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Europe -- August/September 2016

For our first international trip together Sarah and I decided to go to Europe to see a few countries and catch up with a few friends. My trip lasted two weeks and Sarah joined me part way through for ten days. We visited five countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Sweden!

Dortmund, Germany

I left San Francisco yesterday around 5:30pm, landing today in Copenhagen for a short 50 minute stop-over before connecting to Düsseldorf. I flew Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and was very impressed. The cabin was brand new with excellent in-flight entertainment and a (relatively) reasonable amount of personal space in economy. It helped that the layout is 2-4-2 because then no one is ever more than one seat from the aisle. I was a bit concerned about the short connection in Copenhagen but that is the main SAS hub and they appear to have optimized pretty heavily for my exact situation.

In Düsseldorf I caught a regional train to Dortmund to stay with KJ, one of my oldest friends. I had visited her in Zhuhai in 2014 and was excited to see her and her family in their new home in Germany. As expected the German train system was easy and efficient and soon I was in Dortmund where I took a taxi to KJ's house in a small community at the edge of the city.

At KJ's house I was greeted with German beer and the promise of Sichuan dumplings for dinner. The beer was a refreshing pilsner: Brinkhoff's No. 1 from a local brewery called Dortmunder Actien-Brauerei. This was most welcome as much of Europe is in the midst of a crazy heatwave and the temperature today was well over 30°C. No one in Germany has much in the way of air conditioning so I was very happy to get a beer and the chance to change into shorts.

Once I had cooled off and settled in we turned the temperature back up with a dinner of epic homemade Sichuan dumplings. KJ took cooking classes while she was in China and it really showed. These dumplings were legendary with the unique Sichuan "tingly" spiciness and they made a perfect meal after something like seventeen hours of travel. We ate them on the patio with her kids (who still think of me as "Star Wars Matt").

After dinner KJ took me on a short walk around her community to help me stay awake and get adjusted to the new time zone. It's a really pretty area with lots of trees and park space and amazing homes. We even walked past a Syrian refugee camp made up of converted shipping containers stacked and arranged into a makeshift apartment building complete with plumbing and electricity. Germany has admitted hundreds of thousands of refugees from the civil war in Syria and there are "camps" like this all over the country. There is contention all across Europe on the issue, but KJ said she hasn't personally seen any huge problems.

Back at the house we chatted a little and then went to bed.

Beer and dumplings!
Beer and dumplings!
Syrian refugee housing
Syrian refugee housing
Dortmund, Germany

I slept well enough last night, but getting up this morning was rough because 8:00am in Germany feels like 11:00pm body time. To help get going KJ and I immediately went for a walk to the local bakery to get bread for breakfast. Very little is open in Germany on Sundays but the bakery is an exception. I got a coffee and the chance to see KJ's rapidly improving German as she ordered an awesome selection of buns and bread. It's not something I normally associate with the country but Germany does bread really well, especially the more interesting stuff like rye and seed breads.

Back at the house KJ and Lars prepared an amazing traditional German breakfast while I tried to distract the children a bit. We had the bread, four types of cold meats (including liverwurst and smoked liverwurst), smoked salmon with fresh grated horseradish, cheese, yogurt, juice and a hard-boiled egg in an egg cup. It was everything I wanted and more.

After breakfast Lars had a golf tournament so he said goodbye and then KJ gave me a proper tour of the house. It's a 70 year old home that only required renovations to update the decor and amenities. The bones of the house are incredibly solid (they're made of stone). Lars commented that most houses in Germany are like that, and doesn't understand why North America builds such flimsy things that won't last more than a few decades without major structural work. The house is also on an amazing piece of property with a pond, a big vegetable garden and a nice little forest that the kids can play in. They've set up a zipline and a treehouse and a swing set and I spent a couple hours playing outside with the kids. The garden is just about done for the season, but I was able to eat a few grapes and tomatoes and KJ is still hopeful for her squash and pumpkins.

Eventually it became too hot outside so we went back in the house for a snack and to play ping pong for a while. KJ claimed to be terrible, but I'm even worse and she quickly beat me. So I switched to playing with the kids where I held my own (at least for now...Byron is going to be better at it pretty soon).

Later in the afternoon we went for a walk with the kids (who were on bikes) through the neighbourhood and on in to the large park near their house. Again I found the community to be amazing. Very well planned with easy access for everyone and plenty of measures in place to calm traffic and make it safe for children. The park was huge and was hosting a nice little market which we passed through. On our way out KJ grabbed me a "Macao" flavour ice cream bar from Mövenpick. The flavour was a berry shell around frozen yogurt and it was amazing. KJ translated the ingredients list for me and I was surprised to see that that shell was just fruit and a bit of gelatin. Back home it would have definitely been artificial.

Back at the house Lars was home and we got ready to go out to dinner at a restaurant owned by one of his childhood friends. The place is called "Jagdhaus im Kühl" (website) and is a German restaurant that does a lot of game meat. It's located out in the middle of nowhere in a forest and we were able to eat outside on their huge patio. It is chanterelle season here so I had a venison steak covered in fresh, lightly cooked chanterelle mushrooms and served with a warm whole pear that had been soaked in wine. We also had sides of spaetzle, potato fritters and German salad. While we ate Lars's friend joined us for a drink and he was incredibly warm and friendly. It was a fantastic evening.

Back at the house the kids were put to bed and then KJ, Lars and I chatted a bit while eating mini-Magnum ice cream bars. Eventually we all drifted off to bed too.

KJ's lawnmower is a robot! Like a roomba!
KJ's lawnmower is a robot! Like a roomba!
Delicious real food
Delicious real food
Berlin, Germany

This morning KJ and I got up early to catch a train to Berlin. We grabbed some coffee and food at the station and soon were off at 250km/h! We chatted, napped and read a bit on the three and a half hour ride and then stretched our legs on a short walk to our hotel from the train station. It's a nice spot near the river in the main downtown area of the city.

After getting settled in the hotel our first stop was Museum Island, which as one might except is an island with multiple (five) museums on it. We chose to visit the Neues Museum which houses a vast collection of Egyptian and prehistory artifacts, including the iconic bust of Queen Nefertiti. The collection was great and well presented, and the building itself was interesting too. Originally completed in 1855, the museum was heavily damaged in WWII. The reconstruction was only just finished in 2009 and is an interesting combination of modern architecture and historical preservation. Wherever possible they gathered pieces of the old museum from the rubble and restored them to their original spots in the building. The missing parts were rebuilt in more modern ways. This allows you to see what the museum used to look like, while giving reminders of the destruction of the war. I really liked it.

The other interesting thing I noted was a small sign at the entrance indicating that some important parts of the collection were looted by the Soviet Union after WWII and have still not been returned, "in violation of International Law." Russia continues to feel that the items are rightfully the property of Russia as partial repayment for the destruction of Russian museums by the Nazis and for the over three million Russians killed by Germany during the war.

After the museum we popped over to a reasonably authentic Chinese restaurant for lunch. KJ struggles to find good Asian food of any kind in Dortmund and is super excited to be in a big city like Berlin where it is possible to access such things. We had Peking Duck, dumplings, broccoli, tea, and soup. It was great.

Next we hopped on the subway to "Checkpoint Charlie" station, which as you'd imagine is under Checkpoint Charlie. The checkpoint itself isn't much and is super touristy, but even that is kind of interesting in how much things have changed. We stopped for a coffee at an awesome cafe in the area. KJ got a Chai Latte, but with oat milk instead of regular. I didn't even know oat milk was a thing but it's delicious! San Francisco needs to get on that train.

