Germany

Day 34 Continued - Pilsner Urquell Brewery

After leaving Prague, we drove for about an hour to the town of Pilsen (Plzen). This town has one really big claim to fame. It's the birthplace of Pilsner Urquell and the only location in which it is brewed in the world. This is DH's favorite beer so this was a bit of a pilgrimage.

This is the famous gate leading to where all the magic happens.

We ate lunch in the brewery's restaurant before walking into the old town of Pilsen for a few pictures and to leave the kids while we took the nearly two hour tour.

The kids took their own pictures of the town and had dessert while we were on the tour.

Our tour guide was great at presenting the most interesting facts and telling stories about the brewery. We got to see the old brewing equipment as well as the new state of the art equipment. The scale of this operation is incredible. It's especially impressive that all the Pilsner Urquell in the world is made in this one massive building.

We toured some of the 9 kilometers of caves underneath the brewery and learned how this was the only way to keep the lager cool before modern refrigeration. Of course we got to taste the beer right out of the barrel. So cool!

The bottling and canning operation was an add-on from the tour that we also couldn't miss. We were surprised that they let us take as many pictures as we wanted. DH was really geeking out and enjoying every minute of this experience. I found it pretty impressive as well.

I did the driving after the tour so DH could enjoy his favorite beer. I was proud of my sometimes 100+ MPH driving on the autobahn! It makes driving at home feel like slow motion.

We found Prosslbrau Adlersberg without any problems. We stayed at this brewery/hotel back in 2011 on our first family trip to Europe. There had been a few improvements but the hotel and beer garden seemed stuck in time and exactly as we remembered. Except the beer vending machine was now two Euros instead of one. Check out DH getting his vending machine beer both in 2011 and 2022!

We had a nice dinner in the beer garden with lots of German classics. So meaty! I am eagerly anticipating all the produce I will be buying when we return home.

Day 35 - Exploring Regensburg

After our simple included breakfast, we took the bus from Adlersberg into the pretty town of Regensburg. We enjoyed one last city center with wonderful pedestrian streets, charming architecture, huge churches, and European shopping. The main church had beautiful stained glass.

Kids even found Dunkin Donuts. Oh brother.

After lots of wandering and a little shopping, we crossed the famous stone bridge (made in the 12th century) and found a great beer garden on the other side. We shared a couple kinds of sausages and enjoyed being right along the Danube River again. The Danube twists and winds all over Europe so it's not so surprising that we kept crossing it in one way or another.

It was mid-afternoon and a thunderstorm was approaching. DD#2 and I decided to check out the city's largest indoor pool. We didn't take any pictures but enjoyed around 90 minutes swimming in a wave pool, a heated pool, and checking out the diving boards and slide. It wasn't a remarkable pool but got us moving for a bit.

We found yet another beer garden for dinner. This would be our last spaetzle, currywurst, and roasted pork of the trip. It started raining pretty hard so we had to move indoors.

After a little more wandering over more bridges, we caught the bus back to the brewery hotel and called it an evening. We were all feeling a little tired as our trip was coming to an end.

Day 36 - Long drive to Bogel

We had hotel breakfast again, packed our bags, and hit the road for our last drive of the trip. I was feeling emotional with everything being our last. I love my home but could honestly spend months in Europe.

On our 4+ hour drive to Bogel, we stopped mid-way at our last grocery store and DM (toiletries store). I bought enough German face cream for a year along with a few other goodies. At the store, we stocked up on German chocolate, mustard, and Kinder goodies. It was one heavy bag!

We had Doner Kebab for the last time. So delicious! Four giant sandwiches was just over $20. I feel like a Doner Kebab shop would do so well in my hometown. They have doner and we have burritos.

After hitting lots of construction traffic, we finally made it to Bogel to see family. It was so nice to see where my step-mom lives. It's a beautiful 100 year old home that has been completely renovated. I wish I had taken pictures of the interior. I was so impressed with how much work and care has gone into restoring this beautiful home. We were lucky enough to stay in the two bedroom flat on the ground floor. The girls loved getting to know the cats, Georgie and Tessa.

We attended the village summer BBQ that evening and met several locals. It was just relaxing to end our trip among familiar faces.

