• Tricia Wendorf
  • Steven Wendorf
  • Tricia Wendorf
  • Steven Wendorf

From Italy with Love

Ein 18-Tage Abenteuer von Tricia & Steven Weiterlesen
  • Beginn der Reise
    25. August 2022

    Bar one or bar none?

    25. August 2022 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Nervous excitement as we start our journey to Munich and then on to Italy 🇮🇹. May the travel gods grant us zero pickpocketers, wonderful hikes and weather, cold beer and memories to last us until we do it all again. Cheers. Time to get high over the pond!Weiterlesen

  • Munich by train bus bike and by foot!

    27. August 2022 in Deutschland ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Saturday in Munich did not disappoint! Started with THE most wonderful breakfast, we could’ve stayed and stayed!
    So many sights, a real melting pot of so many cultures, food and language-such a vibrant city. We visited Dachau with an outstanding guide (rivaled Richard from London), unreal to be standing where thousands have suffered. Truly a time solemn reflection.
    Then on to biking our way to and through the English Gardens in Munich - to say Munich is a bike friendly city is quite the understatement.
    Now we are enjoying a lovely evening with dinner and the off to Hofbrau to dance on the tables…
    Weiterlesen

  • What the H is this? ;)

    27. August 2022 in Deutschland ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    Okay, time to play what the H is this. Hint: Kyle couldn't pronounce this as a kid so made up his own version of the name. Where would u see this?

  • Ein kleines Bier und ein großes Bier

    27. August 2022 in Deutschland ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    A trip to Munich would not be complete without a beer (or two) at the Hofbrau Haus, conveniently located NEXT DOOR to hotel! Cold brew and Bavarian pretzels 🥨 for the win!

  • Schloss Neuschwanstein

    28. August 2022 in Deutschland ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    Took a day trip from Munich to Fussen today to see King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle.
    It was another day of multiple transfers. Walk, train, bus, bus, walk. Then repeat. 12,000 steps already. Transportation chewed up a lot of time. The tour is surprisingly short and The views are obv amazing. The bridge spanning the river above the castle has floor boards that have more give than u want lol.

    We’re on the train back to Munich for our last night- heading out early tomorrow by bus to Bolzano to pick up our teeny tiny car and begin our Italian adventure! Stay tuned 💟
    Weiterlesen

  • Italy bound!

    29. August 2022 in Deutschland ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Just when started to know the basics in the German language...we are off to Italy. magnifico!!! I did a crash course in German beer every evening. Man...is it good. Not a lot...but a good sample. Even Tricia was having a few. She enjoyed the Radlers...lemon in particular. We were always surprised at how many smoke and vape... maybe we just are not around throngs of people. Dinner last nite was the best and most authentic of the three dinners we had. Sauerbraten and Roulade. Say both in your best German accent. Deep and guteral. In our sector of Munich the beautiful people were out in force! One interesting fact...I've bumped into Tricia at least 100 times. ;)Weiterlesen

  • Wow. wow. wow!

    29. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    these are exact words uttered from a an Italian visitor rookie. Italy day one has not disappointed. It's fun seeing Tricia take it all in and for me it's been fun in sharing and high fiving together. We had a great start w breakfast buffet that takes such of every detail. the presentation. the taste. wow! the bus ride was slick and left right on time. We were dropped at a non descript stop. Then the adventure began. We thought taxis would be nearby. Nope. Uber not allowed in bolzano. called the taxi company. no one showed. Now what? We ended up walking w all our stuff to a hotel and the front desk called the taxi. We were hot and getting behind schedule. Luckily Hertz said it was closed but a gentleman helped us but for extra $$ because he was supposed to be on break. $25 extra. We upgraded from extra small to small. Then off to Cortina. Wow! The drive went from Beautiful to off the charts beauty. We could see the dolomites off in the distance. Then Tricia said....wait, we are going there? We turned and headed straight for them and she said..in a deep gasp.. Wow! More on the scare we gave the hotel...funny! Off to a morning hike. Lake Soropis. Then maybe up on a gondola to the top w a stop at the north face store to return a $350 rain jacket for Tricia...more on that later. Ha and no we are not driving the Land Rover. see pic. lol 2026 Olympics are here. I'm in!Weiterlesen

  • Auf Wiedersehen Deutschland

    29. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Sad to leave Munich this morning but off we went on our FlixBus to travel to Bolzano Italy. We grabbed our teeny tiny Volkswagen POS then hit the road to Cortina. Lemme tell you, the Dolomites literally rose from the horizon and I was speechless (besides saying wow wow wow).
    We experienced the Italian grocery store for the first time. Got in trouble for not weighing the bananas before we checked out. Lady had to run back to the scale and weigh them lol.
    We are in cortina tonight, enjoyed our first of many bottles of wine and a dinner that left us grateful for stretchy waistbands - deliziosa! More to come tomorrow!
    Weiterlesen

  • “Let’s take a hike”!” he said. 😳

    30. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    I was scarred as a child due to extreme hiking when I was 5 years old lol so Ive never been a huge hiking fan… but. this. was. Incredible. VERY difficult by my standards but got er done! 4 hours total with a view unlike any other. Bonus beer at the top 🍺! Totally worth it!Weiterlesen

  • Good Morning Italy

    31. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Welp...the backyard needs a little work? See pics from Airbnb veranda. Weed whip it in no time? We woke to church bells, a gentle cool window breeze, a deep fog from a nite of rain, rooster calls and sweet smell of cow pie from the green pastures. We love this place! We stayed in the highlands just outside the rugged dolomite range about half hour east of Bolzano which resides in the valley. We have effectively done a travel loop from bolzano thru Cortina and back. The switch back drive last evening maxed our vehicle and the hand rail on the passenger side is now perfectly formed to Tricia's hand. She even got the hiccups as a result of one gasp after another. If we had an audi. she would have been fine. but we dont. lol. If I had a nickel for every Audi on the road in the mountain passes. There are so many drop dead gorgeous little ski towns w impeccable accommodations. We are left w why didn't we stay there or there. Now off to see the Iceman! Do some laundry and a stop at the wine shoppe. Then straight south to Verona! An hour 45 drive. and kitty wished us wellWeiterlesen

  • Bolzano Bonanza

    31. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Ciao! Today we went to Bolzano to see Otzi the ice man at the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology. We were happy to see him after the hour long wait for entry. And he was pretty happy to see us too although he came across a bit cold 🥶 in my opinion. Then we strolled the town a while, grabbing a frankfurter and gelato to go. On the road again, tonight’s destination-Verona ❤️Weiterlesen

  • Dinner Verona Italia -L'Evangelista

    31. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Fomo! Selecting a restaurant gives u a serious case of fomo...fear of missing out. We are situated in a back alley just off the Roman stadium built in 300 AD. It still hosts events. The most popular is a summer opera series. unfortunately no opera scheduled today. Harumph! Back to dinner. Our senses are asking to be sent to the ER!! Too much flavor, beauty and wow! There is that word again. THE TASTE..has overwhelmed. We'll let the pictures tell part of it and give the ER taste report when we return...if we decide to return. pictures in order of presentation. missing was apertivo--equilibrio. look it up online. foie gras, black truffle sauce...and more mouth watering ingredients. Salute! Ciao! This is my dinner...Tricia's to come. ;)Weiterlesen

  • gastronomy: the art of good eating

    31. August 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Food post! We are in beautiful Verona Italy tonight, at the Relias A Ponte Pietra! Our host took our breakfast order for the morning about 30 seconds after we checked in - priorities!

    As Steve said in his earlier post, dinner was la nebbia cibo meraviglioso!! He found the restaurant weeks ago online as we we’re planning our trip and so glad we carried through with it, because just about every corner and alleyway in this city has a restaurant that looks perfecto!

