Hi Everyone!
I must apologize for being so lax with the blog recently. Italy is definitely the type of country you find yourself immersed in. I would also like to apologize in advance for any spelling errors or word confusion as I now update every blog with an Itouch. I find autocorrect to be both a blessing and a disaster!
But now onto more important things! Florence and Tuscany o and Chianti and then of course of bit of Umbria; and now my inability to keep my blog up to date makes more sense! Stacy and I ended up making Florence our homebase for our travels through that region which was a great decision. We spent 2 days touring the city. We climbed the duomo, meandered through the open air markets, sat awe inspired in front of David (which not to sound cliche is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen) and of course we've devoted much if our time to doing as the locals do; wining and dining. The wine is indescribable, even the most simple of table wines are far better than anything in the states and spend a little more and you won't be sorry. The food here is also something of an art. Even things as simple as a meat and cheese plate is divine. Of course much of this area is very touristy so for the most part we've eaten and drank where our guidebooks have recommended and they've yet to lead us astray. I also have to mention my favorite restaurant was a place called Mario's; on a side street just off the open air market. The BEST pasta with meatsauce Ive had my entire life! You fight for space with the locals and end up dining amongst eachother and ther is always a wait. Trust me though, this is a place worth waiting for!
We also ventured into smaller towns in Tuscany, Chianti and Umbria. We sampled wines at small family owned vineyards in San Gimignano, Greve and a few smaller towns. We rode a tram to Orvieto, a small town atop a hill in Umbria and attempted to see another known as Cavita de B. (to out dismay the bus didn't run on Sunday so we never got to see it).
On out way to Rome, our final stop, we spent a night in Siena which was my favorite of them all! If you're looking for museums and a true tourist experience then this is NOT the place. Siena was amazing because it was less touristy yet easy to manage. Stacy and I spent all afternoon and evening sitting in the Piazza, sampling some food at this amazing restaurant (o how I wish we could recall the name) and drinking casually amongst the locals. It went all night like that; we changes seating but we stayed and mingled amongst those that lived there and it was one of my favorite nights. Siena is a place not to be missed although a day/night is plenty as the town is small.
Now we are in Rome and I can't believe the trip is coming to am end! Rome is amazing as so many have told us, but Rome is a whole different story so I will write soon on that...
Ciao!
St. Paul de Venice
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Italy - Need I Say More...
Hi everyone!
Italy has been AMAZING so far! I'm not sure what I love more...the food, the wine or the shoes haha. Our plans have changed slightly for the trip so Ill fill you in on what we've been up to.
After flying into Milan we went straight to Venice. Venice is such a beautiful city. Very small and walkable which is nice - makes you truly feel as though you've entered another timezone. I'm happy we got to see the city on the off season because there were still so many Tourists but the streets were not jammed packed as we were told they'd be. Apparently many of the hotels there are located in palaces because of how old the city is and simply how it's set up. Needless to stay, for very cheap Stacy & I stayed in a room that was part of an old palace. It was beautiful and an amazing feeling to be a part of such an historic place!
From Venice we moved on to the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre is a set of towns along the nothern Italian coast. Although more touristy now they are still not as highly visited as other parts of Italy. The area is comprised of 5 towns each connected by a single train line. The towns are locates amoungst the hills on the water so needless to say they were all breathtaking & very quaint. They are famous for their beauty and the cliffside hike that links all of them.
Based on suggestion we stayed in Vernazza, the 4th town and one of the largest. From there we completed the long and difficult hike which was (in all seriousness) the most beautiful hike I've ever been on! You don't come to Cinque Terre for the nighlife or the shopping, you come here for the peace and beauty and trust me it's well worth it. I highly recommend any trip to Italy to include this region! If you so happen to stop here eat anything with pesto (the region is known for it) and stop in at the local bar The Blue Marlin. All the locals flock here as well as the tourists. Drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is laid back and friendly.
