Time for travel again!

[Eagle]

I decided to take my trip to Europe in the spring this year (rather than the fall as in past years), and will be leaving tomorrow! The change of schedule this year was mostly driven by my employment situation, which is a bit "chaotic" at the moment. A major restructuring is underway, and I may not be able get any holiday time in the fall. I figured if I wanted a trip at all this year, i'd better do it now! Several of my colleagues are also taking holidays this spring (albeit more of a "domestic" nature), as we have no idea what sort of schedule we'll be working after August/September.

This year my trip will begin with a two week tour of Southern Italy, Amalfi Coast, etc. (I won't mention the name of the tour company, but most of you can probably guess!). I've been finding lately that a combination of a guided tour along with some self-guided travel seems to fit well with my travel style. In that particular part of Italy a tour seemed to make sense, as the transportation links are are a bit "sparse" in places. The tour covers a lot of ground in a short time frame, so it seems like a very efficient way to see that area (especially since my time is somewhat limited this year). The tour ends in Naples, and it will be interesting to see whether they have the "trash problem" resolved?

I leave for Bella Roma early tomorrow morning (Apr. 18). After the tour ends, I'll be on my own for a bit in northern Italy, and then a few stops in Austria and finally back to Munich for a return visit.

I've bought a new Camera for this trip (and future travels), and while I'm not completely up to speed with the operation yet, hopefully I'll be able to get some good photos (I will be taking the instruction manual along!). It's the same brand as my other Camera, so the controls are quite similar (although of course the new one has more "bells & whistles").

Time to get the Backpack loaded! I'll try to check the Boards when possible and provide updates on this Thread.

Cheers!

[WillTravel]

Eagle, you can't go wrong with Italy!

That sounds like a great trip. I look forward to hearing more.

Buon viaggio!

[Eagle]

W.T., thanks for the note! As usual just prior to departure, I'm running at full speed trying to get everything ready and get packed. Of course, there's the usual mixed emotions too, a combination of apprehension and excitement. I'm sure that will pass once I sit down in the plane.

I've never flown out of Toronto (Pearson?) before, so the flights should be interesting. It's going to be a LONG travel day, and I probably won't be too energetic on arrival in Rome. I'll be staying in the Trastevere section of Rome for the first few days, so that will be a different part of Rome to explore.

Hopefully I'll be able to find a few Net Cafes, and will try to post a few updates. If there's any Wi-Fi, I can try using the I-Pod Touch, but it's very SLOW typing on that!

Ciao!

[WillTravel]

I enjoyed walking around Trastevere. When you get a chance, I'd like to hear about where you're staying there. It's often hard to find budget accommodation in Rome, although there are several good options.

[pointofnoreturn]

Ugh. Pearson. It's the equivalent of Heathrow in Canada, just only slightly better.

[Eagle]

Hello all, this will just be a quick update, as I only have a short time in the Internet Cafe tonight. While I haven't had any problem finding Net cafes, sometimes there are so many group activites on the tour, that it's hard to get a few spare minutes.

We had a great time in Rome, and the Trastevere area definitely has a different character than other parts of Rome. As usual, I just about wore out my feet and back walking around Rome, including one occasion where I got lost after visiting the Pantheon (followed my usual rule - when lost, get a Cab!).

After Rome we headed to Vieste, Alberobello and now Matera. On our last night in Vieste we were treated to an outstanding Rock concert and Fireworks (some kind of National Holiday?). Again in Alberobello yesterday, there was some kind of holiday as there were people everywhere! We did get a chance to see the Trulli houses though, and had an awesome Wine tasting and sample of local foods (Wines were served by a Sommelier).

The Sassi (Cave dwellings) in Matera are incredible, and our Hotel uses the same construction (it's on several levels). Tomorrow is going to be a LONG day as we head right across Italy to Positano on the Amalfi Coast. We'll be visiting a Buffalo Mozzarella farm tomorrow, to see how cheese is made. I had hoped to spend a day exploring the Isle of Capri, but unfortunately there's another National Holiday or something so the schedule has been changed. I may still get a few hours to explore?

