From Europe to Africa in America - A Sisters' Expedition

[jenbear123]

How did I miss that candy section in Paris?! Going to have to seek that out next time I'm there. What a lovely time in WS. It looked a bit cloudy but at least the rain held off for the most part until you were leaving.

I'm totally down for a trip to Japan if you're looking for a travel partner

 

[Flossbolna]

My mom used to make maple syrup and candy when I was growing up. The syrup was okay, but the candy was just too sweet for me.

Yes, the candy is very sweet! I think it is that maple taste which is so unusual to us. It wasn't until about 10 years ago or so that you could get maple syrup in Germany at all.

Here, Frank Reich LINK is a former pro football quarterback who once held the distinction of leading his team to the biggest comeback victory ever – in both college and professional football. (I didn’t know he was named after a country!)

Wow, what a coincidence!

"Reich" actually means "empire", but as an adjective can also mean "rich"

I won’t quote your Morocco pictures, but I took a lot of the same ones!

They are the obvious ones...

That’s funny! You know, it’s a good idea to secure your little radiators too.

Yes, they might harm other people when they fall out of their seats!

We’ve had that happen too. It’s amazing, out of the thousands of people.

On my very first trip I met a lady from Jersey and her daughter on the bus every night for three days in a row!

I can translate Vacuum and pavement !!!!Hoover and sidewalk !! And I frequently said "Cheerio "" as in Old Chap!!!

I would have been surprised if you didn't know it! And good to know that people actually say Cheerio. Perhaps I never heard it because I am not an Old Chap, so there is no need to adress me that way?

I saw a ton of those places on my trip and heard that music! It was so interesting and cool to me!

Yes, Berlin is most definitely the most diverse city in Germany. Did you have a good trip?

I can't believe how far behind I am. HOW did I not know you started! I am heading back to catch up!

Hi Christine and Great to have you along, we have more or less just started the TR (even though the trip was 7 months ago... )

WOW! what a great update and how fun to go on your stroll with you!

I am cracking up at the Miss Sunshine. We used to have several of those books...the favorite being Mr. Nosy (Evan). Who really didn't learn a darn thing from that book!

How funny that the book did not work!

What a great afternoon around the WS! Ive never heard of maple candy, but it sounds delicious.

I am not really sure what it is, I think it is kind of dried syrup? It has a fudge like consistence and is incredibly sweet.

I spy with my little eye Coffee Candy! Yum!

There are even two different ones!

I'm thinking they don't sell to many of those!

I think they would be great for shashlik like Liesa keeps telling us about they have in Blankistan. But I am sure they need to go into the checked luggage!

Adorable!!! If you do take that trip to Japan please keep us updated via a Community Board thread or a blog or something, I would love to read along!!

Lurkyloo is actually doing a wonderful Tokyo/Tokyo Disneyland TR on the Community Board at the moment: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2440546

I'm sorry Katharina, but this made me laugh out loud so hard! We have a "little radiator" in our bathroom, so I immediately pictured it strapped in and taking a ride on Soarin'. Oh the visual is just too funny! Aviator is a difficult word, I'm certain she is not alone in misunderstanding it!

I think I might have only understood the word when I first heard it because it was just after the film Aviator with Leo DiCaprio had come out...

How did I miss that candy section in Paris?! Going to have to seek that out next time I'm there. What a lovely time in WS. It looked a bit cloudy but at least the rain held off for the most part until you were leaving.

The weather this year wasn't really all that great.

I'm totally down for a trip to Japan if you're looking for a travel partner

Sounds great, I will keep that in mind! It would be very much the same deal that Katharina has now with her trip to Finland: being the chaperone on the flight to Japan for a bunch of German exchange students who are going to spend a year living with a Japanese family. But it would also let me have some time on my own to travel around. However, there might be a number of applicants for that job and I am not sure that I will get it.

But I would recommend lurkyloo's report (see answer to Brook above) if you are interested in Japan!

 

[lovealldisney]

You don't look like Roz at all!! Up is a great film, but sooo sad in the beginning. I think Pixar is really great at telling moving stories. I am really looking forward to Toy Story 3 which just came out last week in Germany. Katharina and I are going to see it when she returns from Finland.

Oh make sure you bring tissues! I cried my eyes out.

August will be a strange month! I feel a bit like I haven't really much to do at work anymore, just need to tie up some loose ends... And then organizing the move etc... It looks like I will do the actual move now after your visit to Nuremberg. Much less stress and I have two and a half weeks off from work anyway. For some reason I was always thinking that I need to get everything done as quickliy as possible, but that's nonsense. The trip to Nuremberg for your visit will be my monthly trip home (which I get reimbursed) and the appartment here is paid for until the end of August anyway...

