Bath - July 12

Today we left Melanie and Neil behind. They have already been to Bath and Melanie had to work anyway. So around 9:00 we went off to the train station with stops at the bakery and grocery. The bakery has good things for breakfast and the bottled refreshments are much cheaper at the grocery than the shops in the rail stations. So we purchased our tickets and at 9:28 we were off to Bath.

The train trip takes about 2.5 hours so if you do this trip be sure to take something to read or some other activity with you. The trains are very comfortable, easy to move around in, and many even have "catering". The food and drinks you buy on the train are very expensive so plan ahead if you can to take things along.

Once in Bath, we stop at a visitors center and bought a city map that we really didn't need since we really only went two places and stayed in site of the cathedral the whole time we were there. But then we must contribute to the local economy.

Our first stop was at the Bath Cathedral. Impressive! It's not nearly as vast as St. Paul's in London but it was very stunning and it cost nothing to go inside. The stained glass is really extraordinary and of course there are the never ending memorials to people buried in or near the church. The oldest one I saw was from the 16th century. Are there any churches that old in the US, maybe but can't be sure.

We signed up to climb the tower at the cathedral. The tours run every hour or so. The tower is actually a bell tower and a clock. Nearly 200 steps on a narrow, spiral staircase. There are breaks along the way to view things and to get information about the tower and the bells themselves. You also get to go behind the face of the clock which is quite interesting. The tower tour was well worth the £6 that it cost.

After touring the tower we went to the Roman Bathes. This site has been used by many different peoples that have occupied the area since before Christ. The Roman bathes were rediscovered in the late 18th century. Basically what happened is the hot spring stopped flowing at the site. When it was investigated they found the spring had actually just re-channeled itself in another direction. This was "corrected" and the Roman Bathes were uncovered. They have been working on excavation of the bathes ever since. More and more artifacts and "ruins" are uncovered all the time.

These structures are really fascinating and would have really been spectacular when they were being used by the Roman Empire. To say they were well built by the Romans would be an understatement. So the the plumbing created during it development by the Romans is still working and channels water in and out of the various areas of the spa. The green color you see in the water is from alga that would not have been there during Roman times. When the Romans used it the whole structure was enclosed.

The museum that is built around the bathes themselves is just as fascinating as the structures themselves. You should take the audio guide with you as you roam through the structures and museum. The commentary is very useful in helping understand the purposes and uses of all the different areas in the bathes themselves and all of the displays in the museum. It was an amazing tour and a fitting end to a long day.

Stonehenge - July 11

Got a pretty late start this morning. Mel had an appointment at 10 so we didn't get started until around 11:30. That's pretty late to have to drive almost 100 miles each way to our destination and back. Neil is a member of car sharing outfit here in the UK so he reserved a car until 18:00. It turned out that we had to extend the use time twice and finally got it back into London at 21:30. That's the latest we have been out with Mel and Neil but we had a good trip and saw many new and interesting sites. We were going to go to three different prehistoric sites but we only made it to two but still enjoyed the day.

The first stop of the day was Stonehenge. You can actually see the site about a mile and a half before you get too it. It's pretty impressive even from that far away so you know it must be huge. The site is quite close to the road so you can see it as you drive by to get into the car park. We had brought a "picnic" lunch with us and we have been looking for a place to eat it for some time. And low and behold there was a picnic table at the car park people graciously shared with us. We had bread, sausage, cheese, mushroom pate, carrot sticks, and some berries. It was a tasty lunch and we enjoyed it in the sunshine. Speaking of sunshine, not even a drop of rain fell on us today. First time since our arrival in England.

Stonehenge was awe inspiring. I find it hard to believe that 5000 years ago people were able to transport the heavy stones many miles from the quarry to the place where they now rest. And it's not only here but miles away in Avebury and in northern Scotland as well. The ingenuity of man is really staggering when you stop to think about it. Pictures of the stones do not really do them justice though it's all I have to share right now other than my meager words. The henge must be experienced up close to really appreciate the magnificence of the site.

The Avebury stone circle, henge, is even more astounding. This circle is more than 500 meters across. There is also something that looks like an avenue delineated by vertical stones leading to this circle. Stonehenge is amazing because there are so many stones in a small area. The Avebury circle incredible because of it's vastness. The two henges are relatively close together and their purposes could have been related. The only thing we can do is speculate on their meaning and use unless someday someone does indeed invent a machine to go back in time.

We had dinner at the Red Lion Pub. The pub is said to be haunted by at lest 5 different ghosts. Giving it the status of the most haunted pub in all of the UK. The staff was quite friendly, the atmosphere was very much that of a rural pub, the food was very good, and the prices were especially pleasing. Once you get away from London things are no quite as expensive as you would think.

