tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39020593720795818792024-02-18T21:34:44.115-08:00The Engebretsens in EnglandKrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-29728934930752974172017-06-02T08:48:00.001-07:002017-06-02T08:48:36.537-07:00Two Weeks in France - Welcome to Paris<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Spring break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two weeks to travel
in Europe. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where to go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where to go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These were the tough questions we faced while living in England for two
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, it wasn’t that hard for
us to decide despite the fact there were so many wonderful options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We only had a few more months before we would
be crossing back over the pond returning to the US, and there was a city we
needed to see that is home to perhaps the most iconic and well recognized
structure in the world, and even though we had already spent a week in the
southern part of this country which we absolutely adorable, there was oh so
much more of it to see and eat our way across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Any guesses?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s really not that
hard to figure out, is it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Early Friday morning and we set off in our car from our cottage in our
little village of Worthington to make the two to three hour trek towards
Dover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get to France from England,
you need to cross the English Channel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, we had already flown over the Channel many times, and we had made
the two hour ferry ride from Dover to Dunkirk on our very first trip to
continental Europe, so this time we decided to try a different mode of
transportation, the Chunnel - a 23.5-mile
train tunnel that goes underneath the English Channel - the longest undersea
portion of any tunnel in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of the Chunnel, you can get on a train in London and a few short
hours later get off the train in Paris despite the fact that there are millions
and millions of gallons of seawater separating the two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were taking our car to France this time,
and you can do that via the Chunnel as well, believe it or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You quite literally drive your car into a
very confined and somewhat clausterphobic train car, the doors close in front,
in back and to the side of you, and the train starts to move as you drop 250
feet below sea level while you simply sit in your car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You can get out and walk along the
side of the train car, but there isn’t much to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s pitch black outside the small train
windows because you are after all inside an underground tunnel with vast of water churning above your head...but I did my best to not think about that during the train ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds fun, doesn’t it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There were loads of British going with us for that short 30 minute or so
train ride through the Chunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We weren’t
the only people on spring break after all, and as we neared the exit for the
train depot, maybe two miles away or so, traffic came to a complete
standstill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ey yey yey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But never fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those Chunnel people were expecting
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Signs on the side of the road
directed cars into the most orderly and polite queue we have ever
experienced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tell you, we Americans
could learn a few lessons from the British.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When directed to get into the left lane to exit if you were heading to
the Chunnel (remember, we were driving in England), everyone, and I mean
everyone did…immediately! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no
cars trying to get to the head of the line, budging in at the last minute and
enraging everyone behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the
Chunnel authorities sent frequent texts to us assuring us that our spot on one
of the trains was still good even if we didn’t get there until two hours after
our scheduled train ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So really, no
worries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We were heading to Paris and I’ve spent much time debating whether or
not I should share this this next paragraph or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, honesty
has been my policy on this blog so far, so here goes: I don’t feel like I
connected with Paris in the way that I feel like I was supposed to connect with
Paris. Does that make any sense? It’s not really that I personally feel like I
should have connected to it, it’s more that from a society standpoint, Paris is
such an iconic place, portrayed as romantic and beautiful and why wouldn’t you
fall madly in love with Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean,
how many sappy but adorable movies have taken place on the streets of Paris anyway?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth be told, I didn’t fall madly in love
with it, and maybe it’s because of the huge expectation that you should fall
madly in love with Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know how
sometimes you expect so much of an experience beforehand that it’s kind of a letdown
when it actually happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there were
other circumstances at play during our visit to Paris that I think influenced
the experience for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much of an
impact, it’s hard to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What were
these circumstances?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, for starters
the horrendous four hour long drive we had across Paris through sections of the
city that surely will never appear on any tourist map, past what can only be
described as a shanty town built by refugees who had fled the horrors of their
homeland, heading towards a lot to park our car in for the duration of our visit to Paris which
we couldn’t find as the GPS coordinates were wrong and culminating in totally
being ripped off by the taxi driver who took us from where we finally parked our car to
the apartment we stayed in in the heart of the city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even in Paris, a twenty-minute taxi ride does
not cost 80 Euros!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a great first
impression did the city make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
there were the terrorist attacks in Brussels which occurred a mere four days
before we departed on our trip to Paris which made coming to a city with a
severe terrorist threat alert of its own because of their own recently
horrendous attacks kind of rattling to the nerves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it had been just Eric and me, I don’t
think that part would have bothered me as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we had our kids with us and that just made me feel uneasy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very uneasy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Please don’t get me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
have been to Paris and loved it, I totally get it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is so much to see and do there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It truly is an amazing and beautiful city. </span>And if you are going to Paris, you will enjoy
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a vast amount of Paris we
did not see and experience and that I know is worth seeing and experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is just my own, humble opinion based on
a fairly short trip given the size of the city and filled with extenuating
circumstance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, given the events
surrounding our trip there, Paris really didn’t get a fair chance with me that
particular weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And now that that is all said, you may be surprised when I tell you that
one of the top five things we saw in all of Europe was actually right there in
the very heart of Paris.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When we finally arrived in the heart of the city around 8:30 in the
evening, several hours late for meeting Jean-Michele whose apartment we would
be renting for the next couple of days, famished and absolutely deflated from
our terrible road trip into the city (and 80 Euros lighter I might add), I
almost cried when after showing us around his tiny one-bedroom apartment on the
7<sup>th</sup> floor and telling us to help ourselves to the open container of
milk he had stored in the cupboard (yes, that is the cupboard and not the
fridge – thanks, but no thanks, Jean-Michele), he led us out to the balcony and
above the building behind the apartment we could clearly see shining bright
against the now completely dark sky the Eiffel Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I couldn’t take my eyes off it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was mesmerizing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely the most beautiful sight I had
seen all day and I could have stood there for an hour just simply staring at
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we were hungry and thirsty so
Jean-Michele pointed us towards a pizza place down the street and a grocery
store around the corner where we picked up a bottle of wine, and after some
nourishment and a drink, we took off at about 10:30 at night and walked to the
Eiffel Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">To see the Tower at night for the first time…well, I’m not even sure how
to put it into words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcr8Xon5GijWzMTUmy-hJNzkEnAZHDQWaUbxnJVPUE0_YorJ7PnchbU-3S6lr5V_9aFXU0IGqJgdA60b1iRuYhAssZ7hSaKC1Zs8fUV4UMtU8gjQAk4VYNMZkE7eBMRndvE5XHa8Ke5ro/s1600/20160325-IMG_0709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcr8Xon5GijWzMTUmy-hJNzkEnAZHDQWaUbxnJVPUE0_YorJ7PnchbU-3S6lr5V_9aFXU0IGqJgdA60b1iRuYhAssZ7hSaKC1Zs8fUV4UMtU8gjQAk4VYNMZkE7eBMRndvE5XHa8Ke5ro/s400/20160325-IMG_0709.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo is from standing directly underneith the center of the Eiffel Tower.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was positively
stunning, but with a heavy tint of melancholy at the same time as it was lit up
in red, black and yellow, the colors of the Belgium flag in honor of the
victims of the attacks earlier that week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In some way I can’t quite explain, this made it even more beautiful, or
rather gave the Eiffel Tower an ethereal sense of beauty that it’s hard to
believe can come from a gigantic man-made metal structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that is what it was, and I am so very
happy we dragged our tired bodies the several blocks in the dark of night to
see it up close. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Fun fact about the Eiffel Tower:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did you know that this beautiful structure was supposed to be temporary
when it was constructed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was built as
the entrance to the 1889 World Fair and the engineer whose company designed and
built it, Gustave Eiffel (hence the name), had a permit for the tower to stand
for 20 years at which time it would be dismantled, which was the part of the
rules of the original design contest for the structure that would be the
entrance to the World Fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
Parisians hated it, thinking it an eyesore in their beautiful city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But visitors to the Fair loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the demolition date drew near some twenty
years later, those Parisians who still hadn’t warmed up to this ionic structure
called for it’s dismantling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But,
Gustave Eiffel, who had recently been hearing about this thing called radio,
decided to put a radio transmitter at the top of the Tower and gifted it to the
French government, giving them the power to convey messages much further than
previously possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Tower stayed,
and today it is the most visited paid monument in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So, what did we actually do while in Paris?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, we started with this of course...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Fresh croissants and some lovely little quiche, fresh strawberries and raspberries, and some jus de pomme (apple juice), all from the lovely farmer's market just around the block that you just expect to see in the streets of Paris on a Saturday morning. As soon as we were done feasting on our deliciously French breakfast, we made our way to the farmers market so the girls and I could what Eric had just happened upon earlier that morning as he snuck out of our little apartment to take some photos. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Such a quintessential Parisian market…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lyLoDHnvRWMqW_vmhiprierffHcTntpxd95n7GYZPvGNMBATmPgI9cA5o-K2guSV6RaAT5SvzqPGRZDdqC5XjmnqIphr9MS6EFadYTnbxwGeQ3v-ZN5c5MGjlUGK7qjBBuTR-DBYTUNb/s1600/20160326-IMG_0782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lyLoDHnvRWMqW_vmhiprierffHcTntpxd95n7GYZPvGNMBATmPgI9cA5o-K2guSV6RaAT5SvzqPGRZDdqC5XjmnqIphr9MS6EFadYTnbxwGeQ3v-ZN5c5MGjlUGK7qjBBuTR-DBYTUNb/s400/20160326-IMG_0782.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Flowers...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O2wy_vRIeg8v-7KQbJXu6RWsuW0KLLNmFfnaFA6PXnyWTtBirdQRVJXkM0dGc_LfmSWcQoaUMMPq-mMByCQ1xm9eQ7Bthp-ez4fJj8Oe8Ehtqr60gVjCSgTzGB79TkEo77kbQmfHKRFA/s1600/20160326-IMG_0804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O2wy_vRIeg8v-7KQbJXu6RWsuW0KLLNmFfnaFA6PXnyWTtBirdQRVJXkM0dGc_LfmSWcQoaUMMPq-mMByCQ1xm9eQ7Bthp-ez4fJj8Oe8Ehtqr60gVjCSgTzGB79TkEo77kbQmfHKRFA/s400/20160326-IMG_0804.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And fruit...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVztxCyUH6cLxav81EysdRtZxcioPOASvEz_zE6P_7skkg1Pmrd5dVkgKxAKBMdEArcZKNh3pVshJZobTds-QZEFApvTmn4Rl_rbuqRBknqkJSqrzh8XlmVjptwRD9NccYJNX_5nxfqMV/s1600/20160326-IMG_0786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVztxCyUH6cLxav81EysdRtZxcioPOASvEz_zE6P_7skkg1Pmrd5dVkgKxAKBMdEArcZKNh3pVshJZobTds-QZEFApvTmn4Rl_rbuqRBknqkJSqrzh8XlmVjptwRD9NccYJNX_5nxfqMV/s400/20160326-IMG_0786.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And fish...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeCXNuObJVdARZpc7zUvvU4_Ej_Pn0hCOeVWsM1iQFpXZqpk0R3j7kmXwkLlOQRRxakYClb74XtLslmFbmX83HlKkVmk4VFKPWTxZQZYE1SAnjmDoJgMMeHJDTAH1_hw9zUs2z367yPS_/s1600/20160326-IMG_0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeCXNuObJVdARZpc7zUvvU4_Ej_Pn0hCOeVWsM1iQFpXZqpk0R3j7kmXwkLlOQRRxakYClb74XtLslmFbmX83HlKkVmk4VFKPWTxZQZYE1SAnjmDoJgMMeHJDTAH1_hw9zUs2z367yPS_/s400/20160326-IMG_0812.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And other goodies from the sea... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLpi_RQ0CbCTkxzeOCCSFmu0uzYRLhJGbrXletkkSKsAP4UnxFXk7rUr8Ee_SxjJR8bb8mRGkex0cRXomsBWphsxdb4_0wBHmOsn5jEGFa4RCHcqpbolXfGYh2syIA3QYbNNT2JWjF1J3/s1600/20160326-IMG_0817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLpi_RQ0CbCTkxzeOCCSFmu0uzYRLhJGbrXletkkSKsAP4UnxFXk7rUr8Ee_SxjJR8bb8mRGkex0cRXomsBWphsxdb4_0wBHmOsn5jEGFa4RCHcqpbolXfGYh2syIA3QYbNNT2JWjF1J3/s400/20160326-IMG_0817.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And if you look closely at this photo...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7H85biwzryEq-UFdI2AikqHORv7wR5wtM97Ynn1dvnueArZM7UJz2pZR-I5qnx9EaXYhLyGu7woXZmHkxvguQXdDHVnkTr449YmYEn5EAeu2TEkdGmWiJ02UozaZItylj-1LcMTE-uVor/s1600/20160326-IMG_0789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7H85biwzryEq-UFdI2AikqHORv7wR5wtM97Ynn1dvnueArZM7UJz2pZR-I5qnx9EaXYhLyGu7woXZmHkxvguQXdDHVnkTr449YmYEn5EAeu2TEkdGmWiJ02UozaZItylj-1LcMTE-uVor/s400/20160326-IMG_0789.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Escargots of course, with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Does it get any more French than that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And then we walked...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and walked and walked and walked. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOA_fFmxZUpuzZFDFCARyFfDnRVPhbsklotqm_YeQYy6Msw8y_EV4Enil1hFm0uFk9yWtqh9bTtOSzLnRwyOwimqKefT2e9UhTkjNNTiBmDzYBzHFS1nSBEqTOGLct6r5kXrtVHzviZsW/s1600/20160326-IMG_0899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOA_fFmxZUpuzZFDFCARyFfDnRVPhbsklotqm_YeQYy6Msw8y_EV4Enil1hFm0uFk9yWtqh9bTtOSzLnRwyOwimqKefT2e9UhTkjNNTiBmDzYBzHFS1nSBEqTOGLct6r5kXrtVHzviZsW/s400/20160326-IMG_0899.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We walked back to the Eiffel Tower because...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzdwTh67orB4b76tp_SMLrxCSckZIVxv8jwEBlU3fOVMXbgfG2NMkkoM37rKRjmNQo05mP3RceN37vlWi-UqGDNdKHxqJHqxPMX21ZXYgbjJQryq2E5bxcgNMNWbovoBWKcUms8c2ihbo/s1600/20160326-IMG_0914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzdwTh67orB4b76tp_SMLrxCSckZIVxv8jwEBlU3fOVMXbgfG2NMkkoM37rKRjmNQo05mP3RceN37vlWi-UqGDNdKHxqJHqxPMX21ZXYgbjJQryq2E5bxcgNMNWbovoBWKcUms8c2ihbo/s400/20160326-IMG_0914.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Well just because.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVV1A1q7uUuv7UDZ7frKUTTUFHnMdrsjNT50OInVm1t85bllRiJFwW6xKuCHTSLnqVJvWlU5jCk5IUYa3s3mRNiQdsxF5uPb_82Mw1skIrUiJ7uLpJrxANfEMkhd2Qev3a20HjN6lQF1N/s1600/20160326-IMG_0926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVV1A1q7uUuv7UDZ7frKUTTUFHnMdrsjNT50OInVm1t85bllRiJFwW6xKuCHTSLnqVJvWlU5jCk5IUYa3s3mRNiQdsxF5uPb_82Mw1skIrUiJ7uLpJrxANfEMkhd2Qev3a20HjN6lQF1N/s400/20160326-IMG_0926.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I mean, look at it. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAEtvxc_Ii8niSNCZKWzA3wPQoVXhuH9wcXhvCMlIh0qBE8EE-H3YBzr8CN0MLgHh8HSzIVcoYx7jAiGfPPEEZa6sO06E_0f8ap7Wh9vEYFX8niX9OccaAatOjQhjhJVZdzy1zplodTRu/s1600/20160326-IMG_0931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAEtvxc_Ii8niSNCZKWzA3wPQoVXhuH9wcXhvCMlIh0qBE8EE-H3YBzr8CN0MLgHh8HSzIVcoYx7jAiGfPPEEZa6sO06E_0f8ap7Wh9vEYFX8niX9OccaAatOjQhjhJVZdzy1zplodTRu/s400/20160326-IMG_0931.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Why would you not walk back to the Eiffel Tower?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2qzoCQO0rvyU02KQFDBOAvywSDWdkA6BV7knkYBdZQiy0N62IvlmQuCu-Z0mYcp3w_CuFUnyXyHAS3P3KHG_JfSMKxXl3nntvbR-mb_aC0wbtNI4TcJfliXjBJvt80x8ILCi8JA6N9Cf/s1600/20160326-IMG_0969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2qzoCQO0rvyU02KQFDBOAvywSDWdkA6BV7knkYBdZQiy0N62IvlmQuCu-Z0mYcp3w_CuFUnyXyHAS3P3KHG_JfSMKxXl3nntvbR-mb_aC0wbtNI4TcJfliXjBJvt80x8ILCi8JA6N9Cf/s320/20160326-IMG_0969.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We crossed the bridge heading towards the Arch de Triomphe </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the huge plaza that surrounds it…</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_hoYGQ3RX_5dWuQ9ptz4-9dpeDsjQU0OlfFhRk8QZY1YonxzoEwZiczQML681_XzTkqnlqCr_nnVXIYntztoKNLwdhAsc4xFlt8eP2u6x1SR1cNa5BQomJqbE3-qIOjbLjF5oAcmW0aM/s1600/20160326-IMG_1038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_hoYGQ3RX_5dWuQ9ptz4-9dpeDsjQU0OlfFhRk8QZY1YonxzoEwZiczQML681_XzTkqnlqCr_nnVXIYntztoKNLwdhAsc4xFlt8eP2u6x1SR1cNa5BQomJqbE3-qIOjbLjF5oAcmW0aM/s400/20160326-IMG_1038.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">which is much much larger than I ever expected it to be with several lanes of cars
whizzing around it on a gargantuan roundabout.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bpco7dONIY3rTMH2j5GywbQ_EGRfUeWAi3Fz4vTXgVBCkMlR10H4eFT4RF8ZT6URqmqTtZ5WjGa6_0i_OcDK9NQqbaaiOnHhUuZiv0Nc_ampcVCGlLrcRKL7QgMvAMK-WhehedZ-GvZX/s1600/20160326-IMG_1153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bpco7dONIY3rTMH2j5GywbQ_EGRfUeWAi3Fz4vTXgVBCkMlR10H4eFT4RF8ZT6URqmqTtZ5WjGa6_0i_OcDK9NQqbaaiOnHhUuZiv0Nc_ampcVCGlLrcRKL7QgMvAMK-WhehedZ-GvZX/s400/20160326-IMG_1153.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We sat outside the Louvre which is absolutely enormous by the way, but
didn’t go in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe next time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPteQDfW0dZhDIk7ND_upi9cEuN3u9Ix_CmKAQ0stfSQqSUMD8pTvUkReg_0stGSylSq_jCQkSOmvRNrrLOWsVH2sKksY0BEiMDrIbpjQzfbPh_E-sGq6CGXyfnRyb5cURvGGq4JmM6xxI/s1600/20160326-IMG_1211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPteQDfW0dZhDIk7ND_upi9cEuN3u9Ix_CmKAQ0stfSQqSUMD8pTvUkReg_0stGSylSq_jCQkSOmvRNrrLOWsVH2sKksY0BEiMDrIbpjQzfbPh_E-sGq6CGXyfnRyb5cURvGGq4JmM6xxI/s400/20160326-IMG_1211.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We stopped in at the restaurant where we had gotten the pizza the first
night we arrived to have another Leffe on tap because if you like beer and
every get to a place that has the Belgium brewed Leffe on top, please stop and
have one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was THE best tap beer I
have ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Sunday morning, Easter, the girls woke and searched our little apartment for the French candy the Easter bunny had hidden. After a breakfast of pastries, of course, juice and coffee...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOh5ot_-LjJC03gXs2gpLtDh12Ze8L5hlcDxQR9OiUxzTn4pb3eM4nVtVxizDESmrpGleo37WD_6aI0dR2UCrMIfMsSgL0UUkn0QLIP6wOt6qOEFJJNAEYtrhbJkH0wTZUp0o2ssklsHN/s1600/20160327-IMG_1288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOh5ot_-LjJC03gXs2gpLtDh12Ze8L5hlcDxQR9OiUxzTn4pb3eM4nVtVxizDESmrpGleo37WD_6aI0dR2UCrMIfMsSgL0UUkn0QLIP6wOt6qOEFJJNAEYtrhbJkH0wTZUp0o2ssklsHN/s400/20160327-IMG_1288.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and some beautiful little pots of yogurt, we walked back to the Eiffel Tower where there was an Easter egg hunt
about to get under way…</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2vq6jXdUmTqWmEUdpfVP0KdrH-AaeM-n0UajmJcCLw9hBGcR0waGFdmHAUvpz7th90hmg3iC0yvOLcZMZvlFYnwux4f81W5KSOULpANiqnmNG0SBuWk-CkFhhhdE0API4G-N7hpdaIcm/s1600/20160327-IMG_1319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2vq6jXdUmTqWmEUdpfVP0KdrH-AaeM-n0UajmJcCLw9hBGcR0waGFdmHAUvpz7th90hmg3iC0yvOLcZMZvlFYnwux4f81W5KSOULpANiqnmNG0SBuWk-CkFhhhdE0API4G-N7hpdaIcm/s400/20160327-IMG_1319.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">An Easter egg hunt with the Eiffel Tower in the background…now that is
something you do not see everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And that is it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s all we did
in Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked… a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ate some croissants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fell in love with the Eiffel Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we would be spending the next two weeks
driving through France, and we had a lot more to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were heading south from Paris to walk in
the footsteps of Napoleon, and we planned to visit some prehistoric cave
drawings in the Dordogne region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
would spend a couple of days in Brittany, and finally, make our way to Normandy
to visit and pay our respects to the great battle sites of World War II.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So check back as I’ll be sharing all of this
with you over the next few weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
until then, a few more pictures from Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Au Revoir! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw22R7HR4a6ps-SnlY53C-X-VYEu4-TUzI3GgvAQNOl8T7V-84dzwHA-gbj7deYwTlZtpuhXnROtSiTNFrcxrwnsIEIZuaZF6sC9itMtcojMwxDGz0x7kDlHRcIZhkprNh3eaGcBg9i2xe/s1600/20160326-IMG_0975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw22R7HR4a6ps-SnlY53C-X-VYEu4-TUzI3GgvAQNOl8T7V-84dzwHA-gbj7deYwTlZtpuhXnROtSiTNFrcxrwnsIEIZuaZF6sC9itMtcojMwxDGz0x7kDlHRcIZhkprNh3eaGcBg9i2xe/s640/20160326-IMG_0975.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYUmiJ4Vb4tr5zlDIZaaqby3riZhNZTlsFonWbr0J51WAVd-wiRiwQaOJwIF5YbuiO-3-IZj1ItHW2lwK-UuPtfYwXwgdhIMhP9hpt4I-Sk1oFxsRfj3DR131T6mWeX19lkQ5WqiHHORl/s1600/20160326-IMG_1218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYUmiJ4Vb4tr5zlDIZaaqby3riZhNZTlsFonWbr0J51WAVd-wiRiwQaOJwIF5YbuiO-3-IZj1ItHW2lwK-UuPtfYwXwgdhIMhP9hpt4I-Sk1oFxsRfj3DR131T6mWeX19lkQ5WqiHHORl/s640/20160326-IMG_1218.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A giant chocolate Easter egg!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-15740024489038496262017-03-21T17:59:00.001-07:002017-03-21T17:59:10.264-07:00Two Weeks in FranceComing soon! Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-76090382420530553972017-01-26T07:55:00.000-08:002017-01-26T07:55:04.798-08:00January in England – It Snows
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">This was
the house we lived in in England for two years – Quarter Moon Cottage. I know I've shared it before, but never like this, lightly covered in snow. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-w5HbZt40xFoQRcAQxYE190d0MgW2I7XYWxADwJzOMHwZK4WskYnL15PwRUTxj-QWuarJTOUIUcMjF5o8G6Z1SSW1MjLSEk8FdYwhCbqatzRtiz9S2xqbDkyEY-J8kMT76dIbQ18R_nG/s1600/20160117-IMG_7507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-w5HbZt40xFoQRcAQxYE190d0MgW2I7XYWxADwJzOMHwZK4WskYnL15PwRUTxj-QWuarJTOUIUcMjF5o8G6Z1SSW1MjLSEk8FdYwhCbqatzRtiz9S2xqbDkyEY-J8kMT76dIbQ18R_nG/s320/20160117-IMG_7507.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Why was it called Quarter Moon Cottage we never figured out, but on occasion we would
receive mail for the owners of the house and the address listed would simple
say “Quarter Moon Cottage.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the
houses in our little village of Worthington had names posted on a plaque out
front, and more than once I had a delivery person knock on the door and ask, “Can
you point me towards Oliver’s Cottage?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Do you
have the house number or name of the road?” I would ask.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">“No,” was
the reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just says Oliver’s Cottage.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Such in
life in England.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The photo
of our house also shows you just how very close to the road our house sat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, the house couldn’t get any closer
to the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mirrors on trucks
coming from behind our house quite literally passed a foot or two from the
stucco side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get past our house you
had no choice but to walk on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But again, as with houses having names, houses sitting right on the road
are quite common in England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I
nervous about someone running into the house?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Absolutely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it never happened
during our time there, and hopefully never will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Believe it
or not, despite our house and the back garden (as it is called in the UK) sitting
right on the road, the backyard was quite private thanks to a fence and the tall hedge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_im0ByQksTsyalQj1u-Jbj1hA6pBA8F4n0iKZTpiBQrJtaNVo8lLaucFpp5uhd9yaF83c_vhBTgg9WKRQ69Zkl6DpdPjKTRRCPLpKuUM37DnBCZ1RiSbZUi5wYerVPnn3j7XR5UdvYTU/s1600/20160117-IMG_7490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_im0ByQksTsyalQj1u-Jbj1hA6pBA8F4n0iKZTpiBQrJtaNVo8lLaucFpp5uhd9yaF83c_vhBTgg9WKRQ69Zkl6DpdPjKTRRCPLpKuUM37DnBCZ1RiSbZUi5wYerVPnn3j7XR5UdvYTU/s400/20160117-IMG_7490.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">On the
other side of that hedge you see in the photo above is a four or five foot drop
directly down to the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a
busy road, but because of that thick green hedge, we could be in our backyard
and hardly tell when a car or truck was going by. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I can count on one hand how many times we woke to snow in the morning during our two years in England, and I wouldn't have to use all of my fingers. The snow never stayed for long, but for this one short day it transformed the view from the front windows of our house, turning the usually green yet
dreary January English countryside to a beautiful soft white that was much appreciated during the long, dark months of winter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I miss that
view.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">So what
does one do on a typical weekend during the winter while living in England?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpjfFsB9zKOt24YcBxurI2UvfOL79kAyKdBSSlAw2XhD3yUSFM_QN3hLqtGHOYjVNLSuVWWpU84hMZbEZSf9IGtp9KvSMJzZ5IZDZZC0WnmVZytgIH1F0FqGgjDCUjbRdcQJUUk6Y82t1/s1600/20160110-IMG_7335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpjfFsB9zKOt24YcBxurI2UvfOL79kAyKdBSSlAw2XhD3yUSFM_QN3hLqtGHOYjVNLSuVWWpU84hMZbEZSf9IGtp9KvSMJzZ5IZDZZC0WnmVZytgIH1F0FqGgjDCUjbRdcQJUUk6Y82t1/s400/20160110-IMG_7335.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">You head outside for a walk. The British love to walk, in all types of weather. You just need to dress appropriately. Hat, mittens, winter jacket...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsZd3bJlhNfIjVMcxl2r7aKlI3tai4gKMige5620gVu8URwq6VN9RYIPF_WBg-5vF4WfuLnX6uBd79jc09D68DcatqmDkPoHT0HFc8ObKT5YziJwFx3_V0o3mma55kwBEJm8tN_1RPrri/s1600/20160110-IMG_7287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsZd3bJlhNfIjVMcxl2r7aKlI3tai4gKMige5620gVu8URwq6VN9RYIPF_WBg-5vF4WfuLnX6uBd79jc09D68DcatqmDkPoHT0HFc8ObKT5YziJwFx3_V0o3mma55kwBEJm8tN_1RPrri/s400/20160110-IMG_7287.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">One particular Saturday or Sunday, I can’t remember
which, we deciding a nice walk at one of our favorite parks was on the agenda, so we grabbed our winter gear and headed out the door to Beacon Hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpBeoMnf_iLlrEyorXrj2ZAHlh1TeIOLZkZEBZYqrrmNJ2jVMbMFWgDgbtG0csmfAHrD2b4NvSqnErMF2hmC_CZyvgtflOe30HsO5F1J0G2vK2dofzODlk8nPTUFrDQMVTsFFnvDR4pgK/s1600/20160110-IMG_7345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpBeoMnf_iLlrEyorXrj2ZAHlh1TeIOLZkZEBZYqrrmNJ2jVMbMFWgDgbtG0csmfAHrD2b4NvSqnErMF2hmC_CZyvgtflOe30HsO5F1J0G2vK2dofzODlk8nPTUFrDQMVTsFFnvDR4pgK/s400/20160110-IMG_7345.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">We did this same two-mile or so hike around the park several times will
living in England and it never got old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcVR9Z3N4gQTf7U5QC0asXF9QIylCa7YqgsOUpZ7v-Jrp4a1RgkcBS0v4SjhLUTZyxyfUKel_oBD1sEiZqvhU_iV-FZUpEXuhlAJN6Po0KTfruwXqaQ0ookPoPzc69_vzyLGpJXLr4TZ_/s1600/20160110-IMG_7304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcVR9Z3N4gQTf7U5QC0asXF9QIylCa7YqgsOUpZ7v-Jrp4a1RgkcBS0v4SjhLUTZyxyfUKel_oBD1sEiZqvhU_iV-FZUpEXuhlAJN6Po0KTfruwXqaQ0ookPoPzc69_vzyLGpJXLr4TZ_/s400/20160110-IMG_7304.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">We
would pass through a forest with a play area with hand carved
wooden playground equipment for the girls to play on...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0H5DZoWq3nQAQI3oTv6TpHiUQqa10Q2AYBzwuISbksszXTWbzIfXSCqdAT8V0s3pfCTKQ-91FYkxcI2QuovK_u1VUZRsf-T85vVq6JVFdXke6MMH5gGoeyKpzud-vx9xgQled00u42saI/s1600/20160110-IMG_7300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0H5DZoWq3nQAQI3oTv6TpHiUQqa10Q2AYBzwuISbksszXTWbzIfXSCqdAT8V0s3pfCTKQ-91FYkxcI2QuovK_u1VUZRsf-T85vVq6JVFdXke6MMH5gGoeyKpzud-vx9xgQled00u42saI/s400/20160110-IMG_7300.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">these unique and artistic
pieces all carved by a craftsman in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLAqoFgNoqKms_W724RPsK7CB-igiO25i65-PV3a7IeStIRcbj2apLj4RXxVg2JbOaRrO-tKAf4losozuMo4cv00hRCNQnfxti6gfRYU0n74d9bcbNp6toDU_EdRfGsZ2-Md5HkPLEJ5A/s1600/20160110-IMG_7321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLAqoFgNoqKms_W724RPsK7CB-igiO25i65-PV3a7IeStIRcbj2apLj4RXxVg2JbOaRrO-tKAf4losozuMo4cv00hRCNQnfxti6gfRYU0n74d9bcbNp6toDU_EdRfGsZ2-Md5HkPLEJ5A/s400/20160110-IMG_7321.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>In fact as you continue on the hike, you pass by his woodcarving shack. It was always fun to see the gigantic blocks of wood sitting outside the shack awaiting his skillful hands. What would he make next? Maybe some more sheep...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQD6BDAKCGXS6Taxb8rBoPcRFNgbJjeBH6gf0ND6pj9Wc7J6eha_aFGvSp8yZvOuLy1KbAKgg57aoHC6n6gu-5HVy7Wd1CNGpVG-qN1bPE6y0gqMoTR5bSWGqGpwQy_Z6FUN0BXGs0KUC/s1600/20160110-IMG_7333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQD6BDAKCGXS6Taxb8rBoPcRFNgbJjeBH6gf0ND6pj9Wc7J6eha_aFGvSp8yZvOuLy1KbAKgg57aoHC6n6gu-5HVy7Wd1CNGpVG-qN1bPE6y0gqMoTR5bSWGqGpwQy_Z6FUN0BXGs0KUC/s400/20160110-IMG_7333.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">like this one that sits next to the trail as you head back up to the top of Beacon Hill. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Beacon Hill was always a fun place to play...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHyObJhnLb_DUlwDhnxe8BT2X4MfkduyFkEZg5SdIyKg3xmf2T-MJL7yKv4di6l2MeMcP_r3PAF5qkXIKUNkJhB5HcqfFvrZ9qCPpV12Pewk_m8G5BvUtMSBNmCyfsmw6rx671MBLNEnJ/s1600/20160110-IMG_7317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHyObJhnLb_DUlwDhnxe8BT2X4MfkduyFkEZg5SdIyKg3xmf2T-MJL7yKv4di6l2MeMcP_r3PAF5qkXIKUNkJhB5HcqfFvrZ9qCPpV12Pewk_m8G5BvUtMSBNmCyfsmw6rx671MBLNEnJ/s400/20160110-IMG_7317.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">and explore. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5nEKORYsBJaBUpuVqgZFwm1ukw3POcDghzAmJaFMnq2yioCQ705s8J_N4MA5pk7nVrYaddrKS_dDQrReiNB3EF_Jx4WwQzkZDf13gKebv6gLrc8PmDg4UdO9wzI7l-Bz7pqUQnijfiD6/s1600/20160110-IMG_7308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5nEKORYsBJaBUpuVqgZFwm1ukw3POcDghzAmJaFMnq2yioCQ705s8J_N4MA5pk7nVrYaddrKS_dDQrReiNB3EF_Jx4WwQzkZDf13gKebv6gLrc8PmDg4UdO9wzI7l-Bz7pqUQnijfiD6/s400/20160110-IMG_7308.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And we always began and ended our hikes at the top... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7Yd0a0jGypVFh5m3L2d7vxLCFG2LHjoRFbkgJGS9JpaJBg9RSLMADwRz5j25Jma-NOiqIzVFJV6hKgJObqKmeFXXmVEpNop6mlORlerBBqYSLIuiCPdm7eFz_8ZLODbc2TH-iyTOQKLG/s1600/20160110-IMG_7264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7Yd0a0jGypVFh5m3L2d7vxLCFG2LHjoRFbkgJGS9JpaJBg9RSLMADwRz5j25Jma-NOiqIzVFJV6hKgJObqKmeFXXmVEpNop6mlORlerBBqYSLIuiCPdm7eFz_8ZLODbc2TH-iyTOQKLG/s400/20160110-IMG_7264.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">on Beacon Hill itself... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJSVbcziGArmOKNxlJsRseej3Ki02EwFdtY0bnQl9Cw7lpwFn3PFpCtA4EAu4YQxff25zvLFMHxc4t2Z3MbDFsFxqIM8jsa4qLKbtKFUOslF8xUb_2TOmAnJxlgFeIMMzXpjKZulWB-ny/s1600/20160110-IMG_7272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJSVbcziGArmOKNxlJsRseej3Ki02EwFdtY0bnQl9Cw7lpwFn3PFpCtA4EAu4YQxff25zvLFMHxc4t2Z3MbDFsFxqIM8jsa4qLKbtKFUOslF8xUb_2TOmAnJxlgFeIMMzXpjKZulWB-ny/s400/20160110-IMG_7272.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">where you
can see for miles upon miles in all directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oi3X7zrtwVby04IybU6g_eg4o5dHRtQB0DkAJ5znkoa8N3N973RfwdU9TJddazmMEf-jxyPDmlebIudcdAnqzMKNkV96s63cRjA6Scbu5TC1vWKAFWCl0DY6GfHBsXY9ZYYhZyVgYV_d/s1600/20160110-IMG_7276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oi3X7zrtwVby04IybU6g_eg4o5dHRtQB0DkAJ5znkoa8N3N973RfwdU9TJddazmMEf-jxyPDmlebIudcdAnqzMKNkV96s63cRjA6Scbu5TC1vWKAFWCl0DY6GfHBsXY9ZYYhZyVgYV_d/s400/20160110-IMG_7276.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>It was windy on this particular winter day...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnuw79drUsDj1j6lB1gmu0qcF_OhopvkhVBGIqy7A3vGi_PU5IjMviFEkPFRm5JcgRimJa8yUo1ja5-q37bH6vs2m1jfX4Db6Kcs2FkSNWXA1zIKeVB0dzR_F2zYt_mnr-6Y4QVcpIO8T/s1600/20160110-IMG_7366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnuw79drUsDj1j6lB1gmu0qcF_OhopvkhVBGIqy7A3vGi_PU5IjMviFEkPFRm5JcgRimJa8yUo1ja5-q37bH6vs2m1jfX4Db6Kcs2FkSNWXA1zIKeVB0dzR_F2zYt_mnr-6Y4QVcpIO8T/s400/20160110-IMG_7366.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">but that didn’t stop the girls from having some fun scrambling around the rocks where you felt like you were at the top of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9nqCuZfJXBuw62eI8hnwaS7udEgaL-ZRgy7ZUGyVkwkABc4Ju7OhlufYieUOfk98UBPHK4v3nk-6Ci6EN9sqx6mrzzZXJMLRKsW8ufquJWSAZ85P7-0Shweagbw6ooLMRsmyBfMfGe7J/s1600/20160110-IMG_7386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9nqCuZfJXBuw62eI8hnwaS7udEgaL-ZRgy7ZUGyVkwkABc4Ju7OhlufYieUOfk98UBPHK4v3nk-6Ci6EN9sqx6mrzzZXJMLRKsW8ufquJWSAZ85P7-0Shweagbw6ooLMRsmyBfMfGe7J/s400/20160110-IMG_7386.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">On another
Sunday, we jumped in the car and headed for the quaint town of Ashbourne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The twisting and turning narrow streets in
the center of town are lined with adorable shops filled with all manner of
treasures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0dhAQ6wCFHGKxdyQigpjfbaWXkKL6B_YEo9DuiDnUes16Esr31u42yNbT-iUvZUOjdJZq4Flwk7JX180y4gv4GfPxLTy9EtaE3KErM_wXo9oGHY0Zg5Oc_h3kt6XUKIOu-yhZmto_CxV/s1600/20160124-IMG_7592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0dhAQ6wCFHGKxdyQigpjfbaWXkKL6B_YEo9DuiDnUes16Esr31u42yNbT-iUvZUOjdJZq4Flwk7JX180y4gv4GfPxLTy9EtaE3KErM_wXo9oGHY0Zg5Oc_h3kt6XUKIOu-yhZmto_CxV/s640/20160124-IMG_7592.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Like this
adorable shop with little baby bottoms strung across the window. Are you kidding me? So cute you want to walk in a buy a pair even if you don’t have a baby to give them
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>It was another cold and blustery Sunday in January so
we made our way to one of the many little coffee shops and cafes in Ashbourne
for a warm drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ellie became a proper
tea drinker while living in England, adding a bit of sugar and a splash of
milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Cuvt92Labh3r_Qi1CFZILX0ieApPp84WZS2Ketcg8Jso2goXjQD9ojjw2_I5BvbwYXOdTi4T3nYftBdytL7zsjpmd9BLOHUE37E3vnGJuoWXZVBgJc_H_pqd6C43ruu369EPAII5dLpq/s1600/20160124-IMG_7523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Cuvt92Labh3r_Qi1CFZILX0ieApPp84WZS2Ketcg8Jso2goXjQD9ojjw2_I5BvbwYXOdTi4T3nYftBdytL7zsjpmd9BLOHUE37E3vnGJuoWXZVBgJc_H_pqd6C43ruu369EPAII5dLpq/s400/20160124-IMG_7523.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And in England, tea always comes served in a proper tea pot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Leah of course got the hot
chocolate which should always be served in a cup smothered with whipping cream and pink and white marshmallows on the side. That's how they do it here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">A</span>fter we had warmed up a bit, we wandered
over to St. Oswald’s Church, it's 212-foot tall spire making quite a sight in this
seemingly small town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when we moved
to England, it didn’t take long for us to discover that magnificent churches
can be found in any size town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Inside the church was equally as impressive...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg4ReuLuXIOvJnv5fBSh81y9R_wChH0HShv739jIp619xeQ6He6iTzn8gjDaga0FDF6RvODk6Dg-G54Ii7_OwNk-GOs-Oj_gIQG07Rkitr8S4oxJmXzrqXwqxjX3tu6wI3jCydWmej8ti/s1600/20160124-IMG_7565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg4ReuLuXIOvJnv5fBSh81y9R_wChH0HShv739jIp619xeQ6He6iTzn8gjDaga0FDF6RvODk6Dg-G54Ii7_OwNk-GOs-Oj_gIQG07Rkitr8S4oxJmXzrqXwqxjX3tu6wI3jCydWmej8ti/s400/20160124-IMG_7565.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">the huge, beautiful stain glassed windows adding some color and light to the cold, stone interior. A plaque
inside the church says it was dedicated on April 24, 1241.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s over 700 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as with every church we visited, this one also contained monuments inside to leading local families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Outside, the
church is surrounded by a cemetery, the writing on some of the moss covered
headstones now worn off by the elements as they slowly sink into the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Their presence always gives an
eerie feel to the dark facades of these churches, but it’s fascinating to walk
through the rows trying to make out the dates, some going back to the
1700s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And
sometimes on a weekend day in January in England we just stayed at home in
Quarter Moon Cottage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls might squeeze through the wooden fence behind our house to play with the neighbor girl who lived next door. Or we might watch a James Bond movie on TV as there always seemed to be a James Bond movie
playing on TV. Go figure! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And often, I would spend the afternoon cooking a nice meal to go along
with our English weekend at home, trying to make good use of the British grown ingredients we picked up at the local store. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>One particular Saturday, or maybe it was a Sunday, I can't remember, it was Leek and Stilton
tarts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwvvZpv50aMZHLbFKqOQASeOFpk70LvDSQkQbD3t03nvljwQRRX0r0uBSswIxVATIggz8akU6d2l9f4mlNDF4H3RT-F9HTKqHzfq1JzZPakUok2HqcJGHzzY7PzmecrIsuVol6ZSLtFmP/s1600/20160123-IMG_7519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwvvZpv50aMZHLbFKqOQASeOFpk70LvDSQkQbD3t03nvljwQRRX0r0uBSswIxVATIggz8akU6d2l9f4mlNDF4H3RT-F9HTKqHzfq1JzZPakUok2HqcJGHzzY7PzmecrIsuVol6ZSLtFmP/s400/20160123-IMG_7519.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">So savory! And so delicious!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And when you live in England for two years, that is how you while away the hours of the cold, dark and dreary weekends of January.
