Italy: Arrival in Venice

Even though we spend two nights in most of these hotels, it never fails to sadden me a little when we have to leave. I really enjoyed the hotel in Austria. I hope one day to return.

A good part of today was spent on the road. In fact, close to eight hours. Great for watching the beautiful scenery - lots of windy roads - or catching up on your travel journals. I donated my Vonda Sheppard CD to be played on the bus, much to other people's dismay and to Jeff's delight.

The Italian Alps or Dolomites reminded me so much of Yosemite or places in Utah. We had time to change our German Marks into Italian Lire. All this colorful money and different coins are fun and at the same time, confusing. We finally arrived at Venice's main station and boarded a Vaparetto - Venice's version of a water bus. It was really hot and crowded... which were prime spawning grounds for one of my first Italian experiences: being gently tickled and fondled by locals, young and old alike. Even though we were aptly told about this, you're still not truly ever prepared for it. So, when it finally happened to me (three times on the same Vaparetto ride), I jumped a little, but didn't scream. I learned fast to take these "gestures" as compliments.

No matter how crowded, hot, stuffy the Vaporettos got, it couldn't deter me from the breathtaking views on the Canal Grande. The 8-Stop ride to Alla Accademia was an excellent start to this wonderous city! I couldn't contain my excitement! I got to see Venice - in all its glory: busy, crowds everywhere, Europeans, Italians and hordes of Americans on vacation.

I admit, that my pack is getting way too heavy to lug around and my knee still ached from the fall. Dave came up from behind and took my bag. What a guy! We crossed the beautiful wooden bridge at Ponte dell Accademia to get to our hotel. Katy and I shared what I thought was the best room on the tour. It had a loft, tall windows with beautiful Roman draperies. (I'll post the name of the hotel, if I can find it.)

Before dinner there was a little time to self-tour this island. A group of us just started walking the narrow calli (streets). The little shops selling gellato and paninis were irristable - especially before dinner. It started to rain, we headed back and joined the group as we headed out to a neighborhood tratorria. We sat at tables under green awnings as it started to thunder and storm. The lighting just seemed to accentuate Venice's splendor. Rolls of lightning seem to trace the Venitian city scape. I've never experience anything so surreal.

We ordered individual pizzas and shared carafes of wine and beer. The meal was so delicious! We were all in high spirits, despite the downpour. After dinner, Jeff led us to San Marco Square. Wow. WOW!! Wowee!!! Just absolutely incredible! No words can describe the largest Piazza on Venice. He and Katy surprised everyone with a champagne toast at sunset!! We were all taking pictured of the Basilica, of each other, of everything!

After a while, the group started to split up. I was following Molly, Tina and Cathy with Dennis, Geni and Dave trailing behind me. While walking around San Marco on our way to the Rialto Bridge, I got sidetracked. A 6-member band was playing the theme from the movie, The Godfather. Well, that stopped me in my tracks and then they followed up with "Strangers In The Night." I had to sit on one of the steps and listen. The music was memerizing- all these bands consisted of two violins, a piano and an accordion. (always a plus!) Some had bass and flute compliments.

By the time this band took a break, I looked up and saw the the square was empty. There was now a steady rain, lots of lighting and loud thunder. I had lost both my parties. I was a little scared. I was alone again in a new city, but it was still early - about 9:30pm. Like Jeff said, how lost can you get on an island. I started heading off to the Rialto Bridge, hoping to catch up with the others. Well, either my sense of direction was totally or I just didn't see any of the signs. Before I knew it, I ended back up near our hotel.

The storm was getting worse. I wanted to stop off at the 24-Hour Cybernetico Kaffe, but needed to get my jacket. Once in my room, I freshened up and took out this journal and started writing. After a few minutes there was a knock on the door, Dave suggested we do a Venetian Pub Crawl, as described in Rick's book. When we got out, the wind and rain had picked up and he recanted. I told him that I still wanted to check my email, so he offered to walk me to the Cyber Cafe.

When we entered the dark rooms, he followed. Britney Spears was grinding on the wide screen TV - a dozen Italian teenage kids had their eyes glued to it. I turned back to him with an evil grin and said, "Welcome... to my world." He chuckled and shook his head. I wonder what the 15th century Venetians revelers would think about my 21st century electronic frivolities.

Austria: Castle Day

...or better titled: "My butt aches from all the hiking..."

Morning found me looking at today's schedule. I slowly lifted my busted knee up and down. "I can do this. I can do this hike. I want to do this hike," was my mantra. We've got so much walking to do for the rest of the trip. I have to get used to it. I worried excessively about pushing myself to overexertion.

