Monday, June 16, 2014 | Thomas Ritt | Europe
Last day of the Alps Touring Center. The gravitational pull of Switzerland was very strong, so the Venezolanos wanted to go back. To St. Moritz. To visit the rich and beautiful. And to go shopping. So here we go...
The three amigos, enoying the view of the Swiss Alps
Panoramic view of the lake
Video: St. Moritz by drone...
St Moriz panorama
Pietro and Julio, shopping Swiss style: Chocolate!!!
This year St. Moritz celebrates 150 years of winter tourism.
Pietro needed to buy some gifts for his girlfriend and went flying into the Gucci shop...
After the exceptional, incredible experience known as "Passo dello Stelvio" it was time to get some rest today. A short ride to the "Eng", a beautiful valley high up in the Karwendel mountains. A relaxing ride, some nice lunch, and back to the Hotel by 3:00 pm - after all, this is a vacation! Here are some more pics of yesterday and today:
there's nothing like great company and a snack...
typical Bavarian church
four Bavarian chicas in traditional dresses
on the way to Stelvio: flying the drone around the church in the lake
Hairpin number 17 and Mount Ortler, Italy's tallest mountain.
A small but happy group
"Mister BBQ" Bruno and his famous sausages
Video: Julio the snow angel
Only one of many good reasons to go to Switzerland: Swiss chocolate!
On day three of this amazing motorcycle tour through the Alps we went to South Tyrol, to tackle one of the most famous, most challenging, most spectacular mountain roads in the world: the Passo dello Stelvio, aka "Queen of Alpine Roads". Riding the 48 tight hairpin turns while constantly being distracted by Mount Ortler's glacier-clad flanks is something that no rider will ever forget. Here are some pics, taken by Pietro:
Passo dello Stelvio. If you are a rider, you have to do it once in your life. At least once...
The switchbacks are numbered so you can keep track easily. If you have time to look at the signs...
Hairpin No. 17. Note the cyclists. They are the real gladiators!
Julio, Marco and Pietro are facing the challenge! The Ducati is the perfect bike for this terrain!
Yeah, this is good fun!!!
Video: the tower of Graun by drone
yesterday: flying the drone behind the hotel.
Day 2 of the Edelweiss Alps Touring Center. In preparation for THE BIG DAY tomorrow the group of three decided to take it easy today. Just a short run across the Kühtai and into Innsbruck for some lunch on top of the famous Bergisel ski jump. Then it was back to Seefeld for some quality time in our beautiful hotel and in downtown. Tomorrow we're going to Passo dello Stelvio! Stay tuned!
The Kühtai is the highest point that we reached on this tour so far. 2,020 metres above sea level. That means 7°C. Very cold. Especially for Venezuelans!
There was some snow left on the mountain side and Marco and Julio went to touch it. The climb also made them feel warm again!
The famous ski jump in Bergisel. Not much going on this time of the year, but the views from the top...
... are simply awesome!!!
This is what the ski jumpers see before they take off. Note the cemetery at the bottom of the hill.........
Our beautiful base hotel in Seefeld, Tyrol, Austria.
The church of Seefeld dates back to the year 1560. The town is lovely and the surroundings are just gorgeous. Here are some impressions:
Three enthusiastic guys from Venezuela set out today to discover the Alps. From our base hotel in Seefeld, Tyrol, we rode to Bavaria and visited the castles Linderhof and Neuschwanstein, both built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, aka "the Mad King". Check out these pics:
First rest stop: at beautiful Lake Walchen, Bavaria.
Pietro and Julio in front of Linderhof castle
Julio and Marco, unpacking THE TOY. The remote controlled camera-helicopter fits on every motorcycle!
Video: drone take-off
THE TOY was quickly grounded, though: flying a drone around King Ludwig's castle without permit is illegal. Too bad...
Half an hour later, at Plansee lake, the boys could finally play...
Pietro likes yoga
Neuschwanstein, the world's most famous castle. What a joy to be here!
Unfortunately the lines were so long that we decided to content ourselves with looking at the castle from afar. And with looking at pictures...
Pietro, with his new Bavarian style hat that makes him look like Telly Savallas, points out Hohenschwangau castle, the place where Mad King Ludwig grew up.