ITunes, Me, Aly, and All Things Digital

I adore Itunes. I remember when it first came out and was for Macs only, I enviously looked at a friend of mines I-Tunes and Mac and patiently waited for the day it would come to Windows. Now years later, I have left MS Windows for the Mac platform and haven't looked back. Lucky for everyone (well, except maybe Vista users), Itunes is available for everyone. Now before I finish my story, let me digress. I recently read an article that said some woman was sueing Apple because the Itunes downloads could only be used with the IPOD and how that just should not be allowed. And I was mad. What about all the sites that offer downloads - same price, same options, plus exclusive content on each. She just doesn't know how to use her software. Please Apple, let me know if you need me. As a former Windows user, I downloaded from Itunes, burned to CD, converted to MP3 again to put on a rival player using other software. It required a little manipulation, but all legal. (I was the only one using it and didn't want to take the IPOD to the steamy health club). Once, I even found a song not on Itunes I had to purchase on another Web Site (Wal-Mart) and it was not compatible with Itunes at the time. So I burned it to CD and imported it to Itunes. No program writing, no scripts, just simple use operations. So the lawsuit annoys me, bucause it causes our prices to go up - at some point it affects all of us. For example, what about all these Web sites that refuse to grant me access because I am not running the latest Windows Media Player. No class action here. That is what free enterprise is all about. I figure if I want it bad enough, I'll just have to find a Windows PC (sign me up for a slot at the local library - or better yet, just pass me the kids laptops). But seriously, with my Mac, I am free. Free of the tyranny of Windows, Free of the Tyranny of virus attacks and trojans and the general upkeep. But I digress. This is supposed to really be about Itunes.

I love Itunes and my IPOD. I now own every generation that was windows compatible and someone in our family has at least every model. I gave one to my mom when I got the Video version. Now she wants a video I bet. My latest addition is the green shuffle to match my green beetle, green purse, and green chocolate phone. So, I watch TV, hear a song on Grey's Anatomy and there I am on Itunes looking for the song. And there they are! I have new bands to love, like Unkle Bob and Let's Go Sailing thanks to Grey's Anatomy and thanks to Itunes and a credit card, I now have those songs in my playlists. Once in awhile, a song is not quite right. I then email Itunes and they fix it. Sometimes they find it before I do. Recently, they emailed me and said my last album download just wasn't up to snuff and instructed me to download it again and for my troubles gave me a free song. Sweet. So off I went to download city. Got the new album and a free song (Sideways by Let's Go Sailing). But a strange thing happened. I got a credit for 13 free songs. Then the next day, I got a new email reinstructing me to download the album. It downloaded againand my credit jumped to 25 free songs. I wrote to Itunes to explain their error. They thanked me for my honesty and let me keep my credits. So now I am even more in love with Itunes. I can use those credits with a clear conscience. 25 free songs. (Down to 23 now). So where to start. Wow, so many choices. I already have 4000 + songs in my library, plus the CD's I haven't added, (disc space and all - why put on the CD's I really don't plan on listening to). So, here I am with these credits and not a clue on what to use it on. But I will figure it out. Just need a new episode of Grey's or Cold Case to set me on the path to new memories old memories and new discoveries. Some of my favorite discoveries are the artists: Let's Go Sailing, Unkle Bob, Blue Oktober, and my favorite favorite - The Boat Drunks closely followed by discovering new songs by old favorites like "Down South" by Tom Petty.

So here comes Alyssa - A funky flower in her hair (she still isn't used to her European haircut) saying 23 songs - did you say 23 SONGS! Wow, that is the most excitement I've seen in awhile. Let the bargaining begin. So... moms share everything - time, food, themselves (even the bathroom). But now, the question of the night. Does mom have to share her ITunes credit? Sigh. I no doubt will. That's what mom's do. Give give give. (Unless I can find 23 really good songs first!!!!!).
Well anyone who took the time to read this rambling post - leave me a comment if you have a suggestion on a good download!

