This parade made Prague come alive.
And getting stylish.
The hills are alive with the sound of music
I loved Venice's streets of water.
The Goats and other species here
Such as this one
Friday, September 30, 2011
Favorite pictures by Noelley
I've had lot of good memories on this trip but these are some of my favorites.
This parade made Prague come alive.
And getting stylish.
The hills are alive with the sound of music
I loved Venice's streets of water.
The Goats and other species here
Such as this one
This parade made Prague come alive.
And getting stylish.
The hills are alive with the sound of music
I loved Venice's streets of water.
The Goats and other species here
Such as this one
Food by AllieZ
For me, the main thing that makes Europe different from America is the food. Although driving across countries are as short as driving through states, it's like you traveled to a whole different world. Each country has unique ( and sometimes weird) options. Here are two countries that I really liked.
1.) Italian.
I really love italian food. On the Amalfi coast they grow lemons ( yum ). I also really like gelato, Italian ice cream. It tastes so good on hot days. Okay, it tastes good on any day. And then, of course, how can you go wrong with pizza and spaghetti?
2.) Greek
I had never tried Greek food, so it was really interesting. I liked Gyros, which is a bit like a burrito, only with pork, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, French fries, and tsatsiki. Tsatsiki ( I call it pickle sauce ) was white sauce that you put on bread.
I also really liked Greek salads. It has just cucumbers, tomatoes and a chunk of feta cheese on top.
Besides eating out, going to the grocery store is a whole new experience. It makes you realize how much we rely on reading. Here, we can only use the pictures. One time, we thought we got a carton of grape juice. After Noelle tasted it, she spit it out. It turned out to be white wine.
We usually eat in our camper. For breakfast, we usually have yogurt, granola, and fruit. For lunch, we have bread, cheese, tomatoes. Then, for dinner, we have noodles, soup, or rice. I like it.
1.) Italian.
I really love italian food. On the Amalfi coast they grow lemons ( yum ). I also really like gelato, Italian ice cream. It tastes so good on hot days. Okay, it tastes good on any day. And then, of course, how can you go wrong with pizza and spaghetti?
2.) Greek
I had never tried Greek food, so it was really interesting. I liked Gyros, which is a bit like a burrito, only with pork, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, French fries, and tsatsiki. Tsatsiki ( I call it pickle sauce ) was white sauce that you put on bread.
I also really liked Greek salads. It has just cucumbers, tomatoes and a chunk of feta cheese on top.
Besides eating out, going to the grocery store is a whole new experience. It makes you realize how much we rely on reading. Here, we can only use the pictures. One time, we thought we got a carton of grape juice. After Noelle tasted it, she spit it out. It turned out to be white wine.
We usually eat in our camper. For breakfast, we usually have yogurt, granola, and fruit. For lunch, we have bread, cheese, tomatoes. Then, for dinner, we have noodles, soup, or rice. I like it.
The Dolce Vita Revisited
We slept in our van on the overnight ferry from Greece to Italy. If you enjoy the ambience of a busy, hot, humid, rocking parking garage then you should book your next vacation on a Greek Ferry.
We finally made landfall on the achilles tendon of the big boot and drove for 3 hours over to the shin area. Sorrento was our goal, and we were determined at all costs to avoid driving in insane Naples. We drove through the suburbs of Naples, merely deranged, and found a campsite near the coast. Sorrento is okay but is beloved by the British and it seemed every other restaurant boasted fish and chips, Guinness Beer, and a tea room. The following morning we caught the train to Pompeii. Jolene and I had visited it on our last trip and were fascinated by it and it seems that every school child reads about it at some time.
Walking the streets of Pompeii you can really get a feel for what city life was like in 79 AD. There are still signs such as "beware of dog" and "room for rent" in Latin on the buildings.
This is the Roman equivalent of a fast food stand. There were holes in the counter where the pots of soup would be kept warm at this curbside diner. It was interesting to all of us how city life of the Romans was similar to our modern life in many ways.
This is the inside of a warm bath house at the Roman equivalent of today's 24 Hour Fitness Center. There was a gymnasium for working out followed by various temperature baths.
The following day we toured the famous Amalfi coast. It seems that every American Italian restaurant has a picture of this coastline hanging somewhere. There are a series of cliffside villages connected by a treacherous road. It's very similar to Big Sur, with the road half as wide and twice as much traffic. Rather than subject poor Dagobert to the winding and hilly coastal road, we took a crowded bus piloted by a former race car driver. We elected to take the boat back.
