3 Days in the Alps

We arrived at the apartment we had rented over the internet in Garmisch, a mountain resort town in Bavaria, in the evening. A short, middle-aged Spanish woman greeted us warmly and let us in. She led us through the building that was once a printing house to the apartment that would be ours. We discussed the details of our stay in broken English, German, and little Spanish thrown in.

It was an interesting apartment with 5 bedrooms. Each bedroom had it's own shower and sink. There were three small rooms along the hall with a toilet and a sink in each. The 7 of us would have plenty of space. But, the best part was on the kitchen table: the largest tiramisu I had ever seen! 

This is the living area. I failed to take my own pictures of the place, so I "borrowed" these two off a website.

Here is one of the bedrooms. They were all alike with a shower and sink in each of them.

I did not forget to take a picture of the unbelievable tiramisu!

The location of the apartment was ideal, right downtown within walking distance of shops and restaurants. The mountains were close, but our view was obscured by rain clouds throughout most of our stay.

Rainy days

Day 1:
It rained most of the day, from a steady downpour to showers. Even the locals held ill feelings toward the weather. One lady stopped us in the street and expressed her distaste by saying, "Dis vetter ist....S#*T!" It seems she couldn't think of a better word to use in English.

However, we made the most of it. I took the small children to the indoor schwimmbad (swimming pool facility), where they blissfully swam and went down the water slide a countless number of times.

Day 2:
After consulting the forecast, we decided this day would be our best chance of getting out for a hike. We took a city bus to the site of the 1936 Winter Olympics. The ski stadium, built for 100,000 spectators, still exists today much as it was in 1936. Even with the eerie silence, it wasn't difficult to imagine the cheering crowds and perhaps Hitler himself viewing the ski jumps from the covered balcony. 

Ski jump

Just beyond the stadium was the beginning of the route to the Partnach Gorge, which is a deep gorge cut by a mountain stream. It's about a 30-minute hike through the gorge on a narrow trial that runs along side the river. When we were there, the snow melt had filled the confined river transforming it into wild rushing waters. 

Wild river of Partnach Gorge

The narrow ledge trail and waterfalls

 

We clutched the hands of the small children and proceeded with caution and wonder. Around each bend, the views were exhilarating with steep walls, plummeting waterfalls, and swirling rapids. We emerged on the other side to a spectacular view of the mountains. The trail continued on from there, but we turned and made our way back through the gorge. 

The view from the other side of the gorge

By this time of day, the trail was getting crowded. In most places, the trail was only wide enough for one person to pass through, so often we had to stop and wait to let others pass through. In addition, it seemed the more the people came, the less prepared they were for the hike. People not wearing proper footwear and attempting to use umbrellas to shield themselves from the constant spray.

A view of the narrow trail and some yahoo with an umbrella, which was whacking everyone in the face!

Overall, it was a breathtaking hike, which I will rate in my top 5 all-time hikes.
 

Day 3:
This day was a German holiday, which means nothing would be open, so we decided we'd take a drive to nearby Innsbruck, Austria. We knew that we'd risk finding things closed there for the holiday as well, which it was, but we were happy to explore a new city. 

Innsbruck, Austria. Could there be a prettier place? I think not!

The mountains surround Innsbruck and capture it's charm within their walls. After lunch at a sidewalk café during a brief window of sunshine, we wandered through their fußganger (pedestrian zone). To enjoy the sights at a leisurely pace and to indulge the small children, we took a carriage ride, which began at the palace gardens and wound around through the old city.

Even though it rained most of our trip, it was a wonderful time. It only means we will have to make a return trip to see the things we missed.

Guest Post: Mr. Bloomsbury

Having received frequent praise for the standard of writing Mrs. B has set, it is with fear and trepidation that I take the reins for this installment of the Bloombury's blog.

 

Since you know us, you will not be surprised to find this entry lacking in terms of written and photographic content. In fact, the only surprise to you here may be that I'm writing this at all.

 

Aside from the purpose of maintaining communications and reporting goings-on, the Bloomsburys is, at heart, a travel blog.

 

As such, this entry is on topic.

