Jet Lagggggggggg

Since we returned, I have not written anything of what we have been doing here at home. That is because 1/we are totally jet lagged. 2/my leg hurts SO much.

1/ Jet Lag- We have been sleeping almost all the time since we returned home. The only time I have been awake & aware was when I blogged. I haven't been able to put away my clothes from the trip even; the slightest effort to do anything takes great will. Depression & lethargy abound between the two of us.

2/Leg Pain-I will explain that 99% of the French people that we encountered were rude. So, we did not get a very good impression of that country. The only nice ones were a black gentleman at a grocery store who explained that you have to weigh our fruit before proceeding to the check out. Our cab driver was a very nice, helpful Vietnamese who had moved to France in the early 70s. That is about it. Two people in a city of over 2 million.

But I digress. The reason that my leg hurts so much is that I pulled a calf muscle in the last desperate stint on our unfortunate race through the CDG airport. When we reached the last security check, we observed that nobody was removing their shoes. However, when hubby and I finally got to the front of the line, Ms. Control Freak looks at us an points at our feet "Boots OFF!" she commands in a loud french voice. With nowhere to sit down, we both struggle to release the lace-up ties on our boots. When I reached down to remove my boot, I screamed in exquisite agony as I felt the muscle pull & stretch in my right leg like a rubberband. By the time it popped, I dropped to the floor. Hubby immediately came to my assistance, but I was completely IGNORED by everyone else around. No offers of assistance, nothing. Not even Ms. Control Freak looked at me. With Greg's assistance, I painfully limped the rest of the way along the conveyor so that I could retrieve my boots, purse, coat, scarf, passport & boarding pass from 5 separate boxes at the other end.

Yesterday, we finally decided to leave the house as we needed to get a new thermocoupler for the Heatilator stove. Isabelle got to have Wendy's cheeseburgers; we stopped at the appliance store to get the thermocoupler, then I got my nails done while Greg went to the store to get a new cat litter box. At 4pm, we met Joanie & Chachi at the new Azteca restaurant to give them dinner for babysitting the dog. By 6pm, we were on our way home in a winter storm which pounded 12 inches down on us at our house, and 7 inches in Spoky-Jo.

Waking up this morning, we discovered that all of the local schools had been closed due to the storm & about 3000 were out of electricity. Fortunately, our electricity was still working (knock on wood).

After getting lattes this morning, saying hi to Curt, Bruce (who happened to be at the latte stand) and Earl as he was driving through the Texaco, we came home and Greg worked on clearning the driveway as I blogged.

On with the European Narrative...

Tuesday, December 18, 2007
When I left you last, we were on our way to the Dachau Concentration Camp. The least said about this the better. It was horribly cold as we hurried through the camp and we could have spent much more time in this area viewing the different things. The wind blew cold across the barren area and we finally were able to go into one of the main buildings which housed the pictures, film, & videos of the camp. My stomach started cramping up and since I had not eaten much that morning, I thought it was because I was hungry.

The kids purchased a book in the Bookstore so that we could all read more about what happened.

We stopped at a Burger King on the return trip, but the food was not appealing. Finally, we were on our way back to the Resort and arrived around 5pm. A long bus ride, but we did get to experience a somewhat vicarious thrill of being on the Autobahn! A twinkle in the hubby's eyes indicated to me that he would be phoning to find a car to rent when we returned to the hotel.

That night, I stayed in the room with severe menstral cramps and the kids went on our scheduled horse carriage ride. I went to bed early after downing multiple aspirins, and Greg kept waking me up to find out if I needed food. After ordering a pizza, he went in search of the kids and could not find them. Unbeknownst to us, Kelsey had forgotten her passport so Matt had "run" back to the couple blocks from the security check-point to the resort to fetch it for her. Greg had missed them when the horses returned because they had to walk the final way.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007
I desperately needed a new coat. One that was long, that would cover my legs, maybe even a nice wool. Talking hubby into going into Garmisch early the next morning, we walked into town. It was refreshing and we got to experience the city up close.

