Europe - ilivetotravel's travel log

Cheese Town in The Netherlands: Gouda

31 March 2023 by Raul Leave a Comment

As my trip to The Netherlands was taking shape, I was looking forward to visiting the town eponymous with cheese: Gouda. I had never stop to contemplate what this cheese town in The Netherlands could actually be like, much less look it up.

Gouda’s name doesn’t sound like it reads

Once in The Netherlands, I learned the town name is pronounced something like “Hao-da”. It does sound ridiculous vs. the pronunciation of the letters in English (or Spanish, or many other languages). But that is the cool thing about Dutch: it is very much its OWN thing. I tried not to be pretentious since it was only a half-day visit. So I stuck to “Goo-da” but I avoided saying it in front of locals to not offend 🙂

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, exploring — Approaching town center coming from the nearby train station

Getting to Gouda

My visit to Gouda would be a daytrip from Rotterdam. Staying in Rotterdam, made it very easy to squeeze in a side trip since the ride was so short – about 20+ mins. From the Gouda train station, it was a 5-min walk to the shopping/pedestrian street leading to the heart of town. Easy-peasy!

Tourist in Gouda

We stopped at the tourist info office at the heart of town (the “VVV“) and oriented ourselves. It is a small office and a good place to get info, plans, etc. if you have not done much research beforehand. They sell a handy and compact visitor booklet for 5 euros that is worth the spend. It orients you to town and the places to be sure to notice/see intown.

The tourist office is within a historic building, De Waag, where they weighed cheese brought in to the market for sale. Considering Gouda’s cheese market was established in 1198, we can say a lot of cheese has gone through it. Now, the Waag hosts the VVV and a small museum.

Cheese Town

We learned that Gouda became the “it” place for the cheese commerce beating other competitor towns. I thought the cheese was named for the town because it was made there but, no, it was made in the region. Gouda was just like the trading center. Who knew?

The central square still hosts a cheese market one day a week. The Gothic building at the center, City Hall or Stadhuis, built around 1450, was placed alone to avoid it catching fire should a fire start around it.

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, exploring, city hall, stadhuis

Gouda, Holland, cheese town inThe Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, exploring, stadhuis, city hall, rathaus

Gouda, Holland, cheese town in The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, exploring

Cheese Tasting

We opted to do a cheese exploration by visiting the Gouda Cheese Experience. It was a neat place with some hands-on interaction (not making cheese but in other ways) which made it interesting for kids and adults.

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, exploring, cheese experience — True hands-on!

At the end, we had the chance to taste some cheeses before heading out. It was a good way to learn more about cheesemaking in all its aspects (ingredients, process, packaging, etc.).

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, exploring, cheese experience, cheese tasting

Amazing stained windows at Sint-Janskerk

Taking a small side alley from the market square, one enters the quaint area around the church of St John’s (Sint-Janskerk). The area is small and kept much as it has been for ages. It became one of my favorite spots in The Netherlands!

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, Dutch architecture

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, Dutch architecture, Dutch canal

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, Dutch architecture, Lazarus Gate — The beautiful Lazarus Gate

The church is protestantly sparse – devoid of the warmth that I am used to in a place of worship. However, it hosts 72 amazing 16th century stained windows (most of them, not all). These stained windows were taken down during WW II so they would not be destroyed. They were stored all over the place until the war ended and they could safely hang in their usual spots.

Using an audioguide is highly recommended (included in the entrance fee) to better appreciate the art and what it depicts. It was time well spent!

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch cheese, Dutch architecture, St John Church, Janskirk

Gouda, Holland, cheese town, The Netherlands, travel, Dutch architecture, St John Church, Janskirk, stained glass window

The church was built in the mid-sixteenth century after fire destroyed the medieval church that was located there (not an uncommon fate for churches in those times). Another claim to fame is that it is the longest church in The Netherlands.

I hope this gives you a small glimpse into this curious Dutch town – and that perhaps you read this and it makes you want to eat some Gouda cheese!

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, The Netherlands, Travel Journal Tagged With: cheese town, Dutch architecture, Gouda, Holland, Janskirk, the netherlands, travel

An Attic Church in Amsterdam

12 March 2023 by Raul 2 Comments

When The Netherlands left Catholicism after the Reformation, all Catholic churches became Protestant churches. While the Dutch were able to practice any religion, Catholics were not allowed to practice Catholicism in any public setting (let’s say, a loose definition of religious freedom was at play; they were allowed to be Catholic but only to practice in private). Therefore, people turned to private settings for the celebration of Mass and house “churches” came about around the country, hence this attic church in Amsterdam came about.

