Thursday, June 17, 2010

Photo Albums

I'm sure everyone figured out by now we are home!!! The travel home was long and tiring (we traveled for over 23 hours!) But I'm glad to be home and share my stories, and surprisingly it has been nice to return to work too :)
I uploaded photos to Facebook, but anyone can view my albums, there are three of them; check them out:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=209130&id=1064636993&l=67a00dadb6
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=209135&id=1064636993&l=579200e5de
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=209174&id=1064636993&l=b6c50a9476

Can't wait to see everyone!!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

The pain

Last night we did a pub crawl, how fun, never done that before!!! We went met up with the group from all over the world at the first bar and than followed them to three more bars and a nightclub. Free drinks were involved (not good, but free haha). It was a lot of fun to meet new people for all different places and experience new things, we were one of the oldest ones there, but luckily we didn´t look like it, we fit in just fine. Its funny though cause it is a huge group of people in little bars, people can hardly move or breathe so you want to get some fresh air so we head outside and I guess are too loud and the bouncer yells at us and tells us to "shut the fuck up and get the fuck back in side the bar". I have never been thrown back in to a bar before, haha, that happened at two of the four bars for us. You would think we would have learned our lesson.
The night club was packed, three floors but the funny thing is all the music here is in english, so we knew all the songs. The clubs don´t close at 2am like at home, so we didn´t realize it was 3am and we headed back to our rooms.
Today we wanted to take advantage of our last day in the sun. We went to the beach, got a couple chairs and began to cook. We had an umberella and I thought we were better I didn´t realize that after 4 hours I would have accumilated that much sun. Oh I did!!!
I was much worse than a lobster, it hurts to walk, I don´t think I have ever been burnt this bad, I lathered myself in aloe, but my legs hurt so bad. I´m sure this will make the flight even more uncomfortable, if only the over the counter sleeping pills worked on me.
The first thing I thought this morning when I woke up was, we are going home tomorrow, which is a positive, negative, and sad thing. I can´t wait to go home, see everyone and hug my little Burton, but I am not looking forward to flying all day tomorrow and a 4 hour lay over in Philly. Plus nobody likes to go back to work right? haha I will be there Monday morning, what was I thinking! :)

Friday, June 11, 2010

Rain? Boooo

So it rained today, just in the morning but overcast most of the day, but warmed up a few hours ago. Good break for us though, poor Dennis looks like a lobster, and couldn´t handle anymore sun, we have almost used an entire costco size bottle of Aloe on him! The heat went away, but he is still really red, not very comfortable to carry a heavy backpack!
Since it rained we just shopped most of the day today, it was really nice, this is a great shopping town, had a ton of fun seeing everything and all the fun stuff.
We are a really great street La Rambla, they have a strip down the middle for people only, have little shops, and interesting things everywhere. There are outside stands with pets, all kinds of pets from fish, birds, rabbits, hamsters and even chipmunks! Flower stands and a lot of statue people that move and talk to you when you give them money, you have to see the pics!
There is a great little market, so much candy fruit, every part of an animal you could want, even pigs heads. So many different fish I never even knew excisted. Definitely the coolest market, towers over Pike Place!
We went to see the gothic cathedral, but sadly it is under reconstruction so there is a ton of scaffolding covering the exterior, doesn´t make for great pictures.
Tomorrow will be 76 no rain, so we will hit the beach and cover Dennis up!
So glad to be heading home in just two days!!!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Arrival in Rome

After three trains and a bumpy flight we arrived in Barcelona. Warm here again, but not sure how hot yet. Checked in to our room, really cute, feels very athentic.
Bonus is they have free internet!!! Such a nice change, those internet cafes were eating up the Euros :) But they don´t have a way for me to load my pictures, which I really wanted to. Oh well everyone will have to wait til we get home. Dennis and I went out for some lunch and found a little pita deli, so good, they have these huge sticks of meat that are roasting and he just shaves it off in to your pita pocket, and than you stuff it. So good!!!!
Probably off to see the town with Matt and Karen now.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Oh the sun.....

Last night we had wonderful spaghetti with a great view of the water. After dinner we went for a walk to the part of town we hadn't explored yet, probably the older part of town, and found a trail that led to guess what.... more stairs!!! haha it went pretty high up on top of the hill and it was the towns sanctuary (cemetery) it was pretty cool but a little creepy. We took some great pictures of the town from that height. Than had some drinks on the break water and watch the town tear to lights, it was really pretty.
This morning we hit the trail at 730am, but good thing we did most of the walk before the sun was in full force.
The 'walk' from Vernazza to Corniglia was pretty steep we just kept walking up and up and up, but we did it in 1 1\2 hours, we were alittle tired til you got to the top than all down hill from there. The views again gorgeous. The town was small a much different feel than Vernazza, it is the only one that doesn't have water access. We stopped for soda and Dennis got an ice cream cone. Than off to Manarola, much better hike, it was only 40 minutes and pretty flat, it was relaxing. Pretty town again but we didn't stop for two long, off to Riomaggiore, now this was the shortest easiest walk, but probably the coolest, they have the La Via dell'Amore, which was a very cool little lovers walk, couples have 'sealed' there loves with lots and lots and lots of padlocks on the fences and walls, and their names on the walls. Of course Dennis and I did it too!!!
So once we got to the town we walked around and took the boat to the last town (because it was on the other side of us) Monterosso, which was a great big resort town with lots of great beachs, we had lunch and than took the train back to our town. Than it was time to relax, we swam in the beautifully clear blue green ocean. We relaxed on the beach, but fell asleep, we are a little red (okay really red!).
Ready for Barcelona tomorrow, but we will miss this town, I really want to go back!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The amazing city of Vernazza

