Obviously I am writing this after returning home...I have actually been home for over a month.  Finally I have the opportunity to finish the blog for this trip.

The last part of my 2010 journey was 3 days in the Amalfi Coast region of southern Italy.  Dramatic cliffs and sparkling blue Mediterranean waters line the curving roadway that connects cities like Sorrento to small towns like Positano in an area which has long been the vacation grounds of Roman Emperors and movie stars. Of course I was neither Emperor nor movie star but I worked hard to relax at the end of my trip.

I took the train from Rome to Sorrento, the main city of the coast. From there I had to take a crowded, sweltering bus along the hairpin turns of the cliff top highway.  I was lucky to even get a seat in the cramped last row of the tourist bus; many people ended up standing in the aisles for the whole 1.5 hours, holding on for dear life as our bus driver barreled past cars and panel trucks leaning on his horn the whole time.  The only air circulating in the bus came from a tiny window in the back just above my head.  It was stiffling and I battled nausea the whole time, arriving in the seaside square in Amalfi with rubbery legs and sweaty face. When you visit this area do NOT take the bus if at all possible.

After dragging my luggage up a dangerous roadway to my hotel
my day began to improve.  The Hotel Miramalfi is carved into
the side of the cliffs, with beautifully appointed rooms, each with its own balcony overlooking the sea.  It was wonderful.

After a shower I treated myself to a cold Peroni from the
mini-bar while I watched the sun set over Amalfi town.

Positano, Italy

Rome seems to have a deep soul.  They say for every bank in Milan there is a church in Rome.  The city skyline is lined with dramatic monuments and church domes.  You can feel the history

in the air.   Last time I was in Rome (2007) I threw a coin in the Trevi fountain to guarantee I would

return someday...let me tell you it works- I was back again!

Yum!

I checked into my ratty little room at a local youth hostel and headed out to the train station down the road to catch the bus to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. I know...how cliche'.  I just felt like a burger-what can I say.

After dinner I wandered around snapping pictures. The streets buzzed with frantic traffic.  Crossing the street was an act of almost suicidal intensity... I just followed the locals as they boldly walk right out into the road and hoped for the best. Down every alley there seemed to be another cobbled square, complete with bubbling Bernini fountains, in which the stream of locals and tourist families swirl around each other laughing loudly.  It's a city of contrasting streets; small dimly lit side streets suddenly end in 6 lane boulevards.  I fueled my adventures with frequent gelato stops.

The next morning I made my way slowly through those streets.  After breakfast I took the subway to the Colosseum.  Despite the hoards of tourists the drama of the Colosseum is hard to deny.  Coming up out of the subway the ancient arena blocks out

the sky.  It's not hard to imagine how overwhelming it would 

have been for a condemned gladiator from some faraway province in ancient Roman times. I put on my ear phones and listened to Rick Steve's tour on my iphone.  

  

   

   After the colosseum I had a reservation to see the Borghese Gallery, one of the most impressive

private collections of art anywhere.  The problem was I was running late.  I couldn't find the taxi stands anywhere...ugh!  I approached a guy in a bicycle taxi and asked him about getting to the Borghese.  It was too far for him but for 5 euro I jumped in the back of his cyclo and he pedaled me furiously through the ancient monuments and crowds to the other side where the real taxi's were.

I wish I could say I video taped our mad dash but I was to busy holding on as I bounced over the cobblestones.

**A word of advice: hit the restroom BEFORE you get in one of these things or you will regret it**

Another taxi ride and I was dumped at the entrance to the Borghese gardens about 5 minutes before my reserved entrance time.

Statue of David (internet source)

The Borghese Gallery is a huge private mansion with lovely gardens to stroll in.  Count Borghese was an avid art collector and entertainer.  It was one of the best gallery experiences I have had in Europe.  Crowds are limited to about 25 at a time so you really see the art in a very close-up and personal way.  Some of Bernini's best sculptures are here.  The techniques he used on the marble to show varying textures is amazing. Bernini is sculpting at the height of the Renaissance so his subjects are boldly human, muscled to perfection with expressions full of emotion. His statue of David was my favorite; it appears almost to move on the pedestal.   The only bad thing was you could not take pictures inside.

