tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539658326662168222023-11-16T03:43:35.135-08:00shutter&sparksa two person lifestyle blog about everything and nothing and lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-33999365376247324832013-03-09T05:18:00.001-08:002013-03-09T05:18:54.148-08:00Vintage Charlotte Lives!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vintage-charlotte.com/popup"><img alt="Vintage Charlotte Pop Up Events" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-1M-Y9DDnMKOyN9tH9k0eAwUqYzsfhNMtKCMLPYBeBakz5N7I-ePcBJMxywEEyFdSastzg4l727tTGJe6nYSXXivLsWJMhg3VZB285OB6oRzriFAiaedHrJ4LeTsPopQxVV3c6gsQg/s200/popup_events.png" title="Vintage Charlotte Pop Up Events" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.vintage-charlotte.com/gallery"><img alt="Vintage Charlotte Rentals" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhV8pkz2bFj7FNSdoq-nhFpCj9ycOzuRIZNjKWPnnCZ_HOKowAfNIlFIMIrynUrTXlfiqUJ7gOAdKj7xTjYiVp1Xf-U-7pWO9xQHwAWUnGaOOXzR-ceD9fdZLt42kbkSJFCtH0Sh_now/s200/vintage_rentals.png" title="Vintage Charlotte Rentals" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We've launched Vintage Charlotte! After a long process of website building, tuning, thrifting, and photo shoots the website is up and running.
<br />
<br />
The pop up events site has moved from the original <a href="http://vintagecharlotte.wordpress.com/">wordpress site</a> to the new <a href="http://www.vintage-charlotte.com/popup">Vintage Charlotte</a> domain and we are still organizing great wedding, style, and vintage markets in the Charlotte, NC area.<br />
<br />
Our biggest addition is that <a href="http://www.vintage-charlotte.com/">Vintage Charlotte</a> now provides <a href="http://www.vintage-charlotte.com/gallery">vintage rentals</a> for weddings, engagement parties, tea parties, or any other special occasion. We have a variety of assorted vintage china, flatware, and decor to add some classic flare to your event.<br />
<br />
Stop by at <a href="http://www.vintage-charlotte.com/">www.vintage-charlotte.com</a> for the latest news on upcoming pop up markets, or if you're interested in our vintage rentals, to browse our inventory.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-17992003911434018922012-08-04T13:31:00.000-07:002012-08-05T06:28:29.973-07:00Lego LichtensteinA while back I decided to undertake a winter project and create a 4' x 4' recreation of Roy Lichtenstein's "Girl with Hair Ribbon" out of legos. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisB1nUpnZ2HfCQxhxazfCY9ZHAR8J2Q8exE2pMMIfgkzfut1e3tM6NYiCOpMetEizFLcdAFCIZaKZAesKjiapxyMkyoR78LVHWZnAAQktkPA2bhB7OfJl5DEJ7fkqAEfd445_-vYPzTQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisB1nUpnZ2HfCQxhxazfCY9ZHAR8J2Q8exE2pMMIfgkzfut1e3tM6NYiCOpMetEizFLcdAFCIZaKZAesKjiapxyMkyoR78LVHWZnAAQktkPA2bhB7OfJl5DEJ7fkqAEfd445_-vYPzTQ/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here is a picture without the border.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had so much fun with it that I decided to make another. I chose a different Lichtenstein painting this time ("Fast Car") and blew it up to 4' x 5'.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A little background on the process.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Step 1: Buy lots of legos. I purchased them from a online lego supermarket (www.bricklink.com). They have pretty much every type of lego you would ever need and the prices are good.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Step 2: I built the back from a sheet of plywood and some 1" x 2" wood bracers nailed to the back. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqImEqnVStAh7jb2z1UOvbtIGlj1XGy135TC9d0ZUc61k07j12RMX52rU76tNZuvkhEMY0JCkp-wxxxHlbsUDdD9yM7SePaERr6IRVWgubIYgp0newRnip3d3FgSSPWhTaQCGq3sVWqg/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqImEqnVStAh7jb2z1UOvbtIGlj1XGy135TC9d0ZUc61k07j12RMX52rU76tNZuvkhEMY0JCkp-wxxxHlbsUDdD9yM7SePaERr6IRVWgubIYgp0newRnip3d3FgSSPWhTaQCGq3sVWqg/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Step 3: I then glued lego base plates over the entire wooden board in order to be able to stick the lego pieces on.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBd0xFkNNXji248DPHqxVkcHgD4fI5nxs1XCQgZ2LRNvz94byi0YcSyfA1Pmm6KgcaJO4MFEEwCczZTjUYClfbUvq2vJeUVipF53awmhvyd_2jha9ygpogy4HFdV-bUYg-KWlPxXEtw/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBd0xFkNNXji248DPHqxVkcHgD4fI5nxs1XCQgZ2LRNvz94byi0YcSyfA1Pmm6KgcaJO4MFEEwCczZTjUYClfbUvq2vJeUVipF53awmhvyd_2jha9ygpogy4HFdV-bUYg-KWlPxXEtw/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Step 4: The tedious part! I gridded out a 8.5" x 11" picture of the painting and just like that project most of you have done in grade school I recreated each square of the sheet in legos on the main board. I had to order parts several times as I never ordered enough legos at once.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DgXMQ7QV8aAURgck0B4jvM84VY902gQG27jmcrRKzEkKG_jbad11dIXvoO0HaJjtFVNBMg3L-NCpsuaHGNwQXwqqyci_WPet9OXaiC74E31Q8Lh6Dkc_pp_SiDNh51uVPpV2LSJFGg/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DgXMQ7QV8aAURgck0B4jvM84VY902gQG27jmcrRKzEkKG_jbad11dIXvoO0HaJjtFVNBMg3L-NCpsuaHGNwQXwqqyci_WPet9OXaiC74E31Q8Lh6Dkc_pp_SiDNh51uVPpV2LSJFGg/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Step 5: The finishing touches! The boarder is made from black flat tile legos stuck on in a 2" boarder around the picture. The boarder overhangs the board slightly to conceal the wood behind. After the legos were all on, I painted the boarders of the wood for a nice finish</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_LXBkk7hBBFzDL5v-B-PRH15_SbsH_qCClmot4fq0m93pdRFMnxuDqPpcu5ZpkLMwldiZKTk7YHQfTbyPNQ3unMTr85FO4LhcOT8k-aBl0vOjDRIKTEueFBh_kUCZDulDKPSBOncjg/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_LXBkk7hBBFzDL5v-B-PRH15_SbsH_qCClmot4fq0m93pdRFMnxuDqPpcu5ZpkLMwldiZKTk7YHQfTbyPNQ3unMTr85FO4LhcOT8k-aBl0vOjDRIKTEueFBh_kUCZDulDKPSBOncjg/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This project was very time consuming but still a lot of fun. Overall cost was around $350 for the first one and $600 for the second.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-89231749699862887312012-03-01T17:34:00.001-08:002012-03-01T17:41:01.556-08:00DIY Patio Project from Salvaged MaterialToday was just the kind of day that makes me glad Amy and I moved to Charlotte. Its only March 1st and yet the sun is shining and the thermometer is pegged at 79 degrees. <br />
<br />
I couldn't pass up the chance to get outside so I spent the day working on a backyard patio at our new place. The area was covered in vines, leaves, and trash before I began so it took a good amount of time to get everything cleaned up and ready.<br />
<br />
I had a budget of $0 for this project. Ok, I didn't do it all for free. I had to spend $40 on the patio furniture (craigslist), a few bucks on the planting pots (thrift store), and about $10 on potting soil from Home Depot. Everything else was free. <br />
<br />
I got the bricks from a guy not to far from us (via craigslist) who was tearing up his patio to build a wood deck. The soil in the backyard is a thick red clay that worked well to fill in the cracks as mortar. The concrete pavers were buried in the backyard under mud and leaves. A little cleaning up and they made a nice border and walking stones.<br />
<br />
Amy and I bought a ton of seeds to plant so I decided to build a raised planting bed (the idea courtesy of our gracious Irish hosts Alfie and Margaret). I used a wood pallet from home depot that they generously donated. They probably would have had to pay to have it removed so I was really doing them a favor. I knocked the boards loose from the pallet and nailed them together leaving an open bottom for drainage. When the it gets closer to planting time I will fill it up with potting soil and drop in the sprouted seeds we have in our indoor greenhouse.<br />
<br />
And that was all there was to it. The grand total on the project was $55 or so and took about 6 hours. Check out the pics below.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1164.photobucket.com/albums/q573/k_hessler/?action=view&current=IMG_3392.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q573/k_hessler/IMG_3392.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
I had some left over brick and stone so we made a little fire pit.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1164.photobucket.com/albums/q573/k_hessler/?action=view&current=IMG_3393.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q573/k_hessler/IMG_3393.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
The one regret is that I didn't take a before picture to compare with the finished product.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1164.photobucket.com/albums/q573/k_hessler/?action=view&current=IMG_3391.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q573/k_hessler/IMG_3391.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-78006151204038493752012-01-02T14:23:00.000-08:002012-01-02T17:45:55.491-08:00New Etsy Shop Up and Running!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiPKRSrBgiwUPh4jhaBTCYT5Z9GwVHRDkjZYqbPW-wnrK60l0DYfBq7cXJOle-drPfdm4JPTtIshkXtd1yvn6Yve2Bht-dWi2YhW_HmdiZUN9MqMT1pKUVNiUIfAwy-cfb4VYlx7ZQA/s1600/shop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiPKRSrBgiwUPh4jhaBTCYT5Z9GwVHRDkjZYqbPW-wnrK60l0DYfBq7cXJOle-drPfdm4JPTtIshkXtd1yvn6Yve2Bht-dWi2YhW_HmdiZUN9MqMT1pKUVNiUIfAwy-cfb4VYlx7ZQA/s320/shop.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShutterandSparks">www.Etsy.com/shop/ShutterandSparks</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our new shop is up with a few orders already under its belt. The shop uses a unique pricing concept as far as Etsy shops go. Each week on Tuesday morning we will post 10 new items and at that time the 10 items from the previous week are dropped in price!<br />
<br />
<br />
The items for sale drop in price by 25% for the first 4 weeks. Once they reach the 4th week they will stay the same price until they are sold.<br />
<br />
These price drops will occur on Tuesdays at Noon EST so if you are waiting to buy an item, you will know exactly when the price will be changed. Price drop times are designated in the item listing.<br />
<br />
The goal of this shopping experience is to offer great items at prices that our customers approve. There is a little bit of fun and chance involved, so if you love an item and you love the price, buy it before someone else does! If you love an item, but not the price, wait a week and come back, but be careful, someone else may have that same idea!<br />
<br />
Check it out! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShutterandSparks">www.Etsy.com/shop/ShutterandSparks</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-63348824817290234392011-12-30T08:14:00.000-08:002011-12-30T08:14:51.165-08:00Catacombs and Crepes.We arrived in Paris after a 5 hour train ride and made our way to our hotel for the night. The hotel was nothing special but it was clean and we quickly settled in. We had an aggressive agenda for Paris and we made the most of our short time there before our flight home.<br />
<br />
Our first stop was the Catacombs. The Catacombs were originally a stone mine beneath the city that was eventually closed due to the vast cave-ins it was causing around Paris. The city eventually decided to use it as a place to store bodies after the cemeteries around Paris began running out of space (a problem that lead to diseased water and seepage of bodily fluids from the mass graves into the basements of adjacent homes). The bodies were originally just tossed down shafts into the catacombs. Eventually a man decided to spend some time and organize the bones into walls (made of femurs and skulls) and other strange sculptures. It must take a pretty disturbed person to want to volunteer to do something like this.<br />
<br />
After convincing the clerk we were students (getting half off the admission price) and walking down a dizzying spiral staircase and lengthy stone corridor we got to the good stuff...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe959.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe959.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
The long corridor<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe961.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe961.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Creepy off shoots from the main walk through the Catacombs<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe963.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe963.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
A sculpture made by a mine worker of the Palace he could see from his prison cell before he was released.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe964.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe964.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe967.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe967.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe969.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe969.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe970.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe970.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
I touched it...<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe975.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe975.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe977.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe977.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe980.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe980.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe981.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe981.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe982.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe982.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
There were weird shrines throughout<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe984.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe984.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe985.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe985.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
A cave in area.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe986.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe986.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Once we were out of the macabre maze we grabbed some crepes (apparently tons of dead bodies make Amy and I hungry) and headed over to the Notre Dame.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe988.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe988.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
No hunchbacks here.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe991.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe991.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe993.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe993.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Our final stop was a the Eiffel tower. We were so exhausted from the endless walk over there that we just snapped a quick pic and hopped on the metra back to our hotel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe995.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe995.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And that's that! The end to our 3 month European adventure. The flight back to Chicago was surprisingly enjoyable, save for watching the movie Contagion, and we were glad to be back state side. Now, time for the Holidays!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-28469274454320049532011-12-30T07:51:00.000-08:002011-12-30T08:16:35.970-08:00Our Last Workaway - Salles, FranceOur final workaway brought us to a tiny village called Salles about an hour North of Toulouse, France. We were picked up from the Montsempron Libos train station by Fitz (one of our hosts) and drove about 30 minutes to their quaint farm. We arrived well after the Sun went down so we didn't get to see the property right away. We walked into their beautiful home (an old renovated stone building) and sat down with Ann and Fitz for a home cooked meal. We spent some time getting acquainted before turning in for the night. <br />
<br />
The next day we took the grand tour of the house and of the surrounding area and talked about some of the work we would be doing while staying with them. Over the next week and a half the agenda consisted of rebuilding a tile roof and painting the frame of the terrace, installing a rain gutter and rain barrel, pouring cement and setting posts for a new and improved chicken enclosure, and enjoying the surrounding area and the company of our hosts.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe944.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe944.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
This was an old house on their property that they plan on restoring as a vacation rental.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe945.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe945.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Here is a view of their house from the courtyard.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe946.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe946.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
This was a nearby village with an old church. They host arts and craft fairs here in the summer.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe947.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe947.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
The old stone built church. There were some interesting grave stones in the floor...probably secret entrances to crypts filled with the knights templar treasure!<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe948.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe948.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
The local Chateau.<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe949.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe949.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe950.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe950.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe952.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe952.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Me working on the tile roof<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe953.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe953.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Amy sitting down on the job<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=europe954.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/europe954.jpg" width="500" /> </a><br />
We cooked thanksgiving dinner for our hosts one night. We had turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and brownies for dessert. <br />
<br />
