Susan and I have not been apart for more than 3 days in a row in our entire 31 years of marriage and now it has been over 3 weeks (nearly a month, really). I was relieved and excited to see her and the rose that I had to present her got smashed when we hugged. As we were close to practice time and 30 minutes from the practice facility, we rushed to the waiting car that our team member (and webmaster), Christoph had waiting. He drove us to Modling to the practice facility. I introduced Susan to the team members as they trickled out of the locker room for our pre-scrimmage walk through.
Ennis, one of the girl's football team members took Susan to eat when the practice began. Susan was introduced to the traditional Austrian eating establishment called McDonald's. That's right, fly halfway around the world and eat at Mickey D's! The Austrians love it and that and Burger King are the only eating places open after 10 pm in the entire city! There IS a law that requires that only Austrian beef be used in their hamburgers. Not sure, but that should be a law in America. Use only American beef. If it is a law, sorry. If it is not, it should be.
We were finishing practice when they returned and Christoph drove us to the hotel I had reserved for Susan's Austrian Vacation Experience- Night one. Named the Babenbergerhof, it is the nicest hotel in Modling. We got the best suite in the hotel and were amazed at the amenities. Two levels, indirect lighting, ancient brick floors, expensive throw rugs, vaulted brick ceilings, electric window blinds, huge jacuzzi tub and separate shower. An artsy Euro-themed pit group adorned a large, well appointed living area and just outside the window, a relaxing, babbling mountain stream could be heard as it wound its way through the heart of this 1900 year old city. Down the narrow cobblestone street the spires of medieval cathedrals stretch to into the clear Austrian night sky. Small shops line either side of what an American would describe as about as wide as an alley. No cars are allowed in the center of the city for obvious space reasons. Cafes and clothing stores, outdoor vegetable markets and tobacco shops are visible. In the proximity of our hotel stand at least two castles that date back to before the settlement of any American city (Jamestown: 1607 as my AP US History students may recall).
We slept too late, but not too late to partake of the breakfast that came with the night's lodging. Meats, cheeses, sausages, eggs, breads, pastries, and jams greeted us in a cozy breakfast area. Coffee, juice, and other drinks were available. Just so the reader knows, I feel that I got my money's worth from the breakfast buffet.
After we walked around the center of town for a while, Christoph arrived to take us to the "Villa" in Vienna. After realizing that Johnathan had the only key, we travelled to the team's gym and weightlifting facility beside Schonbrunn Palace to get the key from him. After we settled in at the Villa, now accessible with the key, Susan got to experience what Jet Lag was all about.
After a short nap to recharge, we boarded the U-Bahn and returned to Schonbrunn to explore the summer palace of the Hapsburg Monarchs. The palace and accompanying Schlosspark is a vast expanse of thousands of rooms, two huge courtyards, sculpture, gardens, forests, museums, and the oldest zoo in the world. I know I have left out something, but suffice it to say, it is easy to do if one takes the sheer size of the place into account. Impressive fails to live up to the way to describe it. It is truly an national treasure. We didn't arrive early enough to visit the zoo properly so we saved that for another day. What we DID accomplish was this winding walk (climb?) from the massive sculpture and reflecting pool dedicated to Neptune, up a steep incline to a structure that would, in some countries, be as big as their capital building. Visible from the Palace courtyard, it is and a large Baroque-themed reflection of the larger palace below (and one that my thighs and lungs can be assured that they paid a high price to visit). Towering more than 200 feet above the palace, it commands a breathtaking view of the city. Ancient church steeples rise up from parts of the city and skyscrapers compete for the observer's attention from other sectors. We get people to take our pictures and we return the favor. Here, I hear and speak more English to the people around me than anywhere.
We decide to return home and realize that we need less than a 2o euro note to buy our subway ride home. We decide to cross the street to a small diner where we order, guess what...wait for it.....yes, Weinerschintzel mit schwein, salat, und pommes frites!
Schnitzel consumption count- 11.
We pay a heftier than expected tab and after examining it, realize that two bottles of water cost as much as one entree. We also got the spare euros to buy two 1.80 tickets and arrive at our neighborhood U-6 stop. We arrive at the local grocer too late enter and just walk home to the villa. While I am writing this, Susan is on the couch, again in the clutches of the combined Jet Lag and over 5 kilometers of walking (some uphill!). It was an eventful 24 hours in this chapter of the adventure that has now become better with the arrival of my special American visitor.
Tomorrow, we leave at 7:30 to scrimmage the Salzburg Bulls. Then, the real games begin. Next Saturday, we start the season in earnest. More on that soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment