The more I think of this the more I believe it is true that Paris lets you open all your senses: Hearing: Perhaps walking in a Metro tunnel or on the train itself you can hear a lone musician playing for his or her muse. Or listening to the trendy music playing in a restaurant while dining the evening away. Tasting: Then there is the sense of taste in the pastries or wine you choose. The textures you encounter seem to be endless. Smell: Then there is the food you smell when you walk into a restaurant that gives you the sign that this is the place to be. Even the smell of an occasional cigarette doesn't seem to bother you much. Touch: Then there is the touch in feeling a new scarve or sweater you are considering buying. Or there is the perfectly fragrant lotion you are thinking of trying. Sight: I think sight is the most powerful of the senses by letting you see the most amazing paintings at the Louvre or in taking in the incredible architecture at Notre Dame So I say Paris is the place where all five senses come alive and open you to new experiences. It is the place to try new things. This is why I never tire of this city.
Well you know my luck zith the weather was going to run out and today was the day. Although it never rained, the sky remained overcast all day. I thought I would get new pictures of my favorite places but it wasn't to be. Despite the weather, I still made my way to the Effel Tower. I couldn't believe the number of people who still went in line to go up to the top but what could they possibly see? The usual number of street vendors were selling their Eiffel Tower trinkets and street beggars were asking if you speak english. I keep saying 'No' but I am not sure what story they are trying to sell.
After finding a metro stop, which seem to take forever, I made my way to Notre Dame. It is always an incredible church to walk through. I am glad I didn't visit too many churches on my trip because it is easy to become overwhelmed by them. I was amused by the fact that many people took pictures of the mass procession when for me it is nothing unusual but for some it must be.
Well today was my day at the Louvre since it would be open until 9:45 tonight. It should give me plenty of time to see what I want to see. However I really tried but I still wasn't able to see everything and I was there for about 6 hours. I wasn't able to see the exhibition of Titian or some of the Dutch paintings. I forget how impossible it is to see everything here. You almost need a two day pass to see it all. One thing that does frustrate me at museums especially like this one is how people behave in them. So many people are just there to take their picture in front of one of the famous works or they aren't careful with letting their camer flashes going off or they place a bag right on a statue without thinking this is ok. What is wrong with people. So many of these people don't seem to want to appreciate this talent or skill that went into that painting or sculpture. It is really a shame that they are just there to be seen and to say they something like the Mona Lisa. But at least I can say I gave the museum an attempt.
I didn't think I would find any restaurants open near my hotel that weren't too expensive but I was able to find one thankfully. It was 10 pm by the time I was able to sit done. There is a street near my hotel that has a lot of choices so I was able to find a place. One comment I can make on this is I think I had a lot more reasonable choices in terms of price when I was in Rome. For some reason I think the restaurants were less expensive in Rome. But it was still a nice dinner and here I am in time to finish off my blog tonight.
One last comment I wanted to make that I thought of today. Remember how I mentioned that I do see quite a few people riding the rented bikes here? Well I have yet to see a stand renting any of these bikes. When I was in Rome these stands were everywhere throughout the city but where are they in France? I have yet to see them. I even saw a tour of segways today. I just happen to see a flyer on them. Can you imagine spending 70 euros for this? It seems insane to pay for this kind of tour, especially with the dollar they way it is. Well I will keep looking for the bike rental stands. If I find one, I will let you know.
Well it is time for me to get to bed. It has been a long day. I don't know what I will do tomorrow since the weather looks to be cloudy again. I may just walk the streets a bit tomorrow and not go to any museums. So good night and enjoy the rest of your day.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
New Feet
I need to make a special request that someone fedex me NEW FEET! This really sucks. Here I am in my favorite city and the weather is really nice and my feet are killing me. I can't recall them hurting this badly. I just hope that by tomorrow they are feeling better. Else I am going to need a wheelchair. I thought about renting a bike here but since they require that you either have the credit cards with the chips in them or have an American Express card, I am probably out of luck there.
So my trip to the Rome airport went smoothly and the flight took off about 30 minutes late which isn't unusual with Alitalia. At least me and my luggage made it. One thing I love about Paris is that it is so easy to find your way around their transit system. I had no problem finding which metro stop to get to and how to reach it with the way their system works. Once I arrived at my hotel, I was able to get into my room right away. This hotel is really nice and if I ever come back to Paris, I am staying here again. The rooms are really nice and the location is close to perfect. Of course once I got here, I dropped my bags off and I was off which is probably why my feet hurt.