After coffee we walked to the Topology of Terror, a free museum documenting the rise of National Socialism in Germany and the horrors committed by the Gestapo and SS across Europe. The museum has both indoor and outdoor components and is built on the former site of the Gestapo and SS headquarters. It is partially a memorial to the people who suffered in the basement torture chambers which are partially preserved as part of the outdoor exhibition. One edge of the outdoor section is bordered by the longest extant section of the Berlin Wall. The museum is insanely detailed and very heavy, but I am glad I went and I am very impressed with how well history is being preserved.

Next we walked on to the Holocaust Memorial which occupies an entire city block and is filled with 2711 unmarked concrete slabs of varying heights arranged in a tight grid. You can walk among the slabs in any direction you like. At first it didn't seem like much, but as you walk through and the slabs tower above you or you catch glimpses of other people far off down a row it begins to feel much more powerful. Part of the goal was for it to be impossible to ignore, and they succeeded in that.

After the memorial we walked quickly back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. KJ and I both enjoy a nice restaurant and so before leaving San Francisco I booked us reservations at a popular place in Berlin as a way to thank her for hosting me and showing me around. einsunternull is located near our hotel and serves a ten course meal each night inspired by what's fresh and in season. This is not heavy German fare, it is modern international cooking.

To start I had a dry Reisling and KJ had an herbed sparkling juice and this was paired with fresh bread, tiny potatoes filled with garlic butter and baked, spinach purée with fresh veggies, and an amazing carrot broth. I can't speak enough about the carrot broth. According to the staff it was just carrots and water and a bit of oil, but it tasted so good! Like pure essence of the most perfect carrot ever. We couldn't get over it.

To drink I spoke with their ultra-hipster (man bun, big beard, octagonal glasses frames) sommelier and was able to get a bottle of whiskey barrel aged doppelbock that was quite excellent. I wasn't able to get a lot more detail out of him but I was happy with my choice.

Next up for food was pickled radish with watercress greens and a cream sauce topped with dryed, shaved beef heart. This was followed by mushroom "bread," a layer of raw thinly sliced button mushrooms over two layers of sauce, each different but each creamy and crunchy and delicious. We devoured this super fast as it was so so good.

The third course was sous vide lamb served with celery sauce and a bowl of pickled celeriac root. This was excellent, although not life-changing. The fourth course was local trout roe topped with sorrel, cucumber and elderflowers and was totally amazing. For the fifth course we had a simple but very rich onion broth with spruce needles that had soaked in olive oil for six months. It was unusual and quite nice!

The sixth course was three strips of crisply cooked chicken with a perfectly formed runny warm salted egg yolk for dipping. This was accompanied by creamed chicken liver suspended in chicken broth with spices. Basically it was the chicken course and I really liked it.

The seventh course was two layers of different cold purées made of carrots and nuts topped with a layer of pickled carrots. Carrots must be their thing at this restaurant because this dish was almost as amazing as the carrot broth.

The eighth course was the one misstep of the meal from my point of view. It was a layer of cooked enoki mushrooms topped with black currents and bacon and covered with a mushroom and vinegar jelly. It was unattractive and not incredibly appetizing.

The ninth course was a return to form with dried black salsify (a root vegetable) over cold creamy yogurt and topped with yogurt chips and powdered woodruff. I've never had black salsify or woodruff so the flavours were new and unusual and I enjoyed the dish.

Finally the tenth course was beetroot cooked for three days, powdered, and served over elderberry-rose purée topped with powdered caramel and mint leaves. This was a superb way to finish.

Except then there was more! As a "going away sweet" we were served four pieces of fresh buttercream coated in flour and lightly fried. And yes that was as amazing as it sounds.

The restaurant was great with exceptional service, a great atmosphere and lovely food. We had an awesome time eating and chatting and catching up. However the meal took four hours and we found ourselves physically exhausted by the end. We walked quickly back to the hotel and went to bed.

High speed rail is great!
High speed rail is great!
Stack of enormous (non-edible) Ritter Sport at the Berlin Central Station
Stack of enormous (non-edible) Ritter Sport at the Berlin Central Station
Berlin Central Station
Berlin Central Station
Walking to Museum Island
Walking to Museum Island
In the Neues Museum, with original columns and rebuilt walls that show the damage from the war
In the Neues Museum, with original columns and rebuilt walls that show the damage from the war
Sarcophagi!
Sarcophagi!
Really awesome statue
Really awesome statue
Huge rebuilt domed room with a real oculus
Huge rebuilt domed room with a real oculus
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie
The Berlin Wall outside of the Topography of Terror
The Berlin Wall outside of the Topography of Terror
The Holocaust Memorial
The Holocaust Memorial
Walking in the Holocaust Memorial
Walking in the Holocaust Memorial
The stage for dinner
The stage for dinner
The amuse-bouche with the epic carrot broth
The amuse-bouche with the epic carrot broth
Pickled radish, watercress greens, shaved beef heart
Pickled radish, watercress greens, shaved beef heart
Mushroom 'bread'
Mushroom "bread"
Lamb and celery
Lamb and celery
Trout roe, sorrel, elderflower
Trout roe, sorrel, elderflower
Onion and spruce
Onion and spruce
Chicken!
Chicken!
Carrots and more carrots!
Carrots and more carrots!
Crazy mushroom and vinegar jelly on more mushrooms
Crazy mushroom and vinegar jelly on more mushrooms
Black salsify, yogurt, woodruff
Black salsify, yogurt, woodruff
Beetroot, elderberry-rose, powdered caramel
Beetroot, elderberry-rose, powdered caramel
My beer and the fried buttercream
My beer and the fried buttercream
Berlin, Germany

We slept in a bit this morning before heading out to breakfast at Barconi's Deli, a coffee shop started by a Seattle native. We walked, enjoying the lovely morning including a quick accidental stop by the "New Synagogue" what was once the primary synagogue in Berlin. It was built in the mid 1800s and survived Kristallnacht, but suffered massive damage during the war itself. It's been lovingly reconstructed.

For breakfast I had a bagel with jalapeño cream cheese and a bowl of muesli with yogurt. This was all washed down with a fine cup of Guatemalan coffee and sparkling water. The restaurant has an outdoor seating area in the centre courtyard of a set of buildings and it was an awesome and quiet spot for a delicious breakfast.

Next we walked by Alexanderplatz and then on to the East Side Gallery, a section of the Berlin Wall that was painted in 1990 and remains one of the largest and longest lasting open air galleries in the world. It was pretty cool, but also clearly suffering the effects of time and vandalism. There is some effort to restore the original paintings but the process is fraught with questions of copyright and commercialization. On the way to the gallery we passed some of the old Soviet-style brutalist buildings that remain in the Eastern section of the city.

From the gallery we took the subway back to Checkpoint Charlie to get more delicious coffee and then we walked to Tiergarten, a large forested park in the centre of Berlin. It's an amazing place and even more amazing is that most of the trees were cut down after the war for firewood. It seems to have recovered nicely since then.

We stopped by the Soviet War Memorial which was erected immediately after the war to commemorate the 80,000+ soldiers who died in the battle of Berlin. It's enormous and imposing and most interestingly it fell on the Western side of the wall after it went up. For years the Soviets were allowed to post a guard at the memorial despite it being in West Berlin and it was also protected by British soldiers at times.

