Espania!

So my last European adventure was to Spain again. I packed up my life again and mailed boxes home in preparation to return to the good ole US of A. I left Garmisch with the others I arrived with and as they went home I went to Madrid via Mallorca. When I arrived in Madrid I took the Metro to Hostal Lido near Sol only to find that everyone was asleep. You're probably wondering who "everyone" is! Well... My father(this would be our second time in Madrid together), one of his students Brittany, and two family friends Anne and Shawn. Due to the time change and the long flight they were all tired. I woke them up so we could walk around a little and then go to the English Speaking Group that meets every Friday night to practice their conversational English. We got some drinks and participated in the group activities and then moved to the bar area to continue to chat before walking back to our hostal with a pit stop for some pizza and beer.
The next morning we walked around some before heading to Mercado San Miguel for some tapas and drinks with some Spaniards my dad has met on previous trips to Spain. We then had to go across town for the reception for the English immersion program that we would be attending for the next 6 days. We met several of the other Anglos who we would be participating in the program with, had a drink and a snack before heading back to Lido to pack up and get some rest.

Sunday morning we were up early and in a taxi to the bus pick up point to begin our Vaughan Town English immersion experience. We made our way by coach bus to a small town about 3 hours west of Madrid. Once we were there we had lunch and did introductions. Through out the 6 days we spoke with Spaniards that were usually sponsored by their company to improve their English. The range of careers was interesting and all had atleast a bachelors degree, many with masters and more.

During our Vaughan week we did a range of activities and skits for entertainment(see video clips!) as well as one to one conversations and telephone sessions. At each meal we were also sitting at tables of 2 Anglos and 2 Spaniards, so the English never stopped!

It was a fun, interesting, and entertaining week, but it was also exhausting! I had several people ask me if I would do the program again and I said yes under two conditions… first I would like it a day shorter and second in a different country to experience another culture. I met some amazing people that I want to keep in touch with and also met some that I would be fine with never seeing again.

Once we returned to Madrid we went to the Friday night English group again and had dinner near Sol. Saturday Anne, Shawn and I took the high speed train to Toledo for the day to tour around and do some shopping. That night we went to Casa Patas for dinner and flamenco show. This is the same place we went to on my last trip but each week is a different dance group so it was a different experience. Sunday we went to an outdoor flea market with some of the other Anglos from Vaughan Town then had some paella in some LARGE pans before visiting the Thyssen Museum.

Monday we flew back to the USA which was a strange feeling after being gone for more than a year.

To view some pictures click...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2116765&id=44801562&l=dbd199cd94

Egypt and Jordan Trip: Reactions

Overall I loved this trip and think it was the best trip I've ever been on. My feelings about Egypt were that the natural beauty was breath taking and the amazing history was mind boggling. The cities were very dirty in my opinion. Lots of garbage in the streets and in Dahab there was lots of rubble on the sides of the road. In comparison Jordan was very clean which we didn't expect at all. We always felt welcome and had no issues with language barriers.
The issue of safety that I'm sure many of you wondered about. We never really felt unsafe. Sometimes it was frustrating that our drivers were delayed but we never felt like targets. Our blond hair and light skin was often stared at and we had requests for pictures once.
Otherwise we all had an amazing time and made lots of great memories.
We had some tummy issues once we returned to Germany but those resolved themselves and we are back to normal.
In summary... great trip!!

