The Graham's European Adventure!

Early morning roller board pull to the train station we took the first train to Pisa on our open 2nd class tickets.  Quiet quick ride, we store our bags at the bag check in Pisa station.  We are only here for a couple of hours and that will give us time to see the one site and a lunch.  The actual name is Tower of Pisa but because of its unintended tilt we have added Leaning:)  Poorly engineered in the 12th century the lean began during construction and increased even more after until being reinforced years later.  We did as everyone else was doing and created a funny scene trying to push pull or in Justin’s case, ‘take a charge’.

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Lunch was really a great little breakfast at this coffee shop in the University of Pisa campus.  English breakfast with an English menu.

Back on the train to La Speiza, then get our two day Cinque Terra passes so we can ride the trains between towns as well as use the hiking paths.  Train was packed but when it opens out of the tunnel and the beautiful Ligurian Sea is first spotted as we stop in Riomaggiori you get the immediate attitude change we were looking for, relaxing and at ease.

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We trained it to Monterossa for a swim as our hotel host said our cove was a little rough and only rocks, no sand.  Warm water and a nice beach gave us that refreshing dip in the sea to relax and unwind before dinner.  No changing after our swim, just a simple drying out then trained to Corniglia and climbed the long staircase of thirty-three ramps and three hundred eight-two steps.  What a beautiful picturesque little town on the top of a rock overlooking the sea.  We strolled through the tiny streets and happened upon a nice Taverna to have a drink and some food.

Coming back to our home, Manarola, we ventured out to the point to take the obligatory photos that you see in all the postcards and advertisements for the Cinque Terra.  With the shadows and sun setting this town is especially colorful.  We met up with a family from Michigan and had a nice chat while watching the sun set on a magnificent day.

Day 2 Cinque Terra, Cameron, Justin and Dad choose to head up the 1000’s of stairs, 6:00AM. What a great hike to the top and the view was amazing, we will use that photo for the house collection! Up and down we arrived and departed the last four towns; Monarola-Cornigula-Vernatza-Monterossa. Meeting Jena and Kellie at the last stop, 9:00AM and time for breakfast.

Early morning rising, clean up the apartment overlooking the market square, then taxi to our rental car office. Not sure if it was being hurried, halfway through our European vacation or just so excited to see the Italian countryside but Jena left her backpack in the taxi. FIND MY IPHONE NOW! Tracking her iPad, Cameron and Jena took off on a sprint, then a run flooded by a jog, almost 2 miles to where the taxi was waiting for his next fare, there was the backpack:) What an exciting morning, its going to be a great day in Tuscany.

Jena found us an awesome location for a Tuscany countryside cooking experience. Jule’s Kitchen, we were greeted by Jule’s herself and brought into her beautiful kitchen. She taught us about Italian spices, pasta technique and most importantly to enjoy the experience. Ravilo from scratch was a family favorite.

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Heading to Florence, Jule’s had a tip for us. We stopped at the local Olive orchard for some Extra Virgin Olive Oil to take home. I think its going to be tough to get the 2 gallon one home but I bought it anyway:)

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With the afternoon complete we left the countryside for the Arno River town of Florence. We will drop all our belongings at the next AirBNB then take car back. Our next stop will be via train.

Today, Tuesday July 10th, we took advantage of earlier registration and had a VIP tour of David and the Duomo. Meeting in the middle of Plazza San Marco, near the statue, our tour was the first to get into see David, no one was around so we got the best photos. Our tour guide was amazing, funny and informative, the very best.

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Dive into the art and architecture of Florence we slipped into the famed Accademia Galleria before the crowds, arriving at Michelangelo’s David without the bustle of others. We floated through the remainder with intrigue and awe in the history we were witnessing. Next was a special access to the terraces of Santa Maria del Fiore – Florence’s premier cathedral. (You know, the red domed beauty in every iconic shot!) Piazza del Duomo where a pause at the Baptistery displayed a set of bronze cast doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti, coined the “Gates of Paradise” by Michelangelo. Multiple pictures and time to view. To cap our time, we skipped the line to climb the dome experiencing this incomparable piece of architecture, and taking in the surrounding beauty of this incredible Italian city.  Florence. It is here the incredible views over the Italian city sealed our growing assumptions about how this city has long inspired the great artists of Italy. Our tour guide helped us relive those times through stories and anecdotes. Selfies are not always the best so this time we had another roof top climber take our family.

We have taken several other walks of Italy tours during our time in Italy, but our David and Duomo tour with Angelo was by far the best! Angelo really made the whole experience a 10 from start to finish, he was knowledgeable – like all of your guides – but what set him apart was his passion and his storytelling ability of historical events in a way that were relatable and informative. The 3 hours flew by, and we didn’t want the tour to end we were enjoying it so much! We credit our great experience 100% to our awesome guide!!

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Arriving in Rome by plane the taxi service was spot on and had no troubles reaching our apartment by noon. We had a lunch reservation at Roscioli’s, a very nice restaurant that obviously needed to call ahead as they were turning others away at a constant rate. Quite authentic, we did not struggle to find something different for everyone. I put the names of the dishes in their captions.

A walk around the main district of Rome to see the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon followed up with a stop at Va Gelato as recommended to us a few years ago by a former student who travels a lot as her husband is an AF pilot, Jamie (Monti) MoMack.

Late start today, we needed the sleep in as we got up at 4:00AM the day before to catch our plane from Santorini to Rome. Headed to the market in the square right outside the door, Campo de Fiori. We picked up a few things for our breakfast and then some vegetables, pasta, spices and fresh Roma Tomatoes so we can make a home cooked meal in our apartment.

In the meantime we trekked it the Trastevere District to do some shopping and sightseeing. While it is more of a trendy hangout for the nightlife and restaurants (we had dinner at great pizzeria last night, Dar Poeta) we did venture into the Basilica di Santa Maria. This church is rumored to be the oldest in Rome, with its glittering gold mosaics, centered a part of the city that has a rich history based upon the 2000 year old aqueduct that fed water to its inhabitants. Bandits would occasionally cut the water supply off so it created the migration of this section closer to the River Tiber but the section of Rome really centered on the Basilica. As we strolled through the cobble stone streets we came upon a number of awesome artisan shops. One in particular, La Pasta all Uovo, they were in the process of making fresh pasta noodles and as well as filled pasta. We tried to talk to the owner but she had to get her son to helps us all communicate our wants. He told us the types in the case, we choose the varieties we thought would taste the best and she put them in small bags with the specified time to boil. Bought a cookbook from her as well that included recipes and how to eat in Trastevere. What a great find as we roamed the streets in search of nothing.

 

Justin had gone to a cross fit gym so we met him in the square and went to climb to the highest point in Roma, Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi. A few stairs but mostly sloped paths we found the top to sweeping panoramic views of Roma. A cool breeze under the huge trees is a pleasant summer surprise in these partsJ We stayed a short time on ‘the hill’, needing to find a little bite to eat before going into the Vatican. Jean found a place close by so we could stop and go but when we got there it had closed. Fortunately the area around the Vatican has many friendly service people wanting to give you directions. Assuming there are so many tourists with a number of locations to enter the Vatican City they are there to get you moving in the right direction. He pointed us to the corner we were on and told us they had a great sandwich. We stepped into the quaint narrow shop and ordered a Salmon & Avocado sandwich, fresh made to order salad, a fruit smoothie and cooooold water. Lattuga did not disappoint, what a flavorful little lunch to tide us over we can now focus totally on the Vatican tour.

Meeting our guide in front of the museum we were assigned a headset and ticket, entering the maze of people it was nice to hear our guide direct us. We are now in a separate country, The Vatican City; it is steeped in history and has many things to learn about its artifacts and traditions.

The first time I was so overwhelmed with seeing all the things that were available but this time I focused on the paintings of Rafael, Michelangelo and his students. They painted in shifts over a four-year period and then Michelangelo came back for another length of time. So amazing is they needed to match each others colors and size of same figures even though they may have been in a separate room or even across the room from each other. Math nerds like the room Rafael painted because while it may have scholars gathered around Aristotle and Plato it also was painted with Pythagorean and Euclid.

The Sistine Chapel along with the other wall paintings were not only ornate they created their own depth. The walls have no moldings or plaster even though they look like they have tremendous depth as well as the ceiling being rounded. Our guide gave us great descriptions on what was going to be inside the Sistine Chapel as there is no talking (she unfortunately did the explaining in the middle of the courtyard in the blazing hot sunJ). Along with no talking there is no picture taking. As you can see below we followed the lead of almost everyone in the room and took them. Jena and Justin were stealth and did not get yelled at as others did. Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes are superlative and create a natural wondering of our religious history and how it tied into the time period he lived. I was so impressed as it brought to life the stories of the world.

The final stop was St Peters Basilica. No church is quite like this one, it is the largest, richest, most visitors and of course the most spectacular cathedral. Between Michelangelo and Bernini, they designed a sight to see. It is indescribable to be there but a must stop in Rome. Gian Lorenzo Bernini also designed the square of St Peter’s Basilica. If seen from above it resembles a giant keyhole.

