ELTZ CASTLE, GERMANY

THE ELTZ FAMILY FIRST BUILT A HOUSE ON THIS SITE NEARLY 1,000 YEARS AGO.  THE LOCATION WAS A PRIME SPOT AND ALLOWED THE FAMILY TO CONTROL TRAFFIC BETWEEN FERTILE LANDS IN MAIFIELD AND THE MOSELLE RIVER.  IT WAS A VERY BUSY MID-EVIL TRADE ROUTE.  

THE CASTLE COMPLEX CONTAINS HOMES OF THREE BRANCHES OF THE ELTZ FAMILY.  THE FIRST TO BE FINISHED WAS 1472.  THE SECOND IN 1540 AND FINALLY THE LAST IN 1615.  EVEN TODAY THE CASTLE IS OWNED BY DESCENDANTS OF THE ELTZ FAMILY.  

DESPITE MANY WARS IN THE REGION, ELTZ CASTLE HAS SURVIVED INTACT.  THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE CASTLE'S REMOTE LOCATION.  IT IS BECAUSE THE ELTZ FAMILY HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED WIDE-REACHING POLITICAL AND SOCIAL NETWORKS.  NO MATTER WHICH 
ARMY WAS IN THE REGION, THE ELTZ FAMILY MANAGED TO USE THEIR INFLUENCE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PHOTOS INSIDE THE CASTLE ON THE TOUR.   WE SAW ABOUT 12 ROOMS; JUST A FRACTION OF THE CASTLE.   SINCE THE FAMILY HAS CONTINUED TO OWN IT OVER THE CENTURIES, THEY HAVE A FABULOUS COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL MID-EVIL FURNITURE.  

RANDY'S RECENT TRIPS FOR WORK

KRAKOW, POLAND

MOSCOW, RUSSIA

RANDY HAD COFFEE IN RED SQUARE.  HE SAID IS WAS SO SURREAL.   BUT HE DID SEE A LOT OF REMINDERS OF HOME, NAMELY A STARBUCKS ON EVERY OTHER BLOCK AND UNLIKE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, EVERYONE HAD NICE BIG COFFEE MUG WITH A SAYING ON THEM THAT MIGHT TELL SOMETHING ABOUT YOU.  (p.s. - He did buy me a Starbucks "Moscow" coffee mug)

ANOTHER FUNNY THING THAT HAPPENED WHILE HE WAS THERE WAS A CONVERSATION  HE HAD WITH A NATIVE FROM MOSCOW.   HE CHUCKLED WHILE IN RED SQUARE AND THE PERSON SHOWING HIM AROUND ASKED WHAT WAS FUNNY.   HE SAID HE WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSED TO SAY BUT WHEN HE WAS IN SCHOOL GROWING UP IN ILLINOIS THEY WOULD PRACTICE THEIR SAFETY DRILLS IN CASE RUSSIA DROPPED THE 'BIG ONE'.   SHE IN TURN LAUGHED AS SHE SAID "THAT'S OKAY, WE WERE DOING THE SAME DRILLS IN CASE AMERICA DROPPED THE 'BIG ONE' ON US!"     

THE ROYAL PALACE GARDENS

THESE GREENHOUSES AND GARDENS ARE ONLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR 3-4 WEEKS IN THE SPRING.   THE GREENHOUSES WERE BUILD BETWEEN 1874 - 1895.   THE DOMED GREENHOUSE WAS ORIGINALLY USED AS THE ROYAL CHAPEL.    IT TAKES 200,000 GALLONS OF FUEL OIL TO HEAT THE COMPLEX.  THE GARDENS WERE QUITE CROWDED ON A BEAUTIFUL FRIDAY AFTERNOON BUT I'M SURE THE WEEKENDS ARE REALLY PACKED.  WORTH THE VISIT.  ALTHOUGH I WOULD SAY THE ARBORETUM GREENHOUSES HAVE A WIDER VARIETY OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS.