Germany In Layman’s Terms

Neuschwanstein Castle
and Octoberfest

Neuschwanstein Castle is thought to be the inspiration for the Disney World castle. 🌟🏰Only part of the castle is open for viewing via a guide though, and we decided not to take in the view from the Marienbrücke bridge because the wait on the path was already a few hour long. 🤦🏻‍♀️ (also, no pictures are allowed inside, darn it…)
King Ludwig ll lived here and rebuilt the one of the Hohenschwangau castle ruins into the current castle.
Just look at those views though…right at the foot of the Alps 🏔️🤩

We also decided to dip our toes into Octoberfest since we were in the downtown area of Munich for dinner. While lovely to say we have been there (LOL), it was entirely too crowded for everyone in our group and we decided not to spend our time there to long…
We had dinner that night at the Augustiner Braustuben and it was such a treat to be in a true brewhouse and have an incredibly yummy dinner!! 😋

Warning—sensitive topic and photos..
Dachau Concentration Camp

While in the Munich area we took a side trip to visit the memorial site for Dachau Concentration camp.
It’s one of those places that you’re not necessarily excited to see, but I’m glad that we visited and I think it’s so important that it is never forgotten!!

It is officially winter now and it’s been a long while since we shared our shenanigans! We’ve had a busy fall though 🍁…. I’m going to make several posts catching you all up on our adventures. Here’s a run down of most of the places we’ve been and a few highlight photos:

Bad Dürkheim wine festival
Ludwigsburg
Octoberfest in Munich
Neuschwanstein Castle 
Dachau concentration camp
Paris
Trier
Colmar
Heidelberg
Mannheim 

Out and about in Cambridge

We’re back home now and had such fun experiencing a little bit of England while we were there.

We’re going to miss exploring, the yummy food and drinks (seriously, it’s hard to find good drinks here in DE 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️) and the super nice people!!

Fitzwilliam Museum
Cambridge, UK

What an amazing museum and a surprising amount of famous works!! It took us hours to get through this museum and it was free…..whaatt! 😲😎

Punting Ride on the River Cam 🛶
Cambridge, UK

Punting on the river in Cambridge is a MUST DO thing if ever visiting this historic town. Some of the best views (and access to the bridges) are found behind the college campuses on the river 🤩)

We had such a good time and it was our favorite thing in Cambridge.

Cambridge, UK

We had a few hours to walk around and wait for Chad to catch up with us. (He flew over into Manchester and we drove…)

Caleb and I walked around on Kings Parade for a bit…. Just beautiful! Can’t wait to explore in full 🙌

We made it across the English Channel and into Cambridge!

Driving on the left side of the road is really nerve wracking 🥴….and don’t even get me started about the clockwise round-abouts!! Yikes!!!

Calais, France

We made it to the north shores of France to catch a ferry for the UK in the morning!!
The gardens here are no joke…. Just spectacular!!
Caleb and I decide to meet up with Chad (who will be working for a few weeks all over the UK 🙌).

Tomorrow, we’ll be heading to Cambridge! Whoot!!

Crete, Greece 🌴🍊
Chania (han-yah)

WHOOT!!!! 🙌 It finally happened….I was able to tag along on one of Chad’s work assignments to this completely amazing island in Greece! 🙌

The sun, the sand, crystal clear water and the most amazingly nice people made this trip one to remember!!!

Since Chad and his coworker were working, I did most of the touring on my own, so the first day, I followed a self guided walking tour I found online about Chania Old Town.
This town certainly has a lot of Roman and Ottoman influences.

The second day we decided to head to Elafonissi Beach on the western side of the island. This beach is one of the best beaches I’ve had the chance to be on. The water is warm, crystal clear and the sand had a pink hue! 😍

The last day, I headed back to Chania to get a closer look at the lighthouse and the old city walls!!

Chad and I decided to revisit the lavender fields close to our house. When we arrived last year, we visited, but it was at the end of the season and it was mostly dry.

This place is about 25 miles away, so it was easy to just pop over and see how the lavender is blooming.

It is such a beautiful spot, just outside of the town, Asselheim, which happens to also have a handful of wineries nearby! ((Just sayin’ 💁🏻‍♀️🍷))

The lavender is really blooming and the bees are having a heyday in the field….
Some of the rows are much taller and some rows the purple color just pops!!
It is just magical to stand there and smell the smells and listen to the bees. 🤩🌸

https://maps.app.goo.gl/85DzqcQ6uBdT3hFi6?g_st=ic

Neuleiningen Castle

We had such a lovely weekend checking out a castle town that we’ve seen so many times driving on Autobahn 6.

Check out the beautiful Eltz Castle 🏰!!

This castle is just a few hours north of us. It is still owned and operated by the Eltz family descendants (but not lived in by them). Built sometime in the 13th century and is actually 4 different family homes connected together.

We took a tour of the inside rooms, but photography is not allowed.
Still….a beautiful day and beautiful scenery!!

Geierlay Suspension Bridge
Mörsdorf, Germany

This suspension bridge has been on our radar for some time now and we finally made it there last week. (The scenery did not disappoint 🤩)

Let me just say that this bridge is not for the faint of heart. It’s 100 meters high and 360 meters across.
Heights don’t really bother any of us, but…. the sheer number of people on the bridge at one time, will make anyone question their judgement 🤔🫣

Chad and I didn’t study the visitors guide enough and incidentally found ourselves on a 6 1/2 km — 2 1/2 hour hike down the valley and then back up. 🥵🤦🏻‍♀️ LOL.
As soon as our feet touched dirt we should have thrown a flag on the field. When we reached the top….finally, there was a truck selling water (we’re saved 🫠🥴)

Thank goodness we found the lovely paved foot path for the way back!! 🙌

Versailles City

A beautiful city! Lots to see and easy to get around walking! And…has the best amaretto sour I’ve ever had….ever!! 💁🏻‍♀️👑

Trianon and The Queens Hamlet
Versailles, France

The smaller palace and village are on the far end of the garden.