 

I am a fan of traveling and, while there are many reasons, the root of my interest (like nearly all of my interests) is that travel is a medium for engaging the world at life-size scale.

 

For the past several years, travel has been a work requirement for me. The range of destinations has been extreme; from tense and dangerous places to quiet and serene places.  I cannot say that I’ve enjoyed all of it, but I will say that I’ve found likeable (if not attractive) qualities of nearly all the places I’ve been.

 

Today, I'm writing this from somewhere in between, alone on a train rumbling across a surprisingly picturesque plain.

 

The train is hot, a still kind of hot, enabled by nonfunctioning windows and a late afternoon sky without clouds.

 

After having spent a winter split between Europe and the U.S. Pacific Coast, I am not well adjusted to the heat and can't readily remember the last time I broke a sweat just sitting still.

 

This ride of a few hours passes through a variety of landscapes including some agrarian settings that appear to be stuck in time from a century ago. In fact, when sorting my ticket as best I could with the station agent, I took pause to notice that handwriting and rubber stamps were still very much a part of the ticketing process. This process was not made easier by my working vocabulary of 6 words in the local language.  While my youngest child would credit me with speaking a number of languages, “Alabamian, British, American, and German," the reality is that I speak very little of any language outside of English.

 

Perhaps it was that moment at the ticket counter that reminded me of these things:

 

1) I was planning to provide a Bloomsburys blog entry.

 

2) As someone convinced they were born far after their time, travel is a way to connect with aspects of the "past."

 

3) The past few years I've travelled a lot of miles, and Mrs. B has done more than most can imagine keeping the ship afloat at home while I'm away (which is slightly more than she does to that end while I'm home).

 

4) Traveling is still one of my favorite things to do.  I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to go many places for a variety of purposes and to often do so with fantastic companions.

 

I will now turn the reins back over to Mrs. B's more capable hands.

 

I know she likes to hear from folks who read this, so let her know what it is that makes you like to travel or what it is that makes you dislike traveling.

Thoughts about Bed Sizes in Europe

We've been doing a bit of traveling over the last few weeks...(more stories about those adventures to come). And we've spent a good number of nights staying in European accommodations, as opposed to staying in American hotels with American standards.

One of the major differences between European hotels and American ones is the bed sizes. Specifically, the "king" sized beds. In Europe, the "king" sized bed is typically two twin beds pushed together. The two twins each have separate fitted sheets, and come with one cover over both beds or two covers, one for each twin.

Here are two twins with one cover.

As I pondered this difference, I thought of some possible explanations for their system and how people could benefit from this logic at home:

1. To prevent too many people from sleeping in one bed. Two people can sleep comfortably, however, if you add a third person, the one in the middle gets stuck sleeping on the crack.

When would you have three people in one bed, you may ask? I slept in the middle of my two small children here.

2. To prevent one person from waking the other whilst flip-flopping in their attempt to get comfortable. 

3. To prevent one person from hogging all the space. (There is a line. Do not cross!)

4. To encourage an end to cuddle time. (Back on your own side to sleep!)

5. To replace half of the bed in case one side gets soiled or worn out, which would be less expensive than replacing the whole mattress. (Perhaps hotels beds in America would be less scary if they got replaced more often!)

6. Perhaps to accommodate different tastes in mattress firmness. 

7. When there are two covers: to prevent one sleeper from hogging all the covers. 

8. Perhaps to give hotels more flexibility to offer a room to tourists and families. If they have a family, push the beds together. The next day if they have tourists, the hotel staff can make them into two twins. 

9. To allow each person to select the weight of covers that suits them.

10. To allow for easier transport. There are no elevators in many places, and stairways can be narrow and very steep. King-sized mattresses are big, bulky, and very heavy. 

Try lugging a king-sized mattress up a few flights of stairs like these!

King-sized beds are an American creation, only invented in the 1960s. Would it be so terrible to sleep side by side with someone in a separate bed? It makes me think of Lucy and Ricardo in I Love Lucy or June and Ward in Leave It to Beaver. We've had the same mattress since we've been married. Perhaps it's time to embrace the culture and upgrade!

 

Tulips, wooden clogs, and cheese

Just a few hours' drive from us is the tulip growing region of The Netherlands, and springtime awakens the bulbs from their slumber to create a colorful patchwork.

