So, it has been a really long time since I have updated the blog. We have been super busy the past two months and time has literally flown by. We can't believe we only have two and a half months left and are feeling really sad about it. There are a ton of pictures on here as we travelled quite a bit and I had too many favourite pictures. So, where do I start? Basically after Greece we were just into our normal routine and waiting for our friend Naomi to arrive for her visit. One Saturday in April Robb told me had to go into work (he has had to work a few Saturdays since being here). So, we made plans to do something when he got home. I had just put Micah down for a nap and was reasoning with Peyton to stay in her bedroom during her quiet time, when she had escaped for the 45th time that morning. Then someone knocked on the door and I was pretty sure it was a neighbour in our apartment complex. I was hoping they were not complaining about the noise or something. However, I opened the door to Tara (my sister)... Best.Surprise.Ever. I truly believed that she wasn't able to make it out here and I honestly had no idea she and Robb planned this surprise. Robb has shown many of you the video where Tara arrives and basically embarrasses me and makes me look awful. Anyways it was a crazy shock. Then we get Tara inside and Robb hands us plane tickets to Dublin for a quick sister trip! Neither of us had any idea about this and Robb had booked everything. Ireland in 24 hours. In true Robb fashion, he booked us a train to Cologne and there were three transfers including one that gave us 5 minutes to get to across 5 platforms to the next train. According to Robb it wouldn't be a big deal. We just had to run. We sprinted and almost missed it! Believe it or not I have never been away from the girls overnight. This was the first time. I was a little traumatized until I realized how refreshing that would be after this past year and the last 3 years. However, as usual, I was a little dramatic about it. Who knew I would turn a little crazy after I became a mom? Anyways, we left Wiesbaden at 5:00pm on the Tuesday and got to Dublin and to our hotel around 1am Wednesday. Oh and by the way, we did make our 5 minute train connection, but barely. So Robb booked us a semi-shady hotel in Dublin, which we only slept in for about 5 hours. He says he was being smart about money because the trip was quick and we would only be in the room for a few hours. We didn't need a Ritz Carlton apparently. But I would have settled for a Ramada or Accent Inn ; ) And in the middle of those 5 hours of sleep, this crazy alarm went in our room, not the fire alarm, but some kind of door alarm. This was like at 3am. Tara called the front desk to make sure we didn't have to get out or anything and the man at the front desk said, "It is okay." Classy. Literally those three words, Tara asks nothing else and that was that. So, who knows what that was, but we really trusted in those three words. Anyway we woke up at 6am and took a train out to the ocean side for the morning to see the beautiful green hills and ocean. We ended up having beautiful weather for the day. We took in as many sights as possible, probably what people would stretch out over 3 days we did in 18 hours. Ireland was beautiful and it was so nice to be in an English speaking country again. It was amazing. I would love to go back to Ireland and get to go into the countryside and spend much more time there. I am thankful though that I got that chance. I guess my telling Robb how disappointed I was we would not get the chance to go to Ireland really paid off! I should start complaining about not heading to Bora Bora next.
We got home at 2am on the Thursday morning. Then on Friday Robb had a holiday, so we went to Strasbourg in France. I had been wanting to go there for awhile and it was cool that Tara was able to visit three countries in a week. Unfortunately, it poured rain the entire day! And we were soaked by the end of the day. But it was really beautiful. We had lunch at a French Cafe and we were able to eat quiche and escargot, so we felt pretty French. I am pretty sure that is how they measure how French you are;-) We recently lost a bunch of our photos and need help recovering them on our computer, so I don't have many of our Strasbourg pictures to put up and the three I put up always have someone's eyes shut in them, so enjoy! Tara left the next day, which was really sad, but not too long until we can see each other all of the time. Though I think after being around the usual Robb and I bickering, our kids screaming, cand my awesome sarcastic wit, she may have been ready to be with her family again. Both of the girls were really sad when Tara left, although Peyton may still have been a little bitter at her since she neglected to bring Isla with her. Peyton continues to tell me daily the things she will do with Isla when she is back in Canada. Having Tara here was amazing and I loved every minute of it.
