For Better or Wurst

Raising the May Pole

2008-05-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

OK...Before I get started I just want to clarify something...There is NOTHING phallic about the May Pole. It is simply a very large, straight, wooden pole which is erected...I mean raised...in the center of villages throughout Bavaria Why do they place these poles in their towns? They are a symbol of the vitality of the village. At the raising of the pole, people gather, roast meat and drink beer. Given the size and weight of the pole, there is much performance anxiety over the ability of the male villagers to actually raise the pole and keep it up. Now what is phallic about that? So please no comments!

So May day, or Maitag, is the traditional day for raising the May Pole, or Maibaum in the towns of Bavaria. They must be erected at least once every five years unless there is concern about the general status of the pole. To ensure they remain in good repair, they are inspected every six months to ensure the wood is solid (for example, the pole in the Viktualenmarkt was removed early this year due to being rotten and until it was raised on May Day, the market looked, well, impotent!). Since this is an important Bavarian rite, Matt, William and I decided to attend a Maibaum raising in an area of Munich known as Harlaching. We arrived a little early to find that the festivities were well under way. An oxen was being roasted and beer was being served. The Maibaum was laying on the ground awaiting the raising. The Maibaum is made by selecting the tallest, straightest tree in the forest, stripping the bark, painting it the Bavarian colors of white and blue and adding symbols of the village as extensions off of the pole. When finally raised, it is rewarded, I mean topped, with a wreath and usually a cap that symbolizes the town...for example a fish for a fishing village etc. We were looking forward to participating in the event so we grabbed a beer and an ox meat sandwich (DELICIOUS!) and settled in. Soon the Bavarian band started, and the speeches began. My German continues to be abysmal so I settled back to the words of "BLAHBLAHBLAH" which is what everything sounds like to me anyway. Then the fun began! In Munich, the tradition of manual raising has been replaced with the erection by crane. All I can say is there must have been some serious accidents because typically Germans will choose tradition over safety any day. So up rolled the Fire crane and the raising began. This particular Maibaum was quite long and there was significant engineering and consulting going on about how to properly raise it, inspection of the brackets etc. After about 45 minutes of raising, lowering and readjustment accompanied by the OOHs and AAHs of the crowd...Harlaching had her Maibaum. The engineer then rode the crane to the top to proudly screw in the Cross. Feeling full of beer and meat, we started on our way home only to be engaged in conversation by a nice German man who after we praised the day's event proudly declared "Yes it was nice but it took an awfully long time! I am a helicopter pilot and I raised a 1300 Kilo radio tower on the top of the Zugspitze mountain and it only took me 10 minutes!" I guess he wins! Again, I reiterate, there is nothing phallic about the raising of the Maibaum! Enjoy the video of the event below!

The Von Clapp Family Visit, Barcelona and the Beach!

2008-04-09T06:24:00.001-07:00

Lots and lots to tell so settle in and enjoy! After ski week (discussed in the last blog), I survived the flu, William survived the International Schools Theater event in which he participated in workshops, put on performances, went to his first dance, hosted students from London and Moscow and had a blast, Matt survived my flu, a meeting in Miami (poor thing) and lots of hard work, Audrey survived her mid-term meetings, a near broken finger and, of course, she survived us! Finally, we all survived crazy weather from 60 degree days to bitter cold and snow! All of this took place in the month following ski week! Then it was time for the Clapp Family visit!

Julie, Adam and Tyler arrived EARLY on a Saturday morning. Matt and I decided the ONLY way to pick up friends on their first visit to Germany was in our Lederhosen and Dirndl. This was met with much laughter from the Clapps and might have helped their jet lag a bit. We got them home and got them cleaned up and started walking which is my remedy for jet lag, i.e. stay outside and stay busy! The whole family rallied and we got to see the main sights of Munich including the Marienplatz, the pedestrian walks through old town, the Hofgarten and so on. Tyler Borbe (Audrey's boyfriend, if you don't know by now) met us at the Viktualienmarkt and as a resident of Munich for 13 years, graciously took over the role as tour guide. Our tour included the many, many steps to the top of St. Peter's, the oldest church in Munich, for a great view of the city and many of the best sites! We ended the day of sightseeing with the Clapp's first German dinner at Max Emmanual Brauerie. Julie was exhausted and, for the first time, I understood the line "fell asleep mid-sentence". After dinner, we whisked them home to bed. Thus started a whirlwind week of sightseeing, socializing and enjoying the company of old friends. The week included an Irish festival in the heart of Munich where we had a Guiness Stout (in Germany!), a visit to the Treasury, Adam and Tyler's visit to the kids' school, a trip to Neuschwanstein Castle (also called Mad Ludwig's castle) , a tour of the Allianz Arena where FC Bayern plays...OK, I was being a nice host but in fact it was a great tour, an evening at a local pub to watch FC Bayern play, and the Von Clapp family train trip to Salzburg, the home of the Sound of Music, which the kids absolutely loved (see picture of kids on bench)! Julie and I had a great time during the week visiting the markets, sipping Gluhwein, working out at the gym and just catching up on life. Our last day was a holiday here and we all sat around exhausted until Adam went to a party with Tyler B. and Audrey, Tyler C. and William ran around town and Julie, Matt and I went to one of the oldest breweries in Munich for the last German dinner where we got to see a keg of beer raised by chains via an elevator in the floor. After much fanfare, the keg was tapped using a wooden hammer and spigot...What fun! All in all it was a great time...although, I have decided I am a great host for four days, an OK host for two and a not so good one for one...I need to learn to pace myself better.

The day after the Von Clapp's left we hit the Trifecta of days...William's birthday, Easter and our departure for Barcelona (Matt had to go there for work so we tacked it on to the front of our Spring vacation). In addition, we had to get the house ready for a house/dog sitter. What a whirlwind...William, who is usually good natured, even pouted a little about the general neglect of his birthday. However, we finally boarded the plane for Barcelona and our holiday began!

