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Europe Adventure

March - April 2023
  • Simon Cook
A 33-day adventure by Simon Read more
  • Simon Cook

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  • England England
  • Italy Italy
  • Switzerland Switzerland
  • France France
  • Singapore Singapore
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  • 14.2kkilometers traveled
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  • 31footprints
  • 33days
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  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure
    Zoom in to see K and the kids lugging the bags up to the chalet (second from the right)View from our balcony

    Travel : Zurich to Stalden

    April 8, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Made our way from Zurich to the Swiss Alps today and - as advertised - it’s a postcard.

    Loving Krissi’s decision to get the first class tickets for our train travel, it’s so nice to travel with space and comfort. Especially so today as Ben has a cold and Clare has run out of energy.

    Stopped past Visp for lunch and ice cream and then landed in Stalden. Made our way all the way up and down the hill to our villa, only to find out they had a cart to pick us up if we’d asked! 🤯

    Just settled in and enjoyed the chalet and the view today as we have a big few days ahead. Krissi and I headed off to the shop for supplies and explored the town. Population 1000 people.

    Celebrating 5 years in business for ourselves today. Which seems irrelevant but we are proud of the work we do - and 5 years seems like a milestone in small business.

    Anyway, we opened a bottle of Swiss Pinot and watched the sun set over the alps. 👍    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure
    11

    Zermatt and the Matterhorn

    April 9, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C

    This was a highlight day.

    In summary, it was like walking around inside a postcard or a tourist film all day.

    Unfortunately Ben was battling a nasty cold (RAT test says not covid thankfully) so took a little longer to get going today - but I don’t think we missed anything.

    The train ride in was great, the anticipation as we got closer was most evident in Clare’s smile. The ride into Zermatt alone was an adventure - but we had the Matterhorn to come.

    Once we arrived we quickly grabbed a coffee and explored the town. Realising it was a tourist destination (every 2nd shop sells outdoor gear and every store next to that sells souvenirs) and there was little to learn re culture, we headed to the cable car.

    It’s all very well done and we shared the car with skiers who were heading up to the top for a day on the alps. This mountain dwarfs anything we have in Australia, there are kms of runs in all directions.

    Once we got to the top we went into the restaurant which was overcrowded and overpriced. No shock there. $40 for 2 bowls of chips later and we were on our way to the upper platform.

    Never seen anything like it in person. Was -10 degrees out on the platform. Made it over 4000 metres high and could feel the lack of air. Had to climb some stairs and I felt like a pack a day smoker.

    A guy from NZ pointed out the Mount Blanc mountain in Italy to me quietly - said most people don’t know it’s there and he was helping me out because I’m Australian….🤷‍♂️

    Bit of tourist shopping (yes, they got our money) and back to the chalet for our last night here.    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure
    Im enjoying the view over lunch, while Clare watches Disney movies....
    Ready to leave ZermattOur train for the dayPondering or asleep? 🤷‍♂️First guests from AdelaideLuggage buggy. Apparently they moved a Piano on this thing.Running in ChurK running in ChurArtwork in downtown ChurHow good is Switzerland?Chur Library

    Glacier Express : Zermatt to Chur

    April 10, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Checked out of our chalet in Stalden and our host kindly drove our luggage up the hill on his little buggy. He and his wife also walked us to the station and we chatted bees, covid and their family in Australia. Very friendly people and great hosts. We were the first guests to stay there from Adelaide - so proudly put a pin in their map on the wall.

    Took the early train back to Zermatt and boarded the Glacier Express. This is a luxury train that goes all the way from Zermatt to St Moritz. We took it as far as Chur.

    So today was 250km in 7 hours slowly weaving through the Swiss alps. It’s billed as the slowest fast train in the world. The pictures I took don’t do it justice - there is a bit of sun glare so photography is difficult. But I was glad to just soak it in and enjoy it today. I took the least photos today out of the whole trip - even though it was one of the more impressive visual days. The water off the glaciers is a rich blue colour that (I know I keep saying this) is out of a postcard.

