Hating Air France

A quick run-down about my experience with Air France. I will be sending an "angry letter" to all divisions of Air France (Air Italia, Air France, and Delta) because of this experience. It's surprising how a huge company like Air France can continuously screw up without repercussion.

Flight from DTW to Atlanta: I go to check in, and I'm not in the system. I'm on the plane manifest, but I am not assigned a seat nor will a boarding pass print out for me. 20 minutes later, I'm told to check in at the gate and they will give me a seat-- away from my traveling companions, of course.

Flight from Atlanta to Dublin: Despite the 6 hour layover, nothing really happened on this flight that was Air France's fault. Don't worry, they make up for it later.

Flight from Dublin to London via Paris: Flight gets cancelled due to volcanic ash. This is the airports call, not Air France. We get to the Air France counter to check in/get reaassigned to a new flight, and we get put on a flight at about 4:50pm. We go back to the hotel and enjoy Dublin a little more. When we return to the airport at 4, we are told that we were *not* placed on the 4:50 flight but then reassigned to the 6:30pm flight.

Flight from London to Paris: Pam and Jason's information isn't showing up at the Air France terminal. We're forced to wait in the Air France line.

Flight from Paris to Rome: The stewardess through Air Italia were HOLY rude. You would have thought I asked for their first born child when, in response to *their* question, I said I wanted orange juice to drink.

Flight from Rome to Detroit via Paris: Here's where it gets dicey. I am first bumped from my original flight (and separated from the other 3 travelers). My new flight, I am told, will arrive about 90 minutes before the Detroit connection, so I'm ok with flying by myself. We sat on the tarmak in Rome for 1 hour 45 minutes, had the 2 hour flight, then run through the de Gal airport trying to make our connection (which was scheduled to leave 5 minutes prior). The flight attendants on that flight were not helpful at all- over 90 of us had connecting flights, and they had no information about the connecting flights nor would call and get information. In the case of the Detroit flight, we realize that we will be landing the same time it is scheduled to take off. We ask the flight attendant to request that the flight be held, make arrangements to get us to our next flight, etc. and they don't do anything. We keep getting told "sorry." We land in Paris and we are told that the flight left. I found out though that the other 3 were asking about me to the flight attendants and THOSE flight attendants had no problem calling the tower/the Air France desk at the airport to see what my flight status was. My friends were told that I was on my way to Atlanta. They were on the runway when they asked, which makes it better- I was in the airport, the flight was still on the runway. Plane couldn't be stopped, apparently.

So now I'm stuck with about 8 other passengers waiting for the next flight out of Paris, which is going to route me through Atlanta, give me a 90 minute layover, then home by midnight (I should have been home at 4:55pm). They give us all a coupon for a free sandwich and drink, but it doesn't help. I keep asking at the counter, "are you sure my luggage will get to Detroit?" and I'm told that its on the way.

I board the 9 hour 30 minute flight to Atlanta. Flight was uneventful, but we're left on the runway for an additional 20 minutes after we land. That part sucked.

We get to Atlanta and are told that because of customs, we have to get our luggage from baggage claim, go through customs, then recheck the bags. Of course, we wait- and none of our luggage is there. We now have 20 minutes before the Detroit flight leaves. The Delta agent keeps telling us to make the claim for luggage at the Detroit airport and to "run"- she neglected to tell us that we arrived in Terminal D and were taking off in Terminal B. We had to wait for a shuttle, run UP esclators, etc. We make it *literally* as they are closing the gate. We get on the plane and end up in Detroit.

My luggage is not in Detroit when I land. I am told that *it never left Paris* and that it should be in Detroit by 7pm Sunday. I am having them call me if it arrives by 5; if not, they will have to ship it to me. Too bad that I have my glasses, clothes, and some souvenirs in there.

I expected some hiccups on the flights- after all, we had 8 flights scheduled. But every flight? Absolutely ridiculous. I'm going to pull a Kevin Smith and (after I get a Twitter feed) bitch about it to everyone. GRR. It was almost enough to ruin the trip.

I'm still too angry about the flight situation to reflect on the trip. I'll do it later.

Last day in Rome

We started our day at 9am with another, final pastry and nutella filled breakfast. We then headed on the Appaian Way, which is the road the ancient Romans created to go between Rome and Naples (?). Jason wanted to walk the road a bit then head to "Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis?" where Jesus left his footprints. Of course, I lead everyone in the wrong direction off the bus and we walked about a quarter of a mile extra. Oops.

The church was tiny and nobody but us were in there. Jason said when he saw the church on TV, it was flooded with tourists. My response was that the church was near impossible to find- just like the church I tried to find yesterday. There's very minimal markings and signage, like they wanted to keep the location a secret.

After visiting the church and getting on the right bus, we went to the Vatican for the Vatican Museum tour. This is what I have been waiting for through our whole time in Rome. I wanted to see the Vatican treasurers and view the Sistine Chapel. We waited in line for about 45 minutes (which I was totally fine with), wareded off tour group offers ("You join our tour. 45€. Skip line!") and made it in. The Vatican Museum is huge- it takes up over 4 miles worth of exhibits. We of course didn't get to see them all, and we finally made our way to the chapel. You go down this long, chunked up staircase, crammed into the stairwell for a bunch of flights, then BOOM! You walk into a sea of people craning their necks upwards. It was beautiful. I would love to see it less crowded, but I understand why everyone was there- it was worth the wait. You weren't supposed to take pictures or flim of the ceiling, as some Japanese business owner owns the rights (?!), but people were snapping away anyway. I would have loved to spend more time there, but it was hot and crowded and, by now, we hadn't eaten in about 6 hours.

As we left, we passed (I kid you not) 6 gift shops. I know the Catholic Church is hurting for money, but.... really? And, you have to walk through all of them in order to get out of the museum. Creative, yet a little annoying.

The restaurant across from the Vatican (with the green awning) was the WORST dining experience I've had here. Not only was the food crappy and tasting like canned Italian food, but it was overpriced and, when we were figuring out the bill, the hostess (restaurant owner?) hovered over us like we were going to dine and dash. There was no rush to get us out of the restaurant, there was no line to get in, but we were hurried out. Horrible.

Jason and Pam bought some glass necklaces for friends, then we headed back to the hotel. We all have to pack, clean up, etc. and get ready for our long trip home tomorrow. I'm already packed (I unpack when I get to the hotel then as stuff gets dirty, pack it back up), so I went for a walk around the hotel. For the last few nights, people have been flooding into the gelateria (gelato!!) about 6 blocks down from the Roma Globus. I went in to try it for myself, despite the knowledge that we were having an early dinner. I had a small cone-- and THIS is the perfect gelato. Light, fluffy, and like a chocolate cloud. I now believe in the addeage that a long line means good food.

We had our last dinner in Rome in a seafood restaurant- of course, if we knew Italian, we would have known that walking in. Only Jason ordered seafood- I went with a spicy pasta dish, and Pam and Justin went with Pork and French Fries (note: everywhere in Paris and Rome serve french fries -- with *everyting*! I don't get it- are they trying to kill people with carbs??). We talked about going back to Valentino's for that really good gelato by the Trevini fountain, but it was late and we were leaving early the next morning, so we went to my gelato shop from earlier. Perfect- minus the rain. I'll take it though- rain in Rome is better than not being in Rome at all.

Day 3 in Rome allll to myself

The other 3 took off for Pompeii this morning, leaving me to sleep in and take a "wind down" day. I started out my morning with more pastries for breakfast, then took the Metro to the Termini. At the Termini, I got on a bus crammed with people (I understand the smell in Rome now- its because we are all crammed on public transportation and, with everyone being packed in so tight, it gets hot- FAST.) and headed to the Campo di Fiori, a Roman farmers market. Of course, I got turned around. After asking for directions, I found a leather shop where everything is made there and grabbed something for a friend- if I had an extra €50, I would have gotten this beautiful hand stitched lime green wallet... mmm hmm.

When I finally walked into the Campo area I stopped to take it all in. People had fresh fruits and vegetables everywhere, local olive oils and sauces, dried vegetables, homemade pasta noodles...there were a few touristy booths, but it was still just wonderful. I wandered around the market, picked up a few things, bought some fresh fruit to snack on and just enjoyed being a local.

