Q & A
Today (Sunday) we left Vienna for Prague. New language, new money (the Czech crown), and other adventures await.
Before I share with you the 1,001 photos I will undoubtedly take in Prague in the coming days, I thought I would give answers to some of the questions you have asked me in emails and texts ...
Q. Could you change your itinerary as you go along? Like if you don't like a place, could you move on?
A. We could, but it would cost us. Almost every place we're staying required a non-refundable payment in advance.
Q. Have you been homesick?
A. Remarkably, no. Since I really love hearth and home, before the trip, I told The Mister more than once that undoubtedly I would get homesick. He said he could help me through it. But homesickness hasn't happened -- so far.
Q. Did you find out what that encore piece was, played at the performance in Salzburg's Mirabell Palace?
A. Yes! The violinist answered my email - I am so appreciative or it would have been lost to me forever.
The piece is entitled "Sicilienne" and was composed by Theresia von Paradies. She was a pupil of Mozart and she was blind.
Here is a link to a YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDm2BvqMoXc
I'd love for you to listen to this beautiful, moving music. Especially my family and friends who love music: why do I recognize this piece? Was it used in something mainstream? Do you like it? Please give me feedback.
Q. Could you love a guy who didn't like to travel?
A. Hmm. Earl's sense of adventure and love of travel is part of who he is, and probably one of the reasons I fell in love with him. Without that, we wouldn't have been as suited for each other. Every person is a "package deal" but I couldn't imagine falling in love with someone who wasn't greatly curious about the world and wanted to see it, as long as he is able.
Q. Have the language differences been hard?
A. Many people speak some English so we haven't run into any major problems. Menus are difficult because English descriptions often don't make sense (below).
But I'm the kind of person who strikes up conversations with people in elevators or behind the cash register, so it's hard for me to live in "foreign" countries. Even the British were hard to understand! I will enjoy being back home in terms of being able to talk to strangers more!
A. This one (below), from our Alpine apartment. We were ready to get into the sauna and I wanted to take a selfie of us in our robes. There's a mirror in the living room and when I started to get the camera ready for a selfie, I realized I could just shoot in the mirror. I like this photo for so many reasons.
Q. Besides seeing things you've never seen, what do you like most about traveling?
A. Magic moments that you never see coming. Here's one example. We were walking by a river overlook in Berchtesgaden, Germany, and some teenagers (below) were playing Chinese jump rope. (At least that's what we called it in our neighborhood -- two people hold with their legs a long piece of elastic and the third person jumps.)
Anyway, they were laughing and having a good time but weren't using the jump rope quite right. They were doing only basic things with it and then trying unsuccessfully to make up jumps.
I hesitated but then thought what the heck! I asked them if they could speak English -- a little, they said. I asked them if I could explain some moves. Yes, yes, was the enthusiastic reply. I showed them in slow motion some of the complicated jumps you can do and they loved it. They wanted to try the new jumps right away. It was a silly yet magical time.
Q. The Grand Tour is for 3 months. Too much or too little?
A. Tomorrow marks 2-months of this holiday. So far I still want to keep doing this ... so I guess I have to answer that question later?
Q. Here's a question from a Jane J., one of my blog readers: how much does this blog mean to you?
A. Good question, Jane J.
Being able to communicate with family and friends has meant so much to me. Being able to tell you about my days as they are happening has kept me connected. Thank you, thank you, thank you ...
... for reading my blog!
Jane
Before I share with you the 1,001 photos I will undoubtedly take in Prague in the coming days, I thought I would give answers to some of the questions you have asked me in emails and texts ...
Q. Could you change your itinerary as you go along? Like if you don't like a place, could you move on?
A. We could, but it would cost us. Almost every place we're staying required a non-refundable payment in advance.
Q. Have you been homesick?
A. Remarkably, no. Since I really love hearth and home, before the trip, I told The Mister more than once that undoubtedly I would get homesick. He said he could help me through it. But homesickness hasn't happened -- so far.
Q. Did you find out what that encore piece was, played at the performance in Salzburg's Mirabell Palace?
A. Yes! The violinist answered my email - I am so appreciative or it would have been lost to me forever.
The piece is entitled "Sicilienne" and was composed by Theresia von Paradies. She was a pupil of Mozart and she was blind.
Here is a link to a YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDm2BvqMoXc
I'd love for you to listen to this beautiful, moving music. Especially my family and friends who love music: why do I recognize this piece? Was it used in something mainstream? Do you like it? Please give me feedback.
Q. Could you love a guy who didn't like to travel?
A. Hmm. Earl's sense of adventure and love of travel is part of who he is, and probably one of the reasons I fell in love with him. Without that, we wouldn't have been as suited for each other. Every person is a "package deal" but I couldn't imagine falling in love with someone who wasn't greatly curious about the world and wanted to see it, as long as he is able.
Q. Have the language differences been hard?
A. Many people speak some English so we haven't run into any major problems. Menus are difficult because English descriptions often don't make sense (below).
But I'm the kind of person who strikes up conversations with people in elevators or behind the cash register, so it's hard for me to live in "foreign" countries. Even the British were hard to understand! I will enjoy being back home in terms of being able to talk to strangers more!
Q. Favorite photo?
A. This one (below), from our Alpine apartment. We were ready to get into the sauna and I wanted to take a selfie of us in our robes. There's a mirror in the living room and when I started to get the camera ready for a selfie, I realized I could just shoot in the mirror. I like this photo for so many reasons.
Q. Besides seeing things you've never seen, what do you like most about traveling?
A. Magic moments that you never see coming. Here's one example. We were walking by a river overlook in Berchtesgaden, Germany, and some teenagers (below) were playing Chinese jump rope. (At least that's what we called it in our neighborhood -- two people hold with their legs a long piece of elastic and the third person jumps.)
Anyway, they were laughing and having a good time but weren't using the jump rope quite right. They were doing only basic things with it and then trying unsuccessfully to make up jumps.
I hesitated but then thought what the heck! I asked them if they could speak English -- a little, they said. I asked them if I could explain some moves. Yes, yes, was the enthusiastic reply. I showed them in slow motion some of the complicated jumps you can do and they loved it. They wanted to try the new jumps right away. It was a silly yet magical time.
Q. When do you come home?
A. We arrive late at night on July 25. We fly from Amsterdam to Minneapolis to Dayton.
A. Tomorrow marks 2-months of this holiday. So far I still want to keep doing this ... so I guess I have to answer that question later?
Q. Here's a question from a Jane J., one of my blog readers: how much does this blog mean to you?
A. Good question, Jane J.
Being able to communicate with family and friends has meant so much to me. Being able to tell you about my days as they are happening has kept me connected. Thank you, thank you, thank you ...
... for reading my blog!
Jane
The Sicilienne is associated with bucolic music. This was played by the cellist at Prince Harry’s and Medhan’s wedding. I thought sure it would also have been used in a movie, but couldn’t find a reference to its use in a movie. Try this for fun—listen to the music and imagine a movie scene that would be perfect with it. The music is simple and straightforward. It seems nostalgic to me. The “movie’ that popped into my mind was a baby boomer couple enjoying beautiful scenery in Europe. Obviously, it is the perfect music to accompany “Our Grand Tour” and memories of it. I downloaded the music to play on my cello. When I play it, sadly, it won’t sound quite like a Lynn Harrell’s version.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you know! I thought of the Royal Wedding and listened to the opening (bride walks down the aisle) song and it wasn't Sicilienne so I gave up. Leave it to you to find out that I was on the right woods, just on the wrong path. Thanks, Mary!
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