Sorry Belgium, but you just got bumped off the number 1 spot for favorite country. Austria has now taken that spot. Austria is absolutely beautiful, Halstatt in particular. The town sits on the edge of a huge lake. The mountains seem to grow right from the middle of the lake. The fall colors are everywhere! Leaves are changing and falling creating a colorful blanket on the ground. In Colorado it seems like the leaves changing is so short. One day the trees are green and the next time you turn around they are already on the ground, or covered in snow. I have been enjoying the fall colors over here for the past two weeks, and it looks like I will get several more days to enjoy them.
There is not a lot to see or do in this small town, you are here just to sit, relax, and enjoy the views. However, the clouds and rain have begun, so that makes it a bit difficult.
I sat down to dinner at the hotel restaurant (evidently tomorrow is a holiday in Austria and many places are booked; I found out later the hostel was closed for the holiday). I had just ordered and the couple next to me asked if I wanted to join them. Here is where the world gets small. Her name is Kitty, and his is George. They are from Austin, Texas, but have a niece that is a phd student at CSU In Ft. Collins! Crazy.
The next day I went to my first salt mine. It was a pretty cool experience even if it is all guided and you can't do much. They outfit you in some "miner's clothes" and you walk a long way into the salt mine.The guide spoke both German and English and translated the whole tour. There was a video explaining the process and a laser show explaining the history of salt mining. You do get to slide down two wooden shoots during the tour. On one of them, they even take your picture and clock how fast you were going. Of course, I just had to buy the picture at the end of the tour, I mean when else am I going to get a picture of myself in goofy clothes sliding down a piece of wood?
Kitty and George were also on the tour and they introduced me to Korinna (they had met at breakfast). Korinna is from Austrailia and has been traveling since August. We talked quite a bit about our travels and such. She has traveled in Singapore, Hungary, London, and Germany on her trip.
Seeing as the hostel was closed and I really didn't want to spend another 80 euros for another night at the hotel (there are so many better ways to spend my cash), I left for Salzburg a little early.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wurzburg, Germany
For as much time as I have spent here, I don't feel like I have done much. I did use the free wifi to get caught up on my blogs, as you can see. And I did laundry, which is turning out to be a real process with a very old machine that is taking Forever!
I did tour the main part of the town. The Palace Residence was really cool, but I wasn't allowed to take any pictures. I only got to view about 20 rooms in this massive building. It makes me wonder what all the rooms that are not open to the public look like.
Then I walked up to the fortress on the hill above the town. But seeing as it is a Monday, the museum and other sights up there were closed. I did get to walk around and got a great view of the town. A piece of history about Wurzburg. The main bridge used to be the only entrance into town, not that big a deal, right? Well, it was this way until the 1960's in Wurzburg! There would be a big backup of traffic trying to get into town.
There is a restaurant/bar right on the bridge. It used to be the old mill. They have like a take out window where you can buy a glass of wine and enjoy it on the bridge. Open alcohol containers, you betcha. A geat way to pass some time on a chilly, but sunny Sunday afternoon!
I did tour the main part of the town. The Palace Residence was really cool, but I wasn't allowed to take any pictures. I only got to view about 20 rooms in this massive building. It makes me wonder what all the rooms that are not open to the public look like.
Then I walked up to the fortress on the hill above the town. But seeing as it is a Monday, the museum and other sights up there were closed. I did get to walk around and got a great view of the town. A piece of history about Wurzburg. The main bridge used to be the only entrance into town, not that big a deal, right? Well, it was this way until the 1960's in Wurzburg! There would be a big backup of traffic trying to get into town.
There is a restaurant/bar right on the bridge. It used to be the old mill. They have like a take out window where you can buy a glass of wine and enjoy it on the bridge. Open alcohol containers, you betcha. A geat way to pass some time on a chilly, but sunny Sunday afternoon!
