eagles nest

today was our last day of a fantastic trip...we got up to our only rainy day...off we went to the eagle's nest...that is hitler's conference room that is on top of a mountain....it was a really pretty drive up the mountain...only it was foggy from the rain...hitler was given this chalet in 1938 for his 50th birthday....it's a conference room, a tea room and a restaurant...he only came a few times because he didn't like heights...when the weather is good you can see to salzburg...after seeing the eagles nest, we went to berchtesgaden....it's a beautiful little city in germany...afterwards we came back to salzburg and packed up for our train to munich...so, now we're in munich ready to fly home tomorrow..

the hills are alive....

here we are in beautiful salzburg...today we took the 'sound of music' tour...what a fun way to see the city...we saw all the spots where they made the movie...we saw where they filmed the front of the villa, the back of the villa and lake, the gazebo, the church where they got married...it's really fun to see all these places...we drove up to the lake country where the church is that they got married...our tour guide was a pretty funny guy that acted out scenes of the movie for us...then we listened to the soundtrack...pretty fun...the city of salzburg is so beautiful...it's got such fantastic buildings...after our tour we shopped around..found some fun stores, had lunch...it was a great day...the hotel we're staying at is called the sacher hotel and serves the famous sacher torte chocolate cake...a tasty way to end the afternoon...

the adriatic

yesterday nena and stojan drove us down to koper and then pirana...these are 2 little towns on the adriatic...they are so beautiful...they are redoing an 800 year old house in koper to live in...it will be so lovely when it's done..then, we went on to pirana...what a gorgeous place...and my favorite thing to do...be at the beach..we enjoyed the day in the sun, swimming in the sea, just lazying around...it is just so pretty...and what a perfect day..it was hot, blue, the water was perfect..not too many tourists...after having lunch we drove back to ljubljana to meet our van that drove us to salzburg! stojan and nena were the perfect hosts...they took care of everything and made our stay so lovely...thanks so much!

ljubljana, slovenia

today we took a side trip...it was an adventure added into the trip while we were here...we are in ljubljana, slovenia...since i've been gone, i was contacted by an old friend of mine...her husband played tennis with mine on the university of utah tennis team...they came to visit us in the states back in 1988...we haven't seen each other since...she asked if we would like to come visit them and we decided that we would...slovenia is a gorgeous country...it's small, surrounded by alps...has lots of forests etc...we were told that you can drive to the mountains or the sea in 1 1/2 hours...so tomorrow we're going to the sea...slovenia is part of what used to be yugoslavia....it was broken up in 1991...that's when croatia, bosnia, serbia etc were all formed...we were picked up at the airport and taken to our hotel...very nice place...then we went to their house where we had a delicious lunch....after lunch we went to see the town..it's a very pretty city...the first stop was the mormon church...the building was built just about a year ago...we chatted with some missionaries...fun to see...next we went into the city and saw all the beautiful buildings...the castle...later this evening all had dessert at a little cafe...a really nice day...

cesky krumlov

today we took a drive south through the countryside...we drove for 2 1/2 hours to see the town of cesky krumlov..it's a really pretty little town...it's the typical town with a moat type of thing...the river surrounds the town, i'm sure in the old days, the bridges were probably draw bridges...it's really pretty...windy streets, you just wander until you reach the square where the old church is...then further up the hill is the castle...from the castle walls you get a really gorgeous view of the city and hills surrounding...it's so green and lush...we've had gorgeous hot weather also...so today we just wandered around, saw the castle, the town, the parks, the river...a very relaxing day....

discovering prague

today we were on our own for a day of discovery...we walked over to the old town...looking for shops and experiences...in the main square there was a jewish folk festival..in honor of gollem...sort of a creepy looking guy they have stories about...we saw these rolls that reminded me of the sticks wayne gave us a few years ago...they were delicious...then, we went off down all the different streets...we went into the jewish quarter..went to the oldest synagogue...inside there are thousands of names of families killed in the concentration camps...so sobering...then, we saw pictures drawn by little children that were in the camps...really heartbreaking...we then went into the cemetary...alot of headstones! unreal...the jews had to live in this area for more than a 100 years, so they only had a little space for the cemetary, that's why they are buried on top of each other....we then walked to the new city...it's really not that new...maybe built in the 1700's....shopped around...caught a tram which was free since we didn't know where to pay....we were going to the charles bridge, went over the other bridge and then got off and walked back...on the way we saw these odd statues of people with really weird faces....the charles bridge is a romantic bridge...unless you're with 2 girls and you're the mother....and if they weren't reconstructing it...so, it was nice but not the experience everyone tells you about...we finished off the day at the hotel restaurant which is supposed to be the finest in the city...very nice, we felt like we were the judges on top chef...everything was a little different...a fun experience...so more adventures tomorrow....

