Venice and Interlaken

Hi
Just a quick post to let you know that we spent two days in a small town called Marghera just 10 mins max outside of Venice by train. This is a sleepy little town considering its proximity to Venice. It is only a 5 min walk to the station so it is ideal for seeing the sites of Venice without the Venice price tag for accommodation.
I have been to Venice about 10 years ago in the colder months and did not like it as it was dirty and very unpleasant so I tried to go back with an open mind. Day one we caught the water buses to Murano Island where it is famous for glass and there are many many glass shops but it was a pretty island and the waterways seem to have cleaned up. Spent a very long day doing the waterways as well as San Marco Piazza the main attraction along with Rialto Bridge didn't leave Venice till after 9pm.
Next day was not as energetic but we managed to walk for miles all over and to buy a few things. When leaving I am still of the opinion that you either love or are not impressed with Venice and I am still of the later even though it is one of those places in the world that if you get the opportunity it has to be seen.

Us on one of the many quaint bridges that give you access to all parts of Venice

The waterways only means of delivering all goods

The famous Rialto Bridge which is covered in shops

Ambulance Venetian Style

Behind Mez one of the many restaurants that line the Piazza San Marco(main piazza) with their own orchestra - not for the budget conscious.

After our time in Venice we had a very long day of driving(wasn't looking forward to this) across the top of Italy and into Switzerland. So off we headed.
After 5 hours we ran into some very heavy traffic just inside the Swiss boarder so it was time to have a break for lunch so pulled over into one of their autostrata stops as at this stage the traffic was virtually at a stand still.
About to leave and sitting in car I decided to fill in time as we could not move everything in total gridlock. So I suggested to Mez maybe we play cards?? but instead I got my book out and jotted down the following for the blog.
'sitting in car waiting in a queue to get back to the main road not moving and everyone on the highway is out of their cars having a chat. Apparently there is a major tunnel 8 ks ahead and it is like Mt Blanc where they only let a few cars through at a time so that there is a good distance between them. It is starting to rain and at this stage we will not get to Interlaken till very late. It is now 2.30 and have been on the road since 8.30 this morning.
Well we have moved nearly 100 m and it is now 3.10. Stopped again. I think at this rate we will get there tomorrow. Apparently this is not unusual for this to happen especially as some of the provinces finish their holiday break much like getting back into Sydney after the Xmas holidays except 100 or even 1000 times worse.
Comment from Mez"welcome to Switzerland have seen the same bit of countryside for the past 1.5 hours."
This would turn you off going on holidays. By the way I am the driver and have had all this time to jot this down. Looks like we are about to move better go.'
Well finally got through the 17k tunnel and then had to turn off the autostrata and head to the Susteen Pass. We thought we had been on high roads before but nothing has come close to this Pass. 50ks of very mountainous terrain. We were that high that the mountains that we could virtually reach out and touch were permanent snow capped glaziers.

Snow capped mountains ahead

One of the many pics of the Susteen Pass

Had to have one stop on the road

A beautiful glacial lake with the snow above it

I also thought that I had seen the most picturesque countryside in Tuscany but nothing in the world compares with Switzerland it is just breathtaking in the mountains. Enormous cliff faces with waterfalls cascading down to villages that meander through the valleys of these enormous mountains.
We finally arrived at the B&B called Finel at a little after 7pm had been on the road for 10 and a half hours. The last part of the trip to find this B&B was up another mountain on a road just wide enough for one car but our destination was worth it. This B&B is situated on the side of the mountain with panoramic views of Lake Interlaken and the winter ski fields across the lake on the neighbouring mountains.
'High on a hill was a lonely goatherd- no that's Mez and Ann
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo'
The B&B was this lovely wooden Swiss cottage with exposed beams made of the thickest tree trunks holding up a thatched roof- just gorgeous.

This is the hall just outside the rooms at either end it is open to the elements and everything is made of wood.

View from front of B&B to village below-Mez has better pics but havent had time to download them.

We stayed for 2 nights and ventured to a place in the mountains, by train, that has ten different waterfalls being sauced by 3 glacial rivers but all this is inside the mountain. Walking up the many steps inside the mountain the roar of the water was deafening at times. This place was unbelievable. To get to the station this day we had to head through the woods-as they call them, and down the side of the mountain don't know what we were thinking but we also had to trek back at the end of the day- exhausting.  

