Archive for June, 2009
Monday, June 15th, 2009
Now that we are down to a very precious few days, we are scrambling to see all that we have left on our wish list!
Rothenburg, Germany is an old walled city with all of the flavor remaining. Yep, a genuinely, charming tourist trap. With a gorgeous day to enjoy it, we arrived early from Ansbach Army Base and enjoyed ourselves until about 1pm. We even met up with a Westmont graduate and his mom, and shared a nice visit. But it was time to move on.
Grin and bear it. We drove 8 hours to Puttgarden, germany, at the edge of the–oh some huge body of water– that required a huge car ferry to take us over to Denmark (Baltic?). Two more hours of drive time and we were in Copenhagen (kopnhaven is how they spell it)!
We went to Tivoli Gardens for what remained of the day and into night and thoroughly loved watching all the families enjoy their Sunday and each other. This is where Walt Disney got his idea for his Magic Kingdom. We did a city tour today and saw the “Little Mermaid” bronze on her rock in the harbor, and canals, and 4 cruise ships!! And as we approach the longest day
of the year, we only have about 4hours of dark.
We press on tomorrow to the Carlsberg Beer Factory Tour in the morning,and then on to Sweeeeden!
Tags: ansbach army base, carlsberg, copenhagen, disney, puttgarden, rothenburg, tivoli gardens, westmont
Posted in Denmark, Europe Trip 2009, Germany, Sweden | 5 Comments »
Friday, June 12th, 2009
All business, banks, stores were CLOSED in Munich for the holiday. We wandered from our hotel to Marienplatz to see the street scene which was alive with street muscians and the glockenspiel played at 5pm.
But the real attraction was our pilgrimage to the Hofbräuhaus! So yes, I had to lift a stein also, as we toasted Andy! Prost!!
The costumes, the umpah band, the bratwurtz, pretzels, mustard, and the boistrous crowds. That was Munich !!
Tags: andy, beer, glockenspiel, hofbrauhaus, marienplatz, munich
Posted in Europe Trip 2009, Germany | 5 Comments »
Friday, June 12th, 2009
We left early to head to Munich (just one day) but we were held up by a parade! June 11 is a holiday in Austria and Germany that honors “religion” (that’s all I could get from the many people I asked). All the church bells were ringing constantly, canons firing, and plenty marching bands and local citizens in their native garb. All church’s were hanging a yellow and white banner from their bell towers. I love the local stuff that makes the area unique!
After the procession , we headed a 1/2 hour away to meet up with our niece, Brittany! Here is a picture of she and her host family (so her folks see she arrived safely!).
Tags: brittany, munich, parade, salzburg
Posted in Austria, Europe Trip 2009, Family, Germany | 4 Comments »
Friday, June 12th, 2009
No one got all the signs right on the last contest, but there will be a prize for the entrants! The answers to the May15th entry were as follows:
Anticipate Backup of Cars
Entry into a Blind Curve
No Horns
Pay Attention
Uneven Road
Grandparent and Child Crossing
Here are more signs, but just for fun. These are also known as “Debbie in Europe.”
….and the obvious ones.
Tags: contest, debbie
Posted in Austria, Europe Trip 2009, Germany, Italy, Traffic Signs | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Salzburg is also famous for being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeau Mozart; one of ,if not THE most famous and prolific composer of his or any time!
We went to a candlelight dinner and concert of his music: it was brilliant. The food was excellent, the ambiance was amazing, the other people at our table were delightful, and the program of a 5 piece string quartet and two vocalists was inspired. They did selections from the operas “Don Giovani” and “Marriage of Figaro” as well as songs from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. This was all done between courses of the meal.
And the location was the Stifskeller St. Peter ; the oldest restaurant in central Europe and first mentioned in 803 on the occasion of a visit by Charlemagne, and frequented by the Mozart family in their day. And now Steve and Debbie Morales!
Nancy and Steve Tanner, I thought of you all during this magical evening…we dedicate this evening to you (and I know you can’t have a 5 piece string quartet…just seeing if you were paying attention)!!
Tags: charlemagne, debbie, don giovani, eine kleine nachtmusik, marriage of figaro, mozart, salzburg, steve, stifskeller st. peter, tanner
Posted in Austria, Europe Trip 2009 | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
…with tourists in tacky buses, traversing the city and countryside in search of the vital locations for the filming of “THE SOUND OF MUSIC“!!
I am on the bus.
Yes,the movie came out when I was merely 15, and I had a date to the Loma Theater, Point Loma (where it played for 2 years) with Andy Andeck! Sigh, to picture his arm around my shoulders, going numb scenario…my first big crush.
Flash ahead 6 years, and I have already been an organist for 8 years and played many a “here comes the bride” at weddings , so I chose the Wedding March from the Sound of Music for mine (to STEVE)!
So, I got to see the Church they used, and they played the CD on the bus, and I was in “Nostalgic Land”. Pure schmaltzzzzzzzzzzz and I loved it!
Tags: andy andeck, loma theater, schmaltz, sound of music, steve
Posted in Austria, Church, Europe Trip 2009 | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
In Watten,Austria, just outside of Innsbruck, we found the headquarters and huge factories of Swarvoski Crystal!
They have a unique (weird) collection of art, as well as how their crystals were used in that art. It is really too difficult to explain, but it does all end with an enormous gift shop!!!
Mr. Swarvoski created and patented in 1895, the way to cut a perfect crystal; two years later he had a factory and 100 employees. Well, I love Swarvoski Crystals, they are in my ears, on KC’s wedding dress and veil, and I think they are as pretty as diamonds without the worry. But, they were first used in machinery, and for reflective markers on roads, optics in binoculars, and much, much more.
I still did alot of damage in the gift shop.
Tags: crystal, innsbruck, k.c, swarvoski, watten
Posted in Austria, Europe Trip 2009 | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
It was during our daily call to Steve’s dad, George, in Costa Mesa, that we mentioned our stay in Garmish-Partenkirchen; on hearing the location, he came alive with memories!!!
As a youth, he was inspired by the Olympics at Lake Placid N.Y.to work harder on his passion, speed skating ,and try for the next olympics (he was living in New York and was a young teenager). He did try out when the time came, but only made it as second or third alternate to the Garmisch Olympic games in 1936, so he stayed home and continued to dream (he still has lots of medals on display in his home)!
With even more dedication, he focused on the next Winter Olympics but then came war in Europe. So George, with thoughts of you in our hearts, your son made it to Garmish .
Tags: garmisch, olympics, partenkirchen, speed skating
Posted in Europe Trip 2009, Family, Germany | 3 Comments »
This is the real