Thursday May 13, 2010

Flying out at the time of the day seems to set you up to think it is a normal day it is light when you leave and light when you get home. After a good nights sleep at times being confused as to where I really was it was time to get ready to leave for Iowa. We are leaving on Friday for Marla Mennes wedding with Kathy and Perry down in Iowa. We can't be in one place too long our average stay for the last 12 weeks has been about 4 days and then we move on. We are thinking we will have to call our friends and see if we can stay at their houses just to feel like we are still moving around.

To sum up the trip it was a trip of a lifetime and we spared no expense. We stayed at nice hotels, ate great food, took some excursions and enjoyed wonderful wine. We traveled over 4000 miles and tryed to see as much as we could in the time we had allotted. There was no one favorite spot but there were alot of spots that we found much more attractive than others. Bob and I were joined at the hip and an arms length apart for 6 weeks which by any opinion is a long time. We managed to pull it together and enjoy the moment. The clothes I packed were perfect, the Icebreaker shirts get 5* ,the Nike free black tennis and the suitcase with the back pack were also high on the list of great things. It has been fun sharing my experiences with everyone, for now I am signing off to plan another event not sure where that will take us.

Wednesday, May 12 2010
Greg had arranged for the taxi driver to pick us up at 6:30 am to start our trip home and the man was right on time. He drove about 180 km an hour to the airport and believe me we were not late. Delta had changed our connecting flight by 10 minutes and I was hoping to get on an earlier flight. When I inquired the lady said I should try in Atlanta to change the flight and gave me in formation of a flight we might be able to get on without a charge.
The flight was uneventful left at 9:45 am and arrives at Atlanta at 1:05. You now it is a good flight when the elderly man next to you uses the little wipe cloth they give you to clean his underarms, and I was right next to him , kind of weird. The flight information that was given to us was a 2:40 flight out of Delta. When the plane landed the race against time began, going through customs was no problem then there is security. Since I have 2 knee replacements it takes twice as long and staring at the scars they still ask why I am setting off the buzzer. We arrive at the gate and they have a boarding pass for us to get on the flight. Amazing things due happen the woman in Germany had put us on the flight. A quick phone call to Perry and we were on the plane. Perry was waiting for us and away we went to our house for a 48 rest so we could once again leave for another destination.

May 11, 2010
This will be our last day of the trip and decided that we didn't need to drive any place or see any more things. We drove to the rental car return without getting lost and walked back to explore the picturesque town we are staying in. The town of Oberursel is the cutest and also very old as far as the buildings and streets. They have a walking tour that you can take, Teresa provided us with the book and map. The tour takes you through the winding narrow streets to some incredible houses and also past many of the towns fountains. We stopped at a great place for lunch called the Bauihaus (spelling?) also a brewery and had a typical German ham hock and sauerkraut lunch with of course a great German beer.
Bob has not been able to take his typical daily nap because we have been on the move far to fast so he opted for a nap and I went to the Asian nail place to get a much needed pedicure. People think this traveling is no work but I have had to search for hair dye, massages and a pedicure.
Teresa was not feeling good all day so she had to put up with us coming and going but seemed to be ok with it. In the morning we discovered they had an infestation fo ants under the planter they had just moved one of our jobs was to find something to get rid of them. When I was in the courtyard applying something to kill them the crazy dog next door came out of his house barking and bounded over the 2 foot high fence attempting to attack my ankle. The owner just looked at me and in German I think asked if I was ok. Greg, Bob and I went to the Bauihaus(spelling???) for dinner and Teresa had to go to a meeting with the new head of schools and put a happy face on and take away the sick face. Staying with them the last part of this trip was the best. It was the closest accommodations to home that I have seen in several weeks and their hospitality was the best. There place is in the perfect location right in the heart of the little town and right next to a church, so at 7:00 am every morning we new it was time to get up when the bells starting ringing. Early to bed as we had a flight to catch.

