The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned three centuries and gave us some of the world’s most precious treasures. It changed the way people thought, it altered politics and it had an impact on art and architecture that lasts to this day. The exciting changes in art and philosophy reached across Europe and quite literally brought people out of the Dark Ages and into the light of a new era. There is little debate about the birthplace of the Renaissance; nearly all scholars will agree that it is Florence, Italy. Because of the city’s important impact on the world as we know it, as well as it’s own unique beauty – Florence is a city that everyone should see in their lifetime. If those are not compelling enough reasons, Florence is in Tuscany – one of Italy’s most beautiful regions.
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore – the famous Duomo of Florence
We recently embarked on a cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises new ship, the Silhouette. We chose this particular cruise for a variety of reasons; among the most convincing was the itinerary. We have wanted to visit certain parts of Italy, including Florence and parts of southern Italy. The ports of call fit in with our “Italy bucket list” perfectly. We spent two days (HERE and HERE) in the bejeweled city of Rome before we set sail and woke up the next day in Livorno. Livorno is a port city in Tuscany that has access to some of the region’s most renowned cities. Cruise-goers opted to visit Florence, Siena or Pisa or the smaller towns of Volterra and San Gimignano. We always knew that we would venture to Florence; the only question was how we would get there. If you read any of my previous posts from our summer cruise (HERE, HERE, HERE) – you’ll know that I am not a fan of booking daily excursions through the cruise line. On a positive note, booking through the cruise ship is easier and they do offer some great itineraries. But it is often five or ten times the cost of organizing the day trips on your own. Armed with that knowledge, we bypassed the cruise’s tour buses and instead opted to visit Florence by train, given its far away proximity to the port city.
Our suite aboard Celebrity’s Silhouette
We found the room to be spacious and very pleasant for a cruise ship
Julia got to sleep in her first “big girl” bed
After over an hour on the train, we arrived in Florence eager to soak up the sights and the culture. My uncle had left us a great guide book on his previous visit, so we had a rough idea of how we wanted our day to evolve. I bought a city map for a €1 from a guy selling them on the street and confirmed our route. We first strolled through one of Florence’s main markets. The city is well known for their leather goods and we wanted to see what they had. As we continued our tour along the city streets, the sky decided to open up. Our plan had been to soak up sights and sounds of Florence and instead we simply ended up getting… soaked.
Florence boasts great markets – they are renowned for their leather products
After trying in vein to stay dry under the canopy of a shoe store, we decided that pushing on was our only option. So we walked past the Medici Chapels and Basilica of San Lorenzo. We strolled down the puddle-filled Via Cavour and arrived in the Piazza del Duomo. The piazza houses three very important architectural triumphs. Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) is a showpiece of Gothic architecture. The Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of St. John) is one of the oldest buildings in the city, constructed in the Romanesque style. The octagonal building once served as a Roman temple constructed to honor Mars, the tutelary god of Florence. Today, the baptistery is most famed for it’s eastern doors, known as the “Gates of Paradise”. Constructed of gilded bronze, the doors feature ten intricate panels that depict scenes from the Old Testament. Most people don’t realize that the doors on display are actually replicas (the originals are kept in Museo dell’Opera del Duomo). Even though they are not the “real deal” it is still amazing to behold the work of LorenzoGhiberti, a project that took him twenty seven years to complete and has been described by art historian Antonio Paolucci as “the most important event in the history of Florentine art in the first quarter of the 15th century”.
We stop for a family photo in the Piazza del Duomo
Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) offers some of the best views of the city
The Battistero di San Giovanni is an octagonal shaped structure
The impressive bronze-gilded doors referred to as the “Gates of Paradise”
The third and most renowned attraction in the piazza is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore or as it’s most commonly referred, Duomo di Firenze (Florence’s Dome). Construction began in 1296 in the Gothic style and was finally finished in 1436 in the Gothic Revival style with the completion of the famous dome. So much time had passed during construction that Gothic architecture had been all the rage, became “totally uncool” and then turned “retro and hip” again before the church was finished! The construction of the dome was overseen by the famed architect and master goldsmith, Filippo Brunelleschi, spanning sixteen years (1420 – 1436). Although, the history of the dome dates back much further – the commission was awarded to Brunelleschi in 1418 based off Arnolfo di Cambio’s original design of the dome, dating back to 1296. In fact, the church was completed in 1380 with only the dome remaining incomplete (a period of 40 years stretched across the completion of the church and the start of the dome). The main reason for such a long gap in time? Nothing had ever been engineered at quite this high level of intricacy and it took someone 40 years to come up with a good solution. The end result is nothing short of an engineering marvel. The design and construction of the dome is largely considered one of the first events marking the Italian Renaissance. Together, the three structures in the piazza (the Duomo, the Battistero and the Campanile) are a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site, covering the historic center of Florence.
The basilica with the famous dome shown
The front façade is composed of various marble from within Tuscany
The fresco in the central dome was begun by Vasari in 1568 and finished by Zuccaro in 1579
Inside the cathedral
Next up was a visit to the Piazza Della Signoria and a visit to the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace). This impressive Romanesque fortress stands today as Florence’s town hall. A replica of Michelangelo’s David stands at the front gates. The original marble statue carved by the young artisan stood at the entrance from its completion in 1504 until it was moved in 1873.
The Palazza Vecchio inside Piazza Della Signoria
The Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati commissioned in 1565
An exact replica of The David stands in the location of the original
We concluded our tour of the city by crossing over the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). To fully appreciate the bridge, you first need to learn a little bit about one of the most powerful families of all time – the Medici family. The “House of Medici” was the preeminent Tuscan family that first attained it’s wealth and political power in Florence during the 13th century. Their successes in banking and commerce cemented their wealth, while their philanthropic and political involvement garnered them prestige and infamy. The family dominated politics, economics and culture in Florence for three centuries (15th to the 18th centuries) and provided the world with four Pope’s, two Queens and countless Dukes. Through their banking empire they developed a significant improvement to the general ledger system with the development of the double-entry bookkeeping system for tracking credits and debits. Their financial sponsorship of arts and architecture largely funded the Renaissance itself, paving the way for advances never before seen. The patronage of a young and inspired mind, Leonardo da Vinci gave the world some of our most prized treasures and significant cultural advancements.
Jen and Julia on Ponte Vecchio
Our little Tuscan girl
The bust of famed Florentine artist, Benvenuto Cellini
So what did the Medici’s have to do with a bridge you ask? You may assume that they funded it (and you’d be right – the reconstruction effort of 1345) and think to yourself… “what’s the big deal, Greg – you just told me they basically bankrolled the entire Renaissance, who cares about a single bridge”? Well, in my opinion there are two very interesting things about this particular overpass.
First, the bridge is credited as being the birthplace of bankruptcy, an action the banking family supported. The bridge has always housed shops and merchants (as it still does to this day) and when a merchant could not pay his debts, the counter on which he sold his wares (the “banco”) was physically broken (“rotto”) by soldiers. The practice was thus referred to as bancorotto (broken counter, or as it became known, broken bank). Once the merchant lost his table, he was no longer able to sell anything.
The second interesting factoid about the bridge also has to do with these merchants. Butchers dominated the shops along the bridge, nearly since it’s inception. In 1564, Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici commissioned the Vasari Corridor – an enclosed passageway elevated above the Ponte Vecchio in order to connect the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. The Grand Duke commissioned the bridge because he wanted a private walkway when crossing between his personal residence and the government palace – he couldn’t be bothered to walk amongst the commoners. As if this was bad-ass enough… he took it a step further. The smell of meat was not a scent that he cared to inhale, so he had all the butchers removed and oversaw the installation of gold and jewelry shops (a tradition that persists today – there are nothing but gold and jewelry shops along the bridge… with a couple souvenir places sprinkled in). The gold merchants not only offered a less offensive odor, they extended a much more pleasant view and enhanced the prestige of the bridge.
Julia kept us on our toes with shenanigans like these our entire time at sea
We got a few souvenirs for ourselves and then hustled back to the ship for a lot more fun at sea!
I suppose that I’ve sufficiently succeeded in being completely cheesy and unoriginal, using the two most obvious cliche’s to name my two posts about Rome (first post). Oh well, this is what you can expect from me when I’m faced with the monumental task of bringing you up to speed on our many recent adventures. So, let’s begin!
When I last left you, we had seen the Pope’s home (Vatican City), a bunch of steps (Spanish Steps) and a some running water (Trevi Fountain). The next day, we wanted to see a pile of stones (Colosseum) and a big dome (Pantheon). And if anyone ever describes some of the world’s most precious treasures like that again, smack them!
On our second day in Rome, we set out early to reach the Colosseum, the world’s largest ancient amphitheater and one of the most spectacular examples of Roman engineering and design. It is estimated that the colosseum could hold as many as 80,000 spectators. If you put that into perspective, that’s as big as most NFL football stadiums – only it was built almost 2000 years ago! I’m no historian, but I don’t think they had reinforced steel, engineering software and cement-mixing trucks back then. It’s no wonder that the Amphitheatrum Flavium (it’s Latin name) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of seven wonders of the world [source].
Amphitheatrum Flavium (Colosseum)
Julia found some horses that she wanted to ride
I hold Julia outside the massive stadium
Posing with Dad
Now momma gets a photo with Julia
“Cheese!”
We didn’t get to spend too much time at the Colosseum because we had something even more important to do as we approached mid-day. I know, you’re thinking… “Greg, I’ve been reading this blog long enough to know that your very important thing is just lunch”. On any other day, you would be correct. But on this particular day… lunch would have to wait. We had a meeting with someone you may have heard of. Oh you know… Pope Francis.
