Day 17
Today we leave! :)
We have one last wonderful breakfast, pack up and take off for the airport. No problems getting there and check in quickly. We take off for Montreal, Canada. They say our bags will be checked through to Mpls. Hooray!
When we get to Montreal, 7 hours later, they announce we need to pick up our bags there before going through customs. We ask the stewards and they say if we were told they go through then they do. So we go to customs and ask them also. He says the same thing. Then as we go through the final gate, the lady asks us where our bags are. We tell her the story and she says no, we need to get them but now can't go back. So we call Air France and have to wait for them to get the bags and bring them to us. We wait and wait. It is 1 hour until our next plane leaves.
Finally our bags come, we run to the check in area and have to start all over with check in. They are nice and move us to the head of the line and around the back door to customs - second time through customs now. We run because of course our plane leaves from the furthest gate - and make it 10 minutes before it leaves. I guess we don't do these airports really well yet!
Our last flight! 2 1/2 hours and we arrive home. Thanks to VonBergen's for picking us up! It is 9pm Minnesota time, 4am Paris time.
To bed we go - in our own bed, Safely home.
Thank you Jesus for safe travels and a wonderful, unforgettable trip!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Day 16
Wow, our last day! It is hard to believe all we have done and it is soon ending. It has gone so fast. We can't waste a minute on our last day in Paris and so we head out by 9am and go down to the catacombs of Paris. In 1786 Paris had a typhoid epidemic and they realized people were being buried too close to the water supply and were leaching into the water causing disease. So they started to dig up all the bodies and put them in the caves of rock under the city. It took 30 years working every night to dig up all the graves and transplant them. Millions of bones and skulls are there stalked neatly in patterns and organized. Outside the entrance is a sign: "Weak people beware. Those with cardiac and lung disease beware. This is a 1.7 km walk, down 130 steps and up 84 steps of a windy small staircase." "Beware things to see might be disturbing for children and those with nervous disorder."
The walk is blocks long after going down a windy, narrow staircase. The tunnels are low and narrow and then we enter room after room of millions of bones. Skulls are put in patterns and there are plaques that tell dates of when the bones where placed there. At the end we climb up 84 stairs to the top - I have to stop and sit half way up - wondered if I'd make it but then I had no choice but to keep going...up and up and around and around. Before leaving, they search you for bones. Then we go outside to an alley and have to find our way back to the beginning - about 8 blocks away. On the way back we find a suitcase and buy it since we have bought so many presents we need another suitcase to carry all of them home!
We finally get to our car and go through the Jewish section of Paris. We suddenly feel like we are in Israel! We stop for a fallafel for lunch. Fabulous!
Then we head for the Louvre. Bill knows about the underground parking and we come up right in the middle of the Louvre and can buy tickets to enter very quickly. It is also very near the Mona Lisa painting and so we head there first. This museum is amazing. To see all of these paintings and sculptures that have lasted so many hundreds of years. Really beautiful.
Next we head over to Notre Dame. This church is so incredible. Again Bill knows where to park underground below the open yard of Notre Dame and so when we come up we are at the front door of the church and walk right in line to go through it. Inside it is unbelievably massive.
We end the night with dinner at another fancy french restaurant in Neulliy. They don't speak English and so we are guessing on the menu. Wow, it is so good though! Chicken and Lamb on sticks over thin fried potatoes. The creme brelle is wonderful.
Back home to pack and get ready to leave in the morning. Very sad but grateful for such a wonderful trip. We could not have imagined it to be so good. Everything was perfect and nothing went wrong. A beautiful gift!
Wow, our last day! It is hard to believe all we have done and it is soon ending. It has gone so fast. We can't waste a minute on our last day in Paris and so we head out by 9am and go down to the catacombs of Paris. In 1786 Paris had a typhoid epidemic and they realized people were being buried too close to the water supply and were leaching into the water causing disease. So they started to dig up all the bodies and put them in the caves of rock under the city. It took 30 years working every night to dig up all the graves and transplant them. Millions of bones and skulls are there stalked neatly in patterns and organized. Outside the entrance is a sign: "Weak people beware. Those with cardiac and lung disease beware. This is a 1.7 km walk, down 130 steps and up 84 steps of a windy small staircase." "Beware things to see might be disturbing for children and those with nervous disorder."
The walk is blocks long after going down a windy, narrow staircase. The tunnels are low and narrow and then we enter room after room of millions of bones. Skulls are put in patterns and there are plaques that tell dates of when the bones where placed there. At the end we climb up 84 stairs to the top - I have to stop and sit half way up - wondered if I'd make it but then I had no choice but to keep going...up and up and around and around. Before leaving, they search you for bones. Then we go outside to an alley and have to find our way back to the beginning - about 8 blocks away. On the way back we find a suitcase and buy it since we have bought so many presents we need another suitcase to carry all of them home!
We finally get to our car and go through the Jewish section of Paris. We suddenly feel like we are in Israel! We stop for a fallafel for lunch. Fabulous!
Then we head for the Louvre. Bill knows about the underground parking and we come up right in the middle of the Louvre and can buy tickets to enter very quickly. It is also very near the Mona Lisa painting and so we head there first. This museum is amazing. To see all of these paintings and sculptures that have lasted so many hundreds of years. Really beautiful.
Next we head over to Notre Dame. This church is so incredible. Again Bill knows where to park underground below the open yard of Notre Dame and so when we come up we are at the front door of the church and walk right in line to go through it. Inside it is unbelievably massive.
We end the night with dinner at another fancy french restaurant in Neulliy. They don't speak English and so we are guessing on the menu. Wow, it is so good though! Chicken and Lamb on sticks over thin fried potatoes. The creme brelle is wonderful.
Back home to pack and get ready to leave in the morning. Very sad but grateful for such a wonderful trip. We could not have imagined it to be so good. Everything was perfect and nothing went wrong. A beautiful gift!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Day 15
This is our first full day in Paris - we have to make big tracks but after getting home so late last night we sleep in until 10:00! After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel of course. All the hotels by the way have a great breakfast included - tons of fresh fruit, yogurts, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, Fried tomatoes, pancakes, and lots of pastries, rolls, croissants, jams, jellies, and wonderful honey! Oh yes, wonderful fresh juices - apple, orange, and mixed juice.
Well, we head to the Eiffel tower! There are thousands of people already there - looks like the state fair! Bill knows back roads and we find a parking spot just 1 block from the bottom of the Eiffel tower. Gustav Eiffel designed and built it in 1899. He also designed and built the Statue of Liberty. There is a miniature Statue of Liberty down the road. When we get to the Eiffel Tower we find hundreds of people waiting in line to go up it - about a 2 hour wait. Bill goes and talks to the lady at the front of the line and we are suddenly going in! The elevator goes up the middle of the tower and has glass sides so you can see out on the way up. From the top we see all of Paris - as far as you can see are buildings representing millions of people who live there. We can also see the Seine River that runs through the middle of the city.
Next we go to the top of the hill of Paris - Montmartre to go shopping! This is where all the artists of Paris paint and sell their paintings. Portrait sketchers are also here. We find paintings for Rachel and Beth. We have lunch at a little cafe and eat French crepes. We walk the streets for a while and look in the shops.
Then we head to find Moulin Rouge - it is in the "Red Light" district and feels a little sleazy. Moulin Rouge is a night club with dancers and fancy costumes that is very famous. There is a movie about it. When Chuck gets out to take a picture, two "ladies" come to talk to him, luckily they are talking French and he doesn't understand and hurries back to the car.
Next we drive through the wealthy area of Paris, wealthy stores, the Ritz of Paris, and other hotels ranging from $1500/night. This area is right on the Seine River and up the street from the Louvre. We stop and have afternoon tea and pastries at a little sidewalk cafe called Les Deux Magots and watch people. The French are just coming home from work and so we see all kinds of fashion statements - pointed leather shoes, high heels, classy suits and short little dresses. Many are pulling small suitcases home from work. Some women are pushing baby strollers and are coming from the stores. It must take an incredible amount of work to live in this city. Nothing is close to their apartments and then they may need to go up 10 stories high carrying their groceries. It makes you tired to think of facing all of the crowds and traffic every day. We also see the classic tourists standing on the corners reading their maps and trying to find out where they are! St. Germain is one main street the is one block over from the Seine River and runs parallel to it. We have driven up this street about 8 times! The Avenue Champs Ellysees is the main street from the Arch of Triumph (where the tomb of the unknown soldier lies). There is a huge round-about that goes around this Arch. Wild driving!
We head back to the hotel for a short rest and then go off to Lily's for dinner. This is a fancy little restaurant in Neuilly. Only a few blocks from the hotel. Then to bed!
Thanks for another Wonderful day. By the way, nearly every day we comment on how perfect everything on this trip has been. The weather has been perfect. We get to sites at just the right time. We don't get lost - Praise the Lord for GPS! We stay safe with all the driving. The sun shines bright when we want to enjoy it outside. We haven't lost anything. The food is great. We accomplish all that we set out to do each day. No one is sick. We continually get along. God has been so good. He truly is blessing us each day.
Thank you Jesus and Thank you Bill!
This is our first full day in Paris - we have to make big tracks but after getting home so late last night we sleep in until 10:00! After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel of course. All the hotels by the way have a great breakfast included - tons of fresh fruit, yogurts, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, Fried tomatoes, pancakes, and lots of pastries, rolls, croissants, jams, jellies, and wonderful honey! Oh yes, wonderful fresh juices - apple, orange, and mixed juice.
Well, we head to the Eiffel tower! There are thousands of people already there - looks like the state fair! Bill knows back roads and we find a parking spot just 1 block from the bottom of the Eiffel tower. Gustav Eiffel designed and built it in 1899. He also designed and built the Statue of Liberty. There is a miniature Statue of Liberty down the road. When we get to the Eiffel Tower we find hundreds of people waiting in line to go up it - about a 2 hour wait. Bill goes and talks to the lady at the front of the line and we are suddenly going in! The elevator goes up the middle of the tower and has glass sides so you can see out on the way up. From the top we see all of Paris - as far as you can see are buildings representing millions of people who live there. We can also see the Seine River that runs through the middle of the city.
