Guten Morgen!!!
It is now 8:04 in Salzburg, Austria. I am with mom and she is complaining about the weather. Personally it is nice. Yes, it is rainy and a tad cloudy, but what can you do except to sit back and enjoy the smell of the rain. So far it had been an eventful trip, starting with the very first day.
12th - I brought a friend home from Schmally with me (Christy). She was supposed to visit her family in Switzerland, but she was never truly able to get a hold of them. So, I invited her to stay with me (I needed someone to help me cook and American Dinner - a thank to Pauling and her family for making Heiny and I a 'Belgian Dinner'). Okay, so I get a text late on the 11th stating that mom will be 3!!! hours late in getting to Brussels airport. So Christy and I slept in and hauled butt to get to the train station. Before I tell you what I did, please note that I checked and re-checked the train times, numbers, and what direction they were heading in. As you maybe thinking - YES, we got on the wrong train. Well more specifically, the right train going the wrong direction. You may now laugh..go on ahead...I did when I stopped being pissed at myself. So mom was 3 hours later for her flights and I added about being two hours because of my train mix-up. So, Mom was supposed to be in Belgium with the chocolate and flowers (that I would have given her in hand) at 8am, but what actually happened is me overlooking her (when trying to find her) around 1:30-ish?? Yeah, that is how the Euro trip started. "On a Great footing!!"
That night/evening, Christy and I put together our American Dinner (Mashed Potatoes, Pan seared & marinaded Chicken, and Veggy Salad) with dessert of No-Bake-Chocolate-Cookies - YUMM!!! Filling up all five of us (Mom, Christy, and Pauline's Mom and Sister and myself) we joked about each of our families and what each of our countries are like. It was the smaller version for the UN's Round table meetings - well minus a few countries.
13th- Was a LONG day. We got up, packed the VW POLO (our rental over here) and drove Christy to Frankfurt am Main Flugenhafen. It is about a 2.5hr car ride away in the rain on the Autobahn. (Yes, I have officially driven on the Autobahn and have gone FAST!!). Mom was asleep for the fast driving. Once getting to the airport and sending her off was an ORDEAL!! to say the least. I drove around the airport 3x before getting the right location and it just so happens that Christy was 7kg over max. Either she would have to pay for another ticket/suitcase or redistribute the weight (and get rid of items). So we all pulled her luggage off to the side and attacked the suitcase with ravenous hunger. We reworked the distribution and threw away items. I ended up receiving contact solution and a case - something I really needed! This tedious procedure took about 30 long-hard minutes. Now it was Coffee Break time for the two Schmerber Gals. So we hit the Starbucks!! And got coffee and snacks. Arguing with mom about not sitting inside to drink the coffee and eat, instead getting on the road; allowed us NOT to be ticketed by the airport cops. *They were just finishing ticketing the care BEHIND us!! Close call number one!
After breathing heavily trying to relax after the close call, we pull off somewhere to eat our sandwiches, lemon cake and leftovers from last night. Once done, I pull out the GPS and type in Ziggy's and Annie's Address. Come to find out we are only about a 30min drive from there, but I was missing a crucial part to my plan of visiting them. I knew they (Annie and her daughter Susan) lived in Haibach, Germany, I just did not know the exact addresses. So...yeah, I got lost and called them to get the addresses. Getting un-lost was interesting, but finally we made it there before Susan had to go to work.
13th-15th (morning) - Staying with Annie was fun and fattening - as usual. But the stories and getting to know a part of your family that is distantly related was the BEST experience ever. During our stay, we tried to help the family pack up Annie's mother's things (She has been gone for 9years). Since Susan's family is moving into the same house as Annie - safety reasons - everyone was in the middle of packing, moving, putting the house up for sale, and finishing up Ziggy's accounts. Which Annie is finding out are All Over the Place! But overall, even with the craziness, we both had a great time with them.
15th-17th - Rothenburg, Germany (city visit), Vilseck to visit friend I meet in Volos, Renny Festival, and driving to Salzburg.
