International Group Travel Meeting - Sunday, January 14 @ 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time

I can't wait to join the call, I enjoy them so much and always learn something.

Yes please, I would like to join. Thank you!

Plan to be there. Please send the link!

(Would love to hear about your Dec trip!)

I would like to join, thank you!

Add me too. Thanks.

I am looking forward to it!

Andrea, please add me to attend

Hi Andrea, Please add me, too!

Yes please!

The meetings are always interesting. I look forward to the next one. Dare I hope for a trip report, Andrea?

Please include me. Thanks.

Hi Andrea --
Please include me!
And thanks!

Please add me, Andrea. I, too, would love a trip report.

Hello Andrea and Happy New Year!
Please add me to this meeting. I would love to attend.
I'm back from 18 days in DE, AT, & FR. Had a great time!
See you (virtually) soon.
Mark

Please include me, am looking forward to hearing everyone's input

Would like to attend if there is still room, thanks

I would love to attend!

Don’t forget me if there is still room. I missed December’s zoom and had withdrawal symptoms.

i may be unavailable but if I am available I would like to be me.

Hi, Andrea, please include me! Thanks!

And Nigel, I would love for you to be you. 😊

Hi! Please add me!! Hopefully I’ll see you all next week!!!!

Hi, please add me if there is room.
Looking forward to seeing everybody again.

I just got home from a trip to Washington and have added everyone to the list. I’m looking forward to seeing you all.

@debesse1717, I sent you a private message and am posting here in case you don’t know to check for it. I need your email address to send the zoom link to you. Thanks.

Andrea, I’m so sorry, but I will not be able to make it after all. I just realized the meeting overlaps with the Steelers playoff game. I would have to give up my Pittsburgh citizenship if I missed the game. And probably be shunned for life.

Hope to make it next month.

The game has been postponed until Monday, so I can participate! If there is still room.

Carroll, I’m happy to hear the game has been postponed. The stadium in Buffalo is a mess. Oh, and my husband who was born and raised in Buffalo says GO BILLS! 😁

Hahaha! I will root for the Steelers, but will be fine if the Bills win and will cheer for them the rest of the way. No one should have to suffer as much as Bills fans have. They deserve a Super Bowl win for sure.

Andrea, if there is room, please can you add me?
I think you have my address from another time, if not let me know.
I have two, either one is fine.
Thank you!

Carroll, that’s being a good sport. I’ll root for the Bills unless they end up in the Super Bowl against my 49ers. Then all bets are off!

SJ, I’ve got you on the list.

Andrea, I'm so sorry but I have to beg off. I need to watch my youngest grandkid tomorrow and unless you want constant photobombing, it's best if I don't participate, lol! Sorry I will miss it!

I just sent the zoom link to your email. Please let me know asap if you didn’t get it.

Mardee, I’m sorry you can’t make it. I hope to see you next month.

I haven’t received the email yet….

Just found it in the spam folder.
Se you shortly.

From our discussions....

Cruise Port Schedules
https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports

My hat is off to A&J and to everyone who joined the meeting this morning - what a trove of valuable info and observations about every which where!

Another fun meeting - it was good to see everyone, including a few new faces for me since it’s been a while. Thanks so much, Andrea!

Nice discussion. Sorry I had to jump off early.

Thanks everyone!
Very nice to see everybody.

For anyone who has not been to Venice before, or hasn’t been for a while, this is a wonderful source of information for you:

https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/

Tammy: you may find it useful.
I agree with Chani…..it’s one of my favourite cities too.☺️

Today I was recommending MonasteryStays.com for inexpensive lodging in Venice and other expensive cities in Italy.
I used them for 3 stays 7 years ago and am using them again this Spring.
The website is a little challenging and they don't let you know until after you have booked that your fee to them is non-refundable although I think you can cancel the booking (with the convent) and not lose anything more.
The ones I have stayed in previously are centrally located, clean and basic but pleasant, and have private bathrooms, They are essentially run as bed and breakfast places but sometimes without the breakfast since Covid.

Hi Catherine,

Thanks for a great meeting yesterday! I really enjoyed it.

The place I mentioned in Paris is called the Atelier des Lumières. Here is a link to their website. https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/en
It is a former steel foundry that is now a digital art centre. They offer an immersive experience with audiovisuals. It looks like they have already started a new exhibit called Egyptian Pharaohs. I really enjoyed this place. It is quite unique and something different to do in Paris. I would definitely go back.