We spent the day doing our favorite things, playing on the beach and exploring narrow streets. Amalfi redefines narrow streets. The houses were connected by a maze of narrow staircases with arched tunnels leading this way and that. Mostly up according to Allie.
Italian food is so good. We had a great, cheap picnic on the waterfront with fresh bread, fresh local tomatoes, and melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella cheese from the nearby hills. We then capped a hot day of stair climbing with tasty gelato.
We finally made landfall on the achilles tendon of the big boot and drove for 3 hours over to the shin area. Sorrento was our goal, and we were determined at all costs to avoid driving in insane Naples. We drove through the suburbs of Naples, merely deranged, and found a campsite near the coast. Sorrento is okay but is beloved by the British and it seemed every other restaurant boasted fish and chips, Guinness Beer, and a tea room. The following morning we caught the train to Pompeii. Jolene and I had visited it on our last trip and were fascinated by it and it seems that every school child reads about it at some time.
Walking the streets of Pompeii you can really get a feel for what city life was like in 79 AD. There are still signs such as "beware of dog" and "room for rent" in Latin on the buildings.
This is the Roman equivalent of a fast food stand. There were holes in the counter where the pots of soup would be kept warm at this curbside diner. It was interesting to all of us how city life of the Romans was similar to our modern life in many ways.
This is the inside of a warm bath house at the Roman equivalent of today's 24 Hour Fitness Center. There was a gymnasium for working out followed by various temperature baths.
The following day we toured the famous Amalfi coast. It seems that every American Italian restaurant has a picture of this coastline hanging somewhere. There are a series of cliffside villages connected by a treacherous road. It's very similar to Big Sur, with the road half as wide and twice as much traffic. Rather than subject poor Dagobert to the winding and hilly coastal road, we took a crowded bus piloted by a former race car driver. We elected to take the boat back.
We spent the day doing our favorite things, playing on the beach and exploring narrow streets. Amalfi redefines narrow streets. The houses were connected by a maze of narrow staircases with arched tunnels leading this way and that. Mostly up according to Allie.
Italian food is so good. We had a great, cheap picnic on the waterfront with fresh bread, fresh local tomatoes, and melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella cheese from the nearby hills. We then capped a hot day of stair climbing with tasty gelato.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Goodbye Greece
We loved the isle of Hydra so much that we decided to stay an extra night. We couldn't get enough of the beaches, quiet, and cats. Well, some of us liked the cats anyhow. So many cats to be petted, so few arms.
Warm days.
Warm nights too. Looking from the balcony of our apartment towards the hub of activity, the port.
The real reason that we stayed another night is that we wanted to eat at a little restaurant that we had read about in a guide book. It is a signless, nameless little place that's run out of an old Greek couple's kitchen. Look for the lime green door across from the row of blue flowerpots. It has been around for years and survives by word-of-mouth, reputation, and mention in a couple of popular guide books. You have to make a reservation by 10:00 AM or they can't pick up the items they need from the market. We were unable to get a reservation the morning before, but the couple invited Jolene and Noelle into their house, gave them cookies and grappa, kissed Noelle on the cheeks a few times, and made Jolene promise to come visit them the next time we were in Greece. The hook was set and Jolene informed me that we were staying the next night so we could eat there. Clever marketing, the cynic in me claimed. I was wrong as the meal and experience did not disappoint. We were the only ones there and had a great conversation and wonderful Greek food. It was like visiting your Greek grandparents' house.
We reluctantly said goodbye to the island and hoped that Dagobert would be waiting for us, unharmed. We were a little apprehensive about leaving him unattended in the town square but all was in order when we returned. We hit the roads and headed for the port town of Patra, just in time to take the evening ferry back to Italy.
We found Greece to be a wonderful country. It's a harsh, rocky country with terrible traffic, unfinished roads and houses, and a world of economic challenges. The people were the most friendly and welcoming of the trip and the food was our favorite so far.
Warm days.
Warm nights too. Looking from the balcony of our apartment towards the hub of activity, the port.