Egypt and Jordan Trip: Day 4, 5, 6, and 7

Day 4
We woke up and had breakfast sea side at the Penguin Restaurant which was AMAZING. For about 15 Egyptian Pounds we got pancakes(more like a crepe) eggs, toast, and fruit. After inhaling it all we got ready for the beach and our day exploring Dahab.
We set off in a Jeep that was older than almost all of us for the Blue Hole. We stopped to pick up the manager of the hotel, Emad, on his day off so that he could go with us for the day. We arrived at the Blue Hole and got our snorkeling gear. Mohammed and Emad were surprised to know that I am a scuba instructor so they told me where to go and let us go off on our own. Haley had never been snorkeling before and is terrified of sharks but she jumped right in and did great. We swam around for about 30 min and dried off before heading out on a 2 hour hike... in the sun... in Egypt...
We should have picked the camel option. We hiked next to the water with the sun beating down on us in flip flops for about 2 hours to get to the Abu Galum Protected Area. Once we arrived we had tea(surprise surprise!) and then found our hut. We went out for a snorkel just in front of our hut and then returned and had some lunch before chatting for a while about life in Germany and the US versus life in Egypt. It was an interesting afternoon.
We then went snorkeling again before packing up and getting a ride to the Bedouin camp area and the Lagoon with the sun setting in the distance. We had more tea and a quick photo opportunity before heading back to our hut and getting on camels to take us back to the Blue Hole under the stars. It was a beautiful night and an adventure! Kelly's previous camel experience made her a bit nervous, mine stood up and started walking away before everyone else was on their camel... it was a sight to see. For a minute or two the camels were walking in the water! We made it about 4/5ths of the way back but the last part was too dangerous for the camels to go in the dark so we walked by the light of the moon and a little flashlight. I ended up kicking a rock and scraping my toe which bled everywhere and making my foot slippery. (It's all healed now.) We then hung out and star gazed while we waited for our ride to come.
Day 5
After a very short night we awoke at about 3 am to get ready for our day trip to Luxor. Our ride arrived about 15 minutes late but we arrived at the Sharm el Sheik airport, got our tickets and boarded the plane for a quick 30ish minute flight. We met our tour guide for the day "John" and we were adopted into his "family" for the day.
We had an action packed day! From the Colossi of Memnon statues(the wind going through the rocks makes a "singing" noise) to the Valley of the Kings(no photos allowed) to Hatshepsut Temple and finishing at the Karnak Temple. We had stops for Alabaster shopping(and no dad we didn't buy anything!), lunch, and a ferry ride on the Nile River with a stop for some mini bananas and watermelon. After some more tea and a walk through some shops we headed back to the airport, got some dinner and boarded the plane for Sharm. Our driver was waiting for us when we arrived and we got back to the Penguin around 11pm. Back at the hotel we hung out on the upper level of the restaurant and had more tea. Mohamed and Haley danced for us. Haley was a it reluctant but shook her money maker!
Day 6
We got to sleep in finally to about 11am which was amazing. I think we would have started to get really cranky otherwise. We had breakfast at the hotel and then Kelly and I got fitted for our Scuba gear while Lisa and Haley got their snorkeling gear. We some how fit dive gear for 4 of us, snorkel gear for 2 plus 7 people in yet another old Jeep for the short drive to the Lighthouse Dive site access point. Kelly got her briefing and Mohamed and I set up our gear then we headed for the water! My first dive in the Red Sea! So excited for this.
Kelly did her skills and headed off with her instructor while Mohamed and I went to about 20 meters together. After about 45 minutes we surfaced again and took some pictures with the cheap little disposable waterproof camera before getting out and breaking down our gear. We loaded our stuff back in the Jeep but decided to take the trip back on foot which took about 15 minutes. After washing our gear we headed out for the afternoon to an area called the Lagoon where we relaxed while Mohamed and his "cousin" cooked us a feast. We took lots of pictures and enjoyed some music performed by Mohamed and his cousin before packing up and heading back to the hotel to wash up and pack up before our overnight van transfer back to Cairo. Mohamed heard us gush over the tea and how much we liked it and where could we get some that he went out and got us each a plastic shopping bag of the herbs! Thanks again Mohamed!
We had many more van-mates this time so we were even more uncomfortable and we had the same random stop in the middle of the night for the driver to eat breakfast...
Day 7
We arrived in Cairo at about 7 am. Checked in and checked my bag with our perfume packed inside. We had some breakfast and explored the airport while we waited for our flight. The flight home was uneventful and we were all exhausted. Lisa's boyfriend Hannes picked us up at the airport and drive us home.

