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Monday, January 5. 2009
Well, the weather delays almost cost us another day getting home, but luckily we made our connection in San Francisco. The flight from Frankfurt to San Francisco was about 11 hours flying, but 2 more hours waiting to take off. So, a long day of flying. Our flight to Boise was luckily delayed due to weather as well, which gave us enough time to make that connection. Otherwise we would have had to spend the night and fly back on Tuesday. All told we were up about 23 hours. I'm sure we'll be paying for it this week! We are exhausted, but happy to be home. We had a wonderful trip and thank our hosts: Earl & Delma for everything. I think the kids will remember this trip for a long time to come.
Saturday, January 3. 2009
Today we said goodbye to France and hello again to Germany! It took us about 5 hours to get back to Wiesbaden. It's interesting that in France you have to pay several tolls on the Autobahn, but never in Germany! Those French guys! We stopped along the way in Kaiserslaughtern which is where Earl & Delma stayed on their first two trips to Germany. Earl was the interim Pastor at a church there twice. We were unable to find any restaurants open though, so after a quick visit to a grocery store, we were on our way back to Wiesbaden (only about another hour). We finally made it back and were glad to be home (at least temporarily anyway). Lots more space at their townhouse vs. the hotel we stayed at near Paris.
Friday, January 2. 2009
On Friday we first visited the Arc De Triomphe (aka Arch). Laura, the kids, and Audrey & Richard all took the tour up inside it. I elected to wait with Earl & Delma. Luckily the weather improved and they were able to see more of the city from up there. Even the Eifel Tower was visible. Too bad we didn't take that tour the second day instead! Oh well. The Arc is in the middle of a huge roundabout. You have to walk through a tunnel to get to the center where it is located. There are 10 streets that converge on that circle. Crazy, crazy traffic as you'd imagine.
We were a day wiser on getting around the city and utilizing the transportation options available. Sites are spaced out sufficiently far that you really wouldn't want to walk to all of them. Since the Seine river runs through the city and there are tour boats which are quite handy. We bought a 2 day pass so we could get on/off at any stop and that really paid off. We found a sandwich place (I won't say the name other than it has something to do with underground transportation), and ate on the tour boat while warming up! Good idea Laura! We walked to where the United States Embassy is located, which is near the Place de la Concorde (historic square). After visiting that we then took the boat to the Louvre. We found a side entrance that wasn't supposed to be open on Friday, and after waiting in much shorter lines than at the main entrance we made it into the museum. About 2 and half hours later and dead-tired we exited. Too much to see in one day. We focused on just a few areas and saw many of the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world! I was surprised how close you could stand next to the exhibits. The Mona Lisa was the most popular and the one which we were unable to get really close to -- but Ryan was let in with some other kids to get up closer to take some pictures. So, his pictures are the only clear ones we have. With the safety glass in front and all the people taking pictures with flashes, etc. our cameras were unable to focus clearly so they all came out blurry. I'll include some pictures over the few days. There is more to tell about it and I'll endeavor to add more detail here when I can.
Thursday, January 1. 2009
We made it to the outskirts of Paris on Wednesday night. Today we rode the train into Paris. Very confusing. We visited the Eifel tower first thing and it was very impressive. Only problem was that it was foggy. Still we took the elevators to the top. Next we took a boat ride to see the sites. We then found a nice warm cafe to warm up in and eat our lunch. What you order and what you get are sometimes two different things. Finally we visited Notre Dame. That was pretty cool and we also toured the inside. We then had an adventure finding the train station and also securing tickets to get home, but we finally did. There is more to tell between Saturday and Wednesday. I will try to fill out those details when we get back to Wiesbaden on Saturday evening.
Tuesday, December 30. 2008
From Linderhof, we traveled on to another of King Ludwig II's castles, Neuschwanstein. This castle was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle at Disneyland. It is one of the most photographed buildings in Germany. It is truly a "fairytale castle".
Tuesday, December 30. 2008
On Tuesday we left Rothenburg and traveled to see Linderhof Palace. It is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the only one of which he lived to see completed. The Palace of Versailles was Ludwig's inspiration for this beautiful palace. We weren't allowed to take photographs inside but it was amazing.
