A quick jaunt to Istanbul… (part six)

Featured photo is of the Istanbul Airport area as we flew over it.

Finally, Friday morning arrived, and it was time to go back to Germany. Specifically, we were going to be flying to Frankfurt, which is about a twenty minute drive from our house. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I was a little worried about traffic getting to the airport, so I encouraged Bill to check us out of the hotel by about 9:00 AM for our 12:45 flight. Although the traffic wasn’t that bad going to the airport, it turned out to be a good call to get to the airport early, especially since Istanbul is not in the European Union.

On our last morning, a harpist came in and played soothing music. It was very pleasant. She played beautifully, and chose selections that were decidedly less weird than Bossa Nova versions of “Like A Virgin” and “Beat It”.

After breakfast, we went back to room 1711, packed up our bags and went back down to the reception. Bill swiftly settled up, and we were lucky enough that a cabbie was already waiting out front for a new fare, so we didn’t even have to wait for a taxi. The taxi driver was the only one of the three we used in Istanbul who was willing to take Turkish Lira. Well… the other two probably would have, too, but they clearly preferred euros.

A couple of views of the huge airport below… Technically, it’s still in Istanbul, but a good distance away from downtown.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Istanbul’s airport is quite new and HUGE, located about 30 minutes away from our hotel in Maslak. It’s not even fully built yet, either. When you enter the building, you have to go through a metal detector and put your bags through a scanner. This is in addition to the usual security procedures that you go through when you have a boarding pass. I probably need to read up more on security issues in the Republic of Türkiye.

We got through the first layer of security, and then had to find our respective baggage drops. Because I was flying business, I had to go to a separate counter in a different area than the economy bag drop. I don’t know how Bill’s experience was, but mine was impressive. I had to ask someone where the business class drop was, and he said it was section “L”. I wonder if the “L” was for luxe… Bill’s drop was in section “B”, I think.

Anyway, the Turkish Airlines business class counter is in its own area that sort of has its own lounge before you even get to the business class lounge! I walked right up to a man who spoke English, noticing that there was no red carpet in the Istanbul Airport for business class passengers. 😉 The guy patiently waited a few minutes while I found my Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles number. He entered the data for me, tagged my bag, and directed me to the business class lounge, which I opted not to use. Bill would not be able to go in there with me.

We made our way through the second layer of security, which involved the usual metal detector and putting our carry on stuff through an x-ray scanner. Then we walked through the first of many shopping venues. Istanbul Airport has a lot of really high end shops, but also plenty of places to get souvenirs and a bite to eat. I was impressed by the number of restaurants. They kind of put Frankfurt Airport to shame.

One thing I noticed in the airport, as well as in Istanbul in general, was a lack of seating in public areas. Because there weren’t many places to sit and we had some time before our flight, Bill and I decided to have something at an Italian cafe. I ended up having avocado toast on sourdough with two poached eggs, salad, and a big glass of orange juice. Bill had a latte. The lady who waited on us invited us to sit at a four top table, rather than the two top we’d originally chosen. I appreciated that very much! It was considerate of her to do that for us.

*This was 9 euros, but it was fresh, satisfying, and delicious!*

After we had our break at the Italian cafe, enough time had passed for us to make our way to the gate. But as we headed over there, we stopped at a store to pick up some Turkish Delight, magnets, and dried apricots for Bill’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids, and a couple of boxes of chocolate and a magnet for us.

While Bill was making his purchases, I was noticing some really interesting looking restaurants, a couple of which were U.S. based and not available in Germany! But there was also a place that had what appeared to have Anatolian cuisine. If we go back through Istanbul by plane, we’ll have to check it out.

After a lengthy and somewhat confusing walk to Gate 9 AB, Bill and I waited until it was time to board. This time, the plane was there on time, and boarding was relatively easy. I had chosen seat 5F, a change from my original choice of 2E. I wanted to sit by a window, and it looked like no one was sitting in seat 5E. Of course, it turned out that a married couple had taken the aisle seats in row 5. That was no big deal at all. There was so much room on the plane! I was, once again, simply amazed by it! Between my seat and the other seat was a large console. And, on this flight, we had entertainment monitors on the seat backs in front of us.

*You can’t tell, but my foot is NOT touching that seat in front of me. I have my leg fully extended. I’m about 5’2″ tall.*

Unfortunately, the service on this flight was not as good as it was on the flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul. It was competent enough, I guess… but noticeably less warm and attentive. It’s probably best to write about this in a list form… and I might sound a bit difficult. But, keep in mind that we spent $1500 on my round trip short haul ticket. For that amount of money, I do expect good service, rather than just competent service. So, here’s my list of complaints.

Pre-departure drinks

Once again, the flight attendant, a rather young and cocky looking male, came around with juices. He didn’t immediately offer the same selection of juices as the flight attendant did on the way to Istanbul. He did have all of the same juices available, but he didn’t initially offer all of them, nor did he identify them. And my orange juice didn’t have a slice of orange in it, as it did on the way down. It’s not a big deal at all, but I did notice it.

2. No Menus

On the flight to Istanbul, the flight attendants handed out printed menus that explained everything that was going to be offered with the in flight meals. There was a list of available drinks, and each meal choice was described, although not very thoroughly. I appreciate menu descriptions, because there are a few things I can’t eat. On this flight, I only saw a few people up front get menus.

3. No verbal description of the meal

When it came time to place my order, the same male flight attendant asked me if I wanted fish or beef, or one of the meals offered to the economy class, chicken or pasta. There were no descriptions. He didn’t even tell me what kind of fish was being offered. I did end up selecting the fish, while the people next to me both had the pasta, which I noticed they nicely plated for business class, rather than just giving them the plastic containers that the people in economy got.

The meal itself was okay. The starter was smoked salmon with some kind of slaw and a single shrimp on it. There was also cheese, eggplant salad, bread and butter, and a delicious chocolate eclair. The fish turned out to be some kind of dense fleshy variety– maybe swordfish or shark. It might have been sea bass. I honestly don’t know, because the flight attendant didn’t bother to tell me, or apologize for the lack of a menu. There’s a big difference between trout, salmon, and tuna, you know.

