Barcelona - Day 1

August 23-26

Barcelona seems to have everything -- it's a rich mix of amazing beaches, famed artists and architects (Gaudi, Miro, Picasso, Dali), crazy nightlife, and incredible cuisine. We barely scratched the surface on the Barcelona experience but it whet our appetites to go back and explore more. We're headed there again in late September when Celia's brother, Paul and his girlfriend, Kathy visit Spain.

We had a scheduled flight on Vueling for 11pm arriving in Barcelona around 1 am but when we arrived at the Pisa airport, we discovered our flight had been delayed until 2:40 a.m. The trials and tribulations of traveling. We made it to Porta Marina, our hotel in Barcelona around 5 a.m. and went to bed to catch some Zs for a few hours.

We were a little foggy after our crazy night but rallied and discovered in the daylight that our hotel was in a sketchy neighborhood with a less than pleasant smell in the streets. However, we were a short walk to the beach so we decided to give it a go and wandered down where people were playing both beach doubles volleyball, and soccer/volleyball (only using their feet and bodies rather than arms/hands to get the ball over the net) -- what do you call this game? They were really good and fun to watch especially for a former volleyball player.




Later, we made it downtown to Catalunya Plaza and the famous, Las Ramblas, the big shopping district. Colin was on a hunt for an authentic Spain soccer shirt that included the World Cup star over the Spanish emblem. Muy importante. Colin, Kelsey and Parker all wound up getting various flavors of the Spanish team's soccer shirts. Even after that, Colin had a continuous roaming eye for soccer stores and managed to spot and point out every one we passed during our entire stay in Barcelona.

Florence and Pisa

August 20-22, Florence

The Duomo from the top of Campanile



Florence is a friendly and walkable city perhaps especially to Americans as they seem to make up one of the bulk of the travelers. In comparison, the Venetians seemed hot and bothered by tourists, the folk from Florence happily speak English and provide tips and information. The Lombardi family who owns and runs Hotel Casci, where we stayed, went out of their way to make reservations, provide guidance and make us feel comfortable. It's amazing what a difference this type of service can make in your experience of a new place, and make you want to return.

Florence was founded in 59 BC when the Romans built an encampment on the banks of the Arno River called Florentia in honor of the goddess Flora. Florence is most well known for as a wealthy city in the 14th century run by the wealthy Medici family.

For our first of two days, we started our touring at the Piazza del Duomo. Not wanting to deal with the long lines at the Duomo, we steered toward the Campanile or bell Tower instead. After climbing the 414 steps (no elevator!), we were rewarded with panoramic views of the city.

Photos: View looking down the Campanile shoot and Climbing the Steps





Parker and I did the same climb 2 years ago when we visited Florence in 2008 for Parker's 40th birthday except, as it was March then, it was much cooler.

After the Campanile, we spent the bulk of the afternoon at the l'Accademia Museum where Michelangelo's statue of David resides. It's such a massive, impressive work of art, that it's hard to believe that Michelangelo created it in just 2 years after many well known sculptors of the day had refused to attempt anything with the huge slab of marble. L'Accademia also had an interesting exhibit that described Renaissance artwork through video highlights, which was sort of a mini art history class, and helped to keep the kids interested.

A good tourist can't go to Florence without doing shopping especially after getting a fill of sites and artwork. There are several open-air market which sell endless Pashminas galore (Celia's favorite), beautiful bags, leather jackets, and belts. We had saved our shopping time for Florence and picked up a few things here. How many pashminas can one own? Many, many, many. I also purchased a 'man bag' as Parker likes to call it; one of those unisex over the shoulder puppies which are very useful for traveling. I figure we'll be doing a lot of that this year.

Photos: Dinner out, Kelsey/Celia/Colin in front of Ponte Vecchio, Michelangelo mime outside the Uffizi, Gratuitous Gelateria shot (since we spent so much time at them)



At the market, we met Drew, a lovely Canadian who gave us the 'in' at a local restaurant (Ristorante Pizzeria Regginale) where we could bring our own yummy bottle of Brunello (normally unheard of to bring your own wine) that he had picked up in Cinque Terre.




The second day we went to the historical Ponte Vecchio, the only one of Florence's many bridges that wasn't destroyed and then rebuilt by either the World War II bombings, or the 1966 flooding of the Arno. In the afternoon, we endured the long lines for the Uffizi to see Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus,' and among many other famous Italian paintings and artworks.




We had hoped to make it to Galileo's Museum of inventions but we wanted to leave a few hours for Pisa before catching our flight back to Barcelona where we will spend 3 days and see the Barcelona FC vs AC Milan soccer game on August 26.


















