Aussies in Europe: October 2005

Germany, Cologne (Köln) 19 - 22 October

Cologne is the city where we just relaxed. We watched "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit" at the English language cinema - it's very funny! We also did some touristy things including visiting the excellent chocolate museum, the Cathedral, St. Martin's Chapel and seeing an English language Opera called "The Bassiards" - for the record, we still didn't understand much of it!

Mmm... Weisen beer twins!

Dressing up in the Lego shop

Tickets to the Opera

The chocolate tree fountain

Toblerone wrapping machine

Chocolate dinosaurs!

Hungary, Budapest 16 - 18 October

Budapest is over 1000 years old & it's beautiful. We've visited St. Stephen's Basilica, Castle Hill, the Fisherman's Bastion, the City Park & the Heroes' Square. It's totally different to the other places we have visited in Europe & we love it!

Do you take cash?

The Chain bridge

Heroes' Square

Budapest by day (click photo for a closer look)

Budapest by night (click photo for a closer look)

Hungary, Budafok - "The Tipsy Lenin Tour" 18 October

We decided to do a tour in Budapest, one which looks at Hungary's Communist history & then finishes up in a 25km long underground wine cellar! Our first stop was Statue Park which is where all the Hungarian commie statues were placed after the fall of Communism & then we explored the labyrinth size wine cellar. We tried some fantastic wine here!

Russian soldier, Statue Park

I've got the whole commie world in my hands...

Caroline & the 53, 000 litre wine barrel

The wine cellar goes on & on...

Italy, Courmayeur & Mt Blanc - a day trip to the Italian Alps 14 October

We did a day trip to the Italian Alps. It was a gorgeous day! We felt like we were in Switzerland. We took the cable car up to the top of Mt Blanc & could see the alps across three countries - Italy, France & Switzerland.

Fun in the sunshine

Town of Courmayeur (click photo for a closer look)

River at the base of Mt Blanc (click photo for a closer look)

Top of Mount Blanc (click photo for a closer look)

Italy, Turin - Home of the 2006 Winter Olympics 12 - 15 October

We caught the train to Turin (most of the way on the Eurostar) & spent 4 wonderful days with our friends Eileen & Glenn. We walked around the city, went to the markets & visited lots of piazzas. We also visited the Molle which houses the Cinema Museum & did a walking tour of the tunnels underneath the city where centuries ago, the French tried to invade the city, but were thwarted in their efforts by some brave locals who blew them up with dynamite! That'll teach 'em!

Caroline, Glenn, Eileen & Simon

In the tunnels, 14 metres below the city surface

Torino Olympic statue

American humour section in the Museum of Cinema

Italy, Siena 11 October

We visited the city of Sienna which is a beautiful hill-top city about 80kms south of Florence. We enjoyed eating BIG pizza slices, visiting the Piazza del Campo & the beautiful marble Duomo (cathedral).

It's lunchtime!

Piazza del Campo (click photo for a closer look)

Siena Duomo interior

Siena Duomo marble floor

Italy, Tuscany "The Chinati Road" 10 October

We hired a scooter for the afternoon & explored the Chianti region just south of Florence. The vineyards & hill-top towns were gorgeous!

Tuscany by vespa!

Rolling hills of vineyards (click photo for a closer look)

The Tuscan postcard villa

Simon in the Spaceball helmet

Italy, Florence 9 - 11 October

Florence is a gorgeous, bustling city with beautiful buildings. We wandered around the streets & through the market squares. We loved the Duomo, the Ponte Vechhio & the Boboli Gardens.

Boboli Gardens (click photo for a closer look)

The Duomo

Copy of David, near Uffizi Gallery

Don't forget to moisturise!

Caroline is so strong!

Italy, Lucca 8 October

We spent a wonderful day & night in this enchanting walled city. The walls were built in 16th century for defensive purposes, but are now only used for leisure. It was fantastic to be in a place with pedestrian only traffic!

The city wall (over 4kms long)(click photo for a closer look)

Pinnochio visits the San Michele Cathedral

Working model, Leonardo da Vinci exhibit

Italy, Cinque Terre National Park 5 - 7 October

We spent a wonderful 3 days in the Cinque Terre (5 Villages) region. There are so many Aussies here - it's amazing. We hiked the fantastic trail between the villages & stopped off for treats like gelatos & hot chocolates along the way. The 5 villages are called Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso.

Monterosso (click photo for a closer look)

Vernazza

Riomaggiore, we stayed here

Mmm, the best hot chocolate EVER!

Nearby town of Levanto (click photo for a closer look)

France, Nice - 3 October

We spent an afternoon exploring the old part of Nice & the waterfront. Nice is quite a lot bigger than Cannes, but still very beautiful. We also climbed up to Castle Hill which has 5th century ruins & magnificent views of the whole coastline.

Bay of Angels, Nice