Papa Francesco greets us from a window in the Papal Residence
Now, when I say “meeting with the Pope” – I mean, a meeting of sorts. A meeting that I generously shared with about 5,000 other people. Every Sunday at noon, the Pope addresses the masses from the Papal Residence and delivers a short address to the crowd, followed by a blessing. It was quite a tremendous thing indeed to be blessed by the Pope!
Large crowds await the Pope’s appearance
We take a picture amongst the crowd
A somewhat grumpy Julia rises above the crowd to take a picture with the Papal Residence in the background
The crowd roared with jubilation when Pope Francis appeared
Jen and Julia listened intently during his address
A view of Saint Peter’s Basilica with the crowd
We left the Vatican feeling great and enthralled by the beautiful weather. We decided to continue our tour of Rome with wide detours, adding time and additional sights to our pedestrian footpath. We departed from the Vatican and walked past the Castel Sant’Angelo before crossing over the famous Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge. We strolled along the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River), Italy’s third longest river that courses directly through the city of Rome.
We were lost among a sea of people departing Vatican City along Via Della Conciliazione
We have our photo taken with Vatican City in the background
A direct shot of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Obelisk that sits in front
Castel Sant’Angelo
The Italian flag waves proudly atop the castle
Angels fly overtop the Ponte Sant’Angelo
Crossing the Ponte Sant’Angelo I turned for a view of the castle
View along the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River)
Although, this was my favorite view along the river
Our destination was the chic neighborhood of Trastevere. Trastevere is to Rome as the West Village is to New York, but with fewer hipsters and MacBooks. Small streets are lined with great shops, cafes and restaurants. People spend time outside and congregate with neighbors. The short time we spent there was long enough to fantasize about owning a pied-à-terre in this particular part of Rome. We ate a fabulous lunch at a local place and continued on by foot.
A small ristorante in Trastevere
Even the Vespa’s look hipper
People gather at a cafe
The narrow streets don’t offer a lot of room for the public transportation
We wrapped around to the southwest portion of the city to see the Fonte Acqua Paola – a site that is seldom talked about, but worth a visit. A panoramic view of the city opens before you eyes from the elevated vantage point. The styling of the fountain is nearly as impressive as the Trevi Fountain, but without the crowds.
Julia leads the way up to the fountain
A beautiful panoramic view of Rome opens from this high vantage point
Fonte Acqua Paola – built in 1610 to mark the end of the Acqua Paola acqueduct
Julia is thrilled to have discovered another fountain
She allows me to take a picture with her
We next made our way to the east banks of the Tiber river and visited Campo dè Fiori, an outdoor marketplace. We followed a short arc back toward the Pantheon. Along the way, we saw the Area Sacra, one of Rome’s most significant archeological finds. Four temples dating as far back as the fourth century BC were discovered quite by accident in 1926. We planned to eat dinner in one of the restaurants in Piazza Navona, Rome’s largest piazza built on grounds of the ancient Stadio di Domiziano. After taking in the beauty of the piazza, we spent all of three minutes evaluating and then quickly dismissing the restaurant options. The places were obvious tourist traps, many of them boasting pictures of their food (which is always our first sign it’s time to scram). Instead we tucked into a little trattoria on a nearly unnoticed street and settled in for a couple nice glasses of wine.
Area Sacra a significant find in the middle of the modern city
The Pantheon was built in 126 AD
The Pantheon’s coffered dome was poured in concrete moulds- the oculus is the main source of natural light
Fontana del Pantheon across from Pantheon in Piazza della Rotonda
We stopped for some wine in a nearby piazza while Julia had dinner
The Pantheon and Piazza Rotunda at night
The fountain in front of the Pantheon
Altare della Patria (Alter of the Fatherland) also known as Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II
We had two big days in a magical city, but so much more still ahead of us. We were departing on our cruise the next day; eager to embark on another adventure on the sea.
If all roads lead to Rome, nowadays you could also say that all European cruises start from Rome. Well, maybe not all – but a good many of the cruise ships use this port of call as a starting point for their Mediterranean voyages. At least, this was the case on our cruise aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines ship, Silhouette. The Silhouette is one of five ships in their newest Solstice Class – a group of sleek, modern ships with a heavy emphasis on style and dining. The ship and the cruise did not disappoint. We had many ports of call and a lot of wonderful activities that I’d like to write about, so let’s start at the beginning…
A wonderful statue stands outside the port of our ship
We arrived in Rome two days ahead of our ship’s departure to explore the city’s history, experience the cuisine and absorb the magic of a place you absolutely must see in your lifetime. Two days is barely enough time to scratch the surface, but we did our best to fit in as much as possible. On this blog, I’ll often write about a city’s history before detailing our adventures. The history of Rome is so storied and captivating, that a single paragraph couldn’t possibly do it justice. Instead, I invite you to click on this link to read about Rome and this link to read about Ancient Rome. Or get off the internet and pick up a book (but not until you finish reading my blog post)!
A view of Rome – Altare della Patria stands prominently above the rest of the city
After living in Italy for nearly a year, we are still learning travel tips on a constant basis. A new lesson you may be surprised to learn (and one that could possibly be applied to real life) – procrastination doesn’t pay. Even though I knew our travel dates, I waited months to reserve our train tickets. I paid roughly €80 for two tickets from Milano to Roma on the express train (a great price), but more than triple that amount on the way back – they only had first class seats available. Suggestion – if you know your dates, book early! Better suggestion – if you have flexibility in your dates, book your train first and then schedule everything around it (for example, I could have stayed an extra night in Rome for the difference in train fare). Additionally, go talk to someone at the ticket counter (most of them speak English). They often have access to fares that are different (and better) than the kiosks. If you travel from Milano to Roma, book aboard the velocità alta (high speed train), which whisks you across the country at a remarkable 300km per hour, delivering you in just over three hours.
We arrived in Rome just after lunch and went immediately from our hotel to Città del Vaticano (Vatican City), thereby entering a country not apart of Italy. The city-state is sovereign territory of roughly 110 acres entirely enclosed behind large ancient walls. The city boasts a population of around 840 people, making it the world’s smallest internationally recognized independent nation in terms of both size and population. As they say, good things come in small packages. We opted to join a tour group, since there is so much to see and do inside the city walls. The tour included the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica – the three main attractions in the city.
Saint Peter’s Square at night – shown here are the Basilica and the obelisk
We started in the Vatican Museums, a collection of buildings that hold some of the world’s most priceless and inspiring works of art. My camera was smoking from staying on overdrive. In 2011 over five million people visited the museums founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century [source]. Our tour included passage through the Borgias’ house; family of the controversial Pope Callixtus III, popularized by the hit Showtime series, The Borgias.
Just hanging out with my pal, Augustus – “hmm, I like his hair… but he needs a beard”
Amazing works of art carved from marble greet us in the entryway
Laocoön and His Sons excavated in Rome in 1506
The piece is dated between 200 BC and 70 AD
An example of the French painting style, trompe-l’œi (deceive the eye) – the image appears three-dimensional
Central portion of the tapestry, The Resurrection of Jesus
Eye-popping ceiling in the impressive Galleria delle Carte Geografiche (Gallery of Maps)
Jen stops for a photo
Next, we walked into the adjoining Sistine Chapel. On the tour, we learned that the Sistine Chapel is the largest chapel in the world. A chapel, practically by definition is a small place of worship (either freestanding or attached to a larger church). This is significant because the papal conclave (the sequestering of cardinals when electing a new Pope) is held in the Sistine Chapel (as opposed to the more spacious Basilica, next door). Inside the basilica, Michelangelo’sLast Judgement monopolizes the back wall, while the even more famous Creation of Adam rests prominently in the center of the ceiling. Words cannot describe the feeling that washes over you as you sit in such a historically significant place. The amazing frescoes inspire images of Michelangelo, resting on his back atop scaffolding and slowly painting each section, a brush in one hand and a candle in the other.
The most iconic portion of Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, The Creation of Adam
As the sun set on our tour, we visited Saint Peter’s Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world. The church sits in the center of St. Peter’s Square, which is flanked by large rounded colonnades – intentionally reaching out like long arms embracing visitors. From an aerial perspective, you’ll see that the church itself is designed in the shape of the cross, while the entire square resembles a keyhole (echoing Saint Peter’s role as holder of keys to heaven).
A beautiful blue night’s sky had settled over St. Peter’s Basilica
Pietà, also by Michelangelo
While our appetites for spiritual enlightenment had been quenched, our appetite for food was ravishing. We found a wonderful place, Gusto Forno and went in for dinner. What we found was even better – a happy hour with a buffet included in the price of your drink. And the drinks were magical! The bar-genius, Nina had created a cocktail inspired by a margherita pizza. Sounds weird, but the result was nothing short of fabulous. If you’re in Rome, stop by and see her.
I take a picture with our wonderful waitress and the fabulous bartender, Nina
Nina’s creation – the Pizza Margherita cocktail
Some of the buffet that was included with the order of a cocktail
Before the night was over, we stopped by Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps). Of course, no visit to Rome would be complete without throwing a coin over your shoulder (guaranteeing your return to the city) in the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain).
Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps)
Julia on the Spanish Steps
Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) at night
This magnificent fountain stands 86 ft. high
Julia gives her momma a hug
Jen and Julia in front of the Trevi Fountain
Family photo
Julia wanted to go for a swim
Julia gets ready to toss her coin and ensure her return to Rome
Italian architect Nicola Salvi lost the original contest to design the fountain, but was awarded the commission anyway due to public outcry in Rome that a Florentine (Alessandro Galilei) had won – a fortunate turn of events
As it turns out, two days in Rome is too action packed to fit into one post – so I’ll continue in a subsequent posting. Ciao for now!
