Well, I’ve officially been back at La Ripa for a week, and a fast week it has been! I am currently sitting on Claire’s computer listening to Time of Your Life by Green Day and thinking of how incredibly fast and slow the next 20 something days are going to go by. Where to start?!
How about an update on life while I was gone: We have guests coming!!! Which means Claire and I have been in full gear running around the farm riding six hours a day, six days a week. I am pretty darn tired in the evenings, but watching movies and eating cookie dough is quite re-energizing. Two of our baby donkeys are gone and the other two – Eric and Poncho are still shy…though super cute. Tonka and I are developing a relationship and donkey kisses are my new favorite way to get a smile. Going outside is actually pleasant now – summer has fled and fall is officially here. The trees are starting to change colors into brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. The coming of fall has brought many rainstorms as it has rained practically every day since I have gotten back. The first few days were the worst – the roofs were literally a drop off point for waterfalls. Intermittently we have had light rain showers and some torrential thunderstorms that knock out the power sometimes! Living at the top of a hill gives us a great view of the thunderheads rolling in and Claire and I marvel at how cool they look almost every day. Even if it doesn’t rain on us we can often see electrical storms lighting up the hills in the evenings with pink and orange flashes of light. It is a good thing Claire like clouds as much as I do…I think half of our feedings consist of conversations about that days’ cloud formations. The rain and cooler weather has been just fantastic – Claire finds the mornings cold, but I happily enjoy getting out of bed early each morning and working as the chilly air nips at my skin. Seriously…I think I must be transforming into a polar bear…I can not WAIT to experience snow again!!!
Unfortunately this new rainy season, while fun, has resulted in us getting caught in many storms while out riding. See, the weather here is extremely unpredictable (or maybe we just don’t understand the weather forecast that we don’t watch on TV). It seems that our clothes are always damp in one place or another. We have finally gotten smart about it and have begun bringing rain slickers. You know the western movies where the cowboys dress in yellow slickers? These are as bad as those…they are big ankle-length bright yellow coats the make us look like giant bananas, big poofy horseback riding bananas. We are trend setters, that’s for sure and as big bananas we are slowly perfecting our cowboy, donkey, fly, frog, and chicken impressions. We at least find ourselves funny…I wonder how on earth we are going to fit back into society when randomly braying like a donkey or squawking like a chicken is normal. It is true!
On a more typical Tracie note, early this week I somehow got something in my eye that hurt so bad! My eye was very red. Normally dust and stuff clears up in an hour or two. This eye thing last three days! And as with all eye problems, that means no contacts. I am too stubborn to listen to logic and I did not want to scratch my glasses, so for three days all I could see was a blur of color. This blindness led to a fantastic reflection on the Road to Damascus and opened a great door to pray to see with my heart instead of my eyes. I really had to trust the horses I was riding (yes I galloped blind through the dense forests) and I really had to pray to not get mad at the fact that for those three days I felt like a shard of glass was cutting my eye anytime I moved it. But I made it and can see again! The mysterious eye injury did not prevail over my good mood, I still laughed and squawked like a chicken on our rides.
I still have to write about the Denver ladies that rode with us before I left to travel with my family and I still want to write about my food movement idea and I am definitely panicking about a job in the future!
Update on the home front. Today is day three of guests, a full day of riding, which means I should be on a horse, not on this computer. I am not being irresponsible, just taking a lunch break since I so unexpectedly ended up staying home. Remember Mini, the new horse Vittorio bought a month or so ago? I have officially decided that he was tranquilized when we went to look at him. I have spent most of the afternoon recovering from a fairly traumatic few minutes and after a couple of hours listening to music and breathing slowly I think I can write this with humor, oh I was so mad at him!! So Mini has severe (understatement) separation anxiety when he sees another horse leaving him. Today we were running a little late getting the ten horses ready for our guests, in my practiced hurry of tacking up ten horses I managed to put a bit in wrong. I tried to fix it on the trail without dismounting. Bad plan, the mare started spinning with one rein unhooked and I had to get off to fix it. Easy fix. I told them to catch up to the group and I would be right there. Amazingly enough (especially for Mini), he stayed still while I get on. We start walking. Car. Oh yes, a car is a nerve wracking thing when your horse is dancing all over the road, ignoring your cues to keep him in a straight line and there is a steep downhill on the other side. Mini decided to start jogging in place. Fine, I tolerated it because I didn’t want to fight him in front of guests. All of a sudden he reared (front legs in the air) and tried to bolt with me. Fortunately I have quick responses, good balance and strong legs. I pulled him to a halt, where in mid stop he spun to the right, pushing is rear end to the left. I kicked him with my left leg, away from the cliff covered with trees and he ignored me. So here we are spinning and rearing in the middle of the road, car watching from a relatively safe distance and the rest of the group unaware that I was fighting for my life. Claire had to fix something and was back at the barn. Suddenly, with great attitude, Mini caught me off guard, backed up extremely fast and crookedly and I could feel us sliding down that steep hill, into a tree. I dropped the reins with one hand, wrapped my arm around the tree and prepared to use it as a stable object when jumping off should Mini actually fall down the rest of the way. You know the saying “see your life flash before your eyes?” I had that moment. In the fraction of a second before I grabbed the tree all I could see was Mini falling on top of me and the two of us sliding downhill until we slammed into one of the hundreds of trees sitting so solidly below us. I am not sure how, but somehow he caught himself. And we sat still on the incline, catching our breaths. I kicked him up back to the road where he proceeded to act stupid. I ended up cantering him home and switched horses, turn around, follow Claire’s texting instructions to where the group was, to be told to come back home when I was about ten minutes away from them. Bugger. So I spent the afternoon to myself and hence the opportunity to write this blog in an otherwise very busy week. I am starting to think I must have a stupid horse and tree magnet in me somewhere...lol.
