It's good to be home

What an amazing adventure! We loved every part of it and even the long haul flights were ok. Trafalgar were excellent as was Air New Zealand.

We've had some great experiences that will shape who we are and remain with us for the rest of our lives.

Now to sort out the thousands of photos!

LAX

Half way home... Get off the plane, get our bags, complete customs forms, put bags back on plane, go through security after taking off shoes & belt & jacket then getting full body scan, get back on plane... Helping solve the US unemployment!

Jolly good show London

It was a foggy start but after a very pleasant black taxi trip we were at Paddington Station looking for marmalade and a bear before catching the very efficient Heathrow Express - no traffic worries & only 15 minutes to the airport.

The English are a very pleasant & cheery bunch!

Reflections on our Trafalgar Tour

I'm pleased that we chose Trafalgar's European Interlude as our tour. I'm also pleased that we had an excellent tour director in Kevin and an excellent driver in Rudy L.

The people on the tour were generally positive and pleasant and we made some great friends.

My advice is to participate fully in all the optional events to get the most out of the trip. Go with the flow, remember to pack a smile and you will get to experience a diverse and interesting Europe - at the end of the tour you will get out of it, exactly what you put into it.

Biggest mall in Europe

We decided to check out the biggest mall in this part of the world. It had free wifi too. It's a Westfield mall - certainly bigger than our local Westfield.

It even had a Lego store that only sold Lego! I could've filled a shipping container with the stunning lego models. You could even make your own Lego people and buy individual bricks.

They had 4 different styles of advent calendars, party kits, hobbit Lego etc...

More English food

After our last trip in the coach we went for a small adventure in the underground which is actually quite fun once you work out the colours of the lines and which stations to swap trains. I then joined friends for a lovely pub meal of mushy peas (which are actually delicious) and warm ale. The pub had a warm atmosphere and it was a perfect way to end the day.

On the way back an Italian asked me directions, so I must be looking like a local :-)

Traditional English fare

It wasn't long before we were tucking into a good tasting curry & a beer on the cruise to Dover.

Au revoir France

Thank you Europe, it's been a wonderful adventure - I definitely recommend Trafalgar & our fantastic travel director - Kevin. We are now cruising the English channel - 5th cruise of the holiday.

Very old bridges

Rome is known for old buildings, they even have a bridge which is still being used that is 2,000 years old - now that's impressive engineering!

Trevi fountain

Threw a couple of coins in the fountain for luck! First coin is to return to Rome & the 2nd for a happy marriage.

The last wake up call

The final day of the tour starts:
Out of bed with a wake up call
Bags out
Breakfast
Bus
Bleary eyes - on our way to London

Moulin Rouge

It was an entertaining cabaret show at Moulin Rouge. It was obviously popular because the place was packed & there was another big group waiting to enter for the next show as we departed.
Dinner was delicious too.

The Palace of Versailles

This afternoon we ventured out to the Palace to see the gardens & 1% of the palace's 2,000 rooms. It was certainly lavish with beautiful paintings, chandeliers and gold.

Day time tour of Paris

We were able to get a good view of Paris during the day even though it was raining most of the day. We went up the Eiffel tower then down to the Arc de Triomphe, and down the Champ Élysées for a McBagutte for lunch.

Paris by night

Cruising down the river, enjoying the City of Lights, then a tour of this majestic city in all her glory.

Escargot

It wouldn't be Paris without snails in butter & garlic - yum!

Burgundy country

Driving thorough France, the autumn colours of Burgundy looked beautiful.

Authentic French nougat

The nougat is even more delicious in France.

Beers of Europe

It's been an interesting & educational journey across Europe. Each area has their own breweries with their own tastes. Apparently monks used to brew beer so they could drink when they were fasting and get the nutrition they needed (think of beer as liquid bread). Apparently England doesn't have the very old breweries that Europe does as King Henry VIII got rid of them during his reign.

A stunning night in Lucerne

A group of us headed out for dinner at a local restaurant that had great food and was close to the famous wooden bridge. It was a beautiful night and we had a great time with new friends.

Lion monument

We visited this sobering memorial, dedicated to soldiers who lost their lives.

It is rumored that the sculptor didn't get paid so left the cave outline as a pig.

Horse carriage ride

This morning started peacefully with a quiet ride in the countryside in horse drawn carriages. We saw farms & chalets. The dairy herds are tiny compared to what we are used to. We were then treated to farmhouse hospitality including special coffee. It was a wonderful way to start the day.

Swiss fondue

We enjoyed a jovial night at a local restaurant where they fed us with traditional Swiss food including cheese fondue & rosti. The beer is served in 1 litre steins! The entertainment included Swiss horns, yodeling & flag throwing etc... We topped it off with schnapps to celebrate Kate's 36 hour birthday!

Mount Pilatus

It was a perfect day to view snow covered peaks and alpine lakes from this amazing location atop Mt Pilatus.

We travelled in a cog driven train up one side & down gondolas on the other. The view from 7,000 ft was spectacular!

Birthday balloon

Kate's birthday has started! It's the 18th in NZ so her birthday has officially started. Here's Kate with her birthday balloon!

Lake cruise

It was a magical day for a cruise on the lake in Lucerne. It was so beautiful with the classic architecture and chalets.

Lake Como

Drove past the picturesque town of Como on our way to Switzerland.

Night photo shoot

After dinner a few of us decided to go into town to take some photos. Our hotel is so close & the weather was good. I finally used my tripod - so it was worth brining after all! We went to the main I iconic spots - David, the Cathedral & the bridge, plus some other photo-worthy shots.

