Blogs from Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany, Europe
November 1st 2010
12 miles south of Munich is the Starnbergersee. It’s one of the most historical lakes around Munich and people have been coming out to enjoy its beautiful sights and weather since the 1600’s. I was a little bit tired from the Prague trip, but since we have Monday off from school (a Bavarian holiday) I decided to join some friends who were buying reduced S-Bahn tickets to go visit the lake. We ended up doing a ton of walking. As soon as we stepped off the S-Bahn we were at the edge of the lake. The lake is really clear and clean and across the lake you can see the Alps towering above everything else. I saw then why this lake was a “must-see” of the lakes in Munich. Everyone wanted to stop and eat at ... read more
May 26th 2007
One of the advantages of a non-simultaneous home exchange is the fact that your place needn't be cleaned to perfection before leaving. Of course this also has a draw-back. Think of the day of your return. We are all packed up, ready to hit the road. Do you have any idea which direction we are headed? During our trip, we will try to answer your inquiries at the accustomed speed; however, depending on the Internet connections while traveling, our reply might be a bit slower than usual. We apologize for any inconvenience. ... read more
May 22nd 2007
An unexpected turn of events concerning our home exchange travel plans occurred today. I received news of a little schedule problem on the day of our arrival. The father of our host had offered the use of our home exchange object for a cultural event in town. We would still be able to use the place that day, but would have to share it with lots of other people. With much charm, the son lamented over the disorganization and apologized for the situation. The whole scene reminded me of some of that beautiful country's stereotypical characteristics: creative chaos. That should give you a hint where we are headed to! The reaction of my husband? "This home exchange sounds more and more like an adventure. Let's take part in the event!" Which reminded me, flexibility and adaptability ... read more
May 18th 2007
OK, I admit it. I was getting a little nervous. After I hadn't heard from our home exchange partner in over a month, a short note arrived last Saturday with the question what day we would arrive. Relief! That was the kind of news I had been waiting for. Our email correspondence had been sporadic since we had both agreed to a non-simultaneous home exchange a few months ago; however, a few important details of our swap puzzle were still missing. Like exchanging addresses and keys! I mailed back right away, asking for these details. No answer. I knew our partner was very heavily engaged at work and he was about to head out on an overseas business trip. Also, he had never done a home exchange before. In all of my correspondence with him, I ... read more
May 13th 2007
In two weeks, my family and I are to set out on our biggest home exchange adventure ever. No agreement forms have changed hands. We barely have an address of the place, not to mention a key. And yet, we are totally convinced of the success of this unusual home exchange. How is this possible? The picture that I gained from our home exchange partner through our correspondence is of someone trustworthy and reliable. Home exchange is all about trust! The object we are exchanging our home for is neither a house nor a boat. But what else could it be? Here is a hint: it is ancient and made out of stone. I'll keep you posted! ... read more
July 3rd 2005
I’ve just returned from 10 days of a wonderful seminar course. Where better to study about Organic Design and Architecture than up the hill from url=http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?ovi=1&zoom=7&mapdata=GL7GBbQZ5kxr%2b6R6G83g6ZGrkw7KrpTTyXDgBG1XYVhEPfLcQFRmKic3Qw%2bDsW5Y5eLyFoe6JRGcT%2bBKB0sLY%2fdr9gzU6Rw31wpaVhARQzDoCYUcrED6ANv7kQijG%2f4ROGI3bB2M6mpAk1zdh32RAH0yhIeQGjKbhUCsa%2b7m4w6Ahwf785ljZo6coBSaEWDE6dINKmcNjvO1D%2bnPqNOU%2buydO9JUPBxeG65eizr7KfT4OfHEJqTnwhl7oizPT6VqLZjXPDGZI728WCGMr35ArP1zPVR4mgqNA00EBj2ZA6rIsZ12S5vccbbz9uLcqx49if%2bVIpaHNq%2bFDCs6r3JKQD3wWcUYAC4Xt9vgQaetvF7kLRcMnd1%2fxMS%2fl8jT2%2f%2fSrbBGIb5iGBhmx%2f4wzV61KRU7KHpkD%2buTaYMeYkQdATkH%2bBGLbNHYqXQSZkd8Dhst5De7g6%2bn9G3JexTd0mXYBX6%2flmGy9JAM960HicEEAX5dyAgDe9feCs%2bkl4D6IO8ErKDmWzzp%2f0s7xz3bUtzMYuQ3F%2fdeV56dStarnbergsee in a seminar center... read more