Egypt and Jordan Trip: Day 1, 2, and 3

Day 1
We departed Garmisch via bus due to the construction to the train tracks then caught the train in Murnau and then the bahn to the airport. Our flight was uneventful and we arrived in Cairo after our direct flight from Munich. We were picked up by a guy named Farag who drove us through Cairo to the Museum View Hostel where we would stay for the night. Farag had learned some English from working with tourists, and somethings are lost in translation. One of his favorite quotes is "Life is Delicious!" which he yelled out several times during our ride. We found that traffic laws are alot more loose than we are used to in the US or Germany. For example, there were 3 lanes on most roads we were on and there were usually about 5 cars wide. Also honking is acceptable and flashing headlights. These practices are usually used to warn the car in front of you to get out of the way or for the car straddling the lines to move over so you can pass. When we asked "Why does everyone honk their horns?" Farag responded that it's how they power the cars. If you don't honk the car can't drive! We also experienced people just walking out into the road and holding up a hand to get people to stop so they can cross. As well whole families would ride a moped together... Dad, Mom, kids together. And yes I said kids, plural!
We arrived at the Museum View hostel and got our rooms with 2 beds in each. We got ready for bed and fell asleep(or tried) to the sound of the honking horns outside.
Day 2
We woke up and got our things together and had a breakfast of long skinny white bread rolls with some butter and some sort of cheese and tea. The first of many cups of tea during the trip.
Hanna was our tour guide for the day. We found out later that Farag and Hanna are married and have a 10 month old baby boy. Hanna showed us around old Cairo. We saw some burial grounds and some very old buildings and mosques and tried to visit a floating church but due to the 4 day feast after Ramadan there were prayers going on and things were closed for holiday.
We then went and got camels to take us around the 9 Pyramids in Giza. We each had our own camel and our guide was on a horse and we had a guy leading our camels which were all tied together in a line. We stopped to take pictures of us with the pyramids in the distance and our guide took some pictures but his timing wasn't the greatest. Some how the other 3 girls got individual photos but I didn't. We kept going and Kelly's camel had a freak out moment and tore the rope off it's nose and bucked up on his hind legs. It was quite the sight to see. We regrouped and continued on to the Sphinx and then back to the base camp. From there we stopped at a perfume shop for a lesson on how Egyptian perfume is made and of course made some purchases. We also stopped at a papyrus shop for another lesson but didn't buy anything. Hanna got us lunch of rice and noodles with some beans along the way. We were to then go to the Egyptian Museum but of course it closed early due to the feast. So we were back to the hostel until Farag picked us up for a Nile River Cruise that Mohammed arranged because our day had been so messed up. The cruise included a belly dancer(who turned out to be 52 years old) and 2 male spin dancers(one midget and one average sized man) and a buffet dinner. We ordered Egyptian beer and then found out that it was non-alcoholic... fail!
Next was a typical cab ride by Farag back to the hostel to wait for our driver for our overnight transfer. Typical for our trip... we waited for the driver to show up. He came around 11:30 and we were on our way. Horn honking and all. The ride was very bumpy and we didn't sleep much. We were awoken at about 2:30 in the morning when we picked up Mohammed's brother and sister-in-law who were just married. We were then dropped off in Taba at the ferry port to Aqaba, Jordan where we begin Day 3...
We found our tour guide for the day and went to our tour bus which was waiting a 5 minute walk away. Jordan is a beautiful country and much cleaner than what we experienced in Egypt. We drove about 2 hours to Petra where we had a guided tour through the gorge and carvings. The route of the tour was in and out the same way so we got commentary on the way in and at our leisure on the way out. I was in awe of the natural beauty of the stone and the abilities of the craftsmen of years and years ago to create such beauty. We took lots of pictures and tried to stay cool on the walk back out and to the bus. We then had lunch at the Marriott nearby and drove back to the port only to find out that the wind caused waves that the Ferry couldn't travel in so we waited not knowing when we would be able to leave. The tour guide gave us some time to walk around the city of Aqaba and stop for some sunset photos before boarding the ferry. On the ride back all coffee, soda, water and juice were free due to the delay in the ferry and it was a sight to see the people racing to get in line for their free drink(s). After arriving back in Egypt and going through security again we waited for our driver to pick us up and take us to Dahab. After about 2 hours we arrived in Dahab and met Mohammed, had some tea at the seaside restaurant at the Penguin Village, and then went to our rooms. Our names were spelled out with toilet paper and flowers on our beds which was a nice surprise... but really we just wanted to sleep!

To be continued.

Egypt Trip: Introduction

I'm back!! I think it is safe to say this was one of the best trips I've taken in my life. I went with my roommate, Lisa, and two friends, Kelly and Haley. We left on Saturday September 11th and returned Friday September 17th via Munich. We booked our week with a guy named Mohammed who lives in Dahab and has booked tours for almost everyone from the Abrams(my building) that has gone to Egypt in the last 3 years. We had some issues with the drivers being late, but otherwise we had a great time and learned alot about the Egyptian lifestyle and history with a brief day trip to Jordan to visit Petra.
To see all my pictures click on the link below...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2112342&id=44801562&l=426500752c
So far Kelly posted an album as well. Check my profile for the link to her album.

Florence, Italy

On July 5th I headed off to Florence with Morgan and Elizabeth in our rental car. I had to work until 1130 but by 1230 we were on our way. At our first pit stop the cashier at the gas station cafe thought we were beautiful and wanted to know if we had babies. I think that really meant did we have families. Lol. It was interesting. We arrived in the city around 8pm got settled in our hotel and parked the car in a secure lot. We then explored the city and got some gelato because we were dying from the heat.
On Tuesday we walked around the city, did some shopping, ate some delicious pasta and risotto, and explored. Morgan and Elizabeth both got leather bags as well as some sandals and other gifts. I got some scarves and a leather belt as well as a painting. We went inside the Duomo and Elizabeth had to wear a blue smock type thing because she was "revealing" her shoulders.
We enjoyed some wine with dinner and sat outside at one of the squares and chatted.
Wednesday morning I forgot about the step in our room and kicked it super hard. I thought I broke a toe or two, but it turns out after a visit to the ER here in Garmisch on Thursday and 2 x-rays nothing is broken. We drove home in time for Morgan to work at 4 Wednesday afternoon.
It was a quick trip but fun.
Pictures... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2098548&id=44801562&l=c645461f04

