Komen Austin Race for the Cure

For several weeks, I've debated on writing this blog entry about my participation in the upcoming Komen Austin race.

Why?

Well, there are several reasons to cause me hesitation...

1.  From the beginning, I wanted this blog to be semi-anonymous...nicknames for friends and family, no pictures of said friends and family, and more focus on the places and events in each entry.  I do it because I respect the privacy of my friends and family and know if I were in their place, I might not want my friend writing about and posting pictures of me.

2.  I started writing this blog mainly to catalog all the many adventures and travels I am blessed with and when I'm old and grey, I'll have a record of the places I went, the food I ate, and the many memories I made.  Subsequently, I thought it would be a good way to offer my opinion and advice to others about the various locations I've visited.  Believe me, I HAVE an opinion.  Ha!

With that said, I haven't delved into anything too personal, too political, too serious.  So writing an entry on a topic as serious as cancer made me a little nervous. However, I feel compelled to write this entry. I promise it won't be too heavy but it probably will be a little serious at times.

You still with me?

Great!  I'll start...

A little over a year ago Bitch C experienced tremendous pain on her right side one night which sent her to the ER.  A few million tests later, a doctors appointment or three, she received the news none of us want to hear "You have breast cancer."  At 32, Stage IV Breast cancer was NOT in her 5-year plan. It wasn't in her 10-year plan. It wasn't in her 20-year plan. Frankly it wasn't in my plan to have one of my best friends have cancer.  Now, I can only imagine the range of emotions C felt with this news, but she is an amazing, strong woman who took the diagnosis head on.  Her mantra of "Kickin' Cancer's Ass" became our mantra and for the past year, she has battled this terrible disease and showed it who's boss.  It hasn't all been roses, she's been sick, tired, sometimes sad, but overall she has truly kicked cancer's ass.

Needless to say, C's diagnosis shook our close group of friends.  So many questions filled my head and a range of emotions filled me.  What was going to happen?  Was she going to be ok? What can I do to help her?  Why did this have to happen to her?  What can I do to help?

When someone gets sick, we want to help.  We want to do what we can to make things better.  C was bombarded with offers to bring meals, give her rides, do various odds and ends.  She was overwhelmed with support and so thankful for all her loving friends and family.  The funny thing was that while she's battling cancer, she hasn't been so sick as to need meals and extra support.  Praise God!  (And believe me, I pray, a lot, every day, for her.  Others too, but she's at the top of the list.)

So when the Komen Austin Race for the Cure date was announced in early July, I saw it as a way to help.  What better way to show her support than by doing the race, raising money not only for the cure, but for funding for the services C participates in with local cancer organizations! So we created a name, made a logo and formed a team for the race with me as team captain!  (If you know me very well, you're not surprised by this at all. Ha Ha!)

When we started fundraising I set the team goal at $10,000 and I wanted us to be Top Rookie Fundraising Team for 2011.  I know some of the team thought I was crazy.  However, I KNEW we could do it. We DID! Fundraising, especially for a cause you believe in, is easy.  Some people are intimidated by asking for money.  Here's how I see it...if you don't ask, the answer is no.  If you do ask, no is just one answer and usually, you'll get more yes's than no's.  

As of today, our team is over 60 members strong and already raised $13,000!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it?  I CAN!!!

Those numbers both in people and money show our support for C and our determination to help those fight in the battle against breast cancer.

I am SO proud of our team.  Each. And. Every. One.

Unfortunately, we all know someone who has cancer, fought cancer, or lost the battle with cancer. I know many women who have been in at least one of those categories.  My grandmother lost her battle to breast cancer when I was six.  A sweet, loving, kind woman who still brings tears to my eyes when I think about her.  Then there are the family friends who have fought and won and a few who are currently fighting and winning.  These women are amazing.  They are strong even in their weakest moments.  Even without hair, they are beautiful.  One woman in particular has the most awesome presence.  She has a different perspective on life and I appreciate her views.  I suppose fighting a life threatening disease will do that to you.  All of these women are special.  I cry for those I have lost.  I celebrate those who are in remission. I pray for all of them. But most of all, C's diagnosis has brought home how truly precious life is and that's it meant to be lived fully.  I work every day to appreciate all the many blessings in life...from the flowers blooming after the recent rains to the dogs playing in the backyard to truly cherishing conversations with my closest friends on the back porch at the ranch. 

