Weekly Topics/Archive
January 2016 (1/3)
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At 6:45, we got up.
We got up earlier than usual to pack all our belongings in our suitcases.
At 7:10, we had breakfast.
Oma got up early in the morning to prepare it.
There were even fresh blueberries on the table that was newly picked this
morning.
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| A breakfast this morning (2015.09.25_07:23) |
At last, we got to the time that we have to say goodbye to Gerry's parents
who
have taken care of us.
After we communicated to Gerry that we are most grateful for his parent's
hospitality, we had him interpret it into Germany to say goodbye to them.
I made my farewells to Oma with a hug.
At 8 am, Gerry-san and his father Joseph gave us a ride to Passau Hbf.
At 8:45, we got to Passau Hbf.
In tents set at the station yard, about a hundred syrian refugees, old
and young ,
were still housed temporarily under the supervision of German policemen.
I made my farewells to Opa with a handshake.
We travel to our final destination, prague in Czech Republic.
Hanna-chan's family will also return to Bangkok from Wien International
airport
tonight.
We take the 9:24 a.m. train ICE228 to Frankfurt.
[Note] pack ～ in one's suitcase ; ～をスーツケースに詰める、belonging ; 持ち物、身の回り品
newly picked ; 摘みたての、get to the time of ～; (主語にとって)～の時がくる
communicate to someone that ～ ; (人)に(that 以下)であることを伝える
interpret ～into Germany ; ～をドイツ語に通訳する, make one's farewells to ～; ～に別れの挨拶をする
give someone a ride to ～;人を車で～に送る,station yard ; 駅構内、old and young ; 老いも若きも
under the supervision of ~ ; ～の監視下で、house temporarily in tents ; 仮設テントに収容する
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| The destination screen at Passau Hbf (2015.09.25_08:52) |
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| People waiting for a train on the platform at Passau Hbf (2015.09.25_09:09～09:20) |
We travelled first class because it takes 5 hours and 20 minutes to get
to Prague
by train.
We take a ICE train to Regensburg Hbf and then change there ALX353 trains
from Munich for Prague.
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| A train ticket from Passau to Prague (2015.09.25) |
For your information, ICE (InterCity Express) is not only German high-speed
train between major cities in Germany but also international express train
connecting them to cities in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and France
bordered by Germany at a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour.
ALX (Arriva-Länderbahn-Express) is a German private railway that is so called
a third sector railway in Japan, which has been mainly operated in Bavaria.
As it is now, it runs international express train from Munich to Prague.
Though it's the private railway, it's not much different than DB's train
because
it has run to DB's station.
The following Google Map is our railway route from Passau to Prague.
First, several photos of landscapes on the railway line to Furth im Wald
through
Regensburg from Passau.
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| Our railway route from Passau to Prague |
[Note] ICE ; InterCity Express, change trains at ～for －; ～で－行きの列車に乗り換える
connect A to B ; AとBを結ぶ, bordered by ～ ; ～に隣接した
ALX (Arriva-Länderbahn-Express) ; アレックス(バイエルン地方を中心に走っているドイツの私鉄)
Bavaria ; バイエルン州、as it is now ; 今では、not much different than ; ～と大して変わりはない
DB ; Deutsche Bahn, ドイツ鉄道
We enjoyed the landscape from the train window.
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| A landscape with a church having a steeple like a pointed hat (2015.09.25_09:41) |
The train runs in the pastral rural areas sometime after it runs north
along
the Danube.
Anyway, the corn field and potato patch in Germany are vast because of
its vast
territory.
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A rural landscape
(2015.09.25_09:46) |
A corn field at harvesttime
(2015.09.25_09:49) |
A vast potato patch
(2015.09.25_09:50) |
[Note] on the railway line ; 沿線の(に)
Furth im Wald / Regensburg ; フュルト/ レーゲンスブルク(ドイツ南部の都市)
steeple ; 尖塔、pointed hat ; とんがり帽子、at harvesttime ; 収穫期、potato patch ; 馬鈴薯畑
sometime after ～; ～の後しばらくして、pastral ; 長閑な
We often saw the large-scale solar power plants on the way.
Come to think of it, German made a decision about breaking with nuclear
power
generation by consensus of the people in response to the Fukushima nuclear
power
plant accident.
I caught the stronger enthusiasm of Germany for securing electric power
by
natural energy than of Japan.
