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Karen Hechinger
Karen Hechinger

Karen Hechinger

traveled in 41 countries Read more
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  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1

    32. Prague - St. Vitus Cathedral

    July 17, 2024 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    Cathedral contest: St. Vitus, pictured here, or St Stephens in Vienna, shown in post 28?

    I'm going to have to go with St. Vitus from the outside, but St Stephens from the inside. St. Stephens was the only cathedral (through South America and Europe) that left my mouth agape when I entered it. Not to say St. Vitus is not extraordinary in its own right. A few pixRead more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1
    12We didn't go in. We probably should have checked it out, right?1Walking across one of several bridges leading us to the old town1Vltava River, and the famous 14th century Charles River BridgeArtists display their works on the Charles River Bridge - do you know these guys?How 'bout using some vowels?Overlooking the city from the very crowded entrance to the castle and cathedralSad excuse for a beach, but the view is kinda cool2

    31. Prague, Czech Republic

    July 17, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is a city of 1.3 million people, and, in 2017, was listed as the 5th most visited city in Europe. (Can you name the first 4?)

    The city is well known for its old town center (an UNESCO World Heritage site), Prague Castle, the Charles River Bridge, and the Jewish Quarter as well as its architecture.

    Top visited cities in Europe:
    London, Paris, Rome & Istanbul    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Hohensalzburg Castle - largest fully preserved castle in Central EuropeSalzach River runs through Salzburg, eventually joining the DanubeLake districtThere was this kind of odd dwarf statue garden. Im honestly not sure what that was all about1Quintessential Austrian dessert and yes, it was delicious 😋Stiftkirche Nonnberg = Nonnberg Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery founded circa 7121Goulash stew1Violin shaped apertif bottles, in honor of Mozart, who was born here1Most useful item packed for the trip! Its been SO hot & humid...1Bicycle parking lot at the train station

    30. Salzburg, Austria

    July 15, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    I wish we could have spent a little more time out of the city and in the Lake District of Salzburg, which we got a brief taste of on the SoM tour. I think there were six lakes, and they were all beautiful and not overrun by tourists like Tahoe. But, time is limited, and we had to be satisfied with exploring the city during our last few hours here. A few pix attached...

    Btw - this city of 150k accommodates around 1 million tourists a year, 300k of which are credited with coming to Salzburg solely to experience the Sound of Music history.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1The hills are alive...!
    Can you name the 7 Von Trapp children?This is where the "falling off the canoe" scene was shotGazebo used for the "16 going on 17" sceneThe "children swinging on trees" scene was shot in a path like this oneWhere the "I have confidence" scene was shot as Maria approached the house for the first timeThe abbeyOur guide. She even dressed the part.She brought props for the Ley-di-oh sing-a-longA great song - but no woman should ever utter these words to a guy...One of the lakes in Salzburg's Lake District. Can't remember the relevance to the movie though...

    29. Salzburg: Sound of Music

    July 15, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    My sisters and I know every song from The Sound of Music movie, and can recite most of the narrative as well. I pity the husbands and boyfriends that have tolerated our passionate involvement in the movie whenever we've watched it over the years.

    Craig and I took a super fun 4 hour Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, where the exterior scenes in the movie were shot. Our tour guide downloaded a ton of info to us, and we did a sing-along in the bus to many of the songs. It was a blast. Due credit to Craig, who not only tolerated this tour like a trooper, but who was the one who tracked it down and suggested it in the first place.

    If you're a Sound of Music afficianado, read on. Otherwise, you might want to move on to the next post.

    Fun facts about the movie:

    - Julie Andrews landed the part after Grace Kelly & Doris Day declined - not enough $ for them

    - Sean Connery (can he even sing?) and Bing Crosby were considered for the Captain's role

    -The Salzburg portion of the shoot, scheduled to take 6 weeks actually took 11 weeks, because they filmed during rainy season

    - Christopher Plummer was a classically trained pianist, and would often spend evenings tinkling the ivories and enjoying an apertif in the company of Leisl, who confesses to having had a crush on him then.

