It Snowed Today In Paris

It snowed today in Paris. Unfortunately the snow was preceded by freezing drizzle.

The hotel that I am staying at is not too far away from the Jardin des Plantes. The gardens are closed in the winter but the zoo is open. The original plan was to grab some chocolate croissants, hit the zoo, get some couscous for lunch, then go to the Opera House. Sainte Chapelle was out for today because of the rain.

We picked up the croissants when the drizzle started and by the time we got to the zoo they were closing it down - the ground was just too slick. After a cold, wet walk to the restaurant we ate a lot of hot, delicious couscous. The snow began as we were leaving the restaurant. So, so pretty to be walking around Notre Dame with the snow falling. I would have taken a picture if I thought I could capture it.

On the way to the Opera House we passed the ice rink at the Hotel de Ville. The french guy seems intrigued by the idea of skating but was too cold to try it today. And of course by the time we made it to the Opera House we were close to the cutoff for entry. So instead of waiting outside in the cold only to be turned away at the door we stopped in a few stores on Haussmann. That is where this picture was taken.

The View On The Way To Lunch Yesterday

Yesterday did not go quite as I had hoped. First, it was a late lunch again. The french guy kept talking about taking me to frunch - "The food is very good and cheap." I thought he was saying brunch in a cute french accent. He was actually talking about restaurant called Frunch. And while the food was decent and relatively cheap, it was not quite the dining experience I was expecting. Imagine if you will a Golden Corral filled with french people - so full of french people that you are standing around with a tray full of food praying that someone will leave in the next 15 minutes.

Lunch took so long that by the time I got to the front of the line at Sainte Chapelle they were only selling tickets to the Conciergerie. The french guy had been waiting in line with me for about 40 minutes (we had a very nice conversation with a group from New Zealand - aparently their accent is easier for him to understand). Not being interested in the history stuff he left to run some errands when I was about 10 people from the front. Of course, that was before I turned the corner, went down the stairs to the ticket window, and saw that I had missed the cutoff by a few minutes (big bummer because it was a sunny day and the light would have been great for viewing the windows). Luckily I knew where his first stop was so off I went to find him.

For dinner we picked up some bread, salami, fruit, wine, and cheese. I really, really enjoyed dinner.

Chateau de Vincenne

Yesterday was a late lunch in Bastille, then a metro ride to the Chateau de Vincenne. The Chateau was built by a king who liked to hunt nearby. So basically, it was a hunting castle as opposed to a mere hunting lodge. I think it has also been a prison and a military fort. It must still be a fort in some capacity because there were french soldiers riding with us on the metro to the Chateau with their automatic weapons. Not something you would see in the US.

I don't think the the french guy enjoys the history stuff as much as I do. Now the Zoo down the street was another story. We had talked about going earlier in the day, but the website said it closed in early December for renovations. Of course we had to walk down to double check (I don't think the french guy really believed the website). The whole area is a big park, so the walk was nice if a little brisk. The zoo was definitely closed down and the only thing we were able to see was a vulture through a gap in the fence. Since we were already out that far we walked around the lake in the park. Lots of people out and about with their kids and dogs. Very nice area but I was turning into a french ice cube - it was back to the hotel to warm up. Some TV viewing (one episode of Starsky and Hutch, then The Pianist) and the night was over.

Last Night at the Champs Elysees

We walked down the Champs Elysees last night. It was beautiful. I'm not a good enough photographer to capture it but hopefully you get an idea from the picture. All of the trees were covered in lights. The ones closest to the street had icicles inside that would light up from the top and streak down towards the bottom. The outer trees twinkled. Very, very pretty.

Dinner was at a little restaurant in the Latin Quarter then back to the hotel.

Topless Somewhere over the Atlantic

Usually I get cold on airplanes so I always try to remember to bring a jacket or a sweater. This time I brought both and didn't need either one. The plane was very, very toasty. So toasty, in fact, that I had to strip down to my tank top halfway through the flight. I arrived in Paris a tired, sweaty mess. And that is how the french guy found me as I exited customs.

I've arrived

I made it to Paris (and the hotel).

Home

I made it. I couldn't stop smiling once I left the airport. HOME at last.

But that airport! I was out of the hotel and outside the train station before they even opened the gates. The first train out was supposed to be at 5:09am. We didn't leave until 5:23. I had visions of missing yet another flight. But since I was still able to check in on time, no Angry Chris.

But I did get a hit from the drug dog at Chicago. Well, OK it wasn't exactly a drug dog. More like a fruit dog. I had been taking a piece of fruit with me everyday and carrying it in my bag. Apparently the dog could tell that at some point fruit had been transported in my purse. I got a special mark on my immigration form and had to go through a different screening, but after that it was smooth sailing.

So now I'm home trying to figure out why my car won't start. But I'm home.

Thanks everyone for keeping up with me while I was away. You don't know how much easier the trip was knowing how many people back home were supporting me. And of course I loved all the comments from my very funny friends.

Would You Believe I Missed My Flight?

It's been quite an interesting afternoon. If I didn't want to leave before, I really do now. And they are thwarting me at every turn.

The day started off OK. A leisurely breakfast at the hotel, then back upstairs to pack. I was ready to go by lunchtime, but since my flight didn't leave until 4:45pm I stuck around the hotel a little longer. Big mistake. The first of many.

The second was using the tube to get to the airport. I didn't want to rely on a cab from the hotel. I overhead a few people in the lobby complaining about scheduled rides not arriving on time or showing at all. Plus, it sounded like the rates were outrageous. So I double checked at the local tube station about using my week pass to get to the airport (no problem!), even on a bank holiday (no problem!). Then I went online to check again with the city of London online transportation planner. No problem! 40 minute trip maximum to the airport.

So three hours before my flight I'm waiting at the platform to catch my train. Two hours later I finally arrive at Terminal 5. There was a problem with a signal switch at one of the stations and all the lines were delayed.

My third mistake was using the American Airlines website to double check the flight departure information. Because although it lists Terminal 5 when you request flight departure information, that is the arrival Terminal at O'Hare. At least that is what they tried to tell me at the American counter.

My fourth mistake was believing the helpful airport personnel who sent me to Terminal 4 from Terminal 5. After waiting 10 minutes for a bus and taking a 10 minute ride I arrived to find that American doesn't depart from Terminal 4, they depart from Terminal 3. And the only way to get to Terminal 3 is to go downstairs and wait for the train to take me to Terminal 3. You know, the train I was on before that stopped at Terminal 3 before continuing onto Terminal 5 45 minutes ago. It's a 15 minute wait for another 10 minute train ride.

You can do the math. I'm clearly not going to make my flight. In fact, I think it left several minutes before I even made it to the American Airlines ticket counter. What kept me from completely losing it was the belief that there was another flight leaving tonight. But no, mine was the last direct flight to Chicago and they can't put me on anything else until the morning. Lovely.

For all the traveling I've done for work (and pleasure) I've never experienced anything like this. And I'm kicking myself for not listening to the little voice in my head this morning that said just leave for the airport as soon as you are done packing. The same voice that said look for a cab when the first train to the airport was delayed. And the voice that said just grab a cab from Terminal 5 to wherever you need to go. I've got to learn to listen to the voice.

