerda]

Great to see that WT is having a great time, Gerda. But tell me please, where is his fellow?

he's there too, I only took pictures of WT and left his buddy to watch the house

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Ah thanks.

[Tracker Smurf]

The world traveler Smurf has arrived in Milwaukee WisconsinWe took hime to the Discovery World Museum first (it is a Science museum) We look forward to some more adventures with our world traveling friend, but here is a look so far.

[Tracker Smurf]

More pics from Discovery World. These are from the aquarium portion.

[André]

Great pictures Gerda and Trackersmurf!!

It is great to see all the nice places in the world the WT gets to see.

I just wish I could have joined him!

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Thanks for the lovely pics, Norma!!!

Awwww great to see that WT learns so much about environment and technology.

[Benny]

Hi Gerda and Trackersmurf,

some really nice pictures!

Awwww great to see that WT learns so much about environment and technology.

We should call him Dr. WT smurf!

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

We should call him Dr. WT smurf!

I second that.