Amsterdam’s hidden Catholic church

One such place has remained intact, as it was set up a couple of centuries ago. It is known today as Our Lord in the Attic. The man who built this setting for Mass in the connected attics of three houses also lived in one of the houses. He was a rich merchant in 17th century Amsterdam. His last name was Hartman so the church was known as the “Hart Church” for some time.

attic church in amsterdam, hidden catholic church, netherlands, things to see amsterdam

attic church in amsterdam, hidden catholic church, netherlands, things to see amsterdam, altar

Visiting the attic church

One can visit this neat museum that still holds Mass on the first Sunday of each month and on Christmas Day. One not only can see the “church”, the priest’s quarters, but also the family’s residence.

The museum acquired a property across the side alley and the main entrance, shop, etc. are located there.. One goes downstairs to then, through a tunnel that runs under that side alley, one reaches where the visit begins.

In that space, one can see a model of the two buildings and visualize the space about to be explored. I recommend coming back and taking a look at the model ONCE the visit has been done.

Also, it is at that point where the visitor picks up the optional audio guide. The audio guide is included in the entrance fee (16.5 euros when I visited). It is highly recommended to use it so the place is better understood and appreciated.

The canal house hosting the attic church

The living quarters may seem austere to us today but the house seems to have been spacious. The rooms are not all loaded up with furniture to show how it exactly was but there are some pieces of furniture and art.

attic church in amsterdam, hidden catholic church, things to see amsterdam, canal house amsterdam — Above: spacious living room. Below: dining room and bedroom!

hidden catholic church, things to see amsterdam, canal house amsterdam, old kitchen — The house’s kitchen

A canal house with a great view of the canal

Take a look at the great view from the main level through the window and then from up higher. Of course, the area is now nicely painted and with modern vehicles but still a great view!

hidden catholic church, things to see amsterdam, canal house amsterdam

row houses Amsterdam, things to see amsterdam, canal house amsterdam

The priest’s quarters

As I mentioned earlier, the priest was also provided a place to live in the back. It seemed like a spacious and convenient spot even if without the canal view the owner and his family enjoyed. And a potty closet to boot!

attic church in amsterdam, hidden catholic church, things to see amsterdam, canal house

old toilet, old canal house amsterdam, things to see amsterdam

Crazy staircases!

Of note to me were the two original staircases that remain. Steep, curvy – they require paying attention to not trip or fall!

crazy steep staircases, old canal house amsterdam

This is likely not atypical for many of the houses in Amsterdam’s historic center. Yet one more reason to check out Our Lord in the Attic: to see how Amsterdam’s beautiful canal houses felt like back when and could still be today!

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Netherlands, The Netherlands, Travel Journal Tagged With: Amsterdam, attic church, Catholic Church, hidden church, Holanda, Netherlands

A Unique Spot in Verona: Piazza dei Signori

8 January 2023 by Raul Leave a Comment

The Piazza dei Signori (or, “Piazza of the Gentlemen”) is right next to the more famous (and impressive) Piazza delle Erbe in the heart of Verona, Italy. It likely earned its name as it is surrounded by important buildings or “palazzos”. It is not as old as the Piazza delle Erbe – and it is perhaps less “electric”. However, the buildings that surround it are impressive from an architectural and historical standpoint.

Finding this lesser-known piazza

Coming from the Piazza delle Erbe, one enters the piazza through an alley above which hangs a large whale bone. Legend has it that it will fall once someone who has never lied walks under it. I have walked under it on two different visits to Verona and I can report it did not fall on me.

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares, whale bone — Look up!

If you keep going you will enter the large piazza surrounded by interesting buildings, some cafes and a large open space with a statue at its center. Of course, the piazza has entries on all sides so it connects well to other parts of the old town.

The next photo is taken looking back from the Piazza dei Signori towards the alley where the whale bone hangs.

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares, lamberti tower — Looking at the Palazzo della Raggione (left)

Important buildings all around

From the Loggia of the Council to a small church, the square is dotted by buildings that have housed administrative, political and judicial offices. They were built many centuries ago. For example, the Palazzo del Capitanio was built in the 14th century and the Loggia in the 15th. However, many of these buildings have undergone changes and renovations over the centuries, as can be expected. Their styles seem to differ enough to my untrained eye with the Loggia being more different than the others.

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares

I would not call it a pretty square though it is charming enough. Verona’s Piazza delle Erbe or Krakow‘s main square, for example, best it in beauty and charm. But this piazza conveys well how these cities were run centuries ago through the history of these palazzos (OK, “palazzi” in proper Italian…).

One cool and grand staircase

The Palazzo della Ragione sits on the alley that connects the Piazza delle Erbe and the Piazza dei Signori. Construction of the palazzo started late in the 12th century but the building kept getting modified/added on for centuries. It evolved with the needs of the time. And it has served many purposes: political, administrative, and even commercial, hosting markets. Today the palazzo hosts a modern art museum and a district court.

The palazzo has an inner courtyard (also called Courtyard of the Old Market) with one of the most spectacular outdoors staircases I have seen in Italy: Scala della Ragione. I did not know to go find it. I just accidentally discovered it. The lesson from this is to pop in any open entranceway one runs into when exploring a town!

