Life before GPS and East West border in Germany

Any similarity to actual people or events is just a "coincidence".

If you are lucky you have had friends that encourage you to push your adventure envelope.  Sometimes on purpose and sometimes accidentally.  This was one of those "accidentally" situations. 

While living in West Germany in the 1980's many of the American military wives would plan shopping trips to different factories.  Crystal, nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, baskets were some of the places we would regularly go.  My friend Liz and I planned a day out shopping.  It was always a fun day when we were out.  We would stop by meat shop get some ham and cheese, get some fresh rolls at a small bakery on the way.  It was truly delightful.  This particular day we went out to shop.  I think it was baskets we were after but I could be wrong.  What we were hunting for isn't the important part. 

This was long before GPS's so we just had a real map and some vague directions in the military wife bible.  It was a book fellow American military wives put together that discussed all the factory outlets, good shopping and touristy places you don't want to miss on your tour in Germany.  This was also before the Berlin wall came down so there were very strict rules for us to stay a minimum of 5 km's from the East German border.  We knew this very well and knew we would be close but we should have been fine.  "Should have" is key here.  We were lost wandering down small country roads in a beautiful area when we turned a corner and BAMMMMNNN right in front of us was very clearly the border.  Barbed wire fence as far as the eye could see and immediately in front of us a guard tower.  The male guard was looking at us, we were looking at him and we stopped cold not sure what to do.  He of course took out a camera (not a gun) and took photos of us.  We were sure those photos would turn up at some government meeting, the hunt would then be on for Liz and I.  We gathered our wits, turned the car around and got the heck out of there praying. 

I would never have gone off hunting for a basket factory by myself and she most likely wouldn't have either.  Together we were unable to find a single basket but broke any number of international laws.  No one ever came to hunt us down thank heavens.  But if anyone asks this is complete and utter fiction!