Our Eastern European October… part seven

Tuesday, October 6th, was another incredibly beautiful day. I was thinking maybe it would be fun to go to Poprad, the local town, south of where we were. I wanted see if they had a nice old town we could visit, and perhaps look for something to bring home with us. We had heard there was a nice church there, and our host’s son had mentioned something about an old castle… I was in the shower when he visited, though, so I base that comment only on what Bill said.

I looked on the Internet, and I thought it looked like there was a proper centrum in Poprad, a city at the base of the Tatra Mountains. There’s an art gallery, and I knew there were some restaurants.

So we ate breakfast, and headed out, stopping to greet one of the several cats that live at the panoraMic Mountain Residence. But, when we got to Poprad, we had trouble finding exactly what we were hoping to find. The main thing we hoped for was parking, and that proved to be elusive. We followed the signs for the centrum, but never saw a place that invited us to stop. Instead, I got the feeling that Poprad hadn’t yet evolved from its communist history.

Before anyone comes at me… let me state that I’m sure that if you know where to look, the city of Poprad does have its charms. It has an airport, after all, and a connection to London’s Luton Airport, as well as a few other seemingly obscure and inconvenient destinations. But we were not successful in finding anything that made us want to explore. So we decided to head back to the mountains and search for something to do there. I got a few photos on the way.

*This was at the airport… which actually kind of resembled a hospital.*

We decided to stop at the apartment so Bill could pee, and on the way there, I got a couple of pictures of a deer near where we were staying. Maybe she was related to the gorgeous buck we saw the first night. Yeah… I was “horny”, too…

We decided to explore in the opposite direction of where we had gone on Monday. We got on the road, and soon found ourselves driving through some splendid scenery. At one point, we saw several men standing on the side of the road holding out baskets, as if they were offering treats.

Bill said, “It looks like they have goodies to share. What is that? Bread?”

Looking at the man who offered a basket on Bill’s side, I could see why he thought it was bread. It kind of looked like the guy was holding bread, based on the color. On my side, a different man held out his basket, and I got a better look at the wares, which were clearly visible– much to my horror. They were selling wild mushrooms! If you know me, you know that I would never consider that a treat! In fact, that’s my idea of a nightmare! But mushroom hunting is very popular in the region, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

In spite of the mushroom nightmare, it was a good decision to explore in the opposite direction, as we soon found several things to do. There were a couple of caves to visit, some traditional looking restaurants, and also the place where we ultimately decided to stop, Bachledka Ski & Sun.

We had no plans to stop at Bachledka before we stumbled across it. It simply looked like an appealing place to go. And it turned out to be a good decision to stop there, because besides a hotel and apartment rentals, this place offers a “tree top walk”, mountain carts, restaurants, shopping, and The Forest Kingdom, an adventure park for the whole family.

Bill and I are very familiar with treetop walks. We’ve done the one in the Schwarzwald. We’ve also done one in Bad Camberg, which is close to where we live now. The two treetop walks we had done before our visit to Slovakia were made by different companies, though. The one we encountered in Slovakia was made by the same people who made the treetop walk in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). I noticed that the treetop walks in the Schwarzwald and the Tatras differed from the one in Bad Camberg, because they don’t have any steps, and they seem to be more focused toward education.

The treetop walk at Bachledka is very similar to the one in the Black Forest, in terms of its height and length. It started operations in 2017, and offers stunning views of the national park where it’s situated. Like the treetop walk in the Schwarzwald, the walk at Bachledka also has a slide to the bottom, although it wasn’t operating on the day we visited.

As we pulled into a parking space, we noticed a group of people parked near us. They started speaking and I realized I understood what they were saying, even though they weren’t speaking English. Sure enough, they were Germans, and they noticed our license plate. The father in the group said hello, noting that we were “neighbors”. For the second time on our trip, we’d run into people who live in Mainz… which is VERY close to Wiesbaden! 😁 And once again, we were mistaken for being Germans.

To get to the treetop walk, one can either take a mountain cart, or ride a cable car. We opted for the cable car, but having seen the mountain cart, I’m a little more curious about that option. I could see people on the little carts going up the mountain side from the cable car, where Bill and I were sitting.

Here are some photos from just before we started the treetop walk, which was a pleasant, and not too strenuous, activity for me and my fat ass.

*The colorful bottles in the background are different flavors of a special tea liqueur called Tatratea. They are made in the Tatras.*

I didn’t take any photos on the way up to the walk, because the cable car we were in was completely enclosed, and the view wasn’t very good. But once we got to the top, I had plenty of options for taking pictures, of which I took full advantage! Even the trail to the observation tower is a treat for the eyes, especially on a clear sunny day, like the one we enjoyed on the day of our visit!

As you can see, there is a real emphasis on education. There are a number of stops that are meant to engage youngsters and teach them about the environment, as well as help them burn off some steam. The tower itself is great if you have a stroller, or even a wheelchair. It’s just a 1250 meter ramp that doesn’t require taking any steps.

*My guess is that the toboggan slide was closed because there was no one available to work…*

I got some pictures at the top of the tower, too… The net was stretched across the top, and I assume it was allowed to be on it. I did see one girl on the net, and there were signs advising not to jump on it. Of course, I wasn’t about to try it myself.

We walked down the tower and, after a quick stop in the gift shop, decided to have lunch in the restaurant. That was also a bit of an experience, as it was set up like a cafeteria. The guy who tried to help us was a teenager who spoke almost no English, and Bill was pointing at it and saying yes and no as the guy tried to figure out what we wanted. Fortunately, one of his co-workers was able to explain things. They didn’t didn’t have their whole menu available, but I was satisfied with my grilled salmon. Bill had lasagna. We bought some mustard and mead in the shop.