    Entree selection: Medium Rare Seared Beef, Arugula Pesto, Parmesan Cream, Balsami Reduction, Tomato Confit, Monk's Beard Greens Salad

    Appetizer: Poached Egg on Toasted Pan Brioche, Foie Gras, Frothed Parmesan Cream, Black Truffle Sauce, Balsamic Reduction

    Various pallet cleansers

    Dessert: Cinnamon Hinted Soft Base, Citrus Mousse, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Crispy Almond Chip, Rosemary Powder
    THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS!

    Dinner and wine, more than divine 🍷 ciao!
    Weiterlesen

  • Arrivederci Verona!

    1. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Beautiful late morning and early afternoon strolling the streets of Verona. Sad to leave. We began with breakfast delivered to our room- a bedside cappuccino was a first for me!
    Steve came out of the sandwich shop two fists full - no surprise there!
    Highlight of the day was an impromptu wine tasting at a local restaurant, a recommendation from our hotel owner- he set us up and we were not disappointed… made it out of the tasting with enough wine to fill the backseat. Such hospitality!
    Weiterlesen

  • Jaw Dropper in Varenna Italy

    1. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

    What? Mountains and lakes combo?! Only in Italy. Tricia has just crossed 100x zone for saying wow! The drive from Verona to Lake Como was like any other major hwy. Not until last 15 minutes could we get a good view of Lake Como...even then not the best. Then after at least three wrong turns...we made it. At one point, there literally was three different exits for Bergamo, Italy on a roundabout and Google maps was lagging, we, of course guessed wrong! Once we arrived, our locally raised Airbnb host, petite Alessandra, greeted us w efficiency of a German and panache of an Italian. Follow me, log in here, go there to park..boom...boom like machine gun. When her husband called. Her first words were Pronto, pronto w questions regarding the two week old gelato shop they just opened called Bon Bon.

    Our first task, was laundry. lol. I scored some Peroni and a fruiti bianco wine and we settled in. Then pizza for each of us the size of a car tire and we are done. Big rain came and the town deserted w everyone scurrying to a dry locale. We really can't believe we are here?!! Day two will bring a visit to the villa where the James Bond film Casino Royale had a scene sequence, then a visit to Bellagio and dinner by the water front. ;) Ciao!

    Go Gophers!

    Added a photo from Verona. Our house/hotel was located just across the bridge on bottom of photo.
    Weiterlesen

  • A day on Lago di Como

    2. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Lago di Como welcomed us today with taxi rides to Lenno which is on the western shore of the lake and then to Bellagio. We visited Villa del Balbianello which is the most beautiful mansion on the peninsula of Lavedo. The last owner, Guido Monzino, left his estate, museums and gardens to the FAI upon his death at age 60 in 1988 (national trust of Italy).

    Lunched right on the lake with pasta pasta pasta, wine and a happy little cappuccino, evviva!!

    Then we explored Bellagio’s bustling streets and secret stairways. Soooo busy there! Got in trouble (in a good way) at the wine shop there, oyi!!

    I was happy to return to our apartment in Varenna which is slower paced. And once again Ended the evening with dinner and wine.
    Not pictured was the gelato we had after dinner from Bon Bon.. it is a shop owned by Alessandra who also owns our air bnb apartment. She makes fresh gelato right on premise. The two flavors I had: malgata- sweet wine and raisin- holy smokes, and the other was a combo of ricotta, fig and Carmel. I mean REALLY??!! Maybe I’ll have to go back - twist my arm- so I can post a picture.