Paris

So I just got back from almost a week in Paris for my birthday and had a great time exploring the city and seeing the sights. The weather was warm and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky every day and beautiful sunsets every night.
Morgan and I flew out Monday morning and arrived in Paris around 12:30, took the train into the city and dropped our bags off at our hotel room. We then walked up to the Sacre-Coeur and walked around inside, then went down to the Moulin Rouge. After a quick trip on the Metro we arrived at the Centre George Pompidou to take some pictures and then went down to the Notre Dame, Berthillion Ice Cream Shop for a couple scoops of the famous glace. We then trekked down the Seine towards the Tour de Eiffel, had a snack under the tower and then met up with Cat and went across the river to Trecado Square. We spent the evening talking and watching the tower light up. The World Cup was going on so there was a big viewing screen in the square and after the game we were surrounded but yelling fans. We saw the tower sparkle at 11pm then caught the subway back to our hotel.
Tuesday was my actual birthday and to celebrate my parents got me a gift certificate for a Segway Tour which Morgan and I had prebooked. So we headed out to meet up at the South leg of the Eiffel Tower taking pictures and grabbing a bite to eat along the way. The Segway Tour was an interesting experience to say the least. It was the last day for our guide so we got his last tour. We practiced a bit in a small paved parking lot next to the tour office before heading out to see the sights. Along the way another person in our group had a little mishap. The mother-daughter pair were cruising along and had a small crash mid-crosswalk and the mom fell off her Segway. We weren't immune to the mishaps either... Morgan misjudged a small pillar and fell off her Segway as well. Other than a bruised egos both the mom and Morgan were fine. We had lunch at a cafe near the Louvre and I got a chocolate brownie with ice cream as my birthday cake. The Segway group sang to me as well as our waiter, but only in English. Once the tour was over we headed up to the L'Arc de Triumphe and walked down the Champs Elysee with stops in Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Laudree, and then a park to enjoy our little sugary creations from Laudree. Then it was back to the Tuilleries Garden and we had some dinner in the park, then some ice cream before heading back to our hotel.
Wednesday Morgan and Cat flew home in time for work that evening and I kept on touring Paris. I started my day after locating a new place to sleep at the l'Orangerie Museum which is home to Monet's Waterlilies paintings. I then went to the Rodin Museum and enjoyed some lunch in the gardens at the museum, then did part of the d'Orsay Museum before taking a nap, grabbing a bite to eat and going to the late night opening of the Louvre. Found Mona Lisa who is smaller than I expected.
Thursday I went out to Versailles but was very disappointed that the buildings were all closed. It was mass confusion because the official word was that it would open in an hour, and then the next hour and so finally I rented a bike and rode around the gardens for a while. I then caught the train back into the city, took yet another nap, and headed to the d'Orsay for late night which happened to be canceled that night. So I headed to the Eiffel Tower and waited in line to buy my ticket and took the elevator up to the second level. Initially the top was closed due to congestion but then it reopened and there was another massive line so I just got some Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and watched the sunset. I watched the tower light up and then took the elevator down, purchase my mini Eiffel Tower and then went to my hostel.
Friday I packed in the rest of my to-see list starting at the Louvre seeing the Venus de Milo and several other sculptures, then to the Flower Market, Sainte Chapelle with the breath taking stained glass windows, touring the Notre Dame, then to the Deportation Memorial. The remainder of the afternoon I spent in the Luxembourg Gardens sitting in the green chairs with my feet up watching kids play with toy sail boats in the fountains and people walking by. I must've looked like a real Parisian because I was asked multiple times for directions and did my best to respond in French. I then went back to my hotel to pack my things and get ready to head home. The shower in my room had the hottest water ever and I couldn't physically handle it.
Saturday I got up early and headed to the metro to head to the airport. No major issues on the trip home, and then headed to work at 430.
It was an amazing trip that I'll never forget. I want to go back and enjoy the city more and eat some more amazing pastries. Overall one of my favorite trips.
As always check out my pictures at... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2097655&id=44801562&l=991e9e5328

White Water Rafting in Austria

Wow! It's been a while since I last posted and I'm a little behind.
So on June 8th I went white water rafting as part of a staff appreciation type activity. For the amazing price of $10 we got a packed lunch of pasta salad, fruit salad, wrap sandwich, brownie, juice and water, plus the bus ride to and from Austria, the rafting trip, and bbq after the rafting. It was a great adventure. Having been rafting twice before in my life it wasn't as exciting as the previous runs I've done but it was still fun.
After rafting, showers and dry clothes we went to the new base camp of the rafting company and enjoyed a relaxing bbq. They had a trampoline, slack line, hammocks and a nice porch with chairs to sit back and enjoy.
It was a relaxing day with a little excitement on the water!!
And some pictures... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2097658&id=44801562&l=39f3e924c0