So where am I tonight? Staying in a room at the Yotel in Terminal 4 (thank you whichever 24 hour cable news channel that ran the Yotel report a few months ago). I am NOT missing this flight tomorrow morning.

On the upside I had another date tonight. Well, maybe date isn't the right word but he paid for dinner and I've got a phone number. I met him on my second train ride to Terminal 4 - an oil rig engineer from Texas on his way to Brasil from Algeria.

Yea, I'm Definitely Done

I couldn't muster the enthusiasm for anything more than a walk to Westminster Cathedral today. I took advantage of a break in the weather this afternoon to go. I have to say that is one dirty church. I don't think they've cleaned it since it was build. But the mosaics were gorgeous.

I got back to the hotel in time to catch most of the Indy 500. The European commentary was pretty funny (I thought Danica was going to clock someone there at the end). As the race was finishing I watched the fog roll in. It is supposed to rain all week so I guess I'm leaving at a good time.

I've got to start thinking about packing soon.

Food Update - They do have good Indian food here. I went to the place by the tube stop the other night. It was so good I went back again tonight. And yesterday was some Jerk Chicken at a place in SOHO. Delicious also. But I caught a whiff of some pizza tonight and it made me really, really want Papa's.

London Day 5

OK, I think I'm done.

Today was walking, walking and more walking. There is a storm moving in tonight (well, their idea of a storm) and it is supposed to rain the next couple of days, so I wanted to get in as much on foot as I could. I started of the day with a flea market down the street. After a quick stop back at the hotel I headed in the other direction to just wander around. Not one museum or monument. And very few pictures.

I'm ready to come home. There are a few more things I would like to see, but I'm ok if I don't get to them. Can you believe it's been 5 weeks?

More London Odds and Ends

I just can't stop with the walking. Even with the bus/tube pass I can't make myself stop. The funny thing is as soon as I get home, it will be back to driving everywhere.

I have seen someone wearing the Red Sox logo in every single city I've been to.

When I stopped for dinner at Trafalgar Square the other night, I didn't realize until after I had been seated that I was the youngest person in the place by at least 25 years. In fact, the gentleman seated next to me was so old he wasn't wasting time in the bathroom fastening his pants. He finished doing that at the table.

Deadliest Catch is on TV tonight. They have some guy with a Scottish accent doing the voice over. It's just not the same without Mike Rowe.

London, London, and More London

London is growing on me. I have to admit I wasn't loving it at first, but it's definitely growing on me.

Today I walked down the street to the tube station and picked the first siteseeing place I could get to on that line. It turned out to be St. Paul's Cathedral. Since I hadn't really been planning on St. Paul's I had to find a bench and break out the map when I got off the tube. After studying the map for a moment or two I looked up to find St. Paul's - smack-dab in front of me. I am soooooo observant.

Since they charge to go inside (and at this point I am just about churched out) I wandered around the outside for a little while before heading across the river to the Tate Modern. I spent a couple of hours there before picking up something for lunch and walking down towards the Tower of London. It looked a lot closer on the map than it was, but the walk was nice.

After eating my lunch on the steps by the Tower I decided to take a little nap in the park before going inside. Then the rest of the afternoon was all about the Tower. That was a very interesting place. And the Crown Jewels are very sparkly. But honestly, I can't tell the difference between the real stuff and the fake.

I walked a little by the river and had a snack before heading back to the hotel. Now I'm debating how hungry I am and whether or not I want to go back out to grab something to eat. There were two Indian restaurants and a kebob place that smelled delicious by the tube stop.

London Day 3

Today was a relatively quiet day and I still wore myself out.

First thing I did this morning was buy myself a subway/bus pass because I had a ticket today to the Chelsea Flower Show (I'm such a flower/garden dork). Since Chelsea isn't even on the map I bought I wasn't going to attempt to walk it, especially since the show would involve a bunch of walking.

There were people everywhere. Some of the exhibits had crowds 5-6 people deep in front of them. To look at flowers. They sure do love their gardens here. Most of the stuff I saw was fantastic. Made me want to head home and start digging.

After that I went to Piccadilly Circle for some shopping (I actually bought stuff this time) then walked back to the hotel for dinner.

I'm heading to bed early tonight. Then I think I'll start with the Tower of London tomorrow morning and take it from there.

London Day 2

I pretty much stuck to the schedule today. I started off by picking a new route on the tour bus. Angry Chris almost made an appearance a day early when I spent 45 minutes looking for the invisible bus stops on the road that runs in front of the hotel. They are clearly marked on the map, yet the tour company "just doesn't run buses there." Between that delay and the traffic I didn't get much time in before I gave up and started walking.

I got off the bus near Trafalgar Square and headed across the river. Then a stop at the London Eye to take a ride and admire the views. They were pretty good on a sunny day like today. After that I went to the Imperial War Museum (thanks for the tip Joe) where I spent a few hours. Very interesting place. I probably could have spent another hour or so inside but the weather was so nice I wanted to enjoy it a little longer. So I headed towards Parliament and walked back along the river to Trafalgar Square. I grabbed dinner at a place right off the square (grilled chicken with lime and cilantro - pretty tasty). Then it was on to the National Gallery. I only stayed for about an hour because 1) several rooms and a one wing were closed and 2) I was so tired I really wasn't enjoying it.

After a very long walk back to the hotel I'm watching the end of the Manchester United-Chelsea game and pretending to be a fan.

London Odds and Ends

I am going to get run over at some point. I keep looking in the wrong direction before crossing the street. I must not be the only one with problems because they write what direction to look on the street. You see "Look Left" or "Look Right" everywhere. And I know I am still going to get run over.

I don't know what kind of crazy mojo I am giving off, but this afternoon someone stopped to ask me for the time, went into a discourse about my aura, then finished by reciting a poem for me.

The people here are serious about shopping. One of the stores I stopped in must have been having a sale. Image the craziness that is Xmas shopping, then double it.

This is without a doubt the nicest hotel I've stayed on my trip and the most expensive. Despite the Shell gas station on the ground floor where the lobby usually is.

London Day 1

I started off the day with a walk through Hyde Park - not realizing it is about 630 acres. It looks much smaller on the map.

After a stop along the way for something to eat I came out on the other side right at a stop for the hop on/hop off bus tour. So I bought a ticket and boarded a few minutes later for the main line tour. It takes you around all of the major sites and should have lasted a little over 2 hours. I think it was closer to 3 1/2. It took so long and traffic was so bad we had to make an unscheduled bio break for the tour guide.

I was hoping to catch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace this afternoon. It had been rescheduled from this morning, but after hanging around for about an hour waiting I gave up. I was just too cold and hungry to stick around (it is FREEZing here). The original Hard Rock Cafe was just up the street and I was craving a burger so I headed in that direction for an early dinner. The burger was fantastic and the guy sitting at the bar next to me gave me some more siteseeing tips (he was from London). He said to make sure I check out Camden Market. He said it's a little bit of a hike north but worth it. And he said both the National Gallery and the Tate Modern are great museums.

