Poland

I have not forgotten about you guys, but I have been doing school work literally for about 6 hours in the classroom, and then 4-5 hours outside of the classroom daily. I have pictures and a video. I will upload them asap!!

Day 20 (I think): Lost in Trier

So... this is how our adventure started:

6:00 pm Connie, Annika and I decided to go get some ice cream. We ended up sitting at Franz (the pub) Note: no ice cream. 

6:37 pm Connie and I feel "bleh" just sitting around so we decided to go on a walk around Merzig.

6:46 pm Another one of those clear understanding moments happens and we are standing at the train station waiting for our ride to Trier, Germany. All of this was at night, by the way... so, it's not like we went inside or really did anything super cool. Just walked. And walked. And walked.

8:02 pm We arrive in Trier. We see the Porta Nigra, the Trier Dom (Cathedral) which by the way is all Roman...as in, built by freaking Constantine!! We also took a stroll through the old Rococo palace gardens, la ti da... have dinner... everything seems like a nice, normal night...

12:01 am: Our train has not arrived. Our GERMAN train has not arrived... WHAT!?? Germans are always on time, so something HAS to be up. We call Annika, ask the train people and a couple of Taxi drivers. Apparently Monday was the Day of German Unification or something like that... meaning ONE train gets cancelled for the holiday. THE train that we need to get back. O.O 

We are now officially stuck in Trier, Germany for the night... Two Americans lost in Trier. The only thought that comes to our minds was: At least it's not Mexico!!!

What's the answer to all of these horrible problems? Beer.

Here are the bartenders that saved our hides. We nonchalantly decided to get a beer around the trainstation. Neither of these two spoke any English, but we managed to have a (somewhat) clear conversation in German. They called a hotel, a taxi and found out what the problem with the train was, and served a delicious cold beverage that assuaged most of our anxiety all at the same time. Like I said, the answer to most of these little issues while in Germany always starts with beer.

 After spending the night in a ridiculously comfortable/nice hotel that we booked last minute... we decide that we should at least see the sights during the day. Here is the main shopping district of the town, where buildings from every point in time during the last 2,000 years can be seen. Pretty spectacular, really. Bakeries, Apothecaries and small specialty shops line the streets and make for a great browsing tour.

Note: as we did not plan on staying in Trier for the night, we are still dressed in the same clothes that we wore the day before when we THOUGHT we would be getting ice cream. I'm sure you can imagine what Connie and I were dressed in, what we looked like and how we felt.

 This is the Roman Cathedral, built by, or in Honor of Empress Helena (mother of Constantine I). The Cathedral houses the Relic of the Holy Seamless Robe, apparently worn by Christ before or during his death. Now, I am not religious really, but I have to say, this place, which has had an unbroken tradition of Faith, was incredibly peaceful. The building is the only thing that's really Roman, all the decorations, alters etc. were all added during the long span of time the Cathedral has been standing.

 Refer to captions #1 and #2. That's the "Oh shit...we're stuck in Trier" look.

This is another Church built on the same foundation as the one pictured above; beautiful!!

Day 10-11: After Oktoberfest, Munich, Innsbruck, Hohenschwangau (Neuschwanstein/Hohenschwanstein)

 

Here is the view of Oktoberfest from the St. Paul's Cathedral Bell Tower. TONS OF PEOPLE!! The Cathedral opens the bell tower for showcasing Oktoberfest.  The staircase has 252 stairs leading to the first landing (whew...too much sausage and beer the night before...) but the view is definitely worth it. The rest of Munich is also quite picturesque; white townhouses with red roofs span the city, with church steeples popping up here and there. The little sister at the bottom of the stairs looked to be about 95, but was very kind and watched our bags for us as we made the arduous climb upwards.

This is one of the views of the Bavarian countryside that we saw while driving to Innsbruck after leaving Munich. Can you believe that I am actually at a gas station? This is what SURROUNDS the gas station... crazy. BUT not as crazy as the magical turning toilet seats. See, I suppose Germans are very concerned with spreading disease and illness (remnants of the Black Plague maybe?) so, their facilities are immaculate. It doesn't really matter that one has to pay 50 cents to use it (and with the way the US economy is, that's practically a car payment...) because at the end of your trip through the bathroom, (beware of being locked in...) you kinda feel better than when you went it. Everything is sanitized, cleaned and disinfected. Hoorah! 

