Explorer Bear

A Fond Farewell to Croatia, Italy, & Scandinavia

2011-08-22T11:24:00.007-04:00

Yesterday morning the sun was already quite intense by the time we had breakfast on the outdoor patio of our accommodation. With cushions in hand decorated with smiling seaside creatures, families headed off for a day at the beach. Many took the water taxi out to the island to go swimming while others lined the stone promenade just below the walls of the old town where pine tree branches bulging with pinecones provided shade.

We walked around the old town before noon, but again ended up at the cafe with the mist spraying fans. In the 100 degree heat, people looked absolutely wilted there. One man dumped a glass of water down his shirt while his wife actually removed her bra right at the table and draped it across her husband's lap.

The bus ride from Rab Island to Zagreb was both spectacular and miserable. The spectacular part was the scenery. After a short car ferry ride, the bus ascended into the hills on a series of switchbacks. All around us the landscape was astonishing with nothing except white barren rocks and low lying shrubs. This is because the bora winds which blow salty air and water prevent anything from growing. No one could live here, I thought to myself, and there wasn't a house in sight.

Soon we entered a more low lying mountainous area. Scattered here and there were small tidy farms or bungalows which showed no sign of life except for an occasional table set up selling honey.

All this beautiful scenery was in stark contrast to our seats on a crowded tour style bus, except it wasn't, it was a state run bus company. We were assigned the last row which had zero leg room. Picture yourself for five hours crammed into a little kiddy car and you've got the idea.

Our hotel in Zagreb was really nice and right in the heart of the city. We walked around and discovered a small pedestrian area with lively cafes in a neighborhood that was more like a small town.

At noon today we took a BritAir (Air France) flight from Zagreb to Paris. It was a small plane only holding 72 passengers. Once in Paris at the airport, we felt a little lost until we found a screen offering virtual assistance. A crystal clear image of a person appeared on a flat screen and gave us directions. It was the most high tech system I have ever seen.

It is now 5:00 pm and as I write this entry from the airport cafe, the sun will soon be setting on our holiday this summer. With lots of good memories it's time to go home.

Keeping One Step Ahead of Rab's Intense Heat

2011-08-21T18:12:00.002-04:00

The sounds of cicadas chirping, sparkling aquamarine water, and an inviting old town with cobblestone streets, palm trees, and stone houses with wooden shutters. It's all so inviting, but I have to admit it, it is hot and humid here today.

Our day started out with a walk into town. With our guidebook in hand, the plan was to follow a self guided walking tour to see the old church towers, but we barely made it into town before collapsing into chairs at an inviting cafe with cool misty water emitting from a fan. Continuing on, we visited an interesting shop Natura Rab selling organic locally made honey, olive oil, lavender, and pottery, but after that we couldn't take the heat anymore and took a taxi back to our accommodation. No wonder no one was out on the streets this morning.

The owner of our accommodation pointed us in the direction of a water taxi to take us to a swimming place. We figured he meant it would take us back into town to swim, but instead we headed out to an island with hiking tails, a sandy beach, or secluded areas to choose from to put down your towel. I felt like I couldn't get into the water fast enough and when I did, it was beyond refreshing. We floated for about 90 minutes in water that was so clear you could see the bottom quite far out.

We followed a walkway along the water's edge into town for dinner and along the way made some discoveries. The first one was a set of hidden steps which led up to a landing with an amazing view of the harbor and over the tiled roof houses in town with four stone bell towers in the distance. The second discovery was an archaeological dig site where they are uncovering the site of an old church.

After dinner I decided to buy a cute travel bag I had seen in a shop. Much to my surprise, the owner of the shop offered it to me for 1/3 less than the price on the label. Down the street I saw a miniature version of the same bag and the owner there tried to sell it to me for more than the big bag I had bought, and when he dropped the price, it still was no bargain. I have noticed that bags such as Louis Vuitton and other designer brands are sold in shops side by side with flip flops so I am sure they're not real.

I

it is now 11:00pm and still hot and humid. Too bad the beach is not open at night. It's the perfect night for another swim!

Off to Rab Island

2011-08-21T15:22:00.006-04:00

Today was a transition day for us from Opatija to Rab Island. As I've mentioned in previous years, transitions are hard for me when we are staying in a particularly nice place. We were upgraded when we checked in to a suite at the Hotel Galeb with expansive views up and down the coast from our balcony. Not only that, the hotel had a private beach at a sister hotel, friendly service, and a breakfast fit for a king. The hotel also honored a Rick Steves' discount even though we paid with credit card rather than cash.

Since our catamaran didn't leave until 4:30, we spent some time walking the promenade which you can follow for miles. The water looked so inviting and I couldn't help but feel envious of the people just floating around without a care in the world. This looked especially appealing because today the heat is oppressive. All along the path, craftsmen showed their works of art. One humorous sight was a woman in a straw hat with palette in hand pretending to carefully study the scene as she painted. Looking closer I noticed the houses didn't resemble anything in the area at all.

At the bus station we waited in the shade and thank goodness the woman from the hotel spotted us because she told us we were at the wrong spot and pointed us in the right direction. It was the same beaten up bus from the other day with no a.c and no seats but it got us to the ferry terminal.

Our catamaran to Rab Island was identical to the one we took from Venezia to Rovinj and cost only $12 for a 90 minute trip. Because our accommodation Pension Tamaris cost less than $100 per night, we expected something small and rustic, but it's actually a small hotel right on the water with a restaurant.

Walkinging around the old town in the evening, we were amazed to discover scores of booths and stores selling everything from tacky souvenirs to really nice artwork. it's been a long day so we'll check it all out tomorrow. I can't wait to go swimming too!

A Day For Plitvice

2011-08-21T08:29:00.006-04:00

Deep into the heart of Croatia just west of Bosnia, lies a paradise which would be hard to rival anywhere else on earth. Plitvice National Park is a wonderland with 16 terraced pristine lakes connected by waterfalls and lush forests.

Without a car, the best way for us to experience the park was through an organized bus tour. Our three hour ride took us past typical Mediterranean towns with stone houses which seem to rise up from the sea in a series of steps topped with a church, small seaside villages, and through the industrial city of Rijeka which we learned is ranked 8th in the world in ship building.

Out in the countryside we passed small stone farmhouses, many with tiny stalls set up to sell their local honey. Just as you might see in rural Ireland, some houses are abandoned and the roofs are missing, but here it's a different story. We learned that during the homeland war in the 1990s, many of the houses were destroyed or abandoned and today they have no owner. Even more startling to hear was that it will be difficult to repopulate this area for awhile because there are many hidden mines in the fields which have yet to be cleared.

Once at the park we were immediately struck by its beauty. Each of the lakes has minerals which reflect the colors of the landscape causing the water to be a crystal clear aquamarine color. Fish large and small, basked in the water in the sunlight and were completely unafraid of anyone passing by on the natural wooden boardwalks. It was if time stood still for them and we were looking at them in an aquarium with purified water. I wanted to plunge right into the refreshing water with them.

A highlight of the trip was a boat ride on a boat powered by batteries so there is no impact on the environment. As we glided across the water past feathery reeds dancing in the breeze, we noticed branches at the bottom of the lake which may have fallen in decades ago, but were perfectly preserved. All around us, small waterfalls tumbled down the hillside, and ducks and fish coexisted in perfect harmony. It was one of the most serene experiences I have had in years.

Feeling hungry and thirsty, our group was grateful when our boat docked in an area with picnic tables. Attracted by the smoky smell of a barbecue, we scrambled over to an open air barn where they were roasting chickens on a spit over a roaring wood fire. It reminded me of a folk park and smelled delicious.

Hiking back toward the parking lot, we came upon the tallest waterfall in the park. The water cascaded down from above and must be truly magnificent in the spring after the melting snows. Although you are requested not to go off the path, many members of our group pranced over there and posed right under it to the dismay of our tour guide. Much of the group was made up of medical school exchange students and our guide was like a task master trying to keep them in step with the tour.

When we arrived back at our hotel, I realized it was after 8:00 pm making this a long but memorable day. Just when you think there may be no more magical places in the world, one appears before you. I'll keep a mental photograph of this place in my mind forever.

A Hint of the Hapsburgs

2011-08-20T03:27:00.001-04:00

Our bus to Opatija left Rovinj at 12:00 with one easy transfer. Driving through the countryside, we saw pretty stone houses with tiled roofs, donkeys, and little farm stands selling strings of pepper and garlic.

One thing we noticed is that the bus drivers here are very determined to keep moving forward and show no mercy to anyone in their way. On our first bus, the driver forced a woman in a fiat off the road and gestured his irritation with her as he drove by. On our second bus, the driver didn't think I was moving fast enough onto the bus with the luggage and just drove right off with me standing on the steps of the bus.causing all the luggage to spill into the aisle, He almost hit a bicycle too and the rider grabbed onto the open door of the bus to speak his mind while the bus continued to roll with him hanging on!

Our room at the Hotel Galeb is the best yet. We are on the top floor with private a balcony and expansive views of the Kvarner Gulf. There are parasailers, beach umbrellas, and booths selling boat excursions. The public beach offers all sorts of fun activities for children such as trampolines, sandy areas to build castles, and an array of inflatable seaside friends to borrow.

We decided to go for a swim, but first we needed a beach towel, A man with his own beachside kiosk told us his Croatia bath towel at $30 was a bargain, but we knew better and found one for half that price with a map of Croatia on it. To reach the water, we enjoyed a free pass from our hotel to use the facilities at the four-star Hotel Savoy which enjoys an especially nice setting, along with amenities such as a bar and reclining chairs. While there we met a young employee from Mostar, Bosnia, who claims he especially enjoyed speaking with us because he could practice his English language skills. Swimming in the Kvarner Gulf, by the way, proved quite refreshing with a blend of hot and cold spots.

In the evening the town was full of energy. As we walked around, I enjoyed a special treat I had in the Balkan region last year: corn lightly salted and grilled to perfection. We ended the evening at a hip seaside restaurant named Hemingway's. Down the coast, the lights are glittering on the hillside and the moon shines a path across the bay. Tomorrow we will visit one the most beautiful places in the world according to National Geographic- Plitvice National Park

Rovinj Ramblings

2011-08-19T07:01:00.008-04:00

Today I feel as if I have stepped inside a picture postcard. We are in Croatia on the Istrian Peninsula, in the town of Rovinj. It's a charming seaside town with buildings that rise from the sea to the top of the hill where a fisherman shaped weathervane stands on top of a bell tower looking out to the sea.

We took a self-guided tour of the town and were really struck about how pretty it is. Roaming through the cobblestone streets with its stone houses with pretty wooden shutters, we came upon artist's studios which smelled of lavender. The church at the top of the hill is a cool refuge from the mid day sun, but we opted not to climb the creaky wooden steps to the top of the bell tower.

Back at the waterfront the farmer's market was offering visitors all sorts of treats to sample such as juicy grapes, truffles with pesto, and sweet blackberries. I couldn't resist looking through the stalls selling trinkets along the waterfront. They offered everything from retro beach bags, to candles dripping with lace and glitter that look like a wedding cake and are not my style.

Down at the waterfront was a perfect place for a picnic. While we ate, various tour groups walked by following their guide like a scene out of Make Way for Ducklings. They were listening to their guide by wearing earbuds. Although in a a church or museum, not hearing a guide speaking loudly to a group is a welcome change from years past, it felt to me as if these people were not really living in the moment and there was an invisible wall between them and everyone else.

While washing clothes at our flat, the doorbell rang and an image appeared on the phone showing who was there. We've never seen anything like this before at an accommodation.

Dinner tonight was at Maistral. We had a table right at the water's edge and watched the sun sink down into the western sky until it seemed to disappear into the sea. In the distance I saw people silhouetted on the peer enjoying the same view. Later we discovered they were all standing in front of a huge yacht that had pulled in from Australia. It was sleek, gray, and to me looked like an alien spaceship. People were photographing it for hours while four people dined on the stern, oblivious to the whole scene.

This evening all of the stores were open until after 11:00 and children were having a great time riding scooters, playing games, and even dancing to a band that played energetically in the street. This seems to be a family holiday spot and so safe we never saw a policeman anywhere although we were told to be aware of pickpockets,We discovered a new place down on the rocks by the water's edge called Monte Carlo where we had a nightcap sitting on comfy cushions for half the price of the place we visited last night. It had a great view of the town across the harbor and the Dean Martin music added to the ambiance.

Back at the hotel as I hung a load of wash on a clotheslines out our second floor window, I noticed someone below taking a picture of me. It's nice to see so many people enjoying this picturesque town where we hope to return to some day.

From Italy to the Most Italian Town in Croatia

2011-08-19T06:04:00.004-04:00

The breakfast room at the Pension Guerrato was less crowded this morning, but at every table, people were planning out their day with their guide books.
Because we were able to leave our luggage at the hotel, there was time for us to make one more excursion.

San Giorgio Maggiore is located on an island across the Grand Canal. It has impressive art work that would be considered a masterpiece anywhere else, and stunning choir stalls, each hand carved to tell an episode from the life of St. Benedict. Hidden behind the church is a cafe where you can get a nice table right down by the water.

An elevator whisks you to the top of the bell tower for an amazing 360 degree view of Venezia. Looking toward the town we saw hundreds of tourists milling about in San Marco and on the bridges. Off in another direction we spotted sleepy villas, a garden maze, and a refreshing looking swimming pool.

Finding a comfortable spot on a vaporetto in Venice can be a challenge, and even more frustrating is waiting in the hot sun for one to arrive, only to learn it is going in the wrong direction. We were lucky, though, and our vaparetto to the port where we caught our boat to Croatia was less crowded and felt like a sightseeing cruise. The best part was the 30 minute trip along Venice's shoreline where we were in a parade of small cruisers. Out at sea the water was smooth the whole way and at one point I saw a magnificent fish leap into the air and dive back down under.

Rovinj, Croatia is so picturesque. Before WWII this was part of Italy and has a very Italian look about it with stucco houses with tiled roofs. Our accommodation, Casa Garzatto, is a small flat right in the heart of the old town. It is decorated in a modern seaside style with lemon yellow walls, a tiny kitchenette, and even a much needed washing machine.

Dinner was at the hotel's atmospheric restaurant where tiny votive candles line the walls outside. It took awhile for our dinner to arrive, but the idea here is to slow down and take time to take it all in that you're on holiday. David's risotto with asparagus was excellent.

After dinner we walked around the town. Off on a side street we discovered a tiny restaurant, Valentino, sloping down to the sea where you can sit on a padded cushion with a nightcap and watch the fish as they swim in the water above submerged lights. As soon as we sat down, the host said, "Might I suggest our evening's recommended drink." It turned out to be $32 so David opted for the less expensive, but chic, Bellini. It came served in a delicate tulip shaped glass. The drink was made with Moet champagne and peach puree which was so fresh you would think it was right off the tree. Tomorrow we will just take a relaxing day and explore what this island has to offer.

From Venezia to the Most Italian Town in Croatia

2011-08-19T05:57:00.003-04:00

The breakfast room at the Pension Guerrato was less crowded this morning, but at every table, people were planning out their day with their guide books. Because we were able to leave our luggage at the hotel, there was time for us to make one more excursion.

San Giorgio Maggiore is located on an island across the Grand Canal. It has impressive art work that would be considered a masterpiece anywhere else, and stunning choir stalls, each hand carved to tell an episode from the life of St. Benedict. Hidden behind the church is a cafe where you can get a nice table right down by the water.

An elevator whisks you to the top of the bell tower for an amazing 360 degree view of Venezia. Looking toward the town we saw hundreds of tourists milling about in San Marco and on the bridges. Off in another direction we spotted sleepy villas, a garden maze, and a refreshing looking swimming pool.

Finding a comfortable spot on a vaporetto in Venice can be a challenge, and even more frustrating is waiting in the hot sun for one to arrive, only to learn it is going in the wrong direction. We were lucky, though, and our vaparetto to the port where we caught our boat to Croatia was less crowded and felt like a sightseeing cruise. The best part was the 30 minute trip along Venice's shoreline where we were in a parade of small cruisers. Out at sea the water was smooth the whole way and at one point I saw a magnificent fish leap into the air and dive back down under.

Rovinj, Croatia is so picturesque. Before WWII this was part of Italy and has a very Italian look about it with stucco houses with tiled roofs. Our accommodation, Casa Garzatto, is a small flat right in the heart of the old town. It is decorated in a modern seaside style with lemon yellow walls, a tiny kitchenette, and even a much needed washing machine.

Dinner was at the hotel's atmospheric restaurant where tiny votive candles line the walls outside. It took awhile for our dinner to arrive, but the idea here is to slow down and take time to take it all in that you're on holiday. David's risotto with asparagus was excellent.

After dinner we walked around the town. Off on a side street we discovered a tiny restaurant, Valentino, sloping down to the sea where you can sit on a padded cushion with a nightcap and watch the fish as they swim in the water above submerged lights. As soon as we sat down, the host said, "Might I suggest our evening's recommended drink." It turned out to be $32 so David opted for the less expensive, but chic, Bellini. It came served in a delicate tulip shaped glass. The drink was made with Moet champagne and peach puree which was so fresh you would think it was right off the tree. Tomorrow we will just take a relaxing day and explore what this island has to offer.

Exploring Venezia and an Evening With Good Friends

2011-08-16T10:42:00.022-04:00

The streets of Venezia were a bee hive of activity today. With warm temperatures and the sun shining brightly in the sky, we wasted no time getting right out to explore this amazing city on an island.

Scuola Grande di San Rocco is a 16th century building. Often referred to as "Tintorreto's Sistine Chapel", there are over 50 paintings inside, Housed on two floors, the museum has conveniently placed chairs around the room with mirrors in wooden frames you can borrow for a better view. For the first five minutes inside, I couldn't understand why the place was so badly lit. Turns out I was wearing my sunglasses!

Finding Ca Rezzonico was a bit of a challenge. After a series of left and right turns, many leading to a tiny bridge, or a dead end, and waiting for a vaporetto that never came, we finally found it. It's a museum showing the life of wealthy people in the 18th century. The paintings, porcelain, and furniture are nicely displayed although the focus of most of the rooms is what is on the walls and ceiling.

Back on the streets, crowds were gathering around bridges, churches, and gelatti stands. In San Marco, people sat on the steps to escape the sun while others fed the pigeons, window shopped, or stopped by one of the carts selling Venezia souvenirs. They appear to be doing a lot of restoration work and while the fencing around the Campanile explains the process, huge cosmetic ads covered one of the buildings and even the Bridge of Sighs. We are always glad to see continual restoration work in progress, but it was disappointing to see ads placed over scaffolding.

Just off Rialto Bridge, visitors were tempted by machines churning ice cold lemon and orange drinks, and by slices of coconut placed on a fountain. Most appealing of all were cups filled with fresh watermelon, strawberries, oranges, and kiwi slices. We saw some men selling knock off Prada bags. They create an appealing display for the tourists and then scurry off with them at a moment's notice if the police are spotted. Just to see what they would say, I asked one of them if they were real and he enthusiastically replied' "Yes. Please have a look!"

In the evening we met our good friend, Monika, and her friend Hanne in front of San Marco for dinner.

We started right off with a spritz at a very atmospheric cafe right on the Grand Canal with gondolas docked right beside us and vaparretos motoring by.

On our way to our restaurant which was hidden behind the main tourist area, we noticed a full moon rising above the Lido. With her camera propped up on the rail of one of the bridges, Monika captured the image for us.

At the restaurant we could tell that this was a place more for the locals. With not another tourist in sight, we enjoyed a delicious meal surrounded by several large extended families. With all the happy chatter around us, it was quite loud inside, but when you're in the company of good friends, it doesn't really matter. After dinner we decided to find Harry's Bar, a favorite spot of Hemmingway. Like adventurers ourselves, we searched along the dimly lit alleys and along the water's edge, but never found it. Instead we stopped at Piccolo Martini which was a cute little restaurant.

The midnight bells rang out a warm welcome just as we stepped into San Marco. Surprisingly, only one cafe was still open with people gathering around to hear the orchestra playing romantic tunes.

As it was getting late, it was time to say goodbye to our friends and for us to Venezia. Tomorrow we head to Croatia!

Missing Scandinavia But A Warm Welcome in Venezia

2011-08-14T12:28:00.003-04:00

Whenever a day includes an airplane flight, it always seems to take up a lot of time just to get to the airport, but today our bus connection was quite easy and allowed for some sightseeing time too.

After a delicious breakfast of a chocolate croissant and cappuccino, we walked down to the National Gallery. Inside we saw paintings by Norwegian painters which showed the landscape. All cameras aimed at Edvard Munch's famous painting "The Scream" which was placed behind protective glass.

Our flight to Venice was on Ryan Air. We have flown with them before so we paid $10 extra to choose our seats first. Our prior experience from Pisa to Paris was every man for himself with backpacks flying down the aisles to claim the best seats. In Oslo, everyone boarded very calmly.

There's something magical about arriving in Venice by train. As it crosses the causeway, you can feel the excitement of the passengers. Arriving by plane today we felt some of that same enthusiasm as the plane flew close enough to the island to make out the significant landmarks.

Riding the vaparetto to our hotel, we noticed a lot of people just sitting down by the canal taking it all in. Our accommodation, Pension Guerrato, is right next to the market near the Rialto Bridge.

Dinner tonight was in the prettiest cafe next to the fish market at the top of a small wooden bridge. Had we not received directions and a recommendation from the helpful receptionist at our accommodation, we would not have known of this trattoria. We sat outside under an arbor where we enjoyed pasta with fresh scallops and asparagus.

No evening in Venice is complete without a visit to Sam Marco. In the evening the buildings are ringed with lights that look like candles. Small orchestras played romantic tunes to the delight of everyone. If you sit at a table to listen, you pay for the entertainment, but sitting on the steps, you get the concert for free. Andrew Lloyd Weber tunes can be schmaltzy, but somehow seem appropriate, even hopelessly romantic when heard in San Marco Square. Walking back to the hotel, I wished we could stay here longer.

Oslo: So Many Sights, So Little Time

2011-08-13T18:26:00.003-04:00

"Every object has a history that also relates stories of its time period." This was the message on a sign hanging above an exhibit in the Nordic Museum in Stockholm, but its message stuck in my mind today as we set out to explore the museums of Oslo.

Weather wise, this has probably been our best day on our trip so far. Although we have had very little rain at all in any of the cities, today it was sunny and warm with low humidity. The Oslo City Hall is an impressive building with a bell tower and carillon. Inside we took advantage of the free English tour and learned that in the great hall just inside the entrance is the place where President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. Opened in 1950, it has Europe's largest oil painting.

The Oslo Pass includes a ferry ride to the island with the museums. In the evenings it turns into a dinner cruise. The poster said, "Shrimp au natural, bread, butter, and lemon," which I thought was funny that they mentioned lemon too.

