Alps Tour/Vacation

[diversey]

We will join a Alps tour and visit following cities and regions, Zurich, Lucerne, Annecy, Lake Como, St. Moritz, Innsbruck and Munich. I have never been in those areas before and am wondering which places may go and take large format photos. I look foe suggestions and recommendations. Thank you! David

[John Olsen]

We will join a Alps tour and visit following cities and regions, Zurich, Lucerne, Annecy, Lake Como, St. Moritz, Innsbruck and Munich. I have never been in those areas before and am wondering which places may go and take large format photos. I look foe suggestions and recommendations. Thank you! David

Annecy will be your best bet. The old castle above town and the canal area in the town center are very interesting, but the central area will be tricky just because of tourist crowds.

In the really big places like Munich, just focus on details above the street level, as there's just too much traffic and surges of tour groups. Or take a taxi out of town to one of King Ludwig's castles and get something picturesque in a quieter environment.

I hope your tour group is all photographers who understand the large format pace, not a bunch of digi-snappers. Good luck.

[John Kasaian]

From Innsbruck you can take the train a short distance to Solden and Hochsolden. I don't know about photos but they sure know how to party!
Lake Como is gorgeous. St. Moritz is beautiful as well. I like Zermatt which has an incredible year round ski lift system to get you to various scenic overlooks with little effort and for more effort there is alpine touring on the Monte Rosa plateau.

[JMO]

David, You've gotten some good suggestions, to which I'll only add that to get some decent street-level images in those cities you'll have to plan to get up and out to locations EARLY before the vehicles and pedestrians ruin your compositions. One of my favorite areas in Switzerland is the Lauterbrunnen Valley, which is accessed from Interlocken.

[David Hedley]

Hello David,

That sounds like a great tour. The options for LF photography obviously depend in part on how much time you are spending in each place, and, if you’re in a group, whether you have free time to get out of the cities and into the areas near them. Other factors are whether you want to walk or hike with LF gear, and the weather, depending on which time of year you’re visiting. Here are a few random ideas with some links where you can make your own choice about what to do - often it is the less well-known trails that are the most rewarding;

Zürich
Walk around the old town, visit the Kunsthaus, and then the ETH law library to see Calatrava's interior design. The Rietberg museum currently has a really interesting Osiris exhibition.
LF - go to Uetliberg (https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/attractions/uetliberg) to have a panoramic view of the city and the Lake; perhaps in the late afternoon or evening if there is likely to be a good sunset. Other ideas here. (https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/hiking)

Lucerne
The town is beautiful to walk around. The Rosengart museum is close to the centre, and has an excellent collection of twentieth century art, including Klee and Picasso (it’s one of my favourite museums).
LF - there are regular ferries from Lucerne to different towns on Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee); you could go to Vitznau and take the cablecar up Mount Rigi, or go to the top of Pilatus, for example. Alternatively, you could visit Engelberg and go to the top of Mount Titlis (very touristy), or do the four lakes hike (Trübsee, Engstlensee, Tannen and Melchsee) if you have the best part of a day free and are up for a fairly strenuous hike. Other ideas are here. (http://www.luzern.com/en/walking-and-hiking/hikingtips)

St Moritz
So much to do here in the heart of the Engadine, with many well-trodden tourist paths which you can also get away from easily with a bit of effort. For example, Morteratsch is a receding glacier, and you can hike to its face on a trail that shows how much it has receded in the last hundred years. It’s quite a dynamic environment near the face, with bits of ice and rock falling off it – a great place for LF photography if you are careful. Alternatively, Diavolezza (another spectacular glacier), or Samedan (another potential hike to the tongue of the Diavolezza glacier). Or use the cable cars at Corvatsch or Corviglia to get great views and hiking trails; many more options are shown here. (http://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/activities/mountain-adventure/hiking/)

I look forward to seeing some of your photographs!

David

[HoodedOne]

That's a nice trip.
I think every place has some good locations for LF photography.
But, if you have the time, visit the Chiemsee. It's a large lake in southern Germany close to the Austrian border. On a island in the lake stands the Herrenchiemsee palace, which is one of the King Ludwig palaces. It's modelled after Versailles in France. And the large garden has some great views. Indoor photography in the places (all of them) is not allowed, unless you have a special permit.

