Lake Como

From Florence, Nate and I made our way to Lake Como.  We stayed in one of the small towns around this massive lake.  I'm just going to answer this question so it's out of the way:  No, we did not see George Clooney or his house.  That would have been sweet (obviously), but unfortunately didn't happen.

Nate and I stayed in a nice hotel with amazing views of the lake.  The hotel had just opened for the season, and apparently we were his first guests.  It was a beautiful and sunny the day we arrived, just in time to enjoy the sunset.

View from our balcony

Panorama of Lake Como

Enjoying a copa di vino and a sunset

The next day, we took water taxis to different, picturesque towns on the lake.  The most famous one is Bellagio.  We enjoyed oggling at the massive mansions and walking around the little town.  

I imagine Clooney lives in something like this...

A bunch of showboats live here, presumably

Walking the streets of Bellagio

We went to two other towns on the lake, Menaggio and Verenna.    Verenna was the prettiest town, with it's colorful buildings right on the water.  

Pretty Verenna

A little bit closer

One with the watercolor filter

A nice view to enjoy (another) glass of wine

Our time in Como was very relaxing.  Taking in the spectacular views, enjoying the charming little towns, and eating some awesome food sums up the experience.

Chianti Wine Country

When planning this trip, I was content to let Nate pick out most everything we did, since it was his first trip abroad and I had already been to Italy.  I did say that we had to go on a Chianti wine tour and this was non-negotiable.  As it turns out, Nate loves Italian wine just like me so this wasn't a problem.  We booked a day trip out into Chianti wine country.  Our driver was an Italian guy who knew so much about Tuscan wines and the wine-making process.  He was really great and we both learned a lot.

The first winery we went to was called Corsini (I think...).  There are actually many different wine regions in Italy.  One of the restaurants we ate at had a map with all of the regions labeled, but I didn't keep it.  Google it if you are interested!  Chianti wines only come from the Chianti region in Italy, which is in the province of Tuscany.  Chianti wines that are made in the traditional way have a special pink sticker at the top of the bottle.  If you are looking for something authentic, pay attention for this sticker.  There are several different types of Chianti made in the traditional ways that will have this sticker.  The cost of the wine depends on the amount of time and labor required to make the wine.  Wine that hasn't aged very long would be considered a table wine.  The next step up (in expense, anyway) would be wine that has been aged in a large Italian barrel.  The most expensive wines are those that are aged in smaller French oak barrels.

Nate and I with the massive Italian wine barrels

Small French oak barrels

The winery and grounds were absolutely beautiful.  The tradition of wine-making in Italy is of course world-renowned, as well as protected.  If you want to buy a winery in Chianti, you have to keep the same recipe and adhere to strict rules (I am not sure who enforces these rules; I expect it's some kind of wine police).  While this might sound ridiculous and bad for the prospect of business growth, it makes sense when you are there in the countryside amongst all the traditional wineries.  It is a beautiful, historical, and culturally important part of Italy that they have deemed important enough to protect.

Corsini vineyard gardens

Nate and I at the winery

Some of the vines and another winery 

We did a tasting at the first winery of the three different types of wines and then went to the second place.  On the way, our driver stopped on the side of a road that provided some amazing views of the region.

FINALLY made it to Italian wine country :)

Picturesque

At the second winery, we had another tour with less technical information, followed by lunch.  At this winery, we tried some super-Tuscans (I thought the guide was joking at first, but this is an actual type of wine).  Super Tuscan wines are made with different blends of grapes.  We also had a really amazing dessert wine made from dried grapes, as well as some not so amazing grappa.  Grappa is incredibly strong and disgusting, in my opinion.  Try it if you ever have an opportunity, and you will know what I am talking about.

Mechanism used for drying the grapes for the dessert wine

Delicious and homemade Tuscan lunch

One last picture of the countryside

Even though this was the most expensive tour in Italy, anyone who knows me probably isn't surprised that I coughed up the money to be driven around Chianti countryside and hop around to all of the wineries.  It was an awesome and educational day and totally worth it!

