Carnival Radiance -- March 2022 (Debarkation Day)

Our quick little getaway to cap off spring break is over! We returned to an overcast, cold, rainy, and blustery Long Beach. Brrr! 

Debarkation instructions were printed out and posted at each stateroom the day before. It was the usual-- everyone out of cabins by 8:30, and all off the ship by 9:30. One change: instead of being called by deck, we were called out by muster station. 

I was up before 7:00am and we first headed down to the Pixels Gallery to pick up our Dreams Studio photos and USB stick. There was a bit of a line, and only one employee working, so it took a little while. From there, we headed up to the Lido deck for one last quick buffet breakfast with Jed and Paea. After striking out on eggs/salmon benedict the last 2 mornings, I decided to play it safe with scrambled eggs this time. A good choice, it turned out, because Allan's eggs benedict were fully cooked! 

It was not long after 7:00am that the CD started calling off Muster Stations A and B (presumably, the lower decks). Around 7:30, I think he realized he forgot to prioritize self-checkout folks, because he chimed in that between 7:30-8:00am, those who did not check their bags (were hauling everything off the ship with them) would be allowed off during that timeframe, no matter what deck they were on. Theoretically we could've gone then, but we'd just sat down to breakfast when he announced it! 

So we sat around enjoying breakfast, knowing we had till 8:30 to get out of our cabins. At 8:00, Ryan called out Muster Stations C and D (which encompassed all of us-- Allan and I were C, Jed and Paea were D), so we finished our food and headed back down to our cabins to grab luggage and head out. 

After getting lost a few times and being blocked by the MDRs, we exited the ship around 8:15am. Interestingly, there was not really a long line to get OFF the ship in Deck 3 onto the gangway. The last 2 times I cruised, that line was super long-- snaking all the way around past staterooms on Deck 3! This time, we practically walked off the ship immediately. 

Made our way  across the gangway and into the Spruce Goose dome-- back down the long ramps and then through customs, which involved a simple face scan. Far out! The lines were long but they moved relatively quickly and efficiently. 

By the time we got into the car and started to head out, it was 8:45. Picked up Ruby on the way, and were back home well before 11:00am! 

This would be a fun little tradition-- go on a cruise or some other quick getaway before the start of the quarter. One last bit of relaxation before getting back to teaching a new crop of students, for Paea and Allan! :-D 

Carnival Radiance Cruise -- March 2022 (Day 3)

Despite taking melatonin and my 8-hour sleep aid again, it took a good long while to fall asleep. I think I was fretting about getting suckered into the fancy photo shoot and worrying about how we'd fit the viewing into our schedule. Also wasn't sure whether we were going to get off the ship or not. Totally playing it by ear till the last minute. The day before (sea day), Jed and Paea had indicated interest in getting off the ship just to get away from the crowds and sensory overload. I get the feeling that they, like Allan, are all a bit more introverted than I am. 

We met up for breakfast around 9:00am, and although there were a lot of people at the Lido buffet, it was nowhere near full. We got good seats by the portside windows, and got views of people starting to trickle out through Deck 0. At that point we were still undecided about whether to stay or get off. I had prepared either way, printing out a map of Ensenada and familiarizing myself with the walking directions to get to the main tourist area. 

Once the ship started to empty, Paea and Jed decided that it wasn't so bad after all, and opted to stay on board. So after breakfast, we donned our swimsuits and hopped into the hot tub on the Serenity deck-- so peaceful and quiet! Allan wasn't interested and opted to go back to the room to get some rest-- he'd be back up once the bar opened ;-) So the 3 of us just relaxed and enjoyed the warm sun, cool air, and massaging jets. Jed even tried out the two water slides, since the lines were empty! 

Afterward, I made my way to the Pixels gallery, where I figured out that you can't purchase digital prints off the Hub app on your phone-- you have to purchase them from the iPad kiosks (so odd! Why is this not just directly available on your phone??) I watched with amusement as Tiago (the comedy club announcer) led a round of trivia for the approximately dozen people hanging out in the lobby bar. 

I met up with Paea and Jed (and evnetually Allan) for lunch. They opted for non-buffet fare, like the deli and Guy's burgers. I should have done the same. Instead, I went for the cajun-themed buffet food, which, uncharacteristically, was terrible. Meat was overcooked and sides were oversalted. But at least the desserts did not disappointed! It was all chocolate-themed, so I grabbed the larger dinner plate instead of the smaller dessert plate, to better fit 4 samplings of dessert :-D 

After lunch, Paea went back to his room to relax, while Jed, Allan and I hung out in the lobby bar to partake of trivia. Jed left after an hour, while Allan and I hung around for more. We befriended some of the guys in the couch next to us ("ZZ Top" and his friends, from Glendora-- not far from us!) and just had a grand ol' time. 

