LAKE COMO/SWITZERLAND/VALS

well.....this is probably one of the best trips we been on.

8 of us

1 ford transit

drove from florence through northern italy stopping at beautiful lake como before crossing the border to switzerland. the winding roads and the hairpin turns in a 9 person van is quite a feat. 

switzerland is the most beautiful country i have ever seen. it is perfectly green, natural landscapes, small homely towns. everything was great!

VALS, the meat of the trip. at first, a thermal bath was not impressive in my opinion. just another spa. this was not just another spa. it was the most relaxing time of my life. enjoying the architecture, the water, the lighting. everything. bathing for about 6 hours makes one feel completely revived. well worth the 80 euros spent.

and now the pictures....

the tranny van hauling ass on the A-1

the fog encompassing a small swiss town

more switzerland, more alps

stayed overnight in a city called Chur. Peter Zumthor created SHELTER FOR ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE. the place was pretty sweet

onto VALS, exterior shots and some of morning by the outside pool

all and all, the one of the best trips we have been on!

SIENA!

siena, the last class trip before break. 

at first, the thought was oh, another hill town. great. HOWEVER, siena turned out to be one of the best hilltowns, as recommended by rick steves. so we take the usual charter bus, check out the town. Siena is not your average hilltown. It is BIG, it is an actual city even with their own Serie A football team. So here are the sights.....

THE DUORMO, the best one we seen yet.

glasswork inside the museum

being tourists as usual

VILLA LANTE!

villa lante is a beautiful garden that once was someone's home. it was quite a treat!

the garden:

damn flamingo in my picture! 

clouds in the water?

smoke was running from the villa:

fountain:

fountain that runs through the whole garden:

what is that in the tree? it's the girlfriend!

and there is luis!

sea of green:

more of CASTIGLION FIORENTINO

so chillin' on a saturday afternoon in the girlfriend's room, you get this view of the tuscan landscape...........

beautiful, huh?

ORVIETO!

oriveto was another little hilltown but it takes a trolley to get up to the top of the hill. their duormo was one of the most aesthetically pleasing ones with black and white stones on the side of it with relief statues on the facade. the town was one of the best hilltowns we visited.

the duormo

details of the facade:

relief statues:

CIBO TIME!

stained glass, dope shizz:

the street view of the duormo:

for sale!

the view from the top of the hill:

the models:

ASSISI!

assisi, another hill town. 

st. francis basilica

the view from the top of the fortress: