It's Payback, European Style! A trip to Bavaria & Austria for DIS friends! - St. Florian! Plus Travel Day back to Frankfurt 10/15

[pkondz]

If you didn’t peel it, it most likely wasn’t a Weißwurst, just a white Bratwurst. The Weißwurst is filled into a pig intestine casing. That’s too hard to bite through. Hence the peeling. They are also thicker therefore. I would say about 4 cm in diameter.

It's been too long (30 years) since then, so I don't recall for certain. Here, I always grill (or fry in winter) weiswurst. But the fleischerei where I used to get it closed a few years ago and I haven't found another place that carries it.

 

[dizneeat]

Is that why they canceled all the flights out of Linz?

Yep, Boeing did it again. Since so many planes had to be serviced they cancelled the shorter flights. Which might not even come back because of environmental concerns with short flights.

Yeah, but it seems like a whole heck of a lot of people (who weren't even in Business Class) were in Boarding Group 1 on that first flight.

Well, people who need help, families with children and most of all travellers with status with an airline can board first, so that's why there are more people in those first groups.

I wish I wasn't on such a tight budget too, but hopefully as I sell off more stuff, and reduce the cost of storage units, I'll have more income to play with. But for now, it's time to list things on eBay to pay for my next trip!

It was just so very surprising after you posted about Victoria and Alberts and your trip to Egypt and the upcoming trip across the pond on DCL with tea reservations for close to 100$.
And I just had to LOL when you mentioned that you only wanted to spend time with friends and do what they do. You should have told me earlier and we could have walked around the little lake behind your hotel daily and taken you grocery shopping. I was under the impression you wanted to travel around and see different things.
You seemed very happy with the itinerary that we provided.

You two are certainly well traveled. You've prompted me to take a look at my signature and see if it needs updating.....

Yeah, I had to update ours as well.

The place featured Nuremberg sausages cooked over a wood fired grill. Just like you can only call sparkling wines from the region of Champagne by that name, the same principle applies to these sausages.

There are lots of different place which have their "own" Bratwurst. The Nürnberger are quite similar to the ones that are served at Christmas Markets or when the fair is on. Ours are a tiny bit bigger though and you only get 4. Usually served with Sauerkraut and a yummy roll.

They have very good coffee from this fancy coffee machine. Which is what I wrote on that second day, come to find out, everywhere in hotels have those fancy coffee machines.

Very different from the US drip coffee. But this is one of the lower level coffee makers, there are way better ones around.

I washed my hair this morning my conditioner felt a lot more sudsy than normal. Well that's because I bought shampoo of my regular brand and not conditioner. Doh!

Happens to the best of us.

Also Europeans don't turn on AC until later in the year. This was also a sticking point for me about booking this hotel. I'd read in reviews from last summer that the AC didn't work in the hotel.

This must be a German thing then!
Because I have never heard of that in all the countries we have visited. And yes, I have been known to turn on the AC in the winter in France as you sometimes can't open windows and we can't sleep when it is too warm in the room.

She's a whiz at getting around on public transport, and shortly we were at the museum.

Well, who wouldn't if they use public transport as their main means of transport.

She ordered the käsespätzle, and we decided that if I didn’t like the Currywurst, she would be happy to eat it. It tasted to me like a hot dog, in an odd sort of ketchup sauce. I didn’t care for it that much so we switched dishes. I very much enjoyed the käsespätzle.

It's a curry ketchup sauce and it is not on my list to ever have again. Sorry!

Since my last stop is Linz, and at the time I originally booked my International flights, the airport at Linz still had flights to Frankfurt, it made more sense.

Even with the train trips back and forth to Frankfurt, I still have the minimal time in transit overall by flying round trip to Frankfurt. But I digress.

Well, there would have been other options but you didn't want to spend any more of your points.




I would have prefered for you to take this flight - would have given us a whole day of sightseeing in Vienna (instead of 5+ hours on a train), evening at a Heuriger and spend the night at a hotel in Vienna instead of the Frankfurt airport hotel. We could have dropped you off at the airport and your luggage would have been out of the way until you got back to LA.