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares, torre lamberti, scalla della raggione

Climb and check out Verona from up high

If you have read other posts in this blog, you may have read that I enjoy climbing any tower or dome that gives me a great bird-eye’s view of any town.

Thankfully, the Palazzo della Ragione hosts the Torre dei Lamberti. This is the structure towering over the Scalla della Raggione in the photo above. This 84-meter tower offers a great 360 degree view of Verona. The tower was initially built in 1172 by the Lamberti family. If I understood right, it was made taller a little later (notice in the photo how it changes about halfway up).

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares , view from above. tower in verona — Looking down towards Piazza d. Signori towards the river

The good news: there is an elevator for the climb so it is not all based on self-propulsion! And the ticket gives access to the modern art museum in the palazzo.

The main attraction: Dante Alighieri

As you can see, I discovered things I was unaware of. However, what drew me to this piazza was to see the statue to a famous guest resident of Verona: Dante Alighieri. Dante is Italy’s most pre-eminent poet and, possibly, of letters overall, not just poetry. The Divine Comedy with its hell, purgatory and heaven was written by an imaginative Dante in poetry form.

Dante, a Florentine by birth, exiled himself from his home town due to political drama. He never returned to Florence and is actually buried in Ravenna. At the 600th anniversary of his birth in the 19th century, the Veronese built the statue we now see in the piazza in his honor.

There is a lot to see in Verona. This piazza, though not the most famous of the sites in Verona, is well worth the visit.

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, dante alighieri, Italia, Italy, palazzo della raggione, torre lamberti, verona

It Is High Time to Explore Split!

31 December 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

In between Venice, Italy and Dubrovnik, Croatia lie a number of islands and coastal towns that form Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. I have been fortunate to have visited Dubrovnik twice – as charming a town as I have ever seen. But, in a recent trip along the coast, I got to spend a brief day in Split, not quite halfway between Dubrovnik and Venice and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While Dubrovnik beats Split in the picturesque category, Split is very pleasing to the eye and feels much more approachable and livable. I would rather spend a couple of weeks in Split than in Dubrovnik for sure.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace, Jadrolinija ferry

A bit on how Split became important… Diocletian

Split is an old town in a continent of old towns. Its main claim to fame is the palace built by Roman emperor Diocletian as his retirement home. Diocletian retired from being emperor in a job that people did not get to retire from. Much as the late Pope Benedict XVI did in another job typically worked until natural (or otherwise) death came about.

Diocletian ruled in the late third century A.D. after doing a lot of things, including persecuting Christians in his empire. The bloodiest and largest persecutions conducted by Rome across the early A.D. centuries were his – nice guy… Diocletian was born in the Roman area called Dalmatia (a good bit of current Croatia). As many did before him, he rose through the Roman military’s ranks to become emperor.

The rare retired Roman emperor needs a palace

Diocletian decided to voluntarily leave the emperor role as illness had impacted him. He built himself a palace a short distance from the capital of the province of Dalmatia by the waters of the Adriatic.

His palace was built more like a fortress, surrounded by massive walls on all four sides (as the image below shows) and dotted by a number of towers. It also had four main gates, one on each side, with one of them facing the water.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace — The left side faced the Adriatic

Today, land has been reclaimed so that gate is no longer opening up to boats but to cafes and other establishments that then face the water.

Retaining Roman walls in a modern setting

The “palace” retains some of the walls and a few towers as well as some of the structures from Diocletian’s time.

As you walk inside the so-called palace, you find amazing remnants of the original structure. For example, a small sphinx brought from Egypt, the vestibule area where people waited to enter the former emperor’s quarters, and the like.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace, cistern — Former cisterns, later sewage dump, now often market stalls

A palace that is a town, still lived in

However, over the centuries buildings/structures have come and gone. The inside of the palace is more like an old town that is still being lived in – an ongoing residential area almost two millennia later.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace, church, arch

We heard that, unfortunately, private businesses are buying buildings to set up fancy boutique hotels, offer rental apartments for tourists, etc. This means that locals are being pushed out. It is a shame that it is taking place here (and many other charming towns across Europe) though one can see the appeal.

Markets always offer good photo opps!

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, market scene

Different architectural styles

If you pay attention as you walk around, you will notice the mark from different architectural styles from Roman to Venetian Republic to Hapsburg and more. I imagine it will mean a lot more to architects than to me but even I, a layperson, enjoyed seeing the contrasting styles in town.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Venetian architecture in Croatia

An amazing town to check out

Split is much more than Diocletian’s palace. It is an important port and the many ferries coming and going to Italy and other towns and islands in the Adriatic are evidence of that. I am hoping to find a place to rent (outside of the palace!) and spend time chilling in this fantastic Adriatic and historical town!

Filed Under: Croatia, Croatia, Europe, Europe, Travel Journal Tagged With: Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Dubrovnik, roman history, roman palace, roman ruins, travel

Dante, Dante, Where Are Thou? (As in Alighieri)

22 November 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

Dante Alighieri‘s Divine Comedy is a masterpiece of allegory, sharing with us the growth of the main character (Dante himself) as he traverses hell, purgatory and heaven. It has inspired many through the centuries (many centuries) since it was written. Including The Masquerade at Excelsior Mill in Atlanta with its three epic levels of hell, purgatory and heaven. But I digress.

Once an exile, always an exile

Dante was born in 1265 in Florence, Italy so he has been known for a LONG time. Due to politics (apparently, a nasty business not just in modern times), he had to flee his native town. Back then, Florence was a powerful republic, not just a city as we know it today.

He fled and took refuge in Verona, of Romeo and Juliet fame, where he is honored in a square – postcard #1.

Verona, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, Divina Comedia, Italia, Italy

His Divine Comedy is a poem and I understand it is a brilliantly designed one in its original language: Italian. That -and a recent two-week trip- motivated me to learn Italian. I was able to actually hold conversations in Italian thanks to that effort. Though I am sure I butchered it a lot. In any case, he is the Shakespeare, the Cervantes of Italy and he pre-dates them. He is from the Middle Ages!

Death threat and actual death in Ravenna

Anyway, he was exiled on perpetuity and the pain of returning was being burned at the stake so one can understand why he did not return.

Sadly, he died at 56 of malaria in the Adriatic coastal city of Ravenna. Ravenna became an important city as Rome descended into chaos. It became capital of the Western Roman Empire in the early 5th century.

And that leads me to postcard #2 – his tomb in Ravenna. This tomb is from the 18th century. No, he did not live that long. Over the centuries, Florence regretted casting out this most famous of its sons and tried to get his remains back and even built a tomb. But, it remains empty as Ravenna has kept him all this time, even hiding his remains for some period of time to ensure they were not taken away. I think Ravenna should keep him…

Dante Alighieri, Ravenna, Dante tomb, Italy, Italia, Divina Comedia, Divine Comedy

How to read the Divine Comedy

I hope this unusual post in my blog was entertaining if nothing else. And, if you have never read the Divine Comedy, I recommend you do it. But with some guide to explain it along as there are a lot of hidden meanings, parallels across stories in the book, etc. It is well worth discovering this gem of Middle Age (or any age) literature – and if you can do it in Italian, even better!

Filed Under: Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: dante alighieri, divine comedy, Italy, ravenna, verona

Rouen: Full of History in War and Art

4 September 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

France has so many destinations to explore, it is hard to cover them all or explore them as in-depth as they deserve. Even after living in Paris for 6 months many years ago, I could not cover all the territory that I would have liked. One of the towns that I always wanted to visit was Rouen, in Normandy. Why? Two things have always drawn me to it:

Its cathedral, made eternal not only by its construction but by its depiction by Claude Monet under different light and seasons.
Its infamous designation as the town were St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by the English at 18 years of age.

Getting there

From Paris, going to Rouen is a piece of cake. A two-hour train ride from Gare St. Lazare takes you to Rouen. From the train station in Rouen, a half-a-mile walk (or less) takes you into the center of town. There is a metro station near the train station and the heart of the town is just one or two stops away. But I recommend walking in as it is sort of downhill!

Surprised by Rouen

I am not sure what architecture I should have expected but I was surprised by the architecture in the old town. It looked a lot like the architecture that I saw around Strasbourg and Colmar in southeastern France. The town center was beautiful!

Monet’s Cathedral

Monet gave this old cathedral a favor by his work showing its glory in different times of year and under different light. I enjoyed playing with photo filters to re-enact his work with my layman’s skillset and tools…

Rouen, France, cathedral, Monet painting

The cathedral sports a magnificent façade that clearly lost a few statues at some point; some of the remnants can be seen inside the church. There are some tombs of former kings from over a millennium ago. Impressive.

Odd church… to St. Joan of Arc

As we walked in the old part of town, we saw this oddity in the middle of some square or plaza. It really looked weird and like it did not belong. The more I looked at it, the more it began to look like some Viking structure. It turned out to be the church built on the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake after being accused of many false things by the English (whom she had helped fight on the French side before she was even 19!). Once we identified what it was, the architecture began to make more sense.

rouen, france, joan of arc, church, eglise, juana de arcoa

The site was very moving. There is a very tall cross right outside the church on the spot where this poor and very brave young woman died for France. The inside of the church seems to fit the story. When I looked at the ceiling, the ceiling seemed to flow up to a point – like a flame would. It was all very moving indeed…

Crêpes!

When one goes to Paris, one is well-served by eating crêpes from the stands around town. But, in Normandy, eating crêpes is a must! We found a great mom-n-pop place, Kerso, where we enjoyed crêpes salés and crêpes sucrés for lunch. Really cool find!