I have to make a quick comment about the fact that it has been a struggle typing on the keyboards at both hotels. The keyboard in Italy was tough to work with since it would jump the cursor around. It was annoying but at least the keys were mostly in the same place as I am used to. The keyboard I am using in Paris has the keys in totaly different places. It must be a french keyboard. It makes it a challenge typing this up.
Anyways, I thought I would add to my list another museum known for it's Monet paintings and I can't tell you how disappointed I was. I went to a museum created by Monet's son and it really didn't have as many strong works by him. When I think how difficult it was to find this place and that I actually was in and out in 45 minutes, the museum couldn't hold my interest. Actually it's best part was the collection of works by his American friend Berthe Morisot. There were some really beautiful paintings by her. But I am not sure it was worth the 9 euros I paid.
Despite my issue with my feet, it does feel great to be back in Paris. It seems that every time I come here, it just feels wonderful to revisit all the places I love about it. So far I have walked down Champs-Elysees to the Louvre and eventually over to the Musee d'Orsay. It is really pretty outside with the leaves practically in color. Very few leaves are still green.
Since the Monet museum was a let down, I decided to go to the Musee d'Orsay since it is open until 10pm tonight. How can this museum costs the same and have so much more to offer? It always amazes me how they have such an incredible collection in the same building and in such a beautiful building. One thing I do have to say though that with the exception of the Rodin sculptures that are housed here, I think after seeing Bernini's sculptures, I think there are no other artists I can think of that can put such emotion and movement in a sculpture. Both are from different style eras but you can see how both matured in their works over time. Anyways, it was a good visit.
It is funny when I watch the way Paris drivers drive compared to the Italians. Paris drivers almost seem orderly in the way they drive compared to the Italians. They even obey the traffic signs unlike the Italians. Plus I noticed more cyclists out on the road. They don't appear to be in as much danger as I noticed in Rome. I even noticed more bike lanes and that it seems that actual Parisians are riding some of these rental bikes.
I can say I at least tried to end my day well with a nice dinner and some patries I picked up at a nearby bakery. I had a steak dinner with a nice Bordeaux. The waiter was even very nice to me. I also know where I am going for a croissant in the morning for breakfast since that is where I bought my pastry. It is important to find these places right away.
Well, I am going to end this for now since my feet are really crying for help. I am hoping a little massage will help. Good night all!
So my trip to the Rome airport went smoothly and the flight took off about 30 minutes late which isn't unusual with Alitalia. At least me and my luggage made it. One thing I love about Paris is that it is so easy to find your way around their transit system. I had no problem finding which metro stop to get to and how to reach it with the way their system works. Once I arrived at my hotel, I was able to get into my room right away. This hotel is really nice and if I ever come back to Paris, I am staying here again. The rooms are really nice and the location is close to perfect. Of course once I got here, I dropped my bags off and I was off which is probably why my feet hurt.
I have to make a quick comment about the fact that it has been a struggle typing on the keyboards at both hotels. The keyboard in Italy was tough to work with since it would jump the cursor around. It was annoying but at least the keys were mostly in the same place as I am used to. The keyboard I am using in Paris has the keys in totaly different places. It must be a french keyboard. It makes it a challenge typing this up.
Anyways, I thought I would add to my list another museum known for it's Monet paintings and I can't tell you how disappointed I was. I went to a museum created by Monet's son and it really didn't have as many strong works by him. When I think how difficult it was to find this place and that I actually was in and out in 45 minutes, the museum couldn't hold my interest. Actually it's best part was the collection of works by his American friend Berthe Morisot. There were some really beautiful paintings by her. But I am not sure it was worth the 9 euros I paid.
Despite my issue with my feet, it does feel great to be back in Paris. It seems that every time I come here, it just feels wonderful to revisit all the places I love about it. So far I have walked down Champs-Elysees to the Louvre and eventually over to the Musee d'Orsay. It is really pretty outside with the leaves practically in color. Very few leaves are still green.