A casual walk back to Campo di Fiori where we sat out in the square for a time then climbed the stairs to our apartment overlooking the square to cook our dinner we as we had purchased all the ingredients earlier that day. Jena claimed the title of head chef, assisted by Kellie and the rest of us sat at the table doing our research for the coming days, posting to social media and smelling the irresistible aromas of Italian cooking:)

Up early the next day with a little breakfast to tide us over we walked to a square outside the Colosseum for our VIP Underground tour. This 50,000-seat amphitheater made up of two halves, the first of its kind is by far the most thrilling site in Ancient Rome.

 

 

With our tickets we not only went around the Colosseum where spectators and dignitaries once walked and sat but we also had the opportunity to go below the arena. We went to the lower level of the arena, below the trap doors and sand (to absorb the blood) to where the Gladiators and animals we housed and prepared for battle. An enjoyable tour but as the morning wore on it became hotter so that when we stood in line for fifteen minutes and saw another thirty going to settle out we ditched it for an early lunch in the Palatino area. Great little Italian lunch with a very nice server.

We rented some bikes, charted a course riding around Rome like we knew what we were doing. Jena was a little tentative, not that she could not do it but thinking we were not fully trained to ride bikes on the streets of Rome with cars, busses, taxi’s and the multitude of scooters. I convinced her we were going to be okay, she only almost got pinched by a bus:)  We rode a ways out from out comfortable Campo to some great views and then to an out of the way restaurant. You can sure tell the difference between those who would careless to help you understand and those who really go out of their way to make an effort, we had that kind of waiter tonight. Rode the River Tiber bike trail with all its little tented restaurants and snappy bars next to the river so that we could return the bikes by 8:00PM.

Nice walk back to the apartment to pack and get our bearings correct for the mornings escapades to a car rental shop so we can see the Tuscan countryside.

 

 

We seem to begin each day with another awesome breakfast, today was no different just new choices. Justin and Cameron met a guy after their workout that had been staying in Olympia for a few days. He helped us with our Greek (we have none) for our breakfast lady and asked us some ideas for touring. Unfortunately we had only done the Ancient Olympic Ruins so no real help other than the beautiful sunset dinner choice of Garden Taverna. Jumping into ‘LEON’ (we have named our vehicle) we had a choice, take the windy scenic mountain road to Tripoli or the typical freeway, we chose the freeway as some are a little cramped in LEON and we didn’t want any sickies:)

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A break in Tripoli on our way to Nafplio gave us the opportunity to walk through the town and take in some local cuisine. Did some shopping, bought nothing and ate lunch at the Klimataria Piteros, Jena can sure find some awesome places to sample the authentic regional cuisine. The grape trellis was some of the oldest I have seen and covered the restaurant from one end to the other creating a feeling of being in the old country relaxing in the shade after a days work. The Greek food is very good as we sample different dishes creating new tastes for our American pallets. Wild Boar, Rooster and a fresh salad in olive oil of raw peppers, onions, olives, tomatoes and topped with a block of Feta cheese. Not only is the food stupendous but also it has been so reasonably priced, cheaper than we could get back home.

Arriving in the romantic seaport town of Nafplio we work to find our lodging. Streets in Greece are more like single lane walkways so when you find yourself going down one in the wrong direction you have no choice but to continue the journey. The Greek people are so nice and encourage you to continue down the one lane road that is now full of tables and chairs as their restaurants spill out into the already narrow lanes. We find a space and technically cram LEON into it for the day. After checking into the Hotel Dias: Cameron, Justin and I walk to the Arvanitia Beach which is nestled in a cove directly below the Palamidi Fortress while Jena and Kellie go searching for Greek merchandise to somehow pack into our already full suitcases. Beaches have little sand and some very smooth round rocks, the sea is a little rough, not your typical leisure swim. We have now added the Argolic Gulf of the Aegean Sea off the east coast of the Peloponnese, Greece to our swim repertoire:)

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Meeting up we all finished the town stroll on the port side, looking at all the different types of fish the catch and serve in the portside restaurants. Quite the variety but I think we have one selected for tonight’s dinner.

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As the afternoon wore on we went to make a reservation at Pidalio Mezedopoleio, a Greek restaurant more than a stones throw from the town proper and our hotel. We chose 20:00, hoping to get our 999 steps up to the castle and back, famished and ready to refresh ourselves. The journey began with the usual banter of how fast some are going to climb and how others are going to ‘just do their best’. I was gauging my ability and time against the Incline (Manitou Springs, CO) but found this one not comparable. We were at sea level and the steps were uniform and countable at 999, knowing your destination helps.

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Sauntering down the steps we ended up at our restaurant a little ahead of time, no worries they were very friendly and accommodating sitting us center table on the street.  Another of the great Greek Taverna’s, Pidalio Mezedoleio did not disappoint.  Always trying new things we ventured out to a Snapper, Catfish Pasta, Grilled Sardines and Jena has made it a goal to try the Tzarziki at each place for the variations.

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Leaving the charm of Galaxhida for a three hour ride across the Polonese.

