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More favorite European luxury hotels…

Happy Saturday, blog fans. I usually try to update my travel blog on the weekends with reports on restaurants, fun activities, or travel. This weekend, Bill is recovering from two back to back TDYs, some kind of respiratory infection that isn’t COVID, and irritable bowel syndrome. He is out shopping for food right now, but I have my doubts that we’re going to get out and about today.

Although we have lovely fall weather, we’re both kind of tired… Bill from sickness, and me from tending to Arran all week and repeatedly getting up in the middle of the night. Arran is doing okay today, except for his rancid, atomic farts, and being a little sleepy from his chemo. He did get a chemo pill today, as well as Prednisolone; the Endoxan pill makes him want to snooze. And two days post Vincristine infusion is also when the side effects tend to kick in. He was a little low energy this morning, and threw up a little of his food.

This is actually kind of a bummer, though. I’d rather Arran not be dealing with side effects on Saturday, which is the one day Bill and I can go anywhere and things will be open. Maybe we should try to change the day of the infusions. We’ll have to do that anyway, if Arran is still with us next month. We still have plans to visit France, starting on Wednesday, the 16th, which is our anniversary.

But maybe it’s not so bad that we aren’t going out today. I’ve been wanting to write another post about some of my favorite European luxury hotels. We’ve been to some good ones since the last time I did one of these posts, in February 2017. Our fortunes have improved since that time, five years ago, when I wrote about our favorite luxury digs. These aren’t necessarily ranked in order, nor are they even my favorite lodgings of all time. They’re just luxurious European places we really enjoyed and haven’t forgotten. So here’s another post about some of my favorite hotels when we want to drop a load of euros. Here goes.

10. Grand Hotel du Lac, Vevey Switzerland

From the very first moment, we were impressed… until we ate in the restaurant and our waiter sold us 40 CHF glasses of Cristal Champagne, and waved a truffle under my nose!

Bill and I stayed at this five star hotel in Vevey, Switzerland in December 2015. I went with him on a business trip to Vicenza, Italy, and we decided to stop in Switzerland on the way home, so Bill could visit the Giger Museum in Gruyeres. I noticed the Grand Hotel du Lac the first time we lived in Germany, but in those days, our finances made it impossible to book such a place. Switzerland is expensive no matter what, but a five star hotel there is quite a splurge. Still, I decided to go for it, and even sprang for a lake view, as the hotel is right next to Lake Geneva. The lake view was a waste of money, though, because there was fog the whole time we were there during waking hours. The one full day we were in the area, we spent in Gruyeres. Still, the hotel is absolutely beautiful and comfortable, and I remember our stay there fondly– with exception to our experience in the restaurant, which was not as impressive. Vevey is a pretty town, too. I’d love to go back! And I would definitely stay in this hotel… though I might go elsewhere for dinner.

9. Merrion Hotel, Dublin Ireland

Merrion Hotel is wonderful! And it’s close to lots of authentic Irish pubs, too…

In 2018, I whimsically bought tickets to see a bunch of concerts, one of which was in Dublin, Ireland, and featured Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Bonnie Raitt. Yeah, that was a great show, and it lasted about six hours! We obviously needed good digs, so we could get proper rest. I decided to book Merrion Hotel, which is supposedly Dublin’s best… or, at least it was when we were there in 2018. Anyway, we didn’t have an upgraded room, but the room we had was nice enough. Bonus was that they gave us lots of chocolate– like three huge bars of it– milk, dark, and white. I remember loving the breakfasts at this hotel, which were cooked to order and absolutely amazing. Plus, there was a beautiful pool area, and top notch service. Highly recommended!

8. Europäische Hof Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

This was a very tastefully decorated and comfortable room. The owner of the hotel obviously takes great pains to make her hotel special.

In June 2021, Bill and I decided to pay a visit to Heidelberg, Germany, a city not that far from where we currently live. At the time, COVID-19 cases, and the restrictions that accompanied the pandemic, were in full swing. We decided we wanted to stick close to home. I booked a few nights at Europäische Hof Heidelberg, a beautiful five star hotel with a long history and high service standards. The hotel has been family run for generations, and the attention to detail and care for guests are obvious. The owner of the hotel was very attentive and visible during our visit. Afterwards, when I wrote a review on TripAdvisor, she responded personally, and even sent me an email. We had a gorgeous, comfortable room, and the location was very convenient to the downtown area. I still get email offers from this hotel, and I’d love to go back sometime. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s not a rip off.

7. Park Hotel Sonnenhof, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

The view from our patio. What a beautiful place! I could stare at those mountains all day!

Bill and I visited Vaduz, Liechtenstein in May 2022, on our way home from a trip to Italy to taste wines. Originally, I had planned to stop in Lugano, Switzerland, but determined that Lugano wasn’t close enough to home. We had visited Liechtenstein once, back in 2009, and I thought it might be interested to visit the tiny country one more time. When I saw that it had a very highly regarded hotel with beautiful views, I was definitely onboard with booking. We had a lovely time in Vaduz, and delighted in tasting even more wines there! Park Hotel Sonnenhof is a very restful hotel with an excellent restaurant. It’s great for a splurge.

6. Hotel Bareiss, Baiersbronn, Germany

The view from the hotel. So pretty!

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you might know that Bill and I only recently stayed at the Hotel Bareiss in Baiersbronn, Germany. It’s probably the most expensive hotel we’ve ever stayed at, but it’s important to remember that the price of the room includes breakfast and dinner, as well as an afternoon cake buffet. At this hotel, food is front and center, but it also offers classic, quaint Black Forest inspired rooms, a petting zoo, daily activities, walking trails, several restaurants, and a first class pool and spa area. I LOVED the pool and spa areas, actually. We were there at a great time to enjoy them, too, because it wasn’t crowded at all! I wish we’d had a chance to try the a la carte restaurants, because the items that we had that weren’t part of the board menu were truly very special. Service is also outstanding at this hotel! Baiersbronn is a great town for foodies, as there are quite a few exquisite Michelin starred restaurants there. It’s also a fine place for hikers, especially if they want to see waterfalls.

5. Upper House, Gothenburg, Sweden

Coolest pool ever! This is jutting out from the building on the 18th floor, and has a glass bottom.

In late June 2019, Bill and I went to Gothenburg, Sweden to pick up our brand new Volvo at the Volvo factory. Although we could have stayed at a hotel chosen by Volvo, I wanted to go to the Upper House, a hotel in Gothia Towers. Why? Because of the pool. It juts out from the side of the building on the 18th floor! Also, the hotel is very swanky and beautiful, and offers beautiful views of the amusement park next door. Bill and I both loved the breakfasts, which were very unusual and cooked to order with fresh ingredients. If you’re going to Gothenburg and looking for something special, The Upper House is a good bet. The spa area is dreamy, but so is the bar… and I distinctly remember loving the bed. I wish I’d thought to find out where the mattress came from. That was a pretty epic trip. We combined it with stops in Copenhagen, Rostock, and Leipzig, and saw Mark Knopfler, both in concert, and at the bar in the Leipzig hotel where we were staying!