After dinner I headed towards Oxford Street where the stores are in search of a better map of London. The one from the hotel just wasn't cutting it. I also wanted to pick up some toiletries. I was going to try to make do until I get home, but it's best for everyone if I don't. After picking up my map and supplies I window shopped until the stores closed before walking back to the hotel.

The plan for tomorrow is to catch a couple more of the tour lines in the morning, head for the London Eye after lunch, maybe walk around for part of the afternoon and finish with the National Gallery. It's open until 9pm tomorrow and I really should take advantage of the late hours. We'll see how close I manage to stick to the plan.

Final Paris Odds and Ends

The picture is to commemorate my final train trip in Europe. I'm going to miss the trains. :(

Rome is still my favorite, but Paris is a close number two. And I have to say its one of the cleanest places I've been. Unlike Amsterdam, which was probably the dirtiest.

I've been kissed twice (on the cheek) in the last 24 hours. It goes something like this - "Bonjour, where are you from, would you like to go for a drink/cafe, no?, then please give us a kiss". That would just not happen at home.

Paris is the only city I've been to where I couldn't get any channels in English. And the Simpsons is still pretty funny when its in French.

No Sainte Chapelle For Me

I should have gone first thing in the morning. Instead I headed in the other direction. I had heard that Marc Chagall did the ceilings at the Opera House, but after seeing that the entrance fee was 8 euros I skipped going inside. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The woman I sat next to at the train station said the inside of the Opera House was better than the Louvre. I'll have to add it to the list of things to see on my next trip to Paris along with Sainte Chapelle (and the Louvre). Because after the Opera House I went for one last walk along the river. By the time I made it to Sainte Chapelle the line was over an hour long. I had a nice chat with the guy working the line, though. He said to always try to come first thing in the morning. If I had asked yesterday when I walked away from the line because it was too long I would have known better. Oh, well.

From Sainte Chapelle I moved onto the the Marais neighborhood and eventually made my way to Place des Vosges, where Victor Hugo lived when he wrote the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Took a little nap in the park, then started walking back towards the hotel, weaving my way in and out of the streets. I got quite a bit of window shopping in today before I had to leave for the train station.

The couple sitting across from me at the train station were from the UK. They had some good tidbits. First, make sure I take a ride on the London Eye if I do nothing else. And second, all of the national museums are free (Score!).

So I ordered room service when I got to hotel. This is actually the first hotel of the trip that has had room service. The menu prices seemed pretty reasonable when I read them in pounds. But I probably just paid $20 for chicken, fries, a salad, and a cider.

More Paris Odds and Ends

I think I might be reaching my saturation point. Which is good thing since I am running out of money (Thank you Amy for the valiant if futile effort to get my Visa Travel Card reloaded - and f*** you AAA for telling me I had three easy ways to reload the card when I really don't have any). Washing my clothes out in the sink is losing it's novelty. I'm running out of some supplies (like sunscreen and deodorant). I'm covered from head to toe in various scrapes, bruises, and blisters. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed soon (I think I'm on my eighth hotel). And I did get a little homesick today. I overheard some tourists joking around with each other on the tour bus. As cool as this trip has been - I miss that. And Monday lunches.

I saw a beggar shift change from the top of the tour bus today. I was watching the beggar's dog waiting for the bus to finish loading when it happened. Another scruffy looking guy walked up to switch places with the first. Who do you think puts the schedule together? Where is it posted? Do you think you can trade shifts if you've got something else going on?

Remember the German Idol contestant in the purple shirt singing "All By Myself"? I think he might have won the whole thing last night.

Wandering Around Paris

I had a great day today although it might be a little boring to read about. I spent the whole day wandering around people watching, both on and off the tour bus.

The weather was colder and cloudy, but the sun would peek out occasionally. I started off the day with the tour route that goes around the neighborhood I'm staying in (if I had turned left out of the hotel instead of right I would have found the Moulin Rouge on my own). I also found out on the east side there is another group of museums I didn't even know about.

There are a couple of more things I would like to see tomorrow before I leave. I haven't made it to the Place des Vosges yet. And I would like to see the stained glass windows at Sainte Chapelle (I think that's the church everyone kept telling me to see near Notre Dame behind the police station). Beyond that I would be happy with more wandering.

I saw a rainbow in Paris today

I packed up my bag last night and caught an early train out of Amsterdam. It still took several hours to get here and it was around 2pm by the time I checked into the hotel. It was raining when I left Amsterdam, and rained on and off during the train ride, but when I arrived in Paris the sun was peeking through the clouds and it looked like good weather the rest of the day. I was a little off on my assessment.

I wanted to do the city tour bus thing since it is such a good way to see neighborhoods I otherwise wouldn't make it to. I dropped off my bag and headed out to catch the closest bus. I rode around for a few hours checking out the sites. And the whole time it would look like it was going to start raining and then the sun would come out again. So I felt pretty comfortable getting off the bus about a 40 minute walk away from the hotel to grab something to eat. But by the time I finished my sandwich it was starting to look pretty menacing to me. I decided to start walking back, but to follow one of the local bus routes just in case. About 10 minutes later what do I see? Lightening. And where am I? Standing on a sidewalk along the river next to a big metal street light.

Now for those of you who don't already know, I have a completely irrational fear that I'm going to be hit by lightening someday. And all I can think is "Crap, not in Paris." So I start hoofing it to the next bus stop. And that's when it occurs to me that if I get on the bus to get out of the storm, I'm going to have to get off the bus back into the storm. I ended up waiting things out with about 30 other people in a covered area near the Louvre.

The rain started to let up about the same time I noticed the crepe place across the street. I got myself a chocolate crepe and continued on to the bus stop. By the time I finished my crepe the rain had stopped completely and the sun was back out again. So I started walking again and not too long after that is when I saw the rainbow.

Amsterdam Day 2

Today was a fun but soggy day. It was raining when I woke up this morning, which did not bode well for the bike and canal tour I booked. I headed over to the meeting place about a 1/2 hour before the tour was supposed to start. The website said they would run it rain or shine so the only thing I was thinking about was just how wet I might get. It never occurred to me that they might cancel if no one else showed up. In fact, the tour guide said they would only run with a minimum of four people. Crap. I'm the only one waiting.

So lucky for me one other person showed up right before we were scheduled to leave. And lucky for me she hit it off right away with the tour guide (both Canadians, both divers, both world travelers). He decided to run the tour anyway. Ah, young love.

We biked all over the city. All around the canals, up on the eastern side of the city, along the harbor, through the red light district (not what I was expecting), down more canals to our boat. Then it was lunch (and a couple of beers) on the boat while we cruised through some of the same neighborhoods we just biked. Then back on the bikes for a little more riding before the tour was over. I think it was about 5 hours altogether.

A couple of hours into the tour is when the rain finally stopped. But the sun didn't come out until after I was on my way to dinner. Which was fantastic tonight. One of the better meals I've had.
I found an Argentine grill around the corner from the hotel. It wasn't anything fancy for dinner, basically a steak and salad, but it was very tasty. Hit the spot. Then my very full belly and I headed back to the hotel.

