fleischmann's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member fleischmann on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/fleischmann en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:42:44 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com London — London, United Kingdom http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1216374540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1216374540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1216374540/tpod.html Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:42:44 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
London, United Kingdom

When we arrived in London the kids couldn't believe they could speak English to everyone again. We had three, quick, sunny days to see so many places. We met up with Sarah, Damian and Eleanor who we had met in the Maldives. It was great fun for the kids to have someone to hang out with and for us to have dinner with other adults!! They were wonderful tour guides and showed us the city from a local perspective.
We couldn't believe it was actually the end of the trip and that we would be in the U.S. so soon. Many mixed emotions but an overall sense that we would carry the adventure with us always.
The kids had no ambivalence....they were ready to come home!!
]]> Tuscany — Tuscany, Italy http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1216288140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1216288140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1216288140/tpod.html Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:32:03 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Tuscany, Italy

After a wonderful week in Rome we took the train to Naples and then a car to Positano. We stayed at a beautiful little hotel at the beach and enjoyed the casual days and nights in this picturesque little village.
From there we rented a car and drove to Tuscany to our house that we rented for two weeks. It was the first time on the trip that we had been anywhere for that long. We actually got to unpack! The kids loved being at a home with their own bedrooms and bathrooms and having their toys in a certain place. We had our own swimming pool where "bella" the blown up seal resided and waited for the kids to come play.
Steve and I took walks...well more like hikes...everyday for two hours. The Tuscan countryside was so beautiful and diverse we loved changing our route everyday and discovering new villages along the way.
We spent a lot of time in Lucca. We rode bikes, found great restaurants and squares for the kids to run around.
Steve and I took the bus from Lucca to Florence and spent the night. It was our first time away from the kids in 6 ½ months. We walked and walked and tried to find all the places we remembered from our honeymoon and enjoyed the alone time.
We explored other areas in Tuscany like Pietra Santa and the beach towns of Via Reggio and Forte Di Marmi. The kids especially loved the warm water of the Italian Riviera and building sandcastles until late in the day.

We left for London a little sad knowing we were going to miss our little house in the hills.
]]> Italy — Lake Garda, Rome, Italy http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1214563440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1214563440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1214563440/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:39:25 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Lake Garda, Rome, Italy

We're on the road again...
We stopped in Lake Garda in Northern Italy (the largest lake in Italy) for four days on our way to Rome. What a wonderful surprise for the kids. It is theme park land and a kid's dream...they loved it! Steve took them to Gardaland that they said was better then Euro Disney! We played at the beach for the rest of the time and enjoyed the sun, gelato and pasta!!
We stopped in Montepulciano in Tuscany for lunch and then spent the night in the area.
We landed in Rome and got very lost trying to find our hotel room but eventually landed there.
A brief snapshot of being on the Autostrada (the Italian word for motorways/freeways) with the Fleischmann's...
In the back seat:
Carol - listening to her ipod, sleeping or watching a movie.
Hannah - sleeping, listening to her ipod or a book tape
Jack - watching a movie or alternating between "I'm hungry, I'm tired...I need a bathroom"
In the front seat:
Steve - happy go lucky...looking around at the view, turning around and checking to see if the kids are OK, almost hits a car and says "I saw that..." humming away looking for great places to stop and eat!
Patty - gripping the door handles in terror while watching the road, reading the map and making sure Steve doesn't miss the exit, fall asleep or hit something (or someone)!
Needless to say we are all very glad when we arrive safely at our destination!
Rome was amazing...everything we had heard it would be. We tried hard to pack it all in even with the 90 - 100 degree weather. The kids spent a lot of time at Villa Borghese park...which was around the corner from our hotel. Steve and I managed to get in the Coliseum, The Forum, The Sistene Chapel, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and of course tossed a coin and made a wish in the Trevi Fountain to ensure a safe return back to Rome. We had a wonderful evening having drinks on top of the Hotel Eden enjoying the view and a great dinner at Nino's. We walked everyday for hours just taking the city in...
We celebrated Jack's 7th birthday in style. We played at the park, rode bikes and watched movies in the hotel room. He was desperate for Chinese food for his birthday dinner but we convinced him that when in Rome...pasta is in order! We took him to a neighborhood restaurant, opened gifts and had chocolate cake (with three Euro's on top which made him very happy...he has a collection going from each country we have been in)!
He went to bed very happy...telling us that he definitely felt seven years old that day!

