I've been to Melk, Vienna and today Dachau since I last wrote here. I saw an Opera at the Staatopera in Vienna. I stood in the Cathedral Maria and Captain Von Trapp were married in in the movie The Sound of Music. I drank a lot of beer. All have been memorable and incredible, but it's late and I need to sleep, so I'll leave you with very few words, but links to a lot of pictures.
Today, we drove to Munich from Vienna, and stopped at Dachau on the way. It was the first concentration camp the Nazi's built, and was kind of the prototype for the others they did after that. I stood in a shower that doubled as a gas chamber, and stood mere feet from crematory ovens that incinerated thousands and thousands of prisoners. One of the most haunting things there was how green and lush the ground was around the crematorium, and the reason for this is the soil nourishing elements of the ashes.
Tomorrow is our last full day here. We're going to explore Munich and then Monday morning, it's on a plane home for Edna Mae and I, and back to Africa for Elizabeth. But it's been an incredible week, for sure
We’re in Salzburg, where this morning, I was awakened by every church bell in the city chiming at 7 a.m.It was beautiful, but ten minutes straight is a bit much when you want to sleep in and are a bit exhausted.
Yesterday was beautiful… it included a funicular railway ride and then gondola ride to the very top of the Alps above Innsbruck, to the site of two different Olympic games.The view from the top was amazing.We were so high up, and my lack of mathematical ability keeps me from describing exactly how high we were, because metric and English units don’t get along in my head.There was still snow at the top, and being crazy, we all had on Chaco’s or flip flops, and had fun walking in the snow in them.
Then we drove to Salzburg, and spent the afternoon appreciating a city made famous by my favorite movie of all time I think, “The Sound of Music.”There is still more to see this morning, but yesterday we saw the Mirabell Gardens, the Mozart Bridge that the kids run across singing “Do a Deer”, the cemetery that the movie used as a basis for the scene where Rolf and the Nazi’s are chasing the family and they are hiding behind tombstones.We may or may not have had a cheesy picture reenacting that moment, actually…the Dom in Salzburg is beautiful, well, there are a lot of beautiful churches, but the Cathedral was just breathtaking. It's baroque, which is different than any other cathedral I've been in. Mozart was the church organist there for two years and claims the acoustics there are better than anywhere else he played during his lifetime.
We had dinner at a biergarten recommended by Rick Steves, and I’m sad to report it was kind of disappointing.Well, the beer was good… I had a Maibach that was outstanding, but the food and service were kind of lacking?I’m kind of already wanting something other than German/Austrian cuisine, and the American looking pizza places are looking more appealing by the minute!
The first night of any international trip is always the hardest for me. If I'd been smart, I would have taken an ambien. Went to sleep around 10:30 p.m. our time, and woke up at 4 or a bit before, wide awake. It's now 5:30, and I haven't been able to fall asleep, but with the light and the Austrian alps around me, I doubt I'll be back there anytime soon.
We visited Schloss Neuschwanstein yesterday, which is crazy King Ludwig's castle that he built to honor Richard Wagner. The walls depict scenes from different operas, and overall, it was just pretty darn awesome.
A fun adventure of the day were the pay toilets at the base of the mountain the castle is on. 30 cents (are they cents in Euros? I'm not sure...) and you can pass through a turnstile to use the toilets. We all would have gladly paid, found the proper change, and discovered the machine broken. It was fairly deserted since it's not high tourist season yet, and well, when you have to go you have to go, so we kind of sort of passed through the turnstile without paying. And in hindsight, it's a good thing we didn't. No toilet paper, no paper towels or other hand drying mechanisms, and no soap. But an adventure none the less! We did use the facilities in the castle, which we referred to as the royal thrones (the king died before he ever had his own thrown installed in the castle, so it worked). We also discovered
the royal elevator after we'd walked up approximately 600 stairs to tour the castle. But it was worth it!
We drove on almost to Innsbruck and spent the night in a quaint, tiny hotel that looks like a traditional Bavarian place, and had an ok dinner with exceptional weissbier across the street. All in all, a great first day!
Today we plan to head to Salzburg after visiting the top (or close to the top...) of some of the Austrian alps nearby, maybe checking out some Swarski crystal, and trying to find a place to luge. You heard it here first, folks...
On my last international flight, Kristen’s friend Lora told us the secret to a warm dinner roll with your meal.The secret?Your armpit.Yes, my friends, I warmed my roll in my armpit.US Airways packages them so nicely in plastic that it’s perfect.Hold the roll there, and by the time you’ve eaten the rest of your meal, it’s done!Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
It’s 9:35 p.m. and I’m somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean.We’ve been in the air for almost five hours, which I guess means there are two or three more to go.I should be asleep… I took half an Ambien after the lovely meal of what I think was spinach and pasta with alfredo sauce, and of course the wheat dinner roll warmed by a 98.6 degree armpit.I wonder what breakfast treats might be available for me to use the same technique on.
