Travels

With continental Europe at our doorstep we have had the opportunity to do some travelling.  The summer of 2012 took us to Germany (Perlin, Berlin, Hamburg) and Italy (Pisa, Cinque Terra).  In Perlin we got to stay with one of Kim's high school class mates and his family.  Perlin is located in the former East Germany.  From Perlin we took a side trip to Schwerin to visit the castle.  Berlin is one of our new favorite city--so much to do and see; history, art, culture, music, sports, you name it they got it.  Our stops included the Victory Tower, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, TV Tower, Berlin Cathedral (aka Berliner Dome), The Reichstag, The KDW Shopping Center, House of World Cultures, Charlottenburg Palace, Bellevue Palace, Jewish Memorial, sights and sounds of the city bus tour, Olympic Stadium, and several embassies.  The great weather continued in Hamburg.  The revitalized warehouse district houses many theaters, museums, Miniature Wonderland (imagine train sets covering three basketball courts),  The Alster Lake area is surrounded by prestigious homes, a university, parks, and food and tourist shops.  We stumbled upon the Magnum Ice Cream Lounge and a restaurant that serves potato dishes (you can do more with potatoes than boil, fry, and bake--many other delectable dishes including deserts).  Stops in Hamburg included City Hall, Miniatur Wonderland, several churches and parks, and just enjoying the weather.

Rusty and his family

Schwerin Castle

Victory Tower--Berlin

Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

One of many bears around Berlin

Berlin Cathedral

Berlin Cathedral

Berlin Cathedral

The Reichstag--Berlin

Brandenburg Gate--Berlin

In the streets.

Olympic Stadium

Berlin TV Tower

Berlin TV Tower

Minatur Wonderland--Hamburg

Boat Tour--Hamburg

Boat Tour--Hamburg

Our favorite potato restaurant--Hamburg

Magnum Lounge--Hamburg

Hamburg

Soviet Sub--Hamburg

Canals of Hamburg

The "Dancing Towers"--Hamburg

August took us to Pisa, Italy.  The first stop was the Tower, Cathedral, and Baptistry with detour of the greatest gelato we've ever tasted.  Day trips included the beach at Viareggio, Cinque Terra, and La Spezia.  Viareggio has miles of beaches and the water was clean, clear, and pleasant temperature.  Cinque Terra is a UNESCO World Heritage sight consisting of five villages perched in the cliffs along the Mediterranean Sea.  The streets are steep and narrow.  You may hike between the villages or take a boat taxi.  The area is positively gorgeous but not the most kid friendly (i.e. mom and dad wanted to relax while the younger one wanted to do stuff).  La Spezia was a city we transferred trains in to get to Cinque Terra but also ended up on a day trip.The scariest/funniest event occurred when we seeking to enter the naval museum but were told by a navy official that this was restricted space.  When we told him our plight he kindly directed us to our destination.  It was a joy finishing our summer holidays with summer weather (Norway was in the grips of one of the coolest wet summers in recent history).

Tower of Pisa

Cathedral of Pisa

Baptistry

The BEST Gelato

Viareggio

The villages in Cinque Terra

Naval Museum in La Spezia

Naval Museum in La Spezia

Streets of Pisa

Warm and happy travelers.

Starting to Feel Like Home

Our sea shipment arrived in mid June (2012).  It was so exciting to see our stuff and get it set up and placed where we wanted it.  The familiarity of our stuff gave a sense of "home".  Perhaps the funniest thing that happened was when we found one of Barkley's favorite toys.  When he saw his toy he started barking and jumping up and down.  It sounds strange but even our dog was more relaxed and had a greater feeling of being "home."

Camping

From the start of May 2012 until the middle of June we lived with three lawn chairs, two folding tables, air mattresses, boxes as desks, and a borrowed TV chair and beanbag chair. We did have new appliances and TV. Notice the light fixtures in the photos (it is common to take light fixtures and curtains with you hen you move).

Drive the Autobahn

I got to check off another item on the bucket list--drive the Autobahn on Germany. I am proud to say I hit top end on the speedometer (safely), although the actual speed is not much to brag about (Nissan Qashqai +2 are not known for high speed and performance).

Independence Day

My first Independence Day as an American citizen was in Norway. We grilled hot dogs, corn on the cob, and had ice cream.

Reminds Me of My Youth

We have some raspberries, gooseberries, and rhubarb growing in our yard. I have also seen choke cherries around. All of this fruit is a pleasant reminder of growing up in Steinbach. I gave our dog a half eaten raspberry and now he heads straight for the bushes to sniff out more. He also did not mind the sour gooseberries.