Well after spending two nights in Venice, the group boarded a train to Vienna, Austria. We had space on a sleeping car…it was a very tiny space…I had the overhead bunk..it was fun.

We had three nights in Vienna. Austria is so beautiful…the people amazing.  Gerhard Reisacher and his wife Linda are the owners/wine maker for Delectus Winery in Napa which was one of the featured wineries on the cruise. Gerhard is from Austria so we had a great local tour guide who also spoke the language. We  spent time with his Mother (Mutia), Father (Vatti), and Brother (Charlie) who still live in Austria. The entire group also attended his nephew’s high school graduation…it was so great to be welcomed into the family…they all made the trip so special…

We went to local neighborhood wineries which also serve food…. amazing and delicious. We went to see the Lipizzaner Horse and the local countryside…beautiful. We even went to the park where Linda and Gerhard got married….beautiful. I fell in love with all of it.

This was my favorite portion of the trip…going back to Vienna, Austria is high on my bucket list…BEAUTIFUL….

Window view on the train

Our sleeping room on the train

Petite Point Jewelry…amazing detail

Fountain in Vienna

This is the most beautiful church I have ever seen…it truely takes your breath away….it is a must see!

St Stephen Church – Vienna, Austria

St Stephen stain glass windows

St Stephen Church

St Stephen Church, this was carved from one piece of stone…wow

St Stephen – window

St Stephen – colorful Ceiling

St Stephen – Pipes for the Organ

Austria countryside

Lipizzaner Horse

Lipizzaner Horse turning gray/white

LipizzanColts – approximately 5 weeks old

Austria countryside

Vatti (Gerhard’s Dad) and me

Austria Cows…they look pretty happy to me…

Lipizzaner Horse

View from the Lipizzan stable in the foothills…you really do want to sing “The Hills are alive with the sound of music…”

Mountain top

Lookout shack on the mountain top

The group…

Local winery with lunch

Schnitzel..my lunch at the winery…Great…

Gerhard’s parents – Vatti and Muti – they are amazing people..the BEST!

Park where Linda and Gerhard got married – Austria

Neighbor winery – local friends

Garden at the neighbor winery

Linda and Gerhard

Here it is the last day on the ship…we got off the ship at Venice, Italy. We spent two nights in Venice…wow…there is a lot of shopping…a lot of very, very old churches and streets…everything here is old…and crowded…but friendly. Maura and I always felt like we were trying out for the “Amazing Race”….any time we asked for directions, we were usually told, “Two blocks down and to the right…” We did always find our way…we had landmark stores to keep us headed down the correct alleyway…we ate a lot of great food…

We got to celebrate John’s 70th birthday…as a group…good times..I think I might have to celebrate my 70th birthday in Venice too….of course it is a few years away so I have time to save some money…

Maura and I took a taxi over to the island of Murano to see where they make all the beautiful glass pieces…and Burano which has all the linens and tatting…what delicate work…it was worth the trip….

View from the ship coming into Venice, Italy

The window view from our Hotel

Breakfast at our Hotel

On of the many canals with a Gondola

San Marco Square

Saint Mark’s Basilica -San Marco Square

Saint Mark’s Basilica

Saint Mark’s Basilica

Saint Mark’s Basilica

Looking into the Square from Saint Mark’s Basilica

Another canal

Beautiful window flowers

the Group at John’s 70th birthday party – Venice, Italy

Gondola Guy – Pure Italian

Great resturant – amazing weapons collection

Our taxi driver to Murano – another pure Italian

Murano Glass

Murano glass in one of the town squares

Archway of Murano glass ducks….

Iron work on the island of Burano

The colorful homes on Burano – this is so the fisherman can find their homes

Burano homes – so picturesque

Local tatting….amazing what they do

Day 7…we didn’t have much time in Hvar….Maura and I walked through town…found a nice bar and had one drink and then went back to the ship…all the stops in each port were amazing…This was our last night on the ship…here are the highlights…

Local residence

Picturesque

Local parking

View of the town/village

Local town dog…he walked with us for a very long time…cute

Our one drink….Bahama Mamas

Maura with the lime twist…a new jewelry line? maybe?

