Una giornata a Venezia

My first glimpse of Venice, as we rounded the bend, was this. Pretty cool, huh? 

When you first arrive at the airport, you have endless options for transportation: taxi, water bus, bus, or a combination of those three. We decided to take a taxi to Piazzale Roma, a transportation hub of sorts for Venetians and visitors, and then continue our search for our hotel by water bus, the vaporetto.

Yeah, don't bother with those overpriced gondola rides. Take a picture of one like I did and move on. Plus you get the same experience (close enough, at least) on the vaporetto, for only 7 Euro at that!

Teeny tiny alleyway ristorante. NOT trattoria, as we were grumpily reminded.

Step into any shop in Venice and you will find Murano glass, made on the nearby island of Murano. This world-famous glass is a great souvenir idea. Don't settle for the cheap bracelets some shops sell, though. I don't believe that was true Murano glass. If you want the real thing, just make a short trip to the island itself. It's not too far away!

St. Mark's Square. To Venetians it is simply known as "the square" or la piazza because it is the only "square" in the city. The rest of Venice's open areas are campi (and piazzale for Piazzale Roma).

Unfortunately if you get tired then a cafe's gonna be your best bet, because anyone sitting on the edge of the water will be shooed away by Venetian police. They look quite unhappy that they have to do this each and every day so just know ahead of time. 

Ending on a good note, as always!

Almaty: Bits and Pieces

Look at this city. Isn't it too bad it lost its Olympic bid to Beijing? 

In the mountains behind me there is snow galore in the winter and early spring months, even some left over in the summer on the highest peaks. 

Specifically, the view above is from Kok Tobe, a touristy yet necessary attraction that Almaty offers in the summer months. Right now it is under renovation; it looks like they're adding a Ferris wheel along with many more modern attractions. For now, however, all you have to enjoy is the view, the mini zoo, and the random Beatles statue at the current edge of the park. 

On any typical walk to Mega Center Almaty along the canal carrying water from the mountains down into the city is this amazing spectacle. Young people jogging alongside old couples taking their evening stroll converge with dog walkers and shoppers.

There is no regret in stopping by the Park of the First President (the president of course being N. Nazarbayev), in which views such as the one above are most common. 

The above view, however, is only accessible if you trudge all the way to the back of the park and up some stairs, where the ground starts gradually rising as you get closer to the mountains.

The stench of horse meat is like a cloud here at the Green Bazaar (above). But there's other stuff, too. Cheese, veggies, fruits, anddd... Korean food (see below). 

There it is! 

In addition to this, there has been a boom in Korean fast food stands everywhere.

Freiburg For a Day

Ever happen to be in Switzerland, just a few miles outside of Germany? No?
Well, if you do ever end up in a wonderful city like Basel (which I will write about soon!), make sure you hop on a Deutsche Bahn train (below) headed for Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, only 45 minutes away from Basel. It is one of the most walk-able cities I have ever been to and it's a great day trip if you're bored of any of the northern Swiss towns near the border.

 The architecture of this city is so interesting and unique, you don't need to worry about planning out your trip. Just simply walking around the main streets will give you an idea of the feel of the Baden-Württemberg town.

 The beautiful Muenster has so much going on around it.

 Maybe when you'll get to experience an awesome organ performance like we did.

 One of the nice little surprises was the vineyards located on the main street, just straight out from the train station. If you walk along this street you'll see vineyards and then the beginnings of old town Freiburg am Breisgau. Make sure you find the water canals, too! These little runnels are called Baechle in German and are one of the city's most known features.

The Time I Walked to France

If you're looking to escape Geneva, then look no further. Mont Saleve, one of the mountains close to the city, is the perfect place for a hike in the summer. It offers some of the BEST panoramic views of the Alps surrounding the Swiss-French border at Geneva.

How to get here:

1. Take bus number 8, 34, 41, or 44 to one of three stops: Veyrier-Ecole, Veryrier-Douane, or Croix-de-Rozon duoane.

2. Then find the cable car that takes you up the mountain (this took us a while to find because we got off at a stop farther away; your best bet is to just ask the locals!)

 Our story is this. We found ourselves at the wrong us stop. Well, not the wrong one, but the one farthest away from the cable car, miles/kilometers away. There weren't too many people around, so we were left with the mission of exploring in order to find this little place. We ended up heading towards the border. For some reason, the thought of walking to another country, however closely that country borders the other, made me happy to walk so far. It was the first time I had ever done something like that! (I guess the locals do this every day, though). We squeezed by the French border without any problems. Turns out, you will have to do this if you take Bus 8 and get off at that last stop, whatever it's called. The bus driver will let you know, that's for sure.

On the way to the cable car...

Make sure you catch a glimpse of these cool castles (below) before getting on...

 The view is worth the wait

 Choose where you want to hike. Trails range from 1 km to several km, only for experienced hikers. Or, if you're just there for the view, stop by the restaurant. They serve some killer profiteroles!

 This temple was a cool find! Reflects the peaceful ambiance of the mountain top.

Can you spot Jet d'Eau?

Mont Saleve is actually only 900 meters above Europe's tallest fountain.

Trust Me, Geneva Isn't Boring

One of the cities I have most frequented is Geneva, Switzerland. At first it seems that the town has pretty much nothing exciting to do... Whiiiiiich may be true for some if you don't look that hard.

But believe me, the city and its surroundings have plenty to offer if you make the effort.

WINTER:

Let's tackle the worst season of the year...

For starters, there is always going to be skiing. We tried out the beginner slopes at Verbier. The weather was surprisingly nice.

You might want to try Chamonix, if you're looking for a different experience in France instead of CH; plus you can visit the famous Mont Blanc!