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-71337267139902853592017-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:002017-01-19T08:36:27.001-08:00A Trip to Windsor Castle<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was a beautiful sunny June
morning, Sunday to be exact, about 8:30 am and we were sitting in Heathrow airport
on the outskirts of London enjoying our morning coffee after our short but very
early morning flight back to the UK from our trip to Germany and Switzerland (and
Austria, Leichtenstein, and France too).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We could get in our car and make the two hour drive north to our cottage
in the little village or Worthington where we had nothing in particular to do for the
rest of the day…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Or…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLr8hBvbVUvjExdMXTjMR9nnZkrK1sxdI8cf6kl7mF74hM1esH04UwSwrVXHWqy92ZS-CyTCDwXm_ElUu4VhKELYy5lkjK5d0Ddk9pKtPuZDF5whMj0Gs1ZfRxuETv9pEtxMRzsUlnAq3/s1600/20160605-IMG_8136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLr8hBvbVUvjExdMXTjMR9nnZkrK1sxdI8cf6kl7mF74hM1esH04UwSwrVXHWqy92ZS-CyTCDwXm_ElUu4VhKELYy5lkjK5d0Ddk9pKtPuZDF5whMj0Gs1ZfRxuETv9pEtxMRzsUlnAq3/s400/20160605-IMG_8136.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We could make the short 15 or
so minute drive to one of the most iconic places in all the UK…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A place that both Eric and I
wanted to visit during our time in England…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And a place where perhaps we
had the best chance of catching a glimpse of the Queen of England, Elizabeth
II.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Windsor Castle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The longest occupied palace
in all of Europe, it’s occupants go all the way back to Henry I who was King
of England in 1100 and right up to today as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Queen Elizabeth II spends most of her weekends at Windsor Castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As luck would have it, she was there that Sunday. Maybe this was our chance to see her in person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">See that flag flying high over one of
the towers of the great Castle?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60zq8ICDyZXnXMMhKPBPpAMTK1TGoeaA0afXihyphenhyphendmbGyesZ8jVI8Yk_DnpvMrUKKDGob8DJLJ2ZKPf1UliTELVucSJi8zRDCGBLrTr5UecFS958rD_qDlNW_-Gjdh9DW-8kt0wyBDTfS-/s1600/20160605-IMG_8103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60zq8ICDyZXnXMMhKPBPpAMTK1TGoeaA0afXihyphenhyphendmbGyesZ8jVI8Yk_DnpvMrUKKDGob8DJLJ2ZKPf1UliTELVucSJi8zRDCGBLrTr5UecFS958rD_qDlNW_-Gjdh9DW-8kt0wyBDTfS-/s400/20160605-IMG_8103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That is called the Royal Standard and when it is the flag flying above this tower, it means<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Queen is in
attendance (when the monarch is not present at the Castle, the Union Jack, or British flag, is flown).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll save you the drama
of having to read this entire post wondering if we did in fact get to actually see Queen Elizabeth II that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, we did not, but not for want of trying. When the part of the castle where the private royal apartments are located was pointed out to us, we parked ourselves for at this gate...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">located directly across the courtyard. As the girls and I stood with our noses stuck through the wrought iron gate scanning the windows trying to catch even a glimpse of what we would surely never be able to tell from this distance was the Queen or not passing by (or maybe she would stop and open the window, giving a wave to the crowd gathered around us - I am not ashamed to admit that I actually stood there wishing, hoping, and pleading with the powers that be for that to happen), we also watched as her guard marched into the courtyard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The four guards on the left marched in unison up to the single guard by the shack and with great pomp and circumstance, one of the four replaced the single guard, who then joined the rest as they continued to march around the courtyard. The girls and I stood at the gate watching as they marched closer, and closer, and closer, our hearts fluttering a little more with each rhythmic step because, while these are quite young looking men that make up the Queen's Life Guard as they are formally known, they are quite intimidating in their bright red uniforms and signature fluffy black hats pulled low over their eyes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In fact, we were watching them so intently that we didn't even realize until their intimidating figures were standing smack dab in front of us directly on the other side of the gate that they actually intended to march right through that very gate. We scurried backwards to get out of the way as the lead guard stepped forward to unlock and open it, and as the girls' eye grew bigger and bigger watching them, the guards marched right through and continued on their way. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvakXwonR3kT61iklDQdMN3h_UoEaFudGYD3rtsQGxy5lwsDAjzX5LiAeac6XvMvYcNtE_SkzqIuYlBIPHABRvbFdsH5FOGikSqVOn0Ol8SQRj1oKp115QbRQic2rBgutkx4D7GrUfkbf/s1600/20160605-IMG_8152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvakXwonR3kT61iklDQdMN3h_UoEaFudGYD3rtsQGxy5lwsDAjzX5LiAeac6XvMvYcNtE_SkzqIuYlBIPHABRvbFdsH5FOGikSqVOn0Ol8SQRj1oKp115QbRQic2rBgutkx4D7GrUfkbf/s400/20160605-IMG_8152.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Boy you just have to love this British monarchy stuff!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We may not have caught a glimpse of the Queen in her private Windsor apartments, but we weren't ready to give up yet. But first, we had tickets to go see the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">State Apartments and my oh my, while the outside of Windsor
Castle is something to behold, the State Apartments are beyond amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The term "Apartments" is a little misleading as these aren't apartments that anyone actually stays or lives in. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The State Apartments at Windsor Castle are actually for show,
they are for entertaining, and it is in these gymnasium sized extravagant rooms that the monarchy welcomes visiting royals, leaders of
nations, hosts royal balls and royals teas, you get the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span>We’ve toured a lot of houses, palaces,
castles, etc., but never had we seen anything as magnificent and excessively
grand as these State Apartments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You enter the State Apartments by ascending a
grand staircase guarded on each side by the huge statues of two great black horses,
each with a knight in shining armor astride it’s back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From here, you enter a room three or four
stories tall that is decorated with nothing but weapons, hundreds and hundreds
of them, guns, swords, spears, knifes, Chinese throwing stars, weapons that I do not even know the name
of, all ornately and beautifully displayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, beautiful is a strange word to use to describe a collection of
weapons, but if you ever visit the State Apartments in person, you will
completely understand what I mean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You enter this first room and your jaw drops to the floor at the sight of this display that surrounds you on all sides. If the British want to give a great first impression of power and wealth, they do it with a bang. And the tour only gets better and more lavish from there. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I wish I had photos to share, but as you might guess, no photos are allowed inside the State Apartments. We may have snuck one photo, although it wasn't of the State Apartments per say. It was something we saw in the State Apartments - Queen Mary's Dollhouse which is perhaps the largest and most famous dollhouse in the world. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKROyhtZNNGBJyDzykjK1cPF5fNoXRnFw1MFVZT_XpccGMUIrQHYAPKO1b0qMre6RaFRfsOOzPVxN_XsFC7RDhGMaGCGiSEdIJ1ZuiI-tmgg5fKirZJwKk_DtGE1z_JvYkmcHIPvSZat50/s1600/20160605-IMG_8142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKROyhtZNNGBJyDzykjK1cPF5fNoXRnFw1MFVZT_XpccGMUIrQHYAPKO1b0qMre6RaFRfsOOzPVxN_XsFC7RDhGMaGCGiSEdIJ1ZuiI-tmgg5fKirZJwKk_DtGE1z_JvYkmcHIPvSZat50/s640/20160605-IMG_8142.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now this is no ordinary dollhouse, as you can imagine. It was built for a Queen after all (it took nearly four years). On display behind glass in a room that is larger than most rooms in your or my house, the dollhouse is filled with thousands of pieces of furniture, trinkets, jewelry, hand painted portraits, even a library where the shelves are filled with full versions of miniature books. It all was designed, created and constructed by leading designers, artists and craftsmen from the time (1921-1924). There is wine in the wine cellar, hot and cold water running through the pipes, electricity, and toilets that flush. If you ever make it to Windsor Castle, don't make the mistake of passing up the chance to see this dollhouse because it is something else.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, back to our quest to see the Queen. After seeing the Queen's Life Guard up close and personal, Leah ran into the nearest gift shop and immediately zeroed in on a stuffed bear dressed in the Guard's uniform. She's a lover of stuffed animals and how could we pass up the opportunity to get her a memento of our visit to Windsor Castle like this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And actually, it was a good idea we stopped in that particular shop because it was there that the shop clerk told us about a part of Windsor Castle we hadn't seen yet, and I'm not sure we would have if we had not spoken to her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It's called the Long Walk and is a beautiful three mile long avenue that starts at the gates of Windsor Castle and seems to disappear on the horizon and you look away from the Castle. It takes a little bit of a walk through the streets of Windsor to find it and if you don't know it's there, it would be very easy to miss. This long straight road is lined with two huge stretches of green grass and trees, the perfect place to eat lunch and wait for the Queen to pass as she heads out of the Castle and back to Buckingham Palace in London. And that is just what we did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We bought some Cornish Pasties (one of our favorite quick lunches in England) and a sausage roll for Ellie at a shop in town and found ourselves a spot in the shade on the great, green lawn outside the Castle (yes, occasionally the sun does actually get hot enough in England that you seek the shade of a tree). And we waited for the Queen to pass by. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And we waited... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And we waited some more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When we were done with our Pasties and sausage rolls and she still hadn't passed by, we walked up the Royal Mile for a ways, wondering along the way if either Prince William or Prince Harry were playing in the cricket match we could see from a distance that was taking place inside the Castle grounds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But still no Queen. Now, I was fully prepared to sit there for as long as it took to see her pass by, but we did still have a two hour drive home after being gone for a week on holiday in Germany and Switzerland so reluctantly, we decided to leave having seen no Queen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Oh well, I can't complain. I got to spend the day at Windsor Castle, something I have always wanted to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we passed back through the gate that ran along the edge of the green lawn, we walked right into a birthday party...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A birthday party for the Queen in fact...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Although the Queen wasn't actually there. Queen Elizabeth II you see had turned
90 just a couple months before our visit to Windsor Castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is the longest reigning monarch in British history. Now, one of the many many privledges of being the
Queen of England is that you don’t get just one birthday each year, you get
two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Yes, that is correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>April 21 is the Queen’s “actual” birth day, but she also gets an "official" birthday which this year happened to be Saturday, the 11th of June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why, you ask, does the Queen need an actual
and "official" birthday?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, the answer
is quite simple and can be blamed on the notoriously unreliable British
weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to the weather, June just seems like it would be the better month to try and hold birthday celebrations outside. And that is just what the British like to do for hte Queen's birthday, and this year in particular because turning 90 it a very big deal. Towns both large and small all across the UK would be
shutting down their main streets on June 11 to host gigantic town picnics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this “official” birthday was still
a week away when we visited Windsor Castle, there were already celebrations
going on in the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that's what was happening here, right outside the gates of the castle, and although small in
size when compared to the celebrations that would take place the following weekend, it was a pretty good representation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> British flags and food, wine and cake. All to celebrate their Queen. And they had picked a pretty darn nice day to do!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Funny note about that next
Saturday, the 11th of June:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It rained, a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">This is my friend Sara and her family who celebrated the Queen's "official" birthday in a town we lived near, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It was rainy and cold, but that didn't really matter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">They still joined all their British friends outside, setting up tables in the streets of the town and having their picnic in honor of the Queen
while huddled under umbrellas, because that's just what you do in England. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">You can try to outsmart the weather by moving an outdoor celebration to June, but in England, it is anything but a sure bet. </span></span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-83038966152145557492016-12-22T05:47:00.002-08:002016-12-22T05:47:46.550-08:00Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We’ve been
back home in the USA now for nearly five months and I still have a bunch of
posts to do on the rest of our time in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We spent two weeks traveling around France, including a stop in Paris, a
long weekend in Prague, visited Windsor Castle, Hadrian’s Wall, Isaac Newton’s
home and the Harry Potter studios where the movies were made, and we capped off
our time in Europe with one last trip that took us back to Switzerland to hike
along a glacier, experience summertime on Lake Como in Italy, and ended in the
French Alps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So please check back in the
new year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will get back to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the meantime, I’m going to finish my preparations for Christmas which
have kept me from blogging for the past few weeks and then sit back and enjoy
the holiday break with family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So to
anyone who may still be reading this, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and
will see you in the new year!</span><br />
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-69648786573701870222016-11-22T12:22:00.000-08:002016-11-22T12:23:47.034-08:00Four Countries in One Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There were only two days left on our
vacation, but over the course of the next 12 hours our journey would take us through four countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. You can do this in Europe, set foot in four countries in one day, especially when some of those countries are rather small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Our day started in Germany. </span>Eric got up early that morning, as he usually does on our trips, and snuck out of our cozy apartment in Pfronten and headed out for one last drive through the Bavarian countryside. He found his way back to Mad Ludwig's castle, and I can't blame him. This most famous of German castles is something to see sitting up on it's perch nestled between the Bavarian mountains. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But he also saw this...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And this...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbp8JZkbIj36oTWUmwzdTCALBA8udfw6d9Q7s0PSzSlaCiqZHHE0hVvyDhXNDfc5aAB8aMHQhhB0vGbgnpBQjhpxofUMQa04xOHrBVl4l4y-xE4VRNIP-m5wzgPZz9KBueW1T4Esm-6Sy/s1600/20160603-IMG_6784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbp8JZkbIj36oTWUmwzdTCALBA8udfw6d9Q7s0PSzSlaCiqZHHE0hVvyDhXNDfc5aAB8aMHQhhB0vGbgnpBQjhpxofUMQa04xOHrBVl4l4y-xE4VRNIP-m5wzgPZz9KBueW1T4Esm-6Sy/s400/20160603-IMG_6784.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Such incredibly beautiful
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0maswGKs4zJiqKooh1zxNcxTUW0QWx02fk6fjz8djfCxCwA6Y8fjKQqU2uCVV3emzNunrGwgLp5I5pf0T1KVe7bTArlAmDRSutpQ6yayZGmkM-ikPzflADOn5JUti2MG_f7zwT6PtLe-/s1600/20160603-IMG_6834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0maswGKs4zJiqKooh1zxNcxTUW0QWx02fk6fjz8djfCxCwA6Y8fjKQqU2uCVV3emzNunrGwgLp5I5pf0T1KVe7bTArlAmDRSutpQ6yayZGmkM-ikPzflADOn5JUti2MG_f7zwT6PtLe-/s400/20160603-IMG_6834.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Those gentle giants we saw and heard over and over again standing knee deep in the lush green Bavarian grass with nary a care in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I was excited to visit
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Despite our reluctance to move on, we packed our things and waved goodbye to our lovely little Bavarian apartment and the town of Pfronten. But my sadness didn't last long that morning because within a few minutes we had crossed into Austria and had to pull over for some more cows. Yes, we may seem a little obsessed here with the dairy herds, but these cows are really beautiful. First of all, look at the setting they get to live in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I mean come on! Can you have any more of a stress free life than spending your day grazing in the rolling hills of the Austrian Alps while listening to the rush of the water in the mountain creek nearby? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYwK7DsMAXwaHD7FtelT1ASahro31x3p87UM-O6i2rDfVXx2VcrufW1qCnJrm2eFhTCyJnHM7TzfaxlfrvvaMXWgI7wvYvdQZ8slSO2R2A93gdNo8rO-PMoGoDGyc1wQH1sX5FYRGOBO3/s1600/20160603-IMG_6901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYwK7DsMAXwaHD7FtelT1ASahro31x3p87UM-O6i2rDfVXx2VcrufW1qCnJrm2eFhTCyJnHM7TzfaxlfrvvaMXWgI7wvYvdQZ8slSO2R2A93gdNo8rO-PMoGoDGyc1wQH1sX5FYRGOBO3/s400/20160603-IMG_6901.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And these cows were unlike any we've ever seen. These are Allgau
brown cows, specific to this region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had never seen cattle of this color before, a soft color that sits somewhere between gray
and brown, much different from the black and white herds we are use to seeing back in the states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the summer, they graze on
lush alpine grass higher up in the mountains which gives their milk a unique flavor, making it and the products made from it quite popular. And those bells, that delightful jingling we heard over and over and over again. Now, to be honest, I wondered if that bothered the cows. I don't think I would like an object that jingled every time I moved wrapped around my neck. But these cows didn't seem any worse for wear. They seemed positively unconcerned about the bells. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We continued on, driving through a valley heading deeper into the Austrian Alps and following the river Lech. The limestone rock combined
with the cold alpine waters makes this river the most intriguing milky color, and of course we didn't get very far before we once again pulled over for some photos...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5wOFEMUreqzc5UaHutsowgkUPjovJ8J2mHzymnyMBocHT8vKbtCbTxIniJT1AbUc4U8U22zeDADDTDi3TuWIYUsGKDChJL2emz1t119j72R1wj4IQ2HIWLfBXIJ3dpfKR865pCGRcI5H/s1600/20160603-IMG_6995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5wOFEMUreqzc5UaHutsowgkUPjovJ8J2mHzymnyMBocHT8vKbtCbTxIniJT1AbUc4U8U22zeDADDTDi3TuWIYUsGKDChJL2emz1t119j72R1wj4IQ2HIWLfBXIJ3dpfKR865pCGRcI5H/s400/20160603-IMG_6995.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And some fun. The huge fluffy white heads of these huge dandelions were just too much to resist.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHUC78cJFFYB5HBd3ar1Kw3QQDUIj1K_J9pb54IW96aUEa1M1iFIkh6Ieze3QVwKGBZmfNWcu50jABkF0kPg6QoH-R8HfWZ7l9J9WPzZ52eTYTHXqvixoJ_EoDmAB8rHa8fiBC_kTfSFd/s1600/20160603-IMG_7007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHUC78cJFFYB5HBd3ar1Kw3QQDUIj1K_J9pb54IW96aUEa1M1iFIkh6Ieze3QVwKGBZmfNWcu50jABkF0kPg6QoH-R8HfWZ7l9J9WPzZ52eTYTHXqvixoJ_EoDmAB8rHa8fiBC_kTfSFd/s400/20160603-IMG_7007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Soon we continued on, bumping into one small town after another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGySPcUITPlmvhk0WvUlpRGXTFiFYGQ11E8nZy4-cyVA6xmBBj91V2s5oC3-eY13huf3PsrlFbR1AlnaFTJVqCj2713IvICUzXzizyMeNf89usuT_b3Q4z8qjfMKqHDF-GJ3Pg7Q7iJsK/s1600/20160603-IMG_7105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGySPcUITPlmvhk0WvUlpRGXTFiFYGQ11E8nZy4-cyVA6xmBBj91V2s5oC3-eY13huf3PsrlFbR1AlnaFTJVqCj2713IvICUzXzizyMeNf89usuT_b3Q4z8qjfMKqHDF-GJ3Pg7Q7iJsK/s400/20160603-IMG_7105.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">By small, I mean most were not more than a
few blocks long, if that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stopped to
take a short walk through one, the few buildings lining the narrow, main road through town was the entire town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZmNqthLx2WswhyphenhyphenJYgSpUq1YG6V-YoH3fuWYVk-SlRAkh9T36sj2WpEvTzZmJE3Z66v-Ca35T6XY6z8GhXOc9Uapp_oTI2ZuyvTivB9Tenh-BJ7yFwh-GvWLtJcpq6S72wi74aG2uSf4l/s1600/20160603-IMG_7083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZmNqthLx2WswhyphenhyphenJYgSpUq1YG6V-YoH3fuWYVk-SlRAkh9T36sj2WpEvTzZmJE3Z66v-Ca35T6XY6z8GhXOc9Uapp_oTI2ZuyvTivB9Tenh-BJ7yFwh-GvWLtJcpq6S72wi74aG2uSf4l/s400/20160603-IMG_7083.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But despite it's tiny size and population, there was a church, a small chapel that the road wrapped
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigww7vI_wKK_BAjLOiRMrLUhinXZN_Uzg0As2dY6jOWrpd0neYxse09Dbaw40LZ6DD6KbfQR1BuZIwJVCOdu_2hkzq52CJ6feMLcKxdjNuLGXldPMkU4_xzFQzDebbBttyZdQPZfHh511I/s1600/20160603-IMG_7172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigww7vI_wKK_BAjLOiRMrLUhinXZN_Uzg0As2dY6jOWrpd0neYxse09Dbaw40LZ6DD6KbfQR1BuZIwJVCOdu_2hkzq52CJ6feMLcKxdjNuLGXldPMkU4_xzFQzDebbBttyZdQPZfHh511I/s400/20160603-IMG_7172.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In fact every town we passed
through, no matter how small, had a church, and often the route of the road through town was dictated by the placement of the church. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As happened over and over again on our travels through Germany and now into Austria, when we stepped inside one of these rural Austrian churches so modestly decorated on the outside, we were simply amazed by the
interiors… </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFbb6BVmBrFKPJD7SQkJ4yGlTCkDsCgG3Mo8Lg1qfs0krM4XKOSw0VCNular5JrjzcK-IO7x3Ve7ZdUF_4J-_57W_qH4Ns4CZzGrFGs4Ota50Jp-51wRHDRcnwL0o-EZRdvc6Q7gSRey8/s1600/20160603-IMG_7054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFbb6BVmBrFKPJD7SQkJ4yGlTCkDsCgG3Mo8Lg1qfs0krM4XKOSw0VCNular5JrjzcK-IO7x3Ve7ZdUF_4J-_57W_qH4Ns4CZzGrFGs4Ota50Jp-51wRHDRcnwL0o-EZRdvc6Q7gSRey8/s400/20160603-IMG_7054.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The paintings on the ceilings…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV7EoVXLuz71xYM8gttYyyK9ARftD-RsR8ZOxx1DNxJlJUk4pPHiEkga3nebcA9pikRZx5pw5GHVWfBKlZGncm7KKQlAc5ky10Np7q-PddEg_VvDbQw4X2HL41zVF8d7xznsLys_1WHv_/s1600/20160603-IMG_7056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV7EoVXLuz71xYM8gttYyyK9ARftD-RsR8ZOxx1DNxJlJUk4pPHiEkga3nebcA9pikRZx5pw5GHVWfBKlZGncm7KKQlAc5ky10Np7q-PddEg_VvDbQw4X2HL41zVF8d7xznsLys_1WHv_/s400/20160603-IMG_7056.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the ornately decorated
alters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGZ_JoQNjNgbib2Mrhjs0KRWGORBJx3mP656MzQPiZPT2J9QYNEoYQbLU2V1mS0pFsZ2fuPGTP5BhOL23hxd0UnNng_zs9XgtwmoV4kYUcDan0BrnsLAI2oskoHflHZtTDExD2StOMwAk/s1600/20160603-IMG_7086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGZ_JoQNjNgbib2Mrhjs0KRWGORBJx3mP656MzQPiZPT2J9QYNEoYQbLU2V1mS0pFsZ2fuPGTP5BhOL23hxd0UnNng_zs9XgtwmoV4kYUcDan0BrnsLAI2oskoHflHZtTDExD2StOMwAk/s400/20160603-IMG_7086.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">What a spectacular drive…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFT3xbYIBqGnmV7JObq0re4LTkyL_QhtmUj3gtHp8Sc9lUMK5dHAT7ZsfiFzirR9F7-k1WIKKFhALkJfTLAnJ8t6Ub8LP4bZpuga6XRqYTJSnGffu8CsW9TnMpT0TXKA7Q-AUo6GaJ-QS/s1600/20160603-IMG_7210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFT3xbYIBqGnmV7JObq0re4LTkyL_QhtmUj3gtHp8Sc9lUMK5dHAT7ZsfiFzirR9F7-k1WIKKFhALkJfTLAnJ8t6Ub8LP4bZpuga6XRqYTJSnGffu8CsW9TnMpT0TXKA7Q-AUo6GaJ-QS/s400/20160603-IMG_7210.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">through a spectacular country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But there was more to see
that day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e88E-cedjVSeGkepiIrFUKkvzAbLG8waj8wtBFvAF0zB7XgGsdx7hQ9GyNQIDrLiKTP5dScIQEjwQySAEsyI0keWY7okyLdTmMLQRHBfHZYgYb9RdqjK7-udshYp7TKNruRVeiVg6UVd/s1600/20160603-IMG_7221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e88E-cedjVSeGkepiIrFUKkvzAbLG8waj8wtBFvAF0zB7XgGsdx7hQ9GyNQIDrLiKTP5dScIQEjwQySAEsyI0keWY7okyLdTmMLQRHBfHZYgYb9RdqjK7-udshYp7TKNruRVeiVg6UVd/s400/20160603-IMG_7221.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">From Austria, we passed into one of the smallest
countries in Europe, Liechtenstein, with a population of approximately 37,000
and covering a mere 62 square miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3bIsPfZBT-j0H-pNHFH2MfOCirVuzGXz8__OLVzcanOl9-Oy6sj8yA8Xtef-QxOJhrOAvwOBXhJM1bkmvk5hFMSkgjos0WOtl-30VYAO1RruTt1RhrefsfDkC0JtowO_qWLfjqCjn30I/s1600/20160603-IMG_7222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3bIsPfZBT-j0H-pNHFH2MfOCirVuzGXz8__OLVzcanOl9-Oy6sj8yA8Xtef-QxOJhrOAvwOBXhJM1bkmvk5hFMSkgjos0WOtl-30VYAO1RruTt1RhrefsfDkC0JtowO_qWLfjqCjn30I/s400/20160603-IMG_7222.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This tiny country is long and skinny and we were driving across it the short way. </span>Needless to say, it didn’t take us long to get through Liechtenstein... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwTQP7ZIevNY9s2YJTRI64pIoHhOeWp8XFXDdoglzxaFETgRrzcBp6hBIHDIkDX511NvLCwq9NyEMAIU8M8kyikFu9iKbgT6RdPa1xOfaykW3pL2jPxNv_YyYErZjDUzrXPa94MVjLERf/s1600/20160603-IMG_7230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwTQP7ZIevNY9s2YJTRI64pIoHhOeWp8XFXDdoglzxaFETgRrzcBp6hBIHDIkDX511NvLCwq9NyEMAIU8M8kyikFu9iKbgT6RdPa1xOfaykW3pL2jPxNv_YyYErZjDUzrXPa94MVjLERf/s400/20160603-IMG_7230.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Literally 20 minutes, maybe.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpGEsOwYfcvk2p5fPbtlmV1wm_MkTZFb_ZlUtjaMM8jHukpqIVZ_3LdArwWQAqBX364tTPVqf6ob9sdBGm199z79bthU3pdscqRw7RIByOBErkZMq1Uk9zb8dBV72w6WYMsiU5R8Lfo1D/s1600/20160603-IMG_7237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpGEsOwYfcvk2p5fPbtlmV1wm_MkTZFb_ZlUtjaMM8jHukpqIVZ_3LdArwWQAqBX364tTPVqf6ob9sdBGm199z79bthU3pdscqRw7RIByOBErkZMq1Uk9zb8dBV72w6WYMsiU5R8Lfo1D/s400/20160603-IMG_7237.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I don't know in these next few photos where Liechtenstein ended and Switzerland began. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF-wzHk-7OOJAZuKULd3p4ZbqKSBV7efbk13tLHKQrIEtTZI0bprJ72VNtSYyZ6vmTJJm0Bgg__6AmfWaE7nhhIJ9J9bbH5UKw3O5RvJsKIphMZVbn-cp_LN1sbIAoYp_M9CCJEawOWCT/s1600/20160603-IMG_7244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF-wzHk-7OOJAZuKULd3p4ZbqKSBV7efbk13tLHKQrIEtTZI0bprJ72VNtSYyZ6vmTJJm0Bgg__6AmfWaE7nhhIJ9J9bbH5UKw3O5RvJsKIphMZVbn-cp_LN1sbIAoYp_M9CCJEawOWCT/s400/20160603-IMG_7244.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Both countries look the same, and often in Europe you cross the border from one country into another and don't even know it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">We had plugged our final destination into the GPS, as we had done numerous times before while traveling by car through Europe. And every time it had gotten us to our destination, until this day. By late afternoon, we were following its' guidance across the Swiss countryside heading towards the town we had plugged into it, but a GPS is only as good as the information we humans enter, and on this particular day, our information had been wrong. Well, not entirely. We had plugged in the correct town name, only, there was more than one town by that name in Switzerland, something we hadn't realized when we had chosen the wrong town from the choices on the screen that afternoon. After a couple of hours, the GPS signaled that we had reached our final destination and we found ourselves well out in the country on the side of a hill on a narrow road barely wider than our car with not a hotel in sight. In fact there wasn't much of anything in sight but some farms and cows of course. After driving around for several minutes trying to figure out what we had done wrong, we pulled out the paper map and discovered our mistake - there were in fact two towns in Switzerland with the same name. Even though the scenery that day had been stunning, it was now early evening, the drive had been long and we were ready to get out of the car and rest. Only our hotel was nowhere in the vicinity. All was not lost though, if you can find a silver lining in this little snafu. We plugged the correct destination into the GPS and were a mixture of happy and deflated. First reaction - our hotel was only 1 1/2 hours away. Yeah! It could have been much worse. Reaction number two - Ugh. Our hotel is another 1 1/2 hours drive away!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Well, we had no choice so off we went, seeing more of the Swiss countryside than we had expected to see that day. We were all starving as it was into the evening now, so we stopped at the easiest and quickest place we could find for a bite to eat - McDonalds. I'm not proud of this fact. Not exactly the first meal I had wished to have in Switzerland, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. The irony though is that we had to economy shop the menu at McDonalds of all places because holy cow Swiss McDonalds are expensive, like everything in Switzerland, so we weren't all that surprised, but this was McDonalds. We bought in bulk in an attempt to keep the cost down - no happy meals today girls. Sorry! We all shared a 20 piece Chicken McNugget, one order of french fries (which are listed as pommes frites on the Swiss McDonalds menu and although that makes them sound fancy, their price isn't fancy at all), and one medium soda. In the US, a 20 piece Chicken McNuggets cost $4.99. In Switzerland, it costs $15.90, triple the price. Ouch!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Anywho, we trekked on and even though the drive through the countryside on narrow twisting and turning roads through a very beautiful but rural setting for the last half hour of this drive also left us wondering if we were heading in the right direction, we finally rounded a bend at the top of a beautiful Swiss hill and there it was, the family run guesthouse we would be spending the night at. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Mc2KiNEhC96KpKG-BhkcUlS-5cnsqPAgj0ELsZEcgmarIhSazBB8T2ITgzP0ARTzox1LtU7kY1PSjL7u_rqdrG1zKxlAY2ocg-40nTpD1_rBxHQkV4Cj9KkjC5drguJYnTE77-jw4l7I/s1600/20160603-IMG_7272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Mc2KiNEhC96KpKG-BhkcUlS-5cnsqPAgj0ELsZEcgmarIhSazBB8T2ITgzP0ARTzox1LtU7kY1PSjL7u_rqdrG1zKxlAY2ocg-40nTpD1_rBxHQkV4Cj9KkjC5drguJYnTE77-jw4l7I/s400/20160603-IMG_7272.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">A beautiful sight indeed after our long day and misdirection. And a surprise as well. First of all, the inn was huge despite it's very rural setting. There were only simple houses and farms for as far as the eye could see. But this building houses not only the guest rooms, but a restaurant, bakery and the living quarters for the family that runs it as well. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFdN7_NiYVhtFUdFAwBAjH5fOXfTp8K98xL-UpA57qB3l7qYFLnRNPun5x8BV5GXTpbeDvxo0dUc1uAjpTxC8OSQvDuwCVg9UNv2PJMYcFLfvg3s_2_8k-hQp1Kgaw8HsK35-4U7659-q/s1600/20160604-IMG_7827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFdN7_NiYVhtFUdFAwBAjH5fOXfTp8K98xL-UpA57qB3l7qYFLnRNPun5x8BV5GXTpbeDvxo0dUc1uAjpTxC8OSQvDuwCVg9UNv2PJMYcFLfvg3s_2_8k-hQp1Kgaw8HsK35-4U7659-q/s400/20160604-IMG_7827.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Our room was large, dated, and very simply furnished, but very, very clean.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4LDKhYpjLwaUBGWgn_HrFtix-CcYxqxov95LsWBJVM8HT0xP8tIgQ_ahPUPGR2-NJDAtymBW2IZ1-Ml0pvHRj2ktems3l9fjekQPXEGPhv8eFpZ9r3UWu24KUQBgorg2dKwZ312JVFDP/s1600/20160604-IMG_7710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4LDKhYpjLwaUBGWgn_HrFtix-CcYxqxov95LsWBJVM8HT0xP8tIgQ_ahPUPGR2-NJDAtymBW2IZ1-Ml0pvHRj2ktems3l9fjekQPXEGPhv8eFpZ9r3UWu24KUQBgorg2dKwZ312JVFDP/s320/20160604-IMG_7710.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The girls slept in an adjacent room, or more like a large cubbyhole in the wall. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7l7TcQi1MjMiWyZch0vOM9v_gJFjb_XMpNFb7rNQvY9YnKu5qtF3JSxOwBdSfOcLskC1U7Zze_k0N3qOmtMo-lONfckD0EH0IvEzd26T7rRWxbFC2t0Q3DJ-5TzrOfsDPTBVkXxGqpAI/s1600/20160604-IMG_7712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7l7TcQi1MjMiWyZch0vOM9v_gJFjb_XMpNFb7rNQvY9YnKu5qtF3JSxOwBdSfOcLskC1U7Zze_k0N3qOmtMo-lONfckD0EH0IvEzd26T7rRWxbFC2t0Q3DJ-5TzrOfsDPTBVkXxGqpAI/s400/20160604-IMG_7712.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">They loved it! It was like their own secret hideout. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">But what really blew us away about this first place we stayed in Switzerland was the incredible view from the top of the hill that this humble and modest guesthouse stands on. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3bAA_x2hc1R5-8T1TWtqqBFLMLMVExS8Ck_aUhF8g4kPBta2PS85_XIaBsiuZynWGa1G1II2C2ju099XVqfUcMruh9JW7TRDD1WbEO32-FydmboG-rbAXINogUMRhxJkuuD8puwHyQXJ/s1600/20160604-IMG_7432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3bAA_x2hc1R5-8T1TWtqqBFLMLMVExS8Ck_aUhF8g4kPBta2PS85_XIaBsiuZynWGa1G1II2C2ju099XVqfUcMruh9JW7TRDD1WbEO32-FydmboG-rbAXINogUMRhxJkuuD8puwHyQXJ/s640/20160604-IMG_7432.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Just a short walk up the road from the inn and you reach the very top of this hill, and in every direction you turn...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Rolling green hills, farms, and moutains... </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT48hBCMUxrTokysahrSqsqcVMK3hUJif9PHyhgvVthFTLzADNPrOBp6x6aN9Pu78jO0ro-Xoqoz0snoZVVoczOsGp5i4PKRePZxY6NY7sZVrLaONZ4ivCA8KoRIAYkvoqj1pehZlQQCW/s1600/IMG_20160604_131319306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT48hBCMUxrTokysahrSqsqcVMK3hUJif9PHyhgvVthFTLzADNPrOBp6x6aN9Pu78jO0ro-Xoqoz0snoZVVoczOsGp5i4PKRePZxY6NY7sZVrLaONZ4ivCA8KoRIAYkvoqj1pehZlQQCW/s640/IMG_20160604_131319306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Majestic, breathtaking mountains, some still covered in late spring snow. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8V20kpOZEsHo7MCXPTbcX3lkHd7QVpCukmIqQqzJEJ1bSGhf1OE7zvebXoHqOH3jcHcGUi9RStV2TPFgrAopigaYaiaCk7Uqnst4GC5tVNbm_7ZUTHAn1PoEFmHm6zPz2Lh9K375fqfk/s1600/20160604-IMG_7450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8V20kpOZEsHo7MCXPTbcX3lkHd7QVpCukmIqQqzJEJ1bSGhf1OE7zvebXoHqOH3jcHcGUi9RStV2TPFgrAopigaYaiaCk7Uqnst4GC5tVNbm_7ZUTHAn1PoEFmHm6zPz2Lh9K375fqfk/s400/20160604-IMG_7450.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This is the Switzerland I have always imagined. We had no idea this inn would be located in such a setting. What an awesome surprise! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And those cows again...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlcZFJ02tZvf1pt9K27TKbDG7WdTNZsQ7MKKw8gbwAOnoDGOEZcEAs0-0ZSkpfk1UJh6-X8eXFXqw8J2Gfd-cZb7BCkoCgLe45higCIOksK9f-acof6QSurjep1QuBvm93wcmlkt2XeRk/s1600/20160604-IMG_7540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlcZFJ02tZvf1pt9K27TKbDG7WdTNZsQ7MKKw8gbwAOnoDGOEZcEAs0-0ZSkpfk1UJh6-X8eXFXqw8J2Gfd-cZb7BCkoCgLe45higCIOksK9f-acof6QSurjep1QuBvm93wcmlkt2XeRk/s400/20160604-IMG_7540.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">It just makes me shake my head to think that the cows get to see this picture each and everyday as they graze away on the lush grass. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhFbpXUnFQmx8DYAc7F7Wcf-DGcB4UDcGaHDVAC6bzcwuZAlI1izOhE5GPtPdyouhNhBMO5xyFNjtpwCQIdO6cX9mwgygW9NUsWGDmUhAMyvpe1eOorA1CFNM9p5OtM0hHl35aELK9yRG/s1600/20160604-IMG_7602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhFbpXUnFQmx8DYAc7F7Wcf-DGcB4UDcGaHDVAC6bzcwuZAlI1izOhE5GPtPdyouhNhBMO5xyFNjtpwCQIdO6cX9mwgygW9NUsWGDmUhAMyvpe1eOorA1CFNM9p5OtM0hHl35aELK9yRG/s400/20160604-IMG_7602.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We
Americans would pay an obscene amount of money to have a house or cabin
in the Alps but these creatures get to call this place home for free.