In 2 Sundays, we will all gather in downtown Austin in our team shirts and silly flair for the 2011 Komen Austin Race for the Cure.  Some will walk, some will run, but we will all do it to support C, to celebrate those loved ones who have won the battle, and to honor those who cancer has defeated.  

If you want to make a donation to this awesome cause, http://www.komenaustin.org/ is the place to do it. 

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Getting our Culture In...Neushweinschtein "Castle"

While on our European adventure, we figured we'd throw in some history/culture along the way to even out the beer drinking and revelry.  Not that you can't be cultured and drink beer, but by the middle of the week, our livers needed a little break.  Plus my cousin had "See a Castle" on her Must Do list for the trip.

So, I found a tour on Viator.com which hooked us up with a day long trip to Schloss Neushweinschtein that included train travel to and from the castle (2 hours each way), an English speaking guide, and tickets to the castle tour.  If you are interested in making this trek, I highly recommend booking a tour to take care of all the parts...these guys did a great job and made our trip easy.  However, if you have more time to stay in the area, it looked like a great place for day trips, hiking, and the sorts.

One quick note, the castle sits perched above the cute little town where the bus from the train station drops you.  So you have 2 options, start hiking up the hill (45 minutes, decently steep) or pay $1.25 Euro for the bus ride to the top.  I took the bus and on this kinda warm September day, worth every penny. Oh, and don't forget to wear good walking shoes, I promise you'll be glad you did.

Now the castle is not really a castle, as it was never fortified and was not ever prepared for battle.  So...technically, it's a palace and in castle world, a mere infant at 125 years old.  Now I'm not going to go through all the history (just check the Google), but if you're close, this is worth seeing.  The palace was occupied less than one year in total and opened as a tourist spot 6 weeks after King Ludwig the Second's death. (This was HIS castle.) With the limited habitation, the place is in perfect condition.  No wear and tear, no nicks or scratches on the wall, no dust even...pretty sure it'd pass the white glove test.  One down side of the inside tour is no pictures of any kind are allowed.  So until you make the trip, you'll just have to trust me when I say it's beautiful. 

After the 45 minute inside tour was over, we trekked back downstairs and through two gift shops before being deposited on the side of the large building.  Now there are several ways down the hill...the bus (quickest way), a wide walking path (easiest, shortest walk down) or the scenic, longer way down (45 minutes). A, B & I took the long way down...past beautiful tall trees, mossy rocks, a roaring stream cascading over rocks.  The shaded walk provided a serene break from the hustle and bustle of people and city we'd been immersed in for almost a week.

Here are a few pictures from our visit...

Exterior Door...I loved the Cross

Door Decorations

Side Tower of the Castle

View of Neushweinschtein from the Bridge

View from Inside the Castle...yes, you can take pictures out the window, just not of the windows.

Part of the walk down the hill

The water was beautiful

Little lens action added color to this shot, but still beautiful.

A beautiful, relaxing walk down to the village.

So with an item marked off the To Do list, we headed back to Munich.  In a couple of hours, we were back to the station, back to the hotel, and headed to the Hofbrauhaus to get back to beer drinking.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Dressing the Part...Dirndl Shopping in Munich

Now in my mind, no trip to Oktoberfest would be complete without having a dirndl to wear to the festivities.  The Broads were on board with getting one too, so before we could go to Oktoberfest, we first had to go dirndl shopping! 

What's a dirndl you ask? 

