Violin Geek Journeys - Part I

Cremona



Milan

From the train window

Lombardy, Italy      

Dogs of Aspen

A hike at the Maroon Bells

I never thought I would really get into walking uphill in a big way, but who wouldn't, with all this breathtaking natural beauty around you to enliven the weary wayfarer? There's my sister amongst the mountain above!

Our entourage encountered this sight mid-hike:

I laughed for about a minute. I don't think the bandleader was quite as amused. Apparently hiking with llamas isn't a laughing matter.

Saturday Market Day

Gondola Day

Last Monday, our Aspen Music Festival IDs allowed us a free ride up Aspen Mountain on the gondola, where I learned that I'm actually not as good with heights as I thought, that the gondola carriages rock when you move around inside them, and that panic is contagious, particularly when 4 people are stuck in a confined space together for 10 minutes at a few dozen metres above ground. There was quite the view at the top though, as well as a restaurant and lots of hula hoops to play with. It was a fun time, particularly for the 3 of our company who are DSLR hobbyists. As we whipped out our Nikons, our remaining friend suddenly found himself surrounded by geeks and wasn't too chuffed about it. Sorry, mate!

Vienna from the rooftops

This lovely Spring afternoon was one of my favourite days in Vienna ever. It was early May, and still a little chilly, but the sun had finally emerged, splashing some colour onto buildings and on us pale dwellers of Viennese terrain. Winter in Vienna is really something else - under that seemingly permanent ceiling of grey, I think people just die a little bit for about 4 months, then one day the sun comes out, and people - even the Viennese - come back to life and go out to play.

We gathered at the rooftop of the apartment at Traungasse - otherwise known as the Traun, home to many a night of hooliganism and lovely times with good friends - for the first BBQ of the year.

A little later on, some of us headed around the corner to the Wiener Konzerthaus to hear the soprano Measha Brueggergosman's recital. Beautiful. A perfect ending to a perfect afternoon with great people. (Slash wait, we totally went back to the apartment for a few more hours of wine drinking afterwards...)

Thanks once again, girls of Traun.