Soon it was time to come down off the mountain, since the cable cars were soon going to close. I did try to take a couple of pictures going down. I also noticed the tinkling of the cowbells on the cows grazing in the bucolic pastures below. But, as you can see, the views were a little marred by the enclosed car.

*A couple of deciduous trees among the conifers.*

Since it was late afternoon by the time we finished our excursion, we decided to head back to the apartment. I was suddenly sorry we didn’t have another day or two to spend in the High Tatras, as there were other things I wanted to do. For instance, there are a couple of cool art galleries/museums in that area. And if you follow my travel blog, you know I love visiting caves and waterfalls. Ah well… now that I know what this area has to offer, perhaps we can visit again sometime.

For now, there are a few more photos to share… Slovakia is SO beautiful! Especially at this time of year!

For dinner, Bill decided to go out and get us a Hawaiian pizza. I don’t mind ham and pineapple on pizza, although it’s not my favorite. But here in Europe, I often get Hawaiian pizza, because it’s pretty much guaranteed to be mushroom free. I have a phobia of mushrooms and will not eat them under any circumstances. Consequently, I eat Hawaiian pizza… which is probably a nightmare for a lot of other people!

The next day, we went to Poland, and I’ll report more on that in the next post!

Lakes, Slovak Republic

Our Eastern European October… part six

On Monday, October 5th, we awoke to gorgeous sunny skies in Stary Smokovec. I didn’t sleep so well in the bed, which had kind of a cheap mattress that left tingly pressure points on various parts of my body. Nevertheless, I was delighted by how beautiful the weather was. It was practically warm outside.

Bill got up and went to a small COOP grocery store, near where we’d had dinner the night before. The paid parking lot near the store was expensive, but the old guy running it was kind enough to let Bill briefly park for free, so he could pick up a few groceries for breakfast.

I was eager to see Štrbské Pleso, a glacial lake near the Kempinski Hotel. People had written about how beautiful it was, and I figured it wouldn’t be too physically taxing to go there. I would say the Vysoke Tatry area is a wonderland for athletic types who love to hike.

There are mountains to climb and ski down, caves to explore, lakes to swim in and walk (or run) around, and waterfalls to hike to and gaze at. There is even a handy tram that will take explorers to some of the more remote areas, although I’ve read that they are pretty well attended by visitors. If you choose to hike to a waterfall, it’s likely you’ll be joined by others with the same plan.

Unfortunately, I’m not as fit or as ambitious as I once was. It doesn’t take much to wind me these days. I’m not sure why, although maybe menopause has something to do with it. But I did muster enough energy to go to the lake and walk around it. The locals made it easy. There were plenty of benches for resting, and even a free public toilet to use. And when we were finished walking around the lake, we had a good choice of restaurants to visit for a hearty lunch.

Below are some photos from our morning at the lake. I’m very glad the weather was so agreeable! The first three are shots from the property where we were staying.

*The toilets were a nice touch. They were clean, and free of charge!*

There’s a path that goes around this lake. If you’re fit, you can probably make it around in under an hour. We saw a few young, athletic guys who ran around it a couple of times while we slowly made our way. We also saw a couple of girls racing each other. And we heard an elderly German woman praising the lake for not being too large. One Asian lady saw me coming out of the bathroom and asked if she needed to pay. I was happy to tell her it was free to pee!

I made Bill stop for a photo or two… and so I could catch my breath. I think you can rent a boat to row around in this lake, too. We saw a couple of people doing that.

I was reminded a little of Lake Bled in Slovenia, except it was less touristy, and didn’t have an island with a church on it. I also didn’t see any swans at this lake, although we did run into a few ducks. There was also a memorial at the lake that commemorated a World War II partnership between the United States and Russia.

Everything was so rustic. That part reminded me a bit of Croatia, and the Plitvice Lakes park, where it seemed like the whole area was set up for outdoorsy fun. It doesn’t compare to the incredible beauty of Plitvice Parks, nor does it offer the same stunning colors. But Štrbské Pleso is very beautiful in its own way, and is more manageable for people who aren’t very fit. As much as I loved our 2021 trip to Croatia and Slovenia, I don’t think I could do 7 or 8 miles in a day again in 2026… at least not without getting in better shape.

We decided to have lunch at a restaurant outside of the lake area. They had traditional Slovakian food, and played annoying music with a video on a loop. The food and beer were good, but the music was grating. Also, this was another place for people with smaller asses than mine. I don’t remember the name of this restaurant, but I do remember they charged 2 euros (!) to use the restroom. I’m sure it’s because they were tired of tourists coming in just to use the facilities. Still, it’s off putting when you have to pay to pee at a restaurant you’re patronizing. I’m sure all of the restaurants in the lake area do it, though.

*I had ribs. They were pretty good, although I couldn’t finish everything.*

We decided to drive back to the apartment as the skies started to dim a bit. I wanted to do some reading and writing, and Bill wanted to pick up some more supplies. As we were driving back, I marveled at how beautiful the scenery was, and how it seemed to me like Slovakia is a place with ambitions to be a great destination for outdoorsy types.

In my younger days, we might have tried to take an afternoon walk to one of several waterfalls in Vyoske Tatry. There’s even a tram that takes visitors part of the way there, so they don’t have to expend too much energy on a hike. Maybe if we make it back to this very enchanting area, I’ll pay a visit to the falls. I’d also love a chance to visit the caves in the area.

We decided to skip dinner, since we had a big lunch and some snacks we needed to consume. That was a wise choice, given how big and hearty lunch was. Meat dishes are a big deal in Slovakia.

In my next post, I’ll write about our visit to the “treewalk” in the area. Stay tuned!