First off last night we had dinner at the most amazing Spaghetti house.. the food was the best ever!!!! Our tour guide from The Palatine Hill recommended it, so glad she did!
Dennis and I took the train this morning to La Spezia than quickly jumped on another short train to Vernazza (one of the Cinque Terre). You don't see much on your ride in, lots of tunnels than you will get a teaser of the amazingly blue ocean. We arrived on a tiny little platform and turned around to see our great little town for the next two days, the town is so small you could see our hotel from the train station (but just the top of it, so you can't hear the train from there).
After finding our hotel down the little main street we got lead up the first of over 10 flights of stairs to our room!!!!! Wholly molly, but it is so worth the walk (over 100 stairs!) the view is beautiful, you can see the clock tower and the hill side. It is so hard to explain how wonderful it is here, I can't wait to post pictures, but we didn't bring the cord (and don't want to walk back up to our room!).
After my first 1\2 hour here I knew I wanted to be back, who wants to go? :)
So we walked the main street, lots of fun little shops and handmade stuff. Than off the little beach and breakwater, had some pizza (there is so much pizza here, it is so good!!). We than climbed to the top of the castle, which was a worth the view too, but we were sort of exhausted after the 100 steep steps to the top and than go back down to climb our 100 steps to our room!!! Lots of stairs here!
We laid out on our private roof top terrace\garden and than went to the break water and laid out there.
Looking forward to dinner tonight, maybe some drinks at the Blue Marlin and than off to bed to get up early for the 6 hour hike through the 5 towns!!! I have heard it is going to be a killer! but the views should be amazing again!
There are a ton of dogs here, already seen 4 yorkies and lots of cats just laying around in the streets, they love to be petted too!
Miss everyone, I love the seeing all the different towns, but the packing and unpacking is terrible, plus every time your bag gets heavier and heavier :)
I love the train rides, but the flying isn't so much fun.
I'm sure we will be back on tomorrow after our nap (I think we will need one!)

Monday, June 7, 2010

About to leave Rome

Wanted to put up a quick blog before we left Rome, we are leaving really early in the morning to go to Cinque Terre, oh it will be so relaxing, besides the 6 hour hike to see all the 5 towns!
We went shopping all day today, the boys were so good all day, (but all the stores has AC which is much needed here!)
Had to take a nap after the long warm day today and now off to dinner.
See you all in CT!!!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Roma

What a day we had yesterday!
The night before we got online and made a reservation for the Vatican, which was the best idea ever!! We walked past the over 2 hour wait line and right in the front door, have no idea why they didn't think of that.
We went to the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel (amazing, we sneaked a coupled photos and Karen got a video!) it was only noon, so we decided to keep going!
We went back to the Colosseum and did a tour, great idea too we learned so much and saw things we would have never seen, than we went the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, so many amazing ruins, we uploaded photos, but for some reason they kept doubling and not all of them came across... sorry!! We have so many photos to show everyone!
After our big day yesterday we took a nap and than went out to the loud bar we kept hearing from our window.
Today is relax day, we are at the laundry mat doing well needed laundry and on internet. Than off to check in to next hotel which is by the Pantheon.
Than we will be off to Cinque Terre to do some hiking and soak up the sun.
It is over 85 here and we are all a little red, especially me :)
Poor Dennis has allergies from either all the great smelling Jasmine around or all the dusty ruins.

Photos from Rome


























































































































































Photos from Paris















































































Friday, June 4, 2010

Rome........

Ah our first day in Rome, how wonderful!!!! Such a nice change for Paris.
So we took a hop on hop off open air bus tour of Rome, got to see all the beauitful sights in 2 hours! So much more than we ever saw of Paris! Walked around the Collosium, cant wait to tour the inside, we wanted to wait for Matt and Karen. Checked in to our hostel which is a really nice room, and a great roof top garden, great way to relax, we went to the market and made our own lunch up there.
Karen and Matt arrived and we went to an amazing little Pizzeria, our waitress was amazing and so much fun, the best food we have had the whole trip. Dessert was the best!! and we got free shots :)
Off to the Vatican tomorrow! oh cant wait, so many amazing things to see!