All were quite tired when we arrived home. Took a few minutes to reflect on the day and soon we were all off to bed.

London - July 10

We got off to a very slow start this morning. We planned on going to another market today. And we did that we just go going late. Seems it was more fun to sit around and do very little that to get up and get moving. Sometimes you need time to unwind from all the activities.

We did get to the "Sunday market" finally. Once again it was overwhelming. Much of this one was devoted to craft type of stuff. There were paintings, specially designed shirts, mostly though it was devoted to women's clothing and jewelry. We all know that women drive the economy and so most of the market was devoted to them. We did buy a couple of small items in the crafty category. They should look nice displayed when we get home.

The was also a food contingent here. You could get pretty much anything under the sun. I has some curried chicken over rice that was very good. Neil says you can't miss with market food. Bonnie has a three salad dish. One salad was broccoli, and the the other two looked like they were pasta of some type. Everyone said their meals were very good.

This day trooping around in London was another of those hard to believe days. This market was beyond anything I had seen before. But then a city of 8 million with 250,000 or so tourists on any given day should be pretty much indescribable.

When we got home we just kind of lounged around for a couple of hours. Megan sent an email about chatting on Skype this evening and we did about 9:15 London time. But before we talked with Meg we went to the corner pub and had dinner. Meals were excellent and reasonably priced.

Even though the list of activities is short for this day the day was full and we were ready for the sack when it came time to go.

London - July 9th

Late morning, everyone slept in which is really a good thing. Had a leisurely breakfast of peanut butter toast and then off we went.

The first stop of the day was the Borough Market. There was so much food on

display it was mind boggling. Many we passing out samples as well and it was fun walking around

looking and tasting as we went. Had lunch here as well. The bratwurst I had was scrumptious and Bonnie had an ostrich burger that she said was delicious as well.

Once lunch was done we wandered over to the Globe Theatre. Neil had purchased yard tickets for Ann Boleyn. We got there a little early so we could be up next to the stage and have something to lean on for the three plus hours of the play. The play was excellent and we only got a few sprinkles of ran. In my opinion it's the best 5£ you can spend in London. I would highly recommend any play at the globe you can get to. Standing in the yard is okay, not great, but okay.

From the Globe we hiked over to George's Wine Bar. This place was recommended by Ian. It was very busy both inside and out.

We got a bottle of white wine and had it outside sharing a table with four other ladies. They were very gracious. The wine was okay and the pause in walking was good. It would have been better if we could have sat down.

From there we went to an Indian restaurant for dinner. The food was very good but the atmosphere and the presentation were really bad. But the food was quite good and

inexpensive by London standards.

From there we headed back home and some rest for the remainder of the evening. Of course there wasn't much left.

London - July 8

Found us researching going up to see Ian and Judy today. It took forever but we finally did figure out a route with Ian's help over the phone. I would never have figured out that we needed to take the train to Stowmarket. So if you know people where you are traveling they certainly make a good resource for information. It took a little over two hours to get there but it was well worth the journey.

The English countryside is really pretty. Get out away from the hustle and bustle of the city and you can see what the "real" people live like in England. There are rolling hills of many different grains and sugar beets, very beautiful. Soon the harvest will begin and all of the farmers will be very busy.

Ian met us at the station when we arrived. We had a wonderful short reunion at the station and then went off to pick up Judy to go to lunch. Went to a little local pub (The Four Horseshoes) and had a wonderful meal and great conversation.

On returning to the house we got the grand tour of their 18th century mansion. They have really done a lot of work to the house and the outbuildings. The building at one time had been a support building for a corn mill. The original post and beams are visible throughout the house. Judy has been masterful with her decorating and it is picture perfect. And of course it has a thatch roof, truly amazing.

We went out for a walk then through the fields that surround their home. Again I was taken by the English countryside. We walked along the edge of wheat, barley, and beet fields and through some sheep pastures. One of the stops along the way was at a barn that had been constructed in three different centuries. The oldest part was constructed in the 15th, another part in the 16th, and the last in the 17th. The original posts and beams are still in use to hold up the roof. The historical group has been trying to get John, the owner, to thatch the roof but since they are not willing to help with the construction costs it probably will not happen.

When we arrived back at the house we had some pimms. Fruit and lemonade drink with a little gin tossed in. It really hit the spot. We parted company with a promise to stay for a few days next time instead of just a few hours. It was a wonderful day.

London - July 7

Lazy morning today. Getting a late start which is certainly okay. Had to get a pic of one of the pets that Mel and Neil keep on their patio. There were quite a few of them out yesterday but only one this morning. We will probably take off soon to Trafalgar Square. The premier of the last Harry Potter movie will take place not far from there this evening. The red carpet will start there and end at the theatre. Thousands of fans are already there and don't know if we will even be able to get close.

