http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Kurtis/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Kurtis en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:41:07 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:41:07 +0000 Monday 13th October JOSHUArsquoS BIRTHDAYSlovakia Hungry Finally Joshuarsquos 9th Birthday arrived Thank god bc thatrsquos all we heard about for weeks beforeHe jumped on our bed very early and received his birthday kisses and hugs over and over and over againhellip.. We hoped to be close to a McDonald and have a McDonaldrsquos breakfast for his birthday but we werenrsquot s http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Hungary/Central-Hungary/Budapest/Buda/blog-336669.html Sat 11th OctoberWerfen ViennaIt was a 45 hours drive into Vienna and therefore we arrived in the afternoon and had intentions of visiting a huge market that was on everyday but extra special on Saturdays So after a bit of driving around to find a suitable and safe car par for the motorhome we parked it and headed into the town. We did see some parking but it cost 10 an hour and we intende http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Vienna-State/Vienna/blog-336654.html Sun 12th OctVienna Slovakia HungrySunday was a mad driving day because we went through 3 countriesIn the morning exhausted from lack of sleep we left Vienna and headed to the capital city of Slovakia Bratislava. It turned out to the biggest surprise. The outer suburbsrsquo were exactly what Irsquod imagine slightly dirty and run down but the city centre was a lovely surprise. The a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Slovakia/Bratislava-Region/Bratislava/blog-336658.html Thursday 9th OctoberAustria SalzbergWe drove early to Salzberg and decided to book ourselves into a caravan park and then have breakfast because everyone takes a long time to get up have breakfast and get put So it takes a long time to finally arrive at a new spot. Well itrsquos very hard to get out bed when itrsquos fresh outside and the kids have jumped into our bed snuggled up betwee http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/Salzburg/blog-336637.html Tuesday 6th OctoberGermanyBerchtesgaden Eagles nestOn Tuesday after wersquod been to the information centre we decided to drive to the tiny town of Obersalzberg 3km out of Berchtesgaden to visit the place when the Nazis had their southern headquarters. Hitler fell in love with the town and slowly he and his henchmen took over and made it their holiday location. There was a Document Museum w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Berchtesgaden/blog-336612.html Sat 4th OctoberAustria Innsbruck The best thing about this day was hearing the kids gasp and yell whenever they saw a snow capped mountain. They were thrilled and astounded. Even the low level cloud that hung around for a long time was beautiful.One our way to the caravan park 5 km outside of Innsbruck we noticed that all the homes have their wood so neatly chopped that wersquore all conv http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Tyrol/Innsbruck/blog-336424.html Friday 3rd OctoberWith damp jeans hung up all over the beds and hung up in the shower we set off for King Ludwig IIrsquos most famous and photographed castle Schloss Neuschwanstein. It was raining when we left the camping ground and it was still raining when we arrived at the gorgeous town of Fussen and boy was it packed with tourist When I asked about the million tourists the lady smiled http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Neuschwanstein/blog-334533.html Wednesday 1st October GermanyWe started out day with breakfast in the motor home while tour buses pulled up with loads of tourist. Those poor people were having breakfast standing up in the cold battling the wind and trying to eat all the same. We tried really hard not to look smug while we had our warm coffee and toast insideWe were driving to a place called Oberstdorf from where we hoped t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Oberstdorf/blog-334530.html Tuesday 30th SeptemberDachau Concentration CampWe arrived at the camp early and there were so many people and so many tour buses. Also surprising were the amount of Germany high school students.We hired some audio guide and started to walk around. There was a big museum like set up with heaps of exhibits to read. The exhibits were set up in original rooms so while you read and listened to the g http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Dachau/blog-334484.html Thursday 25th SeptemberLina Ulm MunichOn Thursday morning we packed up the motor home with ALL our gear including the oil and bread Lina gave us. We threw the doonas pillows sheets and the vegetables wersquod bought the night before. 