Our next stop was the magnificent Brandenburg Gate completed in the late 1700s. Originally a symbol of peace, it was co-opted by successive governments (including the Nazis) as a symbol of power and and triumph. Following WWII the wall ran immediately in front of the gate and now it is largely a pedestrian area where festivals and celebrations can take place.

Our last stop of the afternoon was the field in front of the Reichstag building which houses the German parliament. Entering the building and going up to view the city from its spectacular dome is only possible via advance registration. Unfortunately when I checked they were already sold out for our days in Berlin so we contented ourselves with a nice sit down in the sun on the field out front. It's a great spot and I'll definitely try harder to go inside next time I'm in Berlin.

Then we wandered along the river back to the hotel to gather KJ's bags. On the way to the train station we stopped again at the yummy Chinese restaurant for some food and then I sent her on her way home. It was so great to see her and to catch up!

After dropping off KJ I went to a Birkenstock store to buy new sandals. My old birks are almost done and they are almost half price here in Germany compared to the prices in America! I also picked up some fancy chocolate at a grocery store before heading back to the hotel to rest a bit and do some research for tomorrow.

Once it was dark I returned to the Brandenburg Gate to see it all lit up in the dark. It's quite spectacular! I also went back to the Holocaust Memorial because it also looks like it has lights, but if so they were not lit up. So I returned to the hotel to go to bed.

New Synagogue
New Synagogue
Ample breakfast!
Ample breakfast!
Berlin Fernsehturm
Berlin Fernsehturm
Berlin Rathaus (city hall)
Berlin Rathaus (city hall)
An abandoned Soviet-era apartment block in East Berlin
An abandoned Soviet-era apartment block in East Berlin
At the East Side Gallery
At the East Side Gallery
At the East Side Gallery
At the East Side Gallery
At the East Side Gallery
At the East Side Gallery
Soviet War Memorial
Soviet War Memorial
Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburg Gate
Reichstag
Reichstag
Random bridge over the river
Random bridge over the river
The double row of cobblestones that runs everywhere the Wall used to be
The double row of cobblestones that runs everywhere the Wall used to be
Brandenburg Gate at night
Brandenburg Gate at night
Berlin, Germany

This morning I got up early to go up the Berlin Fernsehturm (TV tower) at the early bird time of 9am. This meant I could skip the inevitable lines and crowds and see the city in the early morning light. Then I grabbed the subway to return to Barconi's for another delicious breakfast and then I walked north for a while to grab some bottled beer from a store that stocks local craft beer.

After dropping off my purchases at the hotel I returned to Museum Island to check out the Pergamon Museum which houses original size reconstructed monumental buildings. In particular it has the Ishtar Gate from Babylon and the Market Gate of Miletus which were both amazing. I've never seen such large scale installations at a museum before and both are largely made up of original pieces from the archaeological digs. The museum also houses the Pergamon Altar but that section of the museum was unfortunately closed for repairs.

Next I grabbed some very satisfying lunch from an awesome salad spot near the island. My salad came with two slices of wonderful German bread and I also grabbed a nata (Portuguese custard tart) for dessert.

Continuing my tour of Museum Island I then went to the Alte Nationalgalerie to see the huge collection of paintings and sculpture. Many of the artists were familiar to me from other museums I've toured in Europe but I had never seen much of Adolph von Menzel before and this museum had an extensive collection of his work. The paintings reminded me of sculptures by Rodin and I quite enjoyed seeing so much of his work in one spot.

Next I visited the Berliner Dom, a huge cathedral on Museum Island. It was heavily damaged during the war but has been totally rebuilt since then. I was able to go up to the top of the dome for great views of the city and also visit the enormous crypt underneath the church where there are over 100 coffins containing the remains of members of noble and royal families dating back to the 1600s.

Making the most of my last day in Berlin I then wandered into the Alte Museum to see the huge collection of antiquities from Greece, Rome and Etrusia. I particularly enjoyed the enormous coin collection.

From the museum I hopped on a bus to get back to Tiergarten so I could visit the Berlin Victory Column erected in the mid 1800s. It was moved to the present location by Hitler in 1939 as part of his plans to redevelop Berlin into the new World Capital and offered spectacular views of the park and the Brandenburg Gate.

Finally I took the long way back to my hotel walking by the English Gardens in Tiergarten before catching the subway. Back at the hotel I had a beer and relaxed a while and then got back on the subway to get dinner. Berlin is famous for döner and so I did some research and went to Imran, one of the highest regarded döner joints in the city. It was excellent indeed. They make their own meat stacks and bake all their own bread. And it only cost €3.50! After dinner I returned to the hotel and packed for my trip to Munich tomorrow.

Walking past Museum Island in the morning
Walking past Museum Island in the morning
Berlin Fernsehturm
Berlin Fernsehturm
View of the city from the top of the Berlin Fernsehturm
View of the city from the top of the Berlin Fernsehturm
Market Gate of Miletus
Market Gate of Miletus
Ishtar Gate
Ishtar Gate
On the lawn in front of the museums
On the lawn in front of the museums
Lunch!
Lunch!
Adolph von Menzel painting
Adolph von Menzel painting
Berliner Dom
Berliner Dom
Inside the Berliner Dom
Inside the Berliner Dom
From the top of the Berliner Dom
From the top of the Berliner Dom
A coffin from 1674 in the crypt under the Berliner Dom
A coffin from 1674 in the crypt under the Berliner Dom
Coins in the Alte Museum
Coins in the Alte Museum
Berlin Victory Column
Berlin Victory Column
View from the top of the Berlin Victory Column
View from the top of the Berlin Victory Column
The English Gardens
The English Gardens
Dinner!
Dinner!
Munich, Germany

I got up early this morning to check out and head to the train station to catch my six hour train to Munich. I grabbed some coffee and a pastry (triangle!) for breakfast and some snacks for lunch and then boarded the train. The ride was pleasant and my seat mate was kind enough to translate some of the announcements for me when we were delayed for thirty minutes. Apparently someone had sent a freight train down our track and we had to wait for it to clear the way.

It was an easy walk to "Hotel Buddy" from the train station. The hotel is a brand new "high-efficiency" hotel. So each room is ultra-tiny but also very very well designed and set up. Like one of the micro-apartments at Ikea. The location is great and I find the room very comfortable!

Once I was settled at the hotel I called my Uncle Peter who is also in Munich today with his brother, my Uncle Herb, and their wives Linda and Diane. They're doing a tour of a few countries in the area and just happened to fly in to Munich today! After touching base I hopped on the subway and met them for a drink at their hotel. They looked a bit tired after their red-eye flight but agreed to go out to dinner with me at a local Bavarian restaurant.

The restaurant was great with awesome beer and excellent food. I had roast duck and pork with red cabbage, two types of dumplings and a sea of gravy. After dinner I walked them back to their hotel where they immediately went to bed. It was great to see them and I think Sarah and I will be able to meet up with them again tomorrow night after she arrives!

I walked back downtown from their hotel and explored a bit. KJ told me that Munich is a very wealthy city and it certainly shows. There are many high end shops and tons of huge gothic buildings. I also saw a lot of kitschy German stuff, much more than in Berlin. Lots of lederhosen and drindl. Munich is definitely a fun city with lots to do but my first impression suggests to me that I prefer Berlin. Still, I can't wait to go exploring tomorrow!