I had lunch on the Republicca after trying to find a church with a Bernini statute in it (Escatcy of St. Theresa). A tomato basil and mozzarella panini and pastry? 4€. YES. Cheap and absolutely delicious! After a break (since the churches are closed until 3:30), I went back to the church to see the magnificent statute and, of course, see the 10 other tourists who could find the church. It wasn't hidden, but it wasn't marked. Very incognito. However, I have a problem with people taking pictures within a church unless there are signs saying it's ok- people were taking pictures left and right, and the poor people who were there to worship seemed distracted. It seemed rude, yet I partially understand *why* they are taking the pictures. Oh well- my camera stayed in my pocket out of respect.

Another thing I noticed was the Italian men (of course). Most were very well dressed, but a good number dressed like the typical American. Regardless of the dress, they all had the very "manly" attitude- a little cocky, a little loud- but all that were with a woman treated her like gold. It was amazing to watch- holding doors open, holding purses if asked (!!), walking along side them and steering them through traffic... it was refreshing. Why men in the US don't necessarily do that is beyond me. I noticed that in Paris, too. No matter how the man acted towards other people, they were huge softies and romantics with their women. Aww. Though, I could have done without the constant making out. People were sucking face everywhere!

Side note: I passed a priest on a vespa with a pink helmet and a monk (or someone in the long monk-like robe) sporting jeans under the robe and an ipod. Weird.

I then wandered back down to the Colosseum area to stroll and find shotglasses for people. I sat on the lawn outside of the Colosseum and people watched for a good hour before I lost feeling in my feet and came back to the hotel for a good soaking.

For dinner, we decided to stay local. The hotel recommended a restaurant a few blocks down from the hotel. It was gooood, but you would have think that we had learned to NOT order an appetizer, a first course and a second course. No matter how much time you have between courses, you're still stuffed. But it was so, SO good. Plus, we all got champagne when we sat down (as part of our table fee!), and the other three all ordered LITERS of Coke. Not just a standard bottle, but a GLASS LITER EACH. The bottles were as big as their heads! We closed out the restaurant and headed to bed, after deciding to sleep in a bit tomorrow.

When in Rome...

Today was the day of sightseeing. We activated our 3 day Roma Passes, jumped on the Metro and headed to the Colosseum first thing after a pastry filled breakfast (I had Nutella on toast, a chocolate puff pastry, *some* eggs, and some other chocolate pastry. Mmmm hmm). With the Roma Pass, we jumped to the front of the line and walked right into the Colossuem. WOW. It was ginormius! Again, I had my Rick Steves Audio Guide walking me through the Colosseum- I walked by the emperor' box, saw where the vestial virgins sat, and could even look down into the "under" part of the Colosseum, where gladiators and animals would come up from under the floor. After dodging tour group, we left and went to Palentine Hill and the Roman Forum. We walked through fallen homes, huge landscapes, and saw the elliptical shaped forum. It was a gorgeous walk- the sun was out, birds were everywhere, and it wasn't covered with tourists.

For lunch, we stopped at the Rosa Red (isn't that "Red Red?"). It had a cheap "fixed price" menu for the courses but we quickly learned that you get what you pay for. I had pasta, which *really* needed seasoning, and a chicken breast- disappointing, to say the least. To make up for it, I suggested that we get gelato. While this place was good, it wasn't as good as the gelato from last night!

And, what's with everywhere in Rome making you pay for water? I just want a glass of tap water, not mineral water. This is nuts!

After lunch, we made our way to the Hard Rock (Justin and Jason were getting the pins for someone back home) then to a catacomb. I was so creeped out- they had an entire room of hip bones. The catacomb was made up of about 300 monks from about 200 years ago. There was a sign in the last room that read, "What you are, we once were. What we are, you will be." I was really amazed at the art work (if you can call it art...?) but thoroughly creeped out.

We then went to the National Museum, where I looked at a few busts of people and sat down on the steps-- and fell asleep. Obviously, I wasn't too thrilled by the museum.

We came back to the hotel to clean up and ask for a different place to have dinner. It was suggested that we try the Travestere area for some good, inexpensive dinner. We found a little restaurant after a crazy cab ride (Pam doesn't do well on public transportation, as we tried to take the bus, but that idea was vetoed about 4 stops in) that looked empty and smelled good. For €22 I got bread, a liter of water, homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli, and a caprecio pizza. I couldn't finish my pizza, I was so full! And it was GOOD FOOD! Finally! A Roman restaurant comes through! We, of couse, closed the evening with more gelato and headed back to the hotel via another crazy cab driver. What the hell- nobody uses their blinkers, people make their own lanes, and I swear we almost hit a bus last night! There's no way I could ever drive in Rome!

Roman holiday

It's our first day in Rome, and, after a 2 hour flight and having to get up at 4am to catch said flight, we are exhausted. After dropping off our bags at the most Americanized hotel possible (The Best Western Roma Globus- its by the university here), we went to lunch and to St. Peter's Basilica for our 2pm scavi tour.

Lunch was our first pizza in Rome. While mine was good and basic (I had just a Margharita pizza), Justin and Jason ordered pizza with sausage, mozzarella and french fries on it. Yes, french fries. It was wild. We made it to St. Peter's Basilica and while Pam was trying to figure out how we get to bag check before the tour, I just kept looking around. I was in awe- I was standing in the middle of St. Peter's Square. I was staring at the Basilica and couldn't stop gaping at the sheer size of the church. We finally got through security, checked our bags and made it to the tour on time.

The scavi tour was a tour of the Necropolis under the Basilica and to view the bones of St. Peter. It was extremely small and hot on the scavi tour, but completely awe inspiring. As we made our way around the Necropolis, you got to see the different tomb markings, the indications that Peter was buried there, and hear a bit of the story of how the Vatican came to be. Our guide, who is in his last year of seminary (who was from Atlanta GA randomly enough) was phenomenal and engaging. We finally saw the famous "Graffiti Wall" and saw where the 14 bones of St. Peter lie. After a moment of silence, we went back up through the Basilica and took it in. Again, the tour groups were getting overwhelming and tried to ruin the experience for me. Didn't happen. I even went up and "kissed" St. Peter's toe for a blessing(I kissed my fingers then touched the fingers to the toe). We decided to come back to the Vatican on Friday to check out St. Peter's again, do the dome climb, and to do the Vatican Museum (and Sistine Chapel), as it was getting ready to close.

We headed back to the hotel to settle in and nap a bit- this hotel isn't Roman AT ALL but that's fine with me! 2 full size beds in each room, air conditioning, cable with an English speaking channel, a huge bathtub- its great. We have a bidet in the bathroom too, which sparked some laughter (especialy since the hotel provides you with lube for it as well).

After the unpacking period, we went to find a place for dinner by the Trevini Fountain. We, of course, got turned around and ended up at the Spanish Steps first (amazing). After playing on the steps for a bit, we walked over to the fountain, following some French tourists that were lost too. We made it to the fountain around sunset- the fountain was crowded but lit up and just beautiful. We all threw in our two coins (right hand over left shoulder) to ensure our return to Rome and for luck in love. We then went to a little cafe for dinner and sat outside-- in an alley. Dinner wasn't what we expected. It was kind of plain tasting. We left a little disappointed, then found a gelato shop which was the best gelato on the planet. I swear, it was amazing. By far the best I've ever had. And to be eating it as we walked by the Trevini fountain at night? I was in Rome. I finally believed it.

Since we couldn't find a Metro station (we were lost again!) we cabbed it back to the hotel. It was extremely cheap- like 3€ a person kind of cheap. We went to bed around midnight and decided to sleep in until 9 the next morning before hitting some of Rome's larger sites.

Last day in Paris. C'est la vie.

And now, the grand Parisian finale. We hit all of the big sites, enjoy some crack laced hot chocolate, and even get a mugging!

Our morning started with a walk to the Paris Visitor's center on Rue de Clair while eating our morning pan du chocolate (and coke light for the other 3). Since I washed Pam's pass the evening before and it was still *kind* of readable, we thought we'd see if we could trade it out for a new pass. We get to the shop and I got distraced by Pashmina scarves. While I browsed, the other 3 headed to another visitor's center for help. I finally met up with the 3 about 5 blocks down where I am informed that, not only did the pass *not* get replaced, but Jason had his Coke Light stolen. I wasn't there, so please bear with my story telling. Apparently some large man came up to Jason and kept pointing at his Coke Light saying "check me? You have Coke Light?" The other 2 kept walking, but Jason was confused and *couldn't* move foward. Jason held his pop out and said, "Yes, Coke Light"- and the guy grabbed it and sauntered off. Granted Jason had already drank out of it... weird.

