We were awake this morning at 6 and piled into the car for the last leg of our journey. Because we'd had to drive about 20 miles out of the way to find a hotel that could accommodate all 5 of us, we were not on I-64 coming home, but were instead on I-70. By the time we realized our mistake, we were too far gone, so we continued on to Columbus, OH and then to Cincinnati.
Today is Jennifer's birthday, and I didn't want to pass right by her house and not stop in. I called, and she and the kids were on their way to P.F.Chang's to have lunch. It is right off I-71, so we stopped and joined them. It was great to see them and share our trip and the candy that we had gotten them at the Lindt store.
The last hour and a half seemed to take forever, but we pulled into the driveway about 3. It was so nice to be home.
It hardly seems we left, you know? There was really no planning, not much anticipation in case it didn't work out. We just decided at pretty much the last minute that we were going to do this. It was a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants kind of trip, and while it was WAY fun, it doesn't even seem real. I've said it before, and I still believe 100% that the reason people buy souvineers is to prove to themselves that they were in a place.
During all of the driving and waiting, we had some good conversations about what we like about the USA and what could improve. I got a little testy when anyone (Kirk or the kids) got too critical of my beloved country. We have a lot of flaws and a lot of room to do things better than we do. There are things that we saw in Europe that I wish we would do here...more walkable cities, better public transportation, more and better recycling...all things that can happen with a change of mindset.
But it's the little things you begin to appreciate when you leave home, the niceties that you take for granted, maybe even never notice, that jump out at you when you return. I noticed them immediately:
The wide, wide shoulders on hilly, winding roads.
Space to drive without people riding your bumper.
Well-marked exits telling you exactly what kind of amenities are there: gas, restaurants, lodging...It's so nice not to have to guess.
Air conditioning. I cannot say enough good things about air conditioning. Until you've slept on the 3rd floor of a hotel in July in the middle of the heat island that is a downtown made entirely of stone, with no air circulation, the windows open, bugs coming in, and people going at it in the buildings nearby, you cannot really appreciate air conditioning.
The free coffee that comes with your hotel room. We may pay for it in the big scheme of things, but at least you don't feel like you are shelling out additional dollars for your morning joe.
Free water with your meal. I mean, really. Water comes out of the tap. Why am I expected to buy a bottle of water when I'm eating in Europe just because tap water is perceived as gauche? It's water. It has to come out of a tap to be put in that bottle that you've just charged me 6 euros for. It's water snobbery at its best.
Free refills on soft drinks. Granted we way drink too much soda here, but those teeny-tiny bottles you get at dinner do not work for us. Four euros, two swallows, and it's gone, and then you are buying water to finish the meal with.
Ice in your drinks. Cold, cold ice. It's just so nice when it's hot to have a cold drink to quench your thirst.
Free restrooms. They may not always be the cleanest, but they are always free, and you don't have to feel awkward running into a McDonald's for a pit stop and not buying anything.
Great internet pretty much anywhere you go. There is something to be said for not sitting in the middle of a town square at midnight filching wifi off of an electronics store in order to find a hotel for the next night.
Space. Your house, your yard, a parking lot, or the neighborhood grocery. It's just so nice to have space.
Choices. All of them. Seriously, consider the sheer amount of choices we have here. We are so lucky.
Home. Just home.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Monday, August 3, 2015
The Way Home
Thankfully when the alarm went off at 5:30 a.m., I felt okay. I had slept soundly through the night and was ready to face whatever came our way as we tried to make it home today.
We got the kids up and were out the door by 6:15, stopping to get gas along the way. We had a moment of panic when Kirk put the cities into the GPS for directions, and we got an estimate of 3 hours from where we were to Ramstein. I was sure I had put us only 20 minutes away, but I started second-guessing myself. It was going to be b.a.d. if we weren't where I thought we were. Thankfully, there must be two Ramsteins or else Kirk had mixed up an i and an e, because when he tried again, we were right where we were supposed to be.