Jennifer, Julia and I had a wonderful time when my Uncle S and Aunt Deborah came to visit us this past March. That’s why we were thrilled when they mentioned that they would like to come back to Italy again this fall. They wanted to do a bit of traveling and invited us to join them on their adventures, using our condo in Como as a “home base”. They had sketched a rough itinerary and just wanted a little help filling in the blanks – assistance I was happy to give. They knew that they wanted to spend some time with us here in Como, some time in Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna (two regions adjacent to our region of Lombardia) as well as a quick jaunt down to the historically significant city of Pompeii and another to Venezia.
S and Deborah standing near the divide of Lake Como
Jen and I share the responsibility of planning our trips – researching restaurants, activities and hotels. But they’re usually in three or four day stints and one location at a time. This time, I had to navigate through a two week itinerary, complete with activities, restaurants, hotel stays and all at new locations each day. Putting the puzzle pieces of their trip together was a challenge not for the faint of heart. Jen and I dug in, and by the time S and Deb landed in Milan, we had an itinerary that we were both proud of. I think all of us agreed that it came together quite nicely. Of course, the key ingredient was the company, mixed with a little food and wine!
I manned the grill for a family feast on their second night. I’ll get Franco to smile for one of these pictures, yet…
S enjoys a little grappa after our meal
S gives us a thumbs up as he displays our first two days worth of “work”
We divided the trip into the three things that Italy is best known for. Part I was wine. Part II was food. And part III was history. Jen and I accompanied S and Deb for parts I and II (our personal favorites) and let them venture off on their own for part III. This clean break in adventures divided the trip quite nicely and will also allow me to easily organize these blog posts into two parts. Easy breezy, vino-squeezy. However, before we hit the open road, we spent a day here on Lake Como in one of our favorite towns – Bellagio (if you’ve been reading this blog for a little while, you’ve seen us here many times before). The unique beauty of the town is like nothing else on the world.
The weather was absolutely beautiful the day we drove to Bellagio
I teach my uncle how to take a “selfie” (after explaining what a “selfie” was)
Bellagio from above – a unique vantage point. Bellagio divides Lake Como into the two “legs”
Jen and I pose for a picture
S and I take a picture together
My two girls
Bellagio is a beautiful town at the center of Lake Como
A boat rests after bringing passengers from another lake town
“Hey… I think I’ll make this my profile pic”
Jen and S stand near the wine bar where we had lunch
The Italian flag blows in the wind alongside the European flag
Piemonte (Piedmont) is a region in northwest Italy that borders France to the west and [our region of] Lombardia to the east. The capital city of Piemonte is Torino, which was once the capital of all of Italy and the springboard for the unification of the country. Of the twenty regions in Italy that each produce wine, Piemonte is probably the most well-renowned for their vintages. The rolling hills and mild climate result in some of the world’s best wine – the Barolos and Barbarescos produced here are often the prize jewels of wine cellars the world over. These wines, made primarily from the nebbiolo grape age very well, and in fact improve and develop richer and more powerful flavors as the decades pass. It was easy that to recognize that this portion of our trip was going to be entitled simply, Vino (wine).
The rolling hills of Piemonte are a perfect place to grow grapes
They look delicious now… just wait until they are turned into a Barolo or Barbaresco
S stands in front of a field of grape vines early in the morning
A father and his son load grapes onto a flatbed during their harvest
The finished product of our five nights together in the condo – wine was definitely a theme central to their visit
We spent the first day of our road trip in the small village of Barolo. During our drive to Barolo, S imparted some of his knowledge about the famous wine, which I’ll now share with you. Historically, Barolo wines were very rich on tannin and therefore could require as many as ten years to soften enough to drink. The long fermenting time and aging process in large, wooden barrels causes this complexity in the wine. The problem with this method is that it is very time-consuming and therefore expensive. A newer breed of producers have cut the fermenting time by as much as 2/3 and age the wine in smaller, French oak barrels. This allows the consumer to drink the wine much earlier and appeals more to the more modern, international palate (it creates a fruitier wine). As an aside, the more modern palates that prefer “big”, fruitier wines is often attributed to world-famous wine critic, Robert Parker (often referred to as the “Parkerization” of wine). The differing styles in Barolo has created a controversy between “old” and “new” – a conflict often referred to as the, Barolo Wars.
Castello di Barolo stands proudly overtop the town with the same name
I ♥ Barolo!
After a wonderful lunch at Osteria Cantinella, I had pre-arranged for a tour and wine-tasting at Marchesi di Barolo. This particular cantina boasts a very genuine and interesting history (I encourage you to click on the link and visit their website). It was explained to us that this particular winery was where Barolo itself was born – we even saw the original cask that was home the world’s first Barolo over 200 years ago. Our tour began in one of the cantina’s vast rooms where they were aging wine in botte di vino (wine casks). These barrels were made from oak from several countries. S and Deb saw some of the barrels were made by an American cooper (barrel maker) they know in Napa Valley. Small world! We next moved into the Marchesi’s private family cellar, where an impressive collection of wines rendered us all speechless. As we descended down into the heart of the cantina, we saw the juice of fresh “crush” flowing though long winding hoses, attached to the floor above where tractors were dumping the grape fresh from the “harvest”. This was exciting for all of us, knowing that we played a small part in the 2014 vintage (primarily by not tripping over the hoses and spilling the precious nectar on the floor). After the tour, we enjoyed a tasting of some of their finer wines – a wonderful way to casually spend the afternoon.
We merely had to follow the signs to reach our restaurant
Our group is eager to dine at Osteria Cantinella
S and Deborah stand just outside Cantine dei Marchesi di Barolo
Jen and I take a picture here as well
Tractors were coming in out along with us, bringing grapes fresh from harvest
A display in the interior courtyard shows an old fashioned way to transport the wine from town to town
Julia also doubles as an expert Truffle Farmer
We smile in front of the old fashioned barrels and wagon
French oak botte in the first room we visited
Julia and I listen to our tour guide
Barolo can age in the bottle for many years, most Barolo shouldn’t even be opened for at least 10 years
Going into the personal cellar of the family… quite the collection
Some of the much older bottles are on display – these are no longer for drinking (hence the vertical position)
The oldest bottle in the cellar is from 1859 (not drinkable) and the oldest that is still drinkable is from 1938
A private tasting area
Some of these large barrels date back as far as the 1950’s
Downstairs the juice from the crush flow into these large steel vats through long hoses
These large barrels are made by hand and are very expensive
A basket that was once used for the harvest many years ago is now used as decoration
Tractors dump the grapes they collected at harvest into a machine that crushes them
Our guide showcases one of the bottles that we would be tasting – this a Barbaresco
Deborah and Julia start a dance party
But we weren’t done – we still had another tasting on the books. We next went to Borgogno – a producer of fine wine since 1761. We opted for the more comprehensive vertical flight, consisting of six different wines. I cannot accurately describe to you the pure bliss one can discover whilst sipping on some of the worlds best wines, with fun people who’s company you really enjoy and basking in the glory of a napping baby. We tried our best to “play it cool” but I think perhaps got a little rowdier than we even realized. You have to give us a break, we had each had several glasses of wine at this point. Between me and S (mainly, S) – we bought so much wine that they included two of the four tastings and threw in canvas bags, custom wood cases and bottle openers. If you find yourself in Barolo – duplicate our exact schedule of eating and drinking – it was an amazing day.
We walk through Barolo on our way to Borgogno (the tall white building)
One of their old trucks now sits on display in the cantina
A wonderful place to taste wine, surrounded by all the amazing bottles that can be acquired with the simple swipe of a card
S and Deborah share a laugh
Jen explains what a “selfie” is and shows her how to do it
I wouldn’t call Deborah’s first attempt “successful”
“Here, let a pro show you how it’s done”
Deborah’s second attempt was much better – I think she’s nailed the “selfie”
For 83 years, Alba has been host to the Fiera Internazionale del Tartuf Bianco d’Alba (International White Truffle Fair of Alba). This year, the festival is open for five weeks, from the 12th of October until the 17th of November, spanning across the entire city. There are hundreds of events (including a donkey race, music concerts and food & wine tastings), vendors set up in markets throughout the city, celebrity chefs dropping in all over town, cooking demonstrations and of course – thousands upon thousands of truffles. Admittedly, we were undertaking a “food” related activity in the “wine” portion of our trip – but we have learned that nothing pairs with the worlds most exquisite wine better than one of the world’s most elusive and desirable food items.
Last year’s poster for the event
S gets close the grapes of a small producer selling his wine
Some black truffles displayed for sale
It is the season for truffles as well as mushrooms – there were some fine examples for sale
A cheese vendor showcases his various goat, cow and sheep cheese
This artisan hand crafts items out of olive wood – Deborah got several spoons
Deborah laughs as S takes a picture of the window display at a pasticceria (pastry shop)
Family photo in one of the markets
The city is flooded with thousands of visitors each day during the month-long event
Like many of the world’s finer foods, a truffle may seem strange to many people (caviar = fish eggs, foie gras = goose liver, etc.). A truffle is in fact, a fungus – but nonetheless, affectionately referred to by many as the diamond of the kitchen. It is no wonder that this event is considered the Sundance Film Festival of the culinary world. The likes of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and dozens of other celebrity chefs make appearances each year. Lesser known restaurateurs can be seen in the main truffle tent, intently smelling every single truffle and purchasing thousands of euro’s worth of this little, spongy item. They will use the ingredient in various recipes (soups, stews, meat dishes and anything else their creative minds can concoct), but primarily – they will shave the truffles over pasta, table-side.
