Prague

Wow, what a place!

As you are walking around Prague, it feels like you're in Epcot Center. Everything is SO scenic and historical, it seems planned. We spent a lot of time just walking around, looking in shops and hitting all of the main attractions. Prague has everything from REALLY upscale shopping (think Rolex, Versace and Zegna) to tons of little toursit shops (think trinkets, pashminas and beer mugs). So, of course, we bought trinkets, pashminas and beer mugs!

There were tons of tourists and the weather was almost too hot (almost). We did not find that the people were very nice. Believe it or not, the French were down right cordial compared to some of the waiters and bartenders we ran into. Food and drink is very inexpensive but on the rise we are told. Just a few years ago, one of Kelli's coworkers spent about 40 USD on his whole trip, including lodging. Our tour of the city cost 40 EUR so times they are a changin'...

The highlight was probably the cathedrals. These pictures are nothing. You WILL get goosebumps as you walk in. They use a great deal of gold in everything, the real deal, not paint!

Food was good. Czech food is Goulash, dumplings and vegetables. We ate at a lot of cafes and sat down for only one meal at night (Italian). The Czech Republic is also where Pilsner beer comes from (We drove past Pilzen on the way in). Their main beer is Budweiser (Budwar). Apparently, Anheuser-Busch stole the name and the brewing style to create the "King of Beers". The real thing is much more bitter and a darker yellow than American Bud. Czech out (sorry) the vomitorium in the pictures below, apparently Czechs don't "know when to say when"...

Hello also to Cat and Clyde (as well as 'Mr. Letterman')! We are looking forward to hooking up around Wine Festival Time.

Take care all,

Enjoy the photos and leave some comments!

The Charles Bridge

On our dinner cruise of the Vltava River

Little homes where the King's servants used to live

View of the Charles Bridge from Prague Castle

If you touch the Statue of St. John Wrenclaw as you pass and make a wish, it will come true

Charles Bridge

The vomitorium next to the bar at the Pilsner Urquell Restaurant - How Convenient!

Dominik Hasek's Goalie Outfit in Jaromir Jagr's bar

Kelli outside of Prague Cathedral

Kelli and the Czech Guard - It was 90 this day, he had to be dying!

Kelli in front of the Presidential Palace - Prague Castle

Kelli in Prague Cathedral

Prague Cathedral

Prague Cathedral

Prague Cathedral

The silver casket of St John Wrenclaw inside Prague Cathedral.

Cathedral of the Little Miracle. Everyone was praying to the child Jesus statue that you can barely see on the lower right of the altar.

St. Nicholas. Very gawdy Baroque but beautiful.

St. Nicholas Cathedral. Mozart held concerts on this pipe organ.

The Tyr church and Old Town Square

yum

Summer Day

Mmmmmmmm

Wednesday afternoon at 5pm and we are done for the week! I figured I would show you all what magically appears on your desk in Germany at 5pm.

80 degrees today in Wiesbaden...

Das Haus und Der Autobahn

Well,

It took nearly three months but we finally feel that our home is a home. Everything has a place. Many of you should recognize most of the furniture, pictures and stuff from our Troy address (which by the way, HAS BEEN SOLD!). We brought most everything over with us.

Your German base is now open for business! Come on over!

It is supposed to be in the 80's all weekend throughout western Europe. Perfect for our long weekend. We have decided to head to Prague for the weekend. It's about 5.5 hour drive and mostly Autobahn since Prague is just over the border in the Czech Republic. Our first visit to a former Communist state!

A lot of people ask me about the Autobahn, here is the deal.

Autobahn is the German word for expressway. It is NOT all unlimited speed. Especially if you live near a big city (Frankfurt). I would say that about half is regulated speed. Compare it to Michigan expressways, where there is a 70 mph zone, those would be unlimited in Germany. The normal limit (when there is a limit) is max 130 km/hr (about 80). Sometimes the max is 120 and sometimes 100 as well. Just like sometimes there is 65mph in Michigan and sometimes there is 55mph in Michigan.

I have been up to about 220 km/hr. It does get pretty scary and cars handle a little differently at speeds like that. German cars are made to handle that with different gear ratios and steering responses. But it IS fun!

Germans are SERIOUS about their driving rules as well. NO ONE passes on the right. Therefore, If you are in the left lane, you must be totally aware of what is going on around you. If a car is going 250 and you try and pass someone by going 140 in the left lane, you could kill or be killed. It is a little different but nothing to be afraid of as long as you pay attention.