Baden-Württemberg, Schwarzwald

Ten things I learned in the Freiburg region…

If you’re a regular reader of my travel blog, you know that I like to wrap up our trips with a ten things I learned post. It kind of helps me sum things up succinctly, as is hand for those who don’t want to read the blow by blow journal. So, I now humbly present to you ten things I learned while we visited the Freiburg region of Germany!

*One of the excellent local wines we had in the Freiburg/Kaiserstuhl region.*

10. Freiburg has a thriving wine culture. We noticed a number of wineries as we headed down to Horben. If we’d had another day or two, maybe we would have visited a few wineries and tried more of the local wines and brought some home. One of the sommeliers in training reminded us that the region is very close to France’s Burgundy region, so there are some good wines to be had from Freiburg. There are also, naturally, some excellent beers, and some places are embracing the alcohol free cocktail trend, too.

*Schauinsland is a must see on a clear day…*

9. The Schauinsland cable car takes about twenty minutes, but you get a gorgeous view of the countryside. The Schauinsland rises 1284 meters as it takes riders up the mountainside, where they can enjoy hiking, biking, dog walking, and the miner’s museum. It’s also a great place for lunch or even breakfast at Die Bergstation. Be sure to make a reservation if you want to try breakfast, though.

8. If you get bored with Freiburg, you can easily visit France and/or Switzerland. Both borders are very close to Freiburg. I was thinking we might venture into Switzerland at some point during our visit, but Freiburg had so much to offer that we never had the opportunity.

7. If you want to visit Freiburg, you might want to walk, take the bus, or ride a bike… Freiburg is a “green” city. It’s not very car friendly at all, as we found out when we tried to find a parking garage and ended up in a Walkplatz, where people were quick to give us dirty looks and gestures. I would like to visit Freiburg proper, but not when we have to worry about driving.

*On the way into Freiburg from Horben… They issued a few hand gestures.*

6. Freiburg is heaven for bikers. We saw so many people riding bikes in and around Freiburg, and lots of them were riding them up very steep mountains. My days of doing that kind of bike riding are long over, but I was impressed by the stamina and bravery of the many bikers in Freiburg. For a moment, I thought we were actually in The Netherlands!

*St. Stephan’s Church rising high over Breisach.*

5. Breisach is well worth a visit. We decided to visit Breisach kind of on a whim, because I noticed it was a stop on many Rhein River cruises. I wanted to give myself a reason not to ever book one, because I live about twenty minutes from the Rhein and have been to most of the stops on the majority of the available Rhein River cruises. Breisach was one place I hadn’t been. I’m glad we went there, as it is a very cute little town right on the French border. I’d like to see more.

4. Ditto to Staufen… Staufen is a quaint, colorful, historic town I’d never heard of before we visited Freiburg. I want to thank my German connection, Susanne, for recommending it. I hope we can visit again and spend more time there.

*Todtnauer Wasserfall is well worth a look!*

3. The Freiburg region has a lot to offer. Not only do you get the Black Forest and stunning mountain views, but you’re also very close to the Rhein River. It’s kind of like a marriage between our two German lifestyles since we moved back here in 2014– Black Forest in the Stuttgart region, and Rhein River in the Wiesbaden region. Freiburg has them both! There are also waterfalls, a hanging bridge, and even a downhill scooter track.

2. Peacocks can make a visit to a small “zoo” worth the price of entry… We visited the small Schwarzwaldzoo in Waldkirch and were charmed by the animals. However, in my opinion, the preening peacock who was primed for peahen poontang was the star of the show. It was worth the 7,50 euros each to watch him strut, fanning out his beautiful tail, and showing off to everyone. What a personality!

*Such a beautiful, enchanting, inspirational place… I recommend that you visit, too.*

And finally, 1.– I am so glad we finally made it to Freiburg. Susanne has been after us to go there for ten years. She was right, Freiburg is well worth the trip. I’m glad we took the plunge. I hope we can take the plunge again and see even more!

One more waterfall crossed off the bucket list!

So far, this year, we’ve done two short Germany trips, plus an overnight in Stuttgart. Where will be going next? It’s anyone’s guess. It depends on when our new canine family member arrives. For now, I will keep my fond memories of beautiful Horben and Freiburg close to my heart and on my mind.

Baden-Württemberg, Schwarzwald, Sundays

From Wiesbaden to Horben: Walking among clouds and waterfalls…

The weather on Sunday morning was not quite as picture perfect as it had been on Saturday. The sun was out, but it was pretty hazy. My German friend, Susanne, said it was because of Saharan dust, which has to do with the warmer than usual temperatures in Europe right now. It didn’t block the sun, but it did kind of give it a weird looking glow.

Bill and I woke up slightly hungover on Sunday morning, which meant it was a good day for extra physical exertion. We decided to see if we could ride the Schauinsland Bahn, a cable car that takes people up an Alpine mountain, allowing them to walk around above the plains and get a view of the Feldberg, the Black Forest, and other points along the mountain chain. There is also an observation tower at the top of the mountain, although it is currently closed.

Before we did that, though, it was time for another innovative breakfast. We were treated to that by the same friendly waitress who had served us on Saturday morning. Below are some photos of yet another culinary adventure, morning style.

Again, these were all small plates. They may look bigger in the photos than they actually were. I ended up having two servings of the eggs. They were excellent.

After breakfast, we headed to Schauinsland to burn off the repast. The Schauinsland Bahn takes about twenty minutes to get from one point to the next. Those who’d rather drive to the top of the mountain can also do that; there is a parking area up there, as well as a mining museum. We didn’t go to the museum, although it would have been a good use of our time. One can also visit the Waldtraut, which is Germany’s tallest tree.