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Quick stop at a seaside resort to get a break from LEON we climbed into the town of Olympia, very small with at least one street going in a single direction ending at the ancient sites.  We hustled our way through and found a tight spot to park and tour.

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For twelve centuries this was the most important site for religious and athletic events in the ancient world as well as the site for the original Olympic Games.  Most of these relics either have not been unearthed or laying on the ground where they once stood.  The original parts standing have been incorporated into newly formed blocks to simulate at least some form so that you can begin to formulate what this city once was.  Athena offered the olive tree to the city of Athens thereby cementing the Olive Tree as the Greek symbol.  So it was therefore a must to offer an olive branch to the victors of the games.  Among some of the structures are the Temple of Zeus (where the athletes gave the oath before competition), Temple of Hera, the Gymnasium and of course the Stadium.  Winding our way through the city we ended it in the stadium.  It is not like the stadiums we envision but with its banked sides and flat bottom, we had the opportunity to run like the Olympians:)

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Looking for lunch we happened upon our hotel for the evening and completed our reservation, asking the kind gentleman for a dinner choice.  His choice was the Garden Taverna at the top of the hill, great food and the best sunset around.  We headed up and made reservations for 7:30PM returning to explore the remainder of the city.

Dinner again was fabulous as was the scenery.  A few of us were concerned as we were being served by young teens, probably family members:)

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A quiet evening walk then turning in as Justin and Cameron have a workout planned for the morning then getting back into LEON for a drive across the mountains.  Goodnight

Leaving the Dolce Attica Rivera was difficult, such a beautiful Aegean Sea resort.  Our shuttle driver dropped us back at the airport where we are renting a car for three days and collecting Justin from his African adventures.  Trouble with the ATM created a slight delay but nonetheless we got on the road, after packing our little ‘LEON’ station wagon with more suitcases than recommended.

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Jena is a great navigator, even found us a great little cafe on the way to ancient site of Delphi.  What an awesome authentic place to eat a few Greek salads and Kebab’s.  Little to no traffic interrupting our catching up on Justin’s climb and safari.

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Following a seasoned blogger we choose to visit the ‘Dhelfi’ site in the afternoon, once the tourist busses had left.  Walking amongst the ruins gives you an opportunity to envision what this really was thousands of years ago. Climbing the Sacred Path we passed the Monument of the Admirals and were amazed at the completeness, although reconstruction has happened with many of them, of the Treasury of the Athenians. Mathematically constructed the Polygonal Wall of irregular shapes is intact and has withstood earthquakes and time. It is covered in inscriptions and many refer to the emancipation of slaves, as this location was one of only a few that could make it official.

The Temple of Apollo, the God of Music who slayed Python here at Delphi, is somewhat visible with the floor and columns. On the architrave it reads (we are told that as it is in Greek) ‘Know Thy Self’ and ‘Moderation In All Things”. Those are two great ideals to live by even if they figured that out thousands of years ago and many still struggle the understanding of these wise messages.

As the paths winds up the hill we are distracted by different looking insects, an almond tree (Justin tries a raw almond) as well as fig trees.  All new to us but equally entertaining. The ancient architecture is very interesting including the aquifer system or maybe just a gutter:)  The theatre is magnificent, we cannot go beyond a rope but told the acoustics are awesome. Many people just sitting here and staring and its glory. Onward to the top through the small pine trees to a banked seated stadium 178m long. These seats too are off limits so we ad-libbed our runner’s stance.

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We talked and envisioned how this entire state may have looked back then as we walked down the path. While fascinating, it takes a great deal of imagination to truly take in all that this place was about. The names alone will make you spin; Apollo, Python, Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Marathon, etc.

Following our historic visit we climb back out of the hills to the sea. Staying in a small little sea town, Galaxidi, certainly Instagram worthy and a must stop if you visit the ruins of Delphi. We were greeted by another of the most wonderfully nice Greeks and escorted to two rooms overlooking the bay, absolutely gorgeous. A downfall perhaps was the mosquito bites we accrued only because we wanted to keep the doors open to the sea as a peaceful lapping put us to sleep.  Around 2:00AM we exchanged the closed doors for the AC, still a few little critters remained in the room:(  Our hotel, The Galaxa Mansion, was the best.  Beautiful views, comfortable beds and a hot shower that literally fills the bathroom (don’t leave your cloths on the floor or the toilet paper in its place).

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Breakfast had all the best Greek favorites.  This was the first time I had yogurt that was truly ‘Greek Yogurt’, it is not what you buy in Fred Meyer!  Very deliciously smooth, great with honey, fruit, granola or just plain.  Fresh squeezed orange juice sitting under a lemon tree really brings out that healthy feeling.  A couple eggs made to choice, by the way an omelet is another way of saying scrambled and fried.