Eveyone stays in apartments and all the locals rent rooms so take your pick and talk them down in price (at least in the off season).
From there we've moved on to Florence where well explore all of Tuscany. Unfortunately Ill have to save that story for another day....
Ciao
Italy has been AMAZING so far! I'm not sure what I love more...the food, the wine or the shoes haha. Our plans have changed slightly for the trip so Ill fill you in on what we've been up to.
After flying into Milan we went straight to Venice. Venice is such a beautiful city. Very small and walkable which is nice - makes you truly feel as though you've entered another timezone. I'm happy we got to see the city on the off season because there were still so many Tourists but the streets were not jammed packed as we were told they'd be. Apparently many of the hotels there are located in palaces because of how old the city is and simply how it's set up. Needless to stay, for very cheap Stacy & I stayed in a room that was part of an old palace. It was beautiful and an amazing feeling to be a part of such an historic place!
From Venice we moved on to the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre is a set of towns along the nothern Italian coast. Although more touristy now they are still not as highly visited as other parts of Italy. The area is comprised of 5 towns each connected by a single train line. The towns are locates amoungst the hills on the water so needless to say they were all breathtaking & very quaint. They are famous for their beauty and the cliffside hike that links all of them.
Based on suggestion we stayed in Vernazza, the 4th town and one of the largest. From there we completed the long and difficult hike which was (in all seriousness) the most beautiful hike I've ever been on! You don't come to Cinque Terre for the nighlife or the shopping, you come here for the peace and beauty and trust me it's well worth it. I highly recommend any trip to Italy to include this region! If you so happen to stop here eat anything with pesto (the region is known for it) and stop in at the local bar The Blue Marlin. All the locals flock here as well as the tourists. Drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is laid back and friendly.
Eveyone stays in apartments and all the locals rent rooms so take your pick and talk them down in price (at least in the off season).
From there we've moved on to Florence where well explore all of Tuscany. Unfortunately Ill have to save that story for another day....
Ciao
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Switzerland & The Beginning of Italy
Hi everyone,
I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. Slight technical difficulties.
To fill everyone in on recent happenings; Victoria & I after slight difficulty made our way to Geneva, Switzerland. We spent just 1 day and night there. Geneva reminded me of many other cities I'd seen in the past and I was most excited to arrive in Interlaken! First thing next day we arrived in Interlaken where very excitedly Vic & I went to skydive on the Swiss Alps!! I had been once before but Vic had never been. It was amazing!! One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. If you have any interest in skydiving THIS is the place to do it. I was sad to leave but I can definitely see myself returning and partaking in some of the other extreme sports they offer!
Afterwards we headed to Italy where Vic returned to the states for her first day of work (good luck) and Stacy met me in Milan for our 2 weeks in Italy!! Italy has been amazing thus far & I'll update soon.
Ciao
I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. Slight technical difficulties.
To fill everyone in on recent happenings; Victoria & I after slight difficulty made our way to Geneva, Switzerland. We spent just 1 day and night there. Geneva reminded me of many other cities I'd seen in the past and I was most excited to arrive in Interlaken! First thing next day we arrived in Interlaken where very excitedly Vic & I went to skydive on the Swiss Alps!! I had been once before but Vic had never been. It was amazing!! One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. If you have any interest in skydiving THIS is the place to do it. I was sad to leave but I can definitely see myself returning and partaking in some of the other extreme sports they offer!
Afterwards we headed to Italy where Vic returned to the states for her first day of work (good luck) and Stacy met me in Milan for our 2 weeks in Italy!! Italy has been amazing thus far & I'll update soon.
Ciao
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The End to Our Adventures in France
Hi Everyone,
So we've arrived in Switzerland this morning. We'll be staying in Geneve for the night and heading to Interlaken tomorrow morning to skydive on the Swiss Alps!
