Lu-blee-yah-nah

This spring has been an interesting one (no special thanks to a certain crazy dictator) and we needed a weekend get away to catch up on r&r and quality spouse time. We took advantage of a brief window of time and spent 48 hours in Ljubljana, Slovenia (see the phonetic guide in the title).

In light of recent activities and our usual pace of traveling, this trip was the most laid back and relaxed one yet! We stayed in a beautiful hotel, meandered around the city, and spent time soaking up the spring air. The first afternoon we rode the funicular up to the Ljubljana castle and watched a short 3D presentation on the history of Slovenia. Yes, it is that fascinating... But the lookout tower did provide some excellent views of the city!

Funicular to the top of the castle hill

Looking down from the lookout tower into a main section of the old town

View from the top

On our way back to Italy, we stopped in Postojna (Post-oy-nia) for the afternoon. A few kilometers from the town we toured the Predjama (still not sure how to pronounce it correctly) Castle. This unique castle is fun to explore since it is built into the side of the cliffs. Different sections of the castle date from different periods and the tour offers an interesting architectural history of the area. Plus, part of the castle is up inside the cliffs/caves! Neat!

In front of the castle

The area in front of the castle is used to host a Medieval festival each year.
This is the jousting arena

Climbing into cave...in the castle!

Bad lighting, but an interesting concept to have a castle in a cave

Our last stop in Slovenia was the Postojna cave. The 21 kilometers of stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstones have been hosting visitors since 1818. It was chilly, but absolutely amazing! Photography was not allowed, so check out the website to catch a glimpse.

After almost a full year without Thai food, we chowed down in Ljubljana on some excellent cuisine. Coupled with much needed time away, interesting sites, and an absolutely beautiful drive through a one-of-a-kind country, Slovenia quickly became one of our favorite spots! We can't wait to get back and explore more.

Ciao

Firenze

We kicked off 2011 with two separate trips to Florence, with both friends and family. We took a 3 day weekend in January with Dave and Lynn Gertiser then returned to meet the Cienskis - Jo, Todd, and Alma - in February.

By the Arno River

On the first trip, we drove the Fiat down and learned what people mean when they say driving around Florence is crazy. Without Dave's iPhone we would probably still be lost in the back streets to this day. But once we arrived we were treated to a lovely hotel and great sushi next door. We hit the town Saturday and Sunday and toured the Uffizi gallery and the Duomo.
The Uffizi gallery is home to many great pieces of Renaissance art, including numerous paintings by Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. We enjoyed seeing all the wonderful paintings that we had learned about in art appreciation classes.

Us with the Duomo in the background

The Cathedral of Florence, or the Duomo, is one of the most iconic sites in Florence. Decorated with white, green, and pink marble, the facade of the Duomo is unlike any other church in Italy. We hiked to the top, passing the inside of the dome where we were able to see the ceiling paintings up close. The views from the top were breathtaking and we enjoyed the panoramic perspective of this beautiful city. We wrapped up our trip with a stop by the Basilica of Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli are buried. All in all it was a great weekend of culture, wine, and great friends.

Caleb, Jordan, Dave, and Lynn from the top of the Duomo

In February, we returned to Firenze to meet Todd, Jo, and Alma for a quick visit before returning to Sacile. They took the train up from Rome and we drove down, this time with more luck than before. It was a short trip, but packed with Florentine culture.

The bridge with shops on it is the Ponte Vecchio,
You can see the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio on the right

Our first stop was the Academia, the home of The David. Even after seeing photos, the statue is more stunning and impressive than one can imagine. A stroll through the leather markets took us back to the Duomo. This time, it was the fam's turn to scale the 460+ steps to the top as we waited for them at the bottom.

Jo, Todd, and Alma in front of the Duomo

The Duomo as seen from the Palazzo Vecchio

The next day we toured the Palazzo Vecchio, former home of the Medicis and the current city hall of Florence. While Todd, Jo, and Alma toured the Uffizi, we strolled through the chocolate festival in the Piazza Santa Croce. Although it was a quick visit, we couldn't pass up the chance to spend time in one of our favorite cities.

