visit from Grandma and Grandpa H
July brought my mom here for her third visit, and my dad for his first. We did some fun local things near Stuttgart, and took a road trip to Austria. It was culture up to our ears with Mozart music and marionette’s. I heard my little one humming a Mozart tune yesterday and it makes me so grateful for all of these experiences.
Germany has so many things to offer. We love to show off our temporary home.
Here are some pics from the 10 days with mom and dad…
Grandma and Addy at Hohenzollern Castle
Hohenzollern
Sunday we went downtown to the park and played Bocce ball. We walked by the Biergarten and a country band was playing. It was mostly line dancing, but we got to bust out some moves. Made me miss back home and local country music.
dancing with the Germans to a country tune
crazy about Rittersport
Rooney
fun at the pool
Ludwigsburg Palace
grandpa and the monkey's
mom and dad at Ludwigsburg
Legoland Deutschland
thinkers
During PJ’s weekend we went to Salzburg, Austria. The hills were alive for sure. Austria is a beautiful country with great people.
St. Peter's church, Salzburg, Austria
St. Peter's interior
Mirabell Gardens
Sound of Music night at the Marionette Theater in Salzburg
The Marionetter's
mom and dad at the Hohensalzburg Fortress
We went to a dinner with Mozart night at a gorgeous, old restaurant next to the church. Professional opera singers and a quintet played Figaro, Don Giovanni, and The Magic Flute.
Mozart dinner, amazing!
opera singers walking through the tables
visit to the salt mine in Hallstatt
riding through the salt mine
Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt
cheese, horns, and alp mania
So much to catch up on. We have been going non-stop since the Summer began. All the American’s we know who live in Germany take advantage of the travel opportunities in Europe. Stuttgart is within 3 hours of 3 different sets of Alps! This trip, we decided to get our Swiss yodeling on. We hopped in the car early one morning and 4 hours later were at Lake Geneva in South Switzerland visiting the Chateau Chillon.
Chateau Chillon, Switzerland
After the Chateau, we headed into the Swiss Countryside and drove to the cute town of Gruyere. We visited the cheese factory and learned how they make and preserve it. It was fascinating! We also got free samples of the Gruyere. The town was adorable with it’s own chateau, picture perfect view, and lots of fun shops.
cheesy
giant cheese vats
Random opera singers in the middle of town.
After our countryside experience, we drove up the windy mountain roads to the Berner Oberland. We parked our car in Lauterbrunnen, schlepped all our stuff to the train station and took two cable cars up the mountain to the alp town, Mürren. It was gorgeous!
The tiny alp town, Mürren, where we stayed.
Day 2 we took a cable car up to Allmendhubel from Mürren. We did the all day North Face hike. The weather was hot, but it was a good day for a day in the Alps!
playground at Allmendhubel
comparing the peaks
We went hours at a time without seeing anyone else on the trails. Our kids could be as loud as they wanted...
Fraulein Adelaide
romantic Swiss cows
Addy and Cam in Gimmelwald
That evening we returned back to our chalet for a home cooked dinner. Everything is so expensive in Switzerland, we were low budget on this trip. During our dinner we heard our landlord, Albert, playing his Alphorn outside the chalet. His friend from Calgary was visiting and we were treated to an unbelievable Swiss experience. The homemade horns echoed off the mountains in our town.
professional Alphorn players
Day 3 of our trip we did the hike to Kleine Scheidegg on the Jungfrau side. We rode a cable car to Wengen and hiked from there. It was breathtaking the whole way. The hike was very family friendly. As a photographer I was a little frustrated with the harsh light, but it can’t always be a photo safari! Here are some snap shots of the stunning mountain views we saw.
sweet spot for a picnic
Kleine Scheidegg
Junfraujoch view
alp flowers
cute chalet in Wengen
sunset view from our window
The last day we took a cable car up to the Schilthorn where the James Bond “On Her Majesty’s Service” was filmed in 1968. It was an amazing view at the top!
James Bond film scenes at the top of Schilthorn.
Bond girls
After we hit the peak, we finally went back to our car and headed home stopping in Luzern on the way. Luzern is a beautiful Swiss town and one of my favs.
Luzern, Switzerland
playing with the swans
Reuss River
Paintings every few feet in the Chapel Bridge.
the famous Lion Monument, or Löwendenkmal
Luzern
Croatia and Slovenia
I still can’t believe that we are within driving distance of some of the most beautiful places in the world. We took a gamble and rented an RV for 2 weeks for our last vacation. It was definitely a success! The kids loved it, we had a ‘home’ for 2 weeks on the road, and it was a whole lot of nature-centered, quality time with our kids. PJ and I enjoyed the cultural experience of touring around historical parts of Eastern Europe. The kids, let’s be honest, just loved the beach. Bike riding was also a bonus for them.