    - The movie took 9 months in total to film and incurred corresponding child actor issues, like Marta losing her baby teeth, and Frederick growing 6" during that time

    - Edelweiss is not really an Austrian song at all! It was written by Rogers & Hammerstein for the movie. Many Austrians don't know the song at all.

    - The Von Trapps did not escape Austria over the mountains. They took a train to Italy the day before the border closed, then came to the US, settling in Stowe VT, because it reminded them of home.

    - Maria was not really in love with the Captain when she married him (what???). And he knew it. Rather than ask if she would be his wife, he tapped into her love of and devotion to the children, and asked if she would become the mother of his children. Of course, she did end up falling in love with him over time. 💕    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    St. Stephen's Cathedral
    SSCSSCSSC1SSCSSCSSCSSCSSCSSCStrolling through the city - Danube River belowSome local street performersWeiner schnitzel dinner - yum!Craig's old dorm room while studying here 50 years ago - now Haus der Muzik

    28. Vienna Austria

    July 13, 2024 in Slovakia ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    Our trains ran very late getting us from Bratislava to Vienna, so we found ourselves with just a few hours to see the city before taking off for Salzberg tomorrow.

    Craig has been here before - over 50 years ago he spent a semester studying here. And get this - while we were wandering the city, he stopped suddenly, pointing to the street name and said "I can't believe it - this is the street I lived on". Needless to say we tracked down his dorm building, (which is now a music building), and he reminisced about the days of picking up girls with his recently acquired German language skills.

    We went to see St. Stephens Cathedral. At 448 ft high, it is the most important religious building in Vienna, and the seat of Archbishop of Vienna. When Craig said he thought I should see the cathedral, I may have rolled my eyes in disdain. Another church?

    I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw it from the outside, and my mouth hung open when we stepped inside. I don't think I've seen any building so stunning as this one. I regret that the pix here come nowhere close to doing justice to the reality.

    We wrapped up our day with the mandatory Weiner schnitzel dinner - delicious!    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Our hotel had a cool elevatorBratislava and the DanubeEvery country's old town has a fort or castleNot the most impressive that I've seenCastle gardens11Seattle's space needle?Plenty of exercise2Trying to beat the heat

    27. Bratislava Slovakia

    July 12, 2024 in Slovakia ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Truthfully, Bratislava came and went in the blink of an eye. We spent the morning getting there, the afternoon checking out the city, and the evening grabbing dinner and repacking for the next day's travel.

    A city of just under a half million people, Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, and its political and economic center. For me, it did not quite live up to other countries in terms of old town charm or impressive architecture. But to be fair, we zipped through here pretty quickly. A few pix.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1Budapest
    2Famous Hungarian Parliment BuildingThe Danube River separates 2 parts of BudapestFisherman's Bastion fortressView from Fisherman's Bastion fortress1View of Budapest from the bridgeBuda Castle from Chain Bridge1The Chain Bridge, opened in 1849, was the first permanent bridge over the Danube in BudapestOrnate door in our hotel roomWe took a cruise down the Danube - a great way to see the beautiful architecture of this city1

    26. Budapest Hungary

    July 11, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 97 °F

    Budapest, the beautiful capital city of Hungary, is bisected by the Danube River which separates Pest, the flat part of the city from Buda, the hilly part.

    Budapest is best known for its extraordinary architecture, thermal baths, and Danube River cruises. We were here for 1 day only, so, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. The baths will have to wait for next time.

    Most beautiful city so far, for me...    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1

    25a. The Grope

    July 6, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    My first tourist groping experience occurred while I was waiting for Craig to come back from the bathroom before getting in the car to head for the Serbian border. The driver was fiddling with something in the car, and I was standing on the other side, when an old man who was apparently a friend of the driver, curiously appeared at my side. I had seen him on the train - I thought he was also looking for a ride. He smiled and stuck out his hand, so I smiled back and took it. Then he's kissing it like I'm the queen.

    I'm thinking - ok, old school. Whatever. Next thing his lips are approaching my face. I was taken by surprise, but so as not to be rude, I turn and give him one cheek, and when he comes back again, I give him the other. I am still naively thinking the double kiss is a European thing, and maybe I remind him of his daughter or something.