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| One of a large-scale solar power plant (2015.09.25_10:19) |
[Note] solar power plant ; 太陽光発電施設、come to think of it ; そういえば
made a decision about ～; ～について意思決定する、by consensus of ～; ～の総意により
in response to ～ ; ～を踏まえて、～に対応して、～に反応して
breaking with nuclear power generation ; 脱原発、nuclear power plant accident ; 原発事故
catch the enthusiasm of ～ ; ～の意気込みを感じる、secure ; ～を確保する
On the way, a German policewoman who has a large physique and seems to
be
powerfully built got on the train to check.
Several people who look like Syrian refugees moved from second-class car
to
first-class one.
They were instructed to get back to second-class car by a conductor.
I felt the severity of the crackdown on refugees.
The train crossed the border in Furth im Wald into Czech Republic.
There are forest and rural area that stretch for miles after it entered
Czech.
So I have little photos that were taken from the train window.
The following is a photo of Plzen station that it stopped at on the way.
It seemed to me that it's shabbier station than that in Germany due to
the
difference of national power between both countries..
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| Plzen hlavni nadrazi (Plzen station) (2015.09.25_13:31) |
[Note] have a large physique ; 体格が大きい、physique ; 体格
be powerfully built ; 頑強な体格をしている、second-class car ; 二等車、conductor ; 検札係、車掌
severity of ～; ～の厳しさ、crackdown on ～ ; ～への取り締まり
cross the border into ～ ; 国境を越えて～に入る、stretch for miles ; 何マイルも続く
shabby / shabbier / shabbiest ; 粗末な、みすぼらしい、national power ; 国力
After the train ran into Czech, passenger's passports were checked by
Czech
policemen.
They didn't check our passport because it seemed to them that we are Japanese.
The train arrived about 40 minutes late at Prague Hbf.
As may be expected of the station in the capital city of Czech, it looks
like many
trains from and to other countries have arrived and departed.
It's a big station with good decoration.
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| The platform at Prague Hbf (2015.09.25_15:25) |
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| The ground-floor front entrance of Prague Hbf (2015.09.25_16:22) |
After we pass through the park in front of Prague Hbf parallel to it to
go out into
street, we walk to Hotel King David.
We searched for the hotel according to its map that I printed and brought
in
advance from the web site.
We spent a lot of time searching for the hotel entrance.
After finding the iron front door, we finally got to the entrance.
Though it was only 5 to 6 minutes walk from the station, it took us about
ten
minutes to get there.
It looks convenient because it's close to the station.
It seems there are a lot of hotels around the station.
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| Hotel King David |
The front door of the hotel |
The hotel entrance |
[Note] as may be expected of ～ ; さすがに～だけあって、go out into street ; 表通りに出る
We checked in at the front desk and have a short break at the hotel room.
Though it is a bit too early to have dinner, we go out to do that because
we have
been hungry.
Czech is a member of the European Union but don't introduce Euro.
So the currency is not Euro but Czech Koruna(Kc).
(For your information, the exchange rate at this point is 27.2 Kc to the
euro and
4.96 yen to the koruna.)
My wife exchanged her euro to the koruna at the front desk as our immediate
money.
Since the exchange rate at the hotel was bad, she exchanged only €50 to
the
koruna.
Well, we arrived at Prague just a short while ago.
We don't know where a restaurant is.
So we decided to go to Prague Hbf in order to find it quickly.
In downtown Prague, the trams are running here and there.
They look like toy trains but are in harmony with the surrounding scenery.
[Note] Czech Koruna(Kc) ; チェココルナ、exchange rate ; 為替レート
immediate money ; 差し迫った(緊急の)資金、just a short while ago ; ほんの少し前に
be in harmony with ～ ; ～に調和している
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| Trams running near the hotel (2015.09.25_16:29) |
We found a restaurant at the station yard.
It's the restaurant “POTREFENA HUSA” directly managed by the beer brewery
company “Staropramen”.
I shared a coup of soup “Zelna polevka (56Kc)”, a small bowl of salad “Rocky
salat
maly (83Kc)” and a porksteak “Veprova Krkovicka (206Kc)”with my wife.
Veprova Krkovicka that is topped with a porksteak on a big slce of bread
was really
hearty.
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| Dinner at the restaurant “POTREFENA HUSA”at the yard of Prague Hbf |
The local beer “Staropramen” from Prague in brewing power, Czech was
excellent with a pleasant hoppy aroma.
