12 Hours in Paris

A few weeks ago, I took another ODR trip… this time to Paris! I love adding a new country to my growing list, and I especially love crossing stuff off my bucket list. I'm planning to take my mum and one of my siblings there later this summer, so this was also a great chance to scout things out.

I know everyone wants to see the same thing when they visit Paris… the Eiffel Tower. So, here's a shot of it before I get to anything else:

And here I be in front of it! Proof, I was so there.

Of course, my day didn't start at the Eiffel Tower. My pal Michelle and I took the ODR bus together, along with her daughter. After sleeping overnight on the ride to the city, we were dropped off at Place de la Concorde. During the French Revolution, a guillotine was set up in this square. It was here that King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were executed.

We planned to meet my other pal, Becky in the early afternoon at the Louvre, home of the Mona Lisa. To fill some time, we wandered the Tuileries Garden which backs up to the Louvre. The gardens are very beautiful, and include playgrounds, carousels, fountains, and even restaurants. We stopped for a quick cappuccino at the garden entrance, happy to sip our way down the many paths.

At the opposite end of the garden, we walked under the Arc du Carrousel to reach the famous "invisible" entryway to the Louvre.

Because this was a quick trip, we didn't take the time to enter the Louvre itself, though we did wander the outside grounds. When I return in July, I plan to take my mum and sis there, so I'll tell you all about it then, kay?

Lunch was the first thing on our list after meeting up with Becky, especially since we were taking the Sandeman's free walking tour at 1 PM. We were in a bit of a hurry, but luckily found a great little cafe on the way to our tour. I loved my petite canard burger… fresh duck with balsamic onions, roasted mushrooms, and a dijon sauce. If I lived in Paris, I'm sure I'd gain 100 pounds in the first year!

After lunch, we were ready to walk off all those delicious calories. I highly recommend the Sandeman's walking tours. I've taken them in several major cities, and they are always quite good. Our guide this time was no exception! Smart and humorous, with lots of insightful stories at each of the major attractions were passed. Here's a look at some of the things we saw:

At the end of our walking tour, we braved the Paris metro to see the Eiffel Tower. The Paris metro system is very similar to London's Underground, if you've ever ridden that one. Once you have an idea of how it works, the process is pretty simple. Keep in mind that many stations do not have cashier windows, so you must purchase tickets from a machine. A lot of these machines will take coin money only, so keep some extra small euros on you for this. Or if you're spending several days in Paris, try out the Visite Pass.

After the Eiffel Tower, there was just enough time for some shopping and some snacking before the bus came back to get us. I found some great art prints, and happily munched on macaroons as we wandered. If you've yet to have a macaroon, they are so delicious! Get your first one from Angelina's, you won't regret it.

I absolutely loved my day in Paris, and I can't wait to go back again later this summer. I'm also planning a visit near Christmas with one of my other siblings. I wonder how different the city will look under a crisp winter sky?

Until next time my friends, happy travels!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Follow me on Facebook @ OurArmyLifeAccordingToTheWife

or on Pinterest, my newest obsession @ ArmyLifeFromTheWife

Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

Salzburg Christmas Market

The month of December is such a festive time in Germany… Christmas markets abound, lights are strung, and trees are decorated. For the four weeks of Advent, you can't help but be infected with holiday spirit. After attending my first Christmas market in Germany, I branched out the following weekend and took another bus trip through ODR (Outdoor Rec) to Salzburg, Austria.

View from the Museum of Modern Art

Gorgeous, isn't it? A few minutes after arrival, I knew I'd be visiting again someday, this time with the Hubs. But for the moment, I was there with friends to attend Salzburg's Christmas market.

We started our day early, wandering the markets before they became too crowded (and believe me, they did!). Food vendors are everywhere, tempting you with their sights and smells, not to mention all the Christmas crafts which are for sale.

Let me be honest… I have to fight the urge to stop at every, single stall! Yeesh, talk about putting on some holiday weight. Luckily, those with me had more self-control, and we merely stopped to have cheese sausages for breakfast, yum. Lunch was an open-faced Raclette sandwich. This was so good, the Hubs and I re-created it at home earlier this week!