Ann and Fitz were gracious hosts and we enjoyed the 10 days we spent with them. Our original plan was to spend another month in Europe but all of the moving around had taken a toll on us and we were ready to be back in the good ol' USA. We switched our flights to December 5th and headed to Paris for a quick visit before flying home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-73641071609442665592011-11-22T23:52:00.001-08:002011-11-25T09:39:53.590-08:00The French RivieraSaying adieu to Switzerland, Amy and I took a train from Bern to Nice, France. We were thrilled with the Swiss hospitality but the numbness in our hands and toes sent us in search of sunshine and warmer weather.<br /><br />We arrived in the evening, after the 7 hour ride, and were pleased to find what we were searching for. We headed to our bags at our hotel (Comte de Nice), which was surprisingly full of German guests and staff, and checked in for the night. <br /><br />The next morning we were scheduled to pick up our rental car so we grabbed some food at the local street market (60 cents for a bag of dates and a pear) and took a walk through the city towards the Mediterranean.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1830.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1830.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />Nice is a "Nice" place, had to throw that in there. The streets are clean, the air smells of the sea, the people are friendly, and the city feels like an actual city instead of a strip mall of tourist shops. I can see why the rich flock to the French Riviera.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1827.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1827.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1839.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1839.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We finally arrived at the beach and spent some time walking along the Boulevard towards the rental company. And now for my plug for the rental car company "Sixt". First off, super friendly staff and good prices. Secondly, free upgrade to a Mercedes!!! The only downside was the driver had to be the person whose credit card we used which meant Amy was driving. She was not too pleased and I don't blame her because driving a big car down narrow European streets with motorbikes cuttin in and out of traffic is not enjoyable.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1837.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1837.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Big pimpin'<br /><br />Anyways, we picked up our bags from our hotel and started driving along the coast. Our first stop was on an empty beach on a peninsula dominated by million dollar homes. The beach was loaded with sea glass (we filled a glove with it due to our lack of any other suitable container) and we enjoyed the view of the sea with Nice and the mountains in the background. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1835.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1835.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1833.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1833.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We drove the entire day, taking in the scenic views and met up with our first couchsurfers, a younger couple living in Aubagne. <br /><br />Joel and Hortense (our CS hosts) recommended that we visit the Cap de Caneille cliffs so Amy and I left in the morning and headed that way. We were glad we decided to go because the views were spectacular.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1840.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1840.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Amy hanging her feet over the edge. No thanks! I got as far as laying on my stomache and peeking over the edge.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1842.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1842.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1844.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1844.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1847.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1847.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1848.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1848.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1850.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1850.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />A strange cave in the rock nearby.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1851.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1851.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1853.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1853.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />After the cliffs we drove to Aix-En-Provence and walked around the city before driving a good ways to our next couch surfers in a small town called Virages. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1856.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1856.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />They were setting up for a Christmas festival which made us miss Chriskindlemart in Chicago.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1857.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1857.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1858.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1858.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We met our hosts at a bar and they treated us to a drink before taking us to a local spot with a view of the entire town.<br /><br /> <a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1859.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1859.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We then headed to their place where they cooked us a delicious dinner (aperitif, salad, truffle eggs, a baked pumpkin dish, and pears simmered in red wine). Stuffed and full of wine we turned in for the night.<br /><br />One of Amy's attractions that she wanted to visit was the Fraganard perfume factory so the next morning we headed straight there for a tour.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1861.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1861.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The essence use to be extracted by laying the flowers face down in animal fat and changing them everyday for up to 3 months. Now they just use chemicals to extract the essence.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1862.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1862.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1863.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1863.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />This is where the "Nose" sits and makes perfumes from over 250 essences. There are only 50 "Noses" in the world and it takes 9+ years of training to become one.<br /><br />After a long drive back towards Nice we arrived in St. Paul de Vence, a hill top town full of nothing but art galleries and cafes targetting tourists. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1866.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1866.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We spent some time walking around and then drove to the top of a nearby mountain where we relaxed for a couple of hours and took in the view.<br /><br />We met up with our final couchsurfers later that night (A young couple who spoke very little English). We tried our best to communicate, and although it was a little ackward at times, we enjoyed the stay.<br /><br />The next morning we dropped off our car in Nice, booked a room for the night, and toured Nice.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1868.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1868.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Hotel Negresco where Amy's grandpa played chess during WWII.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1869.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1869.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />A great street market we strolled through. <br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1870.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1870.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Candied fruit, mmmm. Amy didn't like them but I thought they were good.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1871.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1871.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Nice from the city Chateau.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1874.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1874.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Relaxin' on the beach. The weather was beautiful.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1875.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1875.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />There were nude sunbathers all around the beach. We tried to leave them out of the pics, this is a "PG" blog ya know.<br /><br />Our French Riviera excursion had to come to an end so we took a train the next morning to our next workaway in a little village north of Toulouse.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-70799180505487606472011-11-18T09:31:00.000-08:002011-11-25T09:39:22.047-08:00A Quick Trip to Switzerland!At the end of our visit to the Italian cities we decided that we would like to take a quick trip into the mountains of Switzerland. After reading through our handy-dandy Europe guide (thanks Lauren!) we chose, based on what appealed to us to go to Lucerne and then move onto the capitol city, Bern.<br /><br />We were very lucky and able to find couchsurfers for all four nights we were spending in Switzerland. We left from Venice and after a very scenic, but very long train ride we arrived in Switzerland.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1776.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1776.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />View from the train window, somewhere around Lugano.<br /><br />We got in around 8 pm and met up with our couchsurfers. The next day we were up bright and early to wander around the city. The weather in the mountains was a far cry from the warm weather we had in Italy!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1778.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1778.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Fall was in full swing... across that lake is a really beautiful view of the mountains that we never got to see.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1779.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1779.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1780.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1780.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1781.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1781.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Very quaint city.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1783.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1783.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The famous Kapellbrucke that burned down in 1993, but has been rebuilt and partially restored.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1785.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1785.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Everything looks like a ski chalet!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1786.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1786.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />"The Dying Lion Of Lucerne"<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1787.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1787.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I think this is a whomping willow.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1789.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1789.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />From the top looking down at the city.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1791.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1791.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis holding the roasted chestnuts, which are very popular and we felt we needed to try.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1792.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1792.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1793.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1793.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />At the wine tasting with our couchsurfers and some friends.<br /><br />The next day we took a beautiful 1 hour train ride through the Swiss countryside and ended up in Bern. We headed straight to our couchsurfers apartment where we were greeted and shown to our room. We would be staying with Thomas and Nia for the next two days. When we arrived in Bern, we had great, clear weather, so Thomas suggested that we head out for a nice walk along the river to the famous Barengraben (Bear Pit) to see Bern's most famous residents.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1795.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1795.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Nice view of the bridges.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1796.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1796.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Amy with the bears!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1797.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1797.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis and Thomas with the bears.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1799.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1799.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Momma and one of her babies!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1800.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1800.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />View of the other side of the river from the Bear pit.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1801.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1801.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Bear themed stuff all over Bern... It is the cities mascot.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1804.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1804.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />After seeing the bears we hiked up the hill to the Rose Garden for a spectacular view of the sunset, we also met up with Nia!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1806.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1806.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1808.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1808.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />After watching most of the sunset, we wandered towards the grocery store by way of the main strip in Bern. Most of the shops we closed or closing, but it was still awesome to see.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1811.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1811.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We stopped at the grocery store and Nia and Thomas picked up the ingredients for a traditional Swiss fondue. We met up with Nia's friend Sophie and headed back to the apartment where we were treated to fondue. The Swiss dip the bread into a cherry flavored liqueur before dipping it into the cheese, both Kurtis and I thought it was a little too strong! It is supposed to help with the digestion of all of the cheese!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1812.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1812.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The next day Kurtis and I walked down to the old town and got to see the city in the light.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1813.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1813.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Fountain featuring giants eating children. Bern has a small river that runs through the middle of the main street that comes up in many fountains.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1814.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1814.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />And we had to visit the Einstein museum! Did you know that Einstein left his wife for his cousin? Well now you do!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1816.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1816.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />On our last evening, Kurtis and I made tacos for our hosts and then we all headed out to the light show on the capitol building. The light show was intense and awesome... the photos really don't do it justice.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1818.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1818.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1819.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1819.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1824.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1824.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />The next morning, we hopped on yet another train, this time to the south of France. We arrived in Nice after about 7 hours on two different trains.Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-50859024034132839902011-11-14T23:16:00.000-08:002011-11-23T09:21:50.669-08:00Florence and Venice, ItalyNormally we would do a separate post for each city we visited, however, Florence was planned as a "stay-cation" (a span of downtime to recoup, yes recoup, from travelling) and we tried to do as little as possible.<br /><br />We arrived by train, as usual, and headed to our hotel to drop of our bags. The hotel was nice, off the beaten track, and had some great staff. We freshened up, grabbed a quick bite at a local kebab shop, and started to wander around the city.<br /><br />Our first site was the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge covered in jewelry shops. Some quick facts: the bridge was the only bridge in Florence not destroyed by allied bombers in WWII. The bridge was originally filled with meat shops until the city rezoned it and required it to only house jewelry stores.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1718.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1718.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We wandered on over to the main church "Duomo". Upon enterring the Piazza del Duomo "Duomo Plaza" my first reaction was "I climbed that!". What I was referring to was the Campanile tower that was recreated in the xbox game "Assassin's Creed" (yes I am nerdy like that, so what). But I digress. The Duomo is among one of the more impressive cathedrals that we have seen in our travels and we stood in awe at its size and beauty.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1719.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1719.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1722.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1722.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We walked around the side of the church and were immediatly caught off guard by this lady singing in an amazing Opera style voice. We stayed for 3 songs and were compelled to tip her some euro change.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1720.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1720.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We entered the Cathedral and walked around a bit. Unfortunately security was overly vigilant so we weren't able to snap any photos of the inside.<br /><br />We wandered a bit longer around the city and headed back home, grabbing some chinese for dinner along the way.<br /><br />The next day, after forcing ourselves to get up and ready, we had breakfast and headed out into the city. We stopped at a straw market to pet the bronze pig and drop a coin in its mouth. This tradition is suppose to ensure a safe return back to Florence in the future. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1726.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1726.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1727.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1727.