I made the späetzle. It was pretty easy with the right machine! She eventually took over, because she was much better at it than me.

I agree with you. Pretty easy to make, both the dough and putting it through the machine.

I had no bad wine while I was over there, so it was good. I also didn't have anything that knocked my socks off, but it was all good.

That does not surprise me. You get what you pay for and while I cannot speak for Germany here in Austria you opted for the cheapest of wines (2.99 per bottle) in the supermarket. Remember we tried to talk you into a more expensive bottle, but you said you'd rather have quantity than quality. ("I can get three bottles (of the cheap wine) for less of what I would have to pay of the other one").

I leant more toward "leave it" as well. I don't think that we see asparagus anymore on my plate.

White asparagus is not for everyone. I don't blame you - it's the same with mac and cheese for us - not something I need. And while you didn't have any more asparagus - I did. It's so good when it is in season and cooked right.

We continued our walk around the village and I finally saw a cat!

The salad was a little weird, the rest on the plate was super yummy!

What was wrong with it? It looks pretty nice.

 

[franandaj]

What a cute little town! I love how Europe saves its historic buildings in the city centers.

Yes it was very cute, so quaint, and hardly visibly upgraded. Although they did have a very nice public toilet area, which was very modern, and free!

Your dinner looked amazing and what a cute kitty! Glad you got to meet up with Brooke's family too!

I love Jaegerschnitzel and was so pleased to have found it on the menu. I thought of Egypt when I saw the cat.

Yes, we were still up....it was only around 3pm our time and we were still working! LOL You would wake up about the time we were headed to bed!

Yeah, Europe is a very difficult time zone to coordinate with Amerca.

 

[franandaj]

Hey, you know what? I had to update and add a few more tickers. YES, we enjoy retirement.

I need to add a few more tickers too! I see that we will just miss you in Fall of 2025, we arrive at WDW in the last week of October and you are leaving at the end of September.

 

[dizneeat]

I need to add a few more tickers too! I see that we will just miss you in Fall of 2025, we arrive at WDW in the last week of October and you are leaving at the end of September.

Ah, yes, even though we don't leave the end of September we'll leave around the 20 - 23 of October but it looks like we'll miss each other. Haven't made our minds up on exact dates and need to wait for flights to open.
End of September is when we are sailing on the Treasure b2b and then at least 2 more weeks at WDW.

We'll also just fly home after 8 weeks in the US while you are still at sea this fall.

 

[franandaj]

Sorry, Alison, we are busy with Temples and Shrines and theme parks in Japan at the moment. I will be back for replies soon!

No worries! Did the Japanese lessons pay off?

 

[franandaj]

Love the walled towns in Germany. I need to visit the one on this side of the pond again. Haven't been in decades.

Oh? And where is this?

One sheep, two sheep, blue sheep?

What happened to the red sheep?

Not surprised. Walking seems to be Germany's national pastime from what I've seen.

Well there certainly seem to be a lot of folks walking everywhere.

Whole town (old walled in town portion) is so picturesque.

Did it meow with an accent? "Meov"

It didn't even say anything....ran away when I acknowledged it.

mmmmmm...

 

[pkondz]

Oh? And where is this?

Quebec City. Only walled city in North America.

What happened to the red sheep?

Fell off the roof and got turned into sausage.

It didn't even say anything....ran away when I acknowledged it.

Probably had an appointment with a red sheep sausage.

 

[franandaj]

Yep, Boeing did it again. Since so many planes had to be serviced they cancelled the shorter flights. Which might not even come back because of environmental concerns with short flights.

Wow that's very inconvenient!

Well, people who need help, families with children and most of all travellers with status with an airline can board first, so that's why there are more people in those first groups.

The people who need help Preboard, and that was the problem. All the people in group 1 were blocking the gate so the preboarders could not get through.