In the Viking Museum we learned that during the age of the Vikings, 800-1050 CE, wealthy people were buried in boats. At the turn of the 20th century, two Viking ships were discovered buried in mounds. Archaeological excavations took place and the items, including the reconstructed boats, are in the museum. Items found in the boats such as carriages, animals, cookiing supplies, and tools tell the story that the people probably believed in the afterlife. Balconies jutting over the boats are conveniently placed in the corners. Apparently the type of blue clay the boats were buried in prevented a lot of decomposition,

The Fram Museum has many artifacts which tell about the life of polar explorers from Norway, Nansen and Amudsen. This story was told through a series of storyboard panels with excerpts from the explorers' journals as well as their photographs. In the center of the museum store is the actual sailing ship, the Fram, and we were allowed to explore it inside. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to live on a sailing ship in the winter.

The oldest folk park in Europe is also on the island. With our pass we were able to tour it late in the day. The highlight was a stave church. Stave churches are built completely out of wood due to a lack of stone. Only 28 of these churches remain in Noway. The one we saw dated from the 1200s.

Inside the exhibition hall was an extensive display telling the story of the Sami people. Although the Sami people still celebrate and value their ancient traditions today, the museum explains, people are people everywhere, and the technology the youth has is all the same even though the museum shows an office with a computer that is five years old. This shows that an exhibit can never catch up with real life.

While waiting for our ferry back to the city center, an ordinary ferry pulled up. Looking inside we noticed men dressed in tuxedoes. Suddenly a bride and groom stepped out with the entire wedding party and guests. The groom looked like a prince in full military attire with a sword.

Just a short tram ride away is Vigeland Parken. Between 1924-1943, Gustav Vigeland worked on designing this 75 acre park which is always open and illuminated at night.The statues are unusual in that they show people expressing different emotions, all nude, There are 28 bronze statues on a bridge crossing a stream, and marble statues surrounding an obelisk, People had fun climbing on the statues to strike funny poses. The most famous statue is on the bridge. It shows a toddler who seems to be enraged and throwing a tantrum.

Back at the waterfront, the boardwalk was full of energy. In the evening Oslo looked beautiful with outdoor cafes and the castle lit up on the hillside. I noticed that the full moon bathed the harbor in light. Tomorrow we will see the moon rise again, but this time it will be in Venezia!

Oslo By The Sea

2011-08-13T18:20:00.005-04:00

The water in the harbor inlet was as still as glass this morning casting a perfect reflection of colorful wooden houses and boats on the way to the airport. Already the city was waking up and the fish market was setting up for a busy day.

Our flight to Oslo was under one hour and the view was spectacular the whole way. Pine forests surrounded pristine lakes and tiny villages. We will have to come back and explore some of these hidden places.

Once again my suitcase did not make it onto the plane, the second time this trip, but after it was quickly located somewhere else in Noway, and a promise was made to deliver it this evening, we boarded a swift modern train to the city center. Our accommodation, Cochs Pennsjonat, is right behind the Royal Palace. The Royal Guard was having a concert when we passed through and we followed them to their bus. They kept in perfect cadence even as they boarded the bus while the drummer kept the beat. We noticed the guards in their sentries. Each one had a crisp royal uniform and hat, but also carried rather intimidating looking modern weaponry. As they stand at their posts they continually scan the area from left to right and back again.

The waterfront is just a 10 minute walk from here and is lined with many museums. While visiting the Resistance Museum, we learned that during World War II, Norway was invaded in April of 1940. Old photographs, letters, hand stenciled newspapers, and videos told the story.

Just outside the museum is the Akershus Fortress. Parts of it date back to medieval times in the 1300s. The old stones were quite an interesting contrast to the enormous cruise ship sitting in front of it.

Food is so expensive here. We decided to go to a gourmet grocery store and have a picnic right at the harbor. We weren't alone with this idea either and it was so pleasant to see the ferries, sightseeing boats, and fishing boats come to shore. Following a wooden boardwalk along the harbor, we came upon a group of people dancing, Some had fancy dance moves while others just kept moving to the beat.

Walking back to our accommodation, we noticed pretty cafes in park like settings ringed with tiki torches. Each cafe had almost a party atmosphere. Tomorrow it is supposed to be a warm sunny day. With our Oslo Pass in hand, we will explore what this city has to offer.

Exploring the Back Streets and Waterways of Bergen

2011-08-10T16:42:00.002-04:00

It seems like every summer I find a new town that I claim is the prettiest town I have ever seen. Today I would have to say that Bergen, Norway is right up there with the best of them.

It was very chilly when we ventured out this morning and we quickly realized our lightweight sweat jackets from Target wouldn't be warm enough. Not willing to pay literally $100 or more for a sweatshirt emblazoned with the Norwegian flag or a moose logo, we chose a rather unpretentious looking department store and found nice jackets for around $30 .

Feeling much warmer, we walked all over town admiring the fountains, parks, and sailing ships in the harbor. While enjoying a cappuccino and croissant, we watched people strike poses on some stepping stones in a fountain in front of a statue playing the violin.

While the food at the fish market looked delicious and we saw people eating sandwiches heaped high with shrimp, we decided to have lunch at Peppe's Pizza right on the waterfront. They had heated outdoor lamps and kindly placed blankets on every chair.

No visit to Bergen is complete without a harbor cruise. The White Lady was a 50 minute cruise and they too had blankets to wrap yourself in outside. We sailed past several cruise ships, a naval academy, and a training center for workers on oil rigs in the North Sea. They had life boats placed on ramps headed down toward the water to practice with in the event of an emergency.

Back in town we stopped by an old wooden building, now a museum, where the German merchants would enjoy their meals back in the 18th century. All of the cooking pots were on the lower level.

After dinner tonight we decided to explore the many small cobblestone lanes winding throughout the town. Just off the water front is this cafe with a wonderful retro sign which lights up at night.

In front of it, though, just out of the frame of the picture is something more somber. It is a memorial to those who died in the tragedy in Oslo. We stopped for a moment and although we could not read the messages, many pictures drawn by children reflected the feelings of everyone. One picture had the sun crying.

Before heading in for the evening, we walked along the water's edge. All cameras were aimed into the west where the sun was sinking below the horizon, an end to a memorable day.

A New Day and a New Country

2011-08-10T02:53:00.003-04:00

The sun was shining brightly when when we left Stockholm this morning. Unlike when my parents were here in 1963, there are so many options for airplane flights at rates unheard of in the United States. Our flight on Finnair to Bergen, Norway was only $50. When my parents flew out of Stockholm so many years ago, I learned from my sister that they flew through Amsterdam and that nation's Crown Princess Beatrix flew on their flight on the way to JFK's funeral.

Bergen, Norway is on the western coast of Norway and is so picturesque. The city of Bergen is quite modern, but the historic area where we are staying is charming and retains an old world flavor. Only 10 minutes from the waterfront, some of the wooden houses here date back to the 1600s. We are on a small lane too narrow for cars so it's very private. Our accommodatiom, the Bergen Guesthouse, is really nice and very affordable for this area. Homes have flower boxes and small container gardens bursting with flowers.

Once we unpacked we headed down hill to the Bryggen which was once an old German trading center. At the Hanseatic Museum which was an old merchant 's house, we leaned about the fishing trade back in the 1700s. Because the merchants living in the house were from Germany, they were not allowed to marry any of the local girls. Most of the house is original made from pine. With age, the floors with all of their original knots, have become very creaky. The sleeping areas were enclosed inside walls and looked uncomfortable. In the exhibition area, 100 year old dried cod hangs from the walls and ceiling.

Along the waterfront, the stores are for the tourists, but fun to explore. Many sell hand knitted nordic sweaters which I learned years ago often means hand knitted in China if you're not careful. My favorite stores sold items of Scandinavian design. They had plastic picnic dishes and containers in colors of sherbet which I wished I could buy, but it cost $25 just for a child's set of plastic spoons.

Down the street is a lively fish market. A fish market has been there since the 1500s, but today it's mainly for the tourists who eagerly gathered around grills cooking fresh salmon and shrimp kabobs.

Just a short walk from our accommodation is the Floibanen. It's a funicular that travels 1000 feet to the top of Mount Floyen.

From the top, all of Bergen and surrounding towns, islands, and distant fjords lie majestically before you.

We thought the view was stunning, but it was also very chilly so we scurried inside to a cafe with panoramic windows.

Before heading back down, loud music drifting up from the waterfront. Bergen is a popular concert venue and tonight American rapper Kanye West is performing. The cheers from the crowd echo throughout the old town.

Due to a rainy forecast, our plans to tour the fjords have been put on hold for now. Cross your fingers for good weather for us in Oslo where we can try for a fjord tour again.

Skansen: Sweden's King of Folk Parks

2011-08-08T15:50:00.003-04:00

In November of 1963, my mother joined my father in Stockholm while he was here on business. She told me stories of the grand hotels, the beautiful city harbor, and the friendliness of the people. In fact she was here when JFK was assassinated and told me about how people stopped them on the streets, asked if they were American, and told them how sorry they were about what had happened. She often wondered aloud if we in America would do the same for someone from another country under the same circumstances. Today as we toured Stockholm, I wondered if I was seeing some of the same places she had seen.

This morning we got an early start to our day. About a five minute walk from our accommodation, Hotel Parlan, is Saluhall. It opened in 1888, and is the most beautifully appointed indoor market I have ever seen.

Fruits, vegetables, meats, pastries, and cheese were all displayed in glass cases which they were busily polishing like fine crystal when we were there. The fruit was displayed as if in a museum and the potatoes were so fresh, the earth still clung to them. Water in pitchers at the cafe came with slices of lemon, lime, cucumbers, and sprigs of mint.

Skansen is Europe's oldest folk park. After paying for our tickets, they explained it was on a mountain so we should take the funicular to the top.

At the upper station, the view was beautiful, but as we suspected, it was not on a mountain at all.

Skansen has something for everyone. We learned that the reindeer lving there have been extinct in the wild in Sweden since the 19th century and both males and females have a full set of antlers. Children squealed with delight when they saw baby animals and were allowed to pet many of them.

The nice thing about Skansen is you really feel as if you are in the countryside when you are actually in the city. Many of the historic houses had people inside dressed in period costume, but unlike Plimoth Plantation where they pretend they are in the 17th century, these people are only there to tell you about the history. I like it that way best.

My favorite place at Skansen had two allotment huts. To me they looked like quaint tiny wooden houses with pretty gardens, but the true story is that during World War 1, fruits and vegetables were so scare in the city that people were given tiny plots of land in the country to grow a garden and the families lived in these houses in the summer not much bigger than a garden shed.

Other activities at Skansen included a horse and carriage ride, vintage rides for children, and walks through beautiful gardens. Craft studios and bakeries offered old fashioned treats.

On the way back to our hotel we peeked into Junibacken which is a place where story book characters come to life. I love the Pippi Longstocking books by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren's and probably read each book 20 times as a child.

Dinner tonight was at Ortagarden where they serve a primarily vegetarian buffet. It was okay, but a little like eating at a church supper.

After dinner we walked down to the modern shopping district in town. Nothing was open, but it was fun to see the stores. Stockholm has swift modern subways and trams, but in the shopping district we spotted an old tram, probably from the 1950s which is still in use. All around it people were snapping photos.

Heading down to the shore, the setting sun cast a glow on all of the buildings. I could have sat down there for hours admiring the scenery. I wonder if my parents once enjoyed the same view.

Indoor Attractions Trump Rainy Skies in Stockholm

2011-08-07T16:10:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a rainy day can really dampen the holiday spirit. However, with enough planning ahead, it can make even a day with downpours seem worthwhile.

Down at the harbor this morning we noticed a huge Princess cruise ship. I imagined what it must have been like to wake up early in the morning, peer out your porthole window, and see Stockholm in all its glory. We ran into a group from the ship at the Royal Palace and slipped into their group for a guided tour. Of particular interest were stage coaches including a tiny one for a child and wooden sleighs for sleigh parties in the 1800s.

We stopped in the cafe just outside the cobblestone courtyard for a royal treat at what turned out to be royal prices. For a slice of carrot cake known as "royal cake" to share and two cappuccinos, the cost was just over 22 dollars US.

The National Treasury had large brightly lit display cases full of crowns made with 24 karat gold, rubies, and emeralds. We didn't linger in there too long because outside in the courtyard was a changing of the guard with soldiers in full dress uniform with gold helmets, horses, and a band.

Everybody crowded in for a better view under the arch and was ordered by an honor guard to "stand back right now!" Glancing under the helmet I spotted a pony tail and realized it was a girl. Outside the rain poured down, but the guards performed for over 30 minutes.

Our plan was to eat lunch in the cafe at the National Museum, but the small salad bar alone cost close to $25. At breakfast this morning an American chemistry professor visiting from Hawaii told us his family ended up having a meal at the 7-Eleven to save money so we had what I would call a hot dog with a view down at the harbor at what seemed to be a popular hot dog cart. Their "French hot dog" was a hot dog inside a hollow French roll.

Back at the National Museum we rented audio guides and saw paintings by Renoir, Monet, and Van Gogh. We discovered why people toted around gallery stools with them. The narration of each painting often included information about the artist and the painting, the inspiration for the work, and what the curator had to say about it. Pride of place must go to a collection of Rembrandt portraits, including an early self portrait, finished with a copper frame. This work was stolen from the museum in 2000, but was thankfully found by the police, and returned to it's rightful place, five years later. The art gallery is housed in a lovely building along Stockholm's waterfront, very close to the Grand Hotel.

Dinner tonight was back to our new favorite restaurant, Vapiano, which I just found out from my sister that it's her favorite restaurant in Washington DC. On the way we stopped at Stortorget Square, location of the Nobel Museum. It is so picturesque with the gabled houses.

At the restaurant we again had freshly baked pizza and caprice salad. I love it how you can pick your own herbs out of the pots.

Walking back to our hotel, the rain poured on, but thinking back to seeing the marching guards and everything else we saw, it truly was a memorable day.

Touring Sweden's City of Islands

2011-08-07T02:22:00.001-04:00

Waking up this morning was like being in a storybook setting. As our ship slowly wound its way through the archipelago of Sweden, tiny red houses dotted the landscape on the islands surrounded by tall pine trees.

Although we were sad to leave the ship, Stockholm struck us immediately as a lively city. The Nordic Museum is housed in a beautiful old building and features exhibits ranging from fashions through the ages including a huge display of men's swimming trunks to Swedish traditions and furnishings. My favorite exhibit showed how Christmas is celebrated and had a tree with beautiful ornaments.

Just around the corner is the Vasa Museum. It is a one of a kind museum featuring a 17th century wooden battle ship that sank over 300 years ago on its maiden voyage after 20 minutes. Because the Baltic Sea is less salty than others, it does not support the life of wood bores who would normally eat the wood. In an incredible feat of engineering, the ship was raised out of the harbor in 1961 and reconstructed using 95% of its original materials.

The ship was built by order of the king and was designed to impress with brightly painted carvings of lions and Roman emperors on it. Unfortunately the ballast could not support its height and although it left Stockholm in all its grandeur to cheering crowds and gun salutes, the captain's worst fears were met. It was not seaworthy.

Last night we ate at a really fun restaurant in the Gamla Stand section of Stockholm. Vapiano is a lively hip restaurant offering freshly made salads, pizza, and pasta. What makes it unusual are two interesting concepts. One is that you travel from station to station to order your food and swipe a card to keep an ongoing tally of your bill. Then, once the food is ready, you pick your own herbs from flower pots placed on every table. A small open air greenhouse in the center of the restaurant keeps all the herbs fresh. The only problem we encountered was a party of six swiped our table while we were off ordering even though our stuff was there. They acted rather put out when I went to retrieve our items and they offered no apologies, but luckily we found another table nearby.

Exploring the area after dinner, we passed the Royal Palace. It will be like being in a different type of storybook setting when we explore it tomorrow.

From Medieval City to Modern Cruise

2011-08-06T17:16:00.011-04:00

Late last night we found out why the Hotel Barrons in Tallinn places cute little boxes of earplugs in every room. Outside on the cobblestone streets an establishment was having some sort of shindig that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. There must have been some sort of sporting event going on because cries of, "Defense defense!" echoed through our third floor room.

All in all it really wasn't a problem and we started the day with renewed energy. At the Estonia City Museum we learned that during World War II, much of the city was destroyed. Photographs, artifacts, and posters showed how this now thriving town has changed since it became free from Soviet occupation 20 years ago.

In a cafe filled with old world charm known as Sweet Tooth, I was delighted when my cappuccino arrived with a decorative leaf etched into the foam. I had just learned of this art form last week. Just down the street is a candy shop where visitors can create their one marzipan animals in a studio setting and paint them with food coloring.

Tallinn has many winding alleys, so it's not always easy to follow a map. Looking for Cafe Pierre Chocolateria was quite a challenge. It felt as if we circled the town a few times to find it, but when we did it was worth it. Located in a tiny courtyard, it's decorated with Indian print tablecloths, colorful plump pillows, sprawling vines, and flower pots bursting with flowers.

While sitting at our table, we experienced the most amazing "back door" experience: a bride and groom arrived and sat down at our table with us for photos. How unusual to have your wedding photos taken at a tourist restaurant, but if the photographer was looking for an ideal setting this was it.

Next we climbed the tall steeple of Saint Olav's Church. It has a narrow spiral staircase where you can find yourself in a forced march to the top with nothing but a rope to hold onto. The view at the top made the climb worthwhile plus one could see the modern, sprawling city of Tallinn just beyond the walls if the medieval town.

At 6:00 pm sharp our overnight ship Tallink Victoria pulled out of the harbor headed for Stockholm. It seems brand new with plenty of fun places to explore. The duty free area was stocked with everything from gummies to alcohol. Shoppers piled their carts high with goods. Outside on the deck, big sausages roasted on the grill giving it a party atmosphere.

Dinner was a buffet with a choices ranging from "Whole Foods" type salads to meat and fish. Kids had their own buffet, but wasted no time heading over to the "Make Your Own Sundae" area on a table heaped with cakes.

We ended the evening with a show and agreed that being on a cruise ship, even if for one night, is a pretty nice way to travel.

Sailing South Along the Gulf of Finland

2011-08-04T16:53:00.029-04:00

It's been a warm sunny summer in Helsinki and by 9:00am the city was bustling with activity. While old trolleys ambled beside swiftly moving trams, people everywhere seemed to head to the esplanade where street entertainers were out in full force. High on a hill with onion domes that gleam the sunlight is the Russian Orthodox Church, Upenski. Built in 1868 for the Russian military when Finland was part of Russia, it stands in sharp contrast to the Lutheran Church because of the ornate decorations.

Down by the harbor the market place was busy. Booths sold everything from colorful Marimekko style bags to fruits and vegetables. On display were plump peas bursting out of their shells side by side with tables piled high with farm fresh blueberries and strawberries which were scooped into baskets with plastic sand pail shovels. Salmon fillets sizzled on the grill with stacks of fresh shrimp and scallops.

All too soon it was time to head to our ferry to Estonia. The woman at our hotel told us we needed to just walk down the street and the pier would be right there, but it turned out to be a 25 minute hike with luggage. I would recommend to anyone going there that they take a taxi.

Our Tallink ship, Super Star, was enormous. We were struck by how clean, modern, and up to date everything was for only a two hour voyage. We scored a locker and could not believe our luck when we found chairs outside in the shade.

The medieval section of Tallinn is wonderful. Our hotel is right in the heart of the old town and was once a bank. Outside we followed the sweet savory smell of cinnamon to a cart where a girl dressed in medieval costume mixed almonds and spices in a copper pot with a large wooden spoon. Others also dressed in costume enticed people to come to their restaurants, yet among all this old time ambiance, Segways cross crossed to and fro across the cobblestone village square.

After a complimentary dinner at the hotel, we stopped by a German Style beer hall where a Bavarian traditional band played songs ranging from Roll Out the Barrel to Auld Lang Syne while couples danced. We hoped to get a snack, but decided to pass on the snacks offered which included roasted chicken gizzards. It's now past midnight and we're back at the hotel, but outside the square is alive with activity. Sounds like fun, but we'll wait until tomorrow to check it out.

Sunny Skies So It's Off to an Island

2011-08-04T03:48:00.017-04:00

The sun was shining brightly all day long today. With low humidity and temperatures in the low 80s, it was the perfect day to explore Helsinki on a self-guided walking tour. I love self-guided tours because you can spend as much time as you like in each of the places on the route and maybe even discover a few special places of your own along the way.

The National Museum of Finland is housed in an old building that somewhat resembles a church. It is full of archaeological treasures. Right off we loved the first exhibit "Best Friends" which highlighted animals once owned by Swedish royalty. Tiny paw prints on the marble floor lead visitors to exhibits displaying jousting equipment, rocking horses, and clothing for a royal hunt. Our favorite exhibit featured tiny wooden doors with dogs painted on them. Inside each door was a historical photo of a royal pet matching the breed on the door and information about it.

Other exhibits were equally interesting. "Marked in Stone" displayed stunning photographs of prehistoric artwork found on stones throughout Finland. There were also old chests, grandfather clocks, and a wonderful dollhouse display. Dollhouses, we learned, were not originally intended to be toys. They represented the world in miniature and are surviving examples of interior decoration and life from past eras. Other rooms had archaeological treasures ranging from arrowheads to jewelry, many displayed under photos showing where they were found. I tried to imagine what it must be like to make a discovery like this.

Our next stop on our walking tour was Temppeliaukio Church "Church of the Rock" which had been created from blasting out an area in solid granite. It's actually on top of an old bomb shelter and is capped with a dome created out of a coil of copper.

After grabbing a tasty picnic lunch at Stockmann's, we took a 20 minute ferry ride to the sea fortress Suomenlinna located on an island.

Built in the mid 1700s, it wasn't until 1973 that the last Finnish Garrison left. Today it's a UNESCO World Heritage site with winding paths you can explore which weave in and out of a park-like setting dotted with cannons and cafes. Our favorite was Piper Cafe with tables outside on a rock terrace where we enjoyed Chilean wine infused with strawberries and a grand view of the islands. Below us people swam at a tiny beach tucked into a rocky cove.

Dinner tonight was at Strindberg located along the esplanade with outdoor Parisian style seating. It was a great place for a slice of quiche and a salad.

Having spent the day on a walking tour, my feet felt as if they could not take it any longer. Amazed that it was actually 10:30 pm even though it was still light out, we headed back to our hotel thinking about all we had seen in just one day.

Scandinavian Sojourn Begins

2011-08-03T13:21:00.009-04:00

It's 11:00 pm here in Helsinki and it's only been in the last hour that it's started to get dark. It's been a long trip to get here, but we are finally in Finland at last.

Our trip started in Boston where we were able to bypass all the airport crowds in the Delta Sky Club. Not being members, it would have cost the two of us $100, a price we would never pay, but based on a tip from the internet we bought two day passes on eBay for $20. With complimentary refreshments, free wifi, and panoramic views, it was a great way to start a vacation.