]]> Austria — St. Wolfgang, Austria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1214315400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1214315400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1214315400/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:31:42 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
St. Wolfgang, Austria

Driving through Switzerland was absolutely beautiful and minus the many tunnels that the Swiss seem to be so fond of...very easy driving. We landed in the Salzkammergut region of Austria after a long eight hour drive. We found a great little apartment right on Wolfgangsee Lake (about 48km outside of Salzburg). We loved the beauty of the lakes and the laid back feeling of the area and stayed almost a week! We hiked the Schafberg Mountain, cruised the lake, did the Sound of Music tour and explored Salzburg.
Our next stop was Vienna where we heard Mozart and Strauss and celebrated Father's Day in style...well...Steve's style. Chinese food and a matinee!
]]> Switzerland — Zermatt, Swiss Alps, Switzerland http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1213434480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1213434480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1213434480/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:34:01 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Zermatt, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

We drove from Paris to Geneva for a few days and then on to Zermatt. With no itinerary or plan we landed in a wonderful pension in Zermatt and stayed for five days! Our hotel room faced the Matterhorn and everyday we waited patiently for it to peak out from the cloud covering. Our last day there it was in full bloom...glorious and well worth the wait! We loved the hiking and the quaint swiss alpine village feel of Zermatt. The kids (and Steve) did a zip line/ high level balancing obstacle course on logs, ropes...crossing between trees at 40 feet above the ground. I was a nervous wreck watching them but they felt a great sense of accomplishment after completing the course. It made Outward Bound look easy!!
]]> Paris — Paris, Île-de-France, France http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1213015140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1213015140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1213015140/tpod.html Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:13:52 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Paris, Île-de-France, France

A dream week in Paris. What can we say except we did it all!!
Seeing Paris through the eyes of your children is such a wonderful experience.
We surprised the kids and took them to Euro Disney our first day there. They loved it and were happily surprised at the short lines for all the rides.
The rest of the week was spent exploring the beauty of Paris. We were surprised at how many activities there are for kids to do. We spent a lot of time at the Tuileries gardens...eating ice cream, sailing miniature boats and trampolining. We also loved Luxembourg gardens where the kids spent a great deal of time on the playground.
We ate crepes in Montparnasse, checked out the view of Paris from the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, the kids rode the elevator up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, ate challah and corn beef sandwiches in the Marais district, saw the Mona Lisa in the Louvre Museum (the kids were a bit disappointed that it was so crowded that they couldn't see the "eyes" follow them!) took the Metro and walked and walked and walked. Hannah and I checked out the Renoir's and Monet's at the The Musée d'Orsay on our very last day which was a dream come true for me! The fact that she is now old enough to really appreciate an experience like that was so rewarding.
We stayed three extra days because we just couldn't get enough of it!
We had a wonderful person, Rafael, take us around to all the nook and crannies we hadn't seen before. He was born in Montmarte and knew the local places really well. We loved seeing him everyday and getting his perspective on all that we were doing.
Our nanny Carol finally arrived for the last six weeks of the trip and the kids were so excited to see her!
Steve and I were also very happy to see her...we were able to take runs every morning and explore neighborhoods without dragging the kids with us. Not to mention the pure freedom of losing ourselves in Paris without having to rush home!

]]> Barcelona, Costa Brava — Barcelona, Spain http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1212849840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1212849840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1212849840/tpod.html Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:17:19 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Barcelona, Spain