Okay, moving on...Along with our animal impressions, Claire and I are still working on fly training. They are slowly sort of kind of not listening at all. Hmph. And I write that because they won’t stop landing on me!! Agh!! Stupid flies. I have continued to befriend Tonka and now spend minutes at a time cradling his head in my arms; resting my cheek on his forehead…it is one of my new favorite ways to calm down.
Now, today (Thursday) day four of riding I am ready to go to the internet and post this blog, walk home and realize the things I have forgotten to share, feed, ride more horses and wake up at 5:30 again tomorrow. Woohoo!
Lessons of this week:
- I need a job
- I will always have a soft spot in my heart for donkeys no matter their level of obnoxiousness
- Fall in Italy is amazing – much better than summer I’d say
- I need a job
- The one time you don’t bring a slicker it will downpour leaving you drenched for the rest of your 3 hour ride
- Wet jeans are itchy
- I am not keen on the need a job to support myself idea – AH!
- One should not try to train a horse and take care of a group at the same time
- Excellent TLC 0= ice packs flying at your head
- 7:30 is starting to seem like sleeping in
- Claire and I with all our injuries almost make a whole person with our healthy parts
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Ave Maria
Like all good things, they eventually come to an end. In life, chapters close and new ones start. I have to say, my last day in Munich was extraordinarily unexpected and did not go as I intended it to go at all. And these two weeks were an amazing interruption to my La Ripa chapter of life. My last day of traveling started with a four hour train ride from Zurich to Munich, where I had a very brief time to say good bye to my family.
I locked my stuff up in a locker at the train station and headed off on an unknown adventure. Low and behold 3 great things happened. First was experiencing a fair in another country. There was live music, dancing (swing, country and salsa), food (brats, crepes, ice cream and beer), and great people watching. I sat underneath a tree and had a good reflection on where I was in life. I cried a bit and laughed a bit. I cried because my goodbye was too short, because for a moment my future was incredibly overwhelming, because I missed home, and because my grandpa died, I cried because of joy in my life and I cried because I can. I laughed at the dogs and kids playing in the park and I laughed at the ironicy of my life. I took pictures and journaled and allowed myself to just be in the moment…no agenda, no plan, no rush. I ate a brat, listened to a guitarist and watched entertainers put a sparkler on their heads.
At 6 pm I went to Mass. I know Mass is Mass, but there is something to be said for really understanding the words, not just what is happening. This Mass was an ENGLISH LANGUAGE Mass. I needed desperately some spiritual food for my brain. I layed my worries down in prayer and rejoiced in being home again, getting to really interact with other believers. Still, as I left Mass my heart was still kind of heavy, I wanted to share my last few hours with someone, anyone familiar, sometimes you don’t want to be alone and I was strongly having one of those afternoons.
I walked to Marienplatz and saw a huge crowd gathered. It looked like Mass. I asked a lady. Wrong. In her simple English she explained to me that it was a Procession for Mary because it was Mary’s name day…or something of the sort. They were celebrating her. The lady’s name is Hildegard and she asked if I wanted/could join. After a brief pause, I agreed. She gave me her candle just in time for the start of the procession. And so I spent my last night in Munich walking the streets praying the rosary in German and singing German praise songs with thousands of others by candlelight. As I walked and prayed I watched the people around me. Some were wearing cultural clothes (forgot the technical names, but the dresses and suspenders…liederhosing clothes), some current fashions. There were seven year olds and eighty seven year olds. When I turned behind me all I could see was a sea of candles. As I walked and prayed peace filled my heart and I was reminded that my family is all around me…in Christ, in my heart, in a country thousands of miles away, in heaven. And I felt joy that where I felt desolate, God surrounded me with more people of faith than I possibly could have imagined possible in that moment. I didn’t want to leave.
When I looked at my clock I realized that I stayed much later than planned. I had fifteen minutes to get back to the Haupbahnhof, get my luggage and get to my train. YIKES! I RAN through the station and made it on at 9:02, one minute before my departure time of 9:03. I am getting good at this just in time stuff! I found out when I got on that it was running late, lucky for me! So I had time to get settled in before the long 11 hour train ride, 3 hour layover in Florence, 2 hour train ride to Siena, 4 hour wait in Siena, 45 minute bus ride to Tocchi and 10 minute hike home. Needless to say I was tired.
And much to my delight it is great to be back home….where cars don’t wake you up every half hour, where the flies still drive you bonkers and where communication lines are still fuzzy. I am serious; I actually almost missed being covered in dirt every minute, the leaking showers and barking dogs. Who would have thought I’ve actually become fond of this rustic apartment? And as per usual, things are hectic…as in getting a good grumble or two out of Claire and I from Vittorio’s unrealistic expectations. Fall is here and its been raining virtually non stop. The cool weather is a pleasant surprise and a great incentive to keep working.
Lessons of the week:
- Chocolate cures all
- Sometimes you have to go through the valley to stand on the mountain of God
- When you bring something with you for a whole trip and leave it behind one time…that is the one time you will need it
- A minute early is still early
- When you have clothes for warm weather, it will change on you and finally cool off, leaving you chilly
- Flies are obnoxious
I locked my stuff up in a locker at the train station and headed off on an unknown adventure. Low and behold 3 great things happened. First was experiencing a fair in another country. There was live music, dancing (swing, country and salsa), food (brats, crepes, ice cream and beer), and great people watching. I sat underneath a tree and had a good reflection on where I was in life. I cried a bit and laughed a bit. I cried because my goodbye was too short, because for a moment my future was incredibly overwhelming, because I missed home, and because my grandpa died, I cried because of joy in my life and I cried because I can. I laughed at the dogs and kids playing in the park and I laughed at the ironicy of my life. I took pictures and journaled and allowed myself to just be in the moment…no agenda, no plan, no rush. I ate a brat, listened to a guitarist and watched entertainers put a sparkler on their heads.