Cafes line Campo Fior

That night I went to the Campo Fiori (field of flowers) and had dinner at a little cafe lining the square.  Munching on pasta Bolognese and drinking a glass of the local red I watched families stream by on the evening Passeggiatta (nightly ritual stroll).








I finished my Roman night with a another visit to the Trevi Fountain for the fantastic gelato shop on that square.  Lovers and families swarmed over the
steps of the fountain throwing coins in the fountain.  I even saw a woman in a bridal gown on the rounds with her friends.  What a lovely time.

Leaving the scenic beauty of Lake Como behind was difficult, particularly since I squandered a day there by missing the overnight train. I arrived in Milan, only about
an hour to the south, and, after storing my luggage in the train station deposit office, I held on for dear life as a cab swerved through the crazy traffic to the main square and the Duomo (cathedral) with
nonstop commentary from the young driver in broken English.

When I arrived there was a huge metal stage being set up to the right
of the Duomo itself; stage lighting looming over it and stage hands swarming below.  Apparently it was Milan Fashion Week!  Great, swirling flocks of pigeons ruled the center of the square chased by giggling tourists.

The Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele are the two main
attractions in Milan.  The long entrance line moved pretty fast and soon
I was standing in the cool, dimness of a vast cathedral whose roof disappeared into the ether.  A towering altarpiece marks the center and is topped by one of the tallest domes in Europe.
It is supposed to contain one of the nails from the original cross, marked by a red light.

The aisles are lined with large, hanging canvas art pieces of various scenes from the life of St. Charles Borromeo.
There is also a grotesque statue of St. Bartholomew by a student of Da Vinci's. The saint was skinned upon execution and in the statue wears his skin like a robe.....ewwww!!!!

After the Duomo I bought some delicious strawberry gelato and sat on the broad marble steps enjoying it.  I wandered through the huge shopping galleria Vittorio Emanuele were they were also setting up fashion week stages.  I felt a little underdressed in my jeans and t-shirt.


Returning to the magestic train station I recovered my bags (for 4 euro fee!) and headed out to Rome...

Despite my mishap on the night train it was hard not smile
upon arriving in Lake Como.  If you have ever seen it in the movies
(and they have filmed many there) it is even more scenic in
person.  George Clooney has a home there in Bellagio...they
filmed James Bond movies there...you get the idea.

After arriving on the train from Milan, and interrogating
several people on the platform for directions I determined
it would be a 15-20 minute walk dragging my luggage through
town....so I took a cab to the port.

A large, spacious boat chugs up and down Lake Como, stopping
at every inlet and hamlet along the way; a graceful water taxi.  The shores are lined with beautiful Villas and quaint fishing villages.

I fell into an easy conversation with a family of Brits, exchanging travel stories and gossiping about the Italians.

I was staying in the little town of Varenna.  The streets are old, dark cobblestones winding and narrow.  I walked along the shoreline for a good half hour before I found my hotel up some scary-steep stairs.

View from my room

In the small lobby I was greeted by Bettina, one of the owners.  Her husband Edgidio carried my luggage to their annex building just down the lane called "Casa Rosa".
My room was modern and comfortable; opening out onto a small lakeview terrace.


After a brief nap I ventured out to get lunch.  I ran into an older couple from Michigan I had met
on the ferry dock earlier and they joined me for a wonderful lunch and local Rose wine in a small
waterside restaurant.  I had a smoked Salmon appetizer that was sensational and a pasta dish with bacon.  We finished this meal off with gelato from a shop down the lane...yum!

our lunchtime balcony

The weather, which had been a bit misty early in the day, began to swing toward the dark and cloudy side as I wandered around snapping pictures in the late afternoon.  By the time I made it back to my

room and changed for my dinner reservations it was raining steadily.

The restaurant attached to my hotel was obviously the pride and joy of my hosts.  The lakeside balcony was closed off due to the rain, but the lights from across the lake twinkled in

Duck Appetizer

the darkness.  I was seated in a corner seat with about 30 other diners.  I chose a three course dinner menu and a glass of Prosecco.  I had an appetizer of cured duck with apple confit and aged balsamic vinegar. Second course I went with the sous vide(a special slowcooking technique

involving vacuum sealing with marinade and then over 10 hours at about 80 degrees Celsius) lamb with pecorino cheese and potato souffle.  Sous Vide makes the lamb sooooooo

tender.  I finished with poached pear dessert.

