Gabrielle Ingram | FindPenguins

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Ice Palace
October 11, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
There are 8 glaciers up the top of the mountain which are collectively known as the Dachstein Glacier. An enterprising group of people have created an underground (underice?) labyrinth where there are various sculptures carved into ice. At one stage we were in a section with 26 metres of glacier overhead. A bit of trivia... it is a steady -0.2 degrees in all glaciers across the world. Felt a lot colder!Read more
Traveler Yo yo gangsta
10/12/17Reply
Traveler Perfect except for lack of giant hair
10/12/17Reply
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Suspension Bridge and Stairway
October 11, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
So there is a suspension bridge which takes you across a ravene, with the option on walking out onto a platform called the "Stairway to Nothingness". I was the only one up for the challenge, until Finn, my boy who is usually afraid of heights, decided to join me. There is no logical reason why this increases the fear factor, but the last three stairs and the platform are made of glass, and really slippery with ice, and just stepping onto them increased the heart rate considerably.

Good fun though!Read more
TravelerSo cool.
10/12/17Reply
wow so beautiful. the corries
10/13/17Reply
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Dachstein Mountain
October 11, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 0 °C
When you are staying somewhere with lots of mountains, it is inevitable that a “thing” you want to see if on the other side of several mountains. The case today, where we drove nearly two hours back around the top of Salzburg and then south, and then west to get to the Dachstein Mountain in the Austrian Alps. Agenda: A cable car up to 2,700m, a walk across a suspension bridge, a daring walk down the “stairs to nothingness”, a journey through the “ice palace” carved inside a glacier, and then once we had come back down in the gondola, a 1.5 hour hike.

We were blessed with perfect weather today – clear blue sky, 20C up on the mountain (but a lot colder in the wind) and 30cm of snow. The views across the alps were simply breathtaking.Read more
TravelerPhotos@!!
10/11/17Reply
TravelerAre you going to see Hitlers Lair?
10/11/17Reply
TravelerPhotos will go up tonight... We watched Monuments Men last night whilst we were in the region. Will be at Eagle's Nest in about 2 hours actually. Stopping for a summer toboggan ride on the way.
10/12/17Reply
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Attersee
October 10, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
We passed along Lake Attersee on the way home from Halstatt, so stopped off to let the driver have a bit of a look at the scenery. There are some serious constructions around to protect the roads from landslides!

We were laughing about the "Achtung Kinder" sign. Craig says "Mein Gott im Himmel, what's wrong with these people? At least in Australia it is only the crocodiles that eat the Germans. Here in Austria, it is the children!". Cracked us all up.

I took a photo of another funny sign which had all the things to see if you went diving in the particular part of Attersee we were at... which included what looked to be a car door, a tyre or wheel, and an oven. The best diving location!Read more
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Halstatt
October 10, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
The rain disappeared today, so we drove for an hour alongside a couple of the lakes to visit the beautiful lakeside village of Halstatt.

Very picturesque to say the least. The water is crystal clear up close and I assume only looks black from the shores because it is so deep - we could see that it dropped away quickly. There were a large number of swans in the village vicinity and obviously accustomed to being fed because they got quite nasty if you go up close and didn't have any food for them.

We also walked through the cemetery of the church on the hill, and it has to be the most beautiful cemetery ever! The plots were tiny, each one was well cared for, covered in flowers or ornamental shrubs and unique - gorgeous.Read more
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AirBnB at Mondsee
October 10, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
The kids decided it was time for a swim - just the ticket when it is cold outside hey? Took me a longgggg time to get in the water, but it was quite pleasant once you were in. The coverage is good for maintaining warmth, but a shame because it was an infinity pool so I imagine the view from the pool in summer when the cover is off is quite spectacular.

Kate and I wandered over to the barn at 5pm to watch the cows being milked, visit the goats and pony and watch the calf drinking from the specially modified milking pail which had a teat attached. It was adorable.