In the 19th century, dirndls were worn by Austrian or Bavarian servants and the working women of the region.  In the 1870's, the upper classes adopted the dirndl as high fashion and today's styles vary from simple to exquisitely crafted dresses made of expensive materials.  The dirndl is mostly worn in Austria and Bavaria (Southern Germany) and is used as an everyday dress primarily by older women in rural areas.  Other women wear it at formal occasions and during traditional events. The dirndl consists of a bodice, blouse, full skirt and apron.  In Southern German dialects, Dirndl originally referred to a young woman or girl and Dirndlgewand to the dress.  However, today, Dirndl may refer either to a young woman or the dress.

On our second day in Munich, the broads and my cousin headed out to find the perfect dirndl!  My first impression of dirndl shopping was a quaint little shop with Bavarian decor and old German ladies as the shopkeeper.  While there were a few shops a little more "German" than others, we found most of the dirndls in German department stores.  So we headed up the escalator at the Galleria department store to see what options were available.  It took a little work to figure out what sizes we needed as German sizes are numbered differently, but once we solved that, we were good to go.  Many stores later, we all found great dirndls!  

The shopping was not without folly!  Dirndl blouses are half shirts which make it a challenge to get on and off.  Many of the dresses have side zippers and B found out first hand that there are dangers in side zippers.  My cousin was helping B into her dirndl and zipped her side up...ouch!! While it wasn't funny, especially in that hot dressing room, we couldn't help but laugh.  Sorry B!  

After many hours of shopping, looking, trying on, we made our purchases and were ready to hit Oktoberfest in style!  I was also excited to have my very own German dirndl to wear not only in Munich but in the coming months at Wurstfest in New Braunfels. 

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Hofbrauhaus Munchen

The Hofbrauhaus, founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V, is one of Munich's most famous and oldest beer halls. The beer became world famous with the "Bavarian Beer Purity Law" of 1516 which stated only natural ingredients could be used in the brewing process.  Many notable people frequented the Hofbrau, with Mozart and Hitler being among the most famous.  Mozart lived nearby and claimed to have written the opera Idomeneo after several visits to the Hofbrauhaus, which prepared him for the task. 

The Munich Communist government set up headquarters in the beer hall in 1919 and by 1920, Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists held their first meeting in the Festival Room, Festsaal, on the third floor.  The Nazi Party used the halls to declare policies and hold functions.  Ironically, Hitler did not drink beer, eat red meat, or smoke, so other than using the hall for Nazi Party functions, he did not partake of the activities on the first floor.  (If you look closely, you can see where the swastikas have been painted over on the ceiling.)

As you can guess, this famous beer hall is a favorite among tourists and our first night in Munich, we were three of many tourists enjoying the revelry, cold beer and tasty food of the Hofbrauhaus.  If you've never been to Munich, you must make this place your first stop for German food and beer.  It will not disappoint!

The atmosphere when you walk in is awesome!  The large hall is filled with "oompah" music from the house polka band and people are singing along while toasting each other.  For those of you who have been to Wurstfest, the feeling is similar.  Many people sitting together, enjoying good beer and great company.  Now let me explain the seating at the beer halls...it's communal.  There are no 4-tops or 6-tops or even a hostess, but just long tables with wooden benches.  Find a place to sit and make new friends!  

Hofbrauhaus Menu

Another thing to note is the beer.  When you go to a brewery, like Hofbrauhaus or Augustiner, you will drink the beer they brew.  There is no selection of brands, but the types of beer they offer.  Now don't worry.  If you're a beer drinker, I guarantee you will like what they serve.  Oh and they serve it in big glasses!  The large glasses, known as a Maß (mas), are 1 liter or 33 fluid ounces.  The beer is strong, the servings are large and you will have a great time!  Fair warning: The first Maß goes down easy.  If you're not careful, you'll be ordering your third and be drunk! (Not that it's a bad thing...)

As for the food, it's delicious.  Ask for an English menu if you can't read German to avoid ordering something you might not enjoy.  The sausages were tasty, the big pretzels perfectly crunchy and soft, and the other meats mouthwatering good.  Oh and if you see Pork Knuckle on the menu, it sounds gross but is actually pretty good.

