Part of this trip was like "coming home" because Italy is one of my favorite countries. I had the pleasure of first visiting Italy--North to South--in April 2006. This time, we only toured Rome, Vatican City and Sorrento.
Highlights in Italy:
The Colosseum
Vatican City/Easter Blessing
St. Peter's Basilica/Sistine Chapel
Pompeii
During my stay in Italy, I had the once in a lifetime chance to attend the Easter Blessing given by the Pope. It was amazing! For some reason, it was different than my first experience in 2006. The overwhelming feeling was not dominating my experience and I was able to truly take it in. I was able to hear the blessing in my home language and also in German. Very exciting! After experiencing Rome and the Vatican, I caught a ferry to a lovely place called Sorrento. It was a wonderful place for shopping. The locals were so kind and everything was delicious. We had the chance to stumble upon a farmer's market. There, we found Olive Oil galore and Limoncello. Italy and Greece are known for lemons and Limoncello is a fine liqueur that is trademark. It is strong but very tasty. One of the workers at the market pulled my friends and I into a back room designed especially for tasting. We had every kind of Limencello that you could think of. My favorite was the Limon-Chocolate liqueur. Yummmm!
Pompeii was unlike anything that I could have antiicpated. I can't imagine the people of Pompeii's experience when Mount Vesusvius erupted. They were such an advanced civilization but when natural disaster struck, they had no where to go. The ruins of the city have been so well preserved that you can't even tell that it was under volcanic ash as tall as 13-16ft. I was really taken aback by the visit to Pompeii. It was beautiful but very sad to know that all the suffering the people had endured.
Once Italy was complete, it was time to board a cruise boat in Brindisi bound for Greece. At first glance, you may be thinking that I had a luxurious cabin with all the perks that American cruises have to offer but no, no, no! I was in a very small cabin, top bunk and no windows. The entire room had a very odd odor to it. However, I made the best of it. I tried to stay out of the room until as late as possible. This was easy because I was able to get some amazing photographs of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Sea from the ship's deck. After that, I enjoyed some time in the ship's disco! After morning came, it was time to disembark. I was very excited because this was my first time in Greece!
Highlights in Greece:
Acropolis/Parthenon
Temple of Zeus
Isle of Capri
Apollo's Temple
Greece is a beautiful country full of so many beautiful ruins and the countryside is something that I did not expect. GORGEOUS! The agenda in Greece was Isle of Capri, Delphi and Athens. The day trip to the Isle of Capri has a special place in my heart. This was one of the most beautiful places that I can say that I have ever seen. The ocean was as blue as the sky and the coast was lined with rock cliffs. It was a place to remember. It was originally planned that we would take small row boats to some of the caves on the coastline but the sea was rough and unsuitable for small boats. We simply had to admire the sea from cliff's edge.
Then, there was Delphi! I climbed to the grounds of Apollo's Temple. It is beautiful ruins nestled in the mountains. I was so amazed at the Greeks for their workmanship because it is unthinkable to me that men could bring such colossal building materials to construct temples to such a high elevation. It still baffles me but that's the Greeks for you :) I have to say that Delphi is a gem in the mountains. It is small but a perfect destination for those of us who enjoy a beautiful mountain stage with the water settled in the gorge of the range. It was there that I had the chance to climb the mountains and a couple hours later, put my feet in water. It was like heaven to me.
Of course I had to visit Athens to see the Parthenon. That was another moment of AWE because again, such colossal materials to construct temples that truly make you want to sit down and stare for hours. That is pretty much all that I did. I found a seat and I stared in AWE. The view from Acropolis was stunning. You could see all of Athens. You sort of felt like you were among the Gods.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
More Germany, Austria and Switzerland!
The last leg of my trip was probably the most gorgeous sites I have ever laid my eyes on! The mountains kept growing bigger and bigger . . . the snow caps turned into snow-cover mountains! The ALPS are AMAZING! The great mountains stretch from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west. In my 9 day tour, I had the opportunity to see them in 4 out of the 7 countries. Wow! Each country showed them a little differently.
My goal in every city or village I visited was to find the tallest tower (usually a bell tower or church temple) and get "The View." In my shared pictures, you see those views and I hope you can enjoy them as much as I did. The only thing that you won't get from the pictures but I will certainly share is the smell of freshness, crisp mountain air. It was a smell that I had never experienced but now, will never forget.