I hope you'll have a great trip. The people are friendly, the food is good, and nature looks awesome. It's one of my favorite parts in the world.

[John Kasaian]

The food is good! Definitely try the rosti Swiss wines are also exceptional but are seldom encountered here in the US because the Swiss drink it all (is what I remember being told.)

[Pfsor]

An Alps tour organized for tourists is probably the last place you should take your LF camera to. They will surely let you understand why.
If you enjoy a small cup of coffee for $5-7 with a view on other tourists doing the same thing you will enjoy the Swiss Alps with your organized tour.
By the way, the bus drivers often take their load of tourists to a specific restaurant where they get a free lunch for themselves, courtesy of the restaurant owner with whom they have a secret deal.
Been there, seen that. Enjoy!

[John Kasaian]

By the way, the bus drivers often take their load of tourists to a specific restaurant where they get a free lunch for themselves, courtesy of the restaurant owner with whom they have a secret deal.
Been there, seen that. Enjoy!
Same thing here in the USA and the rest of the known universe. That is certainly no secret LOL!

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

We will join a Alps tour

Hello from France!

I know some of the places you are speaking about, I've been, at least once, to Zurich, Annecy, St. Moritz and Munich.

The place I'm most familiar with is Annecy, France.

I would be happy to help, but if as mentioned above, you are in a bus, not free to go to interesting spots (I mean interesting for a LFer), it is difficult to be helpful, since good spots are usually quite far away from busy places.

Annecy, France, in summer is as busy and as overcrowded as the French Riviera, actually it is a place I usually avoid in summer if I dot not want to be stuck for hours in traffic jams along the Annecy lake.

Nevertheless the area is very rich in mountain landscapes, very probably on your way you'll have at least a few opportunities for a panoramic view over the Mont Blanc range, the highest peak in Western Europe.

Not far from Annecy you have a moutain range named "Les Aravis" a small limestone chain of peaks facing the Mont Blanc Range. So, If I was free for a one-day hike, I would go to a place named La Clusaz and go for one of the easy climbs in the Aravis range, to get a magnificent panoramic view over the Mont Blanc range, Chamonix side.

A global view of the Aravis range with the Mont Blanc range in the background, in summer.
http://laurence.puillet.free.fr/Parapente/Vols-2012/20120811/20120811-GrandBornand-Pano07-08.jpg


If we combine the keywords "Annecy, France" and "Large Format Photography" we get this famous video where a friend of mine is hauling his ULF camera to make a night picture above Annecy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwI5By945R (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwI5By945R0)

There is a road pass crossing the Aravis range, named "col des Aravis", from there a motorist can also get a magnificent view over the Mt Blanc. (http://www.alti-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/col-aravis.jpg)
But from Annecy, no view to the Mont Blanc, hidden behind La Tournette range and the Aravis range.
If you are good hiker I would recommend to climb "La Tournette", a peak just above Annecy, (https://s2.qwant.com/thumbr/0x0/4/b/93de7ff1cd1b358ef76490b42c0efa/b_1_q_0_p_0.jpg?u=https%3A%2F%2Floftannecy.files.wordpress.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fannecy-mars-2006-1-version-2.jpg&q=0&b=1&p=0&a=1) but this is a long climb, about 6 hours altogether with some very dizzy parts close to the top.
Probably not a photographic trip for a LFer ;)

-------

Regarding St. Moritz, the place is a Swiss mountain resort full of old-style unaffordable hotels (https://s-ec.bstatic.com/images/hotel/max1024x768/637/63746133.jpg), probably built to accommodate rich British alpinists in the 1900's ;).
I did not find the place exceedingly interesting from a photographic point of view, but not far from St Moritz you have the Bernina mountain range with nice views over the glaciers.
On the road to Italy, to Pontresina and Passo del Bernina, road #29, you have a famous train station named "Morteratsch", as explained above by David Hedley.
When the train line was built, more than one century ago, tourists could just step off the train and reach the glacier a few minutes walk from the train.

Now the glacier has receded about 3 miles away south of the station, due to global warming ... (https://www.google.com/maps/@46.4270985,9.9388126,10594m/data=!3m1!1e3)

And North-East of St Moritz close to road #27 to Austria, you have a very nice village named Guarda with typical houses with painted walls, a well-preserved place (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guarda,_Switzerland), sure full of tourists, but authentic like many Swiss villages can be, and very picturesque.

