Mother and Daddy's First Visit to Germany

 

November 2009

As the weather begins to turn colder here in Germany, we've begun revisiting some of our summer hikes. This hike takes you to Bismarkturm providing you with a commanding view of the city of Landstuhl. When our family members arrive, we try to help them adjust to the time change by keeping them moving during the daytime. A favorite destination for a first time visitor is to Burg Nanstein (our local castle) and Bismarkturm. They each have a lovely hike through fairy filled forest with lovely mossy stones in the shadow of the huge fir trees. The kids race ahead giving the adults some time to just chat and catch up on the family news.
After the hike, we treat our jet lagged visitors to some local fare at the castle's resturant!
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This week the boys have a swim meet in Heidelberg so we decide to do a little exploring around the city. Heidelberg Castle sits atop the hill overlooking the city below. There is a very nice walk from the streets below up to the castle, but after the sauna of a swim meet, we all opted for driving up to the top and walking down to the castle. This all sounds so easy, but navigating a Honda minivan through narrow passage ways of ancient towns is quite a feat. I starting the drive towards the top of the castle, but nearing the top I had to move over for Joe to finish the climb. I just don't have the guts to attempt the small entrances, sharp turns, and low overhangs...not to mention, I don't want to be the ONE who does jack the car up! I'll leave that stuff to Joe.... Night is falling as we walk towards the castle, so we'll have to settle for a shorten tour. It's just as well, because after a long day, Colin has had it. It through a royal tantrum in the courtyard of the castle. We all try patiently to calm him, but sometimes nothing works! He's very upset about missing an exhibit because it was closed. The unfortunate part is that his brothers and I made it in before the doors shut. He is so crazy made that he didn't get to do something his brothers got to do. Colin proclaims (in a very loud voice) that all Germans are stupid, and he hates this stupid place. Ahhh I am so proud. Before it gets much more outta hand, we exit the castle and drive home. Sometimes traveling with kids is a bit more of a hassle than an adventure.

The weekend finds us free to travel to another close by city, Speyer. Speyer's Dom (cathedral) is lovely. Inside the boys are impressed with the crypt and alcoves, many of which have wonderful ornate sculptures. This leads to our next unnecessary comment from Colin. Let me give you some background first. Colin and I watch a movie describing the events of the protestant reformation in German. During this time, some defiant prodies disfigured many Catholic Church sumptuary and relics. They did this by axing off the heads of main saints. Colin is completely outraged!! So when he sees this disfigured sculpture (see below) he announces that "those stupid Germans" did it again, referring to the beheaded sculptures. Of course, voices carry inside church crypts, so many onlookers look to see who has made such a statement. First many eyes look at Colin (who doesn't much look like a 6 year old, but more like 10) and then his awful mother. We leave quickly after this (thank God there we're any anger protestant villagers here today).

After the Dom, we eat lunch a at nice little restaurant in Dom Square and then head to the History Museum. As many of the areas in the Rhineland Pflatz, Speyer has a mixed ancient past. First the Celts lived here and then the Romans. The area museum therefore, has a large array of artifacts from both cultures. So in homage to the Romans, here are my angry little Roman Gladiators. Can't you just hear Colin giving the thumbs down to any German Christian? Oh of course, I am only kidding, but he really likes the sword in the costume. After that we head to the "Hex" exhibit. It is a cool nod to many Harry Potter fans. Full of mystic and magic, just like the Celtic culture I mentioned earlier. The rotating exhibits are very well done. This museum gets often over looked because Speyer houses, a transportation museum and an aquarium to boot. We'll see those on another visit.