We arrived in Barcelona to sunny weather and headed straight to the beach. We spent everyday either at the beach, the park or the movies. The kids were happy to just do kid activities and skip the museums and important sights. We enjoyed walking the streets at night and watching the street artists do their thing. We had nachos on the beach and yummy dinners...
We then drove to Costa Brava where we landed in Lloret de Mar and stumbled on a water park!!! The kids were so excited and convinced us to do every water slide in the park. Interesting aspect to think about when you are on the road...where to put wet clothes and swimsuits with no place to dry??!!
After that we headed to Tossa Del Mar another beautiful town on the beach. We stayed at a little hotel with friendly owners who weren't even phased by the amount of luggage we were dragging into their tiny hotel. We took a boat ride along the coast and visited the natural caves dotting the shoreline...walked to the castle...and had lunch in the village.
The driving with the Fleischmann family is always interesting...the kids like to imitate us in the car. It looks like this...
Patty says: Steve, could you please slow down...
Steve says: Patty, I am going the speed limit (110mph)
Patty says: Steve, watch out for that car
Steve says: Patty, I saw it!
Patty says: Steve, we are lost...
Steve says: It is your turn to ask for directions...
We made it to Zaragoza where we stopped for the night en route to San Sebastian in the Basque region. We stayed in San Sebastian for a few days and enjoyed walking the streets and tasting the pintxos (Basque version of Tapas) and just taking it easy. We decided to skip the driving through France and fly directly to Paris...easier on the marriage!
We loved our three weeks in Spain and felt that we got a great feel for the entire country and it's people. We got pretty used to waiting until 10:00pm to eat dinner and taking a long siesta in the afternoon. We loved using our limited Spanish (well I should say Hannah's Spanish) and navigating our way around on our own. A beautiful country with warm people and a rich history...we will be back!!
]]> Granada — Granada, Andalusia, Spain http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211178720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211178720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211178720/tpod.html Mon, 19 May 2008 03:03:21 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Granada, Andalusia, Spain

Driving into Granada we were awed by the snow capped Sierra Nevada mountain range (the highest mountain range on the mainland) and the sneak preview of the Alhambra. We spent a few days exploring Granada on foot...the Alhambra, the old Muslim quarter Albayzin with it's middle eastern flavor and the neighborhoods where the locals live. Steve took the kids to an old fashioned circus that they thoroughly enjoyed. Jack came home talking about the fire eating man and the pug dogs that played soccer! Lots of color and ethnicity in this city...we ate our meals outside on the streets and people watched.
We are running out of games to play with the kids at mealtimes to keep them occupied...we have exhausted the states and countries game, the name the capitols game, the name all the words starting with "b" game and the adding, subtracting, division game, tic tac toe, hangman and the connect the dots, fill in the box with your initial game...
We would welcome any suggestions...
]]> Spain — Madrid, Madrid, Spain http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211108520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211108520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211108520/tpod.html Sun, 18 May 2008 11:47:12 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Madrid, Madrid, Spain

We arrived in Madrid to absolutely beautiful weather and our first home cooked meal in five months!! Our friends Placido and Ana Maria picked us up for a traditional late afternoon lunch at their home. We loved being a in a family like setting and relaxing with good friends.
We toured Madrid by open air bus and on foot discovering the neighborhoods and sights of this very elegant city. The kids were amazing little troopers when we dragged them through the Prado. We played "find the angels" in the masterpieces which kept Jack going for an hour and a half. He did say "he would NEVER go to another museum again..." but we are hoping he will forget!
Steve got to go to the Madrid/Barcelona soccer game...a chance in a lifetime with great seats and a WIN for Madrid! He thinks he's ready to coach Hannah's soccer team now!
We then headed south into the Extremadura region to hang out at our friends farm/ranch. We rode their beautiful horses, had an authentic Spanish barbecue and relaxed like locals. Stunning scenery and views as far as we could see...We so enjoyed having some time "off the road" and immersing ourselves in everyday life in Spain. They were amazing hosts and have made our time in Spain so special.
]]> Jerez de La Frontera — Ronda, Andalusia, Spain http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211114100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211114100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fleischmann/world_tour_2008/1211114100/tpod.html Sun, 18 May 2008 08:50:07 -0400 Fleischmann 4 on the road.
Ronda, Andalusia, Spain

We then rented a car and drove south to Jerez de La Frontera... famous for its sherry bodegas and the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art. Hannah couldn't have been happier watching these horses jump and prance and accomplish such artistry.

Our drive to Ronda was the most spectacular scenery we have seen in Spain. Steve did a great job of navigating the roads and we made it without one argument. We stayed at the Parador in the heart of this old Islamic City and cruised the windy, narrow streets. We were hoping to see a bullfight (well Steve was...) as Ronda's bullring is famous for establishing bullfighting on foot...
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