I came home with way too many photos. Here are a nice chunk of some of my favs that tell the story of our adventure. But as always, I tell my husband after every trip we take… “Best souvenir of all!” He doesn’t think it’s very funny anymore. And my response… “It’s my job. I have to preserve the memories, man”. I actually stole that line from a Veggie Tales episode.
Anyway, here is a look at our fabulous Dalmation Coast trip!
On day 1, we drove to Lake Bled in Slovenia. After packing up the RV, we arrived at the lake around 10pm. The campground was closed so we ‘free camped’ in front. It’s amazing how safe Slovenia and Croatia are. Never even had to lock the RV up!
Lake Bled, Slovenia
biking around the lake
playing with the ducks
Doing our job as a tourist and sampling the local speciality, cream cake.
on the road again
Soca River Valley in the Julian Alps, Slovenia
Soca River
It’s hard to believe that this peaceful River Valley was the location of one of the deadliest battles of World War I, the Soca Front. We drove through the front following some of the same routes that Ernest Hemingway took in his ambulance. This front was the backdrop of his book A Farewell to Arms.
Soca River
The next stop on our trip was the beautiful Istria Peninsula. We camped in Rovinj- my favorite destination on our trip. Istria has a great mixture of cultures as it used to be a part of the Venetian Republic. The people call themselves Istrians, instead of Italians or Croatians. We spoke with some of the locals who told us that they felt that their independence was important to them. The Italian tourists, they said, were often rude and condescending to them. They loved American and German tourists as they are always friendly and respectful. Istria has some of the best food on the coast. We tried stuffed squid, and the local specialty… Gnocchi gulash. I didn’t want to leave!
Rovinj
quiet moment at sunset
view from our campground
Rovinj, Croatia
gate in Rovinj
exploring the artistic town
On our way out of Istria, we drove through Pula. Some of the most impressive Roman ruins outside of Rome are located here. We happened to arrive during a Roman festival in the Old Town. Many locals were dressed up in Roman costumes. They had narrators who told the old stories, gladiators, and many other fun characters.
well preserved Roman Amphitheater in Pula
Roman festival in Pula
Our next stop was Plitvice Lakes National Park. This incredible park was a natural wonder! We walked along wooden planks through the lakes. We saw countless waterfalls surrounded by trees, and bright green and blue water. We were the last people out of the park.
checking out the fish
photo in front of the Big Waterfall
Waterfalls everywhere!
Our next stop was the Makarska Riviera in Croatia. We camped in Zigovice, right on the water. The campground wasn’t the nicest so we stayed one night, and headed early the next day for the island of Hvar. We took a ferry from Drevnik. 30 minutes later we were driving on the island in our RV!
checking out the scene
family game night after a long day at the beach
PJ and I enjoyed a beautiful moonscape after the kids went to bed.
lavender growing everywhere in Hvar
Hvar, Croatia
lunch break at our campground in Hvar
the crab hunt
outtake
Amazing Adriatic feast at Konoba Menego, a family run restaurant in Hvar.
Hvar at night. A lively town especially during the World Cup. Go Germany!
sunrise in Hvar
ferry ride back to the Dalmatian Coast
The next destination on our trip was Dubrovnik. We stayed for 3 nights at a great campground called Camp Solitudo that had it’s own beach and pool. One day we hired a private guide named Petar Vlasik with Meritum Tours. He picked us up at the campground and drove us to the Bay of Kotor, in Montenegro. Petar was a wonderful guide. He spent the whole day talking to us about the history and personal experiences from the war. It’s amazing to think that less than 20 years ago their city was destroyed. After our day with Petar walking around the town of Dubrovnik as even more unbelievable. The city has been rebuilt almost exactly as it was before it was bombed by the Serbs. What a comeback!
city walls around Dubrovnik
walking the city walls
Perast, Montenegro
beautiful Bay of Kotor, surrounded by fjords
Kotor, Montenegro
On our way back Petar took us to an overlook of the city of Dubrovnik. Here are the kids chasing goats.
Dubrovnik
campground's private beach
paddle boat ride around an island
lighthouse on a private island
afternoon downpour and lightning show
taking cover in Dubrovnik
portrait in Dubrovnik
sunset on the old wall
After Dubrovnik, we began our trip back to Germany. We had planned on driving to Mostar on the way home, but the kids and PJ had so much fun at the island, we decided to go to Korcula instead. The drive took us into the Peljesac Peninsula, where they make the fantastic red wine Dingac. We visited the Matusko Winery on the way to the ferry.
island of Korcula
Korcula, Croatia
Korcula
water time!
We drove back into Slovenia on our last day of the trip. We visited the Postojna Caves and the Predjama Castle before our last stop in Ljubljana. Slovenia is a nice mix of cultures as it borders Croatia, Hungary, and Austria. We loved the food, and the people in addition to the beautiful green scenery.
train ride into the caves
100 feet tall stalagmites and stalactites in the caves.
Wow!
Predjama Castle
sitting by the 3 river bridge in Ljubljana
waiting for our prince to come rescue us
leaving Slovenia on a high note...
Cummings family gone Fest-crazy
I would say it’s Fest season, but really that is not true. It’s always Fest season out here with the exception of maybe 2 months out of the year. Our next few months are packed with travel so we decided to do a couple of local day trips.
Last weekend we went to the Heidelberg Castle Illuminations. It was one of 3 nights a year that they illuminate the castle. The illuminations began in 1613 and they have been doing them ever since. 300 years ago the castle was burned down, so now they light up the castle to imitate the burning by the French. The culmination of the show is the fireworks that reflect over the Neckar River. The castle goes from a burning red, to dark, then back to it’s normal beautiful lit up appearance. There are two more performances this year, go if you get the chance!
Saturday we spent an overnighter in Würzburg, Germany. I have played the piano since I was a kid, so I really enjoy classical music. We thought that since we are in the classical musical capital of the world, we would try and take advantage of the amazing musicians here. We went to the Mozartfest and saw a concert at the Residence Palace in Würzburg. It was incredible. We gambled and brought the kids in an effort to further culture them. It somewhat backfired considering Cambria cried at the very beginning and was not allowed back in! Fortunately, the tickets were a bargain price of 10 Euro per seat. PJ was able to spend the time before and after in the palace gardens with us, as well as at intermission. And Addy and Caden enjoyed getting dressed up and hearing Mozart in the Baroque palace. They knew several of the songs, thanks to Little Einsteins!
Here are some of our pics…
waiting for the light to fade across the river in Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg Castle Illuminations
Würzburg
Residenz Palace, Würzburg
Family Mozartfest night!
Baroque hall where we sat for the performance.
Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg
view from the fortress
Paris and Burgundy
Paris, sigh, and Burgundy, another sigh, we love you so! It was so great being back in Paris with my man. We haven’t been together since our honeymoon. And this trip, we were able to bring the kids, and Nancy and Rachel too. We had an amazing 4 day trip driving into Paris for 2 days, and then 2 days in Burgundy. Seriously, if you like beautiful landscapes, quiet quaint towns, and red wine then this is the place for you. This is our third time visiting and this trip we had great weather and were able to bike all around the vineyards. We got a great recommendation from a bike store in Beaune and spent one of our most memorable days yet in Europe. We met some 10th generation winemakers. Had great Frenchy-French food. And spent quality time with the fam. Which could have been spent anywhere, but let’s face it- everything is just better in France. It’s a good thing you can say whatever you want on blogs. No one will disagree with me!!
Here is our hotel info from one of the cutest places yet- just a few kilometers outside of Beaune.
Hotel Le Home
Beaune, France
Bourgogne Randonnees
Bike shop in Beaune. Fantastic customer service and great trips by Florent and his wife Sarah.
Email me if anyone needs tips on good wine tasting places.
Here are pics…
Tuileries Gardens in the Spring
Checking out Miss Mona Lisa
antique shopping on the Rue Cler
6 years later on our fav bride, Pont Alexander. This time, no sunrise shoot, and many more wrinkles. Oh, and a few more kids.
Lovely Sainte Chapelle in Paris. My favorite European Cathedral.
Cam reflecting on the light patterns produced from the glass windows.
carousel in Montmartre
play time while we shopped for art
Having a picnic in the Trocadero park at sunset.
landscapes in Burgundy
Exploring the personal wine cellar of the most adorable man ever, Vincent LaHaye.
taking a break from all the bike riding
We left with our baskets full, yay!
biking through the vineyards
Addy was not impressed with the 10th generation winemaker, or the cave that was built in 1695.
Burgundy
crazy girls!
cooking school in Tuscany
A few weeks ago I spent a fabulous week in Tuscany/ Umbria at a cooking school. Our teacher, Faye Hess, was amazing. We learned tons about Italian cooking, techniques, and how to serve awesome full course meals. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who is interested. Here is a link to FayeFood.
Did I mention that besides the abundance of cooking lessons, wine tastings, and touring Tuscany, we also did some shopping? A day in Deruta, oh yeah, and the Prada outlet on the way up. Although I missed my little ones at home immensely, I can’t think of a better way to spend a week with the girls.
Here are some pictures of lovely Tuscany, Umbria, and our cooking extravaganza!
Our villa in Mercatale, near Cortona, Italy.
A Deruta pottery maker
FIMA store in Deruta
Pic with Michele at FIMA. I ordered a full set of painted dinnerware, it came with personal inscription on each piece!
Todi, Umbria
cute Italian couple
a visit with Rameria, a copper maker in Montepulciano
wine barrels at the Contucci winery in Montepulciano
me and Erin in Montepulciano
Tuscan landscape
grove of cypress trees in the Tuscan hills
Our group at a Tuscan vineyard.
A tour through olive groves. I'll never go back to the other brands!
We didn't see as many poppies as usual because of the rain, but when they did open up they were Bellisimo!
Bevin and I in the olive grove.
Dinner at the Bonci factory with the Scarpaccini family. What an experience.
