God has blessed us good!!!
Signing off for the Blissful Friesen Family Adventure,
Janet
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| Waiting in Amsterdam for our flight |
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| In North America! (Minneapolis) |
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The End of the Epic Adventure
Just to cap it all off, I thought I should write one last post!! We've had a lot of fun, connected again with our European "children" and their families, and experienced things we never dreamed of! We have celebrated for what literally is, a few months now, and now when we thought it couldn't get any better, we came HOME to more warm weather and best of all our family and friends!!
God has blessed us good!!!
Signing off for the Blissful Friesen Family Adventure,
Janet
God has blessed us good!!!
Signing off for the Blissful Friesen Family Adventure,
Janet
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Nearly over
We have landed in Minneapolis and are back on North American soil!
We have nearly reached the end of our epic adventure!!! It is with great sadness and anticipation that we say goodbye to this time of our life. ReAl life will be a difficult adjustment!! Paying bills, cooking and laundry aren't looking that appealling at the moment! But seeing all of our family & friends has a very strong pull!
One thing we all expressed, was we will be happy to spend time alone!!! As well as going shopping, groc or other, will be a real treat when we don't all have to follow each other around the store, bumping into each other each time we turn around. Tia says "no offense, and no offense taken".
It is great to be so close, really looking forward to seeing you all.
J
We have nearly reached the end of our epic adventure!!! It is with great sadness and anticipation that we say goodbye to this time of our life. ReAl life will be a difficult adjustment!! Paying bills, cooking and laundry aren't looking that appealling at the moment! But seeing all of our family & friends has a very strong pull!
One thing we all expressed, was we will be happy to spend time alone!!! As well as going shopping, groc or other, will be a real treat when we don't all have to follow each other around the store, bumping into each other each time we turn around. Tia says "no offense, and no offense taken".
It is great to be so close, really looking forward to seeing you all.
J
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Last Hooray in Amsterdam
Yesterday was our last day as legal tourists!! We made the most of it!! After a late late night at the Tins of BBQ & friends,we slept in, but then packed up and left for Amsterdam- the final stop on our tour!Annika & Andeas drove us there. A 2 hour drive at a smooth 180kms per hr. Seems to take no time at all. After dropping our bags at the hotel, then took the train into Amsterdam. Amazing canals and restaurants along the banks, VERY many people again, truly felt like tourists again!! The kids took a peddle boat down the canals, walked by Anne Frank's house, enjoyed a few whiffs of marahuchie walking past the "coffee shops"!! Enjoyed the boats with people having picnics on them as they cruise down the canals, and various other sights you don't see in Canada!!
We then came to the difficult task of saying goodbye to our extended "family"! Annika and get brother Andeas stayed as long as they could, then dove the 2 hrs home.
We're staying in a beautiful hotel near the airport, and will catch our flight home at 2:00pm, Monday,which is 7am Monday your time. We arrive in
Minneapolis around 5pm.
So see you all in a day or so.
Love J
We then came to the difficult task of saying goodbye to our extended "family"! Annika and get brother Andeas stayed as long as they could, then dove the 2 hrs home.
We're staying in a beautiful hotel near the airport, and will catch our flight home at 2:00pm, Monday,which is 7am Monday your time. We arrive in
Minneapolis around 5pm.
So see you all in a day or so.
Love J
Friday, August 12, 2011
Lintdorf
Hey y'all,
We are finally at the Tins, Annika's house, and am loving every minute. Today we went on a tour of a Lindt chocolate museum. It was very informative; we learned that chocolate is bad for your liver, but good for your stomach and diherra. (definitely spelled wrong) We then we to a huge cathedral nicknamed 'the Dom.' Later, in the evening, after a delectable cheese fondue, we went to this small town called Zones. We went to a restaurant for beer and other beverages. It was a fun day, but must be signing off soon.
Oh, one more thing, as we were driving home from the quaint little walled-in town we drove through a tunnel. (apparently there are no speeding limits, so we were going 200 clicks an hour, just sayin') Annika then pointed out that the tunnel was 1074 meters long and exactly 4.1 meters high. There was a big semi in front of us. Mom and Dad totally bought into this, but they couldn't see her face. She was smiling ear to ear. Lying! That semi was at minimum 4 meters high, but we trusted Annika! Well, we have learnt our lesson. (she did admit later that she was just 'puling their legs')
It's now dawning on me that our trip is nearing an end. No more homestay students, blogging, and endless speed limits. Though I love it here, I do miss home. Tomorrow is our last full day, and the Tins' are hosting a neighbourhood barbeque. Looking forward to it!