March 9, 2007
Our last day in Berlin. I woke up as usual at 0700. Alyssa always comments on how I have a great internal clock that I wake up at about the same time each day. I say it is that I don’t want to miss anything. I let her sleep until 0830 this morning since we would need to kill time today, what a mistake. The school kids ate everything and when we went to breakfast at 0930 most of the good food was gone. It just goes to show that you must get up early in the morning to start the day right.

Left the hotel around 1030 and headed into the city. We first caught the S-bahn to the Central Train Station and dropped off our luggage. I did not put my back pack in the luggage area as it had the laptop. After that we headed for the Victory Column. We took the S-bahn so far and then walked along the 17th of Juli street. I always liked the way the street is laid out and you can see all the way to the Brandenburg gate and back the opposite way. When we got to the column we climbed up the 285 stairs to the top for the view. Again I wondered what a 47 year old man is doing climbing up stuff like this, but I do love it and love traveling and seeing these things. I made it to the top with only one heart attack along the way. View from the top fabulous. I had not been up in years and was well worth the heart attack.

When we got down I wanted to show Alyssa the Soviet War Memorial and the Reichstag since she said she had not seen them the last time she was here. I also want to give her a bit of a history lesson as these things may not seem important now, but when you talk with people about traveling you need to know a little so you don’t sound stupid. We started walking and instead of ending up where I wanted to, we managed to come up behind Schloss Belview and then decided to take the bus down to the Zoo and have lunch at the KaDeWe. We ate up at the top of the KaDeWe and then Alyssa wanted to take a walk down the Ku’damm and we did. Toward the end of the Ku’damm we stopped for a cup of tea at the Mercedes dealership and then caught a bus down to the internet café and called Lorene and checked mail.

March 10, 2007

We finally started back again for the Reichstag and the Soviet War Memorial. We had a nice, at least I thought it was nice walk through the Tiergarten and ended up at the Central Train Station. Had dinner and caught the train to Koln then a connection to Frankfurt and home. I am writing this now as the train is traveling (according to the screen in the train car) at 249 kph. I think that translates to 149.67 mph. It is 2210 and the train is to gets in to Koln at 0214 and then a 2 hour wait for the train to the Frankfurt airport. Made it to Koln and sat in a small eating area in the train station along with the other stranded and waiting passengers. Lots of stories the could be told by the people here. Caught the train for the airport.

Frankfurt airport, made it in on time which was 533 in the morning. I wanted to get in early and thought it would be a good idea and then found out we had to wait until the counter for the airline opened at 0615. While we were in this screwed up and I mean Screwed up line, met a couple of Army guys on their mid tour leave from Kosovo. They did not speak to highly of the tour. Many more problems then are reported in the news. We spoke for a good 45 mins very nice guys. When they got up to the front of the line one of them found out just like another had earlier that he did not need to be in the line and no one told him, so he wasted a lot of time. Nice guys wishing them all the best when they go back in two weeks.

Very uneventful flight slept part of it and thank God for Bose headphones. I am not sure what I have done on all these plane flights without them. Help you sleep and truly make the flight much better.

Home again and Lorene met us. Lorene and I went for sushi and Alyssa made it known to all her friends that she is home. Till next time, me.

VISIT TO POLAND 3.8.2007 - ALYSSA'S BIRTHDAY

Today is Alyssa's Birthday. I miss her. It was 20 years ago she was born and I remember it as if it were yesterday. I wonder where it went so quickly and how I got this beautiful young woman as my daughter. I hope she takes away from this trip that there is a full life out there and takes advantage of the opportunities out there for her. Here is Alan's journal for today, Alyssa's Birthday. It is now March 9th in Berlin. Happy Birthday my beautiful Daughter.

March 8, 2007
Up early and breakfast then to the train. We missed the first train and had to catch the next on a half hour later. While we looked around at the Central Station in Berlin, we learned that we did not have to go all the way here and could have taken the train from were we changed subway trains and then would have made the correct train. While waiting we had a cup of hot chocolate and watched two large people in Kangaroo suits walk around handing out information on Australia. The ride to Frankfurt am Order was uneventful (except the conductor did not know how to read the ticket and I had to explain it to her), but we got to sit up top which was very cool in my opinion.

