The Recap, The Finale: June 23, 2011 - 24 hours in Zurich

We come to an end of my journal entries of my first Europe trip in 2011. Yes, two years to finish. Thanks, grad school.

Short and sweet, here we go.

Zurich is modern, big, and expensive. By expensive, I mean that Dave and I spent $20 for one large mocha and pita sandwich at Starbucks. Yep, a $10 mocha. Good thing we didn't stay in Switzerland too long because money sure goes fast. We strolled through a nice "old town" part of Zurich that ran along the river. A beautiful sunset would conclude our Europe tour as we would depart the next morning.

Pseudo-epilogue:

I thought that it might be years before I return to Europe again. Before I left on my journey to Italy, Austria, and Switzerland, I just found out that I was accepted to grad school starting in Fall of 2011. I had a feeling that would take up most of my free time, not to mention funds.

As fate would have it, my grad program (Communications at SDSU) offered a one month study abroad during the summer and an option for classes in order to graduate in 4 semesters. I never did study abroad in my undergrad, which I always regretted. I decided this was my chance. And, I couldn't possibly pass up an opportunity to visit the Swiss Alps again (and Prague, Munich, Luxemburg, and Paris all for the first time)! Traveling with 40 students was definitely an adventure and I have a few journal entries here and there from that trip. But mostly, I have memories via laughter, exploration, and photographs with friends with whom I shared a common bond through academia, love for traveling, and good food and drink.

Whenever I think about another traveling adventure or how traveling has changed my way of viewing the world, I always come back to lyrics by Sara Bareilles (Many the Miles):

There's too many things I haven't done yet
There's too many sunsets I haven't seen
You can't waste the day wishing it'd slow down
You would have thought by now, I'd have learned something

Walking over the bridge in Zurich

Fun water fountain

Marijuana flavored tea?? I didn't waste my money

I guess sometimes the pregnancy test and cigs go hand in hand

Auf Wiedersehen, Zurich

I wish the U.S. was as graphic as some of the ads on cigarette cartons in Europe

I have left my heart in so many places. Until we meet again, Europe.

The Recap: June 21-23, 2011 - The Swiss Alps and Mürren

Saying goodbye to Salzburg was bittersweet. We had so many chances to get Mozart liqueur but kept stalling, hoping to find a cheaper price. Good thing they sell it at World Market in the U.S.

The journey to the Swiss Alps was a long day. We left beautiful weather in Salzburg and arrived in a massive downpour in Interlaken. The weather cleared up thankfully as the journey to Mürren included a train ride to Lauterbrunnen (valley floor), gondola ride up, and transfer again to a train. The best way I can describe the Berner Oberland is Mammoth and Yosemite times a million! About 5,413 feet elevation, the view is like warm fuzzies, awe, and magical unicorns --- truly breathtaking. We were lucky enough to snag a hotel room at the Alpina Hotel, where our balcony view looked out on the three famous peaks in alps: Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrauh.

The Swiss Alps was absolutely amazing and had easily become one of my favorite places, however, I was shocked how expensive everything is (literally double).

The next day, the clouds and blue sky allowed us to hike from Mürren down to Gimmelwald (about a half hour), where we took a gondola to the bottom of the valley. An easy half hour walk later, we arrived at Trummelbach Falls --- 10 powerful, cold, and loud glacier-waterfalls inside the mountain that continue to carve a path through the rock. We got to meander through man-made caves and check out the falls. Pictures and video do not do justice.

After the falls, Dave and I walked leisurely along a trail, shooting pictures, smiling in awe of the alps. Before heading back to Mürren, we enjoyed bratwurst for lunch. Not surprisingly, it rained during dinner (weather in the Swiss Alps is unpredictable and typically rainy), but thankfully we were warm inside. I enjoyed fondue for the first time, which was made from local, fresh cheese. Delicious and of course, expensive. The rain let up after dinner, and we concluded the night by frolicking on an alpen hilltop --- a wonderfully awful impression of Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music.

The next morning we were in the clouds --- literally. There was not a mountain nor tree in sight. We only saw white, thick clouds around us. Crazy how the weather changes.

We bid adieu to the friendly hotel owner, Roger, whom Dave had seen one week prior when he was in the Swiss Alps with his students  (travel photography EuroFoto Trip and highly recommended! Check out 2014 Dates). Taking in the grandiose view of the Alps as the gondola carried us down to the valley floor, I felt the same feeling when I saw Yosemite for the first time. There are so many hiking trails, biking trails, places to explore, an amazing view of the sunlight hitting the majestic mountain tops, puffy clouds, and green trees. It makes me feel small and lucky to experience this place.

Auf Wiedersehen, Swiss Alps! Hope to see you again one day (fate would have it that I visited again in 2012 - a piece of my heart is here).

Mürren

View from gondola ride up to Mürren

Hotel Alpina - view from our room balcony

Hotel Alpina - view from our room balcony

♥ Swiss Alps

♥ Swiss Alps

Hiking down to Gimmelwald

Trummelbach Falls

Lauterbrunnen Valley

Lauterbrunnen Valley

Strolling and shooting in Lauterbrunnen Valley

Lauterbrunnen Valley walk

Back up to Mürren - view from gondola

Mürren, I think...no, I know! I love you.

Fondue for you?

Given the choice, one must frolic

The Recap: June 20-21, 2011 - Salzburg, Austria

It's been 2 years - but the recap continues!

Salzburg is a very beautiful city, where most of the main attractions are close together. The weather could've been better, overall, it was a nice stay. The city is right next to the Salzach River so you can cross bridges from the Old Town to the New Town. Being Mozart's birthplace, the city is not shy of Mozart balls (mozartkugeln) and Mozart liqueur. What I noticed about the city is how bike friendly it is with spacious, designated bike paths. Both nights, Dave and I enjoyed dinner at the Sternbräu, one of the first restaurants in Salzburg. The first night, we had goulash soup and lamb for dinner, and a raspberry soufflé for dessert. The second night beckoned pancake soup (not as good as in Krimml, Austria), and salmon ravioli with spinach, and apfelstrudel and sachertorte for dessert (YUM!).

Dave and I biked to Hellbrunn Palace, which was basically a millionaire's mansion. It was pretty fantastical that everything was water powered. Some rooms even had fun trickery with water spitting at you---duck!. The gazebo used in the Sound of Music now resides at Hellbrunn, so of course we had to check it out (You are 16 going on 17...get it stuck in your head now!). Biking to Hellbrunn was a little frustrating because we didn't find the official bike path and it rained a little bit. Thankfully, we were pointed in the right direction back to the city center. The bike path was called the "Alley of Trees" which was very beautiful. Even more memorable now, it was on this bike path where Dave took the first picture he ever sent to me with the caption, "biking through this beautiful place but all I can think about is you!" That was 2006 and technically before we were actually "together." How cool that 5 years later we would be experiencing this bike ride together. My heart smiles.

Off to Mürren and the Swiss Alps!

Hotel in Salzburg

Rocking the accordion

Pancake soup and salmon ravioli with spinach - YUM!

Alley of Trees - Biking from Hellbrunn to Salzburg

Alley of Trees bike ride

Hello, Dunkel. Prost.

Goulash and Lamb! Oh boy!

Hellbrunn. Love it.

Bridging the gap between old and new.

I'm on a bridge in Salzburg!

Hello, delicious soufflé. I will eat you now.

One thing remains the same

It's been 9 years since my mom passed. Sometimes I feel like I've cried out the sadness for a lifetime, as in, I think I'll be okay the next year. As in, time heals the wounds. As in, I'm done crying, but not necessarily done being sad sometimes.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday.

Yesterday I cried.

I came to the conclusion that it may be inevitable. I also came to the conclusion that it's okay to cry a couple times a year about my mom. And I'm okay with that.