Christmas in Germany means Christmas Markets!! This is a lovely and captivating customs the Germans have each season. The pageantry and delicious foods are enough to cheer even the deepest Bam Humbugger. So favorites of the kids are the waffles and the cookies. I really enjoy the Gluh Vein (warm spiced wine). This is a stroll we took Sunday after church in Bernkastel-Kues. Unfortunately, the Market isn't open today :(. We do get to meet Krampus  who is Santa’s sidekick; he’s his evil twin, if you will. He stalks the streets hitting people with switches. If a child is bad, Krampus will take the child’s gifts away. If the child is awake Christmas Eve night, Krampus will take the child away!. He's the anti-Santa Claus who stuffs "bad" little boys and girls into his sack. He is a very scary dude, who makes quite an impression on our young Colin bear. He is terrified that his recent behavior will lead to is doom. If you ask Colin what is so scary, it isn't the being stuffed into a sack that terrifies him, but the absence of toys from his Christmas!! Anyway, it doesn't really help in our attempts to remove bad words from Colin's vocabulary.

Next on to Paris!!! 

To accommodate our two families comfortably, we decide to stay outside Paris in the Marriot Villages. This lets us take the train in to the city each day we tour.

Our first stop is Norte Dame. A beautiful sunny winter days walk leads us to the cathedral. As we emerge from the Paris Subway/Train Station, we are meet by street arts one of which has this silly little puppet show. This is the stuff the kids remember. The stand next to one of the most famous cathedrals in the entire world in Paris, France nonetheless, and their attention falls on the puppet singing Beautiful by Marc Anthony!

Okay, so we do go up into the bell tower to be amongst the haunts of Quasimodo and his gargoyle friends, but it's a 30 minute wait! So Joe (my sweet man) goes to get us all some food. He comes back with super yummy crepes (also super stick and all over his $$$ Dale Sweater).   Next we visit the loveliest part of Paris -- Basilique du Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre.

 

You ascend the stairs tops the “sacred heart of the city” as the sun is setting and you walk onto a live movie set. Lovers everywhere embrace, have their photos taken with the milky sky line of Paris with her Eifel Tower, kiss one another HOLD ON A MINUTE – “no, I don’t have anything left for you to eat, I know you’re hungry, can’t you wait a little bit longer?” Oh yeah, I forgot I am here with my kids!!! That’s okay though, it’s still one of the most beautiful places on the earth.   Then we do go eat and have a fun filled two hours of drinks and food.  No worries, we'll catch the next train home.

And after such a lovely trip, we must still visit the Eifel! We briskly walk under her at night with her silhouette a glow. Then on to the perfect vantage point to view her at Trocadero.

Once we make it back to the hotel, Colin writes his letter (confession!) to Santa, telling him, "I don't say bad words".  We'll still keep an eye out for Krampus!  Merry Christmas!

Austria - October 2009

Austria, or Osterreich - the kingdom of the east, as the Germans call it, is breaktaking!  Traveling southeastly on the autobahn, you begin the climb towards those definingly high Alps once you've pasted Munich.   Our plan to see Dachau, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden and a tour of the SalzZeit Reise (Salt-Time Journey) begins. 

Our first stop is Dachau.  As the rain falls from the gray autum sky above the city, it mingles in the gray pebbley earth spread throughout the concentration camp memorial reflecting the gray faces of its curious visitors.  I've been to Dachau twice -- it rained both times.

Leaving Dachau and it's hauting images behind, we continue our journey southeasterly towards the Austrian border.  We are greeted by the impressive Alps as we leave the autobahn and head to Salzburg.  The GPS is an indespensible travelling tool.  It makes life so easy; perhaps too easy sometimes.  We blinding follow "her" directions, at times, without thought.  In Salzburg, the GPS lead us through streets so narrow, I had to get out of the minivan, push in the sideview mirrors, say a little prayer, and direct Joe through the passage way!!  To make it more fun, we had Joe's parents in the backseat, literally praying aloud. 

The van made it through the passage, we all let out our breath, and agreed Joe was such a good driver, blah,blah blah... Once through however, we cannot find the D#$M hotel.  Sooooo, you guessed it, here we go again!! Argh!  This entire stressful time, the boys are completely oblivious becasue if it doesn't happen the Mario World, then it just doesn't seem to matter!  The good news is we found the hotel, of course, we had to park five blocks away, walk down dark streets at night, and almost lose a peice of luggage with all Ryan's clothes for the week, but we made it!!  Three cheers for the Gallaghers! 
Chiemsee Hotel claims century old steps leading up to some beautiful Bavarian painted schrank (shrunk) and a gorgeous family room ideal for a family of 4 to 5.  Reasonable priced and located walking distance from all the major tourist attractions in Salzburg.  It just challenged our GPS a bit. 