Instead, we walked around the steep summit and worked off some of that fabulous breakfast. I got lots of pictures, noticing people who were riding bikes, walking their dogs, or power hiking with their poles. I’ll confess, I was moving slower than most of them, but I still managed to see some magnificent views. We probably could have spent most of the day up there, although it’s important to remember than the last trip on the cable car is at 5:00 PM. I hope we can go back to Freiburg, because I would like to explore this area a lot more.

After we walked around for a couple of hours, my legs felt a bit like rubber. I noticed the time, and it was about 1:00 PM or so. I asked Bill if he wanted to stop for lunch. He demurred, saying he wasn’t very hungry. I wasn’t either, but I’ve also been in Germany long enough to know that it’s best not to wait too long to have lunch. A lot of places close after 2:00 PM.

We ended up having a delightful lunch at Die Bergstation, a little restaurant at the station on top of the mountain. They had a small menu that included small dishes, which was perfect for us. I had an open faced smoked salmon sandwich with a salad. Bill had potato soup with wurst. It appears this place is especially popular for breakfast. As I was linking the restaurant’s Web site, it indicated that they are fully booked on weekends and public holidays up until October! There are a few free spots available during the weekdays. Luckily, they weren’t booked for lunch last weekend. There’s also a little kiosk outdoors that offers food and drinks.

*That sandwich was so good! It was served on toasted sourdough with creamy mustard. I liked Bill’s soup, too.*

We made our way back down the mountain by way of the cable car. After a visit to the restroom, we decided our next stop would be at the Todtnauer Waterfall. I got the idea to do that after reading a Facebook post in the Schwarzwald group. There’s also a 450 meter “hanging bridge” at the waterfall. One can either climb up to it from the waterfall, or drive up.

We were a little confused about what to do at the waterfall. There were signs near the gate to the waterfall, as well as a broken ticket machine, indicating that it costs 2,50 euros to go to the falls, and another 12 euros to do the bridge. As we didn’t even know about the bridge before we arrived, we weren’t really prepared to visit it.

Frankly, we were kind of tired after our mountain visit, so we decided to skip the bridge. We did a similar one in Austria in 2015, which involved climbing up a steep mountain, walking across and back again, and then going back down the mountain. I wasn’t sure my muscles could take it. The waterfall ended up being free to visit, as there was no one there to take the money, and the ticket machine was broken. Many people were baffled about what to do and where to go. The guy running the cafe said he fields questions every day from flummoxed visitors.

A lot of people were visiting the Todtnauer Waterfall on Sunday, but I still managed to get plenty of pictures and some video. Here are the pictures for now. I may make a video later. The area around the waterfall is very beautiful, and like a lot of tourist areas in Germany, there’s a cafe where you can sit and enjoy it while enjoying a beverage or snack of your choice. The parking area is basically just off either side of a rather busy road with a lot of aggressive bikers. Be careful!

You can spend a good amount of time at the waterfall, if you want to. There’s a trail that leads down the creek, as well as one that leads up. And of course, you can climb up to the hanging bridge. I think the Burgbach Waterfall is prettier than this one, but mainly because there aren’t as many people hogging the scenery.

After about an hour at the waterfall, we went back to the cafe for a drink. Bill had a non-alcoholic beer, while I had a Hefeweizen.

By the time we visited the waterfall, it was getting later in the afternoon. We decided to head back to the hotel and get ready for dinner. I knew I was going to need a shower after all of the walking and sweating I did. So we went back, and I took some more photos, marveling at the beautiful scenery and realizing that we could come back and still have plenty to see and do. Better yet, maybe there wouldn’t be that cursed Saharan dust messing up the atmosphere. We had a quick drink before cleaning up. Bill tried a non-alcoholic cocktail called Luise’s Black Forest. I had my usual beer.

*You never know what or who you’ll see on a Sunday drive…*

I’ve already written about the unfortunate incident that happened at dinner on Sunday night on my main blog. I won’t get into that here, on my generally upbeat travel blog. Instead, I’ll share photos and some comments about some of the more positive aspects of yet another delightful dinner at Luisenhöhe. That night, we were introduced to a new waiter, a young man who was born in Texas, but is Slovakian and grew up in Slovakia. He was very good at his job, and I was impressed by how confident and skilled he was.

As you can see, I was intrigued enough by the second course that I took several shots of it. It was almost too pretty to eat! And everything was so interesting… I was amazed by how willing I was to try foods I would normally shun. I usually dislike beets, but I found myself trying and enjoying them on Sunday night. And everything was washed down with an excellent local Pinot Noir.

If we had just been able to enjoy dinner and the views, this would have been a stellar day. But, as you know, some people have to rain on other people’s parades… or shit in their Easter baskets. Oh well. Overall, Sunday was a success. We had one last full day in the Freiburg area, which I’ll write about in the next post.

Baden-Württemberg, Schwarzwald

From Wiesbaden to Horben: Arrival at Luisenhöhe…

We arrived at Luisenhöhe shortly after the 4:00 PM check-in time. Bill was a little confused by how to access the parking garage. As he approached, he turned right, instead of left. A right turn got him to what appeared to be a sort of sally port. A left turn got him into the generously appointed parking garage, which offered several outlets for electric vehicles, as well as spots for gasoline powered cars.

Bill parked at the first spot that was free. He commented that he was sure he’d be asked to move, since the spots were all numbered. I grabbed my purse and found the door into the hotel. From the very first glance, it was impressive. The underground entrance reminded me of trees, but my German friend, Susanne, said that it was actually meant as a designer’s nod to the area’s silver mining history. Whatever it was meant to signify, I thought the entrance was very cool looking…

We took the elevator to the reception area, where a friendly young man with a big smile and curly brown hair greeted us. He quickly found our reservation, the paperwork for which I had filled out at home before we left. When Bill asked about parking, the receptionist assured him that it was fine to leave the car where it was parked. Then he offered us a welcome drink– alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Naturally, we went for the alcoholic choice, which turned out to be locally produced Sekt. As you can see below, the view changed constantly.

