TMEA Planning Session

Had our first ever TMEA planning session at Durty Nellie's on Thursday, Feb. 11, with a Smythwicks or so. I was scanning Arthur Frommer's website, found what appears to be an awesome castle complex in the Slovak Republic; looks like we might try to get over to the eastern part of that country somehow.

Also checked the "Berlin Air" website, a discount airline we may use to get from Zurich back to Paris to fly back to Austin. In the process of discussing that, Rob suggested that we could go clockwise from Passau, hit Poland, Slovak Rep., Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, like that.

As of this date, we'll begin in Zurich, rent a car, tour through Lichtenstein on the way to Ruhpolding, Germany. We'll cross a little chunk of Austria on the way to Ruhpolding. Ruhpolding is a little town Rob visited with he was on a church choir tour in 2001. It has an underground pub that's the target for the first night.

2nd day will consist of going to Munich, maybe catch a couple WWII sights, then on to Ottmar's for the evening. As Elfriede was having trouble with her knee when we were there in 2007, we'll probably sleep in a closeby hotel. I emailed Wolfgang, Ottmar/Elfrede's son, and he says they are doing well, but I think I read between the lines that he agrees, may be a better idea for us to stay elsewhere.

None of this stuff is really far apart, so we'll be able to take our time between places.

We'll probably figure out the end of the trip next, so we know how we'll get to Paris to come home; then we fill out the rest of the schedule