He dropped us off at the airport and we all went in and put our names on the list confirming that we were present and ready for departure. He drove the car back to Hertz, and then walked back to hang with us until roll call at 9:30. At this point, we were #12 on the list, so we felt pretty good about getting one of the 42 spots.
The girls and I walked over to the inn to get some food. We thought one final croissant or German pretzel would be a nice last hurrah to our trip. There was only one restaurant open in the whole inn/PX, and we waited in line for about 30 minutes. I bought a cheese pretzel stick and it looked amazing! I went to take a big bite out of it, only to discover that it was not just cheese, but ham and cheese. UGH! I spit it out and threw it away.
The airport kept filling up with more and more people. There was a group of folks across from us talking, saying, "We're Category 5, so that should guarantee us a seat, don't you think?" Um, by the looks of things, no.
They didn't post a digital list on a screen. They did it the old fashioned way and printed out sheets with everybody's names on them. By the time 9:30 rolled around, and they were printing out the list of everyone who had signed up for a seat (200+ people for 42 seats!), we were WAY down the list. We started making plans for what to do if we didn't get called. The best option we could figure was to get the plane to Aviano, Italy later that afternoon, spend the night in Aviano, and then take the flight from Aviano the next day. It had 80-something seats available, so we felt sure we could get on that one. We just hoped we wouldn't have to.
The roll call started, and we waited. We saw Paul and Colin from the flight over and said hello. They got called early again. By this time, we knew that there were now 73 seats free, so we were hopeful, but not 100% positive we'd have a spot. The line kept getting longer and longer, and finally, we heard, "Hilbrecht, K." We were next to the last group called again. In the 60s of 73 seats. We definitely had a guardian angel watching over us on this trip!
We went up to the counter and were admitted into the check-in line where we had to wait about 30 more minutes to check in, even though we weren't checking any bags. The guy behind the desk told us that we needed to head upstairs by 11:30 to wait for security to open at 12 because the line got really long. What? We can't even go through security until 12? Yep. The flight was not scheduled to depart until 2:30. It was going to be a long day.
By this time, Subway had opened, and I got myself a sandwich to keep from starving before we boarded the plane. We sat in the hallway upstairs and waited and waited. I wished I had a cot.
Long about 12, the security guards showed up, and we started shuffling towards the gate. The guys in uniform didn't have to remove their boots, but we had to take off our shoes, etc. We got through that business and then had to clear the customs lady. She was a dragon lady extraordinaire.
The poor couple in front of us were put through their paces. How did you get into Germany? Did you show your passport? Why isn't it stamped? What were you doing here? How long did you stay? Did you buy anything while you were here? Really? I don't believe that! How did you get into Germany if you didn't get your passport stamped? I asked you once already! On and on. Finally, she looked at them and they would be dead if looks could kill. We were shaking in our boots when we handed her our passports, but she just stamped them and waved us on. Sometimes I think customs people like to mess with travelers just to liven up their days.
We went into the gate area and had to wait some more. Like another hour and a half. At 2:30, they started boarding people by if they were coming home from Kuwait, had small children, had families, etc. We got on about 3:00 and we didn't take off until close to 3:30. I was sad to go. There was so much else I wanted to do, so much I didn't get to see. I kept telling myself that I've done and seen more than most people I know, but it's hard to leave a place when you feel like you are not finished yet. Guess I'll have to come back.
I was in a seat with a young soldier. I found out later that he was 21 and had been in Kuwait for 9 months. He wasn't very talkative, and I could tell he was tired. He slept most of the trip, and whenever the stewardess came around with drinks or snacks, I'd get something for him. I had to wake him up for dinner, and we talked a little. He had gone into the army straight out of high school to get money for college. He was heading back to his base and then getting out of the service to start his education. He only had 3 months left before he was finished, so he wasn't going home on leave. He hated the desert and couldn't wait to get back to the States. I never asked his name.