4. Auberge au Boeuf, Sessenheim, France

The pastries alone were worth the trip! The room was nice, too!

In March 2022, we had to go see our dentist in Stuttgart. At that time, COVID-19 rules were in full effect in Germany, and things were feeling a bit dystopian. We decided we wanted to get out of Germany for a few days, so I looked for a place just over the border. That’s when I discovered tiny Sessenheim, a little village near Soufflenheim, where a lot of French pottery is made. Sessenheim boasts a marvelous Michelin starred restaurant called Auberge au Boeuf, which also has four rooms to rent. This isn’t a big hotel, but the room we stayed in was the only one I have ever stayed in my lifetime that had its very own private sauna. It also had a jacuzzi bath. But the most impressive and memorable part of our stay at this hotel was the breakfast, which included the most delicious pastries I’ve ever had! They were obviously made on site, and served on special pottery that appeared to be locally made. Breakfast also included cheeses, smoked fish, cold cuts, and a variety of other goodies, all of which were brought to us. No breakfast buffet!

3. Hotel Oberwaid, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Beautiful pool area. There are also great spa facilities on the ground floor.

If you ever feel the need to feel “safe”, Hotel Oberwaid is a good bet. This hotel, located within sight of Lake Konstanz, is also a health sanitorium. There are physicians on staff for people who go there for health reasons, but it’s also a very comfortable hotel. From June until December, children are not allowed at the hotel, so it’s a very restful, adult oriented place. The restaurant serves excellent local cuisine, and there’s a fantastic pool and spa area. What I loved most about this hotel, though, was that they went to great lengths to make guests comfortable. After four nights at a noisy resort in Italy, I was definitely in the mood for a peaceful, quiet couple of nights at a place that was climate controlled and had good beds. Hotel Oberwaid had that, but it was also a very classy place. I can see why people go there for their health, even though I didn’t feel like I was staying in a hospital. The focus is on health and wellness, but in a comfortable, visually appealing setting. I’d like to go back sometime, if the fates allow.

2. De Witte Lelie, Antwerp, Belgium

A birthday surprise!

This is the hotel Bill chose for us when I turned 50 in June. It’s not the most luxurious of the properties where we’ve stayed. It doesn’t have a spa or a pool. However, it is beautifully and stylishly furnished, and offers every comfort, and it’s very convenient to downtown Antwerp. What I loved most about it was the service, which was very warm, personal, and professional. They brought out a beautiful strawberry tart and some fizz for my birthday morning, and we stayed in the funkiest room I’ve ever seen. I like this hotel because it’s so hospitable; we were so pleased with everything! One caveat I would mention is that if you have mobility issues, you might want to call the hotel for advice on which rooms are best. Our room required climbing a couple of flights of stairs. The other side of the hotel has elevator access for that part. The featured photo is of the hotel’s iconic red front door!

1. Brenner’s Park Hotel & Spa, Baden-Baden, Germany

A room truly fit for royalty…

In November 2018, Bill and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. We were also preparing to move to Wiesbaden from the Stuttgart area, in what would turn out to be a very stressful relocation, particularly considering that we were moving within Germany. I wanted to find us a really beautiful place to spend our anniversary, and I found it in Brenner’s Park. One of my former professors from Longwood University recommended this hotel, calling it “a little slice of Heaven”. Indeed, that’s what we found when we got there, especially since they upgraded us from a deluxe room to a junior suite… and that room was palatial! Brenner’s Park has a resident cat named Kleopatra, a fantastic spa, beautiful pool area, delicious food, and a classy bar. I would LOVE to go back there, even though it’s not very far from where we live now. Maybe on a future dentist excursion, we’ll book Brenner’s Park… but I don’t know if we can spring for a junior suite, and it’ll be hard to downgrade after staying in one. In a word… WOW.

I won’t deny it. Bill and I have been living a pretty sweet life over here… and I am very grateful we’ve had these opportunities to enjoy some of Europe’s loveliest hotels. I hope we can visit a few more before it’s time to retire and settle somewhere permanent. For now, we’re going to keep splurging for as long as we can. You only live once!

If you’re curious about any of these places and want more details of our visits, be sure to search the blog. I have done extensive review series of each place listed in this post!

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Ten things I learned in Switzerland, Italy, and Liechtenstein…

Now that my latest travel series has been completed and up for a few days, it’s time for my usual “ten things I learned” post. I like to do these posts after most trips, if only to offer a quick recap of our travels and make myself feel better for all the money we spent. 🙂 I also think these top ten posts are a bit easier for the casual reader to get through than the heavily detailed, blow by blow accounts. So, here goes…

10. Italy was actually stricter about COVID rules than Germany was!

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that Italy was strict about masks and “green passes”, since Italy was one of the first countries hard hit by COVID-19. However, Italy is typically “slacker” about a lot of things than Germany is, so it was a bit strange to be allowed to visit a rest stop maskless in Germany, but not in Italy. By the time our trip was over, the mask rules and green pass rules were dropped, anyway, in most places.

9. But Switzerland and Liechtenstein were both pretty “slack” about the COVID rules.

I wasn’t that surprised that Switzerland and Liechtenstein were liberal about masks. In 2020, when the pandemic was just getting started, we visited Italy, Austria, and Switzerland, and were very surprised that of the three countries, Switzerland’s rules were the least strict. Since Liechtenstein is basically a tiny country akin to Austria and Switzerland, it’s not too surprising that their rules were more like those in Switzerland.

The drive was breathtaking!

8. Modena and Parma are refreshingly non-touristy.

I was especially surprised by Modena, which really felt like an authentic Italian town. I didn’t hear any other American accents during our visit there. Parma was maybe a touch more touristy than Modena, but we didn’t get the sense that a lot of Americans were there during our trip.

7. Cortona is a super cute town, perfect for Tuscan getaways and fans of the film, Under the Tuscan Sun.

The 2003 film, Under the Tuscan Sun was partially filmed in this very lovely town, which also boasts at least one excellent winery.

6. Liechtenstein is a fine place to be if you want peace and quiet… and if you have money.

Like neighboring Switzerland, Liechtenstein is very sedate and civilized. It’s also expensive! But it was nice to be there for a couple of nights, if only to decompress a bit and gaze at the Alps. You can also find some nice wines there, with grapes from Austria, Switzerland, or even locally.

