War Eagle Travelers

Lucerne 12-18-11

2011-12-18T13:35:00.001-06:00

Famous Swiss monument to fallen soldiers

George, the driver

Swiss alps

Swiss highway

Marta, our host

Sue & Curtis Smith

Alps

A busload of world- wide travelers

Today is the final day of our European adventure. My hat's off to the staff of the Auburn Alumni Travel Group and Collette Tours.... a very enjoyable and informative trip. A good overview of Europe at Christmas time.... Germany, France, Austria and Swittzerland... 4 countries in 8 days. ... All about the Alps, the medieval villages, the Christmas market and just having the opportunity to meet people from all over the United States. We met some fine folks from Vermont. A question I posed was, why would you leave Vermont in the middle of winter and travel to the Alps? Marta, our Collette host, did a marvelous job and George , the bus driver, well what can I say, traveling through the Alps in winter. Good job, George. This will be my last blog entry. We leave the hotel at 5:00 am for the airport in Zurich and head for Alabama. I will post some more pictures from Lucerne. I hope you have enjoyed this blog.

Paul Klee, Swiss Artist 12-18-11

2011-12-18T13:07:00.000-06:00

When you are traveling, you are always trying to broaden your knowledge. Bern is or was the home of a renowned artist, Paul Klee. While I never felt I had the skills to be an artist, after looking at some of the drawings of Mr. Klee, maybe I underestimated my talents.

Paul Klee was really too original to be associated with any artistic movement. He created thousands of exquisite drawings and prints, and delicate paintings of mixed media. His work was characterized by (deceptively) simple looking use of line and color, wit and an often child-like view of subjects.

Early child hood Klee drawing.

Bern 12-17-11

2011-12-18T10:46:00.000-06:00

View from our hotel room and street scenes in Bern. Two more inches of snow fell in the night. I know everyone is tired of me telling you how pretty it is here, just look at the pictures and make up your own mind.

Auburn Tigers, World Wide 12-18-11

2011-12-18T10:09:00.001-06:00

Jack & Marta, Colette Host

AU Grad from South Carolina

Curtis & Sue Smith, Auburn

Linda & Jerry, Captured by Alabama Fan, Ellen

More Fans

All In

Last day in Switzerland, headed home tomorrow....

Singing our way through Europe 12-17-11

2011-12-17T11:29:00.001-06:00

Jamie Anton, Rock & Roller

Allow me to introduce you to Auburn fan,(my friend, too) Jamie Anton. Future Grammy award nominee. Jamie, wrote, produced, played the music and sang the lyrics to "706 Union Street". Go to the web site, view the video, play the songs. For autographs, see me.
http://netfrets.com/

Snow scenes 12-17-11

2011-12-17T11:11:00.000-06:00

Linda & Jerry, Our hotel

Scene from bus

View from porch

Train tressle

View from hotel

Babbling brook

Rest stop on interstate

Black Forest Blizzard 12-17-11

2011-12-17T01:49:00.000-06:00

Ellen, A true Auburn Fan

Aubie playing in the snow

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. 3 or 4 inches of snow fell in the night. Everyone enjoyed the snow. Aubie had a great time. We left the Black Forest later in the morning, drove down through the Swiss Alps to the city of Bern. I have a better connection now. Enjoy the pictures.

Strasburg 12-16-11

2011-12-16T16:59:00.001-06:00

Lunch at Cafe Legruber, Strasbourg

We drove to Strasbourg, France today. Beautiful trip. Great drive through the Black Forest. If you have never been to Strasbourg, go there. Before you go, learn some French. Especially if you want to stand a chance in getting what you want to eat....just saying...I was able to buy a couple of bottles of a French Bordeau wine for 2 euro's. Can't wait to get home and let Jerry Hankins enjoy my expensive French wine.