    Sometimes your determination to think the best of people doesn't serve you well.

    Next thing I know, he saddled up to me and grabbed my ass with gusto. I jumped back, gave him my sternest look, shook my head and wagged my finger at him like he was a badly behaved child. He just smiled the entire time. I didn't really feel threatened, just a little stupid for not having seen it coming.

    Old perv.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Trying to get from Stamora Moravita Romania to Vrsac Serbia - they used to be connected by train
    Our first train was not so great - old and dirty w/ hard plastic seatsThe next train was better - but our huge bags would never fit up topNext train - our new Serbian friend was trying to track down border crossing options for usThere's always something to enjoy1Our border crossing ride - look closely - you can see dashboard dummy lights lit up2Success achieved - Serbia! (Trivia note - 28 countries have a red, white & blue flag)1Belgrade Fortress - we've seen better...1I think they called this "hippie art"Hotel MoscvaNational Museum of Serbia1Serbian skyline above the Sava RiverLunching along the Sava River, which feeds into the Danube1Public water bottle refill station

    25. Crossing to Serbia

    July 6, 2024 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    The trip from Bucharest, Romania to Belgrade, Serbia was supposed to be one day, but ended up as 2 because of train delays. It managed to be both tedious and interesting at the same time. Tedious, because of the long days and the hot train car that ran over 2 hours late. Interesting because there were no trains or buses going from our part of Romania to Serbia, and we didn't have a solid plan to cross the border.

    We decided to get as close to the Serbian border as we could by train, (we have Eurail passes, so train is always the first option), then figure out some way to cross the border (we literally considered walking) and get to the nearest Serbian train station that would take us to Belgrade. I suppose we could have just swam across the Danube River, but we weren't too keen on that option.

    As usual, our journey was made more enjoyable by our travelmates, in this case a Serbian guy who chatted us up about our trip and about life in Romania, and made a few phone calls from the train to see if he could help us find a way to reach our destination. No luck though.

    We arrived at our final Romania train station at Stamora Moravita (see pic). Now to cross the border.

    There was no real town there, and hardly a station. Certainly no ubers or buses or taxis. There we stood, wondering what to do, when a local old guy with a limp approached us about giving us a ride across the border. He spoke no English (we speak no Romanian), but somehow he & Craig (without using the translation app) came to agreement on services and pricing, and we loaded our stuff and climbed into his dirty, banged up old Audi. The first thing I noticed was that the engine light and the oil light were lit up on his dashboard, along with a third light I couldn't identify. Well, we don't have a lot of options, so, off we went on a wing and a prayer!

    As they say, all's well that ends well. Our driver spoke to both the Romanian and Serbian border guards on our behalf, (something tells me he's an old pro at this), and we cruised through to the Serbian train station unscathed.

    We spent only a day in Belgrade, and my short experience there left me unimpressed, and somewhat ambivalent about the city. Maybe we didn't see the best parts? Maybe we just went through it too quickly. Anyway, a few pix attached.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1Dracula's Castle
    Nothing ornate about this castle1The castle is uneven as it was built into existing rock formationsVlad Tepes was the ruthless ruler upon whom at least part of the Dracula character was basedDracula costume from the movie

    24. Dracula - Transylvania

    July 5, 2024 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    The famous Dracula's Castle was built in 1377, is located in the Transylvania region of Romania, and is officially called Bran Castle.

    Local folklore of the period was rich with the supernatural, werewolves, and notions of the 'living dead'. The novelist Bram Stoker is credited with creating the Count Dracula character in 1820 in his writings by blending a real historical character (Vlad Tepes), with superstition (the 'living dead'), and the novelist's imagination (Vampires).

    Vlad Tepes, aka 'Vlad the Impaler', was a Wallachian ruler known for imparting brutal corporal punishment on lawbreakers. In the Wallachian language, Dracula meant 'Devil', or one who showed 'courage, cruelty, and skills.'