Barcelona is a beautiful and very cosmopolitan city. We had rented an apartment which we were regretting a bit when the taxi dropped us off at what appeared to be a boarded up building in a cluttered old street. With the help of a man standing on his balcony who directed us to the other side of the building, we soon discovered that our flat was, in fact, very nice, clean and had three bedrooms PLUS it cost for four nights what we would have paid for a single night for two rooms in a hotel. Aside from a shortage of hot water (Navy shower anyone?) the place was perfect. It was situated in Barceloneta which is a neighborhood right on the beach. Formerly, a rather rough fishing neighborhood, it has in recent years become quite popular. However, it still retains the old Barcelona feel with narrow streets, laundry hanging to dry off balconies and little squares with many seafood restaurants. The first night, we went to one of the seafood restaurants recommended by the landlord where Audrey ate steak (not a seafood gal), I had monkfish and Matt and William shared a paella. William loved it until he got a feeler from the one of the langostinos stuck in his teeth and took a bite of "potato" only to discover it was cuttle fish. He then decided that the Spanish Paella may be a bit "close to the source". As a result, "poor" Matt had to finish it off himself. Dinner was followed by some much-needed sleep. The next day we went straight for the beach and the kids touched the Mediterranean Sea for the first time! We then took a walking tour of Barcelona and discovered that it was vibrant and alive place (although interestingly there were more Americans than I have seen since coming to Europe). We walked through the harbor area to the Ramblas. This pedestrian street is famous for all of the goods sold along it. Each section had a theme from souvenir stuff, to flowers, to birds including pheasants. All along the way were people dressed in various costumes who would pose for pictures after you placed a coin in their cup. Many of the outfits were quite inventive and some were downright scary. It was a stimulating and fun walk. When we reached the top of the Ramblas, we identified some stores to visit since shopping was on our agenda. However, it was Easter Monday which is a holiday so many things were closed. Therefore, we had lunch and jumped a tour bus. We got to sit on the top, in the sun (very welcome after the recent gray, cold in Munich) and got a tour of Barcelona. Ya know, I have come to appreciate the bus tour as it really helps you to get a feel for a new place. The most amazing sites to see in Barcelona, in my opinion, are Gaudi's buildings. In particular, we loved his church, the Sagrada Familia , still under construction 80 years after his death. I really knew nothing about Gaudi and marveled at his work. He is a fanciful architect/artist who bases his designs on nature. His buildings flow without hard edges and he combines earth tones with colorful mosaics. I immediately wanted to live in one of his buildings! I have included pictures here but take a look on the internet for better ones. We did get off at one of the bus tour stops for a ride on a 100 year old tram to a funicular which took us up Mount Tibidabo where this is a beautiful church and an amusement park with rides that overlook the whole city. Our ride down and the rest of the bus tour took the rest of the day. We wandered home via the old Gothic area in Barcelona which is another treasure. After such a long day, we barely had energy for our tapas dinner and bed. The next day, after William and Matt had a run, we went shopping. What can I say about that except William is the real shopper in the family. It took all day but gave us a chance to get some much needed clothes without paying the high German prices. The last full day in Barcelona, Matt had to work so Audrey, William and I took the metro to the Parc Guell...a park that was originally intended to be a residential development designed exclusively by Gaudi. Well, we got off at the metro stop, proceeded up a street and then looked toward the park...I think I know why it did not succeed as a residential area...the whole way was up, up and up, hills and stairs. I couldn't look the kids in the eyes for fear their glares would smote me dead! So we ascended...only as we got closer to the stairs did we notice the escalators in the streets...I was saved from Audrey and William's wrath. We finally arrived at the Parc and it was worth it. Gaudi designed wonderful public spaces with balconies, columns made of stone, mosaic fountains...all in his swooping, organic style. He had also designed charming and whimsical gate houses where you can just imaging a witch popping her head out of the window (see picture). After taking in the site, we walked DOWN to the metro and headed off for Audrey's haircut...Hey, William got his cut on Audrey's birthday trip to Paris...only fair that Audrey had a chance to get hers done on William's birthday trip to Barcelona. It also helped to cheer Audrey up whose view of Barcelona was a bit tainted by her sadness at being away from Tyler (she only said "I miss Tyler" about ten times a day). We then headed back to the apartment to wait for Matt, chill out, plan our last evening and get ready for the next day's flight to Gran Canaria!

Gran Canaria is a Spanish island 70 miles off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic ocean. I personally had some trepidation since I had planned this trip and was concerned that the weather would not be good, or the island not nice or the apartment which was in a valley in the mountains not to the kid's liking. Our first landing did not allay my fears that much, it was warm but not hot (we learned that the north of the island and south can differ as much as 6 degrees C-- more than 10 degrees F). Our drive on the highway suggested that the island with its arid, mountainous interior was quite built up at the coast...BUT THEN, we turned into the road to our apartment. After winding for 15 minutes through bewitchingly beautiful mountains with buttes, spiny ridges and amazing cacti, we turned into a charming Canarian village tucked away in the valley. After parking our car, we were greeted by our landlords/hosts, Mark and Debbie and brought into a paradise. Mark and Debbie are the nicest English couple in their forties who due to Mark's back injury have retired to Grand Canaria. Lucky for us since they rent out a flat in their house. The flat is great, large, well appointed with three good-sized bedrooms and a great bathroom with LOTS of hot water. If the bottle of champagne on ice, the snacks and fruit laid out and the two bottles of wine didn't convince us that this was a great place to stay with great hosts, the patio, garden and pool did. We had a patio just outside our flat with a dining table and sun loungers. This table became Matt's and my coffee spot where each morning we watched the sun rise over the top of the mountain. The garden was filled with fruit trees that we could help ourselves to, bougainvillea, bird of paradise, a banana tree and a large palm. Tucked away in the garden, was a fountain and stone benches. The garden also contained a heated pool which was a perfect way to start and end most days. Really, it is a wonderful place! Mark, Debbie and their three young kids had the flat upstairs and by the end of the week, we felt like we had made new friends.