Arrived in Frankfurt am Oder, had a Burger King snack. and walked a mile or so and found the Tourist Information Center and were pointed in the direction of Poland. But wait a H&M store was a cross the street so Alyssa had to take another picture of the H&M sign. Wait, this time a picture was not good enough, we had to go in and look for a cap for Alyssa. We got Alyssa a cap and I got one too. Hey I actually like it and will continue to wear it at home. I digress, we then headed to Slubice, Poland. We crossed the bridge and looked over the town. Alyssa did not like it and was not impressed. I was impressed by the lack of tourist stands and souvenirs. Was not able to by anything except lunch. We stopped it to a hotel for lunch and it was very good and very different. I found the food to be a combination of German and (I think) Polish. They had stuff I recognized and stuff I did not. It was very good and cheap. Food in Poland is much cheaper then in Germany. After lunch we crossed back and it is like they don’t get many Americans crossing the border. We were in a line of people and as we approached the window everyone ahead of us was gone and we were given a real good once over and delayed all those behind us as they did their thing with our passports. Soon as we were finished, the entire line was let through without much inspection. Back on German soil. Caught a bus to go back to the train station, and when we attempted to buy our tickets the machine did not work. One of the other passengers was doing the same and putting money in and it would just fall through. An older guy tried to help and drew a lot of attention to us and he could not get it to work either. So in the end we rode free. Hopped the train and headed back to Berlin.

Got back much earlier then we thought we would so headed for the Zoo train station and check the mail on the internet. We also checked on trains for tomorrow when we go to Frankfurt. Got a good train schedule and made seat reservations. Then took the 100 bus for a tour of the city and came back out toward Honow for dinner. We were going to go to Mexicoplatz, but when I looked on the map I did not want to ride the U-bahn that much. So we were going to head toward Honow and stop somewhere to eat. Alyssa was not happy about this and does not like going into areas she does not know. In the end we ate at a restaurant next to the hotel. Again Alyssa’s luck holds out and it was Ladies night at this restaurant and she got free champagne. Dinner was again very good and we are now back at the hotel. I went down to the lobby and checked my mail and Alyssa stayed in the room. The lobby has a nice 24 hour bar and you can get small stuff 24 hours a day. The hotel is way out I found it to be a nice place, however they do cater to business and school groups. So tonight was a Italian school group and the kids liked to run up and down the halls until 2400. That must have been their curfew time.

BERLIN - HAIRCUTS AND VISITING AN OLD LIFE

March 7, 2007

Not a bad breakfast at the hotel. I really do prefer the smaller hotels or family run places for the staff friendliness. While this is not bad it does not measure up to a family run place. I would stay here again if I had no choice or was in this area of Honow.


Haircut, well this was different. The lady did not speak any English, however was very nice. I dropped Alyssa off and came back a hour later, still had to wait for her and talked to the lady doing her hair. Alyssa seemed truly surprised that she liked it. It is short and makes her look more her age, mature, with a short hair. Not sure she will like it in the morning. Not because it is short just because she will not be able to train it the way the lady did it. But it does look very nice.

After haircut headed out to explore the city. We took the train out to the Olympic Stadium and spent time looking around. Alyssa seemed to enjoy it although initially did not seem that interested until we started walking around and finding the signs in English and German. She should be speaking more German but is scared and says she can’t form the words. Had an okay lunch at the stadium and after a couple of hours headed off to T-berg.

We got to Tuefelsee str. and started out into the Grunawald. Alyssa was not happy to have to walk and I explained to her that I used to work in this forest and about how the hills are the highest in Berlin and they were created from all the ruble from the bombing of the war. The area is still as pretty as when I was in the city. Made it to the top of the first hill and both of us out of breath, not as young as I remember and sure don’t remember being out of breath. I use to run all the hills at lunch and at other times. Never this bad, old age.