Since the Monet museum was a let down, I decided to go to the Musee d'Orsay since it is open until 10pm tonight. How can this museum costs the same and have so much more to offer? It always amazes me how they have such an incredible collection in the same building and in such a beautiful building. One thing I do have to say though that with the exception of the Rodin sculptures that are housed here, I think after seeing Bernini's sculptures, I think there are no other artists I can think of that can put such emotion and movement in a sculpture. Both are from different style eras but you can see how both matured in their works over time. Anyways, it was a good visit.
It is funny when I watch the way Paris drivers drive compared to the Italians. Paris drivers almost seem orderly in the way they drive compared to the Italians. They even obey the traffic signs unlike the Italians. Plus I noticed more cyclists out on the road. They don't appear to be in as much danger as I noticed in Rome. I even noticed more bike lanes and that it seems that actual Parisians are riding some of these rental bikes.
I can say I at least tried to end my day well with a nice dinner and some patries I picked up at a nearby bakery. I had a steak dinner with a nice Bordeaux. The waiter was even very nice to me. I also know where I am going for a croissant in the morning for breakfast since that is where I bought my pastry. It is important to find these places right away.
Well, I am going to end this for now since my feet are really crying for help. I am hoping a little massage will help. Good night all!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Last Day in Rome
Well it is my last day in Rome and I am sorry to say it is over. In the end I probably should have stayed here one more day. There still is more I could have seen that I just couldn't make time for. I am pretty sure I can conclude that Rome is probably one of my top 3 favorite cities. This city really has so much to offer in terms of food, beauty, history and art. So much packed into one place. I tried to end my day with taking in the sites that most move me.
Today I had the chance to visit the Capitoline museum which houses many Roman statues and art. It was hard to believe that Michaelangelo was responsible for creating the buildings that house all of this great history. To see some of these pieces in person was amazing.
My only other museum I had scheduled for today was the Borghese Galleria which is a luxury home built for a cardinal mostly by Bernini to house all of his great art. They limit the number of people in this building to 300 or so every two hours and clean the place out of people before they let a new crowd in. I can see why they do this when some of the rooms are small and they are all just packed with art and furniture and extensive wall and ceiling paintings. It really is a relatively small museum but when you see the key pieces it houses such as sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Carvaggio and Raphael and other artists, it is clear that they are being very careful. Truly a beautiful place to house this art.
As much as it was a bit crazy to do this, I took a bus back to the Vatican to see if I could get a few more pictures before I left. Fortunately I was there when a mass was taking place. There is nothing more beautiful than to hear a choir sing in the Vatican. With the size of that church and the acoustics it creates, the sound just carries. Talk about feeling so at peace after listening to this. I was glad to have felt walking through that church one last time.
Well my time here comes to an end and fortunately I ended the day well with a nice dinner and some gelato of course. I also walked by my favorite sites such as the Pantheon, Piazza Nuvona, the Castel Sant' Angelo and the Vatican. I wish I could stay but it is time to pack and get ready for tomorrow morning. I am getting picked up at 4am for my flight and hopefully my driver will be there. Cross my fingers.
Ciao!
Today I had the chance to visit the Capitoline museum which houses many Roman statues and art. It was hard to believe that Michaelangelo was responsible for creating the buildings that house all of this great history. To see some of these pieces in person was amazing.
My only other museum I had scheduled for today was the Borghese Galleria which is a luxury home built for a cardinal mostly by Bernini to house all of his great art. They limit the number of people in this building to 300 or so every two hours and clean the place out of people before they let a new crowd in. I can see why they do this when some of the rooms are small and they are all just packed with art and furniture and extensive wall and ceiling paintings. It really is a relatively small museum but when you see the key pieces it houses such as sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Carvaggio and Raphael and other artists, it is clear that they are being very careful. Truly a beautiful place to house this art.
As much as it was a bit crazy to do this, I took a bus back to the Vatican to see if I could get a few more pictures before I left. Fortunately I was there when a mass was taking place. There is nothing more beautiful than to hear a choir sing in the Vatican. With the size of that church and the acoustics it creates, the sound just carries. Talk about feeling so at peace after listening to this. I was glad to have felt walking through that church one last time.
Well my time here comes to an end and fortunately I ended the day well with a nice dinner and some gelato of course. I also walked by my favorite sites such as the Pantheon, Piazza Nuvona, the Castel Sant' Angelo and the Vatican. I wish I could stay but it is time to pack and get ready for tomorrow morning. I am getting picked up at 4am for my flight and hopefully my driver will be there. Cross my fingers.
Ciao!