Felix and Garfield the cats have become a permanent fixture in our house it would seem. They are the most dog-like cats I have ever come across (although admittedly my cat experience is limited to Rubix for the last 2 years).Read more
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Mondsee - wet day no play
October 9, 2017 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 9 °C
It was raining and cold today, so we had a bit of an indoor day at home. We did head off to the supermarket to stock up on dinner supplies, tried very hard to find a cafe which was open for lunch (admittedly it was 2pm, but it was a Monday and Google Maps said places were open every day!). In the end, we failed trying to find a local business and finally had to resort to eating at Maccas.

That said, it was the nicest McDonald's hamburger we have ever had, so wasn't all bad.

The church which featured the wedding of Maria and Captain von Trapp in the Sound of Music is in Mondsee, and we did drive right past it, but none of my family were overly keen to visit it with me. Sigh...Read more
TravelerYou should have told them that church was a few of your favourite things.....
10/10/17Reply
TravelerNever fear - I fully intend acting out various iconic scenes from the movie tomorrow including the arms outstretched on a green patch of grass overlooking some snow covered alps with pine trees in the foreground (which I read today was actually filmed in Germany - shocking!). Kate and I nearly won the battle to watch the movie tonight, but Wonder Woman got the unanimous vote as something everything in the family wanted to see. Surely it is not possible to see The Sound of Music too many times!!! And if you can't watch it in the Salzkammergut area where it is based, where can you bloody well watch it, I ask?
10/10/17Reply
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Eisriesenwelt Ice Caves
October 8, 2017 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 6 °C
Time to leave Salzburg today, which meant we were homeless until we could check in at our next place after 3pm. It was also raining, so an indoor activity was required. What better activity than to visit the world's largest ice cave?

The slight flaw in the plan was that after driving to the parking lot of the ice cave and buying a ticket, there was a 20 minute uphill walk to the cable car. After going up the cable car (very steep!) there was another 20 minute uphill walk. Both walks were in wafty rain with clouds coming and going and remnant of overnight snow on the ground.

The ice cave tour was incredible. Lasted about 70 minutes and during that time we walked up another 700 stairs, the guide saying by the time we finished we had walked the equivalent of a 40 storey skyscraper today. The temperature in the caves is a consistent zero degrees all year around, so we were suffering from cold noses and lack of feeling in our toes by the time we got down to the warmth of the restaurant.

It was quite incredible seeing the speed with which the clouds were wafting up and down the mountains.

We relocated to an AirBnB overlooking Lake Mondsee. The apartment is on an organic farm, so we have arranged for a litre of milk direct from the cows to be delivered at breakfast tomorrow! There are a number of cats living here, and within minutes of arriving one of them had made itself at home on Kate, then walked into the bedroom and taken up residence.

Both then followed us down to the games room. Kate has named them Felix and Garfield. Felix kept jumping up on pool table and rolling around right where you wanted to play your shot. I suspect they are used to lots of guests giving them lots of attention.

The other interesting thing about today is that it is Sunday... in Austria... which is like Sunday in Queensland in the early 1980s. Nothing is open! Luckily we were able to cobble together some sort of unleavened bread thing + a sausage and some cheese for dinner which we had in our grocery supplies.Read more
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Trick Fountains
October 7, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Heading back into Salzburg from the snow adventure, we stopped at Hellbrunn Palace to visit the Trick Fountains. The summer residence for the archbishop/prince of Salzburg, Markus Sittikus, he created a garden full of water features to take guests by surprise.

It started raining as we walked through the gardens, and it was already cold... but that didn't stop the tour guide turning on the hidden water features to wet us even more. Everything was powered by water, and still works today, which is a pretty amazing feat.

Late addition: I found out that part of the Sound of Music was filmed in these gardens!Read more
TravelerTell Craig Bathurst is on and there was a safety car just out as there was a kangaroo no the racetrack.
10/8/17Reply
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Europe Traveler
More snow photos
October 7, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
Because being in snow is not an everyday sort of an event for born-and-bred Queenslanders!
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Europe Traveler
Snow!
October 7, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
It was cold this morning, still a bit drizzly, but you only get one chance, so we set off to catch a couple of buses to get to the cable car which takes you up to the 1853m summit of Mt Untersberg. This is part of the mountain range which borders with Germany, so you have views of both Austria and Germany from the top.

Given it was rainy, we could see that the top of the mountain was in cloud, so in some ways I thought all we would get to do really is take a cable car into the clouds, have a hot drink and come back down again.

Whilst waiting for the cable car we saw a sign advising it was -1ºC at the summit! Just a wee bit chilly...

The cable car was over 3km in length and was a great trip up the mountain - about 10 minutes or so. Just as we arrived it started to snow! Only tiny little bits of snow, but snow none the less. We walked out on to the terrace, lasted less than a minute because it was so cold, in cloud and very windy.

What we did stumble on to out on the terrace though was a lot of Austrian military, new and old, in the middle of some sort of ceremony. When I asked it was a WWII commemoration for fallen soldiers. Very elaborate military uniforms, including swords, fancy axes, feathers on hats, capes, men with curled handlebar moustaches... Of course, in WWII the Austrian Army was fighting for the Nazis so hardly an Ally, but they saw sense by the end (it was a good excuse to go and read a bit of Austrian military history whilst having a hot drink - not wine!).

Finn declared it the best thing we have done on the holiday so far and was begging to go back out into the snow (quite possibly because Kate had thrown a snowball at him and he needed retribution?). Anyway, as we were eating lunch, over the space of about 45 seconds, the cloud completely cleared away to reveal blue skies and views over Austria and (we presume) Germany - we couldn't stay outside to work out where the boundaries occurred - it was too cold.

There were lots of Austrian older generation soldiers stomping around in the snow, so managed to sneak a photo of one who was in his cape, amazing hat with feather etc. Also a frau in a dirndl... and I reckon she must have had very cold ankles!

We had soup for lunch - husband never willingly eats soup. Photo worthy event.Read more
TravelerNone of you look dressed warm enough for cold weather
10/7/17Reply
TravelerSo that you can remember your holiday and all the Dirndl wearing women chasing, for the small price of $30au and $7 postage, you can have your own! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hot-Ladies-Tradition…
10/8/17Reply
TravelerThanks Al, I would need to start attending Oktoberfest every year in Brisbane to get value from that purchase. Craig would definitely need lederhosen. Quite a number of people serving in restaurants are wearing the leathery shorts. They look great!
10/8/17Reply
TravelerWe are dressed fine as long as we aren't tromping around in the snow. Top of 9 degrees today and more rain. Grr.
10/8/17Reply
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Europe Traveler
Hot wine
October 6, 2017 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 9 °C
This is what happens if you decide to drink the hot wine!
TravelerHilarious
10/6/17Reply
TravelerThese are similar faces to us drinking coffee in Singapore! Awful!
10/6/17Reply
TravelerWe had an option for hot cider too. Might try that next time. Impossible for it to be worse. The first time I have ever witnessed the husband throw out alcohol!
10/7/17Reply
Travelerthe stuff we got in Paris at Christmas was delicious, so maybe you should give it another go somewhere else!
10/9/17Reply
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Salzburg
October 6, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
A bit of a novelty this morning... We are staying in a newish compact hotel room with no self-catering facilities or fridge etc, which makes breakfast a bit more of an ordeal in some ways. The hotel offers a buffet continental breakfast for a reasonable rate, and only €3.50 for the kids, so we ate a pretty good breakfast. Whilst doing this, Craig noticed that someone was buying a "Salzburg Card" and on investigation we found that it included free entrance into everything Salzburg + bus/tram trips included, so armed with a new card each, off we went to discover Salzburg!