This has been a very interesting trip so far, as this is a somewhat new area for me, somewhat "off the beaten track". After the tour ends in Napoli, I'll be heading for Verona and then Austria and Germany.

I'll post another note when I have an opportunity.

Cheers all!!!

[WillTravel]

Thanks for checking in Eagle - it sounds great to be in Italy.

[madamtrashheap]

Great to hear from you Eagle! And it sounds like you're having a fab time, despite those pesky public holidays (Spring seems to be loaded with them in Europe!). The 25th is Liberation Day in Italy and I suspect your trip to Capri has been affected by May Day (May1st) which is a big holiday in Europe - most things close down for the day, but I hope you still get to visit the island (the ferries still operate, albeit on a reduced schedule).

Looking forward to the next update!

[crystal]

Sounds like you're having a great time. Keep the posts coming!

[Eagle]

Hello again, this will be another quick update, as there's only one Internet point in the Hotel and I don't want to monopolize it for too long.

Our group has had an amazing time on this portion of the trip touring Positano, Sorrento and of course Vesuvius and Pompeii (I just about wore myself out climbing the hill to Vesuvius!). I managed a quick trip to Capri as well. We've just arrived in Napoli, but I haven't had any time to explore yet. We toured Pompeii yesterday - as MTH noted, today is a holiday so many of the sites are closed. The weather has been fantastic so far!

We've had excellent food during the trip, but I had one exceptional dining experience in Sorrento. The restaurant was called L'Antica Trattoria, and while it was somewhat on the pricey side, the food was incredible!

Our tour will be ending on Saturday, and I'll be heading for Verona. I'll try and find some extra time for a more lenghty update.

Ciao!

[madamtrashheap]

May 1, 2008 8:56:30 GMT -5 Eagle said:

I had one exceptional dining experience in Sorrento. The restaurant was called L'Antica Trattoria, and while it was somewhat on the pricey side, the food was incredible!

Great to hear from you again Eagle, and that you got to go to one of my favourite restaurants in Sorrento (I have a list!). Really happy for you that you made it to Capri as well, and how good is the view from Vesuvius, both out to sea and into the crater?!! Makes that last devilish climb worth it (are the guys with the walking sticks for rent still there?).

So glad to hear the tour has been fun, enjoy the last few days and then your own touring!

[Eagle]

MTH, yes, that restaurant in Sorrento is definetely going into my notes, as that´s one place I intend to return! I had a really nice visit with the owner and his Sons. On the night I visited the restaurant, there was a couple sitting next to me that were celebrating their 20th anniversary. I happened to see the cake being carried to their table just as I was leaving, and ended up stopping to take some pictures for them (with the cake and with the restaurant staff, incuding the musician). It was a wonderful end to a fantastic dinner!

My trip is now almost over! It´s hard to believe that almost a month has gone by; it´s been somewhat of a "blur"! I had a great time exploring Verona. During the time I was inside the Roman Amphitheatre, they were setting up the stages for Aida and I was able to watch some of the rehearsals. I met a very nice couple and ended up having dinner with them at a very unusual local restaurant that was somewhat "off the beaten track". They were a bit more adventurous than I was, and tried the horse meat with Polenta (I stayed with the old favourite, baked Lasagna).

After Verona, I headed for Salzburg and spent several days there exploring the city. My first night wasn´t too pleasant, as I discovered that Austria still hasn´t enacted any "no smoking" laws, so I got forced out of the restaurant where I had my first meal, and several other places. I quickly learned that it´s either best to sit outside on the patio, or find a non-smoking establishment (there are a few, including one really nice Italian restaurant I found on Linzergasse near my Hotel). Touring the large Castle above town took me the better part of the day, as I kept finding new rooms and new displays. As usual, I didn´t get as much done as I had anticipated, but it was a very enjoyable visit anyway. That´s one city I would definitely like to return to.