Well it may be a lazy day all day today. Raining very hard this day. It quits for a little bit and then starts up again. Maybe a day for reading and lounging around.

We did finally get out. On the way into the city center we stopped and bought bellies to ensure that the rain would stop. It did! We trooped over to the V & A (Victoria and Alfred) Museum. It is really overwhelming. We spent about 3 hours there and didn't even scratch the surface. We then went over to the Museum of Natural History but did not go in. Just looked at the huge crowds and the folks wandering around outside.

From here we walked to Hyde Park. It's a really nice park. There's a memorial fountain to Princess Diana and a memorial walkway as well. We saw lots of waterfowl and some more beautiful gardens. One the way out we spent a little time at Wellington's Arch.

We decided to go to Trafalgar Square to see if we could get anywhere near the Daigon Alley set up. Alas, it was not to be so. Seems we would have had to camp out a couple of nights before to get in there. There was a huge crowd though. Took a couples of pics of the crowd and then moved on. But I did get a pic of a couple of guys who were especially excited about the big crowds.

We met Mel at a pub near Charing Cross Station and then went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. The food at the restaurant was quite good though unlike any Mexican food I have had before. The margaritas were pretty tasty too. Went for ice cream for desert at another specialty store. The cream was pretty good as well.

From here Melanie wanted to go look at iPads. So we went to the largest Apple store in the world. It was really impressive. There were three floors. Each floor a areas of concentration one one product or a specific use of the product. All the floors were connected with a glass stairway. It was pretty amazing and the salesperson we talked with was really nice and well informed about the products. Mel did buy one.

Wandered around for a little longer then got on the tube to return home. Had a great day even if it started out pretty yukky.

London - July 6

Woke up in time this morning to see Melanie off to work. Had some coffee and toast with peanut butter and jam for breakfast. Messed with email and the internet for a while until Neil got back from his appointment this morning and then headed off to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Took the train and the tube to the appropriate place and proceeded to go down to the south side of the Thames for walk along the river. Looked in at a building that had been converted into an art museum. The building used to be a coal fired power plant. The renovation gave the building and interesting appearance.

From there we went across the Millennium Bridge. We kept a careful eye out for any death-eaters that might be lurking about but didn't spy any. It's a really nice pedestrian bridge with a great view of St. Paul's Cathedral the whole length of the bridge.

St. Paul's Cathedral was really spectacular. It is huge inside and out. I have no pictures because they are not permitted inside the cathedral. The dome has just about every inch painted with images. I wondered how they were able to paint some of the high places. Scaffolding must have been very sturdy. We went into the crypt and there were it seemed hundreds of "monuments" to military heroes and persons high in the church. These monuments were prevalent on the main floor of the cathedral as well.

One monument at the back of the alter was dedicated to the Americans that served in Briton during the second world war. There was a book that listed every man and woman so stationed. I would think that is really a high honor for all of those people and for today's American's as well.

From the main floor was climbed the stairs to the upper levels of the dome. The first one circled the bottom of the dome and was about 150 steps up the winding staircase. The next level was on the exterior about 120 steps. These steps were much steeper and greater distance than the first bunch. From there it was another 119 Steps to the "top" of the dome. The views were quite amazing and we could take pictures on the outside portions. The walk down was much quicker than the walk up.

From St. Paul's we went the Cafe Below for lunch. The cafe is actually in the crypt of t Mary-le-Bow church not too far from the cathedral. This church was designed by Sir Christopher Wren who also designed the St. Paul Cathedral. The food was really very good and we had an enjoyable lunch. The churches interior was pretty interesting as well but again no pictures. They were just preparing to start a service.

We trooped around in different back alleys and on the streets before we headed back to the house. Dinner was nice and we tried to decide what we would do for the rest of the time we are here. I will let that be a surprise as I'm not sure what we decided.

London - July 5

London - thought we might not get here but we did. Certainly was late last night we we got to Mel and Neil's place. But we got a pretty good nights sleep. Missed seeing Melanie this morning before she left for work, damn! But we had a good morning with Neil. Breakfast was a bowl or granola (mostly seeds of some type) with milk and a cup of coffee. The day was pretty much devoted to laundry and walking around the neighborhood to see what there is to see.

Neil took us down to the main street and pointed lots of stuff out to us as we were going. There was their favorite pub, bakery, coffee shop,cheese shop, and grocery. There are lots of cell phone outfits on the main street and lots of pubs. We ended at the Clapham Junction train station that will be the starting points for many journeys in the next two weeks. We then proceeded to retrace our steps back to the house.