First stop was the Mirabell Gardens, followed by a trip through the residence of the Mozart family. Keyboards were certainly a lot more compact back then. Afterwards we walked through the "old town" streets which were full of beautiful arcades and elaborately decorated street lights and shop signs. There were a number of shops selling beautifully tailored dirndls, although I didn't see anyone in the streets wearing then, so not sure who their target market was - they were retailing for between €600 and €1,000, so wouldn't really be considered a mass tourism item.

We then caught a very speedy funicular up to the "big white fortress on the hill" Festung Hohensalzburg - a panorama of Salzburg, a number of museums including one which just warmed the sarcasm of my husband's tongue - a very lame marionette museum, although it would be more aptly promoted as "someone's poorly maintained collection of marionette dolls put together in a bit of a lame way". It was a bit chilly by the time we got back down from the fortress, and we passed a person selling hot wine and hot cider. Craig bought some hot red wine - we have been meaning to make mulled wine for the last few winters and not gotten around to it - if it tastes like this, I don't think we will bother. It was impossible to not pull a face when drinking it as it tastes like you are being poisoned with every sip!

Lunch was some street food - the highly anticipated eating of "wursts" - the best sausages on buns ever eaten!

The weather was trying hard to be annoying today - very cold and spitting intermittently with rain. Luckily any full scale rain managed to stay away. We did a cruise on the extremely swift flowing water of the Salzach River. Afterwards we went up to the Museum of Modern Art (it is situated at the top of an escarpment). Given we knew there were not that many restaurants around where we are staying, we decided to have dinner in the city before heading home. Found a fascinating restaurant which had about 7 or 8 different "rooms" which were all styled/themed - from very modern, to a biergarten, to traditional. We decided to go traditional as the waitress was wearing a dirndl. I ordered spitezl, Craig had another wurst washed down with 1/2 litre of Austrian bier. Gigantic meals - will need to eat less tomorrow!Read more
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Heidi Land
October 5, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
We could have taken a more direct route between Venice and Salzburg, but were more than happy to add an hour and half driving time to the journey today so we could visit Bressanone Brixen for lunch - we otherwise know it as HEIDI LAND.

Our lovely friend Heidi was lured from this gorgeous part of the world by the love of our other fabulous friend David. I can see why they keep coming back to visit (family still being here aside) - it is so incredibly gorgeous.

We had lunch here, looked in the duomo (a passing tourist went out of her way to tell us it was a must). We came across a number of "Profanter" shops - we decided they are rellies, or the name Profanter is like Smith in our part of the world?Read more
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Three countries - one day
October 5, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌫 13 °C
We set off from Venice this morning by 9am amidst heavy fog (to be more accurate, it was smog - pollution was evident throughout Tuscany all the way up to Venice). By the time we started to gather altitude through the Dolomites though, it had cleared to a brilliant blue sky, with the drive only enhanced by beautiful alpine scenery, vibrant green grass and beautiful houses. It was amazing how quickly the architecture style changed compared to the rest of Italy.

We took the long way to Salzburg as we wanted to stop in at Bressanone/Brixen for lunch (see next post), so ended up driving through Italy, Austria, Germany and Austria again on our way to Salzburg today. Can't do that in Australia!