Alyssa did not want to go any farther, but, I wanted to go up to T-berg and get a look at Site 3. So off I went leaving Alyssa on top of the first hill. Went I got up to Site-3 again out of breath. I was so disappointed at the state of what was done or the lack of such to keep it up. First all the memories and second the money wasted by the U.S. to have it trashed by people. Very sad to see what happens to important things (people get this way too) when they are no longer needed. While I was standing at the main gate looking in a car came up and stopped. Two guys got out and I could tell they were doing something, cause they started to get out cameras and began looking around. So of course yours truly started talking in broken Germany and English. Well the next thing I knew these two were cutting a holes in three fences (they said they had permission of course we were not near the road where this could be seen) and in we went, I had to join them at this point and cool. They took pictures of Site 3 and said they were with a marketing company that finds different (and I mean different) venues to hold special events. They are looking to a place to hold some announcement for a Telecommunication company on 4/19. I asked them how could they clean up a place like this for an event and was told easy. They bring in a crew and in a day do it, rope off areas they do not want people and then set up the event. When we were up on the roof and where the small dish use to be they were talking about filling in the holes, and hanging a “disco” ball and having the dance there. Well I was just thrilled to actually get inside the fence and into the buildings. The MP area is trashed as is the rest of the buildings. It is the only place I found anything that shows it use to be a US military site and that was a painting on the back office wall with a crest for the MP’s. The arms room was open and I snapped a quick picture of it and then walked through the rest of the main hall. I did not go into the British area but walked past the break room and it was the only area that was not damaged and trashed. Up the tower area and to the second and third floors and roof. WOW what a great view, I had forgotten what it looked like from the roofs. I remembered sitting up there in the summer and enjoying the nice weather. It was a great time. I tried to wave to Alyssa from the roof, but of course she did not see me. I snapped a bunch of photo and will check out the T-berg website and maybe try and post them to that site of what it looks like today. The last time I was here with Lorene they were shooting a music video and had Russian vehicles parked in front, but it was not trashed.

After retrieving Alyssa from the top of the hill, of course I had to climb it again and was dead. I love doing this and walking in the Grunawald and feel so good. The exercise I use to get here would get me back into shape very quickly. We walked back out and to the U-bahn. We went downtown and then a bus ride and Alyssa wanted a steak. We hit the Ku’damm and the Madero Steak house only to find it packed. Two ladies were right behind us and they decided to leave and so did we to find another steak place. A block away is another Madero and the two ladies and us had the same idea and wound up there at the same time. This is where traveling gets interesting. The restaurant looks packed. So in we go and since we want none smoking as do these “Italian” ladies. When we tell the girl no smoking she tells all of us to follow her and she leads us to the back and a whole section used for non-smoking totally empty. We get the choice of tables and pick out one and the ladies sit next to us. They are with the travel convention which is in town and the reason we are all the way out in the boon docks. During our conversation, in Germany, in a Spanish restaurant, speaking broken German, English and Italian the waitress (who speaks German) over hears that it is Alyssa’s birthday tomorrow and brings us a birthday drinks and tells us that if Alyssa has her passport with her so she can verify the date of birth we can get 25% off our dinner. Alyssa said the drink was to dry, and said she likes “Sex on the Beach” much better. It was a great steak and enjoyable. The one lady gave me her business card and said if we were ever in northern Italy, to call. The other lady was laughing and said she is always working. It was a good dinner all around.

It was then back to the hotel for bed.

Germany - Berlin

March 6, 2007
Last cable car ride for a while, I was getting good at this. Took a regional train to Munich and then an ICE train to Berlin. Currently on the train and typing this up. Alyssa is sleeping which she does best on trains. Me love the trains and love to look at the German countryside pass by. Arrived in Berlin, love Berlin what a great city and always seems to be safe. Walking around at night has never been a problem. Well when we arrived at the Central Train Station we headed off to see find our hotel. We rode and rode and rode the subway finally finding the hotel. It’s a newer building and not bad. Well after all this riding it did not matter where the hotel was we were keeping it. We decided that the hotel is just for sleeping and that we would be out for most of the day and it would not make a difference anyway.