Neil then went out and we had to fend for ourselves for an hour or so but that was not difficult. We had a bite to eat and Bonnie did some more wash and I worked on keying up stuff for the blog. Late Bonnie and I went back down the street and topped-up a cell phone that Mel and Neil had for use by guests. We also got a snack at Gail's Bakery, very tasty. I used it to try to call Mel but it has the wrong number stored for her, it was her old one. I then called Ian and Judy Cameron to let them know we would be in touch later about getting together.

Melanie called late in the afternoon to let us know she was about 15 mins from the station so Bonnie and I ran out the door to meet her. Had a nice walk home and a nice time catching up since Sunday. Bonnie and Mel went for a walk while Neil prepared dinner.

Dinner was a casserole of bread, cheese, and veggies with corn on the cob. All was very tasty. Mel and Neil had to go out for a while and we once again were left to our own devices. When they got back we had some port (excellent) and conversation about the plans for the week. Little was finally decided except that we would go to St. Paul's tomorrow. Mel will check on days that she can get off to spend with us as well.

A full first day and then we were off to dreamland.

Germany - July 4

Happy Independence Day to everyone in the US. Tonight we fly to London. But in the meantime we have to repack everything. Got about half way through that and decided to go to the bakery to get some breakfast. This is really a busy place but it's easy to tell why because the "stuff" is very good. Went back to the hotel and finished packing. We checked out and put our bags in storage. Left the hotel and 10 minutes later returned to put our jackets in our luggage. A really nice day compared to the others. There wasn't a cloud in the sky in the morning.

We decided to take in an art gallery today before we left. We walked to the gallery and were a little early, they open at 10:00. At 10:05 we tried the door and it was still locked. Tried again a little later and still locked. Then we read the sign "closed on Mondays". Damn! However it looked like the one across the street was open. It was open but the sign said "closed Tuesdays". The art was amazing. Some I liked some was so-so, and some was spectacular. There were sculptures as well as painting and the sculptures were all spectacular. So after two hours we were ready for lunch.

We went to the Loenbrau beer garden for lunch. I had what can best be described as an open face casadilla. It was very good. The traditional one has onions, creme cheese and bacon. The one I ordered had onions, potatoes, and a spicy sausage that was not pepperoni. Bonnie had baked chicken and fries. It was good as well.

From there we went for a walk since we had some time to kill. The weather was quite warm by now especially in the sun. About 14:30 we got back to the hotel to recover our bags. Sorted everything out and we were off to the bakery to get something to eat on the train. Went to the station and confirmed our ticket and the platform we had to go to and got on the train. It left the station at exactly the time it was scheduled to leave. As I write this we are about 1.5 hours from the Frankfurt airport. Bought some bottled water on the train 2.3€ for .55 liter. Oh well you do what ya gotta do.

Arrived at the airport just a few minutes late but we had about 3 hours 'til flight time so that was no problem. Took a shuttle to terminal 2, found British Airways ticket counter and got checked in. Started to the gate and had to scan our boarding pass into to get into the "security" area. Immigration again checked out passports and put a leaving stamp on it. Then went to gate security. The whole process is much different than in the states. The plane was nearly empty but was a pleasant flight.

Flew into a new terminal at Heathrow, terminal 5. Took a tram to terminal 2 and then stood in the immigration line for about 40 minutes before we got passed through. There were a lot of people. Mel and Neil had ordered a car for us and the driver was waiting when we came out of customs. The ride to Mel and Neil's took about 45 minutes and was 50£. Neil waited up for us but didn't chat much as all were tired. Off to bed for a better day tomorrow.

Germany - July 3

Slept in again to 7:30. Not sure what's on tap today. Mel and Neil will fly back to London we do that tomorrow night.

Had coffee and a bagel at Coffee Fellows. It was okay but not great. Went to the Deutsches Museum. This is a fantastic place. I could have spent days in this place not just the few hours we were there and never have been bored. I would highly recommend it but allow plenty of time because you will need it. Had lunch in the old town portion of Munich. Mel and I had different sausage dishes and shared each others. Mel had white sausage and I had one that started with an 'r' and it was much better than the white. The kraut I had with my sausage was excellent and the mustard was very good as well. Bonnie and Neil had spinach dumplings with a salad. The sauce on the dumpling was excellent, the dumpling itself I thought was okay. Then we are back to the hotel to pick up Mel and Neil's luggage so they could return to London. We will join them tomorrow night. We walked with them to the train station and saw them off.