We sat in the hotel’s bar area, enjoying the views of the mountains in the distance. It was pretty cloudy on Friday, but even with the clouds, the mountains offered dramatic scenery. Bill immediately noticed the Chemex coffee system carafes in the bar area. He was impressed, as this type of filtered coffee system is very cutting edge. My eyes were caught by the row of bottles that looked almost like perfumes. I later asked the bartender about them, and he said they were indeed meant for making cocktails with just the right flavors.

After we finished our welcome drink, we went back to reception, where a young woman waited with the keys to room 207. Below are photos from that room, which is one of the largest of the basic rooms offered. From the room we booked, the price jumps considerably, as those rooms are considered either feel good or favorite suites. They are much larger and more private than the regular rooms are.

*Bed– it had a nightlight under it that was tripped every time we got out of bed.*

One of the most interesting features of the room was the window. The bottom half was made of glass, while the top part could be opened with an unobstructed view, or with the sunshade pulled down. The whole thing was controlled by a touch screen switch on the wall. This was also where the climate control was located. There was a heavy sliding door that could be pulled to close the window from the elements or noise from outside.

Bill demonstrates the window. I was the one pushing the button, of course. As you can see, we had a view of the pool and the spa area…

If we ever go back to this hotel, I would opt for a room with a “panorama” view, even if it meant a little less room. The larger room we had was right by the pool and spa area, making it seem somewhat less private and, at times, a bit noisy. It wasn’t too much of a problem during our visit, since it’s early spring and the hotel wasn’t full. But when people show up for the summer, and the hotel is fuller, having a window that opens to the pool area may be problematic for those who prefer quiet. I noticed in the couple of hours before dinner, as people were enjoying the pool, that I could easily hear their conversations. That probably doesn’t bother everyone, but I am kind of sensitive to noise. I can picture a crowd at the pool being rowdy in the afternoon when I might want to take a nap… 😉

To be totally honest, I wasn’t that impressed with the room itself. The room has a bathroom that is kind of open concept, with a private stall for the toilet and the shower, rather than a private room for everything. For some reason, there’s a clear glass panel in the shower, making it possible to see inside the shower. That’s fine for people in a relationship, but it might be a problem for friends sharing a room.

The mattress was a bit firm for my taste, although it wasn’t as firm as the mattress was at the Wald Hotel in Stuttgart. Each side of the bed had two foam rubber pillows. We brought our own feather pillows, because we’re weird like that. It wouldn’t have been necessary to bring the pillows to this hotel, but you never know in Germany. Sometimes, they really don’t give you enough pillows. Each side also had its own duvet, which some people like or hate. Personally, I don’t mind it.

The shower had a huge rainfall head, but the water pressure was a bit weak, which was disappointing for me. I like a massage action on the shower. The toiletries were good quality, with a woodsy, unisex scent. They were in big pump bottles– body wash, shampoo, and conditioner (balm). The vanity area was a bit crowded and small, but I did appreciate the good lighting and makeup mirror. They also provide robes for the stay, and a bag you can take with you. If you need slippers, they can provide them. I brought my own robe and pool shoes, but Bill used the robe. He said it wasn’t very roomy.

There were plenty of electrical outlets for all of our electronics, and lots of lamps, rather than overhead lights. I liked that, since overhead lighting usually stresses me out. The floor was painted concrete, which I didn’t like much, but I can’t deny that it came in handy. When we stopped at the gas station on our way to Breisach, Bill bought me a Coke, which exploded when I opened it. The concrete floor made it easy to clean up the resulting mess. I’m sure it’s better for keeping allergies at bay, too.

After we settled in for a couple of hours, Bill and I headed down to the restaurant for dinner. It’s optional to pay extra and book nightly dinners at the Luisenhöhe, although breakfast is included in the price of the room. The service hours are between 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM. You just show up anytime between those times.

I will admit, my first impression of the hotel’s restaurant, Restaurant Luise, wasn’t 100 percent positive. Food service at Luisenhöhe is unusual, and it may not suit everyone. However, now that I’ve spent four nights there and tried a huge array of dishes I never otherwise would have, I can say that I would enthusiastically recommend booking dinner, especially if you aren’t super picky. It really is a pretty amazing experience.

The hotel’s Chef de Cuisine is Niels Möller, and he is something of a culinary wizard. Every night, there’s a four course meal offered, which can be ordered with or without flesh (meat or fish). The chef chooses very fresh, local, seasonally appropriate ingredients, and somehow matches them perfectly, often with items you would never expect. I was pleasantly shocked at every meal, even at the one in which I couldn’t eat the main course because it had mushrooms and veal. I will eat veal sparingly, although I prefer not to. I do not eat mushrooms under ANY circumstances. Fortunately, they do have a menu in which a substitute dish can be ordered for a modest upcharge.

The wait staff is very friendly and many of the staff members speak excellent English and/or French. Several of the servers appeared to also be in training to be sommeliers. The first two nights we were there, we ordered wine from the guy who was clearly the sommelier, as he had a lapel pin with a bunch of grapes. But on Sunday and Monday nights, we were sold wine by more junior staffers, both of whom did a great job.

Our first night, we were seated at a two top between two other two tops. That would not have been my preference, as we were rather close to the other couples, which made it harder to converse privately. It didn’t occur to me to complain. I did notice other people complaining about proposed tables and being moved elsewhere. I guess my time as a server makes it hard for me to complain at restaurants.

