LAST DAY IN ROMA

I can't believe that it really ending. Our last day in Europe!

We got up early, deciding that we would pay the 14E to get into St Peter's. Well, we got there around 8:30 and....no line!! We walked right in. I forgot how beautiful it is. Betty was astounded. As you walk through your looking from right to left to up to down, across, around corners. Everything is huge...supersized and wonderful.

Betty had to get holy water for her sister and the non-Catholic that she is found the place to get it (of course you had to buy the bottle for 3.50E...the water is free).  When we were there yesterday and couldn't get in, Betty got a  teen to reach into a fountain to get the water...she said 'well, it is from the Vatican', but now she's happy...she got the real thing.

After we finished satisfying our curiosity we headed to the 'breakroom'. On the way in there was a sign 'Cupola 7E for elevator'. Hey! lets do it!!! How bad can it be...there's an elevator. Yeah, right, and the Church preaches to tell the truth....the elevator went to the bottom of the dome. It was wonderful! You are looking down on the entire basilica...the main altar, side altars, everything. And then, we found out to get to the top you have to climb the stairs. Well, how many could there be? 50, 100? It might be a little hard, but we can do it! Yes we can!! After making at least 10 stops...kids flying by us as we sit huffing and puffing...we get to the top!!!! What a view!!! All of Rome. We walked around and around and around and then finally decided we should head down....should be easier...well maybe a little...but I started counting the steps....350 of them...we climbed 700 steps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Certainly a record for me.

By the time we got down we had to 'break' again and were dying of thirst, but we made it....and so proud of ourselves, too.

Now it's time to see the rest of the sites before we have to leave, so we head over to the hop-on hop-off bus.

THE VATICAN

Wednesday and it’s religion day. We have a tour booked this morning for the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s.

Taxi cost 20E, but 4E was my fault since I left my credit cards and money in the room and we had to backtrack. But  we got there with more than enough time to spare, only to find out that we would not be going to St Peter’s because on Wednesday Pope Benedict has audiences with the public and it would not open until 12-1.

I had been to the Sistine Chapel, but not the Museum…which is a MUST SEE. It goes on forever and each room is more magnificent than the previous one. Our guide, Damieno, was great and explained all the little things that you would have missed if you were doing it on your own. The best, of course, was saved to the last…the four rooms painted by Raphael. Entire walls, plus the ceilings, filled with splendid frescoes.

And then, the mother of all frescoes, the Sistine Chapel. No pictures allowed, and yet the Orientals kept trying, even with the guards repeating ‘no pictures, silence’. As the guide pointed out, on the beginning end of the ceiling the figures are smaller than at the other end. Michelangelo realized that when viewing from the floor the figures were too small and as the fresco progressed, the figures were enlarged. Words can’t explain the feeling of gazing upon this masterpiece.

After the tour, we went across the street to a café to get something to eat. Betty had made the entire tour and was feeling pretty good. She felt even better after she got her gelato. She wanted a cherry gelato and got what looked like an original Picasso. Ice cream, decorated with cookies, fruit, more cookies and more fruit. Shocker…the ‘small gelato’ that she ordered was 12E. I ordered a pizza (about 2 slices) and a coke…21E. My coke, because it was not ‘take away’ was 6E (would have been 3E if ‘take away’).

Finally, we walked along the wall to St Peter’s, since it was after 1 and we thought we could get in. SHOCKER!!! The line, at least 5 wide, wrapped around the entire square; where did they all come from???? Anna decided to head across the river to see St Angelo Castle while Betty and I tried to figure out where to get the hop-on, hop-off bus.

Note:  I have never seen so many hawkers in one place…Indians selling scarves, key rings, sunglasses, Vatican souvenirs, squealing slime balls, icons, handbags, wooden toys….we even saw a guy selling ‘carrot’ carvings….yep, designs made with carrots.

Anyway, we found a place that had information about the bus, but also had ‘skip the line’ tickets to St Peter’s for 14E. We’ll have to do that tomorrow, since they were out of tickets for the day. So we hopped on the bus and went around the city, seeing the sights and determining which ones we’ll hit tomorrow.

Around 5 we headed over to the Trevi Fountain, to toss our coins in to assure we’ll be back in Rome, and again, got lost. Came to an intersection and didn’t know which was to go. There on the corner was a souvenir shop the a sign in the door ‘directions to customers only’. Well, I needed to get a plate from Rome, so I went in; grumpy Italian couldn’t find the one I wanted, but when I went to leave he changed his tune. After I paid 5E (for the plate, but also to get directions) I asked him for a good place to eat in the neighborhood. ‘Italian?’ he asked. Well, yeah. He goes on to tell me everything in the neighborhood is frozen…you want to go down  2 blocks on the right…only good Italian food around and fresh. ‘Grazie, grazie’ I said and ‘by the way, where’s the fountain?’ Duh, it was at the end of the block!!!

Got to the fountain….hundreds of people and loads of hawkers. Funny, we were standing there and all of a sudden, they all grabbed their stuff and went running off. Turns out if a cop starts heading their way, they scatter.