We had read that one of the best places to view the brilliant blooms is at the Keukenhof Gardens. Here, the flowers are planted in gorgeous displays with more than 7 million bulbs and 800 varieties. It is called the most beautiful spring garden in the world.

Indeed, these gardens are world famous because it seemed the entire world was there the same sunny Saturday day we visited. There were so many people. Cars jammed the highways. Tour busses filled the parking lot. People streamed in with cameras in hand all hoping to catch a glimpse of the garden's beauty.

The flowers and displays were very beautiful, but it was difficult to enjoy viewing them while pushing our way through the crowds. There were so many different languages and nationalities that when I bumped into someone, I would say, "Pardon me, sorry, excusez-moi, entschuldigung," to try to cover all my bases.

We did manage to capture some photos without hordes of people in them.

Hyacinth

 

Daffodils

A mix of colors

Van Gogh

 

 

 

 

The gardens thoughtfully provided an activity to entertain the children. When we entered the gate, a woman handed us a "treasure" map. The children had to find the 5 stations located throughout the park and they would be given a free flower. At the last station, they could have their collection of flowers made into a bouquet. This goal became our mission as we pushed our way through the throngs.

Overall, it was a lovely place but too crowded. Also, we had anticipated getting to see the massive tulip fields. The fields are gardened by farmers who grow the flowers for their bulbs, which they sell.

A field of yellow waaaaaaay over there as seen from Keukenhof.

After we left the Keukenhof, we discovered what we were looking for. In the surrounding areas were football sized fields of reds, oranges, and yellows. I've read these enormous patches of color can be seen from space! I think that perhaps the best way to view the tulips would be to skip the Keukenhof and wander the region by bike or car.

Besides tulips, other cultural icons for The Netherlands are wooden shoes and cheese. We heard about the must-see Clara Maria Cheese Farm and Clog Factory, a 160-year-old farm that makes cheese according to Dutch tradition and clogs using authentic antique machines. Tours and cheese samples are free!

Our tour guide walked into the room and surprised us by saying, "Hi, y'all!" He was a friendly guy who grew up in Texas. His Dutch family owns the farm, and he told us all about how they make their cheeses. We purchased several varieties: a 1-year-old cheese, a 2-year-old cheese (slightly harder than the 1-year-old), a pepper cheese, and a whiskey cheese. It's a good thing their farm is several hours away, or I could see a habit forming.

Colorful clogs

Chopping the wood

Placing the wood into the machine

Carving out the inside

Glorious cheese!

Brining the cheese

They invited us to go into the barn to meet the ladies. They were all very friendly, and the small children enjoyed feeding them hay. We even got to meet the farm's newest addition: a day-old calf!

 

 

 

It's Spargel Season

What is spargel? It's white asparagus. Spargel is grown in mounds of dirt so that no light can trigger photosynthesis and the production of chlorophyll.

And the Germans are crazy about it. It's only sold during a short spring season so right now it's everywhere, and people are buying it up. It's a German tradition. A visit to the farmer's market and you'll see people lined up to buy it. Roadside stands are popping up everywhere selling it. Chalkboard restaurant menus are offering spargel in all kinds of ways: spargel cream soup, a pizza topping, a side dish, bacon wrapped, or a dozen other ways.

Rows of spargel at the market

Curious about the obsession, I bought some from our farmer's market. The stand I visited had 3 different types, varying in price. Apparently, the pure white (um, Aryian?) spargel goes for a premium, while the spargel with a variant color is considered a flaw and is sold for less. 

Alongside the spargel I found boxes of hollandaise sauce, which I correctly assumed accompanied the spargel. 

More rows of spargel with the boxes of hollandaise sauce

After obtaining the "white gold" and the sauce, I returned home and promptly looked up how to prepare the ghostly looking vegetable for consumption. The basic way to cook spargel is quite easy: peel it, boil it, and drench it with the hollandaise. I'd say it's softer and richer than it's green counterpart. Very delicious.

This machine will peel your spargel. Handy if you buy a lot!

