My Way Alpine Trip Report

Sounds good, can't wait to hear the rest.

We did this tour with Dan in September-October 2016. I can't wait to read more!

Salzburg (continued:) The local festival was a sight to behold - I'm not sure why the Europeans seem to have so much more fun than we do - maybe it's because they think it's important to have fun and really make the effort. Maybe it's because they don't take themselves as seriously as we do. I wish I knew. Everyone over the age of 18 seemed to be wearing their traditional costumes and enjoying a beer, the kids were shrieking with laughter on the carnival rides, and there were so many colors of cotton candy that I lost track. We wandered around for awhile and then explored the Old Town a bit, all the while very aware of the incredible fortress that loomed above the town - very imposing, but we weren't going up until the next day. Instead, we walked back to our neighborhood, sat outside at The Timeless Cafe and had coffee and strudel, sunning ourselves and watching the people go by. Little did we know that the couple sitting at the table behind us would be on the same tour and they were doing the same thing - nothing. More about them later. That night we had dinner at The Sabroson - my goodness, the reviews are mixed, but we were treated with respect and our food was very good - so good, in fact, that we went back. So did a few others in our group. The next day we visited the Fortress and spent several hours there - it was worth the hot and crowded funicular ride. We managed to dodge our way past the throngs of tourists who were there to eat at the restaurants (it's quite a view) and really enjoyed our self guided tour. I was really struck by the historical architectural plan display of how it took 500 + years to build it. I also loved the armor, musical instruments and kitchen displays - takes certain things to run a household at any given time in history - protection, food and music. On our final day in Salzburg we visited Mozart's Residence - I am a classically trained pianist and orchestral rock musician - this was a highlight for me. I spent several hours studying his pianos and harpsichords - I knew none of them would be 88 keys, so I was fascinated and constantly wondered how he could hear his works in his head without the bass notes. I lingered over his scores, savoring the experience - hubs was a good sport and much to his credit, seemed to enjoy it too.

Hallstatt: I can understand why they took this unbelievably beautiful place off the tour - it is so overrun with tourists that it's uncomfortably crowded. We did our best to try to get off the beaten path. We went to the museum and were the only ones there! We both love history, and the history of the salt mines in this area and their importance was fascinating. We rode the funicular to the top of the mountain and treated ourselves to a lunch with incredible views. We ended with a light lakeside dinner after the day trippers left. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant - we have no receipt for that one due to paying cash. Our hotel, The Hotel Gruner Baum, was wonderful. We had a large, comfy room with a balcony facing the town square and a modern bathroom, including tub.

Castelrotto: This was my favorite stop on the tour. The Dolomites are forbidding, sharp and jagged, but the people are warm and welcoming, Our hotel, Hotel Cavallino D'Oro was spectacular - lovely spacious room with a little private patio, comfortable public spaces overseen by the very gracious owner, and cooked to order breakfast. I am a bit apprehensive about raving about this stop as I don't want it to turn into Hallstatt, but really, it shouldn't be missed. I would go back tomorrow. Hubs and I were both extremely taken aback by the beauty of Northern Italy - the Alpe de Siusi was magnificent. I promised myself that even with my fear of heights (I was able to do the Schilthorn lift in 2015) that I would do the multiple gondola ride and was so glad I did. ...continued

Castelrotto (continued): Our first night we had dinner at Zur Alten Schmiede, which was a pasta and pizza restaurant - the food was very good and, since it was just the two of us, we were seated with a German couple who spoke no English. It didn't matter to us, as we had been seated at a communal table in Salzburg one evening. People are people - you can communicate a lot with a smile and pleasant nod - some things are universal. The next night we ate at the pizza place that Dan recommended (half our tour group seemed to be there) and that was also very good - I see now that I'm going to have to do a better job writing these things down when we pay cash. I felt like crying the next morning as we boarded the bus, but promised myself that I'd be back again with more time to explore and concentrated on focusing on our next destination, which was Fussen.

Fussen: Another stunningly beautiful drive through the mountains, with the turning leaves putting on a grand show for us. We stopped at The Zugspitze, the weather cooperated, and most of our tour group took the gondola to the top, hubs included. I elected to stay behind and had a lovely salad at the alpine village restaurant at the base of the mountain with our new friends - the ones that were sitting behind us at The Timeless Cafe in Salzburg. That, I think, is at the crux of the My Way Tour concept - go with the activity planned or choose not to go and do something else - Nobody is going to say "Where is so and so and why didn't she come along?" Do your own thing, make the most of your time, own your experience. When we got to Fussen the weather had changed and it was very humid, with thunderheads starting to gather. I was extremely glad that I had thrown a pair of summer weight gauze slacks and top in my suitcase at the last minute as they came in very handy for that orientation walk. Fussen is a lovely town but very crowded - it's hard to imagine what some of these places are like in the summer at the height of the tourist season. Dan had given us a heads up regarding trying not to be let down by our hotel, Alstadthotel Zum Hechten, only because our last two hotels had been so wonderful. Was it a let down? Sure it was, but everyone in our group was a good sport. Besides, it may have been an average hotel, but it had a secret weapon in that it had its own really good restaurant. We had two meals there and had a wonderful time with our tour mates, running in and out. Our full day in Fussen was plagued by humid, drippy weather - we ventured out to the castles anyway and felt fortunate not to lose an eye due to the thousands of umbrellas carried by our thousands of new travel companions. Am I glad we did it? Absolutely. The castles are mad, crazy, imposing and beautiful. I ended up with the most beautiful photo of hubs and I taken by a random local travel guide who personally apologized to us for the complete lack of view from Mary's Bridge, I assisted a young Asian woman who thanked me profusely for giving her a euro to use the ladies room as she had gotten separated from her friends, I had a funny and profound conversation with a fellow female American traveler standing just below the castle who had planned her own three weeks in Europe - she quizzed me about Rick Steves and I quizzed her about making all her own plans - turns out that Rick Steves is better. Why am I not surprised? When we returned from the castle, damp and hungry, we stumbled upon The San Marco Cafe - look for it. If the weather isn't good on the sidewalk, the waiter will lead you upstairs - go! Wonderful meal. Pasta and pizza - the real deal. It was at that point that I decided to find a real Italian cooking class when I got home. If I can't find it here I guess I'll have to go back to Castelrotto! ...continued

Lauterbrunnen: This was probably the most eagerly anticipated stop on the tour for many in our group, and the excitement was palpable on the bus ride up, the sound of cameras and smart phones clicking away. Our hotel, Hotel Staubbach, was new to Dan and he announced when we arrived that the owner would be boarding the bus to personally welcome us, which I thought was a nice touch. I really enjoyed this hotel. The bathroom was tiny with the sink in the main room, but the room was clean, the bed was comfy and the real star of this show was just outside - our balcony directly faced the Staubbach Falls and the valley beyond. The weather was a bit overcast so we walked down to the bank to get francs and to the Co-op for some provisions, and had cocktails on our balcony. Even though this was our second time here it all seemed new to us again, and incredibly beautiful. We had made a reservation on our walk at The Oberland for dinner (reservations are a must anywhere in town as there are not that many places to eat) and the food was good and hearty. We woke up the next morning and found we were completely socked in by fog, but were cheered by what was waiting for us at breakfast - bacon! The real thing! It sounds silly, but it was a real treat after the usual buffets of hard boiled (sometimes scrambled) eggs, cheese and cold cuts and was much appreciated by our group. After breakfast it started to rain and didn't stop until mid afternoon. We used this time to find the laundromat at the hostel and spent some time with some delightful Australians who had just come from Norway - they were so pleased that Switzerland was so cheap after Norway and we all had a good laugh at that. As the afternoon got clearer, the sun came out and our group took off for various destinations - some went to Murren and Gimmelwald, some went to Wengen, but nobody went up to The Schilthorn - there was simply nothing to see with it enveloped in clouds. Hubs and I took a long walk in the valley and marveled at the many waterfalls, all of which were roaring more than usual with all the rain. We had dinner that night at the Camping Jungfrau restaurant and although his food was ok, mine was not. Sometimes it happens that way - you don't get a winner every time - much like the weather. When we boarded the bus the next morning we were in for a surprise - we lost two of our tour mates. They loved Lauterbrunnen so much that they decided to stay instead of going on with us to Chamonix.