View of the B&B from the path down to the village

our walk through the woods reason pic is cloudy is that we were walking through mist

one of the many pics that we took of these falls- would love to add more but it takes so long to add a pic as the internet speed is very slow but not complaining it is better than none.

Mez on one of the outside edges of this amazing mountain

Mez inside the mountain the roar of the water was deafening.

Finel B&B was an experience and then we headed to Lucerne - a beautiful city on the lake its like they are permanently trying out for the tidy most picturesque town award. 
Staying about 3 ks out of town has been lovely( every thing in town is for the rich and famous) as we can easily access the city by bus. Have been for walks around old town in the main part of Lucerne and also in the hills!!! around here.
My angst for heights reared its ugly head yesterday when we ventured to a place called Mt Pilatus but it was worth every minute. To get there it was a 45min paddle boat trip across the lake, a 40 min cog railway trip up the mountain at a 49degree angle( and if your not sure if that is steep or not let me tell you it was frightening) a look around the top of the mountain-7000ft up and also walked up tracks once there followed by a 30min trip down the other side of the mountain by cable car and lastly- on flat land(thank god) a bus ride back to Lucerne. What a day- not to be missed.

lake, village and surrounding ski fields thousands of feet above sea level between Interlaken and Lucerne-just beautiful

Mez and Chapel Bridge(ancient-very historic)

Sunset from room

Lucerne from boat trip to Mt Pilatus

Mez on boat with Mt Pilatus in background

Switzerland so far has been very impressive but it is also very expensive to live here. They seem to be a very fit nation probably due to the fact that they ride bikes and hike everywhere and there is not much flat land, either up hill or down- very impressed.


Heading to Zurich tomorrow for a day and then into Germany- the land of some of mine and Mez's ancestors. 
Hope you are all coping with the cold still really warm here even in Switzerland(imagined due to the altitude it would be cooler) even went for a swim in Lake Lucerne today and had to lay in the shade-too hot. 
Wanted to add so many more pics but internet so slow it takes ages to add just one.
look after yourselves
love Ann

Florence, Rome and Senigallia

Hi Everyone,
Before I start talking about three very different destinations I wanted to set the scene for you at the moment. We have just had a lovely home made tuna salad made in our room and I am sitting looking over the Adriatic Sea which is a little blown out today but nonetheless very hot thus we are not venturing back to the beach till some of the sting goes out of the sun.

FLORENCE
Not our favourite place to visit. We caught the train from Certaldo and arrived at a very large mainly chaotic terminal. First impressions not the best but obtained a map and set off to see the Galleria dell 'Accademia first off as we had an appointment to see Michelangelo's David at 11.45 as we booked tickets online. This was the most impressive and only highlight of the days visit to Florence. The crowds were unbelievable and vendors everywhere all selling the same thing throughout the entire city. Decided to get a gelato, as you do, to brighten the day to be told that two small buckets cost 15 euro a total of $21. Word of warning always ask the price as the same thing in Siena was only 6 euro.
Florence for me has been marked 'not to be returned to'.

Above and below are pics of The Duomo(Cattedrale Di Santa Maria del Fiore)

Street leading up to The Duomo

The Ponte Vecchio - the oldest bridge in Florence. In 1500s butchers and tanners lined the bridge but today the descendants of goldsmiths and diamond cutters in medieval- looking boutiques sell the most expensive jewels.

Street vendors are everywhere.

ROME
Rome was next destination so we decided to leave the car at Orte and catch the train to Rome after hearing and reading about the streets and drivers of Rome. Chickens, you may be thinking but let me tell you once we got in the taxi from the train we knew instantly that we had made the right decision. Even the taxi driver(with good English) said that Rome drivers were mad.
Why Orte? well it was on the train line from Certaldo to Rome(the way we were heading) and far enough out of Rome not to get caught up in the mayhem of their roads.
Managed to get a car spot in white marked lines(free parking in Italy) but there was also some other sign that was not totally understood so needless to say the prayers were said so that the car would be there on our return.
We stayed in Trastevere, a suburb of Rome, 10 min max tram ride to the centre of Rome. Trastevere as it turned out is the sort after location for the Romans to live in with many restaurants - very quaint.

Just had a little break and did something very naughty. We went downstairs to the gelato bar at the front of the hotel and had the best gelato. Gail you are going to be jealous I had a small scoop of extra extra dark chocolate it was to die for among other flavours. 



