Tour de Jean Jacket!

Ciao!

Well, JJ has completed her trek through Europe! What a trip.... from the UK, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. She has laughed, walked, trudged, boated, trained, bussed, and metroed through some fabulous places. Not only has she enjoyed every minute of it, the memories of her adventure will last a lifetime.

Highlights from our last day in Roma (We don't want you to miss out on any details!):

• Breakfast on the rooftop terrace
• Jaunt to the Pantheon
• St. Peter's Bascilica... a glance at the embalmed Pope
• The Vatican Museum ...a quick tour
• Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel..... What a sight!
• Spanish Steps and a refill of our waterbottles in the fountain powered by aqueducts
• Hard Rock Cafe.... visit number 2
• Final Voyage to our local internet cafe
• Thousands of miles in our Chaco's... We hope Daisy's Nails is ready for manicure and pedicure!

In reflecting on our journey, there have definitely been some favorite moments...

• Favorite Pension... Salzburg
• Favorite meal.... vegetable lasagna, lamb with zucchini, antipasto, and blueberry mousse in Orvieto
• Favorite mueseum.... Musee D'Orsay in Paris
• Favorite resting spot... jardins in Versailles
• Favorite tour.... The Original Sound of Music Tour with Peter as our guide
• Favorite New English speaking Friends.... Fred, Becky and Tracy
• Funniest Moment.... The slide down the salt mines at 27.9 km/per hour
• Favorite gelato flavor... stracciotella
• Favorite daily activity... emailing all of you!
• Favorite people to watch...
• Favorite unplanned city.... Heidelberg
• Favorite mode of transportation.....First class on the Eurostar
• Favorite new soft drink... orange flavored Fanta
• All-around favorite countries.... Austria and Italy

When we return... we will post some pictures and anything we forgot to tell you along the way.

11 hotels
14 train trips
14 cities
22 days
3 different types of keyboards
7 different ways to flush
11 modes of transportation
5 countries
10 internet cafes
countless emails
and
1 emergency landing in Ganter, Newfoundland

Memories and friendships............. PRICELESS!!!!!!! (Yes, that was cheesy, but Karen made me do it!)

Thanks for sharing our journey with us. We are blessed to call you family and friends.

Love,
Jennifer and Karen

New Post Alert!

JJ just posted a blog, but for some reason you may have to hit the July archives link to see the latest..... "4 Weddings and a Colosseum."

4 Weddings and a Colosseum!

Buon giorno from Roma!

Michela and Marisa have come, seen, and conquered (well, almost) one last city! (Rachel and Mary Katherine, don't you remember veni, vidi, vici (sp?),...from Latin?). This morning we had a little rocky start. After trying to get out of bed...with our sore feet and aching muscles, we mustered up enough strength to at least get dressed. It was Michela's (JH) morning to take the first shower, so Marisa (KJ) got to sleep a few minutes longer. After the showers, Marisa (KJ) realized that a debit card was missing...so you can imagine trying to call a U.S. bank on a Sunday with an international operator. This was a bit of a challenge; however, Michela encouraged Marisa and we made it through.

After our slow morning, JJ's cohorts didn't give up on sightseeing. They joined every other nationality on the red, double-decker, sightseeing bus. Yes, you can picture it...the girls trying hard to keep the earpieces in, while riding high above all of the major sights. We took pictures of the sweat rings on our black shirts...it is hot. (Side note: Dimitri, our hotel desk clerk, says that it is not as hot as Florida yet. He says to be glad that we are not here in Agosto.) After the tour was almost finished, Luciana came over the loud speaker and said, "Ladies and gentleman-a, the bus-a will be broken-a at the next stop-a. You must-a get-a off-a at the next stop-a, but your ticket-a will be good for another-a day-a." How did she know that bus was about to break? JJ's friends thought that she, too, had ESP. My, these Romans sure are smart!

The tour ended, and we were tuckered out. Therefore, we scurried back to the hotel for another afternoon siesta. (Can you see that after 20 days, these two girls take more siestas? They are worn out.) After the siesta, Director Michela formulated a plan-a. Our itinerary included a visit to the Colosseum, then it would be off to the Trevi Fountain. The two tourists rushed over to ancient Rome where the archeologists are continuously excavating ruins. M and M were amazed at the sights. Then, in the distance, they saw it....the massive structure with ionic, dorian, and corinthian columns (this was part of the history lesson for the day) and arches around it. Yes, there it was...the COLOSSEUM!

As we started to move up to the beginning of the line, JH noticed that we had missed the last tour. So we just had our own tour of the outside of the building. (The siesta took precedence over the guided tour....but we were ok with that.) We marveled at the 2000-year-old history of this structure. We even took some self-portraits that you may see on the blog.

