OCT 15, 08: In this case the preparations for the adventure are as much of an adventure as perhaps the events of the adventure themselves. As first time across the pond travelers we relied on the comments and advice of friends, as wells as the myriad of digital sources in the internet. Since we committed to this trip in May of '08 Beth has been deeply mired in arrangements and arranging her and me according to the aforementioned information. Therefore we travel from here on with the admonitions for air travel being to wash hands, open doors with paper towels, move about and wiggle toes for better circulation, keep hydrated and above all secrete all important papers upon ones self.
Since I am for the purposes involved in this trip being taken care of by Beth, my stress level is directly related to hers as well. When the new clothes come in on time, when the fit of same is adequate, when documents including tickets are in order and finally when weight restrictions and size restrictions have been met then both of our stress levels are manageable. To aid in achieving this end much ice cream and other comfort foods have been consumed both as rewards for intermediate tasks accomplished and as fortification for others yet to be accomplished.
October 15 We are picked up at home by our guardian angels, Don and Virginia, at 12:15 P.M. for our 5:15 flight from the Ottawa airport. Thanks to Don's GPS instrument we arrived in plenty of time to do our checked baggage, hit the rest rooms and proceed through security with little or no anomalies. Beth did have one no-no confiscated, that being a small cuticle knife. After that it was a three hour wait at gate 14 during which time we walked the terminal, searched for some ice cream for Beth to fortify and renew the comfort food buzz all the while bedecked with two pouches hanging around our respective necks containing papers and cash.
It is amazing how easily acquaintances develop in travel settings. In this case it was in the terminal that we met "Gabby" who was 83, lived in Ottawa for 50 years but was an immigrant from Bremen, Germany. She besides volunteering to take our pictures in the terminal setting spent time telling us about her family's adventures in immigrating and while living in Canada. She was a delight and a bonus in the time we unexpected and extended time spent waiting for boarding.
Once on the plane we nestled into the seats that were not a wide as Beth had expected, stored our carry-ons under the seat in front of us and waited for take-off. The plane was due to leave at 5:15 but didn't until somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00 due to a malfunctioning engine deicer that had to be replaced.
Once in the air and in level flight dinner was served and contrary to all the possibilities we heard it was hot and delicious: boeuf for moi and poulet for Beth. Beer and wine were complimentary and unlimited for as far as we could tell. Later, about 90 minutes before we arrived in rainy Frankfurt, breakfast was served in the form of Yoplait, a huge muffin, coffee and a fruit cup. We flew at 600 mph for the 3547 miles in 6hrs. and 40 minutes with an outside temperature of -60 degrees. We were on the ground at 2:30 A.M. USA time/8:30 in Germany and therefore had the whole day ahead of us. Because we were late we deplaned out on the tarmac and were shuttle bussed to the terminal. Said bus being involved in a slight accident on the way there when he turned too sharply causing the rear of the bus to hit an obstruction which took out the rear window next to some very surprised passengers whom I imagine were breathing a sigh of relief being at their destination and safely on the ground! The window was safety glass and therefore all received a shower of little non lethal glass granules.
Through the Frankfurt security at 9:00 AM ........
"THEN I SAW HER FACE!" as the Monkees song says. I still feel my feet elevate a bit when I relive it in my mind. I'll savor and store that moment forever. This Dad couldn't put enough "I love you" into that first hug.. Here we were on Kathy's home turf.
Because the plane was late we missed our scheduled connection to Nuremberg which then gave us time for a snack and the long walk from plane to train terminals through endless stores selling anything but mostly breads, pretzels and rolls. Also to be seen were the pleasant number of very shapely women well dressed in skirts or tight jeans and heeled footwear. Too there was the ubiquitous use of cell phones by many of all ages.
After a long walk through the tunnels with five suit cases we arrived10:18 and we were at the train station to wait for the 10:30 super train which of course arrived on time and left on time. The learning about Germany continued unabated on the train as Kathy pointed out small garden plots with one room huts she called garden houses on them. These patches had well cared for gardens of flowers and vegetables and are, as we discovered, the refuges aka camps, summer cottages etc... of people in the city high rises. Also imagine these Americans' surprise on being informed that it is against the law to kill wasps.