The real reason that we stayed another night is that we wanted to eat at a little restaurant that we had read about in a guide book. It is a signless, nameless little place that's run out of an old Greek couple's kitchen. Look for the lime green door across from the row of blue flowerpots. It has been around for years and survives by word-of-mouth, reputation, and mention in a couple of popular guide books. You have to make a reservation by 10:00 AM or they can't pick up the items they need from the market. We were unable to get a reservation the morning before, but the couple invited Jolene and Noelle into their house, gave them cookies and grappa, kissed Noelle on the cheeks a few times, and made Jolene promise to come visit them the next time we were in Greece. The hook was set and Jolene informed me that we were staying the next night so we could eat there. Clever marketing, the cynic in me claimed. I was wrong as the meal and experience did not disappoint. We were the only ones there and had a great conversation and wonderful Greek food. It was like visiting your Greek grandparents' house.
We reluctantly said goodbye to the island and hoped that Dagobert would be waiting for us, unharmed. We were a little apprehensive about leaving him unattended in the town square but all was in order when we returned. We hit the roads and headed for the port town of Patra, just in time to take the evening ferry back to Italy.
We found Greece to be a wonderful country. It's a harsh, rocky country with terrible traffic, unfinished roads and houses, and a world of economic challenges. The people were the most friendly and welcoming of the trip and the food was our favorite so far.
Friday, September 23, 2011
A Break From Dagobert
We stopped by the ancient theater of Epidavros on the way down to the jumping off point for the islands. What the heck, I guess we can detour 10km to see the largest, best preserved, and most impressive of the 2300 year-old Greek amphitheaters. The acoustic qualities are amazing. You can hear a person speaking from the center of the stage all the way up in the cheap seats. Allie and Noelle sang part of "This Land is Your Land" to the delight of some Spanish and German tourists.
Afterwards we continued south and camped near the port of Ermioni, where we would catch a boat to the island of Hydra the next day. Our campsite was desolate, lonely, and seemed to be winding down for the season. We swam in the Saronic Gulf since there wasn't a pool in sight.
The next morning we caught the hydrofoil over to Hydra and sadly left Dagobert behind in the port parking lot. Hydra is a very dry and rocky isle, it looks like the top part of Reno's Peavine Mountain poking out of the sea. The town has to catch rainwater in cisterns and have domestic water shipped from the mainland. It sounds awful but the little harbor town of Hydra is amazing, with narrow cobbled footpaths winding between whitewashed houses. There are no cars or scooters on Hydra so young men pulling handcarts or donkeys handle the transportation duties. Despite all the logistical challenges of getting supplies, we had the best and cheapest dinner in all of our Greek travels so far.
Hydra survives on tourists but is unspoiled by them. The locals seem friendly and sincere. We were met at the port by an old man who asked if we were looking for a room. He showed us up to a great room in his hotel overlooking the port and best of all it was about a third of the price that we had budgeted for. Jolene and I have been lucky in our travels and have mostly found great places to stay by flying by the seat of our pants and not making reservations. This does fail occasionally as I think of my first trip to Europe, spending a soggy night underneath an overhanging boulder in a Munich park. How was a young American supposed to know that Octoberfest is actually the end of September?
We could really get used to this island lifestyle. Everything we need is within a minute's walk of the hotel. The kids love to explore and they are more than happy to fetch olives or breakfast supplies for us.
The island is covered in cats. Noelle loves them as do most of the tourists. At least there are no mice!
Today we hiked along the coast until we saw a nice swimming beach, jumped in the water, made a picnic, then hiked some more. Great artists and writers have found inspiration on the Greek isles so we are expecting great things.
I'm continually amazed that even in cities that are heavily visited by tourists you can simply walk a few blocks off the main streets and find a genuine experience. The running joke of the trip has been that every new town we visit becomes Jolene's favorite. I think that I may be taking the ferry back to Dagobert alone.
Afterwards we continued south and camped near the port of Ermioni, where we would catch a boat to the island of Hydra the next day. Our campsite was desolate, lonely, and seemed to be winding down for the season. We swam in the Saronic Gulf since there wasn't a pool in sight.
The next morning we caught the hydrofoil over to Hydra and sadly left Dagobert behind in the port parking lot. Hydra is a very dry and rocky isle, it looks like the top part of Reno's Peavine Mountain poking out of the sea. The town has to catch rainwater in cisterns and have domestic water shipped from the mainland. It sounds awful but the little harbor town of Hydra is amazing, with narrow cobbled footpaths winding between whitewashed houses. There are no cars or scooters on Hydra so young men pulling handcarts or donkeys handle the transportation duties. Despite all the logistical challenges of getting supplies, we had the best and cheapest dinner in all of our Greek travels so far.