After our self-guided tour, it was time for...yes, you guessed it...more gelato! Carolina and Adam, didn't you tell us to eat as much as we can? Well, we both had a huge stracciatella cone today...while viewing another side of the colosseum. After that snack, we walked to an arch in the Roman forum, and we caught a glimpse of cat woman. This was a lady that was calling for cats and feeding all of the cats of Roma.

Around the corner, what did we see? 4 brides getting their "after-wedding" photograph-as in front of the Colosseum. Men were using their-a photographica machinas to take these pictures. Even people in Roma take funny pictures on their wedding day. One bride even was instructed to lie down on the grass and dirt to get a good pose. We didn't think that would have been worth the photo. All of you former bridesmaids out there, you would have been glad that you didn't have to wear the dress with the feather-embellished neckline in green satin with thin straps on the back. The feathers even continued down the back. All that to say, it would not be flattering on all or any figures. Hannah, Sunday is definitely the day to get married in Rome...you picked the right day!

The next item on the agenda was to make it to Trevi Fountain. Both of us threw coins into the fountain so we are promised to get back to Rome one day. After this ritual, of course it was time to eat again. In Italy, you either choose to see some sights, or you sit down to eat for a 3-hour meal. We chose the first, and we got some "Lean Cuisine"-type spaghetti from a local ristorante. Of course, the next stop was here...our easy internet cafe. (We couldn't let all of you bloggers down.) This place is cheap and has 250 computers, plus it is open until 2:00 a.m.

Sadly, the trip is almost over, but it has been one for the record books. One record that we have broken is how many times you can wear the same shoes, shirts, and even unmentionables in a row. One more tip for all of you long-distance travelers: when the woolite runs out, shampoo (from your friendly hotel) works just as well. For all of you that we will see in the next week, don't worry...some of these stinky clothes might be burned or banished for at least a month.

Thanks for sharing our trip with us. We are sure to post one more blog from Europa, then pictures might appear when we are back in the states. We are missing all of you dearly!

Love,
Michela and Marisa

P.S. Rachelina....happy early birthday to you...here it is in Latin (just picture Patsy singing it to us.)
Felicem tibi, natalem diem, felicem care Rachelina, natalem diem,.....et multi plus!

P.S.S. Tracy C., part of this blog was a work in writing in third person. How do you like it?

"Scusi... Have-a you-a seen-a my-a photographica machina'"

You may be wondering.... what in the world? Well, as we were sitting on the steps of a grand cathedral, these were the words uttered to JJ by 2 Italian men. At first, JJ fell for this pick up line...however, when Fabio (as we will call IM1-Italian Man number 1) kept asking more and more about JJ, her "pick up line antennas" stood at attention. And JJ remember the words of caution from Carolena about making eye contact with the Italian men. JJ quickly tried to end the conversation when Fabio and Mario (IM2) began asking more questions about our departure-a and tips for visiting-a the heel-a of Italia.... JJ was smart and took off for the panini palace across the street.... Thanks Carolena for your wise tips. For all of you male bloggers.... that pick up line doesn't work on clever, southern belles.

We loved our time in Orvieto.... just picture cobblestone streets wide enough for only a mini cooper or scooter, window boxes filled with flowers cascading down the wall, and dented, wooden doors that tell a million stories. Dining with the locals was a delight.... trying to order with a server who doesn't speak English and a menu in Italian was a challenge, but we managed to avoid the pig's tongue and loved our three course meal topped with Limoncello (We are still not quite sure what is was... but Karen made Jennifer drink it all). It was truly a taste of Tuscany!!! Orivieto is definitely on the list of return trips.

JJ quickly packed up her things, headed down the funicular to wait for a late train. Once we loaded our bags for the last train trip (Hallelujah!), we settled in our seats for the trip to Roma. Our goal was to quickly hustle through the train station, avoiding gypsies and pick-pockets, to get to our final hotel. Mission Accomplished!

Dimitri greeted us on a 4th floor walk-up to escort us to our lovely, air-conditioned room. Tip: If you ever decide to travel to Rome in the summer, splurge on AC. We enjoyed an afternoon siesta and good foot washing. Director Jennifer, read from the traveler's bible, Rick Steve's Italy, and planned our 2 days in Rome. Karen offered her last 2 Balance Bars for a snack (We are out of the Trail Mix, luna bars, sour patch kids, happy mix from Austria, and water).

After our afternoon siesta, our plan was to walk to the internet cafe and pick up a quick bite to eat..... as we were searching for Easy Internet Cafe, we stumbled upon a Hard Rock Cafe'. Our eyes lit up, our mouths watered, a good ole' hamburger was in sight. It was a welcomed treat.

It is late and our days are numbered. JJ has a lot more to do in 2 more days.... She has an appointment with the Pope, and the Director has the "Caesar Shuffle" scheduled for tomorrow.

Have a great night and we will be in touch soon.

KJ, JH, and JJ

Soaking up the sun...

Bon giorno from the hill country in Italy.