    Ben is still quite unwell so he rested all day and Clare decided she wanted to watch movies….🤷‍♂️ ……as you do when the Swiss alps are just outside the window. Probably shouldn’t have given her the window seat.

    When we arrived in Chur I was feeling very sluggish after sitting all day - so Krissi and I went for a 5km jog around the town while the kids chilled in the hotel. Only my second run post marathon and need to get back into it.

    Chur is a cute town of only 35k people surrounded by snow topped mountains and is the home of Calanda brewery - which uses the water from alpine glaciers to make their beer.

    Finished the day with a salad at KFC! Which was the only healthy option in town on Easter Monday. Clare ate her body weight in chicken.

    The hotel is tiny, the Ibis experience in Switzerland has been tiny rooms and nice bars. This place is the same except for the nice bar. At least we have an air bnb in Milan, which is our next stop.    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure
    Aperols and Apertif in Milan
    Dinner family selfieWalking MilanOur bus for the ride from Chur to BellinzonaView on the bus rideMore bus viewsDinner at PizziumA small town in SwitzerlandTrian station outside ItalyLake Como from the trainOur balcony in Milan2Our scary as crap elevator in Milan1Big Aperol at DinnerDinner photosKrissi posing

    Travel Day : Chur to Milan

    April 11, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌧 3 °C

    Today was pretty average. In as much as we woke up in the Swiss alps; caught a 2.5 hour bus through Switzerland with sweeping views of said alps and rivers; jumped on a 1.5 hour train into Italy with views of the Italian countryside and then Lake Como; and then ended up at a bar in Milan drinking Aperol Spritz.

    But as far as this trip goes, it was a bit average! 🤷‍♂️

    (Let me just say the train station in Milan is the centre of hell and it wasn’t until we made it more than 20 minutes away did I start to soften my view that we should just get back on a train and head to our next destination. More accurately, halfway through my first Aperol…...)    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure
    Family selfie outside the Duomo
    Arco della Pace with the Castle in the back ground.DuomoArco della Pace.DuomoLed lights at DuomoDuomo from the rooftopDoor way of the Duomo1Shopping centre in Milan. Basically Rundle Mall......Lego Duomo1Bucket Aperols at Pizzium1Aperol and Apertif

    Milan

    April 12, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Started the day with a run around the Arco della Pace and the Castle Sforzeco.

    Unfortunately the washing machine in our Airbnb is stuffed so took a load of clothes to the laundromat and knocked off some some work while I was there. A lady approached me and tried to engage in conversation - only problem is I only speak English.

    I’m confronted daily by the fact I’m the only person in most conversations who speaks just the one language.

    We then headed to the Duomo via tram. They have really old school trams here which remind me of when we first moved to Melbourne.

    Grabbed some paninis in a small cafe and then walked through Duomo and then up the stairs to the top.

    Once we’d ticked the ‘culture’ box for the day we went shopping around Milan which was fine - it’s not cheap here at all though - an AC Milan too was about 170 Australian….🙄

    Made our way back to the house via the Arco della Pace and the Castle Sforzeco. Kids were more interested in the local cats than the history - but that’s the way it goes.

    Grabbed an Aperol and an Apertif without the kids - always a highlight - and then headed out for dinner at Pizzium.
    Legendary pizza and bucket sized aperols….🤣
    Finishing the evening with AC Milan VS Napoli on TV. Tried to get tickets but eg were going for $400 Australian each. Given it’s a 80,000 capacity stadium that’s good going.    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure

    Milan (rain day)

    April 13, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    So I’ve got Ben’s cold (which was Clare’s cold and which was somebody else’s before that…) so had a quiet day.
    Made it out for a tram ride to the canals of Navigli - and a proper Italian pasta lunch. We get really solid pasta in Australia but the bolognese sauce was top class.
    Wandered that part of Milan and then came back and chilled in the Airbnb and caught up on Ted Lasso.
    Heading to Venice tomorrow - so will need to head back to the horrid Milan train station! 😬    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure

    Milan to Venice

    April 14, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    The less said the better about the first half of today.
    Italian train workers went on strike - so instead of arriving in Venice before lunch it was closer to 2pm. We had to take 2 trains and stand for an hour on one because 3 trains worth of people impacted by the cancellations piled into the one fast train and all the rules went out the window!

