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…
You can see a bride in this photo…
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 12th and 13th 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.
Another fancy land yacht…
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…
Bill liked this more than I did.He also liked his club sandwich.Shit… we had whisky, too.
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.
Panfried halibutA nice green salad with lots of cherry tomatoes…Bill had pasta with shrimp.Interesting take on a lava cake. This was warm almond cake with white chocolate in the middle and vanilla ice cream.Bill had saffron panna cotta with berries.I usually don’t like lava cakes, but I liked this one. Probably because it wasn’t chocolate.
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!
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.
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.You’d think with that clashing carpet, I wouldn’t care about framing…We bought this in Sofia last year. Now we can hang it somewhere.
Sweet Noyzi…
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.Wiesbaden is always so beautiful… especially on market day!
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.
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.
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!Easter is here!
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.
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!
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.
Chiesa di Santo Spirito a Vipiteno
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!
I don’t have a lot to report about this week. I mostly stayed home and wrapped Christmas presents, or otherwise tended to business as usual. I also made more videos than usual, although maybe that’s a lost cause. Every once in awhile, I make a video that resonates, which then attracts haters. The rest of the time, people don’t care about my videos… but they still get more hits than my blogs do!
We did go out to the Globus yesterday. I have written about Globus before, so I’m not going to get into the specifics of what it is. Suffice to say, it’s a huge store– like Walmart on steroids– that has everything from toys to household goods to groceries. I don’t think I’ve ever explored the whole thing. I find going there utterly exhausting. However, they do have a nice booze section, and sometimes it’s a good place to go if we need something unusual.
Bill and I killed what was left of our vodka the other night (it was about two or three shots). I don’t drink that much hard liquor anymore, because it really seems to upset my stomach. Lately, I have mostly been sticking to hefeweizens. But we do keep some of it around for the odd occasions when we have cocktails. So we went to Globus and ended up buying some toys for Bill’s grandchildren, candles in case we break out the fancy china on Christmas, some liquor and wine, and a chicken for last night’s dinner.
I’m not even sure how long we were in the Globus, but by the time we had crossed the store from the toy section to the meat section, I really felt tired, numb, and apathetic. There was a time in my life when I liked going to huge stores, but now they cause sensory overload and fatigue. It was bad enough yesterday that I worried about collapsing in the store! I’d hate to have to work there! I guess this is just one more thing about getting older.
I remember when my mom, an Air Force wife, was about my age, or a little younger, she didn’t like going to the large commissaries at Fort Eustis or Langley Air Force Base. About once a month, she’d make a trip to the Naval Weapons Station in Yorktown, Virginia, which had a smaller commissary that had pretty much all we needed. Back then, I never understood why she preferred the smaller store, which was closer to our house, too. Now that I’m 52, I understand it perfectly.
Of course, the commissary at the Naval Weapons Station closed many years ago, so my mom eventually did have to start going to Fort Eustis when she wanted to stock up and get somewhat less expensive military commissary prices. Now, she lives on Fort Monroe, which is no longer an Army post, and shops at a regular grocery store. Fort Monroe used to have a commissary and other military stores.
When we were at Globus yesterday, I was thinking about how I’d rather be at our neighborhood Rewe, which is much smaller, but has pretty much everything we need and isn’t quite as tiring to navigate. I mean, it takes energy just to walk the length of the Globus. When we got home last night, I needed to rest for about an hour! Below are a few photos from our trip… Yes, we did a booze run. Globus is better for booze shopping than Rewe is.
And below are a few goofy dog photos of Noyzi and Charlie… They were wanting a walk.
I’m not sure what we’ll do today, if anything. This is the time of year we tend to hibernate. It does look like we have better weather, though. I suppose we could decide to go out somewhere, although Bill says he wants to go on post today and order heating oil and get something for dinner. I think I’ll stay home and read.
A few days ago, I mentioned that there are a lot of attractions in the Bad Wörishofen area. There’s also a train station in the town that is easy to access, as well as lots of buses. We also had our trusty Volvo. I also mentioned that we might decide to just rest. Then I added that Bill needed rest a lot more than I did.