We finally arrived in Orvieto, a place that you see in movies. This countryside is beautiful...rollling hills filled with sunflowers for miles and miles. Vineyards lined the hills as we traveled up the funicular (our second of the trip...1st in the salt mines) to this small Italian town. Unfortunately, our Rick Steves' map proved to be a little off, so we again were wheeling our luggage over old cobblestone streets. ...all along, local Italians were looking at us strangely...surely those Americans can find their way around our little town.

Finally, we arrived at our hotel for the night, actually, it is a bed and breakfast run by Valentina. She is a charming woman who has beautiful antiques all throughout her house. The off-white and khaki linens would be something you might find in Southern Living magazine with a Tuscan flair. Of course, our next visit will be to get something to eat. Then we will be off to bed!

Just when we thought there wouldn't be an internet cafe, our eyes spotted one "in the window" of a local bar-restaurant. We couldn't let you down...you our readers whom we have come to know better and love.

Before we arrived here, we had a delightful day in Florence. We purchased some goodies for ourselves and others including art, leather, ceramics, and more. Also, Director Jennifer took us to the Duomo and the San Croce church. Both were beautiful and amazing to see. We also saw some more of our nun friends in the churches as well as the train station.

That about wraps up our day in Florence and Orvieto.

Until tomorrow....

Ciao...
Sissi and Carolina

(Carolyn, this blog is really dedicated to you. If you had not suggested this town, we would not have been here. Thanks, friend!)

Fabulous Firenze!

Ciao to all of you bloggers out there!

This blog is dedicated to Tracy P. (our new Florence friend) and Carolyn Phillips (our Italian expert!).

Our start in Florence was a little rough. We got to the city around 6:30 p.m. (18:30 in military time..Jennifer has it on her watch). We found our hotel pretty easily, but it left something to be desired. So last night night, these southern girls decided that we were too old to be afraid to go to the bathroom for fear of germs. So we hustled down to our friendly, air-conditioned internet cafe, and found our new hotel....yes, the RITZ...just kidding...but no really, Hotel Ritz!

At 8:00 a.m., Karen and Jennifer packed their bags and proceeded to the checkout counter. Fabrizio asked why we were checking out so early. He asked, "Was something wrong with your room?" (Well, for all of you who know how much we love confrontation..we had practiced this one.) Karen, with all of her might, said, "Well, yes, actually, the bathroms were disgusting!" (Lenn, that was for you.) Fabrizio tried his hardest to convince us to stay, but little did he know that the RITZ was calling our name. Jennifer was not "Home Depot" mad, but Karen was and she earned the 25 Euro discount. (Lenn, you also would have been proud of this moment!)

After checkout, we wheeled our bags over the ancient stones of Florence to the Ritz. We didn't even want to take a shower in the other hotel...yes, as you can imagine, we were looking good! Karen had more sweat rings underneath her backpack...those of you who are fashion-conscious would have been ashamed.

After we found the Ritz, though, our new journey into Firenze began! We shoved our bags in the new, safe, clean luggage room and took off! Jennifer has now taken over as tour director so she led us past the Uffizi Museum. The line was so long (4 hours according to tour books) that we headed to the San Croce church. We didn't go in..but that is on our agenda tomorrow. We found Cafe Mario in which we had a prochiutto and mozzarella sandwich and a foccacia and basil and tomato sandwich. Of course, cola-light washed it all down. (Cheri, I am definitely in the mood for a 12 pack of TABS right now!)

After our "light lunch," Jennifer held up the Cola-Light bottle as my beacon to follow her as the designated tour director. We have seen many of our international friends doing this as well, but they usually have 50 people in their tour group, and they hold up butterflies attached to antennas. (Diane, we need to borrow one of your flip-flop fly swatters for our next trip.) I followed diligently across the Ponte Vecchio where we saw many crown jewels...gold and silver. Then my fearless director, hereafter known as Madelina, led me to the Pitti Palace. It was filled with many pieces of beautiful art and beautiful chandeliers. Madelina (JH) gave me many art lessons about red pencil and gray wash.

Since we were in the artistic mood, we stolled down and met Marizzia, a Florentine artist. After making a few purchases, it was again time for gelato. After gelato, we took the hike up to Piazza Michelangelo. This gave the tour a wonderful view of all of Florence. For all of you "Return to Me" (the movie) fans out there, we think this is where Minnie Driver was painting in the movie. (Don't worry, it is on our video...volumn 3 of Karen and Jennifer go to Europa.)

Then we got to come home to the Ritz and take wonderful, hot showers! Yes, it was 5:00 in the afternoon with no shower...the beauty of vacationing with your best stinky friends.

Tonight, though was fabulous! We met Tracy P., a friend of Emily (our 5th grade cohort at BWF) who works for a university program here in Florence. She took us to a great restaurant for pizza and pasta. We also met some of her friends, Jay and Christine, who were visiting from the states. After dinner, guess what was next...yes, more gelato! As we ate, we strolled down the Piazza Republica and got to see more of the Duomo and bell tower.