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />The rest of the day was spent doing more wandering, enjoying the character of the buildings, monuments, and statues throughout the city. <br /><br />We made a reservation at a restaraunt called Accademia for our anniversary dinner (not easy to do when you speak no Italian). We arrived all spiffed up (a difficult feat when you're living out of a backpack) and ordered the fixed price menu (42€ each). The meal was pricey but great! We started off with a glass of prosecco (a sweet wine) that is probably designed to relax you for the feast to come. The first course was a mushroom strudel with creme sauce served with a glass of white wine, delicious! Next up was a whole wheat lasagna with lamb sauce served with a glass of red wine. Again, delicious. Already feeling full and buzzed from the wine we braced for the 3rd course, a tender cut of meat in a brown sauce with glazed shallots. Again, served with another glass of red wine and soooo delicious. The final course was dessert, a grouping of 3 yummy cookies served with a glass of dessert wine. I had trouble downing it all but I managed. We left filled to the gills and walked home to turn in for the night.<br /><br />Our last day in Florence was spent planning our next leg of the trip, blogging, and meeting up with our old college friend Lauren for a drink and a climb to the top of the city.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1733.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1733.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1735.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1735.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />It was raining pretty hard so we didn't hang around too long.<br /><br />We left the next morning for Venice at 8am (way too early to be up and moving). We got into Venice and took a boat ride to a stop close to our B&B. We checked in and grabbed some pizza at a hole in the wall place before taking a walk through the city.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1737.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1737.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1741.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1741.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1742.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1742.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1744.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1744.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1745.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1745.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1746.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1746.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1747.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1747.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1748.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1748.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1749.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1749.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1753.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1753.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1756.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1756.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1766.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1766.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />Venice is a very unique city and has a very romantic feel. The only downside is that it is littered with tourist shops and people trying to sell you junk. It seems like a labrynth of tourist traps. But I suppose we were prepared for it and made the most of the city and its character. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1755.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1755.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />We had pizza and wine for dinner at a place near our B&B and crashed for the night. <br /><br />The next morning we had breakfast at our B&B. It consisted of coffee, juice, and manufactured rolls (bleh!). We came to the conclusion that Italians just don't care much for breakfast (maybe because they eat such big dinners??) We continued our tour of the city, stopping in the San Marco Cathedral.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1765.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1765.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1760.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1760.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1759.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1759.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The square was flooded from the rain the previous night and the city had set up walkways for the tourists.<br /><br />Afterwards we went to the center of the plaza where I was attacked by pigeons! I suppose I was asking for it by holding bread in my hand. Amy refused to come near them and I got a good laugh watching her scramble as I tossed bread at her feet.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1763.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1763.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We walked out to a point for lunch (leftover pizza, so healthy) and spent some time sunbathing along the waters edge.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1767.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1767.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1769.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1769.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1770.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1770.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />When I started to overheat we went to the Guggenheim Museum where Amy convinced the staff we were students, saving us 10€ on the tickets. We spent a good deal of time in the museum (I think Amy got more out of it then me).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1772.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1772.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1773.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1773.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We rounded out our day with dinner at the same restaraunt (it was the most reasonably priced and filled with customers, a good indicator of its quality). We checked out the next morning and headed for Switzerland.<br /><br />A quick note about our experience in Italy. Although we visited some very wonderful places and met some very nice people we found the cities to be dirty and the locals rude. Italy has been our least favorite country thus far :(.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-77414897885773947162011-11-12T06:17:00.000-08:002011-11-12T06:18:46.714-08:00Budget TravelSome people have been asking how we can afford this trip, but the truth is that so far, we have spent about the same amount per month traveling as we would have just living in Chicago. We have learned a lot of things that have helped us keep costs down. Here are some basic tips that we have put together including many things you should do before you leave:<br /><br />1. Don't pay rent in the states while you are abroad, this is a great tip for anyone going on a trip that is longer than a month. We packed up all of our stuff and sold most of our furniture. Our stuff is graciously being stored in my mom's basement at no cost to us, but even paying for a storage locker for the time you are away would be better than paying rent.<br /><br />2. Don't get international service on your cell phone. It is a rip off and you can get a go phone easily enough. In the EU there are regulations on the cost of texting (no more than 15 euro cents per outgoing text), so for the most part we have just been texting people if we need to be in touch. For calling home, use skype. It's free and if you have an iPhone/iPod touch with camera, bring it and then you can make free calls using the skype app whenever you have wireless. Also, call your US wireless provider before you go and see if you can put your contracts on hold. Both Kurtis and I were able to do this: Verizon allows you to do it for free for 90 day periods, I will have to re-hold my contract sometime in December, but it is done easily through their website. AT&T allows you to do it for any period of time for $10 a month, just call to let them know the dates you need. For both, the time the phones are on hold will be added to the end of your contract. The go phone that we got for use while we are here was 13€ and we buy 15€ cards to top it up. Over the course of our four months in Europe, the expected total cost of our go phone is about 60€, which is less than it would cost either of us for one month in the states.<br /><br />3. Check into your credit cards and debit cards before you leave. Some cards have really high fees for international use. My chase ATM card would charge $5 or 3% of EVERY transaction, whichever is higher, so I didn't even bother to bring it with me. Kurtis' bank of america card charges a fee to use it as a debit card but partners with many banks across Europe to offer free ATM withdrawals. I also have a chase credit card which has no international fees. Paying fees to pay for things and take out money adds up really quickly, it is best to find out if you can avoid them before you go. The other thing to be aware of is that European credit cards have a chip in them that cards in the US do not. Some places will not allow you to use your American credit cards, so just make sure that you always have cash with you too!<br /><br />4. Couchsurfing.org This is a website that basically connects travelers to people who may be willing to host them around the world. The idea behind the site is that there is an exchange of cultural ideas. If you have used the site you may already know that it can get a little bit annoying in certain ways... The site itself is a little difficult to navigate and there are also people on the site will tell you that you shouldn't couchsurf to save money, that if you couchsurf you should be able to afford to stay at a hotel, that it is about the experience, etc... But with that all being said it does save you money by providing you with a free place to stay. If you are going to be using couchsurfing, I highly recommend getting on the site at least a few months before you plan to surf and making a profile, it would be even better if you could host a few people before you go surfing yourself. Our Couchsurfing experiences have all been very different, but none of them have been bad. The other thing is that you can't necessarily count on finding someone to host you. You have to be patient and send out tons of requests... Realize that in some of the more popular locations, people may be receiving 10+ requests a day. On average, I start sending our requests about a week before and I send about 10 per day until I either get a positive response or give up because it is now the next day we would be trying to surf. Basically, you should look at couchsurfing as a plus but not a guarantee, there are going to be places where you just cannot find a host. You should always be willing to spend some time with your host (although you may get a host that just points you to your bed and that's ok too) and don't couchsurf if you can't even at least pretend to be interested in other people. We have had some of our best nights while couchsurfing because it gives you a chance to experience what life is really like for the locals. If you want to read more about our couchsurfing experiences, check out our posts tagged with the "couchsurfing" tag.<br /><br />5. Try a work abroad program. There are many websites that organize work exchanges, the one that we are using is called workaway.info. There is a membership fee to join (22€ for a couple to join for 2 years) but this fee is fairly small and I think is probably meant to limit the amount of people who back out of showing up for the work at the last minute. The exchange (as laid out by the workaway site) is that workawayers are meant to work 25 hours a week in exchange for room and board. We have done 4 workaways so far and the work has been varied as well as the room and board situations at each place. At some you live with the family and eat meals together and at some you may be given groceries to cook your own food. The site only works as a launching pad to connect the workers to the hosts and after that, all of the arrangement are made privately between the two. Our experiences with the workaways has varied from excellent to good, but I think the most important part of the experience is laying out the work and the expectations via email before you arrive so that everyone has a clear understanding of the arrangements. We have had some frustrating experiences where we felt that we were being taken advantage of, but overall it has been a very positive experience that has allowed us to see the countries from a different side and it is a great way to stay in one place for a longer period of time. If you want to read more about our workaway experience, you can look for the "workaway" tag on our posts.<br /><br />6. For us, hostels have not been a good option. We have found that when traveling with two people, it is often more economical to stay in a B&B. The typical cost of a dorm bed (although it greatly varies based on location) is between 15-22€. If we take the low end of €15 and each get a bed (now we are at €30) plus some hostels charge €1-4 for sheets/towels and some have a guest hostel tax (if you are not a member of hostels international or something similar). So for the two of us to stay in dorm beds in a hostel, we are often looking at between €35-50 total. For a private double room at a hostel it is typically €40-80 and this does not necessarily include all of the fees laid out above. For these reasons, we have found that when we are not able to couchsurf, it is best for us to look for a B&B (in Germany these are called Pensions). These small family owned hotels are full of character and usually run about €40-60 per room (not per person as the hostels charge) and the best part is that they include breakfast. The breakfasts alone make it worth it, you start your day out right and you may even be able to pack a few things away for lunch. Of course there are benefits of staying in hostels, especially if you are traveling on your own: You meet other travelers and there is usually a community kitchen which means you can cook for yourself and not worry about the cost of meals, but in general, the costs have not been worth it for us.<br /><br />7. Transportation is by far the biggest cost we have while traveling. The trains are efficient and easy to use, but they are NOT cheap. We looked into Eurrail passes before we came, but they are also very expensive ($700-1200) and they come with many restrictions that can be difficult to work around. For example, the train journey we are taking right now from Venice to Luzerne, Switzerland is about a 7 hour trip and cost a little more than €80 each, this is also taking the regional (cheaper) train for more than half of the trip. When possible, it is good to look for alternatives for long distance travel. Flying in Europe is very inexpensive, try looking into Ryanair or EasyJet, both have sales very often and you can score flights for as low as £1 (without taxes), plan ahead and wait for sales... If you have a general idea of where and when you want to do long distance travel just book it and work around it later. Another option (especially in the uk and Ireland) is megabus or other discount coach providers (we took one through Kearns in Ireland). In Germany we we stumbled across a rideshare website (mitfahrgelegenheit.de) which we used a few times for cheap travel to Prague and within Germany... You have to make calls (in German) to set it up, so you may want to have someone do it for you if you don't speak German very well. Another discount of sorts that we used in Germany in the Bavarian region is the Bayern ticket. For €29 up to 5 people can have unlimited travel for a whole day starting at 9am. So if you can find people at the train station who are going the same way as you, you can split up the cost and save everyone money. The cost of travel is so extreme in some cases that it has caused us to question whether or not it may have been a better idea to buy some sort of camper van when we first arrived and sell it when we left (this would eliminate the cost of finding somewhere to sleep as well, but would add gas expenses... Gas is about $7 per gallon here). The best way to find out about the cheapest travel options is to talk to the locals and find out what they use!<br /><br />8. If you have a student ID, it doesn't matter how old it is, bring it with you! There are student discounts on everything and you will need to show ID. The age limit for a student discount in Europe is 26, but it seems like it is pretty easy to talk people into giving you the discount (sometimes they don't even ask for ID) but you do need to ask for the discount every time. Sometimes these discounts are as much as half off.<br /><br />I am sure there are more things that we have done and more tips that we will think of... If you are interested in reading more tips for traveling on a budget just look for entries tagged "budget".Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-84626732429262347112011-11-07T02:06:00.003-08:002012-03-25T07:11:00.709-07:00Olive Picking in Umbria, ItalyAmy and I left Rome and took a 1.5 hour train ride to Fabro, Italy where we were doing our 4th workaway. Our hosts Helmi and Peter (a german couple from Hamburg) picked us up at the train station and we drove about 10 minutes to their vacation home. Their house sits on a hill top from which you get pretty amazing views of Umbria. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1624.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1624.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1621.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1621.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
The house is a restoration done from a ruin. In Italy, as well as in a number of other european countries, you are allowed to build on the old footprint of a house without too much trouble, but any kind of extension requires a lot of planning permits. The house has the main apartment upstairs where Helmi and Peter live and 2 guest apartments on the bottom floor. Its a beautiful house and the surrounding yard is filled with olive trees, pomegranate trees, rosemary, lavendar, a pool, bacci ball court, and multiple terraces with amazing views.<br />
<br />
After exploring the grounds we picked up the other workawayer (Kelly, an American from Tennessee) and went to have pizza with a some friends of our hosts (a New Zealand couple). The pizza was great and Amy made it a point to tell everyone it was my birthday. A birthday song from the restaraunt, a lot of embarrasment, and a celebratory gelato later, we headed back home and to bed.<br />
<br />
The workaway was for Olive picking, a time intensive job, so we had free time before the harvest to explore the area. Our first trip was to the hill town Orvieto, an Etruscan town founded around the 10th century that was used as a stronghold between Rome and Florence and had strong ties with many catholic popes. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1627.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1627.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Killing time In Fabro before our train arrived.<br />
<br />
We arrived by train and took a tram line up the hillside to the town. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1628.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1628.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The tram ride was only 5 minutes long but still worth it.<br />
<br />
We spent a good amount of time walking through the narrow cobblestone streets lined with quaint stone built houses, simply enjoying the sights. <br />
<br />