Are you moving?

We walked through the shop and were very disappointed! Mainly because we could not get any maple candy. Katharina and I love that stuff. We first got it from a lovely lady from Sturbridge, Massachusetts, who was staying with our family for four weeks in the summer of 1988. She was chaperoning a group of teenagers from the US who stayed in our area. We later visited her on our six week long trip to the US in 1992 and bought more maple candy when we were in New England ourselves. I was certain that I had seen it in the Canada shop before, but this time we couldn't find any... We were very sad about that!!

Can you get maple candy in Germany?



We also enjoyed all the “Little Miss” merchandise there:

This would be my DD! Not that she is on the phone alot but is consantly talking!


Oh and I would have been all over the candy in France!! I LOVE chocholate!

 

[glennbo123]

On my very first trip I met a lady from Jersey and her daughter on the bus every night for three days in a row!

I hope they eventually found their hotel! Maybe that's the level below "Value".

 

[If U Had Wings]

I've lived in New England my entire life, and I've never had maple candy at all. Every year I see them selling it in the Vermont exhibition building at the New England fair, but I've never tried it. I may have to give it a try this year. I love the taste of maple. I can't believe that you've only had maple syrup for about 10 years in Germany. I have tried maple cotton candy and once a maple soda. The soda was delicious. It wasn't very sweet at all, mostly seltzer with a taste of maple. Yum!

The Little Miss stuff made me smile. We always call my older niece Little Miss Sunshine and the younger one Little Miss Trouble. I even made shirts for them on our last trip with the characters wearing Mickey ears.

I love all the pictures of Morocco. The pavillion has so many little nooks and details to explore. It's one of my favorite pavillions.

 

[Lady Lallie]

You would really think Canada would have Maple Candy!

I love the Little Miss merchandise and books, they are so cute. I loved reading them when I was younger.

I've totally missed that candy section in the France store.

I love the tshirt you are wearing on this day, it's very cute.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I hope they eventually found their hotel! Maybe that's the level below "Value".

 

[I_heart_Tinkerbell]

I love you TR. I just found it yesterday and got caught up today. You have a great way of telling a story. Plus the angles you use are wonderful on the photos especially in World Showcase.

 

[addictedtothemouse]

My DH loves the grape gummy candy from the Japan pavilion. I thought it was kind of gross.

I had to laugh at the "little radiators" I could just see radiators from tiny cars being buckled in.

 

[TyRy]

Your pictures of World Showcase in the update are just lovely. May have to make one of them by background on my computer.

This was the first trip where I had finally seen a bunch of the movies in the different countries...we always skipped them. Then we had my friend with us who really wanted to see everything, so we did. Perhaps on another trip you'll both do that.

I have to ask...was the park as empty as it looked? Each of your photos had very few people in them.

 

[Flossbolna]

Oh make sure you bring tissues! I cried my eyes out.

We will!! Learned that with UP: Pixar films can be very emotional!

Are you moving?

Yes and no - I am working in Berlin at the moment, but my time here will end shortly, so instead of having two appartments, one in Nuremberg which is my real home base and the one in Berlin, I will only be in Nuremberg in the future. So I have to move all stuff I have here in Berlin to Nuremberg... You would think having just a small place here it wouldn't be so much, but it is!!

Can you get maple candy in Germany?

No maple candy here in Germany - no suger maple trees in Europe.

This would be my DD! Not that she is on the phone alot but is consantly talking!

Oh and I would have been all over the candy in France!! I LOVE chocholate!

It was all kind of candy there in France, I think it would be fun to pick one of each, they aren't too expensive either.

I hope they eventually found their hotel! Maybe that's the level below "Value".

Possibly... There is a German tour company called "Rotel" (rolling hotel) where you sleep on the bus:

 

[Flossbolna]

I've lived in New England my entire life, and I've never had maple candy at all. Every year I see them selling it in the Vermont exhibition building at the New England fair, but I've never tried it. I may have to give it a try this year. I love the taste of maple. I can't believe that you've only had maple syrup for about 10 years in Germany. I have tried maple cotton candy and once a maple soda. The soda was delicious. It wasn't very sweet at all, mostly seltzer with a taste of maple. Yum!

You ought to try it! Especially to find out what it is they sell to the tourists! I bought quite a lot when I was in New Hampshire in 2008 and loved it again.