My Observations
I thought I would list what I observed about Rome on my last day here. These are some conclusions I made at the end of today.
- Italians have style and know how to dress. Even if they are dressing business casual, they are always looking so chic and in style. Women wear well cut jackets with scarves and guys have their nice coats with leather bags.
- If you drive a car, drive a Smart car since it seems to be the easiest to drive through the narrow streets and park. Lots of them here.
- If you park along the river, cover your car with plastic. There is a huge population of swallows here that in the evening they fly in the sky and form all sorts of shapes. Really beautiful to watch but when they are done, they sit in the trees along the river. You can imagine what the cars look like that park here.
- If you drive a motor cycle or scooter, take lessons or have nerves of steel. All of these drivers weave in and out of the cars waiting at lights. They even at times cut off the buses. It is almost hard to watch them.
- Italians know how to make the best coffee. I am convinced that they know their coffee more than anyone.
- Don't depend on a bus schedule since it really depends on the driver. The buses I have been on are based on when the drivers want to go. Today, I sat on a bus while a driver took a 15 minute break. Obviously he wasn't in any hurry.
- The most talented artists seem to be Italian. After seeing everything that Michaelangelo, Raphael, Bernini and others, I am so impressed by what they have created here. No one is just a painter or just a sculpture. They truly had more than one gift to offer the world.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Pictures from the Vatican and Colloseum
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Here are some pictures I took from the Vatican and Colloseum. I also slipt in a picture of a knife set I saw on my walk back to my room. Thought you might like it.
Here are some pictures I took from the Vatican and Colloseum. I also slipt in a picture of a knife set I saw on my walk back to my room. Thought you might like it.
Michaelangelo
Today didn't seem like it would turn out well but it did. I started the day out with meeting Marle' at the Colloseum to complete my tour with her. She was nice enough to show up early and walk me through the Colloseum. It is amazing when you think that for 400 or so years, thousands of animals and slaves or criminals were killed in this arena for entertertainment in this arena. Really tragic but with Christianity this started to end. There is actually a church still remaining in the Colloseum but there were many more built into the structure by the church. One thing I learned is how the catholic church owned these many Roman sites until unification of Italy made it possible for the the government to take responsibility of these sites. But despite what occurred here, it is an amazing structure.
Talk about being a little worried. I though my bank card was cut off after I made sure they made a note in my account that I would be on vacation. Well two Rome banks would not let me make a withdrawl. Luckily I found a german bank at the Vatican and was able to withdraw some money which I need for my cab on Thursday. I am so relieved.
Another wonderful day of nice weather here with blue skies. Today I went to the Scavi where they excavated under the basilica so that they could locate St. Peter's grave. In the process of doing so, they uncovered several family grave sites. It is impressive in what they have done to protect and preserve what they found. Just another example of how much is buried under all the main buildings above ground today. It was very moving to see his grave but it was also warm underground. I hate to know what summer is like down there.
Talk about trying to do to much. Because I missed breakfast today to meet with Marle and had to run to my Scavi tour, I was really running out of energy and I had a Vatican museum tour at 2pm. Luckily they have some good street stands that are really cheap to get a quick snack. Nothing like taking a break while in front of the Vatican. One of those places I love to just sit and relax in front of.
Ok, today I have to say that I was truly moved in a way I have never been in a long time while seeing a work of art in person. Before I talk about the Vatican museum, I have to say that I am glad that I never went to the Sistine Chapel before. They finished completely cleaning it in 2000. To see it cleaned was so moving that I can hardly express what I feel but to say I was completely awed what I stood before. To know that Michaelangelo, one of the great artists who has ever lived created a masterpiece that is just amazing to me. I have to say that I felt tears in my eyes to know how much dedication and love of God he put into painting this chapel when he was never paid fairly and all he ever wanted to do was sculpt. One would never think that painting was not equal to his sculpting. The colors and expressions of the figures he painted was just incredible. I must have spent an hour or so just taking in the entire ceiling. All I can say is that I was really moved by the fact that this one man created such an incredible masterpiece that no artist has ever come to be his equal in this. Just beautiful.
The Vatican really has an impressive collection. I even toured Raphael's rooms which he painted. Michaelangelo felt threatened by this young painter but in truth they were equaly great in their own style and way. Raphael's rooms were quite beautiful and I can see that many people must have enjoyed his paintings while meeting in these rooms.