After a quick transfer connection in Amsterdam, we arrived in Helsinki in the early afternoon. While on our KLM flight I read an interesting article. A researcher found that people often rave about their vacation more when they get home than when they are actually experiencing it because they are too distracted to take in the moment. To avoid this, holidaymakers should talk about three highlights they discovered every day and by doing so they will notice more around them and will be living their life in a holiday frame of mind.

Keeping this advice in mind, we visited several highlights today just in the short time we have been here. After taking a tram ride from our hotel, Hotel Linna, to the city center we strolled along the esplanade lined with trees, gardens, and a pedestrian shopping area. At Teatteri Wine and Deli we enjoyed a delicious fresh salad with chicken and shrimp.

Feeling energized we headed to Stockmann's which is Helsinki's biggest and oldest department store. I love visiting department stores in other places and lingered longingly in the home goods section which had colorful items in a clean Finnish design. They also have an interesting array of Finnish souvenirs and and an area dedicated to the children's books and television characters, the Moomins, who have been popular here for decades.

In Senate Square we couldn't resist an evening visit to the gleaming white Lutheran church where people sat on the steep stone steps in front of it admiring the view. Inside we were immediately struck by the contrast between the simple clean design of the inside compared to some the ornate cathedrals we have seen in Italy covered with gold, mosaics, and brightly colored stained glass. I spotted a beautiful organ and hope to hear a concert tomorrow.

To top off the evening we stopped at Cafe Kappeli on the esplanade for a cappuccino and a slice of apple crumb cake smothered in vanilla cream. In the 19th century this was a popular place for Russian aristocrats and military officers. The interior features wooden bookcases, chandeliers, and cute tiny tables. I loved the retro atmosphere and we squeezed into a tiny glass covered alcove which was probably once prime seating.

Back at our hotel we chose these places as the highlights of our day. One thing the researchers did not discuss, though, is what to do when something goes wrong. Did I happen to mention the airline left our luggage in Amsterdam and it took them 8 hours to get it here to our hotel? No, because after all these highlights in such a short time, it's now a distant memory. I think we're experiencing life in the holiday frame of mind already with more good things to come!

Excitement Builds as Annual Trip to Europe Draws Near

2011-07-05T20:03:00.004-04:00

Don't look now, but Explorer Bear's annual three-week trip to Europe is just around the corner. As with previous trips to the "Old World," this year's trip will combine some new explorations along with return visits to some of our favorite destinations. In addition, we will once again provide a real-time blog based on our Euro-sojourn.

Much planning has gone into this summer's holiday, and your feedback - even prior to the start of our trip - is welcome. The trip will begin with a two-day visit to Finland's capital, Helsinki. Next, a short cruise south will take us for a short, one-day visit to Tallinn, Estonia. Following an overnight cruise on the Baltic Sea, courtesy of Tallink, we will settle into Stockholm for a three-day stay. Norway follows, with two days in Bergen, including a sampling of the Sogneford fjord, and two days in that country's capital, Oslo.

The next portion of our holiday will include a return visit to Venice, for two days. Then it's on to Croatia, where we will spend a week, two days on the Istrian Peninsula, in Rovinj, two days in the resort town of Opatija, a couple days on Rab Island, and, finally, one day for Zagreb.

There you have it. Three weeks in Europe, many exciting destinations, and a blog to update daily. What's not to like? Stay tuned, won't you?

August 21 - Off to Dublin for a Day

2010-08-21T17:05:00.008-04:00

I love Ireland. We have been fortunate to spend many summers in the countryside here so in many ways, a one night stopover feels a little like coming home.

Our Aer Lingus flight out of Rome lasted just under 3 hours. We headed to passport control and on to baggage claim where unfortunately our luggage never appeared. Feeling dismayed, we spoke with an Aer Lingus representative for baggage claim and he couldn't have been nicer. It turned out that our luggage had been tagged to go all the way through to Boston tomorrow so he actually went and retrieved it for us.

Airlink is a bus company with a quick transfer from the airport right into Dublin. On the way in, I noticed all of the colorful Georgian doors on many of the buildings in Dublin. The Best Western Premier Academy Plaza hotel is not a characteristically Irish hotel, but its right off O'Connell Street near the airport transfer bus. We lost no time heading right out the door to a few favorite shops. Eason's Bookstore has a wonderful selection of books on all topics with many in paperback that are only in hardcover in the US. We also headed to ELC (Early Learning Centre) which is a British toystore that I really love, and to Boots. The city was buzzing with shoppers in this area of the city which is a pedestrian zone. We stopped briefly at the main post office which has retained the old world style of deep woods and brass fixtures.

Dinner tonight was at Le Bon Crubeen on Talbott Street just of O'Connell Street. We actually had the best meal there we have had on the entire trip. I tried the grilled salmon and David had the baked sole. It was served with new potatoes which were delicious.

Walking back to our accommodation the temperature difference between Italy and Ireland was striking. It seems as if fall comes early to Ireland. For us our summer holiday is over tomorrow. We tend to say this every summer, but this summer has truly been our best holiday ever!

Stay tuned for final reflections.

August 20 - A Day of Sightseeing in Rome

2010-08-20T12:05:00.006-04:00

The last day of vacation in a major tourist destination is always difficult. There are so many sights to see and so little time. Today it was brutally hot and humid here in Rome, but we made the best of it and saw some incredible sights.

The Basilica San Clemente was built in the 12th century, but like much of Rome, excavations have revealed it was built on top of a 4th century church which was built on top of a 2nd century pagan temple. We descended the stairs of the brightly decorated church into a dark and musty underground world dimly lit to see the remains of the original churches. In one room I was drawn to the sound of running water. Centuries ago it was the first Roman house of spring water which still flows today into the Tiber River.

After lunch at a modern cafeteria called a snack bar, we visited Piazza del Popolo. In 1480 it was the original entrance to Rome for pilgrims visiting the city from northern Europe. In the center is a refreshing fountain with four lion statues with water pouring from their mouths. I plunged both arms deeply into it to cool off. Another tourist dunked his entire head. Topping the fountain is a 10 story Egyptian obelisk that once decorated the tomb of Ramses II.

Not able to resist the shopping district known as the Golden Triangle, I made a beeline to my favorite store, Swatch. I also checked out the home goods section in a departement store. It's always fun to go in a typical department store. The Golden Triangle is just down the street from the Spanish Steps.

San Giovanni in Laterano is the home church of the pope and a Vatican Church. In order to be officially become the pope, he must sit in a certain chair on the altar. Beside the church in a separate building is a set of ancient wooden stairs. It is said that Jesus climbed these stairs. Today it is a pilgrimage site where hundreds climb the stairs daily on their knees.

Dinner tonight was at Old Bear. It's on a small street hidden behind Piazza Navona. Their pumpkin ravioli with specks of smoked ham was delicious. To get there we took the infamous Bus 64 known for pickpockets, but fortunately we didn't see any.

Piazza Navona was busy tonight. Street musicians entertained the crowd, artists sketched portraits, street vendors sold colorful flying saucers to kids, and people were enjoying the candlelit cafes or sitting by the fountain. Tomorrow we're headed for Dublin. Arrivederci, Roma!

August 19 - Touring Ancient Rome

2010-08-19T12:05:00.008-04:00

When I was in high school and college, I was never a fan of ancient history classes. Perhaps it's because it was a requirement to graduate or the teachers, as I recall, had a dry textbook approach. Today in ancient Rome I became a student again, but this time an enthusiastic one.

We started our day on Palatine Hill. This former palace high above the Roman Forum was built in 80-81 CE. It was the home of an aristocratic family. Although in ruins today, excavations have uncovered remarkable artifacts including frescoes now pieced together like puzzles. We toured the ruins of Emperor Octavius' house where there were remains of intricate frescoes with vines, leaves, and flowers, yet after all these years, many had retained their brilliant color.

Passing the Arch of Titus on the way to the Colosseum we were amazed at the restoration work that has been done. Tour groups clustered in the shaded areas. It was very hot here today so we sat on the steps of the Colosseum and watched the action. Push carts sold traditional souvenirs such as snowglobes, postcards, and models of the Colosseum. Alongside them though, were many hawkers selling knock off designer handbags, sunglasses, and hats. They keep a watchful eye out for the police and if one is spotted, they roll up their wares in a sheet and scamper away, only to reappear moments later. Happy gladiators posed for photos with unsuspecting tourists for a higher fee than they may have bargained for.

We had gotten a tip from Rick Steves to buy a combo ticket for the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum at Palatine Hill. This meant we could skip right past hundreds in line for the Colosseum and walk right in. Right at the entrance we were stopped by a friendly Australian who wanted to give us a tour. Spotting our Rick Steves' audio tour on our ipod Touch, he admitted our tour is good. "Rick Steves is the bane of my existence!" he said.

The Colosseum was staggering in its height. Built in 80 CE, only 1/3 remains. At one time it held 50,000 spectators. We sat on a marble stone under one of the arches. As David read aloud about what happened here, I commented I didn't like what the colosseum represented. Those were heartless times. Thousands of people and animals were killed. I do remember hearing this story in ancient history classes, but tuned out the professors because the stories were so brutal. Here, however, you are confronted with the harsh reality of the gladiators. Below the reconstructed stage are all the rooms where animals and prisoners were kept. Reconstructed uniforms and weapons along with some authentic artifacts were on display.

In the afternoon we took the metro one stop to Santa Maria Maggiore, a pilgrimage site. It was built in 432CE before St. Peter's Basilica. There was a mass in session, but right after we were able to view the delicate mosaics on the ceiling above the altar. The church also features the humble tomb on Bernini and fragments of the manger crib kept safely behind gold doors. Just down the street is Basilica di Santa Prassede where the finest mosaics in Rome are found.

Dinner tonight was at La Gallina Bianca. We were interrupted twice by the same guy selling roses. He was very persistent. Before heading back to our hotel we visited Trevi Fountain. It's tucked into a small space but the statues surrounding it and the cascading fountain are enormous. Hundreds of tourists were there posing for pictures and tossing coins in the fountain. Beside us on a bench above the fountain were a couple who had just arrived from Seattle and had been pickpocketed on the metro. They said it was the classic bump and grab technique.

Thinking back to the ancient history classes from highschool and college, I wish I had taken more of an interest in Roman history at that time, but it's never too late. Tomorrow I will be a student again as we explore more of this ancient city.

August 18- Rome!

2010-08-18T13:41:00.007-04:00

Early this morning when we woke up, a huge cruise ship was in the harbor with bright orange tenders ferrying people to shore. Below our balcony people were already splashing in the inviting pool and at the beach below, brightly colored umbrellas were popping up everywhere. Zipping our bags closed, I impulsively suggested we spend one more day here, but after considering all the costs, we decided to move on to Rome with a promise to ourselves to return to this same hotel, Settimo Cielo, in the future.

On the train trip to Naples, the first leg of our journey, there was a lot of "entertainment." The accordion player and his son from yesterday reappeared followed by a more talented player and even a small group with a saxophone, bongos, and a tambourine. I'm not sure if any of them got money from our car.

Fortunately the train to Rome, a eurostar, was more comfortable. We grabbed some last minute sandwiches out of a vending machine. They looked like they were bursting with cheese and mushrooms, but it was a trick. They were only sticking out of the side of the sandwich and the inside was mostly bread.

Our hotel, Hotel Paba, is just down the road from the Colosseum. We visited San Pietro in Vincoli to see Michelangelo's statue of Moses. It was very striking with a detailed cloth and beard all carved in marble. This church is a significant pilgrimage site. The church also featured the prison chains of St. Peter.

Using our Rick Steves' Rome 2010 guide, we decided to check out all three of his suggestions for good restaurants in the ancient section of Rome and all three were out of business. It just goes to show that good restaurants come and go all the time. We ended up at a fun pizza place near our hotel called Wanted.

After dinner we headed over to the Roman Forum. People were everywhere taking photos, and looking down into the site, it showed that Rome will forever be an ongoing archaeological dig.

Tonight the Colosseum looked stunning all lit up with a half moon behind it. Some families posed with outstretched hands as if they were holding it up while others just sat and stared at it in awe. We climbed the steps behind the Victor Emanuel Monument and discovered an Italian tv show being filmed with part of the Forum as a backdrop. Tomorrow will be another hot humid day in Rome, but I can't wait to explore some of the ancient parts of this amazing city.

August 17 - Pompeii for a Day

2010-08-18T03:33:00.009-04:00

Today was a day of culture, learning, and fun. We visited the ancient ruins of Pompei.

Since it was a sunny day outside we decided to stroll down the long winding road leading from our hotel to the town and stop at some interesting sights along the way. Just parallel to the main street is a pedestrian zone that's a tourist's delight. One store after another offers limoncello samples and products and you can actually watch how it's made and bottled. Hundreds of shoppers were there and the streets were so narrow we had to rescue a long trailing silk scarf off David's backpack that got snagged on a keyring. In the middle of this area is the Sorrento Men's Club. Surrounded by frescoes on the walll, men, mostly retired, talk and play cards. No women are allowed.

Another interesting sight was the Lemon Grove Garden right in the heart of the city. As we walked through the lemon grove it was hard to imagine that right beside it are apartments and a playground. Benches made of logs were conveniently placed on the paths. Suddenly a voice called out, "Hello!" It came from an organic lemon stand at the entrance. We tried traditional limoncello along with blueberry and licorice flavored. It seemed so surreal that it would be there in a place where we were the only visitors at the time.

On the train trip to Pompei, an accordion player and his preschool age son appeared. The skill of the accordion player was terrible, but even sadder was the son solemnly walking in front of him, hands cupped, but receiving no coins.

Our visit to Pompeii was amazing. In August 79 AD, Mt. Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii in 30 feet of volcanic ash. It wasn't until the 1600s that the area was discovered and excavations began in 1748.

Pompeii was much more extensive than I ever imagined. There is an incredible network of stone streets with chariot wheel tracks worn right into the stone over the centuries. People seldom cooked so there is evidence of restaurants with huge brick ovens, stone wheat grinders, and marble counter tops with holes to hold warming pots. Several houses had mosaic tile floors and frescoes on the walls.

Continuing on our tour we discovered several dogs lying in the cool shade of the houses. One was even sleeping inside a bathtub in the bath house. Signs at the entrance encouraged people to consider adopting one of these dogs. In the meantime they are being sheltered and cared for by the Pompeii Heritage site staff. Before leaving we toured an ampitheater and saw ancient lead pipes, jugs, and plaster casts of people and a dog as they were found during excavations.

Tonight in town we were pleasantly surprised to discover it had become a pedestrian zone for the evening. Hundreds of people casually strolled down the street and even the most fashionable shops were open.

Dinner was at Ristorante Pizzeria S. Antonio. The manager was so friendly and made a point to stop at each table to chat with the people.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped at Gelateria Primavera. The gelati here is so good that even Pope Benedict has been here and they have the pictures to prove it. It was so jammed in there you just had to just order the first flavor you saw. For us it was Irish Cream and it was delicious.

Looking across the Gulf of Naples after midnight, we can no longer see Mt. Vesuvius. It's hard to believe what happened so long ago at Pompeii. I'm glad I got to see it today.

August 16 - Along the Amalfi Coast

2010-08-17T03:00:00.009-04:00

Whenever I mentioned to anyone that I was going to Italy this summer, they told me I must see the Amalfi Coast. Today I got to find out why.

We started our day with a bus ride from Sorrento to Amalfi and the trip was just as all the guidebooks said it would be. Cliffs rise high above the Gulf of Naples and the road that follows it is quite a feat of engineering. Skillfully our bus sped up to the top of the cliff and made one hairpin turn after another. Looking down below we could see villages rising like steps from the sea, olives and lemon groves, and tiny beaches tucked into hidden coves.

The town of Amalfi was much busier than we expected. A sea of holidaymakers sat on the beach under yellow, green, blue or candycane striped umbrellas. Some swam or used paddleboats, others slept or listened to music, and some even had espresso delivered to them in real espresso cups.

Lunch was at Cafe Francese Amalfi. It is an Old World cafe dating back to 1845 with beautiful wood and brass fixtures. We ordered paninis and frozen lemon mousse which is the best I have ever had. It was light, fluffy, and tasted so fresh the lemons might have been on the trees yesterday.

In the center of town is the Cathedral of Amalfi. It is undergoing considerable restoration and they have uncovered beautfiul frescoes hidden under centuries of plaster. The church also features a museum of church relics such as the bones of St. Andrew and a intricately carved cross made of mother of pearl.

Walking around the main shopping street, lemon products were displayed everywhere. Limoncello was sold in beautiful bottles along with lemon soap, lemon table cloths, and lemon marmalade. I found myself attracted to an appealing display of baskets of lemons in front of benches with comfy lemon yellow cushions. I ordered a glass of fresh lemon and orange juice which they hand squeezed right in front of me. I was happy when the owner told me I could have it on the cute benches until I realized I had become a live advertisement for the store.

Since it was a nice sunny day, we took a boat back to Sorrento. It was a high speed jet ferry with seats inside and out. Watching the shoreline dotted with ancient watch towers, we couldn't imagine what it might have been like for people long ago to make a living on a cliffside that rises like a mountain from the sea. The boat stopped briefly in Positano and it looked like a very relaxing place for a holiday on the beach.

Back in Sorrento at the dock it was so hot and humid that most people could not picture themselves hiking up the road to the top of the cliff to the main part of town. Everyone piled into a bus including us which was so packed people were literally bursting out the doors. The only problem was this was a 15 minute break for the driver. In this heat no one could believe the driver was casually standing around having a cigarette and conversation and called out in Italian to leave now. Finally he boarded to cheers of bravo. There was so much enthusiasm and energy that the whole bus broke out in a series of Italian songs, possibly sports related. As we got off the bus in town, they all cheerfully called out, "Arrivederci!" to us.

Tonight was decided to have a picnic dinner on our balcony. As we ate, two giant cruise ships all lit up sailed right by our accommodation with their long deep horns echoing throughout the town.
We could see hundreds of flashes from cameras all over the ship. I am sure Sorrento looked as magical to them as they did to us.

Right now we are sitting outside on the balcony enjoying the lights in the distance. Everyone was right about what they said about the Amalfi Coast. In Italy, it certainly is the place to be.

August 15 - We're off to Italia!

2010-08-16T03:39:00.007-04:00

Transition days are hard for me. I tend to become attached to wherever I am and leaving Croatia was particularly difficult. Our transition today took us to the Amalfi Coast of Italy to Sorrento.

When traveling in Europe, it's always amazing to use how cheaply you can travel between countries on cut-rate airlines. Today we too an Easyjet flight between Dubrovnik and Rome, but was it on time? No. It was delayed by three hours. Thank goodness for the free wifi access codes given to departing passengers.

At the departure gate, it was chaos at Easyjet. People were crowding into a small space to be first. Fortunately we had flown these airlines before and had paid just a little extra for speedy boarding. Along with five other people we got on our own bus to the plane and got to pick any seat we wanted. We all felt like VIP's.

Our flight to Rome was under an hour and after three easy train connections we arrived in Sorrento. Our accommodation, Settimo Cielo, is high on a cliff above the ocean. We have a balcony with a view of Mt. Vesuvius and the ocean, and there's a refreshing pool right under our balcony.

Dinner tonight was at Ristorante Delfino. To get there we had to walk down a long winding road to the waterfront below our hotel. Our table was outside literally three feet above the water. This area seems to be a special destination for Italian holidaymakers and their family. Some people were swimming at the beach even though and it was close to midnight and children played soccer on the beach.

Tonight from our balcony we can see all the twinkling lights of the Gulf of Naples and fireworks to commemorate a holiday are lighting up the sky in the distance. Transition days are hard. When I came here I felt in my heart was still in Croatia, but I am already starting to love this place too.

Check out the live webcam from our hotel to see the view we have from our room!
http://www.hotelsettimocielo.com/

August 14 - Back to Dubrovnik

2010-08-14T16:12:00.015-04:00

Traveling independently on a budget may not be the same as a first class tour, but it can lead to some new and different experiences. Today we had an interesting adventure taking a three hour car ferry from Korcula back to Dubrovnik.

As the ship pulled into the port in Korcula, my first impression was it looked like a small cruise ship. Our tickets said deck and I envisioned a nice cool lounge inside with panoramic windows, but for that privilege you must eat at a restaurant. We ended up sitting outside on the floor under the life boats. Not exactly first class, but with our picnic lunch it felt more like a genuine experience. All around us people were reading or just watching the view. Turns out it was a transport ship for people and cars, but for $30, it was worth it. Had we gotten on at an earlier port, we probably could have gotten a deck chair.

Arriving in Dubrovnik was a bit of a hassle. The street in front of the terminal was blocked off for a festival and we ended up carrying our luggage quite a distance in the full sun to the taxi stand. There's a heat wave here. Our accommodation is Aparments Pavisa and it is right next door to our other sobe here in Dubrovnik.

As a special treat, we decided to take an evening cruise. There are so many choices here ranging from catamarans to pirate ships. For our budget, we chose a glass bottom boat panoramic cruise and it was perfect. There were only 6 of us on the boat so we could easily move around. Not only that, there was a glass viewing area in the middle of the boat and although we didn't see exotic fish, we all agreed the water here looks almost purified. Our boat driver never said a word, but that freed us up to explore on our own. The brochure for the cruise was amusing. It said, "Beautiful view of maritime soil."

Walking around after dark, Dubrovnik looks beautiful with the churches lit up, old fashioned lanterns on the streets, and candlit cafes. There's a crowd outside with the parrots and the girls from London are with the mother cat and her kittens. In the harbor there's a fancy sailing ship with tiny lights on the masts. When traveling on a budget, we won't be sailing on it, but traveling like this we are closer to the people. I think I like it this way best.

August 13- The Enchanting Island of Korcula

2010-08-13T08:04:00.016-04:00

Here's something to ponder when planning a holiday. It's a quote I saw on the door of Gradski Muzej, a city museum here in Korcula "Old is nice."

It's a simple statement, but I agree. Everywhere we looked today in the old town, it was like stepping back into the 14th century. St. Mark's Cathedral had wrought iron designs, cast iron weaponry, beautiful paintings,and an old wooden statue of Rocco, a French saint, pointing to a wound on his leg. He is a saint of cures.

At the Gradski Muzej, we got a glimpse of the life of nobility over the centuries here in Korcula. The kitchen was on the third floor with cast iron kettles, and on the middle floor were China plates, old maps, navigation instruments, and a handmade wooden piano. Outside the museum we saw several Venetian lions reminding us that Korcula was once controlled by Venice.

Lunch was right on the water at Kornoba Morski where we had delicious tuna sandwiches on whole grain grinder (hoagie) rolls. While we ate we chatted with a father and his adult son from Croatia. They had their rescue dog lying at their feet and showed the dog our picture of Cooper on our Ipod Touch.

