National Lampoon's European/Christmas Vacation

We were in Germany and Austria during the beginning of December. I won't pretend that traveling across the planet seven-months pregnant with three kids in tow was completely relaxing but we DID have an awesome time. Continuing with the title of this blog entry, I'm going to tell about our trip through movie titles...

The Christmas Story - Both Austria and Germany are SO beautiful year round but particularly during Christmas. We drove through the snow-covered Alps, walked through quaint old towns full of lights and church bells, and enjoyed the many Christmas markets full of unique gifts and yummy food and drinks.

Shrek - On the transatlantic flight over I kept trying to recline my seat back but it kept getting shoved back at me. After a few attempts I got up to face this massive German man that in ogre-like fashion said "no" over and over as I asked him why he wouldn't let me recline my seat. The guy next to me finally explained that he was about 6'8'' and I retorted that I was about ten-months pregnant...the flight attendants got involved, etc. (and took my side I might add)...I'm generally an easy going person but the thought of sitting upright on an overnight flight put fire under my Santa-like belly.

Munich - We flew into Munich. We didn't see much of the city during this trip but were VERY glad to finally arrive. We landed around 8 a.m. (which is midnight home time...hello jet lag!!!)

(O)Mama Mia - Our first stay was in Graz, Austria (Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown) to stay with Bjorn's grandma. The boys were so excited to meet their great-grandma that they had only known through pictures and the gifts/chocolates she had sent over the years. Though verbal communication was limited, smiles and hugs were exchanged and the kids enjoyed their stay with "Omi."

While You Were Sleeping - As I mentioned, we landed in Germany just as their day was starting and our day at home was ending. This is a pretty rough way to start off a vacation (especially for kids). The boys woke up in the middle of the night the first night in Graz ready to play. Thankfully they had a lot of activity books to work on until the sun came up. It took a good three days to semi-adjust to the new time zone.

Big - Here's a math problem for you...pregnant lady+14 or so hours of flying=swollen everything

O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Being the frugal folks that we are, we opted to buy an old-fashioned map instead of paying for a GPS with our rental car. There were more than a few times that I in so many words asked Bjorn "O Brother, where art thou????" We always got to our destinations...we just took many "scenic routes." ;)

The Interpreter - Bjorn thankfully grew up speaking German. His German skills were especially useful when we were taking our "scenic routes."

Phantom of the Opera - Our next stop was in Vienna where we stayed with some friends of Bjorn's family. They were kind enough to watch our kids one night so Bjorn and I could go see the opera "Die Fledermaus" (The Bat) by Johann Strauss. I think we paid about $3/ticket to see an amazing, professional opera. They even had English subtitles which made it a lot more enjoyable for me. While in Vienna we also met up with an old classmate of Bjorn's and went to a fun kid-friendly Christmas market with her and her family.

The Sound of Music - Our next stop was Salzburg which is "Sound of Music" territory. Bjorn put on his leiderhosen and I whipped on my maternity Julie Andrew's dress and we sang "The Sound of Music" on a mountain. Okay, I'm kidding...although some of you know we would actually do this if the opportunity presented itself...maybe on our next trip. In Salzburg we stayed at a quaint little family-owned bed and breakfast. We were able to walk around town and hike up to the famous fort. The boys favorite part was the old weapons and armour they had on display.

Chocolat - I'm attempting to get a year-supply of food and after our trip, I am well-stocked in the chocolate department. I can't say it will last a whole year but if we had self-control, it could last that long.

Seven Pounds - Another math problem...me+chocolate from our trip=seven pounds ;)

We Were Soldiers - Our final stay was in Garmisch, Germany which is a small skiing town where the Winter Olympics were held back in the 30's. We stayed at a lovely resort that was built a few years ago for people in the millitary and their families. We drove to some nearby castles, took a carriage ride through the town, and did a lot of window (and a little real) shopping.

Big Daddy - Elise has recently started calling any man that is not Bjorn "Grandpa." She pronounces it "Papa" which in German means "Daddy." She amused a few German/Austrian men (and their wives/girlfriends) when she'd point directly at them and say "Papa!"

Never Ending Story - The flight over was long but the flight home...oh, boy. I don't know all the meteorological details but the head/tail winds add a good two hours to the first leg of the flight home. In Atlanta we had a SIX hour layover, plus our flight was delayed. The boys literally sleepwalked onto our final flight and we got home around 2:30 A.M.

The Terminal - Note to self: bring extra clothes for toddlers when traveling. Elise is such a cutie but by the time we landed in Atlanta, she had stains all over her clothes and her diaper had leaked. Her hair was a mess and she didn't want to wear shoes...(can you hear the hilbilly music playing?) I could almost see the pile of dirt following her around the way it follows that Charlie Brown character. We essentially set up base camp during our long layover where the boys fell asleep on the chairs...

It's a Wonderful Life - The trip was full of ups and downs but mostly ups...it was festive and fun and a great place to be during the Christmas season. And like George Bailey, we were also very happy to be home again.

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