Home Sweet Home

Well, I have officially moved to Tübingen! Last Tuesday, we said goodbye to our host families as we departed Horb on our way to the city of dreams. My teacher in Horb's last advice was to be careful what we wished for in Tübingen, because it WILL come true. I've yet to experience this, but I'm not about to take any chances!

I live on the fourth floor and my room is absolutely massive. I don't know what to do with it. I'm settling in and bought some cute bedding, picture frames and curtains. I think it will really be complete with a rug and some Christmas lights. I live with 5 other people, but I've only met four of them. Last week was busy with trying to get settled in and 3 days of orientation. I'm still on information overload and feel incredibly behind, but I think everyone is in my boat as well. 

Sunday, Kaila, Coco, Anne and I went to a little village outside of Esslingen to a Weißwurst Frühstück with one of our coordinator's assistants, Brittany. She was a CSU student from Chico and is now working on her Master's in Tübingen. Her boyfriend and his friends decided to have a traditional Bavarian breakfast for us before we set out to Volksfest. 

A little bit about Volksfest... 

Many people look at it as a smaller scale Oktoberfest, but in reality it is something completely different. Stuttgart's festivities is centered more around the harvest of the season whereas the poplular Munich festival dates back to the wedding party of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen in 1810. Yes, there are huge beer tents at both but Volksfest in my opinion is more family orientated and not as popular for international visitors, giving the German culture aspect of the festiva richer. 

Monday October 3 was German Reunification Day which is observed as a national holiday. Like Sundays, EVERYTHING was closed except a select number of cafés and restaurants. After a lazy morning, Kaila, Anne and I went to dinner and ice cream before we said our goodbyes for the next week.

Today was the first actual day that I spent at my dorm. It was a little lonely but I felt very productive. I went grocery shopping, cleaned my room, worked out, saw some friends and did research about my Italian roots. I can't wait to go visit in the Spring, and hopefully it will help me feel a little closer to my Granny who I miss dearly.

Today was also the first time I actually cooked in my kitchen! I made chicken and salad, pretty plain but exactly what I had been craving the past two months! The sausage and bread was starting to get to me as much as I want to embrace German culture.  

I can't believe I start classes in less than a week. I'm so incredibly excited, but nervous at the same time. There will be picture from Volksfest to come, and of my room as I finish it! 

 

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Most of my class from Horb!

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It didn't take long for me to get snuggly in my new bed!

The Road to Oktoberfest!

On Wednesday the decision was made that we (Me, Kaila, Anne, Coco and Erik) were going to Munich for Oktoberfest. We had so much doubt that it was going to happen, it was just too complicated and expensive to get to Munich for one day during the busiest time of the year. Kaila did some incredible planning and Thursday night we packed our bags for the opening weekend. 

The plan was to stay in Tuebingen on Friday night, get up early and take the train to Munich getting there around 10:30 AM. We would spend the day there and then get back on the train at 11 PM, sleep all day in Tuebingen then head back to Horb. Friday morning we were all so excited and ready for what we thought laid ahead...

It was all just too easy!

After school Anne and I dropped our stuff off at Eric The American's hotel so that we could run and get lunch before the train at 2:30. We stopped by the bank and withdrew some money and recharged our cell phones, just to be safe. I stick my phone in my back pocket and we make our way to Kaufland. We ran into Erik and a bunch of others that were also going to Munich the next day and we stopped to talk to them in from of the Bahnhof. I took out my phone and was holding in my hand as we all confirmed our travel plans, then Anne and I continued to make our way into the Kaufland bathroom. We came out and walked into the produce section when I went to check my phone to see if Kaila had called me. Only when I reached into my back pocket, it wasn't there. Nor was it in my jacked pockets or bag. Ok, weird I must have dropped it in the bathroom, so we walk back and look throughout the entire bathroom, nothing. Retrace my steps back to the bahnhof which is quite literally RIGHT OUTSIDE OF KAUFLAND. Nothing. We go back inside and ask the lady and customore service if anyone has turned it in, nope. Laughing, hysterically, because this trip just seemed way too easy we proceeded to buy our lunch. Then I checked with customer service again, nothing. Ok, well we have to catch a train now! So phone-less I made my way to Tuebingen quite concerned about how the weekend was going to play out. 

