We flew into Frankfurt and drove a couple hours to Dekenpfronn where we have some distant relatives. We were pretty jet lagged when we got there but tried to make it through the day so we could sleep that night. We took the train into Stuttgart and did some shopping. We spent hours in the toy store finding souvenirs for our kids. I have fond memories of playing a German memory game with my Opa and siblings every time we went to their house and another game called tiddlywinks. They were necessities for our collection at home. We took our time because we didn't have anyone to get back to which was really nice. The relatives we stayed with own a restaurant, it's a separate building on their property with an apartment up top. They were having a bbq at the restaurant that night and some more relatives that we stayed with when we were there 14 years ago came to the bbq too. It was fun to see them again, the conversations were a little strained since not everyone spoke the same language or spoke it very well at least but it was good to talk with them again. We hit the sack pretty early that night since we were so tired.
On the train to Stuttgart and shopping in Stuttgart. Stuttgart is the city that my Oma grew up in. She met and married my Opa in her twenties and moved to America then.
In the morning we left my Oma and my mom, Cami, and I were headed off to Italy. It was such a beautiful drive through Switzerland. Absolutely breath taking. The rolling green everywhere, there's no dirt all the way up the mountain. So pretty. We pulled over to take in the scenery of a beautiful lake too. These pictures are through the car window so they don't do it justice at all.
Here is the lake. There were a bunch of sailboats sailing the water, so picturesque.
We drove six hours to a little town in Italy called Sirmione. It's right on the water and is so quaint. There was a castle right in the middle of it, we had to actually drive through the castle and onto the tiniest streets absolutely covered with people to get to our hotel. It was crazy. It felt like we were driving on a sidewalk. Thank goodness for our mini car, no SUV's would be getting through those streets.
We walked around the town that night and ate dinner, our first of many meals of pizza and gelato.
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The next morning Cami and went for a little run, the town was dead at 9 in the morning and it was so peaceful and beautiful. We walked around a little bit more, took some pictures and said goodbye to Sirmione.
The next morning Cami and went for a little run, the town was dead at 9 in the morning and it was so peaceful and beautiful. We walked around a little bit more, took some pictures and said goodbye to Sirmione.
After our little stay in Sirmione we jumped in the car and headed down to Florence a couple hours away. What an amazing city! We got a kick out of the tiny cars, this one was a one seater, quite funny.
Once we settled into our hotel room, got connected to the cyber world again and skyped our families (which was so nice to be able to see and talk to Mark and my kids,) we headed into the city. We shopped around a little and then found our way to the Duomo. This is an amazing cathedral that was built in the 13th century. It took hundreds of years to completely finish and the detail was amazing.
These were doors that were on the baptistry across from the Duomo.
This guy was working on this all day, it was finished by night and washed away in the morning! It was amazing.
After eating some delicious Italian food (my lasagna was sooo good, something about their tomato sauce is so different from what we're use to), we walked to the Palazzo Vechio where a replica of Michelangelo's David stands.
You can't take pictures of the real thing, we saw it the next day. I snuck in a pic on my iphone, it is not a good one but at least it proves that I saw it. :) The other pics are of some post cards that I bought. I was in awe as we walked down the corridor towards it, it is incredible, so much detail, everything about the statue is perfect, except his hands are a little to large and out of proportion. It was carved between 1502-1504. During World War II they had a vault they hid it in to keep it from being bombed and destroyed.
These pictures are of some post cards that I bought.
Here we are in front of the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge in Florence. They had orders from Hitler to destroy all the bridges but they couldn't bring themselves to destroy this one so they left it standing and destroyed the buildings in front of it blocking it off. Across the whole bridge are little jewelery stores which have been there since the 17th century. This is where I got one of my souvenirs, a cameo.
We walked across the bridge to the Pitti Palace where the Florence royalty The Medicci's built and lived for part of their reign.
As we walked back across the bridge the sun was setting. it was beautiful.
The streets of florence at night.
The next day we decided to walk the 463 steps, I believe, up to the top of the cupola (the dome part) of the Duomo. It was very stuffy and tight corridors at times, luckily it wasn't too crowded, the people that we did pass and walk with were plenty for a hot, stuffy, walk up 463 stairs. The view was well worth it though.
