Disclaimer before you get started: the coding on this entry is screwy - sorry for it looking lame, I am tired of messing with it, so just pretend that it looks fabulous....
I cannot believe that I was able to go to Germany with Rob. It was just such a spur-of-the-moment event!
Tuesday the 12th, I was talking to my boss about Rob going to Germany. I told her that there was no way; he was leaving on Saturday. She said, you just need to look up flights and see.
I did. It cost less to fly to Germany round trip that it did to fly to New York from Salt Lake! I went home and talked to Rob about it. We didn't make a decision that night, but in the morning we decided if the fare was still there, I would book it.
It was and I did. Interestingly enough, we looked online later that night and the ticket would have cost three times the amount had we waited!
It was a mad dash to get everything coordinated with the kids, our itinerary, etc. ready in just a few short days. We left on Saturday, May 16.
I can only tell you how wonderful the time was. It was amazing to spend time with Rob - we have only spent 2 nights away from the kids at any given time (at least to my recollection).
We flew into Frankfurt and took a train to Guettingen and from there took a cab to Duderstadt. Duderstadt is the town in which Rob's company is based. The Otto Bock is from Duderstadt and it really keeps the town (as well as surrounding areas) alive.
Frankfurt Airport (just like the sign states) - just getting off the plane
Duderstadt
Legend has it that the women of the town were tired of the men drinking and otherwise misbehaving, so they chased the devil out of the town. As he was nearing the end of the town, he went up this tower and grabbed the rafts on his way out and twisted the roof.
We stayed in Duderstat until Wednesday - from there Rob's co-workers took the train to Frankfurt to fly home. We took a slower train to Fulda - the town of my birth. Last time I was there, I was ten. Obviously, I don't really remember much. It was fun to walk around and experience it.
For a bit of trivia, in 2007, Ring*Con (Lord of the Rings convention) was held in Fulda. I just saw this last night. Funny!
The Orangerie, Fulda
From Fulda, we hopped on a train and travelled to Wiesbaden. It is famous for their hot spring baths. If we felt the need, there were public bathing houses in town - nude, of course. We passed as we were feeling clean already.
We rented an automobile and drove up the Rhine. Let me tell you how lovely this auto was...Audi A3. You know, my Toyota is nice, but I have to say that it was fantastic driving 160 km (or more) on the autobahn - it didn't even feel like we were moving fast. At one point, we had three Lamborghini's zip (I use that term loosely) right past us. They were just a blur. Yellow, red, yellow. I wanted to take a photo for Jacob, but we couldn't get the camera out fast enough!
A view from the road - travelling up the Rhine River. Just one of the many castles lining both sides of the Rhine.
I was driving, but a lot of the pictures were taken by me (making sure that no one was behind us, Rob taking the wheel, and me slowing down). Phew!
We had a GPS in our car, so finding things was fantastic. Well. With the exception of the time the road was blocked and the GPS kept telling me to 'make a u-turn, if possible' over and over and over. I was worried we were going to be driving around in circles (we did it twice).
Another view of the Rhine River.
Heidelburg
This is a great pedestrian bridge. There is another bridge further south (I think) and it is an overpass where they regulate how fast the flow of water flows downstream. Also, it is a mini Panama canal (I have no idea the correct terminology for that). Rob and I stood on the bridge for about 45 minutes watching the process. It was pretty cool. Ahhhh, modern technology!
We decided to go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber - this is a city I remember well from my first visit (10 years old). Mostly, I remember the Crime and Punishment Museum. This city is completely surrounded by a wall that is still standing. It was fascinating to see and walk upon this relic.
I cannot believe that I was able to go to Germany with Rob. It was just such a spur-of-the-moment event!
Tuesday the 12th, I was talking to my boss about Rob going to Germany. I told her that there was no way; he was leaving on Saturday. She said, you just need to look up flights and see.
