Die Freiburger Bächle

My favorite part of Freiburg! I loved the Bächle. I loved watching the kids play in them. I loved the Bächle boats. I loved when Liv would willingly jump in to cool her feel or take a drink on hot summer walks. I loved that 100% of our house guests appeased my request to take photos with the Bächle.

Liv

For those of you that didn’t get the Wall’s Grand Freiburg Tour, the Bächle are the town’s most famous landmark. They are tiny streams running throughout the Altstadt, and exist nowhere else in Germany. This medieval water-supply system was never used for waste disposal, playing instead a critical role in fire prevention, snow removal, and irrigation.

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This post, one of the last of our German Geschichte, is dedicated to all of our house guests during our time in Freiburg. Thank you to all of you made the journey, ventured into our little corner of Europe, and begrudgingly fulfilled your “assignments”. We are so thankful to be loved by so many wonderful people; all of whom who had at least a tiny bit of creativity and humor. We have unique and treasured memories from each of your visits. So…here’s to you! Prost! Hopefully you will appreciate the importance of your individual contributions, now that you can see them in context. I thank you all, again, for making so many sacrifices to join us in Freiburg and for making my grand vision a reality.

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Please, pass no judgment on our friends and family. Most of these quotes were influenced by copious amounts of Deutsches Bier and all of them are taken out of context!

Murphy Clan

“Yacht Rock, Napoleanic Rugby Wars, Ladybug costume fittings, the Murphy record of 4 play grounds in one day (even with Molly’s “puke n’ rally” efforts), lots of beer, great food, and extraordinary company.” ~The Murphys

"Beware of pantless visitors in the morning." ~The Olsons

“Beware of pantless visitors in the morning.” ~The Olsons

"I love you both very much and I am extremely grateful that I have been able to share a little bit of this great adventure with the two of you." ~Tammy

“I love you both very much and I am extremely grateful that I have been able to share a little bit of this great adventure with the two of you.” ~Tammy

"And let's not forget the Spargel times. OMG. Green asparagus will never, ever, be the same. May the Spargel Queen never become old, may she always wear red ball gowns in a dirt field & forget her shoes at home." ~Mom

“And let’s not forget the Spargel times. OMG. Green asparagus will never, ever, be the same. May the Spargel Queen never become old, may she always wear red ball gowns in a dirt field & forget her shoes at home.” ~Mom

"Thanks to the "wallsingermany" I will have incredible memories of this moment in time." ~Jerrett

“Thanks to the “wallsingermany” I will have incredible memories of this moment in time.” ~Jerrett

"But for now, to you three & Freiburg, I say "Bravo!"" ~Tyler

“But for now, to you three & Freiburg, I say “Bravo!”” ~Tyler

"- Jolly Man who cook good food and bier flow freely - Tiny Woman who take many photo and carry large backpack - Little 4-Paw who lick much leg and scheisse carpet." ~The Menges Family (aka The Mengi)

“- Jolly Man who cook good food and bier flow freely
– Tiny Woman who take many photo and carry large backpack
– Little 4-Paw who lick much leg and scheisse carpet.” ~The Menges Family

"The professional photographer and the professional driver you secured were wunderbar!! Love you more than you will ever know!" ~MIL & FIL Stickford

“The professional photographer and the professional driver you secured were wunderbar!! Love you more than you will ever know!” ~MIL & FIL Stickford

"My visit was practically perfect in every way. I can truly say that I have no better friends in Germany....well, strike that...Freiburg?! LOL - Obviously I am joking." ~Blair

“My visit was practically perfect in every way. I can truly say that I have no better friends in Germany….well, strike that…Freiburg?! LOL – Obviously I am joking.” ~Blair

"Bayern Munchen kicked butt that night vs Wolfsberg...and I must say...if one more person got on the train there might have been a problem." ~Daryl & Denise

“Bayern Munchen kicked butt that night vs Wolfsberg…and I must say…if one more person got on the train there might have been a problem.” ~Daryl & Denise

"Sorry to be pedantic, but if memory serves me correctly, construction was begun around the same time on both your Munster and our Cathedrale - early 13th century." ~The Tanners