At 4:00pm we met Iryna at the Dreams Studio where she put on a slide show on the computer (hooked up to the large screen TV) showcasing all of our pictures. A few were very good, some were cheesy, and some were downright funny-- like the shot of Allan kissing my cheek, and me making a face that looks like I'm trying to get away, LOL! Some of the poses were awkward, and it showed on our faces! We ended up selecting 3 of our favorites and ordering a package that included 10x13 prints and digital versions of those 3 pics. 

Afterward, we headed over to the Red Frog Bar for some karaoke! Must be popular because the line just to sign up was long, despite arriving right on time at 4:30! It took almost an hour till it was my turn. With the crowd hopping, I decided to go with "Redneck Woman". Allan took pictures of me, and a pic of one of my "fans" waving her arms in the air to my singing :-) 

Final dinner in the MDR-- so sad! I opted for the cheese plate and chocolate martini for dessert-- and the servers wrote my name in the chocolate sauce that gets swirled in the glass before the drink is poured. Awww! 

After dinner, Allan decided to retire back to the room to rest some more. We would have liked to catch Doug's last show, but after the hullabaloo that was the oversized, loud crowd from last night, we decided to skip it. I'm sad that we didn't get to say one last goodbye to Doug, get our picture taken with him, and buy some merchandise to support him, but hopefully he'll be performing on land somewhere nearby (LA?) and we can make the drive down to see him. Methinks paying crowds will be a lot less rowdy than Carnival cruise crowds ;-) 

Instead, Jed, Paea and I opted to check out the piano bar, which was FREEZING. I was a little disappointed that it was basically just a performance rather than a lively sing-along that I'm used to from other Piano Bar shows on Carnival. Maybe it was because he decided to do a Broadway theme. He was a good singer, but not a good performer, because often times the piano was too loud and drowned out his singing. Or maybe it was just technical difficulties. In any event, Broadway songs aren't all that exciting or sing-along-ready, so that was a bit disappointing. 

Afterward, we visited Iryna again to check out our final prints (she had to touch up some of the photos) and give the "ok" as well as pay for it so I could claim the products the next day. 

From there, the 4 of us trooped over to the sushi place again for some late-night grub. Jed and Paea split the sushi boat-- it was a LOT of food. 3 pieces of nigiri each, two rolls, salad, and miso soup. I got a few pieces of nigiri and the yuzu custard. The custard was delicious (and had an interesting texture) but the portion was way bigger than expected-- especially for only $2!? 

And that was that! Back in our rooms by 11:30pm, where I began packing up to get ready for debarkation the next day... 

Carnival Radiance Cruise -- March 2022 (Day 2)

In a combination of COVID safety protocols and an attempt to save money, there are no longer physical menus at the bars or the MDR, nor do they publish paper Fun Times to showcase the day's schedule. Menus are accessed via QR codes, and Fun Times are on the Carnival Hub app. Realized too late that Guest Services will provide a Fun Times printout if you request it. I like keeping them as mementos, and also as reminders for future cruises, about what I can expect. Well, I guess that's part of why I'm blogging the boring details-- so I can have the info for future reference. Next cruise, I'll definitely remember to ask for paper schedules! 

I made sure to take my melatonin and 8-hr sleep aid, which helped. I kept getting awakened by some jostling-- exactly the same as what happened on the first night aboard the Panorama, where I thought Todd was kicking my bed. It was pretty regular throughout the night, but I managed to fall back asleep every time it happened. Not the best sleep, but not the worst-- unlike poor Allan, who hardly slept a wink!

The morning started out with breakfast at the Lido buffet (where Allan had a perfect salmon benedict while I had a fully-cooked egg atop the tiniest sliver of salmon!) followed by the military appreciation gathering in the Liquid Lounge at 10:00am. Jed and Paea did their own thing until we met up for the 1:00pm show. The most impressive part about the gathering? The CD, Ryan, hosted, and ALSO sang the national anthem, a cappella, right there on the spot at the start of the program. He was really good! After the military appreciation gathering, Allan went back to the room to get some more rest, while I wandered around to explore more on my own. 