Well, I guess they do have to give up their milk twice a day and you
could consider that payment, but these cows are spending their lives how
cows should, eating grass and looking positively lazy while doing it. </span>I don't suppose they appreciate how lucky they are.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjmJRa6WJ4KwqBFsEcaugc2fN6yhi5fCaOPJC532u-rV6xpUMutsRbtGvlXmMsf3CW1pTjFyDacjP5YrgVFoSHJy771SfLP6cLRWNs8pSDYK1R35ezEDqZKkDFNm_VHhXgaJL1z15Yl1e/s1600/20160604-IMG_7646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjmJRa6WJ4KwqBFsEcaugc2fN6yhi5fCaOPJC532u-rV6xpUMutsRbtGvlXmMsf3CW1pTjFyDacjP5YrgVFoSHJy771SfLP6cLRWNs8pSDYK1R35ezEDqZKkDFNm_VHhXgaJL1z15Yl1e/s400/20160604-IMG_7646.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">We had arrived that evening too late for dinner in the restaurant which I greatly regret because I would have loved to have seen and tasted what this family that runs the guesthouse/restaurant/bakery has to offer. The head chef and baker is a friendly 70 or so year old man with a head full of white hair that perfectly matches the white chef's jacket he was wearing ever time we saw him. We may have missed dinner, but we did get to enjoy breakfast in the cozy dining room. It was a seemingly simple breakfast but sometimes it's the simplest foods, lovingly prepared with good ingredients, that are the best. Fresh breads and crossaints from the huge oven that jutted out into the dining room. Jars of jam, five or six different kinds, made in the same kitchen as the bread (the plum was the best jam I've ever had, but the rose hip I can only describe as interesting). And local cheese, yogurt and coffee. We could have ordered eggs as well, but when you have a table full of fresh bread and homemade jams in front of you, why bother with eggs. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">After breakfast, the bakery/head chef/inn keeper was kind enough to bring us back into the kitchen to see the bread oven. While the oven was originally woodburning, it's been converted to gas which means he doesn't have to get up quite so early every morning to get this behemoth heated up for the day's baking. He starts at about 4:00 am and it's early in the morning that the temperature inside the oven gets the hottest. He bakes a variety of breads and pastries, and the order in which he prepares and bakes this deliciousness is dictated by the heat of the oven. Items needing more heat are baked earlier in the morning, and later as the oven cools, the more delicate items are baked. When we were in the kitchen, he had individual apple strudels in the the oven. He asked if we wanted to see them. We eagerly nodded our heads yes, so from the corner of the kitchen he grabs a paddle, like a pizza paddle except that the handle was five or six or maybe even seven feet long. He opened the iron door on the oven and slowly inserted the long paddle deeper and deeper into the oven. This oven is so deep that there is no peaking to see if your bread looks done, usually signified by a lovely brown color. With this oven, the baker just knows when his creations are done. He simply uses his instincts and years of experience. He slowly extracted the long paddle from the oven, and after what seemed like an eternity of waiting to me, there emerged on the end of the paddle beautiful apple pastries. I wish we had been sticking around long enough to sink our teeth into one. But we didn't leave empty handed. Sitting out on the counter behind us was a tray of freshly baked braided bread. After checking out of the guesthouse, we walked out with a loaf of this fluffy still slighly warm bread under my arm. We didn't even make it to the car before the bag was open and everyone was grabbing for a piece of the braided bread. We had no butter or jam, but from the chorus of "oh my goshes" and "my goodnesses" that immediately erupted, we didn't need them. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Now, as you can tell from the pictures above, this guesthouse is located on top of a big hill out in the country down a narrow road with not a town in sight. So who, you may be wondering, exactly do they sell all of this delicious bread and other sweet confections to? Well, as we were checking out of the guesthouse, we were surprised when we turned around in the tiny, low ceilinged reception/bakery room to find a line of people waiting behind us. As we sat outside on the trunk of the car indulging in our own treat from this country bakery, we watched as these people emerged one by one with their bakery goods tucked under their arms. One turning left and heading up the hill, disappearing over the rise as he returned to his house on foot. Another woman got into her little car and headed up the hill as well. And it wasn't more than a minute or two before we watched as a young teenage boy walked up the hill from the farm in the other direction, disappeared into the guesthouse/bakery and reemerged a few moments later with his loaf of fresh bread. Such a simple thing - bread - gave us such a beautiful peak into everyday life in the mountains of Switzerland.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicCu653LTcJ_jxakk20P_F1QH9huCl9jzCH7MN22vf3iwO_t6wX6Lg9QfM-tlkG3oQRvG53kVvf7tywZdGnUNLDYy25Pvo3LNo7x6VGB5hw0OOUqj-BTGIUTMW7wYVbebGOHTvsp8xkh-/s1600/20160604-IMG_7491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicCu653LTcJ_jxakk20P_F1QH9huCl9jzCH7MN22vf3iwO_t6wX6Lg9QfM-tlkG3oQRvG53kVvf7tywZdGnUNLDYy25Pvo3LNo7x6VGB5hw0OOUqj-BTGIUTMW7wYVbebGOHTvsp8xkh-/s400/20160604-IMG_7491.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I leave you today with some more photos from Switzerland, from our walk around that hilltop with the bakery/guesthouse and from a Swiss town we stopped in for a couple of hours just to wander around. We didn't spend much time in Switzerland, but yet I feel we got a wonderful and beautiful glimpse of what it would be like to live there, at least in a rural setting. Peaceful, gorgeous, close to the earth, and with the kindness of neighbors who depend on each other. That seems pretty darn idyllic to me.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7p56Gv6DpNZ0JrTnc3Ps2liS1iFTZ3nD-Hzk7Qp2AGe11tU5JLVnfadpM1jwCODAZnxLLzomdyOqYH932bqNHJn4ecbD4_NkcECz6Z_OWX9ZZmSBCaj97sHar1CcMommdGnsYWTx_-LR/s1600/20160604-IMG_7659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7p56Gv6DpNZ0JrTnc3Ps2liS1iFTZ3nD-Hzk7Qp2AGe11tU5JLVnfadpM1jwCODAZnxLLzomdyOqYH932bqNHJn4ecbD4_NkcECz6Z_OWX9ZZmSBCaj97sHar1CcMommdGnsYWTx_-LR/s400/20160604-IMG_7659.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Okay, I lied, I have a little bit more that I just have to share about Switzerland. As we walked from the guesthouse up the road and over the top of the hill, we came upon this dairy farm. The worn brown building in the back is the barn, and immediately to the left of it and not showing in this picture sat the farm house. When we came back from our walk and passed the house again, they were bringing the cows into the barn, right past the house, and this is how they blocked the driveway to prevent their escape (that is the house sitting to the left in this photo with the window box full of red geraniums).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">What a funny sight! And a little further on, we watched as another farmer brought his cows into the barn as well, and they literally walked right through the yard to get there. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9JhO7RLej2-oNzRQb-dJ2P26-bKl92QzivY_Tequ4ZdKXAk713B2Qb1RckBFddmdaRVEWWOzQUka0uR76da5TSTvc5K83LC77vVqr6i_hlkBjpwfIHUiFaAZ_Ui_if5DQmIqoUobxnMj/s1600/20160604-IMG_7805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9JhO7RLej2-oNzRQb-dJ2P26-bKl92QzivY_Tequ4ZdKXAk713B2Qb1RckBFddmdaRVEWWOzQUka0uR76da5TSTvc5K83LC77vVqr6i_hlkBjpwfIHUiFaAZ_Ui_if5DQmIqoUobxnMj/s640/20160604-IMG_7805.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">After seeing all this quaintness in rural Switzerland, I have considered moving here and becoming a farmer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">As we walked and drove through the countryside, we would see these troughs filled with water over and over again, like this one that was sitting in front of the guesthouse. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Was it actually for the cows? Fresh drinking water? We never figured it out. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">On our walk, we passed several informational signs along the side of the road. They were in German so we couldn't tell exactly what they said, but each contained a picture, mainly of plants. It wasn't hard to figure out that they were educating the public on the native and maybe invasive plants found on this hilltop. But this one was a bit puzzling... </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And finally, the last thing I'll share and then I promise to be silent and let you just enjoy the rest of Switzerland. We stopped in a charming town on our drive back to France where we would be catching a plane early the next morning back to England, and in this town, we found a church with a cemetery next to it. We wandered through it for a bit, amazed by the beautiful and creative etchings on many of the headstones, like this one...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Piglets suckling from their mama. A pig farmer or someone with a great sense of humor? Maybe both. Obviously I didn't know this person, but it brought a smile to my face, and I bet that is was they intended.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Small church. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Medium church. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Big church.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Lots of churches.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And that my friends was our first glimpse of Switzerland. We will be back!</span></span><br />
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<br />Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-46427338921856747542016-11-02T07:35:00.000-07:002016-11-02T07:35:26.887-07:00The Perfect Place to Live in Bavaria<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was during our stay in the Bavarian region of Germany that I found
the town I would live in if ever I had the chance to pick a place to live in
Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s called Pfronten, and it’s
where we stayed while visiting Bavaria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaQnbUHlKNSmavBJPAgY29abF9JEOLabEaLhximI50qpobJ3TKUJaXHeVPqCHUiQIhif9iqEuWhgml95JU7HFcRLpizByg2bK8a8LmN0WmLKM5x3yrI74WrPJFMljCBRYSmMRqTM8Aeao/s1600/20160602-IMG_6374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaQnbUHlKNSmavBJPAgY29abF9JEOLabEaLhximI50qpobJ3TKUJaXHeVPqCHUiQIhif9iqEuWhgml95JU7HFcRLpizByg2bK8a8LmN0WmLKM5x3yrI74WrPJFMljCBRYSmMRqTM8Aeao/s400/20160602-IMG_6374.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In fact, I would have been happy to move right into the small apartment
we rented for a few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>It was cute...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0-HCzRKkBPe3C4n0RgWc0Hav9RRN4yC6f6M7IBLWL78L4Q4fpby44UVTPyd3ou2jN9b0JzAGsHU-NR9aWUThjrOeS0S-KNgbSMuIL1ukV4BrjyYW8lKRNw48jNqh8_e7VtYleM21Ju3s/s1600/20160603-IMG_6881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0-HCzRKkBPe3C4n0RgWc0Hav9RRN4yC6f6M7IBLWL78L4Q4fpby44UVTPyd3ou2jN9b0JzAGsHU-NR9aWUThjrOeS0S-KNgbSMuIL1ukV4BrjyYW8lKRNw48jNqh8_e7VtYleM21Ju3s/s400/20160603-IMG_6881.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the girls' bed and the couch.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Cozy...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and charming
(the three Cs). An interesting little tidbit about Europe - we found in Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg (and maybe Norway too but I can't remember for sure) that the double beds were often two twin size mattresses pushed together, but each would have it's own twin sized duvet. Brilliant! This really works out well when you have a husband who likes to steal all the covers when he's cold and push all the covers to the end of the bed when he's hot and you're not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Oh, and the view from the balcony of our little apartment is pretty darn hard to beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Do you see why I might like to live there?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I wouldn’t necessarily say that Pfronten was the cutest or most charming
town we’ve ever visited, but for me, it was just about the most perfect of
villages. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbV6X1H8oWfHOmTfpEF17O3onGb1NXlKdYWfpRoroz3p9IJJSwEEvpF4BaE00SWnza9lkT3NlVHAHTsuwdLmwaIPPKk2x5mLDgqd9fFhr0QRrShVEAKU8r983ezNa-fX7lnKNc6Cd6AmC/s1600/20160602-IMG_6318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbV6X1H8oWfHOmTfpEF17O3onGb1NXlKdYWfpRoroz3p9IJJSwEEvpF4BaE00SWnza9lkT3NlVHAHTsuwdLmwaIPPKk2x5mLDgqd9fFhr0QRrShVEAKU8r983ezNa-fX7lnKNc6Cd6AmC/s400/20160602-IMG_6318.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you find the castle?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Don’t get me wrong – it oozes cute and charming like many of the places we visited in Europe...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XX9PCYaRZ4G_CeHSQSnlNmW0zBfwhJKrZiw8bfbx4MtmvRSpP7F5uH4Py-LvjhhyphenhyphendpdbjtIwP3wI03OL2SNNo8PqL-Tq0Lo9F8J_SXRi2-gmpu_3GlETyV7UKKNiJWjtAEthI9si_VRS/s1600/20160601-IMG_6266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XX9PCYaRZ4G_CeHSQSnlNmW0zBfwhJKrZiw8bfbx4MtmvRSpP7F5uH4Py-LvjhhyphenhyphendpdbjtIwP3wI03OL2SNNo8PqL-Tq0Lo9F8J_SXRi2-gmpu_3GlETyV7UKKNiJWjtAEthI9si_VRS/s400/20160601-IMG_6266.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And it’s nestled amongst the hills on the
edge of the Alps which sure doesn't hurt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPVJBeXqqoDS-dVgZPA38-M02fgfGGfVj0SLvpHqGlh78u2KRdJMzKnIHnxnhqiA5YgXBZxinP1QoEOscjTD1Jk5kd6kn1f4nuxxReByaXhqtXe3kxniJmrNI5FDPZFB42xj8eWhcrmQv/s1600/20160602-IMG_6429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPVJBeXqqoDS-dVgZPA38-M02fgfGGfVj0SLvpHqGlh78u2KRdJMzKnIHnxnhqiA5YgXBZxinP1QoEOscjTD1Jk5kd6kn1f4nuxxReByaXhqtXe3kxniJmrNI5FDPZFB42xj8eWhcrmQv/s400/20160602-IMG_6429.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Cows graze in the spring fields right on the edge of town, the bells around their necks you could hear jiggling as you walk the streets of town. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR3-oT7decVO8o67ub28728kSN_cOJLcbkYu2y0a0knxXS3RJOVGkPwna6RdCmpZdbVlw1cfhmOE8KMxHYlkoggCXu7F-en4YudAUngwaOcHt4pIp0ZHs95hH_ep9-YSJR5jhM-_3dslN/s1600/20160602-IMG_6449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR3-oT7decVO8o67ub28728kSN_cOJLcbkYu2y0a0knxXS3RJOVGkPwna6RdCmpZdbVlw1cfhmOE8KMxHYlkoggCXu7F-en4YudAUngwaOcHt4pIp0ZHs95hH_ep9-YSJR5jhM-_3dslN/s400/20160602-IMG_6449.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But Pfronten isn't overly touristy at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt very much like just a real, genuine
Bavarian town, a place where everyday Bavarian’s call home, going to work or
school, tending their gardens, putting up wood for the cold winter...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Going to church on Sundays, and some even
keeping their horses right in the village. Pfronten just feels like a place where you could really put down roots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There was an adorable
bakery that Eric walked to every morning to fetch fresh pastries and
bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Down in the valley below the
apartment we rented we watched and heard a small train going back and forth
between Pfronten and the other small towns that inhabit the same valley further
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And beside the train tracks sits a
walking and biking trail which you can also use to get between the villages
along this section of the Bavarian Alps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we walked the streets of Pfronten one rainy day during our stay, we
came across a tiny, rather nondescript chapel, at least on the outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The door was unlocked and as we poked our head inside, we were met with this sight...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71Dvzr1hg9ZkY0dr2U0HDOXrkLecCu9sbCCpErDnuwGatOqn8e-LgVWPmuqAKMPiO9DDBsKcbq5srNEsZEEgZf5LxfhrsKRhfF4GPPvPHTw1-DEYjDhQWyGU_k1o52P_s2VclE7lW5OJ5/s1600/20160602-IMG_6356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71Dvzr1hg9ZkY0dr2U0HDOXrkLecCu9sbCCpErDnuwGatOqn8e-LgVWPmuqAKMPiO9DDBsKcbq5srNEsZEEgZf5LxfhrsKRhfF4GPPvPHTw1-DEYjDhQWyGU_k1o52P_s2VclE7lW5OJ5/s400/20160602-IMG_6356.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And beautiful hand carved short wooden pews. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Even the tiny little balcony that you reached by a narrow stairway was beautifully painted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Further up the same quiet street, we came across a dilapidated wooden shed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doors were open as if inviting you in,
and inside the very rustic barn-like interior was some farming and milking items on display.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we slowly walked through looking at
the antiques used in the past to raise goats, cows and probably sheep, we spied
a door at the very back that looked like it went into a little shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sure enough, as we crossed the threshold, we were greeted by the smell
of cheese wafting from behind the glass display case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside the case sat beautiful blocks of local artisan cheeses, a mixture of goat, sheep and cow cheeses, one in particular of
which caught my eye immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
see, the day before, on the advice of the lady who’s apartment we were renting,
we had lunched at what turned out to be one of my favorite places we ate at
during our entire two year stay in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a brewery called Braugasthof Falkenstein which I will tell you more about in a
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we took our table by the window
in the cozy Bavarian interior of this restaurant/brewery, the waitress walked passed on her way to deliver a simple but deliciously looking salad to the table next to us. As we perused the menu, I
just couldn’t get that beautiful salad out of my mind because you see, on
this salad, sitting next to some delicious looking bread, were three good size
chunks of what I was pretty sure was goat cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while living in Europe, I had developed a love affair with deliciously soft and creamy goat cheese.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4l8Xd0mKCKTVB469eBz-Szm_E3QCByCyfx12Nt_Kxj3jUhDr_jK_WekCGbDZiDHsW-x8U1SQkQMXCt35ZZf3OSeg0fTaT6HFFkFDNscCVBRbctoaDUjt3_BEg6UInmrtK2br1UTU4qQy/s1600/IMG_20160602_131011930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4l8Xd0mKCKTVB469eBz-Szm_E3QCByCyfx12Nt_Kxj3jUhDr_jK_WekCGbDZiDHsW-x8U1SQkQMXCt35ZZf3OSeg0fTaT6HFFkFDNscCVBRbctoaDUjt3_BEg6UInmrtK2br1UTU4qQy/s400/IMG_20160602_131011930.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A quick search through the menu and sure enough, there is was, a salad with a local alpine goat
cheese. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goats graze in
the hills right above this town. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
ordered the salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I took the first
bite of the creamy soft cheese – well, let’s just say I thought I had died and gone to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the
dreamiest cheese I have ever eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
when we entered that cheese shop just down the road from the brewery the very next day, there it
was again on display in the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
bought some and for lunch later that day, we had dreamy alpine goat cheese on
fresh bread with fresh local strawberries on the side – in the middle of the
mountains...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVq9vHY3aJYCkksNF2mH80k4aC3fuerQOplRJjJBBwbwaMK4z3RuP2gTv59cUNrHF7NDa0Juo9Iz6Ew_X8rAi_o6irw-DKRoHhOY1PDYKaLnt21AhzOWShdhRy1Bz2Y2IZsUkURVuQM7H/s1600/20160603-IMG_7151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVq9vHY3aJYCkksNF2mH80k4aC3fuerQOplRJjJBBwbwaMK4z3RuP2gTv59cUNrHF7NDa0Juo9Iz6Ew_X8rAi_o6irw-DKRoHhOY1PDYKaLnt21AhzOWShdhRy1Bz2Y2IZsUkURVuQM7H/s400/20160603-IMG_7151.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Man I love Europe!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway, back to the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The small chapel I shared with you above wasn't the only church in Pfronten. Several times during our stay we would hear the bells ringing across the valley from this church...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpve-PeiQ6DOrYTDvma3QtG4zgUuWveTkRqFi-Sf1ipbSGZTzqWDRqsQ7QcW87Nk8vJFSYfjWK2FdrrD2C391RgFe7c79Yeg-CS8gmKrzp9dsoK0Dsq4X2pwx7b1IZyOsOgcX-PS_-ALd/s1600/20160602-IMG_6423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpve-PeiQ6DOrYTDvma3QtG4zgUuWveTkRqFi-Sf1ipbSGZTzqWDRqsQ7QcW87Nk8vJFSYfjWK2FdrrD2C391RgFe7c79Yeg-CS8gmKrzp9dsoK0Dsq4X2pwx7b1IZyOsOgcX-PS_-ALd/s400/20160602-IMG_6423.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Much larger than the first but still relatively small compared to most of the churches we visited in Europe. But again, once inside, we were blown away by the interior. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijozs-mFPzNn3iYCEqpRd8NKMjIK-HJc9-F8cMZRRpX7LLNEv6tpvKiMp2S4alTnVsm2AhKTLXrmhsfEIKZJITx-pjJiqFPdYlKopiQfHITirifhTrT7OXjJPY5Ygo4AXcqCan7MOOka2A/s1600/20160602-IMG_6437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijozs-mFPzNn3iYCEqpRd8NKMjIK-HJc9-F8cMZRRpX7LLNEv6tpvKiMp2S4alTnVsm2AhKTLXrmhsfEIKZJITx-pjJiqFPdYlKopiQfHITirifhTrT7OXjJPY5Ygo4AXcqCan7MOOka2A/s400/20160602-IMG_6437.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Such exquisite craftsmanship and artistry.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKok6X57Cl1X8YfetjVeJAvinpwjreB86j2ESzgaHxfGudX5Mb_ePyZpnJQNzqwOrNv2CkOSo_7Av_VgeZAsOBBkX5Ccsb-MGSfB7_P_H-UNU8E8PLBrLgwcFJrXfivywu85joVMpJFm4/s1600/20160602-IMG_6442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKok6X57Cl1X8YfetjVeJAvinpwjreB86j2ESzgaHxfGudX5Mb_ePyZpnJQNzqwOrNv2CkOSo_7Av_VgeZAsOBBkX5Ccsb-MGSfB7_P_H-UNU8E8PLBrLgwcFJrXfivywu85joVMpJFm4/s400/20160602-IMG_6442.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Stunning!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And about that brewery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Braugasthof Falkenstein is just one of a
handful of places to eat in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
named after a castle that once stood on a hill higher over this little
town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, there are only ruins left,
but at one time, back in the late 1800’s, that supposedly Mad King Ludwig that
I told you about in my previous post had purchased the remains of the castle
and the surround land and had planned to create another fairytale castle in
it’s place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately for us and
much more so for poor King Ludwig II, his life was cut short and his second
enchanted castle never came to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
this warm, charming German brewery sitting in the middle of Pfronten keeps the
memory alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it serves some of the
most excellent food and beer we would have in Europe (did I say
that already?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggv1MKMO2x2BIwTMcG42xsfV_BAE9cyqYT2dAAZcFbnR-2bByBR0eOEJUrpPh_ja3cfZo75g0DQgIojEEhKhGr02s7M8s8i5iBAflIquzOM7M6_P9MHIyxymFYDB1OhOr_vSu30X2FDnJ/s1600/IMG_20160602_124927468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggv1MKMO2x2BIwTMcG42xsfV_BAE9cyqYT2dAAZcFbnR-2bByBR0eOEJUrpPh_ja3cfZo75g0DQgIojEEhKhGr02s7M8s8i5iBAflIquzOM7M6_P9MHIyxymFYDB1OhOr_vSu30X2FDnJ/s400/IMG_20160602_124927468.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We started with perhaps the most quintessential of
Bavarian foods, pretzels, served with a cheesy spread. Delicious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the main course, I
already shared my heavenly goat cheese salad, and Eric once again went for
Germany’s version of ravioli, similar to that which he had in the Black Forest,
and just as savory and bursting with deliciousness.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnc6ayETC-zSI6kGeTcJfvQrvf0XSErPxsrMQWtNidcquU8-bpCA3Wu57BhTkjuYMdX-s58WWrkmTCMnNYTzX6tCuKxvztEEw9QXs90sRFt8fjz07IXXp8hmrrlOj3_jUpRQBsAdpDwBFz/s1600/IMG_20160602_130828585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnc6ayETC-zSI6kGeTcJfvQrvf0XSErPxsrMQWtNidcquU8-bpCA3Wu57BhTkjuYMdX-s58WWrkmTCMnNYTzX6tCuKxvztEEw9QXs90sRFt8fjz07IXXp8hmrrlOj3_jUpRQBsAdpDwBFz/s400/IMG_20160602_130828585.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do these look like two satisfied customers or what? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4ZpMq1wGi-WMe7caqYK3zD93-hyKnNdwFhQpP-kpuFlOfuO5ty5F_ne_M0PVapRJcmyT7TWowvqTJQCS4Mi6gZsRd1dczT2-JWaE8u9VYkdAXgqs93aHXpzuvOO9d5V-37dmHoBZtArg/s1600/IMG_20160602_130844835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4ZpMq1wGi-WMe7caqYK3zD93-hyKnNdwFhQpP-kpuFlOfuO5ty5F_ne_M0PVapRJcmyT7TWowvqTJQCS4Mi6gZsRd1dczT2-JWaE8u9VYkdAXgqs93aHXpzuvOO9d5V-37dmHoBZtArg/s400/IMG_20160602_130844835.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">After the delicious meal, we decided to take a hike which is just another one of the many reasons I would seriously consider relocating to this small Bavarian town. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO99MPM38Hgw3qduoydF1y5PGd4LCuMP4PAmdH0VSvXjrptBZg5_3Qb4lyLwKYJJExQvnse8Dn799OzAdyiFeUAl5xbl-ooVlfMZpRyIgNSFr0A1-LunspENiE6Y6XqNlRgIB2KYTQIMU1/s1600/20160602-IMG_6471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO99MPM38Hgw3qduoydF1y5PGd4LCuMP4PAmdH0VSvXjrptBZg5_3Qb4lyLwKYJJExQvnse8Dn799OzAdyiFeUAl5xbl-ooVlfMZpRyIgNSFr0A1-LunspENiE6Y6XqNlRgIB2KYTQIMU1/s400/20160602-IMG_6471.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We left on foot right from our small apartment, heading up and away from town, and within minutes, we found ourselves following an old but still used farm path. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu02VwgdPtp-GlB6aXb_iWyKwl3vSYeZo2WWf2FFmZx0REK3Otw1H8JYvrnzUTGkyD3QWNpaNnfSokLTezGx8tEuCbFoh1Q2z0fs28BbfRREtTYXBOIp151agI12tUITZoJpZM9NoNxIkJ/s1600/20160602-IMG_6467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu02VwgdPtp-GlB6aXb_iWyKwl3vSYeZo2WWf2FFmZx0REK3Otw1H8JYvrnzUTGkyD3QWNpaNnfSokLTezGx8tEuCbFoh1Q2z0fs28BbfRREtTYXBOIp151agI12tUITZoJpZM9NoNxIkJ/s400/20160602-IMG_6467.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our destination was that hilltop where Mad King Ludwig II once dreamed of building a second fairytale castle, but now only the remains of the previous castle remain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we hiked, the views of the countryside were amazing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And as we neared the top of the hill, our final destination, the climb became steep and rocky...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hBbt0XZ5hgegALc7kt8D22kAFPm9-kC9YNVTpFsSEjRHuzfn5QQLNtswvlVq8JBdN7mKltlWgk8GzDn5HOO8zKmsLUN4sEiQCRT5WPlLNKjpW8WZvmzpY9jCfbIBD96M2e854wAX0QZp/s1600/20160602-IMG_6537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hBbt0XZ5hgegALc7kt8D22kAFPm9-kC9YNVTpFsSEjRHuzfn5QQLNtswvlVq8JBdN7mKltlWgk8GzDn5HOO8zKmsLUN4sEiQCRT5WPlLNKjpW8WZvmzpY9jCfbIBD96M2e854wAX0QZp/s400/20160602-IMG_6537.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and slippery and muddy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But we trekked on and when we finally reached the top, we found only a few stone walls still standing, the only evidence of the mighty structure that once rose up from this hilltop. For a few minutes, the view from this high perch was spectacular!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3VKRgMn4hUmfIUHWTpcGRJ_QkeCKLMhK9dTdBpFBzt517t10gUp0-bePtjsmvSRQO7IYDzMpJmlM6JRc5e6_fUbesZkbgzn6Iyz3QHn-owM5U0JG61RSv371B_nY12odWht_IyxkZvAB/s1600/20160602-IMG_6553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3VKRgMn4hUmfIUHWTpcGRJ_QkeCKLMhK9dTdBpFBzt517t10gUp0-bePtjsmvSRQO7IYDzMpJmlM6JRc5e6_fUbesZkbgzn6Iyz3QHn-owM5U0JG61RSv371B_nY12odWht_IyxkZvAB/s400/20160602-IMG_6553.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We could see for miles and miles...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMf3U4YL6Rb0im03rvSqwnXaNjR3HDnyjKVx9QoLB91Ts2ooBM3TOGNDgUNntjrSdwDREZ4SuRy9Ls1R6vkY7vaVJt2QE-mdDpt4Uy8HXcMGoStpFus7wuSUGw2FruqDf92GcTyGtPFHJ3/s1600/20160602-IMG_6568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMf3U4YL6Rb0im03rvSqwnXaNjR3HDnyjKVx9QoLB91Ts2ooBM3TOGNDgUNntjrSdwDREZ4SuRy9Ls1R6vkY7vaVJt2QE-mdDpt4Uy8HXcMGoStpFus7wuSUGw2FruqDf92GcTyGtPFHJ3/s400/20160602-IMG_6568.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The open countryside in one direction...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8ehHOeUAQLAzEF3xOmUWXzUFeSpUmuCcB-BtfEk8IC7qkD78iy9EkxbANBSy-Svtcda5TlTe2RicI1SZedBi-SQvyKKrnMJ7fUsE0k0u9sd897q_cTz2lUeQgVEaOwcyD5Jb7DRAxOrF/s1600/20160602-IMG_6580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8ehHOeUAQLAzEF3xOmUWXzUFeSpUmuCcB-BtfEk8IC7qkD78iy9EkxbANBSy-Svtcda5TlTe2RicI1SZedBi-SQvyKKrnMJ7fUsE0k0u9sd897q_cTz2lUeQgVEaOwcyD5Jb7DRAxOrF/s400/20160602-IMG_6580.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The foothills of the Alps in the other. Is it any wonder that King Ludwig had set his eyes upon this site? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But there was something else we could also see from our perch on top of the hill...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5a0umOmjcgMC1LVADLcMRUyIRJN2DzorepsSNyr9XkRBUcsxh7Mj3Ovz5gmvlVlhq7_mxD_Y3yTYazVJ561svCVS27tnlU7pftGIv6QN7qRdzPgG6IwSt5yStZug7iwvXdmDTmy5vvlg/s1600/20160602-IMG_6565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5a0umOmjcgMC1LVADLcMRUyIRJN2DzorepsSNyr9XkRBUcsxh7Mj3Ovz5gmvlVlhq7_mxD_Y3yTYazVJ561svCVS27tnlU7pftGIv6QN7qRdzPgG6IwSt5yStZug7iwvXdmDTmy5vvlg/s400/20160602-IMG_6565.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Rain! We could clearly see it falling from the clouds over the valley below us and as we watched, it got closer and closer and closer. It didn't take long before our little perch on top of the hill was enveloped by the rainstorm. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSo-RxX2lbdePCZgsIl8tqaVlS2vJGIpEkZKmrfr5PYUwuDviBY-5TktNI4eINWVpJZzIoA4KvmIgcP6LUPNzlzOYNI8GtS9b8p2OyLzdQzwot-X3jJuo8mSg-1w-e4qDHk-iIAJb8hbHu/s1600/20160602-IMG_6661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSo-RxX2lbdePCZgsIl8tqaVlS2vJGIpEkZKmrfr5PYUwuDviBY-5TktNI4eINWVpJZzIoA4KvmIgcP6LUPNzlzOYNI8GtS9b8p2OyLzdQzwot-X3jJuo8mSg-1w-e4qDHk-iIAJb8hbHu/s400/20160602-IMG_6661.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We had come prepared though, or so we thought, and we weren't up on that hilltop for more than a few minutes before we donned our raincoats. But as the rain got harder and harder, we had to find some cover. Only, when you are standing on the very tiptop of a hill inside the ruins of a very old castle, there aren't many places to hide. In fact, there was really only one option, a rickety, wooden set of stairs inside the collapsing stone walls, put there so you can climb up to the top and pier out from the ruins to the beautiful valley below. And it was under the landing of these wooden stairs that the four of us huddled, hoping the rain would soon pass. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0meyQ20AKBfOJOnF3RXGQZTGO6P5JIkRslScf_nor8w8xuDGWx3INq_yrZZKBBs3QP4Xg2EfUEBq2hz5yNd05VGRuQ81g_hm-FHjbl75r8RS1nN7KdT4Vj0yJm1MLBBvdLs1Ijt84L01x/s1600/IMG_20160602_175914071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0meyQ20AKBfOJOnF3RXGQZTGO6P5JIkRslScf_nor8w8xuDGWx3INq_yrZZKBBs3QP4Xg2EfUEBq2hz5yNd05VGRuQ81g_hm-FHjbl75r8RS1nN7KdT4Vj0yJm1MLBBvdLs1Ijt84L01x/s400/IMG_20160602_175914071.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Only, it didn't, and we had to get down off the top of the hill as our raincoats were already soaked. Going down the same way we had come up, on the steep, slippery slope, wasn't an option now that it was raining. So we decided to follow the road down, a safer way to travel in the rain, only it was also a much, much longer route to take back to our warm, dry apartment. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5jbfLpJVLz_bD1Gchl1DuhoymyPCfIZ7wwyURHPvd83RxwwiiZyt1gj2wIaCiZOKo2J5Kz3Dky4Fzo2szVgfHPAL22EsdJAlHe1LI48ootACjDulQB8HeSFBU9Cei7wlb8e-lvOfGo_D/s1600/20160602-IMG_6627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5jbfLpJVLz_bD1Gchl1DuhoymyPCfIZ7wwyURHPvd83RxwwiiZyt1gj2wIaCiZOKo2J5Kz3Dky4Fzo2szVgfHPAL22EsdJAlHe1LI48ootACjDulQB8HeSFBU9Cei7wlb8e-lvOfGo_D/s400/20160602-IMG_6627.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The rain kept on, and needless to say, within minutes we all looked like drowned rats, the rain running off the end of our wringing wet raincoats soaking all the way threw our jeans, and running into our once waterproof shoes. Finally the rain stopped, but we were all soaked through and it was a rather rough final leg of our hike. But, I would do it again, in a heartbeat... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb9WMQzkQP393azbay-vRuW4L65UqxAqEIiibTLrgn8pVP61xDLPN4vwBCbAbNV46EUc56Gtn2VVpmjcXYV0ti65_IV7u4pwNlz49fpG_A_nu_ZGeY5ziiRSsoUlbjlK8kcAvlNhBMHtf/s1600/20160602-IMG_6673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb9WMQzkQP393azbay-vRuW4L65UqxAqEIiibTLrgn8pVP61xDLPN4vwBCbAbNV46EUc56Gtn2VVpmjcXYV0ti65_IV7u4pwNlz49fpG_A_nu_ZGeY5ziiRSsoUlbjlK8kcAvlNhBMHtf/s400/20160602-IMG_6673.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Because this town of Pfronten and the surrounding Bavarian countryside is hard to beat.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o-kqU6a-2WfK3dmyMago3E4UjlgLO65LnYuYQT6AWRUQWTiV8-jbhL5F3PkMqMAKpmA2-w4EnuIJ2oSj25uw0yDlkFtILFkevij1sP0yeaSg7pn3rZzcLbt8uo6P5gNezllTdI0WGNA1/s1600/20160603-IMG_6718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o-kqU6a-2WfK3dmyMago3E4UjlgLO65LnYuYQT6AWRUQWTiV8-jbhL5F3PkMqMAKpmA2-w4EnuIJ2oSj25uw0yDlkFtILFkevij1sP0yeaSg7pn3rZzcLbt8uo6P5gNezllTdI0WGNA1/s400/20160603-IMG_6718.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-69647067480623415592016-10-24T12:31:00.000-07:002016-10-24T12:31:47.041-07:00From Germany to Hiking in the Austrian Alps
