We started out in Ehingen, Gisi and the Barchettas home town
Herr Boni checked out the car, he pronounced it fine and would sell it...
Here is the new 500.. Fiat Cinquecento.. the original model from the 60's is a classic
I hope Fiat brings it to the states now that they own Chrysler
I think it will be a big success..we want one!
Where Gisi grew up
From Ehingen it's about an hour or so to the Bodensee, where we start our vacation
Bodensee..or Lake of Konstanz..borders southern Germany and Switzerland..on the other side
You can see the Alps in the distance..thats where we are headed
Our hotel..the Seerose..last decorated in the 60's ;-)..but clean and cheap!
The Pfahlbau Museum..recreation of ancient local dwellings from thousands of years ago
In the evening, by a park at the lakefront
Next morning was gorgeous..we went for a bike ride to the Birnau cathedral
Birnau ...a most beautiful Baroque cathedral
We rode the bikes to Meersberg
Remember this film? Love that graphic...
Wibele!
Rock on !
Oh..that one!!
Later that day we went to Steisslingen to visit Gisi's Tante Irmgard Kuppel
She had out the most wonderful cakes
It was lovely, and very emotional..saying goodbye can be that way....
Bye..we will be back!!
Then we went to Godmother Gisi's home to visit and go out for dinner with more family
Heidrun and Aleen
Gisi, Franz, Berthold and Gisi..at an Italian restaurant at the Bodensee
Aleen..she is adorable
Selena, what a beauty
Ralf, Gisi's son
They wanted to celebrate our marriage by treating us to dinner..how sweet!
They are all wonderful people, I'm glad we got to spend some time with them
Next morning..driving through Bavaria to Austria, then the Swiss Alps..it was a little chilly
Here they are!
We stopped in Lichenstein for a break... so we were in 5 countries in one day...Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and finally Italy!
at the border
Heidi Land in Switzerland
Heading toward the San Bernadino pass, in the Alps and then Italy
Awesome
Thats a big glacier there! At a rest stop before the climb....
Heading up athe pass road...real narrow, real steep and exhilarating
We stopped to take it all in..
You get an idea of the road here..
At the Pass...
We stopped and had lunch...
On our way down the pass towards Lugano, Switzerland...which is quite Italian..at least that's what they speak in this part
Gorgeous day...still
Steep downgrades mean hot brakes..I guess they burst into flames!
Near Lugano...
Almost in Italy...
here we go.......
Our first glimpse of Lake Como..
from Moltrasio...
Stretc after a long drive..
Stunning natural beauty...
Al Marnich, our hotel in Schignano...up in the hills above the lake
Our view
Our dinner!
Went for a walk further up the mountain...
a-ha...there it is!
Local donkeys grazing
In the Morning
in Como
The Doumo of Como
Gisi's Birthday!
Back to the lake..we drove along the shores and took a ferry to Bellagio
On the ferry
Bellagio
Ice Cafe and bitter limon soda
Giant Rosemary bush
Gisi gets in the lake
From the hills above Bellagio, towards the eastern shore
leaving Bellagio as the sun goes down....
The dining room at Al Marnich..wonderful home cooked meals...
Fresh pasta drying---
It was a great place ..lovely area of Italy..on to Aosta and more mountains....
entering the Aosta valley
up one of the 13 side valleys toward Cervinia..and the Matterhorn
Breuil-Cervinia..the Matterhorn, covered in clouds
the clouds would not get off the peak...
Cervinia from above
towards Monte Rosa..and glacier
This is where I stayed 20 years ago...still exactly the same
in Valtourneche
We stopped in Aosta
the old Roman walls ..from 25bc
Gelato!
More Roman ruins
We bought some cheese and meats here
On our way towards our hotel in St. Pierre, Italy..Aosta has both French and Italian language...the smallest of Italian provinces and the last ... it was occupied by many peoples over the centuries, so there is a mixture of culture
We think this is the Mont Blanc massif from the Italian side...