I rested outside the Alchemy Bar a bit, enjoying the view of the open ocean, wishing I'd brought a book to read. But I didn't have to wait long-- at 11:30 a salsa class began in the adjoining Red Frog Rum Bar. Two of the main performers in the evening shows taught the class. It basically ended up being like a one-wall, looong, fast line dance with stylized arm and body movements. It was a lot of fun, and made for a great workout! 

After salsa class I had lunch by myself at the Lido buffet, and met up with Jed and Paea at the Liquid Lounge for the Love & Marriage show. It was a hoot and a half, and one of the funniest Love & Marriage shows I'd ever attended. Not only because Ryan the CD is an excellent and funny, energetic host, but also because of the couples! One couple, named (interestingly!) Joe and Tabitha, were a riot because Joe could not follow directions to save his life! Not sure if he was stoned out of his gourd or just a bad listener, but it was very very entertaining. Allan opted for a leisurely lunch and hangout on the Serenity deck. He missed a good show. 

I caught up with Allan on the deck while Jed and Paea grabbed a late lunch, and then we all headed to the aft restaurant for tea time. Fancy baked good, smoked salmon, and cucumber sandwiches, all served with a smile. 

Afterward, I took some time to dress up for our formal night, and we met up around 5:30 to find some nice backgrounds to take pictures. When our Pixels photographer was done, he dragged Allan and me to the Dreams Studio photographer who had set up shop in the same area (right outside the Red Frog Bar) and the next thing we knew, Allan and I had spent 10 minutes doing the "fancy" photo shoot and set up a time to meet with our photographer, Iryna, to view our pics the next day. 

After dinner, we headed back to our rooms to change. Jed opted to watch the show at the Liquid Lounge at 9:30 ("Soulbound") while Allan and I opted for Doug's 10pm show, the much-vaunted "Relationship Seminar" routine. Word must have gotten around, because when we arrive a few minutes before 9:30 (doors opened a half hour prior to showtime and we wanted to get a good seat), there was already a line snaking out the door and UP the stairwell into the floor above! We were lucky to be able to get decent seats at all. After that it was standing room only! 

As always, Doug brought the house down but the loud, drunk crowds around us were a little too much. We made our way to the Lido deck afterward for some late-night grub, but evidently everyone else on the ship had the same idea, and the only two open eateries, pizza and deli, had lines a mile long. We ended up opting for sushi, instead. A nice, delicious way to end the day! 

Carnival Radiance Cruise -- March 2022 (Day 1)

It has been waaayyyy too long since I posted. I doubt anyone is reading this anymore, anyway, but I don't really care-- I just wanted to jot down my memories of our most recent cruise so I wouldn't forget the details for the NEXT cruise... 'cause you know I'm hooked! :-) 

A few notes on pre-departure activities:

Once we had booked our sailings, I got our friends' booking number and connected it to ours. Voila! I could now see their booking alongside mind every time I logged in. Made sure they also selected the same dining time, which meant that as soon as our bookings were linked, we would automatically be added to the same table. Gone are the days of having to call in to combine bookings and ensure we get the same table. 

Caveat: I don't know if this works with Costco bookings, as I believe those result in a different booking # that the system may not be able to join automatically. Best to still call in those cases. 

Selected the 12:30-1:00pm boarding time = a perfect blend of not having to get up too early to leave, and not having to wait around too long before staterooms were open. 

The day started on Friday, Mar 25. After dropping Ruby off at Ron and Debbie's, we made our way to the Carnival Cruise Terminal in Long Beach. I feel like each time we've cruised, the drive was a little different, but I think Long Beach and Google Maps have finally reconciled their directions to match. Stick to the Google Maps directions, follow the signs to Queen Mary until you actually get near the Queen Mary. From there, the lanes diverge into those on the left to go to the actual Queen Mary, and those on the right to enter the Cruise Terminal parking lot. Grab a ticket, then follow the signs into the parking garage. 

Outside the parking garage, we made our way towards the "Bucky Ball" shaped dome that used to house the Spruce Goose. 

The first of many checkstops was right outside the dome, to get in. Had to show our boarding passes and ID to prove that we were arriving at the right time frame. We were a couple minutes early from our appointment time, but they let us in, anyway. Got sent to one of many tall cocktail-like tables manned with employees and computers. Our friends had done the Verifly app, we did not. But we were both processed at about the same speed. At these tables, we showed our boarding passes, passports, vaccinations cards, and printouts of negative COVID results. 

