Travel in Germany/Switzerland question

[ShirleyM]

I figured that would get your attention...

Well....Troy is graduating from IU in May ~ Magna Cum Laude, Major in Chem, Minors in Math and Germanic Studies....his biodad *finally* came up with a load of yrs of back support....(and he's an atty, no less!)

This $$ happened in January...and since then we've decided the boys and I will travel together to Germany. Both boys speak German nearly fluently and have been there before...

My question: Have you been there? How important is it to book rooms in advance? (hostels, pensions, B&B's, Gasthous)

We are flying into Zurich May 11, spending 3-4 days in the Jungfrau region via rental car, and visiting Chateau du Chillon, then to Germany: via Strasbourg, Fra, then Köln (Kölner Dom, no overnight there), Rhine valley (St. Goar area) 2-3 days, München 2-3 days, Salzburg Austria 2-3 days, then back to Zurich and home on the 29th.

Any suggestions about prior reservations or just taking our chances -- we don't like schedules, we have a flexible itinerary, and we are good at roughing it. Yes, we'll be packing everything in one backpack each.

Thanks in advance...

Shirley

PS: Steve has to teach, the boys have to work in June, Steve hates to rough it, and someone has to take care of all the critters...

[Mafiaman]

I was in Germany for just under 4 years, you are going to love it!
1) must) Eat a Jager schnitzel
They use Mayonnaise on their fritten ( french fries) It's great!
I was about 50 Km from Aachen a small town called Geilenkirchen.
The hotel there had one bath room per floor. It's the norm.

Get a rail pass the trains go every where.

[Phishnoob]

Eww Mayo on fries

The autobahn, the beer, the wonderful sausages, heck even leiderhausen I can take but some things are just wrong.

Phishnoob

[Junkzoo]

Wow ! Sounds cool Shirley,,,Been to Austria and Germany a few years back,,ok more than a few(10) on a skiing vacation.can't tell you how things might have changed since,,
but you gotta check out Munich(rail system is great)and the McDonald's sell beer! .
Spent most of my time in Kitzbuhel,Austria skiing, cool place to check out, the town is great! do a bus tour to Salzburg etc. if you can,,,,(I/we expect plenty of pics!)
If you have room in your backpack, someone here would LUV a German "Beware of Dog "sign,,,any hardware store in Germany would have one,,,
oh and maybe a Schaferhunde (ask the boys) if you have room.

[ShirleyM]

You crack me up, Jeff!

I will remember the sign for you I promise...now, just send me that note to my private email address AFTER we leave so I don't forget...it will auto-forward to my yahoo acct.

Well, let's see...the boys loved the mayo/FF thing, we're aware of the bathroom situation....what's a Schaferhunde? Hund is dog....

Well...Do we need reservations in advance to avoid having to stay at pricey places?

Oh, and I'm trying my best to learn as much German as I can...been doing workbooks and CDs since February...just doesn't come easy like Spanish did...

But the boys speak so fast I'd never keep up...and they speak all the slang stuff...and understand the Bavarian accent...

Oh yes...MEGA pictures!

~ Shirley

[cath]

Shirley a Scharfehund is a vicious dog. (literally sharp dog)

The sign in German would read: Achtung! Dorthin ist ein Scharfefund! (Beware of the dog)

I was in Germany in 1973, and did the poor student route with Youth Hostels. I didn't mind that one bit. Our teacher/guide was a native German, and she made reservations for us. I quite agree with the Eurailpass. That's the least expensive way to go.

[ShirleyM]

Thanks, Cath!

We have a German rail pass which also includes Salzburg and Basel. It's much cheaper to rent the car for 3 or 4 days in Switzerland than to get the 3-country Eurail pass...

~ Shirley

[Junkzoo]

Originally posted by Junkzoo
If you have room in your backpack, someone here would LUV a German "Beware of Dog "sign,,,any hardware store in Germany would have one,,,
oh and maybe a Schaferhunde (ask the boys) if you have room.

Shirley , I meant a sign,,,,AND a real Schaferhunde (living,breathin' life -size one ,,,,,LOL) A German -German Shepherd,,,,,

[ShirleyM]

You'll get the sign....but don't know about the Schaferhunde---

That would be cool, wouldn't it!?!

[cath]

Eeek! I just realized that I misspelled the word..
scharfe Hund (2 words...at least that's the way I remember it...more than 30 years ago)

[Junkzoo]

Originally posted by cath
Eeek! I just realized that I misspelled the word..
scharfe Hund (2 words...at least that's the way I remember it...more than 30 years ago)

30 yrs ago? Cath , if you are like me ,,i can't 'member what i did yesterday

Deutsche Schaferhunde=German Shepherd Dog
Ya threw a "r" in there Cath,,
GSD's are SMART not Sharp,,well they are "sharp" LOL

enough hi-jacking of Shirley's thread let's all figger out how to fit in her backpack! LOL

[Junkzoo]

Originally posted by ShirleyM
You'll get the sign....but don't know about the Schaferhunde---

That would be cool, wouldn't it!?!

[cath]

Oh well, Shirley ...watch out for a scharfe Hund too

[FishDaddy]

Originally posted by ShirleyM
Well....Troy is graduating from IU in May ~ Magna Cum Laude, Major in Chem, Minors in Math and Germanic Studies....his biodad *finally* came up with a load of yrs of back support....(and he's an atty, no less!)
[/i]

Congratulations to Troy, Shirley!!! He's come a long way since "Kraken" on the old Premium Aquatics Board!!! What's his next step up the ladder?

Good news about the $$$ arrears! Glad that finally came through for you and the boys.

I can't help you with the reservations situation, it's been nearly 20 years since I spent some time in Germany. My sister-in-law's husband was stationed at Spangdahlem and we spent 3 weeks seeing Germany, with some side trips to France and Belgium. In Munich, a "don't miss" is the Neu Pinakothek, with collections of Impressionist and other fabulous art. The Alte and Moderne Pinakothek's are in the same vicinity.

My favorite area was the mountains of Bavaria, with Garmisch, Oberammagau, and of course, Neuschwanstein. I'm sure you are more familiar with all these places than I, but these were some of my favorite places.

I hope to take FishGirl to Europe when she gets to be Troy's age, but I might need some 'assistance' by then!!

A wonderful thing you're doing for the boys!

Dick

[ShirleyM]

Thanks so much, Dick! Steve thinks its wonderful, too - he has supported them umpteen% for 6 yrs now, and when this came through (patience prevailed - avoided court costs and such) he agreed with me then that the boys deserved something special. They haven't even been to Disney World - something they of course were promised when they were little guys in an intact family.

They did each separately go to Germany with the exchange program for 3-1/2 wks and so we are revisiting some of their favorite places -- Rheinfels Fortress...you take flashlights and explore the maze of tunnels all you want...unguided - I can hardly wait - and Marksburg. Also, the beautiful 17th century castles of the crazy King Ludwig outside of München ...and the largest Ice Cave in the world outside of Salzburg, Austria: Eisreisenwelt Werfen, and we are planning several Alps hiking trips -- Austria and Switzerland. The Chateau du Chillon in Switzerland is the biggest side trip....it's a dream for Trevor to visit there - (History and ROTC).

Troy begins grad school in the fall...working toward his Ph.D. in Organic Synthesis.

~ Shirley