[Sirius Glass]

It is well worth going to Interlocken and taking a day to go up the Jungfrau by train and cog wheeled railway. I have done that twice. You will see the largest glacier in Europe at the top of the Jungfrau.

[diversey]

Many thanks for everyone's responses, very helpful! Will do more home works and figure out where I can shoot some LF during tour:). David

[diversey]

THE ALPS' MOST EPIC PHOTO OPS. AND THE TOURISTS RUINING THEM
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/simon-roberts-sight-sacralization/
http://www.simoncroberts.com/work/sight-sacralization/#PHOTO_0

[Greg Y]

David, I'd say your decision to bring an LF camera on an organized tour will hinge on quite a few things. I've worked as a mountain climbing & ski guide and travelled in the mountains of those areas a lot. The cities you mention are generally speaking 'in the Alps/of the Alps' in the same way that Denver is in the Rockies. If you're interested in photographing mountains, then the smaller actual mountain towns of Chamonix, Zermatt, Courmayeur, Grindelwald & Cortina (& others)....are the places to go. Travelling with others in a group, I'd consider downsizing to medium format (still w/ a tripod or monopod). I if were to take LF gear, i'd have a good idea of what kind of photos i wanted to take & limit myself to a couple of lenses. I can't imagine you being able to work in an unhurried fashion travelling in a tour, & likely you'd have less to show for your trip. A 6x9 neg can still produce pretty stunning 16x20s.
Sirius G, the trip up to the Jungfrau joch is pretty cool but photographically doesn't give you the same perspective of the large mountain faces ( like the massive north Face of the Eiger or the Schreckhorn) as the valley does.
Pfsor, as has been pointed out....many of the restaurants are used by tours just because they can accommodate 50 people walking in the door at once, many cannot & the tourist industry, like many others, works on perks & volume discounts.... ;-)

[Pfsor]

Pfsor, as has been pointed out....many of the restaurants are used by tours just because they can accommodate 50 people walking in the door at once, many cannot & the tourist industry, like many others, works on perks & volume discounts.... ;-)

The point many of you don't understand is that such behaviour is unlawful in Switzerland, the leading country in the anti corruption politics. It is regarded as corruption with bribery. The other point is that travellers cannot stop the bus when they want to drink or to eat - they are practically hostages of the secret deal the boss, their bus driver has with his accomplices. Not pleasant if you have to travel 1 more hour to get to the place only the driver knows because he doesn't care about your thirst or hunger. Hope you got the point.

[Greg Y]

Pfsor...we get the point, however tours are pre- arranged to provide service to large numbers, and are typically planned in advance. The passengers on buses and trains don't get to vote or change the arrangements. They are not a private car or taxi. Not that this comment has anything to do with LF photography.

[Pfsor]

Greg, unlike you, I know about the Swiss alpine tours from my own experience. A tour leader is not a person in the bus agency that arranges a plan for the bus passengers. It's a person who is actually travelling with the passengers, interacting with them and planning - in the possible manner - their trip according to the local conditions (traffic condition for ex.) The passengers are not regarded as a weight load that a bus driver drives as it pleases him. Remember the Swiss direct democracy principle?
The case I spoke about was so appalling that the people on the bus decided no to give the driver his several hundred $$$ in bakshish at the end of the trip. They didn't like the fact that he overrode them when they wanted to eat still on the Italian part of the border rather than at the corrupted location he chose in Switzerland, despite the fact that the tour leader was telling him to stop.
When it comes to trains it is probably you who want to enlighten the OP what it has to do with his Alps tour?

[Leszek Vogt]

David, you received some good suggestions. Although I worked for several tour outfits in previous life, I agree with Greg Y. The tour is usually preset. Unless you hook up with a smaller tourist group (much more customized) it will directly reflect how much time you'll have for LF photos or otherwise. The place where an average tour stops for a meal is also set - v. often 2 buses would travel in parallel and most places can't handle 40-50 group, much less 2X that...so one bus delays/overlap arrival by 15-20 min or so. Personally, I enjoy stopping where I wish vs looking at someone's head ahead of me on the bus (just can't see paying for that).....and you don't have the flexibility of stopping where the perfect light/view may be. Granted, this may be a way of familiarize oneself with the terrain > having to return and putting emphasis on the *photos only*. It's your decision.

