Weltenburger Monastery

Woke up to a beautiful, cool morning, some clouds in the sky, but the sun promised to be shining for most of the day.  We had a lazy morning, each of us kind of doing their own thing.  Diane was up early, I was awake but refused to get up as I was too cozy.  David was sleeping, as was Brian.  We had all planned to meet up for breakfast downstairs at 9 a.m.  Uli and Walter already had a big spread laid out for us inside the dining room.  Walter was the barrista and made all of us wonderful coffees to personal order - latte macchiato, Americana, espresso, and tea.  We sat down and helped ourselves to various breads, meats, cheeses, jams, jellies, and some special honey that Uli shared with us.  Walter made us some special white sausage, which is supposed to be eaten in the morning.  It was very smooth and creamy meat, best eaten with some sweet mustard.  We discussed what plans were for the day and decided upon going to the Weltenburger Monastery.

By 10 a.m. we were loading up the car, David, Brian, Diane, Walter, Miriam and me.  We threw our jackets and umbrellas in the back, just in case.  The drive was about a half of an hour to the town of Kelheim where we decided NOT to take jackets or umbrellas because it was such a gorgeous day and no rain clouds in sight.  Walter was our fearless leader, and we took off walking down a beautiful path, towards our destination of the Weltenburger Monastery, which was 5.7 km or 3.54 miles.  The windy path was right next to the Danube River, which was swollen from the enormous amounts of rain that Germany has received lately, but not too flooded that we were unable to take the trail.  Huge trees loomed above us, both up the sides of the mountains and right on the walkway as well.  A profusion of greenery surrounded us on all sides, flowers, bushes, and moss covered trees.  The footpath was sunny and warm until we were driven up to the next higher path due to the level of the overflowing river.  Then we were surrounded by the coolness of the trees and the sounds  and sights of nature.

We found a huge tree snail as we walked, as well as a beautifully colored lizard that surprised the heck out of me when I bent down to touch the water.  Lol. Came to a small, and very old,  kloster  (church) built in the year 1411.  It was literally built into the side of a cliff.  Walked and walked and looked and observed and talked and were quiet at times as well, just enjoying being surrounded by such calming nature.


At one point we had to go UP the
mountain...  this meant going up, up, up some wooden stairs that were (thank heaven) put into the side of the mountain to help us go up.  We were huffing and puffing until we finally reached the summit.  Yes, we did take a few breathers along the way.  And my calves are still very sore from all the stairs we did in Paris! We had a few breath taking lookout points, our favorite being the one where we could finally see the Weltenburger Monastery.  Such an incredibly beautiful compound, with the walled in church, the rock beach, and the swirling river in front.  We got to the bottom of our mountain and took a little skiff (boat) across the river to the shore.  Skipped a few flat rocks into the river...  Brian won with 4 skips.  Headed off into the main gate and were awed at all that was contained there.  Decided that we deserved a bier after that long trek in and sat down at a big table right away.

Everyone ordered the famous and delicious Welterburger Barok Dunkel (dark), except David, who went with a Hefeweisen.  We were hungry, but not starving, so Walter ordered us some regional dishes that he assured us that we would love.  We shared 3 meals amongst the 6 of us and it was perfect.  We had Schweinshaxe, Schweinebraten, Leberkaese, Krautsalat, Kartoffelsalat und  then, believe it or not, Walter talked us in to having some dessert, too, Dampfnudeln with Vanillasouce and plums.  Sooooo delicious!  OK...  Walter typed this up for me in German, so I will just tell you there was some pork shank with crispy skin, potato salad, cabbage salad (like the beginnings of saurkraut), a delicious potato dumpling that was just so airy and spongy.  YUM is what it was!

Walked around the compound and checked out the church there, one of the most ornate in the entire world, due to the amount of gold that was used to decorate the inside.  Absolutely stunning.   Then off to hike up a hill, or stairs, depending upon which way you wanted to go, and up to a smaller church (kloster) on a hill above the central compound of the Monastery.  Came back down the opposite way that we went up, and, being that it was after 3, decided to go get in line for our ferry ride back to Kelheim.  The cool breeze felt so good on us as we sat in the sun on the deck.  The mountains that rose up around us were all covered in green, and the water was flowing very quickly down the engorged river.  We made quick time with the added help of the raging river, and were back on dry land in no time.  Decided to call it a day rather than go look at a close museum, and drove home quietly, as we were a little spent from our expedition.

