July 2010 Archives

For our Princess Sarah (for whom this European adventure was spawned) he pinnacle of the trip aside from seeing Jakob and Joel, was going to the Neuschwanstein Castle. This is THE castle of castles. It is the the inspiration behind Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Unfortunately, this was the only day of our entire trip that we encountered a drenching rain.

The queue to catch a ride up to the castle:

Saint Mary's Bridge overlooking Neuschwanstein Castle.

Only Rachel was brave enough to venture out onto the swaying bridge for the spectacular view.

Despite the cold rain, we still had fun "storming the castle."

. . . but had to stop and warm up with some hot cocoa

. . . and to warm up our feet!!!

We actually visited the Hohenschwangau Castle first, which was the boyhood home of King Ludwig II.

It sits in the foothills below the Neuschwanstein Castle.

The Neuschwanstein Castle was commissioned by King Ludwig II as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner. The interior of the castle depicts the operas of Wagner although only 15 of 200 rooms were completed. (No interior photos allowed, but it was amazing.)

As we drove away, I was surprised to see the castles sitting so pristinely in the distance.

Although the weather was not perfect, it was still a fairy-tale day.

The Germans are serious about pretzels:

Way too serious!

The drive from the Alps to Bavaria. YIKES!!!

Jungfraujoch, "The Top of Europe" laughed at me this morning from our hotel room in Interlaken . . . . . It has been in the clouds for the past three days just like it was when we were in Switzerland 10 years ago.

I will return for the view from above some day.

We hiked with our heads in the clouds today. I enjoyed a break with coffee at 6000 feet and with milk fresh from the cow.

There's a glimpse of the snow-capped Alps through the clouds.

Need more cowbell?!?

Off to Murren . . .

Inaccessible by car, you can only visit this Alpine village by taking a cable car and then a funicular (inclined railway), so we walked across Lauterbrunnen for the cable car station. After a day of hiking, the girls were now rather pleased that their mother insisted that each pack in only one carry-on piece of luggage :)

Our hotel overlooked the Lauterbrunnen valley 2000 feet below.

It was a sanctuary for paragliders that floated into oblivion outside our balcony.

It was a sanctuary of color like every other Alpine village.

It was supposed to be the Swiss sanctuary that we had hoped to see ten years ago --- but couldn't because of the clouds.

This (see map) was what we were supposed to see from the top of yet another funicular ride another thousand feet above Murren.

Oh, well. It's still beautiful.

We got a little dizzy walking through the white-out, but eventually the clouds lifted a little and the sun peaked through.

Although the girls prefer to do most of their hiking in the mall, they were good sports --- and probably liked our hikes more than they were willing to admit.

Sarah and her "European hiking bag."

Rae . . . just bein' Rae

At least we had a glimpse of what we came to see.

Just as I had hoped to reach the "Top of Europe" on the Jungfraujoch yesterday, I had hoped to reach the Schilthorn today. Although not quite as high, it still offers an exhillarating view at the Piz Gloria, a panoramic solar-powered revolving restaurant. The James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was set here.

Next time . . .

I'm not complaining, but I have not had nearly as many lattes in quaint sidewalk cafes or panoramic vistas as I had hoped while on vacation. The rest of the family just doesn't have the same priority --- so the majority wins. Today we ascended into the Alps about 2000 feet and stopped for lunch after a 2-3 mile hike. We hoped to ascend even higher to Jungfraujoch, the "Top of Europe," where a warm latte sounded heavenly in the 40 degree temps, but all we would have seen was clouds. We enjoyed what we had instead.

At lunch, Steve ordered the Mountain Twister, a non-alcoholic beer that seemed to have a hint of champagne. It was as light and refreshing as the Alps.

This is Lauterbrunnen: a simple, one-road town built in an alpine cleft where the nearly perpendicular walls are 5 miles high and only half a mile apart. It is one of several hubs where you can catch a train or cable car that will take you above and beyond the rest of the world . . . . . and a lot closer to heaven.

Waterfalls in Switzerland are as common as flies in Indiana, but Staubbach Falls is extraordinary. It cascades over 800 feet and is one of the highest in Europe that is formed of a single, unbroken fall. It is mysterious to watch as the water appears to fall in slow motion.

The view from our hotel. (Note the "Church of the Day")

Time to head for the hills: looking down on Lauterbrunnen and Wengen from the cable car to Mannlichen.

Although the clouds distort the perspective, this is the view from the top at 7,687 feet. There are still a lot of snow-capped mountains hiding above us in the distance.