A collection of white truffles in the front – black truffles are in the background
Truffles are small, hard to acquire and require the perfect soil conditions to achieve a proper balance. Italy is regarded as the foremost area for the natural cultivation of truffles (and the ultra-elusive “white truffle” grows in the Langhe area, specifically Alba as well as Tuscany and Abruzzo). As popularity and demand has increased, other countries have tried to cultivate white truffles (including Slovenia, Croatia and now even China). It is commonly accepted that these areas produce a lesser-quality truffle. One of the benefits of purchasing your truffles within the main enclosed tent at the festival is that you are guaranteed a certified, locally cultivated truffle. Many of the merchants selling their truffles were the actual farmers themselves. Today, farmers mainly use Truffle Dogs to sniff out the truffles. Historically, Truffle Pigs were used (because of their acute sense of smell and innate ability to find truffles) – but their love of the delectable treat often had them eating the merchandise before the farmers could snatch them from their snouts. The Truffle Dogs have to be trained to find the goods, but are much easier to control. We sniffed out some of our own truffles and plunked down €50 to acquire two small truffles and a truffle shaver.
White truffles for sale – they are not cheap!
Deborah catches the scent of a beautiful specimen – that truffle probably cost around €300 ($400)
I give the truffle a smell as well
This guy really knows how to do it and shows us – it’s all in the wrist and perfectly timed nostril flare
We found this guy selling roasted chestnuts outside
After touring the markets, we had lunch at Ristorante Vigin Mudest
Ever heard anyone say, “this sauce is so good I could drink it”? Well, when S says it – he really means it
I became the “garbage disposal” of the group, finishing everyone’s plates (3 plates and a bowl)
Julia hugs her great aunt and uncle after lunch
Before we left Alba, Julia insisted on ripping her shoes and socks off
Our final stop in Piemonte was a visit to Asti, a city that has been occupied since the Neolithic Period and today boasts a population of about 75,000 inhabitants. Unfortunately, we caught the city on a Monday… during lunchtime. This meant that virtually every museum, shop and attraction was closed. We ate a makeshift lunch of pizza and flatbread on park benches before heading for home.
Julia built a throne of her own from some firewood at our agriturismo
Cattedrale di Asti (Cathedral of Asti) dates to 1309
Ruins of an ancient tower that had been built into a more modern home
A couple days later, we took our prized truffles out of the refrigerator and cooked tagliatelle con olio with shaved truffle. It was a delicious lunch that nearly put us in a content, comatose state – a good way to tease our pallets for Part II of the trip. We would depart the next morning for Emilia-Romanga. If Part I was entitled Vino, then Part II of their trip would definitely be called Cibo (food).
This is what €50 ($68) worth of truffles looks like
I shave the white truffle on my pasta
Jen takes her turn
Deborah is happy to shave her truffles
S looks great when he’s shaving truffles
Now that looks great!
It tasted great too
Even Julia got to try some truffles
We visited Varenna after our truffle lunch
That night we all went to dinner at Ristorante Simposio to celebrate Claudia’s birthday – still can’t get Franco to smile
We recently had the most amazing vacation aboard Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam and I have had a wonderful time writing about it. I have discovered even more about each destination as I’ve researched them further and I have had the pleasure of reliving it all over again as I post the pictures. I hope that you’ve enjoyed your time aboard with us. Sadly, I will close this chapter of our overseas adventure and move onto the next story in an upcoming post. There is still plenty more to come in the blog pipeline…
“Dad, wrap this up already – you’re putting us all to sleep!”
If you joined us thus far, you’ll know we visited Venice, Olympia and Athens in our first post and then Istanbul and Lesbos in the second post. The final leg of our cruise transports us to Kuşadası, Santorini and Argostoli. As always, we’ll include some of our shipboard life and hopefully you’ll be able to stick with me – I’ve got a ton of pictures in this final post.
When I last left you, we were sailing away from the Greek island of Lesbos and I was getting knocked out of a blackjack tournament final table with some unlucky cards. The only thing that could wash away that feeling of despair was some spiritual enlightenment. Sure, they have a chapel aboard the ship – but I think strolling directly from the casino into the chapel is the sort of thing that the Big Guy frowns upon, so I waited for our port the following day.
We woke up in Kuşadası, Turkey – a beautiful resort town on the Aegean coast; wonderful in it’s own right, but not our intended destination. We were set to visit, Ephesus – an ancient city with a plethora of historic treasures. There are two main spectacles to behold within the vicinity of Ephesus – the Ancient City itself and the House of the Virgin Mary. Since the terrain was difficult to access and far from the ship, we hired a private driver to bring us to the notable sites. We first started with the House of the Virgin Mary, arriving fairly early in the morning. This small home was said to be the final home and final resting place of the Virgin Mary, carried here to live out her final days by St. John, the Apostle. Our early arrival time did little to help put us in a tolerable position in the queue (yes, I just “British’d” it up). The house is both a Catholic and Muslim shrine (so… um, yeah – number one and two religions in term of size). Given that fact, the line would normally be long – but we happened to arrive on the most “holy” of days. The annual pilgrimage to the House of the Virgin Mary coincided with our visit and threatened to consume our entire day along with the thousands of other visitors cramming in to see a tiny house.
Jen and Julia in front of the House of the Virgin Mary
A bronze statue of the Virgin Mary welcomes all visitors
As spiritually enlightening as seeing a 150 sq. foot home could be (admittedly, this was more my wife’s gig than mine), I was not thrilled at the prospect of standing in line under the hot sun all day. I saw an alternative option and struck with military precision when the time was right. First, I set out on a reconnaissance mission to scout additional routes for people with strollers. Coming up empty handed in that department, I formulated a plan. When I returned to Jen and Julia standing in line, I uttered the following words verbatim; “follow me, don’t ask any questions, don’t stall and keep up with my pace”. You see, my wife is a perpetual “rule follower” and I am a habitual “rule breaker”. Her innocence often thwarts my plans for easy advancement – but I think she was on board this time; moving at a snails pace under a hot Turkish sun will cause any mother to want to move! We whisked past the crowds, through an outdoor church service and out the other end to a gate immediately in front of the house. It certainly helped that I was pushing a baby stroller and can dish a kind smile that I reserve for occasions like these. My little stunt saved us an estimated three hours (no exaggeration). Jen was pleased with my shenanigans for once… now maybe I can convince her to come over to the dark side.
Just a portion of the long line that was making the annual pilgrimage to see the house
Mary would not approve of my behavior – I did have a baby to worry about though
Jen lights a candle to ask forgiveness for my shenangins
Our next stop was the the Ancient City of Ephesus. Artifacts excavated on site have proved that there were inhabitants in this area as far back as the Neolithic Age (6,000 BC), with consistent development throughout the Bronze Age and into the Archaic Period, when the city really began to prosper (650 BC). The city changed from Greek to Roman and finally into Turkish domain in 1304. Today, archeologists are constantly amazed by the plethora of treasures being discovered on a continual basis. The prevailing theory is that they have only unearthed a fraction of the city (a lot of major discoveries were made as recently as the 1970’s), but limited funds have slowed down excavation and restoration efforts. Some of the more notable discoveries are the Temple of Artemis, which is one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World and the Library of Celsus, which appeared on the Turkish Lira between 2001 and 2009.
We passed this large Virgin Mary on the way to the Ancient City
Standing next to the Basilica Stoa
Julia decides to lead the tour for our little group
“Peekaboo!”
“Look at me!”
The Bouleuterion (100 AD) housed the meetings of the council
Julia and I hiked all the way to the top of the Bouleuterion
Street lined with archeological excavations
The Temple of Domitian (81 AD)
The Curetes Street – a main boulevard prestigiously equipped with marble paving and home to many boutiques
The Deep Traveler statue recovered in 2013 dates back to 1980 – Jen’s favorite piece
The Trajan Fountain (102 AD)
The Temple of Hadrian (138 AD) – one of the most stunning ruins along the Curetes Street
We discovered a seldom seen gem, the Latriana
Public latrines where residents would literally sit cheek to cheek
Family photo in front of the Celsus Library
Tiberius Julius Aquila commissioned the Celsus Library (110 AD) as a mausoleum for his father
Column base with writing from Ancient Greek times
A market enclosed the exit gate of the ancient city – I happened to love this guy’s honesty
The next stop on our cruise was the port I was most excited about above all our other destinations – Santorini, Greece. Images of white homes with blue trim overlooking the Aegean danced in my head all night. Our wonderful Cruise Director, Anthony and Location Guide, Tom would televise a show about each port prior to our arrival. Through this in-room broadcast, I learned that Santorini (Σαντορίνη) sits perched high atop a cliff, with three ways to ascend. You can traverse the vertical 260 meters (853 feet) by climbing a difficult 580 steps (not ideal for couples with strollers) or you could opt to take the cable car for a fast and scenic arrival. Finally, you can chose to climb the absolute best way possible – by donkey!! Believe me, it was not easy to sell this option to Jen – but I never take “no” for an answer. We had an absolute blast climbing, laughing and trying not to fall off. I don’t think Julia has ever had so much fun in her life and I haven’t laughed quite so hard as I did to the shrieks of pure terror coming from Jen. The donkeys climb the pathway unassisted and will [at times] pin you against a wall while they wait for the overcrowding of ascending and descending donkeys to clear. All in all – a wonderful experience.
“eehh-aaaww!”
“You want me to carry you AND you’re baby?!”
The guide helps us on – that was the last we saw of him, this donkey was on autopilot
And w’ere off
Julia wanted to take a turn on her own
Santorini is an island unlike any we’ve ever seen. First of all, the entire complex of islands was formed by a volcanic eruption over 60 million years ago. The city today is essentially what remains after a more recent volcanic explosion in the modern age (this area is the most active volcanic area in the South Volcanic Aegean Arc). Santorini is financially supported by the bustling tourism industry; not surprising as ours was one of three cruise ships waiting patiently off shore for the tenders to bring passengers back and forth. In fact, Santorini was the only port to provide their own tenders – much larger boats than any cruise ship could provide in order to bring more people ashore quickly. It is actually quite smart of them to recognize that opportunity.
