Things I saw while lost on my Eurobike!

My Euro Bike!

Salzburg Alstadt ("Old City") view at night from Hotel Stein

Well I finally fulfilled Euro-dream #2 and went out and bought a Euro Bike last week complete with two baskets, a bell, fancy energy efficient lights that only come on when you're riding, and most importantly the girly step through styling I haven't had since my first purple bike with pink hearts.  Dream #1 was the simple process of moving here;)  The freedom it offers compared to the bus is fantastic and the bike lanes here are generally pretty easy to navigate.  Saturday I rode from the mall where I picked my bike up into town and then down the lake path and onto Hellbrünn Allee to go check out Hellbrünn and the Sound of Music gazebo.  The poor little thing is stuck in a corner of the park, and you can't even go inside and recreate you're own 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' moment, but it was worth it anyway.  The grounds are beautiful, with the most amazing playground I've ever seen, and the weather was the most perfect day we've had since I arrived.  I also got to enjoy the night view of the city from Hotel Stein twice this week, and have had more than one "I really LIVE here" moments.

On Sunday the Dom was having a celebration for a good growing season so all of the locals were dressed in their dirndls and lederhosen for mass.  There were parades, marching bands, and most loudly, the fortress cannons were shot off multiple times.  While at mass a woman behind me said something in English about the lack of order for communion(basically we were a herd of cattle pushing to the altar and only the priest and deacon were giving communion.  It was similar to the Vatican on Easter, but then I thought it was an anomaly due to the crowd, but apparently its the European way.), and it turns out the couple was from Medina, OH.  It seems that no matter how far you travel from home there are always connections, making it truly seem like a small world.  Today I found out our IT guy went to school for a year at BG where he met his wife (from Canada).  Back to my sunday adventures . . . in need of a bit of relaxation I had packed my Kindle and headed for a bench on the river, stopping only for some delicious apfelstrudel.

It's been a great week at school with lots of bike trips into town, our first day of gym class at Rif Sportscenter where the Austrian Olympians practice, and my first 2 health classes.  I decided I'm going to start showering and looking nice for gym as we watched the whole Austrian National Soccer team head out for practice:)

The weather is back to being gloomy, chilly, and intermittently rainy so I'm not sure what this weekend will hold around here.  I've realized that posting pictures on facebook has become a bit of a spoiler, so the process might change eventually.  Check back and see!  I miss everyone,  but mostly, I'm not gonna lie,  I miss sweet little Ramsey, as this is the most dog friendly place I've ever lived, you can even take them to the mall!

Three billy goats Gruff

Settled In

New Coworkers

Our dirndls are by far our best purchase ever!

Trudy's favorite view on the hwy

New Coworkers Part Deux

Morning view in Altausee outside the Bierzelt

Please pardon the huge pictures and lack of efficient formatting, but I'm still attempting to learn how this blogspot system works!  Its been a week and I'm almost settled in Austria.  Its pretty unbelievable that I actually live here, especially when looking out my room every morning at the incredible view of the Untersberg Mtn Range.  My room is tiny but sufficient and brings be back to college, just a bit.

We started work this past week, but kids just started arriving yesterday.  I'm teaching a girls section of health, gym, assisting with Environmental Science, and finally, and most importantly, telling kids they're faking sick when they try to get out of tests and projects.  I've found rather quickly that my lack of German language skills is rather annoying, so tonight my studies begin!

This past weekend Gena and Chelsea were still in town and we ventured a little southeast to the small town of Altaussee for their "Altausseer Bierzelt," translated to  . . . Altaussee Beertent.  Simple and to the point.  Also, we loved it!  We were just a BIT afraid while I was attempting to drive stick up the giant curvy mountain in the pitch black to our guesthouse, but survived long enough to enjoy some tasty beers and chickens the following day.  On Sunday I ventured to Konigssee, in Germany, with a coworker to check out the gorgeous lake.  It was a pretty huge tourist trap, but the view, which reminded me of the norwegian fjords, minus the ocean, was worth the little walk up the hill.     

It has definitely been an exciting first week and I'm sure its going to continue . . . . though, I might end up broke while trying to enjoy it all!  

Exotic Tastes, Funky Smells, and Volcanic Rubble . . . that is Iceland

The second stop on my adventure brought me to Reykjavik, Iceland where I met up with Gena and Chelsea coming in from New York.  The Golden Circle is the triangle of "national parks" in Iceland including the Geysir for which all other geysirs are named  . . . . suck it Old Faithful;)  Anyway, it was beautiful in its own unique way.  Iceland apparently has no trees that are more than 20 feet tall, and they are not indigenous.  Did you know the only indigenous animal is the land fox and the birch tree is the only indigenous tree?  The island is basically one giant mass of lava rock.  It seemingly resembles Big Bend National Park in west Texas, though the lava rock is much more intriguing than the desert. Today as we drove through the countryside it felt like we were on the set of "The Land Before Time" only things missing were the dinosaurs and the cartoon effects.

The food in Iceland has also been a bit of an adventure.  Last night we tried smoked Puffin, Minke Whale, and Kangaroo (or as we prefer to call it, everyday steak).  Today we had the best lobster of our lives at Fjorubordid in a small coastal town that makes Van Buren look like a booming metropolis. For those of you not from northwest Ohio, think of any town you know with one traffic light . . . this was smaller!

Lastly we need to discuss the people.  Though everyone we met was extremely friendly, and very helpful when necessary, and even when not, we couldn't help but think they're all a bit "crazy."  Gena and Chelsea encountered a few lovely Icelanders upon their arrival, one petting Gena's suitcase and asking what its name was, a very friendly, middle-aged "escort," and an out-going group trying to force their half-drank beers on them, not understanding that rufies are actually a thing.  Also, the bars are open until 6am on weekends, and the lines don't get crazy long until about 3 am.  We managed to enjoy the festivities until 3 on Saturday, but we also wanted to enjoy our trip to the Blue Lagoon on Sunday.  Which, definitely makes the whole trip to Iceland worth it.  Imagine utter relaxation, 100 degree blue geothermal water, and face masks making you looks years younger . . . . and that's the Blue Lagoon!

Tomorrow I officially make the move to Salzburg, by way of a quick airport stop in Munich and of course a drink at the Munich Brewery (no matter it will be at 8 am), to start work on Wednesday!

Perhaps I should also quickly mention that most of Iceland smells of sulfur.  The geysirs, the coast, the bath water, all of it.  Tolerable, but strange.   Everything makes Iceland worth the stopover!

First stop . . . Boston

As my mom said this morning when we got in the car "this is the first day of the rest of your life."  No doubt its cheesy, but nonetheless, thanks Mom, I know you're right!

I left Findlay today, with bags bursting at the seams, for a brief stop in Boston to see friends before heading on to Iceland Thursday night.  Pretty much loaded to my 140 lb suitcase weight limit (not counting what is smashed into my backpack and purse) it is sure to be a week of heavy lifting before finally making it to Salzburg next Tuesday the 31st.  I hope you enjoy the blog over the next year.  I will post regularly while spending time in and around Salzburg and on the road around Europe!