Monday, December 29. 2008
We then traveled on to the walled city of Rothenburg ob de Tauber. What an amazing place! It is the best preserved medieval city in Europe. The wall surrounding the original city was built prior to the 13th century. We were able to climb up onto the wall and walk around. That evening we took the "Night Watchman Tour" which was a lot of fun. The night watchman did a great job of bringing the history of the city to life in an entertaining way. There is a restaurant/bar called "Hell" so he told us that in Rothenburg, if someone tells you to go to hell, it’s actually a pretty good recommendation.
Monday, December 29. 2008
On Monday we visited the city of Wurzburg, Germany, and toured a palace called "The Residence" built for the Prince Bishop of Wurzburg. Construction started in 1720 and was completed in 1744. It was dubbed the "nicest parsonage in Europe" by Napoleon.
Also in Wurzburg we visited the Alte Mainbrucke, which is the second oldest bridge in Germany.
Saturday, December 27. 2008
After visiting the zoo, we headed down to Heidelberg (about 1 hour / 95 km south). There is a huge castle on the hillside which we took a tram up to visit. This was easily the largest castle we visited while in Germany. We didn't take the inside tour, but did see a huge vat that was used to make wine. We walked around the outside and saw the courtyards, and the grounds. This would be fun to see in the summer or fall. After visiting the castle, we decided to eat dinner at a cafe just outside the castle. It was good to warm up too! The wind was picking up and it was a bit chilly. One of their specials was Bratwurst and fries so that what most of us had. Pretty good too!
Saturday, December 27. 2008
In the morning we took a trip to a nearby "free" zoo to see the animals getting fed. The kids tried out the "extreme" teeter-totter / swing. They had quite an assortment of animals, some which we hadn't seen before. We did see a couple of small bears from the brown bear family. They are in the same pen as about a half dozen wolves which was interesting. The wolves keep their distance apparently! We also saw some Wild Boars (huge), beavers, elk, and deer too. Different horns on the deer. I'll try to include some more pictures soon.
Friday, December 26. 2008
After visiting Schlosshotel Kronberg, we drove to Bad (short 'a' sound) Homberg (about 20 minutes / northeast of Kronberg) to visit several historic sites. First on the list was Kurpark. This is a beautiful park which was originally laid out in the mid 19th century. It contains the hot springs which brought fame to Bad Homberg. This meant that a spa town was created which brought in famous people for cures. One such person was King Chulalongkorn of Siam who built the exotic Siamese Temple.
The spa gained fame when Edward VII of England (then Prince of Wales) showed up wearing a new hat style which was quickly dubbed the homburg. Also located in the park is the onion-domed Russian Chapel built by another patron and member of the royal family, Czar Nicholas II.
The Castle (Schloss) was built on the site of an earlier medieval fortification, of which only the 14th-century White Tower remains. After all this sightseeing on this brisk, cold day, we decided to find a place for lunch and a chance to warm up. Since it was a national holiday, many of the restaurants were closed, so our choices were limited. We almost went with a Turkish cuisine, but Laura nixed that idea. After wandering around, we went with a choice (not of my making I want to add). We actually found a Pizza Hut which was open. Relucantly, I followed (head down). But, it was actually a good choice because: a) we warmed up, b) the food was not greasy like the one in the states, and c) I was able to practice my German when we ordered. I ordered what I wanted and clarified our drink order in German. Whahoo....Little victories! Also to note is that we rounded up our total when paying and left no tip on the table because that is considered an insult. The staff are paid much better and you just add what you want to the total when paying. The kids found some entertainment along the way too! During this day, we saw many families out walking even though it was a pretty cold day. In the center of the town, they closed off some of the streets to pedestrian-only traffic. Along the way there are lots of shops and restaurants. We even found a Woolworth which based on the each letter in a block logo seems to indicate it is the same as in the United States, but we didn't go in to check.
After lunch we headed about 2 Km away to see the Saalburg Roman Fort. It was built in 120 AD and could accomodate 500 men. Yes, that's right 120 AD! It was meant to protect the Roman Empire from barbarian invasion. Kaiser Wilhelm II rebuilt the fort as the Romans originally left it. Unfortunately we couldn't go inside as they were closing, but we did get to walk around it and see the moat, entrances, and wall structure. We also were able to view up-close the original walls and structures.