Horsing around with daddy
And then mommy
The blue ocean was simply magnificent
Julia is kind enough to share her drink with me
As well as her mother
This guy was selling freshly caught lobsters – look at the size of those beauties
Family photo
My two girls
Santorini
“I love this place!”
The blue domed churches were exactly what I envisioned
Some of the resorts offered stunning views – of all our ports, we want to come back to Santorini the most
A city unlike any other
I thought this was a great “artistic” shot – I was later validated when I saw this image in a travel magazine
From Homer’s Odyssey?
Here you can really get a sense of the volcanic caldera upon which the city was built
The white houses and blue domed roofs were just as promised
Climbing up a portion of the volcano – just off the beaten path
Jen covers Julia from the sun
#HollandAmerica would have these amazing reception areas at every port before re-boarding the ship
Sailing away gave you a true sense of the grandeur of the island
After Santorini, we saw the end of our cruise approaching quickly. I think we both somewhat dismissed our final destination, since neither of us had heard of Argostoli, Greece (in fact, when we woke up at port Jen proclaimed, “Oh! We have another stop?!”). Quietly dismissing Argostoli (Αργοστόλι) as, “just another stop” was foolish since it turned out to be one of the most pleasant days we experienced. The island is one of the larger of Greek Isles and was has the pleasure of hosting gorgeous beaches.
Family photo in front of the aqua-green waters of Argostoli
We passed through a brief section of woods before arriving at the beach
The beach opened before us like a butterfly spreading it’s wings for the first time (too much??)
You can never go wrong when you can rent straw beach umbrellas for the day
There were tons of people in the warm water
When we pulled away from Argostoli, we had one final “formal night” aboard the ship. Holland America went all out for this final night and served lobster tails and filet mignon in many of the ship’s restaurants.
Family photo in the Manhattan Dining Room on the formal night
Jen and Julia get ready for their meals
We started with foie gras
We each ordered surf and turf
The last day aboard was a sea day and so the world was our oyster. As always, there were plenty of activities to keep us entertained. One activity in particular caught my eye – a behind the scenes tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam’s amazing kitchen. We got to walk through their massive, industrial kitchen and I learned a few interesting facts about our ship. A kitchen crew of 150 individuals prepare food for 223 service staff to serve the guests each day. Each week 11,830 lbs of meat is consumed aboard the ship. A fact that I thought was staggering until I learned that 1,675 lbs of butter is also consumed each week (yuck – heart attack)! The tour was wonderful and the crew gave Julia one of their display crabs made from cooked bread dough.
The Executive Chef, Daniel Hergic poses with two of his chefs
A display of some of their finer beef and lamb
The form of their “bread-animal” displays before they were cooked
And then the final product. Julia got to keep the crab (the missing gap in the middle)
Included in the cost of most cruises is unlimited food at a variety of restaurants (casual dining, poolside dining, room service and the main dining rooms). Many cruise ships also offer the option to pay a nominal fee for more specialized dining (usually between $15 – $35/pp). On our previous cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line had a Japanese steak house complete with hibachi show. On our last day aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam, we decided to try two of the three specialized restaurants. We had a lunch of dim-sum in the Tamarind Restaurant, an upscale Asian specialty restaurant and then finish our cruise with a celebratory dinner at the Pinnacle Grill, a five-star steakhouse. Our last dinner was made even more special when the casino sent a bottle of wine to our room prior to dinner and then another one to the table as we dined! What a wonderful way to cap off the most amazing vacation of our lives.
We started with a hot and sour soup
Asian Herb Szechuan Sesame Salad
Steamed classic dumplings and a mixture of items from the wok, paired with fried rice
Later that night, at the Pinnacle Grill…
Jen started with a lobster bisque made tableside
Lobster bisque with crème fraîche and aged cognac
My caesar salad with homemade dressing, grated parmesan cheese, garlic croutons and anchovies, prepared tableside
My porterhouse with horseradish-mustard and master chef’s green peppercorn on the side
Jen ordered the lobster tail on a bed of wilted spinach and arugula, with “mango-churri” pesto sauce
Julia thanks Captain Edward G. van Zaane
Thank you Holland America for hosting us and thank you for reading all about it!
Admit it… you sang the title in your head, complete with the voice raising on the “and-a I”…
I love to cruise. Jen loves to cruise. And now… Julia absolutely loves to cruise. We have very few experiences aboard cruise ships, but each time we’ve been on one of these massive floating hotels (or mini-floating city’s… I couldn’t choose between adjectives – you pick your favorite), we feel like royalty. We know that we will chose this method of vacation many more times in our lives. Cruising requires little planning and you are always rewarded with the very best customer service, the opportunity to see many more cities than you normally could in a given time period, endless activities aboard the ship, wonderful food, the benefit of unpacking only once and perhaps best of all – a very affordable vacation (you can get very good deals if you hawk the last-minute deal sites).
Our ship – Holland America’s MS Nieuw Amsterdam
The first time that Jen and I took a cruise was on our honeymoon. We spent three weeks sailing around South America (from Buenos Aires, Argentina all the way around Cape Horn and on to Santiago, Chile). I chose Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) for our first cruise, primarily because the itinerary was perfect and I found it to be reasonably priced. I wasn’t nearly the internet-nerd I am today and so I did little research beyond that. We had a wonderful vacation, ate way too much food, enjoyed some lovely scenery (I have thousands of pictures to prove it) and had an absolute blast. However, I had no idea how amazing cruising could really be until we recently boarded Holland America’s, MS Nieuw Amsterdam (pronounced, n-e-w); one of the newer ships in their fleet.
Boarding the Nieuw Amsterdam
I had a few checklist items when we moved abroad – things I wanted to do and to see. Experiencing a cruising-adventure was definitely on that list. For the first time in our lives, we had the flexibility to really take advantage of a “last-minute” vacation, and so the plan was to use that to our full advantage. Unfortunately, we discovered that having a child prevents you from really getting those steep 70% off discounts you see flashing on the side of your favorite webpages. Some cruise lines require a child to pay a full fair. Others require that he or she have a special room or special bed. Either way, it seemed that the myth of really inexpensive cruising (at least with a child) was just that – a myth. Eventually, we searched for dates further into the future (ensuring the ability to book a room that could accommodate a small child) and narrowed our choice down to two cruises with two very different itineraries on two very different cruise lines.
Could this little peanut (eating until her heart is content) actually prevent us from finding our perfect cruise?!
“Who me?! No way, Dad. Now, let’s EAT!”
World travelers and vacation aficionados – here’s where you need to pay attention. I am going to share two valuable resources I discovered throughout this process. First, I had been paying a fortune in cell phone bills, calling these various companies to get accurate information about their cruises. Then I stumbled across, gethuman.com – an internet based voiceover IP company that allows you to call most major companies from your computer – for free! I have spent this past year calling American Express, Visa, Wells Fargo and other companies at a cost of roughly €10 per call… just to get past the automated prompts! This site has revolutionized my ability to manage tasks at home while living abroad. Second, we discovered cruisecritic.com – the ultimate guide when selecting a cruise. Consider it the yelp or trip advisor of the sea. This site allows you to plug in any cruise line and read reviews – but more importantly it allows you to search specific cruise ships, ranking everything on that unique vessel from the food to the service – ultimately awarding the ship a nice, neat approval percentage number. It’s all very easy and streamlined. What I learned was that a cruise line can offer a vastly different experience aboard any number of their ships (for example, an older ship with lesser quality food may not be nearly as pleasant as one of their newer ships). Therefore, we learned that the ship itself is more important than the cruise operator. And we learned this lesson just in time. I was on the phone with Costa (the losing company), about to book our cruise. I had selected this particular cruise because of the funky itinerary. In addition to the “normal” places, we would have ventured into Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria. I was moments away from giving my credit card number when Jen motioned at me frantically, having just discovered this particular ship only had a 54% approval rating. I got off the call as quickly as possible and called Holland America, booking aboard the Niew Amsterdam.
Julia evaluates one of the rooftop pools – this one was located midship
Our cruise departed from Venice, and so we took the three hour train from our home. We were in no rush to get into Venice early, having been there on previous occasions. We bypassed the throngs of tourists vying for photos of the canals and simply went right to the ship. We stayed in Venice’s port the first night, but set sail early in the morning. As we sailed through the Canale Della Giudecca in the middle of the city (I had no idea that it was deep enough to accommodate our massive ship), our fabulous Location Guide, Tom gave a memorable and insightful tour of everything that we were seeing. I apologize in advance for the pictures, I only had Jen’s cell phone with me – poor planning.
Sailing past another ship in the harbor
From high atop our cruise ship – we could see the entire city unfold before our eyes
A beautiful view of Santa Maria della Salute and the Campanile of Piazza San Marco
From this height we could actually look down and across Piazza Saint Marco – a very unique perspective
Here you can see many of the 118 different islands that make up Venice
Our first full day aboard the ship was a Sea Day, which means exactly that – we were at sea all day. This is wonderful portion of the cruise for anyone that likes to eat, gamble, drink, workout, spa, play in the pool, attend cooking courses, read, mingle, do nothing, do everything…. you get the point. I think I hit about four or five of those things in the first three hours – eating and gambling at the top of the list.
We woke up early, eager to start the day – but Julia reminds us not to wake our neighbors
We enjoyed a cooking demonstration
Posing with the Chef and Activities Coordinator
Julia would stop and watch this duo, Adagio perform each night after dinner
We hoped that lady luck would find Julia
Julia treats me to a kiss during one of the “formal nights”
The following morning was a real treat – our first Port Day. We were at port in Katakolon, Greece, which was just a short bus ride away from something you may have heard of… Olympia, Greece. As in… the place the very first Olympic Games were ever held. As in, the place that contains the ruins of Zeus’ temple. And so I was a little geeked-up to see it all. I didn’t have to imagine standing in the very first olympic stadium – where the worlds best athletes competed since the 8th century BC; we actually got to do it. It was very awe-inspiring.
