Throwback Thursday: Harburg Castle, Germany (2012)

Perched on the side of a mountain above a small town of the same name, Harburg Castle has guarded the Romantic Road in Germany's Bavarian countryside since at least 1150AD.  The castle is in remarkable shape, having never been extensively damaged by war, and even Michael Jackson himself called it "the castle of his dreams."

Have you visited Harburg?

Veteran's Day

Today the United States commemorates and honors our military veterans with ceremonies, expressions of gratitude, and a plethora of discounts and free meals courtesy of retail stores and restaurants.  While I personally remember our veterans every day of the year (after all, I married one!), I'm glad we have a day specifically set aside to purposefully thank and honor them.  It's not about agreeing or disagreeing with the conflicts they're sent to or the wars they've fought; it's about their personal sacrifice.

My great-grandfather (right) with his beloved jeep
in Germany.

Both my family and my husband's have strong ties to the military.  My husband served in the Marines with two overseas tours.  His brother and sister are still in the military (Air Force Reserves and Army National Guard), sacrificing their time on a regular basis in service to us and our country.  Their paternal grandfather served in World War II in the Pacific theater and was on board the U.S.S. Houston when it sank.  Subsequently, he was a Japanese prisoner of war for several years.  His sacrifice and service will never be forgotten.

My family also has our share of veterans.  My grandfather served in the Air Force during the Korean War.  He and his five brothers served from World War II through Vietnam, including a brother who died in combat (all six pictured above).  My maternal grandfather was a jeep driver in WWII and carried shrapnel in his body until the day he died.  My paternal cousin still serves in the Navy Reserves and has seen his fair share of deployments overseas, while his wife and young daughter missed him for holidays and birthdays.  In a way, Veterans Day is about the military family as a whole, not just the loved ones in uniform.

No matter how "small" or "short" the service record, each one of these veterans in my family has done what many are unwilling to do: sacrifice their time, their family, their friends, their bodies, and sometimes their very lives in service to our country.  Today we remember their sacrifice, we recognize their valor, and we respect their service.  Thank you.  Semper Fi.

Anbar Province, Iraq

 

Are you a veteran or do you have veterans in your family?  Please remember to thank a veteran today!

Hotel Andreotti, Cheerful & Charming

This past July we crossed a big item off the bucket list:  Rome.  We spent four days in the Eternal City, cramming as much into our itinerary as humanly possible.  Footsore and weary-worn, every night we hobbled our way back to our little oasis to collapse into deep, restful sleep under luxurious red and gold blankets before starting a new day.

Hotel Andreotti was that oasis.

I found Hotel Andreotti much like I do every other hotel, a combination of Trip Advisor reviews and Google Map searches.  We wanted something close to Termini station so we didn't have to wrestle our luggage farther than necessary, but not so close as to be noisy, overly touristy, or too far away from a convenient walk or Metro ride to the sites on our list.  Plus it needed to satisfy my three basic requirements in a hotel: clean rooms, accommodating staff, and a safe location.  We finally settled upon Andreotti, located 550 meters northwest of Termini or a seven minute walk.

We arrived later than planned, thanks to Italy's marvelous public transportation system (please note the sarcasm), but were able to locate the hotel easily.  Our first impression of the neighborhood was satisfactory:  plenty of restaurants, little shops, apartment buildings, and the Italian Department of Finance just around the corner.  The streets were quiet and fairly well-lit.  We never felt unsafe.

Having already paid for the hotel before we ever left home, checking in was a breeze, and Matteo was very friendly.  He explained the hotel's WiFi and pointed to the weather forecast print-out posted to the front desk every day.  We left our passports with him to be registered with the police as foreign tourists (standard procedure in Italy) and took our bags to the room.  Before we even got there, I was already gushing over the hotel's decor, especially with the retro elevator in the lobby!

And as for the room?  Well, it was perfect.

A queen-sized bed, thick blinds and curtains, a flat screen tv, a mini-fridge, a closet, and a good sized bathroom with bidet, shower stall, and a large counter.  Everything we could've possibly wanted or needed!

Beyond the room, the staff themselves were also perfect - very cheerful, accommodating, and speaking near-perfect English.  Their dinner recommendations were especially helpful that first night, when we were too tired to wander far but ravenous for some delicious Italian food.

We were also impressed with the price to stay at Andreotti, paying only 360,75 euros (or roughly $468) for five nights.  This averaged to roughly 72.15 euros ($93) a night in the height of the July tourist season.  Not bad!

Hotel Andreotti left us no room for complaints, and we would highly recommend them if you plan to stay in the Termini area.

Have you been to Rome?  Where did you stay?

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Linking up with Bonnie Rose & other travel bloggers for #TravelTuesday!