Tour of Four European Countries in a Loop
On January 31, 2007, our group of five, young and old, departed from Shanghai, transited through Doha, and arrived in Venice, starting our mini-loop trip of four European countries. Upon arriving in Venice, on the way from the airport to the main island, we saw a rustic rural scene and couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. However, as soon as we stepped onto the main island of Venice, we felt a sudden brightness; the real-life Baroque and Rococo architecture from movies and TV shows immediately came into view. The island of Venice is worth staying on, especially after the tourists have dispersed, when it becomes a tranquil world, like walking through medieval Europe. Due to jet lag, we couldn't sleep any longer at 3 a.m. So our family, full of energy, walked into the winding and empty watery ancient streets of Venice. On the road, we only encountered a few young cleaners sweeping, which gave us a sense of time travel.
On the main island of Venice, we rented two rooms in a villa. The rooms were not large but very cozy, with a strong European style. A huge golden retriever lay lazily on the stairs. The dog, probably used to passing tourists, was gentle and friendly, which made our daughter, who is usually afraid of dogs, unafraid as she crouched beside it and stroked its smooth and silky fur. The landlord was an elderly couple. The breakfast they made was particularly exquisite and delicious. What impressed me most was the egg, served in a ceramic pot shaped like a hen, with the production date engraved on each egg.
The next day, we visited St. Mark's Square and St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. Pigeons flew everywhere in the square, interacting with tourists. Venice surprised me; it felt very safe, with only the train station being a bit chaotic. European trains are like buses—you can board them by yourself, which is very convenient.
We took a train to Innsbruck, Austria. On the train, we encountered several fully armed Italian police officers conducting security checks. They were friendly in attitude, but more importantly, they were extremely handsome. Italy had the most handsome men and beautiful women; many girls had faces only the size of a fist—very small and highly sculpted. Southern Europe is truly a place full of beautiful people.
In Innsbruck, we stayed at the Zack Guesthouse. We booked a two-room suite, which was fairly clean and comfortable. The most unforgettable experience was taking the cable car to the top of the Olympic center. As the cable car slowly ascended, we could appreciate the beautiful snowy scenery around us. At the top, the entire view of Innsbruck and the towering mountains unfolded before us, with airplanes flying between the peaks, an unforgettable sight. We visited the Golden Roof, the Column of St. Anne, and the Triumphal Arch in the city. These attractions were all nearby, along Maria-Theresien-Straße.
Our next destination was Munich, Germany. We continued by train to Munich. Since we arrived on a Saturday, most restaurants were closed, so our meals after checking in were simple. For breakfast, we basically cooked porridge in a pot and ate it with lettuce—light and quite suitable for Chinese taste. In Munich, we visited Nymphenburg Palace, the Black Palace (likely a translation of a specific palace, but kept as is), the Olympic Park, and also saw the BMW Museum. Initially, visiting the palaces was stunning—the royal chambers were all magnificently decorated, with beds over a meter high—but after seeing many, we gradually experienced visual fatigue.
Starting from Munich, we hired a car. The driver was a young Chinese man named Ajian, who had settled in Germany after studying abroad. He drove us to Neuschwanstein Castle. The car was a Mercedes-Benz business van, very comfortable. We stayed at a guesthouse in Füssen, not far from Neuschwanstein Castle. The guesthouse was not very new but had European character; the elevator was particularly narrow with an iron gate that opened and closed. The room was very big, with a large living room, decorated in dark blue and deep red tones, somewhat like a castle. My wife and I walked in the night to a nearby supermarket to buy some food and supplies, then returned to our accommodation in the deep night. We cooked dinner ourselves and drank some fruit wine, which was very cheap.
The next morning, when the landlady came to see us off, she brought some gifts—homemade food. She looked very old and wore a fur coat, but she was very kind. It had just snowed, and we sped across the German plains, arriving at a huge snowfield with a small church in the middle. We stopped there briefly. Behind the car were the Alps, which we often saw on the way to Neuschwanstein Castle. We visited Hohenschwangau Castle and Neuschwanstein Castle. With the guide's explanations, we learned about the story and legend of King Ludwig II.
In Germany, we also visited a museum—one full of machinery and design, very distinctive. We found a Chinese restaurant on the street and had a meal; the taste was a bit strange but still acceptable. Interestingly, that evening we met my old American friend from college, Lauren, who had ended up working in Munich. Since she hadn't had dinner, she took me to a restaurant—and it turned out to be the same one we had been to at noon! How funny! That night, I took the metro back to my accommodation alone. Munich's subway goes several levels underground. Since I was unfamiliar with it, I almost couldn't find my way to the right train car—quite thrilling!
After finishing our time in Germany, we headed to Switzerland. Switzerland was too expensive; luckily, we had prepared Chinese food in advance. At noon, we parked the car by a beautiful river and had a simple meal. It was very cold outside! In Switzerland, we first went to Zurich, then in Lucerne we saw Lake Lucerne, the Chapel Bridge, and the Lion Monument. Although the weather over Lake Lucerne wasn't very good, the overall scenery of the lake left a deep impression on us.
By the time we finished our Swiss itinerary, it was getting dark. We took the night train to Milan. We arrived in Milan late in the evening and immediately checked into the hotel. Since Italy was said to be not very safe, we went to bed early that day. Due to jet lag, everyone felt sleepy very early.
The next morning, we went to Milan Cathedral. We arrived at the church quite early and were among the first visitors. There weren't many people, and the surrounding environment was relatively safe. Here, we saw the magnificent architecture of the world's second-largest cathedral. We also met an Indian friend and added each other on QQ. When we finished our visit and walked out of the cathedral, it was already crowded with tourists, and the Gypsies and little black boys (street vendors or pickpockets) had come out.
Since we planned to travel in a small loop, we didn't stay long in Milan. We then took a train to Verona, Italy, the setting of the romantic story of Romeo and Juliet. We stayed at a very characteristic guesthouse, bought food from a local supermarket, and made dinner ourselves. In the supermarket, we even saw a black thief stealing something—this shows that the security situation in Italy is indeed worrisome.
We visited Juliet's House and the river in Verona. The next day, we returned to Venice by train along the same route. When we arrived in Venice for the second time, it happened to be the Venice Carnival. The streets were full of tourists, a stark contrast to the peaceful feeling we had during our first visit.
This time in Venice, we bought some souvenirs, such as handmade leather bags, belts, and trinkets. After finishing our time in Venice, our European trip came to an end. Subsequently, we flew back to Shanghai with Qatar Airways. This European trip was unforgettable, allowing us to experience different customs, cultures, and history. Being together as a family, we left with many wonderful memories.
