Dizzy!

Maximilian earned his keep today.

So after a fit-full sleep (since my room was without air conditioning and it was hot . . . ) we had breakfast and packed up.  Before we left Switzerland, Stan said we had to make one very important stop. We HAD to buy some Swiss chocolate! Yay! We walked to a little shop and there was a sign in the window that said, "One piece of dark chocolate a day, keeps the doctor away". Well, there you go!

We headed south. I had no idea we were going to take the mountain pass OVER The Alps to the main highway that would take us into Italy.  We drove for about 30 miles on a steep, narrow, two-lane road, winding and curving around and around all the way up ~ and all the way down. The scenery was beautiful and as we climbed higher and higher I saw waterfalls and snow and the air got cooler. Max and Stan concentrated on the road but I got to enjoy the view. When we reached the top, we pulled off at a little mountain peek restaurant and took pictures of the snow! How very cool is that?

Throwing a snowball at Stan!

Can't believe where I'm standing!

When we got to the bottom on the other side we were stuck in stand-still traffic for awhile. That was no fun!

We finally crossed the border into Italy and everything changed. The terrain is very similar as far as mountains, trees, lakes, etc. but the "feeling" is so different. For one thing, there is a lot of graffiti. And the graffiti is not typical to what we see at home . . . this graffiti is in color, with pictures.  It's almost like a form of art here. I don't particularly care for it but the people here don't seem to be bothered by it; or perhaps there is nothing they can do about it. I began to see a lot of litter too. In contrast to Germany, Austria and to a lesser degree Switzerland which are impossibly clean and manicured for the most part, Italy feels less "kept" and less polished . . . it has an "old world" feeling - which has a charm of it's own. I also began to understand the signs (as Italian and Spanish are very similar) and it felt more familiar.

Our final destination was a wonderful little lake front town called Lezzeno which is a neighboring town to Bellagio (where we visited three years ago).  To get here we had to drive to Como and then take ANOTHER very narrow, two-lane road, winding and curving around the lake and the connecting towns. There are a lot of motorcycles here and they zoom by as if careening off the ledge or into a wall would be no big deal! By this time I think Stan had had it.  

Oh! But it was sooooo worth it. We are staying at an amazing hotel-villa and we got two rooms across the hall from each other in the villa on a private floor. We each have a private balcony overlooking Lake Como and our own sun deck. My room is decorated in an Italian-shabby-chic style with flowing white curtains and a pink armoire! It is just too darn cute.  

Lezzeno, Italy

Hanging out on MY sun deck.

We got settled and then headed over to the restaurant next door for dinner. I was in heaven! Again, the contrast in food between the German-based countries we have been in the last two weeks and Italian food is night and day. I was very happy at dinner. The pasta, the garlic, the sauce, the basil . . . it is a delight to my taste buds. It will not be a delight to my waistline if I am not careful!

Another interesting observation: In the other countries people in restaurants were very quiet and peaceful. Meal time was very low-key and relaxing.  Tonight at dinner, we noticed the noise level had increased dramatically. Italians talk loud, gesture with their hands, laugh, toast, and are basically noisy - in a good way. They are passionate, expressive people and I LOVE that.

Interlaken, Switzerland

We had such a great day today!

We had breakfast at the hotel, checked out, loaded up and headed out.  We did not explore the city of Lucerne at all.  It was really just a resting place in our travels and we were anxious to get to the next destination.

On the road we headed south-west to Interlaken.  If you look at a map of Switzerland, Interlaken is almost smack dab in the middle of the country. The drive from Lucerne to Interlaken was really beautiful. We never seem to tire of The Alps, the lakes, the towns and this time there were even waterfalls. So cool.

Lungern, Switzerland
On the way to Interlaken

We arrived in Interlaken around noon, found our hotel and dropped off our bags. We are staying at the Hotel Royal-St. Georges, which is the former Monastery Building. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. I'm sure there is a rich history here and the decor is so ornate and beautiful, but I have not had an opportunity to research the property. That will be homework for later.

With cameras in hand, we headed to the train station. Stan had a plan.

Church we passed on the way to the train.

We hopped a train to a village called Grindelwald which is located in the Bernese Alps. The train took us higher and higher until it felt like we were high above the trees.  When we arrived, Stan told me the plan was to take an aerial gondola to the summit of First which is one of the mountains in the area. It is referred to as a "minor" summit but I don't know why . . . it seemed pretty high to me, thank you very much! Grindelwald has always been known as a winter tourist destination because of the skiing, but recently it is also very popular for hikers. We saw a great trail up the summit all the way to the top. If you're a hiker, this is the place for you.

On the train to Grindelwald

Another tidbit of information I thought was interesting: The James Bond film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" includes a chase through a skating rink and Christmas festival in Grindelwald, and Grindelwald's mountains were used as the basis for the view of Alderaan in "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith."

Anyway, back to the scary part.

