18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Milan. Italy

[Summer, 2004]

Early in the morning, we set out for Santa Marie delle Grazie. We had booked tickets to see DaVinci's Last Supper before we left the states (a wise move---they were sold out when we got there). The yellow line from the station near our hotel took us to Duomo where we changed to the red line which took us to the Cadorna station. From there we walked a few blocks to the church. The train in Venice could learn a lot from the Milanese subway as far as making it easier on the tourist to figure out directions.

Santa Marie delle Grazie is not a very large church compared with others we had seen on our trip but the church and convent hold one of the art world's greatest treasures as well as one of today's most popular controversies. We walked around the church and the courtyard as we waited our turn to go into the old dining hall where the mural is painted on the wall. When your appointed time arrives, your group of 20 people are ushered into an antechamber where the humidity levels are adjusted and pollutants removed from the atmosphere. One more 2-3 minute stop in a second antechamber and the doors open into a dimly lit banquet sized hall. To your right, stretched across the width of the narrow room, is the painting. For a moment, I was breathless.

I had purposely not read the DaVinci Code by Brown. I knew there was controversy surrounding it and involving the painting. I wanted to view it through my own eyes untainted by suspicious symbols and markings interpreted by others. In the preceding 17 days, we had visited countless churches, chapels, and cathedrals. All had one thing in common. They emphasized the particular saint they were named for. Jesus was often the minor figure. Here in a perfect example of one point perspective all of the action, the objects, the walls in the setting, drew your eye to the center where Jesus sat. He was the central focus of the painting. It was a welcome sight.

The colors, the movement of the robes, the anatomical representations were all grand compliments to DaVinci's talents, although I understand that there has been so much restoration done that the colors may not be true to his originals. It is still a magnificent piece and well worth the effort to see. After our allotted 20 minutes inside the room, we exited another door through two more antechambers and out into the sunshine once again.

Back at the piazza by the Duomo, we looked for the restaurant Polly had read about in Steves' book. It is on the top floor of a department store and mall, La Rinascente, and looks out onto the church and piazza. It took a little searching to find the elevator but we were rewarded with a nice light lunch and beautiful view. We could watch people walking on the roof of the cathedral, exploring the nooks and crannies. We added it to our "to do" list.

The cathedral is free if you just want to wander around. It is so full of interesting statues and alcoves, that we opted to rent an audio wand to get all the information. It took about two hours to wander around the inside and stop and listen to the commentary. Since this was all we planned for the day we paid the extra Euros to see the Baptistry. It is underneath the church and shows an excavated foundation that dates back to the 4th century.

For me, the most exciting part of the cathedral was exploring the roof. We paid 5 Euros to ride the elevator to the roof. Slabs of stone make up the roof covering providing the base for all the spires and turrets that rise above your head. The intricacy of the statuary was amazing. We learned later at the Duomo museum that they are repaired and/or replaced when the weather finally takes its toll. The views of the countryside, the city, the cathedral, all lend to some interesting photography.

We let Polly sit where she was comfortable when she decided she was high enough and didn't want to look down. The three of us continued up a few more steps and walked out across the main area of the building. Walking to the front, we found a stone bench and sat for a moment looking back and up at the golden Madonna sitting atop the highest spire.

Bob poked me and nodded his head in the direction of the guard booth. Hands crossed over his chest and head slumped forward, the guard had obviously succumbed to the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze and was catnapping.

Not being interested in museums, Dick went off to find some more of the great gelato we had the night before while the rest of us went into the Duomo museum across the piazza from the cathedral. The museum held stained glass windows and statues that had been replaced from the Duomo. It showed how the pillars were constructed and some of the plans for the cathedral's construction. Also of interest were some of the vestments of the clergy.

The afternoon was waning and so were we. We returned to our hotel and retreated to our rooms for a bit of a rest and nice long shower. Bob and Dick checked with the front desk to find a nice place to eat for our "last supper". They recommended a restaurant that was a bit off the beaten track but had a wonderful menu and quiet spot where we could reminisce about our 18 days together.

The most amazing part of the whole trip was returning home after being so closely thrown together in a little Audi for eighteen days and realize we were still friends. Not too many families can survive that kind of closeness and want to plan the next adventure. The hard part will be choosing where in the world we want to go now.

[Stay tuned. . .We'll be trying 28 days in Ireland together. Wonder what kind of car we'll have this time?]

