Chocolate and Cheese and Snow-Chains...oh my!! (Switzerland, day 2)

Early Monday morning, the Cienski/Stubbs clan climbed back into the car to explore more of Switzerland. Destination: Zurich!

After a short drive north, we arrived just in time for the sun's debut. Zurich provided the perfect backdrop for pictures, shopping, and warm soup for lunch! We enjoyed walking around and reading a little history about the city.

Beautiful city

Dad by the riverside, the Grossmunster in the background

Caleb and I riverside, the Wasserkirche in the background

In front of St. Peters Kirche

Due to the sunshine and beautiful weather, we decided to head back to Luzern early and spend the remainder of the day hiking around the outskirts of the city. We were able to capture some fantastic views of the Alps, and enjoy a brisk stroll before grabbing dinner and calling it a night.

Mom and Dad in front of Lake Lucerne and the Alps

Luzern and the Alps

Caleb and me in front of a chocolate store with a Christmas tree!

Another successful day only meant one thing; we were exhausted! Day 3 awaited, so we gladly turned in to get our beauty sleep.

Ciao!

Chocolate and Cheese and Snow-Chains...oh my!! (Switzerland, day 1)

While my parents were visiting Italy, we decided to take a trip to Switzerland to experience the Alps all covered in snow. And what an adventure it was! The Fiat isn't exactly a road-trip warrior (especially when the weather is less than perfect), so two days after we returned from Rome we rented a "SUV" (Italian style, of course!), piled in, and headed out to Luzern, Switzerland.

We arrived mid-afternoon on Sunday into one of the most quaint little cities we have come across. Luzern is adorable! All decorated for Christmas with a lake cutting the city in half, it is the perfect place to walk around and take in all that Swiss culture has to offer. We wasted no time, traversing all over to see the Chapel Bridge (the oldest wooden bridge in Europe), the Lowendenkmal (a large lion monument carved out of a sandstone cliff to honor the Swiss Guards who defended the Palais des Tuieries in Paris in 1792), and Weinmarkt Square. The biting air left us chilled to the bone, so we stopped in an English Pub for some gluhwein and then continued on to enjoy a traditional Swiss fondue dinner feast!

In front of the Chapel Bridge

My parents on the Chapel Bridge

Lowendenkmal Monument

Luzern

Taking a break to warm up!

On our way back to the hotel, we were stopped in our tracks by a fierce racket. Around the corner appeared the beginning of a Christmas parade traditionally held in Luzern a few times a week leading up to Christmas day. But instead of horns and drums, the sounds were coming from over-sized cowbells and large whips. It was quite an interesting sight to see...and to hear!

Men and children carrying giant stars in the parade

One of many groups of cowbell ringers

Day 1 in Switzerland was a success!! There was so much more to see and experience, so it was early to bed and early to rise in preparation for day 2 of our adventure...

Ciao!

Pompeii and Positano

After two days in the Eternal City we decided to venture south. We caught a train headed for Naples, prepared for a day in Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Although the weather wasn't ideal, the little rain did not slow us down.

Pompeii is a captivating sight. Once a thriving port and trading town, it is now the most famous and one of the best preserved Roman cities. Covered in 27 feet of ash after the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD, the city has been slowly excavated and is now an excellent example of life in the Roman Empire. Our pictures don't do it justice, but they're a glimpse of the wonderful sights of Pompeii.

Looking down a road in Pompeii. The large stones
served as both crosswalks and ancient speed bumps.

Linda in her native habitat... an old bakery with flour
grinders still standing.


One of the most interesting things we saw... this is an
ancient lunch counter where Romans could sample the
soup du jour.
Us in the amphitheater.

The four of us in the town center.

From Pompeii, our guide drove us to a little restaurant in Positano. He assured us it would provide the perfect setting for an Italian Thanksgiving feast; we were skeptical, but he was driving, so we were more-or-less a captive audience. Five courses of the best food we've had in Europe, many bottles of great wine, and an indescribable view proved him correct. It was a Thanksgiving to be remembered.