Bonnie and returned to the hotel. Bonnie read and napped. I worked on these entries so that I could get them posted when we get to London. At 17:00 we roused ourselves out and went to vespers at an old and marvelous church. I would have loved to take some pictures but high mass started right after vespers ended. Maybe I will have an opportunity next time to take pictures.

After vespers we returned to the hotel. I worked on these entries some more and Bonnie read and napped. About 21:00 we turned in.

Germany - July 2

Slept in this morning. Well you might say we slept in and you might not. Both Bonnie and I woke up at about 3:00. We were awake for sometime and then dozed on and off until about 8:00. It's not what you would call a good night's sleep.

We met Mel and Neil in the lobby about 9:00 and left to pick up the rental car. Along the way we passed a bakery and decided to get breakfast. The pastries were very good as was the coffee. The car rental place is in the train station so that's where we went. Sat a round for about half an hour while Neil did the paper work. Once that was done and he had a key we went to the parking garage nearly next to the hotel to pick up the car. It was a little Kia that was quite comfortable. Took a little while to figure out how to work the Garmin GPS (in German) but got that done and proceeded to pick up Bonnie and Mel in front of the garage.

Neil rented the car so we could drive to the Schloss Hohenschwangau. The castle was actually never completed because the owner died. However we have been told that it is a very site. The drive to the castle was well worth the car rental. The countryside reminded me a lot of many places in the midwest except that as we got closer and closer to the castle you could see the German alps. It really was beautiful drive. According to the maps Neil got off from Google we actually went into Austria on the drive but there was nothing to confirm this either from the GPS or from signs along the road.

When we got to the bottom of the hill (mountain?) where the castle is we found it was 5 € to park and .5 € to use the restroom. The restroom fee was for each use. The parking was for all day. Don't remember what the cost was to tour the castle as the next one that was available was at 1700 and we wanted to be on our way by then. It cost nothing to walk up to the castle and to walk around on the grounds so that is what we opted to do.

There are a number of paths to get to the castle. You can take the road. This is probably the most straight forward and this is what we did. Maps are available where you purchase tickets. The walk up is steep and hard on the legs if you are really out of shape. I didn't have any trouble just went a little slower than the other three. You share the road up with horse drawn carts so be sure to watch for "apples" on the road. There are many lovely views of the castle on the way up so don't just look at your feet. There are also panoramic views of the surrounding country on the way up that are different from those you can see from the castle. If it's warm be sure to take plenty of water.

The castle itself is really amazing even if we didn't go inside. You can enter the courtyard without cost and the restrooms at the castle don't cost anything. Pictures will be included as usual.

After touring the grounds we took the path up to the bridge over the river gorge. It's a canted bridge that's about 75 meters long. It seemed quite sturdy even with a lot of people on it. Today is was quite breezy and cool so I was glad I had a jacket. Don't know if it's always like that or not but take a day pack and be prepared. The view from the bridge is spectacular.

The way down is quite strenuous as well even with gravity working in your favor. I had a minor case of shin splints. It wasn't very painful and lasted only a day but could be worse. Wear stout shoes and good socks. When we got just below the castle grounds we took a path that led to the river and the bottom of the gorge. This is a stepped pathway and was quite easy to go down, going up might be another matter. There are nice views of the cascade from the gorge floor and there are more cascades than are apparent from other views. Once you reach the bottom of the gorge the walking is easy but there is a portion that is suspended over the river which is very interesting. The trip was very enjoyable.

From the castle we drove to the Oberammergau where they do the passion play every 10 years or so. It is definitely a tourists town with shops specifically serving tourists in the 100s I would guess. We walked around for a while and then chose a hotel restaurant for dinner. We chose it because the sign said they had home made apple strudel. That's funny because we didn't have desert or buy any to take back to Munich. Melanie had schnitzel, Bonnie and Neil had a dish that is best described as macaroni and cheese (it was called something else) but probably the best mac and cheese I ever tasted. And I had a cold sausage and onion "salad". It was quite tasty but way too much for one person to eat. After dinner we strolled the town for a little while and then decided there is always room for ice cream. Everyone bought a cone at the ice cream store. It possibly was the best buy of the day. One scope cost 1 €. The cream was really good as well.

The drive back to Munich was very nice but I didn't see as much as I did on the way to the castle. I slept part of the way back. It's a good thing Neil wasn't sleepy. The trip to the castle was generally on "country" roads. The trip back to Munich was mostly on the autobahn (freeway). Turned the car in at the garage and put the keys in a safe. Once back at the hotel we went to our rooms to freshen up and then met in the lobby. We had wine and played Monopoly cards. I won one game and Mel won the other. We said good night and went to bed.