Milan on Dwellable

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Milan. Italy

[Summer,2004]

Milan was a little more than an hour down the highway from Verona. We found the exit and managed the directions for a while but traffic became heavy in city streets and we passed the street we were looking for. When we tried to turn around, a traffic cop wouldn't let us down the street we needed to take. Between her crazy signals, our confusion, and rush hour traffic we found ourselves in quite a mess.

Motor scooters started whipping around us and horns started blowing. Bob got us into the flow of traffic which was moving at a good clip and did a few more turns trying to get back to the direction we were supposed to go. In a phrase, it was "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." We finally pulled over. I think Bob wanted to stop the screaming. Finding ourselves in front of a hotel (not ours) we sent Dick in for directions. The desk clerk spoke perfect English, had a great map and gave wonderful directions (so much easier than those gas station stops!). We were only a couple blocks from where we needed to be and found the Best Western Hotel Blaise and Francis in a few minutes.

It was a very nice hotel but was about a 15 minute walk through a neighborhood where we truly stuck out as tourists. Given the world political situation, I was a little uncomfortable returning at dusk. Once we were at the subway station, it was not difficult to find our destination and buy our ticket. We exited at the Monte-Napoleone station as the desk clerk had suggested to walk to the Piazza del Duomo. While there were nice stores and shops along the way, most were closing down for the day.

We found the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a huge glass domed shopping mall with upscale shops, bistros, and cafes and walked through it to the other side which opened onto the Piazza. Before us loomed the huge Duomo (cathedral). Frommer describes it as "lacy". It is that. There are spires and arches and statues and intricate carvings all working together to create a light airy feeling for a massive structure. We promised to give ourselves the better part of the next day to explore it.

We returned to the Galleria to one of the "sidewalk" cafes inside to eat. Polly had heard of a special Milan risotto and we ordered a plate of it to taste. It is a risotto flavored with saffron and a bit of Parmesan. Good but not outstanding was our take. Wonder if it was just not prepared right?

The world soccer finals were being played and as we exited the Galleria to go to the subway, we noticed the crowd beginning to gather in front of a large TV screen set up in the square. Young people wrapped in Italian flags were already beginning to celebrate their team. Looking to glimpse another culture, we opted to get some ice cream (gelato) and find a place on the cathedral steps to watch some of the festivities. Keeping in mind that Europeans in general are very emotional about their soccer, we agreed to split at the first sign of over-enthusiasm. By the time the game was ready to start, we were ready to call it a night and we exited the square and the sports enthusiasts' crowd by way of the Duomo station.

Milan on Dwellable

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Verona, Italy

[Summer, 2004]

Our exit from Venice was surprisingly easy and we traveled the road about an hour and a half to Verona without any problem. Verona is the fictional home of Romeo and Juliet. We weren't sure what we would find there but it was large enough to at least hold out hope for a good place for lunch. Polly paged through the Rick Steves book and found a first century arena in Verona that deserved a look.

The Arena di Verona was easy to find. It was just down the street from where all the tour buses were dropping off passengers. There are four original arches on the outside and the inner oval is still intact. We climbed the huge stones levels for seating and looked down to the arena floor imagining a Christians vs. Lions event. What an awful thing that must have been. On the lighter side, we did the "wave" and admired the huge staging area for the opera season that was about to begin. They say the acoustics are perfect in there and no microphones are needed.

The other amazing feature of the arena was all the intricate ramps and walkways that were built into the underside of the arena. I was intrigued with the idea of first century architects and engineers designing the whole thing and not having it cave in for 20 centuries.

We walked a ways into the city and found a sidewalk cafe. This was the first place we ran into street beggars. A little boy was working the tables until he was chased by the waiter. Later we saw him with his mother (or maybe his sister) and a baby she was nursing. It was a "baby with a baby". She couldn't have been more than 15 or 16.

A short distance from the cafe was Juliet's courtyard. Through an arched doorway you enter a small courtyard bordered by a building that has an overhanging balcony much like you would envision Juliet's balcony in Shakespeare's story. The walls of the courtyard are covered with love notes and love wishes in every language you could imagine.

Just below the balcony is a bronze statue of Juliet, breast exposed. The statue is weathered except for the exposed breast which is kept polished by many hands posed there for pictures. Polly and I took Bob and Dick by the hand and led them out to continue on our way to Milan.

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Venice, Italy

[Summer, 2004]

When we arrived at the gondola stop, about 60 people waited with us searching the water for the familiar watercraft shape--no gondolas in sight. Just as we were wondering what was going on, a dozen gondolas suddenly appeared and pulled in between the striped poles to let their passengers off.