5. Andermatt may be halfway between Wiesbaden and Florence, but it’s not easy to get there!

We had to climb a mountainside with our Volvo to get to the ski town. I saw so many bikers who looked like they were in the seventh ring of Hell, trying to get up the steep incline. I alternately felt sorry for them, and felt glad I no longer have to ride a bike to get from point A to point B. It’s a pretty place, but not what I would call super beautiful. I probably wouldn’t make an effort to go back, although we did like the hotel we stayed in.

In Liechtenstein, you might see cows from your office.

4. If you need to pee in Switzerland, you can use euros at the rest stops.

I probably already knew that, but we so seldom go through there, I might have forgotten.

3. It’s possible to have a bad meal in Italy.

Avoid fast food joints called Old Wild West at all costs! Or, maybe just avoid fast food joints altogether.

2. But if you need to buy groceries or gifts, the rest stops in Italy have you covered.

And you will have to run the gauntlet when you leave the rest stops, too. There’s no other way to exit without walking past all the wines, olive oils, vinegars, and whatever else.

Italy is always beautiful!

…and .1 Bo and Luke Duke are still famous in Italy.

Actually, we saw a lot of 80s era TV shows in Italy, but were especially surprised by The Dukes of Hazzard. No wonder we’ve seen the rebel battle flag in Italy so many times! It obviously doesn’t mean the same to Italians as it does to us Americans. Back in the 80s, it was everywhere in the US, too. Maybe Italy is still kind of stuck in a previous era.

Sure, there were other things we learned while we were on our trip. But, this particular journey involved drinking a lot of wine, and my memory is probably a little fuzzy due to that. We had a wonderful time during our travels. I’m already looking forward to our next trip, which will probably be next month when I– gasp– turn 50.

It still snows in late April in Switzerland.

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Food and wine in Switzerland, Italy, and Liechtenstein… part sixteen

One last fancy dinner, then time to go home!

After our walk around Vaduz, we stopped by the Park Hotel Sonnenhof’s pool and spa area. I noticed one person who reviewed this hotel was disappointed that the hotel doesn’t have a gym. The owners of the hotel reminded everyone that it’s a small hotel, and there are many wonderful walking trails and bike paths for fitness enthusiasts. And there’s also the pool, which we enjoyed, especially since we had it all to ourselves.

After a short swim and a shower, which was actually nicer than the one in our room, we went back to the room for a short rest before our 7pm dinner reservations. Maree has minimal dress standards, meaning that athletic wear is not allowed in the restaurant. Although this was a decidedly casual trip for us, I did bring a dress, and managed to look pretty nice– for me, anyway– for our dinner. Maree’s menu is pretty much Europe centric. They do have a set menu option for thrifty types. Bill and I decided to go a la carte. I had a US beef filet with roasted potatoes, white asparagus, and Hollandaise sauce. Bill had Gilthead filet with herbed pesto, and spinach risotto. The beef was tender enough that I could cut it with a fork. I was also pleased that the asparagus wasn’t too much. Before we began our culinary journey, we were visited by the Hubertus Real, owner of the hotel, who also bid us farewell when we left a couple of hours later. Below are a few more photos from the hotel grounds, as well as our Liechtenstein dinner.

The last supper.
The light is flattering.
Bread
Gifts from the kitchen…
Bill tried a Riesling soup with smoked salmon and crostini.
Filet of beef with asparagus and Hollandaise.
Potatoes…
Gilthead with pesto.
Spinach risotto.
Chocolate Dream– ice cream with semi-whipped cream.
Creme brulee
And macarons to soften the blow of the bill.

After our second restful night, we enjoyed another breakfast. The hotel’s breakfast is pretty plentiful, with something for everyone. There’s a buffet with breads, cheeses, cold cuts, and smoked fish. They also have a lovely lemon cake, a variety of juices, and sparkling wine for those who want it. Eggs and pancakes are also available, made to order.

It was during our second breakfast that I noticed some of the other guests at the hotel. They were among the top 1% of earners. That was reinforced as we were loading our Volvo. I looked around the parking lot and saw a bunch of very expensive cars. There was a Ferrari, a couple of Porsches, a couple of BMWs, an Audi, and even a Bentley! We later saw the Bentley, chauffeured, and occupied by three Asian businessmen who had been having breakfast at the same time we were.

What was especially funny, though, was that one of the Porsches in the lot was apparently a bit of a lemon. After he settled the bill, a fit looking guy called to Bill, asking for help pushing his classic Porsche back into the parking spot. Bill, being a super nice and helpful sort, helped the guy out. As they were pushing the heavy sportscar, the owner mentioned that he was due to race the “classic Porsche” in Monaco in a couple of weeks! And he was going to have to call Herr So and So in town to fix his wheels!

Awww… my man is such a sport.

We were still chuckling about the deadlined Porsche as we made our way out of Vaduz and headed back to Wiesbaden. Our drive back was mostly uneventful, save for a quick dog leg through Austria that required Bill to get a vignette. Fortunately, Austria sells vignettes for smaller blocks of time than Switzerland does. I think the sticker cost just a few euros, instead of over 30. Maybe he could have risked not getting a vignette, but we both know what happens when one tests Murphy’s Law.

For lunch, we stopped at a Burger King… talk about a fall back to Earth! But I did spot a Ukrainian truck at the rest stop.

Last views of the Alps…
WTF?
Roll on, Ukraine.

I think as happy as we were to take this trip and experience all we did, it was great to come home. We missed Arran and Noyzi, and the grass in the backyard was insanely high! It took me three days to get it to an acceptable length with the robot mower and trimmer. Plus, we had lots of laundry to do and mail to collect.

We really had a good time on our trip, especially as COVID-19 restrictions are easing. It seemed like we were gone longer than we actually were. I know that we found some places we want to explore a lot more, if the future allows. We’ll see…

Time to wrap up this series and walk the dogs. Tonight, we’re finally going to Mainz to see Keb’ Mo’ perform after about 18 months of waiting. The original show was November 16, 2020, but we know what was happening then… So I’m going to end here, so I can write about Keb’ Mo’ tomorrow. There will probably be a “ten things I learned” post, too. We did learn a lot!

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Food and wine in Switzerland, Italy, and Liechtenstein… part fifteen

Landing in Liechtenstein…

As I prepare to write the last two parts of this series, it does occur to me that I need to work on my titles. At least no one can accuse me of writing “click bait” titles, right? What you see is what you get. Ah well, I’ll work on it.

