It was in Munich that I finally started to see some wares in the holiday markets that I wanted to purchase. We had already been in the Kaufhof (department store) and I got some chocolate. Now I was ready to try my hand at the markets.
Some of you know that I speak a little German, and I was determined to practice as much as I could that day. I stumbled through the purchase of some lace crocheted ornaments, forgetting the word for Christmas tree of all things, but I got my ornaments, and paid with dreissig euro (30 euro) for the bill of acht-und-zwanzig euro (28 euro). Then I happened upon a booth with intricately painted metal ornaments.
I was able to tell the lady that I wanted the representation of the wooden carousels throughout the markets. She told me that would be 12 euro. I handed her 20 and she handed me the ornament. I put the ornament in my bag and walked away, very smug about being able to communicate in German.
I was two booths down before I realized I forgot my change. I scrambled back to the booth and composed a sentence in my head "Ich habe mein zuruckgeld vergessen" which is literally I've forgotten my back money. There's another word for change, but I haven't the faintest idea what it is.
Those ladies had a good laugh at the American, but they gave me my 8 euros back. It's tough being a stranger in a strange land.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Money and time (Day 6)
Our arrival into Zurich was gray and cold. There is some interesting reformation history here that I was unaware of, but my primary mission was to get a hat. I had lost mine between my room and the bus in Munich. But first, I needed some Swiss Francs.
We had a quick orientation to the town around the Bahnhof (train station). The Christmas market was set up right inside the station, and the main street with the money machines opened up the hill. I have to say, it is something else to witness the mass transit systems in European cities. None of this one hour for a 20-minute trip stuff. But I digress.
I started up the street looking for that ATM. I saw plenty of banks, but it was several blocks before I saw an ATM.
"I wish Kay were here," I thought to myself. It was on the first day in Vienna that Kay had spotted all the things that we were looking for. She was a good luck charm, of she paid attention.
But soon I stumbled upon a Credit Suisse (ironic) ATM and got my 100 Francs. I turned up a side street with painted buildings, cobblestone streets, cafes, and plenty of window displays. I had noticed that everyone in Zurich wore either black or gray, and boots. I was really mis-dressed in the American standby, jeans and tennis shoes. So I stopped at a display of boots.
This next part is in jest. I thought maybe a good pair of boots would help me fit in in Switzerland. I saw a pair I liked and looked at the price - 260 francs, marked down from 390! (Multiply by .85 for American dollars.)
Needless to say, no boots for Robin. (Scott, you can laugh at that.)
I turned back on the main street and headed back to the Bahnhof - I needed to get that hat - and ran right into Kay and Bill. They were going on a walk around the city, would I like to join them?
"Sure, but I need a hat first," I said. Kay said she'd walk around the market with me, and Bill set about finding us a route around the city.
Like I said, Kay is a good luck charm. We found a hat booth within 5 minutes, and there was the perfect hat - a red crocheted cap with a little brim hanging with the black hats. I bought it and told Kay she was my good luck charm.
"I bet you could have found an ATM for me too," I said.
"Well yes, there's one right in the exchange office."
That'll teach me to strike out on my own looking for money. That Kay would have saved me a lot of time.
We had a quick orientation to the town around the Bahnhof (train station). The Christmas market was set up right inside the station, and the main street with the money machines opened up the hill. I have to say, it is something else to witness the mass transit systems in European cities. None of this one hour for a 20-minute trip stuff. But I digress.
I started up the street looking for that ATM. I saw plenty of banks, but it was several blocks before I saw an ATM.
"I wish Kay were here," I thought to myself. It was on the first day in Vienna that Kay had spotted all the things that we were looking for. She was a good luck charm, of she paid attention.
But soon I stumbled upon a Credit Suisse (ironic) ATM and got my 100 Francs. I turned up a side street with painted buildings, cobblestone streets, cafes, and plenty of window displays. I had noticed that everyone in Zurich wore either black or gray, and boots. I was really mis-dressed in the American standby, jeans and tennis shoes. So I stopped at a display of boots.
This next part is in jest. I thought maybe a good pair of boots would help me fit in in Switzerland. I saw a pair I liked and looked at the price - 260 francs, marked down from 390! (Multiply by .85 for American dollars.)
Needless to say, no boots for Robin. (Scott, you can laugh at that.)
I turned back on the main street and headed back to the Bahnhof - I needed to get that hat - and ran right into Kay and Bill. They were going on a walk around the city, would I like to join them?"Sure, but I need a hat first," I said. Kay said she'd walk around the market with me, and Bill set about finding us a route around the city.
Like I said, Kay is a good luck charm. We found a hat booth within 5 minutes, and there was the perfect hat - a red crocheted cap with a little brim hanging with the black hats. I bought it and told Kay she was my good luck charm.
"I bet you could have found an ATM for me too," I said.
"Well yes, there's one right in the exchange office."
That'll teach me to strike out on my own looking for money. That Kay would have saved me a lot of time.
Welcome to Switzerland (Day 6)
We had driven across the border between Germany and Austria a couple of time in the last two days. It was no different than going from North Carolina to Virginia (well, a little different - the road pavement didn't change). But they are both members of the European Union, and today we were going to Switzerland, which isn't.
