Tag: church

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Bari, Italy – Ancient City Wonder – Part One

Bari An Ancient City Wonder

Bari is an ancient city built on a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea on the east coast of Italy. It is part of the Apulia region of that country and for many centuries considered part of Southern Italy, which until early twentieth century was considered distinct from the Northern Italy.

The Italians here speak their own language, which is distinct from Italian and descended from the Neapolitan Dialect called the Barese Dialect. The differences here are also reflected in the food, pasta and other cultural areas.

The city itself has four distinct areas or sections, the old ancient part of the city is located on the peninsula. The train station is located in Murat, which may be considered the business section of the city.

Getting There

Since we are located in Northern Italian city of Turin, there are two options for us to get there, either the Turin or Milan airport. Since RyanAir has service to many small cities in Italy, Turin being one of them, they were the right choice for us. They provide a direct non-stop flight from Turin to Bari which only takes an hour and a half. It’s not cheap, but on the reasonable side. Even in January, with two flights a day, the plan was almost full.

Once we landed there were several options to get from the airport to the city. Train, bus, taxi and rent-a-car. When we can, we always prefer and ride the train. We just find it more relaxing and trouble free, but that of course depends on the country and the railroad that is available.

Apulia has its own train system, separate from TrennItalia, so we purchased tickets at the desk before entering the train station (I figure, I can always install the phone application later for any return business). The trip from Bari Airport to Bari Centrale (C.le) takes about thirty minutes with about four of five stops in between.

Where We Stayed

Frankly, I no longer care for BnBs and will take a hotel over them any day. However, given the opportunity to check other Bed and Breakfast places, outside the crap these applications serve up, we will book our stays with them, provided we have thoroughly checked them out ahead of time using other people’s recommendations as our source material.

Murex B&B

Murex B&B is a very nice modern Bed & Breakfast in the heart of the ancient city of Bari. The owners are young, attentive and respectful of our needs. The amenities that are provided are sufficient and plentiful. Our room came with breakfast each morning and other treats, that would not normally be provided at some hotels and definitely not at those other places.

One word of caution however, the staircase to enter is rather steep. So, if you require assistance with your luggage, you should ask. The owners are more than obliging to any requests and will carry it up and down for you.

Our room was La Città, it was spacious, well lit and warm. The bed was firm with a cushion top and it definitely helped me nod off.

Basilica Pontificia San Nicola

The Basilica Pontificia San Nicola was built in the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries and consists of a basic architecture of a nave with neighboring aisles.

The ceiling and interior has a rarity to it, that only an ancient church can provide. The roof is made of wood and is occluded by arches buttressing the sides together, few if any at right angles to each other, giving the entire interior a rather haphazard look.

 

The Crypt

Here you can find the tomb of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of Christmas. The crypt is a beautiful room with myriad arches all of which are adorned with unique capitols.

Restaurants

Our first day here we only had time for one meal. Since we ate rather late in the afternoon, around three o’clock, we simply weren’t hungry enough for dinner later that evening.

Matiti Pasta Bistrot

This bistrot did not get very good ratings online, however we found both the food and service adequate for lunch. I ordered a glass of red Primitivo wine from the area which was just delicious, and a 5€ glass, it didn’t hurt my wallet either.

We kept things simple with a Caprese Salad, an Insalata Mista and later some pasta. After that I had an espresso and a sambuca. The total came to 62€ for two people, with two glasses of wine and coperto.

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Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany – Saved from destruction

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is not doubt a miracle town amongst towns in Germany. Partially bombed during World War II, it took an American officer and the German commander of the city at the time to spare this town. The results of which, we are able to enjoy this middle-age town as it appears today, forty percent of which was nevertheless destroyed by allied bombing before it was stopped.