After a switch to regional train we arrived at Erlangen to board a taxi to arrive here at the house at 9:15 A.M (Eastern US time), 3:15 pm German time. Walked through the door to the delicious homey smell of banana bread. K and R's abode is just great in a very compact, neat neighborhood with many overhanging trees an narrow streets. Built in '78 there is lots of room, lots of light, German craftsmanship and fit and finish everywhere. This was the beginning of my conviction that "we" Americans have a lot to learn from this country so rich in history, born out of violence and conflict intent on efficiency, national pride and international make-up. More on this as the story develops.
After naps I couldn't say no to (but should have for the sake of combating jet lag), my first order of business was to dash off quick e-mails to friends announcing our arrival. 'Twas then that I discovered that the computer keyboards here are different with regard to three or four keys' location on the keyboard.
Supper was home made pizza.
Ice cubes are not readily available in German establishments or homes.
FRIDAY 10/17 What day is this?! I lost Thursday somewhere over the Atlantic and the train ride from Frankfurt.
A day to recover and begin taking many pictures a la Japanese tourist type. Kathy and I walked to the neighborhood meat market and it was edifying for me to see my daughter converse so readily and easily with the ladies behind the counter. The market is like we haven't seen at home since the demise of the Mom & Pop store. A small store with family personnel waiting and no use of plastic gloves at every turn. So many kinds of luncheon and breakfast meats including sausages of all kinds.
On the way there I had my first lesson in navigating sidewalks: stay left because the right lane is exclusively for the bikes that whiz by authoritatively. At the corners one must again cross the bike path to cross the street and there they have the right of way; walk when the indicator says so and don't when it doesn’t. The bicyclists whiz by and they expect to get deference. To wander into this part of the sidewalk is to presume that a pedestrian has right of way, which we don't. I got my first introduction to some of the rules for pedestrians: always assume there is someone behind you so don't stop quickly either on the street or in the supermarket.
Also on the way there I could observe how houses are constructed and how close together they are built. Houses are built to last a thousand years; Wood is not used for framing but rather all is block, even the interior walls. Roofing must be tile of one of two colors, metal soffits. There are tower cranes everywhere all built on the spot because they take up less room and their height is needed to lift materials over other houses that might be in the way. Space is at a premium. Garages are delivered on a flat bed and are only wide enough to hold the car. No room for storage of lawnmowers etc. Speaking of lawns, they too are a rarity. Kids play in any of the many conveniently located city-cared-for playgrounds.
The Taxis are mostly Mercedes and high end VW'S. There are many models of familiar cars on the streets here that we don't have in the US. Mostly they are smaller and diesel. No pickups or SUV'S. That would be intrusive on the narrow streets. All the cars are very shiny and no signs of accidents or rust are evident anywhere. Don’t know why yet. It is verboten to wash ones car in the street or even at home. One must use car washes where the water is recycled...no waste of water going down the drain. At the houses, rainwater is collected in barrels connected directly to the downspout and used for watering the garden.
On the way back we passed auto dealers of many familiar kinds but the lots contained models we never see in the states. Prices were in Euros of course and translated into big bucks for those who could afford an Audi for 61,000 Euros, about $83,000 US. Later when at the grocery store it was revealing to see so many different cheeses and chocolate selections at every aisle end cap. Eggs are not refrigerated; sometimes milk is not either, as some of the latter is aseptically packaged. Another lesson the States could learn to preserve energy in refrigeration being lost in open freezer displays.
When walking home from this foray Kathy showed me how each of the trees along the way were numbered, we suppose to keep records on how they were doing at that location. Manhole covers over the sewers are not completely closed and so there is the occasional odor of sewer gas. I didn't notice it but Kathy remarked it is sometimes off-putting.
Interesting to note that the radio commercials, while in German of course, still have the same intonations and emphases as in the States.
Richard was late for supper because a friend at work had a few friends help him celebrate getting his motorcycle license. I am assured that this is no small event and is the culmination of many months of study and waiting. When he came in the door I was there and his first remark was unforgettable: "Hey Bob, What're you doing here?"