I actually don't think that this building was important in Innsbruck... most of the buildings around where we were staying just looked like this. They were pretty, well taken care of, with nice little flowers in all of the windows. I believe that this might be a small hotel? Maybe some apartments? I don't know... hard to distinguish between one beautiful building and the next. 

This is Domkirche zu St. Jakob, or St. Jame's Cathedral in Innsbruck. It is a Baroque church designed by Johann Jakob Herkommer. It was begun in 1717 and finished in 1724. The inside of this church is beautiful, and is one of the most intricate, ornate and awe-inspiring churches I have ever stepped foot in. Even on Saturday afternoon when we quitely toured it, little old people were deep in prayer. It was peaceful. Also, one of the only "older" historical sites that we visited while on our roadtrip. Everything else was pretty "new" by German standards.

Okay, mom... so you think that this water color can only be seen in the Bahamas, but here it is again in the middle of the German Alps! The Alpsee is about 50 degress all year round (eek!). It didn't stop the dirty Italians that were also visiting Neuschwanstein from getting in for a dip/bath... in their underwear. That was a sight; castle, castle, castle, Alpine landscape, pretty ducks...oh...a 200 lb hairy short italian man in his "orange-tighties" going for a dip. Niiiiice. But, in all seriousness, It was incredible!! If I didn't know how cold it was, I would have probably brought a bathing suit myself and given it a shot!

This is Castle Hohenschwangau. This is the older castle that was in the same town as Neuschwanstein. It is named for the "swan knights" that (legend has it) crossed the lake in a swan-drawn boat to rescue the damsel in distress. Pretty romantic, right? Well, while this castle might look old, it's not (bummer). The ruins of the castle were discovered by then-prince Maximillian of Bavaria (later King Maximillian II of Bavaria) as he was out hiking one day. He fell in love with the legend of the swan knights, and the location on the Alpsee, so he began construction on what would become the royal family's favorite vacation spot.

Neuschwanstein. I did not make it to the castle in time for the tour (scheduled at 5:25 pm) because the bus was running late. For those of you that have heard that the German people are...cough cough... Naz-*inaudible* about time, you would be correct. So, at 5:27 after running uphill, I was turned away at the door, along with 10 other Americans. So, American's around the world have a repuation for being brash, loud and utterly unconcerned with rules. After THIS afternoon, I believe that that stereotype may be founded...

So, the man at the door tells us that no one can give us a tour at this late hour. Connie, and 8 other Americans visiting the castle, ENTER through the EXIT door and basically run as fast as they can through the castle towards the top. Against the flow of traffic. I, on the other hand, got the stink eye in the gift shop, chicken out and just went to the bathroom instead to make it look like I had purpose there. Apparently, this group of 9-ish, make it all the way to the king's bedroom when they are finally stopped by one of the Supervisors of the castle who then gives them a private tour...WHAT!?! About an hour later, as I am sitting dejectedly at the bottom of the stairs, Connie and the other Americans emerge, victorious grins on their faces, having seen the castle. Sigh. Another loss for Ashley because I don't break the rules. Only thing Connie had to say? "Man, we really should tell them that their security sucks..."

 

This is the picture of the Hohenschwangau region from the bathroom window at Neuschwanstein. The stall that I chose to hide in, just in case they sent the German-equivalent of the FBI my direction with the sole purpose to deport me, happened to have a wonderful view of the Bavarian countryside. Stop to take a picture, check that the coast is clear, and then visit the gift shop. The ONE castle I wanted to see really badly, and all I got to visit was the bathroom and the damn giftshop.

Traveling through the Bavarian/Austrian countryside was spectacular. All kinds of interesting things happened. 

Note: Just before (I attempted, Connie succeeded) seeing Neuschwanstein, Connie and I both had a moment of clear understanding, looked at each other, and decided Oktoberfest needed to be revisited. Our original plan for the evening was to spend the night in a quiet convent in the countryside around Stuttgart...oh, how quickly and fully that got turned around. 

Next up: Oktoberfest 2.0 and the next day!!

Day 9: Oktoberfest (Round 1)

"The Minnow"

(Peugot 107)

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this German port
Aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man,
The skipper brave and sure. 

Two passengers set sail that day
For a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

The traffic started getting rough,
The tiny ship was tossed,
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The minnow would be lost, the minnow would be lost...

