TravelBlog » Jessica and Thaddeus

Jessica and Thaddeus - European Picnic

Beginning September 10, 2007, Thad and Jessica will be traveling to Europe. Starting in Munich on Sept 10 and traveling for around 11 weeks, we plan to also go to Prague, Vienna, all over Italy, Corsica, and possibly Croatia. We've only booked our flight to Munich and our hotel there, so where we'll end up and when we'll be back is really an unknown.

Why the title, European Picnic? Well, because we love to have picnics! The picture here is of our favorite European picnic to date, which was in May 2004 at Château de Versailles. I'm sure we'll have many picnics to rival this one during our travels!

ALL (and I do mean ALL) pictures

Our Route Thus Far:
* 9/11-14 - Germany - Munich
* 9/14-15 - Germany - Dachau, Driving Romantic Road to Augsburg, stay in Augsburg 2 nights
* 9/16 - Germany - Driving the Romantic Road stops include: Harburg Castle, Nordlingen, Dinkelbuhl, and Rothenburg where we stayed the night.
* 9/17-18 - Czech Republic - Plzn with tour of brewing company
* 9/18-21 - Czech Republic - Prague
* 9/21 - Czech Republic - Brno
* 9/22-24 - Austria - Vienna
* 9/24-25 - Austria - Halstatt
* 9/25-26 - Austria - Salzburg
* 9/27-28 - Italy - Trento
* 9/29-30 - Italy - Verona
*10/1-2 - Italy - Venice
*10/3-4 - Croatia - Opatija
* 10/5-6 - Croatia - Plitvice Lakes National Park
* 10/7-8 - Croatia - Hvar
* 10/9-11 - Croatia - Dubrovnik
* 10/12 - Croatia - Dubrovnik with a Day trip to Kotor Montenegro
* 10/13 - Montenegro - Kotor, Budva
* 10/14 - Montenegro - Budva, Bar and overnight Ferry to Bari Italy
* 10/15 - Italy - Matera & Salerno
* 10/16 - Italy - Salerno with a Day trip to Paestum
* 10/17 - Italy - Salerno with a Day trip to Amalfi and Positano
* 10/18 - Italy - Sorrento with a Day trip to Vesuvius & Pompeii
* 10/19 - Italy - Sorrento
* 10/20 - Italy - Sorrento with a Day trip to Naples
*10/21-25 - Italy - Rome (actually staying just outside of Rome to not have to drive there)
* 10/26-29 - Italy - Florence
* 10/30 - JESSICA'S BIRTHDAY IN TUSCANY
* 10/31-11/2 - Monaco
* 11/3-4 - Marsailles/Arles/Avignon, France
* 11/5-6 - Ales/Clermont-Ferrand, France
* 11/7-8 - Aubusson/Tours, France
* 11/9 - Vouvray/Orleans, France
* 11/10-15 - Paris!
* 11/15 - back to L.A.

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Last Login: January 21st 2008

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Jessica-and-Thaddeus, order by Date newest first.

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 15th 2007

Nov 15 - We're Home!

North America » United States » California » Los Angeles

We're home! Well, Thad's home in L.A. anyway where I'm hanging out with him until after Thanksgiving. We were both sad to see the trip come to an end, and would have loved to have traveled more. We just kept listing the things we missed so we wouldn't be too disappointed to be returning: · Friends/Family - not just seeing them but being able to talk to them regularly. I have to admit I'm really looking forward to all of the parties over the next month and getting to see everyone! · Weather - it was 36 degrees the morning [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 10th 2007

The Big Finale - Paris! - Nov 10-15

Europe » France

P1030653

Nov 10 - And we're off to Paris! We drove to the hotel, Thad returned the coupe, and we walked around. A fantastic lunch, Thad had salmon and I had this layered thing of eggplant, tomato, and cheese with salad. We went shopping and found 2 suits for Thad. Then dinner at a Moroccan place that was fantastic - we shared a vegetable couscous and Tajine with peas, potatoes, and carrots. Nov 11 - Crepe for breakfast, everything pretty much closed today since it's Sunday. We did go to the Pompidou Center, walked all around even though it was very cold [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 9th 2007

Vouvray & Orleans - Nov 9

Europe » France

Champaign tour

Left to Tours and went to Vouvray for a Champaign tour and tasting which was a lot of fun. Bought one bottle. We got a restaurant recommendation for lunch from the person who did our tasting, and the place was fantastic (every meal Thad keeps proclaiming that each meal is the best one of the trip!). I had a cream and puree of vegetable soup and salad, Thad had Coq au Vin again and said this one was better than a couple of days ago. We drove 2 or so more hours to Orleans, checked in a walked around. Dinner was [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 7th 2007

