A city with quite a past and quite a future. My first full day I set out on a walking tour of the city center. I had such a great experience in Prague, I decided to go with the same company in Berlin. It was just ok and confirmed my feeling that it really is the guide that makes or breaks the tour. This guide, Rob, was from Great Britain, and while the tour itself was good, I just didn't get much of his humour. So a lot of what Rob was trying to achieve was lost on me. Plus it was really hot and muggy. So much for heading north in search of cooler weather.
The next day was rainy, which only added to the mugginess, so I hit the museums. I made it to 4 before I crashed. I visited the Pergamon (lots of classical antiques focusing on the Greeks), The Neus Museum (home of the bust of Neferiti), The Altes Museum (lots of archeological treasures), and The Old National Gallery (paintings). It sure made for a busy day!
The next day I took a walking tour focusing on The Third Reich. The guide was very much an intellectual, which is fine except that the 4 hour tour took over 6 hours!! And it was supper hot. We saw some great sights and the guide was really knowledgeable but half the things he was talking about went over my head. We did visit The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It is a maze of over 2,000 concrete blocks of various heights. The architect (apparently the same one doing the Twin Towers Memorial) designed this memorial to be open to your own interpretation. It's meant to be a place of reflection.
The blocks were highest in the middle and lowest on the outside. My toughts: the middle felt very dark and depressing, like the whole world was closing in on top of you. But as you made your way to the outside, a sense of light and hope came over you. Almost as if you were overcoming the darkness that had just enveloped you. I have no idea if that is what others felt, but that was my interpretation.
We also visited the square of the notorious Nazi book burning in 1933. It was here that staff and students from the university threw 20,000 books the Nazis claimed were forbidden ina huge bonfire. On the square hangs a plaque with a quote from 1820 by a German poet Henrich Heine, "Where they burn books, at the end they also burn people." Those words were spoken over 100 years before the book burning. Kinda creepy.
Berlin was great with so much to see. I felt it was kind of like Rome in the sense that it is impossible to see everything in one trip. Berlin is definitely a place to keep coming back to. Now it is time to check out Poland.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Dresden, Germany
I went seeking some great treasures and I found them. Too bad I can't have any of them for myself.
Old Town Dresden was pretty much flattened during WWII and has now been rebuilt. Across the bridge the "New Town" wasn't even touched. The result is a look at two different worlds within one small town. The Old Town was rebuilt to look exactly as it was before the war, in the old Baroque architecture. Back to the days of Louis XIV and Augustus the Strong. The New Town was designed during Communist rule, and sure looks it. Stark concrete buildings with clean lines and no character. What a contrast to the other side of the bridge. While the architecture is interesting, the biggest draw for tourists are the jewels and treasures hidden in the Historic Green Vault and the New Vault.
The Historic Green Vault is a treasury collection started by Augustus the Strong in the early 1700's. Each room has a theme and displays the royal family's various treasures. There is the amber room, the ivory room, the silver rooms and the crown jewel rooms. I was drooling the whole way through.
Then came The New Vault with its much celebrated 6.2 carat green diamond, not to mention the mysterious way it just appeared in Germany, supposedly from India. Nobody seems to know how that happened. Lucky for Dresden. Wow, what an incredible piece of jewelry. I stood and stared for awhile, then had to come back for another look before I left. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed, but I did pick up a postcard with its picture on it. Just to see it was well worth the trip to Dresden.
Old Town Dresden was pretty much flattened during WWII and has now been rebuilt. Across the bridge the "New Town" wasn't even touched. The result is a look at two different worlds within one small town. The Old Town was rebuilt to look exactly as it was before the war, in the old Baroque architecture. Back to the days of Louis XIV and Augustus the Strong. The New Town was designed during Communist rule, and sure looks it. Stark concrete buildings with clean lines and no character. What a contrast to the other side of the bridge. While the architecture is interesting, the biggest draw for tourists are the jewels and treasures hidden in the Historic Green Vault and the New Vault.
The Historic Green Vault is a treasury collection started by Augustus the Strong in the early 1700's. Each room has a theme and displays the royal family's various treasures. There is the amber room, the ivory room, the silver rooms and the crown jewel rooms. I was drooling the whole way through.
Then came The New Vault with its much celebrated 6.2 carat green diamond, not to mention the mysterious way it just appeared in Germany, supposedly from India. Nobody seems to know how that happened. Lucky for Dresden. Wow, what an incredible piece of jewelry. I stood and stared for awhile, then had to come back for another look before I left. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed, but I did pick up a postcard with its picture on it. Just to see it was well worth the trip to Dresden.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Prague, Czech Republic
My first stop on this last leg of this year's journey. What a wonderful place to kick off this segment. I highly recommend adding this incredible city to your travel list!
I started my first full day there by taking a walking tour of the city. In my previous cities I had done the "Rick Steves do-it-yourself tours", mostly because it was off-season and many tour companies either weren't doing tours or were at a very limited selection. However, for Prague I decided to try the advertised group tour and I am SO glad I did!!
Amy, the guide, was absolutely incredible! Her knowledge, wit, and amazing awesomeness made this a great tour. So good, in fact, I ended up taking 2 more of her tours! We walked all over the "old city" of Prague, heard great legends and learned some new words, to boot.
My most memorable legend was of the theif and the virgin. The shortened version goes something like this, forgive me for I have forgotten parts of it, sorry Amy. There once was a theif, who had his eye on some prize (I have forgotten what) inside a church. As the theif was about to steal said prize, the statue of a virgin comes to life and grabs his arm, quite forcefully, then freezes back to her statue form. Now the theif is stuck. He can't escape the statue's grasp, so he has no choice but to wait until morning when the priest comes. The priest says the only way to free the theif is to cut off the arm. The theif is thinking the statue's arm, however it is the theif's arm they cut. We were told this legend while outside of said church. We were able to look inside the window and saw the theif's hand, fingers and all, dangling from the wall, as a reminder as to what happens when you steal. Pretty crazy!
The following day I walked the Charles Bridge and visited the Lennon Wall. John Lennon's words and ideas gave the people of Prague hope and a vision during a very dark time. It was moving to see the impact Lennon had on the people here. Then I revisited the Jewish Quarter, the Pinkas Synagogue in particular, a memorial to the victims of the Nazis. The inside walls of the synagogue are covered with the names of over 77,000 Czech Jews who were sent to the gas chambers at various concentration camps. Each name is hand painted along with the person's hometown, birthdate, and last known date alive. Talk about Powerful! The feeling of awe and reflextion were incredible. Upstairs is the Terrezin Children's Art Exhibit showing artwork by children who were imprisioned at the Terrezin concentration camp.
The next day was a tour of Kutna Hora and the bone church. The story of the bone church is another of too many bones and not enough space.It originally served as a normal cemetery, but the plague of the 14th century and the wars of the 15th century added too many. Eventually a family came to own the church and burial grounds. They comissiomed an artist to help fulfill their vision of wanting to memoralize the living as well as the dead.The artist used the bones of 40,000 people to decorate the church. There are garlands made of skulls, bones were used to create the family crest, and a chandelier rumored to include every bone in the human body. Once you get past the morality of it all, it is prerty cool.
I started my first full day there by taking a walking tour of the city. In my previous cities I had done the "Rick Steves do-it-yourself tours", mostly because it was off-season and many tour companies either weren't doing tours or were at a very limited selection. However, for Prague I decided to try the advertised group tour and I am SO glad I did!!
Amy, the guide, was absolutely incredible! Her knowledge, wit, and amazing awesomeness made this a great tour. So good, in fact, I ended up taking 2 more of her tours! We walked all over the "old city" of Prague, heard great legends and learned some new words, to boot.
My most memorable legend was of the theif and the virgin. The shortened version goes something like this, forgive me for I have forgotten parts of it, sorry Amy. There once was a theif, who had his eye on some prize (I have forgotten what) inside a church. As the theif was about to steal said prize, the statue of a virgin comes to life and grabs his arm, quite forcefully, then freezes back to her statue form. Now the theif is stuck. He can't escape the statue's grasp, so he has no choice but to wait until morning when the priest comes. The priest says the only way to free the theif is to cut off the arm. The theif is thinking the statue's arm, however it is the theif's arm they cut. We were told this legend while outside of said church. We were able to look inside the window and saw the theif's hand, fingers and all, dangling from the wall, as a reminder as to what happens when you steal. Pretty crazy!