Since half the group was meeting up in Tuebingen later, Erik went and checked twice for my phone and no one turned it in. Not exactly the best way to start the weekend but it was just too funny to be down about. 

When we got to Tuebingen we took the bus to the French Quarters and explored a little. We found a store called Made in Africa and talked to the owner, who is from Ghana. I really think I'm going to like it down there, it kind of has the feeling that it is a city all of its own. We met up with Eric the American and walked through the wine festival in the Marktplatz. For dinner we had yufkas and then sat on the steps in front of the church and drank wine. Then the rest of our group met up with us and we talked about how excited we were for the next day. 

Erik and Anne stayed with me and we stayed up talking about life for a few hours until Anne fell asleep, but Erik and I were just too excited. We got to bed around 2 and woke up at 4:30. All three of us showered, packed and were out the door at 5:30 to meet Coco and Kaila. We walked to the bahnhof and bought some breakfast- coffee and a pretzel. The others met us on the train and we began our four hour journey to Munich!

We had to take a few different trains, each one a little more crowded than the last but it just added to the excitement! We got of at the Munich Hauptbahnhof and Coco met some Mexican and Arentinean boys that were studying abroad as well. Our massive group started making our way to the festivities. We lost some people along the way but the five of us made it into a tent, which was only half the task. If you don't have a seat, you won't get served beer, so Kaila went up to a table with a group of Italian guys and we all just sat down. How was it so easy? We visited and danced for hours in the tent having the time of our lives! 

After a few hours we made our way outside onto the big grassy hill behind the tents and laid down and people watched. Oktoberfest is definitely one of its own and can't be compared to anything. Our group had some amazing bonding time and shared so many laughs, there are no other people I would have wanted to share that day with. We ended up leaving at 8:30 instead of 11 which turned out to be the best decision we could have made. 

The train ride home was a separate event all together. A few people had a little too much to drink and the focus for the duration of most of the trip home was keeping an eye on them and making sure they got on the transfer trains. Completely exhaused we got back to Tuebingen around 11:30 and were able to catch the bus back to the French Quarters. Erik and Anne stayed with me again, Anne fell right asleep. A little while later, there was a thunderstorm and the lightening kept lighting up the entire room. It was absolutely pouring and a beautiful way to end our magnificent day! 

On Sunday we went to breakfast at a little cafe and had croissants and coffee. We looked through all our pictures and went over all the exciting events of the day and all the characters we had the pleasure of meeting! On our way to catch the train, we got to see the start of a race! We watched the contestants warm up and watched them shoot the gun off! Aside from it just adding to the coolest weekend ever, it gave me a warm feeling as I realized that this is the city that I'm moving to. 

It's amazing to think that everything that I've experienced in the past two months is more than some people get in their entire lives and my adventure is just beginning!! 

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More Pictures from Tübingen and Horb!


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Love and Appreciation

Everyday that passes here in Lützenhardt/Horb I grow more anxious to move to Tübingen and then I fall a little bit more in love with where I am living. 

Friday we all went to Tübingen to check out where we would be living for the year. Right after school about 30 of us piled on the train with gigantic smiles on our faces. A few of us took the bus to the Französisches Viertel to search for our rooms. We found my building first and climbed to the top, and fourth story. I have a corner room with slanted ceilings and a big window. I can't wait to move in and decorate it with curtains and color. The bathroom was a little overwhelming considering I share with 5 other people and at least one of them is a guy. The kitchen and living area were messy, but lived in and quite welcoming. Kaila lives in the next building over and her room and kitchen are absolutely adorable! Anne couldn't get in her room, the key was wrong but we called Anita and it's getting all taken care of.

