Top Ten

Maybe you were expecting the ten best sights/experiences in Europe between 1 and 16 May with J. and H. Guess again.
10. So, you can either watch where you are walking on the cobbled streets trying to avoid a turned ankle OR you can gaze upwards and the glorious spires and steeples, but not both.
9. By all means, listen to the flight attendants when they tell you to check for all your personal belongings before deplaning, or you might leave your jacket rolled up in a ball against the back of your seat, where you yourself placed it to support your back during an AMS to MSP flight. The airlines pillows are about the size of a pincushion.
8. Be choosy about what you go to see -- you cannot see it all in three days in any city. Of course, it is hard to choose what to see and what to leave out, because you do not know everything that is there.
7. Take the time to write notes each day, no matter how tired you are, so you can identify the locations on the photos later, or you will spend hours arguing with your travel companions about where the statue was.
6. Or, wait a number of weeks after your return to identify photos. Then, you can label each one "Europe --2008, miscellaneous." Because, really, who will care?
5. Or, wait a number of weeks and then make up locations and titles. Because, really, who will know? Well, your travelling companions, but they have their own photos and why would they be looking at yours?
4. "Schnitzel" means "a slice of" or "a cut from" so a slice of apple could be a schitzel, too. Usually a weiner schnitzel is made of veal sliced thinly, pounded flat, breaded and deepfried. Or it could be pork or chicken. Actually, they could probably serve you anything and call it schnitzel.
3. Do the "air-o-bics" exercises they show on the video screens embedded in the back of the seat in front of you. These exercises are to help prevent deep vein thrombosis. In any case, you do them. Only the kids on board will be doing them with you, but you'll get some attention -- they look cool the air-o-bics. And you, too.
2. Watch out for bikes on bike lanes adjacent to and looking just like sidewalk. They have serious cyclists and they have the right of way in their lanes.
1. When the tour book's ad identifies the pace of your tour as "comfortable to leisurely" don"t believe them.
-1. Fly first class some time in your life, just to see what it's like.
-2. Eastern European chefs really like meat and potatoes. I didn't see one grain of rice. Vegetables seemed a little scarce also.
-3. Get to Europe (or whatever place is your dream destination) as soon as possible in your lifetime. If you leave it too late, and discover how much you love it, the opportunity to return may be difficult to orchestrate.
-4. I should have thought this through before saying "top ten" because after I got down to 1, where was there to go? The last three items were not minuses.

It's taken me a week since our return to sort things out in my head (which is still rather overloaded) and these were just a few of the things that floated to the top when I began typing.

Home Again

OK: I typed this really long, and (I thought) entertaining account of our trip home, began to fix my spelling errors, and the &%$&$&$(&^%*& thing disappeared!! So, being as it's already after 7 am, I am going out for the first REALLY good cup of coffee I've had since I left!! Will write again later, after coffee and a sleep. Maybe the other thing will magically re appear. J

Homeward bound

More on this later!

Last day in Prague

I can't believe that it's nearly time to leave!! I think this is my favorite city on the whole trip. Could easily have spent the whole 16 days here, and still not seen it all.
We went up to the Castle today (which is really a palace, a couple of gorgeous churches (cathedrals??) and a little village. Very impressive!! Many cobblestone streets (hard on the feet) many different styles of architecture (hard on the brain) and many little shops (hard on the pocketbook).
Walked down innumerable steps, to get to St. Charles bridge. This bridge is home to 30-ish statues, and is flanked by huge stone arches/gates. Very impressive. Very crowded, very much under re-construction. Still lovely, and giving wonderful views of the city.
Tonight, we're going to hit the hay early: we have to leave the hotel at 7 am tomorrow, so up at 5:30 (that's really up at 11:30 pm Thurs night at home), and don't get in till 10:30 pm home time (which will feel like 5:30 am Saturday this time). It's all very confusing to me, and sounds like an awfully long trip, any way you look at it!!
See you all soon. J

Day in Prague

We'll add more here when we aren't dealing with persnickety computers....