Day 37 - Last full day

I awoke with so many mixed emotions. It was hard knowing the trip which had been planned for two years was about to end. There were so many recent memories to process and enjoy. I got up for my last European run around the village and surrounding farmland.

We drove a short distance to the Rhine River near the Lorelei statue and legend. We took pictures of the river, which is at one of its lowest points ever. Germany is suffering a severe drought.

We also managed to sneak in one last luge! We each took multiple runs down the luge and remarked on how different all seven luge experiences were. This one was fast and well organized without lines. It was on the shorter side but totally worth it!

We drove along the Rhine and had lunch at a pizza restaurant near Marksburg Castle. Again, pizza is so affordable in Europe. Delicious!

The castle was beautifully situated on top of a hill and dominated the skyline around that section of river. This castle had never been destroyed and was in great condition. Although we didn't tour the inside, we drove up to the top intending to get great pictures. Sadly, the better pictures were from below. Someday I hope to return and tour the castle.

We drove back to my stepmom's house for my favorite part of the day - a family BBQ! We felt so special to have all three of her kids and friends come together for delicious food. We caught up and sat outside visiting for hours. It was bittersweet not knowing how long it will be until we see them all again. I really hope we have more video calls in the future.

Day 38 - The LONG LONG LONG journey home

This is the day we all dreaded but also felt ready for at some level. We had a nice breakfast in Bogel before saying our goodbyes and hitting the road back to the Frankfurt Airport. We returned our trusty leased car with over 3,000 miles. After arriving at the airport three hours early, we waited in nearly 2.5 hours of various lines. Lines were long but nothing felt panicky. We just trusted that it would all work out, and it did. One last German airport pretzel.

We flew to Iceland for a very short layover and passport control. Next was the long flight to Seattle. We all tried to sleep with varying degrees of success. Once we arrived in Seattle, we waited more for luggage and clearing customs. Finally, we rented a car and drove several hours back to Oregon. We arrived home around 1am local time. We were so very tired but falling asleep in our own beds was worth all the trouble.

Now that I have been home for two days, I still wake up wondering where I am. It will take a couple more days to get over the jet lag and truly feel at home. I have already suffered sticker shock at the grocery store (most groceries are cheaper in Europe) but a little relief at the gas station (prices have dropped since we left). I love being home and seeing the deer in our yard, the space in my home to spread out, and the ease and predictability of knowing how everything works in my town. It seems little has changed since we left. I am left feeling so grateful to make these opportunities for my family. I can hardly wait to start planning the next one!

Day One - Travel Day

After years of waiting, we finally set off on the trip we planned in 2019 and had to cancel in 2020. We flew Icelandair out of Seattle to save money and another potential connection gone wrong. We rented a car, left home around 6:30am, and caught our flight without issue. We had a quick pitstop in Iceland before landing in Frankfurt around 1pm.

We finally got our leased car, a French DS7 Crossback, and drove a short distance to our family's home in Dornheim. We have stayed here twice in the past so it truly felt like home. We ate delicious doner kabob, visited for as long as could stay awake, and crashed. Not many pictures from this exhausting day.

Day Two - Mainz

We were joined by our friend "R" for a traditional breakfast with rolls, meats, cheeses, vegetables, and more. So delicious!

We took the train to the nearby town of Mainz to wander around and finally feel like we were back in Germany. People were out at the markets, having ice cream, coffee, beer, and more. I was quickly reminded of how wonderful it felt to be in a town with pedestrian areas that people of all ages enjoy. I was overwhelmed by the people-watching, beautiful architecture, and delicious smelling food around every corner. We had coffee, popped into lots of gorgeous old churches, and finally had that first German beer.

We meandered down toward the Rhine River where an annual beer festival was taking place. We used the cutest little bier stein souvenirs to sample beers from all parts of Germany and Europe. It was so fun to mix with the locals and visit with family. DD#1 was excited to try the small 1 oz samples of beer. Sixteen is the legal beer and wine drinking age in Germany. She wasn't a huge fan of beer. Ha!

We took the train back to Dornheim where we had a delicious BBQ. My step-sister is an amazing cook and we were once again full to the max with yummy meats and salads. It was wonderful to catch up with family and friends who we had not seen in so long. It felt so great to have our first full day in Europe. Vacation mode was truly starting to set in!