In the afternoon we decided to head to the beach. Walking out the front door of our accommodation we were astonished to see a big cruise ship pulling into the harbor. We took some pictures of it and found a flat rocky place for our towels. Stepping into the water which drops off rather quickly, but is rocky along the shore, my plan was to wade in slowly, but when I looked down there were sea urchins everywhere clinging to the rocks. Yikes! I had no choice except to leap over them and jump right in. Swimming here is like a dream come true. The water is so clear you can see the bottom even if you are out quite deep. The view of the old town from the water was incredible with stone walls and ancient towers with flags at the top flapping in the breeze.

Heading back to our sobe, Dave suddenly realized he had put the key in his bathing suit pocket and after swimming it was now at the bottom of the Adriatic. When we told the husband of the owner, he did not look pleased. "Big problem," he said and he told us his wife would be over in an hour. Waiting for her I was worried. I had visions of eating slices of take out pizza and McDonalds for the rest of this trip, but his wife couldn't have been nicer. It turns out the big problem was they wouldn't be able to get us a new key until tomorrow so we would need to ring the bell when we came back from dinner.

Before heading to dinner we went to Buffet Massimo which is at the top of a wall tower. You actually climb a ladder to get there and anything you order is delivered by a pulley. Our dinner was at Adio Mare in their outdoor garden. We aren't generally meat eaters, but their grilled steak was the best ever. It was served with grilled zucchini and peppers. The restaurant is right behind the old stone house where legend has it that Marco Polo once lived.

By 11:00 the big cruise ship was gone, but in its place was a sleek elegant small ship from London. Tonight Korcula has an exciting vibe. Seaside cafes are busy with candlelit tables, the outdoor market stalls are still open selling everything from coral jewelry to flip flops which are needed on the pebbly beaches, and children of tourists are on the steps selling shells they have painted. Up at the top of the old town, an acappella group from Croatia is performing and by our accommodation is a guitarist.

Thinking back to the quote at the museum "old is nice" it seems that although this is true, Korcula has done a wonderful job blending the old world with the new. Much of the old town is stone and, as the museum pointed out, ever since the first inhabitants came to Korcula they have etched their history in stone and we are witness to that now. Yet among all of this is a new modern vibe. I think we have found a new favorite place!

August 12 - Korcula

2010-08-12T18:44:00.005-04:00

Today I feel as if I am on an island in paradise. We're in Korcula, an island just off the coast of mainland Croatia.

The sun was beating down this morning in Dubrovnik as all of the tourists arrived. Even though there wasn't much shade on the streets in the morning, everyone looked happy. As a group of men with drums wearing traditional medieval folk costumes paraded through the streets, people ran out for photos. We found refuge from the heat down on the waterfront with an iced cold fresh squeezed lemonade. I checked to see if the mother cat and her kittens were still there and they were. Later in the day, the children from London will be back to feed them. I have heard that many of these cats in Dubrovnik hang out by the seafood restaurant for handouts.

After checking out of our sobe, a van carrying only 6 people took us on the two hour journey to Korcula. We drove high up in the hills with sweeping views of the Adriatic. Vineyards and olive groves were everywhere and I was amazed by the number of wineries. The best part of the trip was a ferry ride to the island. It only took about 15 minutes, but we had a great view of all of the stone houses with their red tiled roofs and wooden shutters. Pineapple palm trees line all of the streets and people everywhere are relaxing in the water.

Our accommodation is the Royal Apartments. We have a small dining area with kitchenette. With the market just down the street and the ocean right out our front door, it's the perfect place to stay. Right now in the small harbor in front of us are a few fancy yachts, sailboats, a ferry, and a small ship from France.

Before coming to Croatia, a Croatian father of one of my students told me to be sure to see the Moreska dances. We are so lucky because they are only performed on Thursday nights in an outdoor small theater lit by torch lights. The performance itself has a history dating back 400 years. It tells the story of a bad king who took a good king's bride. The dancers represent the forces of good and evil and the happy ending is when the bride is returned to the good king. The dancers, all men, are dressed in medieval folk costumes and perform an elaborate dance battling with real iron weapons. They are highly skilled. Arranged into two concentric circles, each circle of dancers moves in the opposite direction of the other and the dancers clang their iron swords in perfect timing.. Everyone sat mesmerized.

Dinner was at Knoba Marinero. We had delicious shrimp and dined outside in the stone alley. Even though it was close to 11:00, stores were still opened and in the main square, a man was making fresh crepes and another was popping popcorn. On the steps leading to the main part of the old town, young children sat with displays of seashells they had collected and were selling.

It's past midnight and people are outside dining and walking down by the water's edge. Tomorrow we will spend the day on this island paradise, learning about its history and perhaps going for a swim in its crystal clear waters too.

August 11- `Picture Perfect Dubrovnik

2010-08-11T14:25:00.012-04:00

The sun was shining brightly this morning as we ate breakfast on the Stradum. Without a rain cloud in sight, I knew that today would be the perfect day to find that picture perfect view of Dubrovnik I have been thinking about all these years.

Before we started sightseeing, we dropped off our laundry just outside the old city walls, but finding the place was a sightseeing trip in itself. We were directed by a number of people to just go "right, left, right" but it never seemed to get us there. No problem, though. It took us through pretty alleys with old stone houses surrounded by flowering bushes all with magnificent views of the Adriatic.

Back in town we toured the Granary and Ethnographic Museum. It featured a display of posters from the 1940s. Many of them had art work depicting America as a rich country taking over the world. One such poster showed a map of the world and even the penguins in Antarctica had something to say about it. The rest of the museum featured a textile display from the 19th century, traditional costumes, and old harvesting tools for olive oil, grain, and bees. Beautiful batik eggs were displayed in handmade baskets.

In the afternoon we took the ferry to Lokrum Island ( Love Island) just off the coast. It's a beautiful nature reserve with paths through the forest, swimming beaches, a small lake, and palm trees. It's the perfect place for a picnic and we had ours on an overlook of the water. As we ate, there was a symphony of cicadas. It was all so pleasant, but they were so loud we could even hear them off shore from the ferry.

Feeling the need for a cool dip we waded into the ocean, but it was very rocky. Instead we swam in the tiny lake surrounded by cliffs and palm trees. It looked like paradise with peacocks strutting about.

Heading back into town, Dubrovnik looked full of energy. People walking the walls were silhouetted against the sky and the red tile roofs and church steeples looked picture perfect. Everyone had their cameras out.

Right before dinner as I was sitting on the stone steps leading down to the old town working on the netbook, the lights in half of Dubrovnik went out. I could see the cafes below in the old town and they looked very magical in the dark with candles on every table. We ate at Nishta, a vegetarian restaurant. We tried the lentil cakes and veggie burgers which were served between two rice cakes-delicious. They have a very unusual, but sweet tradition. Even though it's a restaurant with outdoor tables with tablecloths, they distinguish themselves from the other cafes by placing a cute animal bath toy on every table.

After dinner we walked down to the harbor. Dubrovnik has a lot of cats and we met a mother and her two daughters from London who were cuddling the kittens and feeding them a box of cat food. The girl's mother explained that the daughters had taken pity on the cat family and this was their daily tradition. They will be in Croatia for a month.

At the end of the day you may wonder if I ever found the view of Dubrovnik I have been searching for that I mentioned several days ago. I haven't, but I have come to the conclusion it does not matter. Dubrovnik is picture perfect from every angle.

August 10- Delightful Dubrovnik

2010-08-10T12:17:00.011-04:00

No matter how beautiful every corner of Dubrovnik seems to be, you can't beat the location where we had our breakfast today-right on the main pedestrian zone in town, the Stradum. I love eating breakfast at an outdoor cafe where you can see the city waking up.

Walking back up the steep steps to our sobe, we ran into Pero, the owner, who offered to drive us up to an old fort high above Dubrovnik dating back to Napoleon, but most recently used during the Homeland War 1991-1995. As we passed donkeys by the side of the road in this now peaceful setting, Pero told us about the siege. He said that the people at the fort felt it was always important for the people of Dubrovnik to see the cross on the hill (the original was destroyed) and the Croatian flag. If the flag was destroyed, another was promptly put back up. During the siege, 180 people in Dubrovnik were killed and 600 injured.

In the fort museum we saw photographs and moving video footage with no narration necessary of missiles destroying parts of the historic old town. This was a solemn moment for many. When one missile hit the historic old town and started a fire, people shook their heads in disbelief. A child standing with his father pointed to a display of mortars, shells, and grenades. "Awesome," he said using the English word although this was not his native language. His father promptly shook his head no.

We took a gondola back down to the old town and toured a monastery which has one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe. Today in the museum you can see porcelain canisters, cast iron pots, and tiny weights all dating back to the 18th century. We also toured Dubrovnik Cathedral and the Dominican Monastery. Both were a cool refuge from the heat.

Feeling the need to rest, we sat on the seawall under the old walls of the city and dangled our feet in the water. We weren't alone. Others did the same or swam, parasailed, or played water polo. All sorts of interesting boats sailed by including glass bottom, ferries, catamarans, and even an old sailing ship. Fancy yachts are anchored off the islands.

At sunset we stopped at Buza. It's set in several levels on cliffs rising up from the sea. Buza in Croatian means hole in the wall. It was nothing fancy, but the views were spectacular views of the Adriadic Sea.

Dinner was at Oliva, an outdoor cafe. I love how alleys are tucked into alleys here. After eating, we strolled around just enjoying the sights and sounds of thiis amazing place.

August 9 - In Love with Dubrovnik

2010-08-10T04:26:00.010-04:00

Every so often I see a photograph of a travel destination and I think to myself, "There's a place I must go." Today I am in such a place: Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.

Croatia is a country with an unusual shape. Although it borders Slovenia, Dubrovnik is on the southern tip of the country and a train trip would take all day. We therefore decided to travel by Croatia Air from Zagreb, Croatia (2 hours from Ljubljana by train).

Our flight on Croatia Airlines lasted just under 45 minutes. For refreshments we were offered sparkling or still water and a gingerbread cookie. At the airport we were met by Pero Carevic, owner of the Villa Ragusa. Our room in his sobe is just inside the entrance to the Old Town. He gave us a welcome to Debrovnik drink and an orientation of the town in his office.

No sooner had we put our suitcases down, we were out the door and ready to explore. To get a good overview of the town, we paid to take the wall walk. It surrounds the Old Town and the views at every turn are spectacular. During the 1991 conflict in Croatia, Dubrovnik surprisingly did suffer some damage. The proud residents rebuilt it in the same style, but many places have new red tile roofs.

Looking over the wall we saw boats of all kinds: yachts, sailboats, glass bottom boats, and ferries. Sunbathers lounged down and on the rocks and many daring ones climbed onto the rocks to leap into the sea to the cheers of others. We enjoyed the view for so long, they had to signal us several times the wall walk was closed.

Dinner was at Mia Culpa, an outdoor cafe serving pizza and salads. The town is full of energy. We saw street entertainers on stilts, with macaws, and musicians. People lined up to run and jump on a ledge and cling to a wall, but we're not sure what it's about.

Thinking back at the end of the day of the photo I had once seen in a glossy travel magazine of Dubrovnik, I can still picture the perfect view it showed of it. Tomorrow we'll see if we can find it!

August 8 - Learning About History in Ljubljana

2010-08-08T16:45:00.013-04:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to step back into prehistoric times? We actually experienced it today visiting Postojnka Jama, a cave an hour outside Ljubljana.

We started the day off with a history lesson at The Museum of Contemporary History which had some very interesting displays. The first floor featured the work of Louis Braille. Visitors can try out Braille typewriters and experience a world of darkness by navigating a pitch black room. After walking smack into a wall, I lasted about one minute.

Upstairs was an extensive exhibit about the history of Slovenia beginning with WWI through 1991 when Slovennia became an independent country. One exhibit had about 30 different kinds of shoes holding down informational banners suspended from the ceiling. The shoes represented the common aim to help Slovenia gain independence.

Lunch today was at McDonalds. We had their Shankin' salad which is mozzarella balls and tomatoes. Since McDonalds was in a railroad station, it was decorated in a railroad style and actually had some antiques in it.

We took a bus to Postojnska Jama, one of the biggest caves in Europe. It's touristy, but fun. A small open air train takes you deep inside the cave where everyone breaks into language groups for a tour. The 90 minute tour was amazing. We learned the cave is over 5 million years old and has had visitors since the late 1800s. The caverns were mammoth with enormous stalactites and stalagmites which grow at the rate of 1 mm. every 10-30 years.

Dinner was at Pizzeria Focculus. Their pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven and salads are excellent.

Walking around Ljubljana after dinner, we took the elevator to the 11th floor of a building with an interesting history. In the 1930s it was known as the skyscraper and was the tallest building in central Europe. It is a building with a history, but after recent renovations, the top is very contemporary with walls of glass on their outside observation deck. It was great place for a final view of Ljubljana. Tomorrow we head to Croatia.

August 7 - Lively Ljubljana

2010-08-07T10:46:00.015-04:00

Leaving a fairy tale alpine lake such as Lake Bled is always difficult, but knowing there are many more sights to see makes it easier. Today our journey took us to the capital city of Slovenia, Ljublljana.

The rugged Julian Alps were peeking out of the clouds high above the lake this morning making that one last chance to ride a pletna boat irresistable. Holding 20 people under a beautiful striped canopy, the beautifully varnished wooden boat glided effortlessly through the water to the island where the tiny Church of the Assumption, lies. Views ranged from the peaceful island church and Tito's former villa hidden behind trees, to the blocky looking aging grand hotels from the Soviet era back in town.

At the island we were allowed 30 minutes to explore. We decided not to pay the 3 euro fee to enter the church and ring the bell for good luck. Instead we admired an exhibit of handmade Slovenian nativity scenes, and clay dolls dressed in native costumes. They represented the 27 EU countries with 23 official languages. The EU motto is "Unity in variety."

On our trip back from the island it was so quiet and peaceful. Only the sound of the oars lapping the watter and dueling church bells ringing out from across the lake broke the silence until a college girl from Calgary spoke up. Her voice was so loud it jarred my nerves. Based on her conversation with her friends, we learned she's a novice swimmer, has tried surfing, had toe surgery, and thinks Crocs are utterly useless. Glancing around the boat I noticed the others seemed oblivious to her aimless chatter. Most likely they did not know what she was saying.

For lunch we returned to Vila Preseren right on the lake for their Mr. Toast (grilled ham and cheese) and a piece of grmada, known as bonfire. It is cake with rum, milk, custard, and raisins topped with chocolate syrup. A small colorful craft fair was set up behind it selling wooden toys and jewelry. I bought a tiny clay bird whistle.

Our bus ride to Lubljana was one hour. We are staying at the Slamic B&B which is only 5 minutes from the main pedestrian zone. Our first stop was Ljubljana Castle. The original castle dates back to the Roman period, but little if any of it survives. The present day castle was rebuilt in the 1940s and renovated in the 70s. Although you can still see the main foundation, it is quite modern inside with exhibits, a gift shop, wedding halls, and a walkway with fine views. A modern glass funnicular whisks you to the top. One interesting part I noticed was called Library Under the Treetops. It was crates of children's books nicely arranged under trees with mats for the children to use for chairs. It seems like it might be a nice idea for the elementary school where I teach. We also visited the cathedral in town which is an 18th century church dedicated to St. Nicholas.

Ljubljana is a vibrant lively city after dark. One interesting feature of street food sales is corn on the cob (koruza) roasting on tiny charcoal grills and served right with the husks as plates. Olive oil and salt are offered as condiments. I tried some and it was tasty. Dinner was at Zlata Ribica. Our table was right above the river. We had gnoche with mushrooms. We met a mother and daughter from Arlington, Virginia who were traveling around and exchanged travel stories. The daughter was studying in Italy and is a college student in Virginia. Like us, they are Rick Steves fans too.

After dinner we strolled along the river's edge and were amazed at the number of outdoor cafes. Various restaurants had entertainment ranging from traditional to trendy. At one point hundreds of people leaned over the railing to watch a canal style boat that had stopped in the water for a moment and played traditional Slovenian folk music. It was wonderful.

Ljubljana looks like a lot of fun. Tomorrow we will explore the Sunday market in the market square and visit one of the caves. I think it will be a great day!

August 6 - A Day on Lake Bled in Slovenia

2010-08-06T12:54:00.009-04:00

Sometimes, even when the clouds roll in over an alpine lake, it can still be a day of discovery and surprise. We know because we experienced that kind of day today in Slovenia.

The day started out as a sunny one this morning and we enjoyed our buffet breakfast outside. Following the path down to the lake, we were amazed at the number of tourist buses at neighboring hotels. This is a very popular tourist destination for families from all over Europe. We talked with an interesting British couple on our shuttle bus to Bled Castle and they told us that Slovenia was just added as a destination with the tour company they use.

Bled Castle sits high above the lake on a cliff with an incredible view. It dates back 1,000 years although archaeologists can only piece together the history based on fragments from the past. We followed a tour group from eastern Europe whose guide interpreted the English speaking guide's commentary. In one room the group huddled around one object and shouted with laughter. Hurrying over, I peeked over their shoulders to see what was so funny. It was a medieval toilet.

This area is famous for their creme cake and Vila Preseren is a great place to try it. Their trendy restaurant has tables right on the water's edge. We decided to skip the grilled octopus and have the Mr. Toscana sandwich which was grilled bread with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella. Dessert was the creme cake. It's light and fluffy dusted with powdered sugar.

Vila Preseren is right on a footpath that circles the lake for 3.5 miles. The water in the lake is crystal clear and we stopped again and again to take pictures of the Church of the Assumption on a tiny island in the lake. Picturesque wooden boats with colorful striped canopies called pletnas
take people out to the island. No engines are allowed so the guide rows the entire way standing.

Halfway around the lake the rain clouds rolled in, but that only made the lake look more mystical. Umbrellas in hand, we continued along the path to the Vila Bled. Now a hotel owned by the Slovenian government, it was the retreat of Tito during his rule of Yugoslavia. As the rain poured outside, we enjoyed a cappucino in the Vila's lounge. It was served on a silver tray with a glass of water. We had heard there was a mural commissioned by Tito in the 1940s in the vila and it was a pleasant surprise to be able to get a personal historical tour of it. It represents a story leading to the socialist victory of the people of the former Yugoslavia. Today Slovenia preserves the mural as a piece of art of historical significance.

Tonight the rain poured down, but that didn't stop us from discovering a great pizza restaurant, Pizzeria Rustika. Their crispy pizza cooked in a wood burning oven was delicious and served on their covered porch lit with lanterns. As we left the restaurant, the waiter called out, "Tomorrow it will be a nice day!" Maybe there will be time before leaving for Ljubljana to go out and discover that island!

August 5 - Riding the Rails to Slovenia

2010-08-06T06:57:00.010-04:00

Every summer we never cease to be amazed with the public transportation system in many countries in Europe and Austria is no exception. Their trains are clean, modern, efficient, on time, and seem to effortlessly whisk you straight to your destination-or maybe not!

The train to Slovenia left Vienna at 12:30. Our compartment held six people. but there was only one other person inside with us so plenty of room. Our five hour trip seemed easy and we all spent it listening to ipods plugged into handy onboard outlets. Out the window the scenery was spectacular with wooden framed houses with window boxes bursting with flowers, rolling green hills dotted with wildflowers, and churches with tiny onion domes. All too soon it was time to make our one and only transfer to Lake Bled. We settled into our seats when a cry went out from a group of British students, "Get off the train now. They are splitting it into two going two different ways!" and just as we found a conductor, the train pulled away.

Two other passengers in our compartment, one from Germany and one from Bosnia, were able to speak to the conductor. We were able to figure out we needed to go back the other direction and it would all work out, but when it was translated to us, he had actually said, "Sometimes there are complications and that's your problem." Ouch!

Thank goodness we had our cell phone and called our accommodation to alert them we would arrive after 7:30pm. After a 90 minute wait in a small train station with nothing to eat except popcorn, finally our new train arrived and after an hour we arrived in Bled.

The Pension Mayer is an alpine chalet style with a bathroom like one you would find in a first class hotel. We ate in the restaurant and had the grilled salmon and potatoes with spinach.

After dinner we ventured down to the lake where the castle was all lit up high above the water. Our day of riding the rails is over. It's time for a day of adventure on this alpine lake and maybe a piece of their famous creme cake too.

August 4 - Discovering the Treasures of Vienna

2010-08-04T13:31:00.013-04:00

When I was a child, I used to wonder what it would be like to be a member of a royal family. Today I got the chance to find out.

The sun was shining brightly this morning and we were thankful because today's plan was to tour the greatest palace and treasures in all of Austria. As strange as this may sound, we read in our guidebook that there was an early 20th century WC in the Graben and decided to check it out. It featured sliding wooden doors, antique sinks, brass fixtures, fine towels, and even an attendant in a white jacket who kept it spotless. It represented a throwback to the Habsburg empire and was actually much more authentic than another WC down the street advertising "Opera WC mit musik."

Our first stop this morning was the Hofsburg Treasury. It was an exhibit of a staggering collection of ornate gold crowns, jewels, embroidered royal silk robes, a royal cradle made of sterling silver, and even what is said to be a nail from the true cross.

A globe museum is not something everyone would enjoy, but I could not wait to go there. Not surprisingly, it was sparsely attended with hardly a soul in sight, but with over 200 objects on display, it surpassed even my expectations that it would be great. Some of the globes dated back to the 1500s and showed only fragments of North America. My favorite item was a miniature globe in a tiny box with an accordion book called "Inhabitants of the World." Curiously enough, the book had pictures of Sandwich Islanders, Tiroleans, and the Iroquois.

Included in the ticket was a visit to the Esperanto Mueum. We thought it was a display of colorful old posters, but learned that in the 19th century, there was an attempt by a group of people to link all European languages with a new language, Esperanto. This effort failed during the war.

After a quick lunch back at Rosenberger Market, we visited Schonbruun Palace. It was a summer holiday home for the Habsburg family and also a place where dignitaries gathered. JFK met Khruschev there in 1961 during the Cold War. Today you can tour 40/1000 rooms. We used our downloaded audio tour on our ipod and it was perfect. The rooms are all in different themes giving you a real flavor for how royalty lived.

There is something for everyone at Schonbruun Palace. There's a world class zoo which includes pandas, mazes, tropical gardens, an apple strudel bakery, and even mock Roman ruins. We enjoyed a delicious Eiskaffee (ice coffee with coffee ice cream) in the same garden overlook where the family once came for a glorious view of the grounds and the city.

After a busy day touring museums, our budget did not include a restaurant fit for royalty. We headed back to our new favorite restaurant from our first night, Gigerel, where we spent hours at our candlelit table outside talking over spinach and crab strudel and salad. It may not have been a restaurant for the Habsburgs, but for us it was the perfect ending for our first visit to Vienna.