Monday May 10, 2010

When we got up this morning the rain had quit and it looked like the sun may be peaking through the thick clouds. Teresa and Greg were off to work and we decided to find some destination to visit, as our time is winding down. We drove 2 1/2 hours to a town called Trier that is located west of Frankfurt on the Mosel river. The drive was mostly autostrada so we could make some good time getting there. I plugged the amphitheater into the GPS and she took us right to where we would start the exploration of this charming old city. Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany and still has some of the Roman ruins in tact for visiting. We opted to take a guided tour that took us by the ruins of the baths, the Porta Nigrm that was the entrance to the walled city and then high atop the city for an aerial view. Some of the city had been hit by the war in 1944 but over time has been rebuilt to be very charming architecture old mixed with new. The main part of town has only foot traffic and the shopping looked affordable, I might add I still only have the small bag that can't hold much. After a few hours of touring the city we headed back to T & G's where they treated us to a great steak dinner at a local restraunt called Ratskeller & Gartenlokal im Museumhof. A great day and the last day in the car.

Sunday May, 9 2010
Happy Mother's Day !!!
It was so enjoyable to get up this morning and have coffee,a real breakfast and not have to move to another hotel. I feel like I am almost home hanging out here with Teresa & Greg sitting on real furniture and not spending time in a hotel room. After a nice breakfast Teresa and Greg needed to go to work at their schools World Fest event. When we arrived at the school Teresa gave me a tour of the school that is beyond words 1 example was the staff lounge refrig that is stocked with beer and wine and classrooms that are very nice. While T & G were selling tickets Bob and I went for a walk in the woods once again avoiding the rain. This is a great fundraising event for the Frankfurt Internationl School and many of the families who attend this school particapate in this event. There are several booths set up representing various countries selling the food that is native to their country. When Teresa says she has to work at certain events I always felt bad until I was at this event. They sell beer, wine and ethnic food and Teresa has the opportunity to visit with the parents and other administrators in the school while drinking an ocassional wine.
We ended the night at a great restaraunt called Stadischanke located just a few steps from their house. Tomorrow we will go and explore one more German town.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

When we got up the sun was shining something we haven't seen in several days so decided we needed to get going and see the sights. Our first line of business was to check out and when checking out they informed us the that there was a 41 euro cleaning fee. When Bob argued with them they said that is why the room was so cheap when we booked it. I dont think we are done disputing this because it was not presented at the time of booking.

The town of Partenkirchen is very unique in that it still has the charm of the ancient village. This is a picture of the building that line the town streets.

In 1938 Garmisch held the olympics and the village still remains as does the ski jump. Bob has watched the history channel for years and was alway fascinated by the train that goes to the top of the highest mountain in Germany.

As we headed up on the train it was sunny and clear and within an hour we were in a snow storm and wind again. After a light lunch at the top unbale to see anything we took the gondola back down, I can't imagine what it must be like when you can see it was kind of scary even in the fog. The gondola operater said they had 3 feet of snow in the last 2 days they had just closed the ski area last week.

Our last stop on the trip is back tp Teresa and Greg's where we will do side trips until leaving on Wednesday to head back to the states. We arrived at their house as predicted several hours after we left Garmisch. Greg was out of town so the 3 of us caught a bite to eat at the Maconda, a local establishment and headed to bed.

Friday May 7, 2010

Our stay in Pertisau, Austria has been a nice time. Of course the only thing that would make it better would be if the rain, cold and snow would disappear. Pictured is the place we stayed at Klar apt. and the Hotel we were booked into. Margaret the women who was in charge was so accommodating, letting me use her internet and making sure everything was just right including letting us check out later than 10:00.

When leaving this area we saw a white road on the map that looked like it would take us to our next destination Garmisch, Germany. The whie road took us through a beautiful national park and ended in a series of little towns. We arrived at Sport Hotel that we once again had booked online. The place was very nice and we should have had supicions when it was priced so cheap on the internet.

There is a huge mountain range in this part of Germany so we took one of the gondolas hoping to catch a great vista and perhaps walk back down. We chose to buy the round trip ticket just in case the terrain was not good enough for us to trek back down. The higher we went the foggier it became and soon there was snow on the ground, the weather had taken a big turn for the worse and it was cold, windy and snowing. We took the godola back down and were able to snap a few pictures of the valley below. This is the town of Partenkirchen that is located right next door to Garmisch.

This is a trick question, how do you tell American tourist in the spa? They are the only ones with bathing suits and towels wrapped around them covering every inch of their body. The hotel had a lovely spa so we went there and enjoyed the facility looking like American tourist.

