The past two weeks consisted of travels to cities in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.

We spent a week traveling with just us three to Interlaken and Sumvitg, Switzerland, then to Bregenz, Austria, then on to Munich and Stuttgart, Germany, then on Friday May 7th we met up with five of Jeff’s close friends from home. All eight of us met in Amsterdam, Netherlands, then moved on to Berlin, Germany, followed by Prague, Czech Republic, then finishing in Munich, Germany.

Tyler and I just returned to Italy for two days after a ten and a half hour train ride. On Tuesday we both fly out…Tyler to Indiana and me to London. I will be leaving London on Friday May 21st to return home.

What a crazy, fun, exhausting, and memorable trip.

So Friday morning we caught a 10 o’clock train to Vernazza, the 4th city (5 is closest to Genoa). We got in around noon, walked through the city to the hotel. Now check this out, our room was on the top floor of these three story hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean coast. ( I have pictures that I’ll post later). We were running around like little children when we saw the view.

After we finally got our things settled we took off to start hiking. Cinque Terra is known for their hiking trails between cities. We head off to Monterosso, city number 5. It is about two or three miles north of Vernazza. The trail is along this ridge above the Sea.

Talk about a hike, we were sore afterwards but we were rewarded by a nice beach in Monterosso. We hung out at the beach for a couple of hours catching some rays. Went for a quick swim. The water was stunningly clear but a little chilly. Then we hiked back to Vernazza to clean up and get some dinner.

The hotel we were staying at had a restaurant on the ground floor and offered a 7% discount to its customers. So when we finally sat down and looked at the menu I was starving and feeling adventurous. Jeff got some sort of clams or mussels. Tyler got seafood dish, and I got the Clams Soup (which was more like clams sautéed in a sauce). Yes, that’s right, I had seafood. AND IT WAS DELICIOUS.

…That was only the first course. Then we each got a bowl of pasta with the homemade pesto sauce. This was simply the best pesto I have ever had. We each scarfed through our pasta. MMMMM Fantastic. Then there were a few drinks to follow at a bar down the street.

The next day we got up around 10 then set off down through Vernazza. I pick up a small pizza for lunch, and then we took off for the hike to the first city towards the south…Riomaggiore.

The hike to the third city, Corniglia, was about the same distance as it was to Monterosso, two or three miles. The sights from this trail were breathtaking. Once in Corniglia, Jeff bought a few slices of pizza for lunch. Then we wondering around the quaint little village.

Once on our way again, it was about two miles to the fourth city… Manarola. We climbed down this steep path to the water’s edge here to take a break and regain our strength while admiring the Deep Blue Sea. It was a short walk to Riomaggiore after that. This city was barely half a mile away.

Each city had its own characteristics defined by the terrain that each were built on. Once in Riomaggiore we caught a water taxi back to Vernazza to get a view of the coast from the water. We were lucky because it started to rain as we were leaving Riomaggiore, but it was not raining in Corniglia so we barely missed it. It was comical because the rain seemed like it was trying to follow us back. Which it did eventually, but only for a short while, then the sun broke out again.

After hanging out for a few hours drinking a bottle of wine, we went back to the same restaurant, this time taking our times with our food to savor the taste. Neither Jeff or I bought antipasti this time, but Tyler got the same Clams Soup as I did the night before. Of course though, each of us got the same pesto pasta dish, but this time took about an hour to eat it because the flavor was exquisite.

We caught a 1040 train back to Genoa and we were exhausted when we got back.

Sunday we went to the Genova Sampdoria soccer game against AC Milan. Oh Man was that a fantastic game. Doria won in the last minute of regulation on a spectacular cross.

Not a bad was to finish off the weekend than with a professional soccer game with the home team winning.

Anddddd there’s nothing planned until we have to catch our train. Excellent!
Jeff Tyler and I took the water taxi to the Island of Moreno. This is where all the glass blowers are. We spent only a half hour here because we got a late start, and the water taxi was a 45 minute ride there. So we literally ran around, found the glass blowers. Then ran back to the taxi, and took a 15 minute ride to the train station where we were half an hour early compared to everyone else. Greatttt. Oh well, we made our train on time and this was one great trip.

After that we made our way to the Salute Church, but never going inside.

Next was to the Punta della Dogana. A 17th century palace renovated by Tadao Ando, a famous Japanese architect. Talk about a crazy museum. The first this we saw when we walked in, other than the disturbing lady with every part of her face distorted through plastic surgery, was a gem, ruby, and diamond clad glass basketball hoop. Amazinggggg. But the entire collection consisted of these perverse, unworldly, awkward pieces of art.

Next was the NFondazione Querini Stampalia, a museum by Carlo Scarpa. Well lets just saw this museum was so interesting that I didn’t even make it past the lobby. Carlo Scarpa is utterly brilliant. I sat down and sketched for a full hour before we were kicked out because the museum was closing.