After checking in we headed back out and went down to the Ku’damm. Really like Berlin at night, Alyssa said she had not really seen it at night and we took a short bus ride. Around 2000 we found we were hungry and it was Italian time. Me always liked real Italian pizza in Europe and had to have my favorite, Mushroom pizza. After dinner it was a subway ride back to the hotel and bed. Earlier we found a haircut place for Alyssa to get a cut and made plans to do that in the morning.

March 4, 2007
Bright and early and we are up and eating breakfast and saying good bye to the lady at the hotel. She did not charge us for the second person breakfasts due to the noisy neighbors the first night, to that was very nice and saved us 15 Euros. We caught the train to Garmish and got into Garmish around 1200. The hotel site said that it was a very short walk to the cable car station for the hotel, something about just look for the signs as you leave the train station. As we started walking I came to the realization that this was not good. So I stopped to ask this guy on the street and he as German but since he was learning Italian that is the language he tried to speak to us in. Very strange, my German is not that good and his Italian is bad. Any way what a great guy, told us to get in and he gave us a ride for as far has he could. What he did not tell us that it was another 2 kilometers to the cable car station. We walked as of course when you want a taxi there are none to be found.

Cable car, first let me tell you of my fear of heights. Okay shaking and Alyssa asking me why we are staying at a hotel that you have to get to by way of cable car. I tell her if you want the best some times you have to do these type of things and that I though she wanted to do German things. So as we go into the cable car station and get our 3 day pass (free as guests of the hotel), I read about how this is the worlds, not just Germany, but he worlds smallest cable car. Room for 4 very small people or Alyssa, me and two small suitcases. 4 mins later we are at the top and breathing again. (For all who wonder after a few trips it becomes very easy and enjoyable.)

Arrive at the hotel on top of the mountain and must explore. We walked from one Alpine hotel to another for lunch and had a good lunch and a breathtaking view. Eating outdoors on the top of a mountain in March is pretty cool in several ways, but again enjoyable. We spent a couple of hours looking at the view having lunch and then started down the mountain or a small part of it for the hotel. When we got back Alyssa decided she had enough mountain hiking for one day and stayed in the room. I went back out for again a short hike.

My hike consisted of walking down the path to where it starts down hill. On the way I found a very small church room enough for two people to kneel in and a learned that the path I am hiking on is also the trail for a car if and if you have a pass to the few houses/hotel on the this part of the mountain. The hotel we had lunch at has no car path and everything must be cable car’ed up. So I walked to where the path got real steep and looked down and said not me. At this point a women and her dog came walking merrily along and down the steep path, not to be out done by a women and a dog I followed. Never again follow a women and a dog, the path is steep and slippery and the dog loves it. They were down the mountain long before me. So once alive and on the bottom I found the park for the gorge and started hiking. The trail is part of a regional park and closes at 1700. Since the gate was open and no one looking I decided to investigate. WOW steep sheer cliffs on both sides and the waterfalls and runoffs are spectacular. I walked in about a half mile or so as the sun was going down and the cliffs were blocking what light there was I could not see to walk and while it was a path, you needed to see or you could fall off the edge and into the swift current of the runoff.

Since the only way back up to the hotel and it really is, even though I said there was a path, is the cable car up I went. It really gets easier. Find Alyssa in the room doing word puzzles and down for diner. Restaurant is not bad, well at 2000 it is the only place to eat. Food is good and if you stay over a weekend they have live music on Saturday. The cable car operates 07/2200 Sunday to Thursday and 07/2400 on Friday and Saturday. After dinner it was bed time with all the fresh mountain air.

March 5, 2007
Up early for breakfast, and again a good breakfast. We took the cable car down and asked the desk to have a taxi waiting for us. We then went to the Zugsptize train station. Purchased tickets for the cog wheel train up the mountain to the Zugsptize. The train takes you up the mountain and though a 3000 meter tunnel. The grade is up to 25 percent and is steep at times. When you get up to the station you then have to take a cable car up to the summit. Up to the cold and snow. We arrived at the top of the Zugspitze fantastic views. This is the highest point in Germany and you can walk across the top of the mountain into Austria, which we did. We had lunch at the top and stayed up there for close to 2.5 hours. Lots of pictures and it was great. Alyssa said she wanted to see mountains, well she did.