After this we had a week before Naomi arrived. So, Tara left on a Saturday and then Naomi came the following Monday. Naomi and I met in University and have been close ever since. Naomi actually lives in our house in the basement suite and has become part of our family as she celebrates all major holidays at Casa Dolson.. That's the plumb line for family:) I always have to tell Robb that she was my friend first and so she will always side with me and I get first options to go out and hang out with her alone:) So Naomi arrived Monday and then on Wednesday we went to Salzburg, Austria. Wednesday was Micah's second birthday, the poor thing had to spend it travelling, but she had tons of treats and we made up for it! Fun and interesting point... Mozart was born in Salzburg and his face was everywhere. In the morning, Naomi and I went on a Sound of Music tour, as the movie was mainly filmed in Salzburg. Who knew? This was heaven for Naomi and her life was made due to this tour. I had to calm her down a bit, so she didn't embarrass us too badly on the tour bus. By the end of the tour I was also twirling in the fields, while the hills were alive... It was really cool though and I am glad I got to go with her. Robb hung out with the kids and took them sight seeing and from coffee shop to coffee shop for the famous Sachertorte (chocolate cake). On the tour we went to various places the filming took place and then up into the country side to Mondsee where the beginning of the film shows the country side from a helicopter view. I am in love with the green mountain side and rolling hills. I fell in love with it the same as I did in Switzerland. It is breath taking and amazing. When we finished our tour we met up with the family and took the tram up to the Salzburg Castle.
Then we headed to Vienna. We got in a bit late and then started off exploring Vienna in the morning. Vienna was beautiful, the buildings, the streets, the parks, it was really nice. Mozart, of course is everywhere you turn, his face is etched into my memory. He lived here. At the end of our day we went to the Prater amusement park and rode the Wiener Riesenrad (120 year old ferris wheel), which I did not love so much. I hate heights and this old ferris wheel tilted every time people moved from one side to the other. I was sick. But it was a beautiful view of Vienna at the top. We rented an apartment in Vienna which was really nice and the girls slept well every night. Of course I probably made this all sound smooth and perfect. We had many meltdowns with the kids and frustrations as usual. We actually found it even a little tougher travelling with the girls lately. Maybe they are tired of the stroller and the many, many churches and castles we have made them see in the past year. The only castle of any importance to them is in Disneyland:-) Our last day we travelled back and got to spend some time in Munich before heading home. Robb and I have been wanting to see Munich before we left. It was crazy busy and seemed to be super wealthy. Naomi bought her millionth pair of Birkenstocks there (just kidding Naomi) and we just walked around and saw as much as we could before the girls were done and ready to be asleep. That evening we travelled back to Wiesbaden. Then we had a few more days with Naomi before she left. It's so nice to have people here during the week when Robb is working and can run around with me in the stroller doing all my usual errands and life here. We were sad to see Naomi go. The girls really missed Auntie Namey!
So Naomi left on a Wednesday and then we left on Saturday morning (at 4am I might add) on a train to Berlin. We planned a trip with our friends Hannes and Steffi. Robb works with Hannes and we have all become great friends. They really welcomed us and helped us settle in more quickly. So, Robb and Hannes found cheap train tickets to Berlin, however, the catch was we had to leave at 4am and then we left from Berlin at 8pm on the Monday and arrived home at 2:30am. Both not fun times when you have kids. I think Robb caught me at a weak moment when he asked me about this because I agreed and we booked these tickets. I don't know what I was thinking at the time, especially since we had a long trip the weekend before. So we got ready the night before and then just planned on putting Peyton in the stroller at the last minute and Micah in the Ergo wrap. Somehow, I don't know how, but we got outside with the kids and see that it is 3:50am, our train left at 4:05am. We are about a 20 minute walk from the train station and we knew if we tried to get a cab it would take awhile for them to pick us up. Also I previously mentioned a cab picking us up at a scheduled time, but Robb was like no, what if they don't show up in time and then that wouldn't leave us enough time to walk to the train station and we would be out of luck. So, clearly walking there was the better option. We booked it and ran the entire way down. Poor Micah's head was bobbing the whole way down, because I was wearing her. Our hopes that they would remain asleep miserably failed. We were sweating and majorly stressed out. Also we had the tickets for all 6 of us, so Hannes and Steffi wouldn't have been able to get on the train without us. However, this is obviously not a sad story and we made it with 3 minutes to spare. We were sweating and hot, what a great way to start a trip. I feel like this has come to be normal for us. Anyways, luckily we didn't wreck our friends' trip. Peyton and Micah did really well that day for waking up at 3:45am. It was amazing to travel with Steffi and Hannes because they are German and told us what train to get on, this is what this person said, let's do this, don't do that! It was like having personal tour guides. We wasted so much less time than we usually do! I think we got into Berlin at around 9am, so we had breakfast and then took in a bunch of the sights. We did the usual Berlin things, as you will see in the pictures. On the second day we went to the Berlin Zoo to do something for the girls, and whose kidding who, for me as well. I love zoos. Berlin was really cool and so different from area to area. I really liked East Berlin and the look of that area of the city. We had a lot of fun with Steffi and Hannes and they had a lot of patience with the girls, though they may not want to have kids anymore;-) We got home at 2:30am (the girls thankfully slept well on the train on the way home) and then Robb and Hannes worked the next day. After this and all the craziness of the past two months, I didn't really go anywhere or do anything for a week.