Much to the surprise of the group hikers, I decided to join the four-mile trek hike to Neuschwanstein Castle - the one that inspired Disney to build his Sleeping Beauty Castle. (Note this castle is in Germany) So half the group went. After ten minutes into our walk, I thought to myself: "This is a very, very bad idea." I forgot to take pain killers. The initial climb was steep and I was out of breath fast. I honestly didn't think I would make it and that I should have taken the bus.

But you know what? Walking through this medival forest - with nothing but our footsteps and the wind brushing against the leaves for sound - gave me such an overwelming sense of peace. It was so lush, so beautiful. Halfway through the hike, I decided, "Oh, screw it - it's a well paved and well marked trail - I am going at my own pace!"

At one point the trees gave view to the lakes near the Castle grounds. The waters here are glacial waters - so the rivers and lakes have this surreal color to them. Martha Stewart would probably label it "Castle Ecru Blue." I've only seen this type of blue waters in one other place - Cancun, Mexico. The day was starting to get cloudy and the waters below seemed to reflect the impending rain.

The rain picked up. You could actually see it approach like a ghostly curtain. Lucky for me, I packed a handy-dandy scrunchable travel hat! (www.llbean.com - "honeymoon hat") I highly recommend it! "Functional never looked so fashionable!" Well, after an hour and a half we reached the base of the hill. Just the base?!! Half the group started climbing up. I looked around desparately.. thank God for the tram! I jumped right on! The tram took us just below the castle, there was still a steep hike to the the entrance. As you glanced up, it was something out of a children's book. A fairy tale castle rising out of the mist.

The group rejoined with Jeff handing out our tickets. Our tour guide, a young woman, sounded like a tired, memorized script. Nevertheless, it was quick and informative. The rooms of the castle were glorious - they were an absolute showcase. The tapestries and beddings are faded bright blue - I can only imagine how bright these pieces once were.

Unlike the castles we saw dotting the Rhine River yesterday, this castle was recently built around 1850. It has some interesting and even mysterious history, but was by no means ever used as a fortress or for defense. It showed like something out of Martha Stewart's Living - had she built a castle. (Although I'm sure she would have preferred to compliment these rooms with an elegant Morrocan Mocha trim. ;)

The best view of the castle is from a distance. This would be from Mary's Bridge - that is, if you can stand to walk its wooden, shaky planks - which has more creaks and give than I cared for. OK, I admit that it took me three tries, a lot of deep breaths and intensely focusing on the other side to finally brave walking to the center of the bridge. Once on, I highly suggest that you not to look down and take your pictures fast. One of my best shots came from here. You really can't go wrong.

Once I got off the bridge, there was a musician and her sleeping dog. I stayed for one song and dropped my remaining German Marks into her hat. I was able to pet her dog before I left to go town the hill. Again, I whimped out and took the tram down. Lunch, which was supposed to be lakeside was moved back to the hotel due to rain. They served a great soup: Noodles and Vienna Sausage - it reminded me of my mom's cooking.

A tour was planned for Weis Church (Wieskirche) which was half an hour from the hote... but first: THE LUGE!! It had been raining most of the morning, so we didn't know if the Luge would be open, but Jeff called ahead and it was! I was expecting something similar to the Alpine Slide in the Big Bear mountains in California, but this Austrian slide didn't look as steep - so I thought, no problem.

Well, it wasn't steep - BUT it the was made of steel instead of concrete which made very, very fast! It was cool though - you sat on this fiber glass luge, got dragged uphill for 10 minutes and once you reached the peak, you let go of the brake and off you went like the wind!

It was so much fun - up until you reach close to the end, that is. There were these sets of rather large orange leather strips hanging from a rack. I wondered why they had them in there to begin with - but man, once you get whipped in the face by the first set, you pull on your brake immediately! I learned this lesson once and learned it fast.

After the first run, I bought another ticket. On the second run, I followed Katy uphill with Dave behind me. He shouted "I'm going to catch you!" at which I shouted in return: "No way!!" Katy stopped up hill and asked me to give her enough space, I told Dave the same thing. Off I went!! I was going really really fast, trying to catch up to Katy...I only slowed down towards the end to get my picture taken. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dave. It was too late. His luge rammed into mine, knocking me sideways. I scraped the steel track a bit with my leg and hand as I recovered from the impact and righted myself. I didn't know how bad it was until the burning sensations in my leg and hand started. Dennis and Vivek also had the misfortune of colliding. So, at the days end, there were casualties and wounds which stung, but we all lived.

After the Luge, our group proceeded to Weiskierch which had its interior all done with beautiful, ornate and outlandish Roccoco design. Much like Baroque, but so much more convuluted - I like to think of it as "Baroque on Crack." I sat down and admired the works of art while my body rested from its superficial, stinging wounds... Supposedly, the cruxifix here once cried tears, thus, this ornate church-size chapel emerged.