“Sorry to be pedantic, but if memory serves me correctly, construction was begun around the same time on both your Munster and our Cathedrale – early 13th century.” ~The Tanners

"We are apprecciative that our visit was free of bats & oversized grasshoppers although I'm certain both could have been incorporated into a quiche or soup." ~The Senkowskis

“We are apprecciative that our visit was free of bats & oversized grasshoppers although I’m certain both could have been incorporated into a quiche or soup.” ~The Senkowskis

"I'm not much of a "world traveler," but Switzerland, Germany, Austria, & France ain't bad for an "old man." Sorry you got sick, glad I didn't!" ~Dad

“I’m not much of a “world traveler,” but Switzerland, Germany, Austria, & France ain’t bad for an “old man.” Sorry you got sick, glad I didn’t!” ~Dad

"Copenhagen on the front side with Tammy and Rhine River Castle Tour on the back side with Tana ~ what more could a mother ask for?" ~Mom

“Copenhagen on the front side with Tammy and Rhine River Castle Tour on the back side with Tana ~ what more could a mother ask for?” ~Mom

"Always try the WC doors before paying! Best mommy-cation ever!" ~Tana

“Always try the WC doors before paying! Best mommy-cation ever!” ~Tana

"Clearly, lots of folks love you guys, but none like Liv! You'll never be as awesome as SHE thinks you are!" ~Stew

“Clearly, lots of folks love you guys, but none like Liv! You’ll never be as awesome as SHE thinks you are!” ~Stew

"What can I say but "no one likes [ladies of the night]"!" ~Briony

“What can I say but “no one likes [ladies of the night]”!” ~Briony

"While the town was amazing we will just as much cherish the evening time, kicking back with some 2L's, reading from the book of Chuck Norris, and of course, judging History of Rap videos." ~The Alhstroms

“While the town was amazing we will just as much cherish the evening time, kicking back with some 2L’s, reading from the book of Chuck Norris, and of course, judging History of Rap videos.” ~The Ahlstroms

"I only wish that we would have eaten more, as well as consumed more beers. I didn't feel as though I got enough of either."   ~Tamorre "I enjoyed the sites and all the time spent with you."  ~Jody "We are best friends and no matter of time or space can keep us apart. That being said, bring your asses back to the States so we can reunite!"  ~Steve

“I only wish that we would have eaten more, as well as consumed more beers. I didn’t feel as though I got enough of either.” ~Tamorre
“I enjoyed the sites and all the time spent with you.” ~Jody
“We are best friends and no matter of time or space can keep us apart. That being said, bring your asses back to the States so we can reunite!” ~Steve

"You have made our Honeymoon the most amazing time. I am glad we were able to spend the last 3 days with you. The food, beer, and wine were fabulous and getting reaquainted after so many years." ~ Glenn "We loved our "home away from home". The best part was getting to know the 3 of you and dining at 'The Walls'." ~ Kelley

“You have made our Honeymoon the most amazing time. I am glad we were able to spend the last 3 days with you. The food, beer, and wine were fabulous and getting reaquainted after so many years.” ~ Glenn
“We loved our “home away from home”. The best part was getting to know the 3 of you and dining at ‘The Walls’.” ~ Kelley

"We wish you the very best and look forward to following your adventure! We will definately have to return some day to see the water flowing through Freiburg." ~Jim "Thank you for walking us through Freiburg for the 1000th time and letting us know the history. Please keep an eye on the clouds for me." ~ Laurie

“We wish you the very best and look forward to following your adventure! We will definately have to return some day to see the water flowing through Freiburg.” ~ Jim
“Thank you for walking us through Freiburg for the 1000th time and letting us know the history. Please keep an eye on the clouds for me.” ~ Laurie

"Liv - You, my friend, are even crazier and more awesome than I remember! Thank you for taking 4 minutes to lay on my couch with me, and for tolerating our walk together. Extra special thanks for the liquid brown gift on my foot. I love you." ~Tammy

“Liv – You, my friend, are even crazier and more awesome than I remember! Thank you for taking 4 minutes to lay on my couch with me, and for tolerating our walk together. Extra special thanks for the liquid brown gift on my foot. I love you.” ~Tammy

