Just before 4 am, coming back from the bar with our new communist friends, we were SO hungry because we hadn't eaten dinner. Our amazing host Cristina offered to cook some pasta and meat for us, putting already cooked noodles and pieces of beef into a frying pan and heating them up.
MMmmmm. No description needed.
Out late from our night with the communists, we slept until almost noon - and it was great.
No air conditioning in the apartment made for a hot and humid night, even with the fan on high, but such is life in Greece.
But now, what should we do with our day?
We decided to start with the Acropolis. Well, first lunch, then the Acropolis.
Petros lives in a great part of the city, just a short walk from a major metro station. We walked down towards the metro looking for restaurants on our way, and we found a great place.
It was an alley with four or five different Greek restaurants, tables set inside and out. We sat down just inside the open doors of one of the restaurants, right under a vent. Greece was hot - so different from France where we were in scarves, jackets and jeans.
We had the most delicious Greek meal! Wonderful Greek salad, pita bread hot off the grill, gyros pork, and fresh bread. So good.
And we were going to need the energy for our treacherous hike up to the Parthenon, at the very top of the Acropolis.
The entire Acropolis is huge. I just never expected it to be made up of so many different structures at that elevation. Wow.
We walked by ancient amphitheatres where plays were put on by the Greeks. Seats, sets and stages carved from stone. And they were just huge.
We continued climbing, enjoying the incredible view overlooking Athens as we went. We made it to the top platform where the Nike Athena Temple (I think it´s called) stands next to the Parthenon and another monument built for a Greek god. (Maybe Zeus?)
Unfortunately most of the information available for tourists was about the restoration and rebuilding of the structures themselves, not about the history of the monuments.
We strolled around for awhile, slipping on the rock beneath us (possibly marble) and admiring the kind of labor that must have been put into these buildings.
Just imagine carrying stone after stone up the side of this hill to be pieced together in order to create these amazing temples. And then there is the careful precision with which each stone must be sculpted. And these structures, or at least their remains, still stand today.
Coming back down, we saw a stand with frozen lemonade and could not resist. Those monopolizers draw in all the scorching little suckers descending from the Acropolis in the middle of the summer, so they can charge as much as they want .
We totally gave in and jumped on the bandwagon (strawberry mixed with lemonade), and then sat there and watched all the other little suckers after us as they were draw to the stand like mosquitoes to a lightbulb.
The vendor told us to be careful with our drinks. Why? Brain freeze.
Ha ha. We chuckled, but he told us, ¨No, I´m serious.¨
Oh.
I can hear the PSA now - ¨Parents, talk to your kids about brain freeze. They´ll listen.¨
Well, we were careful nonetheless, and those frozen lemonades were some of the best drinks we´ve ever tasted. Ever. It was just that hot.
Leslie and I wander around Athens for a bit, looking in little shops here and there. We head back towards Petros´s apartment, but he´s not there, so we try to reach him on his cell phone to ask if he wants to meet us for dinner. He says that he´s actually still at the hospital and plans to be there until 11 or so that night.
We tell him that we´ll see him back at his place, and we sit down to spend some time in an internet cafe.
And then we grab dinner at the same place we ate lunch. No joke, we really did it. Lunch was delicious, the restaurant was nearby, and the atmosphere was great.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The Communist Party
We had arranged to stay with a guy named Petros in Athens, so when we arrived late that night, we called him and got directions to his flat. He told us that he couldn't be there, unfortunately (we found out later that he was with his father in the hospital), but his roommate would be there and she could let us in.
We had a little trouble finding the place, and really just wandered around Athens for a little bit, but we eventually made it and rang the bell. "Third floor!" a girl shouted excitedly through the intercom, and once again when we entered the building. "Third floor!"
Up the circular staircase, bags mounted on our backs, Petros' roommate greeted us with open arms. "You're here!" Cristina said with a very Greek accent. "Come in, come in!"
Her friend was there with her and they were getting ready to go out for drinks. "Would you like to come?" they asked.
Sure!
And we were off.
The bar was in walking distance, so we walked and talked with the two girls. They were so nice, one of them was studying Greek literature, and the other, Cristina, had already graduated and was interested in fashion design.
And they were a part of the communist party in Athens, a fact that intrigued us.
The two girls told us that elections were in one week. They said that currently, students can attend universities for free and the people receive free healthcare, but the government wants to start privatizing many organizations similar to those.
They told us the next month is going to be crazy - that they are going to have to go out every night. "Why?" we asked.
And they explained to us that they want to convince people to vote for their party - to motivate people to change things. Keep in mind, they don't work for the party, they are just students and citizens of Greece.
You could tell they were not sure how we would react to their political standings. They obviously new that Americans are not keen on communism. But we thought it was so cool to come across such passion and dedication for a cause that currently makes up less than 5 % of the vote in Greece.
And as we sat down in this bar with a great atmosphere, we met several of their other friends who were also part of the communist party and they struggled through their English to explain what they believed.
They wanted equality - for all people to exist on a level playing field. They said that they know that the kind of change they are campaigning for is not something that they'll witness in their lifetime, but they want to work to improve things for their children, and their children's children.
Wow. How many people in the world are willing to dedicate their lives to a cause that they will never reap the benefits of? It made me question, am I? Hmm...
One of the girls was also explaining to us that she is working as a teacher, but it is hard to find work. So she has to live in the suburbs with her parents because she is only working part time right now outside of the city, because work in Athens is almost impossible to find if you have no previous experience.
She said she wants to be able to work full time, to be able to make a living for herself.
They asked us what we believed - about politics, about communism, and about capitalism.
They challenged us to fight for change - whatever our beliefs may be - because change has to start somewhere, and why not work for a better world in the future? So cool.
And they asked us about the Greek system. One girl turns to us and says that in movies, they see university students in groups doing stupid things, and they have Greek names. "Is this real?" she asked.
At first, we were confused...students doing stupid things? You mean parties?
No. She meant fraternities and sororities.
How do you explain the "Greek system" to students in Athens? Yea...so they use your alphabet...and make groups that put on social events - aka: keggers - and sometimes do community service? (Of course, the movies only depict the, uh, social aspects of the groups).
We did our best to explain them objectively, and they understood what we were saying, but they didn't get the system or why people would pay to be a part of it.
We laughed so hard later that they asked us if it was "real."
I kept imagining the situation reversed. Students in Athens in the AB group. Americans watching Greek movies of university students partying as a part of the group LMP. It sounds funny when put yourself in the position of a foreigner.
Ha. "Is this real?" I almost wished I could say no. Sorry, greek members.
We loved talking with their friends. They were so nice, and so interesting. And all of them made such a great effort to include us in the conversation, even though it was difficult for them to speak English. I hoped that my friends would do the same if someone came to visit from another country - to take the time to talk to them. We just felt so welcome.
And at the end of the night, all of them hugged and kissed us on each cheek, telling us what a pleasure it was to meet us and to enjoy our travels.
We had a little trouble finding the place, and really just wandered around Athens for a little bit, but we eventually made it and rang the bell. "Third floor!" a girl shouted excitedly through the intercom, and once again when we entered the building. "Third floor!"
Up the circular staircase, bags mounted on our backs, Petros' roommate greeted us with open arms. "You're here!" Cristina said with a very Greek accent. "Come in, come in!"
Her friend was there with her and they were getting ready to go out for drinks. "Would you like to come?" they asked.
Sure!
And we were off.
The bar was in walking distance, so we walked and talked with the two girls. They were so nice, one of them was studying Greek literature, and the other, Cristina, had already graduated and was interested in fashion design.
And they were a part of the communist party in Athens, a fact that intrigued us.
The two girls told us that elections were in one week. They said that currently, students can attend universities for free and the people receive free healthcare, but the government wants to start privatizing many organizations similar to those.
They told us the next month is going to be crazy - that they are going to have to go out every night. "Why?" we asked.
And they explained to us that they want to convince people to vote for their party - to motivate people to change things. Keep in mind, they don't work for the party, they are just students and citizens of Greece.
You could tell they were not sure how we would react to their political standings. They obviously new that Americans are not keen on communism. But we thought it was so cool to come across such passion and dedication for a cause that currently makes up less than 5 % of the vote in Greece.
And as we sat down in this bar with a great atmosphere, we met several of their other friends who were also part of the communist party and they struggled through their English to explain what they believed.
They wanted equality - for all people to exist on a level playing field. They said that they know that the kind of change they are campaigning for is not something that they'll witness in their lifetime, but they want to work to improve things for their children, and their children's children.
Wow. How many people in the world are willing to dedicate their lives to a cause that they will never reap the benefits of? It made me question, am I? Hmm...
One of the girls was also explaining to us that she is working as a teacher, but it is hard to find work. So she has to live in the suburbs with her parents because she is only working part time right now outside of the city, because work in Athens is almost impossible to find if you have no previous experience.
She said she wants to be able to work full time, to be able to make a living for herself.
They asked us what we believed - about politics, about communism, and about capitalism.
They challenged us to fight for change - whatever our beliefs may be - because change has to start somewhere, and why not work for a better world in the future? So cool.
And they asked us about the Greek system. One girl turns to us and says that in movies, they see university students in groups doing stupid things, and they have Greek names. "Is this real?" she asked.
At first, we were confused...students doing stupid things? You mean parties?
No. She meant fraternities and sororities.
How do you explain the "Greek system" to students in Athens? Yea...so they use your alphabet...and make groups that put on social events - aka: keggers - and sometimes do community service? (Of course, the movies only depict the, uh, social aspects of the groups).
We did our best to explain them objectively, and they understood what we were saying, but they didn't get the system or why people would pay to be a part of it.
We laughed so hard later that they asked us if it was "real."
I kept imagining the situation reversed. Students in Athens in the AB group. Americans watching Greek movies of university students partying as a part of the group LMP. It sounds funny when put yourself in the position of a foreigner.
Ha. "Is this real?" I almost wished I could say no. Sorry, greek members.
We loved talking with their friends. They were so nice, and so interesting. And all of them made such a great effort to include us in the conversation, even though it was difficult for them to speak English. I hoped that my friends would do the same if someone came to visit from another country - to take the time to talk to them. We just felt so welcome.
And at the end of the night, all of them hugged and kissed us on each cheek, telling us what a pleasure it was to meet us and to enjoy our travels.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Second Encounter
We roll out of bed around 11 am, pack our things, and head to the lobby of the ferry. We sit down with a capoccino and a ham and cheese croissant for a breakfast/lunch.
And then we spot them. Our Italian Stallions.
The come over to our table, grab as many extra chairs as then can, admire our huge backpacks ("so heavy" they said), and we continue talking.
We make sure to get the actor's autograph, as he claims he will be an international star one day, and we take a picture with them.
One of them deviously keeps kicking my shoes under my seat. Flirting knows no language I guess!
Their eyes widen at my huge novel sitting on the table. I brought the book Shantaram (an amazing novel) with me to read. It's between 2 and 3 inches thick, and probably 800 to 1000 pages. One of them picks it up and reads the cover in English. Then they laugh about something on the back. "So big!" they tell me.
Yes, I am a nerd.
In parting, the actor tells us in broken English what a pleasure it was to meet us and that he'll always remember the two American girls he met on the ferry from Bari. And, if we're ever in Naples, we should look him up.
Several of them give us hugs and a kiss on each cheek, the infamous European goodbye.
They were great. Just so much fun.
And now we had to find a train to Athens.
And we did! We asked where the train station was, walked in the scorching sun a ways down the road, and found out that we had about 4 hours before the next train left. So we went straight for the Internet.
And then we ate another amazing Greek meal, with greek salad no less, and the cucumber dip that we enjoy so much at my house in AZ.
Wandering back to the station, the train arrives, and we hop on board. Four hours to Athens.
And the train has no air conditioning.
Keep in mind, the weather is almost as hot as Arizona in temperature, but then you have to add humidity. We were drenched.
Luckily, 2 hours into the ride, we find out that we have to switch trains. Which was good, because the second train had air conditioning. The bad part was we almost missed it because we were snoozing. We jolted awake and wondered why everyone was getting off of the train.
Leslie asked a conductor for Athens and he said "Next train!" and pointed toward our transfer.
We made it just in time.
And then we spot them. Our Italian Stallions.
The come over to our table, grab as many extra chairs as then can, admire our huge backpacks ("so heavy" they said), and we continue talking.
We make sure to get the actor's autograph, as he claims he will be an international star one day, and we take a picture with them.
One of them deviously keeps kicking my shoes under my seat. Flirting knows no language I guess!
Their eyes widen at my huge novel sitting on the table. I brought the book Shantaram (an amazing novel) with me to read. It's between 2 and 3 inches thick, and probably 800 to 1000 pages. One of them picks it up and reads the cover in English. Then they laugh about something on the back. "So big!" they tell me.
Yes, I am a nerd.
In parting, the actor tells us in broken English what a pleasure it was to meet us and that he'll always remember the two American girls he met on the ferry from Bari. And, if we're ever in Naples, we should look him up.
Several of them give us hugs and a kiss on each cheek, the infamous European goodbye.
They were great. Just so much fun.
And now we had to find a train to Athens.
And we did! We asked where the train station was, walked in the scorching sun a ways down the road, and found out that we had about 4 hours before the next train left. So we went straight for the Internet.
