StevethePiper

This is Day 1 of my Swiss vacation from September of 2018.

My Alexa is starting to pick up a little comedy.

This is Day 5 of my Italian vacation from 2018. Up to see the sun rise one last time in Sorrento. Enjoyed another great breakfast with the amazing view before packing my bags and having a private driver pick me up at my hotel and drive me up to Napoli Centrale (Naples Train station). I took the Frecciarossa high speed train to Roma Termini (Rome Train station) and then the Leonardo Express train to Fiumicino Airport (Rome Airport) where I booked 2 nights at the Hilton Rome Airport, which will be very convenient for early morning flights. After checking in and grabbing lunch at the hotel, I took the free hotel shuttle to the Roman Forum area to see the sights. I was very impressed with seeing the ruins at night, the lighting was incredible, they look totally different. After the late night of exploring the ruins I made my way over to where the hotel shuttle picks up and drops off so that I could head back to the hotel. Regretting that I did not find a café to sit down and eat dinner while people watching haunted me on the ride back to the hotel. Once I arrived back at the hotel I decided to try a pizza at the hotel restaurant. It was pretty good but the people watching was nowhere near what it would have been out on the streets somewhere.

This is Day 4 of my Italian vacation from 2018. Woke up to an amazing sunrise in Sorrento. Decided to go see the city Pompeii. I remember seeing pictures of this city as they were uncovering it and never thought I would see it in person. I walked into town and boarded the Circumvesuviana (commuter train) toward Naples but getting off in Pompeii. The site is much larger than I had imagined. After a couple hours of wandering around these old ruins, everything was looking the same. I tried following the guide they supplied me at the entrance but soon had wished I had joined a guided tour, preferably a small group. After seeing the main sights at Pompeii, I headed back down to Sorrento. Once I arrived at the train station in Sorrento, I saw a bus loading and getting ready to head to Positano…I was wanting to visit Positano and saw this as my opportunity so I loaded up. As we approached Positano the bigger bus that I was on stopped in the intersection and most of the passengers exited for the awaiting smaller bus that I understood would take us down to the waterfront. Since I was the last to board, I had to stand right inside the door with a perfect view out the front windshield. The bus started its decent down toward the waterfront using multiple switchbacks. As we approached the waterfront, I realized that it was going to get dark soon and I had no idea how to get back to Sorrento using buses but can easily take a boat to get back. I was able to find a nice seat and enjoyed a nice bowl of pistachio gelato while I waited on the sun to set on my last night in Sorrento. As I wandered back to my hotel, I visited several shops including a shop that sold Limoncello. After visiting with the nice sisters that run the shop, I decided to purchase a dozen bottles and have them shipped to my house, so I did not have to try and carry them. Finally made it back to Hotel Minerva and ready for dinner. I cannot be happier with the view I had at every meal while staying here. While I was eating dinner I thought about all the places and things that I wanted to see and do that I just didn’t have time for on this trip and I am simply going to have to plan another trip to Sorrento, hopefully soon.

This is Day 3 of my Italian vacation from 2018. After a very nice breakfast I took Nello's (Hotel Minerva) recommendation on a nice little walk down to Regina Giovanna Bath, some ancient roman villa ruins. After exploring the ruins I returned to Sorrento where I rode the Circumvesuviana (commuter) train to Naples to try and find the birthplace of pizza. After arriving at Napoli Centrale train station I walked a couple blocks over to L' Antica Pizzeria da Michele...The Birthplace of Pizza!!! Had to wait outside in a line for 30 minutes just to get inside to order a pizza to go. I believe you would need to wait 2 hours for a table. After eating my pizza I rode the Circumvesuviana train back down to Sorrento. Another great day in and around Sorrento.

This is Day 2 of my Italian vacation from 2018. Early Morning pick-up for a Hotel Minerva recommended tour. Tour company picked me up at my hotel and took me to the boat dock where I boarded my waiting boat for the trip out to the Isle of Capri. After circling the island and being shown some incredible sights we were dropped off in Capri's main harbor. I spent several hours touring the Island before returning to the boat and returning to the mainland. After being dropped off at my hotel I stayed nearby until time for dinner where I was again treated to another amazing view of Sorrento with another incredible dinner at Hotel Minerva.

Coming down from mount Titlis, Switzerland.

This is Day 1 of my Italian vacation from 2018. Flew Air France from Houston to Rome, changing planes in Paris. Once I landed in Rome I took the Leonardo Express train from Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport to Roma Termini Train station where I took the high speed train down to Naples. I decided to have a private driver pick me up at the Napoli Centrale train station and drive me down to Hotel Minerva in Sorrento, Italy.

This is my video from Leonid and Friends first visit to the States. The show was at the Granada Theater in Dallas, Texas on January 20, 2019. Leonid & Friends, comprised of 11 of the finest musicians in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, haven't seen Chicago perform live, yet replicates the band’s complex arrangements amazingly note for note. Hope you enjoy the video and hopefully they will be back soon.

This is Day 6 of my Italian vacation from 2018. Last full day on trip before heading home the next morning. The Hilton Rome Airport is a nice hotel just a few feet from the airport, but very far from the center of Rome and sights. If I was staying longer than 2 days in Rome, I would have found a hotel near the sights, but this time I wanted to be near the airport for my early morning flight home. The free hotel shuttle was a nice surprise that can get you down in the middle of the sights. Be sure to wear some comfortable shoes because you will be doing a lot of walking. After another long day of walking on cobblestone streets it was finally time to head back to the hotel and start packing. The pizza at the hotel was good enough that I had it for dinner the 2nd night also.

Merlin goes out for a short run.

I planned a trip to Switzerland to ride the 4 major scenic trains in the middle of winter, hoping for some amazing snowfalls. Hope you enjoy my trip almost as much as I did taking it.

This is Day 8 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019.

This is Day 7 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019.

This is Day 6 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019.

This is Day 5 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019

This is Day 3 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019

This is Day 2 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019

I created a video from my Switzerland 2018 vacation. I flew in and out of Zurich and enjoyed taking various scenic train trips across Switzerland.

This is Day 4 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019

This is Day 1 of my Italy and Switzerland vacation from 2019

My trip to Italy in 2018. I took a trip to Italy in October of 2018. I flew in and out of Rome. I spent 4 nights in Sorrento and 2 nights in Rome.

This is a video of my trip to Italy and Switzerland in 2019.

My Alexa device seems to have an attitude.

Swiss train crossing the Landwasser Viaduct