My Omi and I truly enjoyed ourselves. My Omi did not sport the trek to the top of the towers with me. She did, however, enjoy her own pleasures: shopped and then, she would find a cafe' to enjoy a cup of cappuccino and maybe a yummy pastry.
**Omi has an eye for finding the finest pastry shops :)
Besides the inner village sites and attractions, my Omi and I made it off the beaten path for some other adventures too! These next couple of experiences were my favorite!
1. Before leaving Germany, we visited Neuschwanstein. That was my first true taste of the Alps. You could see them in the distance. King Ludwig truly had an eye for knowing where to place his castle because his view was something that would inspire me day in and day out. He also had bridges that crossed the river canyon. I walked for about 20-30 minutes to cross one of these bridges and looked down only to find 2 large waterfalls. It was amazing! I tried to find a trail to lead me down the canyon but the rangers had blocked it off. I am guessing that it was due to the seasonal rainfall, the water levels were up making it dangerous for hikers at times.
2. Innsbruck, Austria: We enjoyed the good people of Innsbruck (some of the friendliest people) and the spectacular panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. They actually have a ski lift that leaves from the center of town to the top of one of the many mountains. Literally, some working people take their lunch breaks to hop the lift and enjoy a run down the mountain on their lunch hour. Totally cool!
3. Lucerne, Switzerland: This was a beautiful town that sits at the foot of Mount Pilatus--7,000ft in elevation! Omi and I rode a gondola from the base to tip-top. The locals say that it is a 50/50 chance that you will have visibility at the top but the risk is worth it. On this day of our adventure, we got LUCKY! The views were breath-taking . . . literally, the air was thin and I found it hard to breathe when venturing on the walking paths to higher points of the peak. The gondola ride was exciting too. At times, I was frightened because you start out in gondola that carries 4-5 people and then, mid-mountain, you switch to a large "cargo" gondola that houses about 30-40 people. I kept thinking about the elevation and the cable that was our means to take us to the top. At the top, there was an observation deck with a very fine clubhouse building that had a shop, eatery and a cafe'. If you wanted to enjoy the outdoors, they had "beach chairs" with wool blankets on standby. Truly a neat experience. I spent my whole last hour just lounging and taking in the view.
4. Rheinfalls (Waterfall in Northern Switzerland): The waterfall sizes at 75ft tall and 450ft wide. The observation area seemed to be at least 2 football fields away from the falls but you could still feel the mist off the cascading water. Waterfalls are my favorite so you can imagine that I was in "Courtney Heaven."
5. Heidelerg, Germany: This was another slice of "Courtney Heaven" but not for the adventure. This University town is home of the one and only "Schwabbish Maultaschen." The yummiest German ravioli-like dish that is specific to Heidelberg. It is made with pork, spinach and easy, lite cheese. It is a German paradise in your mouth :) Besides the food, it is a neat place to visit because it has ruins of an old castle on the hill that still offers tours of its outer shell (only the walls of the castle have lasted the ages).
I think what I loved about the trip was that all these places allowed for my Omi to enjoy them too. She is not as mobile as I am but still she still was given the means to get to the sites and experience them with me. **Even if she was taken to the castle in a horse-drawn carriage while I trekked the mountain and met her at the top :)
I truly hope you enjoy these pictures. These places that I have mentioned are very special and something worth seeing!
My goal in every city or village I visited was to find the tallest tower (usually a bell tower or church temple) and get "The View." In my shared pictures, you see those views and I hope you can enjoy them as much as I did. The only thing that you won't get from the pictures but I will certainly share is the smell of freshness, crisp mountain air. It was a smell that I had never experienced but now, will never forget.
My Omi and I truly enjoyed ourselves. My Omi did not sport the trek to the top of the towers with me. She did, however, enjoy her own pleasures: shopped and then, she would find a cafe' to enjoy a cup of cappuccino and maybe a yummy pastry.
**Omi has an eye for finding the finest pastry shops :)
Besides the inner village sites and attractions, my Omi and I made it off the beaten path for some other adventures too! These next couple of experiences were my favorite!
1. Before leaving Germany, we visited Neuschwanstein. That was my first true taste of the Alps. You could see them in the distance. King Ludwig truly had an eye for knowing where to place his castle because his view was something that would inspire me day in and day out. He also had bridges that crossed the river canyon. I walked for about 20-30 minutes to cross one of these bridges and looked down only to find 2 large waterfalls. It was amazing! I tried to find a trail to lead me down the canyon but the rangers had blocked it off. I am guessing that it was due to the seasonal rainfall, the water levels were up making it dangerous for hikers at times.