It was just so very surprising after you posted about Victoria and Alberts

Well, the only reason that I was able to have that meal at Victoria and Albert's was that I had a very large balance on my Disney Rewards card which covered the meal completely and some of the tip, so I really only paid for 25% of the cost of the meal.

and your trip to Egypt

The trip to Egypt was surprisingly affordable, but I still paid for it in "payments", and only finished paying off the trip in full in March. I was determined not to end up paying for the trip to Europe for months after I came back since I ended up doing that before.

and the upcoming trip across the pond on DCL with tea reservations for close to 100$.

Yes that it true, but it's also the only fancy meal we plan while in London. And this is a big splurge. I'm furiously listing things on eBay to pay for the fancy meals on the ship.

And I just had to LOL when you mentioned that you only wanted to spend time with friends and do what they do. You should have told me earlier and we could have walked around the little lake behind your hotel daily and taken you grocery shopping.

I would have been happy to walk around the little lake behind my hotel, for maybe one day and grocery shopping is always fun! Especially if we had returned to your place and cooked up a feast!

I was under the impression you wanted to travel around and see different things.
You seemed very happy with the itinerary that we provided.

I very much enjoyed the itinerary that you provided, but I would have also been happy just doing every day kind of things like sitting on the patio enjoying beverages and meeting your sometimes kitty kat, but that was just not meant to be.

There are lots of different place which have their "own" Bratwurst. The Nürnberger are quite similar to the ones that are served at Christmas Markets or when the fair is on. Ours are a tiny bit bigger though and you only get 4. Usually served with Sauerkraut and a yummy roll.

That sounds delicious. We have regional foods in America, as you know, but it's more like different kinds of pizza, and sandwiches.

Very different from the US drip coffee. But this is one of the lower level coffee makers, there are way better ones around.

US drip coffee is horrible. I almost never drink it. I usually have to be under some sort of duress to do so. Even at Jill's I've learned how to make decent tasting coffee in the drip machine that she keeps for her parent's visits.

This must be a German thing then!
Because I have never heard of that in all the countries we have visited. And yes, I have been known to turn on the AC in the winter in France as you sometimes can't open windows and we can't sleep when it is too warm in the room.

I was also told that AC is regulated in Italy and can't be turned on before a certain time.....weird.

Well, who wouldn't if they use public transport as their main means of transport.

Since that is such a foreign concept to me, it boggles my mind. I'm too afraid to take public transport in LA cause people get assaulted all the time.

It's a curry ketchup sauce and it is not on my list to ever have again. Sorry!

Not sorry, I tried it once and don't ever need to have it again. I don't like ketchup on my hot dogs in America.

I would have prefered for you to take this flight - would have given us a whole day of sightseeing in Vienna (instead of 5+ hours on a train), evening at a Heuriger and spend the night at a hotel in Vienna instead of the Frankfurt airport hotel. We could have dropped you off at the airport and your luggage would have been out of the way until you got back to LA.

I didn't even know this was an option! That you would drive me all the way to Vienna. I was trying to be independent and take care of myself so that I didn't ask too much of you as such gracious hosts!

I agree with you. Pretty easy to make, both the dough and putting it through the machine.

I plan to do it again, next week.....

That does not surprise me. You get what you pay for and while I cannot speak for Germany here in Austria you opted for the cheapest of wines (2.99 per bottle) in the supermarket. Remember we tried to talk you into a more expensive bottle, but you said you'd rather have quantity than quality. ("I can get three bottles (of the cheap wine) for less of what I would have to pay of the other one").

Yes, I do remember that, but if I'm just sitting around the room in the evening sipping wine, I don't see the need to have expensive wine. Especially when the €2.99 bottles are better than the $5 in the US. At home I drink boxed wine for sipping and save the expensive nice bottles for when I make a special meal, have company, or go to Jenny's and Michael's where he cooks a fabulous meal.

White asparagus is not for everyone. I don't blame you - it's the same with mac and cheese for us - not something I need. And while you didn't have any more asparagus - I did. It's so good when it is in season and cooked right.

