Part 3: Germany, Day 1

Thursday, October 21, 2010


Thursday morning we rose around 6:00.  We needed to be ready by about 8:00, as our ride was picking us up to take us to the Catania airport.  Without much ado, we piled into two cars and were on our way.  We got to the airport early and got checked into our flight without much fuss.  The only hiccup came when we neglected to hand our passports to D, and had to check in separately, causing us to sit several rows back from our travelling companions.

Sam, in his usual manner, pulled out his DS as soon as electronics were allowed.  I rested my head on his shoulder and dozed off.  I awoke a little while later, being presented with food.  Yes, our  2 hour, 15 minute flight to Munich served a meal.  We were given the ingredients for a sandwich (roll, lunch meat, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes), some sort of zucchini side dish, and some King's cake.  We were also hot and cold beverages.  I had some water and hot tea, for which fresh lemon slices were provided.  Sam had some Kinnie, a local bitter orange soda.  He was not exactly in love with that choice.  After the unexpected and tasty meal, Sam went back to video games and I began on journaling about the trip.  While this did not affect us, we saw that the flight attendants started moving people who had to catch a connecting flight to the front of the plane.  Having just experienced a connection nightmare, I thought it was great that they did this.  The moral of this story is that Air Malta rocks!

I forgot to mention that before we boarded our flight in Catania, we had some time to kill.  Sam wanted a snack, and ended up getting a prosiutto pannini with a porcini mushroom spread.  I had a couple of bites and was quite impressed.  He had also tried to talk me into getting a Nutella Snack & Drink.  While my love of Nutella is great, I refrained and Sam was disappointed.

Anyhow, back to the story.  We landed in Munich and made our way through the vast indoor/outdoor complex that is the Munich airport.  I accompanied B to the Avis counter, while Sam and D took G to find a snack.  They soon caught up with us at the rental car counter, and Sam whisked me away to find delicious-looking pastries.  This time, I told my will power to go away, and bought a vanilla Danish type treat that was very tasty indeed.

There were some difficulties with the rental car, as D had requested a baby seat and GPS when she made the reservation.  The baby seat wasn't a problem, but they didn't have a GPS.  They gave us a Ford Focus with built-in navigation instead.  Things seemed under control, so we went along on our merry way, and piled everything into the car.  D turned on the navigation system and was prompted to enter a PIN.  PIN?  What PIN??  We looked through the rental paperwork, the handbook and anything else we could find.  When we came up empty handed, B entered a number that made logical sense.  "The PIN you entered is invalid.  You have two more tries before the system is locked for one hour."  Great.  D got on the phone with the Avis people, while the rest of us tried again to find this mystery PIN, and entertain G, who was getting mighty cranky.  We were told to go see the attendant, who would be able to help us with the navigation.  He told us we could wait 1-2 hours while they got the number from Ford.  Um, no thank you.  So we asked for a map and started charting our course toward Edelweiss.

The original plan had been to stay in Munich for a few hours and explore.  Without the navigation system, and with a grumpy baby on our hands, this no longer seemed like a good idea.  D called the lodge for directions, which were only borderline helpful.  We got somewhat lost before finally finding the correct road.  Sam did some fine map-reading to help us get on the right track.  It's a shame he nodded off shortly afterwards, because the scenery was simply stunning.  Lush green meadows, snowy mountains, forests, and old cottages.  Again, exactly what I'd imagined it would look like.

Finally, we entered Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and started seeing signs for Edelweiss, the lodge/resort where we were staying.  It's a strict, secure location where we had to show our IDs/passports every time we entered.  I started taking pictures before we even made it in the door.  It was beautiful, with gorgeous scenery and snow on the ground.  After checking in, we went to our respective rooms.  Sam and I had a standard (very lovely) room, with a fantastic view of the mountains and a small balcony.  The R's had a slightly bigger room, with a living room area, to give the baby space to explore, but they were not as lucky in the view department.

After a short period of rest, we reconvened and headed out to dinner at a traditional German restaurant, recommended to D by the staff at the front desk.  On the way there, we tried to follow the directions that were provided to us, and pronounce all the German street names.  We failed at the latter part, sounding ridiculous and laughing heartily.  We found the restaurant without too many difficulties.  As in Taoromina, we had a very nice waitress.  Sam asked for a recommendation for a good local non-alcoholic beverage.  She responded by saying, "Beer is the local beverage."  We were amused.

