Opening a bit of History the Night Before

When we returned from our October 2006 trip, we stowed a bottle of Mitterhein Riesling in our luggage, wrapped in socks (a tip from our flight attendant friend who was pictured on the "4F and 4G" post). While in Oberwesel, which is smack dab in the Mitterhein area, we had an amazing bottle of halbtrocken (half dry) Riesling. We weren't able to buy any while we were there, but in Berlin we found some bottles at KaDeWe and bought one.

We brought it home and on every anniversary, Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, or random German meal, we were tempted to open it. We never did. It's a 2004...and finally...tonight we opened it.

Tastes of apple, earth, lime, grass, even vanilla and a hint of star anise. Haha, yeah, right, I wish I could smell and taste all those flavors, but that's sort of what it reminds me of...woohoo, special things like that are always cool.

We leave in the morning, we're pretty much all packed, house is somewhat clean, and the fun nerves are starting. Gotta get a good night of sleep!

Tschüß!

Clean-up, Pre-Trip

OK, hopefully I did not mess up anyone's rss feeds this morning. There were a few posts from my old blog that needed to be transferred over (mid-2007) and I migrated posts from our Germany 2006 travelogue to here. Thus, 2006 posts are all accounted for!

If you'd like to browse the Germany 2006 posts, click here.

Right now, we're in the 48 hour bubble for a few more hours...I finished tearing out the relevant pages of our guidebooks and matching them up with paper print-outs of our hotel reservations and subway (U-Bahn and S-Bahn) maps that I printed from the transit websites. We learned the hard way by trusting an old map of the Berlin system...back when the Hauptbahnhof was truly at a different station...and we arrived at the new Hauptbahnhof...which put us about 3 stops back in reality. Confusing!

Ryan had a great idea to reuse some packaging that our travel underwear came in for guidebooks. Wouldn't you know it, the pages fit perfectly! So I have three fantastic stacks of guidebook information, all packed chronologically for the trip!

Today will be toiletries, cleaning the yard (already bagged 5 bags of leaves yesterday), cleaning the cars, and final prep before the big day.

Tschüß!

Glücklich Erntedankfest

We had a nice Thanksgiving here at home, with Ryan's parents and our friend Kris. Lots of cooking and the normal madness that ensues around it; I realize now how key it is to get everyone out of the kitchen to stop dinking around with the dishes that they have been working on. By the end, I had claimed ownership on everything (be damned how much time you had already spent, it's mine to finish up!) and the Kitchen Dictator (Küche Diktator) pushed everything to completion.


Sandy stirring the chocolate pie mixture


Scott cutting into the Turkey


Ryan and Kris lining up for grub


The line-up of food...


Ryan, Scott, Richie, Sandy, and Kris

It was good. More than good, it was fantastic! The leftovers have been just as good, too.

We are officially in our 72 hour bubble (almost in the 48 hour bubble) which is an important mental prep point for us. We spend some time last night packing and are down to the leanest pile you could imagine. We have work on toiletries and I need to do a little more transit research for Milan, but we are in great shape.


The packing list and our initial prep work


Aww, I think Grete wants to go home to the Fatherland!

Today, need to exchange my Smartwool socks (I washed them and they fell apart), buy a new Stuffsack (can't find the other one), and do a bit more research. This is my life now, not work. Travel more, work less.

Tschüß!

Reclaiming 4F and 4G

Woke this morning with the trip stuck in my head; the nervousness is always pleasantly unpleasant. I suppose it's nice to know that I've still got it in me! Not traveling that much for work is making me soft!

Picture from our 2006 sojourn

I my typical "I'm not really superstitious but really am" fashion, I have checked 10 times this week already to ensure we have the same seats that we like on 767s...4F and 4G. I also had to check to make sure our flight to Atlanta had been fixed so that we were sitting next to each other. They moved us onto a different flight (luckily with a shorter layover than the original 5 hours) but couldn't sit us together. The other day I checked and some seats together had opened up so I quickly snagged them.

Today is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for - a supremely great life with my best friend in the world. We definitely are flying together in 4F and 4G and the past year has brought so much joy and strangely lots of preparation for the next few years (rental house, new salon, etc.). While I always say "we're very lucky" I like to think that "we're very blessed" because I know that good things come to good people and we definitely try our hardest to be that, every day.

OK, time to break open the Bailey's, have a little champagne, and start tearing apart my travel guides. 4 days.

Tschüß!