It is located in Bavaria and is about one and a half to two hours drive from the Frankfurt area on the A3 and A7, weather permitting of course. There are several parking areas to choose from for visitors, though we found street parking a block or so further out for free.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

If it weren’t for it’s strange history at the end of World War II, this town would be easily overlooked. Not necessarily by Germans, but definitely by international tourists always looking for some interesting sidebar or reason to visit. Luckily, even on a Saturday, we did not find it all that busy for a tourist destination. We only hope that it will stay that way.

Marktplatz

The center square hosts various shops and restaurants, as well as the Town Hall and Ratstrinkstube Clock Tower. Saint George’s fountain can also be found here toward the lower part of the square.

Towers

Rothenburg has many towers on all sides of the town, especially on the eastern side. The main entrance towers are of course grander, but the little ones are no less impressive.

The City Wall

It is one of only three towns in Germany which is still encompassed by a fully intact town wall. The eastern part of the wall, the one which we were actually able to walk on, was mostly repaired after its destruction at the end of the war.

Several parts are boarded up or unreachable, but many people from around the world contributed funds in the effort to reconstruct it, making it possible to enjoy it today. There are several main entry points, Gallows Gate, Thomas Tower and one near Ruckesse Tower, to name a few.

Restaurants

There are many restaurants to choose from in Rothenburg, many of which are located in or near the town square. Luckily, we failed on locating an Italian restaurant that was open, but it is August and the Italians are notorious for taking the entire month off for vacation. That forced to find the amazing place that we did below.

Reichsküchenmeister – Das Herz von Rothenburg

If you are able to obtain a seat in the garden, one of the go to places in Rothenburg for a weekend lunch or early dinner.

The garden is just amazing, a totally relaxed atmosphere where we were fortunate enough to have a very responsive waiter. The menu is varied enough where one should be able to find something to fit their culinary needs.

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München, Germany – Family Get-Away

After spending a week in Frankfurt, we decided to spend some time in München, or Munich, Germany. The most affective way to do this from Frankfurt is by train, particularly the ICE DB service. In three hours and some odd number of minutes, you can travel between the two main train stations in comfort.

ICE Train to Munich – Storm Front – München, Germany

With most of the family here, we were seven and traveling by train such a short distance just made the most sense, since our daughter and son-in-law had our grandson along. This gave him some added room to walk around an annoy other people instead of just us, breaking up the monotony of the journey. Not really, but it did provide him enough space to get the wiggles out, as opposed to other modes of transport, like an airplane or automobile.

München

The largest city in Bayern, or Bavaria, Munich is a large, bustling city completely accustomed to tourists and tourism. If you are a mono-lingual English speaker, you will find no problem getting around in Munich, most of the residence and restaurant staff speak fluent English.

Marianplatz

The largest and most central of the squares or piazzas in Munich is the Marianplatz. It is most likely your U- or S-Bahn destination from the Hauptbahnhof and the energetic core of the tourism industry.

The Marianplatz is girdled with high-end shopping, caffes and tourism shops. It also has many historical monuments and fountains, as well as churches and other places of interest.

Neues Rathaus and Glockenspiel

Most people will likely concentrate on the Old City, Marianplatz where the Glockenspiel plays it’s tune everyday at eleven and twelve o’clock (sometimes at seventeen o’clock in the winter).

It plays a rather long ditty that includes the operation of the top and then the bottom carousel of automatons.

Altstadt-Lehel

This region of München lies just to the north of the old city, or Altstadt. Here is where you will find the palaces, gardens and other grand accoutrements of the city.

English Gardens

A large garden located to the north of the main part of the city, it is a very nice place to visit on a sunny day. A large city park with many different things to see and experience, it even has a place that people go to surf, if one can believe such a thing can exist away from the coast in a city.

Eisbachwelle

Just on the south east end of the gardens you will discover the river Eisbach and the Eisbachwelle. This is a fast moving stream that has been conveniently modified through the use of carefully placed stones into a haven for surf-boarders. It’s amazing to stop for a bit just to see their skill and how they are able to throw their boards in and hop on in all but an instant, truly remarkable.