The last place we were able to visit was Hessenpark (an open-air museum) located near Neu Anpach. Again, that was mostly closed up, but was lighted and we were able to walk around and see the town square around which were buildings connected together. These building came from all over Germany. It represents the world in which the Hessians lived in the 18th - 19th century. There are 135 acres in total. Since it was mostly closed up for the winter (and evening) there is obviously a lot more to see. Maybe next time?!
Friday, December 26. 2008
On Friday we visited the Schlosshotel Kronberg (about 32 minutes / 33 km northeast). It is a hotel built at the end of the 19th century by Empress Victoria Frederick. It is definitely a hotel for the Rich and Famous! A Double room goes for between 315 and 445 Euros per night. Yikes! On the grounds is an 18-hole golf course. The hotel is built on the hillside of Kromberg. We were allowed to tour the main floor, lobby, etc. and peek in the room they were getting ready for an afternoon Tea. We also walked around part of the hotel. It looks comfortable and I could get used to the service! According to the literature, the Empress Frederick, who built this house, was the widow of Frederick III, King of Prussia and German Emperor, and mother of William II, known to the world as the Kaiser. She was born at Buckingham Palace on 21 Nov 1840, the eldest child of Victoria, Queen of England. From infancy she was given the title of Princess Royal which not only marked her as the soverign's eldest daughter but distinguished her as heiress to the throne if the male heir of her parents should die. In 1858 she came to Berlin as the wife of the heir to the Prussian throne. Unfortunately her father-in-law, Emperor William I, lived until he was 91. Their turn for power came too late, and her husband reigned for only 99 days when he died of cancer.
Thursday, December 25. 2008
Who would have guessed that I (Scott) was the first one to wake up on Christmas Day? Well, I still hadn't caught up on my sleep so I awoke at around 7:00 a.m. I peeked in on the kids and I think Kayla was awake, and Ryan awoke in an instant! So, I'm still not convinced he was asleep. Just like a light-switch he was "on" and itching to get downstairs! Once the entire house was woken up and ready, the kids came downstairs and took turns opening presents. It seems Santa was able to locate us after all! And he was savvy enough to bring them presents small enough that they could bring home in their suitcases! We had a nice relaxing day enjoying the home-baked goodies and watching a few Christmas movies we brought along on our iPods. I bought a cable which connects the iPod to a television, but it was a challenge (3rd attempt was a charm) to connect it to the TV indirectly through a VCR which accepted the NTSC signal. A little bit of trial-and-error proved to be the solution. European TV's only accept the PAL signal, but we were lucky with the VCR they have here. Between Kayla's iPod and mine, we have over a dozen movies to select from. We couldn't do much sight-seeing because most places were closed anyway. We'll have to save that for tomorrow! I should mention that I wasn't allowed to post any Christmas morning pictures -- especially by Kayla! But they will be available to family members at some point, so she doesn't get off the hook entirely! 