Chamonix: You can look at photos of the French Alps, the Aiguille du Midi and mighty Mont Blanc, but as with the other destinations on this tour, no photo can do them justice. They are astoundingly beautiful and were even more so when set off by the changing leaves bursting with color. I will never forget the drive to Chamonix - it was a bit much for several of us - thank goodness again for Wyl's driving skills! We stayed at the Hotel L'Arve, which I enjoyed. It was an unusual building with many hallways and staircases and our room was very small, but we had a balcony which overlooked the Arve river and a partial mountain view. It was a pleasant place for some late afternoon down time, watching the hang gliders in action. The hotel had a terrific staff, very roomy and comfortable common areas and a bar, and also a lovely outdoor seating area very close to the river. Chamonix is a very pretty alpine town, good for walking and much less crowded than some of the other places we'd been on the tour. Our first night we had a memorable dinner - our best on the tour - at a restaurant recommended by the desk attendant called Cap (pr. Cape) Horn. My steak with mushroom sauce was so tender I could cut it with a fork and hubs had shrimp in a tiger sauce which, by the glazed look on his face, made him very happy. ...continued

Chamonix (continued): Ah, yes. Cap Horn. I would absolutely recommend making a reservation. We got there early enough to be seated right away, but I also think it helped that we made an effort to put together the best clothing we had with us - for hubs that meant a black henley sweater and slacks, and for me my Eileen Fischer black crepe pants, short black knit military-influenced blazer and cashmere scarf. It was nice to sit in such a nice restaurant so far from home and be comfortable. We had a leisurely walk back to the hotel - there were many people out walking, some with dogs, some stopping for ice cream, some just sitting doing nothing. The next morning we just had coffee and toast and set out to walk - we didn't know where we were going but it didn't matter. We ran into several of our tour mates, part of a multi generational family of 5 from the Pacific Northwest, and they were headed to the Aiuguille du Midi gondola. We walked with them, talking and laughing about our tour adventures. We left them in the ticket line and headed out to find the sweet little omeletterie that we seen on our orientation walk the previous day. We found it and it was wonderful - Restaurant Omeletterie La Poele. Huge omelettes, potatoes and fresh salad for 12 euros. What? Yes, you should go there. From there we walked to the museum, which was closed much to our disappointment, and then along the river and through the little alleyways in the town, poking into the shops, sampling a macaroon along the way and just soaking it all in. We had a group dinner that last night and once again, I don't have a record of the restaurant. Dan arranged it - the food was very good but there were several other large groups in the restaurant and the noise level made it difficult to carry on a conversation. No matter - we regrouped at our hotel and had a lovely last evening together, sharing memories and stories. The next morning we dispersed and it seemed very sudden - a few tour members stayed an extra night in Chamonix, a few took the shuttle to Geneva, one went on to Naples, one went on to Lyon, and hubs and I went on to Annecy and Geneva.

Post Tour. Annecy: When I was planning this trip I was looking at the map and thinking that, if our tour ends in Chamonix and we're flying out of Geneva, isn't Annecy really close? And isn't that the OTHER Venice of the North? Should we go see it? Why not? How to best get there? Well, we took the Oiubus from Chamonix - apparently it is not a very well known means of transportation outside of France, but I had found it online and it was a pleasant two hour ride for a whopping 10 euros a seat, sitting among locals who all promptly took a nap. It was an easy walk from the bus/train station to our hotel, The Splendid Hotel, which I had found online with help from my friends here on the forum. The Splendid was clean and modern, provided a good breakfast and location that couldn't be beat. It was a short walk to the beautiful lake, short walk to the magnificent Old Town, and we were surrounded by restaurants and shops. Was it crowded? Yes, but manageable, and it was such a joyous crowd, especially down by the lake. There were people in groups resting in the grass, snacking, children running around, couples and groups walking along the promenade, laughing and pointing out this and that. We sat on a bench for awhile and did nothing - we're learning. Annecy's Old Town is spectacular. You don't have to be a professional photographer to get beautiful photos of this magical place -- it's all there, medieval, historical, somewhat crumbling - not to be missed. The first night we had dinner at L'Etage, a Rick endorsed restaurant and it was very good. The second day we stumbled into Cafe Le Napoli after walking for hours - Oh the pizza! It was so good we went back for dinner after our afternoon adventures and the house pasta was fast and fabulous. ...continued

Annecy (continued:) Our final morning in Annecy we just couldn't face another hotel breakfast buffet, so we hunted until we found a little bakery for fresh pastries and coffee - what a treat. After packing and checking out it was time to walk back to the train station for the final leg of our journey. We found the station to be quite confusing, with no staff at all in sight. After seeing the "Validate ticket before boarding" across the top of our tickets and becoming concerned because we were already on the platform, I finally approached a woman who looked friendly and hoped she spoke English. She did and showed me how to find and use the yellow validating machine, which stamps the date and time on your tickets. We talked a bit more and it turns out she was married to an American from Miami and they lived in Aix Les Bains, which was where we were to change trains to travel on to Geneva. It was a pleasant 40 minute ride and I rather regretted that we were only getting off to change trains and not see anything of the town - it looked to be beautiful place. The one hour ride to Geneva was very rocky at first but smoothed out as we went.