I had another small mag of beer (0.3 liter, 25Kc).
A regular mug (0.5 liter) of beer is 48 Kc.
This is cheap because of 238 yen in the Japanese Yen.
At any rate, I'm surprised beer is cheaper than coffee or Coke.
After dinner, we took a walk along the street in front of the station.
The following are several views of the street.
[Note] hearty ; ボリュームのある、豊富な量の、ground-floor front entrance ; 1 階正面玄関
pleasant hoppy aroma ; 心地良いホップの香り (hoppy ;ホップの豊かな、aroma ; 香り)
a mag of beer ; ジョッキ一杯のビール、at any rate ; ともかく、何しろ、Coke ; コーラ
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
St.Henry's Tower 
(2015.09.25_18:34)
St.Henry and Kunhuta Church
(2015.09.25_18:37)  |
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Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| The streetscape with tram in prague (2015.09.25_18:42) |
Airplane tracks in the sky |
Well, we are going to stroll through the streets of the Old town in Prague
tomorrow.
[Note] airplane track ; 飛行機雲、stroll through the streets of ～; ～の街を散策する
Japanese Diary / No.731－2016.01.17 /
「オーストリア・ドイツ・チェコ旅行/第15日目(2015.09.25)」
To be continued Weekly Topics / No.256－Jan.22.,2016 /
“Travel to Austria, Germany and Czeh Republic (16th day－Sept26.2015－)”
This trip enters the second week.
Today is the final day of our trip in Austria.
We will leave Gerry's parent's place in Utzenaich, Austria tomorrow.
Today Opa will takes us for a stroll in Passau and along the Danube nearby
with
his son's family.
Passau is a city in Germany near the Austrian border.
At 7:30, we got up.
We take breakfast around 8:00.
As usual, we had bread, ham and red and yellow tomatos from the home garden
with coffee while having a chat.
According to Oma, it's cloudy now but is going to be sunny in the afternoon.
We leave here for Passau by car driven by Opa.
When he drove across a bridge over the Inn river to cross the Austrian border
after about 30 minutes, we entered Passau.
The following Google MAP shows the route up to Passau.
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The route from Winklerweg ( ) in Utzenaich to Passau Hbf ( ) |
[Note] enter the _ week ; _(序数) 週目に入る、drive across a bridge ; (車で)橋を渡る
Before taking a stroll, we stopped at Passau Hbf to buy tickets for a
train for
Prague we are going to take tomorrow.
I was impressed by the fact that tirminal equipments for the station staff were
made by Fujitsu.
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| At Passau Hbf (2015.09.24_12:36) |
To my surprise again, we could see refugees from Syria at the station
yard of
Passau Hbf.
A group of about hundred refugees was accommodated in tents under surveillance
of the German police.
The tents are not so good as the Austrian Red Cross's ones that could be
seen in
front of Salzburg Hbf.
They are the tents that are used for an athletic meet in Japan.
I imagined it might be so hard for them to have to stand the cold at night.
I hope the UN will play a major role in rapidly terminating the Syrian
Civil War.
[Note] Passau Hbf ; パッサウ中央駅、 tirminal equipment ; 端末装置
be impressed by the fact that ～ ; ～ という事実に感激する(強い印象を受ける)
station yard ; 駅構内、Hbf ; 中央駅(Central station) (ドイツ語のHauptbahnhof の略語)
under surveillanc of the police; 警察の監視下、not so A as B ; B ほどA でない
an athletic meet ; 運動会、stand the cold ; 寒さに耐える、寒さを凌ぐ
play a major role in ～; ～に大きな役割を果たす、Syrian Civil War ; シリア内戦
After that, Opa parked his car in a parking lot near the Danube for us
to go out
for a stroll in Passau.
Hannah-chan takes a stroll in a baby buggy pushed by her mother.
The route map of our stroll is as follows.
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The route map of our stroll in the old town and along the bank of the Danube
& the Inn in Passau
( Start and Finish) |
First, we walked slowly along the Danube.
Since Passau serves as a base for cruising and sightseeing on the Danube, we can
see cruise ships and excursion boats at the pier.
Please see the photos of the scenery at the riverside area.
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| The pier for cruise ships and excursion boats |
The scenery at the riverside area of the Danube (2015.09.24_13:00) |
Hey, everyone, it's really pleasant to look at such wonderful scenery
sideways
while cycling, isn't it?
