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Sunday, July 29, 2007

the hills were alive today

our day in Salzburg, Austria

Sally Jane at the end of the day in the gardens featured in the Sound of Music
There is no way I can in 5 minutes, sum up one of the greatest days we have had so far. We didn't make it to Salzburg until mid afternoon, because we had to do a little payback time. Which means we do something the kids want to do so that they will get in the car and drive for 2 hours to go to Salzburg.

the pool here at the resort is great. It is only 2 feet deep for the entire pool. The pool is inside but the hot tub is outside. The hot tub is bigger than our entire basement. It is outside and surrounded by the Alps and is gorgeous. So we ate breakfast by the pool, made our kid deposits and then headed out of town.

There is a military training next to the resort (the resort is a military resort and is employed by American college age kids, who are so helpful and nice) so they have a commissary, PX and bank. It has made this trip so smooth being able to pay so little for food, get money without any ATM fees, and buy all the things we forgot to pack. they have over 40 variety's of my favorite Ritter candy bar for $.67.I wonder how to explain to Jeff I plan on coming home with 20 of them..... (everything at the commissary is in American dollars, which makes it double cheap.)



annie kate at the Hohen Salzburg Fortress, over looking the entire city
so we made it to Salzburg mid afternoon and the weather was just beautiful. What is so funny about our non pretrip planning is that when we went to Italy last minute we were there for the cities last day of their summer festival. So we got to enjoy the Italian street market with antiques and food. Today in Salzburg started their week long festival. Lucky us! We found out that the concert we saw overhead the city had tickets sold out 5 years in advance.

We took a carriage ride through the city. It seemed the only way we would be able to see the city as our kids were tired and cranky. I have not seen any other kids cry and have breakdowns, I wonder if that is an American kid thing. Everyone else seems so well behaved.

This city has so much to offer in such a small little space.

We each got a silhouette cut of our profile from a vendor off the street, for only 4 euros. Jeff's looks amazing and exactly like him. I can't wait to take a picture of it and share it.




Jeff may have planned that the shops were closing right after we got there, so much to see so little time. This wooden carving is just like the one I wanted to buy in Oberamergau for 138 euros, here it was only 48. I still didn't buy it but enjoyed seeing it again and liked having a photo.

this little shop was a treat to walk through it was full of thousands of hand painted eggs. ideas were running through my head. The Halloween tree of eggs was so awesome.

So were are literally running out the door to Munich for the day and hoping the short hour drive will recharge us. We are getting really tired, but just can't seem to sit still for even a day. We decided to check out early tomorrow and go to Switzerland for three days and are still toying around the idea of France... are we crazy?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

The picture of AK is so beautiful. I love everything about it.

I have wondered about that tantrum thing myself- how if it is just spoiled American kids who have them. Very interesting to hear that you haven't seen that much of it there.

Can't wait to catch up on Switzerland and France if you make it there. So cool.

Anonymous said...

What an adventure of a lifetime!

Laurie said...

Your trip is sounding so neat. I love that you are doing it with kids and documenting a bit along the way.

michelle said...

I am thinking that European kids may have tantrums too if they were dragged around foreign cities for days on end! Maybe they are well-behaved because they are in their comfort zone and following their normal schedules? (Then again, that isn't enough to keep Eva well-behaved at home...)

I totally understand about filling up the kid bank by doing things they want to do so they will oblige with the things you want to do! What a familiar scenario.

I am so excited that there is a commissary there and you can get some things for cheap! That is a rare opportunity in Europe for sure.

Love all the photos and I can't wait to see more!

LJ, DC and ML said...

We love all of the pics, its all so beautiful!

LJ, DC and ML said...

And that is the BEST pic of SJ!

chloe said...

Seriously adorable pictures of your girls!

Anonymous said...

I love your updates and so look forward to them. Thanks for taking the time to check in!

Elizabeth said...

You're not crazy, see as much as you can. I have been in that shop. I love those eggs. My Mom has hand carried many home.

Liz said...

Your posts are so fun to read! It is bringing back memories of our trip last summer.

I asked my SIL about how well behaved children are in Europe (she lives in Norway), and she said at least in Norway, it is because the parents are way more relaxed and laid back in their parenting styles...not freaking out as quickly as American parents do about things. Letting the kids try to solve problems more before stepping in. I thought that was pretty interesting.

Ritter bars for so cheap??!! I'd buy more than 20, but that's just me. :)

Jill said...

I love that photo of Annie Kate, she looks like such a young lady in that picture and I think it's so cool that she's in Europe as an 8 year old!!

I'm so happy that you all got silhouettes done, I know how much you love those. While reorganizing my scrapbook room the other day I came across a silhouette of Landon from kindergarten and it made me want to cry, he was so little and cute.

Lindsay said...

I loved Salzburg when I was there. So glad that you got to go. I wouldn't fret too much about the kids. Doesn't it always seem like everyone else's kids are totally well-behaved, even at home?

I LOVE that picture of Sally Jane. Sigh.

Amanda :-) said...

What a good idea to do the carriage ride to keep the kiddies in one place and quiet! Hahaha!

Not sure about the whole European tantrum thing, but I certainly admire the way American children refer to adults as 'Sir' and 'Ma'am'. That's a lovely thing.

Anonymous said...

If you can go, please go to France. You would love it. I'd actually suggest Cote D'Azure over Paris any day. Let me know, and I'd be happy to send you lots of info- we used to go there for the summer when I was younger.

kelly said...

awesome! i love austria. what a great adventure for the kids!