And yes, the simple recipe will be coming soon to a blog near you…

Various food vendors. Bottom-left: Raclette

Salzburg is known for many things, but some of the better known items are these:

1. Birthplace and home of Mozart
2. The filming of the Sound of Music (the original!)
3. "Old Town", an UNESCO World Heritage Site

Though our group didn't tour Mozart's home, I plan to check it out when I go back with the Hubs. But I did get a quick look at the outside, plus every street corner seems to house Mozart candy chocolate shops! I can't resist things that include chocolate, ha.

Left: Birthplace / Home of Mozart
Right: Chocolate shop selling Mozart candies

While history and chocolate are always at the top of my list, one of the very top reasons tourists visit Austria are the Sound of Music tours. Again, I was in Salzburg for the Christmas markets, so we didn't take a tour. But I'll be enjoying one soon! Sometime in the spring, I hope to test the tours with the Hubs, and I'll be sure to let you know how we like it.

As for Old Town, we did manage to see quite a bit of it as we wandered from market to market. The architecture is stunning, and just begs for photographs to be taken. You can find a printable map and free walking tour here if you're interested.

View of Old Town from above, with Fortress Hohensalzburg on the hill

Our group accidentally wound up at the top of the Museum of Modern Art, thinking we were riding to the top of the castle! Of course, once at the top, we quickly realized our mistake. The view was so fantastic, though, none of us regretted the detour.

We decided to tour the fortress next, then spend a few hours (after dark) shopping at the Christmas market. After taking the tram to the castle, we were happy to find a small market there.

From the castle top, we were able to tour the inside of the fortress, as well as explore the market. Plus, the views were out of this world, seriously.

Don't believe me? See for yourself:

I was right, huh? Out of this world. 

The market at the fortress was much less crowded than the others, but also much smaller. After a while, we headed back to the hustle and bustle in the city.

We shopped, we laughed, we ate, we drank. And then we did it all again! I personally prefer a more intimate market (translate: less crowded), but I found some amazing Christmas crafts and gifts here. And I definitely want to visit Salzburg again!

Have you ever visited this beautiful city? Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments, I love hearing from y'all. I'll be writing soon to tell you about some more of the local markets I've visited recently.

Until then, happy holidays and Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Follow me on Facebook @ OurArmyLifeAccordingToTheWife

or on Pinterest, my newest obsession @ ArmyLifeFromTheWife

Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

Twelve Hours in Budapest

Before our car arrived, before our household goods made an appearance, and before we even had a chance to explore our new town...

I signed up for a bus trip to Budapest. That's right. Me and the Hubs. Bus to Budapest.

Insanity, right?

Some people might think so. But for me, I thought it would be madness to turn down the opportunity. I mean, it's Budapest, people! Since we were without a car, the bus trip was a great solution for us. We could sleep on the long drive there, explore the city, then sleep on the long trip back.

It was awesome.

View from Castle Hill 

Are you wondering where I found this bus trip? Well, I'll tell ya. Outdoor Recreation is a department sponsored by MWR, and they organize fabulous activities for soldiers and families. Including this particular trip to Budapest! Now, these excursions are not free. Each activity will be priced based on the cost of the trip. It's up to you to look, ask questions, and decide which activities might be right for you.

Of course, I find that most of them are right for me. I'm already signed up to visit the Christmas market in Salzburg this year.

But, back to Budapest.

This is a beautiful city, which I highly encourage you to visit. Though we had only 12 hours, the Hubs and I loved every minute of our adventure. We wanted to see as much as possible, and also learn what we could about the city. Technically, two cities... one side of the river is Buda, the other side is Pest (pronounced pesht).

With our limited time, we chose two walking tours, which also proved to be extremely economical. Free is a pretty good price, right? Our guides were excellent, and the exercise good. At the end of the tours, you tip based on your experience. We tipped pretty well, because our guides were awesome! But because our first tour didn't begin until late morning, we were free to explore the city a bit on our own (and have some breakfast!).

Central (or Great) Market Hall

The Great Market Hall was a fantastic place for souvenirs and food. If able, I would have purchased much fruit and cheese and meat! Alas, there would be no way to keep it fresh for the journey back. Instead, I satisfied myself with nesting dolls and Christmas ornaments. And meat on a stick for breakfast, ha.