Other than the paintings by Raphael and Michealangelo, there is quite a sculpture and painting collection. There is quite a bit that dates back from Roman times since the church owned many Roman sites and so they kept much that came from these sites. Of course they also took many things from Roman sites and incorporated them into their churches. Not sure that was good but perhaps these things might have been destroyed if they didn't.
After the Vatican, I did briefly walk through the Vatican itself. I hope to go tomorrow but I believe it isn't open in the morning so I will have to see. It is truly an impressive church. I have never seen it's size yet in other places of worship.
Of course I ended my evening with a nice dinner at a place that Isabella recommended. There are really some great restaurants and of course gelato stores here. A lot to choose from.
Well my feet are really tired today and I am hoping to get to bed early today. Have a good day and I will write tomorrow.
Talk about being a little worried. I though my bank card was cut off after I made sure they made a note in my account that I would be on vacation. Well two Rome banks would not let me make a withdrawl. Luckily I found a german bank at the Vatican and was able to withdraw some money which I need for my cab on Thursday. I am so relieved.
Another wonderful day of nice weather here with blue skies. Today I went to the Scavi where they excavated under the basilica so that they could locate St. Peter's grave. In the process of doing so, they uncovered several family grave sites. It is impressive in what they have done to protect and preserve what they found. Just another example of how much is buried under all the main buildings above ground today. It was very moving to see his grave but it was also warm underground. I hate to know what summer is like down there.
Talk about trying to do to much. Because I missed breakfast today to meet with Marle and had to run to my Scavi tour, I was really running out of energy and I had a Vatican museum tour at 2pm. Luckily they have some good street stands that are really cheap to get a quick snack. Nothing like taking a break while in front of the Vatican. One of those places I love to just sit and relax in front of.
Ok, today I have to say that I was truly moved in a way I have never been in a long time while seeing a work of art in person. Before I talk about the Vatican museum, I have to say that I am glad that I never went to the Sistine Chapel before. They finished completely cleaning it in 2000. To see it cleaned was so moving that I can hardly express what I feel but to say I was completely awed what I stood before. To know that Michaelangelo, one of the great artists who has ever lived created a masterpiece that is just amazing to me. I have to say that I felt tears in my eyes to know how much dedication and love of God he put into painting this chapel when he was never paid fairly and all he ever wanted to do was sculpt. One would never think that painting was not equal to his sculpting. The colors and expressions of the figures he painted was just incredible. I must have spent an hour or so just taking in the entire ceiling. All I can say is that I was really moved by the fact that this one man created such an incredible masterpiece that no artist has ever come to be his equal in this. Just beautiful.
The Vatican really has an impressive collection. I even toured Raphael's rooms which he painted. Michaelangelo felt threatened by this young painter but in truth they were equaly great in their own style and way. Raphael's rooms were quite beautiful and I can see that many people must have enjoyed his paintings while meeting in these rooms.
Other than the paintings by Raphael and Michealangelo, there is quite a sculpture and painting collection. There is quite a bit that dates back from Roman times since the church owned many Roman sites and so they kept much that came from these sites. Of course they also took many things from Roman sites and incorporated them into their churches. Not sure that was good but perhaps these things might have been destroyed if they didn't.
After the Vatican, I did briefly walk through the Vatican itself. I hope to go tomorrow but I believe it isn't open in the morning so I will have to see. It is truly an impressive church. I have never seen it's size yet in other places of worship.
Of course I ended my evening with a nice dinner at a place that Isabella recommended. There are really some great restaurants and of course gelato stores here. A lot to choose from.
Well my feet are really tired today and I am hoping to get to bed early today. Have a good day and I will write tomorrow.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Ancient Rome is so Fascinating
Well today was my day to be educated on ancient Rome. At 10am today I met Marle from South Africa who was to be my guide. I ended up having my own personal tour since no one else showed up. It was wonderful to hear the stories and explanations behind all the layers of foundations and buildings that remain throughout the Roman Forum and Palantine Hill. To be able to walk the roads that have been walked by many over thousands of years was so humbling. Plus to understand how Rome evolved and how you can see the layers of foundations and stone work which shows how the city changed over the century was so fascinating. Marle was able to really explain all of this well to me.
Dave I should also tell you that I have seen motorbikes with front wind shields that go over the driver which must protect them from rain. I have seen more than a few here.
