The Four Day Weekend- Part 1 Munich

Bruce had a 4 day weekend so we decided to take a vacation and see some of Europe.  Bruce really wanted to see the mountains. Our plan was to take a train to Munich, tour Munich and spend the night.  Then rent a car and drive to the Austrian Alps, stopping along the way.

We took the 8:20 train to Munich and arrived in Munich around 1:30.  Our train ride was not bad, although long.  The kids were amazing.  They really are great travellers.  In the second hour of our train ride, we rode along the Rhine  river and got to see some amazing castles on the hillsides.  Thanks to the Rick Steve's Germany book I brought, we were able to do a self-guided tour.  We didn't get any photos because the train was really moving much too fast to take photos.

After the initial panic of getting stuff and kids off of  the train, our jaws dropped.  The train station was so huge and airy and bustling with so many people.  The kids and I were mezmerized.  It was a foreshadowing.  Munich was mezmerizing.

After finding and settling into our hotel, we ventured to Marienplatz, not really sure what to expect.  

It was amazing.  The first thing that awed us were the buildings, architecture, largeness and attention to beauty of everything.  The second thing that awed us was the people.  There were SOOO many people.  Ascension Thursday is a national holiday and Friday was Father's day so we figure that many people took a 4 day weekend like we did, only they started it on Thursday.  I have a vice grip on the boy's hands in the above  photo. We are approaching Karl's gate, which is the entrance to the Marienplatz, which one brochure describes as the "living room of Munich."  It is the largest platz I've ever seen with hundreds of shops, boutiques, cafes, and at least 5 catholic churches that we saw, 3 of which are huge and rival the great Cathedrals of Europe.  (I think I'll have a whole post on the Catholicism of the Bavarian region).
What is really amazing is that more than half  of Munich was leveled by Allied bombs in World War II.  There were some buildings that were half destroyed and some that miraculously escaped destruction, but most of the city was destroyed.  Sadly, this is a story we hear over and over again as almost every German town was hit by bombs in World War II.  What we found to be interesting about Munich (and this is the case for many small towns as well) is that they chose to reconstruct the town exactly as it had been before, including using original plans for buildings, etc.  Although Hitler didn't allow evacuation of Munich because he didn't want to show fear or defeat, the Nazis painstakingly took detailed photos of everything.  These photos were used in the reconstruction.

Of course, what trip to Munich would be complete without a dinner at the famous Hofbrau Haus.  

This is the biergarten, which was completely filled so we ate on the terrace.  Like Munich, the place is HUGE and is actually 5 restaurants in one.  It was built in the late 1800's and was a favorite hang out of Hitler's while he was forming his evil plans.  Scary, huh!  It's so beautiful!

Bruce's first and second half liter's of beer at Hofbrau haus.  He was in heaven.  I rarely see him so giddy

.

Locals in Lederhosen.

 The painted ceilings of the Hofbrau Haus.

We got back to the hotel around 10:00 and collapsed.  What a great city!  Half a day wasn't nearly enough.  The next morning we picked up our rental car, a black BMW (see below), and headed for the mountains.  

Monday and Tuesday

The boys and I hung out around the apartment today.  I felt like we needed a much needed down day since all of our days have been packed with adventures.  We thoroughly enjoyed our day.  It was absolutely gorgeous day. Our one big adventure was grocery shopping.  There is construction going on around our central area.  The boys loved it.  We walked by close they could have dropped a load on our heads.

We also pass the church on our way to the grocery store.  This is St. Nikolaus Kirche (church).

The tram - our means of tranportation.

Our center area, two blocks from the apartment.  Our grocery store is on the left.  Then there are various little  stores including a few drug stores, a few bakeries, a post office, a clothing store, a hardware kinda store, etc.

 Our street.  Our apartment is 43 Mechanstrasse.  I thought we'd be able to see the street sign better.  Markie got cut off the bottom of the photo.

The grocery visit went so much better today.  It is getting better everyday since that is how often I go.