Strasbourg Ill River Canal

Strasbourg Official Christmas Tree

Jean, Jamie & Ellen, Group dinner

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

Neuschwanstein-Bavaria's most famous castle

War Eagle Travelers, Lindau, Lake Constance

Mountain view from Weis Church

Weis Church

Just driving along

Black Forest 12-15-11

2011-12-15T15:57:00.002-06:00

We left Oberammagau this morning and headed for the Black Forest, passing by Neuschwanstein Castle and having hot chocolate in Fussen. After a lunch and sight seeing stop at Lindau, located on an island in Lake Constance, we proceeded to Brietnau to our hotel. We received a very informative talk on cuckoo clocks. If you have any questions about them, please ask. I am a fountain of knowledge. I would love to share with you. After that, we had dinner at the hotel. A new experience in the way it was prepared. They brought out a hot rock (600 degrees) and you cooked your own meat entree. Afterwards we had a very enjoyable evening listening to a local choir sing Christmas carols for about an hour in an 800 year old church. For the last song, the choir sang "Silent Night" in German as we all sang along with them in English....another trip highlight. The scenery is stunning, the accommodations are wonderfu,l and the internet connection is slower than Christmas. I gave up putting pictures on tonight. I must get some sleep, we are off to France tomorrow. Wine, escargot, cheese and assorted breads.....can't wait....
It is hard to explain how neat it is to be in a medieval city, with cobblestone streets, quaint shops , foreign restaurants and churches centuries old.

Zauberstubn Cafe 12-14-11

2011-12-14T15:00:00.004-06:00

Broadway Actor Miller Libe

Munich

War Eagle Travelers

Our new friends from Vermont
We had a good meal and are looking forward to tomorrow. We leave inthe morning, traveling through southern Germany, along Lake Constance, into the mysterious Black Forest. Can you say cuckoo clocks? Tomorrows activies include Hummels, wood carvings and a to die for briefing on the history og cuckoo clocks. I will send out a detailed report on this subject. See you at the next post.

Hof Brau House 12-14-11

2011-12-14T14:38:00.003-06:00

Harry, Amanda & Ellen

Jamie & Jean

Jerry, Aubie & Linda

Aubie

A good time was had by all. I do recommend the "Knuckle of Boar" as an entre should you frequent this establishment.

Munich 12-14-11

2011-12-14T14:04:00.000-06:00

Aubie at the Hof Brau House

Today was a very interesting day. We traveled to Munich by motor coach. Upon our arrival, 7 members of the War Eagle Travelers broke off from the tour group and proceeded to Dachau, to tour the infamous WWII concentration camp. We took a train from Munich to Dachau and then a bus to the camp. After a 2 hour tour, we retraced our steps to Munich, had a late lunch at the Hof Brau House and rejoined our group. We saw the Glockenspiel and other items of local interest. After returning to Oberammergau, we had a group dinner. We sat at the table with a group of people from Vermont. Most of their knowledge about the South came from watching the "Swamp People" on TV. We assured them this was not a good representation of the South and invited them to come down and visit. One person with their group was a Broadway actor, Miller Lide. We really enjoyed meeting this group of people.
MILLER LIDE made his Broadway debut with Sir John Gielgud and Vivien Leigh in Chekhov’s Ivanov. Other Broadway appearances include two Peter Ustinov comedies and Ellis Rabb’s highly acclaimed 1975 revival of George S. Kaufman’s The Royal Family. He toured the United States with Katharine Hepburn in Enid Bagnold’s A Matter of Gravity and played two seasons with the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Connecticut. Featured roles in regional theater have taken him to the four corners of the United States — from Alaska to Florida, from Maine to California. Mr. Lide lives in Manhattan, where he does voice over work in addition to stage performances.

Lunch in Innsbruck 12-13-11

2011-12-13T23:47:00.000-06:00

The men are waiting on their pizza.

These pictures were taken yesterday. We are leaving in about one hour for Munich. Today we shall see the Glockenspiel, Dachau, the Marienplatz and will eat at the Hof Brau House.

Ellen, on the train to Seefeld

Jean and jamie on the train to Seefeld

Lunch time 12-13-12

2011-12-13T23:19:00.000-06:00

Our ladies, awaiting a delicious lunch of Italian Pizza in Austria.

Seefeld Horses 12-13-11

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Jamie, Jean and Ellen, after their Seefeld Sleigh ride.....

Seefeld, Austria 12-13-11

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One horse open sleigh country.

Innsbruck 12-13-11

2011-12-13T14:41:00.001-06:00

Sue and Curtis Smith, War Eagle Travelers from Auburn.

