My Birthday in Budapest

Walking Across the Chain Bridge

Chenea and I ventured to Eastern Europe for the week... Budapest, Hungary! We did run into a few obstacles along the way, but we had fun.

We decided it would be a good idea to drive since it was cheaper than flying.... which worked out fine until we got into the city.  "Jill," our handy GPS, kept telling us to cross a bridge that was not cross-able by car. But eventually we figured it out and made it to the hostel, where the hostel attendant helped us park the car in the ever-so-narrow street! But we could not get the parking machine to work so we thought it would be okay if we left the car for a little while until we moved it.... oops. We ended up getting not just 1, but 2 tickets, which we, of course, couldn't read. So we ended up paying a little more for parking than we intended!

Budapest is actually divided by the Danube River into 2 parts, Buda on one side and Pest on the other.  We stayed in Pest where most of the excitement is!  We walked A LOT and saw pretty much everything our favorite tour guide, Rick Steves, recommended.  Churches, Parliament, shopping, and eating of course!

The Holocaust Memorial

For my birthday, we went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant! Quite a treat since Mexican food doesn't really exist in Garmisch. The best part may have been the fresh squeezed lemonade... best I've ever tasted! We liked it soo much that we even went back a second time.

We also went to the Hungarian Baths...what an experience. We took Rick's recommendation and chose the one that is more local, and less touristy. Maybe not the best choice because nothing was in English and no one spoke English.We eventually figured it out and enjoyed some time outside in the large heated pools.  Never would I have thought I'd be swimming outside in March.

We spend the evening at the Opera... Budapest has one of the best opera houses, aside from Vienna. I'm still trying to figure out the story, though, since it was in Italian. But it was very beautiful and my first opera experience. It did have 2 intermissions which was very confusing... we almost left at the second one but then realized it wasn't over yet!

The first 2 days were cold but sunny, but the 3rd day was snowy! We went over to Buda for the day and visited Castle Hill, but by the end we were so wet and cold we headed for the mall. After a little shopping, we also saw Alice in Wonderland, also a treat since the closest movie theater to us is in Munich!

Castle Hill in the Snow

Now it is back to work in Garmisch for a few days until Haley and I take a little getaway to somewhere warm next week!

Adventures Throughout My 23 Years

Mom suggested I blog about all the places I've been so far, so I decided to take her up on the idea.
Hopefully I can remember all of my adventures!

I know I started traveling at quite a young age to one of my favorite places... Grandma and Grandpa's condo in the Lake of the Ozarks.  Favorite memories include stopping in Rolla to get BBQ ribs (although the highlight for me was actually getting the Andy's mints they sold at the counter), getting to unbuckle my seat belt and ride in the front seat once we hit the gravel road, our traditional 4th of July week trips, and of course swimming endless laps in the pool.  I even snuck in one solo trip with just my friend Lauren....although I guess Grandma and Grandpa didn't trust me because they sold the condo shortly after! Mom and Dad used to always ask me where I wanted to go, and I always just wanted to go to the lake... nowhere else... oh how that's changed these days!

And of course there is also the Kremer side tradition, our family reunions in Cherokee Village, Arkansas.... never heard of it? Well, yes, it is kind of in the middle of nowhere, but we always had fun on our annual trips.... canoeing, rafting, boating, and playing lots of cards! Hopefully, I will actually be able to make it this year, since I haven't been to the past few.

Next, I remember getting to miss a week of 2nd grade (I think) to go to Disney World! I didn't really like the rides.... except for It's a Small World... I'm sure Mom and Dad never wanted to hear that song again after the trip was over.  I much preferred to get my autograph book signed by all the characters. The Genie was my favorite because he didn't let the big kids butt in front of me!  I also had a scare when Bear went missing when the cleaning ladies washed the sheets... but luckily they were able to find her!

Then, I won the 8th grade Pro-Life essay contest at school, which meant I got to attend the Pro-Life March in D.C.  Dad agreed to chaperon, which he probably regretted after our 22 hour bus ride to D.C. And once we finally made it, we only actually stayed for about 12 hours!

Then, Mom and I had our traditional trip to Saugatuck, Michigan, where we stayed at LakeShore Resort and got to walk on the beach every morning.  Quite a relaxing getaway! 