At 6 pm I went to Mass. I know Mass is Mass, but there is something to be said for really understanding the words, not just what is happening. This Mass was an ENGLISH LANGUAGE Mass. I needed desperately some spiritual food for my brain. I layed my worries down in prayer and rejoiced in being home again, getting to really interact with other believers. Still, as I left Mass my heart was still kind of heavy, I wanted to share my last few hours with someone, anyone familiar, sometimes you don’t want to be alone and I was strongly having one of those afternoons.
I walked to Marienplatz and saw a huge crowd gathered. It looked like Mass. I asked a lady. Wrong. In her simple English she explained to me that it was a Procession for Mary because it was Mary’s name day…or something of the sort. They were celebrating her. The lady’s name is Hildegard and she asked if I wanted/could join. After a brief pause, I agreed. She gave me her candle just in time for the start of the procession. And so I spent my last night in Munich walking the streets praying the rosary in German and singing German praise songs with thousands of others by candlelight. As I walked and prayed I watched the people around me. Some were wearing cultural clothes (forgot the technical names, but the dresses and suspenders…liederhosing clothes), some current fashions. There were seven year olds and eighty seven year olds. When I turned behind me all I could see was a sea of candles. As I walked and prayed peace filled my heart and I was reminded that my family is all around me…in Christ, in my heart, in a country thousands of miles away, in heaven. And I felt joy that where I felt desolate, God surrounded me with more people of faith than I possibly could have imagined possible in that moment. I didn’t want to leave.
When I looked at my clock I realized that I stayed much later than planned. I had fifteen minutes to get back to the Haupbahnhof, get my luggage and get to my train. YIKES! I RAN through the station and made it on at 9:02, one minute before my departure time of 9:03. I am getting good at this just in time stuff! I found out when I got on that it was running late, lucky for me! So I had time to get settled in before the long 11 hour train ride, 3 hour layover in Florence, 2 hour train ride to Siena, 4 hour wait in Siena, 45 minute bus ride to Tocchi and 10 minute hike home. Needless to say I was tired.
And much to my delight it is great to be back home….where cars don’t wake you up every half hour, where the flies still drive you bonkers and where communication lines are still fuzzy. I am serious; I actually almost missed being covered in dirt every minute, the leaking showers and barking dogs. Who would have thought I’ve actually become fond of this rustic apartment? And as per usual, things are hectic…as in getting a good grumble or two out of Claire and I from Vittorio’s unrealistic expectations. Fall is here and its been raining virtually non stop. The cool weather is a pleasant surprise and a great incentive to keep working.
Lessons of the week:
- Chocolate cures all
- Sometimes you have to go through the valley to stand on the mountain of God
- When you bring something with you for a whole trip and leave it behind one time…that is the one time you will need it
- A minute early is still early
- When you have clothes for warm weather, it will change on you and finally cool off, leaving you chilly
- Flies are obnoxious
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Cheese, Wine and Trains
I LOVE SUISSE-ER-LAND!!!
The mountains, the rolling hills of grass, cows dotting the land, barns, and flowers on porches. I love the open country, the trains, the shopping, the chocolate, the hiking, the cheese, wine and locals.
I am so sad that tonight is my last night in Zurich. Sad that tomorrow is my last night in Germany. And yet...I am excited to return home to La Ripa...back to broken showers and stoves, muddy floors, dirt, flies and good memory making experiences.
Today was fun...interesting. Well, let me start with last night...After a day on the top of Mount Pilatus (full of hiking, clouds, swiss cheese fondue and the longest tobaggon ride in Switzerland) we came back to the hotel for dinner. At this hotel free wine is available to our disposal...a dangerous situation for my fun loving family. So, with the idea to walk around town and go to a live music bier garten, we filled coffee cups...yes coffee...with wine, put on the lids and walked out the door. Needless to say it was very fun to walk through old town...comparable to New Orleans or New York with the restraunts, people, clubs and music. Some areas were less than appropriate, but overall a good time. I even rode the randomly placed Ferris Wheel!! In Switzerland, you can not ride with drugs in your system, duh. Fortunately, a tiny alcholic influence is no big. They even let you stand in it! I had a lot of fun. We strolled through the streets until midnight, laughing (or rather, I was laughing at them and at certain occasions joining in with them or walking ahead pretending to not know them, :)) and joking. I slept very well.
Now, today...
Appenzell Switzerland. Do you remember my comment if you can not beat em, join em? I think I am mastering the fine art of not being embarrassed by travelling with a loud crowd. A loud crowd is not a bad thing, it is an opportunity to laugh quite a bit (and turn blush red in between). So, today was basically a day of shopping. We boarded the train at 10:00, now only arriving about ten minutes early. We are getting a little better at this group train travel thing. No one was left behind, no one got on the wrong car (a miracle in itself!).
The train wound through green country side, the simplest way to describe the beauty I was blessed to see. On the way I played Spades with my dad, mom and Cathy and we
were laughing the whole time. See, my mom hates to lose and my dad loves nothing more than to give her a hard time and they both change rules to their advantage in a teasing (slighty very competitive way), it was just pure fun. When we got to Appenzell, we shopped. My mom and I browsed the stores for clothes, junk and random stuff. We skipped lunch to continue our shopping endeavors, planning to eat on the train. And a picnic on the train we had indeed (We also spent a lot of time shopping for this). We had precisely 5, yes FIVE bottles of wine, 3 hunks of cheese (very GOOD cheese), three loaves of bread, and about eight pastries for dessert to share among seven people. We consumed it on the train. It was a very...loud...ride back. Fortunately our car was empty. And I could not even tell you what or why they (I just laughed and took movies) were so stinking loud...I guess things are funnier with wine.
I don't know, words really can't express the experience. Its weird writing out such brief descriptions of experiences so culturally enriching. I was thinking today that I only have about a month left in Europe. And the longer I am away from the states, the more this area feels like home, even without a community for Church, even when I don't speak a word of Dutch or German or whatever the language is now. I just love it, I love travelling. I am glad and blessed that I have decided to stay. I am not sure about coming home...the uncertainties about my future there threaten to haunt me. Pressures of getting a job, starting my life as an adult is intimidating!
