Flight? Bad travel luck over?

The journey of heading home starts with our train trip from Nuremberg to the Frankfurt flughafen train station. It is the main station that connects the airport with the regional area. We booked a hotel that night near the airport so we wouldn’t have to be rushed to get to the terminal. The hotel I booked with my Hilton points just so happened to be connected to the train station next to the airport. There is a convenience market and restaurants in the same mall area. After a hotel room snafu (we somehow got a non-smoking room that was smokey) we went out to get dinner at Paulaner, a restaurant located at THE SQUAIRE (the train station and airport mall area). I tried the Schnitzel one last time and was happy it came with a much needed salad. I also treated myself to some tropical dessert.

We go back to the hotel for an early night. We set our alarms and rest up for the flight.
We wander around a little bit in the morning before our walk to the aiport. We find a bakery where I get coffee and this cheese covered pretzel thing. I decided to carb it one last time in Germany.

Then it is on the walk to the terminal. It isn’t as quick as I thought it would be and we did end up taking a bus. The hotel and train station is in terminal 1 and our flight was terminal 2. Still have plenty of time since I always leave early for flights.
Frankfurt is a little odd. I felt like we went through security multiple times. You first go through a very easy screening and you feel like you are in the clear. But don’t buy any liquids or anything you expect to take on the plane. If you are US bound, you will have to go through screening once more to get to your gate, only within a window for your flight. They will make you dispose of any liquids you purchased (unless it is from duty free shop and “locked” up). There is a bathroom and shop on the other side where you can get duty free items, snacks, cold sandwiches, and drinks (water, soda, beer, and wine to consume there).
Once we got through the final round we sit and wait. Things seem to be smooth until we get our first delay message. It is a mechanical issue and technicians are looking at it. No eta, but no worry because so many flights are delayed these days we just expect that as the norm.
We sit some more and more delay messages. At some point they start to say a couple hours. Still hopeful of arriving home. They bring out drinks and finally sandwiches. I start to hear the rumor mill. The flight is getting cancelled. They won’t announce until it gets officially cancelled by the technicians. They also talk about how it won’t be rescheduled for later that day because the crew will time out and there is no crew to fill the 8 hour flight. People start looking for other flights to get on.

Sandwiches!!

I hear the rumors but don’t want to believe them until we hear official word over the intercom. It finally comes. Our flight is cancelled. We are asked to wait for word of what to do. Some book themselves on alternate flights or the same flight the next day but now all those options are gone. Eventually they announce that they are creating a new flight for us the same time the next day and they are putting us in an airport hotel overnight with food vouchers.
We get some sort of vague instruction to find the shuttle for the Steigenberger Hotel and all arrangements will be handled at hotel. Apparently we are automatically booked on the flight for the next day. Groups of us wander out to find the bus. It is real confusing and no one is there to direct us. It is a group effort. Many on the flight are English speaking or have a good level of English language so with team work we find the bus. It is way too small for all of us waiting so we have multiple trips. While I am waiting delta calls me to offer me an $100 voucher. Really Delta? Still don’t know when I am getting home, and this hotel situation at the time seems messy. Not really the best time Delta unless you have some information to help me now!
When we get to the hotel it is long lines for the check in. My husband gets in line and I sit aside with the luggage. We check in with almost no identification. It is almost like we could have been just stragglers who came in at the right time and got a free room. Breakfast and Dinner are in a special conference room for our group. I wasn’t expecting much for a free hotel stay but was pleasantly surprised at our room. It was nicely decorated and very clean. The only bad part is that we were at the airport, it was already later in the day, so we had no real time to get to Frankfurt and sight see. Let me correct myself – ten years ago I would have hopped in a cab or train to do whatever Frankfurt I could do in YOLO style but tonight we want to eat and get a good night’s rest after being at the airport most of the day.

The dinner was buffet style and very impressive. I wasn’t expecting them to comp any alcohol but they had a seemingly never ending supply of the Radelberger beer. We took full advantage of it and did find it had an end – after we spent a couple hours hanging out chatting with some jazz/chamber music musicians from Brooklyn who were coming back from some Germany performances. A couple of them lived not too far from us. If you want to check them out they are Project Trio and Turtle Island Quartet. They were really nice group of guys.

