Archive for the ‘Europe Trip 2009’ Category

Mid-Summer Holiday

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

dieterandgunnel

We sure manage to hit the festivals, holidays, and celebrations.  This weekend is Mid-Summer! The Longest day of the year, and as big an occasion as Christmas! Everyone goes to the country and gets together with family and friends, and everything is closed.

We traversed all of Sweden, to get to the island of Oland, off the southeast corner of the country and sitting in the Baltic. We were soooooo fortunate to enjoy the hospitality of Dieter and Gunnel Schoenherr (in the home where she was born!),  They  also own a home in Rancho Bernardo, and live there 8 months of the year.  He and son Klaus are the major fellas at RB Hair team!

What a lovely, quiet, historic (vikings),and delightful place to start the midsummersunsetanticipation of the holiday. Their holiday planning involved errecting tents for the outdoor meals and celebrating the Mid-Summer Eve as well as Day.  With lots of family leaving the cities and heading to Oland (two dots over the “O” sounding like “ewe-land”) we left the family to be together and headed to Stockholm.  Sunset was at 10:30pm and sunrise at 3:30am.  It never really was dark.

Kopnhavn

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

littlemermaidbottlecollectonWe said our good-byes to Copenhagen: the Little Mermaid, Tivoli ,canal tour, and the Imperial Hotel, but not without a stop at the Carlsberg Brewery Tour! Yum, beer at 10 am!

It really was fascinating, and they are quite a world-player in the world of beer.  They are the 4th largest worldwide and they own Newcastle, Elephant, San Miguel, Tuborg and many others I have never been around.  The picture of the largest bottle breitling replica collection in the world, over 18,000 unopened, of one brand thru the years.  All different and all full and dusty.  How about that as a challenge for a new hobby? Some of us liked this experience alot!!!

beertasting

Rothenburg to Copenhagen

Monday, June 15th, 2009

rothenburgNow 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.

nutcrackerGrin 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, fake rolex and canals, and 4 cruise ships!!  And as we approach the longest daytivoligardens 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!

Day in Dachau

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Enough said…

dachau1

This One’s For Andy

Friday, June 12th, 2009

beer1

munichbeardAll 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 !!

 

beer2

On The Road Again, Salzburg To Munich

Friday, June 12th, 2009

paradeWe 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!

brittanyAfter 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!).

Signs And Wonders Contest Answers

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:

signtraffic

Anticipate Backup of Cars

signblindcurve

Entry into a Blind Curve

signhorn

No Horns

signthink

Pay Attention

signspeedbump

Uneven Road

signgrandparent

Grandparent and Child Crossing

Here are more signs, but just for fun.  These are also known as “Debbie in Europe.”

signa

signb

….and the obvious ones.

signc
signe
sign-d

The Notorious Flower

Friday, June 12th, 2009

edelweissThis is the real Edelweiss.  It is a tundra flower that grows above 9000 feet and is not the national flower of Austria.  In fact no one really paid attention to it until Rogers and Hammerstein wrote a song about it!

Culture By Candlelight

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

mozartdinner1Salzburg 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.

mozartdinner2 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)!!

The Hills Are Alive

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

soundofmusicbus…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.

soundofmsicchurchYes,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!