After the quick meal, we roamed the city streets for a bit. You never know what you'll see! Like this flute player we walked past...

Our official tour (The Original) began on the waterfront, where the statue of a young girl sits on the railing that lines the Danube. The Little Princess is one of the most photographed statues in Budapest. If you look closely at her bronze knees, you'll notice they are quite a bit shinier than the rest of her. This is because it's believed rubbing the Princess' knees will bring you luck. Naturally, Hubs and I tested the theory ourselves. If our great day in Budapest was any indication, then I say the luck worked!

The Little Princess on the Danube promenade 

The tour lasted little more than 3 hours, and was packed with history, not to mention the beautiful scenery. Our guide was available to answer questions, even take pictures. Hubs and I hardly ever have pictures together that aren't selfies, so this was a sweet bonus for us. Here are some of the other sights we saw whilst on tour:

St. Stephen's Basilica

Tree of  Love Locks

Panoramic view from Chain Bridge

Chain Bridge

Hungarian Parliament

Random parade in the city 

After the first tour, we had time to wander again on our own. More importantly, it was time for lunch! All the walking worked up our appetites. If you take a walking tour yourself, I suggest carrying bottled water and some light snacks. There are several fountains throughout the city where you can fill your bottles for free.

As for lunch, the Hubs and I hunkered down at Gerbeaud for ONE reason... the Hubs' uncanny ability to sniff out any establishment with gigantic sweets on the menu. Lunch was fab, but dessert was out of this world:

Left: "Strawnilla"
Right: Somloi Sundae

OH. MY. GOD.

These were huge, and so delicious. In fact, at the end of our day (about 6 hours later), the Hubs ate another one of these!!! I restrained myself, but it would have been worth the calories.

During lunch, we were entertained by street performers as we enjoyed our lattes at sidewalk tables. The hour of respite was needed before we began another tour. This time, we would explore the Jewish Quarter with our guide.

The first stop on our tour was this statue, a memorial dedicated to Sztehlo Gábor, a young priest in Budapest during World War II. During the German invasion, Gábor rescued thousands of Jewish children, most of whom were orphaned.

From here, we moved on to Dohany Synagogue, the second largest in the world, after Temple Emanu-El in New York City. 

One thing which makes this synagogue unusual is the burial grounds on site. According to Jewish traditions, graveyards should not be located on the premises of a house of prayer. However, during the war, the synagogue became part of the ghettos, and thousands of Jewish victims died here. The necessity of mass graves and burial sites outweighed tradition. Today, these markers are in memory of the thousands buried beneath:

The synagogue was closed to tours while we visited, but I would suggest taking one of you can. The inside is purported to be quite beautiful, and I'm sure you could discover much more of the history. As it was, we could only view from the outside.

Around the corner, but still enclosed within the synagogue grounds, was this holocaust memorial: 

Emanuel Tree by Imre Varga

The leaves of this weeping willow contain the engraved names of the Hungarian Jews killed during the holocaust. 

Our tour continued, through the city streets, moving from the past and into the future. Now, the 'ghettos' contain restaurants and bakeries, nightlife and hot spots. Homes are still maintained in the area, like these which rest next to an oft overlooked memorial (a small section of the ghetto wall, rebuilt): 

At the end of our tour, we stopped in one of the ruin bars for which Budapest is quickly becoming known:

After many thanks to our guide (and a hefty tip, she was fantastic), we left the pub to find our way back to the bus. On the way, Hubs snacked on another giant ice cream, and I enjoyed another coffee with the city lights sparkling around us. We wandered the Danube waterfront one last time, entranced by the beauty of this amazing city.

Chain Bridge at Night

Though we saw much in our 12 hours, Hubs and I can't wait to go back to this city. There is so much more to see and do! If you've been to Budapest yourself, feel free to leave some suggestions in the comments below. 

For now, happy traveling! 

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Follow me on Facebook @ OurArmyLifeAccordingToTheWife

or on Pinterest, my newest obsession @ ArmyLifeFromTheWife

Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com