We boarded our gondola being careful not to move too much. It's almost like getting into a canoe. With amazing skill, the gondoliers used their long tongued poles to manipulate the vessels out of the dock and into the canal. We were part of an armada of gondolas that slowly made its way down the Grand Canal. In the evening, the canal is not as busy so we did not bob around like those who rode earlier.

In the center of the armada, was a gondola with a tenor and an accordion player who serenaded us as we floated between buildings illuminated with the colors of the evening sun. As we entered a narrow canal to navigate the maze of small waterways that lace the island, the sound of Ol Sole Mio resonated from the exteriors of the buildings. Romantic? Yes and no. After all we were with our family and 11 other gondolas filled with people. But the setting could not be matched in the best of romance novels.

It was good we had time to relax for our train ride back was to be very stressful. We arrived in time to catch the last train. The question was--which one went to Mestre where our hotel was located? We finally found someone who assured us we needed to get on the train he pointed to. Once on we realized we were in a sleeper coach. We got off and another person directed us to the same train. This time to a coach full of private compartments. We sat for a while until some others came along with tickets for the seats we were in. Off again.

The signs indicated all along that the train went to a French sounding place. I was panicking. Again an official looking individual directed us onto the train, this time in a different car. This car looked more like the commuter cars we had been in for the ride to Venezia. We relaxed a little and a passenger assured us again that the train would stop in Mestre. Polly and I just kept exchanging glances. Would we sleep in our hotel tonight or in some unknown destination? Thankfully, as the train neared the Mestre station, it slowed and stopped.

On the way out, we asked where the train's final destination was. Sure enough. It was France. Cie la vie!

Oh yes, I can't leave Venice until I tell you about the pay toilets. A must for any self respecting woman. (Our guys said the non-pay toilets were indescribable.) They only cost about .50 Euro and they were very clean and well worth the wait.

Inside The Writer's Mind

Come visit at Inside The Writer's Mind where I am guest blogging at romance author Carol Ann Erhardt's invitation.

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Murano and Burano

[Summer, 2004]

When the last piece of corn was consumed by a greedy pigeon who flew off immediately to the next hand full of corn, we went back to the vaporetto docks and found the line ( #42 or 43) that would take us to Murano and Burano. It took about an hour to reach Murano but it was a pleasant ride. We disembarked at the first stop and found ourselves immediately greeted by salesmen from the glass factories. They welcomed us into a demonstration room where we watched with fascination as a red vase was formed at the end of the blow pipe and then speckles of color were added.

Next a horse came to life from a blob of molten red glass. There were beautiful pieces of colorful glass in all sorts of shapes and sizes on the shelves in the showroom. Prices ranged from 6 euros to...well some chandeliers I understand go for thousands of dollars.

Glass factories are all over the island. This is the place where the glass manufacturers were sent when the citizens of Venice worried that they might accidentally burn the city to the ground. Lots of shops and little cafes line the canals that criss-cross the island. We enjoyed a delightful pizza lunch along one of the canals.

Our next stop was Burano. We found the correct place to catch the vaporetta from Murano. It doesn't run as frequently so we had to be careful of our time. Burano was an even smaller place than Murano. It is known for it's handmade lace. As you exit the vaporetto and walk into the little town, there are a few places along the way were women sit in the lace shops and demonstrate the lace making. Their hands whip through the knots and stitches as the delicate pattern begins to take shape. Not everything in the shops is made there. You need to be sure to ask for the Burano patterned lace. They sell small pieces for about 15 euros.

We caught a vaporetto back to Venice, managing to arrive in time to have a nice dinner before our scheduled gondola ride. Near the famous Rialto bridge was a pretty area full of tables topped with white linen and decorated with small colorful lights. It sat right on the canal. After our $15 coffees, we knew it would probably be expensive but we would only be in Venice once and how bad could it be?

The waiter spoke English mixed with a heavy Italian accent that was fairly understandable. He was also a great salesman. He described the specials. One was a seafood dish with pasta and three sauces. We assumed that he meant there were three sauces to put on the pasta along with little pieces of seafood. Well, no matter. Bob and I knew we were in trouble when he placed a huge tiered bowl of ice with various pieces of seafood, including two half lobsters, crabs and oysters. The sauces were for the seafood. I don't even remember the pasta. The whole thing was somewhere around $200 by the time we added drinks. It was delicious. The view was great. And next time we'll ask the price even though it's a "special".

Now we were truly ready for our gondola ride.