After we got back to the hotel, I jumped into the shower. Molly, who had opted out of the Luge, heard me shout "Ow! Ow! Ow!" as the suds hit my wounds. I can still hear her laughing as I drifted off to a much needed nap.

Dinner consisted of either Weiner Schnitzel or Trout. I opted for the latter which turned out to be a mistake. After dinner, half of us crowded into the Hotel bar. People in our group were buying rounds. We, Americans, were getting a tad drunk and loud. We got some looks from the stoic-faced Austrians. Amidst personal stories and reliving the days events, one thing that the group agreed upon that night: Dave would be "most likely to be voted out of the tour." We all had a good laugh - including Dave!

Austria: Route to Reutte Journal

Breakfast at the Golden Rose was quite an extravagant event this fine morning! Fresh sunflowers dominated the breakfast buffet. Molly and I shared a small, candlelit table. It seemed such a shame to spend only one night in Rothenburg. Again I have to remind myself, it just leaves more for next time..

Our first stop of the day was the Dachau Concentration Camp. I forgot my camera on the bus and have no pictures. I always wonder if that was a subconscious act on my part. The camp itself was almost... bare. There was a beautifully rendered sculpture that commemorates the people who died there. All but two of the barracks in the camp were gone. I believe the ones that stood have been rebuilt. The rooms were very clean. I tried hard to imagine 400 prisoners living in quarters meant for 50. Unimaginable. I could never really grasp the real horror of it.

After walking around for a bit, we joined a massive crowd gathering in the little movie theater that showed a movie about the camp. Of course there were some graphic photos shown that made my eyes automatically shut. I don't know if it was because the day was bright and sunny... or that hundreds of Russian teenagers running and laughing. It just didn't seem to evoke the proper, somber emotions. I walked to the catholic chapel, one of three erected on site. I said a prayer for the victims and families, turned and started to walk towards the bus.

Jeff and Katy had prepared some snacks to tie us over to our lunch stop: a former monastery turned beer hall. After another uphill hike - boy, you have to get used to these fast. I stood in line with Dennis and Geni as we hugrily stared at the various roasted chunks of meat behind glass. Personally, it smelled wonderful to me; very reminiscent of roasted pigs served at family reunions. Although it didn't look appetizing, the roast pork was probably one of the best I have ever tasted. (As a Filipino, this is a very high compliment.) Thank you Dennis and Geni for the lunch! (They called it a late Birthday present). What German meal wouldn't be complete without HUGE steins of beer! (Coincidentally, the picture I took here eventually ended up on the Rick Steve's brochure announcing me as thier first online scrapbook winner!)

After Lunch, we climbed upwards toward the Church done in Baroque style: very, very ornate, lots and lots of gold leafing each wall, pillar and ceiling chock full of cherubs and cute angels! I grabbed some souvenirs at the church store: postcards and a thumb rosary - hey, lots of time on the bus. Later that evening, we arrived in Reutte (Pronounced ROY-tay; thanks Katy!) It is amazing to see the old border crossing stations that have been shut down only within the last decade.

Our fine, fine hotel was the Gushtuf Zum Schlioxen. It looked and felt like an old farmhouse in the middle of Yosemite Valley - complete with animals: Shetland ponies, goats, horses, rabbits, pigs, etc... Instantly, a few of us (OK, just me) was transformed into back into a little kid. I took some photos of our new furry friends and let the other ladies battle it out for the first washing machine we've seen in three countries.

Dinner was served smorgasborg style - lots of dumplings and meat. There was so much food! After dinner, a handful of us walked about half a mile down to the local school for an evening performance by the local Bavarian band. They played Austrian music which was both fun and upbeat... and yes, another accordion player!

There was a local girl strolling amidst the onlookers with a flask and what looked to be mini pewter wine glasses. Dave ordered us a shot - it tasted very good - sweet, like peach schnapps. After a few minutes, we noticed the girl still standing by our table. Much to our embarrassement, we didn't realize that we were drinking out of community cups! We quickly finished our drinks and handed the cups back to the patient lady.

A few songs later... a set of three older gentlemen - all with cheshire cat grins brought us ladies (Tina, Molly, Cathy and myself) a shot of that same liquor. Their reasoning: "You ladies look cold with your legs out" At which one of the trio pointed to our bare legs. (I guess we looked out of place being the only ones wearing shorts.) We all laughed. A flurry of photographs and video taping commenced along with toasts back and forth with the locals. What fun, they enjoyed us Americans as much as we enjoyed them!