Maximiliansanlagen and the Isar

Another great place for a stroll is Maximilian’s garden. A very well kept park which stretches along the Isar and the Isarinsel or island that provides a cool contemplative place for de-stressing and an escape from the warm summer midday.

Here you will find the Friedensengel monument and several other interesting points of interest. The two bridges that bound it, the Luitpoldbrücke and the Maximiliansbrücke provide pedestrian friendly points of entry.

Of note are the Große Kascaden, or Great Cascades, a series of weirs and fish ladders that provide a series of small waterfalls. The Wehr WKW-Praterkraftwerk, or power station, is built into the structure to provide electric power to the city. Through thoughtful design of constructing flood control they have provided electricity as well.

Restaurants

We spent time at the following restaurants. Some are must see, even though the food will not be up to expectations. We found the smaller establishments to be better, especially the service and cleanliness.

Hofbräuhaus

Well, perhaps the largest and most well-known beerhall in München, the Munich Hofbräuhaus is as large and as busy as it will get in a place to eat. They have a gift shop to match your expectations for a large one liter glass.

The band was great and our food was okay. Service is always going to be a problem at such a large establishment, that’s why I prefer the smaller places.

However, if you can overlook the local fauna, an interesting place to eat and drink. I have found a lack of service usually indicates a lack of cleanliness; if they cannot serve you, they cannot clean properly either – just a thought. In any case, one of the go-to places and a must see. Have a drink and if the fauna bother you, avoid the rest of the menu.

Der Pschorr

Another very good place for German food, perhaps the best that we had while in Munich. The service was very good as well, they kind of went out of their way to welcome families with children. You will find the place open and inviting with a good menu and food. Jett, Meagan and Jason’s baby ate for free, something not seen too often today.

Burg Pappenheim

One of Dana’s picks and an attempt to find that authentic German restaurant look and feel. It was really close, we found only one waiter that spoke English here, the others spoke German for the most part, though I was confident they could completely understand English.

Augustiner am Platzl

Overall a good place for German food. The service is better and the staff seems more attentive to customer needs. The food is also better, both tastier and presentation-wise. They can also accommodate larger families without the squeeze. There is however no band, so if you are looking for the Umpa-band look and feel, you will not find it here.

The food and service were very good and the atmosphere a mix of old and new Bavaria. This restaurant is a bit out of the way and a bit of a walk from the city center, but worth the visit.

Zum Dürnbräu

Here we had a pleasant meal outside not far from our hotel, even though the weather was a bit questionable with rain possible. The service was a bit slow, but the food was good and we had a very good time. The sauerbraten was first rate and I got to try the Apfelküchle, or fried apple rings with cinnamon and light sugar, which I found delightful.

Tavernetta Cucina con Pizza

After some time German food creates issues that only Italian food can cure. When you come to this Rubicon, you can cross by considering a place like Tavernetta, where you can enjoy some Italian food. They have a good menu, good service and the prices are not astronomical.

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Gelnhausen, Germany – a weekend train destination

With a cohort of eight, we found it impossible with only one car to make a day trip on the weekend of August the 17th, so we took the Regional Train direct from Offenbach Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). In 25 mintues with the RE51 you can be in Gelnhausen, or with the RB51 slightly longer; both operate often and at regular intervals.

Gelnhausen

An unusual destination for non-Germans, Gelnhausen does not offer much but a change of scenery, a lazy stroll in the park and perhaps different opportunities to eat.

The town is separated into lower and upper market places, or Unter- and Obermarkt, both of which act as parking lots for locals and visitors alike. Since we took the train, the entry to the town was over the Kinzig river and through the Ziegelturm.

Walking the narrow streets of Gelnhausen the visitor will notice numerous timber houses with sayings on them. In many towns, this is an old practice which has been used probably for centuries, either to provide some humor or commentary on the events of the time.