And then we ate another amazing Greek meal, with greek salad no less, and the cucumber dip that we enjoy so much at my house in AZ.
Wandering back to the station, the train arrives, and we hop on board. Four hours to Athens.
And the train has no air conditioning.
Keep in mind, the weather is almost as hot as Arizona in temperature, but then you have to add humidity. We were drenched.
Luckily, 2 hours into the ride, we find out that we have to switch trains. Which was good, because the second train had air conditioning. The bad part was we almost missed it because we were snoozing. We jolted awake and wondered why everyone was getting off of the train.
Leslie asked a conductor for Athens and he said "Next train!" and pointed toward our transfer.
We made it just in time.
Since when is a ferry a cruise ship?
The ferry that we took from Bari to Greece was a 16 hour ride - and a nice one. Basically, we felt like we were on the Titanic.
Okay, it wasn't that nice, but definitely up there.
We spoiled ourselves and paid for a cabin so that we could sleep for hours and hours. And we did, almost 12 in fact. It was great.
But first, we did some exploring.
The "ferry" had a casino, a club, a cafeteria, and a fancy schmancy restaurant. It also had an outdoor bar, a small swimming pool, and a cafe inside the common lobby. We couldn't believe it!
People were parked everywhere - outside and in. We boarded just after 6 pm and some were already laying out sleeping bags for the night. And the lobby was so crowded. People sitting around tables, talking, laughing, smoking, eating, playing cards, and just having a good time together.
We walked around for awhile, and then headed into the fancy restaurant after seeing the prices were, surprisingly, really reasonable.
The meal was great. We had white wine, bread, and delicious greek salads. In Greece, greek salad usually does not include lettuce leaves. They slice lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, add some olives and a block of feta cheese on top. Sprinkle on some herbs and then put oil and vinegar on the side for the customers. Leslie and I thought that was interesting, but agreed that it actually tasted better.
And that salad started a long line of many greek salads that we would eat in the next couple of days.
For dessert? Assorted cheeses. So European, right? It was a party...in my mouth.
We walked back to our cabin around midnight and the lobby was still jam-packed with people and so loud. I could just see the difference in Greek and Italian culture from that of the US. It was like a huge party in the middle of the lobby. People were just sitting around enjoying the late-night company of each other. I tried to think of a time when I witnessed that in the US. I'm still searching....
Our two roommates were already asleep, so we crawled into our beds and fell asleep to the soft rocking of the ship.
Okay, it wasn't that nice, but definitely up there.
We spoiled ourselves and paid for a cabin so that we could sleep for hours and hours. And we did, almost 12 in fact. It was great.
But first, we did some exploring.
The "ferry" had a casino, a club, a cafeteria, and a fancy schmancy restaurant. It also had an outdoor bar, a small swimming pool, and a cafe inside the common lobby. We couldn't believe it!
People were parked everywhere - outside and in. We boarded just after 6 pm and some were already laying out sleeping bags for the night. And the lobby was so crowded. People sitting around tables, talking, laughing, smoking, eating, playing cards, and just having a good time together.
We walked around for awhile, and then headed into the fancy restaurant after seeing the prices were, surprisingly, really reasonable.
The meal was great. We had white wine, bread, and delicious greek salads. In Greece, greek salad usually does not include lettuce leaves. They slice lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, add some olives and a block of feta cheese on top. Sprinkle on some herbs and then put oil and vinegar on the side for the customers. Leslie and I thought that was interesting, but agreed that it actually tasted better.
And that salad started a long line of many greek salads that we would eat in the next couple of days.
For dessert? Assorted cheeses. So European, right? It was a party...in my mouth.
We walked back to our cabin around midnight and the lobby was still jam-packed with people and so loud. I could just see the difference in Greek and Italian culture from that of the US. It was like a huge party in the middle of the lobby. People were just sitting around enjoying the late-night company of each other. I tried to think of a time when I witnessed that in the US. I'm still searching....
Our two roommates were already asleep, so we crawled into our beds and fell asleep to the soft rocking of the ship.
Who wears short shorts? European men, apparently.
Starting with our Roman host and his pj's, and then again in his swimsuit, European men are seizing the opportunity to show off some hairy leg. I think that most men's swim trunks and athletic shorts are actually shorter than any pair of shorts I own!
And if they're not sporting the short shorts, the speedo is the only way to go. Those things are everywhere! On every other European guy.
But I have to give them props - it takes guts to walk around in spandex that little. Want to test someone's manhood? Make him walk around for a day in a speedo. =)
Which brings me to my next topic - modesty in Europe, or lack thereof?
Leslie and I are sometimes left gaping at some of the things women wear and the abundance of explicit magazines posted everywhere - at every tobacco stand and convenient store.
You know, the material in the back room only allowed to be seen and bought by those ages 18 and up. Not the case here, it's all out in the open on every other corner.
And women get very comfortable at the beach. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
After all, it's a completely different culture! And it's interesting to be a spectator...
And if they're not sporting the short shorts, the speedo is the only way to go. Those things are everywhere! On every other European guy.
But I have to give them props - it takes guts to walk around in spandex that little. Want to test someone's manhood? Make him walk around for a day in a speedo. =)
Which brings me to my next topic - modesty in Europe, or lack thereof?
Leslie and I are sometimes left gaping at some of the things women wear and the abundance of explicit magazines posted everywhere - at every tobacco stand and convenient store.
You know, the material in the back room only allowed to be seen and bought by those ages 18 and up. Not the case here, it's all out in the open on every other corner.
And women get very comfortable at the beach. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
After all, it's a completely different culture! And it's interesting to be a spectator...
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
How The Office is breaking cultural barriers
So, we buy our ferry tickets to Patras, Greece from Bari, Italy.
We do this about 6 hours before the ferry leaves. (Jeopardy theme music, please). It's hot outside, we don't want to lug our backpacks around in the heat, so we go upstairs to the restaurant/bar at the ferry port to grab some food and pass the time.
We finish eating, Leslie draws, I read, and then we decide to relocate to the downstairs sitting area to pass some more time.
And that's when we took the plunge.
I took out my iPOD and we shared my headphones to watch The Office. Yes, it's THAT good.
So here we are watching a third season episode when a pack of almost 10 Italian guys from Naples arrives and they fill the seats around us. (The room was almost identical to an airport gate).
Well, here we are, laughing at this little black box, and they wanted to know what the heck was going on. So one of them taps me on the knee and says something in Italian that I couldn't understand, but it sure sounded good. I could see he was curious as to what we were doing, so I hand him my shiny Apple product.
From what Leslie and I had seen so far, iPOD's are not common in Europe. In fact, I don't think we'd seen anyone using an iPOD since we arrived in London. We'd seen people listening to music on their cell phones, but beyond that, nothing.
"Filma!" they say. Yup, we're watching a film...kind of.
And the conversation begins.
One of them tells us that he is an actor in a soap opera, and laughing, we tell him to prove it. So he does.
He recruits one of his amigos and gets up and acts out an entire scene in Italian. We couldn't understand a word - but he had great passion. We clap.
The actor spoke the most English, so we had to communicate primarily through him. (Which was actually unfortunate, because a couple of the other guys were pretty cute...)
They were all taking the ferry together to Greece on vacation. None of them had any bags - only a deck of cards which they shared between their group, playing various poker games (they later told us they love Texas Hold'em).
The actor points to one of his friends and jokingly tells us that he's gay, and to another one telling us that he has lots of luck with the ladies.
He points to another and another, giving them labels like "the fat one," "the tall one," or "the skinny one."
They all laughed, and they all understood their English labels, but none of them were offended, it was just a part of their close comradery. And of course, they teased the actor back in Italian.
We want to know how the actor characterizes himself. If he labels all of his friends, then what is his label?
"The Italian Stallion!" he says, head high in the air, and Leslie and I double over laughing as the rest of the group of guys repeat the words with Italian accents. Ah, one English phrase commonly known among Italians. Figures they would know that! =)
He shows us his wallet, including his drivers' license and his tanning membership (for the winter, he tells us).
Then they entertain us with card tricks. A few of them tell us that this is how they make money, and then proceed to "dazzle" us with their magic. It was fun.
And then Leslie turns the tables and impresses the "Italian Stallions" with a trick she knows. We had obviously gained their respect. (Props to Leslie for that one!)
This group was great - and we loved the way these Italians interacted with each other, and with us. They were so friendly and tried so hard to communicate with us, though even the actor's English was pretty rocky. They seemed like they were such close friends and just fun to be around.
We found out they were boarding the same ferry as we were, but their destination was another city in Greece.
We boarded the ship separately from they guys, but maybe we would see them again later.
We do this about 6 hours before the ferry leaves. (Jeopardy theme music, please). It's hot outside, we don't want to lug our backpacks around in the heat, so we go upstairs to the restaurant/bar at the ferry port to grab some food and pass the time.
We finish eating, Leslie draws, I read, and then we decide to relocate to the downstairs sitting area to pass some more time.
And that's when we took the plunge.
I took out my iPOD and we shared my headphones to watch The Office. Yes, it's THAT good.
So here we are watching a third season episode when a pack of almost 10 Italian guys from Naples arrives and they fill the seats around us. (The room was almost identical to an airport gate).
Well, here we are, laughing at this little black box, and they wanted to know what the heck was going on. So one of them taps me on the knee and says something in Italian that I couldn't understand, but it sure sounded good. I could see he was curious as to what we were doing, so I hand him my shiny Apple product.
From what Leslie and I had seen so far, iPOD's are not common in Europe. In fact, I don't think we'd seen anyone using an iPOD since we arrived in London. We'd seen people listening to music on their cell phones, but beyond that, nothing.
"Filma!" they say. Yup, we're watching a film...kind of.
And the conversation begins.
One of them tells us that he is an actor in a soap opera, and laughing, we tell him to prove it. So he does.
He recruits one of his amigos and gets up and acts out an entire scene in Italian. We couldn't understand a word - but he had great passion. We clap.
The actor spoke the most English, so we had to communicate primarily through him. (Which was actually unfortunate, because a couple of the other guys were pretty cute...)
They were all taking the ferry together to Greece on vacation. None of them had any bags - only a deck of cards which they shared between their group, playing various poker games (they later told us they love Texas Hold'em).
The actor points to one of his friends and jokingly tells us that he's gay, and to another one telling us that he has lots of luck with the ladies.
He points to another and another, giving them labels like "the fat one," "the tall one," or "the skinny one."
They all laughed, and they all understood their English labels, but none of them were offended, it was just a part of their close comradery. And of course, they teased the actor back in Italian.
We want to know how the actor characterizes himself. If he labels all of his friends, then what is his label?
"The Italian Stallion!" he says, head high in the air, and Leslie and I double over laughing as the rest of the group of guys repeat the words with Italian accents. Ah, one English phrase commonly known among Italians. Figures they would know that! =)
He shows us his wallet, including his drivers' license and his tanning membership (for the winter, he tells us).
Then they entertain us with card tricks. A few of them tell us that this is how they make money, and then proceed to "dazzle" us with their magic. It was fun.
And then Leslie turns the tables and impresses the "Italian Stallions" with a trick she knows. We had obviously gained their respect. (Props to Leslie for that one!)
This group was great - and we loved the way these Italians interacted with each other, and with us. They were so friendly and tried so hard to communicate with us, though even the actor's English was pretty rocky. They seemed like they were such close friends and just fun to be around.
We found out they were boarding the same ferry as we were, but their destination was another city in Greece.
We boarded the ship separately from they guys, but maybe we would see them again later.
Lucky in Roma
Our hostel for the last night in Rome was...interesting.
The reception area looked a little sketchy, was hot, and not the cleanest, but hey. When in Rome, right?
Then we got some interesting news. They told us we were actually going to stay in an apartment a couple of blocks down the street, and that we would have to come get our key later in the day.
Okay, that works.
So we head out for the day, and get on the bus to take another infamous bus tour around the city. We stop first at the Colosseum - our night tour walked by, but we hadn't gotten to see the inside yet.
The line was ridiculous, but we really wanted to see inside, so we stood in the heat and melted for an hour or so.
Getting admittance tickets - one word - crazy.
All of the sudden, the civil line becomes chaos and people are shoving past one another to get to the front. Whoa. So Leslie made her way bravely through the jumbled mass of bodies and surfaced once again with two tickets in hand.
What a warrior! Or should I say, gladiator?
We were so glad we went inside. I was in awe at the size of the stadium and in its construction. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, people crowded into this stadium. You had to have a seat reserved to see the gladiators fight. Even if you were a woman or a slave and could only view from the very top level. (Women were required to sit separately to prevent promiscuity during the entertainment). The gladiators, contrary to Russell Crowe's 21st century part, were educated in fighting techniques and went through training before they were allowed to fight in the Colosseum.
Underneath the ground where these men fought is a locket-type area where gladiators got ready for battle and put on their gear.
The Romans had quite a system.
Next, we got back on the bus, heading to St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. And then we saw the line, curving around almost 5 streets to get into the museum and the chapel. No way, we said, no way.
It was about 2 in the afternoon, we hadn't eaten yet, and there was just no way we could stand in that line. So we found food. We were both really disappointed - this is the Sistine Chapel! And only feet away....
But the food we ate was amazing, we had a 4 course meal for 11 euro - so cheap! Pasta, salad, fish, and fruit. Yum.