Arrived back to Uli's and had coffee, 2 different kinds of homemade cake, and sat on the back patio to enjoy the solitude and beautiful weather.  I had to catch up my blog from yesterday AND get going on todays, so that's what I did.  Brian was checking work emails, Diane was going through her HUNDREDS of photos, only saving the best.  She is doing an incredible job taking all the pictures for our trip and my blog.  David decided to nap, Uli is getting some school stuff ready, as she leaves tomorrow morning to go on a trip with her students to the Special Olympics.  Walter hung out with us for most of the afternoon, talking and relaxing.  Miriam was out for a while, but quietly slipped away.  What a perfect setting for me to blog.  Relaxed and as happy as a clam.  :)

Today is Walter and Uli's 35th wedding anniversary!  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!  We are figuring out what our plans will be for tonight, but Di, Bri, David, and I already decided we want to take them somewhere nice for dinner to celebrate.  So...  more coming later!

Friends Reunited

We arrived safely in Regensburg and were met on the platform by sunshine and by Walter.  I ran up and gave him the biggest hug!  It was so wonderful to see him after 6 years away from Germany. It was interesting, the train station literally turns right into a huge mall that we had to walk through to get to the parking garage and Walter's awaiting car.  It only took us about 15 minutes to get to Wolkering, where Walter and Uli live with their daughter, Miriam.  Both were at home, and both received equally big hugs from me.  It was early evening and we spent quite a bit of time walking around outside, enjoying the natural beauty, and the artistic landscape touches that the Nowotny's have done to their absolutely stunning yard.  they have a garden, with strawberries and a few other items, but they are just beginning to produce fruit.


The backyard is surrounded by a wide variety of trees and a plethora of flowering plants, both climbing up the walls, and potted all around the wood deck and walkways.  So quiet, except for the birds, who kept up a constant cacophony of whistles, chirps, tweets, and chattering.  So peaceful and relaxing, especially after a couple of days in BUSY big city Paris.

Walter had planned an special BBQ dinner for us.  Uli already had a beautiful table set up for us outside, in preparation for a delectable meal.  The men started off with a bier from the Regensburg area, while the women chose a white wein, also from the region.   Walter prepared different kinds of sausage, marinated turkey breasts and pork steaks were the meat of the dinner,
which Uli
accompanied by a green garden salad, some grated carrots in a vinegar dressing, potato salad, a huge basket of bread, caprese salad, green olives, baby corn, and a huge variety of condiments.  The most delicious was a homemade butter with white garlic... oh my goodness.  After everything was brought out, Walter served the grilled meats, while we filled up our plates until they were overflowing.  And we ate, and ate, and ate...  Hey, I remember this from the LAST

time I was in Germany.  Great food, great friends, great conversation sitting in a place that looks like Heaven.  Couldn't image a better willkommen (welcome) from our dear friends.  We sat outside and talked until we were chased inside by some black clouds and a storm, which 10 minutes later was dumping hail outside on the patio!

Then we all gathered around the dining room table and continued to entertain each others with stories and jesting.  Walter is famous for his evening apertifs and brought out about 10 varieties for which he explained what each one was, where it came from, and he even had some that he had made himself.  Did I mention that Walter is a very talented guy?  Anyway, we tried a few of the collection and talked for hours more.  It was about half eleven (eleven thirty p.m.).  We were all tired from our 7 hour train trip from Paris, full of great food,  happy with drink, and surrounded by the love of our friends.  Guten nacht!  Good night!

Au Revoir Paris... Hallo Germany!

