Vienna Tip : Sun does not equal warm !!

We cracked it for a magnificent sunny day in Vienna today but also found out it's actually warmer when its snowing !! I was around -8 for most of the day. 


Anyway it made for some absolutely spectacular scenery around Vienna. We caught the tram to Prater park and went on the Ferris Wheel (circa 1897) and wandered down to the Danube River. Oh yeah, managed to get another sausage too !! 


A great day, just don't take off your gloves (or drop your socks in a puddle like Blake !!).  Off to our fav cafe (Hummel) next to our apartment tonight for dinner. No shortage of Christmas trees for sale in the street. 


Cheers
Phil 

 Another great snag ! 

Old and New, Vienna

Our Cafe

Prater Park, Vienna

Loving the trams. 

It's absolutely freezing in Vienna, Austria !!

But that's not stopping us seeing the city. Thermal underwear on and off we go !!

We have enjoyed eating lots of bratwurst sausages, goulash and schnitzels ! Then there's the cakes, strudel and pancakes ! Too scared to get on the scales by this stage of the trip ! Massive training required in January....

The Christmas markets are fantastic and walking in the snow is a huge novelty after living in Asia !

Off on the trams tomorrow (reminds us of Melb a bit without the snow !). We leave here on Friday and head to Prague on the train.

The Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano is a must !

Greeting from Chur, Switzerland. If you even half like trains, this is an amazing way to spend 10 hours (Chur-Tirano-Chur). The most spectacular scenery in the Swiss Alps  - breathtaking... and then down into Italy.  Check these photos out.

Getting used to functioning in the snow now. Caz and I have decided we prefer walking in the snow to rain any day - you just brush it off ! Pleased we are not driving though.

Train to Vienna, Austria tomorrow.

cheers
Phil

 So much snow ! 

10,000,000 Swiss Francs for 1 engine (yes have been hanging out with the conductor !) 

Walking home from dinner tonight in Chur (snowing again)

 A carriage to ourselves ! 

The best morning of the holiday !!

Sunshine, great snow, no crowds,  awesome ski runs and skiing with my boys.

cheers
Phil

 Can not lose sight of Hamilton on the slopes ! 

They like "getting air" ! 

Loving Zermatt, Switzerland - legs aching from so much skiing !!

Have just managed to get ourselves another power adapter and get everything charged up. So far, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland all have different plugs !!

This place is something out of a movie set. We have all said so many times "it just doesn't look real". The Alps are just stunning with peaks popping up wherever you look. The little village is amazing with no cars and only horse drawn carriages and electric taxis. We can walk to the ski lifts from our apartment which is awesome.

The boys and I were in a chairlift at 8.30 this morning and we popped up through he clouds and there in front of us was the majestic Matterhorn mountain bathed in sunlight.  This was a magic morning as we then pretty much had the slopes to ourselves for an hour or so. As it's not peak season, we have not waited for a single ski lift the whole time and there are very few people on the slopes so we are being very spoilt.

Blake and Hamilton have taken to skiing like ducks to water. Having never skied before (or seen snow), they had a lesson with Franz from the Swiss Ski school. They really picked it up quickly and he took them on a run within a couple of hours. They have not looked back and I have loved skiing with them all over the mountains (except not the Black runs !). They have already asked when can we go skiing in Melb ?

Alex has had a turn as well and starting to get the concept of the snow plough. He is so light that he glides across the snow and finds it hard to stop ! This is definitely a work in progress but he has had a taste.

Carolyn on the other hand has not been so lucky. She was skiing with Franz (Swiss ski instructor) on the first morning and had a spill and twisted her knee half way down a run. I had no idea it had happened as I was waiting with Alex at the nursery slope. Then I see a stretcher fly passed with someone lying in it and my mind started to whirl ! As I found out later, it was Carolyn receiving the full treatment in the snow stretcher getting towed back to base by a powered ski mobile. She is OK now, but the knee is not up to any more skiing. Carolyn is not convinced skiing is her thing, but is enjoying the scenery. We can laugh now but ...

With the legs really aching as I write this, we will be ready to get on the train on Thursday for our train trip through the Swiss Alps to Chur, St Moritz, etc... then on to Vienna, Austria.

cheers
Phil

The boys at Riffelberg 

Alex getting a tow from Dad

View from our apartment

Alex at Wolli's playground

Lift from Furi to Riffelberg

Zermatt from Gornergrat train

Lunch today (Riffelberg) - great view !

The Matterhorn this morning. 

Blake and Dads walk.

Door in a door

Roof tops

Dad with the towers

One of the lookouts from San Gimignano

Dad and I climbed up one of the towers! (It was a really foggy day)

Mum, Hamilton and Alex felt like a day at home so Dad and I went on the 6 km hilly walk into town (San Gimignano). We power walked it so it was the first time I got to try out my new sports watch! When we got there, we walked pretty much the whole town, we had lunch and climbed one of the towers. Then we walked back and on the way it started to rain, it had been extremely foggy the whole day but we had only had some light showers, but now we had to put all of our waterproofs on. 

Another great day in Europe!

Blake 

Loving Pisa, Sienna & Voltera

We have been enjoying some relaxing days in San Gimignano and visiting local towns. The country side is absolutely stunning so even a drive with no destination is an experience.

Voltera was fantastic. Classic hill town with awesome views,  tiny little lane ways....
Leaning Tower of Pisa was very impressive ... and Pisa have great Pizza too !
Sienna is a bigger hilltown, perfect for wandering around.

Our hosts cooked us a magnificent Italian meal last night which was a true highlight. So much food !
Starter: Bruschetta, Pate, Salami, Ham - all from the farm
1st course - Pasta with beef sauce (Ragu)
2nd course - Roast Beef and Potatoes and another Beef dish (with chilli, onions, etc.)
Dessert - Apple Cake
Plus - their own White (local specialty 'Vernaccia' is very good), Red and Dessert wines
None of us could move after the meal.... amazing... all cooked by Grandma and brought to our house.

Cooking lessons from Grandma tomorrow !!

The boys are counting down now until they see snow for the first time and learn to ski in Switzerland.

cheers
Phil

View at Voltera 

Alex did not come up for air !

Happy days !

With our hosts in Tuscany

Sienna main Piazza

No comment required !