One of the best parts of travelling with aunts, uncles, parents and friends is that I have come to not be afraid of getting older (except the body aches), ("older" people are actually pretty fun, also confirmed by guests at La Ripa). I felt able to interact with them as an adult most of the time (not just a daughter) and that has been a huge blessing. My parents and I used to fight a lot (as most teens do), and it is comforting to know that I am growing not only spiritually and personally, but also into a real adult. AHH!! Fortunately I am a kid at heart and still like chocolate from the chocolate bin, stupid jokes, skipping down paths and eating ice cream at 3 am. I am a kid at heart learning to function in a grown up society.
Curently a party somewhere is playing love shack and I wanna go dancing!!!! I want to party, I want to go to a wedding!! I REALLY want to ride a camel and ski in Europe. I need a job.
I think every person should get the chance to come to Europe, and if they don't get the chance, I hope to share my experiences with them or lend a little bit of me that they too may have such an enriching experience. WHICH REMINDS ME!!! I am starting a food movement. I'll have to write about this in my next blog. Stay posted. Now, I need sleep.
Lessons overall (some now remembered and others:)
- Never seperate a Munchen from his beer
- Wine on an empty stomach can have a different effect than originally planned
- Europeans are overall very well dressed
- Have I mentioned that Italian stores sell a ton of purple and yet few wear it?!
- Most cities are MUCH cleaner than America's cities
- Americans take a lot of what they are given/have for granted
- History is COOL
- I like Appenzell, mild cheese and Riesling
- European vacation: $$$
- Swiss chocolate: $$
- Getting cheered at from a Bachelor party, eating Swiss cheese with your parents, and yodeling at the top of a mountain: priceless
The mountains, the rolling hills of grass, cows dotting the land, barns, and flowers on porches. I love the open country, the trains, the shopping, the chocolate, the hiking, the cheese, wine and locals.
I am so sad that tonight is my last night in Zurich. Sad that tomorrow is my last night in Germany. And yet...I am excited to return home to La Ripa...back to broken showers and stoves, muddy floors, dirt, flies and good memory making experiences.
Today was fun...interesting. Well, let me start with last night...After a day on the top of Mount Pilatus (full of hiking, clouds, swiss cheese fondue and the longest tobaggon ride in Switzerland) we came back to the hotel for dinner. At this hotel free wine is available to our disposal...a dangerous situation for my fun loving family. So, with the idea to walk around town and go to a live music bier garten, we filled coffee cups...yes coffee...with wine, put on the lids and walked out the door. Needless to say it was very fun to walk through old town...comparable to New Orleans or New York with the restraunts, people, clubs and music. Some areas were less than appropriate, but overall a good time. I even rode the randomly placed Ferris Wheel!! In Switzerland, you can not ride with drugs in your system, duh. Fortunately, a tiny alcholic influence is no big. They even let you stand in it! I had a lot of fun. We strolled through the streets until midnight, laughing (or rather, I was laughing at them and at certain occasions joining in with them or walking ahead pretending to not know them, :)) and joking. I slept very well.
Now, today...
Appenzell Switzerland. Do you remember my comment if you can not beat em, join em? I think I am mastering the fine art of not being embarrassed by travelling with a loud crowd. A loud crowd is not a bad thing, it is an opportunity to laugh quite a bit (and turn blush red in between). So, today was basically a day of shopping. We boarded the train at 10:00, now only arriving about ten minutes early. We are getting a little better at this group train travel thing. No one was left behind, no one got on the wrong car (a miracle in itself!).
The train wound through green country side, the simplest way to describe the beauty I was blessed to see. On the way I played Spades with my dad, mom and Cathy and we
were laughing the whole time. See, my mom hates to lose and my dad loves nothing more than to give her a hard time and they both change rules to their advantage in a teasing (slighty very competitive way), it was just pure fun. When we got to Appenzell, we shopped. My mom and I browsed the stores for clothes, junk and random stuff. We skipped lunch to continue our shopping endeavors, planning to eat on the train. And a picnic on the train we had indeed (We also spent a lot of time shopping for this). We had precisely 5, yes FIVE bottles of wine, 3 hunks of cheese (very GOOD cheese), three loaves of bread, and about eight pastries for dessert to share among seven people. We consumed it on the train. It was a very...loud...ride back. Fortunately our car was empty. And I could not even tell you what or why they (I just laughed and took movies) were so stinking loud...I guess things are funnier with wine.
I don't know, words really can't express the experience. Its weird writing out such brief descriptions of experiences so culturally enriching. I was thinking today that I only have about a month left in Europe. And the longer I am away from the states, the more this area feels like home, even without a community for Church, even when I don't speak a word of Dutch or German or whatever the language is now. I just love it, I love travelling. I am glad and blessed that I have decided to stay. I am not sure about coming home...the uncertainties about my future there threaten to haunt me. Pressures of getting a job, starting my life as an adult is intimidating!
One of the best parts of travelling with aunts, uncles, parents and friends is that I have come to not be afraid of getting older (except the body aches), ("older" people are actually pretty fun, also confirmed by guests at La Ripa). I felt able to interact with them as an adult most of the time (not just a daughter) and that has been a huge blessing. My parents and I used to fight a lot (as most teens do), and it is comforting to know that I am growing not only spiritually and personally, but also into a real adult. AHH!! Fortunately I am a kid at heart and still like chocolate from the chocolate bin, stupid jokes, skipping down paths and eating ice cream at 3 am. I am a kid at heart learning to function in a grown up society.
Curently a party somewhere is playing love shack and I wanna go dancing!!!! I want to party, I want to go to a wedding!! I REALLY want to ride a camel and ski in Europe. I need a job.