Up early this morning, packing up all of our belongings, remaking the futon beds, cleaning up the kitchen, and making sure we had everything we needed before we left for the Metro.  Got out in good time and again, here we are trudging down the street with all of our luggage in tow.  Did I mention that there are hundreds of stairs in the Metro/ subway/ underground???  Every time we use these types of trains, we are climbing up and down stairs.  No lifts (elevators) to be found.  It's not near as bad when you don't have baggage, but when you do...  killer workout.  David was dragging his luggage through the station and had to navigate through the kiosk thing with his ticket and 2 pieces of luggage, and ended up getting the bags stuck and had to wrestle them through...  sadly, one of them did NOT come out whole.  I just hope the bag can hang on until Wednesday, when David and Brian return home to the states.  lol.  We arrived early so we would not be stressing, and had time to get a coffee and a croissant.  Yum...

Paris train to Frankfurt, FIRST CLASS.  Yes, we had some pretty sweet seats.  Also, instead of having to go get snacks, there was a porter who waited on us.  We ordered our last  beers.  The fastest speed clocked on our train was 319 Kilometers per hour, which equates to 198 miles per hour!!!  WHAT!!!??  That's crazy.  I guess I'm glad I DIDN'T know that when I was in the train.  Had an hour layover in Frankfurt.  Grabbed some huge fresh pretzels covered with cheese, and our first German beers.  Jumped on our next train headed for Regensburg at 2:10.  We are scheduled to arrive at 5:25 p.m., but I believe we are running behind by a few minutes.    That's it for now...  will have more later tonight!  Auf Wiedersehen! Good bye for now!

Off to the Eiffel Tower!

Actually got to sleep in this morning!  The nice apartment that we are staying at had really nice shutters that automatically come down and close up tight and dark.  I still kept my eye mask handy because I did NOT want to be up at 5 a.m.  It worked!  Slept in til 8:30!!  But, it was a late night and I needed to catch up.  So, Diane and Brian went out early and had a cup of coffee while David and I finished getting ready. Then we went out to find a cafe to have a coffee and some breakfast.  We walked around our our neighborhood and saw some lovely open air fresh produce stands.  Soon, we

found a cafe that was very busy on a corner so we pegged that as the one we wanted.  Looked at a couple of souvenir shops and then went to the cafe.  It was wonderful to literally be sitting at a cafe in Paris, just watching the people who were at the restaurant, as well as those who were passing by on the street. We had an amazing server who was fast and efficient.  We ordered coffees, and an omelette for the girls, and crepes for the guys.  Delicious!  Then we were off to the Eiffel Tower!

We took the subway, as usual, and walked on out towards the tower.  We were talking away, and rounded a corner and then we were suddenly all absolutely silent.  We were able to get our first view of the tower and were speechless.  So surreal to actually be standing in the shadow of this iconic landmark.  I've waited my whole life to see this tower and was absolutely NOT disappointed.  We decided to book a tour because all of the online tickets were sold out.  We met with our group at 1:30 and got our tickets.  At 1:45 everyone had gathered and we set off for the tower.  Our guide was a nice guy who was very knowledgeable about the tower and the surrounding area.  Because we were a part of a tour, we were able to totally pass up hundreds of people who were standing in a looooonnnngg line waiting to get on a life (elevator).



  Our pass was totally worth it!  So we skipped up to the front of the line, and had to go through security, (which was comforting to see) and then got in line and got on our lift.  We arrived at the second level of the tower and got to walk around just a bit before we bought our tickets to go to the summit, or top level.  After listening to our guide for a bit, we decided to go for the top while it was still open.  We heard that sometimes they close the top, and did not want to miss our chance!  Rode another elevator slowly up, up, up to the top.  We were sooooooo high it was mind boggling.  WOW. We walked around the top level, and purchased some champagne to do a once in a lifetime toast on the top of the world.  What an amazing moment in our lives, and it will never be forgotten.

 Stayed on the tower for about 90 minutes, taking in the incredible sights on every side of the tower.  When we were finally done looking, AND chilled to the bone (there was COLD wind blowing the entire time that we were up there) we rode a lift down to the second level and then WALKED down from the second level to the bottom floor!  Our calves were burning!  lol  What a great workout.
Then we were off to the Metro again to head to place to eat for lunch.  We were searching for a special restaurant that had been recommended for us, but had a hard time finding it and ended up at another place.  But, we found a good one, and had a beer and shared a margarita pizza.