We went to the Arc de Triumph early this morning in hopes to beat the line. Paris Museum Pass- we love you. We got to jump to the front of the line with the pass and climb the steps to the top (Pam stayed at the bottom with our bags- she's not a stairs person). We got to the top, and what a gorgeous view! Its neat how there are "spokes" (roads) that come out of the Arc area and stretch across the city.

Justin, Jason and I made our way down and the four of us headed to our date with the Eiffel Tower. On the way, Pam stopped to use one of the public toilets by the tower- it's one stall, and it cleans itself after every use. Pam was in line while a guy was in the bathroom. There was a woman off to the side, looking at souvineirs. When he got out, the woman tried to cut Pam off and get in the bathroom. Pam was yelling in English, the woman in French, and the guy kept saying "she is with me! she was in line!"-- which she wasn't. The lady then went in before Pam, and we continued to wait- and learn "bad words" in French in case something like this happened again. We finally left and went to the Tower It was almost too crowded to enjoy, but we made the best of it. We started on the 2nd floor and grabbed tickets for the top floor- the sign on the ground level said that the top was closed, but that was apparently false. We got into a 2nd elevator and made it to the top- WOW. What a view! It was cold and windy (good thing I stopped for those scarves earlier!), but the view was amazing. About an hour later, we finally made it down from the tower and were bombarded by people trying to sell us Eiffel Tower keychains. Funny note- Maureen gave me one of those keychains a few years ago and I have it on my flash drive. I thought I was special, but those things were 10 for 1€! It's the thought that counts- plus she got me a shot glass and a pashmina scarf, but I digress...

The 4 of u went to lunch where I had my first Monsieur Croquet- its a ham and cheese sandwich, grilled with cheese on the top AND with a fried egg. I will be having one of these sandwiches daily now! After stuffing ourselves, we hit the Louvre. Holy. Overwheming. Again, I'm not much of an art person, but I did enjoy it, thanks to the Rick Steves tour. I saw all of the highlights- the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, etc- and really enjoyed it. I only made it through 1 wing(there are 3), so it looks like I will have to come back and see the other 2 soon.

After the Louvre, I stopped for a hot chocolate at Angelina's per Maureen's request. It was like the melted heaven and poured it in a cup. It was a splurge (4€ for a small cup), but it was worth it. The boys didn't care for it, and Pam thought it tasted like a melted Hershey's Dark bar, but I loved it.

By this point, we were all ready for a nap and dinner. We went to a local restaurant where I learned that "chicken" and "scallops", while completely different foods, looks alarmingly similar on a french menu. They weren't half bad- it was the first time I had scallops. As we were finishing up our meal, the bartender came up to check on us and saw Pam quietly trying to stab Justin with a fork under the table. He told her "No stabbing friends with forks!" then came back to the table with a knife for Justin. As we were leaving, he asked what time it was. I told him 10pm. He said "It's shooter time!" and invited the 4 of us to have a shot (on the house) with him. It was a great way to end the evening.

While Pam went to bed, the boys and I jumped on the Metro and quickly saw the Moulin Rouge and the Pompideau Museum (it i contructed from the inside out- the piping is on the outside). We stopped for crepes from a street vendor and - oops - I ordered a Grand Mariner (I of course pronounced it as mar-i-ner, not the correct way), so I had a crepe with sugar and alcohol. At least it knocked me out when I got back to the hotel!

Some final observations of Paris: Everyone still smokes, which baffles me (like London). Not as many people drink wine as I would have expected. And EVEERYONE carries around baguettes and pastries, just like the movies. It's now onto Rome...!

Un pan du chocolate? €1.10

I swear, I'm going to miss having one of these pastries every morning. Today, we ALL got a pastry from the pasteria by the hotel before heading out to Versailles for the morning. We also got to large baguettes- we decided to find a fromagerie (cheese shop) and a market and picnic after visiting the palace.

The palace was huge- I kept saying that Louis must have had a LOT of money because it seemed that every room was decorated in gold. It was overwhelming. I would have liked to go into the gardens, but it was extra € and we were tired- walking that palace is a big job!

Side note- I've become quickly disenchanted with tour groups. I'm all about organizaton, but there is NO WAY POSSIBLE that you can take 30 people through a small room, among *other* tourists and expect them to be orderly. The worst? Asian tour groups. I know that sounds horrible, but honestly- they take pictures everywhere (even when the sign says in 10 languages not to), bump people around everywhere, and stand in ALL of my pictures. I don't get it- maybe it's a culture thing? Either way, tour groups have now become the bane of my existence.

Our picnic lunch was great- I may have liked it more than the others though. We got cheese from the local fromagerie- Pam successfully ordered a "recommended" cheese from the shop owner and it was AWESOME. I'm never eating Kraft Singles again. We then got turkey, ham, chips, and pasteries (from the pasteria across the street from the market, of course) to top off our lunch. Nothing beats the fresh bread and cheese. Nothing.

After Versailles, we went back towards Paris and tourned the Panthenon. It wasn't as great as I had expected. We then went to the Orsay Museum. Thank goodness Rick Steves had a guide of the museum, or I would have been stuck in there, far away from the pieces I wanted to see. There were a LOT of sculputres in the Orsay, which isn't really my "artistic" cup of tea. After battling the crowds for a bit, we headed back to the hotel for "le nap" before dinner.

Another side note- what people say about smelly people in Paris isn't false. At all. Honestly, take a shower. Use some deoderant. The Metro is already small and crowded, but when you have to lift your arm up towards the bar and your pit is in my face... you hygene becomes my problem. Ugh. And, people here are kind of pushy. Not in a "I'm in a hurry" kind of way, but when it comes to the Metro, they will shove you onto the 3rd rail so they can get onto the train in time. I will be learning to shove back :)

While the other 3 relaxed, I went to the laundromat to wash my filthy pairs of jeans and a hoodie. This was the most "townie" experience I've had in Paris thus far. I sat in the laundromat, pitifully reading the French (and later realizing that the directions were in English RIGHT underneath the machines), dong a puzzle and eating a half of baguette. It was calming- though I was underdressed. Since I was washing my jeans, I had to wear sweatpants to the laundromat (I know, Maureen, I know!). People were coming in there with their clothes already wet (??) just to dry clothes, and were wearing dress pants, heels, etc. What the heck!? I just avoided eye contact and stared at my puzzle... since I was washing some of my stuff, I offered to thow in some of Pam's jeans. She forgot to clean out the pockets and realized, after I returned, that I had washed her 3 day Metro pass and her Paris Museum Pass (our pre-paid pass to get into our Paris sites). I felt really bad- I always check my pockets, but didn't even think to check hers. Oops.

Dinner was nice- we stayed local, since we were all still a little whooped from the day prior. We found a little restaurant where the staff barely spoke English and where there was a singer performing. I felt like I was in a movie-- until the cook came out and told Pam she couldn't have dessert because she didn't finish her dinner. They all got sweets (the chef relented and let Pam order her chocolate lava cake) and I got the cheese plate. There should have been a warning that the cheese plate was for multiple people- awesome cheese, fresh bread, but holy hell, too much cheese! That's a phrase I never thought I would say...!

Day 3 is the big Paris day- the Arc de Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre. Wish me luck!

Paris- Day 1

We finally made it to Paris! The ride in from the airport was a little anticlimatic, as I expected to see the Eiffel Tower or *something* Parisian while driving in. Instead, we saw crazy drivers and closed our eyes, as our cab driver was nearly hitting people, cars, and other inanimated objects.

The hotel is gorgeous- then again, anything is better than the Nayland in London! The room was a decent size and we are close to a Metro stop- big plus, seeing that we're a little outside of the city. And I am really liking having a pasteria on every corner...

We ventured to the Eiffel Tower after dropping our bags off, to see what the ticket situation was. Holy tourist hell- people were everywhere! Apparently it was a holiday in Paris and most places were closed- except for the tower, which was open. Maureen was right about the people trying to sell you stuff everywhere- we kept saying no, and they kept coming back. And back again. And again. The line was ridiculously long, so we decided to just order tickets online through the hotel and have lunch.

We ate near the Tower, which wasn't bad, but probably a little pricier than it should have been. I ordered what I *thought* was a grilled cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato. Uh, no. It was shredded cheese in a baguette with lettuce and tomato. While I mocked it, I bit into it- and it was amazing. I am surprised how having fresh bread and cheese on a sandwich can transform even the simplest of things into a delight for the tongue.