We visited the Hofbrauhaus two different times... 

The first night in Munich, A, B and I went there for dinner and our first German beers.  We found an empty table, ordered up our food and beers and toasted our first night in Germany!  During the course of several hours, we toasted multiple times (Prost!) and later in the evening (and many Maß into it) we were joined by some German grenades. (See Jersey Shore for grenade reference.)  Now, I appreciate meeting new people and we did learn some tips about attending Oktoberfest, but after a while these dudes were a bit much.  However B did get a marriage proposal from one of them!  So after the one sitting next to me told me to speak German to him, it was time for the check. 

A few nights later, after our trip to Neuschwanstein Schloss, A, B, my cousin, her hubby & I headed to the Hofbrauhaus for dinner.  Neither of them had been yet, so we definitely had to make the trip!  We arrived a few hours later than our first visit and the place was packed.  After a lap around the inside, we headed outside and found a table occupied with a nice American couple from Arizona.  Now my cousin's hubby doesn't know a stranger, so within minutes we were friends with the Arizona folks.  After many beers and plenty of food later, we wrapped up our evening.  Another great night in an old German beer hall.  It really doesn't get much better than nights like this.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...






 

A little train ride...

After a wonderful time in Florence, it was time to head to Germany!

Early Monday morning,

we hopped on a train to Bologna.

Then another train to Verona.

Then our final train to Munich.

This day long excursion took us through Northern Italy, the middle of Austria, the Alps and a nice chunk of Bavaria, a.k.a Southern Germany.

This train trip was A's first train travel in Europe and she definitely got to experience the European train system.  The first train was fancy, the second a basic regional train, and the final one a solidly nice train, but not fancy like the first. (Too bad!)

The final train, a 5 hour trip, placed us in our own compartment that would be shared with other people.  Before the train left the station in Verona, we all said a little prayer to have good folks sharing the compartment with us and for all of them to have showered or used deodorant recently.  (Come on! You would too!)  For the first 2 hours, we had the compartment to ourselves which was really nice.  We chatted, napped, and enjoyed the scenery.  A stop in northern Italy brought us our first passengers...a nice German woman, who spoke no English, and an Italian man, who talked on the phone for the majority of his train ride.  Another stop, the Italian departed and the train compartment was left to the four of us.

Somewhere in Austria, we picked up our final and most memorable passenger...Captain Smelly McGee from Australia.  Cappy, in his early 60's, bumbled his way into our compartment.  A man on day 21 of a 24 day tour of Europe and I'm pretty sure he hadn't bathed more than once during his trip.

As his odor filled the compartment, he began chatting with us.  Now I'm quite the talker, but on this day, I just didn't feel like engaging ol' Captain.  B & I leaned our heads into the hallway frequently for breaths of fresh air as A engaged Capt. Smelly in conversation.  They discussed his trip, his phone card usage (he'd used all but 14 minutes of his 160 min card...shocking!), McDonald's filet of fish vs. an Australian competitor, and the value of said food. Captain old us stories about losing his money, passport, and other things by leaving them on the train...more than once. He also showed us his Captain's hat that a lady had drawn boobies on at last year's Oktoberfest.  Classy!

Did I feel bad about leaving A with the old guy? No.  Not really.  She's pretty good about shutting out people if she wants, but she chose to keep chatting with him.  So I left her with him chatting about whatever it was he rambled on about including above mentioned topics.  Now the sweet German woman is there for all of this.  She's quietly holding her bag, looking out the window, but you can tell she even thinks he smells.

Almost a hour before our final destination, the train makes a stop.  The German lady gathers her stuff and says "Munchen" and walks out of the compartment.  Now this is not the final stop.  Nor is this her stop because the tag on our compartment said she was going to Munich.  So we wonder where she's going.  Maybe she changed her plans and is getting off at this location instead.  We say goodbye and deal with another hour of Cappy.

