We have a little place in the French Countryside

We arrived in Paris after a five hour train ride from Chamonix just to change trains. It turns out Paris has five main stations and were not at the right one. Luckily we did not cut it close on timing because it was a 3 mile walk across the city with our packs to the correct station. After 12 hours of traveling we made it to La Loupe where we met our new wwoof hosts.



Carol and Pietro run a beautiful bed and breakfast in the French country side that looks exactly how one would imagine the french country side to look. Rolling forested hills dotted with pastures, chateaus and quaint stone villages.

We started out with our usual garden work; weeding and harvesting. I guess we must seem trustworthy because after knowing us for all of 2 days Carol and Pietro asked us if we would mind house sitting while they went to Sardinia to take care of some family business. Of course we said it was not a problem (where would we have to be?) So basically we had a beautiful house in the country side to our selves. We still had some work while they were away but it was light and we had a lot of free time: most of which we spent cooking and eating. We also had a lot of fun walking or riding bikes to the village a few kilometers away.

While we were there our friend Daniel was visiting Paris and since we were only a little over an hour away it was natural that we would meet up. We headed into Paris and met Daniel and his roommate under the Eiffel tower. (Not as obvious as we would have thought as it is like the size of a city block.) We found it strange that there were armed guards everywhere and I later looked really stupid when a reporter asked me on camera if I knew that there had been a terrorist threat on Paris that day. I did not. We also did not know until our mothers started calling that there was a travel warning for France.

We went up the Eiffel Tower and saw Notre Dame without any further terrorist problems. We were really glad to be there in October instead of tourist filled summer as there were a lot anyway. After our one day taste of Paris (with a few items checked off of our to see list for our "real" Paris visit to come) we headed back to the country side for another week of relaxing. We had such a nice time and our hosts were so great I think we would have moved in if there had bee some climbing nearby.



Business Trip in Italy but All Business in Chamonix

Still jittery with excitement from our recent engagement, we made our way via several trains and buses to the city of Trento to meet Lisa's dad, Dave, and her step-mom, Dawn, who had been in Milan at a water-ski tournament. We had no idea where the hotel was but after wandering away from the train station we managed to find it just as Dave and Dawn were unloading their car.  It was a treat to stay at a nice hotel where we weren`t sharing a bathroom with the rest of the floor.  Trento was a typical Italian city in that there was a beautiful old section inside of a wall with narrow cobblestone streets surrounded by industrial ugly shit architecture.  It was good to be with people a little less used to Italy because it kept us from taking the Italian-ness for granted!

The next day we went for a walk and took a cable car to the top of a hill.  It was in stark contrast with the cable cars in Switzerland in that it cost 90 cents as opposed to 30euros.  Then again the cable cars in Switzerland didn`t seem like they would crash down at any second.

We left Trento and headed towards the small town of Asolo stopping to visit Dave's friend`s water ski camp.  We stayed in another really nice hotel in Asolo and had a great time seeing another town we had not yet been to.  One night we went out to dinner with Dave`s Italian distributor and had fun practicing our Italian.  As usual we learned why italy was the best place in the world and that this region was the best part of Italy.  We also hiked up to a castle where with some fatherly encouragement Lisa decided to climb on the thirteenth century walls.  A stone pulled out and she tumbled down and has been limping ever since.  Karma?

The next day we were making our way towards Milan and randomly decided to stop at a town on Lago Garda.  It ended up being perfect weather so we rented a boat and toured around the lake taking plenty of time to just relax and swim.  Afterwards we went to the town of Sirmione which I had never heard of, but apparently everyone else has as it was packed with tourists.  And for good reason as often times seems to be the case. 

The next day we all headed to the Milan airport where we would say our goodbyes and Lis and I would take a shuttle to Milano Centrale and work our way to Chamonix.  On the way we stopped for gas and in typical parental fashion and keeping up with our rental car luck, Dave  filled the tank with diesel instead of unleaded.  Luckily we made it to the airport and dropped the car before we saw any results of this new diet.

It turned out to be a huge pain in the ass to get from Milan to Chamonix and took two days even tough its only about 200 kilometers.  I guess we were crossing the highest mountain range in Europe.  More specifically there is a tunnel that goes under the highest point in Europe.

Chamonix was amazing.  The mountains are crazy spikes that lend endless climbing opportunities.  The first day we were there the weather was good and knowing it was supposed to change we hopped on a cable car to get to some alpine rock!  It was just sport climbing but in an alpine setting in the fog that made it feel much more serious.  We were glad that we climbed that day because the weather did change and we spent the next few days hiking, getting rained off of lower crags and drinking hot chocolate in a patisserie.  At one point we met up with some friends, Jena and John, who were there on their honeymoon and had just climbed mount Blanc.