Breakfast on the train, it's a croissant-pretzel
Breakfast on the train, it's a croissant-pretzel
Fancy beer at dinner
Fancy beer at dinner
Dinner with family
Dinner with family
Duck, pork, dumplings, cabbage, gravy
Duck, pork, dumplings, cabbage, gravy
Walking back downtown at dusk
Walking back downtown at dusk
Munich Rathaus (city hall)
Munich Rathaus (city hall)
Munich, Germany

This morning I got up early and grabbed some snacks from the grocery store before catching a commuter train to the town of Dachau at the edge of Munich. When I started planning this trip I wasn't thinking of visiting a former concentration camp because I assumed they were all far from major cities. I was shocked to learn that Dachau is accessible from Munich via a 25 minute commuter train plus a short bus ride. It's not even in the outer zone of the transit region and it's closer to the city centre than the airport!

Anyway, I arrived shortly after opening and proceeded to follow the audio tour around the site. Much like the museums in Berlin the camp is free to visit and full of extreme levels of detail. The documentation of all that went on there is extensive and thorough and leaves no question unanswered. The camp was the first Nazi Concentration camp and was originally opened in 1933 to hold and humiliate political prisoners who opposed the party. Over time it evolved to hold, torture, and execute people from all of the various groups that the Nazis deemed unworthy. Dachau was a model for the other camps developed all around Europe.

The main administration buildings of the camp are still there and house the museum, however the original barracks were torn down and only the foundations remain. Two were rebuilt to show the living conditions at various stages in the camp's history (progressing from quite cramped to unimaginably packed). There are also several memorials on the site from some of the major groups of victims: Jews, Catholics, Russians, and more.

It was a lovely and peaceful morning this morning as I walked around the camp and it was hard to imagine everything that had happened there just over 70 years ago. The juxtaposition was jarring and unsettling. The quantity and detail of the information presented was also overwhelming. But I think all of that is as it should be. It is important to have experiences like this, to remember, and to think on how such a thing can be prevented from happening again.

I returned to Munich and had a quick bite to eat and then wandered around the downtown area in the daylight. Sarah arrived in Copenhagen as I walked so we chatted on the phone a bit while she waited for her connection. Her flight was good but long and she was eager to get to Munich and get settled into the hotel. Unfortunately her connection was delayed so she had to wait a little longer than expected.

With some extra time to kill before Sarah arrived I decided to check out the Munich Residenz which is the former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs. Initially built in the mid 1300s the palace was rebuilt and expanded and embellished many times over the years all the way into the early 1900s. Much was destroyed during WWII but again it was rebuilt and much of the historical nature has been preserved.

The palace reminds me a lot of Versailles with enormous rooms, amazing furnishings and gold everywhere. There is also a ten room treasury showing the jewels of the Wittelsbach dynasty with pieces spanning 1000 years of history. It is considered one of the most important collections of jewels in the world and was spectacular to see. I think I will take Sarah back to see it tomorrow.

After rushing through the treasury I hopped on the subway to the airport to pick up Sarah. It's great to have her with me now so that I can share all the adventures with her for real instead of just by email and text message. We went back to Hotel Buddy and checked in to our new, equally "efficient" room. She had a shower and we relaxed a bit before heading our for dinner at the famous Hofbrauhaus.

For dinner we obviously had sausages, pretzels and sauerkraut washed down with huge mugs of beer. As an added bonus my aunts and uncles were able to join us! We all had a nice chat but eventually it was time to take Sarah back to the hotel to sleep. I walked her by city hall and pointed out some things we'll see tomorrow.

Munich Rathaus (city hall) in the daytime
Munich Rathaus (city hall) in the daytime
Munich Residenz
Munich Residenz
Munich Residenz
Munich Residenz
Insane room full of reliquaries in the Munich Residenz
Insane room full of reliquaries in the Munich Residenz
Insane room full of reliquaries in the Munich Residenz
Insane room full of reliquaries in the Munich Residenz
Endless cabinets of fine silver in the Munich Residenz
Endless cabinets of fine silver in the Munich Residenz
Dinner service for one hundred in the Munich Residenz
Dinner service for one hundred in the Munich Residenz
Munich Residenz
Munich Residenz
In the Munich Residenz Treasury
In the Munich Residenz Treasury
In the Munich Residenz Treasury
In the Munich Residenz Treasury
In the Munich Residenz Treasury
In the Munich Residenz Treasury
In the Munich Residenz Treasury (rhino horn carvings)
In the Munich Residenz Treasury (rhino horn carvings)
In the Munich Residenz Treasury (replica of Trajan's Column from Rome in gold)
In the Munich Residenz Treasury (replica of Trajan's Column from Rome in gold)
In the Munich Residenz Treasury (ivory)
In the Munich Residenz Treasury (ivory)
Munich Residenz Gardens
Munich Residenz Gardens
Video tour of our hyper efficient room
Beer!
Beer!
Everyone together
Everyone together
Hofbrauhaus!
Hofbrauhaus!
Sarah, delirious from lack of sleep, attempting to become a gargoyle
Sarah, delirious from lack of sleep, attempting to become a gargoyle
Irsee, Germany

We had a rough sleep last night due to Sarah's jetlag and the A/C unit being broken. Germany is not the best at air conditioning because it is so rarely needed here. As a result we slept in a bit and then slowly got going after drinking coffee made in the fancy Nespresso machine in the room.

For breakfast we walked to Schmalznudel, a cafe near the market to eat the eponymous pastry and have more coffee. The pastry was delicious and unusual and difficult to describe. After breakfast we checked out the awesome food store Eataly where I bought a fancy beer. It's an "Eisbock" which is a beer that is created by freezing off a portion of the water to concentrate the flavours and alcohol. The bottle I bought is 22% ABV and will be much more like a port.

Our next stop was Munich's famous Viktualienmarkt, a daily food market with tons of stalls selling everything you might want to eat. We picked up some picnic supplies to have for lunch later and to take with us in the car. We also picked up some apple strudel to munch on and gifts for people back home.

Then we stopped in at St. Peter's church to climb to the top of the bell tower for some good views of the city. We followed this by looking in some of the shops around the downtown area and then went to explore St. Michael's church. This church is cool because of the crypt which contains the remains of "Mad" King Ludwig II. We thought it appropriate to visit him since we'll be seeing his castle, Neuschwanstein, tomorrow. The coffins in the crypt were super elaborate and some of them dated back to the 1600s. Also interesting was that some people still bring flowers to a few of the coffins.

Next I took Sarah to the treasury at the Munich Residenz and I really enjoyed getting to spend more time there. We followed this up with a picnic in the park behind the palace and then caught a train to the airport to pick up our rental car.

The plan for the next few days is to slowly drive to Zurich via Austria and Liechtenstein. The first leg today was to drive to the village of Irsee about 100km west of Munich. The drive was easy and fun. We have a 5-speed Ford Fiesta and it's great to drive. We're staying at Irseer Klosterbräu which is a former monastery that brewed it's own beer and now is a hotel and restaurant (and they still brew their own beer). After getting checked in and settled we took a walk around the grounds and then spent half an hour enjoying the fancy sauna facilities they have in the basement. There's both a wet and dry sauna and showers with cold water plunges.

We ate dinner at the hotel restaurant which is mostly Bavarian food. I had sauerbraten and Sarah had crispy pork and the sides included cabbage, roast potatoes, dumplings and fancy beer bread. We also tried three of the beers including a pretty awesome kellerbier. It was a great meal! After dinner we took another short walk around the very dark grounds and then went to bed.

