On the Road in Italy: Pisa

While driving through Italy, my parents and I decided to take a pit stop in Pisa to look at the iconic leaning tower. The leaning tower is the bell tower for the cathedral in Pisa. The tower has been unsteady since construction began in 1173; however, the tower was built over the course 344 years. It slowly continued to tilt over the years. There have been efforts to stabilize the tower in recent years; this corrected the angle from 5.5 degrees to 3.99 degree. So there is little chance that the tower will come crumbling down, despite its tipsy appearance. 

I am not sure about this hostel that does not allow dogs, but bears are no problem... I guess the no dog policy keeps the bears from getting rowdy.

12th century city walls. 

My mom holding up the tower!

We had to take a few touristy photos!

My dad holding up the tower.

I decided to relax while holding up the tower!

Very tall and very impressive monument. It was such a fun and beautiful day (a bit hot for my taste, but clear blue skies)!

<3 Amy

On the Road in Italy: Menaggio, Italy on Lake Como

One of my favorite recent trips was an overnight stay in Menaggio, Italy. It is on Lake Como, which is absolutely breathtaking. We went here based on a recommendation from my boss and I am so glad we did. 

Our short stay involved walking along the water and enjoying the view.  However, we made sure to eat pasta, drink wine, and enjoy an evening gelato.

The lake is the deepest in Europe (over 1300 feet) and was created by glacial activity. It has been a vacation destination since the Roman times and attracts people from around the world today.

I was lovin' this little seaplane that we saw takeoff on our morning stroll!

The drive to and from the city was full of amazing views of the water and surrounding mountains. It was comprised of winding tiny roads that were hard to maneuver, but worth the stress for the beautiful landscape! 

<3 Amy 

On the Road in France: Nice

Earlier this spring, my parents and I made a quick overnight stop in Nice, France. While we were not there long, it was still a nice little visit. I had visited the city a few years earlier in the winter; so it was lovely to see it in nicer weather! 

We stumbled upon this adorably small car parked on the sidewalk. I can fully understand them resorting to this parking space, after having driven around looking for one myself!

We stopped in here for an afternoon break next to a fountain and these gorgeous purple trees!

The beaches of Nice had breathtaking views, but were a bit too crowded for my taste. Every other section is required to be open and free to the public, which is nice for those who are traveling on a budget. However, these sections are rocky and not as nice. The private sections, usually belonging to hotels, have sand, umbrellas, and lounge chairs 

Nice has a few streets that really come alive when the weather is nice. There are cafes, restaurants, shops, and plenty of ice cream for those perusing the area! It is a great stop along the French Riviera for those who are traveling in the area.

<3 Amy

On the Road: Liechtenstein

On our drive from Germany to Italy we took a detour that would allow us to visit the very tiny alpine country of Liechtenstein. We all set new records of having visited five different countries in one day (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Italy). It is a very small (61 square miles) German-speaking country with a population of 35,000 people. It is a constitutional monarchy headed by Prince Hans Adam II.

The border crossing was this very simple bridge with the different flags on either side separating the two nations.

Liechtenstein is the only country to have its entire area within the Alps and it shows with a beautiful mountainous landscape. Its terrain makes it a desire winter vacation destination.

I am so happy we decided to take this detour to one of the tiny countries of Europe. I have been able to visit three now (Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Monaco) and all have been delightfully charming. Even the smallest of countries have a lot to offer!

<3 Amy

On the Road in Germany: Tübingen

It has been a very busy last few weeks. I have been lucky enough to do some traveling with my parents! We had such an amazing time. The highlight of the trip was a visit back to my favorite city in Europe, Tübingen, Germany. I spent a year studying here from 2008 to 2009 and fell in love with the city and all of the people I met there. It is so lovely!  I try to go back and visit as often as possible. 

Tübingen is a beautiful German city located in Baden-Württemberg. It is a bustling little university city; the student population makes up about a quarter of the total population. The university was established in 1477 and the town dates back to the Middle Ages. The city is well preserved because it was left largely unscathed during the Second World War. It is a city that has so much history and culture. I cannot wait for future visits. 

We were able to rent an apartment for the weekend that was right on the Neckar river in a house that is 700 years old! It is the rust-colored house that is six houses in from the right. The boats on the river are called Stocherkahn, which are punt boats and are very popular in the area. Some of the locals even install small barbecues in their boats to have lunch while floating down the river on a sunny afternoon.

We were able to enjoy some delicious Swabian foods. We had dinner at die Wurstküche (sausage kitchen), which is highly recommended! Of course a traditional German meal often goes well with one of the local freshly brewed beers, which there are plenty of throughout the area.

If you ever have the chance to visit this area of Germany, I highly recommend a visit to this delightful little city. It has so much character and will surely not disappoint.

<3 Amy

On the Road in Germany: Hohentuebingen Castle

Hohentuebingen Castle

When Amy took us to her old stomping ground, Tübingen, Germany, we went up the hill to the castle which is used by the University of Tübingen for various purposes--including archery practice.  It may be difficult to see, but I am shooting at a brown, straw target.

Minerva with Her Gorgon Shield and Her Sacred Owl--The Goddess of Wisdom

It is also home to the classics department.  This is my kind of castle. 

Gutters of Freiburg, Revisited

Amy enjoying the gutters of Freiburg

Yesterday, I wrote all about the gutters of Freiburg with a pretty boring shot of the gutters.  Then Amy sent me this one, and I just had to post it.  She really, really likes these gutters.