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Venice, Italy

[Summer, 2004]

On our second day in Venice, we arrived by vaporetto again, this time taking the one that went down the Grand Canal. We managed to get seats in front and enjoy the spectacular view of the old buildings sitting right in the water. Small docks or steps with platforms lead right to the front doors of some of the hotels along the canal. It would have been fun to spend a night in one of them. Gardens and window boxes and balconies full of flowers caught our attention as we slowly made our way to St. Mark's Square.

It was 9 a.m. when we reached the square and there were few tourists around. The bell tower was first on our list and just opened for the day. We paid our 6 Euros each and took the elevator to the top. The view of the square was wonderful. Looking beyond that, all you could see were rooftops. The canals are obscured by all the buildings. Cruise ships in the harbor dwarfed the buildings and looked out of place from that vantage point.

We walked directly out of the bell tower and got in the line for the basilica. It was already stretching across the square. I had carried our backpack that day and as we approached the entrance, I knew I was in trouble. Security was sending people with backpacks to an area around the corner to check them. If he knew English, he didn't use it. I headed in the direction of where he pointed while the others went on ahead. There was no place I could see that looked like a bag check. I went back to the entrance and found another American who was following an Italian girl to find the place. I followed them hoping this would work as well as following our Italian to Switzerland. The baggage check was not only around the corner but also down a side street and not marked well at all. (Italy goes to extremes--either too many confusing signs or not enough.) I checked the backpack and received a large tag that got me to the front of the line and into the basilica in time to see the Bob, Dick, and Polly on their way out. They waited while I walked with the crowd up one aisle, across the front and down the other aisle.

It was an impressive church but I didn't think it was as beautiful as some of the others we had seen in Germany and Austria. There are numerous scenes depicted with mosaics shimmering in golden highlights. Large domes loom overhead. The floor is a geometric pattern of tiles. There are no photographs allowed and while you are inside, you must remain silent. Also, throughout Italy, there is a dress code for visitors to churches. You cannot wear shorts, sleeveless blouses, or short skirts above the knee. They will, and did, turn people away.

After retrieving our backpack, we returned to the square to see all the pigeons. It rivals Trafalgar Square in London. For a Euro you could buy a small bag of corn and instantly make friends with hundreds of pigeons. Actually they are very gentle and there was only one "accident" recorded which was quickly cleaned up.

We lingered a while and then headed off to find a vaporetto to Murano.

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Venice, Italy

[Summer, 2004


Our last look at the alps was obscured by fog and rain as we drove from Salzburg into Italy but we knew when we crossed the border. Everything became frenzied and highway signs became confusing again. We arrived safely in Venice and checked into the Best Western Hotel Bologna. The hotel was directly across the street from the train station where we boarded a train for the 10 minute ride to historic Venice. That sounded easy. It wasn't. This was Italy.

At the train station there was no easy way to find which platform was loading to go to "Venezia" and no one easily accessible to ask. After standing in a long line for the information room which opened to only one person at a time, we finally got some insight into where we needed to go and managed to get on the right train.

Disembarking, we found the Vaporettos (water taxis) in front of the station. We opted to take #1 to St. Mark's Square, knowing it made more stops along the way but we would have more time to look around. Somehow we got on the one that took us around the opposite direction we wanted to go but we still ended up at St. Mark's. We arrived at the square amidst gray skies and drizzle. I looked around me at the old buildings that looked dirty and crusty and wondered how anyone could think this was such a beautiful place.

We wandered down crowded side streets looking for a place to eat. The dreariness of the weather contributed to the feeling of oppressive passageways filled with people jostling each other to keep out of the rain. I immediately began wondering if I was going to enjoy this place at all.

A few gondoliers called out to us to take a ride through the small canals running between the buildings. They weren't getting much response from the weather beaten crowd. Finding a restaurant in a small courtyard, we gratefully ducked under the overhang to find a seat. Our dinner was unremarkable (and expensive) but it was fun to sit and watch the crowds go by. The rain stopped just before we were ready to venture out again and we made our way back to the square.

St. Mark's Square is a huge area bordered by St. Mark's basilica and the old and new Procuraties. The old were built originally for the St. Mark's attorneys. The Doge Palace sits next to St. Mark's Basilica. And the famous Bell Tower rises above it all. The bottom of the Procuraties are filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops. There are four or five cafes that have a huge area of little tables set up in the square where you can sit and listen to live music being played. As we pondered what to do, the sun broke through the clouds and the front of the basilica was illuminated. The golden tiles glittered in the late evening sun and the building began to look fresh and clean as the water evaporated from the facade. Ah, so this is why people come here, I thought, as the sky above became blue and a slight breeze freshened the air.