Prague

We took both a high speed train (Munich to Nuremburg) and a 1960's model train (Nuremburg to Prague) today, but we arrived safely. Staying at the Crowne Plaza, which is pretty fancy for us country folk, but we'll adjust. Will go exploring tomorrow, using tram/subway, and then take a river cruise tomorrow night. We've managed (read Heather lead G and I around) the subways in both Vienna and Munich, so we should be OK here, too.
Hard to believe that our trip is nearly over: could easily spend weeks in every city we've been in.
All places quite expensive: hopefully here is a bit cheaper, once we get out of our hotel.
Weather has been pretty much perfect. Hope it stays that way for a few more days.

Now in Prague

The permissions for the computers in the hotel (YAY for free computers, compared to the Hiltons' 0.35 euro per minute!) are set sort of wierd, so I'm locked out of a lot of stuff. Joan can't seem to post at all from her temrinal, so I'll log off here and she can log in.

Munich

Churches, cathedrals, basilicas, monasteries, abbeys, castles, palaces, gothic, baroque, roccocco. . . .
The more you see, the more you realize how little you know, the more confused you get.
Lots of beautiful examples of all the above list. Hopefully, when I get home and look at my pics, I'll be able to sort them out. More later. Time is up. J

I wonder if this will mess up Blogger...

... if Joan and I publish things simultaneously.

I think, when we get back home, I'll update this blog and upload photos then.... Computers with USB ports are hard to find around here.

I think I need a nap. Too many early mornings. Or something.

What they said!

I'm now completely churched-out. Tired. Will add photos to TravelBlog site and to Facebook, since it's easier to do it there than here.

Is this Tuesday?

There was that old movie "If this is TuesdaY , it must be Belgiun" But we are in Salzburg, and I think it must be Wednesdaz. We have been very busy -- but there is so much to see we are all suffering from overload. Todaz we travelled in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps, saw a number of filming locations for the Sound of Music, and lots of churches. This afternoon we saw places associated with Hitlers time. There`s a dinner tonight on the 15th floor and we will all likely go to bed soon after. The weather today was spectacular!!! This has been Grace posting.

Beautiful day

Beautiful day to go up into the Alps: both Austrian and German (Bavarian). Wonderful views, perfect weather, lots of history---- saw where Hitler and his buddies had their summer homes (obersalzburg) and Hitler's famous Eagles Nest residence on the top of a mountain.
Also walked many miles through the Old City of Salzburg. Wonderful architecture, lovely churches, the house where Mozart was born....... By the way, the 'New Town' is only 400 years old, so that gives you an idea how old the 'Old Town' is!!
Feet are saying that I've had enough walking for today. Good thing the only thing left to do is go up to the fifteenth floor for supper.
We leave for Innsbruck tomorrow morning. This getting up at 7 or earlier every day is the only hard part of the trip. J

All good

Internet too expensive here. Will try tomorrow.

P.S.

Perhaps it's not all the keyboard's fault,... mother may have been drinking!

G posting as H, because G can't remember her login

in and i cant find the apostrophe or the shifting mechanism for the parentheses. The period however is where it`is supposed to be. I made the mistake of wearing nzlons in walking shoes in Amsterdam, got some blisters and am walking uncomfortablz.

There are however lots of churches and i am enjozing looking around and so far have managed not to fall down anzwabere on account of staring at ceilings. Please excujse extaa letters as this is a German kezboard and there is a z where there should bz a y, and im not hunting for it.

Vienna

What a terrific city!!! Could stay here for weeks, and still not see it all. having a great time, but my feet are not used to so much hoofing it, nor so much concrete!! They will adjust, Im sure. My internet time is nearly up, so all the best to you at home. Will try to write more later. Am learning to drink (but not appreciate) coffe here-- its like espresso!! J

Howdy!

Just a quick post on behalf of all 3 of us. Went to a Mozart concert in (some name I can't remember) some venue.... Negotiated trams and busses for 4 trips. Ate at McD's (just for you, Corey). Drank beer (the other two had wine, and apparently coffee that wasn't to their liking). More posts tomorrow. And maybe pics!

Way to go you two!