Germany - July 1

Got up early this morning to take the train to Munich. Got downstairs to check out at 6 AM and had a little time for breakfast. This breakfast is really a good deal. The for the same breakfast would be 12 to 15 € at a restaurant. Anyway the shuttle took us to the station at about 6:15 so we would be able to catch the 6:48 train into town. Got there in plenty of time and sat down on the platform to wait for boarding our train. Well the announcement came that the train would be late and then that the car we were to ride in would not be in the train. We would have to ask the boarding crew about that. Well we waited and waited but no train. We asked the platform supervisor what was going on and he told us the train was cancelled. So off we went to change our reservation. Got that done when to platform 7 and there was the original train we were supposed to depart on. But had to wait for our new one.

Finally we are on our way to Munich. The ride was very smooth, the seats were comfy, had lots of leg room, and comfortable surroundings. Nice way to travel. The scenery along the way reminded me a lot of many places in the lower 48. The architecture of the buildings was different but the landscape was very similar.

Neil had made our hotel reservations so we tracked the place down with a little bit of difficulty and got checked in. The room was small by US standards but the bed is comfy, all of facilities work, and it was clean. A couple of annoying things about the hotel is that the TV cost money to use so we couldn't get weather forecasts and the wireless internet was 10 € a day. I think both of those things are outrageous.

We were struggling to stay awake so we could greet Mel and Neil when they arrived. Finally decided to leave them a note and go to the room. They knocked on the door about 10 minutes later. Went out in the rain to an open air market in old Munich. Had some heavy German soup though Bonnie was sensible and had carrot soup. Only Bonnie finished her soup and the other three of us decide not to get that one ever again. Got up walked around for a while and then went back to the hotel. We chatted for awhile in the lobby and then decided a nap was in order and we would get together at 1900 for dinner.

We walked to the town center again and had dinner at a beer garden that Lonely Planet recommended highly for both the beer and the food. The food was delicious, some type of pork with a dumpling, but there was way too much of it. The beer was very good as well. We were "accosted" by a drunk German while we were here. He couldn't understand that we didn't speak German and this created a very interesting situation. We did get that he wanted to buy us all a beer but we turned him down politely. We all had a good laugh over his forwardness. It certainly is uncharacteristic.

Strolled back to the hotel and called it a night about 2300.

Germany - June 30

Breakfast at the hotel was very nice. You could get most anything you want for breakfast, scrambled eggs, three different types of sausage, toast, cheese, olives, sliced sandwich meats, rolls, juice, and other things. It was really quite amazing and it came with the cost of the room.

Over breakfast we were trying to decide whether to take bus tour of Frankfurt or not. We decided it would be best if we chose where we wanted to go and just took the train there.

We walked to the station this morning. It took about 20 minutes to walk the 1.6 km. It was a more pleasant walk than the night before, it wasn't raining. Operating the kiosk was much easier as well. So you can teach an old "dog" new tricks. We checked with the information counter what train we needed to get to the Palmenarten. Turns out it was at the end of the line just two stops from the station. Easy to get there.

The gardens were amazing. I don't know how else to describe them. 64 acres of beauty that I have never seen anywhere else. Not only are there flowers, shrubs, bushes, and trees outdoors that are hardy in the environment here but there are indoor habitats that are really extraordinary. We spent about 5 hours in the garden and probably could have been there longer. Admission to the gardens was only 5 € each, a real bargain.

From the garden we went to the Natural History Museum. Admission was 6 € if I remember correctly. We did have lunch here and it was very good. Be sure to ask for English menus to that is the language you speak. It turns out most places do indeed have them. The museum was very nice. Most of the display descriptions were only in German (we are in Germany after all) so some of the info was difficult to sort out. The displays were very well done and there were many, many items on display. We only scratched the surface in the about 2 hours we browsed in the museum.

The museum closed at 1700 so we headed back to the hotel . While we were at the main station we decided to check on getting our Friday tickets changed so we could to directly to the Frankfurt airport instead of the train station and then going to the airport. So we took a number and waited for an agent to help us. Turns out he refunded out initial ticket and then asked if we were tourists. Wonder how he could tell? Anyway, turns out that 2 out of country folk can get a three day train pass for 50 € less than the round trip fare from Frankfurt to Munich. So even though we were only going to be traveling two days we took the pass anyway. Had a more convenient ride back to Frankfurt and a cheaper ticket, really cool.

Took about an hour to get to our local train station and then the 20 minute walk back to the hotel. Went up to the room deposited some stuff and checked out a few things then went to the front desk for dinner suggestions. The suggestions were the place next door, a Thai place a few blocks away. The Thai place had good prices and large portions that were tasty according to the clerk. There was also a Chinese place nearby that had not such good food that was very expensive. And last a local German restaurant about 10 mins away that has good German food. That's the place we selected. The walk was longer than 10 minutes but the atmosphere was pleasant and the food was very good.