Next we go to the top of the hill of Paris - Montmartre to go shopping! This is where all the artists of Paris paint and sell their paintings. Portrait sketchers are also here. We find paintings for Rachel and Beth. We have lunch at a little cafe and eat French crepes. We walk the streets for a while and look in the shops.
Then we head to find Moulin Rouge - it is in the "Red Light" district and feels a little sleazy. Moulin Rouge is a night club with dancers and fancy costumes that is very famous. There is a movie about it. When Chuck gets out to take a picture, two "ladies" come to talk to him, luckily they are talking French and he doesn't understand and hurries back to the car.
Next we drive through the wealthy area of Paris, wealthy stores, the Ritz of Paris, and other hotels ranging from $1500/night. This area is right on the Seine River and up the street from the Louvre. We stop and have afternoon tea and pastries at a little sidewalk cafe called Les Deux Magots and watch people. The French are just coming home from work and so we see all kinds of fashion statements - pointed leather shoes, high heels, classy suits and short little dresses. Many are pulling small suitcases home from work. Some women are pushing baby strollers and are coming from the stores. It must take an incredible amount of work to live in this city. Nothing is close to their apartments and then they may need to go up 10 stories high carrying their groceries. It makes you tired to think of facing all of the crowds and traffic every day. We also see the classic tourists standing on the corners reading their maps and trying to find out where they are! St. Germain is one main street the is one block over from the Seine River and runs parallel to it. We have driven up this street about 8 times! The Avenue Champs Ellysees is the main street from the Arch of Triumph (where the tomb of the unknown soldier lies). There is a huge round-about that goes around this Arch. Wild driving!
We head back to the hotel for a short rest and then go off to Lily's for dinner. This is a fancy little restaurant in Neuilly. Only a few blocks from the hotel. Then to bed!
Thanks for another Wonderful day. By the way, nearly every day we comment on how perfect everything on this trip has been. The weather has been perfect. We get to sites at just the right time. We don't get lost - Praise the Lord for GPS! We stay safe with all the driving. The sun shines bright when we want to enjoy it outside. We haven't lost anything. The food is great. We accomplish all that we set out to do each day. No one is sick. We continually get along. God has been so good. He truly is blessing us each day.
Thank you Jesus and Thank you Bill!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Day 14
Today we leave Vio's and head to Paris. A little sad to be leaving our new German friends. Even Louis looks a little sad as we pull out of the driveway. It is a long drive on the autobahn. We are only 45 minutes to France but then still a long time to Paris. We pass many vineyards and wheat fields. This is Champagne country of France!
We stop in Verdun on the way. During World War I, the Americans joined the French fighting against the Germans. We drive through Douaumont where millions died in the battle in 1914-1918. Andres Maginot had built a wall along one side of Verdun to protect the city but the Germans just marched around the wall and entered and killed millions of people in a very short time. There is a cemetery where there are crosses as far as your eye can see - thousands, maybe millions of crosses. Some have names, some say "unknown soldier" Some say "three unknown soldiers". The Ossuainede Douaumont is a huge monument building where thousands are buried in mass graves within.
Down the road where the battle actually took place, there still are all the fox holes and huge craters where bombs were dropped. This goes for miles and miles. There are white crosses every so often where many died. We stop and walk through the fox holes and fields for a while. Amazing the impact it has to realize so many died there and how they literally crawled from one hole to another trying to survive.
Then we are on to Paris! We get there about 5pm and check into the hotel. We are staying at the Mariott in Neuilly. We have a suite with a big living room, kitchenette, separate bathroom from the main bathroom and large bedroom. Neuilly is a suburb of Paris - a nice, quiet area, upper class. We head into Paris about 15 minutes away to Le Vaubon for dinner about 8pm. Restaurants don't fill up until about 8:30pm on any night. It takes about 2-3 hours for dinner - People eat slow and sit and talk. This restaurant is right across the street from Napoleon's tomb. About 10pm they light up the tomb and it is beautiful. The gold dome is brilliant! Then we drive over to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up. It is a beautiful blue and gets deeper and deeper blue as the sky gets darker. There are hundreds of people all standing around and sitting on the grass watching it. At 11pm they start blinking bright lights within the Eiffel tower and it is spectacular. Very much worth waiting for! A very memorable first evening in Paris! We are in Paris - hard to realize!
A few thoughts about France and the French:Most do not speak English so much harder to communicate here. Many restaurants don't even have an English menu or anyone who speaks English. Words are nothing like German or English. Places are not as clean as Germany but still not as dirty as in Mexico. Bathrooms are not clean and they do not have the toilet seat cleaners. Yet, Paris is a huge, massive city - millions of people live here. All the buildings look alike with beautiful ornate carvings in white stone. There are rows and rows of apartment buildings - all white stone with rot iron black railings around the balconies. Driving is crazy! They have no designated lanes on the roads - they drive anywhere, with hundreds of motor scooters and motor cycles that weave in and out of traffic and go down between the lanes. And yet there is no smashed cars or bent bumpers. There is no honking or impatient drivers. The huge round-about at the Arch of Triumph is really crazy and wild driving. You have to be aggressive and keep going fast or they will run right over you. There are Smart cars everywhere. They can park two to a parking stall front to back because they are so small.
There are no gas stations! Until you look close and see that they are under ground and so you enter and go down a ramp to them. The fumes are strong down there. There is a strong police presence here - very different than in Germany. At the Eiffel tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame there are military police walking around with machine guns.
Today we leave Vio's and head to Paris. A little sad to be leaving our new German friends. Even Louis looks a little sad as we pull out of the driveway. It is a long drive on the autobahn. We are only 45 minutes to France but then still a long time to Paris. We pass many vineyards and wheat fields. This is Champagne country of France!
We stop in Verdun on the way. During World War I, the Americans joined the French fighting against the Germans. We drive through Douaumont where millions died in the battle in 1914-1918. Andres Maginot had built a wall along one side of Verdun to protect the city but the Germans just marched around the wall and entered and killed millions of people in a very short time. There is a cemetery where there are crosses as far as your eye can see - thousands, maybe millions of crosses. Some have names, some say "unknown soldier" Some say "three unknown soldiers". The Ossuainede Douaumont is a huge monument building where thousands are buried in mass graves within.
Down the road where the battle actually took place, there still are all the fox holes and huge craters where bombs were dropped. This goes for miles and miles. There are white crosses every so often where many died. We stop and walk through the fox holes and fields for a while. Amazing the impact it has to realize so many died there and how they literally crawled from one hole to another trying to survive.
Then we are on to Paris! We get there about 5pm and check into the hotel. We are staying at the Mariott in Neuilly. We have a suite with a big living room, kitchenette, separate bathroom from the main bathroom and large bedroom. Neuilly is a suburb of Paris - a nice, quiet area, upper class. We head into Paris about 15 minutes away to Le Vaubon for dinner about 8pm. Restaurants don't fill up until about 8:30pm on any night. It takes about 2-3 hours for dinner - People eat slow and sit and talk. This restaurant is right across the street from Napoleon's tomb. About 10pm they light up the tomb and it is beautiful. The gold dome is brilliant! Then we drive over to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up. It is a beautiful blue and gets deeper and deeper blue as the sky gets darker. There are hundreds of people all standing around and sitting on the grass watching it. At 11pm they start blinking bright lights within the Eiffel tower and it is spectacular. Very much worth waiting for! A very memorable first evening in Paris! We are in Paris - hard to realize!
A few thoughts about France and the French:Most do not speak English so much harder to communicate here. Many restaurants don't even have an English menu or anyone who speaks English. Words are nothing like German or English. Places are not as clean as Germany but still not as dirty as in Mexico. Bathrooms are not clean and they do not have the toilet seat cleaners. Yet, Paris is a huge, massive city - millions of people live here. All the buildings look alike with beautiful ornate carvings in white stone. There are rows and rows of apartment buildings - all white stone with rot iron black railings around the balconies. Driving is crazy! They have no designated lanes on the roads - they drive anywhere, with hundreds of motor scooters and motor cycles that weave in and out of traffic and go down between the lanes. And yet there is no smashed cars or bent bumpers. There is no honking or impatient drivers. The huge round-about at the Arch of Triumph is really crazy and wild driving. You have to be aggressive and keep going fast or they will run right over you. There are Smart cars everywhere. They can park two to a parking stall front to back because they are so small.
There are no gas stations! Until you look close and see that they are under ground and so you enter and go down a ramp to them. The fumes are strong down there. There is a strong police presence here - very different than in Germany. At the Eiffel tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame there are military police walking around with machine guns.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Day 13
This is a day with Vio and the little boys. Eric starts to combine the wheat fields and so won't be home until midnight for the next four weeks. He combines all the neighbors fields also so it will take him a long time. His father works with him in the fields. Vio is glad to get away with us today and so we head to St. Martin to walk around and have lunch. I drive with Vio and Louis and Yoseph and Bill and Chuck drive separate. It is so good to talk with Vio and hear how life is for a German family. She used to fly with Lufansa airlines. She gets 4 years maternity leave with one year paid. Everyone in Germany gets 41 days vacation a year no matter how long they have worked or what their job is - that's EIGHT weeks vacation and also holidays! Wow! Louis will start going to a preschool called a "forest school". These schools have more hands on teaching. Kids go to school 11 months out of the year - only getting August off. When they are in junior high they are tested and depending how they score they are then placed in a college track or a trade school track for high school. If they are not placed in a college track they can not go on to college. All trades - waitressing, banking, child care, farming, etc go to school for 5 years after high school. So people feel all jobs are just as important and are not just a stepping stone to another job.
When we return home, Chuck and I walk down to the fresh water creek by the farm/hotel. German's believe it is refreshing and healthy to walk in very cold water. A German doctor discovered that cold spring water helps circulation and rhumatoid arthritis. All over Europe are man made ponds of cold spring water that they walk in to improve health.
We eat dinner again out in the back garden of the Klostermuhle. Wonderful end to a very nice relaxing German day.
A few final thoughts of Germany:
German food is fabulous!
