What a Great Time...

Wow! What a trip this has all been. Last night was had dinner with most people for the last time before we all venture to our next stop on the trip. Many will be heading to the airport and home, while a few are headed for another week or so of adventure, and we'll be going on our honeymoon. The week of hopefully fun filled excitement and travel are over and I think we've all made the most of every minute we've had.

It all started last week, as everyone came to Germany on Thursday. With and interesting adventure of travel for everyone, they all arrived. Thirteen people came by train, lead by Nate's brother Jef, and the others got rides from Nate and I. You'd think I could fit more people in my little Golf... :)

After what you'd think would be an early night and some cake construction, many traveled to Regensburg for a quick tour around town, then back for a BBQ. It was great getting to talk to everyone and have everyone meet each other and just blend together like a bunch of Midwesterners. Oh wait, I guess we did all come from the Midwest, so we seemed as one big family.

The wedding came and went off without a hitch. I tried to hide from Nate all morning, since he hadn't seen the dress or knew that I had a veil. We got everyone packed into the castle and dressed, que the music and here we go. We walked into the room and I thought we were followed by the paparazzi. This has got to be the most photographed wedding since any in Hollywood. A wall of cameras met us as we walked down the aisle, with at least 2 video cameras in there too.

By the end of the ceremony, we'd asked to remain standing instead of sit for the vows, Kyle had flicked an ant off of me, Jef looked for the ring, my ring got stuck, and the officiant had asked the photographer to come from where he was to get a picture of us kissing. It really was a great ceremony and we laughed as Nate and I understood some of the German that was being translated, which literally stated we would now be "infected with rings."

The reception was great. We had 50 people come to eat, drink and be merry. Lucille found Bailey's, we took shots, Nate couldn't resist taking pictures anymore and I made Chris dance to another embarrassing song -which is what I must do at every wedding, it's tradition. I think mom drank 5 entire bottles of wine, but she was having a good time. She not only danced till the bus came at the end of the night, but was dancing again in the morning and ready to go.

Next morning we had everyone head to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. What a beautiful city. This time we were there earlier and sent people in a few directions for views and shops. This was another day of train riding, but everyone seemed to be getting the hang of it, and it's a deal for 19 people traveling together. Osu even liked it, although some jerk made us buy him a train ticket, even though we were told he didn't need one. So, after Osu paid, we let him sit on the seat and he watched out the window. Of course he thinks he's one of us.

Monday we planned to go to Munich, but trains were running late due to Oktoberfest. We decided that Passau or Nurnberg would be best and the Passau train came as we were deciding, so we all got on the train to Passau. This was a longer ride, so some took naps, as travel was starting to wear on us. Many walked through town and bought more gifts, while others sat in beer gardens and watched the boats go by. Another train ride back home and Tuesday was a break day.

Tuesday I drove Kyle, Chris, Andy and Jef to the airport and got them headed home. It was strange to have our house empty after the few days we all spent together. We had a good time drinking on a Sunday night, breakfasts and goofiness at night as we are all tired. Nate opened the Atwood Travel Agency that day and I began the changing of my documents.

Wednesday we got everyone sent off to Nurnberg on the Diane and Dale Tours. The double 'F' Jeff had gone the day before and scoped it out for the day. It sounded like everyone had a good time. Nate and I ran errands and did a little more paperwork and packed for our honeymoon. We had one last dinner together and said our goodbyes. It was a great night!

We're so happy that you could all come to our wedding. It meant so much to us and we had a blast with you all. Before we all left it was if we were all one big family. We shared breakfasts, jokes, walks, dinners, and all our treats with each other. We couldn't have asked fore better family and friends!

So now, we head to Ireland. In just an hour we'll be leaving our house to drop off Osu and head to the airport. Maybe we'll even run into a couple people in the group. We look forward to seeing you all again soon, and hopefully get home to see everyone else too :D We Love You!!

One More Week...

So, here we are. One more week until the 'Big Day.' It seems time, until this point, had been moving slowly. Outside three weeks till the wedding, we worked on little things and met with vendors. Things were a little more...leisurely. Now, we're going "Oh, crap."

Nothing is out of control or in great need of assistance, just ...it's almost here. Those last little things we have to do are all coming, and the list has been growing. Granted, not everything on the list is for the wedding or visitors either. We have some work things to finish up, cabin stuff, honeymoon, name changing, doctor stuff we must submit ourselves, car stuff, and ski club stuff. At least we can spread it out between the two of us. Osu doesn't help out with mush around the house, but he is good at cleaning the kitchen floor if something is spilled.

We're anticipating a few visitors soon too. Next Thursday, we'll have 17 people coming to Germany. Plans to head to a few cities, and all hang out are upon us. There is a wedding in there somewhere too :) Although, it will be interesting as we do not yet know how it will really go, just a guess. A plan is a plan, and that's where we'll start.

So, hope those of you coming are all getting packed. Just checked the weather and it looks like 60s and 70s for the week you're here. Possibly some rain too, so be ready. The weather does change frequently, so we'll give you an update over the weekend. German sites are hard to predict, but usually change a lot unitl three days out. For those who can't come, we'll have good pictures. And now, back to lists...