So now our plan is to just see as many of our friends as possible and make the most of our time left and with the relationships we have built. There are many things we are looking forward to about coming home, but feel really happy and have settled in here. We have a few trips left as well over the next two months and we are really excited about them.
Biebrich Palace. Tara wanted in on the family selfies!
I'm not sure how this got into the Ireland mix, but flower planting!
Dublin Castle
Christ Church.
Guinness Brewery
Inside the Guinness Brewer, it was pretty incredible.
At the end of the tour, they give you a pint to enjoy from the Gravity Bar.
In all honesty here folks, we didn't finish as we were starving and tired and needed food first.
Our amazing Irish pub food, Guinness stew and beer battered fish and chips.
O'Neill's Pub
This is in Strasbourg France.
I told you, not our best pictures, but beautiful none the less.
Ha ha my turn to close my eyes, but these are the only three pictures I can access right now.
Salzburg, Austria.
On our Sound of Music tour at the pond they fall into.
View just before we get into Mondsee... incredible.
A little sound of music twirling. The hills were definitely alive!
The Gazebo from "16 going on 17."
View from the front of the Salzburg Castle.
Gorgeous Salzburg.
The view out the back of the castle. I can't get enough of the green!
Our typical Dolson selfie picture.
Vienna Schonbrunn Palace
lol, this picture is of Robb and Naomi laughing at Peyton who didn't like her dad's arms around another woman. Ha ha Peyton was putting her hip out and turning her head over her shoulder glaring at them.
In the palace gardens.
St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Downtown Vienna.
Mozart's House.
Side view of St. Stephan's Cathedral.
Stopped at a park in the middle of the city for the girls to run around in. Micah chased birds.
Peyton took this picture.
The Wiener Riesenrad.
Me, pretending I am enjoying it.
View from the top.
Munich
Rathaus-Glockenspiel
Marienplatz
Micah finally gets to blow out her second birthday candles.
Kurpark, Wiesbaden.
Typical
On the train to Berlin.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, which was badly bombed in 1943.
Our adorable little princesses.
Not so adorable.
Is this really all we have to offer the world?
Fernsehturm Berlin
Alexanderplatz
Micah about to become part of the bubble.
These cuties were excited they could both fit in the top of the stroller.
Berlin Cathedral
Having a drink here, so nice.
A part of the petting Zoo in Berlin.
Eating an ice cream in style.
Group photo at the Zoo, we are in front of the polar bears, though you can't see them.
Reichstag Building.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Brandenburg Gate
Hotel Adlon, best known for Michael Jackson dangling his child Blanket off the balcony.
French Cathedral and Konzerthaus in the Gendarmenmarkt.
Peyton and Micah getting history lessons.
Check Point Charlie
Walking to Check Point Charlie.
This is what you do in the evenings when you are travelling and need your kids to sleep. All the cool kids hang out in hotel hallways.
Amazing to see al the layers of paint on the Berlin Wall at this spot.
Freshly painted all of the artists are back out.
Berlin Wall memorial park
Where the wall used to stand. The stones were the pathway of a secret escape tunnel under the wall.
Watch Tower that was preserved.
On the Wall- forced love:-)
Everyone here thinks we are American, so we might as well embrace it.
Micah pondering the mural.
Oberbaum Bridge
River Spree
Our walk along the East Side Gallery
Ballet Buddies