Eventually we stumbled into a plaza with the Orvieto Cathedral. The exterior is a composition of travertine and green basalt lined in rows that resemble something from the Beetlejuice movie. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1630.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1630.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Monsterous!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1633.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1633.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The front facade was beautifully decorated with carvings and frescos.<br />
<br />
Inside we enjoyed the frescos and vaulted ceilings. Amy snapped a few pictures, regardless of the "no photo" sign.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1635.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1635.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1637.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1637.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
Afterwards we stopped for gelato and poked into a few tourist shops before taking a walk around the edge of the town.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1642.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1642.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1643.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1643.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
We came across one of Orvieto's underground areas and for 2 euros we couldn't pass up a tour of it. The chambers were carved in the stone of the hill and were used for homes, workshops, and even as a necropolis.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1645.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1645.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1647.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1647.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1646.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1646.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The well dug within the chambers, very deep.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1649.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1649.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The view from the city.<br />
<br />
The next few days were spent helping with yard work, visiting with the family, playing Baci, and going to the natural hot spring baths in San Casciano dei Bagni.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=P1040191.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/P1040191.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
A nice break playing Baci.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1658.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1658.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Bonfire with the family and lots of wine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1651.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1651.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The walk down to the baths.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1653.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1653.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The baths were used by the popes...as well as hairy italians in speedos.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1673.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1673.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1671.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1671.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The little cafe with an amazing view where we had cappucino after our hot spring bath.<br />
<br />
We also took a trip to some gardens with one of the german couples (Horst and Angelina) that had came to help with the harvest.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1665.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1665.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The geese alerted everyone to our presence and were pretty terrifying, running towards us while honking as loud as possible.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1667.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1667.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The old house on the garden grounds that use to be owned by a jewish family before they were evicted during WWII.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1668.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1668.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The house sat on the edge of a nice scenic overlook.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1670.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1670.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The estate greenhouse.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1672.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1672.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Amy in a tree tunnel.<br />
<br />
When Monday rolled around it was time to get to the real work, 150 trees of olives to pick! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1675.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1675.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1676.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1676.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Handpicking. I did 14 trees in 1 day using this method.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1678.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1678.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The quickest and easiest method was using nets and hand rakes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1680.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1680.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1681.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1681.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1682.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1682.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1683.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1683.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1684.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1684.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1690.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1690.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Amy next to a 100 year old olive tree.<br />
<br />
It took us 3.5 days and the results was 1200kg (2500 lbs) of olives which, when processed, made 175 liters of olive oil.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1691.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1691.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1706.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1706.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1695.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1695.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1700.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1700.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
The oil is very green at first until it settles.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1708.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1708.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1707.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1707.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
Picture of a tree we took in a nearby village while we waited for the olives to be processed.<br />
<br />
After we took the olives to the mill we stopped over to our hosts neighbor's house. Their neighbors include some pretty famous people, who we were asked not to mention directly from their PR group! We got a quick tour of one of the neighbor's homes, unfortunately there are issues with security in Italy so we aren't allowed to show photos.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1715.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1715.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
We took a convoluted walk back to our hosts' house which took us through a field.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1716.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1716.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a><br />
It was starting to get dark and I was worried we wouldn't make it back before the light faded. But, a dimly lit trail through the woods later, we arrived back.<br />
<br />
Our remaining time in Umbria was spent packing and planning for the next leg of our journey. On Saturday morning we said our goodbyes and took a train to Florence for a few days of much needed down time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-29214169099699761762011-11-06T10:00:00.000-08:002011-11-23T09:25:06.216-08:00Roma!Our flight to Rome was very smooth and we were very thankful to step off the plane into sunny, warm weather. We knew it was going to be a long trek to our accommodations for the week so we got started right away. A bus to the metro then switch metro lines then another very crowded bus and we finally arrived at our campsite. The place is called "Fabulous" and we didn't have the highest expectations based on the price ($40 per night), but it was actually pretty nice. They gave us a free upgrade from "bungalow" to "caravan" which doesn't sound like much of an upgrade to me, but it meant that we had our own full kitchen to use which saved us a lot of money on meals. It took about a half hour to get downtown from the campsite and it was pretty simple once we figured it out. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1554.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1554.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Really nice tree canopy at our campsite.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1555.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1555.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Our very own caravan!<br /><br />The rest of the first day we just relaxed and unpacked to get rested for the days ahead. The next day we headed down to the colosseum area and walked around the roman forum. When we finally reached the colosseum we found out that it was closed due to bad flooding. So we pulled together a new plan for the rest of the day and headed off towards Rome's best gelato shop and Trevi fountain. The gelato shop called San Crispino was good, but probably a little overrated, the fountain was amazing and completely underrated. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1558.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1558.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />This guy may be joking around with the sword, but he was seriously pissed when we wouldn't give him any money. I had to yell at him to let go of my arm.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1563.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1563.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />View of the Roman Forum from above.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1562.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1562.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Horses on the Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1567.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1567.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Me and the arco di constantino<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1568.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1568.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Kurtis, the arch di constantino and the colosseum.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1565.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1565.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />More of the roman forum<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1569.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1569.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Outside the colosseum, not sure at this point if we would get to go in at all.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1572.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1572.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1574.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1574.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1577.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1577.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The Trevi fountain, by far my favorite thing we saw in Rome.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1580.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1580.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Throwing in our coins to guarantee a return to Rome one day.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1578.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1578.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><br />Our next stop of the day was the pantheon and the piazza Navona<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1581.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1581.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1583.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1583.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />That hole is just open, no glass and there are drains on the floor... It must have also seen some flooding with the rain earlier in the week.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1585.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1585.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Kurtis and berini's fountain.<br /><br />When our feet were tired from walking we headed back to our cozy caravan. The next day (Sunday) we headed to the Vatican city where they were holding services, so we got to see the pope (and a massive crowd)!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1589.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1589.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1586.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1586.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1591.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1591.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Unfortunately this is as close as we ever got to St. Peters, the lines to get in the next day were too outrageous.<br /><br />After our morning at the vatican we found out from the tourist information that the colosseum had re-opened so we headed there where we were met with another huge line. We happily waited in the sunshine and ate our lunch for about an hour at which point we finally got inside.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1602.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1602.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />We couldn't tour the underground due to flooding, bit you could still get a good look at it.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1600.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1600.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1596.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1596.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />View down from the colosseum <br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1595.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1595.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1594.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1594.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1573.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1573.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The best picture. Kurtis as gladiator.<br /><br /> After our tour of the colosseum we headed into the palatine hill area. I would not want to be in Rome on the high season!!! It was so crowded and there were lines for everything, especially the toilets. <br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1605.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1605.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />After our long day, we headed back and made another great dinner in our caravan before calling it a night. On Monday, our last full day in Rome, we headed to the Vatican Museums. We waited in line about an hour before getting in and then another 20 minutes to use the toilets once inside. The art in the museums is awesome, the way you are corralled through every room, not so much. There were so many people, we were moo-ing our whole way through. We spent several hours inside and finally ended up at the Sistine Chapel, which was completely packed full of people.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1608.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1608.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Yeah we did.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1612.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1612.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />And one more<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1611.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1611.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1615.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1615.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The best part may have been the ceilings. This is in the galleria delle carte Geografiche.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1617.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1617.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />More looking up.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1619.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1619.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />And the grand finale, illegal picture taking.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1620.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1620.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />After our final busy day in Rome we we ready to head into the Italian countryside for our next workaway!Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-15133729574707087552011-10-14T02:04:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:24:52.298-08:00EdinburghAfter our Inverness extravaganza Amy and I arranged to stay a couple nights in Edinburgh before ending our Scotland visit. Our bus arrived downtown about 10 minutes before the next scheduled free tour was about to start. We had planned to do the tour that day because of our limited amount of time in Edinburgh. We stashed our packs in lockers at the bus station and took off as quickly as possible to the meeting point (theres been a recurring theme of us running to catch tours). Unfortunately the meeting place was difficult to find and a ways away, by the time we arrived the tour group was long gone. We made the best of the situtation and decided to go on an underground walking tour.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1537.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1537.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The church where our tour started.<br /><br />The tour started out with some history of the city. The old town of Edinburgh is built on a hill in between two valleys. During the wars between Scotland and England, Edinburgh decided to build huge walls around the old town. These walls drove the people to make use of as much of the old town space as possible, building up and close together. You can say that the first skyscrapers were engineered within the city walls. The old town grew down one slope of the mountain within the walls and in order to add a level place to build on, a bridge was constructed within the walls. The South Bridge (as it was named) was made from 19 stone arches, 4 stories deep at its highest point and was a marvel of enginnering back then. In order to utilize thr space on either side of the bridge, the city began selling land plots. Eventually, as these plots were developed, buildings were erected on either side of the bridge, concealing all but one arch. Within these arches, workers worked, goods were stored and sold.