I think every person should get the chance to come to Europe, and if they don't get the chance, I hope to share my experiences with them or lend a little bit of me that they too may have such an enriching experience. WHICH REMINDS ME!!! I am starting a food movement. I'll have to write about this in my next blog. Stay posted. Now, I need sleep.
Lessons overall (some now remembered and others:)
- Never seperate a Munchen from his beer
- Wine on an empty stomach can have a different effect than originally planned
- Europeans are overall very well dressed
- Have I mentioned that Italian stores sell a ton of purple and yet few wear it?!
- Most cities are MUCH cleaner than America's cities
- Americans take a lot of what they are given/have for granted
- History is COOL
- I like Appenzell, mild cheese and Riesling
- European vacation: $$$
- Swiss chocolate: $$
- Getting cheered at from a Bachelor party, eating Swiss cheese with your parents, and yodeling at the top of a mountain: priceless
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sardines on a Wire and the Holy Grail of Hiking
Well, currently I am sitting in Zurich, Switzerland in disbelief that I am on the last leg of my traveling adventures before heading back to the farm. The last few days since that first/second night in Munich have gone by so fast! I have traveled to Salzburg, Austria where I saw the birthplace of Mozart and film locations for the Sound of Music, seen the "fairy tale castle", the sight of a miracle and seen some amazing landscape via trains. And while there are so many stories to be shared, yesterday is by far one of the best days I have had to feed my outdoorsy/adventurous spirit. I am also experience "sea-legs" (when you feel like you are moving on solid ground!) from those train travels and the craziness of yesterday.
The town of Garmish is a quaint area nestled in Germany amongst jaggedy topped mountains. It has a load of shopping, woodcarvers, ice cream, authentic Bavarian music and food, cobble stoned streets and frescoes on the outside of all its older buildings. Yesterday we took a cogwheel train to the top of the Zugspitz mountain - the tallest mountain in Germany. From the top you can see the mountains of Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. Of course, there are no giant signs to mark these terrain changes, but they are there, I know...I stood in Germany and Austria at the exact same time!!! (that doesn't happen every day!) And...I didn't even need my passport! But moving on. The actual highest point has a golden cross on top of it. To get to the cross you have to climb on a VERY narrow ridge of rocks that are ice-slick from weather, other people, and who knows what else. Me, being me...decided that I absolutely had to conquer this opportunity. Rock scrambling to a cross on THE highest point in Germany?! HECK YES! So, in my Chacos and windbreaker I trekked past the "leaving safety area" sign and started the necessary descent leading to the ascent. Fortunately for me the path had been modified a little bit with a cable to hold on to and a steel ladder. But even so, my heart was pounding as I looked at the sheer drop below me on either side. It was even better that for half of the trek my dad and uncle came with me! As I left them behind for a realistically very stupid adventure, my "must can do" spirit kicked in. As I grappled for good footing and ignored my freezing hands (It was 27 degrees F!), I slowly made my way to the cross. When I made it, staring at my mom, aunt, and other family across the way, I felt a glee flow through me. I love the feeling of accomplishment. I yodeled softly out loud to myself and admired the view. Going back was actually very scary, I lost my footing once and that cable kept me from falling to certain death. The german speakers around me kept pointing at my chacos and looking at me like I was crazy. I am. When I was safe back in the safety zone, I had my first adrenaline rush of the day.
We spent the afternoon wandering around the ski slopes, eating lunch overlooking the mountain ranges and taking pictures. On the train ride back down I wanted to do some more hiking. After about oh, ten plan changes the final result was my mom, dad, Jane and Gary coming with me. We didn't know where we were going or what we would find. We strolled along a stream flowing with beautiful, clear blue glacier melt water and climbed up and up. About twenty minutes into the hike three turned around and my dad and I continued the adventure. One of the things I have come to love most about hiking in Europe is the Crucifixes planted along the way. They remind me to stop and give thanks to God, which I did many a times. A few of the inclines were steep and hard, but...I kept going, my dad right behind me. A couple of times we almost turned around. You see...the last train back to Garmish left at precisely 5:37...we HAD to make it back on time. Around 4:45...an hour into our hike the trail narrowed. I told my dad I was just going to go two switchbacks up to see what was there and would come back. I suppose I took longer than intended (I went 4 or 5 switchbacks) because after a pause, when I turned around...there was my dad. So more from my curiosity then anything we kept going up and up. Alas, we came to a restaurant in the middle of nowhere, at the base of a gorge. The view into the valley was absolutely incredible. And after a small entrance fee, we passed through a gate into THE holy grail of hiking. What I saw in this gorge took my breath away. Words and pictures won't do it justice, but I will try. Keep in mind that this is a place NOT advertised, it is a place (we later found out) known only to locals. A place we had NO idea we were hiking to. So you can imagine the glee and joy I felt when I walked into a pathway carved into the side of a giant rock wall. It followed into a tunnel in the rock and then zig zagged from one side the other rock wall using old wooden bridges to connect each side. Below the water sprayed path (yes, we were that close) lay rushing falls carving crazy patterns into the gorge...layers of rock. The gorge walls were covered in moss, trees and waterfalls. All you could hear was the rushing water splashing again the rocks, our pathway. As you looked up the sky was white from the light beaming down onto us, most of the vision covered by these looming rock gorge walls. Truly, it was incredible, one of the most beautiful breath taking places I have seen in a LONG time. Unfortunately by the time we found this treasure the time was 5:15. Turning around we BOOKED back to the train. We RAN. High on adrenaline and the excitement of our find and having an experience I could share with only my dad, I could only laugh when we were JUST in time for our train. We made in with a whole minute and a half to spare.
After that we had a great dinner at a local Bavarian restaurant with live music and dancing...beer, wine and delicious food. The day was wonderful. Tomorrow we are hiking again. My legs are SORE...I hope they will last long enough to take me on another amazing adventure.