We truly enjoyed our last day in Nice. We spent the day walking through the local market and buying some of the goods vendors were peddaling, touring Old Town and aimlessly wandering through the city. Victoria and I both agree that Nice was our favorite city which we visited in the French Riviera. It was a blend of the countries which surround it and felt more Greek and Italian than French.
As some of you may or may not have heard the railway union in France decided to strike this past Wednesday. Originally the strike was supposed to last only a day but it is still going on. What this has meant for us has been a very hectic and difficult journey as we moved from the French Riviera toward Switzerland. After leaving Nice we headed to Beaune, a small wine town in France. Due to the train situation we unfortunately spent only a few hours in Beaune before moving on. This was a great disappointment to us as we were very excited for all the vineyard tours. We did at least get to sample some of the local wine and delicassies from the region which were delicious :)
We were very sad to leave France but happy to be able to freely travel once again. I hope that no one ever has to experience the pains of travel through a foreign country on strike!!
Wish us luck tomorrow :)
So we've arrived in Switzerland this morning. We'll be staying in Geneve for the night and heading to Interlaken tomorrow morning to skydive on the Swiss Alps!
We truly enjoyed our last day in Nice. We spent the day walking through the local market and buying some of the goods vendors were peddaling, touring Old Town and aimlessly wandering through the city. Victoria and I both agree that Nice was our favorite city which we visited in the French Riviera. It was a blend of the countries which surround it and felt more Greek and Italian than French.
As some of you may or may not have heard the railway union in France decided to strike this past Wednesday. Originally the strike was supposed to last only a day but it is still going on. What this has meant for us has been a very hectic and difficult journey as we moved from the French Riviera toward Switzerland. After leaving Nice we headed to Beaune, a small wine town in France. Due to the train situation we unfortunately spent only a few hours in Beaune before moving on. This was a great disappointment to us as we were very excited for all the vineyard tours. We did at least get to sample some of the local wine and delicassies from the region which were delicious :)
We were very sad to leave France but happy to be able to freely travel once again. I hope that no one ever has to experience the pains of travel through a foreign country on strike!!
Wish us luck tomorrow :)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Greetings From the French Riviera!
Hi Everyone,
Victoria and I are in the French Riviera at the moment, staying in a town called Nice. Apparently they barely ever receive rain here, maybeeee once or twice a month if that. Luckily for us it has rained both days we've been here haha. We did manage to squeeze in sometime without rain our first day and walked down to the water and a bit around an area known as 'Old Town.' Yesterday it rained for almost the entire day but fortunately for us we jumped on an all day tour so we were still able to see numerous places. I must admit in terms of a tour (Med-Tours) it was more along the lines of a chauffeur rather than a tour. Our guide Pierre (yes that was his name) would literally drive us to a city, drop us off and tell us to explore for an hour or so. We were hoping for a bit more information than that but we made due and managed to meander our way about to at least see what each place had to offer. We were able to see Eze, Monaco, Monte Carlo, St. Paul de Venice, Antibes and Cannes. Even I have to admit, without this tour I can't imagine we'd have seen all of that so we are grateful we had that opportunity. We have one more day left here so we'll spend today exploring Nice a bit more. We're heading to the local market to buy food for dinner (the fish here is amazing) and spend a bit more time walking through 'Old Town.' Tomorrow morning we leave for a small French town known as Beaune (pronounced 'bone'). That will be our last stop before Switzerland!!