Last dinner together on the Wind Surf….great group

Ship’s Crew talent show…they made me join them…this was an instrument…it was a lot of fun

Day 6 was spent at Dubrovnik, Croatia. This town/village is also surrounded by a wall. We did walk the wall…it was a nice walk with views over the entire city. It cost 7 Euro’s each to walk the wall…but it was worth it…Here are a few photos from the day…the last two photos are back on board the Wind Surf…the cruise is starting to wind down…

Approaching the city in the boat tender

One of the fountains

Part of the beautiful shoreline

Portion of the wall around the city

Overview of the city

View of the city from a window on the wall

Ruins in the city

Walking the wall

The Wall

Church Bells

Courtyard in the city

One of the many cats roaming around the city

Sunset on the ship

Linda and Me

Day 5, got up early to enjoy the cruise into the fjord to Kotor….it was a beautiful morning and great scenery. The town is small and has a huge wall that goes up the steep mountain…amazing. I didn’t get a chance to climb the wall…We spent the day with Brianna (local), who is very knowledgable about the local wine makers and wines…it was a great learning experience to try other types of wine. Another wonderful port…..

Kotor-Montenegro fjord

Local Church

Local Villages

Another view setting anchor

Wind Surf at Kotor – Montenegro

Wind Surf

Local Church in Town

Part of the wall in town

Local parking

Brianna – Our Host for local wine tasting

Local wines

The Wall

Local delivery

The Wall at night

The Wall and the Moon

Sailing Away

Day 4, was a relaxing sea day…here are few photos taken on the ship…nice day!

Tables and chairs to enjoy on the stern

Morning Bloody Mary…instead of wine…nice break

Under sail – view from the bow

The Bridge

Radar – Maps -Current ship information

Ships lines in order

Under Sail

The beautiful ladies…our social group

John showing where we are – Going around the heel

Going around the heel of Italy

Day 3 on the cruise…we arrived at Giardini Naxos (Taormina), Italy…we took a bus ride to the top of the mountain…what a beautiful little village. We had a very nice lunch and wander in and out of shops..there was a ruin we went to…I don’t remember the name, but the view was amazing. We also wander along the beach in town…here are a few of the photos…enjoy.

One of the tunnels on the bus ride to Taormina

Church in Taormina

Garden in Taormina

Ruins at Taormina

Ruins – Taormina

View of Taormina city

View from the Ruins

Stuff for sale…but not the cat.

Boats at dock

Chairs for rent

Working boats at rest

Wind Surf at Anchor in Taormina, Italy..she is beautiful

Day 2 on the cruise brought us to Sorrento….We didn’t really get a chance to go explore Sorrento, we took the ferry and went to Capri….What a beautiful island. There are a lot of expensive stores, Five Star Hotels as well as beautiful homes…with views..

We had a lovely day and thought we had left plenty of time to return to the Wind Surf…the last tender to the ship was at 3:45 pm….the ferry we thought, would take back was at 2:15 pm…. was not the case…the ferry didn’t leave until 3:15 pm….that was a really close time frame…Maura (my Sister-in-Law) and I felt like we were in the Amazing Race…we were very nervous about missing the ship and having the trouble and expense of trying to catch up to it..

So  what do you do on the ferry when you think you my miss a very important tender ride…you enjoy a glass of Champagne with your travel partner and smile and say,”No worries…we will make it work”…we did make it back with 3 minutes to spare when the last ships tender arrived..whooo…it was a great day…here are a few photos from the day…

more days to come….

The Wind Surf anchored at Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento shoreline

Welcome to Capri

Capri – Near the waterfront

Capri – Oceanview

One of the many beautiful homes – Capri

That is a great backyard view – Capri

Capri – Overview

Sailing around the island of Capri

Sailing away sunset – Sorrento & Capri

Wow…what an amazing trip…it went so fast and yet so slow…of course it was very difficult to be away from Kelly for 16 days…the great thing…I was back home for our 21st wedding anniversary…of course the jet-lag was killer. :-)I will post photos over the next few weeks as there are so many to go through…and of course there are always chores to do when you get home…. 😦

Kelly and I will be going to Morgan Hill, to relax and see what it really feels like to be retired….so far we have been very, very busy…

The first stop was Rome prior to boarding the ship…all I kept saying through out the entire trip was;  amazing and OLD….the buildings and how old and the hard work and skilled required to build them all…amazing…there was not enough time to even begin to see everything…I took a lot of pictures and I know I don’t remember the names of all the churches and plaza and buildings…I will be able to at least tell you which city they were in…day one of the trip

I hope you enjoy….more to follow…

Rome – Trevi Fountain

Trevi Fountain

Vittorio Emmanuel II Monument

Fresh Flowers in Rome

Fountain in Rome – I forgot the name….

People’s Plaza – that is what I was told it was called

Pantheon – Rome

Statue…..I don’t know the name…somewhere in Rome

Invisible Man – Rome

Colosseum – Rome

Ruins – Rome

The stern on the Wind Surf…the cruise begins