The real treat happened when we went back to Jay and Christine's hotel rooftop terrace bar. There, we had a marvelous view of the Duomo with a full moon in the background. As we walked into the bar, Emilio (in his white tuxedo jacket), greeted us an offered us a glass of sparkling wine. We sipped our wine over great conversation with our new Florence friends. Thess moments were complete with Doris Day singing "Que Sera" and Dean Martin singing "Return to Me" and "That's Amore." (Adrian, our brains must have been thinking the same thing. Didn't he sing both or one of those?) Just when we thought the night couldn't get any better, a shooting star quickly passed in the dark night. It was magical!

As we speak, Madelina, the new cruise director, is planning a fun day for tomorrow, our last day in Firenze. Then we will end our trip in Orvieto and Roma!

Ciao,
Madelina and Susanna (our new names for today only...)

P.S. Tracy P,, we need some good Italian names as we name ourselves along the way. Thanks so much for making our Florence night a memorable one!

Tracy C., sorry about all of the tense, voice changes in the writing. I'm just too tired. (KJ)

The Eurostar...a Delightful Experience

Greetings from Firenze or Florence (for all of you who, like me, didn't know that those were the same place)! We had a much better train ride today from Venice to Florence. We were so surprised that we were riding the Eurostar...which is a nice train. We took our 1st class seats, which were separated, but we both met some delightful people.

Jennifer sat next to some Aussies who were on a six-week holiday through Europe. It was fun to hear them banter back and forth. I got to hear all about their "bloody" journeys through Ireland and Scotland. They even helped me with my baggage and threw away my "rubbish." What a fun change from the bachelor pad and the restless four-year-old from the other day.

Karen sat next to three friends from California. Two of them were teachers...(Diane, one taught kindergarten and one taught first grade). They had worked together 25 years ago. We had so much fun laughing and visiting. One of them had dated a man in Mississippi, so we tried to make a few connections. Jennifer overheard all of us talking, and she said that would be us in 20 years. So now, we have made a pact to return to a slower-paced European vacation in 20 years. We'll start saving our pennies now.

Our other fun friends were Fred and Becky from Indiana. (Fred and Becky, if you ever check this, please know that it was so nice to meet some fun friends in Salzburg and in Venice. We hope the remainder of your trip is wonderful. We will definitely be checking in to writing a travel grant next year. Please keep in touch.) We met them on the correct bus back to our pension in Salzburg. By the way, that was our favorite hotel so far...the one that we didn't even plan ourselves. God does know where we need to be and when we need to be there. Thanks, Fred and Becky, for being such an encouraging part of our travels.

For all of you in the south...think August heat and humidity at the beach with no wind times ten. Karen has already had to change shirts, and we have only been here for 3 hours. We might be checking our email hourly since it is very air-conditioned and our hotel is not. We might see if we can cut a deal and sleep here on the floor...just kidding moms.

We will update you more tomorrow with our travels.

Ciao for now..

Elisa and Julia (in honor of Elise and Julia)

Lost in Venezia... 2 meanings!

Meaning number 1: Have you seen the tv show which airs on Wednesday nights, Lost? Well, we decided today that if we were lost on an island by ourselves we probably wouldn't kill each other... Here are some ways you know that you have been traveling together for a long time....

1. You develop an acute sense of ESP, yes, that's right, you can read each other's minds. Your brains think the same things at the same time. Let's just say we are now earning points for ESP moments... we are tied 10-10.

2. You are ready to see the outfits that have cute flowers on them and cute sandals that don't smell... not just the black capris, khaki capris, white shirt, and black shirt.



Meaning number 2: Rick Steves says in his book about Venice... "Get lost in my Venice..." So, we did..... Like he said, it is an island.... you will be able to find your way back. We walked the canal filled streets and soaked in the sights with a gazillion other tourists. It definitely has been worth the trip! Murano glass is everywhere in the form of vases, jewelry (shmuck), and trays. When we arrived at the Rialto, the famous landmark in Venice, we watched the gondalas stroll down the canal. For our video fans, we caught a snippet for you to view in Waudo's playroom. We then took off on Boat number 42 and headed off for the island nearby called Murano.... besides it being a 3 hour tour in a hot boat... we enjoyed the sights along the way. (Let's just say, we were wishing for those tourist fans that mist water in your face!)

Heat and More Heat...... Emily, we were not pleased to see that weather forcast... We are trying to adjust to the intense heat. It is hot! By the way, it stormed last night at 4:47 in the morning... We woke up to our shutters banging LOUDLY against the building; therefore, we tried frantically to close them. Meredyth, you'll laugh at this, Karen quit with shutter number one (out of 4) and told Jennifer to do it..... well, the good friend that I am did it but got tired after shutter number 3 because I was fighting the elements while half awake, and then passed the torch back to Karen... who didn't think she could close it... but she came through in a pinch!