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">After visiting Mad King Ludwig’s castle, we came here…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEP-QZjvA4z1NnbTPKNkfqKcAseSIsmLYoyer2tyTnDQMCQw9dFR6ala5-FQrRsOkBZJnTK7-Hseuwh_Mj7fpggeE8HP4gRnrVrzch4QjToTQk-V7aSNAH4pYDrb8QPnSVZbvtJTiYtQ0/s1600/20160601-IMG_6012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEP-QZjvA4z1NnbTPKNkfqKcAseSIsmLYoyer2tyTnDQMCQw9dFR6ala5-FQrRsOkBZJnTK7-Hseuwh_Mj7fpggeE8HP4gRnrVrzch4QjToTQk-V7aSNAH4pYDrb8QPnSVZbvtJTiYtQ0/s400/20160601-IMG_6012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To a crystal clear mountain lake…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In Austria…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Called Plansee…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Which was only about half an hour from the castle in Germany…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For a hike...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And to play a little...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Because we find playground equipment everywhere...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Even a simple bar will do.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDJmq7K84cENSfBJDrLbUOkxPmBUEMSKWmSPHIoozN50lx1yy5z5rkpoiMKGHMzKgZlKynNMIl43cwRJN6hJEfTn9H9GUeDjUsucOsocDHGQSdVrMBsADL4dgHOAOcjkKn5_W1evaSqYD/s1600/20160601-IMG_6212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDJmq7K84cENSfBJDrLbUOkxPmBUEMSKWmSPHIoozN50lx1yy5z5rkpoiMKGHMzKgZlKynNMIl43cwRJN6hJEfTn9H9GUeDjUsucOsocDHGQSdVrMBsADL4dgHOAOcjkKn5_W1evaSqYD/s400/20160601-IMG_6212.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">An enchanted castle in the morning, a walk around a quiet mountain lake
in Austria in the afternoon.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq8nfDixNt35YZKbhj19sCy8XlOTRpgNcQ-Xbb94uZauIbxYNMjiqWcsrr67rGHXRbZf8dTdcXxt1KnZpHqIYsKSWrqYm2WDuPpYjvXvLD1eakypuoRQ3IL9m2PaEpDon9J3i_EW9YM3N/s1600/IMG_20160601_162530723_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq8nfDixNt35YZKbhj19sCy8XlOTRpgNcQ-Xbb94uZauIbxYNMjiqWcsrr67rGHXRbZf8dTdcXxt1KnZpHqIYsKSWrqYm2WDuPpYjvXvLD1eakypuoRQ3IL9m2PaEpDon9J3i_EW9YM3N/s640/IMG_20160601_162530723_HDR.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We were clearly spoiled while living in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6jX-STeXyV1j_bumc5R4sXftHvbjvQ0Sw5pUz6gUBeI_O9xBZs8kCqDng5t3HkwYpymQyzO2h3N4AhWYqCnWN48ntsoTr8_-AvM_W3cGzsN3GTCaR9UjE9mKeKqEj9IuOWVww9y_sPlV/s1600/20160601-IMG_6094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6jX-STeXyV1j_bumc5R4sXftHvbjvQ0Sw5pUz6gUBeI_O9xBZs8kCqDng5t3HkwYpymQyzO2h3N4AhWYqCnWN48ntsoTr8_-AvM_W3cGzsN3GTCaR9UjE9mKeKqEj9IuOWVww9y_sPlV/s400/20160601-IMG_6094.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But you can do this here…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbFzWTBEz8491W0e8VMus8_VmuNRdOI5f2wO4sZImQ0lZkzNt1L5hatLWIxuS66LmfR85uNjOu4Oe6sJasDfLtEZ4CwD_Hc5hMCSKnIx9WUpyBuN26MjqJigxx2O2JGVuzpP3FvEm5miC/s1600/20160601-IMG_6009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbFzWTBEz8491W0e8VMus8_VmuNRdOI5f2wO4sZImQ0lZkzNt1L5hatLWIxuS66LmfR85uNjOu4Oe6sJasDfLtEZ4CwD_Hc5hMCSKnIx9WUpyBuN26MjqJigxx2O2JGVuzpP3FvEm5miC/s400/20160601-IMG_6009.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Make a short drive from Germany that is to go hiking around a lake in
the Austrian Alps.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrSoDsoeOsyavtzkeqVaMS7EmuFypu6iQ-PcSkzet0yWTiXF6_R05pQWrtGrMoiSCNrcBneMcIZk4Nz_mBkBJRRxdyyitHolUqRd1fM7MUp4d0XKNZEkmckZdy630HwDvdS5weXRVEz7I/s1600/20160601-IMG_6148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrSoDsoeOsyavtzkeqVaMS7EmuFypu6iQ-PcSkzet0yWTiXF6_R05pQWrtGrMoiSCNrcBneMcIZk4Nz_mBkBJRRxdyyitHolUqRd1fM7MUp4d0XKNZEkmckZdy630HwDvdS5weXRVEz7I/s400/20160601-IMG_6148.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I could live here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsITjNnLI50STPxUrhqXKrWGpxGFkS0B6BOPitZVLZDL44HOi5w2NXgQwRdfrf3TK1AMlgmenZnYMYACb4u6kqRzlnj4FPKN3VIVM3YV4spFxmfR9mnbit531oJjK9kBJdU5ZD7vBdRICL/s1600/20160601-IMG_6184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsITjNnLI50STPxUrhqXKrWGpxGFkS0B6BOPitZVLZDL44HOi5w2NXgQwRdfrf3TK1AMlgmenZnYMYACb4u6kqRzlnj4FPKN3VIVM3YV4spFxmfR9mnbit531oJjK9kBJdU5ZD7vBdRICL/s400/20160601-IMG_6184.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But if you should ever come to this beautiful mountain setting in Austria,
watch out for the deer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1WfFSnuGPN0bXqkxn7D8dHjQN__9Oy1hha9EF-WEC_NEjz3p0zDwHILD3EpVvPDHs08I11J_m9PxntZO76E06KUlWT0I63PzzKQme2ZLKJfjCmwtqT0Kjb6u11WHn_v9X6Sw80YrGu8W/s1600/20160601-IMG_6219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1WfFSnuGPN0bXqkxn7D8dHjQN__9Oy1hha9EF-WEC_NEjz3p0zDwHILD3EpVvPDHs08I11J_m9PxntZO76E06KUlWT0I63PzzKQme2ZLKJfjCmwtqT0Kjb6u11WHn_v9X6Sw80YrGu8W/s640/20160601-IMG_6219.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Apparently they have unusually large alien-like eyes here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-65097270853814413712016-10-12T07:35:00.001-07:002016-10-12T07:35:59.883-07:00Mad King Ludwig and His Engchanted Castle<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Once upon a
time there was a young king of Bavaria named Ludwig II.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>King Ludwig II assumed the throne at the early age of 18 following his father’s untimely death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His handsome, youthful appearance made him quite
popular right off the bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, Ludwig
II was not very interested in ruling the Kingdom of Bavaria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following in his father’s footsteps, he
maintained the same state policies and kept his father’s ministers, but King
Ludwig II was an introvert, preferring to keep to himself to pursue what he was
really interested in – art, music and building fairytale like castles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was creative and eccentric, and for some,
these were not great traits for a king to have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">What his
creativity and passion for the arts and architecture gave us is the charming fairytale
castle of Neuschwanstein sitting on the edge of the German Alps on a seemingly
impossible to reach perch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The steep
road you walk for 30 or so minutes to reach the Castle twists and turns through
a thick green forest with nary a view of the enchanted castle you know awaits at the
top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodNur6Pc9FbHH92nlSZBYSVsEHBqRaUmQ-5B4uPBwXew0v8qv4FrdTG6pj6zOw-mzBz7l_J1ZRyiqOmDxg4y64VOEIGyTF1aHcW1LbQ6LRRfPtjIdi6FzMhAlS5xDC3VIpBHtJ6ejvfnd/s1600/20160601-IMG_5715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodNur6Pc9FbHH92nlSZBYSVsEHBqRaUmQ-5B4uPBwXew0v8qv4FrdTG6pj6zOw-mzBz7l_J1ZRyiqOmDxg4y64VOEIGyTF1aHcW1LbQ6LRRfPtjIdi6FzMhAlS5xDC3VIpBHtJ6ejvfnd/s400/20160601-IMG_5715.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But as you reach the first
restaurant and tourist shop which are full of Bavarian charm in their own
right, you know you are nearing the end of your climb and looking up, high
above your head amidst the peaks of green, you spy a turret and your
heart starts beating a little faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1BLuJDEHVE8J_MBjRYfb98IgCMwahfbpWmsyTChrx5QnkNTc5oxJ-b-S15Dt-HAZK25EWDvlDyS5OsTM-tLj36iRnf_K7RUfK2YOUE8uKIS9At8EY6DDQEe1uQRu-a3yYVXhjUrzZTlh/s1600/20160601-IMG_5711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1BLuJDEHVE8J_MBjRYfb98IgCMwahfbpWmsyTChrx5QnkNTc5oxJ-b-S15Dt-HAZK25EWDvlDyS5OsTM-tLj36iRnf_K7RUfK2YOUE8uKIS9At8EY6DDQEe1uQRu-a3yYVXhjUrzZTlh/s400/20160601-IMG_5711.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You are close. As
you continue the last short stretch of the journey and round the last bend in
the road, there it is before you – the Sleeping Beauty castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZX-Ze3hYhVYom-yMSYpEfTUB7SdJ1QYLZKhoHmy3thEYYQIgNilF7JBe52_YOdd8Zqeu24Z0kOSeF6peHLW4yLpp2PBfYK4ZJF-UCTktSOwcjbjDhzzbI2SePbS1dG4JJZKBUgbNVg5E/s1600/20160601-IMG_5727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZX-Ze3hYhVYom-yMSYpEfTUB7SdJ1QYLZKhoHmy3thEYYQIgNilF7JBe52_YOdd8Zqeu24Z0kOSeF6peHLW4yLpp2PBfYK4ZJF-UCTktSOwcjbjDhzzbI2SePbS1dG4JJZKBUgbNVg5E/s400/20160601-IMG_5727.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Looking around before even entering the
castle, it's mind boggling that such a beautiful
structure could be constructed up here. Sheer drop-offs surround
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You can hear the rush of water far below, but can't see the raging river down in the deep gorge to the side of the castle. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIEd8BAw05OTTi10tqFF6gZX4yfaM7xDKhr41DN_-0_3fD-eD9K4eBdIxUJcxyYQb4jF8bDcZTJlR8u4FYhP2P3UM5aITzZKyZBfyhG8siqaCBgzQg5zw0VbRmiqj1Xdvg1w5WW0lUFlb/s1600/20160601-IMG_5772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIEd8BAw05OTTi10tqFF6gZX4yfaM7xDKhr41DN_-0_3fD-eD9K4eBdIxUJcxyYQb4jF8bDcZTJlR8u4FYhP2P3UM5aITzZKyZBfyhG8siqaCBgzQg5zw0VbRmiqj1Xdvg1w5WW0lUFlb/s640/20160601-IMG_5772.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But you can catch a glimpse of the waterfall tucked in the valley behind the castle, one you wouldn't even know was there until you arrived in this magnificent setting. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Neuschwanstein Castle </span>seems to sit perfectly nestled
on a narrow, rugged perch high above the beautiful rolling hills of
Bavaria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you are there, it's not hard to see why a reclusive king would choose such a site to build a castle as his retreat. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgb5E87hofCO1fLm5YoLmNTfSYNm1AVjhub1-KKNCJJEqjCZXQAv1Qcius-aOfT-mFjbLPwkye74cSk4NvC-R3m2cEWyaluHm2cpEAfApToA5YoTSIH_4c-neGNDS-e3VgQIJEIPQzNotW/s1600/20160601-IMG_5802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgb5E87hofCO1fLm5YoLmNTfSYNm1AVjhub1-KKNCJJEqjCZXQAv1Qcius-aOfT-mFjbLPwkye74cSk4NvC-R3m2cEWyaluHm2cpEAfApToA5YoTSIH_4c-neGNDS-e3VgQIJEIPQzNotW/s400/20160601-IMG_5802.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
interior of the castle is best viewed via a tour where the tour guide will
fill you in on the eccentric King as she or he takes you through one lavish
room after another where you aren’t allowed to take photos. It's interesting, and odd, that the reclusive King Ludwig who wasn't really that interested in ruling a kingdom built an incredibly ornate Throne Hall that is as stunning as some of the best cathedrals we've seen in Europe, and maybe the most magnificent room in the castle, in my opinion anyway, the Hall of the Singers - a gorgeously decorated and painted room that looks like part theater and part ball room. It would seem that whomever built these rooms loved to entertain, loved to hold lavish celebrations, and maybe loved to show off his power and wealth. But that just wasn't King Ludwig II. These incredible rooms were simply built because of his love of the arts and architecture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We may have snuck one photo, in the kitchen…..</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHZ5Gi-0R-Qx4oHKNYGn4kjwqJMcWYMYZ6ROKUb8CTdMweDd0tlffGjSclqsBY57acQq3mFCIgJRL46QSA1Qol5Am_icQIkc_vapq6B8FQJS6uAIYWyY7LfnJSBqTFmykeoBGvDa73Huz/s1600/20160601-IMG_5830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHZ5Gi-0R-Qx4oHKNYGn4kjwqJMcWYMYZ6ROKUb8CTdMweDd0tlffGjSclqsBY57acQq3mFCIgJRL46QSA1Qol5Am_icQIkc_vapq6B8FQJS6uAIYWyY7LfnJSBqTFmykeoBGvDa73Huz/s400/20160601-IMG_5830.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">because my goodness, the stove was as long as my car and is just amazing. And it looks virtually unused, just like everything in this castle. This place is very different from other castles we’ve
visited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very young compared to the others that are usually a few hundred years older, and instead of feeling cold and drafty from the worn stone walls that typically surround you in a castle, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Neuschwanstein Castle is</span> beautifully
furnished and decorated, it even feels warm, and it feels very unused, which it is. King
Ludwig II you see only spent 11 nights in this unbelievable castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he lived a life of seclusion that
allowed him to pursue his eccentric and creative ways while avoiding his
governing responsibilities as much as he could, Ludwig racked up huge personal
debt paying for this stunning castle and other projects he pursued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he was very popular with the people of
Bavaria, his debts and the fact that he wasn’t very interested in his kingly
duties did not sit well with his very own government ministers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeking a reason to depose him, they
conspired to have him declared insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And they succeeded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On the 12
of June, 1886, Ludwig II was arrested at his master piece, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Neuschwanstein Castle, by his own ministers. It's believed they conspired to have him</span> declared insane
and incapable of ruling by four psychiatrists who, except for one, Dr. Bernhard
von Gudden, had never even met or examined the King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Dr. Gudden had only met him once, twelve years
early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">King Ludwig
II was taken to Berg Castle near Munich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The very next day, the now deposed King Ludwig II went for a walk with
Dr. Gudden who was with him at Berg Castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They set out on foot to walk along the shores of a lake that was on the
property around 6:30 that evening, but they never returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few hours later, both of their bodies were
found in the water on the edge of the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The King’s death was ruled a suicide, although there was no water found
in his lungs during the autopsy, so how exactly did he kill himself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the Doctor’s death is suspected to be by
strangulation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But many even today don’t
believe this version of events that the then government put forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, many suspect that this King who was
so popular with the people was actually murdered by his enemies while
attempting to escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The King’s personal
fisherman left notes that were found after his death saying he had been there
on the lake that night with a small boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was to pick the King up and row him out to the middle of the lake
where sympathizers were waiting to help him escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as the fisherman claims, the King was
shot in the back as he tried to climb into the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Is this
story true?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly likely, we will never
know, but it is a bit suspicious that following the King’s death, this fisherman
and his family went on to live a rather easy life for those times that seemed
to be a bit above their means.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Little did
King Ludwig II know that his own personal life story would play out more like a
tragic folk tale than a happily ever after fairytale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although he wasn’t the prince that would save
the beautiful maiden from the evil queen, he did give the world a magnificent dreamlike
castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And after
our visit, we sat in a green field on the edge of the Alps below this enchanting castle eating our lunch
while reflecting on this man who will forever be known as Mad King Ludwig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L9FEAhWxoO9Jj-j1TAUGJw74Vo_eqQ9sWNIMWO99-5N5kevMpbjj3kzjFvqcMk78AK1dGLQuku-KXkzhaSdZudKIwlxisfdqIQBBtttkxtJRhW9EIqwTD-L8h3vMt8SJcxhE8IUvSoCc/s1600/20160601-IMG_5990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L9FEAhWxoO9Jj-j1TAUGJw74Vo_eqQ9sWNIMWO99-5N5kevMpbjj3kzjFvqcMk78AK1dGLQuku-KXkzhaSdZudKIwlxisfdqIQBBtttkxtJRhW9EIqwTD-L8h3vMt8SJcxhE8IUvSoCc/s400/20160601-IMG_5990.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">After hearing his story, it just didn’t seem
fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is one picnic we will not
soon forget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-85090276977424754422016-10-03T07:55:00.001-07:002016-10-05T03:58:41.616-07:00Lake Constance and the Island Town of Lindau<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Driving from the Black Forest
to the Alps of Bavaria we passed along the northern shore of Lake
Constance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hills flowing down to the
beautiful lakeshore are covered in vineyards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Across the lake, the cloudy sky gave us glimpses of Switzerland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhvUo8O2Qu3xdq2NsYvo30AaZqIL9bHYEinbSTfy31WrGD1utAHAvSvveaR0UUPUGXVAYPIbICSHyo5CeKZ-CxFfzeFY8LhsB1ueaO4ySUMsJfN8woAlfJu6BQXje3DjpJh36hsb2RriZ/s1600/20160531-IMG_5172.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhvUo8O2Qu3xdq2NsYvo30AaZqIL9bHYEinbSTfy31WrGD1utAHAvSvveaR0UUPUGXVAYPIbICSHyo5CeKZ-CxFfzeFY8LhsB1ueaO4ySUMsJfN8woAlfJu6BQXje3DjpJh36hsb2RriZ/s320/20160531-IMG_5172.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>It wasn’t raining, finally, the sun kept peaking out
of the clouds, and the view was stunning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX40qvLRxsy1FM0a6G83TrUvy_RWiAIdELUKhaXQJRm6lDGCpNIWl11jv4Xcb_4ovu7hH5DudBfuThSYR9dFeIl9lV0k1SbQ4k0Oy-tbU2Wjof0e1AxFIL_koJM_1nQ5bBMV9n8nr30YHj/s1600/20160531-IMG_5338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX40qvLRxsy1FM0a6G83TrUvy_RWiAIdELUKhaXQJRm6lDGCpNIWl11jv4Xcb_4ovu7hH5DudBfuThSYR9dFeIl9lV0k1SbQ4k0Oy-tbU2Wjof0e1AxFIL_koJM_1nQ5bBMV9n8nr30YHj/s640/20160531-IMG_5338.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On the eastern side of the
Lake sits the town of Lindau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to
stop because, you see, this town is actually on an island sitting just off shore on this beautiful lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To reach
it, we walked across the only bridge you can walk or drive across to reach the island. Why would we not want to stop here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanM1SSGA-V8KTWkVpEVqnVlD8R7L3eVY2UjACYfmEPF__SDC0-D3Ucs6MvEo2LgHa1x04AduFs9XUZWnNN0Lp-xg1EKy5AZ-XvO2CnXHzbjai2zAV9XNKPzxe3T_RuxPkPNnUeJAQ68Xj/s1600/20160531-IMG_5146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanM1SSGA-V8KTWkVpEVqnVlD8R7L3eVY2UjACYfmEPF__SDC0-D3Ucs6MvEo2LgHa1x04AduFs9XUZWnNN0Lp-xg1EKy5AZ-XvO2CnXHzbjai2zAV9XNKPzxe3T_RuxPkPNnUeJAQ68Xj/s400/20160531-IMG_5146.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
island is small, not tiny, but it can easily be explored on foot, which is
usually the perfect way to explore such a place anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Vh30OX1DWY4oW2fnpWxQwGxtRgtqCBCSVo4mtxcoDaZBqgCScz4jA7rYwamvfT6mVSvK55xm4AjJ12Xsm-fQejOpK6vVbsukWx6vpG_w5ZG77nQWgrai1k_XPEvXu_n5HclrzrNgJu3D/s1600/20160531-IMG_5199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Vh30OX1DWY4oW2fnpWxQwGxtRgtqCBCSVo4mtxcoDaZBqgCScz4jA7rYwamvfT6mVSvK55xm4AjJ12Xsm-fQejOpK6vVbsukWx6vpG_w5ZG77nQWgrai1k_XPEvXu_n5HclrzrNgJu3D/s400/20160531-IMG_5199.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We had no sooner crossed the bridge when our
stomachs started reminding us that it was lunchtime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But where to eat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHdFxsbe9_MlU5UOvQN5cR7OMvRnqkVbJmNnhRVdeI4Sqgiso_xeChZNZ4fPgodEyQLw75l8F9z_eDzJomHZsMM4XbPwYNcMIGM1J21crsPPhoMw8_1z6pSzNjnG2vCxtVveMFARK23uT/s1600/20160531-IMG_5539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHdFxsbe9_MlU5UOvQN5cR7OMvRnqkVbJmNnhRVdeI4Sqgiso_xeChZNZ4fPgodEyQLw75l8F9z_eDzJomHZsMM4XbPwYNcMIGM1J21crsPPhoMw8_1z6pSzNjnG2vCxtVveMFARK23uT/s400/20160531-IMG_5539.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There are plenty of options in Lindau, but
when you visit a German town sitting on a little island on a beautiful lake with views of
Switzerland on the other side, you want to find just the right place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we walked, and searched, and with the warm
sun shining, it didn’t take us long to find a Biergarten sitting in a lovely
little spot surrounded by trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Some
schnitzel (I think it was chicken) and some cold drinks (Fanta for the girls,
and I don’t think I need to tell you what Eric and I had), and we were ready to
continue on exploring this lovely town of Lindau.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ16s4RVIgiyd_CtvJ2x_BhRD5qkD7TvkebP46mZa5ipKX_3epoqXw_8TvMAyFmnwPjX6dVkeuIp2G3COAbokYD7OtxQm6DX2orHw9AhHQaiOyoos58DTUNk_qUWXf3ZjrNJuPWn-fG7y/s1600/20160531-IMG_5207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ16s4RVIgiyd_CtvJ2x_BhRD5qkD7TvkebP46mZa5ipKX_3epoqXw_8TvMAyFmnwPjX6dVkeuIp2G3COAbokYD7OtxQm6DX2orHw9AhHQaiOyoos58DTUNk_qUWXf3ZjrNJuPWn-fG7y/s400/20160531-IMG_5207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The architecture and
decorated buildings on this little island were some of the prettiest we would
see during this trip to Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
town needs to have a town hall that looks like this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrxo8BJg4qpxs4WPzoecZa-5KpzEEKs0VmROoYeHH2u4r5G7YYK6rrjdILS7q65-_6SsCcGQwvBZuwS5hF3yhYgd-Ao98nRgZ16CEX79GYEyAL9CO9mY8cl_AJgjAwEyMfk63UFl0e6nl/s1600/20160531-IMG_5203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrxo8BJg4qpxs4WPzoecZa-5KpzEEKs0VmROoYeHH2u4r5G7YYK6rrjdILS7q65-_6SsCcGQwvBZuwS5hF3yhYgd-Ao98nRgZ16CEX79GYEyAL9CO9mY8cl_AJgjAwEyMfk63UFl0e6nl/s400/20160531-IMG_5203.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And cutting across the middle
of the island sits a beautiful street lined with little shops and cafes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlEUFNW2Zgru6AYKOja9UOVIacJVEoWVJNqYPhvNda34bHOG22qr8JpoBmSXkBZ9Dk6wDBWi1KV5qcT24B3zp60nASv08Rpt6GmKJltx1EJwRkjVEjuqQhY63BwYIjau2AQbLFGwCjY7n/s1600/20160531-IMG_5212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlEUFNW2Zgru6AYKOja9UOVIacJVEoWVJNqYPhvNda34bHOG22qr8JpoBmSXkBZ9Dk6wDBWi1KV5qcT24B3zp60nASv08Rpt6GmKJltx1EJwRkjVEjuqQhY63BwYIjau2AQbLFGwCjY7n/s400/20160531-IMG_5212.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>It was busy that day, in the middle of the
week, busier than any other place we would visit in Germany on that trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Most of the people we saw were tourists like
us, drawn to this impossibly quaint town sitting on an island on a lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not everyone. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG5qdKhT60Fg-X2_PkYkL0ATVZ6p0rMJp_fhIdF-jhFR6AFNhFWd8YkRhjUOTAHLz8plqG22RjqPKHRbCt6qfBNFy6csT4CPNfgd2LiZmclhKdDREfWVNWzhOeqLFEyWu0J3ZI4RZWUy_/s1600/20160531-IMG_5507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG5qdKhT60Fg-X2_PkYkL0ATVZ6p0rMJp_fhIdF-jhFR6AFNhFWd8YkRhjUOTAHLz8plqG22RjqPKHRbCt6qfBNFy6csT4CPNfgd2LiZmclhKdDREfWVNWzhOeqLFEyWu0J3ZI4RZWUy_/s400/20160531-IMG_5507.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Lucky man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There are also some lucky swans living on this island. We found them in the corner inside the harbor sitting on a nest...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQugDqxCvR_rcOWwDgO-n-R3y59Zaxeptn20QpRoswZldYsyFAFEbAZFcG7kup71Uja8eUMB8SNuoy42usvyCz2jDhSuK0mfMJxXZv8WbkdDLjaY2Ngyak7aG8JmPzDn27yCDeUb0Glto/s1600/20160531-IMG_5270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQugDqxCvR_rcOWwDgO-n-R3y59Zaxeptn20QpRoswZldYsyFAFEbAZFcG7kup71Uja8eUMB8SNuoy42usvyCz2jDhSuK0mfMJxXZv8WbkdDLjaY2Ngyak7aG8JmPzDn27yCDeUb0Glto/s400/20160531-IMG_5270.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A very, very large nest that is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And as we made our way to the famous harbor
guarded by a lighthouse and a Bavarian Lion with Switzerland in the background…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkePVFlRw5_Ybb_HG41JO0DBmx56JEYNCVGGhmWsmagfvZ3EqbXJkiZBmGl9sTAZSfwZ2dZmnyJPkkngiYz7hSKV5VJzv35ws2HhV5alAFXjvEOZWJHCCUarr15lGy0BudGbw_Vx445EX/s1600/20160531-IMG_5440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkePVFlRw5_Ybb_HG41JO0DBmx56JEYNCVGGhmWsmagfvZ3EqbXJkiZBmGl9sTAZSfwZ2dZmnyJPkkngiYz7hSKV5VJzv35ws2HhV5alAFXjvEOZWJHCCUarr15lGy0BudGbw_Vx445EX/s640/20160531-IMG_5440.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Well, it’s not really any
wonder why this place is such a draw, now is it.</span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-29846626915821263142016-09-30T11:01:00.000-07:002016-09-30T11:01:06.214-07:00Just a Village in the Black Forest<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">After our
visit to the open air museum, we found a small village by a creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>There was no particular reason for us to stop
in this little village, other than it’s cuteness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But often, that is the fun of traveling...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">when
you happen upon a cute little village to explore...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">not a tourist attraction...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but
just an everyday village that looks so very different from what we are use
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-81774713236670117442016-09-29T08:26:00.001-07:002016-10-05T04:04:49.139-07:00A Black Forest Farm – Plan B<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We
had come to the Black Forest in large part because, well, I wanted to explore
The Black Forest, on foot that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as we woke to rain
again on the third morning of our visit, it was becoming clear that as we all
know sometimes the best-laid plans... I wanted to head off down one of
the many trails we could see right from the guesthouse that go off in every
direction and into the deep dark woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love hiking in the forest, any forest, and the enchanted Black Forest
was high on my list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But
it was raining...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Now,
we could have been hardy folk and trekked off into the rainy interior of the forest that surrounded us anyway, but clearly this area had been getting lots of rain
as of late, and often rain + hiking trails = mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still had several days of traveling in
front of us, and lugging around muddy, wet shoes and clothing for four people just
isn’t fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, let’s not forget that
two of our traveling companions were children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While Ellie and Leah are pretty good troopers most of the time, I knew that any adventure
into the wood would quickly turn south when jeans turned soggy and the chills
set in (we all had good rain coats and fairly waterproof shoes, but we did not
invest in rain pants).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And (yes I have
one more thing to add to my whiny list), I really don’t like hiking for hours
with the hood of my raincoat up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
it keeps you dry, it makes me feel cut off from my surroundings and that would
just be defeating the purpose of the entire trip now wouldn’t it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So,
Plan B – and luckily Eric came up with a good one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Down
the valley a little ways from where we were staying is a wonderfully interactive collection of
historical Black Forest farm buildings called the Schwarzwalder Freilichtmuseum
Vogtsbauernhof (I lost you by the third letter, didn't I).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This amazing open air museum includes
farm house/barn combo (because that is how they do it still today in the Black Forest - one big building that houses the family and the animals),
storehouses for food, a chapel, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a sawmill, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a bakehouse, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">a day-laborer’s cottage,
and even a Granny House built in 1652 for a retired couple to live in after
they had turned their farm over to the next generation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The oldest building in this beautiful
collection dates back to 1599 and is called the Hippenseppenhof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s architectural post and beam style is the
oldest type known to have existed in the Black Forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And some of these houses that date back 300
and 400 years were lived in well into the 1900s, which when you see the dark,
aged interiors is hard to fathom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But
there was a coziness about them as well, especially in the main parlors where the
family ate, prayed, read, sometimes worked and generally just hung out
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The centerpiece in most if not
all of the parlors was a huge green tiled woodburning stove called a
Kachelofen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This green, glossy
monstrosity usually took up a fair amount of space in the low ceilinged rooms
and was often wrapped with a bench. I can imagine that was a welcome place to sit on a cold winters day in these drafty wooden buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The
kitchens were dark, very dark, the walls and ceilings covered in soot from the
hours upon hours of cooking over the fire that took place there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we left the rainy, chilly day outside and
entered one of these huge houses, we immediately noticed a warmth in the air,
and a delicious smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lady was
cooking fried potatoes with onions and potato soup over one of the old
woodfired stoves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For a few euros,
we got a plate and bowl of each, took them into the cozy interior of the parlor
where we found a hand crafted wooden table sitting by the bench of the great
green Kachelofen, and we enjoyed a delicious treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe treat isn’t the correct word to use but
that’s was it tasted like to our cold, hungry bellies, but potatoes and simple
food cooked on the wood-fired stove were the staples around here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We
saw cows of course…</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And
