First day in Austria...so we drank beer and ate strudel...

We had a lovely flight to Munich, not first class but we did get the bulkhead seats so at least we could stretch.
We were impressed with how pristine and clean Germany looked, even from the air!  When we got off the plane the first thing we notice was how QUIET it was. The atmosphere in Newark airport was bombastic compared to this pervasive hush throughout the entire terminal. It was also odd how many people smoke in Europe, the airport had this strange, hermetically sealed room in the middle of the terminal where you could see all the smokers gathered. There was a huge Camel ad with the words "Smoking Kills" on the side.

Outside in the courtyard, you can get some Smokey Joe's BBQ....kind of a study in "One of these things just doesn't belong here!"

Still not sure how this works on my phone so we shall see. And i can only upload pics from my phone. Amateur blogger problems!
Today as we passed through Germany, and avoided the 9 million people in Munich for Octoberfest, we stopped at Ludwigs castle in Herrenchiemsee. This was one of two fountains in front of the castle. Of course, no pictures allowed inside..
.http://www.germany.travel/en/leisure-and-recreation/palaces-parks-gardens/herrenchiemsee-palace.html#

  What an explosion of gold leaf, crystal chandeliers and obscene, bankrupting indulgence. All for an unfinished replica of Louis xiv Versailles palace that he spent only 10 days in and then mysteriously drowned before he could return. Very interesting and informative tour! And further admonishment to lay up your treasures in heaven!

Our transportation to the castle!!!!

We had the first of many strudel outside the castle...we each got our own and shared!! Huge portions of yummyness... the perfect lunch for our first day!!

Arrived in Salzburg in the afternoon and took a nice nap and shower before dinner. We had a very traditional Austrian meal at Guldene Ente and left stuffed. R.T. will be happy to note that we are thinking of him and ordering somewhat off the grid. Dad and I had a hearty venison stew and ended with a crazy meringue puff over raspberries called Salzburger Nockerl. Pictures to follow after I get a new cable.
What a great first day. It's 5pm at home so it must be time for bed.  

Today's the day!!

...the sun is shining (not) the tank is clean (also not)...but who can resist a Nemo quote??

Not much to say today except that we are READY to go! It seems like for all our cool weather preparations, Venice is looking pretty warm right now. Maybe I'll throw in a pair of shorts, just in case. They also have a flood warning. Say no to aqua alta, that's all I have to say.
So the latest updates from Austria involve castles and beautiful views...can't wait to be IN these pictures!

...is keeping me wa-a-a-iting...

I promise that's the last line from that song!! 
Hard to sleep last night, Jim and I were tossing and fidgeting next to each other, neither one wanting to give up and talk first. When I finally got up, there was a love note on the coffee maker (which is,of course, the first place I go!) that said...ONE MORE SLEEP.
And so it is...
I got a text from Alice saying they were all checked in to their castle in Bregenz...hey...sometimes it's takes a long time for a girl to find her castle!! At least she found her prince first! 

It's so hard for me to believe that next month we will be celebrating his 80th birthday. I'm sure I'll get a scolding for publishing this, after all, he could lie by 20 years and no one would question him! 
This weekend I met a woman just a few days younger than my dad and even though she had quite a fighting spirit, it made me realize how blessed we all are that he is so healthy he runs circles around the rest of us. It's never something to take for granted, at any age and I am especially grateful to have it that way now. Hopefully we can keep up with him all over Europe. 
So on the list of things that just didn't get done....

the puzzle of Hallstatt that seemed like such a good idea a month ago. I'm sure when I see the place I will fall in love with the water and the reflections and the green and the blue...but it was torture in a puzzle. Yeah...and the house didn't get clean either but it seems like no one wants to look at it anyway so we should be good.
This is the exciting schedule I have so carefully laid out for us for the next week. You might think that I am actually organized. Think again. But...I did come up with a cool reference calendar and map and I'm pretty proud of that! Let's see how it works out!

 http://goo.gl/maps/SoVGn

Well, that didn't work out so well. But I am new to this so any comments on how to attach a map would be appreciated. 

Off to start the day.....

...is making me late...

Two more sleeps and I am running out of time. It doesn't help that I spent this last weekend on an adventure that would stand on its own as a life changing event and I am still deeply invested in riding that wave. Instead of checking all the important to do's off my list, I have been emailing my new sisters and researching fly fishing instruction, organizations and lessons. 

Last night we began the packing process, so proud of ourselves for being so uncharacteristically organized and austere!! When we were done, there were 3 more items added to the list of to-get, another job for today. But, we are so excited about this trip that nothing life has tried to throw at us so far has daunted our enthusiasm. Yay for perspective!!
This morning I awoke to a text from Alice telling me they were on their way to Portland to catch the bus (bus?) to Boston to catch the plane to D.C. to catch the plane to Munich, in which they would claim their first class seats. I was unaware after all this planning that there was a BUS involved. I must say the visual gave me a chuckle. My distinguished parents with their classy luggage and refined appearance on the Greyhound to Boston. I think it just makes me feel better, in a sour grapes kind of way, about cramming into my coach seat with my plastic serveware for 8 hours. Sad, but true.
Time to color my hair and wait for my global phone to arrive.
Happy dance....

Anticipation

In our family, we measure travel and family expectations in ‘sleeps.’  Today is 3 sleeps until the wonderful event I have been planning for almost a year becomes a reality. On that day, all my little notes and scribbles, printouts, maps, calendars and tour books will be packed away and all the planning and preparing will be done. Dad and Alice will already be in Germany and Jim and I will be dancing ourselves to the airport full of giggles and butterflies.

It is oddly bittersweet to me when the planning phase comes to an end and the actual event arrives. I get so much pleasure out of exploring, researching and discovering things to do that when it comes time to actually go, I know the time will now begin to fly quickly by and the savoring will be difficult.

So, I'm hoping that this blog will slow it all down and allow all of us to share in this adventure of celebrating 50 and 80 years of life!