One month down

Europe for one whole month!  After we got off the boat, we said goodbye to the few other backpackers that we had met minus 2...I think they slept in...

We headed for our room at the Malaga Lodge.  We are using a website called AirBNB to find places to stay.  Most times they are people's houses or apartments that have an extra room to rent.  So, we get to stay in most places for a great rate, because of course, we are on a budget!
We stayed in Malaga for 2 nights then headed to Sevilla, Spain, just northwest of Malaga.  It was okay, the cathedral there was huge and amazing, but come to find out, that is how most of Europe is, old and amazing!  We were not originally planning on going to Granada but so many people recommended it and thank goodness we decided to go because it was beautiful.
We toured the Al Ahambra, their main tourist attraction.  A mosque/fortress, it took us hours to walk.

So we spent 2 nights there in a renovated apartment building that has been standing for 630 years.  The streets were narrow, the parties were late into the night, and the rain wouldn't stop...but super cute apartment!

After Granada we made our way up to Madrid.  Richard and I have decided that when we return to the US we are going to petition to have an underground subway system built...how great to get around such a big city in such little time!   Unfortunatley for us, while we were in Madrid, the Soccer Finals were going on...and Spain won, so to no avail...no sleep for us in Madrid and we weren't even at the party!  We were staying in a concrete apartment on the 5th floor and could still here all of the noise!  So we escaped Madrid for a day trip to Avila.  They call this city the walled city because at one point in time, the whole city was walled in to keep the enemy out.  Of course now they have expanded the city beyond the walls but it was incredible to walk through the streets and see how they lived so long ago.



This is me sitting outside of the city walls, the next 2 pictures are of the cathedral.  The intrance is inside of the wall but they built it into the wall, so the backside is a part of the fortress, incredible.



Valencia, Spain on the east coast came next.  They had a beautiful beach about 10 minutes from the apartment that we stayed at.  Also, the biggest aquarium in Europe is housed there so we had to go.

Fully equipped with walk through shark tunnels.

Yes, it really was that packed but, some people are respectful when they notice a picture being taken :)
A few days in Valencia and then up to Barcelona (not my choice).  The train ride took us up the coast and very pretty to look out at the ocean.  I know what you are thinking...didn't you just get off the ocean?  I don't know what to tell you, I'm a water baby!
I only say that I did not want to go to Barcelona because I heard it is dirty, and smelly, and they pick pocket like a professional buisness.  We had to go though because that is where our overnight train was leaving from...that's right, we booked an overnight train from Barcelona to Milan.





I could make the picture larger but it wouldn't help, the room was small.  What you don't see isn't there.  When the beds are down, there is only walking space and a sink to brush your teeth in.  The bathroom is down the hall.  An experience, but we probably won't do it again!  When we arrived in Milan, Italy at 10am the next morning, we got off the train and hoofed it to the ticket office where we bought the next tickets to Rome...ROME!!!!
This city is a huge part of this trip.  I've wanted to see Vatican City for forever and of course the fountains and the history and the romance.  We booked a tour through the Colosseum and the Roman Forum just so we would know what we were looking at.  So much information!

 This is Trevi Fountain, the one where people throw in coins wishing themselves a return trip to Rome.  The guide book says that 3000 Euro a day get thrown in.  That equals approximately $3,900 US dollars a day that just gets tossed in to a fountain.  Humans.

Of course, I asked my tour guide what happens to all of that coin and she says that the city uses a pool vacuum to suck it up and then they donate it to the Red Cross.  For the goodness of man kind, I'll believe her.
The next day, we took a guided tour through Vatican City, including the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter's Basilica (church).  Wow!  So much history!  Michalangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel here and the painting of Judgement Day.  Incredible work.  I could post the pictures but it wouldn't do them justice.  The next day (Sunday) we decided to go up to the highest point in Rome to look out over the city and to have a picnic.  It just so happened that we timed it just right that the Pope was giving his weekly blessing as we were casually walking through Saint Peter's Square.  That's right again...we saw the Pope!

Highlight!  There were sooooo many people in St. Peter's Square that morning we could barely move!  We had to hang on to each other so we didn't lose the other.  We could have left Rome right then.  But we went up to the park and had our picnic as planned.

We left Rome to go to Pompeii where Mount Vesuvius erupted 2000 years ago covering the town in volcanic ash perfectly preserving it.  Creepy.  I have to add in a romantic-comedy story.  When we left to come on this trip, Richard and I discussed the reasons why I should not wear my wedding ring.  I of course understood the implications and we decided to leave it at home.  So my husband being the sweet, kind man that I married...bought us rings made out rock from the volcano...I told you, romantic!

Pompeii was a quick stop, we then headed back through Napels to get to Venice.  Our bed and breakfast was too cute!  Way more than we expected and such a great time.  Venice is an amazing town.  No cars only water taxi boats.  We didn't ride a gondola because they want $200 per hour to tread the same water that the taxi boats tread.  Ridiculous.  Locals say that no matter what you do, you will get lost when you roam through Venice.  They must have never met anyone like Richard!  We never got lost but we did manage to find a private dock for a picnic.

With Venice done, and all of our Italian dreams come true, we moved on to Austria for the weekend.  Innsbruck is amazing.  I know I have said that about most things that we have seen over here but the scenic train ride from Verona, Italy into Innsbruck was gorgeous!  Coming in to the Swiss Alps with the mountains all around you, I was just in awe.  Even though I had a seat on the train, I wasn't using it.  I was moving all around the car trying to take in every angle.  That scenery might stay with me forever.  We of course visited Colorado and the Rockys before going to Texas but they don't compare to the Alps, sorry Aunt Barbara :)

This was our view walking up to the apartment and it was the same from the back yard patio.  Again, it just doesn't do it justice.

Innsbruck was my favorite.  The city is modern but with old buildings.  They painted them in different pastel colors and the city was so clean.  That of course is not the standard in Europe so we were very happy to spend some time there, even if it was just for 2 nights.  Upon our arrival, our host (he rents his apartment and then stays accross the hall at his other apartment) was showing us a map on how to get around.  He then realized what time it was and decided that we needed to see the city from the mountain top right then.  So, he drove us!  We don't ever expect anything from the people we are renting from so this was a treat.  We jumped in the car and headed to the gondola that would take us to the mountain top, from there, the city of Innsbruck is small and homey.

I said to Richard within the first 3 hours of arriving..."I could live here".  So don't be surprised in the furture if you end up visiting us in Innsbruck, Austria...you won't be disappointed!

So, finally, that brings us to now.  Currently, where I am typing to you right now is in our upstairs, 3rd floor, renovated apartment in a house that was built in 1899 (I'm sure this was the attic at some point) but alas, it is private, all ours until we leave tomorrow to go to Salzburg, Austria.



We are in Switzerland.  Interlaken, Switzerland, the city that is between two lakes (Inter-laken). We arrived Monday, and I think they were enjoying a day off like you all were as well. There were people laying out by the crystal blue lakes, the businesses were closed, and people were walking their dogs and in a jovial mood. Interlaken is the home of the Jungfrau Mountain, the very top of Europe. The point on the mountain top that they have the nerve to charge an arm and a leg to reach. So we just stared at it in all of it's glory from the ground that we could afford. Don't get me wrong, we have stepped over budget many times to make this trip memorable and fun...but to get to the top of a mountain that I can't ski down, no thank you!

So, as a close to this blog, I would like to say congratulations to cousin Danielle on having her 2nd baby boy!  (Send me some pictures already!!)