Schmalznudel!!
Schmalznudel!!
Viktualienmarkt
Viktualienmarkt
Maypole at Viktualienmarkt
Maypole at Viktualienmarkt
Hops at Viktualienmarkt
Hops at Viktualienmarkt
Apple strudel!
Apple strudel!
Munich Rathaus from St. Peter's
Munich Rathaus from St. Peter's
Details on Munich Rathaus from St. Peter's
Details on Munich Rathaus from St. Peter's
Looking out across Munich
Looking out across Munich
Crazy amazing statue of St. George and the Dragon at Munich Residenz Treasury
Crazy amazing statue of St. George and the Dragon at Munich Residenz Treasury
Lunch!
Lunch!
Our ride
Our ride
Driving!
Driving!
Irseer Klosterbräu
Irseer Klosterbräu
Irseer Klosterbräu
Irseer Klosterbräu
Irseer Klosterbräu
Irseer Klosterbräu
Cellar sauna at Irseer Klosterbräu
Cellar sauna at Irseer Klosterbräu
Beer at dinner
Beer at dinner
Cheese on fancy beer bread
Cheese on fancy beer bread
Crispy pork
Crispy pork
Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten
St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria

This morning we got up early and enjoyed a hearty German breakfast in the hotel restaurant. This included many types of breads and jams, various meats, cheeses and juices, muesli and yogurt, and of course coffee. We didn't linger though because we had a 10:00am tour at the famous Neuschwanstein Castle!

We checked out (after buying a few bottles of beer to take to Patrick and Toni's) and then hopped in the car and drove 45 minutes to Schwangau. The landscape went from pretty flat to abruptly mountainous and soon we could see the castle itself peeking out among rocks and trees. We parked in town, picked up our tickets and then hiked the 1.5km up to the entrance. We were early for our tour so we took advantage of the (relative) lack of people in the early morning to hike further up to a bridge that is the best spot to see the castle in its entirety. The bridge is just a pedestrian bridge and apparently in high season on a weekend it can become dangerously full. It was thankfully only a little bit busy when we got there.

The castle can only be seen by tour, and photos are not allowed. The tour was excellent though. Neuschwanstein was built by King Ludwig II starting in 1868 and was meant to be his personal refuge. He wanted to recreate a "medieval knight's castle" as well as pay homage to his close friend, the composer Richard Wagner. It was fantastically expensive to build and was not even close to completion upon Ludwig's death. He paid for it himself, but used all of his resources and went heavily into debt. Still more money was required so he eventually applied to his parliament for a loan. Instead they decided to depose him. He died a couple days later under mysterious circumstances. The castle was then opened almost immediately for tourism.

The king's bedroom was amazing featuring themes from "Tristan and Isolde" and an enormous bed with a canopy carved from wood in the style of a gothic cathedral, but even more elaborate. The bedroom also had a basin with running water and a huge ceramic stove for heating. The Grotto was probably the most interesting room, with walls of artificial rock, a waterfall and rainbow lighting all inspired by Wagner's Tannhäuser. Honestly every room was pretty amazing.

After the tour we stopped at the cafe to eat some Black Forest cake (probably not the best ever, but way better than the super sweet versions you see in North America) and then headed out of the castle through the gift shop. Just before exiting we were able to walk through the original kitchens of the castle which remain functional. We loved the stoves and all the copper pots and overly elaborate baking accessories.

We hiked back down to town and grabbed lunch at a restaurant that had a patio with views of the castle and the mountains. Everything in Schwangau is pretty touristy so we figured we might as well have a good view. The food was better than expected though. We had a bowl of spaetzle with cheese, potatoes and onions and a huge salad topped with veggie fritters.

Then we got back in the car and drove on to St Anton am Arlberg in Austria. We completely missed the German-Austrian border though; if it was marked the signs were very minimal. The scenery on the drive was amazing as we got deeper into the Alps. The driving was also super exciting with narrow, twisty roads and long narrow tunnels. All the tiny villages along the way were very pretty too.

St. Anton am Arlberg is a ski town with a long history in the sport and remains one of the top destinations for alpine sports in the world. We're here in the summer, so no snowboarding for us, but there are over 200km of hiking trails originating in the town itself which we plan to explore tomorrow.

Tonight we're staying in a super modern and very fancy hotel which also houses one of the top restaurants in town. This is all very affordable because it's off season. In the winter our room costs three times as much and as far as we can tell it is already booked for the entire season.

After checking in we relaxed a bit and then took a walk around the town. It's very much a ski resort town, but with legitimate Alpine architecture instead of just cheap knock-offs like you see in resorts in the rest of the world. The mountains surrounding the town are stunning and the air is amazing. It started raining as we walked back to the hotel and the petrichor was outstanding.

For dinner we had an arugula-beet-goat cheese salad and a 4-cheese thin crust pizza with a couple of glasses of cab-franc and a tiramisu for dessert. The food was fantastic and we had a lovely time relaxing and chatting. After dinner we went back up to the room to continue relaxing before bed with the windows open to let the sounds and smells of the rain come in.

Sarah at breakfast
Sarah at breakfast
Delicious
Delicious
Our room in Irseer
Our room in Irseer
Our room in Irseer
Our room in Irseer
Driving in the German countryside on classic narrow roads
Driving in the German countryside on classic narrow roads
Almost to Neuschwanstein
Almost to Neuschwanstein
Schloss Hohenschwangau
Schloss Hohenschwangau
Lake near the castles in Schwangau where King Ludwig was quite taken with the swans, developing his alternative appellation, 'The Swan King'
Lake near the castles in Schwangau where King Ludwig was quite taken with the swans, developing his alternative appellation, 'The Swan King'
Looking out over the countryside from the base of the Neuschwanstein
Looking out over the countryside from the base of the Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
View from Neuschwanstein
View from Neuschwanstein
View of Neuschwanstein from the pedestrian bridge
View of Neuschwanstein from the pedestrian bridge
Waterfalls under the pedestrian bridge
Waterfalls under the pedestrian bridge
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
Pedestrian bridge from Neuschwanstein
Pedestrian bridge from Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein
Pano from Neuschwanstein
Pano from Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein kitchens
Neuschwanstein kitchens
Neuschwanstein kitchens
Neuschwanstein kitchens
Crazy dessert molds
Crazy dessert molds
Crazy dessert molds
Crazy dessert molds
View from lunch
View from lunch
Spaetzle!
Spaetzle!
Salad!
Salad!
Driving in Austria
Driving in Austria
Driving in Austria
Driving in Austria
Approaching St. Anton am Arlberg
Approaching St. Anton am Arlberg
Public fountains in St. Anton
Public fountains in St. Anton
Big gondola in St. Anton
Big gondola in St. Anton
In St. Anton
In St. Anton
Pizza!
Pizza!
Salad!
Salad!
Tiramisu!
Tiramisu!
Zurich, Switzerland

This morning we slept in, fully enjoying the amazing bed in our fancy hotel. When we looked outside it was pretty misty, but we could see that the rain last night fell as snow on the mountain tops. It was gorgeous!