I did. It cost less to fly to Germany round trip that it did to fly to New York from Salt Lake! I went home and talked to Rob about it. We didn't make a decision that night, but in the morning we decided if the fare was still there, I would book it.
It was and I did. Interestingly enough, we looked online later that night and the ticket would have cost three times the amount had we waited!
It was a mad dash to get everything coordinated with the kids, our itinerary, etc. ready in just a few short days. We left on Saturday, May 16.
I can only tell you how wonderful the time was. It was amazing to spend time with Rob - we have only spent 2 nights away from the kids at any given time (at least to my recollection).
We flew into Frankfurt and took a train to Guettingen and from there took a cab to Duderstadt. Duderstadt is the town in which Rob's company is based. The Otto Bock is from Duderstadt and it really keeps the town (as well as surrounding areas) alive.
Frankfurt Airport (just like the sign states) - just getting off the plane
Duderstadt
Legend has it that the women of the town were tired of the men drinking and otherwise misbehaving, so they chased the devil out of the town. As he was nearing the end of the town, he went up this tower and grabbed the rafts on his way out and twisted the roof.
We stayed in Duderstat until Wednesday - from there Rob's co-workers took the train to Frankfurt to fly home. We took a slower train to Fulda - the town of my birth. Last time I was there, I was ten. Obviously, I don't really remember much. It was fun to walk around and experience it.
For a bit of trivia, in 2007, Ring*Con (Lord of the Rings convention) was held in Fulda. I just saw this last night. Funny!
The Orangerie, Fulda
Fulda Dom
Another, more simple church (St. Michael's), Fulda (in fact, this and the previous pictured church are right next to one another).
From Fulda, we hopped on a train and travelled to Wiesbaden. It is famous for their hot spring baths. If we felt the need, there were public bathing houses in town - nude, of course. We passed as we were feeling clean already.
Wiesbaden
We rented an automobile and drove up the Rhine. Let me tell you how lovely this auto was...Audi A3. You know, my Toyota is nice, but I have to say that it was fantastic driving 160 km (or more) on the autobahn - it didn't even feel like we were moving fast. At one point, we had three Lamborghini's zip (I use that term loosely) right past us. They were just a blur. Yellow, red, yellow. I wanted to take a photo for Jacob, but we couldn't get the camera out fast enough!
A view from the road - travelling up the Rhine River. Just one of the many castles lining both sides of the Rhine.
I was driving, but a lot of the pictures were taken by me (making sure that no one was behind us, Rob taking the wheel, and me slowing down). Phew!
We had a GPS in our car, so finding things was fantastic. Well. With the exception of the time the road was blocked and the GPS kept telling me to 'make a u-turn, if possible' over and over and over. I was worried we were going to be driving around in circles (we did it twice).
Another view of the Rhine River.
This is Burg Eltz - the only castle we visited. It is owned by three families all branched from the Eltz family tree. One family still has residence there.
Heidelburg
This is a great pedestrian bridge. There is another bridge further south (I think) and it is an overpass where they regulate how fast the flow of water flows downstream. Also, it is a mini Panama canal (I have no idea the correct terminology for that). Rob and I stood on the bridge for about 45 minutes watching the process. It was pretty cool. Ahhhh, modern technology!
We decided to go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber - this is a city I remember well from my first visit (10 years old). Mostly, I remember the Crime and Punishment Museum. This city is completely surrounded by a wall that is still standing. It was fascinating to see and walk upon this relic.
Wall section with tower (windows boarded up).
A view of a portion of the wall.
This is a view from the wall looking back at the city. If you look closely, you will see the wall surrounding the perimeter.
May 31, 2009 at 5:21 PM
aahh... brauts and saurkraut....cobblestones and ancient wall, lush gardens and spired churches... gotta love Germany
May 31, 2009 at 11:51 PM
Such fun memories of some of the places we saw! I'm so glad you got to go.
June 1, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Sounds like so much fun! I'm glad you got to go.