4. Bread service and wine

The same flight attendant brought around a bread basket with warm breads. He barely showed me what was in the basket and asked me to point to which roll I wanted. I tried to point to the one I preferred, but he just gave me a random one. It was pretty perfunctory and not impressive at all. He brought me some wine, but never bothered to ask if I wanted water or something else.

Again, not anything earth shatteringly bad, but it was noticeably poorer service than his colleagues on the other flight, who were obviously more interested in doing their jobs properly. And when I finished the wine, it took him a long time to come back and collect the empty glass. He picked it up when he brought out the bags of hazelnuts.

5. Attitude

That particular male flight attendant seemed pretty much over his job. He was outwardly a bit rude to me. When we were descending into Frankfurt, I was leaning forward in my seat and he demanded, “Madame, do you have your seat belt on?” I assured him I did, and instead of smiling, saying “thank you”, and being friendly, he just sort of smirked at me and almost rolled his eyes. By that point, I was getting pretty exasperated with his not too subtly concealed asshole behavior.

His colleague seemed much friendlier and more sympathetic, but she spent a long time assisting a gentleman a couple of rows in front of me. I wondered what her male colleague’s problem was. Was it me? Did I specifically do something to offend him? Or does he just want the perks of being a flight attendant, without actually doing his job properly?

Maybe he doesn’t like fat, middle-aged, American women traveling alone in business class. Perhaps I should have heeded Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s advice to dress up for my flight. Or maybe he just isn’t generally suited to the service oriented jobs that require interacting with the public with kindness and consideration. I’ll bet he would never take it upon himself to pre-emptively clean and deodorize the lavatory for me after a windy fellow passenger had used it, though, as his colleague did for me on the way to Istanbul.

I busied myself taking more pictures of the clouds… I liked that the airline’s WiFi worked, as did the monitors showing our progress from Istanbul to Frankfurt.

Overall

I thought it was a good flight and I am impressed by Turkish Airlines. I would definitely fly them again, if the opportunity arises. Their business class product is mostly better than Lufthansa’s– at least when it comes to the actual seat and leg room. But that flight attendant who was looking after me was a bit of an asshole, in my opinion. I don’t think I did anything to warrant his snarky, inattentive, half-assed behavior. And at $1500 for a ticket, I do expect better service than what he delivered… even if it does make me sound like a high maintenance prima donna.

We landed in Frankfurt about 20 or 30 minutes early, so we had to wait about ten minutes before we could park the plane and disembark. Once we did that, I got off the plane as quickly as I could. I needed to find a loo. But first, I had to go through passport control. The young German police officer sitting in the booth asked me what I was doing in Germany. I said, “I live here. There’s a SOFA card at the back of my passport.” He quickly found the card and waved me through, but not before giving me a charming smile when I said “Dankeschön” to him. The cocky flight attendant could take a lesson from the passport control guy. 😉

I felt a little sorry for the guy who was on the other side of the booth. He was getting the third degree from passport control about his decision to enter the European Union. They were asking him about his profession and his citizenship status. Yikes!

It took some time to get our bags. Mine came out early, but Bill’s was not removed from the aircraft until near the end of the line. But then, he WAS in the cheap seats.

We got a taxi home, and I was soon left sitting there bewildered at our whirlwind trip to the Middle East. I’m now especially glad I went with Bill, even though we didn’t do as much as I had hoped we would. It turns out he has to leave again on Sunday. He’s got to fly to the United States and work there next week. I’ll be all alone, buying Christmas presents. I wish I’d had a chance to buy some art in Türkiye, but maybe another opportunity will arise and we can do some proper shopping. And maybe next time, Bill can join me in business class. I’ll bet that cocky twerp flight attendant would not have acted the way he did if Bill had been with me. 🤨

Anyway, so ends the “blow by blow” account of my quick trip to Istanbul. I’ll soon do my usual “ten things I learned” post to end this series. Stay tuned!

Eastern Europe, Hungary

Back to Budapest– The last day and the trip home… part seven

On his last conference day, Bill told me he’d be done with work early. We decided to spend the afternoon picking up some souvenirs for his grandchildren. In retrospect, maybe we should have gone and done something interesting together, like visiting St. Stephen’s Basilica. I do regret not going there during the week, now that I’ve seen some photos. But, to be honest, we were both a bit ready to go home and see our dogs. I was also pretty tired of the D8 Hotel and ready to sleep in my own bed.

So, on Friday morning, I decided to head out to the Danube and take some more photos, using my “fancy” Nikon digital camera. Of course, I forgot about all of the tourists… I’m not sure why I forgot, since there was a constant reminder of them. Cruise ships in Budapest are no joke! But I was thinking about how, on Sunday evening, I’d noticed park benches along the river, and I figured I could sit there for awhile and gaze at the water. Below are some photos I took with my phone.

*I was trying hard to figure out what the silvery dome was on the Buda side. I never did…*

As I sat on benches, looking at the river, I kept getting disturbed by groups of people milling around. Some of them traveled in tour groups. Some were just big families or groups of friends. Most weren’t watching where they were going, exercising any situational awareness, or being very considerate.

But at least I got a few more river shots. Below are some from the Nikon… It has an “artsy” setting. Maybe it’s time I bought a new Nikon. I’m sure they’ve upgraded this feature since 2017, when I bought my last PowerShot camera.

I forgot to mention in yesterday’s post that I also saw a lot of people riding e-scooters, renting them from an outfit called E-Magine. I didn’t try one myself, because one time, Bill and I rented Segways when we visited Antigua in 2011. I fell off of mine, and that experience, along with having my feet fall asleep, put me off of renting motorized vehicles that aren’t cars. Below is a very short video I took.

People seem to love these in Budapest.

Once Bill got back from work at about 1:00 PM, we went shopping on Váci Street. First, we stopped at the Retro Cube II Rubik’s Cube store and picked up a genuine Rubik’s Cube for Bill’s eldest grandchild. They had all kinds of stuff in there– puzzles I well remember from when I was about 8 or 9 years old myself!

Then we decided to have lunch. I was thinking maybe we’d go to a restaurant in an old, cool looking building, but we ended up at the place next door. They had a sign up that read “Local Food.” When I noticed that it looked like a lot of locals were there, we decided that might be a better bet than the more touristy old building next to it. The restaurant we had lunch at is called Simaliba, and it turned out to be a real gem! The food was fresh, creatively presented, and tasted good. It was also inexpensive! I noticed a large bass violin in the dining room, which suggests that they also have live music. If we go back to Budapest, we’ll have to visit Simaliba again.

