Episode II - the Griswalds lost in Europe

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Well we have left Prague and made our way down to Salzburg in Austria. It was unusually cold for this time of year but this did not deter the mighty travellers and we saw all the major sites and were treated to snow capped Alps from our apartment window.
We also had a steam room and sauna session to burn off all the great food we had eaten.
We left Salzburg and headed for Venice. It snowed on the Autobahn as we left the Austrian Alps ( which is pretty tricky when you are doing 130 kph and the locals go past you at 180 +).
It was 25 degrees in Venice and what a suprise package this place turned out to be. When you approach the island from the mainland it looks pretty much like any other modern city. Then you get off the bus walk around the corner and pow there is the Venice you see in all the postcards. Loved the place. Total bloody chaos on the water with Water buses fighting for space with water taxis who are abusing the Gondolas. The locals nick off for lunch at 12 noon and lock the shops until 3.30pm. The tourists disappear into souvenir shops or go for a long lunch and reamerge with a shopping frenzy until well into the night. (stays light til 10.30pm)
We have now arrived in Rome. To all of you who advised not to drive in Rome, you were right. Unfortunately our apartment is near the Coliseum which meant driving into the city centre. Total lunacy. These drivers must be training for a suicide squad mission. No rules, just push in wherever you can and blow the horn a lot.
Once we settled into our apartment we went off to see the Coliseum and then the Fontana de Trevi (just us and 2000 of our closest friends!! or at least they are now).
Anyway thats enough for now. Tania leaves us tomorrow night and flies back to London and we will head for the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii .

Congratulations to Anna and Tyson on the arrival of little Otto.

Until next time 'Ciao'

Martin, Annemarie and Tania.

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Photos

Rialto Bridge - Venice
Shopping Heaven - Water Hell

Venice - Doges Palace
Annemarie getting friendly with some of the locals.

Coliseum - Rome
Just to prove we were really there - who left all these rocks lying around anyway!!

Fontana de Trevi
Throwing more money away as usual