You thought my stories about Christmas would end? Not a chance!
The next day that we were in GAP, we drove to Austria. For anyone who has never traveled in Europe, it can be a great ordeal to drive from one country to another. While Austria may have some of the best and most well cared for roads in the world, you have to have a special pass for your vehicle to drive on the Autobahn and highways. In GAP, because it's right on the border of Germany and Austria, you can buy these special stickers at any gas station. If you're caught without one of these special sticker passes, you can be fined up the you know what.
That morning we stopped at the gas station to fill up and buy our pass. The resort is literally 5 minutes up the street and my mother in law has to get out to go to the bathroom. Then, everyone leaves me in the car alone. My husband goes inside to pay, J&S went inside so S could use the toilet (which you have to pay for), and then they all come back with food despite the snacks we had in the car ... again. I mean, I guess when in Rome ... at least my husband bought me an apple juice drink that I love called Granini. They make all sorts of flavors of juice drinks, but the apple one is the one I love the most.
This day, I was actually in rather good spirits. On the drive down in to Innsbrueck (which was where we were headed) we saw all sorts of fabulous winter sights that we didn't see the last time we went as it was summer then. The Alps were beautifully covered with snow and surrounded by fluffy clouds, cross country ski tracks were everywhere, and we of course told them the following great story:
In Germany and Austria, it is very VERY popular for vacationers to come from the Netherlands at all times during the year. In fact, the Germans we knew made fun of the Dutch saying they never worked, they were always on holiday. During the winter though, there are HOARDS of Dutch people that flock to the Alps. Yeah, sure people from all over come to ski and stuff, but the Dutch are exceptional. If you know anything about Holland, you know that it's flat - there's no such thing as mountains. So, they like to come down to get their skiing on. The thing is, they are notorious for thinking they know how to ski, but being horrible. They are so horrible at skiing that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of accidents every year related to the Dutch in the Alps. Now, because this region of Austria and Germany is very mountainous, hospitals are few and far between. Also, below freezing temperatures make it difficult to find and rescue accident victims. So, rescue teams have come up with these massive orange helicopters that they fly into the mountains to rescue injured winter sportsmen and women alike. In German, the word for helicopter is the same as in English. The word for the Netherlands however, is very similar: die Niederlands (dee nee-dur-lahndz). The Germans and Austrians love to joke about the Dutch and their horrendous efforts at winter sports, and one thing that they've come up with is called the "Niedercopter." The big orange helicopters that rescue the Dutch ...
We also tell them about our experiences at the Swarovski crystal factory. It's the only factory in the world that they have, and they let the public come in to tour their "museum" and "gift shop." I'd warn you away from it for many reasons, but you'd have to see if for yourself to believe me. Trust me. It's an experience you'll never forget. No, they don't show you crystal mining or making since it's all top secret ... instead you get to see their "museum" and then troll around the huge shop looking at all the crystals and things you can't afford to buy, but can't stop looking at.
When we get in to Innsbrueck, we park in the parking garage not far from the town center - which is where we were headed. They had a mini Christmas market set up, and we all agreed to visit it when we came back that way. We walked around the town looking into shops, admiring shop windows, viewing the hotel where Mozart and his father once stayed, discussing the Goldenendachhaus (Golden roofed house which is really just gold leaf if I recall correctly), and made some small purchases. We went inside the Swarovski store there in the town, and my husband, being the loving and sweet man that he is, purchased these gorgeous earrings that were treble clefs (because I'm a musician) and a matching bracelet with music notes dangling from it. I was shocked - I couldn't believe it. To this day I save them for special occasions, and I still have the bag it came in ... and the free stud they gave him for making a purchase!
Around lunch time we were all starving. We found a cafe that was up a few floors overlooking the town center. We crowded into this corner booth and ordered coffee, hot chocolate, and lunch. S & I decided to be adventurous and order the goulash. By the way, Austrian goulash is delicious. I can't even remember what J or my husband ordered because mine was so good! So, we're sitting there having our lunch and chatting about everything, when S and I notice the people sitting behind J. The man has an arm in a cast and sling (those European ones I told you about). We start whispering to each other and giggling. We were, of course, referencing the Niedercopter story. Granted, we don't even know if this guy is Austrian or German let alone Dutch. My husband leans over and asks what we're giggling about. Our table was U shaped, so J was the only person sitting in front of this couple. Since he was a bit farther away, I started whispering to my husband about the Niedercopter. J gets all interested in what we've all be giggling over and asks what we're laughing about. Of course, we can't say it out loud - every European knows English. They'll know what we're talking about. I say in hushed tones that we'll tell him later. For some reason, he figures out that we're discussing the people behind him, so he turns and steals a peek. Then, turning back to us he says "What? Niedercopter?"