Inside the main hall of the Palazzo Vecchio

The chocolate market in front of the Basilica of Santa Croce

Ciao!

Praha

Since we did not have enough time to make it home to our families for Christmas, Caleb and I, along with two other couples, decided to travel to the beautiful city of Prague. Known for their elaborate Christmas markets and celebrations, Prague had a lot in store for the six of us!

We arrived late Wednesday night and took a cab over to our hotel. Preparing for three days of fun, we hit the hay early and awoke on Thursday morning to explore the city. Good thing we brought our sweaters with us...it was COLD! We began by exploring the Christmas markets in Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square. It was a wonderland of Christmas trees, sparking lights, and fair food! We sampled everything from the Trdelnik to pork, with a lot of hot, spiced wine in between (we had to stay warm somehow!!). Next, we decided to take a hike over the Charles Bridge and up to the Prague Castle. Unfortunately the view wasn't too good since a thick layer of cold fog enveloped the city. It was still beautiful to see Prague from a new angle, and the walking kept us warm! We ventured back down to our neck of the woods, hopped in a cab, and went to a delightful dinner at a place called The Pub. There were taps located on every table with a "serve-it-yourself" policy. A little overwhelmed by the excellent food and beer (there were 3 pork knees eaten), we walked back to the hotel and slept like babies!

Caleb and me in Old Town Square

Jan Hus Memorial in Old Town Square

Opposite side of Old Town Square

View of foggy Prague from the castle

Charles Bridge

Taps on our table at The Pub

Church of Our Lady Before Týn in Old Town Square on our walk back

Because the people of the Czech Republic celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December, we spent both the 24th and 25th leisurely walking around the city, enjoying the festivities, and eating delicious food. The Jewish Quarter was especially beautiful, and we ate incredible dinners both evenings to celebrate Christmas.

A synagogue in the Jewish Quarter

Trdelnik stand

They are making the Trdelnik...which is basically a doughnut type dough,
wrapped around a long wooden pole and covered in cinnamon
and sugar while being roasted over an open flame. YUM

Merry Christmas 2011

Although the weather left much to be desired, we enjoyed every moment we spent in Prague and would go back in a heart beat...and hopefully when the sun is shining and we can leave our coats at home!

Ciao!

Chocolate and Cheese and Snow-Chains...oh my!! (Switzerland, day 3)

The third day of our Swiss adventure started with a morning drive to St. Moritz. We arrived shortly after lunch, ate a great meal, and went off to explore. The town was absolutely beautiful and each business was busily preparing for the opening of ski season...which happened to be the day after we were leaving! Christmas decorations adorned many windows and the mountains glistened with freshly fallen snow. It was the most quiet, beautiful day to enjoy the town.

Mom and Dad in front of a hotel in town

Caleb and Dad

Caleb and I

Beautiful town of St. Moritz

After a day of exploring, we decided to eat dinner in our hotel. We shared a great meal and headed back out to see St. Moritz at night. We all agreed to enjoy a glass of wine in our room and then turn in for the night. It was such a relaxing day and we were so glad to see this part of Switzerland.

Getting ready for Christmas in the town

We awoke the next morning to snow! A lot of snow! A little wary of the drive home, we thought it best to get on the road early. After heeding the advice of the hotel manager, we drove to the nearest gas station to buy snow chains. It was a treacherous drive that took twice as long as normal, so we were very thankful for the snow chains and Caleb's expert driving!

Caleb and Dad putting the snow chains on. Mom and I were such a big help
sitting in the car and taking pictures.

Switzerland was such a treat and we were excited to have my parents experience the Alps covered in snow. We breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching a much drier Sacile, but were so thankful for such a wonderful trip.

Ciao!