As I mentioned in a reply to Wendy, no sugar maple trees in Europe hence no maple syrup. I think in special shops you would have been able to buy it before then, but I would say during the last 10 years it has become much more available. Mainly due to organic food stores. It is considered one of those healthier sweets like honey. Many people here think it is better for you than the refined white sugar. I don't know about that, but I love the taste of it. I use it a lot in salad dressings. The maple soda sounds great!

The Little Miss stuff made me smile. We always call my older niece Little Miss Sunshine and the younger one Little Miss Trouble. I even made shirts for them on our last trip with the characters wearing Mickey ears.

The Little Miss stuff is very cute. I think it is such a fun ironic way to pick on certain character traits!

I love all the pictures of Morocco. The pavillion has so many little nooks and details to explore. It's one of my favorite pavillions.

It is a great pavillion for taking pictures because there is so much to see. It is also very exotic!

You would really think Canada would have Maple Candy!

I was sure that I had seen it there in previous years.

I've totally missed that candy section in the France store.

I think it was in the middle of the general store where they sell all kind of cookery items as well.

I love the tshirt you are wearing on this day, it's very cute.

Thanks! I got that in 2009 at WDW and like it a lot.

I love you TR. I just found it yesterday and got caught up today. You have a great way of telling a story. Plus the angles you use are wonderful on the photos especially in World Showcase.

and thank you for the nice compliments on my writing and the pictures! I think I learned a lot about which pictures look good by reading many reports here on the DIS. Many people have much better pictures than me!

My DH loves the grape gummy candy from the Japan pavilion. I thought it was kind of gross.

We did not really enjoy the grape candy either. I think our favourite was orange. But none were really remarkable. Those chewy candies however!!

I had to laugh at the "little radiators" I could just see radiators from tiny cars being buckled in.

Misunderstanding a foreign language can sometimes create really fun situations.

Your pictures of World Showcase in the update are just lovely. May have to make one of them by background on my computer.

Wow, thank you! I never thought my pictures were that good. If there is one you want, I can email it to you in full size. Might be better than the small file from photobucket.

This was the first trip where I had finally seen a bunch of the movies in the different countries...we always skipped them. Then we had my friend with us who really wanted to see everything, so we did. Perhaps on another trip you'll both do that.

I am sure that I will get to see the films one day! I just need to make time for it. I think this time we just were too focused on getting on all the rides.

I have to ask...was the park as empty as it looked? Each of your photos had very few people in them.

Yes, the park was that empty. Remember the crowd shop at rope drop that morning? There was nobody around. That's why I love January at WDW!

 

[lovealldisney]

Possibly... There is a German tour company called "Rotel" (rolling hotel) where you sleep on the bus:

Ok this has peeked my interest. I will have to google it!
So when will you be back in Nuremburg permanetly? We still need to plan our meet. I have been talking with your sister and there is a Berlin meet in the works! Very excited!! It's hard to believe that I will be there in little over a month! Time really does move fast.

Katharina gave me some interesting facts about Aldi stores there. We have them here in the US and I LOVE shopping there! So my goal is to locate as many as possible while there and of course comparison shop.

 

[Flossbolna]

Ok this has peeked my interest. I will have to google it!
So when will you be back in Nuremburg permanetly? We still need to plan our meet. I have been talking with your sister and there is a Berlin meet in the works! Very excited!! It's hard to believe that I will be there in little over a month! Time really does move fast.

Katharina gave me some interesting facts about Aldi stores there. We have them here in the US and I LOVE shopping there! So my goal is to locate as many as possible while there and of course comparison shop.

I think this idea on sleeping in a small cabin on the bus is rathr scary!! But my parents have a friend who loved to travel that way.

Katharina told me that you were emailing about Berlin, but not that you were also talking about Aldi! Make sure that you visit one in Berlin as well as in Bavaria. There is quite a difference between Aldi North and Aldi South - the two brothers split Germany in half and each had his own company. Generally people say that Aldi South is the better one.

 

[Flossbolna]

Our ADR for tonight was at Flying Fish at 5:35 pm. I really like these early ADRs since you can enjoy the parks afterwards.

After our break at AKL we were debating on how to get to the Boardwalk best. Our two options were: bus to AK, change to bus to BW, or bus to DHS, change to boat to BW. We decided that we would hop on whatever arrived first. It was a DHS bus.