The train pulls into the Munich Hbf and we gather our stuff as quickly as possible.  We are ready to be off the train and away from Smelly McGee.  A and I bust down the hallway and head to the door...where low and behold who do we see??  The sweet German lady from our compartment.  We make eye contact and all start to laugh.  She had this guilty look on her face because she left early and was trying to tell us to come with her.  Our best guess is she went to the dining car for the remainder of trip to avoid the odorous man.  The three of us laughed SO hard that she had left.  B is stuck behind the Captain and at one point yells at him "Mister! Mister! You forgot your bag." He'd left his suitcase just sitting in the hallway and was getting off the train.  No wonder he'd lost stuff...he didn't know how to keep track of anything.  

With our arrival in Munich, we headed through the train station and around the corner to our hotel.  We were greeted at the front steps by my cousin and her husband having a beer on the patio.  After a nice little visit, we headed to our rooms, dropped our bags, and headed off for our first beers in Germany.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Italian Bonus

Ponte Vecchio

Leaving a day early for the Oktoberfest fun, the broads snuck in a short but wonderful few days in Florence, Italy. The long flight overseas makes for a very long day, but the best way to get in the current time zone is not to crash immediately when you arrive.  With that in mind, we arrived to Florence early afternoon, dropped out bags at the hotel and headed out to find lunch. 

There's a great little spot right behind the leather market that has solid pizza and a tasty risotto.  I've eaten there a couple times now and really enjoy the food.  It's the weakest meal we experienced while in the city, but it still knocks the socks off most Italian establishments in the US. Afterwards, we walked around looking at the buildings, window shopping a little and enjoying our first (of many) cups of gelato. 

Ah gelato.  How I love you so! I'm a huge ice cream fan but it doesn't hold a candle to real Italian gelato.  Now, I'm sure you've had it in the states, but it's just not the same.  Really. Really.  There's a freshness, a flavor-fulness that truly cannot be replicated. That's not saying there isn't good gelato in the US, but this is truly best. Some could argue that it tastes better because of the location.  True.  I will give you that.  However, I still say head to head, the real stuff will win every time.

Bell Tower at Duomo

Fighting the urge to crash, we head to the hotel, The Hermitage, to have a drink on the roof top terrace.  The terrace overlooks the Ponte Vecchio and provides stunning views of the many prominent buildings in Florence.  The Hermitage is my new favorite hotel in Florence. A big
thanks to LaDonna Matura and her booking our group there last year.  The hotel is not very large and feels like you're staying at a relatives house but without the intrusion of family. (Ha!) The daily breakfast is wonderful and the rooms are clean and comfy (with A/C).

Before getting our drinks, I checked with the front desk about an email I sent regarding dinner reservations during our stay. I had requested a booking at one of my favorite places in Florence, Coquinarius. Much to my surprise, we were booked for that evening at 8:30. Now that doesn't seem very late for a Saturday night, especially in Italy, but after a full day of travel it might as well have been midnight.  

After a quick nap, we headed off to an enjoyable dinner at Coquinarius, a small little restaurant tucked away on a side street close to the Duomo.  The menu offers a large variety of traditional Tuscan fare from crostinis to pastas to meats and cheeses.  I highly recommend two of the antipasta crostinis (large piece of toast)...one with melted brie cheese topped with honey and slivered toasted almonds and the other with melted pecornio topped with mixed grilled veggies.  Delicious!!  I really love this place, but I will offer up that the service is at an Italian pace, so if you're in a hurry to eat, stick with the commercialized tratittorias on the main piazzas.  Italian food is meant to be savored, so order a glass of wine, kick back and enjoy the dining experience.  

As I fell into bed a little after midnight, freshly showered and full of amazing Tuscan food, I was happy.  I was happy to be in Florence.  I was happy to be in Florence with two of my best friends.  I was happy to be so blessed.