Marle than took me to a really nice french bistro where we had a light lunch and wuonderful wine. I think we were there for 2 hours. Of course by the time I walked out with her, we found that for some reason the Colloseum was closed. She said this was unexpected but at the same time it does happen for no reason at all. I am planning on meeting her tomorrow at 8:30 at the Colloseum to finish the tour with her. However, instead of this she took me to the San Clementine church which has been greatly excavated and it is near the Colloseum. Priests from this church excavated under the church to find many walkways and buildings that had become buried over centuries and used to be level with the colloseum. So I essentially got a free tour of the church. What a bonus! Anyways, I had a wonderful day and she was even helpful getting me onto the right bus to get back to my b&b. I was very fortunate to meet her.
On the way back to my b&b, I ended up meeting up with one of the other guests who was on their own as well and we spent the evening walking through the old part of Rome. Once again she is from Germany and we plan on staying in touch. We had some wine while we people watched and tried out another gelato store. Another great find! I am glad I don't live in Italy since I couldn't resist the gelato. I would have to find a way to not gain weight from eating it here.
A couple things I want to comment on is I forgot how Italians have really skinny doors here. I will never understand why the doors into any buildings are so skinny. You can't squeeze through the doors if you have a backpack on your shoulder. I wonder why they build them this way.
Also, this isn't the best picture but I find it amazing how Italians just park their cars anywhere they can find space. There are a lot more smart cars here but even more motorbikes because of the parking issue. I couldn't imagine driving a car here.
Dave I should also tell you that I have seen motorbikes with front wind shields that go over the driver which must protect them from rain. I have seen more than a few here.
Well I think that is for all. I have to get ready for bed since I have a long day tomorrow. I have to run to the Colloseum to meet Marle at 8:30 and than back to the Vatican at 11am. I am doing the my tours of the Vatican tomorrow. I am really excited about what I am going to see tomorrow. It should be amazing. The weather should continue to be nice and warm as well tomorrow.
Good night all and talk to you tomorrow! Note: I have pictures on the next page from today.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Rome is Beautiful
I couldn't have picked a better place to stay than the Capricci Romani (www.bebcappricciromani.com). I slept really well last night probably due to the fact that it is not near any busy streets. It has nice conveniences like a tv and blow dryer and cooler in my room. Two guys run the place and are really helpful. They also serve a delicious breakfast which starts with a great expresso and you know italians know how to make coffee.
As I walked first toward Piazza Nuvona I started to wonder about why I picked this city to visit. But as I got to the piazza nuvona, I walked by beautiful colored buildings with statuary and collonades everywhere you go and there was my answer. Every building is an art in itself. There is so much to take in as you watch all the tourists enjoy these beautiful sites as much as I do.
Today I decided to hit the typical tourist sites. After Piazza Nuvona, I saw the Victor Emmanuale II monument, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and some of the many oblesiques. It seems that Rome took many of these from Egypt since they are everywhere. The weather was perfect for walking by all these sites.
One thing I love to watch is the variety of footwear here. I have seen so many stylish forms of shoes. Europeans do know how to pick their shoes. Of course I see the occasional 3 inch heel shoes or boots and don't know how these women walk on the cobblestone steps in these.
I was so surprised to see Italians sweating in the city. Several jogging groups passed me by in the morning. That's another thing I can't imagine doing on these streets either. Of course they aren't moving fast but my feet would hurt. Plus I saw quite a few people willing to ride bikes on the streets here which is kind of a death wish. The cars drive really fast and you have to be even more aware of your surroundings.
Finally I ended my day with a visit to the National Museum of Rome. It is suppose to be the best representation of Rome history. Although the collection isn't that large, it is impressive when you see sculptures and frescoes that date back to before Christ. Many of them are in excellent condition. There were some amazing artists in those days.
Oh, one last thing. I found my gelato place today! I was so excited that I remembered the way from back in the late 90s when I was last here. Talk about it being packed. After paying at the cashier, you had to push your way to the gelato counter where two guys constantly met everyone's request. They had every variety of fruit and liquor gelato you can imagine. It was everything I remembered and it is still the best gelato or ice cream I have ever had. I am sure the cone had to be 1000 calories or something like that but it was so worth it. I hope to have it one more time before I leave.
Well tomorrow I get a tour of the Roman Forum, Colloseum and Palantine Hill. I hope to learn a lot of history tomorrow.