Luckily it wasn't really raining that much anymore when we walked over to the boat and we did not have to wait long. By the time the boat got to the Swan and Dolphin it had stopped raining. The Swan/Dolphin is the first stop coming from DHS and the boat driver announces that you can get off here if you want to go to the BW because the boat takes the scenic route, stopping at the Beach Club first before getting to the BW: So walking will often be faster. Since we wanted to explore the area anyway, we got off here:

I am really not sure whether I like the Swan and the Dolphin. When I first saw them, I hated them and thought they were ugly. But now I think they have a great location and they actually look like a lot of fun. But not nearly as much fun as the Disney resorts, so I guess they aren't that much of an option for me anyway.

On to the Boardwalk:

We also enjoyed the view across the lake:

We loved these chairs on the porch outside the lobby of the Boardwalk:

And then we went into the lobby – it is sooo pretty! I really love the colours and the design of this place.

Do you see the table besides the couch in this picture – it looks like a stack of books (Katharina saw that):

I would love to have one of them for the big library I will have one day.....


We loved these paintings of “country castles” - Do you recognize them?

Katharina found a tiny sofa:

And here you can see what the Boardwalk looked like in the old times:

We had a drink (just two diet cokes) at the bar, the Belle Vue Room, which was so quaint! I always had liked the look of the Boardwalk, but I really fell in love with it this time. I am quite sure that on my next trip I want to stay there (at least for some nights).

Next: Chapter 19: Dinner at Flying Fish

 

[All7OfUs]

OK, after FAR too many days of not replying to this, I am ready!!!

I'll do it in list style, if that's ok:

1) Your 2nd Canada pic. looks like a portion of the "Going to the Sun Road" that goes over the Rockies from BC to Alberta. A spectacular road that closes in the winter often times. Anyway, the arches and high "construction" reminded me of it.

2) Mmmmm... maple ANYTHING!!! I"m bummed you couldn't find any!

3) the GB Pav. is just so lovely to slowly stroll though! I love the flowers and architecture there- to me it just exudes peace and quiet- much like the Japan Pav. but in a western theme.

4) I need to find those UK quizzes, even though I know I'm going to stink at them.

5) I think the Minnie on Katharina's shirt is the same classic Minnie that's on the front of my Minnie Book. going to check now... VERY Close.

6) I really need a piece of that salty butter caramel. That sounds heavenly!

7) Sadly I am having to leave all my berets behind that I bought in Paris. I just don't wear them, and have to fill my luggage with other more important things.

8) GREAT tip on getting the pita with the schwarma platter rather than the other bread. Same with Akershus. IF you want the Lefse, you have to ask for it. They have it, but don't give it out freely.

9) Not fresh cut doner meat? EWW!!!! Not only do they shave the meat AFTER you order here, but they also take the warm bread and hold it against the rotating spit to soak up a bit of the flavor from it onto the bread. Mmmm!!!

10) My favorite Morocco pic of yours was the doors with the geometric design on it.

11) I call it the Yuck-itori House. I didn't care for the food at all.

12) Love your animal towel collection!!

 

[All7OfUs]

I am reserving any and all opinions on the Boardwalk until I get there and see it myself. My gut tells me it won't be my cup of tea, as the facades look very much like any apt. building here in the Portland area. But I am willing to see for myself and see what it does for me in person.

Can you give me a landmark as to where Jellyrolls is compared to say Kouzzina in your picture??

Looking forward to seeing your Flying Fish review. I think. I hope it doesn't make me wish I had it in my dining line up next month.

 

[Flossbolna]

Since people keep asking about it, I thought I would briefly explain what all this talk about me moving etc. is about. It is not important for the TR, so feel free to skip over it if you find it too boring!

While I am normally based in Nuremberg, my employer sent me to work in Berlin for three years in 2007. These three years are coming to an end on August 31 and I will return to Nuremberg. Berlin was an exciting opportunity at work and a fascinating city and it made it possible to eat lunch every week with my sister, but I really am looking forward to moving back to Nuremberg as well where I have lots of friends. Also my parents moved to Nuremberg a year ago, so I will have family there as well. But I will miss living in the same city as my sister very much.

So, this Friday will be my last day at work here in Berlin and then I will have two and a half weeks of vacation. Which I will first use for a visit to Nuremberg with Katharina when we get to meet Liesa on her way from Blankistan to the US.

Then it is briefly back to Berlin to finish packing (fortunately there isn't that much to pack, but it is still quite a bit!) and then on August 24 the movers will come and collect everything. I will most likely drive down to Nuremberg finally on August 25. My new phone line (and internet access) should be installed on August 27. So in the time between August 18 and August 27 there might not be much DISing possible. But I promise to post a few pictures of the DISmeet in Nuremberg with Liesa as soon as possible from my parents' computer.