Well… guess who needed to rest.
We made our way to breakfast at about 8:30 AM, noting the cloudy, foggy, noticeably chillier conditions outside. Bill wanted to shop for a gift for one of his co-workers, who always brings him booze when he travels. Other than that, we didn’t really have much of an agenda. And although the waiter told us that the chef was ready to make us eggs if we wanted them, we decided to skip the hot dish and just graze from the breakfast buffet. We also skipped the super expensive fresh juices, especially since we own our own juicer and can make fresh squeezed orange juice at home.
After breakfast, we walked back into the town center and ducked into a few shops to see if Bill could find something for his friend. We weren’t lucky, even though most of the regular shops were open on Saturday. We did go into the city market and bought some liqueurs for us, but Bill wanted local whiskey or something similar for his friend. We didn’t find anything like that.
We walked around some more and I took some more photos. The pictures weren’t as pretty on Saturday, since we had no sunshine, but I did see some really cute dogs waiting outside the grocery store for their owners. And then, I started feeling a little lightheaded, almost like I was hungry and overheated at the same time.
The Gasthof where we had dinner on Friday night.There was a huge cemetery in the other direction of this Allianz office. I noticed people went to visit their dead loved ones.Where we found some liqueurs.I was sorry this place was closed. Apparently one of the workers was sick.One of the places where people can wade in the water and take in some Kneipp therapy.Another look at the pond. It has a different appearance when there’s no sunshine.Homage to Sebastian Kneipp!
Since, by the time we’d taken our walk, it was getting close to lunchtime, and I was feeling kind of lightheaded, Bill decided we should go eat. It was about 12:30 PM by that time, anyway. So we looked around for a place to go… I did notice that there were a lot of closed businesses and empty rental spaces in Bad Wörishofen. November 1 is kind of when the low season starts, so it makes sense that some businesses would close. But I was surprised by the number of empty retail spaces. I don’t know what was up with that.
I saw an ad for an Italian place that looked appealing. It was called Rossini’s Restaurant, and it was located not far from the train station. Bill said he wasn’t sure if it would be open, but when we approached, we noticed there were lights on in the dining room. So we walked in and were invited to take a seat. I smiled at the couple who had brought their lovely, well behaved, shaggy dog with them. I love that dogs are welcome in many restaurants in Germany.
I thought the pizzas at Rossini’s looked really good, but I can never finish individual pizzas by myself. Bill and I both ended up ordering pasta. I had Tagliatelle Salmone, which was ribbon pasta paired with salmon and a light tomato cream sauce. Bill had Tagliolini Paglia e Fieno, which was green and white tagliatelle pasta with shrimp. We also had a bottle of Montepulciano and San Pellegrino. They gave us a house “shot” of prosecco, too, as an aperitif.
This is a tried and true dish for me… Bill enjoyed his dish, too. The shrimps were a nice touch with the light lemon sauce.Another shot with some Parmesan cheese!A shot of the front of Rossini’s.
Business was rather slow on Saturday. Besides us, there were two couples, and an older man who came in alone and drank some beer. I think we were the last ones out at about 1:15 PM. Although lunch hours are advertised until 2:00 PM, we heard the waiter lock the front door as we left! I guess it wasn’t worth staying open. Even though it was a holiday weekend and there were some people visiting Bad Wörishofen, I wouldn’t say it was particularly crowded.
We decided to head back to the hotel. On the way there, we stopped at a quirky little produce shop that also had drinks and candy. The proprietor spoke English and was happy to help Bill pick out a couple of Italian wines and some chocolate. We made our way back to the room and I started to read a book. Before I knew it, I was sound asleep. I took a very long nap, while Bill sat in one of the Q-bert chairs! I guess I did need a rest, after all…
A heart shaped bench in Bad Wörishofen…Cute little shop where one can find fruit, wines, water, and candy… and that’s about it!
Because the weather wasn’t all that welcoming, we decided to just watch German TV, drink wine, and eat fruit and chocolate. Maybe it wasn’t the healthiest choice to make, but we were satisfied. And we slept well through the night, too.