Perugia
Perugia
Gubbio
medieval Gubbio
Sunrise shoot near Cortona.
sunrise on the vineyard
sunrise in the Tuscan hills
Assisi
nuns in search of St. Francis sights
Assisi
asparagus salad, one of our many incredible dishes
risotto with roasted tomatoes
Thanks Faye, you rocked!
Part 2, Hungary and Bratislava
Here are more pictures! After I have a chance to try out some of our favorite Hungarian recipes with Eros Pista I will post right away…
Eger, Hungary
Eger
thermal bath, Eger
Budapest
Chain Bridge at night
Sunrise on Buda
Sunrise on Castle Hill
Fishermen's Bastion
paprika at the Cloth Hall
Addy enjoying her new doll on the Metro.
Parliament, Budapest
Szechenyi Baths
Cam loving the thermal experience.
Parliament just after sunset
Danube River
Having fun with the statues in Bratislava.
paparazzi
Spring Break in Central Europe
We spent 9 days over Spring Break driving through Central Europe. We basically did a circle around the Czech Republic. We stopped in 4 countries (including Germany), 3 currencies, and put lots of gas in the Suburban. About 2 hours before we crossed the border into Poland, their President Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash. Then, towards the end of our trip the volcano erupted in Finland creating all sorts of mayhem with fellow travelers in Europe. Thank goodness for ol’ Bessie getting us home safely!
We began our trip in Dresden, a lovely Baroque city in Eastern Germany. It’s amazing how beautiful the city is considering the devastation that happened during the WWII. We stayed the night in a Silesian town called Görlitz. Thank you Rick Steves for your wonderful random recommendations! We loved this town. Our hotel was called Destille Görlitz and had an amazing restaurant as well. The next day we went to a Silesian castle called Ksiaz. Had a picnic, toured the castle and then hiked back to the car in the rain. My family was patient while I waited for good light and photographed the gorgeous castle in between downpours.
The next town we visited in Poland was called Wroclaw. It had some nice architecture and was a good look at non-touristy real life Poland. We arrived the day after their President died so there was much sadness everywhere. Colorful candles and flowers were laid by every monument, church, and flag in the city. We walked into a couple of churches that were full of people singing hymns and mourning for the deaths of everyone on the plane.
After Wroclaw we visited the Auschwitz concentration camp. PJ was hesitant to visit the camp, but after being in these cities with all the history that surrounds them, and after reading several books on Central Europe, he decided to go. We toured the camp and museum separately because the images and scenes were too vivid for our kids. We did take them to the second camp called Auschwitz-Birkenau. We explained everything that had happened to our son, Caden. It was a great learning experience for us all. There were approximately 1.5 million people killed at Auschwitz, mostly Jews. The museum walks you through several buildings showing how the people lived and died at the camp. The evidence was mind-blowing.
We spent the next few days in Krakow. It was a busy city with a lot of character and history as well. The castle hill was beautiful. And I was able to bring home some pretty Polish glass ornaments, yay!
After Poland, we drove through the High Tatras mountains in Slovakia. The overnight stop was nothing special, but broke up our drive to Hungary. We visited a huge castle called Spissky Hrad in the hills.
And then came Hungary! We loved Hungary, the people, the food, and the fun. Our kids especially loved the country. Eger is a gorgeous small Hungarian town famous for it’s red wine called Bikaver, or “Bull’s Blood”. The hotel we stayed at was in the center of the square directly across from a wine tasting store.
Senator Haz Hotel, Eger
Our highlight of the trip was Budapest. We stayed on the Buda side which was fun and allowed us to see both sides of the city in the morning and evening. I had a great birthday dinner and at some amazing Hungarian gulash soup, meat dish, and cake that rivaled our Parisian favs! The weather was not warm, but we had some sun and spent the afternoon at the Szechenyi Baths. Our kids had a blast and it was fun to see Hungarian’s in their element. Budapest has parks throughout the city with the largest one near the baths. Our kids could have spent days there. We will definitely be going back to Budapest!
Our hotel favorite was called Bellevue B & B, a great deal and super friendly hosts.
Here are some photos from our adventure…
Dresden, Germany
Dresden
Sistine Madonna, by Raphael
Parade of Nobles, a mural in Dresden made of Meissen porcelain.
Frauenkirche, Dresden
Görlitz, Germany
Picnic at the Ksiaz Castle in Lower Silesia
Ksiaz Castle
Wroclaw, Poland
Polish mourners lighting candles in honor of their President.
Katyn Massacre monument, the mass murder of 22,000 Polish officers during the WWII. Katyn was the destination of the plane that killed President Kaczynski.
Castle Hill, Krakow, Poland
Family photo in Krakow
Endless pile of shoes as part of the evidence of crimes exhibit.