After supper which was a delicious stew (comfort food) we settled into the living room to read and then watch a DVD of Eddie Izzard, a comedian from the UK.
I went to their computer and discovered that the keyboard has keys in different locations and that there are extra keys and other symbols necessary here in Europe, also that all the screens, sign-ons and instructions were in German. Examples Ä, Ö, €, µ, |,€. Imagine that!
Saturday 10,18,08: Our first breakfast was truly German as it consisted of cheeses, lunch meats (weißwurst), breads, rolls and soft pretzels, soft boiled egg and or yogurt.
Downtown Erlangen today using the bus to get there: First and foremost the girls and young women dress well, usually in tight jeans or short skirts with black boots or high heels. Beautiful complexions. People are sitting at outside tables for lunch even though it is around 52 degrees. Kathy explained that the sun is not always out and so the people will take any advantage to be in it. The restaurants provide blankets for the patrons to use while sitting outside. These blankets are draped over the chairs and I am assured same number are there as were set out. Bicycles likewise are parked in front of stores without locks etc. They, too, are there for the owner when she or he returns. Downtown is like we see in movies: the narrow cobblestone streets with small cars whizzing about with abandon. Lunch at the Glocken Café was a German potato soup with sausage. Knife and fork are order of the day; it's even crude to pick up ones food, with the exception of rolls at breakfast. Even french fries are eaten with a small fork.
Drinks after window shopping and sightseeing were at "Sugar in the Morning" which featured an "American Breakfast" that was huge when compared to other German offerings. I must add that things are expensive here especially after one converts them from Euros to dollars. An 8 oz. coke is €2,50 which can convert to $3.00+ . This time I had a orangenlimonade which is a carbonated orange drink. Even though I can't remember what Beth had, she said I could just say, "...and Beth had chocolate!"
Home after the day admiring the rich history so pervasive in the scenery . Seeing the age of buildings and knowing the history of the past 50 years prompts so many questions.
Once home we settled in to watch “The Lion King” and relax.
So far on this gustatory experience I’ve had 3 kinds of lunch meats, 3 types of sausage and many breads and pretzels. Beth has begun her exploration of as many kinds of chocolates as possible. Using a bus to get to and fro is also newish since college. We’ve enjoyed the city museum and shops.
Home for the evening gave us rest and an opportunity for Diet coke and Popcorn.
Sunday 10,19.2008: In Germany just about everything is closed except for the bakeries. We started our day and checked email to connect with home. Not much there.
Because we don’t speak the language it can be hard to insert oneself into the group dynamic and can make ones perception of the people around us as off putting. BUT the smiles and genuineness are ingratiating.
Breakfast at 10:30 pretzels, lunch meats, pretzels, coffee, juice and conversation on many disparate points.
Unemployment is about 8% here but it is hard to find skilled workers. Those who are skilled are really trained and usually have served years under a master and if the examples I see are any indication their work is fantastic. Fit and finish is superb. The engineering of the home-country made products is for enduring years of use.
There are many kinds of beer and each town is most proud of its own brew. Kathy gave her perspective “Carbonation in beer is yeast fart!” Think about it!
There is state sponsored day care for some, but not all, 3-5 year olds. Usually, mothers stay home with children of that age, but there is a big push to increase the number of day care slots by a factor of three in the next couple years. There are no private day care centers.
Around 3:00 P.M. Peter and Ulla and daughter Pia came for sweet goodies: cake, cookies and a chance for me to ask all kinds of questions of real Germans about how we in the US are perceived and also to hear of the stories and events as they really happened here and not revised and sensationalized by the American press.
As I suspected Reagan’s “Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall” speech was not really a part of the fall of the Soviet Union and the reunification of east and west Germany. Here they knew it was imminent and details were already being worked out between Gorby and German Chancellor Kohl. So as I suspected he was taking credit for someone else’s work.
Ulla said Americans are generally regarded as people who have no knowledge or care for others in the world but yet are generous. They have deep pride, are wasteful, have money for war but not for hunger, education. They talk about money too much. Germans are more aware of the USA than the Americans are about Germany.
They think a lot of Obama because he cared to come when he wasn’t a world leader. Very fearful of McCain because he doesn’t listen.