When we were walking back to the bus stop to go to Markt, something out of the ordinary caught our eyes- a teepee. A great big teepee, and when we looked inside, we found a fire pit. Okay? Not exactly what I would initially think of when I thought of French Quarters. To compliment the teepee were two cows, just hanging out. Germany never ceases to surprise me. 

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Anne, Kaila, Coco, Rachel and I met up with Eric and found a place to eat dinner. It was called Stern and was absolutely delicious. We were nightmares- starving, laughing and inhaling our food. I walked away with oil from Coco's pesto tortellini on my shirt and jeans. The Italian food and back patio was an extreme upscale from our döner and cold cuts in Horb. We went to the best Eis place in the city and walked to the church steps. The girls and I shared a bottle of wine as we listened to the street performer play the ukulele and then Andrew play the harmonica. This is going to be our year, what a different life than what we are all used to. 

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Yesterday we took a trip to Konstanz on the border of Switzerland. I took my book on the bus to Horb and as I was reading, "Where Men Win Glory" I started to cry. Sadness is not a good way to start the morning, so I listened to some Rascall Flats while watching the sunrise over the fields. Watching horses play and kiss under an apple tree is a much better start if you ask me.

Fast forwarding a little... 

I'm in love with Konstanz. It is on the Bodensee and on one side shares a border with Switzerland and the other with Austria. We took a short tour of the city, enough to convince me that second semester I need to study there (which means my German needs to improve incredibly-but it's do able). We walked down to the beach and crossed the border into Switzerland and went swimming in the lake. We watched yachts sail by and a dolphin activist group protest. Then we laid out on the grass and just enjoyed each other's company. Later, we went to the children's carnival and watched a clown show. We made our way back to Horb and had Thai food for dinner and caught the end of the Bremen vs. Hamburg soccer game. Then we went to a bar, which we took over. Us 20 Americans were the only ones in there, aside from the two people from Switzerland who are in our language program. 

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Today was family day. We went to Paul's first ever soccer tournament. My host parents don't like soccer but I definitely enjoyed it. The German 8 year olds were so competitive, I was surprised. Then we drove to Dornstetten for lunch, at a Chinese buffet. We spend almost two hours there visiting and talking (in both German and English). The meal ended with schnapps and fortune cookies. 

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I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left in Horb. The people I am surrounded with everyday are incredible. I am so happy that I have met each and everyone of them and it is amazing how much of a family and support system we are for each other. Our entire group is growing and changing a little more each day and we are all experiencing it together causing us to become even closer even when we don't initially realize it. Once we move to Tübingen it is all going to change dramatically but I love that we have such a strong basis of friendship, love and appreciation for each other that is going to be hard to change. 

 

As I'm rereading this and getting my daily Yahoo fix, I can't help but think about how fortunate I am in my life right now and the opportunities I'm able to have thanks to so many men and women who sacrificed so much ten years ago today. All of those who have and who are currently protecting all of our freedoms are in my heart and prayers not only today, but everyday. So as you read my blog and walk with me on this journey of growth, I only ask that you take a minute to appreciate what you have in your lives as well as those who have made it possible by risking their lives, and that you keep them your hearts.  

 

 

Wunderbar in Waldachtal

On Wednesday my family took me to a Kegelnbahn, aka a German bowling alley. The general concept of the game is the same, but there are some major differences. There are only 9 pins, the balls only have two holes and all weigh the same. I was really upset that  there were no bumpers, because in all honesty there really is no other way I can get through a came. Needless to say it was a long night. It was so much fun though! I think bowling with Paul and Valerie really was what made the night enjoyable. I am not good at American bowling, or Kegeln for that matter but I did learn that I am a lot better with my right hand. I think my whole life has been a lie, I don' t think I'm really left handed. Let's name what I use my left hand for, writing and eating (but not cutting my food).