Tour de Paris

Were do we begin? We havent (I cant find the apostrophe on this computer!) had Internet for a few days, none in Paris, well Im sure there was some, but no one spoke English or was nice enough to tell us where to go.
Let me sum up Paris in our experience: Much awe plus really really long lines and steep prices equals disappointment.
So we left Amsterdam by train (I think we have mastered, or at least like the train system) and arrived in Paris later than we had thought, so most of the sights were already closed, our hotel guy laughed at us when we said we wanted to see the Louve.
But a nice surprise was a view of the Eiffel tower out our room! Cant get better than that.
Since we didnt have much time we went decided to walk to Notre Dam, didnt know it was further than it looked, haha it took about an hour to get there and no line in to the cathedral, well we later found out cause they were closing, but what a beautiful church and history was awesome. The tower was closed so we got a taxi back to room and got ready for dinner, ate at a little bistro and went to the Eiffel tower for a twilight cruise, oh that was an experience. So after standing in line outside for over an hour, we got in to find out you have to stand in another line to go to second floor, than we go there to pushed around like cattle to the next line to go to top, they jamb so many people in such a small space you cant breathe or move, if you arent careful you can loose someone by not squishing in elevator. Once at the top we could barely move to see over the edge to than get forced back in line to go down. Each line was over 45 minutes!!! We couldnt take the line to go down anymore, really really felt like a big cattle drive. We ended up taking the stairs that no one told us about we just found and walked all the way down to the bottom! But it was pretty impressive to sit under it, but after finally get to the top it was so frustrating and exhausting it took all the excitement out of it. Everything seemed to be like that for us in Paris.
So before we went to bed we set our wake up call... or so we thought, we had paid for the extra breakfast at the hotel to wake up at 11:15am! ahh totally missed breakfast, the lines for the Louve and much of everything. After rushing out the door before they charged us again we got some delicious baguettes and prosciutto and had lunch on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower, than took a taxi to Notre Dam, where we guess what? Stood in line :) But wasnt too bad, after 45minutes we could go up the tower. But like everything else they put way too many people in a small small space and make you claustrophobic. You had to wait in a line to get up to the top tower and than to go back down too, they lock you up there so you cant move. But we did see the amazing bell tower and all the rafters Quasimodo was in, than petted the gargoyles. That was worth it.
We only had enough time to walk to the Louve, the Jardin Gardens and the Arc de Triomphe. Than tried to take a taxi to our Airport, but found out that it would be 150€! I guess I picked the airport that says Paris but is a 2 hour shuttle outside!!! What a tiny tiny airport, after making in through security we wanted, plane was an hour late and there are no terminals, so we walked on and off the plane, havent done that before.
The arrival of Rome.... wow different right off the start. Walked outside of the airport to be swarmed by what seemed like the italian mafia. They grabbed the paper I had with the name of the hotel and passed it around and made fun of each bidding as to who will take us. They told us 50€ which I know was too much, but what do you do at midnight in the middle of no where!!
So after a ride in the country side (that we werent so sure we would get out of) we drove past the Colosseum and some really really beautiful sights, than to our hotel. Very quite, but nice, loud and scary italian guy checked us in, and we got our skeleton key and went up the scary elevator to find a big room will a big scary window! We locked the door and huddle until we fell asleep to the constant honking of horns and yelling of people 5 floors below us. Rome is going to be interesting I can tell!
So we just checked in to our hostel, and there is an internet cafe with the first good prices down the street (and no weed!!!).
Sorry it was so long, but so much has happened :)
We really really miss everyone, and looking forward to our next three stops, but also going home. I miss my doggy and kitties :( Give them loves for me. I saw a yorkie in Paris and wanted to hug it, but the lady didnt look too nice!! haha
Okay we are off.... Karen and Matt should arrive in 7 hours.. what shall we do?

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Oh the Tower!












































































































































































Today started out a little crazy learning the Metro with Amsterdam, wow they shove so many people on the tram and we had no idea what we were doing, we finally got a seat, and made it safely to the train station.


















After a nice train ride we arrived in Delft, what a really neat little dutch town, by far my favorite day so far. We didn't know what we wanted to do so just wandering around we found an amazing church Oude Kerk (Old Church) after we toured it and saw the most amazing stain glass windows ever that told the complete story of the bible, we found the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) it was just as cool inside with bibles dating to the 1700 hand written!!!
But the best part was to our surprise you could climb to the top of the clock and bell tower!!! Wow it was so cool, I will admit a little scary, my knuckles were white climbing up the spiral wooden staircase! But oh so worth it, check out our pics going up and from the top. The town was so great, and we ate a little cafe in the town square.

P.S. Today is my 11 year anniversary at work, so nice to spend it relaxing :) Oh and Happy Anniversary to you too Burce, 32 years in business! Wahoo

Tomorrow we are off to Paris!!! Can't wait


















Another day in A*dam


















Just one of the cool streets in Amsterdam.