Not sure how relevant Pfsor's experience may be, but working for top notch operators such as Tauck Tours or Collette, the tourguide that arranges
"things on the ground" can make one call to the management of the company....and such a rogue driver will be quickly replaced by the bus company that leases the equipment to the tour. The driver does not have the right to derail a tour (taking a group of people hostage).

Most of the popular places in the Alps were already mentioned. I've spend 2 months in '82 and especially enjoyed the mountain region of Germany,
Austria and Switzerland. I'd add Lake Geneva + Dolomites in Italy (only about 60Km from Insbruck). Bumping around Lucern (lake) was real nice too.

Enjoy and bring back some nice images.

Les

[tigger_six]

I too would rent a car and not bother with a tour...

[diversey]

Hi, Guys, Thank you so much for your responses! We initially wanted to have a self-guide tour in Alps and we could stop anywhere we wanted. I went to a travel agent and she could not come up with a route/plan, we gave it up, also we were afraid of driving in different countries and do not know their languages. Maybe we can go back again and will be able to drive around by ourselves next time. This tour will be the first one we will join in Western countries and not sure what we are going to expect, but our friends who have been on this tour before said the it was very good. I do not plan to shoot LF pictures all the time or everywhere. It will be good for me if I could catch one or two each day. We will have some free afternoons or excursions to explore the regions. We look forward to this tour and absolutely will share my LF photos in this forum after I come back. Thanks! David

[MartinP]

Switzerland is not Afghanistan or Somalia. The natives are friendly and the public-transport is excellent. I would suggest doing your own thing via trains, busses and taxis -- maybe a couple of days car-hire if you really want to stop frequently at 'unusual' places, touristically speaking. There are plenty of cablecars from the valleys, which mean you can ascend without effort, and every town has a tourist office with English-speakers to help you with local plans and permits/tickets etc. Being locked in to a rigid tour-itinerary, with different aims to yours, sounds like a nightmare.

Last time I visited Switzerland I walked from (almost) Austria to (almost) France, via passes over 10000ft high -- I wasn't carrying any LF kit though, just a tiny Rollei 35S. Enjoy your visit, and don't worry too much!

[Pfsor]

We will join a Alps tour and visit following cities and regions, Zurich, Lucerne, Annecy, Lake Como, St. Moritz, Innsbruck and Munich. I have never been in those areas before and am wondering which places may go and take large format photos. I look foe suggestions and recommendations. Thank you! David

First You should consider the time, the season you want to have for your trip. Summer is not the best time for Alpine photography. Fall is. Summer haze is very annoying as are Summer thunderstorms. Your bus will probably not care about none of it.

[David Hedley]

On the contrary, summer haze can diffuse light beautifully, and summer thunderstorms can offer some of the most dramatic weather conditions.

[Armin Seeholzer]

Its your decision to take an LF camera with you I would not! For the first trip I would only take MF better 35mm and do so a bit of recording for the future with the LF camera!
I'm working in Lucerne und living just 30 Min. outside. But you are a hard core LF man so just do it!
If you are a fast LF shooter it can be done, but not on every spot I think!
Lake Vierwaldstättersee & Lucerne with the old 2 bridges is very nice, mount Pilatus and Rigi same for Grindelwald or Mürren in Berner Oberland a bit also Jungfraujoch, but I would prefer Zermatt/Cornergrat over Jungfraujoch any time! I also like Lugano in the south part of Switzerland very much it has a bit of Rio de Janeiro only about 50 times smaller/cleaner and without the Jesus on the hill!
If you are going from Comerlake to Swiss you are very near by Lugano!

Have a good trip, Armin

[diversey]

Armin: We will stay in Lucerne region for 2 days. I have booked an excursion to go to Mount Pilatus. Thanks! David


Its your decision to take an LF camera with you I would not! For the first trip I would only take MF better 35mm and do so a bit of recording for the future with the LF camera! Have a good trip, Armin

[Valentin]

Hello,

That sounds like a great tour !

