Week 51

Today is Monday, September 17, 2012--a day to celebrate the life of John’s Mom, Grace Scott Laing. We thought much of those at home, both family and friends, as they gathered to pay tribute to her. We began our day with prayers that all would be well with those traveling, praying, and speaking at this important event. We look forward to hearing the recording of the funeral knowing it will be a time to lift spirits and comfort hearts.

We began our day, many miles from those gathering in Springville. We are in Deutsch Wagram at the Huszes, where we awoke to a peaceful cool fall morning. We showered and dressed then joined our hosts for an early breakfast of wonderful Bröchen, cheese, meats, fresh fruit and tea before bustling our bags back in the car to take Sis. Husz to one of her many doctor’s appointments for the week.

Austrian farmhouse and shop with fresh berries and fruit Essig (vinegars) 

While she was there President took us to a charming Austrian farmhouse where the proprietors make berry vinegars, and jams, as well as wines, and sell fresh berries. My mom would have adored this place. Everything was charming and open for our view.

Stainless steel kitchen

The “kitchen” where they produce these wonderful items was polished stainless steel and we sampled the vinegars from tiny crystal goblets! The flavors were amazing and I wanted to bring some of each home with us to us for salads. Knowing everything would have to be shipped home, we limited ourselves to one bottle of Himbern Essig but it was difficult not to also buy the apricot version as well. Oh well raspberry is our absolute favorite so we came away very satisfied to have been there and seen the place.

Sampling fruit vinegars--in crystal goblets

We dashed home to unload Marikka’s case of raspberries, through together a sandwich to eat (“So we wouldn’t starve,” Pres. said), then bustled away to pick Sis. Husz back up and leave for Sopron, Hungary. We assured the Huszes we would be happy to take a train but they insisted on being perfect hosts and getting us all the way there, after driving the route we would take to walk to their home from the little Bahnhof nearby.

We arrived in Sopron just 15 minutes before our dental appointments so quickly left our luggage at the hotel and walked with Marikka through the block to a street directly behind our hotel, climbed the stairs to her dentist, Dr. Elod, where we told her goodbye and she left to find President Husz circling the block to take her back home.

John being well cared for Sopron style--the dental captitol of the world

Sopron, Hungary is called the dental capital of the world for good reason. There are some 300+ dental clinics in this little town of 60K people. We figured it would be a fun experience to do as the Austrians (and other Europeans) and have our teeth cleaned and any other work we might need for a price only half what it would cost in Germany or at home. We were grateful for the recommendation as to which dentist to go to. Confident is owned and operated by a husband and wife team. He teaches dentistry at the University of Vienna and both are first rate in their profession as is their assistant.

We “enjoyed” the experience both similar and quite different from a cleaning in SLC. For one thing after my initial example the assistant told me the price and asked if I wished to continue. When she finished with the cleaning she then asked if I wanted “Farber”—whitener. In my very poor Deutsch I asked what it would cost and was assured it was included. After John’s initial exam he was told his teeth were so good his procedure would be only half price—now that I have never had happen at our dentist at home.

Dental "art" in Confident

With shining smiles we bide the friendly folks at “Confident” goodbye and returned to our hotel to rest, read, and relax before taking our daily walk around this interesting old town. Right on the same street we discovered the Church!

Sopron's location for our Church, just down from our dentist

Our hotel is a 4-star hotel that is very old and very baroque. Our room has antique furniture with heavy wooden bedsteads and wardrobes, a tiny two-person table and a big tub in the bathroom, and included breakfasts. The hotel staff is friendly and helpful and we are glad to have these few days to unwind before finishing out our mission.

Pannonia Best Western Hotel--Sopron

We have been aware all day that as we walked around that Mom Laing’s funeral was just beginning and we thought of everyone gathered for the family prayer, funeral, burial, and luncheon and were grateful that all our kids could attend to represent us so well. We are anxious to receive the audio of both Pop and Mom’s events so we can hear the talks and remember together these special people.