And sitting there chatting after our meal, just across the street from the Vatican Museums, Leslie said, "There's no line!"
What?! What do you mean?!
We go outside - and the line had literally just disappeared. Not there. YES!
We later confirmed, as we had suspected, that the museums close around four-ish, so no one was lined up at 3:15.
Well, we walked right through, paid our entrance fee, and headed toward the chapel.
Not one inch of this structure was left unpainted, it was unbelievable. And the actual room where Michelangelo created his masterpiece took forever to walk to.
We entered the museum just before 3:30, and walked out at 4:30. We didn't stop while walking through - that's how big and how crowded the chapel was. We just kept walking, admiring the incredible art.
Even when you get to Michelangelo's masterpiece, security herds you into the room like cattle and keeps you moving through. Bodies crunched together everywhere, you just have to let yourself be carried by the crowd while you snap photos of the artwork. It's nuts.
But the idea is that everyone keeps moving...and still it takes an hour to walk through.
The paintings were just amazing, spread across walls and ceilings alike. In a couple of the rooms, the artwork was painted with shadows, so it really confuses the mind.
You think it's sculpted because it appears so realistically three-dimensional. It's beyond comprehension.
Some of the best painting that I have ever seen.
And Michelangelo's work is incredible. Such talent, such time. Indescribable really.
Success! We got into the museums! Because of our 4 course meal across the street! So great!
Celebration with huge gelato cones smeared with whipped cream. Mmmm.
We went back to the hostel, were led down the street to our room, which ended up being really nice actually. Definitely better than the reception area.
And then we did laundry - our first time on the trip washing clothes. Boy, did we smell. No getting around that, ha!
Washed clothes, used internet, then we were out for a late-night drink.
We noticed while getting ready that we had roommates in a couple of the other beds, but no one in sight. We thought they'd turn up later...
Surprisingly, we had trouble finding open restaurant at 11 pm on a Friday night. But we eventually found one near the city center, and enjoyed white wine with an excellent rice dish and bread.
We strolled back home and passed out, still no roommates to be seen. At 2 am.
Well, they finally showed up, but we didn't hear them come in. And I hope they slept through our departure - we tried to be quiet.
Our next stop was Bari, where we would have to find a ferry to Patras, where we would need to take a train to Athens. I know, sounds easy, right? =)
The reception area looked a little sketchy, was hot, and not the cleanest, but hey. When in Rome, right?
Then we got some interesting news. They told us we were actually going to stay in an apartment a couple of blocks down the street, and that we would have to come get our key later in the day.
Okay, that works.
So we head out for the day, and get on the bus to take another infamous bus tour around the city. We stop first at the Colosseum - our night tour walked by, but we hadn't gotten to see the inside yet.
The line was ridiculous, but we really wanted to see inside, so we stood in the heat and melted for an hour or so.
Getting admittance tickets - one word - crazy.
All of the sudden, the civil line becomes chaos and people are shoving past one another to get to the front. Whoa. So Leslie made her way bravely through the jumbled mass of bodies and surfaced once again with two tickets in hand.
What a warrior! Or should I say, gladiator?
We were so glad we went inside. I was in awe at the size of the stadium and in its construction. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, people crowded into this stadium. You had to have a seat reserved to see the gladiators fight. Even if you were a woman or a slave and could only view from the very top level. (Women were required to sit separately to prevent promiscuity during the entertainment). The gladiators, contrary to Russell Crowe's 21st century part, were educated in fighting techniques and went through training before they were allowed to fight in the Colosseum.
Underneath the ground where these men fought is a locket-type area where gladiators got ready for battle and put on their gear.
The Romans had quite a system.
Next, we got back on the bus, heading to St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. And then we saw the line, curving around almost 5 streets to get into the museum and the chapel. No way, we said, no way.
It was about 2 in the afternoon, we hadn't eaten yet, and there was just no way we could stand in that line. So we found food. We were both really disappointed - this is the Sistine Chapel! And only feet away....
But the food we ate was amazing, we had a 4 course meal for 11 euro - so cheap! Pasta, salad, fish, and fruit. Yum.
And sitting there chatting after our meal, just across the street from the Vatican Museums, Leslie said, "There's no line!"
What?! What do you mean?!
We go outside - and the line had literally just disappeared. Not there. YES!
We later confirmed, as we had suspected, that the museums close around four-ish, so no one was lined up at 3:15.
Well, we walked right through, paid our entrance fee, and headed toward the chapel.
Not one inch of this structure was left unpainted, it was unbelievable. And the actual room where Michelangelo created his masterpiece took forever to walk to.
We entered the museum just before 3:30, and walked out at 4:30. We didn't stop while walking through - that's how big and how crowded the chapel was. We just kept walking, admiring the incredible art.
Even when you get to Michelangelo's masterpiece, security herds you into the room like cattle and keeps you moving through. Bodies crunched together everywhere, you just have to let yourself be carried by the crowd while you snap photos of the artwork. It's nuts.
But the idea is that everyone keeps moving...and still it takes an hour to walk through.
The paintings were just amazing, spread across walls and ceilings alike. In a couple of the rooms, the artwork was painted with shadows, so it really confuses the mind.
You think it's sculpted because it appears so realistically three-dimensional. It's beyond comprehension.
Some of the best painting that I have ever seen.
And Michelangelo's work is incredible. Such talent, such time. Indescribable really.
Success! We got into the museums! Because of our 4 course meal across the street! So great!
Celebration with huge gelato cones smeared with whipped cream. Mmmm.
We went back to the hostel, were led down the street to our room, which ended up being really nice actually. Definitely better than the reception area.
And then we did laundry - our first time on the trip washing clothes. Boy, did we smell. No getting around that, ha!
Washed clothes, used internet, then we were out for a late-night drink.
We noticed while getting ready that we had roommates in a couple of the other beds, but no one in sight. We thought they'd turn up later...
Surprisingly, we had trouble finding open restaurant at 11 pm on a Friday night. But we eventually found one near the city center, and enjoyed white wine with an excellent rice dish and bread.
We strolled back home and passed out, still no roommates to be seen. At 2 am.
Well, they finally showed up, but we didn't hear them come in. And I hope they slept through our departure - we tried to be quiet.
Our next stop was Bari, where we would have to find a ferry to Patras, where we would need to take a train to Athens. I know, sounds easy, right? =)
Firenze - Florence
Our second day in Rome, we didn't stay - we went to Florence. We heard it was beautiful, and so we boarded the 2-hour train early in the morning and were in Florence before noon.
We bought a map, and then looked for a place to eat. By the time we sat down, it was almost 11, so we decided to get lunch. Pasta. Delicious! We ordered two plates and split it while we sat just outside the Dome (il Duomo), which is attached to an old catholic cathedral.
The Dome and the cathedral together make up this beautiful building built centuries ago with marble. The outside is almost like a mosaic, with different colors and pictures. The front of the building is adorned with statues of the 12 apostles. It was beautiful.
We wanted to go in but the line ran outside the building almost 3 or maybe even 4 blocks down. We only had one day in Florence.
So then we continued on foot through the city. Italy itself it just incredible. Both Rome and Florence are filled with narrow alleyways where you can sit down at little cafes whose eating area extends outside onto the cobblestone streets. Those kinds of places are not so easy to find elsewhere, and are much less common. Vendors everywhere, gelato shops at every corner (gelato is huge in Italy), and amazing architecture accented by various stylish lamps and street lights.
I'm so glad we chose to walk through the city to see what we wanted to see. We walked by a famous square with medieval architecture and a replica of the statue of David. We went by the church where Michelangelo was buried, over the city's river to the Palazzo Pitti where the Medici family used to live, and where we entered into the Boboli Gardens.
The gardens were beautiful - so big and unique. We sat down by a fountain of Neptune in the middle of everything and began to write postcards and journal. It was relaxing after our long walk in high temperatures. Then we looked around a bit more, finding a patio area filled with greenery that overlooked the city. It was so cool, so lush and green from that vantage point.
Then, on our way back into the city, we walked over the Ponte Vecchio bridge, where Machiavelli used to live (for those of us nerds that have read The Prince). He lived at number 18 on a bridge that was damaged twice by floods and another time by the German retreat during WWII. It's now known (apparenlty worldwide) as the jeweler's bridge and is filled with little shops.
Then, we ate a quick dinner at a restaurant situated outside the cathedral where Michelangelo was buried, and continued back to the train station. Our day in Florence was over!
We arrive back in Rome, take the metro to our host's place, and trek up the hill to his apartment. We were exhausted.
He offered us some fruit, and we accepted, trying a new round green fruit that I can't remember the name of, but it was good.
We made awkward conversation for a bit, he actually asked us about our universities, ha, and then we told him we were exhausted and were going to go to bed.
You can imagine my horror, as I am just laying down to sleep, when he walks into the living room where I was sleeping on the couch and sits down to show me his football magazines.
(The night before, I told him a liked American football. I take it back, I take it back!!)
Wow, I said, wow.
He flips a couple of pages, and I try to look interested without letting my eyes droop. After a couple of minutes, he asks me, "Are you dying?"
"What?" I said.
He wanted to know if I was exhausted. Yes! I am!
And I told him honestly that I was, we had walked around in the heat all day, and I wanted nothing more then to crash. So he left, saying maybe we could look at them tomorrow.
I wanted to be a good guest and let him show me the magazines, but when you barely sleep, and then get up and spend a day walking around in the sun, by midnight nothing else sounds better than sleep. At that point, I could barely even keep my eyes open.
Sorry, host.
Leslie and I got up the next morning, packed our things, and headed to our hostel. Our host had a couple of other guests arriving that night and could no longer have us there.
So, on to another experience.
We bought a map, and then looked for a place to eat. By the time we sat down, it was almost 11, so we decided to get lunch. Pasta. Delicious! We ordered two plates and split it while we sat just outside the Dome (il Duomo), which is attached to an old catholic cathedral.
The Dome and the cathedral together make up this beautiful building built centuries ago with marble. The outside is almost like a mosaic, with different colors and pictures. The front of the building is adorned with statues of the 12 apostles. It was beautiful.
We wanted to go in but the line ran outside the building almost 3 or maybe even 4 blocks down. We only had one day in Florence.
So then we continued on foot through the city. Italy itself it just incredible. Both Rome and Florence are filled with narrow alleyways where you can sit down at little cafes whose eating area extends outside onto the cobblestone streets. Those kinds of places are not so easy to find elsewhere, and are much less common. Vendors everywhere, gelato shops at every corner (gelato is huge in Italy), and amazing architecture accented by various stylish lamps and street lights.
I'm so glad we chose to walk through the city to see what we wanted to see. We walked by a famous square with medieval architecture and a replica of the statue of David. We went by the church where Michelangelo was buried, over the city's river to the Palazzo Pitti where the Medici family used to live, and where we entered into the Boboli Gardens.
The gardens were beautiful - so big and unique. We sat down by a fountain of Neptune in the middle of everything and began to write postcards and journal. It was relaxing after our long walk in high temperatures. Then we looked around a bit more, finding a patio area filled with greenery that overlooked the city. It was so cool, so lush and green from that vantage point.
Then, on our way back into the city, we walked over the Ponte Vecchio bridge, where Machiavelli used to live (for those of us nerds that have read The Prince). He lived at number 18 on a bridge that was damaged twice by floods and another time by the German retreat during WWII. It's now known (apparenlty worldwide) as the jeweler's bridge and is filled with little shops.
Then, we ate a quick dinner at a restaurant situated outside the cathedral where Michelangelo was buried, and continued back to the train station. Our day in Florence was over!
We arrive back in Rome, take the metro to our host's place, and trek up the hill to his apartment. We were exhausted.
He offered us some fruit, and we accepted, trying a new round green fruit that I can't remember the name of, but it was good.
We made awkward conversation for a bit, he actually asked us about our universities, ha, and then we told him we were exhausted and were going to go to bed.
You can imagine my horror, as I am just laying down to sleep, when he walks into the living room where I was sleeping on the couch and sits down to show me his football magazines.
(The night before, I told him a liked American football. I take it back, I take it back!!)
Wow, I said, wow.
He flips a couple of pages, and I try to look interested without letting my eyes droop. After a couple of minutes, he asks me, "Are you dying?"
"What?" I said.
He wanted to know if I was exhausted. Yes! I am!
And I told him honestly that I was, we had walked around in the heat all day, and I wanted nothing more then to crash. So he left, saying maybe we could look at them tomorrow.
I wanted to be a good guest and let him show me the magazines, but when you barely sleep, and then get up and spend a day walking around in the sun, by midnight nothing else sounds better than sleep. At that point, I could barely even keep my eyes open.
Sorry, host.
Leslie and I got up the next morning, packed our things, and headed to our hostel. Our host had a couple of other guests arriving that night and could no longer have us there.
So, on to another experience.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Couch surfing in Roma
Our host picked us up at a metro stop in his tiny black Mercedes and took us back to his apartment so we could shower and drop off our things.
It was a holiday, and he was going to the beach. We were tempted to go with, but we really wanted to see the city, and knew we didn't have time to waste.
He was very nice, gave us a key, and we were set to go.
We went to the train stations, made reservations for our departure, and then got lunch - our first Italian dish.