5 days and news from Venice

After a couple strong days of work, I left the office today with a resolve to push it all out of my head and get focused on the task at hand...packing, prepping, and letting the excitement charge through me. We are certainly ready, packing list done, money obtained, railpasses bought, seats reconfirmed, parents are here...just need to make it all come together.

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, that will give some time to focus and relax. Every day this month has been running, moving, stressing, and fake relaxing (watching TV but not really caring what was going on). Travel always recharges me and I'm ready for a boost.

On another less-"pity me" note, our friend Silvia in Venice sent us a post on facebook that she might be recruited back to Alitalia at anytime. Which would be GREAT for her! But, interesting for us since we have planned to stay with her (well actually she invited us to stay at her house after I asked for a local hotel). She said that if she does have to go, her parents are so excited to meet us..and her uncle would help us with the language! It will all work out and we are so excited for Venice and the experiences!

Tschüß!

Chicken Primavera

In anticipation of our trip, I've thrown a few italian dishes into the repertoire. Ellie Krieger has also turned into a huge favorite of mine from the Food Network. She does really sensible, fresh recipes that are very healthy. A few weeks ago, I had tried this Pasta Primavera sauce with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, and a beautiful creamy sauce. I'll be making this tonight for Ryan and his parents plus Melissa and Bobby.



This version has baked chicken with it; I've been recently cooking with the "in bone" chicken, mostly because I like the taste quite a bit more...it seems like you have to work it a bit more to get it considered "done" but it keeps better flavor, better texture, and looks really neat on a plate. Another part of me appreciates the work of having to cut it off the bone on your plate and does make me think about the creature that is providing me nourishment. Without getting super meta on you, it's part of that internal struggle between wanting to not eat meat, wanting to respect the food chain, and enjoying cooking and eating.

Ryan's parents arrived last night and we had a great meal at Hyde Park Grill and a good night of sleep. We just finished breakfast (I started cooking pancakes but was just not pulling through on the delivery of beautiful fluffy and nice-looking specimens...so Ryan had to pinch hit and finish the job) and are going to head out into the fog and rain. Costco, Toys R Us to find this game we've wanted to buy, etc. I need to remember to pull the camera out and take pictures; I regret I didn't take more when my parents were here! I selfishly have a great photo of them in front of some fabulous homemade german food. Sigh!

And if you're counting...8 days until Europe! WOOHOO! Yes, we will be blogging all the way.

Tschüß!

I Heart Rick Steves!

On Sunday, I got to see Rick Steves in person. Wow! What a great experience! Unfortunately for me, there are quite a number of Rick Steves fans...there were a few hundred fanpeople packed into the second floor of Bookpeople in Austin, Texas. Rick played it all cool, making jokes and smalltalk before the presentation got started.

While he was scheduled to start speaking at 1, you could tell he saw the audience was eager and there wasn't a place for other people coming in to sit (although they conveniently just stood in front of you and blocked people's view. I know it's probably the stun of seeing a travel icon and hero right there...but come on, move your ass!). So, he started early at 12:45. Rocking!

I have a feeling that Rick doesn't suffer from speaking fatigue. There are some presenters who jump right into auto-pilot and repeat the same scoop, word for word, they've been hawking for some time. I know I used to struggle with that as a trainer and try to keep each experience fresh and nuanced. It's really, really tough and made more difficult by the expectations of the audience.



The presentation moved from learning about how Rick got started in the travel guide and tour business, amazing information about this trip to Iran (coming to a PBS station near you), how Americans are perceived by other countries, and how he views travelers as ambassadors representing their own country. This last bit struck home, since during our 2006 trip to Germany we really struggled when talking about where we were from: the last place you want to be from is Texas. It inspired "George Bush this, George Bush that" but our thin American skin couldn't see past that they weren't dissing Texas or dissing us, they were simply giving their political point of view and we were making the assumptions.



I did not get a book signed or shake his hand, there were MOBS of people. He did graciously speak for about 2 1/2 hours and reiterates why he's a hero of mine - he chose to be entrepreneurial about something he's passionate about and truly sees the whole picture. And if he's got missing pieces in that puzzle, fine, he's got missing pieces. That's a part of the deal.

My next task in preparing for our trip (which is just over a week away) is to rip up my travel guides (mostly Rick Steves books) and take the cities that we're visiting with me. Exciting!

Tschüß!

"Surely no dude'll be left over hungry"

In Slovenia, they eat horseburgers. Really, they do. While that doesn't quite shock me ("Due to exclusively vegetarian feeding horse meat is the least exposed to food manipulation."), I was bowled over by the website for "Hot Horse" a sort-of local burger chain.