The Ware Geriatric Traveling Circus visits Europe

So another adventure with the family began on April 28th as my mom and brother finally arrived in Garmisch after delays from the Icelandic Volcano and we walked around Garmisch and then had dinner at Zum Wild Schutz before a quick tour of my building and new room and then bed time.
Thursday morning we went to the Kronner for breakfast which was yummy as usual and then headed out to Zurich, Switzerland. We arrived at the hotel my dad had gotten us 2 rooms at and met up with him then took the train into the city. We got some sandwiches for lunch and sat out by the river to eat them. We then took this low riding ferry type boat on a little tour around the river and lake. Then it was off to the Swiss National Museum for some history. We then walked around until we found a good place for dinner and Dad and I each got a fondue. Yum! Dad also managed to talk to some other people eating at the restaurant that are from Barcelona and got some seafood restaurant suggestions. After dinner we headed back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.
Friday we set off for Cinque Terre. We intended to stop at Lake Como on the way but time did not allow it. When we stopped for lunch at a gas station/restaurant I saw a 5 kg tub of Nutella!! Heaven!! It was 66 Euros so I didn't get it but Hey a girl can dream! We arrived in town #2 of the Cinque, Manarola only to find out that the main street(aka all of town) was closing in 15 minutes and we had to get our stuff down and unloaded and the car back up to the parking area. We made it and got settled into our cute apartment that you had to climb about 100 stairs to get to. Bellies were hungry so we headed out to Rick Steve's suggestion that was at the bottom of about 75 stairs and enjoyed some seafood antipasto, risotto, local wine, and a few desserts.
Saturday we spent the day hiking between towns 1 and 3 and got some food at a little store and made some dinner in our apartment. Some delicious pasta with pesto and a nice salad.
Sunday it was raining and raining some more. We walked around some but the wet cat look wasn't my style so I got a few souvenirs that I wanted and headed back to dry off at the apartment. Mom and Ben walked up into the hills through some tall grass to find the olive oil factory/farm all closed up. Ben gave mom his thank you/ Mothers Day present, a new iPod Nano which she spent the afternoon learning about and playing with. It was another dinner in the apartment, and packing and cleaning up.
Monday we lugged our bags up to the car in the parking lot above the city before heading to Nice.We stopped at a botanical garden in Italy just before the border and saw some amazing flowers and plants. We drove by Monaco and found our hotel in Nice that was a block away from the waterfront. We found another Rick Steve's suggestion for dinner followed by more dessert.
Tuesday and Wednesday we spent the day walking around the town watching a freak storm form that destroyed all the restaurants on the beach and closed the promenade. As well we visited the Chagall and Matisse Museums and explored the remains of the sea side hill top castle. And of course oogled the yachts in the marina and got Ben a bike jersey from a local shop.
Thursday morning we went to the flower market and had breakfast which was highlighted by our waiter spilling orange juice all over me. Good thing I was wearing my rain coat.
We then made our way to the airport and I caught my two flights back to Munich and then the train home to Garmisch.
It was a great week off from work and I was really glad to be able to spend it with my family.
The new Volvo is beautiful and Mom and Dad are now back in the States safely and the car will be delivered in a few weeks.
Thanks again for everything Mom, Dad, and Ben!
Pictures on Facebook... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2094332&id=44801562&l=adcc1ef5c0

Hola Madrid!

Alright, more adventures!! This time to Madrid, Spain. On Friday the 26th I worked from about 6-1130 and then did a couple quick errands before heading back to my room to finish packing and changing clothes, then it was the 3pm train to Munchen and then the bahn to the airport. It turns out because of the air traffic controllers strike in France that our plan had been delayed getting to Munich because they couldn't fly through French air space. So the 5 of us girls(Lisa, Marissa, Melissa, Elizabeth, and myself) enjoyed some dinner and window shopping, well and we actually purchased some chocolate while waiting for our plane. We boarded around 9:15 for our 7 something pm flight. Now, I'd never flown on Iberia Airlines, let alone heard of them before this trip. They have the least amount of leg room I've ever seen even on a little 4 seater plane! So not only was I tired from having been up at 5 am and at work for the morning, but I had to sit straight up with my knees literally molded into the woman's seat back in front of me. Then to add to it the flight was completely full and the air wasn't on so I was sweating and crammed into my seat. I managed to sleep for about 20 minutes I think. We landed around midnight I think and then had to wait about an hour for our bags to come up on the carousel. So at about 1:15am(now Saturday morning) I got to see my dad and Terry and Marissa got to see her high school friend Nick who lives in Madrid. So since the subway stops running at 1:30am we had to take a cab to our hostal and I was in bed by about 2 am.
Ok, so the rest of Saturday... I got up and unpacked, showered and felt like a real person again, had a little breakfast and was ready to go by about noon. Dad brought me a hot chocolate(thanks so much!) to my room and I reviewed my Spanish phrase book while he and Terry finished getting ready. We walked through Plaza Mayor to Mercado San Miguel and met several former Pueblo Ingles and Vaughntown Spaniard participants that my dad knew. We had tapas and wine and spoke English for several hours before heading to a mojito bar for more drinks. I then got a call from the girls and Nick and met them and brought them to the bar and I then went to meet Justin at the hotel as he had just arrived from the airport. We had a siesta and then had dinner reservations for 10pm and then a flamenco show at midnight at Casa Patas which was literally just around the corner from our hostal. The food was yummy(and wine as well) and the show was great. We had a table that was touching the stage so we were right in the action.
Sunday we got a walking tour from Tour Guide Tom Ware of several plazas and sights and then went to the Prado Museum during their free admission time that evening. Terry and Dad were thoroughly engrossed in the paintings and both purchased books about the paintings housed at the museum.
Monday Terry, Justin and I got tickets for the hop on hop off tour bus around the city and saw lots of sights, walked in Ritero Park, then met dad and Inma, a Spaniard that was in the Pueblo Ingles week that Terry and Dad had just finished on Friday. She took us to a little place and we shared about 6 dishes and several bottles of wine. Justin and I then made our way to the Real Madrid Football(Soccer) stadium for a self guided tour, then the metro back to our hostal. Then the four of us went to a cafeteria a block away from our hostal for an early dinner. We then happened to see the girls outside on the sidewalk and Justin joined them for a movie in english at a theater just next to our hostal and the cafe. Terry, Dad and I enjoyed some ice cream and talked about life and met an American couple visiting their daughter who was studying nursing in Madrid. We then went back and I packed up my stuff and headed to bed.
Tuesday we checked out and went to the Real(Royal) Palace for a self guided tour and then some lunch, a stop to purchase a paella pan, before picking up our bags and taking the metro to the airport for our flights home. I got a manicure at the airport spa before some dinner and then met the girls at our gate for our flight back to Germany. I got an exit row seat this time and none of us checked our bags so the flight was a little better and we were able to catch the bahn to the main train station, grabbed a snack, and then caught the train to Garmisch, arriving at 1 am to snow falling. Then it was up at 5 am to work 6-2:30. Ahh the life of a jet setter! :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed being able to see my dad and Terry as well as exploring Madrid. It was a great break from the grind. Thanks again Terry and Dad for everything.
Pictures on Facebook...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2090174&id=44801562&l=604cb5e02e

