This year we are having a trip through Europe, largely to catch u wit my family while we are almost all still here, hence the reason we have been a bit quiet on the forum of recent. We are in Paris at the moment, with good wifi, so thought I would post an update, just so you can see how we are suffering.

Rome

We stayed at a boutique hotel called Mia Suites on Via Franceso Crispi, it is a new venture converting two floors of an existing apartment building into a small hotel, the room was large and very well appointed with everything we wanted. We were about three minutes walk from both the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain (currently being renovated). We could not have picked a better spot.

The old buildings are amazing, many of the shells are more than 300 years old, but the interiors have of course been refreshed. The streets and street maintenance is another story, apparently the new Mayor is very good, but all his departments are run by the mafia, and he is powerless to get rid of the corruption. Hes trying, so they are keen to get rid of him, he travels with a military guard.

With day time temperatures consistently above 40, we started walking early morning, and we saw some great sites. We would then hibernate through the heat and come out at night to forage for food. The café, and food in Rome is great, and you do not need to spend too much money, an espresso was 1e, and a Pizza was typically 9e. We consumed loads of both. 

Venice

We were in second class on the express to Venice, thank goodness it was only a four hour trip, note to self, book first class from now on.

Our hotel in Venice was the Lisbona Hotel, tiny basic room, but a great location, about 3 mins from St Marks. It did not take us long to work out that Venice is FULL of tourists, and expensive, like really expensive. Our first lunch cost us 74e, and we expected about 30e. An espresso cost us 6e. We then started to get creative, and found out where the early locals got there café, a tiny little place run by two ladies, with six penthouse like calendars on the wall (for their benefit we suspect), but the café was good, and only 2.5e.

 On our last night there we spent a few hours listening to a quartet in St Marks Piaza, the music was good, and the entertainment was great. But 36e for a G&T and an iced coffee was just a bit much, slowest I have ever sipped at a G&T.

Again the history was fantastic, just overshadowed by the number of people, and the prices.

I think it is safe to say that Venice was a must see, but we will not be back.

Valtelina

We travelled in first class to Milano, this is more like the standard we have come to expect. When we got to Milan we met my sister Ruth, her Daughter Velda, and her Daughter Gigha. We then headed up to Lecco on Lake Como where the rich and famous live and play, we had a lovely lunch, and then wandered slowly up to Motagnia, which is just above Sondrio in the Valtelina (the most northerly east west valley in Italy). Here we stayed with Velda and Gigha.

Basically the next three days were filled with family feasts, and short interludes between. We had such local delicacies as pizzochery and wild venison.

The most impressive lunch was the last day there, when Velda had arranged for us to have lunch at a mountain refuge beside a lake just under 2,000 meters up the Valmilenco, on the way up she said we were being picked up by our host in a Jeep, I was so relieved later that she was wrong, as we were scrabbling back down a 20 plus degree slope from the top of the mountain at 2,350m. I was so glad we were in a Landrover driven by a professional who knew the mountain. Lets just say it had me close to praying, and that is a fair effort.

The views from 2,350 meters on a clear day are something I will never forget, unfortunately I did not get very many photos, as my camera had been swimming (in red wine), and unfortunately is not likely to recover from the experience. We will attempt surgery when we get it back to Melbourne. 

The lunch was great as well, hard to go past good wild venison with a nice red.

Bernina Express UNESCO Heritage Listed

It was Sad to Leave Valtelina as we had such a great time, but leave we had to. So we set off on the Bernina Express (Unesco Heritage Listed train trip), with replacement camera in hand. We boarded at Tirano (300m), and the train then climbed for the next 2 hours to cross the Bernina Pass at 2,330m. Initially the views were fantastic but then the rain set in. We did climb through the cloud but by that time the best of the scenery was passed.

We did see what is left of the Morteratsch Glacier, the only one of eight that remains. It is true the glaciers are melting, and most are now gone!

This is one of the worlds greatest train journeys, and I can not recommend it highly enough. Even just for the amazing technology like spiral bridges, and spiral tunnels.

Zurich

We stayed at the Walhala Guest house, this place redefines small, with its caravan like toilet module. It was clean and adequate.

The day was taken up with a bus trip, followed by a boat trip on the lake. Just as well we were doing things, it took our mind off the cost of things (espresso was 5.9F). Wow, no wonder the Swiss drive to Germany to shop, and the Swiss retail is shutting up shop.

Clean and impressive place to look at, most houses look like full size dolls houses. The people look as if the have all come out of one set of moulds. Suspect it might be a bit like Tasmania, with a fairly narrow breading pool..

Paris

We came across second class on the TGV, should have been first class. Once we arrived we dumped our luggage at the hotel and went out to see the Notre Dame, Carol wanted to see the church, and I was looking for a little bloke with a stoop. Neither of us found what we were looking for, the church had a huge queue (sinful bunch the locals), and I heard that Mr Modo went on holiday early to beat the traffic, the rest of Paris leaves tomorrow.

On a whim we hopped on a bicycle rickshaw, and headed off to see the sights of Paris, the highlight was probably going all the way round the Arc De Triumph roundabout (5 lanes) in a cycle rickshaw!

So now we have seen everything we need to see in Paris. Suspect we may need to go back for a closer look at a couple of them though.

Just finished dinner with a crème brule, spectacular would be the best description.

Saturday, and Paris is deserted, all the Parisiennes are stuck in traffic jams heading for their holiday resorts.

Only two more countries to go.

Sorry about the size of some of the files, but I have a limited set of tools with me.