They are generally puzzled by the election and support for Bush in the US. They understand our embarrassment.
Peter drives a Ford.
The events of the WWII are taught in school so it will never happen again. The Hitler salute is outlawed as is the Nazi party. There are more Neo-Nazis in the USA than in all of Germany. In fact most of their support comes from the US.
Recycling in Germany is a high priority. Food scraps are collected for composting, paper etc. Almost all waste is collected for recycling and reuse.
A castle is not a palace. A castle is a fortification while a palace is a place to live.
MONDAY 10,20,08: Up early to catch the train for 2-hour ride (in the upper observation dome) to Regensburg. Train was late into Nuremberg so we hung out there and caught the castle and some small shops. in the castle walls. The stuff there had examples of craftsman work as opposed to schlock from China. We have lots of pictures of our first encounter with a real castle. Most of it was bombed during WWII and was rebuilt as were many of the beautiful old buildings we will visit. Such a waste and a tragedy to destroy the history and identity of a people. It really brings to ones mind the stupidity of war and mutual destruction. We experienced the fall of he twin towers in our lifetime and have studied the destruction of the civil war but what these people endured has no doubt changed their lives and orientations permanently if not for many generations to come. It would seem that any city with a population of over 100,000 was bombed to level rubble. Nuremberg being dubbed the most German city in Germany and the home of so many German Nazi activities was a prime target. Regensburg was also hit because it was just over 100,000 souls.
Again pastry and pretzels everywhere…and pretty girls! The shops in the castle walls were quaint and picturesque (see our pictures).
When we got to Regensburg we of course walked about and took pictures of cathedrals and old buildings most of which were rebuilt after having been bombed. We ate next to the oldest stone bridge on the blue Danube. I must say that we are spoiled in that we live next to the St. Lawrence.
Then to tour more of Regensburg famous for being the site of the election of the emperor since the 15th century.
Ate at the Princess Café, the oldest café in Germany (1686) where there was more tea and cake; it was located on a typical square surrounded by old stately buildings…mostly rebuilt after being bombed. Richard says that in many cases the bombing brought the roofs in but a lot of the walls remained standing. We ate on the second floor after placing our order for the chocolate goodies downstairs. Memorable.
While roaming about the square we observed tourist groups moving en masse with guides. Some of them were school kids and others were obviously American tourists.
Home by dark into the yard in front of their house where we were forewarned to keep an eye out for hedgehogs. The little buggers come out at night and hunt for slugs.
TUESDAY 10,21,08: Laika day. She is the cutest cocker spaniel that Kathy watches on Tuesdays A puppy who is so full off energy and curiosity that it is hard to take our eyes off her. Incidentally Laika still has all of her long tail as it is illegal to bob the tails of any dog in Germany. Kathy and Richard and I took her for a walk in the nearby woods to tire her out and give a chance to commune with nature. Again fun to watch her romp. In the forest Kathy pointed out that during the war the presently littered forest floor would be clean as a whistle because all of the householders would have scoured it to pick up anything that would serve as fuel to keep warm.
That night we went to dinner at their favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant operated by a real Italian who greeted us at the door. He spoke German, Italian and broken English. He personally seated us and was very solicitous and warm. The food was as usual full of flavor. I had panzerotti Diavola (Feta cheese ravioli). Beth had a seafood and pasta dish with octopus and mussels and clams. Dessert was Tartufo, need I say there was chocolate involved?
More factoids: When toasting with wine etc…there must be direct eye contact so as to not offend. Be prepared to be asked to do it again if you don’t look the other person in the eye. When shaking hands there shall be no hands in the pocket. Do not reach across another persons arms to shake hands. It’s bad luck.
We walked home with the lingering smell of wood smoke from fireplaces in the air. The neighborhood is very quiet except for the occasional bicycle on unoccupied streets.
WEDNESDAY 10,22,08 Each day I appreciate how hard Kathy has worked in planning our experiences here, from train timetables and transfers being coordinated from city to city to stocking the larder for our comfort to the cleaning and fussing for us. It shows a lot of work and care.