On the Road in Germany: Bebenhausen Abbey

Blue Sheep at Bebenhausen Abbey

While we were staying in Tuebingen, we went to Bebenhausen Abbey which is on the outskirts of the city.  We took lots of pictures, including silly poses which hopefully will come soon.  Our new header was also taken at Bebenhausen!  This old monastery was beautiful and worthy of many photos.  And it was also full of statues of blue sheep.  We have no idea why and never actually bothered to ask anyone.    But here they are, in all their splendor!

On the Road in Germany: Freiburg

Gutter system, Freiburg, Germany

I do not have any photos of Freiburg because my camera batteries died, but this one is from Geri (mother of Amy)'s Facebook (thanks!).  We spent a day driving through the Black Forest (it was Grimm... rim shot?).  The place was beautiful.  The trees went on for days and probably prickled the clouds.  Our destination was Freiburg, a large city on the edge of the Black Forest.  It seems to really just pop up out of nowhere.  Between the hills and the forest around it, I was amazed that this city has been there since the twelfth century.  Though the area is famous for its wine (we visited just before a festival!), what we all liked best about it was the system of small gutters that runs all through the city.

These gutters, or bächle, date back to the middle ages.  The water that runs through them comes from the river Dreisam as well as the rain run-off from the streets.  It was once used to nourish livestock and put out fires.  Though one might assume this was a modern usage for an antiquated sewer system, these street level gutters were always utilized in this way.  Apparently, even in the middle ages there were severe fines for disposing of undesirable materials in the gutters.

I cannot really put my finger on why we were all so charmed by these gutters.  It was kind of like having a little river follow you around the whole city.  The water really was crystal clear, as well.  We saw children putting their feet in to cool off and even pulling toy boats in the small streams!  I have never seen anything quite so quaint.

On the Road in Germany: Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle as seen from Marienbrücke

On the border of Bavaria and Austria lies a picturesque castle, like something ripped from a fairy tale.  While Amy has much better photos to show you later, this photo captures something very special about our journey to Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for Disney's portrayal of Sleeping Beauty's abode.

We decided to go to the castle on the second day of our trip, despite it being a bit out of the way.  Though Amy and her parents could have gone at another point during their travels, they were gracious enough to go out of their way to take me!  We went down winding roads for hours before coming to a detour sign a 30-minute drive from the castle.  All we could do was turn and hope for the best.  While our GPS, dubbed "Carol", repeatedly told us to turn around, we kept driving.  Carol offered no assistance but a big old green arrow instructing us to go back where we came from.  Eventually, though, we found another road and we were back on track.  We were not even that behind schedule!  As we approached our destination, I pointed at a huge mass of scaffolding in the distance.  "Is that it?"

It was.  We reached the village of Hohenschwangau in the valley below the castle and could see little for all of the scaffolding.  We inquired about a tour and discovered that it would be two hours until we could even get into the castle.  We decided that even if it was covered in scaffolding and we could not enter, we would go up to see the castle.  We took a bus up to where we were told it was a 15 minute walk to the castle.  One trail marker directed us to the castle, the other to a bridge with an excellent vantage point.  We hoped that we could see something other than construction.  

When I saw Marienbrücke, the bridge with a view, I was so excited.  It was full of people but clearly would be the best way to see the castle.  

Then I set foot on the bridge itself.  

The flimsy wooden boards under my feet creaked and buckled with each step*.  I foresaw myself falling through into the waterfall below.  I took stock and realized that if it were a more rushing waterfall, maybe I would land just beyond it and swim to shore.  But as it stood, I imagined falling to my death on the rocks far under my feet.  I gripped the metal railing, and held on for dear life.  This is coming from someone who is not even afraid of heights.  I am not afraid of being up high in a well-supported structure.  I relish it sometimes!  Some of my fellow travelers never enjoy heights, even in a very sturdy, enclosed building.  Amy gave me her camera and sent me out to take pictures.  But somehow, she swallowed her fear and made it to the middle of the bridge so that this photo could be snapped of us!  So yes, we look awful.  We looked terrified.  And rightly so!  Nevertheless, I love this photo because it reminds me how good it felt to overcome everything that day and see this beautiful castle.

*Nota bene: Upon further inspection, we probably would not have fallen to our deaths.  There was apparently a lot of steel under our feet, plenty of girders and what-have-you.  However, it did not feel like that at the time.  

Little Friends on the Road

I made the acquaintance of these three lovely individuals in one day of our trip!  

Bebenhausen Kloster (near Tuebingen, Germany)

Bebenhausen Kloster (near Tuebingen, Germany)

Schloss Hohentuebingen (Tuebingen, Germany)

On the Road in Germany: Nuremberg

Half-Timbered Houses in Nuremberg, Germany

Amy and I spent this past week traveling around Germany with her parents.  Though I am back in Prague for the next 19 days, Amy is still on the road.  We are going to try to post one picture from each place we visit as well as some longer posts about some things.  Our first stop was Nuremberg where we walked around the city for an evening in our quest for food.   When we went to Nuremberg this Christmas, we had a lot of difficulty finding somewhere to eat dinner.  Reliving that experience, we wondered: Why are there not more German restaurants in Germany?

It's a beautiful city to explore, but be sure to have a few dinner locations planned in advance!