The arrival at our hotel in Salzburg went smoothly - dinner was in an inn down the road, and of course we really had no choice but to eat a Wiener Schnitzel! Finn was not hungry so ordered scrambled eggs - it was enormous!Read more
Traveler I liked it
10/6/17Reply
Hi Gab & family, what an amazing trip you are having! Awesome planning - maybe a career as a travel agent awaits. There has been no mention of gypsies in Italy, such a shame. Eleanor was in Italy last December. She was billeted with a family in Genoa for 3 weeks and went to school there. She visited lots of the same places. xxkate
10/8/17Reply
TravelerThanks Kate, I have done aot of "I was last here with Kate in 1991/1992". Man, travelling is so much easier since the invention of the internet. I can't believe that a) we managed to do what we did on so little money and b) did it all with one travel book containing itty bitty writing! But still, I would hate to you t the number of hours I put into the research (the downside of the internet - endless amounts of information and opinions). In new territory now as gave never been to Austria or Germany. Rain in wrecking my plans, I didn't have contingency for wet weather stuff. More the running through the hills alive with the sound of music types of visions really. Kids are so lucky these days with choices for exchange! We only got to see the inside of the Genoa train station. Thanks for writing, lovely to hear from you! Love, me xx
10/9/17Reply
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Venezia
October 4, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
We spent another day wandering around the backstreets of Venice today. Poked in and around various art shops and free museums. There was one collection by Jan Fabre which was titled Glass and Bone Sculpture 1977-2017 - all the pieces were either glass, bone (human and animal) or glass made into the shape of human bones and fused with real human or animal bones. There were a number of installations of significant size and the kids were enthralled.

We had received a recommendation to visit Ca'Macana which is one of the oldest mask workshops in Venice. It was amazing! Finn was quite taken with the various masks in steampunk style, but in the end we thought that was a bit impractical to try and bring home. He settled for some ghoulish mask which was also of a reasonable price.Read more
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Venezia
October 3, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
More photos, because it such a photogenic city and I can't get enough of bridges, canals and skinny little streets you barely know are there until you have to turn down them!
TravelerShare away because it is an amazing place
10/4/17Reply
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Europe Traveler
Venice
October 3, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Leisurely start to the day (not sure how I am going to go back to 5.15am starts when I get back to Australia - positively uncivilised!), and then we started an epic day of leisurely meandering through the streets of Venice. Love love love!

We didn't go into anything or line up for anything and just enjoyed a day of looking at the sights of Venice from the outside. Fabulous bridges, Venezian-style traffic jams, heard opera being sung on a gondola, marvelled at why the gondoliers thought being grumpy and disinterested in what they were doing was good for business etc.

We looked in on some amazing art shops, and got a bit of inspiration for a few things we might try out when we get home. Kate has been collecting the entry and bus tickets throughout our journey to "do something" with them when we get home. We were inspired by some great papier mache works in one gallery today so spent this evening researching some options to give it a go when we get home. It has been four weeks since we have watched a TV (given we can't understand anything, we have gotten used to just not turning them on even when we have had them) which has been great for playing games and chatting about stuff. Each accommodation generally has a selection of games - tonight Finn and I played backgammon which used to be one of my favourite board games when I was at uni and living with my uncle who was a board game fiend.

We got back to our accommodation around 4pm due to the urgent need to find a loo and a distinct lack of public facilities in Venice. So, had a sleep, read some book, dinner last night was so yummy Craig made the same again. All up, a perfect day!Read more
TravelerKatie of 100 faces! Weather looks good. Will you go in a gondola?
10/4/17Reply
TravelerAn act of Venetian heresy no doubt, but we have decided we have better things to do with our €80 than sit in a gondola with a grumpy disinterested gondolier for 40 minutes. It is actually quite fun watching them!
10/4/17Reply
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Certaldo to Venice
October 2, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
We said goodbye to Glen and Jeff today - they were leaving to fly from Bologna to Paris to catch a flight back to Australia - and we were heading off to Venice. I had calculated that we would have time to stop in Padova for a few hours, but that didn't quite work out.

We did get to redeem the horrible Autogrill experience we had on our trip back from Cinque Terre and managed to find a gigantic Autogrill. We had read a review where the lady was waxing lyrical about how great the Autogrills were (giant roadside restaurants/fuel stop). We only stopped for fuel and the loo, but the food at least looked edible this time around.

We spent a good chunk of the journey designing out new front yard and fancy chicken coop with room for 5 chickens that we are going to build when we get back home, including the yabbie breeding pond, the productive garden and research on some grape vines. Short of getting a goat, I think we have just managed to channel Tom and Barbara from The Good Life (1970s British comedy for the youngsters). We don't have a "Margo" living next door, which will be helpful to the construction ideas coming to fruition.

