Last weekend I went to a German fleamarket and bought Ann-Marie a child's German style bike, no training wheels. I took her out once before this and then Brandon took her out. Here is Brandon staying close by his little sister as she gets her balance on her new bike. 

Here she is by herself!!!!!!!! 

In this picture both Ann-Marie and I are on a ride. The cable is pulling our little plastic red cart thing up a big hill. We had hand brakes to slow ourselves down but no HELMETS!!!! LOL. Ann-Marie cracked up the whole way down. It cost 3.50 euro for one ride and Ann-Marie was free. 

When Mom was here we had a day trip to Cheb, Czech Republic

We went to a famous castle and toured the city on foot. We had a great lunch for very resonable prices in Cheb. Also we went to an Asian market place and went to a chocolatier. It was very enjoyable place to spend a Saturday. On the way back to Bamberg we went through Pottenstein (which is where Ann-marie and I got on the 'ride' in the photo above)

Here is the entrance to the castle. The castle is from the 12 century and the black tower there was used as a look out tower. Have a look at this website for some historical info regarding the area. http://www.travel.cz/guide/46/index_en.html

Here we are inside the castle. Ann-Marie is standing near a sign that is written in Czech language and perhaps...German? The people of the Czech Republic do not always know English....I was told by someone that as other people in Europe were learning English during the cold war....The people of Czech Republic were learning Russian in schools. I'm getting used to wandering around fairly clueless because of not knowing what the signs say, though. 

This tower was part of the castle we visited. 

Here is a picture of Mom outside the castle walls in Cheb. 

Inside the castle garden area was this strange sculpure...there were several sculptures in the castle on display at the time of our visit. I have the impression that it was some sort of a modern art display-show that was going on at the time of our visit. 

Here is Mom admiring a beautiful oven thing in a room in the castle at Cheb. 

I really don't know what this thing is, but it is gorgeous. It was behind bars and to get the snapshot I had to get the camera between the bars. This was in a room inside the castle in Cheb, Czech Republic. 

We walked through a covered bridge in Cheb to get to the city center. This is near to the castle. 

Just a pretty street in Cheb. 

This was a crazy jumping house for the little kids to play on at the American Independance day celebration. 

Here is Ann-Marie as we walked toward the American 4th of July celebration on post. We got home from Rome just in time. 

Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain in Rome!

This photo is taken from the top of the Spanish steps.

I think this is the majority of the pics that I am going to post from our Rome trip. In a few days I might throw a few more random pics in the blog but for now this just about covers it. I hope you enjoy my blog and feel free to write a message or just send me an email and let me know when you visit!

Here Brandon is filling up a water bottle from one of the public drinking fountains in just a randon street in Rome. This is somewhere between the Trevi fountain and Spanish steps. Can you see how wide the streets are? 

At the bottom of the Spanish Steps. Basically, the steps are just a piazza that people hang out at. It is a bunch of steps that lead to a building that used to be the Spanish Embassy, I think. Ann-Marie is playing with a bubble blower junk toy that we bought. There are guys everywhere selling that kind of stuff. Brandon bought Ann-Marie a couple of squishy balloon things that were filled with some sort of powder and they had weird faces and stuff on them. And then also Brandon bought roses for both mom and me while we were at the Trevi fountain. Brandon said as soon as he bought those roses (he bought 7), a bunch of 'sales' guys came rushing up to him to get him to buy their junk. One or two times, as we were just sitting around at the Spanish steps and at the Trevi, those 'sales' men would approach us and Brandon would try to barter (LOL!) with them and try to trade one of the other guys junk toys instead of buying it with money. It would totally annoy the 'sales' men. but we didn't feel to bad because they really don't leave you alone for too long before someone else is coming up to you to get you to buy something. So, we thought it was kinda funny, actually. 

The trevi fountain at night. 

Mom and Ann-Marie...throwing a coin in the Trevi. One coin thrown over the shoulder is a wish to come back next year. Two coins means you want to marry an Italian! 

Here is Ann-Marie with some other tourist kids playing on part of the rocks of the Trevi fountain. When we went back the second time the carabiniere (Italian police) made the kids get off there.
 

Mom at the Trevi fountain. We went to the Trevi two times while in Rome.  

Here is the crowd that is looking at the fountain. Mom is in the middle of the picture. 

Brandon at the Trevi. 

Brandon and Ann-Marie at the Trevi fountain. 

Ann-Marie smiling big at Trevi fountain. 

July 2nd---Happy Birthday Brandon!! We celebrated it in Rome!

Here is the Italian cake. It was "butter nut" they said and sort of tasted that way. The pink and green things on the top were very HARD, but edible...barely. The brown thing around the outside was kind of chewy or doughy. It was good, different and fun to try something new. The bakery packaged it up very nicely for us. We sang Happy Birthday to Brandon (not in Italian though).