The Hills are Alive, Salzburg

I can't imagine a more beautiful evening to arrive in Salzburg. As we awkwardly navigated through the under-construction train station, a few trace flurries floated through the air. After Innsbruck, we were as acquainted with the cold, and in the full holiday swing. We checked into the Hotel Stieglbrau, which was affiliated in some way with Best Western, but was located above an Austrian Brewery: SteiglBrau. Standard US style hotel rooms, but the brewery restaurant was popular and fantastically festive.

Shortly after checking in, Jacob and I headed down to taste the beer of our Hotel's namesake. We sat in the wood paneled bar decked out in holiday cheer, drank a few Steigl beers and then the snow began to fly. It was perfectly cozy, but after a couple of beers it was time to venture into snowy Salzburg and check out their Christmas market.

From mild Italian rain to Alpen snow in a few hours - Innsbruck!

We said goodbye to my parents as they started the long journey back to the U.S. The next day, we headed out of Venice to return to the Alps, where this journey had started. This time, it was the Austrian Alps: Innsbruck. It was good to hear a language we had grown familiar with, even though it wasn't English.

It didn't take long as we headed north for the rain to change over to snow. We went from light coats and umbrellas to gloves and winter hats.

Thanksgiving in Venice

Celebrating an American Holiday in a foreign place is kind of an odd experience. It's more like a birthday--- you're in a celebratory mood but no one else has any idea. So what does one do? Well, if you're in Venice and it's a beautiful day, you sight-see. Such was the case for us, so the six of us left our Venice canal apartment and ventured out.

Venezia Day 1

Cue the Santa Lucia:

Ahhh Venice. I had looked forward to seeing Venice for a long time, but somehow over the course of the trip my excitement waned. I wondered "How could it compare to all the other incredible sights I've seen." But as Jacob's parents, Jacob, and I stepped out of the train station, into a bustling water-metropolis, the sun shining brightly, I was stunned.

Florence

We left Rome just as we had arrived there: under umbrellas, stomping through puddles in poorly drained streets, and avoiding umbrella salesmen. The four of us were on our way to Venice to meet my parents for Thanksgiving. It's a long stretch so we thought we'd make the most of it and spend a day/night in Florence. And we arrived to a very beautiful, clear, rain-free day!