Finally, we made our way to the Biennale Garden. Here there are 15 separate buildings, each designed by an architect or set of architects from various countries throughout the world. Each building is just an exhibition hall to display the architecture of the origin of the architects country. Countries like, Venezuela, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Canada, Australia, Norway/Sweden, the United States, Finland, Italy, Holland, and Austria. Even the Ticket Office and Book Shop were designed by world renown architects. Even though the complex is falling into disarray, due to the fact that is was built in the late `50′s, it was still fairly stunning. Just to imagine a giant park like this back in the day would be something like Disney World for architects. They still have exhibitions like these today, but they are more often than not located in the faster growing cities. This year’s one is to be in Shanghai, China.

And of course, to top off the night, we all went out for my birthday. Yeaaa, I got a little drunk. Don’t you just love it when you say its your birthday and people just buy you drinks. I wish I could say that every time I go out. I would save soo much money.

Our hotel, which by the way was another 4 star, but definitely didn’t feel like one, was just off Piazza San Marco, the infamous square in Venice.

Friday morning, we toured the Piazza and the Basilica di San Marco. The Ceiling and walls of the Basilica are covered in mosaics – tiny little pieces of colored marble, ceramic, whatever material they used, to create designs that clad the interior walls and ceilings.

Next was Palazzo Ducale, the famous palace right on the water, next to Piazza San Marco. We never went in though.

We saw the Marciana Library, but again never went in. Too much to see!

They we took a water taxi to San Giorgio Maggiore Church. It was designed by Palladio. Then to Redentore Church, also design by Palladio. We went to the top of San Giorgio Maggiore, in the bell tower, and took some amazing pictures of Venice and the surrounding marshes.

Finally we saw Ponte di Rialto, an enormous bridge, famous for its shops on it, just like Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Piazza di Rialto, the square next to the bridge is where I went for my birthday. Yep, lots of drinking going on there. The bars in these square are unique, they are probably 8 feet x 10 feet, but the bar is like 3 feet inside the front wall, which is just a metal garage door. So when they lift the door, the entire bar is open to the square. Then everyone just walks up to the bar, buys a drink, walks out to the square, and just hangs out with the other hundred people there. This idea is amazing and we need it in the states. But I could also see it getting out of control there because of the immature little punks who don’t know how to drink responsibly, or the dumb frat boys/guys who think their gangsta, who like to start trouble.

Fun times.

This bus was to take us, with Vilma, all around Venetian Province. We saw works by both Palladio and Carlo Scarpa.

Our first stop was to the Covered bridge, in Bassano by Palladio. This is a wooden bridge built in the late 16th century. Now think about it, a wood bridge, still standing, in a river that is fed from the melting snow from the Alps. I think we can say that it had a good designer, no?

Next was the Gipsoteca di Possagno, a museum of scultures and statues by the famous sculptor, Antonio Canova. The museum itself was designed by Carlo Scarpa, who mastered the light that was entering the exhibition space. All the sculptures are make of plaster. 95 percent of sculptures and statues at this time period of Canova, were made of marble because plaster was too fragile and very hard to sculpt.

Villa Barbaro, by Palladio, was our next stop. This was a nice villa, know for its symmetry and classical style, of course because of Palladio. The frescoes painted on the walls were interesting but they take away from the Palladian architecture.

Next was the Brion Cemetery by Carlo Scarpa. This is not like any other cemetery that we know of in the States. Every little detail was thought about. This place was designed so it could be a place to gather and have a joyous picnic, a place to come relax and enjoy life, but also a place to be able to mourn those who have moved on.

Finally we toured Villa Emo by Palladio. This like all his Villas are know for their symmetry and fine construction. But once again there are too many frescoes and sculptures that denounce the architecture. Vilma, on the other hand, believe this is “Perrrrrrffeeccccctttttttt Palladioooo…..” Cripes woman, is there any architecture designed by Palladio you don’t think is perfect?

We broke for lunch then took an hour and a half bus ride to VENICE!

Sooo, we hiked up a hill near about a mile away from our hotel to where these two villas stand and toured the first Villa….”Villa Valmarana ai Nani.” This Villa was built in the late 17th century and is know for its symmetry and frescoes painted on the walls in every room. They were actually quite spectacular. I can go 50/50 on frescoes. Some goes with the building, some do not at all. These fit well but it is interesting to think that people lived in these simple house with intricate frescoes and large gardens out back. Oh, how lifestyles have changed.

There is a funny legend that goes along with this Villa…There once was a dwarf princess who lived secluded in the Villa surrounded by other dwarfs so as not to make her feel like an outcast. Well, one day as handsome prince was riding by on a white stallion, the princess snuck away from her dwarf “friends” (more protectors shielding her from the reality of life) and viewed the prince from the window. Upon viewing the prince she realized her handicap, went into dismay, and threw herself from the tower. The pain and disappointed the dwarfs felt for allowing the princess to commit such an act, transformed them into stone. At the present day they sit atop the garden walls protecting the garden that the princess once loved to play in.”