From there, we went through security-- the typical x-ray bag scanning. 

After security, we made our way to another checkin line that looked a lot like airport checkin counters. Across from these counters were a bunch benches with (fake?) palm trees all around-- this is the area where arriving passengers can sit and wait if you have an early appointment time and arrive and get checked in BEFORE they open up the ship to start letting people in (I believe they don't start letting folks in until 11:00am, so I never saw the point in arriving any earlier than that). 

Anyway, I didn't remember this last checkin line the last time we cruised, so I assumed they were going to give us our cabin keys, but no-- we just got instructions on where to get on, and that our room keys would be in sealed envelopes outside our door at 1:30pm (I do remember this from the Panorama cruise during Christmas 2019). 

Up the long windy ramps, and then finally, almost to the gangway. But before that, one last station where we had to lower our masks and get our picture taken-- presumably for the facial recognition later? 

Everything went smoothly, and we were on board before 1:00pm, where we first reported to individual muster drill. That was a nice change-- rather than crowding all together in one location at the designated muster drill time, waiting eons for stragglers to show up, we just did our drill individually (with one other couple who arrived the same time as us). Cruise crew checked us in by room number on our tablet, to check off that we'd done our drill, then walked us through safety and life vest instructions. I feel a bit sorry for the poor crew having to repeat the same thing over and over again, ad nauseum, but I sure did appreciate how easy this process was for the travelers!

Afterward, made our way up to the crowded Lido deck, managed to find a table for 4 at the buffet, and had lunch. Rooms opened up at exactly 1:30, so we were able to head down shortly after finishing lunch. Easy peasy!

The boys went exploring while I unpacked mine and Allan's stuff and sorted out room foibles-- our toilet was dirty and the bed was configured as king (despite requesting twin setup), and we didn't have our two free bottles of water. Allan and I are now officially 0 for 4 in terms of getting the configuration we requested from the get-go. What is even the point of having that as an option, if they're not going to honor it?? 

Eventually I caught up with the boys and we hung out at the adults-only Serenity deck overlooking Long Beach and the ocean. 

Allan and I did a little exploring, and ended up relaxing a bit outside the Alchemy Bar, on seats overlooking a big picture window with a magnificent view of the ocean. That's when we noticed our favorite comedian, Doug Williams, sitting near us. We greeted him. He did not remember us, of course (it was the Dec 2016 Imagination sailing when we last saw him), but he did remember one of the most memorable groups ever-- a church group clad in matching red/black plaid shirts, including the deacon and his wife, whom Doug had praying to Jesus for BJ's by the end of the show! We told him that his appearance schedule was half the reason we booked that particular sailing-- so we could see him perform! :-D 

After dinner, we hit up both evening Punchliner Comedy shows (our beloved Doug Williams, and another guy named Jack Jr), and hit up the Lido deck for some late night snacking. Evidently the ship uses the Limelight Lounge as a nightclub at 11:00pm each night, which is why the comedy shows are earlier (latest one goes from 10-10:30pm). 

Oh, and the cruise director was Ryan Rose, same CD that was on the girls' trip aboard the Inspiration in Aug 2019! 

Frosty Vox Box Product Reviews

Just after Christmas, Influenster sent me their Frosty Vox Box, with all sorts of goodies:

Over the past month or so, I've had a chance to use some of these products, so I thought I'd share my thoughts.

First up, the most often-used product: the EcoTools Styler & Smoother Hair Brush:

This thing is enormous! I stopped using plastic bristle brushes a few years ago, sticking strictly to wide-tooth combs to detangle my hair, and occasionally using a nice bristle brush for smoother heat styling. This thing? Combines the best of both worlds-- the individual "teeth" are as wide apart as my wide-tooth comb, but it's a brush. On the few occasions I use a blow dryer to dry my hair, this thing allows me to separate my hair safely and more effectively, reducing drying time (as promised on the label). Even if I just want to quickly run something through my hair for a simple detangle in the middle of the day, this thing does the job so much better than my combs-- faster, smoother, and it doesn't get stuck as much.

Suffice it to say that this thing is a winner in my book :-)

Next up: Makeup!

1. I got NYC's Expert Last Lip Color in #418, Sugar Plum. It's actually a nice, neutral color with a bit of shimmer. Very office-appropriate. Wore it a few times and it seemed to last pretty well without drying my lips out, which is a plus. And not bad for a retail price of $2. I might have to explore this particular brand in other colors at the local drugstore!

