A Scrap of Life

Today was a quiet day, as we had to jump on a plane for our next stop - Germany! Brian and I landed in Munich and took the long train from the airport to our AirBNB in the city.  Once checked in, we decided to walk the mile to Munich Residenz and some of the nearby sites. It was beautiful but also very cold, as Munich got snow overnight (it was melted when we arrived).  Then we came back to the AirBNB to hit the store for some groceries so we could make dinner. Honestly, we never cook on vacation but the streets were weirdly empty and restaurants were super sparse. Also, high school German is not super helpful 30 years later. I couldn’t read any of the menus. Mr. Moody would be so disappointed. lol  One of the reasons we like AirBNBs, besides the extra space, is that it gives us a place to do laundry. This is important as Brian and I travel light.  We spent the evening in our place just relaxing and watching a movie while our laundry got washed and dried. Despite not...

Today’s wake up call came in the form of “Red Red Wine” blaring from the garbage truck outside our window. I tried to ignore it and snuggle back up in bed, as I was exhausted. The jet lag hit last night and I couldn’t fall asleep until 4am. *snore* Brian and I went out this morning for breakfast at the local cafe around the corner, where we had delicious croissant breakfast sandwiches.   Afterwards, we thought we would wander a bit more but it started raining and I was already getting cold. We headed back to the room to relax for a few and I added a pair of leggings under my pants so my legs would be doubly warm. Thank goodness, because I would need that warmth.  Today, we joined Those Amsterdames for an e-bike  tour through the Dutch countryside and to Zaanse Schans , a wonderful little spot where they have several working windmills. Along the way we rode though a nature conservatory, rural neighborhoods, small towns and (my favorite) past a working chocolate facto...

We got over 10 hours of sleep last night, so woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready to go! When organizing this trip, we had originally planned to go to Austria first. But sometime later, we watched the series A Small Light on Disney+, which told the story of Anne Frank and her family from the viewpoint of Miep, one of the people key to hiding and supporting the Franks for the 2 years they were in hiding. We finished the series and were so touched that we just had to visit Amsterdam and the Anne Frank House.  I was online as soon as the tickets went on sale to ensure we got to visit because it sells out quickly. We also paid a bit extra for a little learning session beforehand.  From the room where we met, you could see The Annex, an addition to the original building that wasn’t visible from the street. This is where the Franks and friends hid.  Going inside the Annex was really amazing. We even got to see Anne’s original diaries along the tour. Such a great sto...

 We're so excited for our next adventure! But first, we jump on a plane... or two. Travel days are some of the most stressful times for Brian and I, and this trip out was no exception. We left Portland at 10:30am on Friday and finally arrived in Amsterdam at 2:30pm on Saturday.  Our layover in Seattle was extended because Delta/Virgin Atlantic kept changing our departure time in the months leading up to the flight. Then the flight was delayed day-of. That means we had to find something to do for six hours at SeaTac. That was just a long time to wait though. Soooo boring! We boarded our longest leg of the journey - the 9 hour flight from Portland to London. We booked Premium class, which we really enjoy because it’s more spacious and the seats lay back more. Sadly, our in-screen entertainment didn’t work. And because I’d gotten a new phone recently, I didn’t have any shows or music downloaded to phone. That was a LONG flight when you couldn’t watch a show or listen to music. Th...