Spargel peels

The "Bloomies" go to Bloomsbury

Two years ago, Mr. Bloomsbury and I visited London on vacation. As we stood in line to check in for our flight home, we met a slightly older-than-us couple that was in line with us. They had their two teenage daughters with them. At the time, we optimistically reasoned that we might be able to provide the same opportunity to our small children once they reach that age. 

This is the eponym of our blog alias.

We never imagined that just two years later, we would return to London with our small children. Never dreamed it would be as easy as walking to a train station from our home, hopping on a train to the airport, catching a flight, and arriving in London in less than two hours. Yet that is exactly the opportunity we have here.

We arrived early the first day, so we had plenty of time to check in to the hotel, which was located directly next to the London Eye and Thames River, and then go exploring. Since we had recently watched the Paddington Bear movie, we took the small children to the train station where the bear was discovered: Paddington Station. I love riding London's Tube because it's easy and thrilling with all the people criss-crossing through underground tunnels like busy ants. 

The view of the eye from our hotel room.

We also went to Selfridge's, a huge department store on Oxford Street, and lingered in their food hall long enough to purchase some snacks and treats for later. After a walk through Hyde Park to see the flowers in bloom, we had dinner at a non-traditional Indian restaurant called Roti Chai. It's Indian street food in a road-side style café. 

Flowers in Hyde Park

The next morning began with breakfast at the hotel overlooking Big Ben and the Thames. It was a bit of a gray day, but the view was surreal looking out over the river. We did lots of walking and ended up stopping into Hamleys, the oldest toy shop in the world, established in 1760. Seven floors of toys to entertain the small children for hours. After we coaxed them out of the toy store, we rode a legendary double-decker bus through Picadilly Circus.

My view for breakfat

What's a trip to England with a proper afternoon tea? Based on a friend's recommendation, we chose Fortnum & Mason. The scones and clotted cream were our favorite treats.

Afternoon tea

Tasty treats

The next day was Easter Sunday, and we thought it would be a great day to go to the normally very crowded Natural History Museum. We were disappointed to discover it was just as popular on Easter Sunday as it is any other day, but at least we got there when it opened. Their dinosaur and mammal exhibits are very well done, and the small children were fascinated. Mr. Bloomsbury and I appreciate the building itself and the attention to detail in each hand-carved stone. I also admire the British spirit of exploration that is exemplified in this extensive collection.

This man is hired to fly predator birds in Trafalgar Square to keep the pigeons away. He let the small children pet a barn owl. A hawk is shown in this picture.

Natural History Museum dinosaur exhibit

A life size T-Rex

Here's where we had Easter dinner . . . fish and chips at a pub with all the local families.

Since our hotel was in such close proximity to Westminster Abbey, I could not pass up the opportunity to attend an Easter service there. While it was beautiful, it was lacking the joyful celebration I had hoped to experience. However, I'm glad I went and it will be something I always remember.

Inside Westminster Abbey

An inscription on the outside wall of Westminster Abbey

That evening we took the small children to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground. It, too, was overcrowded, making it difficult to keep track of where each kid was. At this point I'm starting to think that London could benefit from another plague. So many people in London.

Monday morning we headed out for a full English breakfast (sadly, our hotel did not provide this necessity) and visited the Tower of London. This is another attraction that is good to arrive to early and see the Crown Jewels before there is a long line. This day the sun was out in full force; it was more sun than we had seen in 6 months. Glorious!

The Tower

A view of London from the Tower

A view of London from St. James Park

The remainder of our days in London we spent playing on playgrounds and wandering around. Most importantly, we walked along the South Bank to my favorite street food market: Borough Market. 

We had the pumpkin ravioli.

 Olives

 Sandwiches

The final evening, we took the small children to the theater to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was a great show and the kids loved it.

Our view from the "cheap" seats. It really wasn't too bad.

 

We concluded our trip on Wednesday with another English breakfast and a tour of playgrounds around Parliament. 

One of the places we had a proper English breakfast. A sign on the wall said that Yelp had voted it one of the top 10 places to eat in the U.K.

Overall, I'm pleased with how well the small children did with all the walking and public transportation riding. We enjoyed our trip immensely, making memories that will last a lifetime.