I should add that this is the place where Bob finally decided to give my navigation skills another try. I think he was simply tired.... However, he quickly recovered.....
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Scenes from inside the Residenz Palace - Wurzburg
It's good to be king .... or prince.... or whatever.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
We had been looking forward to seeing this famous place, the only German town with its walls intact. They have done a very nice job in maintaining the medieval look of the town. We score a great parking spot and then do a nice walking tour of the ramparts and the town and take some wonderful pictures. Highlight for Bob was the carriage ride we took with a Gypsy girl who provided narration in both German and English. The carriage had to share the cobble-stoned streets with more modern vehicles. We share a local pastry specialty that looks like a giant snowball covered with chocolate. Lis picks up a stein for Scott, and then we are off for Dinklebuhl, another quaint medieval village that was written up as less “discovered” than Rothenburg. By this time, we have had our fill of medieval villages so we finish up quickly and hop on the autobahn and return to Landsberg and another night with our friends Michael and Wei. Mike takes us to dinner at a local joint where we have some of the best German food of the trip. We meet Mike’s parents as well. Great family, one and all.
Tuesday, May 1 – On to Tblisi
After a nice breakfast, Mike takes us on a nice “little” German stroll and then we say our goodbyes and head up to the Munich airport, drop off the car, check in to the Kempinski, listen to a German omm pah pah band, and grab a bite at the Air Haus. Liz catches her ungodly late flight to Tbilsi. Bob finds the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy in English and whiles away the evening happily.
Wednesday, May 2 – On to Washington
Bob catches his mid-morning flight to Dulles. Great seat and great flight. Breeze through customs via Global Entry. (BTW, Global Entry is a must do for the international traveler. Saves you a long wait through Customs. For more information on Global Entry, visit the TSA web site.) All’s well at 511 Merlins Lane. What a trip!!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
While Lis works, Bob heads to the Olympic Stadium parking lot with a friend – Lynn – and they make their way toward the Partnach Gorge with a “short” little sidebar up the mountain. The way up starts with a fun little two-person cable car rode after a short walk and then we decide to take the hike up to the top of the Echbauer as a little warm-up. There is still a bit of snow on the trail higher up but we reach the top and are rewarded with lovely views of the snow-covered surrounding mountains and nice vistas on the way back. After coffee and ice cream, we head to the main event, the famous Partnach-Gorge. Our way is blocked on one path so we divert to Plan B. After a long steep downward climb, we reach a sign that says the Gorge trail is blocked for maintenance work. Ignoring the sign – well, the work was mostly done - we continue along the path and reach the true entrance to the Gorge. Sorry, it’s closed until the weekend. By the way, how did you get here, buddy? Sorry, No sprechen se Deutshe, yah ? Yah !!! I will add some Gorge pictures from last year to give you a sense of the beauty of the place. We leave quickly, disappointed that we couldn’t do the true Gorge hike. Still, it was a great hike overall. Liz and Bob take a nice bike ride at the end of the day. We dine at the hotel with Jana and have a great time. Full fun day.
On to Wurzburg
After a quick bite at the Marriott, we bid a fond farewell to Heidelberg and just barely miss the road closures for the marathon. We decide to take the scenic route to Wurzburg via Miltenberg. This small and charming medieval village is an unexpected treat. We are able to park easily and take a pleasant stroll through town and then find a lovely pastry shop for some cappuccino and coffee and watch the world go by. Did I mention the luscious pastry that miraculously appeared at out table? Nice stop.
As we head to Wurzburg, our principle target, we discover that the GPS does not recognize the existence of Wurzburg. Who knew that the double dots over the U in Wurzburg could make such a difference? Someone should point that out to the GPS company. We manage somehow to find our way to the town (Bob was a Geography major after all) but, oops, there is a race in Wurzburg too and the main Ring Road is blocked off to. Bob manages to find our place (despite Lis’s help) and we arrive at our wonderful home for a day, the Hotel Rebstock. Great place in the heart of town. After checking in, we put on our walking shoes, watch the race begin and then head toward The Residenz via its beautiful gardens. Wurzburg was the capital of an independent and influential kingdom, for quite some time, and town is full of beautiful churches and buildings and a mighty fortress on the hill overlooking the river. The Residenz is a marvelous palace with amazing architecture and decorations throughout. Our English guide was terrific, making the Palace come alive for us. We meander our way home via the Marienplatz and have a little snack at an outdoor café and then find out way to the city bridge where half of the city seems to be congregating with wine glasses in hand. Pizza and salad at Luigi’s. Remind us to tell u about Luigi’s Double Pizza caper and how Liz nipped it in the bud. Sometimes it’s very good to have a New Yorker with you when things need a straightforward direct response. You go, Elisabeth !! Do an evening walk afterwards. Wurzburg is a great place to visit !!!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
The Song We Drove Through GE Listening To.....
not by choice- but apparently a big favorite of the Bavarians... ever heard it?? We hadn't.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrpAkMdFYYw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrpAkMdFYYw
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