Destination...Rejuvination!

After celebrating my friend's mother's 70 birthday in Frankfurt, it was time to pack for my trip home. I was getting nervous about my flight maybe being delayed since the volcano in Iceland had started acting up again. Indeed two out of five transatlantic flight routes were blocked by the ash cloud and planes were backed up trying to cross through the remaining three routes. This meant my flight from Frankfurt to Chicago would be delayed three hours and I would miss my connection...I arrived in Chicago late evening and was told I could take the first flight to Phoenix the following morning. Everyone on the plane had missed their connection and subsequently spent the night in Chicago. I was too exhausted to check into a hotel with two suitcases etc. and decided to camp out in the terminal those few hours. The flight to Phoenix was fine and I had two great neighbors to help pass the time. So now I'm home again, jetlagged and all....but home sweet home!

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Yesterday I rode the train along the Rhein River to Bonn to visit with some relatives. We visited Beethoven's childhood home and strolled through downtown lined with gourmet pastry shops and restaurants. More delicious food, of course!

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Today we visited a charming little town along the Main River called Miltenberg. River cruiseships stop here all summer so we were luckily to get to stroll through it without major crowds. Afterwards, we enjoyed beer made by local friars at a monastery overlooking town. Prost!

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 The B&B

 View from B&B

No Joke..."Schitter Meat and Sausage Products"

We're headed back to Frankfurt via Salzburg where we say hello to friends who own a B&B nearby. This is the area where the Sound of Music was filmed and I so enjoy visiting any chance I get!  No, I did not climb a mountain and sing "the hills are alive" even though I'm a huge Sound of Music fan! I wouldn't want to traumatize the cows grazing nearby...

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Ummm.....I think the pictures say it all...Basically just having a great time with friends and taking dorky pictures! Who the heck is photogenic at 4am anyways?

It's official...Mr. Blue Jello is now home in Austria!

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Picturesque alpine scenery surrounds us as we drive though the snow covered Alps to reach a small town near Graz, Austria. There's a definite change in climate as we near town with its green hills and apple orchards. This region is all about apples...apple juice, schnapps, wine etc!

Our friends surprise us with a drive in their 71' Mustang imported  from Phoenix. What a way to pull up to a 250 year old restaurant for dinner! The food was traditional Austrian and yummy delicious. Being the crazy foodie that I am, I prodded the owner for the tasty ryebread recipe. She shared her technique and promised to make it with me when I came back. I will be back...He he.

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Lunch in Bavaria

The Best of Breisach!

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle

My Cousins

Cheers!

The Alps

Our adventure continues as we arrive in beautiful Breisach, home of a winery that boasts its very own train that winds through cellars lined with aging bottles of champagne and wine. Our friends welcome us with a champagne toast and dinner featuring white asparagus with hollandaise sauce, beef marinated in red wine and a dessert of vanilla ice cream with fresh berries. I can't stop eating and visions of me being rolled onto the airplane in a month flash before my eyes. I soon forget my woes with the wonderful regional schnapps that follows...The next morning we enjoy a breakfast of fresh rolls, homemade sausage and pates. We wave our sweet friends goodbye as our car meanders through the narrow streets of this charming town.

Our six hour drive east to Fussen, home of Neuschwanstein castle, begins with blue skies but soon changes to rain and high winds as we climb through the mountains to reach the castle. We arrive in miserable weather but still decide to hike up the trail to the castle and pass several American tourists along the way. I grossly underestimate the 'short hike' and find myself struggling to put one foot in front of the other on this steep climb as I hiss at the rain and wind slapping me in the face at every step. .I try to block out images of home right now...sunny skies and palm trees as it becomes very clear to me why I live in Arizona...I make it to the top for a quick picture and then a quick run down the mountain to shelter! On to my cousins who live nearby for an evening filled with laughter and....surprise...amazing food at a popular restaurant that features regional specialties. I decide on kasespatzle(noodles with cheese) with beef topped with caramalized onions. Beer made in house rounds out the wonderful evening. After breakfast and goodbyes we begin our eight hour drive to Graz, Austria.

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It happened...jetlag finally got the best of me yesterday so we decided to just take a hike up to an ancient Roman ruin nearby. The fresh air helped keep me awake and I made it through the day without succumbing to my fatigue and passing out in the woods.

However, while I am adjusting to the time change, chaos and havoc have ensued over the entire European continent as all airports have been shut down due to the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland. The massive ashcloud has moved over Europe and thousands of passengers are stranded at airports as it passes over European skies. It's difficult to imagine the extent since it's not visible from the ground and we're enjoying blue skies. Nontheless, it's very real and absolutely no planes are flying.

Today we leave Frankfurt for southern Germany to visit some cousins near Neuschwanstein Castle. Then it's off to Austria! So it's time to pack up the blue jello for it's journey to a small town in Austria where I imagine Mr. Blue Jello will receive a red carpet welcome. He's become quite the celebrity...

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 Phillipsruhe Palace

 Happy Hour, anyone?

 Grimm Brothers Statue

 Strawberry Pasta!

 Phillipsruhe Palace

 Blacksmith Residence

How do you know you're in Germany? Autobahns(German freeways with no speed limits) and BMW, Mercedes and Audi cars dominating the roads. Even though legally we could race across these autobahns at crazy high speeds, I have the need for speed of  a turtle and can't stomach it. I don't want to feel like I've just raced NASCAR to get to my destination. If it takes us a little longer, so be it. Vacations are meant to be savored, not rushed.

We spent the day walking the historic streets of Hanau, a town steeped in the blacksmith industry of the past. We visited a palace, city hall, and passed several charming cafes offering regional delicacies. One small shop featured strawberry pasta. Hmmm... interesting. Maybe next time...

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After a night of packing, I was off to the airport in the early morning and had a pleasant flight to Dallas. Since my layover was four hours and I was exhausted, I decided to grab a quick bite and get some shut eye for a few minutes near the gate...or so I thought. When I awoke, the gate area was empty and I panicked. No  worries, I boarded just in time!

The flight to Frankfurt was 10 hours and luckily I had a window seat and nice neighbor. After dinner, I watched 30 Rock and tried to nap a little. A few hours later,  I awoke to an incredible sunrise over Ireland and Britain and the smell of warm croissants. What a beautiful welcome to Europe...

I arrived to wonderful friends and spring weather. Vacation has officially begun...

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Ok...so here's the deal. I haven't even started packing yet. No big deal? It is when you're supposed to leave for the airport in a few hours. I tend to be very organized which is why I'm shocked I've waited until the last minute to pack. This is what my living room looks like right now...I know I'll need to use that second suitcase which means extra baggage fees. Thanks airlines...but I need that extra suitcase for special requests from friends like blue jello. Yup, blue jello! Apparently it's a big hit in Austria. So I better get packing. The flight to Frankfurt is about 10 hours nonstop. Hope the inflight movies are good...See you in Europe!

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