It's not the white asparagus so much is the size of the asparagus. I really prefer the small asparagus we have in the US, and sometimes, it's not even small here, but I've never seen it so big in the US as it was in Europe.

What was wrong with it? It looks pretty nice.

OK, I'm probably a silly American, but I want a garden salad as a side to a meal like this.

There were too many "extra things" like corn, I think there might have been beans in there. And the lettuce pieces were HUGE, like they didn't tear them up or cut the pieces at all. It wasn't my favorite part of the meal, but the Jaegerschnitzel and the spaetzle were delicious.

 

[franandaj]

Ah, yes, even though we don't leave the end of September we'll leave around the 20 - 23 of October but it looks like we'll miss each other. Haven't made our minds up on exact dates and need to wait for flights to open.
End of September is when we are sailing on the Treasure b2b and then at least 2 more weeks at WDW.

Yes, well this trip came about based on my Band Conference. I fly to Ft. Lauderdale on Oct 22nd, and then rehearse all weekend. There should be a concert on Sunday, and Jill will fly in to come hear the concert. The day after the concert we will take off up to Vero before heading on to Orlando to spend the weekend at F&W.

We'll also just fly home after 8 weeks in the US while you are still at sea this fall.

We will head to the airport when we disembark because we will both have been gone so long on this trip, we need to get right home. Neither of us can take the extended vacations that you and Tom enjoy.

 

[franandaj]

Quebec City. Only walled city in North America.

Oh, that's on the list of places to visit!

Fell off the roof and got turned into sausage.
Probably had an appointment with a red sheep sausage.

You and the sausage!

 

[franandaj]

Day 4

I woke up at 6AM this morning and had some time to sit around in bed and play some games on my tablet. I uploaded a post to Instagram and Allyson was up late for West Coast time so we chatted for a bit.

I went down to breakfast around 7:30. Today I went back to the American breakfast of a Waffle and sausage. Plus some fruit and pastries that I couldn't finish.

Magdalene was supposed to pick me up at 10AM again today, so I had some time after breakfast before I had to be out the door. I finally got out my computer and posted an update on the WDW TR. I sort of set some goals on that TR and scrambled before I left to make sure I had uploaded enough pictures to Photobucket so that I could work on the TR in my downtime while on this trip. So far I hadn't had a lot of downtime!

Magdalene was running a few minutes late and instead of picking me up at 10AM she was just leaving her house. No worries, we aren't on any huge time frame! She took me to the Nazi party grounds to see some historical sites. Like me, she really enjoys history and I was happy to learn about it from her perspective.

What I did not glean from the museum at the courthouse the other day was that the Nazi party was actually the National Socialist German Workers' Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP). The term “Nazi” was actually a derogatory name given to the party by outsiders like the Americans and the Brits.

The NSDAP were displeased with the way that Germany had been treated following World War I, and had a strong Nationalistic sentiment and a love for Germany. In the 1920s and 30s, they would come to this park and hold rallies. Tens of thousands of people would camp out for days. There would be speeches. People would march around carrying torches, burning with real fire and not just citronella “tiki” torches from the local Home Depot. All spouting their German idealism. Hitler was sentenced to prison in 1924, but he only served 9 months of his five-year sentence.

Once he was released and became chancellor of Germany he transformed the Grounds into a place of massive size where people and troops could gather and show off their strength and power.

Some buildings were never completed. Today the German people and government grapple with the problem of what to do with these structures. They can't tear them down and just try to forget and cover up what happened, but yet they don't want to just let them sit and crumble.

After 1945, the City of Nuremberg had the area remodeled into a park again. The Hall of Honor commemorates the victims of World War I and World War II, as well as the victims of the National Socialists rule of terror (1933-1945). Every year, victims are commemorated here during official events on the national day of mourning.

Here are the park grounds where the rallies took place.

Here is an overview of the entire grounds. In the next pictures, we are standing across the street from the horseshoe in the upper middle of the picture. Notice the the long parade route that goes from the top of the picture to the bottom.