Suitcases from the prisoners who had no idea they would not be leaving the camp.
lightning barbed wire surrounding the camp
Slovakian countryside
Spissky Hrad, Slovakia
Provencal Easter
France is such a diverse country. My favorite area is the South of France. We took a quick trip to Provence for Easter. PJ had 4 days off, and there happened to be a biannual antique fair in l’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue. Providence? Oh yeah. Husband was reluctant to say yes to the trip considering the whole antique fair things, but as always, he was up for the adventure. We maxed out space in the Burban, brought only the essentials, and spent the weekend in l’Isle. Love the Luberon region, the towns have such character. We were able to squeeze in Rousillon, Gordes, Uzes, Bonnieux, Arles, l’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Loved it all, and loved the Brocante!!
We had to balance the shopping with play for the kids. A highlight for them was definitely the Easter egg hunt at the Pont-du-Gard. We got a lot of stares, but also a lot of smiles. We made our mark on the rocks with Cam’s jelly bean drool. What a memorable experience!
On Monday, we took a detour to a fabric store on the way home. I wanted to get French fabric for photo backdrops. Unfortunately, the store was closed so we decided to stop by Arles instead. The town was absolutely packed with locals who were waiting on the running of the bulls through the town into the Roman Arena. What a coincidence and a great adventure! Our kids were loving it. Great end to an awesome French trip.
Will post pics of my Brocante goodies when I get them all up and hung. Until then, here are some fun family pics…
Gordes, photo by rockstar Caden
Antique market at l'Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue
Country French awesomeness
having fun in France
Gordes, France
Gordes
Rousillon
Easter at the Pont du Gard
the egg hunt
my poser, Adelaide
Cam loving the hunt
Crazy hail storm on the way back to the car.
Running of the bulls in Arles!
French boys chasing the bulls.
Arles
street performer in Arles
Incredible wine town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Partnachklamm and Garmisch-Partenkirchen
If you are ever in Garmisch, check this place out, it’s great! We wanted to visit it in winter to see the beautiful ice formations. It’s a short hike from the Olympic Stadium in Garmisch. Just follow the signs to the ‘Klamm’.
Our kids were tired and cold at the end so we took the horse carriage back to the parking lot. Love Bavaria!
Partnachklamm
Quiet moment in the gorge.
Horse carriage ride on the way back.
Rathaus in Garmisch
Baroque interior of the Ettal Abbey.
Ettal Abbey
quick trip to Vienna with Bébe
While mom and grandma were in town, PJ and I decided to take a last minute overnight trip to Vienna. We took the overnight train from Stuttgart to Vienna there, spent one night at a hotel, and took the all nighter back. It was great! We followed a Rick Steves tip and stood in line for Stehplätze, or standing only tickets. We stood in the “Parterre” section, which was right under the Emperor’s box. For 4 Euro!! Definitely hard on the back, but for the price, well worth it.
Two days was a good amount of time to see everything we wanted to see. Highlights were the Hofburg Palace, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Naschmarkt, Opera, and the Haus der Musik. We breezed through the museum before we went to the opera. What a fun way to explore the history of music and symphonies that are such a big part of Vienna.
Another highlight of our trip was being able to be in Vienna for their Christmas Market. They have 4 different markets. The best was in front of the Parliament building.
Here are some pictures…
Hofburg Palace, Vienna
About to enter the Hofburg Imperial Apartments, wow!
PJ's favorite snack at the Xmas markets.
Wiener Christkindlmarkt
View of Vienna from St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Haus der Musik
Vienna Opera
opera night
Mozart Opera
We stayed at a cute little hotel near St. Stephen’s Cathedral called:
Pension Neuer Markt
Seilergasse 9
A-1100 VIENNA
We also really loved a great Wiener traditional restaurant called:
Ofenloch
Dordogne, France
Took me long enough to post these pics! What a fantastic trip this was. The area was prettier than we imagined. Photos do not do it justice. We stayed at a hotel in Beynac called Hotel du Chateau Beynac. Amazing service and hotel right across from the river. Our family of five stayed in the attic suite. Fully stacked kitchen and 2 bedrooms. Love it!
Here are some pictures…
Early morning boat ride on the Dordogne River
Beynac, France
London
While the Grandma’s were staying with us in Germany, PJ and I got to visit London for 4 nights. Neither of us had ever been. It was somewhere we knew we wanted to visit eventually, but when the opportunity came up to go somewhere sans kids, we knew London would be great. We Loved It! There was so much to see and do. Who knew that High Tea would be so fun?
We stayed in a B and B in Belgravia, a nice neighborhood near the Victoria Train Station. The owner was a very annoying loud Brit who had much to say about politics, the U.S. military (which he knew nothing about), and the scene. While engaging, and friendly, we wouldn’t necessarily go back to Simon’s place.
Other than that our stay was full of fun. We had great seats for Les Misérables one night. Another night we had standing tickets at the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater and saw Romeo and Juliet. We were right in front of the stage! Not bad for $10 seats. I highly recommend that experience.
Some of the restaurants were great, including one called St. John’s in the meat packing district. What a novelty to have a quiet meal without kids!!