We finally made our way down to the fountain, took some pix, tossed our coins, and headed to the ‘only real Italian restaurant in the neighborhood’.

We get there, only 2 tables occupied outside and a man putting out glasses…not even a hello or anything. We go in, only 1 table occupied. We’re wondering did we make a mistake? Betty goes over to the guy and asks if his pasta is fresh…he looks at her like she has two heads, but tells her yes. We sit down, order, and get the best dinner we’ve had so far in Rome. Really good.

Silvio finally warmed up and was joking around with us, asked where we’re from, and tells us he has a cousin in Florida who has a restaurant in Longwood. He pulls it up on his phone and there, in the Orlando area, is Enzo’s on the Lake, Longwood, with a great review. Guess where I’m going when I get home!

The dessert, again, torte ciocholato, was fabulous. On our way out, I went to say ciao to Silvio and even got a 2 cheek kiss!!!!!

Onward and upward! Tomorrow the final sweep of the city and the sites we missed today and then….home

ROME

We have finally arrived at our last stop...Rome. We got in around 5 on Monday and the ride to the hotel brought us past many historic sites…it brought back memories from when Jim and I were here many years ago.

We took a walk over to the Spanish Steps and then tried to find our way back to the hotel which was a joke. It took us over an hour to do a 15 minute walk….we just kept getting lost. Finally, Betty took over and got us there in minutes. We went to a restaurant around the corner, Ceasarius, which the taxi driver had recommended….good pasta, better desserts.  Time to crash and get ready for the Coliseum tomorrow.

Standing magnificently in the middle of modern day Rome and all its traffic, the Coliseum stands as a tribute to the golden age of the ancient Romans. Even though there is repair and reconstruction going on, it still looks awesome. We had a very good guide who had such a love of the architecture and history it really made you feel that you were there in the beginning.

After the Coliseum we headed over to the Forum, exploring the ruins….even got to see the home of the vestal virgins. Betty and I found a place that would be perfect for us. It was a rough day for Betty with all the climbing and uneven cobblestones, but she’s a trooper and got through the day. We went to a restaurant right next to the hotel…again.. good food, great desserts. P>S> I have never consumed so much wine in a day! But it’s red so it’s good for my heart.

Tomorrow, the Vatican.

POMPEII

In order to get to Pompeii you have to take a train from Sorrento. Sixteen stops later we were there. We were to meet our guide at 9:30, but since we had no idea where we were going, we made sure we got there early. Well, the sun was shining and it looked like a great day ahead, but when we got off the train it was too chilly for just a light sweater, so Jennifer, you got yourself a white ITALIA sweatshirt.

We walked across the street and walked around the main entrance to the city. Realizing that this magnificent city was built over 2000 years ago, you are amazed at the technology and acumen of these people so long ago. They had drainage, building techniques used to this day, buildings that are situated so that they make full use of the sun and its power, the rain so that they can use it for all their needs, and it just goes on and on. As we walked along the streets, running north and south and east and west, you could see the ruts in the stones from the wheels of the carts that were used in the city. The main street consisted of shops; you could still see the ovens from the bakery and the water and wine jugs in the shops, as well as the grooves where the sliding doors were situated. 

Our guide told us that the Romans believed in three things: food, wine and sex. All around you can see in their frescoes the phallus, sexual scenes, and the houses are built around the center courtyard and all rooms flow into it; the dining room being the main public room where so much was done.

We headed down the street, which curved to the left where the prostitutes lived. Prostitution was normal during the time and since many of the sailors who came into Pompeii could not read, there were pictures which showed different positions...so when a sailor came into the house he would just look at the pictures over the door and choose which position he wanted. It was amazing to see the stone beds still in the rooms, along with the colored frescoes over the doors indicating different positions.

We had arranged a private tour, so it was just the 3 of us and what a wonderful experience. Leli had so many great stories about the people, their way of life, about their city and how they must have felt when Vesuvius erupted. We explored the grounds for three hours and did not see it all. Plus, only about 25% has been excavated. One can only imagine what is still buried under 20+ feet of earth. He told us that the government just doesn’t have the money and even though the excavation would create many jobs, they just aren’t interested.

One thing I found very interesting is that the tourists are allowed to walk on the marble floors, able to enter buildings, touch the walls, see the frescoes up close, really get the feel of Pompeii. It was heartbreaking to see on the walls tourists who had to include themselves in the history of Pompeii by carving their names, to forever desecrate this beautiful city.

After lunch we headed over to Herculaneum, on the west side of Vesuvius. Herculaneum was a ‘resort’ town, where the people of Pompeii came to relax. It was much smaller than Pompeii, but more intact. There is much more to excavate, but the current town sits on top of it and the government will not displace the families in the area. The reason that it is still intact is that it was covered with the ash from the volcano, whereas Pompeii was hit with the pyroclastic blast which was much more destructive.  There were approximately 300 bodies found, where at Pompeii the number is inclusive because of instantaneous incineration caused by the blast.