2. Innsbruck, Austria: We enjoyed the good people of Innsbruck (some of the friendliest people) and the spectacular panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. They actually have a ski lift that leaves from the center of town to the top of one of the many mountains. Literally, some working people take their lunch breaks to hop the lift and enjoy a run down the mountain on their lunch hour. Totally cool!
3. Lucerne, Switzerland: This was a beautiful town that sits at the foot of Mount Pilatus--7,000ft in elevation! Omi and I rode a gondola from the base to tip-top. The locals say that it is a 50/50 chance that you will have visibility at the top but the risk is worth it. On this day of our adventure, we got LUCKY! The views were breath-taking . . . literally, the air was thin and I found it hard to breathe when venturing on the walking paths to higher points of the peak. The gondola ride was exciting too. At times, I was frightened because you start out in gondola that carries 4-5 people and then, mid-mountain, you switch to a large "cargo" gondola that houses about 30-40 people. I kept thinking about the elevation and the cable that was our means to take us to the top. At the top, there was an observation deck with a very fine clubhouse building that had a shop, eatery and a cafe'. If you wanted to enjoy the outdoors, they had "beach chairs" with wool blankets on standby. Truly a neat experience. I spent my whole last hour just lounging and taking in the view.
4. Rheinfalls (Waterfall in Northern Switzerland): The waterfall sizes at 75ft tall and 450ft wide. The observation area seemed to be at least 2 football fields away from the falls but you could still feel the mist off the cascading water. Waterfalls are my favorite so you can imagine that I was in "Courtney Heaven."
5. Heidelerg, Germany: This was another slice of "Courtney Heaven" but not for the adventure. This University town is home of the one and only "Schwabbish Maultaschen." The yummiest German ravioli-like dish that is specific to Heidelberg. It is made with pork, spinach and easy, lite cheese. It is a German paradise in your mouth :) Besides the food, it is a neat place to visit because it has ruins of an old castle on the hill that still offers tours of its outer shell (only the walls of the castle have lasted the ages).
I think what I loved about the trip was that all these places allowed for my Omi to enjoy them too. She is not as mobile as I am but still she still was given the means to get to the sites and experience them with me. **Even if she was taken to the castle in a horse-drawn carriage while I trekked the mountain and met her at the top :)
I truly hope you enjoy these pictures. These places that I have mentioned are very special and something worth seeing!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
April 2009: Rothenberg, Germany
Where to begin . . . It all started a year ago when I got in my head that I was going to share my European experience with my Omi. Before this trip, we had not traveled abroad since y second grade year in elementary school. We both have been to Germany since but not with the company of each other so this was special. h
So as you read this, consider that this trip has been in the making or the last year and half so try to imagine my excitement :)
The flight over was perfect. We got on, had dinner, watched a movie, slipped away in sleep . . . woke up and we landed. it was a good flight. The big deal about the arrival was that my host family was going to greet me at the gate. I lived with them in 2000 during my course of study in Frankfurt, Germany. It had been 9 long years since we last saw each other but over the years, we have kept in contact via email, instant messenger and short letters now and again. This was an emotional experience for both Kat and I. Before I could get through the gate, I was all smiles and then, I spotted her. We both gave each other a huge hug and then, we cried. As I squeezed her, she said in my ear, “We can never let 9 years happen again. Jenny, her sister, was there too and it was so nice of them both to come and welcome me to Germany. We then traveled by bus to Rothenberg (about 2 to 3 hours from the the Frankfurt Airport) to a placed called Rothenberg.
Omi and I split up for most of the evening. I explored the village and Omi met up with Kerstin, Ronald (Kerstin’s husband) and Alina (who is 5 years old)—they drove 5 hours from Berlin to visit. This was a great opportunity to catch up with her family who she had not seen for years. I know it has to be hard on my Omi being an ocean away from everything that is home to her--family, friends and culture. Before exploring the city, I played with Alina and her cousin, Jans. I was able to use my elementary German skills. They were really the only ones I could speak to without really being truly self-conscious about my German grammar. It was fun. When it came time to say goodbye, Omi and Kerstin (with her crew) met up with me at a local eatery for final picture. That was emotional because Kerstin told me thank you for bringing my Omi to her and to continue to be good to her Aunt Elfriede. I cried again because it was so overwhelming for me to see Omi so happy to be “home” with family.