The following day I walked the Charles Bridge and visited the Lennon Wall. John Lennon's words and ideas gave the people of Prague hope and a vision during a very dark time. It was moving to see the impact Lennon had on the people here. Then I revisited the Jewish Quarter, the Pinkas Synagogue in particular, a memorial to the victims of the Nazis. The inside walls of the synagogue are covered with the names of over 77,000 Czech Jews who were sent to the gas chambers at various concentration camps. Each name is hand painted along with the person's hometown, birthdate, and last known date alive. Talk about Powerful! The feeling of awe and reflextion were incredible. Upstairs is the Terrezin Children's Art Exhibit showing artwork by children who were imprisioned at the Terrezin concentration camp.
The next day was a tour of Kutna Hora and the bone church. The story of the bone church is another of too many bones and not enough space.It originally served as a normal cemetery, but the plague of the 14th century and the wars of the 15th century added too many. Eventually a family came to own the church and burial grounds. They comissiomed an artist to help fulfill their vision of wanting to memoralize the living as well as the dead.The artist used the bones of 40,000 people to decorate the church. There are garlands made of skulls, bones were used to create the family crest, and a chandelier rumored to include every bone in the human body. Once you get past the morality of it all, it is prerty cool.
recap since last post
So much has happened since I last wrote. Here's the quick version - spent Christmas in Rome, got sick before the New Year in Sorrento, was miserable, had an interesting experience with Italian medicine, flew home, spent Jan in the States, saw friends and family, spent time at the cabin, was able to get refreshed and grounded again and was ready for more traveling. I flew back to Italy, spent 3 weeks WWOOFing in Umbria - strange experience, survived the coldest temps in 30 years and the most snowfall in 40 years, lived with a type A Italian momma, 3 very rude boys and a guy who had to work in England for 10 days, yet I survived! I realized I liked the flexibility of coming and going that came with my travels, so I set out for another 3 weeks traveling around Italy. I revisited Florence and Sienna, went to Cortona, Assissi, and Cinque Terre, then made my way to Slovenia, spent time in Ljubljana and Lake Bled - beautiful!, was on a train to Coatia when everything changed. Long story short, I had overstayed my welcome in the EU (you are only allowed 90 days in a 6 month period without a visa) SO after getting pulled off the train, an embarrassing breakdown in front of the officer, filling out paperwork and paying a very hefty fine, I was allowed back ona train to Croatia. Meanwhile, I was making new plans for the next 3 months, until I was able to return to the EU.
In Croatia I visited Zagreb and Plivitce Lakes National Park. I had lots of fun walking between all the waterfalls and had time to think and reflect, then it was off to Istanbul. Istanbul was a challenge. I was not prepared for the aggressiveness of the people and found the area turned me into a bitter and rude traveler. I tried to sightsee, spent a long day with a soon-to-be stalker, bought an expensive carpet, and tried to avoid people. After a week in Istanbul, I was ready to come home. I flew to Boston and spent 2 weeks with Kitty and the family, including Easter at Big Indian! Then I returned to CO for 2 1/2 months, subbing until school let out, went to a good friend's wedding, saw lots of old friends, and planned this next Euro trip. Next up is 5 weeks in Eastern Europe finishing up travels I was supposed to do this past spring.
In Croatia I visited Zagreb and Plivitce Lakes National Park. I had lots of fun walking between all the waterfalls and had time to think and reflect, then it was off to Istanbul. Istanbul was a challenge. I was not prepared for the aggressiveness of the people and found the area turned me into a bitter and rude traveler. I tried to sightsee, spent a long day with a soon-to-be stalker, bought an expensive carpet, and tried to avoid people. After a week in Istanbul, I was ready to come home. I flew to Boston and spent 2 weeks with Kitty and the family, including Easter at Big Indian! Then I returned to CO for 2 1/2 months, subbing until school let out, went to a good friend's wedding, saw lots of old friends, and planned this next Euro trip. Next up is 5 weeks in Eastern Europe finishing up travels I was supposed to do this past spring.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Florence, Italy
Ahhhh, Florence. Even though it rained the entire time I was in Florence, this city really got a hold of me. Well, what do you do when it rains? You hit a museum. The Academia was first up, where I got to look into the eyes of Michelangelo's David. Okay, I couldn't exactly look it in the eye, but you get the idea. I had seen pictures of this sculpture before, but was utterly struck by its massive size. I had no idea it was that large, 17 feet tall. It looked so life like. No wonder it is considered a masterpiece. I just stood back in awe for some time, taking it all in.
Next up was the Duomo (the cathedral of Santa Maria), mostly to escape the rain that had started up again, but also to see the famous dome - the first Renaissance dome. It was pretty incredible, I must say. The next morning I took advantage of a break in the rain to wander through the area. Kiosks lined the streets selling wraps, souvenirs, and anything leather - shoes, bags, wallet, jackets, and more. I worked my way down to the Uffitzi Gallery filled with paintings and sculptures by Italian artists. I found a couple of pieces by Titan that caught my eye. I have no idea which ones they were now, because by the time I left most of the pieces were all swimming together in my head. Botticellis was a new Italian artist for me and I found I liked his work, but Raphael's paintings just didn't appeal to me. I don't know nearly enough about art to explain why. Maybe I should learn some more.
Of course, it was raining again so I stopped by Galileo's Science Museum. It gave a chronological view of innovations in science from 1000 to 1900. It was pretty interesting even if I had no idea what most of the contraptions were or how they worked. This museum was an interesting switch from the Uffitzi Gallery, for sure.
I rounded out my trip to Florence with a day trip to Pisa. I couldn't be a "tourist" in Italy without seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I pulled into town and realized there was some sort of big running race going on and the route went right by the tower. I managed to wind my way around the barricades to the tower. I can't believe this thing is still standing. It looks so unstable; it's like an incredible Jenga feat, looking like it could topple over any second, but somehow managing to stay upright.
The views from the top of the tower were Incredible!! That is once you got used to the leaning feeling up top. You could feel the tilt as you walked around the rim of the tower. And the walk down the stairs was a trip! I didn't feel anything going up the stairs, but coming down I felt really off kilter and was a little disoriented by the bottom. I was glad to get my 2 feet on level ground again.
Next up was the Duomo (the cathedral of Santa Maria), mostly to escape the rain that had started up again, but also to see the famous dome - the first Renaissance dome. It was pretty incredible, I must say. The next morning I took advantage of a break in the rain to wander through the area. Kiosks lined the streets selling wraps, souvenirs, and anything leather - shoes, bags, wallet, jackets, and more. I worked my way down to the Uffitzi Gallery filled with paintings and sculptures by Italian artists. I found a couple of pieces by Titan that caught my eye. I have no idea which ones they were now, because by the time I left most of the pieces were all swimming together in my head. Botticellis was a new Italian artist for me and I found I liked his work, but Raphael's paintings just didn't appeal to me. I don't know nearly enough about art to explain why. Maybe I should learn some more.
Of course, it was raining again so I stopped by Galileo's Science Museum. It gave a chronological view of innovations in science from 1000 to 1900. It was pretty interesting even if I had no idea what most of the contraptions were or how they worked. This museum was an interesting switch from the Uffitzi Gallery, for sure.
I rounded out my trip to Florence with a day trip to Pisa. I couldn't be a "tourist" in Italy without seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I pulled into town and realized there was some sort of big running race going on and the route went right by the tower. I managed to wind my way around the barricades to the tower. I can't believe this thing is still standing. It looks so unstable; it's like an incredible Jenga feat, looking like it could topple over any second, but somehow managing to stay upright.
The views from the top of the tower were Incredible!! That is once you got used to the leaning feeling up top. You could feel the tilt as you walked around the rim of the tower. And the walk down the stairs was a trip! I didn't feel anything going up the stairs, but coming down I felt really off kilter and was a little disoriented by the bottom. I was glad to get my 2 feet on level ground again.