Write soon and check out the new pictures :)
Victoria and I are in the French Riviera at the moment, staying in a town called Nice. Apparently they barely ever receive rain here, maybeeee once or twice a month if that. Luckily for us it has rained both days we've been here haha. We did manage to squeeze in sometime without rain our first day and walked down to the water and a bit around an area known as 'Old Town.' Yesterday it rained for almost the entire day but fortunately for us we jumped on an all day tour so we were still able to see numerous places. I must admit in terms of a tour (Med-Tours) it was more along the lines of a chauffeur rather than a tour. Our guide Pierre (yes that was his name) would literally drive us to a city, drop us off and tell us to explore for an hour or so. We were hoping for a bit more information than that but we made due and managed to meander our way about to at least see what each place had to offer. We were able to see Eze, Monaco, Monte Carlo, St. Paul de Venice, Antibes and Cannes. Even I have to admit, without this tour I can't imagine we'd have seen all of that so we are grateful we had that opportunity. We have one more day left here so we'll spend today exploring Nice a bit more. We're heading to the local market to buy food for dinner (the fish here is amazing) and spend a bit more time walking through 'Old Town.' Tomorrow morning we leave for a small French town known as Beaune (pronounced 'bone'). That will be our last stop before Switzerland!!
Write soon and check out the new pictures :)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Au revoir Paris!
Hi Everyone,
Victoria & I have left Paris. It was amazing, such a busy city; similar to NYC but yet an atmosphere like none I've ever seen before. French culture does take a little getting used to but for the most part people were very kind to us. The Eiffel Tower was unbelievable. Its hard to explain what it feels like to see it and walk up it, nothing like you've ever done before and although very touristy definitely one of those things everyone should do once in their life.....and yes I did say walk, haha. Although Vic wanted to throw me off the tower I convinced her to walk up the 1000+ steps and it was (in my opinion) well worth it!! The views from each level were amazing and something you just couldn't get within the confines of an elevator.
We were blown away by the Louvre. Although a museum it was also so much more. The building itself was breathtaking, both within its walls and outside, in the plaza. I would also say a trip to Paris would not be complete without a stop here. The exhibits it houses are seemingly insurmountable so I would highly recommend an audio tour, although not necessary if you'd like to enjoy the artwork in a shorter amount of time. It was an amazing feeling to set our eyes upon the Mona Lisa and sculptures such as the Venus de Milo. It might sounds a bit corny but trust me, its an incredibly lucky feeling to know that you've accomplished such a feat.
The traffic in Paris on the other hand was not quite so impressive, although maybe it could be considered such because I've never seen that sort of highway chaos in my life! There is actually a rotary in the city where if a car accident occurs, both insurance companies simply split the cost regardless of fault because it is so difficult to drive.
After a little trouble catching our train...haha yes we did finally miss one (although after a few glasses of wine....it really wasn't that unfortunate!), we made it to Nice. We'll be staying in Nice for the next few days while we explore the French Riveria.
I will write again soon on our exploits along the Mediterranean!
Victoria & I have left Paris. It was amazing, such a busy city; similar to NYC but yet an atmosphere like none I've ever seen before. French culture does take a little getting used to but for the most part people were very kind to us. The Eiffel Tower was unbelievable. Its hard to explain what it feels like to see it and walk up it, nothing like you've ever done before and although very touristy definitely one of those things everyone should do once in their life.....and yes I did say walk, haha. Although Vic wanted to throw me off the tower I convinced her to walk up the 1000+ steps and it was (in my opinion) well worth it!! The views from each level were amazing and something you just couldn't get within the confines of an elevator.
We were blown away by the Louvre. Although a museum it was also so much more. The building itself was breathtaking, both within its walls and outside, in the plaza. I would also say a trip to Paris would not be complete without a stop here. The exhibits it houses are seemingly insurmountable so I would highly recommend an audio tour, although not necessary if you'd like to enjoy the artwork in a shorter amount of time. It was an amazing feeling to set our eyes upon the Mona Lisa and sculptures such as the Venus de Milo. It might sounds a bit corny but trust me, its an incredibly lucky feeling to know that you've accomplished such a feat.
The traffic in Paris on the other hand was not quite so impressive, although maybe it could be considered such because I've never seen that sort of highway chaos in my life! There is actually a rotary in the city where if a car accident occurs, both insurance companies simply split the cost regardless of fault because it is so difficult to drive.
