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A Castle, A Siren, and A Crooked House

Shannon — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:53:10 +0000

I've had fond memories of my Deutsch familie for as long as I can remember. My sister and I would anxiously open our Christmas care package from Germany, brimming with Kinder chocolates, Haribo gummies, glittery stickers, and lebkuchen. Back then, I reveled in my own, personal chocolate/hazelnut renaissance, while it was still the dark ages of Nutella for most Americans (muahahah!). I savored those treats over bittersweet stories from my expat Oma, about what it meant to be a kid growing up in WWII Germany. Seeking my own perspective on the homeland, we ventured to Eddersheim for a few days to connect with my great aunts, uncles, and cousins for an authentic taste of my heritage. Having family overseas is the best. We were greeted with the biggest smiles, warmest hugs, and lots, and lots of cake (afternoon tea/cookies/tarts is kind of a big deal here). The gratis personal guide through Frankfurt, along the Rhine, and to the old house my 'greats' grew up in was pretty nifty, too. [See image gallery at www.cameraandcarryon.com] Highlights for me: touring Medieval Burg Rheinstein (the castle), catching a glimpse of the fabled Lorelei (the siren), bratwurst and potatoes in Frankfurt, and seeing the old home (the crooked house) where Oma grew up. It went by in a blink, and I've sworn to return for a longer stay, partly in response to shameful looks given by my great uncle Hermann, and partly because there's just too darn much to cram in three days from this rich country. Saved for next time >>> Bavaria, the Black Forest, and more of the Rhineland!

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Photo on the Map: Bruges, Belgium

Shannon — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 16:01:13 +0000

Even on a cool, cloudy day in winter, the picturesque city of Bruges is a head-turner. Quiet and comfortable, you never get the impression she's trying to hard; a natural beauty doesn't need much to command attention. Historic, romantic, and a storybook dream, from the top of a windmill we catch a glimpse of rooftops and twiggy trees before dashing off to savor chocolatey, sweet treats.

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Photo on the Map: San Marino

Shannon — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 18:58:09 +0000

One fine day, we found ourselves on a cross-country tour of Italy in a pint sized Smart Car. With our carry ons unpacked in Rimini, Italy, we hit the road for San Marino (a microstate within Italy) just a 30 minute drive away. The day was lovely to begin with but transformed into a lemon. We parked and like magic, clouds rolled in and a light sprinkle ensued. Gusty winds picked up and my hair became ~~a curly tangled frizzy mess~~ chicly undone before we packed it in for the day and retreated to drier grounds (aka... returned to the apartment, changed into our pjs, and read books by the crackling, potbelly fire), but not before snapping a photo of the light beams peeking through the thunderous puffers in the sky. Zooming down the windy road and across the border into Italy, on cue the clouds parted as if to say, "Better luck next time," and the hilly town faded into the rear view.

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Photo on the Map: Balzers, Liechtenstein

Shannon — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 20:32:26 +0000

Say it with me... "Balzers!" Ah ha ha haaaa. Probably the best name for a city. EVER. While Liechtenstein doesn't claim a spot on many must-see lists, it's a great place to make a pit stop when traveling around eastern Switzerland. We snagged another passport stamp and got to run around shouting, "Sir Ulrich von Liechtensteeiiiiin," the whole afternoon. In addition to spending an hour around Gutenberg Castle and snapping this pretty picture of the Alps, we lunched in Vaduz on ultra-scrumptious kaesespaetzle and the Prince's very own Riesling.

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Nothing But Love for the Swiss Alps

Shannon — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 13:45:23 +0000

In celebration of Valentine's Day, we decidedly mixed things up this year. There weren’t any fancy clothes, a dozen roses, or a three-course, gourmet meal. Donning our finest long johns, we left the candy hearts and chocolates (well, maybe not chocolates) to the masses, and made our way to mountains, hoping to score a glimpse of the world famous Matterhorn. From top to bottom, our offbeat love day was one of the best ever, and here’s why… We rented the most picturesque, petit chalet/love nest. Took a train to Zermatt and found the car-free town to be even cuter than we imagined; with horse drawn sleighs, powdery snow, and quaint ski shops. Played in the snow. Saw the Matterhorn in all its mountainous glory. Ordered hot chocolate (with rum). Tried taking a photo of it. Failed at the photo (indoor/outdoor temp difference = foggy lens). Shrugged and enjoyed our delicious adult beverages. Stumbled upon the greatest nutty bread ever, and the amazing goodness of matterhorn-shaped nougat chocolates. Rode the chairlift and found jaw-dropping views at each level. Made it to the Matterhorn observation deck and nearly froze our faces off in the subzero temperatures. A small price to pay for being above the clouds. Breathtaking! Did we mention it was crazy-windy?! Thawed out and filled our bellies with some traditional, hearty Swiss fare... ...and (bonus!) a little oom-pa-pa for the cherry on top.

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