First day in Germany - June 29

We arrived in Frankfurt at about 1:30 PM. Unlike the US our bags seemed to take forever to come off the belt. We had not planned on checking any but since they were over 10 kilos we were told we had to, though others had bigger ones they brought on. Going through passport control and customs was no problem. We didnt' even have to fill out any paper work. They did comment that it was our first stamp in the passport. Of course we just renewed them this spring before we were supposed to go to Egypt.

Telephones (you know pay phones) don't really exist any longer. We used a phone at the USO to call the hotel for a shuttle pick up. This shuttle pickup is a great deal by the way, only 5 € (Euros). Didn't have to pay the driver and didn't have to give a gratuity either. The cost of the shuttle was added to our hotel bill. The name of the hotel was the Albatross Airport Hotel and I would recommend it.

Check in was really easy. The clerk that was there spoke nearly perfect English. We have found out that most of the population under 35 in the big cities (Frankfurt and Munich) speak English. Got our bags up to the room and checked it out. The furnishings were spartan but adequate. After all we are just going to sleep here. It was quite warm in the room though, not air conditioning. It was clean and comfortable and only 49 € a night. That's a real bargain.

We need to the main train station in Frankfurt to meet a friend for dinner. The shuttle was going back to the airport so the driver took us to the local station, about a mile away, at no charge. We tried to figure out the kiosk for train tickets but were lost. We asked a young lady to help us and she was very kind but he machine would only take 5 and 10 € notes and we didn't have any. So we missed the train. Went to a bar around the corner to see if we could get change or if there was an ATM machine nearby. Turns out there was a bank across the street and we were able to get what we needed. Remembered the procedure to get the tickets and caught the next train into Frankfurt. If you are going to ride the trains to see the town you should get at least a day pass from the station where you are based. If you are not sure ask for help at the information station, they are very useful. A daily pass from our station to the main and other areas was 9.5 € each. We got there about 1630 (4:30) and so had 1.5 hours to kill before me were to meet Luisa. We spent that wandering around the the station and the surrounding area.

At 1800 we got back to the front of the station and hooked up with Luisa. She was a pretty as ever and just a nice. We went to a place called Depot 1899 for dinner and had a very tasty meal and a lot of pleasant conversation. We talked about her studies in school, where she lived and how next time we would have to go up to Berlin to visit her. It was a very fun evening but we were very tired.

Luisa helped us get our tickets for our Friday trip to Munich to meet Mel and Neil. That was a relief to get that taken care of as well.

We took the train back to the main station and parted company with Luisa promising that we would indeed see one another again. Our train tickets were good for the day so we went back to the local station (four stops from the main). We walked the 1.6 km back to the hotel from the station in a light drizzle. When we got back we told the clerk we would be there Thursday night as well and we went up and went to bed.

Off to Germany - June 28

This Tuesday quickly turned into Wednesday. We boarded the plane at about 5 PM to go to Frankfurt, Germany. Before long we were over the Arctic Ocean, then the northern tip of Greenland, then through Norway and into Germany. All of this and it was never dark and when we landed nine hours later is was the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday. Much of Tuesday just never seemed to happen.

Wednesday, June 8

Got everything packed up and ready to go home. Went to a nearly private showing of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in 3D Imax. There were only three people in the theater. It was entertaining but very similar to the others. Got some lunch and then went off to the airport for the return home. Only flew to Seattle today but early the next morning we would be home.

It's wonderful to travel, see the sites, see friends, but it's always nice to get home. And a trip to Europe is on looming on the horizon.

Tuesday, June 7

Off to Universal Studios and a day of tromping around and having a good time. Went to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Saw a wand select a child at Olivander's Wand Shop and had some frozen butterbeer. Even got my lovely wife to ride the dueling dragons with me. That is a really cool roller coaster. We went on many rides and saw a few shows. But mostly walked around and watched the people. We did pick up a souvenir mug and a sweatshirt for Meg. It was a very good day.

Monday, June 6

Off to the Kennedy Space Center. An amazing tour that I would recommend for anyone that has even the smallest interest in space, space travel, or astronomy.
The Saturn V rocket is really huge, you have no idea until you stand next to one. What is truly amazing is that they sent men to the moon with less computing power than you have in your smart phone.

Got to see the last shuttle mission sitting on the pad being prepared for the July 7 launch. Wish I could be there to see it. It really is an amazing place. Spent the day and could have been there longer.

Sent Rose and Rebecca off to Bradenton with the promise to return in the near future.