Chamonix, France - Days 2 and 3

We were too tired yesterday to post anything from the hotel last night. Yesterday was a busy, yet very rewarding day. This morning we got up at 6am and were out of the hotel by 7am or so. We then stopped in a parking lot in Chamonix under the Augille du Midi and had a quick breakfast of some leftover baguette, cheese and sausage plus a banana thrown in for a little healthy balance. This was also a good spot to let Osu do his morning thing before we hit the road.

So, we just got home a short while ago after 10 hours or so on the road. We took a different route back and the scenery was AMAZING through the northern reaches of France and and all of Switzerland. We made a lot of stops to take pictures, check out the scenery and to stretch our legs in the warm and sunny Alps. The drive back was great until we hit Germany. It's always kind of a bummer to spend time in places that are so beautiful only to drive back to the Ohio-esque looking lands of Germany. It kind of deflates you and makes us wish that somehow we could find work someplace in the Alps. The only consolation is that we can drive as fast as we want on the Autobahn making a blur of the farmlands on the way home.

We are busy downloading our pictures now and should have some posted soon. We will give a full report on our trip in the coming days if and when we have any downtime. Not likely with the events coming up, but we will try!

*Update - Dawn and I took over 1600 pictures in three days between the two of us! We're leisurely going through them now before bed. It's going to be a while before we get through them all. The two I've posted caught my eye as I was going through them and I thought I'd put them up with minimal processing. The top one is of the Aiguille du Midi and the one below is from the top of the du Midi of some climbers early in the morning. More to come soon!

Chamonix, France - Day 1

Hey all,

we had a really nice drive down to Chamonix from Germany today. No really bad traffic to speak of and the weather was great. We took a bit of a roundabout way to get here but it was supposedly the quickest. The last leg of the trip took us through the heart of Geneva in Switzerland. After navigating this city, we crossed the border in to France. The scenery was very nice most of the drive down, but nothing compared to the view after being in France for 15 minutes. As we made our way towards Chamonix, we came around a long bend in the highway and there was Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe (Mt Elberus in the Caucus mts is the highest, but don't tell that to the western Euros...). Thankfully, the French in all their wisdom, provided a very nice rest area with great views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding Alps. We pulled out here to take a rest and took a bunch of pictures as well.

We arrived in Chamonix about 30 minutes after the rest area, finding our hotel easily. I guess we had just missed the big summer rush of tourists and found the hotel and the town to be fairly quiet. Quite nice compared to some of our other travels this summer. After getting settled in our room, we took a walk in to the downtown area of the city. All I can say is, Wow. What a beautiful and picteresque town. This is my kind of place. Outdoors stores, restaurants with fantastic smells wafting out the windows and doors, tons and tons of wine/meat/cheese shops, art galleries and bars. We really didn't see a lot of tourist crap that is so common in places like this in Germany and Austria. It seemed half the people in town had just finished hiking or backpacking or biking - a very active populace.

Chamonix sits in a narrow valley surrounded by mountain peaks. It's probably the most scenic town I have ever been in. Active glaciers pour down the eastern slopes from Mont Blanc and the other peaks, seemingly close enough to touch. Gondolas head off in every direction high in to the mountains. We will be exploring a few of these tomorrow. It is hard to describe - just absolutely gorgeous. We took hundreds of pictures already today. I'm a bit worried that I may run out of memory cards on this trip!

One thing Dawn and I try to do when we are visiting a new country is to find a place that serves hamburgers. This sounds silly, but we like to try these fine American delicacies to see what other countries takes are on them. So far, we've tried hamburgers in Liechtenstein (not bad), Belgium (ick) and now France. The French, at least this place in Chamonix, did a good burger. Really good. I took pictures of them and will post them after we get back.

Anyway, we're sitting here in our room listening to Oregon State destroy Portland State in football. The third quarter has just started, but I think we'll be shutting this down soon and getting some sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow!

Well, we'll try to get some sleep if we can. Osu has some pretty noxious gas right now, the kind that can and will wake you up. May have to crack the balcony door for the night........

In honor of the opening of college football season this weekend.....

I've changed the color of the blog to Orange and Black. GO BEAVERS!!! I'll change it back to something a bit more moderate in a few days......maybe ;)

Just be thankful I'm not a Whoregon 'uck fan. You'd burn your retinas if I changed the blog to their school colors.


And, in honor of tonight's game.........




GO DONKEYS GO! FTDs!!!!!!!!
You may have to be from the Northwest or Oregon to really get this entry.......

Travel Information for coming to Germany

First of all, let me say, Dawn and I are extremely excited for everyone to arrive in two weeks! We know it's a long journey over here and we appreciate that so many of you are taking the time to come spend a very special day with us! We know it's the first time for some of you to Europe, and even if it isn't, it can still be a little confusing and you may not know exactly what to expect. For this reason, we've got some information to help you with your trip, packing, and even some information on a few of the places we plan on visiting while you are here. If you do have any specific questions on something we haven't covered, please feel free to email us at any time.