I'm pretty sure I discovered the secret of Swiss chocolate:

Happy cows :) make better milk which makes heavenly chocolate!

Rachel agrees!

It was pretty cool and cloudy, but the hike was still beautiful.

We made a small detour into the Alsace region of France as we headed south toward the Swiss Alps on the next leg of our journey. (Sorry, no time for the Eiffel Tower on this tour, girls, but at least you set foot in France.) We enjoyed lunch in this quaint village of Riquewihr.

Looking forward to a little slower pace for a few days in the Swiss Alps so we can recover from too many late nights :)

Pond . . . . . just a pond!!!

Our friend hometown friend Jakim, is living a dream and "working"/skiing for a theme park in Hassloch, Germany. Ironically, our local ski team also did a James Bond spoof for our show last year --- but with a lot less pyro-technics! We were amazed at how much they did on such a small pond --- it is only about 1/3 the size of the lake our team skis on at home.

Jakim had the day off, but was kind enough to perform for us anyway. He was the Pond's nemesis, Scorch . . . . and lived up to his name.

Looks like trouble is brewing

Watch out! Here comes Scorch!

Uh-oh . . . Watch out Scorch. Pond has a gun!

Ohhhhh.............What happened to Scorch?

(Switching roles for a minute)

Barefootin' Oh yeah!!!

"I told you so" (But I don't know what)

Pond gets distracted (as usual)

Pond tries to work a little magic (as usual)

They're after you again, Pond! (I think Jakim is doing the front flip)

Now what's going on?!?

I don't know, but Scorch is back and he does NOT look happy!

Looks like Pond is in trouble again. Will he escape?

Yes --- and off to rescue another girl (as usual)

OOPS!!! In trouble again, Pond.

Good-bye Scorch!

And Pond gets the girls :)

Since the show was in German, I'm not sure that's exactly how the story went, but It's probably pretty close.

I am certain, however, that Jakim will soon earn his place on the "Wall of Fame" at Holiday Park.

After the show, we had to part ways with the rest of our friends, but we hope to see them again soon.

We then enjoyed Heidelberg Castle, a great dinner in Hassloch and a wine festival in a neighboring village.
Whew! Another great day with a great friend! Thanks Jakim.

. . . . . is always the path for me.

After we arrived in Rottenburg on Wednesday evening, we relaxed and enjoyed each other's company --- and a glass of wine after driving on the Autobahn. When it was time to say good night, Reinhilde walked us down the street to stay the night with their friends Gudrun and Andres. She reminded me that she would be leaving promptly at 5:55 am to drive down to the "track" for her morning walk and that I was welcome to join her. Well, it only seemed polite to sit and chat some more with our new hosts before we retired for the night, so after another glass (or 2) of wine and and another hour (or 2) of laughter, world politics and more, we finally called it a night. Gudrun, Andres and their son Moritz were absolutely charming, entertaining and fascinating.

Morning came a little earlier than usual and the thought of running around a "track" seemed a bit dull, but I really wanted to join Reinhilde. I already knew her well enough to know that she would be punctual, so I arrived at the house at least 5 minutes early, but her car was already gone. Bummer. I headed out on my own instead and just up the hill from the house was a path that continued along the ridge they live on --- perfect.

The pictures tell most of the rest of the story of what was lost in the translation of "track":
I hope you enjoy my run as much as I did!

(In case you didn't notice, there's the Church of the Day)

I actually found the path that lead down to the "track" and crossed paths with Reinhilde during my run.
This was the only other traffic I encountered.

I won :) but how could anyone lose on this run?!?

The rest of the story is that I was NOT late for Reinhilde. The car was gone because the "kids" (Jakob, Joel and Sarah) had gone out "clubbing" the night before and still were not home --- they had missed both the last train and bus for the night and had to catch the first morning train instead =:-/

Although the weather changed from scorching hot to cool, cloudy and drizzly, we did NOT have a rotten time in Rottenburg.

To the contrary, we enjoyed the blending of families, cultures, ideas . . . . and laughter. Lots of laughter and late nights --- which is why I got behind in my daily postcards. Just like our friends Peter and Virginia in Vienna, we only spent a short amount of time with Walter and Reinhilde about a year ago, yet quickly developed a friendship that has culminated in an epic tour of Austria, Germany and Switzerland. It is amazing how similar --- and FUN --- both couples are!!!

As in Vienna, we were treated to a bird's eye view of Rottenburg . . . . . (No extra charge for the rainbow which we saw two days in a row)

We enjoyed incredible hospitality and food . . . . . including Walter's favorite German meal, maultaschen.