After having a fancy espresso from the Illy machine in our room we headed to breakfast with very high expectations. We were not disappointed! The buffet was huge and bursting with fresh fruit and vegetables, endless varieties of meat and fish, a dozen cheeses, tons of fresh bread and pastry, jams, several types of yogurt, build your own muesli, eight different fresh juices including kombucha, coffee, espresso, and many types of tea. Also, once we were settled with our food, a staff member came by and asked us if we'd like any freshly cooked eggs in any style. All of the food was amazing and of the highest quality and we ate with views of the mountains. It was perfect.

After breakfast we went for a short walk around town to look in the shops because everything was on massive sale. I got a really nice long-sleeve button shirt for 70% off. As we walked we could smell the snow in air.

Then we packed up, checked out of the hotel and prepared for a short hike up a waterfall. The trail was well marked and winded through a beautiful forest before reaching the foot of the waterfall. Then it proceeded to the top via switchbacks and a set of stairs. There were wildflowers and wild berries everywhere and we even saw some orchids growing in the spray. It was awesome.

Back in town we picked up some snacks at a grocery store and then continued our drive. Almost immediately we entered a tunnel that turned out to be 10km long! Each tunnel has a labelled distance at the entrance, but we missed the sign and so we worried for a while that we might never leave the tunnel again. The drive was gorgeous again today, although slightly less exciting (excepting the tunnel).

Eventually we reached Liechtenstein and the border was obvious this time. We had to slow down as we passed a border guard but he just waved us through and we didn't even stop. We didn't move quickly though because we became stuck behind a wide-load truck. There were many nervous moments watching it try to navigate the narrow roads of the border town, especially when buses or other trucks passed it in the other direction.

The truck turned off and soon we were in the capital city of Vaduz. Liechtenstein is not a big country: Vaduz only has 5100 people. However it was pretty and we parked for thirty minutes to stretch our legs and explore a little. We got our passports stamped at the tourist office and bought a beer and some wine from the grocery store. Then we continued our drive into Switzerland.

As expected, Switzerland continued the display of epic mountain beauty and lots of tunnels. We even saw a huge white stork in a field at one point. Soon we reached the Zurich airport and dropped off our rental car. We switched our Euros to Swiss Francs and then caught the train to Patrick and Toni's house. Toni picked us up at the train station and we spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the kids until dinner. Patrick came home from work and we all shared beers, sausage and salad. After eating, Patrick took Sarah and I for a drive up into the hills for night time views of Lake Zurich and all the surrounding area. Then we chatted about plans for our stay and did some laundry before bed.

Breakfast!
Breakfast!
View of snow on the mountains outside our hotel window
View of snow on the mountains outside our hotel window
Bridge at the start of our hike
Bridge at the start of our hike
Horse-drawn hearse outside the village cemetery
Horse-drawn hearse outside the village cemetery
Hiking up the hill outside town to the waterfall
Hiking up the hill outside town to the waterfall
Hiking to the waterfall
Hiking to the waterfall
View of the town from above
View of the town from above
Waterfall!
Waterfall!
Waterfall!
Picking raspberries
Picking raspberries
Taking photos
Taking photos
Orchids
Orchids
Raspberries
Raspberries
Waterfall!
Waterfall!
Sarah with a flower
Sarah with a flower
Sarah admiring the waterfall
Sarah admiring the waterfall
Waterfall!
Waterfall!
Orchids
Orchids
Taking photos
Taking photos
Berries
Berries
Wildflowers
Wildflowers
Thistle
Thistle
Walking back to town under the gondola
Walking back to town under the gondola
Indoor+outdoor climbing wall at the edge of town
Indoor+outdoor climbing wall at the edge of town
The weather started to clear as we left town
The weather started to clear as we left town
Castle Vaduz in Liechtenstein, palace and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein
Castle Vaduz in Liechtenstein, palace and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
Swiss border
Swiss border
Lake, mountains and waterfall en route to Zurich
Lake, mountains and waterfall en route to Zurich
Driving through Switzerland
Driving through Switzerland
View from the guest room at Toni and Patrick's house...pretty good!!
View from the guest room at Toni and Patrick's house...pretty good!!
Zurich, Switzerland

This morning we got up and had breakfast with Toni and Isla after Patrick had left for work and Kiera for school. Toni had made fresh granola last night and we had that with weird Swiss yogurt, bananas, coffee and a fresh smoothie that Toni made. We ate out on their patio with amazing views of Lake Zurich. Isla was a delight and we played with her a bit after breakfast.

Then the four of us grabbed a train and headed into Zurich. Toni showed us around the old town area, taking us to one of her favourite cafes. It's a multi-floor shop with different sitting areas all furnished with super fancy classical furniture. I felt under-dressed, but it's apparently quite casual. We had cakes and coffee and then wandered around some more. Eventually we made it to Grossmünster church, a magnificent building with tall towers that can be climbed to get fantastic views of the city. The crypt holds art exhibitions and the stained glass windows are fantastic. Some are abstract patterns made from very thin slices of semi-precious agate. I've never seen anything like it.

After the church we walked a bit more and then took a tram to see Patrick at the Google office for lunch. The food was amazing and Patrick gave us a nice tour of Google Zurich. It seems like a great place to work.

After lunch Toni and Isla went home and we headed back downtown to explore some more. We visited the Sprungli chocolate shop and also checked out some other shops and churches. We wandered up to the Lindenhof, a park that used to be the site of a Roman castle and historically has been an important site of civic assembly for the city. It offers great views of the city and we had a very relaxing time sitting under the trees and chatting.

Next we we took a tram to the Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich, a huge open air garden that is free to visit and which we thoroughly enjoyed. Both the outdoor and indoor sections were great and we saw tons of frogs and dragonflies and butterflies in addition to all of the cool plants and flowers. Sarah even saw a water snake (although she'd rather not have).

When we finished at the garden we got on a train to return to Patrick and Toni's house for dinner. Toni made excellent cheese fondue with chicken, bread, and veggies for dipping. I've never really done fondue before and it was great! We played with the kids a bit and then after they went to bed we had chocolate fondue with strawberries and marshmallows for dessert. Then Patrick helped us plan a trip to Mt. Pilatus for tomorrow.

After four very busy days it was really nice to take things slow today. We saw a lot but we didn't rush and didn't worry about missing out on things. It was a great day to reset.

Zurich
Zurich
Walking around old town Zurich
Walking around old town Zurich
Walking around old town Zurich (with crazy cow)
Walking around old town Zurich (with crazy cow)
Walking around old town Zurich
Walking around old town Zurich
Fancy cafe
Fancy cafe
Fancy cake at fancy cafe
Fancy cake at fancy cafe
Amazing marzipan creations
Amazing marzipan creations
Grossmünster church
Grossmünster church
View from Grossmünster church
View from Grossmünster church
View from Grossmünster church
View from Grossmünster church
Grossmünster church, you can see one of the agate-glass windows above the door
Grossmünster church, you can see one of the agate-glass windows above the door
Google offices!
Google offices!
Lunch!
Lunch!
Lunch!
Lunch!
Drinking from one of many public water fountains
Drinking from one of many public water fountains
Walking around old town Zurich
Walking around old town Zurich
Pano of Zurich from the Lindenhof
Pano of Zurich from the Lindenhof
Cow
Cow
Cow
Cow
Entering the botanical gardens
Entering the botanical gardens
Dragonfly!
Dragonfly!
Domes of the botanical gardens
Domes of the botanical gardens
Dragonfly!
Dragonfly!
Frogs!
Frogs!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Flowers!
Dragonfly!
Dragonfly!
Paragliders seen from our window
Paragliders seen from our window
Paragliders seen from our window
Paragliders seen from our window
Chocolate fondue!
Chocolate fondue!
Zurich, Switzerland

This morning we got up early and caught a train south to Lucerne, then connected on a smaller train to Alpnach. From Alpnach we got on the Mt. Pilatus railway which is the world's steepest cogwheel railway.