    Buona notte! Ciao!
    Weiterlesen

  • Bond...James Bond Secret Villa

    2. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    We made a wonderful tour of the Lake Como Villa del Balbianello. It was in a Casino Royale and Star Wars movie as well. It's had many owners. The first was a rich Cardinal in the late 1700s. The last, an accomplished expeditioner, died at age 60 in 1988. And nothing has been touched since. Wine in decanters and pack of cigarettes on his desk. The tour was very interesting and found doors and tunnels for Bond to make his great escape. There was turmoil in Italy and quick escapes were necessary apparently.The villa has multiple levels and is like everything off the charts gorgeous! I pulled a grandpa Phil Black Hills vacation move and snapped at least 500 photos. Enjoy! The English hutch is worth 800k. The mechanism was for automating the bell tower bell pictured as well and still in operation. Ciao! Prego!Weiterlesen

  • Milano Milano

    4. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Just a quick post before bed 💤 … spent much of today, Saturday, in Milan. Took the train there from our flat in Varenna. Lots of people and an entirely different vibe from the slow lake life towns of Lake Como. Crazy that the two of the most famous sites-the Duomo Milano and Leonardo’s Last supper- are placed here in this big city. We are grateful and humbled to have seen these!
    After returning from Milan we spent time on the shore of Lake Como for a beautiful evening and a swim in the lake (All Steve not me)!
    Weiterlesen

  • The Most Wonderful Place

    4. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    A day in Milan and final evening in Varenna and now we are off to CT. We are like...a whole another week? How can we possibly top the trip. ;) Tricia has had two overwhelming moments. One we climbed out of the Subway and found ourselves smack dab in the middle of Marienplatz plaza in the heart of Munich. The other was the Duomo in Milan. We took an electric scooter from the train station to the Duomo and we double up on it. So I'm not sure she couldn't believe she was actually at the Duomo or just survived a 🛴 in Milano. I'm thinking the former. ;) Off to CT!! Basketball tourney across from Duomo. See pics. lolWeiterlesen

  • Monterosso al Mare

    4. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Monterosso! What a place.
    It is the western most village on the Cinque Terre.
    The area is famous for its many lemon trees that can be seen throughout Monterosso. It is also renowned for its white wines, grapes, and olives.

    This is just a photo dump mostly of food and outstanding views from our time here. divertiti!
    Weiterlesen

  • From Red Neck to Italian Riviera

    4. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    We spent a week in Florida in January on the acclaimed 'Red Neck Riviera'..and now the Italian Riviera. It is WOW! It is a beach town. Bellagio is like an outdoor Italian mall along Lake Como. CT is like Lake Superior with warm water, tons more people, great food, and stunning beauty.

    The trip had us go thru miles of tunnels. We had I94 like clean roads until we approached Genoa and the coast. Tons of switch backs and narrow roads that test the most seasoned Italian drive--the last 1.5 hours of the 4 hour drive from Varenna. You have to monitor your speed, shifting down and up, lane control, your co-pilot, and if u are in the left lane u have to watch ur rear view mirror constantly for the fast folks exceeding 100mph. It's like a real life video driving game..but real!! oh so real.

    You don't really appreciate Italy and all that it offers...until u are here...we flip out at the grocery store. Even the gas convenience store has better sandwiches than most restaurants in Chicago and the Twin Cities. we flipped out there too. We had every hand and arm full of stuff! People in the store were giving us the who the f are these people when checking out?! lol It was like we were in Tomah, Wi buying everything we could find.

    If u need a purse place your order. Let Tricia know. Room service on our patio outside our room tomorrow for bfast. Bueno note. ;) photo of tunnel connects Old Town w New Town so to speak. the last is a view from our patio!
    Weiterlesen

  • Trouble in Paradise?

    6. September 2022 in Italien ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    It's all relative. Our pain is we have to leave again. Such trouble! We have to leave the beach, the rhythm of the waves and the relaxed energy of Monterosso. Today, we are bound for Florence and a walk to the top of the Duomo in 90 degree heat this afternoon.

    We took a boat ride down the coast to Porto Venere yesterday and got a great from the water view of every picture postcard town along the way. It was hot so we took a dip in the ocean w our regular clothes on. What the hay?! Plus tasted a remarkable solo cup of cold pesto pasta and we are still talking today about how good it was. ;) Who would have thought?

    When we returned, i went on a wonderful hike to Vernazza and took the 10 minute boat taxi back. it's sez it's an hour and a half. But I got er down just under an hour. Then went for a swim w the fish back in Monty. See hike pics
    Weiterlesen