Day nineteen. Frankfurt, Germany.
Sarah took Matt to the Nurburgring (public race track) for a high speed joy ride. Luckily for Tilly, Sarah rented a little sporty car for the track.
While they were there for the majority of the day, the rest of the group set out on a relaxed day of exploration. We saw Frankfurt's shopping district, old town, new town and museum district. We also sampled the famous apfelwein, aka apple wine. The public transportation system was extensive and very user friendly. The day wound down to an end with everyone at the Irish Pub.
Day twenty. Frankfurt, Germany.
My day started horribly because my night was horrible. The bed squeaked so loud every time Brian or I repositioned. It was so loud that we kept waking each other and ourselves up whenever we moved, I finally fell asleep at about four in the morning. When I woke up, my entire right hand was numb from laying on top of it for four hours. Groggily I got up, used the restroom and layed down on Sierra's queen bed with her where I regaled the story of my awful night. As I was talking to her it dawned on me that I had gone number two when I was in the restroom and Sierra was going to have to use that restroom very soon too. In order to prevent total mortification I decided to warn her that the restroom may not smell of roses; what actually came out of my mouth was sleep deprived version of my thoughts, it came out as such "Sierra, I'm sorry, I accidentally pooped".
You can imagine her confusion at such a comment, but since she is a well trained special needs teacher she simply replied, "where?". I had to laugh at my own mistake, now you can too.
The remainder of the day was better but I was a grumpy pants until my nap.
This was the day we switched hotels in Frankfurt because our first one didn't have an airport shuttle service and the Holiday Inn Express did. I did not have a good day.
In the evening we all sprinted, literally, across the street from the Holiday Inn Express, to a campsite's restaurant. Odd that a campsite has a restaurant but oh well; they didn't disappoint. On my last night in Germany, and Europe in general, I finally had Schnitzel and Spaetzle. Both were delicious. The evening was spent packing beer and souvenirs.
Day twenty one. Washington, USA.
Breakfast was good but I did not appreciate being up at 6am to eat it. The shuttle took us to the airport where Matt, Sierra and I all received a vigorous pat down/hands down our pants security inspection. All of our pants buttons set off the metal detectors and apparently buttons needed to be felt from the inside of the pants, just to make sure its not a mass murder device. Now I'm on the plane home, about to eat my provided 'premium' meal. Can't wait to see my animals!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
The Voyage - Days 17 and 18
Day seventeen. Nuremburg, Germany.
After breakfast we took Tilly down to the Pilsener Brewery and loaded her up with beer and loot! Next stop on the list, Germany! Specifically Nuremburg, Germany; more specifically, Nuremburg Castle! The youth hostel we stayed in was INSIDE the castle with nice, recently updated rooms. Ken and Matt's room was ridiculously hard to find, we had to have the receptionist show us where it was. Turns out you turn left upon exiting the elevator then take the stairs to the portal of mismarked exits, dead lift an iron door, descend the spiral staircase abyss, arrive at platform nine and three quarters and wallah! "your destination is on your left". Alternatively you could just use the door with direct access to the outside but that's not as much fun, or exercise.
Four out of our seven group members went to the underground beer tour while Brian and I went down to Nuremburg's Saturday market where we met up with Ken. The sun was at its zinth and hot so we stopped t a small table for a sorbet break. Mango, apple, watermelon, apricot, and lemon sorbet with a wild card thrown in for good measure, orange softserve yogurt. Be jealous. The three of us poked around in the booths and shops for awhile before deciding to head back to the hostel for dinner with everyone.
Lessons of the day: learn how to navigate nonsensical directions through an ancient castle, it may come in handy some day-- restaurants with outside eating areas typically provide blankets for guests at no charge, lesson is, even if you never use said blanket Do Not put it back in the clean blanket bucket, other guests will scowl.
Day eighteen. Frankfurt, Germany.
The Nuremberg castle has cool rooms and cool history but it comes with a 'not Bridget friendly' breakfast, I was disappointed. Too many dairy based foods. Because we had not gone on the evening beer tour, Ken, Brian and I went on the morning tour. Turns out they only provide one English tour per week and we had luck on our side! The tour was pretty neat, we got to see how the beer was kept cool during summer and how it was brewed. There was also a bit of history on the tunnel's use as storage for Germany's great arts during WWII. Overall a cool underground tour.