The ride up Mt. Pilatus was amazing, climbing over 5000 feet and often hitting a grade of 48%. The mountain is lush and green right now, with wildflowers and cows everywhere. Halfway up the train stopped at a station to let other trains come down and while we were there some hunters got on one of the downward trains with a hunting rifle and a deer!

At the top of the railway we spent some time gazing out at the snow-covered mountains in the distance and then headed out on a short hike to the tallest peak of the mountain, Tomlishorn. The trail wound around the mountain over green fields filled with cows with jangling cow bells. We saw many flowers and butterflies and spent a lot of time just enjoying the amazing views.

Upon returning from the hike we sat for some lunch and drinks at the summit restaurant, continuing to enjoy the crazy beauty of the Alps. Then we did a short walk to the summit of Esel for a view of the lake before catching the gondola halfway down the mountain.

At this spot we had only one goal, riding the longest summer toboggan track in Switzerland (1350m)! The track is made of steel and you ride down on a sled. You control the speed with a lever and lean into the turns. There are lots of warning signs to slow down at certain points, but on my first run I chose to simply go as fast as possible. This was a mistake and I flipped my sled about halfway down, skinning my elbow. I had no time to lose though as they send sleds down one after another and I had to quickly get back on mine so that I wouldn't be run over by the next person. We did two more runs after that and I was a bit more careful on those. However, I still did manage to hit a maximum speed of 42km/h! When you get to the bottom of the toboggan track a T-bar ski lift drags you backwards up the hill so you can have a nice view of the mountains and the cows. The whole experience was amazing!

We got back on the gondola and returned to Lucerne for dinner at a fun vegetarian restaurant. Then we explored Lucerne a little bit before catching a train back to Toni and Patrick's house. Since it was our last evening with them we stayed up late chatting and playing Ticket to Ride Switzerland.

Totally amazing pumpkin seed pretzel!
Totally amazing pumpkin seed pretzel!
At the base of the cogwheel railway
At the base of the cogwheel railway
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
Cows with cowbells!!
Cows with cowbells!!
At the halfway point on the cogwheel railway
At the halfway point on the cogwheel railway
Cows with cowbells!!
Cows with cowbells!!
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
On the cogwheel train
At the top of Mt. Pilatus
At the top of Mt. Pilatus
Awesome horn player dude at the top of the mountain
At the top of Mt. Pilatus
At the top of Mt. Pilatus
Hiking to Tomlishorn
Hiking to Tomlishorn
Hiking to Tomlishorn
Hiking to Tomlishorn
Wildflowers
Wildflowers
Hiking to Tomlishorn
Hiking to Tomlishorn
Video pano from our hike, if you listen carefully you can hear cowbells
The top of the cogwheel railway
The top of the cogwheel railway
Butterfly
Butterfly
Pano from Tomlishorn
Pano from Tomlishorn
On Tomlishorn
On Tomlishorn
Cows under Tomlishorn
Cows under Tomlishorn
On Tomlishorn
On Tomlishorn
Mountains!
Mountains!
Lunch!
Lunch!
View from Esel
View from Esel
View from Esel
View from Esel
Top of the toboggan run
Top of the toboggan run
Toboggan run!
Toboggan run!
Toboggan run!
Toboggan run!
Sarah arriving at the bottom of her first run on the toboggan
Dinner!
Dinner!
Old covered bridge in Lucerne
Old covered bridge in Lucerne
Old covered bridge in Lucerne
Old covered bridge in Lucerne
Swan posing for the camera
Swan posing for the camera
Stockholm, Sweden

This morning we got up early, said goodbye to Toni and the kids, and then caught a train with Patrick. Downtown we said goodbye to Patrick as he went off to work and then we caught another train to the airport. It was time to fly to Stockholm!

The flight was pretty easy and at the Stockholm airport we exchanged our cash for Swedish krona and picked up a 72 hour transit pass before heading into the city. At the main train station we dropped our bags in a luggage locker, grabbed some snacks and then went out to explore.

We headed to Stockholm's old town, Gamla Stan. Our main stop here today was the Riddarholm Church where the monarchs of Sweden were all buried between 1632 and 1950 along with Magnus III (d. 1290) and Charles VIII (d. 1470). It's one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm with parts dating back to the late 1200s. The entire floor is paved with grave markers and there are vestibules up and down both sides containing family crypts. Additionally the walls are adorned with the coats of arms of all deceased Knights of the Royal Order of the Seraphim.

After seeing the church we took a short wander around the narrow pedestrian streets of Gamla Stan and then headed back to the train station to get our stuff and catch a train to meet up with our host, Sarah's friend Tove. Her awesome brother is out of town and letting us use his apartment. Tove showed us the place and cooked an amazing quiche for dinner for us. We had a great evening chatting. After Tove and the kids left Sarah and I went for a short walk around the neighbourhood and picked up some snacks and groceries at the store.

Sunrise from the guestroom window at Patrick and Toni's house
Sunrise from the guestroom window at Patrick and Toni's house
Airport breakfast
Airport breakfast
Delicious snack in Stockholm
Delicious snack in Stockholm
Stockholm city hall
Stockholm city hall
Riddarhuset, 1600s meeting hall for nobility
Riddarhuset, 1600s meeting hall for nobility
Riddarholm
Riddarholm
Riddarholm gargoyle
Riddarholm gargoyle
Riddarholm
Riddarholm
Vestibule crypt in Riddarholm
Vestibule crypt in Riddarholm
Vestibule crypt in Riddarholm
Vestibule crypt in Riddarholm
Coats of arms of the some Knights of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
Coats of arms of the some Knights of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
Vestibule crypt in Riddarholm
Vestibule crypt in Riddarholm
Riddarholm
Riddarholm
Sarcophagi of Magnus III (d. 1290) and Charles VIII (d. 1470)
Sarcophagi of Magnus III (d. 1290) and Charles VIII (d. 1470)
Grave marker floor in Riddarholm
Grave marker floor in Riddarholm
Ceiling detail in Riddarholm
Ceiling detail in Riddarholm
Streets in Gamla Stan
Streets in Gamla Stan
Streets in Gamla Stan
Streets in Gamla Stan
Stortorget, public square
Stortorget, public square
Crossing one of the many bridges in Stockholm
Crossing one of the many bridges in Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden

This morning we slept in a little then ate leftover quiche for breakfast and relaxed a bit, enjoying having a whole apartment to spread out in. Then we caught a train downtown and met up with Tove and her husband Alberto and their kids to go for a walk around town and get some coffee and snacks at a cafe. It was really lovely to meet them and to spend the morning walking, chatting and eating delicious food.

Tove and her family eventually had to go home and Sarah and I went with great excitement to see the Vasa Museum. This museum houses the only (nearly) fully intact 17th century ship to have ever been salvaged from the ocean floor. The warship Vasa sunk on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was salvaged in 1961. The museum was opened in 1990 and in the intervening years a massive preservation effort was completed to prevent the ship from decaying as it dried out. Many of the modern techniques for preserving water-logged wood artifacts were pioneered on Vasa. The ship was well preserved due to the combination of the cold, brackish waters of the Baltic sea and the high degree of pollution in the harbour. These factors limited the impact of parasites and bacteria which normally break down wood under water. The museum and the ship were truly fantastic to see and definitely a highlight of our trip so far!