We DIE laughing.
After our delicious lunch, we shopped a little more than went back to the little Christmas market. We looked around at all the traditional items being sold. J's feet were freezing, so we bought him some Alpaca or Sherpa woolen socks that he proceeded to put on in the freezing weather ... quite funny. We saw some delicious local fare and stopped to try it out. They were serving sauerkraut in bread bowls. We all decided to get some and then ate more. I stopped by my favorite little bake shop and got some sweet rolls and goodies for us. Then, we visited the church where Mozart performed. The summer before that we had went there, we saw a wedding outside and took pictures. It's a gorgeous church that is very VERY Rococo. Your eyes might burn with cherubs and drippy, flamboyance but the architecture and marble are beautiful and not to be missed.
On the way back to the car, we stopped at another little street Christmas market. We ordered some Gluehwein which smells like hot whiskey and tastes like hot Nyquil. Odd? Yeah but the great thing is that Gluehwein is pretty much the same anywhere you get it. While we're standing there drinking our hot mulled wine, these 20 something year old guys are having a medieval sword fight behind the booths. It was cracking us up. They were so dramatic ... and in so much trouble. The people working the market kept asking them to stop, to move and to leave. We videotaped some of it. It was a riot watching the little Austrians get all huffy about these boys who weren't even bothering anyone.
All in all, the day was great. We had fun, and I don't remember being grouchy. I think I might have been feeling better that day ... but that should have been a sign of warning of things to come.
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Friday, February 17, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Christmas Vacation - Part I
The morning after my in-laws arrived, we packed up and headed out for a Christmas vacation. Since my husband was lucky enough to finally get time off, we planned a whole big hoopla for J & S. We had rented a car (ours was acting up and in the shop) and piled it high with our suitcases, bags, and snacks.
We headed out that morning around 7am in order to get to the very famous medieval walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. If you go anywhere in Germany, you're likely to hear about Rothenburg. Its fame makes it incredibly touristy so we decidedly missed the usual rush of spring through fall and went in the winter when it was snowy and perfectly un-crowded. I had been to the city in the summer and in the fall - both seasons were gorgeous. Winter did not disappoint. We went to the famous Jakobskirche - a Lutheran church that is now used primarily for concerts but is famous for its original stalls, altarpiece, and hand-carved wooden alter to the blood of Jesus Christ. It's this amazing work of art that depicts the last supper, all wood and hand carved from the 1400s, and is said to have a stone on the crucifix that holds a drop of Jesus Christ's blood.
Now, I've been to Rothenburg several times and it really is a good value despite what people say. Every time we go there, we go to this church. It's so breathtakingly beautiful that you can't help but sit up at the altar and gaze in amazement that somebody was that talented. J & S of course loved the church. As usual, my husband took a million photos. We have several hundred of this church alone. It might cost 2 Euro per person to get it, but it is totally worth it. Besides, the money goes to the restoration of the church. It was bombed out during World War II and is slowly being restored to its original state. Some things survived like the altar of the holy blood, and the stalls, etc.
After we oohed and aahed in the church, we wandered around the town which has lots of trinket-y shops and little cafes and such. Since it was Christmas, they also had a Christkindlsmarkt - the German term for the traditional Christmas market that is usually found in squares around cities during the month of December. The tradition was started in Germany and Austria, and is big in much of central and western Europe.
Being ill was not pleasant during this outing. We took J & S to the medieval crime and punishment museum - which we've been to many times. I remember feeling the throbbing pain of the metal and the holes in my arm. The entire time we were in the museum, I looked pallid and felt miserable. At least it's a fun museum though. Thumb screws, dunking cages and iron maidens galore await your senses. It's fun to learn about medieval crime and punishment I tell you!