So, this was our car. We drove "The Minnow" ALL AROUND GERMANY (and Austria). It is a manual, so Connie drove the whole way. Can I just say... VERY entertaining to see an American girl driving stick shift through the Alps and traffic. Connie could literally stretch her hands from one side to the other and touch both windows. There was no cruise control, German radio sucks (I mean, the stereotype about Germans loving David Hasslehoff is true, so I'm sure you can imagine what that means for the REST of their music), and I'm pretty sure the fastest we went the whole trip was about 55 mph...on the AUTOBAHN. Talk about disappointing. I think next time we'll just opt for the upgrade so that we can actually make it up the hills. Seriously, I think if I walked I would have moved faster on an incline.

Here is Connie and I in our traditional Dirndls... MOST of everyone was in Dirndls and in Lederhosen. Pretty funny that Germans consider this gear to be "party wear"... In America, traditional costumes are nothing more than a funny joke, what one would wear AFTER the party (and consequential intoxication) NOT before. We got many compliments though, and we were confused for locals many times. I guess that's a good thing... we did not get targeted by Gypsy pick-pockets (...mom...). 

 

This is the Hippodrom Tent. This is just a portion of the amount of people in a tent, and there are 21 tents at Oktoberfest. The people that were here were actually behaving themselves much better than the tent we ended up in. The Paulaner Tent was PACKED with people, and EVERYONE was standing on the tables, dancing. Quite a feat when you keep in mind that this party starts at about 8:00 and ends at about 12:00, and the drinks (only beer) are HUGE...

 

Case in point...HUGE beers. This is a small. This is right after we had our beers delivered. We are standing on the tables right now, and the band is playing a song that incites dancing and interesting hand movements... 

(Full beers)

 

This is about 12.3 minutes after we had our first beer delivered... note the sly/proud smiles on both of our faces... We are quite pleased with ourselves at this point. 

(Not so full beers)

 

And here are some of the Americans we ran into. They were also partying on our bench. EVERY AMERICAN WE MET WAS FROM WISCONSIN!! Who knew that Wisconsin was such a fun state? Not this guy... Not at all. Note, also... lederhosen. 

The party ended, Connie and I stumbled home (seperately because we got taken away from each other by the huge crowds) and still ended up at the hotel at the same time... about 20 minutes later....

I will update pictures of the rest of the trip tomorrow... Sillyness ensues.

Day 7: Wolfpark, Merzig City Center and Ice Cream!!

ONE WEEK IN!! And, really, besides the little moments where I had issues with the biking, no major catastrophes (thank GOD!!). So, here are the Merzig-er wolves. I guess in this area, there were wolves a long time ago, but because it is now rural farmland, they cannot roam free. The people of Merzig have set up a very nice preserve for them where they are allowed to live their lives still, without being disturbed by humans. We got a couple of glimpses of them. These were, by far, the closest up to the fence line. I think they were eyeing the little human babies that were out walking with their parents this afternoon...if I were a wolf, I know that that is what I would be doing...

The vegetables in Kaufland (kinda a mix between HEB and Wal-Mart) are not very good, though they are also locally grown. THIS however, is the small shop in the city center that sells veggies that the local Merzig farmers grow. Can I just tell you that, while the shop is small, they have an amazing assortment of fresh, large, organic vegetable at very low prices.

This is what Connie and I bought; tomatoes. They are so red, they almost look purple, AND they are perfect. No soft spots, or blemishes of any kind and they came from somebody's back yard. So, our bread is made fresh daily at the bakery and our vegetables come from the local's backyard. For those of you that know I am a foodie, you can understand how exciting this is. Also, the eggs that you can buy just at the supermarket are traceable. As in, each egg has a number and a letter code. From this code, you can see where the egg came from, how it was raised and which chicken laid it. Pretty cool. This is totally the Germany that I wanted. We ride our bikes now to the vegetable stand and to the bakery to get our supplies. WONDERFUL. I am going to miss this at home when I have to start eating wonderbread again.  

Okay, so this is called "Spaghetti Eis" or spaghetti ice cream. They take the ice cream flavor of your choice (in this case hazelnut was the preference for the afternoon), put it into a noodle-maker so that it comes out in strands, add strawberry sauce on top and use white chocolate to make "Parmesan" flakes. Its delicious, and a lot of fun to eat. The ice cream is delicious... made with very, very rich cream and intense, natural flavors. So, this we enjoyed after our walk through the wolf park. 