A Poem to Break the Break

Too long, it's been, my friends. Before the recap resumes, a poem.

Hearts out, give em' away
A billion kisses away,
Return to sender
Just sending my guts, my soul, just to be known
Away, darling, take it away

Return to sender

The heart string fails to strike a chord

The right address is paramount
You could open up the door

My heart has something to shout out.

The Recap: June 17-19 - Biking the Tauernradweg

I've been wanting to bike the Tauernradweg for about 5 years now, ever since Dave shared his pictures and experience. While typically a 3-5 day journey from Krimml to Salzburg, we biked two days with our tight itinerary. First, Krimml to Mittersill (best Apfelstrudel ever!). The next day we trained to Kaprun, road to Sigmund Thun Gorge and ended at Zell am See (about an hour train from Salzburg). The bike bath descends slowly along the Salzache River and is the most picturesque, easy bike ride I have experienced.

As Dave would say, "We're riding through a postcard!" It's really true.

Green alpine views, small houses on the hillside, cows, the sound of gentle running water, fresh breathable air...people actually live here and see this everyday! Lucky!

My first zimmer frei experience was in Mittersill (people offer room to sleep for the night -- not a hotel). Our "Austrian Granny", as Dave called her, didn't speak a lick of English, but was very welcoming as she showed us our room (with a wonderful view) and offered fruhstuck (breakfast in German). Before I get too far ahead, it is pretty interesting that the largest waterfall in Europe is in Krimml, a tiny, no-one-knows-about city in Austria, which is good for Krimml as we noticed plenty of tourists at the falls where we started on the Tauernradweg.

My two day biking journey was my first experience of Gemutlichkeit (German feeling for warmth and coziness and enjoying living). Not a worry in the world, except the occasional bug in the eye, it was me, Dave, our bikes, the wind on our backs, mountains and the river around us. I hope to do the full bike path one day --- Krimml to Passau. I still can't believe I got to bike it even two days. I feel very lucky.

Cows!

And we start!

Starting our Journey

Leisure ride along the Salzache

Apfelstrudel in Mittersill. OMG!

Zimmer Frei Mittersill

Headed to Kaprun

Headed up the Gorge

Sigmund Thun Gorge

Getting close to Zell am See

Heading to Salzburg

Full album here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.924790141227.2395868.24613166&type=1&l=2cfe037d04

The Recap: June 16 Getting to Krimml from Venice via Salzburg

It's pretty crazy --- all elements generally in place, we made it from Venice to Krimml in 1 day.

More than 12 hours of travel, Dave forgot his passport at the hotel in Salzburg, we barely, barely caught the bike rental place before they closed (actually, they did us a favor and stayed open) -- had to BIKE through some of Salzburg to the train station, buy tickets for the bikes and myself and caught the train with minutes to spare!

We had to change trains twice to get to Krimml (very small place). We boarded the train to Krimml, which was a private train, and the ticket checker said that Dave's Eurail Pass didn't work for the private train. We exhausted our cash between cabs and the bike rental and were literally 5 euro short for Dave's ticket ... and they don't accept cards.

The ticket checker said, "You must always have cash! I will have to let you off at the next stop." Dave asked, "Is this the last train to Krimml tonight??"

She nodded, our faces dropped...tears almost swelling after a very tiring day of travel.

The ticket checker must have felt our desperate cry for help. She surveyed us, thought for a moment, and said, "Ok, here's what we can do. You can go to cash machine in Krimml to pay me then. It's okay."

"OH, THANK YOU!!!" A sigh of relief rushed over us.

Even more kind, our hotel host picked us up at the train station and paid the ticket checker for us without us even asking (she approached him and explained the situation to him while we grabbed the bikes).

We ended a long day of traveling with a superbly wonderful dinner at the hotel --- pancake soup and cheese pasta (cheese made right in Krimml). We went for a short walk in the dark and slept well that night.

Thanks for being so kind, Krimml. :)