Money

Most of Western Europe and an increasingly large part of Eastern Europe uses the Euro. The only countries in Western Europe that do not are Switzerland and England/N Ireland. You will need Euros while you are here in Germany, but don't waste time acquiring them in the US. There is no need for this anymore. Almost all ATM machines in Germany will accept your US-based ATM card and they will give you a better exchange rate than many banks. Because of this, Travelers Cheques are also not necessary. When you need some cash, it will be readily available. Your first Euros can be obtained at the airport when you arrive. Credit cards are also accepted in many places and do give the best exchange rates, but use isn't quite as wide-spread as in the US. It's always good to have some Euros in your wallet, just in case!

Weather

For most of the year, the weather in Germany is, well, pretty cruddy. However, September and early October are usually pretty darn nice. Nights can get relatively cool (low to mid 40s) while days are usually warm and sunny (60's up to 85). There is a link on the right hand side of this page that will give you the forecast for Parsberg. I have checked the 16 day outlook and it is looking dry and fairly nice in two weeks. I will update this section as September 17th gets closer as the German long-range forecasts are notoriously bad.

What to Bring

Because of the variable weather, make sure you pack a variety of different clothes that cover all conditions. Even though the weather is normally pretty nice this time of year, you can also experience short-lived torrential rain storms (just ask my brother - we did find a good sushi place in Munich while trying to get out of the rain though!). Also make sure to bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes. The cobblestones take their toll on your feet! Other things to bring include your medications, extra contacts or eye glasses, small toiletries such as soap and shampoo and any Bavarian clothes you may have if you plan on joining us at Oktoberfest. If you do forget something such as a toothbrush, you'll have no problem picking one up in Parsberg. There is a drug store next to the hotel that most of you will be staying at.

Travel and Day Trips

Dawn and I have planned some day trips while you are here that should prove to be a lot of fun. The area we live in is surrounded by a lot of interesting sites and cities all within a short drive or train ride. If you'd like, take the time to visit some of the links below to learn a little more about these places. At the bottom of the page is a map showing the locations we plan on visiting. The yellow house is Parsberg and the red symbols all represent planned or potential day trips. You can click on each symbol to bring up links to more information on each place.

Parsberg

This is the place we've called home for over a year now. It's a quaint little town close to nothing but central to everything. We like it. It's basically got everything you need to survive including numerous grocery stores, some shopping, a HUGE furniture store, a castle, a few guesthouses a couple of churches, pharmacies, drug stores, the main hospital in the region, a drug rehabilitation clinic, a halfway house for crazy people and a gas station. So, if something goes medically or mentally wrong while you're here, you're covered! More info on Parsberg, if you can read German, can be found here: http://www.parsberg.de/ If you can't read German, enjoy the pretty pictures!

Regensburg

This is a cool city. It lies along the Regen and Danube river and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are some old Roman ruins within the old city and many other fantastic buildings, narrow streets and a nice shopping area to explore. Regensburg also boasts one of the largest cathedrals in the region, and I must say, it is quite impressive. Regensburg also claims to be the birthplace of the Bratwurst and is continuously battling for this title with Nurnberg. The current Pope is also from Regensburg. You can read more about this city here: http://www.regensburg.de/tourismus/international/english/through_the_ages.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regensburg

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

This is one of the more picturesque places that Dawn and I have found in Germany and Europe. Rothenburg is a beautiful, medieval walled city that is a destination for tourists from around the world. If you only have the energy or time to make it on one of the day trips, this is the one to go on! Hours can be spent wandering the twisting lanes, checking out the unique shops and exploring the old castle fortifications. The world-famous Kathe Wohlfahrt gallery is also located here and open year-round for you to explore. Read more about Rothenburg here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber http://www.rothenburg.de/index.php?get=121

Munich

As some of you may know, the day Dawn and I get married coincides with the start of the world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich. Be thankful we won't be going down there on the opening weekend, however! Instead, we've planned to visit Oktoberfest and Munich on the following Monday which should ensure lighter crowds and easier access to the beer tents and attractions. Munich is by far one of my favorite cities in Europe. Even after living here for over three years, I have not fully explored everything it has to offer. Unfortunately, we will only be down there for one day. We plan on going to Oktoberfest and then visiting the Marienplatz area and if there is time, sections of the English Garden. There is too much about Munich to write in such a limited space. Please check out these links for more information on the city and Oktoberfest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich http://www.muenchen.de/home/60093/Homepage.html http://www.muenchen.de/Tourismus/Oktoberfest/7548/index.html http://www.muenchen.de/Tourismus/Sightseeing/Attractions/7569/index.html

Nurnberg

We don't have an organized trip planned to this city, but if you are looking for something to do, this is a great place to visit. Nurnberg is a short and easy train ride from Parsberg and offers up many attractions to keep you busy for the day. We love going to Nurnberg for some of the great restaurants located there, to visit the castle and to visit the great museums located in the city. Just ask and we can help you plan a day trip here any time. I have provided some links for Nurnberg in the map above. Just click on the red icon to access these.

View Parsberg, Germany and the Surrounding Area in a larger map