Verona, Italy
Even if there wasn't a real Romeo and Juliet, I had to make this town a stop on my journey. There's not much to the town, just another old time Italian village. But Shakespeare put it on the map and they are milking it for all it's worth. There is a lot more history to this town, but everyone seems comes because of the connection to the star-crossed lovers.
I didn't have a reservation for a hotel, so once I got into town, I took time to wander for awhile. Being mid-December the Christmas markets were up in many of the bigger squares. After about an hour of wandering I settled on a nice hotel by the Roman arena. It was in the old town area and near many sites. After checking in and ditching the pack, it was off to explore a little more before the sun went down. The next day I toured the arena. It was pretty cool, especially if you visualize it in its prime. But I knew I still had the Colosseum in Rome on my list. We will see how this one compares to its big brother in Rome. No comparison, I'm sure, but still a cool experience. I took Rick Steve's guided walk through Verona which took me by the major streets and squares, as well as down some of the more quaint, lesser known streets.
Of course, I had to stop at Juliet's balcony. Legend has it this is the real balcony of Juliet, but there wasn't an official Capulet family in Verona, so who knows? Still loads of tourists come to see the balcony anyways. In the courtyard there is a bronze statue of Juliet. Tradition has it if you rub the breast of Juliet's statue it will help you find a lover. I don't know about that, but it does feel really weird posing for a picture with your hand on the breast of a statue. Can't say I've ever done that before. Oh well, they say "When in Rome, . . . " Wait, I'm not in Rome yet.
I didn't have a reservation for a hotel, so once I got into town, I took time to wander for awhile. Being mid-December the Christmas markets were up in many of the bigger squares. After about an hour of wandering I settled on a nice hotel by the Roman arena. It was in the old town area and near many sites. After checking in and ditching the pack, it was off to explore a little more before the sun went down. The next day I toured the arena. It was pretty cool, especially if you visualize it in its prime. But I knew I still had the Colosseum in Rome on my list. We will see how this one compares to its big brother in Rome. No comparison, I'm sure, but still a cool experience. I took Rick Steve's guided walk through Verona which took me by the major streets and squares, as well as down some of the more quaint, lesser known streets.
Of course, I had to stop at Juliet's balcony. Legend has it this is the real balcony of Juliet, but there wasn't an official Capulet family in Verona, so who knows? Still loads of tourists come to see the balcony anyways. In the courtyard there is a bronze statue of Juliet. Tradition has it if you rub the breast of Juliet's statue it will help you find a lover. I don't know about that, but it does feel really weird posing for a picture with your hand on the breast of a statue. Can't say I've ever done that before. Oh well, they say "When in Rome, . . . " Wait, I'm not in Rome yet.
Venice, Italy
Ahhh, Venice! A place where if you walk anywhere, you know you will get lost, no map gives every street name, most streets change names at random points, and the vapertto can take you up and down the Grand Canal. My first day I took the scenic ride down the canal just taking it all in, then it was off to St. Mark's square and Basilica. I can just imagine the square packed with tourists and music. It is such a different sight in the winter. There were only a few people strolling about and those that were standing were finding patches of sun. I could walk diagonally across the square without running into anyone. You can't do that in the summer!
My next stop was the Doge's Palace - the place where the duke of Italy used to live. The glass chandeliers were like nothing I had ever seen before. Venice is known for its glass making and I can see why. It is just beautiful!
The next day I went to the Rialto Bridge and walked through their open market. Buying food out here is so different. In the States many people go to a big supermarket and get everything they need in one place. Out here the market is filled with individual stands, each one specializing in something. You go to one stand for your fruit and veggies, another for fish, another for cheese, another for meats, and so on. It's like a farmer's market everyday.
Next up was a look at paintings by Bellini and Titian. I am really liking Titian. Then it was off to get lost in the back neighborhoods. Wandering for the sake of wandering which is a little trickier while holding your own umbrella and trying to dodge others' umbrellas down the very narrow alleyways of Venice. I just kept following the crowds of people knowing they would eventually lead me somewhere. And they did, to the bus station. As I spotted the buses and cars, I was hit with how out of place it all seemed. I had just spent the last few days without a car in sight. In Venice, you walk or take a boat, there are no cars. They even have police and ambulance boats, trash barges, boats for freight, and of course the boats for people. I knew this about Venice, but hadn't stopped to put two and two together until I was standing at the bus station. Weird.
While Venice has been amazing, I can't wait to see more of Italy. Verona is next on the list. In the spirit of Romeo and Juliet I had to make this a stop.
My next stop was the Doge's Palace - the place where the duke of Italy used to live. The glass chandeliers were like nothing I had ever seen before. Venice is known for its glass making and I can see why. It is just beautiful!
The next day I went to the Rialto Bridge and walked through their open market. Buying food out here is so different. In the States many people go to a big supermarket and get everything they need in one place. Out here the market is filled with individual stands, each one specializing in something. You go to one stand for your fruit and veggies, another for fish, another for cheese, another for meats, and so on. It's like a farmer's market everyday.
Next up was a look at paintings by Bellini and Titian. I am really liking Titian. Then it was off to get lost in the back neighborhoods. Wandering for the sake of wandering which is a little trickier while holding your own umbrella and trying to dodge others' umbrellas down the very narrow alleyways of Venice. I just kept following the crowds of people knowing they would eventually lead me somewhere. And they did, to the bus station. As I spotted the buses and cars, I was hit with how out of place it all seemed. I had just spent the last few days without a car in sight. In Venice, you walk or take a boat, there are no cars. They even have police and ambulance boats, trash barges, boats for freight, and of course the boats for people. I knew this about Venice, but hadn't stopped to put two and two together until I was standing at the bus station. Weird.
While Venice has been amazing, I can't wait to see more of Italy. Verona is next on the list. In the spirit of Romeo and Juliet I had to make this a stop.
Lyon, France
I got to Lyon during their annual Festival of Lights - a 4-day party filled with lights in celebration of the Virgin Mary. I arrived at the train station, not knowing about the festival, thinking I would just find the metro - not usually hard from the train station - look at the map of the trams, find the one I needed and be off. I had a very limited map of the town, I knew which metro stop I needed, and had walking directions to the hostel from there. I was going to pick up a better map of Lyon at the hostel. That should have been enough, right? Not during the festival, it's not. It took me over an hour and a half to get from the train station to the hostel, including 2 Very Long lines for the Metro, a cabbie laughing when I told him where I wanted to go - they had shut down the center of town and no traffic could go in or out, and yet another long line for the funicular (gondola) up the hill.
By the time I finally got to the hostel, the last thing I wanted was to leave again, but I did need to find some dinner. However, I decided I was done with metros and funiculars for the night. I set off on foot to find a restaurant. I was in luck, there was a good looking place at the bottom of the hill, which meant a walk back uphill after dinner. On the way back, I caught a little piece of the amazing light show. From my spot up on the hill, I could also see the thousands of people that were in town for the Festival. Wow!!
The next day I saw the Notre Dame Basilica in Lyon and The Roman Theatre. They were both pretty cool, but I knew I was off to Rome soon and would see more. Most of my time in Lyon was spent wandering around Vieux Lyon (Old Town) and fighting the crowds. This is what traveling during the summer months must be like. I think I will stick with my off-season travels, thank you! Next stop - Venice!
By the time I finally got to the hostel, the last thing I wanted was to leave again, but I did need to find some dinner. However, I decided I was done with metros and funiculars for the night. I set off on foot to find a restaurant. I was in luck, there was a good looking place at the bottom of the hill, which meant a walk back uphill after dinner. On the way back, I caught a little piece of the amazing light show. From my spot up on the hill, I could also see the thousands of people that were in town for the Festival. Wow!!
The next day I saw the Notre Dame Basilica in Lyon and The Roman Theatre. They were both pretty cool, but I knew I was off to Rome soon and would see more. Most of my time in Lyon was spent wandering around Vieux Lyon (Old Town) and fighting the crowds. This is what traveling during the summer months must be like. I think I will stick with my off-season travels, thank you! Next stop - Venice!