As we approached the runway, my soldier guy was looking out the window and at the landscape below. When the wheels hit the runway and we were back on US soil, I saw him wiping tears from his eyes. I didn't want to stare, so I tried to look away but I couldn't help it. When he turned my way, I said, "Glad to be home?" He replied, "Oh my god, yes."
We landed in Baltimore at 4:30 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. by our bodies. We had to wait to get off the plane. Wait to go through customs. Wait. Wait. Wait. When we walked through the doors to finally go rent a car for the drive home, we were greeted with applause and posters and photographers and people yelling, "Welcome home!"
I was like, "I don't think we are who you want. We were just on vacation..." They offered us the welcome home goody bags, but we declined. It was really nice, though, for the people who had been in the Middle East or stationed overseas. They were all coming through the doors surprised then breaking into smiles from ear to ear. There were some kids with Down's Syndrome at the end of the Welcome Home gauntlet, giving all the soldiers high-fives. There was a lady waiting with a new baby for her husband who had not seen his daughter yet. There were parents waiting for their kids, and I saw my seat mate walk out and into the arms of his mom and dad.
I have never seen anything like this except for the Honor Flight, and it was really nice. It makes you feel proud to be a part of something other than yourself. Twenty-three years I have been a military wife, and 26 years attached to the military. It's pretty powerful when you think about it. It's just what we do in our family, but wow, what an honor.
It took awhile for Kirk to get the rental car set up using his points, so we didn't get on the road home until about 7 p.m. I had been up for about 20 hours. I started to crash the minute I sat down in the front seat, and we pulled out onto the freeway. Luckily Kirk was driving, so I got to nap for awhile.
We drove for about 2 hours then stopped for some good old Taco Bell. I took over the wheel and we finally decided to stop in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. I don't really even remember walking to the room. We had a roll-away cot for Kyle, and the 5 of us fell asleep one last time in the same room. I wonder how many more times we will do that...
We got the kids up and were out the door by 6:15, stopping to get gas along the way. We had a moment of panic when Kirk put the cities into the GPS for directions, and we got an estimate of 3 hours from where we were to Ramstein. I was sure I had put us only 20 minutes away, but I started second-guessing myself. It was going to be b.a.d. if we weren't where I thought we were. Thankfully, there must be two Ramsteins or else Kirk had mixed up an i and an e, because when he tried again, we were right where we were supposed to be.
He dropped us off at the airport and we all went in and put our names on the list confirming that we were present and ready for departure. He drove the car back to Hertz, and then walked back to hang with us until roll call at 9:30. At this point, we were #12 on the list, so we felt pretty good about getting one of the 42 spots.
The girls and I walked over to the inn to get some food. We thought one final croissant or German pretzel would be a nice last hurrah to our trip. There was only one restaurant open in the whole inn/PX, and we waited in line for about 30 minutes. I bought a cheese pretzel stick and it looked amazing! I went to take a big bite out of it, only to discover that it was not just cheese, but ham and cheese. UGH! I spit it out and threw it away.
 |
| Waiting |
The airport kept filling up with more and more people. There was a group of folks across from us talking, saying, "We're Category 5, so that should guarantee us a seat, don't you think?" Um, by the looks of things, no.
 |
| Our "competition" for the 42 seats |
The roll call started, and we waited. We saw Paul and Colin from the flight over and said hello. They got called early again. By this time, we knew that there were now 73 seats free, so we were hopeful, but not 100% positive we'd have a spot. The line kept getting longer and longer, and finally, we heard, "Hilbrecht, K." We were next to the last group called again. In the 60s of 73 seats. We definitely had a guardian angel watching over us on this trip!
We went up to the counter and were admitted into the check-in line where we had to wait about 30 more minutes to check in, even though we weren't checking any bags. The guy behind the desk told us that we needed to head upstairs by 11:30 to wait for security to open at 12 because the line got really long. What? We can't even go through security until 12? Yep. The flight was not scheduled to depart until 2:30. It was going to be a long day.
