Cruising Costa . . . ummm, quite a different experience . . . .

This last September (yes, I know . . I am extremely late on this post and the ones to follow) my brother and his wife came out to Europe for a little visit with us.  We all decided that since our last cruise was so fabulous another cruise would be the best way to see a good amount of Europe in small amount of time.  Our grave mistake??  We booked a European owned cruise line (Italy specifically) instead of a cruise line based out of the United States.  We set sail on the Costa Pacifica bound for France, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain and Italy . . . the stops were fabulous but the cruise itself, not so much.

The first thing I noticed about the ship was that the interior was not quite as roomy.  It seems as if the walls were a little closer to one another, the ceilings a little lower and the furniture a little more cluttered.  The great promenade of the Royal Caribbean ship was long gone and replaced with a small piano, stairs, and a bar.  The outdoor activities were limited to several pools and hot tubs . . no mini golf, ping pong, basketball, etc. The food was decent . . . we ate when we were hungry . . not really something I looked forward to each night.  I have the say the cruise director was pretty amazing . . . she spoke at least 5 languages fluently and would have to say the same announcement five times in five different languages!  She didn't miss a beat!  The biggest disappointment of the ship, however, was the entertainment!  It consisted of the same group of thong-clad dancers and two singers every single night!!  We kept trying . . and kept being disappointed.  Night after night we left from the shows early . . . they were terrible!

Overall we were happy to spend quality time with family even if it wasn't on the best ship in the seas.  We were also able to meet a pretty cool couple from Austria as they sat at our table every night.  We enjoyed Santiago de Compostela with Biannca and Klaus as well as some intense matches of table tennis, aggravation and foosball. I can say that I will never again cruise with Costa . . . and it makes me a little nervous to cruise with other European companies as well.

Skiing the Alps ~ Finally did it!! (check!)

One thing I have dreamed of since I learned to ski at the age of 5 . . never thought possible . . . kept trying to get my family on board with the idea . . . will forever cherish the memory . . . SKIING THE ALPS IN EUROPE!!

I had to move thousands of miles away and to a different continent but I finally did it . . . got my dad to come visit me and ski the Alps for Christmas!  Oh what fun we had! Oh the beauty! The Splendor! The vastness!  I probably will never be able to paint a picture pretty enough to describe it in words . . . kinda like when you take a picture of a beautiful sunrise or sunset.  A picture just doesn't capture what you are seeing through the naked eye.

On December 17, 2013 I was able to finally check a pretty high item off the ol' "bucket" list.  Dad and I headed up to ski the Jungfrau region of Switzerland.  Although not even half of the lifts were open yet the three combined ski resorts offered almost too many lifts to take for one day!  I think we did it though . . I think we hit every single one that was open.  This was only possible by the fact that we didn't want to stop for any reason other than attempting to capture the beauty on a photograph and therefore only stopped to share a bottle of water and eat a nutrigrain bar apiece for lunch. Dad kept making statements such as "This is AMAZING", "This is UNBELIVEABLE!", "I can't believe I am skiing at the base of the Eiger!", "Look!  It's the Eiger!" etc. etc. I have to say, I have never skied at the base of glaciers before and it was pretty stinking awesome!!

The EIGER!!

The Jungfrau ski region contained 214 kilometers of slopes against the backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. It is a combination of three ski resorts all connected allowing us to ski from one to the other . . and back again. The three resorts are Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen, Grindelwald-First and Mürren-Schilthorn.  The Jungfrau is the highest summit at 13,642 feet and is know as "The top of Europe." According to Wikipedia, "Together with the Eiger and Mönch, the Jungfrau forms a massive wall overlooking the Bernese Oberland and is considered one of the most emblematic sights of the Swiss Alps."  Yup . . that is where we skied! :-)




Not more than a few weeks later I was able to ski the Alps once more . . . this time in Austria AND Switzerland with my buddy Sammy!  We were able to take a bus from one of the Army bases nearby . . . boy was that an experience!  We arrived at the bus stop at 12:30 AM only to freeze our deriers off until the bus showed up around 1:00 AM.  There were only four females on the trip (including us) and the chivalrous military gentlemen allowed us the get on the bus LAST!!!  What in the world?!??  They all rushed to the bus pushing and shoving . . like a bunch of 7 year old children!  When we were finally able to board the bus we were met with the smell of alcohol (although strictly forbidden) and a rowdy bunch of males.  Sigh . . . we made it through the 7 hour bus drive and arrived at Ischgl, Austria.

