Munich 2013 - Part 1

Going To Munich

Saturday - December 7th 2013

Like last year we decided to spend a weekend with friends in Munich. So Saturday morning they picked us up and we were on our way to Munich. An hour late we arrived at the Motel One Deutsches Museum, the same hotel like last year, and checked in. Our rooms weren't ready yet and so we dropped off our luggage and walked into the inner city.

Motel One Deutsches Museum

Munich

Munich

Since it was already noon we had luch at the Viktualenmarkt. We all ordered a falaffel sandwich at our favourite Oriental Food Cafe named Sababa and it was as good as always. 

Falafel Sandwich

In the afternoon we visited some Christmas Markets and had some mulled wines. Later while the girls went shopping, the guys went to the Hard Rock Cafe to watch the German Bundesliga on TV and of course we had some beers too.

Christmas Market

Christmas Market

Christmas Market

Christmas Market

Afterwards we met the girls for another mulled wine and then we had dinner at the Hans Im Glück Burger Restaurant. The restaurant was packed, but luckily we got the last table available. The burger tasted great and they came with a delicious cocktail.

Hans Im Glück Burger Restaurant

Hans Im Glück Burger Restaurant

Delicious Cocktail

Veggie Burger with Fries

Later we returned to the hotel, picked up our luggage and checked out our rooms. The rooms of the Motel One hotel chain are small, but cosy and very clean. We always enjoy staying there. Before we went to bed, we met at the hotel bar for one last drink.

Our Room

Motel One Lobby

Motel One

Munich 2013 - Part 2

Returning Home

Sunday - December 8th 2013

Breakfast wasn't included in our hotel package and so we booked breakfast at Max Pett, a vegan restaurant. After we got up, we packed our belongings, put the luggage in the car and walked back to the inner city. We all ordered the breakfast platter which included pancakes, maple sirup, jam, rolls, spreads, pretzels, an orange juice, cornflakes and coffee.

Breakfast Platter

Breakfast Platter

Breakfast with Pretzels

Afterwards we just walked around the inner city and then we drove back home.

Munich

Vienna Fall 2013 - Part 1

Arriving In Vienna

Saturday - September 28th 2013

Late September Claudia had to attend a conference in Vienna and on Saturday I followed and picked her up around noon. First we drove to our hotel to check in and to drop our luggage off. We stayed at the Austria Trend Hotel Doppio, which was conviniently located near the U3 subway and the 18 and 71 tram lines. Due to the hotel's proximity to the highway, it was very easy to reach the hotel by car. Our modern room was really nice and we were surprised that it was equipped with a high definition TV, but the mini bar could have been filled with beer and wine as well. Next to the reception there was a bar, but we didn't have any drinks there.

Austria Trend Hotel Doppio

Reception and Bar

Our Room

Bathroom

After we checked in, we were on our way to the inner city to have a late lunch at a vegetarian restaurant called Loving Hut. I had a veggie burger and Claudia chose the pasta. Later we just walked around the beautiful city and had a vegan ice cream at Veganista.

Summer Rolls

Pasta

Veggie Burger

Cultural Museum

Ice Cream

Ice Cream

Our next stop was the Meinl's Winebar. What a great place. We discovered the bar last year and of course we had to go there again. There we met some guys from Denmark who invited us to taste a really expensive French wine. Needless to say, that the wine was fantastic.

Hofburg Palace

Meinl's Winebar

Meinl's Winebar

A couple of glases later we were getting hungry and decided to have dinner. On the way there we had to stop at another beautiful bar for a cold Stella Artois. Unfortunately the restaurant we wanted to go to was closed and so we ended at the Biobar, another vegan restaurant.

Vienna

Vienna

Vienna

Dinner at Biobar

Dinner at Biobar

Hofburg Palace

Vienna City Hall

Since it was getting late, we returned to the hotel and watched some TV.

Vienna Fall 2013 - Part 2

Vienna

Sunday - September 29th 2013

After we got up, we packed our belongings and then it was time for breakfast. The buffet offered all kinds of rolls, coffee, tea, cheese, cereals, yoghurt, eggs, juice, jam, butter and many other breakfast items. Later we checked out, loaded the car and took the tram back to the inner city.

Breakfast Room

Breakfast Room

Breakfast Buffet

Breakfast

Although it wasn't very warm, we had try another vegan ice cream bar and it was as good as the one yesterday. Afterwards we stopped at Starbucks for a hot cup of coffee to get warm again and then we returned to the hotel to get the car.

Parliament

Vienna

St. Stephan's Cathedral

St. Stephan's Cathedral

St. Stephan's Cathedral

Ice Cream at Eis-Greissler

On our way back to Salzburg we had a late lunch at Restaurant Schillinger. Around 6:00pm we finally arrived at home.

United States 2013 - Part 1

United States 2013

A few years ago my girlfriend Claudia and I spent a semester at the Bowling Green State University and we both met some wonderful people there. Now it was time to return to Ohio to meet some of them again. So we decided to spend one week with our friends in Columbus and Bowling Green and afterwards we traveled to Chicago and via Indianapolis back to Ohio.

Flying To Columbus, Ohio

Saturday - August 31st 2013

We got up pretty early, because we had to drive from Salzburg to Munich. Our Delta flight should have departed at 9:50am from Munich, but after we arrived at the airport, we found out, that the flight had been delayed for five hours. What a great start for a vacation and the Delta crew didn't make it better with their strange humour. Unlike the flight attendants, we couldn't see anything positive in that delay. At least we got a coupon for the airport restaurants and so we tried to make the best out of it. First we had a cup of coffee at Starbucks and later we enjoyed some beers at the Airbräu Pub. After two beers the situation wasn't that bad anymore. For lunch we tried an Asian restaurant. The food was really good and a lot better than expected from an airport restaurant. I had a noodle dish named Yaki Soba and Claudia chose vegetables with rice.

Airbräu Pub

Airbräu Pub Beer

Asian Restaurant

Asian Restaurant

Asian Restaurant

Yaki Soba

Vegetables with Rice

Afterwards we bought some things for the flight and then we were on our way to the gate. Boarding was a bit chaotic, but finally we were ready for departure and left Munich on time. The flight to Atlanta was fine and we even caught the connecting flight to Columbus, Ohio. There we arrived at 11:30pm. The flight attendent found out that we weren't Americans and was surprised that Europeans would visit Ohio voluntarily instead of the tourist areas like California, New York or Florida.

Beer Makes Flying a lot more Fun

Airplane Food

After we got our luggage, our friends picked us up at the airport, because we stayed with them until Monday. We talked a bit to catch up and then it was time for bed.