After a little trouble catching our train...haha yes we did finally miss one (although after a few glasses of wine....it really wasn't that unfortunate!), we made it to Nice. We'll be staying in Nice for the next few days while we explore the French Riveria.
I will write again soon on our exploits along the Mediterranean!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Paris, Part I
Hi Everyone,
Paris has been amazing so far and today will be our last day here. We're so sad to go and want so badly to extend our stay but we still have so much left to see and do! I will upload pictures of some of the sights we've seen thus far. In the new pictures you'll see Notre Dame and the view from atop the church. Its amazing and you can see the Eiffel Tower from there. The Cathedral itself was gorgeous and the creatures atop it are amazing, especially when you look at them up close. We also went to the famous Champs Elysees Clemenceau for some Paris shopping - you may laugh but how can you go to Paris and not shop!! But I have to say aside from siteseeing our favorite pass time has simply been walking everywhere in the city, sitting at restaurants with a bottle of wine to split and sampling the local fare. It would probably be very difficult to get a bad meal here as everything is so fresh and it is apparent that great care is taken when preparing even the simplest dish. My recommendation to anyone that is considering a visit is simply to do as the French do and enjoy what their culture has to offer; I promise you won't have a bad time.
I will update you all soon on our travels but we're off to enjoy our last day in Paris!
Paris has been amazing so far and today will be our last day here. We're so sad to go and want so badly to extend our stay but we still have so much left to see and do! I will upload pictures of some of the sights we've seen thus far. In the new pictures you'll see Notre Dame and the view from atop the church. Its amazing and you can see the Eiffel Tower from there. The Cathedral itself was gorgeous and the creatures atop it are amazing, especially when you look at them up close. We also went to the famous Champs Elysees Clemenceau for some Paris shopping - you may laugh but how can you go to Paris and not shop!! But I have to say aside from siteseeing our favorite pass time has simply been walking everywhere in the city, sitting at restaurants with a bottle of wine to split and sampling the local fare. It would probably be very difficult to get a bad meal here as everything is so fresh and it is apparent that great care is taken when preparing even the simplest dish. My recommendation to anyone that is considering a visit is simply to do as the French do and enjoy what their culture has to offer; I promise you won't have a bad time.
I will update you all soon on our travels but we're off to enjoy our last day in Paris!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Amsterwhatt
Hi Everyone,
Sorry its been a little while since my last update. Things have started to really pick up on our trip and we've been having an amazing time. Amsterdam has come and gone. We absolutely LOVED it!! The city itself is beautiful and very "green." The majority ride bikes everywhere so you have to be very careful not to get hit by a bike :) It reminded me a lot of Belgium; straight out of a storybook. Canals everywhere, houseboats all over the place (which by the way you can rent rooms in, interesting way to stay while in the city) and the nicest people you will ever meet in your life. The city and the people are all very warm and welcoming and I can't praise it enough. Vic and I spent 2 days seeing and doing as much as we could. We went to the Anne Frank Museum - probably one of the only museums that could ever make you cry and I HIGHLY recommend; the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt and the Red Light District. We also learned that Amsterdam is an extremely safe city; when we first arrived it was late night and we were loaded down with luggage, we asked a police officer if we should take a taxi because we were afraid it might be dangerous to walk to the hotel, his response was confusion as to why we would ever feel unsafe in the city!! For those of you that have never been to Amsterdam they are extremely laid back, especially in terms of recreational activities; they refer to a regular coffee shop as a 'cafe' and the other shops that sell paraphernalia as 'coffee shops' - they are everywhere.
All in all Amsterdam was an amazing city and we loved every second of it, enough so to extend our stay there a bit longer than originally anticipated. We were sad to leave but yet so excited for the next leg of our trip....Paris!!