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On to the Ancient City of Olympus.

The train from Barcelona to Paris, while relaxing and beautiful scenery, was as typical European train travel.  This was the last of our excursions using the Eurail Global Pass and we really enjoyed traveling this method.  At the end of this trip we feel very confident that we know how to use trains with relative ease and could even help others get to their destinations:)

We arrived in Paris at the Gare de Lyon station, historic and huge.  Pulling our roller boards across a bridge spanning the  Senne’ to another historic station where we will catch our subway to the apartment.  Having mapped it I believed I knew which station to exit and begin a short walk to the address of 81 Quay where we will stay the next three nights.  Unfortunately I missed it by one station, more or less a mile:)  Not a tough deal for us as we have been walking ten miles a day but with all the luggage it was a failing mistake.

Late and sweaty we met with Laurie, the owner of the seventh floor apartment overlooking the Senne, who showed us in.  The lift a 4X3 box was barely enough room to take us all but came with the humor of trying.    A beautiful apartment with huge windows, kitchen, shower, washing machine and comfortable bed, will work perfectly to end our awesome vacation.

Having been here before we outlined our days to to experience the things we missed the first time.  Because of an issue with the soccer fan zone the night before, our Eiffel Tower tickets for today were not going to be honored as it was closed.  Fortunately we met up with a very kind gentleman working under the tower who traded us our online printed tickets for today with two tickets that can get us into the tower anytime the next two days, an awesome trade.  We returned a day later to ride the lift at twilight so we could see both views, day and night.  What a gorgeous view of Paris from all angles, 360* opportunities so that you can reminisce about the various Arrondissement you have explored or strategize the next days adventures.

Strolling from our apartment down the Siene’ to the Latin Quarter, taking our time and ducking into a few of the shops as well as the spectacular buildings that house museums and historical artifacts.  We needed to get back to the area we stayed in a few years ago so that we could find the canvass painting we wanted to hang in the living room.  Searching through the street vendors near Notre Dame we finally found the perfect painting for both Jena and Cameron as well as our house.  Circling back through the Paris streets around the 4th Arrondissement we found new churches to wonder at, interesting little shops to wander through and of course food vendors to sample, including an awesome creperie.  While waiting for our crepe Kellie almost was pickpocket, turned out okay with the help of the man making our lunch:)

Each day we would take a little time to food shop for the following day.  Around our apartment, the 7th arr. were so many small markets with such awesome fruit and food stores.  The fruit was far too tempting to pass up and the vendors would follow us around packaging up our selections as we walked through the store.  Great service, prices and of course savory fruit.

We had visited the five main tourist attractions the first time in Paris so this time we singled out the Arc de Triomphe for our ‘touristy’ event.  Not to be disappointed we made reservations ahead of time so to avoid the lines at the tickets and stairway.  The only way to the top is a staircase twisting its way up 284 stairs to a vault now used as a quick and interesting museum of facts.

The unique terrace at the top gives you sweeping views of Paris that are unmatched.  They are similar yet so different than those we had from the Eiffel Tower the day before. The Arc wanted by Napoleon now houses the tomb of the unknown soldier with its flame rekindled each day at 6:30.  The circle is the final destination of the Tour de France as well as the site of celebration during Bastille Day.  Having just been in Rome we see the inspiration found in the Roman Arch of Titus built much earlier but also not as large.

Purse shopping is a must in and around the Champs Elyse’es so we did our part to find a perfect match for Kellie.  Her last one purchased here has now worn out and in need of replacement.  Along the way I found the windows to be delectable:)  Chocolate figures of hearts, cars, slippers and other figures is mouthwatering along with an array of pasta, seasonings and macaroon’s!

We found ourselves wandering through different areas of Paris, never choosing a direction and staying away from so many of the typical tourist sites.  It was such an adventure to duck into narrow streets only to find a shop that would have been missed on a map.  This is our eighth day in our two trips to Paris and we would not hesitate to come again.  Tired from the twenty-three day trip we spent the last evening walking along the Seine River ending at the Eiffel Tower to take one last look.  We ended in an awesome rainstorm, sharing our little umbrella as we hustled back to our apartment…a little wet but having fun!

As we leave on Bastille Day there is an eire quietness to the streets of Paris.  We pull our rollerboards for the last time to the Metro B Line, Charles De Gaulle airport our thirty minute destination, good-bye Paris.