On the other end of town, after the Obermarkt you can wander through the Holzgasse Tower to find the old town wall. Here you will enjoy a very nice park with an overlook of the town and surrounding area.

Not far from the entrance is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the town from the two world wars.

The town also has a few other monuments or fountains worth visiting.

Restaurants

There are many restaurants in this small town, though few were open. However, from what we could tell, there would be many cuisines to choose from had the other restaurants been open.

Malamatina’s Greek Restaurant

Off the beaten path and not far from the Obermarkt, is Malamatina’s Greek restaurant. Though the sign says, Greek and German food, we didn’t see much in the way of German food on the menu..

The house wine was of a Greek varietal that I, personally have never tried, but found very interesting, served under their own label.

The food was traditional Greek, offering Gyros, Slavaki and salads.

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Linz, Austria – Home Of Linzer Torte

Our trip from Bad Gastein to Linz took us through the Berchtesgaden Alps of Salzburg. As the train starts to navigate through the narrow pass of Salzachtal, the mountains rear up quickly to the point where you aren’t even able to take a photograph of them anymore from the train window.

Linz The City

Linz is a typical Austrian city and the capital of Upper Austria or OberÖsterreich. It is for the most part clean and has the typical European city layout, with an old medieval part surrounded by a newer main street and some other ancillary shopping avenues in a more planned pattern.

Linz has somewhat of a checkered past and has had a difficult time getting out from under that reputation; there are reminders in the city everywhere, with it’s Hitlerbauten. Aside from that, the places of interest are all in an area comparable to places like Munich or even Copenhagen. So, you should be able to reach everything within a good twenty to thirty minute walk.

One comes away with the immediate impression that few, if any of the structures are original. This is probably partially due to the war and the Linzers going contemporary, when they can. The bridges that jump the Danube are for the most part modern, as is much of the architecture in the city. At times you could mistake the city for a similar place in the United States, since many of the shops use English and have cosmopolitan origins.

The Innenstadt

Most restaurants, cafes and shops seem to be along the Hauptstraße in the Innenstadt. Here is where you will find the main tram line, which goes the entire length of this street all the way across the bridge to Urfahr on the other side.

Churches

There are several churches worth visiting while in Linz, with special attention to Ursuline and Marien Dom if you are pressed for time. The following two were photographed, but not open at the time. Ignatius Church is also known as the Alter Dom and was the primary church prior to the Linzer Dom being built.

Ursuline Church

The Ursuline Church is on Landstraße and is somewhat difficult to photograph from the street.

However, it has a magnificent inside which many will find interesting.

Martin Luther Church

In true protestant style, both the outside and inside of the church are rather basic. But from a historical perspective, still interesting to visit.

Marien Dom

This is Linz’s Cathedral and the largest church in Linz and in Austria. The Marien-Dom is also known as Mariä-Empfängnis-Dom, the New Cathedral or the Linzer Dom. It borders the Altstadt and can be found along the Herrenstraße and Baumbachstraße

It is a true cathedral and adheres true to the dimensions of the cross in its architecture (seen from the air).

The Altstadt

The old part of the city is rather small and unremarkable. It is near the Castle and park and runs up to the Upper Austrian government buildings. A short walk down the Hofgasse will bring you to the Schloßberg where the old castle and its grounds are maintained.

Schloßberg Castle

The Schloßberg Castle is not open on Mondays, so before going there you may want to check the entries times and dates. The other direction you can take to reach the castle is via Tiefergraben and walking through the back part of the park first. Walking this way first you will come across Martins Church and a statue of Kepler.

The castle is another example of the Linzers throwing old and new architecture together. We are not at all to happy with this trend (including the Louvre in Paris), however, we do not live in the city either and its people obviously feel a need to move forward and live in a more contemporary setting.

The grounds have a small park which has a few monuments in it and a very good overlook of the Danube river and Pöstlingberg.