I think I'm done with Amsterdam and will head back to Paris in the morning.

Amsterdam Odds and Ends

You know what this place is like? A college town on steroids. I think that is the best way to describe it.

It is also wonky - the buildings I mean. I've tried getting pictures so you can see what I'm talking about. It's almost like looking at an optical illusion, but it's not an illusion. The building really is crooked. And people live in it.

And it's a little grungy here. Not in a filthy, "that's disgusting" kind of way. It's more of a "I haven't showered in three days" kind of way.

There are bikes everywhere, more than anyplace else I've been. Most of them don't look like they would make it down the street, let alone across town. And when you see a guy in a suit ride by on one, it is just surreal.

The food has been OK, but it's not like Rome or Paris. I am not getting excited thinking about my next meal.

Amsterdam Day 1

After a good nights sleep I started off the day with a brief walk to the Van Gogh Museum. I was able to see not only their permanent Van Gogh collection, but an exhibition of Millais that was very interesting. There is a lot I don't know about art.

After the museum I started walking towards the Anne Frank house. I stopped along the way to pick up a sandwich and apple strudel. I found a bench at the church around the corner from the house and ate lunch. There was a small line outside but you move through the place pretty quickly. It was a little unnerving to walk through those rooms and think about 8 people living there for two years. And to think about where they ended up.

After that I took a tram to the Botanical Gardens. They were much smaller than I expected, but better maintained than any others I've seen so far. The most plant varieties, too. Then I headed back to the hotel on foot so I could check out the neighborhood. I had a cider at the square near the hotel and sat down to people watch for about an hour.

Now I'm back up in my hotel room and undecided about heading back out at all tonight. First, my room is on the fourth floor and there is no elevator. Second, the night clerk gave me the key to the private roof deck with a view of the city. I may hang out there tonight.

Belgium Day 2

So Bruges was lovely, just lovely. The day got off on the wrong foot when my alarm clock didn't go off and I thought about skipping Bruges. I'm so glad I didn't.

The weather was lovely. The train ride to Bruges was lovely. The walk to town , the view from the top of the tower, the canal boat ride - lovely, lovely, lovely. There just isn't another word for it. I liked it so much better than Brussels.

Brussels, one the other hand, was not nearly as pleasant on Day 2. At the train station it took a few minutes to explain to the ticket clerk that I wanted one round trip ticket to Bruges. He kept saying "two", and I would say "no, one". Back and forth, back and forth. I don't know why that was so confusing for him. I could understand if he didn't speak English. But he did.

And the problems at the train station when I was leaving for Amsterdam - I was so close to losing it. If fact the guy in line next to me did. He started swearing at the ticket clerk in English (which was obviously not his primary language).

To save myself some time I bought the ticket from Brussels to Amsterdam in Bruges. I had over an hour after returning to Brussels to pick up my bag from the hotel and get back to the central train station. Plenty of time. However, there was a fire on the tracks near the central station. At first they told us we would be re-routed to the airport station and then would have to make our own way to the central train station. But they made it to the central station about 10-15 minutes late. Not to bad, still plenty of time. I picked up my bag and was back at the train station within about 25 minutes.

But my train wasn't listed anywhere on the board. The only trains listed were earlier ones delayed by the fire. No big deal. I'll just go check with information.

The guy at the counter was such a prick (the same guy who was later bitched out in broken English). He wouldn't answer any of my questions about the trains. He kept telling me to just go wait at platform 19, any information or updates would be posted there. So I go down to platform 19 and wait. And wait. And wait.

After several more minutes when my train still isn't listed anywhere I go back to information and find out that they cancelled my train, didn't bother to announce that they cancelled my train, delayed the next train, would probably be cancelling the next train, and do I want to book a train in the morning. Now I'm really pissed. Because the first time around with information I asked about booking with a different train line that wasn't delayed. And now second train line I wanted to book is about 4 minutes away from scheduled departure. The guy at information was able to tell me that I could still buy a ticket but he couldn't sell it to me. For that I had to go get in another line.

So I did. This guy was really nice (and quick). I grabbed my change and new ticket and ran for it. Down the terminal, weaving through crowds, up the escalator with everything I packed bouncing on my back. Because of the fire they had two trains parked at the platform back to back and mine was all the way at the other end. So off I go running down the platform as the door alarms start to ring. I barely had enough breath to ask the conductor if it was the right train (it was). I boarded through the first set of open doors and now had to take my sweaty, weezy self through the entire train. Because my seat was in the the very last car.

I'm just happy I made it. And if anyone needs a local Belgium train ticket from Brussels to Amsterdam just let me know. It's good until July.

Quick Belgium Update

I wanted to post last night but I almost didn't make it to Amsterdam and by the time I did I was so tired. I'll post more later but quickly - Bruges was lovely, just lovely. And Brussels is the first place I can honestly say I didn't like.

I'm off to explore Amsterdam since the weather is nice right now and won't be tomorrow or the day after.

Belgium Day 1

Belgium has been....awkward. I've had the hardest time orienting myself in Brussels. Maybe that was because I took a taxi from the train station (by the way, I got completely ripped off with the fare). I accidently ordered two waffles this morning (by the way, I finally found the waffles). And I think I might have been reprimanded for throwing my trash in the wrong container. I'm assuming it was a reprimand, but I could be wrong because he just walked away when I said I didn't speak French.

I meant to get up early and go to Bruges (the city that retarded farmers love) but I slept in instead. The thought of having to walk around all day was just to much for my feet. Instead I went looking for the city tour bus - I found the waffles along the way. I ate all of the first waffle and some of the second at the Grand Palace. I hung out for awhile admiring the architecture with a one footed pigeon (by the way, he sure could move for only having one foot).

Not to long after that I found the bus and rode around for most of the afternoon. Got to see some sites I would never have seen otherwise. After a little chocolate shopping on the way back to the hotel I took a break. I booked my room for Amsterdam and Paris (by the way, I'm returning to Paris this weekend).

I headed back out this evening to find the Mannekin Pis (by the way, he is really, really tiny). It wasn't too far from the hotel and I munched on some frites with ketchup along the way. After that it was off to a cafe for a Belgian beer. I'm skipping dinner tonight. I'm not really hungry after the frites and beer. I'm trying to decide if I should try again for Bruges in the morning before I leave for Amsterdam. Stay tuned.

Final Days in Paris

I meant to take it easy yesterday. Really, I did. And I held out for most of the day. Had a late lunch at a restaurant down the street that the night clerk recommended (I tried both steak tartare and veal with white sauce) and just spent the day relaxing. But for dinner I really wanted another three cheese panini from the place I ate at the other day. And that place was down in the Latin Quarter.

So I put on my new flip-flops and slowly made my way down there. Stopped at several spots along the way to check out the architecture and take some pictures. I was able to see the Musee Pompidou building. I also went into an old English bookstore in the Latin Quarter. But by the time I made it to the panini place they were out of panini's. Bummer. But there was another place around the corner. It wasn't quite as good as the first, but still good. And that's when I realize that the Pantheon isn't very far away.

