I have returned! I do exist! And school is over, hooray! To celebrate, we took a little tour of Germany and France. The France post will follow shortly, but we enjoyed 4 days in and around Mainz and Frankfurt. After 2 full days of exploring Mainz and one in Frankfurt, we wound up in a gorgeous historical town just up the Rhine, called Bingen. Although I wished I had signed up for an international data service plan, we were able to find some Wi-Fi...but having a map in these towns and a basic German phrasebook is key. What we loved: Day 1: From Mainz Hbf (main) train station, catch a bus to Reingoldhalle / Rauthaus (almost all buses stop here but just check the signs before you hop on. When you exit, cross the street and follow signs to the Tourist Office. This is a great place to start - you can get city maps, postcards, and the Mainz card . For 9.90 Euros, you get two days of inter-Mainz bus and tram travel, as well as free entry to all of the local museums. Mainz card acquir