Pöstlingbergbahn And Pöstlingberg

A good half day trip is taking the tram up to Pöstlingberg using the Pöstlingbergbahn or tram. It starts in the Hauptplatz and stops several times along the way to service local residents and students, since there are a few university stops along the way.

The view of Linz once you reach the top is truly worth the time and effort.

Wallfahrts Basilica

On the top of Pöstlingberg sits the Wallfahrts Basilica of the Sieben Schmerzen Mariae, or the Seven Pains of Mary. It has a commanding view of Linz and the surrounding areas.

The basilica inside is quite impressive and is also known as the Pöstlingberg Pilgrimage Church.

It also has a very nice park adjacent to it where you can leisurely stroll while the cool air up there offers a breeze on warm days.

Grottenbahn

There is also the Grottenbahn for those that have children or are young at heart. Apparently, it is a miniature railway inside that takes young people fantasy ride where there are gnomes and other fairytale characters, most likely with an emphasis on European tales.

Though we did not take the adventure, we found the cost for one adult to be around 6€/person.

Restaurants

Since we were both feeling a bit under the weather, due to an unusual virus we had both caught; we decided to eat in at the hotel most evenings. Below are the exceptions to that rule and are special places to eat while in Linz.

Jindrak Konditorei

Located throughout Linz are copies of this original konditorei located on Herrenstraße in the altstadt. They are known for the amazing Linzer Torte and other baked delicacies. For any serious dessert lover and a must Kaffee und Kucken stop in mid afternoon when in Linz.

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Bad Gastein, Austria РB̦ckstein Hike

Yesterday, since the weather was definitely improving, we decided to take a walk or hike to Böckstein, another town along the river that feeds the majestic Gasteiner Falls.

To get there you can hike the Kaiserin Elisabethe Promenade, which is for the most part paved and relatively flat. It is probably important to remember to bring water, since there is not much wind in the valley and the sun can make it quite hot without any shade or clouds to protect you.

Böckstein

Located a bit more than three kilometers south of Bad Gastein is Böckstein, a small hamlet of houses at the nexus of the Pallner Bach and the Naßfelder Ache.

The town center has some historical buildings and items of interest, and of course a museum that was not open. Check the times, because like many other businesses in the area, they are probably only open from 15:00 – 18:00. However, if you do get to visit, definitely stop, I heard the museum is quite interesting and well presented.

Within the park there is an old mining train on display. The Elektrische Grubenlokomotive, or electric mining train, is part of the Montanmuseum of Böckstein and a very interesting find for train enthusiasts.

Restaurants

The unfortunate thing about Bad Gastein is the lack of restaurants. There are about a handful of them that are owned by the same entity that owns our hotel, therefore the menu in each becomes rather predictable. Our hotel does have the Ritz restaurant, however it only offers a five-course meal at a fix priced. Which is in and off itself okay, but the quantity of food sometimes is just too much.

Angelo Pizzeria

Located on Karl-Heinrich-Waggerl-Straße, Angelo Pizzeria is actually part of the group that owns the Salzburger Hof hotel. It is usually open from 15:00 to 20:00 and has fairly good pizza. The soup was actually quite good, I had their tomato soup with creme fraiche and it was very tasty.

Their mixed salad is a typical German gemischter Salat, where everything is actually not mixed, but placed next to each other. So all of the grated carrots, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes line the bowl. Moreover, on the bottom of your mixed greens, you will find a surprise of traditional coleslaw or chopped cabbage, beans, sliced beets and German potato salad styled potatoes.

Wirtshaus Jägerhäusl

This restaurant does not belong to the chain mentioned above and offers a happy alternative to the same menu. The decor is appealing and it is also in a quiet area, away from the Silver Bullet Bar that plays loud music.

Here you can actually find a Minestrone soup and other dishes that are well prepared and taste great. We both ordered the soup, I ordered the chicken sandwich and Patti ordered the chicken schnitzel. With a bottle of water it all came to 57€, which we found reasonable for the area.