August 3 A Walking Tour of Vienna

2010-08-03T14:14:00.032-04:00

No matter how tired you might feel at the end of a day, a walking tour is a great introduction to any city or town, and a walking tour of Vienna is exactly what we did today.

We started our morning off with what might be the highlight of any visit to Vienna, a tour of the Opera House. Built over 140 years ago, it is stunning inside and well worth a visit. As you enter the Opera House, straight ahead at the top of the steps is a room fit for a king, and it was too. In the late 1800s, patrons would check to see if the room was lit. If it was, the emperor was there most likely enjoying a cup of tea. Our guide took us behind the stage where ten trucks per day drive right up on it to deliver the scenery. We heard that one time the maestro couldn't find a parking space. In desperation, he drove his car right onto the back of the stage and parked it there. As in any tour, there is always one family who stands out. On our tour it was an American family who monopolized the guide's time by asking trivial questions. He entertained them with guessing games such as, "Guess how much it costs to go to the opera ball?"

Feeling hungry, we went to the Hotel Sacher for their world famous Sacher torte. It's layers of delectable chocolate cake with apricot filling. A cup of cappucinno was the perfect complement.

During the summer there are numerous classical music concerts all over the city. Everywhere you look are salesman dressed as Mozart. We're hoping to find a concert that doesn't feature musicians wearing 18th century outfits.

Following our walking tour map, lunch today was at Rosenberger Market. It's so touristy not a single resident from Vienna probably ever goes in there, but you can get great salads, fresh fruit, pasta, and a cooked meal served cafeteria style, all for a reasonable price.

Our next walking tour stop was St. Stephen's Cathedral. The oldest part dates back to the 1200s. Sadly, photographs show devastating destruction during the war, but thanks to the generocity of donors, it was restored
.

Before heading to the museums, we stopped at Julius Meinl. According to Rick Steves, it's an aristocratic grocery store with cheese, wine, herbs, jams, vegetables, fine chocolates, and even gourmet potato chips all displayed as if they are in museum.

In the late afternoon, David wanted to visit an art history museum and I wanted to visit a natural history museum, both from the Habsburg's empire. After agreeing to meet at a fountain, we went our separate ways to the museums which were directly across from each other. I paid 12 euro for my ticket and never thought twice about the fact that instead of a dinosaur, it had a gilded carriage on it. Turns out I was in the art history museum! No problem, though. David promptly showed up and we toured it together. We saw a magnificent collection of paintings by Peter and Jan Bruegel, Velazquez, Carravaggio, and even a painting by Vermeer. Downstairs was an Egyptian collection and a desk top cameo once owned by Julius Caeser.

By 6:00 our feet couldn't take it anymore. We stopped at Demel, an old world cafe since 1786 for another coffee and tiny torte. It was delicious.

Dinner tonight was in Spitleberg Quarter of Vienna at Witwe Bolte. Eating outside in their candlelit garden, we felt as if we were in the countryside, yet we we were actually in the heart of the city. Not a car was in sight and cicadas chirped in the summer night. Our meal was incredible. I had spinach stuffed dumplings topped with pine nuts and David enjoyed lasagna that was the best ever. Paper thin pasta was cut with a biscuit cutter and stacked in three layers heaped and topped with mushrooms and garnished with blueberries.

We took the Ubahn back to the hotel and noticed an interesting display on the subway platform. Science Goes Public featured a meteorite, fossils, and an 18th century illustrated guide to arachnids. It's now midnight and we're looking forward to another great day tomorrow.

August 2 - Visiting Vienna!

2010-08-02T17:30:00.012-04:00

As I sit in our hotel room writing my first journal entry tonight, it's hard to believe all that we have done in the past 24 hours. Yesterday we left Boston on a new Aer Lingus Airbus, crossed the Atlantic in just over five hours, and landed in Dublin at 4:55 am. By 7:30 am we were on our way to Vienna and landed here at 11:00 am this morning.

While riding the airport transit bus to our hotel, evidence was everywhere that Vienna is the jumping off point to some very exciting cities that just 20 years ago weren't the popular tourist destinations they are today. Sign posts pointed the way to Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest. Our hotel, Pension Corvinus, is just one block away from one of the main subway lines and although the room is small, it is clean, modern, air conditioned, and comfortable. Better yet, it only costs 90 euro per night and is right in the middle of a nice shopping district on a tree lined street.

Feeling hungry for a snack, we headed down the street to Buffet Trzesniewski. Here you can choose from an elaborate array of 22 different kinds of fancy open face finger sandwiches served with miniature glasses of beer. Not sure what any of the sandwiches actually were, I decided to stick with easily recognizable ones such as egg salad or tomato and they were delicious. I tried mine with fresh pear juice and it was the perfect combination.

After a much needed three hour nap, we bought a 48 hour transit pass and headed into the heart of the city. Our first stop was the pedestrian zone where they had every store imaginable. An interesting contrast I noticed is that the shops all have bold colorful signs seen in almost any city, yet if you look above them, the old buildings these stores are housed in are beautiful. We had an early dinner at Gingerl Stadtheuriger. It is a heuriger which means it serves wine and fresh food that would normally be served in a vineyard. We tried their spinach strudel made with flaky pastry, and a fresh garden salad.

Feeling energized, we decided to visit the Hausdermusik which is one of the most unusual museums I have ever visited. The self guided tour begins with a visit to a small auditorium where you feel as if you are watching a live presentation of the Vienna Philharmonic Symphony's New Year's concert. Then, following a series of arrows, we visited a series of interactive exhibits which included lessons about tone, rhythm, pitch, and the far limits of the human ear's ability to interpret sound. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the unusual sounds offered to us on headphones such as gurgling, spinning, coughing, sneezing, and rattling paper, it was a welcome relief to enter the classical music section. There was a separate room for each composer which included his music, posters from his concerts, and period instruments. The grand finale of the visit was an opportunity to virtually conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. If you did a good job, they played well, but if you weren't focussed, they stopped playing and told you that you were a bad conductor!

Our final stop of the evening was Zinoni and Zinoni for a scoop of their gelati. I ordered a scoop of raspberry and one of blueberry and it was the freshest gelati I have ever had. We will be sure to go back there tomorrow.

It is now midnight, but outside the streets are still alive with people enjoying cafes and street performers. It's been a long day and it's now time for bed. Seeing the lights of the city outside our window, I can't wait until tomorrow to get out and explore this magical city some more.

Summer Holiday 2010

2010-07-25T21:47:00.002-04:00

After a very busy and unusually hot July, I am anxiously awaiting the start of our summer holiday in August. This year we will be visiting some very exciting new places. I will be bringing my netbook for blogging and recently discovered that I will be able to upload photos to my entries. Check out the list of destinations below. We would love to hear any suggestions of sights to see or restaurants to visit.

Vienna, Austria
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Lubliljana, Slovenia
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Korcula, Croatia
Sorrento, Italy
Rome, Italy

August 25 – A Reluctant Farewell to France, Italy and Ireland

2009-08-28T09:59:00.001-04:00

The weather report this morning said rain showers for the Dublin area, but outside our window the sun was shining brightly. It’s always hard to head to the airport, especially if it’s a pleasant day outside. If it’s pouring, then I don’t feel quite so bad about leaving.

Since our plane didn’t leave until 2:00, we decided to stroll about the pedestrian zone off O’Connell Street. Shoppers were already out and we stopped to admire a department store window display with handmade stuffed animals. “It’s lovely, isn’t it,” said the woman beside us and it truly was. Stopping at one of my favorite stores, Boots, we bought several bottles of coconut-almond soap which I wrapped carefully and stuffed in my carryon bag.

At the airport, it was a routine check-in until we passed through baggage control. I had forgotten about the liquid regulations and my prize soaps were confiscated. Once on the plane, we were delighted to find we had bulkhead seats and settled in for the long trip home. With a new book in hand, “New Europe” by Michael Palin, I spent most of the trip immersed in his travel journal, only occasionally being interrupted by a father who decided to entertain his two year old daughter less than two feet in front of us by jumping up and down and tossing her in the air. It was quite annoying and he didn’t seem to care.

Looking back on our vacation, some of the highlights include:

• Watching children play in the bubbling fountains in Dijon which seem to magically appear out of the sidewalk
• Touring the now elegant Hotel Dieu, a hospice built in the 15th century in Beaune
• The dreamy view of the snow covered Mt. Blanc from our hotel room with the observation tower glistening in the sun
• Relaxing on our lemon grove terrace at the Villa Steno in Monterosso with a glass of Limoncino
• Riding the ferry to each of the five small towns in the Cinque Terre that rise from the sea like steps
• Sitting in the shade of an old oak tree on top of Torre Guinigi, a 130 foot ancient tower in Lucca
• Feeling a sense of peace in the candlelit Basilica of St. Francis where people whisper their hopes beside his tomb
• Exploring an Etruscan cave under the streets of Orvieto
• Strolling along the Tiber River at night with our friend, Monika, to see the illuminated dome at St. Peter’s in Vatican City
• Hearing the magnificent organ at St. Peters
• Admiring a staggering collection of masterpieces at the Borghese Gallery
• Visiting the Temple Bar district in Dublin to feel the energy of the city’s nightlife

It’s always hard coming home, but the memories will live on and as Rick Steves always says, “Assume you will return!”

August 24 – A Too Short Visit to Dublin

2009-08-27T15:08:00.004-04:00

Every year starting in February I spend weeks looking for the best airfares with reasonable connections to Europe. This year Aer Lingus had the best price for our trip to Italy and France. Having traveled with them for years, we felt very confident about booking the trip, and added an overnight in Dublin to the itinerary.

The crowds were already out touring the Pantheon the morning we left Rome and the Gladiators wearing their feather covered helmets were busy posing with tourists for money. For us, the easiest way to Fiumicino Airport was by taxi and by law, costs 40 euro. The airport is unremarkable and needs updating, but fortunately was easy to navigate. Once we arrived in Dublin, an airport transfer bus whisked us directly to our hotel, Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel, right off O’Connell Street. Although it lacks the charm of a traditional old-world Irish hotel, it is clean, modern, comfortable, and right in the heart of the city.

Not wasting any time, we headed right out into the city where a light rain was falling. This was our first true shopping excursion of the entire trip and we found gifts for family and friends at Avoca where we bought lovely woven blankets, and at Eason Bookshop, which is a reader’s delight. Three floors are filled with books on a variety of topics including schoolbooks for children.

After dinner in the hotel, we wandered over to the Temple Bar area and stopped briefly at a pub to listen to some music. Each pub was so crowded people were practically bursting out the door, but that just makes it an interesting challenge. Inside, the bartenders worked nonstop pouring rich creamy glasses of Guinness or some other libation. Finding a seat was next to impossible. One couple even sat in the phone booth just to hear the live music.

On our way back to the hotel we discovered the funniest store ever: Carroll’s Gifts & Souvenirs. We have spent many summers in the countryside of Ireland and know the difference between fine Irish handmade gifts and trinkets, but this place was just outright fun on a cool rainy evening. Inside is floor after floor and aisle after aisle of every leprechaun, sheep, and Guinness souvenir you could possibly ever imagine. They even had their own radio station advertising their own goods.

Crossing the Ha’penny Bridge, the River Liffey looked beautiful at night. Heading back down O’Connell Street past the 390 foot silver Millennium Spire, we agreed that we missed Ireland and will make sure that next year, our trip includes a longer stay.

August 23 - Visiting Rome's Treasure Houses of Art

2009-08-26T20:28:00.002-04:00

The temperature in Italy this past week has been unusually high and a heat wave warning has been issued. Visitors in some of the hill towns report they get some relief from a light breeze, but here in Rome it’s brutal. People gather around fountains to fill their water bottles, which many dump on their head. Others sit in the shade of cafes even if it means they pay a premium for bottled water. We, however, felt fortunate because today was the day to visit one of Rome’s most delightful spots: The Borghese Gallery.

In the 17^th century, Cardinal Scipione Borghese created a place to showcase art. He was particularly interested in ancient, Renaissance and contemporary art as well as sculptures. Today you can visit this amazing collection located in the villa where he lived. Only 350 visitors are permitted in the museum every two hours. Reservations are a must and when we arrived for our 11:00 appointment, a sign had already been posted saying no more time slots were available that day. We were quite concerned when it appeared that our online reservation had not gone through as we thought, but the receptionist recognized our disappointment and granted us tickets. Following our Rick Steves’ guided tour, we passed effortlessly from room to room to admire the staggering collection of paintings and statues. Most impressive to me was a statue of David, and another of Apollo and Daphne, both by Bernini. They featured delicately carved leaves that looked almost real. Antonio Canova’s Pauline Bonaparte as Venus statue had been polished by the sculptor to perfection so that the marble mattress and cushion she was sitting on looked as soft as cotton and silk.

Outside the gallery are lush gardens with shaded gravel paths. Visitors amused themselves with what looked like antique open air cars operated by pedaling. Walking back into the city we discovered an underground pedestrian passageway that wound its way under the city streets and miraculously popped out at the Spanish steps where a huge crowd huddled in a shaded spot for a picnic.

On our way back to the hotel we came upon two churches, which contain world-class art including paintings by Caravaggio from the early 17^th century. One of them, the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi had an exquisite painting, “The Calling of St. Mathew.” It’s fascinating that sometimes you’ll see churches that aren’t remarkable on the outside, but inside are art treasures.

Once the sun set we visited Piazza Navarone and watched artists paint portraits of tourists, and street entertainers enchant the crowds. Back at our hotel we had a farewell to Rome glass of wine on the rooftop garden of our hotel, Albergo Senato. With the Victor Emmanuel Monument lit up like a birthday cake in one direction, and the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica illuminated in front of us, we agreed that Rome is a place we will always remember and hope to return to again and again.

Tomorrow we’re off to Dublin!

August 22 - A Memorable Visit to Vatican City

2009-08-26T15:52:00.000-04:00

No trip to Rome is complete without a trip to Vatican City where you can visit the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. With the sun shining brightly in the sky and our internet voucher for the museums in hand, we set off for a day that will forever be memorable.

The Vatican Museums were founded by Pope Julius II in the 16th century. It is the largest museum in the world and houses a staggering collection of art including Egyptian mummies, Greek and Roman statues, and paintings by the masters of the art world. Many of these pieces of art are housed in rooms that are almost as stunning as the masterpiece itself and everything is beautifully displayed. We always knew if we were entering a room with a valuable masterpiece because people would stand before it like the paparazzi shooting photos. Some memorable rooms for me included a hallway which extends for a quarter mile with Roman busts, and a gallery that housed enough animal statues to stand by itself as a museum. Following our self-guided Rick Steves’ tour I found one room that was a highlight for me because I am interested in geography. It was a hallway of beautifully painted maps in intricate detail that showed all of Italy and it’s churches. Large globes from the 15th and 16th century stood proudly beneath glass.

The grand finale of the museum is the Sistine Chapel. Being a chapel, I thought it would be a place of silence and contemplation, but instead the atmosphere inside was a free for all. We were fortunate enough to be able to sit on a marble bench on the side to take in all the intricate details of each painting, but others simply stood in the middle flashing their cameras left and right even though the guards repeatedly clapped their hands ordering silence and no photos. Looking frustrated they would target one visitor wearing a hat and taking pictures, but as soon as they were preoccupied speaking to them, cameras would go off somewhere else.

Our visit to St. Peter’s Basilica was after 5:00 when the church was less crowded with no lines. Passing through the security check, our clothing was examined to make sure no one was wearing shorts above the knee or bare shoulders. It seemed somewhat disrespectful to me to see someone wearing a t-shirt that said “Joe’s Steak House-It’s Mouthwatering Good” but this all seemed unimportant as soon as we entered the door. Walking inside literally takes your breath away. Everywhere you look is art of staggering purport ions. Markers on the floor show the relationship of size of some of the largest cathedrals in the world compared to St Peters. In the center is the tomb of St. Peter with tiny candles lit all around its perimeter. Evening mass took place while we were there at the main altar and we were delighted to be able to hear the magnificent organ. Michelangelo’s Pieta is housed behind glass to protect it due to an attack by a madman with a hammer in the 1970s, but is truly a magnificent sight to see.

Feeling energized we decided to visit the dome. Fortunately there is an elevator which will whisk you most of the way, but once there after a quick peek way down into the sanctuary, you must climb over 300 stairs to the top. It’s a little claustrophobic because it winds almost leaning against the dome itself, but once at the top, the views are breathtaking. All of Rome lies before you surrounded by hazy mountains in the distance. Vatican City looks like an oasis with palm trees, elegant buildings with stucco roofs, lush green grass, and tiny waterfalls. A group of students felt so inspired by it all that they broke into song.

Knowing that if we could make it to the top of St. Peters that we could survive a 20 minute walk back to our hotel, we strolled back feeling very pleased with all we had seen during the day. Dinner was at Ristorante Maccheroni which is right down the street from our accommodation. The waiter told us that Michelle Obama and her daughters had dined there this summer. This was surprising to us because it’s a modest inexpensive restaurant with an outdoor café. Later on, I learned that the waiter was indeed right as there was a news story with photos in an Italian newspaper.

Hoping to keep cool and enjoy the ambiance of the city, we revisited Piazza Navona with, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, a masterpiece built by Bernini in 1651. In the evening it looks spectacular all lit up. We arrived back at our hotel after midnight feeling tired, but knowing this would be a day we would long remember.

August 21-Exploring Rome

2009-08-26T15:51:00.000-04:00

As I write my trip report this morning, I am sitting in the shadows of the Pantheon. It’s a beautiful day here in Rome. People are outside strolling the piazza and cafes are busy setting up their tables and umbrellas.

We started our day yesterday with breakfast here in the hotel, Albergo Senato, which is included in the price. The crispy chocolate croissants with the flaky crust were served hot out of the oven. After breakfast with our map in hand, we set about to explore the city. Our first stop was Gesu Church. It is a Baroque church with incredible frescoes on the ceiling. Intending them to be a vision of heaven, the artist painted them with a 3D effect. A large mirror was placed in the nave to give a better view of the ceiling art.

Continuing our walk, I was surprised to learn how easy Rome is to get around in with a map as long as you are careful when crossing streets. Cars and motorcycles speed very quickly by and if you don’t establish eye contact with them or use a crosswalk, it can be quite scary.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument is magnificent. Located on Capitoline Hill, it is a recognizable site with enormous statues. It stands at 443 feet wide and 230 feet high.

A visit to the Capitoline Museum provided a great escape from the heat and was very educational. Some of the highlights are the She-Wolf statue, The Dying Gaul, and a statue of a boy removing a thorn from his foot. Housed in the museum are also some wonderful statues that had been removed from the Roman Forum to protect them from acid rain. The upper floors of the museum provide expansive views of the Roman Forum. We felt so privileged to be inside enjoying the stunning pillars from a balcony window rather than outside in the scorching heat.

Dinner tonight was in Trastevere which is on the west bank of the Tiber River south of Vatican City. It has a charming neighborhood feel with narrow cobblestone streets and medieval houses. On our way we stopped at Santa Maria in Trastevere Church where there were gorgeous mosaics that looked as fine as woven silk. At the tables beside us at Osteria Ponte Sisto, we spoke with an American couple who had also found the restaurant in their Rick Steves’ Rome guide. When we mentioned it, two other couples piped up behind them and announced they too had chosen the restaurant out of their Rick Steves’ guide too. Suddenly we did not feel as if we were dining with the locals anymore, but the food was very good. During dinner, we were interrupted several times by varying salesman selling their wares. We were offered roses, fans, and cigarette lighters with flashlights shining spider, cat or “sexy” pictures on the table. The latter was a bit too racy for the woman dining beside us and she turned her head away in embarrassment. We were also serenaded by an accordion player whom our friend, Monika, from Germany pointed out played Spanish, not Italian songs.

After dinner we went on a scenic walk back to the hotel, thanks to our friend, Monika, who is energetic and familiar with the area. Walking along the banks of the Tiber we came upon what appeared to be a small international festival. A sushi bar was set up in one tent with an assembly line of available food. In another, people were dancing the tango.

The highlight of our walk was Vatican City. At night, the streets are quiet and Saint Peter’s square is dark, but the dome of the church is illuminated which is an incredible sight at night. Gates are placed around the square to keep night visitors at a distance, but we look forward to exploring it tomorrow. On our way back to the hotel, we passed Castel Sant’ Angelo where the atmosphere was festive with children on carousels and people admiring the view from the top. Rome seems so large on a map, but after only 20 minutes, we were finally back at our hotel. It was past midnight, but the square was alive with people watching a mime. Rome is a magical place to be and we are thankful we still have more time to discover its treasures.

August 20 - Off to Rome

2009-08-26T15:50:00.004-04:00

The sun was shining brightly on the old piazza in front of the Duomo when we left for Rome this morning. Even though it was only 10:00, a huge group was waiting to go on a tour of Underground Orvieto to visit Etruscan ruins which run under the town. It will be a great way for them to escape this record heat here in Italy.

Our trip to Rome was a short 90 minutes by train, but unlike our other journeys by rail here, this train was crowded and we were forced to stand in the aisle until a kind conductor showed us to some seats in an adjacent car. Upon our arrival in Rome, it was just a quick trip to our hotel, Albergo Senato, which is right next to the Pantheon. Our room is on an upper floor and for us the view seems very familiar as we have been studying the hotel’s webcam for quite some time before arriving here. With our map in hand, we quickly set out to explore the area. Near our hotel is the church Santa Maria Sopra Minerva where we saw a wonderful Michelangelo sculpture which is often missed by many visitors.

For Europeans, a quick trip to Rome is easy and inexpensive on many of their smaller airlines. We are delighted that one of our friends, Monika, has been able to join us here in Rome for several days to set about the city like explorers. We started our visit with her right in the piazza by the Pantheon with some refreshments, but we should have known better. Just for the privilege of sitting in a historic piazza with a great view cost just over $40 even though two of the drinks were nonalcoholic. But when it’s a special time with friends, it’s all worthwhile.

After sunset, all of the piazzas come alive with outdoor cafes lit with tiny votive candles. The piazzas look almost magical and Piazza Navona is no exception. In the center, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is a masterpiece built by Bernini in 1651. Beautifully illuminated, people are drawn to sit by the refreshing water. The cafes all looked like a very appealing place to spend an evening, but knowing that the best food is often found down a hidden cobblestone lane, we were able to avoid the temptation. We were glad we did when one young man assigned to bring in customers informed us, “Good food here and not microwaved!” Unfortunately the two restaurants we had in mind from our Rick Steves guide were booked so we chose a little café frequented by locals. It was not gourmet, but our pasta was tasty and fresh.

Strolling back from dinner we couldn’t resist the temptation to visit Fontana di Trevi. Rounding a corner to discover it right there is an amazing sight. Tourists happily stand with their backs to it and gleefully toss coins which we learned are gathered at the end of the day and given to the poor. With our cameras, we of course were targeted as tourists, and there was an attempt to present me with a rose “as a present” but we knew better and watched with amusement as two college age girls received their roses. They had huge smiles on their faces until they realized they must pay and with that, the roses were snatched out of their hands.

