Flashback: Salzburg is for Kids

Jonathan first visited Salzburg by himself and he wanted to take me back someday. Salzburg is Sound of Music country and it was the first city that came to his mind when we were brainstorming where we would take three-year old Xander.

Salzburg is laid back and charming, with the lovely Salsach river that runs through the center. The Kapuzinerberg mountain with the Capuchin Monastery and Monchsberg mountain are walking distance from the AltStadt (old town), with its lovely Baroque architecture.

Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, and although Mozart is a bit overdone here, it is still possible to have fun without being overwhelmed by the kitch.

We stayed in the AltStadt and spent most of our visit outdoors. We ate at outdoor cafes on the Salsach. We took the stroller and followed the small road that tangled its way through the mountain to the Capuchin Monastery.  And we discovered some amazing parks with fabulous play structures or cool locations.

We visited Salzburg shortly after our court date in Stavropol, Russia. All three of us were travel weary, and Salzburg was the perfect place to recharge our batteries and prepare for the rest of our adventure.

Flashback: Outdoor Eating with Small Kids

It is finally starting to warm up and feel like summer here -- which means we are eating more meals outside. When traveling with children the more you can find outdoor restaurants, the more you have happy well behaved children. (Of course we did have the mallet incident in Annapolis, but that is another story).

The benefits of eating outdoors:
1. Noise - in a quiet stuffy restaurant a child can create quite a scene just asking for more bread. My boys are now 3 and almost 5 and they still have not mastered the quiet whisper. We've been shushed in indoor restaurants, but the great outdoors just doesn't have the acoustics.
2. Less worry about mess - my boys are generally pretty good, unless they are handed a cup with a cap and straw. Then they are downright messy neanderthals. Outside I worry less about a spill then inside a restaurant.
3. Distraction - Outside with flowers, birds, people walking by on the street, there is much more to see and to keep short attention spanned children occupied.
4. More low key - Even in fancy restaurants, outdoor seating is much more low key. It is better than cramped back area of the many restaurants where families with children are relegated to. And often you cannot beat the views, especially in towns on the water.

One of the reasons we love to travel in Central Europe during the summer with little ones, and one reason we selected Austria for our 2008 trip was outdoor eating. I wrote about the food market at Rathaus Platz. We never quite made it to the Opera broadcast on the big screen, but we did enjoy eating dinner there.

In California, near Santa Barbara there is The Beach Grill at Padaro. Even locally, one of our favorite haunts in San Jose, the Garage has outdoor seating, and now that it is warming up, this will be a perfect place to take the boys and eat outdoors.

Flashback: Kid Friendly Austria

Austria is a wonderful destination when you are traveling with kids. The beautiful open spaces, the fabulous parks and the casual dining destinations are perfect for the family with a preschooler ... or a kid of any age for that matter.

In 2008 we picked Austria to spend our 10-day waiting period before we could bring Caleb home. Xander loved every minute of it. By the time we got back to Russia we were so very relaxed.

When I talk to friends about travel, Austria is not top of mind for a vacation destination, but it should be.  Weather-wise, Austria is fairly cool during the summer in the low 70s to low 80s -- perfect if you are trying to escape a hot climate. It has the wonderful, mountainous lakes region with small villages, parks and plenty of hiking. It has large cities like Vienna, that seemed to be built for children, with the Prater, a large park with the Wurstelprater Amusement park and the Lilliputbahn, a narrow guage railway throughout the park, as well as the opera film festival in Rathausplatz complete with outdoor food market (we ate dinner there several nights). Then there is Salzburg, a low key city, with plenty of places to walk, and great parks with unique play structures.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll got into detail on our adventures in Austria with our then three-year old.

Flashback: Less is More

Between trains on our trip from Altstadt to Vienna, we had a short window, and we had to run across three trains tracks. Jonathan was carrying the stroller and two bags, and I was carry the heavy backpack and Xander.  I tripped and fell on the mad dash ... managing to keep Xander off the ground. For a moment I thought I was physically unable to get up with a the three-year old and the heavy bag. I was like a turtle on my back. Somehow I managed to turn sideways and pull myself up ... but gosh, why does luggage have to weigh so much!

When it comes to packing, less is more. For most travel I start packing weeks in advance. I create a war room, and stockpile everything that I think I'm going to need. Then a week in advance I start the editing process. I put everything into the designated luggage, and what doesn't fit, doesn't go.

During our 2008 trip we had to pack for Xander, as well as little Caleb. We had to take into consideration weight requirements on all of the airplanes, and had to factor in the stroller. With a stroller two adults can comfortably manage two back packs, and one to two pieces of luggage on wheels.

We also had to pack for two climates. Russia has very warm July's, Austria not so much.  I bought a mesh bag for Caleb's clothing. On the bright side we were able to store his clothing in Stavropol. We also stayed in the same hotel in Vienna on arrival and departure. We we were able to leave our warm weather Russia clothing at that hotel, while we touristed around Austria.

Still between diapers, wipes, clothing for three people, a stroller, entertainment, and a three year old who wanted to be carried ... it could get to be too much.

So, the rule of thumb when packing... less is more, if you can help it.

Flashback: Trip to Get Caleb

The idea for my kids travel blog came about about 18 months ago when Jonathan and I spent 23 days on the road with Xander shortly after his third birthday. Both our boys were adopted from Russia, and the 2008 trip was to bring home our youngest Caleb.

Over the next six months I'm going to write a series called Blog from the Past about that adventure. I will also continue to write about our current adventures as well. This years trips include Fort Lauderdale Fla., Cheboygan, MI and Washington, D.C. and New York City for Thanksgiving.

Jonathan and I vacillated a lot about our decision to take Xander on our 2008 trip. We were very concerned about the prospect of traveling for that long with a three year old. Especially in a country like Russia, where the typical couple goes out to eat twice a year, and kids are a rarity at restaurants. We read several books on the subject, some better than others.

I had extensive travel lists, I packed and edited, and packed and edited again. We needed to plan for three distinct trips,  with three micro-climates, and dress to fit in two very distinct cultures.

As part of the trip we spent 10 days vacationing in Austria, it was less expensive then flying all the way home to California. We also spent five days in Moscow, and of course we were in Stavropol Krai, the region where both my boys were born.

The trip was a success, and it reinforced our love of travel. Many of our friends and family thought we were crazy to travel with a three-year old abroad for that long. What we learned is that we don't have to limit our trips to the continental United States, or "family friendly" tourist spots. We can continue to explore and travel the world, and with a little planning bring our sweet little boys a long for the ride.

Xander remembers the trip fondly, and was a dream to travel with. The trip brought us closer as a family, and helped make the transition from only child to big brother easier. Xander was part of the process, we didn't disappear for a month, and then surprise him with a sibling. The transition was also easier for Caleb, having a three-year old made the funny talking strangers less scary.

We continue to explore because it is fun. Jonathan and I love to travel.  I grew up as a military brat, and my best memories are of my family trips. I want my boys to have the same.

Happy 2010, I look forward to sharing our adventures.