Cinque Terre

After one day of sight-seeing in Florence, Nate and I woke up very early to go on an all day tour of the Cinque Terre.  Friendly travel trip:  if you are looking for day or half day trip, try using the website Viator.  If you are like me and can't afford 7 day tours of Europe, then this is a good alternative.  Viator allows you to search and book tours from many different companies.  You can also read reviews of the tours.  All of the tours Nate and I did in Italy were through Viator and they were all excellent.  I also booked all my Spain tours through them.  They are affordable and cheaper compared to other tours I saw online that offered the same type of tour.  

Cinque Terre is about a two hour bus ride from Florence.  There was a large group going, but two tour guides to break up the group.  Upon arrival, I knew it was going to be an amazing day when I saw this:

Village of Manarola

We would be doing some hiking among the five villages of the Cinque Terre.  Cinque Terre is a national park in Italy.  The homes are built into the cliffs, which drop down into the Mediterranean Sea.  Residents continue to farm the land in a terrace-style.  Our day began in the village of Manarola.  We walked through the picturesque little village with it's colorful houses, and up onto the trail where we were afforded amazing sweeping views.

The houses appeared to just be stacked on each other!

Street view in Manarola

After Manarola, we walked to the next village, Corniglia.  There we had to ascend hundreds of stairs to get to our lunch!  But it was worth the climb.  Our lunch was a seafood plate and pesto.  I love pesto and hadn't enjoyed it yet this trip in Italy, so I was excited about that.  The drizzling rain let up for about 20 minutes, allowing us to enjoy some afternoon sunshine.  Here are some photos from Corniglia...

Climbing the stairs....

And here were our views at the top!

The sun finally came out (for a few minutes anyway)

I love the bright colors with the watercolor filter

After lunch, we began our 90 minute hike from Corniglia to the next village, Vernazza.  You can also take the train between villages (which we also did on the tour a few times).  This stretch of the Cinque Terre is considered to have some of the best views of the Italian Riviera.  Every time we rounded a bend, we were rewarded with sweeping views.  Here are some photos from the hike....

Lots of neature to appreciate

Nate, taking a break from making fun of how slow I hike, to smile for the camera

Sweeping panoramic of the Italian Riviera coastline

Leaving Corniglia behind

Just awesome!

Made it to Vernazza!

In the next village, Vernazza, Nate and I enjoyed some gelato by the sea.  It was the best gelato in Italy, hands down.  Vernazza is a picturesque village built on a peninsula that juts out into the sea.  There were more hotels, shops, and restaurants here than in the previous two villages we visited.

Colorful and picturesque Vernazza

Vernazzo

Street view in Vernazza

Beach in Vernazzo, a great place to enjoy a yummy gelato!

From Vernazzo, we took the train to Monterosso, another village that also caters to tourists.  In Monterosso, Nate and I enjoyed some free samples of local wine, limoncello, and honey.  We didn't have very much time to spend there before catching the train back to the first village (we skipped it coming in), Riomaggiore.  In Riomaggiore, we went on a little walking tour of the village.

Charming home in Riomaggiore

More steps to get a view of the village

At the end of the tour, the group enjoyed a glass of local wine on a terrace facing the sea.  Although it was drizzly part of the day, it really was an amazing day.  I would absolutely recommend Cinque Terre to anyone visiting Italy.  I would love to go back and perhaps stay in one of the villages in the summer, and have time to relax and enjoy la dolce vita.  Cinque Terre is a photographer's dream, with it's sweeping views and colorful villages.  You can also take a boat ride to see the villages from the sea; unfortunately, boats were not running when we went due to weather.  It's hard not to fall in love with the Cinque Terre.

Ciao until next time :)

Florence

Life sure is quiet around here without having a guest around.  The one perk is that I can finally update my blog about where I have been over the past few weeks.  Nate and I first went to Florence, Italy.  We stayed there for four nights in a lovely little hotel by the Santa Croce.  I was last in Florence about three and a half years ago.  Last time, my camera batteries died and I didn't have my charger.  This time I got to take photos with a new camera that Nate surprised me with as a birthday gift (thanks again!).

