2013-07-07: On the bikes, Day Two. Schloegen to Linz

After our kickass breakfast (lordy - they're always delicious buffet style where you could TOTALLY overdo it, yet rarely stuff yourself beyond recognition), we decided that we'd like to climb the blick (the big hill that overlooks the Schloegener Schlinger) for the best view. 

We thought "no problem!  we're fit and healthy people!  they said it would only take about 20 mins or so..."  Holy crap, that was a climb.  Much of the grades we went up were 20% easy.  But as the girls know, this builds the mystical quality that you can never have enough of - "character".  So we got to the top, took some awesome pictures and started the descent.  If any of you have ever done long hikes up a hill and then down, you know that the way down is by far the harder of the two.  So, we arrived back at the inn, the girls glowing, and me looking like a freakish swamp beast that had just been pulled from the brine.  Dang, I was drenched.  So after a quick change (checkout wasn't until 11.00a) we got on the bikes and went on our way.  I think we were on the road at 10.30a.

Seriously, pictures do this no justice.  None at all.

DEM UMLAUTS

Hard to see, but this was STEEP. 

VICTORY IS MINE!

Our sweet little inn (with the coldest swimming pool ever).

I am on a boat!

I know it was the distance as well, but it just felt like a much longer day.  I think it was the combination of the heat (more mid-day sun) and headwind that did it.  Still had a fabulous time, hit up a small town and had lunch where we got much of our usual, but two of the standouts were my saurkraut (YAY!  We're in Austria!) and Maya's wurst wrapped in bacon.  She was like "OH MY GOD THIS IS THE SAME STUFF I HAD IN SALZBURG WHEN I WAS EIGHT").  Good times...

Your German parts should be all tingly by now.

Soon...

She had no idea how this was framed, but it turned out PERFECTLY.

2 of my sweeties!

Unfortunately, I don't remember a lot of other details about the ride.  But I do know that we were all excited to be in Linz (great hotel, btw), by the time we got there we were all exhausted.  The fact that the rooms were actually air-conditioned was a HUGE plus.  We did some sightseeing, we definitely didn't give Linz a fair shake (Johannes Kepler, oh my!).  But we did see some beautiful things as well.  Went through a church that was again, amazing.  It's very much a theme - the churches are, for the most part, incredible.  Tons (literally!) of gold, marble, and other precious materials.

Linz, being Linz

This was not paused, and perfectly captured what we all felt at the end of that section.  Isn't she cute?

Yep.

It just wouldn't be complete without the golden box for the priest.

I have to say though, this church was noteworthy for another reason (actually a couple of reasons).  There were the remains of martyrs Theodori and Felicis there.  They actually have these people on display, bones and all (although they're dressed up a bit).  Who knows what they did or had did TO them that gave them this vaunted status?  But the entire thing is ridiculous to the point of wantonly ignorant stupidity.  Of course there will be much more about this later - I can barely contain my thoughts about the silliness of medieval religious belief, practices, and power structures (and how yet this mythos still persists in our "modern" era).

How surreal.

Yes, that's her real skull/skeleton.  Isn't it amazing?!?

Anyway...  That night after checking out the town a bit, we found our restaurant (usually the hotels have them, in this case it was a partner hotel).  Pretty swanky place, inside a high-buck casino complex.  I realize that this sounds like an oxymoron, given what we're used to in MN for casinos, but you'll have to trust me.  We got our table, and the server that was assigned to us was given to us because they heard us speaking English (and you could see her face droop as if to say "oh great, not another American family")  Of course, she and Amy had a great old time speaking in German and things lightened up a bit. 

The food (as has been the case almost every single time) was incredible.  For some reason that night, I was hilarious (if I don't say so myself).  Must have been the short nap I had in the hotel room or the water or ...?  But we were having such a great time at the restaurant, laughing and joking around it was *fantastic*.  We talked with our server, and she shared with us the secret of how she can carry 21 wine glasses at one time.  All of us were like "ha!  yeah right." and then she showed us.

A real family picture!

I'm sure I was being obnoxious :)

My sweeties.

Minds = blown

DUDE.

We all felt as if she had just pulled back the curtain on some secret society or ritual known only to the select initiates.  We talked about her plans to leave the student housing (cheap!) and pursue culinary school and head to the U.S.  We did our best to persuade her that the Twin Cities was a bit of a surprising boom town for foodies and innovative cuisine.  After all of this we were all genuinely happy to have met each other.  "You are the best group I have served in a very long time!"  Guess she gets either piggish people (native and tourist) or high-roller wannabees that just want to treat waitstaff like shit.  Sad that egos are such inseparable and needy things for most humans. 

Thankfully, our theme is that the waitstaff tend to love us, but some of the other customers...  I think they're a bit taken aback by a family like ours. 

AND THEY SHOULD BE - WE KICK ASS.