Our tradition of writing in the sand at every beach we visit! 

And then our high school long-awaited junior trip to Memphis, where we visited Beal Street.
Next were lots of college visit trips. Boston with Mom. It snowed a foot... not the best for touring college campuses.  Xavier, Dayton, University of Illinois, and Illinois Wesleyan with dad, and then finally I decided on Tulsa.

Then came the fun post-graduation trips.  First I was off to Disney World with my engineering class.  We entered the parks early and learned how the rides actually worked. And I finally rode my first roller coaster, Space Mountain, and loved it! 

Though I still loved pictures with the characters! 

 Shortly after, I was off on my first European adventure, this time with my French class. We took a 2 week tour around France.  I loved Nice, and we just missed Tom Cruise proposing to Katie Holmes at the top of the Eiffel Tower... I remember being really sad about that.  Climbing to the top of the tower and parasailing in the Mediterranean were my favorite memories!

Lauren and I by the Eiffel Tower!

Next, I headed to Tulsa, which led to many college trips to visit friends, the first one being to Colorado to visit Alivia over Christmas break. I had my first skiing experience!

  Over the summer, I was off to to Rio Rancho, New Mexico, to visit my best friends Jeneva, Amanda, and Alison.

 I had my first four-wheeling experience in the mountains of New Mexico! 

And then a trip sophomore year to good ol' Sherman, Texas, to visit the Hubbert triplets and see why they kept telling my Texas was soo great. And I can't forget my first trip to Chicago for spring break with Monica.... who had a herneated disk in her back so she couldn't sit for the entire trip! haha... that made things interesting.

I think the Chicago skyline is a little better than the STL one! 

Next was study abroad in Salamanca, Spain. During my time, I visited lots of places beginning with London.

 Big Ben! 

Then off to Lisbon, Morroco and all over Spain.... Malaga, Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastian, Santander, Bilbao, Sevilla, Granada, and lots of little towns along the way. 

 

 My travel partner, Abigail and I in Sevilla, Spain.

 The girls in Lisbon!

 Riding a camel in Marrakesh!

During my time in Spain, I made a new best friend.. Ash. I made my first trip to Cali to visit her in LA the following spring break. Let's just say I'm more than a little jealous of the 5 minute bike ride from her house to the beach. We also visited Orange County and Laguna Beach, and I think we got frozen yougurt.. the big fad at the time, at least once a day.... maybe more.

Ash and I on the famous Rodeo Drive

Then it was time for law school visits.... a good father daughter trip to Virginia and D.C.  Lot's of schools and a bit of sightseeing along the way as well.

Good view of the Washington Monument

Next, we headed to New York for my long awaited trip to see the huge Christmas tree.  Ash joined us for the trip. Highlights include see the Rockettes and Matt and Meredith on the Today Show.  We are just not cold weather people though, so we were ready to get back to our warmer states by the end. 

Ash and I

I think that brings us to the present!  And you've already heard about all of my adventures over the last year...Lake Garda, Italy, rafting in Austria, jazz festival in Montreux, Switzerland, Amersterdam with Rach, Copenhagen, Malmo, Krakow, Italy with Mom, Prague, my solo trip to Berlin, and one of my favorites, Dublin.  Still on the list: Croatia, and my last and much-anticipated trip to Greece! And I am heading to Budapest tomorrow to celebrate my birthday with Chenea!

I have been blessed to see so many places and am looking forward to seeing many more in my next 23+ years!  Top on my list...the Northwest to visit Rachel, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada!

Day Trip to Innsbruck

Anna and I decided to take a little day trip to Innsbruck, Austria, on our "weekend".  We walked around the cute little down a little bit and saw a few of the tourist sights. It was a beautiful, sunny day... perfect for our little trip!

One of the street performers... Dorothy and Todo

Innsbruck is home to Swarovski crystal, so we took a trip to Kristallwelten or "crystal world." It is a very unique museum with more crystals than I've ever seen, including the biggest crystal in the world...300,000 karats.  

The entrance to Crystal World...a face made with crystals. 