Innsbruck 12-13-11

2011-12-13T14:02:00.004-06:00

Today was great. It started with a traditional German breakfast at our hotel and then a journey through the Bavarian Alps, ending in Innsbruck, Austria. The scenery was stunning. Our host, Marta, does a very good job tending to the needs of 45 travelers, keeping everyone on schedule, heading in the same direction. Upon our arrival in Innsbruck, Angelica our new guide, gave us a walking tour of the city itself and afterward we were free for shopping and lunch. At 2:00 we departed Innsbruck , by train, for Seefeld, Austria. we were high in the Alps. We then took a sleigh ride on a two horse open sleigh, complete with woolen blankets and apple snapps. This journey lasted about an hour, through the deep woods. Bells were ringing and people were singing. (I credit some of this to the snapps) A good time was had by all. It was unanimous, in that this was one of the trips highlights to this point. I will publish pictures of todays events in a separate post. The picture on this post is Sue and Curtis Smith, War eagle Travelers from Auburn. A very nice couple, whom we are fortunate to have met on the trip. I might add the snow in the woods was almost two feet deep.

pictures 12/12/11

2011-12-12T11:04:00.002-06:00

Linda & Amanda Kearkey, Upper picture, Kearleys & Hatfield, Lower pictures

USA to Europe 12/12/11

2011-12-12T07:37:00.002-06:00

We had an ueventful trip from Atlanta. All of the Auburn Travelers made it along with their luggage. There is a big difference between curtains when you are traveling on the airlines. (Not to call names but our airline started with DELTA). As I made myself as comfortable as I could, in a seat designed for a 12 year old, I saw an ad touting their 4" leg room expansion. Must have been a different airplane. Given a choice of entrees for dinner, I chose the pasta. I do believe that any self- respecting Italian would hang his head in shame, to know that this pasta dish is considered Italian. The cheese and crackers were great. I watched a perfectly terrible movie called "Rise of the Planet of the Apes". I will never see apes in a zoo in the same light again. When we landed in Munich the PA anouncer cautioned the passengers on the otherside of the curtain to stow their personal viewing device and retract their leg rest. How nice.

But that is not what this trip is about. Pictures posted are of Harry and Amanda Kearley and Linda and Jerry Hatfield. The next pictures are Ellen Snider, Jamie Anton and Jean Anton. The last picture is of Curtis and Susan Smith. Our Hotel is pictured and a mountain above Oberarmorgau is shown. We are taking it easy today, fun stuff starts tomorrow.

European Xmas Market, Departure Eve

2011-12-10T15:02:00.004-06:00

Departure Eve....Everyone is packed and awaiting tomorrow to board our planes for our international flight from Atlanta to Munich. We will be arriving in Germany on Monday morning to a temperature of 42 degrees. Forecast for the week will be snow, light snow, light rain. Highs in the 30's. That's o.k. though, after all we are going to the Alps. War Eagle Travelers on this trip are Linda and Jerry Hatfield of Wetumpka, Amanda and Harry Kearley of Prattville, Ellen Snider of Huxford, Jean and Jamie Anton of Fairhope and Sue and Curtis Smith of Auburn. More on each traveler as our journey progresses. The image is a view from the Zugspitz in the Bavarian Alps.

Europe's Christmas Markets 12/10/2011

2011-12-09T13:41:00.004-06:00

Have you ever wanted to travel to Europe? Does a journey through the snow

capped Swiss Alps strike your fancy? Can you see yourself drinking wine, eating cheese and bread in France? Does a trip through the Black Forest invoke images of picturesque valleys and vineyards or just a lot of trees? How about Neuschwanstein, the most famous castle in Bavaria, otherwise known as the "Cinderella Castle", is that something you would like to see? If so, then come along with Aubie and the War Eagle Travelers as they embark on a Christmas journey through France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Pack your bags, the trip starts Sunday.

2011-11-29T13:33:00.001-06:00

Off the boat in Lanai, onto a ferry to Maui to catch the looong flight back to Alabama. ETA in Auburn Wed noon. What a great trip!

2011-11-28T15:22:00.001-06:00

Last day in these beautiful islands~touring Lanai City this afternoon, then a massage, then our farewll dinner on the Safari Explorer~all thanks to Orbridge.