"German Hospital Food Sucks! 'Nuff Said." ~ Dad

“German Hospital Food Sucks! ‘Nuff Said.” ~ Dad

"I'm so glad we have been able to reconnect while we have been on our adventures in Europe. It's a decade later and we were able to pick things up like there was no interruption." ~ Amanda

“I’m so glad we have been able to reconnect while we have been on our adventures in Europe. It’s a decade later and we were able to pick things up like there was no interruption.” ~ Amanda

"After months of planning and countless hours of coordination...made it to Freiburg, Germany." ~ Jeff

“After months of planning and countless hours of coordination…made it to Freiburg, Germany.” ~ Jeff

"If I had known turning 60 would be so much fun, I'd have done it years ago!" ~ Patti & Paul

“If I had known turning 60 would be so much fun, I’d have done it years ago!” ~ Patti & Paul

"So much "learnin' & drinkin' & celebratin'"!"  ~ Aunt Melanie "I personally have gained more respect for the German culture and people and the food, mostly the beer!"  ~Uncle Willie

“So much “learnin’ & drinkin’ & celebratin'”!”
~ Aunt Melanie
“I personally have gained more respect for the German culture and people and the food, mostly the beer!”
~Uncle Willie

"...massive amounts of drinking & partying & celebrating... you made it look easy..." ~ MIL Lisa "The time you two have spent here is absolutely a gift and we are so happy that you brightened our lives with some of it." ~ FIL Tom

“…massive amounts of drinking & partying & celebrating…
you made it look easy…” ~ MIL Lisa
“The time you two have spent here is absolutely a gift and we are so happy that you brightened our lives with some of it.” ~ FIL Tom

Life is too short to learn German.

Life is too short to learn German.

We hope that all of our house guests were able to expand their personal horizons and world visions, just as we did. We know that each of you saw Germany in a way that no tour group or WWII movie could ever depict. We look forward to reminiscing with you about our times together in Freiburg, wherever in this world we meet again!

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P.S. – Feel free to share your favorite memories with us below!

‘Merica Tour 2014: Favorite Friends

“Friends are the family you choose.”

Maintaining friendships whilst moving all over the globe can be challenging. Sometimes it’s sad, because distance and lack of regular face-time erodes the relationship. Having non-military friendships is something really important to me, but not all of them can keep up with the constant Change of Address forms. However, the friendships that don’t need daily Facebook updates, weekly coffee dates, monthly phone calls, or even yearly holiday visits, are the special ones. The friends that skip all the small talk and get right to the nitty gritty, because small talk is for strangers. Those are the ones that stick around.

There are a lot of important people in our lives that we didn’t get to see on this trip. Others we did see, but didn’t document on an SD card. There were also some friends who just happened to be in the exact same place at the exact same time…without planning! Love when that happens!

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Yes...that is the REAL Dick Leinenkugel!

Yes…that is the REAL Dick Leinenkugel!

Thank you to all the friends who let us invite ourselves over during our ‘Merica Tour!Another huge thank you to all of our friends who came to see us in Germany. Family has a biological commitment to follow us around the world…your commitment is completely optional. We enjoyed sharing our small slice of Europe with you and hope that Joe’s quiche, salsa, and guacamole offset the time, energy, and money you sacrificed for the journey. Remember your “house guest assignments”? You will see them again soon…I promise!! 🙂

‘Merica Tour 2014: Parents

To be perfectly honest…we did a pretty poor job taking pictures of our parents on this trip. With them, it was more about hanging out and catching up, than taking pictures. How it should be, really. It doesn’t mean we love them any less!!

We did capture our first Moscow Mule though!

moscow mule

And the “boot garden”!

Where boots who have lost their sole mates go to find a second chance at love!

Where boots who have lost their sole mates go to find a second chance at love!

And the sardines that I hauled all the way from Portugal and forced my parents to eat!

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To our numerous Moms and Dads – Thank you for all your love and support over the past three years. We are so glad that our first state-side visit with (most of) you didn’t involve cows, shoeless princesses, crowded trains, lost luggage or hospitals! A success in our books!