It was a lovely afternoon of basically just bumming. Bumming here, though, seems like so much more fun than at home...I suppose because everything is new and exciting!!

Day 6: Merzig on a Bike and Saarlouis

 

So this is the ice cream today, mixed with Euro coins. We had a nice conversation with an old lady while we ate ice cream, which, btw, is better than anything you have ever tasted in America. It is like homemade ice cream, BUT creamier. I guess because their cows are not fed all the things they are fed at home here, AND they don't have laws concerning pasteurization (sp?) the ice cream is better.

 

 

 So, the next few pictures are a little out-of-order. We had an interesting drinking night...as you can probably see. NO, the green fairy is not a real thing, but this liquor does get you MESSED UP. I guess it is the equivalent of 151. After one of these Absinthe drinks (and yes, this is real absinthe) and a couple of beers, it is hard for me to concentrate on the screen right now lol... go figure.

So, here is Connie and I taking the shot...it is a little blurry because we are moving as fast as possible to get the horrible liquid "down the hatch" so it was difficult for Annika to take this picture...

 

Here is our bicycle. By the way, Ashley+bicycle=epic fail. When they say "It's like riding a bike" well, I guess this does no apply to me. I had the hardest time staying on the bike, much less going forward (especially uphill). I fell off of it four times, two of which were in the middle of traffic. I feel like Vanna White here, posing and modeling in front of Connie and I's only mode of transportation. We outfitted the bikes with cushions, a basket and water bottles today. Everything we need...except some bruising creme because, I'm sorry...my butt is bruised. Sigh. Very painful. We both looked like old women sitting down today after spending all afternoon on the bikes. Funny...but horrible at the same time. 

This is Connie at the Villeroy & Boch warehouse, where Annika works. I'm pretty sure this is about an acre of very expensive ceramic ware...not the place for me to be in. I stood still and had Connie stand by everything so that I would not break anything. For those of you that know me, you can understand that this is a legitimate concern. :)

Okay, so (because the pictures are out-of order) here is our "after absinthe" face. OMG disgusting. I think that is one of the most horrible drinks I have ever had, and I have had some pretty horrible things. I don't reccomend absinthe for anything but trying. I think if you have an opportunity to try it you should, but don't buy the bottle. I can almost guarantee that (unless you lack tastebuds) you will probably find this as disgusting as we did. We had the sugar, and the water and the fire and everything and it was horrible.

Day 5: Out and About in Merzig!

This is a picture of a tree overflowing with apples. Merzig, the area that we are in is famous for their apples, apple products and apple wine. The "Viezfest" (or apple wine festival) will be happening in two weeks...and right now I suppose is the highlight season for harvesting the apples and making their delicious alcoholic sweet nectar of the gods. I had never seen apples actually growing on trees, and apparently not only are they cultivated but they are also wild in this region. Annika, our host German was the "Viez Koenigin" (or Apple Wine Queen) when she was 21...of course, because Annika is who she is, maintains that she was, and is the "best Queen ever". Love her. 

This is just a cool building on our street. Most of the buildings around the area are (as the Germans say) "only 60 years old"...still sounds old to me, but whatever. Apparently because the area is so close to France, and was, during WWII part of France,  many of  the buildings were bombed. Some were re-built and some were not. I suppose this one falls into the "was not" category. Inside is just a large amalgamation of hubris and debris. It is overgrown with vines, however and makes for a pretty picture and an interesting insight into the turbulent history of the area.

So, these are some of the chestnuts that Connie and I found while hiking to the Burg MontClair the other day... We were singing "chestnuts roasting on an electric stove..." while we were making them and giggling to ourselves because of our cleverness. I still think it is funny. What happened next, while HILARIOUS was not so clever...

Now, it might be hard to see, but all around the stove, the wall, the kitchen utensils, the ceiling, the floor, us, chestnut guts are strewn. Yes. They explode. I don't know how, but they do. It is magnificent and very scary when it happens the first time. The next time you are still not prepared and then after that, its still scary as well. Cleaning chestnuts (which have the starch content of a radioactive potato) requires a shop-vac. OMG. Do not try this at home without the licensed supervision of a real adult...or someone who knows what they are doing. Connie's friend Troy said "chestnuts aren't supposed to explode, but if there was a way, I'm not surprised you two blondes figured it out." Sigh. He's right. Do not leave Connie and I to these things...it is dangerous not only to us but also to the entire countryside of Germany. 