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I went walking the other day in the forest by my house, just trying to explore a little bit. We have what is called the Wellness Wald which is used by people who have operations for their rehabilitation. It's pretty cool so I have a few pictures, as well as a few from my walk to the bus stop in the morning. 

The walk to the bus... I'll get a picture of the hill soon.

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Wellness Wald (I've only explored like 1/4 of it so far)

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I just can''t get over how beautiful it is here. Every morning on the bus I just stare out the window in awe of where I am living for the rest of this month. The sky is so blue with clouds from a cartoon, and if there's traffic it's because there's a 75 year old man driving his tractor (that he's probably had for 35 years) down the main street of the village. There are cattle ranches, logging companies, dense forest and cornfields all along the way. Even the Germans are taken aback by the diverse and captivating world that they live in. There is a turnout point along the road in front of a big green field. There's nothing in the field it just goes, but the green is so bright especially against the clear blue sky. There is ALWAYS a car parked and the person is just staring, or occasionally drinking their morning coffee and reading the Zeitung. 

Wir haben unser Studenten verloren in Heidelberg.

Yesterday we took a day trip to the beautiful city of Heidelberg. We had to meet at 8:15 in Horb which meant I had to take the bus at 7 am, which meant I had to leave my house at 6:40 to walk to the bus stop. If you can't already tell...it was a long day. So I'm tra-la-la-ing down the street at 6:40, in the rain when the little old man who lives down the street comes out of his house to walk with me. How sweet right? So we're walking, he's talking, and I'm trying to dissect the Schwaebisch dialect. We get to the Bahnhof and he gets on the bus with me..um ok? Then gets off at my stop, luckily Will was meeting me. He was a sweet old man but no one needs to be in Horb at 7:20 am on a Saturday. 

let's skip ahead... 

We meet up with the group and meet our leaders Pascal...and ready?...Pascal. It's also a 2 1/2 hour train ride. Long day. On the train from Stuttgart we met some soccer fans from München who were so nice and definitely helped the time pass just a tad bit faster than if we were sitting there in silence. When we got off in Heidelberg, I'm guessing 30 out of the 40 students had to use the restroom. Pascal 1 of the blue team ignored that fact and just went on with his tour, auf Deutsch. It was really interesting and the city is beautiful, but I would have been a little more into it if I wasn't so focused on the fact that it was 12:30, I hadn't eaten since six and I had to pee like a race horse. 

At 1:30 we finally got a break for lunch. I enjoyed my ham and cheese sandwich in front of the fountain in Marktplatz with Cado, Coco and Ownie. After lunch we walked up to the castle. Amazing. I wasn't so great about taking pictures, but luckily Coco and Will came to the rescue so I will get those posted when i get a hold of them not to worry :]. The views were amazing and the castle looked marvelous. There were SO many Americans, and not just the ones from our group, the English kind of threw me off. 

 

Now for the excitement... 

We walked down from the castle and then went on our way back to the Bahnhof. We get there and we realize we're missing 5 people. That's a problem. We get them directions and they made the train in time. Thank goodness. So all 40 of us pile onto the train to go from Altstadt to Hauptbahnhof, except we didn't know that's where we were getting off. So at the stop, only HALF the students got off. The others were on their way to who knows where. So we call and they get off the train and had to take another train BACK to Heidelberg. Meanwhile, a group went on our correct bus while the rest of us waited for our lost friends. We were reunited, but had to wait an hour for the next train. Funny story, time to meet up and get on the train...someone's missing and his phone is dead. So, a little more than half of us pile on this train while the rest of the group waits. At the next stop our two groups were reunited and in tact for the rest of the trip back to Horb. I'd just like to say that our 2 1/2 hour train ride took 5 hours. 