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| Cyclists enjoying cycling along the bank of the Danube in Passau (2015.09.24_13:00). |
On the way, we entered the old town of Passau.
The street is paved with stones.
We can see townscape having many buildings with different soft shade of
pastel
color.
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| A walk in the old town of Passau (2015.09.24_13:07) |
[Note] go out for a stroll ; 散策に出かける
the Inn ; イン川(スイス、オーストリア、ドイツを流れる川)、excursion boat ; 遊覧船
look at ～sideways ; ～を横目に見る、sideways ; 横に、横から
be paved with ～; ～で敷き詰められている、shade of color ; 色合い、pastel color ; パステルカラー
There are also several gothic and baroque churches that add a nice touch
to the
appearence of the streets in this town.
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| A gothic evangelical church |
Is this a church? |
Gothic St.Paul's Church in Passau |
We can see a dome of baroque St.Stephan's Cathedral on this street.
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| The dome of baroque St.Stephan's Cathedral (2015.09.24_14:15) |
[Note] gothic / baroque ; ゴシック/バロック様式の、the appearence of the streets ; 街の景観
add a nice touch to ~ ; ～に彩を添える、 evangelical church ; 福音教会
After walking throuhg several streets and alleys, we got to the bank of
the Inn.
We walk along the path toward the tip of a sandbar joining the Danube.
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| We take a stroll along the path on the bank of the Inn. (2015.09.24_14:21) |
The Inn is that river running in Innsbruck and Salzburg.
It joins the Danube at Passau.
Please see several beautiful scenery on the other side of the Inn on photos
below.
You can see Marien Bridge which we crossed this morning and St.Gertaud's
Church on the other side of the Inn on the following photo.
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| Marien Bridge and St.Gertaud's Church on the other side of the Inn (2015.09.24_14:11) |
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| The view of the riverbank of the Inn (2015.09.24_14:23) |
A cruise ship sailing on the river
(2015.09.24_14:32) |
[Note] sandbar ; 中洲、on the other side of the river ; 川の対岸、 riverbank ; 岸辺
We got to the tip of the sandbar.
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The tip of the sandbar where the Inn from the right side and the Danube
from the left side joins together (2015.09.24_14:39) |
The danube and the Inn join together here.
On a photo below, the Inn is right and the danube is left.
After joining together, it is referred to as the Danube.
The Danube pass through several countries (Austria, Slovakia, Hungary,
Croatia,
Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine before emptying into the
Black
Sea.
As a matter of fact, Passau is called “Drei flusse stadt (City of three
rivers)” and
is the city surrounded by the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz.
It goes like this on the picture.
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| Drei flusse stadt (City of three rivers) |
[Note] be referred to as ～ ; ～と呼ばれる、～と称される、empty into ～ ; (川などが)～に注ぐ
it goes like this ; こうなります、こんな感じです
Another river, the Ilz joins the Danube just a hundred meter ahead of
the tip.
According to Opa, these three rivers are called Green Inn, Blue Danube
and Black
Ilz.
In fact, the color of the river can be seen deeper in the order of the
Inn, the
Danube, the Ilz.
Actually, we could recognize the difference in color betweem the Danube
and the
Inn at the tip of the sandbar.
The following are descriptions of three rivers on a explanation signbord.
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| THE DANUBE |
THE ILZ |
THE INN |
We take a stroll down the path on the Danube side from here.
Opa taught us the junction of the Ilz and the Danube.
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| The junction of the Ilz and the Danube (2015.09.24_14:44) |
[Note] ahead of ～ ; (時間的に) ～の前に、～より先に、(空間的に) ～の前に
in the order of A, B, C ; A, B, Cの順に、explanation signbord ; 説明の看板
junction of rivers ; 川の合流点
Again, we enter the stone-paved street of the Old town.
On the way, we took a late lunch break at a restaurant.
A short walk brought us to Passau Residenz Platz.
Large St.Stephan's Cathedral can be seen ahead.
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The view of St.Stephan's Church
(2015.09.24_15:42) |
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The landscape of Passau Residenz Platz
(2015.09.24_15:44) |
Hannah-chan, were you tired from being taken around, even though you were
in
the baby buggy?
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| Hannah-chan, were you tired? (2015.09.24_15:44) |
[Note] Passau Residenz Platz ; パッサウ・レジデンツ広場、be tired from ～ ; ～で疲れる
take someone around ; (人)を連れ回す
Höllgasse is lined with beautiful old houses like ateliers, studios and gallerys.