1kg of carrots wine water beer and 10kgs of cabbage Lina had lived in Germany for 26 years and in all that time had NEVER used cabbage We love cabb http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Munich/blog-334328.html Monday 22nd SeptemberGermany Lina and Cristofolo Our first morning in Germany was great because the staff was so helpful and polite Imagine thatThe night before we were so tired and slightly ped off to notice the fabulous dcorhellip slight Asian theme in shades of jade and dark blue and really neat bathrooms.During holidays in Australia wersquove stayed in a few Formula One motels an http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/blog-334317.html Friday 19th SeptemberCataniaWe had the best nightrsquos sleep without Licodiarsquos nightly hoons on their vespas and carsWe decide that Friday had to be a lazy day because I was so behind on the blog and we were all very tired after our stay with family.We discovered that the cabin while very nicely decorated didnrsquot have a toaster or coffee cups but had 2 italian percolators and cu http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-331126.html Thursday 18th September Licodia CataniaWhen Kurt and I got up we started our final clean. Kurt took all the suitcases downstairs to the van and I gave the place a final clean. Zia Vincenziarsquos apartment was so clean that I felt I had to give the bathroom a once over and the floors a sweep.We stopped and had our final breakfast with Zia Vincenzia and her daughters Anna Maria and Angela. I http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-330987.html Wednesday 17th SeptemberLicodia VizziniZia Vincenziarsquos soninlaw Guiseppe invited Kurt Joshua and my Dad to go fishing in Lago Licodia. So first thing Wednesday they were up ready to go and Katelyn couldnrsquot make up her mind whether to go fishing or go shopping at the market with me. She was worried about the road and thought the market would be the same size as Licodiarsquos ma http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-330803.html Tuesday 16th SeptemberLicodia AgrigentoWe had planned to leave Licodia three days earlier to spend a few nights at Agrigento but between ourselves decided to spend the extra time in Licodia. So we planned to make Agrigento a day trip.Katelyn was given more panadol for her fever and off we set to Agrigento. Although the road was o.k it was a little curvy and so poor Katelyn threw up.We went to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Agrigento/blog-326986.html Sunday 14th SeptemberLicodia Marzaronersquos Festa DrsquoUvaSunday morning did not bring good stuff for usMy Mum and I both woke up with the runs and later I threw up My Dad also had a throwing up marathon. But Kurt had had the runs for a few days. My Zia Mimmi from Switzerland had also been sick a few days earlier. So while we thought wersquod overeaten big time we may simply have b http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-326974.html Friday 12th September Licodia Donnafugata.. On Friday Kurt bought a telephone card from the local bar. Irsquom always so impressed when he heads out on his own with limited Italian and doesnrsquot hesitate to speak to the locals. After that he went to Giuseppersquos home my dadrsquos cousinrsquos son to use their internet. He virtually lived there during so much of our time in Licod http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-326849.html Thursday 11th SeptemberLicodia Market Campania We were very excited to learn a produce and clothing market came to Licodia every Thursday. There was heaps of cheese and salami and clothing everywhere. Katelyn loved it She took her allowance and loved the E1 and E2 stands. She pulled the clothes from the bottom of the piles turned them over and threw them back. Shersquod ask ldquoQuando http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-326710.html Wednesday 10th SeptemberVilla Romana Whole family dinnerMy parents and us were up and ready by 8.30am ready to drive out and visit Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina.The great thing about the 3rd century Villa was that it was covered for many years which protected it from an earthquake and just general aging. The majority of the Villa is covered with a Perspex roof which apparently is http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Piazza-Armerina/blog-326697.html Tuesday 9th AugustLicodiaGiuseppe took us to the council to help us get our original marriage certificate back. When I applied for my Italian passport and wanted to have my childrenrsquos names added my marriage certificate was required. I donrsquot how it happened but the Italian consulate held on to my original marriage certificate and when questioned they said if I wanted to hold an Itali http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Catania/blog-326686.html