To wrap up this section of posts, I’ll end with our journey through Germany and Austria. The photos will be online soon; I’ll post the link eventually.
What I enjoyed about Germany was that each town we visited had a distinct atmosphere, a unique energy that set it apart. We stopped in Lübeck, Regensburg, Munich and Trier, with a visit to Salzburg, Austria in the middle there. Salzburg was great fun: an Indiana Jones style ride into the salt mines and a tour through the scenes of The Sound of Music. In Trier we visited Tobi and Claudi, friends I met a year ago in Nairobi. From there, a train ride to Frankfurt, and we were back on the airplane heading west after two full weeks of travel.
Archive for June, 2008
We then set out from Paris by train to Amsterdam. Time for the long underwear and raincoats… It was cold and damp! We did manage to stumble into the very best Italian restaurant in which I have had the pleasure to eat. And did we eat! These were serious portions and we each cleared our plate!
Two museums the next day: the Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum. The Van Gogh was phenomenal–of course! And the Rijks was partially under construction. Because of this, most of the “stuff” was placed in the central rooms for viewing. That made for a very brief tour.
Owing to the rain, our canal tour in a glass-topped boat was mostly a view of water streaming down the windows. We did catch a glimpse of Anne Frank’s house… which seemed to be under construction. Good times… then off to Germany.
Ok, a few more pics from the Musée d’Orsay…
What can be said about Paris that hasn’t already been written, sung or spoken? We stayed in the perfect location, a hotel on Rue Dauphine, just south of the Pont Neuf.
We didn’t encounter any of the stereotypical French snobbery–everyone we met was gracious and kind. It makes me wonder what the Americans are acting like who come across such “snobs.”
Again, our two days were filled with tourist activities. La Tour Eiffel, l’Arc de Triomphe, a boat ride on the Seine, etc… I could move in to the Musée d’Orsay. It has become my new favorite in the category of world museums.
They say Stonehenge is “just a bunch of rocks,” but I loved it. I read that the earliest section of the structure is thought to have been erected around 3100 BCE. That’s ridiculous! I can’t even wrap my mind around the idea that it is that old.
Next day: London
With only one full day in the city, we scampered around to various tourist sites. I did like the train system… it seemed so much easier than those in the States. We were off to Paris by chunnel the next day.
Interview with Jess Todfeldt, former Fox News producer: Speaking Channel
Interview with Jess Todfeldt, former Fox News producer: 