On Monday, May 2, Bill and I made our way to our final stop on our spring tour– Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Originally, we had planned to go to Lugano, Switzerland, for the last two nights. I have been wanting to go to Lugano forever. But I realized that Lugano was too close to Florence and not far enough away from Germany. Staying there would potentially mean arriving too early for check in on May 2, and having to drive all day on May 4, when we made our way back to Germany. Also, I couldn’t decide on a hotel in Lugano. There was one that really attracted me, but was quite pricey. Another one was less expensive and got very high ratings, but didn’t lure me like the other one did. I finally got frustrated and decided to change plans.

I decided on Vaduz because of something that happened in 2009, when Bill and I lived in Germany the first time. It was June, and Bill’s mom had come from Texas to visit us. We were going to be PCSing (permanently changing stations– moving) in September of that year, so we were trying to cram in some last minute travel. At the time, Bill’s mom had never been to Austria, Switzerland, or Italy, or really, anywhere in Europe except for Germany and Ireland. I got the bright idea to book us a long weekend at an apartment in extreme southern Bavaria. On the second day, we went exploring, and eventually found ourselves in Italy, where we literally got stuck for hours, due to a sudden rainstorm that flooded the roads.

On our way to our joyride mishap in Italy, we stopped in Vaduz, Liechtenstein for a look. It was novel to be visiting the tiny country bordered by Austria and Switzerland. Parker got her passport stamped. I remember thinking that Vaduz was a pretty town. I took a few photos, since we were fortunate enough to have, at least at that point, beautiful weather. Hours later, I wished we’d turned around after we visited Liechtenstein… or even Chur, Switzerland, where we had lunch.

Remembering how pretty I thought Vaduz was in 2009, I went looking to see if there were any nice hotels there. I kind of wanted a splurge, since I knew we’d be tired after a week in Italy. I love Italy very much, but being there has a tendency to wear me out. But that might be because we often stay in somewhat busy areas.

I was also looking for peace and quiet, and very comfortable accommodations. That’s when I found the beautiful 29 room Park Hotel Sonnenhof, which also has a well-regarded restaurant called Maree. I noticed all of the enthusiastic reviews of the hotel, and found myself lured by the idyllic photos of the snow capped mountains and green lawns around the hotel. Then I noted that it was about a six hour drive from Florence, and maybe five hours or so from Wiesbaden. Perfect! That would split up our drive home nicely, and give us the chance to experience something novel– a tiny German speaking principality (62 square miles) with Swiss currency and ties to Austria. As small as Liechtenstein is, there are three other countries in Europe that are even smaller! Liechtenstein is also one of only two double landlocked countries in the entire world, the other being Uzbekistan. That means that it’s surrounded by countries that are also landlocked, and reaching a coastline requires crossing at least two national borders.

Below are some photos from our drive out of Italy… It was a very beautiful journey, although there are even prettier routes through Switzerland. We crossed over some majestic mountains to get to Vaduz.

On the way out of Florence.
Goodbye, Italy!
Near Lugano.

When we arrived at the hotel on May 2, I was immediately struck by how beautiful and peaceful the surroundings were. The parking lot was mostly empty, and it was very quiet and calm as we approached the front door. A Tesla charging station was located at the front of the parking lot. I would later see many very expensive cars at this hotel. It’s clearly the “best” hotel in Vaduz.

An efficient receptionist who spoke flawless English checked us in, reminding us that Maree is currently closed on Mondays, but a small snack menu is available for hotel guests. I was glad of that, since it was mid afternoon when we arrived, and we were both tired of being in the car. It is possible to walk to the city center of Vaduz from the hotel, but it would have been a stout stroll, as the hotel is in an residential part of town.

Downtown Vaduz
The Prince’s house on the hill.
Room 33
View from the terrace
Snack menu
Local beer
Actually spotted in Italy…
Polish truck.
Monday night snacks.

We were assigned a junior suite– room 33– which has an African theme. The rooms are individually decorated. The room was very nice. The bed was especially comfortable, which was great after our week in Italy. We had a small terrace that overlooked a serene “park”, and offered majestic views of the Alps. I could have sat there all day, watching the mountains change with the sun and clouds. I had picked up a sandwich just before we arrived at the hotel, but Bill was hungry, so we ordered from the snack menu. It was just enough to satisfy us for the first night. Bill turned on the water cooler (air conditioners are illegal in Liechtenstein), and we enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep.

On Tuesday morning, we slept in a bit, then had a nice breakfast at Maree, which is where we also had dinner reservations. After breakfast, we walked around Vaduz, took pictures, and talked about everything. When it was time for lunch, we made our way to the Cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein and the Hofkerllerei, which is a winery and restaurant. We hadn’t planned to visit this place in advance, but decided to go there because it looked like the menu was promising. Besides, we had spent our entire vacation drinking Italian wines. What better place to cap off the vacation? Below are some photos from our day in Vaduz.

A library.
A different hotel.

And more pictures from Vaduz, lunch, and our wine tasting…

Fried chicken sandwich
Falafel salad
Many of the grapes actually come from Austria…
But the ones in this wine are from Liechtenstein.
Shopping!
We tried a bunch of wines…
And since we also bought a bunch, the tasting was free of charge.

I think the next post will be the last in this series. Time to wrap up this trip and move on to other things.

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Food and wine in Switzerland, Italy, and Liechtenstein… part one

How did we end up in Italy and Switzerland again?

Yesterday, Bill and I got back from our eleven night food and wine odyssey, which mostly took place in Italy, but also included a night in Andermatt, Switzerland, and two nights in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. We also spent three nights in a castle in Torrechiara (near Parma), three nights in Florence, a night in Cortona, and another night in Florence. Our trip was busy, as it included a very intense, but brief, wine tour, as well as visits to places we’d never been, and a revisit for lunch in the coastal town of Viareggio, which I had last seen in 1997.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I had initially demurred when this trip was proposed. We hadn’t been planning to go to Switzerland and Italy for our spring vacation, but had to be convinced that it would be a good idea to go there. Left to my own devices, I probably would have chosen to go somewhere else, mainly because I like variety, and we’ve been neglecting other countries because of COVID-19. We are way overdue for a trip to Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Poland, for instance. We went to Switzerland and Italy in 2020, and we visited Zurich, Switzerland last summer, so it seemed too soon to be going to those places again.

I also wanted to go somewhere where COVID-19 policies were less onerous, because frankly, I’m really tired of the rules and restrictions. I know this might not be a politically correct thing to admit. Many people still think we should be wearing masks and locking down, but having been in Germany the whole time COVID has existed, I am, quite frankly, fed up with the rules. In fairness, the rules have been much stricter in Europe than they have been in the United States. And yet, in spite of the stricter rules, people have still gotten the virus.

