Exploring Verona

Chloe and Anneke in front of the Third Largest Roman Coliseum in the world, at Verona

Today we went to Verona. We took the water taxi all the way up the Grand Canal to the train station. We took a train towards Milan and got off at Verona. Then we went to the coliseum in town. It is the third largest Roman coliseum in the world.  Chloe was disappointed because, “When I walk into a coliseum, I want to be transported back to gladiators fighting, not to last Friday when a rock band was playing.”  She did admit that it was a nice idea to reuse the place, although she did not like it that they did just that.

After we left the coliseum we stopped at a little café and got a snack and some beverages. As we were wrapping up our afternoon treat, it started to rain. We were reluctant but went to la Casa de Giulette (Juliet’s house) anyway, as it was on our list. When we finally found it, Anneke put a letter about our travels in the post to Juliet.  As nobody wanted to stay, we quickly left for the train station.

When we arrived at the Venetian train station, we were all very hungry and tired. Because it was so good the first time, we decided to eat at Hard Rock Café again. We ordered and shared a couple appetizers and had a delicious meal. We got gelato for the last time in Venice and headed home. 

Riding a Gondola – NOW we’re tourists!

Chloe and Anneke on a Gondola in Venice

We have to post this on Saturday morning because our internet didn't work last night.

Friday

This morning we decided to start out with the Doge’s Palace. The line was extremely short and we made it in inside of no time at all. We found that it is smaller than Versailles, but reminded Chloe alot of the Chateau Fountainbleu. There were many tour groups and we got stuck behind most.  Anneke enjoyed the armory. She says that she liked the horse armor.   Papa preferred the different weaponry.  Both Chloe and Nonny enjoyed the many massive, and elaborate, council rooms. Chloe pointed out that there were so many different councils that you couldn’t keep track.

After we left the Doge’s Palace we went across the square to the Bell Tower.  We took an elevator up 323 feet, approximately 32 stories, until we reached the top.  From the top the view is spectacular. We were waiting for the bells to ring at 11 o’ clock but found that they did not. We asked a worker and he told us that they didn’t ring till twelve. When we were done taking pictures, we left.  After buying a mask for Chloe, we walked down the pier to look for the boat we would take to get the cruise ship.  Anneke also bought a mask. We took the water taxi to Santa Maria della Salute, a church across the Grand Canal. It was being restored. but we all thought that the high domes and tall windows were breathtaking.

We took another water taxi to the Rialto bridge and walked across trying to get to the Ca d’ Oro area (where Nonny, Papa and Chelsea stayed five years ago).   We realized that we were turned around and crossed back over. We wandered, bought gelato, and fixed Nonny’s glasses.  As we walked over one canal, we  saw a gondolier and decided to go for it.  As we glided along the canals, we saw churches, Cassanova’s and Marco Polo’s houses, other gondolas, and enjoyed the lazier side of Venice. Although it is pegged as a touristy thing to do, it shows you a part of Venice you would not see otherwise. We continued to walk along the Strada Nuova in Ca d’ Oro, until we found another grocery. We were about to get on the water taxi back to St. Mark’s Square when Anneke decided that she wanted one more thing.  It was a beautiful doll that we had seen on our strolls.

We got on a very crowded water taxi and headed home.  After a well needed nap we went out to dinner. We choose the Hard Rock Café because we were tired of eating pasta and pizza for every meal.  We had a good meal with nice waiters and went away perfectly content. 

Exploring Venice

One of Venice's canals - by St. Mark's Square

After we left the apartment, we ate an interesting breakfast of pizza and croissants at a snack bar. We ate in the square as it filled with people waiting for the Basilica to open. When we got in line and St. Mark’s actually opened. the lines moved very fast though.  Inside the church, although there was no stained glass, you still had the feeling of awe and solemnity as in every other church we had been in.  The mosaics all over the walls and high vaulted ceilings “made it feel as if you were surrounded by one giant painting,” as Anneke would put it. When we saw the original horses that sat atop the cathedral, before Napoleon took them in 1796, we saw many scratches all over them. We read that they were there to stop reflectiveness.