<br /><br /> <a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1538.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1538.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Our guide<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1539.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1539.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1540.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1540.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />Eventually, when the war between England and Scotland had ended (Scotland lost) the city opened the city walls and built a new town. The rich, tired of the cramped conditions in the old town, flocked to the new community, allowing the poor and the hooligans to make their way in. The archways became a haven for criminals. They did everything from making illegal whisky to using the archways as temporary storage and thoroughfares for the trafficing of dead bodies between the cemetery and the medical institute (the medical institute paid big money in those days for fresh bodies to disect).<br /><br />When the town got wind of the dealings in the archways they filled them in with rubble and dirt and sealed them from the public. Now, centuries later, the archways have been excavated and are used for storage, night clubs, and tours.<br /><br />After our tour Amy and I met up with our couchsurfers, a nice french couple Antoine and Alice. We made them dinner (americanized versions of burritos and pepsi) and shared some good conversation. Alice is a midwife and had a long shift the next day so we all headed to bed fairly early.<br /><br />We got up the next day and took a bus downtown to catch the first walking tour. Of course we took the wrong bus and by the time we sorted everything out we missed that tour as well! But hey, again, we made the most of it and walked around the city's antique and vintage shops. I bought a scottish flat cap (which you'll see below) and Amy got a dress. When 1 pm rolled around (the next tour scheduled) we decided to continue to walk around and catch the 3 pm one. We finally made it to the tour meeting place around 2:45 (the last tour was at 3). We waited and waited and the guide never showed. Apparently he wasn't going to give a tour in the light drizzle for only 6 or so people, bummer!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1543.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1543.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Edinburgh Castle<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1545.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1545.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />I'm in a glass case of emotion!<br /><br />We planned on having dinner with one of Amy's oldest friends (Jackie) who is living in Edinburgh and filled the time as best we could before hand. We had dinner at a cool little pub called "Holyrood 9A". Burgers, fries and beers, mmmm. Afterwards we went back to our couchsurfers place and turned in early before our 6 am flight to Rome.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1552.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1552.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1549.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1549.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />New scottish flat cap!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-1815274886682660412011-10-13T11:33:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:24:37.248-08:00A Date With NessieIf you're going to Scotland, you've gotta go to Loch Ness. Amy and I booked a quick trip up to Loch Ness to try to get a glimpse of the mythical monster Nessie. We hopped a megabus from Perth to get there and actually had a chance to enjoy the scenery as it wasn't raining for the first part of the ride. <br /><br />Scotland is a very beautiful country. Its similar to Ireland with its abundance of grasslands and sheep but Scotland is also blessed with thick forests and impressive mountains. We got a chance to see some of the mountains on our drive through the highlands to Inverness. They were all covered in snow, not a good sign. Luckily we are scheduled to be in Rome in a few days.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1489.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1489.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We got into Inverness around 2pm and headed right over to our B&B to drop off our bags. When we got in the room we looked through some of the tourist pamphlets and realized that the Loch Ness tours ran the last tour at 3! We hussled out the door and went to the tourist info center to see if maybe there was another company that had a later tour. The tourist center guy said we had only 5 minutes to catch the last tour so we sprinted out the door and down the street, luckily making it just before the tour bus departed.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1535-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1535-1.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Inverness...raining as usual...<br /><br />The bus left the station and the driver gave everyone a nice history lesson on Inverness and Scotland on the way to the Loch. Some interesting facts about Loch Ness is that it is about 735' at its deepest and the water gets very deep only a few feet from the shoreline. The Loch is so deep that you could fill it with the entire worlds population 3 times over! The depth helps the Loch maintain a constant 42-45F temperature year round.<br /><br />The bus arrived at a local dock where we boarded a ferry that took us on a 30 minute ride on Loch Ness and dropped us off at Urqhart Castle, a set of ruins that use to be a strategic stronghold along Loch Ness. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1496.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1496.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1497.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1497.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1498.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1498.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1499.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1499.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1500.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1500.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1501.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1501.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1506.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1506.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1507.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1507.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1511.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1511.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1516.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1516.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1531.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1531.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />We saw a double rainbow!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1521.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1521.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1525.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1525.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1526.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1526.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />And Nessie!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1534.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1534.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately we didn't catch a glimpse of the REAL Nessie. There are have been stories and sitings of her from as far back as 500 AD but she just didn't feel like swimming in the rain while we were there.<br /><br />We made our way back to Inverness, had dinner and a bottle of wine in town, and turned in for the night. The next morning we got up, ate entirely too much at breakfast and took a bus to Edinburgh.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-17061578612202725772011-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:24:14.378-08:00Workaway #3: Scotland!When we arrived in Scotland via ferry from Belfast, we were immediately whisked away in a coach bus along the coast to Glasgow and then across the country to Edinburgh. Our bus took the twisty turny roads so fast that we ended up getting into Edinburgh a little earlier than expected so we ventured out to find a bite to eat. About an hour later we were picked up by our next workaway host Hazel and we drove about an hour north to Blairgowrie where we would be staying for the next week. Hazel has 38 acres right at the foothills of the highlands. We arrived after dark so we had no idea what the land looked like and we had a pleasant surprise in the morning!<br /><br />While at the workaway for the week we had various chores... We cared for her ponies, a breed indigenous to Scotland for which she provided a rescue. We skipped out their stables, poop scooped the fields and groomed them. We cut down a huge brush forest to make a path from one pony field to another (using only hand tools!). This job was especially difficult because of the presence of thorn bushes and nettles (a plant that stings you and sucks more than poison ivy). We cleaned out a corner of the barn which included going through and sorting a ton of old tools. We helped with a few small repairs and changed out a washing machine. Last but not least we helped ready the guest apartments for the new guests that would be arriving. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1447.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1447.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />We got to drive this four wheeler all over the farm!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1450.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1450.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Only the female ponies were brought into the stables each day. The black one is Ebony, white is Cheeky and brown is Missy.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1451.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1451.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />The view out our window!<br /><br />Hazel took us around the Perthshire area for a day. Our first stop was in a cute little town called Dunkel. It had a pretty church with a nice scenic landscape.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1454.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1454.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1456.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1456.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1459.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1459.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1460.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1460.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br />Next stop was in Aberfeldy to check out a real scottish whiskey distillery... We had to goto the Dewars world of whisky! <br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1463.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1463.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1466.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1466.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Kurtis pretending to be the CEO of Dewars in the 1800s.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1467.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1467.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Tons of old whisky bottles.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1470.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1470.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Illegal picture taken of the whiskey distillers. <br /><br />More photos from the workaway:<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1472.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1472.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Our friend smoky the cat who looks like Emily but is nice.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1475.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1475.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Road to the stables.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1476.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1476.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Ebony in her stable.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1478.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1478.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Missy (Mischief) and Cheeky (she was cheeky!)<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1480.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1480.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Kurtis grooming Cheeky, see how small the ponies are?!? They are full grown.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view¤t=IMG_1487.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1487.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a><br />Highland cows on the property!<br /><br />The work at this workaway was hard but Hazel was very generous and even took us to town for dinner two of our nights during our stay. On Tuesday, Hazel took us into Perth where we caught a megabus up to Inverness to search for Nessie!Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-41018921434923999572011-10-10T07:50:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:23:56.792-08:00The Irish CoastAfter our pig farming extravaganza, Amy and I decided to rent a car in Galway and drive up the Irish coast within the county of Donegal (where apparently my moms side of the family came from). <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1351-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1351-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1352-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1352-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Galway was a cute town.<br /><br />We got a tiny little hyundai, automatic because the combination of driving a manual and driving on the wrong side of the road would probably have been too much to deal with, and set off.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1353-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1353-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Everthing is backwards!<br /><br />Our first stop was Bundoran where we were scheduled to couchsurf. On our way there we stopped in Mullaghmore, took some pictures of the local castle, and spent some time enjoying the coast (even though it was cold and rainy).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1355-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1355-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />You couldn't get very close to the castle unfortunately.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1357-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1357-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1358-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1358-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1359-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1359-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1364-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1364-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1365-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1365-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1367-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1367-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Our first hosts were from Slovakia (Liva and Martin) and welcomed us into their home with a slice of apple pie and tea! They're place was beautiful and literally a stones throw from the ocean.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1370-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1370-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Us and Liva<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1371-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1371-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Us and Martin<br /><br />The next day, rested and showered, we headed north along the coast, making a pit stop in Killybegs for some fish and chips (a recommendation from our workaway hosts).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1373-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1373-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Mmmmmm...<br /><br />Martin recommended that we stop at Slieve League cliffs. We had to drive through some very rural Irish countryside (the signs were all in Gaelic!) until we finally arrived. The cliffs were beautiful (said to rival the cliffs of Moher) as well as the area surrounding them.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1377-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1377-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1382-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1382-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1384-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1384-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Eventually we had to mozy on over to our next couch surfer's house in London Derry (or just Derry to the people of Ireland. Calling it London Derry may get you a mouth full of fist). <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1387-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1387-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />On the way we ran into a bit of a road block. The farmers paint the sheep for some reason that eludes us.<br /><br />We stayed with a guy named John, a very successful sports gambler (its what he does for a living), and he made us a delicious dinner and treated us to a drink at the local pub.<br /><br />The next morning John took us to the "Free Derry Wall" where there are some pretty amazing murals painted on the sides of buildings depicting scenes from the bloody struggle Ireland went through to end British oppression. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1390-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1390-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1393-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1393-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1394-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1394-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />John still hung over from the night before.<br /><br />We then left Derry and headed towards the Giants Causeway. We had expected to get to Giants Causeway fairly early in the day but there were some pretty cool places along the way that we couldn't pass by.<br /><br />The first was an old stone estate called the Hezlett House that sat right on the coast. The interior of the building was transformed over time into a well trimmed lawn. At the back of the estate, through some cool turrets, there was a long path down to a domed library that sat on the edge of the coastal cliff.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1397-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1397-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1398-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1398-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1400-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1400-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1401-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1401-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Our next sidetrack was Dunluce Castle, a 16th century coastal stronghold that is now in ruins. We didn't feel like paying 8 pounds per person ($24 total) to get in so we did the perimeter of the castle instead which was pretty amazing in itself.