After we finished with Vasa we wandered past the outdoor Skansen museum but decided we didn't have enough time to properly appreciate it today. We'll return tomorrow. We were hungry so we took transit back downtown and then walked to Stockholm's Östermalms Saluhall, a fantastic food market in a fancy neighbourhood. We bought a pistachio pastry, a cardamom-apple pastry, and a block of Västerbotten which is a hard and delicious Swedish cheese. We took our snacks to a nearby park and sat for a while just relaxing and enjoying the sun.

Then we walked to a liquor store to get some wine to enjoy tomorrow evening at the apartment. Liquor sales are much more tightly controlled in Sweden than in Germany or Switzerland. Most is sold in state-run stores which reminded me a lot of the LCBO in Ontario.

Next we caught the subway to head to dinner at Akkurat, a truly amazing pub and craft beer bar which also has one of the largest single malt selections in the world. In addition to 28 taps and 6 casks the bar has an enormous bottle list and and equally big "vintages" list which is only available to view in person. The vintages list contains bottles of famous and not so famous beers that have been aged under careful conditions for many years. It had everything from old Westvleteren 12s to many of Firestone's Anniversary ales to various sours from all over the world. It was amazing! For dinner I had beer-braised brisket with fancy vegetables and Sarah had house-made sausge with sauerkraut and potatoes. To drink I had Brasserie Cantillon's Rosé de Gambrinus (raspberry lambic) and a porter on cask from the Swedish brewery Oceanbryggeriet. I finished off the meal with a small taste of Glenmorangie's Signet from the whisky menu.

After dinner we walked around Gamla Stan a bit in the dark and witnessed a little changing-of-the-guard ceremony at the royal palace. Then we got some ice cream and headed back to the apartment to sleep.

Sarah with Alberto and Tove in the background
Sarah with Alberto and Tove in the background
Some of Stockholm's waterfront
Some of Stockholm's waterfront
Us and the waterfront
Us and the waterfront
Nordic Museum, housed in an enormous building constructed for the 1897 Stockholm World's Fair
Nordic Museum, housed in an enormous building constructed for the 1897 Stockholm World's Fair
Snacks!
Snacks!
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
Pigments used on the ship
Pigments used on the ship
Sculptures recovered from the ship and repainted using original pigments
Sculptures recovered from the ship and repainted using original pigments
Back of the Vasa warship
Back of the Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
Painted scale model of the Vasa warship
Painted scale model of the Vasa warship
Painted scale model of the Vasa warship
Painted scale model of the Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
Back of the Vasa warship
Back of the Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
The Vasa warship
Reindeer meat at the market
Reindeer meat at the market
Fish at the market
Fish at the market
Cheese at the market
Cheese at the market
Pistachio pastry
Pistachio pastry
Apple-cardamom pastry
Apple-cardamom pastry
Relaxing in the park
Relaxing in the park
Dinner!
Dinner!
Dinner!
Dinner!
Whisky!
Whisky!
Sunset
Sunset
Top of city hall
Top of city hall
Walking in Gamla Stan
Walking in Gamla Stan
Walking in Gamla Stan
Walking in Gamla Stan
Stockholm, Sweden

We got up in better time this morning and had a quick breakfast before taking transit into the city and on to the Skansen museum. This is an open-air museum on one of Stockholm's islands which exhibits pre-industrial lifestyles from various parts of Sweden. The grounds cover 75 acres and feature approximately 150 structures which were shipped to the site from all over the country. Some of the buildings are almost 500 years old and all were very carefully preserved and reconstructed in the museum. Many of the buildings are staffed by people in period dress who perform demonstrations of traditional work. The museum also houses a zoo containing Scandinavian animals like reindeer.

The museum is huge and we spent the morning and part of the afternoon exploring it. We particularly enjoyed the print shop (with it's 17th century printing press), the glass blower, and the bakery. Also cool was the saddlery where a UNESCO employee was creating replicas of ancient leather goods so that he could then damage them and figure out how to safely repair them. Museums around the world will hopefully be able to use the information to repair authentic but damaged leather artifacts.

It was cool to see the reindeer and wolverine and other animals in the zoo section of the museum, however zoos always make me uneasy. This one seems relatively well-run, and we saw many signs indicating that various animals were there for rehabilitation from injuries or as the result of parental abandoment. So it certainly wasn't the worst zoo in the world.

Before leaving we picked up a cool blown-glass vase and a piece from the ceramics shop and then we headed to get some food at a Mexican restaurant recommended by Alberto. La Neta serves super legitimate tacos and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. After eating we walked through Gamla Stan some more (dodging through the Stockholm half marathon) and then we took the train back to the apartment.

We fly home super early tomorrow morning so we made ourselves a light dinner, packed, and then went to bed in good time.

Passing a church on our walk to Skansen
Passing a church on our walk to Skansen
Fresh pastry from the baker
Fresh pastry from the baker
Bakers
Bakers
The dry goods shop
The dry goods shop
In the print shop
In the print shop
In the print shop
In the print shop
In the print shop (solid wood printing press from the 1600s)
In the print shop (solid wood printing press from the 1600s)
Dog-skin blotters for applying ink before rollers invented
Dog-skin blotters for applying ink before rollers invented
Saddlery
Saddlery
Glass blowing
Glass blowing
Woodshop
Woodshop
Old electric service for the machine shop
Old electric service for the machine shop
Machine shop
Machine shop
Ironmonger
Ironmonger
Tea and cake on fine china at a cafe
Tea and cake on fine china at a cafe
Looking back over the city
Looking back over the city
17th century farmstead
17th century farmstead
17th century farmstead
17th century farmstead
Making tar
Making tar
Indigenous huts
Indigenous huts
Reindeer!
Reindeer!
Fancy building
Fancy building
Injured owl being rehabilitated
Injured owl being rehabilitated
Wolverine butt!
Wolverine butt!
Traditional cottage
Traditional cottage
Traditional cottage
Traditional cottage
Windmill that can be rotated into the wind
Windmill that can be rotated into the wind
Wooden belfry
Wooden belfry
Chickens everywhere
Chickens everywhere
Cool fountain near the Mexican restaurant
Cool fountain near the Mexican restaurant
Tacos!
Tacos!
St. George and the Dragon sculpture in Gamla Stan
St. George and the Dragon sculpture in Gamla Stan
San Francisco, California

This morning we woke up before dawn and caught a train to the airport. We had no problems making the flight or our connection in Copenhagen and once again I was super impressed with SAS. When we finally got home to San Francisco we had been awake for something like 20 hours and body time was 1:00am when we stepped into our apartment (4:00pm Pacific). It would have been awesome to go to bed, but instead we forced ourselves to stay awake by unpacking and taking a walk to Trader Joe's to get groceries for the week (back to work tomorrow).

Overall the trip was a fantastic success. I loved getting to explore more of Germany and it was awesome to see so many friends. I am also now quite enamoured with Scandinavia and will definitely be back. This was the first major international trip Sarah and I have shared and we couldn't have had a better time doing it. I can't wait for our next adventure!

Dawn at Tumba train station
Dawn at Tumba train station
Breakfast at the airport
Breakfast at the airport
Breakfast at the airport (apple-cardamom roll!)
Breakfast at the airport (apple-cardamom roll!)