Salzburg, Austria: Day 1 and 2

We took a train from Stuttgart to Munich. There was some confusion on the platform when the train was late because of the recent train strikes. Those who had reservations, which we did, were able to get on the train. It was really crowded though and we had to shuffle around a little. A man gave up his seat for Naomi and sat at a different seat. It was very nice of him! Then we to another train to Salzburg. Fiona was very tired and took a little nap on this train in the stroller. The ride was just under 2 hours and the countryside was so pretty! All the farms and little towns nestled in the hills with stone churches were so beautiful! After getting off the train we found our hotel after a huge down-pour of rain! We unloaded at the hotel and then went to walk around the area and eat. We ate at the Gausthous and it was delicious! I had a huge Wienerschnitzel and Chris had a huge skillet of Kasknocken! Also, it was Chris' 30th birthday dinner! It was fun to celebrate his birthday on this trip!

               

               

                       

The next morning we started our self-walking tour with the Mirabell Gardens where they filmed a lot of the Sound of Music scenes. It was beautiful! There were two weddings going on also! We saw the dwarf statues, including the one with glasses which was in the movie. These dwarfs were statues of real people who lived in the palace with one of the Prince-archbishops. Then we headed to Mozarts second home and listened to the audio tour. It was very interesting!

                              

                        

                

                             

We then went to St. Stephen's Church Cemetery and it was so beautiful and peaceful! Mozarts father and wife are buried there. The next on the tour was an Abbey which was on top of a hill. Chris pushed Naomi in the stroller and held Fiona in the Bjorn and practicaly ran up the mountain. He's so tough! I'm glad I brought him along! The view from the Abbey was amazing! We caught our breath and looked around. We saw a huge Ford, extended cab truck at the top. It seemed so out of place but was so fun to see something American. We started down the hill by way of a different road which was very narrow and very steep! We were planning how to do it safely and a family from India were nearby. The two children, a boy and girl in their teens ran over and said they would help us down. They carried the empty stroller the entire way! They were so cute! We thanked them so much and they were so smiley and happy to help. They ran back up with energy only the teens still posses. A couple minutes later they were back down at the bottom with us again and didn't even look winded! Their parents came down shortly after them and we told them thank you many times. We saw the whom where Joseph Mohr wrote "Silent Night"and right next to it is a wall with a big gash taken out of it. Supposedly an American soldier tried to take a tank down the narrow alley (on his way to a house of ill repute) and took a chunk out of the wall. We walked down the narrow, cobble stoned street and it was so pretty! We kept taking pictures at every door, side-street and ivy-covered wall! We emerged at Mozartplatz and this is where the rain started into its heavy drizzle that didn't end all day, We grabbed a few delicious pastries and continued to the Dom. There were a ton of people here but we popped into the church fast and enjoyed the splendor! The festivalplatz is nearby and we listened to a violin street performer for a bit then saw a horse bath. The horse bath was used for just that, bathing horses, like medieval car wash! We took shelter in the festungsbahn, a giant railway up the side of the mountain to the Hohensburg Palace. The elevetor was insanely cool!

                                

          

                         

                      

           

                      

                       

As we got out of the festungbahn we were so drenched and cold. Morale was low, very low. We couldn't find the entrance to the palace and when we did it was either up a huge flight of steep stairs or down a huge flight of steep stairs. To help us get more cheerful, despite being soaked, we took a look at the view from the palace. Breathtaking!! And we agreed the rain and fog made the city look even more beautiful, even if it meant getting soaked! We took a deep breath and hauled the stroller down the steps (we thought down would be easier than up) and were able to take warm refuge inside a really odd marionette puppet museum inside the palace. The palace was really pretty and very interesting. They didn't have any Kings or Queens just Prince-Archbishops who were religious and political rulers.

            

First Clinical Rotations and Grocery Shopping

5-17-15

Chris' first day of 4th year rotations!!!! He had a great time and is really going to like his doctor, Dr. Bartee. She is very chatty and helpful. The clinic is on base so he has to set up a lot of security stuff before actually working. The commissary on base has lots of American stuff and he got me some delicious A&W Root Beer. There isn't any in Germany at all. The girls and I walked 9 minutes to a grocery store down 7 flights of cement stairs. By the time I got to the store I realized I'd have to carry whatever I bought up the 7 flights of stairs so I just got the essentials.