2.  I'm not much on makeup, but I wore Rimmel's Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner to a New Year's Eve party. Swanky! They sent me a black one (yay) but unfortunately, the cap came off in transit and the tip of the pencil broke off. Still usable, except you know how you break off part of the tip of a pencil, and it results in double lines when you first write with the broken tip? That's what happened to me. I ended up with double lines underneath my eyelid. And whatever this thing is made of, it does not smudge easily. I tried using my fingers to blend it in-- no dice. Had better luck with a Q-tip, but ultimately, let's just say it's a good thing I wear glasses, which helps camouflage eye makeup. On the plus side: it seems fairly smudge proof!?

(sorry, too lazy to find a pic. You all know what eyeliner pencils look like, anyway!)

3. When I got home from the NYE party, I decided to test out Rimmel's Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. It certainly got the eyeliner off without any trouble. Not sure how gentle it was, as my eyelids felt a little funny afterward, but since I hopped into the shower immediately afterward, I'm not sure how long it would've lasted. While I was at it, I tried it on my lipstick, and it seemed to do a pretty good job of removing it. Lipstick is always the toughest makeup for me to remove, mostly because I have a lot of deep grooves in my lips that the lipstick seems to like to settle into.

Finally: Foodstuff!

1. The package of Fruit Vines Bites from the makers of Red Vines had me excited. I love candy (who doesn't?) and I especially love Red Vines. However, when I tore into the package, I was met with disappointment. First of all, these things cannot really be called bites. They're huge! Secondly, they stick to your teeth like nobody's business (do not eat if you wear braces!). Thirdly, the taste left something to be desired. When I eat Red Vines, I expect the artificial sweet red licorice flavor. When I eat something with the word "fruit" in it, I expect more of a, well, FRUIT flavor (yes, I know, "fruit" is a misnomer on a lot of such candies, but shoot-- even Skittles make an attempt to taste fruity!). This tasted more like regular Red Vines, but somewhat... flat. Compounded by the awful stick-to-your-teeth texture, this candy, I'm afraid, is not one that I'll be buying anytime soon.

2. It's been dreary and chilly in the morning this past week, making it the perfect weather to sip some Celestial Seasoning's Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea. Basically, a peppermint green tea. I love tea. I especially love green tea and I love mint tea. So this sounded like an awesome blend!

Unfortunately, much like the Fruit Bites, it fell flat on expectations. It wasn't bad, actually-- lovely strong mint smell that clears the sinuses, and tastes, well... minty. The problem I had was that I was expecting a green tea taste underneath it, and I didn't get that. It seemed mostly just mint. Which is tasty enough, but if something's labeled green tea, I expect green tea! If I'm just gonna end up with pure mint, I might as well buy the peppermint tea (sans green) at the local 99-cent store for much cheaper.

Things from the box I have yet to try:

McCormick's Gourmet Thyme (because I don't cook much and have literally NO idea what one does with thyme-- or most other herbs, for that matter)

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serum (because they gave me a small sample packet, and I'll be honest-- unless your default is NO moisturizer, I don't think you can accurately gauge how well something works by just one or two applications).

So there you have it. Nice little holiday delivery full of hits and misses, but a great way to get me to try some new things!

Disclaimer: this box was provided free of charge for review purposes, but the opinions in this post are solely my own.

Oh, wie schön ist Panama

One of my favorite stories growing up is a book called "Oh, wie schön ist Panama", an adorable children's book by Janosch.

The story revolves around two best friends: Baer and Tiger (I don't think I have to translate what kind of animals those are :-P) who live together and work together for their daily food. One day, Baer discovers a crate from Panama, and the two friends embark on a journey to what they believe is the land of their dreams. Along they way, they encounter other animals and all sorts of adventures, until one day they come across their own house! The surroundings have changed while they were gone-- plants overgrown, house in disrepair, so they don't realize it's their original house, and happily settle in.

I loved the story because it was a cute plot and because the illustrations are amazing. They so vividly captured the spirit of the characters, made them especially loveable. See for yourself:

Baer and Tiger set off on their way, leaving a sign post pointing in the direction of Panama

The pair interrupts a fox's dinner to ask for directions

Even when it rains, they manage to look on the bright side of things, grateful for the shelter they're able to construct

Happy dance! They've found Panama!

