Matt brushes up on his French, German, and Italian...with our good friend Rick Steves'
Day 1: Amsterdam: Barbara and Rachel at Keukenhof Gardens outside of Amsterdam!
The height of tulip season came early this year because of an unusually warm spring in Europe, but there were still many flowers at Keukenhof
Keukenhof Gardens are the world's foremost spring gardens. Hundreds of types of tulips.
Pink with a green strip...very unique.
Matt with Barbara Laurenssen who was an exchange student with Matt's family when he was seven! Barb was an excellent tour guide and hostess.
A fountain in Keukenhof
More flowers....
Matt and Barb - As you can see from the jackets it was quite cool in the Netherlands. We were very lucky to have sun for this afternoon.
An authentic windmill moved to the Gardens
An even more authentic windmill close to Barb's house in Holfdorp...it is used by the local baker to grind wheat for bread.
The Friday market...we don't have cheese like this in the United States.
The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam...although we had to wait for 30 minutes in the rain, it was quite interesting.
One of the canals of Amsterdam.
Barb's daughter Juliette
This little monster is their son Alexandre.
The Laurenssen family
Barb and Frank's house
Day 3: Paris - L'Arc de Triumph
The View from the top of the Arc towards the Eiffel Tower.
As our official tour guide, Rachel's brother, Joe, points out a landmark from the Arc.
Place d'Etoile...Arc de Triump...most importanly, the world's largest traffic circle...12 streets come together here and the traffic is chaotic!
The Champs-Elysees...the 5th Avenue of Paris.
No trash cans...bags only. Apparently someone found it fun to put bombs in the cans so they got rid of them all!
The Paris flavor, looking out over the Seine River.
Yeah, the French stole the obelisk from the Egyptians.
Up the Champs Elyees from down by the Louvre
Sailing in the park...near the Louvre.
Day 4: Paris - The Louvre. Da Vinci code anyone?
This is it...the burial site of the Holy Grail!
In the Louvre: Winged Victory of Samothrace thought to date from 220 to 190 BC...sculpted to celebrate a naval victory by Rhodes.
Venus de Milo...one of the most famous Greek sculptures...thought to be of Greek god Aphrodite...and there's some famous statue in the back as well :).
Winged Victory of Samothrace from staircase.
Having a little fun with the mirrors at the ancient Egyptian part of the Louvre
Sainte Chapelle -- Some of the world's best stained glass windows. Here its magnificent rose window.
Notre Dame
Deep in thought...for a looong time.
One of the many stone sculptures keeping watch over the city.
Looking South from the bell tower of Notre Dame
Notre Dame and the Ile de Cite from the Left Bank of the Seine. A great view of the flying buttresses.
Notre Dame from the "mainland."
Centre Georges Pompidou - Paris' Modern Art Museum. All the duct work is on the outside.
Under the Eiffel tower at night...beautiful.
The Eiffel Tower...ooo la la!
Me at night...in front of the Eifel Tower
That's right, all of this was on the same day...we were tired by the end of it.
Day 5: Paris - Montmartre - Basilica of the Sacré Cœur
Montmarte, which sits on a hill in Paris, was the home and inspiration of many artists in the early 20th century, including Pissara, Picasso, and Renoir. It still retains its bohemian atmosphere. This statue of two men playing chess looks so real!
Montmartre streets
Boulangerie...bakery Patisserie...Pastry Shop Both absolutely delicious in Paris.
Matt in front of the house where on of the famous impressionist artists used to live in Montmartre.
The queen of cabaret the Moulin Rouge...no we weren't able to catch a show.
Seeing the sights from the Eifel Tower...take two
The inner workings of the Eifel Tower
Smart car? Small car. Matt: 6'4" Smart car: less than Matt
Day 5: Monday, Paris - The Rodin Museum...I think Rachel's pose is a little off.."The Thinker"
How many licks to the center of a Tootsie Pop?
Modern masterpiece? There must be a difference, but...
A piece by Renoir - Bal au moulin de la Galette - A scene Montmartre
A shot from one of the Musee d'Orsay's clocks towards the hill of Montmartre.
Day 6, Tuesday: Versailles - Château de Versailles from the street.
The hall of mirrors at Versailles...under construction
We slipped in a picture of our bedroom
The gardens at Versailles...we enjoyed a lunch of cheese, wine and bread in the park
Versailles in the distance
"Keep off the grass?"
What? No picket fence?
Ignore the ghost in the forefront...the King's orange grove is spread out before you
Yummy...crepes!
Day 7: Wednesday - Leaving Paris - Traveling to Nice: The Etap Hotel in Paris -- small, but cheap and clean.
The train from Paris to Lyon was a very comfortable highspeed train...the French countryside.
Day 8: Nice - The water is sooo blue, but also very cold.
Sure beats Kentucky!
Day 9: Nice to Cinque Terre on the west coast of Italy. No big SUV's here!!
Nothing like a full pack to make the hike enjoyable!
Rachel's a little hot and tired after hiking for 2 hours with her full pack...but Vernazza is just below.
We had a hard time finding a place to stay in Cinque Terre, but once we found a place the next town down in Levanto, we had a great hike to Cinque Terre.
Day 10: Hiking from Levanto to Cinque Terre.
I want to be in the water...not looking at it.