Nice, France
Ahhhh, the French Riviera. Oh, but wait. While on the train this morning, I discovered I left my ipod at the hostel in Carcassonne. I know exactly where I left it, too, on top of the storage cupboard next to the top bunk I was on. Now what? Well, I could have them mail it to Rome - my home base for the holidays, but then I won't have it for the next month and I don't know where I am staying yet in Rome (the nice part of traveling off season, no need to make reservations anywhere). I could just buy a new one, but my itunes is on the laptop in Colorado and my tablet won't let me download itunes, so that means Mom would have to download the music from my laptop to the new ipod and then send that out to me. Or I could spend and extra day taking a train back to Carcassonne after Nice, before I head to Lyon. I decide this is the best option. Now to enjoy Nice.
The hotel I wanted to stay in was closed until January, so I went to the hostel instead, which took me through some rough looking neighborhoods. Not what I would have expected to see in The Riviera. I had envisioned the whole Riviera as a ritzy, glam area. While there is that, for sure, it also has its rough spots. I just made sure to find the bigger streets to get to my destinations after dark.
I took a stroll up and down the main drag which is lined with shops I expected to find here - Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, etc. Then I headed for the promenade. I walked most of the 4 mile stretch just taking it all in. The beach is very different, all rocks and no sand, so I stayed up on the promenade.
The next day was a day trip to Monaco. I started in the area known as Monacoville (a relation to Whoville perhaps?) where I got to see the Prince's palace, then the cathedral. Yes, I have seen a lot of cathedrals, but this is the one where Grace Kelly wed Prince Rainier. The current prince of Monaco is their son, Albert. I walked through a cool garden on my way down the hill to the waterfront. No beaches here, just a harbor filled with some really big boats. I walked through the Christmas Market on the waterfront. Lots of good food to choose from, then did some people watching at the ice rink that had been set up. There were a few pretty good skaters out there, teenagers mostly, which made me wonder what their school schedule is like, seeing as it was 1:30 on a Wednesday afternoon in the beginning of December and the rink was filled with young teens. Hmmmmm?
Next up was to check out the casino. You can't come to Monaco and not see the casino. Although, due to the dress code (I dressed as nice as I could, but living out of a backpack limits my choices) and the fact that I am not a serious gambler (one look at our friendly poker nights with friends will attest to that) I just stayed in the front area with the slots. Besides, it was way too early for the big spenders to be playing in the back areas anyways. Besides, you had to pay a cover charge to get back there, even just to look around without gambling. After losing my 20 Euros (the limit I had set for myself) I was forced to call it an afternoon and head back to Nice.
Once back in Nice, I took a short stroll down the promenade to watch the sunset. I love seeing sunsets from such wonderful places. The next day it was back to Carcassonne to collect the ipod, stay the night, then head to Lyon, my last stop in France.
The hotel I wanted to stay in was closed until January, so I went to the hostel instead, which took me through some rough looking neighborhoods. Not what I would have expected to see in The Riviera. I had envisioned the whole Riviera as a ritzy, glam area. While there is that, for sure, it also has its rough spots. I just made sure to find the bigger streets to get to my destinations after dark.
I took a stroll up and down the main drag which is lined with shops I expected to find here - Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, etc. Then I headed for the promenade. I walked most of the 4 mile stretch just taking it all in. The beach is very different, all rocks and no sand, so I stayed up on the promenade.
The next day was a day trip to Monaco. I started in the area known as Monacoville (a relation to Whoville perhaps?) where I got to see the Prince's palace, then the cathedral. Yes, I have seen a lot of cathedrals, but this is the one where Grace Kelly wed Prince Rainier. The current prince of Monaco is their son, Albert. I walked through a cool garden on my way down the hill to the waterfront. No beaches here, just a harbor filled with some really big boats. I walked through the Christmas Market on the waterfront. Lots of good food to choose from, then did some people watching at the ice rink that had been set up. There were a few pretty good skaters out there, teenagers mostly, which made me wonder what their school schedule is like, seeing as it was 1:30 on a Wednesday afternoon in the beginning of December and the rink was filled with young teens. Hmmmmm?
Next up was to check out the casino. You can't come to Monaco and not see the casino. Although, due to the dress code (I dressed as nice as I could, but living out of a backpack limits my choices) and the fact that I am not a serious gambler (one look at our friendly poker nights with friends will attest to that) I just stayed in the front area with the slots. Besides, it was way too early for the big spenders to be playing in the back areas anyways. Besides, you had to pay a cover charge to get back there, even just to look around without gambling. After losing my 20 Euros (the limit I had set for myself) I was forced to call it an afternoon and head back to Nice.
Once back in Nice, I took a short stroll down the promenade to watch the sunset. I love seeing sunsets from such wonderful places. The next day it was back to Carcassonne to collect the ipod, stay the night, then head to Lyon, my last stop in France.
Carcassone, France
There wasn't much to this medieval city, except a long walk uphill to get to the hostel. I walked the walls of the old town, passed way too many souvenir shops, and ate some forgettable food. I stayed in La Cite (the old part of town atop the hill) hoping to get wrapped up in the medieval Renaissance. It didn't work for me. Oh well, it was really just a stop over between Spain and The French Riviera. Maybe I have just seen enough cobbled streets, fortress walls, and stones from the 14th century on this trip. Time to move on to the next town. :)
Barcelona, Spain
Note to self - night trains are better than night buses, but still not all that great. My train car had 2 sets of bunks and nothing else. The bunks were so low that you couldn't sit up, so your only choices were to lie down (for the entire trip) or go to the dinning car. But what to do with your luggage? Leave it and risk it not being there when you return, or lug it with you to the dinning car through aisles that are not wide enough for you to wear the pack which means you are carrying it in front of you. I stayed in the bunk and attempted to read. My neck is a little cramped now.
My hostel said they were on the beach and they are! After finding the hostel and dropping the pack off, it was off to see the city. I strolled through the central square and main street, and sat in the sun at Placa de Catalunya. Evidently this is also where many of the homeless come for sunshine as I saw several throughout the square. Then I strolled through the neighborhoods to the cathedral. The rest of the afternoon was spent sitting on the beach watching the sun go down and trying to avoid the people walking the beach selling sarongs and the Asian women selling massages. I think they were foot and lower leg massages, but I wasn't going to find out. Besides, I think I am beginning to rival Kitty in the leg hair department. :) But I wear pants everyday and the hostel showers are not very conducive to shaving your legs. There are times I fight just to get the shampoo out of my hair, let alone try to shave. Kitty, you would be proud!
The next day was a packed one. Seeing as it was the first Sunday of the month, many of the city's sites were free, which also means they will be crowded. I started with Sangrada Familia (Holy Family Church), which turned out to be my favorite church I have seen. It was mostly built and designed by Antonio Gaudi; this church was different than most of the others I have seen. Most churches are dark and cold and many smell dusty. The Sangrada Familia was bright and warm, very light and modern in design. This is, in part, due to Gaudi's plan for the church. He wanted to incorporate light into the building, in many different ways. And the church isn't even completed yet. Gaudi started it in 1883. The construction continues and is expected to continue for another 25 years. Just amazing! I want to come back when it's finished to see the completed vision.
The afternoon was spent at the Picasso Museum, fighting the long line to get in and the crowds inside. The museum took a chronological look at Picasso and his work. I found I liked Picasso's earlier works, mostly portraits done when he was 13, better than his later work. I guess I am just not one for abstract art.
So, with that, I said Adios to Spain (at least for now), and traveled back to France where another language switch awaited.
My hostel said they were on the beach and they are! After finding the hostel and dropping the pack off, it was off to see the city. I strolled through the central square and main street, and sat in the sun at Placa de Catalunya. Evidently this is also where many of the homeless come for sunshine as I saw several throughout the square. Then I strolled through the neighborhoods to the cathedral. The rest of the afternoon was spent sitting on the beach watching the sun go down and trying to avoid the people walking the beach selling sarongs and the Asian women selling massages. I think they were foot and lower leg massages, but I wasn't going to find out. Besides, I think I am beginning to rival Kitty in the leg hair department. :) But I wear pants everyday and the hostel showers are not very conducive to shaving your legs. There are times I fight just to get the shampoo out of my hair, let alone try to shave. Kitty, you would be proud!
