March 8, 2016

Return to Italy


March 4, 2016
Day 1: Innsbruck, Austria/Valdobbiadene, Italy

While my cousin, Scott was visiting us in Germany, I had one more trip planed with my amazing friend, Orienna.  O and I had been to Italy many times but this would be our last time before Jack and I moved back to the United States.  I had also been saving as much money up as possible in order to complete my Italian ceramics collection...and wine.  :)

We began our trip by stopping by our favorite Thai place in Munich called, Manam Thai Food & Sweet.  It was super delicious and then we drove to Innsbruck, Austria for dessert and some drinks.  It was cold and a bit dark out but the scenery was still breathtaking!  The Austrian Alps can not be beat!

You can see the clouds picking through

A quick stop for a selfie
Just look at those Alps!
We got back into the car and continued our journey to Italy.  I had booked the Bed & Breakfast online so I was hoping it was a suitable place.  It ended up being one of the better places that I have stayed in Europe!  It was quaint and beautiful and just so happened to be on an Italian vineyard.

Il Follo, the kitchen area
We had our breakfast in the little section of this quaint building
Our room door
View from the hallway on the left
View from the hallway on the right, looking out towards the vineyard
Walking into the main room with the extra bed
We were so excited to have a table with chairs so we could sit and have a couple glasses of wine
It was such a cute place
The view outside was as cute as the inside
Olive trees and flowers!
Just look at that view!
The room with the wood beamed ceiling!
This room had a great view too!
I mean seriously...I could sit here all day.

March 5th, 2016
Day 2: Nove, Italy
We got up and headed out to finish our ceramics collection and to hit a few wine tastings.  Nove was our first stop so we could get back to the bed & breakfast and drop it off so that we had room for wine!

Look out towards Il Follo vineyards
Me & Scott
Scott, me & Orienna
The vineyards of Valdobbiadene
The heart of Prosseco region
Scott, me & Orienna
L'antique Quercia (The ancient tree)
L'antique Quercia vineyard surrounded by the Italian Alps
Orienna, me, Scott, & our hostess
Orienna under the tree
Me with the Italian Alps behind
Pic under the tree

More of L'antique Quercia
Wine tasting
Great food and better wine!
Orienna and I even got our demijohns!
Demijohn in all its glory!
La Tordera wine tasting!
When we were done with ceramics and wine, we got back to the bed & breakfast and decided to go find food.  We went to Salice where O and I had been many times due to the tasty food that they have.  We brought wine with us on our walk.  :)  Just cause we could.

Scott & Orienna on our way to Salice
Orienna in front of the vineyards on our way
Scott, me & Orienna
I wish the camera could have captured the actual colors of the sunset

A cool vineyard on our way...we wanted to stop and ask for more wine
The door to Salice
The restaurant was set up for a party so we started our evening outside
Having wine and trying to see the menu
What are YOU lookin at?
After dinner we walked back to the bed & breakfast.  The next day we were taking Scott to fly to Florence to meet up with my Aunt & Uncle for a Rick Steves Italian Tour and Orienna and I planned to check out Venice again.

March 6, 2016
Day 3: Venice
Early in the morning we took Scott to the airport and Orienna and I drove to Venice.  This was probably my favorite trip to Northern Italy.  It may have been too early for trees and plants to be in bloom, and it may have been raining like crazy but it was seriously one of the funnest trips I have had to date. I forgot to take many pictures in Venice, plus it was raining off and on all day but it was amazing walking around Venice like it was our backyard!

It's like a fairy-tale
Venice with an umbrella



We snuck into this building and took an illegal pic.  We don't even know what the building was but we were asked to leave
After Venice, we got back to the bed & breakfast, found a GREAT Italian place with muscles and delicious bread for hardly any money!

I still dream about this food
We even met the guy who supplied the restaurant with olive oil!
It was such a warm inviting place, especially with it raining outside
March 7, 2016
Day 4: Driving back to Germany
The next morning we had to head back to Germany.  At least we had all our wine and ceramics!  Of course we had to buy some wine from Il Follo, where we stayed.  We also stopped by a pizza place we ate at that had awesome beer for our husbands.  Cause we are thoughtful that way.  ;)

Wine barrel at Il Follo
This is where they do their wine tastings
Maria was the sweetest lady

The weather was dark but pretty cool looking.  This is the view from the pizza place with the great beer
The fog rolling around was pretty neat
Me & Orienna
The fog just looked cool

Even the drive home was beautiful.  We drove through the Dolomites with fog all around us.  It was foggy in the beginning, then it got snowy, but by the time we got to Germany it was all fine.  It made for a cool drive at least.

So very beautiful!