We walked back at sunset. Molly, Tina and I finshed our laundry and hung our things to dry. They issued a warning for me: don't hang my underwear up - someone might take it. We all had a good laugh. The three of us gossiped and cackled like little old ladies! I thought to myself: My God, I don't think I remember the last time I ever hung laundry to dry. My world back home, which now seems so far away and distant is chock full of dry cleaners on every corner!

It was getting late and our group settled in for the night fairly early. I just wasn't sleepy. I told Molly I was going to sneak a peek downstairs to see if anyone else was still up. As I made it to the bottom floor, there was Dave - looking like a lost puppy. He was staring at today's schedule that Katy put up.

He told me he wasn't sleepy either. Well, with the hotel restaurant closing and it was now to cold and damp to walk outside. We settled nicely on the landing between floors. We talked about the how this trip was going so far, about various people in our group and the dynamics between all ther personalities. He kept harping on how much people overpacked and how most of the group - mainly the women - didn't follow Rick Steve's packing list.

I laughed and tried to explain why this happens, but no excuse I came up with was good enough. And so it went back and forth between the two of us. Then an admission from Dave, "Women don't need all that stuff. Beauty is from within." My retort: "That's a bunch of crap Dave, the 'Au Natural' look still takes at least a half hour to achieve."

Germany: Birthday in Rothenburg

I looked out one last time through my windows out into the fast moving Rhine. After a few minutes, I grabbed my bags and met the group at the bus. As Ronnie pulled away from the parking lot, the group sang "Happy Birthday" to me. I was pleasantly surprised... but figured that Katy had all our bios.

The day started out with a long drive to Rothenburg. It was quiet on the bus ride over. I was listening to my Vonda Sheppard/Ally McBeal CD - another secret shame - and got a tad melancholy. We had one rest stop - our first where you were required to pay. We arrived shortly before lunch. The group was separated into two small hotels. I have a roomie! Molly - we got along really well. Our room was adorable - it was L-shaped and the in reminded me of Bed & Breakfasts back home. Lunch at the one of the hotel consisted on Bratwursts on Sauerkraut - it hit the spot!

After lunch I immediately headed out to the German post office. The streets were crowded with tons of tourists. It was a truly beautiful day complete with puffy clouds. What a change from yesterday.. I carried a medium sized box filled with souvenirs collected so far. When I got to the post office, I stood there dumb founded. They are usually open everyday until 5pm, but today of all days, they were closed! What the... Other than the normal work week, this particular station closed on Wednesday afternoons. I really wouldn't have minded, but with my throbbing knee and the rather heavy box, I became frustrated and grumpy.

I returned to our hotel in time to see the group gathering for our walking tour of Rothenburg. Great, I thought to myself; the affects of the pain killers were beginning to wear off. Our Rothenburg tour was a lady who led us through the cobblestone streets of this finely preserved medieval town. We slowly walking uphill, towards the Market Square, I found out why the post office was closed.

Wednesday afternoon was reserved for entertainers and performances in the town square. Today we were offered a treat to a hundred member orchestra that was playing - of all things - American music. Part of me secretly wished for and expected German oohmm-pa-pa music, instead we were treated to Broadway showtunes. I was stunned, actually. The music I heard was absolutely terrific!! I couldn't help but feel mesmerized and quieted by classics like "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and Disney-themed Medleys. (They even had an accordion player or two, which, in my book, is a very good thing.)

We continued on our tour, surveying Churches, visiting the old Castle gardens, etc. Rothenburg, with its three sets of concentric walls - some dating back a thousand years - is very picturesque. I admired the timber and plaster crisscross facades on the houses. These homes were in neutral and pastel colors - flowers, flowers everywhere!! Earlier we were warned about these German "sneeballs"... actually these.. snow ball looking dessert that didn't taste half bad. Basically, it's a deep fried flour noodles shaped into a ball topped off with a variety of goodies: powdered sugar, chocolate, sprinkles, cinnamon, caramel, etc. Jeff brought some for the group and we all digged in. It was messy, but fun.

There was a bit of free time after the tour. Though I was tired and my knee still hurt, I forced myself to go...shopping. Hey, it's my birthday, I shop if I want too! ;) So, off I went exploring the cobblestone alleys. YES!! I stumbled upon "Planet Internet" - an Internet cafe. I was so happy, I could have hugged the attendant. Wait, I think I did. I surfed my happy little heart out, checked emails, checked my stock portfolios, paid some bills and collected Birthday E-Cards from friends.

I went shopping afterwards and hit the jackpot - every touristy souvenirs I wanted from Germany- I got: A stein depicting the town of Rothenburg and our upcoming visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, a German porceline doll for my Mom, German Magic:The Gathering cards, A great Henkel knife for my kitchen and, lastly, a beautiful blue, wooden music box made in Rothenburg that plays "Edelweiss."