If you have time when you pass in Annecy, there is the "Lac du Bourget" at 30km, the biggest natural lake in Europe, with great spots to take pictures.
More informations about it : http://www.aixlesbains-rivieradesalpes.com/decouvrez-aix-bains-riviera-alpes/univers/pleine-nature/

And more informations about the region of Annecy and Savoie : http://explorateursdesalpes.grenier-alpin.com/

Have a good trip,
Valentin

[angusparker]

Highly recommend Ballenberg museum - it's a large open air park with buildings moved there from all parts of Switzerland. Between Lucern and Interlaken. http://www.ballenberg.ch/en/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[diversey]

Many thanks for recommendations! Will go to Annecy, France via Bern. Not sure if passing through Ballenberg museum.
Below is a link of ALPS large format photos I found in Flicker.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?group_id=60561869%40N00&view_all=1&text=alps

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Hello again from France!

Among various things you can do to prepare your trip, you can have a look at this German website

http://www.udeuschle.de/panoramas/makepanoramas_en.htm

This is a computerized generator of panoramas covering the Alps. The web site has access to a data-base of all summits in the Alps, as well as a digital model of all the landscape.
I have used the service to print various panoramas to be sure of which mountains I could actually see in a distance from the a summit reached during various climbs.

Since you'll go to the top of Pilatus above Lucerne, may be you'll be interested to know what you can actually see from the top of this famous mountain.
Here is a digital sketch of the panorama seen from the top of Pilatus, looking southward, this is a very complex landscape!
You can, in principle, see the most famous peaks of Berner Oberland: Eiger and Jungfrau, but they might not be easy to identify.
http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/panqueryfull.aspx?mode=newstandard&data=lon%3A8.25485%24%24%24lat%3A46.97978%24%24%24alt%3Aauto%24%24%24altcam%3A10%24%24%24hialt%3Afalse%24%24%24resolution%3A20%24%24%24azimut%3A180%24%24%24sweep%3A100%24%24%24leftbound%3A130%24%24%24rightbound%3A230%24%24%24split%3A60%24%24%24splitnr%3A2%24%24%24tilt%3Aauto%24%24%24tiltsplit%3Afalse%24%24%24elexagg%3A1.2%24%24%24range%3A300%24%24%24colorcoding%3Afalse%24%24%24colorcodinglimit%3A65%24%24%24title%3AZugspitze%24%24%24description%3A%24%24%24email%3A%24%24%24language%3Aen%24%24%24screenwidth%3A1920%24%24%24screenheight%3A1080

Looking toward the South West from the top of Pilatus,
http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/panqueryfull.aspx?mode=newstandard&data=lon%3A8.25485%24%24%24lat%3A46.97978%24%24%24alt%3Aauto%24%24%24altcam%3A10%24%24%24hialt%3Atrue%24%24%24resolution%3A20%24%24%24azimut%3A230%24%24%24sweep%3A100%24%24%24leftbound%3A180%24%24%24rightbound%3A280%24%24%24split%3A60%24%24%24splitnr%3A2%24%24%24tilt%3A-1.25%24%24%24tiltsplit%3Afalse%24%24%24elexagg%3A1.2%24%24%24range%3A300%24%24%24colorcoding%3Afalse%24%24%24colorcodinglimit%3A65%24%24%24title%3AZugspitze%24%24%24description%3A%24%24%24email%3A%24%24%24language%3Aen%24%24%24screenwidth%3A1920%24%24%24screenheight%3A1080
you can see the Jura on the Swiss-French border where I live, but you can't see the Mont Blanc ... you'll certainly see it from the Annecy area.

This is what you could see from la Grande Balmaz above La Clusaz, Aravis range, looking to the Mont Blanc.
http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/panqueryfull.aspx?mode=newstandard&data=lon%3A6.49601%24%24%24lat%3A45.89288%24%24%24alt%3Aauto%24%24%24altcam%3A10%24%24%24hialt%3Atrue%24%24%24resolution%3A20%24%24%24azimut%3A100%24%24%24sweep%3A100%24%24%24leftbound%3A50%24%24%24rightbound%3A150%24%24%24split%3A60%24%24%24splitnr%3A2%24%24%24tilt%3A0.625%24%24%24tiltsplit%3Afalse%24%24%24elexagg%3A1.2%24%24%24range%3A300%24%24%24colorcoding%3Afalse%24%24%24colorcodinglimit%3A65%24%24%24title%3AZugspitze%24%24%24description%3A%24%24%24email%3A%24%24%24language%3Aen%24%24%24screenwidth%3A1920%24%24%24screenheight%3A1080

An organized bus tour to the Alps that would not offer the opportunity to see the Mont Blanc is definitely unthinkable ;)
The travel from Bern to Annecy will certainly offer many opportunities of nice views, weather permitting of course.

