Our first week and into the second

Overnight to March 13, 2001

The flight crew was very good and gave excellent service. Had a nice evening meal and after sketchy sleep, a nice breakfast, arriving 8 hours later in Munich on March 13, 2001. Again our flight was on time to the minute. After our wedding trip this was quite impressive. Both of us were exhausted but happy to have our feet on the ground. After checking through customs we walked and walked (actually we were standing on the moving walkways most of the time but if you had seen the amount of luggage we had you would appreciate our need for assistance) and finally picked up our rental car from Avis. They gave us an upgrade to a small Opal minivan. Off we headed on the Autobahn to Austria. It was 170 km, just over 100 miles to get to Hall in Tirol and the Hotel Heiligkreuz. There we were upgraded to a nicer room.

It is a delightful hotel run by the Eisendle family who are absolutely delightful. The food in the dining room is wonderful. And the view of the Austrian Alps from our room is incredible.

We were both exhausted but took off for a walk around Hall, which is a wonderful medieval town, which has preserved the outside of the buildings and modernized the insides. The narrow lanes and wonderful cathedral are very picturesque and the people very helpful. We did a quick check of our Email and sent a few letters. We have 20 minutes free Internet a day, which helps us keep in touch. Then we made it an early evening and slept comfortably under Duvet Covers in a clean modern room with a very comfortable bed.

March 14, 2001

We almost overslept and missed breakfast.

After breakfast on Wednesday it was off to Innsbruck just a short trip. Again the scenery everywhere is overwhelming in it's beauty. After getting totally lost in the city (we mistook the train bridge for the river Inn Bridge) and stopping at a bank to get some shillings (The Austrian currency) we finally made our way to the Alpenzoo where we watched the animals. Robert played tug of war with a Raven and an eagle came right up to the edge of the cage for son me photos. Then we hiked the path to the Cable Car stop and went up the mountain to another little village at the base of the ski lift. What a beautiful trip and again the views were spectacular. The mountains are snow capped and the air is crisp. Glad I brought a heavy coat. Robert of course was in a short sleeve shirt. After a hike back to the car, we went to visit a church and monastery and a cemetery. The churches were wonderful. One was being repaired which was interesting. Then back to Hall, where we download all the pictures from our digital camera and then after a quick check of our email, we were off to a wonderful Italian Restaurant where the food was delicious. It was raining lightly but we were lucky to find a parking place and enjoyed a quiet evening out.

March 15, 2001

Well Thursday, the miraculous happened. Robert woke up before me and woke me up. We were up and out early to breakfast in the hotel dining room and off to Innsbruck. After circling the block several times trying to find the right way in, we parked in the Park and Ride Garage and caught the electric Tram to the center of old Innsbruck. Walking down the cobbled lanes we started our day at the Hofkirche, which was built between 1555 and 1565 by Ferdinand I and dedicated to Emperor Maximillian I. There are 28 larger than life bronze structures and the place is absolutely magnificent. Then on next door to the Volks Museum which is one of the most important folk art collections in the Alpine region. It is full of furniture, rooms, tools, and clothes. It was by far my favorite place we visited today. They had whole rooms set up of the Stuben (living room). Next we went to the HofBurg Imperial Court Palace, which contained many pictures, and furnishings of the Royal Palace. It is in the process of renovation so a lot of it was not open to the public. The chapel was beautiful and elegant as were most of the furnishings. Then it was off to the shopping area and I bought a scarf as I was a little chilly and we stopped in at a little coffee shop for a sandwich and lunch. Three couples from Florence, Italy sat at the next table, which was really for 2 so they were overflowing into our area and we had a lovely conversation, exchanging photos and addresses with one couple who have invited us to call them if we ever go to Florence. Next we went to Maximilianeum, which was the favorite lodging of Maximillian I when in Innsbruck. It included a movie of his life and some pictures and carvings. It was very informative. Then I climbed up the City Tower while Robert went to the Tea House. He has been half-way up before but because he has trouble with heights, the open stairway was too much for him. It was quite an aerobic workout but the view from the top was spectacular with a view of the entire city of Innsbruck and the snow-covered mountains all around. We went to several other museums and finally took the tram back to our car, very tired with sore feet. Back at the Inn we downloaded all the pictures we took into the computer and spent time labeling them. Then another delicious dinner in the hotel dining room, a check of our email and off to bed for a well earned rest.