From wikipedia:  It is also famous as one of the few ancient cities that can now be seen in almost its original splendour, because unlike Pompeii, its burial was so deep as to ensure building's upper storeys remained intact, and the hotter ash preserved wooden household objects (beds, doors etc.) and even food. Moreover Herculaneum was a wealthier town than Pompeii with an extraordinary density of fine houses, with far more lavish use of coloured marble cladding. The discovery in recent years of some 300 skeletons along the sea shore came as a surprise since it was known that the town itself had been largely evacuated.

There is so much more about these two cities to be told; Leli recommended a book by Robvert Harris – Pompeii, which he said is a must-read.

THE ROAD TO NAPOLI

Well, we get into Napoli from Florence, go down to the other end of the promenade to deposit our luggage, since we packed for 2 nights earlier.this morning. Well, surprise, surprise…the people were on strike and we had no place to drop 6 large suitcases (plus 4 small bags/backpacks)

Take a cab – 200E

Rent a cheap hotel and just leave the luggage – not a good idea

Take the train to Sorrento…with 9 bags

Or

Rent a car – GREAT IDEA!!!! Stick shift (haven’t done that in 30 years), crazy Italian drivers, crazier Italian scooters….I must be crazy!!!!

But there was no other option. So we head to Sorrento by car. The National Car agent told us just take the A3 to Sorrento….48km….no problem. Well, maybe not for him. We made one wrong turn after another and the ‘service’ light lit up and wouldn’t go our and had a message popping up in Italian about the motor and we’re smelling smoke and just kept driving.  There were some close calls, the streets being so narrow, but we made it. Betty now calls me ‘Fast Mama’ and ‘Danica’.

Well, the Amalfi Coast is beautiful. A long, winding road, up, down, around curves, twists and turns and everyone is better than the last. Even though it was only 48KM, it took us close to 2 hours with all of the wrong turns, but we finally got to Carlton Hotel International. I thought the bellhop was going to die when he saw all the suitcases, but he took it in stride and got them all to our room.

The view is fantastic. You can see all of the Amalfi coast, Capri, and the sea goes on forever.

I just can’t get over how rude the Italians are. They push, shove, never say ‘excuse me’ and then curse at you if you tell them ‘no’. I have never seen so many street hawkers pushing their wares; and they just keep coming back!

We had a nice dinner at Tasso, one of the hundreds of ristorantes in Sorrento, drank a lot of vino and headed back for the night.

Pompeii tomorrow…..

HOTEL BIGALLO IN FIRENZE

We were so excited when we saw our hotel. Even though the entrance was on the side, it faced the Duoma, which is always a wonderful site.

Now, keep in mind, I had 2 big bags (I packed my carry-on inside one) and have a canvas backpack, plus a small pack, Betty had a huge leopard bag chock full and a carry-on plus a huge purse and Anna had her 2 red bags.

Well, there were 2 steps, a landing, four steps and the elevator.....an elevator that you opened the outer door to get in and when you push the button an inner door closes and then the outer and then you get whiplash as you 'jerk' upwards. But what a VIEW!

Five trips later, we were in our room, on the fourth floor and it turns out that it's a loft!!! Not only is it a loft, but the bathroom is up the flight of stairs instead of the main floor. Two beds up, one down. But remember...we have a VIEW!

Well, after a day walking in Firenze and then the next day we went to Pisa, Betty's knees were acting up and her ankles were swollen. So since it was hard to mount the steps, she slept downstairs and had a empty coke cup that she could use if necessary. But OH!!! the VIEW!!!!!

Betty asked the desk....another story...I thought when you worked in the hospitality industry you are pleasant and outgoing....Well not at Hotel Bigallo...luckily they made eye contact, but smile, buon giourno, anything...not unless you said it first!  Anyway, Betty told them we needed a handicapped room since we were 'old ladies' and couldn't do the stairs. Luckily a room would be available the next day and the maid would move the bags...poor little maid. Will we lose our VIEW? Nope, still there just 10 feet lower.

We now have a room on the third floor (where the reception desk is) and we are right next to the breakfast room....oh yes, breakfast is included (rolls, croissants, ham, cheese, yogurt and coffee that was like mud. Well, they set the room for breakfast at 11pm...dishes banging, silverware clanging, the whole thing.

Oh, did I mention that the Duomo's bells go off at 7am, 7:15, 7:30 and 7:45...very nice the first time you hear them, after that you want to kill the bell ringer, but it's automatic!!!! oh, but what a VIEW!!!!!!

Well our new room has a special bathroom. The show has a 2" lip (probably smaller, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt) but it doesn't drain too well so when you take a shower for longer than 3 minutes, when you open the door,yep, water goes all over!~! Not only that, but when you close the side, you can't sit on the toilet. When I'm able to post pictures, you'll see what I'm talking about....BUT THE VIEW.....

They never dusted (Fran would have loved this hotel!) but that was ok; I was cutting my nails (which have grown so long) but when I cut they were flying all over so I did it out the window, trying to hit someone below. Now why would I do that?  Because the fools are out there at 2 a.m. singing!!!!! But remember....we have a great VIEW!!!!

There was no ice in the hotel...when Betty's knees were swollen, the desk had to go to the hotel next door and came back with a pack (you know the blue hard kind) and at night they lock you in.

One night Betty couldn't sleep so she decided to go out to have a smoke. Now this is 3:30 a.m. She goes into the reception desk and the clerk was sleeping on the sofa....with a blanket and  pillow.  Betty darn near gave him a heartattack. She couldn't get out because the downstairs door was closed, so she had to go back up and ask and he told her to push the red button. 'How do I get back in' she asked. 'Don't close the door!' he replied. But THE VIEW!!!!

Our final morning, well, somehow or other the luggage had babies and we were now up to 9 pieces. It took us a half-hour to get it all down. FYI - Betty and I bought backpacks so that we could relieve some of the heaviness of our bags, but it didn't work and the backpacks are now full!!!!

On her way out the manager asked Betty how we enjoyed out stay. Betty said, 'I didn't'. 'Why' she asked and, if you know Betty, she ripped her another one.

BUT, OH, THE VIEW!!!!

FIRENZE - APRIL 6, 2013

Looks like I missed one of the prettier cities we've been to....Firenzie. We arrived Monday morning at 10....I was hoping to catch up with JP and Tommy, but found out that he lived about 30 minutes out of Florence and they were going to the beach. It seems that Easter Monday is a big holiday for family time. I realize I was being selfish because I wanted JP to take some stuff home, but I also had gifts for Tommy and his family.

I want to tell you about our hotel, but I'll save that for an individual blog.

Anyway, we spent the day walking and visited the sites of the city. We have a beautiful view from our room...the Duomo in all its glory is right across the street (this was the only benefit of the hotel). It's a magnificent site, but I was a little disappointed in the interior...not nearly as decorative as the others, but a site nonetheless.




We headed over to the square to see the statues. I always thought, based on my own experience, that Italian men were built like stallions, but the figures we saw were like little boys. I zoomed in on one statue...you can see there is no correlation from the hand to the jewels. 

We also reveled in the fact that it was men embracing men, men standing over children....well just look at the pictures and you'll know what I mean. 





We headed over the bridge and the River Arno on our way to Boboli Gardens....what a magnificent (I know I keep using that word but it's the only way to describe this country and its treasures) view of Firenzie. After I finished taking pictures at the summit I realized I left my tote bag in the cab; luckily it just had postcards and a scarf I bought that morning, but it was still a disappointing loss.




Anna headed off in a different direction, so Betty and I decided to head back to the hotel. Betty was in the lead and kept saying 'I can see the Duomo' and we kept walking and walking and walking. She used the excuse that the town had swallowed the Duomo, because she couldn't see the dome. We eventually made it back to the room...Anna beat us!!!!






Dinner was at a cafeteria....not your usual....they had pasta dishes and chicken and more...they heated up your selection and you sat and enjoyed (?) your dinner.

Tomorrow...Pisa.

BETTY'S BETTER

Betty was feeling a little better this morning and insisted on going to Venice. Her cough sounds like it's breaking up, although I'm starting with a sore throat...again.

Headed out for Venice. We've become old pros with the trains and chasing away the beggars. The first half hour of the trip was going through tunnels, but upon exiting we saw the most verdant green hillsides dotted with quaint little villages.

After about an hour we hit the flats, still green as ever. A 2 hour trip, we need to get to the tour site 30 minutes before....we might be cutting it close.

Arrived in Venice at 1035 and had to be at the Doge's Palace by 11 for the tour. Well we were told that it was a 10 minute water bus ride or a 20 mi ite. Since the li e was so long for the bus,we opted to walk......45 minutes later we walked panting into the ticket office. It was the most horrendous walk, up and down bridges, ducking in and out of alleys and dead ends....I felt sorry for Betty but she was a trooper!

We took the tour which included the 'hidden rooms' of the Palace and got the history and workings of the justice system in Venice in the 13-17th century, including a tour of the prison cells, torture area, and Casanova's cell and the story of how he escaped along with a monk in a neighboring cell. We crossed the Bridge of Sighs...for my grandsons...the bridge was the walkway inside the place that led prisoners from their trial room to their cell and as they walked through the enclosed bridge would look out the barred windows and sigh as they looked at their beloved Venice.

After the tour we headed to one of the side streets for lunch and then onto St. Mark's Square to climb the bell tower and get a fantastic view of Venice and then through the cathedral. ..can't understand why they wouldn't allow pictures....but it did t matter....I got 'em.

After some shopping we headed back to the station via the water bus and then stopped in a cafe for dessert and coffee. The waiters were typical Italians flirting left and right. Mario asked where we were from and then told us he had a cousin in Florida. Betty asked him where his cousin lived In Florida but he said he didn't know. Betty said 'well we know where our cousins live, Sometimes we even marry them'. That stopped him dead in his tracks. He thought he was really macho...his shirt was 2 sizes too small...the buttons were ready to pop, but we had some good laughs and killed an hour waiting for the train back to Florence.

It's been 30 years since I've been to Venice but its still a wonderful place to visit..I just wouldn't want to live there.

