Magnolias in Paris.
First stop (and also last)... CDG Airport, Paris
Franz Josef Strauss International Airport, Munich
Munich's Olympiapark, site of 1972 Olympics.
Löwenbräukeller, a Biergärten in Munich
lunch at Löwenbräukeller
interior of Löwenbräu Keller in Munich
Löwenbräukeller, Munich
Just outside Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria
Traditional architecture. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, site of 1936 Olympics.
My first morning in the Alps!
St. Anton, Don't let the "lack of snow" fool you!
Galzigbahn. Ultramodern, one-of-a-kind, Funitel lift, utilizing "ferris wheels".
Atop the Galzig.
Looking toward St. Anton from Galzig.
Advertising at lifts for Aprés-skiing festivities (condoms)!
Trail to St. Christoph, from the lift.
Overnight snowstorm in St. Christoph
Drinks in St. Christoph.
One of several paragliders we witnessed.
Looking up toward Valluga (yes, the sky was that blue!).
Village of St. Anton, from Hotel Kertess.
Breakfast at Hotel Kertess.
atop Schindler Spitze, St. Anton am Arlberg, Tirol, Austria (8727 feet)
Vallugabahn
Looking west toward St. Christoph & Stuben.
Vallugabahn.
Atop Valluga (9222 ft), St. Anton
Atop Valluga (9222 ft), St. Anton facing St. Anton.
Atop Valluga (9222 ft) facing Schindler Spitz
On-mountain aprés-skiing! No kangaroos in Austria !!
Service with a twist! Jaegermeister straight from the bottle, tabletop.
The famous Mooserwirt, below the Krazy Kanguruh. Still not to the bottom!
Avalanche tunnel system, enroute to Zürs and Lech.
Lech am Arlberg, Voralberg, Austria
The village of Lech, Austria. Note lack of crowds!
Lech am Arlberg
Chillin' at Frozen Icebar, atop Schlegelkopf, Lech am Arlberg
Frozen Icebar, atop Schlegelkopf, Lech am Arlberg Even the roses are frozen, in ice vase.
No Smoking in Frozen!
Now THIS is a COOL place!
Snowdrift, above Oberlech.
Burg Reifenstein/Castel Tasso, in Freienfeld, outside Vipiteno/Sterzing, Italy.
Sprechenstein Castle, Freienfeld, near Sterzing/Vipiteno, Italy.
Vipiteno/Sterzing, Italy
Looking South in Vipiteno.
Statue of Johannes von Nepomuk, patron saint of bridges, Vipiteno, Italy.
Torre delle Dodici (Zwölferturm), a 46 m-high tower erected in 1470.
Special lunch offering: Spinach, broccoli, and white asparagus strudel and potato gnocchi at Lilie, a restaurant run by same family for over 300 years, Vipiteno.
Vipiteno/Sterzing
Europabrücke (Bridge Europe), looking south toward Brenner Pass.
Innsbruck in the rain.
Old City of Innsbruck.
The Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), Innsbruck, built in 1500.
Inside Dom zu St. Jakob (St. Jacob's Cathedral), Innsbruck
An adorable Easter window display in Innsbruck
Innsbruck, looking from the Swarovsky store.
Along the Inn River, Innsbruck.
Slide to bathroom at Hospiz Alm, St. Chrisoph
Alps, enroute to Salzburg
Looking toward Kitzbuhel, Austria.
Salzburg, looking toward fortress Hohensalzburg
Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg, site of "Do Re Mi" from "Sound of Music" (among more noteworthy events).
Mirabell Gardens.
Salzach River, Salzburg
Approaching Mozart's birthhouse.
Getreidegasse, Salzburg, most famous street in Salzburg, noted for shopping and Mozart's birthhouse (yellow, on left).
Getreidegasse, note the legal required signage for shops.
Found on the Autobahn, Swiss Cannabis Ice Tea, for a "Fantastic Natural Feeling" (had to test it!)
Enroute to Vienna
Melk Abbey, largest surviving abbey in Europe.
Imperial Palace, Vienna
Heldenplatz, Prince Eugene of Saxony; Balcony where Hitler announced the Anschluß, almost 70 years ago to the exact day.
Archduke Charles and Neues Rathaus (City Hall) from Heldenplatz, Hofburg.
One of the boys from Weiner Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys' Choir) outside the Burgkapelle.
Kohlmarkt, looking toward Hofburg Complex.
Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), Vienna.
Inside Stephansdom, Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Mass, Stephansdom
From the Steffl (South Spire), Stephansdom
Tile details (over 250,000), on roof of Stephansdom.
Hofburg Complex
Schloß Schönbrunn
Ostermarkt (Easter Market) at Schönbrunn.
Great Gallery's fresco, Schoß Schönbrunn.
Gardens and Gloriette of Schloß Schönbrunn, Vienna
Hundertwasser-Haus, Vienna
The original Sacher Torte, at the Hotel Sacher. Yum!
Rent-a-bike, Vienna (also common in Paris)
Memorial of War and Genocide, across from the Cafe Mozart, Vienna.
Strauss and Mozart Concert in the Kursalon Wein
Concert intermission at Kursalon Wein
Kursalon Wein
Wind turbines enroute to Bratislava
Entering Bratislava, Slovakia via Nový Most (New Bridge)
Bratislava Castle
From Bratislava Castle, overlooking Nový Most (New Bridge) over the Danube, and Petržalka borough; note the Communist-era housing dominating the skyline.
Bratislava Castle, Slovakia
Old Town, Bratislava
Michael's Gate, Bratislava, the last remaining gate in the city.
Hlavné námestie ("Main Square"), Bratislava -- note statue of Napoleon, and cannonball stuck in wall of church (to immediate left of window above truck). Stuck since 1800s.
Statue of Čumil by Viktor Hulík, near Hlavné námestie. ("čumieť" in Slovak means "man who is gazing or stares at something", presumably all the beautiful women!)
Another statue, of a Paparazzi on corner of building, located by Čumil (almost center of picture).
The old Slovak National Theatre, Hviezdoslav Square, Bratislava
In front of the old Slovak National Theatre, Hviezdoslav Square
Soviet-era war memorial (ironically commemorating liberation from Hitler, to live under Soviet freedom)
Beer I had at Butterfly translates to "Gold Pheasant" or "Bald Chicken" according to a local.
A Heurigen (new-vintage wine tavern) in Grinzing, on the slope of the Vienna Woods.
Part of a huge corkscrew collection in the Heurigen in Grinzing.
Viennese-style entertainment over wine and dinner.
Paris -- Église de la Madeleine, from near hotel on Rue Tronchet.
Place Vendôme, Paris, near the Ritz-Carlton.
Jardins des Tuileries near Carousel, looking down toward Obelisk and Arc de Triomphe in distance.
Louvre
Louvre toward Tuileries Gardens
Juxtaposition of art by the Musée de L'Orangerie, Tuileries and Place de la Concorde.
Place de la Concorde and Egyptian Obelisk
Courtyard at Hotel Côstes.
I found "Peace" in Paris!
From the Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame Cathedral from the Batobus on the Seine.
Inside Notre Dame
Monet in the Musée de l'Orangerie (2 oval rooms each containing 4 huge Waterlilies)
Monet's Waterlilies in the Musée de l'Orangerie.
Every hour, on the hour, for 10 minutes, strobes sparkle on the Eiffel Tower.
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre
From Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
Walking the streets of Montmartre you never know who will appear!
Eroticism Museum, Pigale, Paris. Dilemma: The l'Orangerie museum, or Lingerie museum? Do both!
The world-famous Moulin Rouge, Pigale, Paris (I'm actually standing on a fan venting the Metro, so I'm not THAT fat!)
Place des Vosges, Le Marais, Paris, former home of Victor Hugo, among many others. Among oldest parts of Paris.
Cafe lunch in Le Marais
Grande Arche de la Fraternité (or Arche de la Défense)
Atop Arche de la Défense looking down Champs-Élysées
Candied fruit, near La Madeleine
Is that a Baguette in your pocket or are you happy to see me leave?
My new friend Gemma from London in St. Anton. Yes, it is possible to meet a beautiful girl who speaks your language (sort of).
Lily of the Valley, St. Anton
Pedestrian mall, St. Anton am Arlberg
Church in Lech
Strolz Sports Boutique, Lech am Arlberg
Bergisel Ski Jump and Stadium, by Zaha Hadid, Innsbruck
Bathroom at cafe in Salzburg... Sounds like a great deal for 20 cents for "a lady in charge", "ready with a smile!" -- there is a charge to use most public restrooms (it pays for the attendant to keep it immaculate)
Salzburg Cathedral, from behind.
Salzburg
Getreidegasse, Salzburg
Clothing store with traditional Tyrolian clothing.
Beautiful, ornate McDonald's sign in Salzburg. Austrians say the Golden Arches stands for "Mozart"!
Getreidegasse, and Mozart's Birthhome (until he was 17).
Lakes area to east of Salzburg (church from "Sound of Music" in center of photo)
UNO City (United Nations) across Danube from Vienna.
Looking back to Vienna from across Danube (the "eye" is a mural)
Save Euros by walking two "floors"!
From Eiffel Tower, École Militaire and Champ de Mars
View from Eiffel Tower, looking toward Sacré-Cœur in the distance.
Self-photo along my hike up.
Le Batobus (for €12 -- just over $18 -- you can ride all day, off and on, at 8 stops along the Seine)
Louvre from Batobus on Seine
Notre Dame from Batobus
Notre Dame, Paris
Gargoyles, but no hunchback!
Place de la Concorde looking at Egyptian Obelisk, with Madeleine in partial view.
Musée de l'Orangerie, les Nymphéas (water-lilies)
Citroën dealership looking a little out of place on Champs-Élysées
Arc de Triomphe
Parade coming (50th anniversary end of Algerian war)
Like this because it captures two of my favorite places from opposite sides of the planet)
One of the gorgeous bridges along the Seine.
Yes, it's the the full moon over Paris!
Stairwell up Arc de Triomphe (elevators for handicapped only)
From atop the Arc de Triomphe
Atop Arc de Triomphe
Inside the Arc de Triomphe
A "Smart Roadster" Paris -- hopefully coming soon to an American street.
Funiculaire de Montmartre and public toilets... you put your money in and the doors automatically pop open after 15 minutes or so!! So make it quick or you'll be giving a show!
Atop Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
Peering from Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
Artists market, Montmartre, where you can have your portrait done by street artists.
Art Nouveau-style Metro stop in Pigale, by Moulin Rouge.
Cute window display in Le Marais.
Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Paris
Are the French giving us the "thumbs up"? (or maybe "the finger"?) In the Défense area, among skyscrapers.
Under the Louvre
I.M. Pei's Pyramid, at the Louvre
Hotel Costes, for a slurge on the last night in Paris. Ultra-trendy, lavish, hip. Expen$ive. Great music and people-watching (also known for chill-out music CDs).
A bakery in patisserie in Paris. Too pretty to eat!
My hotel, Massena, near Madeleine (very reasonable at €128/night or so). Fantastic location.