Today it’s off to the top of the Stubnerkogel and a day on the mountain.

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Bad Gastein, Austria – Gasteiner Falls

We left Turin early in the morning on the 5:50AM train, in order to catch the FrecciaRossa from Turin to Milan. Of course, due to the early hour, we used the Wetaxi Application and ordered a taxi for 12€ to take us to Porta Nuovo, the main train station in this part of the city.

Our connecting FrecciaRossa, took us from Milan to Venice Maestre, where we picked up our Austrian ÖBB train to Villach, Austria. Luckily, all of our connections, and there were four, worked without issue.

An hour train north of Villach, Austria you can find the small health spa town of Bad Gastein. Though a shadow of its former self, when dignitaries and other luminaries used to visit for its waters and mountain air, it is still worth a visit, if not only for the aforementioned reasons.

Bad Gastein

The town runs at a slower pace than other mountains towns we have visited. Perhaps it is more difficult to capture tourist monies with a waterfall and health resort as the primary attractions, as opposed to say a very large mountain or a large ski resort complex.

There are parts of the town center that appear to be in eternal repair. Though there is work going on here and there, it does not appear to have progressed much in the last few years. The thermal water fountain building and the old Kurhotel of Austria appear permanently closed. Unfortunately, there are no signs posted explaining the reason, so we were just left to ponder what might have happened.

Hotels

Hotel Salzburger Hof

We stayed at the Salzburger Hof, a very large hotel close to the train station with all the amenities. It appears to be one of the better kept establishments in Bad Gastein, with two pools, three restaurants and a health spa. Apparently host to Count von Bismark and other dignitaries, including many American personalities.

The rooms are very spacious and well appointed. The hotel seems proud of its tradition of important guests, there are photographs of everyone who has visited hung throughout the hotel and in the rooms.

Gasteiner Falls

The main attraction in the center of town now are the falls. The great Gasteiner Waterfalls are indeed impressive, especially after the storm that has just passed through this region of Europe. Since a video is worth a thousand words, here are a few.

It is easy enough to get a glimpse of the waterfalls by walking the main road through town and stopping at the bridge.

After taking in their beauty from the bridge, there are also other vantage points from which the falls may be enjoyed. But, that requires a bit of climbing and some hiking, all of which can be done with modern sneakers, not equipment necessary.

There is a section above the falls where they were purposely redirected some years ago by a dam that was built by a member of the clergy. This forces all the current water down a single corridor within the rocks.

Hiking Trails

There are numerous trails for walking, hiking and biking around town. For our first day our we chose the one that visited the Upper Gastein Falls and then descended towards lower Bad Gastein.

Restaurants

La Pizzeria Napoletana

A very small Italian pizzeria stuck in the back of a another building right next to the Gasteiner Falls is the La Pizzeria Napoletana.

Their tomato and mozzarella pizza is thin and very tasty. This restaurant has a minimal menu of pizza, beer, soft drinks and some wine, there is little else to choose from if you are really hungry.

The pizza is authentic, right down to its crust. The prices are very reasonable and emblematic of what you would expect in a small town or city in Italy.

Orania Stueberl Restaurant

A restaurant that is almost always open, it is a good go-to place when you have few if any options. The food is good, but rather predictable, but that could be said for the rest of the cuisine in this small town.

The interior is adorned with numerous sacrificial animals that were ostensibly killed locally and now inhabit this restaurant’s walls. I guess I never understood if this practice was supposed to be in honor of the animal that was killed, or in spite of it. In any case, it appears a bit overdone.

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Copenhagen, Denmark – The City and More

Below are some final meanderings about the city, several other places that we ate and a few places that we saw, that just didn’t fit in any of the former entries.

Copenhagen

Some final thoughts on the city and its location. The weather when we were here was borderline terrible. So if you plan on visiting, you should check the extended forecast prior to packing. It was August and we dealt with temperatures in the 50-60°F range with rain. After the first few days, we just had to ask someone if this what the weather is always like. We were told that the weather is extremely variable and they have even seen snow in the middle of summer! Again, be prepared. We packed both long and short pants and shirts, along with raincoats and glad we did; but only because we knew the forecast had low temperatures and rain.