Friday, March 16, 2001

Today I started out by losing my wedding ring and engagement ring. Because my hands were swollen, I put them on my little finger and lost them in the suitcases looking for something. We found the engagement ring in the camera case but so far haven't found the wedding ring. I have to get the chain clasp fixed soon. I'm sure it will show up in one of the suit cases. Then after breakfast we were off to the Hall Mint where Robert minted some coins using a sledgehammer. Then we were off to Wattens and the Swarovksi Crystal Works. The entrance is quite something, a huge earthen sculpture covered with grass and hanging vines with eyes of crystal and a tongue of water cascades from the mouth into a perfectly crystal clear pool of water at the sculpture's feet. I wasn't all that impressed with the presentation as it was quite contemporary but the crystals were beautiful. Even the men's and ladies room signs were crystal. In the shop I bought a small crystal clown for my collection.

Next we were off the Castle Ampas in Innsbruck. It was another of Maximillian I's residences. It was quite cold inside but the displays were quite impressive as were the grounds. It is a place you could bring a picnic lunch and spend the day. Then we went to the Bell Foundry, which is quite ancient. We saw how Bells were made and learned some of the history of bells. Back to the hotel for dinner and then back to Innsbruck to take the cable car up to the top of the mountain to the ski lift and restaurant. It is a spectacular journey, especially at night with the lights of the city below. There were a lot of young people on the car with us and when we got there some of them went to ride the tubes down the hill. So we joined them on a couple of rides. What fun we had. The snow was packed and fast. We then had a cup of hot chocolate before heading down the hill for the return trip to the Hotel and another good night's sleep.

Saturday, March 17, 2001

Saturday we went to the open-air market behind the church after breakfast. It is a small market with breads, cheeses, marmalades, greens and meats for sale. Then it was off an adventure. We headed west through the valley and through the tunnels with the Alps surrounding us. We went through a 9 mile tunnel through the mountain and then took a side road through the villages and on across the border in Lichen stein, the smallest country in the world with the exclusion of the Vatican. Its borders are from the to of the mountain to the river and you can see all the way across it. It is nestled between Austria and Switzerland and so we drove across it and through the capital, Vadu. We saw the princes' castle on the side of the mountain and drove on into Switzerland. On the return trip back we got in the wrong lane crossing customs and had to back up to get into the right lane. When I check my passport, I had Robert's instead and he had left mine behind. Fortunately they let us through. On the return trip Robert took the pass instead of the tunnel. What a drive. It was a rainy day to begin with and we began to climb the mountain on a 2-lane road. At the crest of the mountain, we were in the clouds and were in the ski resort area with ski lodges, and lifts and lots of people carrying skis and skiing down the mountain. How exciting. The hairpin turns were also quite exciting. I'm glad Robert is a good driver. To say the least the views were spectacular and the trip home was a good one. Diner tonight was fish and delicious as usual and an early night to watch the BBC which along with CNN and CNBC is English.

Sunday, March 18, 2001

I went to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow last night so I was refreshed this morning. After breakfast we walked up the hill to the church to worship. Then it was off to Barvaria. We went through some steep passes over the Alps to Germany but finally arrived at our destination, Schloss Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschawanstein. Schoss is the German word for Castle. You can see both of them as you turn into the entrance to the village at the base of the castles. First we went to Hohenschwangau, which was first built in the 12th century but was destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout history, the last being by Maximillian II. It is the lower on the mountain of the two castles and has furniture in it, which is very rare. It is still owned by the royal family but is not used as a residence anymore. One word describes it WOW!!!! I failed to mention that we had to climb the steps and hill to get to it. The trip back down was a little easier. Then we took the horse drawn buggy up the hill to the upper castle, which was built by the Son. He only lived in the castle, which was never finished, for 172 days in total because he was declared insane and put in an institution were he drowned, along with his psychiatrist, in the lake the next day. No one ever knew the circumstances. The castle was turned into a museum shortly thereafter and was never lived in again. But what was finished was absolutely incredible and some of the carving and paintings are beyond belief. Then back to Hall and dinner at a Chinese Restaurant. Then a quick check of my email and off to bed.

March 19, 2001

Today is a Rest and Relaxation Day, hopefully getting our laundry done and preparing for the next phase of our journey as we leave Austria. Hopefully I will get online long enough to post my journal entries and send out some email.