Our plan Tuesday was to take the train into Cologne for the day. We heard they have a great zoo and wanted to check it out, but it rained all day.  I mean all day.  It did not stop.  You can imagine my day cooped up inside an apartment with two little boys.  It finally stopped around 4:00 so we took a walk to the cafe and treated ourselves to a kafe (for me), chocolate milch for the boys, and pastries.  Good thing we are so active here, because we eat either eis (ice cream) or pastries every day.  They are everywhere.

It's Thursday as I write this and we leave in the morning for our 4 day weekend to Munich and the Alps.  There is about a 60% chance of rain for all 3 days we'll be in the Alps.  We are so disappointed, but are going to try to make the best.  Who knows, it may be our greatest adventure yet.

Tsusch!!

Our First German Mass and Balloon Fest

We attended our first German Mass today at St. Nikolas church.  It is a beautiful church a block from our apartment.  It appears that this little neighborhood is centered around it.  The church bells can be heard on the house (I originally thought it was only certain hours) and they really kick up 15 minutes before mass to call everyone to mass.  We love it, but it broke our hearts to see that the church was only 25% filled.  And this was the only mass on Sunday.  

So, we ate breakfast, got dressed, and headed out to 11:30 mass on a beautiful Sunday morning.  I was very nervous because the children here in Germany are so well behaved.  They're everywhere, but unless they are on an actual playground, you don't hear a peep out of them.  Well, wait for it...., my children were the best behaved children in mass. As far as I can tell, in restaurants, stores, and trains, the German children sit quietly without making a peep, but at mass, it's a free-for-all for the children.  One child (maybe 4 years old) roamed the church through the first half of mass while his mother sat in the first pew.  Another brother and sister (4 and 2, maybe) left their pew to run through the few pew in front.  There was chatting from a group of tweens sitting together.

We decided to take a bike ride after mass and lunch.  It was a gorgeous sunny, high in the low 70's kinda day.  Perfect for a bike ride.  WE headed to the Rhein with the intent to find a park.  We found a balloon festival.  It was so much fun.  The boys had a great time.  Here are some pics.

Mark fell asleep on the journey.

This was one of the rides.  We didn't get to ride it, but it looks like fun!

Beautiful Park.

Andrew coming down the hill.

Mark and Andrew enjoying the bouncy thing.

Andrew being Andrew.

Andrew is in the ball..  Bruce is helping him.

Day 5 and 6

The boys and I decided to hang out at the apartment and chill all morning.  We needed a morning like this.  We didn't head out to town until around 1:30 upon which we walked to the bakery for an afternoon snack of pastries and kafe (for me) and then boarded the tram to meet Bruce at the AIB building for a historical city of Bonn Tour.  

AIB is an international educational institution.  They are the ones who have organized this entire trip, field trips and all, and are hosting a welcome party for the students and their host families tonight.  There are 4 groups here now:  2 Texas A & M groups (Bruce's Sustainable Communities group and a Roman Studies group) a group from North Carolina,  and a group from California.  The welcome party was preceeded by an historical City of Bonn tour  given by Rainer (head of AIB and liifelong Bonn citizen).  I really wanted to join this tour b/c he tells the best stories and I knew it would be a great tour.  However, the boys were not in a mood for a tour so we went to the post office, mailed some postcards, bought some bananas, and hung out in the Munsterplatz.  The boys chased the pigeons.

This is one of the oldest churches in Germany with the original chapel dating back to the third century and later church buildings dating to the 11th and 13th centuries.  It's the  Basillica of St. Cassius and Florentine.  Their remains are located here.  They were Roman soldiers and are considered martyrs because they were beheaded for not denying Christianity.  Here's Andrew and Mark playing on their heads.

We had a great time at the party.  The boys made some new German friends with whom they played "football", although the oldest didn't find it very amusing that Andrew kept calling him a girl.  He is beautiful for a boy.  It was a very late night.  We didn't make it back to the apartment until after 10:00.  Of course, it was only twilight.

Photos from Bruce's Historical City tour

A gift to the city of Bonn from the British Government.  Since telephone booths are obsolete these days, they added shelves and now you can leave a book, take a book.  It's just on the street corner.

 Bonn University

More photos of beautiful downtown Bonn.  I want to move here. 

