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Fun and joy in Vienna
Our travels had some highs and lows. “We were on such a high from Salzburg and Venice, I guess it could only go down”. Excerpt from my journal entry for Vienna That’s how we found ourselves upside down on a roller coaster in the Prater amusement park in Vienna. To cheer up. It worked. It’s a top notch amusement park. Despite my less than cheerful mood, I liked Vienna. I was impressed we could experience the city’s world renowned opera (Mozart’s Magic Flute) for $1.50 with standing room admission. I had one of my most memorable meals – a delicious Schnitzel the size of my plate with potatoes and sweet…
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Glamping in Salzburg
Sometimes it’s the people you meet that can really make a difference. That can turn a bad experience into a pleasant one. In Salzburg, it was the “super nice” couple that operated the campsite that was our home for three nights. We arrived in Salzburg late, unexpectedly late due to a train delay. All the hostels were fully booked. As a last resort we called a campsite. Fortunately they had space (and tents supplied). It was dark and pushing 11 pm when we trudged up the secluded gravel road. The kind owners stayed open late to greet us. They took the time to tell us about Salzburg, give us brochures…
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Aimless wandering in Venice
“It was another great day in Venice. We basically just spent the day walking aimlessly around and letting ourselves be seduced.” Excerpt from my journal entry for Venice Venice was alluring. I finally started to appreciate the delights of aimless wandering in a city oozing history and beauty around every corner (unlike my experience in Rome). After a birds eye view atop San Marco tower, we strolled around with no particular plan. We splurged on a gondola ride. Totally worth every lira. Gliding along the waterways and under the bridges was so relaxing; the peaceful ride accompanied by the gentle serenades of our gondolier. Our accommodation was also tranquil. Actually,…
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A relaxed pace in Greece
We roamed the islands for our two week stay in Greece. It was generally a more laid back pace compared to our average travelling days. When it was time to leave, I noted in my journal “It’s sad to leave the islands. We’re going back to the hustle and bustle of travelling.” Even at a relaxed pace, Sarah and I tended to explore as we were not “beach people”. Our touring included a good dose of greek mythology, getting acquainted with each island and plenty of tasty Greek food. I felt a sense of awe walking up the smooth worn marble steps of the Acropolis to the Parthenon. The rocky…
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A photo tour of Santorini
We travelled to Santorini long before Instagram. But we did take a lot of photos. This is one entry from my 1992 European backpacking trip with my friend Sarah. If you want to start at the beginning, please check out The journey starts in Nice.
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Our harbourside hotel in Chania
The Venetians controlled a large trading empire from the 12th to 18th centuries leaving behind a legacy of fine architecture in Italy and Greece. Crete was an important Venetian base on this historic trading route. That’s how we ended up strolling along an old Venetian harbour in Chania, the second largest city on the island of Crete. We stayed in a lovely little hotel recommended in our guidebook. The location overlooking the harbour was fantastic. Gazing out our window we could see the awnings over the harbourside cafes, smell the gyros, and listen to restaurant owners coaxing visitors to stop at their establishment. We wandered leisurely through the narrow backstreets…
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Happy hour on the island of Corfu
I never went to summer camp as a kid. So my first camp experience was the Pink Palace on the island of Corfu. The Pink Palace offers a full slate of activities: lounging in the huge jacuzzi, the Ouzo Cup volleyball tournament and beer chugging contests. Bacon and eggs in the morning. Ouzo circle in the evening. Camp leaders walk gleefully around the circle, tell jokes and smash a plate over your head. Only thing missing is craft time. It was amusing, but did not feel like Greece. Other than the dominance of ouzo, I would not have guessed we were in Greece. Even this traditional spirit was a little…
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The Wind Goddesses at Alvento winery
It’s pizza night at our house. I stretch out the dough. My daughter layers on the toppings. My husband preheats the oven. We each have our designated roles. I open a bottle of wine to accompany our pizza: The Alvento East Wind. My husband asks, “Did you get this at one of the wineries you visited?” I proceed to tell him about how I found the winery. I was having brunch at Rev-a-lee Brunch Café in Vineland. My Bavarian plate with apple and sage sausage, zesty mustard potato salad and warm molasses rye bread was delicious. When the waitress stopped by my table to top up the hot water in…