Although it was a terribly long trip back home it was such a good time and we had a lot of fun on the trains, getting to know each other and the Pascals. We got back about 9 and were STARVING so Döner it was. Our plan was to go to the Biergarten, but it was closed because of the rain. It was ok though, Kaufland was open and we got our beers there. Complete with beer, döner, and a camera us American students laughed the night away and left our mark on Horb. I went home with Cado and met her family (which is adorable and so welcoming).

We talked about our families and friends while taking turns falling asleep on each other. 

 

Today we met up with Coco and Ownie and went for a hike in the Black Forest. It was so beautiful. We picked berries and got to know each other even more. It is so crazy how we haven't known each other for two weeks but at times it feels like we've known each other for years.

I got back to Waldachtal about 3 and was immediately ambushed by Paul and Valerie to play games which has been the majority of my evening. The Hohensteins are such an amazing family and I just can't get enough of how lucky I am that they are my host family. 

Unfortunately, the cute old man turned out to be the thief of the neighborhood. Awesome. Needless to say I will be taking an alternate route to the bus stop in the morning. 

 

Thanks Will for the pictures :] 

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quick update

Well it's been quite awhile since I've posted and SO much has happened it's unbelievable, but we'll just go with the right now yes? 

Currently, I'm living in a little village called Lützenhardt about 8 km from Horb where I am going to school. My host family is absolutely amazing! They live in a big pink house, my room is on the ground floor and I have my own bathroom! My host father, Ulrich is a big teddy bear who loves Dolly Parton and Florida. We speak both English and German to each other which I like because it helps my German and his English. Sabine, my host mother is so full of life and so motherly. She does kickboxing and kung fu and is so encouraging and patient while I try and speak to her in German. She's always making sure I have everything I need and that I understand. They have two kids, Paul who is 8 and Valerie who is 6. They love to play games and watch Spongebob which I think has been so beneficial for my immersion into German life. They live right next to the Black Forest which is both beautiful and a bit scary. On my first night, Sabine warned me of a weasel like animal called a Marten that climbs on the water pipes. I'm a little freaked out to go outside at night now.  Lützenhardt is a cute village and everyone is so friendly, but it is very small and I am the only one in my program who lives out here which is good, and bad. It is good because I spend a lot of time with my family hearing and trying to speak German but bad because once I go home for dinner, that's it. I walk ten minutes to the bus stop every morning an then take a 25 minute bus to school. It's actually kind of nice having that time every morning to really wake up and have my alone time before being around people all day! I've been getting up at 5:45 so that I can go on the elliptical for a little bit before I leave for school at 7:40, which helps me sleep very well every night! I start school at 9 AM Monday through Friday and then Monday, Tuesday and Thursday we end at 3 and Wednesday and Friday we end at 12:30. At our school there is also a small group of students from Azerbaijan. They are all so nice, but today was their last day. We're all sad they're leaving because we just got here and haven't had the time to get to know them! Thank goodness for Facebook right? Everyone in our program has grown so close in just the past week and we hang out after school everyday. The school offers excursions each weekend and tomorrow we are going to Heidelberg which is a 3 hour train ride. Horb is a beautiful city but very very small and it can get a little boring. It is right on the Neckar River which has been extremely nice since it has been so hot and humid the past week. It's suppose to rain tomorrow so that will be a nice change I think! My German has been getting better everyday, my grammar seems to be good but when it comes to speaking, I just really struggle. Ah! I love it here so much I can't even explain it! I haven't been taking many pictures, but I will try and steal some from my friends to post and tomorrow in Heidelberg I will take at least a couple! 

 

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Cappuccinos, Snowballs and Cataracts

The family and I have come to the conclusion that the city of Bolzano was happy to see us go. Our big car and booming American ways were a little too disruptive for their world tucked away in the mountains. 