It's fairly obvious now that the "moral" of the story is that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, that it's all down to your frame of mind, your perception and acceptance of your current situation. As evidenced by the rainy scene above, even when their situation was glum, Baer and Tiger always remained positive and upbeat, choosing to focus on what they can be grateful for, rather than grumbling about what's going wrong. And clearly they were thrilled to be in "paradise" when they returned to their own home, because even though they weren't in Panama, they believed they were, and appreciated their surroundings with that frame of mind.

But as a kid, that lesson just flew over my head, yet I was still enchanted by the story and by the characters. Loveable Baer and Tiger and Tiger's wooden striped duck, aka Tigerente.

So you can imagine my squeal of delight when I discovered this little gem in the Nuremberg Toy Museum:

 

A plush Baer and Tiger!!

Maybe not an exact replica of how they're drawn in the books, but wow, did that bring back a flood of memories! And now I want a stuffed Baer and Tiger! :-D

How about you? What are some of your favorite childhood books? 

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Pensione and Hotels and Hostels, oh my!

One drawback to traveling in the United States is that most hotels don't seem to cater to families very well. Your standard chain hotel is usually going to consist of 2 double or 2 queen beds. Unless you get a suite. And even then, "suite" often just means "living room", not "extra beds". You have to make arrangements for an extra rollaway bed (often at an additional charge).

Not so in Germany, where it was common to find hotels that offered a variety of room arrangements: double room (for 2), 3-bed room, 4-bed room, etc. I discovered a chain called B&B Hotels all throughout Germany, and that's where we stayed in most of the major cities.They seem to be a fairly new chain (i.e. built within the last decade), because the accommodations were clean and modern, the buildings well-built and insulated.

I favored the B&B Hotel chain not only because it was reasonably priced, but because it seemed perfect for families-- I booked a "family room for 3" at each one we stayed at, and there were enough beds for 3-4 people each time: either a double bed and a bunk bed, or a double bed and a single bed. Perfect for our little family!

In Dresden, we had a 3-bed room that looked like this:

 

 

And in Heidelberg, Nuremberg and Frankfurt, we had a 4-bed room like this:

 

 

Whenever there was a bunk bed, Todd slept on the top, and Allan slept on the bottom, meaning I had a nice, spacious double bed all to myself! :-D As you can see, the bunk bed is extra long-- so long that Allan had no trouble fitting in it!

In Berlin, however, I decided to try a hostel. I found one in a good location (within walking distance from Checkpoint Charlie and the Currywurst Museum), and it was an interesting experience! First, because the hostel was so centrally located, parking was extremely limited. We were lucky to get the last open spot, and then made sure to LEAVE our car there until we left Berlin. Secondly, the building is a lot older, which leads to other problems: the walls and floors are thinner and thus less insulated against noise and weather, the furnishings are old and creaky, the pillows lumpy, and the shower wouldn't drain properly. Finally, remember what I said about thin walls/floors? And remember that is a hostel, which primarily caters to younger folk. And what are younger folk really good at? Making lots of loud noise in the middle of the night without regard to others! Thank God for earplugs ;-)

Looking back, public transportation was so plentiful in Berlin that I should've just paid a little more to stay at one of the B&Bs there. But hey-- at least I've gotten to experience a hostel! Won't ever do it again, but at least I've tried it once in my life :-)

View of our room from the entrance. Bathrooms immediately to your left, closet to your right.

A closer look at the beds. This time, Allan and I shared the double bed and Todd got the rickety, creaky bunk bed. The stuffed animals got the bottom bunk ;-)

You can just make out the in-room sink. On the other side of the wall of the sink is the toilet, and next to it, in its own separate room, is the shower.

Finally, in the smaller towns of Lueneburg and Muenster, you couldn't find chain hotels like B&B. Instead, we booked rooms at small bed & breakfasts, which were really nice! Because the towns were smaller, it was much quieter. And because the facilities were likewise smaller, it felt more homey, especially at breakfast, where there was more of a homemade touch to the food. In each of the towns, we got a room with a double bed and a pull-out sofa (that pulled out to make a single bed).

Our room in our Lueneburg hotel looked exactly like this one. Cozy and with a door leading to a small back patio outside!

One final note on German hotels: most of them are seriously lacking in outlets! Each of our B&B hotel rooms had a grand total of three: one by the small table, one on the floor near the door, and one in the bathroom! So we had to get creative in divying up the outlets to charge our devices!

Todd just couldn't wait to play on his phone!