Michigan also has reciprocity with Germany so if you have a Michigan driver's license, you have a German one!

take care and Prague photos will be on next week. Have a great Memorial Day and GO PISTONS!!

"your" bedroom when you visit

out to the park

living room

kitchen

dining nook

half bath

bathroom

master bedroom

master bedroom

looking towards the front door

looking out from the closet

Standing in the fron door

the Lincoln - Wiesbaden office

upstairs reading area

upstairs

the office

Good Day and Cheerio!

Got back from England on Friday evening. Unfortunately, I did not get to do much sightseeing at all and got quite a bit of work in.

The people were fantastic although I can understand German sometimes better than I could some of the Brits. My cab driver back to the airport took the cake however. I got a ten minute dissertation on the meaning of the word "bullocks". Brits yell "bullocks" to express displeasure in something. (i.e. "You don't have Earl Grey Tea? Oh Bullocks!") Apparently it would be like saying, "Oh Balls!". However, it has a dual meaning. Apparently it can also mean "the best" or as Chris the cab driver put it, "You American blokes say awesome, we say, 'That's the Dog's Bullocks!'". He gave me a story of an American businessman that used it inappropriately at a five star hotel one time. Very amusing....

All in all, it was a great place. The beer was fantastic and I did make it to a VERY authentic local pub that one of my coworkers frequents "as often as the rain" so he put it.

The weekend was good. We had Kelli's coworker and her husband over for dinner last night. We have also got the house 98% organized and took some pictures for the blog. Look for those in the next couple of days.

I am off to The Netherlands tomorrow and will be back Wednesday as we have a three day work week. We are deciding between a drive to Zurich, Milan or Brussels for the weekend.....decisions, decisions

Take care all!

Collapsed Road

Along the road in the Peak District

The Peak District near Manchester

Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral

Strasbourg

What a cool city!

It's considered a tourist trap in Europe but since that's what we are (tourists), we loved it!

We only got a few pictures since I had a mix-up with the camera though. I'll take more next time.

Everything in the city pretty much revolves around the cathedral. Many French think it is the best in all of France and more beautiful than Notre Dame in Patis. We tend to agree. It is absolutely massive. The pictures do not do it justice. Inside, the biggest feature is a huge astronomical clock. At 12:30 every day, it comes alive and these wooden statues all over it tell the story of the crucifixion.

Since my ancestors are from this area (Alsace (Baden-Baden is just across the German border about 20km away), it was cool to read about the history of the people as well as the region.

We took a boat tour (I think we chose the oldest boat in the city), and saw the Parliament building. Strasbourg is the seat of the European Community.

The Beer Academy was also great. It was MUCH smaller than I anticipated but had the best beer menu I have ever seen. More Belgian beer than I knew existed.

For any visitors that want to get a piece of France that is not Paris, Strasbourg is the place.

Off to the UK this morning. I will not be in any very scenic places and won't have a car but I'll try and get pictures of bad teeth or something....

Take Care!

D

Here we are in the "Petite France" area

The cathedral is over 450 feet high!

Lots of shops and patisseries

Streets of Strasbourg

Fridays

I love Fridays, especially when they are warm.

It makes me want to go get a beer and sit in the park.

That sounds like a good plan!

We are off to Strasbourg this weekend. It's about two hours south of Wiesbaden and is the home to The Beer Academy (the unofficial birthplace of modern beer). Louis Pasteur (Pasteurization anyone?) studied there a while back.

Pictures next week before I am off to the UK!

Chilly Monday

Convenient for us, this has been one of the colder Springs in Germany according to some of my German Lincoln counterparts. The weather here makes Michigan's look consistent. Without warning and underneath what appears to be a perfect blue sky, raindrops can fall and a storm appears out of nowhere only to disappear minutes later.

We're told this is normal...

I am off to the UK next week. I will be spending time in Sheffield, Leeds and southern Scotland. I may have some time to do some looking around and will have my camera in tow.

take care and LEAVE COMMENTS! We miss you all!

What's a trip to Lake Las Vegas without a picture of Celine Dion's house! Looks like her choice in house color is as bad as her music...

The girls at the rehearsal dinner

The reception dinner tables outside. The weather could not have been more perfect...