The lure of a warmer weather after months and months of random snow and ice-frozen wind was just too hard to pass. Having spent a day in Switzerland, we planned to head straight to the south of France - Nice! But, you know, life has this funny way of crumpling a six-month travel plan before finally taking a shot and dumping it on a waste basket. Can I get an Amen?
So the first challenge coming to Nice actually began right when we step foot in Geneva. We tried to book a direct train to Nice but na-da. The only option left was a stop over in Avignon and hopefully get a train to Nice from there. Well, sure. What's another city anyway? Arriving at Avignon and hoping for a straight shot to Nice, we tried to book our train tickets but in vain!!! We had to stop by Marseille St. Charles station for a couple of hours before reaching Nice oh Ville by midnight. Sucks but we just have to make do. Thankfully, Rick Steves, our handy companion gave another good to-do/to-see lists of Avignon to the T.
(Left: Taking notes from Rick Steves on our way to Avignon inside the TGV train. 1st class? I think so.)
Avignon is really just a small town, much reminiscent of an Italian village with its really old, brick-walled buildings minus the colorful palettes of red, pink, green and orange. But it sure wasn't small when the train station declared the luggage lockers out of service, even the coin-op ones and a hunchback we will go! Bags in tow, we found Palais de Papas, home of the Popes during the papacy's rivalry with the Roman Emperor; Parc de Rochers des Doms atop the palais with a stunning view of the Rhone river and Sur Le Pont d'Avignon, the halfway bridge, cut midway caused by flooding.
Heading back, Avignon just couldn't resist letting us bid our adieu's without a take-home a gift - a nice rain shower served wet, sloppy and a bit muddy yet, paradoxically perfect to end our short and long Avignon journey.
Avignon, France in Pictures
So after Prague, our next main destination was Avignon & Nice, France, and what better way to take a breather and stop over in...well, Switzerland!!! To make Ralph's dreams a reality, we finally saw the Matterhorn from the quaint yet pricey town of Zermatt. Rode the Matterhorn train through the Alps and spent half a day just in awe of its beauty. Out of curiosity i.e. Geneva Convention and to save some money for a place to stay, we chose to stay in Geneva instead, the closest Swiss city to Avignon and a 3-hr train ride from Zermatt.
Oh and by the way, if you're wondering why I have not mentioned anything about our hostels, its because every hostel booked was pretty amazing. The fruits of teamwork really. By the time we stayed at City Hostel Geneva, our hostel scorecard shines 4 out of 4!
A city still waking up from dawn, Vienna offered a perfect timing for us to roam about its streets and get acquainted with one of Europe's former richest and most powerful country. Schonbrunn Palace highlighted our first and last morning in the once Imperial City, after a Mcdonald's junk fest breakfast of course. And slowly, tourists in hats, glasses and cameras followed suit, trickling the shops and streets; driving our itching feet to hurriedly walk to the palace in hopes of beating the crowd.
And success! We got in in no time. The palace showcased the Habsburg family's opulent living conditions, a personal indoor gym inside the queen's bedroom for example, and the family's acquired wealth, with a thousand crucifixes, centerpieces and eating utensils in silver, bronze and gold. But few of the most fascinating pieces of artifact included a unicorn's horn and the king's golden crown embellished with pearls and colorful jewels.
For lunch, we scoured the city for a Rick Steve's recommended family-owned Greek restaurant serving a delish plate of Gyros made with thin slices of lamb, pork and beef served over a steaming heap of garlic rice and fresh salad topped with creamy, homemade hummus. Indulge! Then it was back to the heart of the city where St. Stephen's cathedral proudly stand. And we did what we enjoy best - climb the winding 343 steps up the tower for a beautiful view of the city of Vienna.
With just a few hours left to spare, we headed to the Schonbrunn Palace, the thousand room summer house of the Habsburg family. Since we came around Easter time, it was a delight to see a Viennese Easter Market on the palace grounds with green wooden stalls lined up and filled with beautiful decor, pottery, handmade crafts and chocolate-covered gingerbread! Oh my...!
Skipping the tour inside the palace, we instead, explored its breathtaking garden. The garden, with so much to see, boasts of the Great Parterre, the symmetrical beds behind the palace; the Neptune fountain comparable to Rome's Trevi Fountain, a playground, the Maze/Labyrinth a-la Alice in Wonderland and the Gloriette, a stunning structure of columns requiring a short hike up a hill.
To cap the night off, we ate at a relaxing wine garden and joined the rest of the crowd watching the live broadcast of an orchestra at the outdoor cinema of the Opera House. Will definitely go back to Vienna just for these...
Vienna, Austria in Pictures
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