Finally on our last day there the weather cleared and we had perfect blue sky.  We hiked up for 2 1/2 hours to a point on the map that showed a sport climbing park.  While it was absolutely beautiful, we didn`t see any climbing opportunities that did not involve a full alpine rack (we sent ours home in the spring) and it was a bit annoying after such a long hike to still be surrounded by tourists who were pouring off of a tram.  We were able to hike just a little further though and have a whole lake to ourselves which was a great way to end our time in the mountains!  By the way, Lisa is fine :-)

On one knee in the Dolomites

I'll get it out right away, I proposed to Lisa in the Dolomites on top of a mountain!  Here's how:

Lisa's ring at the location of the proposal

The distance from Zurich to Cortina, the town nearist where we were to climb in the Dolomites, is not that far, travelling through the mountains is slow going so we split the trip into two days.  We spent one night in the town of Bresoneone before making the journy into the heart of the Dolomites.  After a train and two busses we just had a simple 2 hour hike with 2000ft of elevation gain to get to the refugio we were staying at.  We were, of course, carrying all of our gear for the entire trip, as well as food and water for our stay!  The refugio was perched on a huge slab with a 200ft drop off on three sides.  When we arrived we found out that the weather was supposed to turn to rain so we hurried back down to get some climbing in.  We got a couple of routes in before it started to rain.  When we returned to the refugio the owner looked worried and insisted we hurry into the dinning room for dinner.  We explaned that we hauled 30lbs of food with us and were not planning on eating there.  She responed that she could not force us to eat there but it was not good.  After this she kept tight tabs on us.  She was sure were were going to start a fire in our room to cook or steal somthing.

The view from the first refugio

We had planned on staying there for 3 nights but becasue of her less than friendly attitude we headed for our second refugio a day early.  The second refugio was amazing.  It included breakfast and a three course dinner, and was only a five minute stroll from the climbing.  Unfortionatlly it had not stopped raining since our first day so we decided to do a via ferrata to the top of a mountain rather than a climb.  A via ferrata is a route with fixed steel cabels for protection and ladders over any technical terrain.  While the climbing is really easy, it is fun how fast you can move.

The Cinque Terre where we did all our climbing

I had the ring in my bag that I had bought before we even left home and was waiting for the right time to ask Lisa the big question.  I had hoped to do it on top of one of the spires we were climbing but the weather was not coroperating.  I decided that if the weather was good on top of the mountain that would be the spot.  The entire climb was in a cloud.  As soon as we steeped on the summit however, we were above the clouds in the sun.  This was my sign.  While Lisa signed the summit registry I snuck the ring out of my bag.  When whe came back over I got down on my knee and asked her to marry me!  Not even trying to fight back the tears she said "Yes, of course!" 

Lisa just after the big question

The rest of the day it poured but we didn't care, we were happy no matter what.  We went climbing that afternoon finding some overhanging routes that stayed dry.  We then celebrated with our amazing three course dinner in the refugio.

Me on top of one of the knife edge summits

The next day the weather was better but still freezing.  We were however able to get a bunch of routes in and exhausted ourselves climbing all day!  The next morning we got up early to get a few routes in before leaving (in perfect blue skys!)

Lisa with her ring on the porch of our refugio

The Eiger, the Matterhorn and Barb

We woke up bright and early to catch the train from Tincino to Zurich to meet Lisa´s mom, Barb who had just flown in from Detroit.  When we met her Barb was shaking with excitement to see us (Lisa).  We had reserved a rental car and had planned on me being the driver.  Unfortionatly since I am not yet 25 they wanted to charge us an extra 20 dollars a day.  We decided to save the money and let Barb drive.  Within half and hour I was haveing dejavu.  Crash! The mirror was broken by a reflector that must have just jumped out at us.  I drove the rest of the day.  Other than the minor mirror incident (which I am getting a lot of practice handeling) we had a really nice drive to Zermatt over some beautiful mountain passes.

There was some confusion in finding our hotel becasue we had google directions telling us how to drive there, but you cannot drive in Zermatt.  I would have expected more out of google.  Eventually we figured it out and took the train up to Zermatt.  Zermatt is pretty much like Aspen or Vail with one difference: The Matterhorn!  Just looking at it made me want to climb it right there, gear or not.  I felt completely inadequite just hiking and wandering around town below it.  I think I took around 150 pictures of it, most are probablly the same, but I couldn´t help it.  I just kept snapping.