Leslie ordered pizza, thinking it was a slice, and they brought out a whole pizza. Wow. I got penne pasta, and tried to help Leslie finish her huge meal. It was so good. But we found out, apparently, that people just eat whole pizzas there. The dough isn't as thick, but still!
And then we went to a tourist office to plan our time in Rome.
We spent our evening taking a 3-hour walking tour through the city, ending at the Colosseum.
The tour was great, hard to understand our guide with her Italian accent, but we saw so much just by foot. Seeing the ruins of the Roman Forum just left us speechless. The remains actually were covered by dirt over the years and had to be excavated by archeologists, so the ground where the Roman Forum used to stand is much lower than the rest of the city.
Next to the Roman Forum, I later read, stands the prison where the disciples Paul and Peter were kept before they were matyred. I believe the Forum is where the two men were executed as well. Incredible. To think we stood that close to the place where Paul may have written letters that we read today in the Bible. Wow.
The Colosseum was also incredible - it's just so big. All of the architecture is so amazing. It's hard to believe how long ago these structures were constructed, how beautiful they are, and how long they have remained. It really humbles the idea that our advances in technology make our generation intelligent and important.
Later, we met up with our host for dinner and drinks. And honestly, we didn't quite know what to make of him.
I don't know if it was his swagger walking into the restaurant with two women as though we were arm candy, or maybe it was the way he reprimanded the waiter for bringing regular water instead of sparkling water. "Who brought this?!" he asked impatiently. "Which one of the waiters? I wanted sparkling water."
Funny, he never asked us what our preference was...
He's traveled a lot, to many parts of the world, and he speaks two languages besides his native tongue, Italian.
So you would think that he can appreciate differences in culture and might have a greater understanding about different types of people. But he sure wasn't afraid to tell us how much he hated New York, calling it "hell on Earth."
Ha...uhm...did I dare tell him I want to live there?
Oh, and he said the people in New York are rude and the subway smells.
Naw, I won't let him know how much I love the east coast, specifically NYC.
Leslie and I laughed about it the next day, we couldn't believe that he would say that to us when we live in the US. It's almost like us telling him, "We hate Florence. Italians smell." Yikes.
Our night with him was interesting. It was obvious that he loves the Roman culture, but there is a fine line between loving where you live and arrogance.
He was nice enough, but we just felt awkward a lot of the time. And he didn't seem eager to inquire about our culture, our likes and dislikes, and our life at home. It was just strange.
But that didn't stop us from cracking jokes about it all the way to and from Florence. In fact, we're still laughing - even from Greece!
It was a holiday, and he was going to the beach. We were tempted to go with, but we really wanted to see the city, and knew we didn't have time to waste.
He was very nice, gave us a key, and we were set to go.
We went to the train stations, made reservations for our departure, and then got lunch - our first Italian dish.
Leslie ordered pizza, thinking it was a slice, and they brought out a whole pizza. Wow. I got penne pasta, and tried to help Leslie finish her huge meal. It was so good. But we found out, apparently, that people just eat whole pizzas there. The dough isn't as thick, but still!
And then we went to a tourist office to plan our time in Rome.
We spent our evening taking a 3-hour walking tour through the city, ending at the Colosseum.
The tour was great, hard to understand our guide with her Italian accent, but we saw so much just by foot. Seeing the ruins of the Roman Forum just left us speechless. The remains actually were covered by dirt over the years and had to be excavated by archeologists, so the ground where the Roman Forum used to stand is much lower than the rest of the city.
Next to the Roman Forum, I later read, stands the prison where the disciples Paul and Peter were kept before they were matyred. I believe the Forum is where the two men were executed as well. Incredible. To think we stood that close to the place where Paul may have written letters that we read today in the Bible. Wow.
The Colosseum was also incredible - it's just so big. All of the architecture is so amazing. It's hard to believe how long ago these structures were constructed, how beautiful they are, and how long they have remained. It really humbles the idea that our advances in technology make our generation intelligent and important.
Later, we met up with our host for dinner and drinks. And honestly, we didn't quite know what to make of him.
I don't know if it was his swagger walking into the restaurant with two women as though we were arm candy, or maybe it was the way he reprimanded the waiter for bringing regular water instead of sparkling water. "Who brought this?!" he asked impatiently. "Which one of the waiters? I wanted sparkling water."
Funny, he never asked us what our preference was...
He's traveled a lot, to many parts of the world, and he speaks two languages besides his native tongue, Italian.
So you would think that he can appreciate differences in culture and might have a greater understanding about different types of people. But he sure wasn't afraid to tell us how much he hated New York, calling it "hell on Earth."
Ha...uhm...did I dare tell him I want to live there?
Oh, and he said the people in New York are rude and the subway smells.
Naw, I won't let him know how much I love the east coast, specifically NYC.
Leslie and I laughed about it the next day, we couldn't believe that he would say that to us when we live in the US. It's almost like us telling him, "We hate Florence. Italians smell." Yikes.
Our night with him was interesting. It was obvious that he loves the Roman culture, but there is a fine line between loving where you live and arrogance.
He was nice enough, but we just felt awkward a lot of the time. And he didn't seem eager to inquire about our culture, our likes and dislikes, and our life at home. It was just strange.
But that didn't stop us from cracking jokes about it all the way to and from Florence. In fact, we're still laughing - even from Greece!
I love Italians!
So, after passing through Germany and the Czech, we were disappointed by our interactions with people while in Munich and Prague.
The atmosphere in Germany and the Czech is different - much different from other parts of Europe that we'd visited. It's gloomy, and people are short with you. I don't know that we saw anyone smiling, and it's almost as though there is a lack of hope, and definitely a lack of tolerance.
Our tour guide in Prague told us that the Czech is one of the most atheist nations in Europe, something that I think I had heard at my church in high school when we sent mission trips there.
I had to wonder if that had anything to do with the atmosphere.
It was so distinct, and so interesting.
But we board our overnight train to Roma, and we have quite a different experience with the Italian ticket collector.
We were so confused when we got to our little room, because there were just three seats. But then we figure out that there are beds, you just have to pull them down. An Austrian woman was sitting there, and didn't know any English, but we all tried to pull the beds down.
Wrong.
The Italian collector on our cart comes by and says "No, no, what are you doing? You broka everything!"
Uh oh.
We thought we were in trouble, but then he continues, putting our beds back up with a bit of a smirk,
"Vere (where) are you frome? America? "
We nod.
"Okay, zen one million dollars. You broka everything!"
We're laughing by this time.
Then he wanted to know which one of us had gotten the idea to do it. Leslie points to me. The Italian rolls his eyes.
I tell him it was her.
Oh geez, good times.
But he was very nice, asking us which state we lived in, and continuing to inquire about our trip the next morning.
He woke us up with a rhythmic knock and says with a smile, "Buongiorno!"
He tells us, "Get up, and quick, I have another train to catch!" He asks how our train ride was and we said nice. "No, no! Not nice, VERY nice!"
"Okay," I say, "Molto benne!" - which is Italian for very nice - and he seems satisfied.
We were in Rome!
The atmosphere in Germany and the Czech is different - much different from other parts of Europe that we'd visited. It's gloomy, and people are short with you. I don't know that we saw anyone smiling, and it's almost as though there is a lack of hope, and definitely a lack of tolerance.
Our tour guide in Prague told us that the Czech is one of the most atheist nations in Europe, something that I think I had heard at my church in high school when we sent mission trips there.
I had to wonder if that had anything to do with the atmosphere.
It was so distinct, and so interesting.
But we board our overnight train to Roma, and we have quite a different experience with the Italian ticket collector.
We were so confused when we got to our little room, because there were just three seats. But then we figure out that there are beds, you just have to pull them down. An Austrian woman was sitting there, and didn't know any English, but we all tried to pull the beds down.
Wrong.
The Italian collector on our cart comes by and says "No, no, what are you doing? You broka everything!"
Uh oh.
We thought we were in trouble, but then he continues, putting our beds back up with a bit of a smirk,
"Vere (where) are you frome? America? "
We nod.
"Okay, zen one million dollars. You broka everything!"
We're laughing by this time.
Then he wanted to know which one of us had gotten the idea to do it. Leslie points to me. The Italian rolls his eyes.
I tell him it was her.
Oh geez, good times.
But he was very nice, asking us which state we lived in, and continuing to inquire about our trip the next morning.
He woke us up with a rhythmic knock and says with a smile, "Buongiorno!"
He tells us, "Get up, and quick, I have another train to catch!" He asks how our train ride was and we said nice. "No, no! Not nice, VERY nice!"
"Okay," I say, "Molto benne!" - which is Italian for very nice - and he seems satisfied.
We were in Rome!
On to Rome...if we can make it
Trying to get train tickets to Rome was nuts.
We didn't understand how the system worked and no one wanted to help us, regardless of whether they spoke English or not.
We went to the ticket box, they told us we had to go to information first. We went to information, they printed out a sheet. We went to the ticket box again, bought our tickets, and then realized they didn't have a time on them.
Hmm.
In France, they have people walking around the station to help direct tourists around. Not in Prague. We went back to information and inquired. We asked the guy in the window, "Do you speak English?" not wanting to seem arrogant in believing that, as Americans, everyone should speak our language.
He responds, in English, "This is the Czech. We speak Czech in the Czech."
Okay, so you're mocking us.
Leslie says, "Well we don't speak Czech. That's why we asked." But we asked our question anyway, about the departure times, and we think he gave us bogus information, so we asked another window, but they just printed out a sheet of departure times.
We decided to sit and eat lunch and wait to see if our train appeared on the departures board.
When it still didn't appear a half hour before we thought we were supposed to leave, we knew something was off.
Looking at the ticket again, we figured out (I don't even know how) that we were at the wrong station.
So we ran to the metro and prayed we would make it in time.
We did, though it was quite confusing, even at the other station.
Oh well, to Rome!
Well, first to Vienna, then Rome.
We had dinner in Vienna, followed by apple strudel - yum - and then took our overnight train to Roma.
We didn't understand how the system worked and no one wanted to help us, regardless of whether they spoke English or not.
We went to the ticket box, they told us we had to go to information first. We went to information, they printed out a sheet. We went to the ticket box again, bought our tickets, and then realized they didn't have a time on them.
Hmm.
In France, they have people walking around the station to help direct tourists around. Not in Prague. We went back to information and inquired. We asked the guy in the window, "Do you speak English?" not wanting to seem arrogant in believing that, as Americans, everyone should speak our language.
He responds, in English, "This is the Czech. We speak Czech in the Czech."
Okay, so you're mocking us.
Leslie says, "Well we don't speak Czech. That's why we asked." But we asked our question anyway, about the departure times, and we think he gave us bogus information, so we asked another window, but they just printed out a sheet of departure times.
We decided to sit and eat lunch and wait to see if our train appeared on the departures board.
When it still didn't appear a half hour before we thought we were supposed to leave, we knew something was off.
Looking at the ticket again, we figured out (I don't even know how) that we were at the wrong station.
So we ran to the metro and prayed we would make it in time.
We did, though it was quite confusing, even at the other station.
Oh well, to Rome!
Well, first to Vienna, then Rome.
We had dinner in Vienna, followed by apple strudel - yum - and then took our overnight train to Roma.
Prague for a day
We arrived in Prague by train around 11 p.m. The ride, which should have been long, was great because we slept, journaled, talked and met a woman with her son on their way back home to Prague.
The conversation started when I asked her if she wanted help putting her luggage overhead. She spoke little English, but we all managed to communicate.
She said had just visited her sister in Munich, but had lived in the Czech all of her life. She also had recently been to the States, with her husband on a business trip. They went to LA and Las Vegas.
She taught us some basic Czech phrases, told us her favorite restaurant in Prague, and what we should see while we were there (Prague Castle and Old Town). She wanted to know where we were going, how long we were staying, and where we were from. She seemed really nice and we enjoyed talking with her.
When we arrived at the train station, we got a taxi to our hostel.
First hostel experience, since we'd stayed in a super cheap hotel in Paris and with a friend in London.
It was awesome.
It was called the Maribou Hostel and had a great atmosphere. We walked in around midnight and people were up in the lounge and kitchen drinking and talking with music in the background. They had a lounge with dim lighting and big, comfy couches upstairs, just adjacent to the kitchen, and another one downstairs with a pool table.
Downstairs there were also computers where people could get free internet.
The way it was decorated was so interesting - I guess you could say retro?
Our beds looked comfortable, and we started talking with a few girls next to us to see how they liked Prague so far. They were going out to a jazz club that night - which we later found out is a more "touristy" thing to do - not something the locals really enjoy. But still cool.
There were about 20 other people in the room, all bunk beds, guys and girls. I felt like all of the furniture must have been ordered from IKEA, but it wasn't.
One shower for girls and one for guys for the entire first floor, but surprisingly it was rarely in use.
Tired, we went to bed, and the next day headed into the city to see Prague Castle and Old Town.
We took the bus into the city center, and I could not believe how crowded it was!! Literally, it was stuffed so full of people, that there was no room to move. People in chairs, people in the aisles, by the doors...crazy. It was like playing Sardines, except on a bus, in Prague.
Old Town was incredible. The architecture dates back primarily to the Middle Ages, and once you get to Prague Castle, you feel almost like you're in a fairy tale.
Houses and buildings with pointed red roofs, placed in no particular order. It was so refreshing - so different from our geometric street plans with right angles and buildings lined up like ducks in a row.
We headed toward the red roofs, not really knowing where we were going or what we were planning to see. But we stumbled across this incredible building with gardens outside - what we think was the Senate house. But who knows!?
That led us to the Prague Castle gardens. The gardens were amazing - planted on a hill with endless (or at least it seemed so with hot temperatures) stairways up to the castle's square, which also included an amazing cathedral and other historical buildings.
The gardens weren't really gardens, though the stairways were decorated with lots of greenery and flowers. They were a combination of plants and patios and pottery and niches. As we ascended, the view over the city just got better and better.
On our way up, we spotted a classy restaurant situated right on the edge of the hill overlooking the city and decided to eat there on our way back.
We made it to the castle, walked around the square, bought pins and postcards, and sat down for another postcard writing session (which I've come to love). We pick a peaceful place after we buy postcards and just write. It's great.
So sitting outside the palace, we drafted messages to home, and then dropped them in the mailbox and headed back down to eat.
We didn't end up going into the castle - it cost 10 euro and we had already seen several castles.
Lunch was wonderful - and one of our first truly nice meals. We ordered something that was really delicious, but in Czech. To try and explain it (I'm sure I will butcher it), it was a dish with two tortillas filled with mushrooms, cheese, other ingredients and herbs, and was cooked with eggs around it. So good, but I can't remember what it was called.
We sat down just minutes before it started to rain - which was perfect because we could enjoy our meal sitting outside, with the patter of rain falling around us.
We sat for hours - literally hours - and then continued to the astronimical clock in the center of Old Town for a boat tour along Prague's major river.
The boat tour starts with a bus ride for about an hour touring Old Town. The bus was full, and so our guide asked for two volunteers to ride through the city with the company's owner, and Leslie and I jumped at the opportunity. The owner looked younger, and it would be the perfect opportunity to ask questions about the Czech and Prague and the politics of the city. And it was - we were so thankful for that hour car ride.
He told us about the city, a little about the economy, and that the Czech (whose current currency is crowns) will be adopting the euro within the next 5 years. He spoke briefly about the split with Slovakia...they wanted independence, the Czech said okay, but now the Slovak economy has been declining, and many Slovaks come to the Czech to work for better wages. (Sound familiar?)
He also said that the country's switch from socialism to democracy has been good for many in the city, but people on the countryside have not benefited from it and thus they still support socialism.
We drove by a big, symbolic building where the Czech people gather for polcitical protests and such. The owner said that in the 1970's, two students actually burned themselves alive in front of that building to protest Soviet invasion. Ouch.
He said the city, in medieval times, was constantly building walls for protection. The Old Town was surrounded by walls until the New Town was built in the 1200's. Wow.
So we got a lot of good tidbits from our tour. But then we got on the boat and found that the information stopped. So sad, we wanted to know more, but there was just a lot of food. So at least that was good.
And there was live music - a trumpet, a banjo, a trobone, and a fourth instrument that I can't remember.
That was fun, but they played renditions of American classics. We wanted something a bit more cultural.
And that ended our day in Prague.
Back at the hostel, two guys from Holland started talking to us while we were on the Internet. Side note - English is truly the universal language. Everyone speaks it in Europe. They know their language, and then English, and sometimes have a third or fourth language under their belt. So if you're Spanish, and you travel to the Czech, you have to know English or Czech to communicate. Crazy.
Leslie and I, wanting to see the cities and learn about their history first and foremost, have been too tired to really go out at night. And it's harder when you don't know the language, and don't know any locals that can give you good pointers.
These two guys have been traveling for two weeks and have only stayed in twice. Every other night they've gone out drinking and dancing. Granted, their purpose for travel is quite different from ours, but they could not believe that we hadn't gone out. We wished them luck in their endeavors =).
The next morning, we got up early, took advantage of the hostel's free breakfast, and went to the train station to go to Rome.
The conversation started when I asked her if she wanted help putting her luggage overhead. She spoke little English, but we all managed to communicate.
She said had just visited her sister in Munich, but had lived in the Czech all of her life. She also had recently been to the States, with her husband on a business trip. They went to LA and Las Vegas.
She taught us some basic Czech phrases, told us her favorite restaurant in Prague, and what we should see while we were there (Prague Castle and Old Town). She wanted to know where we were going, how long we were staying, and where we were from. She seemed really nice and we enjoyed talking with her.
When we arrived at the train station, we got a taxi to our hostel.
First hostel experience, since we'd stayed in a super cheap hotel in Paris and with a friend in London.
It was awesome.
It was called the Maribou Hostel and had a great atmosphere. We walked in around midnight and people were up in the lounge and kitchen drinking and talking with music in the background. They had a lounge with dim lighting and big, comfy couches upstairs, just adjacent to the kitchen, and another one downstairs with a pool table.
Downstairs there were also computers where people could get free internet.
The way it was decorated was so interesting - I guess you could say retro?
Our beds looked comfortable, and we started talking with a few girls next to us to see how they liked Prague so far. They were going out to a jazz club that night - which we later found out is a more "touristy" thing to do - not something the locals really enjoy. But still cool.
There were about 20 other people in the room, all bunk beds, guys and girls. I felt like all of the furniture must have been ordered from IKEA, but it wasn't.
One shower for girls and one for guys for the entire first floor, but surprisingly it was rarely in use.
Tired, we went to bed, and the next day headed into the city to see Prague Castle and Old Town.
We took the bus into the city center, and I could not believe how crowded it was!! Literally, it was stuffed so full of people, that there was no room to move. People in chairs, people in the aisles, by the doors...crazy. It was like playing Sardines, except on a bus, in Prague.
Old Town was incredible. The architecture dates back primarily to the Middle Ages, and once you get to Prague Castle, you feel almost like you're in a fairy tale.
Houses and buildings with pointed red roofs, placed in no particular order. It was so refreshing - so different from our geometric street plans with right angles and buildings lined up like ducks in a row.
We headed toward the red roofs, not really knowing where we were going or what we were planning to see. But we stumbled across this incredible building with gardens outside - what we think was the Senate house. But who knows!?
That led us to the Prague Castle gardens. The gardens were amazing - planted on a hill with endless (or at least it seemed so with hot temperatures) stairways up to the castle's square, which also included an amazing cathedral and other historical buildings.
The gardens weren't really gardens, though the stairways were decorated with lots of greenery and flowers. They were a combination of plants and patios and pottery and niches. As we ascended, the view over the city just got better and better.
On our way up, we spotted a classy restaurant situated right on the edge of the hill overlooking the city and decided to eat there on our way back.
We made it to the castle, walked around the square, bought pins and postcards, and sat down for another postcard writing session (which I've come to love). We pick a peaceful place after we buy postcards and just write. It's great.
So sitting outside the palace, we drafted messages to home, and then dropped them in the mailbox and headed back down to eat.
We didn't end up going into the castle - it cost 10 euro and we had already seen several castles.
Lunch was wonderful - and one of our first truly nice meals. We ordered something that was really delicious, but in Czech. To try and explain it (I'm sure I will butcher it), it was a dish with two tortillas filled with mushrooms, cheese, other ingredients and herbs, and was cooked with eggs around it. So good, but I can't remember what it was called.
We sat down just minutes before it started to rain - which was perfect because we could enjoy our meal sitting outside, with the patter of rain falling around us.
We sat for hours - literally hours - and then continued to the astronimical clock in the center of Old Town for a boat tour along Prague's major river.
The boat tour starts with a bus ride for about an hour touring Old Town. The bus was full, and so our guide asked for two volunteers to ride through the city with the company's owner, and Leslie and I jumped at the opportunity. The owner looked younger, and it would be the perfect opportunity to ask questions about the Czech and Prague and the politics of the city. And it was - we were so thankful for that hour car ride.
He told us about the city, a little about the economy, and that the Czech (whose current currency is crowns) will be adopting the euro within the next 5 years. He spoke briefly about the split with Slovakia...they wanted independence, the Czech said okay, but now the Slovak economy has been declining, and many Slovaks come to the Czech to work for better wages. (Sound familiar?)
He also said that the country's switch from socialism to democracy has been good for many in the city, but people on the countryside have not benefited from it and thus they still support socialism.
We drove by a big, symbolic building where the Czech people gather for polcitical protests and such. The owner said that in the 1970's, two students actually burned themselves alive in front of that building to protest Soviet invasion. Ouch.
He said the city, in medieval times, was constantly building walls for protection. The Old Town was surrounded by walls until the New Town was built in the 1200's. Wow.
So we got a lot of good tidbits from our tour. But then we got on the boat and found that the information stopped. So sad, we wanted to know more, but there was just a lot of food. So at least that was good.
And there was live music - a trumpet, a banjo, a trobone, and a fourth instrument that I can't remember.
That was fun, but they played renditions of American classics. We wanted something a bit more cultural.
And that ended our day in Prague.
Back at the hostel, two guys from Holland started talking to us while we were on the Internet. Side note - English is truly the universal language. Everyone speaks it in Europe. They know their language, and then English, and sometimes have a third or fourth language under their belt. So if you're Spanish, and you travel to the Czech, you have to know English or Czech to communicate. Crazy.
Leslie and I, wanting to see the cities and learn about their history first and foremost, have been too tired to really go out at night. And it's harder when you don't know the language, and don't know any locals that can give you good pointers.
These two guys have been traveling for two weeks and have only stayed in twice. Every other night they've gone out drinking and dancing. Granted, their purpose for travel is quite different from ours, but they could not believe that we hadn't gone out. We wished them luck in their endeavors =).
The next morning, we got up early, took advantage of the hostel's free breakfast, and went to the train station to go to Rome.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Post-France Reflection
I loved Paris. But the Parisians are another ballpark.
The culture is so interesting - Parisians are very fashionable, and I think they know it. Many, not all, walk around a bit arrogantly, actually. And man purses are everywhere! But not just any purse - it must be designer. You know, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton. Get ready, America. Our sports-crazy men may soon be using man purses. Hey, it could happen.
The cafes are eveywhere - people have cafe (coffee) every afternoon, without fail. There are so many bakeries, so many breads, and so much ham and cheese. The food was great.
But the metro SMELLS. As told by Leslie, the French do not regard bath a daily activity like many Americans do. In fact, when her family hosted a French student, he went a week without bathing, believe it or not. But they walk, jog, and sweat, and then they put on clothes - no shower needed. And we experienced the evidence first hand.
The other thing that I noticed in Paris was the high populations of Africans. I think I remember learning a little about this in one of my Poli Sci classes, but Leslie and I were talking about the issues that France has with immigration - very similar to Arizona's border issues with Mexico. It was interesting to see that our countries clash politically, but are having similar domestic problems. Hmm.
And the lines in Paris! SO LONG, tourists everywhere, the city was just absolutely inundated with visitors from other countries and other areas of France. I could not believe it. But that is not the first place we would experience that.
The culture is so interesting - Parisians are very fashionable, and I think they know it. Many, not all, walk around a bit arrogantly, actually. And man purses are everywhere! But not just any purse - it must be designer. You know, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton. Get ready, America. Our sports-crazy men may soon be using man purses. Hey, it could happen.
The cafes are eveywhere - people have cafe (coffee) every afternoon, without fail. There are so many bakeries, so many breads, and so much ham and cheese. The food was great.
But the metro SMELLS. As told by Leslie, the French do not regard bath a daily activity like many Americans do. In fact, when her family hosted a French student, he went a week without bathing, believe it or not. But they walk, jog, and sweat, and then they put on clothes - no shower needed. And we experienced the evidence first hand.
The other thing that I noticed in Paris was the high populations of Africans. I think I remember learning a little about this in one of my Poli Sci classes, but Leslie and I were talking about the issues that France has with immigration - very similar to Arizona's border issues with Mexico. It was interesting to see that our countries clash politically, but are having similar domestic problems. Hmm.
And the lines in Paris! SO LONG, tourists everywhere, the city was just absolutely inundated with visitors from other countries and other areas of France. I could not believe it. But that is not the first place we would experience that.
Dachau, Munchen
We had a total of about 7 hours in Munich before our train left for Prague, so we decided to see the first concentration camp built by the Germans. (dismal, I know).
Honestly, when we arrived on site, I was disturbed.
It's so strange to think how an event like that can permeate the air for years after most of the evidence is gone.
The Holocaust Museum in D.C. is sombering and sometimes difficult, but Leslie and I both agreed that Dachau different. It was a cold, gloomy and disturbing place to be.
We made our visit a quick one.
Remains of the pathway that led the Nazi captives to the camp are still there. The gate still remains intact, reading ARBEIT MACHT FREI, or the common Nazi slogan throughout concentration camps, "work will make you free."
A couple of the buildings are still there, and there are several monuments standing throughout the camp comemorating the suffering of all victims of the Nazis.
We actually walked through the same building where incoming prisoners were forced to remove their clothing and take showers. Chills.
We saw the area designated for the crematorium, and we saw examples of what a barracks would have looked like.
Dachau was built to hold 6,000 prisoners. When the camp was liberated, there were 32,000 people there. Unbelievable.
And the people in the town never understood until bodies were uncovered. They actually showed us video of townspeople being shown (I apologize for being blatant) the piles of the skeletal deceased. They were shocked, looking away and then back again as though it was unreal. Some even wept. But the events of that war were very real, and it was really hard to be there.