Once the beer ran out it was time for bed. We rest up and finally get on our flight home the next day.

I heard rumors of good compensation granted for flight delays and cancellations and planned to do research when I got home. The next day we came to discover that our entire flight was comped. Both legs of the flight were refunded. So we basically went to Germany on a free flight with the “inconvenience” of having to miss another day of work. Fortunately we both have understanding employers so that wasn’t an issue.
The European union has stricter compensation laws for airline inconveniences and it appears Delta went above and beyond that. So it is hard to say that my bad travel luck is still in place since it was bad luck to have a flight cancelled, we still got home safe. Plus we were well compensated. I guess these are the good problems to have.
Until the next journey.
Happy travels!

Nuremburg

Today is the last day of sightseeing in Germany and we chose to spend it as a day trip to Nuremburg on the way back to Frankfurt.
When deciding where our our day trip would be, Nuremberg was on the list but with some hesitation. The only thing I knew about the town was Nuremberg trials and I feared that would consume the town. To our delight, Nuremberg was so much more and I wished we would have scheduled a night here to be able to see more.

We started of with an early train ride; well not that early. We ended up getting to the town about noon. We locked up our bags at the station and started our walk.

Always number one on our minds is food (well number 1 for me is where are the toilets because I always have to go). We find a cafe to have a little meal before we move on.

More sausages!

By the cafe there is a shopping area where craftsmen sell their unique items. I wanted to come back to buy some souvenirs but later forgot.

Craftsmen’s Courtyard

After some window shopping we walk through the old town. We pass some cafes and a monument to World War II refugees.

We visit to the St Lawrence Church (started 1360). Despite WW II the church survived mostly intact due partly to luck and pro-activeness in hiding and protecting precious parts.

After the church we wander around the town some more.

“Durer ” Rabbit

Finally we plan to visit the Germanic National Museum. Our map reading skills fail us because we end up going in circles. We eventually find it. We don’t have a ton of time left since we have a train to catch. We try to do the express version and finally towards the end I find the Durer works (but take no photos). The selection at the museum was pretty impressive. I would definitely schedule more than an hour or so here (unlike us).

We loved Nuremberg and definitely would have spent more time here. I will be sure to put it on the list to swing by again the next visit to Germany.
Now to catch the train back to Frankfurt.

Day in Munich Part 2

We finally make it to the English Gardens (Englischer Garten). I read in the guide book that people surf here. I look for where there could possibly be surfers. My husband doesn’t believe me. I never find the surfers. The park is 3 miles long. We only conquer a portion of it. As we walk past some large meadows we witness people picnicking and playing in the first one. We walk a little futher and we view a very tan man standing at attention with his fists on the sides of his waist. He is totally naked and facing the walkway. I did read it was clothing optional in the park but we were not expecting Sargent Naked Dude (my name for him). He seemed really proud of himself and appeared to be seeking attention. We continue to walk past him.
We soon find the peaceful stream we viewed when we entered the park developed at some point to a lazy river of sorts, only with a faster current. We sit and watch many floating down the river.

After viewing the river fun for a little while we head down to the Chinese Tower beer garden. It is a lively beer garden with lots of food vendors.

We decide to try the Stecherlfisch like the locals.

On our way out of the garden we cool our tired feet in the stream. It refreshes us for the rest of the day.

On our way out of the park we hit another park and find a group playing bocce ball.

After selfie time we walk back to closer to where we are staying the night.

It is a beautiful evening and I am not ready to go back.

I talk Carlos into stopping at the famous Hofbrahaus for one last beer.

It is loud and crowded. Even though the fun band is indoors we decide to try our luck outside since it is hot and steamy inside.

We stand around for a bit but now is not the time to be shy. Full tables don’t just open up. You invite yourself to sit with others. We sat down at a not so lively table. The people at our table are not in a good mood. We soon learn why, service is terrible and very slow. And it seems like the tour group of drunk teens at the table next to us get high class attention while our table is ignored. They finally take our order, but before the others at our table….I feel bad. At least we have the fun stag party to watch while we wait forever for our food and beers.

We also see an example of the beer garden cookie that men are supposed to by for the lady they are sweet on. I did not get one 😦

I am glad I went at least once but not sure I will return to this beer garden. It was too touristy. The music was fun though.

