I’m hiking through villages and parks, alongside roads and trails that most Germans have never heard of let alone travelers like myself. We’re kicking off this dreary, windy January morning with the 10th stage of the Neanderlandsteig in the Neandertal Valley. The name comes from the original discovery of Neanderthal remains in this region in the 19th century. “Neander” itself was named in honor of Joachim Neander, a 17th-century German pastor and hymn writer who found inspiration in the valley for his poetry. Plus, “Neander” is the Greek translation of “new man” as well as Joachim’s original, German family name of “Neumann.” His grandfather made the switch to the Greek “Neander” following an apparent fashion of the time.