We headed back to Garmisch and had a slight panic when the border police stopped us on the train and asked for our passports.... which we forgot to bring because it's only an hour train ride and we've never been checked.   Luckily, they had a little sympathy for us and just told us that next time we must bring them.   For a second we thought we might end up in German prison! Sadly, I left my Swarovski earrings that I purchased on the train... oops.

Luck of the Irish

Sarah and I spent the week in Dublin, and had a blast! I would have to say it is probably the friendliest place I've visited.  So many nice people, and everyone was willing to help.... quite a difference compared to some places. And it was quite a treat to go to an English speaking country for a change.

We liked the signs on the streets reminding us which way to look since they drive on the opposite side of the street.. though Sarah still almost got hit by a bus once!

We spent our first day exploring the city.  We visited Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells... one of the oldest versions of the Gospels.  We also walked around Temple Bar, saw the Dublin Castle, and did a little too much shopping on Grafton Street.  We ate dinner at a traditional Irish Pub in Temple Bar and then went to another pub for live music and Irish dancing. Sarah even danced a little!

One of the many gregorian doors lining the streets of Dublin. 

One of Ireland's many famous writers... Oscar Wilde in the park! 

Day 2 we took a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher. It was a long trip because the cliffs are on the West Coast, but it was definitely worth it.  A very beautiful spot....they are actually in the running to become another Wonder of the World.  Unfortunately, it was typical Irish weather... cloudy and rainy, so my pictures are not quite as good as the postcards!

The Cliffs of Moher

Yesterday, we got up and went running in Stephen's Green.... the biggest park we could find.... It was actually tiny and the one downfall to the city.... not so good for running! Then we took a short 40 min train ride to Howth, as suggested by a few of our friends. It's a tiny little fisherman's village on the coast, and was so cute! And we lucked out and had a perfectly sunny day! We spent the afternoon back in Dublin, doing a bit more shopping. We also made reservations at a cute restaurant, Elephant and Castle, and had a great dinner there!

Howth.... water and sun, 2 of my favorite things! 

For our last day, we spent the morning people watching in a coffee shop... one of our favorite things to do. There was a big rugby match vs. Italy going on, so it was fun to see everyone all dressed in green!
Then it was time to head back to Garmish.  We were a little tired, as you can see.... Sarah is taking a little nap in the airport! And our bags were a lot heavier than when we started... oops, maybe a bit too much shopping!

We both loved the city, and I hope one day I can return and spend a few weeks seeing all of Ireland!
As for now, I'll be back in snowy Garmisch for a little while before my next trip!

My First Solo trip!

This past weekend I randomly got 3 days off, so I decided it was time to go to Berlin! I could not find anyone else with the same days off, so I just went by myself... and it was a blast!

One of the symbols of East Berlin.... the stop light walking signals look like this, signifying the ideal communist walking to work

A few friends were heading to London, so we all woke up at 5AM on Tuesday morning and headed to the airport together.  Unfortunately, my plane was delayed an hour and then I finally got on the plane and it was delayed another hour due to all the snow.  But I made it to Berlin and actually found my hostel quite easily! I spent the afternoon wandering around and made my way to the Brandenburg Gate.

 On my walk, I came across this field of snowmen. It turned out to be an anti- global warming, "Save the Snowmen" protest.

 

Brandenburg Gate

Fun fact-- right near the gate is Hotel Adlon-- the most expensive hotel in Berlin and also the hotel where Michael Jackson dangled his baby off the balcony. There were tons of police and it was highly guarded, and I soon learned that the presidents of Afghanistan and Israel were in town.  I even got stuck in Starbucks because I went to to grab coffee and warm up, and then they would not let anyone out because the presidents were going to be passing by, so lots of excitement! 

When they let us out, I went to the Reichstag... the German Parliament building. There is a huge glass dome on top that you can walk around for a good view of the city. And you can look down and see all the seats of parliament, symbolizing the the common people have the true power.

 The Reichstag

I ended the night by going to see Did you Hear about the Morgans... quite a treat to go to the movies since we don't have a theater here in Garmisch!

