On Friday, 18 May, we departed Venice and headed toward Innsbruck. We made a side trip in Vicenza to see where Kevin has been living. We first took the boat by water to the airport where the Sillabers had parked their car. Then we drove on the Autostrada to Vicenza. After finding Kevin's apartment, we got back on the Autostrada to Verona where we turned North. We passed through some beautiful vineyard country to reach the Alps, going through the Brenner Pass into Austria. We saw many beautiful sights and several castles along the way.

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Alfons and Hermine Sillaber in boat to airport leaving Venice behind.

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Farmland West of Venice

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More farmland

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Traffic jam outside Venice. Trucks allowed only in right lane.

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Note speed limit signs -- 50 km/h. Looks like these signs can be changed on the fly.

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Heading toward Milan (we stopped in Vicenza and turned North at Verona)

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Restaurant across the highway -- just like in Chicago

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Is there any other kind?

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First signs of Vicenza

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Alps in the background.

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Getting off at Vicenza to hunt for Kevin's place.

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Exit that shows some US facility (see flag)

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Scene from Vicenza

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We think this is the base where Kevin was stationed before deploying to Afghanistan. From Wikipedia: The Southern European Task Force (Airborne) (SETAF) is an Army division-level command belonging U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR), based in Vicenza ,Italy . SETAF's stated mission is "On order, USASETAF (Airborne) forms, deploys, and employs Joint Forces as a Combined, Joint, or Army Task Force to achieve full spectrum dominance across the range of military operations where directed." It directly controls the 173rd Airborne Brigade

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Vicenza street scene

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Places to go from Vicenza

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More directions

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This is Euro per liter ... about 2x what we pay

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Older part of Vicenza

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Old church in Vicenza

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Peggy's favorite place

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Architecture in Vicenza

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The square in Vicenza looks like it imitate St Marks in Venice

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Ols square in Vicenza

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On the bell tower

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This guy was on the pedestal on the entrance to the square

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I love Vicenza

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Local citizens killed in the war of Italian independence

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Building on the square

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Open air restaurant on the square (we ate in one to the right of this one and up the street)

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Trying to decide if this tower leans, too.

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Looking back toward the entrance to the square

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The Olympic Theater in Vicenza

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Apparently benefactor of the Olympic Theater

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Inside the Olympic Theater

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Peggy wishes she could have one this big.

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Old stuff up against the wall -- very old

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Heading back out of town ... looking for Kevin's apt

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Now where?

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On the road to Kevin's

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Kevin's apartment (all closed up)

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Church on hill above Kevin's place

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Local citizens of Fimon killed in WWI (1915-1918) and WW II (1940-1945). (Remember Italy was on the wrong side)

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View of valley around Kevin's place

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The corn is up!

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Road back toward Vicenza

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Church on the opposite ridge: Zoomed in

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Church: Zoomed out.

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Another church in the valley near Kevin's place.

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Back on the Autostrada headed for Verona. Winery. Lots of vineyards in this area.

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Vineyards one after another as far as the eye can see (camera doesn't do it justice)

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Starting to see some Alps

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Mountains and vineyards

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More mountains and vineyards

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More vineyards

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A Castle!!! The first of many along this route

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Castle on a hill

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Heading for the Brenner pass.

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Impressive mountain

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Looks like this church is in the middle of the road!. Note vineyards on mountain slopes

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A hillside of vineyards

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Hydroelectric plant

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Alpine house

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Tunnels

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Another impressive mountain

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Monastery on the hill

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Long fall if you fall out the window on the right

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First view of snow in the Alps

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Strawberries under the shade at the right ... beside the road. They use all available space

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Occupied castle

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Glaciers in the distance

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'nother castle on the hill

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One of many pretty valleys

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Unoccupied castle

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At the Brenner Pass

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Scenic view 1

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Scenic view 2

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Scenic view 3

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Scenic view 4

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Ski jump