Now it is off to see the Pantheon while munching on my panini. Then back to the Latin Quarter for a chocolate crepe (YUM!). Then a drink at a local bar with my date from the other night and a different cousin of his (Who is also a Hillary Clinton supporter). And then finally back to the hotel. Where I realized that not only do I have two huge new blisters, but the side of one foot is bleeding from where the flip flop has rubbed against it. Lovely. I have completely trashed my main mode of transportation with two weeks left to go.

Today the sneakers went back on. And I only walked to lunch (roast chicken), the train station, and dinner tonight in Brussels. I took my first taxi of the trip to get from the train station in Brussels to the hotel. Hopefully that is enough of a break because tomorrow I plan on taking the train to Bruges. And I know there will be more walking involved.

On to Belgium

I'm heading to Belgium today. I'll post more on my last day in Paris later.

Paris Odds and Ends

It's more than halfway through the trip and I'm still not homesick yet.

I really need to learn how to use my camera. I just figured out how to turn the flash off. I missed a lot of picture opportunities in Italy because of that. And most of the pictures I've taken are pretty boring (but I'm still going to make everyone look at them).

At the couscous place I got to meet my date's cousin and a couple of his friends. I found myself discussing politics on a Paris street corner with a bunch of Hillary Clinton supporters who were happy to practice their English. Surreal, but very nice guys.

When I was walking along the river a couple of days ago an old guy wandered by without any pants on. I wasn't really paying attention at first until after he passed by. Then it was a "did I just see what I think I saw" moment.

You should have seen the look I got when I asked if there was a bowling alley in Paris.

Paris Days 3 and 4

Yesterday I walked down towards Pont Neuf for a return visit to Notre Dame and to try the Bourne building again. First stop was the Bourne building, which wasn't just closed for the holiday but is closed indefinitely. Some kind of safety hazard inside, I didn't understand all the details. So on to Notre Dame. There was a long line to go inside which moved pretty quick. I couldn't believe the colors in the windows. They seemed brighter than most of the other church windows I've seen so far.

From there I walked to the Musee Rodin, which is basically a garden for Rodin sculptures. The Thinker was there, along with a few other pieces that I found interesting. But I have to say that I enjoyed the garden most of all.

After the Musee Rodin it was back to Notre Dame for a quick bite to eat with my date from Day 2 (We split a ham and cheese panini and a three cheese panini - they were better than the panini's in Italy). We sat at Notre Dame for a while people watching. It felt very french with the accordion music playing in the background. Then onto to a little neighborhood place near Montmartre church for a late dinner. He kept saying "I'll take you for some good couscous" and I didn't get it. To me that's like saying "I'll take you for some good rice". But this place was fantastic. The food is free when you buy a bottle of wine and it wasn't just couscous. There was some kind of sauce for the couscous with carrots, celery, chickpeas, and potatoes among other things. On top of that they brought us a plate of roasted chicken and beef sausage. It was one of the best meals I've had so far.

Today was finally Versailles. I thought I needed a whole day for it, but you really don't. There is less to see inside the Chateau than I expected. And it was hard to see anything with the crowds. Some of the largest crowds I've seen so far. Which is my fault since I waited until a Saturday afternoon in May to go.

So I decided to skip the crowds at Versailles in favor of the crowds in the Latin Quarter. I was using the excuse of find a pair of flip-flops to wander around a bit this afternoon. Now I am back at the hotel with some laundry drying in the bathroom and debating whether or not to head out for a bite to eat.

I think tomorrow will be my "sit in the cafe and eat and people watch all day long" day since it is the last full day I'll have here in Paris. I wanted to see some of the D-Day sites in Normandy but I just don't think I can make that happen this trip.

Paris Update

I'm heading out the door to Versailles today. I'll post more about yesterday and today later.

Paris Day 2

Sorry I'm late posting again. Internet access at the hotel is free, but only available from the lobby. And I was too tired to go downstairs to post when my day ended.

Yesterday was mostly about the Musee D'Orsay. I think I spent about 5 hours in there walking around looking at the paintings and sculptures. There was just so much to see. Lots of stuff I've only seen in books before. And if Musee D'Orsay took that long, I don't think I've got a chance of making it through the Louvre.

After that I checked out the Grand Palace. Not quite what I thought it would be. I wasn't there for very long, but it gave me a chance to rest my feet (I got my first blister the day before yesterday). After that I started walking back towards Pont Neuf because you are supposed to be able to go to the top of the building where they filmed the Bourne Identity. But the building was closed for the holiday. And instead of heading towards Notre Dame which I had originally planned I ended up finishing the day watching the sunset at Montmarte. Because I had another date last night. This one went much better than my dinner with the Venezuelan. No guitar for one thing.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do today. It's too late to head to Versailles since I slept in and I just don't know how much more walking my feet can take.

Paris Day 1

Sorry I am late posting. I dropped my bags off at the hotel this afternoon and I've been out for most of the day. The weather here is gorgeous and I wanted to take advantage of it. I have been so very lucky weather wise.

The trip today from Interlaken to Paris was easy. One connection in Bern (and I gave myself plenty of time to find the right train), then a couple of metro connections to the hotel from the Paris train station. I must look like an old pro at this by now because I was asked for help today buying metro tickets.

Once I left the hotel this afternoon I found a park not to far away to eat the sandwich I picked up in Bern for lunch. After that it was a walk down the Champs-Élysée to the Arc de Triomphe. Then I made my way over to the Eiffel Tower - where I almost missed the view from the top because I got in the wrong line. I didn't realize I was in the wrong line until I was through the turnstile and in front of the elevator to take you back downstairs. I just thought it was another line like the first three I stood in to get to the top. There wasn't any way out except to duck back under the turnstile I just came through to get out of the line. So that's what I did.

After the Eiffel Tower I walked along the river, checked out the courtyard of the Louvre, found Pont Nouf (and tried to figure out where Jason Bourne was) then made my way over to Notre Dame. By now the sun had set and it took me awhile to make my way back to the hotel room. The font on the map is really small and I was having a hard time reading it in the dark without my glasses without making it obvious that I was trying to read a map in the dark without my glasses . So I am going to have to go back to Notre Dame some other day because I only got the see the outside.

I have to say for all the times I've seen Paris in the movies it doesn't look the same in person. It has a much more open feel than I was expecting.

I also found out that there are a couple of holidays here during my stay. Tomorrow is Victory Day, but most of the museums will be open. And Sunday is Pentecost, but again the major museums should be open. Feel free to leave any suggestions for me in the comments.

Interlaken Day 2

Thanks for the tip, Joe!

I took the cogwheel train up to Jungfraujoch where there are some great views of the Alps. You actually have to take a few trains to get there. I stopped about a third of the way up to walk around a little town and take some pictures. Then switched trains a few stops later and went the next third of the way up. Grabbed something for lunch (a brat and a local dish that turned out to basically be hash browns) and Went the final third up to check out the views. I walked through the ice tunnels, went outside to a couple of the lookout areas and took even more pictures. Grindelwald was one of the stops on the way back down. I walked around there a little bit, too.