Jeff and Katy held a little cocktail party / happy hour prior to our dinner - it was in the garden in the back of the Golden Rose Hotel. We shared some of that wonderful German white wine and snacks. Dinner was pork roast and noodle dumplings. You could tell the group was having a great time - everyone was laughing and talking away. At the end of dinner, the lights dimmed, they brought out a dessert plate of sneeball with candles and sliced fruit for me and again, the room sang Happy Birthday to me. I love these guys!

It was still light outside, so a couple of us decided to do the Wall Walking Tour - as described in our ETBD tourbooks. At first I thought I couldn't make it - what with all the stairs going up and town. What an excellent self-tour with breathtaking views and we were able to see a beautiful German sunset! We continued our walk back to town. Molly felt like a shake from McDonalds. (Before I left the states, I made a solemn vow not to eat there in Europe - which I kept). She was a happy camper when she came out with her "Bani-yo Milkshake" Wouldn't you know it, not five minutes after she got it, she spilled the whole darn thing on the sidewalk. The devastated look on her face was priceless!! We all had a good laugh. Poor Molly!

When it finally did get dark we hit "Hell" - a German pub. We met up with Katy, Jeff and others. Katy did a bad thing: She tucked the glass steins in her jacket and made a run for it. The remaining group consisted of me, Connie, Vicki, Tina, Molly and Dave. We had a fun time. Again, and I believe, purely for my embarrassment, our group started singing Happy Birthday to me. I was a good sport, after they finished, I raised my stein loudly said, "OK, one more time, and THIS time, with feeling!!"

We were all laughing hard when the table next to us responded. I was shocked, sitting there with my mouth open as (we later found out) 30 choir members from a church in Pennsylvania started singing what was the most beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday I have ever heard in my life - complete with an "Amen" at the end. I was so touched. Darkness cloaked the tears brimming in my eyes. For the first time this year, I was so at peace. They obliged our now quiet and admiring little group with two more equally beautiful songs. My heart gave a small prayer of thanks. This was one of the best birthdays I have ever had.

Germany: Fourth of July

It was quite foggy this morning. Still a bit wet. Damn. Breakfast, however, was warm and delightful! Sausage and eggs! This morning, our fine Bacharach Guide was Herr Rolf Yung. He is the German version of my grandfather! I immediately took a liking to him. He was very sweet, kind, proud of his village. What a great choice for a guide.

He took us through the streets of Bacharach, pointed out the watermarks on some of it's buildings - reminiscent of floodings of the Rhine in recent years. We walked through some ruins and slowly made our way up the the hills into the vineyards of Bacharach - full of Reisling grapes, the local specialty. Rolf said ask for "Krosten" for dry wine and when toasting, be sure to say: "Proste!"

After we toured Bacharach, it was a short bus ride to our next tourist spot, St. Goen Castle. Talk about a long, steady, steep hike! Rolf lead the tour through this once massive fortress. He kept emphasizing that he didn't want to show us ruined walls, but rather, give a sense of what it was like to live in this castle - and that he did! He lead us through claustraphobic-inducing tunnels and wet, damp, absolutely pitch dark sentry ways. We had flashlights with us.. I kept imagining soldiers feeling their way through these passages - perhaps some carrying torches. We also saw towers and beautiful heights with clear views of the Rhine.

It started to rain halfway through our walking tour. It was announced that lunch was moved next to the river. The group members started to our "Picnic-In-The-Rain" lunch. Sadly, I found out that my travel shirt was water-resistant and not waterproofed. I, along with some members of our group, was drenched. I took a slight detour from our group and visited a German cemetery I spotted along the way. It looked so peaceful and with the flowers growing profusely about, one can almost easily mistake it for a garden... almost. I took a moment and savored the silence, closed my eyes and breathed in the rain and fresh bouquets.

My detour left little time for souvenir shopping. I took too long in admiring the different coo-coo clocks at one shop. They were very expensive and I decided not to based on 1) where the heck would I put it 2) would it really match my decor and lastly 3) if I were to buy one, it should be from Switzerland. As a left the shop, the rain had progressed from a light drizzle to full Armageddon - not really, but that's what it felt like.

I picked up a ferry ticket from Jeff who wondered where the heck I was and continued down to our planned lunch next to the Rhine River. Katy had prepared a what would have been a wonderful faire had the weather cooperated. I asked where the rest of the group was. Vivek pointed downriver and said most of the gang opted to take an earlier boat home. At those words I sprinted towards the docks.