    Then when we arrived at our hotel in Venice the concierge was on a long, long lunch - and didn’t come back until some concerned locals called him and helped us out.

    So basically didn’t get going until nearly 3pm in Venice.

    But that’s the negative out the way - Venice is great - albeit completely overrun with tourists (us included). It’s hard to move without bumping into a group of tourists. Every line has 90% respectful people waiting their turn and then an Italian lady who can’t be bothered waiting and has decided she is pushing in right at the front - or right in front of us at least.

    Positives - sorry - there is something special and unique about a city with 180 islands and 400 bridges. We managed to walk about 10000 steps in a few hours and am looking forward to more exploring over the weekend.    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure
    Family Gondola photo
    Venice at sunsetGondola photoThe sites you only get on a GondolaClare and Ben posing on a GondolaClare and Dad posing on a boatClare posing on a boatAmbulance Ramping in VeniceClare posing on a boatWalking VeniceSowmthing cool from the guided walk that i forget now..... othello maybe....? 🤷‍♂️Canals of VeniceK + C on the guided tourThe only Banksy in VeniceLargest oil on canvas in the world.The mask shop that supplied Eyes Wide ShutEnd of run selfieOur tour guide Andrea - who has a Venetian reggae song with over a million views

    Venice

    April 15, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Big day in Venice : Ran along the river and enjoyed the quiet Venice experience ; Buffet Breakfast in the hotel which was overpriced but only 20 metres from our room; Guided walk around the city (great 2.5 hours with a local who gave us lots of time and showed us the less beaten track - we even saw a Banksy and also the worlds largest ‘oil on canvas’ which was also the roof of a church),

    Stopped for lunch at an Italian reataurant; Took an extended boat ride around the harbour which Clare loved; had some Gelato and coffee by the sea; More boat rides; got our tourist fix with a Gondola ride around the Canals - and some Aperol then Dinner out to finish the day.

    Fun facts, our guide told us that less than 50,000 people now live in Venice and more than 28 million people come through each year as tourists. The apartments have been bought up and used as AirBnbs and have driven out the locals - who have moved to the mainland - either after selling their homes or renting them out for big profit and using this money for their (cheaper) rent elsewhere.

    So Venice is basically an Italian historical Disney land theme park these days - which is hard to criticise because we are 4 of the 28 million people who will come here this year.    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure

    Venice Day 2

    April 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Venice day two started on kinda the wrong foot after a broken sleep caused by partying tourists screaming near our room all night.

    Great first up experience though - visited the Doges Palace early and then caught the unique book store as well as a nice meal and some shopping.

    Had to pull the pin on the glass blowing in Murano (almost as soon as we got to the island….) as I got sick from the omelette at breakfast.

    Took a few hours to recover in the room while the family went shopping - then out for dinner and some shopping of my own.

    Up early tomorrow for a train to Rome.    Read more

  • Simon CookTravelerEurope Adventure

    An afternoon in Rome

    April 17, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Started the day in Venice.
    Made our way to the train station via the boat ‘bus’, then a relaxing 4 hour train ride through the Italian countryside. Caught up in some work and messages while listening to podcasts. Some much needed down time.

    Once we made it to Rome, quickly checked into our hotel and then out for lunch. Poor choice - none of us were happy with our food - but we needed fuel.

    After that it was go go for the rest of the afternoon - 15000 steps in a few hours and we made it to Trevi Fountain, stop for Gelato, Pantheon, Piazza Venezia, Roman Forum, short stop for an Aperol, Colosseum, then back to the hotel for a short break via the back streets. Found a piano shop on the way back and Ben had a quick play.

    Then out for a really nice dinner at a packed Trattoria - with an Aperol.

    Finally back to the hotel to watch YouTube videos of Rome to plan tomorrow’s adventure.    Read more

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