We have a few more shout outs:

1. Lydia S.... You would love the Murano glass beads here.
2. The Fifth Grade Crew.... We hope you are unpacking our boxes right now.... Elise, Will you look in locker number 23 for my dry erase markers?
3. Cindy and Tracy... What about that dog book?
4. Melissa... Happy Birthday
5. John R.... Your daughters are behaving themselves.
6. Christine, Katie, Evera, and Miguel..... We are ready to see you.... We promise we will get our rooms done on time. We are still waiting to hear from Oprah!

We miss seeing everyone... We are having a ball, but will be ready to see and talk to everyone when we get home!

Hope you are well... until our next stop....

Ciao!

Katerina and Elisa

We'll let you keep your bachelor pad...

The adventure today began on the train to Venice. Jennifer and I had responsibly made a reservation for the train. Well, when we got to our seats, four guys had our seats. Quickly, Jennifer went to see if we could have some different ones...when she came back, she closed their door, and said "We'll let you keep your bachelor pad. Bye" (Door slamming.) That began our adventure.

Then we were relaxing in our own car, when a mom and small child came into the car. We thought to ourselves, "This is a safe call...better than the boys." Oh, how we were wrong....not only did we give up our window seats, but the four-year-old wanted to scream and turn the HEAT on in the 98 degree train. All that to say, after another couple came into the car...it was horrible. We didn't get any rest on that ride. It was worse than Disneyworld in 98 degree weather in July with 5 screaming kids.

However, Venice is wonderful. We keep pinching ourselves to remind us that we are really here. We've enjoyed pizza near our hotel and now we are on the hunt for some real Italian gelato. Our room overlooks the Grand Canal. We have had one snag here, though, while we were dining, Willard, the water rat, appeared. Jennifer said, "I didn't know rats could swim." I guess that was the science lesson for the day.

More updates to come...
Katerina and Elisa (for now)

Schmuck!

Greetings all...Happy Monday morning to you!

If you were wondering about the title...we were too. We have been strolling around Innsbruck, Austria yesterday looking at a lot of schmuck...which is jewelry. That is your German lesson for the day. Don't worry, we didn't buy any of it...we are saving our money for Italy...our next stop.

Our day in Innsbruck was very simple:
1. Find an Internet cafe and email you...all of our bloggers.
2. Find a hotel to stay in for the night.
3. Walk to the hotel.
4. Take a nap.
5. Eat dinner....a real one...it seems like we've been doing a lot of snacking lately..not a lot a time for real food.
6. Eat ice cream-gelato while people watching near the river running through the town.
7. Watch Runaway Bride and You've Got Mail in German. (Other movies\shows we like in other languages: Full House, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, While You Were Sleeping...watched it in Paris...thought it was in French..but actually it was in Spanish.)
8. Go to sleep.
9. Wake up.
10. Eat a pastry and people watch.
11. Email you again.
12. Take a train to Italy.

That is about all we've done on our last stop in Austria. This town is beautiful..surrounded by many mountains and glaciers (as Jennifer's science lesson pointed out).

Shout-outs:

Sabrina: We're wishing for the Seattle weather right now..it is hot here. We are officially retiring JJ for a while.

Panera Pals: Thanks for praying...I'm hopefully going to finish the book soon. Missing those cinnamon crunch bagels.

Dana: We really need you for organizing our suitcases about now. They seem to be expanding, though we are still sitting on the plastic packing bags. (Elise, tell Dana to check the blog.)

Elise: There is definitely lots of things in white sauces...you might not go for the European food.

Bev: We will collect a few postcards for you in our journeys.

Emily: The weather here is great...just a bit hotter than the northern parts of Austria. Can you give us an Italy update? We're not washing again..yes, the woolite is all gone. (Tell Erin to check the blog.) We are looking forward to meeting Tracy.

Erin: Girl, there will be so many pictures for us to share with you. Tell Keith and Harrison hello...we had some shepherd's pie in Germany. No breakouts yet.

Gary: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is advertised all over Europe in every language. Veruca was even on a poster. You would have laughed.

Tara S.: Hannah Beth would look precious in some of the baby clothes here, especially the sweaters and matching hats.

Tara M.: Thanks for the French language tips. Bonjour did the trick.

Carolyn: Your clothesline, backpacks, convertors, and travel tips have been great. We are looking forward to your favorite spots.

Meredyth: Gelato and ice cream is everywhere. We even saw a little girl eating it for breakfast this morning at 10:00 a.m. Also, we have picked out some great Austrian fashion for you to wear...we have pictures.

Fellow JJ wearers: Sadly, we think that JJ is going to rest throughout her journey into Italy, but denim skirt will carry us until the end.

Lila: Jennifer found the perfect house for you...window boxes on every window filled with gorgeous flowers...everyone at SHBC will be jealous of your abode.

Rachel and Mary Katherine: Please send some Latin tips that you remember from Patsy. As I venture into Italy, I want to be prepared. Icare, Icare, Icare.