I was really impressed by how good the pork was. It was very tender and flavorful. Yes, this was a heavy dish, and maybe not the most obvious choice on a warm September day, but I was unable to ignore temptation. Bill liked his fried perch, too. I had been eyeing that dish, myself!

After we ate lunch, we spent about an hour trying to locate the art store I found earlier in the week that had coloring books. We walked up and down Váci Street twice, and I was wondering if maybe I’d imagined seeing the place. But then we went a block further and finally found the shop. We bought a couple of prints, some magnets, and a Hungarian coloring book for the kids. I hadn’t noticed until we were paying that the guy running the shop was wearing a t-shirt that horrified me. It was shit colored brown and had pictures of toadstools all over it! Yikes!

After we bought our souvenirs, we headed back up Váci Street, and visited the World of Souvenir [sic] (I didn’t even recognize that the sign was missing an “s”), where we picked up a few more things for the younger kids and Bill’s daughter while Avril Lavigne blared over the speakers. By that time, it was late afternoon, so after we paid for our souvenirs, we decided to go back to the room to pack up our stuff. As we were heading back to the hotel, I noticed how extremely crowded the main shopping plaza was. Budapest was teeming with people. I felt a sudden urge to hole up in the hotel room, away from the crowds!

We decided that we didn’t want to go back out into the streets of Budapest. Bill picked up a bottle of wine at the hotel’s bar, and we stayed in and watched videos on YouTube, in preparation for our 11:35 flight back to Frankfurt the next morning.

***

We had breakfast on Saturday morning and grabbed our bags. Both of us were ready to leave Hungary’s capital, even though we had a good time on the trip. Bill was very happy I came with him on this work trip, because Budapest is a great city, and with me there after work, he was able to really enjoy the restaurants and the wonderful music and sights. I didn’t come away from Budapest quite as bowled over as I did in 2009, but I did make new discoveries, and realized that it’s an enchanting city, even though it’s very touristy now. Going to Budapest made me want to see more of Hungary, where not everyone speaks perfect English!

The cab driver picked us up and drove us to the airport. He was very friendly, and pointed out areas of interest, even letting us know that Budapest’s airport is not actually in Budapest, but is in a neighboring area called Vecses. He even pointed out the sign. However, if I look up the airport’s address, it says it’s in Budapest. Anyway, he pointed out a Holocaust museum, as well as Aeropark Budapest, an airplane museum at the airport that I noticed on the way in. I saw a couple of old Malev planes. I would come back to visit both museums, but only if Bill could come with me.

Once again, we waited at the gate for our flight. We were early enough that we got to see the last stragglers getting on the earlier Frankfurt flight! I sent Bill to go buy some Unicum— a Hungarian digestive liqueur that tastes like death– just so we could have it. I like the bottle. If I’m honest, though, I prefer the Czech herbal digestive, Becherovka. It has more of a cinnamon taste.

When we got on the plane, I was sitting in business class. The flight was mostly completely booked, but I had been moved from my original 4F seat to 3F. I figured maybe they needed the extra row for economy passengers. As I waited to see who would be sitting next to me, I noticed a bumbling guy in the front row. He and his wife had three carry on bags between them, and were holding everyone up. And then, when he went to get something out of one of the bags he had stowed over the second row, a metal water bottle fell out and almost hit the lady sitting by the aisle. He was going to put it back in the overhead compartment, but the flight attendant wisely told him to keep it at his seat so it wouldn’t leak, or roll out again.

As more people filed onto the plane, one of Bill’s co-workers walked by me and laughed. She said Bill sure knew how to treat me right. I commented that he’s the “anti-incel”. And then, the boarding was completed, and neither I, nor the Lufthansa crew member on the opposite side of the aisle, had people sitting next to us. Lucky us!

Needless to say, it was a dreamy flight. Even the food was pretty decent. I enjoyed some white wine with it… and took some photos of the sky. I even got a couple of pictures of Budapest as we flew over it. And, of course, I also got pictures of Frankfurt’s famous skyline.

When we landed, I really needed to pee! And since we were twenty minutes early, the plane’s parking spot was occupied. So I held on… and then, once I got off the plane, I went to the first restroom I saw. There was a long line. I felt a light tap on my shoulder, and a kind airport worker invited me to use the handicapped toilet! Phew! What a relief! But then, I couldn’t get the toilet to flush, no matter what I tried. It was one of those motion detector ones. I sheepishly slunk out of the bathroom, while another woman quickly took my place. I hope she wasn’t offended… but then, she probably also discovered that the toilet wouldn’t flush.

I went down to the baggage claim. Bill showed up a few minutes later. We got our bags, and I noticed one of the baggage carousels looked like a roulette wheel…

And soon, we were in a taxi, heading back home to Breckenheim. Bill brought the dogs home a few hours later, and I am now left here with my memories of a great week in Budapest.

We definitely had fun in Hungary. I’d love to go back. If we do, though, I think I’d choose a different hotel than D8. It wasn’t a terrible place to spend a night or two, but for six nights, it was a bit too cramped. Also, the doors were heavy, and not spring loaded, so when people would leave their rooms, and let go of the doors, they would SLAM!!!! That got old really quick!

D8 Hotel does get good reviews, and I can see why some people really like that hotel. It’s probably the cheapest in the area, and it’s in an excellent location. But, even that is a bit of a drawback, because it gets pretty loud in that part of Budapest. And unfortunately, we didn’t figure out the air conditioning until the final night… then we had it on too high, and spent the night chilled. I know… we should have adjusted it, but I think we were just over trying to discover things and wanted to get through the night and back to our normal life.

So ends my blow by blow of our trip to Budapest. Stay tuned for my usual “ten things I learned” post. This time, I’ve got some interesting stuff to report.

Hessen, holidays

Bird baths, bug eaters, and lots of beer…

It’s Labor Day weekend. In previous years, that meant going away for a short break. This year, we stayed home, because tomorrow, Bill has to fly to Lausanne, Switzerland for an overnight. He’s going to meet with one of the analysts at the C.G. Jung Institute as he progresses through the admissions process. Then, next Sunday, we will both be flying to Budapest, Hungary for several nights. Bill will be working, and I’ll be tagging along, looking for interesting photo ops.