The week unfolded like most great beach vacations. We had great weather...most days around 80 in the day and 68 in the evening....perfect. We mixed up beach and activity days which included jet skiing (OK, Matt, Audrey and William went...I watched), Go Karting, an Aqua Park with slides. We had great food both out in restaurants and cooked at home (on a grill...something we miss in Munich). William and Matt got many eyefuls at the mostly topless beaches (and in some cases nearly bottomless as thongs seemed to be the bottom of choice) . Sounds interesting except that most of the people were older and out of shape and frankly, topless is not always a good thing. As William and Audrey said "Just cause you can doesn't mean you should". We took rides on the mountainous west side to the resorts and towns that dot this rocky side of island, took the southern coast road to see the five star resorts and the endless dunes of Masplomas, visited the town of Arguineguin where we could shop for food, buy spit roasted chicken and visit the weekly market. We learned that some areas of the island are built up and others still quite wild. We just thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Audrey would call Tyler each night from the rooftop terrace and would then spend time alone contemplating the stars. William played in the pool, ran with Matt, became friends with Mark and Debbie's oldest child, Nile and bought a blow-up boat for floating around in the ocean. Matt took long runs up the winding mountain being passed by cycling teams from across Europe who were training for the Tour. He slept like a log, relaxed and enjoyed himself. I lounged, read, swam on the beach, chatted with Debbie and Mark and just enjoyed being with my family. It was a wonderful vacation but like all vacations...it must end. So we packed up, said good-bye to our new friends and took the long flight home to Munich where Buster and Jewel were waiting for us!

Ski Week

2008-02-20T00:07:00.000-08:00

OK, let's start with the fact that the kids get a week off of school in February called Ski Week. Pause, think about it. Also, given that the week is called Ski Week, you really have no choice...You must go skiing. We opted for a week in Galtur/Ischgl in Austria where many of the families from school go (This is an organized "MIS Ski Week" holiday that has been going on for years!). The advantage...There are lots of kids and families that you know so your kids have others to ski with and the parents have others to party with! First, the location...I have driven through the Austrian Alps but never stopped and experienced them. Ischgl and Galtur sit in a beautiful long valley through the Alps very close to Switzerland. The valley is just wide enough for small villages surrounded by mountains. It is the land of Heidi and Grandfather with villages and houses clinging to the mountains. Skiing has brought tourism and money but earlier life must not have been easy and you wonder how people settled in these beautiful but rugged settings so long ago. These are the high alps and we quickly learned the benefit of skiing above the tree line! No trees to get in your way...just wide open runs (called pistes). Our first experience was in the ski resort up the road from Galtur! We arrived on Saturday, settled into our flat, purchased ski passes and signed William up for 6 1/2 day ski school lessons. Skiing started on Sunday and based on US/Poconos standards the slopes were empty. Just wide open runs from beginner to intermediate/expert. You can ski the front or back of the mountain and the runs seemed to last a long time. Audrey who had not skiied in three years was scared...I always start every year's first ski run terrified. However, we both made it down...and felt great. Audrey looked wonderful on the slopes and by the second or third run was skiing really well. Like me, she is conservative and likes to stay within her safety zone. As a result, we sent Matt and Tyler (who was staying with us) off to ski at their level and we just kept to our blues (the equivalent of greens in the US). William started his ski school and by the end of the first lesson was moving from a modified ski plow to the real beginnings of parallel skiing. By the end of the week, he will be skiing blacks in great form...Lessons matter! Anyway, that day, we quickly learned what would be the rhythm of our week. Ski in the morning with friends and family who are not in lessons, pick up the kids in lessons at 12, eat lunch (in Galtur it was ALWAYS at the Almhof right on the slope and for Tyler and Audrey it was ALWAYS the Weiner Schnitzel), more skiing in the afternoon usually with a pack of 11-12 year old boys racing each other down, a quick beer in the afternoon, back to the apartment for showers and a rest followed by dinner with friends or a sponsored event (from the ski week) and if you could stay up, a couple of drinks after. Of course, the teenagers all went out in town until curfew but that's what being young is all about. So this, with some variation became the rhythm of our days. What changed is who and how. I quickly discovered that my old knees and feet couldn't take more than a couple of days of downhill...so I took a 10K cross country trek from Galture to Ischgl...It was a wonderful, solitary run across fields, through the woods etc and I loved it...Given my arthritic knees, cross country may be the main skiing in my future. Audrey too found that days on and off the slopes suited her style and she opted for a quiet day or two at home. Tyler, Matt and William skiied every day...their passes gave them the opportunity to ski at Galtur which is a great and non-crowded family slope and at Ischgl....How do I describe the difference? Galtur and its ski resort at Wirl are quiet, family and great skiing. They are at the end of the valley...the last stop. Ischgl is the Apres-ski capital of the Silvretta Valley....Frequented by Russians who ski in fur coats, with dancing girls on the bars in the afternoon and a crowded village of stylized Austrian hotels. But the real difference is where you ski. In Galtur, the mountain looms above you and you can sit in the cafes and watch the skiiers come down the front of the mountain. To ski Ischgl, you take a gondola (or Bahn) over two mountains and descend into another world. Almost all of the skiing takes place in a GIANT bowl located in the middle of the mountains. When you are there, it is, as Matt said, like being in another planet. When I saw it I dubbed it Planet Ski. So many runs surround the bowl that you cannot even count them and the bowl is so large that sitting in the middle having lunch, people look like ants on some of the runs. Remember this is largely above the tree line so it is a world of white, with ski runs everywhere. Runs last an hour and a half and if you ski over one side of the bowl, you are skiing in Switzerland. There is even a run called the "duty-free" run since you can ski it to a town in Switzerland where you can fill a backpack with duty-free goods. You can ski there for days and never hit every run. It must be seen to be believed. So Matt, Tyler, Will and his friends divided their days between Ischgl and Galtur. I divided my time between a little downhill and cross country, time spent with a friend who had torn her ACL earlier in the year and some quiet time walking across the fields and in town. Audrey spent hers skiing and relaxing. All in all a perfect week! We made new friends and got closer to old friends! What could be better. Some more highlights that must be mentioned...The barrel stave races. Imagine strapping on barrel staves, grabbing a long stick, putting it between your legs to stabilize you and skiing down a slope....over bumps, through gates and over the finish line...at night, with gluhwein. Well, that was an event. William and his friends bravely tried it and had a wonderful time. I was a little nervous about where the long stick would end up in a serious fall...but it is one of the things I love about Europe...people still do things, they haven't gotten so afraid of potential hazards or litigation that they have given up anything which has risk! We had a night of kegel bowling and an afternoon of ski racing where both William and Matt competed (Matt came in 9th in the men's division which is darn good considering the extent to which people ski over here). We had a wonderful dinners with friends, a couple of late nights out...one of which ended with my friend Jean (of the torn ACL) and I screaming our way down the base of the slope on a sled...OK maybe not too smart but lots of fun. Both kids made new friends and learned more about themselves in the process. I read "Atonement" and learned to cook in a kitchen the size of a closet....What more could you ask for except having our friends/family from home to be with us!