After perusing the menu, we made our selections.  Much delicious food was had.  I had some roast pork, dumpling and warm sour cabbage.  Yum.  Sam had the Farmer's Plate, which included several meats and the same sides as my meal.  As Sam delighted in pointing out, B had a wiener plate, and D and the baby had potato pancakes.  Not surprisingly, everything was very tasty.  Just writing about all this great food is making me a little hungry.

The baby's bedtime was pretty early, so we headed back to the lodge.  The R's headed to their room, while Sam and I did some minor wandering around.  Not long after, we too, headed to our room.  Even though there was no bubble bath to be found, I took a nice long, relaxing bath.  Then, we turned in for the night.

Part 2: Taoromina

October 20, 2010


Our first full day in Italy was fantastic.  The original plan was for us to follow D's friend to Catania to go to market.  However, when the time came, D confessed that she is extremely uncomfortable driving there, and asked if we'd be terribly disappointed if we didn't go.  Of course we didn't want to be the cause of unnecessary stress for our hostess, so our plans for the day changed.

We started out adventure by going to the base and getting a quick tour while D took care of some things.  Once that was done, we proceeded to Motta Sant' Anastasia to go the market there (a smaller version of what we would have experienced in Catania).  There were vendors selling all sorts of goods - fresh veggies, cheeses and meats, home goods, clothing, accessories, and anything else you can imagine.  We wandered around for a while, exploring everything.  Sam ended up with a bell pepper and a couple of onions for dinner that night, and D got some spoons and a banana for the baby.  I didn't get anything, just enjoyed taking in my surroundings.  It all reminded me of things I'd seen in Poland in years past.

After the market, we set out for Taoromina.  Oh my word!  It was everything we had expected when we planned our trip to Europe.  It's a small town built on the side of a hill, overlooking the sea.  When we first got out of the parking garage, there was a terrace from which you could see water and mountains for miles.  It was stunning!  I started snapping pictures of just about everything - the view, the church, the library, etc....

Just a few steps further, and we really entered the town.  The roads were all cobblestone and narrow.  The buildings were multiple stories, with store fronts on the ground level, and balconies filled with flowers up above.  Naturally, the picture snapping continued.  We explored a little bit, loving every moment.  D warned us that if we wanted to go into any shops, we should do so before lunch, as many businesses close in the afternoon for ripoza (a resting period that can last several hours, much like a siesta).

Not too long after our arrival,  it was declared time for lunch.  D took us to a restaurant she had been to before.  We were seated in a quasi-outdoor area with the most gorgeous view.  More picture snapping ensued.  We had a very nice waitress who kept coming over to play with G.  There was also a waiter that frequented our table, and walked around singing to himself.  I was struck with how different the pace of life is in Sicily (and maybe Europe in general).
And while we're on the subject of lunch...what a meal!!  It started out with fresh, yummy bread (including one kind that had sun-dried tomatoes) with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, of course.  G had some ravioli with sage butter, which D allowed us to sample.  Super yummy!   D had some risotto that was unbelievably rich and delicious.  Sam and I split some spaghetti with olive oil and garlic, and a pizza with spicy salami and peppers.  Both dishes were so simple, and simply incredible!  Just looking at it, there wasn't much to the spaghetti.  It was noodles, olive oil, fresh raw garlic, freshly grated cheese and some peppers.  However, the quality ingredients shone, and this was truly one of the best dishes I'd ever had.
The pizza was also superb.  It had the lightest, yummiest crust.  It was thin and crispy, but also bready and soft.  All of a sudden, I understood what Elizabeth Gilbert had been talking about in "Eat, Pray, Love."  Oh, and there had been an appetizer, too.  Some caprese - super fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.  Anyone who claims to not like tomatoes clearly has never eaten fresh ones.  So good!!

Lunch was wrapping up.  Just about every morsel had been devoured, and we were all feeling full and happy.  The waiter came by and asked if we wanted any dessert, which we politely declined.  Then, Sam heard that there was cappuccino and ordered one.  The delightful waiter used this as an opportunity to mention that there was tiramisu.  The following conversation took place:

D: (turning to me)  Do you want to share some tiramisu?
Me:  (intrigued) Hmmm...
Waiter:  Okay!  I'll bring tiramisu and one cappuccino!

Hearty laughter followed.
Sam's cappuccino had a chocolate power smile, and the tiramisu was divine!  Entertained, content and full of some of the best food consumed in our lifetimes, we embarked on our adventure once more.