I just saved 15% on my car insurance by switching to Geico!
Wow.
A typical Italinian house...I love the window boxes.
Our hostel in Levanto...we slept with four other people in our room, but it was clean.
We were there...in this amazing place!
Stairs are great, but where is the elevator?
Day 11: On the way from Cinque Terre to Florence...we stopped at Pisa. Matt's not impressed.
They actually "unleaned" it some so it wouldn't fall over! Where is the fun in that?
In Florence: We stood in the hot sun for 2 hours to see Michelangelo's David. Matt measures up :)
We left our Lonely Planet in Cinque Terre, so Matt consults a map.
Where's David?
Florence really is awe inspiring...art and culture everywhere.
The Medici palace in Florence.
Ancient Greek method of settling score after being hit by a pitch.
David looking down on the fig leaf.
This guy is everywhere!
A folky jam session...Simon and Garfunkel wannabees in Florence
The Medici family in their palace piazza.
The funeral procession for the patron saint of Florence...the 500th anniversary of her death.
Ponte vecchio in Florence...a bridge for the rich people
Day 12: We walked in the very hot sun to Michelangelo's Piazza overlooking Florence. The massive Duomo dominates the city.
Who wants to take a picture? Who speaks English?
An Italian convenience store...yeah, they're a bit healthier than Americans.
From Florence we went to the Medieval town of Siena in Tuscany.
Impressive...how is that not falling over?
Under the Tuscan sun...Siena.
Day 13: San Gimignano a well-presevered medieval hill town in the heart of Tuscany. It was a way station for pilgrims going to the Jerusalem during the Middle Ages.
Sweating...under the Tuscan sun
Squinting...under the Tuscan sun
The one view in the whole region not dominated by grapes!
Tuscany...grapes and olives and more grapes.
San Gimignano is famous for its high medieval towers.
Don't even think about it...my gelatto.
One of the best things about Italy...Gelato!!!!
Looking for the bus...
Stay hydrated...another hot day tomorrow!
The view towards Sienna from our balcony...not bad eh?
Day 14: After a very long train ride where we had to sit on a broken train and wait for a new engine in the sweltering heat...we finally make it to Rome and we get a four star hotel for 50 euros...sweet!
Wanna wrestle?
I prefer Fenway Park
An arch, but no traffic circle and a lot smaller.
I couldn't get her to stop smiling!...The Roman Forum or what is left of it.
Day 15: The Pantheon
Translation: "More old stuff"
The roof of the Pantheon is a sundial of sorts. It's open air so the floor is higher in the center so rainwater drains off to an elaborate underground drainage system.
Some castle in Rome...it's round. Don't know why and it was too hot to care!
Looking hot, but trying to look happy.
St. Peter's Square
Bad picture...St. Peter's Bascilica
The dome in St. Peter's Bascilica...gold, glitz, and extravagance...understandable about that whole Reformation thing.
The School of Athens by Raphael...inside the Vatican Museums.
A new weight loss program ready to sweep across America...standing in the sweltering sun in this outfit deserves a few coins.
The Spanish Steps...where Rome's beautiful people used to stand hoping to be picked as an artist's model.
I didn't get picked.
Italy...the land of high fashion!
Grab a spoon and dig in! We loved the gelato in Italy!
Day 16: After a very long night train from Rome to Switzerland, Matt catches some shut eye on the last leg to Interlaken.
Quaint Swiss house near the river.
The water is green! How cool is that?!
The Schuh Chocolatier - the best milk chocolate in the world.
Before they used gold...dead kings were covered in chocolate!
Dangerous dessert
I've heard of mud wrestling, but chocolate?
Day 17: Hiking in the Jungfrau...absolutely breathtaking.
Are we there yet?
Behind Matt - the Eiger, the Monch , and the Jungfrau (13,642 feet)
Taking a stroll through an alpine meadow
The hills are alive with sound of music!
I know, it's the greatest view of I've ever seen too.
Is it going to snow?
I can take 'em
If he can take 'em, so can I.
The dirt spot on the edge of town...edge of the cliff...is a tennis court!
After searching for cowbells we found more than we wanted on the way down the mountain. Too many cowbells are just noisy.
Harry, your hands are freezing! This was like liquid ice!
I won't be doing Everest any time soon.
Trainin' for Evererst.
Just found out that its all down hill from here!
No description needed
I thought we were almost there...not so much.
Day 18 - Interlaken: It was raining...so we rented a scooter! Lookin' good, Matt.
Leader of the pack!
In front of the very clear and green Lake Brienz
Day 19: On the train from Interlaken, Switzerland to Cochem, Germany. It's the end of May and it's snowing in the Swiss Mountains!!
Summer in Switzerland!
German trains are first rate. First class all the way baby!
Cochem, Germany in the Moselle River Valley just off the Rhine.
The famous exposed timber construction
Day 20: On the path to the Eltz Castle...on a very muddy path 1 hour from the train station
Bird watching in Germany!
Berg Elz...in the family for 33 generations!
80 rooms!
40 fireplaces!
Power walking to the train!
Riding in style
Making sure we get to the right train. The trains in Germany and Switzerland were extremely convenient and comfortable.
The famous Cathedral in Cologne...rebuilt after WWII. Most everything was destroyed during the war.