So Much Holiday!

2008-01-09T23:40:00.000-08:00

Wow - so much to tell...what a whirlwind holiday season we had! After Audrey went home for Christmas, the dogs went to the Hund Hotel for the holidays and the Combs (my sister's family) headed to Paris, we had a quiet but early Christmas morning in Munich (Yes, Santa Claus found us here although he comes on December 6 for the rest of Germany). It was early because we had to leave by 8:30 am to get to Hausen by 12:00. Hausen, below Stuttgart, is the home of our relatives and friends, Karin and Heinrich Schewe. So after breakfast and gifts, we ran out the door and headed to Hausen...About halfway through the trip, we were overjoyed to see the sun which has been noticeably absent of late in Munich. Munich lies at the base of the alps and weather tends to settle in and stay. Well, we were welcomed to Hausen with a wonderful multi-course lunch with Heinrich and Karin followed by all the Stutz relatives coming to the house. What a party! We got to enjoy a traditional Christmas day with singing, coffee and cake, playing card games AND a late meal! It was a wonderful day although we missed Audrey a lot! After hearing Karin sing in church the next day, we had lunch at a traditional German restaurant with Heinrich's family followed by a snowball fight! It was really a nice trip and great to spend time with family and friends.

Following lunch, we raced home, packed our bags and headed out the next day for Rome...How about that...Stuttgart, Munich and Rome all in a day! We arrived in Rome after only 1.5 hours on the plane including a flight over the Alps. After a train and metro ride, we arrived at the hotel to be greeted by Josh and Lauren Combs...how great to arrive in a new city in another country and have family there! And we were off on our Roman adventure! Rome is all about its past. I mean, we got off the metro stepped onto the sidewalk and looked up to see the Coliseum. So Romans live every day with thousands of years of history all around them! Our goal was to walk the city and see as much as we could...We visited the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Borghese Palace and ended up in Piazza del Popolo...a large Piazza at the edge of the old city only to discover it housed the church and a chapel with Bernini sculptures discussed in "Angels and Demons" which I was reading at the time. This was very fun but also brought home the fact that as you are walking through Rome, you are surrounded by art from some of the most revered European artists such as Bernini and there is so little fanfare about it that you can miss it! We continued to walk just taking in the sights before settling down to a dinner on a side street...Matt is a firm believer in only choosing restaurants off the beaten path...and had a nice meal of pasta and pizza....the kids went to bed and the parents went to an Irish bar around the corner from the hotel to play darts (even Rome has a bit o' the green in them). Tomorrow, THE VATICAN.

OK, you get up early for the Vatican so you can beat the lines...you arrive at the Vatican Museum and find the LONGEST line you have every seen. It literally wraps around 3/4 of Vatican City....Maybe 3-4 hours long...NIX to that one. After being advised by a very nice woman that there is no line at 2:00 pm, we headed over to St. Peter's Basilica where we climbed the 500+ steps to the cupola to enjoy views of Vatican City, Rome and St. Peter's itself. We wandered through the church whose amazing mosaics looked like paintings, saw many sculptures by great masters including Bernini and admired the amazing architecture. We also got to see Michelangelo's Pieta which literally GLOWS . It is absolutely beautiful. We also got to see the tombs of the popes...not really much to say here except there are lots of them! And we accomplished all this before lunch! Lunch itself was an amusing experience. We stopped in a cafe advertised as The American Cafe (OK the promise of burgers lured us in...you can only eat so much pasta and pizza) to find that a) the burgers were out and b) the food was the "finest frozen food" in Rome. When the food came for Amanda and I, it was in a microwave container. We had to laugh and ate it anyway. It was at this restaurant that we noted a phenomenon which held true for our entire trip. Every restaurant we went in was empty when we got there and then completely filled. So we were either trendsetters (the most likely answer, of course) or we got hungry just a little early (all you cynics out there will buy into this one, I'm sure). Anyway, after our "American lunch" of frozen food, we heading to the museum which was now lineless (is that a word?) and marched right in. We had prioritized the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms and wanted to speed to those (you can only do so much sightseeing in a day). Well, we soon learned that the Vatican museum resembles Disney World as much as anywhere else (my Catholic friends and family are probably wincing right now). Not only do you get herded to the route that THEY want you to go on but you must pass through several gifts shops on the way. SO, we walked the entire 4 km route which actually had some amazing art including the hall of maps (below right) which was a little like living in my mother's house...every square inch is covered in something, a map, painting, frame whatever. We also got to witness the effect of the "Great Castration"...apparently one of the Popes decided that all those male genitalia on all those sculptures was obscene and had the privates removed to be replaced by fig leaves which because they don't match the sculpture actually make you look...you know..."there " first! By the time we got to the Raphael Rooms I was beginning to feel a little bit like "so what". However, they were beautiful! Of course, then you finally get to the Sistine Chapel...My first impression, iconoclast that I am, was "This is it?". The famous images were smaller than I expected as was the Chapel....but then, I tilted my head back and really started to look (along with every other head craner in the room) and guess what, I didn't want to stop looking. Though it was crowded and not very comfortable, the paintings really do pull you in. I just wanted to keep looking and as you looked more of the beauty, detail and virtuosity revealed itself. But all good things must come to an end! At this point, we were a tired bedraggled lot. The kids were DONE and frankly, so were the adults...so we finished the tour through the last few gift shops and headed home by metro. Our walk back to the hotel from the metro station included some shopping (leather is very cheap in Italy). After a wonderful dinner, we all slept soundly....Tomorrow the Coliseum.

We learned from our experience at the Vatican, to jump the line sign up for a tour. Our tour guide, Aldo, was as Italian as they come. Every adjective was a superlative and as he told us about the gladiators, the wild animals, the people of Rome, Rome's demise at the hands of the Barbarians, he would close his eyes and speak as if he had been there. Soon our whole group was there with him, watching the elevators rise from the floor of the Coliseum (OK this is the mind's eye talking here), seeing the blood of the gladiators, watching the crocodiles in the flooded floor eat those who fell from the boats they floated (yes, they did that). We saw all this while standing in a rather drab ruins. Most of the coliseum was used as a quarry for later building (including the building of St. Peters) so while the impressive superstructure exists, much of the detail is forever lost to later monuments. Our early afternoon was spent on the Palatine Hill which is the ancient center of Rome. Romulus and Remus were purportedly raised by their wolf-mother here and it is the birthplace of Rome. It is also the site of the ruins of some early Etruscan villages, one heck of a large palace (Palatine is reported to be the source of the word palace) and a home of Mussolini who felt he should live on the hill that the early Emporers of Rome lived on (too much self-esteem can be a BAD thing). After leaving Palatine hill and a quick jaunt through the Roman Forum (so much history...so little time), we headed to the train station and Naples.