Once we got across the bridge to Venice itself, we parked the car. Having rationed our gear into a backpack and our day packs, we decided to ditch the idea of spending a fortune on the vaporetto, and walked the 30 minutes to our new AirBnB accommodation. It was an easy walk and given we will do the same to get back to the car, we have also saved ourselves €60. Bargain!

We ditched the gear and headed straight out for a walk along Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Longo which starts pretty much just outside our accommodation. Our front gate adjoins a lane next to a gate onto the campus of Università Ca' Foscari so we had a bit of a short cut through to get to the water.Read more
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Wet day, no play in Certaldo Alto
October 1, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
We woke up to the sounds of light rain on the roof tops this morning, which was perfect really because the kids were happy to lounge around all day in their pyjamas, and we were pretty much of the same mind set given it was the last day in our "castle". It also coincided with NRL grand final day, so the perfect excuse for Craig and Jeff to listen to the footy on the radio which started about 10.30am Italian time.

Later in the afternoon, we climbed up to the tower for our last drinks as the sun set (or moved lower behind the clouds, as the case may be). Had to lighten the load ready to hit the road again tomorrow, so two bottles of wine later... I think I am going to have to enter an AA program when I get home. I am pretty sure I have consumed more alcohol on this holiday than I have in my previous 20 years of living!

Craig and I had actually left the house a little earlier for some reconnaissance on potential places in the village to take the parents out for dinner on their last night with us. Found a lovely place just around the corner, although they are all 'just around the corner' when your village is only about 200m long I guess.

A lovely meal was enjoyed by all. We also had our first grappa of the holiday and Glen and I a limoncello when we got home (see what I mean - excessive alcohol consumption!!!)Read more
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Europe Traveler
Cucina Giuseppina: Chocolate Salami
September 30, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
And for dessert the kids made a homely chocolate salami - a family recipe common to this part of the world. It got the "lick" of approval...
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Europe Traveler
Cucina Giuseppina: Chicken Cacciatore
September 30, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 19 °C
Next course was chicken cacciatore with porcini mushrooms
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Europe Traveler
Cucina Giuseppina: Pasta
September 30, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
We made a traditional Tuscan pasta called pici which used to be hand-rolled by the ladies around the table as they had a gossip. These days, use a pasta machine - much faster.

Tip: 100gms flour and 1 egg per person - served with a pomodoro and garlic sauce and plenty of fresh parmesanRead more
TravelerThought parmesan was a no-no
10/1/17Reply
TravelerOnly with seafood
10/2/17Reply
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Europe Traveler
Cucina Giuseppina: Bruschetta
September 30, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Tip: Pronounced "brus-ketta" (and this is what Giuseppina has called her book).

Goes without saying - yummy - and a good view whilst partaking of yumminess...
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Europe Traveler
Cooking School at Cucina Giuseppina
September 30, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Can't come to Tuscany and not do cooking school!

Just so happens to be one right at our front door, so we signed up for the evening class where we were able to enjoy our own Tuscan delicacies and accompanying wines - antipasto, bruschetta, hand-made pasta, chicken cacciatore, with chocolate salami for dessert.

The meal was hosted by Giuseppina and her son Luca. They own a nearby farm, all live there as one big happy family, Luca is a viticulturist, so we were sampling their wine including chianti - bellisimo.Read more
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San Gimigliano
September 30, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
The kids were keen to "not have a long day" so we had a leisurely start to the morning (ie: stayed in bed 'til late), and then 25 minutes over to the other hilltop village we can see from our place, San Gimigliano.

There were two gelati shops - one selling the "best ice cream in the world" - we went there - shorter line. The other was the "World Champion Ice Cream Maker for several years in a row" - ridiculously long queues. It was the best gelati we have had during all our extensive testing over the last few weeks ;-)

It was adorable! Lunch, some photos of "our house" across the valley and a short drive home - all happy!Read more
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