There was more walking around and enjoying the Old World style of everything.  Then, Sam and I went to the Greek amphitheater.  D chose to just walk around with the baby a sit, as she had already seen the amphitheater several times.  On our way in, a guy gave us his tickets.  We were tempted to use them, but in the end, guilt won, and we paid for our own tickets.  We walked all around the amphitheater, exploring every area and view, and taking lots of pictures.  The structure is all stone and brick, and looks like an old ruin, with grass growing between the stones in the stands.  However, it is still fully functional.  Concerts and events are held there, and while we were there, we saw a couple taking their wedding photos.
Behind the stage, some of the brick wall is missing, so you can see the view of the city and the water.  I can't even imagine how incredible it must be to be watching a concert and see all that too.

When we emerged from the amphitheater, D requested that we start heading back to the car, as the baby was getting cranky.  This was after she had presented Sam with a gift, which he was to open a little later.  Of course, we could not leave this beautiful, traditional little town without partaking in something truly Italian - gelato!  We stopped at a little shop that D recommended, where Sam got a coffee flavored treat, and I got a hazelnut one  (OMG!  So good!!!!).  We ate our gelato as we made our way to the car, then started to head home.

Sam opened his gift soon after, and it turned out to be mini-canollis, in three different flavors - traditional, pistachio and chocolate.  We proceeded to enjoy this yummy treat too.  I think the pistachio was my personal favorite.

On the way back to the base, Sam napped, I tried really hard not to nap, and we got a little lost.  After finding our way back, we stopped at the commissary for some grocery shopping.  D got away with paying for the rest of the ingredients for dinner that night (which Sam was making) because we were not "authorized customers."
After groceries, we stopped by B's office, then headed back to the house.  Sam made  goulash, which we had to enjoy without B, who was stuck at work for a while.  G had to go to bed soon after, but he needed a bath like whoa, as D had declared the goulash the messiest meal he had ever had.  Once he was settled, we gathered at the table to play some Disney Trivia.  B and D were kicking our butts for most of the game, but we pulled ourselves together at the end and squeaked out a win.  We had ice cream as we played, which brought the dessert count for the day up to four.

It was then time for us to go our separate ways so we could pack and get ready for our next adventure!

Part 1: Getting to Europe

October 18th-19th 2010

Woke up at 4am on a Monday morning and got ready in relatively efficient manner.  Including taking in a much-needed cup of coffee, I was ready to go by 5:15, with Sam and my dad close behind.  Around 6am, we headed out for the airport.  Traffic was non-existent, parking a breeze, and check-in quick and painless.  We sat around for a while, chatting and people-watching.  We saw a guy run like mad through the airport, take a nice leisurely ride on the escalator, then take off at full speed again.  We laughed at his inconsistency and silliness.  A short time later, Sam and I decided to get to our gate, even though we still had tons of time.  

Our first flight (from Sacramento to Philadelphia) took off on time and was fairly uneventful.  I did some reading, Sam played some video games, and we worked on some crosswords together.  We had a little bit of time on our layover in Philly, so we had some cheesesteaks.  It seemed only fitting (and tasty).  We made our way over to the gate, chilled out, and I called my brother, seeing as it was his birthday and all.  

And so began our second flight.  We boarded on time, but ended up taxiing for a long time because of some customs paperwork issue.  We were the only two people seated in a row of four seats, and greatly looked forward to utilizing the extra space for napping and stretching out.  Sadly, it wasn't long before two ladies (one of them seemingly drunk) came along and asked if the seats were taken.  Sam told them no, and they remained there for the rest of the flight.  Oops.

There was video gaming on both our parts, and some zoning on mine.  Then came dinner.  We had some chicken with rice and veggies, with chocolate cake for dessert.  Hardly gourmet, but surprisingly edible for airline food.  Poor Sam had to consume his food like a T-Rex, as he was wedged between me and Senora Drinky.  We followed our meal with some good old-fashioned Looney Tunes.  A Pepe Le Pew cartoon, though one of the weakest skunk episodes I'd seen.  He spoke no French.  He spoke not at all, in fact.  After the cartoon, we transformed back into adults and synced out screens up with a movie.  Cyrus, in case you're wondering.  It was a very engaging flick that had us dosing off by the halfway point.  We were awoken by the movie being paused for an announcement - "Is there a doctor on board?"  Apparently, there was a medical emergency at the back of the plane.  We were not given any further details (understandably so), only asked to not use the rear lavatories for a bit.