Anyway, Tom De Vries, a Florence based member of the Facebook wine group I run, owns a business selling beautiful Tuscan wines and leading wine tours in Tuscany. We’ve purchased a few wine boxes from Tom’s business, Sommelier’s Choices. While the boxes are not inexpensive, Bill and I have genuinely enjoyed the wines he’s sent to us. One day a couple of months ago, Tom sent me a private message, asking if Bill and I would be interested in joining his tour starting April 28th.

I have to confess that my initial reaction to his query wasn’t particularly positive. At the time Tom made his pitch, there were still a bunch of people arguing about COVID-19 and what should be done about the rules. I don’t always do well in groups, because I have the kind of personality that people tend to love or hate. I like to do things at my own pace, and I can be particular about food and accommodations. I also didn’t want to be stuck in a vehicle or touring wineries wearing a face mask. I legitimately hate wearing masks, and I go out of my way to avoid situations in which I have to wear them.

If anyone is offended by that statement, keep in mind my comment that I do my best to try to avoid situations in which masks are necessary. I do wear the masks when I’m required to, but I don’t like having to do it, and would much rather not. I figure that I don’t have to like wearing masks, as long as I comply with the rules. Vacations that require face masks aren’t fun for me, and I was afraid they would be required for the wine tour, either due to local laws, or because of other participants who preferred to wear them and imposed their preferences on everybody else.

I’m happy to report that face masks weren’t an issue at all on the tour, though masks were required for a good portion of our time in Italy. I’ll get more into that further into the series, since I did make some observations about COVID prevention measures in Italy that I haven’t seen in Germany. I was also surprised that Italy did away with masks in most public places later than Germany did. I would not have expected that, since Italians seem to be more laid back about a lot of things than Germans are. In some ways, Italy’s mask rules are stricter than Germany’s are, although to be fair, Italy got hit really hard with COVID-19 when the pandemic began.

I finally changed my mind about taking the trip because it was very obvious that Bill wanted to do it. He has become quite the food and wine aficionado, and he really has enjoyed Tom’s wine boxes. Bill also BADLY needed a vacation. He had leave to burn up, and was really jonesing for a trip somewhere. Before COVID, we used to do a lot of short breaks, which gave him a chance to recharge. We have been doing less of that over the past two years. But, I have to admit, for many reasons, I actually kind of wanted Bill to drive us in our own car on the tour. Again, I’m not very good at groups… Of course, now I know that wouldn’t have been a great idea. 😉

In spite of my initial misgivings, this trip turned out to be a good one, because we went to some places I’ve been wanting to see for a long time, and we returned to a couple of places to where I’ve wanted to return. I also finally got to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which I know many of my fellow military community friends have visited. In spite of my years living abroad and extensive travel, I had not had a chance to visit Pisa before last week. It was also great to walk around Viareggio, which I had the pleasure of visiting back in 1997, at a time when I thought I might never have a chance to see Europe again. And we spent two nights in Vaduz, which we had previously visited very briefly in 2009. Since Liechtenstein is technically a country, I was happy to add it to the itinerary– even if it does bear a strong resemblance to Austria and Switzerland.

So yes, even though I had some doubts about this trip when it was initially proposed, we did have a great time. I would also highly recommend Tom De Vries as a tour guide, especially if you’re into wines. He did a great job introducing us to some wonderful small wineries and great food. Again, more on that as the series progresses. This will probably be a long series, due to the length of the trip and its many facets. We stayed in SIX different hotels. I hope some people will follow along, anyway. I know of at least a few who will. So, let’s get down to it, shall we?

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Our Italy odyssey has now ended…

I will start writing about the trip tomorrow. It’s been a long day, and I’m tired. I came home to a yard full of tall grass and lots of laundry. I managed to cut a good portion of it, but it still needs a good mowing. It’s now almost five o’clock, and I just want to drink a beer and relax for a bit.

We did have a very nice time in Italy. I hadn’t wanted to go, but I am very glad I changed my mind. We saw some beautiful places, ate lots of good food, and drank some incredible wines. We also met some new people, and even a couple of adorable dogs. Speaking of dogs, Bill is going to go pick ours up right now. Hopefully, all went well while we were gone. I have missed them terribly… this trip reminded me of just how much my dogs mean to me.

While we were gone, the IRS sent us a check for $2.64. We spent so much money on this trip, I think it would be a good thing to add to our vacation fund. Our last hotel was very beautiful, but it was definitely not cheap. This morning, as we were about to leave, I noticed that the parking lot was full of exotic cars. Parked next to our Volvo was a bright yellow Ferrari. There was also a silver Porsche, which Bill ended up having to help push into its parking space. Its owner, a fit and handsome man, must have pegged Bill for a nice guy, which he definitely is. He said the Porsche is a “classic”, and he’s due to race it in Monaco next weekend. But since it wouldn’t start this morning, I guess the Porsche is due for a checkup before race time.

Bill is such a Mensch.

I should also mention the black Bentley that was parked in the lot. It was driven by a distinguished looking European guy in a suit, who was apparently transporting several men from China who happened to be eating breakfast at the same time we were. I looked up the price of Bentleys. At the very least, they run at about $160,000 when they are brand new. Supposedly, it’s because Bentley uses very expensive, high quality parts to make their cars. Maybe the Chinese guy was an oligarch… I don’t know, but it’s always interesting to see people who spend as much on a car as some would spend on a home. It kind of put our 2020 Volvo to shame. As we were leaving the hotel, I was marveling at the wide range of hotels we stayed in during this trip. They really ran the gamut in terms of price and quality. I look forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight, though, even though our hotel in Vaduz was top class.

Anyway… I guess I’ll close this post and check on the laundry. Tomorrow, I will commence writing the series for this trip. We’ll see if anyone’s interested in reading.

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The Italy part of our trip is about at its end…

I have been super busy this week on our vacation. It always amazes me how vacations tend to wear me out! It’s like I need a vacation from my vacation, which is what the next two days in Liechtenstein are going to be about.

Because we drove to Italy, thinking we were going to load up on groceries (which we will probably do at a truck stop), it takes longer to get back to Germany. That’s why we’re stopping in Liechtenstein. But I don’t like to do overnights when I travel, unless it’s a place I’ve already been. We did an overnight on the way down to Italy in Andermatt, but that didn’t give us much time to see the area. We have been to Liechtenstein before– back in 2009 when we actually got trapped in Italy! But our visit in 2009 only lasted a few hours. This time, we hope to see a little bit more than we did last time. Since the country is so tiny, that shouldn’t be too hard. Or, at any rate, I look forward to relaxing and decompressing a bit.

Italy’s mask mandate for most venues officially ended on May 1. Many people still wear the masks, but they are not legally required anymore, except in hospitals, nursing homes, theaters and performance venues, and on public transport. I’m not sure what the rules are in Liechtenstein, but given that it’s basically Switzerland, my guess is that it’s wide open.