We did a few things this weekend, though. On Friday night, we went to the wine stand. We talked to our American neighbors, a married lesbian couple with two children. One of the wives is a reservist in the military, though not posted here. The other is applying for German citizenship for herself and their children. The reservist is pursuing a doctorate in social work, so she was interested in hearing about Bill’s journey at the Jung Institute. She’s setting up a private practice for Americans and other English speakers here.

It stormed, so we sat under the tents and waited for it to pass. I couldn’t help but remember that in 2017, the awning from hell collapsed, and our former landlady accused me of negligence, because later that day, there was a storm. She claimed I was negligent for using the awning in a storm, which I hadn’t done… but obviously, it’s not uncommon for Germans to use awnings and tents when it storms. Yesterday was the anniversary of that sad event, which led to a lawsuit.

Saturday morning, I got up and went into the backyard to clean up dog poop and check the water bowls. I noticed one of the bowls was dirty. It wasn’t the first time. Then I saw a feather floating in the bowl and assumed that a bird has been using it as a bird bath. It occurred to me that maybe we should have a bird bath for the backyard. That would be a good excuse to get out of the house, anyway.

So we went to the hardware store– the one with the cool slide for kids. We searched the whole store, but they didn’t have any bird baths for sale. We also tried the Globus, which is a HUGE hypermarket. No luck there, either, although we did leave with a booze haul, Belgian beers, some groceries, and some really tasty snacks called Fonzies, which are like Parmesan flavored Cheetos. I’d say they’re superior.

Then last night, as I was sitting in the backyard, listening to music and drinking beer, I saw what appeared to be a female blackbird eating bugs. I assume she’s the one who keeps dirtying the dog’s water bowl. I put two out there, and they really only use the one on the right. The bird uses the one on the left. I am still looking for a bird bath, but maybe I shouldn’t bother. It’s going to be winter soon enough. I got some pictures of her. Looks like she was eating the bugs on Bill’s tomato and pepper plants. They say blackbirds don’t eat aphids, though… Maybe that’s not a female blackbird, after all.

As I was taking photos, the song “Maneater” by Hall & Oates came on. I changed the lyrics to “Bug eater.”

And then this morning, after being repeatedly pawed by Charlie, Bill got up and made breakfast. The biscuits turned out perfectly. So did the grits. I’m so blessed to be married to a man who knows his way around comfort food. He has really perfected making perfect biscuits. It’s not as easy as it seems!

I’m not sure what we’ll do today. Bill just asked if I want to go out. There is a wine fest going on in Mainz that we could attend. Do I want to go? I don’t know… The Mais Labyrinth is also going on, and we passed it on the way home from the store, but after we went to Globus, we were too tired to consider visiting. I always feel drained after going to Globus. It’s a HUGE store. But it was cool to watch the ladies making the melon displays as we passed. They take melons and turn them into people or animals or other decorations. Quite an impressive skill!

Anyway, that’s about all I have to write about for now. If we end up going out, I’ll update.

Champagne Bucket trips, former Soviet Union, Lithuania

The Vilnius Series… Saturday night and Sunday… (part seven)

After we visited the Church Heritage Museum, Bill and I visited a couple more nearby churches. You could spend all day looking at churches in Vilnius. They are EVERYWHERE…

The weather was relatively warm, and I was pretty tired, since we did so much walking. On the way out of the churches, we took a different way back toward our hotel. I looked up and noticed the three crosses on the hillside, where I noticed a lot of people visiting. The Three Crosses monument (or The Hill of Three Crosses, if you wish) makes an attractive landmark. According to the link:

A wooden castle was built on the hill in the 12^th and 13^th centuries, and a settlement was later established in its place. The hill got its name after Franciscans died as martyrs when pagans tied them to crosses and threw them down the hill. The three crosses were erected to commemorate this event. The current monument was created by architect and sculptor A. Vivulskis in 1916 and rebuilt in 1988.

We passed a nice looking park and Bill wanted to walk through there, but I was pretty tired and “peopled out.” I’m kind of sorry we didn’t visit on Saturday, as it did look like a beautiful park. I was just really ready for a drink. We went searching for one, hoping for a quiet place. We wound up at a bar called Baras Ir Vinilas, a place that had interesting canned beers and annoying music…. and then they played a Lithuanian basketball game. Half the players appeared to be Americans. I was surprised by how entertaining it was. They had cheerleaders and even little kids holding up signs, hoping for jerseys.

We continued down an unfamiliar road and, thanks to my excellent sense of direction, no doubt bestowed on me by my dad, the former navigator, we found our way back to the hotel by a different way.

We decided to see if we could have dinner at an attractive looking restaurant near the Nisha Craft Capital pub where we spent my birthday. Unfortunately, that restaurant was closed. They were also closed on Sunday night, so we assumed maybe they were taking a vacation. That is one thing we see a lot of in Europe. Restaurants will close so people can take vacations. That sure wasn’t the case when I worked in that business in the United States.

I was disappointed that the restaurant was closed, but I didn’t mind spending a little time in Nisha Craft Capital’s beer garden, so I could have another Angry Rooster brew. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and had dinner there. I was curious about their Wagyu burger. It was okay. Bill ate about half of it, because I wasn’t that hungry, and because I didn’t really like it that much. But the wine was good…

On Sunday, we woke up to overcast skies. It wasn’t raining, though, so that was a good thing. I wanted to go shopping and see if we could find some gifts for Bill’s grandchildren and art for our house. We were successful in that quest. We walked around Vilnius University, a church with beautiful blue windows, and the Presidential Palace grounds. We decided not to try to go up the bell tower at the university, although now I know it has an elevator. And we also had lunch at a very nice Italian restaurant called Fiorentino’s on a quiet side street.

We bought three paintings from a lady selling her art at a small market. There were a few artists there, but we bought from the lady, because she was the most interested in selling to us. I think we made her morning, because we spent 180 euros. I bought a cat painting and a couple of sea landscapes… They are framed, but we may have them redone.

Then we went to a souvenir shop, because Bill was out of euros and needed to use a card. We bought a mug, some magnets, and several little hand puppets for the kids. I figured that was safe enough from breaking, melting, or choking anyone.

