Update On The Condition Of Brenna's Hair (and yes - the robe)

So after Bob read my last blog, A Short List of Mildly Annoying Moments When Living in a Foreign Country, he sat down at the computer for a WHILE with my bottle of mystery, and finally figured out that I've been conditioning my hair with firming body lotion, specially formulated to improve skin elasticity. WELL NO WONDER. I went out to my local Rossmann and spent a little time in the aisles. I am now in possession of a bottle featuring English words, which say:

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I'm a Professional Sound Man, Don't Try This at Home

Wielickza Salt Mine photo from Kopalnia.pl websiteYesterday we went to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. It's astonishing. We walked down 400 wooden steps just to start the tour of this vast underground mine that began operating 700 years ago, and 400 more steps during the tour. The whole thing is a little like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in a salt mine -- an awesome combination of history and camp. Maybe the cast-offs from Madame Tussauds or Macy's discarded mannequins were given

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A Short List of Mildly Annoying Moments When Living in a Foreign Country (Poland)

Can I vent? Can I vent about small, insignificant, mildly annoying stuff, that nonetheless IS mildly annoying? Like my shower just now. And my last several showers actually. It's my own fault, because every time I get in the shower, wash my hair, and then reach for the conditioner I start to curse, because once again I have forgotten to, at some point since my last shower when I'm not inside the shower and dripping wet, look up online exactly what is in the bottle that I bought thinking it was

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Emeril Made Us Do It.

We're in Poland now, but in three weeks we go to Bamberg, Germany. I've never been to Bamberg, and don't know anything about it, other than this: in 1628 they tried a guy for witchcraft. Why do I know this?

The reason we picked Bamberg, if you MUST know, is that Bob heard me say the name among a list of cities in Germany and went on a big Emeril Lagasse roll, going on and on about BAMberg BAMberg. So I found a place to rent there, just to make him laugh.

If YOU know anything about Bamberg, or if you know anyone who does, tell us all about it. Soon please. That witchcraft tidbit only goes so far...

Video Blog - I'm Hungary, and Are We There Yet? (Budapest, Hungary & Vienna, Austria)

Brenna and Ella settle in on the overnight train to BudapestOwen's birthday was the end of July, and since one of his "Tops in Europe" places was Budapest, Hungary (see Owen's Itenerary), we decided to go. We took an overnight train from Krakow to Budapest. It's a 10 hour ride, and I forgot the ear plugs, but oh how romantic to be lulled to sleep by the roll of a train... even if you're then awakened by the screech of the brakes an hour later. Over and Over and Over again...

Arriving in a new country early in the morning with children is a bit

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