Thursday May 6, 2010

When we went to bed last night the stars were out and it looked like there was a chance the weather would change. The clouds, flog and rain are still here but we decided to go hiking in spite of the weather. There is a gondola that takes you up to the top of one of the areas but it is not working yet. Bob asked alot of questions and figured out a way to navigate to a parking spot then hike up as far as we thought we could. The hike was really high and steep and above the tree line, it made some of the terrain we have been on these last few weeks look tame. The trail ascends with switch backs and several cliff overhangs. After walking about 1 1/2 hours we were passed by 2 men, one who was 92 who said we still had 50 minutes to get to the top. To say the least we decided to abort the climb to the top and start down. The weather changed in a minute and it was lighlty raining and getting really cold. A good decision was made by Bob who said we should head back down to the car. As we proceeded down to the car things did not get any better and it started to rain really hard and the wind picked up. Once down we ate at a fabulous restraunt and then headed back to the hotel. Remembering it is still raining and with nothing to do I signed up for a massage, I have had one in almost every country in the last 5 weeks. The massage was truly the best one of the trip. Once again we dined in a place close to our hotel to rest up for the trip to Garmisch our last city before heading back to Teresa & Greg's.

Wednesday May 5, 2010
After a nice breakfast at the hotel we headed off to visit the famous King Ludwig castle just outside of Fussen. We were there bright and early for once and missed all the crowds. For just 15 euro we got the senior discount after hiking up we were able to catch the Englis speaking tour of the castle. Even in the fog it was just great I really did feel like I was in disney land as that is a replica of this great castle. Jim neigbor sent a web site to show what the castle should look like and we saw many of pictures but even in the fog the place is fascinating. After a walk down the road we were on the road again in search of the other place Teresa had recommended.

The town is off the beat and track and the name of it is Pertisau, Austria were we booked a hotel 1 day earlier for 60 euro a night. We pulled into this area and it once again breathtaking, mountains and lakes who could ask for more. There are several ski areas, and hiking paths all within a short distance of the town. Upon arriving at the Hotel Rossenger we were greeted by a young woman who escorted us to an apartment where we would spend the next 2 nights. The place is unreal, big with a couple of decks, living room, kitchen and bathroom it is 3 stories and has just been redone there are about 50 apartments here and we are the only people booked into an apartment. The only bad thing is I can't get the internet to work so I have to go to the office and plug into there system. Hopefully I will find some other place so I can upload some pictures. Tomorrow we will be heading out to do some hiking and explore the beauty of this area. Dinner at a local restraunt was very good living in this big building is just alittle unsettleing. . It is once again raining.

Tuesday May 4, 2010
Teresa was so kind to set us up with a car to be picked up in her town. After loooking at some maps she suggested to Bob that we head south to Fussen then on to a town in Austria called Pertisau. After driving through fog and pouring rain we reached a town outside of Fussen called Weissensee, Germany to spend the night. The above pictures are of the lake and houses surrounding the hotel we stayed at. We stayed at a charming place called Stein Muhle for just 72 eruro great location and it would have been so nice to see the mountains but they were fogged in. We had a great German dinner and headed to bed so we could be rested to tour the castle on Wednesday. The castle we are going to tour is the Neuschwanstein and hohenschwangau one of which crazy king ludwig owned.

Monday May 3, 2010

We say goodbye to the beautiful country of Italy, pictured is Lake Como and the great little town of Lenno as the rain was ending and we were heading off to our next destination which is Germany then Austria. Believe it or not the last 2 destinations we haven't been lost and we succesfully made it to Milan's train station to get rid of the car and take a train to Germany where we will spend the last part of our trip. I had booked the tickets for the train in March so we were ready to get going by a new means of transportation. The trip was great from Milan, Italy then on to Basel , Switzerland then to our final destination Oberusel, Germany where we will visit with our friends Teresa and Greg then on to Austria. It is Moscow cold in Oberursel but did not hamper our fun communicating with friends other than Bob. After a few cocktails and a quick tour around the town we settled in to great beds that felt the closest to home I have expericenced in the last 4 1/2 weeks.

Sunday May 2, 2010

When we woke up this morning the weather was just as forecasted raining, foggy, and cool. Our hike today would take us to Villa Del Balbianello. This is a lovely villa that the wedding was held had a few days earlier. The villa was built in the 1700's and most recently donated to the Italian tourist organization. The gardens were very nice and we did not tour the villa as I had a spa appointment that would interfere with the time schedule. To the left is a picture of just one of the manicured trees that we saw at the villa.

