Don't blink, or you'll miss it!

Three countries in the same day.... gotta love Europe!!

We left Munich early and spent most of yesterday at Fussen, where we toured around the beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle.

Germany's most famous castle.

"Love Locks" on the railings of
the bridge over  Marienbrücke..

Austrian landscape - gorgeous!

After a wicked good meal (of REAL meat this time - LOL!!) at a cool little steak haus near the Austrian border, we headed to Innsbruck - and of course, we had to drink a bit more beer last nite... How could we not?? LOL!

This morning, we rode a cable car and two gondolas (google Nordkette, if you are interested) almost all the way to the top of Hafelekarspitze. We hung out until the clouds burned off, allowing us to hike around and get some amazing views of the Alps. By mid-afternoon, we were back in the Fiat and racing down the bundesstrasse once again - destination: Lucerne, Switzerland.

Innsbruck - from the Seegrube leg of the gondola ride.

Here's where the fun fact for today comes in: We were in Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland... all within a few hours - where else except Europe can that happen!! So cool.

Liechtenstein is the world's 6th smallest country.
Don't blink - or you'll miss it!

Tonite, we chilled at the lounge in our hotel here on the shores of Lake Lucerne, and I paid just over $20 for a spiced rum..... oy.... Tomorrow is planned as a 'shopping' day, since old-town Lucerne is apparently the quintessential Swiss Alpine experience - from chocolate to watches to knives to cheese.... So be warned - if I'm bringing you a souvenir, it will likely be from here! And it maybe slightly melted! Ha ha!!


Cheers!!

Willkommen!

Well, we made it to Germany! And in two days, I've already managed to kick a couple of things off my bucket list - woot!! I'm probably going to have to let photos help me tell most of the story, since one pic is worth a thousand words....

Lookin' pretty good after 9 hours on a plane!

On the Autobahn! The Fiat was pushing 150km and
we were passed like we were standing still! Yes, Fiat.... Oy....

It appears our hotel may have been in a 'seedier'
district of Munich.... but still a very cool area of the city.

One word for this place.... DISTURBING.

One word for this place..... CRAZY!!!

The biggest party in Europe, so we were told.

Where do we start?!!

There were more drunk men in knickers than
I ever could have imagined!!

My bestest friend Jynelle, making sure we didn't go beerless.....

My first Oktoberfest bier!!

Mmmmm, bratwurst....

So we drove at startling speeds on the Autobahn, drank surprisingly good München-brewed beer while making new friends at Oktoberfest, and visited an amazing albeit unsettling memorial site. The next leg of our itinerary - although we are making it up as we go, so I'm not sure if that's what we should call it - is taking us to Innsbruck, Austria. There are alps and castles and all sorts of interesting Austrian things to see.... Can't wait!!

Cheers!

Things that go BOOM!

Today Sheila and I zipped into Boom Lake. She had to be back for work early this afternoon, so we left Canmore at the crack of dawn..... okay well not quite the CRACK of dawn, but shortly after..... and we were rewarded with having the entire trail and lake to ourselves! It was incredibly peaceful.

What on earth is THIS?? Anyone? Anyone?

 

My foot gives perspective with
respect to the size of the.... fungus??

The gentle hike was a nice precursor to the stupid-busy, albeit short, week ahead of me, which begins Sunday morning at work. However, I'm able to keep it all in perspective - because by this time next week, I'll be filling up on Oktoberfest beer and sausage!! Oh yeah baby! Bring it, I say!! LOL!

Cheers!

Lucky me!

I know I've said it before, like probably a hundred times..... But I'll say it again..... The mountains are my happy place!

No matter what is happening in my personal world - it could be crumbling down around me - and even if the weather outside is complete crap, as soon as I roll into Canmore, I am instantly soothed. Instantly. Every time. There is something so incredibly calming about being surrounded by all of the gorgeous rocky peaks. They are like the giant, welcoming arms of a much-needed hug. I love it!!

And I am grateful for any opportunity I get, to be out enjoying the fun things available to me in my own back yard.

I am also super grateful for all of the amazing people that I've met and for the new great friends that I've made! We've spent many fantastic days outside together and have had tons and tons of laughs..... Caroline, Sheila, Megan, Linda, Tim, Shawn..... It has been an awesome summer and I'm excited for the good times to continue!

Cheers!

The Road Not Taken

Choices - we're faced with them every day. Some are inconsequential: Do I wear the brown sweater, so it hides the coffee I'm likely to spill all over myself? Or how about the green one, because it matches my eyes.... LOL! But there are times in life, when a conclusion we must come to is very  consequential. And that my friends, is where I was this past week.

A little background for you:  For me, the last couple of years have been extremely interesting, both personally and professionally. Over the course of the last four or five months especially, things have happened and opportunities have arisen, all of which have driven me into a serious state of self-reflection. I typically go about my life on a day-to-day basis, never giving much thought to 'x' number of years down the road, and I usually turn to Expedia for comfort during stressful times (as opposed to ice cream - LOL! - booking a plane ticket is the best stress relief I know!!). It is super easy in my world to just lock the door and leave.... and ha ha ha isn't THAT an appropriate analogy..... Oy!

Anyway, back in May, I applied for a job with a different company. And for the record, it was NOT because I don't like where I'm at.... it just happened to be a combination of life events and timing, as well as my thoughts on lifestyle in general, etc... So I submitted my resume... and the closing date came and went, months flew by, and I didn't give it another thought until.... I was offered the damn position a week ago!

Now, I don't need to bore you with specifics.... but carefully, closely, in painstaking detail, I reviewed and compared and considered all of the options.... back and forth, back and forth, I was like a freakin' indecisive cat at a door on a cold day... and yep, for a day or two, I really, truly, thought I was going to go for it!

In the end however, I declined. And it's all good. I love my life and I love where I'm at. It was the right choice for me, right now.

No regets. No 'what-ifs'. No second-guessing. It is simply one of the roads not taken.




A little voice inside my head said,
"Don't look back. You can never look back."
- Don Henley


Cheers.

Fifty Years!

Whoa. Half a century - that's how long my Mom and Dad have been married. Whoa!

Their anniversary was actually in March, however timing-wise it worked out better to have a big party in September. And a big party it was! The weather was perfect and we ate and drank like.... well, like we always have, here on 18th Street! We had way too much fun!!

I think they even still like each other!!

Fifty years of marriage. That's quite a milestone! Now, it's not one that I have any hope of achieving, that's for sure - LOL! But I am certainly proud to have been part of their equation for 44+ years.

Thanks so much to everybody who joined in the celebration - it was a most fantastic day!!

Rooftop antics - anything to get the pic...

Cheers!