I woke up feeling significantly better on Monday, June 10th. Bill and I decided to walk back down to the centrum and pick up some new art and souvenirs for his grandchildren. But first, we needed breakfast. So down we went to the big restaurant on the third floor of Grand Hotel Millennium, where we had our usual room temperature repast.
While we were having breakfast, I couldn’t help but overhear two American men talking. I mean, everybody in the vicinity who didn’t have hearing problems could hear these guys… One of them was talking about his diabetes and how he takes Ozempic to control his blood sugar. The other guy was talking about similarly personal stuff. It always amazes me how completely unaware some people are when they’re in public. I see it most often with my fellow Americans, who speak loudly enough for everyone to hear what they say. It’s kind of obnoxious behavior… and trust me, I know all about being obnoxious.
After breakfast, we went to the room to prepare for the day. We ran into our very nice housekeeper, who asked us if we were checking out the next morning. We said we were, and gave her the approximate time we thought we’d be leaving. She said if she didn’t see us, that we had safe and pleasant travels. I was very impressed by how kind she was during our stay.
I put on a pair of shorts so I wouldn’t get so hot and sweaty during the day’s walk. Then we got going, and made our way to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, where I knew we could find art for the house. We made one stop at a Coffee Brothers for some fresh orange juice and a potty break. While we were there, we saw two more Bulgarian women passing us who were having very loud conversations, seemingly on the phone as they charged down Vitosha Boulevard at top speed. The women weren’t with each other. They were going in different directions, several minutes apart. One of them carried a ladle as she screamed into her cellphone and walked very fast down the crowded shopping district. I’m not sure what was going on with them.
An old style barber.Borzois?What a keeper!This used to be Sofia’s best hotel.
We also saw the lovely violinist again. The same young woman who played so beautifully on Saturday came back on Monday to busk. I definitely liked her music better than the saxophonist who kept playing the same thing over and over again while we were at the Vitosha Street Bar & Dinner on Saturday afternoon. I love listening to talented musicians play music on the street. It adds so much character to European cities. I especially like buying their CDs. Unfortunately, the violinist didn’t seem to have any for sale.
Because we were going to buy some art, Bill decided to stop at an ATM. We went back the Ivan Vazov National Theater again, and I got a few more photos of the iconic building. This time, no one was playing basketball in front of it. There is a handy cash machine in the park like area around the theater.
Old Parliament HouseIvan Vazov National TheaterI thought this was kind of cool… A place for your bottles.Another shot of the St. Nicholas the Miraclemaker Church
We finally made it to the cathedral, where I noticed there weren’t as many people selling art as there had been on Saturday. We went to one stand when I noticed art that caught my eye. The colorful paintings were mostly of florals, but I noticed a couple of landscape paintings that reminded me of Sozopol, a Black Sea beach town Elaine and I visited in 1996. As soon as we approached the art, an elderly gentleman came around to speak to us. He spoke some English, although not as well as the much younger man who was with him.
It turned out the paintings that had caught my attention were of a different Black Sea town called Nesebar, which isn’t far from Sozopol. I’ve never been to Nesebar, but like Sozopol, it’s near Burgas and Varna, and is now a major resort town. The younger man told us that the paintings we were interested in were done by an artist named Violeta Stanoeva. She is an accomplished Bulgarian artist who has shown her work in France. Here is a link to her Instagram.
Bill had to go get some Bulgarian lev, so I stayed and talked to the younger guy, who kept singing the praises of the artist and the Black Sea coast. I was struck by how friendly he was, and I didn’t get the sense it was just because we were buying two paintings. I promised him that we would give a good home to Violeta’s paintings. Now that they’re hanging in my dining room, I kind of wish I’d bought another one. I really like her use of colors. I saw a few paintings on her Web site that I think are magical.
This one wasn’t done by Violeta. I spotted it in a gift shop and decided I needed it.
After we bought the paintings, we decided to have lunch. I noticed there was an Armenian restaurant called Egur Egur, very close to the cathedral. It’s not very often that I get to have Armenian food anymore, so we decided to go there for lunch. The restaurant is located in what used to be a music conservatory. There is even framed sheet music by the front door.