The coffee house I mentioned in Vienna is called Cafe Frauenhuber. Here is a link to their website: https://cafefrauenhuber.at/index.php/en/
They serve coffee and pastries, but they also offer full meals. It is not in the Rick Steves' Vienna book, but I think its worth a visit. It is the oldest coffee house in Vienna. There is a plaque outside stating Mozart's connection with this cafe. Also, it has the best hot chocolate I have had anywhere.

Hope this info helps. Happy travels!

MC

Ooops! Posted this to the wrong thread. Sorry! I'll add it to Catherine's thread. My bad.
MC

Thanks for posting this to my thread, MC. I’ll be in both Vienna and Paris later this year. :-)

@Tammy, I just got on the Groupon app and confirmed that you can change your location to somewhere beside where you live. I chose Venice and it showed the deals there. Of course you can choose any location in the world.

@ Tammy

The Venice pastry shop near the Frari Church recommended by Nigel (and I 100% concur after a visit last June) is Pasticceria Tonolo.

The church tower across from St.Mark’s with the great views is San Giorgio Maggiore.

And the Scala Contarini del Bovolo is also in a quieter area not far from St. Mark’s Square and pretty cool with its spiral staircase leading up to a tower overlooking Venice.

Thanks Andrea (and Avi)? For another great zoom. Also, thank you for all the Venice tips, I have taken notes.

Thanks, ReedMan! I had the art installation already on my bookmarked list but am adding the Vienna cafe now!

Thanks, ReedManTX, I've put the cafe into my "next trip to Vienna" page! And I will definitely visit the Atelier, that sounds very cool!

@ Tammy, this is the hotel several of us mentioned in Venice. No elevator, but you can request a room on a lower floor.

https://hotelguerrato.com/

There was discussion yesterday about staying in a monastery.

I didn't get a chance to mention the Don Orione in Trastevere where Carol and I stayed one year. Just up from the Giudecca Canal at Zattere but also a very short walk from the Accademia and the bridge named for it, and the Peggy Guggenheim collection. Close to so many things including top gelato, good food, and all sorts. Lovely ladies running it, not too much English but enough, very simple inexpensive ensuite rooms - no TV. No steps or bridges between the Accademia Bridge and the facility and the Zattere. The work that the institution does around the world is really valuable. https://donorione-venezia.it/home-en

We also discussed the Ala Hotel. It used to be a Best Western, now it is UnaHotels Ala Venezia, and all adults 16+. https://www.hotelala.it/en/

A few steps from the Santa Maria del Giglio vaporetto stop....

I haven't stayed there since they banned sprogs and changed affiliation.

Thanks for all the great info on Venice, everyone. I'm keeping a Venice Notes PDF for my next trip there. Very helpful!

For Cafe Frauenhuber in Vienna, one of their specialties is called Kaiserschmarnn. I saw quite a few people order it while we were there. It is worth trying. It is a crepe/pancake, cut into cubes, and usually served with warm apple compote, or plum sauce and custard. They're delicious. I tried them twice on this trip. Apparently, they were the favorite dessert of Kaiser Franz Josef, hence the name. In this cafe, I tried the Vienesse crepes with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, along with their amazing hot chocolate. Yummy!

Our tour group stayed at the Boutique Hotel am Stephansplatz. It was fantastic! It is literally right across from the Cathedral. It's right around the corner from the Stephansplatz Metro station. Perfect location! Breakfast was fantastic! The service there was top-notch. We were treated like royalty. The breakfast room has a large glass window with great views of Stephansdom. I can't say enough good about it. Definitely want to stay there again. The rooms are quite nice with a large bathroom, and the TV in the room has a live webcam view of St Stephans Cathedral 24 hours a day from several different viewpoints.

It looks like there is a somewhat new aquarium in Vienna just south of the city centre. It is in a tall building, and I think there is a rooftop terrace with great views of the city. Looks interesting. It is not mentioned in the RSE Vienna guidebook, though. Has anyone been there? Curious if it is worth the visit. It would be something different to do other than museums and cafes.

Thanks again for all the tips! Hope y'all have a great week!

Mark