 

[All7OfUs]

You're so sweet to come down to Nuremberg to see us during this hugely busy time in your life!! We are VERY excited for our Meet- Mikki just told me right now that she indeed will join the ladies' time with us, if that's still ok.

Only 4 more days of work with your current job. That must come with mixed feelings. Good luck with your packing and readying your move. I KNOW how much goes into it!

 

[Flossbolna]

OK, after FAR too many days of not replying to this, I am ready!!!

Yeah! Replies!!

I'll do it in list style, if that's ok:

Thats fine!!

1) Your 2nd Canada pic. looks like a portion of the "Going to the Sun Road" that goes over the Rockies from BC to Alberta. A spectacular road that closes in the winter often times. Anyway, the arches and high "construction" reminded me of it.

I think that might be even intended? I now that lot's of the architecture of the pavillions is drawn from actual buildings and I think including some of those viaducts which they had to build in the mountains might be considered a highlight of Canadian architecture. Perhaps Jen nows more about this??

2) Mmmmm... maple ANYTHING!!! I"m bummed you couldn't find any!

Isn't maple great??

3) the GB Pav. is just so lovely to slowly stroll though! I love the flowers and architecture there- to me it just exudes peace and quiet- much like the Japan Pav. but in a western theme.

That's why I love touring the WS anti-clockwise. If you start in Canada in the early morning, you get to the UK in time for the first Worldshowcase Players' show and it is still really quiet there.

4) I need to find those UK quizzes, even though I know I'm going to stink at them.

They were both next to cash registers in the shops there. Good luck with them!

5) I think the Minnie on Katharina's shirt is the same classic Minnie that's on the front of my Minnie Book. going to check now... VERY Close.

I love the classic Minnie a lot. I have a Disney Skagen watch (the best souvenir I ever got at WDW) with this Minnie. It is my everyday watch and does not look very Disney at all.

6) I really need a piece of that salty butter caramel. That sounds heavenly!

I thought so, too, when I posted that pictures. But can you imagine that I only got a picture instead of buying one for myself??

7) Sadly I am having to leave all my berets behind that I bought in Paris. I just don't wear them, and have to fill my luggage with other more important things.

I think berrets are difficult to wear... I can't make them look good on me either.

8) GREAT tip on getting the pita with the schwarma platter rather than the other bread. Same with Akershus. IF you want the Lefse, you have to ask for it. They have it, but don't give it out freely.

It's one I got from other DISers, so I am glad to pass it along!

9) Not fresh cut doner meat? EWW!!!! Not only do they shave the meat AFTER you order here, but they also take the warm bread and hold it against the rotating spit to soak up a bit of the flavor from it onto the bread. Mmmm!!!

They do that here as well. The first time I was at Tangerine, I got fresh cut meat. Perhaps you ought to ask for it? But then it was cut thicker than it would be here as well.

10) My favorite Morocco pic of yours was the doors with the geometric design on it.

I like that a lot as well!

11) I call it the Yuck-itori House. I didn't care for the food at all.

That's a shame. I really like Japanese food, but this just does not seem to do it right. It kind of looks to much like cheap Chinese to me. It might be one of those cases of food being dumbed down a bit in order to be less exotic?

12) Love your animal towel collection!!

We had such a wonderful housekeeper at AKL! She really looked after us very well.

I am reserving any and all opinions on the Boardwalk until I get there and see it myself. My gut tells me it won't be my cup of tea, as the facades look very much like any apt. building here in the Portland area. But I am willing to see for myself and see what it does for me in person.

Can you give me a landmark as to where Jellyrolls is compared to say Kouzzina in your picture??

It would be to the far right of Kouzzina. If you look at the picture where the red houes are on my right, I think Jellyrolls would be behind me a bit. Does that make sense?

Looking forward to seeing your Flying Fish review. I think. I hope it doesn't make me wish I had it in my dining line up next month.

Ok, I better post my next update after you have left so you can't read it befor your trip!

You're so sweet to come down to Nuremberg to see us during this hugely busy time in your life!! We are VERY excited for our Meet- Mikki just told me right now that she indeed will join the ladies' time with us, if that's still ok.

Only 4 more days of work with your current job. That must come with mixed feelings. Good luck with your packing and readying your move. I KNOW how much goes into it!

Mikki is very welcome to join us!

Don't worry, all this moving business is something to organize, but not nearly in any way comparable to what you are doing! And these two and a half weeks are meant as time off from work to do things I want to do, so going to Nuremberg to meet you just fits into my plans perfectly!