The spa is located just 300 meters from the hotel the name is La Dolce Acqua the owner of the hotel is the brother to the spa owner. The spa turned out to be a nice place to spend a rainy sunday on Lake Como. Bob enjoyed the Spa area and I enjoyed my massage that was very relaxing. We had a quiet dinner down the stonewalk, we are now preparing for the next leg of this adventure a trip to Milan, drop off the car head on the train to Basil then on to Frankfurt to meet up with our friends Teresa and Greg. Our next travels will take us in Germany and not sure where else. The picture to the left is the lake with the weather.

Saturday May 1, 2010
The weather is still ok so we needed to pack as much as we could in a day before it turns not so nice. We wanted to get to the Villa Carlotta as fast a possible so we purchased a bus ticket and then found out it wasn't coming for 30 minutes so we set out on foot with the traffic right beside us. I don't think Bob has ever walked so fast to get out of the street. The Villa Carlotta is located in a town called Tremezzo. Words cannot describe the gardens, all in spring full boom. The Villa dates back to the 17th century and has been mainted to perfection. For 8 euro a piece we spent several hours there admiring all the blooming azalea, pansies, and rhodendrums just to mention a few. We had lunch a a very good pizzera right next to the Villa. In this particular area of Italy we have discovered some of the places serve frozen pizza, but this place served real pizza, with sausage, cheese and ham it was the best.

The fast boat takes you to Como at the end of the lake for 9 euro a piece and gets there in about 40 minutes so we boarded the hydrofoil for the fast ride to Como. Como is known for their silk factories so we went in search of scarves and some outlet center that was suppose to have good bargains. Bob navigated us to every place that was recommened and a few purchases were made for the first time on the trip. We had a nice stop for beers and listening to a band while waiting for the fast boat to take us back to the hotel. The fast boat on the return trip was a catamaran not a hydrofoil. The picture directly above is the house of non other than George Clooney we were going by pretty fast but I didn't see him waving at me. A quiet dinner and the rain has started and they are expecting it to continue for the next week.

Friday April 30, 2010

The good news from the night before the man who had a heart attack underwent surgery and was do ok and should be going home in 5 days.

The Greenway Trail has turned out to be a great means of walking for us to explore the little towns and get transportation to other places across the lake. The trail goes notheast and southwest from our hotel and takes you up steep walkways to avoid the near single lane streets. The picture at the top is a villa where one of the James Bond 007 movies was filmed. After walking up and down the hills for about 3 miles we decided to hop on the ferry boat and spend the rest of the day visiting and enjoying the sites of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio. For just 11.00 euro a piece we could ride the ferry all day and stop at the towns, do some shopping (buying nothing) eating and drinking. The towns were all very unique some more full of stuff than others and some far more expensive than the next one. We had to double back a few times as our stop at Lenno is not a direct ride so we went back to Bellagio at least 3 times.

It seems this entire trip we have some how been at a place where there is a wedding. At our hotel a couple from Japan and 20 guests celebrated their wedding at the Villa del Balbianello. The Villa is just beautiful perched on a peninsula all by itself surrounded by lush green gardens.

We walked down the stone walkway to a small ristoranti and had a light dinner before calling it a day.

Thursday April 29, 2010

We have been on public transportation for the last month and Bob was just itching to get in a boat that he was in control of. In the area we are staying there is a great hiking path close to the lake and while wandering around we found a boat rental place. The man who owned it whose name was William was a world class water skier for Italy in the 70's & 80's. He is 57 and married to a 32 year old women with 2 little babies. After paying him several euro we were ready to take on the lake. The day started out sunny and warm by the time we were loooking at Richard Bronsons' home it was cold and windy. The above picture is the town of Bellagio. Inspite of all the adverse weather Bob was in boating heaven. We toured only a fraction of the lake starting in Lenno and going beyond Bellagio. The little towns are so incredible from the small motor boat. William offered us a quick ride home in his 1991 Ski Nautique he had won while competeing. As Murphy's law has it by the time we were back at the hotel the sun was out and it was very pleasant sitting around the pool.