We ended the evening with a stop at Giolitti which has a long standing tradition of being Rome’s top purveyors of gelati. I asked for a scoop of Baileys and crema, but something must have gone wrong in the translation because I received a Baileys with a huge dollop of whipped cream. It was delicious though, and came in a cone dipped in chocolate. One girl received a cone with a big 16 candle on top all lit. She looked very pleased when everyone sang “Happy Birthday.” Back at the Pantheon, the cafes were winding down for the night. We headed into our cool room with ac feeling very pleased about our first night in Rome.

August `9 - The Hill Town of Orvieto

2009-08-26T15:49:00.000-04:00

Breakfast is included in the price here at our accommodation and included toast, yogurt, croissants, and cereal. We started our day with a walk to the funicular to tour St. Patrick's Well. Completed in 1537 to supply water to the town, it has two concentric spiral staircases that never cross. An audio guide gave us historical information during our visit. I was amazed to discover that no guard rails protected countless openings around the well where you could peer way down into its mysterious depths as you wound your way to the bottom. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to walk up and down those ramp like steps carrying buckets of water.

Lunch was a Montannucci where you can choose from delicious salads and eat them in their tiny garden. In the heat of the day people are taking refuge in the cathedral, in the shade of buildings, or in their air conditioned hotels. People look positively wilted in the heat here which we have learned is record temperatures. They trudge across the piazzas and slump down on the nearest shaded bench. This heat has not stopped a young accordion player and his wife begging for handouts. It seems as if every time we go out, there they are putting a plastic empty gelati cup in our face while being serenaded.

Right across from the cathedral is the Museo Claudio Faina and Museo Civico. It has a great collection of Etruscan pottery all excavated in this area. Touring the museum provides up close and impressive views of the Duomo.

Orvieto is an interesting town to window shop. Shops vary from colorful ceramic displays for the tourists to fashionable clothing. Here and there are tiny trattorias or cafes. Some have attempted English translations which are very helpful until I read "Buns to stuff pizza." I think it's best though to be prepared with a dictionary and the locals appreciate one's efforts.

After a light dinner of pizza and tomatoes with mozzarella, we attended a magnificent concert in the Duomo performed by a choir from Cambridge, England. Much to our surprise there was no charge. With a setting with perfect acoustics, it was a festive ending to our day.

August 18 - Orvieto

2009-08-26T15:48:00.000-04:00

After breakfast this morning the sounds of a choir drifted up from the streets below. We heard them last night and wandered down the cobblestone lanes until we found the choir. It is a group from England practicing for a concert at the Basilica.

The train ride here to Orvieto was a quick two hours. We spent some of the time talking to an American who is in Italy selling her car after a four year position teaching English to Italian students.

Arriving in Orvieto, we rode the funnicular to the top of the town where a cool air conditioned bus dropped us off at the Duomo. Our hotel, the Hotel Duomo, is modern and spacious. Our room may lack views, but we are right in the heart of the old town. Feeling hungry, we discovered a cafe serving hearty salads. One of them insalata di riso, was made with rice and fresh vegetables.

Our main tourist attraction was Pozzo Della Cava. In the 1980s while renovating a trattoria, the owners discovered the remains of an Etruscan kiln and well. The museum did a great job of explaining on sign boards each section as you toured like an explorer down below.

Some say Orvieto is well known for three things: Classico white wine, the cathedral, and ceramic shops. The shops tastefully display their wares decorated with colorful vines, farm animals, and sunflowers.

By early evening, many of of the daytrippers have left and it is easier to get around. We discovered a wonderful store on an alley with craft workshops that was dedicated to tin wind up toys from yesteryear and replicas of amusement park rides such as the parachute ride at Coney Island. Every nook and cranny of the store was covered with antique toys.

Dinner tonight was at Re Artu, an enjoyable and very reasonably priced restaurant that specializes in pizza. We dined in the outside garden and enjoyed a nice family atmosphere. Tonight we are headed towards the Duomo where there will be a live folk singer in front of the Duomo.

August 17 - A Spiritual Day in Assisi

2009-08-26T15:46:00.000-04:00

We awoke this morning to church bells and the cooing of pigeons outside our window. Breakfast is included at our accommodation and consisted of pastries, yogurt, fruit, cakes, and curiously enough, sausages much like hot dogs.ù

The sun was beating down of the pavement today, but it is so pretty here that it is all worthwhile because at every turn is another discovery: a winding lane leading up to a small stone house with flower boxes, or a small courtyard overlooking the Umbrian countryside. By 10:00 it was already a lively town and we followed the crowd to the Basilica of St. Francis.

The Lower Basilica which has the tomb of St. Francis is a moving and memorable experience. People make an offering of a single white candle which is lit late in the day. Near the tomb many people sit in the chapel to pray while others file around it. Upon closer examination, there are tiny pictures of people of all ages in need of prayer which have been placed around the tomb. A young teenage girl sat in the corner fervently writing a prayer request which she carefully placed in the tomb as she knelt before it. On the altar before St. Francis, two young children knelt in prayer with looks of pure joy on their faces.

Upstairs in the Upper Basilica, the energy is high. A voice over the intercom pleads silenzio and no photos, but the silence lasts only for a moment, but the silence lasts only for a moment because people are so in awe of the frescoes painted by Giotto.

Another large church was the Basilica of St. Clare. As you tour the tomb, you can read the story of her life. She was a follower of St. Francis and like him, left a life of privilege for one of humble living and service to God. Her body is on view at the Basilica.

Surprisingly a cool breeze blew through town late in the day offering welcome relief from the heat. Dinner tonight was at Taverna Dei Consoli where we enjoyed chicken and rosemary, and homemade noodles with truffles.

As cicadas chirped in the distance we took one final stroll around town to enjoy the view. Back at our hotel a fireworks show lit up the sky, a perfect way to end the day.

August 16 - To the Umbrian Town of Assisi

2009-08-26T15:45:00.000-04:00

The trip to Assisi today was long and on one leg of the journey, lacked air conditioning, but the spectacular scenery made up for the humidity. Racing through the countryside we passed vineyards, olive groves, and ancient hill towns often crowned with an old castle, now in ruins.

Riding on trains you always encounter unusual characters. We had the train car all to ourselves and were drifting off to sleep when we were suddenly snapped awake from our dream state by accordion music. I’m afraid our donation wasn’t good enough because the young musician accepted our coin and scurried off into the next car. At another station, a young woman boarded a train passing out notes seeking donations for a baby we never saw. We have seen this scene again and again in Italy.

The train pulled into Assisi right on time, but when the door opened, it was like stepping into an oven. In the distance Assisi looked magnificent with the church at the edge of the hill and a castle at the summit. Our taxi wove at top speed around the narrow streets causing people to jump aside or simply flatten themselves against the stone buildings. Arriving at the Hotel Umbra, we were thrilled with our room. Decorated in an old world style, we feel like royalty. Our room has a balcony with a view of the countryside which will be great to enjoy in the evenings.

Dinner tonight was at Locanda Del Pobesta. It has wonderful stone walls and the doors were left open to let in the fresh air. We had bruschetta with wafer thin truffles that tasted as fresh as the earth after a rain shower in the spring. Our main entrée was a filet of beef in Sagrantino wine. It was the most tender and tasty steak we have ever had. Potatoes roasted with rosemary were served on the side.

After dinner we walked around the old town and were amazed at the number of families out too. Children of all nationalities played soccer in front of the church while their parents sat on the old city walls admiring the city twinkling city lights of Umbria that spread for miles below us. What a breathtaking sight for a summer evening.

August 15 - The Ancient City of Lucca

2009-08-26T15:44:00.001-04:00

Breakfast this morning at La Romea was a pleasant surprise. A delightful buffet was prepared with sliced vine ripe tomatoes, cheese and sausages, a fresh fruit salad, scrambled eggs, croissants, and piping hot cappuccino served in pottery mugs.

We decided to explore the town on foot and stopped at a café for some almond cookies. Visiting old churches is a great way to cool off and get out of the sun. At the archaeology museum we explored Roman ruins under the main sanctuary. Excavation is still in progress, but has revealed floors of tiny mosaics. Unfortunately there is also some evidence of plant life growing on the stones due to dampness.

The streets of Lucca were alive today with tourists from all over. A street market with long tables was set up under umbrellas or hidden in the shade cast from the buildings featured antiques, many which were unusual. One table had WWII memorabilia while another had an ornate gold porcelain shell with porcelain fish inside, I thought it was ugly, but somehow in this ancient city it caught my eye. A Pinnochio doll clanging cymbals amused many shoppers who were admonished by the owner for touching his wares.

The Torre Guingi is a symbol of Lucca and is easily recognized by its old oak trees on top. At 130 feet high it is an easy climb up a wide staircase with windows offering a cool breeze at every landing. From the top we had an expansive view of Lucca which once had 146 towers.

Dinner was at Bella M’Briana. The pesto pizza with tomatoes hot out of the oven was the best pizza I have ever had and only cost 6 euro. Out dessert was at Gelateria Veneta which has been in the same family since 1927. Their peach, apricot, and raspberry gelati was so tasty you would think you were eating the fruit right off the tree.

An evening is never complete in Lucca without a stroll around the ramparts that ring the old town. Their well shaded dimly lit walkways were the perfect ending for a hot, but enjoyable stay.

Old Trees
Old trees atop the tower
Decades of growth
reach for the sky
changing with each season
Silently we rest beneath the branches
Grateful for the shade
of old trees

August 14 - Lucca

2009-08-26T15:43:00.001-04:00

The train to Lucca took less than two hours. Most of the way we talked with two medical students from Canada who were spending three weeks in Europe. They were very articulate, well read, and enjoyed talking about travels, politics, and the Canadian health care system.

Arriving in the walled in city of Lucca, even the cab driver needed directions to our accommodation B&B La Romea which is tucked into an alley. We are very pleased with our spacious room in this 14th century house which includes air conditioning.

Walking around town we commented on how old it felt. The narrow cobblestone streets wind through the town with a church in almost every piazza. Down the street from our B&B is the Torre Guinigi, a 130 foot tower with an ancient tree on top. The Pizza Anfiteatro was once a 10,000 seat Roman Ampitheater, but today it is 9 feet above the original theater and houses cafes, private residences, and shops. We noticed a tour group from Holland America cruises following their guide who was strutting in front like a peacock holding a flag. Wearing their blud and yellow headphones in a tiny area, they looked disconnected as if they weren't close enough to the people to experience it all up close and personl. Snapping obligatory photos, they obediently followed their guide as if they feared they might get lost. It was like a scene from the book Make Way for Ducklings.

Dinner tonight was at Trattoria de Leo which is highly recommended. We enjoyed a steak and Tordelli, a local speciality which is similar to ravioli. After dinner we walked around town to enjoy the ambiance. Heading back to our accommodation, we took on e last glance at the tower with the oak tree on top. Tomorrow we will climb it.

August 13-People Watching in Monterosso

2009-08-26T15:41:00.002-04:00

Another hot and sunny day here in Monterosso. Heading out for a stroll this morning to the beach, we passed two instrumentalists in the shade. It's amazing how pleasant it is to sit on the seawall listening to the song Memories, a song neither of us would ever have on our ipods, yet somehow it fits the scenery here.

On our way back to lunch we checked out the weekly outdoor market. The contrast between this market and the affluent one in Beaune and Dijon was striking. Whereas in Beaune and Dijon, garden fresh vegetables were displayed like a work of art, here in Monterosso the outdoor market is like one big Euro Store, but still fun to visit.

Lunch today was at Il Pizzaria la Simorfia. We grabbed a wooden stool at an outdoor table for the crispiest pizza we've had yet. Looking inside I saw a clever display of pizza boxes dating back to the opening of their restaurant.

People watching here is fascinating. From our balcony we can see an italian couple with their adult children enjoying their lunch on their balcony. Grandpa's t-shirts flap in the breeze with Mama's housedress. The family is the same family we saw last year. They play cards, squabble enthusiasticaly, or simply relax in the sun while the son in law looks at his netbook.

To escape the heat we spent much of the afternoon people watching from our lemon garden terrace and took the ferry to Riomaggiore. Stepping off the ferry we saw many people sunning on the rocks who will probably regret it later because they were so sunburned. Following our guide we took an elevator to the top of the town with amazing expansive views.. A small Cinque Terre museum was hidden on the main street and featured a film explaining the history of the area. The woman behind the desk seemed bored and almost aspleep in the small room lacking air conditioning. I learned that many of the Italian immigrants from the 1800s were from Liguria.

Dinner tonight was at L'Alta Maria, an outside cafe where we dined on mussels fresh from the sea, juicy melon, and homemade pesto pasta. A rare people watching observation was a man and his wife who looked as if they had too much wine. The man stopped at a table and begged for a shrimp in a shell from a customer who gave him a mussel instead. He ate it and tossed the shell in the street.

Our evening ended with a stroll to the new town where again a humorous people watching sight took place- a young woman was photographing her boyfriend buying a water from a vending machine. People watching is fun and we look forward to enjoyig it in our next stop-Lucca.

August 12, The Magic of the Cinque Terre

2009-08-13T04:08:00.001-04:00

Breakfast this morning was on the balcony of the breakfast room overlooking the town and the sea. Mateo and his wife recognized us and warmly welcomed us back for our third visit.

Walking to the new town today we passed hundreds of people headed for the beach. It's scorching hot so we decided to enjoy the view from il'Casello, an outdoor cafe overlooking the water. On our way back to our accommodation we discovered il Frantoio Focacceria where freshly baked focaccia was sold right out of the oven. The olive oil was so fresh the chef was probably in the back room pressing the olives. We enjoyed it on our terrace in the lemon grove with a glass of Limoncino. Limoncino is made with wafer thin lemon skins peeled by hand.

Because of the intense sun, we waited until 3:30 and took the ferry to Riomaggiore. The boat ride takes less than 30 minutes and the view as the ferry approaches each town is amazing. The Cinque Terre was once known as 5 sleepy pirate towns, but today they are lively coastal towns in the summer, each with its own unique personality.

From the sea, Riomaggiore's characteristic yellow, orange, and pink houses all with green shutters rise up the hillside like a series of steps. Towels and t-shirts hang over the balconies drying in the warm breeze.

We walked the Via del Amore coastal path and stopped at a cafe perched on a cliff with a straw thatched roof and water misters giving cool relief to anyone stopping by. Continuing on the path we couldn't help but notice netting carefully placed on the cliffs to protect hikers from falling rocks. Tiny salamanders scurry across the path and disappear into the natural cactus gardens.

Stopping in Manarola we recalled a town wide water balloon fight there last year and to our surprise, when we rounded a corner, there were children gleefully filling balloons to toss at friends.

Last night we had a table at il' Casello right over the water. Across the beach, tucked into a small cove under the cliff, people waltzed under the stars. I could have watched them for hours.

August 11 - From Glaciers to Palm Trees

2009-08-13T04:07:00.002-04:00

Sunrise this morning was early on the mountain. It was so clear at the top of Mont Blanc that we could see the observation deck at the summit glistening in the sunlight. It all was so stunning that at breakfast we gave serious consideration into staying, but decided against it when we considered the extra expense promising ourselves we would return soon.

From Chamonix we rode a bus with panoramic windows through the Mont Blan tunnel. It is an incredible feat of engineering costing a staggering 31 euro per car, but is the quickest route into Italy. After one quick change in Courmeyer, Italy, we arrived in Aosta for our train ride to the Cinque Terre.

The train rider here is long and requires two changes on trains varying from swift and modern to speedy yet pitiful, but when you arrive in Monterosso with its aquamarine waters lined with sandy beaches and palm trees, it makes the whole experience worthwhile. We really love it here. This is our third trip to the Villa Steno. Our room has a balcony and garden overlooking the town and the sea. This resort town feels very authentic. From our balcony, we can see happy Italian holidaymakers enjoying their dinner on outside balconies with a bottle of wine while their hanging beach towels flap in the breeze. It is now time for us to get into the slow rhythm of life here and enjoy a warm summer evering with dinner by the sea.

Leaving Mont Blanc

The snowy peak of Mont Blanc rises high above the valley floor
beaconing us to visit
To stay or to go?
Italy awaits
Slowly our bus pulls away
The timeless mountain will wait for our return

August 10 - Chamonix

2009-08-13T04:06:00.001-04:00

Our goal today was to take the Aiguille du Midi gondola to an observation deck overlooking Mont Blanc and the Hellbronner gondola cross the glacier to a mountain top café in Italy, but the monitors at the gondola station showed that huge clouds had rolled over the summit. At close to $65 per person for the trip, we decided it would not be a good idea. Walking back to town we passed many hardy hikers headed to the lift, but most had ice picks indicating their trip was not just for the views.

Chamonix has a lot of activities for all types of weather. Since the sun was shining, we boarded a small cog wheel train for a steep ascent through the forest to Mer de Glace. The view from Mer de Glace is staggering. From the outdoor observation platform and café, an enormous glacial river of ice seems to be running down the mountain, but it is actually receding. The enormity of the glacier was somewhat deceiving. What appeared to be tiny moving dots were actually groups of hikers with ice shoes and picks.

From the station, gondolas take visitors down to an ice cave below. Astonishingly, whereas the gondola may have once ended at the glacier, today you must walk down an additional 300 steps to a steep pathway to the entrance of the ice cave. Along the way, markers show where the glacier had been as little as 20 years ago. The ice inside the cave is a transparent blue. As we wound our way through it, we couldn’t help but stop for a souvenir photo with a Saint Bernard.

Back on the train, we passed many hikers making their way to the valley floor. Huge glacial streams flow down the cliffs, feeding the torrential river below. The valley looks so pretty with wildflowers blooming everywhere. Back in town we strolled about until suddenly the skies opened up into a total down -pour. It might seem as if that would be disappointing, but the mountains covered with mist take on a whole different character. Looking up toward Mont Blanc, a single gondola dangles in place as if waiting for better weather.

Dinner tonight was at La Caleche. This restaurant has been in the same family since 1946. Eating inside is like eating in a museum. Antiques fill ever nook and cranny and include a bobsled , ice skates, and geographical survey map from the 1924 Winter Olympics held in Chamonix.

We started our meal with a warm ham and cheese tart served with a fresh green salad. The roast chicken with sage and herb ravioli which followed were delicious, but when the dessert was served, it was like a piece of art. Layers of crispy meringue surrounded vanilla and strawberry ice cream.

Tonight the rain pours on, but that doesn’t dampen our spirits. Tomorrow we are headed to Italy.

August 9 - Towering Peaks of Chamonix

2009-08-09T15:37:00.002-04:00

Early this morning at breakfast, there seemed to be a family reunion in the dining room. Children exchanged warm hugs with grandparents making the atmosphere very upbeat. We wound our way through Beaune’s cobblestone streets and eventually found our way to the railroad station. The woman in the ticket booth said it would take 12 hours to get to Chamonix, but thankfully it only took about five.
French trains are clean, modern, and swift. Our seats were perched on a raised platform and were very comfortable. Unfortunately, the woman across from us did not secure her steel sided suitcases and early on it came tumbling down slightly injuring my toe It was not a good way to start a three hour train ride, but it will be okay. Passing through the countryside, the peaks of distant mountains soon became visible and added a beautiful backdrop to fields of sunflowers. Tiny alpine style houses with stucco roofs and window boxes bursting with flowers surrounded us on both sides.
Our final connection to Chamonix had huge panoramic windows. As we ascended up the mountains, torrential streams roared beneath the bridges and tiny paragliders soared high above catching the wind in their parachutes.. What an amazing view they must have.
Chamonix is so picturesque. Tall mountain peaks loom above the town with a breathtaking view of the snowcapped Mont Blanc. Gondolas in all directions whisk people to the top for dreamy views. Our hotel, Oustalet, looks like an Alpine chalet. Our room is decorated in natural pine and has a balcony overlooking the town and the mountains. We sat in the garden by the pool and had a chopped chicken and bacon, sandwich served between two buckwheat pancakes. Locals call it a blini. Delicious!
A light rain is falling tonight, but from our room we can still see the lights of the town with the glacier still visible on Mont. Blanc.

August 8- Beaune's Vineyards and Museums

2009-08-08T10:20:00.006-04:00

This morning, the weather forecast on our itouch predicted rain for the day so after a nice breakfast of cereal, yogurt, fruit, and croissants, we headed out with umbrellas in hand prepared to enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Our first stop was the colorful and lively Beaune Saturday Market. Here you can feast your eyes on a wide array of organic fruits and vegetables including ripe juicy strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, tomatoes so freshly picked the vines are still attached, and honey so right out of the hive that even the bees were seeking it out. Inside the market were crusty loves of bread, 15 kinds of olives all displayed in wooden bowls, cheeses, and roast chickens. Children lingered longingly over a huge buffet of candies sold by the pound and the aroma of fresh flowers and spices filled the air making it a very pleasant place to visit.

Right across from the market is Hotel Dieu. Built in 1443, this former hospital with a multi colored tiled roof, houses some 5,000 items. In the largest room is what looks like an elegant hospital inside the sanctuary of a church where all patients can view Mass, but it was actually a hospice. A river runs under the town and we could see it through a glassed in area on the floor where the nurses once used it as a disposal. Large cases in another room displayed antique syringes. The masterpiece of the complex is a magnificent alter piece showing the Last Judgement. It is kept in a dimly lit room where visitors are advised to whisper only. As you look at the painting, a huge magnifying glass moves about it highlighting each section which made the people look so real you felt you could reach out and touch them.

To save euro, we always try to eat at least one picnic lunch per day and it really pays off. All around us in the park were other families doing the same thing. We then took the Visiotrain for a one hour tour through Beaune and out into the vineyards. The information given in English is sparse, but it's a nice overview to give you a taste of the town. Once back in town, we visited the Alain Hesse Fromagerie where over 60 different types of cheeses are stored in a cave. We learned that in the French tradition, cheese should be enjoyed with red wine and bread, not crackers.

After a delicious dinner at the same restaurant as last night, we went to an interesting festival: Cine-Retro featured three silent films from the 1920s with a live pianist. We were treated to Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and to a funny Max Linder French film. The movies were shown on a reel to reel projector which made it feel very authentic. Inbetween each movie, a female singer sang French love songs which was an unusual contrast to the films. On the way back to our hotel, the moon was shining high above, hopefully signally a good day for tomorrow when we will journey to Chamonix.

August 7- Wine Tasting In Beaune

2009-08-07T12:33:00.004-04:00

The sun was streaming in the window when we awoke this morning. After a nice breakfast in our flat, Coco (myhomeindijon.com) picked us up and drove us to the railroad station. We will really miss her hospitality. You could not ask for a nicer person with such a wonderful centrally located place to stay. We will definitely return.

