Bags

Because of a previous sore back, I broke with tradition and gave up my back pack for a rolling suitcase. Actually it a Eagle Creek HC2 Duffel 25, which means its 25 inches long and therefore must be checked - normally we carry on.
Pros... lots of room, easy to pull around, no anxiety dealing with overhead storage space on the plane. Cons... lots of room so I tended to overpack, clickity-clack - now I'm one of those jackoffs pulling their suitcase down the cobblestone alley in Europe.
The bag did come back unscathed. I think I'm converted. Hope I won't be excommunicated from the Rick Steves religious community.

Home

Stayed in a killer hotel in Malpensa called the Villa Malpensa. The only problem was that we had to leave at 05:00 to catch the 06:20 to Amsterdam. Then Amsterdam to Portland. It went ok.
Nice to be home.

Bolzano & beyond

We have been in Bolzano (Bozen in German) for three nights. We head to Milan tomorrow morning. Took a bus up into the mountains today... had lunch in Castlerotto. This is Italy, but feels like Germany. So, if you like Rosti and schneitzel, then this is your place. Mostly German spoken... everything is in two languages. Food is pretty good. Got a couple of jugs for our Sat evening hoedown in the hotel room... Gerwertiz and Proseco, with bread, cheese and salami. its cheap and after awhile, one gets rather tired of eating out.
Its Kold here 10C... which is about 50. Not bad for walking, if the sun is out. Rather cold if you are in the shade, sitting still.
No. 1 son, Jeff, flew out of PDX to Guam yesterday. PDX to LAX (2.5 hours), LAX to Tokyo (12 hours), 5 hour layover in Tokyo, 3.5 hours to Guam. He gets in at 02:00 Sunday morning. Jeez, I thot my trip home from here would be a bitch... not even close!
Thats it for awhile.
P

Verona

Here are some pics of Venice. We stayed in a monestary. Last two pics show the hallway outside our room and then our room. The other 3 pics are of St Marks Square.
Today, we are having a relaxing day in Verona. We finally made up our minds and we are pushing on to Bolzano. It will be cold, But, we are looking forward to the smaller town scene and the mountains. Today I was up at dawn, had breakfast, then set out to do my laundry. After some searching, found the laundromat. Clean and easy instructions... a novelty in Europe. While the clothes were washing, went out for a walk, had a mawk-ee-auto (espresso with a dash of foam), watched people go to work and students go to school.
Went back to the hotel, hooked up with the gang, caught a cab to the station and dropped off Caren for her trip back. Walked back to town, had a bite at a cafeteria (Brek) and wandered back to the hotel. Everybody is taking it easy today. Maybe some modern art later. Ciao

Ahhh, Verona

Took the 10:50 from Venice to Verona. Ahh, Verona... it's like putting on your favorite sweater or pair of jeans. It's real... it's fun... I think its my favorite city in Italy. We're staying two nights in our old favorite hotel, the Aurora. Had a terrific lunch, with two bottles of Soave... Gini and Peropan. Can life get any better? Restaurante Greppa. Recommended by our hotel staff and also Rick Steves. Had a huge deja vu... I have been in the restaurant before. With Nicole, where she had "the best ravioli of her life ". Had the same... the pumpkin ravioli. Whoa. We have not have a bad meal yet.
Here for two nights, then on to Bolzano. Back to the mountains. have to check the weather. Will try to post some pics later.
ciao for now.
p

Italian internet

Ya know how in the US of A, every stinking coffee shop and ding dong shop has free wi-fi? Well, you can fa getta bout it in Italy. Internet here is charge all the time, every time. 5E per hour. Switzerland - free as a jay bird. In Italy, its a revenue stream.
Venice... its losing 1,000 people per year. Permanent population is down to 26k. It's becoming Disneyland, despite what the IT gov is trying to do with rent controls, etc. It's a shell of it former self. Fun to visit, fun to stay overnight... love the fact there are no cars... but I can't envision ever, ever living here. It's whack. 2 nights and one full day are plenty, in my book. Would have love to spent another night in Vicenza. Next time...
We are staying next to the Acedemia museum. Nice and quiet here. In a monestary. Went to the museum. Was OK. Really, really enjoyed the Guggenheim, with its modern art. Bummed around with Caren, had lunch. Back for a siesta. More later. Phillippe.

Missing posts

For some assinine reason, my last couple of posts did not take. C'est la vie. We spent the night in Vicenza... hotels are tough to get. We're headed to Venice on the 09.56, with reserved seats this time. Vicenza is quite nice... reminds me a lot of Verona. Must be a big University town... seems like lots of young people, especially the late night party types. But we did manage to get a good nights sleep, sans drugs.
Anyway, we're spending two nights in a monestary in Venice, then perhaps Verona for two nights, then up to the Dolomites. After Switzerland, the mountains seem to be drawing us. Love the small towns, good food, the air and peace. We'll see how the weather holds.
Ciao 4 now. p

Venice

In Vicenza... headed to Venice.