March 19, 2001

Well as planned today was a low-key day. We headed for Innsbruck and the Bubble Laundromat which was very modern and washed up all our clothes. Then back to Hall and a walk around parts that I had not seen yet. Robert saved them for the last. I continue to be impressed with the town and how old and new are blended. Found a beautiful embroidered tablecloth at the market square for a great price and Robert found a pair of Edelweiss Suspenders. Only problem was that it turned cold and I was not properly dressed so a cup of tea was in order as soon as we returned to the Hotel. Dinner and packing and bed completed our day.

March 20, 2001

Today was off to an early start with breakfast, a last check of our email and loading the car. It was a cloudy day with snow flurries while we had breakfast but it turned to rain quickly enough. Then we were off to Salzburg where we parked in the car park under the mountain. It had literally been tunneled into the mountain. To get out we passed through 2 tunnels, which were lined with glass wall cases containing displays. We heard beautiful flute music and as we turned a corner a young man was playing his flute and selling his CD’s. It was a nice addition to the walk. Then after a walk around the squares and a peek at some of the churches we took the cable car up to the Fort overlooking Salzburg. Not a very attractive place on the outside it had some beautiful rooms but like most European castles it had been depleted of furniture, in this case Napoleon’s soldiers to keep warm burned it. We had lunch inside one of the several restaurants there. Back down to the old city and walking in the rain through the shops. The most fascinating was one filled with painted eggs, not just a few but thousands of real painted eggs. Back to the car and off toward Munich, Germany.

The countryside was beautiful as usual. We missed the bypass around Munich and following the roads for Stuttsburg, we ended up going right through the middle of Munich at about 6:00 in the evening with bumper-to-bumper traffic. I’m proud to say we did not miss a single turn. As we finally got back on the Autobahn the other side of Munich, we had the pleasure of a snowfall for the next 75 miles. Robert did a marvelous job of driving in unpleasant conditions. We made a stop for dinner at one of the many rest stops they have on the Autobahn. I’m impressed with the road systems here in Europe. The snow wasn’t half as bad as the fast drivers. We finally found a hotel and settled in for the night. Again I’m impressed with the conservation measures I see here. The lights in the hall came on as we passed through each section. This happens in public bathrooms in many places as well. Here’s hoping for better weather tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 22, 2001

Well the weather was better today. It rained instead of snowing. I’m glad Robert is driving. After a lovely breakfast (I’m gaining weight from all this good food) we headed across Germany, going close to Stuttgart, Frankfort, Koln and Dusseldorf and stopped for the night a an inn at one of the rest areas. It was interesting because no one spoke English but one man spoke limited French so we were able to discern that he would open the gate and another man would meet us at the hotel with a key. After a quiet dinner we were off to bed. We had about an hour of sunshine all together today and fortunately some of it was at the end of our day. We got on one of the Internet machines but AOL pulled one of their tricks and wouldn’t let us online to check our mail. Wasted 20 minutes trying. Hopefully when we get to Frankfurt to visit Nancy and Jimmy we will be able to hook up to their phone and get this info online. Tomorrow we are headed into Holland, which is less than 100 km from here.

Thursday, March 22, 2001

Today we had an early start and headed for Holland. As we got closer to the border we began to see a change in the scenery and in the architecture. The homes were built of brick along with the barns being brick. We found this to be the case throughout Holland. We even saw a few older homes and barns with thatched roofs. And we even saw a few windmills but found that the tulip farms were closed to the public at this time of the year but did see a few tulips at some of our stops. Just before the border we had to leave the Autobahn and go through the village of Emmerich, which is on the border between Germany and Holland. That was an adventure as we were in a long line of 18-wheelers trying to make turns on narrow streets. We crossed the border on a one-lane road with two- lane traffic. But we eventually made it back on the Autobahn and went toward Amsterdam.

I found a symbol of a castle on the map just west of Amsterdam so off we went to Muilden and the castle Muildenslot. Because there are only tours of the inside on weekends we were only able to walk around the grounds and gardens. It sits at the end of what used to be the Zeider Zee. We were able to see all the boats on the canal. It was interesting to see the spots of snow that were still around next to the canal. It was quite different from the other castles we have visited as it is made of brick and surrounded by a moat and of course there were dikes. After walking along a canal we ended up in the downtown area at a charming café just across from the canal. Before going in we got to watch the bridge turn and the lock open and 4 boats go through. We were also able to see some of the boats that were used as homes.