The view from our table.

The entrance to the restaurant.

The beach in Positano

Stuffed to the rafters, we walked off some of the dinner in Positano and Sorrento, a town farther up the coast. It was still chilly and somewhat drizzly, but the weather could not dampen our time on the Amalfi Coast. Looks like we have a vacation spot for better weather next summer!

Ciao

Roma!

November gave us a lot to be thankful for... Linda and Lee came to visit! They arrived the Sunday before Thanksgiving and we picked up the travelers at Marco Polo airport. No rest for the weary as we left for Rome bright and early Tuesday morning. We boarded the fast train and introduced our guests to the ambiance of Italian rail travel.

We arrived in Rome that afternoon and, after dropping our things off at the hotel, set off to explore. After a scheduling hiccup, we decided to walk and familiarize ourselves with our corner of the Eternal City. With Rick Steves as our guide, we were able to see many of Rome's most picturesque sights, including the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, the Four Rivers fountain, and the Spanish Steps. We finished the day, tired from walking, with a good dinner and an early night to bed.

In front of the Spanish Steps

Lee and Linda throwing their coins into the Trevi Fountain

Refreshed, we awoke Wednesday morning to conquer ancient Rome. Our first stop was Victor Emmanuel's monument, Trajan's column and the adjacent market. Trajan's forum was an extension of the old forum, built when the city of Rome outgrew the original city center. Across the street the glory and intrigue of the once-great empire met us in the forum. We strolled the ancient grounds as we viewed buildings dating from 497 BC. A bit of imagination and Rick Steves' guide allowed us to imagined what it must have looked like in its prime. We exited the forum and made our way past the arches of Titus and Constantine to the Colosseum.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument (The wedding cake building)

Trajan's column and forum

Once home of gladiator games and pitched (albeit man-made) sea battles, the Colosseum remains impressive even in its decay. During its time, 51,000 roaring Romans packed the stands. Only 1/3 of the Colosseum remains, but the remains allow you to visualize the grand construction of the ancient world's most famous sporting venue. From the colosseum we caught a cab back to the hotel for lunch and a quick riposo before the afternoon's activities.

In the Colosseum

Shortly after lunch, we met our tour guide at the Vatican for a private tour of the Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St Peter's basilica. Lucky for us our tour guide, had 42 years of experience and was able to give insights and details that made the whole experience spectacular. We made our way through the museum and entered the Sistine Chapel, completely renovated and beautiful. Our final stop was St Peter's basilica, where we were blown away by the size, wealth, and beauty of the church. Interestingly, all the works of art on the walls and ceilings are mosaics, though they could easily pass for frescoes. We exited through St Peter's square and walked out of one of the world's smallest countries to find a taxi.

The alter in St Peter's basilica

St Peter's Square

St Peter's square at sunset

Back in our neighborhood, we strolled by the Trevi fountain at night to see it illuminated. A few glasses of wine and one excellent meal later and - basta - we were ready to hit the hay. Thursday included a day trip (which we'll cover in another post) and was another great day of sightseeing.

The Pantheon at night

Lee and Linda at the Trevi Fountain at night

Friday morning we returned to the ancient city center, this time to see the Palatine hill. As we toured the gardens and palaces of the Caesars, we enjoyed the lofty position (literally) to see the Circus Maximus and gaze down upon the forum. There, we also saw the caves and huts of Romulus and Remus, the birthplace of Rome. We hurried back to our hotel and then to the train station to catch our train just in time. A short train ride later we arrived in chilly northern Italy with good photos and great memories.

Ave Cesare! Lee standing in the location of Caesar's throne

View of the Colosseum from the Palatine

The splendor of the Forum from the Palatine

Rome wasn't built in a day, but it can be toured in three. Our whirlwind visit allowed us to see the best Rome had to offer and gave us a better understanding of Italian history.

We came, we saw, we conquered... Ciao!