David in Piazza Signoria

The next morning, we get up early and enjoy breakfast in the beautiful dining room on the 5th floor of the hotel.  Over strong coffee and a little Nutella on toast, we plan out our day in Florence.  First up, we hit the bustling leather market for wonderful scarves, leather goods, and other souvenirs.  B bought a beautiful green bag for work and I found a purple leather portfolio for all my extensive list making. A little gelato stop fueled us for a walk around the Duomo and in search for Il Papiro, an amazing Florentine paper store.  After some wandering and a little luck, we found the paper store.  We bought a few items and the store clerk showed us how they make the marbled paper.  It's an amazing process and the clerk gave us the sample she made as a souvenir.  

Brunelleschi's Duomo

With all our shopping, it was time to eat again.  We wandered down another side street and found a wonderful little place that knocked our socks off!!  I just love finding places like that.  The Caprese salad (fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil) started off the meal perfectly.  All three of us love this salad and it truly tastes the very best in Italy.  Up next, we ordered three different pasta dishes.  A ordered the Carbonara, which was perfectly done despite the ham being a bit salty for the dish.  B ordered mushroom risotto, which is in the top 5 of my all time risotto dishes.  I ordered the pasta with pepper and pecornio cheese.  This dish is amazing!  Pasta cooked perfectly with grated pecornio cheese and fresh ground pepper mixed in just a the right time to perfectly coat each pasta strand.  What a great find for our lunch!!

We paid the bill and headed out to do some more wandering and shopping.  Florence is the kind of city where you just wander and see where it takes you.  I love taking in the architecture, feeling the city and finding prizes to take home.  One prize I found for myself was a huge ceramic plate painted in the reds and blues of Florence with a pattern unique to the city.  It will look great in my house and be a reminder of this trip and my love for the city.  During the afternoon, it rained off and on and while some might see that as a negative, the three of us enjoyed seeing the rain and feeling the drops on our skin. 

Il Porcellino

After our final meal, we stop by the leather market, Mercato Nuvo, now empty and quiet, to follow in the tradition of rubbing Il Porcellino's nose.  With the original statue sheltered in the Museo Bardini, the replica on the south side of the market allows for this tradition to continue.  Visitors to Il Porcellino place a coin in the gaping mouth of the boar's jaws and allow the coin to fall through the grate below for good luck.  A rub of the boar's snout ensures the return to Firenze and keeps the nose of the statue polished while the rest of the body is a dull brownish green.  A, B, and I each took our turns rubbing the boars nose to ensure our return trip and enjoying our final evening in this Renaissance city.

 

With miles walked around the city, Euros spent on goodies for ourselves and our loved ones, cups of gelato and bowls of pasta consumed, we packed our bags and headed to bed for our last night in Florence. In the morning, we were off to another adventure in another country...

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

The Broads Abroad!

A, B & I took Italy and Germany by storm last week! The trip originated from my cousin's husband turning 50 and wanting to celebrate this momentous occasion in Munich at Oktoberfest.  Anyone and everyone was invited to attend the festivities (paying your own way of course) and celebrate his big 5-0! So, the girls and I jumped on the opportunity to make the trek to Deutschland and experience the real Oktoberfest.

Now where does Italy play into this trip?

Well, you see to go that far over there and not go to Italy would be a travesty in my opinion.  So, for $100 more per ticket, we flew into Florence (Firenze) for a couple of days before heading to Munich.  Firenze is my favorite city in the world outside of the US. I'm seriously in love with the place and cannot begin to explain how I feel about it. The place moves me, the Duomo brings tears to my eyes, and the authentic Tuscan food makes me a self proclaimed Italian food snob. 

After a very short but wonderful trip to Firenze, we headed to Munich by train to start the week of beer drinking and revelry.  This trip was an experience in culture, filled with laughter, and the making of many memories. 

Over the course of the next several blog posts, I will  recount our many adventures, provide a few recommendations, and create a permanent record of one heck of a trip.  I hope you enjoy each story as much as I love writing about these crazy times.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...