Normandy, normandia, crepas, crepes, foodie

Though only a half day visit, I definitely got my money’s worth and more checking out this most interesting of French towns!

Filed Under: Europa (A-K), Europe, Europe, France, France, Francia, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, cathedral, food, France, normandy, travel

Hiking to the Best Views of the Dolomites: Lagazuoi

13 March 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

After spending a great night at Rifugio Kostner, who could be blamed for not wanting to leave such a cool spot? But, that is the trekking life, not staying in one spot.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi — Red arrow points to our destination: Lagazuoi

Destination: Lagazuoi

So off we went to get to Lagazuoi, a mountain known as much for WW I history as for its beautiful setting. Lagazuoi sits at 9,301 ft – 2,835m, a short 18 kms from Cortina d’Ampezzo. The mountain had many tunnels dug by both sides (Italians and Austrians) as a way to protect themselves and/or try to surprise the opponent. All this land was part of the Austrian Empire until Italy attacked it early in WW I. You can read a little more about it here.

Starting the hike; bye Pordoi

We began the day with a great breakfast as is to be expected in these mountain rifugios (photo on my prior day’s post). Then, for the sake of getting to our next rifugio before sunset, took a little shortcut to come down from Pordoi: we took the chair lift down. Personally, saving a downhill is kindness to my knees so no complaints. And, like the day before, an easy start to a long day is nice.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, R. Kostner — Headed up to the chair lift.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, rifugio Kostner — One final look back at R. Kostner (middle left)

A different trail ahead

The start of the actual hike was very different than the rocky / pebbly trails of the prior day. I don’t know the technical terms for the landscape but low grasses and lots of green ruled the start of the day.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi, Kostner — Beautiful trails

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia — Time for a break and absorb the views!

Many spots offered a view back to Pordoi (and Rifugio Kostner, if I zoom into the photo). It is a neat way to see where we’d been. Later, we would be offered another, even better viewpoint to watch the sun set.

OK, some rocks

We still encountered rocky terrain but no massive downhill covered with scree. But the paths, hugging the rock walls, were simply enjoyable.

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking,

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, technical hiking — A few steps and rope were involved here but not too technical

Approaching Lagazuoi Mountain

We concluded the hike by approaching the Funivia Lagazuoi which would take us to the feet of our next lodging: Rifugio Lagazuoi.

My feet were pretty beat and I was in need of taking my boots off. When we reached the top, we still had a steep hill to climb but, guess what? That just made the big beer I got that much more savory!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, cable car — The view down from the ride; and the rifugio almost at hand…

Majestic views of the Dolomites

Lagazuoi also offered an outdoor deck with majestic views. This rifugio was bigger than the last one and the one from day 1. Many more rooms, a larger deck, and a much larger dining area. Our floor only had 2 showers for a large number of rooms so we took a number and just let each other know when their number was getting close to not lose the spot. Thankfully, no lack of hot water!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, rifugio in the dolomites — Part of the deck; my room was one of those balconies

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset — We would reach the top of the mountain on the right to watch the sun set

Just a little more hiking at sunset

But the one thing that set this rifugio aside was fantastic vantage point to watch the sunset a short up-hill walk away. The sun would set over the Pordoi massif where we had hiked and stayed the day/night before.

And now posing the in the other direction! I look tired…

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, clouds, cloudporn, — This photo almost looks eerie… what do you see? I see an old woman’s head & hair

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, sky, skyporn, yellow sky — A fellow trekker just soaking it all in…

It was a peaceful place and it was well worth the walk up to the spot, despite tired feet. I am sure you will agree after seeing the sunset pics.

Oh, wait, but the food…

Yes, the food was really good. The double-carb first plate was absolutely perfect. The main dish was a little less impressive but the dessert made up for it!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, food, pasta, risotto — First dish

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, food, main entree — The main entree

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, apple strudel in Italy, dessert, sweets, foodporn — Perfect picture to end this post!

Stay tuned for the final posts about this trek in the Dolomites!

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Europe, Europe, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Italy Tagged With: dolomites, Italia, Italy, senderismo, trekking

A Phenomenal Spot to Chill in the Dolomites

27 February 2022 by Raul 6 Comments

The third day of my hike in the Dolomites had me being driven from the Sasso Lungo area to a cable car (funivia) leading to Sass Pordoi. It is a nice way to ease into a hiking day to start with a short drive as, unbeknownst to me, this day was not going to be an easy one! But the whole day was full of experiences and views I would not trade as we made our way from Sass Pordoi (9,343 ft – 2,848m) to the Rifugio (Hütte) Kostner (8,366 ft – 2,550 m) at the Sella Group (east of the Langkofel, north of the Marmolada). Hiking and -then- chilling in the Dolomites is for me!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors — Here we are at the 25th switchback out of so many (I stopped looking)

The grandeur of the Dolomites

The views from the cable car exit point at Sass Pordio were fantastic. It was 41F (5C) when we got up there around 9:40AM but, with those views, who cares!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sass Pordoi, funivia, terrazza delle dolomite — The entrace to the funivia and the board at the top

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sasso Lungo, massif, funivia Sass Pordoi — Behind me, the Sasso Lungo massif where I stayed the prior night, Facing me, the sun.