Some of the most fun we had were at the different pubs at night. We went to an old Victorian pub called Princess Louise. It was gorgeous! Others in our neighborhood were lively and fun.
Other memorable London sites were the Hop-on, Hop-off bus, totally touristy but great, and the incredible St. Paul’s church, Westminster Abbey, National Gallery museum, and the Tower of London. Loved it all. And can’t wait to go back, next time with our Monkey’s.
Construction guy from view of our Hop-On bus
Us on the Hop-on, Hop-off bus.
St. Paul's
Hanging out in the Italy sector of Vinopolis. Fun tasting wines from all over the world. And in English!!
Trafalgar Square- I am always looking for things to climb on for photo ops. Several young tourists followed my lead. Then the cops came. Fortunately I was already off the lion.
St. Paul's
Westminster Abbey
High Tea. We always try to blend in like the locals.
Tea was fun for me.
Which to choose? They were all so good.
Our funny Beefeater guide at the Tower of London.
My favorite landmark, the Tower Bridge.
I love my husband. He is such a good sport while I try and expose correctly with the tricky light. You should see the other 10 expressions he made. Classic.
Tower Bridge
Having a beer in the Victorian Princess Louise pub. Gorgeous!
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Our 'seats' next to the stage.
Hanging in a pub after Les Misérables.
Paris with my mom
France is definitely my happy place. I first went to Paris in 1998 while backpacking through Europe by myself, and once with a girlfriend. I returned in 2004 with my husband for 10 days for our honeymoon. And, now in 2009 with my mom! We had a very short 3 day trip, but covered almost all of the best sites. We walked all day and night. We visited Montmarte, the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, the L’Orangerie museum, Saint Chapelle, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, walked on the Ile de Cite, and of course, the Champs-Elysees. Paris is wonderful, rain or shine, winter or summer. And it was especially fun with my mom!
My great friend Nicole just happened to be in Paris on a trip while we were there so we met her a Cafe de Flore in St. Germain and then walked together to the Louvre. I think a girl’s only trip is definitely in the works.
Most of my archived photos are on film, and not yet digitized, but here are a few I shot from our recent trip…
Paris, je t’aime!
Door in Montmarte.
Mom doing the Cafe thing.
Montmarte
Moulin Rouge
I am obsessed with old, quaint European carousels.
Sacre-Coeur, in my favorite spot in Paris- Montmarte.
Fashion photo shoot on the Pont Alexander. Just another day in Paris.
Art Nouveau Metropolitan sign in St. Germain.
Monet's water lilies at the L'Orangerie museum in the Tuileries Garden.
Eiffel Tower at sunset.
Yay for fellow tourists. This one was only half blurry... If only my 5D had a point and shoot setting!
Galleries Lafayette.
Mom in front of the Arc de Triomphe.
Tuileries Gardens
Nicole and I in front of the Louvre.
Mona Lisa
Salon art in Paris. My mom got a speedy Art 101 class from me. Putting those art history classes to use!
The incredible gothic cathedral Saint-Chapelle.
Mom and I on a bridge after a long day on the Ile de Cite
Normandy and Beyond
On our 5 day trip to Normandy we were also able to visit Rouen, a city with Gothic architecture and half-timbered houses. It also has the cathedral that Monet painted a series of. There is a great fine art museum there that I was able to visit while the kids played with dad at the park just in front. It was a nice way to relax after the long drive from Stuttgart! We stayed in a great B & B in Bayeux called Les trois Pierre They were so friendly and great with our kids. We stayed in the Alsace suite that was perfect for our little ones. Bayeux was a fun town with good restaurants, and the Bayeux Tapestry.
Another day on our trip we spent at the awesome Mont St. Michel. The weather wasn’t great, but it didn’t take away from the unique ambience of the Abbey.
On the way home from Normandy we drove through Honfleur, a cute harbor town that many impressionists spent time in. We also visited the home of Claude Monet, where he lived and painted for 43 years. What a tour! Here are some of the many pics I took…
Notre-Dame Cathedral Rouen
One of Monet's cathedral paintings
Abbaye de Jumieges on the Route des Abbayes
ruins of Abbaye de Jumieges
I just liked this car
hanging out inside our car in France
The town we stayed in Normandy, Bayeux
Mont St. Michel island abbey
Mont St. Michel
The artistic harbor town Honfleur.
Honfleur
Riding the carousel in the rain!
Monet's gardens at Giverny
Touristy, but so cute!
pic of Monet in his gardens
Monet's famous lily-pad scenery.
The view in front of Monet's house.
Normandy: D-Day Beaches
Here is a slideshow with some photos I photographed at the D-Day sights in Normandy.