And as always...there is SO much more to share, sorry that is rather short...internet time is almost over, or I would keep babbling. Love and miss you all!
Oh, and the ride up to the zugspitz was literally a crammed car where we were as packed a sardines...hanging above 7,000 feet in the air like that is nerve-racking!!
These are all I can remember right now (it is getting late!)
Lessons:
Always look around the next bend
Hiking is a great way to get an adrenaline rush
A minute and a half is still in time
Beer is better with lemon
Also: never seperate of Munchen from his beer.
The town of Garmish is a quaint area nestled in Germany amongst jaggedy topped mountains. It has a load of shopping, woodcarvers, ice cream, authentic Bavarian music and food, cobble stoned streets and frescoes on the outside of all its older buildings. Yesterday we took a cogwheel train to the top of the Zugspitz mountain - the tallest mountain in Germany. From the top you can see the mountains of Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. Of course, there are no giant signs to mark these terrain changes, but they are there, I know...I stood in Germany and Austria at the exact same time!!! (that doesn't happen every day!) And...I didn't even need my passport! But moving on. The actual highest point has a golden cross on top of it. To get to the cross you have to climb on a VERY narrow ridge of rocks that are ice-slick from weather, other people, and who knows what else. Me, being me...decided that I absolutely had to conquer this opportunity. Rock scrambling to a cross on THE highest point in Germany?! HECK YES! So, in my Chacos and windbreaker I trekked past the "leaving safety area" sign and started the necessary descent leading to the ascent. Fortunately for me the path had been modified a little bit with a cable to hold on to and a steel ladder. But even so, my heart was pounding as I looked at the sheer drop below me on either side. It was even better that for half of the trek my dad and uncle came with me! As I left them behind for a realistically very stupid adventure, my "must can do" spirit kicked in. As I grappled for good footing and ignored my freezing hands (It was 27 degrees F!), I slowly made my way to the cross. When I made it, staring at my mom, aunt, and other family across the way, I felt a glee flow through me. I love the feeling of accomplishment. I yodeled softly out loud to myself and admired the view. Going back was actually very scary, I lost my footing once and that cable kept me from falling to certain death. The german speakers around me kept pointing at my chacos and looking at me like I was crazy. I am. When I was safe back in the safety zone, I had my first adrenaline rush of the day.
We spent the afternoon wandering around the ski slopes, eating lunch overlooking the mountain ranges and taking pictures. On the train ride back down I wanted to do some more hiking. After about oh, ten plan changes the final result was my mom, dad, Jane and Gary coming with me. We didn't know where we were going or what we would find. We strolled along a stream flowing with beautiful, clear blue glacier melt water and climbed up and up. About twenty minutes into the hike three turned around and my dad and I continued the adventure. One of the things I have come to love most about hiking in Europe is the Crucifixes planted along the way. They remind me to stop and give thanks to God, which I did many a times. A few of the inclines were steep and hard, but...I kept going, my dad right behind me. A couple of times we almost turned around. You see...the last train back to Garmish left at precisely 5:37...we HAD to make it back on time. Around 4:45...an hour into our hike the trail narrowed. I told my dad I was just going to go two switchbacks up to see what was there and would come back. I suppose I took longer than intended (I went 4 or 5 switchbacks) because after a pause, when I turned around...there was my dad. So more from my curiosity then anything we kept going up and up. Alas, we came to a restaurant in the middle of nowhere, at the base of a gorge. The view into the valley was absolutely incredible. And after a small entrance fee, we passed through a gate into THE holy grail of hiking. What I saw in this gorge took my breath away. Words and pictures won't do it justice, but I will try. Keep in mind that this is a place NOT advertised, it is a place (we later found out) known only to locals. A place we had NO idea we were hiking to. So you can imagine the glee and joy I felt when I walked into a pathway carved into the side of a giant rock wall. It followed into a tunnel in the rock and then zig zagged from one side the other rock wall using old wooden bridges to connect each side. Below the water sprayed path (yes, we were that close) lay rushing falls carving crazy patterns into the gorge...layers of rock. The gorge walls were covered in moss, trees and waterfalls. All you could hear was the rushing water splashing again the rocks, our pathway. As you looked up the sky was white from the light beaming down onto us, most of the vision covered by these looming rock gorge walls. Truly, it was incredible, one of the most beautiful breath taking places I have seen in a LONG time. Unfortunately by the time we found this treasure the time was 5:15. Turning around we BOOKED back to the train. We RAN. High on adrenaline and the excitement of our find and having an experience I could share with only my dad, I could only laugh when we were JUST in time for our train. We made in with a whole minute and a half to spare.
After that we had a great dinner at a local Bavarian restaurant with live music and dancing...beer, wine and delicious food. The day was wonderful. Tomorrow we are hiking again. My legs are SORE...I hope they will last long enough to take me on another amazing adventure.
And as always...there is SO much more to share, sorry that is rather short...internet time is almost over, or I would keep babbling. Love and miss you all!
Oh, and the ride up to the zugspitz was literally a crammed car where we were as packed a sardines...hanging above 7,000 feet in the air like that is nerve-racking!!
These are all I can remember right now (it is getting late!)
Lessons:
Always look around the next bend
Hiking is a great way to get an adrenaline rush
A minute and a half is still in time
Beer is better with lemon
Also: never seperate of Munchen from his beer.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Weinershintzels and Biergartens
Oh Munich...
Actually, there is so much to say, who knows if I will even be able to write it all out now!
Train stations in Italy with parents is just funny, in Italy the most time you need to get to a train station before your departure is fifteen minutes. We got there ONE HOUR early. Oh boy. I taught my mom to use her phone and well, long story short even with that much time we nearly missed our train. Talk about an easy way to stress your dad out!
As far as languages...German is extra foreign, I am not even going to try. But after a full day of adjusting to being around parents again (which kind of means surrendering independence) I am enjoying myself...it is not often you get the full opportunity to watch your family through a foreign country! We really should have cameras. Prime time TV quality over here.