were treated to the antics of some young goats.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But we passed on purchasing one of the rather expensive traditional lady's hats of the Black Forest region...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">decorated in large, puffy, red cherries. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Exploring the open air museum and learning about life in the Black Forest 400 years ago was a great way to spend a rainy day.</span><br />
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-64425080423197311502016-09-23T07:38:00.001-07:002016-09-23T07:38:32.564-07:00Cuckoo Clocks and Black Forest Cake
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">While our
stay at the Gasthaus Zur Staude was a very pleasantly rural surprise, we did
specifically choose to stay in this particular area of the Black Forest for a
reason – we wanted to visit the town of Triberg…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcM6rT0U7dyMhtX_S9Ite95M5ALfuePOwWjvTafCNEG1soI7LUQWXSgsPRB27KpkhN_5_ad_SXM3R63aUWLfHdZ8KklYLl8Z1Qv78aQqg_JyYMFLcrfLTf8dixmdZTA4uMQ2Et-77VOv_/s1600/20160529-IMG_4069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcM6rT0U7dyMhtX_S9Ite95M5ALfuePOwWjvTafCNEG1soI7LUQWXSgsPRB27KpkhN_5_ad_SXM3R63aUWLfHdZ8KklYLl8Z1Qv78aQqg_JyYMFLcrfLTf8dixmdZTA4uMQ2Et-77VOv_/s400/20160529-IMG_4069.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The cuckoo
clock capital of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting
right on the main street that passes through the center of town is the House of
1000 Cuckoo clocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s quite a sight
as you can imagine, and hard to miss as the outside of the store is a gigantic
and adorable real working cuckoo clock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every hour the bears dance, climb up and down the rope, music plays, and
as you would expect, a cuckoo bird pops out of the little wooden door at the
top tweeting the hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Inside,
there really are hundreds of cuckoo clocks of every shape and size. It’s a
noisy place, but it’s fascinating for both the young and old to see all the
different scenes that decorate these fine clocks which were introduced to the
world from right here in the Black Forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I thought long and hard about getting one of the classic wooden chalet
style clocks, but I wondered if I would drag it all the way back to the USA
with us, put it up on our wall, step back and wonder, “Now why in the heck did
I think a cuckoo clock was a good idea?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that I’m back
home, I sort of wish I had one of the beautiful clocks hanging on my wall
keeping me company during the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPxQG7yt3jX0u-uGE7hB6qd_rmG_0HfeSKb5BIiaGMEcXqdkdf4xiBBnKhDMdvR-h1P9fmtZJ_stPnZds4NeJOFSLmNoyk08VHQiFpvtZ9QMRyABFacu759oXF2tV0q0t9gocWjn-Grnr/s1600/20160529-IMG_4074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPxQG7yt3jX0u-uGE7hB6qd_rmG_0HfeSKb5BIiaGMEcXqdkdf4xiBBnKhDMdvR-h1P9fmtZJ_stPnZds4NeJOFSLmNoyk08VHQiFpvtZ9QMRyABFacu759oXF2tV0q0t9gocWjn-Grnr/s400/20160529-IMG_4074.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">But there
is more to find in the charming Black Forest town of Triberg than just cuckoo
birds…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ1bjkJM0zUBXR1AaeSoTqpklHpVczvx-sySadpBPBBshuUE1qjdMYpXgB4AaOMIb_GiH1W7oYkLpQH7U302giNwHz_bLkCEXaoj_MDsqxxmvc5UAyIwddx0KaIOkJHy-1FKN2vwINKKj/s1600/20160529-IMG_4010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ1bjkJM0zUBXR1AaeSoTqpklHpVczvx-sySadpBPBBshuUE1qjdMYpXgB4AaOMIb_GiH1W7oYkLpQH7U302giNwHz_bLkCEXaoj_MDsqxxmvc5UAyIwddx0KaIOkJHy-1FKN2vwINKKj/s400/20160529-IMG_4010.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">This region
is also home to the Black Forest Cake (hence the name if you didn’t catch
that), or Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte as it's known in German, and there are signs offering up thick
slices of this deliciously sweet and tart dessert everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful signs I might add.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqvOypOuj5fUehBuzvcJAvSMYGkFhn8b0kjeUxWA7CxV_7HPzJqmq0WaE1_8KTlErmms2TDcTAtw7TCbrZpKmH7CHGrhhSTtlBx5C2FU3s4fxbRt-1ice4lWRGCUm4OaweTr5oeb7WVJR/s1600/20160529-IMG_4045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqvOypOuj5fUehBuzvcJAvSMYGkFhn8b0kjeUxWA7CxV_7HPzJqmq0WaE1_8KTlErmms2TDcTAtw7TCbrZpKmH7CHGrhhSTtlBx5C2FU3s4fxbRt-1ice4lWRGCUm4OaweTr5oeb7WVJR/s400/20160529-IMG_4045.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The day we
visited Triberg it was rainy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that
didn’t really dampen our spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
walked around the small town enjoying its laid back, charming and welcoming
atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The little shops were full
of all kinds of Germany trinkets, lots of cuckoo clocks, and colorful traditional
Germany dresses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">It's
funny and I'm not sure why this is (my own naivete I guess), but when we traveled to Italy and France
and Spain, I fully expected to find ornately decorated churches, but I wasn't
expecting it so much here in southern Germany. As we walked up a hill towards the steeple we could see above the town and saw the exterior of the church as we approached, it fit with this expectation. </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiiOz_7bBTSrTUj6GUs1X0v0RMFKUWAhW0mntZbxYrTr1lldEy-ZT6b1A11w69i8aaLPHIdEPKMZ7Dw56h810Wo1Xso2WzfM3wx_7XD_5s0ah16P19FD3ImwXUe0cEEu5HSmaCRGQhBOK/s1600/20160529-IMG_4027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiiOz_7bBTSrTUj6GUs1X0v0RMFKUWAhW0mntZbxYrTr1lldEy-ZT6b1A11w69i8aaLPHIdEPKMZ7Dw56h810Wo1Xso2WzfM3wx_7XD_5s0ah16P19FD3ImwXUe0cEEu5HSmaCRGQhBOK/s400/20160529-IMG_4027.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">It is beautiful in it's simplicity, but very modest in it's decoration. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">But then we went inside...</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2nTw4MtkBsew0aPySmYqVfARIo2pYmjF_XEB8GJS-7IuKHRraY6l1_Yn8DLRvCCTfQxpxl-2US-8vD68zdB96dWoqWHeTVEb58yccs4Og0Jxq_4vycW3Aj8mDHzvGTaIf5WjyE9LoEsh/s1600/20160529-IMG_4024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2nTw4MtkBsew0aPySmYqVfARIo2pYmjF_XEB8GJS-7IuKHRraY6l1_Yn8DLRvCCTfQxpxl-2US-8vD68zdB96dWoqWHeTVEb58yccs4Og0Jxq_4vycW3Aj8mDHzvGTaIf5WjyE9LoEsh/s400/20160529-IMG_4024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">and </span></span>I was blown away by the exceptionally ornate interior of this church which is relatively small in size compared to many others we have seen in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0i3uxkeB46PtuMiKL_77Pmnm8ZUgWGIj8h0fcBlyIFQHHhFIusBZjfQjEjMUFI40H0AzsjBgrSxjyo0RCA-LMp7PHnmTikO8iJ9HlTOIjZQHncmy2-4RpC4CHZM25Asdi0te0oAhY9NP/s1600/20160529-IMG_4108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0i3uxkeB46PtuMiKL_77Pmnm8ZUgWGIj8h0fcBlyIFQHHhFIusBZjfQjEjMUFI40H0AzsjBgrSxjyo0RCA-LMp7PHnmTikO8iJ9HlTOIjZQHncmy2-4RpC4CHZM25Asdi0te0oAhY9NP/s400/20160529-IMG_4108.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">After lunch and exploring the town a bit more, we started
on a hike, following a trail through the forest and up a hill high above the
town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We passed a small but powerful waterfall that gave testament to the fact that this Black Forest can be a rainy place, as it was that day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The girls and I took a break on a soggy bench that was conveniently perched on the side of the path while we waited for Eric to take his photographs, using our raincoats to keep our backsides dry. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>As we reached the top of the hill and emerged from the forest into an
open field, it started raining and it just got heavier and heavier as we tried to
continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">We turned
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But all was not lost because as we
dropped back into the town of Triberg, we found a cozy restaurant to stop in,
and there we had a nice warm cup of coffee…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHAUs2__C4U0AmU3U7EELGBipThDNz619vK0aq_XxZDcco7WUGUXi-0l71cfEV0LNT4gCJ6iQGHG4qWjtSuPbJk-nwxTU4vbhgyqPl17Att0kOEsB90Ixx7slTHHP1VH9CD5lWaNeJYqV/s1600/20160530-IMG_4177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHAUs2__C4U0AmU3U7EELGBipThDNz619vK0aq_XxZDcco7WUGUXi-0l71cfEV0LNT4gCJ6iQGHG4qWjtSuPbJk-nwxTU4vbhgyqPl17Att0kOEsB90Ixx7slTHHP1VH9CD5lWaNeJYqV/s400/20160530-IMG_4177.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And a thick
slice of creamy Black Forest Cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were smiles all around.</span></div>
Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-1216609409643369522016-09-21T10:59:00.000-07:002016-09-21T10:59:19.466-07:00A Guesthouse in Southern German<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We woke to
the jingle of bells outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eric and Ellie opened the window in our cozy room in the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Gasthaus
Zur Staude and stuck their heads out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDMNAEjzPKlUgWBGwZEBC85QslN3oLTojN-g7sc-y3lIwkGlBmmd1-YGiJiboUiZATPSLQPyTWbgIYwSnMPnLPl8NLcN0ZC3B0lXZnyOtswwdJ-yZ-gzSQdcZ3VEveSCYX_4SzsHvKmlv/s1600/IMG_20160529_084117735_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDMNAEjzPKlUgWBGwZEBC85QslN3oLTojN-g7sc-y3lIwkGlBmmd1-YGiJiboUiZATPSLQPyTWbgIYwSnMPnLPl8NLcN0ZC3B0lXZnyOtswwdJ-yZ-gzSQdcZ3VEveSCYX_4SzsHvKmlv/s400/IMG_20160529_084117735_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Outside was a lush green
pasture on a rolling hill, and some brown cows, each with a bell around it's neck. We would hear the jingle of those bells all across the countryside and into the mountains as we traveled around southern Germany<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Leah quickly found the resident cat out front. </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGie5tyIBJmZG__e01Ll8kKFj5Au2Qd1DkcCnAU3ECpbw4Rv2J7Zso7Q2vnY7rubaQifT6Su3l9xmwJZj0g9tb6QGjxJyFWaJkdxbMPmGwrlGz6fN2xIwaCIB2tg8kpZ5PXN-kRQ-faY-/s1600/20160529-IMG_4000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGie5tyIBJmZG__e01Ll8kKFj5Au2Qd1DkcCnAU3ECpbw4Rv2J7Zso7Q2vnY7rubaQifT6Su3l9xmwJZj0g9tb6QGjxJyFWaJkdxbMPmGwrlGz6fN2xIwaCIB2tg8kpZ5PXN-kRQ-faY-/s400/20160529-IMG_4000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We love this place already!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpKKPXRw0Jm6pLnN56tNRCmDt1i5XaZjWWblulzNo12yVQIym_rAEXQ34wa6j3DSLyVJCWuYkzQwWXQ06MMhHeomrGFBW1zQ2KaYakkSoN0bE87vZO8SOS4bf-n4LU0sMowrM5B3nm3z0/s1600/20160531-IMG_4862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpKKPXRw0Jm6pLnN56tNRCmDt1i5XaZjWWblulzNo12yVQIym_rAEXQ34wa6j3DSLyVJCWuYkzQwWXQ06MMhHeomrGFBW1zQ2KaYakkSoN0bE87vZO8SOS4bf-n4LU0sMowrM5B3nm3z0/s400/20160531-IMG_4862.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It
wasn’t easy finding the Gasthaus the evening before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we had pulled out of the beautiful city of
Freiburg the day before, we plugged the address into the GPS for the Gasthaus
Zur Staude, and as usual, we expected it to take us at least close enough to our
destination that we would be able to find it, even if it didn’t deliver us
right to the front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took us a
few hours to reach the town of Triberg, the cuckoo clock capital of the world,
and we followed the tree-lined valley out of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a few miles, we took a right, as directed by the GPS, onto a road
that led up a narrow side valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
twisted and turned going up and up and up the narrow road that followed a small
creek and passed through a tiny little village with a handful of houses and a beautiful little church.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip9MHCO6azud7eJ5pEgY5tVJeortGXE-IDwkVuviYkXnC2yljybvszPRdGEBSWc-jLDuZO2qMYGIdk_VOOkzuH9GrXWe0UP40Pk9g0mHf2iykcBgzbKCCFWdLzGTYHRnuMdJ4gh63QQmk/s1600/20160531-IMG_4981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip9MHCO6azud7eJ5pEgY5tVJeortGXE-IDwkVuviYkXnC2yljybvszPRdGEBSWc-jLDuZO2qMYGIdk_VOOkzuH9GrXWe0UP40Pk9g0mHf2iykcBgzbKCCFWdLzGTYHRnuMdJ4gh63QQmk/s400/20160531-IMG_4981.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We passed some guesthouses but not the
one we were searching for.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTJIE5uAAexKeNW3D7i3TdPBaAaqOkDxglyjNPmDCEt49sYPgP8TjxZ04040G7Dxn12ssHbh-igCeXNBorG4uQEHfN1_Dnk0kLb1lWeJKyh50EqLbNav1QVOjEB6ypTjQI0owXbtPYPIo/s1600/20160531-IMG_4910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTJIE5uAAexKeNW3D7i3TdPBaAaqOkDxglyjNPmDCEt49sYPgP8TjxZ04040G7Dxn12ssHbh-igCeXNBorG4uQEHfN1_Dnk0kLb1lWeJKyh50EqLbNav1QVOjEB6ypTjQI0owXbtPYPIo/s400/20160531-IMG_4910.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And we passed some working farms nestled among the rolling hills along the sides of the valley...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeC0gtm_ndxWcQYmVTBFEPCIRNfs8-QyT4aPSmDP3Euhs797DVMLsVwZdC47rmqsyH9z32Xn8x5sWc33mQSZpY27Z9xfB8ZCl67yXa86YunVAJQYykN_81xi2KXmUQ_Uour4cuBoUo7NG3/s1600/20160531-IMG_4926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeC0gtm_ndxWcQYmVTBFEPCIRNfs8-QyT4aPSmDP3Euhs797DVMLsVwZdC47rmqsyH9z32Xn8x5sWc33mQSZpY27Z9xfB8ZCl67yXa86YunVAJQYykN_81xi2KXmUQ_Uour4cuBoUo7NG3/s400/20160531-IMG_4926.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">With the cows grazing in the the pastures behind the building.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRlgUWzW78q_zINR62-HJBBwADEx63Xxhb9v97S6-jD0KWb2jkGMqy8sTIz-4CLOe1PRnNR2RvTB-W9Q70Qvh0sEbNA5s2iM_rlxXQpd6gbbDuPX0Lgr4A22beHIApJqBM1dLTqY7aila/s1600/20160531-IMG_4961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRlgUWzW78q_zINR62-HJBBwADEx63Xxhb9v97S6-jD0KWb2jkGMqy8sTIz-4CLOe1PRnNR2RvTB-W9Q70Qvh0sEbNA5s2iM_rlxXQpd6gbbDuPX0Lgr4A22beHIApJqBM1dLTqY7aila/s400/20160531-IMG_4961.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And we passed a crucifix along the side of the road...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but no Gasthaus Zur Staude.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Finally, the GPS announced we had arrived at our destination…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">only there was
no Gasthaus Zur Staude in sight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>To the left, a small lane led to one of the farms. To the right...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ss4gXqQQQnX2LcJcuQRnaf6KzAQvJNm0Kc760WxkVPqID2DD4Lk6uUasZIANDx7iAAkGKVEvfqrd5IMNVS8FSX85zc_7KS3JPBiNfTR-gefwuwcEth2oWOqMSRsCR7P0_X6BrXL48258/s1600/20160531-IMG_4946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ss4gXqQQQnX2LcJcuQRnaf6KzAQvJNm0Kc760WxkVPqID2DD4Lk6uUasZIANDx7iAAkGKVEvfqrd5IMNVS8FSX85zc_7KS3JPBiNfTR-gefwuwcEth2oWOqMSRsCR7P0_X6BrXL48258/s400/20160531-IMG_4946.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Just the Black Forest. And straight ahead, the road we were on continued up the valley and seemed to </span>get narrower the further up it went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could this possibly be right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfH_zSjq3HdoFBolIEaoMPgUlc8yD0-1vqNlD7RE6g2UBSTjj8jdBdMMRzcQAsvCvs-Ktu22r8iXEZQ5dLxTxff-qGzKul5lY7KAhZ0xmWPYkGUC_54wHzrCBY9c6OI-tE92Tm7lHJTYQi/s1600/20160531-IMG_4992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfH_zSjq3HdoFBolIEaoMPgUlc8yD0-1vqNlD7RE6g2UBSTjj8jdBdMMRzcQAsvCvs-Ktu22r8iXEZQ5dLxTxff-qGzKul5lY7KAhZ0xmWPYkGUC_54wHzrCBY9c6OI-tE92Tm7lHJTYQi/s400/20160531-IMG_4992.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Just as we started to doubt both the address we had and the
accuracy of the GPS, we spotted a small hand painted sign nailed to a fence
post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It simply said “Gasthaus Staude”
and had an arrow pointing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was this
the Gasthaus Zur Staude we were looking for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We sure hoped so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we had
had a great first day traveling into the Black Forest in southern Germany, by
late afternoon we were weary travelers in need of some rest and
nourishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t really have any
choice but to follow the sign and hope, so we continued up the valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we reached the top, we found ourselves in a scene
somewhat reminiscent of the farmland of Wisconsin from my childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV09Lgf7zEIUI1A91lqmtShHTflYzOoIvHLnW9kkyzQkdfS-sr-V6g2cmf0k7XZTW10idyu-XVo4b2eOSbSVf0OgHy0O0VQxs3ZKiXYkYIXMRnQrqkgOgZEw6C3PW2iTl2CYKXDHNLXypn/s1600/20160531-IMG_4872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV09Lgf7zEIUI1A91lqmtShHTflYzOoIvHLnW9kkyzQkdfS-sr-V6g2cmf0k7XZTW10idyu-XVo4b2eOSbSVf0OgHy0O0VQxs3ZKiXYkYIXMRnQrqkgOgZEw6C3PW2iTl2CYKXDHNLXypn/s400/20160531-IMG_4872.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Rolling green pastures speckled with wild flowers with the
thick trees of the Black Forest behind them…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITKYp7vAYuF7caQk6TPVj541DDnN_hzH1MBnr2f3PMm76RQ_7xsPXeGR5y1Dogn54diWG5tyAl9CWf8f5-jebX7MuU7eXOseA00fxt-T50Ox4fgVqw8YsuDyBWwoesijmxcmiQa41Juml/s1600/20160531-IMG_5016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITKYp7vAYuF7caQk6TPVj541DDnN_hzH1MBnr2f3PMm76RQ_7xsPXeGR5y1Dogn54diWG5tyAl9CWf8f5-jebX7MuU7eXOseA00fxt-T50Ox4fgVqw8YsuDyBWwoesijmxcmiQa41Juml/s400/20160531-IMG_5016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and cows, small herds corralled behind electric fences that didn't look like they would do much to stop a stampede. But I grew up with cows. I wasn't worried. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We came to a T in
the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking around, all we could
see was grass, cows and trees, with a few farms off in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But still no sign of the Gasthaus Zur Staude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A more beautiful spot for a guesthouse I could not imagine, but could this possibly be right? Now we were really doubting ourselves, the directions,
and the GPS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We turned left, but after
several minutes of passing more of the same beautiful scenery but no guest accommodations
we turned around and headed back in the direction from which we had come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we approached the T again, we spotted a building
hidden among some trees back down a narrow road off in the other direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was clearly too large to be a house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it was a barn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or could it be the Gasthaus Zur Staude?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were tired and hungry and really hoping
this was the place we were seeking, but there were no signs anywhere to indicate
that it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what the heck - at this
point, feeling lost somewhere deep in the Black Forest, we had no choice but to
check it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You can imagine our surprise and joy as we pulled up to this
beautiful building that’s been in operation on this site since 1683 and saw the
words “Gasthaus Staude” painted on the side above wood trimmed windows decorated with colorful window boxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are you kidding me? This is where we get to spend the next few days? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A smile spread across my face. I could not imagine a more charming place, this building so warm and inviting, especially after a long day of
travel, perched on top of this picture perfect hilltop in the Black Forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>We weren’t sure where to enter
as there was no sign for a reception area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>First, we tried the hobbit like doors we found on one end of the building, but
there was no one in sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went back
outside and walked around to the front where we found another door which led
into a cozy restaurant with a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>low
ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hesitantly we entered, not sure
if we would find someone inside who spoke English, and not really sure what we
would find inside at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A waitress dressed in a dirndl, the traditional German dress
we Americans might recognize from an Oktoberfest celebration, came out of the
kitchen and looked our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said we
were there to check in to the guesthouse but weren’t sure where to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the peace and quiet outside, inside
the restaurant was a bustling hub of activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting this young
woman in her beautiful dress to stop in the middle of delivering food and drinks to the patrons in the
restaurant and show us to our room herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But that is exactly what she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The room was simple and cozy, with just enough space for the four of us, and it was very, very clean. Before she left, the friendly young lady who had shown us to our room asked if we wanted to eat in the restaurant downstairs. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Well, we were very hungry and it was obvious that we weren't going to find any other food way up there on that
hilltop deep in the Black Forest unless we wanted to go outside and milk a cow
by hand, and given that despite it’s secluded and remote location nearly every
table inside the warm, cozy restaurant was taken, a sure sign of good food –
yes, we would like to eat in the restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And we did - two nights in a row. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maybe what makes this guesthouse so warm and welcoming is
that it’s truly a family affair. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The family that owns it lives in this same building as well, and I suspect they have for a long, long time. We met the father who
prepared the delicious meals we enjoyed in the restaurant in the evening himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Early one rainy morning we saw him out
gathering ingredients from the edge of the forest behind the guesthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure what it was he was getting, or
if it ended up in our meal that evening (I hope so), but I was very curious. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw the mother in the restaurant both at breakfast first thing in the morning and in the evenings, and she took our payment for our room at the end
of our stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their daughter, also
dressed in a beautiful traditional German dress every time we saw her, was in the restaurant every evening as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The friendly young woman who showed us to
our room was the only person on site who seemed not to be from the family, but she waited on us each evening in the restaurant with such friendliness and pride that she easily could have been mistaken for a member of the family that owned this wonderful place. And it wasn't long before Ellie and Leah started asking if they could get one of those colorful dresses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Mugs of cold German beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The vegetables in the salad were crisp and fresh, dressed with a
delicious vinaigrette that gave it a subtle pickled flavor which just seemed
appropriate in this setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And German
ravioli, nothing like it’s Italian counterpart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clearly, the noodles were freshly made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And inside the beautifully wrapped bundles were bursting with the flavors
of bacon and onions and carrots and chives and I’m not sure what else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was eating food from my
grandmother’s kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was delicious
and filling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I mention that one of
the things I loved about this trip to southern Germany was the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how much I loved staying at the Gasthaus
Zur Staude.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><br />Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-48999684212448057902016-09-16T07:34:00.000-07:002016-09-16T07:34:06.879-07:00The First 24 Hours in Southern Germany<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">At the end of May, we went to southern Germany. I was looking through all the
photos yesterday, well, actually I didn't make it past the photos from the first 24 hours of that trip when I decided I just needed to stop and share them with you. I absolutely loved southern Germany but the memory of being there has started to fade and I was overwhelmed by how beautiful and colorful and fun it was. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Mountains and beautiful lakes, fairy tale castles, colorful charming cities and towns, and some of the best food we experienced in Europe. And it was one of the coziest and most comfortable places we visited. Now, I may be a little partial to Germany as I have some German
ancestry, well a lot of it actually - about 75%, the other 25% being Norwegian. It’s funny that even though I really have had no direct interaction with
the country my entire life, there was something about it that felt comforting
and familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t all that long
ago after all that my ancestors left Germany and headed across the great Atlantic
Ocean towards "the promised land."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do believe it was only back in the 1800s
that this great migration took place, at least for my family, and in the grand scheme of things, that
really wasn’t very long ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew up
knowing very well that Germany is where most of my family’s roots are and
therefore, I felt drawn to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A little
background on the trip:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls had a
week long break from school at the end of May and into the beginning of June, and that is
when we headed to Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
figured that although we might encounter some springtime rain, and we did, the temperatures would be nicer and more pleasurable for
sight-seeing, hiking, and whatever else we ended up doing in Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would spend some time in the Black Forest,
Bavaria and actually at the tail end of the trip we jumped across the border
into Switzerland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Black forest cake, Mad
Ludwig’s fairytale castle, mountains, pretzels and cheese were all on the
agenda, but this trip ended up being so much more than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The experiences we had and things we learned
which I will share with you in the next few posts were what made this trip so
special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So here we go - our first 24 hours in southern Germany. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The view out of the hotel window the first morning we awoke in Germany, or was it Switzerland, or maybe France??? Seriously, I can't remember because Basel, the small city we had flown into the night before sits on the border of all three. In fact the airport is literally split down the middle - one side is for France and the other Switzerland, with Germany being just a short drive away too. Okay, I think I have it straight now. If I remember correctly, we picked up our car which had German license plates on the Swiss side of the airport but the hotel we stayed in that night was actually in France. Yep, that was it. Not at all confusing, is it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We set off first thing that morning from whatever country we were in and didn't make it far before we just had to pull off the motorway and make our way into one of the adorable little towns we kept passing. It was flat where we were, with the hills of the Black Forest rising in the distance, and you could clearly see when there was a small village nearby by the steeple rising high in the air above the cute houses. Just follow the steeples. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There wasn't more than a few blocks in this sleepy little village. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I have no idea what it's name is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But it was there that we quite literally had our first taste of Germany. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Fresh strawberries from the fields we had seen surrounding the town for sale via the honor system on a little table outside of someones house. They were still warm from the sun and we had to pick little pieces of straw from them before biting into the soft, juicy flesh. Heaven!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Behind the church sat a cemetery. Growing up in Wisconsin where lots of Germans settled, Eric and I immediately started recognizing last names, but I found it rather surprising that on the very first cemetery we visited on our first morning in southern Germany we found a grave stone with the name Karl Link on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You see, I have a great uncle whose name is Karl Link </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">(I think that's who he is but please correct me dad if I am wrong)</span>. There was a lady in the cemetery and when we passed by, she said something to us, in German. We got the feeling she wanted to know if there was someone in particular we were looking for in the cemetery. We replied, in English, that we don't speak German as we looked for some recognition on her face, a sign that maybe she knows some English. But there was none. None the less, we stood there for a few minutes trying our best to converse with her. I said the name "Karl Link" and she got a little excited, probably because she had finally understood something we had said. She nodded and pointed towards the grave. I don't know what she was thinking, maybe that we were some distant relatives coming to visit, but we had no way to communicate to her that we really didn't know that Karl Link, just his name. Finally, we said "Auf wiedersehen," one of the few German words we know, and we moved on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We stopped for a few hours in the city of Freiburg, an old German university town rich in fascinating history. Look it up on Wikipedia because it's worth a read, like back in the thirteenth century when the citizens used catapults to destroy the Count of Freiburg's castle because he raised their taxes and threatened to take away some of their freedom, or the witch-hunting of the 1500s, or during World War II when much of the city was destroyed by bombing but somehow the Freiburger Minster survived. It's history is full of stories that seem like they should come from the pages of a great historical novel. And the city itself was beautiful and colorful, full of it's own unique charm unlike we've seen else in Europe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we rounded one corner, beyond the tracks and wires for the cable cars stood one of the original medieval gates for the city. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We sat down on the corner just down from this gate and to eat lunch within sight of this imposing figure...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">one of the best sandwiches we had in Europe, filled with cheese and salami, Eric and Ellie's was on a pretzel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KuijSxXVchiF9P2JTyfrUw4d3S7Yojjb9eOFsQ7TXeZg6y8oVuntElS26zboh2iITLHyrjowsCRq_uP8252-ViqpR3PTQ9yHQuVFd64_ymzLv5zuBgLO7MBGj7A0fszjWPSglJVjL6yZ/s1600/20160528-IMG_3675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KuijSxXVchiF9P2JTyfrUw4d3S7Yojjb9eOFsQ7TXeZg6y8oVuntElS26zboh2iITLHyrjowsCRq_uP8252-ViqpR3PTQ9yHQuVFd64_ymzLv5zuBgLO7MBGj7A0fszjWPSglJVjL6yZ/s320/20160528-IMG_3675.