We decided on a cappuccino at a table near the string ensemble that was playing beautiful music. So enchanted were we that we never stopped to look at the prices on the menu. We sipped our delicious brews, enjoyed the view and the atmosphere. Then the bill came. When we converted Euros to dollars it worked out to be $15 a cup. We didn't notice the cover charge on the menu. We probably could have ordered something to go along with the cappuccinos and gotten a better value. But then, this was Venice, the heart of the historical area and we had just watched the sunset and been entertained by wonderful musicians. We swallowed our shock, laughed a little, and took a picture of the bill for posterity.

Finding the train platform again to head back to our hotel was frustrating but we managed to find a couple of women who understood English and helped us out. It had been a lovely evening and now I was looking forward to the next day.

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Salzburg, Germany

[Summer, 2004]

Our morning exploration of Salzburg on Saturday included an open market with all sorts of food products and fresh produce. We wound our way through it to the funicular that would take us to the fortress of Hohensalzburg. Once there, to our surprise we found ourselves in the middle of a Medieval Festival. Costumed performers and merchants were found throughout the courtyards of the fortress.

The castle tour was very interesting providing a look at 11th century decor (including a private commode in the bedroom). Wooden walls were elaborately painted and touched with gold. At one time, the bare walls were adorned with red velvet. An old ceramic oven provided heat in one room. The views of Salzburg are wonderful. It is easy to pick out the cathedral and St. Peters church. What a view the prince-bishop must have had of his subjects below.

Returning to old city, we explored the cathedral and St. Peters arriving just in time for a wedding. We sat in a slight drizzle and waited for the bride to arrive. Our patience paid off as a car decorated with fresh flowers, mostly red roses, arrived and a lovely bride emerged to be pampered by mom and dad who straightened the roses on the neckline of her dress and led her into the church.

Polly had missed the Sound of Music tour on her last visit so we walked to the Mirabell Palace gardens where, on the steps, Julie Andrews taught the children Do-Re-Mi. We had already walked through the cemetery by St. Peters where the inspiration for the set was found. The movie copied the crypts almost exactly.

The convent sits in the side of the hill overlooking the area. Apparently when they were filming the movie, some of the actors wouldn't abide by the rules set up by the nuns so they were banned from filming the wedding in the chapel there. The producer used a church in a little town of Mondsee. I was disappointed we couldn't show Polly the church but we were running our of time.

Earlier, we had tried to get into the Mozart dinner concert and found it was fully booked. We opted for a Sound of Music dinner concert which was okay but not the elegant evening the Mozart dinner would have produced. The singers were good and the evening enjoyable.

Salzburg is always a treat to visit and there is never enough time to do all that you would like. With the thought that we would return again, we left to travel unknown territory and face the perils of the road to Venice.

Wordless Wednesday

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi

[Summer, 2004]

Dick's mind was on dessert as we walked from the Best Western Zum Hirschen in Salzburg to the Glockenspiel Restaurant located in the Mozart Plaza near the Glockenspiel of course. When they had last visited Salzburg, Dick ordered a special soufflé there and it was "calling to him". We were a little late to hear the carillon. It plays at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. but just before dessert arrived, we were serenaded by a violin and piano just below the balcony where we sat overlooking the Mozart Plaza. We lingered over coffee and the light fluffy concoction that Dick was so fond of.

After dinner we strolled through the narrow streets of the Altstadt (old city). There are hundreds of shops and museums and cafes, the majority honoring Mozart in some way. On our last trip, we had explored his birthplace, a small apartment, and walked past the home where he grew up. A little more exciting however, was the dinner and concert we attended in the St. Peter Stiftkeller. The Mozart dinner concert featured musicians and singers dressed in costume and a dinner served in elaborate surroundings above the Stiftkeller, Europe's oldest restaurant.

We rose the following morning to gray skies and the threat of rain not a good omen for our trip to Berchtesgarden and the Eagles Nest. Bob's Tours picked us up at 9 a.m. at our hotel. We had booked a tour because we weren't sure how difficult it might be to find the place and/or what the road to the top was like. (It turned out we could have driven ourselves and did the next day.)

When we arrived, our very blonde, tall tour guide from Holland navigated us through all the crowds and onto the buses that leave from a central area half way up the mountain from Berchtesgarden. The bus route to the elevator is thrilling as you look thousands of feet below you.