So we left, headed for Prague.
Honestly, when we arrived on site, I was disturbed.
It's so strange to think how an event like that can permeate the air for years after most of the evidence is gone.
The Holocaust Museum in D.C. is sombering and sometimes difficult, but Leslie and I both agreed that Dachau different. It was a cold, gloomy and disturbing place to be.
We made our visit a quick one.
Remains of the pathway that led the Nazi captives to the camp are still there. The gate still remains intact, reading ARBEIT MACHT FREI, or the common Nazi slogan throughout concentration camps, "work will make you free."
A couple of the buildings are still there, and there are several monuments standing throughout the camp comemorating the suffering of all victims of the Nazis.
We actually walked through the same building where incoming prisoners were forced to remove their clothing and take showers. Chills.
We saw the area designated for the crematorium, and we saw examples of what a barracks would have looked like.
Dachau was built to hold 6,000 prisoners. When the camp was liberated, there were 32,000 people there. Unbelievable.
And the people in the town never understood until bodies were uncovered. They actually showed us video of townspeople being shown (I apologize for being blatant) the piles of the skeletal deceased. They were shocked, looking away and then back again as though it was unreal. Some even wept. But the events of that war were very real, and it was really hard to be there.
So we left, headed for Prague.
Would you like some cheese with that wine?
Last day in Paris, we spend the whole morning figuring out what to do with our study abroad baggage, and end up leaving it at the train station in lockers. Hopefully it will still be there when we return. =)
Lunch from a crepe stand - herbs, tomatoes, feta and ham. Delicious.
We journaled, slept, and read on a bench in the Luxembourg Gardens nearby for a couple of hours. Then we did some window shopping, and finally got some wine, cheese and bread.
We wanted to have an authentic Parisian experience on the bridge used in the Sex and the City finale.
So we joined groups of people leaned up against the railing, layed out a blanket, and set up our dinner.
It was a perfect way to say "au revoir" to the city of lights.
And then we hopped on our overnight train to Munich (or Munchen as it's known in Europe).
We slept in a room with 6 beds, three on each side. We were the only females, accompanied by two young German guys and a French man with his three kids. (Who, I must say, were very well behaved. I was impressed).
We spoke with each other in Spanish just for fun (Leslie's first language) - because everyone understands English pretty well. One of the beds was high up on the wall, about a foot under the top bed, and we were trying to figure out how to move it down. The German guys, wanting to help, actually asked us if we spoke English. Haha, suckers. =)
It was an interesting experience, our first overnight train, and the German ticket collector was really mean, but we enjoyed it. And we slept so well!
Lunch from a crepe stand - herbs, tomatoes, feta and ham. Delicious.
We journaled, slept, and read on a bench in the Luxembourg Gardens nearby for a couple of hours. Then we did some window shopping, and finally got some wine, cheese and bread.
We wanted to have an authentic Parisian experience on the bridge used in the Sex and the City finale.
So we joined groups of people leaned up against the railing, layed out a blanket, and set up our dinner.
It was a perfect way to say "au revoir" to the city of lights.
And then we hopped on our overnight train to Munich (or Munchen as it's known in Europe).
We slept in a room with 6 beds, three on each side. We were the only females, accompanied by two young German guys and a French man with his three kids. (Who, I must say, were very well behaved. I was impressed).
We spoke with each other in Spanish just for fun (Leslie's first language) - because everyone understands English pretty well. One of the beds was high up on the wall, about a foot under the top bed, and we were trying to figure out how to move it down. The German guys, wanting to help, actually asked us if we spoke English. Haha, suckers. =)
It was an interesting experience, our first overnight train, and the German ticket collector was really mean, but we enjoyed it. And we slept so well!
Paris and Fat Tire Bike Tours
Okay, by far the coolest thing we had done up to that point on the trip.
We took a bike tour starting at 7 pm through Paris for about five hours.
Biking was the perfect way to see little niches of the city and appreciate some of the more common, but beautiful architecture. And the guides took us to so many cool places.
To start, we saw one of Johnny Depp's residences, the tunnel where Princess Di was killed, where Marie Antoinette was held prisoner during the revolution, and where she was eventually hung in the middle of the city.
We also saw the building where the original crown of thorns was displayed along with a part of the cross that Jesus Christ died on. We saw the bridge from the Sex and the City finale, where people gather with wine and cheese and french bread to just hang out in the evening. So cool, right?
We saw the building where the French National Society works to preserve the French language. They actually create words in French that translate new words invented in English. The computer, for example, is la ordinator in French because they are so intent on preserving their language. It's quite admirable actually. No...Frenglish?
We rode through the Louvre at night - which was beyond comprehension. The guide said if a person looked at each exhibit for one minute 24-7, they still would not be finished in 200 days. Whoa.
We saw the Pont Neuf, the first bridge in Paris and rode to the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was actually cleaned within the past decade. Apparently it used to be black, but was cleaned with special lasers. Everything except for the steeple, which was left black to remind people of what once was.
The tour ended with a boat cruise in the Seine, complimentary wine - as much as you can drink.
So naturally, we took two bottles each and crashed our bikes the whole way home. Ha, just kidding.
But some people did go a little overboard - we just laughed and sipped our little cups.
Starting at 10 pm, the Eiffel Tower glitters for 10 minutes, every hour, on the hour, until 2 am. Neither of us knew that, and was so cool to see.
The tour was a blast, with or without the wine. =)
We took a bike tour starting at 7 pm through Paris for about five hours.
Biking was the perfect way to see little niches of the city and appreciate some of the more common, but beautiful architecture. And the guides took us to so many cool places.
To start, we saw one of Johnny Depp's residences, the tunnel where Princess Di was killed, where Marie Antoinette was held prisoner during the revolution, and where she was eventually hung in the middle of the city.
We also saw the building where the original crown of thorns was displayed along with a part of the cross that Jesus Christ died on. We saw the bridge from the Sex and the City finale, where people gather with wine and cheese and french bread to just hang out in the evening. So cool, right?
We saw the building where the French National Society works to preserve the French language. They actually create words in French that translate new words invented in English. The computer, for example, is la ordinator in French because they are so intent on preserving their language. It's quite admirable actually. No...Frenglish?
We rode through the Louvre at night - which was beyond comprehension. The guide said if a person looked at each exhibit for one minute 24-7, they still would not be finished in 200 days. Whoa.
We saw the Pont Neuf, the first bridge in Paris and rode to the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was actually cleaned within the past decade. Apparently it used to be black, but was cleaned with special lasers. Everything except for the steeple, which was left black to remind people of what once was.
The tour ended with a boat cruise in the Seine, complimentary wine - as much as you can drink.
So naturally, we took two bottles each and crashed our bikes the whole way home. Ha, just kidding.
But some people did go a little overboard - we just laughed and sipped our little cups.
Starting at 10 pm, the Eiffel Tower glitters for 10 minutes, every hour, on the hour, until 2 am. Neither of us knew that, and was so cool to see.
The tour was a blast, with or without the wine. =)
Versaille - Part deux
So, there is more to Versailles than long lines and pigeons.
After buying tickets and then standing in another line to enter the palace, we finally got to see the exquisite decoration inside.
I just could not believe it. Monarchs investing in all of these beautiful, but frivolous, interior designs. We went through room after room of intricate chandeliers, decorated walls, huge portraits and paintings. It helps you understand the complaints of the French during the revolution. I have no idea if the peasants understood what was being spent and how, but if so, I know I would be angry.
Regardless, the appreciation for art and desire for luxury and impressive decoration in France's royalty prior to the revolution was evident, and wonderful to look at.
Most of the palace was said to be developed by the king Louis's in the 16th through 18th centuries. We saw the room where the king slept, and the room where Marie Antoinette slept. So incredible. Not my piece of cake (pun intended) but it was gorgeous.
I loved the interior of the Versailles Palace, but nothing beat the gardens behind the palace. The greenery seemed to go on forever, pleasantly interrupted by arrangements of flowers and fountains. The flowers were so pretty, so colorful, and complemented the area so well.
I could just see Marie Antoinette and other women of the court leisurely strolling through the grounds. Wow.
I wish the weather had not been cloudy and cold, because the gardens were so inviting that all I wanted to do was lay down and daydream. Or sleep.
After buying tickets and then standing in another line to enter the palace, we finally got to see the exquisite decoration inside.
I just could not believe it. Monarchs investing in all of these beautiful, but frivolous, interior designs. We went through room after room of intricate chandeliers, decorated walls, huge portraits and paintings. It helps you understand the complaints of the French during the revolution. I have no idea if the peasants understood what was being spent and how, but if so, I know I would be angry.
Regardless, the appreciation for art and desire for luxury and impressive decoration in France's royalty prior to the revolution was evident, and wonderful to look at.
Most of the palace was said to be developed by the king Louis's in the 16th through 18th centuries. We saw the room where the king slept, and the room where Marie Antoinette slept. So incredible. Not my piece of cake (pun intended) but it was gorgeous.
I loved the interior of the Versailles Palace, but nothing beat the gardens behind the palace. The greenery seemed to go on forever, pleasantly interrupted by arrangements of flowers and fountains. The flowers were so pretty, so colorful, and complemented the area so well.
I could just see Marie Antoinette and other women of the court leisurely strolling through the grounds. Wow.
I wish the weather had not been cloudy and cold, because the gardens were so inviting that all I wanted to do was lay down and daydream. Or sleep.
Monday, August 13, 2007
France: Versailles and Paris
Even though I haven't finished day two, I had to start the day 3 blog.
Leslie and I took a train to Versailles to see the palace, which I've heard is amazing. The lines are so long, we can't believe it, so we hop behind the last people in line and hope it moves quickly.
We break out my beginner's Italian book and start going over some basic phrases, then Leslie runs off to find a bathroom.
And then it happened.
While that sucker leaves me in the long lines, I have the invaluable experience of getting pooped on by a pigeon. In my hair.
Let me just say that again for affect. A pigeon, flying above, decides to release a present to the earth below, and it lands on me. In my hair.
Clean wipes are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Forget computers, they can't do anything for you while you've got pigeon excrement in your hair. Clean wipes saved my life.
Welcome to Versailles.
Leslie and I took a train to Versailles to see the palace, which I've heard is amazing. The lines are so long, we can't believe it, so we hop behind the last people in line and hope it moves quickly.
We break out my beginner's Italian book and start going over some basic phrases, then Leslie runs off to find a bathroom.
And then it happened.
While that sucker leaves me in the long lines, I have the invaluable experience of getting pooped on by a pigeon. In my hair.
Let me just say that again for affect. A pigeon, flying above, decides to release a present to the earth below, and it lands on me. In my hair.
Clean wipes are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Forget computers, they can't do anything for you while you've got pigeon excrement in your hair. Clean wipes saved my life.
Welcome to Versailles.
Paris by day, Eiffel Tower by night
So we rushed into the city, having overslept. We bought tickets on the city bus tour and hopped on until we arrived at the Opera house where we decided to get off.
We weren't sure what the inside was like, but we decided to shell out the 4 euros per person anyways and check it out.
No words could describe what we saw. It was so incredible! Definitely worth every euro cent. The careful detail and gold decoration just catch you off-guard. Chandeliers everywhere, paintings, statues, mirrors, it all comes together so well.
The grand staircase leads up to the boxes where royalty and nobility must have sat only centuries ago.
The actual stage room was undergoing renovation in places, but that did not take away from the design and luxury inside. The deep red of the seats, curtains and walls, the magnificent ceiling, it was almost inspiring.
Leslie and I read that Romeo and Juliet is starting there in October, and we are determined to get tickets. It was that amazing.
Then we headed farther north to visit Montmartre, a part of the city that Leslie loved the last time she was here.
It is this huge cathederal up on a hill. It was quite a climb, and some African men tried to tie braided bracelets onto our hand when we were walking up to make some extra cash. I got away by giving a stern NO as I walked quickly up the stairs, but Leslie practically had to football tackle the guy that approached her.
Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but the motions she had to make to avoid the man were somewhat characteristic of a dodgeball player in the heat of the game.
From the top of the hill, just below the cathedral, there is an excellent view of the city - we just sat down and watched for awhile, while people of all nationalities swarmed around us.
Then we did some tourist shopping just a few streets away.
After purchasing almost identical scarves (unintentional) and adding to our pin collection (we are collecting pins and postcards everywhere we go) we headed back into the center of the city to see the view from the Eiffel Tower by night.
Standing in line, we were able to watch the tower slowly light up as the sun set over Paris. So amazing.
I remember it was so windy and so cold. We did our best to bundle up in light rain jackets, our new scarves and the light sweaters we had.
We were the first two onto the elevator, which was amazing because then we got to pick prime spots to watch the city as we ascended.
Once you get to the second floor, you have to buy tickets to get to the top. So after some more standing in good old lines, we boarded the elevator to the top.
So windy and so cold! But worth it.
It was strange to think that we were so high up, because it did not feel that way. But the view was incredible - we could point out things we had seen, or things that Leslie knew from her last visit. The city lights were just beautiful.
We weren't sure what the inside was like, but we decided to shell out the 4 euros per person anyways and check it out.
No words could describe what we saw. It was so incredible! Definitely worth every euro cent. The careful detail and gold decoration just catch you off-guard. Chandeliers everywhere, paintings, statues, mirrors, it all comes together so well.