Our first sunrise at port
We strolled through Katakolon before our bus departed for Olympia
Travel-bugs… please allow me to give you another tip. If you are reading this post and thinking, “Greg is making a convincing argument for a cruise… I think I’ll give it a go”; don’t make the mistake many cruise-goers make. Do not book excursions through the cruise directly. Sure, it’s easier. Some may say safer. Others may tell you they’re better designed. That’s all true… but at an immense premium. Please allow me to state my case. Below is one of the excursion options at our first port (copied from Holland America’s site). Just skim it if you’d like… I’ll recap:
The small fishing village of Katákolon is your gateway to the mystical site of ancient Olympia, 25 miles to the east. The sanctuary of Olympia has the appearance of a park, and as you step back 2,000 years into the past, imagine the area crowded with athletes, orators, merchants and philosophers surrounding the Temple of Zeus with its forty-foot statue of the god, the ruins of which you will see today. It’s easy to imagine the roar of the spectators as the athletes took their marks on the marble starting blocks, and to picture the temples, treasuries, porticoes and statues as they were. After your visit to Olympia, you will continue to Mercouri Estate, known not only for its wines of supreme quality but also for its magnificent location. This is the area where the Refosco grape was first planted after being imported from Italy. In 1930, the Mercouris built a modern winery and distillery, updated again in 1990 with the latest technology. You are invited to experience the beauty and charm of the vineyards, to see the old and new wineries, and also to taste the locally produced wines.
OK – so you get a bus ride with 40 other schmoes to Olympia, gate access and a wine tasting. It’s very well written and this guy is singing a sweet sirens song – but he couldn’t lure me. Guess what it costs… $150 per person plus $60 for kids. OK – so we’d be all in for $360. Guess what we did? We got off the ship, walked over to the person selling bus tickets to Olympia (the same cushy travel bus with A/C and TV’s that the cruise people take) and bought both tickets for $20. Then another $20 at the gate and I’m all in for $40. A savings of $320. With that much left in my pocket, I had my choice of any number of Greek wines “known for their supreme quality” that we picked up at Duty Free on the way back to the ship.
We stop for a family photo in front of the Palaestra
Julia does a little dance number
Ruins of the Theokoleon
A lone column capital (top) remains… 1,000 years old? 2,000 years old? 2,500 years old??
I stop to stand in front of the Temple of Hera
Jen and Julia challenge competitors on the Stadium ground
Lost amongst the rocks in front of the Temple of Zeus
Another view of the Theokoleon
Impressive remains of the Philippeion
The next day we woke up in Piraeus, Greece – which is the port city outside Athens, Greece. Same thing as before – I bypassed the tempting, but expensive excursions and departed with Jen and Julia in tow. We walked around the corner and found that the Greek Gods were smiling on us that day. In addition to the regular cabs and buses to take us the 20 minutes into Athens, there were “Hop On-Hop Off” open-top tour buses. That meant we would get a ride, an audio tour and the ability to come and go as we pleased, all for $30.
Athens is an amazing city with a recorded history spanning 3,400 years
We rode around Athens, enjoying our tour and chuckling to ourselves at the Greek music they kept playing over and over (imagine the soundtrack to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” on repeat). My plan was to complete the loop and finish the audio tour before getting off, but when I saw the majesty of the Parthenon, I knew we needed to depart the bus immediately.
The Parthenon sits atop the Acropolis of Athena
The Parthenon is the featured temple within the Acropolis of Athena; a temple built to honor the Goddess, Athena. Construction of the temple began in 447 BC and today it is widely considered the most important surviving building from Ancient Greece. In order to reach the temple, you must climb the imposing slate steps to reach the Acropolis of Athens, an ancient citadel set high atop a rocky outcrop far from today’s modern Greece. But before we climbed the steps of the Acropolis, we first climbed a neighboring cliff for a view of the magnificent ancient city and the more modern one below.
Athens has roughly 3.2 million inhabitants – Greece’s largest city by a wide margin
Hundreds of visitors passing through the gates of the Acropolis
Ancient ruins are a part of the city – even as modern urban sprawl is built around it
Some more “modern” temples perched atop their own cliffs
My girls begin their ascent
Julia fights the wind and I steal a kiss
I think Athena herself would have been pleased to have this little guest in her temple
As we climbed the steep incline of the Acropolis toward the temples, we narrowly missed slipping and sliding back down to the bottom. The slate steps were slick even though they were bone dry – I couldn’t imagine making the climb if it had rained. There were many sights to see, including the amazing expanse of a remarkable city below. We marched through the ancient doorway leading into the city and stopped for a rest and some photos.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus – a steep sloped amphitheater built in 161 AD
The southern wall remains well intact
Julia lets me kiss her for all of Athens to see
The Parthenon – Temple of Athena
It’s amazing how well the Parthenon has been preserved
Julia pays her respects to the Greek flag
Family photo in front of the Parthenon
While the Parthenon is clearly the star of the show within the Acropolis, there are many other important ancient buildings and temples. The Greek word Acropolis (Ακρόπολη) is made up of two components – akron, meaning “edge” and polis, meaning “city”. While there are many other Acropolis’ within Greece, it is commonly accepted that the Acropolis of Athens is the Acropolis in all of Greece. From the moment we walked through the gateway into the city, I truly felt as if I was transported into an ancient, mythical world – where Gods and Goddesses ruled from on high. Perhaps I have seen too many movies, but I really did feel as though I was apart of something far bigger than I’ve ever known. I think I was even annoying Jen a bit with my enthusiasm and newfound feeling of power (as if I was somehow apart of the world of The Gods and could strike down any mere mortal…). It was probably good that I got out of there when I did, lest I try to actually smite someone.
The Erechtheum – a Temple for both Athena and Poseidon built between 421 and 406 BC
The Porch of the Caryatids (maidens) built to conceal a 15 foot support beam
Another view of the Erechtheum from the south west
We had worked up quite the appetite touring the Acropolis and so we descended the ancient city toward a more modern part of town. We found a charming pedestrian area of the modern city and stopped for a lunch of what else… Greek salad! We drank a couple of refreshing Greek beers and then strolled through the ample markets.
Greek salad – the authentic way!
Finally, we boarded the ship and set sail for our next adventure… I hope you’ll hop back aboard for Part II (coming soon)!
One of the true gems of the world…. Venezia (Venice). The name alone evokes powerful feelings for many people. Romantic gondola rides, historical architectural treasures, beautiful creations blown from Murano glass, unique hand-crafted masks and always… always a city constructed with streets of water. Amazingly, the entirecity is listed as a World Heritage Site in order to preserve it’s unique beauty. According to my Wiki research, Luigi Barzini described it in the New York Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man”. I’d have to agree with Luigi!
Panoramic view from the roof of our hotel
Venice from the water
The Grand Canal
More of the Grand Canal
Happy to be here
Our good friends Nathan and Danielle joined us recently for a whirlwind visit filled with food, wine and lots of fun (read about it HERE). We punctuated their trip with a stopover in this romantic city. I was intrigued by the history of such a unique place and just did a little research. Venice consists of 117 islands, formed by 177 canals and connected by 409 bridges. I kept waiting for that “ah-ha” moment when I discovered the name of the genius city planner that decided to create a magical city on the water. But unlike Bugsy Siegel’sLas Vegas or Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid’s reinvention of Dubai – there was no one person that can be credited with the conceptualization of Venice. The truth is that refugees fleeing from invasion of the Lombards sought shelter in the marshland that is now Venice. And how do any cities really get built? A collection of people working together to establish trade and industry, creating habitation and then services to support the population. And so the city grew around the marsh and homes and churches and municipal buildings were constructed. This begs another question. How can you build a city on water?
The city built on water
Piers and bridges everywhere
Loved this view
There is a tree that grows in Slovenia and Croatia called an alder tree that is noted for it’s water resistance. Thousands of these trees were imported (and subsequently credited as a contributing factor for the barren land of the Kras region). The tree trunks were fashioned into piles that were submerged in the water, penetrating the sand and mud until settling in the much denser layer of compressed clay. Foundations were laid on the piles and buildings of stone and brick were constructed on these footers.
Peekaboo!
Cheese!
So now that you know the history, you can join us on our journey. We arrived early in the day via train (the easiest way into the city) and checked into our hotel. Our hotel, Molino Stucky is on the island of Giudecca, set in a beautifully renovated flower mill. After a quick lunch on the roof, we hoped on our hotel’s private ferry to the main island. We toured through the streets and canals, passed over bridges and stopped in shops. The girls bought scarves, glass and other souvenirs while Nathan and I took in all the scenery. We visited the infamous Piazza San Marco and fought for space among the crowds of tourists. We stopped for an afternoon cocktail on the water and eventually made our way back to the hotel to change for dinner.
Our hotel from the water
Hotel from the opposite side
Nathan and Danielle on one the pedestrian bridges
Looking good
Having fun touring
Piazza San Marco
The lion is symbolic of the Veneto region
Incredible architecture – the Libreria (library)
The Campanile – Bell Tower
My three favorite people in the crowd
Procuratie Nuove built by Vincenzo Scamozzi c.1580
Those aren’t aprons – we just lifted our clothes
The girls enjoying their prosecco
Looks like a romantic moment – really it’s just Nathan and I clinking our beers
After freshening up, we met in the lobby and discovered that we were in for a real treat. Nathan and Danielle had reserved a private boat to tour us through Venice – a wonderful journey elevated by the setting sun . We stopped for some wine and cheese and sat back to enjoy the ride.
Now look a this couple!