I found the group conveniently huddled at the ticket stand. The ferry arrived and we boarded quickly. We stayed on the formal dinning level. The riverboat was nicer than I expected. It was filled with tables full of white linen. Kind of reminds me of Hornblower Yacht Cruises here in Southern California.

I shared a table with Kristen, John and Dave. It didn't occur to me that I still hadn't had lunch until we were handed menus. I was starving! We started off with coffee liquor drinks. I had a bowl of warm beef stock. It was about an hour to our stop in Bacharach. We sat back and admired the view from the Rhine. Castles loomed above us on the hills... one in the middle of the Rhine. No matter how hard it rained, it didn't seem to dampen the group spirit.

Although I don't consider myself someone who is superstitious or prey to bad karma, I have this... well, for lack of better term, let's just say, the Fourth of July curse. This day has never been kind to me. For example, a few years ago, during a Fourth of July BBQ at a friend's house, a tree fell on my car. Yep, a tree out of nowhere... falls on my new car. All the witnesses had the same baffled look and pronounced the same thing: it was an Act of God. Oh well, I know it's me... or the fact that tomorrow is my birthday.

As I debarked our ship at Bacharach, the absolute worst happened. I was making my way down the wet, steel gangplank when I slipped and slammed my knee hard on a steel keat. Oh my God! I was so close to passing out from the most excruciating pain I've ever experienced in my life. It felt like taking a baseball bat to the knee.

I immediately went down. Two ship employees saw that I was blocking the rest of the passengers. They came down and lifted me and conveniently - and without hesitation - deposited me on the asphalt on all fours. I was seconds from passing out on the pavement when Bill and Dave caught me and lifted me to a nearby bench. I wanted to tell them that I was all right, but I didn't have any control over my vocal cords. I couldn't speak!

Only when I was sitting down, did I notice our tour group huddled around me, staring at my knee. I looked down, I didn't realize that I had a deep gash and that it was bleeding profusely. The sight of my own blood made me even more nauseous. Geni quickly got out a Kleenex and wiped away most it. Dave cleaned, bandaged the wound and, ever so slowly, walked me back to our hotel and up three flights to my room.

Although the pain was unbearable, my stupid pride prevented me from crying in front of the group. If anything, the one thing I can think back and laugh about is the fact that I was offered a wide assortment of pain relievers from our group including tequila shots from the bar. I was passed out until dinner, missing a former-castle-now-youth-hostel hike Jeff had planned for our group.

Jeff and Katy came by and checked up on me prior to dinner. Although the pain was still there, it was reduced to a dull throbbing ache. Their faces had me worried. I couldn't miss another one of Fatima's diiner which that night consisted of a pork cutlet with mushroom sauce and fries. Delicious!

After dinner, we were all invited to Bacharach's only nightclub - located in our hotel basement: The Tacky Tetonic Tiki Room! I wonder what the soldiers a thousand years ago would have reacted to their watch tower being turned into a tropical disco nightclub. I hurt so bad, but triping the lights fantastic to Donna Summer in Germany was certainly worth it!!

Germany: Bacharach Journal

Weary, especially after sitting on a bus for five hours, we arrived at our second hotel on this tour. Hotel Kranenturm, efficiently run by Kurt and Fatima Engel, sat next to train tracks with a beautiful view of the Rhine River. I took great pleasure in making Fatima's acquaintance. Like myself, she is filipina - it's good to see a fellow countrywoman.

Keys were handed out to the rooms. The Rooms! You could here the oooohss and aaahhhs of the members as we each rushed from one room to the other. Members were taking pictures of the rooms. I wanted to mention that the stairway was beautifully carved in wood and, though sufficiently strong, seemed quite fragile. The rooms were Fatima's pride and joy! She hand made the beddings, pillows, curtains, etc for all the rooms. As in the Netherlands, I had my own room. The beautiful view through double paned windows and the "interesting" stucco wall design in my room made it unique and special in my memories.

Dinner was prepared for our group at our hotel. Our home cooked meal started with a deliciously warm brocolli soup followed by a hearty entree of beef and cabbage with potatoes. After dinner, group gathered outside for group introductions. Each of us had the chance to introduce our new Buddies. So between trains passing, wine and beer samplings, our group started to get to know one another.

Of course, after a few glasses of strong Reisling, I made a complete fool of myself trying to introduce Dennis. Either I truly didn't remember any significant facts about Dennis or those brain cells previously holding that information were no longer there. I guess I started making up things... people started to laugh. I went with the flow and proudly announced that Dennis invented Liquid Paper, had an internet business...and owned a rather large yacht back home. He lifted his left eyebrow, smiled and slowly nodded in agreement. People got a good laugh... too good, I think.