This really has been an amazing trip, and I have mostly very positive things to report when I get to writing my blog series. We saw some truly beautiful wineries, met a couple of friendly dogs, ate a lot of good food, and drank lots of outstanding wines. I also enjoyed meeting the other people on our tour, as well as Tom DeVries, who organized the trip and inspired us to come down in the first place. Tom owns Sommeliers Choices, and he curates boxes of beautiful Italian wines, which he ships all over the world. I was impressed by the obvious friendships and business connections he had with the people running the restaurants and wineries we visited. A couple of the wineries we stopped at were truly special, family-owned places with lots of history.

I took so many photos of the stunning scenery. It’s going to be a challenge to pick which photos to share.

Here are a few pictures from the past few days… Stay tuned for the whole story to be posted, very soon.

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Spring lunch at Villa Im Tal, and more travel plans!

Bill decided he wanted to go out to lunch again this weekend. Villa Im Tal, one of our favorite restaurants in Wiesbaden, was closed last weekend, so we went to Landhaus Diedert. This weekend, however, Villa Im Tal was open. Bill noticed that their menu appeared to be leaning more toward Italian cuisine. We are planning a big trip to Italy at the end of this month, so we made reservations for 1:00pm. Villa Im Tal is easily booked on OpenTable.de.

Some readers might recall that on April 2, Hesse dropped most of its COVID rules. However, I remembered that last weekend, when we dined at Landhaus Diedert, everyone was wearing masks in the restaurant. Although I threw out all of the masks in my purse, I made sure to carry a new one for today, just in case. On the way down the country road where the restaurant is, we passed a lady on a beautiful piebald pony who looked like he was about to start shedding his winter coat. He was still fluffy, like a teddy bear. SIGH.

We showed up right on time and donned masks, since the hostess/server was wearing one. She checked our vaccination statuses, which I understand that a lot of places are no longer doing, since it’s no longer required by law. Once we proved that we are up-to-date on our shots, she led us to our table. We noticed people were a lot more casual about masking this week. Some people wore them, but most people didn’t. The dining room is very spacious and there was plenty of room.

We usually sit in the front dining room when we visit Villa Im Tal. The one exception was in 2020, when we ate outside on a beautiful spring day. Today, it looked like the front dining room wasn’t set up. We were seated in the back, which was kind of interesting. It has a different ambiance, and offers a nice view of the lovely meadow that made me long for the days when I still had a horse and could go trail riding. Or, barring that, I would just like to hang out in a meadow with horses and smell their intoxicating aroma. Maybe someday…

In any case, Villa Im Tal is in the thick of “Spargel season”. It’s time for fresh asparagus, and they offered plenty on their menu. They also had their own version of the wonderful wild garlic soup so prevalent in Germany in the spring. Bill decided to have an asparagus heavy lunch, while I went with surf and turf. And we both had the garlic soup for our starters. Dessert consisted of a strawberry rhubarb tart with white chocolate ice cream for Bill, and an almond “cannelloni” filled with chocolate mousse and a small scoop of blood orange ice cream for me. The ice creams were house made.

Total damage for today’s lunch was about 215 euros, but it was well worth the cost. Service was, as usual, excellent. We were enjoying the space with a number of happy locals and a couple of very well behaved dogs. One dog was so good that we didn’t even notice her until the end of the meal, when her people led her out. Maybe someday, Noyzi will be good enough to go to a restaurant.

Below are some photos from today’s lunch. It’s always a pleasure to visit Villa Im Tal. It was funny, though, because the young woman who waited on us wished us a “pleasant journey”. I kind of laughed and said, “You mean, back to Wiesbaden?” She was surprised to find out that we live here. I guess they don’t get a lot of Americans in that part of town.

The bread was delicious!
The couple in the corner brought a very well behaved dog. We didn’t notice her until they left.
Wild garlic soup! It was served with smoked quail breast. This version was milder than last week’s.
This week’s wine… from the Piedmont region of Italy.
Bill had Spargel with ham and Hollandaise sauce, as well as new potatoes.
I had “surf and turf”– Sirloin with a tempura fried shrimp, ratatouille, and potatoes with bacon.
It’s nice to be out.
Almond cannelloni with chocolate mousse and blood orange ice cream.
Bill’s rhubarb and strawberry tart with white chocolate ice cream.
Another view of my tasty and satisfying dessert.
I was so jealous of this lady. She also brought her dog.
Bill sure does enjoy being retired Army. 😉
Outside…
Spring has sprung.
Villa Im Tal is a beautiful restaurant.
Wiesbaden is so pretty.
Train station in Wiesbaden.

This week, we also made some decisions about our upcoming vacation. I hadn’t been really wanting to take this deal, offered by a member of my wine group on Facebook. He’s a sommelier in Florence who offers tours and sells wine. We’ve bought a number of his monthly boxes, which don’t come cheap, but are of excellent quality. He hit Bill up for a trip to Florence. I had originally said no, but then in the wake of the loosening COVID rules, decided what the hell. So, on April 23, we will be off on our next trip.

So far, our itinerary is this: One night in Andermatt, Switzerland, on the way down to Italy. Three nights in Torrechiara (near Parma) for three nights. Three nights in Florence, with one night incorporating the wine tour we’re taking. We will get there early because Bill wants to go to the Uffizi, a very famous art museum. He had wanted to go during our last visit, back in May 2013, but we weren’t able to arrange it. This time, we will make a point of making a visit happen. The third night, we will be having dinner and a wine tasting, and the weekend will consist of the rest of the tour, which will include visits to wineries and castles, and lots of wine tasting and probably a fair amount of wine buying. We will spend a night in Cortona, then come back to Florence, where we’ll spend another night before heading northward to Vaduz, Liechtenstein, where we will spend two nights before coming home again.

I had originally planned for us to go to Lugano, but I realized that it was too close to where we were coming from, and the timing might be tricky. Also, I have a feeling that we’ll be kind of ready for some quiet and decompression. Lugano will probably be a little too happening for us at the end of the trip, when I know I’ll be anticipating coming home. Vaduz is very beautiful. We went there for a few hours in 2009, with Bill’s mom, and we ended up literally getting trapped in Italy later. In any case, Vaduz is closer to home than Lugano is, and it’s not so close to Florence that we have to kill time before check in.

We WILL get to Lugano at some point. I do still want to visit there. I just want to do it at the beginning of the trip instead of the end. Maybe we’ll spend my birthday there in June.