Our Canal Tour

Touring a city such as Copenhagen, which has plenty of canals and waterways, would not be complete without a canal or boat tour. There are plenty to choose from and you can visit the Information Center to find our more or the city’s website. Make sure you prepare properly for the weather, few boats on the canal tours are covered and those only leave at certain times of the day, so plan accordingly, they do go in the rain.

They also go in extraordinary high tides as well. Our tour was modified because the tides had come in extra high, leaving little space under the bridges. Therefore, we could not go down some canals and I think our tour ended up a bit longer that it probably should have been.

Trinitatis Kirke

Trinitatis Kirke, or Trinitatis church, is a church built in the seventeenth century that is connected to The Round Tower. It was initially built to support the university, since it was part of the overall Trinitatis Complex. The Library Hall, which is built over one of the church’s naves dictated the size of the church when it was originally constructed. In any event, the church has a baroque look and feel to it which may be of interest to some and the organ is certainly something you should see.

The Round Tower

The Round Tower is actually an odd building for several reasons. At first I thought it was a shot tower, where they used to make gunshot or ball bearings. It just did not make any sense to me to build such a structure with a central column and a ramp for horses, unless it had some manufacturing purpose. Moreover, the rebus on the building has been loosely interpreted as Lead, God and The Correct Teaching; which also initially reinforced my belief that it had some military purpose; the telescope and Library Hall being repurposed after other ways to make ammunition came into vogue.

I surprised to find the edifice was built with a ramp inside so that the horses where able to bring the heavy equipment up the tower for the telescope installation. The central column was later intentionally used as a toilet by the staff who found it arduous to walk down the ramp to go to the bathroom.

The telescope installation was built on top of the tower some time after that was completed. The Library Hall was initially used as a library and has now been repurposed as an Art Exhibition hall.

There are also a few astronomical oddities to see, if you look up while you are waiting for the light to change to ascend to the observation lookout. They are a map of the solar system and a zodiac timepiece.

Restaurants

Some last insights into food and some places to go or avoid.

Nebbiolo

Essentially a wine bar serving Aperitivo, or charcuterie and other small items to eat while you enjoy their wine. Since we were not particularly hungry one evening, we tried this place which happened to be right next door to the Chinese restaurant we visited.

Dong Yuan

A very good Chinese restaurant right around the corner from our hotel. The place is always busy, but it does take reservations. The prices are reasonable, considering the prices in the rest of Copenhagen. They also have half-bottles of wine at a very good price, I would commend a Bordeaux.

Taste

A lunch establishment with very limited seating, so show up early if you want one. We sat inside, since the weather was intolerable and the outside seating had little, if any cover. The food is good, but a bit oily. The grilled sandwich I ordered could not be picked up, so I had to cut it into pieces using a knife and fork.

Bistro Verde

This was a quick find before we left Copenhagen for Turin. This restaurant offers a Sunday Brunch at a decent price, the only problem was, it was a vegan dish. So we just ordered a pair of normal cappuccinos and croissants and enjoyed the beautiful Sunday morning before leaving.

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Alba, Italy – Piedmont’s Wine Center

Our trip started at Turin’s Porta Susa train station. For a little over 12€/person, you can purchase a one-way commuter ticket on Piedmont’s Sfm4 line to Alba, which takes about an hour and twenty minutes to get there, going through Bra first, which can also be a stop on your itinerary.

Alba

Anyone serious about wine or truffles has to visit Alba, Italy. Located an hour or so south of Turin, it is a bustling center for both, especially in the Fall when both of these products are harvested. Our whole intent on visiting the town was a wine tour we had booked for Barolo and Barbaresco (covered in my next post), but we decided to grab a hotel and enjoy an extra day just to explore.