Tomorrow ... Bologna...goodnight.

FIRSTS FOR BETTY..THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Well, Betty has had a lot of firsts on this trip....first time traveling alone, first overseas flight, lost luggage, first argument with shuttle service, first underground, train ride, and now....first ambulance ride and hospital visit.

Yes....she certainly does know how to have a European adventure. She had been having some swelling in her ankles and her knees were hurting. This began in Switzerland and got worse. We got some fluid pills, but last night she was having a hard time breathing. She said she couldn't even call out for us because of lack of breath. When I got up at 7, I went across the street where they have an ambulance dispatch and was able to find someone who spoke English. He told me to call 118 and the ambulance would come with a doctor.

NOTE....be sure to know how to get in touch with Emergency Services in a foreign country. Also, put your address and phone number in your passport as they will want that info, along with your passport. And most importantly....insurance.

Long story short, 5 hours later still at the hospital, waiting for results of chest ex ray and EKG. They've taken 9 vials of blood, she's had 3 breathing treatments, and we're waiting. Fluid's gone down a bit....

Finally got out...2pm, four prescriptions and 240euro later, we headed to the pharmacy, 95euro and then some pizza on the piazza. Betty was a real trooper, especially after getting stuck twice ...they were trying to get to an artery to check on her oxygen level.

Back to the room for some rest and relaxation. I contacted Grey Line about the tour we missed to Siena and they were nice enough to refund the $76, but I had to go back to the station to get it. On the way I must have passed 15 little vendors selling their wares. Since my zipper broke on my tote I needed to get another BAG...(after all I am the bag lady). Found one near the station and he wanted 15euro, but the lining inside one compartment was ripped away from the zipper so I told him no. He went down to 10E but I told him my other broke in a 2 week period...he dropped it to 5.....hey. Why not!

Anna and I went out for dinner while Betty relaxed. Tried to take her to the restaurant we found the night before, but all the tables were taken. Lucky for us because we wentto one down the street...Restaurant Paoli and it was wonderful. Freshly made pasta and a dessert tray to die for. It had pears the size of small pineapples dripping I syrup, cakes, fruit, and the best was profiteroles with chant illy cream filling and totally doused with dark chocolate sauce....HEAVEN!!!!!

On to Venezia tomorrow.

MILANO

Milano....TALK ABOUT A CHURCH....

We arrived in Milano about 5 and. Went right to the hotel. Beautiful place, luxurious room and street cars....ALL NIGHT LONG....SCREECHING around the corner every 5 minutes all through the night...and we were on the 5th floor.

Walked to a little restaurant (most were closed it being the night before Easter) and found... (petit). All whitewashed tables and chairs and the entire restaurant lit by candles. They asked if we had reservations...the place was empty ( it was around 7)..chuckle, chuckle, and we said no. Well, by the time we finished the place was full?

Again, no rush at all. Betty and I had tagletella with red shrimp....Betty asked what red shrimp were and the guy said....fish. Chuckle, chuckle...she still ordered it and it was delicious. Anna had onion soup. 

We limped back to the hotel and crashed!

Easter morning and we took the underground, walked up the steps and the site took our breath away. The cathedral engulfed the entire square. MAGNIFICENT . We couldn't get to the front since mass was going on, but between the magnificence and the incense, you really felt like you were in another realm. 

 After exploring the cathedral, we headed towards a beautiful promenade and strolled along with thousands of others. 

Stopped at a cafe for lunch...we're really not eating that much...we're just looking for clean bathrooms. We were going to share 2 pizzas but were told that we could not share but needed to order 3 plates...so 2 pizzas and bruschetta did it. Italian Ham and cheese pizza was great! 

We then took the underground to the Castella but by the time we got there I crashed, sat on a bench, and told them to go. 

Onward and upward, we decided to head over to Santa Maria de Gracie to see the Last Supper. Interesting story. 

While most frescos are painted on wet plaster, which requires the artist to work quickly, since once the plaster dries nothing can be done....but the paint is set in the plaster so it does not fade. The Last Supper was done on dry plaster, so, by the time he finished his greatest work it started to peel and flake off. He knew he wanted to take his time with form and shadow which is why he elected to do the dry route, but by doing so he created much more detail in facial expression and body language.

Only 30 people are allowed in at a time, and we had to go through 3 pressure locks before we got into the room. By allowing small groups with a limited time....15 minutes...they protect the painting for a longer period of time. 

It was awesome to stand there and look at a masterpiece without having to fight the crowds.

Headed back to the square for dinner and stopped in another restaurant along the promenade. Of course, they put you in the window, so that it looks like the place is full. Well, we were a little slap-happy and I told Betty that when people walked by (at least 50% will look at your plate) SO we covered our dishes with our hands everytime someone looked in. We were laughing so hard even the maitre  'd was laughing.

Then I decided to wave at people walking by who looked. Sure enough, the Orientals always waved back. We were going to take pictures of them taking pictures, but didn't have time as we stalled as much as possible in the restaurant.