We took an entire day, really was earned after our walks, to train from the Cinque Terra to Barcelona, stopping in Montpellier in the evening to stay in a relaxing hotel and get a savory dinner. We have been on two night trains and while they hold a certain excitement and practicality to them the rest you get in a hotel, as well as a refreshing shower, can’t be beat. This excursion tested our ability to ride the rails, we started in Manarola, Cinque Terra at 5:10, then the 6:24 La Spezia to Genova Principle, 8:56 Genova P. to Nice Ville, 12:34 Nice Ville to Marseille, this is where the day got tougher. The train accumulated elongated stops and was now late by thirty minutes so they decided to ‘let us off’ in Toulon to have us find a regional train direct to Marseille so time could be make up. This did not make many of our fellow passengers happy as we were ‘kicked off’.  We boarded the 15:45 to Marseille and waited a short twenty five minutes for our last train of the day to Montpellier arriving at 18:57.  We are actually very good with long distance and regional trains as well as the local trams and subways. I think I had a concerned look, could have been the fourteen hours on a train, so a kind local gentleman offered to help. He walked us to the local tram, showed us how to purchase a ticket and which direction we should set to, all the time talking about his time in Portland, Oregon working the new fibre networks systems there. I think he wanted to practice his English:)  A beautiful Courtyard and fabulous dinner we were ready to get back on a train for the final three hours to Barcelona the next day.

Arriving at Barcelona Sants, we dropped our bags at our hotel that is only a hundred feet from the station sortie. Not wanting to miss our 2:00pm tour we hesitantly caught a taxi out front. At almost every city we have been warned by others not to take taxi’s as they are expensive. We did anyway. AC and a quick driver, fifteen minutes and ten euros shorter we were in Barcelona Old Town, Placa de Catalunya. Our tour of twenty was guided by former student form New Jersey who after taking a University abroad experience returned and has been here ten years. We such a cultural and historical perspective from the guides, it is unfortunate that I cannot write it all down. He showed us the development of architecture from the Romans, Gothic to Neo-Gothic. Each church he showed grew as the revolution of the buttress allowed them to expand upward towards the heavens and slated long narrow windows where stained ornate glass could be installed to let in light and create stories through the ages. As the years moved on and styles changed the facades of the buildings were simply pasted with stucco dominating the neo-gothic age.

The Church of Sant Felip Neri is in a beautiful square with high trees to shade its occupants. The pocked walls are a reminder of the Spanish Civil War where the influence of carpet-bombing became a wartime practice, killing as many as forty-two innocent people including children in this 1938 aerial bombing.

Zigging and Zaggin’ down the narrow dim streets that Barcelona was forced to live in we found many stores, markets, tapa’s restaurants and even what our guide deemed a Chocolate Street. He warned us not to ask for that as we would be looked at as if we were crazy, no such designation to the public. Of course I got a small amount to sample with my Sunday morning coffee once we were back home. I did not try but should have the confection of a chocolate covered ‘churro’, I’m sure it would have been very edible. We finally ended at the harbor which was stunning, not always as prior to the Olympic games this quarter was run down and held by the fishing sects a shame to Barcelonans so they turned away, having their backs to the sea. It has been revitalized as many other old towns have throughout the world with the new and improving economy. We stood at the sculpture by ,reminiscent of Gaudi’ and a piece of Picasso at the top.

The meals end early and will start back up past our bedtime. Therefore we do as they do and grazed on the multitude of Tapa’s bar and restaurants strung out through the streets in every direction. A plate of sautéed small peppers or shrimp is not uncommon. If it can be grilled, fried or cooked quickly and in small portions then it can be a tapa!  Late, we caught the next train back to the hotel, platform 2 any train one stop.

Like most settlements in Europe, Catalunya (the province Barcelona is in) was established by the Romans as a retirement community and developed into a powerful kingdom because of the source of wood, coal, abundance of rivers flowing from the Pyrenees and its location on the Mediterranean. As it transitioned into the Golden Age it was dominated by the rule of Madrid, the thumb of central government actually stagnated its cultural and economic growth until the mid 1800’s. Queen Isabella II in 1854 loosened the reins on Barcelona, which until now was forced to stay within its medieval walls growing to 200,000 crammed citizens. The walls were torn down and a civil engineer, Ildefons Cerda’ created a fascinatingly genius grid of streets that allowed its residents the convenient access to hospitals, schools, markets and parks. By cutting off the corners creating an octagonal shape where all streets meet he allowed the new area Eiample to feel spacious and full of light.

As it was a Sunday we could not find a market open but had a great time touring the streets, sampling a few tapa’s and a beverage or two.

Loved seeing the Sagrada Familia, a Gothic style church that Barcelona has labored to create for over 130 years.  Usually we encounter these mammoth structures once they are completed, many taking hundreds of years to complete, this one however is still under construction.  The famous architect Antonio Gaudi’ began this project in 1883 with his own art nouveau imagination, working on it for forty- three years where upon his death the foundation began to finish what had only been completed to twenty percent.  The facade is so interestingly beautiful, none like it have been built.