The back trail to Rifugio Kostner

We walked a short distance and we got to a small rifugio (Forcella Pordoi). It was too early in the day’s hike for a stop so I knew we would continue along the nice trail ahead. Looking to the right, flanked by two large stone massifs was a path down that I assumed would be a black slope in the winter if not a double diamond. And then I learned that was the path we were going to continue one.

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner — The gap through which we would descend…

I t was quite the sight… Ahead was a snaky path down over scree that required a lot of skill (we were reminded of the technique to handle the terrain). I can’t recall how long it took us to make it all the way down but I “mastered” the technique after like 10 mins when I decided I needed to pass those who had not quite mastered it yet as watching people take mis-steps sort of put me on edge and I was risking a solid slip-n-fall. I ended up catching up with two of my fellow hikers in the lead and we got a nice break while we waited for the rest of the gang to make it down to the lowest point we would hit, before hanging a left.

Rocks-n-Slopes ‘R Us

Right when we made the left, we hit a very rocky path along route 626. It would be on-and-off rocky / boulder-y which was a little scarier than the downhill scree as a fall would be potentially more painful / risky. I walked with good care and had a couple of almost-falls that felt painful on my left arm as I suddenly swung my hiking pole to prevent the falls. Those brusque movements contributed to a partial tear on my rotator cuff as I would learn weeks after the hike. But, no pain, beyond a fleeting moment, those couple of times or during the remaining part of the trek, thankfully…

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — The rocky path

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, route 626 — Route 626 shows the way! Still rocky

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Look at the leg span and that guy is over 6 ft tall!

The path closely followed the massif wall. Finally, we were a tad more than an hr away!

We seemed to be hugging a large massif. At some point we ran into WWI barbed wire. This whole region was engaged in WWI skirmishes and battles on-and-off for three solid years; the highest altitude battle site of that scale. More died due to particularly bitter winters or due to avalanches… There were a few mountains that were partially blown-up for tactical reasons during those years. The next day we would stay atop one of those…

In any case, at some point, we turned a “corner” and off in the distance we could see our rifugio for the night. It seemed so close… yet, it would take another hour to reach it. So close, yet so far…

Perfect spot for chilling in the Dolomites

But what a reward for our efforts! Rifugio Kostner was my favorite of all the rifugios and that is saying a lot because I liked all. It is run by the Agreiter family and you can tell by looking at the staff that most are related. They were not the typical loud, smiley, friendly Italian but were very service-oriented and ran the place ship-shape; my kind of place! It was neat to see them take their dinner together after they cleaned up from our dinner.

sunset, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — The dining room

It had a great outdoor deck to enjoy the views after finishing the hike, a generous piece of their apple strudel loaded with real cream, and some vino (we discovered Lagrein wine during this trip – it became one of my favorites).

Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, Veneto — Enjoying the deck and the sun!

apple strudel, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — That was DELICIOUS and DECADENT. All this hiking

Seeing that piece of strudel and the cream you may understand why after days and days of hiking I did not lose a pound of weight (thankfully, neither did I gain).

Lagrein wine, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Nice Lagrein wine

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Hard to beat!

Sunset & sunrise in the Dolomites

The views were magnificent in broad daylight, sunset or sunrise as the pics below will show (though they will not do justice).

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, sunset — Sun setting behind the massif

sunrise, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Sunrise the next morning – just stunning

Food at Rifugio Kostner

Of course, the meal deserved its own homage through this small collage – as did the breakfast…

dinner at rifugio, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Everything was outstanding!

breakfast, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Perfect to start a hiking day!

Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Departing view. Such a cool place!

Want to read more about my hike in the Dolomites. Check out:

Day 1 – Rosengarten Massif
Day 2 – Sassolungo Massif

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: Italia

The Best of Venice – Get Lost in Its Neighborhoods

21 November 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

In a prior post, I shared some images of Venice‘s majestic boulevard: its Grand Canal. From the modern pedestrian bridge near the train station to the iconic Rialto Bridge to St. Mark’s Square – and many palazzos in between, that post showcased Venice but now, the best of Venice!

However, I enjoy Venice a lot more when I begin meandering the alleys and small piazzas “far” from the tourist areas anchored on the Grand Canal. I say far in quotation marks because Venice is not that big and you are never far from the Grand Canal given its grand meandering that always manages to disorient me. You think you may be at the opposite end of Venice if you judge by the Grand Canal’s route but then you look at a map and see that really are not far at all from the other end of Venice!