The grand staircase leads up to the boxes where royalty and nobility must have sat only centuries ago.
The actual stage room was undergoing renovation in places, but that did not take away from the design and luxury inside. The deep red of the seats, curtains and walls, the magnificent ceiling, it was almost inspiring.
Leslie and I read that Romeo and Juliet is starting there in October, and we are determined to get tickets. It was that amazing.
Then we headed farther north to visit Montmartre, a part of the city that Leslie loved the last time she was here.
It is this huge cathederal up on a hill. It was quite a climb, and some African men tried to tie braided bracelets onto our hand when we were walking up to make some extra cash. I got away by giving a stern NO as I walked quickly up the stairs, but Leslie practically had to football tackle the guy that approached her.
Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but the motions she had to make to avoid the man were somewhat characteristic of a dodgeball player in the heat of the game.
From the top of the hill, just below the cathedral, there is an excellent view of the city - we just sat down and watched for awhile, while people of all nationalities swarmed around us.
Then we did some tourist shopping just a few streets away.
After purchasing almost identical scarves (unintentional) and adding to our pin collection (we are collecting pins and postcards everywhere we go) we headed back into the center of the city to see the view from the Eiffel Tower by night.
Standing in line, we were able to watch the tower slowly light up as the sun set over Paris. So amazing.
I remember it was so windy and so cold. We did our best to bundle up in light rain jackets, our new scarves and the light sweaters we had.
We were the first two onto the elevator, which was amazing because then we got to pick prime spots to watch the city as we ascended.
Once you get to the second floor, you have to buy tickets to get to the top. So after some more standing in good old lines, we boarded the elevator to the top.
So windy and so cold! But worth it.
It was strange to think that we were so high up, because it did not feel that way. But the view was incredible - we could point out things we had seen, or things that Leslie knew from her last visit. The city lights were just beautiful.
Bonjour de Paris, Day 1
We arrived in Paris by train and got a cab at the train station to take us to our hotel so we could drop off all of our baggage (we still had all of our luggage for the semester with us).
Our hotel was pretty far from the city, but was nice. Our room was small, but we had our own beds for the first time! So great.
We left our stuff and headed out to explore the city and find some good food. We tried to find the train station which was supposedly nearby, and ended up stumbling across a small bakery that smelled delicious. Starving, we excitedly walked in to buy some bread. We got half a loaf of french bread, so fresh it was still warm, and thoroughly enjoyed it a few moments later.
We asked the cashier at the bakery where the station was, and he didn't know, so he asked some of the workers at the shop. One of them volunteered to walk us to the nearest bus stop, where we could take the bus to the metro into the city center.
And we thought it was going to be complicated - ha.
Well, speaking French with Leslie, we learn that he's only lived here for a couple of weeks, so he's probably not the best person to be showing us around. But we were hungry and ready to start taking in Paris!
We are the only white people on the bus toward the city - so definitely inconspicuous. We're really skilled at just blending in like that. =)
We start by walking toward the Eiffel Tower, stopping at a cafe to eat a late lunch. But finally we come to the incredible monument that so iconic of Paris and France.
It wasn't what I expected. It's beauty is much different from the ornate architecture that exists throughout Europe. But I still stopped in my tracks. The tower's size and design are so unique. You can admire the tower in its entirety, and you can also admire it's detail. Loved it.
So many people were gathered in lines at the legs of the structure. It was truly overwhelming. We wanted to wait to go up, as the weather that day was not the best and the visibility from the top was limited. So we continued onward.
We headed toward the Latin Quarter but never really made it there.
We took pictures at the Grand Palais, built for the universal exhibition in the 19th century, and on the bridge that leads to it, also built for the exhibition.
We got distracted at another cafe, drawn in by the excellent list of desserts and coffee. Yum.
Nearing 8 pm, we decided to head back because the bus service stops at 9 pm.
And then we slept! So well that we slept through the alarm the next day and didn't wake up until almost 10:30. We were really tired.
Our hotel was pretty far from the city, but was nice. Our room was small, but we had our own beds for the first time! So great.
We left our stuff and headed out to explore the city and find some good food. We tried to find the train station which was supposedly nearby, and ended up stumbling across a small bakery that smelled delicious. Starving, we excitedly walked in to buy some bread. We got half a loaf of french bread, so fresh it was still warm, and thoroughly enjoyed it a few moments later.
We asked the cashier at the bakery where the station was, and he didn't know, so he asked some of the workers at the shop. One of them volunteered to walk us to the nearest bus stop, where we could take the bus to the metro into the city center.
And we thought it was going to be complicated - ha.
Well, speaking French with Leslie, we learn that he's only lived here for a couple of weeks, so he's probably not the best person to be showing us around. But we were hungry and ready to start taking in Paris!
We are the only white people on the bus toward the city - so definitely inconspicuous. We're really skilled at just blending in like that. =)
We start by walking toward the Eiffel Tower, stopping at a cafe to eat a late lunch. But finally we come to the incredible monument that so iconic of Paris and France.
It wasn't what I expected. It's beauty is much different from the ornate architecture that exists throughout Europe. But I still stopped in my tracks. The tower's size and design are so unique. You can admire the tower in its entirety, and you can also admire it's detail. Loved it.
So many people were gathered in lines at the legs of the structure. It was truly overwhelming. We wanted to wait to go up, as the weather that day was not the best and the visibility from the top was limited. So we continued onward.
We headed toward the Latin Quarter but never really made it there.
We took pictures at the Grand Palais, built for the universal exhibition in the 19th century, and on the bridge that leads to it, also built for the exhibition.
We got distracted at another cafe, drawn in by the excellent list of desserts and coffee. Yum.
Nearing 8 pm, we decided to head back because the bus service stops at 9 pm.
And then we slept! So well that we slept through the alarm the next day and didn't wake up until almost 10:30. We were really tired.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
This post goes out to my fish, who I named after the finest writer in English history.
So Tuesday was devoted to luggage, sleep, The Merchant of Venice, and sleep. We were on the phone for hours with baggage service people, being transfered every which way while our parents called US Airways in the US to try and make some progess.
When we weren't on the phone with baggage people, we were sleeping, like logs. We finally made some progress with the baggage issue by 5 pm, just in time for us to get ready and see Shakespeare's play at the Globe. So we went, still dreading what we would find when we got back. Luggage, or no luggage?
But the play was great! So incredible. Being a big fan of Shakespeare, I wanted to take in every moment carefully remember each detail.
I could not believe that I was sitting in the same theater where Shakespeare himself stood and where Queen Elizabeth saw plays. Wow.
The actors were amazing - their enthusiasm and vivid expression was so impressive! No microphones, pure lung to get their voice to carry through the audience.
Beats a movie any day. And the costumes were great.
We left the theatre excited and invigorated, praying that our luggage would be their when returned.
And it was!! It literally arrived the minute that we were turning the corner, walking back from our night at the Globe! Thank God!!!!
So then we had to re-pack. We packed, put out cushions on the floor, and....we get interrupted. A group of inebriated students gets back from their night out, turns on all the lights and yells for about an hour. They first were scared by the "mummies" in the kitchen, and then realized that it was only people sleeping, so they decided to be merry and have some food and drink.
So Leslie and I responded rationally, and single-handedly defenestrated all of them.
Or we just stayed their and pretended to sleep until they left. =)
Total hours of sleep last night: 2. YES!
Paris, here we come!
So Tuesday was devoted to luggage, sleep, The Merchant of Venice, and sleep. We were on the phone for hours with baggage service people, being transfered every which way while our parents called US Airways in the US to try and make some progess.
When we weren't on the phone with baggage people, we were sleeping, like logs. We finally made some progress with the baggage issue by 5 pm, just in time for us to get ready and see Shakespeare's play at the Globe. So we went, still dreading what we would find when we got back. Luggage, or no luggage?
But the play was great! So incredible. Being a big fan of Shakespeare, I wanted to take in every moment carefully remember each detail.
I could not believe that I was sitting in the same theater where Shakespeare himself stood and where Queen Elizabeth saw plays. Wow.
The actors were amazing - their enthusiasm and vivid expression was so impressive! No microphones, pure lung to get their voice to carry through the audience.
Beats a movie any day. And the costumes were great.
We left the theatre excited and invigorated, praying that our luggage would be their when returned.
And it was!! It literally arrived the minute that we were turning the corner, walking back from our night at the Globe! Thank God!!!!
So then we had to re-pack. We packed, put out cushions on the floor, and....we get interrupted. A group of inebriated students gets back from their night out, turns on all the lights and yells for about an hour. They first were scared by the "mummies" in the kitchen, and then realized that it was only people sleeping, so they decided to be merry and have some food and drink.
So Leslie and I responded rationally, and single-handedly defenestrated all of them.
Or we just stayed their and pretended to sleep until they left. =)
Total hours of sleep last night: 2. YES!
Paris, here we come!
Irish cheers
We spent Monday in Dublin, Ireland, and yes, we slept at the airport...or tried to.
Sunday night, we walked half the way to the King's Cross train station to save on cab fares, hailed a cab after grabbing some food, and barely made the next train to Luton, where we flew out early Tuesday.
The airport was quite entertaining actually. You would think that at midnight there would be almost no one around and that check-in would be almost deserted. Not the case.
People were drinking coffee, beer, eating pastries, using the internet, and sleeping on the floor.
When we finally finished planning our day in Dublin, we just joined a line of sleeping travelers on the tile floor and busted out our flimsy airline blankets. We could not check in until 2 1/2 hours before our flight, so no luck getting to some good, comfortable carpet.
People were using luggage as pillows and mattresses, and many had spread out blankets and towels on the floor. The floor was freezing!! Even dressed in a sweater and rain jacket I was not warm enough - not even by a long shot.
Neither of us got very much rest, dozing in and out of light sleep. We got up again just before 4 am and bought some hot chocolate from a cafe nearby to help us defrost.
After we checked in, we found our gate (with carpet!!) and crawled under some airport seats to sleep some more.
When we arrived in Dublin, we ran into a few, uhm, obstacles. First, we can't find a good, cheap map, so we don't really know where we are. Next, it's REALLY cold - raining off and on. Then we can't really see a good place to have breakfast. Then someone tells us that Monday is a holiday, and so most businesses won't open until 1 pm. We arrived in the city around 8 am. Ha, oh geez.
So we stand (inconspicuously, of course, ha) in the back of convenient store chowing down on some goodies from the deli and drinking straight out of an orange juice carton that we bought because cups cost .50 euros, and that's too expensive for our shallow pockets. We head over to a McDonald's to sit with some coffee until the city starts to awaken a bit. We use the men's restroom because the women's is closed for cleaning. You can imagine the awkwardness when an attractive European guy walks in, says "hi" and proceeds immediately into the stall. Apparently he couldn't wait? Well, when you gotta go...!
We pay for a bus tour/coastline trip to Malahide Castle and Howth. We love Ireland already because it is so much cheaper than London! The coastline trip leaves at about 10:15 and I see about 10% of the countryside because I can't even keep my eyes open - I blame the cold tile floor in Luton. =)
But we get out on the way and take some pictures and arrive at the castle soon enough. It was so interesting to see the differences from the Windsor castle, which is much larger and much more elaborate. Leslie and I were theorizing that this might be reflective of the difference in wealth, historically, between the two countries. The Malahide Castle is more than 800 years old and only left the hands of the original owner's family in the 1970's. The last descendant of the Talbots, who owned the property for centuries, actually lived there until she sold it.
We have lunch in the cafe in the castle and head back to town.
Next we get on the bus tour around the city. And stay on. For the whole way around. We were so tired we ended up dozing off in the back of the bus! What people must've thought...
It starts raining while we're cat napping on the city tour bus and we decide we are too exhausted to walk through anything. We need food! But then by the time we get off the bus and eat food, it is time to go back to the airport.
Bummed we didn't use our time very well in the city, but glad we got to see some rolling hills.
We get back to the building where we are staying and still no luggage. We worked on that until almost 3 am. And then we passed out in the community kitchen at the dorms. (We actually took apart the couches and made little beds on the floor).
And thus commenced our Irish journey.
Sunday night, we walked half the way to the King's Cross train station to save on cab fares, hailed a cab after grabbing some food, and barely made the next train to Luton, where we flew out early Tuesday.
The airport was quite entertaining actually. You would think that at midnight there would be almost no one around and that check-in would be almost deserted. Not the case.
People were drinking coffee, beer, eating pastries, using the internet, and sleeping on the floor.
When we finally finished planning our day in Dublin, we just joined a line of sleeping travelers on the tile floor and busted out our flimsy airline blankets. We could not check in until 2 1/2 hours before our flight, so no luck getting to some good, comfortable carpet.
People were using luggage as pillows and mattresses, and many had spread out blankets and towels on the floor. The floor was freezing!! Even dressed in a sweater and rain jacket I was not warm enough - not even by a long shot.
Neither of us got very much rest, dozing in and out of light sleep. We got up again just before 4 am and bought some hot chocolate from a cafe nearby to help us defrost.
After we checked in, we found our gate (with carpet!!) and crawled under some airport seats to sleep some more.