                          

                      

Grocery shopping in Germany is quite an event for several reasons: I have to think about what we need and try to translate it or decipher the German and hope it's what I think it is, I have to keep track of Naomi who seems to LOVE running up and down German store aisles with the basket of groceries, I have to keep track of Fiona's socks that she loves to pull off in the Bjorn (if I miss one a German lady will usually bring it to me and tell me something in German smiling, I just nod and laugh:), I have to calculate how much this could cost since it's cash-only and I only have a set amount, and I have to keep picking up the basket to weigh it and reason if that's too heavy to carry home with Fiona on me...should I put the peanut butter back? It is quite an ordeal! All while Naomi is asking for cookies, chips, candy, etc. the usual stuff.

Final Stop: Stuttgart, Germany!

5-14-15

Karina ordered a taxi for us in the morning and we took it to the airport to catch the train to Stuttgart. Our driver was very friendly and chatted the whole way. We printed our tickets at the train booth and waited in the lounge, sipping on delicious hot chocolate! Fiona had another blow-out at this time. We then got on the train. Here is my email to family after we arrived in Stuttgart via train:

"We are here in Stuttgart but we do not have wifi :( We have the internet though! We are in a pretty simple/limited apartment (i.e. slums) and hopefully we make it out with our livers :) The town is really pretty though and we are getting used to it. We had a rough, rough time (i.e. stomach ache inducing adventure) getting here yesterday. We took a taxi to the Amsterdam airport (Fiona had a blow-out. Wouldn't be an adventure without that), took a train to Utrecht then waited for 30 min on the platform for the train to Dusseldorf waited on the platform for 45 min (where Naomi 'accidently' bit Fiona's finger and she screamed bloody murder...nice) then we got on a train to Stuttgart. At all these transfers we had 5 LARGE bags and Chris was lugging them on the train as people are shoving passed and I'm holding Fiona in the carseat and Naomi on the train. It was a sight I'm sure! At one point the train doors were really far and we were not in the right spot so Chris and Naomi ran to the doors with some luggage and left me with Fiona and 2 large bags by myself. I tried to take them but couldn't and so grabbed one bag and Fiona and ran for the train. Chris passed me on the way and grabbed the 70 lb bag, picked it up like Iron Man and sprinted to the doors! It was funny about 45 min later but not at the time :) On the Stuttgart train we met a very nice lady and her 4 year old son Olly. We had a pleasant journey together learning all about German culture. Fiona lost an earring in the cabin we were in and the lady found it as we were getting off...it had been smashed flat by my big foot. But this is not where the adventure ends. Keep reading.

Once we were out of the train we asked for the Ubahn (I requested a taxi but Chris assured me it was fine. As if the scene at the train station wasn't foreshadow enough. Anyway.) We found the U14 but it was downstairs with no elevator, just an escalator. We went down one set and I almost fell with 3 bags and Fiona. At the next set we decided to have Chris and Naomi go and then have Naomi wait at the end (I know, not the best idea but we are desperate remember) well I was waiting and Naomi came back to get me. She said, "Dad said he can't come back so I am going to help you."O boy. So I asked a cafe shop attendant to help me with a bag and she was most happy to. We reached the U bahn but didn't have tickets, so Chris ran back to get some and we missed the train. When he got back we asked a girl if this was the one we wanted she said yes, but that the stop we wanted was under construction so we'd have to stop at the one before. As we were waiting for the U we saw that it was packed. Chris did the math of people vs our luggage and suggested we get a taxi. But then our train came and we took it. It was comical afterward but during it was not. We were in everyone's way and trying not to be. I had Fiona strapped to me and as I was getting out with the bags a girl grabbed some of them and said, 'O gosh! The baby! Let me help you!' She was British and I was so glad she helped! Then the girl that said we needed to get off earlier said she would show us where to go to the original stop. She got a bag and we started up a San Francisco type hill lugging our entire lives. A man stopped and asked if I needed help but I said I was following my group which were a block a head of me. Our friend dropped us at a point and said this should be where you need to be. She walked away and we collapsed on the cobble-stone street. Then we noticed we had a missed call. Chris called it back and it was our next Airbnb host Manu. He said he was a minute away and would come to us. He emerged from the building we were standing by, dreadlocks and all. He was very nice and had a friend to help us with our luggage. He left us at his house and we got to soak in our surroundings. Definitely a bachelor pad with 'Pulp Fiction' and chimpanzee's with headphone posters on the wall. It is clean but could not be more of a different feel than where we came from. 