The way back from the Zugspitze was just as steep going down as up. When we got back into town, went to the internet café and figured out the Berlin thing. The reservations I had were cancelled by the hotel, not sure why and we could not even find a website for the hotel again. Made new reservations and also booked seat reservations for the train to Berlin. Long travel day for the morning. Went back to the hotel and had a good dinner and ready for the morning.

Germany 2.28.2007 to 3.3.2007

Alan's Journal From Germany sent to Lorene 3/7/07 at 0300 hrs.

Wednesday February 28, 2007

Flight to Frankfurt was truly uneventful except that we did not leave Chicago on-time. We were scheduled to leave at 1822 and finally left at 1945. I should have known at this point it would all be Alyssa’s fault. This was to be the beginning of the not on-time planes, trains, trams and buses. I had never had that problem before, but here I travel with Alyssa and it starts.

Since we arrived in Frankfurt on March 1st, at 1100 and not at the 0945 time, I am sure glad I did not make any early train reservations. We cleared customs and proceeded to find the Deutsche Bahn office and purchase our train ticket for the week. While they did not offer the six days as Rick Steves website did, it was either a 5 or 10 day pass. We picked up a 5 day pass and figured that we would just purchase the one day when we were not traveling far and which would be the cheapest. So we hopped our first train to Munich.

We arrived in Munich at the central train station and made our way the block and a half to Hotel Monaco. This is a very nice hotel for the price and location. I like the 24 hour front desk and the friendly service. The rooms are clean although a bit old. Alyssa liked the taped over hole in the bathroom wall, with a nice picture. Into the room and a shower and off to explore Munich. Okay exploring was not much as both of us were tired and sleep was a priority. We did go and pick up a three day Munich pass for 4 zones (the next day we were to learn we needed the 8 zone pass) and went to Marionplatz. So Alyssa wanted to do the German thing and we ended up at the Hoffbrau Haus for dinner. We talked to a couple of guys from California who were going back to the states the next day. After a nice beer hall experience it was Hagen-Daiz, internet café to let Lorene know we made it and back to the hotel for bed.

March 2, 2007
Breakfast at the hotel and an apology from the staff for the noisy next door neighbors. Not sure what sport was in town, but the hotel lady said they were in town without their women. Breakfast at the hotel is always good as in most hotels in Germany. It is one of the most pleasant things, getting up and going down to breakfast and having it all laid out for you and a cup of tea.

Off to Dachau Concentration camp and once we look on the map we saw it was in Zone 7 of the Munich train system and required another ticket. This was the 2nd time Alyssa made the train late. We are not sure just what happened, but us and a couple of hundred others pile on for the trip on the S-2, and two stops later we along with everyone else are being told to get off. Something up ahead was stopping all of the train traffic. Not sure if someone was killed or a train derailed, but no trains this way. We were all told to go back to the Central Station and take another train from track 26. Arrive at Central Station and looked at the clock and ran for the train, Alyssa is at work here again, run out of breath and make the train with a minute to spare and it does not leave for another 8 minutes. (Okay she did good on this one.)

Dachau was interesting. It is a memorial to all that died there. One of the things I did not know as was that no one was gassed at Dachau. 43,000 died or were killed, but the gas chambers never were put into operation. The crematoriums worked overtime, but no gassing. One of the points of the museum was that 1,700 were shot in one day and many more were killed for no reason other then to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dachau was not only for Jews, but many more. One British prisoner of war, who was kidnapped by the SS from Denmark (an intelligence officer) was held in what is called the bunker for the entire war. Some in the bunker were subjected to special treatment others like this major were not singled out. The museum does put on a nice display and you can skip over parts that do not interest you. They have a movie in English several times during the day which was very good. The movie lasts 22 mins and is well worth the time. Alyssa and I spent 4.5 hours at Dachau, 4 hours looking at the site and .5 is looking for my scarf and finding it I might add.