After lunch, we took the boat tour that Maureen recommended. We probably should have done that after taking a nap- 3 out of 4 of us slept through most of it. Oops. We then went to the hotel, checked in, and took a 2 hour nap. I'm not really a napper, or at least I wasn't until this trip. But everything seems to slow down or shut down for a chunk of time, so why not nap a little?

After our nap, we went to Socer Coeur and Montmarte. What an amazing view! I was a little surprised about how there seemed to be litter everywhere (Maureen later explained that it was because it was a holiday- normally there would be people continuously cleaning up). There, in Montmarte, we found the greatest little restaurant EVER and ate like kings and queens for a meal. We shared a bottle of wine (that I picked out), I had a goat cheese tartar, followed by Indian chicken, with Creme Brulee to finish it off. The food was the best on the trip so far- and the servers were great. Tip is included in the prices for this place, but we tipped extra- the experience was *that* good.

I found a pasteria right by our hotel and stopped in- and that became my downfall. I bought 2 pan du chocolat (a croissant with chocolate in the middle) and ate both before going to bed for the night. I wanted to go back for more, but was reminded that I could have them for breakfast- freshly made- if I was patient and waited a few hours. I swear, they must think that all I do is eat...

Versailles is tomorrow- its a little outside of Paris, but it will be a great half-day trip!

Kensington on crack and other London nonsense

It's election day in London- I'm such a geek. I LOVE being in London for the elections- and I love being able to read about it and understand it!

Apparently I/we am directionally challenged, as we turned out of the Underground station the wrong way EVERY time on our last day out in London. The people here are great- I really like London. Though, I think someone should tell them that smoking is bad for them. EVERYONE smokes in London. Weird.

What. The. Hell. Kensington Palace was turned into some wonderland kid's nightmare kind of thing. We walked in there, expecting beautiful rooms and gowns, a little bit of history on the princesses who lived there.. but NO. They are undertaking some huge renovation and have decided in the interim to let some artisian group wreck the palace. It was a good thing it was free with our London pass, because it was NOT worth the 13 euro.

We did, however, have a few good things going for us in London. We went to the top of the Wellington Arch, overlooking what used to be the city center. It was pretty amazing up there. We visited the Globe reconstruction and, while a little disappointing (and our tour guide couldn't quit spitting on us!), it was worth the stop. We also visited St. Paul's Cathedral- of course, we go there so early, we didn't get to go to the top of the dome. But that's ok with us-- we climbed every other staircase in London! We had dinner at a recommended restaurant called the Punch Taver (or as we called it, the Punch-you-in-the-face Tavern)- decent food, relaxing- it was a good way to end our time in London.

I need to vent about our hotel. The Nayland looked great on the website. Even looked great when we walked up to it. But the rooms... I knew that they would be small, but it fit 2 twin beds and that was IT. Pam and I were smooshed together, and I continuously whacked my leg against the radiator while trying to open the window that was broken. We had screwy hot water, the staff was alright- but the manager was a bit of a jerk. I would find somewhere else to stay next time I go to London.

Random side note: I discovered a show on tv called "Heads or Tails"- the ENTIRE show was based on the host flipping a coin and someone calling heads or tails (clever show name) and winning or losing money. Seriously?

The British have feet of STEEL

... at least, that's all I can come up with. Between walking everywhere, up and stown steps at the Underground, and their hot-ass shoes, how can they still be standing?! My feet hurt and I was wearing good tennis shoes all day!

I had a HUGE tourist day today. We started with the London Eye, where I nearly had a panic attack. Small pods + WAY up high + no airflow = me sitting down on the bench, trying to breathe. Awesome-- at least I got some good pictures :)

We then took the City Boat Tour (free with our London pass) to the Tower of London, crossed under the London Bridge, saw the Tower Bridge (which everyone *thinks* is the London Bridge), and toured around the Tower itself. In the tower, I got to see the Crown Jewels-- I'm not a jewerly person by any means, but HOLY CRAP those things were gorgeous! Though, the "Royal Spoon" or whatever it is called for anointing the new Queen/King was a little ridiculous.

After the Tower, we had fish n' chips from a local walk-up stand. mmm hmm. It's hard to believe that Londoners stay so thin with all of that deep fried goodness-- but then you see how much they walk, and it makes sense. You burn off that haddock *quick.* We then headed to King's Cross station, on the way to Harrods. Yes, we weaved in and out of lines *during rush hour* to get our pictures taken at Platform 9 3/4 a'la Harry Potter. Good thing they set that "platform" off to the side, because the tourists- and myself - looked crazy!

Harrods-- I don't think I'll ever have enough money for that place. Holy ridiculous-- they have an entire section dedicated to pets! Not just to *buy* pets (which you can), but clothes, food, treats, toys-- it was a coture PetSmart in there. After lauging about the "Juicy" jogging suits for dogs, we left.

We had dinner with a friend of Justin's, Tonny, who moved here from the US a few years ago. AWESOME guy. He answered a lot of our silly tourist questions, showed us to a good restaurant, and took us to a great cupcake place-- INSIDE of a department store. Wild.

We then found a suitcase shop-- Pam's suitcase broke on DAY ONE of the trip. We got her a bag at "Glamour Luggage"-- at a discount, of course, and she can now wheel along with the rest of us.

Tomorrow we have WAY too much to do- we're starting at 8am at St. Paul's Cathedral. I *really* wish some of these tourist sites stayed open past 6pm...

All You Need is Love

... Sorry about the 3 posts in a row. I'm keeping my posts/ thoughts separate. More for me, less for you!

I had my day alone in London today. I am having a BLAST with Pam, Jason and Justin, but it was kind of nice to go and do things at my own speed-- which started with me sleeping in until 8am. Woke up, rolled out of bed, dragged a comb across my head...

I LOVE the Undeground. It made my day SO much easier! I hopped on and went to Westminster area to walk around-- I didn't want to *do* much, because we're hitting everything tomorrow and Thursday as a group. I walked to the London Eye, to Big Ben (heard it ring a few times, too!), around Westminster Abbey, down to #10 Downing street (which was, of course, blocked off-- and had extra security since British elections are this week) and just wandered! I LOVE IT.

I visited the *free* National Portrait Museum and National Art Gallery-- thanks to Rick Steves, I got a good taste of some British art and history. I then had my *townie* moment. Maureen suggested that I buy food for lunch from the grocery store (if I can find one) and make myself a lunch- most sell fresh bread, sandwiches, salad, etc. MUCH cheaper than a regular restaurant. So I did. I took my £3 lunch (drink, sandwich, "digestives" and apple) to Trafalgar Square in front of the museums and had lunch there. No ipod, no book, just me and my food. I watched everyone walk arond-- LOTS of French tourists, lots of Londonites-- and just enjoyed my lunch in peace.

I then side tripped to Buckingham Palace (though we'll probably be seeing this tomorrow too) and picked out my sitting room-- since I'll be sharing a bedroom with Prince William soon :)

I was then adventurous and took the Underground to St. John's Wood-- where Abbey Road was!! Again, probably doing this tomorrow too, but I know that I would have been crushed if we would have had to cut this stop out of our tour. It was SO cool-- a shame that the gate in front of Abbey Road Studios is covered in grafitti, but it was cool to walk on the crosswalk and imagine the Abbey Road cover. It was also pretty funny to watch the Asian tourists try and take the Beatles' picture- one tried to stop traffic (HA!), one had a tripod set up, and the 3rd attempted to cross without getting ran over. Then they rotated. Awesome.

TSA Rant

Side rant about TSA and how they have it out for me-- When I get to DTW, I had a problem getting my ticket. OK, that was Delta/AirFrance's fault, but go with me here. When we got on our connecting flight from Atlanta, I got pulled aside before boarding and "randomly swabbed"- they ran a piece of gauze across my fingers and analyzed it. When we *arrived* to ATL, I found that TSA in Detroit IGNORED my TSA approved luggage locked, broke into the luggage, and had a look around-- they left me a little note. How nice!

When I was leaving Dublin, I forgot to put my jar of peanut butter in my big suitcase and left it in my carryon. I got pulled aside, NOT for my CPAP machine, but for the peanut butter. Although it doesn't classify as a liquid or a gel, I still couldn't bring it in.

If Heathrow tries to take anything from me later this week, I... wel.. I guess I've got to just shut up and take it!

