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Been to a RACE Location?? POST IT HERE!

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Declive:
Will be in São Paulo in two months from now. Nice to be at a city where the race has recently been on.

nrh2110:
I've been to Cairo, Luxor, Reykjavik (although I don't think I went anywhere that the race went to), Copenhagen, Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Prague, Paris, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu (again don't think I went anywhere that the race went to), Guangzhou, Amsterdam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and Zurich (again don't think I went anywhere that the race went to)! I'll post my photos once I have a chance to go through them later.

I'm heading back to Copenhagen and going to Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk and Ålesund in November so I'll post those then.

Also, I'm doing a study abroad program in Strasbourg, France next spring, and I'm going to travel on the weekends. Right now, of places that the Race has gone to, I'm planning on visiting Tunis, Athens, Brussels, Budapest, Vienna, Porto, Florence, Brasov, Edinburgh, London, Tangier or Marrakesh, Monaco, Nice, Malta, and Tallinn so I'll have plenty to post when I get back!  :)

RachelLeVega:
Will be uploading my summer vacation photos and experiences this weekend! Stay logged!

RachelLeVega:
Two weeks ago, I fervently switched currencies, drew out my getaway plans, spent a few hours having my "Dove il"s come back to me, and geared up in my restful neck pillow - prepared to board the big, intimate commercial plane! I would soon learn the adventure I was about to embark on would top my list for favorite vacation hotspots. Looking at the reconfigured seat monitors, I pressed the option to unscroll the digital map. It was there I truly gained the epiphany of "Oh my Bejeebies"... I was headed nearly 5,000 miles to the historic and gorgeous city of
Milan, ItalyOn this journey, Milan acted as the stem of my trip where I would branch out to two other captivating locations:
Lake Como and Grindelwald, SwitzerlandAnd with that I present to you the beautiful wide-eyed world - of my first European vacation!

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - TAR4
Situated beside the iconic city cathedral, the Galleria offered a prestigious row of luxury goodies including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Massimo Dutti, and even a Mercedes-Benz boutique (no cars!). I was most mesmerized by the actual height of the mass merchant! Before, I assumed the building would be shorter from impressions off of photos online. While I walked by packs of visitors roaming through this exquisite arcade, I also imagined myself strutting out of one of their stores like an A-list celebrity mogul, carrying shopping totes stuffed with Italian leather purses and perfectly stitched designer blazers, to blend into this fashion-forward district. Outside of the jaw-droppingly miraculous mall, I stood in the center of Duomo and took in a 360 degree spin with my eyes (and camera). In every direction, the flawless construction of EVERY building made me wonder about the painstaking work it took for the men to chisel n' level what has continued to be the defining image of Milan to foreigners. Beyond amazing! I would certainly stay in this area given another opportunity!


Piazza Fontana - TAR4 and 29
The place of the first clue box ever located in Milan! Piazza Fontana is a fairly small roundabout park with a fountain reminiscent of New York City's Central Park. The piazza holds the only group of trees among the bustling antique architecture of Duomo and provides complementary running water for people to wash their hands. I even saw a couple dogs quench their thirst at this lovely oasis. For an added bonus, who could ever say they've traveled to Milan without rendering themselves speechless in front of Milan Cathedral?


ATMosfera Tram Ristorante - TAR29
Initially, I was going to reserve a table at this premium dining experience. Unfortunately, I opted out just to save more money for Switzerland, and I knew I would feel gluttonous for helping myself to a freaking six-course meal alone, so I gave other prospects with a romantic date or a group of friends a chance to enjoy this supper. I had a wonderful coupe of red wine with a glorious plate of handmade gnocchi at another restaurant in the area so it all worked out great! But I could not leave Milan without taking pictures of this immaculately remodeled trolley.


:swim And now onto my leg in Lake Como!