We were a little confused at first, thinking we were to choose an entree, until the waitress explained that we would get everything on the menu. Everything is on small plates. I did notice the lady next to me didn’t have every course or had a substitute. She was very thin and fit looking, and her husband was a very snappy dresser. They spoke German, but I suspect they came from Switzerland. They didn’t dress like Germans. 😉

Below are the dishes we were served the first night. Bill decided to go vegetarian for that one:

*This is the non-vegetarian option, with mackerel…*

It looks like this might be their Friday night selection this season, since this menu is the example on their Web site. All of it was very good, although this was not my favorite of what we had during our four night stay. I’m pretty sure the chef was there on Friday and Saturday night. He served us one course each on each night, spoke English and French, and was utterly charming. He can do magic with food.

After dinner, we decided to skip the nightcap and go to bed. It had been a long day, and Saturday promised to be active. More on that in the next post!

Baden-Württemberg, short breaks

A view from where we are right now… (cross post)

Greetings from Horben. We are really enjoying our short break in this beautiful area near Freiburg. It’s very scenic, and I have already taken a lot of photos for the travel blog. I’ll start that series when we get back on Tuesday. For now, here’s a photo…

Champagne Bucket trips

City number 2… Bergen, Norway…

Bill and I got to the train station bright and early this morning, ready to catch our 8:23 AM train to Bergen. The train, just like a lot of the cars, runs on electricity. It’s very quiet, and doesn’t run very fast, so the trip took until just after 3:00 PM. Our cab driver this morning had a Virginia ball cap on. He said he’d just been to Richmond to visit his son, who lives there. Crazy coincidence, since I’m from Virginia myself.

The train journey made me nervous, but I also eagerly anticipated it. I had read a lot about how beautiful the journey is. Now, I can say with certainty that it IS a beautiful, scenic ride. However, some people are incredibly focused on themselves. That truism was driven home as the Spanish guy in the next train compartment parked himself in front of our door and window for a long time, seemingly oblivious that he was blocking the view. That was very annoying, especially when people needed to pass him, and he’d lean on our door. I don’t know why he thought it would be okay to camp out there, especially since he had his own window. My guess is that he figured his wife would object.

I did manage to get a lot of stunning photos, though… and I also got a few videos. The scenery from the train does change with the seasons, so I might be persuaded to do it again in a different season. I’m also glad we had a compartment, as it mostly minimized irritation.

We arrived in Bergen cranky and hungry, because the credit card machine on board went down and Bill didn’t have any local currency. We did manage to get some snacks in the morning, but we missed lunch. I was in a foul mood when we disembarked, because I was a bit hangry.

But, after a slightly annoying check in at our hotel, we managed to find an Irish pub that was playing really nostalgic 90s era music. Bill loved it. I felt a little better after a blood sugar bump, then we went to the fish market and had some seafood for dinner. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it was good enough.

It’s going on 8 PM now, and we’re both tired. I think we’ll turn in early. I hope there won’t be a lot of noise.

Here are some photos from today’s adventure…

booze tourism, tours

Food and wine in Switzerland, Italy, and Liechtenstein… part twelve

Cute Cortona!

We arrived in beautiful Cortona in the late afternoon on April 30th. I had never been to Cortona before last weekend, but I do have a couple of first cousins once removed (they are sisters) who both graduated from the University of Georgia and attended study abroad sessions in Cortona while they were in college. I remembered seeing their pictures on Facebook and reading how much they liked the town. Now that I’ve seen it for myself, I can understand why they liked it so much. Besides the obvious fun of being a twentysomething college student in Italy, Cortona is legitimately an adorable town, located at the top of a steep mountain. Bill said it reminded him of Ribeauville, France, which is one of our favorite escapes from Germany. Too bad Cortona is so far away from Germany!

Tom, our guide, booked our small group at Hotel San Luca, which is right in the thick of the town. The advantage of this hotel is that some of the rooms offer stunning views from the side of the mountain. Those who don’t have a view from their rooms can go out the front door and see the view from outside the hotel, or they can enjoy the incredible views from the breakfast room. Below are some photos from near the hotel. In the distance, you can see Lake Trasimene, which is very close to Cortona.

If I’m honest, the views are the best part of this particular lodging, although it was fine for just a night. The hotel appeared to be pretty old, and it had very tiny elevators (a theme during our Italy trip) that had what appeared to be ashtrays in them! But, over the top of the ashtrays, there was a “no smoking” sign. When you enter the hotel, you’re on the ground floor, but you take the elevator down to get to the “higher numbered floors”, which are actually under the lobby.

We were in small room that had a tiny shower. I was glad I brought an extra pillow with me, even if it does make me look like Linus. I hate trying to sleep with flat, wimpy pillows. Below are a few photos of the room. I didn’t get any pictures of the bathroom, but it was very tiny and basic. On the other hand, this room wasn’t as small as the one we had in Torrechiara, and we did have a great view! There was also a balcony.

After we checked in at the hotel, we gathered for an aperitif, and discussed whether we wanted to sit inside or outside for dinner. Everyone seemed to want to sit outside, except for me, of course. Remember, I said I don’t do the “group thing” very well. I was legitimately a little bit chilly, though. Bill went and got one of my sweaters for me. We ended up not eating outside anyway. I think I overheard the waiter say that it was too cold outside, but I also noticed that there weren’t any tables set up on the terrace. I think it would be fun to eat outside where we had dinner. The location is right by the main square. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t glad we ate indoors, simply because it was a little cool. I guess I’m just a party pooper. Every party needs one, you know. 😉 Below are some photos I took before we reached the restaurant.

We had dinner at a restaurant called Ristorante La Loggetta, where we enjoyed more lovely wines with good food. We had free choice of the menu at Ristorante La Loggetta, so I went with duck with orange sauce and candied apricots. Bill had a steak. After dinner, which included several bottles of local wines, we walked back to the hotel. Bill and I stopped for a gelato break, and got a few nighttime photos from the adorable city, which happens to be where portions of the 2003 film, Under The Tuscan Sun, was filmed. I haven’t seen the movie myself, but Tom said his sister works at the villa in Cortona where scenes were made. It’s a popular wedding and event venue.