When we came out of the Basilica, the square was already filled to the brim. Because we needed some groceries, we walked around and tried to navigate to the nearest store. We got lost among the winding canals, but made it there anyways. While on a back street we came across a church, San Zulian, and decided to take a look inside. It was small but beautiful and Chloe’s favorite church so far along with San Chapelle  and the Basilica of Notre Dame in Paris. We had lunch at a wonderfully refreshing non-touristy restaurant in the courtyard outside San Zulian. We got some gelato and, with groceries in hand, we walked back to our room for a needed rest.

After we had rested, we went out for dinner and a walk on the Riva Degli Schiavoni along the Canale Di S. Marco. It was on the touristy side of things, but beautiful. We found a wonderful and small little place to eat just off the main canal. We sat on the terrace and ate a delicious dinner. As we walked back to our room through the square, we heard music floating towards us on the breeze from the outside cafés. Again, the flying light helicopters were out, but the strolling police didn’t seem to mind. We listened to the music for a little while and then headed off to sleep.

St. Mark's Square

Chloe and Anneke on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

We woke up in Athens to the sound of rain (not pleasant by the way). Nobody had a good night of sleep. We walked to a street side shop and enjoyed a yummy breakfast. When we tried to pack our bags we realized that they were too big for the airline restrictions. We shifted some things around and everything was fine.

The flight from Athens to Rome was short and smooth. The only worry was when we landed in Rome. We had to get on another flight to Venice and we only had 45 minutes to switch gates. After we got on that flight there were no more problems. When we touched down at the Marco Polo airport in Venice, we took a tram across the tarmac. After we took a bus as far as it would go into “the city of canals,” we got on a very busy water taxi. A man met us at our stop and led us to the apartment.

After we were settled in, we went out to find a place to eat. All of the restaurants seemed only to be serving very large meals, but we found a café. We had a delicious meal. Unfortunately it cost us an am and a leg and a kidney (figurative, of course).  We left after dark and walked out into the square. Everywhere we saw flying lights. We asked a street vendor where to buy them but we found out they were illegal. They were illegal because they were sold on the Black Market. For security reasons we will write the next part in Pig Latin. Ewa oughtba omesa. As we were leaving we saw a police-woman walk into the square. All of the vendors seemed to sink into the shadows. We walked back to our building and reminisced on our day.

Skiathos to Athens

Leaving Skiathos

Tuesday, April 26

To start the day out, we enjoyed a tasty breakfast. We packed and rested in our room before heading one last time down to the beach. Papa and Nonny counted the stairs and there were 400! We arrived at the taverna, and, while Nonny, Papa, and Chloe sat inside to escape the cold, Anneke stood on the dock and stared into the water. While she was on the beach she found a really nice watch and gave it to Papa.

We ate lunch, and got a ride back up to the hotel to get our bags. The taxi driver took us to the airport and we said goodbye to Skiathos. We got on another small plane and in a half hour we were in Athens. We took a taxi to our room because our hotel is located in a sketchy area, and ordered in pizza. To entertain ourselves we found the only English channel on our TV and watched a movie about the royal couple. 

Shopping and Dropping in Skiathos Town

Our Beach

Monday

This morning we took a cab to town. We walked down a pedestrian street and stopped to buy gifts and souvenirs in a couple of shops. We got a couple of great deals and had fun walking through the beautiful town. When we got to the pier we walked around looking for a dive shop, so Anneke could buy some goggles. We couldn’t find one but instead found a wonderful eatery were we enjoyed some unusual gyros. They made the food right in front of you, so we saw how they cooked the meat. They would stick layers of it in a pole and it would turn slowly, as a heater from the side would cook it. When they needed more they would shave it off with an electrical shaver. We all thought this was neat.

We decided to see if we could find a dive shop in another part of town, and started walking. On the way we got lost a couple times and when we finally made it there, nothing was open. We eventually made it to a gas station and called a cab driver we had gotten to know over the past few days. When we got back to Nostos we went down to the beach and stayed there for a while. We were all tired and after we left the beach we partook in the afternoon siesta. 