In Salzburg we begin our tour in Salzburg Cathedral.  In side you'll find the font where Mozart was baptized.  Outside you'll find a statue of Mary in the courtyard, where if you stand in just the right place, you can "place" her holy golden crown.

Next we took the Festungbahn funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress.  It was snowing at the top. 

There is a nice little resturant here where we stopped for lunch before heading across town to Bob's Sound of Music Tour. 

The tour begins in downtown Salzburg, in "Maria's gardens" where she and the von Trappe children sang that happy afternoon.  Well, the Gallaghers sang a bit of a different tune than "Doe a deer"; more like "Snow a dear"  Freezing rain is just not quite the same experience. 

Then on to the other famous stops.  Our tour guide burst the Hollywood bubble telling us the "von Trappe Home" is really two different buildings.  The back of the home is now an Educational Center of Harvard University 

 

Tourist's noise and constant clammering forced the Garden Gazebo, once found on this property to a different garden.  The Gazebo is no longer accessible from the inside due to tourist "leaping" from bench to bench;  with apparently many broken legs! 

Our tour included a serenade during our van ride through the Alps, where as a back seat occupant, I felt quite ill!!  But boy, those hills were alive with music.  After the tour, we sampled the local Austrian fair at a romatic little resturant on the main pedestrian area.  It was lovely.

Our next stop brings us back into Germany as we head towards Routte.  The car sets our on the A8 towards Germany.  But what's this?  A white van ahead of us pull in front of our car.  In the rear window a electronic light displays the words, "FOLLOW ME".  We are all puzzled and terrified.  Joe does as he's told and "follows" the white van (hopefully not down the rabbit hole!)  The German Police get out of the van, start walking back towards Joe, we roll down the window, and he says, "Passports".  Thankfully, we all had them!!  Then, they find out Joe's in the USAF, so they wave us on down the road.  Phew!  But this journey isn't over yet....because its started to snow again; in earnest now.  Once again our GPS has plans.  We find ourselves going up and down, dark, snowy mountain passages; all the while our GPS assures us we are going the right way.  I think Joe really deserves some props for driving that night and having us all arrive safe.   The next day we drove that same road in the daytime, and literally the slippery slides the night before would have lead us down 100 meter ravines!!  I am so glad we couldn't see the drop off the previous night. 

We are off to visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles.  The carriage rides and castle tour are a must for travelers to Deuchland. 

These two castle tours involve a brisk almost 45 degree hike/walk up the mountain side to gain access.  We choose the carriage ride for the second uphill climb, but that put us a bit late for our entrance time!  So we sprinted the last 30 meters and made it just in time.  The blue skies made for a nice winter day outside (but remember it's only October!)

Next, stop is the Salt Mines!!  WOW!  The Salt Mine "time travel" is a highlight for our family.  It starts with each of us doning a very nasty blue set of cover alls.  I guess, it's to keep us warm, because deep into the mountain we will travel to see the place that holds the salt.  After suiting up, we enter the train which whisks us down, down, down into the mine.  It is so cold!!  You sit a stride, and hold on to the person seated in front of you.  Our next destination, is at the end of a slide.  Well, what the German's call a side.  Americans would call it a bannister.  It's a 1foot across smooth slanted poll at a 45degree angle.  You sit astride it as well and hold on to the person seated in front of you.  This seems to be a theme!  Anyway, you can imagine how much the kids LOVED IT!!  Sandy and Joe were excellent sports about being out of their comfort zone.  The grand finale takes you on a quasi light show featuring salt crystals.  An exciting element is the boat you ride to during the show. 

Here's a group of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Our first trip to Bavaria filled with sights, sounds of music, and fairy tale castles is sure to be a place we'll continue to explore!