Germany/Italy 2000

After Oktoberfest, we explored Munich a bit and also travelled south into Italy.  We stayed with Shannon in Bologna, visited Florence and Venice, then trained back to Munich through snow covered Alps.  It was wonderful.  (To see some great pictures of Bologna, please visit my friend Shannon's site and click on her Bologna links!)

 To the right is a picture of the Glockenspiel (carillon) located in the Marienplatz.  Quite a crowd gathers in the plaza to listen to the bells chime, at 11:00 and noon each day.

A photo of Jude in front of the Nymphenburg palace (the royal family's summer home!)

 On the left, a photo of the Duomo in Siena and on the right, a view down the street in San Gimignano.  Both are small towns in the Toscano (Tuscany) countryside and were a delight to visit.

 A photo of Michelangelo's David , which is now housed in the Galleria Dell'Accademia.  Originally, it stood outside the Palazzo Vecchio, until it's transfer in the late 19th century to protect it from environmental damage.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  It's quite overwhelming and takes your breath away as you turn the corner in the museum and SEE it.  In October, I was able to snap this photo, when I returned in February, photos were strictly forbidden.  I was glad to have already gotten this shot.

AAHH .... Venice.  This was the end of the trip for Jude and I, and unfortunately turned out to be our least favorite.  We loved Florence and weren't fond of Venice.  Usually, it's the other way around.  But, we were both glad that we visited (before it falls into the Adriatic!)  On the left, a photo from our Gondola ride.  And, on the right, a view of the Basilica de San Marco from the Piazza of the same name.  One plus to Venice?  The shopping!!!  My first Gucci purchase was in Venice ..... aaahh!

 And last but not least, no trip to Venice is complete without the requisite photo of a quiet canal.  We could see where the city had once been charming, and it photographs well, but according to the few locals that still live there, it's become so expensive to live there that not only is the city becoming run down, but over half the residences are deserted!