Hating on planes-- or rather, volcaons

So here's the rundown of what happened with the Dublin to London mess. We were originally supposed to leave Tuesday morning for London at 9am. Our flight was to leave Dublin, fly *through* Paris, have an hour layover, then fly us to Heathrow (thanks, AirFrance). Then, that stupid unpronouncable volcano started spewing ash every where and Ireland's airspace was shut down. Our flight was cancelled. After some panicked calls and emails to Maureen's mom (and Maureen-- and MY mom), we as a group decided to go to the airport right away (10pm) to see what was going on. As Maureen's mom predicted, nobody from AirFrance was there.

We came back the next morning at 9am. We left our luggage at the hotel, knowing we weren't leaving Dublin yet. AirFrance put the 4 of us on the 5:20pm flight out of Dublin, straight to London City Airport (not Heathrow, and no layover)- said we were all set. Great! We went back to Dublin proper and saw Killeman Gail, St. Patrick's, Temple Bar area, and walked a LOT around downtown. We went back to the airport *really* pressed for time, due to slow busses, and when we checked in, the original AirFrance lady didn't fully transfer us over somehow- my 9am flight was still showing up. Awesome. So the NEW AirFrance lady put the 4 of us on the 7pm flight to London City Airport. We killed 15 minutes waiting for the ticketing to happen, then got checked in and all set.

We then are told to board the plane. We had to WALK ON THE TARMAC, which I have never done. I had to take stairs RIGHT into the plane. Holy freaked out! I somehow lucked out though and got "first class" on the little flight, which meant I got to stretch my legs out.

We then arrived at the Nayland Hotel in London that night :) Holy hell, people weren't kidding about the tiny rooms in Europe-- our room with 2 beds is really 2 twin beds pushed together, NO room for luggage, barely room to shower.. it should be a fun 3 days. But since we're not going to be in the room much, I'm ok with that!

Dublin, Part 2-- maybe Day 2?

That fking volcano is *still* spewing ash, and now it's blowing over Irish/Scottish airspace. Our flight from Dublin to London has been cancelled, and of course, nobody is answering at Air France, nobody is at the airport for Air France... if you know me at all, you know I'm an anxiety ridden mess. I was prepared for pretty much anything, but didn't see this one (really) coming.

After reading my traveler's insurance, though, it looks like I'm covered for any expenses incurred due to my cancellation for more than 5 hours. Flight was cancelled an hour ago, set to take off at 9am. They are not opening Irish airspace until at LEAST 1pm. Win...?

It's almost midnight here- we're all exhausted, and I'm the only one still up-- for now. I'll hopefully fall asleep for a few minutes; they're releasing an "air quality" update at 1am.

At least the day in Dublin was fun... I'm a certified Guinness Beer Puller :) More on that after the flight "crisis"!

Dublin- part 1

We made it! It's COLD in Dublin- a little bit of sun, not much wind, but just enough to keep us chilled. We haven't had time to do a lot here, and most things close today at 5 (it's a bank holiday), so this is just a quick "I made it!" post.

I have yet to see a leprechaun, but I plan on continuing the search! I did find someone who sounds like my Papa-- ok, I found a LOT of people here who sound like him, but MAN, when he said something about chasing the rainbow, I nearly choked on my (HOLY STRONG!) coffee.

I'll try to post after the Guinness Storehouse-- !!

Hotlanta!

They're not kidding with that nickname. Betweek the 83 degree weather outside and the *cute* Army boys in fatigues everywhere, its HOT here. The airport itself is a little disappointing, despite there being a Qdoba in the food court :) To get to the *only* pharmacy in the airport, we would have to go through security again. And, our excursion to get a Nestle cookie was disappointing.

Our flight is *finally* showing up on the Arrivals board- 2 hours until takeoff. Time to get in my sweatpantsn take out the contacts, and flip off the crackberry. I'll post again sometime when I get there!!

DTW- Hiccup #1

So, Delta- our Air France connecting flight- couldn't find my seat for the first flight. I was *in* the system, but not *in* the system. Right. Either way, I finally got a boarding pass, and my traveling companions (LOVE them!) Flipped around a seat or two so I didn't have to sit alone. As of now, I'm sitting about 15 rows from the other 3 on our overnight flight. Since I plan on being passed out, its ok- but I'd like to be sitting a little closer. We'll see... See you in HotLanta!

Metro lines -- 19 hours to go...!

As of now, my flight to ATL is on time. So is the flight to Dublin. Of course, there is a lot that can go wrong in the next 19 hours. Really though, if the first flight is late-- who cares? We're in ATL for 6 HOURS. I am ok with a delay. Now, a delay to Dublin? That would blow.

We started talking today about modes of transportation to/from our various airports. Since some of our flights are *so* flipping early in the morning, the metro/bus lines won't be running. My line of thinking is that, we should take the metro when we can (usually to the hotel), and spring for a taxi when the metro isn't running (on the way back to the airport). It's starting to add up..!

My biggest worry? Getting lost in Rome. We can take the Leonardo da Vinci metro (high speed) to the main Tremini station, where we can then take a taxi to our hotel or walk the 1.5 km. 1.5 km is a piece of cake- it's like a mile. Problem is, our arrival in Rome marks our last stop on this trip, and we will all be tired and lugging around bags half of our body weight. I'm all for taking the metro + taxi in this situation.

I'm wiped out. I couldn't sleep last night due to my building excitement. Tonight isn't going to be much better, unless I can get my hands on some Tylenol PM..!

Side note: after a great lunch with Dave, I got to my sister's house to see Daisy and Griffin (sister's dog). Used my key, entered the house... BAM! Alarm starts going off. Apparently my brother in law set the alarm and forgot I was coming over-- and then didn't realize I didn't know the code. After a panicked call to my sister (who didn't answer), to my mom (who didn't answer and was *with* my sister), I tried Adam. He answered but I couldn't hear him at all. Finally, about 2-3 minutes later, I got the code from Adam and shut the alarm off. At that EXACT moment, the alarm company reached my sister and advised her that the police were on their way-- no, wait, the alarm was shut off, we'll cancel the dispatch. UGH. NOT the relaxing start to the vacation that I was hoping for..!

Little bit of panic, little bit of tears

I had my first "tear up" after saying goodbye to a friend tonight. Dammit, I'm not *moving* overseas-- I'll be back in 2 weeks! I've been saying goodbye to people all day and haven't gotten teary eyed- until about 30 minutes ago. I think it's just finally starting to hit- I leave in 36ish hours. I've gotten hugs all day from people telling me to "Be safe" and "have fun" and, my favorite, "Don't forget my Pope on a Rope!"

I had a little moment of panic today, too. This travel purse I'm borrowing from Andrea is 2 sided. I was looking for my passport and didn't realize it HAD another side- and that I had hidden my passport there. Awesome. That, and I realized I didn't have enough pairs of socks nor did I have any bubble wrap to bring home fragile items in. That involved a quick Target run before this evening's festivities.

I'm packed, I'm double checked-- and now I'm a little sad and scared. I need to knock myself out and get some sleep!

Out of Office Reply

The desk is pretty much cleared off- all of my projects are either in a holding pattern or won't be started until I return. Work voicemail greeting has been set to tell people to call someone else. Email auto-response is on, telling people to, again, contact someone else (or wait for me to get back). Amy and Dana are taking care of my plant so it's not dead when I return. Desk is wiped down, coffee mugs are cleaned out, calendars have been flipped, hugs have been given -- I'm DONE WITH WORK for 2 weeks!

Problem Loading Page

The trip is coming up FAST... and I'm learning about all of these incidental expenses. Like, how if you take the Heathrow (Hogwarts) Express in London from the airport to Paddington (which is right outside of our hotel), its £18 one way. If you order it online, it's £16.5 one way. £1.5 doesn't sound like a huge savings, but with the conversion rate, it's like a $4 difference. If we take the Heathrow Connect, it's only £7 one way, but it only runs every 30 minutes and doesn't move at 100km. I like the cheaper version, but we'll see what the group goes with. I say we take the slower, cheaper one, enjoy the sites (if there *are* any- not sure if it's underground or not), and get there with a few extra bucks in my pocket.

Of course, you can't get to Heathrow Express' website, as it's down. AWESOME.

And, Air France's online reservation system is down- I received an email saying I needed to log in and enter my passport information, etc. I go to do it, and BAM! Service is down, please check back later.

Nice part is that the Paddington Station is one of the main Underground hubs. Sweet!

T- 4 days, 18 hours, 27 minutes...

I never realized how many different types of planes there are until I saw the flight itinerary for this trip. I knew there were a few, but they all looked the same- an aisle down the middle, 3 seats on each side of the plane. If you're lucky, you get extra leg room in the seats by the wing. If you're REALLY lucky, you get bumped up to first class (I wish!!).