    Btw, it is noted that Stoker's Count Dracula is responsible for initiating the ever-popular vampire creature culture, with no less than 430 movies depicting the character.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1Peles Castle
    122

    23. Peles Castle

    July 5, 2024 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    From Bucharest, we grabbed seats on a comfortable bus to Sinia & Transylvania to tour a few of the most popular castles in Romania.

    Peles Castle is a neo-renaissance palace located in the Carpathian mountains of Romania near Sinia, with 170 rooms spanning 34,000 sq ft. It is rich in hand-carved walnut, ornate glass chandeliers and works of art, and has an extensive armory. The surrounding town reflects its German heritage in both residential and commercial building design - think 'Bavaria'.Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    2The Palace of Parliment - second largest building in the world behind the Pentagon
    Palace of Parliment - 1100 roomsPalace of Parliment auditorium - view from the stageP of P1LARGE buildings...1...and more large buildings11Cismigui Garden - the "Central Park" of Bucharest1Cismigui Garden ParkCismigui Garden Park1Romania is the 8th largest producer of sunflower oil in the world

    22. Bucharest Romania

    July 4, 2024 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Romania is the largest country in SE Europe, and the 12th largest in Europe. Its capital, Bucharest, is famous for housing the Palace of Parliment, the 2nd largest building in the world behind the Pentagon. On our 10 hour train ride leaving Bucharest, I chatted with a local about politics and infrastructure. Romanians have a parlimentary system of govt and vote for a party, not a person. He is disgusted at the slow pace with which the govt takes action on things. I had to laugh. Some things are the same everywhere.

    The train system is fairly dismal, dirty and uncomfortable, but our Romanian friend did talk the conductor into increasing the a/c, and we were very grateful for that. 90° today.

    Post WWII, Romania experienced Soviet occupation and communist style rule until 1989, when the Romanian Revolution took place. Prior to that, the infamous Romanian leader Nicholas Ceausescu imposed severe austerity measures that crippled the economy to the extent of literally having no food for people to eat. Pursuant to the uprising, he and his wife were summarily executed for their roles in political suppresion, and "genocide by starvation".

    (Sorry for the history lesson - its all so much more fascinating when you're in the thick of it!)

    Like Bulgaria, although there is a free market economy, socialism rather than capitalism remains predominant, with many services including healthcare being heavily subsidized by the govt. Unlike Bulgaria there is little appetite for a return to communism.

    One of the things that struck me was how big many of the buildings in Bucharest seemed to be, in comparison to the US. My new Romanian friend seemed amused, as this is a trait of many Eastern European cities developed during the communist era. All in the eye of the beholder, right?    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Our chariot awaitsPassengers holding the windows down, trying to get some airOur new Vietnamese friend, trying to dull his senses with a shot of whiskey

    21. Bulgaria

    July 1, 2024 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    We spent a few days in Bulgaria, stopping in the capital Sofia, and then in the more northern town of Velinko Tarnovo, former capital, before heading to Romania.

    We strolled through Sophia on a guided tour of the history of communism, which was quite interesting. Bulgaria was a one-party socialist republic closely aligned with Russia, until 1989 when Gorbachev's tendencies towards capitalism and democracy bled through Eastern Europe, and Bulgaria became a multi-party parlimentary republic. Like other countries, managing the transition from state-owned operations to a market based economy has not been quick or easy for the Bulgarians. At this time, healthcare and educational services that used to be completely free now require a small investment by the people, but they are still largely state subsidized. When taxes were described as fairly low, I questioned who was paying for these state services, and the answer was, well, no one. The state services are grossly underfunded and antiquated.

    According to our guide, the country is split in its opinion about the Ukraine war, with many old-timers still honoring that sense of connection to Russia, and pining for reinstatement of socialist rule. Seems like a country divided in political opinion is not just a US characteristic.