Dad: We ate fish last night...you can definitely filet better than the Austrians...found a few bones in my mountain trout almandine. Tell Lily hello from us.

That's about it for us.

Ciao for now!
Maria and Leisel signing off from Bavaria!

The Amazing Alps!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Salzburg, and know that it is on list of places we have to come back and visit! We have arrived in our next city, Innsbruck (Austria). On our list of things to do? Well, it just may be the essentials...food and a nap! JJ and KJ have hit the traveling wall and may call this a rest day.... For all you Camp Desoto campers out there.... this would be the long Sunday nap! Some of you may be wondering.... how do you have time to rest.... well, the truth is, we don´t... our chaco feet are tired (and smelly) and need to rest.

Since our last blog was short and today is declared a rest day.... we will catch you up on some of our adventures from the last few days....

Thoughts on Helga and Olga....

We just thought we were Helga and Olga... Oh no no no... We met the real ones, both octogenarians, on the train traveling from Heidelberg to Salzburg. We shared a train compartment with them, and they gave us a commentary of the sights along the way. For example, the lake we passed, Lake Chemsee, is known as the "Bavarian Sea." It was fun to listen to them banter back and forth in German, while trying to figure out what there discussion was based on their expressions. We were thinking that they were probably playing the do you know so and so game and reflecting on the good ole days. We were amazed that they were fluent in English.. Let´s just say, it was a delightful trip.

Thoughts on the salt mines...

Just imagine J and K bundled up in salt miner outfits, jackets underneath, and sandals. Yes, we were a sight to behold! Our accents were quickly recognized when were placed in an English speaking group. You probably wondering about the 27.9 km per hour. Yes, that was our record breaking speed traveling down the slide... and if you would like a visual to help you out, we have a picture to show you!

Thoughts on Sound of Music....

You will have to view our video tape to truly appreciate this one.... it is complete with Karen singing as backup with the recording that played on the bus!

Until our next blog in a new country!

Maria and Leisel


PS We are working on our new names for our next adventure..... We would welcome any suggestions!

Greetings from Maria and Liesel!

Yes, we have changed our names for a new country... Can you guess where we are.. (Some how, we hit the keyboard and it changed the z for the y, but now the question mark is MIA.)

Yes, we are in the beautiful country of Austria.... we just thought we were having fun in the UK, France and Germany.... This is the life... we have a small pension with a balcony that overlooks the mountain where Maria, yes the governess you know and love from the Abbey in Salzburg, sang her opening song, The Hills Are Alive.

We know you have been anxiously awaiting our updates, but the internet in Salzburg is scarce. Never fear, we won't let you, our devoted readers, down. Here is a quick list of happenings....

Diane and especially Bill... The Sound of Music Tour was fabulous!

Lenn and Charlie... The Salt Mine tour was great... just picture us in mining outfits sliding down a 400 meter slide at 29.7 km per hour

Hannah... remember all those times we acted out The Sound of Music and I made everyone line up like the picture on the record album? Since I was always the oldest and the self-appointed Leisel, I sang the song I am 34 going on 35 in front of the real gazebo just for you!

Paul... everytime we see a beret, we think of you!

To our BWF friends... if you need a break from unpacking boxes, we will be showing the unabridged version of our trip in room 214, AKA Leisel's room.

That is about it for now... we have to go catch the last bus to our sweet pension in the country, where chocolates await on our pillows and white pressed seer sucker sheets are calling our names!

Danka... or Thank You,

Leisel and Maria

Tips for finding out you are on the wrong bus...

Yes, the adventure continues. We loved Heidelberg zesterdaz, but we needed to get out so we could come to Munich last night. Thinking we had the public transportation szstem of H'berg figured out, we got on Bus #12 to go back to our hotel, then to hop on the train. Well, manz people got on and got off...yet JJ remained. JJ noticed that the bus kept seeing the same landmarks as well as Bismarkplatz a few times. Well, JJ just kept riding...continually looking for the hotel bus stop. When JJ´'s bus pulled down a deserted road and the driver turned off the bus and started on a snack, she knew something was awry. Upon further investigation, she soon realized that she (along with Karen and Jennifer) was the onlz one on the bus. So, JJ did what anz woman would do...go ask for directions from Klaus, the German bus driver.

"Excuse me, sir, I think we´ve gotten on the wrong bus. Does this one go to the train station?"
Klaus replied shaking his head, "Oh no, no, no....zou have to get on 41 or 42."

JJ quicklz reported back to her cohorts..JH and KJ who took the opportunitz to video this momentous event. Lesson learned: alwazs clarifz where bus 12 is going. Did we mention it was 98 degrees? JJ is now taking a respite in the suitcase right now...never fear.....denim skirt or jean skirt (JS) is now taking her place.