Today was the first full day in Munich, and while most people would think being the only "young" person in a group of six "old" people (your parents) would be incredibly boring or something of the sort, I have found that once you accept the fact that you are going to be embarrassed and start laughing with and or at them, it is actually a very fun and cheap way to entertain yourself.
We walked through some part of Munich to biergarten number 1 (largest in Germany?) where we had a very delicious lunch and lots of beer. I actually LIKE beer! Well, the lemon kind...I drank the whole thing! A first for me...woohoo! My family is in short...loud and crazy. My mom questioned him on just about every item on the menu and my aunt made a relatively complicated special order. I am sure he was thinking "dumb Americans!" My dad played a practical joke and my aunt tried to hook me up (oh boy). I have a feeling this will not be the first time.
So sober or not, we walked/rode the tram to the Englishergarten and ANOTHER biergarten...no beer for me this time. At this point the off color humor started to come out and it took all my self control to not roll my eyes. I think I failed. Either way, I started laughing at them...if you think I can be ridiculous...well, now I know where it comes from. The best part of the day was trying to exit the park. See, this is the largest city park in the world...bigger than City Park in New York. My mom has no sense of direction and my uncle likes to follow the maps. Well, when there is a map on every corner and intersection...we ended up stopping A LOT. I actually laughed every time as my mom became conducter of the maps with her long old style umbrella. I laughed even harder when small drizzles became the cause of needing to fluff out the umbrella. Parents.
After finally getting out of the never ending garten (which was BEAUTIFUL), we headed to Old Town Munich. I stopped for ice cream with Jim, a crucial part of my diet and in that short five minutes, the rest of my family left us!! So we fended for ourselves as we braved the foreign streets of Munich. Using our stupendous landmark mapping skills we successfully took ourselves AROUND the ENTIRE hotel, reaching it from the completely opposite direction. I would say that with the three mile detour we burned off that ice cream. However on the way we found pubs, a market, the T Mobile tower, some Subway sandwich shops and the like. Even a McDonalds...gross. The best part of this excursion was when Jim took a detour to his room and I came up without him. I successfully led the group to believe that he was lost somewhere in Munich. Hmm...at least we all got a good laugh. The joke will be over at the reading of this blog.
Tomorrow we are going to Hopbraughouse...the most famous biergarten...I can not lie I am a little scared. My family is loud and crazy and a complete mission to embarrass me as endearingly as possible. Most young people experience Europe with friends, I am thrilled to be experiencing another side of Europe..the side that reveals the non parental part of your parents...and at this point, if you cant beat em, join em. If I am not loud enough, maybe this trip will help me relax a little and learn to have fun with my parents. After all...when things go wrong great stories arise.
So with that, I hope I somewhat did justice to these last few days, especially as I only had a short time.
Lessons:
Rain is good
Ice cream = detours
Lemon beer is great
Crazy parents = free entertainment
Jokes on parents even more fun!
Actually, there is so much to say, who knows if I will even be able to write it all out now!
Train stations in Italy with parents is just funny, in Italy the most time you need to get to a train station before your departure is fifteen minutes. We got there ONE HOUR early. Oh boy. I taught my mom to use her phone and well, long story short even with that much time we nearly missed our train. Talk about an easy way to stress your dad out!
As far as languages...German is extra foreign, I am not even going to try. But after a full day of adjusting to being around parents again (which kind of means surrendering independence) I am enjoying myself...it is not often you get the full opportunity to watch your family through a foreign country! We really should have cameras. Prime time TV quality over here.
Today was the first full day in Munich, and while most people would think being the only "young" person in a group of six "old" people (your parents) would be incredibly boring or something of the sort, I have found that once you accept the fact that you are going to be embarrassed and start laughing with and or at them, it is actually a very fun and cheap way to entertain yourself.
We walked through some part of Munich to biergarten number 1 (largest in Germany?) where we had a very delicious lunch and lots of beer. I actually LIKE beer! Well, the lemon kind...I drank the whole thing! A first for me...woohoo! My family is in short...loud and crazy. My mom questioned him on just about every item on the menu and my aunt made a relatively complicated special order. I am sure he was thinking "dumb Americans!" My dad played a practical joke and my aunt tried to hook me up (oh boy). I have a feeling this will not be the first time.
So sober or not, we walked/rode the tram to the Englishergarten and ANOTHER biergarten...no beer for me this time. At this point the off color humor started to come out and it took all my self control to not roll my eyes. I think I failed. Either way, I started laughing at them...if you think I can be ridiculous...well, now I know where it comes from. The best part of the day was trying to exit the park. See, this is the largest city park in the world...bigger than City Park in New York. My mom has no sense of direction and my uncle likes to follow the maps. Well, when there is a map on every corner and intersection...we ended up stopping A LOT. I actually laughed every time as my mom became conducter of the maps with her long old style umbrella. I laughed even harder when small drizzles became the cause of needing to fluff out the umbrella. Parents.
After finally getting out of the never ending garten (which was BEAUTIFUL), we headed to Old Town Munich. I stopped for ice cream with Jim, a crucial part of my diet and in that short five minutes, the rest of my family left us!! So we fended for ourselves as we braved the foreign streets of Munich. Using our stupendous landmark mapping skills we successfully took ourselves AROUND the ENTIRE hotel, reaching it from the completely opposite direction. I would say that with the three mile detour we burned off that ice cream. However on the way we found pubs, a market, the T Mobile tower, some Subway sandwich shops and the like. Even a McDonalds...gross. The best part of this excursion was when Jim took a detour to his room and I came up without him. I successfully led the group to believe that he was lost somewhere in Munich. Hmm...at least we all got a good laugh. The joke will be over at the reading of this blog.
