Girl's Trip 2017 July in Germany and the Netherlands! Part 1

I haven't posted for a while, but now there is something to post!  I think in a past post I mentioned that Tyson, my grandson, was nominated to go to the European Choir Tour sponsorsed by UAM, Utah Ambassadors of Music.  This is a big deal and I supplied the funding for his trip.  But as Jamie and I discussed his plans, we both realized that we would love to see him perform at least in one of the countries.  So we started planning a trip to Germany and the Netherlands to correspond with the time he would be singing in Germany.  We decided to "surprise" him.  But unfortunately, there was a little glitch that occurred in our plan.  We were able to keep the secret for literally months and months and months!  The very week prior to our trip, Tyson had broken his cell phone and it was in the repair shop.  He borrowed his mom's phone and while he was using it, a text from me came in which discussed a bit regarding our trip.  He therefore, checked his mom's email and got wise to the plan....disappointing, but oh well, that's how it goes sometimes.

However, there was another little surprise to our plan and that was that Tyson's 12 year old sister, Brecklyn, would also be going to Germany with mom and grandma.  This surprise was not discovered till the moment we were loading our suitcases into the van and going to the airport.  She thought she was going to Minnesota for another trip, and a slightly longer one than before.  She was VERY surprised.

So the rest of the post will show some of the fun things we did, starting with a group selfie at the airport in SLC.

Leaving Home

So here we go!  Our flight over to Germany went without a hitch, smooth ride, quick and close connection gate in Detroit and my cousin Udo waiting for our arrival in Germany.  We did have a long line and wait through immigration as our flight was early and they weren't open.  There were also no restrooms....

Steinheim am Main, Hessen, Germany

Here we are at Tante Ruth's house.  Oliver and Hendrik and Brecklyn playing Uno.  One of many, many such games!

The day after we arrived we went to see the city and Burg at Heidelberg, Germany.  Here is a little about that day trip.

Heidelberg, Germany

Steinheim am Main, Hessen, Germany

Sabine and Udo invited us all over for a dinner at a restaurant in Steinheim.  Here we are all together!

 For the benefit of Baerbel, my work colleage, here I am having Gruene Sose!  A Hessen specialty!

This is the "symbol" of Steinheim to me.  The tower of the castle.  I asked Tante Ruth if she had been inside and she said never.  I was so surprised.  Not even sure if we can go in there or not????

 Herb Garden.

Saw a lot of what my cousins called "naked" snails aka slugs as we took a walk after the dinner at the restaurant.  I think they were pretty ugly.  But here's a "not" naked snail!

So that was a little of that and then the next day, after recovering from jet lag, we went to Freiberg,  the city of the first Mormon temple in Germany and where my dad lived with the Geistert family, although he thought he was actually their son.  So here is a bit on Freiberg.

 On our way we stopped at the Subway in Stadt Rhoda.

Freiberg, Sachsen, Germany

 Here is the temple.  It had been closed previously for some reconstructing. But now is open and back to work.  If you are going be sure and make appointments or you might be out of luck!

 We stayed in the temple hostel and the rates were very good.  Here is our room.  It slept 5 people, but we were only 3.  Guess who got the bunk bed?  Ha, ha! No it wasn't me!

This is the outside of our lodging.  A little advice to those who might be coming here.  There are great kitchen facilities, micro, fridges, dishwasher, sinks and plates, pots and utensils, locked food storage areas, communal eating area, locked cabinet in your room to store things for safe keeping.  We didn't know all that ahead of time.  And just up the street about 1/2 a block is a nice grocery store and bakery.  Everything you need.  I also noticed a laundry facility inside and so you will be all set.  Rates are VERY reasonable.  And the only thing that caused us a bit of concern was that we were late in arriving due to heavy rain the entire drive there.  The office was closed when we arrived.  We found some lady missionaries, one that was a little more knowledgeable about the lodging and she let us in and we then found our key and name hanging on the bulletin board.  So we were in good shape after that.  There are some limited office hours and so you would want to be aware of that.

Then we went to dinner at the local Freiberg "pub" and beer gardens.  No, don't get the wrong idea!  We had Fanta!  The food was by far the best we had on our trip.  Freiberg has some mighty fine Rouladen and in Brecklyn's case, Goulasch.  Notice what looks like slices of bread?  It was actually how they prepared their Semmel Kloese.  They were the best I have ever had.  This meal was worth every cent and was absolutely delisch!

Brecklyn's Goulasch!

This is the house my dad grew up in at Schulstr. 3.  It has changed a lot since the last time I was here. (about 1992, I think) Had hoped to see the present day owner, but no one was home and so I left a note to call us, but she  never did.  

The picture below, I had to take, the cat.  Why?  Because my dad always had a cat under his arm.  A real cat lover, he was! This one was in the yard and very friendly.  But after having received a dog bite on our day of arrival, I was a little hesitant to make friends!

 Here is the back of the house.  The part on the right is where I believe that they hid during the times of WWII.  Had my parents not needed to flee this would probably have been the house I had grown up in and perhaps still lived in.  Who knows?  The present owner is somehow also related to the parents that raised my father.

  

 Downtown by the Obermarkt.

 Here is a Castle we went to where there were minerals and jewelry and cool things to see and to buy.  Jamie bought me a snail pendant which gave us the idea to have a snail as our trip "mascot".  It is also across from our favorite parking lot!  May I mention here that parking in Germany is a real pain! At a little gift shop in Heidelberg, earlier, I had actually found a remedy for the parking.  There actually was a remedy for almost everything!!  They were little pills and some of them were pills for Parking "pain" and called "Parking Pills".  If I had known then, what I know now, I would have bought a 3 week supply!

 The chapel on the right by the flag and the lodging on the left, just by the chapel.  Very nice!

 Beautiful Freiberg!

The Ratskeller, another wonderful restaurant in Freiberg at the Obermarkt where the flea markets are!

This building is the Tivoli.  I believe it still serves the same purpose as it did 60-70 years ago.  A social gathering place, a dance hall!  And perhaps if this building had not existed, I might not exist! What?  Yes, this is where my parents met and fell in love!  It's still there and for me, has significant historical significance!

 An old church in Freiberg, the Dom.

Steinheim am Main, Hessen, Germany 

After a wonderful trip to Freiberg, which included, temple, eating, shopping and sightseeing, we returned to Steinheim to have a last day together with Udo, Sabine, and Oliver.  And to see my cousin Norbert and his partner, Helga.  Udo fixed us a nice BBQ, and it was delicious!

It wasn't till now that I realized that I didn't have a picture of Norbert and his partner.  I'll have to see if Jamie has a picture.

After a little hunting, I finally saw the other pictures that I knew that I had.  So here is an update:

 Udo and Norbert

 Here is Helga on the far right.  She is Norbert's partner.  

Well, this is the end of part 1 of our trip.  I will make 1 or 2 more posts before I think I am done!  But have some errands to run and work that needs doing.  But I will finish this soon!  Oh, by the way, it was rainy and cool/cold the whole time we were there except for one very hot day and a half...and I think we brought the rain back home with us.  It's rained each days since I got home.  But still hot, Utah style!  Till soon!