Jakob's birthday

A romantic village (and a church) in the Black Forrest

A burg called Tubingen:

Laura (Jakob's sister) and Rachel acted like twins that were separated at birth. They were inseparable and spent every night talking until the wee hours of morning. Laura leaves in August for Utah where she will be an exchange student for 6 months. As expected, Rachel and Laura are already scheming on how to get together again in the U.S.

. . . and the Church of the Day too!

. . . is a wonderful reminder that when you combine family and friends with water and then add a little history, a few vineyards, fine food and fellowship, life is really, really good!!!

This is where we joined paths with our hometown friends, the Widmans and our German friends, the Hahns for the next leg of our journey that was filled with constant laughter and conviviality.

One of the oldest churches in Germany . . . . . .
I have to admit that while I enjoyed it, I don't recall all the details because, just as was I was on a quest for "The Cup of the Day," our host Walter's quest was for at least one "Church of the Day." On our first excursion together, we visited 2.5 churches --- one was closed :)

Another beautiful church overlooking Lake of Constance.

The 90+ degree temps were unseasonably hot for Germany (and the churches were getting a little stuffy for some of the group) so we drove back to the lake for a swim . . . . .

One of many inviting cottages along the way.

The car changing cabana:

Aaaaahhhh.........

Simple pleasures

"The Hills Are Alive" (Aah, a-ah, aah)

This lake was in the opening aerial scene in "The Sound of Music" (minus all the houses and latte, of course)

Although Mozart should be the first thing that comes to mind when you mention Salzburg, most Americans at least, know Salzburg for The Sound of Music instead. (Others also know it as the home of Red Bull.)

However you know Salzburg, is to love Salzburg. It is the fourth largest city in Austria, yet Salzburg's "Old Town" (Altstadt) is still alive and still feels comfortably quaint and quiet. It is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. (Our hotel was built in 1365.)

The Hohensalzburg Fortress still stands proudly over the "Old Town." It can be seen from miles away and is one of the largest fully-preserved castles in central Europe.

The girls were not nearly as excited as I was to make the climb to the top . . . . .

. . . . but it was worth every step for the spectacular view!

Even "Bob's Sound of Music Tour" was enjoyable --- for a group tour --- and included a lot of interesting trivia :)
(I didn't realize that the movie was based on a true story.) Bob is an American running small SOM tours because he understands the American fascination. Many Austrians, however, have never even seen the movie that we have watched every Thanksgiving since we can remember.

This was one of the first stops on the SOM Tour: the von Trapp family villa.
(The Fortress is peaking over the trees on the left.)

The "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" gazebo.

The fountain around which Maria and the children sang "Do-Re-Mi."
(There's the Fortress again in the background.)

The church where the Captain and Maria were married.

Outside of "Old Town," but still picturesque.

Headquarters of Red Bull. (We may need to get some --- Steve and the girls are starting to get a little weary.)

Idyllic . . . simply idyllic.

Hallstatt: This charming village sits on a ledge nestled between the Austrian Alps and the lake below. Originally a salt-mining village, it was built before Rome (circa 800 BC) in a time when salt was more precious than gold. It was a holiday retreat for royalty in the 1800s, but is now a shrinking village of approximately 1000 residents who revel in a bygone era.

As you can imagine, this intimate community has limited green space yet maximizes every inch to create a sanctuary of color and tranquility.

The cemetery is no exception . . . . .

. . . but both space and life are finite.

After 12 years of "rest" in the cemetery, the bones were dug up to make room for new graves. The skulls are then lovingly cleaned, named, dated, decorated by hand and placed in the Bone Chapel. The Bone Chapel currently holds more than 600 painted skulls but this practice ended in the 1960s when the Catholic Church began to permit cremation.

Despite the Bone Chapel, we found the people charming and very proud of their village --- and heritage.

Even Bob the cat came out to greet us as we meandered through the village . . .

. . . and proudly perches over Hallstatt as if to protect it from the tainting of time.

(Keep up the good work Bob!)

Today's climb was to the top of St. Stephen's Cathedral. The highest tower rises nearly 500 feet and is a dominant feature of the Vienna skyline.

Over 4 miles away, St. Stephen's Cathedral still stands out on the right as you look from the Gloriette at the Schonnbrunn "Summer" Palace.

The view from the South Tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral after 343 steps:

More views of the Schonnbrunn Palace:

City Hall

The Naschmarkt --- in existance since the 16th century.

