The Last Day

Isaac:
Looking back on our two month trip through the continent of Europe, I have a list of the things I liked, disliked, hated, and loved for all the things that we did. I shall now show you that list.
Loved: Being with family in Tuscany, taking a gondola up to the top of Der Dachstein and having a snowball fight on the glacier in Austria, the hikes in the canyons and the underground city in Cappadoccia, the Greek island of Hydra, reading books on the Kindle.
Liked: Riding the ferry boat on Lake Constance, going to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City and the Byzantium Cistern in Istanbul, the night train from Venice to Vienna with the sleeping car, Ephesus (because it was very interesting and historically significant), the Parthenon, the Pantheon, the Coliseum, Herculaneum
Disliked: Ephesus (because of the sun), the Blue Mosque
Hated: The time we walked all the way to the Tokapi palace in Istanbul only to find it was closed, Venice

Ezra: I think Isaac did a good idea. I think I'll be a copy cat.
Loved: when we had a huge feast in Tuscany, the cookies that Baba got for us that looked like mustaches, MEOWSERS (I mean the cats that we saw everywhere), riding the mechanical bull in Istanbul and swimming in the Aegean Sea.
Liked: the gelato they sold in Europe (Isaac was obsessed with Straciotella)-- I also liked their popsicles--, steering the motorboat on Lake Constance
Disliked: when we got lost in Venice, and also how there was so much smoking in Europe
Hated: Writing in my journal, when I saw a cat and I had to leave and the cat looked at me like, "Why are you going?"

Jacob:
We went on a big trip. We went to the mountains. I rode on an orca in the pool. I loved riding the gondola on the mountain. I also liked watching the water taxis in Venice. I loved doing a snowball fight. I loved having ice cream. The cookies didn't count as dessert. I didn't like going in interesting churches because it takes so long because everybody keeps going. I loooooved seeing Nana and G-pa. I loved seeing Uncle Dan and making fingerprints on his sunglasses. I loved seeing Uncle David and Aunt Carey and my cousins Henry and Johnny. I hated walking in the streets when they were hot. I liked trying to catch jellyfish but our sticks didn't catch them. I loved looking at the submarine but I didn't go on it. I liked resting my feet on the subway. I liked climbing the giantest mountain. I loved my stick Chickenfoot. I hated the anthill that was inside the house in Istanbul. I liked picking the ripe mulberries. I hated being in the Coliseum. I loved playing games on Mama's phone. I disliked getting sweaty.

Elizabeth: I'm sure I can't improve on the above lists, but I can say again how wonderful it was to see family and friends in new places, and how happy I was to be walking, biking, swimming, climbing, swinging, see-sawing and running (except when we were running for the train, which happened...a few times). I also LOVED ONEBAG.

The trip by the nouns and numbers, by Peter:

Things lost: blue food bag, Isaac's goggles, one deck of cards, at least one of Jacob's socks, Jacob's pajama top (he had some wild nights), a scarf

Planes flown: 9 (so far - excludes the 2 flights tomorrow)

Trains ridden in: 18 (so far -excludes metros -- 1 train tomorrow).

Cars rented: 4

Gondolas traveled in: 1 in Venice and 1 in Ramsau (both very well-suited for their specific terrains)

Boats/Ferries: 11

Hot-air balloons/Zeppelins: None! Are you crazy?! What a bad idea.

Other forms of transportation taken: metro, tram, bus, taxi, funicular, bicycles, vaporetto (water taxi), feet, Mama and Baba's shoulders.

Countries visited: 5 (or 6, if you count the 10 minutes we spent walking around on the platform in the Zurich train station)

Pictures, if you're interested: http://flickr.com/gp/stieplechang/09yx4k/

Frigid lake

Blogger of the day: Ezra The engine started and we sailed out to the middle of Lake Constance. My dad and brother and I were renting a motorboat for a few hours in the evening while my mom and Jacob stayed at the house and watched Kiki's Delivery Service. Our dad told us to put our bathing suits on under our shorts so Jacob wouldn't know we were going on a boat. We were going to jump off the motorboat and into the lake. We drove on and on -- too long! -- but our dad couldn't remember whether he was supposed to stay closer than 400 meters to  land or farther than 400 meters from land. So he stayed at exactly 400 meters. But when I was finally allowed to swim I swam.I jumped in FREEZINGLY COLD water!! I swam about in the cold, cold water (do you think I have stressed how cold the way was?!). Only staying in the water for 30 seconds, I reached out for help to get back in the boat. Now it was Isaac's turn. He made many excuses. He looked for any reason not to get in. He wanted to know if there were sharks. He wanted to confirm it was a fresh water lake. We made many videos of him asking many questions. No, Isaac, there are no alligators. No, Isaac, there are no sharks (we had to tell him this many times). So finally he ran out of excuses (even one where I had to go back in the water one more time and look under the boat with my goggles to assure him there were NO SHARKS!!!). He jumped in and popped right out as if he actually HAD seen a shark. We drove around for another while (we got to drive the boat - I made many turns -- circles and circles). As we drove back to the dock, I thought to myself that even though the water was frigid, it won't stop me from trying new things.