The next day, Kat and her boyfriend, Tim, came to spend the morning and lunch hour with me in Rothenberg. We toured a beautiful church, Kat and I shopped a bit and then, we had a picnic lunch in a park on the castle grounds. It was a place that i had picked out the evening before because I thought it was one of the most perfect places for a picnic :) My #1 craving for lunch was my very favorite quick snack called Currywurst! Kat and I found a little deli and that is exactly what I had for lunch on my first full day of vacation :) It was a day that I will never forget :) It was a great way to begin our 9 day tour through Europe.
So as you read this, consider that this trip has been in the making or the last year and half so try to imagine my excitement :)
The flight over was perfect. We got on, had dinner, watched a movie, slipped away in sleep . . . woke up and we landed. it was a good flight. The big deal about the arrival was that my host family was going to greet me at the gate. I lived with them in 2000 during my course of study in Frankfurt, Germany. It had been 9 long years since we last saw each other but over the years, we have kept in contact via email, instant messenger and short letters now and again. This was an emotional experience for both Kat and I. Before I could get through the gate, I was all smiles and then, I spotted her. We both gave each other a huge hug and then, we cried. As I squeezed her, she said in my ear, “We can never let 9 years happen again. Jenny, her sister, was there too and it was so nice of them both to come and welcome me to Germany. We then traveled by bus to Rothenberg (about 2 to 3 hours from the the Frankfurt Airport) to a placed called Rothenberg.
Omi and I split up for most of the evening. I explored the village and Omi met up with Kerstin, Ronald (Kerstin’s husband) and Alina (who is 5 years old)—they drove 5 hours from Berlin to visit. This was a great opportunity to catch up with her family who she had not seen for years. I know it has to be hard on my Omi being an ocean away from everything that is home to her--family, friends and culture. Before exploring the city, I played with Alina and her cousin, Jans. I was able to use my elementary German skills. They were really the only ones I could speak to without really being truly self-conscious about my German grammar. It was fun. When it came time to say goodbye, Omi and Kerstin (with her crew) met up with me at a local eatery for final picture. That was emotional because Kerstin told me thank you for bringing my Omi to her and to continue to be good to her Aunt Elfriede. I cried again because it was so overwhelming for me to see Omi so happy to be “home” with family.
The next day, Kat and her boyfriend, Tim, came to spend the morning and lunch hour with me in Rothenberg. We toured a beautiful church, Kat and I shopped a bit and then, we had a picnic lunch in a park on the castle grounds. It was a place that i had picked out the evening before because I thought it was one of the most perfect places for a picnic :) My #1 craving for lunch was my very favorite quick snack called Currywurst! Kat and I found a little deli and that is exactly what I had for lunch on my first full day of vacation :) It was a day that I will never forget :) It was a great way to begin our 9 day tour through Europe.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
P’Nat & P’Noi and BIG fun in Norfolk, VA
First, you probably read the title and think, “What? Is that even a word?” The answer is “Yes, kind of.” :) These are the nicknames for the recently hidden geocaches that my friend, Nicole and I planted.
What is geocaching? Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets.
P’Nat = Positive Nature/Lexington Cache
P’Noi = A Powerful Noise/Norfolk Cache
We have planted two geocaches which are “sister caches” because they have the same directives/purpose. One is located in Lexington, VA to mark my home and the other in Norfolk, VA because that is home to Nicole. The idea behind our caches relates to our friendship’s common bond . . . the quest to make meaning in everyday life. I recently had the chance to hear one of the most accurate descriptions of Nicole and oddly, I thought to myself . . . that is exactly why we get along so well. We both take time to peel back the layers of those in our lives so that connections can be made. After all, life is about connections and discovering the “things” that bind us all together. For Nicole and I, we are all about making the most of anything and everything so this adventure of planting two identical caches was right up our alleys :)
Let me tell you a little bit about the caches: The idea is that anyone who finds our caches, they are to leave a quote behind, something that has meaning to them. Essentially, the quote book is the logbook for cache but being that we enjoy the analytical side of things . . . the quote sharing piece made perfect sense.