This “parking lot” was originally conceived of as a parade grounds, and was the beginning of the parade route. As you can see in the overview it was a very long and wide street where soldiers and military vehicles could parade to a large square where more rallies took place.

This large building is the horseshoe in the overview picture. It was never completely finished. It was supposed to be a stadium where Hitler could hold large rallies. Since it is largely a shell with little interior, Magdalene tells me they are trying to build a modern building inside the stone walls.

There was far more to the area. There were several other building which served as offices for the Nazis, which are still needing a purpose in today's world. This is another memorial on the grounds.

There was enough to see to fill an entire day, however, we had somewhere else to be today. We decided that we had given Michael sufficient time to wake up and get out of his grouchy phase, and we headed back to their place to pick him up.

Then we were off to Bayreuth. It is not pronounced Beirut like most Americans would think, but it is pronounced “Bye-royt”. The drive took a little over an hour.

Michael is not a fan of German food. He will tell you this in no uncertain terms. The night before he had proclaimed, no more German food! So I suggested we have lunch at MickyD’s.

If you read my Egypt TR, you know that for one of our meals we went to McDonald’s “for research purposes”. We wanted to know if the food was better, worse, or the same as we had in the states.

Well the McDonald’s in Cairo was F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C! Everything was cooked to order. Even after taking our tray of food upstairs, taking documentation photos, etc. It was still hot when we ate it. Jill and I decided that the Cairo McDonald’s was the bar for all future foreign trips to McDonald’s and we established a “Five Pyramid” rating scale based on that meal.

We decided to go to lunch before we started our touring in Bayreuth. Besides the McDonald’s was on the way to the city center from the Motorway. Here's the verdict.

After some mediocre MickyD’s, we headed into town. We found a parking place easily and walked a pretty fair distance (for me) to the part of town where the Opera House was located.

Michael and Magdalene had been talking about Gelato all week, and I saw someone pass by with a cup of what appeared to be the sweet substance, so I suggested we get some. I wasn't sure what flavor to get. There were lots of strange ones, then I saw Stracciatella! I remembered that was my favorite flavor 35 years ago when I was in Europe, so I got a cone of that. It was delicious!

Then we went inside the Opera house, it was stunning!

Margrave Wilhelmine and Margrave Friedrich III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth had it built by the star architect Giuseppe Galli Bibiena on the occasion of their only daughter Elisabeth Friederike’s marriage. The free-standing building from the Baroque era with its impressive wooden interior construction foreshadowed the large public theatres of the 19th century. Since 2012 the Margravial Opera House has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.​

And as we turn our gaze upwards to the ceiling…..

After we left the main auditorium, we went upstairs to see an number of other exhibits about the theater. Here are some balcony seats. Even the tassels are carved out of wood.

Here is the entrance to the theater, looking from the second floor.

This is the area we just came from, outside the balcony.

In the other exhibits, this was a model of an outdoor theater where there would be plays and such in the summertime.

This model was used to change the scenery on the stage. By turning all the various dials you see on the front, you can change the background, make the waves move, and other effects.

I guess I didn’t take a picture of the scenes with the ocean, just the ballroom and the forest. I was getting super tired at this point, and let the two of them play around with the scenes while I just sat on the benches provided.

Next up: What do you do when you’re too tired to do anything?

 

[DnA2010]

I uploaded a post to Instagram and Allyson was up late for West Coast time so we chatted for a bit.

Oh gawd, did I book a trip?! (I'm still married, so I'm guessing it wasn't another solo trip)

chocolate croissant?

She took me to the Nazi party grounds to see some historical sites. Like me, she really enjoys history and I was happy to learn about it from her perspective.

It would be nice to learn from a local's perspective, that's for sure.

Some buildings were never completed. Today the German people and government grapple with the problem of what to do with these structures. They can't tear them down and just try to forget and cover up what happened, but yet they don't want to just let them sit and crumble.

This is very alike to Canada and the horrible residential schools we put up and forced our First Nation's peoples to attend. It's beyond awful, but what do we do with the schools that remain? Many were torn down, but many remain.