So we walk through town and arrive at the ticket office for the gondola ride. We decided to "go for it" and bought a ticket all the way to the top. I wasn't scared. Not one bit.

Aerial Gondola. Yep.

Up we go.

Even higher.

Oh . . . it was so BEAUTIFUL. The town below, the trees, the streams, the mountains, the snow, the fresh air . . . how can I describe it?

Waterfalls.

As we rose higher and higher it got so quiet. You could almost hear a pin drop. Then all of a sudden we heard the sound of bells.  We looked down and saw a small herd of cattle grazing on the mountain side and they were all wearing big cow bells. Listen:

We arrived at the top and here is some of what we saw.

See the town below?

I love that God created such beauty for us to discover!

Stan at First Summit.

H.A. at First Summit.

After our mountain top experience, we boarded the train and headed back to Interlaken. While we were waiting for the train, I saw this cute little boy with a BIG backpack. I just had to take a picture of him.

Such a big backpack for such a little guy.

Here comes our train.

It was a great day! What will tomorrow bring?

Goodbye Austria, Hello Switzerland

This morning (Thursday) before leaving the hotel I decided to go downstairs and have breakfast in the little bistro / bakery adjacent to our hotel.  The place is owned and operated by a lovely couple and the wife is the baker / chef. What struck me is how calm and peaceful the dining experience was. You see, in Europe dining is treated as a leisurely, relaxing, enjoyable experience. The servers do not rush their patrons, they do not interrupt, they do not bring the check until it is requested, and the food is served on real dishes with stainless forks and knives. Morning tea is served in a cup (not a mug) and saucer.  (Those who know me well know much I appreciate this!)  

This is not unique to this establishment. We have experienced this throughout our travels so far.  I will admit it takes a little getting used to.  We are so used to rushing through our meals and receiving the check before the last bite is finished. I actually have to "work" at relaxing and slowing down.  I have vowed to myself that when I get home, I will try to incorporate the practice of relaxing and enjoying mealtimes a little more often. Another benefit: I have found that eating slowly causes me to eat less ~ BONUS!

Moving on . . .

Waving "goodbye" to my beloved Austria, we headed west.  I discovered that we were in route to Switzerland. Yay! 

If you look at a map of Austria, you will see the tiny principality of Liechtenstein sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland.  I don't think a stop in Liechtenstein was originally on the itinerary but we decided since we were so close we should pop in and say hello.

Principality of Liechtenstein

Do you know anything about Liechtenstein? I didn't until today.

Liechtenstein, established in 1719, is known as a principality as it is a constitutional monarchy headed by a prince. Valduz is the capital and it is located along the Rhine river.  It is simply adorable. The whole principality is only 62 square miles and has a population of 35,000. It is the smallest yet richest German-speaking country in the world and the only country to lie entirely within The Alps. 

The reigning prince is Hans-Adam, II.  His castle is perched on a hill overlooking the city.  We drove around until Stan figured out how to get up there so we could do a drive-by since the castle is not open to the public.  I managed to snap a few photos of the back-side of the castle and the city view below.  I also took a few shots from the city looking up toward the castle. 

Back-side of the castle.

View of Valduz from the castle.

View Valduz from the castle.

Castle perched on a hill.

Closer view of the castle from the city street.

According to the Internet, "Prince Hans-Adam, II owns LGT banking group and has a family fortune of $7.6 billion and a personal fortune of approximately $4.0 billion, making him one of the world's richest heads of state and Europe's wealthiest monarch. He owns an extensive art collection which is displayed for the public at the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna."  Who knew? We could have stopped by to take a look while we were there!

It was a short detour but now we can say we have been to Liechtenstein!

Lucerne, Switzerland

We drove through The Swiss Alps into north-central Switzerland to Lucerne.  When we were checking in to the hotel, I met a family from Montana. It's a small world! 

After getting settled in our rooms we were ready for dinner and a relaxing evening. Tomorrow we will explore more of Switzerland. Can't wait!

Innsbruck, Austria

Hello from Innsbruck!  

Stan started off his day with a trip to the eye doctor.  His eye has been bothering him for a few days so today he finally decided to have it checked out.  The doctor said he has an eye infection, gave him some drops, and told him he could not wear his contacts today.  

We were originally going to take a day trip into Italy, but since Stan cannot see to drive, we just hung out in Innsbruck.  It was a relaxing day.

We ventured out for lunch, walked around the city center area, did a little shopping and hung out at the hotel in the afternoon.

In the evening, we had a great dinner in town and on the way home I came across this building and just had to take a few pictures.  I love the detail. The lighting is a little dark because the sun was setting.

Notice the roof line.

I bet the view from the inside is great.
The corner windows face three directions.

Love the detail.

This is one of the few buildings I have
seen where the detail is painted.

Tomorrow we leave for Switzerland. Hopefully Stan's eye will be much better.

Alpine Village - So Beautiful!

We have a lot of catching up to do!

We were without Internet service last night so I will have to combine two days in one post. Here goes . . .