The stone walkway we live on is just incredible so we strolled down to a cafe on the water had a nice dinner then headed back to the hotel for some cognac. While in the lobby 911 was called for a man who was in cardiac arrest, they took him away at high speeds to Como where there is a good heart hospital we are told. Another great day in Italy and only a few left.

Wednesday April 28, 2010
Our stay in Venice was so much fun touring the canals and seeing all the sites. The hotel we stayed at was listed as a **** hotel but it was far from that. When we entered the building for the room it was 4 floors of apartments then we were on the 5th floor that overlooked the canals. The location was the best, the room was clean but taking the elevator that was one step away from not working was not real appealing. That said we only spent a short time there so they get a *** for trying and **** for the location.
The drive to Lake Como was great no turns just get on the freeway and drive. We have stopped at all the truck stops for lunch and it fills up the stomach. The other day I manged to not communicate with the cook and ended up with 2 sausages, and spinach for the price of 15 euro, and it was not so good.
http://www.albergolenno.com
About 4 days ago after going through all the books and looking on the internet I emailed
Sandra and she recommeded this hotel. We have been traveling and seeing everything there is to see for the past 4 weeks and this place is out of this world. The hotel is right on the lake and the view from our corner room is like a postcard. The white capped mountains in the back and the lake directly below them. It truly does not get any better. There is also a wellness center right down the street, I think some of the days activites may include a massage.

Tuesday April 28, 2010
Because Richard had given us some great suggestions on what to see in 1 day in Venice we were as prepared as we could be. The water bus will provide transportation any where we would like to go as part of the pass we purchased. Our first stop was the island of Murano, this is where they make expensive hand blown glass and the prices range from $500 to as much as you would like to spend. We spent some time observing some men blowing glass, they were creating vases and glasses, when they were done with the demonstrations they invited us to the showroom where the pieces are beautifully displayed and priced out of my range.
Our next stop is the island of Burano which is unique in the fact that the houses were all painted bright brillant colors. The town is known for handmade lace that is made into table cloths and any other lace fabric you can imagine. While touring one of the shops we observed a couple getting ready to buy a table cloth for $3000.00 dollars I can't imagine paying that much less using the cloth on the table, but they were going to purchase it. We decided to forgo Lido as we wanted to tour the Palazzo Ducale, which was the Doge's residence palace of Justice in the 1300's - 1800's. Our last event for the day was to tour the Grand Canal where we would view 2 historic bridges, not my idea but Bob wanted to see them. We chose a restaraunt Richard and Susan had recommended and they were also there so once again after dinner we went to the square for the fabulous concert, a short walk home, and we would get ready for the next part of our trip Lake Como..

Monday April 27, 2010

After 4 nights at the Villa Agnese it is time to move on to our next destination which is Venice. The villa was brand new and only has been opened 1 month. We were able to walk to the bus stop and then take the train but that is not convenient for everyone, so we suggested they have a shuttle bus to transport people back and forth. When we checked out the owner gifted us with some type of grappa that is made up the way from the Villa. The provence of Genova is a great area and if we were to ever get a chance to return we would stay in S. Margeherti(spelling?) which is in a better location and also a great town.
The drive to Venice took about 4 hours and we had to only navigate to a parking ramp where the car would stay for the next 2 nights. We made it to the parking ramp with very few problemss then proceeded to buy a transportaion ticket for 26 euro a piece so we could maneuver our way through the streets of Venice for the next 48 hours. With our map in hand dragging our 2 small bags (thank goodness they are small) we took the water bus to a stopping point and then snaked our way through the streets and over bridges to the Hotel Palazzo Priulj. The located is right on 2 canals and the sounds of the gondola singers could be heard from our 5th floor room.

After checking in it was time to explore this city built on water. I have never seen anything like it , standing in San Marco Plaza was incredible, chamber music playing with as many as 5 violins, people everywhere and a very festive mood. We dined at a restaurant right by the hotel and met Richard and Susan from Winchester, England at the table adjacent to us. They shared some points of interest with us reagarding the area although they liked the art far more than the ob. Richard and Susan invited us to walk through San Marco for the evening and take in the great small orchestras that were playing. There were times when you felt like you were at a concert with the sounds of Straus waltzes and Bolero jus to mention a few. A short walk home and a late night we would start perparing our plans for exploring the outlying island of Venice.

