Thursday, July 28, 2011

en route to Edelweiss

We traveled to Munich via Stuttgart.  When we arrived in Stuttgart, we had eight minutes to find, and board, our connecting train.  We were a bit nervous--fully aware that the only help we were guaranteed to receive would be harshly delivered in German...


But we found our train with two minutes to spare.  We spent one and a half of those minutes walking down the side of the train, looking for our assigned car.


Still walking, I told Jamie that I thought it was time for us to get onto the car.

"But this isn't our car...we're supposed to get on way down there..."

"We have to get on," I said--jumping on and then begging him to follow me.  Like clockwork,  I had just witnessed all of the last-minute-boarders mount the train simultaneously: a businessman putting out his cigarette after taking one last smoke, multiple couples hugging and kissing until the very last second, and a frazzled woman running to the train and climbing aboard.

And three seconds after the two of us had both feet on the train, we were off.  And we continued to walk down the moving train until we found our seats... 

Thought:  Isn't it crazy that they don't check for tickets before you board the train???

When we arrived in Munich, we picked up our rental car.


And then, we used our previously printed out Google Maps to try to find our way out of the city.  FYI:  Map Quest and Google Maps, while a great help in the US, didn't really save the day in Munich.  The street signs were hard to find, and many streets weren't labeled...and we failed to mentally plan for the challenge of calculating distance in kilometers versus miles.  Throw all of that into a mixing bowl with the itty-bitty roads, a stick-shift car, and wild-n-crazy drivers who love honking their horns, and this is what you get...


Actually, I took this picture of myself, as my husband--who with his amazing ability to navigate through city traffic (while depending on me, my iPhone, and the sun, for cardinal directions) somehow found the Autobahn--was cruising along at approximately 180 kilometers per hour.


And yes, people were still passing us.  (I know that's hard to believe since every picture I happened to take is of our car in the left-hand-lane...but I give you my word.) 


Yes, it was scary.  

I'm so glad that I have these pictures, so that now I can revel in the beautiful scenery.  At the time, my only thought was on the door...which was shaking so much that I was convinced it was going to fly right off of our Chevy Cruise.   


Yes, Jamie was bitter that his long-anticipated drive on the Autobahn was in a Chevy Cruise. 


He said, "Well, I guess next time I'll just have to make sure that we rent a Porsche or an Audi."


I said, "Where are you and what have you done with my husband....you know--the one from Brussels and Paris...the one with the 'I-hate-to-travel attitude'?!?"


I like to harp on Jamie's 12 minutes of bad-attitude.  It makes me feel better about myself. 


But forget all of that.  Isn't this just breath-taking???


This is Edelweiss


When Jamie (and I) made the decision to stay in the military, we made a pact to always strive to focus on the countless good things that accompany military life.  So whenever deployment time rolls around again, I'll be looking at these pictures at least once every five minutes... 


Here are some pictures of the inside of our American-sized room. 

And Jamie said, "Yes!!!  We're not in Europe anymore..."

And after a few minutes of relishing our surroundings, we were off to explore the little town of Garmisch-Parkenstein. 

5 comments:

  1. Great blog! Great illustrations! Very beautiful place! Berto, I am sure you would have preferred your bike on the Autoban! I hope you kids have a great time. We miss you guys back here at 1-10FA.

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  2. So I get to go to the DMZ in Korea and then sent to Afghanistan and Berto gets a wife and a trip to Europe. Definitely not fair. I must have done something bad in a previous life. Sorry I won't be able to see you when I hit Lawton. I promise to keep Berto on the straight and narrow.

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  3. Beautiful pics! Hope you're having a wonderful trip. We miss you both. Hope to see you very soon! Take care and have a great time!

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  4. Berto sounds like a great vacation and next time I hope you get a faster car for the autoban!

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  5. Thanks to you all! We did have a great time. Kenny, I hate that I'm going to miss seeing you. Have a great time, and I hope that you can stop by again soon. Aaron, Rachael & Dezi, we miss you all...come visit us in Lawton! :)

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