After that we walked some more and went on to find the Arc de Triomphe.  This arch was build in commemoration of the triumph of winning World War 1.  What an amazing site and we took in the area and all of the people who were also viewing this magnificent structure.  We decided not to go to the top of the arch, which was a possibility.  Walked some more, and back to the Metro.

Then off to the Grand Palais (palace).  This was a massive building that was a  theatre for singers and performers.  We also saw a bridge that was given to Paris as a gift.  There were intricate gold (real gold originally, then replaced with brass because of vandals) statues on each of the four corners of the bridge.  Absolutely breath taking to see.  The Seine River was swollen from all of the raining, and was flooding over many buildings that were lower near the river's edge.  No boats were running tours along the Seine, due to the flooding, and the inability of them to get under the bridges.  As we were returning down the other side of the street, we came across a statue of Winston Churchhill (who Brian is really interested in).  After that we headed back to the Metro and headed home.

Arrived home after walking almost 10 MILES!!!!! Yes, our legs are ready to fall off.  I hope we can walk to our train stop tomorrow.  lol.  But, before we went home, we KNEW we had to do our shopping for dinner and anything else we needed before tomorrow.  So we did!  The guys bought sausage, salad, fruit, and wine for us for dinner.  Diane and I tried to find a last few souvenirs.  Got back to our place, had dinner and some delectable desserts. We had an wonderful lemon meringue tart, and a strawberry and cream filing tart along with a glass of French champagne.
OH my, we are going to gain some pounds here!  But...  so well worth it!   We have to hit the sack early tonight as we have to be out of here by 7:30 a.m. to catch a train to Frankfort.  So, au revoir from Paris for the last time...

Paris, France... Here we Come!

Got up at 6 this morning.  I needed a chance to go through my luggage and rearrange all my stuff.  Over the last week, it has just become a mess!  So, YEA!  Done with that.  Got packed up and ready for our trek to Paris.  Dragged all of our baggage down to Victoria Station about a quarter of a mile, bumping across the cobblestone roads the whole way.  Picked up our tickets for the Underground and set out for our platform. Having the bags made it so much more difficult to maneuver through the turn-styles at the train station.  There are tons of stairs and NO elevators (or lifts as they call them here).  Heavy bags and TONS of people were definitely a challenge as we try to make our way through.  Missed the first train due to the sheer number of people who were in front of us and crammed themselves into the train.  We waited for the next one, which was literally 2 minutes behind the first.  Much better.  Made it to the Kings Cross depot and then had to find the International train station.  We had to go through security just like we were at the airport.  Again, soooo many people.  Finally got a minute to sit down.  Di and Bri went and got us coffees and a breakfast sandwich.  

Barely finished in time and they called our loading platform for our train. Made our way through the halls and out to our car #18.  We were at the "back of the bus".  SUCCESS...  we were on the right train and heading towards Paris.  Our train, the Eurostar can get up to the speed of 186 miles per hour!!  And we also have to go under the English Channel...  actually, that is where we are RIGHT NOW...  It's kind of bizarre with all black walls surrounding us.  We were under there for at least 15 minutes.  But we are now out and we see the countryside once again.  It is very foggy outside and we can only see the landscape that is near to the train tracks. 

Just arrived in Paris and had to lug up our baggage FOUR STORIES! We are leaving it and heading out to explore Paris. Wow... such an incredible feeling to be here and be a part of this city that is so vibrantly alive, even in the early afternoon. We actually spent about 90 minutes once we got into our apartment to get our bearings straight. We booked a Eiffel Tower tour for tomorrow, Google mapped out Nortre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and more. We took off in good spirits and made our way to the Metro (underground railway) and navigated to the island (yes, there are 2 islands in the Seine River) to Notre Dame. 

We got off the Metro right into a beautiful open courtyard. We found a restaurant where we decided to have some fun with the French food. We tried duck foie gras with toast, and some French onion soup, along with a French bottle of white wine. Then, off to explore.  