Ischgl is a town in the Austrian state of Tyrol and its ski resort is connected with the ski resort of Samnaun, located across the border in Switzerland. We were literally able to ski back and forth in between the Austrian and Swiss Alps . . how cool is that?!? With both of these resorts combined, it is the largest skiing resort in the Alps. Its 238 km of groomed runs are accessed by over 40 mechanical lifts including cable cars, gondolas, detachable chair lifts and some T-bars. (The T-bar was one lift we were not planning on taking . . we were forced!  Ohh boy . . I am not good at T-bars)  Again, the beauty was amazing!  At one point me and Sam popped off our skis/board and sat down on the tip of a snowy cliff to enjoy the sights along with some well deserved snacks.  We ended up taking a lunch break this day (as the runs were so long and wonderful that we were plum worn out and needed to rest the poor knees) and the lunch was fantastic! We shared a plate of some sort of pancake casserole served with apple sauce and a plate of noodles that reminded us of really, really good mac'n cheese.

 

 

If I had to compare the two resorts I would have to say that Ischgl/Samnaun was definitely larger than Jungfrau but the views were not as majestic.  Don't get me wrong, they were still amazing and beat any views from Tahoe . . . but there is just something about skiing with glaciers to your back.  Both resorts had pro's that the other did not have . . .they were both wonderful!  Since this is my last winter here in Europe I am attempting to hit the slopes a few more times.  YOLO, right Sam??

The overseas visit of some very dear Friends :-)

When my childhood buddy, twin, inseparable companion first told me of plans to visit me in Europe it was a dream . . . I couldn't quite believe it, although I wanted to desperately!  From about the ages of 10-16 me and Mish were combined at the hip.  Every Sunday was a play day with us . . . sleep overs, horseback ridding, cowboy and Indian playing, recording our own plays, sleeping in the shed with a 5 gallon bucket close by in case of a "nature" emergency . . . we did everything together.  Since that time we have grown apart, but only in terms of distance.  She has been living in Pennsylvania for the last 5 years or so and I have now moved to Germany . . . but she is still my buddy!!

As the time drew closer I realized that it was indeed going to happen!  She was coming to see me and bringing her precious family with her!!  Oh what fun we had!!  Walks through the country side, cookie making, castle visiting and a beautiful day at and around Lake Constance and Stein am Rhein, Switzerland.  It was sooo good to visit, laugh and explore once more!

 

Being goofy at the Rhein Falls ~ the largest plain waterfall in Europe.  It was exciting, fun and WET! Unfortunately, because of the tide, we were not able to take the boat ride up to the rock you see in the background and explore . . . but the boat did circle the falls thus insuring we were drenched and pleased with the experience :-)

 

Buddies!!

 

The beauty on the Island of Mainau was shocking!  The crystal clear ponds, freshly groomed lawns, the exotic butterfly house . . . it was incredible!

Village of Stein am Rhein in Switzerland was quaint, cute, cozy and beautiful all at the same time . . . and Expensive!!!  We ended up paying close to $30 for two small frozen yogurts and a water bottle.  I just about had a heart attack!!

 

 

Keukenhof Gardens ~ The Garden of Europe

Ooohh how I have longed to see the tulips of the Netherlands . . . one of my many traveling dreams . . . that dream was fulfilled last April!!  I finally went to see Keukenhof . . . known as the Garden of Europe.

According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately seven million flower bulbs are planted annually in the park over a span of 79 acres.  We were told that the best time to view the park and gardens was in mid-April which is exactly when we went.  Unfortunately we had a late spring :-( On the day we visited the gardens it was raining. . . and the flowers were hiding . . . the atmosphere was not so festive as one might imagine. The flowers actually had not bloomed yet even though the website informed us that many of the flowers were blooming beautifully.  Despite the weather and loss of "bloomage"

, I am still glad we went.  We were able to see a few of the famous Holland windmills and the greenhouse that was housing the flower contest held absolutely beautiful treasures!  Though we did not walk the entire park due to the circumstances, it is apparent that during peak season the park would definitely be a site to behold.  There was no shortage of greenery however.  The lawns were perfectly manicured, complete with small waterfalls and streams running through various areas.  There were small parks for children to play in, beautiful seating arrangements for which to enjoy the sights, even a large maze made out of 10 foot hedging. 

