Gus started feeling under the weather in the days leading up to spring break, so on Friday we decided to cancel our planned (but not booked) trip to Prague. This turned out to be a good thing when Saturday morning arrived and Gus announced (rather proudly, might I add), "I have the chicken pox!"
We spent the next few days thoroughly cleaning the house, hanging out, and being lazy (and going to the doctor). Gus was actually very lucky and had a mild case, which made it much easier to laugh at him.
We had tickets to Tuesday's football (soccer) match. Germany vs. Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifier. Now I have wanted to see the German national team live forever, so I was pretty excited. We were supposed to go with our friends Mark and Katrina. They had a last minute emergency and had to cancel the morning of. Gus was still sick, so he cancelled. I was planning on going alone since we were unable to get rid of the tickets on short notice. Unfortunately the snow coming down made the driving difficult. Fifteen kilometers down the road I decided to turn around, and I don't regret it, but it was disappointing considering that die Mannschaft (as they're known outside of Germany) won't play again IN Germany until after we leave. My sister Nancy has tickets to their game in DC in June, so she'll see them before I do (although not with a German crowd). I am insanely bummed and jealous, but the dogs, Gus, and I enjoyed watching on TV--at least until Gus fell asleep.
Wednesday we did a bit of archery. I'm loving this new hobby! Thursday morning Gus's mother Jenny and her husband Dunn came to visit. I picked them up (Gus was not permitted to go to the airport), and we admired the snow--ugh. That afternoon we went to the school so they could see it, then headed into Freising. We wandered through the old town and enjoyed ice cream before turning in for an early night. Friday we headed to Neuschwanstein (I have now been at least four times since we've lived here), which they loved, and we finally took the carriage up on this trip! Saturday we went into town and admired the Frauenkirche, enjoyed the Viktualienmarkt, and wandered around the Marienplatz.
Marienplatz
Waiting for our tour time at Neuschwanstein
Viktualienmarkt--one of our favorite places to shop!
Easter Sunday saw us heading out on our overnight venture. We drove to Lindau on Lake Constance (Bodensee in German), where we had lunch--best venison ever!--on the island and walked around the old town. Then we drove over to Friedrichshafen, where we boarded the ferry to Romanshorn on the Swiss side. New country for Gus! We took back roads through Switzerland and got to see a fair bit, but not the dramatic scenery. This is because of the weather, which caused us to be unable to see the MASSIVE, LOOMING mountains just beside us. Fog and snow were the order of the day, and the amount of snow on the ground was the best indicator of our elevation. It worked out, though, and we ended up in Liechtenstein (new country for all of us). We had booked a hotel in what some call the mountain village of Triesenberg. Calling this a mountainside hamlet is like calling the Great Lakes big ol' lakes. This was cliffside living (well, it felt like it to me)! The white out made it hard to tell how pretty it was.
So good!
Lindau
Entrance to the harbor at Lindau on Lake Constance
Dunn enjoys Kaffee und Kuchen on the ferry across the Bodensee as I enjoy the wind and fog and snow
We woke up the next morning to the full glory of Liechtenstein, however. Yes, shining across the valley was a snow-covered Swiss mountainside, and down below was the Rhein and the valley of the bulk of occupied Liechtenstein (there isn't much). We drove down back into Switzerland, fueled up, and then headed back (cutting across this pristine nation once more--briefly--into Austria, where we drove towards Innsbruck. We turned off the highway and headed back past the Zugspitze (highest peak in Germany), through Garmisch-Patenkirchen where we stopped for a late lunch, and then back to Zolling. Tuesday morning we saw Jenny and Dunn off on their flight back to the States. We're pretty sure they had fun, and they definitely liked the stunning scenery, the architecture, and just visiting and seeing our lives.
View from our hotel (this doesn't do it justice)
Morning from our balcony
The Rhein River--the near side is Liechtenstein, the far side is Switzerland
Family (a bit back-lit) and a nice shot of Jenny and her mountains and Dunn and his crane
*note that the church is the next street over--walking it's maybe 70-100 yards away
The less steep part of Triesenberg
Bridge across the Rhein to Switzerland
This country is absolutely pristine and gorgeous! I loved it and could retire here (in the summers)
Crossing into Switzerland
Cutting back across Liechtenstein, my new favorite country (virtually the whole thing is in this picture--and then some)
The "border crossing" into Austria--it was unmanned
Even their license plates are pretty--FL stands for Fürstentum Liechtenstein
These are from the rest stop in Austria
Not really sure what these little huts are, but they're everywhere
Tunnels through mountains--this one was only partially under the mountain and thus open on the side
Back in Germany
The vineyards near the train station in Würzburg where we got delayed
The birthday girl
Little Finn took this picture of his parents
The following day after going for a quick run (yes, nice enough weather! First run of the year for me), we cleaned up and headed to the Chinese restaurant in town where Oma invited all the family and friends for buffet lunch. It was really fun--the younger generation at one end, the "old folks" at the other. We actually ended up mixing nicely and enjoying the company of the older generation more than I thought I would! Then it was back to the house for another round of coffee and converstaion before heading out to my cousins' house. Thomas and Romina hosted a party that consisted of old friends, good conversation, and a karaoke competition. Fun times! Karen, Mike, and I crashed there before heading back to Oma's the next morning. We had an early lunch before I boarded a train back home. Unfortunately my train from Glückstadt was delayed, and I missed my ICE train back to Munich, resulting in another hour at the Hamburg train station. Grr. Oh, well. I got home a bit later than planned but otherwise alright and found a recovered, if not fully rested Gus.
Ami got a new hairdo
The whole crew except yours truly (photographer) and Luana, who was asleep and a bit feverish. Finn was not so cooperative--every pic but one (in which everyone else looks silly) he's looking away.
Finn and I share a birthday, so we try to get pics together every year. We started early this year, and considering how NOT into being photographed he was, this turned out nicely. We can try again this summer just after our birthday.
Prepping for karaoke
This week we've been transitioning back into work, planning the summer, and trying to get enough sleep. Hmm. We enjoyed some archery this afternoon--well, I did--with our friend Ana, who then came over with our other friend Ella for dinner. They've just left, and I decided writing a blog entry would be more fun than cleaning the kitchen. The good news is that this week something miraculous happened. Spring arrived! Yesterday was sunny (a great day to go downtown, buy some veggies at the Viktualienmarkt, wind up in the middle of a protest on the Karlsplatz, and sit in the bookstore on the Marienplatz--all without Gus unfortunately) with occasional showers. Today was not only sunny, but it was warm--T-shirt weather, in fact. Perfect for taking a bow and arrows out! Tomorrow we may get into the mid 70s F (23-24C). Woohoo! We're not quite sure what that blue stuff is behind the clouds, but it sure is pretty!
These are pics from 10 days ago--thus the cold weather gear. Today Gus missed out on the really nice weather.
Full draw
Now to reschedule Prague . . . .