Things were winding down, so we made our way back to the hotel to rest up and get ready for our flight on Monday afternoon. We did go out to dinner, though. We found a very cool family owned brewpub called Būsi trečias. It had friendly service, a large room with many board games, great music, and really good food, along with excellent locally made beers. Prices were very reasonable, too.

I wish we’d found that place earlier in our trip… or really, on Saturday afternoon, when I was hoping to find an interesting place for a rest and dinner. But I’m not sorry we were at the place where they showed Lithuanian basketball, nor am I sorry I got to try pomegranate lime beer. I really liked our last restaurant, though. The bathroom signs alone were worth the trip.

And… just because, we stopped at Nisha Craft Capital again, so I could have another Imperial Stout…

I think I’m kind of at the “fuck it” stage of life… My poor liver.

We decided to turn in somewhat early on Sunday, since we were a bit worn out from all the walking. There’s still a lot of Vilnius we didn’t get to see, and I would definitely not be averse to going back!

Last post in this series will be about Monday… and our trip back to Germany. It should be a quick one!

Hessen

We tried out Akropolis Restaurant in Erbenheim…

Although it is Memorial Day weekend, Bill has been working on a project at his job that took him away yesterday morning. To make it up to me, he decided to take me out to dinner at Akropolis Restaurant in Erbenheim, a suburb of Wiesbaden. We had never been to this restaurant before, and it had been awhile since our last Greek food repast. I was all for going out last night at first… but then, as the weather got gloomier and it threatened to rain, I kind of wished we were going to stay home and snuggle. Nevertheless, we went out, anyway.

Bill was fretting about the parking situation at the restaurant, which is located right next to a train stop. He needn’t have worried. There’s a little dirt lane by the restaurant where people park their cars, free of charge. The restaurant also has a very small lot with a few spaces specifically marked for patrons. We arrived just as the train was stopping.

The restaurant was doing a brisk business when we arrived last night. We had a choice of two tables. There was a two top by a stained glass window, or a three top by the wall. We went for the three top and used the extra chair for our jackets and my brand new purse. Below are a few shots of the neighborhood near the restaurant. I was eerily reminded of Vaihingen, near Stuttgart.

I really liked the art in the restaurant, especially where we were sitting. I even took a couple of photos. I was less impressed by the music, which was too loud for my taste, and sounded like Greek pop. I also didn’t like the chairs, which were well cushioned, but uncomfortably narrow, and they all had armrests. Granted, I am overweight, but so are a lot of other people… I’m sure if I was uncomfortable, other patrons have been uncomfortable, too. There was a larger man sitting behind me whom I’m sure didn’t like the chairs, either. That said, I guess I need to take more walks and drink less beer. Maybe my ass will get smaller.

*The tree art was especially interesting. It was textured. I’d like to hang that in our living room.*

Bill ordered a bottle of wine and a large bottle of sparkling water for us to share. For dinner, I ordered pork gyros with potato “chips” (more like soft medallions) and t’zatziki. Bill got the bifteki, which was a mixture of chopped beef, lamb, and vegetables stuffed with cheese. Both dishes came with a small, simple salad, which I really appreciated. Bill finished his dish, while I took about half of mine home. Maybe I’ll finish it today or tomorrow.

When it came time to pay, there was an issue with the credit card machine, which, for some reason, wouldn’t accept Bill’s card. Fortunately, he had enough cash to pay the check. I think it came to about 77 euros, or so. We killed the pain with a house shot of ouzo.

It was still daylight when we got home. We enjoyed the rest of the evening inside, listening to music. Today, it’s kind of cold and rainy. I liked the Akropolis Restaurant fine, although the chair was uncomfortable. After awhile, I didn’t notice it that much. If we go back, I’ll probably order a different dish, as the gyros were a little too seasoned for my taste.

I’m not sure what we’ll do today… perhaps we’ll visit post and price new mattresses. We REALLY need a new one, but our bed is an American king, and it’s hard to find those on the German economy. We bought our first bed and mattress together at the PX on Fort Belvoir, about 20 years ago. We still have that mattress. And we bought another bed set and mattress at a Haverty’s in Georgia back in 2009. That mattress is in dire need of replacement. It’s like sleeping in two valleys. But it may be a real pain to buy a mattress from AAFES (the PX), because it will probably have to be ordered, and that will take awhile. Plus, there’s the issue of getting it set up– I’m not sure if they offer a white glove service. We’ll investigate it, just the same. My back needs a break.

Below are a few photos I took of a beautiful yellow rose bush in my neighborhood. I love how Germans take care of their gardens and have so many beautiful flowers in the spring, even though it wreaks havoc on my allergies…

I also replaced my beautiful green leather purse this week– the one I bought in Florence, back in 2022. The strap on it needs repair. I ordered a brown version of the same purse from the same retailer in Florence, Pelleteria Fratellini. I like the brown purse, and it will probably go with more things… but I really love the green one. We’ll have to get the strap fixed. They didn’t have any green ones in stock when I looked last weekend.

I was amused to see that one of our neighbors was apparently getting rid of a desk. I happen to have an identical IKEA desk that I inherited from our very first German landlord in Ammerbuch. At the time, he worked for IBM, but he now works as a mental health therapist in Tübingen. We really liked him. Before we met our current landlord, he was the best landlord we’d ever had. I think he and Bill have a lot in common. I hope he’s doing well.

*This desk is just like mine, except it’s in better shape. My desk was originally purchased by our first German landlord.*

Well, that about does it for today’s post. Very soon, I’ll be planning our trip to Lithuania for my birthday. That will be exciting, because Lithuania is another country to cross off our bucket list. It will be the first time either of us have visited.

Hessen

Framing, French food, and Fruity wines…

Today, Bill and I decided to go into Wiesbaden and visit Kunst-Schaefer to get more picture framing done. We had several paintings/prints that we’ve had for years that needed to be framed, a wooden carving from Bulgaria that needed a hanger, and a photo of Bill’s daughter’s family that needed proper presentation. So, late this morning, after a hearty Saturday breakfast, we loaded up the Volvo and headed downtown…

*Bill makes use of the art sleeve we bought in Yerevan.*

The same guy who always helps us– son of the proprietor, I think– came over and spent some time deciding which frames would go best with our art. One piece– a Van Gogh inspired painting– is getting special treatment, complete with matting. It, along with two other drink inspired paintings, was done by a military wife who ran a wine and painting class in Stuttgart. She was leaving in 2014, just as we were arriving, so we bought three of her paintings from the courses she taught. I bet she’d be surprised by the custom presentation her Van Gogh painting is getting. I don’t remember how much we paid for the paintings. I don’t think it was much. The framing will probably cost more.