We missed the Autobahn, I'm still a little curious about that one. I must say though, driving through the mountain range passing through the towns was definitely worth the extra time spent and 3 Euros saved by not taking the toll road. Around noon we stopped in another little Italian town for cappuccinos, the name of the place is escaping me. Soon enough we were back on the road (this time on the Autobahn) and on our way to Innsbruck, Austria right there in the Alps. I slept for most of the drive, but what I did see was gorgeous in its entirety. 

Innsbruck has probably been the easiest city to find parking that we have been to. We swooped right into the structure and had no problems finding a spot which was quite a relief. We walked about a block to the Congress train station our first mode of transportation up the mountains. 

For those of you that know me, you might remember that I am definitely not a fan of heights and my anxiety tends to shoot through the roof. I was not particularly excited about the upcoming gondola ride up the Alps. The train was no problem, the we got on gondola number 1. My heart started racing, but I was doing pretty well. I found a spot on the floor and just stared at it trying not to have a freak attack in front of about 20 people I didn't know. This worked, until people started moving around to see the scenery, suddenly my spot was no where to be found and I could feel my eyes swelling with water. Luckily, I've gotten pretty good at calming myself in these situations; I just kept thinking that it was going to be worth it when I got to the top. 

I thought I was good, until I saw the SECOND gondola. It got a little bit harder to keep my cool. I got a seat on this ride and my uncle started to try and calm me. The worst part of my fear is that once someone acknowledges it, calming myself is almost impossible. This time, the tears came, but so did the people so *sniff sniff* and they were gone. Once again, my composure was back, but then the gondola started jerking and weird noises started going off. The operator looked nervous, not a good way for me to start the ride. It all turned out okay though and we eventually made it up to the top at Haffelekar. 

As soon as I saw the view from the lookout point my fear vanished. How could I be afraid of something so beautiful and breathtaking? On a clear day you can see four countries; Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. It was pretty cloudy since it's been stormy, but we could still see Austria, Germany and Italy which is not bad at all! We hiked up to the top of the mountain and had a little snow ball fight on the way up. Did I mention Dave and I were in flip flops? 

Downfall of the trip...deer poop on my Haviannas. 

The trip down the mountain was a no brainer and we walked around Innsbruck in search for some food. Since it was around 430 not many of the kitchens were open for dinner so we got small sandwiches at a little store and ate them in the main square. 

Then it was back in the car to and unknown destination, sleeping once again. We're now in Oberammergau, world famous for it's Passion plays every 10 years. We're staying at Ferienhaus Fux and it's absolutely lovely, I wish we were staying here longer (which seems to be the trend on this trip)! We walked down the street to a hotel/restaurant for dinner. Salad with turkey "stripes" sounded pretty good to me and it was delicious! None of us were very hungry but for some reason we all felt that we needed to eat dinner. We're getting the hang of this European meal time, good food, good company and good conversation; schnitzel/salad and beer, family and a lesson about Cataracts/anatomy of the eye.

We are THE Liebigs.  

Well, I'm settled in for the night and my bed and book are looking pretty appetizing but first, here are some pictures!

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Wait, we're in Italy?

It is absolutely amazing to me that I was in Munich, Germany this morning and I am going to bed in Bolzano, Italy. 

We drove from Munich to Innsbruck, Austria which was absolutely beautiful. The Alps are so unlike anything I have ever seen before. Driving on the highway through these wondrous mountains is almost indescribable, even through the rain! There is something about being in the middle of a mountain range that just completely changes your perspective. Suddenly you are so small and insignificant in comparison with these natural wonders. 

"What a Wonderful World" came on my ipod on this drive and I must say it was the perfect song for the situation. 

The Alps changed to the Dolomites which were equally as beautiful but so different from the Alps. There were vineyards running down the hills and everything was green. Each little down we passed was different from the previous, but they all had a church that looked exactly like the others, it was little strange. 