The village is now a recreation of what used to be there. The Grand and Petite Trianon are still original and can be toured, but, we ran out of time… 💁🏻‍♀️. Still, so happy we made it to this end 😃!!!

Versailles, France
GARDEN of VERSAILLES

The scale of the garden is enormous!!! Over 2000 acres of gardens, fountains, lakes and sculptures….it was too easy to just wander about! We did not see all of it, of course….but, A LOT of miles were walked 🤪!!

Lessons learned:
1–should have rented that golf cart at the beginning 🤦🏻‍♀️! REALLY REALLY should have done this… 🤣
2– One day allowed us to see most of it, but two days would have been better 🤷🏻‍♀️

Versailles, France
PALACE of VERSAILLES ((inside))
“Château De Versailles”

Visiting the Palace, seeing the Hall of Mirrors and the Gardens has been on my list since our first visit to Paris…and we finally made it! 🙌.
((Thank you, Chad and Caleb for a wonderful Mother’s Day gift! 💕👑))

It was a spectacular weekend! The baroqueness (is this a word 🤷🏻‍♀️🤔) and the over the top opulence delivered a thousand times over!!

Lessons learned:
1–should have rented that golf cart at the beginning 🤦🏻‍♀️!
2– One day allowed us to see most of it, but two days would have been better 🤷🏻‍♀️

Versailles, France
PALACE of VERSAILLES (outside)
“Château De Versailles”

Visiting the Palace, seeing the Hall of Mirrors and the Gardens has been on my list since our first visit to Paris…and we finally made it! 🙌.
((Thank you, Chad and Caleb for a wonderful Mother’s Day gift! 💕👑))

It was a spectacular weekend! The baroqueness (is this a word 🤷🏻‍♀️🤔) and the over the top opulence delivered a thousand times over!!

Lessons learned:
1–should have rented that golf cart at the beginning 🤦🏻‍♀️!
2– One day allowed us to see most of it, but two days would have been better 🤷🏻‍♀️

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Our trip was a bit impromptu, but we were lucky enough to score tickets to the Anne Frank House.

Keukenhof, Netherlands 💐

I just had to make a point of visiting the Netherlands to see the tulip fields in person before it was too late!! So, I snagged up Caleb and we took a little trip to Amsterdam!!!
🤩💐🤩
The fields and especially the Keukenhof Garden are spectacular and magical!!

Warning…picture overload (but, seriously…look at how amazing!)🤷🏻‍♀️😂

Cochem, Germany

This super cute town is along the Moselle River with a fairytale castle looking over hundreds of acres of vineyards!! 🍷🏰

We are saving the castle tour for another trip, but we did take one of the river cruises for breakfast!

Luxemburg City, Luxemburg

Cross off another country 🤩!!

Luxemburg is only a few hours from where we live. It’s been in our list for awhile, so Chad and I decided to day trip up there on Friday!!

Cherry Blossoms in Bonn, Germany!! 🌸

In the Altstadt (Old City) on Breitestraße (Breite Street) and Herrstraße (Herr Street)

Colmar, France

HAPPY EASTER!!

You guys!! Colmar for Easter is amazing!! It’s such an iconic and quaint town.
I’ve been hearing that their Easter Market is wonderful, but I was completely blown away on how decorative the town does it up!! I’m so glad Caleb and I decided to take a day trip to check it out! It was a beautiful Easter day for us! 🐣🐰🐣

Spring Break Day 3

Le Mont-Saint-Michel Island, France

You guys!! This place is fantastic! We are completely blown away…. It’s like a real life Harry Potter village 🤣🙌
Check it out on your mapping app in 3-D… (for real….do it!)

Spring Break Trip Day 2

D-Day Experience Museum 🇺🇸

Dead Man’s Corner was one of the actual command buildings…

See in the comments for a video of a flight simulation of a troop air landing.… the video is shaky because we were really being bounced around….😬

Spring Break Trip Day 2

Normandy American Cemetery 🇺🇸

Spring Break Trip Day 2

Utah Beach 🇺🇸

Spring Break Trip Day 2

Omaha Beach 🇺🇸

Spring Break trip Day 1
Bayeux, France

Caleb and I decided to take a trip to Normandy over his spring break to see the D-Day beaches, visit Mont St. Micheal island, and Versailles.
Our first night, after the almost 8hr drive 🤪, was spent in this quaint town of Bayeux!!

Very Fortunate to get down to the Apollo Ruins in Greece near Loutraki. Such a Beautiful Area

Römerberg Marktplatz
Frankfurt, Germany

This plaza is everything Deutschland!!! 😍 Our day is overcast, but that didn’t diminish how iconic this place is!! Love it!!

Today, we made a quick trip into Frankfurt, Germany!!

This is the Eiserner Steg (Iron Footbridge), which is also known as the “Love Lock Bridge”. Such a beautiful bridge with amazing views of the city. 💕

The original bridge was bombed in WW2, this was the first bridge to be rebuilt after the war.

Strasbourg,France! Today we visited the Cathedral Notre-Dame which dates back to 1277!

We seen so
many amazing things and ate so much amazing food! We will return to Rome!

The Vatican and Saint Peters Basilica