Tours Nov 7-8

Europe » France

P1030565

Nov 7 - Drove from Clermont-Ferrand to Tours and on the way stopped in Aubusson for a fantastic lunch. It was a cute, quaint little restaurant and the prices couldn't be beat. Thad had Coq au Vin for a main course and this funky appetizer made up of little fishies (had he known what he was ordering it would have gotten the beef in puffed pastry), I had salad and a cheese plate, we split a fantastic chocolate mousse for dessert. We didn't arrive in Tours until around 6pm, it's a great university town, and this is where I found the [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 5th 2007

Ales and Clermont-Ferrand - Nov 5-6

Europe » France

P1030550

Nov 5 - Checked out of the hotel and drove to Ales for a drink and mushroom crepe. We walked around for a bit then continued our drive to Clermont-Ferrand, a small university town. It took us a bit to find a hotel and we weren't feeling all that great so rested a bit there. Dinner was a salad and a local specialty, aligot, which is basically mashed potatoes with cheese. As of today we have traveled for 8 weeks! Nov 6 - Had a fantastic croissant for breakfast (I'll only eat them in France, have yet to find a decent [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 4th 2007

Avignon - Nov 4

Europe » France

P1030536

Everything was closed today in Arles since it's a Sunday, so after walking around went to Avignon where we had a lunch of an eggplant/tomato sauce/cheese crepe for me and duck for Thad with some wine. We then went to the Palace of the Popes. Walked around some more, just not a lot going on today. [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 3rd 2007

Monaco Nov 3

Europe » Monaco

Picnic brunch in Monaco

A spectacular day in Monaco. I walked about 4 miles along the beach path, then met up with Thad for our first brunch picnic which consisted of bread, cheese, guacamole, olive paste, carrots, and bulgur salad. Beautiful picnic!! We then picked up our new French rental car, "The Coupe" as Thad likes to call it which was a Peugeot coupe that Thad LOVED! We left Monaco and drove to Marseilles, took a look around and decided not to stay there but to go to Arles where we found a great hotel to stay in. Had dinner at a great little place, [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
November 1st 2007

Monaco Nov 1-2

Europe » Monaco

Picnic in Monaco

Nov 1: I took advantage of the fitness center again to spend an hour on the elliptical… I've missed working out so much!! We had a fantastic picnic on the wall by the ocean and also near the helicopter pad which is how people fly in. Our picnic consisted of salad, mascarpone & gorgonzola cheese, guacamole (I'd been craving it since we left!), a warm baguette, and beer. We walked around town which was completely dead… everything was closed. We found out later it was for Day of the Dead! There was a fair going on that we walked through and [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
October 31st 2007

Monaco Oct 31

Europe » Monaco

Bye Italy, hello France & then Monaco!

Drove to Monaco from Siena, had our last lunch on the way at the Auto Grill. We stayed at a Marriott on the beach, normally $600/night and with Thad's discount it was only $100/night :) Of course, the internet was $18/hour (and you had to buy an hour) so no luck using the internet there either. Thad drove back to Italy to return the rental car and take the bus back while I worked out at the fitness center. Dinner was pizza and salad with a waiter who kept insisting that the pizza was for one person, but we'd seen how [View Full Entry]

By Jessica and Thaddeus
October 30th 2007

Italy - Where Traffic Laws are Mere Suggestions

Europe » Italy

A Jayhawk shoe in ITALY!!??
So we're in Italy, go into a sporting goods store, and what do I see but this shoe with a KU Jayhawk on it! And no, there weren't any other U.S. sports stuff in the store...I think they didn't have a... [more]

Some general thoughts about Italy :) "Italy - Where Traffic Laws are Mere Suggestions" is our quote about Italy. Italians far very friendly, mellow and relaxed until you put them behind the wheel of a car, then they can't get anywhere or mow you down fast enough! I think they're all amped up from all the coffee they drink or something!! Today saw a pedestrian almost get hit by a car, for which he starts yelling at the driver who stops his car, holding up traffic to partake in a shouting match with the pedestrian… and this is normal! We both [View Full Entry]

TravelBlog » Jessica and Thaddeus

Jessica and Thaddeus | European Picnic | Travel Blog

Jessica and Thaddeus - European Picnic

Blogs & Travel Journals

Nov 15 - We're Home!

The Big Finale - Paris! - Nov 10-15

Vouvray & Orleans - Nov 9

Tours Nov 7-8

Ales and Clermont-Ferrand - Nov 5-6

Avignon - Nov 4

Monaco Nov 3

Monaco Nov 1-2

Monaco Oct 31

Italy - Where Traffic Laws are Mere Suggestions