I would have loved to have spent another night in Cortona, simply because I would have enjoyed exploring the town more and going shopping. The main drag has so many beautiful little shops with tons of art, housewares, clothing, and the like. But, now that we’ve been there to see it, maybe Bill and I can visit on our own at some point. We’ll see.

Sunday morning, we rose to some clouds in the sky, which offered a different view of Cortona and its surroundings. We had a simple breakfast in the breakfast room. It included typical Italian pastries, breads, cold cuts, eggs, sausages, juices, and coffee. I had to take more pictures from the huge windows in the room. Then I took more from the cliffside. A small flea market was going on, offering a brief chance to pick up souvenirs. Sadly, I gave Bill all my euros!

This is the gate to the villa where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed.

Stay tuned for part thirteen.

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Chasing lakes and waterfalls in Aus-cro-slo-aus… part six

Saturday, October 30, was the big day. It was also really cold and foggy that morning. Bill had purchased our tickets for the Plitvice Lakes National Park for 10:00am. We were allowed to enter the park only from 10:00 am until 11:00am. I think this system is to prevent huge crowds of people showing up at the same time. It’s probably better for the natural environment and everyone’s enjoyment if the crowds are staggered. Of course, COVID-19 also makes the crowd staggering important, as it prevents too many people mingling and creating a superspreader event.

The park’s Web site recommended dressing in layers. I was cold enough that I took that advice. I wore heavy wool socks, a hoodie jacket, and my big Irish wool coatigan (basically, a long cardigan that zips and stretches enough to cover my beer gut). After breakfast, we made our way to the park. I was a bit afraid that it would be foggy there, as it was at the house. But as we entered town, the fog lifted, and we had glorious sunshine. It was going to be a great day for a walk through the sixteen named lakes, several unnamed lakes, and waterfalls that make up Plitvice Lakes.

I took so many pictures over the six hours we were at the park. Bill and I ended up walking almost the entire park. We did Route C, which is the third longest. If we had done Route K, we would have been there until nightfall and I would have probably needed an intravenous line. As it was, I was exhausted by the end of our day, but I will never forget the incredible beauty of the lakes and falls, even if the crowds got a little bit annoying. Brace yourself for lots of photos!

This was our first view of the park at Entrance 1, after a pleasant walk from the wooded parking lot.

After about a half hour of walking, I knew that I was going to get too hot before long. I had been cold at the beginning of the day… but walking makes body heat. Plus, the sun was out in full force. We were very lucky, weather wise. I also got some videos of the waterfalls, which I will eventually turn into a YouTube video. Maybe I’ll get to it today. Maybe not.

Edited to add… here’s the video!

Phew… this was a trial to make on many levels!

As we were walking, jaws dropping at each new sight and the huge panorama of so many brilliant colors, I couldn’t help but realize that summer and late spring are probably madness at this park! But I’ll bet it’s so beautiful, too, since everything’s blooming and green. I’m sure this park is beautiful no matter what time of year it is. I think they do close part of it in the winter, though, which is smart, since there are a lot of slippery areas and the paths don’t usually have guardrails. I wonder how many people have fallen into the lakes, even though swimming there has been forbidden since 2006.

Wow… gonna have to make this one a cover somewhere…

It was at about this time that we found ourselves at one of the several rest stations. This was where toilets, souvenirs, and food were, as well as the boats to the other side of the park. I was ready for a rest, so we went into the restaurant, where sandwiches and french fries were available, as well as a dizzying and surprising array of drinks, many of which contained alcohol. We stuck with good old Croatian beer. It’s important to know that cash is not accepted at the park, so bring your credit card if you visit. Also, don’t buy anything at the souvenir shop if you’re just getting started, because you’ll have to cart it with you… I didn’t learn this the hard way, thank God.

It wasn’t terrible food, but I definitely was ready for something more at the end of the day.

This was taken from the pontoon boat that took us to the other side of the park. Everyone wore a mask. It was probably the only place they did, besides the shuttle bus.

I was already getting tired after the boat ride, which was one way and committed us to walk the rest of the park. Luckily, the sheer beauty of the park and the prospect of being stuck there if I collapsed kept me going. And they were some beautiful sights, even though I don’t walk as fast as I used to. Below is the last batch of photos from Saturday’s walk, which took about six hours and was over seven miles… Not bad for a fatass housewife, huh?

We caught the shuttle at the end. I was grateful I didn’t take the mysterious staircase that would have taken us on another two hour segment. Maybe I could have done it, but I was really exhausted at the end of the day. We got on the shuttle with other masked people… again, probably the only place I saw people in Croatia properly masking. I was pretty irritable, because I was hungry and very tired. But there were many people on the shuttle who had lots of energy… and they were speaking in so many different languages. We heard English, Spanish, Italian, Croatian, and God knows what else… and Bill and I were both reminded of a particularly obnoxious bus ride in Puerto Rico we experienced when we took our first SeaDream cruise and there was a crew of obnoxious Brazilians aboard who were driving the bartenders crazy by staying up all night and getting wasted. We were going to the Bioluminescent Lake in Vieques, which was really beautiful, but I was tired and hungry, and the seat we were sitting on was busted.

Well… the ride in Croatia wasn’t that bad. At least the seat on the bus wasn’t broken, like it was on the bus ride in Vieques, Puerto Rico. But I was definitely running out of juice, and patience, and my muscles were stiffening by the second… By the time we got off at the last bus stop, we had to walk another mile or so out of the park and to the parking lot. I had, by that time, shed my layers and was carrying my sweater and my hoodie.

Despite being exhausted and crabby at the end of our day, I am really glad we visited and walked so much. I’m glad I can still do it. And I’m glad I don’t have to do it again.

Stay tuned for part seven.

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Our time in Die Schweiz was definitely not Scheißig… part three

Our first night at the B2 Boutique Hotel was a bit stuffy. I mentioned that the room was air conditioned and, in fact, it was also disinfected with fog before our arrival. When we first opened the door, there was a sticker on it, indicating that, yes, prior to our arrival, housekeeping had used a state of the art cleaning technique to make sure there weren’t any nasty corona bugs in the room. Supposedly, the fog renders the room “99.9% germ free”. I appreciated that, especially as I continue to read sad and scary tales about people getting sick with COVID-19. The skylight in the room had a blind that could be raised, but I found that raising the blind made the room too warm. In spite of the “air conditioning”, I had to open the skylight.

I had almost booked a different hotel on the lake. It was brand new and beautiful, not to mention slightly less expensive. But I ended up booking the B2 Hotel because I read complaints about the air conditioning at the other hotel– which had some kind of strange water powered system that was lacking. I didn’t want to be hot and uncomfortable, especially for what we were paying. I was a bit warm at the B2 Hotel, but at least the window opened and that allowed for the room to be less stuffy. I have noticed that a lot of places in Europe are investing in air conditioning, since global warming seems to be here to stay. But it seems like some places are trying to use technologies that aren’t as effective as they could be. Fortunately, we were blessed with mostly decent weather, plus temperatures that weren’t oppressively hot.

On Friday morning, we had sunny skies, and I told Bill that I wanted to go south and get some beautiful lake photos. When we lived in Stuttgart, we would often pass Lake Lucerne on our way to Italy. I always wanted to stop and take pictures of the lake off the Autobahn, because it’s extremely beautiful. There is a pull off just before the road passes the water, but Bill never stopped despite my pleading. So I had a stop there in mind for Friday.

Bill decided we’d go to Lucerne, instead. I didn’t mind that, since I had heard that Lucerne was a quaint and lovely town and I had never seen it. However, I really had a hankering to go somewhere more wild and rural. I hadn’t made that clear, so we headed down toward Lucerne. But first, we had breakfast, which was included in the rate.

At B2 Boutique Hotel, breakfast is included in the rate. A server brings a basket of bread, a hot drink (tea, coffee drinks, or hot chocolate), and eggs, which can come with bacon, ham, mushroom, or cheese, and can be prepared in a variety of ways. There’s also a small buffet with cereals, meats, cheese, yogurt, smoked salmon, and fresh fruit.

Sufficiently satiated, we asked the receptionist to get the Volvo for us. She walked down the hill and fetched the car. It took a few minutes. Then we headed off to Lucerne, which is a quaint and lovely town. We didn’t stay long, though… only long enough for me to get some pictures and a couple of short videos. Lucerne is such a pretty town, but there were many people there and the lake was not as gorgeous as it is by the Autobahn. Lucerne reminds me a lot of Annecy, France, where we visited in 2018. I think I like Annecy a little bit more, if only because it’s cheaper there.

Here are some photos from Lucerne.

Off on a cruise! Some random guy was sharing his music with us while drinking a beer.

A closer look.

Like I said… Lucerne is a very charming town, and I probably should have explored it more, but I had my heart set on getting some really beautiful photos. So Bill and I left after about a half hour or so and headed back toward Autobahn 4. We headed south, approaching the town of Schwyz, which is where Victorinox knives and other products are made. It wasn’t long before the gloriously beautiful lake was finally visible. We pulled off the road and I got these photos… I also used the handy and very clean public restroom at the pull off. Kudos to the Swiss for that!

A little shrine on the side of the road out of Lucerne. My German friend tells me it was built for Astrid of Sweden, Queen of the Belgians, who died in a car accident there in 1935.

We wanted a closer look at the lake, so we ended up getting off at Brunnen, Switzerland, an adorable little town right on Lake Lucerne. If we have a chance to vacation in Switzerland again, I will look into getting a room or apartment down there in Brunnen. It’s absolutely stunning, and has a different vibe than the city is. Below are some photos I took from our stop in Brunnen, which lasted a couple of hours and included lunch at a restaurant called Haddock Brunnen.

I had a smoked salmon sandwich at Haddock Brunnen. It was messy, but delicious, with dill horseradish sauce, lettuce, and cucumbers on a ciabatta.

We actually did some driving around before we decided on Brunnen. The area around the lake has several tourist spots available, but if you just drive through there, you might be kind of disappointed at the lack of cute towns. We went through one area that was right by the lake, but there was a train next to the water. I felt sorry for the people living in the apartments right by the lake. Half the time, they’re looking at train cars!

I think this might be why I tend to be a bit “meh” about Switzerland. There’s so much beautiful scenery, there, but there’s also a lot of industry and utilitarian architecture. Parts of it seem a bit soulless to me… but then I turn around and see insanely beautiful places like Brunnen. Despite being a small country, Switzerland also has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh, which is spoken in the Grisons canton. Supposedly, I have some ancestry from that area.

It was lucky we did this visit on Friday, since that day offered the best weather of any during our short trip. We have passed Lake Lucerne in less agreeable weather and, while interesting photos are possible, good pictures are more likely when the sun is out. It was somewhat hazy when we visited, but we still managed to get a few great shots. My mission was accomplished. I made a special point of memorizing the names of some of the towns around that area, since I neglected to do that on prior trips.

I probably ought to look into booking places out in the country… up in the mountains. Or maybe down near the lakes in smaller towns, like Sisikon. That’s probably where I’ll find soul… or, maybe I’ll find it in a restaurant in a big city. More on that in part four.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: beautiful views