Living the dream

My bro, living the dream...

Caren's hat serves as a water carrier from nearby streams!

Temp is 65... a little hot while walking, but otherswise great.

ciao.

Is this heaven?

So, I think I figured this out... Switzerland is adult Disneyland. When you look around, Walt got all of his ideas from here... plus a few castles from Austria. It costs just as much as Disneyland. But the beauty... whoa... like when you die, I think your first rest stop will be a little restaurant, facing the north face of the Eiger. I was there today. I'll admit it was pretty breathtaking, and I only had one beer. Here are some pics...

Your first meal will be "rosti", which is a fried egg with bacon over a plate of hash browns. Don't believe me... well take a look... see pic above... sorry i am such a shitty blogger.

After we are done with lunch, were back on the road to nowhere.

ciao

p

High

High in the Swiss Alps... actually, about 2,500 feet that is. Took the train from Stresa to Brig - changed to Spiez - changed to Interlacken - went to the 18th floor of the Metropole for lunch. $164 later, we descended, walked back the the station and caught the train to Lauterbrunnen. Our hotel (Staubbach) is wedged between two veritcal walls. Imagine sitting in the parking lot of Multnomah Falls and looking up at the falls. Staubbach Falls are across the street from our hotel and they have to be at LEAST twice as high as Multnomah. It's expensive here. Let me restate that... ya better bring three paychecks and coupla Visa cards. The Swiss franc is roughly the same as the US dollar. 1/2 liter of bottled water... 3.80 SF. So, you see, 164 SF for lunch fits perfectly. We're only here for two nights... can't afford any more. Hiking and train rides tomorrow. I'll try to post some pics. Ciao 4 now. P

Tired

I'm whipped! After walking downhill from the mountain top yesterday, today we toured three islands. Boats are fun... beautiful gardens... then back to the hotel... then to town with Caren to call her freaking bank to get her debit card to work... then to the train station to buy 4 tickets to Interlacken, Switzerland. Back to the hotel for a drink, blog and then out to dinner. Tomorrow, train to Interlacken. Weather is holding... hi overcast, but warm... say 70 to 75. I must be in heaven... no, its iowa. Ciao 4 now. P

What goes up...

The boat races interrupted our island visit plans. So, we took the tram up to 4,500' for a wonderful view of the lake. Stopped half way down, checked out a garden and WALKED the rest of the way back to Stresa. Gawd, what was I thinking... my legs turned to rubber!. But we did make it back at the end of the boat races... had a couple of beer, split a pizza and now we're at the hotel, deciding what to do tomorrow. Checking the weather... maybe Switzerland. Ciao 4 now. Phillippe

OK... after a bite and a double, we get on the Amersterdam flight. The 1st 3 hours take FOREVER. Finally, Sis whips out the drugs. Whatchya takin, i ask. A relaxant. I'll take one, sez me. I don't remember much about the next 3 hours cuz I zonked out. Woke up, played some tunes on the ipod and we were there. 8.5 hours to ams... 90 mph tailwinds help. Clear customs, have bfast, fly to Milano. High overcast, but warm. Take an expensive cab ride to Stresa, on Lake Magiorre. Nice hotel... only one bummer. We thot we were going to a quiet sleepy Italian lake town. wrongo... Italian Grand Prix (boats) is going on... afternoon racing, throngs of people, but fun never the less. Went for a long stroll, then back to the hotel for a siesta. Newly energized, we're off to dinner. There a islands in the lake, each with beautiful gardens, etc. That will be our Sunday. Leave Monday for Switzerland. Ciao 4 now. Phillippe

Crack 'o dawn

Just dropped sister Caren off at the Max. Who is up at this ungawdly hour, you ask? Garbage haulers, a taxi and a tow truck. Lots of men sleeping on the sidewalk. Traffic? - non existent. Red lights? - stop, then proceed through them. You can really get to where you're going in a hurry... only problem is - there's no place to go!
Next stop Amsterdam.
P

Dust off the suitcase

It's time to dust off the suitcase.
On Friday October 2, we set a course to Switzerland and northern Italy. Having just wrapped up helping #1 son Jeff finish a 7 month dive school in Seattle (he's headed to Guam), I decided that this was NOT the year to be traveling (have you see the Euro lately?...argh!).
But soon I realized that the real enemy here was not money (or the lack thereof), it was time. Because comrades, you're only allotted so much time on this planet. Best use it wisely.
And... by the way, I wanted to see scenes like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb6yBsVW0ug&feature=PlayList&p=5DAD38FB678110C3&index=4

Above is best played at home, with the speakers turned way up (wait for the commercial to end).
Ciao 4 now
Phillippe