When we approached, a rather unfriendly waitress who didn’t seem to speak English pointed to a table. I would have tried Armenian with her, but she appeared to be a local, and I think she was the only one we encountered who didn’t speak English to us. I actually found it kind of refreshing… at least until she started yelling at one of the other servers, a very thin, Slavic looking young woman who managed to stay stoic. I’m not sure what the yelling was about, but it definitely changed the ambiance a bit.
I was excited to see that they offered khorovatz (Armenian kebab-shashlik-barbecue). Bill tried it for the first time in November, when we visited Armenia. It’s a very simple dish, but delicious if it’s prepared properly. So we ordered that, along with a couple of Czech beers and San Pellegrino. Bill had chicken and I had pork, and I actually asked for it by its Armenian name, which the waiter then translated for us. I don’t think he was an Armenian speaker, although he definitely looked like he could have been. Lunch was delicious, but more than we could eat! We probably should have just picked one and split it.
My only complaint about our experience at Egur Egur is that the chairs were uncomfortable for those of us wearing shorts. The hard wood dug into the backs of my thighs. A cushion would have been welcome. Otherwise, it was a very nice lunch. The waiter packed up our leftovers, although we ended up discarding them, because we couldn’t get them to refrigeration quickly enough. What you see in the last picture cost about $48.
We went into a gift shop on Vitosha Boulevard and found some magnets, a mug, and a few little trinkets for the kids. That’s also where I found the wood carving pictured with the art by Violeta Stanoeva. I was lucky to spot it, as it was kind of tucked in a corner in the upstairs of the shop.
After our shopping was done, I was kind of wanting to take a cab back to the hotel, but we ended up walking… All told, it was about five miles. That’s not bad for someone with a cold and a pretty slack fitness routine. Below are a few more photos. I wish we could have seen more during our brief trip, but we have reason to go back. It better be sooner than 28 years, though, because in 28 years, I’ll be 80 years old!
These fragrant trees were all over Sofia. They smelled heavenly!
One place I wish we had visited is the TSUM (Central Department Store), which was a government store that used to be THE place for Bulgarians to buy stuff. The outside of the store has an impressive facade that looks like it came straight from the fanciest communist architect, ever. I went there in 1996, when it was still operating more or less the way it did in communist times. Since then, it was renovated and turned into a mall, and right now, the mall is pretty empty. People just go there to use the clean and free bathroom facilities now. But I do remember going there and buying stuff in the 90s… and thinking it was the picture of a communist era shopping mecca.
Armenia had a similar place called GUM, where I bought some things when I lived there. Now, what was once GUM is a regular store where one can buy rugs. There is also a GUM shuka in Yerevan, Armenia that sells fresh food. It’s not the same thing as the GUM store, though. I’m writing of a Soviet era department store.
I read that the architect of the TSUM was Kosta Nikolov, and his son was murdered by the Gestapo in Germany in the 1940s. Nikolov managed to get ahold of his son’s remains and properly bury them. He kept locks of his son’s hair and a finger as keepsakes. Then, as the TSUM building was being constructed, the architect embedded a box with his son’s remains in it within the building. Nikolov was following a Bulgarian folklore tradition that embedding a living person or a shadow of a living person in a building makes it stronger. Many people thought this was an urban legend until 2001, when workers doing the renovation actually discovered the remains. They decided to leave them embedded there.
Anyway… it sounds like TSUM eventually became something that was no longer a store for the people, but rather for people with the most money. That’s too bad. Especially now that it’s basically an empty shell of what it was… and is now owned by investors. At least I got to see it, though… even if it was years ago.
Handy room service ordering system.
We decided to have room service on Monday night. The hotel makes it easy, by allowing people to order food through the TV. I had a salmon filet with asparagus and salad, while Bill had a club sandwich. We split a bottle of Bulgarian Chardonnay, sparkling water, and a piece of pretzel cheesecake. I think the cheesecake, like the other desserts we had, was the highlight.
Bulgarian wineThe last supper
One more post ought to do it for this series, then I will write my usual “ten things I learned” post. Stay tuned!
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