Day Three - First luge, Ulm Munster, and Fussen

I started the day with an early run in the countryside. I saw the church spire in the next village and decided to run there. There were cute bunnies and storks in the fields.

We ate cake for breakfast, said our goodbyes, and packed the car. Next stop, was a luge just outside of Stuttgart. For less than 3 Euros, we whipped down a track and had quite a cheap thrill. It definitely woke us up for the day!

We drove a bit further to the town of Ulm known for having the tallest church in the world. No kidding! There was a lot of construction going on the church's facade but the tower was open and ready to climb. 550 steps later, we made it to the top.

We also found tasty Turkish food for lunch. We ordered way too much but luckily could take leftovers for the road.

DD#1 was especially impressed with the piano on the square and a choir practicing their Handel for an upcoming concert.

We found a couple more scenic photo ops around the city of Ulm.

We drove another hour to Fussen in the Bavarian Alps. The mountains and rocky peaks were stunning! We checked into what is likely our nicest place of the trip. The top floor apartment with two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a balcony with the best view ever would be home for the next three nights. We felt very spoiled and lucky to be here.

We found a restaurant along the Lech River for a simple salad dinner. The water was a striking aqua color that almost seemed fake.

After a quick stop for a few groceries, we enjoyed our balcony and lovely apartment and called it a day.

Day Four - 30,000 steps around Fussen, some castles, and a little Austria

We started the day at a local bakery. The weather has been remarkable. Just around 70 degrees. Perfect! DD#1 has caught a cold and had to spend some time resting. Luckily, our apartment made it pretty comfortable.

We walked around the town's lovely castle and churches before heading to the outskirts to find some nature.

Fussen is a beautiful small town with a colorful pedestrian area.

Lech Falls and a tree top walkway were only about 10-15 minutes from Fussen's old town. A very relaxing and scenic morning walk.

We had one foot in Germany and one foot in Austria!

We came back to the apartment for a quick lunch before heading to the famous nearby castles. We hiked up to Neuschwanstein castle and took a few pictures. There were tons of tourists and we had visited these castles before, so a quick photo op was all we needed.

We drove to a much less-touristy attraction outside of Reutte, Austria. The Highline 179 suspension bridge was incredible! What a feat of engineering! I found it quite terrifying to be so high above the ground. The bridge swayed back and forth and walking on the metal grates gave a very real perspective on the ground far below. Yikes! Well worth the money for this experience. Pictures don't do it justice.

The Ehrenberg Castle ruins were fun to explore and are currently being restored by quite a construction crew. I bet things will be even more impressive in several years.

Max Ditsch was a great choice for dinner. We all enjoyed our meals and spent around 36 Euros. Not bad! It also helps that the Euro is nearly equal to the dollar right now. That is helping our budget quite a lot on this trip.

It was a very full day and I think we finally have the jet lag behind us. More fun to come!

Day Five - Luges and Lifts!

Today was a big day soaking in the Bavarian Alps. The weather was beautiful making the decision easy to head up to the tallest mountain in Germany, Zugspitze.

Poor DD#1 was still feeling under the weather so she stayed in our lovely Fussen apartment while the rest of us adventured. We had bratwurst and coffee at nearly 10,000 feet and explored the many vantage points after our quick 10 minute ascent up the mountain.

We continued our drive to the popular town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen where we found a tasty lunch before finding our first luge ride of the day. This one was short but fast.

We continued on to Oberammergau to luge #2. This one was huge! We took a 20 minute chairlift up a mountain and rode an exhilarating ride down. It was probably the longest luge ride I have ever been on!

We returned to Fussen and went for a scenic 30 minute walk to a brewery with views of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. We had an interesting buffet-style meal where we helped ourselves to heaps of delicious salads along with meats and warm veggies. DH and I found a nearby pub for a nightcap and called it an evening. Off to Italy tomorrow!

Delayed 2020 Trip Finally Happening

Our family is ready to hop back on a plane after a long school and work year. We are now travelling with 15 and 17 year olds with many opinions. They are excited to have more independence on this trip and have some travel goals of their own. I'm so happy they are just as eager for this long family vacation as their parents!

