Tessdidobetalkedintosneakingacrosstheborder,andtheveryidearessioaicjoltintoourhoneymoon.TheclottoCzechoslovakia,thelivelierthesexbecame.Onthedayedoursecretpassagetotheotherside,shekeptmeiilmid-m.Herdesiresfedmyowncuriosityaboutmyhiddeage.IoknowwhereIhadefrom,whoIhadbeeepalongthewaybroughtthesensatiourninghome.Thelandscapelookedfamiliaranddreamlike,asifthetrees,lakes,andhillslayembedded,butlongdormant,inmysehearchitectureofstoneandexposedtimberwasexactlyasIhadpictured,andatinnsandcafes,thepeoplewemetborefamilialtratheirsturdybodies,finechiseledfeatures,clearblueeyes,andsweepingblondehair.TheirfaticedmedeeperintoBohemia.WedecidedtocrossintotheforbiddenlandatthevillageofHohenberg,whichsatontheGermanline.

    Siwasfirstdedicatedin1222,thecastleattheteroftownhadbeeroyedandrebuiltseveraltimes,mostretlyafterWorldWarII.OnasunnySaturday,TessandIhadtheplacetoourselvesexceptforayoungGermanfamilywithsmallchildrenwhofollowedusfrombuildingtobuilding.Theycaughtuptousoutside,heunevenwhitewallsthatranaloysrearborder,afortressagainstattatheforestandtheEgerRiverbeyond.

    "Pardonme,"themothersaidtoTessinEnglish,"youareAmeri,right?Wouldyouaphotographtake?Ofmyfamily,onmycamera?"

    IblabeingsoeasilyreizableasAmeris.Tesssmiledatme,tookoffherbackpadlaiditontheground.Thefamilyofsixarrahemselvesatthebaseofoheinalparapets.Thechildrenlookedasiftheycouldhavebeenmybrothersandsisters,andastheyposed,thenotionthatIonceartofsuchafamilylingeredandthenrecedediher.Tesstookafew