After group introductions, I took a walk with our group trio: Tina, Tina's mom Cathy and their friend Molly. These gals were no meat, no cheese, no nonsense ladies! We took some sunset pictures by the river then proceeded to stroll the quaint and lovely town of Bacarach. Oh!! All the little paintings, the cute toys and dolls, decorative items and wall art! How we gals all looked forward to the shopping!! (Sorry Rick - you can try to weed out the shoppers, but we're talking genetics here!!)

I hate to admit it, but I personally started "fiending" for a PC.. laptop...an internet cafe. I could feel the emails building up. The weather was still wet, I secretly prayed for a beautiful day tomorrow. I am really having a great time. We went back to our rooms. I turned on the TV and watch Jackie Chan speaking Deutsch. Ah, yes, this is going to be an interesting tour.

Bacharach Introductions 

Netherlands: Last Day in Holland

I would have gotten more sleep if I hadn't stayed up listening to the thunderstorm and rain. We awoke to an early breakfast of boiled eggs, meats and coffee. Thank God for the caffine! Today we meet our bus driver, Ronnie, from Belgium. He seems like a very quiet man - but this is the first day, so we shall see...
Prior to boarding the bus, we were introduced to the "infamous" Buddy System. As luck would have it (and I'll be damned!), I was partnered up with my Buddy for the length of this tour: Dennis or "The Troublemaker" as most of us affectionally called him. As he often said afterwards, he now had two "Jennies" - his lovely wife: Geni and, well... me. (Flattery, Dennis, will get you everywhere!)
It seemed sad to leave the little town of Haarlem... but our tour of Holland was not yet over. This day would be our last in the Netherlands. Our first stop was the Aalsmeer Flower Warehouse. It took me by surprise... why visit a flower storage facility? It was enormous!! The biggest facility I've seen since..the Space Shuttle building in Coco Beach, Florida. The building seem to go on for miles (which it did). There were tons of flowers and plants... all the bustling workers, mini train tracks, mini fork lifts. It smelled glorious!
Tour books boast that you can see this facility from space... I believe it. We were walking on wide scaffoldings looking down. In the middle of the building, we peered in through glass windows to see what appeared to be a giant clock on the wall... with lights that went back and forth in circles, clock-wise and counter-clockwise. Around this clock, a stadium of desks seem to be built. It was all very exciting. They were bidding!! The men in the room were intensely staring at the stacks of flowers coming in on tracks and punching in their bids.
These buyers only stared back at us when I snapped a photo. I managed a sheepish grin and simply waved to them. Some smiled or laughed and even waved back. I continued on my walk, made sort of a u-turn and walked towards their souvenier shop. I commenced gathering all the little wooden shoes I could find. They have a great assortments of bulbs and seeds you can ship home if you choose to do so.
After another hour on the bus, we ended up at the Dutch Open Air Museum. It was the Dutch version of a outdoor folk art and museum. It was cool. Lots of area to roam, buildings and cottage homes to visit and stroll through, complete with farm animals. Tons of photo opportunities, even though the day was slightly hazy. A boxed lunch was provided, but I couldn't help but order some french fries - they were absolutely delicious and soon other tour members were also digging in.
As we entered Germany, the skies darkened and slowly it started to rain. We took a road that paralled the Rhine River. After a while, a few of the people on the bus started pointing out castles one after the other, some to the left of us, on hills accross the river, others were on our right. Looking around, it suddenly dawned on me... the river, the mists floating about and castles.. how wonderfully romantic Germany was. I was filled with Cinderalla dreams.

Netherlands: Amsterdam Journal

To say Amsterdam is a beautiful city is an understatement.. It is incredible! We started the day off at the Anne Frank Haus. Words can't describe the deep emotions that flowed through me as I walked through where she and her family lived in hiding. The Bookcase! The same bookcase the Nazi's stormed through. I swear my heart skipped a beat when I first saw it. I was so humbled. I ventured through this portal to a different world; up the living quarters where eight people lived hidden on the 3rd floor in tight quarters.

I think back to all the movies… the made for TV shows. All the rooms featured were huge compared to the real thing. The rooms were so small… Anne's room still bears the magazine cut outs of Hollywood stars. I don't know… it broke my heart - seeing her only treasures aside from the diaries.

After this emotional tour, we were ushered directly to our Canal Boat tour. This was a great way - probably the best way to view scenic Amsterdam. It was a full hour, narrated in English. Our canal guide pointed out many buildings and historic sites. I loved seeing all the houseboats and their daily activities on them: fixing a meal, watching a woman water all her numerous plants and even a couple selling coffee - watch out Starbucks! My only minor complaint on this boat ride was that I didn't get a window seat and therefore didn't get any photo ops. Oh well, next time!