Ruins and Royalty

(Roman ruins, circa 500 BC, just outside of the Hofburg Palace)

Old yet new

(Commonly seen due to the bombing in WW II)

Fuming but fit

(Many Austrians smoke yet walk or cycle as their primary means of transportation)

(Biking paths are pleasant and abundant thoroughfares)

Sophisticated

(Schonnbrunn Palace - the "summer house" for Austrian royalty)

. . . yet simple

(A Heurigen - a small, local, family-owned, casual wine garden/restaurant where white wine reigns. The Austrians are so eager to drink each year's harvest they can't wait for the red wine to mature.)

Seriously . . . silly

. . . . . savored just outside the Hofburg Palace in Vienna

The first official cup of coffee in Vienna . . . . from a "private cafe" on the 31st floor overlooking Vienna and the United Nations.

Peter and Virginia bought this flat after the previous owners were scared away by "911." It overlooks the Danube and is only minutes from the heart of Vienna's history and culture a but is also only minutes from cycling paths along the Danube that lead into the Alps and other quiet get-aways.

Steve's "Nap of the Day"

Rise and shine at 6 am for a ride with Virginia and Peter into the foothills of the Alps while the rest of the clan still thinks it's midnight.

This is the view from home . . . . and the 2 "white dots" on the mountain in the distance are the destination.

The vineyards and view along the climb.

The view from the top overlooking the Danube.

. . . . and on the way down . . .

What an incredible way to start the day! Now it's time to refuel for the next adventure.
(I may have finally met my match, Peter.)

I must be dreaming.

We arrived in Vienna after a long, but smooth 20 hours of travel. Our host Peter and Virginia's niece Estella, led a quick tour in the heart of Vienna to help fight the jet lag. It's unseasonablely hot in Vienna (90+ degrees and no AC) so we cooled down with a swim in the Danube and then enjoyed a welcoming glass of champagne, the sunset and dinner at home --- 31 floors above Vienna.

Peter is a native of Vienna and loves his city as much as Vienna loves the Opera and the Waltz. Peter gave the girls a quick Waltz lesson, but regretflully, The Opera is currently closed for renovation.

Friends, family and fellowship. Aaaahhhhh!!!!

There have been a lot of changes over the past twenty years, but the most important thing has remained the same..........

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

July 14th, 1990

It's been a while, but there is no mistake that Steve and Don are still brothers.

Within minutes of arrival, we were all listening to the same sagas all over again.............only the kids have changed :o)

Nonetheless, we had another couple of great days filled with family fun. Too bad we can't seem to get everyone together at the same time in the same place.

Dinner at Pie Eyed Petey's on Lake Tippy

Apparently Don, Brandon and Justin golf almost every day at home so they were clearly going through golf withdrawl during their 2 week road trip from Florida to Minnesota and back. We tried to help them by playing a little Putt-Putt.

Each hole had a movie theme complete with the soundtrack that played when you stepped up to the tee.

Beam me up!

Sandy and Danny

JAWS!!!

Brandon and Justin even surprised me by showing up on the pier at 6 am one morning! They both got a little taste of barefooting.............and I think they liked it!

Brianna was daring too...........she and Rae put red streaks in their hair during an afternoon rain shower while the rest of the gang played cards with Gramma Bev.

Best of all, Gramma Bev had a mini vacation too. She came and stayed with us here at the lake for a few days. We let her have her old room back --- but we didn't make her do the laundry.

Justin, Diana, Gramma Bev, Don, Brandon, Brianna

Now THIS is a Sparkler!

Truly, truly grandkids are part of the American Dream

Clara and Tracy surprised us with a visit for the Fourth of July. Actually, they hitched a ride with the "hired" hand (Grampy Steve) after he spent the week in Atlanta working around the house for Tracy. Meanwhile, Sarah and Rachel were at church camp in Florida while I kept Shadow, Daisy and Duke company at home.

Clara and Duke face off while waiting for Sarah and Rachel to get home from camp.

Stop, drop and.........LOVE!!!!!

Bubby love

Grampy love

Grammy love

Girly love

Mommy love

Missin' Daddy's love (We missed you too, Nate)

Time for more imprinting :)

The Grand Finale of the weekend included our Five Weekend Warriors who decided they all wanted to ski together on the busiest weekend of the year.........just becuz!

I could be wrong, but I think you're supposed to huddle in football, not water skiing

Notice the spectators watching from shore in awe! Notice Angela on the far right. She had only skiied twice before --- and the second time was just before this photo! (What a great sport!)

The boat crew

Living, and loving, the American Dream