    Speaking of antiquated services, train travel here is fairly miserable. The trains regularly run late (our train this morning was 25 minutes late) and have no a/c. We suffered 4 hours of 96 degree heat in a stifling first class train car in which the windows would not remain open unless you held them down. (We propped our 2 windows open with a bottle of water and a roll of tp). Hand fans and sweaty bodies were plentiful. A reddit user described the train system as " a fun experience, if you enjoy a post-apocalyptic aesthetic".    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    We made it! On our way from Albania, through North Macedonia, to BulgariaSites from the bus...In a dingy smelly bus terminal in Skopje N. Macedonia, awaiting our connection. We're hot & sweaty

    20. The kindness of strangers

    June 29, 2024 in North Macedonia ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    We got up early today to pack and catch up with our pre-arranged 7A taxi ride to the bus station to grab an 8A bus that would take us on an all day trip from Albania to Bulgaria. Ever the boy scout, Craig left plenty of time to catch our bus, departing the hotel an hour ahead for a 25 minute ride to the bus.

    7:10 - still no taxi. Our hotel is a ways outside of town, there are no taxis just driving by. We flagged down a non- English speaking hotel employee who knew our taxi driver & called him. While a few things got lost in translation, we understood enough to know that he wasn't coming.

    Enter Spressa, the sweet young girl responsible for the hotel's daily breakfast. She arrived for work, saw us standing outside & came to say hello & wish us well. Upon hearing our plight, she called the taxi driver to confirm the situation, then called the hotel owner, who works late and was sleeping. He jumped out of bed, dressed, and jumped in his car to come pick us up at the hotel and get us to the bus. (This, btw, is also the guy who hung around till 1A a few days before to check us into the hotel when we arrived).

    But the clock was ticking and it was just past 7:30 when he came careening around the hotel fountain to collect us. Upon confirming our destination, he took off, breaking speed limits, ruining his tires on potholes and speed bumps, honking his horn and careening through traffic to get us there on time. Upon arrival, he jumped out of the car with us and made inquiries on our behalf to find out which of the numerous buses in the depot was ours. It took a few tries, but we found our bus, thankfully running late, and he even helped us load our bags. To top it off, he refused money when Craig offered it.

    What kind of person does this? He works mostly nights, has a big wedding his hotel was hosting this evening, and would likely never see us again. This wasn't just "good customer service". They say its not what lies behind us or ahead of us that matters, but rather what lies within us. He is an inspiration, and we are so grateful for his kindness.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Site from the road on the way up to Lake Bovilla
    Getting our marching orders, which were pretty much "let's go!"Leaving the lake shore - the hike started gently and gradually increased in pitchLake Bovilla is actually a reservoir created by a damPhoto opp time. Wait, I'm not ready...At the top, about to be blown off this rock. Do I look scared?Our young and very helpful guide DeoOur group of 15 were fun people. Mostly Australian and European. No other Americans

    19. Albania - Lake Bovilla

    June 28, 2024 in North Macedonia ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    On our second day in Albania, we joined a group tour to stretch our legs with a hike up Mt. Gamti to see Lake Bovilla. The lake is actually a reservoir and provides most of the drinking water for the capital city Tirana.

    Our group of 15 (mostly Europeans - no other Americans), were fun fellow travellers for the day. At the top there was a butte about 3 feet in diameter jutting up in the middle of nowhere. Am I crawling up there for the experience? Absolutely!    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    The streets of Tirana city
    View from aboveLots of cute cafesImpressive opera houseUnusual architectureUpscale mallNot sure why they are honoring an American president......and naming a street after another.Some things are the same everywhere 😁Yes, delivery is availableRush hour trafficSomething for everyone!Our hotelOld school opulence inside the hotelView from our hotel room

    18. Tirana, Albania

    June 27, 2024 in Albania ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Albania is one of southeast Europe's Balkan states, with coastline along the Mediterranean, Ionian and Adriatic Seas. At present, it is a candidate for, but not yet a member of the EU. It's currency is the lek, but many vendors will accept euros.

     We visited the capital city of Tirana. With one small caveat, I LOVE this city!

    Upon arriving at Tirana airport after midnight, we grabbed a taxi to the hotel, and chatted with our driver about what its like to live here. His shared that he gets paid too little for his work, finds minimal opportunities to improve his status, and is anxious to "get out" as soon as he can. He seemed frustrated and I felt bad for him.