While tourist Venice can be overwhelming most times of the year with the crowds, its back alleys can be a different story. And you get to see more of how locals live – and remember Venice is a residential place, not just a tourist attraction for us visitors.

So, I stop writing here and share images of the Venice I love the most!

best of venice, venice neighborhoods, italy, italia, exploring venice

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Italy, Venice

Venice’s Splendor Is Best Seen from Its Grand Canal

7 November 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

Venice must be one of the most photographed cities in the world and the views from the Grand Canal, the wildly curvy main thoroughfare of the city, are likely the main object of such photos. In this “postcard” post, I will share Venice’s splendor from its great waterway. Many of the buildings along the way are palazzos (or “palazzi” to be proper) that may serve now as hotels or museums.

In another post, I will share some images of what’s beyond this most touristy section of Venice. It is Venice’s back alleys and squares that fascinate me and really make the city appeal to me as a visitor.

But for now, enjoy the Grand Canal!

Venice's splendor, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel — Modernity greets you near the bus station

Though this is a postcard type of post (mainly photos), I will share that catching the number 1 vaporetto (or boat-bus) is the best way to get an intro for the new visitor – or a refresher for a third time visitor like me! It makes stops on both sides of the Grand Canal, making it also a great way to move around Venice quickly. But I suggest you take it from near the bus station and then ride it all along until one stop past St. Mark’s Square. Then meander your way around Venice walking back.

But look at a map, the Grand Canal weaves such that you may be closer to a point in the town by NOT following the water’s edge!

Venice, palazzo, palace, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel, architecture

Venice, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel, architecture

Approaching St. Mark’s Square

And, for the final photo, a photo of St. Mark’s Cathedral’s façade with yours truly trying to grace it!

It may look crowded but it’s the least crowded I’ve ever seen it!

Filed Under: Italia, Italy, Italy Tagged With: architecture, arquitectura, Grand Canal, Italia, Italy, Venecia, Venice

Challenge in the Dolomites: Hiking the Rosengarten

12 October 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

My first day of hiking presented a neat challenge in the Dolomites taking us from Carezza / Karersee to Rifugio Passo Principe (Grasleitenpasshütte). There we would spend the night after traversing the iconic Rosengarten Massif, near Bolzano, Italy. The massif contains several peaks with its highest elevation being at 9,849 ft (3,002 m).

The trek started with our early AM departure from Trento, where we had spent a few days performing service projects with Trekking for Kids, to Carezza / Karersee where we would catch a ski lift (the Paolina lift) to the start of our trail.

Hiking route in the Rosengarten

The trails we followed were: 539 (from exiting the lift to the Christomannos Monument) to 549 (to Rifugo di Vael) to 541 (to Rifugio Vajolet) and then, finally, to trail 584 on to Rifugio Principe at Passo Principe. I could not show it as well in one single map so here I broke up the day’s hike into two maps.

Started on the lift on the bottom left and made our way upwards…

Starting from the bottom we ended at the top of the blue line

Where to stay: rifugios!

By the way, rifugios are mountain inns or lodges that offer basic accommodations and can provide dinner and breakfast for an additional cost – which I may add, is well worth it.

Some rifugios offer double rooms, some offer group rooms, and some offer both. Also, they may offer shower facilities with some of the places having very basic ones and charging a euro for a few minutes for their use, and some having very nice rooms and bathrooms.

However basic they can be (or not), I have to say all my meals were phenomenal and I will share those along the way in these posts!

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, lodging in the Dolomites — Dining area is cozy – and now Covid-ready

speck, german food, rifugio food — My dinner: speck with fried eggs on a bed of potatoes!

At Rifugio Principe (re-built/renovated around 2008), our group of 15 split into two group rooms of eight people each. The setup was not the typical bunk beds but four mattresses laid side-by-side: one set on the floor and one set above those. It was hard to sleep with so many people around but a little harder being so close to each other. Our room was the “outside” room which was supposed to be colder but was actually warm enough (they provide you some serious blankets but I actually did not use them and, instead, just used the sleeping bag liner I had brought with me and warm clothing).

rifugio principe, passo principe, hiking in the dolomites, lodging in the dolomites — Facing the “outside” room from the sun deck

The landscape & views around the Rosengarten Massif

Trekking Dolomites, chair lift in Italy — It starts with a chair lift!

Rosengarten, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy — The best shot I have of the Rosengarten has me semi-posing…

Christomannos Monument, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif — The Christomannos Monument

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif — Beautiful trails; flat for this little stretch…

Uphill and Downhill ‘R Us

This must be after conquering an uphill due to my smile!

Let’s get technical

This day did offer a surprise: needing to cross a small section via steel cable. While it looked scarier than it actually was, I still paid attention to where every one of my 4 extremities was at every moment!

The ladders or cables were pretty new and sturdy. Some of the fighting in World War I took place around the Dolomites and, back then, cruder ladders and cables were used by the soldiers to move around – grateful things have improved since then (and are more peaceful!).