AHHH Naples, a city of chaos, where people are everywhere, talking, kissing, fighting. Where crossing the street is a game of chicken. Where mopeds/vespa speed along the street and straight onto the sidewalk. Where laundry is strung from apartment to apartment so that when you look up on many streets all you can see is clothing. This is the land of La Cosa Nostra, Limoncello, Pizza and Mount Vesuvius. I had read you either love Naples or hate it. WE LOVED IT! It is so alive, the people are friendly and warm and everyone's life takes place on the street. It is the opposite of polite, restrained Munich where people still speak in the formal "you" and most things private are kept that way. The private is public in Naples, from laundry to loving to pooping (you have to ask William to describe what he saw). So of course, we started our adventure in Naples in the most public way. All 7 of us chose to drag our luggage through the crazy crowded streets of Naples rather than take a taxi...well, the hotel was farther than the guidebook suggested AND there was no mention that the last portion of the walk was straight uphill. So like true Neopolitans, we squabbled, cursed and pushed our way through the streets of Naples to reach our hotel....only to find that the fourth floor hotel had nine sets of steps (don't do the math...its Naples). The single elevator, 10 cents a ride, held little more than one person and some luggage. William volunteered to accompany the luggage which he may have regretted when the elevator started to shake and stopped temporarily between floors 3 and 4 (apparently there is a weight limit...ooops). After checking into simple but clean rooms, we headed into the heart of the old city, where our love of Naples was sealed. We ate the best pizza in the world, visited a Limoncello factory where we purchase this local firewater and walked down a street of shops totally devoted to creches. We then crawled into bed for tomorrow was Pompeii.

Every American school student hears about Pompeii. Somehow, the tragedy of this city resonates with our American lack of history. To know, that 2000 years ago, an entire city was destroyed, its people entombed in ash and mud, and left forgotten for 1,500 years appeals to the imagination of a people whose oldest house is a little more that 400 or 500 years old. To visit this site is to truly see the life of these people who lived, loved and laughed so long ago. The fact that the bodies have been preserved with bones intact via plaster casts (during the excavation, an archeologist figured out that if you poured plaster into the empty spaces in the ash and rock, you can actually "cast" the bodies including the positions of the people as they tried to escape) brings this home even more. They have discovered the bodies of families and animals throughout Pompeii and some of these are on display at the site. It is both fascinating and sad at the same time. The level of preservation of the site is also amazing. Most of the streets are still intact including the well-worn grooves in the stone dug by the donkey carts as they maneuvered the foot-high stepping stones used by people as they walked the city. You can also see stores and restaurants with counters and pots for storing food still intact. You can visit the ornate bath houses where the frescoes still exist on the walls, the baths are there to see and the floor mosaics are still intact. Several houses still have complete rooms and amazing frescoes. There are two theatres, multiple public spaces and houses of ill repute. There is even writing on the walls of the city, advertising the stores and restaurants that line the streets. It was really more than we expected and although many asked before we left "why do you want to see this"....We were all glad we went! A train ride back to Naples, another walk through the city, another pizza dinner (hey, when in Rome or Naples or whatever) and we tumbled exhausted into bed (after a few baba cakes soaked in Limoncello...don't try this at home!).

Our last day in Naples was spent exploring the city. Seeing castles, the waterfront and the elegant parts of town. We ate some of the best oranges I have ever eaten, saw many sites and truly enjoyed ourselves. That afternoon, to the airport in Rome for New Years Eve. Although we debated a trip into town, there comes a time when you say DONE. So the kids enjoyed a swim, Andy, Amanda, Matt and I sipped Limoncello and we all watched 2007 turn to 2008. We then got to call back home to the US from one year to the prior year....2008 calling 2007. Then off to bed and an early morning flight back to Munich...the sad part, saying good-bye to the Combs as they headed back to the States. Munich looked good when we got back, the dogs came home and best of all, the next day we got to pick up Audrey who looked happy and relaxed (except for the jet lag part) after her week with her friends back home! Maybe she will blog about her trip?!? We have now settled back into our Munich life but are still missing our friends back home!

Christmas Markets, Gluhwein and Late night Trains

2007-12-18T00:49:00.000-08:00

Well the holiday season is upon us and in Munich that means Christmas Markets. Every neighborhood has one and they are all different. There are Renaissance markets, craft markets, bohemian markets, commercial markets, world markets. You want it...you got it! It is what the Germans do for Christmas...forget the long lines at the stores, forget malls (we actually have one somewhere in the city), forget cleaning your house and cooking for days to have a party. Just meet your friends and family at a Christmas Market and wander around. They are ALL beautiful...full of color, lights, great smells and best of all Gluhwein. This mulled wine is the drink of the season and I can tell you, on a cold night, walking around with a mug of hot spiced wine is just wonderful. Plus if you are willing to forfeit the Pfand (the 2.5 or 3 euro deposit you pay for the mug), you get to keep the mug. Many people collect these as they vary by market, each with a unique graphic, text or shape. You can see my collection, thus far, pictured here. For those who prefer something a little stronger, you can get it "mit scchuss" or with a shot of rum, schnapps etc. For those who are really adventurous, go for the flaming bowl. A large bowl mug filled with some sort of gluhwein with a lip containing a sugar cube. They then pour rum or schnapps over the sugar and the mug and light it on fire. Yes, everyone walks around with a bowl of fire! Imagine that in the US? The Christmas Markets are really a wonderful tradition and a way to share Christmas with everyone AND to reduce the stress...I mean how hard is it to run to a market and get a bowl of goulasch and a glass of hot wine with friends. I may never do an American Christmas again.