Below: I noticed a memorial on someone’s upper window. The tent below was a fest sponsored by a local Mosque. The food smelled wonderful!

Funny thing about our picture framing excursion. When we showed the guy the picture of Bill’s daughter’s family, he said “Wow… lots of people.”

I said, “Mormons…”

The guy laughed, and then he realized I wasn’t kidding, and seemed momentarily flustered! We made it clear, though, that we aren’t LDS ourselves. One of our paintings is of a martini glass, and the other is of a beer glass. We told him we hang those in the room where we do most of our drinking. 😀

The guy’s mother is brilliant at matching colors. I think she might have irritated her son, though, because he was trying to figure out how we were going to frame the Van Gogh inspired piece, and she offered her opinions. I noticed a flash of impatience as she was making her case. The guy’s mom is really good at what she does, but so is he… I am sure it will turn out beautifully. I have some other pieces they’ve framed that I am delighted with. They are also very friendly, especially to those of us with VAT forms, and by now, they even know our name!

We spent about an hour or so deciding on our framing, and by the time we were finished, it was lunchtime. So we decided to try Les Deux Messieurs, a French bistro/boulangerie/patisserie on the market square. It serves all day breakfast until 7PM, as well as salads, sandwiches, quiches, and tarte flambees… I see on their official site that they’re a chain, with locations in Munich and Wiesbaden. We sat outside to enjoy the lovely weather, but it was a bit chilly because of the wind. Lunch was very good, and reasonably priced. It was just enough, too. Maybe some other time, we’ll try their eclairs!

Below are some photos of our lunch. At one point, a lady sitting behind us went and got an ice cream cone from another business and the wait staff told her she couldn’t eat it at the table, because they don’t sell ice cream there, and if other people saw it, they’d expect them to have it. Later, an older gentleman sat with us, and Bill had to help him with the menus that he didn’t see… Good thing he speaks some German! I tried to get a new selfie for my Facebook page, but wasn’t so lucky. I need to fix my hair.

*I had Quiche Atlantique with smoked salmon and spinach. Bill had a Croque Mademoiselle, with chicken, Gruyeres, and Dijon.*

After lunch, we headed to the pet store to pick up new food for Charlie and Noyzi. I bought them some pig ears, which they’d never had before. Once they figured out what they were, they were happy to experience them! We sent their taste buds on a journey! We also got some new food that I’m hoping won’t make Noyzi stink, like the food with salmon does. Lately, he’s been smelling like a kitty litterbox.

Finally, we went to the hardware store to get some supplies for Bill’s tomato plants. He needed stakes to support them and some fertilizer. On the way out, we bought some fruity wines from a lady selling strawberries…. Maybe we’ll try it later. We got dry strawberry wine, and sweet raspberry wine. Yes, our favorite hardware store as a slide for kids and a coffee station!

All in all, it’s been a busy and productive Saturday. I am cutting and trimming the grass and doing laundry as I write this. I may not bother with a main blog post today. The weather is so delightful, I think I want to go sit outside and get a dose of Vitamin D.

Ciao!

Hessen, services

A quick shoutout to Weisshaus Shop in Pinswang, Austria…

A few months ago, I decided to order some whisky. I think it was at Christmas… we needed some spirits to boost our spirits. 🙂 I specifically wanted to buy a bottle of Harris Whisky. Bill and I visited the distillery on the Isle of Harris in August 2019, on our most recent Hebridean Princess whisky cruise. At the time, their whisky wasn’t ready to sell, as it wasn’t aged enough. We did become big fans of their gin, which comes in beautiful, distinctive bottles.

Harris whisky isn’t necessarily easy to find… or, at least it wasn’t a few months ago. I ended up finding it for sale on Weisshaus Shop’s Web site. I bought two different Harris whiskys, and a bottle of whisky from the Isle of Raasay distillery, another place we visited on our most recent Hebridean cruise. I placed the order on one day, and the shipment was at my doorstep the very next day. It came with a small bottle of mirabelle (plum) Schnapps!

We finally finished off the last of the Harris whisky a few nights ago. I asked Bill if he’d like for me to order some more. He said yes, and I went back to Weisshaus.de to see if I could find something interesting. A couple of days ago, I found a half liter of Bivrost Yggdrasil Single Malt Whiskey from Norway. I also bought a bottle of 12 year old Edradour Highland Whisky from Scotland. Edradour is Scotland’s smallest distillery, and one with products we’ve never tried before. I ended up buying some Edradour Whisky Cream and a bottle of Aha Toro Blanco Tequila, a new tequila for us.

My order totaled just over 200 euros (about $250), so I got free shipping (150 euros or more). They also give “rewards” for orders over 200 euros. I don’t think I remembered to hit the select reward button, but they sent us a little bottle of blueberry Schnapps, anyway. I placed the order on Thursday afternoon, and it was at my door less than 24 hours later, packed in a very sturdy box.

I don’t often order liquor online. Lately, I’ve been mostly sticking to my trusty hefeweizens and the odd bottle of wine. But it really is nice to be able to get such good service from an online shop, and I just wanted to share our experiences for those who can use the information. Weisshaus Shop has a good selection and you can’t beat the service!

I’m sure I’ll order from them again… if we don’t get kicked out of the country! 😉

In other news… we went to the wine stand last night. I got a few photos, and we talked to a woman we met a few months ago who needs help dealing with the US military and German taxation office. We’re of little help, of course… but she talked to us, anyway. Below are a few photos. We saw a guy who looked a lot like Ted Cruz… as well as my cousin’s German double.

I also saw a cute little blonde girl carrying a sausage in a bun. She went to take a bite, and realized that the sausage had slipped out and hit the ground. She nonchalantly picked up the sausage, slipped it back into the bun, and went looking for her mom. She was adorable! I’m sure she went to tell her mom what had happened, but I wouldn’t blame her if she exercised the five second rule.