Back to blog. Over the three full days we did all the usual touristy spots eg. Piazza Navona and the church of Saint Agnese in Agone,

        

 Pantheon and Piazza Della Rotonda,

,

trying to figure the next corner to turn in Piazza Della Rotonda   

 Trevi Fountain,

Some German tourists asked us to take their photo and them ours

Spanish Steps,

Street leading to the Spanish steps lined with very expensive shops

Top of the steps they were too busy to get a clear pic 

 Colosseum and some of the Roman Forum.

Very touristy sporting a hat bought from a side walk vendor

 Also it took us most of one day to see Vatican City with St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. This particular day started with us of course getting lost. We thought we had it sorted- got off the tram onto bus 64 but we found out at the end of the route that we had gone the wrong way. So instead of us being at Vatican city we were at the other side of Rome. It would be like, as Mez was saying, catching a bus at Gladesville thinking you were going to the city and ending up at Parramatta. Lucky we asked and were put on the right bus - got a good view of the streets of Rome our own private bus tour.
We also decided to get smart and to book the Vatican City tours online at a cost of an extra $6 each to avoid the queues only to find there were no queues at all except for the massive one in 200 degree heat to St Peter's and the pre booked tickets didn't work as all churches in Rome have free entry. Mez's comment ' no wonder the church in Rome is wealthy getting money for nothing' - too true.

The wall behind the alter of the Sistine Chapel. It was so very impressive but I imagined the chapel to be more showy.

Vatican Museum 

Watching over all the treasure of the Basilica

A rare pic of St Peter's without the massive crowds

To see Michelangelo's Pieta was worth every minute waiting, every bead of sweat in the heat. It unfortunately, since 1972, has to be protected by bullet-proof glass after an axe-wielding fanatic attacked it. It is truly a masterpiece.

We met some very helpful young Italians at a bar that we found where all the locals hangout- the only original bar still operating in Rome. The old Italian guys take their tables and sit in the middle of the small car park off the bar and play cards. It became our local as well before we went out to dinner each night-cheap beer and wine.
We had some great conversations with the locals and a few younger ones just graduated from Uni think that we (Australia) are a wise country looking to the future not like Italy - interesting.

Bar Calisto - just behind me is the car park where they all play cards- great find.

One evening, on local advice, we went to a restaurant- pizzeria. Had to queue up along the footpath at 9.45- everyone eats late in Italy they don't think of going out to dinner until at least 9. Haven't seen anything like this place before in my life. Hundreds of pizzas being made so fast it was an experience just to watch, people yelling orders, waiters running, wine and food being consumed by at least 400 people all at once and it was in the total control of two very assertive Italian Mummas. The atmosphere was electric and the goings on had to be seen to be believed.

Queuing for a seat(notice I am in most pictures on this post that's because Mez is the typical tourist with a camera in readiness on all occasions).

Rome is a lovely city and there is so much to see that it does not seem too crowded and touristy as other places even in peak season. After a busy few days we boarded the train back to Orte and to hopefully the car.
Boarding - what an experience- people pushing and shoving as if they needed to get on the last train out of a burning city, all with suitcases and here we were with two very large suitcases and backpacks. I tried to get the suitcases on the train while Mez held back the manic crowd. Two girls in their 20s were particularly pushy and all over us shoving us all the way to our seats. After settling into our designated seats I found that all the zips on my backpack had been undone and of course panic set in as to what was missing. Those prayers must have been answered on this day as nothing was taken. We think only for the fact that Mez kept one of them behind her and she couldn't get to me was what saved a certain disaster. So its not the usual suspects that you think are pick pockets.
And the car - yes it was there.

SENIGALLIA
Trip to Senigallia on the east coast was uneventful which was just lovely. We are in a coastal town not like anything back home. Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta don't have anything on this place but in a strange way it is really good as it is where all the Italians go for their annual holiday. Not much English is spoken as there are not too many tourists. The beach is about 10ks long and every inch is taken up with beach umbrellas and sun lounges, of all colours, all set out in neat rows with only a few gaps for the free parts where you don't pay to enjoy the water.

Mez relaxing o our allocated sun lounges

Rows and rows

Behind me one of the few free stretches of beach.

Vendors with their goods line the shore and are frequented by the locals who constantly stroll up and down.

Vendors on the beach - this was a rough day on the beach as the (nor easter) was blowing but only about hip deep miles out

 At the back of all this near the road there are all sorts of games that you can play if you feel energetic that are there to entertain you such as beach volleyball, half court basketball, soccer volleyball where you can only use your feet and head to propel the ball over the high net( very athletic), racquetball, sand bowls, sand boccie, lawn bowls on synthetic grass or as we saw today the old guys had created their own green on the hard wet sand. Every inch of land is taken up with competitions that attract the passing crowds to stop and watch. Yes, Jessie you and all those competitive souls that I know would love this place for a short time.