Here is where the “making the most of anything and everything” plays in . . . I made a trip of the geocaching event. It was a weekend trip to Norfolk (which Margot made with me) and on Saturday, we woke up early and hit the ground running but the neat thing is that it was relaxed at the same time. We woke up, chit-chatted on her front porch, then hopped in the Mini Coop and went to the beach to plant “A Powerful Noise” geocache. Along the way, I saw the house where my Uncle and Mom lived when they were around my age and even their local hangout spot (which seeing this was TOTALLY unexpected and random but just added to the coincidental meaning of the trip). Planting the cache at the beach is an idea that I am in love with since the ocean and all the fun that comes along with the beach is my absolute favorite thing in life! It is like a little bit of me is living on the beach ☺ After that, we went back to her house to pick up the dogs for a walk on the beach! This was Margot’s first trip to the beach and she was so much fun to watch as she messed around and made fast friends with Nicole’s dogs (especially Dolce). One of my favorite memories of Margot’s beach visit was the moment when she was walking close to the water and a breaking wave got her . . . she had this confused look on her face that made me laugh. She was like, “Hey! How did that water just come up and get me?” So cute!!
After our stroll on the beach, we picked met up with Angie to kayak at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, which was AMAZING! Not only did I get to kayak but I was able to find my very first geocache (with a little help from Angie) but still, I count it ☺ The fun does not stop there . . . later that evening, we went to a super fun birthday party where I got to dance and if you know me at all, you know how I like to dance ☺ This was all in one day but I coin this kind of a trip as a very Nicole/Courtney-esque . . . making the most of anything and everything :)
I think it is best summed up by a simple quote that my dear friend, Nicole, shared with me just this morning . . .
The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne
I have a slideshow that will best tell the story of my eventful geocache plant and my Norfolk trip :)
What is geocaching? Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets.
P’Nat = Positive Nature/Lexington Cache
P’Noi = A Powerful Noise/Norfolk Cache
We have planted two geocaches which are “sister caches” because they have the same directives/purpose. One is located in Lexington, VA to mark my home and the other in Norfolk, VA because that is home to Nicole. The idea behind our caches relates to our friendship’s common bond . . . the quest to make meaning in everyday life. I recently had the chance to hear one of the most accurate descriptions of Nicole and oddly, I thought to myself . . . that is exactly why we get along so well. We both take time to peel back the layers of those in our lives so that connections can be made. After all, life is about connections and discovering the “things” that bind us all together. For Nicole and I, we are all about making the most of anything and everything so this adventure of planting two identical caches was right up our alleys :)
Let me tell you a little bit about the caches: The idea is that anyone who finds our caches, they are to leave a quote behind, something that has meaning to them. Essentially, the quote book is the logbook for cache but being that we enjoy the analytical side of things . . . the quote sharing piece made perfect sense.
Here is where the “making the most of anything and everything” plays in . . . I made a trip of the geocaching event. It was a weekend trip to Norfolk (which Margot made with me) and on Saturday, we woke up early and hit the ground running but the neat thing is that it was relaxed at the same time. We woke up, chit-chatted on her front porch, then hopped in the Mini Coop and went to the beach to plant “A Powerful Noise” geocache. Along the way, I saw the house where my Uncle and Mom lived when they were around my age and even their local hangout spot (which seeing this was TOTALLY unexpected and random but just added to the coincidental meaning of the trip). Planting the cache at the beach is an idea that I am in love with since the ocean and all the fun that comes along with the beach is my absolute favorite thing in life! It is like a little bit of me is living on the beach ☺ After that, we went back to her house to pick up the dogs for a walk on the beach! This was Margot’s first trip to the beach and she was so much fun to watch as she messed around and made fast friends with Nicole’s dogs (especially Dolce). One of my favorite memories of Margot’s beach visit was the moment when she was walking close to the water and a breaking wave got her . . . she had this confused look on her face that made me laugh. She was like, “Hey! How did that water just come up and get me?” So cute!!
After our stroll on the beach, we picked met up with Angie to kayak at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, which was AMAZING! Not only did I get to kayak but I was able to find my very first geocache (with a little help from Angie) but still, I count it ☺ The fun does not stop there . . . later that evening, we went to a super fun birthday party where I got to dance and if you know me at all, you know how I like to dance ☺ This was all in one day but I coin this kind of a trip as a very Nicole/Courtney-esque . . . making the most of anything and everything :)
I think it is best summed up by a simple quote that my dear friend, Nicole, shared with me just this morning . . .
The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne
I have a slideshow that will best tell the story of my eventful geocache plant and my Norfolk trip :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