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike — From the top: Going down the rope-assisted path

From the bottom: The drop was not too big – but glad no one had a mis-step!

A mirage or our rifugio?

Well, along the way, it is not uncommon to pass rifugios which are not our destination. Normally OK as it means we are taking a break. But not always… Sometimes you pass them like passing ships at sea… After a long, long climb, the rifugio on the photo below would have been a GREAT stop. However, and thankfully unbeknownst to me, we had a lot longer to go so a leisurely stop would have place our arrival at our rifugio at dark… So on we went with more uphill terrain as you can appreciate from the picture… No matter how tired I got, the view was always magnificent!

End of day 1 hike at Rifugio Principe

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, Hiking Dolomites, trekking Dolomites, Rosengarten massif — This one was OUR rifugio for the night!! Happy to arrive! (Photo credit: K. Sundin)

We covered around 7.5 miles after a mid-morning start and around 6 hours of hiking. The group took a little longer than expected, likely the change in altitude from where we had woken up (Trento, at slightly more than 600 ft elevation) to where we ended (at around 8,600 ft). But, I for one was ecstatic about finishing what was a hard last 2 hours of that day’s hike!

Read about day 2, its tricky start and getting to the Sassolungo!

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Europe, Europe, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: dolomites, hiking, Italy, trekking

Christmas Time in Strasbourg – A Beautiful Sight

21 December 2020 by Raul Leave a Comment

One of Europe’s capitals is not the capital of a country. It is one of the capitals of a union that is not a country: the European Union. Strasbourg, currently sitting in France, is one of those capitals, along with Brussels. It sits sort of in the middle of France’s border with Germany, who formally owned the land where Strasbourg. Strasbourg is a stone’s throw away the border, so to speak. It has been a complicated life for Alsace and its main city, Strasbourg…

Palais de l'Europe, Palace of Europe, Strasbourg — Palais de l’Europe (Palace of Europe – sounds self-promoting…)

A Christmas market cruise tour decision

When I first looked at my Rhine Christmas market cruise’s itinerary, I was excited to see so many neat places on the list (check this post for tips and places to experience on this cruise). Strasbourg, in particular, was an appealing stop in the cruise. It may bewilder some who know me but I opted for a walking city tour instead of –gasp– a wine tasting session of the region’s famous wines. I cringed at having to choose but I definitely wanted to explore the city; I could always buy Alsatian wines and taste at home, no??

Entering the town

We approached the city’s heart via the Ponts Couverts bridge which offers views of beautiful buildings of traditional architecture of the region.

Ponts Couverts, Strasbourg, France — 13th century towers

Ponts Couverts, Strasbourg, France, Alsatian architecture

Most charming was the structure on the tiny island on the Quai du Woerthel with the tiniest of walkways to it from the bridge.

Lunch in Strasbourg

I chose well. We started with the small-group guided walking tour but we broke away from it at some point to have meal in a local restaurant that had been recommended (“Le Tire-bouchon” – or corkscrew). A small, tightly-packed placed that , yet, had a spot for our even-smaller group.

typical Alsatian meal, France, Strasbourg, Tire-bouchon

The dessert was my favorite dessert ever: chocolate mousse. And I knew ahead of time, I was not sharing with the table… (OK, my Mom got a spoonful, after all, she brought me to this world!) It was SPECTACULAR!

chocolate mousse, Tire-bouchon, Strasbourg, Alsace, foodie — How does one say “Don’t touch it” in French?

After lunch, my Mom and I broke off (yet again) from the smaller group and meandered on our own.

Christmas decorations in Strasbourg’s streets

Words can’t describe how beautiful and festive the side streets were. It was all as if out of a dream, beyond what Disney could achieve in any of its parks! The charming and beautiful buildings were purely out of a story book.

Strasbourg at Christmas, Navidad en Estrasburgo, Noel a Strasbourg

Calling what we looking at “architecture” sounds pretentious. But it is also over-simplifying what we were looking at. The storefronts and buildings aim to out-decorate each other and they manage to do so without looking gaudy – French style reigning supreme!

Strasbourg’s Notre Dame Cathedral

We walked into Strasbourg’s magnificent, medieval, one-towered, rose Cathedral of Notre-Dame to check it out. It seems to have taken 250 years to get built, finishing in the first half of the 15th century. Before America was discovered…

Strasbourg Cathedral, catedral de Estrasburgo, Cathedral de Notre-Dame — Almost impossible to get a full shot of the front of the Cathedral

Its interior is something to explore for sure – worth the line!

Its astronomical clock is supposed to be worth seeing in action – something we missed.

Strasbourg cathedral, astronomical clocl

As the day progresses, light hits the Cathedral’s pink sandstone exterior differently and it feels like its façade changes color.

Of course, the exterior around Christmas time is also wrapped by the many Christmas market stands that make the city both a beautiful and festive place to visit at this special time of the year!