We still need to nail down the hotel situation in Florence, but that will be sorted out soon. I hope to come home with lots of cheesy comestibles, wines, hams, olive oils, and pasta. I always look forward to Italy, so I think this will be a great trip. This will be my third time in Florence. The first time was in September 1997… and in fact, I was there when I heard that Princess Diana had died. I actually saw her picture on an Italian newspaper with the headline that she’d died. I thought I was looking at a tabloid. I am probably one of the few people in the world who heard about her death on September 2, 1997, rather than the day it happened. Ahhh… the days when we weren’t plugged in all the time. I remember listening to her funeral on French radio while riding a train through the South of France, en route to Spain.

Anyway, I think it will be a great foodie trip, and I look forward to writing it up. Stay tuned.

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And the winners are…

Well… we ended up scrapping the idea to go to the Piemonte this year. I never heard back from Marla, although since it was a Facebook message I sent to Bella Baita’s Facebook page, I can hardly blame her. If you’re not friends with someone, it’s easy to miss Facebook messages. I guess I could have contacted her through her Web site, but I kept thinking about Bolzano and how I’d like to visit that area, too. So finally, I just decided to scrap the idea of visiting the Piemonte again, at least for the time being. We needed to go ahead and book, since our trip begins in a week. There are so many places we haven’t yet been to and want to see, and where we booked our “anchor” town would determine the “sides” of the trip, on the ways down to Italy and back up to Germany. (Edited to add: Today– Sunday, August 2, Marla responded and said Bella Baita is temporarily closed due to the many rules related to COVID-19. But when the pandemic is less of a threat and there are fewer rules, she and Fabrizio will be ready for guests again.)

We spent a couple of hours looking for places last night. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. There are so many hotels! And it’s hard to choose what is most important. I’m definitely lured by nice amenities and don’t mind paying a premium for comfort, but not at the expense of being in a crowded, impersonal, overpriced place. I saw a bunch of places that looked really nice, but I suspected were slickly marketed. I saw other places that were reasonably priced, but didn’t have much character and weren’t particularly comfortable looking.

I finally decided to book a place in Parcines (Partschins), Italy, which is not far from Merano. My German friend had recommended Merano, but it appeared to be more of a city. I didn’t know it when I booked, but Parcines has a waterfall. It also has a very nice looking Alpine hotel, family run, with lots of mountains around it. There are also castles nearby… I think we’ll find enough to do in four nights. Our hotel comes with half board, which is sort of hit or miss. I like to try different restaurants, but it looks like this resort is kind of in an isolated area. Hopefully, the food will be as good as the hype.

Once I was finished booking our “anchor” town, we decided where we would spend the rest of our time. I had been looking at hotels near the Eibsee, in Germany, which is an absolutely gorgeous lake near the Zugspitz. But I didn’t find any hotels that were appealing to me, and we have been to that part of Germany more than a few times. I would not be averse to stopping there for a break or something on the way to the town we ultimately chose– beautiful Leutasch— which isn’t too far from Innsbruck. I had also looked at Seefeld in Tyrol, but we’ve also been there before. It’s a beautiful place, but touristy and resort oriented. Leutasch may be the same way, and in fact, it’s in the same area as Seefeld is, but at least we’ve never been there. The featured photo was taken during our last trip to Seefeld, in which I took a picture of the stunning mountains. It was winter at the time and colder than a witch’s tit. It will look different when we visit next week.

And then, I must admit I was getting pretty tired… the hotels were all blending together. I asked Bill which way he wanted to go home. Was he wanting another journey through Austria? Or was Switzerland more appealing. He said he wanted to go through Switzerland, which would add an hour to the journey back. However, we have two nights to get from Italy to Wiesbaden, so we will be stopping in St. Gallen, near the town of Rorschach, which is on Lake Constance/Bodensee. Yes, I know, we could stay in Germany or Austria and pay less to see the lake, but we wanted to go to Switzerland. So that’s where we’re going, and we’re going to stay in a hotel that reminds me a little of a 60s era hospital.

Yes, Rorschach is also the name of the Zurich born Swiss psychiatrist, Herman Rorschach, who came up with the famous ink blot tests. But Herman Rorschach grew up in Schaffhausen, which is a town in extreme northern Switzerland, right by the German border. We’ve passed it more than once when we used to live near Stuttgart and were able to come and go from Switzerland easily.

I’m not sure how we will get back from Switzerland. Rorschach is close enough to the Austrian border that we could just cross back over and go up that way, rather than driving through Switzerland. A lot of people think Switzerland is extremely beautiful, and it is… but it’s also very expensive and, in some ways, kind of dull. I still like to visit when I can, though, because even though it’s kind of dull, it’s also kind of different. It has four official languages and isn’t part of the European Union… and I discovered that I have a little bit of Swiss heritage, too. Just a little bit.

The other region in Germany is Bavaria, but I know from research that I had relatively recent relatives (within a couple hundred years) who came from the Rhine, as well as a couple from Karlsruhe. Maybe we can visit Grisons someday.

Apparently, someone from my ancestry was from the Canton of Grisons, which is the largest and easternmost canton in Switzerland. That may be why my first DNA test indicated Italian ancestry. Actually, it was probably Swiss– from Italian speaking Switzerland. But it’s just a tiny pinch– enough to make me slightly more interesting, I guess. I have a pretty boring DNA makeup. It’s about three-quarters British and Irish. The next largest part is German, then Scandinavian, which Ancestry.com further narrows down to Norwegian. That makes sense, since parts of Scotland were once part of Norway. And then, I have a tiny dash of Native American ancestry. So, based solely on genetics, I could totally be European, even though I’m definitely American.

Anyway… this isn’t interesting to most people, except that it’s obvious the people who went into making me were pretty clannish. They all fucked among themselves. It wasn’t until recently that family members started branching out and adding some spice to the mix. My sister, for instance, married a man who is half Jamaican, half Chinese. He looks like Tiger Woods. And they have a son. I’m surprised there aren’t more genetic diseases in our family, besides depression and alcoholism.

Well, I’m glad to have all of this stuff decided. Hopefully, it will go off without a hitch, especially since coronavirus is still a problem. I look forward to posting a lot of pictures from our upcoming road trip. It’s been much too long since the last one of any length.

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The day we got trapped in Italy…

Not long ago, someone in one of the local Facebook groups asked for a travel itinerary that would involve having three meals in three different countries.  Since Germany is surrounded by other European countries and those of us living near Stuttgart are within a couple of hours of France and Switzerland, it’s actually not that hard to have three meals in three countries.  You don’t even have to spend the night in a hotel to accomplish this.

