Friday, August 7, 2009

Epilogue (as opposed to ...)

To begin with, a two-week trip to Europe in the middle of a struggling economy and uncertain times may be a reckless enterprise, and we certainly pondered that before we booked our trip. However, we decided that we may never have another opportunity for such a wonderful, outdoors, walking in the clouds over rocks, snow and cobblestones trip again. So it felt right. And we didn't look back.

In 2008, Genevieve and I spent nearly three weeks abroad in celebration of our 30th anniversary; photos from that trip are available on my Flickr account. We learned that Italy was chaotic, so was Prague, and Vienna, while a large city, was quite orderly and manageable.

We discovered how much we each could perspire, and knew enough this time to keep away from the heat. Heck, there was too much of that already in Austin!

We also learned that as bad as the economy was over here in the States, it was worse in Europe, so the bleeding of worthless dollars into Euros might not be as bad this year as it was in '08.

We learned that Rick Steves is a European travel guru, mentor and god, and that we would always be in good hands if we stuck with his guides.

And, oh yeah, we learned that we both packed WAY too many things in too-large suitcases that didn't fit into the overhead rack on the train.

Using these basic learnings, we had a much easier, cooler, simpler and relaxed trip. We spent less money and didn't panic for lack of food or direction. In other words ... we learned that if you plan to take it easy and know how to take it easy, you can run from dawn to dusk every day and not get worn out. In fact, neither of us was ready to come home.

Observations:

1) Transporation in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland is AWESOME! We did not encounter one late train, bus, tram or boat. Every connection we had to make -- even the seven minute train connections -- we made with time to spare. By comparison ... well, I don't want to bad mouth America.

2) Well planned infrastructure WORKS! Granted, we didn't visit any slums (didn't see any in fact), but when the city's streets are maintained and the water system, parks and public areas are taken care of, it's easy to live there. Less stress. Fewer heart attacks. More healthy lifestyles. MUCH less obesity. By comparison ... well, I don't want to bad mouth ...

3) Health care ... well ... let's just say I'd rather not comment. Pharmacies/primary care offices on most every corner... health information technology that works ... OK, that's all I'll say.

4) CNN International is annoying. Watch the BBC. In Munich, there's a woman who does a call-in game show wearing nothing but a smile. Watch her instead!

5) German beer is better than Austrian beer is WAY better than Swiss beer. We started at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich and ended up in a French bistro in Lausanne. Beer started out a lot better than it ended. On the other hand, pot is legal in Switzerland ...

6) German food, Austrian food AND Swiss food can be combined into a single pig's intestine and served with a chunk of cheese and a liter of beer and would probably taste the same. I happen to like that stuff... if you're into haute cuisine, stay in France and Italy.

7) People picnic so much in Switzerland because a Whopper, fries and a coke costs $15.00. When we picnicked at Lake Geneva, I realized that the food was a lot cheaper and our meal was quite delicious.

8) You really don't need to build amusement parks when you've got the Alps in which to play. They may not be the biggest mountains I've ever seen, but they sure seem like it. A younger me would be hiking, skiing and biking in those meadows year-round.

9) Good for Germany for making EVERY school child visit a concentration camp.

10) For two weeks, stepping into a COMPLETELY different world is exciting, tittilating, envigorating and enriching. But, no matter how hot, dry, frantic and downright frustrating it is ...

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!



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