Nate and I met in Rome and immediately embarked on a fast train to Florence.  What a trooper, having been on a plane for 12+ hours and battling a sore throat and head cold to boot.  We finally arrived at our hotel and decided to go to a restaurant that our hotel recommended.  It just so happened to be the same place I had the best Italian meal ever the last time I was there!  I couldn't believe it.  The food is authentic Tuscan, homemade, and just awesome.  The next morning was Easter Sunday.  I enjoyed my cappuccino while watching the festivities at the Duomo in Florence.  Florence turned out to be jam-packed with visitors and tourists.  We couldn't go see the Uffizi gallery or David as planned, so instead bought tickets in advance and went to Piazza Pite.

View of Piazza Pite from outside.

It may not look like much on the outside; however, the inside was filled with beautiful architecture and Renaissance Florentine art.  Truly beautiful.  Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside.  Nate and I walked through room after room of ornately decorated rooms filled with paintings and incredible ceilings.  You had to spend just as much time looking up as you did around at the paintings.  Some of the rooms were still intact with original furniture as well.  We also got to go walk around the gardens, which provided fabulous views of Florence.  It is hard to imagine living on a compound like this.

View of Florence from Piazza Pite gardens.

Gardens and statues in Piazza Pite

On our way to the palace, of course we had to walk across the Ponte Vecchio.  This bridge is famous for all of the shops on the bridge that sell gold.

Strolling amongst the gold stores.

Afterwards, we enjoyed another amazing lunch and went off towards the Duomo, a large domed cathedral.  

The massive Duomo

It is impossible to show in a photo just how massive this cathedral really is.  It is also one of the few cathedrals I have been to that is more beautiful on the outside than the inside.  We weren't able to really walk around because of Easter mass, but we did go in (under the pretenses that we were staying for mass) just to have a look.  

Afterwards, it was about time to head to the bridge to see the sunset over the Ponte Vecchio.  Because of the time of year, it wasn't directly over the bridge like it was the last time I was in Florence, but still beautiful nonetheless.

Beautiful Ponte Vecchio

Using a watercolor filter on my new camera :)

Just the person I want to watch a sunset with :)

The next two days, Nate and I went on day trips to Cinque Terre and into Chianti wine country.  I will have separate entries for each later this week.  Florence was the perfect place to be for the first half of our trip.  The beautiful architecture, art, amazing food and wine just can't be topped.  It is saturated with culture and a richness for life, without the hustle and bustle of Rome or Venice.  Before we took the train to Como to relax on the lake, Nate and I went to the famed Uffizi gallery.  There we saw works by Michaelangelo, Botecceli, and countless other Florentine or Tuscan Renaissance artists.  It is a marvelous gallery that showcases some of the best Renaissance art in the world.  No trip to Italy is complete without spending some time in beautiful Florence.  I can't say enough good things about this city, and I hope to make it back someday for another visit.

Toledo, Seville, and Granada

After my fantastic week in Barcelona, I have been making my way to the central and Andalusian regions of Spain.  I spent two nights in Toledo, an ancient medieval town with windy roads that curve around churches, synagogues, and mosques.  I walked around the city, stopping at the gothic cathedral, synagogues, and other churches along the way.  Toledo is known for it's fine metalwork and swords and examples can be seen in shops throughout the city.  The roads wind its way up to a bluff where you can see the river and beautiful views of the city.  

Views from the hills of Toledo

From Toledo I made my way towards beautiful, sunny Seville.  Upon arriving, I set out to enjoy a walk along the canal and a drink in the sun.  I went on another bike tour the next day.  This time my guide was a 40-year old Dutch man who began the tour by popping pills, assuring they were Ritalin and wouldn't make him crazy.  The two and a half hour tour extended to over three hours because he would get off topic easily.  It was a great tour though, and I learned a lot about Seville and got to see parts of the city I probably wouldn't have otherwise.  We biked across the bridge, over by the old 1929 word's fair stages, by Alcazar, and the cathedral.  The Seville cathedral is the largest gothic cathedral and third largest overall in the world.  It is filled with beautiful architecture, paintings, and climbing the tower provided amazing views of the city.  The next day I went to Alcazar, a palace and compound of the Spanish monarchs.  It is impossible for me to fathom what it must have been like to live in a place like Alcazar.  It is comprised of a mixture of gothic, Renaissance, and Islamic architecture.  The rooms are expansive and ornately decorated with mosaics and carved moldings.  Just as impressive are the gardens and ground that surround the compound.  