Some similar boats to the one we had
Traveling in style
View of Piazza San Marco from the boat
Along the tour
Stopping for a photo on the boat
Nate and D
Magical at night
The gondoliers were still out as the sun was setting
Danielle on the water
From the rear of the boat
All of us on board
Similar to our boat
Eventually our driver dropped us at one of his local favorites for seafood. We settled into a table directly on the canal and enjoyed ordering a variety of food to taste and share. At one point, I felt something wet kissing my feet and realized the water in the grand canal had risen high enough to splash the patrons (me) sitting on the edge.
Our restaurant
What a wonderful setting
Starter – mixed seafood
Mussels and clams
Nathan and I shared grigliata mista di pesce (mixed grilled seafood)
Jen got pasta with a variety of seafood
Pasta Aglio e Olio
The water started rising above the pier
Our grappa and limoncello after dinner
When dinner was over, we wound our way through the city at night to discover an entirely different Venice than the one we had seen all day. Long after the sun sets, the landscape of the city changes significantly. Without droves of tourists jockeying for the position to snap a photo (myself included) you are able to re-discover an entirely new place. Piazza San Marco becomes a magical amphitheater where dueling bands play wonderful music and the crowd shifts back and forth to capture the best view possible. We outsmarted the crowd and took up seats directly in front after ordering a nightcap. It was a great way to end the day before hopping on a boat back to our hotel.
In front of the Basilica
One of the “dueling bands”
Our trip to Venice had come to an end as had Nathan and Danielle’s visit with us. We spent one final day with them in Milano (Milan) and bid them buon viaggio (a good trip) back home. We were so thankful we got to do so many wonderful things with friends so special to us. After dropping them off, we rushed home and immediately started prepping for my sister’s visit… she would be arrived just a couple days later. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about their visit – more action packed fun.
Well, we didn’t run into Edward Cullen, Bella Swan or that creepy little girl that can induce pain in people’s mind (I suppose the world’s largest and most powerful coven of vampires was in hiding) during our visit to Volterra in Tuscany.
Now this is Tuscany!
For the Tibetan monk that has been living in isolation in Bhutan… and my sister, the only two people in the world that haven’t a clue who Edward or Bella are – I am making a playful reference to the Twilight Series. Buddhist monk and Michelle, listen up – the premise of the fictional story is simple. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy happens to be a blood-sucking vampire. Girl also falls in love with another boy. Boy happens to be a shape-shifting werewolf. Love triangle ensues. They all get in trouble when the Volturi (fictional Vampire royalty from the non-fictional town of Volterra, Italy) get involved. Giant battle rages. Extend story over five books. Produce six movies and collect hundreds of millions of non-fictional dollars. You know – your classic love story.
Julia reading in Volterra
Julia’s new pose while strolling
While we didn’t see any vampires (darn), we did find something better in Volterra. We found an amazing city with an incredible history and beauty worthy of a hundred stories – let alone a few blockbuster movies.
Street scene
A government building in the main piazza
In the main piazza
Torture museums are popular here
Jacob??
“Come take a load off”
Another street scene
Remains of Etruscan-Roman Acropolis
Rooftops
I call this… “lonely albero“
Love the roofline
About to break into a run
I love this little peanut
We were given the opportunity to see Volterra with a local, Beth – whom we had recently re-connected with via Facebook. We stayed with her family in their amazing farmhouse for a long weekend that began with a wonderful party you can read about HERE. The first day of we partook in the festivities of Festa della Liberazione. The next day, we woke up and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast in true Tuscan style – piano, piano (slowly). I drank my coffee in Beth’s amazing backyard and watched Julia play while soaking up the scenery.
Beth and her son Indi
Beth’s backyard… what a yard!!
I could spend all day soaking this up
After lunch, we ventured to Volterra and spent the day strolling through the wonderful city. I was particularly interested in the large castle, Medicean Fortress perched at the main gate of the city. We decided to visit the caste and include this large fortress among the many we plan to see this year. I was greeted at the gate (and then turned away) by an armed guard. That seemed odd. Then I noticed armed guards on the roof. And industrial-size surveillance cameras. Boy, these Italians take the preservation of their historical treasures seriously. Or maybe the Volturi do exist…
Medecian Fortress in Volterra – no vampires living here as far as we could tell
Beth told us that there was a prison in Volterra, but we all agreed that it didn’t seem to make sense to convert a 14th century landmark positioned in the center of a tourist town into a prison for hardened criminals. I just discovered (thank you internet) that we were wrong. The castle was converted into a high-security prison for criminals that are serving sentences longer than seven years. I have also learned another interesting fact about the prison – there is a restaurant inside that serves gourmet food. This was part of a rehabilitation project and has been highly publicized. The food is prepared and served by inmates and the restaurant is open to the public (provided you pass a security clearance, don’t mind eating with plastic silverware and have some stones of your own). I think I’ll have to make a reservation next time we visit – my kind of joint.
Another angle
One of the main city gates
The drive from Beth’s home to Volterra was simply amazing – we got to see some of the incredible Tuscan country-side. Beth explained that there are essentially “twelve colors of Tuscany” throughout the year. A painter had once told her that the look of Tuscany changes each month with the growth of new plants and flowers each month. We must have come during the most vibrant green month – because the scenery was just stunning.
Julia and Indi ready to go
Vibrant green hillside
Tuscany in spring is a dream
Incredible scenery
Couldn’t wait to make a panoramic photo
We picked up some cheese, salami and sott’olio (“under oils” which are a variety of vegetables stored in olive oil) and headed back for a late dinner. Andrea (Beth’s husband) arrived home just as we were setting out the food and we all ate and drank until we crawled into our beds.
The following day was particularly exciting for both me and Andrea. You see, Beth is a vegetarian and so he relishes any opportunity to cook meat. I happen to love meat and so a match was made in heaven. He was particularly excited to try a new lamb recipe and was particularly excited to be his guinea pig (having grown up loving lamb). The women prepared for the feast and tended to the children while the men asserted our male dominance and hunted for the meat…at the local grocery store. We were triumphant! Andrea set to work preparing the lamb and I was eager to assist him. I gathered some rosemary from the yard – and evidently snapped a living branch in the process. He casually brushed it off, as he had “only been growing that plant for three years”. I felt awful – they were kind enough to laugh. Andrea selected a great bottle of wine they had been saving for the right occasion. I took this to mean that they liked having us and we hadn’t yet worn out our welcome. The meal surpassed all my high expectations! But we made a critical mistake – eating that much meat had put us in a food coma. We needed grappa (Italian alcoholic drink used to aid in digestion) – stat! We drove to a local pasticceria (pastry shop) for some sweets and grappa. Eventually, day turned into night and we each fell into bed, sleeping quite soundly.
Andrea preparing the rosemary
Andrea was excited to make a meat dish
Baby swap – feeding the kids early
Beth shows Julia how to twirl like she’s “up in the club”
Andrea showcases his cooking skills and great taste in wine
Full-bodied, flavorful Tuscan wine
The table is set…
…with copious amounts of succulent meat…
…and the best roasted potatoes we’d ever had!
The gang’s all here
After lunch, Andrea played some music for the kids – both drums and guitar. He had an instant collection of groupies (I’m including Jen in that lot).
Andrea lays a beat
And has a collection of fans
Julia had to get in on the action
Somehow we had already arrived at Sunday and our magical weekend in Tuscany came to a close. We enjoyed our morning coffee and some of Beth’s homemade muffins (Jen borrowed the recipe) and hit the road. We had such a nice time with Andrea, Beth and their son Indi – we hope to host them in our home in Como soon.
Facebook is great for a lot of things. First of all, it’s a wonderful time killer. It is a spectacular medium for sharing funny videos about cats. The site is also great for shameless self-promotion of your unimportant blog (ahem). Facebook keeps me and Jen apprised of popular youtube videos and trending pop-culture stories we would have otherwise missed living in another country. But perhaps best of all – it helps reconnect people after many, many years.
This is how you “like” a post on Italian Facebook
This was recently the case when my wife re-connected with a high school friend of ours, now living in Tuscana (Tuscany). Beth traveled to Rome in 1999 to study abroad. There, she found her love and has been living in Italy ever since (to clarify, I mean a man – not just a love of the country). While they enjoyed living in Rome together, they eventually moved back to his hometown in Tuscany, a short distance from Pisa. It was here that Beth and Andrea started a family together with the birth of their son, Indi. We were thrilled we got to spend some time with them in their amazing home and had the opportunity to reconnect with Beth while getting to know Indi and Andrea (whom we both loved).
Beth and Indi
Beth’s “front yard”
Still in the front
More views from the front – ridiculous, I know!!
Jen and Beth had been exchanging Facebook messages about getting together (we’re roughly 3 hours apart) almost since we moved to Italy this past January. And then, the timing seemed to click perfectly. The 25th of April is Liberation Day in Italy. Festa della Liberazione is a holiday that marks the end of Mussolini’s Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation in Italy in 1945. Today, this holiday is celebrated with the closure of nearly all business, which affords the people a good reason to get together and do what Italians do best – eat wonderful food, drink amazing wine and trade passionate stories.
Congregating after lunch
As we soon discovered, Beth lives in an incredible 500 year old farmhouse and her neighbors were having a party for the holiday. There was to be a big lunch outdoors, with music, kids and plenty of wine. She invited us for lunch and extended the invitation through the long weekend. I don’t know anyone that would turn down such an amazing invitation – and we were no exception.
The farmhouse Beth and Andrea share (the building in back)
Their home
Another angle
Building used to store hay – now used for parties
The plan was to arrive just ahead of lunch – the real start of the party. It was to be a typical Italian lunch, with all the courses and dishes we love – but, quite literally Under The Tuscan Sun and with some regional favorites we were eager to try. I would not allow our typical tardiness out the front door get in the way of this epic meal. So, I fibbed and told Jen we needed to be on the road earlier than we really did. Then, I budgeted an extra 30 minutes for typical trip delays (over an hour buffer in total). If you know me, you’ll know this was the type of meal I would not want to miss!