Until tomorrow when the Hills will be Alive with the Sound of Music....
KJ, JH, JJ, JS, KJ (khaki jacket)

Shout out...
Mr. Mueller....loved the Heidelberg castle
Arbonne ladies....the eye cream is helping the weary travelers

Follow the Ladz in the Blue Sweater!

Hallo from Germanz!

That would be (Hahl lo) for our phonemic awareness friends!

We have now moved on to our 3rd countrz...Germanz (please notice on the German kezboards teh y is in the wrong place.... please substitute z for y) We are having a grand time and trzing to learn language number 2... we have been practicing... all we have so far is hallo and danka (thank zou) We are enjozing the culture and the friendlz nature of the poeple here...

First, we must tell zou about jean jacket,s journz across the border...(zes, the , is in the wrong place too... sorrz but I can,t find it)

We made it to the train station in Paris... zes, Jennifer made Karen do a practice run on the Paris metro to the train station to catch our train to Mannheim the daz before. Zes, this helped with the stress level on the first train/ eurail pass adventure. With a little help from the locals and figuring out the voie meant platform and voiture meant car. We enjozed our train ride viewing the French countrzside.

At our first stop in Germanz, we had to make a train change to get to our next stop, Heidelberg Of course, just when jj and kj were getting the hang of Francais... thez had to shift to a new language... We overheard a woman in a blue sweater mutter a sentence or two and the word Heidelberg popped up... Karen and I immediatelz looked at each other and we motioned to each other to follow the ladz in the blue sweater... So jean jacket and khaki jacket followed blue sweater through a maze of platforms to our perfect train... To Heidelberg! So,we hopped on the train, hoping we were heading in the right direction....after a few stops, when blue sweater got off, so did jj and kj! And we had arrived...to confront our next obstacle... find the hotel... As we exited the train station... Karen said, "I think I see the hotel in the reflection of that window!" Jennifer did not believe her... well, sure enough as we turned the corner, there was the hotel! Karen wins the prize on that one!

We are here and enjozing the quaint little town of Heidelberg... window boxes, school children hand in hand with knapsacks walking down the street, a castle , pasteries, orangestaf (orange juice) and coca cola light!

Just for those of zou who are wondering how our trip in Paris ended... it was lovelz.... we spent some time in the Musee d Orsay gazing at the collections of Manet, Monet, Degas, Renior, Cezanne, and vanGogh.... and then a trip to Notre Dame to view the flzing butresses... (Karen was verz impressed with her art lessons that daz) and lunch in a park behind Notre Dame. All in all a great daz!

We would like to give a few shout outs:

Camp Invention Friends... Zorra we havenät seen zour cousin zet!
Diane.... we are warming up our voices for the sound of music tour
Cindz and Tracz... we are compiling our list of topics of conversion
Our moms... we are being safe!
Emilz... thanks for the weather updates
adam... thanks for the schedule.. it is going great
meredzth... we had a great interval training workout this morning 10,000 stairs and plus some
Sharon.. thanks for introducing us to the world of blogging!
All of our Aunts and Uncles.. thanks for checking in on us!
Cindz... We took a picture of the location of where the Treatz of Versailles was signed just for zou!
Little Susie... WOW ... just picture the sign with a castle behind it!


Enjoz zour daz and know that we are thinking about zou! Until our next blog!

Karen and Jennifer
(aka Helga and Olga)

5 Ways to Flush!

We have discovered that there are at least 5 ways to flush le toillette in Europe.... 1.) pull handle up 2.) pull chain down 3.) push button at eye level in 4.) push bar up.. and the traditional 5.)
handle down...

Jean Jaquette is enjoying the city... a trip to the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, riverboat cruise down the Seine River, and a luxurious visit to Versailles.

Tips for you future European Jean Jacket Travelers:

Don't get behind a group of nuns with luggage when getting off the train... you may get separated from your fellow traveler... however, if that does happen... Moms and Shara... we have a SSP (subway separation plan!)

Enjoy a hot dog from a street vendor.... excellent.. thanks Pat L. for the recommendation.

Melissa... another crepe' :)

Don't visit the Louvre when every country in the world has a tour group visiting.... Let's just say we had more fun looking at the people taking pictures of the art than the actual art!

Metro/RER: We haven't gotten on a wrong train yet.... We are taking Rick Steve's advice...imitate the locals and look like you know what you are doing!

We have been taking French lessons along the way... Here are some helpful phrases:

sortie- exit
toillettes: bathroom
merci: thank you
tres bien: very good
bon jour: hello
oui: yes


We have lost track of counting parisian jean jaquettes, but we are in the Jean Jaquette captial. Keep wearing them girls!

Until our next blog!

Karen and Jennifer

We Arrived!

Well, Jean is now a European professional. She is here in the fashion capital of the world...ready to see the sites. She met some friends along the way. In the Paris train station, she met a friendly mother and daughter who were on their way to Switzerland. She also got to eat her first crepe with Nutella. Jean now knows that she prefers 1st class on any form of travel out there.