Beautiful views of Seville from the Cathedral tower

The Alcazar compound and gardens

My final stop before going back to Barcelona to fly back to Turkey is Granada.  Yesterday I went to the famous Alhambra.  It did not cease to impress with it's many palaces, fortresses, and expansive gardens.  A highlight was climbing the towers to see views of snow covered mountains and the entire city of Granada.  I went back in the evening to Albayzin, the old Muslim part of the city, to see the Alhambra all lit up at night.  Today is my final day in Granada, before flying back to Barcelona.  Like I did on the blue cruise, I am ending this vacation with a visit to the Al-Andalus hammams.  Most likely because of it's proximity to the mountains, Granada has had the chilliest weather I have experienced in Spain, so a hammam will be the perfect way to stay warm and relax.

In some ways, it seems like this trip has gone by really fast, but it also feels like it has been more than a few weeks since I was in Turkey.  I have loved every minute of my time here in Spain, and I hope to make it back again sometime.  In a few days, it will be back to Tarsus life, which will seem simple and relaxed compared to my time here.  It may not be a place with much to do, but I know in Tarsus I will be able to save money for my next trip to Italy.  It's always nice to have a vacation to look forward to and plan.  Besides Italy, I am hoping to go to Cypress once it gets warmer to spend some time on the beach, and some other places in Turkey before the summer.  After the school year is finished, I am planning on doing some traveling before going back to Minnesota, hopefully in Greece and Croatia.  I have been told that the Kurban bayram next year will be up to ten days, so I will have my sights on going somewhere again during that time as well.  So many opportunities to travel....life in Turkey away from the people I love isn't always easy, so it's a good thing I have holidays to look forward to :).

Sunny Barcelona

I am writing this blog post from my hotel near La Plaza Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain.  What a difference five years can make in the world of traveling.  When I was in New Zealand, I never stayed anywhere with Wi-Fi, now it's readily available and so easy to share photos and stay in contact.  Not to mention how much older I feel, five years later.  I have yet to stay out past midnight, and I have been whining to Nate about how hard and uncomfortable my bed is.  Getting up earlier, seeing the sights, having a siesta, then going out for a later dinner while returning before midnight to call it a night....that has pretty much been my schedule this week in Barcelona.  

My trip began on an awesome note when I got upgraded to an earlier flight, direct from Istanbul, AND in first class.  Thank you Turkish Airlines.  I am sure the demotion back to coach will be a bit of a downer, but I did thoroughly enjoy the service, drinks, and spacious seating up in first class.  My first day in Barcelona began with a half-day bike tour of the city.  I would recommend this as a fun way to get yourself oriented with a city, as well as to give you an idea of some of the sights you want to go back to explore more.  I rode a nice cruiser around the Barri Gottic neighborhood, to the cathedral, down to the port, through a beautiful park, and to La Sagrada Familia.  I had my first tapas meal for lunch, a concept that I really think should be embraced in the United States.  It has been really fun checking out different tapas bars in Barcelona.  The word tapa comes from the verb "tapar" which means to cover.  It used to be that whenever you ordered a drink at a bar, they would cover it with some kind of small snack..a tapa.  This tradition only continues in the southern parts of the country, so I am told.  Now it is very common to begin your evening at a tapas bar (think of it like a permanent happy hour) before moving on to your dinner.

On Monday, I was really bummed out when I discovered that my cava winery trip was cancelled.  It ended up being a really great day though.  I went to the Barcelona cathedral, walked around Barri Gottic, and had an amazing seafood lunch by the sea.  I stopped for a sangria on La Rambla, the pedestrian walkway, and even scored a second one for free.  Needless to say, I was ready for a siesta once I returned to the hotel.  The Barcelona cathedral is really beautiful, filled with altars for different saints.  I always enjoy touring cathedrals and churches.  They say that is where the best art can be found, followed by private owners, then the museums.  

