Sonntag, 3. januar 2010
7
03
/01
/2010
10:53
Ok, the PC is fixed and here we go again!
On Dezember 21 we finally submitted our plan after weeks of overtime and stress! Yeah!!! It is done!
The same day my Christmas gift arrived: HOPIE! She was "delivered" by Doris and Christopher. Petra and I welcomed them with a little party at my place.
The next day I took Hope to the Fernsehturm to get an overview of Stuttgart. Well, it is not as big and beautiful as Chicago but it is not that bad either. I might have finally accepted it as
my new home :)
The same night we were invited for dinner at Peanut's place. She barbecued for us ... out in the dark but with the right equipment everything is possible.
Wednesday Hopie and I went shopping for a few things and just hung out at home to relax. Thursday was "Heiligabend" which we spent at Renate's. She had a beautiful tree and Wuerstchen mit
Kartoffelsalat for dinner. Yummie!
After dinner we got to the best part: PRESENTS! We ripped the wrapping paper the American way and produced a big pile of it.... Sorry Dad, no saving the paper for next year. :)
On Christmas Day we had lunch at my Dad's place and afterwards went for a short walk. Well, at least us chicks...
The next day we went to visit Slata and Waldemar in Aalen. They have a beautiful new house and we were chosen to be the first ones to try her stand up chicken (which is like a beer can chicken just
without beer). It was delicious!
To get over the food coma we did a house tour first and then headed over to the Limes Therme, a really nice bath with a lot of different pools and saunas. After floating in the warm and bubbly
water for a few hours we went back to the house to finish of the leftovers from lunch! :)
On Sunday it was time to pack and head south towards Austria. We had a date at the famous Hotel Sacher in Salzburg with Frank & Frau so we did not want to be late.
We strolled through Salzburg to digest the Sacher Torte before we went on our journey to reach the Ferienwohnung. Well, that was a challenge..... It turned out to be on the top of a hill only to be
reached via a steep one lane street covered with ice and without any rails... But we were not afraid to die and eventually made it up there.
The house was really cute in an alpin style and we discovered new residents every day. At the end we had met 2 cats, a dog, the owners as well as their son and the grandmother... not counting the
stuffed Bambi that lives in the hallway.
The next day was Heather's big day: We did the Sound of Music tour! The hills are alive...... with the sound of muuuusic! You should have seen her. She was excited and happy like a little girl!
It was a 4 hour tour and we saw some sites where they shot the movie including the house on the lake, the gazebo and of course the cathedral they got married in.
Lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay - O ho lay dee odl lee o, lay dee odl lee o lay -Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo!
As a reward for coming on the tour with her, she allowed Frank and me to ski the next day. We drove over to Zell am See to get up on the mountain where we met Antje. We skied until lunch and met
the others at the Schmittenhoehe Restaurant to enjoy the view and a drink at the Schnapshans Bar.
There is always a party going on and the view is just breathtaking, don't you agree?
Eventually Heather & Frank had to leave us but we tried to cope by going to the designer outlet in Salzburg. :)
But there also was more sightseeing on the schedule: the Hallein salt mine. You dress up in white suits (which almost looked like straight jackets) and ride into the mountain on a little train.
Then you walk and walk and walk until you get to the frist slide to get deeper into the mountain. You walk and awalk again, slide again, walk again .... well you get the concept. I was afraid how
we would get out of the mine again but luckily at the very end of the tour there was an escalator! Yeah - technology rules!
New Year's Eve we spent in out lovely house and enjoyed a hot stone BBQ with tons of meat and veggies. With such a full tummy it is hard to stay awake but we managed to make it until midnight.
Unfortunately we could not see the fireworks in the valley because the fog was so thick. But Boy, we could hear them!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, Girls!!! This is going to be our year!
The next day Hopie and I spent on the Autobahn... Our little Austrian adventure was over and we had to get back to Frankfurt. We had booked a hotel close to the airport to be there one time. Some
idiot had just screwed up the whole schedule by carrying stuff in his underwear as you know.
We had a nice dinner in Frankfurt but were already a little sad that we had to separate the next day.
I dropped Hopie off at the airport and went straight back to Stuttgart - unfortunately not withouth having another picture taken of me and my beautiful Audi going just a little too fast :(
Back home I unpacked, got some stuff done and chilled out a bit before I went back on the road to see my cousin and her family at my aunt's house on the Swabian Alb. We had not seen each other in
a while plus she had a new baby that needed to be admired. Cute little fella! We went for a nice long walk, had coffee and cake and I built a wiking ship with her other (7 year old) son.
I really enjoyed the 2 weeks off but time just flew by and Monday, January 4th was back to work day for me.
Fortunately there was not much going on so it was easy to get back into it.
I wish you all a good start into 2010, lots of fun, luck and health! Enjoy!!!