Despite the rather high entry cost into the park, about 20 euro along with the parking cost of 6 euro, it was a good visit and another visit next year (when more flowers are in bloom) is a must!

Bruges, Belgium

Ahhhh Bruges . . . how beautiful, quaint and relaxing you are!  I have been told by several people that you were the "favorite" . . . I had to experience you for myself :-)

Located on the upper coast of Belgium this tiny, medieval city captured my heart! From the cobblestone roadways to the quaint Bed and Breakfasts, chocolatier shops, to the beautiful "Church of Our Lady" (with an incredibly high bell tower), this little port city had proven to be a jewel in a foreign land.

(Church of our Lady as seen from the belfry)

 . . . and the waffles . . . did I mention the waffles?!?? . . . oh my!!  I am fortunate to live close enough for a overnight trip to Belgium but far enough away not to make eating the delectable waffles a habit.  My waffle was an original (powdered sugar as the only topping) and did not disappoint me in any way, shape or form.  Clayton. Beth and Range tried the chocolate and caramel and reported that they were equally as delectable.

The tallest structure of the city was the Church of our Lady with it's tower over 400 feet in height.  The inside of the church was beautifully decorated and incorporated many famous works of art, the most famous being the white marble sculpture of Madonna and Child by Michelangelo.

The Church of Our Lady was beautiful however the main attraction seemed to the be bell tower (belfry).  At just over 270 feet, this tower was a beast . . . yes beast . . . to climb!  The "beast-icity" of the tower not only came from the height but also the fact that the stairwells were so narrow as to only allow one way traffic and the stairs were very small, yet greatly inclined . . and there were 366 of them!  At the top of the bell tower we were met with a wonderful view of the city and market square.  We were also met with rain, winds, pigeons, and frightening loud bells.

As a final farewell. Bruges presented us with large pellets of hail. . . that hurt! As we scurried to find shelter we also found ourselves laughing at the ridiculousness of the ordeal . . 10 minutes later there was sunshine.

Happy 30th to my absolutely wonderful, amazing, fun, beautiful Sister-in-Law

Oh Kelly. . . . how I wish I could be there today . . . the four of us friends have started a tradition (Kimberly, Amanda, You and I) and I wish I was there to keep that tradition alive.

Things I wish:

I wish I was there to surprise you at a morning breakfast downtown . . . to kidnap you and whisk you away to an undisclosed location while wearing ridiculous hats and forcing you to carry balloons. . . to eat lunch with you in a quaint little café in Monterey consisting of fabulous four cheese grilled sandwiches and some sort of yam/squash soup concoction that was to die for . . . to take stupid pictures in Anthro . . . to drink hot coco in Carmel . . enjoy present opening on the beach while acting like idiots . . . and to finish the day off with a production of "Annie" at the Carmel Forrest Theater while sipping sparkling cider and nibbling on carmel apples and cheese and crackers . . . to act like kids and enjoy the beautifulness of friendship . . . (re-cap of year 1)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I wish I could wake you up and some un-godly time of the morning while video taping your reaction . . . to once again whisk you away to an unknown location while wearing crazy feathers and bows in our hair. . . I wish I could rent bikes and force you to ride miles while earning a great sunburn and full body soreness that would last for days . . . wish I could take you to the Boardwalk and ride crazy rollercoasters while screaming like 8 year old children . . . walk along the pier and find some homeless man to follow us and sing "Happy birthday, it's your birthday" . . . and finish up the evening with an improve comedy club that would tell such off colored jokes that we would try and sneak out the back door after 15-20 minutes . . . (re-cap of year 2)

 
 I wish I could present you a large card with pictures of us inside to remember fun times and memories. . . 

 

 
All of this I wish we could do and more my dear sister-in-law. . . maybe we would make some new crazy memories of sky diving or renting quads for the day . . . maybe we would laugh so hard our innards would hurt . . . we would enjoy the company of our dearest friends and make memories that would be remembered years down the road . . .

I love you dearly!

I am so glad at least I was there at your party in spirit  . . .LOL. . .thanks for making me feel a part of the celebration

 

(I have just made myself cry)