We also visited the famous Kaethe Wohlfahrt Christmas village. It's this famous store - the biggest Christmas store in Europe or something, and they are famous for their ornaments. They're open year round, and you can get some of the most amazing things there. Every year we bought ornaments from Kaethe Wohlfahrt for every family member. J & S LOVED the store. We spent an hour in there dawdling and looking at all the beautiful things to buy. It was really hard for me to be in that store looking back on it. I love to pick things up and handle them in stores. I couldn't even pull the strings on the traditional wooden dancing ornaments. It was disappointing. I'm very hands-on when it comes to many things, and shopping is just no fun with a gimp arm. I think I still enjoyed myself though, and I didn't get too crabby that I remember.
Well, I didn't get too crabby until the bathroom incident. They had a special bathroom set up in the middle of town because the regular public restrooms were blocked by all the market stands. So, we all decide we need to go. I managed to stuff my fat cast arm into my brand new Columbia winter coat. I was decked out that day with long underwear (it was below freezing outside), jeans, boots, gloves, a big fat sweater, a hat and a scarf. And, being Germany, they do not have a disabled restroom. This is common. Disabled persons aren't often out in public because they do not make public areas accessible to disabled persons. It's just a caveat of travel in Europe and it's typical. I go into the bathroom and they're tiny stalls. This means, that even if I needed help, I wouldn't get it. I'd had lots of bathroom mishaps since the surgery, and my husband couldn't be here to help me this time. Great. I take off the glove on my good hand, and leave the other glove that I stretched over my cast. It looks like I have a wooden arm. Seriously. Then, I manage to undo my belt and my pants (both layers) down, and do my business without any problem. When I try to re-suit up, it becomes an issue. I must have been in the stall a good 3 or 4 minutes just trying to get my pants done up and my belt on. No such luck, so I come out of the stall to wash my hand. All these ladies are pushing and shoving around the tiny sinks washing their hands. I just wait until there's a lull, and turn on the water, wash my hand as good as possible, then try to get a paper towel. I'm helpless trying to pull the paper towel out of its holder because I'm not left handed. I'm annoyed and say to the nearest woman "Koennen Sie mich helfen? Ich hab' nur ein Hand," which means "Can you please help me? I only have one hand."
By the time I had gotten out of the bathrooms, I had to ask my mother-in-law to do up my pants and belt. It would be no problem with my mother, but this was not my mother. I didn't feel comfortable having to ask that. Plus, it's kind of degrading to have to ask like a three-year-old for mommy to help you do up your pants. It hurt me. I wanted to be able to do the stuff I always could, that was a "no brainer".
After the bathroom, we went to a small cafe that overlooked the town and had coffee with cakes. I was still bothered. We were eating out in public and I could barely lift my coffee cup without spilling it with my left hand. Also, I had to share a streusel with my husband because it would take me forever to eat my own slice. For as upset as I was, I know I did a really good job of keeping my feelings and anger to myself. We were able to have a good time despite.
While there, we took lots of pictures, bought the famous Schneeballen (snowballs) which are pastry balls with toppings like chocolate or powdered sugar, walked the length of the medieval wall that surrounds the town, and shopped. It was a cold day, but I did the best I could making sure that I was enjoying my experience. After all, it wouldn't be fair to ruin my in-laws' first visit to Europe ever just because I was suffering from post-surgery pain and woes. Depressed as I was, I braved being as normal as possible that day. Soon however, it would catch up to me.
We headed out that morning around 7am in order to get to the very famous medieval walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. If you go anywhere in Germany, you're likely to hear about Rothenburg. Its fame makes it incredibly touristy so we decidedly missed the usual rush of spring through fall and went in the winter when it was snowy and perfectly un-crowded. I had been to the city in the summer and in the fall - both seasons were gorgeous. Winter did not disappoint. We went to the famous Jakobskirche - a Lutheran church that is now used primarily for concerts but is famous for its original stalls, altarpiece, and hand-carved wooden alter to the blood of Jesus Christ. It's this amazing work of art that depicts the last supper, all wood and hand carved from the 1400s, and is said to have a stone on the crucifix that holds a drop of Jesus Christ's blood.
Now, I've been to Rothenburg several times and it really is a good value despite what people say. Every time we go there, we go to this church. It's so breathtakingly beautiful that you can't help but sit up at the altar and gaze in amazement that somebody was that talented. J & S of course loved the church. As usual, my husband took a million photos. We have several hundred of this church alone. It might cost 2 Euro per person to get it, but it is totally worth it. Besides, the money goes to the restoration of the church. It was bombed out during World War II and is slowly being restored to its original state. Some things survived like the altar of the holy blood, and the stalls, etc.