I will be on 8 different planes over this 13 day trip. 8!! I'm going to HATE planes by the end of this trip. I was reading Lifehacker and it recommended that I check out Seat Guru. At this website, I can put in my carrier, my plane type, and scope out the best- and worst- seats on the plane. Now, if I can just beat *everyone* to the airport (or online) and book the best seats. Of course, there are 4 of us going on the trip, so someone (read: probably me!) will have to sit across the aisle. It's ok. I'm sure we'll have enough together time on land...

The first flight (Detroit to Atlanta) is a standard M88 (didn't know that *was* standard)- aisle down the middle, 3 seats on one side, 2 on the other.

The second flight (Atlanta to Dublin) is a Boeing 767. Holy huge plane. 2 aisles, 2 seats along each edge of the plane, and a row with 3 seats in the middle. (7 seats across plane). There are LCD screens that flip down over the cabin to watch movies, but no personal screens. That's fine, as I plan on sleeping for that entire flight.

Third flight (Dublin to Paris) is a little larger than the first plane- 3 seats on each edge of the plane, one aisle down the middle.

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth flights (Paris to London, London to Paris, Paris to Rome) seems to be similar to the Dublin/Paris flight, but the middle seat in each row flip down to a table. Win-- if there's nobody sitting by me :)

Seventh flight (Rome to Paris) and Eighth flight (Paris to Detroit): I don't know because it's not up on Air France's website. I just called and had a heart attack- according to their website, I wasn't coming home!! Air France has my reservation, but it's just not showing up online. As long as I have my confirmation, I guess...

Vatican's Scavi Tour

Yes, yes, I know I already posted today, but I just found something. Earlier last week, Pam messaged me that the nuns approved us, and we're now taking the St. Peter's Scavi Tour. I was all excited, yet didn't really know what it was.

We're apparently going *under* St. Peter's Basilica to view the real tomb of St. Peter, which is in a necropolis (city of the dead). I'm a little freaked out- there is a LOT of death and crypts and churches on this trip...!

I found on "Slow Travel Italy" a description of the tour. Favorite part? "The Ufficio Scavi (Excavations Office) people scared me. After all, I went to Catholic grammar school. I learned that you can't mess around with God and the people in the Vatican were certainly capable of telling God that I hadn't followed their instructions."

Anyway, it sounds exciting, a little scary, and not something that the average Vatican visitor gets to do. This almost makes up for the whole Pope-ditching-me thing. Almost.

T- 5 days, 22 hours, 21 minutes

Holy crap, a week from now, I will be in Dublin, starting the vacation of a lifetime! I did laundry last night, packed (I'm DONE except for the last minute stuff!), made sure my ipod was all loaded up and ready, grabbed a few more magazines for the trip , called all insurance/credit card companies to let them know about the trip, charged the camera battery, packed Leonard the Gnome, made sure the DVR was set to record my shows...

I'm ready.

I joked last night that I would have to have plans for the next 6 nights, because if I was left at home, I would be packing and unpacking and *re* packing. Plus, I would get stir-crazy. Thankfully my friends have stepped in and will be keeping me sufficiently entertained for the next few evenings. And, I made sure my stock of Tylenol PM was full- sleep is going to be rough the next few nights.

I feel like I am missing something. Is there anything random that I should be doing/packing before I get in the big ol' plane??

T- 5 days, 22 hours, 15 minutes...

Ring ring ring ring... Banana phone!

Today was "phone day" for me while preparing for my travels. I know you're thinking, "She's nuts. Just turn the damn crackberry off and forget about it." Doesn't work that way, mi compadre. I had to figure out how to turn off all of my email notifications while I'm overseas, so I don't receive 100,000 emails upon flipping the phone back on the evening May 15th. I also wanted to make sure I remembered how to change my voicemail message through Verizon (I turned off YouMail- sorry guys!).

I considered -briefly- taking my Blackberry with me. However, since I have the Curve and not the fancy schmancy "Blackberry World Edition," my phone wouldn't work overseas. In the alternative, Verizon would rent me a craptastic phone for $30 then charge me over $100 to use it overseas for two weeks. Forget it. All of our hotels have email access if I feel compelled to check my email/blog about my day (which I hope to do at the minimum- I need to keep tabs on what I'm doing for *me.* You reading about it is just a bonus). I don't think any of my "phone friends" will mind 2 weeks of phone silence-- besides, if they need me, they can call the hotel or go online ;-)

I did, however, set up a Skype account so I can try to talk to people while overseas. We'll see how *that* works -- all depends on the hotel computers and, you know, having friends to *talk* to on Skype.

And, I also got an international calling card through "Enjoy Prepaid." The Emerald Plan lets me have $20 on a pre-paid card, and will only charge me (at most) 2¢ a minute. This will let me call the parents, call "special" people back in the US, and even check on my hotel reservations. Of course Maureen was the one who recommended this phone card- she mentioned that she *still* has money left on her last card that she used while in Europe for 6 weeks. Win!

It's going to be hard to part with the Crackberry for 2 whole weeks...

Travellers Insurance

After talking to Maureen last night, I decided I should buy trip insurance (if you read my FB, you should know how accident prone I've been lately). Maureen put me in touch with her mom, who is absolutely WONDERFUL, and a kick-ass travel agent. Nancy set me up on a plan that will cover just about every situation possible- lost luggage (over 12 hours), bumped flights, cancellations at hotels... I'll take the peace of mind, no problem.

Jason emailed us all last night with a travel update from our "London Concierge" and I nearly had a heart attack. All I could think of was, "We're being booted!" I need that to NOT happen every time I get an email.

*Stomps foot*

I want to go NOW. No more waiting. No more being concerned about a volcano or a subsequent volcano that may or may not erupt in the next 2 weeks. No more focusing on packing for the trip or packing for moving. No more preemptively doing work before I leave. No more people starting crap right before I leave. Reading about Rome today just isn't cutting it. JUST LET ME GO, DAMMIT!

Volcano Girl

I've gotten 3 questions this morning (it's only 9:30 am, people!) about the volcanic ash situation in Europe and if this will affect my trip in 2 weeks. I sure as hell hope it won't affect my trip, but who knows. My flight is still scheduled, I'm hoping that the air quality will be alright 3 weeks after the event, and I'm monitoring the news to see what the airports are saying.

MSNBC has posted an article summarizing the countries affected by the volcanic ash and their airport's strategies. Looks like most countries are going to be re-evaluating opening air space as of later today, except Italy which is checking it Tuesday at 2am. So, looks like I'll be monitoring and worrying for at least one more day...

All about the Benjamins-- or whomever

I spent about an hour today trying to get my hands on some euros and some pounds for the trip. What a FUN time that was.

I have been putting trip money into a savings account at a local credit union. To prevent me from "cheating" and using that money in advance, I did not get a checking account/debit card hooked to the account. The credit union told me, "SURE! You can order foreign currency online!" I get to the site, and you need a checking account. AWESOME. So I now have to wait 7-10 days to get my Visa check card from the credit union, order the euros/pounds, then wait 2-3 days for them to ship to me. Again, AWESOME. That leaves me a 3 day "cushion" (in case something goes wrong) before I leave.

I decided to check my other credit union and see what it would take to get foreign currency from them. HOLY FEES, BATMAN! It was beyond ridiculous-- $20 just to ship the notes to me?!

Then, I find out that it's going to be a 3% per transaction fee on anything I put on my credit card. WHAT?! My bank is going to profit from me traveling? How does that seem fair?!

I just want to walk into a bank, change out some USD for some Euros/Pounds-- is it really that difficult?!

I'm getting antsy- and now getting a little frustrated. 16 days...16 days...

♫ Rome, if you want to ♫

Since we just ordered the Roma Pass, thought I should run down the sites that we plan on visiting and solicit ideas/ itineraries for the 4 days we're there. On one of those days, Justin, Jason and Pam are going to Pompeii- I will be in the city, wandering on my own. There's a lot that the 4 of us want to do together, so I get to do the smaller stuff on my "day away."

The Roma Pass covers the metro/buses for 3 days, free entry into 2 sites, and discounted entries into other sites. I will be using this pass for the 3 days where the 4 of us are together; on the 4th day, I will buy metro/bus passes as needed, and either hit free/cheap sites or pay the full admission price. *Really* wish they had a 4 day option...!