    Although the World Bank classifies Albania as an upper middle income economy, the average monthly salary here is just under $1000 US, with an average cost of living for an individual at about $655 before rent. The 2022 census, at about 2.79 million people shows a 3.7% decline in population over 2011. (Young people leaving?) I had low expectations for what we might see when touring the city.

    I was in for a pleasant surprise. The city has a vibrant energy to it - lots of eclectic shops, cafes & restaurants, with 4-6 stories of apartments built over them, interesting and unique architectural high rises, lots of piazzas and green space, wide pedestrian friendly walkways, streets filled but not overcrowded with locals and tourists. A mini-Manhattan! The caveat I mentioned above is the traffic jams. The city has no rail system - everyone is in a car or bus, and the congestion is dreadful.

    We walked the city for a few hours, grabbing lunch and doing some shopping along the way before negotiating with a non-English speaking Albanian taxi driver for a ride back to the hotel. (Luv Google translation app).    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1We stayed in Valletta on Malta
    Malta1This country of 500k residents hosts 3 million tourists each year.The courtyard at the bibliotheca, where everyone is seeking some shade and a cold drinkWho needs a stairmaster when you're navigating a hilly European city?Maltese language is derived from Sicilian Arabic with Romance language influenceThe cruise ship has not yet arrived...One of Malta's many harborsOur ride to Gozo & Camino - the other populated islands in MaltaA pic of the Malta coastline as we head to Gozo islandApproaching Camino islandGozo harborBlue Lagoon at Camino1Blue LagoonLeaving GozoThe Citadella in Gozo1Craig wanted to know if there was a mobile version of this we could bring on the rest of the tripView at the Citadella in Gozo

    17. Malta

    June 24, 2024 in Malta ⋅ 🌙 73 °F

    Leaving Palermo, we stopped in Catania, which was a bit of a bust for us, with dirty streets, grafitti-laden buildings, and old banged up cars that looked like they hadn't been moved from their parking spots for a month.

    However, an uber, a bus, a ferry and a taxi ride later, we were happily situated on the island of Malta in the town of Valletta. Malta is an archipelago with 3 inhabited islands. We stayed on the largest, Malta, and visited the other 2, Gozo & Camino.

    Gozo was not my cup of tea, but Craig wanted to see the Citadella there. He's much more of a history/anthropology buff than me - I'm starting to get bleary-eyed at the thought of viewing yet another fortress with statues and names of historical figures, and dates and stories of battles and conquests that represent a country's history, all of which I retain for about 5 seconds before viewing the next statue. When do we get to have fun?

    Turns out we got to have fun at the Blue Lagoon at Camino island. Despite being completely overrun by tourists, we found ourselves a spot to hang out on the rocks overlooking the lagoon, and enjoyed a splash in the water. I took a swim across the lagoon to the cave on Comminotto Island, where my fellow adventurers and I slipped off of the algae-topped rocks beneath us as we got knocked around by waves crashing through the cave. Now that was fun!    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1Ballaro Street Market
    Who's hungry?Not sure what this was... some sort of fish?Caprese salads with olives and marinated mushrooms are a stapleSquid & octopus are very popular. I wasn't particularly inspired to try it.Plain old green beans and carrots. A rare find.Is someone getting reamed out by the boss back there?Horsemeat on the menuThey have little fans to keep the bugs away. Wonder what the FDA thinks about that?Octopus anyone?Seppie is said to be among the most intelligent invertebrates. Will it make me smart if I eat it?Kitty loves street food

    16. Palermo, Sicily - Street Food +

    June 20, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 81 °F

    Palermo is the ancient seaside capital of Sicily, an island lying off the southwest coast of continental Italy. Palermo traces its origins to the early Phoenicians in 736 B.C., and has known a succession of rulers from Arab to Norman. Each culture has left its mark, witness the countless architectural contributions to this city of 1,000,000+.