By this time, Subway had opened, and I got myself a sandwich to keep from starving before we boarded the plane. We sat in the hallway upstairs and waited and waited. I wished I had a cot.
Long about 12, the security guards showed up, and we started shuffling towards the gate. The guys in uniform didn't have to remove their boots, but we had to take off our shoes, etc. We got through that business and then had to clear the customs lady. She was a dragon lady extraordinaire.
The poor couple in front of us were put through their paces. How did you get into Germany? Did you show your passport? Why isn't it stamped? What were you doing here? How long did you stay? Did you buy anything while you were here? Really? I don't believe that! How did you get into Germany if you didn't get your passport stamped? I asked you once already! On and on. Finally, she looked at them and they would be dead if looks could kill. We were shaking in our boots when we handed her our passports, but she just stamped them and waved us on. Sometimes I think customs people like to mess with travelers just to liven up their days.
We went into the gate area and had to wait some more. Like another hour and a half. At 2:30, they started boarding people by if they were coming home from Kuwait, had small children, had families, etc. We got on about 3:00 and we didn't take off until close to 3:30. I was sad to go. There was so much else I wanted to do, so much I didn't get to see. I kept telling myself that I've done and seen more than most people I know, but it's hard to leave a place when you feel like you are not finished yet. Guess I'll have to come back.
I was in a seat with a young soldier. I found out later that he was 21 and had been in Kuwait for 9 months. He wasn't very talkative, and I could tell he was tired. He slept most of the trip, and whenever the stewardess came around with drinks or snacks, I'd get something for him. I had to wake him up for dinner, and we talked a little. He had gone into the army straight out of high school to get money for college. He was heading back to his base and then getting out of the service to start his education. He only had 3 months left before he was finished, so he wasn't going home on leave. He hated the desert and couldn't wait to get back to the States. I never asked his name.
As we approached the runway, my soldier guy was looking out the window and at the landscape below. When the wheels hit the runway and we were back on US soil, I saw him wiping tears from his eyes. I didn't want to stare, so I tried to look away but I couldn't help it. When he turned my way, I said, "Glad to be home?" He replied, "Oh my god, yes."
We landed in Baltimore at 4:30 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. by our bodies. We had to wait to get off the plane. Wait to go through customs. Wait. Wait. Wait. When we walked through the doors to finally go rent a car for the drive home, we were greeted with applause and posters and photographers and people yelling, "Welcome home!"
I was like, "I don't think we are who you want. We were just on vacation..." They offered us the welcome home goody bags, but we declined. It was really nice, though, for the people who had been in the Middle East or stationed overseas. They were all coming through the doors surprised then breaking into smiles from ear to ear. There were some kids with Down's Syndrome at the end of the Welcome Home gauntlet, giving all the soldiers high-fives. There was a lady waiting with a new baby for her husband who had not seen his daughter yet. There were parents waiting for their kids, and I saw my seat mate walk out and into the arms of his mom and dad.
 |
| My new friend hugging his mom |
It took awhile for Kirk to get the rental car set up using his points, so we didn't get on the road home until about 7 p.m. I had been up for about 20 hours. I started to crash the minute I sat down in the front seat, and we pulled out onto the freeway. Luckily Kirk was driving, so I got to nap for awhile.
We drove for about 2 hours then stopped for some good old Taco Bell. I took over the wheel and we finally decided to stop in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. I don't really even remember walking to the room. We had a roll-away cot for Kyle, and the 5 of us fell asleep one last time in the same room. I wonder how many more times we will do that...
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Heidelberg.
The drive to Heidelberg took all of 10 minutes then we were tooling around like the Griswolds looking for a place to park. We found a spot, about 4 stories underground, right between the Altstadt and the castle. We weren't sure where we were in relation to the rest of the city, so we set out for what looked to be the center of town in hopes of finding an information office.
Some of us had to use the restroom, and, again, not knowing where we were, we began looking around for public facilities. We saw that we were right by a university, and it being a university, Kirk figured it would have restrooms somewhere, so we 5 American tourists scoped out the University of Heidelberg for a place to take care of business. We found it in the basement of the library building and left as inconspicuously as 5 American tourists could. Kyle wanted to ditch us immediately. I know he was humiliated by us!
