Traveling: October 2010

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

Grand Rapids 2007

Open Door Day In Grand Rapids

Sunday - November 18th 2007

Grand Rapids is a small beautiful village near Bowling Green. Each year on a Sunday in November they have an open door day, which means that each shop is open to guests. So we went there with some friends and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon. In the whole village they had bands playing music, they offered hot drinks, like coffee and tea and of course there were some food stands too. What a perfect day to start the Christmas season.

Grand Rapids

Monday, 25 October 2010

Christmas Wonderland Michigan 2007

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

Sunday - November 11th 2007

Together with our American friends we made a day trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan, because we wanted to visit Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. We arrived there around noon and before the Christmas shopping could start, we had lunch at Sullivan's Black Forest Brewhaus, a German restaurant. Although the food wasn't only German, it was a mix of Italian, German, Mexican and American, it was fine.

In front of the store the Bronner family built a replica of the Silent Night Chapel. The original one can be found in Oberndorf/Salzburg, Austria.

Silent Night Chapel

Black Forest Restaurant

Finally it was time for shopping. The store is huge and there you can buy anything related to Christmas, like ornaments, trees, figures, advent calendars or garlands. The most disturbing things we have seen there, are Christmas ornaments in the shape of tanks and Air Force jets. That's definately not the things I want to see on my Christmas tree.

Christmas Shop

We spent the whole afternoon in the shop and after we returned to Bowling Green, we attended an Indian Festival at the University.

Saturday, 23 October 2010

Bowling Green 2007 - Part 4

Waffle House, Our Apartment And Food

Waffel House

Near our apartment was an American Diner, like you had seen in many movies, called Waffle House. We went there several times to enjoy a traditional American breakfast with waffles, hash browns or scrambled eggs. The best thing about the restaurant was, that it was open 24 hours a day.

Waffle House

Toledo

We didn't have a car in the US, but sometimes we rented one from Enterprise and then we drove to Toledo for shopping or seeing a movie. Usually we chose to go to Franklin Park Mall, because it was easy to reach and it offered a big cinema, many restaurants and shops.

Cinema at Franklin Park Mall

Restaurant

Our Apartment

Our apartment had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room. So we had enough space to invite our friends from home to stay with us for two weeks. It wasn't very modern, but it really was okay for five months and we enjoyed our stay there.

Our Apartment House

Our Kitchen

Our TV

Our Apartment

Our Wash Saloon

What We Have Eaten

We ordered lots of food during our time in the US, because it was really cheap compared to Austria. Eating out in general is a lot cheaper in the States than at home. It was even cheaper for us to go out than cooking.

Our favorites to order were pizzas from Domino's Pizza and sometimes we ordered from Pizza Hut too. We also cooked at home, but we prefered to go out. For example we had lunch or dinner at Panera Bread, Burger King, Wendy's or at fabulous local restaurants like Cucina Di Betto or El Zarape.

Panera Bread Bakery - Onion Soup

Eating at Home - Veggie Chicken Nuggets

Eating at Home - Veggie Burger

Ordered Pizza Hut Pizza with Dips

Eating at Home - Microwave Mac'n'Chesse - Disgusting

Friday, 22 October 2010

Bowling Green 2007 - Part 3

Global Connection

Global Connection is an organization that cares about international students and during the semester they organized some events, like BBQs or Pizza Parties, where all international students were invited to get in contact with other students. Of course we attended some of their parties and events as well.

Global Connection Welcome Picnic

One of the first events Global Connections did for international students, was a sandwich picnic to get to get to know each other. They ordered many sandwiches from Subway and it turned out to be a nice event to make new friends.

Sandwich Picnic

Global Connection Free Food & Furniture

Right before the semester started, Global Connection hosted a breakfast for the international students. During that breakfast we could win stuff, like cutlery, furnitures, microwaves or glasses, for our apartment. We did well and won glasses and cutlery.

Free Food & Furniture

Global Connection Campfire & Cookout

The next big event was a BBQ in the country side. A nice family invited all international students to their huge home, where we had dinner. Luckily the weather was nice and so we all had a great time there.