We hit the road and arrived in Frankfurt at about dinner time. As a herd, we started walking towards downtown fully expecting to find some dinner options quickly. How could our little dinner hunt go wrong? Sunday evening early closures took half of the food options away, and the World Cup took the rest. No one had any availabilities for seven people. After the herd became 'hangry' (hungry+angry) we found a Persian restaurant and a pizza place. We split up, ate food and rejoined each other after the 'hangry-ness' feelings had passed.
Back at the hotel we drank our Pilsner beer and watched the World Cup. When Germany scored their goal we turned the TV off and listened to the streets erupt in a roar of cheering and firecrackers. Brian, Matt and I walked back downtown to join in the celebration. Brian wore his German flag like a cape, he instantly became very popular.
People were being crazy downtown! Cars were getting rocked side to side by hordes of drunk people, flags were everywhere, people screaming and cheering all over the streets, and so many people were hanging out of car windows and sunroofs. Even the police joined in the crazyness! The noise of the night was defaning.
Lessons of the day: hangry Dorans are not a pleasant sight-- Germans love their football (soccer)
After breakfast we took Tilly down to the Pilsener Brewery and loaded her up with beer and loot! Next stop on the list, Germany! Specifically Nuremburg, Germany; more specifically, Nuremburg Castle! The youth hostel we stayed in was INSIDE the castle with nice, recently updated rooms. Ken and Matt's room was ridiculously hard to find, we had to have the receptionist show us where it was. Turns out you turn left upon exiting the elevator then take the stairs to the portal of mismarked exits, dead lift an iron door, descend the spiral staircase abyss, arrive at platform nine and three quarters and wallah! "your destination is on your left". Alternatively you could just use the door with direct access to the outside but that's not as much fun, or exercise.
Four out of our seven group members went to the underground beer tour while Brian and I went down to Nuremburg's Saturday market where we met up with Ken. The sun was at its zinth and hot so we stopped t a small table for a sorbet break. Mango, apple, watermelon, apricot, and lemon sorbet with a wild card thrown in for good measure, orange softserve yogurt. Be jealous. The three of us poked around in the booths and shops for awhile before deciding to head back to the hostel for dinner with everyone.
Lessons of the day: learn how to navigate nonsensical directions through an ancient castle, it may come in handy some day-- restaurants with outside eating areas typically provide blankets for guests at no charge, lesson is, even if you never use said blanket Do Not put it back in the clean blanket bucket, other guests will scowl.
Day eighteen. Frankfurt, Germany.
The Nuremberg castle has cool rooms and cool history but it comes with a 'not Bridget friendly' breakfast, I was disappointed. Too many dairy based foods. Because we had not gone on the evening beer tour, Ken, Brian and I went on the morning tour. Turns out they only provide one English tour per week and we had luck on our side! The tour was pretty neat, we got to see how the beer was kept cool during summer and how it was brewed. There was also a bit of history on the tunnel's use as storage for Germany's great arts during WWII. Overall a cool underground tour.
We hit the road and arrived in Frankfurt at about dinner time. As a herd, we started walking towards downtown fully expecting to find some dinner options quickly. How could our little dinner hunt go wrong? Sunday evening early closures took half of the food options away, and the World Cup took the rest. No one had any availabilities for seven people. After the herd became 'hangry' (hungry+angry) we found a Persian restaurant and a pizza place. We split up, ate food and rejoined each other after the 'hangry-ness' feelings had passed.
Back at the hotel we drank our Pilsner beer and watched the World Cup. When Germany scored their goal we turned the TV off and listened to the streets erupt in a roar of cheering and firecrackers. Brian, Matt and I walked back downtown to join in the celebration. Brian wore his German flag like a cape, he instantly became very popular.
People were being crazy downtown! Cars were getting rocked side to side by hordes of drunk people, flags were everywhere, people screaming and cheering all over the streets, and so many people were hanging out of car windows and sunroofs. Even the police joined in the crazyness! The noise of the night was defaning.
Lessons of the day: hangry Dorans are not a pleasant sight-- Germans love their football (soccer)
The Voyage - Days 15 and 16
Day fifteen. Prague, Czech Republic.
The sounds of shouting awoke me, at five thirty in the morning. I was not amused. At my balcony I could see the joggers, some type of bootcamp's morning workout. I tried to go back to sleep but ultimately I ended up just laying in bed until other people started getting up.
For the adventure and to rid ourselves of the boy stench, Sarah and I set out to find a laundry mat. The place we ended up going to (Andy's Laundymat) was way cooler than any laundry mat in the states. They had couches, Wi-Fi, desktop computers, and free coffee/tea! While there we met a Professor who has lived all over the world, he gave some sound advice on living outside the states.
