Day 4: Bregenz, Austria

June 7, 2013 (Happy Birthday, Mattie!)

This morning we woke up early and showered (there is only one in the hotel since it used to be an old house) and then had breakfast. The breakfast was a Germanic breakfast again, but a little better quality and quantity than the one we had in Switzerland. The coffee was delicious (probably a little too strong for Clayton’s taste though).

They serve their coffee so much prettier than we do

We then rode a boat over to Bregenz, Austria, where Amanda studied abroad last year. The Bodensee (<--  the name of the Lake in German) is the third largest lake in Europe and touches three countries (Switzerland, Germany [where Lindau is] and Austria [where Bregenz is]) It only takes about 30 minutes by boat to go from Lindau to Bregenz.

"It can grow a beard better than me" -Clayton

On the boat in the Lindau harbor

Bregenz has a market every Tuesday and Friday where they sell fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, jellies, cheeses, eggs, flowers, etc. that we walked through. It is like a super-sized farmers market that covers many streets. We went into a trinket shop that I had visited while here last summer and the shop owner immediately greeted me and then tried to practice German with me like we used to do. Then I think it hit him that he hadn’t seen me for a year and that it was last summer when I was here. It was nice that he remembered me so well though.

I love the fresh flowers at the market

Afterwards, I showed Clayton where we ate supper every night and the school where I went to class. Then we rode the Pfanderbahn (Cablecar) up the mountain to the top. At the top of the mountain there are great views and a small zoo with wild pigs, native mountain goats and native deer.  

View of the Bodensee and Lindau from the top of the mountain in Bregenz.
Lindau is the island sticking out into the water on the right.

Young mountain goats scaling the mountainside

At the top of the mountain!

Dad, I found a tractor!

Once we rode back down the mountain, we had lunch where I used to eat lunch often last summer. We had a Germanic special called a Döner Kebab which has a mystery meat (lamb?), lettuce, red cabbage, and a mystery white sauce on it, all stuffed in a bun that looks like a pocket made of bread.

A Döner Kebab

Eating döners!

 After lunch we headed in the direction of Brigitte’s house, but stopped along the way to look at the town cathedral. I actually walked by it to school every day when I was here, but never went inside. We went inside and listened to someone play the organ for a while.

The outside of the cathedral. Brigitte's house is on the hill right behind it.

The inside

The inside

Once we got to Brigitte’s house we sat in the garden and had some delicious chocolate cake and coffee. We sat for a few hours and talked about what had happened this year, looked at pictures of her grandchildren, listened to stories about when she was in America (in 1968) and had a wonderful time. Brigitte and I showed Clayton her garden and the downstairs apartment I stayed in. Clayton really enjoyed seeing where I spent my time last summer. We are hoping that we may have time while in the United Kingdom to take a day trip up to Harlaxton and Grantham so I can see where Clayton studied.

Brigitte's expresso and cake

Brigitte and us on her back porch

We finished the tour of Bregenz by eating ice cream and sitting on the steps by the lake like I used to do last summer.

Sitting by the Bodensee

We rode the boat back to Lindau, Germany (where our hotel is) and grabbed Bratwursts and Pommes Frites (French Fries) from a stand for supper, which due to my broken German we ended up ordering them al a carte and with some kind of curry sauce on my fries. Tomorrow we will spend the day in Lindau, Germany exploring the island and then take a night train (leaving about 10pm) and arrive in Cologne, Germany at 5:45am the next morning. Auf Wiedersehen!