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Leah couldn't keep her feet out of the clear gurgling water that runs through a unique system of gutters in the streets of Freiburg. This system was originally set up to provide water for fire fighting and livestock, but now it just adds to the long list of charming features found here. And it offers some relief on a hot day. It is said that if you accidentally fall or step into one of the shallow canals, you will marry a Freiburger. Who knows, maybe we'll be back someday... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and I really wouldn't mind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Freiburg is a market town, full of shops of all sorts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We didn't really spend much time inside any of these shops. The gorgeous spring weather beckoned and the city was just beautiful. We wanted to spend our short time there outside. But we did enjoy some window shopping and looking for the stone mosaics embedded in the sidewalks outside many of the store fronts. We read that this symbol represents the type of shop it is. It became like a game for us to spot them and try to decipher the symbol. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Most were obvious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But what they all were was charming, just adding to the amazing ambiance of this entire city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Like most European cities (and maybe every European city because as I sit here typing this I cannot think of a single one we visited that didn't have one), Freiburg had a most charming main square called the Munsterplatz, or Minster Square, so named because of the great Freiburger Minster which looms large over the plaza. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While much of Freiburg was destroyed by bombing during World War II, this amazing Minster somehow survived. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maybe it was protected by the many gargoyles and statues that decorate the exterior.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BYHjrh0lTcqp_stATxeKqUP4FPA4Fi6knDtHyF6a9NDA85BgIK4_6c1HFFqgTpuoYVeLaHZCnmIJY3mCYdtDXJb52EhUs3b8p7H9GWgBf7gZGrVf4ogg8Xeo2UmD8CC6lZZCldG__Yls/s1600/20160528-IMG_3752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BYHjrh0lTcqp_stATxeKqUP4FPA4Fi6knDtHyF6a9NDA85BgIK4_6c1HFFqgTpuoYVeLaHZCnmIJY3mCYdtDXJb52EhUs3b8p7H9GWgBf7gZGrVf4ogg8Xeo2UmD8CC6lZZCldG__Yls/s400/20160528-IMG_3752.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Inside, the cathedral is long and dark, but the walls are lined with some of the most colorful and interesting stained glass windows we've seen. Along with the biblical scenes you would expect to see, symbols of local crafts and artisans are depicted within the panes of these colorful windows. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvItj0upzDslBPS0gKc8PSWE15EmLAY2uuQavnZ0inXWPjtictL4pokBehKUxvmWd2-Y0CyE3KQ2SdQd477WtBG_kI-7zu4xJTpePfxta9yw-X41DtdZBuok0x7Fa6zwKTr9y7TvnI5fw/s1600/20160528-IMG_3753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvItj0upzDslBPS0gKc8PSWE15EmLAY2uuQavnZ0inXWPjtictL4pokBehKUxvmWd2-Y0CyE3KQ2SdQd477WtBG_kI-7zu4xJTpePfxta9yw-X41DtdZBuok0x7Fa6zwKTr9y7TvnI5fw/s400/20160528-IMG_3753.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Like the pretzels on the bottom panes in the photo above. Is there anywhere else besides Germany where you would find pretzels in the stained glass windows of a church? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaItSqUfAwzwaiNyE1TvB3ow0IowryaoAipiIHQIbmntXb5eoYR5cePKYMTDrkEfJId1i91paT-Z41ec4ChOmZayB6dGqzGgFVwXzS7bY3wecZ53v0ykXQMf5tAzVAWwhLvkjv8cmBUwwH/s1600/20160528-IMG_3743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaItSqUfAwzwaiNyE1TvB3ow0IowryaoAipiIHQIbmntXb5eoYR5cePKYMTDrkEfJId1i91paT-Z41ec4ChOmZayB6dGqzGgFVwXzS7bY3wecZ53v0ykXQMf5tAzVAWwhLvkjv8cmBUwwH/s400/20160528-IMG_3743.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And outside the church on that gorgeous spring day was a market. People after my own heart. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5Gq3aL62xS4_VkkX55cO2E3yDYV9mmJfo_ipgs3yLznmfAgDgtKKHuiV3G_mVJZxnmP0EEgvVErSCutPIG8ICyfyzwaxgV91wiWD8BIBGZ8UHmv7AOvREHb5tGtS2lPbc_QuJKBcfbrZ/s1600/20160528-IMG_3789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5Gq3aL62xS4_VkkX55cO2E3yDYV9mmJfo_ipgs3yLznmfAgDgtKKHuiV3G_mVJZxnmP0EEgvVErSCutPIG8ICyfyzwaxgV91wiWD8BIBGZ8UHmv7AOvREHb5tGtS2lPbc_QuJKBcfbrZ/s400/20160528-IMG_3789.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I don't think we bought a single thing, but that's okay. We didn't really need anything that day, and strolling between the vendors, looking at their displays with the Gothic towers of the Freiburger Minster rising up behind them was more than enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4b7KTv-8DHxIqlXMaElXKrCqqm4gACOWMykMYm_G7eWGh8Al-qchK8IM9cGzvFwE3yxXf-wCBI-5rGrUSw1rQdbXymb2Hz3rHxOVCOO_NJP8sMha3y7JBm-wC7bhYs0RRMrNY3hid17Z/s1600/20160528-IMG_3606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4b7KTv-8DHxIqlXMaElXKrCqqm4gACOWMykMYm_G7eWGh8Al-qchK8IM9cGzvFwE3yxXf-wCBI-5rGrUSw1rQdbXymb2Hz3rHxOVCOO_NJP8sMha3y7JBm-wC7bhYs0RRMrNY3hid17Z/s400/20160528-IMG_3606.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The colorful window boxes that adorned nearly every window...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The tall, majestic, medieval towers...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObnl4kaiS1VC9MH7AYKg1pV_Lj5VEQk0rXuhXK9pfrEoKG5vPkSNrwGQfy2JWkU2E_DvLTPw1jUW7mo8dMkKQjzIZVoR2QO1LWI09sCMr9OzR3XX4IYXTFMcAsWOMEJ-ApxUZ7hHJ8wsw/s1600/20160528-IMG_3711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObnl4kaiS1VC9MH7AYKg1pV_Lj5VEQk0rXuhXK9pfrEoKG5vPkSNrwGQfy2JWkU2E_DvLTPw1jUW7mo8dMkKQjzIZVoR2QO1LWI09sCMr9OzR3XX4IYXTFMcAsWOMEJ-ApxUZ7hHJ8wsw/s400/20160528-IMG_3711.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The colorful buildings...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZOBhq8yIeERwoLN3_afS4yd4ymuKcqjyrGog7sHDAyd3R6XVJVSg8i0_fPuAixzMdWYAXNqQM1hEaPzrok6NsvFqCgTg258QcdwNihuiiBz5yga84MmhqeFuyKgN16MbHDyW6zhVGlvw/s1600/20160528-IMG_3813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZOBhq8yIeERwoLN3_afS4yd4ymuKcqjyrGog7sHDAyd3R6XVJVSg8i0_fPuAixzMdWYAXNqQM1hEaPzrok6NsvFqCgTg258QcdwNihuiiBz5yga84MmhqeFuyKgN16MbHDyW6zhVGlvw/s320/20160528-IMG_3813.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Even the manhole covers are interesting and charming in Freiburg. This city was clearly built by very proud, skilled and artistic people. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOnbKJntHZp9iDs0DntOSkxfv_HhJB8kj1vYWcCou4dQFrai7TH8vsicE4d_Pdq2w516eQ1zGjjNQK1DlFdrelwQmRJ85SPUHdxMxst0deNRhBj1B8hNfjs-x27a9OLxEaRo_82b0hRv0/s1600/20160528-IMG_3654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOnbKJntHZp9iDs0DntOSkxfv_HhJB8kj1vYWcCou4dQFrai7TH8vsicE4d_Pdq2w516eQ1zGjjNQK1DlFdrelwQmRJ85SPUHdxMxst0deNRhBj1B8hNfjs-x27a9OLxEaRo_82b0hRv0/s400/20160528-IMG_3654.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We had a wonderful time for just a few hours in the city of Freiburg, but we had to move on. We headed out of the city and off into the countryside towards the hills of the Black Forest. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IlGuWbP7HozHTi_xI3NW-mwXdgiiRzKPBwQX5QAtID_BkoxprK6hwQwKwkndWEkCJNzyJ6h9yGjOJBMMMu93FTzm2B1jwvSN9MCaVzSkck7eNQtz8ZJkQfI_SJRfdZr7IiyzvHhPfLC4/s1600/20160528-IMG_3818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IlGuWbP7HozHTi_xI3NW-mwXdgiiRzKPBwQX5QAtID_BkoxprK6hwQwKwkndWEkCJNzyJ6h9yGjOJBMMMu93FTzm2B1jwvSN9MCaVzSkck7eNQtz8ZJkQfI_SJRfdZr7IiyzvHhPfLC4/s400/20160528-IMG_3818.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We wound our way up, up and up some more and soon we were far from the charming streets of Freiburg and high on the green hills dotted with dandelions ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpKqqNvs-wtCGpAKvluQiwJI6kbE5gJhjgn0Str1D8kUw6K4loSzXZt04YV8AE6FUAh5FYRjDqSclYVlqTqIKiNiO4MwK5Fw9jWHevUNkcaiA_4W5DZXtwcKYvU7-obYBACeisK5UUQ85/s1600/20160528-IMG_3846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpKqqNvs-wtCGpAKvluQiwJI6kbE5gJhjgn0Str1D8kUw6K4loSzXZt04YV8AE6FUAh5FYRjDqSclYVlqTqIKiNiO4MwK5Fw9jWHevUNkcaiA_4W5DZXtwcKYvU7-obYBACeisK5UUQ85/s400/20160528-IMG_3846.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Which was equally as charming I might add. We passed lots of farms with cows grazing in the hills. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_ahQEmGGe7MjIvug073QX-Kk1qCCkWe-Zte07GVPed_Duw6SIGyxVgiP8cTh9rFjQQA9ufWhlmgyPPSyOWZ-FrLCjGgFf57UspYE0O5vOxPnxxPKyNb_FVOPOYcj_Q8r4kKYWtmoRY3x/s1600/20160528-IMG_3891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_ahQEmGGe7MjIvug073QX-Kk1qCCkWe-Zte07GVPed_Duw6SIGyxVgiP8cTh9rFjQQA9ufWhlmgyPPSyOWZ-FrLCjGgFf57UspYE0O5vOxPnxxPKyNb_FVOPOYcj_Q8r4kKYWtmoRY3x/s400/20160528-IMG_3891.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We have seen a lot of postcard perfect places, and the hills of southern Germany were amongst them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">By early evening, we reached our hotel, the Gasthaus Zur Staude, one of the most unique places we stayed in Europe, and one of my favorites. I'll share more on the Gasthaus with you tomorrow. It was perched on the top of a hill hidden by trees and all by itself with only farm fields, cows and forest surrounding it. After checking in and dropping our luggage off in our room, we headed outside and into the Black Forest.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0w_CwhdTlGZCcbr2mdt_NrGHXmEp9orvQgE2FZ7SDQR_SzVa2zeAikKyky9grfiRHPpY0D3koPeHyLnenLcmDAqA9He7uSJ1kJ2U_gQCLUOKOJ3xpLXjrUJ7pz13-7WwvdhGONs6-uy-/s1600/20160528-IMG_3913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0w_CwhdTlGZCcbr2mdt_NrGHXmEp9orvQgE2FZ7SDQR_SzVa2zeAikKyky9grfiRHPpY0D3koPeHyLnenLcmDAqA9He7uSJ1kJ2U_gQCLUOKOJ3xpLXjrUJ7pz13-7WwvdhGONs6-uy-/s640/20160528-IMG_3913.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We had been drawn to the Black Forest partly by photos we have seen in travel magazines and on the Internet, and partly because of the name, "The Black Forest." It sounds so mysterious, like anything could be lurking there, human or not. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Wptd1dUPZyH5AycElozau3kt3k1qH6K_t-C0gc9n9LSIA9QTxgCbT-fruPUDG9kG1_dJKyBrUHYkNBcPzBAmkKyPE9nLY2m7tI9E1UBDC3InXTo2x0TMR3TiUnUtTtfUts96ulpOw7dk/s1600/20160528-IMG_3919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Wptd1dUPZyH5AycElozau3kt3k1qH6K_t-C0gc9n9LSIA9QTxgCbT-fruPUDG9kG1_dJKyBrUHYkNBcPzBAmkKyPE9nLY2m7tI9E1UBDC3InXTo2x0TMR3TiUnUtTtfUts96ulpOw7dk/s400/20160528-IMG_3919.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Between the name and the photos, it seems like a place where magical and maybe dark fairy tales would take place. It had rained earlier, the sun was setting, and indeed, our first foray into the Black Forest lived up to it's name. Our imaginations ran wild as we walked the paths. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEYh0dNv64EGwzn2Jwr8WI7d2ep72H0zNRUZmEnVrr7By-dQvnU7VdDFc0g2CpUvORWZzJwLaVWd1JBgKXktQ_IgL25OOZp-vOAQOU52fKoi0Kt75Ho7_bkSDgHb_Mxj0qdUwelN9rBkZ/s1600/20160528-IMG_3908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEYh0dNv64EGwzn2Jwr8WI7d2ep72H0zNRUZmEnVrr7By-dQvnU7VdDFc0g2CpUvORWZzJwLaVWd1JBgKXktQ_IgL25OOZp-vOAQOU52fKoi0Kt75Ho7_bkSDgHb_Mxj0qdUwelN9rBkZ/s400/20160528-IMG_3908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We didn't see anything unusual, but I think we were all glad when as the last light of the day faded we saw the welcoming warm glow from the guest house. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdJNCAGHCeS0tw9OZhGppoFBJAfvz9xeLp9jl8YJST_ci2o-WNJQOF8t0LvhPIyJv7oy6tYxsX-vqq2D8q4ZsEYtrV4vwscq2RJHs-Q69wZoQli1AGcv1PL1CpXrbdEi10QkAZMRm3AAF/s1600/20160528-IMG_3970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdJNCAGHCeS0tw9OZhGppoFBJAfvz9xeLp9jl8YJST_ci2o-WNJQOF8t0LvhPIyJv7oy6tYxsX-vqq2D8q4ZsEYtrV4vwscq2RJHs-Q69wZoQli1AGcv1PL1CpXrbdEi10QkAZMRm3AAF/s400/20160528-IMG_3970.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We made our way inside to a table in the cozy restaurant and enjoyed a delicious, homemade German meal prepared by the innkeeper himself...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKizoUW9riWM5AyjJfij3ILkHFlQWqsXDg8Y8sZLEVlaXGjDjBKRv25aiwMB_mIQ1f8eZrh2N72EsLPcUEhv5UR6MqqghH7O21FL6WkVbQUW6sWZGRfWvfhSnkeARVsBSce40lZHqO_cc3/s1600/20160528-IMG_3996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKizoUW9riWM5AyjJfij3ILkHFlQWqsXDg8Y8sZLEVlaXGjDjBKRv25aiwMB_mIQ1f8eZrh2N72EsLPcUEhv5UR6MqqghH7O21FL6WkVbQUW6sWZGRfWvfhSnkeARVsBSce40lZHqO_cc3/s400/20160528-IMG_3996.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and we had some good German beer of course.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our first 24 hours in southern Germany. Colorful. Beautiful. Delicious. Mysterious. Magical. I have a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart just thinking about it. </span><br />
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-76172213282138143492016-09-07T13:51:00.001-07:002016-09-07T13:51:52.318-07:00An Autumn Visit to Bodnant Garden
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">It may be
90 degrees and humid outside today, but it’s September and fall is just around
the corner, or autumn as they call it in the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We call it autumn as well, but generally
speaking, here in the USA we use the term fall when conversing about this last
full season of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During our time
in England, I never once heard someone use the term fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, it's a North American English term (I'm serious - there is such a thing as North American English). In the UK, it’s simply and solely called autumn,
just one example of the many, many terminology differences we noticed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The reason
I bring this up is because I just glanced through the photos from our visit to
the beautiful Bodnant Garden in Wales last fall, or autumn if you prefer, which
is nestled back in Conwy Valley just a short drive from the charming walled
town of Conwy and it’s castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And it is
those photos that I will share with you today to wrap up our weekend in
Wales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the weather feels like fall
for much of the year in the UK, which some people may like while others not so
much, one of the nice aspects of this cooler and more moderate climate is that
flowers seem to last for a really long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be honest, I cannot remember exactly when we visited this Garden but
I do know it was sometime late in September or October, not a typical time for
us to visit gardens for their flowers in much of the USA because really, you
wouldn’t see much besides mums, but in the UK, things are still blooming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>While the foliage was turning that deep
shade of red that is a telltale sign of the changing weather, there were still
plenty of flowers on display that seemed to not want to listen to Mother
Nature, but instead share a last few days of their splendid color with us
before they go to sleep for the long winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlLk4BrwW8imgr5Z7ZjhTf4eelqmuaRj7KYwhBheU5FUHy5SWch3NjxOqv8nhdvQfuY8XMJWudPr_xlvEy24oJIxtCUHs46679reHwDglKhkO61t04Qu1m9dJ01qCoRPe73a4W03fUDhw/s1600/20150927-IMG_0850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlLk4BrwW8imgr5Z7ZjhTf4eelqmuaRj7KYwhBheU5FUHy5SWch3NjxOqv8nhdvQfuY8XMJWudPr_xlvEy24oJIxtCUHs46679reHwDglKhkO61t04Qu1m9dJ01qCoRPe73a4W03fUDhw/s400/20150927-IMG_0850.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">My senses seemed a bit confused by the feeling of autumn in the air, the
vibrant fall foliage, and colorful summer flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>But I’ll take it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a wonderful way to spend a lovely autumn
day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSC1BQr8AICiQtfcgqBR0UjB4JizV8df6Y6DHclZmVWjeP0_RlSLTmOIs64jiR9j4ixifNUoA80MTrs22GkadrAf1X7liIOarnEwh8_atrFuXekn5aO21O2R_bZhw9BZoox4K1HrBREzf/s1600/20150927-IMG_0890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSC1BQr8AICiQtfcgqBR0UjB4JizV8df6Y6DHclZmVWjeP0_RlSLTmOIs64jiR9j4ixifNUoA80MTrs22GkadrAf1X7liIOarnEwh8_atrFuXekn5aO21O2R_bZhw9BZoox4K1HrBREzf/s400/20150927-IMG_0890.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The Bodnant
Estate, which included a Georgian mansion and 80 acres of what was just pasture
and lawn at one time, was purchased by a man name Henry Davis Pochin in 1874, an industrial
chemist born in Leicestershire (the county we lived in while in England) who
made his fortune by inventing the process that turns soap from brown to
white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interesting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Pochin began the work of turning this hilly site into the 80
acres of stunning gardens you can meander through today, including terraces, ponds, a
waterfall, some record UK Champion Trees and a gorgeous tree-lined valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpnS-JeHFj9IJ1Bc9F0JfiOdYsYoebsL_gSPU-gb-nzPG6QIPKr6y8Dn5EdiZAMTWTEd45rYF9tRk2ql353CdBGiwUjWMsj5-jdqIrGq5kfxFx9EJabI9UVHIxb5Jjc3sdssAZEWZDpx8/s1600/20150927-IMG_0936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpnS-JeHFj9IJ1Bc9F0JfiOdYsYoebsL_gSPU-gb-nzPG6QIPKr6y8Dn5EdiZAMTWTEd45rYF9tRk2ql353CdBGiwUjWMsj5-jdqIrGq5kfxFx9EJabI9UVHIxb5Jjc3sdssAZEWZDpx8/s400/20150927-IMG_0936.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">His legacy has carried across the years as
four generations followed in his footsteps to continue to develop this amazing
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1949, the family turned over
the care of the garden to the National Trust, but they continued to play an
active role in Bodnant Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today the
estate is stilled owned by this same family and the heir, Michael McLaren,
serves as the garden manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIc50S4jgjB36-9sS0y_TiU5gSk0H_ygPF7YVS3pf-GEL8pjtwRQCY8TUd4FynbCwi5t7q_k_ouTcQyaxpo0TrdCy4_7deTNWVkLFxHiWFKqtAi4cdxRHq_yE6vRF0jwkcslcRP1Oc_0ii/s1600/20150927-IMG_0884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIc50S4jgjB36-9sS0y_TiU5gSk0H_ygPF7YVS3pf-GEL8pjtwRQCY8TUd4FynbCwi5t7q_k_ouTcQyaxpo0TrdCy4_7deTNWVkLFxHiWFKqtAi4cdxRHq_yE6vRF0jwkcslcRP1Oc_0ii/s400/20150927-IMG_0884.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">We had fun
at the Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0qckBF7ZUeX0kRQxmuFDQjQzXF4595WRJwPOfy5cVX4S3fRxC5JpPPb3bisy9JkdT5CkWvHFMhAkLfguV2-lcaglZbpnAXF-vTAmixhBrjnXBcEuRgyk0fYOt9V7cmLgmiugDiWeGynM/s1600/20150927-IMG_0870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0qckBF7ZUeX0kRQxmuFDQjQzXF4595WRJwPOfy5cVX4S3fRxC5JpPPb3bisy9JkdT5CkWvHFMhAkLfguV2-lcaglZbpnAXF-vTAmixhBrjnXBcEuRgyk0fYOt9V7cmLgmiugDiWeGynM/s400/20150927-IMG_0870.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>There was lots to see and
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews or any children in your life and you've never considered taking them to a garden because what the heck would a kid find fun about visiting a flower garden, well think again my friend. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGfLGgljp_ovWDcdsODgMlOilbVFW004wTyW0qrjPlVH19RNjEMfmrKn0y2_GRtogICbR-PjlyrBfIBlc5jigMlkzvknMqMzHLB3IJ5xxSdlaeL-qutAk_jqHzA6KZ56fyMCL_URbDHQU/s1600/20150927-IMG_1050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGfLGgljp_ovWDcdsODgMlOilbVFW004wTyW0qrjPlVH19RNjEMfmrKn0y2_GRtogICbR-PjlyrBfIBlc5jigMlkzvknMqMzHLB3IJ5xxSdlaeL-qutAk_jqHzA6KZ56fyMCL_URbDHQU/s400/20150927-IMG_1050.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">A garden is the perfect place to bring kids. It's like a giant playground, and you might just be surprised by how interested your children really are in plants and flowers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">And it never hurts when there happens to be a lovely little spot down on the valley floor to get
a cup of hot chocolate and a sweet snack on a chilly autumn day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Who wouldn't love this place! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">So please enjoy the rest of our photos. The autumn sunshine, the cool air and the colorful leaves and flowers made for a great day at Bodnant Garden. </span></span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-471327150330273192016-09-01T09:20:00.001-07:002016-09-01T09:20:57.930-07:00There is More to Conwy Than Just a Castle
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The day we visited the walled
Welsh town of Conwy we actually had intended to only stay in the town for a
couple of hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thought we would see
the castle, walk around for a bit and be on our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did we know that Conwy has so much
more to offer than just it’s castle, which as you know from my previous post is
quite spectacular in it’s own right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
it shouldn’t come as any surprise that by late afternoon, several hours after
arriving in Conwy, we were still there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After touring the castle, we meandered through the small town and made
our way down to the waterside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If I
remember correctly (this was almost a year ago after all), I believe there was an art fair sort of thing going on there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We passed through the tent and happened upon
a raptor display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Owls!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ellie’s favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few years ago she read this fantasy book
series featuring owls called Guardians of Ga’Hoole and she's been fascinated with them ever since. She was over the moon excited to see some up
close and personal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We roamed around the town some
more searching for a place to have lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mmmm – this looks tempting, but I
think I will have to pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, if you are British, please don't be offended. I mean no disrespect, but one thing I
never figured out in all my time in the UK is what the fascination is with
mushy peas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And beans on toast – I don’t
get that one either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We decided to eat here instead…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The former Bank of Conwy which is
now home to a lovely bar serving delicious tapas and a healthy selection of
beers, including those of the Belgium variety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Can you guess why we chose this over the mushy peas place?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We also visited a 14<sup>th</sup>
century merchants house which sits right in the heart of Conwy called
Aberconwy House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the bottom floors
of this house are made of stone, the top floor, which dates back to the 15<sup>th</sup>
century, is made of timber, and when you think about that, it truly is amazing
that this house has stood for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wooden structures in a cool, wet environment where they had lots of fires generally do not survive
for long periods of time, especially 500 plus years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe it or not, but after withstanding centuries of wear and tear by the environment and people, this gem of a historic
house almost got the wrecking ball during the 1900s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t remember the exact years the guide gave us, but at some point the local folks decided to tear this and some of the other old buildings down
to make room for some new ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, an
American businessman came along and fell in love with the House, so much so
that he wanted to buy it and have it shipped back to the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy, but true!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, apparently this got the attention of
the locals who started thinking maybe they shouldn’t tear down this amazing
display of history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the Conwy people
decided to keep it and at some point the National Trust got the site and now
they maintain and operate it, opening it to the public for visits and
education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even though the house is
relatively small compared to basically all the other houses we’ve visited in
the UK, it was an incredibly interesting and intriguing place to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The timber framing was like something out of a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upstairs, the floors and walls and timbers
themselves were so terribly uneven and crooked you had to watch every step you
took.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very low and
irregular doorways (people were a lot shorter back then due to malnutrition) had doors cut to match their wonky shape and size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The house is adorned with furniture from the Georgian, Victorian and
Jacobean eras to represent the different time periods this house has stood
through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe the best room of all
was the kitchen on the main floor with the huge fireplace for baking and
cooking and a peculiar, large wooden cage suspended from the ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I joked with the girls that they better
behave because that’s where they use to put naughty children (they didn’t think
that was funny), but the National Trust guide kindly explained that the cage
was for storing bread and other items out of the reach of rats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boy those must have been fun times!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I wish I had more photos to share
with you of Aberconwy house, but it was dark and small and hard to
photograph inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I guess you’ll
just have to travel to Wales and visit the House in person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me, the trip to Conwy will be well
worth your time and money.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just around the corner and up the
street from Aberconwy House is another fascinating and very kid friendly historic
site called Plas Mawr (apparently this means ‘Great Hall’).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Although it has undergone
much reconstruction, the underlying architecture is almost unchanged from what
it was back in the 16<sup>th</sup> century when it was first constructed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plas Mawr is recognized as one of the finest
townhouses to have survived since the Elizabethan era. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The girls had a ball in this Elizabethan
townhouse (notice the wooden cage hanging above the table in the photo below - a very large bread basket that is similar to what we saw inside Aberconwy House as I mentioned earlier).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now, if there is one thing my girls love to do when we visit historic sites or anywhere for that matter, it is to play dress-up, and Plas Mawr did not disappoint. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know I am bias as these
are my children, but do they not look adorable in these Elizabethan
outfits or what!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes, the outfits were a little on the
large size (the wool hat falling down over Leah's eyes in the first photo had me in stitches), but these two would have fit in perfectly back in the 16<sup>th</sup>
century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And if there is another thing my girls absolutely love to do when we are visiting historical sites, it is to play in the kitchen. Gosh, looking at these dress-up and kitchen photos make me wish I was a kids again. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That is all for today and from Conwy, so I leave
you with the rest of the photos from Plas Mawr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you ever find yourself in Wales (and you really should someday), don't pass Conwy by. Look beyond the castle because inside the town walls there are some fascinating sites to see. We’ve visited our share of castles and estate homes in the UK, but these
houses from the 15<sup>th</sup> and 16<sup>th</sup> centuries that were on the small size relatively speaking were truly unique
and so very interesting and fun to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Despite the necessary reconstruction work that has taken place here, when you walk through the doors of either Plas Mawr or Aberconwy House, it's as if you've been transported back in time. </span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-1802551971481796482016-08-26T12:04:00.000-07:002016-08-26T12:04:30.456-07:00Tornadoes and Castles<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Tornadoes you say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, tornadoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Welcome back to Indiana!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a rather harsh welcome back it has
been, at least weatherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t even been here for a
month yet and we’ve already had to deal with two fairly close tornado scares,
the kind where there is definitely a tornado on the ground and heading in your general direction so seek shelter soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first episode was a week ago Tuesday, dinner time, Eric was back
in the UK for work (yes, already), so just the girls and I were home when my
phone suddenly started blaring that unmistakable emergency bleeping that stops you
in your tracks and sends you running to the TV to see what the heck is going
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tornado warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Radar suggests and one has been spotted on
the ground about 45 minutes west and is heading straight in our direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lovely!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we hear the sirens going off, I grab a couple of blankets, put them
by the basement door, find the flashlight and put that and my cell phone by the
basement door, and all three of us put on shoes because, I don’t know, seems
like a bad idea to be barefoot when you are trapped in your basement with your house on top of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We put dinner preparations
aside, much to Leah’s chagrin because she was hungry, tornado or not. Unlike normal children who get very frightened
during situations like this, Leah gets excited and keeps running outside to the
front porch hoping to see the funnel cloud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, as luck would have it, luck for us anyway, said tornado passed
about three miles from our house taking out most of the goals and garbage cans
on the soccer field we are currently frequenting two or three times a week (they
had cancelled soccer practices earlier so don’t worry, no kids were there),
toppled over some trees, but thankfully didn’t cause much more damage than that
as it was a rather small tornado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank
you mother nature!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But then came Wednesday of this week, two days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 2:30 in the afternoon<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear the sirens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the heck?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew there was a slight risk of storms that
day, but no one said anything about tornadoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I turn on the TV and sure enough, another tornado, pretty much due west
of us and again, heading in our general direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yippee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here comes round number two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
this tornado warning was a little different than the other one the week before
because, you see, all the kids were still in school and they won’t release them
if there is a tornado warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Period. End of story. Doesn't matter if there is an actual tornado or just a warning based on computer generated meteorological models. No children are setting foot outside of school until the warning has officially expired.