Spatzel: white dough cooked with cheese sauce
Putenschnitzel in Frischkasesauce: Turkey breaded in cheese cream sauce
Bruschetta: French bread with tomatoes and basil and other wonderful spices
Salat: salad with shredded carrots, pickled beans, cabbage with vinegar, UNDER the lettuce covered with a vinegar dressing
Weinerschnitzel: Veal pounded with spices and breaded Sauerkraut
Suppen: soup - fabulous creamed mushroom soup, beef soup, etc
Scweinemedaillions: pork
Rumpsteak: Beef, steak
Bratkartoffeln: fried baked potatoes
Lochs: salmon
This is a day with Vio and the little boys. Eric starts to combine the wheat fields and so won't be home until midnight for the next four weeks. He combines all the neighbors fields also so it will take him a long time. His father works with him in the fields. Vio is glad to get away with us today and so we head to St. Martin to walk around and have lunch. I drive with Vio and Louis and Yoseph and Bill and Chuck drive separate. It is so good to talk with Vio and hear how life is for a German family. She used to fly with Lufansa airlines. She gets 4 years maternity leave with one year paid. Everyone in Germany gets 41 days vacation a year no matter how long they have worked or what their job is - that's EIGHT weeks vacation and also holidays! Wow! Louis will start going to a preschool called a "forest school". These schools have more hands on teaching. Kids go to school 11 months out of the year - only getting August off. When they are in junior high they are tested and depending how they score they are then placed in a college track or a trade school track for high school. If they are not placed in a college track they can not go on to college. All trades - waitressing, banking, child care, farming, etc go to school for 5 years after high school. So people feel all jobs are just as important and are not just a stepping stone to another job.
When we return home, Chuck and I walk down to the fresh water creek by the farm/hotel. German's believe it is refreshing and healthy to walk in very cold water. A German doctor discovered that cold spring water helps circulation and rhumatoid arthritis. All over Europe are man made ponds of cold spring water that they walk in to improve health.
We eat dinner again out in the back garden of the Klostermuhle. Wonderful end to a very nice relaxing German day.
A few final thoughts of Germany:
German food is fabulous!
Spatzel: white dough cooked with cheese sauce
Putenschnitzel in Frischkasesauce: Turkey breaded in cheese cream sauce
Bruschetta: French bread with tomatoes and basil and other wonderful spices
Salat: salad with shredded carrots, pickled beans, cabbage with vinegar, UNDER the lettuce covered with a vinegar dressing
Weinerschnitzel: Veal pounded with spices and breaded Sauerkraut
Suppen: soup - fabulous creamed mushroom soup, beef soup, etc
Scweinemedaillions: pork
Rumpsteak: Beef, steak
Bratkartoffeln: fried baked potatoes
Lochs: salmon
Monday, July 14, 2008
Day 12
July 14 - Rachel's Birthday!!
We woke Rachel up to sing Happy Birthday! The sun is shining and it is beautiful so we decide today is the day to head up the Reine River on a boat. We drive about an hour to Bingen where we catch a boat to go to St. Goar. It is gorgeous! The vineyards are hanging on the sides of very steep hills - don't know how they can farm them there. And there are small towns along the sides of the Reine RIver. Nearly each one has a castle up at the top of the hills of the town. Rheinestein castle, Falconbush castle, Sonneck Castle of the Roman Knights, Himburg castle - the lowest castle on the Reine, Weinstadt Lorch, Rheingold castle which has a small castle above it, Backroch castle, Gutenfeld's castle in Kaub is called the cat and mouse castle because it has one large castle above and a smaller one below on a little island in the river. There is the Oberwesel town with the Schonburg castle and the Church of the Lady". The "Loreley Rock" is a huge rock at the bend of the river where legend has it a mermaid sat and beckoned sailors who then would run their boats into rocks trying to get to her.
The boat ride takes 2 hours and then we have lunch in St. Goar at a little outside cafe. I bought Anna's coo coo clock here! Then we head back to our car by taxi - we missed the train.
We head to Vio's parents for a birthday party for her mom - same day as Rachel's! Margit and Edmund are very gracious but know no English. A nephew takes us on tour of the vineyards and the town. The French burned part of the town in the French/German war - they have monuments and are still upset over the French. The vineyards are beautiful. Their vineyard is called "Weingut Hinter der kirche" because that is where it is - vineyard behind the church. The church is across the street from the farm house and storage barns for their wine. Half the church is Protestant and half the church is Catholic. They have separate sidewalks heading up to the church doors.
They take us on a tour of their wine cellar where they still store their wines and have candlelight wine nights for couples. About 35 people soon arrive for the birthday party. The people are very gracious and gentle, quiet folks. Margit has four brothers and sisters and they are all there with their families. They have a long table set in the backyard of the farm house. They have fresh cut flowers from her garden on the tables. There is champagne and wine and lots of great food. They have concentrated grape juice from their vineyard that is absolutely the best I have ever tasted. Vio has been working all day on the food and preparations. They have wonderful pork rolled around bacon and ham and dumplings and a horseradish salad. After eating, one of Margrit's brothers sings a beautiful song for her and also for us. They are very proud to have us visiting from America and make us feel so welcomed. Only a few can speak any English though so we just listen to their conversation and Bill and Eric interpret for us occasionally. Very fun to see real German's interacting. Many people brought her beautiful flowers and plants for gifts. It is a wonderful evening!
July 14 - Rachel's Birthday!!
We woke Rachel up to sing Happy Birthday! The sun is shining and it is beautiful so we decide today is the day to head up the Reine River on a boat. We drive about an hour to Bingen where we catch a boat to go to St. Goar. It is gorgeous! The vineyards are hanging on the sides of very steep hills - don't know how they can farm them there. And there are small towns along the sides of the Reine RIver. Nearly each one has a castle up at the top of the hills of the town. Rheinestein castle, Falconbush castle, Sonneck Castle of the Roman Knights, Himburg castle - the lowest castle on the Reine, Weinstadt Lorch, Rheingold castle which has a small castle above it, Backroch castle, Gutenfeld's castle in Kaub is called the cat and mouse castle because it has one large castle above and a smaller one below on a little island in the river. There is the Oberwesel town with the Schonburg castle and the Church of the Lady". The "Loreley Rock" is a huge rock at the bend of the river where legend has it a mermaid sat and beckoned sailors who then would run their boats into rocks trying to get to her.
The boat ride takes 2 hours and then we have lunch in St. Goar at a little outside cafe. I bought Anna's coo coo clock here! Then we head back to our car by taxi - we missed the train.
We head to Vio's parents for a birthday party for her mom - same day as Rachel's! Margit and Edmund are very gracious but know no English. A nephew takes us on tour of the vineyards and the town. The French burned part of the town in the French/German war - they have monuments and are still upset over the French. The vineyards are beautiful. Their vineyard is called "Weingut Hinter der kirche" because that is where it is - vineyard behind the church. The church is across the street from the farm house and storage barns for their wine. Half the church is Protestant and half the church is Catholic. They have separate sidewalks heading up to the church doors.
They take us on a tour of their wine cellar where they still store their wines and have candlelight wine nights for couples. About 35 people soon arrive for the birthday party. The people are very gracious and gentle, quiet folks. Margit has four brothers and sisters and they are all there with their families. They have a long table set in the backyard of the farm house. They have fresh cut flowers from her garden on the tables. There is champagne and wine and lots of great food. They have concentrated grape juice from their vineyard that is absolutely the best I have ever tasted. Vio has been working all day on the food and preparations. They have wonderful pork rolled around bacon and ham and dumplings and a horseradish salad. After eating, one of Margrit's brothers sings a beautiful song for her and also for us. They are very proud to have us visiting from America and make us feel so welcomed. Only a few can speak any English though so we just listen to their conversation and Bill and Eric interpret for us occasionally. Very fun to see real German's interacting. Many people brought her beautiful flowers and plants for gifts. It is a wonderful evening!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Day 11
Today we leave Heidelberg traveling the Weinstrausse - this is the autobauhn that winds through the wine country of Germany. The vineyards are beautiful and are nestled among the fields of wheat and corn. The sun is shining and we soon head off the autobauhn to travel through the little villages of Germany. Maikammer is a little village with narrow streets that you would think only one car could go through. But they just move over to the edge and everyone can pass. Grapes hang over the streets on wires between houses. There is no grass - just walls of houses running right up to the streets with a narrow sidewalk on in front of some houses. Then we park in St. Martin and walk the streets. There are a few little shops but mostly houses and churches. This is a town dating back to the medival times. There are dates on the homes and wine stores from 1400-1500's. The old wall of the city is still there. We stop in Deidesheir at the Deidesheimerhof for lunch. This has the largest beer cask - stands 2 stories tall. Houses here have dates of 1485. THere is a large flea market going on and so we walk through it and buy a cut glass beer stein and a cup and saucer.
Next we head to Freinsheim - now this is an old town. Wow, these buildings are very old yet they are kept up so nice. Lots of wine stores again. Just up the road is Frankenstein and the famous Frankenstein castle. Percy Bethshelly was visiting here when he was inspired to write the story of Frankenstein based on this castle. It stands high on a hill and the only way there is to walk the long trail up to the top.
Now we finally arrive at Munchweiler where Erick and Vio live. Vio was Bill and Karen's opper (nanny) when the boys were 5 and 7 years old. Her parents are Margit and Edmund Knab who live in Pheddersheim about 20 minutes away. Her brother Oliver, runs the family vineyards there. The family vineyard has been in the family for 4 generations.
Erick's parents are Claudia and Carl-Heinz Jennewein. The farm has been in their family since 1928. Erick farms wheat and sugar beets. Erick's brother David and his partner Valentin run the Klostermuhle Hotel that is connected to the farm. That is where we stay - beautiful new contemporary style rooms. David also runs the resturant there and his mother is the main cook. Wonderful food and wonderful people. Erick also has a two sisters named Astrid and Carla who we didn't get to meet. Erick and Vio have two little boys - Louis is 20 months and runs around everywhere showing us the farm and scenery. He talks constantly when he warms up to you - but all German of course! Yoseph is just 10 weeks old. He is such a good baby - sleeps most of the time and wakes up so happy - never hear him cry or fuss - full of smiles! It is so good to meet a German family and talk with them. Erick spent some time in North Dakota learning about farming and so both Vio and Erick speak very good English. We have dinner with them at the Klostermuhle in the garden and sit and talk for three hours while Louis plays soccer in the yard with some older boys - yes, he is 20 months old and can kick a soccer ball.
Now to bed.