The next day was a packed one. Seeing as it was the first Sunday of the month, many of the city's sites were free, which also means they will be crowded. I started with Sangrada Familia (Holy Family Church), which turned out to be my favorite church I have seen. It was mostly built and designed by Antonio Gaudi; this church was different than most of the others I have seen. Most churches are dark and cold and many smell dusty. The Sangrada Familia was bright and warm, very light and modern in design. This is, in part, due to Gaudi's plan for the church. He wanted to incorporate light into the building, in many different ways. And the church isn't even completed yet. Gaudi started it in 1883. The construction continues and is expected to continue for another 25 years. Just amazing! I want to come back when it's finished to see the completed vision.
The afternoon was spent at the Picasso Museum, fighting the long line to get in and the crowds inside. The museum took a chronological look at Picasso and his work. I found I liked Picasso's earlier works, mostly portraits done when he was 13, better than his later work. I guess I am just not one for abstract art.
So, with that, I said Adios to Spain (at least for now), and traveled back to France where another language switch awaited.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sevilla, Cordoba, and Granada, Spain
Southern Spain - so much to see in such a short time. I grouped these three together since I only stayed one night in each town.
I took the night bus from Lisbon to Sevilla (they didn't have a train). It didn't make for a very good night's sleep and I got into Sevilla at 5:30am. I had directions to the hostel (hoping to drop off the pack and get organized for the day), so I decided I could walk, even if it was early in the morning. I got about 1/2 block and reason set it (more like I heard mom freaking out because I walked that early in the morning in the dark). I turned around and got a taxi to the hostel. I was able to store my bag and crashed for about 2 hours on the couch in the common room. The best sleep I had all night.
Then it was off to lose myself in the neighborhoods for awhile. I spent the afternoon in the cathedral. It's in the Guiness Book of World Records for having the largest area. And that it does. The organ has 7,000 pipes (hence the random picture I found on my camera later). And I couldn't leave without a picture of Columbus's tomb. I mean, Columbus was a true hero - at least wasn't that what they taught us in our American schools? In the treasury I found a statue with a golden crown filled with jewels, including the world's largest pearl. It sounds to me like Sevilla is trying really hard to compete with more famous cities like Madrid and Barcelona by putting itself on the map somehow.
My next stop was Cordoba. With its orange tree lined streets, I couldn't help but think of Rick and I picking oranges from Grandmommie's orange tree in the backyard. Both of us climbing to the highest branches we could, to reach the oranges.
Cordoba's biggest attraction is the Mezquita, a mosque turned cathedral. The mosque survives on the outer portions of the building while smack in the middle is the cathedral. It was very interesting to walk through both parts comparing and contrasting the two styles. Light, dark, lively, reflective, loud, quiet, muted, colorful. Interesting.
Then it was off to Granada. You can really see the Moorish/Islamic influence in this town. The walkways to the hostel were lined with Islamic shops with incense burning and hookahs going. The first day I toured the town, saw the statue of Columbus and Queen Isabel, and spent some time people watching from Plaza Nueva. Then it was off to the Royal Chapel and the tombs of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel. Next was the cathedral (yes, another one). I think I am about cathedraled out.
The next day was the Alhambra, what brings most people to Granada. The greatest part about traveling in the off season - no ticket lines or reservations needed for the big sights. I just walked up, got my ticket (there was only one other person in line) and walked right onto the grounds. Amazing! Especially since this great Moorish palace is said to get 8,000 visitors a day.
There were four parts to the Alhambra. My favorite was the Palacios Nazaries - the Moorish palace. The Generalife Gardens were great, but it had started to drizzle. Not a good thing when you are walking outside through gardens.
I was on the night train to Barcelona, so I spent the rest of the late afternoon and evening chilling in the common room of the hostel. I met Gabe who lives in Berkely and is interested in moving to Colorado. He had been working for his uncle in Portugal in construction and had been traveling around. We had a great, long conversation about life. He was debating on going back to Morroco where he met and fell for a girl in the Peace Corp, or traveling to Colorado. I think by the end of the conversation I had him convinced to come to Colorado. And as much as it pained me, he had Boulder written all over him. I tried to sell him on the merits of Fort Collins, but I think he is just a Boulderite by heart.
And then I almost missed my train! Stupid 24 hour clock, it messes me up every time! Thanks Rick, for pushing me to check my departure time and do the math again. I sprang for the taxi instead of walking to the station and made it. Thank you, bro!
I took the night bus from Lisbon to Sevilla (they didn't have a train). It didn't make for a very good night's sleep and I got into Sevilla at 5:30am. I had directions to the hostel (hoping to drop off the pack and get organized for the day), so I decided I could walk, even if it was early in the morning. I got about 1/2 block and reason set it (more like I heard mom freaking out because I walked that early in the morning in the dark). I turned around and got a taxi to the hostel. I was able to store my bag and crashed for about 2 hours on the couch in the common room. The best sleep I had all night.
Then it was off to lose myself in the neighborhoods for awhile. I spent the afternoon in the cathedral. It's in the Guiness Book of World Records for having the largest area. And that it does. The organ has 7,000 pipes (hence the random picture I found on my camera later). And I couldn't leave without a picture of Columbus's tomb. I mean, Columbus was a true hero - at least wasn't that what they taught us in our American schools? In the treasury I found a statue with a golden crown filled with jewels, including the world's largest pearl. It sounds to me like Sevilla is trying really hard to compete with more famous cities like Madrid and Barcelona by putting itself on the map somehow.
My next stop was Cordoba. With its orange tree lined streets, I couldn't help but think of Rick and I picking oranges from Grandmommie's orange tree in the backyard. Both of us climbing to the highest branches we could, to reach the oranges.
Cordoba's biggest attraction is the Mezquita, a mosque turned cathedral. The mosque survives on the outer portions of the building while smack in the middle is the cathedral. It was very interesting to walk through both parts comparing and contrasting the two styles. Light, dark, lively, reflective, loud, quiet, muted, colorful. Interesting.
Then it was off to Granada. You can really see the Moorish/Islamic influence in this town. The walkways to the hostel were lined with Islamic shops with incense burning and hookahs going. The first day I toured the town, saw the statue of Columbus and Queen Isabel, and spent some time people watching from Plaza Nueva. Then it was off to the Royal Chapel and the tombs of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel. Next was the cathedral (yes, another one). I think I am about cathedraled out.
The next day was the Alhambra, what brings most people to Granada. The greatest part about traveling in the off season - no ticket lines or reservations needed for the big sights. I just walked up, got my ticket (there was only one other person in line) and walked right onto the grounds. Amazing! Especially since this great Moorish palace is said to get 8,000 visitors a day.
There were four parts to the Alhambra. My favorite was the Palacios Nazaries - the Moorish palace. The Generalife Gardens were great, but it had started to drizzle. Not a good thing when you are walking outside through gardens.
I was on the night train to Barcelona, so I spent the rest of the late afternoon and evening chilling in the common room of the hostel. I met Gabe who lives in Berkely and is interested in moving to Colorado. He had been working for his uncle in Portugal in construction and had been traveling around. We had a great, long conversation about life. He was debating on going back to Morroco where he met and fell for a girl in the Peace Corp, or traveling to Colorado. I think by the end of the conversation I had him convinced to come to Colorado. And as much as it pained me, he had Boulder written all over him. I tried to sell him on the merits of Fort Collins, but I think he is just a Boulderite by heart.
And then I almost missed my train! Stupid 24 hour clock, it messes me up every time! Thanks Rick, for pushing me to check my departure time and do the math again. I sprang for the taxi instead of walking to the station and made it. Thank you, bro!
Lisbon, Portugal
Another long day of traveling, this time by bus. I like trains much better than busses I am finding out. I get into town and find a taxi, my limited map didn't even show where my hostel was, so there was no way I could walk there. I showed the name of the hostel and the address to the driver and he has no idea where it is. Great! He asks another cabbie, gets directions, and we are off. We had to stop 3 different times for more directions, but he finally got me there.