The train ride to Beaune was under 30 minutes long and once we arrived, it was less than a 15 minute walk to our accommodation, Hotel la Villa Fleurie. We are very pleased with our room which overlooks a small garden patio. This town is famous for wine and our first stop today was Marche Aux Vins, right in the heart of town. It was built between the 13th and 15th century as a Cordelier's church. Today their vineyards are in the exact same spot where Franciscans grew their grapes to make wine for church service.

The winery tour was self guided. As part of the entry fee, you receive commemorative wine tasting metal cups engraved with the name of the winery. You are then guided down the stairs to the wine cellar. At first the cellar seems dark and eerie, but when our eyes adjusted, we noticed that each of the wines were presented on an old wooden wine barrel with a single lit candle. There were 12-15 wines to taste at your leisure and we brought our own loaf of French bread to cleanse our palates. We couldn't help but notice a French family in front of us. Their elementary school age children proudly uncorked the bottles and served their parents a sip in a very dignified way.

Another section of the winery was inside the ancient church which has retained much of the original stone and features wooden beams on the ceiling and wrought iron candle holders. As a special treat, we purchased a small bottle of wine for later.

A late lunch was at Palais des Gourmets' Salon de The where we tried a crepe smothered with homemade strawberry jam. Across the street in a small park is a little carousel of old-fashioned animals such as a duck, cow, swan, and horses. What a pleasant place for children to play.

Feeling invigorated after lunch, we visited the Basillica of Notre Dame. Inside were beautiful stained glass windows and an old delicately woven tapestry on display depicting the life of Mary.

Dinner tonight was at Brasserie le Carnot. We ate outside and dined on crispy pizza with peppers, onions, cheese, olives, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts, as well as a salad with garden fresh greens, tomatoes, mozarella balls, thinly shaved ham, and juicy melon slices. Tomorrow is a huge farmer's market and we can't wait to visit it.

August 6 - Let the Owl Show You the Town of Dijon

2009-08-06T13:07:00.004-04:00

Breakfast this morning was right here at our flat thanks to the owner, Coco (myhomeindijon.com), who thoughtfully stocked our kitchen with a fresh loaf of bread, eggs, milk, fruit, and coffee. We started our day with a visit to Le Grand Optical. Unfortunately David misplaced his prescription sunglasses between Dublin and Dijon and Coco graciously called an optical shop for us with same day service, and also emailed us the French translation for us to copy so that we could explain our situation. Thankfully the optician was able to read his prescription from his current lenses and we picked up a stylish pair of Hugo Boss sunglasses at the end of the day.

The owl is the symbol of Dijon and it is a an engaging and lighthearted ambassador. Visitors can pick up a map of the town with a small booklet of 22 special destinations in Dijon. To find them, all you need to do is follow the small brass triangle owl symbols embedded in the sidewalk. With our map in hand, we set off at once and discovered many fascinating places including a local covered market which comes alive four days a week with colorful flowers, seafood, and an array of fresh fruits and vegetables. At the Tour Phillippe le Bon, a 15th century tower, we joined other enthusiastic visitors to climb to the top for a staggering view of the town. At the top, we noted several buildings with colorful tiled roofs. Dijon's owl is also a symbol of good luck. At one of the stops, we followed tradition by rubbing our left hand (the one closest to your heart) over the image of the owl and made a wish.

The temperature has been close to 90 degrees today so as an interesting diversion from the heat, we spent some time enjoying the art work at Musee des Beaux-Arts where the old blended in with the new to display an extensive array of sculptures, paintings, and Egyptian artifacts. It should be noted that the museums in Dijon are free.

Dinner tonight was at Version Latine, a small restaurant with outdoor tables directly across from the market. We enjoyed a pizza smothered with fresh mushrooms, and a green salad with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. Walking around town after dinner, we admired the illuminated historic buildings and stopped at the Place del la Liberation the to watch children run through the water fountains that seem to magically spout out of the pavement. While the children played, their parents could be seen enjoying their dinner at the many candelit outdoor cafes. We wish we were staying longer in Dijon, but as Rick Steves says, "Assume you will return."

Discovering Dijon

2009-08-05T16:40:00.003-04:00

As I write my first blog entry tonight, a light breeze is blowing in the window and voices of happy people echo from the distance. It has been a long two days, but at last we have arrived at our destination: the beautiful town of Dijon in the Burgundy region of France.

We began our journey at Logan Airport in Boston where we were able to experience a special treat: a relaxing visit to Lufthansa’s Senator Club lounge where we were able to enjoy a small light buffet of sandwiches, salads, fruit, pastries, and freshly brewed coffee. All this as a result of winning an online contest sponsored by Lufthansa in the spring.

Our flight across the North Atlantic was in record time according to the pilot due to weather patterns. As a result, we arrived in Dublin at 4:30 am. I imagined that the airport terminal would be barely awake, but surprisingly, it was a beehive of activity. Shoppers busily took advantage of sales of sundresses, watches, cameras, and books. Fortunately for us, we only had a 2 hour layover before our direct flight to Paris.

Once in Paris, we took the TVG bullet train to Dijon. We are saying in a wonderful flat right in the historic district owned by Coco at myhomeindijon.com. She met us at the train station and gave us an orientation of the town. Our flat is spacious and beautifully decorated. Inside is every amenity imaginable including a stocked refrigerator, a loaf of French bread, freshly baked chocolate cake, a computer with wifi, flat screen TV and a washer dryer. We feel so fortunate to be able to stay here.

After a short nap, we walked around the town. The town has a mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture along with half-timbered buildings. Late at night they are beautifully illuminated and we stopped at the Place de la Liberation, known as one of the most beautiful royal squares in France, and watched children gleefully play in some of the fountains which playfully shot spouts of water in the air. It is time for bed now, but we look forward to a full day tomorrow exploring this delightful town.

Our Adventure Begins

Soaring high above the North Atlantic
Beams of moonlight dance on the sea
Reaching distant shores in record time
Our summer adventure awaits!

Summer Holiday 2009

2009-07-24T14:34:00.003-04:00

Although the weather has been surprisingly cool this July making it seem like fall, I am anxiously anticipating my summer vacation. This year we will be visiting the following locations in France and Italy. We would love to hear any suggestions about sights to see or restaurants to visit. For the first time, I will be taking a small netbook so I can blog about my travel adventures on a daily basis.

Dijon, France

Beaune, France

Chamonix, France

Monterosoo, Cinque Terre, Italy

Assisi, Italy

Lucca, Italy

Orvieto, Italy

Rome, Italy

August 19: The Magic of Paris

2008-08-22T17:17:00.006-04:00

Breakfast at our hotel can be quite expensive so we decided to follow the advice in our Rick Steves' guide and eat just down the street on Rue Cler at PTT Brasserie. It has an Old-World style and serves two breakfasts for 12 Euro which includes a fried egg, ham, crispy croissant, orange juice, and coffee.

As a child I visited Paris when I was 10. Clutching copies of photos from my trip taken on top of the second level of the Eiffel Tower, we got in what appeared to be the shortest line to recreate them. We thought we were pretty lucky to only wait 18 minutes for our elevator ticket until we discovered we were actually in the line for the stairs. Up the stairs we climbed to the first level. The views of the city from every landing made it very worthwhile.

At the first level you can buy elevator tickets to the second level. Once up there, the views are breathtaking. All of Paris lies elegantly before you. Children stepping off the elevator for the first time exclaimed in delight. Looking at my childhood photos, we noticed that the only significant change is the number of tall buildings on the skyline of the financial district. We also noticed that the safety fencing preventing potential bungee jumpers did not exist back then. Other than that, Paris looks as glorious in person as it does in pictures and film.

Walking back to our hotel, it was fun to see people posing for wedding photos in front of the tower. Dressed in white with a floral bouquet, one bride happily joined hands with the groom for a joyful leap into the air for a whimsical photo. Looking above the tower, several jets were streaking by high above. What an amazing view they must have.

In the late afternoon we took a bus to Avenue de Champ Elysees. I don't think any trip to Paris is complete without a brief stroll down the street just window shopping and enjoying the ambiance. Cafes with colorful awnings and crisp white tablecloths set with gleaming crystal wine glasses were in full swing. Passing by Louis Vuitton, I was amazed at the size of the store along with Cartier. Employees in crisply pressed suits and shined shoes stood proudly in the doorway, probably as a signal it's a prestigious store for serious buyers only.

Perhaps most amazing to me were several elegant car showrooms: Renault, Peugeot, and Toyota. To me it did not look like a place to actually buy a car, it was more a place to admire future models. Ranging from sleek hybrids to stylish futuristic sports cars, each car sat gleaming on a pedestal. Most astonishing to us was that people were warmly welcomed in to simply pose with the cars. Grown businessmen in suits giggled at photos of themselves in front of race cars and it seemed as if every nationality was represented. In addition to cars, each showroom had a stylish selection of gifts including miniature models of cars, key chains and wallets, and even sophisticated leather covered pepper grinders.

Standing proudly in the middle of a roundabout on the Champs Elysees is the Arc de Triomphe. To access it, thankfully there is an underground walkway. After passing the eternal flame honoring an unknown soldier under the arch, we looked above to see the flags of France and the EU proudly hanging from the arch and dancing in the breeze. Climbing the approximately 280 steps to the top, we joined the other happy breathless tourists at a museum area inside the arch where interactive displays allow you to get a glimpse of the reliefs on the arch up close. Outside, the view from the top is spectacular and it's fun to see the Eiffel Tower from another view.

Strolling back to our hotel along the dimly lit tree lined gravel paths, we couldn't help but stop and take one more look at the Eiffel Tower. Lit by floodlights, it glows a royal blue. A searchlight shining as a beacon of light on the summit streaks across the sky. Right on cue, at 10:00, the tower lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. Seeing the look of pure joy on everyone's face and the beautiful twinkling tower, I took a mental photograph of it in my mind to remember always until we return to Paris again.

August 18: Taking in some of Paris' "Greatest Hits"

2008-08-22T11:56:00.008-04:00

It was slightly cloudy when we awoke this morning. Feeling confident that it would be a warm, breezy day, we headed out without jackets or umbrellas and we were right. It was the perfect day for touring Paris.

Studying the bus schedule carefully, we hopped on board the city bus with map in hand. The only problem was we went in the wrong direction to the end of the line. Thankfully the driver was very understanding and let us ride back the other way to get off at our first sight of the day, Notre Dame. Following an English tour guide inside, we learned that Notre Dame is 30 meters high. Surprisingly, for centuries no one paid much attention to its Gothic architecture until Victor Hugo's book was published.

Notre Dame is enormous inside. It holds 10,000 people and 50-75% of the stained glass is original. As we stepped outside the cathedral, we were amazed at the long lines to get in and especially to climb the tower which we had been hoping to do. Instead we visited Sainte Chapelle. Here there are two sanctuaries, one on top of the other. The upper sanctuary has stained glass windows that are a feast for the eyes. There are 15 panels of original glass with 1100 scenes telling stories from the Bible. We learned that what is believed by many to be the crown of thorns was once housed here. It is now in Notre Dame.

Just a short walk down the street is the Conciergerie. During the French Revolution it was a prison. The first room we visited which had been the guards dining room, was known as the cavalrymen's room. It's from the early 14th century and is the oldest surviving medieval hall in Europe. We also visited Marie Antoinette's cell which had the original wallpaper. The furniture there was not hers, but from that time.

Strolling past the Louvre we couldn't resist the urge to go in. Knowing that this is a monumental museum requiring many visits, we decided to just visit some of the highlights. The glass pyramid in front is actually a lot smaller than I thought it would be, but it's a grand way to make an entrance. Inside we sought out some of the major masterpieces of the western world. The Venus de Milo statue stood on a pedestal with adoring fans surrounding it taking pictures or listening to information on their audio-visual guide. We also saw Giotto's St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata. Tour guides stood in front of it talking softly so that only those wearing headphones could hear. Raphael's La Belle Jardinere was stunning and again it was easy to locate due to the crowd around it. The most crowded area was the gallery with Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. It seemed so small compared to the size of the room. Also, given its enormous popularity, the Louvre has the painting behind a protective glass and prevents viewers from getting too close to the artwork. Still, people posed for pictures with it snapping pictures left and right.

The sun was shining brightly as we wandered through Tuileries Garden. All of the seasonal flowers were in full bloom and ducks floated gracefully in a man-made pond. Just up the path from the gardens is the Orangerie Museum. Here we saw 8 huge curved panels showing reflections of the sky, clouds, and willow trees on a pond with water lilies. Monet painted this masterpiece for the museum and they are so peaceful. As you admire the panels you can see the changes in the day from dawn to sunset. The Orangerie also houses an amazing collection of other fine works by artists such as Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso.

In the evening we took a cab across town to Notre Dame to hear a classical music concert. It featured a soprano, mezzo soprano, and the organ of Notre Dame. We felt so privileged to be able to hear the actual church organist play Bach and Mozart and his music reverberated throughout the cathedral. Back on Rue Cler, all of the cafes were in full swing and we felt very content after a busy day.

August 17: A Day for Museums in Paris

2008-08-21T19:53:00.006-04:00

Rue Cler was buzzing with people this morning sitting outside at local cafes enjoying their morning coffee and fresh baked croissant. Local shops were setting up their wares in outside stalls and the outdoor market was doing brisk business selling fresh fruits and vegetables. Tourists with their guidebooks in hand were heading off for a day of sightseeing. Paris is really a vibrant place to be.

Paris is so full of museums that is made sense for us to buy a two day museum pass that could be used at most of the major museums. Our first museum was the Rodin Museum. Housed in the former residence where Rodin once lived, you can see the evolution of his work. Many of the works there displayed the original plaster models near the statues. I was surprised to learn that when some of his bronze statues were unveiled, people actually booed them because they thought they were ugly.

Surrounding the museum are beautiful rose gardens. Rodin's bronze statue, The Thinker, was mounted carefully on a pedestal in the center of the garden. People stopped at its base to strike the same pose. On the other side of the garden was a set of five bronze statues called The Burghers of Calais. This artwork depicts the tragic fate of five French leaders who decided to sacrfice their lives in order to save their town. Each of the people featured had a different downcast expression.

Next we visited Napolean's tomb. He is buried in an enormous marble tomb that sits on a pedestal below an elaborately painted dome. Napolean died in 1821 and his body was moved to the current location in 1840. His hat and grey frock and coat are proudly displayed in a gleaming glass case. Downstairs surrounding the tomb are carved marble statues and reliefs telling of some of his accomplishments. Based on the number of statues and the magnitude of the tomb, it almost seems as if he was a pharaoh.

Before visiting the Musee d' Orsay, we toured the military museum to see the World War II exhibits. The museum is in chronological order and had an amazing collection of memorabilia from news articles, to crisp elegant uniforms adorned with medals. Propaganda posters and war related posters were displayed. As you walked from room to room, relevant black and white newsreels played.

The Musee d' Orsay is housed in a former grand railroad station right on the River Seine. Two enormous clocks surrounded by glass and marble are reminders of the old train station and are still in working condition. The museum is very nicely arranged with separate galleries for many of the artists. The number of famous paintings we saw was staggering. We saw paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, and Cezanne. In one of the rooms was Whistler's Mother. I have to admit that it looked rather uninspiring to me amid all the colorful paintings by Monet and Van Gogh.

While we were wandering through the galleries admiring all of the paintings, people stuck their cameras right on front of the paintings to snap a photo. I found this rather annoying. It was quite a contrast from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, for example, where art enthusiasts would step back to admire and discuss each painting rather than blocking everyone's view with a camera. But if you can block out this distraction, which we did, you are able to see some of the most incredible masterpieces in the western world.

Dinner tonight was right across the street from our hotel on Rue Cler, Ulysee en Gaule. The owners serve delicious Greek food which you can eat either take away, or enjoy at one of their sidewalk tables. We've noticed people stopping there at all hours for a crepe which is made right there on the sidewalk. Our crepe was heaped full of fresh mushrooms, peppers, onions, and garden ripe tomatoes. Humus was served with thin slices of French bread.

As a special treat, we took an evening sightseeing cruise with Bateaux-Mouches down the River Seine. The boat had lights on the side which illuminated the banks of river. Narration was given in many languages. Paris looked stunningly beautiful at night. Every building looked elegant.

The Eiffel Tower was lit by blue searchlights with huge stars between the second and third level forming the EU flag. At 10:00, the light show started, but even when it was over, the Eiffel Tower stood like a jewel over Paris and with a full moon behind it, will be a scene we will never forget.

August 16: Bayeux to Paris

2008-08-21T14:39:00.007-04:00

The Churchill Hotel where we are staying is very nice. A small boutique in front sells lovely regional gifts such as decorative tins filled with cookies or caramels. Inside the hotel it's like a museum with numerous photos in black and white from the allied invasion. Many show local children greeting the soldiers. Our room on the top floor has a wonderful view of the top of the cathedral which is beautifully illuminated at night.

Today we went to see the highlight of any visit to Bayeux, the Bayeaux Tapestry. The Bayeux Tapestry tells the story of the victory won by William, Duke of Normandy, over the English at Hastings on October 14, 1066. Historians are still unclear of its origin. Some feel that it was made in the south of England while others feel it was made in France. The tapestry is nearly 70 meters long in length and not only documents the story, it shows the way of life, architectural styles, and clothing during that time. Created with wool thread, the tapestry is a narrative art intended for the illiterate. Its frames show movement and concise detail. It was hung in the cathedral at Bayeux for nearly 7 centuries. Over time it suffered hardships, but still survived. The cathedral where it was housed burned down twice, it was used to cover a card of weapons during the French Revolution, and shortly thereafter, was almost dismantled to decorate a float. The final panel is missing.

Today you can see this magnificent tapestry in all its glory hung beautifully in a light and climate controlled area. Examining the tapestry up close, you can hear the story of each panel on audio headphones.

After lunch we visited the Pegasus Memorial. Hours before D Day, the British landed in gliders to seize control of a bridge that was an important link from Caen to the beaches. This was a key mission and very successful. We saw fascinating memorabilia in the museum such as mess kits, uniforms, letter home, jeeps, and tools. We were also able to walk on an actual bridge the soldiers built. The Bailey bridges, named after the designer, could be assembled in a matter of hours.

After dropping off our rental car in Caen, we took a modern train to Paris. We loved our rental car with the GPS and will miss the gentle British voice who did a splendid job guiding us all around roundabouts.

The Grand Hotel Leveque is in a charming area of Paris on Rue Cler. Our room is small, but clean, comfortable, and modern. Dinner tonight was just down the street at Cafe Tribecca. We had white fish with fresh sauteed mushrooms and zucchini smothered with fresh herbs.

A short stroll down the street and round the corner leads to an incredible view: the Eiffel Tower. As dark approaches, it is lit with blue floodlights and decorated with a circle of stars of the EU flag on the second level. At 9:00 a shout went up from the crowd and the tower lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. We rode the elevator to the second level for a breathtaking view of Paris at night. What an amazing view.

August 15: Normandy

2008-08-21T07:26:00.008-04:00

Warm sunshine and clear blue skies welcomed us this morning to a memorable day of exploring Normandy and the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel. Just outside Bayeux lies the Batterie de Longues. Here you can see four German gun batteries which were part of what the Germans called the Atlantic Wall. Walking along the gravel path high above the sea where sailboats today bobbed up and down in the waves, the first one we came to was rusted and derelict. Ivy grows in the crevices in and around the concrete bunker. Three of the bunkers still have guns while a concrete bunker lookout on a ridge above the sea is loaded with pockmarks. Looking around, it's hard to imagine what it must have been like here in 1944. Today the area has gently rolling wheat fields, tidy stone houses with powder blue shutters, and thistles growing alongside poppies.

About 20 minutes down the road overlooking Omaha Beach is the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. The 172.5 acre cemetery is a solemn place. Here 9,387 service men and women are buried. Of these, 307 are unknown. A special commemorative garden honors them. Inside the museum are computer screens to look up family members. A large format video tells the personal stories of some of the men and why their families chose to bury them here. Another area has an interactive screen where survivors tell their story.

As you exit through a tunnel to the cemetery, the names of those buried here is read aloud. The cemetery grounds are immaculately maintained. Thousands of white marble crosses, some with the Star of David, are all lined up in perfect precision rows at any angle. Wandering between the crosses it was astonishing how many there were. Visitors of all nationalities were represented. All around us were families with children. "Lead a child down memory lane," said a poster at the museum yesterday. One particularly poignant scene I saw today was a child sitting beside his elders who were in wheelchairs listening intently as they pointed to the beaches and the sea.

Driving on down the coast road we stopped for lunch at Hotel Du Casino at their cafe overlooking the beach. We had mussels Normandy, fresh from the sea as we sat facing the beach and reflecting on what had happened here.

Continuing on the coast road we visited Pointe Du Hoc. On the morning of June 6, 1944, 255 members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion were on a mission to scale the cliffs and destroy the Germany guns. Sadly only 1/3 survived. Today at this location you can see huge craters from the Naval bombardments. Concrete bunkers and rusted barbwire are still strewn about as a reminder of this place.

The sun was still high in the sky as we headed 90 minutes westward along the coastal road to Mont Saint Michel. When you arrive you feel as if you have been there before because it's such a recognizable place. Our visit was just before 7:00 pm which was great because the day trippers were gone. We followed the winding cobblestone lanes to the top where we heard four classical music concerts in four different rooms of the abbey. The first concert was in the main church and featured a harpist who played gracefully. The acoustics were amazing. Those lucky enough to buy their tickets to the abbey after 7:00 as we did were the only ones entitled to the concerts.

Looking out the windows from high above, the tide was coming in, but the water is full of silt. There are plans to eliminate the causeway and once again return Mont. St. Michel to an island. As we headed back down the winding path, we noticed a crowd standing in front of a cafe window. Peeking inside we saw chefs vigorously beating eggs. It turns out these chefs know the secret to making a good omelet and people actually pay 30 Euro ($45) for one.

As the sun set on the horizon and the full moon rose in the sky, we ended the day with a moonlit drive through the countryside back to our hotel in Bayeux.

August 14: Bayeux-Honoring Heroes of World War II

2008-08-20T20:17:00.010-04:00

The sun was just beginning to peek from behind the clouds this morning as we headed to Arromanches. Hay was carefully bundled in all of the fields and cows grazed in green meadows. Wild flowers were abundant everywhere and roses grew alongside stone walls.

Today we drove westward to visit some of the beaches and museums in Normandy. At the Cinema Circulaire Arromanches, we saw a 360 degrees video about the Allied invasion. Black and white newsreels were combined with color video of the same area today. The film ended with footage of the cemeteries with thousands of tiny white crosses. People were visibly moved.

At the Musee de Debarquement we saw interactive models of the D Day Invasion. As you looked at the models of how the artificial harbors, or mulberries were built, you could look out the panoramic picture windows and see the actual concrete caissons that remain. Later when we walked the beach, we saw a moss covered caisson lying derelict on the sand.

