SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, January 30, 2023

Warsaw, Poland Days 8 - 9

Monday morning we headed to Warsaw, Poland. Now you would think since they are only about two hours apart by plane, that we would have been there quickly. But we still had to be at the airport 3 hours early and then we had to go through customs all over again. So basically we didn't get to our hotel until 4 pm and it was a whole day ordeal.

Warsaw was pretty cool. It is a mix of old and new there. You will have a modern building next to one from World War II that is old and gritty. 

Monday evening we went to dinner and turned in early as we had property tours the next day.

Tuesday we worked all day and then did some sightseeing after. We visited the Palace of Culture and Science and the Old Town Market Place. Both places I would definitely recommend.

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland
Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland
Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland (360 degree views from the top terrace).

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland

Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Poland

We took Taxis and Ubers all over both Austria and Poland and had no issues. Ubers were insanely cheap in Warsaw.
Old Town Market Place
City Streets of Old Town Market Place

Old Town Market Place

Mermaid Statue of Warsaw
Mermaid Statue of Warsaw




After exploring, we headed back to the hotel to have dinner a block away from the hotel at Stixx Bar and Grill. This was a higher end steakhouse, but it was so good. The only photo I snapped at dinner was a dessert that we shared. It was like a molten lava cake.


After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and turned in for the evening.
Friday, January 27, 2023

Friday Favorites and Happenings

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Happy Friday! I can't believe we are at the end of January already. To be honest, I am ok with that. January is never my favorite month. It is always a let down after the holidays and always so dreary. It has been freezing cold (in the teens to 30s each day) and/or snowing every day. Ugh. Bring on the sunshine.

Onto Friday Favorites and Happenings.

ONE. I had my second opinion nose doctor appointment on Wednesday and I wanted to share with you all what happened and how it went. Long story short...it didn't go as planned, but I did get some advice.

I told the new doctor my nose history including my surgeries and then what happened with the septal button and the symptoms since then. He told me that the hole in my nose still has scabbing all around it and I need to use the saline rinse bottle kit and clean my nose and sinuses out even if the water just comes out of the hole. He said to keep using the antibiotic ointment inside my nose. He said he could replace the button with a new one, but under general anesthesia. He said he couldn't fix the nostril collapse and that I needed to go back to my plastic surgeon for that. He said the right side is really bad and the left side is moderately bad. He said he would need to do a CT Scan in two weeks (because my insurance, but I tried to tell him he could do it that day as my insurance is fine with it, as I have done it before same day) to see if my sinuses are still full and infected or if all my symptoms (not sleeping well, waking up 3 to 5 times a night, waking up exhausted, whistling through the nose, the scabbing, the inflammation) are due to the button coming out (what he thinks is going on).

So as I was checking out, I called my plastic surgeon and begged to get in ASAP. I am running on low battery here and want to breathe better and sleep better. Those are the most important. The sinus stuff can wait as I can manage sinus infections as they come. 

Fortunately my doctor can see me on February 1st, so a week after my appointment I just had. I hope he can replace the septal button and fix the nostrils and leave the sinuses alone. It is so risky having multiple surgeries on your nose, so I want to be careful. Plus I don't have much cartilage left. He took it from my nose on surgery number one and my right ear on number two. I don't think my left ear is a candidate as that is my ear I use for phone calls and sleep on. I think it might be the rib time. Ugh. 

Anyways, I thought I would give you all an update. Basically no real news.

TWO. My girls have been wanting cell phones and I feel like they are just too young. With social media and all the distractions, I am not ok with them having them at 8 years old. BUT I do want the capability of knowing where they are at all times, them having the ability to contact me in case of an emergency and a "learning" tool prior to the cell phone (like the pager I had).

I was talking to my cousin and she got her kids smart watches. They have very strict limitations and controls on them, but they have GPS, text and calling. There is no apps or social media on them. I thought this was a good idea and started looking into them.

I have been researching for awhile and I was going back and forth between the Gabb Watch and the TickTalk 4 Watch. I think we have settled on the Gabb watch as it is slimmer, lighter and allows what we need minus the video calling. But really, I don't need my kids video calling me or their grandparents during school or all the time. They both have setting for when they are in school that they can only call or text the emergency contacts (my husband and I). They both have unlimited plans as well. The Gabb watch is about $50 cheaper, but the plans are close to the same per month.

When I get one, are you interested in a review? Do your kids have phones? Do they have smart phones?

Gabb Watch

THREE. This is basically another PSA and it comes mostly from Lindsay, but you all need to schedule your mammograms. Some of you are not old enough for it, but if you have a family history, are old enough according to your insurance or had lumps in the past, schedule it. 