I wish I could join you, there is so much to see in the Alps!

[diversey]

Emmanuel: Thanks for the information and links. I printed out those maps, but I could not memorize all those names:). I look forward the tour. David

[diversey]

Went to Alpine countries in Europe with a tour group and had a great time. I brought my 4x5 Tachihara view camera with me, many thanks for everyone's suggestions. I took some 4x5 photos, but none of them is a masterpiece. Below are several from Zurich, Switzerland.

The Grossmünster
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ytZtT0whTs/WWjjkeQWq9I/AAAAAAAACo8/1FJD4QKlNj04s2cI1jzMCyHcnjQrRfqpwCLcBGAs/s640/img116web.jpg

The Fraumünster Church
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H2UBDPFcXXA/WWjjkdFTNMI/AAAAAAAACo4/NxUE-Lp7KpA1s3pjEeBOn2MgAPE7G41zQCLcBGAs/s640/img134web.jpg

View from the Uetliberg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdFHtgR2YsI/WWjjkdXOvHI/AAAAAAAACpA/ANOZTt3rbY0I5LlcY70FCJ5sBAh0IOipACLcBGAs/s640/img118web.jpg

[John Kasaian]

Looks fun!

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Thanks for the feedback ! I hope that you enjoyed the travel !

[diversey]

Thanks John and Emmanuel! We did enjoyed this trip.
After we visited Zurich, we went to Lucerne, Switzerland. Lucerne is a beautiful place, it is a tourist town. We also went to Mount Pilatus. We could not see anything from the top of Mount Pilatus because it was cloudy that day, however we enjoyed the rides. After staying two nights in Lucerne we went to Annecy, France through Bern, Switzerland. Below are several LF photos from Annecy.

The Thiou River
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFwdhab06Ws/WWzn30jAq-I/AAAAAAAACpo/1OpljfCLPMcX9r6RlGRYMHUFvdPFGoTJgCLcBGAs/s640/img121web.jpg

The Château d'Annecy
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pJNKyEGNK6A/WWzn31Ij3gI/AAAAAAAACps/mLJTra0D_xAH3HuWci1-aXD6P5s9bpOEQCLcBGAs/s640/img124web.jpg

Citcy View from the Château d'Annecy
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_7MgUAlca0/WWzn31S9BqI/AAAAAAAACpw/LE9mEParuN0B2yqv7j3xBMt96v_nTSbgQCLcBGAs/s640/img128web.jpg

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Thanks for sharing your images!

Too bad that the weather was cloudy!

This reminds me my first visit to Iceland, we camped for 2 days near a very famous glacier, and did not see anything, clouds were down to ground level an no clearing up for 2 rainy & foggy days... hence I had to come back; a few years later, we had at the same place bright sunshine and warm weather with magnificent views. But Icelands's weather is more unpredictable that Western European weather.

[diversey]

I have never been in Iceland, but we might go there in near future:o.


Thanks for sharing your images!

Too bad that the weather was cloudy!

This reminds me my first visit to Iceland, we camped for 2 days near a very famous glacier, and did not see anything, clouds were down to ground level an no clearing up for 2 rainy & foggy days... hence I had to come back; a few years later, we had at the same place bright sunshine and warm weather with magnificent views. But Icelands's weather is more unpredictable that Western European weather.

[diversey]

Monument of Alessandro Volta, the Electrical Battery Inventor, in the City of Como, Italy.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tms4eTDh0ZA/WW-A8MSlnhI/AAAAAAAACqM/1f4--XAdfPUf7Fqw5lIinFKAVWBs25AWgCLcBGAs/s1600/img150web.jpg

Bellagio on Lake of Como, Italy
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MMtCGaFWv8/WW-A8AxDyNI/AAAAAAAACqQ/dsAVcd86k3oNa53mdT5-CF5VSKZysfUPgCLcBGAs/s1600/img152web.jpg