Today we leave Heidelberg traveling the Weinstrausse - this is the autobauhn that winds through the wine country of Germany. The vineyards are beautiful and are nestled among the fields of wheat and corn. The sun is shining and we soon head off the autobauhn to travel through the little villages of Germany. Maikammer is a little village with narrow streets that you would think only one car could go through. But they just move over to the edge and everyone can pass. Grapes hang over the streets on wires between houses. There is no grass - just walls of houses running right up to the streets with a narrow sidewalk on in front of some houses. Then we park in St. Martin and walk the streets. There are a few little shops but mostly houses and churches. This is a town dating back to the medival times. There are dates on the homes and wine stores from 1400-1500's. The old wall of the city is still there. We stop in Deidesheir at the Deidesheimerhof for lunch. This has the largest beer cask - stands 2 stories tall. Houses here have dates of 1485. THere is a large flea market going on and so we walk through it and buy a cut glass beer stein and a cup and saucer.
Next we head to Freinsheim - now this is an old town. Wow, these buildings are very old yet they are kept up so nice. Lots of wine stores again. Just up the road is Frankenstein and the famous Frankenstein castle. Percy Bethshelly was visiting here when he was inspired to write the story of Frankenstein based on this castle. It stands high on a hill and the only way there is to walk the long trail up to the top.
Now we finally arrive at Munchweiler where Erick and Vio live. Vio was Bill and Karen's opper (nanny) when the boys were 5 and 7 years old. Her parents are Margit and Edmund Knab who live in Pheddersheim about 20 minutes away. Her brother Oliver, runs the family vineyards there. The family vineyard has been in the family for 4 generations.
Erick's parents are Claudia and Carl-Heinz Jennewein. The farm has been in their family since 1928. Erick farms wheat and sugar beets. Erick's brother David and his partner Valentin run the Klostermuhle Hotel that is connected to the farm. That is where we stay - beautiful new contemporary style rooms. David also runs the resturant there and his mother is the main cook. Wonderful food and wonderful people. Erick also has a two sisters named Astrid and Carla who we didn't get to meet. Erick and Vio have two little boys - Louis is 20 months and runs around everywhere showing us the farm and scenery. He talks constantly when he warms up to you - but all German of course! Yoseph is just 10 weeks old. He is such a good baby - sleeps most of the time and wakes up so happy - never hear him cry or fuss - full of smiles! It is so good to meet a German family and talk with them. Erick spent some time in North Dakota learning about farming and so both Vio and Erick speak very good English. We have dinner with them at the Klostermuhle in the garden and sit and talk for three hours while Louis plays soccer in the yard with some older boys - yes, he is 20 months old and can kick a soccer ball.
Now to bed.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Day 10
Today we leave Munich and head to Heidelberg. It is a long drive with beautiful country side. Chuck and Bill push the limits on the autobahn - going 108 miles per hour - 180km/hr! We are coming into wine country now and the hills are rolling with beautiful vineyards along the way. The grapes are still green but huge clusters are hanging and you can see them from the road.
Heidelberg is known for the place where all the great theologians studied and all the great German writers and poets. - Gutenberg built the printing press here.
We are staying at the Heidelberg Mariott on the conseir floor. There is a lounge at the end of the floor that has a balcony that overlooks the river and you can see the castle from there. They have a "cocktail party" complete with lots of food - chicken wings, brasetta, fruit cups, other hor deveres, fresh french bread, and lots and lots of pastries and desserts. We eat our supper there and sit out on the balcony. It is a beautiful evening. We meet some people that are visiting their daugther who works with Young Life on the military base. And others who are Jewish who work with an organization that helps military families who need help. Bill is great at talking to all the people and we are old friends very soon.
Down the Nacker River we can see the castle sitting in the hills. Tonight they are re-enacting when the French burned the castle and bombed the city during the war between the Germans and the French. We wait and wait. Finally about 10:30pm the castle is lit up with red and it looks as if it is on fire. They have fireworks over the river - our second fireworks in Europe! It is beautiful - then to bed...
Today we leave Munich and head to Heidelberg. It is a long drive with beautiful country side. Chuck and Bill push the limits on the autobahn - going 108 miles per hour - 180km/hr! We are coming into wine country now and the hills are rolling with beautiful vineyards along the way. The grapes are still green but huge clusters are hanging and you can see them from the road.
Heidelberg is known for the place where all the great theologians studied and all the great German writers and poets. - Gutenberg built the printing press here.
We are staying at the Heidelberg Mariott on the conseir floor. There is a lounge at the end of the floor that has a balcony that overlooks the river and you can see the castle from there. They have a "cocktail party" complete with lots of food - chicken wings, brasetta, fruit cups, other hor deveres, fresh french bread, and lots and lots of pastries and desserts. We eat our supper there and sit out on the balcony. It is a beautiful evening. We meet some people that are visiting their daugther who works with Young Life on the military base. And others who are Jewish who work with an organization that helps military families who need help. Bill is great at talking to all the people and we are old friends very soon.
Down the Nacker River we can see the castle sitting in the hills. Tonight they are re-enacting when the French burned the castle and bombed the city during the war between the Germans and the French. We wait and wait. Finally about 10:30pm the castle is lit up with red and it looks as if it is on fire. They have fireworks over the river - our second fireworks in Europe! It is beautiful - then to bed...
Friday, July 11, 2008
Day 9
Today we leave Berchtesgaden and head to Munich, Germany. It takes about 4 hours on the autobahn which means "Ribbon of highway". Yes, some really drive fast! Chuck and Bill take turns driving - getting up to 170km/hr which is 108 miles/hour! You NEVER drive in the left lane unless you are passing. They fly up that lane and if you are there and they flash their lights at you they will run you over. We leave the Alps behind now and the land changes drastically. We see farm land of wheat, sugar beets, and corn. The fields are beautiful as they are striped with golden wheat and bright green beets and corn fields. There are little rolling hills off in the distance but it looks very much like Minnesota or Wisconsin now.
We get to Dachau and find the concentration camp right on the edge of the town. Signs call it "KZ Gedenkstatte" or a memorial sight - they don't call it a concentration camp. No one around, Germans, acknowledges that it is there. We go in the back door next to the Catholic convent - parking is just outside the wall rather than 4 blocks away from the main entrance. Wow, this is so emotional. They have the gas chambers and crematoriums still there. People were told they were going in to showers and were taken to one room to take off their clothes. The next room they were placed in and then the gas was turned on and they were murdered. The next room was the crematoriums. Outside everyone walks so solemn and go past memorial chapels that have been built - Russian Orthodax, Protestant, Catholic, and the Jewish Synogague. There were 30 barracks. One has been rebuilt like it was. They had men packed in these small, 4 foot long, 2 feet wide beds. There is a large museum with many pictures and descriptions of of life at the camp. This camp was not just for German Jews. It was for anyone who questioned Nazism - priests, ministers, Polish, homesexuals, government dissidence, etc.
This is the hottest day, 94 degrees, and walking the long courtyard of Dachau is horrible, many blocks long. There are many school kids there on tour and yet no one is talking or smiling - all walking quiet and solemn. When we leave we find our hotel and check in - Munich Marriott. After checking in our rooms we drive down to the "Seehaus im Engish Garten" This is a beautiful little restruant right on a lake in the middle of Munich. It is beatuiful and we have a great late lunch.
Next we drive down to the markplatz or Munich's City Center. We time it perfectly - it is 4:55pm so we get to see the big clock strike 5pm. Dancers come out and dance in a circle and music plays. This all happens at the clock tower of the headquarters of city hall. The city is very busy and crowded. There are bikers and cars everywhere and traffic is horrible.
We drive to the Hoffbrauhaus - the oldest beer house in the world. It was built by Monks. When Hitler was an artist in Munich, he spent a lot of time there. He would discuss politics with others and made speeches there and started his following of people. He spent time plotting and forming his political party there. It has a huge open garden in the middle of the building where people sit and drink beer. There are rows and rows of small compartments where they leave their beer mugs and lock them up for the next time they come. Some old men come so much they have their own coasters made with their pictures on them and have their own booth that is always reserved for them to sit in.
We head back to the hotel and go swimming and have dinner at Champions - a hotel restruant with real American food. It is so good to have regular hamburgers! This has been the longest day - maybe because of the long drive...maybe because of the emotions at Dachau, maybe because of the heat...Home feels very far away....
Today we leave Berchtesgaden and head to Munich, Germany. It takes about 4 hours on the autobahn which means "Ribbon of highway". Yes, some really drive fast! Chuck and Bill take turns driving - getting up to 170km/hr which is 108 miles/hour! You NEVER drive in the left lane unless you are passing. They fly up that lane and if you are there and they flash their lights at you they will run you over. We leave the Alps behind now and the land changes drastically. We see farm land of wheat, sugar beets, and corn. The fields are beautiful as they are striped with golden wheat and bright green beets and corn fields. There are little rolling hills off in the distance but it looks very much like Minnesota or Wisconsin now.
We get to Dachau and find the concentration camp right on the edge of the town. Signs call it "KZ Gedenkstatte" or a memorial sight - they don't call it a concentration camp. No one around, Germans, acknowledges that it is there. We go in the back door next to the Catholic convent - parking is just outside the wall rather than 4 blocks away from the main entrance. Wow, this is so emotional. They have the gas chambers and crematoriums still there. People were told they were going in to showers and were taken to one room to take off their clothes. The next room they were placed in and then the gas was turned on and they were murdered. The next room was the crematoriums. Outside everyone walks so solemn and go past memorial chapels that have been built - Russian Orthodax, Protestant, Catholic, and the Jewish Synogague. There were 30 barracks. One has been rebuilt like it was. They had men packed in these small, 4 foot long, 2 feet wide beds. There is a large museum with many pictures and descriptions of of life at the camp. This camp was not just for German Jews. It was for anyone who questioned Nazism - priests, ministers, Polish, homesexuals, government dissidence, etc.
This is the hottest day, 94 degrees, and walking the long courtyard of Dachau is horrible, many blocks long. There are many school kids there on tour and yet no one is talking or smiling - all walking quiet and solemn. When we leave we find our hotel and check in - Munich Marriott. After checking in our rooms we drive down to the "Seehaus im Engish Garten" This is a beautiful little restruant right on a lake in the middle of Munich. It is beatuiful and we have a great late lunch.
