Cruise to Italy

[EddieWalker]

Great pics Scotty!!!!!

Hate that we missed you guys while we where there, that would have been too cool to have had a beer at one of the cafe's!!!!

Did you like Rome? I was impressed, but have to admit that I was a little unsure about the big city and if I'd enjoy myself there or not, but we both really enjoyed the city and walking around.

Eddie

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Eddie,
We enjoyed Rome, had a great time, but as you know Im a country boy and prefer the country !

So our next journey was to take the train out of Rome and go to Chiusi, where we got a rental car and drove into the Tuscan
region. Our home base was Montepulciano. And the country side did not disapoint...

A couple of pics from Montepulciano..

Yes a beer at one of those cafes' would have been super, sorry our itinerary didnt cross yours ! Your friend seems very nice !

 

[Red Horse]

Eddie, Scott,

Glad you guys enjoyed your trip. I'm with you Scott. When we went we flew into Rome, rented a car and drove to Tuscany. Did day trips out of our hotel that was an old estate that was taken over by believe it or not, Best Western. (Monteregione). Hit the cities ( Florence, Sienna, Pisa etc but really enjoyed the countryside-and some of the smaller walled towns. Plenty of farmland AND Green tractors of all sizes!


Agree you have to see Rome but the country side is spectacular.

 

[ultrarunner]

Eddie... I think you planned the perfect time for a trip... just before the summer rush and all that goes with it.

Glad you were able to make it to Austria... it's been three years for me and I'm over due! Starting to get e-mails from friends asking if I am ever coming back...

Never did the euro cruise... it does make sense on many levels to sample what's out there.

I know you traveled a lot in the service... was this the first time in Europe for Karen?

 

[EddieWalker]

Curt,

Yes, this was her first time to Europe. I've been a few times, but France is the only country that I've been to before on this trip, and this part of France that we went to was totally different then Paris.

Austria really impressed us. The train through the mountains was amazing!!!! That is one country that we will go back to and explore a lot more of it.

Eddie

 

[scott_vt]

Good Morning,
Today we travel to the walled city of Siena...

We really loved this place, not overly commercialized to keep the flavor of the citys' history alive, a nice blend IMO !

 

[EddieWalker]

We took the train from Innsbruck to Venice. While waiting at the train station, a group of kids started dancing that where all dressed up. Then we saw a bunch of castles on the way out of the mountains. Northern Italy was pretty flat and uninteresting, but that went by quickly.

Venice was everything we had hoped it would be and then some. It was really clean. I had read about how it smells there, but we either got lucky or it's been cleaned up, because the water looked and smelled good. We went up to the top of the tower in St Marks Square, rode on a Gondola, wondered the little alleys and got lucky with a nice sunset on the Grand Canal.

The cruise ship was easy to find and walking distance from the train station.

Eddie

 

[ultrarunner]

Curt,

Yes, this was her first time to Europe. I've been a few times, but France is the only country that I've been to before on this trip, and this part of France that we went to was totally different then Paris.

Austria really impressed us. The train through the mountains was amazing!!!! That is one country that we will go back to and explore a lot more of it.

Eddie

I never get tired spending time over there. Those little girls in Austria could be my cousins or nieces...

Glad to hear you had a good time and back safe and sound with lots of memories!

If something isn't to your liking... the next town or country isn't that far away.

All this is getting me thinking I really need to see if I can swing it this year... lots of uncertainty at work... new owners of the Hospital... but, it's been like this several times before...

The mountain people of Switzerland, Bavaria, Austria, Italy and even Slovenia all share a love of folk music and each little town will have it's own variation.

Here is a U-tube link that takes is home for me...

May not be to every one's taste... especially if you don't like yodeling ;-)

Alle Stadlstern Sieger 2006-2010 - 30 Jahre Musikantenstadl (HQ) - YouTube

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Curt,
Great video thanks! My german heritage says pour another beer !

We took the Bernina Express from Tirano in northern Italy too St. Moritz, I have to think there was some yodeling in those small Swiss villages...

 

[ultrarunner]

Your welcome... I'm sure the ladies performing started out just like the little girls in Eddie's Innsbruck picture.