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Newark to Salzburg: My journey to the Alps

Good afternoon folks (I’ll stick to referencing East Coast USA time even though it’s night time here in Austria and I’m close to passing out). I’ve managed to settle into my hotel room and wanted to pass some thoughts on the trip here for those of you who might be interested.

The flight was six hours and. as anyone who flies from NYC to LA can tell you, spending that much time on a plane is just not a great thing. It wasn’t terrible, but arriving in Frankfurt, Germany at 8am local time (and 2am in my body) was no party. Especially not when having to navigate what may be the longest security checkpoint line in international airport security. You would have thought it was Ellis Island with the huddled masses trying to get through the metal detector. In this instance, German efficiency did not come through.

I’m sure by now you’re saying "Boo hoo, poor you for having to stand in a line while you travel to Europe to watch soccer." Yes, I know, I can’t complain, but I’m just telling you how it is.

One thing I can and will complain about is the exchange rate for the dollar bill. It stands at about 1.5 dollars per Euro, which makes exchanging American money for Euros a painful proposition. I thought the exchange during the World Cup was bad (I seem to recall it at closer to 1.3 dollars per Euro).

After a four-hour layover in Frankfurt I boarded a small plane to Salzburg. How small? It had propellers. The one-hour flight to Salzburg wasn’t bad and going through "customs" at the Salzburg airport was easy. How easy? There was no process. You basically got off the plane and walked straight to your luggage. The Salzburg airport officially surpassed the Columbus Airport as the smallest airport I’ve ever gone to.

From there it was off to the stadium in Salzburg, which looks much better on the inside than the outside. From the outside it looks like an erector set gone bad. On the inside it’s big and beautiful. I watched training and interviewed Claudio Reyna and Juan Osorio before cranking out some posts.

I am on fumes right now but I am joining some other media here for dinner. I will crank out a Soccer on TV schedule and call it a day (night). Tomorrow is going to be another busy day.

Comments

  1. Keep up the good work, Ives. Actually, every MLS club should have an independent professional blogger/journalist like yourself to let us know what the clubs are up to on these out-of-continent training trips. FC Dallas could use someone on their trip to Curitiba, Brasil.

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  2. First off, it’s awesome that you’re there. For years, we’ve bitched and moaned about the lack of preseason covereage and this season we’ve gotten more than I can recall x2. Thank you for your part in that.

    Second, I really wish that for something like this there was a little more interest in uniting the two supporter’s bases by inviting all of us to come over and watch an exhibition between the two sides and call some sort of a friendship type thing.

    It’s a really cool idea that should’ve already been thought of and offered as an item to purchase.

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  3. Enjoy yourself in Salzburg cool castle and chess board. If you want one of the best views in Europe head up to the castle and take a look.

    If you see anything to do with the “Sound of Music” we don’t want to hear about it.

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  4. Ives,
    If you find the time, there is a salt mine that is open for tourist visitation. You ride down wood poles to get into the mine. Pretty fun and interesting stuff. I forget the name, but I’ll do a little research and figure it out.

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  5. Hey Ives, you should have left from JFK with Austrian Airlines via Vienna, much easier transfer lines and passport control. I love SZG, I have been there two or three times..but then again i love all things Austrian!! Have a great time
    Fab

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  6. I’ve gone to LA from NYC a few times and yes, 6 hours on a plane is enough. It’s not too bad for me because whenever I am on long plane, train, bus or car rides, I just pass out. I don’t know why, long rides just make me sleepy. Good thing I don’t drive! 🙂

    So, for 5 1/2-6 hours on a plane, I’m asleep for most of it. My answer to anyone who ever asks me how my travel was, is “Restful!” 🙂

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  7. Ives,
    I feel your pain of the Frankfurt airport lines. I went through them a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. My girl, who is from Germany, said she had never seen them as bad as that.

    Have a good trip!d

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  8. Great work Ives… traveling through time zones (time warps?) can be somewhat difficult on the ol’-body…
    look forward to your reports.

    Reply

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