Inside the museum were cases honoring each of the allied countries. The cases contained crisply pressed uniforms, shiny medals, and personal possessions such as ID cards, photos, soaps, and rations. At one of the videos we saw the emphasis was on treating the museum with reverence so that you can better understand the price that was paid for freedom. A man in his 80s left so moved he sat down to wipe his eyes.

Our hotel, Hotel Churchill, is really lovely and centered right in town. We visited the Cathedral Notre Dame which is massive. As we strolled through it, the organ played softly.

Dinner tonight was pizza and a salad. After dinner we spent time walking around town and just enjoyed the ambiance.

A moss covered caisson
lies derelict on the beach
But memories remain

August 13: Honfleur, France

2008-08-20T19:51:00.005-04:00

Local merchants were just setting up in the market square this morning on our way to breakfast. Vendors sold cheese, herbal soaps, and farm fresh fruits and vegetables. People on bicycles hurried by with loaves of fresh bread in their wicker baskets. The air was cool and breezy. What a welcome contrast to the oppressive heat of Italy.

Sainte Catherine's Church is directly across the street from our hotel Built in the 1400s, the wooden roof looks like the hull of a ship and was most likely built by ship builders. Pillars inside on pedestals are made from tall trees. There's a wonderful bell tower too, but it's actually housed in a different building across the street.

Just down the street we visited Musee Eugene Boudin. The first floor held a fascinating exhibit of clothing from the 19th century. Dolls in elegant clothing were actually once used to display the latest fashions using beautiful French floral fabrics. Another floor held artwork by artists in Honfleur. Many showed the town as it looked in the 1800s. I like the way paintings give us a glimpse into the past of how some places that we are seeing today looked long ago. The museum also had a special exhibition by artist, Alfred Besnard. Many of his paintings depicted people with gentle faces. Old museum catalogs of his works were displayed nicely in glass cases.

Driving out of the village, we followed signs to Cote de Grace where there's a view looking down at Honfleur and the Normandy Bridge. The bridge opened in 1995 and is the longest cable stayed bridge in the world. It joins upper and lower Normandy. A charming church, Notre Dame de Grace is just down the road. Built in the 1600s by mariners, it is decorated with miniature wooden sailing, fishing, and passenger boats.

Tonight we attended the last 10 minutes of mass in the church and walked around town. It is such a pleasant place to visit.

August 12: From Pisa to Honfleur With Much In Between

2008-08-19T04:56:00.005-04:00

Another beautiful sunny day greeted us this morning on the terrace of the hotel breakfast room overlooking the sea. Sailboats bobbed up and down in the waves and the cobblestone streets were alive with vendors selling fruits and vegetables.

Last night after dinner we discovered the entry way to the trail above Vernazza. A shorts steep hike lifts you to a marvelous bird's eye view of Vernazza and its harbor. It's reminiscent of the postcard one sees throughout the Cinque Terre park. Near the National Park sentry box beyond a few ramschakle homes, the trail moves skyward along a dusty rock strewn pathway that has no doubt been trod by countless camera toting tourists. At a lookout along the trail, we met a family of four from Seattle waiting for dusk to descend upon Vernazza to capture the perfect Kodak moment. This family was friendly, talkative, happily engaging in conversation with Rick Steves' fans. The Cinque Terre is a beautiful place and for us, a new favorite.

Our first adventure today was a trip to Pisa. I have always thought that the Leaning Tower stood in isolation, but it's not that way at all. The Baptistry, the Duomo, and the tower are all situated very gracefully in an area known as The Field of Miracles. Wlaking through the arched stone gateway and into the area, it was hard to believe I was actually seeing the tower in person. Around the tower is an immaculately manicured lawn where people posed for pictures with their arms held high as if they were holding up the tower. We learned that the tower was closed in 1990 for significant stabilization work. Today people can climb to the top of this 200 foot tower which is over 800 years old, but we opted not to pay the 15 Euro fee each.

We also visited the Duomo which was built in a Pisan Romanesque style. Construction began in 1063 and inside you can find an intricately carved marble pulpit. Surprisingly, the Duomo and Baptistry leans too.

Late this afternoon we took a Ryan Air flight from Pisa to Beauvais outside of Paris. Ryan Air is one of Europe's most popular and successful airlines with an impeccable safety record. The plane is clean and comfortable and looks brand new, but has a bright yellow and blue color scheme like a Dutch train. Ads for ING Bank line the overhead luggage bins. The onboard magazine has an amusing assortment of items for sale from Ryanair.com ranging from cameras and watches to a high power paint sprayer, a mop, a snore stop watch, and Captain Green Foot Spray.

Seconds before landing the pilot suddenly soared back up. An unexpected shower caused what he called ghastly conditions. These are not words I like to hear on an airplane, but thankfully all was well and the pilot landed to a hearty round of applause and shouts of Bravo!

When we picked up our rental car we were thrilled to discover we had been upgraded to a Mercedes wagon with a GPS. Our 3 hour drive to Honfleur was through rolling farmland.

Tonight as I write in my journal, rain is falling gently outside. The Point Normandy Bridge is lit in the distance. The square below is charming and I can't wait until tomorrow to explore it.

August 11: Sunshine in the Cinque Terre

2008-08-11T14:08:00.005-04:00

Sunlight sparkles off the water. Roosters crow high up in the terraced vineyards. Sounds of happy children playing echo from below our balcony. Monterosso is a great place to relax and just do nothing.

It was very hot today. Tourists flocked to the beaches and filled every inch with their colorful seaside themed beach towels. Children dug in the sand with their buckets and spades. Those daring enough to try it, leaped from the rocky cliffs and landed with a splash. Boats shuttled people from village to village while occasional trains breezed through town.

A late lunch today was again at Cafe Il Casello. Our table overlooked the beach and we enjoyed a focacia sandwich and Caprese salad with tomatoes and mozarella. Strolling along the narrow cobblestone streetes, we admired the stores displaying their wares: pottery, lemon specialties, and t-shirts brightly decorated with fish and seashells.

For dinner, we took the train to Vernazza and ate at Bar Saracena Pizzaria. Our table was right on the harbor overlooking the water where tiny wooden fishing boats were anchored. We dined on gnoche pesto fresh from here in Liguria, and a crispy pizza with thinly sliced mushrooms. As the sun set over Vernazza, people played soccer on the beach, or just relaxed on the rocks near the breakwater enjoying the amazing view.

August 10 Of the Trail of Love and Water Balloon Fights: The Cinque Terre

2008-08-10T14:53:00.004-04:00

Morning song birds were chirping out our window. Looking below our balcony, the sun was shining brightly in the hotel's private lemon and lime grove. After eating a buffet breakfast on the shady hotel patio, we knew it would be a great day to explore the Cinque Terre.

We sat on the upper deck of the ferry to Riomaggiore. Passing by the other villages in the Cinque Terre, we admired the houses all nestled into coves like steps rising from the sea. All of the houses are yellow, pink, peach, rose, or lime green, all with forest green shutters.

Walking along the Via del Amore in the national park, we could hear the pounding surf on the rocks below. The sea stretched out before us as far as the eye could see. Cicadas chorused above cactus gardens covered with nets to prevent anyone being hit with rocks from the falling cliffs.

Lunch was in Manarola where happy hikers gladly took refuge from the sun on the outdoor porch of Il Poticciolo. Pedestrians don't have to vie with cars for space in this town. They compete for space with colorful wooden fishing boats parked right in the street. For lunch we enjoyed spaghetti with a heaping portion of mussels fresh from the sea sprinkled delicately with paremesan cheese. The ravioli pesto was prepared with basil so tasty it was probably just picked this morning. Hearty crusts of bread just baked complemented our meal.

During our meal we noticed a friendly water balloon fight started between two Italian families on holiday on their balconies. Soon it escalated into a community wide water free for all. Up and down the street, water balloons were lobbed off balconies, and even grandparents gleefully tossed dishpans of water off roofs and balconies onto unsuspecting tourists in the street below. As we ran the gauntlet toward the train station, bags of water came raining down on us which actually was a cool relief from the heat. Looking up we spotted one man hiding behind his shutters ready to ambush anyone with a bucket of water and little children ran around with squirt guns. It certainly was a "backdoor" moment and lots of fun.

We took the milk run to Vernazza. Surprisingly, the same cats from last year were cuddling together on the stairs. Sitting on the seawall over looking the breakwater, the houses in Vernazza looked like a carnival of colors with brightly colored flags hung over the streets. Swimmers floated in the clear water and grateful dogs jumped in. Ducks had their own private cove. Watching the holdaymakers stroll by we couldn't help but join in with a creamy scoop of homemade amaretto ice cream.

Splashes in the street

Manarola water fight

Tourists must take care

August 9 - The Start of Three Days on Five Lands: Cinque Terre

2008-08-09T16:08:00.004-04:00

This morning at breakfast there was an American tour group. It appeard to be famliies with teenage children who had just arrived. The girls wore woven flip flop sandals which they will probably regret on Florence's cobblestone streets.

Our train ride was scenic with views of sleepy hill towns and quiet villages. As we edged closer to the sea, people boarded with bags full of towels, swim suits, and beach umbrellas and slathered on the suntan lotion in anticipation of a day at the beach. Just as the train emerged out of a dark tunnel we caught our first glimpse of the sparkling blue and emerald green ocean, and people exclaimed with delight.

We are really delighted to be back at the Villa Steno. Our room overlooks the sea and we were treated to a glass of Cinque Terre wine. It was sweet, not unlike sherry.

Once we were settled in, we headed into the new town to drop off laundry (12 euro delivered to the hotel) and loved how we could hear the sea splashing off the rocks. Holiday makers, young and old alike, floated in the clear aquamarine water or merely sat on the beach and soaked up the sun.

After consulting our Rick Steves' guide, we headed over to Cafe Il Casello, a patio cafe right over the beach. While enjoying our focaccia sandwich, hot out of the oven, and a salad made of fresh garden picked tomatoes, sliced mozarella, and oregeno, we couldn't help but notice the kaelidescope of colorful umbrellas on the beach. Watchful lifeguards blew their whistles if careless swimmers drifted too far out. There's quite an undertow here.

Sitting outside on our patio, we have a sweeping view of the hills, the town, and the sea. Looking up into the hills we can see terraced gardens and vineyards.

Heading out for the evening, we took a brief, but strenuous walk following the Switchbacks of the Monks, an orange blazed trail that brought us to a ruined castle at the summit. Halfway up the trail, we were greeted by a statue of St. Francis and a wolf, along with commanding views of the Cinque Terre. From here, we could see all five towns. We continued up the trail until we reached the Church of the Cappuccin Monks. At the rear of the church is an extensive cemetery and ruined castle which provided us with a compelling and a bit eerie experience as we were the only people on the grounds.

Back in Monterosso's new town we enjoyed the bustling scene of happy tourists enjoying an after dinner walk along the promenade. We topped off the evening with a caffe latte in the old town.

August 8 Touring Europes Capital of Art

2008-08-08T13:47:00.006-04:00

Breakfast this morning was outside on the hotel terrace overlooking Florence across the river. A nice buffet was prepared and included a wide choice of cereals, fresh fruit, yogurt, and croissants. The Hotel Silla is very nice and a real bargain at 95 euro. Our only criticism is the towels in the bathroom remind me of oversized dish towels or even a cloth for a picnic table.

Florence was already full of tourists by 10 this morning. Long lines of people were dutifully following their guides who were proudly leading their tours with colorful umbrellas or flags held high. People who lagged behind for a photo were seen dashing down the streets to catch up with their group.

At The Museo di San Marco, built in 1439 we learned that it had been a Dominican monastery. The breezy cloisters had beautifully manicured gardens with a towering evergreen as a centerpiece. Walking through the monastery, we admired the beautiful frescoes by Fra Angelico in the 1400s. Some of the paintings have beautiful shades of royal blue, light pink, and peach. Upstairs we visited the rooms where the monks once lived. On each rooms wall is a beautiful fresco to inspire the residents. At the top of the steps is a stunning fresco of the Annunciation. The colorful angel wings are designed to look like they are moving and contain sparkling glitter. We learned that when the Pope saw the painting, he brought Fra Angelico to the Vatican. Even today, a British tourist I saw was so moved that he recited the Hail Mary right then and there.

Lunch in Florence can be expensive so we decided to join others having a picnic on the ancient steps of an orphanage from the 1400s in Piazza SS Annuziata.

In the early afternoon we visited the Museo del Bargello. Built in 1255, it was once a police station and later a prison. Today it houses an impressive collection of sculptures, some by Donatello and Michelangelo. Giambolognas Apollo was also on display. One room had a display showing the ongoing restoration of Donatellos bronze statue of David. Another room had a gleaming crystal clear glass case full of carved ivory, jewelry, and China bowls, cups, and plates. Another held a large display of keys and door hinges from the 1600s.

Later in the afternoon we took a challenging hike up a hill to La Basilique De San Minato Al Monte. In the heat it feels like you are climbing Giotto's Tower, but thankfully most of the steps are shaded. The views from the top are spectacular. The Duomo, Giottos Tower, Palazzo Vecchio, and Ponte Vecchio are all wonderfully displayed before you.

Inside the church are colorful frescoes. We were just in time to hear a Vesper's service sung by four monks. A real sense of peacefulness permeated the church.

Across the street in the Palazzo, tourists were busy snapping photos of the view in the sun while those lucky enough to afford it sat in private garden cafes sipping ice cold lemon drinks next to bubbling fountains.

Tonight we will stroll the streets and listen to classical music in the Piazza.

San Miniato

Peaceful refuge from the crowds

Vespers invoke peace

August 7: Into the Hot Tuscan Sun

2008-08-07T15:37:00.006-04:00

Breakfast this morning at the Casa Masoli was fit for a king on a budget. A buffet of fresh cake, tarts, and muffins was spread out on a long table. Thick slices of freshly baked bread, croissants dusted with powdered sugar, and a basket of fresh fruit were a royal treat.

Before leaving for Florence, we visited the Domus of Stone Carpets. Entering through the gift shop gives no hint of what lies below. Through a door and down the metal stairs you come to a brightly lit room with gorgeous mosaic floors. These remains were left undiscovered for centuries 3 meters below the road. Once part of a huge Byzantine palace, today you can admire the herringbone, geometric, and floral mosaic patterns. My favorite mosaic was Dance of the Geniuses of the Seasons which depicts geniuses dancing in a circle.

I wondered what happened to any missing stones, but learned that when the streets and sewers were built and the floors were undiscovered, many of the stones would have been unknowingly removed.

Our Eurostar train to Florence was thankfully air conditioned. Racing through the countryside we spotted grape vines and peach trees. On our train yesterday was a young woman with a baby begging for money. Today she reappeared on the train and was promptly chased off by the conductor. We could still hear her angry protests as the conductor slammed the door.

Florence is hopping. Riding through the city in the taxi, we spotted long lines to the Duomo. Our hotel, Hotel Silla, overlooks the Arno. Walking into Florence was a pleasant 5 minutes away across the bridge. Although it was 5 oclock, we were able to visit the Franciscan chruch of Santa Croce. Scaffolding fills much of the church where you can catch a glimpse of artists at work during restoration. Michelangelo and Galileo are both buried in huge tombs. We attempted to see a glass case with part of St. Francis tunic, but they were closing that area. Following our guide book we were able to admire frescoes by Giotto. Surprisingly these had once been covered over by other art work until they were rediscovered in the 19th century. Cimabues Crucifixion was also on display. Sadly much of it was damaged in November of 1966 during the flood.

Tonight we will walk around town enjoying the sights and sounds of Florence.

The Domus of Stone Carpets

Entombed beneath the streets for centuries

like a 6th century time capsule

Ravennas history is rewritten

August 6 In Search of Byzantine Art Ravenna

2008-08-07T15:26:00.007-04:00

Everyone looked a little sleepy this morning after a late night at the opera, but with duffel bags in hand, we took a brisk walk to the train station where a clean, air conditioned train awaited us. The trip to Ravenna took about two hours and when we arrived at our accommodation, Casa Masoli, were delighted with how charming it is. Our room is decorated in an almost seaside theme with baskets of shells and two large antique steamer trunks standing upright.

Exploring the town on foot, we visited two churches decorated with Byzantine mosaics. The first one, Basilica di San Vitale was built in the mid 6th century. It has glimmering mosaics so fine and delicate they look like tapestries woven of the finest silk.

Following a Polish tour group, we visited Mausoleum di Gala Placidia which also had beautiful mosaics and windows that looked as if they are made of thin layers of marble. The tombs there are from the 5th century.

Our final stop was Basilica di Sant Apollinare Nuovo. Dating from the 6th century, there is an interesting contrast. Two side panels are mosaic scenes while the front of the church is Baroque and created a thousand years later.

Dinner tonight was at Ca de Ven, an esoteca. It was decorated with old wooden wine barrels. To eat we had homemade ravioli and a platter of grilled vegetables and tomatoes stuffed with couscous. Coffee was served luke warm, but we learned that our American hot coffee is not part of the Italian way of life.

Train Ride to Ravenna

Passing through sleepy towns

Even the houses close their shutters like eyes

Taking a siesta

from the hot Italian sun

August 5: A Perfect Day for Opera

2008-08-07T14:54:00.007-04:00

Sunlight streamed through the shutters of our hotel room when we awoke this morning. Although we do not have a view of the city out our window, we knew that with no rain in sight, it would be a perfect day, one of history, culture, and opera.

After being pleasantly surprised by a light buffet breakfast, we headed out into the town on a walking tour. With our Verona Card in hand, we knew we had a wide selection of sights to choose from. Walking along the main road, our first stop was Castelvecchio. The Scaligeri family of Verona built this castle in the 14th century. The beautifully restored embattled bridge had been blown up during WWII, but today leads to this impressive museum with various art and medieval weaponry.

Strolling along a pleasantly shaded treeline path above the River Adige, we soon came to our second stop, the Basilica of San Zeno. This church is an excellent example of preserved Romanesque architecture. Featured inside are beautiful frescoes dating back to the 11th century, many of which have actually been painted on top of each other. Upon closer examination, you can discover prayers that were etched into the walls. Many are dating back to the 1300s and are from people fleeing from war to the church.

Feeling hungry, we followed our map down cobblestone lanes to Osteria le Vecete. With light mustard colored walls and wooden beams on the ceiling, it is a very pleasant place for a light meal. Old black and white photographs from Verona grace the walls. I always love these because it gives us a glimpse into the city's past. Their platter of thinly sliced prosciutto served with crusty slices of bread and melon so juicy it tasted like it was just picked was the perfect lunch for a hot day. Wine is served in a glass chilled first with crushed ice. A nice tradition there is your cork presented with the bill. Ours was Soave Classico.

A relaxing lunch is always a great way to feel more energized. In lively Piazza del Signori with its refreshing fountain and busy street market, we rode the elevator to the top of the Lamberti Tower. Looking down from above, a sweeping view of Verona lays before you. It would be quite a sight up there in the evening when the Arena lights up.

Next stop was the Church of Anastasia which is undergoing renovation. Peeking behind a curtain we discovered a group of artists delicately restoring the frescoes. Another unusual sight was two hunchbacks carved out of marble holding holy water.

Before heading back to the hotel we visited the Duomo. Building started in the 12th century and archaeological excavations have revealed the ruins of an older church from the 10th century underneath. We were able to view some of these ruins through a glass floor.

The highlight of our evening was a magnificent performance of Carmen in the Arena. We were amazed to learn that most of the stone from the 1st century is original. It is the third largest from Ancient Rome. It can hold up to 25,000 people. Our seats were toward the top and cushions were sold for the seats. Prior to each act, vendors roamed the stadium with cries of, "Cola, Fanta, Birra, Vino!"

The opera started promptly at 9 and when the lights dimmed, the Arena was filled with thousands of pinpoints of lights from people holding tiny lit candles. With people silhouetted against the ancient Roman stone wall, it was a beautiful sight.

The production of Carmen was absolutely stunning. An animated conductor lead a full orchestra and the colorful, lavish costumes, magnificent set design, and live animals made it an event we will long remember. The operas here are not put on for tourists either. Huge motor coaches from Germany rolled into Verona around 5 o'clock bringing in Germans for an evening performance.

As the cast took a bow to thunderous applause and lights once again flooded the Arena, it was for us the grand finale to a perfect day in Verona.

Carmen

Soft floodlights fade into thousands of pinpoints of light

With a flick of the maestro's brush

the intricate stage painting

comes alive with music and dance

August 4: In the Footsteps of Juliet (Or At Least Her Fans) Verona

2008-08-05T03:30:00.004-04:00

Church bells rang out again this morning welcoming our ferry to Varenna, our starting point for our 3 hour journey to Verona. While on the train to Verona, all eyes were on a group of college age students. One was carving a carrot into a tree shape with delicate leaves made from a cucumber while another was serving a meal from a large metal pot of stew to boyfriends lying like comfy kings on the seats. Everyone found this quite amusing.

Upon our arrival in Verona, we headed straight to our accommodation L'Ospite which has 6 apartments and comes highly recommended by Rick Steves. The manager, Federica Rossi, greeted us warmly and graciously explained that although we were more than welcome to stay, street repairs had become very noisy with jackhammers going at 8:00 am. She told us that she had not only found us another accommodation we could trust, she would personally drive us there too. We hopped in her car for a quick drive to Relais Francisus and she visited the room with us to make sure it was to our satisfaction. Rarely will you find this kind of attention to thorough, quality service. Three cheers for Federica.

Once we settled in we headed out for a stroll near the Arena. In Verona's main square, we dined at Brek, a self-service restaurant with a salad bar, pizza, and delicious desserts. The sun is really beating down today and the humidity is high. Piazza Erbe's water fountain was a cool refreshing diversion and we joined the others who decided to actually stand in the fountain. Normally we would never do this, but when it's close to 100 degrees at 4:00 with oppressive humidity, it's a welcome relief.

Heading back to our hotel we couldn't resist stopping at the House of Juliet. Even though it's a fictitious place, it has a balcony where tourists posed after paying 4 euro to see items from the movie. Of course we decided it was not worth it to go in. Instead we window shopped in the pedestrian zone where shops sold goods from top quality designers. Just catching a blast of air conditioning as we passed each store made it all worthwhile.

By 7:00 it was slightly cooler, but still in the 90's. We visited an interesting grappa bar, Enoteca Dreste. It's tucked into a small building off the main pedestrian area. The inside has Old-World charm with dark wood and wooden stools. We asked to sample two glasses of wine, but because of a language barrier, were proudly presented with 2 chilled bottles of wine carefully wrapped and a set of plastic cups. Had we accepted it would have been 30 euro and fortunately it was all resolved.

Dinner again was at Brek for pesto pasta and a salad. We topped off the evening with a gelati and an evening stroll past the Arena which was just turning on its lights.

Two hot furry dogs
cooling off in the fountain

Sleep well tourist dogs