Day 2, I woke up and met a group of girls in my hostel who are studying in Copenhagen.  They are from all over.... Romania, Austria, Russia, and Canada.  We were all planning on taking a walking tour of the city, but the tour was supposed to start where all the commotion was with the presidents. The polizei told us there would not be a tour, so instead, we headed to West Berlin and walked down the main shopping street, Kurfurstendamm, and visited KaDeWe, one of the biggest shopping centers in the world.  We also walked through Tiergarten Park in Central Berlin and saw the huge Victory Column in the center.  After dinner, we went to see Soap-- a theater production that is kind of a mix between Cirque du Soleil, acrobatics, and theater. It was very entertaining and like nothing I've seen before.

My new friends and I in West Berlin

Day 3 I tried again for the walking tour and was successful. Had a great tour guide named Finn from Ireland.  We saw all the major sites--the Berlin Wall, Potsdamer Platz (The Times Square of Berlin), Checkpoint Charlie, Humbolt University where Einstein taught, the Holocaust memorial, Hitlers underground bunker, and several Nazi buildings. Finn had some very interesting stories, including one that his girlfriend's grandfather was the first prisoner at Auschwitz and he survived.

 

Checkpoint Charlie--One of the many checkpoints that was used to get from East to West Berlin 

We ended out tour on museum island, and sadly the Pergamon, the most famous museum in Berlin, was closed for the week due to construction. So I missed out on that, but went to the DDR Museum instead.

The Trabi-- a cheap car often used in East Berlin

Then Sara (one of the girls I met) and I went to the East Side Gallery, which is the part of the Berlin Wall that still stands, and is decorated with many different murals. It was a very moving experience.

Murals at the Wall

For my last night, I went with the girls to Unsicht-Bar (meaning "Invisible). It is a blind restaurant where all the waiters are blind and you eat completely in the dark. It was such a neat experience and very interesting to see how much you use your other senses when one is impaired.

I really enjoyed my trip and can't wait for Ireland this week, where it will hopefully be warmer!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!.... a little late.  Grandma reminded me that I've been slacking a bit on my blog. So here's a quick update.

Christmas was different this year, but fun!  Meg and I opened our presents together and a bunch of us made breakfast.  Then I headed to work to serve Christmas lunch and dinner all day.

Meg in her snuggie and me opening a gift next to our 2 mini Christmas trees!

I worked until 2AM on New Years, so I celebrated with Edelweiss guests. Apparently the celebrations in town are crazy and people shoot fireworks into the crowd... a few of my friends even got hit by them! So not too sad I missed it.

No travels yet for January, but I do have 3 days off next week, so I will be heading to Berlin or Vienna for my first solo trip!

I got a new roommate. Her name is Virginia and she is from Pennsylvania.  We are having fun, and she is just as girly as me so it works out quite well! 

Morgan, Haley, and I also did a ski week--- 4 days of skiing lessons. I can make it down the mountain, but I need a few more practice days I think!

I think that's all for now! Miss and love you all.

Christmas in Europe

It's Christmas! Germany is known for its Christmas markets... nearly every town has one.  Basically, each market has little huts set up that sell crafts, ornaments, and of course food and gluwein! Gluwein is a hot spiced wine... very yummy on a cold day! Our market here in Garmisch is pretty tiny, so last week, a few of us made a trip to Nurnberg... home of the biggest market in Germany! Sadly I forgot my camera, so no pics for now, until I get them from someone else. We also visited the Nazi Rally Grounds and enjoyed a latte or two from Starbucks... a nice treat!

 Garmisch all lit up!

One of the many Gluwein Stands

Sarah and I also went ice skating! Not as good as Forest Park, but we had so much fun! Glad I got in my favorite holiday activity even in Germany! 

The hotel is also all decorated for Christmas, with several huge trees.

Rach (my roommate/best friend) and I before she headed back to the States :(

This week, Chenea, Karlie, and I took a 3 day trip to Prague. Once we made it out of the parking lot (we could not figure out how to put the car in reverse! haha... crazy European cars!), we had such a fun trip! We saw the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and enjoyed staroceske-- a typical Christmas dessert (kind of tastes like an Antie Anne's cinnamon sugar pretzel!). We also visited the Jewish museum and cemetery (see below).

We took a little side trip to Kostnice-- a church decorated with bones of 40,000 people... creepy!!

Now it's back to work for the busy season. Lots of late nights, but hopefully I'll find some time to get a little skiing in too!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas... wishing I was there to celebrate with all of you!