    Sicily's renowned culinary tradition lives on in the famous Ballaro St. Market, where you can savor a range of "street food" delicacies (?) Craig and I have both been just mildly under the weather, so, after watching rice balls being made without gloved hands, and flies swarming the food, I decided to pass up the tempting taste-testing opportunity.

    The main streets in the heart of the historical district are jammed with the cruise ship herd that descends upon the city during the heat of the day, but the crowds begin to thin out in the late afternoon, just in time for a refreshing gelato!    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1View from the roof top bar at our hotelPorto Vecchio harborNobody communicates with words anymoreJeff Bezos's place, according to our sunset cruise guideSunset cruise - a hazy day fostered a different kind of beauty to the view

    15. Porto Vecchio in Corsica, France

    June 17, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Corsica is a French island known for its gorgeous beaches, rugged coastline, and hiking. Although culturally, it is more like Italy than France, French is the official language, with Corsican and Ligurian (Genoese) also spoken.

    We arrived via the ferry port of Bonafacio, an historical village within a medieval fortress protected by steep cliffs and the Mediterranean Sea. Now, it is a picturesque harbor filled with expensive yachts and lined with boutiques, restaurants, and hotels.

    We stayed in Porto-Vecchio, an up-scale town about 30 minutes drive north-east of Bonifacio, which is famous for being the birthplace of Napolean Bonapart. We jumped on a sunset cruise, and were privvy to viewing the multiple scenic bays adjacent to one another and hillsides dotted with impressive vacation homes, one of which we are told belongs to Jeff Bezos. With fewer tourists than most other place we've been, the whole experience was more enjoyable. Also, our hotel boasted a roof-top patio with a view of the Tyrrhenian Sea (subset of the Mediterranean Sea) - sweet serenity.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler

    14. ...when something goes wrong.

    June 16, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    Almost funny.

    Craig likes to say " The adventure begins when something goes wrong". I think you're supposed to run outside, twirl around 3 times and spit on the sidewalk to avoid the corresponding curse that is bestowed upon you if you mention that phrase out loud. We apparently missed that step.

    Our respite from cathedrals, castles & old towns, was to be a few beach days on the Italian island of Sardinia, followed by a few days on the French island of Corsica, located one hour's ferry ride north of Sardinia.

    Sun & relaxation, right?! Mmmmm...maybe not...

    We got a note from Eurail announcing a nationwide train strike on the day we were to take the train up from Cagliari (south Sardinia), to north Sardinia, where we would catch the ferry to Corsica. Time to regroup.

    After hours investigating other travel options to reach the ferry, we ended up taking an uber to the airport near us, to pick up a rental car that we drove up north to the northern airport (only drop-off spot for the car) then caught the bus that took us to within .3 mile of the ferry. We lugged our bags in the heat to the ferry, only to be notified that our ferry ticket was cancelled due to an issue with the boat.

    Ok - somebody's yanking our chain, right?

    Nope! 😊 Our ferry ride was indeed cancelled. Of course, the ticket office booths for the 2 ferry companies that operated out of this port were both unmanned when we got there, so we collaborated with other stranded tourists, then strategically put Craig in one line for one company and me in the line for the other so we could access the first person to show up at either office that might help us understand our options.

    Fortunately, we had a pre-purchased ferry ticket which got transferred to the other ferry line that was running that day. Not sure our fellow conspirators fared as well. After a pleasant 1 hour ferry ride to Corsica, we found ourselves in Bonafacio Harbor, looking to get to our hotel in Ponte Vecchio, roughly 17 miles away. No ubers, and turns out buses do not run on Sundays. (Of course they don't). We shlepped our bags about 1/4 mile to the taxi stand. $100 later (cash required), we arrived at our hotel.

    11 hours, covering roughly 280 miles, via uber, rental car, bus, walking, ferry & taxi. A memorable travel day for sure. 🧳 😅    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Poetto Beach, Cagliari
    1Poetto Beach, CagliariALL the girls wear thongs. This pic is for all the boys.The strip is very pedestrian friendly - 1 car lane, 2 bike lanes, 1 runners lane, and room for pedsToodling around the area on our rental bikes......through the flamingo filled salt flatsWe ran into a local who had rescued a muskrat from drowningLaundry day. Thank you Google translation app!