Sorry its been a little while since my last update. Things have started to really pick up on our trip and we've been having an amazing time. Amsterdam has come and gone. We absolutely LOVED it!! The city itself is beautiful and very "green." The majority ride bikes everywhere so you have to be very careful not to get hit by a bike :) It reminded me a lot of Belgium; straight out of a storybook. Canals everywhere, houseboats all over the place (which by the way you can rent rooms in, interesting way to stay while in the city) and the nicest people you will ever meet in your life. The city and the people are all very warm and welcoming and I can't praise it enough. Vic and I spent 2 days seeing and doing as much as we could. We went to the Anne Frank Museum - probably one of the only museums that could ever make you cry and I HIGHLY recommend; the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt and the Red Light District. We also learned that Amsterdam is an extremely safe city; when we first arrived it was late night and we were loaded down with luggage, we asked a police officer if we should take a taxi because we were afraid it might be dangerous to walk to the hotel, his response was confusion as to why we would ever feel unsafe in the city!! For those of you that have never been to Amsterdam they are extremely laid back, especially in terms of recreational activities; they refer to a regular coffee shop as a 'cafe' and the other shops that sell paraphernalia as 'coffee shops' - they are everywhere.
All in all Amsterdam was an amazing city and we loved every second of it, enough so to extend our stay there a bit longer than originally anticipated. We were sad to leave but yet so excited for the next leg of our trip....Paris!!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Rothenburg & Berlin!! Adios Germany :(
Hi all,
Things have been a little busy and I apologize for not writing sooner....Rothenburg was amazingly beautiful and I'll be putting up pictures soon. We spent our last day walking around the outter wall that surrounds the city (or at least trying to because of course we somehow managed to get lost!) and visting some of the local tourist shops....also trying what they call "sneeballs"....um probably wouldn't recommend them though haha although I didn't try them Vic described them as the equivalent of fried dough....just not nearly as good!!
Then we headed off to Berlin!
Berlin on the other hand is an absolute cultural mecca. Everyone said that 3 or so days would not be enough and they were absolutely right. What they didn't say was that by not seeing the entire city and all it has to offer would ensure my desire to come back again. I am positive I will visit again some day, sooner rather than later to enjoy the city and hopefully again before it gets a bit too cold. We didn't really do any of the musuems while here, although there are plenty to see. Instead we spent our time walking around the city, taking tours and getting to know the very efficient subway system haha. We got lucky enough to see the 20th anniversary of German Reunification Day which was very touching. It was an amazing experience to be in a city with so much history and see how that history has effected so many people.
Butttt enough of that corny stuff...our next stop is Amsterdam!! We will get there sometime tomorrow night and couldn't be more excited to see the city. It's amazing how fast time has been flying for us. I have plenty of pictures I'll be posting soon of our final days in Germany. Miss you all!!
Things have been a little busy and I apologize for not writing sooner....Rothenburg was amazingly beautiful and I'll be putting up pictures soon. We spent our last day walking around the outter wall that surrounds the city (or at least trying to because of course we somehow managed to get lost!) and visting some of the local tourist shops....also trying what they call "sneeballs"....um probably wouldn't recommend them though haha although I didn't try them Vic described them as the equivalent of fried dough....just not nearly as good!!
Then we headed off to Berlin!
Berlin on the other hand is an absolute cultural mecca. Everyone said that 3 or so days would not be enough and they were absolutely right. What they didn't say was that by not seeing the entire city and all it has to offer would ensure my desire to come back again. I am positive I will visit again some day, sooner rather than later to enjoy the city and hopefully again before it gets a bit too cold. We didn't really do any of the musuems while here, although there are plenty to see. Instead we spent our time walking around the city, taking tours and getting to know the very efficient subway system haha. We got lucky enough to see the 20th anniversary of German Reunification Day which was very touching. It was an amazing experience to be in a city with so much history and see how that history has effected so many people.
Butttt enough of that corny stuff...our next stop is Amsterdam!! We will get there sometime tomorrow night and couldn't be more excited to see the city. It's amazing how fast time has been flying for us. I have plenty of pictures I'll be posting soon of our final days in Germany. Miss you all!!
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