The Beverly Hills Wilshire Hotel press luncheon on behalf of SouthWest Germany and what it has to offer the visitor brought back a good many fond memories of our exploration there two decades previously.
At the luncheon we saw videos of how Franfurt Airport has become almost a small city in its own right  as well as the Black Forest Highlands and unique Village that is a showplace for green energy.
On our tour we rented a car at the Frankfurt Airport and started south through Heidelberg and on to Lake Constance.
After hearing Christine Schonhuber, Marketing Director, for tourism in what is now called "The Sunny Side of Germany",  show her video we decided that much has changed since our first visit,
The changes at centuries old Black Forest Village were explained by Jugen Drubba, managing director, for Hofgut Sternen.
Stuttgart is home to  Mercedes-Benz and Porsche automobiles and both have museums in the City.
Heidelberg still has the appeal of both the old and new with its famed Castle overlooking Old Town.
What we learned at the Wilshire Hotel luncheon was how much we had missed on our visit and what allure and luxury Southwest Germany now offers the tourist.