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Sit n Pee

One thing I have never understood is why men need to stand when they pee at a toilet. They have to lift the seat, and, more often than not, their aim isn't entirely accurate. Even if the stream all goes in the right direction, there's still bits of spray to contend with, which, unless you scrub your toilet and mop your bathroom floor every day, results in disgusting gunk on the rim of the bowl and on the floor by the toilet. Nasty.

And riddle me this: when a man poops, he sits down, doesn't he? And if he's like most human beings, he'll also pee during this process. So if he can pee while sitting to poop, why can't he just sit down to pee ALL the time!?

As far as I'm concerned, barring a medical condition causing an inability to sit, there is NO valid reason to have to stand up to pee in a toilet (note that I'm talking about ordinary household toilets, not urinals, third-world holes in the floor, or the woods).

What does all of this have to do with Germany? Two things:

1. A hilarious sticker that has been in the bathroom of one of our old German friends (they were my parents' classmates at university when I was born) for as long as I can remember:

2. A YouTube video of German comedian Thomas Hermanns poking the website of MAPSU (Mothers Against Peeing Standing Up):




Yes, it's in German, but he reads portions of the (English language) website out loud, so you can get the general gist of it. Or better yet, look up the website yourself ;-)

Mothers Against Peeing Standing Up. Yup, that's a cause I can get behind!

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

The German language, in full force!

A few weeks ago I blogged about the German language, and last night I came across a Quora thread wherein the question asked was "Why do people think German is an ugly, harsh and rude language?" Just the title alone made me laugh, because that's exactly what I wrote in my blog post-- harsh and guttural-sounding to those who aren't familiar with the language.

My favorite illustration of this is a meme that takes a word that has a similar translation in various languages, contrasted against the long, harsh-sounding German word at the end. Observe:

Hilarious, right?

Guess what's even funnier... when it's acted out:

Admittedly, the German guy does exaggerate his pronunciation and his ferocity, but it made me giggle, anyway. The parts where they got to the super-long words was especially funny. And I am not sure why they included Swedish in some of the segments-- THAT sounds harsh/guttural to me! So I guess I have an inkling of what German must sound like to non-speakers ;-)

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

A Mobile Shop on Every Corner

We are loyal customers of T-Mobile, which offers the best rates of all the main service providers in the US. Shortly before our trip to Germany this past August, we switched from our old, grandfathered-in plan to their Simple Choice plan, which included an amazing roaming package: free data and texting in most countries, and only 20 cents per minute on calls. It worked superbly in Germany. Data was at least 3G speeds in most places we were (read: big cities), texting was useful when Allan and I needed to split up (or when we got separated on a super-crowded bus and I had to text him to let him know at which stop to get off), and when Allan's father passed away while he was still in Sweden on business, it was great to be able to call his family (and have them call him on his US number) without worrying about roaming charges.

I digress. As valuable as this plan was for keeping in touch with each other and with our families back home (and using Google Maps because our rental car's GPS was utterly useless!), it didn't help when it came to keeping in touch with our German friends, whom we were visiting during this trip. I mean, we could call them, but they'd be calling an international number to reach us! So one of the first orders of business was to get a German SIM card. Should be easy, right? Not quite, when you arrive on a Sunday when all the shops are closed and your schedule is jam-packed, with your first day in a medieval town known for its charming Christmas shops and not mobile shops :-P

We finally went SIM card shopping when we toured Nuremberg on Day 3. I had done my research ahead of time to figure out what provider offered the best bang for our Euro, but I was a little concerned about how we would find a shop that sold the best cards. My worries were all for naught, because as soon as we entered the Altstadt, we were bombarded by mobile shops. There must have been at least two on each corner! And we lucked out at T-Mobile, where we were able to get a SIM card for only 10 Euros, which gave us 250MB of data and around 150 minutes of talk/text time. Easy peasy!

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Germany (and much of the rest of Europe, I'm sure) has been ahead of the US in the mobile phone world for some time. When I arrived in Germany in 1998, cell phones were becoming very prevalent, and when I returned to the US in 2001, the US seemed to be just on the verge of embracing mobile phones. I went from a country where everyone had a cell phone to one that, despite being a leader in world technology, still regarded cell phones as a novelty. Things rapidly changed, of course. And during this time, there is one thing about the US mobile phone system that irks me to no end: you pay for incoming calls.