Sand Castles and Beachcombing

The beach in front of our hotel - Skiathos

Sunday - Easter

This morning we slept in until about 10:00 am. We definitely made up for all the early mornings. By lunchtime, we were already on the beach. The weather was phenomenal and we kept thinking about how lucky we were, because the weather was probably not this nice back at home. When we got to the beach a large gathering was being held in honor of Easter. There were goats on spits, roasting over open fires. Papa really wanted us to try them but we couldn’t stomach it. We walked to the far corner of the beach and, while Anneke built a sand castle, Chloe did some more beachcombing. After a little while, it got hot so Anneke went swimming. Anneke said , “The water was not as cold as the Puget Sound, but much colder than a hot tub.” She enjoyed it a lot. She tried to catch a few fish but wasn’t deep enough.

We stayed on the beach until the late afternoon, and decided that it was time to go back to the room for the scheduled siesta. We rested, and at dinnertime we went again down to the beach and had a traditional Greek meal of cheese pie, salad, lamb (though Chloe didn’t eat any) and a custard desert. We were all tired and ready to go home. Anneke said, “What a wonderful day we had!” and we all agreed.

A Vacation from Our Vacation

We just notice...the last title should have been "Greetings from Athens"

Notos  Resort on Skiathos

Saturday

This morning we awoke to the sound of the front desk ringing to tell us to get up. It was 6:00 in the morning. We took a cab to get on our flight to Skiathos. Our plane was notably small and only held about 36 people. It was interesting, because it was moved by propellers, not jets, and you could see the underside of the wings while looking out the window. It would be nerve wracking to most, but we were now experienced flyers and were ready to face anything.

After we landed we took a taxi up to the top of the hill to check in. We got down the hill by taking some beautiful stairs that wound in and around the hotels villas. Then we went down to the beach and ate lunch. Anneke played in the sand and Chloe went beachcombing. We hopped a ride with a hotel employee back up to our room. After that we just relaxed. Anneke went in the pool, but didn’t stay long, before her body got numb. We walked back down the hill to the Taverna and had a very odd dinner. It consisted of omelettes, fish(or beans) and cake. It was queer, but we enjoyed it.

Greetings from Athes

Chloe and Anneke at the Parthenon, Athens

At 2:30 a.m., we were up and on our way to the airport.  This airplane was festival seating and we lucked out and got the fourth row from the front.  When we landed, we took the Metro to our hotel right by the Acropolis.  The sidewalks were filled with street vendors and confusing crowds.  After we checked in, we got a taxi to the Parthenon on top of the hill. From there we got on a tram which drove us around nearby Athens. We thought we were going in circles, so we got off to get a late lunch. A woman who was selling table cloths offered one to us for five euros. Anneke decided she wanted one, but the price was now 90 euros. We said no, but she continued to pester us until we left.

After lunch, we went shopping and bought some clothes. We headed back to the tram stop and hopped back on. We rode up to the summit of the Acropolis to go to the Parthenon. Without taking  Good Friday into account we tried to enter, but it had closed early. We noticed many unleashed dogs near the entrance. Anneke wanted to “put them in her suitcase and bring them home” because she was worried that they were stray animals.

After we came down from the Parthenon we tried to go to the New Acropolis Museum but this was also closed. We were disappointed, but remembered that we had also seen ruins on the tram. We had seen Zues’s temple, Hadrian’s Arch, the building in the center of ancient Athens, the ancient agora, and the stadium built for the first modern Olympics in 1887.

Tomorrow we leave for the island of Skiathos.

Up, Up and Away

Chloe and Anneke at Eiffel Tower

Because we were only doing one landmark today, we left at 2:00 p.m.  When we finally arrived at the Eiffel Tower, we were a little bit early so we walked around and looked at souvenir carts.  We bought some gifts and then took some photos. 

When we entered the first elevator, it started to go up, up, up.  It was very hot and there was much shoving and pushing.  Everybody felt a little shaky.

At the half-way point, we had to get on another smaller elevator for the last leg of the journey.  You could see almost all of Paris. 

We came down and got some ice cream and went home.

American Tourists in Paris

Anneke and Chloe at the Louvre

As with the start of each day in Paris, we took the Metro.  Today we got off at Placé de la Concord.  This is where many were executed by Madame Guillotine during the French Revolution. 

We walked down the Champs Ellysees to the Arc de Triomphe.  We almost went up the stairs, but Nonny got claustrophobic on the windy, narrow stairs after about two floors and we had to go the wrong way back down against the people coming up. 