When we arrived in Dublin, we ran into a few, uhm, obstacles. First, we can't find a good, cheap map, so we don't really know where we are. Next, it's REALLY cold - raining off and on. Then we can't really see a good place to have breakfast. Then someone tells us that Monday is a holiday, and so most businesses won't open until 1 pm. We arrived in the city around 8 am. Ha, oh geez.
So we stand (inconspicuously, of course, ha) in the back of convenient store chowing down on some goodies from the deli and drinking straight out of an orange juice carton that we bought because cups cost .50 euros, and that's too expensive for our shallow pockets. We head over to a McDonald's to sit with some coffee until the city starts to awaken a bit. We use the men's restroom because the women's is closed for cleaning. You can imagine the awkwardness when an attractive European guy walks in, says "hi" and proceeds immediately into the stall. Apparently he couldn't wait? Well, when you gotta go...!
We pay for a bus tour/coastline trip to Malahide Castle and Howth. We love Ireland already because it is so much cheaper than London! The coastline trip leaves at about 10:15 and I see about 10% of the countryside because I can't even keep my eyes open - I blame the cold tile floor in Luton. =)
But we get out on the way and take some pictures and arrive at the castle soon enough. It was so interesting to see the differences from the Windsor castle, which is much larger and much more elaborate. Leslie and I were theorizing that this might be reflective of the difference in wealth, historically, between the two countries. The Malahide Castle is more than 800 years old and only left the hands of the original owner's family in the 1970's. The last descendant of the Talbots, who owned the property for centuries, actually lived there until she sold it.
We have lunch in the cafe in the castle and head back to town.
Next we get on the bus tour around the city. And stay on. For the whole way around. We were so tired we ended up dozing off in the back of the bus! What people must've thought...
It starts raining while we're cat napping on the city tour bus and we decide we are too exhausted to walk through anything. We need food! But then by the time we get off the bus and eat food, it is time to go back to the airport.
Bummed we didn't use our time very well in the city, but glad we got to see some rolling hills.
We get back to the building where we are staying and still no luggage. We worked on that until almost 3 am. And then we passed out in the community kitchen at the dorms. (We actually took apart the couches and made little beds on the floor).
And thus commenced our Irish journey.
Windsor Castle
So, unfortunately, we did not make it out to Stonehenge. No time, lack of funds, and we really wanted to see Windsor Castle, the place that the Queen of England calls home.
But I did run through Hyde park in the morning and it was perfect. The weather was beautiful and other people were out their jogging and walking through the park. I really got to explore some of the nooks and crannies of the park. So cool.
We took a bus up to Windsor from London - no air conditioning! whoo hoo! fun ride =)
The castle was incredible, and the town around it was so quaint. We took an audio tour through the castle and it was really interesting. Of course, the rooms and artwork were incredible, and the tour taught so much about English tradition. It's amazing the way English culture values their royalty. The monarchy is truly an icon of tradition and history, even today. It's such an incredible feeling to imagine people of importance walking through those rooms just within the past couple of centuries.
We finished our tour, and got back on the bus to London, still no bags, but we've got more plans. =(
We get packed up for our day trip to Dublin and head out to King's Cross Station (from Harry Potter!) to catch a train to the airport in Luton.
But I did run through Hyde park in the morning and it was perfect. The weather was beautiful and other people were out their jogging and walking through the park. I really got to explore some of the nooks and crannies of the park. So cool.
We took a bus up to Windsor from London - no air conditioning! whoo hoo! fun ride =)
The castle was incredible, and the town around it was so quaint. We took an audio tour through the castle and it was really interesting. Of course, the rooms and artwork were incredible, and the tour taught so much about English tradition. It's amazing the way English culture values their royalty. The monarchy is truly an icon of tradition and history, even today. It's such an incredible feeling to imagine people of importance walking through those rooms just within the past couple of centuries.
We finished our tour, and got back on the bus to London, still no bags, but we've got more plans. =(
We get packed up for our day trip to Dublin and head out to King's Cross Station (from Harry Potter!) to catch a train to the airport in Luton.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
More London
Still no luggage. Supposedly it will arrive today...we are crossing our fingers!
Yesterday we took a bus tour through the city - we covered so much ground in a matter of six hours!
The day started with breakfast from a sandwich shop around the corner and down the street. We also grabbed some fruit at a nearby market to snack on during the day. Everything is SO expensive in London! (2 dollars for every pound) So our goal was to skip lunch and just snack on cheap food until dinner.
We started on the bus in west London, and covered everything from Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral (where Lady Di was married), Trafalgar Square, the Globe Theater, London Bridge, London Tower and so much more! We also got a free cruise on the Thames River. One of the things that I found most interesting on that cruise was when they told us that it's against royal law to remove the stands on the sides of the river. (Stands are stairs that extend out to the river's end and were built centuries ago for people to flag down the boat to cross the river). But what was so interesting was, as we passed this old dilapidated set of stone stairs, they said Shakespeare would have stood right there to flag down the boat. So cool!
We didn't do any of the museums yet, we are saving the indoor activities for Tuesday when it is supposed to rain.
After we finished our tour, we made our way back to the dorms and slept some more. (yes!)
For dinner we went to Pizza Hut, but not like in the States. This was a sit-down restaurant with servers and other dishes and dessert and everything. They had cloth napkins - that pretty much says it all. And it was good - made on the spot and not as greasy as the pizza I've had in the States.
We were thinking about going out, but clubs are expensive (20 pounds to get in sometimes we were told), plus the tube costs 7 pounds for a day's ride, and we would have to take a taxi back. Plus we were super tired (still). And the girl we are staying with was planning on staying in, so we stayed.
I slept in the common room on a couch last night and this morning I woke up really early with the sunlight, right around 6 am. Then, just before 6:30, as someone was getting in from their night's activities, they wanted to know why I was awake and they insisted that I come and join their party. I had to politely decline about 5 times (he came back twice, the last time with one of his friends to try and convince me). Haha, it made for an interesting morning! =)
This morning we are planning on running in Hyde Park to start our day, and then we want to make it out to Stonehenge and Windsor Castle.
We actually might sleep in the airport tonight, because tomorrow we are taking a day trip to Dublin, Ireland, and our flight leaves around 6 am. Well, we found out you have to get to the airport 3 hours before your flight. Plus travel time.
So we figure it's better to head out around 8 or 9 tonight and then sleep until 5 or so in the airport since we won't have any luggage with us. (it's all staying here)
We really wanted to take a bike tour in Dublin and so we need some energy to do that tomorrow =)
Yesterday we took a bus tour through the city - we covered so much ground in a matter of six hours!
The day started with breakfast from a sandwich shop around the corner and down the street. We also grabbed some fruit at a nearby market to snack on during the day. Everything is SO expensive in London! (2 dollars for every pound) So our goal was to skip lunch and just snack on cheap food until dinner.
We started on the bus in west London, and covered everything from Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral (where Lady Di was married), Trafalgar Square, the Globe Theater, London Bridge, London Tower and so much more! We also got a free cruise on the Thames River. One of the things that I found most interesting on that cruise was when they told us that it's against royal law to remove the stands on the sides of the river. (Stands are stairs that extend out to the river's end and were built centuries ago for people to flag down the boat to cross the river). But what was so interesting was, as we passed this old dilapidated set of stone stairs, they said Shakespeare would have stood right there to flag down the boat. So cool!
We didn't do any of the museums yet, we are saving the indoor activities for Tuesday when it is supposed to rain.
After we finished our tour, we made our way back to the dorms and slept some more. (yes!)
For dinner we went to Pizza Hut, but not like in the States. This was a sit-down restaurant with servers and other dishes and dessert and everything. They had cloth napkins - that pretty much says it all. And it was good - made on the spot and not as greasy as the pizza I've had in the States.
We were thinking about going out, but clubs are expensive (20 pounds to get in sometimes we were told), plus the tube costs 7 pounds for a day's ride, and we would have to take a taxi back. Plus we were super tired (still). And the girl we are staying with was planning on staying in, so we stayed.
I slept in the common room on a couch last night and this morning I woke up really early with the sunlight, right around 6 am. Then, just before 6:30, as someone was getting in from their night's activities, they wanted to know why I was awake and they insisted that I come and join their party. I had to politely decline about 5 times (he came back twice, the last time with one of his friends to try and convince me). Haha, it made for an interesting morning! =)
This morning we are planning on running in Hyde Park to start our day, and then we want to make it out to Stonehenge and Windsor Castle.
We actually might sleep in the airport tonight, because tomorrow we are taking a day trip to Dublin, Ireland, and our flight leaves around 6 am. Well, we found out you have to get to the airport 3 hours before your flight. Plus travel time.
So we figure it's better to head out around 8 or 9 tonight and then sleep until 5 or so in the airport since we won't have any luggage with us. (it's all staying here)
We really wanted to take a bike tour in Dublin and so we need some energy to do that tomorrow =)
Arrival in London - 8/3
We've arrived in London! Without our luggage...
Our connecting flight in Charlotte was delayed and our baggage didn't make it to our next airplane. At first, this seemed like it was going to be a problem, but then we found out that the airline actually delivers your luggage to the place where you are staying. And as the day went on, trying to find our way around the city to the place we are staying, it was actually really great that we didn't have our luggage to haul around with us. It's big and heavy!
Our first step after arrival was to find a way to get to Leslie's friend's dorm where we are staying. Her friend is a student at Boston and is out here doing an internship for the summer.
We ended up taking a taxi - driver on the right, car on the left side of the road - and dropped our bags off in her friend Diana's room. Then we went and got lunch at a pub/restaurant around the corner and it was expensive, but good.
After lunch we wanted to see the city and planned to walk the Millenium Mile, which begins near London Tower and ends at Westminister, but we only made it as far as Hyde Park on foot. (We were trying to avoid getting a $13 pass on the underground, which is the London city metro).
We got to Hyde park and thought that it would be a perfect place to sleep, since Leslie only slept a couple of hours on the plane and I didn't sleep at all.
I saw Central Park in NYC last summer, but that pales in comparison to Hyde Park. There were HUGE trees everywhere and the grass was so green! There were groups of people scattered throughout the lawns, reading or talking or just relaxing. Some were seated in lawn chair provided by the park (which actually cost 2 pounds (4 USD) to sit in, we found out after a couple of minutes of sitting in them - so we got up). On one end there were areas designated for sports, and groups of people were playing baseball and soccer over there.
Then there was a lake/river with canoes and pedal boats. Leslie and I rented a pedal boat for half an hour - it was great! The weather yesterday was perfect, sunny, not humid, with a cool breeze. So we took our pedal boat out into the middle and just floated there for 20 minutes while a solar-powered boat passed us, taking people on rides down the river.
Then we slept in the grass for awhile. Sleep has never felt so good.
We also stopped at Kensington Palace on our way back to the dorms from Hyde Park and that was pretty incredible.
We met Diana, who we are staying with, and she cooked us dinner - which was really great considering the money we had spent during the day and the fact that we were both basically dead tired.
And then we went to sleep. For more than 10 hours. It was great.
Today, we are planning to take a hop on, hop off bus tour through London. They give some history about the city as you go, and I think we also get a free boat ride on the Thames River.
We'll see!
Our connecting flight in Charlotte was delayed and our baggage didn't make it to our next airplane. At first, this seemed like it was going to be a problem, but then we found out that the airline actually delivers your luggage to the place where you are staying. And as the day went on, trying to find our way around the city to the place we are staying, it was actually really great that we didn't have our luggage to haul around with us. It's big and heavy!
Our first step after arrival was to find a way to get to Leslie's friend's dorm where we are staying. Her friend is a student at Boston and is out here doing an internship for the summer.
We ended up taking a taxi - driver on the right, car on the left side of the road - and dropped our bags off in her friend Diana's room. Then we went and got lunch at a pub/restaurant around the corner and it was expensive, but good.
After lunch we wanted to see the city and planned to walk the Millenium Mile, which begins near London Tower and ends at Westminister, but we only made it as far as Hyde Park on foot. (We were trying to avoid getting a $13 pass on the underground, which is the London city metro).
We got to Hyde park and thought that it would be a perfect place to sleep, since Leslie only slept a couple of hours on the plane and I didn't sleep at all.
I saw Central Park in NYC last summer, but that pales in comparison to Hyde Park. There were HUGE trees everywhere and the grass was so green! There were groups of people scattered throughout the lawns, reading or talking or just relaxing. Some were seated in lawn chair provided by the park (which actually cost 2 pounds (4 USD) to sit in, we found out after a couple of minutes of sitting in them - so we got up). On one end there were areas designated for sports, and groups of people were playing baseball and soccer over there.
Then there was a lake/river with canoes and pedal boats. Leslie and I rented a pedal boat for half an hour - it was great! The weather yesterday was perfect, sunny, not humid, with a cool breeze. So we took our pedal boat out into the middle and just floated there for 20 minutes while a solar-powered boat passed us, taking people on rides down the river.
Then we slept in the grass for awhile. Sleep has never felt so good.
We also stopped at Kensington Palace on our way back to the dorms from Hyde Park and that was pretty incredible.
We met Diana, who we are staying with, and she cooked us dinner - which was really great considering the money we had spent during the day and the fact that we were both basically dead tired.
And then we went to sleep. For more than 10 hours. It was great.
Today, we are planning to take a hop on, hop off bus tour through London. They give some history about the city as you go, and I think we also get a free boat ride on the Thames River.
We'll see!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)