http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/globetrekkingmama/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from globetrekkingmama en-us Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:48:31 +0000 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:48:31 +0000 After a delicious breakfast of instant oatmeal in the hotel room we headed off to the Emerald Pools trailhead. Despite being sick coughing all night June Bug did remarkably well on the hike. We made it to the lower and middle pools without any whining although on the way back to the grotto she was a bit tired.We caught the shuttle back to the lodge had lunch and took naps.For dinner we he http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Zion-National-Park/blog-277616.html Today we got up at 345 a.m. and headed to the airport kids in tow at 430 a.m. We had two flights and a fivehour drive ahead of us. First we flew to Denver then on to Salt Lake City where Aunt Pam met us with a minivan rental. We got to Zion Lodge about 6 p.m. It felt like 7 p.m. to those of us from Memphis. We checked in unloaded the stuffedtooverflowing minivan and headed to t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Zion-National-Park/blog-277326.html As luck would have it our last full weekend in Germany was also the weekend that our village was hosting Rheinland Pfalz Tag a threeday county fair and entertainment spectacular. We started walking downtown at about 3 p.m. The weather was on the cold side and there was a light offandon rain. We walked past the big SWR TV stage that was filming and broadcasting the live entertainment. We h http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/blog-183121.html We started our second full day in Venice with another continental breakfast on the terrace and then we headed of to Venice determined to find the Rialto Bridge. Since we had gotten lost the day before when trying to find it on foot we thought that we would take a waterbus directly there but after the trip from Murano to Venice we decided we wanted to walk for a while rather than transfer dire http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-140235.html We arrived in Treviso Airport at about 530 in the evening. We caught a bus to Venice that left at 600 and although Treviso is only 19 km away from Venice the traffic made the ride last an hour so it was about 7pm when we arrived in Venice. All buses and cars and other vehicles stop in Piazzale Roma the end of the road. Here we found a nice Coop grocery store where we stocked up on che http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-140163.html Our Hotel Locanda ConterienbspEurope raquonbspItaly raquonbspVenice By globetrekkingmamaMarch 17th 2007Sally Michaels We stayed at the Locanda Conterie in Murano which is the island just north of Venice. I think the island of Murano is just a picturesque as Venice but a lot quieter. It was only 65 euros a night for a room that sleeps three. We had our own bathroom and a television. A l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-140184.html Riding a water shuttle in Venice is a memorable experience. In fact I still feel like I'm on one right now Is it just me or is the entire room swayingIf you're headed to Venice here are a couple of things you might like to knowhellip Small kids ride for free. Three day passes last for 72 hours not 3 calendar days so we used ours from Friday evening to Monday afternoon. Water shuttle http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-140141.html We spent the weekend at Ferienpark Holiday Resort in Hambachtal. We had a nice 3 room bungalow which included a full kitchen with dishes. The dcor was a little dated but the whole point of the resort is to spend your time outside not indoors. There are lots of Nordic walking trails. We did a little walking but not too much because walking is okay but carrying a preschooler back when she' http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/blog-137754.html Today we got up at 430 a.m. for final packing and routine grooming before we checked out of our hotel and headed to the airport at 530 a.m. Then we took a nine hour flight to the States. After shuffling through immigration customs and security we had a couple of hours before our afternoon flight to Memphis. The last time we were in the States June Bug was still in diapers so she had neve http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Memphis/blog-110698.html This morning we had a delicious leisurely breakfast at the hotel it was a marvelous buffet including my favorite smoked salmon then we headed out to the banking district to look at Frankfurt from the top of Main Tower. The weather cooperated and we had fun showing June Bug the train station river and Romerburg. Afterwards we decided to walk back to the Christmas Market which was slight http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Hessen/Frankfurt/blog-110668.html Today we got up early ate breakfast finalized our packing and set out for Frankfurt. At 900 we called a taxi to take us to the bus station. We werenrsquot expecting the taxi to show up so soon. I guess they donrsquot get much business at 900 a.m. on Saturdays. The taxi driver got us and our luggage to the bus stop by 905 which meant we had a long cold wait until the bus arrived at http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Hessen/Frankfurt/blog-110662.html Baumholder had their Christmas celebration in front of town hall the Rathaus despite bad weather tonight. We took June Bug and enjoyed a horn ensemble a chorus and some sweet kiddie carnival rides.Baumholder isnrsquot very big but the crowd was. I think everyone in the village was there. It was lovely. Germans really know how to get into the Christmas spirit. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/blog-110660.html Watching the scenery go by as I sat on a bus with 21 Americans 2 Germans and 2 Russians I thought about all the things I love about Germany. Everything outside my window looked so green and it reminded me of the sensible laws Germans have to do their share in protecting the environment. First of all everyone recycles. You have to itrsquos the law. If you try to dispose of a huge bag of http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Garmisch-Partenkirchen/blog-81742.html I think I've had enough of typing so I'll just give you the quick synopsis of our last day in France. We went to the museum of antiquities in Arles. We flew back to Germany and drove home.I didn't see any American flags on the 4th of July just lots and lots of German flags. They were on all the cars and hanging from all the houses. People were hurrying to get home in time to watch the game. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/blog-73412.html Today we ventured out to Arles. If yoursquore ever looking for a party at 1100 on a Monday morning go to Arles on the day of a bull show. We were planning on touring the Roman Arena and visiting the museum of antiquities we werenrsquot expecting packed streets live bands wild dancing horse parades and live bulls roaming the streets. For the record we never saw a live bull just the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d-Azur/Arles/blog-73001.html Wersquore traveling again. For those of you who arenrsquot familiar with our travelstyles I like to have everything planned way in advance David makes it up as he goes along. Our trip to France was extremely underscheduled because I had been ill and up until Wednesday we were still debating whether or not to go. For a couple of days I was unable to stand or walk. On my http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Rhineland-Palatinate/Hunsr-ck/blog-71874.html We started our day with a free continental breakfast at the hotel. June Bug was enjoying her plateful of croissants fruit and cheeses when she said ldquoWhat I look like a vegetarianrdquo I laughed out loud. That was the first time I had ever heard her use the word vegetarian. We headed off for the center of town. Avignon is surrounded by a pretty city wall and the Palace of the Popes http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d-Azur/Avignon/blog-71876.html We started Sunday at Avignonrsquos market. We looked around at all the stalls. June Bug liked the fish. She kept telling me she saw Nemo. David liked the bunny carcasses. They looked just like bunnies heads and ears still attached except that they were fleshy and dead instead of being warm and fuzzy. He wanted to point them out to June Bug but I begged him not to. I liked looking at th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d-Azur/Avignon/blog-72740.html Saturday found us back in the hotel lobby enjoying a free continental breakfast again. One of the men who sets out breakfast and clears the table crouched down next to June Bug and smiled at her. She stopped eating and frowned at him. When he left she looked at Papa and me and said ldquoI was thinking lsquoget out of here yoursquore gonna make people sick.rsquordquoAfter breakfast http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/blog-72413.html The Mission http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/blog-60504.html