We pulled off the freeway in Bolzano not knowing where we were going or why we were going there. All my uncle kept saying was, "We have to find Fiera Messe". After driving around in circles for what seems like hours we pull in, to an abandoned parking structure. All that was there was the Sheraton but it was some sort of convention center that I don't think gets used. We went into the Sheraton to use the restroom and as we were sitting in the lobby waiting for my uncle and alarm starts going off. He pulled the string and set the alarm off in the hotel, causing 2 men to rush into the restroom to "save" him only to find out it was an accident. 

We drove downtown to find the Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige to see Ötzi the 5000 year old "ice man". There was a four story exhibit on him and the conclusions and speculations made from the discovery in 1991. He was found by a married couple hiking in the Alps frozen in the ice and preserved. Since then they've come to a conclusion on how he died what diseases he had, what he ate, how he looked, it's just amazing. 

After Ötzi we walked around the shops scoping for a dinner place. There were just too many options but the choices of pasta and pizza were a nice break from wurst and schnitzel. It was pretty hot and we were all so indecisive so we went to the hotel to check in instead. Hotel Art is tucked away in this awkward little corner next to a Thai restaurant. There is no parking and to unload the bags we had to pull in down this narrow alley in our big boat of a rental. Nice and snug we brought our luggage to our rooms then spend 20 minutes navigating my uncle out of the alley which did not just include David and me, but also the receptionist and the hotel owner. 

Luckily downtown is close enough to walk and we made our trek back down for dinner. I don't know why we have such trouble with city maps but we had a difficult time finding the restaurant recommended by the receptionist. By the time we got there we were all tired, hungry and a little bit grumpy. We were appeased with our prosecco and campari cocktails and authentic Italian pizza followed by espresso. 

We followed dinner with a walk around the city which had completely transformed since we were there that afternoon! There were people everywhere, lights, live jazz music and it really felt like what I imagined Italy to be like. We stood in the piazza admiring the mountains with the little house tucked away, the moon, and the energy that surrounded us. No picture I could ever take could capture that image and how incredible it was. 

I must say I think today has been one of my favorite days since being here. Northern Italy is so beautiful and mix of culture between Italian and German is very unique. Every other person was speaking German and it made it a little difficult to remember that we were actually in Italy but I think it added something to the city of Bolzano. The fluidity between the countries which are part of the EU is priceless and their unity, I think was seen today in this city. The two cultures are so different when measured in language, cuisine, customs and dress and it was all here in Bolzano mixed together. I don't think you can get that in many places and for that reason my first trip to Italy is going to be something I will always remember. 

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River Surfing?

Yesterday was day 2 in Munich.

At a lot of the hotels they have these coffee machines at breakfast that you can make single cup macchiatos, cappuccinos, etc. I thought I'd mix up my morning routine and make a latte macchiato, so I grab a cup and press brew. Of course, it begins to over flow and when it stops dispensing I remove the cup quickly. Then shoots out the espresso, so in my hand I have a nice hot mug of hot milk. I walk away laughing and sit down to my big eyed family where I retell the story. Needless to say we enjoyed a good laugh (as if that isn't something that would normally happen to me).

We returned to Marienplatz for a bike tour of the city which was quite fun! Our guide John was an Aussie and had only been here for four months. For a rookie, he did pretty well. We got to see all the touristy sites and went inside some churches which were just beautiful! We went back to the English Garden and at lunch at the Chinese Tower. More sausage, more potatoes and more beer. It's beginning to get old! I tried the Hofbräu summer brew which was good but not my favorite. After lunch (a little giggly) dave and I bought some steins and returned to our bikes for the rest of the tour. 

 

My favorite part was the river surfers in the English Garden. Um what? 

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it was just a tad more exciting than this...

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After walking around and getting a little lost we came back to our hotel for our free snack and drink. It was nice to have a little chicken salad a much needed change from the typical German food. I ordered my very first cocktail, a Baby Doll which was delicious and I tried a Mai Tai- no thank you! 

Now it's about 9:30 am and we're heading towards the Dolomites in Italy! So excited!