Next we drive down to the markplatz or Munich's City Center. We time it perfectly - it is 4:55pm so we get to see the big clock strike 5pm. Dancers come out and dance in a circle and music plays. This all happens at the clock tower of the headquarters of city hall. The city is very busy and crowded. There are bikers and cars everywhere and traffic is horrible.
We drive to the Hoffbrauhaus - the oldest beer house in the world. It was built by Monks. When Hitler was an artist in Munich, he spent a lot of time there. He would discuss politics with others and made speeches there and started his following of people. He spent time plotting and forming his political party there. It has a huge open garden in the middle of the building where people sit and drink beer. There are rows and rows of small compartments where they leave their beer mugs and lock them up for the next time they come. Some old men come so much they have their own coasters made with their pictures on them and have their own booth that is always reserved for them to sit in.
We head back to the hotel and go swimming and have dinner at Champions - a hotel restruant with real American food. It is so good to have regular hamburgers! This has been the longest day - maybe because of the long drive...maybe because of the emotions at Dachau, maybe because of the heat...Home feels very far away....
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Day 8
This is the day to discover the Salt Mines of Berchtesgaden - the salzzeitreise. We put on one piece jump suits and get on a little open train that we straddle. It goes down under ground very fast and the tunnel gets very narrow. When we reach the bottom it is about 32 degrees. There are very large rooms that we walk through and tour the making of salt. When they find a pocket of salt, they drill a huge hole the size of a football field. Then they fill it with water and let the salt dissolve in the water. Then they drain the water and distill it and the salt is left. They repeat this process many times until all the salt is out of the rock. In two areas they put us on a wooden, long slide that we sit on and it chutes us down another two stories. We all go together - Chuck, me, and Bill - we scream all the way down and the Germans give us dirty looks for making so much noise. Another thing to note about Germans - they hate noise or loud talking - they even close car washes on Sunday because they make too much noise for the neighbors that live near by - really!
I have now conquered the mountain tops by cable car, the tiny elevators, and now the caves and salt mines below the earth. I am over coming any fears that I once had...Amazing!
After the salt mines, we stop at a small little store and buy home made sandwiches, Cokes, and chips and head up the mountain following the Rossfeldstrasse. This is a little windy road that climbs the mountain above the Obersalzberg and straddles the borders of Germany and Austria. It reaches 1500 meters. We stop and have a picnic lunch on the way, looking at the mountains above and valleys below. Truly amazing sight to see the majestic beauty.
The weather is sunny and warm today. We have had PERFECT weather - in the 70's each day. When we climb the mountains it gets cool, probably in the 50's, and we need our jackets but when we are down below it is just comfortable. Today though it is very warm - high 80's and so we next head to the Konigsee, "Lake of the King". It is a beautiful emerald green lake with mountains towering up the sides of it. There is many shopping stores along the water streets and so Bill and Chuck sit and Chris runs through the stores.
We get back to the hotel and go swimming in the outside pool and lay in the sun for a time before having dinner outside on the terrace at the Alpenhof hotel. Bill is close friends with many of the watresses and so we get to meet Mandy #1, Mandy #2, and Katerina. Very nice young girls who love to tease with Bill.
A few more thoughts about Germany: Diesel Gas is 1.51 Eros/liter There is 4 liters to a gallon (so about 6 Eros per gallon) and $1.50 dollars per Ero. So we are paying about $9.00 per gallon of gas. WOW! Regular gas is just slightly more but you get more miles to a gallon with diesel.
Houses/towns: They love flowers and so there are flower boxes under every window. Did I mention there is a church in the center of every town and the cemetery is always within the church gate and go right up to the church. They often have pictures in ceramic of the person on the grave stone. Every town also has a memorial monument that lists all the men that have died in each war from the town. Often there is a painting or mosaic picture on the outside of their house and always have the name of the family painted on the outside of the house. Example: "Haus Anna" "Haus Watters" Often there are rocks on the roofs so when it snows the snow doesn't collect on the roof but falls off easier. There is such a uniformity of life here. No one is allowed to paint their house any color other than white unless they get permission from the town. They must keep it up or they will be fined. They would never think of not following the law or even small rules. They police themselves - they will tell you if you are not obeying the law and expect others to do what is right.
Many of the older women still wear the diendl dresses and especially the shop owners and waitresses in the restruants wear them. Men often are wearing the Bavarian suit coats with the little stand up collars.
This is the day to discover the Salt Mines of Berchtesgaden - the salzzeitreise. We put on one piece jump suits and get on a little open train that we straddle. It goes down under ground very fast and the tunnel gets very narrow. When we reach the bottom it is about 32 degrees. There are very large rooms that we walk through and tour the making of salt. When they find a pocket of salt, they drill a huge hole the size of a football field. Then they fill it with water and let the salt dissolve in the water. Then they drain the water and distill it and the salt is left. They repeat this process many times until all the salt is out of the rock. In two areas they put us on a wooden, long slide that we sit on and it chutes us down another two stories. We all go together - Chuck, me, and Bill - we scream all the way down and the Germans give us dirty looks for making so much noise. Another thing to note about Germans - they hate noise or loud talking - they even close car washes on Sunday because they make too much noise for the neighbors that live near by - really!
I have now conquered the mountain tops by cable car, the tiny elevators, and now the caves and salt mines below the earth. I am over coming any fears that I once had...Amazing!
After the salt mines, we stop at a small little store and buy home made sandwiches, Cokes, and chips and head up the mountain following the Rossfeldstrasse. This is a little windy road that climbs the mountain above the Obersalzberg and straddles the borders of Germany and Austria. It reaches 1500 meters. We stop and have a picnic lunch on the way, looking at the mountains above and valleys below. Truly amazing sight to see the majestic beauty.
The weather is sunny and warm today. We have had PERFECT weather - in the 70's each day. When we climb the mountains it gets cool, probably in the 50's, and we need our jackets but when we are down below it is just comfortable. Today though it is very warm - high 80's and so we next head to the Konigsee, "Lake of the King". It is a beautiful emerald green lake with mountains towering up the sides of it. There is many shopping stores along the water streets and so Bill and Chuck sit and Chris runs through the stores.
We get back to the hotel and go swimming in the outside pool and lay in the sun for a time before having dinner outside on the terrace at the Alpenhof hotel. Bill is close friends with many of the watresses and so we get to meet Mandy #1, Mandy #2, and Katerina. Very nice young girls who love to tease with Bill.
A few more thoughts about Germany: Diesel Gas is 1.51 Eros/liter There is 4 liters to a gallon (so about 6 Eros per gallon) and $1.50 dollars per Ero. So we are paying about $9.00 per gallon of gas. WOW! Regular gas is just slightly more but you get more miles to a gallon with diesel.
Houses/towns: They love flowers and so there are flower boxes under every window. Did I mention there is a church in the center of every town and the cemetery is always within the church gate and go right up to the church. They often have pictures in ceramic of the person on the grave stone. Every town also has a memorial monument that lists all the men that have died in each war from the town. Often there is a painting or mosaic picture on the outside of their house and always have the name of the family painted on the outside of the house. Example: "Haus Anna" "Haus Watters" Often there are rocks on the roofs so when it snows the snow doesn't collect on the roof but falls off easier. There is such a uniformity of life here. No one is allowed to paint their house any color other than white unless they get permission from the town. They must keep it up or they will be fined. They would never think of not following the law or even small rules. They police themselves - they will tell you if you are not obeying the law and expect others to do what is right.
Many of the older women still wear the diendl dresses and especially the shop owners and waitresses in the restruants wear them. Men often are wearing the Bavarian suit coats with the little stand up collars.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Day 7
This is our Hitler day. The sun is shining and so we head up to the Kehlestein or "Hitler's Eagle's Nest". This is a retreat center of Hitler's that was built for him and given to him for his 50th birthday in 1938. He only visited it a few times because it is high above Berchtesgarten and he was afraid of heights. You drive half way up the mountain and then have to take a bus to the bottom of the ledge. From there we walk through a tunnel of the mountain and take an elevator up to the top throuogh the mountain. THe elevator is the original - with solid gold walls and the orignal phone in the elevator. At the top you can look over all of the Obersalzberg and down to Berchesgarten. An incredible view. Once again we are amazed at the beauty and majestic mountains that God has created. Breath-taking!
We have lunch at the top in the Kehlestein and watch as clouds start to roll in.
Next we head back to where Hitler had his home. The Hotel Cumturken was next to his home and was taken over by Hitler during his reign. When the US bombed Hitler's home, the hotel was untouched. We met the lady who was a little girl when her family owned the hotel before Hitler took it from them. She finally got the hotel back 10 years ago and it was then discovered that there was a huge bunker system built under the hotel and Hitler's home that was still intacted. We went down into this bunker system and saw where it led to his home. It was created with massive thick walls, had rooms for the soldiers that protected Hitler and separate rooms for Hitler and Eva Braun, his girlfriend. We then found another bunker that runs under this large field in the valley, near a resturant that Hitler often visited. Small pipes come up through the ground in the field that were the air system for the bunker.
We discovered the first hostel in the world that is still being run as a hostel. Hitler often would go there and take pictures with the teens staying there. Strubkaserne is just down the street from it. This is a German military base. The buildings are from the Third Reich and were built by Hitler.
This is our Hitler day. The sun is shining and so we head up to the Kehlestein or "Hitler's Eagle's Nest". This is a retreat center of Hitler's that was built for him and given to him for his 50th birthday in 1938. He only visited it a few times because it is high above Berchtesgarten and he was afraid of heights. You drive half way up the mountain and then have to take a bus to the bottom of the ledge. From there we walk through a tunnel of the mountain and take an elevator up to the top throuogh the mountain. THe elevator is the original - with solid gold walls and the orignal phone in the elevator. At the top you can look over all of the Obersalzberg and down to Berchesgarten. An incredible view. Once again we are amazed at the beauty and majestic mountains that God has created. Breath-taking!
We have lunch at the top in the Kehlestein and watch as clouds start to roll in.
