And on Thursday we were off for Kelheim! Home of Schneider Weiss. And to get there we had to ride a bus, a train, another train, and get a cab. Let the games begin!

We started with a nice leisurely breakfast at the Gasthof Lerner, where we had stayed these last two nights in Freising. Fortunately, since we were lugging all of our luggage, the bus that goes by there stops directly in front of the hotel and goes right to the bus and train station. So, we got there and procured 4 tickets to Saal, via Regensburg. The town of Kelheim doesn't have a train station, but Saal is nearby. So, we had about an hour on the first train, a half hour to wait in Regensburg, and then another half hour or so to Saal. We had been told there would be "plenty of cabs". LIE. It was the most weirdly desolate feeling place. No manned area at the train station, the building felt really run down and isolated, hardly any traffic going by. We found a phone number for a taxi service and called, but I wasn't sure how well the conversation went due to my total lack of German skills. Probably about 20 minutes later a cab did show up, and someone else hopped in. So we had to wait another 20-ish for him to return and get us. The ride into Kelheim was only maybe 10 minutes, so not bad at all, once we got going. And fortunately, Kelheim is ADORABLE and made up for the travel pains.

We're staying the Dormero Hotel here, which is nice and modern yet right in the old city, so easy walking to stuff. And it has a really odd sense of humor about it, including a sign on the bathroom saying "Nudists only". Ummmmm.... But, the bed is much nicer than the last couple, so that's a bonus.

Once we settled in, we found an ATM, the tourist office and a grocery store. Rain was on the radar, so we went back to the hotel for a picnic and more rest. Once we regrouped and headed back out, that rain finally showed up. Of course!! But, fortunately it was very short lived and wound up putting us at a random table and the Bistro Royal, where I was introduced by our lovely waitress/bartender Diana to the Aperol Spritz. Which is delicious! So, for this beered out girl, this was fantastic. And led to my first real buzz of the trip - unexpectedly! Erica and I chose to let mom and Steph walk to the organ museum for a concert while we held down the table and continued to drink and talk. It was one of those nights where you think it's the night you're going to have one drink and go home, and it winds up being the best time.

So, one tipsy walk home with Erica doing some cartwheels for fun and we called it a night. The rain had finally cooled things down, so with open windows and a fan, we slept WONDERFULLY.