Hessen, Sundays

A photo dump for the first week of April…

Bill has been in Norway all week, and I’ve been left to my own devices here in Germany. I’ve been keeping busy with random chores, making song parodies, and watching lots of YouTube videos, while I ponder and worry about the future. Nevertheless, I can’t deny that we had some beautiful weather this week. The temperatures are up; the sun is out; and I’ve been fighting the urge to drink wine on the terrace. This week, my liver has gotten a much needed break from booze.

I did take a few pictures this week, to show our lovely little town erupting into spring. Yesterday, I noticed they put up the Easter display in our Dorfplatz, just like they do every year. I may not be German, but I sure do enjoy living here. It’s nice and quiet, predictable, and civilized.

*Charlie strikes a pose. He sure looks happy!*

I wish I had more to report. When Bill goes away, I just kind of hunker down and get through things. I did go to the Rewe yesterday to get some groceries. I had a big brainfart while standing in line. Everybody seemed to want to check out at the same time, and the lady in front of me wanted cigarettes, which required the cashier to fetch them.

When she brought them to the register, I guess they either weren’t what she wanted or were too expensive. So then the cashier had to take them back. Meanwhile, my blood sugar was in the toilet and I was getting irritable. I counted out some money, but didn’t realize that I had mistakenly counted a five euro bill as a twenty euro bill.

And the lady in front of me said something in German, so much to my shame, I blurted out “I’m American.”

She came back in perfect English with, “I hope you aren’t in a hurry.” (or something along those lines)…

By the time she left, I was all flustered, and the cashier was telling me that I needed to give her more money. Fortunately, I noticed the shortage and gave her the twenty I had originally meant to give her. And then, on the way out of the Rewe, which is about a ten minute walk from my house, but I had the car, there was a huge group of people on bikes to navigate.

The only other significant thing that happened this week is that the dogs got much needed dentals done. That was no big deal, except for when I needed to find a parking spot. Our vet has little parking, and everybody seemed to be collecting their pets at the same time. After I paid the 1100 euro ($1400) bill for Noyzi and Charlie, I took them home. Today also happens to be the fifth anniversary of the day I saw Noyzi’s photo for the first time and fell in love with him. It took about six months to bring him home from Kosovo.

Oh… and today, I learned how to refill the salt in our dishwasher. That was quite a life skill. Seriously, Bill always handles that task, so I didn’t know. I had to guess that was why the dishwasher wouldn’t run. Below is a helpful video for those who are similarly questioning:

Let’s hear it for doing it yourself…

This week should be even more tranquil… although given what’s going on in US politics, maybe not. Ah well. Bill will be home on Saturday, and he’s taking the following Monday off. So maybe there will be something new to report then. As for today, I’m probably just going to hang out in the house…

I guess this post turned out to be more than I thought it would be.

house hunting, Sundays, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned on our first Abruzzo trip– 2025!

Yesterday, I finished writing the “blow by blow” blog series about our trip to Abruzzo in Italy. We went there to look around and see what the condition of the area is, and whether or not we might be able to live there, whether it be as vacationers, or as permanent residents. We also stopped for a couple of nights in the Lugano area of Switzerland and Colle Isarco, near the Austrian border. I like to wrap up my blog series with a top ten list of things I learned. So, here we go with my top ten list for this trip!

10. The word “mance” in Italian means tip or gratuity.
As a general rule, Italians aren’t all that big on tipping. When you go to a restaurant, they usually charge a coperto (cover charge) that amounts to 1 to 3 euros per person. When you settle the bill, you go to a cashier, rather than paying your server. That said, we saw evidence that some people do appreciate tips. When I spotted a jar by a register that read “Mance”, I figured it meant “tips”. I looked it up, and sure enough, I was right. Bill slipped the lady a ten euro note, which earned him a big, bright smile of appreciation. How refreshing!

9. There is an Eataly style AutoGrill near Parma that is pretty nice.
Back in 2008, Bill and I went to Italy together for the first time. It was his first time ever, and my first time since 1997. We stayed near Turin/Torino, which is where the big Italian food store “Eataly” was launched. Yes, we visited, and it was amazing, although we didn’t load up nearly enough. Since then, Eataly has grown by leaps and bounds. Now, if you travel on the Autostrada near Parma, you can enjoy an Eataly style meal. The stop is only eastbound, though. The westbound lane has a regular AutoGrill location.

8. Riposo or pennichella is still pretty serious in Abruzzo.
Riposo (mid afternoon break, perhaps more familiarly known as “siesta” to Americans) is a thing in a lot of Mediterranean countries, although some areas take it more seriously than others. I noticed when we were in Abruzzo, a lot of businesses and restaurants shut down at about 1:00 PM for riposo. They reopened at 3:00 or 4:00. It took some getting used to.

7. Pescara is a hectic, yet convenient, base city.
I had a hard time choosing where to stay in Abruzzo, since we were going down there to see little towns where houses might be for sale. I wound up choosing Pescara, which I found really hectic. We did get used to it somewhat, and it’s convenient to a lot of places in Abruzzo.

6. If you stay at the Relais Castello Morcote in Vico Morcote, Switzerland, you can visit a vineyard and get beautiful photos and views of Lake Lugano!
You can also buy some delicious wines that are from Switzerland.

5. The Centro Ovale in Switzerland, near the Italian border, is a cool looking building that is now defunct!
I don’t know how I never noticed that former shopping mall on previous trips to Italy. We’ve been through that border a few times, but this time was the first one I noticed the architectural wonder that took longer to build than it was actually open for business!

4. Campione d’Italia is an Italian exclave surrounded by Switzerland.
I had heard of Campione d’Italia before our trip because I happened to see a video about it on YouTube. I hadn’t necessarily planned to visit there, but when I noticed how close it was to our location in Switzerland, I decided we should check it out. I’m glad we did. It’s a very interesting place, with a mixture of Italian and Swiss features. It is, officially, Italy, but it is entirely physically separated from the rest of Italy by Switzerland. However, it doesn’t take long at all to get to mainland Italy from there. It’s easy to reach by car and bus, and it’s the home of Italy’s only casino (which is a huge eyesore)!

3. March is a nice time to visit Italy, although it’s still considered the “low season.”
Abruzzo has a lot to offer visitors. There’s the Adriatic Sea and the Appenine Mountains, as well as access to interesting Italian cities and the cool tiny country of San Marino, which I hope to visit sometime. But one thing I noticed that was nice was that there were no tourists around, and I didn’t hear any Americans! That might be because of where we were, but it’s probably also because it’s March!