The days of the week blur together as we walk, talk, read, laugh and try to strengthen John’s legs the best we know how. We did indulge in his getting a body massage on Monday evening, which seemed to really help, at least for that evening. The weather has been perfect, cool, breezy and sunny though Wednesday turned cooler with a sprinkle of rain.  We enjoyed walking around the inner city with its old churches and museums. We had to do some tricky navigating to find our way in since there was some construction going on around the fire watchtower. Once in, however, we loved seeing the charming old houses with their inner courtyards. The Goat Church was pretty impressive as well—though why it is called that name escapes me!

Beautiful walks in this old old town

Walking Sopron's interesting streets

Goat Church??

In the evening we decided to try out the Erhardt restaurant that was recommended at the top of the list of places to eat in Sopron so we set out in the drizzle with John using his sticks and me holding the umbrella over us both. We found it on Balfi Gasse with no problem and enjoyed the wonderful dinner—which we split, as usual. It is always so nice both in not over eating and in not over extending our budget, eating a very nice dinner for about 7.00 euros or $9.00.

Erhardt Restaurant. . .in the rain

Because I like to take new walking routes, John conceded in our approaching our hotel from a different direction which should have worked great, but we both thought the street leading to the hotel looked to be a dead end so we went beyond to the next one before turning down. By this time it was colder, windy, and raining hard. I could no longer really read the map so we trudged along, occasionally having to keep our umbrella from taking flight in Mary Poppins fashion. Bless him, John kept on trekking, though for the life of me I don’t know what other choice either of us had. We finally made it back to the hotel, but not until
realizing we had way over shot our destination. It was good to be back home where we could dry out and climb into bed with the heating pad on to watch the first half of Pride and Prejudice.

Thursday dawned sunny and bright with a breeze. In order to get a little walk in John agreed to walk up from the hotel to see if the street that had appeared to be a dead end really would have been a clean shot home to the hotel. It was!

John, still worn out from our long walk in the rain the night was uninterested in more hiking about so I went exploring on my own while he went to the sauna and then worked on his journal.  While out and about I found a tiny little thrift shop tucked back in and there bought a linen tunic blouse for 2,000 forints ($9) after bargaining in Chinese fashion to talk the clerk down from 2,500. Then I went looking for a bakery museum noted on my map. I found it but it didn’t open until 2:00. Along my way I also found another recommended restaurant that looked fun to try.

My Sopron thrift shop tucked back in a courtyard

When I returned to the hotel, John was game to go for lunch and then the museum. We enjoyed both. Our elderly guide at the living museum demonstrated all the bakery implements and generally was delightful.

Old Bakery oven

 On our way back we discovered another thrift shop on the main drag that I came back to check out further after getting John back for a rest. There I found a linen skirt for about 5 euros and a blouse from another shop—my souvenirs from Sopran.

Stunning flowers all over town

In the evening we packed up and turned in after a bowl of soup and two expensive cups of hot water. Generally we ordered hot water to fix our own tea and never had we been charged for it but for a little pub we stopped in for supper. Oh well, you can’t always win. I turned in and watched a good portion of the remaining half of Pride and Prejudice.

Friday we got up in good time and finished packing then I went out to buy bread to go with our cheese, milk, and meat for a lunch in Vienna. We went for our usual breakfast at the hotel and then headed out for the train station after I paid our bill.  I walked ahead with the suitcase in order to purchase our train tickets for the 9:13 am train, though I wondered if we’d make it or need to wait for the 10:13. But we did. Just barely.  We climbed aboard and pulled out of the station saying goodbye to Sopron, glad to have come for our little break.  We have found it a wonderful place to be for these few days.

Taking the train to Vienna from Sopron

On the 70-minute train to Vienna we enjoyed the last of Pride and Prejudice and finished it just as we pulled into Meidling, Wien.  We had considered going straight out to Husz’s in Deutsch Wagram but decided instead to stash our luggage at the West Bahnhof and then head into Vienna, free of lugging two computers and our big duffle bag.