Look around Florence

We has some free time to look around Florence and see the sights and experience the local flavour. This is the off-peak season & it is very busy, so I wouldn't like to imagine what the busy season would be like.

Florence's cathedral

Florence is an amazing city with its religious monuments and this iconic church is a testament to the engineering & building skills. It has beautiful marble work and looks incredible.

Lunch in Florence

We arrived in Florence for lunch & dined on authentic gelato in a small square/ piazza while chatting to some Canadians on another tour. There are a few annoying street vendors and beggars, plus we had to be wary of pickpockets but we always felt very safe & there were no issues.

David is very big in real life!

We went for a walk through the very impressive art museum with amazing paintings & sculptures, including the massive sculpture of David. We heard lots of interesting facts and told about the great art works on display. I was very surprised how close we could get. We were told how the genius, Michelangelo would create the sculpture without a model.
We couldn't take photos in the museum but we were able to get a photo in front of the second David in his original position in the square.

Through Tuscany

Today we travelled through Tuscany to Florence. We saw some lovely landscape vistas & villas. It's no wonder people come back for a better look at Italy. We stopped at a service area that covered the whole road!

Romantic dinner

We had a fun night with a waiter who enjoyed making the women feel special in Rome. There was music and amazing feast of pasta & Italian food that made us feel very welcome.

St Paul's Basilica

We entered the most amazing church - there was a service taking place which created a serene atmosphere even though there were crowds of people all over the place. Our local guide gave us a good overview then let us take some photos & look around.

The mighty Colosseum

It wouldn't be Roma without experiencing the Colosseum. We learnt about the slaves and aristocracy plus wild animals and criminals that were used to entertain 100,s of 1,000's of Romans back in the day. Interestingly they had aisle numbers to make it easier to find your seat!

Sistine Chapel

We were ushered into the chapel & told not to take photos. The paintings were so impressive and humbling. I was interested to learn that the famous 'hand of God' shows God inside a cross section of the human brain which may be trying to tell us something about Michelangelo's interpretation of God...

The Vatican

We left early to avoid the crowds and got a local tour of the Vatican. The history, tapestries, monuments and paintings were incredible. There were urns and coffins next to statues. The tapestries told stories, mainly because a large part of the population were illiterate.

Circus Maximus

This is where 250,000 spectators watched the chariot races 2,000 years ago. Enjoying the amazing history of old Rome.

Lunch in Tuscany

Driving past villas and vineyards in Tuscany on a sunny Sunday was a pleasant journey. We stopped to enjoy lunch - I had fresh buffalo mozzarella, lettuce, olives and prosciutto with tomatoes and bread. They even offer wine & beer.

Through the hills

Italians don't drive over hills - they drive through them - much more efficient.

Spaghetti Bolognase

We travelled through the home of this dish - Bologna. We stopped for tea & coffee, or more specifically cappuccino!

Bubbles at sunrise

It was a beautiful sunrise this morning as we enjoyed our breakfast of fresh fruit salad, yoghurt followed by croissants with cold meet & cheese, then sparking wine. It was a great way to say farewell to this wonderful location - Hotel Excelsior, Lido, Venice.

Dinner at the Colosseum

We enjoyed a fun, delicious, entertaining night with the Colosseum as our backdrop. It was one of the best nights ever! There was singing, pizza, pasta and a view to remember.

Rome & the Vatican at night

After dinner we looked at some ancient roman ruins with incredible history - it was a great night! Certainly another night to remember.

Geocaching

We had some free time before our evening activity so I decided to embark on a geocaching adventure in the rain. It was a great excuse to have a look around the neighborhood and see what it's like. I expect it really comes alive in summer when the beach is full & the weather is warm & sunny. I found the geocache which made it all worthwhile.

Burano

The fishing island of Burano is extremely colourful - the boats, the houses and the people. We enjoyed a lagoon cruise even though it was a bit wet & overcast. The rain stopped by the time we got to the island so we then toured the small island, admiring the local crafts and colour, we then feasted at a local restaurant with local dishes of pasta, risotto, fish, fruit, biscuits & coffee. It felt like we had been welcomed into the owners home. We went back to the hotel full & satisfied.

Murano glass blowing

Watched a craftsman making a glass sculpture and a decanter then got swept away with the amazing skill and artistry of the glass.

Good morning Venice

Such a beautiful place to wake up to. The accommodation is truly palatial. Catching a boat to watch glass blowing and look around the city.

From sunshine to rain

Got a bit drenched in Venice & not from falling into the canal either! It was great wandering around Venice although we got a bit lost & the GPS kept sending us in circles! Then a downpour caused major pedestrian jams and we just made it back to our shuttle boat in time to get transferred back to the hotel. St Marks square was awash with people & water! We even saw the gargoyles in St Marks square in action.
For lunch we enjoyed a panini style toasted sandwich - I think it was called a caprese? Mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato & basil. Delicious.

What a day to remember

We arrived in Venice after seeing a few sights from the private ferry. We then had an orientation tour of the promenade and St Marks Square. The wealth of history is humbling. We then enjoyed a romantic gondola ride followed by a river taxi tour, then on to our exclusive hotel - the exquisite Hotel Excelsior! It is incredible! Anybody who is somebody has stayed here. Dinner was superb, followed by a short stroll beside the beach.

Made in China

At the Schonbrunn Palace the ruler appreciated fine quality ceramics, lacquer and paintings. Ironically the best quality goods came from China.

Goodbye Austria, hello Italy

Stopped by for one last meal of goulash & strudel in Austria before we headed over the border to Italy and on to Venice. The sun is shining and the colours of autumn are stunning!

Polizei stop

We had to pull over for a random police check to make sure our paperwork was in order. It was, and we were back on our way again without much delay.