We finished the day with a ramble down Las Ramblas, a pedestrian only Champs-Elysees.  This tree lined street, creating a canopy of shade for us, has all the entertainment needed; shops, tents, souvenirs and other people watching amusements.  Dropping down the nearest Metro station we were once again back at our hotel just in time to see the running of the bulls in Pamplona, oh so close to us:)  Good night Barcelona, you are a beautiful city.

It was still dark as we set out of our little apartment to the Barberini Metro station.  A quick underground and we were in Roma Termini waiting for the platform to emerge so we could board our train.  Leaving Rome we sat back and relaxed in our more than comfortable train to La Spezia.  An orange juice and cup of coffee later we disembarked around 10:39 looking for our next regional train to Manarola. Unfortunately we arrived at La Spezia Centrale at the same instant as a cruise ship.  Massed into a train station that was built to hold half as many as we stood, we decided to hit plan B and just buy a quick ticket out and we will get the pass later.  It worked, eight euros later we were on the 11:08 heading to the Mediterranean Coast and Cinque Terra.

Manarola is the second of the five villages, our hotel at the top:)  We climbed steady for ten minutes and were greeted by Emily who quickly got us settled into our new cliffside apartment, a cool two story abode.

 

Taking a cool shower, changing clothes we went down the hill to explore the little town.  Getting our pass we hopped the train to Riomaggiore the first of the villages.  Beautiful little town with not much of a beach or swimming area but had a few shops and restaurants for those living here or vacationing.  Because we purchased a one way pass we choose to walk the 1 km back to Manarola, first mistake of the trip.  The easy beach road was closed due to trail damage, it was level and right on the water.

The secondary trail is one that goes over the ‘hill’, straight up for one hour then straight down for another hour.  What beautiful views simultaneously with treacherous footing and all the way Kellie smiling through her crying eyes.  We had two bottles of water, just enough to make the trip although I believe we sweat out four.  It was a very difficult trail but had a fulfilling segment to it.  The trail led directly to our hillside apartment where we showered, changed and rested a moment.

We took the evening trek down the hill to dinner at a fabulous restaurant overlooking the Manarloa cove.  Taking the first open table I was scolded and directed out, I need to learn the process of requesting a table.  Our service was great from that point on as we dined in the shade with a breeze from the Mediterranean cooling our foreheads from the thirty five Celsius heat.  I gambled a little and ordered Pesto Ravioli in Walnut Sauce, no disappointment in this selection nor was the pasta Kellie ate.  Finishing dinner we went to take a photo at dusk of the lovely town, we were met with a plethora of camera going others wanting to capture just that right photo with the shades we all see on the websites.  I believe we captured ours as well as spent some quiet time reflecting on our day.

We waited as long as we could really not wanting to make the up hill trek to our bed at ‘Seabreeze’.

Rising leisurely we found a lemon in our courtyard that had fallen from the tree and placed it in the refrigerator for later, it created a sensational lemon smell on our hands.  We caught the 9:08 train to Monterosso al Mare’ wanting to meet up with my sisters Stephanie, Mari, our brother-in-law Dave and nephew Eric.  Hungry we jumped from the train to a cafe overlooking the beach and called them making our location known.  What a great plate of eggs, bacon, toast, a crappy cup of coffee and a cool glass of orange juice to start the day.

Reconnecting for a short time we set off on a beach walk through Monterosso.  Starting at the morning market was an opportunity to purchase a few things as well as some fruit for the walk.  A wide easy road gave us the opinion that the pedestrian path to Vernazza was going to be relaxing full of conversation and photos of the sea.  We bit!  Sweating, slightly out of breath we rested at a point where you are not sure if it is better to turn back and train to the next town or continue ahead as you are at the pinnacle of difficulty and will be rewarded soon.  Those stops and thought process happened no less than four other times.  The views were spectacular, conversation with family engaging and enjoyable as well as the occasional resident creating a refreshment stand around the bend.  The fresh squeezed orange juice was delicious and had a rejuvenated component.  We made it to the beautiful town of Vernazza, had some indulgences of food and drink, sitting relaxed on a stone bench watching tourists and locals play in the shallow clear waters of the Mediterranean.  A little damp we dropped off the train at our town to change ready to finish our exploring.

Later in the day we finished seeing all but Cornigula as it was a tough walk up after so many other hills, the trust it was just there was not found so we chose to have dinner closer to home again in Manarola.  Saying goodbye to family we made our last trek up the hill to the Seabreeze apartment, timing ourselves so we would know how early to rise the next morning, we catch a 5:10am regional train.