Here is an overview of the entire grounds. In the next pictures, we are standing across the street from the horseshoe in the upper middle of the picture. Notice the the long parade route that goes from the top of the picture to the bottom.

this is helpful, thanks

Michael is not a fan of German food. He will tell you this in no uncertain terms. The night before he had proclaimed, no more German food! So I suggested we have lunch at MickyD’s.

perhaps we need to add Canada, although I suspect it will be similar to the US

these town pics are just so pretty

hen I saw Stracciatella! I remembered that was my favorite flavor 35 years ago when I was in Europe, so I got a cone of that. It was delicious!

I googled it, sounds delish!

the dark cone is intriguing!

Wow wow wow! Just an amazingly crafted place! Love all the detail and that they've maintained it's charm!

 

[pkondz]

Oh, that's on the list of places to visit!

It's on my list too. Been... wayyyy too long.

You and the sausage!

Today I went back to the American breakfast of a Waffle and sausage. P

You know what they say... when in Rome, eat an American breakfast in Germany.

Something like that.

I sort of set some goals on that TR

Such as?

So far I hadn't had a lot of downtime!

That's okay. Lots to see! I always say I'll rest when I get home.

Of course that never happens... but I do say it.

Magdalene was running a few minutes late and instead of picking me up at 10AM she was just leaving her house.

WHAT?!?!?
This is completely inexcusable!!

No worries, we aren't on any huge time frame!

Oh. In that case, nevermind.

The term “Nazi” was actually a derogatory name given to the party by outsiders like the Americans and the Brits.

Interesting that you thought it was the actual name. I wonder how common that is?

People would march around carrying torches, burning with real fire and not just citronella “tiki” torches from the local Home Depot.

Home Depot ran out.

Here are the park grounds where the rallies took place.

I found this interesting. I spent very little time in that area.

This “parking lot” was originally conceived of as a parade grounds, and was the beginning of the parade route. As you can see in the overview it was a very long and wide street where soldiers and military vehicles could parade to a large square where more rallies took place.

So... I've seen pictures of the Russian military parades. Big missiles, etc. Do they do those in the US?

This large building is the horseshoe in the overview picture. It was never completely finished. It was supposed to be a stadium where Hitler could hold large rallies. Since it is largely a shell with little interior, Magdalene tells me they are trying to build a modern building inside the stone walls.

I wonder what it will become. I don't know if I'd feel comfortable living in a former Nazi building (if they did condos, for example.)

We decided that we had given Michael sufficient time to wake up and get out of his grouchy phase

Then we were off to Bayreuth.

Haven't been there, although we saw tons of signs for it.

Michael is not a fan of German food. He will tell you this in no uncertain terms.

Really? Why not??? It's sooooo good!!

The night before he had proclaimed, no more German food! So I suggested we have lunch at MickyD’s.

Whoa. Talk about going from one extreme to the other!

Well the McDonald’s in Cairo was F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C! Everything was cooked to order. Even after taking our tray of food upstairs, taking documentation photos, etc. It was still hot when we ate it. Jill and I decided that the Cairo McDonald’s was the bar for all future foreign trips to McDonald’s and we established a “Five Pyramid” rating scale based on that meal.

You'll need to go on a worldwide McDonalds tasting tour.

For educational purposes, of course.

Michael and Magdalene had been talking about Gelato all week

Why wouldn't you?

Then we went inside the Opera house, it was stunning!

Wow! Wish I'd known... would've made a detour there for sure. Small, but... so ornate!

Even the tassels are carved out of wood.

Here is the entrance to the theater, looking from the second floor.

Really doesn't even hint at the opulence on the inside.

Oh! I thought it was a table-top model. Cool!

 

[jedijill]

Michael is not a fan of German food. He will tell you this in no uncertain terms. The night before he had proclaimed, no more German food! So I suggested we have lunch at MickyD’s.

He is certifiable! German food is delicious!