Next we head back to where Hitler had his home. The Hotel Cumturken was next to his home and was taken over by Hitler during his reign. When the US bombed Hitler's home, the hotel was untouched. We met the lady who was a little girl when her family owned the hotel before Hitler took it from them. She finally got the hotel back 10 years ago and it was then discovered that there was a huge bunker system built under the hotel and Hitler's home that was still intacted. We went down into this bunker system and saw where it led to his home. It was created with massive thick walls, had rooms for the soldiers that protected Hitler and separate rooms for Hitler and Eva Braun, his girlfriend. We then found another bunker that runs under this large field in the valley, near a resturant that Hitler often visited. Small pipes come up through the ground in the field that were the air system for the bunker.
We discovered the first hostel in the world that is still being run as a hostel. Hitler often would go there and take pictures with the teens staying there. Strubkaserne is just down the street from it. This is a German military base. The buildings are from the Third Reich and were built by Hitler.
Day 7:
July 9, Wednesday
This is our Hitler day. The sun is shining and so we head up to the Kehlestein or "Hitler's Eagle's Nest". This is a retreat center of Hitler's that was built for him and given to him for his 50th birthday in 1938. He only visited it a few times because it is high above Berchtesgarten and he was afraid of heights. You drive half way up the mountain and then have to take a bus to the bottom of the ledge. From there we walk through a tunnel of the mountain and take an elevator up to the top through the mountain. The elevator is the original - with solid gold walls and the original phone in the elevator. At the top you can look over all of the Obersalzberg and down to Berchesgarten. An incredible view. Once again we are amazed at the beauty and majestic mountains that God has created. Breath-taking!
We have lunch at the top in the Kehlestein and watch as clouds start to roll in.
Next we head back to where Hitler had his home. The Hotel Cumturken was next to his home and was taken over by Hitler during his reign. When the US bombed Hitler's home, the hotel was untouched. We met the lady who was a little girl when her family owned the hotel before Hitler took it from them. She finally got the hotel back 10 years ago and it was then discovered that there was a huge bunker system built under the hotel and Hitler's home that was still intacted. We went down into this bunker system and saw where it led to his home. It was created with massive thick walls, had rooms for the soldiers that protected Hitler and separate rooms for Hitler and Eva Braun, his girlfriend. We then found another bunker that runs under this large field in the valley, near a restaurant that Hitler often visited. Small pipes come up through the ground in the field that were the air system for the bunker.
We discovered the first hostel in the world that is still being run as a hostel. Hitler often would go there and take pictures with the teens staying there. Strubkaserne is just down the street from it. This is a German military base. The buildings are from the Third Reich and were built by Hitler.
Then we went adventuring - looking to find Paula Hitler's grave. She was Adolf's only sister. She never married and lived just outside Berchtesgaden. We found the cemetery but the workers there refused to tell us where the grave is. So we start walking around and ran into a lady pushing a stroller. She points in one direction and starts to tell us where it is when the grave yard workers come running after us and yelling at her, "You can not tell"! So as she leaves us we go in the direction she was pointing when a quiet little old man walks up behind us and whispers, "I'll show you." So he takes us to the grave. It is marked with a different name because they were tired of people coming through the cemetery but on the internet you can find the story showing this exact grave. Only the marker is changed - the tall wooden monument still stands.
A few impressions about Germany and Germans:The technology here is far beyond America. They are very environmentally advanced. Very "green". Most buildings and hotels have motion detector lights in all the halls and bathrooms so they only go on when you use them. The toilets and bathrooms are beyond clean - even in gas stations - They have a little automatic cleaner so after you flush the toilet, the toilet seat makes a circle and gets cleaned.
The beds all have big feather duvets - two single ones so each has their own - saves pulling the covers! The fancy hotels that we stayed in all had robes and slippers to go to the pool. The tables are set with the knives on a rock or shell under the tip of the knife. Fresh flowers are everywhere on the tables.
People are very friendly. They don't know much English but we are beginning to talk a few German words to get by. Signs are all in German only. People are very quiet and very proper. They won't think of breaking the law - we don't see police ANYWHERE. I guess they are not needed like in America. They get upset if we stop on the side of the road because that is not done. The bend over and talk quietly in restaurants. They believe in building buildings to last - average is for 200 years, where in America houses last about 70-80 years. We have seen some OLD buildings! Built in the 1400's. People are very health conscious - they walk everywhere with walking sticks - like ski poles in both hands. All throughout the mountains are cars parked and people no where to be seen - out walking the trails of the mountains. Or they are biking up and down the mountains - AMAZING! Even very old people.
July 9, Wednesday
This is our Hitler day. The sun is shining and so we head up to the Kehlestein or "Hitler's Eagle's Nest". This is a retreat center of Hitler's that was built for him and given to him for his 50th birthday in 1938. He only visited it a few times because it is high above Berchtesgarten and he was afraid of heights. You drive half way up the mountain and then have to take a bus to the bottom of the ledge. From there we walk through a tunnel of the mountain and take an elevator up to the top through the mountain. The elevator is the original - with solid gold walls and the original phone in the elevator. At the top you can look over all of the Obersalzberg and down to Berchesgarten. An incredible view. Once again we are amazed at the beauty and majestic mountains that God has created. Breath-taking!
We have lunch at the top in the Kehlestein and watch as clouds start to roll in.
Next we head back to where Hitler had his home. The Hotel Cumturken was next to his home and was taken over by Hitler during his reign. When the US bombed Hitler's home, the hotel was untouched. We met the lady who was a little girl when her family owned the hotel before Hitler took it from them. She finally got the hotel back 10 years ago and it was then discovered that there was a huge bunker system built under the hotel and Hitler's home that was still intacted. We went down into this bunker system and saw where it led to his home. It was created with massive thick walls, had rooms for the soldiers that protected Hitler and separate rooms for Hitler and Eva Braun, his girlfriend. We then found another bunker that runs under this large field in the valley, near a restaurant that Hitler often visited. Small pipes come up through the ground in the field that were the air system for the bunker.
We discovered the first hostel in the world that is still being run as a hostel. Hitler often would go there and take pictures with the teens staying there. Strubkaserne is just down the street from it. This is a German military base. The buildings are from the Third Reich and were built by Hitler.
Then we went adventuring - looking to find Paula Hitler's grave. She was Adolf's only sister. She never married and lived just outside Berchtesgaden. We found the cemetery but the workers there refused to tell us where the grave is. So we start walking around and ran into a lady pushing a stroller. She points in one direction and starts to tell us where it is when the grave yard workers come running after us and yelling at her, "You can not tell"! So as she leaves us we go in the direction she was pointing when a quiet little old man walks up behind us and whispers, "I'll show you." So he takes us to the grave. It is marked with a different name because they were tired of people coming through the cemetery but on the internet you can find the story showing this exact grave. Only the marker is changed - the tall wooden monument still stands.
A few impressions about Germany and Germans:The technology here is far beyond America. They are very environmentally advanced. Very "green". Most buildings and hotels have motion detector lights in all the halls and bathrooms so they only go on when you use them. The toilets and bathrooms are beyond clean - even in gas stations - They have a little automatic cleaner so after you flush the toilet, the toilet seat makes a circle and gets cleaned.
The beds all have big feather duvets - two single ones so each has their own - saves pulling the covers! The fancy hotels that we stayed in all had robes and slippers to go to the pool. The tables are set with the knives on a rock or shell under the tip of the knife. Fresh flowers are everywhere on the tables.
People are very friendly. They don't know much English but we are beginning to talk a few German words to get by. Signs are all in German only. People are very quiet and very proper. They won't think of breaking the law - we don't see police ANYWHERE. I guess they are not needed like in America. They get upset if we stop on the side of the road because that is not done. The bend over and talk quietly in restaurants. They believe in building buildings to last - average is for 200 years, where in America houses last about 70-80 years. We have seen some OLD buildings! Built in the 1400's. People are very health conscious - they walk everywhere with walking sticks - like ski poles in both hands. All throughout the mountains are cars parked and people no where to be seen - out walking the trails of the mountains. Or they are biking up and down the mountains - AMAZING! Even very old people.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Day 6
Today we leave Corvara, Italy and head to Berchtesgarten, Germany. It is a long drive and takes about 5 hours. We go through beautiful Barvarian towns and the swiss alps again. The sun is shining and sparkles on the mountain. We eat in a little Austrian resturant on the side of the alps. We arrive about 2:30pm and immediately head up the mountain to find the Kunterweg Church in Ramsau. Josef Mohr who wrote "Silent Night" was parish assistant here in 1512.
We then head to Obersalzberg for a quick overview of the land. This was Hitler's military base and personal retreat center away from Munch. There are still so many buildings still standing and in use from the Third Reich. We find the ruins of Hitler's house. It was bombed by the US military. There are bricks from the front of the house and the back retaining wall still standing. It was not high on the top of the obersalzberg - Hitler was afraid of heights and is nestled in the woods.
Then we head to our new hotel - the Alpenhof Hotel nestled in the mountains. It is a beautiful hotel with an indoor and outdoor pool. Stephen is the owner and a friend of Bill's. Dinner and breakfast is included in the hotel price. Another wonderful dinner.
Today we leave Corvara, Italy and head to Berchtesgarten, Germany. It is a long drive and takes about 5 hours. We go through beautiful Barvarian towns and the swiss alps again. The sun is shining and sparkles on the mountain. We eat in a little Austrian resturant on the side of the alps. We arrive about 2:30pm and immediately head up the mountain to find the Kunterweg Church in Ramsau. Josef Mohr who wrote "Silent Night" was parish assistant here in 1512.
We then head to Obersalzberg for a quick overview of the land. This was Hitler's military base and personal retreat center away from Munch. There are still so many buildings still standing and in use from the Third Reich. We find the ruins of Hitler's house. It was bombed by the US military. There are bricks from the front of the house and the back retaining wall still standing. It was not high on the top of the obersalzberg - Hitler was afraid of heights and is nestled in the woods.
Then we head to our new hotel - the Alpenhof Hotel nestled in the mountains. It is a beautiful hotel with an indoor and outdoor pool. Stephen is the owner and a friend of Bill's. Dinner and breakfast is included in the hotel price. Another wonderful dinner.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Day 5
This is the day to explore Corvara and Italy. We head to the little town of Villa - visiting a little church and cemetery. This is one of the very few towns left that speak Latino. We then head up the Val Parosa Pass - reaching 2745 meters at the top after 15 switch backs.