We ate dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant and the calzone was out of this world (and the size of a small planet). We fed our hungry souls and stomachs and crashed on the beds praying they were clean :) 
We woke up and explored the city today. There are two churches that ring their bells and it sounds amazing! Naomi thinks it means someone got married :) She is adjusting but quite whiny at times. Hopefully we can get a better routine next week. She is as chatty as ever and as loud as ever. We are trying to blend in and it's a tad difficult with Naomi asking, 'Is that a man, Mom?' 'I'm SOOO hungry!' and singing her made-up songs. At least she keeps us laughing! Fiona is the belle of the ball every where we go. People pop their lips at her and have to touch her and kiss her hands. One little girl kissed her lips while Chris had her in the Bjorn when we were playing at a playground. We sanitized afterwards :) 

As we were walking a lady with a prominent chin approached me and talked to me in German. I shook my head and said English. She said, 'Oh, my English isn't very good. But when I see you and your chin and I have my chin we are sisters!! It's all good!" I laughed and said, 'We are chin sisters!"and she laughed and said good bye. When she was out of sight Chris said we should have gotten a picture. I am kicking myself still (hours later). We are praying to meet my chin sister tomorrow. So I have a twin sister and a chin sister, very different but both unique.

Final ending to the adventure today was we re pierced Fiona's ear with her other earring and put Naomi's earring in her ear. So now Naomi has only one earring. We will have to find another set for her tomorrow. 

                                 

                            

                 

                           

                          

                          

5-15-15

We were going to our next Airbnb tomorrow and wanted to see where it was so we took a little walk, it wasn't far. We can't wait to get there! We went to Schlossplatz in Stuttgart and went to the flea market. We got Naomi some earrings here since Fiona has Naomi's earrings. They are blue and I'm pretty sure we bought them from gypsies! The flea market was awesome! All the stuff was so interesting! We got some ice cream and ate it on the grass by a pond. We encountered a protest for the trains on our way back. Lots of Polezei running around. They are in the middle of train strikes and protests. Headed home and packed up for Konni's Airbnb. I tried ordering us a taxi but had trouble, so I called Konni and she offered her husband to just pick us up since we were close-by. She is so nice!

                     

5-16-15

We were ready early (and ready to leave the bachelor pad) and Frank was right on time! He took me and the girls and some bags first then went back for Chris. Frank said the taxi would charge us extra for this. Chris offered him money but he declined. We knew we were going to like our hosts! We settled in quick and set off for church. Konni said there were other Mormons who stayed here recently. I hope we meet them! Church was so incredible! It was great to feel at home even so far away! Everyone was so happy meet us and give us tips. A lot of the family's are moving because of military reassignments so there is a big shift in the ward. But it's nice because they know what it's like to be new and far away. We met my friend's sister too, such a small world. They had a potluck afterwards and we ate up heartily since we hadn't had a real home-cooked meal in a week! It was divine, even the water tasted delicious! Chris met one of the optometrists he would be interning with, Dr. Bingham because he's in our ward. Small world! He gave Chris some good tips and helped him feel better about starting the rotation the next day. We took the train home. Our home at Konni's is beautiful! We have a lovely balcony, a real kitchen and shower/bath. The toilet is in a separate room down the hall and Naomi keeps forgetting. When we were first here she said, "Mom, there isn't a toilet in here..." Konni also does aruveydic massages in one of the rooms in our apartment. When she does those we are just quiet and respectful. Konni is so helpful and lovely! We had a small problem because we didn't have an iron and Chris needed his white coat and clinic clothes ironed for clinic the next day. So I ironed some pants and a shirt with my flat iron, it worked a lot better than we thought!