Good night everyone!
As I walked first toward Piazza Nuvona I started to wonder about why I picked this city to visit. But as I got to the piazza nuvona, I walked by beautiful colored buildings with statuary and collonades everywhere you go and there was my answer. Every building is an art in itself. There is so much to take in as you watch all the tourists enjoy these beautiful sites as much as I do.
Today I decided to hit the typical tourist sites. After Piazza Nuvona, I saw the Victor Emmanuale II monument, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and some of the many oblesiques. It seems that Rome took many of these from Egypt since they are everywhere. The weather was perfect for walking by all these sites.
One thing I love to watch is the variety of footwear here. I have seen so many stylish forms of shoes. Europeans do know how to pick their shoes. Of course I see the occasional 3 inch heel shoes or boots and don't know how these women walk on the cobblestone steps in these.
I was so surprised to see Italians sweating in the city. Several jogging groups passed me by in the morning. That's another thing I can't imagine doing on these streets either. Of course they aren't moving fast but my feet would hurt. Plus I saw quite a few people willing to ride bikes on the streets here which is kind of a death wish. The cars drive really fast and you have to be even more aware of your surroundings.
Finally I ended my day with a visit to the National Museum of Rome. It is suppose to be the best representation of Rome history. Although the collection isn't that large, it is impressive when you see sculptures and frescoes that date back to before Christ. Many of them are in excellent condition. There were some amazing artists in those days.
Oh, one last thing. I found my gelato place today! I was so excited that I remembered the way from back in the late 90s when I was last here. Talk about it being packed. After paying at the cashier, you had to push your way to the gelato counter where two guys constantly met everyone's request. They had every variety of fruit and liquor gelato you can imagine. It was everything I remembered and it is still the best gelato or ice cream I have ever had. I am sure the cone had to be 1000 calories or something like that but it was so worth it. I hope to have it one more time before I leave.
Well tomorrow I get a tour of the Roman Forum, Colloseum and Palantine Hill. I hope to learn a lot of history tomorrow.
Good night everyone!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I have arrived!
For the most part my flights did run like clock work. My flight into Paris went well with only a little turbulence near the end of the flight. A couple of nice things about flying Air France that I liked is that I was on a plane that had personal video players for each seat so you could watch your own selected movie. The other nice thing is that they are still serving wine and beer for free on the flights. I say a flight always goes well with a little wine to relax. It seems that only the foreign carriers are still doing this.
One thing I kind of like from a traveler's viewpoint is that you now don't have to fill out an entrance form going into France. You now just bring your passport to immigration and they kind of just look at it and stamp it. I don't know how they know you are there for a vacation or what but that is how they are doing it here. Also, no custom forms need to be filled out. Talk about a simple process but how do they kick the ones out that they don't want them staying?
You know it is a good thing I put in enough time between landing in Paris and taking off for Rome. I ended up waiting for 1-1\2 hours to check my bag in for an Air France flight. They only had two and sometimes one person working the counter. What I found funny is that a lot of the french travelers were upset about this and yet when they finally got to the counter, they too took up a lot of time. I don't know why people can't be organized when they check in. Plus I don't know if Air France had to make cuts and that is why they didn't have enough people working the counters or maybe this is normal.
As far as the rest of the day, I basically just people watched while waiting for my next flight and when I was on the flight. It looked like a lot of french were traveling for holiday to Rome especially with their children. The plane was packed.
Well I am going to admit that I was glad to pay the 45 euros to my B&B. I was in no mood to take a train and cab or subway to my B&B. It was nice having a driver with a mercedes show up to pick me up from the airport. From the small area I walked around my B&B, the B&B and area are very nice and it is only a block from the castle near the Vatican.
Well I need to take a shower and hopefully go to bed soon. I am looking forward to tomorrow and hope to post some good pictures for you.
Good night!
One thing I kind of like from a traveler's viewpoint is that you now don't have to fill out an entrance form going into France. You now just bring your passport to immigration and they kind of just look at it and stamp it. I don't know how they know you are there for a vacation or what but that is how they are doing it here. Also, no custom forms need to be filled out. Talk about a simple process but how do they kick the ones out that they don't want them staying?