Hydra survives on tourists but is unspoiled by them. The locals seem friendly and sincere. We were met at the port by an old man who asked if we were looking for a room. He showed us up to a great room in his hotel overlooking the port and best of all it was about a third of the price that we had budgeted for. Jolene and I have been lucky in our travels and have mostly found great places to stay by flying by the seat of our pants and not making reservations. This does fail occasionally as I think of my first trip to Europe, spending a soggy night underneath an overhanging boulder in a Munich park. How was a young American supposed to know that Octoberfest is actually the end of September?
We could really get used to this island lifestyle. Everything we need is within a minute's walk of the hotel. The kids love to explore and they are more than happy to fetch olives or breakfast supplies for us.
The island is covered in cats. Noelle loves them as do most of the tourists. At least there are no mice!
Today we hiked along the coast until we saw a nice swimming beach, jumped in the water, made a picnic, then hiked some more. Great artists and writers have found inspiration on the Greek isles so we are expecting great things.
I'm continually amazed that even in cities that are heavily visited by tourists you can simply walk a few blocks off the main streets and find a genuine experience. The running joke of the trip has been that every new town we visit becomes Jolene's favorite. I think that I may be taking the ferry back to Dagobert alone.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Escape From Athens!
Athens is everything it's reputed to be. Huge, sprawling and chaotic. Driving in Athens kicks the whole experience up a notch. It's complete anarchy on the freeways, and apparently anything with wheels is allowed to drive. In spite of all that, we enjoyed the city once the car was parked.
This picture was taken in the suburbs. Jolene put the camera away and assumed crash position when the real craziness began. Navigating in the chaos further complicates the experience. Greek road signs are typically written in both Greek and English, except for the actual places that English speakers are likely to go. In those places the signs are either entirely in Greek or made illegible by thick grafitti. Our GPS uses English when you are putting city names into the device but only Greek for the map display. Our map has both languages but its English translations don't match anything in any guidebook or road sign. As we are nearing an intersection where we need to make a decision, with traffic aggressively on our bumper, our frantic conversations go something like this:
"Do we take this exit or not?" I impatiently ask.
"I can't find it on the GPS," Jolene replies curtly.
"Well. Check another spelling. I need to know soon."
"All I've got is Greek. It looks like tent, horseshoe, pitchfork, little fish, squiggle--not pointy squiggle but rounded one, triangle. Do you think that's it?"
"Wait. I think I just saw that on the sign. Did you say pitchfork then pointy squiggle?"
"No! Rounded squiggle then triangle. Sheesh!"
We set up in a dusty, crowded campground with no pool and decided that we would spend one day in Athens. Late in the afternoon we took a bus to the Acropolis and it was spectacular. Considering its age it is very well preserved. Most of the statuary has been stolen over the years as conquerers hauled off victory booty to their home cities. There was a famous statue of Athena that was 40 feet tall that simply disappeared. The kids were sure that it was in the ocean off one of the islands and vowed to keep an eye out for it while swimming. I offered that it might be in a box in Jolene's mom's garage. We sat on the steps imagining great philosophers standing around chatting and laying the foundations for western civilization. It's overwhelming and the kids enjoyed the experience as much as we did.
We wandered over to the the parliament building, site of all the riots last year and watched the changing of the guards. The rioting has really subsided since last year, in part because they outfitted the guards with these intimidating pom-poms on their shoes.
The following morning we left Athens for the Peloponnese peninsula. We picnicked on a secluded beach only two hours out of town but a world away. We took a dip in the warm, turquoise ocean. We braced ourselves for Oregon Coast temperatures and were pleasantly surprised at the warm waters. Tomorrow we will head further south and may jump over to an island.
This picture was taken in the suburbs. Jolene put the camera away and assumed crash position when the real craziness began. Navigating in the chaos further complicates the experience. Greek road signs are typically written in both Greek and English, except for the actual places that English speakers are likely to go. In those places the signs are either entirely in Greek or made illegible by thick grafitti. Our GPS uses English when you are putting city names into the device but only Greek for the map display. Our map has both languages but its English translations don't match anything in any guidebook or road sign. As we are nearing an intersection where we need to make a decision, with traffic aggressively on our bumper, our frantic conversations go something like this:
"Do we take this exit or not?" I impatiently ask.
"I can't find it on the GPS," Jolene replies curtly.