To watch her move about her new community and have such knowledge of the German culture only reinforces how smart she is and the fact that she must get it from her mother!!!
We took a taxi along with a lot of luggage at 9:45 AM (Beth had to rise early to be ready) to the train station where we boarded the train to Nuremberg on our way to Munich.
On the way there we espied tobacco drying sheds (Germany has some of the highest rates of smokers in Europe-@30%) We observed graffiti for the first time on some of the underpasses (never on a building). We passed through Fuerth, the birthplace of Henry Kissinger. This town was not bombed by US because it had a very large Jewish population and was suffering enough under the Third Reich.
Arrived in Munich on this overcast day about 1:00 P.M. and proceeded after some misdirection to walk to our hotel which by the way was situated over a McDonalds. There we changed for the concert that evening but did some touring of the “Residence” before going to one of the small concert halls in the Residence (Palace). The tour revealed an opulent life style when kings ruled and electors were charged with appointing rulers.
About the city we stopped in the city center square along with a few hundred others to watch the hour being struck by the Glockenspiel tower with its two levels of figures moving about in a diorama that took about seven minutes to complete. Then to the top of another building to have dinner at what I would call an expensive venue. A diet coke was about $3.00 But the food was to die for. I love goat cheese but this time it was not on a salad but fried in rosemary honey along with some other things on the plate that fade from memory.
We sat and talked then window shopped until it was time to walk back to the Residence for the concert. I wondered if our level of dress would be appropriate but although we were a bit under dressed there was no overwhelmingly distinguishing feature…not even white tennis shoes! The concert itself was moving. We were in the balcony in such a seat as to make me think we could not appreciate the instruments but 'twas not the case. The sound was full and lush.
In Germany the waiter would not be so rude as to bring your bill without your first having asked for it. It would be like asking you to leave.
A cell phone is called a “Handy”.
OCTOBER 23,08 Thursday; We had breakfast in the hotel and it was of typical German fare being cold meat, cheese, juice, chocolate, Nutella, muesli cereal and various breads.
The rented car itself was a treat, a 300 series diesel BMW, which Richard had a difficult time getting for us. When he met us at the hotel we were going to be late to make the tour at the palace but worry not! We were on the autobahn and soon going 160 kph and there were many passing us! That BMW made it seem we were going 40. More on the BMW: typical of Bavarian engineering : We had a GPS system, the car shut itself off if you waited too long in one place…starts back up as soon as the car is put in gear.
AT NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE: A testimony to the state of mind of King Ludwig the II in terms of his dreams and madness. Lots of pictures too grand to describe. After many hours there we had supper and left. By 5:30 we were in Austria among the Alps and were caught speechless when we realized these magnificent formations were real and each one was unique. The majesty of their presence is awesome. Our presence among the Alps continued until we arrived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and our hotel, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. We were on the second floor with a balcony over a town square. When we stepped out of our room we were greeted by overpowering tors on all sides. Took lots of pictures but words and photos can’t do justice when a lifetime of TV and magazine pictures are realized in reality in front of you. As we explored and shopped there were of course the mandatory frequent stops for sweets and chocolate.
Supper was in the hotel: traditional German cuisine. Beth had an unusual, but nonetheless very German "Pork Melba", consisting of pork topped with peach halves and covered with baked cheese.
Richard confessed that we were holding up quite well when he said “You’ve held on longer than I expected”. The showers in the hotels here are great.
Decorum in Germany: The man precedes the woman down the stairs and follows when going up the stairs. So we can be there to fall on, I guess.
It was Peggy’s birthday but we couldn’t locate our international calling card number. Couldn’t send as many cards either because we couldn’t find our collection of addresses.
Did you know that in hotels here the bed is usually two singles pushed together and there is not a separate top sheet? Instead it is like an envelope in which a comforter is inserted- so one unit -Very efficient and cozy. Our first night in Garmisch was comfortable enough but there was a group of American revelers out in the square yelling to each other until late in the morning. Found out later that to our right was a strip club.
Nobody told us the "Ich bin ein Berliner” that president Kennedy said could be translated to mean “ I am a doughnut”!!
