(02-21-2021, 06:42 AM)The Real Marty Wrote:

(02-20-2021, 05:13 PM)MarleyJag Wrote: Before we went, we decided to get in as much German as we could. Starting with duolingo and then actually getting a tutor. About 15 months of motivated cramming starting from scratch (although we both have experience learning a second language). All things considered, I think we did ok. The flaw in the plan is that the people we met thought that since we started out in German, we must actually speak it well and so we quickly got left in the dust every time, haha.

The main reason I mention it is because it's amazing how quickly the native German speakers would warm up when they hear you making an effort.

Isn't Salzburg awesome? Did you get over to see Berchtesgaden?

We were only in Salzburg for 2 days, and all we did was wander around, but it was a beautiful place.  We stopped there on our way to Vienna, where we spent 5 days.  That was our longest European trip so far- 26 days.  We flew to Zurich and stayed with in-laws for a week, then we drove to Southern France and stayed with some friends on their farm for a week, drove around Southern France, back to Zurich for a few days, then on the train to Salzburg and Vienna.  

The area of Southern France where our friends have a farm is very interesting.  It's a little town called Clermont-l'Herault, near Montpellier.  There are not that many tourists in that area, which is full of old Roman ruins, vineyards, and picturesque ancient villages.  We drove to Pont du Gard to see the Roman aqueduct.  Also Arles, and Nimes, and this place! >>>  St Guilhem le Desert

I'd say Pont du Garde is one of the top 10 most impressive things I've ever seen.  It's an aqueduct built to carry water for 31 miles to the city of Nimes.  When you see the size of the blocks they used to build that, and the extremely gradual slope that is required for the water to flow that far, that is some incredible Roman engineering. Link> Pont du Gard