So we leave Dachau and this is the point Alyssa learns that traveling with me is not just look at something and be done with it. Next was to Marionplatz and coffee for Alyssa and coke and Apple strudel for me. So we start back to the Central Station and when we get there its look at the map time and I tell Alyssa that I did not buy a train pass not to use it. In the Central Station we find map and its says Olympic Stadium is this way, so off we go. I saw the Stadium last in 1976 and the stadium has not changed but the area sure has. First we walk to the Stadium and can’t see in very good, I then spy a hill and lets go. Mind you I am a 47 year old overweight (as my wife would say) cop and in tow I have an out of shape 19 year old girl. Well I did better then she did in going up. The sad part was all the other runners passing us up as we crawled up the hell, oop’s, hill. What a fantastic view from the top, well worth the climb. We then walked down and were going to take a different way back and guess what a viewing tower that allows you to see the stadium and the rest of Munich and surrounding areas. So we took up the elevator to the top a very quick ride. I can’t remember how tall the tower is but it is high, great views. Okay then back to the hotel, its now going on 1830 to freshen up and then off back to Marionplatz for dinner.

We found the restaurant not to far from the platz, but near the H&M’s. (Of course what is not near the H&M’’s here.) Alyssa was full and I personally think the waiter had a thing for her, she got free desert. He said it was because her steak was over cooked, but I did not buy that. Internet café to learn about going to Salzburg and the salt mine, and then back to the Central Station and the hotel.

March 3, 2007
Breakfast at the hotel and then to the Central Station for a train to Austria. We hopped an hour and half train to Salzburg. As soon as you get off the train the tourist information booth is right there along track #1. Anyway I asked how much and really did not think the price was to bad, at first, 43 Euro per person. Of course me and the cheap skate that I am said ok I will be back and went to look around. I then went to the Austrian train people and found out that for a total of 44 Euros, we could do the same thing on our own, which we did. A train to Hallien and then a bus to the mine. The train people here are fantastic and print everything out for you and it really makes it very easy to get around.

Arrived at the salt mine and had a real good time, first you must dress in miner’s clothing. Into the mine on a train and then a 2 kilometer walk underground. Some of the tunnels were very tight and dimly lighted. Part of the coolest thing is getting to ride the slides down to the different levels. The miner’s did it this way for hundreds of years. Alyssa and I got our picture taken and I think we were traveling 28 kph. So we both think the mine was very cool. Now here is were the group travel part would have come in handy. I grabbed the train in the wrong direction and after a half hour or so of enjoying the views hopped off and waited another half hour for a train back in the right direction. No big deal as I say traveling is an adventure and the views going the wrong way made up for any time lost.

Back to Marionplatz and it was getting toward evening and refresh at the hotel and then off in search of food. We found this nice little Italian restaurant on the second floor of the building at Istor U-bahn station. The food was pretty good. After diner a tram ride at night around Munich and Internet café to use up the time remaining and then to the Central Station. On the way back to the hotel we found a calling place and gave Lorene a quick call to check in. We talked a bit about dogs, g.p.’s and Wisconsin.

Just Me and the Animals

Alan and Alyssa are in Germany. They left Wednesday with a flight delay, arrived in Frankfurt, had a train delay and made it to Munich. Alyssa met up with some California guys and had herself a nice time - but still in bed by 8pm. Dad was there to supervise. That leaves me with a crazy dog and as Alyssa's parting gift, a completely bonked out cat. Alyssa brought home a birthday balloon.

As Alyssa brought the balloon down the hall to her room, Neffie freaked out and was afraid of it. She usually naps on Alyssa's bed and has taken to sleeping with Alyssa. Since the balloon came home, Neffie, has decided that the balloon and the room is a dangerous, very dangerous, place for a cat. So now she is in my bed. ALL THE TIME!


In fact, this morning, Neffie and Q refused to get out of bed until 9am (according to Richard, who I dragged out of bed at 9am). So we are snowed in, blowed in and Neffie, is STILL IN BED.

I will spend the weekend clearing snow and calming pet nerves while Alan and Alyssa travel through Germany, Austria and Poland. I hope they fun. I miss them loads.