Things really got exciting then.  Sam commenced some video gaming and I tried to sleep as much as possible.  We're pretty wild.  I'm not at all sure when it became Tuesday 10/19.  All I can tell you is that we were somewhere over the Atlantic.  Shortly before the end of the flight, we were served a light breakfast of coffee and cheese pastry.  Again, surprisingly acceptable.  We were seated one row behind a guy who felt entirely too entitled to NOT follow instructions.  As we were preparing for descent, he had his shoes off, seatbelt unbuckled, and tray table down.  When the flight was just about over, he full-on unbuckled his pants to retuck his shirt.

We finally were down on the ground around 9:45am.  We had a connecting flight to Catania at 10am.  The pilot informed us that there would be an agent at the end of the jetway to help direct anyone catching another flight.  When we got to said agent and told her where we were headed, she got a concerned look on her face and told us we had missed the flight.  She instructed us to go on ahead and she'd catch up with us to help rebook our flight.  This did not please us, but we went on our way.  After walking a short distance, we had to get on a tram to head to our gate.  The clock said it was not yet 10am, and I refused to believe that we couldn't still catch this flight.  After all, they knew our other flight had been late, and our luggage had to be transferred.  And so the rushing began.

It started out as a brisk walk, but it wasn't long before we were jogging, then running through the Rome airport.  We followed sign after sign toward our gate.  Every time I thought we might be almost there, there was another sign, telling us to keep going or make yet another turn.  Plus, we had to go through security, then the passport check.  And still, the running continued.  Down corridors, through a little shop, and even down an escalator.  We both had visions of the Amazing Race dancing through our heads as we sprinted through that airport.  Finally, we reached the gate, and found out we had made it!  We were directed outside, where we boarded a shuttle.  "Sam and Malvina, you are the first team to arrive."  We sat there a while, and no one else boarded.  We started getting nervous that maybe we'd misunderstood and had needed to go elsewhere.  Thankfully, the bus started moving and took us to our plane.  We walked up the little stairway to the plane (no jetway for this flight), super relieved.  Because we were the last to arrive and space was limited, the attendants made us check out carry-on luggage.  It wasn't until later that I realized that I had put my purse in my suitcase, and that if anything happened to that luggage, I was in huge trouble.  I had put all my money and identity (minus my passport) in the hand of the luggage handlers.

Sam and I didn't even have seats together on this particular flight.  He found his seat first, and I continued several rows back.  Someone was already sitting in my seat.  Ack!  I hadn't studied enough Italian to properly convey this to the flight attendant, so I put on my most confused look and simply pointed at my boarding pass.  She noticed the problem and just pointed to the closest empty seat.  As I sat there, relieved that we'd made it, but also desperately clutching my passport and panicking over the safety of my bag, the captain declared the boarding of our flight "a mess."

Okay, so we made it to Catania, Sicily.  There, we had to alternate between two baggage claims - one for our original checked luggage, the other for our last minute checked carry-ons.  Once we confirmed that everything had made it safely, we were again able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.  Until we realized our cell phones didn't work internationally (not that I would have wanted to pay for that service), and that we hadn't agreed upon a specific spot to meet D (our lovely hostess).  Curses!  We wandered around the arrival terminal for a while, feeling completely helpless.  And then, the voice of an angel, the voice of Ben (our fabulous host, D's hubby), "Sam?"  Thank the heavens!!  We could finally relax.

The drive to B and D's was calm and uneventful.  When we arrived, D was at the playground with G (their baby), so we took the short walk over to greet her, and meet the baby.  That afternoon was spent relaxing, catching up, and fighting to stay awake.  (We had all agreed that the best way to adjust to the time difference would be to not nap upon arrival.)  In the evening, we got takeout from Alphio's, the little restaurant across the street from the base.  (B is in the Navy, and we were staying with them in the military housing.)  The meal consisted of:  NAS II pizza (hot dog and fries), pizza Erica (cured beef), pizza pistacchio (different and oh so yummy!), and some olive oil fries and Sicilian appetizers, and an eggplant pasta (Pasta Norma, I think).  Dinner was definitely plentiful and super delicious. 

B and D took some time to give G a bath and put him to bed.  Afterwards, we started to watch "Sherlock Holmes," but everyone was ready to call it a night by 8pm.

Testing!

Over thirteen months after getting engaged, I am finally sitting down to create our blog.  The goal is to keep folks involved and informed about what's going on with us, share photos, provide wedding info, and all that fun stuff.  This first entry is more of a test than anything.  The next entry may be a bit of a novel, as I intend to post the recap of our trip to Europe and our engagement story.  (Yes, I know it was over a year ago!)

I welcome suggestions for writing ideas, so if there's ever anything you want to know more about, please let us know!