And now for the excitement...
satiated and happily drowsy from the
wine I walked through the rainy night
to Casa Rosa to my room to retire for the night.

Opening my door I was greeted by a waterfall streaming from the ceiling into the middle of my bed!  The roof was leaking badly...ugh!

I called the owners and Edgidio came over immediately.  Holding his head and cursing softly in Italian he tried to find another hotel room for me but everything in the town was taken due to some government convention. Finally, after frantic calls to his
wife, he graciously offered to put me up in his
own guest room.  I slept in a nice room at his
flat nearby, with my own bathroom.  It was very
comfortable and they were wonderful hosts, though his daughters, in jammies and wild hair, thought I was quite interesting.

The Ferry

Traveling sure is an adventure.  Here are a few pictures of the rambling streets of Varenna:

Try dragging your luggage up this!

Okay...despite all the fun and sightseeing there are a few
minor glitches in the traveling life.

my sleeper compartment

Here's the scenario:

I had (without really considering the consequences)
reserved a sleeper car on an overnight train from
Salzburg, Austria to Lake Como in Italy for 0140AM.

Problem is that I had to check out from my hotel at 11AM.
Leaving my bags in the hotel storage I roamed around
Salzburg all day until close to 11PM when it was time to
go to the train station.  I waited at the track for the train.
The actual indoor station in Salzburg is a hollow
shell as they are under construction so you have to wait
outside along empty tracks in the cold.

0140AM came and went with no train.  It
disappeared off the electronic board.  I went to
try to find out what happened but there were
no open information or ticket desks.  All the
employees were home asleep....lucky them.

Finally at around 430AM I called Elizabeth in
the U.S. and asked her to find me a hotel room
so I could get some sleep.  At this point I was
a ball of emotional jelly due to lack of sleep and food
and frustrated.  Elizabeth and Jim were
came through for me and I left to get some sleep.

Next night I left Austria on another night train
at 8PM.  I gathered that they had changed the track
number for my first train and probably made the
announcement in German...which I don't
really speak...especially when exhausted.

Oh well...the second attempt went fine.  I
had the entire compartment to myself
and got plenty of sleep, arriving in Italy
the next morning.

Well the trip to Austria was quick and comfortable....

German trains are very clean and modern.  If you are over
age 26 you can only buy a first class Eurail Pass in the US
so I am traveling in enforced luxury.

I have to say that in my short time in Salzburg I realized
some day I would have to come back.  Out of all the places
I have been I think Salzburg is the one I would love to bring
my family and friends to.

I arrived in the early evening, and after settling
into my beautiful hotel room I strolled down
 the narrow cobblestone avenue, lined with shops
 and restaurants, that led from my hotel on one
 side of the Salzach river, across the bridge
 and into the old section of town.

Night in Salzburg

The weather was cool but pleasant.  As you approach the river the old town is lit dramatically; churches towering over the shops and a dramatic cliff with
the huge fortress topping it provides the background.

During the next day I discovered that I had arrived
during the annual Rupertikupertik or St. Rupert's Festival.  The two main town squares were packed with
revelers and families.  The kids enjoyed rides and the parents relaxed in beer gardens under shady tents.  Musical groups
performed at every street corner.

I sat down and had a local pale, spritzy beer and a Schtecklelfisch or "fish on a stick".  Squeeze on some lemon and baste it with butter...delicious!

Traditional Dancing

I then followed my Rick Steve's guide book on a tour
around the old town...though the landmarks were
a little difficult to find because of the rides
and crowds.

I ducked into small churches and sat in relative silence
marveling at the shrines and soaking in the
atmosphere.  I went into a back alley and
the guide led me to a huge, ancient waterwheel
and then through a gate into the St. Peter's
Cemetery.

The graves are marked by intricate wrought
iron name plates and covered in well tended
mini-gardens.  Apparently iron was cheaper
than carved stone.  Graves are not bought
in Austrian cities...you rent them for 10 years
at a time!  Your relatives tend the graves and every
night candles are lit on the graves.  It was very
beautiful.

Some of them are family tombs
locked behind wrought iron gates.
These were the inspiration for the scene
in the Sound of Music when the family hides
in the Abbey in the graveyard from the
Nazi's.

If nobody pays the rent every 10 years then they
dig you up! Eeeek....