Castello de Vezio - TAR29
I arrived at Varenna first via train from Milan Centrale. So what better way to explore the all-terrain region than taking the hourlong hike up to Castello de Vezio? I pushed myself to the limits journeying up curving roads, through the woods, beside beautifully built homes, and even across a river to reach my destination, and boy, it is totally worth the unnecessary struggle. After finally stepping foot on the castle grounds, I felt like I brought out a new person within me more than any marathon could take out. Vezio, believed to be built in the Late Antiquity, was constructed as a signal/watchtower to carry out military operations. Now, it is a foster home and training center for falcons! The overlook with the infamous plaster ghosts delivered one of the most elegant views of Lake Como, and the top of the turret did not disappoint either! Legends say ghosts still haunt the place at night, but I say legends live on as ghosts. On the terrace, I could remember hearing faint voices of Ashton brushing through the wind saying, "All I can tell you is you're a beautiful ghost", to Vanck. Chilling. Not to mention, I found a possible TAR relic of splattered plaster mold casting along the balustrade.


Greenway dei Patriarchi - TAR29
Greenway dei Patriarchi is a sophisticated lakeside boardwalk that gives an up-close view of the lake, puts mountains in a different perspective, and gives another side to its tourism culture. Deep. But not deeper than finding the gate that teams entered through to stumble upon the U-Turn. (Makes no sense, but bear with me. I'm still wonder-struck).


L'Angolo Benedetto Castelli (Falesia di Menaggio) - TAR29
Menaggio was somethin' else! After I picked up some hot espresso, bottled water, and stopped by a gelateria on the lakefront, I was on my way for my own rock climbing adventure! With an instructor speaking in native tongue, I learned the precautions and rules of real "arrampicata", tips for footholds and handles, and a latent instinct of deciding my own vertical maneuvers. Eventually after a couple (AKA six) failed attempts, I reached more than halfway up the cliff where I have marked "climb a mountain" off my bucket list and was rewarded with a stunning viewpoint of big, bodacious Lake Como in the background. Today, I feel like I put those gym rock climbing walls to shame! It is truly wayyyy tougher than it looks through a screen, and can't blame Brooke now for breaking down over this literal mountain of a task.


Teresio Olivelli Park - TAR29
A hidden treasure in Tremezzo! The park sings The Sound of Music vibes. Dozens of sun-soaking people were having a picnic and playing a friendly childhood game of ball here. Some were taking a dip in the water, enjoying a little swimming, and one was learning how to paddleboard. The shining, warm weather brought out the best the midsection of Lake Como had to show off, and this park proved to be very popular in this resort town! Disappointedly, I didn't get the memo that wearing a t-shirt and jean shorts is "out of dress code", but it's whatever. :lol:


Navigazione Lago di Como/Piazza Risorgimento - Monumento ai Caduti - TAR29
On the southernmost end of Lake Como, this granite monument in its namesake city commemorated futurist architect Antonio Sant'Elia. Its engraving on the front, "Stanotte si dorme a Trieste o in Paradiso con gli eroi", simply means the fallen are at peace. On the side facing the lake, the monument pays respect to Sant'Elia's children. In the general area, the iconic Life Electric statue and Tempio Voltiano power (pun definitely intended) the city's marina area in becoming a renown tourism destination. Navigazione Lago di Como's ferry terminal in Como is also the main headquarters of the entire operations, so I also thank them for making these destinations possible for everyone to visit and enjoy. I took a picture of what appears to be the main office as their ports are ubiquitous around the lake.


:gnome Jungfrau region, here I come! Now I was short on time here, so I didn't get to visit certain race locations including the Pit Stops from seasons 3 (Chalet Arnika), 14 (Stechelberg), and train-mania 22 (Bodmi), but with 24 hours of pure fun and adrenaline... I realize I need to leave some stones unturned because all of you will see why I will call this the dreamiest place you would ever want to be, and I want to keep some mysteries unspoiled so I can go here later in life and dive more into the place, and perhaps you could even finish the journey for me and discover the essence of why I LOVE Grindelwald, why I call it the definition of utopia, and experience the magic yourself!

Gletscherschlucht - TAR3
The tour for this glacier history lesson is owned by the hotel of the same name. It costs about 20 Swiss francs per adult person, and you get to see firsthand the cold ravine below while traversing between two cavernous cliffs. During the activity, you get to stand on a suspended rope net about 50 ft above the stream where you can feel chills running down your legs and neck from the freezing temperature of the glacier water. Definitely a wonderful thing to do while exploring Grindelwald. Perfect for people who want to live life on the edge and want to play on a modern-day "rickety bridge"!

