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
Travel
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
Elisabeth
Elisabeth was born in Hungary but moved to Germany when she was 4 years old. At the age of 14 she married Ludwig, a wealthy and powerful man. Despite this, she lived a simple life and spent her time helping the poor and the sick. She donated a lot of Continue Reading
Berlin Marathon
If you’re looking for a fast marathon in a foreign land, I can recommend Berlin. It’s one of the 5 major world marathons in addition to London, New York, Chicago, and Boston. And, since we were planning to come to Europe at this time anyhow, we couldn’t pass it up. Continue Reading
What’s it like to be traveling again?
We’re excited and happy to be traveling again, but as with any major life change, there is some trepidation as we adjust to our new routine. After the demands of preparing for this trip (in parallel with us both completing in Ironman Canada at the end of August) followed by Continue Reading
The Tent
For 6 months each year, Munich is home to one of the most unusual hostels we’ve been to. Located in a botanical garden about 6 kilometers from the city centre is The Tent, a summer-only hostel providing accommodations in tents. It is the cheapest place to sleep in Munich. It’s Continue Reading