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1407-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1407-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1409-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1409-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1411-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1411-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />There is a cave beneath the castle (called Mermaid's cave) connecting to the ocean that was used as a hidden port.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1414-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1414-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Finally! We arrived at the causeway. The causeway is a grouping of hexagonal basalt stones that were naturally formed by an ancient lava flow. The tallest one is 30 feet high!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1417-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1417-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1418-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1418-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1419-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1419-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1424-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1424-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1425-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1425-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1427.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1427.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Close by was the Carrick rope bridge. The bridge extends from the mainland across a coastal gap to a nearby island that fisherman frequent.<br /><br />We bought only 1 ticket to cross the bridge (5 pounds!) and headed down. When we reached the bridge Amy started to cross it. I told the attendant that I was afraid of heights (not really) and he told me if I could make it down the ladder to the bridge, he would take me across. Free ticket! I happily agreed and headed across.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1435.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1435.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1436.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1436.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1438.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1438.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1440.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1440.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We left the bridge and headed into bushmills to try to do a tour of the whiskey distillery. Unfortunately it was closed :( so we met up with our couchsurfer David. David was a carpenter and teacher and welcomed us in with a home cooked dinner and a nice bed. He even made us a traditional Irish breakfast the next morning (sausages, eggs, potato and soda bread, mmmm).<br /><br />Our couchsurfing hosts were perfect examples of how the people in Ireland are extremely welcoming. All we could really hope for was a couch to crash on, but everyone we stayed with gave us our own rooms and cooked for us!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1445.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1445.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />We left fairly early to catch our ferry to Scotland and thus concluded our Irish Adventure.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-20690199617332362902011-10-09T05:55:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:23:38.558-08:00Bacon looks just as tasty when it has legs.My first true introduction to pig farming began with a jarful of olive oil in hand (natural KY) and an eyeful of Alfie sticking the artificial insemination rod into the unsuspecting swine. A couple of squeezes of the sperm bag later and the deed was done. All work, no romance.<br /><br />Our workaway hosts Alfie and Margaret managed a herd of 13 pigs (7 adults and 6 babies), 8 chickens, 4 ducks, and 2 dogs on their lovely 5 acre estate.<br />The pigs were farm razed free-range for the table (mmmmm) and lived a pretty luxurious life. Apart from me wrangling a few of them (see the pics below) to move them from one pasture to another, they spent their days sleeping in their straw lined houses, grazing on the pasture, or eating some of the yummy treats the family provided. Some of the treats included a variety of perfectly edible vegetables that the local produce farmer couldn't sell (because of "defects") as well as some pretty delicious Gouda cheeses that had to be tossed because the rind had split.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1279-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1279-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1297-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1297-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Piggies!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1309-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1309-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1285-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1285-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1286-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1286-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />These little guys were strong.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1281-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1281-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1282-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1282-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The veggies were perfectly fine and we took our pick of them for lunch and dinner.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1321-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1321-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The cheese was great! Regular and aged Gouda. Amy and I took a chunk of the aged gouda for the road because it was so delicious.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1288-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1288-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The chickens never laid an egg so the ducks had to fill in. They must have laid a dozen eggs or so while we were there.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1291-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1291-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The two guard dogs. So ferocious!<br /><br />Alfie and I went over to the neighbors house to milk the cows one night. We got through 16 of them before we relized the gate wasn't closed. The cows were wondering down tbe road. Luckily we were able to get them back.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1299-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1299-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1315-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1315-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1317-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1317-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The apron kept the cow pee and poop off of my chest but didn't do much for my hands.<br /><br />We spent the rest of our time around the area visiting some of the old castles, towns, and ruins.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1306-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1306-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1323-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1323-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1305-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1305-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1304-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1304-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1302-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1302-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1301-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1301-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />At the end of our stay, and sad to go, we rented a car in Galway to take a few days to drive up the western and northern coasts before departing the island for Scotland.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-1651726710498254212011-10-07T05:31:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:23:11.858-08:00Workaway #2: Pig FarmingWe headed off to Birr by way of a discount bus service and got picked up by our next workaway host. Margaret and Alfie made us feel right at home from the very beginning: the food, the wine and the company were all fantastic. This was the start of our week as Irish pig farmers!<br /><br />The farm (known as OldFarm) is a small holding, about 5 acres. They have amazing fruit trees and gardens (plus hens, ducks and pigs) and almost every one of the meals that we ate was made from stuff that was grown on their land.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1287-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1287-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The lovely old farm house that has been renovated.<br /><br />Alfie and Margaret both love to cook (they even offer cooking classes!) so for the whole week we were completely spoiled with beautiful meals made from beautiful organically grown ingredients.<br /><br />Margaret and I spent a ton of time in the kitchen trying to keep up with all of the fruits and veggies we were harvesting. Here are a few of the things we harvested over the week: apples, pears, tomatoes, strange yellow cucumbers, peppers (hot and sweet), quince, squash, string beans and peas! We had our work cut out for us trying to come up with recipes that used up the harvest ingredients, but to add to it, we also had all of the amazing veg that came in on the "magic trailer" (see the next blog post for more details!).<br /><br />We preserved, we baked, we cooked. Then most importantly we ate!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1284-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1284-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Just a few of the preserves we made!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1311-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1311-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />At the local pub... I guess all pubs in Ireland are Irish pubs!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3401.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3401.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Homemade soup with Alfie's delicious homemade bread.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3402.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3402.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The ladies weren't the only ones working away in the kitchen!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3411.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3411.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Yum.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3415.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3415.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis' fave.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3461.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3461.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Alfie cutting the pork he cooked up on the Big Green Egg<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3476.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3476.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Yummy Beetroot! Made by Alfie.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_3479.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_3479.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Funny mural in Moneygall, where president Obama visited when he came to Ireland... his great-great grandmother was born there. There were American and Irish flags going up and down the streets.Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-47809660544453501992011-10-01T12:42:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:22:51.382-08:00Dublin, IrelandWe took a Ryan air flight from a tiny airport outside Munich (thanks for the ride Tobi!) to Dublin and arrived in Ireland around 6pm. We gathered our luggage and hopped on a bus downtown to meet up with our couchsurfers. We met in front of the giant spire (apparently the worlds tallest sculpture) in the middle of town and then went out for a nice dinner together (where I had to enjoy a Guinness, of course). We were exhausted from the day of traveling so we went back to the apartment and got to bed after a long chat with our hosts.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1262.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1262.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The Spire<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1278-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1278-1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Our Gracious Couchsurfing Hosts<br /><br />The next morning our hosts left for class, so Amy and I headed downtown to catch a free walking tour. These free walking tours are awesome. Not only are they around 3 hours long and extremely infomative, but because they are tip based, they are about 4 times cheaper than the standard tours.<br /><br />The tour left near Dublin Castle, which was built in 1204 by the British and stood as their headquarters during the period of Irish occupation.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1264.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1264.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Dublin gets its name from an old harbor that is now a grassy park. The harbor water was very dark, and was given the Gaelic name Dubh Lin (pronounce dove lin) meaning "black pool". The name was eventually anglo-sized to Dublin.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1266.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1266.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The grassy area behind the castle which use to be the Dublin harbor. The brick paths represent the eels that used to be in the water, but they also show a celtic design from the air. This also happens to be the helicopter landing pad for when important people visit Dublin. <br /><br />On the backside stands a tower that is one of the oldest structures in Dublin. The tower use to be a dungeon in the ol' days and only one person ever escaped. The story goes that an Irish man (who was a high ranking rebellion member) was walking along the river when he came upon a group of English soldiers unloading wine. The Irish man asked if he could buy some of the wine. The English said that the wine was meant for the king but that the Irish man could come aboard their ship and have some drinks with them. The Irish man kindly accepted, indulged in the wine, and found himself awake with a terrible hangover in the dungeon. Apparently the English had been kidnapping important members of the rebellion recently to be used as political bargaining chips. The man sat in prison for sometime when some fellow clan members decided to bust him out. They dressed up as British soldiers, snuck into the dungeon, freed the prisoner, and made their way down to the basement of the dungeon. The dungeon was heavily guarded above which prevented their escape via the standard route. Their plan was to dig down, once in the basement, until they reached an underground river that was known to run from below the dungeon to an outlet far from the reaches of the British. So they dug their way out to freedom.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1265.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1265.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The tower walls were 4 meters thick!<br /><br />Our next stop was the Christ Church Cathedral. This church was a beautiful gothic structure built in 1030 and is suppose to house one of the largest crypts in Europe.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1267.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1267.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />After a rant from our very knowledgable, but perhaps overly political Irish tour guide we headed over to Trinity college. The campus was beautiful, although small, and houses the library used in a Harry Potter movie and in Star Wars Episode II (the jedi library).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1269.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1269.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Our tour ended in Merrion Square with another political rant from our guide. We then headed back to the national museum to look at the bog bodies (bodies found in the Irish bogs that are extremely well preserved and date back at least 1000 years). Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures.<br /><br />After our gruesome detour we wandered past St. Patricks cathedral and popped our heads into a few very expensive antique shops.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1271.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1271.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />St. Patrick's Cathedral and grounds.<br /><br />The next morning we had a bit of time to explore the city before catching our bus so we headed to the Kilmainham Gaol (pronounced Jail) prison. There we haggled with the ticket holder for a student priced ticket (saved 8 euro) and toured the prison. The place was eerie and housed children, women, men, and political prisoners who committed crimes ranging from stealing food to murder. By the way, the punishment for an 8 year old boy stealing a loaf of bread was six weeks in jail with daily whippings. Not a very nice place.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1273.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1273.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />View looking into a cell from the cell door porthole.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1274-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1274-1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />One of the cell doors with an all seeing eye (peep hole).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1277-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1277-1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The main prison atrium. The prison was designed to give the illusion that one was being watched at all times. The guards above could see everything happening below but the prisoners could not see the guards. (Oh hey photo kids look at the panopticon, thanks GFR)<br /><br />The prison was our final tourist sight. We headed back to say goodbye to our hosts and collect our things and caught our bus to our next workaway in the Metropolis that is Lorrha!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-29505406214352390322011-09-28T04:14:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:22:31.622-08:00Finally! Oktoberfest!Amy and I, accompanied by three of our german friends (Tobi and Jacob and a friend of Jacobs), hit the Oktoberfest festival around noon. The place was already full of people and surprisingly there were a lot of families with their children (Oktoberfest seems more like a state fair outside of the tents with rides and food stands). One thing that a lot of people don't know as that Oktoberfest is a celebration of King Ludwig IIs marriage in 1810.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1204.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1204.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1205.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1205.