Bad Schallerbach

Steve’s research connection was at the Bad Schallerbach Rehabilitation Center in Austria.  He worked about eight hours a day and then we had the evenings to stroll around the parks and the city.

The Rehab center borders a river and on the other side is a city park with lots of walking and biking trails, flowers and playgrounds.

Valentino’s was one of our favorite places to go for pizza and ice cream.

This was the view from the floor where we stayed at the Rehab center.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed our time in Bad Schallerbach even though much of it was spent working, we enjoyed spending leisurely evenings without TV, phones or internet.

Not Enough Words

There are not enough words to describe what a great Dad that Steve is to his daughters.  For a guy who grew up in a family of four boys, he did not hesitate to nurture, protect and love his daughters.

Happy Father’s Day!

Shauna, Steve and Heather at our Father’s Day dinner.

Steve and five of six grandchildren. (We missed you James and Melissa).

Thank you for all you do as a father.

Salzburg in the Spring

Salzburg is another place that we have visited several times, but this particular day was the most perfect, glorious, sunny day.  Everything was just a little more beautiful that particular Sunday in May.

Mozart’s birthplace.

Hohensalzburg, the fortress that sits above the city.

Sunflare off one of the steeples of St. Peter’s.

St. Peter’s Cathedral.

Beautiful architecture in Salzburg.

This is from St. Peter’s Stiftskeller, the oldest restaurant in Europe (803) where we ate lunch – weinerschnitzel of course!

After lunch we went across the river to Mirabel Gardens.

The gardens were lovely although some of the flowers were recently planted and just starting to fill out.  By mid-June they should be in their full glory.  I love the “Sound of Music” city.

Happy Birthday Kay!

Happy Birthday to my favorite sister!  This is from a few years ago but we haven’t aged a bit since then.  Hope you have a wonderful day!

Partnachklamm

The Partnachklamm in southern Germany is a spectacular 2290 foot gorge that frames a surging white-water river. You can walk the length of the gorge along a pathway cut into the limestone rock just a few feet above the river.  You weave through pitch-black tunnels and emerge into daylight to gaze up at waterfalls feeding into the gorge from 263 feet above. 

This was taken on the hike up to the entrance to the gorge.

Look up in the trees for a bridge.

There was a raging river and then we broke out into the open after going through the gorge.

And what do the pictures below have to do the the river gorge?  Well, Partnachklamm is just outside of Garmisch-Partenkirchen which was home to the 1936 Winter Olympics.  Munich has a bid in for the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.  The decision will be announced in July 2011.

The Ski Jump World Cup was held here in 2010/2011.  These photos don’t really give you the perspective of the height of this ski jump….it is really high!

No Longer Toothless

James at eight months is pulling up to stand on everything, walking around furniture and even standing alone for a brief time!

But the big news for him is that he finally has two teeth! (and the most beautiful blue eyes)

Ettal Monastery and Basilica

Steve has recently read “Bonhoeffer” by Eric Metaxas.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr. He was also a participant in the German resistance movement against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church. His involvement in plans by members of the German Military Intelligence Office to assassinate Adolf Hitler resulted in his arrest in April 1943 and his subsequent execution by hanging in April 1945, 23 days before the Nazis' surrender.  He spent several months writing and studying at Ettal Monastery in late 1940 to early 1941.  We were interested to see the Basilica and the monastery (founded in 1330 by Benedictine monks) where there is now a school, monastery, church and a brewery.

I love old doors and this one was beautiful and worn.

This gorgeous chandelier was the centerpiece of the basilica.

The front altar area.

The ceiling of the basilica….I am speechless.

A plaque honoring Bonhoeffer and Mayer and the Nazi resistance.

The monastery brewery founded in 1609 and still working.  It was a beautiful day and an interesting visit.

James Professional Photos

I take photographs of James every chance I get, but you just can’t beat the quality of professional photos.  James had a photoshoot at about 7 months at a park in Houston.  Following are a few of my favorites.

It’s been about five weeks and he has already changed somewhat….more hair, two teeth and he never sits in one place anymore.

Ehrenberg Ruins

Just above the little hamlet of Ehenbichl where our bed and breakfast was located while we were in Bavaria and Tyrol are the Ehrenberg Ruins.  A little history: “The fortifications of Ehrenberg stand at a strategically important point known as the Ehrenberger Klause ("gorge" or "narrows"). The first castle of Ehrenberg was built in the 13th century, before being expanded and, for a time, becoming the legal center of the area before the court was moved to Reutte in the 16th century.  The fortifications eventually were planned to be occupied by a garrison of nearly 1000 soldiers, before being largely destroyed in the French invasion of Tyrol in the early 19th century.” 

In other words this castle and other ruins are very old!

View of the ruins from the road below.

They had a museum at the base of the mountain and it was about a 15 minute walk up to the castle ruins.  There were lots of informative signs in and around the ruins to give some history and luckily some were in English!

View of a couple of towns from the ruins.  It was so amazing to us that there was anything left standing that was built in the 13th century.