Beth, thanks for the hotel recommendation.
Melissa, we loved the crepes.
Carolyn, your laundry line has come in handy.
Meredyth, Karen needs some more interval training for upper-body strength.
Adam, where are you when Karen needs someone to "hoist" her luggage up to the top bunk?
To all of the "pack light" club...you were right...we should have taken out a few things along the way. We are constantly thinking about things we can leave behind.
To all of BWF at ARI, we are researching some French reading strategies...we'll present them in August.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and notes. This is our connection to the outside world!

Jean Jacquette and friends

146 and Counting....

Yes, that would be 146 jj sightings in the city of London:) We have enjoyed our journey here in this friendly city. (Please read this as you are speaking in a delightful English accent to get the full effect!)

Jean Jacket... along with kj have been touring about the city...

They did not travel on the tube, so they took off on a self-guided tour on foot... roughly 10-12 km. Buckingham Palace was truly a sight, and we had a delightful stroll through Kensington Park. Staying the course around the river, they ventured out to Trafalgar Square and the National Art Gallery. A fine end to the day was the performance at the Queen's Theater of Les Miserables. We were taken on a tragic journey with Eponine, Jaun Val Jaun, Marius, and Cossette.

Prior to leaving, they also saw a breathtaking view of the Thames River, Big Ben and Westminister Abbey from the London Eye.

They are departing on their next adventure!

Karen and Jennifer

65!!!!!

That would be 65 jean jacket sightings in one day! Yes, if you have ever played "Herbie" or "Punchbuggy?" Well, that is what jean jacket did yesterday.... Looked for Jean Jacket cousins on the streets in London. Yes, like we said, jj can turn anything into an adventure!

Newsflash.... as we arrived back at the hotel after dinner last night, Jennifer said, I would love it more than anything for us to walk in the door and have a message on the message board that said, "Your luggage has arrived!" Yes, it had arrived, but only KAREN's suitcase! Khaki Jacket was not alarmed...knowing that jj2 would surely arrive soon. This morning we were awakened with a call from Elle, our desk clerk, that baggage number 2 had arrived! Jean Jacket 2 can now begin her journey too.

Our friend Carolyn suggested we have at a least a day of rest somewhere on our journey.... Little did we know that it was going to be the first day! We are well rested and enjoying the locals. Our housekeeper, Barta, entertains us every morning with stories in her Polish accent.

Thanks for all of your emails and prayers. We are blessed with our caring families and friends. Thanks and we will be in touch soon.... hopefully, with an exciting new adventure.

12

Hello Friends,



Thanks for all of your encouraging emails.... We are having a good time despite our touring area has shrunk to 5 blocks. You know those jean jackets... they have fun and laugh about anything where ever they are!

You may be wondering what the number 12 means... that is 12 jean jacket cousin sitings!

We will keep in touch.... we got word our luggage will be here soon... therefore, we will not have to make a trip to the Gap to buy a pair of jeans. Emily, thanks for the weather report.... blue skies at the moment and perfect jean jeacket weather....

Karen and Jennifer

Hello Friends,

Greetings! We made it, even though our luggage did not! That's okay, we planned to wear each outfit at least 5 times... This will be Day 3 of outfit number 1... Luckily, there is a Gap in the area! We slept in late, trying to catch up on our sleep. Hope you are well, and we will be checking in again soon!

PS Even though Jean Jacket 2 hasn't arrived yet, KJ (khaki jacket) is standing in and taking notes until JJ2 arrives.

the journey begins

JJ has made her first flight over the atlantic, along with fj (fleece jacket), her cousin.

Quotes:
"Hold that mobility escort."
"Where is Manchester? I thought it was in NY." This thought crossed our mind after we had boarded a plane to Manchester. Ignorance is bliss.
"Passengers, thanks for our patience as we make an medical emergency landing in Gander, Newfoundland."
We are safe and on our way.

Karen and Jennifer 

Jean Jacket 

Who is Jean Jacket?

You may be wondering who is this "Jean Jacket?" We must give credit to Jennifer Chenoweth Sheppard for giving us the idea to name the article of clothing that most stylish southern girls wear today. It is versatile, provides warmth and style, and it goes with everything. We are going to document our journey through Europe through the eyes and voice of a girl's best friend...her beloved Jean Jacket.

Our jean jackets go with us wherever we go. Last summer, Jean Jacket was spotted traveling in a fire-engine red Mustang convertible along Highway 1 in California. She also has traveled to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon, and every corner of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and other southern states. All that to say, we are going to Europe this summer, and Jean Jacket is going with us.

Pre-Europe Thoughts

We've decided to document our Jean Jacket's journey through Europe. This will allow friends and family to follow us on our journey. Feel free to post comments and tips for us along the way. Be sure to check the website for updates. Keep in mind that we will try to update frequently; however, it may be hard for us, the European novices.