So, that was our day so far...walk through the town, exploring and a horribly failed experiment. 

Side Note: Chestnuts are delicious.

Day 3: Continued

Okay so here is the very strange, very large slug that Connie found. At first, because of the color and the location on the forest floor, we thought it was a leaf...upon further inspection OMG! Its a GIGANTIC slug. ...I guess not all things are bigger in Texas...

Updated 9.18.2011: We found out that this is the European Red Slug... it can grow up to about 7 in. long HOLY MOLY BATMAN!!

Here is the super tree that Connie and I found. I am currently standing inside... Apparently quite a few trees in Germany have this issue. This one is not completely dead, as evidenced by the new growth towards the top of the canopy. I am standing straight up inside this tree without any issues. If I were a hobo... haha, but in all seriousness, I believe that after spending time in the woods yesterday Connie and I decided that we could totally survive in the woods here (as long as it was summer and the chestnuts keep up...see our earlier posts)

I feel like a hobbit. 'Nuff said.

Um...creepiest picture so far...I am actually standing in the middle of this road. I suppose because Connie took the picture as a panoramic that it decided to just completely cut me out. So, I was here, but now I am not...still looks like something out of a fairy tale, though. 

Day 3: Der Burg MontClair (Mettlach)

Okay, so here I am striking a pose. Connie actually wanted to take a picture of my awesome outfit, but I actually thing the picture turned out well. I am standing in the woods because most of our afternoon was spent hiking to the Burg MontClair in Mettlach. Apparently, it is a very small castle, but any castle is awesome so we had a great time. The deep woods looks like something straight out of The Brother's Grimm (which I suppose it is, as I believe they were German as well). It feels, especially, which you cannot see, as it was raining, that a wolf would jump out from behind a tree and eat you. There is a feeling of darkness descending in the shadows, too bright sunlight in the open spaces and that the crows above your head are going to come down any second. It sounds scary, but in reality it is kind of romantic, in the 1800's artist sort of way. There were no bugs, snakes or anything else that could bite or sting or hurt. Connie said she got bitten by something, but it didnt last and it didnt hurt so bad that she couldnt keep walking, so I dont know...

Here is a flower that was so pretty out there, attached to some bush that looked like raspberries or something similar. We found chestnuts on the ground and collected them (they are sitting in the kitchen right now waiting to be cooked and eaten) but it was like everything around you is edible. Apples grow all over the place here and, like I said, the chestnuts were wild too. I need to find Connie's camera because we found a HUGE slug that was very cool looking. I guess it is all interesting because everything is new. All the plant life and (limited) animal life we came across was completely different than what we would find in Texas it is amazing. I think my camera did a good job, though of capturing the beauty of this flower...notice, the leaves are wet because, like I said, it was raining. Annika was very concerned about us going hiking in the rain...she said that we would get sick because of this. We scoffed and went anyways. She ended up texting us to check that we were alright about every 30 minutes. It was cute.

So, I know it is redundant but JESUS...look at it!! This picture I took while I was standing atop the tower (seen below). The rain just stopped and I guess the low spots were covered in fog/mist? Either way, it made for a great photo. Connie and I just stood at the top of this castle for about twenty minutes just watching the scenery because it is so awe-inspiring. The castle was built in 1180 (I think, because of my rough German translation that is what I gathered, but I might be wrong) so it was a military stronghold of the time, and so positioned on one of the tallest points in the area. Its amazing in Europe to spend time in a place that has been civilized for so long, seeing the same things that so many people have seen before us. The coolest tree we saw on the trip was over 1200 years old, and I climbed inside of it. I dont know, the age and what (in my mind) has transpired at these places is just awesome.

Here is the Burg MontClair. The stone is the same reddish stone that was lining the path we were walking on, pulled from the area. This is the only remaining tower at the location, with modern handrails and bridges added in for tourist's safety. You can see on the sides windows for bedrooms/working rooms, but all over the place, there are skinny "arrow slits" for battle, and it is still easy to see where the moat was originally. What is very cool, though is that from this tower you can see where we were on Day 2, in Mettlach, were we took the pictures of the bend in the Saar river. We are on the opposite bank here, at a slightly lower point, and we were over-looking the Saar here as well.