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We made our first stop at a food tent for their 8 euro snitzel, potato, and beer special. It was so good and gave us a nice base for the drinking that we would be doing for the remainder of the day.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1208.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1208.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis and Tobi at lunch!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1213.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1213.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Yum!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1214.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1214.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Beer number 1!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1220.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1220.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Amy tripped on her way out of lunch. ouch!<br /><br />Topped off with pork and potatoes we went to the Lowenbrau Tent. The tents are designed with a big stage in the middle where the band plays. All around the stage in the middle of the tent are big wooden tables that can seat up to 16. The perimeter has reserved boxes, the kitchen, and the bathrooms. We easily got a seat (it was 1 pm on a Tuesday) and had a mas (what Germans call a 1 liter beer). They run around 9 euro each but you figure you're paying more for the atmosphere then the beer. After hanging out for a bit (and after Amy stuffed a liter mug in her purse) we left the festival to go grab a coffee and to swing by Jacobs place (we had to pace ourselves of course).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1217.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1217.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1219.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1219.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1223.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1223.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />First official mass at Oktoberfest!<br /><br />Caffienated and a little sobered up we headed back. We were greeted at the entrance to the festival with a taste of what the night would offer; a man in lederhosen passed out in the grass. Unfortunately Amy and I didn't get the traditional garb (lederhosen are close to 200 euro for the full get up and Amy wasn't going to dress up if I wasn't).<br /><br />We stopped in to the Paulaner tent and were unsuccessful in finding a table. We huddled near the end of one and drank another mas before deciding to head back to the Lowenbrau tent. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1236.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1236.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Hey Selena Gomez, what are you doing at Oktoberfest?<br /><br />There we grabbed a seat with a man from Nimibia (spoke perfect english and german) and his german wife. With good company and a good table we started indulging in the beer and pretzels.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1242.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1242.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1245.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1245.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />This describes the rest of the night pretty accurately.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1254.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1254.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />and this.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1258.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1258.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />and more of this!<br /><br />Eventually, as expected, we were dancing on the tables with the rest of the tent and singing american oldies, thats right, the band played nothing but american oldies and germans, americans, italians, and every other nationality in the tent (regardless of whether or not they spoke english) knew and sang the words. It was a pretty shocking surprise.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1260.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1260.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />It looked so good at night!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1261.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1261.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Closing time came and we shuffled out into the streets. Amy managed to get another mug and a hat while the boys and I grabbed some leberkase sandwhiches (its like a fried spam sandwhich). We made our way back to Tobi's to rest up before our flight to Ireland.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-86448651214883697252011-09-26T02:01:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:21:15.738-08:00München (Munich to all of you english speakers!)We woke up early on Monday morning so that we could catch the train into Munich and spend the day in the city. Just based on the amount of people on the 9am train we knew the city was going to be packed. After about a 1 hour ride, we got into the train station, luckily there were still a few lockers available so we stashed our stuff and headed out to catch another FREE walking tour (love these!) The tour met at 10:45 and the guides had just enough time to tell the 60+ people waiting about the world famous Glockenspiel. Our guide told us about how almost all of the bells are out of tune, but that no one in the city of Munich cares because it is something only for the tourists. Honestly, it was kind of underwhelming and we both liked the astronomical clock in Prague much better!<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1179.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1179.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The carillon (glockenspiel), not actually a very old building, just built to look old.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1180.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1180.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Munich was a main headquarters for the Nazi party and as such, most of the city was bombed by the Allies. Everything in the city was carefully recorded and photographed by the Nazis before the war so that every detail could be rebuilt. However, in the re-building process, some corners were cut to save money and so there are many details that are simply painted onto the facades of buildings.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1181.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1181.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />St. Peters church: They only rebuilt one of the two original towers and then just painted the clock faces on.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1182.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1182.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The maypole in Viktualienmarkt (a big market in the city). If you steal someone else's maypole, they have to pay a ransom... In beer! Our guide told us a funny story about the Munich Police department stealing the maypole from the Munich airport, the airport then had to throw a huge party for the police force. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1183.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1183.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The 6 main beers in Munich: Augustinerbrau, Hofbrau, Lowenbrau, Paulanerbrau, Hacker-Pschorr Brau and Spatenbrau. All of which have huge tents at Oktoberfest and of course all of which have been tried by us! The yellow and black symbol in the middle is representative of Germany's pure beer laws.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1184.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1184.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />We got to visit the famous Hofbrauhaus.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1185.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1185.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Huge beer halls<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1187.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1187.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Practicing carrying the heavy 1 liter mas mugs.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1188.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1188.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Live bands in every beer hall/tent.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1189.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1189.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The church the devil made (rumored to have been made with the help of the devil because it was built in only 20 years, in actuality is was built so quickly because it used local, easy to use building materials.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1190.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1190.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The devils footprint inside the church (actually the architect's footprint).<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1191.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1191.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Weird shrine to MJ all over an old statue.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1192.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1192.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Painted on facades on the Residenz building.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1194.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1194.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />When we finished up our tour we got word from our host for the night that he was home so we headed out towards his house. We were greeted by friends and beer (of course) and Tobi (our host) took us out for the night.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1195.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1195.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The Isar river that runs through Munich. We sat by the banks and had a drink.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1201.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1201.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis with a Weisbeir, Amy with a Radler.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1202.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1202.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Second bar of the night with Tobi, not nice Kurtis.<br /><br />We didn't stay out too late because we needed to be fully rested for Oktoberfest in the morning! We could tell already that we were in for a great day.Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-9304832005166737432011-09-25T01:17:00.001-07:002011-11-23T09:20:52.419-08:00Neuschwanstein Castle and an Unexpected Surprise!We were originally shocked by how many American tourists were in Rothenburg but it was the same story in Füssen where we went to see the famous Castle Neuschwanstein.<br /><br />We hopped a train from Nuremberg and headed down into the beautiful southern Bavarian countryside, through rolling green fields with livestock and cute little towns along the rail. After 3 hours on the train we finally arrived at the foot of the Bavarian Alps in the town of Füssen.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1140.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1140.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />A picture that pretty much sums up the town, cute buildings with the towering Alps in the background.<br /><br />Our first stop was to the tourist office to get some information and a printout of local Pensions (bed and breakfasts) to stay at. We had 3 nights free that we needed to book up, so with list in hand and our packs strapped to our backs, we headed off to the first choices on the list. We stopped at the first place and were greeted by an old lady who hardly spoke any English. With my spotty German and her hand gestures we were able to find out that she had one room left and only for one night. Since we needed 3 nights, we headed off to the other places on the list to check their availability. 1.5 hours later and about 6 no vacancy confirmations at the places that the tourist office said had vacancies (great job guys) we decided to head back to the first stop to grab the room for the night. When she answered the door her facial expression said it all, "Die zimmer frei nicht mehr." (The room was taken!).<br /><br />Having no place available to us we went back to the tourist office right before closing to see if they could help us find somewhere in a nearby town. Nothing was available. As we were about to give up the older lady called the tourist office to let them know that the room that was taken was free again. We rushed out of the office back to the house and came upon a gentlemen unloading his luggage in the driveway! She gave the room away again! We told her that we came right over from the travel office, and I think because she knew she had given us the runaround, she told the guy unloading his luggage that the room was taken (Great Success!).<br /><br />So finally, we had a place for one night. We dropped our packs, freshened up, and went out to walk around the city. Our first stop (and most important) was dinner and we grabbed it at a local pub.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1137.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1137.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />MMMM... I had fried meatloaf with an egg on top and Amy had a pasta type dish that was a local specialty. Both Delicious!<br /><br />The night concluded shortly after with us passed out in bed from exhaustion.<br /><br />We woke up the next morning, ate some amazing breakfast our Pension host prepared (breads, tea, cafe, meats, cheeses, eggs, etc.), got a locker at the train station for our packs and headed off to the castles before the tourist rush that would occur later in the day.<br /><br />We arrived at the ticket office and bought the "royal ticket" (access to both castles). It was lucky that we arrived when we did because they were already selling tours at 10:50 and 12:55, meaning that the rest of the morning was already booked. Before our first tour, we wandered around the grounds, which were beautiful.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1143.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1143.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1144.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1144.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Our first stop was to Schloss Hohenschwangau, the childhood home of King Ludwig II and where the dream to build Castle Neuschwanstein was born! The tours are very regimented and very quick, you don't get to spend a lot of time inside the rooms, but it was still a good tour.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1148.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1148.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Outside Castle Hohenschwangau with Castle Neuschwanstein in the background.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1150.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1150.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />This time with Kurtis!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1154.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1154.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />View from the window!<br /><br />Unfortunately we were not allowed to take any photos in the castles, but of course, Amy snuck a few in Castle Neuschwanstein though (see below!). After our tour of Castle Hohenschwangau we hiked up the hill to Castle Neuschwanstein (another big hill, another hike!) We had a little bit of time to check out the exterior of the castle and read up on a little history. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1155.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1155.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />So big!<br /><br />We entered the castle and were amazed by the interior rooms that were actually finished (the castle remained unfinished when Ludwig II died).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1157.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1157.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Sneaky picture taking.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1159.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1159.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />This one we were actually allowed to take!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1161.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1161.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The best parts were the floors and ceilings!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1162.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1162.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1164.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1164.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The views out the windows were amazing!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1165.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1165.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />After our tour of Castle Neuschwanstein we walked up to the Marienbrücke bridge which sits above a deep gorge and over looks castle Neuschwanstein.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1167.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1167.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />View of the bridge taken from the Castle.<br /><br />Views from the hike up:<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1168.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1168.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1169.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1169.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1170.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1170.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1171.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1171.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The Marienbruke was packed when we got up to the top. The view was amazing however and we quickly found a nice spot to snap some pics.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1174.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1174.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1175.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1175.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />After a few minutes Amy turned to me and asked if I was ready to go. I paused and said "I just have one more thing to do". Naturally Amy´s first thought was that I needed to expel some toxic gas (Uh Huh!). I got down on one knee and proposed! She said yes and then quickly followed it up with "You´re so dumb." Ha.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1176.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1176.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />The ring is vintage (from 1924) with a large round brilliant cut diamond in the center, 8 shiny dark blue saphires and 10 additional smaller diamonds. It is amazing and was a perfect choice!<br /><br />We hiked back down the hill and caught the bus back to Fussen. We knew it was going to be impossible to find a room in Fussen for the night so we just chose another town on the map and got on the train. On the train you could already see the affects that Oktoberfest was having on the whole region. Tons of people on the train were drunk and many were wearing lederhosen and dirindle (the traditional Bavarian wear). When we arrived in Kaufbeuren, we were originally turned away from a hotel that was fully booked, but luckily we were able to find a nice hotel that put us up in a single room for cheap and it served a pretty amazing breakfast to boot.