Tough early rise, but we were taking a boat along the Rheine to Konigswinter where Bruce and the students were going ahead to hike the Seven Hills and the boys and I were going to the Aquarium and tour the small town of Konigswinter.

The Aquarium was a disappointment, but we met a family from Canada who just got to Bonn a few days before us and they will be here for 6 months on sabbatical.  We were very excited to meet English speaking people and so were they.  They have a 3 year old son, Thomas, and a 3 month old daughter, Clara.   We ate lunch with them in town and rode the train together back to Bonn.  We'll be seeing more of them.

Andrew, Mark, and Thomas waiting for the train.

When Bruce returned from hiking, I was finally able to go to the grocery by myself and have time to look at little closer at the items and lables.  Who would have thought that the biggest culture shock I would experience in Germany was going to the grocery store.  Aside from not being able to read labels and not recognizing any familiar brands except Knorr, Barilla, and Nutella, one additional source of stress for me is that not only are there no baggers, but there are no bags.  So I must bring my own bag, pay with foreign currency, and reload my groceries into the cart so that I can pull to the side and bag my groceries into my own bag.  All the while ussing two little boys who are touching every thing they possibly can and swinging from the racks while the German children just stand very quietly and stare at them.  I don't think German children speak until they are 7 b/c although we've seen many, we have not heard a one.  I'm sure I'll have it all worked out by the time we leave.

Bruce went in to work today so the boys and I were on our own.  We went to downtown Bonn and walked around the platz.  We stopped into the church.  Phenomenal.  We'll have to go back to mass there  before we leave.  The brochure I picked up said it was one of the oldest churches in Gemany.  The boys didn't want to stay so we just said a quick prayer and left.

McDonald's again for lunch.   And ice cream for third day in a row.  What can I do?

The boys are playing on the little train.  You can see Andrew's head at the bottom.  Not sure what the castle looking thing is behind.  I couldn't read the placque.  Maybe we'll find out today on our historical tour of Bonn.

Bikes, bikes, bikes!  So many bikes.  Yesterday we saw an elderly man who had to be in his 70's riding his bike with a cane strapped to the back.  Everyone rides bikes here.  Bruce and I are jumping on the bandwagon.  We took our second bike ride along the Rheine today.  Perhaps tomorrow night I'll be comfortable enough to take a camera and get a photo.

I just don't think this photo conveys what I am trying to convey:  That there are thousands of bikes here!!!

Oh MY!!!  I had a heart-wrenching, panic moment today.  The boys and I were returning to the apartment.  We approached the tram and Andrew jumped on, but just as I was about to push Mark's stroller onto the tram, the doors closed with Andrew inside and Mark and I sill on the side.  I panicked and started hitting on the "open" button, yelling, "NO, No, NO!!!"  The tram door opened and Andrew ran out and didn't want to get back on.  Poor baby!  We were all three pretty shaken up.  I pray every morning for their guardian angels to keep them safe.  Thank you guardian angel!!

On the tram

In our very small elevator that we are very thankful for on some days.  Our apartment is on the 5th floor.  Although I think it is technically the 6th b/c the they consider the ground floor, the ground floor, not the first.  You must take a flight of stairs to get to the first  floor.  

Tszush (the informal bye. it is  pronounced like shoes with a ch : choes) for now!!!

Our First Day on our Own

I'm typing this at 10:00 am and Mark is still sleeping.  Poor baby.  His body clock is so out of rhythm.  It doesn't even start to get dark here until 9:30 or so.  Arianne was able to get us some bikes and a trailer for the boys so we took a bike ride rode along the Rheine river yesterday.  It was beautiful and I was surprised by the truth of the saying, "It's like riding a bike".  I haven't ridden one in 15 years, yet it all came back to me and NO ACCIDENTS.  Anywho, the boys fell asleep during the bike ride so they were up until 10:30.  Also, this will come as no surprise to anyone that Mark is sick.  My poor baby.  His nose is running all over and his eyes are goopy.  He really needs this sleep.