You know it is a good thing I put in enough time between landing in Paris and taking off for Rome. I ended up waiting for 1-1\2 hours to check my bag in for an Air France flight. They only had two and sometimes one person working the counter. What I found funny is that a lot of the french travelers were upset about this and yet when they finally got to the counter, they too took up a lot of time. I don't know why people can't be organized when they check in. Plus I don't know if Air France had to make cuts and that is why they didn't have enough people working the counters or maybe this is normal.
As far as the rest of the day, I basically just people watched while waiting for my next flight and when I was on the flight. It looked like a lot of french were traveling for holiday to Rome especially with their children. The plane was packed.
Well I am going to admit that I was glad to pay the 45 euros to my B&B. I was in no mood to take a train and cab or subway to my B&B. It was nice having a driver with a mercedes show up to pick me up from the airport. From the small area I walked around my B&B, the B&B and area are very nice and it is only a block from the castle near the Vatican.
Well I need to take a shower and hopefully go to bed soon. I am looking forward to tomorrow and hope to post some good pictures for you.
Good night!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Anxiously Waiting
When you don't travel overseas very often it is easy to forget certain aspects about traveling. First of all I forget how hard it is to leave my cats behind. I know Anamika and John will look out for them, but I still worry about them. Secondly I forget the worry about my flights taking off on time. Wouldn't you know that the rain today would delay flights. I am lucky that I wasn't traveling to Chicago or Minneapolis where some people were either going to be very late flying in or going home tomorrow. You really have to plan well in leaving enough time between flights in case of these kind of delays. Luckily I have plenty of time. (Thanks Pam for the offer to drive me to Detroit!)
Well here is my plane. It is Air France and I hope it will be nice. I never had an issue with flying them. Hopefully it will get into Paris relatively on time where I will catch another Air France plane. How do I ever agree to travel this way. This is the part of traveling overseas that can make you tired. I remember my flight with Diane where we had to travel the same amount of flights and still have to get on a rail car. We were really tired by the time we got to our B&B and back then our luggage was delayed.
I have to say that Detroit has a really nice clean airport. I haven't been here in years but I don't recall it being this nice. Plenty of restaurants and shops. They even have a monorail if you don't want to walk.
Well that's all for today. Good night and have a great weekend!
Well here is my plane. It is Air France and I hope it will be nice. I never had an issue with flying them. Hopefully it will get into Paris relatively on time where I will catch another Air France plane. How do I ever agree to travel this way. This is the part of traveling overseas that can make you tired. I remember my flight with Diane where we had to travel the same amount of flights and still have to get on a rail car. We were really tired by the time we got to our B&B and back then our luggage was delayed.
I have to say that Detroit has a really nice clean airport. I haven't been here in years but I don't recall it being this nice. Plenty of restaurants and shops. They even have a monorail if you don't want to walk.
Well that's all for today. Good night and have a great weekend!
Already missing my cats
Every trip I now leave makes me miss my cats more. I think it is always hard to leave your pets behind. One can only hope that they won't miss me too much. Thankfully this is for only one week. I hope they won't get lonely while I am gone.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Night Before My Trip
Well tomorrow I leave for Paris and Rome. This will be a long trip initially starting out. Since I used my miles for this trip, I forgot that I will be going through Detroit where I have to sit for 5 hours before my flight to Paris takes off. Once I am in Paris, I have a short flight down to Rome. It is probably good that I paid the extra money for a cab in Rome. I debated about it since taxis are so expensive and the Dollar to Euro isn't great, but I won't have to deal with a train and subway trip to my B&B.
I hate to admit it but I am really not prepared this time for a trip. Usually I have everything planned about as far as what I hope to do on a trip. Somehow I just seem to have not made the time to really decide on all the things I want to do. I did set up a few plans for my trip such as touring the Vatican and sites such as the Roman Forum and Colloseum but not more than that. Hopefully once I arrive I can figure out the rest of my plans.
Well hopefully I will get to bed shortly and that the initial packing I did tonight will be enough for tomorrow.
I hate to admit it but I am really not prepared this time for a trip. Usually I have everything planned about as far as what I hope to do on a trip. Somehow I just seem to have not made the time to really decide on all the things I want to do. I did set up a few plans for my trip such as touring the Vatican and sites such as the Roman Forum and Colloseum but not more than that. Hopefully once I arrive I can figure out the rest of my plans.
Well hopefully I will get to bed shortly and that the initial packing I did tonight will be enough for tomorrow.
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