This is the ceiling of the cupola.
On our way up.
We made it and look at that view! The pictures don't do it justice.
I have to laugh at this picture because it looks like we're a couple or something. Cami had to squeeze in, there was a pole right next to her.
Heading back down, straight down. We had to wait for all these people to go up while we were trying to head down.
After that it was time for more shopping. My mom found an Italian leather purse store, unfortunately she never found the perfect purse so we left empty handed.
We went to the Boboli gardens in the Pitti Palace. Honestly the "gardens" were not much to look at but there were some beautiful views of the city.
We were trying to be creative with our poses instead of the stand there and smile look.
The palace with the city in back.
This view was behind the gardens, It looks so much prettier in real life! Beautiful Tuscan scenery. There's a castle there on the top of the hill.
Oh gelato. We heart gelato. We tried almost every kind between the three of us. Coconut was divine but towards the end I actually got sick of it. You have to eat a lot of coconut gelato to get sick of it. Enough said.
These are Donatello's David's. The second one is more famous, my mom liked to refer to it as "the gay David." The Bargello museum.
These statues in the back were amazing too look at. Most of them were replicas too of the real things.
This hot chocolate was like drinking melted chocolate. So rich and delicious.
We went back to the Bargello so my mom could buy a bronze statue of the Mercury. I love this pic of Cami taking in the sculptures.
That little guy on the right with his foot in the air is the Mercury that my mom bought. That lady in the background is just about to tell me "no photo!"
This is a view of walking across the bridge.
More of the Duomo.
Doors like these lined the streets. I loved them.
Three full days and three nights in Florence, lots and lots of shopping. I came home with a ceramic plate with a colorful Tuscan scene on it that I love and a cameo pendant. Did you know the cameo's are made out of sea shells? The lady that we bought ours from showed us how they were carved from a sea shell so the face is white, the outside of the shell, when the carve it away it reveals the inside of the shell, the coral color. Made me like them even more.
We took a little detour on our way home and stopped in Pisa. All there is to really see there is the leaning tower so we parked, walked to it, ate a little lunch, and got back in the car. It was really surreal to see it in person, and we lucked out that there was no scaffolding on it.
Cami and my mom walking in.
It was hilarious to see everyone with their arm up taking pictures pretending to hold it up. I insisted that we do one, Cami finally gave in and hers looks the most real.
A day of driving and we were back in Dekenpfronn. The next day we went to the Ritter Sport museum. Lots and lots of chocolates, not just any chocolate, delicious chocolate. I stalked up and it's going pretty fast around here. We went back into Stuttgart, this time with Oma and finished up our shopping.
The next day was day 8 and we decided to drive through the black forest. So, so, so amazing. We stopped at Lake Tittisee and took a little paddle boat out on the lake. Quite fun.
This view was stunning, my camera could not capture the depth of the hills and mountains stretching on forever.
Stopped in Mummelsee for some hot chocolate and apple Kuchen. And I wonder why I put on some lbs while I was there, despite my attempt at working out.
Cami and I had some really beautiful runs while we were there. All the little villages with the rolling hills from village to village. Each village has a church with a big steeple that you can pick out, so quaint and picturesque. So here are some pics of us on our runs.
We ate dinner at their restaurant again and it was so delicious. My favorite is spaetszla. My oma made it for us all the time, kind of like noodles.
Mmmm....spaetzla with the best pork I've ever had and the most perfectly cooked vegetables. My mouth is kind of watering.
They had amazing apple trees all over. I love apple trees.This is their house.
Oma in the middle with relatives. My Oma's mom was the last of eight children, these relatives come through the third child of my great great grandma I believe. To me distant, but if this were Mark's polynesian family, not distant at all. :)
Me, mom, oma, and Cami.
Goodbye to Europe, until next time!
Let me just give some love to Mark who was so amazing while I was gone. He was so good to never really complain to me while I was gone so I could truly enjoy my trip. That meant so much to me. I am so lucky to have great family and friends that helped out with my kids too. Thanks to you all!