Mmmmm, gelato! Pistachio is my favorite....but it has to be a beige color and not fluorescent green!

If its not Baroque, don't fix it!


Jill in CO

 

[pkondz]

If its Baroque, don't fix it!

 

[missjackiemcg]

That opera house!!! How incredible!!!! I bet pictures don't even do it justice. Looks absolutely breathtaking!

 

[franandaj]

Oh gawd, did I book a trip?! (I'm still married, so I'm guessing it wasn't another solo trip)

I don't think so, I think we were just talking about stuff.

chocolate croissant?

I had one nearly every day at this hotel!

It would be nice to learn from a local's perspective, that's for sure.

It was very interesting to do so!

This is very alike to Canada and the horrible residential schools we put up and forced our First Nation's peoples to attend. It's beyond awful, but what do we do with the schools that remain? Many were torn down, but many remain.

I suppose I will learn a bit about that when I visit the Museum of Human Rights next month!

this is helpful, thanks

It was helpful for me to see it too!

perhaps we need to add Canada, although I suspect it will be similar to the US

I'm game. I rarely eat there anymore now that Fran isn't around. I could try it up there!

these town pics are just so pretty

I know! So quaint and picturesque and so much more to come!

I googled it, sounds delish!

Basically Cookies and cream like.....

the dark cone is intriguing!

It was chocolate!

Wow wow wow! Just an amazingly crafted place! Love all the detail and that they've maintained it's charm!

I believe that they did have to do quite a bit of restoration before it was declared as an UNESCO heritage site, but it is amazing!

 

[franandaj]

It's on my list too. Been... wayyyy too long.

Mine too!

You know what they say... when in Rome, eat an American breakfast in Germany.

Something like that.

Such as?

Well finishing it up before say July........I failed at that.

That's okay. Lots to see! I always say I'll rest when I get home.

Of course that never happens... but I do say it.

I've learned that I can't push too hard on trips, doesn't work out well.

WHAT?!?!?
This is completely inexcusable!!
Oh. In that case, nevermind.

Interesting that you thought it was the actual name. I wonder how common that is?

Probably pretty common, they don't skool us very good here.

Home Depot ran out.

I found this interesting. I spent very little time in that area.

Yeah, I wouldn't have even known about it if Magdalene had not mentioned it. I found it pretty interesting to imagine.

So... I've seen pictures of the Russian military parades. Big missiles, etc. Do they do those in the US?

Heck no! I don't think we really even have military parades. One of the service bands marches in the Rose Parade.

I wonder what it will become. I don't know if I'd feel comfortable living in a former Nazi building (if they did condos, for example.)

I think they were thinking more of offices or something. They're building a museum in there, but it wasn't open yet.

Haven't been there, although we saw tons of signs for it.

It was worth the stop.

Really? Why not??? It's sooooo good!!

Cause he's nuts! I love German food.

Whoa. Talk about going from one extreme to the other!

Yeah, well I had to visit once, everyone says they're better outside the US.

You'll need to go on a worldwide McDonalds tasting tour.

For educational purposes, of course.

Well Allyson has me covered for Canada.......

Why wouldn't you?

Well I'd rather eat it than talk about it!

Wow! Wish I'd known... would've made a detour there for sure. Small, but... so ornate!

Next time......

Really doesn't even hint at the opulence on the inside.

No, I thought it was a very stark comparison.

Oh! I thought it was a table-top model. Cool!

No it was almost lifesize!

 

[pkondz]

I've learned that I can't push too hard on trips, doesn't work out well.

I haven't learned that lesson yet. I guess I'm a slow learner.

Probably pretty common, they don't skool us very good here.

I'd bet that was common everywhere.

Heck no! I don't think we really even have military parades. One of the service bands marches in the Rose Parade.

I thought as much, but wasn't sure.

It was worth the stop.

So it seems!

Cause he's nuts! I love German food.

Yeah, well I had to visit once, everyone says they're better outside the US.

And you had to rate it, too.

Well I'd rather eat it than talk about it!

Good point.

Next time......