Ellie was to get out of school shortly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was planning on staying after for a meeting anyway, but instead of going to the meeting (which eventually was cancelled because of the ensuing events), she had to assume the tornado
position on the first floor in the 5<sup>th</sup> grade hallway (her locker
and main classroom is on the second floor).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">If I tell you in detail how the next three
hours played out, this would get to be a really long post and I’m not at all
sure you are that interested in this anyway, so to make a long story as short as I
possibly can, after the first, second and then third tornado warnings had expired, Ellie finally arrived home from school via the bus about 1 hour and 45
minutes late. As we walked from the bus stop back to our house with the
neighbor kids, everyone buzzing about the fact they had to stay in the tornado
position for over an hour, my phone bleeps that annoying but very important ear
piercing emergency sound once again. This was tornado warning number four for the afternoon. Now, because of the way the buses run in our school district, the elementary students hadn't even been released from school yet, so this new warning meant that all those youngsters once again had to take the tornado position in their classrooms and wait it out. Did you follow all of that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Well, by that time, it was well over an hour past when the elementary kids would normally have been released from school, there was now a fourth tornado warning, and I think you can understand that I and the other parents of elementary kids on our street just wanted them home safely and sound with us. So one of the other moms jumped in the car and headed to the school to pick them all
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You aren’t going to believe this, but when my
neighbor arrived at the school, a 5<sup>th</sup> and what would turn out to
be the final tornado warning of the afternoon was issued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The school officials made her go into the
school and seek shelter in the nurse’s office too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, about 20 minutes later, she pulls into our driveway with Leah in the back seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was well after 5:00 pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those poor elementary kids had to sit with
their foreheads to the floor for over two hours!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And those that rode the bus home didn't even get on their buses until 5:30 that day. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, some of you may be thinking
this sounds like a bit of overkill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are
the school districts here being overly cautions keeping kids in school until 5:30?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, maybe, but if you saw the video of the
Starbucks in Kokomo, Indiana, a mere hours drive north of here, being flattened that very afternoon around the time the kids would have been on the bus home,
then no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The schools did exactly the
right thing keeping them inside the buildings where they would be much safer if
a tornado had hit than being on the bus or walking home from school (and in case you didn't see the video, it's pretty incredible but all the patrons and staff inside the Starbucks were okay - apparently they had a really well built bathroom/tornado shelter).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, what the heck does this all
have to do with this blog about living in England?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, for the past two years we never once
had to worry about tornadoes or storm warnings of any kind actually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We heard thunder exactly twice over those two
years because thunderstorms are just not common at all in the UK, and while
we did have a few wind advisories and lots of rain at times, that was the
extent of the extreme weather we had to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now, back to reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t jet off to Prague for the weekend
anymore, and we need to watch for tornadoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hmm, can I go back to England now?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I will end all of this kibitzing about the weather with some more photos from the UK that I haven't shared with you yet. Kind of a sharp transition in topics I realized, but
man was it nice not having to deal with this bad weather stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">This is the town of Conwy in Wales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How have I not shared this amazing and very
proudly Welsh gem with you yet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We visited
Conwy almost a year ago now, back in September 2015, just after the girls had
started a new school year in our little English village of Worthington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove to Wales just for the weekend because
like I’ve said before, everywhere seems like it’s only two hours away from
where we lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, Conwy was more
like three hours, and that particular Friday night it turned out to be more like
four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left after the girls were
done with school and Eric was done with work for the day, but I think everyone
else did too and they seemed to all be heading to Wales as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, a four hour drive really isn’t that
long to us Americans, but it is when one of your children gets car sick all
over herself in the back seat when you are about 20 miles from the hotel (this
seemed to come on quite suddenly and with absolutely no warning), and the
paper towels are unreachable in the trunk (or boot as it’s called in the UK),
AND there is absolutely no room on the side of the road to pull over because they don't believe in shoulders in the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a long 20 miles in slow moving traffic with all the windows down as we encouraged her not to move a muscle
until we arrived at the hotel and could extract her from the mess in the back
seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fun times, my friends, fun times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn't have tornadoes to deal with, but it wasn't all fun and games while we lived
in England.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Well, our trip to Wales improved
vastly the next day when we arrived outside the great walls that surround the
town of Conwy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conwy, you see, is a
walled market town, full of cute shops and places to eat, and sitting above the
great wall that encircles the medieval town is a mighty castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Conwy Castle, one of the best we visited in
all of Europe, dates back to the later 1200s...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> and boy was it fun to explore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">From the towers that thrust up high above the town, we were afforded one
of the most magnificent views we would see in the UK...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuqbGOZpQXA5Q0lkmDaJUOmit70SmYkRMRL2vJirhHJZYSmeucSkgb2SaAtzwmN5PQel-L9-dvi1kVueeqJMOEjrgLXlVejmoAhyl5VouCcVyfaiTpoJsxPJi2Svut5pQPjIpMBucuyTn/s1600/20150926-IMG_0157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuqbGOZpQXA5Q0lkmDaJUOmit70SmYkRMRL2vJirhHJZYSmeucSkgb2SaAtzwmN5PQel-L9-dvi1kVueeqJMOEjrgLXlVejmoAhyl5VouCcVyfaiTpoJsxPJi2Svut5pQPjIpMBucuyTn/s400/20150926-IMG_0157.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">the beautiful green hills of
the Welsh landscape...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCV_VQNftPBWyaoyuBiepaM-g5QQGsarX9dW7bJpaQnO_qk8cdbuRPMHIU00C83x3fUFRYsz-4jwwqhbUHdnObFHpD_ha8xvoXRtShJSJ0Zp-nlICwYgNVYH7ZZdAMs0-G8mAfBL8Kckh/s1600/20150926-IMG_0227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCV_VQNftPBWyaoyuBiepaM-g5QQGsarX9dW7bJpaQnO_qk8cdbuRPMHIU00C83x3fUFRYsz-4jwwqhbUHdnObFHpD_ha8xvoXRtShJSJ0Zp-nlICwYgNVYH7ZZdAMs0-G8mAfBL8Kckh/s400/20150926-IMG_0227.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the Conwy River which flows right past the castle and empties
into the Irish Sea. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbEuUxXJRk2w4gSIXVVcKIrKfoh-XZ-JUIoJ5BQYB7zl6J3Jk3Way5vlq-GxRVmcAne7Augj-WJkAxuFyQPFjvObTAm9Cchb7qLsr1IiLKY8UM-vO2XN4pPNa25XHemcKF_XOcc6HnClZ/s1600/20150926-IMG_0154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbEuUxXJRk2w4gSIXVVcKIrKfoh-XZ-JUIoJ5BQYB7zl6J3Jk3Way5vlq-GxRVmcAne7Augj-WJkAxuFyQPFjvObTAm9Cchb7qLsr1IiLKY8UM-vO2XN4pPNa25XHemcKF_XOcc6HnClZ/s400/20150926-IMG_0154.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Simply
stunning!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So here you go – Conwy Castle in Wales and the great stone wall that still surrounds the town hundreds of years later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsCgSJ4eidGFgc948_c32E7ZplcXAm7ir4OgqUpq3SUL1bsBQw1vlrvHirVvBmmz5RZMPPctIzWv1RgSefUHFzSUVZujMpDOWhh30vArsrn-KgqyC7E0mtPvDmINUgWiAqr8JRWEKctZG/s1600/20150926-IMG_0395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsCgSJ4eidGFgc948_c32E7ZplcXAm7ir4OgqUpq3SUL1bsBQw1vlrvHirVvBmmz5RZMPPctIzWv1RgSefUHFzSUVZujMpDOWhh30vArsrn-KgqyC7E0mtPvDmINUgWiAqr8JRWEKctZG/s400/20150926-IMG_0395.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Looks like Eric took a page from my book. Photographing the photographer, only I'm not really the photographer in the family. He is. But I still like to take what I think are cools photos now and again with my camera phone. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiqDsJfU-pHhOzgCUwPyE5EO0lzjXwq8LUIsPOxYvgh-ORvXfAvh1Pi3BHFAPiltIvEElx9TkmjVdoLi2HfJTPbyEGeWx2oF06zu-vk13zKu85nODH_UaSUknVQsUDyZl-GZMg4XTZaFc/s1600/IMG_20150926_112257955_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiqDsJfU-pHhOzgCUwPyE5EO0lzjXwq8LUIsPOxYvgh-ORvXfAvh1Pi3BHFAPiltIvEElx9TkmjVdoLi2HfJTPbyEGeWx2oF06zu-vk13zKu85nODH_UaSUknVQsUDyZl-GZMg4XTZaFc/s400/IMG_20150926_112257955_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Like this actual 'photographing the photographer' on top of Conwy Castle. Can you spot him?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I liked visiting Conwy so much that I went
back in June when my friend Anna from Wisconsin came to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to see a proper castle, and Conwy
Castle was the first one that popped into my mind. Not hard to see why, is it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCW8dfldZ6k3iXeRj633YVNv6KyILCMjDcr0BWBM8C3VwiEj8DwFyd-QNqPDVSOiHeH-F9LBHcG7cTZPTq9yDxEhejd-nQD6PNXsFdZTxVSCGiG-vcjJbzIu5GAMQvWthk4WNehyphenhypheno0RkGj/s1600/20150926-IMG_0108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCW8dfldZ6k3iXeRj633YVNv6KyILCMjDcr0BWBM8C3VwiEj8DwFyd-QNqPDVSOiHeH-F9LBHcG7cTZPTq9yDxEhejd-nQD6PNXsFdZTxVSCGiG-vcjJbzIu5GAMQvWthk4WNehyphenhypheno0RkGj/s400/20150926-IMG_0108.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h_nCZ7P0VIx7cRDvjAxWSQo64dSQ442BnmwjUyXR8iA8T-xHyEer6H_FD00wmMD6AmJBAAvN0nRyct5DNBD4IwJXfSZOFCHy3GOiiF1uQ4zu2TR78IztdANPM4eZzkdJdLSZsjOhaGhk/s1600/20150926-IMG_0133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h_nCZ7P0VIx7cRDvjAxWSQo64dSQ442BnmwjUyXR8iA8T-xHyEer6H_FD00wmMD6AmJBAAvN0nRyct5DNBD4IwJXfSZOFCHy3GOiiF1uQ4zu2TR78IztdANPM4eZzkdJdLSZsjOhaGhk/s400/20150926-IMG_0133.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCdaRAWN9gZLMZxAfp-QimMGtA10vwzLviJlJyZDxv2GJVoKFx88PWjYR2JFs5Wg0Nn7ZeWmsrNywBXUeZu2XG16AKXIEtzP0DMDLEPmgV39PYRvEgMDRZUX1rzfl9gYUW4x4Lnhrrsr6/s1600/20150926-IMG_0190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCdaRAWN9gZLMZxAfp-QimMGtA10vwzLviJlJyZDxv2GJVoKFx88PWjYR2JFs5Wg0Nn7ZeWmsrNywBXUeZu2XG16AKXIEtzP0DMDLEPmgV39PYRvEgMDRZUX1rzfl9gYUW4x4Lnhrrsr6/s400/20150926-IMG_0190.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMVsIctm2oZfCCQt_3Nbxzc4_XywCcaddwmu8NY1iV51iXEiu95hCX7EJgj8AtrE864lmP7Yt3HSef5jolSb1OAPriUKQrZdc5yMK-GE9S8jd8GgyowPmN9IUYM13m6JtI501dRP9lMk2/s1600/20150926-IMG_0279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMVsIctm2oZfCCQt_3Nbxzc4_XywCcaddwmu8NY1iV51iXEiu95hCX7EJgj8AtrE864lmP7Yt3HSef5jolSb1OAPriUKQrZdc5yMK-GE9S8jd8GgyowPmN9IUYM13m6JtI501dRP9lMk2/s400/20150926-IMG_0279.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look very carefully at this photo. Can spot the King?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_46K7Uy4QZdzkDQwr3Dro-TH-q6Xauw-hOgJdbdmyJnY183SkO4Yp2ty1VP93dbZ0RtBi5EcGdeYaaEfN_UPmyVqR7kvQlms-YX07cnSP2_v3Jp1WFHhmm7shISm4y3OjcE2hw2MGWXab/s1600/20150926-IMG_0291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_46K7Uy4QZdzkDQwr3Dro-TH-q6Xauw-hOgJdbdmyJnY183SkO4Yp2ty1VP93dbZ0RtBi5EcGdeYaaEfN_UPmyVqR7kvQlms-YX07cnSP2_v3Jp1WFHhmm7shISm4y3OjcE2hw2MGWXab/s400/20150926-IMG_0291.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-23242685552517357082016-08-15T08:26:00.000-07:002016-08-15T18:32:01.509-07:00There and Back Again; The Continuation of our Adventure from the Other Side of the Pond<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I’m sitting
at my desk typing this post with the window open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s warm and a bit muggy. I can hear the
pitter-patter of the steady rain as it falls outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to turn the lights on in the house
because the heavy gray clouds hanging low in the sky are making it really dark
and gloomy in here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m not in
England anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am back home, in
Indiana. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We’ve
officially been back since Friday, July 29.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sorry for the radio silence but before we left the UK, we were busy,
busy, busy, and then we set out on our last European vacation, at least the
last one for the foreseeable future because I suspect our travels there are not
done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we’ve returned to Indiana,
we’ve moved back into our house, worked on restocking (toilet paper, cleaning
supplies, spices, you get the drift), Eric has returned to work and bought a
new truck to get him there and back again, the girls have returned to school
albeit they are now at different school and riding different buses so our
morning routine is very long, soccer season has started, we sign up for dance
classes tomorrow, and we’ve met some new neighbors as there seems to have been
a lot of change on our little street while we were away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good changes because they are all very nice
and there are lots of new kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that
is why I am just now getting back to blogging because believe it or not, we
still have a lot from our European adventure to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So, how is
being back in the USA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I’ve
discovered there really is a thing called reverse culture shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel as if I’ve been walking around in a
daze for the past few weeks, going about the motions of living, but everything
here feels kind of strange and I’m not sure what to make of it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, I went to Starbucks this
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s raining and a mocha was
just calling my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove to the
nearest location and the line at the drive thru was long, but I had no desire
to get into that line anyway even if it was short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, in England, there are no drive thrus
at coffee shops, at least not any we saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, they would all think we were down right crazy for getting a cup
of coffee in a to go container while sitting in our car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is the pleasure in that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coffee, tea or whatever your hot beverage of
choice is meant to be drunk sitting down at the coffee shop with your hands
wrapped around a proper mug, and that’s how I wanted my mocha this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I bypassed the drive thru line but after
circling the building twice, there wasn’t a single parking spot available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least this particular Starbucks’ has that
in common with the UK – lack of parking spaces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So I left and headed to the next nearest Starbucks, and guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive thru line was even longer AND there
wasn’t a single parking spot available there either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So I did what just felt like it was completely against my nature after living in Europe for two years and sat
in the crazy long drive thru line, watching for a parking spot to open up but
whenever one did, another car snatched it up before I could maneuver my way out
of the ridiculously long line of cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPV00wGKGHsvT9LPL9wJXCGtpDZwum1lKjdKbdx5x9P5XF4hHNilEFfmNsTbFiTFJq8fppWFxR6gVaHhIbFcdntE28qAUOxIhOsoLkJcJ4Fn3-scyC5YwxQs4Y9khzjqZ1lBSaB28_E60/s1600/IMG_20160505_122418918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPV00wGKGHsvT9LPL9wJXCGtpDZwum1lKjdKbdx5x9P5XF4hHNilEFfmNsTbFiTFJq8fppWFxR6gVaHhIbFcdntE28qAUOxIhOsoLkJcJ4Fn3-scyC5YwxQs4Y9khzjqZ1lBSaB28_E60/s400/IMG_20160505_122418918.jpg" width="223" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, I’m
not trying to say I’m better than everyone else here in the USA so please don’t
be insulted if you went through a drive thru this morning because if you want
to know how this story ended, I did end up going through the drive thru line myself
after all of that, got my coffee to go and am now sitting by myself back at
home drinking it out of the fiber or whatever Starbucks makes their to go cups
from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just that I’ve seen this all
from a much different perspective now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
got use to that different perspective, I liked that different perspective, and
I miss that different perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
know I will be back through the Starbuck’s drive thru again, but that cup of
coffee will not compare to the one I had with the girls at my favorite café Jack’s
in a little town called Melbourne just a few miles from where we lived in
England where a hot chocolate is served like this...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnwgUJG7MCbI8cNvlXMDRG9ojsSlv2jGEPK3CMpJj4LR9ZSO-6COktnZ112HytoZFQ1LRaBIWnKHK7wfVpGSgJvgNfpA7hi2VtUjqV2qe-iHlbCXLhDy1IgZoQCt9pNlk4lC055MRWtJnB/s1600/IMG_20160505_122410423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnwgUJG7MCbI8cNvlXMDRG9ojsSlv2jGEPK3CMpJj4LR9ZSO-6COktnZ112HytoZFQ1LRaBIWnKHK7wfVpGSgJvgNfpA7hi2VtUjqV2qe-iHlbCXLhDy1IgZoQCt9pNlk4lC055MRWtJnB/s400/IMG_20160505_122410423.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And it
won’t compare to sitting in a cozy tea room located in an old stone building
with good friends on a chilly, rainy day and enjoying tea like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxummCNlWU15pcxc1Wgp0VP_wli1Qb1qO7wpUukV_aW4Zl15LvaFTrjPdhSk9bAd3jWArOaJMug_v9Yl7bdNmbvHjqabbLWgF3EwUf3pnWq26_LNy0oBkpFuso8wr1E68W4IQLa4-NqPRs/s1600/IMG_20160428_123143473_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxummCNlWU15pcxc1Wgp0VP_wli1Qb1qO7wpUukV_aW4Zl15LvaFTrjPdhSk9bAd3jWArOaJMug_v9Yl7bdNmbvHjqabbLWgF3EwUf3pnWq26_LNy0oBkpFuso8wr1E68W4IQLa4-NqPRs/s400/IMG_20160428_123143473_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So now maybe you can understand a little why
I feel this undercurrent of melancholy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not about being back in the USA, it’s about not being in England
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss it, plain and simple. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And that
pretty much sums up what the past few weeks have been like for me at
least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls on the other hand
haven’t seemed to skip a beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
loving school, loving seeing old friends, making new ones, and couldn’t have
been happier spending a quiet weekend at home with all the toys they haven’t
seen for nearly two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though
this moving to a different country and back has been hard for them at times,
I’ve been absolutely amazed at how resilient they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, on
with the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I said earlier, I have
loads more to share with you over the next month or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went back to France for two weeks, spent a
weekend in Prague, visited Bavaria, Switzerland, Lake Como, the French Alps,
and had more weekend adventures in England too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s funny, as I sit here back in our house in Indiana contemplating
writing these last blog posts about the rest of our adventures in England and
Europe, the image of Bilbo Baggins pops into my head, the one from the opening
scene of the first Lord of the Rings movie when he’s sitting alone at his desk
in his little hobbit house and he writes the words “There and Back Again: A
Hobbit’s Tale” on the parchment paper about to share his great adventure with
the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That may be a tad bit
dramatic for our little two year stay in England as we never encountered any
dwarves, wizards, dragons, etc., and sadly none of us found a ring that makes you invisible, and our story really isn’t interesting enough
to share with the world, but none the less, it was our great adventure and I
think I’m feeling like Bilbo because I’m sitting here writing about it when
it’s over. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are back on the other side
of the pond again and it’s now all just a matter of reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So check back in a couple of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With no trip planning or moving to do in the near
future, I have plenty of time to wrap up our own there and back again
tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-32018672846584560002016-06-24T09:26:00.000-07:002016-06-24T09:26:01.670-07:00Cork Trees, a Dust Storm and a Town Divided – The Last from Southern Spain<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">This is a cork oak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxm8xoSnYWahKQ9CIGjk03nki7gQ0A_2nzYi8Hdeq5Uyxat7_aLmoPYFBj2pUb-OLe253wSYusvPML9JYl5tn0MlRo23LOoDi2ELJRpxY-8UUfaEXNtPYoMRrEndurfFkE0bYwgA_Soe3/s1600/20160221-IMG_0421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxm8xoSnYWahKQ9CIGjk03nki7gQ0A_2nzYi8Hdeq5Uyxat7_aLmoPYFBj2pUb-OLe253wSYusvPML9JYl5tn0MlRo23LOoDi2ELJRpxY-8UUfaEXNtPYoMRrEndurfFkE0bYwgA_Soe3/s400/20160221-IMG_0421.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Did you know there was a tree species that
produces cork?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Does it surprise me? Not really, but </span>I guess I had never
thought much about where the cork in my bottle of chardonnay comes from, or the
cork bulletin board I have in the kitchen filled with all the leaflets and
reminders that come home from school. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
sort of assumed cork was a man-made thing – some type of conglomerate of
material adhered together in a factory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But how very wrong I was and our trip to southern Spain showed me
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While there are “cork-like” products
that are produced in factories, natural cork comes from the bark of the cork
oak and is still widely used in bulletin boards, as flooring, in acoustical and
thermal insulation, in badminton shuttlecocks, and of course as the stopper in
wine bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMBU7pSUpXZROuYOeTdZk4z_FMahjt-J-mGUpY-xeRMpnPwGgNE5qRmUTG8DyO0QaYRyhzI86POMNtHpcWKkziSTLYW3SCFHvPL8eWv6NPBOIshgib64uICr2AjyUSEQqDkXnn1IQxavp/s1600/20160221-IMG_0426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMBU7pSUpXZROuYOeTdZk4z_FMahjt-J-mGUpY-xeRMpnPwGgNE5qRmUTG8DyO0QaYRyhzI86POMNtHpcWKkziSTLYW3SCFHvPL8eWv6NPBOIshgib64uICr2AjyUSEQqDkXnn1IQxavp/s400/20160221-IMG_0426.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We first noticed the forest
of cork oak as we were driving towards Grazalema, the little mountain village
we lived in for a few days in Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was hard not to notice these trees as clearly they had been systematically
shaved of their bark – a very odd sight indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eric instantly knew what they were and it didn’t take him long to find a
pullover to park the car, grab his camera from the trunk and set off into the
forest for some pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXtz5FkC5xJe2EAvywGoZ79gdxM4RuNw_nP-m3fC_LfrIQP5Jd_HRDKpB8AY0cT1yHnQjWTwe87ele0pFLQmzU9Cfu_b3_-E4A1zJq6XKGWAPGh3rWGRdJJ84Lu6zlbdOEPkaO-UcNCFb/s1600/20160221-IMG_0431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXtz5FkC5xJe2EAvywGoZ79gdxM4RuNw_nP-m3fC_LfrIQP5Jd_HRDKpB8AY0cT1yHnQjWTwe87ele0pFLQmzU9Cfu_b3_-E4A1zJq6XKGWAPGh3rWGRdJJ84Lu6zlbdOEPkaO-UcNCFb/s400/20160221-IMG_0431.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Some fun facts about the cork
oak:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Extracting the bark from these
trees does not harm it, so collecting the cork is quite a sustainable
activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the tree reaches about
25-30 years of age, the bark can be removed for the first time; however, this
first cutting of the cork bark is usually of low quality, also know as “male”
cork (sorry, I had to share that - makes me laugh).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This first harvest is good enough for
insulation, flooring and other industrial products, but not wine bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 9 years, the bark from the cork oak
will be ready to harvest again, and this time it’s generally a higher quality
cork that is acceptable to the wine and champagne industry to be placed in
their bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cork oak can live
for up to 300 years, and the cork extraction can continue very 9 years or
so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is a lot of wine stoppers my
friends!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUZ0_Vc2Y9VfrY7PMbLscepH4pPN4b8A3VInVb57S2cO8CDLOV4-2cdiP-APrBh_HVIGxefIG1k3aSTZbkb9CY5hLMOzPbwHutn_4eVFu-bAPqTwdkqPB-SnqBRxq2IB5f12to2I5EWMG/s1600/20160221-IMG_0424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUZ0_Vc2Y9VfrY7PMbLscepH4pPN4b8A3VInVb57S2cO8CDLOV4-2cdiP-APrBh_HVIGxefIG1k3aSTZbkb9CY5hLMOzPbwHutn_4eVFu-bAPqTwdkqPB-SnqBRxq2IB5f12to2I5EWMG/s400/20160221-IMG_0424.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we drove out of Grazalema
on our last day in southern Spain, we passed through the cork forest again, but
that wasn’t the only interesting thing about that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also driving through a dust
storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I don’t know if what we
experienced that last day in southern Spain would technically be considered a
“dust storm,” but from the moment we woke up that morning, it was clear there
was something strange going on outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I looked out the window of our bedroom expecting to see the
beautiful view I had enjoyed the other mornings, I was met with this…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A brownish haze that spanned
the horizon. Not even the sun's powerful rays could penetrate it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t see much beyond
the village and it was very clear that this haze was different from the misty
morning haze we had witnessed a couple of days before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For starters, it was solid from one side of
the horizon to the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fog and mist
in the distance is usually patchy, thicker in some places and thinner in others, but
this haze was completely even for as far as the eye could see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secondly, as I mentioned above, it was
brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very odd!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finally, when Eric came back from making
the first trip to the car with our luggage, he reported that the entire car and
all the others he had passed on the street were covered with a brown dusty
film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove through this dusty, brown
haze all the way from Grazalema back to the Mediterranean coastal city of
Malaga where we were catching a plane back to England later in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Back in England the next day, I did a little
research on the Internet to see what caused this crazy phenomenon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out it was a gigantic cloud of dust in
the atmosphere from the Sahara desert in Africa!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dust cloud circulating from Africa all
the way up and over parts of Europe could even be clearly seen from the
International Space Station that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, geographically speaking, Africa is pretty close to Spain and Europe
in general, and it turns out that if there is sand and dust in the air from the
Sahara desert and the wind pattern is just right, it can blow all the way to
Spain, which is exactly what happened that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I found a graph showing the amount of dust in the air by day for the
week we were in Spain, and the levels were low every day, but then on Sunday,
February 21, the graph shot up, well over what is normally expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Before heading back to Malaga
and the airport that Sunday, there was one more city we wanted to see –
the city of Ronda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason we wanted
to visit Ronda was this...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iNzYOU_MfbJYTFz0doILVNI3QMD25ybsWNIfxIAGbGxq7f4rtAB3siCdaxjrmd6TfnTNKWKFuTZhNgCQPPuqLXf6ybthfhiKUfTPUIzlQ3hDNu65v390QCiXXj_AWeD0JGqkXBMYUDFc/s1600/20160221-IMG_0498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iNzYOU_MfbJYTFz0doILVNI3QMD25ybsWNIfxIAGbGxq7f4rtAB3siCdaxjrmd6TfnTNKWKFuTZhNgCQPPuqLXf6ybthfhiKUfTPUIzlQ3hDNu65v390QCiXXj_AWeD0JGqkXBMYUDFc/s640/20160221-IMG_0498.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The deep, narrow gorge that divides this beautiful Spanish city in two. </span>One
side of the town is perched high on a plateau that suddenly and quite dramatically
plummets hundreds of feet to the valley floor below. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The view is breathtaking, even with the
brown, dusty haze that was hanging over it that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyg5DzdckvvHfsR-gbKeCQY_AIrKW7q4POypX08lTpNGjGAxgaSI5mfZyVgJPwL2FtPcvyr3VpqQmegR-1js_dpuJ3JsyFJh6FUKIdravWrNfQWg3F14NAI7lI8qLaD0zwGDoUOHREJcy/s1600/20160221-IMG_0486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyg5DzdckvvHfsR-gbKeCQY_AIrKW7q4POypX08lTpNGjGAxgaSI5mfZyVgJPwL2FtPcvyr3VpqQmegR-1js_dpuJ3JsyFJh6FUKIdravWrNfQWg3F14NAI7lI8qLaD0zwGDoUOHREJcy/s400/20160221-IMG_0486.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And the deep gorge itself,
carved out by the Guadalevin River, is the sort that can give you heart
palpitations, even when you aren’t afraid of heights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a gorgeous bridge, completed in
1793, spanning the gap, separating the two sides of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bADVQs6r2qszpv-Y4lof2Qm_PIpoD-p9F7ARpYm0_MHRWsBaxIdg-jW70aEQMZ6_y-vvnmP3PgGviGRG6PUSZOugPKEexrXKyBS3aYATD1tOwAxuFjXuOOsBEk5xW1FE_a53Ac8Ta-7Q/s1600/20160221-IMG_0489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bADVQs6r2qszpv-Y4lof2Qm_PIpoD-p9F7ARpYm0_MHRWsBaxIdg-jW70aEQMZ6_y-vvnmP3PgGviGRG6PUSZOugPKEexrXKyBS3aYATD1tOwAxuFjXuOOsBEk5xW1FE_a53Ac8Ta-7Q/s400/20160221-IMG_0489.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The side we visited first has more of a
modern feel, with a pedestrian street lined with every manner of store and
business offering the modern day necessities of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But on the other side of the bridge, Ronda
has a much older feel about it, almost like you are stepping through a time
warp, with more of a quintessential historical Spanish type of feel to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcT7hl-7Hv_CzWSDcsp7Gjf7V5Xn469QnND3Uq_ajMULfwMVc-Gozv98UCqZbsoqeaLPjaaKzynNJdGdRfum-wOFHy2_empyCcDPfD0BO5QvkBwkRUy3sg6K4JT7UzVkpnCJC5v2s5j7BJ/s1600/20160221-IMG_0514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcT7hl-7Hv_CzWSDcsp7Gjf7V5Xn469QnND3Uq_ajMULfwMVc-Gozv98UCqZbsoqeaLPjaaKzynNJdGdRfum-wOFHy2_empyCcDPfD0BO5QvkBwkRUy3sg6K4JT7UzVkpnCJC5v2s5j7BJ/s400/20160221-IMG_0514.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And that was our mid February
trip to southern Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather may
not have been as warm as we were hoping, but the people in Spain were plenty
warm and welcoming, and we saw sights of a variety that we have not encountered
elsewhere in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everywhere we went
we were surrounded by that feeling that is uniquely Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was in the tapas we enjoyed, the beautiful
cafes and restaurants we ate in, the palaces we visited, the white-washed
village we stayed in, the mesmerizing guitar music we heard playing in the streets,
the signs advertising flamenco shows, and even in the souvenirs we took home,
such as this…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLadfuVUyUBnO-NLzV8qrC5IMVJ8TnKcZbhuDJDBu0Y_IsHA5JhFQXfPmn8V6c0ZA6_bgbxiWBs7u57NzdN7blyw91GNyRNmGWdx3reO23yhiv5BGhwMF6wXdRpjt5sVrQH5csoBoC32uW/s1600/20160220-IMG_0186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLadfuVUyUBnO-NLzV8qrC5IMVJ8TnKcZbhuDJDBu0Y_IsHA5JhFQXfPmn8V6c0ZA6_bgbxiWBs7u57NzdN7blyw91GNyRNmGWdx3reO23yhiv5BGhwMF6wXdRpjt5sVrQH5csoBoC32uW/s400/20160220-IMG_0186.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our very own flamenco
dance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here are a few last photos
from Ronda and another of our flamenco dancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you enjoyed coming
along on our trip to southern Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adios
muchachos!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoFtIl5eUSWpOOLSttw7z6VVe_nlPi6klQYoLZhWtlSofwjcgR28olG_a13BxbZFFbWKe4gEAMP6KDcTfZgwnxYsnF7SIr24i0b41pHSBnVUDW_C2I7MM93Vqg1FSabZF7CXYPTrxDPRD/s1600/20160220-IMG_0190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoFtIl5eUSWpOOLSttw7z6VVe_nlPi6klQYoLZhWtlSofwjcgR28olG_a13BxbZFFbWKe4gEAMP6KDcTfZgwnxYsnF7SIr24i0b41pHSBnVUDW_C2I7MM93Vqg1FSabZF7CXYPTrxDPRD/s400/20160220-IMG_0190.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vl-KKzWe1K_K_GeY2sGXD_0haZXvaVX5a2xEshlF4yPRJsuTOBkuqBTCYyG0Ssccxgp5WVRUvWQ_PfT4VTn9fkJjl0mQ0HlelJqodsjZYuOzkOYNSj61TL4-tSJjJgylxQwarzqT7iLa/s1600/20160221-IMG_0439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vl-KKzWe1K_K_GeY2sGXD_0haZXvaVX5a2xEshlF4yPRJsuTOBkuqBTCYyG0Ssccxgp5WVRUvWQ_PfT4VTn9fkJjl0mQ0HlelJqodsjZYuOzkOYNSj61TL4-tSJjJgylxQwarzqT7iLa/s400/20160221-IMG_0439.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_c1bi8mC36QzbaPLi0beKOSuhBZ6Uz7kRs5-jzAArIvTk-hukjoK_IaJGKJYk-p1SheqmfPMRsT5tES_L5PPaJkrSyZHkrcvrrnSxnePXi_JyyeoD-VGYuf_z6iWG5694p1sDf2QRl5h/s1600/20160221-IMG_0523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_c1bi8mC36QzbaPLi0beKOSuhBZ6Uz7kRs5-jzAArIvTk-hukjoK_IaJGKJYk-p1SheqmfPMRsT5tES_L5PPaJkrSyZHkrcvrrnSxnePXi_JyyeoD-VGYuf_z6iWG5694p1sDf2QRl5h/s400/20160221-IMG_0523.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2MDBq6JC9OkEIhEOrhE05NDzZrJ5Bs4I7d4cHbB3VeiDPEgQeKoaVNJSuRHGeMWmFLeuDwbXbkR790VNYfOz1z8J8BejKQFbmHGzSrB45LmcrVG9xoNBuWo3wPztr8JESqiJsxldd0Vt/s1600/20160221-IMG_0487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2MDBq6JC9OkEIhEOrhE05NDzZrJ5Bs4I7d4cHbB3VeiDPEgQeKoaVNJSuRHGeMWmFLeuDwbXbkR790VNYfOz1z8J8BejKQFbmHGzSrB45LmcrVG9xoNBuWo3wPztr8JESqiJsxldd0Vt/s400/20160221-IMG_0487.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2O7AczStxr9T607weRdZbhpk9mzBrQuEdyqgRQgSFFOgWVYfSlhRdDUfxZ5JhSHlf78qoknu3pVMvHXEPuulfMGTmccapVJq2taoqQP4kq9adlZkjFCvIArwLO4R4AXbv8-vVpnFu00P/s1600/20160221-IMG_0542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2O7AczStxr9T607weRdZbhpk9mzBrQuEdyqgRQgSFFOgWVYfSlhRdDUfxZ5JhSHlf78qoknu3pVMvHXEPuulfMGTmccapVJq2taoqQP4kq9adlZkjFCvIArwLO4R4AXbv8-vVpnFu00P/s400/20160221-IMG_0542.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrOgNVUT-wvgWKAIf-tpSzWBYya7GFN9p64lV3mDFYcaQTcqTrQkZjeERWB2nmwBhSJ9yU3N769WcpYlPRZX2k3_2WGxgCgWuYkpGwGQ79xXfSWIHaaaKtZxWXlDueG5vVQF97Ifwrkql/s1600/20160221-IMG_0546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrOgNVUT-wvgWKAIf-tpSzWBYya7GFN9p64lV3mDFYcaQTcqTrQkZjeERWB2nmwBhSJ9yU3N769WcpYlPRZX2k3_2WGxgCgWuYkpGwGQ79xXfSWIHaaaKtZxWXlDueG5vVQF97Ifwrkql/s640/20160221-IMG_0546.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One last thing - apparently wands don't just work in England. They work in Spain too. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-77023631137985344282016-06-21T04:26:00.000-07:002016-06-21T04:26:01.563-07:00A Spanish City Called Sevilla<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One of the
most wonderful things about traveling is when you arrive at a new place and are
blown away by it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that you weren’t
expecting to like this new place you are visiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, there is a reason you planned to
go there as a tourist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s something
to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travel guide suggested
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve read about it in a travel
magazine, or had a friend tell you they once visited and loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when we set out from our Grazalema
apartment in the mountains heading towards the Spanish city of Sevilla back in
February, it wasn’t like I thought I might not like Sevilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just that when we climbed the stairs
from the tram station and emerged onto the street in the heart of Sevilla, I
immediately did a complete 360 and the only thing I thought was, “WOW!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a spectacularly beautiful city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvqAha2qC7Cq4H-MVutoWstTDAT_AzOg8vHFyFUaXzuN9HfYasomQlAw-DwNTe91uN-thABI-N-na20btslLAEQNskY8A7o4n9L-yO_fZH3ryqno_t-Hx-vCeuzK6-M9uqaBjuDnphjQy/s1600/20160219-IMG_9839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvqAha2qC7Cq4H-MVutoWstTDAT_AzOg8vHFyFUaXzuN9HfYasomQlAw-DwNTe91uN-thABI-N-na20btslLAEQNskY8A7o4n9L-yO_fZH3ryqno_t-Hx-vCeuzK6-M9uqaBjuDnphjQy/s400/20160219-IMG_9839.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We spent a mere five-hours in this stunning
city and I was just blown away by it’s beauty and really, just by the feeling I
got walking through the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzsdxnvdVfdCYCwCaDSTzjvQQwdkXVO_SubAJDiwkwdAOJKetJV1sUGFtRHEptsqzlptsKJpgP9gna7ucIuSoTGs1jHNUCRRsuszWBGA0tIii4oV0hdNlQRDiGZ_MIUOvVOaOaC9SDy7K/s1600/20160219-IMG_9833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzsdxnvdVfdCYCwCaDSTzjvQQwdkXVO_SubAJDiwkwdAOJKetJV1sUGFtRHEptsqzlptsKJpgP9gna7ucIuSoTGs1jHNUCRRsuszWBGA0tIii4oV0hdNlQRDiGZ_MIUOvVOaOaC9SDy7K/s400/20160219-IMG_9833.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s
hard to describe in words what it was that made us not want to leave at the end
of the afternoon. It was more than just the gorgeous buildings. It was the feel of the city - it felt romantic and alive with energy<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">. It felt like a place where people come to simply enjoy themselves and the company they are with surrounded by a beautiful setting, and all with that festive Spanish flare. </span>Words can hardly do it justice, but as always, I’ve got lots of photos to share and as the saying goes,
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The streets
were busy, filled with tourists just like us who had made the trip to this
amazing Spanish city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The architecture,
from the buildings to the street lamps, was just incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, we were completely disoriented,
having no idea which direction to go, but we’ve been doing this traveling thing
for awhile now and we knew we wanted to visit the royal palace called Alcazar,
which we also knew sits near the great Sevilla Cathedral (the
Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
we looked around we could see the great tower of the Cathedral a few blocks
away rising high above the other rooftops, so that is the direction we
went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The Alcazar
is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The architecture, originally
developed by Moorish Muslim kings, is so different from other palaces and
castles we’ve visited, except for one, Alhambra in Granada, which is also of
Moorish influence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">They have a similar feel, but yet very different at the same time. We wandered from room
to room gazing at the floors, the walls...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbFPZKUSjP5wvPn6j5YnB3AoJCYOlLAdhkwed0WGOjGsNP59ozeG0G1ZcRvzjp0uF5XZXe20MSRPz629r3d4yeKDAumEd0ELm1Vjh1crg99r6RAcLx1MR3n1fB3KF-sp2nEdWduW7JRGq/s1600/20160219-IMG_9692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbFPZKUSjP5wvPn6j5YnB3AoJCYOlLAdhkwed0WGOjGsNP59ozeG0G1ZcRvzjp0uF5XZXe20MSRPz629r3d4yeKDAumEd0ELm1Vjh1crg99r6RAcLx1MR3n1fB3KF-sp2nEdWduW7JRGq/s400/20160219-IMG_9692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">the ceiling...</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">the picture framed views
through the windows...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMwBPW44kvXPbpKpGuc4ogK1mYm_S4SCDVPChrM0QrO0RFjyK5nklypn5S8WBK-dV4EmE_5nm8-fb6QXTrqB7u3WkMd9LAu3TcFHL-9thNbSb-J-AtNePx5AtCHe31zUKCEQOJmt1jOWJ/s1600/20160219-IMG_9696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMwBPW44kvXPbpKpGuc4ogK1mYm_S4SCDVPChrM0QrO0RFjyK5nklypn5S8WBK-dV4EmE_5nm8-fb6QXTrqB7u3WkMd9LAu3TcFHL-9thNbSb-J-AtNePx5AtCHe31zUKCEQOJmt1jOWJ/s640/20160219-IMG_9696.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">trying not to miss a thing, but there is so much going on,