Beyond the markets, we are enjoying the season. It is more low key here than at home so it has flown by with ease. However, this will be our first Christmas without Audrey as she is going home to the US. It was a last minute decision and she is very excited. We will miss her very much and I am sure she will miss us (please let me keep my illusions). More likely she will miss her boyfriend Tyler....yes, that relationship is still going strong and we get to see lot of him. Its a good thing since we like him! Audrey, although she complains, is actually doing well here. She is much more independent here than at home and has learned how to get around the city on her own. It has really increased her confidence and her sense of autonomy. When I told her she would be flying home alone without an escort, she was totally not worried. I am not sure she would have felt that way a few months ago. In her free time, she spends a lot of time with Tyler and her friend Caitlyn and is working hard at school. The curriculum is very tough here and the teachers are very demanding but Audrey is holding her own. She continues to figure out how to keep her grades at just that point where we stay off her back while still having as much free time after school and on weekends as possible. Hey, I figure efficiency in effort is a good skill in life! She is also taking a film class after school which she enjoys. Watching movies and chit chatting about them...what could be better. Audrey is not playing field hockey right now since the language barrier caused problems. I am hoping to find an indoor team that speaks English after the new year.

William is really thriving here. His artwork has grown in leaps and bounds, inspired both by the environment and some really good teaching! He is also taking drama classes after school and is playing on the Middle School basketball B team. He has rarely every played basketball so that tells you how good the team is! However, one advantage of making the middle school team is that he gets to travel to other International Schools for tournaments. Therefore, he gets to stay with host families in Vienna and Frankfurt AND we will return the favor by hosting kids here when other teams come to visit us! It is bound to be an adventure. William has also made lots friends both at school and in the neighborhood. Happily, William will be with us this Christmas. So at least we don't feel like empty nesters yet! He will join us as we drive to Hausen below Stuttgart to visit with Matt's German relatives. We look forward to spending a couple of days with the extended Stutz family!

We also just had a great couple of days with my sister Amanda, her husband Andy and the kids, Lauren and Josh. It was bitterly cold but we still managed to get around Munich and visit the Christmas Markets (of course) and enjoy a flaming bowl or two. We went out to eat on my birthday where I had my first Schweinhax'n, a pig's knuckle that has been slow roasted and crisped. It was wonderful. Of course, Andy, Amanda, Matt and I ended up at the Hofbrauhaus where we sang Ein Prosit, drank too much and had a great time. Amanda is writing a blog on her European vacation so I won't duplicate it here....but we loved seeing them AND will be seeing them again soon. They are spending Christmas in Paris and then we will meet them in Rome and spend a few days in Rome and a few in Naples with them....Of course, there will be a blog about it.

What else is new? We had a great time at the school Christmas Party. Great food, dancing and drinking. We left around midnight to take the train home...which was an event in itself. You heard of the Peace train...this was the Puke train. Drunken teenagers abounded. Matt and I had to move seats several times to avoid watching highly inebriated teens barfing up their dinner. The following Monday, Will got the local newspaper on the way to school and found an article about the problem! The downside of public transportation!

So our life goes on...we are having a great time and enjoying the German life! We do miss our friends and family....especially so at this time of year! So enjoy your holiday and be well. In lieu of a card, I have included a small Christmas greeting below. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Define Normal

2007-11-16T03:22:00.000-08:00

It appears I have been remiss. I have only related adventures abroad, festivals and the like which may have misled you into thinking our life is more glamorous than it is...Sigh! Don't be fooled! We live the same day to day existence as we ever did. We get up, get the kids off to school, Matt leaves for work, I straighten up, then I either work, go to the fitness studio or, as of next week, take German, the kids spend the day in classes, Matt at work...OK so maybe the parallels start to waiver because each day I do run around to get food, fruit and vegetables etc and in most cases, the people are speaking German but generally life is the same....except of course for my daily walk in the English Gardens with the dogs which lasts from 45 minutes to an hour rain or shine, sun or snow, deluge etc. This is where I discover new sights and sounds daily AND where I get to see the Chinese Tower and watch the progress for the ChristmasMarkt they will hold in the Gardens. It is where I can see beautiful sights like swans on the lake and little chateaux. It is a really wonderful walk and vision. BUT I digress from the telling of our humdrum existence. So aside from the walk, it is really the same except that I do take the Ubahn most places and I am surrounded by ancient churches and beautiful buildings and at least 50 great restaurants are within walking distance AND the little Beer garden next door has set up 4 person gondolas where their tables used to be so you can sit inside with little heaters to drink your gluhwein, beer or heisse shokolade. But aside from this, it really is the same...except Audrey gets to take the train to the Marienplatz from school with her friends and go out to dinner and a movie in town all without asking for a ride. Except for that it is just like home...except of course, we drive to Salzburg, Austria on a Sunday afternoon to see the Christmas Market....But really, it is all just the same as being back home. Just to emphasize that, I am including our picture of the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner we had at our friends house...Now of course, we had it on Saturday not Thursday AND these are all new friends but if you look at both pictures below, you will see it really was the same.....

Venezia!

2007-10-31T03:52:00.001-07:00

What I have learned about Venice....Throw out the map...it is no good! After you spend the first five minutes trying to find your way in the winding streets, narrow walkways and canals of Venice, you realize that you should stop looking at the map and just start looking around. For every sight, every street, every house, every campo (square), every fondamenta (walkway next to a canal) and every little bridge is a wonder in itself. So give up trying to get to your destination, give yourself over and just start walking. Venice IS the destination itself. No stop, no sight is better than the whole city itself! As you walk, you will find streets as narrow as you that open onto squares full of people sipping cappucino or drinking wine. You will stumble onto a dead end street where a balcony full of flowers will cause you to pause. You will find yourself suddenly at the end of the island with a view of the Adriatic sea and the surrounding islands. You will cross a bridge as a singing gondolier passes underneath you. You will stop in the stores with baubles, Murano glass, hand-printed paper and antiques. You will jump on the Gondola taxi to cross the grand canal. You will sit in a Trattoria drinking wine with your pasta and wonder how a place can be this beautiful! And guess what? Invariably, you find what you were looking for, whether it is the Piazza San Marco where you can watch people walking on rows of tables to avoid the flood caused on the square by high tide or the Rialto bridge which is wide enough for shops to line both sides. You will stumble on endless squares and churches that you can walk through at will. You will find the museums and music halls. It is all a matter of having faith in the island that is Venice! A magical place with boats for buses, canals for streets, special names for bridges, dead-end alleys and no cars!