Headed back to the hotel; we'll be off to Firenze...

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND

Cold and rainy…welcome to Lausanne, Switzerland. We arrived around 4, after spending 4 hours on the train, being served just like the airlines, but with better food and wine. As we’re traveling, what do we hit but SNOW!!!!! Betty was excited….I was crying inside.

After an hour nap, we finally arrived in Lausanne. Our hotel was just up the block from the train station, but we took a cab since we all had 2 big bags.

We should have skipped Switzerland…at first I thought I would be better traveling 2 four-hour days, but after having to drag the luggage, we should have gone right to Milano. I mentioned this to Anna a couple of weeks before we left, but she said that Regina was going there too, so, we go to Switzerland.

Betty and I went out for dinner…Anna was with Regina and her daughter. Most of the restaurants were closed for Good Friday, but we did find another…Italian restaurant.

Saturday morning we headed out, in the rain, to see Lake Geneva and the old town. After a couple of hours, we headed back to the hotel to gather our things and head to the station. (Betty and I had stored 2 bags which was a big help!)

Still raining, struggling with our suitcases, Betty finally did it!!! Got us smoking…(cold breath, not cigarettes).

Scenery through Switzerland is beautiful. Betty was jumping from one side to the other to see the sights. Two more hours and we’ll be in Milano.

Hello Italy!!!

PARIS

Well, we made it through Paris. 

We conquered the underground! Our first morning out, we headed over to the Tour Eiffel...took the underground and got off at the right station. Of course, we still had to walk about 1/2 mile to get to the base, but before that we stopped at Carrete Cafe for breakfast. 

Delicious hot chocolate and pastries for me (9,50E), coffee and a cheese sandwich for Betty and Anna(13E), and Quiche Lorraine for Regina (15E).

We headed over to the Tower for our tour and eventually go the the top. It was a breathtaking view, even with the overcast skies.

After the tour, we got the hop-on, hop-off bus to see the sites of the city, including The Arc, Notre Dame, and all the rest. The first thing we did was to take the metro to the Eiffel Tower. Another first for Betty and she handled it marvelously. It was great to see her expression as we rounded the corner and saw the Tower in all it’s glory. We had tickets to ‘skip the line’ which saved a lot of time and got a great history lesson of the tower. After our guide was finished we were able to take the elevator to the top and even though it was overcast, it was a wonderful view.

After the tower, we did the hop-on hop-off bus to get an overview of the city, going past the Louvre, Notre Dame and all the other sites of the city. After a full day, we had dinner at an …. Italian … restaurant, headed back to the room to get ready for the next day. Anna decided to stay with Regina until Regina’s daughter got into town so we were on our own.

The second day we continued on the hop-on, hop-off and then just walked around checking everything out. Dinner, again, at our newest,  favorite Italian restaurant.

The next day we tried to get into Notre Dame, but the line was just too long and we had to be at the Louvre for our afternoon tour. A very informative guide, we got to see the Mona Lisa, Venus, Nike, and many of the famous oils on display. She explained about the 5 pyramids and later we were taken downstairs where we saw what was discovered during the 1980s excavation which unearthed the original keep, moat, and wall.

After the Louvre we definitely needed to rest, so we stopped in at a café for wine and cheese. I then headed back to a little shop that I found where I bought a duffle bag, since my clothes seemed to be multiplying expotentially. So now I’m dragging around 2 big suitcases, Betty has my small one and I have her small one inside my big one. And I have a backpack …. Someday I’ll learn.

We headed back to the Tower so Betty could see it lit up…it was quite a sight and on the hour the lights sparkle for 10 minutes. Thank you Paris for a wonderful four days.

On to Lausanne.

BETTY ARRIVES

BETTY ARRIVES!!!! BARELY!!! Betty was leaving Orlando at 2pm on Sunday and due to arrive in Paris at 7 am on Monday, the 25^th. They were running 20 minutes late and then she finally got on the plane, after having to gate check her carry-on because the flight was full. She decided she didn’t want to be crowded so she upgraded to an exit row seat for $129, was happy that there was no one else in the row and then found out that the arm rests didn’t go up, so she had to put her legs on top of the rest in order to stretch out. The only problem was that she was right by the bathrooms, so everyone who came by and had to wait, sat in the aisle seat so she couldn’t stretch out.

Ok, so they’re ready to take off and a bad storm comes in, the 70 mph winds, actually rocking the plane as it sits on the tarmac. She said people were screaming and crying…..now keep in mind, this is Betty’s first overseas trip…..solo or otherwise. She found out that it was a tornado in the area. Finally, they were able to take off for Washington, but low and behold….SHE MISSED HER CONNECTION!!!!!

She gets to her gate in DC and was told that she would have to get the next day’s flight and to find a hotel room (United would not pay for it because the issue was weather related.) Well, little Miss Betty ripped that dude another you-know-what!!! And told him he needed to go home because he was an idiot. It turned out that there was another guy who had the same problem, took Betty under his wing, and they ran over to Air France, British Airways and several others to try and get out.