We came across the government buildings, police offices, and then Notre 

Dame. It was absolutely incredible. We were admiring the incredible intricate stone work on the face of the church, and the steeples and spires, as well. David noticed that the church was open, so we went in for free! and took a look around There was an actual mass going on at the time, so we were privy to that inspiring to the max. After we left we found a little cart and had a fresh made crepe with sugar and lemon. Yum! Then we headed back via the Metro and went in search of some wine and fresh cheeses for dinner. It took some finagling but we found a grocery store and purchased what we needed. Then back to the house EARLY and settled in for the first evening in our entire vacation where we were in before 10 pm! Had fresh 

French bread with an assortment of cheeses and then Brian heated up a ham and cheese quiche. Enjoyed some beverages as well as the night went on. Of course I was blogging, and to download pictures it took forever so I was STILL up late working on this. But is is so important to me to get my blog done on a timely basis so everyone can enjoy my days as I finish them. What a wonderful evening we had, enjoying not only each other's company, but also the gift of time. It was kind of nice NOT to have an agenda where we HAD to be somewhere at a specific time. We got to just hang out and take a breather from a schedule, albeit an amazing time table. Au revoir!

Our Last Night in London

Our trip back from Salisbury, Stonehenge, and Bath took longer than expected, as we ran in to traffic and an accident on the motorway.  Again, dozing most of the way.  When we finally arrived back, we were told that we were not going to be dropped of at the same point that we were picked up.  So, we, again, jumped on the Underground.  That is absolutely the best way to get around London quickly.  We got back to Victoria Station, walked to our hotel, got ready, and went out to dinner St. George's Tavern.  We were starving at that point and had some Dungeness crab dip, and David just HAD to try to nachos.  Too funny.  

Then, at the suggestion of our waitress Agnes, we ordered a mixed plate that had steak, chicken, pork chops (called gammons), sausage, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, peas, and an egg.  We also got the fish and chips, because you HAVE to try them if you are in England!  DELICIOUS, all of it.  Agnes was a very friendly and helpful waitress.  Not only did she give us great suggestions on the food, she let the guys try both of the beers they were going to order to ensure they would like them.  We talked a lot about the travel we were doing, and her aspirations to come to the U.S. in the futures.  She also helped us get ready for our next day, which included a train ride on the Eurostar, and assisted us in understanding what steps we had to take to get to it, and navigate through with the least amount of effort.  We felt much more confident after her help.  THANKS AGNES!!

It was after 10:30 p.m. when we left the restaurant.  Yes, P.M....  then we were off site seeing!  We HAD to go see Big Ben, so we jumped on the Underground again and set off.  It took us a bit to figure out where we needed a quick ride and we walked up the ramp from the rail station and THERE IT WAS!  And we got so lucky because after a few minutes it was 11:00 and the enormous clock started chiming.  I just stood there with the biggest smile on my face as it rang out, loud and clear, eleven times.  Timing is everything, and while it hasn't been our best friend a couple of times on this trip, it certainly was here.  Across the street was Westminster Abbey, rising from the street in all its glory.  Stunning building.

Back on the Underground to see if we could go to Buckingham Palace.  When we arrived at the correct station, but after we saw that we could have to go THROUGH Hyde Park (which is like going through Central Park in New York at night) we decided, no way...  So to the Underground again to go home for the night.  

Even after we arrived at the hotel, just before midnight, my work was not done.  I had to blog for the day.  David decided to go to bed, so I joined Diane and Brian in their room.  Had a glass of cheap chardonnay and set to work typing up our day.  About 12:45 as the Internet slowed waaaaayyyyy down, I decided to call it quits.  Nighty night and cherrio until tomorrow.

Salisbury, Stonehenge, and Bath

Where do I begin for our adventurous day?  Before we came to Paris we booked a tour to go visit Salisbury, Stonehenge and Bath through a group called Golden Tours.  We had to be at the pick up place at 8:30, first come first served.  We happened to be 4th in line.  :)  We hopped on a tour bus and grabbed some good seats up front.  The London day that met us was not raining, but gray and gloomy across the entire sky.  After our amazing guide for the tour in Scotland, this one was good, but sorry, did NOT compare to Keith.