We are leasing a car and will be driving a loop through seven countries. Here is a quick glimpse at our ambitious itinerary.

Days 1-2: Dornheim, Germany.
Here we will visit family who we haven't seen since 2019. We have missed them!

Days 3-5: Fussen, Germany.
We will explore the mountains of Germany hopefully luging, summiting Zugspitze (weather permitting), hiking, and wandering around picturesque villages. We finally get to stay in the apartment we had originally booked (and paid for) in 2020.

Days 6-9: Campitello di Fasso, Dolomites, Italy.
I have been eager to explore the Dolomites for at least ten years! I can hardly wait to use lifts and gondolas to hike and explore these craggy peaks.

Days 9-11: Venice, Italy
The girls have been begging to see Venice and poor DH has only been there in the rain. Crossing our fingers for good weather and manageable crowds. Luckily our only goals are to wander the city and ride the vaporettos (water buses).

Days 11-13: Karst Region, Slovenia
We will be staying at an ecotourism farm near some of the best cave systems in the world. We will explore the caves, a cave castle, and hit the nearby beach. First time in Slovenia for all of us!

Days 13-14: Radovljica, Slovenia (near Lake Bled)
We will drive through the Soca River Valley and Julian Alps to finally see the iconic Lake Bled. We are staying in a hostel for the first time!

Days 14-17: Ljubljana, Slovenia
This is supposedly the most underrated capital city in Europe. We are eager to explore it using the city bicycles.

Days 17-19: Pecs, Hungary
I have heard great things about this college town in southern Hungary. DD#1 will be visiting the University of Pecs. This trip will also serve as our college tour through Europe as she decides whether this could be an option for fall 2023.

Days 17-18: Timisoara, Romania
We will finally make our way to the long-awaited Romania! I am most excited to explore the cities and villages in Romania. We will be staying in the city centers for such affordable prices.

Days 18-19: Sibiu, Romania
Another town with striking architecture most known for their buildings with "eyes".

Days 19-20: Somewhere along the Transfagarasan Highway
DH is especially excited to experience firsthand what has been called the greatest driving road in the world. We are staying in a pension near the end of the twisty road.

Days 20-23: Brasov, Romania
We will be moving briskly around Romania but picked Brasov for a three night stay. There are nearby castles, a nice looking old town, and nearby mountains with hiking.

Days 23-24: Sighisoara, Romania
Sighisoara is supposedly the fairy tale town of Romania. It will be a short drive from Brasov with some fortified churches/castles to visit along the way.

Days 24-25: Oradea, Romania
I have heard that driving around Romania can be a slow and maybe challenging endeavor. We are making this last stop on the way out of the country both to break up the drive and to check out a waterpark in yet another charming old town. We will also visit a salt mine amusement park along the way!

Days 25-28: Eger, Hungary
As we circle back to Germany, we decided to slow the pace down a bit with three nights in a small town known for wine and thermal spas. Sounds like a little vacation in middle of the vacation!

Days 28-30: Bratislava, Slovakia
DH and I spent one night here back in 2003 and have always wanted to return. I predict that much has changed in the last twenty years in this capital city.

Days 30-33: Prague, Czechia
We have spent more time in Prague than any other European city and can't wait to return. It is arguably the most beautiful city in Europe. This time, the focus will be touring three different universities, two in Prague and one in Brno. Czechia is high on the list for possibile places to earn a bachelor's degree in Europe. We are staying in the outskirts of the city this time so hope to experience things more like a local.

Days 33-35: Prosslbrau Adlersberg, Germany (near Regensburg)
We are returning to a brewery inn that we stayed in during our first family European trip in 2011. We plan to slow down the pace, check out nearby Regensburg, and transition from Czech to German beers. Ha!

Days 35-37: Bogel, Germany
On these last two nights, we will stay with family once again just outside of Frankfurt. This location is near the Rhine River where I'm sure we will do a bit of exploring.

I will be updating the blog as we travel so please subscribe and follow along. I find myself wondering if I'm always this excited before a trip. I think the anticipation gets harder each trip as we eagerly count down the days! This one is years in the making and countless hours of travel planning. Let's do this!