Our family took a trip to Normandy for Memorial Day weekend. We prepared for the trip by watching the movie “The Longest Day” and with several books on World War II and D-Day. Our 9 year old son Caden was excited to see the guns. PJ and I both were looking forward to actually being on the beaches where the Americans landed on June 6, 1944. But nothing could have prepared us for the emotions that are felt when visiting these historical pieces of land. The memorials, the plaques, statues, and most importantly, the beautiful American Cemetery were so moving to see in person. We were lucky enough to catch some of the ceremony at the American Cemetery in honor of the 65th anniversary of D-Day. There was a fly-over and a missing man formation. There was a whole stage filled with WWII veterans. There were French Navy members, a great band, and visitors all there to honor the memories of those who served in the war. The sheer magnitude of the crosses and the plaques can’t be explained. It is a place that needs to be visited in person. We spent a great day at the Caen Memorial Museum. They have free child care which is definitely a bonus! The museum is impressively laid out in a spiral beginning with background on the WWI, and the events that led to WWII. We also went through the Cold War wing, and finished with a film called D-Day.
Each historical landmark in Normandy is full of impact and relevance. Our favorites were Pointe du Hoc Ranger monument where the American Rangers took out the cliffside battery. 300 Army Rangers attempted the cliff assault. Only about 1/3 survived the assault. The magnitude of the cliffs make the assault seem unbelievable.
Another site we enjoyed seeing was St. Mere Eglise. This was the area that many of the paratroopers landed. There is a great museum that our kids loved. The church has a replica of John Steele, an American paratrooper made famous by the assault. There is also a really incredible stained glass memorial to the paratroopers inside the Ste. Mere Eglise church.
The American Cemetery located just above Omaha Beach was such an honor to see. Here are some photos from the cemetery and the Memorial Day weekend ceremony celebrating the 65th anniversary of D-Day.
Pointe du Hoc memorial and cliffs
WWII veterans
French Honor Guard
Honor Guard
F-15 fly-over
Missing man formation
Omaha Beach monument
Obstacles at Utah Beach
In the footsteps of our soldiers at Utah Beach
Utah Beach
German bunkers with guns intact at Longues-sur-Mer
German gun at Longues-sur-Mer
View inside a German gun battery at Point-du-Hoc
Exploring Pointe-du-Hoc
Pointe du Hoc
Ranger's perspective on D-Day
War Poster
Parachuter who landed on D-Day and survived
Iron Mike
US Sherman Tank
German Cemetery at Normandy
German Cemetery
Entering the awesome Caen Memorial Museum
Images from Caen
Army Jeep
Mig 21
Cote d’ Azur
Our family spent 12 fun-filled days in the Cote d’ Azur and Provence for Spring Break. We stayed in a little town near St Tropez called Port Grimaud.
The South of France is a beautiful area with many different landscapes. From hilltop towns, to sun-drenched beaches, lavender, to palm trees, it has it all!
We can’t wait to go back. Until then, Au Revoir…
Cote d’ Azur
We spent Spring Break in the Cote d’ Azur, France. It was the best trip ever! And the first Cummings/Kling adventure. We spent 12 days in the South of France, or the Cote d’ Azur, and Provence. The area is so diverse with every landscape imaginable. Upon Brigitte’s recommendation, we stayed on the beach in Port Grimaud, an adorable little town about 10 minutes from St Tropez. From there we took day trips to Provence, Nice, Cap Ferrat and Villefranche, St-Paul-de-Vence, Monaco, Porquerolles, and lastly the Cotes du Rhone.
France has many memorable pastimes. Every town it seems has its own unique market. Some selling Provencial goods like French linens, soap, lavender, olives, clothes, and olive wood cooking utensils. Others sell fresh produce, flowers, and gourmet snack foods. I sampled 2 markets in Provence: St. Remy, and Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. My favorite market was in St. Tropez. I couldn’t get enough of the city.
A morning in any town in France will likely start out at a bakery, or Boulangerie. A croissant and baguette are necessary to purchase “to-go”. The next stop is a cafe perhaps a few steps down the street. No coffee is served at the bakeries. This would take away from the business of the cafes. And this is a serious Frenchism. It is a time to slowly begin the day. Cafe Creme, croissant, and newspaper is all you need to relax and enjoy the French ritual. Oh, and people watch. This is an art in itself. Brigitte showed us the cafes with good market watching views. Then in the afternoon when the sun is on the harbour side, the happening cafe in St. Tropez is Senequier.
We spent a wonderful day in the area between Nice and Monaco. Some of our favorite scenic spots were Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap Ferrat, Nice, Eze, and St-Paul-de-Vence. The drives connecting each town were incredible. The colored shutters, steep streets, and medieval towns were nothing like we have ever seen. We had a wonderful lunch at Le Cosmo Cafe on the water. Just below where we were eating there was a large film crew preparing for the final day of shooting for the Hollywood move ‘Five Killers’ with Ashton Kutcher, Tom Selleck, and Katherine Heigl. Pretty cool!