We traveled the London and then English
countryside for a couple of hours before arriving at our first stop which was Salisbury.  In Salisbury Cathedral is held one of the best preserved copies of the Magna Carta.  The
Magna Carta was a document  that was signed in 1223 that set the world on end...  a document that had the insight to NOT allow all of the power to be with the king, but to share said power with the Barons as well.  This document was a definite prelude to our future Constitution of the United States.  The Salisbury cathedral was built in 1220 and finished in 1258 and was absolutely breath taking.

The tombs and burial stones we saw dated back to the 1300's.  The architecture and attention to detail, especially with the stonework was intricate and incredible.  The base of the cathedral was made up of chalk, like the Cliffs of Dover.  A spire was added later, and the weight of the spire was so massive, that it eventually bowed the main beams of the building, which later ha
d to be reinforced.  The cathedral offered a tour, full of great information and details that you would never have known unless you had taken the time to go through.

Back on the bus again.  Our next stop was Stonehenge.  Just to say the name Stonehenge is awe inspiring to me.  I have long seen pictures and imagined what it would be like to go there, but to finally have opportunity was like a total gift.  We had to park our bus out almost 3 miles from the site, and then take a shuttle up to the actual place where the stones were laid.  We were struck with an incredible force of a freezing gale wind.  The actual temperature was around 45 degrees, but with the windchill factor it was more like 30 degrees.  Unprotected from the wind and the elements, after we were dropped off by a shuttle bus we walked around the entire area and were literally frozen.

My hair was whipping around my head, I had no clothing on that could compete with the wind and cold. We were given a self guided tour headset, where we could push the button as we approached each marker, and a plethora of information would be given to us about the stones.  The theories, assumptions, predictions, and local lore were presented and an open mind was asked for as your thought through what might have occurred there at Stonehenge.

The theory that most believe is that Stonehenge was created to be a calendar, as the Summer Solstice and the Winter Solstice, the sun aligns exactly with the way the stones are laid out.  The stones have been carbon dated to be over 5000 years old.  Some of the stones weigh up to 40 tons! After we made it through the stones, whose arrangement defied explanation, we were Popsicles. We took a shuttle back to the visitor center and immediately went to get a hot drink.  A few minutes later we were armed with hot coffee, cocoa, and a steak pastie.  YUM... we almost missed the bus as we were finishing up our looking around the place, purchasing a few things, and using the loo.

Off to Bath next!  We were a couple of hours away, and the bus ride continued to be pretty tame.  There were no amazing castles to be seen, just country side and the occasional view of a town.  We dozed much of the time as we drove, catching up on short nights' sleep for many previous nights.  This night life is really taking its told on us old people!  lol.  Anyway, when we finally arrived at Bath, we were in for an incredible sight!  I was very excited to be visiting this place, because I teach a unit of Ancient Greece and Rome to my 3rd graders, and this is SOOOOO exactly what we learned about!  To be able


to actually be IN and SEE an actual bath that was made by the Romans was beyond all of my wildest dreams.  Bath is the only hots springs in England, and averages about 96 degrees on a consistent basis.  The Romans dedicated this place to the Goddess Minerva and called it Aquae Sulis.  We spent about 90 minutes walking through the buildings, both original structures, and many that had been reinforced and secured.  The majority of what we observed were all from the Roman period, including tools they used, coins and monies that had been hidden and found, full stone carved statues of some of the most important people of that time, including Julius Caesar.  There were many different rooms and bath areas.  The water had steam rising from it, attesting to the warmth that lay below these geyser hot springs.  There are 43 different minerals in the water, which caused the water to bubble.  I had the opportunity to try some of the water at the end of the tour.  The water I tasted was over 6000 years old!!!  That's how long it takes for the water to go through the entire process and come back to the surface.  The water tasted very different from what we normally drink, because there were so many minerals in it.  Such an amazing chance that I could NOT pass up!   Definitely a day filled with adventure, history, and great companionship!