Tomorrow it is on to Paris. I should get there by mid-afternoon.

Interlaken Odds and Ends

All day long the song "Danke Shein" has been running through my head.

I was not nearly as comfortable attempting German as I was Italian. And I had a much harder time matching what I was hearing to what I was reading. They would announce the name of the next train stop and I could see it written on the map, but I would still have to double check.

Most of the tourists here are either Indian or Asian. And the Asian ones take their pictures with a tripod. I saw a lot of cameras in Italy, but not one tripod.

The views here are spectacular, but I've realized that I really like the history and art stuff.

What I've Learned So Far

I'm not nearly as smart as I think I am.

Never cut basil with a knife - always tear it.

If I were a Vestal Virgin I would finally be leaving the temple on my next birthday.

How to eat pizza with a knife and fork.

Romans really liked to steal stuff (excuse me - recycle).

I like eggs - in pasta carbonara and zabaione.

I don't need much to be happy.

Italian men are hot. No, I mean really hot.

Interlaken Day 1

The views are amazing here. I mean, I've seen mountains before, but not like this. I think my mouth was hanging open the entire walk from the hotel to the train station. The weather is beautiful, sunny with just a few clouds. I have been so lucky weather wise. Only one rainy day so far and that was manageable.

I walked around town after checking in this afternoon. I got a free local bus pass from the hotel but I like the walking. It's a completely different way of life here. I can't tell you how many people I saw ride by with their groceries in a bag on the back of a bike. There is no reason why I can't do the same at home.

Although the train ride to get here was long (about 8 hours) it went by really fast. I have to say I enjoy traveling by train much more than by plane. It was really relaxing and I had some great views of the countryside. I only had one bad moment when I couldn't find my train in Milan. The trains were posted by their final destination, not the train number. Completely confused me at first since the town name on my ticket was not listed anywhere on the board. But I found the right train with a few minutes to spare.

Final Day in Rome

It's going to be a short post tonight. I am so very tired and I still need to finish packing. My train leaves tomorrow morning at 6:32am. I should arrive in Interlaken, Switzerland by mid-afternoon. But I really don't want to leave Rome.

Highlights today: Villa Borghese park, lunch and a lot of walking around Piazza del Popolo, back to the Borghese Gallery for a tour, a little nap in the park, mass at the Trinità dei Monti (there was some beautiful singing involved), more walking around the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, then back to the hotel several hours later.

You Are Never Going to Believe This One

Do I have a story for you tonight boys and girls! As I was walking back to the hotel this evening I could hear music, very loud music. I noticed the piazza was blocked off so I decided to check it out.

There were people everywhere, some dancing to house music in front of a DJ on a flatbed, others just hanging out. I couldn't figure out what was going on at first, but the guy rinsing his bong out in the fountain should have tipped me off. Do you know what I walked into this time? Do you?

The Million Marijuana March.

I found a spot to sit and just watched. Watched the tourists trying to navigate the crowd, pulling their bags behind them. Watched a guy lift his dog into the fountain for a drink and to cool off. Watched a little girl walk by, one hand on the stroller, the other holding her nose.

When the truck with the DJ pulled away I thought that was the end of the show. Boy, was I wrong. Turns out there were 4 other trucks playing music ahead of that one. And they started rolling through the streets of Rome bringing the party along. Do you know how they got everyone to follow? Great music and free beer. And probably free weed, too. I kept up with the show for several blocks, but the aroma finally got to me (as some of you may know I can't stand the smell of marijuana - makes me a little sick to my stomach).

Does it matter what else I did today? Because nothing is going to top that.

Goodbye Florence. Hello Again, Rome!

Last night was my final night in Florence. I walked around for awhile in the early evening then headed over to the restaurant Joe recommended. I should have called earlier in the day to make reservations because they were completely booked up for the night. Bummer. I was really looking forward to a good meal. Didn't think it would be a problem as long as I wasn't too late. So I found someplace else and ended up spending too much money for not very good food. Oh, well.

I did find a church not far away in the area that was advertising a free concert that night. I walked inside to the sound of the most incredible organ music filling the small chapel. I don't know who they were playing, something very Judgement Day-ish, but it was amazing. I'm not sure how long I sat there for listening to it but the old lady next to me must have thought I fell asleep. She bumped my arm a couple of times until I opened my eyes.

This morning I caught an early train back to Rome. Dropped my bags off at the hotel and headed out right away. I went to the Botanical Gardens in Trastevere, because one - I like that stuff, and two - it wasn't too far away from the place I needed to meet up with the group for the walking tour tonight. This was a rebook of the tour I tried to take in Rome last Friday of Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto. That one was cancelled because of the holiday. This one the tour guide was a no show for. I waited around for several minutes but didn't see any other confused tourists or anyone who looked like they were waiting for tourists. Bummer. But I liked the gardens. There were some terrific views of Rome from the hill by the Japanese Koi pond. I also stopped in a church and walked some streets in Trastevere, so not a wasted day by any means.

I think I am going to head back to that area tomorrow. There is supposed to be a flea market on Saturday mornings somewhere in there and I really want to try one of the restaurants in the area. The entire weekend should be beautiful, around 75 and sunny, so I don't want to spend too much time indoors.

No Venice for Me

Standing room only available for the train to Venice this morning, so no Venice for me. I probably could have handled it for a short trip, but not 2 hours 40 minutes. I was kinda looking forward to the break on the ride there and back, not just the Venice sites. Oh, well. I can't see it all.

So it was back to the hotel. I took my time at breakfast then headed up to my room to do a little laundry. As light as I thought I packed, I could have left a lot more behind. Washing things out in the sink is not a big deal. Right now I am relaxing, waiting for the weather to clear up and enjoying MTV Italia (they actually play videos).

I am going to try to have dinner tonight at the restaurant Joe recommended. I was going to go last night but I was so tired I skipped dinner altogether. Tomorrow morning I'm going back to Rome for the weekend, then heading to Switzerland on Monday. I haven't decided yet if I'm only going to spend a couple days in a place like Interlaken, or head towards Zurich. Suggestions, comments, anyone?

Even More Florence Odds and Ends

Apparently Italian men find curly, dirty red hair very attractive. I've been hit on more today than the entire trip. Not that I was expecting to get hit on, but I was warned about Italian men. I have to say up until now I was not feeling the love. But I didn't blow dry my hair yesterday because it was raining, and I didn't wash it this morning because I was too tired. That combo seemed to do the trick.

Yesterday on my way to the Accademia it was raining. More of a drizzle, actually. And since I'm trying to travel light I decided to skip the umbrella. I didn't have that far to go and I'm not worried about melting if I get wet. But the umbrella vendors were very concerned. I was pretty much chased the entire way to the museum by umbrella waving men yelling "Prego, signora, prego, prego." I would lose one, make it about a block then pick up another.

