On August 19, 1974 I left my home village for a year abroad in the United States. Before then I had hardly left a 150 mile radius around my little village of Illkofen in Bavaria, which at the time had about 250 inhabitants. It may have a couple hundred more now.

Exactly 50 years and three days later I boarded this river boat, the Amadeus Brilliant, in Passau with a group of international friends from all over the world for a reunion. We were going to cruise to from Passau in the south of Germany to Cologne over a seven-day period. I was one of the few Germans in the group, and it was a complete coincidence that the route would take us right by Illkofen, my home town.

The river boat traveled mostly at night, and anchored during the day to give us a chance to have shore excursions in exotic places. I woke up around 5:00 am and went outside on the bow of the boat. Nobody else was up. The boat was gently gliding up the Danube and getting close to the old home. I was able to get this sunrise picture about half an hour before we got there.

And then suddenly there was a great view of the old village, seemingly within reach. It was just before 6:00 am and the village was sleeping. Our boat eased its way past and I had memories rush through my head as I sat there in the cool air, gliding past the places of my childhood. I have played in every one of these houses and barns.
It went by very fast, and I quickly reminded myself to take a parting shot before we rounded the next bend and the village disappeared behind us.

It’s that kind of nostalgia that happens rarely in life, and it is always very private and hard to share in a public post.