I don't know that any other country in the world does it. When I was in Germany, most of my colleagues use prepaid cards. Once the money ran out, they could no longer make calls until they reloaded their card, but they could RECEIVE calls just fine. Nowadays, with US plans offering variations of unlimited minutes, it's less of an issue, but I remember having to be careful not to go over my alloted minutes each month, even if I wasn't MAKING any calls. How ridiculous is that!?

Even nowadays, I feel like my German friends have so many more options when it comes to phone plans, both pre-and-post paid, than we Americans do. Similar to us, they have 4 main networks, but there's also a wide array of sub-providers that rent the networks and offer sometimes-cheaper, often-more-flexible options. They would balk at what we pay each month for service, and we already pay amongst the lowest rates of all the US providers!!

As with other things, I think the US could learn a thing or two from Germany... alas, as long as money drives the decisions, I doubt that would ever happen. One can dream, though, right? :-)

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

German Castles

One of the most unique sights of Germany (as well much of Europe, with its long ancient history) is castles and palaces. You don't find such creations in the US. They are rich with history and the setting of many an enchanting fairy tale. Here's a small sampling of some of the ones I've visited and would like to visit.

The Heidelberg Castle was only a 20-minute drive away from Mannheim, so it was very easy to get to. It overlooks the Neckar River, and so boasts not only fascinating sights such as the castle ruins:

... a giant beer vat...

Yes, that's me with short, curly hair :-P

... but also a great view of the Neckar Valley:

Worth a visit!

Probably the most renowned of all the German castles is the Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, made famous because it's what the Disney castle is based on.

And of course, the Zwinger in Dresden (more of a palace than a castle, but that's similar enough, no?)

Charlottenburg in Berlin:

Hohenzollern near Stuttgart:

And the Nordkirchen in my birthplace of Muenster, which has a pretty awesome aerial view:

If you ever visit Germany, be sure to include a castle or two in your itinerary!

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

German Food: Christmas Goodies

Christmas is probably a universally magical time, no matter where you are in the world. And since I've been waxing poetic for three separate posts on the wonders of German food, it's no surprise that German holiday goodies merit their own post :-D

First up is a classic that you've probably seen at Trader Joe's: the Adventskalender. From the first day of December through Christmas Eve, children happily look forward to opening up another door in their calendar and enjoying the goodies (usually chocolate) inside.

This one is clearly for mommies instead of the kiddies-- nail polish galore!

Next is Stollen, which is a kind of fruitcake. Now before you grimace in disgust, it's not like the stereotypically gross concoction, it's actually quite delicious! It's more "cake" than "jellied mass":

This next one isn't necessarily Christmas-specific and can be enjoyed any time of the year, but I tend to associate it with Christmas because that's when I usually eat it. Lebkuchen! It's akin to gingerbread, and is often coated in chocolate. It's delightfully delicious, that perfect blend of sugar and spice.

Spekulatius is another baked treat that, I believe, originated in the Netherlands (hence why you can usually find "Speculoos" at Trader Joe's or Cost Plus during the holidays). Spekulatius are thin, flat, crunchy cookies with spices like cinnamon and clove. If you've ever eaten cookie butter, you're basically tasting a creamy, spreadable version of Spekulatius :-9

 

All those baked goods would wash down really well with a hot drink, wouldn't they? While I enjoy drinking tea with them, nothing says "German Christmas" as much as their Christmas Markets, where shoppers wander through the open-air town squares and warm themselves with a glass of Gluehwein while they shop:

As the name suggests, it is made of red wine mixed with spices and heated up. I confess, I've never actually had Gluehwein, but just the sight and name of it evokes images of snowy, Christmas-y German town squares, and warm feeling of community.

What are some of your favorite traditional holiday treats?

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Dresden Pictures

Some of my favorite pictures taken during our August 2014 trip to Germany. Specifically, our day in Dresden, which is best known for its massive destruction at the hands of Allied bombers in 1945.

Semperoper (Semper Opera House)

Semperoper (Semper Opera House)

Zwinger (a palace)

Zwinger (a palace)

Todd takes a photo of the photographer while we rest at a fountain in the center of the Zwinger's courtyard

Moving on to the upper levels of the Zwinger

View of the front entrance and courtyard

Interesting wooden model of a Chinese house greeted us at the top of the stairs. A bit of China in Germany??

Kunstakademie

Kunstakademie

Horse and carriage: neat way to tour the city!

Typical town square

Parts of the city are being rebuilt...

... while parts stand tribute to WWII history. At the Karl Pinkert stone monument in front of the re-built Frauenkirche

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!