Finally, she went to the United CS Center and they were able to get her on United into Frankfurt and then Lufthansa to Paris. She was suppose to arrive in Paris at 7am on Monday….she got to the hotel at 5pm Monday.

She made friends with one of the flight attendants who lives in Paris, so she got all the low down on what to watch out for. The attendant stayed with her through baggage claim, but her big suitcase never made it!!! She had to file a claim with LH and knew that she’d never see her bag!

She had to explain to customs that she couldn’t show her bag because LH lost it. The customs officer saw her small carry-on, which did show up, and said ‘that’s all  you have?” Yes, Betty said, they lost the rest. They then sent her to gate 20 to find a taxi, but there was no gate 20.

She then called the shuttle service to let them know that she arrived and they told her that they were there at 7am and she wasn’t. After arguing with him and explaining that she missed her flight and that their instructions were that she was to call them not the other way around. She finally told the shuttle service … I’m not arguing with you anymore…FU…you must need the money more than I do…and she hung up.

She rolled into the room, and if you know Betty, she told us the story and we were just rolling, laughing so hard, we lost it.

But she got to Paris!!!!! Now the fun starts!!!

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Bitterly, Bitterly, Unbelievably Bitterly COLD!!!! At -1C and a wind that would rip off a witch's broomstick, we tried to do the walking tour, but so, so, cold. 
We stopped at one of the 'coffee' shops (aka pot house as opposed to a cafe ...coffee) and bought muffins laced with the big M, which is legal in Amsterdam. We stopped by a seed shop and thought about buying some...but realized we couldn't get it back to the States.

Anna wanted to see the 'red light district', so after a few wrong turns we finally found it...but alas, no pictures allowed.  

It was too cold to stay out so we headed back to the ship and after lunch ventured out again. We had tickets for the Anne Frank house, but went to the wrong place and have to travel by cab to get to the right place that was actually the wrong place, again. Long story short, I headed back into town (losing out on my $67 tour ticket) while Anna, Regina and Jack hung around for two hours to do the tour.

I was trying to find the 'hidden church', which is located on a major shopping street...the door is just a plain door but inside a beautiful church. Only problem was that it closed at 4 and I was 1/2 hour late. Guess I'll have to do it in December.

It was amazing to see the canals and the narrow homes of Amsterdam.  There are so many house boats on all of the canals and they use the canals to dump their 'water waste'. I witnessed a man who picked up his dog's droppings and just toss it into the canal. Guess being high they really don't care about the environment.

They have huge winch-like structures at the top of the homes that were used in the 'olden' days to get goods up to the upper stories. They still use them 
today to get furniture and other large items up to the third and fourth floors.

I'm busy packing as we need to leave the ship by 8a.m. We'll get a cab to the station and head on down to Paris where we'll meet up with Betty...hope she makes it to the City of Lights without any problems.

The river cruise was great, but the castles and churches were starting to run all together. I'll be glad to see the sites of Paris again and then onto Italy.



Till tomorrow....

COLOGNE, GERMANY

Sailed into Cologne Saturday to a wickedly cold wind and a temp of 30F. Since Anna and I were here last Spring, we decided to forego the walking tour and headed over to the Cathedral, since we didn’t explore the interior on the last trip.

The ‘Dom’ has the privilege of being the largest cathedral in Europe and is a UNESCO site,which means that it must be kept as it is. I also found out that because of that status, no buildings in the area can be built higher than the church.

The church….taller, wider, longer, bigger than any of I’ve seen. You can help but walk around, ooing and awwwwing at the magnificence of the building. And to think that it was built so many hundreds of years ago without any modern equipment. Totally AWESOME!

We did the hop-on, hop-off bus, but decided not to hop off.

We had a Captain’s dinner tonight…after the Captain’s cocktail hour with champagne….very impressive. Baked Alaska was the finale and the entire restaurant staff paraded into the dining room.

After dinner it was the ‘Crew Show’ and believe me, they put on quite a show…even the Captain was involved in one of the skits. Dancing to YMCA and the Chicken dance, we members of the crew, it was time to head back to the room to begin packing….which will definitely be a major chore.

KOBLENZ

Where the Rhine meets the Mossell, another fast flowing river, is the town of Koblenz. A wonderful way to enter the city. Even more interesting, the captain had to back up from the Rhine into the Mossell.

We got in around noon and Anna and I decided to find a postal center…me to send home two tote bags of shoes, postcards, and tote bags; Anna, the whiskey she purchased for her son yesterday (for 107E ….(boy, she must really love her son….LOL). We found the center, after a few wrong turns, and Anna learns that she can’t ship liquor to the States. I, on the other hand, got my box all packed, filled out the shipping information and went to the counter. Yeah, yeah, yeah…you know something happened…well it turns out I needed a German address in the ‘shipper’ box. ‘Hey, Lady, I’m on a ship.’ Well, I’m in Germany…YOU VILL DO AS I SAY!!!!! And so I carried the box back to the ship and will have to hope and pray that JP will have room in his duffel bag when he heads back to NJ.