Florence Day 5

I started the day with the Boboli Gardens. It wasn't quite what I expected - I thought there would be more flowers. Outside of some roses there really weren't any flowers. This place was more about views and perspectives and structure. But I was impressed with the size and scale of the gardens. I can't imagine how much money and time it must have taken to create them.

Next was inside the Palazzo Vecchio to see the frescos and walk through the rooms. After Palazzo Vecchio I had lunch (and a little wine) outside on the square. I was able to get some good people watching time in.

And then finally today was the Uffizi. There wasn't as much to see here as I had hoped. I think it was because most of the downstairs was closed for the installation of a new exhibit. They also had quite a few rooms closed off upstairs. And there were a lot of people waiting to get into the rooms that were open. There was almost a fist fight between a tour guide and a woman in one of the galleries.

If I can get a train ticket I plan on doing a day trip to Venice tomorrow.

Florence Day 4

Today was walking, walking, and more walking again but I started the day with David at the Accademia. He is amazing to see in person. I kept moving from one spot to another to get a better look. I think I've seen two or three copies so far but it doesn't compare to seeing him in the place they built just for him.

After the Accademia I walked down to Santa Croce and went inside this time (Thanks Joe!). I'm glad I did because otherwise I would have missed something special. Lots to see in here, not just the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo. Beautiful paintings and stained glass windows. There were some well preserved fresco's in parts of the church. I also saw the inspiration for the Statue of Liberty. They are working on restoring the fresco's around the altar right now and that was very interesting to watch, too.

After that it was a brief stop at Palazzo Pitti. I was hoping to get into the Boboli Gardens since the weather cleared up (it was drizzling most of the day) but they closed at 5:30. So I headed towards the Duomo where I picked up something for dinner and then finally back to the hotel.

Tomorrow is the Uffizi in the afternoon. I'm hoping to also fit in a visit to the Boboli Gardens, Palazzo Vecchio (inside this time), and the top of the Duomo. We'll see if I can squeeze it all in.

More Florence Odds and Ends

I now know where the kids who are too cool for school hang out in Florence. In the bar right next to the British Consulate. Coming back from dinner last night I walked right into a party that had spilled out into the street. Took me completely by surprise when I rounded the corner.

Everyone is just so damn stylish here. I really felt like a schlumpadinka walking through that party last night. Lots of skinny jeans with flats. Lots of scarfs and form fitting jackets. But I've seen a couple of trends that I just can't get on board with. First is the MC Hammer pants on women. In red, yellow, and black. Second, metallic gym shoes. Bright gold and silver. Those I've seen on both men and women. They just look like they should be part of a kid's Halloween costume.


I couldn't stop staring at the guy at the reception desk this afternoon. He was a dead ringer for the husband on Medium.

Joe - Where did you live when you were here? I've been trying to guess as I've walked around town. Feel free to leave any suggestions or site seeing tips since you are so familiar with Florence.

Florence Day 3

The weather was beautiful today. I rode the bus around again this morning for about an hour and picked up a few things I missed yesterday while I was gawking. Then I just walked for a few hours, weaving my way through the downtown area and checking out the shops.
As I was headed back to the hotel for a break, I noticed the doors were open to a church that were closed yesterday. When I walked back to check it out I found a courtyard, one olive tree in the middle, iris' blooming in the corners, and fresco's all around the perimeter. It was so quiet and peaceful back there. You could hardly hear the street traffic.

They upgraded my room for me at the hotel today free of charge. The new room is much nicer than the first. And large, too. In fact, I think the bathroom is bigger than my room in Rome.

Today's cooking class was much shorter than yesterday's. It only lasted about an hour, but I walked away with a new apron and a certificate. Today they wrapped and labeled what we made with my name on it - spinach ravioli and what I guess you would call a potato souffle. There must have been some mix up yesterday which is why I didn't get exactly what we made for dinner. He also showed me how to make zabaione (de-li-cios).

Here was tonight's menu -

Chicken liver pate on a crouton (I ate it)
Potato souffle with smoked cheese and tomato sauce (it was good!)
Spinach ravioli with brown butter and sage (it was great!)
tiramisu (it was good!)
Petit Four (it was good!)

Tomorrow I have reservations for the Accademia (the one with Michelangelo's David). The day after is the Uffizi. I also want to fit in the Boboli gardens. Hopefully the weather will holdout although I heard it is supposed to rain here tomorrow.

Dinner Tonight

My belly is so full. I went back to the hotel where the class was tonight for dinner. I didn't get exactly what we made this afternoon, but I didn't mind. Gave me a chance to taste more stuff. So here was the menu -

Prawn in pink sauce (it was good!)
Spagetthi in tomato sauce with basil (it was good!)
Lamb chops with grilled zuccinni, eggplant, and tomato (it was good!)
Some kind of dessert I can't pronounce and didn't recognize (it was good!)
Petit Fours (it was good!)

Since dinner was included with the class I wasn't sure what to do about the tip. Any suggestions for tomorrow night?

I figured out how to post pictures!

Florence Day 2

Started the day with the open top tour bus. If I had done that yesterday I would have known that just beyond the Piazza Michelangelo is a church that was around before Charlemagne conquered Italy. Now I'm going to have to climb that damn hill again. What else did I see? Galileo's house and the hill where he made his observations from. The hill where Leonardo da Vinci tested one of his 'flying machines'. The Santa Maria del Fiore (or as I like to think of it - the more is more church). Tons of other stuff. Now I have a much better idea of where everything is at.

This afternoon was also the first day of my cooking class. I thought I was signing up for a group thing where you make a little pasta, maybe some sauce, and then you eat it. You know, nothing too formal. What I got was a one on one class with one of Italy's top chefs complete with the little hat. We made three different dished today: homemade spaghetti with zucchini, lamb chops with potatoes and rosemary, and homemade ravioli with tomatoes and something that looked like an olive but tasted like a grape. The class lasted about 2 1/2 hours. I go back tonight for dinner and the same dishes (well, two of them) that we prepared this afternoon. Tomorrow is antipasto, another pasta dish, and dessert.

Florence Odds and Ends

Food update - Had penne with beef in a chianti sauce for lunch today. When the waiter came to take my plate away I thought he said "done". Apparently he said "dessert". So I had a piece of cheesecake, too.

Found the German version of American Idol on TV tonight. I'm watching some guy sing "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Asley. In English. The guy singing it is wearing a lavender shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest and he's throwing his hips around like a male stripper. Not that I would know what that looks like ;)

Florence Day 1

Goodbye, Rome. Hello Florence!

Took the train this morning to Florence. Met a couple from Austin who were waiting for the same train. They spent yesterday afternoon and evening in the Trastevere area where my walking tour was suppossed to be. Said it was a lot of fun and the food was the best they have had so far in Italy. I'm thinking about doing Venice as a day trip from Florence so I can go back to Rome. I really liked it there.

Not to dis Florence, though. It has a completely different vibe from Rome. It seems more cozy, less metropolitan. Lots and lots of people here. I walked from the hotel down by the river up to the Piazza Michelangelo. Great views from up there. Then I walked back through the Ponte Vecchio and the Piazza Signoria.

