Enns and goodbye to the Erlachers and our return home {Europe Trip, Part VI- The End!}

We had an incredible trip!  Kenneth and I really enjoyed our time together; a late 10 year anniversary trip.  We also loved seeing our dear friends the Erlachers.  I may have mentioned it in one of the pervious posts, but Dirk was an exchange student in Potsdam, NY when Kenneth was also in school there.  So, Dirk was in our ward during his semester long stay in New York.  Manuela, his wife and their new baby, Enora, joined him a couple of months later.  We spent quite a bit of time together and had a blast hanging out, eating good food and getting to know each other.  As I think back on it now, I can't believe I only knew Manuela for 2 months- 8 years ago!!  It feels like I've known her forever and that we are the best of friends.  Once again, it was hard to say goodbye.  Tears were shed once again and we vowed it would not be another 8 years until we see each other.  We already have plans to let the girls visit our homes and spend some time in another country when they get older.

Our last morning in Austria, Manuela took us around Enns a little bit.  It is the city in which they live and is actually the oldest city in Austria.  Charming little place.

So, these are actually taken right before we visited Mauthausen:

Manuela and I in Enns- Matilda sleeping in the same carrier Enora slept in 8 years ago when I knew them in New York

A side street in Enns- I love the onion dome in the distance.

Love the flower boxes!

These next pictures were after we came back from Mauthausen (it's only 20 minutes from the Erlacher's home)

The Erlacher's home.  They are actually planning on tearing it down in another couple of years and building a new one on their property.

They have chickens just like we do!

Daddy Dirk kissing Matilda- the big girls looking on- in their happy kitchen

Kenneth and I tried on Dirk and Manuela's traditional Austrian clothes.  They still wear them to weddings and other special occasions.

We had fun trying them on!

The whole bunch!

Erlacher family

 

Here is Manuela holding Emma in the hospital 8 years ago- the day we said goodbye.

Saying goodbye 8 years ago.

Phillipa sure loved Kenneth!

 

 

We had a great flight home.  Kenneth and I watched movies pretty much the while flight.  I figured those were a good 12 hours going out into the great void, because of the time change, so I may as well use them to do something I rarely do.  I watched:  Maleficent, Heaven is Real, Saving Mr. Banks and part of Mom's Night Out.  Oh, and a few of the funny parts of Frozen I wanted to watch again.  We were so excited to get home and see the kids!  Kate wasn't at all sure how to react to seeing us again.  I think she thought we were gone for good and had already adapted to her new life with Grandma.  She let us read her stories and she let me put her to bed, but she looked at me strangely and did not act normally with me at all.  The next morning, she was back to normal with me- thank goodness!

Pig Pile Daddy!  We missed you!

They couldn't get enough of Dad!

I wanted to include just a few pictures of Grandma with the kids.  They had so much fun with her!  After we returned home we had just a day and a half with her before she flew back home.  But, at least we get to see her at Christmas, too!

Doing the puzzle we brought back from Austria.

Grandma and Kate reading the Friend

Grandma reading to Kate again!

Happy kids with Grandma.

They love Grandma!

Thanks again, Mom for caring for the kids while we were gone!  You are amazing!

THE END!!! (Boy! That only took me a month to accomplish!!  You better believe I feel so happy to be caught up right now!)


Mauthausen {Europe Trip, Part V}

In a lucky twist of fate, we happened to plan on visiting Mauthausen on a drizzly, gray day.  I had not heard of Mauthausen before this trip, but it was one of the World War II Concentration Camps.  In my previous time in Germany, I had not ever visited a Concentration Camp, nor have I seen a movie about them.  I knew a little, but not much of what went on.  I'll just say, the weather matched our experience there.  Children under 14 are not allowed to visit.  I understand why.  If my children had been with me, they would have been so confused to see me so emotional.  We spent 3 1/2 hours at the concentration camp and still didn't even get to see it all or hear all the stories or read all the material available to us.  It was very sobering indeed to think of what the prisoners there endured and to think of all who inflicted the torture as well.  I don't think we realize how lucky we are in our lives.  I definitely believe I need to cherish my freedom and opportunities instead of complaining about all my insignificant problems. 

Outside the Camp

Another view

The gates

Here I am reading about the Wailing Wall

Center courtyard of the camp

Inside one of the barracks

Plaque on the wall in the memorial room

Day of Liberation, May 5, 1945

Another Courtyard

We went back and forth as to whether we would visit Mauthausen and I am glad that we did so that in a small way we are more aware of that portion of history.  As sad as it was, it was important to see.

Hallstadt, Austria and Linz, too! {Europe Trip, Part IV}

This was probably one of my favorite days of the trip- (Except that Manuela wasn't with us.  The little ones needed a regular day with mommy in the midst of our visit, so she stayed at home this day).  We visited a small 'quintessential Austrian' village up in the Alps.  Situated right on a lake in the midst of towering mountains, this small village had a charm like no other place I had ever been.  We had the most gorgeous weather we could have asked for.  So amazing!  I hope to go back again someday!  We met a couple from the US there who come to Europe every year and were returning to this village in particular after 20 years.  The man has had a picture of his wife in this village on his desk at work for the last 20 years.  He thought he should update the picture!  It was fun to meet them.
Hallstadt was just about 2 hours from the Erlacher's home, and a beautiful drive through the mountains.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!

My love and I

Took this picture to have the Hallstadt name on the side of the boat.

Storybook material, I tell you!

Love the flowers and vines.

Kenneth tried to make friends. . .the swam just hissed at him.

The houses go right up the hillside.

More ice-cream! Love the flowers! (and the house, of course)

There I am with my ice-cream in front of a house owned by Pilzes.  Notice the gray sign above my head.

We had planned on taking a trip on the big Hallstadt boat  in the picture above until we realized we could rent this little one for less money.  It was perfect.  I was the captain first, then Dirk took over so I could be photographer.

From the boat

Another from the boat

See how the village is squished between the lake and the mountain?  That's what makes it so cool!

A 'castle' across the lake from Hallstadt.

Amazing scenery

Hallstadt from the middle of the lake.

A hotel or two and the church

Kenneth, loving life!

There were also swan boats for rent.

I love the colors of the buildings and all the flower boxes on each balcony!

I made Kenneth pose so I could get a picture of that cute couple in the background in traditional dress.  They still wear it sometimes just to go out, Dirk says!

The swan again.  Amazing!

The main town square.  All the kids came for ice-cream after school.

Ah, the mountains!

A house we passed on the way back to the parking lot.

House right next to the parking lot with a field of sheep to the side.

View from the side of the road on the drive home.  It was so pretty we asked Dirk to pull over so we could take a picture!

On the way home, we stopped by a grocery store and bought amazing Austrian breads and pastries.  So delicious!  (Although at this point, I really needed some vegetables!)  We stopped in Linz on the way home.  These next few are Linz:

Cathedral in Linz- it is huge!

Streetcar in Linz.  I thought the gnomes were cute and that the kids would get a kick out of seeing it. 

Had to take a picture of a bakery.  Delicious!

Linz from a look-out point.

Church right by the look-out point.

A glorious day!  Only one more day of sightseeing left.