How did our romance with Venice go? It was a wonderful, if brief, affair. It started with finding our flat which we had rented via an associate of Matt's. We walked through a crumbling courtyard...remember everything is crumbling a bit in Venice...to a beautifully furnished apartment in a 16th century building. The apartment was full of antiques and charm. It was perfect! Since it was already late, we had a nice dinner close by and went to bed thinking that we would get up early. Well, we didn't count on the darkness caused by shuttered windows and we all slept in and awoke to the bustling sounds of the Venetian day. We got up and had croissants and coffee in a little cafe and wandered to the Piazza San Marco where we had our first reminder of the differences between Italian and German culture: the slowness of progress made while standing on lines (and the lines were standing on tables), being turned away at the door and sent to the back of the line because you had a bag, no information about cost or access and little organization made us say "Toto, I don't think we are in Munich anymore". Then we remembered, this is Italy and we are in Venice...so we walked. We stopped in shops, meandered around and found a nice spot to eat. While the food tends to be only mediocre in Venice, the wine that flows with every meal is a treat...So lunch lingers. Then we walked again marveling and enjoying. Wine, walking and waiting can only really be resolved in one event...a nap followed by dinner and a wonderful Vivaldi concert in an intimate setting in a converted church. It was the kids first real classical style concert and they both liked it very much...Imagine that!

Our days continued like the first. Amongst our meanders, we had a chance to visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection of 20th century art, the Rialto bridge and many churches. Our dinner the second day was a memorable event. Matt's associate, Giorgio, picked us up on his little boat (really just a dinghy) to take us to dinner. He stopped just outside our flat and took us into the Grand Canal amongst the boats, buses and taxis. We turned off into a little canal and had a wonderful meal of fish and risotto. William even tried octopus! To finish it off, Giorgio took us home through little canals where we got a close up of Venice from the water as we ducked under bridges. The next day, we were awoken by the sound of metal being dragged through our little street and a siren going off. It was raining!!! The dragging metal was tables being set up in the streets for people to walk on and the siren was informing the residents to expect flooding at high tide. Those of us with Gore-Tex footwear were not to be dissuaded and we tramped through the streets and launched on the water bus to Murano to view the glass factories in the pouring rain! We arrived at lunch time and as we warmed up/dried off in a little Trattoria, Matt asked the waiter to recommend a factory for a tour. He gave us a name and pointed out the owner sitting next to us. Well, one thing led to another and we got a personal tour of a glass factory and showroom from the owner himself...Right place/Right time! Our wet ride home ended up being a wet walk when the water bus was forced to park early and let us off due to an accident ahead of us. So we went for our last wander of the trip and ended the evening with a lovely meal in a very nice restaurant. During dinner, Audrey's wit caught the attention of our neighbors at the next table (I say them laughing when in response Matt's question "How did you like Venice?", Audrey replied"Its really pretty but ya know, when you've seen one alley you've seen them all"!) Soon we were chatting with them. They were a nice older couple from Ireland and we all so enjoyed the conversation that we bought more wine and closed down the joint! William took the opportunity to draw a really beautiful Venetian landscape. He obviously found the place inspirational and drew constantly while there. Audrey was great and seemed to really enjoy it! All in all, it was a wonderful trip...If you go, enjoy and you must have the hot chocolate which is a cup of liquid chocolate with a touch of bitter at the end
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Hund Heaven (This Blog for Lovers of Buster and Jewel Only)

2007-10-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Buster and I decided to take advantage of the relative quiet in the house today to tell you about OUR vacation. I know the alpha female has been keeping you up-to-date regarding the goings on of her pack. However, Buster and I had quite an experience while the the rest of the pack were off doing what they do (abandoning us). You see, Buster and I spent 6 fun-filled days at a dog resort known as The Dog Hotel from Gut Mareis. It is a true luxury dog resort. Unlike the dens of abandonment of the past where we were in separate rooms with concrete floors, wire walls and general neglect, during this temporary banishment we had a shared room with another pack of dogs. It hardly felt like we were being inexplicably removed from our pack at all! The den had a ladder, beds and art work (which you know Buster cannot appreciate...he does not sit still long enough...but I tend to spend longer hours these days bedded down just staring at the walls and the colors were a welcome relief...even though I am, like most dogs, color blind). It also had a closed circuit TV so the alpha female of the Pension could watch our play and make sure it did not get out of hand. I do have to say that I only had to show my wolf teeth to Buster once and only a couple of times to a young male who didn't get the message. You see I have lost weight this last few months and at times the young males get confused regarding my true age! The alpha female of the Pension also took us on daily walks of about 10 Kilometers (where I have to admit I got into trouble when the irresistible scent of a rabbit led me to temporarily lose myself and the whole pack had to look for me...I have got to get that under control!). It was the only time I have walked with so many other dogs of the four-legged variety. I have to admit I struggled to keep my position at the head of the walk. It is my rightful spot BUT there were many young whippersnappers who thought they deserved my position. Buster of course, knows exactly where he should be and spent most of his time running around in circles trying to play with everyone!!! When we were not resting or walking, we got to play with the whole pack in a big yard. The only drawback was the tempting herd of deer raised by the Pension Alpha Female. They were right next door and I SO wanted to chase them. BUT the Alpha Female was a gentle woman whose authority was unquestionable. So I held back from chasing her deer...We all knew who was the boss. The only time it was confusing is when my own Alpha Female arrived to take us home...Suddenly I didn't know who I should follow. Thank Dog, that situation only lasted a few minutes. So while my real pack was off, Buster and I had a great time with an adopted pack in a wonderful resort. Clearly Germans love their dogs...I highly recommend it to all canines in the area. P.S. if you are an elder dog like me you may want to watch it...I am noticeably stiff after my holiday.