Church and castle across from our hotel
View from our balcony
Down the road a bit
Looks good...don't be fooled..the bread is terrible inn this region..don't know why
From earlier in Aosta
Next morning...
We seemed to be on the same route as the Tour de France..we also came across the route in France and Switzerland..through the mountains..
Viaduct to the Mont Blanc tunnel..we didn't take the tunnels over the passes were more scenic
Typical roof tiles in Aosta...
heading to France via Switzerland, and the Grand St. Bernard pass
Up another mountain pass road.....
the roads are well paved..but steep and winding...
Nice to drive in a little Barchetta like Gisi's
Above the tree line...
at the Pass
Border to Switzerland from the Italian side
Now we head down..on a road with no guard rails..on the outside..yikes
at the bottom in Martgny, Switzerland..again on the Tour de France route
on the way to Chamonix, France we saw some vintage Renault Dauphines
cute cars..I think my Uncle George had one in the early 60's
Another border crossing
Towards Mont Blanc
Here it is....
Pretty awesome...
Into the Haute-Savoie in France...towards Geneva
Our breakfast....in Gaillard France, a few blocks from the border with Geneva, and the lake of the same name..we strolled by the lake the previous evening
Local Sunday market
Lake Annecy, France..apparently the Tour went around the lake also...
Gisi at the Lake Annecy
Above the lake...
We stopped here for Cafe....
and to peruse the menus...
and buy some cheese....
The Tour passed here..we followed the route completely by accident..we ha no clue where they had been...this is since Italy now....
I can't imagine climbing one kilometer of these hills..imagine 30 or more a day
Another pass..German motorcyclists were always at these passes..
and down again...very scary
but beautiful
markings on the pavement from the Tour de France
And again...
Enough hills for the day..tomorrow to Bresse and Burgundy
Leaving the Haute-Sovoie, through the foothills of the Jura Mountains
Charollais cows
Be careful...
the berries below the death wires!
The famous Poulet de Bresse
In Bourg en Bresse
another cafe, another gorgeous day
right this way.....
The Saone River..between Burgundy abd Bresse
Out our window in Arbigny....
and across the river in Macon
Mechanical grape harvesting...must be the lesser wines
In Buxy...
In Mersault...
Tarte Savoyard...potato, cheese, onion and lardon...delicious
Typical roof tiles in Burgundy
In Pommard, a picnic area in the Vinyards
Miles and Miles of Grapes
Pommard, with Mersault in the distance
Back at the hotel...
We stood in this field at night and saw a million stars..it was so beautiful
Back through Burgundy the next day, on our way to Dijon..the capital of Burgundy
al fresco breakfast..
nice
in Dijon, a very beautiful city..charming, old but very contemporary..
the indoor marketplace
Moutarde, of course
This was a great church..look at these gargoyles....
Very picturesque..
You know this Mustard, no?
The French Tabac sign, everywhere
Who has the best pastry in this world?
In the afternoon, we went back to see the Vendage...the harvest of the Burgundy grapes from the finest vinyards in the world
These are hand havested..
There are dozens of pickers brought into the vinyards every day...
Some pickers were Japanese young people, some French hippies, some farm workers...
They pick while the foreman looks on and directs...
Pinot Noir grapes for the first cru vintages of Burgundy
a lot of grapes, eh?
2009 vintage
and they were delicious right off the vine...
We didn't pillage..I picked these up off the ground....
In Beaune, it was raining for the first time in 8 days..our last day
what a fun time we had...
on the way back...a birch forest
A Chocolate tart to have with afternoon tea
Gina, our host's dog
Bye Cows...see you again!
On our way out to the Autoroute..we had to hit one more Patisserie
Again, great bread...and more
A rest stop in honor of the Bresse chicken
See....
Oh yea..this was from the bakery too....
and this..
and this...for dinner tonight
oh, and this Creme Bresse for dessert!
Back home...
A great finish to a great trip...