It is a great paradox when you look at the actual words within "Kentucky Fried Chicken". No diff between that and "Hot Horse" right? Where you can get a nice Colt Steak Burger. Because, as the website says, "I dash a natural, juicy, properly thick steak of colt meat, which I've roasted quickly, into a fresh roll and fill it up all together with all the supplement your hart wishes for." Sounds great! I'll have that!

Enjoy the website...I look forward to the nacho, cabbage, and ajvar supplements the most!

http://www.hot-horse.si/en/index.html

p.s. We've confirmed our private tour in Ljubljana with one of Rick Steve's tour guides...I'm super excited for that! Speaking of, we're off to get ready for his talk at BookPeople in Austin.

Tschüß!

Leberkäsesemmel

Thought this was a great link about a rather decent german food that, once translated to English, does not sound appealing at all. "Liver Cheese" has no liver and no cheese. More here.

On another note, we see Rick Steves in 3 hours! Woot!

Tschüß!

German Cooking Roundup

We started the month out right with some great Deutsch Essen...when my parents visited, we made Rinderrouladen (which ended up tasting spectacular!!) and then taught my mom how to make Spätzle. She laughed as I donned ovenmitts and rammed the dough through our maker into the boiling water. I know there are some easier contraptions out there...but as Ryan says, it's no fun unless Scott gets burned.

Then, my Mom helped me make Gherkin mit Sauerraum und Dillsoße. It was amazing! Even Ryan tried and liked it, which was a big win.



My parent's visit was fantastic, we really enjoyed them being in our house. We headed out to the LBJ Ranch for a tour of the Texas White House and also did a great 4 mile hike right in our own backyard!



Another night, Ryan and I carbed it up with Knodeln and a packet of Knorr Schwäbische Käsespätzle...wow, what a difference between packet food and homemade food!



Only 20 days until our trip to Europe! I can't wait! Today, being Veteran's Day, I had the day off and worked on train tickets and adding more details to our planning website: http://germany2008.ryanscottsalon.com. Also went to Barnes and Noble to pick up a new Moleskin journal for the trip. My memories in my 2006 journal are precious and I look forward to documenting our experiences again!

Tschüß!

New Camcorder!

Through my work, I earn "Spirit Points" as you accomplish things...and eventually you can look at a catalog and buy something. Reminds me of when I was a kid and sold Christmas wrapping paper or cards to earn points for random things. Times have changed, since I was able to eek enough for a new Sony Handycam Camcorder! It arrived this week, just in time for our trip to Europe, and we played with it a bit last night. I'm impressed so far! The low light shooting might need some adjusting (not sure if it's a mode thing or if that's how it is) but I think the normal light shooting is amazing thus far.

It writes to the DVD as you record, which is crazy, so no more tape chewing!!! WOOOT!!!!!!!

This morning has mostly been trying to secure a room in Amsterdam - we have one at the Renaissance Inn but staying at an American hotel on our last night in Europe will likely be the last thing on our minds. Really!

Today should be preparing the packing list and tightening up our website for its release to the fam!

Tschüß!

Under 30 days, German Meal Tonight, Train Dilemma Results

I can't believe it's less than 30 days until our whirlwind trip! We are so excited and are also looking forward to the "crunch time" and making sure we've got everything lined up. October was very busy for us, mostly making sure our rental house got the love and attention it needed before the new tenants moved in. It's interesting that all the little things you learn or do incrementally on your own house sure come in handy on when prepping another. Work will continue to be a major focus; unless you're living under a rock, it's both a good and a bad thing to work in the financial industry. Needlesstosay, I am happy to be employed and very busy.

Belatedly, THANK YOU to Adam and c n Heidelberg for your advice and thoughts on my dilemma. I'm going to stick with going through the train ride since we really want to go to Rothenburg, I've endlessly checked flights and other alternatives, and really just need to get moving on this trip. Even cutting the trip in Köln means only one night in Amsterdam...I'm part-Dutch, you know, so snubbing my ancestry is probably a bad thing.

My parents are coming in town today and I'll be entertaining them with a very German meal - Rinderrouladen, Käsespätzle, Gherkin mit Sauerraum und Dillsoße, Salat, Eis. They will be thrilled, they like that type of food. They will be here two nights, leaving on Tuesday; I'm hoping that we can go to Wurstfest over in Gruene (south of Austin). I've always wanted to go!

The clocks moved back this morning - ahh - the extra hour of sleep was nice!

Tschüß!!