Our arrival at Düsseldorf Airport.
From March 16 - 25, 2007 a group of 25 Sister City members visited Hamm, Münster, Cologne, Trier and Mainz in Germany, to celebrate the strong 30 year friendship between our two cities.

Inside the train station in Hamm. The train ride from Düsseldorf to Hamm took about an hour.

The outside of the train station in Hamm. Note the red elephant on the right.

Street scene in the shopping center of Hamm.

The glass elephant. Many years ago there was a coal mine here and when it closed an ingenious architect came up with the idea of recycling the coal washing and sorting building into a glass elephant. The elephant is now the symbol of Hamm.

The Lord Mayor of Hamm hosted a luncheon for us at the castle Schloss Oberwerries.

The Lord Mayor Of Hamm, Thomas Hunsteger-Petermann, accepting a plaque from Eleanor Cooper, President of Sister City Association of Chattanooga, in recognition of the 30 years of friendship between our two cities.

Karen Claypool, Vice President for Hamm, in Chattanooga, with the Lord Mayor (left) after he recognized her for her remarkable contribution to this long friendship between the two cities.

Annette Daelman, Karen’s counterpart in Germany, showing the gift we gave her - a beautiful glass bowl hand-blown by Prentice Hicks of Wauchatchie Glass Works in Chattanooga.

The Lord Mayor, Thomas Hunsteger-Petermann, with Annette Daelman at the luncheon.

Eleanor Cooper, Mayor Willi Sosna, and Constance Colding-Jones from the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Düsseldorf. Notice the very nice insulated holders of a variety of soft drinks on the table.

Alla Beeck, author of four books on the history of Hamm from 1930 to 1975 holding the glass blue heron, an original creation by Ignis Glass of Chattanooga, that we presented to the Lord Mayor at the luncheon.

Annette Daelman and Karen Claypool who organized this remarkable and most enjoyable visit to Hamm.

Schloss Heessen. When we arrived the weather was sunny. Within a short time it hailed (see lower right corner above), so we went in for the tour.

By the time we came out of the castle, it was raining gently and the sun was coming out again. The umbrellas were a gift from the Lord Mayor and came in most useful that same afternoon.

Eleanor Cooper outside Schloss Heessen.

Some of the people at the Potluck Dinner provided by the Hamm Sister City members. A great time was had by all.

At the potluck dinner, Karen Claypool was recognized for her tremendous contribution to the friendship between our two cities with a certificate from the International Club of Hamm and a gift certificate for artwork by a famous local artist.

Annette Daelman holding The International Friendship Award we gave her at the Potlluck Dinner. Apologies again, Annette, for misspelling your name.

Street scene in Münster which is a university city about half an hour by train from Hamm.

The one man band in Münster.

Phyllis, Annette Daelman and Siegbert Kunzel outside the Town Hall in Münster.

All sorts of marzipan goodies in a shop window.

Our shadows on the road below as we waited for our bus in Cologne.

Our group in Cochem with the Castle in the background.

Street scene in Cochem.

After leaving Cochem we drove up the mountain and looked down on the castle and the Mosel River.

Driving along the banks of the Mosel River approaching Trier.

Some of our group at dinner in Trier.

Nancy next to one of the seven feet on display to advertise the Constantine Exhibit this summer.

Candace next to the Rhine River. Behind her is the confluence with the Mosel River.

Our group on the steps of the hotel in Mainz.

Street scene in Mainz.

Sculpture and its reflection outside the City Hall in Mainz.

Our group with knowledgeable, fun-loving guide in Mainz. Those umbrellas from the Lord Mayor in Hamm certainly were very useful.

Market scene in Mainz.

Fresh eggs!!

One of the many beautiful stain glass windows by Marc Chagall in a cathedral in Mainz.

View from our hotel of the Rhine River with its barge traffic the night before we left to fly home.

When we arrived in Chattanooga we sang “For she’s a jolly good fellow” to Karen in appreciation for the superb vacation we all thoroughly enjoyed.