The list of the participating sites with the Roma Pass (while the sites are in Italian...!)is pretty lengthy. But, most are museums. Not going to lie, but I'm not a HUGE museum person. I want to see the highlights and get out. I'm more of a "hands-on" kind of girl, if you know what I mean. I feel bad- I went through the Roma list and made notes on each of the sites the pass covers. While it will cover our entrance to the Colosseum and Roman Forum, plus travel for 3 days (and the pass pays for itself right there), I'm not sure how wild I am about some of these sites. Maybe I really *am* that uncultured.

Pantheon: The "Temple of the Gods" - it's now a Catholic church (go figure) and still has services on holy days and does weddings. But it's *gorgeous*-- at least, it looks that way...!

Colosseum: "Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. As well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era." Damn. Was hoping for a "mock sea battle" to be re-enacted while I was there. I've been warned that there are people dressed as gladiators walking around there who will take a picture with you-- for a fee.

Roman Forum/ Palatine Hill: The original center of the city. This is where Rome started, and branched out from. Palatine Hill is the center hill (of 7), right in the middle of the city. It looks down onto the Forum. Oooh.

Spanish Steps: "On June 13, 2007, a 24-year-old Colombian man attempted to drive a Toyota Celica down the Spanish Steps. No one was hurt, but several of the 200-year-old steps were chipped and scuffed. The driver was arrested and a breath test showed his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit for driving" hehe. No wonder they've been redone numerous times (last time was 1995). Rome has banned "eating lunch" on the steps. Weird... but ok...

Trevi Fountain: "A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different individuals, a reported current interpretation is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain. An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy." Yup, I'm throwing in 2 coins. I wonder if I throw 2 coins in on each day of the trip, if that's 4x as lucky??

Of course, we're devoting about an entire day to the Vatican and it's sites- they have even started doing night showings, from 7-11 pm (of course, you sign up in advance for it). I'm looking forward to this part of the Rome portion of the trip the most. The Vatican houses a whole host of treasures, plus the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel?! YES please!

I'm looking for suggestions for things to do/see on my day off.. ideas?

venti giorni per andare!

Yeah, I started packing today. I bought a few articles of clothing, and wanted to pack them so I don't wear them before the trip (and ruin them), so I busted out the big suitcase and started packing. I still have a LOT to throw in the bag- all of the last minute stuff, etc. - but I'm paranoid I will forget something.

Rick Steves has a list that is in his guide books (and online) about what to pack- he says not to pack more than 20% of your body weight. HA! If only he knew how much I weigh... He makes a comment to bring Vaseline for your feet. WHAT?! Seriously?

The place we are staying in Paris has a laundry facility nearby-- I'm wondering if it's worth me only packing half of my items and washing them while in Paris (that's our half way point of the trip). It may be worth the hour or two at the laundromat, or whatever it's called in French.

I also noticed that a few things that I plan on bringing are not on the list- such as a camera, an extra memory card, the ipod/charger, set of electrical socket adaptors, freezer size plastic bags (I plan on bringing home liquids- olive oils, Irish whiskey, etc), travel pillow (thanks Andrea!). Anything else random I should be packing?

Top o' the Morning to ya

Today's topic/ iternary run down is for Ireland, sprinkled with a little bit of Irish trivia (thanks Maureen!) We will be in Dublin for a little under 24 hours- nothing too big, but it was apparently cheaper to add the day's stay in Dublin than it was to go without it. On a side note, I fully intend on going back to Ireland next year- hopefully to Belfast and to stay with family.

IRISH TRIVIA TIME!! What is the colloquial meaning of "riverdance"?

a) To skip to an upbeat tempo
b) To commit suicide in the Shannon River
c) To knit
d) To forgive the ancestors of someone who has wronged you

If you guessed "b" you are CORRECT!

We are doing the Dublin Bus Tour package- it's a 24 hour bus route that will take us to/from Dublin's top locations. Best part? It's under $20 and the pass gets us discounts to the stops (like 1€ off at the Guinness Factory!).

As you can see from the above, map, we will hit the Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick's Cathedral (why do all of these churches require admission?!), Trinity Park, etc. We are there for such a short period of time... so sad...

TRIVIA BREAK! Who does the term "Plastic Paddy" refer to?

A. Someone of Irish heritage who was not born in Ireland.
B. A person who emigrated from Ireland to the US
C. A person who has moved to Ireland from the US
D. A person who was not born in Ireland and who has no Irish ancestry.

Guess D? You'd be wrong. A is the correct answer (i.e. *I* am a Plastic Paddy).

I think I am most excited about going to the cathedral and the Temple Bar. Just because I want to go to the Guinness Storehouse AND a bar... AND the Jamison distillery... does not make me a lush! It does, however, solidify the Irish drinking stereotype.I'm a McLellan- you shouldn't expect anything less.

Final Irish Trivia Match up: Match the Irish expression with the English translation

A. Dry up
B. I am in me wick
C. Luvly hurdling
D. You have your glue.
E. You're like the police
F. Well, boy.
G. Let the dog see the rabbit
H. Keep your breath to cool your porridge.
I. I was stung.
J. Pull your socks up
-----------
1. Don't be silly
2. You're never where you're wanted
3. Get to work
4. I was embarrassed
5. Shut up
6. You must be joking.
7. Great Job
8. Stop wasting your time talking to me
9. Show it to me and then I'll understand
10. Hello

(answers: A-5, B-6, C-7, D-1, E-2, F-10, G-9, H-8, I-4, J-3)

Maureen's France Iternary

When I first mentioned this trip, Maureen got REALLY excited and started planning out my Paris portion of the trip. Here it is, so others can (hopefully) comment and Maureen can (definitely) edit, since we know what hotel we're staying at now... and she knows (or WILL know, from my post yesterday regarding Paris) what else I would like to do while in Paris.

May 8, Saturday: Bateau Parisiens, Sacre Coeur

1. Arrive in Paris @ 8:55am – Airport will take time, do not expect anything to happen quickly.

2. Once you have luggage head to metro station, follow signs as at information. There will be a line at the counter to get a metro ticket. DO NOT TRY THE MACHINES, they don’t accept American Credit Cards and you will not have enough change.

3. 8,50 Euro for one way ticket to Paris central. Try and get a direct train, so you won’t have to stop until Paris Gare du Nord. Buy the 3 day Paris Visite Pass at this station in addition to your other ticket. Get the 3 day zones 1-3 pass it will cost 20 Euros.

4. You will arrive at the hotel around noon or so. Drop off your bags, you will not be able to check in but they will keep you bags for you behind the desk. Do not leave anything extremely valuable in the bags but they will be safe.

5.Go get lunch, any small little café will be fine. Eat a Croque Monsieur or Madame if you like egg (most sandwiches come with a salad at a café) or French Onion Soup, yum yum and good food for after travel it isn’t too heavy but nice to sit down and eat. When at a restaurant as for a carafe d’eau (a carafe of water), it is tap water and free, which is safe but they charge you out the ass for bottle water at restaurants.

6.If time is right go check in at the hotel.

7.Two choices, both can be accomplished today but you should see what the weather is like, I am putting them in the order I would do them.

a.Bateau Parisiens – two options, get on at the Eiffel tower or Notre Dame. 1 hour tour, it is usually great for pictures and a nice way to see a lot of the sights. 11 Euros a person and 25% off with the Paris Visite pass

b. Sacre Coeur Cathedral – Metro stop line 2, Pigalle or Anvers. Walk up the hill towards the cathedral. If you are hungry find a restaurant along the way, there are some great restaurants that aren’t expensive in the area. Walk up towards the cathedral, you can take the stars of the funiculaire de Montmatre which gets you up the hill in a motorized vehicle.

If you walk up be careful of pickpockets but also of black men who ask you to see your finger, they will make a bracelet using your finger and then ask you to pay for it. There are plenty of police around so it shouldn’t be a problem but don’t even talk to them. If they touch you, be loud and say “Leave me alone” it will draw attention to you which is good for you and bad for them. (ME: I'm so overly paranoid of pick pockets in Paris now, its ridiculous)

The cathedral is free so go in but really be aware of pickpockets, keep belongs close. After you have gone through the cathedral when you come out and face the cathedral go to the left of it and follow the crowds. After walking for about 5 minutes you will see a bunch of restaurants and artists working in a square. It is fun, if you haven’t eaten you can eat there, it is more pricy but fine, but defiantly scope out the artists and such.

