Treasure Hunt

Rob was gone all day researching on Monday and by the time the kids had themselves dressed and their beds made, Joss took a long nap and then it was lunchtime and I was crazy with cabin fever. I took them down to the Naschmarkt thinking I'd get us all some lunch and they could play in the park. They insisted on schnitzel semmels (which we could have bought around the corner from our house) and I ended up trailing them through the entire market while they tried to figure out which stall it was. They finally found it ("It's across from a bakery, mom!") and a very nice mustachioed woman sold us schnitzel semmels with Almdudlers. Then I had to try to find my awesome Yugoslav falafel sandwich maker. Rob bought me one of these in the first few days we were here and it was a revelation. I haven't been able to find it since! But I got a reasonable facsimile and we went to the park where they played for a good long time on the slide, zipline, race car and in the sand. Joss ran around in his diaper and was very happy.
When they were finally tired of the park, I tried to get them to go with me to the Central Friedhof (cemetery) because I haven't been there this trip, but they were having none of it (they'd already gone with Curtis and found all the famous graves but Falco). So instead I took them to the Stadtpark and told them they had to find me 1. a lake 2. a clock 3. a statue of Strauss the Waltz King 4. one of that party boy Schubert 5. & 6. two more statues. They managed to get to them all and more. I really like the Stadtpark and Rob makes fun of me because it is the lowest of the parks along the ring (behind the Burggarten and the Volksgarten) and has a kind of seedy reputation at night. During the day, though, it's shady and lovely and even Rob would be happy to have it in Provo. Up at the top of the collage is a yellow building called the Kursalon where people used to go to have 'cures' when they were sick. You can read all about one in Thomas Mann's Magic Mountain. Viel Gluck! I loathed that book more than anything in my college career. Maddie asked me why doctors don't prescribe rest cures anymore, and I didn't know what to say. I guess they decided they weren't that effective and were costing a ton of money. And evidently everyone had affairs while on their cures.
But back to the hunt: the kids found everything and Rob called as soon as we were done and on our way to celebrate at the eissalon. So he joined us after his own kind of treasure hunt in the city archives.