"Well. Check another spelling. I need to know soon."
"All I've got is Greek. It looks like tent, horseshoe, pitchfork, little fish, squiggle--not pointy squiggle but rounded one, triangle. Do you think that's it?"
"Wait. I think I just saw that on the sign. Did you say pitchfork then pointy squiggle?"
"No! Rounded squiggle then triangle. Sheesh!"
We set up in a dusty, crowded campground with no pool and decided that we would spend one day in Athens. Late in the afternoon we took a bus to the Acropolis and it was spectacular. Considering its age it is very well preserved. Most of the statuary has been stolen over the years as conquerers hauled off victory booty to their home cities. There was a famous statue of Athena that was 40 feet tall that simply disappeared. The kids were sure that it was in the ocean off one of the islands and vowed to keep an eye out for it while swimming. I offered that it might be in a box in Jolene's mom's garage. We sat on the steps imagining great philosophers standing around chatting and laying the foundations for western civilization. It's overwhelming and the kids enjoyed the experience as much as we did.
We wandered over to the the parliament building, site of all the riots last year and watched the changing of the guards. The rioting has really subsided since last year, in part because they outfitted the guards with these intimidating pom-poms on their shoes.
The following morning we left Athens for the Peloponnese peninsula. We picnicked on a secluded beach only two hours out of town but a world away. We took a dip in the warm, turquoise ocean. We braced ourselves for Oregon Coast temperatures and were pleasantly surprised at the warm waters. Tomorrow we will head further south and may jump over to an island.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Beauty and Blight
One thing is for certain, a swimming pool is a must at our campgrounds. It's hot! Fortunately, the Greeks must feel the same because every campground has had one so far. We woke up in Meteora, ready to explore but Jolene must have come down with some kind of food poisoning so she laid in the hot, buggy camper for most of the day. Allie read and Noelle chased cats, so they were perfectly happy. I took off on foot for the produce market in the nearby village and had one of my best authentic experiences of the trip so far. If only Jolene and the girls could have made it. The market was busy with old ladies shopping, their husbands drinking ouzo and beer in the shade, and vendors pitching their wares. I stocked up on some wonderful produce and best of all, a variety of olives straight from the motherland!
We ran out of propane for the fridge and stove so after fruitlessly looking for a replacement bottle in the town I gave up and swam instead. It turns out that Greece is next to impossible to find propane gas in the form our camper needs. Who knew? Luckily for the family, that means we are eating out more. We had decided to spend a bit more in the eating out area, as food is a big part of the culture of any country, so the timing wasn't bad. We ate at the campground restaurant and it was like eating with a Greek family. Greek salad, wine, and souvlaki. Fortunately, Jolene had recovered and could enjoy the meal with us.
We awoke early the next morning and explored the mountaintop monasteries of Meteora. There are a dozen or so of them all spectacularly located on pinnacles of rock, where monks took shelter 1000 years ago. We didn't enter any of the monasteries, as the dress code is very strict and it was too hot to wear pants and long dresses. We were more interested in hiking the narrow catwalks up to the monasteries than touring inside anyhow.
Leaving Meteora, we pointed the van south towards Delphi and headed out across mainland Greece. Driving in Greece makes Italy look sane. Drivers seem courteous and friendly enough, they just simply ignore all rules--if there are any to start with. Any moderately flat surface can be driven or parked on and whichever direction or angle you please. I actually enjoy it. The economic downturn has hit Greece very hard. There are many highways and roads that look new but just end in a tangle of rebar and debris. New malls and shops are empty with weeds growing everywhere. There are also a lot of older houses, half-finished with people living on one floor but the next floor up window and doorless. We see a little of this in Nevada, but Greece is at least 100 times more extreme. In some spots it's post apocalyptic, as if some disease wiped out everyone in the middle of a building boom and they just disappeared, tractors left decaying in the sun.
We set up in a campground in Delphi, on a mountaintop overlooking one of Europe's largest olive tree groves. Allie really enjoys Greek mythology, so she was excited to tour the Delphi ruins, one of Greece's largest archaeological sites. We awoke early and toured the ruins before the tour buses arrived and it was great. We were lucky to have Allie with us to explain the meaning of a lot of the temples and references to mythology.
Delphi was the center of the ancient Greek world, and home of the famous "Oracle of Delphi" whom many pilgrims would come see for advice. Zeus let two eagles go and they raced around the earth and met in Delphi, where the ancients placed this cone-shaped stone called "the naval". This is hallowed ground to a mythology buff.
