When we awoke this morning the fog was lifting and the sun was starting to shine through. So after breakfast we returned to the lake for a few quick pictures before continuing on our journey. Today was another travel day, traveling to Zermatt, but only part of the trip was by bus. For six hours we enjoyed the ride on the well known Glacier Express. A fun way to celebrate our 51st wedding anniversary. The Glacier Express was anything but a express. We had lunch on the train consisting of rice, carrots and a goulash type dish with apple pie for dessert. We slowly made our way up and over the mountain into the town of Zermatt which allows no gas powered vehicles. Only pedestrians, bike, and electric cars are allowed on the streets. My first ... read more

Our second day is Salzburg started out with us leaving Salzburg and traveling to Germany to the Berchtesgaden region for a visit to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. It was a beautiful sunny day to journey into the Bavarian Alps and climb to a mountain top. On the way we passed several locations where parts of the Sound of Music were filmed, including the bridge the children danced across singing and the home where the outside scenes. In the photo you can see the wall alongside which Maria sang the song "I Have Confidence In Me." Upon reaching Eagle's Nest we walked through a tunnel to reach the elevator to the top. After a few minutes for our guide to talk about the building we had time to explore the mountain on which Eagle's Nest is perched. A ... read more

After finally getting to sleep following a full day of travel, it was up and out early to begin our tour of Vienna. We were on the bus by 7:40 am and at Schonbrunn Palace by 8 am. Great timing by our tour director had us entering the palace in the cool of the morning, making us the first group walking through. No crowds and no heat. After our tour guide gave us a thorough history of Maria Theresa who lived in the palace bearing 16 children while ruling Austria, we had a brief time to visit the gardens behind the palace. After leaving the Schonbrunn, we drove through Vienna passing many local landmarks and seeing how the residents live. Most residents live in apartment buildings some of which are ornate. We also passed government buildings, ... read more

Our last day in Italy was full in Venice. We started our on our boat ride to Island of Murano, known for its artistic and colorful Murano glassware. Here we watch a glassblower complete a vase and horse in a matter or minutes. Skilled hands completing the work flawlessly. After viewing many of the beautiful works of art made here, we, of course, had to make a purchase of our own. We then boarded our boat back to the city to visit St. Mark's Square. We started with a tour of the Doge's Palace, official residence of the Venetian ruler. The palace is filled with works of art and links to the Bridge of Sighs where prisoners were taken on their way to jail. From there we toured the Golden Basilica of St. Mark, built over ... read more

As we started our tour for the day, our first stop was the Galleria dell'Accademia which houses Michelangelo's David as well as other of this works. After having time to enjoy that art housed in the gallery we continued our walk through Florence passing the home of the Medici's. The Medici Family ruled Florence during the 15th century and were very wealthy as wool merchants and bankers. After passing their home we preceded to the Duomo, the first domed structure erected in Europe since Roman times. It was built between 1296 and 1436. The Baptistery, built in the 11th century is known for its three sets of bronze doors with Old Testament scenes. The bell tower was built between 1334 and 1359. We were finally taken to a leather shop with just about anything made out ... read more