Tomorrow we are going to Hopbraughouse...the most famous biergarten...I can not lie I am a little scared. My family is loud and crazy and a complete mission to embarrass me as endearingly as possible. Most young people experience Europe with friends, I am thrilled to be experiencing another side of Europe..the side that reveals the non parental part of your parents...and at this point, if you cant beat em, join em. If I am not loud enough, maybe this trip will help me relax a little and learn to have fun with my parents. After all...when things go wrong great stories arise.
So with that, I hope I somewhat did justice to these last few days, especially as I only had a short time.
Lessons:
Rain is good
Ice cream = detours
Lemon beer is great
Crazy parents = free entertainment
Jokes on parents even more fun!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Firenze!
Firenze...Renaissance...Michaelangelo (So sure I probably spelled that wrong!)...pasta, gelato, Ponte Vecchio (The only bridge in Florence to survive WW2!) and shopping. As I sit at the hotel and my parents nap I finally have a chance to write. I'll have to update on the wonderful group of riders from last week (quite the experience!) at the end of these two weeks, but for now a wonderful adventure is about to begin. Here in Florence there is leather goods galore and street vendors on every block. The problem with being locked up away in a Tuscan farm is that you forget that a whole other world exists. For the next two weeks, it is my joy to be able to rediscover my sense of adventure and wonder in the world as I embark on an adventure in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, as I get to experience brats, beer, yodeling, hiking, chocolate and castles, and as I get to have more Tracie lessons (such as dresses on a windy evening can lead to many undesired Marilyn Monroe moments)!!
So...with that in mind, today is only day two of my big European adventure. In these two days I have rediscovered the glory of a clean bathroom floor, clean bed sheets, and the glory of no bugs in your ears...that my parents are not a figment of my imagination, grilled vegetables are the best invention EVER, I still have an amazing ability to slur my words when I get excited, and my version of a short cut is usually the longest route imaginable. I am finding shopping a great way to spend my time (cute handmade earrings, and silk scarves...who can pass them up?). But even more then the shops of treasures I can not afford, I have enjoyed meandering the streets, museums and Churches. It fascinates me to sit in a pew and think of all the people from nearly 700 years and before that have been there before me. The art, the history, the holy and quiet places to reflect are all part of the magic I love about Italy.
Last night I had the blessing to wander the streets at night with my parents and Claire. I got girlified for the first time since Rome and loved walking the streets feeling human and feminine! After dinner and gelato, when my parents left, Claire and I wandered near the bridge and came across an amazing singer who was rocking out on his guitar just outside the Uffizi Museum. He was playing songs from Led Zepplin, U2, the Beatles and some of his own music. As I sat and listened, staring at the tower looming above my head, staring at the stars, watching the people around me and listening, I experienced a "pinch me" moment. I thought of all my friends and family in the States and made a note of the moment so that they could also experience such a peaceful evening in the middle of the busy lifestyle of Americans.
For the next two weeks, even though I will be traveling with parents, aunts, and uncles and the like...I am away from people my age, from Claire, from friends at home. I am resuming travel according to Tracie...which basically means getting lost, causing trouble, being ridiculous and silly, making mistakes, meeting people and having the adventure of a lifetime! Lets just hope after a few weeks of travel I return to work and the US! So far I LOVE LOVE LOVE Europe!
Thank you to all who actually take the time to read my thoughts and stories and never stop supporting me! All my love,
Tracie
Lessons of the week:
In the dead heat of summer there will only be a breeze when you wear a dress
Italian waiters are CUTE!
I still can not read a map well and will most likely take the longest route possible to any destination
Chacos are more comfortable then flip flops
Eat more gelato!
Calamari is actually delicious when cooked right! (Like in Pesto Linguini!)
And many more that I can not remember right now :)
So...with that in mind, today is only day two of my big European adventure. In these two days I have rediscovered the glory of a clean bathroom floor, clean bed sheets, and the glory of no bugs in your ears...that my parents are not a figment of my imagination, grilled vegetables are the best invention EVER, I still have an amazing ability to slur my words when I get excited, and my version of a short cut is usually the longest route imaginable. I am finding shopping a great way to spend my time (cute handmade earrings, and silk scarves...who can pass them up?). But even more then the shops of treasures I can not afford, I have enjoyed meandering the streets, museums and Churches. It fascinates me to sit in a pew and think of all the people from nearly 700 years and before that have been there before me. The art, the history, the holy and quiet places to reflect are all part of the magic I love about Italy.
Last night I had the blessing to wander the streets at night with my parents and Claire. I got girlified for the first time since Rome and loved walking the streets feeling human and feminine! After dinner and gelato, when my parents left, Claire and I wandered near the bridge and came across an amazing singer who was rocking out on his guitar just outside the Uffizi Museum. He was playing songs from Led Zepplin, U2, the Beatles and some of his own music. As I sat and listened, staring at the tower looming above my head, staring at the stars, watching the people around me and listening, I experienced a "pinch me" moment. I thought of all my friends and family in the States and made a note of the moment so that they could also experience such a peaceful evening in the middle of the busy lifestyle of Americans.
For the next two weeks, even though I will be traveling with parents, aunts, and uncles and the like...I am away from people my age, from Claire, from friends at home. I am resuming travel according to Tracie...which basically means getting lost, causing trouble, being ridiculous and silly, making mistakes, meeting people and having the adventure of a lifetime! Lets just hope after a few weeks of travel I return to work and the US! So far I LOVE LOVE LOVE Europe!
Thank you to all who actually take the time to read my thoughts and stories and never stop supporting me! All my love,
Tracie
Lessons of the week:
In the dead heat of summer there will only be a breeze when you wear a dress
Italian waiters are CUTE!
I still can not read a map well and will most likely take the longest route possible to any destination
Chacos are more comfortable then flip flops
Eat more gelato!
Calamari is actually delicious when cooked right! (Like in Pesto Linguini!)
And many more that I can not remember right now :)
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