Ben and Martha's Visit Part 2- Germany

Once we were back in Germany the adventures didn't end. Tuesday morning I worked from 6-11 and then met Ben and Martha and went on the Bavarian Brotzeit and Ettal Tour. This included us going to a cheese making factory to learn about the process and sampled 5 of the 15 or so varieties of cheese that are made there. We shared 2 cheese plates between the 3 of us as well as a couple sausages, and some amazing cheese soup. Then for dessert, cheesecake! Yum! We then had the opportunity to buy some cheese which I did as well as some yogurt. We then walked next door to the Ettal Monastery and got a tour and some history, then more shopping, at the shop across from the Monastery and then to a local wood carver where I purchased a cutting board, bowl, and spoon. We then went back to my building and gave the 50 cent tour to Ben and Martha before we walked to the resort for our evening Griesbrau Brewery Tour. I had already done this tour once with Lisa just after we got here 4 months ago so I knew what to expect. We got the info and our samples and enjoyed some good food, and of course, dessert. One of my co-workers, Haley, was on the tour with her parents who were visiting, so we chatted with them. We got our certificates for passing the written test, and of course a visit to the store.
Wednesday I had to work, but Ben and Martha went up the Zugspitze in the morning and then did the Partnach Gorge Tour in the afternoon. That evening Justin and I met up with Ben and Martha in the Marienplatz and went out to dinner. Of course, more dessert!
Thursday we went on the Neuschwanstein Castle Tour which included a few stops along the way at a more touristy wood carver and souvenir shop, then a church, cafe, and then to the Castle. The walk up was picturesque and the tour was shorter than I had hoped, but seeing that it was never finished because King Ludwig II died first I can understand. We ate at a restaurant at the base of the hill and made our way back to the resort and I then worked from 5-10 that night.
Friday morning I worked 6-1130 and then went to base so Ben and Martha could mail some things home and we then walked to the Marienplatz and ate at a great little place with a confectionery shop attached so our desserts were amazing. Ben then went off in search of a Garmisch bike jersey and Martha and I window shopped before heading to the bahnhof for our train to Munich. We dropped our bags at their hotel and then headed to the Hofbrau Haus for dinner and BEER! I was exhausted and took the train home to rest for the day on Saturday while B&M went to Nurnberg for the day. Sunday I took the train to Munich and we toured the Munich Residence and Treasury before lunch at the Ratskeller Restaurant. I then took the train back Garmisch to get ready for work Monday morning. Ben and Martha toured the Deutsches Museum and went to the Weisses Brauhaus, both of which they enjoyed and would recommend. And finally on Tuesday they made their way to the airport for their journey back to the States.
It was great to get to see them both and spend time together touring some amazing sights and enjoying some delicious food and drink. It was a pleasure to show you my life here and be able to share in the adventures of traveling Europe.
Much love to you both.

As usual the pictures can be found on Facebook. See the link in my Part 1 post.