But back to the sleeping.I just can’t seem to do it.I know I napped for an hour or so, but we have a full day tomorrow.And two hours is hardly enough to see Cinderella’s castle Neuican’tspellitstein and the Austrian Alps.I want to sleep.I have my pink neck pillow and a sanitized sealed-in-plastic US Airways issued blanket.I’m barefoot and mostly comfortable despite the strange mans foot inching closer and closer toward me by the moment.
I counted hockey players (you know, not by numbers, but in numerical order… Luongo, Matty Greene, Marc Methot, Dennis Seidenberg, Franticik “Bag of Pucks” Kaberle & Ladislav Smid, Tim Gleason, Nic Wallin, Matt Cullen, Pascal Duspuis, Horcoff/Kris Russell, Jordan Staal, Eric Staal, Ray “My boyfriend” Whitney, Sergei Samsanov, Derek Dorsett, Baby Brandon Sutter, Rod the Bod Brindamour, Ethan “The Captain” Moreau….. you get the picture.Usually, I can hardly get to 15 before I pass out.I think I got to Chad Larose (aka Number 59) before I gave up.
Then I watched Marley and Me.Which is a terrible, horrible, awful movie.But I want to read the book…. And I tried to knit, but it’s too dark, and you get the picture.
So now, I’m trying to watch another movie, and clear my head, and begin my vacation that begins in about six hours when we arrive in Munich and I get to see Elizabeth for the first time in two years.And we get to have strudel for breakfast.And maybe ein weissbier for lunch.
And tomorrow?Tomorrow I’m going to Salzburg!I get to splash in the fountain and sing Do a deer at the top of my lungs.I’m not sure what I did in life to be blessed by great friends, and incredible opportunities to see new countries and have new adventures.
PS by the way... in case you were wondering, despite the flight being at 420, it was a non-smoking flight. Thanks, TJ for your words of wisdom about that.
Also? I just paid 8 Euro to check NHL scores (it's only game one, the Canes can and will come back...) and to update the blog. Aren't you all excited?
Off to the airport... and then, GERMANY, in 12 hours or so? The time change messes with me. We arrive in Munich at 11:20 a.m., but I think that's about 5 a.m. here?
GO CANES tonight!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Here is a map of the places we are going to visit.... it's kind of vague, but a good overview I think!
Tuesday, May 19 - Land in Frankfurt, fly to Munich. Arrive Munich 11:20 a.m. Germany Time
Pick up car & Elizabeth and DRIVE southwestish
Visit Schloss Neuschwanstein (The castle Walk Disney says inspired Cinderella's digs)
Drive to Innsbruck, Austria for the night. POSSIBLY take the Hungerburgbahn up to the top of the alps. (A funicar railway? I dunno... it sounds awesome though!)
Wednesday, May 20 - Travel to Salzburg (approximately 1.5 hours)
Quick visit to the SwarIcan'tspellit Crystal museum/factory outside of Innsbruck
Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music!!!
Nonnberg Abbey
Schloss Hellbrunn (One of the castles used to depict the Von Trapp home), since I am 16 going on 17 in front of Liesel's gazebo
Frohnburgweg Palace (the other castle used to depict the Von Trapp home)
Mirabell Palace and Gardens Do a deer, a female deer...
Possibly visit the marionette puppet museum and catch a show!
Thursday, May 21 - Drive to Vienna, Austria (approximately 2.5 hours)
Stop in Melk. Or save this for the drive to Munich
Maybe go to the underground lake/nazi aircraft factory
Friday, May 22 - Vienna, Austria
Lots to see and do! Giant ferris wheel thing. Maybe a carriage ride around the ring. Gustav Klimt's The Kiss, a tour of the Opera house, maybe a visit TO the opera!
Heurigen - vineyards where you get the new wine!
Saturday, May 23 - Travel to Munich, Germany (approximately 4-5 hours)
Possibly stop at Dachau on the way
Sunday, May 24 - Munich, Germany
Biergartens
Modern Art Museum
More bier
Maybe a Glockenspiel
Augustiner Keller for beer (TJ says it's better than the Hofbrauhaus)
English Gardens
Olympic park
Monday, May 25 - Home to Charlotte
Depart Munich at 12:20 Germany time
Arrive in Charlotte at 7 p.m. EST via Philly (BOO flyers!)