    13. Cagliari, island of Sardinia, Italy

    June 15, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    We grabbed a quick flight over to Cagliari, located in the south part island of Sardinia, a popular place for Italians and other Europeans to enjoy the beach. We stayed in a fantastic little boutique hotel located at the beginning of the Poetto Beach strip.

    We rented bikes to toodle around a bit, and hit the beach. Btw - all the girls wear thongs here. There were a ton of teenagers around - I think we may have stumbled onto a high school graduation weekend celebration, or something. Eye candy for the Craigger!    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    Arno River, which runs west 150 miles from central Italy to the Ligurian Sea (French Riveria)
    Florence ItalyA tapestry of my next photoBrunelleschi's Duomo highlights the skylineStatues of Michaelangelo's David are plentifulInsert the obvious "ass" comment here...Cathedral of Santa Maria del FioreItalian sculpture can be so violent - this is Abduction (or rape) of Sabine WomanPerseus, with the head of Medusa. Charming.Streets and sidewalks are very narrow - its challenging to get around even on the main streetsOh my goodness! (No, I didnt try it.)Never heard of Brazilian sushi...Street entertainers include artists...would be con men...and musiciansTour group hell - SO glad we are not doing that.

    12. Florence Italy

    June 12, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Florence is the capital of Italy's Tuscan region, and home to many Renaissance art and architectural masterpieces. I did have a few free hours while Craig was busy, so I went out for a run through the streets. Dodging tourists definitely kept me on my toes! Because I've been here before, (and because the city was almost overrun with tour groups), I was happy to do a day's walking tour and move on.Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    San Marino
    1Where's Waldo?My favorite stamp at the museumAnother favorite......and another.Arevederci San Marino

    11. San Marino

    June 10, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    I'm embarrassed to say I did not know that San Marino was its own country. Completely surrounded by Italy, it is a mountainous microstate and one of the world's oldest republics.

    On the slopes of Monte Titano sits the capital, also called San Marino, known for its medieval walled old town and narrow cobblestone streets. The Three Towers, castlelike citadels dating to the 11th century, sit atop Titano’s neighboring peaks.

    We took a bus ride from Rimini over to SM for the day, wandering through the town and the towers. Craig wanted to see the stamp & coin museum, so we stopped in there as well. It was so fun. 😁    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1The "magic erase" feature on the phone lets me erase all the tourists!St. Mark's BasilicaSt. Mark's SquareMurano: Beautiful glasses - wish I had a way to transport them home1

    10. Venice lll-St. Marks Square & Murano

    June 9, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Piazza San Marco is the primary public square in Venice, and plays hots to several famous architectural structures, including the Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and the iconic bell tower and clock tower.

    We also caught a ferry over to Murano island, which is known for its glass making factories.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler

    9. Venice ll - canals & tourism

    June 8, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    As you probably know, Venice’s unique charm lies in its winding canals, gondolas, bridges & eclectic architecture. Known as "the floating city", it is best known for having no roads, with buildings built directly on/in the water. Due to rising sea levels and the weight of its buildings, some scientists claim that it will completely sink by 2100.

    Venice joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1987 as an "extraordinary architectural masterpiece". However exploding volumes of tourism, (with over 30 mil visitors last year, and roughly 90% of them day trippers), have left UNESCO just shy of adding it to the list of "heritage sites in danger". Venice is exploring ways to reduce tourism - currently it is imposing a small tariff on day trippers who do not stay in Venice overnight. Not sure this will do much good.    Read more

  • Karen HechingerEurope by Eurail 2024Traveler
    1Concert venue - Church of the Pieta
    3 violins, 1 each viola, cello, base & harpsichordPlaying to a packed house1

    8. Venice Italy l - Vivaldi concert

    June 7, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    We arrived in Venice late afternoon, just in time to check in to our hotel, freshen up and head across the canals to the Church of the Pieta, where we had tickets to a chamber orchestra performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

    What a treat! This 7 person group was spectacular.    Read more

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