On Tuesday, I went on a crazy long walk up to Montjuic, the old military fortress of the city.  I got to see some great views of Barcelona, but didn't make it to most of the sights of Montjuic.  Apparently it is a lot bigger than I thought it would be.  I wasn't wearing appropriate shoes, got a bit lost...again a siesta was needed upon return to the hotel.  I did make a stop at La Market de Bouquiera, which is a massive food market off La Rambla.  The variety of meats, cheeses, fruits, tapas, and seafood is incredible.  A very cool place to walk around.  That evening I went on a tapas tour of the city, where I discovered some excellent tapas bars in Barri Gottic.  

Wednesday was a big day trip to Montserrat and a cava winery.  Montserrat is a mountain that is very important in Catalunya.  A black Madonna statue was discovered there centuries ago, and a monastery was built there afterwards.  It is a very quiet and peaceful place where the monks live and young boys study music.  I got to listen to the Montserrat boys choir in the basillica, one of the oldest boys choirs in the world.  Following Montserrat, I finally made it to a cava winery.  Cava is similar to champagne, however it cannot be called it because of a French trademark.  I went to the largest cava winery in Spain, and it was an incredible compound.  The cellars were filled with literally millions of bottles of cava.  Somehow I scored a free bottle afterwards, although I am pretty sure I didn't pay for that bonus.

So today was my final day in Barcelona, and I was exhausted after all the sight-seeing.  I slept in, had a few coffees, went shopping, had a mani/pedi, and again, took a siesta.  Barcelona really lived up to the expectations, and exceeded it as well.  I never once took the metro because I was afraid of the pick-pocketers, but it really is a beautiful city to walk around.  I loved La Rambla and La Boquiera.  If I were to stay here again I would stay in the beautiful Barri Gottic area with it's windy streets and excellent tapas bars.  Over the past few days I have drank sangria, white wine, red wine, cava, beer, and even Strongbow on tap today.  I have had cafe con leche, macchiato lattes, and even Starbucks (a guilty pleasure).  Every meal has been amazing, and I look forward to more culinary treats in Toledo, Seville, and Granada.  Tomorrow I take the train to Toledo, where it will be much more quiet, a nice contrast to bustling Barcelona.  

I am not going to put up photos here now, since it takes so long to load and format.  I have been putting up photos each day on facebook, if you are interested.  

Home for the holidays

I made it back to Tarsus yesterday evening after a wonderful ten days back home.  The trip back home started off with a bang when my family and Nate were there at the airport with roses and hugs.  I was super excited to go out for Mexican food that night and get a real margarita before crashing at about 10:00.  Anne and Katie came over the next evening for some chili, wine, Christmas cookies, and conversation.  It was awesome to see them, as well as educate my parents on what a "hookah" is.  Christmas eve was spent eating lots of yummy food and watching my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life.  Nate and I went to his mom and stepdad's place on Christmas day where we got to soak it up in the hot tub and enjoy an awesome prime rib dinner.  A few days later I got to see my old roommates and some friends for some more Mexican food at Pepito's.  Then came the big family wedding!  What a beautiful celebration it turned out to be.  It was wonderful to see both of my grandmothers at the groom's dinner on Friday night.  We enjoyed some homemade port after the groom's dinner, made by Jake's dad.  The next day was jam packed....hair appointments, getting ready, the wedding itself, followed by photos and then the reception.  The reception was really fun, filled with lots of food, dancing, conversation, and more homemade drinks (beer this time!).  Unfortnately, I have no photos to share at this time, but soon there should be some wedding photos posted on facebook.  It was so nice to be home and to spend all that time with Nate and my family.  Next up on my agenda is a two-week trip to Barcelona.  I have my plane tickets and lots of ideas, but no set travel plans yet for once I get there.  Nate and I are also in the planning stages for our trip to northern Italy.  So there is a lot of planning to do.....good thing I enjoy doing those kinds of things :) 

I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday and New Year's!  Best wishes for a happy new year...