Sunday April 25

Sunday is a day of rest and that we did. Bob has been having trouble with his leg/knee, as you recall he laid on the floor of St.Petes in Rome trying to strech out his leg, so we decided not to walk as many miles on Sunday. Our travels took us up to Camogli a lovely little fishing village outside of S.Margaherti(spelling?). The area called the province of Genova is a beautiful area with good hiking and lovely little villages all over. If we would have had the correct gear we could have hiked back to Portofino which many people say is a very nice hike once again high above the sea.

For just 2 euro we rented a lounge chair on the black sand/rocky beach and enjoyed people watching for an hour. After a nice lunch we boarded a boat to take us to Portifino where we would start our trip back to the villa. We have mastered the bus, and train transportation and walking back to our villa, soon we will be in a new city and have to figure things out all over again.

We decide not to try and find a place to eat unless we could walk to it so we ate at a neighborhood place we have passed for the last 4 days and it turned out to be very fine. The table of 12 next us were celebrating a birthday and once again there was not a word of English spoken.

Saturday April 24

The Cinque Terra is a National park that everyone says is a must see and experience. Our local train station sell a pass for as many days as you want this covers, hiking the trails, use of the bus in the little towns and train transportation within the towns and to Levanto . We started our hike from Monterossa to Vernazza the trails were high up and very muddy from the previous days rain. We made the decision to take the train to the last village named Riomaggiore and hike back up to the other villages. After a very nice lunch high above the sea we started our small hike back to Corniglia. The thing that makes this area so unique is the ability to walk from place to place with beautiful views of the sea below. I can only imagine what it must have been like before it became popular with thousands of tourists from all over the world flocking to tiny trails daily, the congestion is kind of like being on a crowded freeway and not being able to move. Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful area and is on the lists of seeing and doing. For this being their income, the people who work in the tourist information stops in all of the villages were rude and unfreindly.

After a long day of hiking we headed back on the train forgetting that the pass only gets you to Levanto and then you need to buy another train ticket. The ticket man came by and we showed him the pass and he said that wouldn't work. He charged us 6 euro a piece for train ticket which is steep but we didn't want to wait for another train. After the ticket man left Bob realized we did have train tickets but they were not stamped and if we had shown him those we could have been fined 50 euro a piece. Stamping the tickets is a must before getting on the train. Thanks again Sandra for the great advice.

After a long day we tryed to make reservations at any restaraunt but there was a huge celebration and we couldn't get in any place. The owner of the hotel dropped us in town and told us of a place that we could eat but there was no room. A taxi home and no dinner not a good way to end the day.

Friday April 23, 2010

The plan for the day was to hop on the train and start our tour of the Cinque Terra. After getting up and observing the weather, it was pouring rain we changed our plans. A short walk to the bus stop then a bus ride to the train station, and then a train ride to S. Margherita and finally a bus ride to Portifino where we would spend the day. Portifino is a beautiful little port where the rich and famous go and spend time and lots of money. I was informed Madonna comes to the town and demands whatever she wants and gets it, the list of actors goes on and on, Frank Sinantra, Marlon Brando, and Anthony Quinn just to mention a few of them. The port is small and is a good protection from the big seas, the restaraunts are built right on the edge of the water and the waiter told us the seas flood the cafe floors almost daily. We ordered a grilled seafood platter that was out of this world with taste and price, tuna, swordfish, whitefish, lobster, scampi, and calamari it was the best not pizza today.

The picture to the left is the Castello Brown that dates back to the 14th century and was constructed to protect the port and the gulf from the Venetians. It is designated as a historical site and for the enjoyment of tourists. We ended the day by a boat trip back to S.Margherita where we would pursue our search of hair dye and then catch the train and head back to our new hotel. We decided that we would navigate our way back by foot rather than the bus. Bob did as good a job as Gertie, along the way we picked up sandwich meat for supper instead of venturing out again. Great sandwiches and yes the hair color is great not even a hint of red !!!!

Thursday April 22, 2010

This is our day to say goodbye to this great place in the country and the nice people we have met. The website can give a better picture than any that I have taken in the past week http://www.rignana.it/ . Our drive will takes us to Sestri Levante, this is located along the coast in a central location so we can go to Cinque Terra and Portofina in the other direction.