Tia
Keep up the comments! Loving to hear from the audience!
We are finally at the Tins, Annika's house, and am loving every minute. Today we went on a tour of a Lindt chocolate museum. It was very informative; we learned that chocolate is bad for your liver, but good for your stomach and diherra. (definitely spelled wrong) We then we to a huge cathedral nicknamed 'the Dom.' Later, in the evening, after a delectable cheese fondue, we went to this small town called Zones. We went to a restaurant for beer and other beverages. It was a fun day, but must be signing off soon.
Oh, one more thing, as we were driving home from the quaint little walled-in town we drove through a tunnel. (apparently there are no speeding limits, so we were going 200 clicks an hour, just sayin') Annika then pointed out that the tunnel was 1074 meters long and exactly 4.1 meters high. There was a big semi in front of us. Mom and Dad totally bought into this, but they couldn't see her face. She was smiling ear to ear. Lying! That semi was at minimum 4 meters high, but we trusted Annika! Well, we have learnt our lesson. (she did admit later that she was just 'puling their legs')
It's now dawning on me that our trip is nearing an end. No more homestay students, blogging, and endless speed limits. Though I love it here, I do miss home. Tomorrow is our last full day, and the Tins' are hosting a neighbourhood barbeque. Looking forward to it!
Tia
Keep up the comments! Loving to hear from the audience!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Church and more Schnapps!
Bonjour, ciao, gutentag, hello,
This morning we had a delectable breakfast of all the food groups. We we to the Grandmother's church in a little steeple high above the town. Very cute and quaint. We came home and played quite a few rounds of Bananagrams with Anna and Benny before lunch. "Lunch" was the cakes and pies we had for dessert yesterday along with coffee and whipped cream. I was saying we should do that everyday at the lake! After out afternoon coffee we went for a drive along the Austrian countryside. We saw cows and grass and rolling hummoks and we thought of Teletubbyland! We saw the church where Anna's parents got married, an original pioneer house, and waterfalls high up in the mountain. We were so high the clouds were below us, well, the clouds were really low, too. We rushed home to eat again; a meal of potato salad, greens salad, and schnitzel. It was one of the best meals I've ever had. 2 of Anna's cousins then arrived; Julian and Stephanie, twins, just a month older than Anna. We quickly hopped into the car and drove to a super-de-duper fun water park with 3 slides plus one that dropped for 14 meters. (Unfortunately) that slide was out of order. Darn... Well must go to bed the mama says. Gutten nacht!
This morning we had a delectable breakfast of all the food groups. We we to the Grandmother's church in a little steeple high above the town. Very cute and quaint. We came home and played quite a few rounds of Bananagrams with Anna and Benny before lunch. "Lunch" was the cakes and pies we had for dessert yesterday along with coffee and whipped cream. I was saying we should do that everyday at the lake! After out afternoon coffee we went for a drive along the Austrian countryside. We saw cows and grass and rolling hummoks and we thought of Teletubbyland! We saw the church where Anna's parents got married, an original pioneer house, and waterfalls high up in the mountain. We were so high the clouds were below us, well, the clouds were really low, too. We rushed home to eat again; a meal of potato salad, greens salad, and schnitzel. It was one of the best meals I've ever had. 2 of Anna's cousins then arrived; Julian and Stephanie, twins, just a month older than Anna. We quickly hopped into the car and drove to a super-de-duper fun water park with 3 slides plus one that dropped for 14 meters. (Unfortunately) that slide was out of order. Darn... Well must go to bed the mama says. Gutten nacht!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Austria, Anna's House, and Schnapps
We have arrived at Anna's house safe and healthy. As soon as we got here the presents and liquor flowed. We had big noodles and two sauces; mushroom and turkey, also salad, beans, and bread. The wine a was a comin'. We then had banana and chocolate cake and apple pie. After that we had schnapps! If there is one word I learn from the German, it will schnapps. The grandma was talking about walking the 4 kilometres to town and dancing and drinking more schnapps.