We discovered the Castle Andraz by accident. This castle was found in 1000 AD. It protected the valley, built on a huge rock and dates back to the Middle Ages and Napoleon. We see beautiful wild flowers growing in the rock of the mountains and small streams of water falls coming off the mountain. The day is sunny and yet cool because we are so high. God has created all this beauty for us to enjoy.
There are ski lifts from each little town that is nestled on the side of the mountains. We stop in Arabba at a little road side stand for a Bratwurst for lunch. One little town called Livine has such typical Italian homes and narrow streets.
When we return to Corvara Bill and Chuck let Chris loose to go shopping. My only time to get Italy presents so I have to move fast! A rain storm starts again but the hotel has large umbrellas for me to use.
Another wonderful dinner after a cocktail party given by the Costas - the owners of the La Perla.
This is the day to explore Corvara and Italy. We head to the little town of Villa - visiting a little church and cemetery. This is one of the very few towns left that speak Latino. We then head up the Val Parosa Pass - reaching 2745 meters at the top after 15 switch backs.
We discovered the Castle Andraz by accident. This castle was found in 1000 AD. It protected the valley, built on a huge rock and dates back to the Middle Ages and Napoleon. We see beautiful wild flowers growing in the rock of the mountains and small streams of water falls coming off the mountain. The day is sunny and yet cool because we are so high. God has created all this beauty for us to enjoy.
There are ski lifts from each little town that is nestled on the side of the mountains. We stop in Arabba at a little road side stand for a Bratwurst for lunch. One little town called Livine has such typical Italian homes and narrow streets.
When we return to Corvara Bill and Chuck let Chris loose to go shopping. My only time to get Italy presents so I have to move fast! A rain storm starts again but the hotel has large umbrellas for me to use.
Another wonderful dinner after a cocktail party given by the Costas - the owners of the La Perla.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Day 4
This is the day we leave Garmish and drive to Corvara, Italy. Amazing that we can drive just a little while and we suddenly see Italians and the sounds change. Germans are very quiet, lean over to speak to you in a whisper. The Italians are excited we are here and talk loudly and jester with their hands for everything. We drive as far as St. Christina and are stopped because of a bike race - Yes, a bikes race up the mountain and back down. It is amazing to see these crazy people, young and old who bike up these steep mountain paths for 30 miles and then back down. We had to wait for 3 hours until the race was done and so it was perfect time to have our first Italian pizza and call Ida to tell her we were in Italy! We finally get to Corvara, Italy. A beautiful mountain ski town, nestled in the mountains. The hotel is the La Perla - a very fancy hotel like none we have ever seen. Our room balcony looks out to the mountains, with ski cable cars running along side. Our room is called the "romantik" - so beautiful. At night they turn our bed down, give us fresh towels, and have slippers laying on a little white mat by our bed. Every hotel has white bathrobes and slippers to wear down to the pool.
As soon as we get to Corvara a storm hits. The lightening and thunder bounces off the mountains. The electricity went out twice - just as we were finding the pool - which incidentally is in the basement, in a cave, with waterfalls to swim behind and whirlpools in a few areas. Amazing.
Dinner is a five course meal that lasts three hours. Fancy food that is delicious - can't be described!
This is the day we leave Garmish and drive to Corvara, Italy. Amazing that we can drive just a little while and we suddenly see Italians and the sounds change. Germans are very quiet, lean over to speak to you in a whisper. The Italians are excited we are here and talk loudly and jester with their hands for everything. We drive as far as St. Christina and are stopped because of a bike race - Yes, a bikes race up the mountain and back down. It is amazing to see these crazy people, young and old who bike up these steep mountain paths for 30 miles and then back down. We had to wait for 3 hours until the race was done and so it was perfect time to have our first Italian pizza and call Ida to tell her we were in Italy! We finally get to Corvara, Italy. A beautiful mountain ski town, nestled in the mountains. The hotel is the La Perla - a very fancy hotel like none we have ever seen. Our room balcony looks out to the mountains, with ski cable cars running along side. Our room is called the "romantik" - so beautiful. At night they turn our bed down, give us fresh towels, and have slippers laying on a little white mat by our bed. Every hotel has white bathrobes and slippers to wear down to the pool.
As soon as we get to Corvara a storm hits. The lightening and thunder bounces off the mountains. The electricity went out twice - just as we were finding the pool - which incidentally is in the basement, in a cave, with waterfalls to swim behind and whirlpools in a few areas. Amazing.
Dinner is a five course meal that lasts three hours. Fancy food that is delicious - can't be described!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Garmish, Zupspitzen & King Ludwig II Castle
Day 3
Wow, today is the big day - clear sky and so we head up the Zupspitzen mountain.
This is the highest mountain in Germany - 10,000 feet or 2950 meters.
You can not see the top from the bottom. From the top you can look out and see Austria, Germany, and Italy off in the distance.
We are way above the tree line and there is a glacier off the back of the mountain. Amazing how they could build this thing. Absolutely beautiful, breath taking! How God could create such beauty and massive mountain.
Many climb the entire mountain to the top. You can see little trails through the forest below as you go up the cable car. It takes about 2-3 days for the average person to climb. Some take a week to climb it. Some Germans can climb it is 4-6 hours. Germans are crazy about walking and climbing. Many come to the top with their little walking sticks and then climb down. Everywhere you see people walking and climbing through Germany.
Then we went to King Ludwig's other castle - Kongigsscloss Linderhof. This one is much smaller and the one he lived in the most.
We have been staying at the Riessersee Renaissance Hotel up in the mountains of Garmish. It looks over a valley.
There is a little hotel next to it called the Riessersee Hotel with a little resturant that is right on a lake at the base of the Zupspiten Mountain. We have eaten supper there every night.
Wow, today is the big day - clear sky and so we head up the Zupspitzen mountain.
This is the highest mountain in Germany - 10,000 feet or 2950 meters. We take a cable car that travels pretty fast. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the top.
You can not see the top from the bottom. From the top you can look out and see Austria, Germany, and Italy off in the distance.
We are way above the tree line and there is a glacier off the back of the mountain. Amazing how they could build this thing. Absolutely beautiful, breath taking! How God could create such beauty and massive mountain. 
There is one little spot where people can climb out on a small ledge and over to a peak. They are crazy!
Many climb the entire mountain to the top. You can see little trails through the forest below as you go up the cable car. It takes about 2-3 days for the average person to climb. Some take a week to climb it. Some Germans can climb it is 4-6 hours. Germans are crazy about walking and climbing. Many come to the top with their little walking sticks and then climb down. Everywhere you see people walking and climbing through Germany.
After The Zupspitzen, we traveled through the mountains to find King Ludwig II castles. The main castle is called the Konigssclosser (castle of the king). It is high in the mountain - again, how did they build it way up there? This was an adventure to get too. Lots of walking up hill. Bill knows the back roads to beat all the buses and tours.
Then we went to King Ludwig's other castle - Kongigsscloss Linderhof. This one is much smaller and the one he lived in the most.
On the way we stopped by the Weiskirche. A beautiful rocco church in the middle of no where. There was a wedding going on so we stopped and watched for a while. Southern Germany seems to be the land of churches, cemeteries, mountains, and castles. And we are finding them all.
Bill is good at stopping by the side of the road, where there is no side of the road, to take pictures. We hang on the side of the mountain and while Chuck and Bill jump out to take a picture, I pray... We have pictures of everything....
We have been staying at the Riessersee Renaissance Hotel up in the mountains of Garmish. It looks over a valley.
There is a little hotel next to it called the Riessersee Hotel with a little resturant that is right on a lake at the base of the Zupspiten Mountain. We have eaten supper there every night.
It is run by some friends of Bills', Micheal and Barbara. They bought the hotel and resturant about three years ago from Barbara's family.
It is beautiful to watch the sun set over the mountain!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Small Villages and Shopping Stops
Day Two
Headed Through the Switzerland and Germany to Garmish.
Garmish is where the 1936 Olympics were held. Hitler built a stadium. which is very small by today's standards.
We headed out to Mittenwald. A cute little town with shopping.
Then we headed up the mountain to Ettal where there is a monastery and a beautiful church. Every town has a church standing in the center of the town with all the stores and houses surrounding it. On the hour, you hear church bells ringing in every town.
Then we headed to Oberammergau. This town is known for the passion play. Over half of all the towns people participate in the play which runs every ten years. It takes about 2200 people to put it on. It is known all over the world. The town is made up of many little streets filled with stores. I bought my manger here. Lots of little wood carvers.
Ended the day by swimming and the hot tub and then dinner at the See Hotel across the street, looking at the Zupspiten! Most beautiful mountain reflecting in the lake.
As we crawled into bed we head fireworks and ran down to the end of the hall - The USA military base was shooting fireworks for the 4th of July! Beautiful end to the day. You know I love my fireworks!
Headed Through the Switzerland and Germany to Garmish.
Garmish is where the 1936 Olympics were held. Hitler built a stadium. which is very small by today's standards.
We headed out to Mittenwald. A cute little town with shopping.
Then we headed up the mountain to Ettal where there is a monastery and a beautiful church. Every town has a church standing in the center of the town with all the stores and houses surrounding it. On the hour, you hear church bells ringing in every town.
Then we headed to Oberammergau. This town is known for the passion play. Over half of all the towns people participate in the play which runs every ten years. It takes about 2200 people to put it on. It is known all over the world. The town is made up of many little streets filled with stores. I bought my manger here. Lots of little wood carvers.
Ended the day by swimming and the hot tub and then dinner at the See Hotel across the street, looking at the Zupspiten! Most beautiful mountain reflecting in the lake.
As we crawled into bed we head fireworks and ran down to the end of the hall - The USA military base was shooting fireworks for the 4th of July! Beautiful end to the day. You know I love my fireworks!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
The Beginning of our Vacation
Day One
The Air Travel
Leaving from Mpls-StPaul airport headed for Chicago.
We had a slight delay before leaving headed for Paris, France.
Day Two
Arrive Paris, France at about 11:40am. It's still about 4:40 am in the Twin Cities.
Arrived Paris about a 20 minutes late. Our layover was only an hour. So we had to hustle to get to the next gate. After waiting for a bus shuttle, we ran into a security gate with an extremely long line. We talked with one of the attendents who took us to the fast line - - that wasn't moving quickly. We finally talked our way to the front of the line and made it to the gate 5 minutes after the departure time. Thanks God the plane was delayed a half hour.
