Leaving Germany

So after Innsbruck we headed toward leichtenstein, （sORRY ABOUT THE CAPITALS BUT I AM IN JAPAN AND THE KEYBOARD BITES!!!　aND I jUST CAN:T HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEY ANYLONGER）
wE　ENDED UP WEAVING IN AND OUT OF aUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND AND LEICHTENSTEIN FOR MOST OF THE DAY BEFORE ENDING UP IN FREIBURG.　wE HAD BEEN THROUGH BREGENZ AND KONSTANZ　bEFORE THIS , AND ALL OF THESE PLACES WERE AMAZING.　wE SPENT OUR FINAL WEEK WITH KATE AND BRYCE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR GOODBYES! IT BRYCE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR GOODBYES! IT HAS BEEN THE MOST COOL OUR GOODBYES! IT HAS BEEN THE MOST COOL 6 WEEKS。（i AM SO GOING TO HAVE TO REWRITE THIS LATER!!）　oK.. RUNNING OUT OF TIME ON THIS MACHINE SO WILL CUT IT SHORT AND CATCH YOU ALL UP ON THE REST TOMORROW BEFORE LEAVING jAPAN.　cAN@T WAIT TO BE HOME BUT MISSING gERMANY AND kATE AND BRYCE LOADS ALREADY!

Innsbruck - Austria

We were warned that there was absolutely nothing to see in Innsbruck - and you may have been right about that, Gerhardt, IF buildings and historical sights was all you had in mind, But I have never been so enthralled by what I saw before in my life. If you look up Innsbruck on a topigraphical or contour type map you'll see it is set in a valley surrounded by mountains. The drive there was beautiful alone, but to find your hotel basically situated at the base of one of those mountains, and to wake up to it the next day, was glorious. Mike was hyperventilating with excitement at the thought of going skiing, sadly (for him) we only saw the mountains from the bottom. I will never forget Innsbruck for it's amazing location! This only gives you a sample of what it was like.

Munich/Kampberg

We spent the next 3 nights in Kampberg with my cousin Hansi and his family. They also were an unbelievably generous and welcoming family. We were blessed to have the use of most of a 2 room apartment to ourselves on the top floor of his house. We spent the first night playing wii games, much to the delight of Pete and Jorgi. Mike and I even had a go!! It was an enormously fun evening. This was the first time that I had had an opportunity to meet and spend a decent amount of time with this side of my family, and I warmed to them instantly. Hansi, Brigitte and I had some great conversations, over a glass of wine, about Germany's political and social mistakes - I mostly listened and nodded agreement, but my German had a fantastic chance to improve.

During the day, while they worked and their kids were at school, we were in Munich visiting with my uncle and aunt. They both work, so to arrive unanounced and find that they both happen to have the next two days off was a real blessing. They took us up the TV tower, and into the new, amazing BMW building, where we got to see all the latest models and find out about the way their features and systems work. Man, if only we had the money for one of those babies!! Later that evening we had dinner with them at their favourite pub.

Day two started with a traumatic walk through Dachau. I don't think I will ever be able to erase those images from my mind. Mike and I both had difficulty holding back the emotion welling up inside. At one stage, as a German school group of boistrous teenagers walked and joked their way past me, I resisted the urge to point out that their behaviour was not only inappropriate and disappointing, but disrespectful to the memory of all those that had lost their lives here. It would have fallen on deaf ears, as the overwelming concensus is that Germans just want to forget it ever happened. Ironically, we received a text part way through from my sister to say that she had had her new baby, a boy, Luca! Thinking about it now I realise that "regardless of all that man has done we still live under God's blessing" and can experience joy.

We met up with my uncle and aunt after this and together we took to the streets of Munich. Jorgi only had shopping on her mind, but I wanted a fresh reminder of the square and its fabulous Glockenspiel. Unfortunately we were not there at the right time of day to see it play, but it was nostalgic non the less. I also asked to be taken through the famous Munich Bier house - the Muenchner Hofbraeuhaus -

AWESOME is the only way to discribe the atmosphere. I just love folk music and they have it playing there, live, every day. The German Museum was our next stop. There we were bedazzled by the collection of authentic space craft and satellites. The real sputnik was on display!

It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone. We learned a great deal about giving from my family, and I feel very blessed to be counted as part of their family. I am working on not letting it be another 15 years before we see them all again. Thank you to William, Angela, Hansi, Brigitte, Maxi, Nadin, Elina. Es war einmalig!!

Nuernberg

Here we wanted to see the place where Hitler stood to give his famous speeches. It was a very eery feeling, knowing one of the most evil men in history stood here and
successfully 'conned' /scared so many into believing in his cause. He must have been very charismatic indeed. I also wanted to see Albrecht Duerers house, which is inside the very thick walls of the old city. I have a replica of his famous praying hands in my kitchen. Albrech drew the hands of his brother, who sacrificed his own career as an artist to work in the mines and pay for Albrechts tuition.

Nuremberg also has some other amazing architecture.

Dettenheim

This part of the journey was the coldest in temperature, but certainly not in reception. This is where my sister's inlaws live. Everyone was so lovely, generous and friendly, we could have stayed much longer than the 1 night, unfortunately we were on a schedule and running behind. Klaus's mum is amazing in the kitchen. We left with a bag full of home made jam, honey and nut liquer. I would have taken more if I didn't have to worry about the weight of my suitcase later! There's a bottle of Pear schnaps for you Klaus. The morning of our departure we had a chilly -18!! Thank you Birgit and Walter, who kindly put us all up in their beautiful home, Lydia and Wilhelm for sharing so much of your selves with us.

Heidenheim

Heidenheim an der Brenz is where some special people live. No blood relation and yet just as dear and loved. They are family. We were welcomed with open arms everywhere we went and here was no exception. Treated to delicious meals, our own personal tour guide through Heidenheim - thanks Hella, a seperate room for the kids - they were in the basement and Mike and I in the attic - it couldn't get much better than that, a romantic hour of alone time for me and Mike with wine, candles and bubbles, and many hours of great convesation, dice games and Jaeggermeister! What a way to start our family visits! Thank you Christl, Gerhardt, Hella, Anna and Oma Toni.

Between the 5th and the 9th of Jan

We drove home from Paris in the snow and there began the coldest European winter in 10 years. We took advamtage of the snow one day and went skiing. Jorgi had to give snowboarding a try and discovered that it was not going to be her life's passion, swapping to skis an hour later. Pete was the one slowly making his way slalom style across the mountain, and Mike was the one with skis pointed straight down the mountain, yelling 'yahoo', descending at lightening speed and scaring everyone in his path! He is a maniac on the mountain! The following day we took our frozen butts to Europa Park - can you believe it! Temperatures of -7 and we decide to go to a theme park for the day. We spent a lot of time around the open fires to keep warm.

The morning before we left on our tiki tour we visited a pet shop that held more exotic animals than our zoos. Tarantula's, snakes of many colours and lengths, birds of all shapes and sizes, turtles, geckos and other lizzards and these friendly koi karp.