2. We got stared at in the tiny towns we visited…
It was pretty obvious we were outsiders in Abruzzo. We’re both lacking olive complexions and dark hair and eyes. When we visited the cute town of Gissi, people stared at us with curiosity, rather than aggression or hostility. We were conspicuous. In another town, the reception from one local seemed a bit menacing, so we left. They probably pegged us as Germans.

And finally… 1. Vipiteno is a great place to visit on the way back to Germany…
Vipiteno is in Italy, but it used to be part of Austria. It feels like one is in Austria, even though one is in Italy. And it’s a really great place to buy souvenirs and eat good pizza. When I go to Italy, I like to go to grocery stores and load up on goodies as much as I like to shop for other stuff. We definitely did so on this trip, but Vipiteno was especially handy. They had a great gourmet store with lots of local delicacies. And, we also got to see some snow before we headed back home!

*Honorable mention that I almost forgot–
There are harness racing horses (pacers) trained in Abruzzo. I had no idea, and was shocked when we ran across people training them on a little used (but open) road! I didn’t see anyone riding horses, but I did see a couple of sulkies! As a horse lover, it was kind of a thrill for me. I miss having a horse, even just to pet and hang out with. I’d love to have some land with a donkey and a horse to spoil.

All in all, we had a really nice trip. I’m still not sure what the future will hold for us, but I’m glad we visited Abruzzo. It’s a very beautiful part of Italy, although I can see why they are eager to get some people to buy cheap property there. It’s fairly depressed and in need of some “new blood”. I liked it, though. Maybe we’ll have a chance to visit again!

adventure, art, house hunting

Hello Vipiteno… long time, no see! (part eight)

As I have mentioned in previous blog posts (and videos), I first discovered the formerly Austrian and currently Italian town, Vipiteno/Sterzing, back in June 2009. I went on a bus trip out of the Edelweiss Lodge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They advertised a day trip to Italy in Vipiteno and Bolzano. I went for it.

I remember that week spending every day on a tour somewhere with other military spouses and their families. On that particular day, I was seated next to a very hostile man who seemed angry that I existed. I guess he was mad that he had to sit next to me, instead of with his wife. That’s why you should get to the bus early, so you can stake out your territory.

In any case, I enjoyed both Bolzano and Vipiteno in June 2009. Bill and I went to Bolzano in August 2020. And now, we have enjoyed Vipiteno together. Below are a few Vipiteno pictures from my first trip. I remember our group was herded to a purse shop there. I bought a leather bag that I used for some time before it was time to replace it. We also visited a very old church that dated from the 14th century and is famous for its frescoes. I don’t know why I didn’t post more pictures. Bill and I didn’t have a chance to go there during our visit together.

On Saturday, March 15th, we woke up to snowy skies, which later turned to rain. We enjoyed a good breakfast at Hotel Erna– cold cuts, cheeses, breads, fruits and vegetables, and these incredible rolls that were shaped liked crescents. They had a sweet filling and toasted almonds on top, and they were served warm. They were so good!

It was raining during our visit to the town, which literally put a damper on things. Luckily, there are many shops in Vipiteno. It’s a great place to buy things. And, indeed, we did buy lots of gifts for the grandchildren and stuff for ourselves. Bill also insisted on buying me an umbrella. Aside from that, I took a lot of photos, and availed myself of the very welcome free public restroom near the tourism office. I am relieved to report that it was also pretty clean!

*The tower is pretty much the main attraction!*

Vipiteno is also where I purchased my latest prop… I bought a middle finger paperweight. I feel pretty sure I will get my money out of using it. I even made a video about it.

I made this video for my friend, Dave, and to show off the new toy I bought in Vipiteno!

We bought toys and delectables for ourselves and the kids, then went searching for lunch. The town has many pizzerias, and a few places that appeared to offer cuisine that is more for the Austrian/German palate. We ended up at a pizzeria ourselves, a place called Ristorante Bellavita. It looked like they were doing some cosmetic work on the outside of the place, which isn’t on the main drag.

We sat down at the back of the restaurant and both decided to have pizzas. Bellavita offers some special ones. Mine was called Aline, and had Brie, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, bacon, and oregano. Bill’s was a white pizza that had pork bellies, mozzarella cheese, and basil pesto. He managed to finish his, but I only got through half of mine. Then, for dessert, I had Blanco profiteroles, which were chocolate filled and covered with whipped cream! We took the rest of my leftover pizza with us, but Bill ended up eating it.

I see the this particular restaurant doesn’t get the best ratings, but we definitely enjoyed our lunch there. Service was good; prices were reasonable; and we felt comfortable. Also, the pizzas were interesting and delicious!

After a bit more walking around, we realized the weather was getting worse. It was colder and wetter, and frankly, it wasn’t fun hanging around outside in it. So we decided to stop by a Spar grocery store (Austrian chain) and pick up some more goodies for home and the kids. As much as we shopped in grocery stores, there are still some things I wish we’d bought.

After that, we headed back to the hotel, and I played with my new pink hand. I also took selfies, and then a long nap… When I woke up, someone on YouTube had left me a comment on one of my best videos, advising me to take it down because of the election results. Bill and I made a video response to that, and I got to put the new pink hand to good use.

I’m glad we visited Vipiteno. It really is a charming town, even when the weather is bad. There’s good food and shopping, and it’s a nice place to spend a Saturday afternoon! For those who want to do more than shop, there’s also good skiing and hiking, as well as the train to lovely Bolzano, which is well worth a look. We might have gone there, if we hadn’t already been. I would probably rather stay in Bolzano, although the area around Vipiteno and Brennero is very charming. March was a good time to be there, too. I would imagine there are many crowds in season. I noticed lots of bus parking, and of course, my first time there was on a bus tour!

It kind of gives you a look at Hotel Erna, and the hand, which comes from Hong Kong, but was imported through The Netherlands.

And, as was our custom on this particular trip, we decided to stay in and watch movies as we wound down our trip. In the next post, I will describe the drive back to Germany, and that will end the blow by blow account of this trip. It will be followed by my usual “ten things I learned” post. Stay tuned!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: shopping