Never having been here we booked a hotel called http://www.hotelvillaagnese.com/ the location is a short car ride from the city center and train station not as convenient as I first thought, but we will make it work. The weather is threatening rain so we will have to see what Friday brings as far as hiking in the Cinque. I know this is silly to write but we have been gone along time and the brown hair is getting some awful grey color so our goal this afternoon is find some haircolor and get rid of the bad hair, it may turn out red but I don't care.

Wednesday April 21, 2010

Driving to Siena was not at all difficult the only problem was finding a place to park. The farmer's market was going on and tons of people flock to buy flowers, vegetables and just about any other food items. After drving around, we find the perfect ramp and can take an escalator up to the walled city. The square is a very important part of the city because on July 2 the "Palio of the Districts" is held. At the event there are 17 neighborhoods represented 1 person riding the horse from each area in the town square. They hall in sand and water and away they go. The survivor of this craziness wins and has a celebration dinner. The pictures of this event are all over the city and you can only magine what the town square must be like. The picture to the left is the Cathedral and was taken high above the city. We toured the Cathederal and several museumsall for 12 euro a piece great bargain.

After driving through the country on the dirt roads and hanging cliffs we reach our house. The vents of the evening would be drinks by the not opened pool and then a climb up to the restaurant we frequent becasue of location and good food.

The food was up there on the top 10 list, fetuccini with truffles, tossed salad and the best 1/2 chicken I have ever eaten. We socialized with all the people who were staying at the house. Somehow we talked Rosa and Victor into this place and they were very happy with their meals. We ended the night with grappa of all kinds. Tomorrow we will leave this great place in the country.

Tuesday April 20, 2010
We have decided that taking the bus in the big cities works out really good. After a nice European breakfast and saying goodbye to our new friends we drive to the little town of Greve to catch the bus to Florence. The total cost of the round trip ticket is about 6 euro a piece, this is a small price to pay for sanity. As I stated the previous day I have no camera due to my stupidity so there once again will be no pictures of this beautiful city. Since Greg suggested the hop on bus tour we have found it to be the best way to explore the entire city and then return to the sites that would be of interest. Once again all the places are free for the week, that is good and bad. The lines go for blocks and it is almost impossible to get into any of the museums. We really (I wanted to see the David) when we got to the entrance the line was over a block long. I went to the entrance that said reserved tickets and some how talked my way in the door without standing in line, I attempted this at the museum of art with no success. We walked around the city and through some leather markets but not a single item was purchased, I will pursue this when in Venus. While walking around the city I was trying to find a throw away camera to capture some of the sites but had no success. After taking in as much as we could we boarded the bus and headed back to Greve where we had a fantastic Italian dinner.
When we arrived back at the house we met a darling couple from Barcelona , Spain, Rosa and Victor, who had just come to Italy to celebrate their honeymoon. After some wine and great conversations we called it a day to prepare for our next excursion of visiting the medieval town of Siena. One final note the camera was at the restaurant and was waiting for me when we got back. I was so excited.!!!!!!

Monday April 19, 2010
There will be no pictures today as I have succesfully lost my camera. I will try and
get a disposable one today so I can continue taking photos. Two days have passed and here are pictures on the found camera.
When we arrived on Sunday we met a very nice lady named Ava who was traveling on a walking tour led by her neice Cornelius who owns http://www.andiamoadventours.com/ . When eating breakfast we started talking to Ava and Cornelius, Elaine and Kohl. We asked if we could be part of their walking tour and would be willing to pay some euro. Cornelius was very gracious and invited us along. The tour was the best way to see this area, it is so massive that what would did in a day only covers a thimble of the area. We walked through little villages that were very old and tasted wines at one of the open winerys. This time of the year many places are closed and willl not open until sometime in May.

We had a nice picnic high atop the hills all provided by Cornelius. Bob dosen't do so good going down the hills so he opted to transport us from place to place. The day ended in the town of Greve for a quick tour and information on how to get to the bus stop as we are going to Florence by bus on Tuesday.
We had a cocktail hour here at the house and then walked up the hill to dine on more dishes than I could ever begin to name. After walking down the hill I discovered the absent camera, Bob went back up and they were closed. Today is Tuesday and apparently they will be closed today.