Parma and beyond: Part II
This is one of the many waterfalls we saw driving into Switzerland.
All during this drive into Switzerland and Germany we kept stopping because it is so beautiful and there are so many things you want to try and capture on your camera. The mountains are absolutely majestic and huge and surprisingly still covered in snow. Once we left Italy and headed into Switzerland the road construction began. We're driving up through the alps and the two lane road is under construction in all different places. It wasn't too bad but then there came a part where the road went down to one lane. Here in America we have guys on each end with stops signs and walkie talkies telling each other when to let one side go and the other. But over there they use the basic light system. One side will be red and the other side will be green so the cars with the green light can go until it turns red. Then it's the other side's turn etc. Well we're waiting our turn for the light to turn green and when it does I stall. So the cars realize this and go around me so that they can make the light. I try again and stall the car. So I try again, and again, and again, and again. At this point the light has turned red and I look in the rearview mirror and a big semi truck comes up behind me. The boys are laughing so hard because I can't get the car out of first gear. The light turns green again and so I proceed to take the clutch off and give it some gas and again I stall, and again, and again and now the semi truck is passing me so it doesn't miss the light and the other cars behind him. Now I'm a bit perturbed that I can't get the car out of first and Charles offers to drive but I tell him no, that I'm going to figure this stupid car out. So now it's our third red light and the light turns green again, and again I stall, so I start the car again and now I take my foot of the clutch and the gas and the stupid car starts going on it's own, by now the light has turned red again but Dave and Charles are yelling to go so we speed through the red light hoping that it hasn't turned green on the other side and there are cars heading toward us. We make it to the other side just fine and continue our climb up the mountain laughing all the way!!
Pictures finally
Here's a picture of the Blue Grotto when we were in Capri in Southern Italy. See how beautiful the water is!! It's really hard to describe it but now you can see for yourself.
Parma and beyond
I'm trying to finish posting my blogs about my trip before I really forget what happened. I'm going to try and do a few here and there till I'm all caught up.
Friday morning after getting ready we headed back into Florence to do some shopping, mainly for Charles. I still wasn't in a good mood so the thought of shopping wasn't too appealing. After Charles got his things, we left the city and the tent campground. I spent the morning just looking out the window and reading. I was really frustrated and disappointed at how bad our time in Florence was. Especially because I was so looking forward to it. It just became a huge let down.
The further north we traveled in Italy the prettier it got. I would love to come back and just go around northern Italy. It is so different from Southern Italy, much greener and cleaner and of course cooler. We stopped in Parma for lunch and had some really good panini's and then headed over to Brescia for the night. Our hotel was soooooo nice. I don't know if Charles was trying to make up for the bad night before because this one was fabulous. We stayed in, watched a movie and had donner kababs for dinner, which is thinly sliced meat on a yummy roll with grilled onions and a yogurt sauce. It's kind of like a gyro but I think much better. It was great!!
On Saturday we got up and headed up into Switzerland, Germany ending up in Strausburg, France. But after leaving we made a bathroom/food stop. Dave and Charles wanted me to finally do some driving. Our car we rented in stick because you can get a better rate instead of getting a automatic. I've driven stick before but driving stick in Europe is quite a bit different. The road are really narrow and hilly and you definitely have to concentrate driving over there.
I decided to bite the bullet and suck it up and get behind the wheel. That's where the fun and laughing started. This car we have has a very tricky first gear. Needless to say I stalled about 4 times before I could get going. The boys couldn't stop laughing. I finally got going and we were on the road again. Everything was fine for about the first couple of hours and then we headed into the ALPS!! First on the Italy side we were heading into the lake district. This area is so beautiful. There's a huge lake, surrounded by little cities with these huge mountains behind them. The lake is this incredible dark blue color. It was absolutely breathtaking. Definitely a place to go back and check out.
This is one of the many waterfalls we saw driving into Switzerland.