My favorite moment was on an island near Port Grimaud called Porquerolles. We took a ferry ride to the island, rented bikes for the day and rode from one end to the other. The scenery was breathtaking. We stopped for a picnic lunch on our private beach for the day. April ended up being a great month to travel. No crowds!! I was riding my bike down the rocky path thinking “I’m on an island. In France. On a bike. How crazy is this?” Most importantly, our kids loved it even more. Caden was in his element on the island. They were pretend pirates for a few hours at the ‘Caribbean’. Addy of course as Elizabeth Swann, and Caden as Jack Sparrow.
I got to experience a few great modern art museums in the South of France. Most notably, the Fondation Maeght, in St-Paul-de-Vence. The long, winding roads were well worth the views from the hilltop town.
We stayed our last night in Gigondas in the Cotes du Rhone. It was a quiet, beautiful village nestled in between countless vineyards and great views. We tasted wine at the local caves and stocked up on some of our favorites. Our second to last day in France was Easter. We cooked a big meal the evening before at our apartment. So on Easter we decided to eat pizza at a Rick Steves recommendation in Beaumes de Venise. I brought plastic eggs just in case filled with some treats for the kids. With not a lot of time left in the day, I thought it would be fun to have an egg hunt in the vineyard while we waited for the restaurant to open. (Most restaurants in France open at 7:30pm) SO, Katherin, Brigitte, PJ and I hid the eggs all over and the kids were off! I’m always wondering what the locals think of us while we are traveling. The Suburban on the tiny streets of Provence was a sight in itself. But we managed just fine despite all the stares.
The French are great people, and the Cote d’Azur is a treasure! I of course took way too many photos. Here are some that made the cut…
Au Revoir!
Germany
Stuttgart is great because it is so central to many beautiful areas in Baden Wurrtenburg. We live near several castles, churches, and parks. There is so much to see here! The winter has been long but we are ready for Spring to arrive and for all the flowers to start blooming.
Here are some pics that I shot during the Fall and Summer in Schwabisch Hall, Tubingen, and Ludwisberg.
Belgium
We had a packed 4 day weekend in Belgium in the Fall. Brugge, then Cuijk antique market, Tongeren, and finally Brussels. We loved Brugge, it is the cutest city. Plenty of places to grab a picnic lunch and eat it on a bench by the lake. We took a boat ride, a must for our kids! And my favorite part, sampling the chocolatier shops. Seriously, the chocolate is incredible there. Chocolate, beer, friendly people, and good food. What is not to love about Belgium?
In Brussels we went to Mini-Europe, an amusement park similar to Mini-Land at Legoland. It was very educational and a day enjoyed by both adults and kids. And after Mini-Europe we managed to squeeze in Godiva and Neuhaus chocolate stores downtown before heading back to Germany. We will definitely be coming back!
2 words... Belgium Chocolate
Brugge
Rue du Vin
Rue du Vin is a small region in Alsace, France. Strasbourg, the northern town on the route, is only 1 hour from Stuttgart. The route is covered with small, adorable towns, castles, vineyards, and great architecture. We stayed in Colmar for 3 nights and used it as a base to explore 4 different towns. Our favorites were Equisheim, Riquewihr, Ribeauville, and Colmar. We also got to visit the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle, which our kids loved.
We wine tasted in a few really unique caves along the rode in several towns. We came home with some tasty white wines from the region.
We went in January, and it was COLD! I would recommend visiting in the Spring, or Fall for small crowds, and pretty scenery. You can even take a drive up to several castles from Eguisheim.
Happy travels!
Wine tasting caves in each little town.
Colmar, France
Prague
Our family went to Prague for Labor Day last summer. We were living in the hotel at the time, but couldn’t pass up a trip while the weather was nice. Prague is an amazing city with so much history, great architecture and scenery. We stayed at the Castle Steps Inn, which was a few minutes walk from the castle.
Our kids enjoyed a paddle boat ride down the river and under the bridges. We went to the Mucha museum and saw some interesting Art Noveau buildings in that side of town. One of the highlights was taking a private tour around the city for one hour in an old car.
People are asking me for travel photography tips. My advice is to get up early (I know for some a major sacrifice while on vacation), and walk around the most picturesque sights before the crowds arrive. I have taken my most memorable landscape shots at sunrise with no one else around. A prime example is on the St. Charles Bridge in Prague. One of my favorite landmarks anywhere. But forget about getting a good shot anytime after 9:00am. Even at sunrise there were a few people. But mostly just me and the pigeons!
Here are a few favorites…
Milan and Vicenza
I really wanted to check out the clothing sales in Milan. We did some shopping, and travelled around the wonderful city of Milan. Is there a city in Italy that isn’t wonderful??
Here are a few pics…
Carnevale in Venice
We went to Venice for Carnevale for my husband’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. We had a wonderful time and ate great food! We love Italy. Our kids enjoyed the masked Venetians. Venice is a beautiful city. We plan on going back when the weather gets warmer.
Here are a few photos from the Cummings galleria…
me, in Venice, one of my all time favorite cities
Family in Venice
Favorite past time in Italy= chasing pigeons.