The hostel may have been hard to find, but it was well worth it. One of the best I have stayed in. The staff was so friendly, introducing themselves and remembering my name when they greeted me each time they saw me. The common room was filled with people coming and going and willing to talk with others. The hostel has 3 buildings in the area and that night they had all 3 chefs together creating various Italian dishes for dinner that night. It was a great night, and I had a 4-person room all to myself.
Lisbon is very similar to San Francisco. It's very hilly, the bridge looks like the Golden Gate (same builders I found out), and it even has trollies. The town is on the water, but doesn't have the wharfs and piers of San Fran; no sea lions either.
The main touristy area was leveld in the 1755 earthquake - another similarity to San Fran. When they rebuilt the area, they fit it to a nice grid making it very easy to get around. The other touristy area I visited was much harder to navigate. Streets that twist and turn and change names frequently, hills that seem to end, but don't, and a map that didn't list all the steets made this area a challenge.
I may have only gotten to see one city in Portugal, however my bus ride showed me a lot of the country itself.
The hostel may have been hard to find, but it was well worth it. One of the best I have stayed in. The staff was so friendly, introducing themselves and remembering my name when they greeted me each time they saw me. The common room was filled with people coming and going and willing to talk with others. The hostel has 3 buildings in the area and that night they had all 3 chefs together creating various Italian dishes for dinner that night. It was a great night, and I had a 4-person room all to myself.
Lisbon is very similar to San Francisco. It's very hilly, the bridge looks like the Golden Gate (same builders I found out), and it even has trollies. The town is on the water, but doesn't have the wharfs and piers of San Fran; no sea lions either.
The main touristy area was leveld in the 1755 earthquake - another similarity to San Fran. When they rebuilt the area, they fit it to a nice grid making it very easy to get around. The other touristy area I visited was much harder to navigate. Streets that twist and turn and change names frequently, hills that seem to end, but don't, and a map that didn't list all the steets made this area a challenge.
I may have only gotten to see one city in Portugal, however my bus ride showed me a lot of the country itself.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Santiago de Compostela, Spain
I spent most of my Thanksgiving on a train to Santiago. It was dark when I got into town (not hard to do in the winter, plus it was an 11 hour ride), so I took my first taxi of this trip. I haven't been in a car for 6 weeks. Strange, seeing as my life seemed to have revolved around my car back in the States. Ok, it wasn't quite that bad, but it is definitely different here.
Santiago de Compostela is known as the end of the camino de Santiago. Since the Middle Ages pilgrims have walked or ridden horses across Northern Spain to pay homage to the remains of St. James. The cathedral has almost a mystical feel to it. Maybe it's just the weary and worn out pilgrims that are so full of excitment to finally have made it. There were a few milling about as I was there. The cathedral is the main site to this town, so I spent the rest of my time wandering through strees in the main area of town.
I feasted on grilled prawns for my Thanksgiving dinner, with their heads still on, I might add. I still can't get used to that one. The tv behind the bar at the restaurant had on a story about traditional American Thanksgiving meals being served in parts of Spain. Mostly in bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona. I couldn't understand all of it, they talk so fast! I got a couple of words and the pictures shown on the screen. I guess I always thought of Thanksgiving as an American holiday and one that the rest of the world wouldn't really care about. Evidently not.
And Black Friday is widespread as well. The paper in the cafe the next morning was full of ads for Black Friday sales. They even called it Black Friday. Weird. I always knew of Black Friday as the day after Thanksgiving. But if you don´t celebrate Thanksgiving, how do you know when Black Friday is? Do they know it as the last Friday in November? Hmmm.
Santiago de Compostela is known as the end of the camino de Santiago. Since the Middle Ages pilgrims have walked or ridden horses across Northern Spain to pay homage to the remains of St. James. The cathedral has almost a mystical feel to it. Maybe it's just the weary and worn out pilgrims that are so full of excitment to finally have made it. There were a few milling about as I was there. The cathedral is the main site to this town, so I spent the rest of my time wandering through strees in the main area of town.
I feasted on grilled prawns for my Thanksgiving dinner, with their heads still on, I might add. I still can't get used to that one. The tv behind the bar at the restaurant had on a story about traditional American Thanksgiving meals being served in parts of Spain. Mostly in bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona. I couldn't understand all of it, they talk so fast! I got a couple of words and the pictures shown on the screen. I guess I always thought of Thanksgiving as an American holiday and one that the rest of the world wouldn't really care about. Evidently not.
And Black Friday is widespread as well. The paper in the cafe the next morning was full of ads for Black Friday sales. They even called it Black Friday. Weird. I always knew of Black Friday as the day after Thanksgiving. But if you don´t celebrate Thanksgiving, how do you know when Black Friday is? Do they know it as the last Friday in November? Hmmm.
San Sebastian, Spain
Time for some rest and relaxation. I just hope the weather cooperates. The place I wanted to stay was closed, so I found another pension that was close by. It worked out great. They gave me my own little suite with a kitchen. The bathroom was still down the hall, though. Weird. They give me my own kitchen, but I have to share a bathroom? You would think it would be the other way around, wouldn't you?
The first afternoon I walked barefoot through the sandy beach, then sat and watched the sunset. I was missing my fellow sandcastle maker, though. (Kitty, tell Riley I really wanted to make a sandcastle and thought of him.) Then I watched the sunset from the beach. Pretty amazing. After some down time in the room (sunset was before 6 and restaurants don't even open for dinner until 8 pm), I joined the locals in a paseo (walk) while trying to decide on a restaurant for dinner. This time my paseo was on the walkway just up from the beach.
I was really looking forward to some fresh seafood, so I splurged and ordered the lobster. I had forgotten, however, that they serve everything whole. They literally cooked the lobster, split it in half, and served it to me on a plate. I had to remember how to eat the edible parts while leaving the rest. My plate was a mutilated mess when I was finished, but it was good!
The next day was raining, not exactly beachy weather. I tried to go for a walk in the rain with my umbrella, but the wind kept unending the umbrella. I finally said heck with it, found a cafe, and sat reading my book for about 3 hours. I would rather have been reading on the beach, but the cafe at least overlooked the water. Not a bad few hours I would say.
My last day was a mixture of clouds and sun. I went to spend some more time on the beach, but the high tides kept me from finding a good spot to settle down. I kept having to get out of the way of the water that was bent on chasing after me.
I came to San Sebastian for some chill time, no bus or train schedules, no museums or sights, no getting lost in neighborhoods. While here I had good seafood, read my books (finally got to The Hunger Games - soooo good), and soul searching walks on the beach. Mission accomplished. More sightseeing ahead.
The first afternoon I walked barefoot through the sandy beach, then sat and watched the sunset. I was missing my fellow sandcastle maker, though. (Kitty, tell Riley I really wanted to make a sandcastle and thought of him.) Then I watched the sunset from the beach. Pretty amazing. After some down time in the room (sunset was before 6 and restaurants don't even open for dinner until 8 pm), I joined the locals in a paseo (walk) while trying to decide on a restaurant for dinner. This time my paseo was on the walkway just up from the beach.
I was really looking forward to some fresh seafood, so I splurged and ordered the lobster. I had forgotten, however, that they serve everything whole. They literally cooked the lobster, split it in half, and served it to me on a plate. I had to remember how to eat the edible parts while leaving the rest. My plate was a mutilated mess when I was finished, but it was good!
The next day was raining, not exactly beachy weather. I tried to go for a walk in the rain with my umbrella, but the wind kept unending the umbrella. I finally said heck with it, found a cafe, and sat reading my book for about 3 hours. I would rather have been reading on the beach, but the cafe at least overlooked the water. Not a bad few hours I would say.
My last day was a mixture of clouds and sun. I went to spend some more time on the beach, but the high tides kept me from finding a good spot to settle down. I kept having to get out of the way of the water that was bent on chasing after me.
I came to San Sebastian for some chill time, no bus or train schedules, no museums or sights, no getting lost in neighborhoods. While here I had good seafood, read my books (finally got to The Hunger Games - soooo good), and soul searching walks on the beach. Mission accomplished. More sightseeing ahead.
