Praha

In Praha we met a computer programming Russian who we stayed with for two nights. He drank a lot of beer and was very pleasant. His interests included competitive ballroom dancing and figure skating football and beer.

Julia and I had one day and praha and felt obliged to make the most of it. We went into town early and hungry. It was a good day. There was plenty to see and plenty to eat.

Our first restaurant was in the main square amid a sea of tourists and tour groups. The service was poor and the information on the menus misleading in regards to prices and hours in which breakfast is served. Breakfast is very important to us. So we did not stay at this restaurant. And while two hungry women in search of food can have a negative effect on the mood of a day, our determination to make the most of our traveling experience by not settling for tourist trap cuisine was in the end most rewarding. We first found a simple juice and sandwich stand, which was far cheaper than the first restaurant, and surely better quality. It was just enough to get us in a better frame of mind as we set out to explore the town. Much to our surprise our next restaurant stop was just around the corner from the main square. An adorable little courtyard eating area served by a decadent bakery and delicatessen. If ever you plan to go to Praha you must visit this restaurant. www.augourmand.cz The crepes were fantastic and so were the chocolate chip cookies that we purchased to share with our Russian host later in the day.

The rest of the day went similarly, good sights, followed by good food, followed by more sights and food and great service. We finished in the evening with a visit to the theatre to see Swan Lake. It was mostly to see the building and less so about seeing the ballet. Both Julia and I found ourselves rather bored through the performance with only a few notable scenes that keeping our attention. I came to the conclusion that the quality of the ballet was not very good. It seemed to me that the points that seemed most polished and refined kept my interest without any trouble while the rest of the performance may have been terrible but I can't be sure because I really didn't pay attention.

Praha was a great city to visit, and I felt that a day was enough to take it in. It seemed just as touristy as Paris however, and I again found this element a bit exhausting. Damn tourists.

On Thursday we wished our host the best and headed back into town to catch the train to Nuremburg and the bus Wien. Would you believe that between Julia and I we had exactly enough Czech money in coins to buy our subway ticked into town. And not a penny or cent or whatever they call it in Czech.

I think its day 5?

We had a whirl wind trip to Praha, I totally don't have time to write about how great the food was among other things. The most amazing Viennese ice cream is calling.

In the mean time, here is Julia's take on our adventures.
http://99africannights.blogspot.com/

Oh! But real quick, we saw real Viennese people in ball gowns dancing the Viennese Waltz. They really still do that here!

A few days behind

My favorite place to think in Europe is on the train.

We spent our day in Hanover wandering through the Herrenhauser garten, an old classic with fountains, statuary, parterres, grotto, and a maze. Yup. That’s right a real maze of over trimmed shrubbery. It was easy to find the center. There were four ways in.

I wonder if I can convince any of my clients to put a maze in their yards and gardens, I am so sure I could design a better one. You know the kind with gnomes popping out and walls magically moving and children disappearing into for centuries at a time only to reappear and hour later covered in dirt, leaf litter, and a lifetime of imaginary adventures… I really think the bar for quality maze design has been set entirely too low.

Have I mentioned that I am planning to do residential design when I get back to Portland? This is one of those dreams that I mentioned a few months back. It's the kind of dream that I now have the drive, inspiration, and faith to pursue. I am determined to work for myself and directly with clients who will own and use the landscapes that I work with them to design.

I am in the dreaming stages of business planning; letting my imagination run wild with the possibilities. I am thinking beyond residential design and landscape architecture for that matter. For now lets just say that I am going into the business of creative collaboration.

Last night in Hannover Julia and I met with some of her future colleagues, she may be returning to Hanover in a year or so for an internship with a health organization focused on helping immigrants understand Germany's health care system. Many of the minority groups in Germany are unaware of the benefits that are available to them.

We had a great evening discussing the cultural experiences each of us had enjoyed while traveling in different parts of the world. Later that evening Julia and I returned to Tim's place for our second night in Hanover. He and I are both expecting visits from our families this fall and we talked about how interesting it will be to see our parents' perspectives on Europe and the lives that we have been living here.

Off to Prag. Think. Think. Think.

Day two

A glorious stress free day of train travel was the perfect kick off to my well earned holidays. After two weeks of long hours trying to meet a deadline at work, Julia's arrival in Uberlingen was highly anticipated. Once she had arrived, a bit of a mystery...

She said she was at the train station... Oh where in Uberlingen could that girl be?!

Luckily for us the internet provided multiple forms of connecting: skype, yahoo chat, I found her first on facebook of course.
"Where are you?" I beeped.
"I am by the st Francis church in the internet cafe" she beeped back.
Uberlingen has an internet cafe?! I thought. I sent her a google map marking the intersection in town that she should meet me at.

Once we decided on our wild itinerary we got train tickets and started hunting for places to stay. Julia, if some of you haven't heard is my international traveling friend from UO. I feel like a Couch Kartoffel compared to Julia. She is visiting me in Germany on her way home from an internship with the UN in Botswana Africa. Julia is finishing the second year of her master's degree in public policy and planning with a focus on international development.

We have talked about traveling together for years and as we laughed our way through 9 hours on the train yesterday we kept asking why we hadn't done this sooner. I told her that she was simply too busy traveling.

By the way, I am writing from the couch in Tim's Kitchen in Hannover. He is our fabulous host from Couch Surfers and a chemistry Phd student from Australia. This is my first time couch surfing, I waited for Julia to be my guide. If you are wondering what the hell I am talking about google "couch surfing".

Many times in the past weeks I have felt the sting of realizing that I am choosing to step away from my European adventure just as I seem to be getting the hang of it.

Day one.

A mini blog, maybe one a day even, of my two week adventure that includes in chronological order:

Hannover Germany
Prague Czech Republic
Vienna Austria
Bratislava Slovakia
Copenhagen Denmark
Cinquitara Italy

Will I make it?

Oooooh the suspense.

Technical Jargon for Landscape Architecture à la Isa

In reference to an earth stabilization detail is said: "It sounds like something to eat when I write 'pre -vegitated roll'".

Mannheimer Hütte

This weekend's destination:

I find myself yet again thankful for my good health and functioning tendons.

4 months....

I still have Southern France, Austria, Italy, and more of Germany to visit. I'm expecting some visits from dear friends and Family in the fall. There are a few interesting projects yet to tackle in the office. And I still have loads of German to learn... I am having a spectacular year.

So, it may surprise you to hear that I have decided to go out on a good note, to get while the getting’s good, to end on a great play, a home run you might say. I am heading back to Portland in December to for good.

You see, I've got some other dreams that are waiting to come true and a couple thousand over due hugs to collect on.

See you in December.

Bodensee Bike tour

Salad Dressing

I know, weird huh? They have it here but... Its just not the same.