Mom and Dad Return!

Although Mommy seemed a bit disappointed in my reaction to seeing her for the first time in eight days -- you know, it really wasn't all that long since we did do webcam a number of times -- I am pleased to have both of my parents back around. I will forever cherish my time with Grandma Jo, though. The two of us had a blast and I was excited to learn that her departure will be delayed by several hours due to a flight cancellation (it is tough to be a Midwestern traveler come December) because of freezing rain. Interestingly, there hasn't really been much freezing rain yet...

In any case, I thought I would take a moment to share with you pictures from Mommy and Daddy's trip. There were about 850 pictures in all (I am not sure Daddy did much on this trip other than take photos) so here are the highlights. They went to Munich, Bolzano (Northern Italy), Venice and on a several hour long drive through the Dolomites. They seem happy.

Drinking "Gluwein" in Munich (hot spiced red wine)!


Mommy having candy coated strawberries and cherries in Munich!

Settled in a "sleeper car" on the overnight train from Munich, Germany to Bolzano, Italy by way of Innsbruck, Austria.

Meeting Uncle Brandon at the train station in Bolzano at some ridiculous hour in the early morning.

Visiting the Christmas Markets in Merano, Italy (near Bolzano)

Random candid of BJ in an attempt to annoy him.

The daily market in Bolzano. These are held daily in every small town and village in Italy, it seemed, and each one blew away the twice weekly farmer's market in Ann Arbor.

The primary mode of transport in Northern Italy.

Sipping wine in a small "wine cave" (we found in Rick Steves' book) in downtown Bolzano. Less than 2 euros a glass makes wine cheaper than water and soda in Italy!

Relaxing by the Christmas markets and lights in Bolzano.

Although a tour of the Dolomites was a bit scary (the roads were hanging over the edges of cliffs with few guardrails, no English signage, and fast cars passing by), the scenery was out of this world!

Ditto.

Ditto.

Plaza San Marco in Venice. It has not changed in hundreds of years.

Ahhhhh....Bavaria in Italy!

The view from Uncle Brandon's villa in Bolzano...surrounded by a grape vineyard on one side and an apple orchard on the other. Very neat!

Mommy is being very brave here...she is usually very very very afraid of birds...

A cafe in the plaza in Venice...classic.

Mommy up atop the Basilica in Plazo San Marco.

Eating gelato under the Realto bridge in Venice. Also classic.

The view from the Realto Bridge.

Mommy and Rick (Steves) planning our route.

A quiet side canal in Venice.

The end of the day in Venice. Amazing.

Daddy promises me that he should have more pictures up on Smugmug later this weekend. I love you all...can't wait to see many of you soon. TSG. XOXOXOXOXOXOXO.