In the city of Bautzen in the Saxony region of Germany stands St. Peter’s Cathedral. It was built between 1456 and 1463, and had major restorations in 1634 after much of the town was destroyed by fire. What I find most intriguing about this church is that it is shared Continue Reading
No good deed goes unpunished
We arrived in La Spezia on the north-west coast of Italy in a rain storm at 5:30 PM. A British couple that we’d met the night before had recommended a camping site in an industrial area near the port. As best they could figure, it was on land used by Continue Reading
Storm in Tuscany
We arrived in the city of La Spezia last evening. It’s on the west coast of Italy, a couple of hours north of Pisa in the region of Tuscany. Last night, this area was hit by a huge storm. Nine people are confirmed dead and six more are missing. Several Continue Reading
If it’s Tuesday, we must be in Florence
With the eclectic variety (and occasional delay) of our blog postings, you may be wondering where we are currently and where we’ve been to-date. Here is a graphical update on our progress. Synopsis – We flew in to Vienna (Austria) and traveled W via Salzburg to Munich (Germany). We headed Continue Reading
Oktoberfest!
Welcome to the home of the $8 pretzel and beers big enough to sprain your wrist. The ultimate getaway for the beer lover, Oktoberfest is a huge spectacle. It wasn’t what I had expected — it was better! Oktoberfest is a dynamic blend of beer gardens, dinner theatre, a costume Continue Reading
Dachau
There are many memorials of war in Europe, monuments to its long and often violent history. Dachau is the site of a former Nazi concentration camp which we visited with some trepidation. It is located just 20 kilometers from the beer drinking revelry of Munich, but it is a very Continue Reading
What’s different about traveling this time?
We continue to notice differences between traveling in Europe and our last major trip through the Middle East, Africa, India, Nepal, and South-East Asia. Here are some of them: We’re traveling in developed countries, so we don’t have to be quite so self-reliant. For example, we weren’t quite as particular Continue Reading
The S&M Motel
Welcome to the S&M Motel. Our zesty moniker derives from those of our founders and present owners, Sue and Martin. You be staying in our premier suite. It is fully furnished with a cozy bed, armoire, and ample storage. It includes a private ensuite bathroom with shower and sink. Your Continue Reading
Bavarian Beer Halls and Beer Gardens
Bavaria is all the stereotypical images of Germany rolled into one. Lederhosen, oom-pah-pah-bands, sausage eating, and especially beer-drinking. They say when in Rome… The Czech Republic drinks the most beer per capita in the world (159 litres per year) with Germany a respectable third (110 litres per year) after Ireland. Continue Reading
Coming to terms with an alternative lifestyle
Even after I had decided that not working at a job was an option for me, it took months to transition to my alternative lifestyle. The hardest part of this was the mental shift required. I’ve had to deal with all sorts of issues and insecurities that came up. I Continue Reading