Meeting our friends

Blogger of the day: Isaac

Today we said hello to some new visitors in the house. Dan, Mai-Lin, and baby Milo. So accompanied by these new friends a walk was taken around the small town Wasserburg. At the end of the walk a playground break was organized. After that we came home and prepared to come to a swimming pool near the park. At the swimming pool the water was lovely and warm and so we swam for nearly 2 hours! After that we came home and rested before a steak and chicken dinner at the hands of my father. 

Exploring Wasserburg

Today we spent a low-key day touring Wasserburg, childhood home of super friend and colleague Johanna Kramer. Courtesy of Mr and Mrs Kramer's sightseeing tour, we found the best smoked fish, the oldest church, and the most beautiful views of Lake Constance. Of course the boys were also happy to discover a lakeside playground with a zip line, trampoline, and climbing tower. Ended the day looking across to the Swiss Alps with a spritz on the balcony. 

Note Zeppelin in background--it was invented nearby. 

Sorry we didn't save any spritz for you this time. 

Train ride west

Blogger of the day: Isaac

As I write this to all of you followers, the Changlemans are riding on a 5+ hour train ride to Wasserurg Germany. As I write this, I shall look back on what we have done in Vienna and Ramsau, Austria. When      We got off the night train a cab took us to the rental car place. After we got the car, a drive to Peter's second mother's (Gerlinde's) house was in order. Almost immediately after a comfortable settle down, it was up and at em' for a walk to the Belveder palaces. It wasn't remotely interesting considering we really only sat on a bench and looked at the palaces. The next day was much more exciting! A trip to the Hafsburg palace/museum, arms and armor museum, Ephesus museum, and the art museum. The next day we took a 4 hour drive to Ramsau. The next day it was a gondola ride to the top of Mt.  Dachstein that was in order. At the top we snowball fought, raced, and ... Just plain ran. Day two in Ramsau was spent hiking up to a restaurant and hiking back down. Also it was the day Peter celebrated turning 38 and the twelfth anniversary of my parents. The next day we drove home and slept. Afterwards the next day was used to head towards the music museum and explore (which you heard from Jacob) before today boarding the train. As I finish writing we are still speeding towards our destination to be there soon...

 

Ezra's catchup post: A Gondola to the top of the mountain

We traveled to Ramsau to stay in an apartment in the mountains for a few days from June 28-30. We decided to ride up the mountain in a gondola--not the gondola you take in the water. So we went inside the gondola. It was fairly small. There were big windows all around and when we went really high up we could look out the windows from all sides. We saw big mountains that were quite steep and snowy. The gondola finally got to its high station and I stepped out. Then I smelt the cold cold air. It was SO COLD. We walked out of the station and saw a bunch of snow. There were steps going down to the snow field and a steep moving sidewalk to bring you back up. So I knew when I was finished with down the mountain I'd have fun riding up again. Then we crossed the "road" where we had to watch out for skiers and snowboards coming up on the t-bar lift. We found a little hill to run up and down. We ran up and down a lot of times. On my last run my dad and my brother started shooting snowballs at me as I came down. Finally we rode back up the moving sidewalk. At the last part of the sidewalk I hid behind the corner with a snowball and popped out and got my dad and brother as they rode back up. It was a wonderful day at the top. 

Dear Jacob requested to make this report from Haus Der Musik

I went on a great really great adventure. I saw musical things that were very interesting. This is the great end of the museum. We are going out to have our lunch. When we get there I will have a big surprise. I saw a giant drum in the museum that keeps making light. I don't see how the drum works because it was very giant. I said "mama, can we please turn."  But then, then, then. We turned on the path. We went on the path following my steps. The waltz was very nice and musical. 

A different gondola

Also had to add that we rode a gondola up to the top of Der Dachstein (3000m) which was very confusing to people who had just been in Venice. And on the way down, Isaac and Peter accidentally rode on the top--outside!!!😱😱😱😱

The mountains of Austria

And celebrating Peter's birthday with a very exciting candle!

Vienna and Der Dachstein

Taking advantage of wifi in the House of Music (where Isaac created a "Namadeus" -- musical composition based on his name) to show what we have been doing:

Hapsburg palace

St Stephens Cathedral