Anyway, when I was reading all of the suggestions, I was reminded of a crazy experience Bill and I had the last time we lived in Germany.  It was June 2009 and Bill’s awesome mother, Parker, had flown here from San Antonio to visit us.  Bill’s mom had last visited Europe during Bill’s first Germany tour in the late 1980s.  That was way before I was in the picture; I was still in high school at the time. Bill was a young lieutenant with limited funds living in Ansbach.  So they didn’t get to go to any countries outside of Germany (still known as West Germany in those days).

I came up with the bright idea for the three of us to rent a timeshare condo in Oberstaufen, Germany, which is right on the border with Austria.  I figured we’d have the chance to show Parker some of Austria and maybe even Switzerland.  At the time I came up with this plan, I had no idea that I would get a wild hair up my ass that would get us trapped in Italy.

We checked into the MONDI-Holiday hotel in Oberstaufen, had a nice dinner, and spent the night in the little condo, which slept four people.  The next morning, we got up and enjoyed a nice breakfast in Germany, then set off for Austria, which was literally just a couple of miles away.  As we were gassing up the car, I said, “Hey!  We aren’t far from Liechtenstein.  Why don’t we go there?”

Bill and Parker were game, so we drove to Liechtenstein and walked around.  Parker got her passport stamped and we smelled lots of stinky cheeses in a local shop.  We went into a gift shop so I could buy a coffee mug and a magnet.  There, we got stuck behind an annoying group of Americans who were holding the shop proprietor’s attention hostage.  The head of the family, wearing a t-shirt from Brigham Young University, was telling the shop keeper a very detailed story about his experiences as a Mormon missionary in Switzerland.  While the proprietor was being very polite and listening intently, they seriously went on for several minutes, oblivious that there were people wanting to check out.  Finally, we put the stuff back and went to a different store.

A beautiful cathedral in Vaduz, Liechtenstein.

After we were finished with our shopping and looking around, I said, “Well, this was cool.  Let’s go have lunch in Switzerland!”

A stop at a Swiss rastplatz…  Little did I know what was ahead of us. 

Once again, Bill and Parker were game to visit another country.  We headed into Switzerland and finally stopped in the city of Chur.  Chur was pretty charming.  We enjoyed walking around and I took a few pictures.  I soon heard people speaking Italian, reminding me that we could show Parker Italy, too.  After a lovely lunch in a Swiss/Italian restaurant called Obelisco, I made an ill-advised suggestion when I said, “Why don’t we go to Italy?”

A beautiful Swiss/Italian meal… (An interesting aside– I just looked up this building where the restaurant is and it shares its building with an integrative medical practice.)

So off we went to Italy, which wasn’t quite as close as I thought it would be.  I think we reached the border at about 3:00pm or so.  But we had sunny skies and perfect weather.  I felt pretty sure we could joyride a bit and drive back to Germany, no problem.

As we headed south on the autostrada, Bill asked “Milan or Lake Como”?  We had been to both areas and I thought Lake Como would be prettier and less crazy.  So that’s where we went.  By the way, driving in Italy is almost always crazy, especially when you’re driving on a narrow road around a lake.  In retrospect, had we gone to Milan, we probably wouldn’t have gotten trapped.

Bill’s mom marveled at how beautiful Lake Como is and we spent the afternoon laughing and telling stories.  Finally, it got to be dinner time.  Bill continued driving until we got to Bergamo, where we found a parking spot and went looking for something to eat, ultimately landing in a restaurant that was open somewhat early for dinner.  I remember Bill eating his very first oyster in that restaurant.  They had served the oysters as amuses.  I had been telling him for years that eating oysters is like eating a little bit of the ocean.  I grew up near the ocean, so I’m a fan.  Bill did not grow up near the ocean and needed a little breaking in.  I am pleased to report that he enjoyed the oyster and would eat it again.  I remember I had some kind of seafood meal that sat rather heavily in my stomach.  While we were in the restaurant, there was a whole lot of rain.  We were oblivious to just how much.

It was about nine o’clock when we headed back to our car, ready to make the journey back to Germany.  The GPS had us getting in at about 1:00am or so.  That was way past our bedtimes, but what the hell?

We started the drive back, but every time Bill tried to get on the autostrada, he was turned away by the Italian police or a barrier.  The GPS kept recalculating, but with each recalculation, we found a closed road.  It was incredibly frustrating, especially as we noticed the GPS adding more and more time to our journey.  It turned out we couldn’t get on the autostrada because the roads leading to them were flooded from the rainstorm that had occurred while we were eating dinner in Bergamo.  In a matter of a couple of hours, the rain had made most of the ancient Italian roads out of the area impassable.

At one point, we ended up on a winding road up the Alps.  Bill stopped to get gas and that dinner that was sitting in my stomach suddenly decided it needed to be ejected.  I remember leaning over a railing and throwing up all over someone’s flowers as I heard a bunch of rowdy Italians partying nearby.  We were all dangerously drowsy.  I never sleep in cars, but I fell asleep a couple of times to the point of snoring.  I give Bill credit for not passing out on us.

We continued up the steep Alpine road until we finally reached an unguarded border with Switzerland.  Yea!  We were finally getting out of Italy!  Alas!  It, too, was closed!  There was a low barrier that we could have easily gone around had we wanted to risk it.  I could tell that Bill was seriously contemplating violating the barrier.  He was frustrated and exhausted.  It was about 1:00 in the morning and even though it was June, there was snow on the ground.  I knew Bill just wanted to go to bed and he momentarily wondered if the border was closed for no good reason.  We probably should have just found a hotel, but we were in rural Italy in the middle of the night and there weren’t a whole lot of them to be found.

After a few minutes of profuse swearing like a sailor at the Swiss border, Bill wisely got back into the driver’s seat and we headed back down the mountain.  Finally, we ended up on a road that, after a couple of hours, took us to Italy’s border with St. Moritz.  I think we may have been the only people on the road and the border guard was none too pleased to have to come out to us in the middle of the night.  Spotting the German plates on our Toyota RAV 4, he angrily demanded our passports.  He snatched them from Bill, grumpily checked them over, and snarled, “Arrivederci!” in a decidedly sarcastic tone of voice.

Sighing with relief that we were finally on our way, Bill quickly got us on a Swiss highway heading north and we eventually rolled into the parking lot at our German hotel at about 7:00am.  We were incredibly tired, but we had breakfast.  Then we all went to bed and slept until 3:00pm, which was when housekeeping demanded that we let them clean the unit.  On the way back to Stuttgart the next day, we stopped in France for lunch.

I insisted on having a French lunch in Marckolsheim on the way to Stuttgart.  Fortunately, we didn’t get trapped in France.

Bill’s mom is planning another visit for next month.  She has already told us not to worry about showing her any European countries other than Germany.  But we still talk about how she got to see Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, and France in a matter of a couple of days.  And I won’t be surprised if we sneak across the border once or twice, just for the fun of it.

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