Vicenza may have been worth this whole trip!

I know Paige wasn't sure what to expect when we went to Vicenza and it was a hassle trying to get there since we couldn't get a room in town due to the International Gold Festival (for dealers) and had to stay in Padova instead but this morning when we got up early and hit the train tracks headed to Paige's birthplace, she was excited with anticipation!

She started her day with a frozen espesso at the train station and if there could have been one time I had the camera out this whole trip, that would have been the time.  NOT what she was expecting.  A bit strong to say the least so actually, all that excitement and anticipation may have been just caffeine. 

We got to Vicenza and immediately took a bus out to the military base where Tim was stationed to see if we could sign in and I could show her where we lived while we were there.  No deal.  Since we didn't have a "sponsor" (basically someone to vouch for us), we couldn't get on base but Paige was at least able to see that it does exist.  We got to see the apartment building we lived in while there and she saw the side walk I must have walked a million times with her in her stroller between the base gate and that apartment.  It was still good even without the visit on base.

Next we got back on the bus and headed downtown.  We saw the famous Messina Burger where Tim made us promise Paige would have lunch.  Found out from the fresh fruit vendor next door (where Paige said she had the best strawberries she has ever tasted) that they opened at 1pm so hit the pavement to get to the Olympic Theater so we could tour that while we waited.  Paige loved this!  It is really the first "museum" type attraction we have gone in and her jaw just dropped.  She got lots of great pictures while there.

We started up the main street and hit a bunch of shops and finally made it to the town square with it's belltower and gorgeous balconied buildings.  More pictures and Paige enjoying every minute.  We started wandering the streets again and finally made it back down to Messina Burger for lunch and Paige LOVED it.  Tim will be happy.  She thoroughly enjoyed her first and maybe last for a while anyway, Messina Burger. We jumped on the bus to head to Mount Berico so Paige could again fulfill one of Tim's requests and hike the Mount Berico stairs to the Basilica at the top.  Let me tell you, this is no easy task.  There are over 800 steps (some sloped and some actual stairs), there are probably more but we lost count.  I went much slower than Paige!  We did make it to the top and got a gorgeous view of all of Vicenza and the surrounding area.  We made it down safely and jumped on the train back to Padova.  We were so beat we didn't even stop for dinner and headed straight to the hotel.  It was certainly well worth the trouble to get here and let her experience where Tim and I started our life together and where she can always call her birthplace in Italy. 

Paige and I heading out from our hotel in Padova

Paige at the Train Station in Vicenza

The statues at the Teatro Olimpico

The stage and amazing back stages of the theater

Another view of the incredible marble work and architecture of the theater

On our shopping adventures

Paige taking a break with her treasures

Her favorite purchase of the day

At Vicenza's town square

Paige fulfilling Tim's first request for her while in Vicenza

Paige thinking that after Panini and Gyro's, helping out with that request can't be all bad! Famous Messina burger = genuine "American" burger, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, mayonaise, provolone cheese, and awesome fresh made bun.  Not too hard of a request to comply with!

Heading out of the city center and up to Mount Berico

Looking down Mount Berico's steps when Paige made it to the half way point (yes, I said HALF way)

Paige documenting just how far behind her I was on those 800+ steps

The basilica at the top of all those steps

Paige enjoying the view at the top overlooking Vicenza (those are the Italian Alps in the background)

Another shot of the amazing view from the top of Mount Berico.  Imagine this in 180 degrees.  Paige took pictures to try to do a panorama when we print them.

Paige and I giving up for the day after the walk up and looking forward to the walk back down all those steps! 

Tomorrow we are on to Verona to see Romeo and Juliet's castle, see you there!

Quiet day but lots of fun in Padova, Italy

Today seemed so quiet compared to our last couple of whirlwind days.  We started the day early from our hotel to pick up some last minute things in Venice before hitting the train tracks again to head to Padova. 

Paige got the Venitian masks she's been dying for since we got there and I made her wait until she saw a larger variety before picking the ones she wanted. We got Panini for lunch on the train and headed straight to the hotel when we got to Padova.  The hotel was a bit further out of the city center than our last couple so it was nice and quiet.  We dropped our bags, checked email quick and headed back to the city square for Paige to do some shopping (what I have been promising her since we got to Italy).  I had the worst time trying to convince her NOT to buy stuff in Venice (can we just say it would be hard not to waste money there?)

She got some really cute things and a pair of jeans she loves so she is happy!  We decided we were walked out for the day and got Gyros for dinner (Paige says they make the BEST here) and hit the hotel around 6pm to hang out and enjoy the BBC and CNN International channels on the TV (yeah, yeah...it's the little things).  Tomorrow we take the early train to Vicenza to spend the day in the town of Paige's birthplace and I'm sure more shopping in the square there.  I think we are going to need another suitcase, good thing we only brought carryons on the trip over (we are allowed one checked bag "free"!).  We may have to take advantage of that benefit. 

See you again tomorrow!

Paige and I saying goodbye to Venice at the Train Station before heading to Padova

Paige showing off her prized Venitian masks when she finally had time at the hotel to take them out and admire them again.  She wanted the ones with the plume feather but we decided there was just no way to get them back in one piece.

Enjoying Padova's city center

Three of our passages on our journey through Padova.  Couldn't tell you where they are but there were certainly photo worthy. 

See you from Vicenza tomorrow!

Awesome Day in Venice!

