26 December 2014-
We packed our bags last night. Any idea how hard it is to cram all of those goodies into a few suitcases? We even borrowed a suitcase from Opa as it was going to be a struggle to get everything into the suitcases and duffle bags we'd brought with us (it could have worked but we would have been charged an overweight bag fee…and why do that when we're allowed two bags each? We only had three bags total. We can easily take another one…or FOUR more suitcases!!!!) The bows and arrows are also stashed inside one of the bags. We'll see if they make it back to China (spoiler alert: they did!).
One last look around the girls' pretty room at this very pretty bed and breakfast in Turnau, Austria:
Why is your bow outside the duffle bag, Annika? Please pack it up…NOW!
One last look at the gorgeous breakfast bar. The lighting is a bit dim but I love the cozy feel of this place (using fabric and objects in unique ways to decorate the place):
A peak out our window:
Looks like snow might be coming! We've checked out of the B&B and we gave the owners a sampling of nice green teas and pu'er cha (tea) that we carefully hand selected and sampled at the tea market in Tianjin. I'm not sure if they'll like it but those teas will go nicely with the huge collection of teas they already have (on display in their breakfast nook area).
Yes, it's now snowing! OF COURSE it snows on THE DAY that we have to DRIVE ACROSS Austria (need to make it to Munich tonight so that we can catch our early morning flight tomorrow). Isn't it gorgeous though?
I know this view, this photo, may not mean much to you but every time we're driving and I get a glimpse of the dark houses with the green trim there is a sense of anticipation and build up. It's always exciting because it means I'm getting close to seeing my Opa!
One thing Opa really wanted to do while we were visiting him this time is to crack walnuts. I'm not sure if there is any meaning behind this activity and I can't say I remember doing it as a child (we always had nuts at Christmas time …but I don't remember ever cracking them as a family). Let's crack some walnuts! Get cracking!!!! (yes, they're GOOD)
Oh, and try not to pinch your fingers in the process!
Mama asked if I would show Opa how to do certain things on his new laptop. OH. MY. GOODNESS.
Opa, I'm so very, very sorry but your operating system (OS) is the most difficult one I've ever tried to use! Es tut mir sehr leid! I thought those darn interfaces were supposed to become MORE user friendly…not less so. What the heck??? I nearly felt like chucking his laptop out the window. Thankfully I restrained myself from doing so.
Can I just say, I am VERY impressed at all the things Opa can do on his computer. He understands how to navigate his way around (even though I couldn't make heads or tails of it!). His only issue is that he has such poor vision. All the icons and texts are in such a tiny font that he has to use a magnifying glass to read them. I know that if this were a MacBook we could help change those settings for him but we didn't have a clue where to even begin to change those settings for him. Kudos to Opa for figuring out his laptop and writing emails!!!!
Cracking walnuts:
Peek outside Opa's window. This view has changed over the years….I remember there being a giant billboard on the road next to the covered bench. The snow…the snow. Wow! The snow is REALLY coming down now!
Darn it. Darn it! Drat! I hate this….I truly do….
But it's time to say good bye to Opa. The time was too short (it always is) and we need to leave. I predict a very slow, cumbersome drive to Munich if we have this sort of snow the entire way there.
Opa and the girls:
With Mark:
With ME!
Opa, we love YOU SO MUCH! Opa wir lieben Dich sehr viel! Wir wünschen das wir länger bleiben könnten. Leider müssen wir zurück nach China gehen.
The girls sampling the snow flakes. Clean, beautiful snow flakes. Girls, how do they taste?
And….
We're off.
To a very creeping, s-l-o-o-o-o-w start. In the time we stopped in at Opa's place enough snow had fallen which made getting out of Opa's driveway difficult. Yikes! I hope the rest of the drive goes better but the snow is coming down. (it's covering the Earth like a gigantic white blanket).
You'll have to stay tuned to hear how the rest of the drive went! 😉