We did take some really nice hikes though.  One was up a huge glaciar valley through the tiny village of Zmatt.  We hiked up a couple of miles and Lisa and Barb decided to turn around.  I turned it into a loop adding a couple thousand feet of elevation gain.  At the top I realized that I was running late to meet the girls so I decided to run down.  It felt ok while I was doing it but after I could hardley walk.  I guess 3000ft elevation loss is not the way to ease back into running. 

The next day it was raining so we just "bopped" around town, Barb buying hankercheifs for what seemed like everyone she knew!  The next day we took a train to the top of another mountain where there was supposed to be some sport climbing.  We did not find any sport routes but the view was well worth it.  We spent the rest of the day hiking down.

After Zermatt we headed to Grimmenwald, home the Eiger Nor Wand.  We went over one of the same passes as on the way to Zermatt where we had planned on doing some climbing the second time through.  This time, however, it was snowing so hard there was only a few hundred feet of visability.  It was 50 degrees F colder than it had been four days eariler!  We did not climb.  At least Barbs driving had improved in time for the storm!

Grimmenwald was really nice.  Still touristy but much quieter than Zermatt.  Barb, being the slave driver she is, had us hiking every day we were there!  We also had a chance to do a little climbing.  The Eiger, covered in fresh snow, inspired more of a "I´m glad I´m down here" feeling than one of insperation to climb it.  Someday. (maybe.)  While we were there we also explored the neighboring valley, properly named the valley of water falls.  There was waterfall after waterfall all at leat 200ft high!  We took a short hike behind one, and then a long hike to the top of it.  When given the option of hiking a nice flat trail in the valley or straight up, Barb chose up!

While we were there we did 50/50 cooking and eating out.  It was fun to have another person to cook for but also really nice to have some great meals out!  On the last day there, Barb and Lisa treated themselves to a well deserved spa day while I just wandered around town.

We spent the last day in Zurich shopping (Barb bought more hankeys for all her snotty firends), going into chocolate shops and eating.  Before we knew it Barb was on her way to the airport and we were heading back to Italy to climb!

WWOOFing in Switzerland

One of the three castles in Bellinzona

We left the pooring rain of Innsbruck in a less than smooth fashion. After realizing that we had spent a lot more on our tickets than we should have and being refused a refund we boarded the train near the back. After a few stops we found out the train was splitting and only half was going to Switzerland. Not our half. It was no problem to switch at a stop and after another bus ride we arrived in Bellinzona where our new Wwoof host Eva was picking us up.

On top of the mountain that Eva lived on

Eva lives on a mountain overlooking the city with her sons Valerio and Florian who are just a couple of years younger than us. Eva had a huge garden, lots of fruit tress, four small fat goats and a dog named Mixi. We spent our working time picking fruit, pulling out bamboo and building another stone wall. (Our favorite!) We also had tons of time to cook which we loved and the boys loved to eat so it worked out great!

Climbing at Ponta Brola

Eva's beautiful garden

Since this wwoof was a lot more laid back we had a lot of time to explore the area. We went hiking above the house. One day we hiked to a nearby river where we found really cool natural water slides! We also checked out the castles in town. Bellinzona is known for having three castles. Bellinzina is part of Tincino, the Italian speaking region of Switzerland and we found that is was very similar to Italy in most aspects, except the cost of things which were very Swiss (expensive!).

Goats!

On one of our full days off we took the train to go climbing in a nearby area. The climbing was really easy but really fun and it was just what we need to get a bunch of pitches in fast. After climbing we went swimming in a river nearby at the bottom of a gorge. The water was freezing but the location was beautiful with white rocks jetting out of the crystal blue water giving it the fell of swimming in a glacier!

Lisa relaxing on one of the glacier like rocks

Natural waterslide!

Another day Valerio took us climbing right on the Italian border with his friend, Maro. It was like a two hour approach up hill to get to the rocks but it was worth it. Not only was the climbing excellent but we had great views of Switzerland and Italy!

Climbing on the Swiss-Italian border

Florian, me, Lisa, Valerio and Eva

We also spent a lot of time paying table tennis with Florian (it was a toss up between Florian and Lisa, I was always third) and practicing english with Eva. On our last night Valerio took us sightseeing in the area. We saw the worlds highest dam (the one in Golden Eye), and a really cool traditional town. There was a really old and high bridge that Valerio jumped off of into the freezing water at night. It was nice to get to know other young people from another culture as opposed to the older couple that we were used to. The whole family was great and we had a nice time with all of them.

Goats!

Beer, Sausage and more naked Germans

Lisa infront of the Berlin Wall

After another fantastic night in an airport we arrived in Berlin early in the morning.We took the bus to find our hostel and found it in a charming neighborhood full of erotic stores, strip clubs and Turkish restaurants. Berlin was probably our least favorite city we have been in so far. I guess Nazis, getting completely destroyed by the allies and then communist rule don´t do a lot to make a city nice to look at.