After an elevator ride to the top, we got a view of everything.  We saw the Bassilica Sacre Couer on top of the hill, the Eiffel Tower, downtown Paris, la Defence, St. Augustine, and other landmarks. 

We took the Metro to the Louvre and ate lunch at a nearby sidewalk café.  There we met a family from Massachusetts and we exchanged travel fiasco stories. 

We next went to the Louvre.  We saw many pieces of art in three hours.  Anneke’s favorite statue was Artemis (Diana).  Chloë’s favorite piece was Winged Victory.  It’s hard to believe that one museum could contain so many of the world’s treasures. 

Anneke says, “The Louvre is beautiful from the pieces it holds to the beauty of the architecture.  If you’re ever traveling to Paris, this is a definite ‘must see’ for you.”

And we thought the lines were long yesterday...

Anneke eating escargot

We were so tired last night that we are writing this on Wednesday morning.

We started by going to Versailles to see Fontainbleu, the palace of kings.  In the outer courtyard the lines wound back and forth under the sun.  We waited about an hour and half to get into the palace.  When we finally got in, it was beautiful; but there were so many people, it was hard to see anything.  Chloe, especially, loved the art on the walls and the ceiling.  We wanted to go to  the gardens, but the lines were long again, our feet hurt, and it was even hotter outside.

Our next stop was Musee d’Orsay where Mom had given us a list of  paintings to see.  Not all were there.  In fact, “Starry Night” by Van Gogh was actually in Korea.  Chloe was interested in seeing all of the museum, while Anneke was more interested in seeing the sculptures, the architecture, and playing on the iPad.

We then went to the Basillica, Sacre Coeur, on the hill above Montmartre.  Before we rode up on the funicular, some men tried to put strings around our fingers.  Nonny yelled at them to go away.  At the top, we had a beautiful view with lots of people waiting for the sunset.  Inside they were just starting a service, so as we walked through, the nuns started singing.  It echoed throughout the basilica and was enchanting.  Coming back down, the men tried to tie string around our wrists again.  It turned out they wanted to make bracelets and then they charged us for them.

Then we went to an outdoor café for dinner where Anneke decided to try escargot.  She said it tasted just like garlic bread.

To top the day off, we went to see the Eiffel Tower at night.  The lights on it made it look gold and Anneke said that she felt she was now really in Paris!

Lines, Lines, and More Lines

Notre Dame, Paris

We got a late start today and by the time we got to the Louvre, the lines were at least a half mile long, winding in and around the many wings.  We think it was because there was a school break and it was the week before Easter.  Many French students and tourists were in Paris.  We decided not to wait, but to try it another day to try to skip the lines. 

We walked along the Seine and saw ducklings.  After crossing the bridge to the island, we went to Notre Dame.  The line there was sooooo long that we went first to Sainte Chapelle and waited another hour in a line.  It was one of the most beautiful places we had ever been.  Instead of stone, there was stained glass for all the walls.  They depicted religious stories and it was incredible to see the light shine through them. 

We went to a sidewalk café for lunch as it was 2:30 p.m. and we were starving.  While we were eating, a little boy inside the restaurant was watching Anneke play a game on an iPad.  A little later, he came out and Anneke showed him a child’s game for him to play.

We waited through what we thought would be a long line at Notre Dame, but it moved very quickly.  Inside it felt overwhelming due it its size, lighting, and architecture. 

We still had some time before everything closed, so we went to the conciergerie (the prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution).   When you first walked into a room of arches, it felt a lot like Notre Dame, except it was brighter.  Inside we saw Marie Antoinette’s holding cell, her chapel, and the ladies’ courtyard where they were allowed to get fresh air.

Farewell London, Bonjour Paris

Canal St. Martin, Paris

This morning we woke up early so that we could catch the Eurostar to France.  We spent a half hour going under the English Channel on the train.

When we finally found our flat, we had to climb four stories with five suitcases.  The flat is clean but small. 

We went out to explore our surroundings.  We stopped in a couple of shops and then searched for a restaurant.  In Paris, dinner isn’t served until 7:30 p.m. and we were very hungry at 6:00 p.m.  We finally found one restaurant that was willing to serve us, but the owner only spoke French.  We used our small knowledge of French words and connected words with food items.  We made our best guess at choices and had a wonderful meal.  