I was supposed to have mine in May 2020, and due to the pandemic, mine was pushed back. I get mine done near the hospital and it is part of the hospital, so they pushed it. And now it is almost two years later, so I finally got the push from Lindsay to schedule mine. 

Don't be like me and schedule yours.

FOUR. Weekly funnies.






Have a great weekend. I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything.  

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Salzburg, Austria Day 7

I have a whole post dedicated to day 7 which is the day we took a whole day trip to Salzburg and back. We met up with our tour guides at 7 am which was pretty early. On Sundays, most shops and restaurants are closed, but in Salzburg, they had more things open as it is a tourist town due to Mozart living there and the Sound of Music being filmed there. 

The drive was pretty and the tour was worth it. It was about $200 per person which included the ride in a Mercedes van, four different stops and a guided tour. We stopped along the way for a breakfast, then some sightseeing at some lakes, then the birth place of Mozart's mother and finally Salzburg and back to Vienna. 

First stop, breakfast along the way, Second stop, Lake Attersee.

Lake Attersee

Lake Attersee

Lake Attersee

Lake Attersee

Then we headed to St. Gilgen which is a small town where Mozart's mother was born. We got to walk around the town for about a half hour to hour. We took photos and went into shops. It was really pretty and the sun was finally peaking through the clouds.
St. Gilgen Town Hall
St. Gilgen Town Hall

St. Gilgen Town Hall

Next, we drove towards Salzburg while driving by several other lakes and through some beautiful countryside. Then we came to Salzburg. After we arrived, we walked around with our tour guide who told us some of the history of Salzburg. Then he let us go off on our own to explore. We went up to the castle to see the entire city of Salzburg and then went back down to the city center for some shopping, food and drinks.
Mirabell Palace and Gardens
Mirabell Palace and Gardens

Mirabell Palace and Gardens
View of the castle.

Mirabell Palace and Gardens
Mirabell Palace and Gardens




Getreidegasse
Getreidegasse

Salzburg Cathedral
Salzburg Cathedral

Salzburg Cathedral

Hohensalzburg Fortress
Hohensalzburg Fortress (the views from the castle)

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg Fortress

After spending about 3 to 4 hours in Salzburg, we met back up with our tour group and headed back. We made one stop along the way for a bathroom and snack break. Along the way, we found out that the founder/owner of Red Bull had died that morning or the day before (I can't remember) and that Red Bull was created in Austria. They had tons of different flavors all over Austria. I did try the Fig and Apple one while I was there. 

Red Bull

After we arrived back in Vienna, we went back to the hotel for some dinner. Then we turned in for the day as we were headed to Warsaw, Poland the next day. 

I watched the Niners game (in German and part English) once I got back to my room.


And that concludes day 7.






 

Monday, January 23, 2023

Vienna, Austria Days 4 - 6

I didn't take a single photo on day 4 as we worked all day long, went back to the hotel and worked some more, met up for drinks in the hotel lounge and then went to dinner. It was a long day and we all turned in early. Friday, again we worked all day. In between meetings, we did grab lunch and I snapped a photo of that. I had this puff pastry napoleon stuffed with veggies and covered with a light herb gravy. It was so good!


After work, we changed and met up for some sightseeing. We went down to the city centre for some more souvenir shopping. This was snapped on our walk.

After shopping, we met back up with the guys for dinner and drinks....in an Australian bar. But they did have a boot which we had been looking for everywhere. No, we didn't drink out of it, but we did take photos with it.

Saturday morning, we got up, worked out, had breakfast (the hotel had amazing breakfast) and then went sightseeing some more. We went to the Schonbrunn which is a museum. We walked around the outside and then made our way inside for a tour.
M and I around our walk around the Schonbrunn. It was raining all day!




The gardens are really pretty...even with the flowers dug up awaiting to be replanted. They were replanted in other areas already.


We had lattes and mozart cake while waiting for our tour.

Sadly, no photos inside.

After the Schonbrunn, we went to the Vienna Opera House which is where the iconic scene in Mission Impossible is filmed.

Vienna Opera House

Up next, we grabbed some street food and then went to the Imperial Treasury in Vienna. This is where the crown jewels are held. Plus it is a museum as well.

Imperial Treasury Vienna

Imperial Treasury Vienna

Imperial Treasury Vienna

We walked back to our hotel and along the way, we saw a peaceful protest going on. We also were there near their election, so we saw these protests a few times during the week we were there.

We headed back to the hotel to meet up with another co-worker and put our things away and head to dinner at Salieri. We did have some limoncello there which was really good.



After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and turned in as we had an early morning at Salzburg, the home of the Sound of Music.