Geneva: We found our hotel, Auteuil Manotel, which was several blocks from the train station with minimal difficulty and, even though it was 2:30 p.m., were able to check in early. The staff was very polite and attentive, and gave us transportation cards good for all busses, trains and water taxis in the city - this was a nice perk and we ended up making good use of them. That first evening we happened upon La Veranda after much walking and had a delightful and fairly reasonably priced dinner. We passed on the hotel's breakfast buffet the next morning, took the bus to Old Town and found Edward's, a coffee and sandwich place full of locals, where we had bagels. Our afternoon was busy since we only had the one full day - we explored the Old Town - absolutely beautiful, and the lakefront. We visited both sides of the harbor and crossed by water taxi and visited the pier, marveling at the fountain. I felt a kinship with these hardy Swiss people - it may have been October and barely 60 degrees, but there were many swimming and sunning themselves on the rocks. That evening we found a little place just down the street from our hotel call Diva, where we had a wonderful pasta dinner - it was a great meal to end our trip on (the airport doesn't count.) Since our flight the next morning was at 9 a.m. we were up at 5 and walking to the train station at 6, where we caught the 7 minute train to the airport. We had carried on for our flights to Europe, but checked our bags for the journey home, as we didn't care if they were delayed. The flights were uneventful and smooth, and although it was a wonderful trip, it was good to be home.

Our travel group: As I stated before, it was a very eclectic group. There were 26 of us, ranging in age from 22 to early 70s. There were 6 couples, several groups of female friends traveling together, a three generation family of 5 from the Pacific Northwest, a mom/daughter team from WI, a father/son team from PA and several solo travelers. Some were more outgoing, others more reserved, but all were kind and made an effort to communicate - after all, everyone is there for the best travel experience possible, and part of that experience is your travel group. As with our 2015 My Way Europe tour experience, those who were traveling with spouses/partners/friends made an effort to reach out to the solo travelers and nobody explored/hiked/dined alone unless it was their preference. This, I believe, is the heart of the Rick Steves experience.

In closing, I'd just like to say that I know this Trip Report is long, but every word, every experience, was important to me. The seasoned travelers on this forum have been so kind to me, giving solid and practical advice, that I'd like to say "Thank You." I hope I've given back a bit. Liz

Thanks for your report. That sounds like a great tour. We have visited the Dolomites on the Best of Italy tour, Murren on the GAS tour and Chamonix on the Eastern France tour. My husband and I are "mountain people" and won't take a tour unless there's mountains involved. Loved all those places. So glad you had a great trip. I think it's always great to add pre-tour and/or post tour adventures. It helps to have some alone time in addition to group time. Welcome home! Where are you headed next?

Thanks for taking the time to post this report!

Janet and Harold, you're welcome! I had fun writing it - I think it helps in keeping the memories fresh. It became a bit lengthy, but I had several folks on this forum who contacted me before we left and asked me to share specific details when we returned regarding the destinations, things to do, places to eat and pre and post tour plans. Instead of sending them separate private messages I thought I'd do it this way - plus you never know who's out there and who may benefit from your experiences. They may be an inexperienced traveler as I was several years ago, or just unfamiliar with a destination. I've learned a lot from the people on this forum - everything from train tickets/scheduling, the layout of some of the more confusing stations, personal safety, money, food, footwear and packing - you name it. And now speaking of packing, I'd better start working on my packing report! And Janet, as to where we'll go next - probably Scandinavia on our own, but I must admit I do have my eye on both the My Way France and the My Way Spain tours. We'll see now, won't we? Cheers!

Just a heads-up to travelers who may be reading this. We pay cash for all our meals and always ask if we may take the ticket. We've almost never been turned down. Of course, in those places where they scribble the bill on the tablecloth it's a little more difficult, but I've been known to tear it off!

This made me smile, Janet! Thanks for reading.