Kleine Rugen Wiese - TAR14
May I present to everyone, the unforgettably classic, original, nostalgic, and still unfazed CHEESE HILL! I finally get to see the location that produced one of my favorite tasks in the entire series! So surreal! When I found the place after strolling through the glamorous streets of Interlaken and through a community park, I was mind blown how close to the train station (West, not Ost) this was. I entered the small driveway between two homes and found myself reliving a piece of joyous TAR memory. I am pleasantly surprised how well kept the grass here is knowing a lawn mower would go through hell to maintain this type of pristine and clean. If Luke still comes to RFF, please share him this throwback! ;) Because this is private property and I don't know the landowner, I was not going to climb the hill, but I would imagine if I faced the direction walking down that hill.... I can feel the teams would receive a panoramic view of Interlaken, see the tops of aesthetically built structures in the city, a number of fearless paragliders, and a stunning view of the nearby mountains.


And now...

Kirche Grindelwald - TAR22
Starting off in the promised land near the main train station, I hiked about fifteen minutes up the flowing paths past rows of quaint shops and restaurants to the pastor's hall. These holy grounds provided some of the best views of the lodges downhill, and paid respect to the deceased in a very honorable way. Flowers in nearly every color of the rainbow covered the graves of the fallen and the unmatched mountains naturally look after this place as it has always.


Hotel Bellevue des Alpes - TAR22
Next stop was Kleine Scheidegg! I rode the cogwheel train up to this point at a 45 degree incline, scared the train would roll back toward Grindelwald at any given moment like one of those rocking pirate ship rides. Eventually reaching this small town, I found Hotel Bellevue des Alpes immediately. This resort-like ski cabin was unsuspectingly quiet, lodged ever so majestically under the Alps. Although I did not see any live Saint Bernard dogs here, I did find some at the nearby gift shop - Swiss barrel charm and everything!


Sphinx Observatory - TAR22
The Top of Europe! The cream of the crop! The moon to our Earth! Jungfraujoch is another world that I cannot truly describe. I have never felt snow during the summer before so this is definitely a milestone in my life! At this lovely viewpoint 3751 meters above sea level, the pamphlet I received said I could see the tips of mountains located in Italy and even France. The distance was magnificent, literally taking my breath away, and sending me above the clouds. The biggest glacier in the world sat so perfectly and white it looked like a giant cloud from the observatory. I cannot eloquently put how beautiful this site is until you actually go. It's more than anything I could have ever imagined and definitely should be on everyone's bucket list. Inside the exploratorium, there are a few gift shops to bypass which sell Swiss watches and Lindt chocolate. The chocolatier even contained a hologram of a chef preparing a chocolate glaze and showed a replica of how cacao is processed into this delectable treat. Other attractions included an ice cave where handcrafted sculptures are on display and even a Scrat doll and his acorn from the movie Ice Age is frozen in the castle, and Alpine Sensation where aurora-like lights and tranquil music between the main observatory and the ice palace guide people through the narrow passages. Just to remind everyone: Please DO go here! Not cheap, but definitely worth what it costs!


Eiger North Face - TAR22
Finally, my last set of photos I will share riding the electric train down Eiger. Certainly, every moment I had here topped my personal record books and no future phenomenon can replace this everlasting mental album of my adventures around Europe.


P.S. Unsure if this is the correct tunnel teams picked up the Roadblock clue on, but seeing a shaft to head outside of this gargantuan mountain is no opportunity to push away. I wasn't sure which photo was North Face, so heck with it, I put the best snapshots of the bold mountain on here! (I feel like the third photo might be it. Someone verify me on it.)
:please:

:conf:HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED! :conf:

georgiapeach:
Oh wow Rachel!! What a wonderful trip! You sure covered all the TAR spots...I cannot believe the plaster casts! Not to mention cheese hill!! Thank you so much for sharing, I loved reading about your travels!

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