FRIDAY 10,24,2008: another day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Taking pictures of the Alps is like taking pictures of the St. Lawrence. The scenes are so overwhelming that a photo doesn’t come close; and to think that one has captured the moment only leads to disappointment when the next scene is just as awe inspiring. But we did do our best by taking photos to remind ourselves of the beauty at every turn in that peaks that were so high that the clouds were only half way up the mountains that surrounded us.
More shopping and an easy day of walking through the business section and people watching. Buying a shirt was a challenge as converting the size to USA was a bit of a trial and error thing. Beth tried on jackets and finally decided on the one that we liked best on her. Then we visited another Käthe Wollfahrt Xmas shoppe where the stuff is high end and handmade. At one point Richard and I went through a model shop featuring all kinds of Barbie things and auto models that would make a great place for Kevin to visit. I had to buy him a gift that was German in nature.
Garmisch has a new part and an old part. They both can squeeze tourist dollars but the old part has the buildings with painted images on their exteriors. You have to see the pictures to appreciate the scope and intricacy in a three story high painting on the face of a building. Then there is the fact that all the buildings are so decorated.
Had to stop into a marzipan shoppe for some samples. By then I was relying on the cane quite a bit so we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed all the sites along the way. We cleaned up a bit and went to a nearby Greek restaurant for dinner and again the food was just fantastic.
When we got back we realized that our day of mountain air had reddened our faces to the point that we looked sunburned. Watched CNN on the TV in the room but it was so depressing.
Saturday we had breakfast downstairs in the hotel then packed. Mailed some postcards after purchasing same and some stamps. However there is a vending machine for just about everything in this country…even beer…very efficient . We then returned to Munich and Richard dropped off the car while the rest of us waited to meet him at one of the museums.
It is such a joy to be with Kathy & Richard. I feel so proud of her and appreciate all the care she has taken to provide us with a full and worry free experience. Every parent wants their kids to be and do better than they and she has certainly exceeded my expectations. She has her mother’s intelligence and I wonder what of me she has. Being with her makes me wonder what kind of role I had in her make up. I can see how she worries about all the little things like being on time and being in the right place and having what ever is necessary for our comfort and convenience. That is a lot of work!
We then had time to visit another Art Gallery, Neue Pinakothek
Retrieve our luggage and then the train back to Nuremberg and on to Erlangen. Beth was visibly tired.
Germans wear their wedding ring on their right hand.
The raised hand Nazi salute we see in the movies is illegal here.
There is a more informed and rational awareness of socialism and communism here. None of the fear rhetoric we were fed growing up. They’ve become fear words used by politicians to convey negativity without informed facts.
The windows in most houses are enginereed to tilt in or open from the side depending on how the handle is turned.
SUNDAY 10,26,08 and the country is closed so we slept late to 10:30 and rose to Richard’s trip to the bakery for pastries. After that the touring and probably a bit of left over jet lag caught up with me and naps were the order of the whole day.
There was of course time to reflect on the fact that over this last week and more we’ve been with Kathy and Richard every day! I wanted to enjoy reflecting on that.
Lunch was soup and chocolate. Supper was couscous and moroccan spiced beans & carrots and poppadum, white wine.
MONDAY10,27,08 We went to Nuremberg for more shopping and touring. Richard and I went to a World War II documentation center that featured the history of Hitler’s rise to form the Third Reich. Richard and I took the trolley there while the girls shopped.
We met about 6:00 at Café Lucas on the Pegnitz river for another terrific dinner. I had Elk Goulash with 3 snowball shaped dumplings and as usual it was fantastic. Beth had herbed spaetzle with mushrooms.
TUESDAY 10,28,08. Beth’s cold is better and we stayed home and just hung out and visited for the day. Beth began to pack and deal with the customs forms that go along with her purchases and bringing them into the USA. Tax here is 19% on all purchases but it is not figured in after the purchase -- it is included in the price one sees on the item. It’s called a VAT, Value Added Tax. I worked on this blog for the whole day while watching more of Northern Exposure.
WEDNESDAY 10, 29,08 Time to pack in earnest but having gone to bed at 2:30 last night made for a late start. By about noon we were through the first repast and I was again on the blog and Beth was into loading the suitcases.