After we oohed and aahed in the church, we wandered around the town which has lots of trinket-y shops and little cafes and such. Since it was Christmas, they also had a Christkindlsmarkt - the German term for the traditional Christmas market that is usually found in squares around cities during the month of December. The tradition was started in Germany and Austria, and is big in much of central and western Europe.
Being ill was not pleasant during this outing. We took J & S to the medieval crime and punishment museum - which we've been to many times. I remember feeling the throbbing pain of the metal and the holes in my arm. The entire time we were in the museum, I looked pallid and felt miserable. At least it's a fun museum though. Thumb screws, dunking cages and iron maidens galore await your senses. It's fun to learn about medieval crime and punishment I tell you!
We also visited the famous Kaethe Wohlfahrt Christmas village. It's this famous store - the biggest Christmas store in Europe or something, and they are famous for their ornaments. They're open year round, and you can get some of the most amazing things there. Every year we bought ornaments from Kaethe Wohlfahrt for every family member. J & S LOVED the store. We spent an hour in there dawdling and looking at all the beautiful things to buy. It was really hard for me to be in that store looking back on it. I love to pick things up and handle them in stores. I couldn't even pull the strings on the traditional wooden dancing ornaments. It was disappointing. I'm very hands-on when it comes to many things, and shopping is just no fun with a gimp arm. I think I still enjoyed myself though, and I didn't get too crabby that I remember.
Well, I didn't get too crabby until the bathroom incident. They had a special bathroom set up in the middle of town because the regular public restrooms were blocked by all the market stands. So, we all decide we need to go. I managed to stuff my fat cast arm into my brand new Columbia winter coat. I was decked out that day with long underwear (it was below freezing outside), jeans, boots, gloves, a big fat sweater, a hat and a scarf. And, being Germany, they do not have a disabled restroom. This is common. Disabled persons aren't often out in public because they do not make public areas accessible to disabled persons. It's just a caveat of travel in Europe and it's typical. I go into the bathroom and they're tiny stalls. This means, that even if I needed help, I wouldn't get it. I'd had lots of bathroom mishaps since the surgery, and my husband couldn't be here to help me this time. Great. I take off the glove on my good hand, and leave the other glove that I stretched over my cast. It looks like I have a wooden arm. Seriously. Then, I manage to undo my belt and my pants (both layers) down, and do my business without any problem. When I try to re-suit up, it becomes an issue. I must have been in the stall a good 3 or 4 minutes just trying to get my pants done up and my belt on. No such luck, so I come out of the stall to wash my hand. All these ladies are pushing and shoving around the tiny sinks washing their hands. I just wait until there's a lull, and turn on the water, wash my hand as good as possible, then try to get a paper towel. I'm helpless trying to pull the paper towel out of its holder because I'm not left handed. I'm annoyed and say to the nearest woman "Koennen Sie mich helfen? Ich hab' nur ein Hand," which means "Can you please help me? I only have one hand."
By the time I had gotten out of the bathrooms, I had to ask my mother-in-law to do up my pants and belt. It would be no problem with my mother, but this was not my mother. I didn't feel comfortable having to ask that. Plus, it's kind of degrading to have to ask like a three-year-old for mommy to help you do up your pants. It hurt me. I wanted to be able to do the stuff I always could, that was a "no brainer".
After the bathroom, we went to a small cafe that overlooked the town and had coffee with cakes. I was still bothered. We were eating out in public and I could barely lift my coffee cup without spilling it with my left hand. Also, I had to share a streusel with my husband because it would take me forever to eat my own slice. For as upset as I was, I know I did a really good job of keeping my feelings and anger to myself. We were able to have a good time despite.
While there, we took lots of pictures, bought the famous Schneeballen (snowballs) which are pastry balls with toppings like chocolate or powdered sugar, walked the length of the medieval wall that surrounds the town, and shopped. It was a cold day, but I did the best I could making sure that I was enjoying my experience. After all, it wouldn't be fair to ruin my in-laws' first visit to Europe ever just because I was suffering from post-surgery pain and woes. Depressed as I was, I braved being as normal as possible that day. Soon however, it would catch up to me.
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