WHAT WEVE DONE SO FAR

greetings everyone.

before i begin this post i should say that i am paying by the minute and with such a different keyboard, it takes me wayyyy too long to find the shift button, the capitolization button, and even the letter y...so if this post lacks a lot of punctuation and grammar etiquette, i apologize and hope that you can muddle through it. i really am excited, i just cant make exclamation points, so yall know.

well, currently i am in our hotel in reutte, tyrol in the northwest corner of austria. there is not much here, but it is kind of our little retreat between big cities, of which we have been in many. i love nature. i am glad to see it right now.

so far, ginger and i have done an unbelievable amount. here are the highlights

paris - louvre, eiffel tower, notre dame, coffee, crepes, parks, ww2 memorial, latin quarter, lots of walking, nightlife on the canal

amsterdam - anne frank house, delicious juice, meatballs, and pancakes...walking along the water, rented bicycles, large parks, nausea from inhaling so much marijuana smoke, peace out amsterdam...

vienna - opera house, city park was my favorite of anything yet, apple strudel rocks my world, schnitzel also good, tram tour, hofberg palace, albertina museum with monet and picasso, w2 memorial statues, plague memorial statues, best pension yet, first european gelato, friendly locals, street performers really fun, st stephens cathedral

rural austria - rented bicycles and did 40 km ride between towns of melk and krems. beautiful. rode along river through huge hillside vineyards, saw castles, rode a barge, rode through small towns on the way, much greenery, ate apples on side of path from tree...had first encounter with poison ivy after retrieving apples from tree...only lasted about ten minutes, also first allergy experience from the outdoors, still didnt ruin the day. took train back to melk and back to vienna.

salzburg, austria - 4 hour sound of music tour....THE BEEEESSSTTTTTTTTTT. so good i just took the time to look for the capital button to emphasize that. it was AWESOME. sang songs, saw many sights from the movie, etc. tour guide was great, only two other people in our small van tour...girl from texas studying in germany and her german boyfriend, both very nice. she was a music major and loved the sound of music more than anything. she made her boyfriend watch it before the tour and he fell asleep.

now - in reutte we rented bicycles again. rode the most expensive bike i have ever been on today to the edinberg ruins which were excellent, rode a really tough and unsuccessful ride to find lake plansee, but had to return the bikes by 6pm. it is 7 right now and all i want to do is sit and drink coffee leisurely and read the chronicles of narnia-the last battle, which is a superb and truthful book. might be my second favorite of the series after the magicians nephew. thank you, jenny, for being gracious enough to lend it to me. i am keeping it safe and clean. i also miss you and think you are great.

here is a bible verse that i have been chewing around like cud in my head when i am on a train or waiting for something or riding a bike through the austrian countryside-

He must increase, but i must decrease. He who comes from above is above all. he who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what He has seen and heard, yet no one receives His testimony. whoever receives His testimony sets his seal to this - that God is true. John 3.30-33

wanted to post pictures, but there is no usb port on thie computer strangely enough. you will have to imagine them from what i said that we did. i will get them up on a website as soon as we return home.



might be able to post again while we are here, but it is not certain.

i am thinking of you all as i do these amazing things, and i cant wait to see many of you in az when i return.

if anyone from church reads this, tell the worship team i have been praying for them on what would be sunday morning, also during the week and especially thursdays like today.

peace