We stopped at the border on the Austrian side (we crossed into Austria on the highway), but the Austrians didn't want to stamp us goodbye. The Swiss, however, are usually another story, our guide, Neil, said. We drove up about 100 feet and stopped at the border to Switzerland (I guess the in between is the DMZ, or maybe the de-chocolated zone). Typically the Swiss like to check passports, but that wasn't the case today.
"Maybe it's too cold," Neil said.
"Neil, get them to check, you don't know how hard it is to get a Swiss visa," said a fellow traveler, this one from the Dominican Republic.
"You can go and tell them," Neil said to a bus full of laughs.
We stopped at the border on the Austrian side (we crossed into Austria on the highway), but the Austrians didn't want to stamp us goodbye. The Swiss, however, are usually another story, our guide, Neil, said. We drove up about 100 feet and stopped at the border to Switzerland (I guess the in between is the DMZ, or maybe the de-chocolated zone). Typically the Swiss like to check passports, but that wasn't the case today.
"Maybe it's too cold," Neil said.
"Neil, get them to check, you don't know how hard it is to get a Swiss visa," said a fellow traveler, this one from the Dominican Republic.
"You can go and tell them," Neil said to a bus full of laughs.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Day 5 - in Munich
I was a tad sick when we arrived in Munich, but some medicine and a good breakfast got me awake and going. We boarded the bus for a quick tour around the city and found out the tour to the Augsberg Christmas markets had been canceled. So it was a full day in Munich, starting with a dropoff in a museum square a couple blocks from the main square.
We walked into town and stopped at the Marienplatz where the city hall and the famous glockenspiel is.
The plaza was busy with shoppers, but we got a quick overview and then took a walk to the Hofbrauhaus. The famous beer hall had a few patrons at 10 a.m., a couple of them drinking huge beers. The paintings on the ceiling were pretty cool, and it felt like a fun place to drink beer with friends.
Back to the Marienplatz to set off for the Peterskirche. We quietly stepped inside sanctuary. I have to tell you, the churches in Europe, at least the ones that I saw, were amazing. We were looking for the stairs to the tower, which turned out to be around the corner. It cost 1,50 Euro to climb the stairs - can you imagine paying to climb 256 or so stairs?
We did, and Tanya and I let all the guys go ahead of us. It was grueling and cold, but periodically we could see the city through a small, barred window. The views were amazing, so we kept going.
At the top, it was windy and cold. The views were breathtaking - all the orange roofs, a great view of the Frauenkirche, and the Marienplatz with the markets and tourists and the glockenspiel. Many of my Munich pictures are from this vantage point.
We'd decided to stick around to see the 11:00 performance of the glockenspiel. That's a pretty cool thing to see, and there's a short clip posted with my pictures. After about 10 minutes of chimes and spinning figurines, we started the climb down, which was much easier than up.
Once back on the ground, we did some shopping, at the shops and the markets. I finally was able to get a few things to share with others. We grabbed a quick bite at one of the food stands - a brat with bread. I even ordered in German, though the person at the booth asked me all the questions in English! And a mug of Gluwein to wash it down. It was a great afternoon - a little windy and cold, but Munich was very comfortable for me. By the way, these are my partners in crime from the Maria's Bridge trip.
That night everyone went back to the Hofbrauhaus and out to a Bavarian dinner. I still wasn't feeling great, so I stayed in. It helped me get ready for our early departure to Switzerland the next day.
We walked into town and stopped at the Marienplatz where the city hall and the famous glockenspiel is.
The plaza was busy with shoppers, but we got a quick overview and then took a walk to the Hofbrauhaus. The famous beer hall had a few patrons at 10 a.m., a couple of them drinking huge beers. The paintings on the ceiling were pretty cool, and it felt like a fun place to drink beer with friends.Back to the Marienplatz to set off for the Peterskirche. We quietly stepped inside sanctuary. I have to tell you, the churches in Europe, at least the ones that I saw, were amazing. We were looking for the stairs to the tower, which turned out to be around the corner. It cost 1,50 Euro to climb the stairs - can you imagine paying to climb 256 or so stairs?
We did, and Tanya and I let all the guys go ahead of us. It was grueling and cold, but periodically we could see the city through a small, barred window. The views were amazing, so we kept going.At the top, it was windy and cold. The views were breathtaking - all the orange roofs, a great view of the Frauenkirche, and the Marienplatz with the markets and tourists and the glockenspiel. Many of my Munich pictures are from this vantage point.
We'd decided to stick around to see the 11:00 performance of the glockenspiel. That's a pretty cool thing to see, and there's a short clip posted with my pictures. After about 10 minutes of chimes and spinning figurines, we started the climb down, which was much easier than up.
Once back on the ground, we did some shopping, at the shops and the markets. I finally was able to get a few things to share with others. We grabbed a quick bite at one of the food stands - a brat with bread. I even ordered in German, though the person at the booth asked me all the questions in English! And a mug of Gluwein to wash it down. It was a great afternoon - a little windy and cold, but Munich was very comfortable for me. By the way, these are my partners in crime from the Maria's Bridge trip.That night everyone went back to the Hofbrauhaus and out to a Bavarian dinner. I still wasn't feeling great, so I stayed in. It helped me get ready for our early departure to Switzerland the next day.
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