Circle tour around Bingen & Rudesheim

We began another sunny day with C & R. I started with a short run around the countryside before heading to a yummy bakery. We drove about 40 minutes to the riverside town of Bingen. We were eager to buy the "ring ticket" which combined a boat ride, a mini-gondola, a hike to a famous statue, a chair lift, and a boat back to where we started. We had a little time to kill before the first boat departed so we found a convenient beer garden.

After the first boat ride, we arrived in the adorable town of Rudesheim. We walked down a popular skinny street to the gondola lift. Each gondola only fit two people. We were so happy to have such a beautiful day to ride over the vineyards lining the Rhine River.

After the 10 minute gondola ride, we hiked up to a famous statue with amazing views over the valley and river below.

We hiked another 30 minutes to the chair lift that took us back down to the riverside. It was a slow and quiet lift except for the noisy birds. I could listen to German birds all day long. Such sweet singing!

Finally, we took our boat back to the starting point after going past a castle or two. We had a quick pizza snack before concluding the ring.

The guys decided to head back to the house while the girls headed to a fun outdoor pool in Wiesbaden. The pool was chilly but the slides were awesome and we took some great pictures of the kids hurling themselves off the diving boards.

We ordered doner kebab for dinner. Delicious! R took each kid for an adventurous ride on his 4-wheeler. They spotted deer, bunnies, and stork on their rides. We sat outside and visited until too late once again.

Darmstadt, World of Beer, Mini-Golf, & Last BBQ

On our last full-day in the Frankfurt area, we decided to take it easy. R and I walked to the nearby bakery for a few breakfast goodies. We weren't in a hurry to go anywhere today, which was really nice. We decided to check out the nearby town of Darmstadt. We explored the HUGE Maruhn beverage store before hitting the center of town. So many beers from all over the world!

We really liked the livable town of Darmstadt. I'm so impressed with the pedestrian areas in every German town I've visited. We had ice cream, did a little shopping, found a local brewery for lunch, and went to a grocery store to buy a few German snacks.

We also went to a park just outside of town where DH, C and the girls played mini-golf. R and I went for a walk on some pretty trails.

We had another BBQ with yummy meats and salads. C went to the trouble to prepare white asparagus, spargel, two different ways. Spargel is only available during this season. We also had a yummy cocktail that seems to be very popular around here - an aperol spritzer. They made fantastic ones! It was a very nice last evening in Dornheim. We are so lucky and thankful to have spent such wonderful time with family. They really showed us a great time!

Frankfurt, Mom Arrives, Drive to the Black Forest

After some goodbyes to family, we drove to Frankfurt to check out the city and eagerly await for my mom to arrive at the airport in the afternoon. We parked at the airport, took the train into the city, found a bakery for breakfast, and explored several parts of the city.

We climbed 323 steps up to the top of Frankfurt's largest church. Stunning views of the city from the top.

We found more ice cream, walked across a pedestrian bridge that was filled with love locks, and took the train back to the airport.

We waited a long time for my mom to arrive. The Frankfurt airport is huge so there was a mix-up in finding the right meeting place. Once we were finally reunited, we drove south toward the Black Forest. We made a quick stop in Baden-Baden for dinner at a traditional (touristy!) biergarten.

We were very happy and relieved to finally arrive at our cute farm apartment at 9:30pm. What a day!

Zip-lining and Luging through the Black Forest. Woohoo!

After waking up to more bird singing, we made our way to the nearby town of Hornberg for another bakery and coffee. We sat on a picturesque square and looked up at a castle above. We decided to drive up there to investigate. Great views of the valley to start our day.

We stopped at a grocery store for breakfast foods and a few random snacks. Then it was time to split up for separate adventures. My mom, DH, and DD#1 went off on a zip-lining excursion while DD#2 and I went to a nearby luge and outdoor folk museum. (DD#2 was too small for the zip-line.) Both activities were such an adrenaline rush! My mom was so brave and loved racing above the Black Forest. The luge was very fast with sharp turns. We went as fast as we could!

We all reassembled for a few more luge runs. My mom and DD#2 got the fastest clocked speed - 51.6 km/hr with me and DD#2 at 51.3 km/hr in 2nd place. Still can't believe my mom beat me!