Everything was going according to plan until we neared Milan some 40 minutes down the road. Traffic got a bit thicker. By the time we got on the Autostrada toward Tuscany, we were stuck in stand-still traffic, moving 0 km/hour. That converts to 0 mp/hour. I watched the GPS arrival time creep later and later. 11:30am turned into 12:00pm and before you knew it, 1:00pm. I tried a short cut that just added to the time. By noon (and an estimated arrival of 3:00pm) we sullenly threw in the towel. We pulled over and ate panini at the AutoGrill. I swear as the day is long – I’m getting depressed all over again just typing this. The sandwiches were good – but nothing like what we were missing. Thankfully, we kept our spirits high and pulled into Beth’s house by 3:30 (a seven hour trip).
The remnants of the meal we missed
Since everyone had eaten, we jumped right into the party. Beth has some spectacular friends and we had a wonderful time. It came as no surprise that everyone was so warm and inviting. They talked to us as if we had been friends for 15 years and took to Julia as if they had watched her grow up. We drank wine, fresh mojitos and swayed to the beats of the DJ spinning outside. We spread our toes in the Tuscan grass and ate some fresh food off the grill.
Relaxing together
Julia loved playing with Indi
DJ spinning great music
My kind of speaker set-up
Part of the party
Say “formaggio!”
This nice kid fired up the grill for us
At one point, a big blue tractor showed up and it almost sounded like some of the male partygoers were arguing with the man driving the tractor. I recognized a few words and hand gestures usually only reserved for a type of heated debate. After a few minutes, the arguing died down and the guys walked with the tractor driver to the bar area to get a drink together, laughing like they were best friends. It didn’t seem to make any sense until Beth explained.
What’s this guy doing here?
The land we were on (including the farmhouse, all the structures and ten more homes nearby) belonged to the Marchese (Marquis). The Marchese is a man of noble decent who carries his title and rules his lands as if he were still in power. In reality, he has no more power than you or me. That is – if you or me had a noble bloodline, hundreds of acres in Tuscany, a mansion, dozens of employees and a several properties on our land. In 1948, the newly adopted constitution of Italy refused to recognize all noble titles (the Republic of Italy replaced the Kingdom of Italy in 1946). So, the Marchese (whom I was fascinated to learn loves the aristocratic pastime of hunting with dogs) “rules” his lands and everyone is just sort of happy to let him go on thinking it. He had “ordered” this man to drive up the hill in his tractor to tell us to lower the music. At home in the States, I can imagine a property manager (at the behest of the landlord) banging on someone’s front door to tell them to lower the music would be greeted with a bit of disdain. He would certainly not be invited in for a drink and food. But this is Italy. After a couple glasses of wine together, we lowered the music and the man drove back down the hill having successfully completed his task. But not before letting Julia drive his tractor – quite literally, he let her steer unaided for about 10 meters (until she almost put him into a field).
Only a small portion of the Marchese’s house can be seen here – it was huge
He let Julia drive
She was ready to GO!
After some time, we decided to go in and feed the kids and make a proper meal. Beth’s time in Italy was definitely evident, as she “whipped up” on the best pasta dishes we’ve had since arriving here. We paired with another wine and settled in for a relaxing weekend in Tuscany.
Dinner is about to be served – LOVED the charm in her home
Wonderful Tuscan dinner
Baby Indi munching on his mom’s wonderful cooking
More to come about this amazing weekend in Tuscany in a subsequent post…
Two posts about the Dolomites and now four posts about Austria… will the posts about this road trip ever end?! I promise, I’ll wrap it up here… I think I’m spending as much time writing as I did enjoying the trip!
An unfortunate haze covers a beautiful city
You may have gathered (HERE) that we instantly fell in love with Salzburg and extended our trip by an extra day/night to see more. We started day one with a visit to a castle, Hohenwerfen Fortress and so I thought starting our second day with a visit to it’s sister castle, Festung Hohensalzburg would be appropriate.
Castle tower
Inside the main gates
From the main courtyard
Festung Hohensalzburg (literally, High Salzburg Fortress) sits atop the Festungberg Mountain, commanding a view of all Salzburg – a useful feature during the middle ages. Today, the opposite is even better – a view of the beautiful castle is ever-present as you walk through the city below. I described a history of it’s sister castle (HERE) – the purpose for this castle was the same. The original fortification began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein as one of three fortifications during the Investiture Controversy. Today, it remains as one of the largest medieval castles in all of Europe.
The day was hazy, which was unfortunate given our high position over the city. I was hoping to capture some amazing panoramas of the city – but the haze wanted to get in my way. Still, the castle tour was amazing. We started with a ride up the funicular and then wound our way through the various museums built into the original fortress.
A ride up the funicular
Beautiful views blocked by fog
Wouldn’t want to pick a fight with this crew
I like my lady wearing a bit more “contemporary” undergarments
Don’t be a jackass in the 15th century – or else you’d be sporting this
Guys – just go ahead and shiver. Yeah, this punishment is for THAT
The chapel
Julia found her knight in shining armor
Leaving the main castle
“My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard…no, really. Where’s my milkshake?”
Castle tower
View from below
Next up, a classic Sound of Music attraction – Schloss Leopoldskron. The movie was filmed in Salzburg in 1965 and Schloss Leopoldskron, an amazing estate just outside the city – served as the backdrop for some of the most infamous scenes. Surprisingly, the city’s fascination with the movie consumed me and I did an ample amount of research about the film. It turns out, many tour operators pass off the estate as the Von Trapp Family home featured in the movie. Couple points of order (during which, we’ll take a brief detour). The movie, The Sound of Music staring Julie Andrews (America’s earlier version of Julia Roberts) was based on the 1959 musical, The Von Trapp Family Singers. The musical was based on the real life Von Trapp family, a family that lived in Austria in the early 1900’s. OK – this brings us back to Schloss Leopoldskron, which is often falsely presented as the Von Trapp home. The real family did not live there (they lived in a more modest estate in another neighborhood). This was not their home in the movie (there’s only one brief front exterior scene of the Von Trapp home, and that was yet another estate). They did not film inside (the interior shots were done in Hollywood). So, why on earth would anyone come here? Well, it’s easy for tours to pass off as the home because it’s a wonderful sight to behold and who really remembers anyway?! The tie to the movie you ask… remember when the kids paddle home in the canoe to meet The Captain’s girlfriend (and fall in the lake, getting soaked in the process)? Well, that scene was filmed here (and the subsequent scene with the pink lemonade). In any event, it made for a nice walk along the side of the castle and down into another town. Plus, we still had a lot of sausage and pretzels to work off!
We followed a beautiful road that wrapped us around the castle
Julia kept wanting to “pet” the ducks – Villa in the back
Schloss Leopoldskron – castle in the background
A stroll with one of my favorite ladies
As we walked back, we navigated through town and then walked along the river. Our new mission – successfully make it to Augustinerkloster und Brau – a beer house and oh, so much more! But we passed an outdoor food market… the best kind of market. I had to stop and get a German sandwich.
Rooftop view along the route back to the city
Soft pretzels – I happen to be a sucker
I love me some vendor food – this place made a mean sandwich
Eventually, we made it to Augustinerbier. The monastery, now turned beer hall is furnished with a large dining area (picture your mall’s food court, but exclusively German food… and no samples on toothpicks), several great halls for drinking, a beer garden and more. The brewery was founded in 1621 by Augustinian monks called from Bavaria. To this day, they follow the Purity Law of Brewing, set in 1516. Your journey begins by picking a mug (the size of your choosing) and then washing it in a communal sink. Next, you present your mug to be filled and go find your seat. Many of the tables are reserved, so move fast! We were among the first through the doors at 3:00pm on a Wednesday and the place was packed within 20 minutes. Many of the tables are reserved for individuals and companies – just like box seats at a stadium.
The most amazing beer house I’ve ever been to outside of Munich
I think this says, “Come in and enjoy some beer”
Food court before the crowds arrived
Choose your mug
Give it a good rinse (that’s not me, by the way)
Guess who’s is who’s. You’re correct… mine is on the left. Jen has a wooden leg
“Not, ‘cin-cin’ Mom… here you say, ‘prost’!”
Julia on the loose!
Look at the placards on the wall – choice seats go for big bucks
One of the smaller drinking halls
We were bummed it was too cold for the garden – maybe next time
After a couple brews (and apple juices for Julia) we had another Sound of Music destination – Mirabellgarten. These immaculate gardens are beautifully maintained and offer the perfect line of sight to the castle on the hill. They are also great for singing “do-ray-me-fa-so-la-te-do” and running beneath a tunnel of foliage. I even helped a group of college girls photograph a replica of the moment when the Von Trapp family jumps on the entry steps. They could only jump about 4″ off the ground. It was not easy to photograph.
Beautifully maintained garden
Perfect juxtaposition with the castle – sad about the haze
Julia wanted to ride the “horse”
Early for flowers – but in a nice bloom
Julia ran around like a kid in a candy store
I had all of three seconds to capture this shot
The Von Trapps ran under this archway in the movie
A nice fountain
Many beautiful statues
As the sun fell behind my new favorite castle, we headed back toward the hotel to eat dinner. We finally found Das Stadtwirtshaus, a restaurant near our hotel that we were unsuccessful in finding the day before. The 24 hour wait was worth it – everything about the restaurant was exactly what we wanted. Truly authentic and delicious. Unfortunately, a full week in some of the most amazing places we’d ever seen and my camera’s memory card was full, so you’ll have to imagine this meal along with us.
The next day we woke up early and enjoyed a nice breakfast in our hotel. Afterward, we piled into the car and began the six hour ride home. Our three-day trip that turned into a two-country-week-long-tour was finally over. And so are the stories about this particular family adventure. Thanks for reading!