At the top we were ushered to the elevator that goes up to the Eagles Nest, built as a retreat for Hitler by one of his henchmen, Bormann, for his 50th birthday. Unfortunately, Hitler was afraid of heights and didn't use it often. Luckily, the clouds cleared a bit and we could see the spectacular view. We were so high up that there were piles of snow in some places.

The whole side of the mountain at one time was a complex for the Nazis. Most of it was destroyed because the Germans did not want it to resemble a memorial to the Hitler regime. Only Eagles Nest survives and, down where the buses load, they have excavated an area of the bunkers to show what it was like. There is also an exhibit with a wealth of history about the persecution of the Jews and the war with information that particularly concerns the town of Berchtesgarden.

On our way back to Salzburg, we stopped in Berchtesgarden for a short stroll. It was beginning to rain so we didn't linger. But we were attracted to a cathedral where someone was playing the large pipe organ. The sounds resonated within the walls. Pure and unamplified, the music was thrilling to hear. Our guide obligingly left us at the entrance to the old city of Strasburg and we found a little restaurant for lunch.

With the rain discouraging any outdoor activity, we opted to make it a laundry day and found a coin-op place not far from our hotel. Even doing laundry in a foreign country can be entertaining. The variety of people to watch kept our attention as the clothes tumbled dry.

18 Days Through Europe in an Audi - Rothenberg ob Tauber

[Summer, 2004]

In Rothenberg ob Tauber, the Market Square is the gathering place for a nightly tour of the town from Easter to Christmas. The tour is in English and conducted by Hans Georg Baumgartner, the Night Watchman. It was excellent. The hour long walk takes you through the streets of Rothenburg and offers a wealth of information about the history, buildings, the wall, and even Hell (one of the local bars). Baumgartner's English is easy to understand. His humor is wry and he makes the experience unique.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a medieval town that has survived the ravages of wars and the modernization of the rest of the world. When tourism became important, laws were passed to prevent home owners from changing their residences and loosing the flavor of the medieval times that permeate the walled city. We explored the wall early the next morning. You can almost circumnavigate the whole city from above. Along the way are stones engraved with names of those who have contributed to the restoration of the wall after it was bombed in WWII.

We spent a good part of the day exploring all the shops, tasting the "snowballs", pastry favorites that Rick Steves warned against. They looked good and we bought 4 of them. They are about 5 inches in diameter with different flavored fillings and coatings. One would have been enough for all of us.

Dinkelsbuehl was the next stop along the Romantic Road. We were glad we chose to stay longer in Rothenburg for Dinkelsbuehl, as quaint as it was, did not measure up to our expectations. The Minster of St. George was impressive however. It is a beautiful late Gothic church with huge pillars rising high above your head. It gave quite a sensation of dignity and grace as you walked down the aisle between the towering supports. We found a place for our afternoon tea and coffee and then traveled on to Noedlingen where we were staying the night in an old monastery.

Arriving in Noedlingen, another walled town, we saw a building that matched the picture of our hotel from the web. It looked historic, well preserved historic, but to our dismay and delight we found that the hotel was actually the modern structure behind it. I say dismay and delight because we were looking for an adventurous stay in an old monastery but were delighted to find a four star hotel with huge rooms and very nice accommodations. There was an old statue in the lobby from the old monastery and some of the windows at the end of the hallway looked original but everything else was very contemporary.

A fair or festival was taking place with rides, food, and lots of interesting booths marketing all sorts of products. The guys opted to visit the fair after dinner while we girls decided we needed a little time with our feet up. They found the fair to be a lot of fun and came back with some good stories and a bottle of carbonated water. Bob didn't know how to ask for the one without the bubbles.

In the morning, we opted to walk the wall around the city, counting the towers as we went. I believe there's 11. Bob and Dick were going to climb the bell tower in St. Georgeskirche but for some reason it wasn't opening for another hour after we finished our walk and we decided to move on.

Before turning off the Romantic Road to head for Oberammergau, we drove through a few of the other towns highlighted on our Romantic map. Each little town had a May pole and each May pole had unique decorations common to that area of Germany.

Oberammergau is not on the Romantic road but all of us had visited before. Polly and Dick enjoyed the Passion Play but were too rushed to see all the little shops and enjoy the atmosphere of the town. We had stopped during a tour and barely had time for a cup of coffee so we were all excited about being able to walk the town leisurely and enjoy the artwork adorning the half timbered walls. There are a couple of woodcarving shops that I especially enjoyed since I collect wood pieces.

We lingered long enough for the guys to complain that the credit cards were too hot and then went on to our next overnight stop, Salzburg, Austria.