We saw a sight like this in narrow alley.
The alley with colorful umbrellas hanging in the air also make a good picture.
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| The funny sights we saw in the alley (2015.09.24_15:57) |
Our stroll in the old town of Passau and at the riverside of the Danube
and the
Inn came to end.
We passed through the narrow alley to get to the parking lot near Danube.
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| Opa and Wagner's family walking to the parking lot near Danube (2015.09.24_16:00) |
There is an elegant cruise ship lying at the pier.
It's named “Sound of Music”.
That's a lovely name.
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| A cruise ship lying at the pier (2015.09.24_16:03) |
[Note] Höllgasse ; ヘルガッセ小路、studio ; 工房、alley ; 路地、make a good picture ; 絵になる
lie / lying ; (船が)停泊する
Now we have to say goodbye to “The blue Danube (An der schönen blauen Donau)”.
This might be the first and the last time I meet the Danube.
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| The blue Danube (An der schönen blauen Donau) (2015.09.24_16:09) |
After leaving Passau at 4:20pm, we got to Utzenaich in about 30 minutes by
using autobahn.
When children on a horse in the neighborhood happend to pass by with their
mother, I took a picture.
Wow! I'm so jealous!
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| Children and their mother in the neighborhood enjoying horse riding (2015.09.24_17:10) |
It may be just time for their walking.
Hannah-chan with her mother also surrounds herself with local people.
Hannah-chan looks so happy when she found her friend in the circle of them.
She seems to be talking with a baby.
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| Hannah-chan talking with a baby among the local people (2015.09.24_17:12) |
When we came back home, Oma was preparing dinner for us.
My wife with Opa helps her do that.
[Note] the blue Danube (An der schönen blauen Donau) ; 美しき青きドナウ
pass by ; 通り過ぎる、通りかかる、I'm so jealous! ; いいなあ、うらやましい！
horse riding : 乗馬、surround oneself with people ; 人々の輪に入る、人々の中に身を置く
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| My wife and Opa helping Oma prepare dinner (2015.09.24_18:06) |
Tomorrow, we will say goodbye to Oma and Opa who took care of us during
our
stay.
So, they made a big feast as the last supper.
One of main dishes is venison stew.
It looks like this is a big feast for the family's imprtant guests.
As a matter of fact, Opa has a liscense as a hunter of deer.
He said that after hunting a deer last year, he applied a special treatment
to
the venison and then has kept it in a freezer.
Although I ate it for the first time, it was delicious without any odor.
[Note] take care of someone ; (人)をお世話する、make a big feast ; ご馳走を用意する
the last supper ; 最後の晩餐(会)、venison ; 鹿肉、as a matter of fact ; 実は、実を言うと
hunter of deer ; 鹿のハンター、apply A to B ; A にB を適用する(施す)
keep ～in a freezer ; ～を冷凍保存する、odor ; (嗅覚で感じる)匂い
We toasted with German beer “Passau beer” that Gerry-san bought in Passau.
Austrian local wine served after that was very good!
We are most grateful for your warm hospitality during all our stay.
Oma and Opa, thank you very much.
After dinner, we had a conversation for about an hour.
The topic was about how to use an iPhone that Gerry-san presented to Opa
yesterday.
Opa in Austria will be able to have video phone communication with Hannah-chan
in Bangkok soon.
According to Gerry-san, everyone can do that at one touch of button using
the
function of Face Time instead of skype if they do that between iPhones.
Though Opa learned how to use from his son, he seems to still worry about
it
because of electricity illiteracy.
After that, we packed our suitcase and then went to bed.
At last, we will travel to our final destination, prague in Czech Republic
tomorrow.
Hanna-chan's family will also take a flight to Bangkok late at night tomorrow.
[Note] be most grateful for one's hospitality ; (人)のおもてなしに大変感謝する
have communication with someone ; (人)と通信する、at one touch of button ; ワンタッチで
worry about ～ ; ～について心配する、electricity illiteracy ; エレキ音痴(?)
illiteracy ; 無知、無学、final destination ; 最終目的地、take a flight to ～; ～へ向け飛ぶ
Japanese Diary / No.730－2016.01.13 /
「オーストリア・ドイツ・チェコ旅行/第14日目(2015.09.24)」
To be continued Weekly Topics / No.255－Jan.17.,2016 /
“Travel to Austria, Germany and Czeh Republic (15th day－Sept25.2015－)”
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