After a wonderful couple of days wandering around Dusseldorf and getting over jetlag, I met Astrid’s cousin Barbara at Barbara’s mother’s home a short ride away on the tram.  Astrid joined us, and we went to Barbara and her husband Hermann Josef’s home in the suburb of Mönchengladbach about a half hour’s car ride from Dusseldof. Barbara and Hermann Josef are amazing and kind hosts!

Hermann Josef’s family for a few generations has lived in Moenchengladbach, a city of about 261,000 people and home to the football team Borussia Mönchengladbach.

We met Hermann Josef at the town pub for dinner, where he meets weekly with some of the town’s elders to hear and write their stories.

The next morning while Astrid relaxed, I walked to the church, cemetery, stadium, and fields and enjoyed capturing sights with my camera.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Ironwork decorating a local home

Inside the church

Behind the church are 14 statues of saints – the facial expression on this one impressed me

Behind the church in the cemetery

Borussia Stadium where I saw some football players enter so they could prepare for their next game

Near the stadium

The field returning to Barbara and Herman Josef’s home

Neighborhood windows