We finally made it to Zurich an hour after the planned landing time. 12:30pm local time; 5:30am Minnesota time.
We found Bill and were off to Garmish, Germany in the Bavarian Alps.
Driving through unbelievable scenery, we arrive at our hotel in Garmish above the town in a valley surrounded by mountains.
The Air Travel
Leaving from Mpls-StPaul airport headed for Chicago.
We had a slight delay before leaving headed for Paris, France.
Day Two
Arrive Paris, France at about 11:40am. It's still about 4:40 am in the Twin Cities.
Arrived Paris about a 20 minutes late. Our layover was only an hour. So we had to hustle to get to the next gate. After waiting for a bus shuttle, we ran into a security gate with an extremely long line. We talked with one of the attendents who took us to the fast line - - that wasn't moving quickly. We finally talked our way to the front of the line and made it to the gate 5 minutes after the departure time. Thanks God the plane was delayed a half hour.
We finally made it to Zurich an hour after the planned landing time. 12:30pm local time; 5:30am Minnesota time.We found Bill and were off to Garmish, Germany in the Bavarian Alps.
Driving through unbelievable scenery, we arrive at our hotel in Garmish above the town in a valley surrounded by mountains.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Our European Vacation Itinerary
Wed July 2 Depart to Zurich
Thurs July 3
Arrive Zurich
Drive Zurich – Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Through the Voralberg in Austria
Cable Car Up Zugspitze (if weather is good)
Dinner: Hotel on the Lake
Riessersee Renaissance Hotel #175113
http://www.riessersee.com/hotel-garmisch_e.htm
Fri July 4
Mittenwald
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Zugspitze & Wank Cable Cars http://www.zugspitze.de/main_en.php
Dinner: Spago Partnachstraße
or
Werdenfelserhof Ludwigstrasse
or
Gasthaus Bräuwastl Zugspitzstr
Riessersee Renaissance Hotel #175113
http://www.riessersee.com/hotel-garmisch_e.htm
Sat July 5
Neuschwanstein (Enchanted Castles of King Ludwig II)
Oberammergau (Passion Play)
Wieskirche (The most beautiful rococo church on earth)
Dinner: See-Hotel on the Lake
Riessersee Renaissance Hotel
Sun July 6
Drive Garmisch – Corvara in Alte Badia, Italy 2h 42 min
Val Gardenia
Corvara
Lago Boa
Passo Armentarola
Dinner: La Perla
La Perla Hotel
http://www.hotel-laperla.it/offerte_e.htm
Mon July 7
Dolomites
Passo Falzarego
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Dinner: La Perla
La Perla Hotel
Tues July 8
Drive Corvara – Berchtesgaden 3h 41min
Drive through the Inn Valley
Obersalzberg (Hitler’s Hideout/headquarters)
Eagle’s Nest (Hitler’s retreat – captured by U.S. May, 1945)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kehlsteinhaus
Dinner: Alpenhof
Alpenhof Hotel
http://www.alpenhof.de/wcms/bin/Server.dll?Article?ID=36&Session=1-PAUbM3R9-1
Wed July 9
Berchtesgaden Salt Mines
Wed Rossfeldstrasse (Road going 1500 m to mountain above Obersalzberg)
Dokumentation Obersalzberg
Hotel zum Turken (hotel seized by Nazi’s 1933, air raid shelter under hotel)
Alpenhof Hotel
Thurs July 10
Königsee
Salzburg (Mozart’s birthplace)
Dinner: Alpenhof
Alpenhof Hotel
Friday July 11
Drive Berchtesgaden – Munich 1h 30 min
Dachau Concentration Camp
Markplatz (Munich City Center)
Lunch: Hofbrauhaus
Dinner: Seehaus im Englischen Garten Kleinhesselohe
Munich Marriott
Berliner Strasse
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mucno-munich-marriott-hotel/
Sat July 12
Drive Munich – Heidelberg 3h 15 min
Weinstrasse Durkheim Flea Market
Lunch: Bad Durkheimer Riesenfass
Freinsheim
Dinner: Freinsheim
Restaurant Alt Friensheim, Korngasse 5
Heidelberg Marriott # 458784, 458785
Vangerowstrasse 16 011-49-6221-908 0
Sun July 13
Drive Heidelberg – Münchweiler 45 min
Weinstrasse
Sankt Martin
Lunch: Sankt Martin
Altes Rathaus
Deidesheim
Frankenstein Castle
Dinner: Hotel Klostermühle
Hotel Klostermühle
http://www.klostermuehle.com/hotel.htm
Mon July 14
The German Wine Road (deutsche Weinstrasse)
Lunch: Deidesheimerhof 06326-96870
Dinner: Hotel Klostermühle
Hotel Klostermühle
Tues July 15
Cruise up the Rhine River from Bingen to Sankt Goar
Tues Pfeddersheim (Vio’s Parents)
Visit vineyard
Worms Cathedral
Dinner: Hotel Klostermühle
Hotel Klostermühle (German only)
Wed July 16
Drive Münchweiler to Paris (Neuilly sur Seine)
Verdun
Douaumont
Fleury-devant-Douaumont
Citadel
Citadel de Verdun
Bd de la Citadelle
Reims
Paris
Eifel Tower
Seine River
Dinner : LILY DE NEUILLY
Marriott Courtyard Neuilly sur Seine
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/parcy-courtyard-paris-neuilly/
Thur July 17
Montmartre (North of Paris, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh painted here)
Louvre
Catacombs
Dinner : Le Bistrot d'a Cote
Marriott Courtyard Neuilly sur Seine # 84541958
Fri July 18
Notre Dame Cathedral
Versailles
Châteaux along the Loire
Marriott Courtyard Neuilly sur Seine
Dinner: Le Vauban
Sat July 19
Depart Paris – Home
Thurs July 3
Arrive Zurich
Drive Zurich – Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Through the Voralberg in Austria
Cable Car Up Zugspitze (if weather is good)
Dinner: Hotel on the Lake
Riessersee Renaissance Hotel #175113
http://www.riessersee.com/hotel-garmisch_e.htm
Fri July 4
Mittenwald
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Zugspitze & Wank Cable Cars http://www.zugspitze.de/main_en.php
Dinner: Spago Partnachstraße
or
Werdenfelserhof Ludwigstrasse
or
Gasthaus Bräuwastl Zugspitzstr
Riessersee Renaissance Hotel #175113
http://www.riessersee.com/hotel-garmisch_e.htm
Sat July 5
Neuschwanstein (Enchanted Castles of King Ludwig II)
Oberammergau (Passion Play)
Wieskirche (The most beautiful rococo church on earth)
Dinner: See-Hotel on the Lake
Riessersee Renaissance Hotel
Sun July 6
Drive Garmisch – Corvara in Alte Badia, Italy 2h 42 min
Val Gardenia
Corvara
Lago Boa
Passo Armentarola
Dinner: La Perla
La Perla Hotel
http://www.hotel-laperla.it/offerte_e.htm
Mon July 7
Dolomites
Passo Falzarego
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Dinner: La Perla
La Perla Hotel
Tues July 8
Drive Corvara – Berchtesgaden 3h 41min
Drive through the Inn Valley
Obersalzberg (Hitler’s Hideout/headquarters)
Eagle’s Nest (Hitler’s retreat – captured by U.S. May, 1945)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kehlsteinhaus
Dinner: Alpenhof
Alpenhof Hotel
http://www.alpenhof.de/wcms/bin/Server.dll?Article?ID=36&Session=1-PAUbM3R9-1
Wed July 9
Berchtesgaden Salt Mines
Wed Rossfeldstrasse (Road going 1500 m to mountain above Obersalzberg)
Dokumentation Obersalzberg
Hotel zum Turken (hotel seized by Nazi’s 1933, air raid shelter under hotel)
Alpenhof Hotel
Thurs July 10
Königsee
Salzburg (Mozart’s birthplace)
Dinner: Alpenhof
Alpenhof Hotel
Friday July 11
Drive Berchtesgaden – Munich 1h 30 min
Dachau Concentration Camp
Markplatz (Munich City Center)
Lunch: Hofbrauhaus
Dinner: Seehaus im Englischen Garten Kleinhesselohe
Munich Marriott
Berliner Strasse
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mucno-munich-marriott-hotel/
Sat July 12
Drive Munich – Heidelberg 3h 15 min
Weinstrasse Durkheim Flea Market
Lunch: Bad Durkheimer Riesenfass
Freinsheim
Dinner: Freinsheim
Restaurant Alt Friensheim, Korngasse 5
Heidelberg Marriott # 458784, 458785
Vangerowstrasse 16 011-49-6221-908 0
Sun July 13
Drive Heidelberg – Münchweiler 45 min
Weinstrasse
Sankt Martin
Lunch: Sankt Martin
Altes Rathaus
Deidesheim
Frankenstein Castle
Dinner: Hotel Klostermühle
Hotel Klostermühle
http://www.klostermuehle.com/hotel.htm
Mon July 14
The German Wine Road (deutsche Weinstrasse)
Lunch: Deidesheimerhof 06326-96870
Dinner: Hotel Klostermühle
Hotel Klostermühle
Tues July 15
Cruise up the Rhine River from Bingen to Sankt Goar
Tues Pfeddersheim (Vio’s Parents)
Visit vineyard
Worms Cathedral
Dinner: Hotel Klostermühle
Hotel Klostermühle (German only)
Wed July 16
Drive Münchweiler to Paris (Neuilly sur Seine)
Verdun
Douaumont
Fleury-devant-Douaumont
Citadel
Citadel de Verdun
Bd de la Citadelle
Reims
Paris
Eifel Tower
Seine River
Dinner : LILY DE NEUILLY
Marriott Courtyard Neuilly sur Seine
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/parcy-courtyard-paris-neuilly/
Thur July 17
Montmartre (North of Paris, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh painted here)
Louvre
Catacombs
Dinner : Le Bistrot d'a Cote
Marriott Courtyard Neuilly sur Seine # 84541958
Fri July 18
Notre Dame Cathedral
Versailles
Châteaux along the Loire
Marriott Courtyard Neuilly sur Seine
Dinner: Le Vauban
Sat July 19
Depart Paris – Home
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