Wednesday, December 24. 2008
On Christmas Eve day, we ran some errands in preparation for celebrating Christmas. Most of the shops closed early, so we had to buy what we needed because many would be closed for the next few days. The day after Christmas is Boxer Day and many stores would be closed that day as well. We made a trip to a local small grocery store for a few items and then to a larger grocery store for more items. My inlaws who have been in Germany for about 3 months already have their sources down! Earl, I, and the kids ran the errands and they seemed to enjoy it. Everyone around us was speaking German, but the store itself seemed familiar. At the checkout the cashier gave each of the kids a chocolate Santa Claus which was nice. Unfortunately according to Ryan it was hollow. They certainly have their own particular kinds of foods and a much richer selection of breads and juices. We looked at cereals, and they have many of the same Kelloggs brands, but they have different names for them. For instance "Frosted Flakes" is just called "Frosties". They also have some great German cereals (Mini Zimtos -- much like Cinnamon Toast Crunch), which the kids are enjoying instead. There also was a great bakery just inside the door of the last grocery store where we bought several different kinds of danishs and breakfast rolls. Our conclusion is that they taste great and a bit different than what we are used to, and the flavor isn't as overpowering as similar items in the states. I like saying "in the states". Makes me feel like an old hand at this travel business... Anyway, we have tried several different types of the danishes and I'm sure we'll be back to buy more! Delma made a Schnitzel (breaded chicken) and mashed potatoes dinner for us on Christmas Eve which was very good. We rested up for the most part and then went to a Senior Citizens (type of) home where Delma, accompanied by Ryan and Kayla, played several Christmas songs for them on bells. Afterwards we left for the Christmas Eve service at the Immanuel Baptist Church (an International Baptist Church) where Earl is the interim Pastor. What a beautiful church. It's interesting in that two different congregations came together in order to purchase and build it. So, they share the space. The other congregation is German-speaking, whereas the International congregation is primarily English-speaking as the members come from many different countries, including some from the United States military. They seem to really like Earl & Delma. I think it might be hard for them to leave and for the church to let them leave in March! We were able to meet many members of the church that evening and we will be seeing them again on Sunday. The church service was very nice, and as a bonus Audrey (Laura's sister) sang a solo. She sang beautifully. Once we got back to the house, we continued making preparations for Christmas. Ryan was very aware of the time and kept checking to make sure he wasn't up too late for Santa! Christmas treats were made as we geared up for the celebration the next day.
Tuesday, December 23. 2008
We along with most of the United States were caught up in the wonderfully cold, snowy weather as we traveled around Christmas time by air to get here to Germany. Due to the weather and flight delays, instead of arriving on Monday as planned, we arrived on Tuesday instead. So, one less day in Germany, but at least we arrived! Though the trip was long, the kids endured it like the seasoned traveling veterans that they are. Now, they can say they are "international" traveling veterans I guess. Here's a link to a map of where we stayed for most of our time in Germany! It's the church home where Earl & Delma have been staying since October in Nordenstadt. After a nice meal at Laura's folks' temporary home, we then did a little sightseeing and immersed ourselves a bit into their culture. The first stop was the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church of Wiesbaden built on a hill overlooking the city. The church was built between 1848 and 1855 as tomb and chapel for Elizabeth Michailovna, Duchess of Nassau and Grand Duchess of Russia, niece of the Russian Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I. At the age of 18, Elizabeth Michalivona married Adolf, Duke of Nassau, in St. Petersburg. After a 3 week journey, the couple arrived in Wiesbaden on March 26, 1844 where they were enthusiastically received by the people of Wiesbaden. They resided in the Castle of Biebrich on the Rhine, where, on January 28, 1845, hardly a year after the wedding, Duchess Elizabeth died in childbirth, together with her newborn child. As her mortal remains could only be buried in a tomb that was consecrated according to the Orthodox rite, it was impossible to find a place suitable for the funeral of this Russian Grand Duchess. So, the idea of building a special chapel was suggested. The cost of such a prestigious building was covered by her dowry, the Tsar's present for his niece. According to the pious wish of Duke Adolf of Nassau and the will of Tsar Nicholas I, a sum of about one million roubles of the dowry was to be used for the construction of the church. After 7 years of construction the church was solemnly consecrated on May 25, 1855. On the following night the coffins of the Grand Duchess and her daughter were transported in a torchlight procession in which many of the people of Wiesbaden participated. The inside of the church is small, but beautiful. Very vertical. I don't believe they heat it, as there were electric heaters near the choir area. The church is not only a monument, but is the home of a Russian Orthodox congregation. I bought a few candle and lit them in memory of my recent departed relatives. As you can see from the pictures, the outside is stunning with gold covering the cupolas. Lots of intricate detail adorning the roof as well.
The second stop was a Christmas Market in nearby Rudesheim (about 40 minutes / 57 Km southwest) where we bought some nice traditional colorful winter stocking caps from some of the vendors there. There were lots of great items for sale there including many food & drink vendors. We were all still a bit jetlagged (we were trying to stay up until nighttime to get acclimated to the timezone), so we weren't that interested in sampling all the wonderful cuisine. We did enjoy looking at all the unique items for sale by the vendors, many handmade. The market itself, as you can kind of see from the pictures, is located in small interconnected streets (like alleys) between businesses. We saw lots of people out visiting with neighbors and friends. It seems to be a social event for the residents there.
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