Favorites, part 1
After 2 weeks of traveling, these are my favorites thus far:
country - Belgium
town - Baden Baden
walk - 1st, to Burg Eltz, 2nd, thru vineyards between Riquewihr and Kaysersberg
castle - Burg Eltz
meal - chicken and noodles with Reisling sauce
museum - Museum of Crime and Punishment in Rothenburg
hotel/hostel - Hotel am Markt in Baden Baden
cathedral - The Gothic Dom in Koln, Germany
country I want to come back to - Belgium
Least favorites:
meal - German bratwurst
hotel/hostel - Hotel Primo Colmar, France
country - Belgium
town - Baden Baden
walk - 1st, to Burg Eltz, 2nd, thru vineyards between Riquewihr and Kaysersberg
castle - Burg Eltz
meal - chicken and noodles with Reisling sauce
museum - Museum of Crime and Punishment in Rothenburg
hotel/hostel - Hotel am Markt in Baden Baden
cathedral - The Gothic Dom in Koln, Germany
country I want to come back to - Belgium
Least favorites:
meal - German bratwurst
hotel/hostel - Hotel Primo Colmar, France
People
Overall the people over here are really nice. Most do speak at least some English. Those in the touist industry are fluent and readily speak English for me. Many locals do not speak English. One elderly woman outside of Kaysersberg said something to me in German while we were walking through the vineyards. When I responded with "English?" she threw her hands up in the air and made this sound as if to say, oh nevermind, and kept walking.
When I have stayed in rooms at hostels with other people in them (a lot of rooms have just been me), the people I'm staying with do speak English, or at least have a good understanding of it.
But, Everybody here smokes. I knew a lot of Europeans smoked, but it is kind of hard to find someone who doesn't. You can't smoke inside any building, but you can smoke by standing in the doorway. You can't smoke inside the train station, but the outside platform is fair game. And many people roll their own cigarettes. The first time I saw it was by a girl about my age on a bus in Amsterdam, so I wasn't exactly sure what she was rolling. But I have seen it several times since, by many different people.
Since everyone here speaks German, and I don't know really any German, I have been reluctant to sit down with people I don't know and just start talking. When I hear people speaking English I tend to be more open to popping in to their conversation.
I am finding German to be a hard language to try and learn. I am relying more on my English here.
When I have stayed in rooms at hostels with other people in them (a lot of rooms have just been me), the people I'm staying with do speak English, or at least have a good understanding of it.
But, Everybody here smokes. I knew a lot of Europeans smoked, but it is kind of hard to find someone who doesn't. You can't smoke inside any building, but you can smoke by standing in the doorway. You can't smoke inside the train station, but the outside platform is fair game. And many people roll their own cigarettes. The first time I saw it was by a girl about my age on a bus in Amsterdam, so I wasn't exactly sure what she was rolling. But I have seen it several times since, by many different people.
Since everyone here speaks German, and I don't know really any German, I have been reluctant to sit down with people I don't know and just start talking. When I hear people speaking English I tend to be more open to popping in to their conversation.
I am finding German to be a hard language to try and learn. I am relying more on my English here.
food
So far, I have learned I am not a fan of German food. I tried a real German bratwurst - I'll stick with the American version, thank you. The fries here are better than Belgium, no mayo. But they do not serve them with any kind of condiment, so they tend to be very dry. I had dinner at the hostel the other night, bratwurst or frankfooter. I chose the hot dog. It was one of those really long ones, with no bun. They do not serve their brats or dogs with any sort of bun. I go around the corner and low and behold, there is a bowl of ketchup! The first I have seen in Germany.
But the pretzels are really good. They are the big fat ones. I have had several since I have been here. They make a good snack or supplement to a meal I'm not fond of.
I don't know enough German to feel confident ordering off a completely German menu. Most of the places I have been to have English translations for their dishes. There was this one night in Germany when I wasn't having any luck finding a restaurant with an English menu. I did spot a Mexican food place. I looked at their menu (posted outside) and knew enough Spanish to understand the title of the dish, even if I couldn't understand the German explanations. I thought I would take a chance. I ordered the chicken fajitas. I figured if there was anything weird on the plate, I just wouldn't put it in my tortilla. Boy, was I wrong. Normally everything is separated on your dish, the rice, the beans, then the chicken and veggies. Not this time. The white rice, corn mixture, and chicken were all covered in this tomato paste salsa. The chicken was very heavily spiced, not hot spice, but like Ethiopian spices. I tried to pick my way under the tomato paste salsa, but it was difficult. Let's just say, it was a night I found a pretzle stand afterwards. The pizza here is pretty good, and I am stocking up on Haribo gummy bears. It took me a week to find them here, but I did. :)
But the pretzels are really good. They are the big fat ones. I have had several since I have been here. They make a good snack or supplement to a meal I'm not fond of.
