I Dreamed A Dream (The Venice and Salzburg Trip)

I only saw this picture from magazines. Now, it's time for my turn to capture this view with my own camera.

“Once a year (or as often as possible), go someplace you've never been before.” -Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules for Living-

August 25, 2013. It’s the same day just different date. It was 10:15 in the morning when I received a call from the secretary to the General Manager’s office. For a moment, I thought it was just a usual morning greetings. But this time, I felt some excitement in his voice. He broke the news that I was nominated to join a familiarization trip to Salzburg. I lost for words and all I said was “Really?” I wanted to jump and shout but my body refused to move. I mean, it’s everybody’s dream to go to one of the top destinations not only in Europe but in the world. It didn't sink in to me at first until I saw the email from Turkish Airlines who sponsored the entire trip.

So let me share the experience as I take you all along on this memorable journey. There are many stories to tell and I can’t wait to start.

First, you need to get your VISA . Turkish Airlines originally planned to visit Austria, Zell Am See and Salzburg but they realized that it will take more than two weeks to get the visa approved. They found out that it is faster and easier to get a Visa if your point of entry to Schengen countries is Italy. Now things got more exciting and interesting. We will visit Italy first before Austria. 

Here’s a tip. If you want your visa to be approved in two or three days then go to the main office of VFS Global in Riyadh. They have a branch in Al Khobar but I was informed that it takes some time to be approved. Below is the link to their website for more details.  You will also find there the documents you need when you apply for Schengen Visa.

http://www.vfsglobal.com/austria/saudiarabia/contactus.html

Just obtain these documents and I guarantee that your visa will be approved.

Now that you have your visa, next stop is to set foot on these places. Don’t worry in few moment, I’ll show you what my eyes saw in all the places we have been. 

September 16, 2013.

As advised by Mr. Azam, the tour leader from Turkish Airlines, we have to be at the airport before 12 am since our flight was scheduled to depart at 1:55 am. I was so excited that I came at the airport at 9:00 pm, 3 hours earlier. When everyone was gathered, we checked in as a group and with Turkish Airlines staff with us, they made it so easy. As I walked along the tube, I could see the plane and from the there I could that tell it is new. What I like about Turkish Airlines, from a first-timer point of view, is that their entertainment on board from games to music to movies.

We had to connect in Istanbul before going to Venice. I got a window seat and the good thing about this ride was the aisle and middle seat was vacant.  I’m all alone. Think about this. Who would like to have a noisy and annoying seat mate in 4-hour trip to Istanbul? You know what I mean.

We reached Istanbul on time and to be honest, it is my first connecting flight. I never thought that to connect in a flight was actually easy. It was not that scary as I thought. Istanbul airport was so busy when we arrived but I commend their security staff for fast and good job that it took us 5-10 minutes to get through the checking area. 

September 17, 2013. Venice, Italy.

We arrived on time again at 9.45 am in Venice. The airport is small but you can feel a warm welcome. It felt strange like I’m in a new world since almost all the people are blonde. I mean, I’m used to seeing black, brown or brunette. We were greeted by the Managers of Turkish Airlines Venice. They were all smiles and very accommodating as they help us pass through the immigration.

From the airport, we took a 45-minute bus drive to Best Western Premier BHR Treviso Hotel. It’s a 4-Star Business Hotel with modern architectural structure and has very huge car park. Let me show some pictures I took while on the bus along the way.

A scenic countryside along the Treviso highway.

Look at how clean their roads are.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by the hotel manager and we had a small welcome cocktail.

Me, at the lounge.

This is the view from the outside of Best Western BHR Treviso Hotel. This hotel is actually around 1 hour away from the Venice city center. This hotel is good for business travelers and fo families who would like to have a quiet environment and the feel of countryside.

The hotel lobby.

L-R photos: These are view from my room on the 6th floor.

 

This is my room. It’s a standard twin room with with mattress, topper, eiderdown cover made from pure cotton and three cushions per person, a large wardrobe with a laptop size safe, desk, LCD TV with satellite channels and pay-per-view, Mediaset cable TV, TV adapter, free internet connection, Wi-Fi, ADSL and TV, tea & coffee station, air conditioning with individual controls, an ice dispenser on each floor, a shoe shiner and a fire protection system with the highest possible level of safety certified on an international level. In short, it is very relaxing.

We had a lunch in the hotel and we got to taste the authentic pasta from Italy. Some were disappointed because they expect is Italian spaghetti or pizza. But what they served is different kind of pasta. But to me, it was fine. I took 5-6 spoonfuls just to experience the taste of Italian cuisine. To give an idea, here is the picture.

This is called GNOCCHI, an Italian pasta with some local herbs.

Don’t worry about the food. For the Saudi market, they actually served Halal foods. They served chicken and fish.