The oldies with their home made green

One of the many courts and games that are played

We look out of place here, every one looks at us as if we have two heads. Firstly we are probably the whitest on the beach, we don't speak the language and we really do not look like true Italians(probably because we aren't). I had to buy a bikini top at a local vendor didn't know if it would fit or if it would fall apart when wet(it was very cheap- $7). I couldn't wear my normal swimmers I was so out of place even the oldest wear two piece swimmers and they don't seem to care what they look like in fact they seem proud of who they are no matter what the shape. Its such a great way to be I would love it if we were like this in Aussie land.
So far we have spent our days people watching(one of my favourite pastimes) laying on the beach in the shade most of the time. Bike riding(hired bikes) as well, as they have special very wide lanes, as everyone rides a bike cars are not the norm.

Best view of me on our bikes heading to the supermarket to buy salad for dinner. This is a quiet time in the cycle lane.

Entrance to there area we had to go to on the beach because of the hotel we were in. Just so happens that we had green and gold umbrellas- meant to be.

Afternoon strolls by the locals

Even the umbrellas have to go to bed

We have had a very relaxing and interesting time here it has been good.
 Tomorrow we are heading to a small town outside Venice for two nights.
Hope you are all safe and well.
love Ann

Tuscany Photos + Pisa

Hi
Didn't get to put pics of our stay in Tuscany so have had five minutes to play with imovie and have put together a few pics of our time in Certaldo, Siena, Volterra and Gaiola- where the Abbey was that still makes wine. This is a very amateur attempt and only the second time I have played with it so forgive the beginnings of greater things to come -well into the future.

Life in Rome to be continued........

Ann
ps thanks Sim for last minute help
Just looked at video which is only pics strung together and sorry its not very clear. Need the professionals in for advise, saved it in imovie and shared it in itunes only under tiny movie maybe needed to do it under a larger size. Any advise greatly appreciated.
Ann

Chinque Terre and now Tuscany

Hi Everyone,
Been a while since last blog, not making any excuses but days are long and full and by the time we get back to base and have or make dinner have been on the exhausted side.
Spent a relaxing few days in Alessandria. Not many tourists visit this town and therefore not much English spoken.
We had lunch at a small cafe and were lucky to have an English speaking waiter and after the usual questions eg. where are you from he turned to us and said  "what are you doing in Alessandria" that probably explains what the place was like but suited us perfectly.
Mez did have some trouble when she tried to post some cards but the real problem was when she wanted to buy more stamps. Finally all resolved and someone is going to get a postcard hopefully before we return home. On the topic of postcards I tried to buy some and they didn't have any, no one to sell them to, the retailer would go broke.
Alessandria may have been still living behind the 20th century but in the hotel we had the best whizz bang shower I had been in but the only problem was I had to wear my glasses into the shower for the first time to work all the controls - not a good look, this getting old is the pits. One control was for the temp, one for the power of the shower nozzle and one for the power of the jet spray that came out from the walls. Of course I turned the wall jet spray first and got a face full - lots of laughs.

We have been good and stayed away from all the beautiful sweets of France and Italy but we were at dinner and the table near us knew we were struggling with the language and they indicated that we have to try this and it was profiterole bianci- scrumptious 

Heading from Alessandria we drove to the next stop for a few days and this was the very picturesque countryside of the Chinque Terre Region( five fishing villages that sit on the sides of the cliffs) and there is only driving access to two of them. Along with the most magnificent views comes of course the treacherous roads and the road took us through tunnel after tunnel and up and down the steepest cliffs.
We stayed in Monterosso, the first of the five if you are going south. A major problem with staying in these villages is there is nowhere to park. There was one parking station with about 100 spots max and other than that you park on the side of the road in the blue lines, if you can get a spot, all the way up the mountain for $3 an hour or park for free in the white lines 3ks away uphill. Parking cost us for the 3 days about $90. We had 3 nights there- first afternoon, after finally managing a park with the help of a good looking local boy we walked around the area to get a feel for the place and stumbled across a very old church, as you do everywhere in Italy, on a hill and with it the local cemetery - very interesting. First whole day was a little overcast and a few showers so we caught the train to each of the other 4 villages. They would have been so isolated years ago but are very touristy now but still all have their own individuality.  Monterosso is the only one with a flat beach area, two infact, one in the newer part and one in old town where we stayed, as all the others have cliff faces down to the water line. You can swim in all areas but Corniglia is the only one without harbour access. To get to Corniglia you have to walk up 382 steps that zigzag up the mountain. It was a big day lots of walking and lots of pics.

Just to prove we did the 382 steps if you get the magnifying glass out you can see it on the poster.

A typical scene from the many villages- very picturesque

Us first afternoon exploring the area 

Monterosso from near the small church we found on a hill

next fishing village next to Monterosso starting with V can't remember the name and its nearly midnight so I will look it up later( but lovely)

Typical shopping scene at all villages

This shows how the villages are situated on the cliffs and how the cliffs run into the ocean - magic

Next day beautiful sunshine and so headed to the beach early. Thought we would get a beach chair and umbrella, as we did in Santorini, but they were a little out of our price range $35 to sit on the beach so we joined the locals on the rocky sand and had a far more interesting time people watching. Water again crystal clear and beautiful temp. Of course you have to do the local shops over so the afternoon was spent wandering and then a few chinque wines at a local cafe that we ventured to each afternoon.
Monterosso was a very interesting and unusual place to visit.

Monterosso beach(old town) on quiet day on the local side

beautiful cross outside the lovely church we found on the hill

New Monterosso town in the background- with millions of umbrellas and underneath them sunlounges 

Friday morning the start of a new venture to a different region of Italy - the Tuscan area. Well this day did not start well. The GPS crashed within 2 minutes of turning it on and we were on our way up the mountain from Monterosso heading to Pisa of course to see the Leaning Tower. Found our way after much deliberation by using the old timers way of using the trusty map. Day went from not so bad to really bad after driving around and around Pisa asking lots of people, in broken English and Italian, where we could buy GPS and finally finding one and paying a fortune for one not as good, I clipped the
gutter and we got a flat tyre. 84euro later we were on our way again - I didnt mention that the only rain for days was a heavy shower while waiting on the side of the road just to make things seem a little more dismal. A simple trip took all day but we finally ended up in a small hotel in Certaldo a good location in the Tuscan Region. Oh, by the way we did see the leaning tower and I must admit I was not in the mood to sight see but I could not believe the gradient of the lean on this tower- amazing. Not a good day to say the least.


So far we have been here in Tuscany for 4 nights and are staying one more then heading to Rome on Wednesday morning.
We have spent a day in Siena(caught the train-much more relaxing). It is a lovely town and the major piazza(square) is enormous. They actually have a famous horse race, called The Palio, in this piazza in 2 weeks time where hundreds of thousands of people come to watch, the pictures around the place are fabulous. We found a magnificent cathedral - the Duomo of Siena. As we turned into the piazza that the cathedral dominates there were all these random people(tourists) sitting on the steps singing hymns, it was not staged just happened then they all went on their way. We went for a look and were simply amazed at the intricate workmanship of this absolutely beautiful cathedral-Mez was actually impressed for a non churchy.
Day 2 - decided to go for a drive off the beaten track ( are we gluttons for punishment or what?) but anyway we got back in the car and headed for Chianti Country. The staff at the hotel are very friendly and one of them suggested that we go up to a small town called Gaiole in Chianti to see a 12th century Abbey, called Badia a Coltibuono, that has wine tours every hour. After many hours of driving through beautiful country side we arrived at the Abbey on a mountain possibly the highest elevation of our trip so far besides of course the mountains at Mt Blanc. It was so worth the road trip up and of course back. Had a tour through the old Abbey and they are still a wine producing concern today producing about a million bottles of chianti wine a year. I even stayed for half of the Sunday mass service.


Today we went to a lovely fortress town called Volterra. Driving there today we went through the most beautiful countryside I think I have ever seen. Rolling hills of yellow and green fields, ancient old homes atop the cliffs surveying their livelhood and meandering roads that casually roamed around everywhere - as Mez said"postcard perfect ". The town itself was corridor after corridor of very old buildings, lively cafes and restaurants and not so many tourists. We chose to go to this town and not a very similar one, and more touristy, close by here called San Gimignano. San G has been described as a medieval disneyland and is full of tourists the lady at the hotel recommended Volterra so thats where we went. Good choice.


Heading to Florence tomorrow by train to of course see David.


Have not had time to download pics from camera of Tuscany so will keep you posted.
love to all