We decide to call it a night. We need to pack our bags to leave for Nuremberg and later the airport.
I wish we budgeted more time in Munich. Vacations are way too short!!!

Day in Munich Part 1

The next day in Munich, while still fighting the cold, I force myself up to go sightseeing today.
Again this is the least planned trip I have ever taken but I see that there is a glockenspiel show coming up that I want to see. The glockenspiel is a clock that chimes at certain times of the day accompanied by dancing figurines. We arrive just in time for the show.

The clock is located at the Neus Rathaus (the New Town Hall). The new town hall looks like the old town hall because the old town hall was rebuilt after it was bombed in WW II.

New Town Hall

Old town hall

After watching the clock for a while we go up the tower for views of Munich.

We didn’t spend too much time exploring the New Town Hall since it seemed more like a functional government building versus a tourist attraction but it did have some spectacular stain glass windows inside.

After spending a ton of time at Marienplatz we decided to move on an explore other parts of the city. At one point we ended up at this Michael Jackson Memorial.

We wandered our way around town heading toward the English Gardens which we visit next.

Later I will talk about the visit to the gardens.

Living in fantasy until the sickness kicks in

Today is the day we visit some famous castles.
The logistics of getting to the awesome castles of Bavaria are too much for us to organize so we book a long day tour with Gray Line Tours. We join a line in front of department store. Meeting time is 20 minutes before departure but it clear that people line up earlier than that. We start boarding the bus. We would have left early but some dude on the bus had to run out and get a coffee so we waited for him and ended up leaving a little later than departure time 😦
I have been on many coach tours throughout the years, they aren’t my favorite since I get really tired on the bus. However coach tours are an easy and convenient way to see things that are out of the way, if you don’t mind sticking to their schedule. Plus usually the tour guide gives you some commentary that you just won’t get unless you are an avid guide book reader.
This particular day I am coming down with a cold. Nose is running. It is coming on but I am ignoring it. The snot comes out of my nose with an increasing frequency but I choose to pretend I am ok for the first part of the day; and it works for a little while.

Very beautiful drive through Bavaria. Hard to get a good picture while the bus is gliding down the highway though.
Today is mostly about King Ludwig II. This reclusive ruler was inspired by such palaces such as Versailles and wanted to out sparkle them. He pretty much went on spending spree with building opulent buildings that bankrupted himself, went insane, and died an early, mysterious death.

First stop on our tour is Schloss Linderhof. The king spent his days in this palace in solitude. Stories told on how he ate alone in a personal dining room and the wait staff was not even able to enter the room. The table was set with food in the story below and brought up to him using a pulley system. No photos were allowed inside the palace but the grounds were quite pretty.

The king was into role play. He has a little Moroccan house he like to use. It is now on the property with Linderhof. Around the Moroccan house is when I get violently attacked again by those nasty German biting bugs. I am being dramatic but the bites do hurt and those bugs would not leave me be.

Second stop was the charming town of Oberammergau. Oberammergau’s claim to fame is the passion plays it puts on every ten years. It is also known for its frescos. We had about an hour or so to explore the frescos of the town. I wish we would have had more time here.

Finally we get to the grand finale Schloss Neuschwanstein. There is a 20 minute uphill walk and I find my energy drained. We have some time before our scheduled entrance so we decide to eat at the fancier hotel restaurant instead of the quick service places. We had the place almost to ourselves. It wasn’t the cheapest but it was a nice relaxing meal. I enjoyed my food and the view of Neuschwanstein.

I have forgotten to bring the sunscreen so before we are to walk up I need to buy some, and water, since I have never have too much water.
We start our ascend and I am pooped but the view keeps getting better and better.

From where we enter for the tour we don’t have the best views of the castle but we do have some pretty good vistas of the surrounding area.

The audio tour was pretty informative but once again no indoor pictures. There is another 20 minute or so hike to a lookout area, we have just enough time for it but the sickness and long day has worn me down. I refuse to do the walk, and get the photo of a lifetime. My body says no. So I sit and wait for Carlos. I have some regret with missing out on the experience but I know what my body was telling me. At least I started feeling better the next day. I was able to steal this photo that my husband took. Enjoy!