We kept walking around and finally came upon a stadt plan, a big layout of the city, and got our bearings. I think a week of waking up in a new place and having to negotiate our way around a different city and/or country every day was messing with our navigational mojo! It looked like rain, so we decided a tour of the castle was our best option.
The hike up to the castle is strenuous, to say the least.
It's a steep, cobblestone road to the top, but once you are there, the views are amazing. You can see the Neckar River and the Old Bridge and the Altstadt below.
The castle was started at the beginning of the 1200s and expanded in the 1600s. Like Ruine Hochburg, it was damaged during the Thirty Years' War and again in the late 1600s by the French. People continued to occupy the good sections until the 1800s when some government officials decided to restore it in order for it to be used as a tourist destination. In fact, Mark Twain visited Heidelberg Castle on his travels during the 1880s. Here we were 130+ years later seeing it as well.
We decided to take a guided tour and got the funniest little guy as a guide. He kept cracking jokes that he thought were really funny, but the acoustics were so bad that hardly anybody caught what he was saying. I would laugh, because some of his comments were pretty hysterical, and then a few others would chime in politely even though it was obvious that they had no idea what they were laughing at, but he just kept on making jokes and chuckling to himself. He told us about one of the kings who used to have his gamesmen catch deer and put it in the moat so he could shoot them, however, he was usually so drunk that the gamesmen would have to stand behind him and shoot as well, and they would actually kill the animals not the king.
The tour took about an hour or so, and it was nice to get to go where regular folks can't go.
We went down to the basement where there is a wine cask so big that people used to dance on top of it!
Afterwards, we headed down to the city to walk around the Altstadt and buy some souvineers and get a snack.
Claire found a German-type hat for Tate, as they have a running hat joke. Emily found a snow globe for her friend, Rebecca, because Rebecca collects snow globes from all over the world. I found a very nice matted print from 1830 of some type of pretty pink flower. We walked around the streets and looked in the churches and stores. We went to the Old Bridge and walked out on it. It was really windy and actually a bit chilly.
Emily got into a hot game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with Kirk and Kyle. She and Kyle kept doing the same move each time.
After, we decided to get a late lunch before heading to our hotel to get ready to leave tomorrow. We found this restaurant that has been in business in this same spot for about 500 years and decided to eat there because that that is not something we can do in the US!
We sat down inside, and Emily and I ordered potato pancakes with spinach, Claire potatoes and sauerkraut, and the guys got bratwursts.
After we finished "linner," we stopped in the Lindt store for some candy to take back as souvineers. There was a lot of chocolate! All kinds of choices and flavors we don't have in the US. It took a long time to pick!
We went back to the car and headed toward the town near Ramstein where our hotel was. It is a really, really nice hotel! The inside is immaculate and the beds are the most comfortable ones I've slept in so far.
The wifi was better in the kids' room a couple of doors down, so we all gathered in there to upload pictures, text friends, and check email.
We were finishing off the last of our food, and I started feeling a little belchy. Kind of full, like I had too much to eat, and it wasn't sitting well with me. A little while later, I started getting a bit nauseous. I thought at one point that I was going to throw up, but I didn't. And then I did. I threw up about 4 or 5 times and felt better. I thought maybe the grease from the potato pancakes was making me sick. Emily had the same thing, and she was fine, so I didn't think I had food poisoning. About 15 minutes later, I started throwing up again. I felt awful. All I wanted to do was lay down with a pillow tucked into my belly and sleep.
I started freaking out a little because we are supposed to get up at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow to drive to Ramstein to try and get on a plane for 8 hour plus flight to the US. I hope I feel better by the morning!
Thankfully the kids' room has 4 beds. I've asked Kirk to sleep in there with them so we don't have to be loud when we wake up the kids in the morning, plus, I'll have the bed to myself, so maybe I can sleep.
Some of us had to use the restroom, and, again, not knowing where we were, we began looking around for public facilities. We saw that we were right by a university, and it being a university, Kirk figured it would have restrooms somewhere, so we 5 American tourists scoped out the University of Heidelberg for a place to take care of business. We found it in the basement of the library building and left as inconspicuously as 5 American tourists could. Kyle wanted to ditch us immediately. I know he was humiliated by us!
We kept walking around and finally came upon a stadt plan, a big layout of the city, and got our bearings. I think a week of waking up in a new place and having to negotiate our way around a different city and/or country every day was messing with our navigational mojo! It looked like rain, so we decided a tour of the castle was our best option.
The hike up to the castle is strenuous, to say the least.
 |
| Look how steep the road is! |
It's a steep, cobblestone road to the top, but once you are there, the views are amazing. You can see the Neckar River and the Old Bridge and the Altstadt below.
 |
| A model of the castle before it was destroyed. |
 |
| The courtyard inside the castle walls |
We decided to take a guided tour and got the funniest little guy as a guide. He kept cracking jokes that he thought were really funny, but the acoustics were so bad that hardly anybody caught what he was saying. I would laugh, because some of his comments were pretty hysterical, and then a few others would chime in politely even though it was obvious that they had no idea what they were laughing at, but he just kept on making jokes and chuckling to himself. He told us about one of the kings who used to have his gamesmen catch deer and put it in the moat so he could shoot them, however, he was usually so drunk that the gamesmen would have to stand behind him and shoot as well, and they would actually kill the animals not the king.
The tour took about an hour or so, and it was nice to get to go where regular folks can't go.
We went down to the basement where there is a wine cask so big that people used to dance on top of it!
 |
| The stairs going down from the top of the wine cask |
Afterwards, we headed down to the city to walk around the Altstadt and buy some souvineers and get a snack.
 |
| Heidelberg Castle from the bridge |
Emily got into a hot game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with Kirk and Kyle. She and Kyle kept doing the same move each time.
 |
| Scissors! |
 |
| Paper! |
We sat down inside, and Emily and I ordered potato pancakes with spinach, Claire potatoes and sauerkraut, and the guys got bratwursts.
We went back to the car and headed toward the town near Ramstein where our hotel was. It is a really, really nice hotel! The inside is immaculate and the beds are the most comfortable ones I've slept in so far.
The wifi was better in the kids' room a couple of doors down, so we all gathered in there to upload pictures, text friends, and check email.
We were finishing off the last of our food, and I started feeling a little belchy. Kind of full, like I had too much to eat, and it wasn't sitting well with me. A little while later, I started getting a bit nauseous. I thought at one point that I was going to throw up, but I didn't. And then I did. I threw up about 4 or 5 times and felt better. I thought maybe the grease from the potato pancakes was making me sick. Emily had the same thing, and she was fine, so I didn't think I had food poisoning. About 15 minutes later, I started throwing up again. I felt awful. All I wanted to do was lay down with a pillow tucked into my belly and sleep.
I started freaking out a little because we are supposed to get up at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow to drive to Ramstein to try and get on a plane for 8 hour plus flight to the US. I hope I feel better by the morning!
Thankfully the kids' room has 4 beds. I've asked Kirk to sleep in there with them so we don't have to be loud when we wake up the kids in the morning, plus, I'll have the bed to myself, so maybe I can sleep.
Rheinfalls and Genovia, I mean, Liechtenstein
We left Leysin at 7 a.m. this morning, headed towards Heidelberg with stops at Rheinfalls and Liechtenstein along the way.
We stopped for gas, and the kids and I needed to use the restroom while we were there. The restrooms were in these metal port-a-pot like structures out in the middle of the parking lot. I went in to get coffee first, and I could see Claire walking around the outside of the port-a-pot with a confused look on her face. She stood there looking in one of the open doors like she was trying to figure out what to do. I figured it must be dirty, although I found that hard to believe because the restrooms in Europe were all so clean. Finally she went in and everything seemed fine when she got back to the car. Once I went over to use the restroom, I understood what the confusion was all about.