I don't know enough German to feel confident ordering off a completely German menu. Most of the places I have been to have English translations for their dishes. There was this one night in Germany when I wasn't having any luck finding a restaurant with an English menu. I did spot a Mexican food place. I looked at their menu (posted outside) and knew enough Spanish to understand the title of the dish, even if I couldn't understand the German explanations. I thought I would take a chance. I ordered the chicken fajitas. I figured if there was anything weird on the plate, I just wouldn't put it in my tortilla. Boy, was I wrong. Normally everything is separated on your dish, the rice, the beans, then the chicken and veggies. Not this time. The white rice, corn mixture, and chicken were all covered in this tomato paste salsa. The chicken was very heavily spiced, not hot spice, but like Ethiopian spices. I tried to pick my way under the tomato paste salsa, but it was difficult. Let's just say, it was a night I found a pretzle stand afterwards. The pizza here is pretty good, and I am stocking up on Haribo gummy bears. It took me a week to find them here, but I did. :)
transportation
Oh, where to start? I am finally figuring out how to decipher the train and bus schedules in languages I don't know. I am finding most people working at train stations (ticket counters and information stations) speak English. Busses are a hit and miss. I am at least learning the name for bus station and train station.
I was on a bus in France and trying to say the word for train station - GARE. Having just spent time in Germany, I found I was trying to put a German accent on the word and was getting nowhere with the driver, who did not speak English. I finally had to resort to holding up my arm like I was pulling a cord and said choo choo. She got it! Thank goodness for universal signs and sounds.
Many of the smaller train stations have only a few tracks and their train schedule is posted (including the platform number), so you just wait by your track/platform for your train. Many of the bigger stations, don't have their schedules posted. They keep you in the big waiting area. There is a big board with all the departing train info. 20 mins. before your scheduled departure, the platform number will come up and you can go through the door to your platform.
I am finding that I can recognize by sight the name of the town or stop I want, but have absolutely no idea how to say it. And being unfamiliar with the area, I have no idea what the station or stop should look like, so I am constantly checking the board or sign where it is posted. Yes, I still very much feel like a tourist, but I know that is to be expected when you are going from place to place so quickly.
I was on a bus in France and trying to say the word for train station - GARE. Having just spent time in Germany, I found I was trying to put a German accent on the word and was getting nowhere with the driver, who did not speak English. I finally had to resort to holding up my arm like I was pulling a cord and said choo choo. She got it! Thank goodness for universal signs and sounds.
Many of the smaller train stations have only a few tracks and their train schedule is posted (including the platform number), so you just wait by your track/platform for your train. Many of the bigger stations, don't have their schedules posted. They keep you in the big waiting area. There is a big board with all the departing train info. 20 mins. before your scheduled departure, the platform number will come up and you can go through the door to your platform.
I am finding that I can recognize by sight the name of the town or stop I want, but have absolutely no idea how to say it. And being unfamiliar with the area, I have no idea what the station or stop should look like, so I am constantly checking the board or sign where it is posted. Yes, I still very much feel like a tourist, but I know that is to be expected when you are going from place to place so quickly.
Rotenberg ob de Tauber
I feel like I have stepped back in time to the Middle Ages. And, of course, there is the Kathe Wolfarht Christmas Market. Yay! Time to do some shopping.
On my first night I took the night watchman's tour. He was funny, informative, and sarcastic. What a wonderful way to learn a bit about the town, and have some laughs while doing it. And since it was an English tour, I got to meet some other Americans as well. The night was perfect for this kind of tour-classic end of October weather, cold and foggy. It really gave the tour an extra medival feel.
There are some great walking paths that run down from the town and go through the countryside and vineyards. The castle gardens are beautiful. Lots of benches in the sun, which is something I was searchimg for in this chilly fall weather. I spent a lot of time in these gardens warming in the sun and journaling. I'm listening to the chiming bells from the church. I assume that is the call for the beginning of service. It is a Sunday, afterall.
Kathe Wolfarht actually has 3 stores in this town, all within a block of each other. I only made it into two of them. It was a little overwhelming. I did find a few things to add to my holiday collection. I just hope they all arrive in one piece.
I am really enjoying tourist towns in the shoulder season (the tail end of the tourist season). No crowds, no lines, it's peaceful and quiet most of the time. What a great time to travel!
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