Salzburg has Mozart's family home and birthplace.
When I return I would love to go to one of the
concerts that they hold in the fortress overlooking the
town at night.

Shopping is also fantastic here.  It would be easy

My hotel room

to spend money bringing back presents.

Well...on to Italy next.

Main Aisle of the Frauenkirche

Well, I am a little bit behind on this blog as I am in Italy now...

Munich is a lot more than just Oktoberfest.

I spent a few days touring through their beautiful churches;
lighting candles and listening to organ music.

Three main churches surround the main square Marianplatz.
The one everybody knows from Munich's famous skyline in the twin domes towers of the Frauenkirche.  Inside tall white columns stretch to the fan vaulting overhead.  It's a very light and airy church without the heavy marble and colorful stained glass of many European churches. Behind the altar there is and beautiful shrine with gold leaves on wrought iron.


Surrounding the church are many cobblestone streets with small restaurants and beer gardens.  I ate in the Andechs beer gardens two nights in a row.  The best food of my whole trip was definitely in Munich.  And the dark Andechs Bavarian Dunkles Beer was sweet and nutty; a perfect complement to the rich sauces and spicy meats of Germany.

St. Peters 

Two other churches that surround the town square are the Baroque St. Peters with it's rich over-the-top gold
decorations and the oldest church in the region.  It is thought to
be the original starting point for the city.
It's the opposite of the Frauenkirche- heavy and
ornamented with a huge golden altarpiece.

St. Michael's

    
The last of the three is St. Michael's.  It is the main
church for the Jesuits in the north of Europe- a bastion
against the Protestants during the reformation. Bavaria itself is very conservative and traditional. St. Michael's was severely damaged during World War II. The entire dome and altar was destroyed and then rebuilt. The atmosphere inside was hushed.  The ceiling is barrel-vaulted and is supposed to be the largest
dome outside of St. Peters in Rome.  Many of the Wittlesbachs (the ruling dynasty in Bavaria)
are buried here.

     I also spent a day traveling to the south to Fussen to see the Kings Castles.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria ("Mad King Ludwig") grew up in a stunning castle in the
forested mountain landscape of southern Bavaria, sheltered from the Prussian court.
The castle overlooks an idyllic lake and the young prince was raised on tales of German heroic history- and idealized combination of myths and history.

Howenschwangau-childhood castle

He was friends with the Opera composer Richard Wagner.
Howenschwangau is as richly appointed as you would expect.  The dining hall had a stunningsilver plated chandelier.  There is a small garden in the back with a fountain and sculptured hedges.
He built his own fairytale castle near his childhood home called Neuschwanstein. It is the castle that Walt Disney based his castle on. EVERY inch of the interior is

Neuschwanstein Castle

decorated with fanciful woodland and heroic scenes.  Even the stairwells circle up(and their were alot of stairs to climb) are decorated with mystic creatures and scrolling leaves.
The trip down was long and the trip back even longer but the landscape is everything you could hope for.

Stairwell

View out the window

Ludwig's Private Chape

Silver Swan

View from the castle balcony

Ah Munich...during Oktoberfest.

I think this is one of the best times to go...
even for tourists with no interest in
getting sloshed in the beer tents.

The entire town is decorated, both the
buildings and the people.  About a third of
the people wearing lederhosen or the
traditional dresses.  Around their necks

they wear large gingerbread hearts-
decorated with sayings in German.
Mens chests sometimes decorated with
horns and badges.  Even the kids. You could tell
 it was more than just an excuse to party-though
 partying was certainly happening.

The historic area around Marienplatz is quite

impressive.  You come up out of the metro smack in the middle of all the
 action and historic buildings.  People swirl around  you in happy groups, singing and laughing.  Outdoor cafes line the side....dining with the
Gothic Town Hall and looming church towers is worth the mark-up but I ate al fresco with a bratwurst sandwich and local brew.

On my first full day I went to the Oktoberfest fairgrounds to see
what all the fuss is about.  It could only be described as colorful
chaos.  The fair grounds go on for miles...completely covered
in carnival rides and food booths.  The Festival beer tents were
packed solid by the time I finally got into one.

I went into the Lowenbrau Tent (after a 40 minute wait).  People singing and standing on tables making toasts...beefy German waitresses barreling past with HUGE stein of Bavarian Beer...
Giant spits rotating hundreds of pork roasts and chickens...insanity.