Group picture after the hotel lunch presentation.

Turkish Airlines, together with the hotel directors and managers.

After lunch, we went to the city center of Venice. We took the same bus from the hotel to the airport. I was surprised that their airport has a port at the same time. Just outside the airport is a small port to Venice center. According to our tour guide, if your hotel is in the city center it is recommended to take land transportation since it’s cheaper and faster. But if you are in a countryside like Treviso, you have to take speed boat or in local’s term, a boat taxi. It will take you 20-25 minutes to get to the city center. Let me take you there.

TOUR DE VENICE

The heat of the sun is inviting. The wind kisses your skin gently. The energy in the air is so positive and we are ready to go. Traveler's tip: You need a camera. Every angles, every spot and everything about Venice is so picturesque. You need a jacket. The temperature occasionally drops. Lastly, you need Euros. lots of Euros. Italy is known for fashion and top brands. Armani, Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, and Ferrari to name a few.

This is the port to Venice just outside the airport.

You need to take the boat taxi to the airport. It will cost around 8-10 Euros per person per way. The boat can occupy 6-8 passengers.

This is where we stop. Few meters away from here is the St. Mark's Square.

 

The group together with our tour guide stop in front of St. Mark's Square.

Welcome to St. Mark's Square or Piazza San Marco. This is the principal public square in Venice. It was constructed in the 9th century as a small square dotted with trees. As the largest square in the city and the only one given the designation of "piazza" (the others are all referred to as "campi"), St. Mark's Square has always been the location of important government buildings and other facilities central to the goings on in Venice. During the high tide, the square sometimes is flooded. During that day, our tour guide revealed to us that when we arrived at the square, the flood had already subsided.

Then we will enter the shopping area. The ladies paradise. The center of all top brands in Italy. Apparently, they don't have malls, instead it's like a downtown where each brand has it's own boutique.

This is one of the entrances to the shopping center. It's the nearest one from the square.

 

 

It's easy to fall in love with Venice.It is described by the Times Online as being one of Europe's most romantic cities. Luigi Barzini described it in The New York Times as "undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man". Venice has been known as the "La Dominante", "Serenissima", "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Masks", "City of Bridges", "The Floating City", and "City of Canals".

Tourist watching the romantic sunset in the grandest view of the Grand Canal.

The Gondola. They are a symbol of the love, of falling in love.

It is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (ferries) over the Grand Canal.

 

Their restaurants play romantic jazz music.

What a tour that was! It was short but it felt a long walk down the history. We filled our empty stomach in dinner at Ca' Sagredo Restaurant.

 

Me, at the entrance lobby of the hotel restaurant.

Once dinner is done, everybody took the same route back to the port where the bus waited to drop us off to the hotel.

September 18, 2013. Austria, Here I come.

We had to get up early so we can arrive Austria as early before 6 pm. So right after breakfast, we departed Italy at 11 am and took a bus to Bad Hofgastein, Austria. Here's a tip: There are two ways to get to Austria. You can take a Euro Rail or you can ride a bus. By train, it will take you 4-5 hours maximum and 6 hours by bus. If you want to see more of Italy and Salzburg's nature, you better be taking bus. You take a train if you are short of time and in a hurry. As for us, we took a bus and we didn't regret it. Along the way are best landscape scenery I've seen my entire life.

These landscapes are breathtaking. It seems that they came out from the movies or magazines. I still couldn't believe I took these pictures.

After a long drive, we finally arrived in Grand Park Hotel, Bad Hofgastein, one of three villages in Salzburg. It's the only 5-star hotel in Bad Hofgastein, an epitome of Austrian hospitality. At first, it doesn't feel like hotel. It's more like a home because of it's charming ambiance and attentive staff. I recommend this hotel for families who would like to spend their vacation near the Alps mountains, would like to rejuvenate and would like to have a quiet and peaceful surroundings.

 

This is my room. It's a Studio Deluxe but it is so big that I already consider it as a suite on my standards. This is how luxurious the hotel is.

A stunning view of the Alps mountain just outside my window. It may seem like few steps away.

 

We had a short tour of the hotel. Above the sauna amenities. There is also a private sauna for Saudi market.

Me and the rest of the group during our dinner at Grand Park Hotel.

September 19, 2013. My First Snow Experience.

The next day, we went to visit the city center. It was a town rather than a city to me but to my surprise, there a gigantic falls a midst the city. You can feel the strong gushing of water like they are racing to reach the bottom.

The Bad Gastein Waterfall, a waterfall in the center of the city.

Me, standing behind the famous waterfall of Gastein, Salzburg.

Afterwhich, we got tired so we went to pig out. What's more interesting was that, we had our lunch on the top of the valley at Rossalm. What they called a light lunch is super heavy lunch to me. Here are the picture of the restaurant. 