While in Salzburg, I also toured the Documentation centre above Berchtesgaden, which was extremely interesting! We used a scenic toll road to reach the area, and it was well worth the extra cost. A small part of the underground Bunker complex is also open to visitors, and it´s incredible to see some of these last remnants of the Third Reich. I had hoped to get to the Eagle´s Nest, however the road is still closed by snow and probably won´t open until the end of May. The town of Berchtesgaden is another very scenic location and great for photos. There´s a Salt Mine tour available there also, although I didn´t take that.

After Salzburg, I ventured into the Salzkammergut to the exceptionally beautiful town of Hallstatt. The scenery is incredible! Again, I didn´t get as much done as I had planned, but had a fantastic time there anyway. For those planning to visit Hallstatt in the near future, a brand new Bar and Internet Cafe opened TODAY! It´s just around the corner from the Market Platz (from the boat dock, turn left and walk past Gasthof Simony, and then turn right - it´s on the right hand side). It´s ultra modern, with leather couches inside, and about six Internet terminals! The owner´s name is Raphael.

I managed to get in a tour of the Salt Mine (which was very interesting, especially going down the wooden slides!), but was a bit late to get to the Museum as the Funicular was "broken" for a while, so I was late getting back to town. I did have an good lunch at Rudolphsturm, which has an incredible view of the lake and part of Hallstatt. The trip TO Hallstatt was a bit unusual (had to take a Bus for part of the trip, as part of the rail line near Ebensee was out of commission).

One note of caution to anyone planning to visit Hallstatt - be VERY careful walking about, as some drivers come through town very quickly. An unfortunate incident occurred last night, when a teenage boy darted in front of a car and was struck. Fortunately, he seemed to be fine.

My last stop (and present location) is Munich (just arrived a few hours ago). During the train trip from Salzburg to Munich, I talked with a lady from the U.S. that had her wallet "lifted" (possibly by a person who "helped" her load her luggage onto the train). Just a reminder to everyone here, be vigilant!!!

I´ve got a couple of walking tours booked alrady, and hope to get to the Hofbrauhaus for a "cool one", but we´ll see.

I´ve met so many nice and interesting people during this trip (including of course, the great bunch on the South Italy tour!). That´s one of the most interesting parts of travel for me (my favourite question when meeting someone during travel is "where are you from". That usually leads to some interesting conversations).

I´ll have LOTS of photos to process when I get home, and I´ll have to post those on my web site as I´m sure the bunch on the tour will be looking for them very soon.

Will post another update when possible.

Cheers all!!!

[madamtrashheap]

Sounds like you're really enjoying the "alone time" part of your trip Eagle - such a shame the snow (late season) stopped you from getting all the way up to the Eagle's Nest though.

Bit of a worry about the funicular at the salt mine being "broken" for a bit - they are hardly high tech from my memory! But it's a good travel story! And yes, the Austrians are resisting the EU smoking laws for as long a possible - I suffered a lot (asthma) when I was there at Christmas and my friends tell me that bar adn restaurant owners will hold out making the changes until they absolutely have to, and even then some are refusing to change as they believe that they won't be checked by the authorities straight away.

Enjoy Munich, say hi to the Glockenspiel for me (!) and make sure you get that Maß at the Hofbräuhaus or even at the Fransiskaner Keller. Loving the up-to-the-minute updates from on the road!

[WillTravel]

Eagle, it is hard to believe a month has gone by. I'm glad you were able to get this trip in, as it sounds wonderful.

[Eagle]

This will just be a short update, as it's late and I have to get up for work in the morning. Yes, unfortunately the trip is now over! I arrived home on Tuesday evening, via flights from Munich-Frankfurt-Calgary-Kelowna.

My recollections of the trip are a bit of a "blur" at the moment - saw many new places, met LOTS of interesting people, enjoyed some great meals and had some unusual (and in one case somewhat frightening) experiences. It will take me a while to sort everything out, and also a while to sort through my photos!

I'll try and note down some of the highlights in the next week or so (perhaps including a description of the "unusual appliance" in the washroom at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich?).

Cheers!!!