Let the trip begin...oh, it has!!

Guten tag, everyone!!  This is my first posting in Europe as I haven't had internet access since boarding this ship at around 5 tonight, which is Sunday night here in Germany, or 10 a.m. Sunday morning in the USA.
I had a GREAT flight from Chicago to Munich, although it was a very crowded plane...and you can't sleep
on the plane, even on an 8-hour flight!!  We landed in Munich at 9 a.m. German time, which was 2 a.m. back
in Chicago....talk about JET LAG!  Once in Munich, we got on a MERCEDES BENZ coach bus...YES, I have a photo of that!!....may not be able to post pictures until I get home if I can't find the USB port on this
yucky PC here on the ship...should be a MAC!!  :-)  Stayed two nights in the quaint little village of Murnau,
near Munich.  Toured Munich and was at Oktoberfest....last weekend of the festival and seemed as though ALL of Germany was there!  Tons of fun, though......and lots of great photos and video!  Went to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play on Saturday....first part of the story of Christ was from 2:30 until almost 5:30....had a dinner and shopping break until part 2 of the play started at 8 p.m. and ended at about 11 p.m.  The production was AMAZING!!!  Can't wait to tell you all about it and the 2,000 local villagers who had roles.  Such a powerful program.  Left Munich for Nuremburg this afternoon and am typing this on the 5-star cruise ship on the Blue Danube River, docking overnight here in Nuremburg.  Will tour the city tomorrow and will head for Regensburg (my Dad's hometown) to tour and meet my cousins.  The next day we sail to Passau, where my  parents were married in 1955...meeting more cousins there.  On Thursday we head to Vienna where we will see a Strauss concert and tour the city before heading to Budapest, Hungary.
We head home on Sunday, October 10th....my parents' 55th wedding anniversary:  10/10/10!!

I will do a short posting each day while on this amazing ship, the AMA Amadolce...like being in a luxury hotel!  And, YES, the BEST coffee and chocolate in Europe on this ship....I am a happy camper!  :-)
But seriously....I am so, so happy to be in my homeland and carrying my father with me in spirit.

Be back soon.....God bless!
Love,
Ms. Schels

p.s.---the "senior citizens" in this group of 40 are a fun-loving bunch....got quite a few rascals with me in this group...as though I never left you 8th graders behind!!  Hee, hee!!!  :-)