MONDAY, June 25, 2012

We packed up and left Vienna on Monday. It was raining and poor Max got all dirty. At least we know the wipers work.  We headed west, back toward Salzburg, and enjoyed the scenic farmland once again.  Just past Salzburg, at the Austria / Germany border, there is a wonderful little place called Berchtesgaden tucked away in the German Bavarian Alps. It is absolutely beautiful. The air was cool and crisp. No smog. No pollution. No litter. There is a river (I assume from melted snow) that runs through the town. Listen to the birds in the background of this video. 





We walked into the town square from our hotel for dinner and noticed several locals walking around with walking sticks (they look like ski poles) which aid in the ascent of the steep hills. There was a lot of activity in the square. I don't know if it was a festival or what the occasion was, but a group of local musicians were giving a concert outside our restaurant.

Walking to the town square.

Church near town square.

Church steeple.

Lovely flowers.

On the way into town, I noticed a gate next to the church and I went to see what was there. It was the church cemetery. I know cemeteries are usually sad and scary, but this one was so sweet. I imagine the people who are buried here were long time residents of this town and attended this church their whole lives. I loved how peaceful it seemed and obviously the family members attend to the graves of their loved ones as evidenced by all the beautiful flowers and plants. I told Stan I would like to be buried in a place like this.

Church cemetery.

Church cemetery.

This person lived 117 years.
Born 1705 - Died 1822.

Berchtesgaden National Park is to the south of the town and Mount Watzmann, the third-highest mountain in Germany, is Berchtesgaden's focal point.  It is very popular in the rock climbing community.  We got several pictures of it.

Mount Watzmann.

Flat Stanley in front of Mount Watzmann.

We only spent one night there so we didn't have much time to learn the history of Berchtesgaden. However, I did learn that during World War II it served as an outpost for The Third Reich and I believe Hitler's mountain retreat was located here. It is a sad and very unfortunate stain on the fabric of Germany's history.

TUESDAY,  June 26, 2012

Today we continued to travel south/west to Innsbruck, Austria.  Instead of taking the autobahn, Stan decided to take the back roads which took us through The Alps. The drive was spectacular.  We saw little towns along the way and the scenery was  . . . yes, I'll say it again . . . beautiful! We tried to capture some of it on video and photos but we can hardly do it justice.

Maximilian enjoying the view.

Shooting the view.

The view.

The other view.

We finally arrived at a very special place - The Swarovski Factory! Oh. My. Goodness. Stan knows how very much I love Swarovski so he arranged for us to spend the afternoon there. They have a beautiful store and a restaurant where we had lunch.  And yes, I did walk out with a little blue bag in my hand. Woo! Hoo!

After my shopping spree, we arrived at our final destination for the evening, Innsbruck. First stop: laundromat.  Next stop: hotel.

Final Day in Vienna

Today is Sunday. I am so glad that God's continual presence is a promise. No matter where in the world I am!

Today was a mellow day. I was tired from all the excitement of the week but I still managed to drag Stan out very early this morning to take pictures in the softer morning light without all the crowds.  But when we got to the church, I realized I had forgotten to charge my camera battery! Bummer!  (Poor Stan.)  I did manage to get a few shots and then we returned to the hotel and had breakfast.

Later we ventured out again to see different areas we hadn't seen yet and take a few more pictures. This time I realized I had forgotten to put my memory card back in my camera so I couldn't shoot anything! Thank goodness Stan had his camera and he got some awesome panoramic shots which you will see below.  After lunch, I returned to the hotel to veg for awhile.

BTW - Stan has put together a checklist for me which he says he's going to go over with me every time we leave the hotel from now on. LOL. I know my mother is rolling her eyes right now!

This picture was taken outside of Starbucks. As I passed by, I noticed these two little children sitting in their stroller leaning forward with their heads together, focusing intently on something.  I realized this young father was holding a phone that was playing a movie for his kids while he was surfing on his own phone with the other hand.  I got such a kick out of this I just had to get a picture! We have to have our media, don't we? Even when we're three!

Multi-tasking at it's finest.

Loved this baby John Deere!

Vienna fashion.

The Sacher Hotel, Vienna
(Sister property to our hotel in Salzburg.)

The Rathaus is the City Hall in Vienna.  It was built between 1872 and 1883 in the Gothic style.

Rathaus

When the Parliament building was commissioned, it was decided that the building's style should be classical Greek architecture since it is connected to the Ancient Greeks and the ideal of democracy. Construction on the Parliament building began in 1874 and was completed in 1883.

 The Parliament Building

The Parliament Building - Side

The Heldenplatz is the outer plaza of the Hofburg Palace and was built under the reign of Emperor Francis Joseph. The Library is the furtherest building on the right. On the plaza, there are two equestrian statues of Prince Eugene of Savor and Archduke Charles of Austria, who are remembered as great military leaders. It also houses Austria's unknown soldier.

Helden Plaza and Library to the right

Stadtpark

Stadtpark