Rothenburg is a beautiful city, it is known for its shopping (especially Christmas Shopping) and the overall atmosphere of 'Old Germany.' Needless to say, Mom had fun. I enjoyed the views from the city walls. First though I would like to point out to travels - NEVER take the Scenic Route on a GPS!!! It is a living hell! I had to get off of the back routes and 'toured' a small town just to be 'Scenic.' I was NOT happy about this, but it gave Mom a good view of the German country side and time for us just to talk.
After staying in Rothenburg till about 4pm (time which I was supposed to be in Vilseck - Oops), we start heading to meet my friends. In about 1.75hours we were making our way through tiny BFE towns in Germany to make sure we were on the right road to follow the military traffic to the base. Going through check-in and fun stuff like that, Mom and I make it to Christine's house.
We decided to relax for a bit then head out to visit a slice of America - yes fast food. Mainly Taco Bell! Eyes bugging out of my head, I walk into the food court at the Commissary. Still Mom and (I am sure) Christine will point and laugh at my face. I am pretty sure Christine had to shovel my jaw off of the floor. To just say I was overwhelmed on sensory overload is not the half of it. I just stood inside the place debating on what to eat. Finally deciding on T-Bell, I had the hardest time trying to figure out what to order. Finally choosing a Mexican pizza meal with a bean burrito with a drink, I moved onto pick up my hot sauce. And what do you know..there are TWO more kinds of hot sauce....I took a handful of each. :) Finding this seriously hilarious, Christine take me into the food market (the next day) and proceeds to show me 'American Food' - I swear I have not heard of some of these foods before. Seriously American....what has happened in the who knows how many months I have been gone????
Saturday was a fun day and a long day too. Christine's family and Mom and I met up with Shylee's buddy who is going to camp with her - "We like totally need to get clothes for camp..Like Seriously" - (blonde baby cheerleader in training). So making our way down shopping lane, we dash in and out of different stores, everyone getting at least one new item for their closets.
Well after the 'Women Workout,' we (as in 6 adults and 2 baby tweens) grab lunch - German style. Beer and Schnitzel (or a seriously loaded salad). To say I was yet again busting with food, is an understatement. Listening to stories from Christine's friends about how their marriage and life stories, we decided that it is time to start heading back to base so we can leave for the Renny fair.
- It wouldn't be a Schmerber Vaca without something going wrong - this time it was the banking and getting lost (or rather a back polo getting in my way and NOT seeing Christine exit the Autobahn). But finally we make it to the hotel out in BFE...it was debatable when we first got to the town, if it would not a scene out of a murder mystery blockbuster. But in the light of day the town was nice and the hotel was wonderful. Good selection Christine!
The Renny Festival was AMAZING!! I loved it! So many different things to talk about, poke fun at, and just wish you could do! And it does not help that you had nice (fit) looking guys without shirts on...any good choice Christine (2 for 2)! Drinking a liter beer walking around the place, taking weird pictures we just the afternoon the doctor had in order.
After saying our bittersweet goodbyes, Mom and I head off to Austria. Getting here was fun and seeing the Alps switch between the Austria and German border was fun.
Yesterday and Today: Yesterday, we took the Fraulein Maria's bike tour - WONDERFUL!!! If you ever get the chance to do it, please do! It is a 7mile bike and it takes anywhere between 2.5 - 3hrs. And definitely do the morning bike - less people, better tour! After doing that we attempted and failed to find bike bells for my little cousins. Scrambling to get to the Eagle's Nest in time for the last bus up the 'rest' of the mountain...umm....we missed it by 10 minutes..damn! Instead we ate lunch half way up the mountain.
After leisurely driving back to Salzburg Mom worked on her blog and I watched 'Sound of Music' now knowing where everything is and saying "We were there earlier today!!"
Today, is yet undecided. I still would like to go to the Eagle's Nest even though it is slightly raining with a bit of cloud cover, but how many times can you see a slice of history! Well now I am going to go and get some food in this system before I turn into a ...dare I say...'Female Dog???' :)
Anyways, the next post will just be pictures for you all to flip through. Until then, stay safe and travel, travel, travel!
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