Our Itinerary

Day 1 - June 29, 2009
Ride to Airport – transportation provided by my father-in-law (thanks, Dad!!)

Flight departure from Pittsburgh 2:46pm – enroute to Chicago

Flight departure from Chicago 6:07pm – enroute to Munich

Arrival in Munich - we will be greeted at the airport by Hans Menzinger, our friend from Wuermtaler. Hans and Ingrid own Trachtenpoellmann, which is a Traditional Bavarian Clothing Store where we purchase our Trachten clothing for our Trachtenverein (GTEV D’Lustigen Isartaler). Hans is being so kind as to provide us with a carseat for Isabel while we are abroad.

Day 2 – June 30, 2009
We will start our travels by driving through the Bohemian Forest to get to our first destination – the city of Passau. Béla tells me it is much like Pittsburgh, as it has three rivers (the Danube and the Inn which merge together to continue the path of the Danube). We will be staying 3 nights and 4 days at the AnetsbergerLandhaus, which belongs to relatives of some of our friends our Chicago Verein. We will be visiting with Holly while we are there.

Day 3 – July 1, 2009
Sight seeing in the area.

Day 4 – July 2, 2009
We will be attending an organ recital at the Passauer Dom. As most of you readers know – Béla is a classically trained organist. He tells me that this organ is the largest organ in the world. Hopefully Isabel will be a good girl at the concert.

Day 5 – July 3, 2009
We will be going to a Vereinsabend with Hans and Ingrid. This is a “club evening” and we will be meeting up with old acquaintances and making new friends.

Day 6 – July 4, 2009
Happy Fourth of July, America. We will be attending the Isar Gaufest in the town of Ismaning with Hans and Ingrid’s Verein.

Day 7 – July 5, 2009
Travel to Prato, Italy in preparation of the Monash Educational Symposium.



Day 8 – 10 July 6-8, 2009

Karen will be attending the Symposium. Béla and Isabel will be touring the town.

Day 11 – July 9, 2009
Leaving Prato and traveling to a little town over the Austrian border called Klais. Klais is right outside of Mittenwald (where my friend Tomie Ann and I went the first time I traveled to Germany in 1998). Mittenwald is where they make the world famous violins.

Day 12 – July 10, 2009
We will be attending the Huosi Gaufest in Steinebach with the Menzinger’s.

Day 13 – July 11, 2009
Personal walking tour of Munich with Hans.

Day 14 – July 12, 2009
We will be marching in a Trachtenparade and attending a Bavarian Mass. After this, we travel south to Oberammergau which is quite close to Neuschwanstein Castle (which is the model for Cinderella’s Castle in Disney World). Oberammergau is also the home of the world famous Passion Play, which occurs every 10 years in honor of the riddance of the plague in the middle ages. The next Passion Play is scheduled for 2010 (next year!)

Day 15 - 16 July 13 – 14, 2009
Sight seeing in the area

Day 17 - Depart Munich to travel to Boston, Massachusetts.

Have passport, will travel

Finally, after having to call the US Passport office and having to pay the extra money to have the passports expedited (note to self and all readers...... just pay the extra in the first place next time), Isabel's passport has finally arrived. My passport is in the city, but we will have to pick it up from the FedEx office in the Strip. Not exactly sure why, but I suppose we will make it down there sometime soon to pick it up.

Tomorrow is Father's Day. Dad, if you are reading this, your present is in the mail.... seriously, and I told Joan what it is and she thinks you are going to LOVE it... Since Béla probably will not be reading this blog, I can tell you what he is getting from Isabel..... hugs and kisses. From me, he is going to get dance lessons.... the first one is free. Béla is in charge of the gift for my father-in-law. That most likely means that Dad will be receiving Good-n-Plenty’s and AquaVelva. At least he will smell good.

Béla is online right now trying to download maps of Germany and Italy on to our TomTom (that is our GPS). He has found that our GPS has the ability to talk like a Bavarian Darth Vader, which is actually pretty darn funny.

In preparation of our absence from the states, I have pre-purchased all the birthday cards that will need to be sent while we are away. I will have to see if Uncle Michael will mail them out for me.

Okay, that's all for now. Sweet Dreams family and friends.

Kik

Preparing for Departure

We will be departing Pittsburgh on June 29, 2009, arriving in Munich, Germany, on June 30th. Isabel and I are still awaiting the arrival of our passports. Less than 2 weeks away, and we haven't started packing yet.