Paris, Grandparents, Greek Dancing and More

2007-10-21T03:47:00.000-07:00

So much to tell...so little time. First, Paris was...well Paris. Wonderful sights, wandering streets, fabulous fashion, the best shopping and a sparkling Eiffel Tower! Add to it a chance to be with family and life is good! We spent our first day with Grandma Sandy on the bateaux mouches, the boat that takes you around Paris on the Seine. We took the "bus" version so we could get on and off as we pleased! It allowed us to visit Notre Dame (gargoyles and all) and stand on the "heart of Paris" where all of Paris points are measured from (see picture). We then proceeded to the Champs Elysees where we rode a VERY LARGE Ferris Wheel and saw the Arc de Triomphe. Of course, we ended up at the Eiffel Tower where we chose to take the steps to the first platform...the line to the lift was long. This was all after flying in from Munich! The day ended with a WONDERFUL dinner in the home of my sister and her husband who own this marvelous apartment in Paris. Audrey was serenaded with "Happy Birthday" by her aunt, uncle, grandmother and grandfather (and us of course)...and it wasn't even her birthday yet (see picture)! She also got to sleep in the apartment which meant not having to sleep with William...what could be better!?! The next day, AUDREY'S BIRTHDAY, was spent in an exhausting search for just the right Parisian outfit for Audrey. Her aunt Lisa took her to many, many stores and many outfits were tried on...At the end of day, we were all dazed and confused BUT success...Audrey had not one but TWO Parisian outfits to wear. Meanwhile, William was treated to his first ever Parisian haircut by a '"tres jolie" stylist (Matt thought she was quite lovely too...see picture). William also managed to get some shopping in as he has been very influenced by the European style. They both wore their new clothes to the birthday dinner at the famous La Coupole....a classic Brassiere in Montparnasse. It was a busy, wonderful dinner which ended in a loud and jubiliant version of 'Bon Anniversaire' (Happy Birthday for the non-francophiles in the crowd) by the waiters including our VERY handsome head waiter (see picture).
We then strolled the streets of Paris as two events went on...First, the annual Nuit Blanche where art exhibits go on all night in Paris and second, the celebration for France who had won their most recent rugby match in the World Cup event which was going on in Paris at the time. Both resulted in lots of people, drinking and noise throughout Paris. We also got to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle with lights which is a true sight to behold. We returned after midnight exhausted but thoroughly happy. Sunday was spent at Montmarte (including stairs) where we ate crepes and went to the Dali exhibit. We also visited the Moulin Rouge where William got a bit of an education since it sits in the heart of the red light district...Yikes. We returned home Sunday night all of this having taken place in a little more than 60 hours...Can you imagine?

Matt then had to head off to a week in Austria for business. The kids and I recovered a little and then spent three glorious but cold days with Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Dennis who arrived from Paris via train. It was the first time for both in Germany so we ate wurst at the Ratskellar, drank beer at lunch, wandered the English Gardens and, of course, viewed the Glockenspiel at the Marientplatz (it is the clock with dancing figures etc that goes off three times a day to the delight of all tourists). Matt returned on Friday and we went to the famous Osteria (the Italian restaurant that has been in place since 1890). It was a great visit and it was fun to show Munich to friends/family from home.

Instead of relaxing, Matt and I spent Saturday night with our neighbors at a Greek restaurant where one of the neighbors was celebrating his birthday in total Greek style...which means lots of shots of Ouzo, breaking many plates, dancing on the plates and finally, a mountain of fire...Don't ask but it had something to do with pouring Johnny Walker Black over a mountain made of foil, lighting it and dancing around it. It was an event!!!

Sunday, we had a visit from a friend/coworker of Matt's where we walked around, had coffee and cake with our German friends and a nice evening out. Matt then returned to Austria and I spent the week working, teaching and in parent/teacher conferences...Audrey is studying Physics, Chemistry and Biology this year which has been a substantial jump from last year's earth science. BTW- Audrey is studying this in between spending lots of time with her friends and new boyfriend, Tyler (see picture). William is studying hard and enjoying himself at school and with his new friends. He has also acquired a new style of sorts which I will document for the next blog. He had a stomach bug this week but all is well now!

Jewel and Buster are still having a blast! Jewel has continued to lose weight and, I daresay, has regained her girlish figure (wish the same would happen to me) and Buster still loves his dog filled romps in the Gardens.

We had our first snow this weekend...This while seeing friends in Kemblesville on Skype sitting around in T-shirts. I guess we are really far away!

Finally, we are off to Venice this week. The kids have a week off so we will leave Tuesday to take a train to Venezia returning on Saturday. I am sure there will be lots to report. We miss you all and wish we could be doing all this with our dear friends from home!

Oktoberfest

2007-10-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry we have been away so long but Oktoberfest, work and life has been keeping us busy! Aside from a repetitive drinking injury (what you say...go ahead and hold up a liter of beer every two minutes and sing "ein prosit" and clank away on your neighbors glass and see what happens to your knuckles) we are well! We have had great times at Oktoberfest which MUST be seen to be believed! It is the Dionysian festival of Germany. Yes, everyone is drunk and many are reeling all over the place BUT everyone is also a friend and neighbor...It is everyone coming together and being the same at least for one night! The fact that the bands in the tents play "Country Roads" and AC/DC songs just adds to the sense that there are no boundaries. After the tents close, the rides continue and they have to be seen to be believed. Imagine standing in a crowd and watching people clamor onto a slowly spinning disk as the crowd watches them fall off one by one...If they don't fall off, a medicine ball on a string or a lasso will help! There are still also old-fashioned side shows with the headless woman, chopping audience members in half and a REAL flea circus. It really is an event. I am posting pictures and video to help you see it.

The kids are also doing well! William has decided he likes it and is willing to stay longer if he gets a nice cell phone! He is making friends and enjoying soccer! Audrey is still hanging with her new crowd and having a good time. Although she was DYING to go to homecoming with her friends back home!

Matt is getting very busy at work and will be traveling a lot again. He is due back in the States in November.

I have been busy with work, life and Oktoberfest not to mention "back-to-school" nights etc. The life of a hausfrau is the same everywhere. I did get to a GREAT art exhibit which had every major artist from Rembrandt to Picasso...It is the private collection of a Swiss couple. It was really amazing to see the diversity of works by people you have heard so much about and never really seen their work.

We are really beginning to get to know Munich...Every day we see something new or learn about a new place...most within blocks of the apartment. We have also seen old friends from home who were in town for a night and relatives from Germany...So life has been good!

I am a little short on time but will write more again soon....This weekend we are off to Paris for Audrey's birthday so I am sure we will have lots to tell...Miss you all!

Hello All!

2007-09-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

Schreiner Family updates are now available by blog. This will allow us to post pictures, videos etc and will allow the kids to log on and update you all too! Chat with you soon!