what a beautiful city!

we got up early this morning and drove through the rain to the airport...where we got on a pretty tiny little plane...i had thought of joking and saying' that's our plane', and then it really was...kerry's face was hysterical...it was a prop type plane..plus, luckily we checked in early, because it was supposed to leave at 8:55 am, but, we really left at 8:35 am...interesting...so, we got to prague...it is really gorgeous..i really think it's so beautiful...all the buildings are interesting and just really pretty..it's an easy city to walk around also..we found that out when we took a tour this afternoon...we went with a tour guide...she had sooooooooo much information...you'd almost fall asleep and then when you came too, she was on the same story...but, she was just doing her job...the girls were a few paces behind, missing most of it...we saw some fantastic sights though...the astronomical clock..it tells the month, horoscope sign etc...we saw the best preserved Jewish area in europe...the castle, changing of the guards...shannon saw a lady washing her teeth in the sink in the bathroom...we saw the oldest synagogue, we saw a statue to kafka, we had hot chocolate that tasted like a melted chocolate bar, the jewish graveyard where the people are buried at least 12 on top of each other, the square where the communist revolution started...and a lot of beautiful scenery...i'll tell you, i was exhausted after 4 hours...so we came back to the hotel and immediately all fell asleep...so, tomorrow, more of this beautiful city...

shopping!

today there aren't many pictures...we were too busy shopping! of course, we had bigger plans, we were planning to go to the thermal baths...but the sun wasn't shining...so we walked down the shopping street and found alot of fun stuff...after our long walk home...we all had a great spa treatment...what a great way to end the day...so tomorrow...on to prague...

buda and pest

i might have mentioned that budapest is actually 2 cities on the danube river...today we went on a tour of it...beautiful! we saw all of the 'hot spots'...the castle hill, the parliment, the synagogue, american embassy, we went to their biggest market which is huge and has tons of foods, goods, restaurants...we saw the small little cars that they used to wait 7 years for...after paying for the whole thing...and of course, you couldn't pick the color! we rode the funicular, saw the beautiful cathedral, the tiles on the roofs are so pretty...alot of the buildings have still not been fixed since the occupation by russia, and before that ww2...amazing to still see buildings that have bullet holes in them...budapest has had alot of people fighting over it for a 1000 years...they were part of the Austria-Hungarian empire...and because of that, ended up on the wrong side during both ww wars...because of that, they lost alot of their borders, so the country is not as big as it once was...at the end of the day we went to a fun folk art show...they had people showing how the old crafts were made...very fun to see everyone dressed up in their great outfits...what a fun day!

budapest

we're in budapest, hungary! we flew out of berlin early this morning..i had an interesting thing happen...i had an allergic reaction to something i ate...at least i think that's what it was...i'm allergic to hazlenuts which is in everything over here...and i'm wondering if that what it was...on the way to the airport, i started getting all tingly, then my skin broke out in a splotchy rash...i looked like i'd been sunburned really bad...i was hot...it was weird...i took a benadryl...then, after about an hour it went away...but, have been feeling sort of bad all day...kerry also hasn't been feeling so good..as a result, we're taking it sort of easy....so we got to the hotel...very pretty, on the danube river.we are on the pest side...budapest is really 2 cities connected by the river....we walked around a bit...it's really hot here..surprisingly..it's st. stephens day...a big holiday...we saw a jet show....lots and lots of people...tomorrow we'll see the city...so more later...

day in berlin

today we got up pretty late...then we walked over to the jewish holocaust museum...it's alot of squares called stelae that look sort of like a coffin shape...they are all different heights...pretty amazing looking...then we walked over to the brandenburg gate...it was behind the wall in east germany and the east germans changed the sculpure to be facing east instead of west...we took a bus tour around the city, saw parts of the old wall...check point charlie, where i actually got to go through about 33 years ago during my first trip to europe...back then it was still east germany...berlin is a beautiful city...so much history..pretty amazing...after our tour we walked back and went through the museum...pretty sobering to read about all the people that died...they had letters written to families...so sad to think of those people and the terrible things that happened to them.....it's a gorgeous blue sky today...we are so lucky to be here in this fantastic city...

berlin

yesterday barbara and i drove to berlin from wolfsburg...it's about a 2 hour drive...most of it is in the former east germany...barbara showed me the old border that still has the old guard towers...it's an amazing sight...then we drove to the airport...realized the girls were coming into the other airport...so we drove to the hotel, the girls grabbed a taxi...we met up at the adlon hotel...a beautiful hotel right in front of the brandenburg gate...guess it's the hotel that m.j. dangled 'blanket' off the balcony...so after getting settled, barbara took us to the ka de we...it's the biggest department store in europe...alot like harrods...has everything...barbara even found some ranch dressing...which we all know is impossible to find in europe...after lunch we went shopping and barbara had to start her drive home :( it was so fun to be with her! the girls and i walked around town...in front of our hotel is the berlin games...which are going on this week..they have booths, concerts etc. going on all day...pretty fun...it was fun to be with shannon and kerry and hear all about their trip..more later...