Two "T-1" posts within 19 minutes of each other.  That's sort of freaky.  :)

See y'all in Regina in a few hours!

If this is Wednesday........

I should be organized. Suitcase and carryon on the bed are pretty much packed, their little lids gaping in case I should think of something else really important. Wasted a lot of time on Monday trying to let Mastercard know that I was taking their little card with me to Europe. The toll-free number connected me with a lovely computer-generated lady-ish voice who could not tell that "correct" or "OK" was the same as "yes." And a lot of other stuff. No menu item (press "1" for .....) indicated a notification of leaving the country. Finally, was put in the queue for a real person, and was told that the wait time is currently "in excess of 30 minutes." After 30 minutes I hung up.
So then I went to the Mastercard website. There I wasted more time navigating the thousand or so click-on options, none of which I needed. Yesterday I went to the bank and got the receptionist to call for me and notifiy whoever that the card was going to be in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic. It took 2 minutes, and I got to talk to the real person at the other end of the BMO's private line, to verify my existence. Almost didn't work, though, as one of the questions was "how long have you had this Mastercard?" and I replied "oh, about 25 years" when it has actually been 33!!!!! He didn't ask how much money has gone through that account.

Time for me to pack

Since this is Wed, and we leave tomorrow, I have just packed my suitcase. Took be about 45 minutes. Am still debating whether or not to add one more pair of capri pants (or whatever they're called this year.) Can't decide if the weather will be warm enough to warrant such, or not.
I think I have all the necessary toiletries ready to go into my carry on: if they're too heavy, some will be put into big suitcase.
Remember to bring camera, and batteries. See you tomorrow in Regina, H.

Toiletries? Check.

Okay,... even though this is likely far too early in the game to suit J, I have now set out everything that needs to get packed away.  In addition, I have now purchased all the little odds and sods that I could need in the next 2 or so weeks.  The "odds & sods" include several products of the feminine hygiene (what a ridiculous expression, anyway) variety.  I don't even want to hazard a guess as to where I would find such items in any of the countries we're visiting.  Not only that, but I wouldn't know what to call them (plugenhollen? pantiprotektornugen?), nor would I want to make the appropriate hand gestures.  Or would I?

Oh, all right, then

I'm so glad you've thought this through, Heather. It'll be late when we get in and how long do the trams and S-bahns and U-bahns and buses run? And will this take a substantial chunk of time? Just point me in the right direction and I'll shuffle along behind you, wherever. Do we have a guaranteed late arrival at the hotel? I'm confused already.

By the way -- you've done two of those Likeness quizzes in the last day or so. Have you run out of other stuff to do?

Getting to the hotel from the Flughafen

Canadian currency is stronger today, which leads me to predict that it would be best to buy currency on Wednesday or Thursday.

But I digress.

So far, of all the transportation to and from airports I've looked into, Vienna is the most confusing.  

1. We could go the easy route and take a very expensive taxi (60E,... I don't think so).  

2. Or we could take the City Airport Transit (CAT) system and connect with the U-Bahn (Metro) U3 to U1 and then connect with Tram 21 (9E plus whatever the U-bahn fare is,.. likely 3E).  

3. Or we could take the S-Bahn (normal train) which might take us all the way to Wien Nord (Praterstern) Station, where we could then catch Tram 21 to the hotel.  However, the S-7 train might only take us as far as Wein Mitte (Landstrasse) station, so we'd then have to transfer to a different S-Bahn or to U3 and then U1, before finally getting on Tram 21.  This option might cost only 3E for the one-way ticket.  

Upon looking more more closely at the S-7 schedule, I thinkOption 3 is our best bet.  Cheaper.  And only 1 transfer.  I think.

"Geek Graph"

Heather, you obviously have waaaay too much time on your hands!!! Please do not feel obliged to do any such activity while on our trip, or if you do, don't ask G or I to help!!
I still have not begun to pack, but I have a rough mental list (not written) from which I will work. Hopefully, everything will fit into one suitcase (not too large) and one small carry on.
Am starting to look forward to the trip: it's close enough now for me to do that!! J

I can "out geek" the both of you!