My First Snow Experience

To get to the top of the mountain, we need to ride a cable car to Stubnerkogel. This is a 140 meter long suspension bridge with Panorama platform called "Glocknerblick. Here, you get the chance to view the entire Gastein city and panoramic view of the Alps Mountain.

 

Because of the snow, we were not able to witness it. But I don't mind, I like better because of the snow. I'm always wondering what it feels like in the song "I'm dreaming of a white X-mas". Call me weird, but when I first took a handful of snow, I tasted it. When I was young, I thought they are melted ice cream from clouds. 

There was also a rock trail activity but who cares.

There was no fun experience in my memory that I can compare with my snow experience. It was magical. It was not real. Why there is snow? Where are they coming from and how are they formed? Why are they so white? Ahh, maybe I am just overreacting.

So I stopped dreaming and so the group has to depart this beautiful city as well. It's already 4 in the afternoon and our next stop was to Kaprun, a municipality of Zell Am See, Austria. We took a two hour bus drive to our next hotel destination , The Tauern Spa.

Mountain view just outside my window.

This hotel is 4.5 Star Rating. It's a base camp for body and soul. From outside, the hotel's designed is like a base camp. This property is boasting their spa and sauna amenities.

Room balcony.

This is the hotel's premier double room. It has modern and trendy designed. Since, its a spa hotel, it is not carpeted. These rooms are about 31 sq. m. and have a wardrobe and cupboard, a living area with desk, armchair and bench. The bathroom, divided off by stylish glass partitions, has bath or shower and separate WC harmonizing into an overall picture of up market comfort.  

There is nothing much you can do at this hotel if you are looking for some activities. But according to their manager, they can organize mountain hiking on summer or snow skiing during winter. After a small presentation by the manager, we had our dinner and I must admit, I had the best dinner of this trip in this hotel. Their grilled steaks and chicken were the finest. I was so full that I could fall asleep in a second. 

September 20, 2013. The Last But Not The Least.

This is it. Salzburg, the birthplace of the 18th-century classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salzburg's "Old Town" (Altstadt) has internationally renowned baroque architecture and one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Ever heard of The Sound of Music. In the mid‑20th century, the city was the setting for parts of the musical film.

From the Kaprun, we took an hour drive to the city center. As we enter the main streets, you can see how organized their transportation system is. The city is serviced by comprehensive rail connections, with frequent east-west trains servicing Vienna, Munich, Innsbruck, and Zürich. In the main city, there is the Salzburg trolleybus system and bus system with a total of more than 20 lines, and service every 10 minutes. Traveler's tip: if you wan't to go around the city and afraid to get lost you must purchase the Salzburg Card. This card gives you the advantages below for just 23 Euros.

free, single admission to all of the city's attractions

free use of public transport

- bus lines 1 - 14 within city limits

- Albus bus lines: Citybus A, lines 20 - 35, line 151

- Postbus lines 32, 180, 170 to Rif/Taxach

- Lokalbahn S1 to Schlachthof

attractive discounts for cultural events

reduced prices at a number of excursion destinations.

Okey then, let me take you to Salzburg. So we arrived Salzburg at 10 am. We had a tight schedule for the day, so we left our bags in the Hotel Pitter by Crowne Plaza and went straight to Mirabell Gardens to Old Town which is 5-10 minutes walk.

Meanwhile...

Above pictures are the few spectacular panoramas you will see along the way.

One of their trolley buses.

One of the main streets in the city.

The world-famous Mirabell Gardens were built along a north-south axis and oriented towards the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Salzburger Dom cathedral. From there, you will the castle where you can have the bird's eye view of the city.

An old musician playing some songs in the Sound of Music film in exchange if few coins.

Some genius grass patterns you can see the garden.

Group picture in the middle of the garden,

The bridge of love lock in Salzburg. It is believed that a couple declaring their eternal love should lock their love in this bridge and throw away the key in the river.

The shopping area.

This house is the birthplace of the famous classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Presently, they renovated the place and convert it into a hotel.

An entertainer in busy shopping area seems like a floating statue. How did he do that?

This is my room in the hotel. It's a guest room but I must say that this the best room so far I had on the trip. It's a welcoming room with Salzburg's traditional blue and gold colors. Furniture designed with local wood makes for an enticing environment.

The quiet street view from my window on the fourth floor.

Window seat view from the business class seat on the way back to Dammam.

Overall, the tour was fun and well-organized. I would like to thank Turkish Airlines for bringing me to the other side of the world. I would also like to take this time out to thank Mr. Phillips and the GTS Family for having me to represent the company.

Wow. This trip was so magical. Europe is like a dream come true. Now, I can say I dreamed a dream. You can, too.