Ben and Martha's Visit Part 1- Vienna and Innsbruck

So this is much overdue but here it is as best as I can remember!
The snow storms in the Eastern US, their flight schedule was pushed back a day so the story starts on Friday February 12th. I got up and took the 8:04 train from Garmisch to Munich anticipating meeting Ben and Martha by the florist at around 9:30am. Well, there was some delays and phone issues, but they arrived and we went for some lunch at the Augustiner Haus and planned our route for the next few days. We had a hard time with the phone and language barrier, but with some remote assistance from "Travel Agent" Tom Ware we got a place to stay booked in Vienna and caught the train(which was quite a nice clean, smooth ride) to the Vienna Westbahnhof and made our way to the Schweizer Pension to drop off our bags. We then went down the street for some dinner and then back to the room for some rest.
Saturday we got up and following Rick Steve's book we got on the tram and did a little self guided tour around the ring loop. The weather wasn't the greatest and we were all a little cold so we made our way to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. We saw lots of coins, paintings, and an exhibit on Vermeer and the Art of Painting. We then visited the cafe at the museum and had a bite to eat before venturing out to walk around and figure out tour times and take some pictures around the city. We went to dinner at a place recommended by Rick Steves. We had yummy things that we shared, as usual, but for dessert Martha ordered some peach schnapps. It turns out that its made by a local man who is somewhat famous for his schnapps. Well, the guy recently died and fell into a vat of the schnapps, so what Martha had was probably some of the last.
Sunday morning we made our way to the State Opera House for the 10am tour in English. The Opera House had been closed for a few days because of a ball that was held there once a year and they explained how the main hall was set up for the ball as well as the intermission rooms, and the normal shows. After that we walked over to the Hofburg Palace and toured the Treasury and then walked up to the St Stephans Cathedral in the center of the old city. After a short rest in the room we went to another Rick Steves recommended cafe, the best in the city, just across from the Rathaus(city hall). We thoroughly enjoyed dinner, dessert, and warm drinks and then headed back to pack and get some sleep
Monday morning we got up early and made our way to the train station and took the train to Innsbruck. We arrived around lunch time and again Rick guided us to another wonderful meal at a place just next to the Golden Roof. After a few(ahem, dozen!) photos of the Golden Roof we made our way up the Stadtturm(Old City Watch Tower) for a beautiful view of the city and surroundings and then to the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum and Court Church with the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I. We then walked to the Triumphpforte(Triumphal Arch) for some more photos then some train station food and the train ride to Garmisch. Ben and Martha got checked in to their hotel near the Marienplatz and off to bed!
Pictures of their whole visit can be found at...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2089586&id=44801562&l=9e492122bf

24 hours in Innsbruck

On Saturday I worked from 7-noon and then Justin and I packed up and headed to the train station. We caught the 2:04 train to Innsbruck, and an hour and 20 min later we were there. We found a tourist info stand and the guy booked us a hotel room, and bought two Innsbruck Cards which got us free access to almost every tourist attraction and public transport. We headed out to the ski jump as the sun was setting. The lift from the base of the viewing area up to the jump tower was having issues so we were taken by taxi on a wild ride up the back hills. We looked around and took some pictures and looked down in awe of the height of the jump. We then took the taxi back down the hill and went in the stadium viewing area. We just barely missed the bus so we had to wait about 35 min for the next one. We walked around for a little and caught the next bus that took us back to town, then walked across the bride over the River Inn or Innsbruck. Our hotel was off this little single lane street just off the bridge. We had a little room on the first floor(American 2nd floor) dropped off our things, stopped by the movie theater two doors down from our hotel and found out Avatar was playing in 3D and in English that night so we got tickets and then went out to Magic Pizza for a bite to eat. We walked down to the Golden Roof which is one of the most photographed sights in Innsbruck and went back to the hotel for a 2 hour nap so we could stay awake for Avatar. The movie was good, we both enjoyed it and then went back to our room and slept. We got up and ate breakfast at the hotel and then checked out and walked across the bridge and got pictures of the Golden Roof and City Tower during day light, stopped at the St Jakob Church and then up to the Congress House train/cable car station and went up to the top of Hafelekar Mountain which is at 2256 meters. The stops along the way were breath taking rising up above the clouds. Once at the top we watched a group of people climb over the wall and make their own trail down the mountain. We rode down to the Alpine Zoo and again used our Innsbruck cards for free entry. We walked around and looked at the bear and lots of birds and the fish, as well as many others and then took the train back down to the Congress Center. We walked through town making a stop at the Triumphal Arch and then to the train station, grabbed a bite to eat and made it to the train for the ride home.
Slightly chilly but a great trip.
Check out some pictures at...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2087488&id=44801562&l=5eab7592e8

Munich Twice in One Week? Yep!