I have never seen a restroom like this one. The structure had 6 individual stalls, all made of what looked to be stainless steel. They were not dirty. In fact, there was a lady scrubbing the heck out of the stall next to me. She had a bucket of sudsy water and a broom, and she was digging in the corners and behind the toilet like there was no tomorrow. She had a hose and was spraying out the suds. Water was flying everywhere.
But that wasn't the confusing part. What was confusing was what we saw when we went inside. There was a huge bowl on one side of the stall, almost the width of it. Folded up along the back of the wall was this huge, weird seat that you had to pull down if you wanted to sit. Then when you were finished with your business, you lifted the seat back up along the wall. To wash your hands, you pushed a button on the other wall and got the soap. Then finally, you pushed another button and water squirted out in an arc into the bowl you just peed into. It was really weird. I took a picture.
We pulled into Rheinfalls and, you guessed it, had lunch out of the car! After we ate, we got out and walked around. Rheinfalls is the largest waterfall in Europe. There are castles on each side if the Rhein River at the falls, and an island in the middle. We walked down and were so close that we could almost touch the water. It is not as dramatic as Niagra, but it is beautiful in its own way.
The kids really wanted to see Liechtenstein for some reason, and since it was not too far out of our way, we decided to stop in for a bit. That sounds funny, doesn't it? "Yes, I think I'll stop in for a short visit in Liechtenstein..." but really, a short visit is all you need.
Liechtenstein is pretty, but it seemed to be the little brother of the rest of Europe. The kids kept referring to it as "Genovia." It was fairly underwhelming. The castle sits up on a hill overlooking the valley and city below.
It is several hundred years old, and the royal family still lives in it. There are no gates or guards to keep you from wandering around the castle itself, only a sign telling you it's off limits. We spent about an hour walking down a hill to see it and then looking around.
Then we went into the town of Vaduz to get some groceries for the rest of the trip. The one good thing I can say about Liechtenstein is that they had a grocery open on a Sunday.
While I was shopping, Kirk and the kids got an ice-cream and sat on the square listening to an oompah band play pop songs. It was kind of jarring to hear the Rolling Stones played as a polka!
After finishing our ice cream cones, we got back in the car and made our way to Bammental, Germany, just outside of Heidelberg. We stayed in a nice hotel, with the kids in one room and us across the hall. I still can't get used to that. The problem is that most of the time to lock the door, you have to do it with the key from the inside, so we can't get in the room if we need to. The kids sleep so soundly that it's hard to wake them up by knocking on the door loud enough to not wake up everybody else. I don't want to take the key from them and leave them locked in their room in case there is an emergency and they need to get out. It's been a struggle. Thankfully, Emily has been the one who is easiest to wake up, but it's still a challenge.
We were hungry for a hot meal, and it was late on a Sunday night. Our inn keeper recommended this German restaurant down the street a bit. We decided to try it. We were woefully underdressed, but the hostess welcomed us in and gave us a nice table. The waiter was delightful and with the guys' German and his English, we had a nice conversation. The girls and I ordered the cheese spaetzel, and it was magnificent! SO, so good! The salad was very tasty, and the guys loved their schnitzel and noodles. It was the meal we had been searching for the whole trip. We complimented the food and met the owner, and felt truly welcome. A few minutes later, the waiter came out with a complimentary plate of various kinds of mousse and home made ice cream for us to share. What a way to end the evening!
But it was not over...Kirk went to pay, and the credit card machine was down. It was 9 pm, and he had to leave to go get cash. So the girls and I sat there in the restaurant as collateral, the only people besides the owner and the waiter, until Kirk and Kyle returned. Awkward!
Back in the hotel, we broke out the bag of popcorn I had purchased in Vaduz and pulled up Guardians of the Galaxy on the laptop. All of us crowded around the computer screen for some family movie time. It was a really good day!
