Passau

Okay so here we are again, at a gas station somewhere off the main highway going through Austria, paying for the potty and having a very expensive bite before back to the grind of driving.
Last night we stayed at Passau. A small city on the Donau, or Danube River. German town, boasting a view that would make angels cry. We arrived late and tried to find a B&B before the sun went down. Alfonz went in to a few places and everyone was booked, (early beer festers?) So he finally found one. Older, along the water with a view, big, dated to say the least but we both had stayed in worse. Plus the kids were done by this point, so we really didn't have an alternative. 139 Euros, high priced, but in Hassmersheim was so off the beaten track I expect we got a good deal at $74 Euros for a brand spankin' new hotel with view and an extra bed even.....

We parked in this dives labyrinth parkade, got lost for 20 minutes carrying the kids and bags, came up via stairs, put our stuff away, and then we went to get food at a tiny pub on the main drag. We sat down and I mentioned, you know we don't have to stay here. We could get our bags, and take off to the next town. I just got a really bad vibe from the room, plus they wanted cash up front, and key deposit......So when the waitress came to our table to take the order we asked her what she thought about the hotel we are staying at. She said don't do it, its a really bad place, your stuff won't be safe, the owner's crazy.....no sooner did she finish her sentence did Alfonz leave me with the screaming tired kids, to run back, load up the car and return the key. The waitress happened to work in a Hotel called The Atrium on the other side of the Danube. She called over for us and asked if they had anything available because it was late and the kids were so tired by 8:30 with the change over, no naps, and no food as of yet! She felt sorry for us I think and put the last room on hold for us. When we finished the meal, we drove around, got lost, I really did think Alfonz would snap at that point (but not until today did he...teehee) but he held up and when we found it, it looked like an oasis. Beautifully done with floor to ceiling windows, light flowing through, our beakin'. Thank the lord above. Oh god, I though Mary-Louise said it was $95 Euros, this looks much more. But Alfonz had high hopes, as often he does, walked in and came back nearly shitting. We not only got a room for the night but the last one available was the 2 story suite!! two baths, 2 beds, stunning windows all brand new and plush!! lucky lucky lucky man, I thought. If he didn't pick that hole to eat in we never would have talked to the girl that passed us along......(A quick note don't ever order duck in a German pub. I think it was deep fried! And dumplings there are one giant boiled ball of dough soaked in gravy....not so good. The rest of us ate Schnitzel. Another note, its always good in Germany no matter where you eat it. If its a gas station, of a fancy restaurant Schnitzel's all the same.) Anyways the room was soemthing out of a dream and would have cost more than 3 times the price normally!!

Angelina decided to wake us up in the wee hours, so wake up time for us today was 3:45. Daniel miraculously slept on until 6:00. No rest for the wicked. Mary- Louise, our savior, ended up serving us breakfast. When we told her which room we were in even she nearly had a heart attack. With directions in hand I was now determined to see this beautiful city by foot. We tried, a few different ways, but my lovely husband, on no sleep......the kids crazy from no sleep or just not enough, we started driving out of the city. I guess this city is not for us after all?! Or maybe we need to arrange a B&B on the way back and see it then?! Wish me luck on that one!

So after numerous blow outs and failed attempts at compromise we are very close to the Hungarian boarder. Austria for me was a blur of green patchwork out my window, and gas station food that is stinkin' up the car. No not me it was Alfonz!! hah!! Maybe on the way home we can stop somewhere. I am dreaming of my Nagymama's spare room, and some sleep and some firm ground to plant our feet on. I guess next time we need to do no more than 3 hours driving a day, more is too hard on us. Especially the kids, but even us. I guess we are getting older after all.