The less than spectacular Berlin Skyline

There were some really cool things there, but you had to sift through a lot of garbage (there was trash everywhere) and communist functional architecture to find it. It was however very interesting historically to see things like Hitlers bunker and the Berlin wall. One thing that is cool about Berlin is that there are a lot of artists there, so there are cool murals on many of the buildings. The best gallery was on a remaining section of the wall. My favorite thing about Berlin was the Curry wurst. (That's not saying a lot as it is just a hot dog with ketchup and curry.)

One of the many Spectacular Prague Skylines

We were not sad to leave Berlin to head to Prague. Prague was very juxtaposed with Berlin, having the most interesting gothic architecture I have ever seen as well as being exceptionally clean. Like Berlin, Prague is steeped in all kinds of bloody history which we learned about on a free city tour that we took one morning. There is a church there with a 600 year old severed arm of a thief hanging over the doorway. Just another fine example of Catholic forgivness. You have to give it to the Catholics though, history is a lot more interesting thanks to them. One thing that was very interesting but haunting was the perfectly preserved Jewish Ghetto. It is one of the few preserved Jewish ghettos in Europe because after Hitler sent all of the Jews from Prague to death camps, he left the ghetto alone to serve as a museum of an extinct race. Now, however, it is the most prosperous part of the city.

 Prague Old town Square at night

Other than just admiring all of the architecture, we had a nice glass of wine in a vineyard at the castle above the city. As usual I dragged Lisa out at night to take pictures. At one point I was on the Charles Bridge (biggest tourist attraction in Prague) laying on the ground at night to get the picture I wanted. For some reason tourists started taking pictures of me! I guess I looked more ridiculous than I thought.

Charels Bridge crowded with tourists even at night

After Prague we continued east to Vienna, Austria to meet some friends that Lisa met at Kali`s wedding (see old blog post). Vienna did not have any sights that took our breath away like Prague, but every single building was beautiful. Georg and Julia (J makes an H and it is not George) were extremely nice and I could see right away why Lisa made friends with them. It was really nice to stay in there apartment where we could feel at home instead of a loud hostel.

Me, Lisa, Julia, Georg

It was also really nice having them be our personal tour guides and to sample a lot of local food with them. We ate Giant Pork shoulders with Beer in a beer garden, Shinken Fleckel (I was told I had to try this, but it tasted like hamburger helper) in a pub, and coffee in the oldest coffee house in Vienna with extremely fancy Victorian interior where you felt you would be kicked our if you slouched. (Not exactly starbucks). We even got to go climbing right in the city center where they built a 100ft climbing wall on the outside of a building.

After three days we were sad to leave our new friends but excited to see another city. We were giving Germany another chance and heading to Munich. We were pleasantly surprised to find Munich much nicer than Berlin. Everything about Munich was Bavarian. This is the Germany of laterhosen and braided blonds serving beer to the masses. Munich had a huge beautiful park just outside the city center with Germans doing what Germans do best; lying in the sun naked. As usual most were 50+ overweight men.

Munich city center

After Munich we headed deeper into Bavaria to a small town called Fussen where the Neuschwanstein (think Disney) castle is. The castle was beautiful and, as expected, completely packed with tourists. We did find though that we could hike an extra five minutes and have a nice picnic high above the tourist all alone with a stunning view of the castle, farms behind it an mountains in front of it. The town of Fussen was also really nice and we were sorry to only stay one day. We did read that there was climbing there and we spent a morning trying to find it but never did. We wern`t too worried tough because next was Innsbruck where we knew we could climb.

Neuschwanstein

To get to Innsbruck we had to take a bus and then two trains. As we got on the last train we commented that the connections went much smoother than we would have expected. Just after this discussion, the conductor came by to check tickets and informed us that we were not in fact heading to Innsbruck, rather the opposite direction back to Munich. After a few hours sitting around a train station in the poring rain we were back on track. Once in Innsbruck things were no smoother. Due to construction the directions to our hostel were wrong. After finally reaching our hostel we went to the store to buy food to cook dinner. Turns out that the store only took cash so after a quick 5k run to the ATM and back we could make dinner. Innsbruck was gorgeous, sitting in a valley between beautiful alps. We read about some great via ferrata above the city and a lot of climbing. Unfortunately it never stopped raining. We did get a few pitches of climbing in and when it started raining again we headed to the local climbing gym (supposed to be one of the best in Europe. It was not as good as any one of the three in Boulder). We also went hiking in the rain and just walked around town. I think we have to put Innsbruck on the list of places to return to someday, hopefully in better weather.

Innsbruck