We were busy today!  Breakfast at our hotel was wonderful (unheard of here!), so we hit the pavement ready for the day!  We started by again strolling all over not having a clue where we were headed but loving where we ended up.  We finally figured it was time to start checking off boxes of our Trip List and went to Saint Marco's Square where Paige got to feed the pigeons, her lifelong dream.  They also thought I might feed them as well (although that was not my intention).  We then got the boat to the island of Murano to see them handmaking glass and were so excited when we found handmade beads that fit our Pandora bracelets and about bought out the shop (just kidding Tim!).  We had a great lunch outside again at a wonderful cafe and enjoyed the sunshine.  We walked around a LOT again and got great pictures of the much less crowded streets of Murano.  We got back on the boat and went to the San Michelle Cemetary.  It was amazing.  A very nice break from the craziness of the touristy part of Venice and full of wonderful art and architectual work.  Then again back on the boat to head to the train station to buy our tickets for Padova tomorrow.  We hit a trattoria for paninis for in the room tonight (we both decided we'd had enough walking for one day) and Paige got one last gelato of the day before we got back to the hotel.  Below are some of our adventures!

 

Paige with her new friends

Paige's friends thinking I also wanted to be friends

Some cool places we visted on our adventures

The much quieter island of Murano off Venice

             Paige and I at lunch today

Paige and I on the boat (Taxi) ride back to Venice from Murano

Paige at Saint Marco's Square

Some more of our passages on our adventures. 

See you tomorrow!

On to Venice!

So Paige decided she really liked Innsbruck afterall and we had a great whirlwind afternoon and morning before leaving for Venice this morning.  The views on the train were gorgeous!  We just kept pointing out the window saying "Hey!  Look up there!" or "Wow, look at that!".  Too amazing!

We changed trains in Verona, Italy and Paige got another taste of European McDonalds.  We just have to try the strange things they do here.  Today it was the BBQ Wrap (i.e., breaded chicken, sauted onions and BBQ sauce in a flour tortilla, actually pretty good). Then it was back up to platform 4 to wait for the train. 

We got to Venice and the weather is gorgeous (especially compared to our shock of Zurich and Innsbruck!).  We checked in at our adorable hotel and Paige said our room is the size of a closet (I'll agree with her on this one but it is very nice and has a beautiful Murano glass chandellier and hand painted headboard and armoir).

We hit the canals and walked for hours (and found a gift for Tim on our travels).  She tried her first Gelato and is hooked!  We stopped and had dinner at a small outdoor trattoria. (my favorite, gnocchi con mozzorella e pomadoro).  Then had to act touristy with a map in hand and try to find our way back to our hotel.  We will do Saint Marco's and the island of Murano for handmade glass tomorrow and I'm sure more walking and picture taking.  I'll let you know what we find, I'm sure it will be interesting!

Saying goodbye to the Austrian Alps

Again, just couldn't leave without another picture of the gorgeous views of the Alps in the background

Paige on our journey through Venice

Just one of those side canals, nice and quiet

These were great to walk down near the University, no tourists and very quaint!

Paige with her Granita at dinner

Mic just enjoying the sunshine and warm weather after cold Austria!

Busy Day! Zurich, Switzerland to Innsbruck, Austria

Wow!  We have been running 100 miles an hour today!  Started off early with packing up in Zurich and headed to the train station to catch our early train to Innsbruck, Austria.  Paige loved the train ride (her first) and the views were gorgeous!  Got to Innsbruck and by chance, our "Swiss" prepaid phone still worked to we got to talk to Tim for a minute before he headed to work (nice treat!).  We headed to the hotel (very cute and we got a "girls" room, all bright and pink!) and then dropped the bags and headed back to the train station to catch a shuttle out of town to the Swarovski Crystal Museum (very cool art and COLD, it was up in the mountains) then back to downtown Innsbruck to hit (wait for it....) an orginal Aldi's store!!!! Hofer instead of Aldi's but check out the picture below and you know it's still Aldi's.  We actuallly had fun in there getting stocked up for snacks for the train ride tomorrow to Venice.  Then back to the hotel to grab a sweater and walk around the old town square and take pictures.  Ended up with Pizza for dinner (awesome) and now just hanging out enjoying the wi-fi waiting for everyone back home to get off work so we can chat online with them!  See you tomorrow from Venice!!!

Paige saying good bye for now to Zurich this morning

Paige waiting to catch the train to Innsbruck at the Train Station in Zurich, (breakfast Croissant in hand for the train ride)

Me looking out the window on the train thinking that it REALLY is 90 degrees at home in Alabama (sniff-sniff)

Us checking out an ORIGINAL Aldi's grocery store, we had to do it and ended up with some great snacks for the train ride to Venice tomorrow. 

Day 2 Zurich

Another chilly morning but a very cool day in Zurich.  We shopped Bahnhoffstrasse (okay...we BROWSED Bahnhoffstrasse) and walked along Lake Zurich (Paige couldn't wait to feed the birds, we visit one of the most expensive cities in Europe and I'm buying bread for birds???). 

Paige liked just riding the tram around, we didn't have a clue where they were going, we just jumped off one onto another until we saw a stop that looked familiar.

Heading to the Train Station to get tickets for tomorrow morning to head out to Austria.  See you there!

Paige at the fountain in front of Bahnhoffstrasse, Zurich

We're here!!!!!

Well, we had a great flight and no problems so we landed three minutes early!  Paige loved the food (something IS wrong with that child) and realized she cannot sleep on a plane. 

Zurich is COLD!  She got over and got to go shopping already as she was freezing in what she had brought.   I think that was some kind of ploy???

Having a great time just wandering around town and she's even had her first European McDonald's cheesseburger (had to do it) and we are currently enjoying Wi-Fi at good ole' Starbucks (yep, it's actually free here unlike in the states, go figure).

See you soon!