The dwarf statues are still on that wall and are pretty funny to look at because they are very animated in their expressions.

Next was the “Villa Capra detta La Rotonda” built by Andrea Palladio, in the late 16th century. This is a famous Villa that all architects students around the world learn about during their studies. This is supposed to be one of the most “perfect” villas. There is a family that still lives here, but I’m not sure how comfortable. The villa is “perfect” in symmetry, proportion, classical order, and representation of the divine comedy (Inferno[Hell], Puratorio[Life on Earth], and Paradiso[Heaven]). This was an interesting villa built on top of a man made hill. We spent some time  until lunch walking around the Villa.

After we had lunch, we met Vilma Barbieri in downtown Vicenza. She gave us a tour of the Palladian City. Teatro Olympic, a Palladia Basilica, and few other built and half finished Palladian works. She was a very interesting woman. Very obsessed with Palladio and also exaggerating and stressing certain little traits. At least she kept the tour interesting.

After the tour we caught a 6pm train back to Verona where our hotel was.

We bought some pizza and beer and called it a night.

There were two well known pieces of architecture that we were able to see and sketch. The front facade of the train station completed by Santiago Calatrava, a famous Spanish architect, and the KKL convention center, designed by Jean Nouvel, a French architect.

I wish we had a longer stay in Luzern because it was a beautiful city on the lake.

Then we made our way to Verona. Back to Italy.

Immediately when we got off the train we made our way to Castelvecchio. The best preserved castle in Italy. The museum to the Castle was design by Carlo Scarpa, a famous Italian architect who passed away about thirty years ago. This was a huge castle with modern twists to it thanks to Scarpa. I enjoyed this visit because it makes you aware of two significantly different types of architectural styles that intermingle.

“Anthroposophy postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development—more specifically through cultivating conscientiously a form of thinking independent of sensory experience. In its investigations of the spiritual world, anthroposophy aims to attain the precision and clarity of natural science’s investigations of the physical world. Whether this is a sufficient basis for anthroposophy to be considered a spiritual science has been a matter of controversy.”

Yeaaaaaaa, okkkkkk, well lets just say the architecture was crazy. Actually the building was quite interesting. Every little detail was thought of, so everything was intricately placed.

After the Goetheanum, we took a city bus to the Foundation Beyeler in Riehen. This is a famous museum designed by Renzo Piano, one of the most famous Italian architects of present day. This museum is known for its highly advanced used of natural light within the museum. We were not allowed to take any pictures inside which was extremely disappointing because the interior was spectacular. It was lit by nothing but natural day light. No artificial lights were used, but there was absolutely no “direct” light shinning within the space.

After the museum, we took another city bus to Weil am Rhein, Germany…literally ten minutes away. Haha, three countries in two days. Here we took a visit to the Vitra Campus. Vitra is an enormous furniture design company within Europe.

This entire campus consists of three warehouses for production, a exhibition hall, a museum, conference hall, fire station, and a conference/events dome. Each building design by a handful of the most famous architects of today. We were allowed to go inside the museum, exhibition hall, conference building, fire station, and the dome. The warehouses were off limits due to business.

This campus was stunning because each building had a unique quality about it because each architect reflected their own opinions of how the design should be for their building. We were given a private tour which lasted two hours, then walked around the museum which was just completed last year.

Then back to the hotel.

This day we were to take a bus tour to France.

It was a half hour bus ride to Ronchamp, so pretty much everyone passed out during the ride. We were to visit Le Corbusier’s Natre Dame du haut Chapel. Le Corbusier is a famous architect that everyone one of us learns about from day one. Mainly because of his progressive ideologies and theories.

When we arrived there was a mass just about to begin, so we were told we would have to wait half an hour or so until mass was over to view the interior. Welllllll, Jeff, Tyler and I decided to attend the mass. I mean why not? How often do you get the chance to say you went to Sunday Mass, in France, at a famous chapel, designed by a famous architect? Mass was basically the same as any other Catholic church, butttttt it was in French. So I didn’t understand one word said. That’s ok though, because now I can say that I’m cultured.

After mass was over we walked around the interior studying the architecture, and then we went outside to take a class photo and gather our individual shots of the chapel.

Around one noon-ish we made our way back to the bus.

Next was lunch. Then we took the bus to Mulhouse, France

Mulhouse is a smaller city where they are known for their Social Housing. There have been numerous architects who have designed and built special social housing units in Mulhouse, so we were dropped off at a corner and wandered around the neighborhood for an hour studying the architecture. It wasn’t a very pleasant day so we kept the touring short.

After Mulhouse, we drove back to Basel where our hotel is.

We had the evening off so Jeff, Tyler and I walked down the river to the Tinguely Museum. Let’s just say John Tinguely was one out-of-the-box thinker. Or more eloquently, he was effing nuts. He designed and constructed moveable art by collecting junk, from junkyards, and combining it all to create “something special.”