vw town

today barbara and i went to the autostrade once again for the vw plant tour...we got on a little bus and we got to into the plant, unfortunately no pictures were allowed...it was really interesting to see how they make a car...pretty amazing with all the robots etc...it takes 25 hours to make one car...start to finish...afterward we went into the building where they deliver cars to people that have bought them..you get to watch the new cars come down a glass ramp....then they give it to whoever bought it...pretty fun...we went on a little boat ride up the canal..the canal goes all the way to russia...after the factory tour we went to the mall for a bit...then to the grocery store...fun to see all the different products...then we went to wolfsburg castle...and had dinner at a little german restaurant...very fun day..it's just fun to be with barbara...

guten abend

i had my first full day here...but first a funny story....last night i was so tired after flying..i was trying to stay awake and finally went to bed about 9 pm...which if any of you know me...that's soooo early...anyway...before going to bed i had asked for a 7 am wake up call...i woke up and looked at my watch...it said 7...i thought..'why didn't the desk call me?'...then i thought...it's still so dark..but, figured it just didn't get light for awhile...i was really tired, but knew i had to wake up...well, after sitting there for awhile i was getting up, looked at my watch again and realized it was really 1 am! i had read my watch upside down...i was really glad i could go back to sleep...glad when it was light in the morning...well, when i did finally get up...i got ready for church...barbara picked me up...she also picks up about 5 other people...we got to church at about 10 after 9...church starts at 9:30...i was amazed that everyone was there so early! not like our ward when we all walk in about 10 minutes late! everyone was very friendly...quite a few english speakers...barbara had one of the sister missionaries translate for me...that was nice...only problem there...no air conditioning, they don't seem to think they need it here...let me tell you...they do! it was soooo hot...a couple hours after church bernd picked me up and we went to there house for dinner...the sister missionaries were there..it was very nice...fun to see where they live...barbara and i went to see her sister race in a rowing race..it was over at the auto strade...where vw has built this huge museum, amusement area, park etc...a really nice place...it was fun to watch...then she showed me different areas of wolfsburg...it's a really pretty city, it doesn't seem like a big city because there is so much countryside everywhere...so that was the day today...more later....

wolfsburg

barbara and bernd picked me up at the hannover airport...we then drove an hour to wolfsburg, where they live...it is a very pretty city...it's a factory town, they say...vw has it's largest plant here...and i will say that about 9 out of 10 cars are volkswagens...i checked into my hotel, then they came back and they took me around the town...we drove to a little town about 1/2 hour away...this town was divided in half by the east germans when they put up the wall...amazing that they did that...these people couldn't be with there family if they lived on the wrong side...we went to this old farm where the owner has a little museum about the wall...very interesting to learn about it...then we went to this really nice park that has a lake for rowing, bike paths, a big indoor swimming area, waterpark, ice skating rink..very fun place...had dinner there...then, i was falling asleep...so they dropped me off and i went to sleep...really fast...

guten tag

hey i'm in germany! wow...i actually don't have any thing really to say except i'm sitting in the munich airport hoping to get on my next flight to hanover...they said it's overbooked...the flight from l.a. to atlanta was good...we were on a brand new plane which is fun...the seats were pretty cool...then flew from atlanta to munich...that flight was fine...just slept, watched a movie, ate, read etc...it's weird being alone...i've never flown this far by myself...i've always had someone...so, i'll be glad to meet up with barbara...i'm not sure i could be a traveler that's just on their own...too lonely...plus there is no one to share it with...so, you guys get to be my confidants...too bad you can't talk back...i'd call home, but, it's 2 a.m. probably the babies are up with their mothers...well, i will write more when i actually have something to say...the scenery just flying in was beautiful...patchwork greens, browns of farms, lots of forests of trees...really pretty...later...

kerry baby

happy birthday to my baby! kerry is 20! i can't believe it...for one thing...i'm not old enough to have a youngest child that is 20...ok, i guess i am...i just don't feel it...but, how can she be that old? kerry is such a beautiful person..inside and out...she is so much fun...so full of life...adds a spark where ever she goes...she's such a loyal person, her friends and family are lucky to have her around...she is so artistic...she loves painting, crafting, making something out of nothing...kerry has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh...i enjoy being with her...i'm so proud of her...she decides what she wants and then goes for it...i love you so much kerry...have a wonderful year...