The Nevinski's visit England

My sister Faye, her husband Dennis, and their kids, Ashley and Lauren visited us over the summer.  Enjoy a few pics and the memories.

They visited Switzerland and Paris before travelling to London... here the travellers are welcomed off the Euostar in St. Pancreas train station, London.

Taking a hike to Mam Tor in Matlock

Back to London

Right outside Paddington Station is the hospital where the new Prince George was born...  although there were offers to babysit from the girls while they were here, Will and Kate said they were covered.  

   Not quite as crowded on the day we were there

 The girls outside Kensington Palace.  I proved to them that you can see all of London in one day..

Faye and Dennis with the Prince Albert monument on the background.  

Outside Buckingham Palace.. I think that someone said that Kate was taking William for a stroll in a pram ....  

Our favorite photo spot..  

On the Thames looking at Tower Bridge, next to Tower of London on the left 

Watching a 3D movie in prep for a night visit to the London eye.. nice look girls...  

The London Eye at Dusk 

 St Paul's Cathedral

 Outside Center Court Wimbledon

 The Nevinski's at the Podium

 On the Wimbledon Tour

 Don't know it's the family height or the orange shirts, but there wasn't any chance of us getting separated.  Here they go into the Tower of London 

Boat tour on the Thames 

 My sister loves photo's being taken of her

 Traitors could only be taken in the Tower of London at low tide (apparently)

Some food and libation by Covert Garden

 I don't know who started it ..... 

Apparently, shoe shopping trumps sight-seeing

 The M&M's store in London 

 Tubes of all the M&M's candies.  Kids in a candy store.. (literally).  We were convinced they piped in chocolate smell throughout the store. 

 Lori, Lauren, and Mr, Blue

 The girls and Queen Green 

Most of the girls moods were yellow.. 

 For the Engineers in the group.. 

At Heathrow for the departure..  We had a great time ....
(didn't see the ghost in front of me when I took the pic.. )  

Munich with the Family, Summer 2013

Munich, Austria, Neuschwanstein Castle with the Family, 
Summer 2013

After Zurich, we travelled by train to Munich.  First stop was the Marienplaz plaza and the Ratskeller for lunch 

The plaza next to the city hall

Some of us ate our weight in -werstz, sauerkraut, and beer over the few days we were there.

The Karlstor at Karlsplatz plaza  is one of Munich's old city gates 

This was breakfast day 2.. some brats and beer.. Breakfast for champion travellers. Son corrupted father as I remember it..

Entrance to Englisher Garden... surfer dudes out

Nice lake in the park.  Park noted for nude sunbathers.. only saw one older gentleman on a blanket in the middle of a field.. ahh Europe..

Nice path back to the city along the Isar River

Hofbrauhaus pub for more sausage, kraut, .....

oompa, oompa

Day Trip to Salzburg Austria
Took a regional train from Munich to Salzburg Austria.. If you have the chance, use a Bayern ticket which covered all 5 of us for one price. Great deal

Salzburg was where they filmed most of the Sound of Music movie.. below is the pavilion.. sadly, recently closed to tourists after an older lady trying to jump between the benches like in the movie slipped and broke her hip.  Als othe birthplace of Mozart.

One of the most famous scenes of The Sound of Music was filmed in this gazebo when Liesl sings 'I am 16 going on 17''.

Lunch very tasty - more -werst, krout, ....

Hohensalzburg Fortress, built in 1077 sits atop the city.  large chess game in the plaza (and a mannequin atop a large gold globe)

The river Salzach runs through the city

Snow covered Alps in the distance

Day Trip to Neuschwanstein Castle, 
Schwangau, Germany 

We took another regional train to Neuschwanstein Castle, the most visited castle in Europe.  It was built by KingLudwig II who died just before it was complete in 1886.  It was used as a model by Walt Disney for his Disneyland Castle.  The long walk from the train station  up the hill to the castle.  

Waypoint near the castle entrance.

Bridge that gives a nice view of the castle



Dachau Concentration Camp

After we dropped off Jen and Andy at the airport for their return trip to Indy,  we visited Dachau concentration camp.  Still a rather sober reminder of what happened..
The entrance gates.. Arbeit Macht Frei - Work makes (you) free...  made by the prisoners with metal working skills.  

This camp was opened in 1933 for political prisoners and served as a model for all later concentration camps and as a "school of violence" for the SS men under whose command it stood. In the twelve years of its existence over 200.000 persons from all over Europe were imprisoned here and in the numerous subsidary camps. 41.500 were murdered. On April 29 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.

Last stop -  Olympic park in Munich, home of the 1972 summer games. 

Mark Spitz won 7 Gold Medals here during the 1972 Munich Games

Interesting venue near the park - you get zipped up and inflated in a bubble before they push you in the lake.  You move by standing up and running like a hamster in a cage.   When you've had enough, there's a rope attached to pull you back in.