Last Day in London

Tower of London

Today we started out with the Globe Theater.  We messed up by walking on the wrong side of the river, so we took a taxi back to the globe,  We took a tour where we learned that they built a replica building to exactly match the materials and the architecture of the original Globe.  Originally Shakespeare could pack 3000 people into the theater; but now, with safety regulations, only 1700 can fit in the theater, 600 standing in the groundlings section and 900 in the seats.  Even the plays are performed the same way as in Elizabethan times.

We walked across the Tower Bridge to the northern side of the Thames River.  In the Tower of London, we visited the Bloody Tower first.  It got its name because two princes, King Edward VI's children, were put in there by the King's brother, Richard III, after Edward died.  Two months after the boys were last seen alive, Richard III died in battle.  They were reported dead or missing by Sir Thomas Moore.  The question was what happened to these heirs to the throne.  1.  Were they killed by Henry VIII who was next in line for the throne after Richard III?  2.  Were they assassinated by Richard III before he died in battle?  3.  Did they just disappear or escape?  It wasn't until the 20th century that two sets of adolescent male skeletons were found buried on the Tower of London grounds.  Anthropologists thought that these were the two princes, but the science has advanced so that now they could tell more if the bones could be dug up again.  However, they are now buried in Westminster Abbey, so this is impossible.

We walked through the vaults of the Crown Jewels.  Some of them were beautiful; but, at some points, this just got ridiculous.  However, Anneke loved them.

We then proceeded to the British Museum for an hour before it closed so that we could see the Rosetta Stone and all the sculptures that were originally at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.  We closed the exhibit and went to a special outdoor dinner to end our stay in London.

Exploring London

Big Ben

From Chloe,

Today we took a tram, rode a train, walked, and traveled by underground. The routes were confusing, but we found our way.  

Our first visit was to Westminster Abbey.  We didn't think we'd be able to go in because of the Royal Wedding next week, but after a power outage, they opened the doors again.  The Abbey was gigantic and filled with many beautiful sculptures.  My favorite part was the Poet's Corner because I've read so many of the books written by those authors memorialized there.  I was also impressed by the Lady's Chapel, in which Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary Tudor, and Elizabeth I were buried.

After we left Westminster Abbey, we walked past Big Ben and the Parliament buildings.  As we started across the Thames River, we saw the statue of Boadicea, a heroic symbol of Britain.  She led an uprising against the Roman Empire in the first century A.D.  

After crossing the Thames, we  bought tickets for the London Eye, Anneke's top choice in London.  It is huge ferris wheel, reaching 443 ft. into the sky.  It takes 40 minutes to go around completely.

We ended the day with Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.  The crowds were heavy, but most of the wax figures were extremely lifelike and it was fun to see them.

First Day in Europe

from Anneke

Today I got off a seven-hour flight from Chicago to London.  They served us dinner and then breakfast because it was an all-night flight.  The seat on my side in the Boeing 777 was empty so I got to lay down.   You got your own t.v. on the back of the seat in front of you.  You could watch lots of different movies.

When we landed, we found out that the airport was about a mile long and we had to go from one end to the other to get a bus.  When the bus finally came, we rode on it for over an hour and finally got off to take a taxi for another 20 minutes.  The taxi we rode in was blue and square.

We were so tired from traveling that we just went to sleep for most of the afternoon.  Then Nonny and I went for a walk to buy KFC for dinner.  When we were going to get tram tickets, we met a nice man who helped us.

The apartment we're in is nicely cozy and the lady who is renting it to us left us a box of chocolates and two bottles of wine.

COMMENTS

A friend just let me know that she was unable to comment on the blog.  I researched this and found that you need to sign up for a Google account (or yahoo, twitter, etc.).  I did this and discovered nothing in their terms and conditions that was alarming.  It is simply a social networking account that would allow you access (if desired) to other social networking sites.

We do hope you enjoy reading the blogs from Europe.  We leave in just a bit more than two days.

Vicki

Last of the Planning

There are only ten days before we leave.  All travel and accommodations have been arranged, so now it is time to look at museums and attractions to find out when they are open.  There is still much left to do, but it is becoming so real now.

from Vicki Phebus, grandmother of Chloe and Anneke