Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Bologna, not just for sandwiches

In my second trip to Bologna, once last December, it was everything I remember, mostly out of this world food.  I was able to explore a little more this time though since more things were open with it not being so close to Christmas.  Kay and I had a good time at the Mid-evil Museum, located conveniently across from where we were staying.   There were many things on display, some from the 3rd century.  Now that is old!  With a little shopping added in, we went to Franko Rossi, the only restaurant I will go to in Bologna, for dinner one night.  The food was so good Kay almost died.  It was like nothing I have ever eaten, at least since the last time I was there.  Mr. Rossi was on hand of course and full of good spirits and kind words, in Italian.  We are getting closer to our return date.  Kay and I will fly home September 25 and I will see many of you sometime after that.  Enjoy the pictures and try not to lick the screen.

Ciao

One of the churches in Bologna.  It is Italy, there are several.

A cool mural, of Latin American history, on a wall in Bologna, Italy.  Can't explain it but still thought it was well done.  This was by the University.

They have their own leaning tower in Bologna.  It had posted that they just found official city documents when this was constructed.  They are still learning more about why it leans.

The Palace.  There is one in every city.

Shoes women used to wear in mid-evil times to seem taller.  No more complaining ladies.

Cool sarcophagus.


They love the Madonna.

Some serious rings.  Makes the super bowl rings seem small.

Hand pistols on display.

A tomb of one of the knights of the period.

A knights' shield that has him and his horse painted on it while fighting a dragon.

Some armor of the period.

Some of the swords... 

that were identifiable by the handle having the owning knights head built into it.


Have to keep your horses safe.

These rifles were so intricate with detail. 

This is just the stock.


The detail went all the way down the barrel.

All of these rifles are from the third century.  That is the "200's" for those keeping score at home.

Another of the churches we got to see.  Every piece has detail carved into it.

First course, vegi flan with artichokes for Kay and potato with saffron and pashuto for me.

Second course, pumpkin tortellini in a butter sauce for Kay, Jeff got rigatoni with a Bolognese style sauce that Kay wanted to bath in.

Third course, grilled lamb for Kay and beef cutlets with veggies for me.

Tiramisu.  Nothing else to say. 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Welcome to Italy

Kay and I started off our tour, together, of Italy in Venice.  She was instantly taken aback about 5 steps out of the train station.  If you have never been, getting off the train and walking out of the station in Venice is like few experiences, ever.  You walk out and there is the Grand Canal and several, large historic looking buildings that leave you a little breathless and with not much else to say but, WOW!

We maneuvered around to find our check in spot, not where we were staying, and then made our way to our apartment.  Getting off the train and carrying all our gear has been Kay's least favorite part of the trip, something I frequently remind her of when she wants to go shopping.

Her first taste of true Italian food left her, as it does most, weak in the knees and glad to be sitting.  She asked if it was all like this and I assured her that it was.  We didn't go on a gondola, but we did ride the water taxi all over including out to Movano to see the glass making factory.  Our luck with short lines continued and we didn't have to wait anywhere.   The weather was fantastic, although we did get a bit of a rain storm one evening that did come with some really nice lightening.

More to come about Italy.  I hope I get it all in since we are going to be returning home in about a week.  I am really looking forward to seeing everyone and watching some Duck domination and some NFL, at least at a normal hour, not 2:00 am.

Ciao

The Piazza San Marco.  The most famous Piazza in Venice with the Royal Palace and great clock tower that seems to lean and a HUGE space filled with people from all over.


Kay and I in the Piazza San Marco.  I am getting really good at iPhone pictures.

The Grand Canal.  In the background you can see one of the famous churches.  Review from previous blogs for names and pictures.

A little bit of Venice traffic.  Kay now understands by what I mean when I said, "no roads".

The rain got a little wild our second night but the lightening show was pretty impressive and continuos for about 20-30 minutes.

A side canal just outside our apartment on the second floor.

The fresh fish market.  It is really big and you can find any kind of fish, caught fresh and brought in that day.

Any kind of fish!

No Kay, there is not a tre piato.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Kay the "Top of Europe"

Well since Kay has arrived we have officially begun our tour of Europe.  After a short stint in Amsterdam, seeing the Van Gogh and Anne Frank museums, we headed south to Interlaken, Switzerland.  This is an amazingly beautiful city.  Just walking around town you have mountain after mountain to look up at and are situated between two of the most clean, blue, glassy looking lakes you will ever see.

Just when you think though that you are staring at the Alps, you find that these are just foothills and aren't the Alps at all.  We traveled by train to Jongfurjoch which is called the Top of Europe and that is a pretty accurate description.  We climbed and climbed and after a couple of train switches we reached the top, 11,332 feet.  We walked all around the observatory buildings that they have constructed up to allow people to be able to view and learn about the mountain and how it came to be possible for the public to view it up close.  The train service that takes you up there just turned 100 years old last month and still goes strong today.  To say the view was breath taking would not even begin to do justice to what we witnessed today.  After checking everything out, we even walked out onto the glacier and hiked up a little further to put ourselves over 11,700 feet.  I actually saw a plane flying, below where we were standing.  It was something, that although a little spendy and requiring me to be at the train station at 6:30 am, was more then worth the price and the experience was something I may never repeat.  Well enjoy the pictures and hopefully they will do a little justice to how special this experience was.

Off to Italy tomorrow.  YEAH!

Ciao

Kay and I at the Heineken Experience.  

The view from right outside our hostel window.

What we thought were mountains that surround the town of Interlaken.  Wrong!

Cruising around on the eastern lake, Thunersee.

These are the Alps, on the train on our way to the top.

Almost there.  Yes those are the clouds I am looking down on.

Now that is the top of Europe. 

Hello glacier.  

Inside the mountain they have created several exhibits to see, one being a whole section made entirely of ice.

Some ice sculpted eagles.

Ice Sherlock Holmes in honor of his book that involved him coming to the Jongfur.

Just some crates of whiskey being kept cold.

Whew!

Kay and I with a nice backdrop.

As we began the climb up the glacier.

The mountains never seemed to end.

The view down.

Another one of the "Horns" with a little Swiss pride.


I know they all look the same but I can assure you, each picture is of a different mountain range.


This is the very top, just over 11,700 ft or over 3,000 meters for the metric fans.  Just doesn't sound as cool to me though.

Felt I deserved a picture for reaching the top.  Let me tell you a short distance is very hard with no oxygen to keep you going.

From the top of the trail and all the folk who have a little more climbing to go.

A climbers hotel.  I wasn't really open for climbing several thousand feet to get back to my hotel everyday.

The thing at the top of this peak is one of the observatories.

About half way down.  Still pretty great.

A short movie to help explain the sheer massiveness of the Alps.