We are leaving for Athens today. Let's hope its drivers don't smell fear on me.
We ran out of propane for the fridge and stove so after fruitlessly looking for a replacement bottle in the town I gave up and swam instead. It turns out that Greece is next to impossible to find propane gas in the form our camper needs. Who knew? Luckily for the family, that means we are eating out more. We had decided to spend a bit more in the eating out area, as food is a big part of the culture of any country, so the timing wasn't bad. We ate at the campground restaurant and it was like eating with a Greek family. Greek salad, wine, and souvlaki. Fortunately, Jolene had recovered and could enjoy the meal with us.
We awoke early the next morning and explored the mountaintop monasteries of Meteora. There are a dozen or so of them all spectacularly located on pinnacles of rock, where monks took shelter 1000 years ago. We didn't enter any of the monasteries, as the dress code is very strict and it was too hot to wear pants and long dresses. We were more interested in hiking the narrow catwalks up to the monasteries than touring inside anyhow.
Leaving Meteora, we pointed the van south towards Delphi and headed out across mainland Greece. Driving in Greece makes Italy look sane. Drivers seem courteous and friendly enough, they just simply ignore all rules--if there are any to start with. Any moderately flat surface can be driven or parked on and whichever direction or angle you please. I actually enjoy it. The economic downturn has hit Greece very hard. There are many highways and roads that look new but just end in a tangle of rebar and debris. New malls and shops are empty with weeds growing everywhere. There are also a lot of older houses, half-finished with people living on one floor but the next floor up window and doorless. We see a little of this in Nevada, but Greece is at least 100 times more extreme. In some spots it's post apocalyptic, as if some disease wiped out everyone in the middle of a building boom and they just disappeared, tractors left decaying in the sun.
We set up in a campground in Delphi, on a mountaintop overlooking one of Europe's largest olive tree groves. Allie really enjoys Greek mythology, so she was excited to tour the Delphi ruins, one of Greece's largest archaeological sites. We awoke early and toured the ruins before the tour buses arrived and it was great. We were lucky to have Allie with us to explain the meaning of a lot of the temples and references to mythology.
Delphi was the center of the ancient Greek world, and home of the famous "Oracle of Delphi" whom many pilgrims would come see for advice. Zeus let two eagles go and they raced around the earth and met in Delphi, where the ancients placed this cone-shaped stone called "the naval". This is hallowed ground to a mythology buff.
We are leaving for Athens today. Let's hope its drivers don't smell fear on me.
Pools and Cats by Noelle
You know how much I love pools, but I found something I like more: cats. We stayed a campground in Greece with three kittens and four cats. I named them:
Orange-y
Calico-y
Grey-y
Black and White-y 1
Black and White-y 2
New-y
The One that Doesn't Like People
You can probably guess the color from their names. I love to play with them and put them in my lap. Orange-y kept trying to jump in to our camper! I can't wait to get a cat of our own.
Life is is good with a pool and a pet
Favorite Pics by AllieZ
Here are some of my favorite pictures, from the airport to today.
This is me, at five in the morning, getting ready for the long plane ride.
My first memory of Europe- a really long nap.
A typical breakfast-pastries, yogurt, bananas, and juice- in Prague.
It's hard to look intimidating when you are in a baby blue striped house.
Noelle with her cool new shades.
When you have been stuck in a car all day, it's nice to let it all out.
When you see something like the floating ghost of Mozart, you just have to give money.
Look who got a hold of the camera.
Noelle loves cats.
Enjoying the pool.
These pictures are not the best ones nor the cutest. These are the ones that bring back the most memories.
This is me, at five in the morning, getting ready for the long plane ride.
My first memory of Europe- a really long nap.
A typical breakfast-pastries, yogurt, bananas, and juice- in Prague.
It's hard to look intimidating when you are in a baby blue striped house.
Noelle with her cool new shades.
When you have been stuck in a car all day, it's nice to let it all out.
When you see something like the floating ghost of Mozart, you just have to give money.
Look who got a hold of the camera.
Noelle loves cats.
Enjoying the pool.