so much exquisite detail and craftsmanship, that it’s almost hard to take it
all in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Is it any wonder that Alcazar is
considered one of the best examples of mudejar architecture found in this part
of the world, and that in 1987 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We were
there with lots of other tourists, but as we stood in the plaza near the
entrance, we noticed a cordoned off area, a set of doors that clearly were only
to be entered if you had permission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
we stood taking in the sight of the plaza, these doors opened and out poured a
large gathering of men and women dressed in business attire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">They stood around in small groups for a while
mingling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it was a conference of
some sort, maybe an awards ceremony, we didn’t know, but for a few moments it
was fun to stand and observe some of real life taking place inside these palace
walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love these moments when
traveling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminds me that these
great places we visit aren’t just for tourists to enjoy, but that real people
live and work here experiencing the same struggles and triumphs that we all go
through in everyday life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But can you
blame me for being just a smidge jealous that they get to experience it in such
spectacular surroundings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While the
rooms inside of the palace are magnificent, what I personally loved the most
about Alcazar were the gardens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we
first emerged from inside the palace onto a terrace with a stairway leading
down into the completely walled gardens, I was astounded that this enormous yet
tranquil, tree-filled park could be sitting in the heart of a bustling city,
but you would hardly have known it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We
walked and walked and walked around the grounds, soaking it the calming
atmosphere with towering palm trees overhead and completely oblivious to the honking cars and delivery trucks
that were whizzing past outside the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We stumbled upon this beautiful underground pond which was identified as an underground
garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It was breathtaking. </span>I’ve never seen anything like
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And the orange trees, row upon row
of perfectly shaped trees bursting with round orange fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were actually walking through the orange
grove for awhile before we noticed the birds... </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Bright green parakeets
whose color matched the leaves in the trees were swooping from branch to branch eating through the peels to get to the sweet, juicy
flesh of the fruit inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t blame
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted so badly to pluck one
from a tree myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We spent a
few hours at the palace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could have
stayed longer, but we had a good two-hour car ride back to Grazalema that day,
and while we didn’t have time to visit anymore tourist destinations, we did
want to spend a little time just walking the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Sevilla is filled with shops, many selling souvenirs,
but what it is also full of are the most gorgeous little restaurants and cafes
that we have seen yet in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are streets just lined with places to eat or grab a drink, many having boards posted outside their doors displaying the long list of tapas they offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Charming isn’t really the right word to
describe these places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While they are all very
welcoming, they are just a stunning feast for the eyes, much less the stomach, small but beautifully decorated, each with their own style. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It almost felt like a museum if you will of café and restaurants as we walked the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">At first we had planned to make the trip back
to our little apartment in Grazalema and have dinner there, but after roaming
the streets and passing one alluring restaurant after another, we changed our
minds and grabbed a table outside of one of these little places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The weather was perfect for sitting outside, something we hadn’t
had much of during this trip, and the menu was perfect as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The list of tapas was so long it was
overwhelming, but after ordering drinks, we waded through it finding a variety of dishes that would offer something for everyone in the family to enjoy and we ended up with this feast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Beautiful,
isn’t it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we ate every last bite,
while being entertained by the groups of people sitting on either side of
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To one side sat a large table of
older couples, locals who all went their separate ways when they finally
departed, but that was only after much singing, some as a group and some solos,
and a few rounds of drinks. The singing and chatter was all in Spanish and we
had no idea what they were constantly laughing about, but they were clearly have a great time and
it was catchy, making us giggle as we watched and listened to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And on the other side of us sat a group of
men, obviously visiting for some sporting event as they were all adorned in
matching blue jackets, and obviously they had been sitting outside this little
restaurant for quite awhile that afternoon enjoying some libations. They sang too, and almost fell over a few
times, and at one point during our meal the two groups started serenading each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much fun – it makes me smile
just remembering it now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you
starting to see why Sevilla blew me away?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And if this
all wasn’t enough to take in during our short five-hour visit, Sevilla had one
last surprise for us that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls
asked for some ice cream and you can’t blame them as it was a beautiful day,
the warmest we had experienced so far on that trip, and there were gelato shops
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we walked back in the
direction of the tram station where would catch a train to take us back to our
car, we stopped at one of these shops to let them indulge in a little treat,
and my what a treat it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Cinnamon
gelato, absolutely delicious, artfully crafted into the shape of a delicate
flower on the end of a cone, almost too beautiful to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that is the magic of Sevilla, a city that simply blew me away in such a short period of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would go back in a heartbeat for more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe someday, but in the meantime, I leave
you with a few more photos from this wonderful city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy!</span><br />
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-76807264353826822562016-05-25T12:12:00.000-07:002016-05-25T12:12:22.105-07:00A Spanish Village Called Grazalema<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Please let me introduce to
you the little mountain village of Grazalema.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After spending the first few days of our trip to Southern Spain in a
city, we decided to take to the mountains and without really knowing where we
should go or stay, we happened upon an apartment rental in this quintessential
little Spanish village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">This was our first glimpse of the village as we drove the winding roads
through the hills from Granada towards our home for the next few days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I’m not sure we could have chosen better
because this little place is so cute, walkable, friendly, sprinkled with fun
little shops, full of charming little restaurants and bars, and nestled down
amongst some steep mountains full of challenging and beautiful hiking
trails…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Oh, and wild ibex, which just happen to have an uncanny ability to climb
steep rocky slopes which I will share with you in a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">If you think this all sounds
like just the perfect place to spend a wonderful holiday in Spain, you are
correct, except for one thing – the apartment we rented had no heat, and I
suspect very little insulation in the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We didn’t know this before coming here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, it hadn’t really even occurred to me to see if the apartment we
were renting had heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I did realize
that it never gets terribly cold in Grazalema, despite it’s location in the mountains,
but heat and a place in the mountains just seems like it should go hand and
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, my friends, I was mistaken,
and if you recall from the first blog post in Granada, it was rather cold in
southern Spain the week we were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we arrived in Grazalema, the owner who happens to be British (lots
of Brits live in southern Spain) met us and took us to the quaint little
apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>It had an adorable little kitchen...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And three bedrooms so the girls each got their own, which they loved!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The view from the terrace off the master bedroom was amazing... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And the apartment even came with an electric piano where Ellie and Leah spent lots of time practicing their creative musical skills. It was perfect, and
perfectly cold!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the owner unlocked the front door to let us
in, he pointed to a few large bulging bags sitting by the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were full of firewood and despite having
no built in heat, the little apartment did have a small woodburning stove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made good use of that stove, along with the portable propane heater that was sitting in the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But as mentioned above, I’m not sure there
was much for insulation in this cute little apartment, and while it got nice
and toasty if you were sitting next to the woodburning stove or propane
heater, take a few steps away and it was chilly, down right cold in fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We survived just fine, and to have a
woodburning stove for a few days to curl up next to with a glass of wine and
a good book in the evenings was wonderful! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There were some fiercely competitive board games played in front of the fire too, and I'm not kidding. Do not get involved in a board game with these two - they take it very seriously!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our time in Grazalema was quite relaxing compared to some of our trips where we are go, go, going, sightseeing as much as we can see and walking for miles and miles through city streets. First of all, the apartment also came with a little electric juicer and every time we stopped at the local grocery store, we came home with a bag full of fresh Spanish oranges. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You can't go wrong when you begin each day with some treats from the local bakery and four glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Secondly, the village was small and there were very few tourists around in the middle of February. We read that in the warmer months Grazalema becomes quite busy and overcrowded as it's a popular destination for hikers. There are several trails that lead out into the mountains right from within the village. But while we were there, the people we saw were mostly locals. In fact, I felt a little like an intruder as we walked the nearly empty streets of the village, happening upon a local every now and again. It was quite obvious who the village residents were compared to the tourist. But none the less, everyone was friendly, and we loved peaking into their homes, especially the front entry rooms with their beautiful wooden doors and colorful tiles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One day as we walked through the narrow streets of the village we noticed some birds cages hanging outside a window on one of the houses. Inside were a couple of chirpy little parakeets. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL2KcM9J241eV9I_RWIPvYPVLPWKtdNt6slNr9eqjR0RhzzQWbMThN1qsRVn4VC-6uBTmxWRmo-USrz8IV-QLFLImGc-mg1-THxtAl9ItyhJNk3A3tduLoGNOr5h_22m29NlqIfgVsksV/s1600/20160220-IMG_0309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL2KcM9J241eV9I_RWIPvYPVLPWKtdNt6slNr9eqjR0RhzzQWbMThN1qsRVn4VC-6uBTmxWRmo-USrz8IV-QLFLImGc-mg1-THxtAl9ItyhJNk3A3tduLoGNOr5h_22m29NlqIfgVsksV/s400/20160220-IMG_0309.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we continued to walk, we came upon another house with parakeets on the balcony, and then another with cages hanging outside the front door. We went on to see several houses with parakeets outside of them on that sunny morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was the day we discovered the parakeet obsession in town that we went hiking in the mountains behind the village. We finally had some sunshine, so we headed out of town and followed a trail that went up, up and up, through the rocky and forested terrain. The views were amazing!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyQBEgBE_0BrpMuvoNVeV_-WLoEoUiIym1piTJNWM_S4M5wngnaUIz2d_b1STIgRTSP7T7oBr822lxG22625Bf_tEnUbCd9ni6-NvVnCEchK5JBMNiq-b26RhJ9mRZqa-96wGuDyJrKm6/s1600/20160220-IMG_0233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyQBEgBE_0BrpMuvoNVeV_-WLoEoUiIym1piTJNWM_S4M5wngnaUIz2d_b1STIgRTSP7T7oBr822lxG22625Bf_tEnUbCd9ni6-NvVnCEchK5JBMNiq-b26RhJ9mRZqa-96wGuDyJrKm6/s400/20160220-IMG_0233.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The girls bounced around from boulder to boulder as we walked. The landscape made a wonderful playground for them. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygwFOTYPf-5FESux-uLk9ARDJ1RwAFv8nAttQo7CnvWoKXAkcwx5QACOzo74BnWW9TgD1ex9uYLMTaCc3BroTLD9P8XRmqGqqQwpSAZ3g7rcpK3CltOfZNVer-J9z6iJvBbJ5dwyY4AYr/s1600/20160220-IMG_0222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygwFOTYPf-5FESux-uLk9ARDJ1RwAFv8nAttQo7CnvWoKXAkcwx5QACOzo74BnWW9TgD1ex9uYLMTaCc3BroTLD9P8XRmqGqqQwpSAZ3g7rcpK3CltOfZNVer-J9z6iJvBbJ5dwyY4AYr/s640/20160220-IMG_0222.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I love hikes like this through challenging and rugged terrain. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8BvImULpmfPcqZUSJS6sEW0polpSRO63-pn7rX93Sg41XYHOUtDFQc6GQNM9PMBQcT_XV-VOExqbzi8oLu8XoPYt1PEuqUNk3jzqlMEkAvAsPbPqMA-ie68z2yRyIK1fsM1DkiE8PsCk/s1600/20160220-IMG_0249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8BvImULpmfPcqZUSJS6sEW0polpSRO63-pn7rX93Sg41XYHOUtDFQc6GQNM9PMBQcT_XV-VOExqbzi8oLu8XoPYt1PEuqUNk3jzqlMEkAvAsPbPqMA-ie68z2yRyIK1fsM1DkiE8PsCk/s400/20160220-IMG_0249.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As we walked, we kept our eyes open for some ibex. Eric has come across a herd of them on one of his early morning walks, so we knew they might be around. Towards the end of the hike, we still hadn't spotted any and were about to give up our watch when suddenly we spotted them, climbing up the sheer face of the mountain that was just across the valley from us. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH6phonZh4yWQIrvcXh7PMR3bweK_soNd8DiXJRJkIb0yfWMfyHBItWWIKpB7Oy-7xv2gebbjW2iJb87vRyFWPgFUSMVg_ofem1IiCwFJnbu-c4lGnQw1-XMQmjWvu_JytDOVnvoxWyME/s1600/20160220-IMG_0276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH6phonZh4yWQIrvcXh7PMR3bweK_soNd8DiXJRJkIb0yfWMfyHBItWWIKpB7Oy-7xv2gebbjW2iJb87vRyFWPgFUSMVg_ofem1IiCwFJnbu-c4lGnQw1-XMQmjWvu_JytDOVnvoxWyME/s640/20160220-IMG_0276.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">They were hard to see at first, but once we spotted a few, we suddenly were able to see that the mountain side was covered in them. They were climbing up what looked like an impossibly steep rocky slope, sometimes pausing for a few moments to determine the best route, leaping across crevices and somehow staying on the side of the mountain the entire time. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojUKLtj9OF1kId3z9687u6ecWzHr4mmDde-nO_akoDi0o-vbmjiJu1nkI_cCA2q3082eNvlwc6Lzy8OadRXrwX43OYvBFDLSBDbc4rgMpJHR1RBOJ03HCmaqjTxwMVSn0g8AdmR5Uz-0A/s1600/20160220-IMG_0286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojUKLtj9OF1kId3z9687u6ecWzHr4mmDde-nO_akoDi0o-vbmjiJu1nkI_cCA2q3082eNvlwc6Lzy8OadRXrwX43OYvBFDLSBDbc4rgMpJHR1RBOJ03HCmaqjTxwMVSn0g8AdmR5Uz-0A/s640/20160220-IMG_0286.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">They were fun to watch, and a little scary too, making us gasp when we saw even the youngest members of the herd making flying leaps that no sane human would ever try. But ibex are made for living in this rugged environment, their sturdy hooves make mountain climbing look easy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We did venture out of the village of Grazalema during our stay as well, and today I leave you with photos from another beautiful village we visited, Grazalema's neighbor to the north, Zahara. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rbx-iJ25iwa8Q0_dGUpYxJbBcjpr5VGZUSO27uZr9sdQugDgwGXgG6Dq6bPkQsJE6VBTv1OM50ykURNITYFkDAHxe9jMDDPDVEVuj8VrnhuefL5rSOBeUxtU2hQ9Vf_3yd4XJ-TwUuI8/s1600/20160220-IMG_0355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rbx-iJ25iwa8Q0_dGUpYxJbBcjpr5VGZUSO27uZr9sdQugDgwGXgG6Dq6bPkQsJE6VBTv1OM50ykURNITYFkDAHxe9jMDDPDVEVuj8VrnhuefL5rSOBeUxtU2hQ9Vf_3yd4XJ-TwUuI8/s640/20160220-IMG_0355.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Grazalema sits just beyond the mountains to the left in the photo above and you reach it by taking a breathtaking yet terrifying drive on a narrow winding road that takes you high up above the clouds and over the mountain. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSJO8j2Df7peV55ip19xsiS4KNrapX8VROEmfa0CzBLjjP3n3zyup0taU1vWIzEBMqwG7b6O-UsX4gyYwjLOJ_eoIKSq51fnNaHoadbyHHHmEWlYzG31ExpOF2kFc6xHpAPtZcgHqKIme/s1600/20160218-IMG_9632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSJO8j2Df7peV55ip19xsiS4KNrapX8VROEmfa0CzBLjjP3n3zyup0taU1vWIzEBMqwG7b6O-UsX4gyYwjLOJ_eoIKSq51fnNaHoadbyHHHmEWlYzG31ExpOF2kFc6xHpAPtZcgHqKIme/s400/20160218-IMG_9632.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The streets of Zahara are similar to Grazalema...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4hOkq0ZqH5FtosfJvx-shZlBEnNf-gRw-6r3SNGJd0FSGzR-qZWw0vHVnnLJLOj9zoXEW0A9_8WoGqtUJ7LKO52CQ8wyyk56Snzg6Kfwx3-MEwqx-_8n2TEZaRPd_jqNwkM75zCnNxDB/s1600/20160218-IMG_9470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4hOkq0ZqH5FtosfJvx-shZlBEnNf-gRw-6r3SNGJd0FSGzR-qZWw0vHVnnLJLOj9zoXEW0A9_8WoGqtUJ7LKO52CQ8wyyk56Snzg6Kfwx3-MEwqx-_8n2TEZaRPd_jqNwkM75zCnNxDB/s400/20160218-IMG_9470.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but different too. As we walked up and up and up to reach the heart of the village, you could feel that Zahara has it's own identity. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLnFg5pkGWWQMyPHv69loIYYxLeFTbUZvEoYW4bADXK-A_Plvo_MWhgi2V6klFZ_0qOZfAqnDE8gv9hzjKW855kC6ovqxcVe0Qgn_Uz2WCRtHU9txjHJFb1W6KXrRQNH9b3KRo-MhKGfc/s1600/20160218-IMG_9506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLnFg5pkGWWQMyPHv69loIYYxLeFTbUZvEoYW4bADXK-A_Plvo_MWhgi2V6klFZ_0qOZfAqnDE8gv9hzjKW855kC6ovqxcVe0Qgn_Uz2WCRtHU9txjHJFb1W6KXrRQNH9b3KRo-MhKGfc/s400/20160218-IMG_9506.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">High above Zahara sits the remains of a castle, the Castillo de Zahara de la Sierra. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQTMzbYZ_nzZj3Dw2bRWUKhJeSaogMJn1l9CG6PKsWUGZKzBuuMp-PthHo61paHz1JbQilBGz1d9tvuLdpuDTgnsI0OONvsew0I-aZ4D7TygOVgAuFSH2eCKDSoYV9VZfNCUsefhfIq5n/s1600/20160218-IMG_9580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQTMzbYZ_nzZj3Dw2bRWUKhJeSaogMJn1l9CG6PKsWUGZKzBuuMp-PthHo61paHz1JbQilBGz1d9tvuLdpuDTgnsI0OONvsew0I-aZ4D7TygOVgAuFSH2eCKDSoYV9VZfNCUsefhfIq5n/s400/20160218-IMG_9580.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We climbed the narrow streets through the village and soon found the path that leads up to the tower. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDDu0NYOCwY4pScydLkTpo5ou7SR5mT6bgvu09fAAUKU3s27xyNTCklS_i1gOYJbORTYsg7mhABUl8kLXi4gA0hMk_CFekCVa2Dmc9BfZfpBCMVmOT-0AtOyjJkQzcZNfRjYNBzOKSk5d/s1600/IMG_20160218_165617761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDDu0NYOCwY4pScydLkTpo5ou7SR5mT6bgvu09fAAUKU3s27xyNTCklS_i1gOYJbORTYsg7mhABUl8kLXi4gA0hMk_CFekCVa2Dmc9BfZfpBCMVmOT-0AtOyjJkQzcZNfRjYNBzOKSk5d/s640/IMG_20160218_165617761.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We basically had the hike to ourselves, maybe passing one other couple along the way, which was almost perplexing because when we reached the top, the view that greeted was stunning! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1MB3_YZ6cVHvOqjXFYr_QuZdFi25fLlCWD26z7IG7ApEg6JCBvrvmhNLIR-PTwLXydhKIjBCPFEGbHy-SA8IrnSsQeJ3-uZvC2ZB9AOX9oQhZ4en8bq9tzwAbqnX40mD1zIcJLLDcefp/s1600/20160218-IMG_9554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1MB3_YZ6cVHvOqjXFYr_QuZdFi25fLlCWD26z7IG7ApEg6JCBvrvmhNLIR-PTwLXydhKIjBCPFEGbHy-SA8IrnSsQeJ3-uZvC2ZB9AOX9oQhZ4en8bq9tzwAbqnX40mD1zIcJLLDcefp/s400/20160218-IMG_9554.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">To have the top of the tower all to ourselves from which to enjoy this 360 degrees of spectacular panorama was amazingly awesome! So please enjoy the photos, as we did the views. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZh5-Q2jE7QYSCVeYVgDYTIkqrQkB0mN6UJrQQmGObOAc4kvIZqC6OSYXiafuTw42fTZI0NPKw9QAdCa1VljGhDAMMI0PeIUxd-_Pu41ab5-rl_IvARI9eK_QDC2oF64_75fehu7pxqrI/s1600/20160218-IMG_9519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZh5-Q2jE7QYSCVeYVgDYTIkqrQkB0mN6UJrQQmGObOAc4kvIZqC6OSYXiafuTw42fTZI0NPKw9QAdCa1VljGhDAMMI0PeIUxd-_Pu41ab5-rl_IvARI9eK_QDC2oF64_75fehu7pxqrI/s400/20160218-IMG_9519.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuVLW38eHRkpRXGTjoqWpW_oSZ_hxEh5cDAumooDFHr3VbxU7jcwc0Qu8BSp_KGoQTPOKQQ8yjMyxKhnlhnTLco_pu-guAsqNujquwKvnWaxldEGrtezMR-ff3_8wOF8Gmb1yhBjiiiJx/s1600/IMG_20160218_165900272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuVLW38eHRkpRXGTjoqWpW_oSZ_hxEh5cDAumooDFHr3VbxU7jcwc0Qu8BSp_KGoQTPOKQQ8yjMyxKhnlhnTLco_pu-guAsqNujquwKvnWaxldEGrtezMR-ff3_8wOF8Gmb1yhBjiiiJx/s640/IMG_20160218_165900272.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Photographing the Photographer series continues from above Zahara, Spain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyNfJNJFQYAow2TSvO5WdXpXA1Kzu3e6SeiTSWU49TDwizs4Ewp4NZm5zf1DU2OJqH7OqwihpJgRCyD-G4sT3gY9Pio7cAjasGHtaUP1nDl9N1BoameEMK9hfSIk7ut1g_EctthiZPcA1/s1600/IMG_20160218_165125823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyNfJNJFQYAow2TSvO5WdXpXA1Kzu3e6SeiTSWU49TDwizs4Ewp4NZm5zf1DU2OJqH7OqwihpJgRCyD-G4sT3gY9Pio7cAjasGHtaUP1nDl9N1BoameEMK9hfSIk7ut1g_EctthiZPcA1/s640/IMG_20160218_165125823.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I call this Graffiti in the Sky.</td></tr>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-8579950095623749482016-05-20T09:19:00.001-07:002016-05-20T09:19:27.652-07:00High Tea Anyone
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m jumping around a bit
with the blog post today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do have more
of southern Spain to share with you, but I wanted to do this post today while
it’s fresh in my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, yesterday
I got to experience my first proper English high tea and boy what a treat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up the actual definition of the term
“high tea” to see why it’s called that and not afternoon tea or just tea and to
be honest, I found several differing opinions on what “high tea” actually is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes the Internet has too much information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what I do know for certain is that my
friends and I went to a charming little place called Gilbert’s Deli yesterday
at 12:30 to have their version of high tea and my what an experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We had our own room
upstairs that was more like a living
room or sitting room than a café, with two sofas with cushy pillows sitting
around a large square coffee table that was filled with all kinds of goodies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">You should have heard the oohing and ahhing when
we entered the room and first saw the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was gorgeous, set with china plates, saucers and teacups, and
platters of sandwiches, cakes, cookies, scones and other goodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were so enamored by this beautiful display
that we just stood there gawking at it for several minutes before we even sat
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like a masterpiece, a great
work of art, and we just wanted to feast on it with our eyes before we actually
started eating anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as we
wanted to taste the delicacies on the table, I think we were all a little
reluctant to ruin this pretty picture by removing even one of the cakes or
sandwiches from this beautiful display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But finally we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat down, poured ourselves a cup
of tea, adding cream and sugar of course, and started filling our plates, first
with the little sandwiches, then a scone with clotted cream and jam, and
finally on to the sweet treats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was such a variety it was difficult to decide what to try first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ate and drank slowly, taking our time
enjoying the food, the drink and each other’s company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I started to feel full, I decided to take
a break and I grabbed my tea cup and sat back against the pillows on the
sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed that my friends did the
same thing at exactly the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think we all wanted a little break from eating so we could savor that one last
treat before calling it quits and asking for boxes to take the extras home to
our families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat sipping our tea and
just chatting about our families, life in England (we are all American by the
way), what it’s going to be like when we move back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get together with these ladies every
Thursday and we never have any problem finding things to talk about, and this
particular Thursday as we sat sharing high tea together was no different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Finally, we reached for the
platter we hadn’t touched yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
we all had the same thing in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We
had saved this beautiful plate for last - Victoria Sponge cake and what I'm pretty sure was
carrot cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Delicious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And that was a proper
English high tea, or our version of it anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Good friends, beautiful food, and a cup of tea. I’m smiling just think
about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-4233998231833302722016-05-17T02:45:00.000-07:002016-05-17T02:45:04.536-07:00Granada - Home to the Fortress and Palace of Alhambra<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There was a
reason we specifically chose Granada as our first destination on this trip
to Spain. It is the home of a place called Alhambra.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A mighty Moorish
fortress and palace that sits high on a hill looking over the city of Granada,
with snow covered mountains behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a sight!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And one of Eric's favorite places we've visited while living here in Europe. The walls and
courtyards exhibit some of Spain’s finest examples of Islamic architecture and
is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, although it has a long Christian history as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of what you see today was
built by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar during the 13<sup>th</sup>
century, but following the Christian reconquest in 1492, it became the Royal
Court of Ferdinand and Isabella.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
believed that Christopher Columbus received the royal endorsement for his voyage
from within these very walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
architecture, the style, the layout – it is all so very different from other
palaces, castles and fortresses that we’ve visited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the one thing it did have in common were
the cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have seen cats in the most
interesting of places while visiting Europe, including inside the coliseum in
Rome, and inside Alhambra was no different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In fact, there were many, many cats inside the fortress walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were a bit perplexed at first as to why there were so many, but as Leah stood trying to make
friends with a few, we suddenly saw the reason for the cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We were standing outside a shop, still closed
up as we had started our visit to Alhambra early in the morning, but as the
owner emerged, opening the gate and doors to let the money spending tourists in, the cats came running from all
directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure enough, we see him come
outside with a bag of food which he scatters on the ground as he speaks in
Spanish to the mess of cats swirling around his legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later, we saw some of the cats being fed by some tourists as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve picked a good home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was cold and rainy the day we visited Alhambra, not the best day for sightseeing, but we enjoyed our time within the chilly walls anyway. The design and decoration is stunning, as are the views of the city that sits below the fortress. So without further ado, I present to you Alhambra – the palace on a hill overlooking the beautiful city of Granada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14777075010688762564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3902059372079581879.post-53963847712825289812016-05-11T03:54:00.000-07:002016-05-12T00:02:41.188-07:00The Spanish City of Granada<style>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Passing the time at
another airport waiting for a flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is something we’ve done much of during our two years here in
Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the middle of February,
another week long break from school, and this time we were setting off for
southern Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had hoped we could
leave the winter coats behind in cold, rainy England, but that was not to be
for southern Spain was going through a bit of a cold spell itself the week we
would be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well – you win some
and you lose some when it comes to the weather and travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there is one thing we have learned living
here in England, it is to take the weather as it is and carry on doing whatever
you had planned to do anyway...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And always, always, always carry an
umbrella!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our first
stop in Spain was the city of Granada which sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada
mountains. Granada is a beautiful
combination of old and modern, very Spanish and full of interesting history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stayed in the Albayzin district of
Granada, the ancient Moorish quarter of the city that has been declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent
much time exploring the twisting, narrow streets lined with whitewashed buildings,
not really following any direction, but you can’t really get lost as long as
you have a map. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You can get
stuck though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the narrow
passages are pedestrian only, but some allow cars and on more than one occasion
we found ourselves stepping into a doorway or pressed flat against one of the
old white walls as a car or van passed precariously close to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqxc2tHLu_5JEim4h83VA7jPtZFtXqkWxU6AQi1dms3715Br7_07XiI8y6auI2HQh5m4dfRZ1x4Bbq5jpRNrPbCkzhKtPqDmHAbyZtW_6RL5LXnN_9oCL-UL5jtrSKVK4Vb_Nxd9tjNw/s1600/20160216-IMG_9025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqxc2tHLu_5JEim4h83VA7jPtZFtXqkWxU6AQi1dms3715Br7_07XiI8y6auI2HQh5m4dfRZ1x4Bbq5jpRNrPbCkzhKtPqDmHAbyZtW_6RL5LXnN_9oCL-UL5jtrSKVK4Vb_Nxd9tjNw/s400/20160216-IMG_9025.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thank goodness we had left the car in a parking
garage outside of this area and taken a taxi to our hotel in the Albayzin
district, and we were especially thankful of this when we happened upon a car
that was quite literally wedged between two buildings in one of these narrow
passages, the driver shimming out her open window and scaling along the wall
and her car to get free as there was no other way to extricate herself from her
vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ay yai yai!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was okay, but her car clearly
was not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why she thought to continue
forward through this narrow gap is a mystery, as is how a tow truck was
possibly going to make it through these narrow streets to extract her car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our hotel
was right within the walls of El Albayzin and every bit as Spanish as you can
imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You enter into an enclosed
courtyard ringed with balconies lined with hotel rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our room was very much in keeping with the
unique family rooms we have experienced all across Europe during our
travels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbSTCV2xem706KIVjNr-1jJu_pbkOgcm6SePBk0gQtuicYA0iIIWi54Vrgvrrpj_yzhpHLMbC04yEx7NNAQUA8Uw1ld8RZIss-nazX6w-ozOjxHiFsxcicM53kYKtsw2sob9Pu9zD8U8/s1600/20160215-IMG_8662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbSTCV2xem706KIVjNr-1jJu_pbkOgcm6SePBk0gQtuicYA0iIIWi54Vrgvrrpj_yzhpHLMbC04yEx7NNAQUA8Uw1ld8RZIss-nazX6w-ozOjxHiFsxcicM53kYKtsw2sob9Pu9zD8U8/s400/20160215-IMG_8662.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The girls had a sleeping loft with
a spiral staircase that made us a bit nervous if anyone had to get up during
the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the dark, those steep slippery stairs would be hard to navigate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We
had breakfast in a small, rather none descript room, but the food was delicious
and interesting, and I might add decadent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We still aren’t sure what some of it was, but we did recognize the
churros, long and thin pieces of fried pastry dough which we dipped in chocolate custard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yum, yum, yum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And the coffee was
like black syrup – very, very strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lots of milk required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Since I’m
on the subject of food, we ended up eating at the same little restaurant twice that
was conveniently located just steps from our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s called La Fontana and of course they
serve tapas which are basically small plates of appetizers or snacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> During our week in Spain, we would pass </span>many bars that in the afternoon
would have a table full of platters displaying delicious and colorful tapas ready for their patrons to
enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Tapas can take many forms, from simply
being small plates of main meal type dishes, hot or cold, and sometimes just
interesting combinations of ingredients places on bread, like little
sandwiches, which is what La Fontana had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We tried a variety…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">along with some paella because, come on now, how
could we resist ordering paella in Spain…</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1E5U0VoRKzmTkj-kEkzJqhyphenhyphenYIhlciloqK1zoG4O2Ufky9jyxtQGH2JbS1-SVrZmRDeaQfGvEY0N_ubI6yf9I4h7a73AQBagIMcHyxAXY3NaXH3nv4bdpTxCJpfQT2eI2HpvRpFPpd20/s1600/20160215-IMG_8628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1E5U0VoRKzmTkj-kEkzJqhyphenhyphenYIhlciloqK1zoG4O2Ufky9jyxtQGH2JbS1-SVrZmRDeaQfGvEY0N_ubI6yf9I4h7a73AQBagIMcHyxAXY3NaXH3nv4bdpTxCJpfQT2eI2HpvRpFPpd20/s400/20160215-IMG_8628.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and some dessert. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have to tell you it was all
delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that we went back
the next day speaks for itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our hotel was just a block off this gorgeous cobblestone street that follows a stream that runs into town from the mountains. One night
as we strolled down this street, we happened upon a musician sitting in a doorway
playing the most mesmerizing guitar music, a very classical Spanish type of
music that seemed to soothe your soul as you listened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We stood there for some time, along with a
small group of people who were equally as enchanted by the melody this man and
his guitar were producing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would see
other guitarists in Granada during our stay, and pass many Flamenco bars,
Flamenco being a form of Spanish dance that is accompanied by a guitar and hand
clapping among other things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it wasn't all that surprising that we also passed many guitar shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Not far
from our hotel there was a steep street that was lined with several of these small
shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were not the type of guitar
stores we are use to seeing, you know the kind with various types of electric
and acoustical guitars hanging from the walls inviting you in to play if you
know how.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen the inside of a lot
of these as Eric has been playing guitar since he was a teenager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, one of his guitars even accompanied
us on our move to England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these
guitar shops in Granada were different from those we’ve seen before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were tiny in comparison and really were
more of a workshop than a store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
only does Eric play guitar, but he has also built one, well he’s in the process anyway as there is an unfinished guitar sitting in our basement
back in Indiana waiting for his return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you can imagine how
much he wanted to enter one of these handmade guitar shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was like a child looking in the window of
a candy store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shops seem to keep
strange hours though, which isn’t really surprising since most of them probably
have one person on staff – the owner and resident guitar maker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easy to keep whatever hours you want when you
are the boss and no other employees are depending on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until the last morning we were in
Granada that his wish finally came true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
heading out of town, Eric made one more quick trip up this street even though
it wasn’t the direction we were heading, and he got lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the shops was open. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Inside he
found a cluttered little workshop... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5U6n7gnvDISillnPTyNl8Dh1uLI8wjLr7OD4BoiL_xz-RKOeL2-hgyauN4mLvlxTuUrguqL6X1RxLKc44aw50fPOzxX7IZuJBqbKPy_kBXjlZXXPmqaGJPv4xHOcyZOrZaDPt5d0-js/s1600/20160217-IMG_9287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5U6n7gnvDISillnPTyNl8Dh1uLI8wjLr7OD4BoiL_xz-RKOeL2-hgyauN4mLvlxTuUrguqL6X1RxLKc44aw50fPOzxX7IZuJBqbKPy_kBXjlZXXPmqaGJPv4xHOcyZOrZaDPt5d0-js/s400/20160217-IMG_9287.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the guitar maker, hard at work on his next project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a beautiful sight, the craftsman
inside his cozy little shop creating a musical instrument with his hands, some
tools, and wood. Such a sharp contrast to the modern commercialized world that was just a few blocks away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I have one more place to share with you from Granada and that is the mighty Moorish fortress of Alhambra that sits high on a hill overlooking the city, but I'll save that for tomorrow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Today, I leave you with some more photos of the beautiful city of Granada. Hope you enjoy!</span></span><br />
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