This morning we left around 9am, packed up the car, and had breakfast from a grocery store. We drove all day, except for the occasional pee stops and nap times (more so for Dad). Our GPS is very faithful and trustworthy; good ol' Simon. (he's got a British accent!)
As we were driving and about half an hour away, we passed a McDonald's. That was a sight for sore eyes. When we passed the golden arches our car went from bring the sleepy, exhausted bunch that we had been for the past 6 hours and turned into one full of excitement. Those arches represented freedom, they signified fat and grease. We needed it, it was our lifeline, our livelyhood, but most of all, our connection to Canada. Well, super long story and description cut short, we didn't stop. Our lives were over a we knew them. No actually it wasn't nearly that bad. I wasn't even that hungry, but, hey I had to make it interesting somehow. Our day was very uneventful, yet a good break.
This morning we left around 9am, packed up the car, and had breakfast from a grocery store. We drove all day, except for the occasional pee stops and nap times (more so for Dad). Our GPS is very faithful and trustworthy; good ol' Simon. (he's got a British accent!)
As we were driving and about half an hour away, we passed a McDonald's. That was a sight for sore eyes. When we passed the golden arches our car went from bring the sleepy, exhausted bunch that we had been for the past 6 hours and turned into one full of excitement. Those arches represented freedom, they signified fat and grease. We needed it, it was our lifeline, our livelyhood, but most of all, our connection to Canada. Well, super long story and description cut short, we didn't stop. Our lives were over a we knew them. No actually it wasn't nearly that bad. I wasn't even that hungry, but, hey I had to make it interesting somehow. Our day was very uneventful, yet a good break.
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| Welcome to Austria! |
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| Schnapps after dinner! |
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| The specially made banana Canada cake for dessert! |
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| The dinner table at the Fechtigs. |
Friday, August 5, 2011
The 7 Hour Hike!
Well, ciao, folks who are still listening,
As most of you would have guessed, the hike did not take us 7 hours, unfortunately. (That would have made for a great story to tell my kids!) The hike, unbelieveably, took as long as the not-completely-untrustworthy Rick Steves said. In fact, it took us less than 2 hours, who woulda thunken! We are currently in Venice, well just outside. Our hotel is just a bus ride away from the heart of Venice. (Am I spelling that right?) We just got back from the beautiful canals and views and a long day of hiking. We arrived off the bus and rode the boat at 10am, it is now 9:45pm. (For those of you who have trouble with time...Annika...that is a long time walking!) Apparently I will be shut done in 5 minutes, so I must dash.
A message for Uncle Dan and all those wishing to see pictures, these computers and Ipods we are using to blog do not have SD slots and Mom forgot or did not think to bring the USB cord for the camera, so no pictures until Annas house, which we are arriving at tomorrow, well actually her Grandmas. We should have tons up then!
Thanks for all the prayers, we have recieved lots of them!
Tia
As most of you would have guessed, the hike did not take us 7 hours, unfortunately. (That would have made for a great story to tell my kids!) The hike, unbelieveably, took as long as the not-completely-untrustworthy Rick Steves said. In fact, it took us less than 2 hours, who woulda thunken! We are currently in Venice, well just outside. Our hotel is just a bus ride away from the heart of Venice. (Am I spelling that right?) We just got back from the beautiful canals and views and a long day of hiking. We arrived off the bus and rode the boat at 10am, it is now 9:45pm. (For those of you who have trouble with time...Annika...that is a long time walking!) Apparently I will be shut done in 5 minutes, so I must dash.
A message for Uncle Dan and all those wishing to see pictures, these computers and Ipods we are using to blog do not have SD slots and Mom forgot or did not think to bring the USB cord for the camera, so no pictures until Annas house, which we are arriving at tomorrow, well actually her Grandmas. We should have tons up then!
Thanks for all the prayers, we have recieved lots of them!
Tia
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| Our 1.5 hour stay in Pisa. |
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| Can you tell we´re tourists? |
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| In front of a military museum in Venice. |
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| Dad´s new look! |
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The end of Ronald Mcdonald?
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| Smurf ice cream. Just for you Chloe!! |
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