After purchasing all-day passes to all public transportation in town, we headed for the Kunsthistorisches Museum to enjoy a little culture. I was so proud of John. He had been trudging along on his sticks well. Before getting to the museum, however, we stopped at a park bench and ate our Hungarian bread sandwiches, fruit, and milk to gain a little energy for the adventures ahead.

Vienna's wonderful museum--one among many

At the museum, we borrowed a wheelchair so I could save John’s walking quite so much and enjoyed seeing the Pieter Breugal room to see Hunters in the Snow and other works. I climbed up to see the Gustav Klimt murals, but left John below, since we didn’t want to abandon the wheelchair, nor having him climb up the stairs. I could see from above he also enjoyed a little nap while I was gone.

Hunters in the Snow--Beugal

I liked the Egyptian rooms with the interesting décor as well as the many ancient pieces on display and the Gustav Klimt murals.

Eygpt's treasures on display

Interesting Klimt paintings tucked around the columns

Finally we decided we’d had enough and returned the Rollstuhl and left for the ring-road Straßenbahn to get an overview of this wonderful old city.

Vienna's wonderful public transport was easy to use

Our next stop was a walk into the inner streets to see Demels where we watched pastries being made (though we didn’t indulge), and walked Kohlmarkt which boasted of Chanel and Gucci among other posh shops—me contentedly wearing my Chinese knock-off Gucci jacket and Channel watch.  Neither of us could care less for the expensive real ones.

Demel's--pastry in the making

Posh shops on Kohlmarkt 

Having for now seen enough of city bustle, we returned to the U-bahn and headed for Heiligengeiststadt where we then caught a 38A bus for Kahlenberg and the access to the Weinerwald—John’s desired destination. It was a fun trip and we walked up along the leaf-strewn paths glad to have had the chance to come.

John's walk in the Wienerwald--finally!

On the way back we stopped at Grinzing and had dinner outside at a charming restaurant called Rudolfs before heading back to the West Bahnhof to reclaim our gear and catch trains out to Deutsch Wagrum—and home for now.

We arrived at about 8:30 pm having walked—not counting the museum where John rode—seven miles! That was a lot for both of us. Thank goodness for our both having been walking daily!

It was nice to climb up to our room, unload our stuff and say hello to Sis. Husz and to her daughter, Sandra, who had arrived Tuesday from Canada.  We were so sorry to hear that Sis. Husz is going to need more surgery—this time to remove a broken Heparin Lock in her chest. It is worrisome for her both because it is no fun to have added health issues after being through so much but also because it will likely delay her return to the temple. I emailed Kathy immediately and asked that she put her name on the Salt Lake Temple prayer roll since our temple isn’t open.

Our room at the Husz's

Saturday I worked with Sis. Husz to make her yummy vegetable flavoring and enjoyed the process. I will get the recipe from her in Freiberg.

Yummy pot of raw veggies, waiting 

The finished product. It is yummy.

Creating veggie flavoring mix--the only one Sis. Husz can use.

It is worth knowing how to make it. Her son Andrew and his little daughter Amanda was here too. It was fun to work together on it in her kitchen.

After our project we were invited to celebrate President’s birthday at a lunch with nearly their entire family. It was fun to meet the other boys and their grandchildren. We were particularly taken with Jacob who reminded me of what John must have been like as a child. He talked non stop but was so cute (and his Deutsch, much to John’s chagrin, was perfect!). Home again, we enjoyed a good nap before heading off for the evening session of stake conference. We were pleased to see Brother Schauperl and his wife, and a couple of others who had visited our temple and the meeting, with its excellent translators (the best of them the Husz’s son, Michael, was very good) was totally focused on the temple.

Sunday we had a quick breakfast and then drove for an hour to attend stake conference at a sport’s arena in Oberlaa-Therme. After the Huszes visited with friends we returned for Sunday dinner, a nap, and finally getting my blog for the week completed. It has been a wonderful, and very full one!