The town is rather self contained and almost in the shape of a loose hexagon, owing to its ancient Roman ancestry as a fortification no doubt. There are several places where these ancient ruins are evident and demonstrate how the town itself is constructed upon them, using them as a foundation. There are also underground caverns and tunnels that can be explored, but arrangements have to be made ahead of time in order to visit them.

The town has numerous towers and it was once known as the town with a hundred towers. These were most likely constructed as lookouts and were defensive in nature.

There are also numerous churches, as is true of most Italian towns and cities. The cathedral, or Duomo, occupies a central place near the town’s marketplace and between the Piazza Duomo and Piazza Rossetti. The interior is typical for its size and function.

Other churches, including the Church of the Maddalena, actually have more interesting and elaborate interiors. One, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, looks more like a provincial library than a church inside.

Hotel Dellatorre

A three star hotel, which is actually more of a converted Bed-n-Breakfast, than a real hotel. It is more like a cafe/bar that has added rooms and tries to call itself a hotel. All the rooms are separate and there is no main structure with hallways, they all have external doors.

The owner runs a cafe or bar as well, and although we stayed here for one night, we did not use her cafe for breakfast, since we had learned that the beverages were a bit over-priced. Again, we are not sure whether that is in fact the case, but we did notice that there was no menu or price list anywhere. While we travel we have a general rule that if the prices are not listed, we tend to avoid the establishment.

The room was spacious enough, quiet and comfortable for the most part. The bed was very hard, so if you prefer that kind of mattress firmness, this place might be for you.

Restaurants

Conterosso

For lunch we ate at Conterosso and chose two of the local dishes. Patti had the Agnolotti with truffles and I had the veal with a barolo wine sauce, both were excellent dishes.

Gusto Madre

A contemporary dining place that makes excellent pizza. Located in Piazza Michele Ferrero, it is just on the edge of town.

Since Patti was not feeling well, I ate alone and just ordered a simple Pizza Margherita which was drizzled with a pesto, it was actually quite good.

Map of the City

Below is a map of the city.

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Zermatt, Switzerland – Gornergrat – Part Three

Gornergrat

Another must see place in Zermatt is Gornergrat. You can reach this promontory by using the Gornergrat train, a mountain rack railway, which ascends the mountain passed Riffelalp and Riffelberg.

There are several stops besides these two along the way that one may decide to leave the train and just walk or hike. However, unlike Sunnegga and Blauherd, the terrain here is a bit more unforgiving and vertical. Also, the weather on top of the mountains can be cold and unpredictable, so bring something warm and something waterproof, especially if you are hiking.

Gornergrat Glacier

The height of the trip is the summit and the Gornergrat Glacier. Aside from this, this isn’t much to see, especially in marginal weather when the Matterhorn is obscured.

Panorama of Gorner Glacier – Gornergrat – Zermatt, Switzerland

Riffelberg

On the way down we stopped at Riffelberg, with the hopes of getting some hiking in down to Riffelalp. However, the weather was not looking very good and we were still suffering from our colds, so we decided against it.

Here are some short videos that were taken of our trip.

Restaurants

We did not eat at the restaurant on the summit, but rather waited until we were back in Zermatt. We left around ten in the morning and were already back a little after noon.

China Garden

Any one seeking good Chinese food at very reasonable prices has to visit the China Garden.

They have all the dishes which are prepared with continental ingredients and taste delicious. For those that prefer their lunches uncomplicated, here you can definitely find some vegetarian or simple to order.

And of course, after lunch the day would not be complete this week without the customary rain storm. Actually, this was just a gentle shower, later in the day we had a very severe thunderstorm. But we were inside the hotel by then and did not care. Again, the weather can be unpredictable here, so be prepared and check the forecast, they are for the most part reliable.

Tomorrow it’s on to Matterhorn Glacier, so we will be taking the Matterhorn Glacier Express.