The Café was quite old and had a fireplace and lots of wood and charm. There was the salmon sandwich was also good and the drinks actually had ice in them. I did not realize how much one could miss having ice in the drinks. And the dessert was great. I may not be able to understand the menu but I sure enjoyed the food. The waitress recommended that if we enjoyed this village that me might also enjoy Naarden so off we went. It was only 7 km and was as charming as she had said. There were of course dikes everywhere and we enjoyed a walk around on area of the old village. Then we tried to find a phone to call Nancy and Jimmy. We found one and the man there gave us the wrong country code so we could not get through. We took A 1 east past Amersfoort and Apeldoorn and stopped at the Hotel Mercure near Deventer. Because the dining room was so expensive we walked across the street to the local McDonalds. I don’t even eat at McDonalds in the USA. But it was nice and inexpensive. We also walked to the BP gas station and made my phone call to Nancy and we will be joining her and Jimmy in Frankfurt tomorrow afternoon for a weekend of rest and relaxation before heading for Bangkok on Monday. Maybe I’ll be able to get online and get this out to everyone then. I’ve been off the Internet for 2 days and I’m having withdrawal. We have Internet access at the hotel but it is Ethernet and we packed our Ethernet cables in the crates that were shipped and the phone service is too expensive. Just my luck.

Friday, March 23, 2001

Woke to rain again today. After a nice breakfast we head back toward Frankfurt, Germany We took a more northern route this time and were in the rain most of the day Our one adventure was that just before the German border there was a customs check which slowed us down. We then saw lots of trucks pulled off some of the trailers were there without cabs. Since there has been hoof and mouth in Holland we figured they were checking for produce and animal products. We finally made it to Oberusal where Jimmy and Nancy live. We are glad to be in one place for a few more days. At least the sun came out for a little while before we arrived. We stopped just before the first Oberusal exit and called. They have been here only 3 weeks so don’t know the area too well. After ½ hour we saw them at the station across the Autobahn and we waved at each other. We figured they would turn around at the next exit. An hour later we called them on their cell phone. They had missed the exit and ended up on A5, which has no exits, and they ended up going in circles in Frankfurt. After an hour and half wait they finally made it and we followed them to their apartment. They had just got some of their furniture and assembled it so we are their first guests. They have a lovely home here with a nice green area behind it. We were lucky to find parking on the street within walking distance. Parking is at a premium here in Europe. We walked to a pizza restaurant run by an Indian in Germany. How is that for international? Pizza was delicious and we were hungry. And I was able to get onto AOL and check my mail and send mail. I have enjoyed that. There is an extra charge but it is not bad and using my own computer is wonderful. I got my first good night’s sleep since we got here sleeping on the trundle bed.

Saturday, March 24, 2001

We actually had a little sunshine today but not much. After a wonderful breakfast, we went into Frankfurt with Nancy and Jimmy on the U-Bahn which is the electric train which above ground in the suburbs and below grown in Frankfurt. When trying to get our tickets at the ticket machine we were having a lot of trouble and made one gentleman miss his train. He, however, spoke good English and was very helpful in getting us a group ticket, which was quite cheap. The train was clean and fast and we ended up in an underground shopping area in the center of Frankfurt. There was McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King along with Fruit Stands and other places to shop and eat. We came up into a square and a very modern city. We went through Marks and Spencer Department Store and proceeded to the older part of the city and down to the River. I love the way the old and new blend. We of course visited one of the churches, which was a lot more modern than the ones we have previously visited. Then it was back to the apartment and a nice snack. It was then naptime for Robert and Jimmy. I had a leisurely shower and then we were off to another missionary’s apartment near by to have dinner with him and a refugee couple (Kurdish) and their charming children. While there was little in the way of conversation we made ourselves understood. Children need no language to communicate and it was a wonderful evening for all. Back at the apartment, a quick check of my mail and Robert helped Nancy with her Internet server so she can get online again. We also took picture of Nancy and Jimmy and the apartment and sent them to Nancy’s family via email. We had to remember to set the clocks ahead an hour as Daylight Savings time began at midnight.