When the cold finally gets to you, stop by a shop for some hot chocolate, French style, at any cafe or bakery along the street. Then pop into Chez Ma Cousine for a hearty meal of salad, half a chicken, and house-made potatoes (this is one of my favorites!). The family-oriented atmosphere and really good food makes for the perfect combination.

Palais des Nations makes for a good indoor activity for a half-day. I'm not sure about the tour booking process since my mom got us in easily, but make sure to look that up online before you go. And... make sure to visit the Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum while you're in that neighborhood.

And if you're willing to brave the wind, you can stop at Jet d' Eau, Europe's tallest fountain.

OR, you can just come back in the summer:

Winter day trips:

We took advantage of the snowy weather to take a small trip to Gruyeres to sample some of their world famous cheese and see how it's made. I mean, who doesn't absolutely ADORE aged, smelly cheeses?

***A little tip. Try not to get off at the wrong train stop, a random tiny village, for example, because it is very cold in the winter and you will be stuck for hours because there is only one train. NOT THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME OR ANYTHING...

After our little mishap with the train, we finally made it to our second stop, the Cailler chocolate factory and tour.

 We enjoyed sights such as a cow made entirely of chocolate.

 And we got to sample some chocolate, of course. Here are the Cailler logs.

If you visit during the holidays, they might have a sale on chocolate at the gift shop!

More day trips and seasonal tips to come......

Freeeeeeezing Florence

During my short stay in Italy, I made it priority to visit THE most culture-rich city, Florence. Ever since learning of the Renaissance I have been fascinated by this place and all the talented artists and great minds who once walked those same streets.

But, upon arrival at the Firenze train station, we were greeted with a disturbing cold that reflected the complete opposite of Rome's weather. This slightly dampened our moods. Even worse was our hotel. Pros of staying at the Residenza Millenium: being super close to the train station. Cons: pretty much everything else.
The moral of the story is just be wise in your hotel choices, read up on reviews, and be prepared for anything.

Some of the more pleasant experiences in Florence were first and most importantly: the food. I was especially excited to try the pasta. We ended up going to Trattoria Gargani, a cozy place with a casual, family-oriented atmosphere. Hands down, BEST pasta I've ever had! The noodles were homemade and brought out still in the pan, all buttery and sprinkled with the perfect amount of pepper. I made the mistake of forgetting to take a picture, though...

On our last day we happened across Pescheria San Pietro, which was conveniently located by the train station. Although we were the evening's first customers, we were warmly welcomed by the owners, a man and woman who, I can honestly say, love to sing. They even took my mom's song requests and we all sang and hummed together until more customers arrived later on. I ordered the green pasta with a dory fish sauce. I was at first hesitant because I am very particular about my choices in fish, but this was an amazing dish.

After glancing at the dessert menu, I couldn't wait to try some. I originally ordered the non-alcoholic raspberry sorbet, but when I was informed that they were out of the flavor I had to opt for the lime instead. ONE OF THE BEST CHOICES IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. The dessert was perfectly flavored, not too sweet yet not too bitter. I was truly amazed at how something so perfect could actually exist. Does all sorbet in Italy taste this great? If so, I cannot wait to go back.

We did make it to the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia. I was looking forward to Michelangelo's David the most. 

The Accademia Gallery also featured a unique little hall, the Museum of Musical Instruments. I was particularly interested in this section which featured stringed instruments, because I'm a cellist, so I loved seeing the cello that was used in the Medici String Quartet, pictured below.

However, you don't need to spend all day inside of Florence's impressive buildings. Even though it remained cold, we strolled around the city, admiring structures such as the Duomo. I love the colors of the church!

Last but not least, make sure you make your way to the river, stopping by Ponte Vecchio on the way. Although there's lots of people there, the trek is worth it.

Rome: The History and Culture

The heart of Italy is full of history and rich culture, from Ancient Rome to the Renaissance. And luckily, Rome has so much to offer in both categories.

The Vatican Museums are a fantastic choice when you're searching for that blend of history. Be warned, though, that there are so many people there! We went on a Monday and thought we would beat the crowds...

At least I got to see some amazing works! Here is the famous "School of Athens"by Raphael.

Don't skip the fun part: Send a postcard through the well-known Vatican Post. (They say it's supposed to be efficient, but mine didn't arrive until I got back home a few weeks later!) But looking through all the cool stamps is still interesting...

Apart from museums, there is always the Rome Opera and Ballet. Since it was around the holidays, we went to see The Nutcracker, or Il Schiaccianoci in Italian. It was great to see how different the Italian interpretation is from American or Russian performances.

 The entrance. 

*Doors don't open until about 15 minutes before the show!

 While we were waiting...

 Programs cost 10 Euro, so I opted for a picture of the poster instead

Front row seats!

After the ballet, we decided to walk towards Piazza Navona, in search of gifts for friends and family. We had heard the market there had been mostly shut down but still wanted to see if there was anything left at all. Here was our answer...

Nothing but the obelisk, but this was pretty cool on its own.

Next we tried Campo de Fiori:

All we found was food! (And, seen here, a bunch of smelly pork)

Would love to come back in the spring when there is more fresh produce!

A week later, New Year's Eve rolled around. We chose to stay home (although I really wanted to see the fireworks in the city; they are visible from so many sites from the Colosseum to Piazza del Popolo). One of the "gifts" I had been searching for for the duration of my trip was La Befana, the Italian Christmas witch, another bit of the Italian culture. After looking absolutely everywhere possible, we stumbled across a whole collection at the grocery store! That's right, Carrefour, the least likely place, had a whole bunch in different colors. We chose green, brown, and gray, and they were only about 7 Euro each (and filled to the brim with Italian candy).

Here she is on our tree.

I left for the airport days later feeling satisfied, having found what I'd been looking for.