Lunch was at a restaurant/bar. Looks like meats and cheese will be the standard fare on these trips. It's not so bad, really, if you don't overdo it but, well, there were some complaints in our group. I have faith though; the food will gradually get better the closer we get to Italy and to France! During the afternoon, we took the tram to the Rijksmuseum, which houses the largest collection of Rembrants, Van Gohs and Hals. Along with our museum pass, we were given a CD player and headphones where you punch in the corresponding numbers to the painting or sculpture you were looking at. A voice comes on that tells you about the artwork. Some descriptions came complete with music, sounds, dramatic or funny descriptions and even trivia.

After I finished walking around the museum, I headed out to the courtyard. There was a group of four teenage boys who were playing horned instruments. They beautifully performed the theme from the movie Titanic. It was sweet, low and soothing and without thinking, I closed my eyes and savored the delightful music. As if that weren't enough of a treat, I had to walk through an underpass prior to re-joining the group. I came upon a violinist that was fantastic - he played Mozart perfectly. As I continued walking on, I regret not having any guilders to drop in his case.
Our last stop of the day was a brisk walk through Amsterdam's historic Red Light District.

Honestly? Well…maybe because this saw it during the day, but I internally compared it to New Orleans and feel that the Cajun city is wilder. Well, except for the marijuana plants growing in pots in storefronts - that was way cool. A few of us were shamefully snapping pictures with the illegal plant to show off to family and friends back home.

We arrived back at the hotel. Dinner was a short walk to Nan King Indonesian Cuisine. We tried several dishes and all us were satisfied with what would be one of the best meals of the trip. Afterwards a group of us sat outside, talked and got more acquainted. We tried this bitter lemon drink - it reminded me of a Tom Collins drink, but without the alcohol.

Later I joined two members from our group, Vicki and Dave to a local bar. The night was young - 10:00pm - and the sun was barely setting. We ordered beers and watched the Euro 2000 finals… a.k.a. the European Super Bowl. The people in the bar wanted France to win since Italy eliminated the Netherlands in the semi-finals yesterday. They appreciated us Americans cheering along with them… and they got their wish: France won! The bar closed at 11:00pm. Sharp.

It was indeed a fun and busy day. I eagerly look forward to a good night's sleep. I know that tomorrow we leave Holland, so if I had to choose some keywords that would remind me of today, they would be: Bicycles, Waffles, Windmills and lots and lots of Water.

Dutch Bridge

Netherlands: Haarlem Journal

My first look at the Netherlands was from above. It was so green, simply beautiful.

The taxi ride from the airport to Haarlem was interesting. I've never seen a Mercedes Mini-Van before. I found myself instantly looking for windmills and saw one or two, The driver and his boss spoke Dutch. Only when I recognized English words, would they look back at me and ask me questions. With the words "San Francisco" came an instant kinship. Imagine that.

My first impressions of Haarlem was that of a charming little city. The colors, the gables, canals and skinny bridges were something out of a Hans Christian Anderson story book. Cute children running about just adds to its charisma. I arrived at the the hotel after about a half-hour ride. All the money I took out at the airport, I handed over to the cab driver.

I was so tired from my hectic schedule in the U.K., I snuck in a little nap. After awhile, I ventured out into the Saturday Grote Market. There were so many little shops and stands selling everything from belgium french fries, baked goods, meats, cheeses, cell phone vendors, clothing and dry goods.

Netherlands folks easily dwarfed a short American Filipino like me. I kept walking around until I mustered up the courage to order a roll of bread, some pate and cheese that looked good... but, until I tasted it, I realized it was stinky - by American standards. So, I held my breath and ate it anyway... it wasn't bad.

I met the group for the first time early that evening. We had a full load. Jeff was our guide with Katy as the assistant guide for our ETBD tour. They seem really cool. Our group was pretty diverse, couples, families and singles. They seem like a fun bunch and can't wait to get know each of them.

After the light supper, the group went on a walking tour of Haarlem. Our guide, Hans, lead us through the streets of Haarlem, pointing out buildings of history interest as well sharing stories of Holland's Santa Klaus.

After the tour, I joined Marge and Karl in a beer. We talked and laughed about the TV shows in our rooms. I though that I had accidentally ordered a spice channel before I found out that the commercials were uncensored. I remember reading about this... but.. It's a bit of a shock..
It doesn't get dark here until after 10:00pm. So strange... This first night was filled with such loud cheers. I didn't realize until the next day that the European Soccer championships were going on. Many people were wearing Holland's national color, orange, in celebration. I decided that tomorrow, I would too.

Unfortunately, Holland lost to Italy that night, but the people still celebrated as if they won.