So this past Sunday Justin had the day off and it was my second day off so we decided to venture up to Munich for the Christmas Markets. It was a picture perfect day with hardly a cloud in the sky. The bad part was that such clear weather means it's COLD. We walked to the train station and got our ticket. We didn't look to see what track we were supposed to be at and we nearly missed the train because we had to go from 1 to 4 which involved going under the tracks in between. Anywho, we made it and it was actually a really nice train going through Munich on to other big cities in Germany so it didn't stop at all the usual little stations on the way. Justin slept for part of the ride both to and from Munich while I watched the scenery fly by the window. Once in Munich we walked to the food stands next to the ice rink where I skated just 6 days before and got some sausage sandwiches for a snack/lunch. We watched the zamboni drive around while we ate and tried to stay warm. The big disadvantage to our trip this time was that being Sunday all the stores were closed so we couldn't go inside to warm up. We walked around the Christmas Market stands for a while and went to St Peters Church, a Roman Catholic Church, and also the oldest in Munich. We looked inside for a few minutes and warmed up a little and I remembered from the Munich City Tour I took through Alpine that you could climb the bell tower for a great view. With the nearly cloudless sky I figured today would be a great day. For the student price of 1 euro Justin and I started the climb up the 299 steps to the top. Now, these steps were very narrow and winding so we not only got a workout, were nice and warm for the windy top, and got to brush shoulders with many others. We made it up and took pics of the 360 view of the city. You could just barely make out the Alps with polarized sunglasses on off in the distance. Sweet! So then back down the stairs and a little more walking around then a hot chocolate at Starbucks to warm up. We wandered some more streets and then went back to the Hofbrauhaus for Justin's first beer in a beer hall in Germany. We shared some sausages and potato dumplings then headed back to the main train station. Once we found a working touch screen we found out the train to Garmisch was leaving at that exact moment. So we had a full hour to wait for the next one. So we walked around all the shops and restaurants in the station and caught the next train. It was very crowded and we had 2 police officers sitting across the isle from us. They looked to be a couple headed home for the holidays but then they took off their winter jackets and reveled their uniforms and guns. Atleast we were safe! So then it was back to Garmisch and back to work.

Pictures!! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2085540&id=44801562&l=c4c96c249d
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2084653&id=44801562&l=6f56143c2d

Munich Christmas Market and ice skating

So this past Monday I had the day off and took my first train trip here in Europe. I went to Munich with Haley(Market Station), Morgan(Pullman Place), and Mike(Bell Stand) for the day. The train ride was nice and full of lots of beautiful scenery passing by the window. It took an hour and a half from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the main station in Munchen. We got the Bayern Pass which allows up to 5 people to travel together on the same ticket for a day within the Bayern region for 28 euros. Not a bad deal. We went to Starbucks because of the need for coffee(as usual I had hot chocolate) and then paid 80 euro cents for the bathroom and we were on our way. We walked around for a while window shopping and drinking some gleuwein while watching the skaters before we found a place for some lunch just off the marienplatz. I had a Jagerschnitzel and a Helles. Yum! Our timing on the ice skating always seemed to end up with us arriving a few minutes before they closed down for the zamboni. So we did some shopping and more drinking. Apple strudel and beers at the Hofbrau Haus(Mike's first time). I got two hand panted glass ornaments(Check! for my to do list). One for myself and one for Justin's grandmother. Both have "Munchen 2009" painted on it. Then a little durndel for Morgan's Niece. So cute! Nice memories. We finally paid our 10 euros for skates and entry to the outdoor rink and got our skate on! The music was an interesting selection. From Sexual Healing to Bringing Sexy Back it seemed not so family appropriate but it's Europe. I was issued ice hockey skates not figure skating skates so I wasn't as confident in my abilities so I made friends with a bear(see the pictures to understand). We had a great time. After we got some spiced nuts and crepes and made our way back to the train for the ride home. A great day and missions accomplished for all of us.

Pictures... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2084998&id=44801562&l=031d59af6c

Quick trip to Switzerland!

So today I went on a quick day trip to St Gallen Switzerland with 3 other Edelweiss employees. Jennifer, Jessi, Mike and I met up around 730 and headed out for the approx 3 hour drive in Jennifer's new to her car. We had a quick pit stop to add oil and get a sticker for the car so we can drive on the autobahn in Austria. We drove through mostly rain with a brief time in snow soon after we crossed into Austria. We arrived thanks to Lee the gps voice and found some parking and set out for our Sunday self guided walking tour. We found an ATM and got some Swiss Francs and then some public bathrooms. With lots of window shopping along the way and some scenic photographs we made our way to a cafe/ bakery. With warm drinks and food we sat down and dug in. We all then got a dessert and shared it between the 4 of us and then Mike and I each got some yummy treats to go. I got a selection of truffles which are eying me through the box as I write this.  We walked around the Abbey of St. Gall, which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. So spectacular. The pictures I took do not do it justice. We walked around and explored a park, and saw the last of 11 original gates to the city. We then took a scenic road and stopped by Lake Constance on the way home. The rain was kinda gloomy but we still had fun. I would love to go back to Switzerland and explore more and have some fondue! Check out the pictures...  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2082582&id=44801562&l=e454410d33