After we returned to the hotel everyone set out to do their own exploring. Brian, Sarah and I went to a quiet courtyard cafe for lunch while the rain clouds passed over the city. Hot mead is yummy.
The herd met back up at the hotel so Sarah and Ken could get 'fancied' up for their orchestral show. (reference 'the sights of Prague...can't be unseen' for a funnier version of the regrouping)
The remainder of the herd set out to explore the city. We found a cool farmers market where we tasted Wild Boar sausage and Deer sausage. Surprisingly the boar was better than the deer. We further split into smaller groups after we left the market; Brian and I continued exploring the city for a few hours while the others headed back to the hotel.
After a brief respite at the hotel Brian and I took a little stroll down to Prague's famous cabaret and red light district, pretty damn cool place at night, not as sketchy as one might think. We saw some sights, some beautiful sights and while we still had money in hand we went back to the hotel for one last noisy sleepless night in Prague.
Lessons of the day: per the laundrymat professor, hamburgers are $35 in Singapore--wild boar is actually tasty--Prague's 'Darlings' are very pretty
Day sixteen. Plzen, Czech Republic.
While in Prague we left Tilly parked in the hotel's reccomended parking garage, when Sarah picked her up the parking cost was about $65. Heart attacks ensued. The only comfort was that we hadn't paid much for parking for the rest of the trip so it kind of evened out. With the parking pass paid, luggage packed and everyone accounted for, we got on the road and headed for Plzen, land of Pilsner beer.
Luggage was offloaded and Tilly was left in the 'on street' parking, no more expensive thermoregulated garages! Off to the Pilsner Brewery! It was a fairly short walk from the hostel. We went to the brewery's restaurant, Na Splice, it was pretty amazing. Great beer, great food, great service. Unfortunately the brew tours were closing so no tour for us.
Lessons of the day: always figure out how much parking will cost before trying to leave or else you might end up spending every last Czech coin in you possession--Pilsner makes nasty (in my opinion) pale ales, but they make some tasty dark lagers and wheat beers
The sounds of shouting awoke me, at five thirty in the morning. I was not amused. At my balcony I could see the joggers, some type of bootcamp's morning workout. I tried to go back to sleep but ultimately I ended up just laying in bed until other people started getting up.
For the adventure and to rid ourselves of the boy stench, Sarah and I set out to find a laundry mat. The place we ended up going to (Andy's Laundymat) was way cooler than any laundry mat in the states. They had couches, Wi-Fi, desktop computers, and free coffee/tea! While there we met a Professor who has lived all over the world, he gave some sound advice on living outside the states.
After we returned to the hotel everyone set out to do their own exploring. Brian, Sarah and I went to a quiet courtyard cafe for lunch while the rain clouds passed over the city. Hot mead is yummy.
The herd met back up at the hotel so Sarah and Ken could get 'fancied' up for their orchestral show. (reference 'the sights of Prague...can't be unseen' for a funnier version of the regrouping)
The remainder of the herd set out to explore the city. We found a cool farmers market where we tasted Wild Boar sausage and Deer sausage. Surprisingly the boar was better than the deer. We further split into smaller groups after we left the market; Brian and I continued exploring the city for a few hours while the others headed back to the hotel.
After a brief respite at the hotel Brian and I took a little stroll down to Prague's famous cabaret and red light district, pretty damn cool place at night, not as sketchy as one might think. We saw some sights, some beautiful sights and while we still had money in hand we went back to the hotel for one last noisy sleepless night in Prague.
Lessons of the day: per the laundrymat professor, hamburgers are $35 in Singapore--wild boar is actually tasty--Prague's 'Darlings' are very pretty
Day sixteen. Plzen, Czech Republic.
While in Prague we left Tilly parked in the hotel's reccomended parking garage, when Sarah picked her up the parking cost was about $65. Heart attacks ensued. The only comfort was that we hadn't paid much for parking for the rest of the trip so it kind of evened out. With the parking pass paid, luggage packed and everyone accounted for, we got on the road and headed for Plzen, land of Pilsner beer.
Luggage was offloaded and Tilly was left in the 'on street' parking, no more expensive thermoregulated garages! Off to the Pilsner Brewery! It was a fairly short walk from the hostel. We went to the brewery's restaurant, Na Splice, it was pretty amazing. Great beer, great food, great service. Unfortunately the brew tours were closing so no tour for us.
Lessons of the day: always figure out how much parking will cost before trying to leave or else you might end up spending every last Czech coin in you possession--Pilsner makes nasty (in my opinion) pale ales, but they make some tasty dark lagers and wheat beers
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