Schilthorn: Reaching New Heights

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Holy crap.

Well, that’s the cleaned up version of what I shouted when we made it to the top of the Schilthorn’s viewing platform last Sunday morning, nearly blown away by a sharp wind and wet snow. It sure wasn’t what it looked like from the “livecam” we surveyed when we began the four gondola journey up from Stechelberg, a short bus ride from Lauterbrunnen. Gui and I climbed down the metal stairs to check out the “Walk of Fame” area with plaques about actors from the James Bond movie filmed on the mountain — On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for fans, which is featured prominently in the merchandising. On the way, we passed the only other group crazy enough to climb down in that weather, who were making their return to the platform. “It was worth it… not,” an older gentleman declared.

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Lauterbrunnen: Chasing Swiss Waterfalls

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It seems like every place we visit in Switzerland is even more beautiful than the last. I had to wait 10 hours to lay eyes on Lauterbrunnen — we arrived late Friday under the cover of so much darkness that we couldn’t even tell there were mountains around us — but when I stepped outside the next morning I could not put my camera down.

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Rome: Pizza, Monument, Repeat

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It’s been almost 10 years since I visited Rome and while so much of the city felt familiar — the Forum, the Pantheon, the pizza — the experience was very different for one major reason: So. Many. Lines. And they weren’t quick lines either: The wait to get into St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum was more than an hour each. Part of the delay could be from the increased security. I conferred with my friends who I traveled around Rome with in 2007 and none of us remembered waiting to get into any of the sites or having to go through metal detectors. Or it might just be that more tourists flock to Rome in October, when the city still has lovely, mild weather compared to much of the rest of Europe (it’s already quite chilly in Geneva, for example). Or maybe Rome is getting more tourism as visitors stay away from other major European destinations out of fear of terrorism. Whatever the reason, prepare to be patient if you’re headed to Italy’s capital. At least you can grab some pizza or gelato to make your time in line go faster 🙂

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Lucerne: A Swiss Dreamscape

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If you close your eyes and think of Switzerland, Lucerne comes pretty close to the idyllic landscape of your dreams: Charming architecture centered around a sparkling lake, surrounded by the majestic Alps and herds of bell-jingling cows. It’s lovely. It’s also incredibly expensive, but hey, that’s Switzerland too. We took the train over last Saturday morning and, three hours later, found ourselves in Lucerne where we checked into our “budget” hotel (140 CHF!) and set off to explore.

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Positano: La Dolce Vita

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Our six-day Italian adventure ended in the beautiful cliffside city of Positano, where we spent two glorious days relaxing on the beach and getting our fill of fresh Italian food. We arrived late Saturday afternoon on a ferry from the port of Capri (first photo below) and hiked our way up through the town until we found the Hotel Savoia, which turned out to be completely charming. We loved the painted tiles covering the floors and the beautiful view of the city and coastline from our large balcony, and were delighted that we were offered a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine for our anniversary. We spent the evening perusing the maze of shops and then enjoyed a very tasty pasta dinner near the hotel at Ristorante Max.

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Blue Grotto: A Magical Tourist Trap

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If you look up the term <<tourist trap>> in Urban Dictionary, the top definition is “a place specifically designed to attract stupid tourists and take their money.” The connotation is decidedly negative. But when I attach the label to Capri’s famous Blue Grotto, I’m by no means saying that the cavern carved into the island’s rocky coastline isn’t worth a visit. The way the water glows neon blue is otherworldly, and photos simply cannot replicate the experience of gliding across it in a rowboat with the melodies of singing Italian oarsmen echoing off the walls. Still, it’s very much so a business operation, and it’s better to know what you’re getting into beforehand to temper your expectations.

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Capri: So Much More Than Pants

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My husband and I spent our honeymoon island hopping across Greece and fell in love with the Cyclades, so when I booked our trip to Capri and the Amalfi Coast I knew we weren’t going to be able to help but compare the two Mediterranean destinations. We weren’t the only ones: While wandering around the maze of shops snuggled into the cliffs in Positano, I overheard one girl announce to another that she definitely preferred the Italian coast to the Greek island of Santorini. My verdict? I doubt anything will ever surpass the magical two weeks we spent celebrating our marriage and feasting on fresh Greek cuisine with breathtaking views of whitewashed houses perched above dreamy blue water. But Capri and Positano both charmed us, and I would wholeheartedly recommend a visit to anyone who can handle a short ferry ride or a winding drive through the Italian cliffs (more on that later).

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Pompeii: In the Shadow of Vesuvius

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We left Naples early Thursday morning and boarded a crowded, graffiti-covered train that we thought would drop us off outside the ruins of Pompeii — but luckily we figured out that was not the case just as the doors started to close and jumped back onto the platform. Twenty minutes later, we were on the correct crowded, graffiti-covered train, and about 40 minutes after that we were standing in the ticket line outside Pompeii’s entrance. The site has free luggage storage so the plan was to spend the day exploring the ruins and then reclaim our bags and take the train to the port of Sorrento with enough time to catch the last ferry to Capri. We had a couple of further hiccups — like waiting for the ferry at the wrong dock — but we made it to Capri in the end. And Pompeii itself? Absolutely worth the logistical headache.

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Naples: Pizza with a Side of History

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We got home late last night from our six-day adventure through Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, and I’m still glowing (literally, in fact: I have a bit of a tan!) We had an absolutely wonderful time. I’ll spend the next week blogging and sharing photos of the highlights, so stay tuned. First up: Naples! But before I get started, here’s a view out the plane window during our flight to Italy. Bongiorno, Alps!

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My friends who had already spent time in Naples warned me that it is a “gritty” city, but I was still unprepared for what that entailed: Continue reading →