Scored a cheap (and tasty) sandwich across the street from the hotel for dinner. Only 2.50E. I'm going to have to find more deals like that if I want my money to last.

Even More Rome Odds and Ends

Apparently a grilled sausage sandwich means a split, grilled hot dog on a hamburger bun.

The weather today had to be 70+ degrees and the Italians are walking around in jackets and scarfs. Don't get me wrong, they look great, but I just don't get it. They have to be hot.

There are palm trees here. Lots of them tucked here and there. I was not expecting that.

Rome Day 4

Today didn't go quite as I had hoped. I decided to skip the 13 hour trip to Pompeii and instead made reservations yesterday for a walking tour of Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto. I was also waiting to hear back about a tour of the Borghese Museum (tickets are limited and I should have reserved them days ago). But the tour company called this morning and cancelled the walking tour because today is a holiday in Italy.

So I thought I would start the day with the get-on get-off bus tour I skipped on Tuesday and give my legs a break. Bought the ticket, got on the bus, Went a couple of miles, and then we stopped. We stopped about a 1/2 block from where my hotel is. Part of the tour route was blocked off for events associated with the holiday today. And they couldn't figure out how to reroute the bus.

While they were working out the new route I got off and had lunch at the place around the corner where I had some awesome lasagna the other night. Went back to my hotel room to check on the Borghese tickets and found out that was going to be a no go. By then (about 1 1/2 hours later) they had figured out the new route so I got back on the bus and rode it all afternoon. I really should have done that on the first day. There are areas that I have walked by several times not realizing what was just around the corner. I am definitely going to make that the first thing I do in the major cities.

I am completely overwhelmed by how much there is to see and do here. And I haven't even walked into a museum yet.

More Rome Odds and Ends

Another feral cat at the Colosseum. Some tourists from Asia were petting it and taking pictures.

Apparently I made a foreign hotel faux paux by taking my room key with me when I left for the day. I wondered why the key chain attached to it was so big.

And apparently I needed to go to Rome to get a date. I had dinner tonight with the guy I sat next to on the plane. He is an engineer from Venezuela, working for a Texas company that builds devices to measure seismic waves. He has been to Rome several times, working on some project for the government. Got a lot of good site seeing tips from him on the plane ride over.

Rome Day 3

Today was a guided tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman forum, and surrounding buildings. I walked down to the area where the group was meeting this morning on the backside of the Colosseum. It was a nice walk for the most part but now I know why it isn't recommended to stay near there. There isn't as much down there compared to where I am now. I am comfortable walking around my hotel at night. I wouldn't have been comfortable walking around the Colosseum at night.

We started the tour with Palatine Hill, the area where Romulus and Remus are said to be from and where the first king and first emperor of Rome lived. From Palatine Hill you have a great view of the Roman Forum. I could see the Senate building, where Julius Caesar's house was, where the Vestal Virgins lived, and a few other temples. We were able to walk down to the forum and get a closer look at some of the buildings. The area gets so much traffic that they closed it off and started charging an entrance fee a few months ago.

What did I learn today that I didn't know before? All of the important legal documents were stored in the basement of one of the temples except for wills. Those were recorded and stored by the Vestal Virgins. I also learned that Caesar wasn't killed at the Senate building in the forum. The Senate was undergoing renovations at the time and they had been using a building closer to the Area Sacra. You can't see where he was killed because the area has been built over. There was at one time a family living inside the ruins of the Colosseum. With houses and stables and other buildings all inside built on the ruins.

I have to say I found the Colosseum the least interesting part of the tour. Don't get me wrong, it was really cool to see. But the most interesting stuff to me about the Colosseum was the engineering below the main floor, and that is the one place they don't let you go anymore.

Rome Odds and Ends

I didn’t double check the specs on my laptop power cord against the converter I bought. The converter works great for the battery charger, but not my laptop. Fortunately the hotel has an extra adapter they are letting me use. Unfortunately it only plugs into the outlet in the bathroom. So I am sitting on the floor outside bathroom as I write this.

I'm having trouble with doors. On the train ride from the airport I couldn't figure out how to open the doors between cars. I was trying to pull them open without much success when someone behind me suggested pressing the green button. They slid right open.

Then I couldn't figure out how to open the door to my hotel room. Apparently you turn keys here to the left, not the right, to open a door.

And then there was the outside door to the hotel. It was already open when I first arrived. As I left for dinner they told me to just hit the button outside when I came back and they would let me in. So that's what I did. I hit the button, waited for the buzz, then pushed on the door. When the door wouldn't open, I hit the button again, waited for the buzz, and then tried pulling on the door. It still didn't open. So I hit the button for the third time and stood back. Sure enough the door opened on its own.

For those of you who wanted food updates, I’ve had a chance to try a pizza Margareta, a salami Panini, and lasagna Bolognese. No gelato yet. I’m saving that for after lunch tomorrow.

Rome Day 2

Walking, walking, and more walking again today. The weather was gorgeous, sunny with just a few clouds and not too hot. Today was mostly about the Vatican, but my first stop was the Pantheon. I wasn’t sure if there was anything to see inside when I went last night. You couldn’t tell because it was closed up and I wasn’t very hopefull given the condition of the outside. But the inside was beautiful - it is still an active church.

At the Vatican I started with St. Peters Square. There were people everywhere and the line to get inside was pretty long so I decided to head to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. Thanks to those of you who gave me a heads up about the location (around the back) and the best way to get in (with a tour group so you skip the line). The guide I had was great. She was an art history major so she could answer all sorts of questions.

What can I say about the Sistine Chapel other than you have to see it for yourself. We only had 15-20 minutes in the Chapel before the group had to move on. I could have laid down on the floor and stayed a whole lot longer. I feel sorry for the artists who did the side panels before Michaelangelo did the ceiling. His work makes them look like amateurs.

After walking through the church I went up to the top of the duomo. I wish I had taken a picture of the stairs you had to take to get to the top. Very narrow, very steep, and at one point you have to lean around the actual dome to get by. But the view at the top is definitely worth it.

Rome Day 1

I can't believe I am finally here. Rome has been both expected and unexpected. The farmland all around the airport was a surprise. The NY style graffiti in English was a surprise. There are more hills than I was expecting. And it's very humid. But it is absolutely beautiful. There isn't an ugly building in the city. Even the ones that look a little worn around the edges are gorgeous. Lots of balconeys, lots of flowers on the balconeys. Lot's of little streets with shops and restaurants.

The hotel I am staying in is in a great location - near Termini station, major bus lines, and the metro. But everything is within walking distance. And I did a lot of walking today. Saw the Piazza della Repubblica, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Area Sacra di Argentina, and lots of other fountains and statues. It's a little weird to see building, building, ancient ruins, building, ancient ruins.

I just couldn't stop staring at everything. But I must be doing an OK job fitting in because I was mistaken for an Italian on my way back to the hotel tonight. The guy seemed embarrassed to have made the mistake which I’m taking as a compliment.

Internet access is good at the hotel so I'll try to post more tomorrow (maybe some pictures, too, if I can figure that out. Right now I am off to bed.