8. There are a lot of nice bars and a good party scene in this area which is called Montmatre. Go get a drink somewhere, listen to a band. High amount of Gay and lesbians in this area which makes it a fun, safe and happening place.

May 9 – Sunday (Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame)

1.Get up at 7am, be ready to leave by 8am, 8:15am at the latest. Eat breakfast at the hotel if possible or get some croissant at a local bakery.

2. Go to metro stop, take RER C, it will be a separate ticket and charge, it is not expensive, buy a round-trip ticket.

3. Palace of Versailles opens at 9am - 15 Euros per person. You can purchase ahead of time but also at the Chateau.

4. Allow about 3 hours for the tour of the Palace and to walk the main gardens. I would not do the other tours because it will eat up your whole day.

5. At about 12:30pm you can walk outside of the Palace, I will get you a make to a line of restaurants, you should eat at the Crepe place there, it is very good.

6. Get back on RER C in the direction of Saint Martin d’Etampes/Dourdan la-Foret (you can also look at the map to make sure) and go to the Eiffel Tower, get off at Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel and follow the signs for the Eiffel Tower.

7. You can choose any of the 4 lines to get into. Make sure to buy a ticket to stop at every level and go all the way to the top. It costs 13 Euros. Allow about 2 hours.

8. Take RER C (go in the same direction) from the Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel stop to St. Michel and change to Metro Line 4 in direction of Porte de Clignancourt, it is just one stop to the Cité stop. Get off at Cité and follow the signs to Notre Dame Cathedral. The entry into the cathedral is free even if Mass is occurring, just make sure you are wearing sleeves. Allow approximately and hour.

9. Grab some dinner somewhere around 8pm. Look at menus as you walk around Notre Dame. You can walk across the bridge to Ile Saint-Louis, which is a quaint little Island. It is Sunday night so places will be open for dinner but not every place so try and plan where you want to eat ahead of time.

10. Go back to the hotel and go to bed. I would say go party but it is Sunday night and not so fun.

May 10 – Monday. Arc de Triopmphe, Louvre Museum

1. Eat breakfast at the hotel.

2. Arc de Triomphe – Metro 1 – Stop is Charles De Gaulle Etoile. 20% off the ticket with the Paris Visite Pass. Tomb of the Unknown soldier is there and you can climb the stairs to the top and take some nice pictures. This is also where the Champs Elysee, classic shopping street, expensive but fun to look.

3. Get lunch somewhere along the way.

4. Louvre Museum – Allow 2 hours – Metro stop – Palais Royal Musee du Louvre, it is the underground entrance and a lot faster to get into. You pass through the shopping mall that is underground, there is ample signage. Cost is 9 Euro to get in.

5. Walk out the front entrance, go up through the pyramid entrance and walk into the Tuilleries gardens, it is beautiful and walk until the end of the gardens which will end at the Place de la Concorde which is where the guillotine was for a period of time.

6. Make a right at the end of the park and get on the Rue de Rivoli, cross the street so you walk on the side of the street with the shops. This is an ideal street for souvenir shopping and for pickpockets. So don’t answer anyone who asks you if you lost anything and so forth.

7. In the midst of walking down the street and the farther you get down the street the better the deal. You will see a café that will probably have a line called Angelina’s, YOU MUST stop there and get African hot chocolate and a pastry. It is slightly pricy but so worth it. Splurge! There might be a line but seriously wait and have it, the best hot chocolate ever!

8. Walk around have a good time. Eat dinner.

Ce n'est que le vent qui fait du bruit

French phrase of the day: "It's just the wind making noise." Ironic, because I just came up from the basement at work due to a tornado warning...

OK, onto the French sites listing! As you can see, I've discovered how to hyperlink other pages to mine. I may have gone overboard. Just a FYI: I have "Les Poissons" from The Little Mermaid running through my head as I'm typing out this list. CORRECTION: I have found the song on You Tube and am now listening to it as I type! WIN!

We purchased the "Paris Museum Pass" so a lot of our sites will be covered and discounted AND we get "front of the line" service... I'm already overwhelmed by the culture.

* The Louvre, of course. I'm going to stare deep into the inverted pyramid out front, while munching on my McDonalds, and see if I can see the Holy Grail.

* Orsay: Thanks to Wikipedia, I now know what pieces of art to look for while in this old train station.

* Arc de Triomphe: You can actually go *in* the arch! From the top of the arch, you can see all of the 12 major avenues in Paris. This is where the US got the idea of the "Eternal Flame" for JFK's grave, as there is one at the Arc for their Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

* Pantheon: I have no idea what this place is, but it's covered under the pass-- and I think Maureen said I should visit here...? It's apparently a large tomb, as the building is "...containing the remains of distinguished French citizens." Ever realize that, most touristy places are where famous people are buried? Anyone else think that's creepy?

* Notre Dame Tower and Treasury: a beautiful, large cathedral from the Roman Catholics. We know how to build things, and then ruin them.

* Eiffel Tower: Maureen said that this site is actually hated by most Parisians. And, after learning that it costs MORE to take the stairs than it does to take the elevator, I kind of do, too. Way to reward laziness!

* Palace of Versailles: We're taking a half day trip (short train ride) to view this palace. It was apparently the center of power in early France, as the nobility tried to move away from the crazy Parisians.

We also plan on spending a good amount of time shopping, eating, drinking wine, and napping. Or, at least, I do!

God Save the Queen

Here's the run-down of the London sites we will be taking in over our 4 day stay. The group decided to get the London Pass (2 day), and the other 3 are going to Bath/Stonehenge for one day -- I am going to hit all of the free museums and enjoy the city proper on my own.

Tower of London: It's a tower. It's in London. It was a PRISON! We have secured passes to view the "Ceremony of the Keys", a traditional ceremony that closes out the tower. http://www.hrp.org.uk/

London Eye: It doesn't have great reviews, but it's a quick way to see all of London. Plus, it looks fun and touristy. AND, when will I ever get to go on it again?? http://www.londoneye.com/

St. Paul's Cathedral, the "world famous centre of Christian worship and mission and heritage." ... what does that make the Vatican?? Either way, there is a LOT of religion happening on this trip... http://www.stpauls.co.uk/

Kensington Palace (I'm meeting the kids there before they go to Bath): a "royal residence" somewhere between London and Bath. http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/stories.aspx

ABBEY ROAD. I'm not explaining this to you, as if you don't know the significance of this stop, we cannot be friends anymore.

Tower Bridge-- yes, I *will* be singing, "London Bridges", the Fergie version, per Justin's request.

Globe Theater-- just the tour. We're going to see a show in the "London Theater District." Apparently you can go to the ticket booths at 9:30 in the morning the day of a show and get half-off tickets!

Hyde Park-- it's free, it has the Princess Memorial Fountain, and it's right outside of my hotel.

Westminster Abbey: the living pagent of British History-- home of lots of funerals and the final resting place of many... but we'll go with "living" http://www.westminster-abbey.org/home

Are there sites that I'm missing??

All my bags are packed...

I'm a total geek. I was so wound up yesterday, I bought a crap ton of travel sized stuff, packed my toiletries bag, and started a list of stuff I should still pick up. I don't leave for over 5 weeks, yet I'm about ready to walk out the door!

I met up with Pam, Justin and Jason for dinner tonight at Texas Roadhouse to start figuring out what we want to DO when we're overseas. I decided against the day trip to Stonehenge- I'm going to spend the day in London alone, wandering in and out of free museums :) I'm still on the fence about the Pompeii day trip-- it's a lot of money to see some ashes. I heard it was great to see, but we're only in Rome for 4 days-- is it worth the 5+ hours of travel time, plus lines, etc?

We decided on seeing a show while in London, in the theater district. There are SO MANY SHOWS to choose from! Avenue Q, Chicago, Wicked, Sister Act (hahaha!),Grease... and Naked Men..?! Maureen said its likely that we can get tickets the day of the show for half price if we hit the ticket booths around 9:30-10 in the morning.

I'll start posting my lists of stuff we want to do over the next few days- feel free to comment, add, etc. I need all of the help I can get!

Rejected by the Pope!

...ok, so his schedule was "full," but he won't be conducting a General Assembly Mass in St. Peter's Basilica when I am in Rome/Vatican. His holiness could have consulted me; I'm fairly easy to get a hold of. It has been suggested to me by the General Assembly ticket staff that I attend mass at Santa Susanna's in the evening or the following morning. Apparently Santa Susanna's is one of the oldest churches in Rome. We'll see.

I'm bummed. I was really looking forward to going to the General Assembly mass.