Madrid, Spain
Eventhough I am finally in a country where I can understand some of the language, it makes me realize just how much of this language I have lost. I can get by with a very basic vocabulary, but am nowhere near fluent.
I took a couple of different walks through parts of the city. Knowing I am only here for a couple of days, I stuck to the touristy center of the city. The hotel was a cute little family run place. The mom spoke almost no English, but the son and daughter did. I am glad I read about the neighborhood I was staying in before I got here, and was prepared for it. It wasn't really that bad, Mom. In Madrid prostitution is legal, provided you are over 18. Each night, and even during the day, the street would be practically lined with women dressed very provacativley. At least as a female traveler, they weren't coming after me.
The guys at the gold for cash places were another matter. They were very pushy and in your face trying to get you to come into the store. And what is with the lotto ticket craze here? I don't know what that is about. Each morning the stands that sell tickets would have lines at least 20 people deep, and there would be at least 6 of these stands in one plaza. And the women with their own lotto ticket kiosks were constantly yelling things out to the crowd of people to get them to buy tickets. And I thought Americans were bad about their lotto ticket habits. They are nothing compared to Madrid.
That evening at dinner, I was sitting next to a couple from Vegas that were out here for work. They work for some kind of show, I never got the name of which one. Their box office manager just up and quit, so these 2 were flown out to clean up the mess that was left and pull together the show. We had a Great time at dinner that night! The wine was flowing and so was the conversation. Lots of laughter and random topics, one of which centered around speaking mostly in adverbs. You had to be there, I know. One of the waiters who spoke a little English was laughing at us. It was a good thing the restaurant was just down the street from the hotel.
The next day was spent at the Royal Palace. While the "royal family" of Spain no longer lives there, the palace is still used for many events and functions. The rooms were pretty impressive I must say. No pictures were allowed and the guards were very strict on that one. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking through the park, that is until it started raining.
My last day in Madrid was also rainy, so I hit the Prado Museum. It houses some of the most important and famous paintings in Spain. The English handout actually listed them all, so I decided my mission was to find them all. What else was I going to do on a rainy day in Spain? It took about 4 hours, but I did it.
My next stop is my beach time in San Sebastian!! Can't wait.
I took a couple of different walks through parts of the city. Knowing I am only here for a couple of days, I stuck to the touristy center of the city. The hotel was a cute little family run place. The mom spoke almost no English, but the son and daughter did. I am glad I read about the neighborhood I was staying in before I got here, and was prepared for it. It wasn't really that bad, Mom. In Madrid prostitution is legal, provided you are over 18. Each night, and even during the day, the street would be practically lined with women dressed very provacativley. At least as a female traveler, they weren't coming after me.
The guys at the gold for cash places were another matter. They were very pushy and in your face trying to get you to come into the store. And what is with the lotto ticket craze here? I don't know what that is about. Each morning the stands that sell tickets would have lines at least 20 people deep, and there would be at least 6 of these stands in one plaza. And the women with their own lotto ticket kiosks were constantly yelling things out to the crowd of people to get them to buy tickets. And I thought Americans were bad about their lotto ticket habits. They are nothing compared to Madrid.
That evening at dinner, I was sitting next to a couple from Vegas that were out here for work. They work for some kind of show, I never got the name of which one. Their box office manager just up and quit, so these 2 were flown out to clean up the mess that was left and pull together the show. We had a Great time at dinner that night! The wine was flowing and so was the conversation. Lots of laughter and random topics, one of which centered around speaking mostly in adverbs. You had to be there, I know. One of the waiters who spoke a little English was laughing at us. It was a good thing the restaurant was just down the street from the hotel.
The next day was spent at the Royal Palace. While the "royal family" of Spain no longer lives there, the palace is still used for many events and functions. The rooms were pretty impressive I must say. No pictures were allowed and the guards were very strict on that one. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking through the park, that is until it started raining.
My last day in Madrid was also rainy, so I hit the Prado Museum. It houses some of the most important and famous paintings in Spain. The English handout actually listed them all, so I decided my mission was to find them all. What else was I going to do on a rainy day in Spain? It took about 4 hours, but I did it.
My next stop is my beach time in San Sebastian!! Can't wait.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Amboise, France
My hostel is really cool. Well, not the hostel itself, but its location. The hostel itself is pretty dead, which isn't so bad because it means I have my own room and it is pretty quiet. The hostel is located on the banks of the Loire River. There is even a sandy spot which is perfect for reading and journaling.
Amboise is right in the middle of castle haven, so of course I had to go check out a couple. While most of them are better reached with a car, I set my eyes on what looked like one of the cooler ones. That, and I could take a bus to reach it. :-)
Chateau de Chenonceaux was built in the 16th century in a true Renaissance fashion. But this castle wasn't built for protection. It was built for pleasure. It has a different feel to it once you were inside. The grounds are filled with gardens, walking paths, huge trees, fountains, and a maze. The hedges only come up to about your shoulders, but it was still cool. It was easy to spend most of the day wandering the grounds around the castle.
Then it was back to the hostel for my wine and then settling down on the bank of the river to watch the sunset. Tomorrow is yet again another castle in the morning. This starts my very long day of travel. My railpass is ready. Here it goes - Amboise to Blois, tour the castle in the morning, afternoon train to Paris, pass a few hours people watching and trying to find some filling food, then the night train to Madrid. Spain, here I come!
Amboise is right in the middle of castle haven, so of course I had to go check out a couple. While most of them are better reached with a car, I set my eyes on what looked like one of the cooler ones. That, and I could take a bus to reach it. :-)
Chateau de Chenonceaux was built in the 16th century in a true Renaissance fashion. But this castle wasn't built for protection. It was built for pleasure. It has a different feel to it once you were inside. The grounds are filled with gardens, walking paths, huge trees, fountains, and a maze. The hedges only come up to about your shoulders, but it was still cool. It was easy to spend most of the day wandering the grounds around the castle.
Then it was back to the hostel for my wine and then settling down on the bank of the river to watch the sunset. Tomorrow is yet again another castle in the morning. This starts my very long day of travel. My railpass is ready. Here it goes - Amboise to Blois, tour the castle in the morning, afternoon train to Paris, pass a few hours people watching and trying to find some filling food, then the night train to Madrid. Spain, here I come!
Mont St. Michel
Made the list of places to come back to. I didn't have much time there to explore; it turned out to be only 1/2 day due to train schedules, and early sunsets.
There is an abby that sits on the island. During the high tide, the water comes up to the door of the TI on the island. At low tide you can actually walk on the mud flats that connect the island to the mainland. However, between the incredibly fast moving tide as it comes in, the unpredictable thick fog, and the quicksand, I didn't risk it. See mom, I am growing up. Who am I kidding, the responsible first born wouldn't have taken the risk anyway. I will just take a guided tour, with a local guide, of the mudflats when I return.
I didn't get to go in the abby because it is off-season and closes much earlier, but I did get to watch the colorful sunset as I was walking out to the abby and I walked around the exterior at dusk. That was pretty amazing.
After a forgettable dinner of salmon pasta and a night in a small hotel with a great view of the sunrise in the morning, it was off to Amboise to see yet another castle. It's a good thing I really like castles and I am the one who put together this itinerary, so I knew what I was getting myself into.
There is an abby that sits on the island. During the high tide, the water comes up to the door of the TI on the island. At low tide you can actually walk on the mud flats that connect the island to the mainland. However, between the incredibly fast moving tide as it comes in, the unpredictable thick fog, and the quicksand, I didn't risk it. See mom, I am growing up. Who am I kidding, the responsible first born wouldn't have taken the risk anyway. I will just take a guided tour, with a local guide, of the mudflats when I return.
I didn't get to go in the abby because it is off-season and closes much earlier, but I did get to watch the colorful sunset as I was walking out to the abby and I walked around the exterior at dusk. That was pretty amazing.
After a forgettable dinner of salmon pasta and a night in a small hotel with a great view of the sunrise in the morning, it was off to Amboise to see yet another castle. It's a good thing I really like castles and I am the one who put together this itinerary, so I knew what I was getting myself into.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Normandy, France
Definitely a place to come back to. Either rent a car to visit the beaches or take a guided tour. On the list to do when I come vack.