<br /><br />We spent two very relaxing nights in Kaufbeuren, there was NOTHING going on in this town and everything was closed because we arrived after closing hours on Saturday and then it was Sunday. We found a really great restaurant and we ate dinner there both nights... This little two day break is exactly what we needed before heading into Munich and OKTOBERFEST!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-70126454728930171392011-09-23T00:56:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:20:22.267-08:00Rothenburg and Another Shot of WurzburgOn Wednesday we said goodbye to our host family the Pattinsons and headed out for the final leg of our trip in the Bavarian State of Germany. Our first stop was back in Wurzburg to visit the Residenz which we missed on our first visit to the city because of time constraints. We had so many people tell us that we must visit the Residenz that we thought it was probably worth the trip.<br /><br />The Residenz is actually a palace that was built by the Prince Bishop of Wurzburg as a display of wealth to his city-state. For a long period of time, Wurzburg was it's own independent state with it's own laws and own currency.<br /><br />Inside the Residenz we were not allowed to take any pictures, which is why we have so many!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1080.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis holding up a car in the parking lot or the Residenz.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1084.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1084.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The very pretty royal garden.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1086.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1086.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The entrance with the grand staircase.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1088.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1088.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis looking up at the worlds largest vaulted ceiling fresco painting.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1089.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1089.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />This room was enormous.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1095.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1095.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The green room, my favorite in the whole palace.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1096.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1096.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />View from the rear gardens.<br /><br />The rooms in the center section of the palace were original with restoration, but the two wings of the building were completely destroyed in a mysterious fire in 1945. I am of course joking, it is not mysterious at all, but it would seem that the German way of dealing with WWII is to not talk about it.<br /><br />When we finished up at the Residenz, we headed back to the Hauptbahnhof (train station) to pick up our packs which we had stored in a locker. We were now headed towards Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber.<br /><br />A visit to Rothenburg was recommended to us by Kurtis' uncle Bill who had visited the walled medieval city during his time in service. We reached the city and found a place to stay for the night, a nice little pension (bed and breakfast). Then we set out to explore the city.<br /><br />One of our first stops was to the tower in the center of town where we climbed a rickety old staircase and then eventually even a ladder to get up to the top. It was a tiny lookout space around a big bell, but the view was amazing and it was turning out to be a really beautiful day!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1098.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1098.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1100.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1100.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1101.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1102.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1102.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1103.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1103.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We took a stroll on top of the medieval walls around the city, going through areas that haven't changed in almost 1000 years.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1105.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1105.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1106.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1106.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1107.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1107.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1113.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1113.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1112.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1112.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Riding on a canon.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1114.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1114.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis scaling the fortress wall.<br /><br />We also came across an amazing antique shop (the first we had seen with reasonable prices) and we bought a really cool old map of Bayern (bavaria). We heard that the city was especially beautiful at night (which is why we chose to stay the night) so we headed out for a walk just after sunset and managed to catch a part of the night watchman's funny tour.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1124.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1124.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1119.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1119.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Kurtis in front of the window of his dreams.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1136.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1136.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Rothenburg at night.<br /><br />When we woke up the next morning we were delighted with our lovely breakfast selection (so delighted that we packed some up for lunch!) and we got all packed up and headed back to the train station to head to Nuremberg for the day.<br /><br />In Nuremberg we pretty much just wandered around. I was feeling sick (maybe food poisoning?), so we just took it easy for the day. Our friend Mattias put us up for the night in the nearby town of Erlangen. Kurtis made us an American meal of hamburgers and French fries, which we once again ate before taking any photos!<br /><br />And that brings us to today! Right now we are riding on a train to Fussen, the city closest to castle neushwanstein, which we will visit tomorrow. On Sunday or Monday we will travel to Munich and Kurtis will finally be able to say that he has been to Oktoberfest! We are so lucky to have met so many really great Germans who have hooked us up with a place to stay in Munich. It is very hard to find anywhere to stay during Oktoberfest and VERY expensive (150 euro per person per night for DORM beds in a hostel!!!). So a big thank you to everyone who has helped us out!Shutterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06031773610794683192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-24254932862124482532011-09-21T08:45:00.001-07:002011-11-23T09:19:55.385-08:00A Weekend in Prague!Our English hosts Aaron and Emma recommended we visit Prague (Praha) if we had the chance so we decided to make a weekend trip out of it. Prague is only about a 3.5 hour ride from where we were in Hirshfeld and we took a rideshare there for 60 euro for the 2 of us. We arrived around 8 pm and met our couch surfer for the weekend. After a failed attempt to find some place to change money and grab a bite to eat we settled for a handful of snacks and went to bed.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1039-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1039-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Our couch surfer host Frantisek.<br /><br />We woke up well rested and hit the town. Our first stop was the tourism office (which took quite a while to find) where we got a map and some info on a free tour that was starting in 15 minutes. We hurried outside, met our guide and stopped to see the magnificent (or not so magnificent) automated astronomical clock. The clock was the thing back then (1338) because of its moving figures that would come alive every hour.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1017.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1018.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1018.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />They recently added a trumpeter because the crowds were a little dissapointed with the show.<br /><br />We started our tour shortly after and it was a pretty awesome next 2.5 hours. The tour took us through old town and the old jewish quarter with tons of information from our very knowledgable Australian (Czeck born) guide.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1015.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1015.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Church of our lady before tyn.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1016.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1016.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The old town square.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1020.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1020.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The old new synagogue (oldest operating synogogue in the Europe).<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1021.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Clock with hebrew letters (numbers?) that runs backwards<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1022.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Statue based on a dream of Franz Kafka<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1024.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1024.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />One of three remaining powder towers, there used to be thirteen!<br /><br />The tour was very interesting. Prague is a unique city because it saw almost no damage at all in WWII, our guide told us that this was because it was Hitler's favorite city. She also explained that the Old Jewish quarter also sustained no damage because Hitler wanted it to become the "Museum of an Extinct Race", scary. After the tour ended we wandered off to see the Charles Bridge, the only part of old town that the tour didn't cover. <br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1026.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1029.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1029.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Built in 1357, finished in 1402.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1031.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1031.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The statues weren't added until the 18th century.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1032.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1032.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Tons of people and artists on the bridge, we bought two prints of the city.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1036.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1036.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />St. Jakob's Church, we visited this on our tour but we had to return to it later in the day to go inside because they were holding mass. The main reason that we wanted to return was because of a certain mummified body part that was supposedly hanging from the ceiing. Here is the story we were told:<br /><br />There was a thief that came into the church disguised as a traveling monk, he sat down in the pews and pretended to pray. He sat there for hours until eventually he was unsupervised at which point he hid himself somewhere in the church until after closing time. Then he emerged from the shadows with intentions to steal a valuable necklace that hung around the neck of the statue of the Madonna. He climbed up the statue and just as he was reaching for the necklace, the statue came to life and grabbed him by the wrist. There he hung until morning when the clergy members found him. They tried to pry the statue's hand, but it was no use, they were forced to call in the executioner. The thief's arm was severed from his body at which point the statue finally resumed its prior position. The thief was sentenced to death, but the church was left with his arm, so they decided that as a warning to all people considering stealing from the church, they would hand his arm from the ceiling of the church to show what happens to those who steal.<br /><br />AND SO...<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1035-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1035-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />There is the arm!<br /><br />The next day, we walked down to the Jewish Quarter again (it was Saturday when we went on the tour so everything was closed for shabbat) and got a pretty good look at the old Jewish Cemetary.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1042.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1042.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />100,000 people burried in less than a square block.<br /><br />Then we hiked up yet another hill to Prague castle.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1044.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1044.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1046.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1046.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The huge gothic church at the castle.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1051.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1051.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />As if climbing the hill wasn't enough, then we climbed the tower too!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1055.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1055.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />View from the top.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1057.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1057.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1058.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1058.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1059.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1059.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1066.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1066.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />View of the church before we could go in because they were holding sunday mass.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1069.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1069.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Possibly the closest we will ever get to wearing Lederhosen!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1073.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1073.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Birds of prey, up close.<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1076.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1076.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Finally got into the church!<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1074.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1074.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Us and every other tourist in Prague!<br /><br />We had a great (and very exhausting weekend) in Prague. We probably walked 15 miles around the city in two days. Our ride back was squished and kind of terrible, but totally worth it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53965832666216822.post-67996170382711638152011-09-17T05:22:00.000-07:002011-11-23T09:19:29.618-08:00Discotheque!It's a small world. Last year during Lollapalooza weekend, Amy met 2 German travelers (Max and Matthias) at Treasure Island in Chicago who couldn't find any place to crash for the night. She invited them back and we hung out for a couple days. It turns out that the 2 of them are from Schweinfurt and were in the area for the weekend while we were here (crazy coincidence)! <br /><br />We got in touch with them and they invited us out for a true German BBQ. Max picked us up and took us on a drive around the area as we searched for a very special beverage for the evening. The beverage is called Federweisser and is basically partially fermented wine so it is sweeter but still contains alcohol. We had to drive a while trying to find a wine maker who actually had some. From two 25 gallons jugs, out in the barn where the wine is made, the lady filled up some empty liter bottles that Max had in his car. We got to taste a bit as well and, as described, it was like a carbonated white grape juice. <br /><br />With the bottles topped off and plopped down in the back seat, Max drove us up to a point in Schweinfurt with an amazing view of the surrounding area.<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1007-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1007-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Max in his car<br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1006-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1006-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1005-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1005-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1004-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1004-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />We then drove down the hill to Max's parents place (beautiful house, by the way) for the feast. There were about 8 of us around the patio table, drinking beer and federweisser and eating a spread of cucumber salad, corn salad, regular salad, pork belly on a stick (tasted like bacon coiled on a stick), steak, bratwurst, a croation meat thingy on a stick, and some breads. I ate one of everything and was pretty stuffed. Unfortunately I didn't have time while shoveling food in my mouth to take any pictures.<br /><br />We finished up the feast and went down with Max and Matthias to the city center and had a few beers outside and within the nearby bar "Cinema". It's legal for people in Germany to drink on the street so thats where you found the majority of the people. Once we downed a couple drinks (and a redbull for me) we went to the discotheque (It's just a club, but Max and Matthias always wonder why Americans think clubs in Germany are called discotheques).<br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1011-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1011-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/?action=view&current=IMG_1008-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/retrorevamp15/IMG_1008-1.jpg" border="0" width="500" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Amy, Matthias, and I<br /><br />We rounded out the night at 4 am with a cab back to Max's place, some pickings at the BBQ table, carbonated water, and bed! The next morning we all sat down for breakfast that Max's Mom laid out (Delicious!) and were dropped off back in Hirschfeld.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0