Our guesthouse gave us a free pass to use the train system so we decided to take advantage. We took a 1/2 hour ride through the forest to a small town called Alpirsbach which has a highly-rated brewery and biergarten. We relaxed outside and shared smoked trout and more sausage before taking the scenic train back.

After this adventurous day, we were more than happy to return to our little farm cottage to watch the cows and listen to the birds.

Steinwasen Amusement Park and Freiberg

I went for a run and we had a quick breakfast in our little apartment before making an hour drive to Steinwasen Park. The roads were so hilly, narrow, and windy. We're relieved that no one got car sick! The amusement park was fantastic. There were no lines or crowds and the rides were unique and just plain fun! We were able to go on every ride multiple times. It did rain pretty hard at one point and we were all soaked. But we were having so much fun that it didn't really bother anyone. The amusement park had a bobsled, a luge, a chairlift, a cool water rafting ride, a couple fast indoor rides, a 4D theater ride, as well as lots of play structures, animals, and scenery. I am a big fan of these little German amusement parks. Three years ago, we visited Bayern Park which was a little bigger but had a similar vibe.

We had a quick lunch at the park before going on even more rides. (I finally tried the famous Black Forest cake.)

After we finally wore ourselves out, we made a short drive to the very pleasant town of Freiberg. We found a brewery for a beer (yes, there is a pattern) and did a little shopping and exploring before picking an amazing doner place for dinner. Euphrat Restaurant had a line out the door and it was easy to see why. Yum! We had more ice cream, drove a different way back to our apartment, and called it a day.

The girls jumped on the trampoline in the rain for nearly an hour. Finally, I had the time to work on this blog. I will be sad to leave Germany tomorrow but am eager to return to France. We have a long drive to Amboise, France ahead.

A perfect afternoon in Wurzburg

We left our hotel just outside of Bamberg around 10am after a quick breakfast from the nearby bakery. We made the relatively short drive to the Marienberg Fortress in Wurzburg. It towers impressively over the beautiful city. We wandered the site for at least an hour snapping pictures and exploring. We stopped at the fortress cafe for another coffee and were shocked to see a family that we knew from our hometown in Oregon. Truly amazing! DD#2 and their daughter both sang in the same choir last year. What's more shocking is that we ran into the same family when we were visiting Washington DC last March. What a small world! Here's DD#2 and her choir friend along with other pictures of the fortress:

We reparked the car in the city center and ate at a pizza place recommended by a friend who lived here for a while. Great recommendation!

We happily wandered this very pleasant city, looked inside of at least three churches, and walked across the old bridge, Alte Mainbrucke. The views were spectacular all over this picturesque town. When I move to Germany in my dreams, Wurzburg is at the top of the list. I know we will come back to this charming town someday.

We refueled the car for the first time and headed to Dornheim to stay with family for the next four nights. Soon after arrival, we drove to the nearby swimming lake for a quick swim on another hot day.

Finally, we were treated to a wonderful BBQ with friends and family. There were amazing salads, meats, bread, beer, and great company. No one seemed in a hurry and we sat and visited until nearly midnight.

Heidelberg

DH and I were surprised to wake up at 9am. Oops! I guess we needed some sleep. We had a relaxing breakfast outside with C & R before taking two cars to Heidelberg for the day. We found parking right in the city center and even the car had a good view.

We rode two separate funiculars up to the top of Heidelberg's hill - around 2000 ft. It was such a beautiful day and it felt great to be out in nature.

There were amazing views from the top and we took a steep walk back down to the down through the trees.

We wandered around the castle for a while soaking it all in and taking pictures. At so many of these castles, I stop and think of how in the world they were built! Every brick had to be hauled up a hill without modern machinery. I'm sure many laborers never even saw the project finished in their lifetime.

We saw the world's largest wine barrel. Incredible!

After a quick sausage snack, we wandered the lower part of the town and took more pictures from the old bridge. We also managed to get a picture of the six of us.

The kids found the lucky monkey symbol of Heidelberg and we rubbed him for good luck.

After a little shopping and walking along the very long pedestrian drag, we drove to a restaurant along the Rhine River for dinner. Schnitzel. Yum!

Another day in the books! We are so thankful to have family show us around Germany.