 

Here is Connie coming up one of the very small passageways at the castle. I guess what they say about Europeans being smaller in the past is true. All the spaces were made for very short, very skinny little people. Josh, I think you would have to bend over almost double so that you did not hit your head on these ceilings. I, of course, being a midget, had no issues and ran up and down the stairs without any problems. Even Connie, though had to duck so as to not get clucked in the head. The stone is so old, though. it is worn through, missing chunks and the mortar is gone in many places. You can practically feel the age of the castle through the walls. From my rough German translation I think I saw that the Burg MontClair was built in 1180, BUT spear heads and arrows etc. were found dating from 400 C.E., which means that the location was civilized during Roman occupation. CRAZY!! There was a Roman stone (?) I don't know what kind or what it was for, but it was in the museum section (located in the original cellar). I think that this is one of my favorite things about Germany...just the age of everything. That I was standing where a dominant western civilization had roots for over 1500 years. It is amazing... 300-400 years before America was even DISCOVERED. I dont know, all of it is awe-inspiring I suppose. 

Well, that is all for now, I will update again tomorrow. 

Ash

Day 2: Mettlach and Villeroy Boch

This is the curve of the Saar River in Mettlach, Germany. Behind us, which you cannot see, is an old man serving wine made from apples grown in the region. He has not only the regional wine but the apples they were made from. I tried one. It is strange, though because they do not have wax or any of the things we put on them as Americans to make them 'more appealing', though they actually taste better this way. The little old Germans that were wandering around (wandern is also the German word for hiking, so maybe that is where we get the term.) were very cute as they explored the area. The river looks a little brown but the water is clear (which I can see thanks to my super cool Maui Jims) and the vineyards and fields are visible across the valley.

This picture was taken at the Mettlach Brewery. I tried a breathalyzer and got 1.17 (I chugged a beer so its not like I was drunk) It was located near the bathroom...I guess some sort of German game? I dont know...but it was fun to try. I managed to attract a large crowd around me while I did it. I guess an American trying these things out is entertainment for the local Mettlach community.

My first German beer... from the Mettlach brewery. It's kind of like a heffeweisen, but different. I have had a couple of shots now, so I am a little drunk and unable to type... but I am trying. It was a very good beer. We went to the pub afterwards. I did a tequila shot, a shot mixed with juice and something I am not familiar with. Needless to say, I will be sleeping very well. Connie is making me a sandwich right now. I will upload pictures as soon as possible. As of right now, though, Joshua, you are the only person I have told about this blog so this is my direct link to you.

Day 1: Arrival

This was my exact view yesterday as I sat on the dirty airport sidewalk outside of Newark, NJ Terminal B. The people walking by were just like anywhere else in the United States; in a rush, unconcerned and completely driven by the need to get where they are supposed to be, fast. I suppose it is more understandable at the airport, but I guess the realization that (as Val and I found out) 'we really aren't that different afterall' was just nice to see. I loved the people watching yesterday. There were some real characters walking around in New Jersey, and what they say about the 'Jersey Shore' look-alikes being everywhere is true. Them and the Russians. Russians all over the place. I'm pretty sure this passer-by also happens to be from Russia, but who's to say.

This is a view of a couple of the houses down the road from Connie and I. Notice the picturesque green fields mixed with the white houses/red roofing. Really everything you see about the German countryside happens to be true. It is pastoral, it is peaceful and it is SO GREEN. Just looking around today made me think of an Oasis compared to what Texas is going through. LOVE IT.

Connie and I outside Imbiss (Germany's equivalent of fast food. It is still served in glassware with silver spoons...curious...) Annika took us immediately to get sustenance, and it was what I was waiting for the last three hours of our flight.

All in all, smooth flight, easy pick-up thanks to Annika, we are settled in at home, we have gone to the grocery store and begun to clean. Hopefully by the end of the week we will be all ready to move on to stage 2 of our moving. I am exhausted from sleeping horribly on the plane last night, and being awake all day. There is no hot water because the gas is turned off (should be fixed by tomorrow) so no showers and I am in the same clothes right now that I left home in. GROSS. I am glad that I am too tired right now to care. Connie seems to be in good spirits, though she is tired. I will post pictures of the countryside and our house as soon as I can, though it might be a couple of days. Also, if I have any typing errors, it is probably becausee the German keyboard is VASTLY different. Bear with me.

Until next time,

Ash