Beer and Lederhosen

We are both really enjoying Munich - it is a great city. We have been to a couple of beer halls, had some great food and big beers! Our first full day was spent exploring the city. We saw the famous Glockenspiel, climbed the church tower for some great views of the city and took a walk in a lovely park called the English Gardens. In the late afternoon we checked out the Theresia´s lawn, where Oktoberfest is held, currently home to some funky markets.
Yesterday we took a trip out to Dachau. There is a memorial on the site of the former concentration camp. We spent time in the museum and saw horrible sites like the former crematorium and the gas chamber - very sobering. Today we have just finished a Third Reich walking tour of the city, which points out sites such as the beerhall that was the birthplace of the Nazi Party.
Hope everyone is well.

Eidelweiss

Hi everyone,
We arrived in Vienna Friday morning. After going to the embassy and doing our civic duty like good Australians (haha), we went for a stroll around the city, before going out for a lovely meal. (In Austria we have had some of the best food of our lives.) Yesterday we went to a museum telling the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, and toured the apartments where she lived with the Emperor. We have now just returned from a concert at a lovely theatre where we saw the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra playing with the Vienna Boys Choir (!), the men´s choir and some classical singers. The tickets were only 6 euro each (standing room) and we had great views of the stage. The Vienna Boys Choir is awesome.
Tuesday we go on to Munich in Germany. Our itinery for the next 25 or so days is
Munich, Nuremberg, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg, and Berlin, after which we fly to Tallinn in Estonia to meet J and Bec!

How do you Solve a Problem Like Maria?

This is our third day in Salzburg. Yesterday we went on the long-awaited Sound of Music tour, which was great, and our tour guide was fantastic and very informative. Our hostel also has daily screenings of the movie, which we watched last night (yes even Dave). It is not snowing here and not as cold as Innsbruck, although there is still snow on the ground - not so much in the town though. We have had to give up on the ice caves, as they only open in summer, but are still able to see most things we want to despite the snow. We are thinking of hiring some bikes tomorrow and riding around the town, and then Friday we go on to Vienna.
Till next time...So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye!

Climb Every Mountain

Well we have finally hit Austria. We´re in Innsbruck at the moment - a town nestled in the middle of the Alps where the beers are big, the alpine air is crisp and it is snowing!! (Well only lightly.) The train ride here through the Alps was great - everything was absolutely covered in snow. When we arrived here most things - trees, cars - had a light covering of snow.
Yesterday was our main sightseeing day. We visited the Bergisel ski jump first up. You get a lift right up the top for some great views of the town and the mountains. The ski jump is massive as well, and still occasionally used in competition. Next up we went to the Alpine Zoo, which has a large collection of Alpine animals, including eagles, fish, a bear and wolves. We got some great photos, particularly of the wolves, a tiger cub and some reindeer! Next up was the Hofburg palace, which was beautiful and had gorgeous chandeliers in the rooms. Photos were not allowed there.
This evening we are going to what will be the first of many Christmas markets! These are on all across Austria and Germany this time of year. The Innsbruck one, which starts tonight, is held in the streets of the Old Town with the Alps providing a dramatic backdrop.
Next up is Salzberg, we head there Monday.
Love to all. (Brodie, hope you had a great 1st birthday party!)

Wherefore Art Thou, Romeo?

Hi Everyone,
Verona is awesome! We arrived yesterday after two nights in VERY expensive Venice. After checking in to the lovely guesthouse we are staying in, we walked down to the centre of town and Juliet's house (of Romeo and Juliet - Verona is where Shakespeare set his play.) We saw the famous balcony, toured the house and took lots of photos! We also visited Juliet's tomb. Romeo and Juliet is everywhere here - half the souvenirs you can get have the lovers on them.
Today we have visited the Arena of Verona, a gorgeous outdoor Roman ampitheatre which is Verona's opera house. You can go in and right out to the middle, where Dave had a good time pretending a crowd of 20 000 were all screaming his name!!
We go to Innsbruck in the Austrian Alps in two days time.
Hope everyone is well.

Italy Still

So due to unavailability of accomodation in Venice and Verona at the time we wanted it, we have made an unscheduled two night stop in the town of Bologna, birthplace of bolognaise sauce and said to have some of the best food in Italy. Bologna has two leaning towers, and we decided, since it was about a quarter of the height of the Eiffel, that Bec would be OK if we climbed one. Apart from some nervous moments on the way down the narrow staircase all was OK and everyone is in one piece!

From here we go to Venice and Verona, then on to Austria which we are both looking forward to very much.

In Italy...

Firstly, a very happy birthday to Ophelia.
Welcome with us to Florence, Italy. Even though it is November Florence is still packed with tourists, the crowds are insane. Now that the weekend is over it should calm a little hopefully. We arrived here yesterday morning on an overnight train and spent yesterday just walking around the city and doing some laundry (how exciting). We came via Nice on the French Riviera, where we spent one night. The coastline is so beautiful - the days we were there were perfect, blue skies with not a cloud to be seen. The water is so blue and so clear - in the shallows you can see the rocks on the bottom. We spent the first day exploring Nice - the second day we were both getting a little tired so we went to an Irish pub to watch Man United v Arsenal live on the telly.
One of the first things we wanted to do in Italy was have some gelati - and it did not disappoint! Don't worry though - we won't eat too much! Bec is also enjoying window shopping and has already found a pair of shoes she would like! We have decided, instead of going to Pisa to see the leaning tower, to do a day trip to a little town called Siena tomorrow. After here, the plan is to move on to Verona and then Venice, and on into Austria.
Highlights of the trip so far have been the tapas bars in San Sebastian, the palace at Versailles and the coastline at Nice. We are both well, having a great time and not getting on each others nerves too much!! We are managing with the language OK, although Dave is getting muddled and speaking Spanish in France and French in Italy!! The weather is still mild - most days are no colder than a Sydney autumn or winter.
So what's happening back home? Anything exciting?