Side note…facetimed with Jennifer today and JP is in his glory. He said Rome was beautiful, they went to Siena, did Florence and will beheading to Venice tomorrow. His Italian has improved immensely, he’s had his first Italian beer, and completely forgot about baseball. Maybe I can spend the summer in Italy and have my own interpreter to.

We headed into town for our daily ‘walking tour’ and found an irresistible city. Even though the ‘old town’ was just a few square blocks, the architecture was wonderful and there were so many statues and monuments dotting the city. One particular monument shows the history of Koblenz, from it’s founding through WWII.

Enjoying my German wine and waiting for dinner at 7. They are feeding us too good and too often. A full meal at lunch and dinner…appetizer, soup, entrée, dessert, wine/beer. I’m going to hate to get on the scale when I get home!!!!

Tomorrow we’re off to Cologne (Koln). Problems again with pix

CASTLES ALONG THE RHINE

Today we sailed up/down/I have no idea but I know we’re heading UP to Amsterdam so I guess it’s up. Anyway, today we were on the most scenic part of the Rhine…..castles on each side, one more majestic than the next…some in ruins, others occupied or used as museums. Even though it was a bit overcast when we started out, the sun slowly began peeking her head out through the clouds and the trees were a ‘little’ bit greener. The best thing was that, even though the high was 9C, THERE WAS NO RAIN!!!!!

After a couple of hours of castle-gazing, we were served a traditional Fruhschoppen….a treat of 2 types of sausage and, of course, the pretzel, along with beer or wine. Fruhschoppen is held on Sundays. People on the way to church would stop and enjoy a small treat before heading into church, but it appeared that the men never got into the church?????

We did pass a unique little church called Klosterschruit…..where the only entrance into the church was through the pub….interesting.

HEIDELBERG

If it’s Thursday, this must be Heidelberg.

We arrived in Offenbach and transferred to a bus to head out to Heidelberg. Heading up a winding road, passing beautiful homes, we come upon a beautiful site. A huge castle, with a huge moat, partly in ruin, but being restored. It took 400 years to build and was destroyed by the French in 1689; rebuilt and then destroyed again by fire in 1764. 

There was an apotheke museum on the grounds which had some unbelievable medical instruments and medicine bottles.

We headed into Heidelberg for lunch and had a ‘local product’,

a mincemeat pie, filled with meat and vegetables.  After lunch we walked down the ‘longest’ shopping street in Germany, filled with shops from mom and pop to high end. Heidelberg, a university town, was overflowing with young people.

Leaving Heidelberg, we continued by bus to our next port, Rudesheim, where we had a ‘pub crawl’.

Time for bed….problem with pix again....maybe tomorrow

ROTHENBURG, GERMANY

If you never visit any other city in Germany, you must, must visit Rothenburg!!! Totally surrounded by their medieval wall, you are transferred back in time. Streets tilting, rolling up and down, narrow and one way, buildings that are reminiscent of olden times…and surprises at every turn. It’s just beautiful.

I climbed the wall several times; walking along it, never smooth, darkness engulfing the tunnels, and with little portals to see out, you can see home gardens, farms out in the distance, and more wall…you can feel the spirits that walked the same path. The steps are very steep and narrow. We past several wells, still in their original positions.

Notice I didn’t mention the weather…the city was so beautiful I didn’t even complain about the rain, wind, hail (yes, hail) and more rain.

We had a typical Bavarian lunch of gravy, spaetzel, gravy, pork, gravy at Ratsstube Restaurant and, of course, dessert was apple strudel.

We also tried the local sweet…schneeballen…pastry pieces formed into a ball and then deep-fried and topped with various toppings, including Cointreau.

Anna and I roamed around the streets, losing our guide at one point, but it was definitely worth it. I love the fixtures that are outside of establishments. They are so ornate and every one is different.

We stopped in Kathe Wohlfahrt, a Christmas store/museum beyond belief. Now I know that I’m coming back in December for their Christmas Market river cruise, but I just couldn’t help buying today. I was checking out the schwibbogen (German candle arches) when I was in Germany the last time, so I just couldn’t resist this time.

We spent most of the day at Rothenburg; Anna kept saying …’the next time we’re here’…she must know something I don’t.

 

BAMBERG, GERMANY

Bamberg, home to Bamberg Lace, Bamberger Zwiebel (onion filled with ground meat, mashed potatoes & gravy) and Schauferia (pork shoulder with dumplings & sauerkraut)....hmmm...which one should I try. let's see what they look like first.  

Another cold morning, snow on the ground, early rain but now just a moist, cold miserable day....but we're having fun!!!!

A very pretty town, but it was so cold and rainy.....since I only took 46 pictures (unlike the usual 100+) you know it was bad.

The Town Hall is centered in the middle of the river with bridges on each side. I'll let the pictures talk for me today.

Bamberg is situated on seven hills and encircled by the river Regnitz which runs through the middle of the city.

Bamberg is known for its 'smoked' beer.

The Cathedral of St Peter and St George was built in 1004 and then again in 1237 after it was demolished by fire.  Pope Clement II is buried here, as Bamberg was his hometown.