We stopped for gas, and the kids and I needed to use the restroom while we were there. The restrooms were in these metal port-a-pot like structures out in the middle of the parking lot. I went in to get coffee first, and I could see Claire walking around the outside of the port-a-pot with a confused look on her face. She stood there looking in one of the open doors like she was trying to figure out what to do. I figured it must be dirty, although I found that hard to believe because the restrooms in Europe were all so clean. Finally she went in and everything seemed fine when she got back to the car. Once I went over to use the restroom, I understood what the confusion was all about.
I have never seen a restroom like this one. The structure had 6 individual stalls, all made of what looked to be stainless steel. They were not dirty. In fact, there was a lady scrubbing the heck out of the stall next to me. She had a bucket of sudsy water and a broom, and she was digging in the corners and behind the toilet like there was no tomorrow. She had a hose and was spraying out the suds. Water was flying everywhere.
But that wasn't the confusing part. What was confusing was what we saw when we went inside. There was a huge bowl on one side of the stall, almost the width of it. Folded up along the back of the wall was this huge, weird seat that you had to pull down if you wanted to sit. Then when you were finished with your business, you lifted the seat back up along the wall. To wash your hands, you pushed a button on the other wall and got the soap. Then finally, you pushed another button and water squirted out in an arc into the bowl you just peed into. It was really weird. I took a picture.
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| The spout on top is for soap, and the button underneath is for water. The water squirts out in an arc from the bottom button. Weirdest restroom I've ever seen! |
We pulled into Rheinfalls and, you guessed it, had lunch out of the car! After we ate, we got out and walked around. Rheinfalls is the largest waterfall in Europe. There are castles on each side if the Rhein River at the falls, and an island in the middle. We walked down and were so close that we could almost touch the water. It is not as dramatic as Niagra, but it is beautiful in its own way.
The kids really wanted to see Liechtenstein for some reason, and since it was not too far out of our way, we decided to stop in for a bit. That sounds funny, doesn't it? "Yes, I think I'll stop in for a short visit in Liechtenstein..." but really, a short visit is all you need.
Liechtenstein is pretty, but it seemed to be the little brother of the rest of Europe. The kids kept referring to it as "Genovia." It was fairly underwhelming. The castle sits up on a hill overlooking the valley and city below.
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| The castle overlooking Vaduz, Liechtenstein |
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| I guess the castle walls are so thick, nobody worries about intruders. |
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| Vaduz, Liechtenstein |
Then we went into the town of Vaduz to get some groceries for the rest of the trip. The one good thing I can say about Liechtenstein is that they had a grocery open on a Sunday.
While I was shopping, Kirk and the kids got an ice-cream and sat on the square listening to an oompah band play pop songs. It was kind of jarring to hear the Rolling Stones played as a polka!
 |
| Enjoying ice cream and the oompah band |
We were hungry for a hot meal, and it was late on a Sunday night. Our inn keeper recommended this German restaurant down the street a bit. We decided to try it. We were woefully underdressed, but the hostess welcomed us in and gave us a nice table. The waiter was delightful and with the guys' German and his English, we had a nice conversation. The girls and I ordered the cheese spaetzel, and it was magnificent! SO, so good! The salad was very tasty, and the guys loved their schnitzel and noodles. It was the meal we had been searching for the whole trip. We complimented the food and met the owner, and felt truly welcome. A few minutes later, the waiter came out with a complimentary plate of various kinds of mousse and home made ice cream for us to share. What a way to end the evening!
But it was not over...Kirk went to pay, and the credit card machine was down. It was 9 pm, and he had to leave to go get cash. So the girls and I sat there in the restaurant as collateral, the only people besides the owner and the waiter, until Kirk and Kyle returned. Awkward!
Back in the hotel, we broke out the bag of popcorn I had purchased in Vaduz and pulled up Guardians of the Galaxy on the laptop. All of us crowded around the computer screen for some family movie time. It was a really good day!
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