I've been tracking exchanges rates.

Daily.

Not so geeky, right?

Well, I've also been graphing them.  

And not using the usual "1 CAD = " approach, either.  I've been using 2 EUR = x CAD and 50 CZK = y CAD.  Both hover above $3.  I like to buy currency when the Canadian Dollar is weakest (see arrow).  Looks like EUR and CZK are gaining more ground against CAD.  Might have to buy more Euros or Crowns soon.

Suitcase on a bed

So, you guys each did another post, and so now I feel obligated to add one also.
I have put my open suitcase on the bed in the spare room, and everytime I run across/use/buy something that should go along to Europe, I will put in in/near the suitcase on the bed. Then it should all be there in ten days, ready to put in. If the pile of stuff looks bigger than the suitcase, I will have to remove items. So much for planning. Did pick up some foreign currency also.
Did some research at www.voyage.gc.ca, and have included in my little black book, embassy and consulate numbers for each place we go, in case of potential problems bigger than all of us.
So far, so good. More later when something actually happens.

Too organized for me

All right you 2 travelling companions: lists?? starting to pack?? Give me a break!! That's to do the last evening before we leave, or even the morning of!! Otherwise, you forget what you packed!! I bought some lovely coloured Euros, and according to info I've seen, they should be good everywhere we are in Europe. I have a few US $$ to spend in Minneapolis airport, if we get hungry there. Am starting to get excited about the journey: Heather, have you got us all scheduled and mapped?? J

10...

... days until we leave.

Wow.

Anyone started packing yet?

Aha!

Saturday after lunch -- I just wanted to see if I could actually find the place again....the place to post something. And I could. So for an update, this: This morning I ordered some U$, some Euros and some CZK's, worth I think 12 cents each. Did you know there's no cent sign on the keyboard so you'd have to say $0.12? Does that mean that laptop manufacturers have jumped the gun on abandoning the penny?

Yay!

I should have started this whole communal blog thing much earlier! Two new posts and G learned how to set up her own account.

With any luck at all, we should have three reasonably distinct views on everything we see and experience. Mine will be the image-based posts and the other two likely the posts with,... ummm,... real words and stuff.

Of course, all this depends on reliable internet access, which I don't forsee as much to a problem. There are computers everywhere. No way I'm taking a laptop.

I've now made a list of things to pack, have set out some rudimentary journal templates and have done a lot of reading (without doing so much that I have already thought too much about the things we'll be seeing). And before anyone asks: Yes. I am still in marking-avoidance mode....

Cute title unavailable

Have created a google account. Had to try this a couple of times. I think I may have misspelled (misspelt?) the password on the first application--ie: when you have to do the password again. Anyway, I started all over. It took longer than it was supposed to, as usual.
So now there's 22 days to go, and in preparation I have made photocopies of the documents and cards I plan to carry with me.
OK, now I've written this and I suppose there's something to click on if one wants this to appear on the blog. I just have to figure out what that is.
Then--I'll try to find it again.
My daughter does get me involved in the darndest things. Actually, if it were not for my girls, I would be sitting in the living room, writing a letter with a quill pen by candlelight!!

In Preparation

Of the 3 of us, Heather is the only really gifted techie, so most of the posts will likely come from her. She is also the organizer, navigator, babysitter (or maybe Gram ma-sitter is more accurate). She will keep us on track, and on time. Otherwise, G and I will just wander around Europe looking at ceilings, floors and other architectural stuff, like we do when we travel anywhere. (Please note the specific architectural terms!!.) Hopefully we can keep up to her. If not, we'll only see half as much. J

24

Not the TV show. Which I will not watch. Not because it's no good, but because I'd become a 24 addict.

I like to write in sentence fragments.

So, all that's left to do with this thing is to give G and J full access to post stuff.

Maybe we'll update it while we're traveling, and maybe we won't. Who knows?

This post is mainly a test to see if the Schmap widget works. It does. Sporadically.

Update:In retrospect, the title for this post is rather cryptic. The reference is: 24 days to go. Duh.

H.