We watched as the various shops pulled most of their goods out onto the sidewalks. Finding a cute little shop offering pastries & candies, we "talked" to the delightful woman who waited upon us as we got truffles. Complimenting her on the various artistic designs of the displayed chocolates, the beautiful chandeliers that hung in her shop, and the delicious samples she plied us with, we communicated in a series of gestures and my hubby's handful of German.

Continuing our walk through town, we spied a used women's clothing store. But when I say "used" I actually mean upscale, expensive clothing. I walk down to the shop via a narrow alleyway to find a cornucopia of coats hanging outside the shop on a display stand. Trying several on, my husband find decides that I look very nice in a long, dark blue wool coat that only costs 15€ which translates roughly to $23-What a find! The proprietress in the small, itsy, bitsy shop quickly guides me over to a huge oval mirror. She preens as she helps me try on the coat and keeps telling us that it is "beautiful fit". Hubby pays as I transfer all my things into my new, warm coat. Gloves and scarf quickly find a new home in the bargain of the trip.

Noticing that many people are taking early morning walks with their dogs make us miss Isabelle all that much more. The dogs here in this town, we observe, like to prance as they walk. Coming to the conclusion that even the dogs are happier in this place than anyplace else, we decide that it would be a nice town to retire within.

We stroll along, hail a taxi from the line-up, and get back to the resort in no time. Finding the kids in their room, we share the new coat and get ready for our next tour which leaves at 1pm-The Ettal Tour. Kelsey had originally scheduled us for the Lowenbrau tour so we could observe the making of beer & sample the delicious brew; however, when we first arrived they had notified us that it was canceled. This was a compromise for the guys so they could get their booze "fix".

Our new guide, a young woman that is very hyper & talks non-stop all day repeating "no worries" as her mantra. She explains yet again how Garmisch-Partenkirchen got their city name. Obviously, back in the day, the towns were separate. They hated each other like the Hatfields & McCoys. But in 1936, Hitler decided to join them together for the Olympics even though the towns had already voted this down. The two villages remain separate in some ways and still don't like each other much to this day. Go figure!

As the bus takes us along the winding roads, the Ammergauer Alps rise up around us, dazzling with their beauty.

The guide takes our orders for cheese & drinks, then passes around pictures of what we might be eating. Getting to the Schaukaserei (cheese factory) 45 minutes later, we are ushered into the main room and our nostrils are assailed with the stinkiest smell I have ever experienced. We can see the cheesemakers behind glass as they work on the level below.

We pass through to an eating area and an employee which is a member of the cheese co-op explains with a video how the cheese is made entirely of local resources. Each member that participates in the co-op bought shares and works at the factory.

After eating the cheese & sampling the coffee, beer, and pop we board the bus for the short drive across the town to the Ettal Monastery see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettal_Abbey

Walking through the Basilica was another feast for our eyes as the ceilings were covered with frescos under the dome. Also, the interior is magnificient with the pews, confessionals & pulpit all handcarved were an inspiration to view.

The monks maintain a brewery and distillery on-site and we were able to purchase the beers & liquers they create. We also get samples of Glühwein - red wine, which is heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves and sugar. Just a few sips and I can feel the warmth invade my insides as it slowly slides down...

At the gift store, I spy a big yellow dog lying on the floor. Everyone has to step over him as he does not even move so much as an eyelash. I bend over to pet him and miss my own dog even more! Matt & Kelsey pick up some of the sample liqueurs for later & Matt even finds a full-size German flag he wanted to purchase.

We return to the Lodge by 5pm after the bus ride through the mountains. That night the buffet at the Market Station is serving Ironworks, which is basically a cowboy b-b-q type meal. After eating, we head out to the Casino in the basement and manage to blow $20; I had once been up to almost $80 and was going to cash out. But at the urging of the others, kept going thinking I could push it up to $100. Gambling is not in my veins and I was back to 5¢ in no time at all.

Going to the kids' room, Kelsey and I get on the internet - she uses my computer as hers is having problems with the downloaded AOL. The guys go wash clothes.