I stayed in the little town of Bayeaux, mostly known for the tapestry done of the Duke of Normandy and his rise to power. The cathedral in the center of town isn't too bad either.
I spent the next day at the WWII museum in Caen. It was very informative and useful. I had wanted to tour the beaches, but it is hard to do without a car or a reservation on a guided tour (neither of which I had). That's ok, it just goes on the list of places to come back to. :-)
That night I was at a restaurant having finished my dinner and enjoying my dessert, when these 3 older gentlemen came in. They were everything you hear about Americans being in Europe. They were very loud and boistorous and didn't care that they were. And they weren't even American, they were Canadian! As they sat down, I laughed at something one of them said, ice broken.
What first started out as 2 of them trying to set me up with the other who was in the restroom, soon turned into them trying to set me up with his son. A high school history teacher who loves to travel whose name is Ron. But he lives in Ottowa, and doesn't even know I exisit.
Another night of good food, great, fun conversation, and good company. Thanks fellas!!
I stayed in the little town of Bayeaux, mostly known for the tapestry done of the Duke of Normandy and his rise to power. The cathedral in the center of town isn't too bad either.
I spent the next day at the WWII museum in Caen. It was very informative and useful. I had wanted to tour the beaches, but it is hard to do without a car or a reservation on a guided tour (neither of which I had). That's ok, it just goes on the list of places to come back to. :-)
That night I was at a restaurant having finished my dinner and enjoying my dessert, when these 3 older gentlemen came in. They were everything you hear about Americans being in Europe. They were very loud and boistorous and didn't care that they were. And they weren't even American, they were Canadian! As they sat down, I laughed at something one of them said, ice broken.
What first started out as 2 of them trying to set me up with the other who was in the restroom, soon turned into them trying to set me up with his son. A high school history teacher who loves to travel whose name is Ron. But he lives in Ottowa, and doesn't even know I exisit.
Another night of good food, great, fun conversation, and good company. Thanks fellas!!
Paris!
Getting here was quite the journey. I survived my first train strike (I was bound to hit one at some point in this journey), and I actually got to my destination. It only took 4 hours longer and 3 more exchanges than it should have, but I made it!
I knew I was in for some major sightseeing in Paris, but also knew, in 3 days, there was no way to see it all. I started with Notre Dam and a walk through the Latin Quarter. Notre Dam was really impressive and the stained glass in Saint Chapelle was incredible. Walking through the small cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter, you almost forgot you were in Paris. The hustle and bustle of the big city was gone, it was just you and the shop lined streets, and all the other tourists, of course.
A walk through the Tuileries Garden and some down time sitting in the sun by the fountains are a great way to pass the mid-afternoon. Then it was off to The Louve. Impressive paintings and incredible marble sculptures kept me busy for 3 hours. I hit the biggies and marveled at some of the lesser known. My English audioguide was my savior, as everything was in French, of course. I tried to steer away from the many Asian tour groups. And while I really enjoyed the paintings, I was more intrigued by the statues. Not exactly sure why. In 3 hours I still only made it through about 1/2 the museum.
A night stroll down Champ Elysees to find some dinner rounded out my evening. I got back to the hostel and checked in to my new room (they had me switch rooms from the night before) and realized I was the only girl in a room with 5 guys.
Now I remember why I don't like bunking with boys. They are smelly and messy. There were shavings and thoothpaste in the sink, towels strewn all over the bathroom, and the room smelled like feet. The only bed left was a top bunk. Yay for putting shorties on the top bunk (especially hose with no ladders). I did find a chair to use. I climbed up and was ready for sleep to overcome my tired body, when the snoring started. Great! This is gonna be a long night. I put on my ipod, which worked for awhile, but then the snoring got louder, so my music got louder. It still didn't work. I tossed and turned most of the night and finally gave in about 4:30 and got on the computer. Right after I posted on fb, the snoring stopped. I eased myself back down and managed about 2 hours sleep before it started again.
The next day was another busy one. I started with the Arc de Triomphe and a walk down Champs Elysse in the daylight (nighttime is better in my opinion) then off to the Orangerie Museum to see Monet's water lillies - the big one, 8 panels that take up 2 rooms. It's the entire upper floor of the museum. Just incredible to sit there and get lost in the paintings, no matter what direction you were facing.
Then off to wait in line at the Eiffel Tower. I knew it was big, but standing underneath the first level and seeing how far apart the "posts" were was incredible. I tried to time it right so I caught the sun setting from atop the tower. Beautiful, almost magical. So much so, it seemed sureal. And it hit me, I'm in Paris! You know how you hear people talk about Paris and you think, man I would love to go there sometime. Well, I am here now!! It's someday for me! Tomorrow is Versailles.
Wow, now that is a palace!! And the grounds were huge with immaculate gardens, too bad the flowers weren't in bloom. Beautiful fountains, and so many walking paths it was easy to get lost in them. I imaginied myself as royalty for the day. Dressed in a gorgeous full gown walking down the staircase as if I was floating on air. Sitting down to dinner with the fancy china and silver. I can just picture myself waltzing through the ballroom. And although it would be so much fun for a few days, I know I would not have wanted to live during this time period.
I knew I was in for some major sightseeing in Paris, but also knew, in 3 days, there was no way to see it all. I started with Notre Dam and a walk through the Latin Quarter. Notre Dam was really impressive and the stained glass in Saint Chapelle was incredible. Walking through the small cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter, you almost forgot you were in Paris. The hustle and bustle of the big city was gone, it was just you and the shop lined streets, and all the other tourists, of course.
A walk through the Tuileries Garden and some down time sitting in the sun by the fountains are a great way to pass the mid-afternoon. Then it was off to The Louve. Impressive paintings and incredible marble sculptures kept me busy for 3 hours. I hit the biggies and marveled at some of the lesser known. My English audioguide was my savior, as everything was in French, of course. I tried to steer away from the many Asian tour groups. And while I really enjoyed the paintings, I was more intrigued by the statues. Not exactly sure why. In 3 hours I still only made it through about 1/2 the museum.
A night stroll down Champ Elysees to find some dinner rounded out my evening. I got back to the hostel and checked in to my new room (they had me switch rooms from the night before) and realized I was the only girl in a room with 5 guys.
Now I remember why I don't like bunking with boys. They are smelly and messy. There were shavings and thoothpaste in the sink, towels strewn all over the bathroom, and the room smelled like feet. The only bed left was a top bunk. Yay for putting shorties on the top bunk (especially hose with no ladders). I did find a chair to use. I climbed up and was ready for sleep to overcome my tired body, when the snoring started. Great! This is gonna be a long night. I put on my ipod, which worked for awhile, but then the snoring got louder, so my music got louder. It still didn't work. I tossed and turned most of the night and finally gave in about 4:30 and got on the computer. Right after I posted on fb, the snoring stopped. I eased myself back down and managed about 2 hours sleep before it started again.
The next day was another busy one. I started with the Arc de Triomphe and a walk down Champs Elysse in the daylight (nighttime is better in my opinion) then off to the Orangerie Museum to see Monet's water lillies - the big one, 8 panels that take up 2 rooms. It's the entire upper floor of the museum. Just incredible to sit there and get lost in the paintings, no matter what direction you were facing.
Then off to wait in line at the Eiffel Tower. I knew it was big, but standing underneath the first level and seeing how far apart the "posts" were was incredible. I tried to time it right so I caught the sun setting from atop the tower. Beautiful, almost magical. So much so, it seemed sureal. And it hit me, I'm in Paris! You know how you hear people talk about Paris and you think, man I would love to go there sometime. Well, I am here now!! It's someday for me! Tomorrow is Versailles.
Wow, now that is a palace!! And the grounds were huge with immaculate gardens, too bad the flowers weren't in bloom. Beautiful fountains, and so many walking paths it was easy to get lost in them. I imaginied myself as royalty for the day. Dressed in a gorgeous full gown walking down the staircase as if I was floating on air. Sitting down to dinner with the fancy china and silver. I can just picture myself waltzing through the ballroom. And although it would be so much fun for a few days, I know I would not have wanted to live during this time period.
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