Southern Europe
Vienna, Austria
Clean, safe, easy to get around with the mobility device, very walkable, and home to Mozart and Beethoven, this is Austria! Due to the smooth paved paths, I was able to drive my mobility scooter everywhere, including, directly up to the Belvedere Palace. Once inside there were elevators and ramps which took us to marbled lined walls and gold painted ceilings. We were also able to enjoy the botanical gardens out front and at the time, the art museum on the top floor. The views of Vienna from the palace are extraordinary and make for beautiful photos.
Since we are in Vienna, we also arranged for a date night. Enjoyed a beautiful dinner in front of the most stunning Church with Gorgeous chimes ringing by the hour. From here we walked over to a small church built in 1150 and upon our entry, we were in complete awe of the candles that glowed throughout this small church combined with the majestic paintings on the ceiling. For just over an hour, holding my husband's hand, we were immersed in the most incredible music and sights from a professional string quartet. I was truly in heaven and will never forget this moment.
Germany- the Bavarian region
After many years, I was finally excited to see Germany. After years and years of thinking I was majority French, I learned through an ancestry test that I had a huge percentage of German, specifically in the Bavarian region, lineage. I was super excited to plan this part of our vacation having this information inside my pocket. Eric and I ended up taking and all day tour to Harburg to visit a medieval castle built in the 12th century. Although easy to get around by walking, there are several cobblestones and if you have a wheelchair or mobility device, it is doable, but you must go very SLOW. Also, there are no ramps or elevators in the actual castle and so we were only able to see it from the outside and minimally, with two or three steps, parts of the inside. This was okay because we went and had a German beer.... Hey, when in Rome!
After the castle, we were taken to the quaint town of Rothenburg which look like something from a Disney movie. Again, many many cobblestones, just go slow, but well worth the visit. It was raining that day which made the visit even more adventurous. Our favorite part of this little, quaint, charming town was the Christmas Village. Square feet after square feet of everything, Christmas! After finding the exact ornament for our tree this year, Eric and I also found the cuckoo clock room. We both agreed that this was going to be our Bavarian Adventure souvenir. After having it, carefully sent back to the United States to our address, it now hangs on the wall in my family room. This is the afternoon that we also had traditional German pork, sauerkraut, and dumplings, something my grandmother always made for my birthday.
Our last day in Munich Germany was spent shopping for a beer stein for Eric, touring the city, and waiting patiently for the glockenspiel to chime. This is a must see if you visit Munich!
The Bavarian region of Germany will always stay in my heart.