These pictures are not the best ones nor the cutest. These are the ones that bring back the most memories.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
At least it's a dry heat
Venice was wonderful, in spite of being very hot and humid. Our campground won the award for over-the-top amenities. Here are the bathroom and dish-washing stations:
The freeways, or Autostradas, in Italy are fast and efficient but require you to pay tolls which really add up. We had planned on taking the backroads down to San Marino but quickly gave up and jumped on the toll road. We had naively assumed that we would be cruising through fields and vineyards on winding roads between villages but that was not the case. All of our backroads experiences have been narrow, congested roads through endless, sprawling suburbs of unplanned chaos. And the roundabouts! Someone friendly with a high-ranking government official must own a roundabout factory in Italy. They are everywhere, and many times the side roads that shoot off are either blocked, unfinished, or dump into a vacant field making the roundabout completely unnecessary. Add to that the aforementioned gear shifting adventures and the toll roads are a real bargain.
We camped in San Marino, which is the oldest republic in the world and one of the smallest countries as well. How could we resist getting another easy stamp in our passport? It is a small town with a beautifully maintained old hilltop fortress and walled city.
Many of these small countries survive on tourist dollars and offer tax-free shopping. I used the opportunity to replace my broken sunglasses at an obscene price instead of an obscene price plus 20% tax.
We drove in the heat, all the van windows down for maximum AC, to the port of Ancona to see about catching the night ferry to Greece. There was a mad rush at the ticket counter to grab up the last vacant spots on the ferry that was slated to leave in an hour. It was a free for all to get the ticket agent's attention, with German tourists cutting in front of Turkish truck drivers who were elbowing Bulgarian carnies out of the way. I meekly waited my turn, sweat pouring down my face, the thick smell of b.o. and cigarettes chipping away at my already eroded patience. Finally, as I watched our chances of making tonight's ferry disappearing, I snapped and nearly tackled an angry French gypsy to secure four spots on the boat.
The family was overjoyed when they found out I had actually sprung for a cabin and a meal ticket at the buffet. Our first dinner with meat since the rainy day in the Salzburg Ikea! When Noelle claims she's sick of noodles that means it's time for a menu change. We awoke in Igoumenitsa, Greece and drove inland and we actually passed the Bulgarian carnies on the highway! Now we are staying at a little campground in Meteora. This part of Greece looks and feels a lot like the Sonoran desert of Arizona. Tomorrow we will explore the ancient hill-top monasteries.
The freeways, or Autostradas, in Italy are fast and efficient but require you to pay tolls which really add up. We had planned on taking the backroads down to San Marino but quickly gave up and jumped on the toll road. We had naively assumed that we would be cruising through fields and vineyards on winding roads between villages but that was not the case. All of our backroads experiences have been narrow, congested roads through endless, sprawling suburbs of unplanned chaos. And the roundabouts! Someone friendly with a high-ranking government official must own a roundabout factory in Italy. They are everywhere, and many times the side roads that shoot off are either blocked, unfinished, or dump into a vacant field making the roundabout completely unnecessary. Add to that the aforementioned gear shifting adventures and the toll roads are a real bargain.
We camped in San Marino, which is the oldest republic in the world and one of the smallest countries as well. How could we resist getting another easy stamp in our passport? It is a small town with a beautifully maintained old hilltop fortress and walled city.
Many of these small countries survive on tourist dollars and offer tax-free shopping. I used the opportunity to replace my broken sunglasses at an obscene price instead of an obscene price plus 20% tax.
We drove in the heat, all the van windows down for maximum AC, to the port of Ancona to see about catching the night ferry to Greece. There was a mad rush at the ticket counter to grab up the last vacant spots on the ferry that was slated to leave in an hour. It was a free for all to get the ticket agent's attention, with German tourists cutting in front of Turkish truck drivers who were elbowing Bulgarian carnies out of the way. I meekly waited my turn, sweat pouring down my face, the thick smell of b.o. and cigarettes chipping away at my already eroded patience. Finally, as I watched our chances of making tonight's ferry disappearing, I snapped and nearly tackled an angry French gypsy to secure four spots on the boat.
The family was overjoyed when they found out I had actually sprung for a cabin and a meal ticket at the buffet. Our first dinner with meat since the rainy day in the Salzburg Ikea! When Noelle claims she's sick of noodles that means it's time for a menu change. We awoke in Igoumenitsa, Greece and drove inland and we actually passed the Bulgarian carnies on the highway! Now we are staying at a little campground in Meteora. This part of Greece looks and feels a lot like the Sonoran desert of Arizona. Tomorrow we will explore the ancient hill-top monasteries.
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