Sunday, June 5

Breakfast with the gang and say goodbyes to all except Rose and Becka they will join us in Orlando on Sunday Evening.

Off to my sister Barb's place in The Villages about an hour north of Orlando.

Nice visit and good late lunch, early dinner.

Drive down to Orlando and stay at World Mark facility, very nice. We are joined late in the evening by Rose and Rebecca.

Saturday, June 4

All about getting ready for the wedding.

Get the ladies in to get their hair done and to get dressed.

Go to the Holiday Inn to get all prepared for the ceremony and the reception.

Cememony nice, dinner very good.

Clean up the stuff to get it ready to go back to Bradenton.

Back to the Fairfield and a good night's sleep.

Friday, June 3

Up early today.

Pack up the cars for trip to Clearwater Beach

Drop decorations and stuff at the Holiday Inn at the beach.

Check-in at the Fairfield Inn in Clearwater.

Off to ceremony rehearsal.

Rehearsal dinner at Cheesecake Factory. Food was good and lots of talk. Jen and Joe forgot the groom's cake so another trip to the Cheesecake Factory to pick that up.

Thursday, June 2

Again slept in

Bagel breadfast for Panera Bread

Help with programs

Run some errands and get all ready for the trip to Clearwater tomorrow.

Rose, Bonnie, and the other girls off to hen party.

Mike, Don, and Joe are off to Tampa to pick up the pastor and his wife.

dinner at Olive Garden

Back to Bradenton

Late to bed

Wednesday, June 1

Slept in 'til 8:15

Putting more wedding stuff together

Visit to the camera store

buy a suit for Mike and other stuff

Lunch at Panera Bread

More wedding stuff

Dinner at 5 Guys

Miniature Golf outing

Stop at Wall Mart for printer ink and other stuff

More chit chat

Off to bed

Tuesday, May 31

Breakfast with De'ta and Ed

Invite to Holland

Off to Florida

See the boat

Putting wedding favors together.

Monday, May 30

Monday morning saw us jumping the car and driving to South Beloit to visit Kelly, Jeff and the kids.

Anderson Gardens

De'ta arrived

Sunday, May 29

Went to church at St. Mark's this morning. They have and interim pastor now and the attendance was pretty sparse compared to what I remember. But then they even pull back to one service on Sunday in the summer because the attendance drops substantially then.

Went to visit Pat after church. This would be the last time we see Pat on this trip. See seemed to be a little "down" but couldn't say for sure why. Had a nice visit and then prepared to go to Kay Alzoon's house for lunch ( that's Heidi's mom).

We arrive at Kay's about 1 PM and Joyce followed shortly after we got there. Lunch was very nice. We had a lettuce and veggies salad, a pasta salad and bread. All very nice. Kay was quite happy that we were able to join her this afternoon. We had ice cream for dessert and that's always a hit. We once again played Monopoly cards and had a good time with that.

Saturday, May 28

Late this morning we drove into Milwaukee to spend the day with the D'addario clan. Most all were there and we had a wonderful time reviewing all of the activities of everyone over the past year or so since we were last there. Had a great lunch and dinner. We learned to play Monopoly card game that afternoon and would take it to Europe with us later in the month. Diane just dotes on her grand babies. Seems there are more and more all the time. Had a wonderful day.

Friday, May 27

This morning we spent preparing for the arrival of Kelly and the kids. Mostly we put together the stuff we were going to have for lunch. Unfortunately I forgot what we prepared but i know we all enjoyed lunch together. May have well been the company and not what we ate that made it so enjoyable.

Ed picked up Pat and she joined us for lunch and this way she could get to see the grandchildren. She had an enjoyable time but when she went to get her coat we know it was time to take her back to the assisted living facility.

Shortly after Ed took Pat back Kelly and the kids went home. They probably would have stayed longer but the pool wasn't ready for swimming and the water was very chilly.

Ed and I did burn a pile of brush late in the afternoon and kept bringing stuff to burn on it. Not sure why he tries to keep up with that but it does give him plenty to do and I think he enjoys being outside working.

Thursday, May 26

Messed around most of the morning not doing very much. But then it is a vacation. Middle of the morning we went to play bridge. My partner was wonderful and we did very well together, first our direction with a 63% game. Very nice.

We visited Pat as that's Ed's routine on Thursdays. Had a nice visit and strolled the halls and chatted. Pat is seems to be doing much better than when we were in WI last summer.

We had a dinner invitation to Tim and Nancy's so we walked up the hill for our date. Ed was feeling under the weather so he didn't join us. Tim prepared a lovely, delicious dinner and we all ate our fill and enjoyed some wonderful conversation. Sometime after dark we walked down the hill and back to Ed's for the evening.