Traveling from Venice to Roma, we caught up on our emails, blogging and enjoyed the Italian countryside from our cool leather reclining seats, let Trenitalia do the driving.  We met a nice New Zealand family just starting the holiday with a stop in Venice then dropping off at Florence, halfway to our destination.  We arrived in Roma Termini, found a quick cheeseburger at McDonald’s then the Metro A line to Barberini.  Again the cobbled streets create roller boarding to be an above average task, although walking primarily downhill the heat is creating the perspiration to puddle and roll down the body, its hot.  Bruno has a nice little apartment just outside the office of government which creates a little safety as we have a the Roma Police outside our door twenty-four hours.  He sat with us and outlined our day for tomorrow, asking if 3 km was too much, are you kidding me we tally a minimum of seven miles, getting along to ten quite easily.

Our first quick stop was the Trevi Fountain, the largest Baroque fountain in the city and certainly the most beautiful.  Legend has it that if you throw a coin into the fountain you are destined to return to Rome.  Unfortunately a movie was being filmed there on July 7th so they started setting up for it and we did not get our chance to toss a coin…we will decide if we come back now:)

On we were to the Metro and five stops down we drop off at Ottaviano, just outside the San Pietro Church.

Hustling our way to the steps outside the entrance meeting our Angles Tour group of five, we casually bypassed the line of hundreds baking in the Italian sun to enter The Vatican City.  As we walk in Maria, our guide for the afternoon, let us know we are now in a different country with its own rules and regulations.  Maria was awesome with the best historical sense of humor, we are so lucky to get a great guide.  Letting us know that there would be a lot of ‘nakedness’ on our tour and a few pranks by none other than Michael Angelo.  We began with anticipation, really wanting to be at the end, standing in the Sistine Chapel, gazing at history and the art of the one and only Michael Angelo.  But Maria wanted us to have the whole experience, understanding the history of the Vatican, how it was transformed through the centuries to its current ideology.  We learned so much in one afternoon, tainted only by the fact that her favorite was Emperor Hadrian, so he of course was the leader to be followed.  The stories Maria told are captioned below the photos I have included, it is important to see the reenactment along with the story.

For this time period was captured in tapestries, portraits, statues and of course wall and ceiling paintings like those in the Sistine Chapel.  We ended our day with Maria in St Peters Basilica, the church of Pope’s.  Its beauty and massive structure is difficult to describe if not impossible.  Pictures only capture fragments of the entirety, immersion is a priority.

After freshening up at the apartment, we walked down to dinner.  Taking the first opportunity to eat as we were hungry we ended up in a bust for food, not very good and as the Brit we met it was ‘rubbish’.  Toby quickly engaged us in conversation and even offered to walk us to the Pantheon.  Not because he wanted to see it again but wanted to show us the most magnificent gelato shop:)  We walked down the crowded streets, past the Trevoli Fountain to the Plaza Pietra and the Pantheon.  We stood looking at it when upon came an english speaking tour group so we sat in and listened to the facts surrounding this large 1050 year old structure that should not be standing as the roof does not have a keystone, it is open to the stars.  Miraculously it has with stood that and more, open and inviting to all religions, the basilica for the people.  Prior to getting back as darkness fell upon the plaza we stopped and had the best gelato, we were not disappointed with the coolness of the creme and flavors of hazelnut and berries.

Trying desperately to beat the heat we set out early this morning to see the sites of the old town Rome.  We succeeded for the most part, having relatively no queues and getting to walk the Forum rather easily.  We purchased a video/audio guide to learn of the various sites located within the old Roman city now called the forum.  From the Arch of Titus, a controlling Emperor to the home of Julius Caesar we found the surroundings interesting and enlightening.  Their world was surrounded by the Gods they created and the entertainment of the Colosseum.

 

Having not eaten yet, it was well past noon, we lumbered out into the surrounding streets near the Palatino Hill to find a fruit stand.  A peach and banana a piece washed down by the cool refreshing water from local spouts was enough to get us down the boulevard and in front of the Colosseum.

This massive structure is bigger than any other we have in the world.  They even filled it with water at one time and set about a mock battle of ships with actual sized ship of the day.  The geometric properties are endless.  From its symmetry of arches, seating, structure and design to the shear size we were in awe.  Looking up at the top and seeing the interlocking mammoth blocks wondering how that piece was placed and how they managed to move it that high.  You can still see the rooms under the deteriorated performance floor with description of their use.  While all of the wooden seating is gone you can still see portions of the hard structure and most notably the higharchy of nobles and well to do nearer the stage continuing to those considered everyday citizens or peasants.  We walked away amazed and enriched by the Colosseum.

Spent the rest of the day wandering through the existing relics of the past that dot the city of Rome.  We enjoyed our stay but did not find the food beyond average, perhaps we were looking in all the wrong places.  You can always count on good fruit, water and Gelato!

Early morning metro then a high speed train to the Cinque Terra.