Sorry I didn't get photos of the Rheine river, but I was too busy riding the bike.  We'll be taking at least 2 boat trips so the photos will come.  If I can remember to take photos when we are observing something photo worthy.  I'm usually just gawking and only remember to take photos in the down times.

If I could watch what I eat here and cut out the daily icecream,  I will come back thin because we have been more active in the past few days than we have in 5 years:  walking everywhere, apartment on 5th floor, riding bikes along the Rheine.

Bruce and I had our first adventure at going to a restaurant on our own, without Arianne, and ordering for ourselves.  It was funny.  When we said we were going to eat, Andrew said, "Where Airanne?".  We told him it was just us.  He replied, "who will read the menu to us?".  Smart kid.  I'm guessing we'll be having alot of surprise meals this trip.

I washed my first batch of clothes this morning.  Although this apartment is pretty stocked, I couldn't find any washing detergent.  At least I couldn't find anything that resembled cleaning products with a picture of clothes on it.  So we stopped at the store on our way back from lunch.  I sure hope shopping gets easier.   I say I washed the clothes, but I'm still not sure b/c I just took a stab in the dark and pushed whatever buttons.

Oh, I forgot to mention.  There is a washer, but no dryer so...... ta da.

Today is Bruce's first day of classes.  The boys and I are on our own for the first time.  I am a little nervous to be without him today, but I'm sure we'll be fine.  Our plans are to take the tram downtown,  purchase post cards, and meet Bruce for lunch.  Perhaps I'll work up the courage to grocery shop for dinner tonight.  Ugh!  Mark is still sleeping and it's now 10:40.  Wow!

Our Journey Begins

We are in Germany.  Bonn, Germany.  We are staying in the most delightful little apartment.  There is a roof terrace with a wonderful view of a "berg" (hillside).  Although everything is compact, we have everything we need.  It feels free and simple, as opposed to our house back in Texas, which always feels cluttered and messy.

Oh, I forgot to mention that we are here because Bruce is teaching a summer program here.  We are here for 5 weeks.  Well, 4 weeks in Bonn and a week in Germany.  Our trip began on Sunday night at the College Station airport where we went through our first of 3 security checks (a frenzy of shoes and watches off, liquids and laptops out of bags, kids running around, fold up umbrella while people waiting behind and security guards trying to hurry you through, whew!)  and boarded our first of 3 aircrafts.  I must say, the boys were phenomenal.  My anxiety and stress were for nothing, except to help make my expectations so low that I was so pleasantly surprised at their behavior.  Each only slept a few hours on the overnight flight to London.  London, ugh, what a nightmare of an airport.  The entire airport is under construction so I guess they thought, "why bother".  There were no signs or information AND the people were not that friendly.  It was here that we went through our 2nd and 3rd security checks.  Even with a 2 1/2 hour layover, we didn't even have time to eat.

Enough of that, we finally arrived in Bonn and were greeted by Arianne.  What can I say about Arianne?  She has been so gracious in helping us settle in, buying us a few groceries, showing us around Bonn, and reading our menus for us.  Andrew has a crush on her, I think.

We had our first German meal at a restaurant.  Very different from America.  I had asparagus and sliced ham with potatoes.  It was delicious.  Bruce had a beef stroganoff.  The boys enjoyed their schnitzel and french fries.

After a decent night's sleep, our second day in Gemany began with a walk to a little farmer's market and a little grocery shopping.  OH MY!  I woke up one morning last week freaking out over grocery shopping and not being able to read the labels and I was right.  It is SO OVERWHELMING.  I know how children feel.  We choose our dinner meal based on photos on the labels.  I pray that gets easier as the days go by.

Arianne met us at our apartment and we took that tram to downtown Bonn.  It's only 10 minutes away.  Absolutely wonderful.  I have never seen so many bikes in my life.  I am going to take a picture to post next time we go.  Hundreds, no thousands, of bikes.  Bikes, bikes, Bikes!!!  The boys wanted McDonald's for lunch.  I think that was the highlight of their trip so far.

Our second day in Germany ended with pizza at home and a a good night's sleep for all.  Of course, the boys are going to sleep much later than usual because it doesn't get dark here until about 9:30.