Later August 22, Pisa
Pisa is sort of like the Grand Canyon in the movie, "Vacation" where Chevy Chase drives up and snaps a photo and then wants to move on. It's a great picture spot but not much else there. Who would ever go see the straight tower of Pisa? Nevertheless, Colin and Kelsey really got a kick out of it; when you look at it from the bottom, you can see how much one side has sunk into the ground...pretty amazing.

Cinque Terre Day 4

On our fourth day, we followed up on a tip from a friendly German family we met at LCM and took a ferry to Portovenere (not part of Cinque Terre but in the Ligurian region) for a change of scenery. Once Lord Byron's grotto, an imposing castle sits at the took of a hill and when perched at the top, we could see why Byron choose this spot. His fortress not only allowed him to see potential incoming attacks but provided a 360 degree view of the surrounding Sea and small islands.

While we had a great stay in CT, after being out of the country for almost 3 weeks and on the road for about 10 days, we were all yearning for the comforts of home, and missing friends and family. As a family, we've talked about how our year abroad will be filled with adventures and growth experiences, yet we may also face challenging and possibly frustrating times.

Sometimes, during a lull, we'd play a silly game like the ditty that Kelsey taught us from her softball days:

Lemonade (da, da, dat)
Crunchy ice (da, da, dat)
Sip it once (da, da, dat)
Sip it twice (da, da, dat)


Lemonade (faster)
Crunchy ice
Sip it once
Sip it twice

Turn around
Touch the ground
Kick your boyfriend (or girlfriend) out of town (with appropriate body gestures)
FREEZE (everyone freezes and first one to move is out)

Kind of goofy but is a distraction and gets a giggle



Photo: Kelsey and Elle, the kitty we befriended at LCM (belonged to the owner). Kelsey was especially keen on Elle as she's big into the fiction series on cats, "Warriors." She has read and re-read the "Warriors" series.

Cinque Terre Day 3

On our third day we took a beautiful but rigorous hike from Riomaggiore to Vernazza. It started out innocent enough, relatively flat and even paved but after passing through 2 of the 4 towns we hiked, they weed out the lightweights and leave the real climbing to those who have lived in New Hampshire. It reminded me of Highway 1 in California with sheer cliffs on one side and the water on the other. Breathtaking.

Photo: Beginning of hike















Photo: Coastline and rock diving area outside of Riomaggiore (1st town)














Photo: Town of Manarola in the background (2nd town)














Photo: Town of Corniglia (3rd town)
















Photo: Vineyards on the steep cliffs throughout the hike




















Photo: Coming into Vernazza (4th town)

Cinque Terre Days August 15-20, Days 1-2

View from La Corte Maggiore

August 15-20 from Colin and Celia

We just finished up our time in Cinque Terre and are now off to Florence via train. We stayed in an apartment at La Corte Maggiore (LCM) located in a town just outside of the Cinque Terre, La Spezia, which is the biggest city near Cinque Terre. LCM was a lovely estate up in the hills of La Spezia providing a breathtaking view of the mountains, red roofed homes below and the Ligurian Sea and coastline. The town itself was nothing to write home about but offered a springboard to Cinque Terre by way of an easy 15-20 minute train ride. We all enjoyed a breather from touring sites to more down time at the beach and staying in the same place for 5 days. Renting an apartment allowed us to fix a few meals at home and mix up the nightly ritual of dinners out on the town.

Kelsey in front of LCM Pool with view of Ligurian Sea and city

Cinque Terre is part of the Italian Riviera and the 5 (cinque means 5 in Italian) remote but beautiful towns are all built into the hillside and are only a few miles apart from one another although primarily accessible by train or foot.


We visited all five towns, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. I would have to say Monterosso, the beach town, was my favorite (Colin).






Pictures of Monterosso (Parker looking out at the beach and Colin and Kelsey on the main street next to the beach)























Vernazza, the most scenic, also offered the liveliest atmosphere.

Pictures of Vernazza nearing sunset looking out at the beach/Ligurian Sea and Chase family in front of town with clock tower in background

Venice

August 13-15 Venice

Rome was fascinating, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there but it is an 'in your face' city much like New York. You have to be on your toes due to the crazy drivers, crowds and the general hustle and bustle. In fact, our concierge just about made us (or just me/Celia) paranoid about the Rome train station -- to be on the look out for pick pockets and diversions that lure your attention away from the present and give a thief the opportunity to snag your goods while you're distracted (we did, in fact, run across that where a family was pretending to have a distraught child and was going in and out of taxis). We were looking forward to a change of pace in Venice.

Venice, a picturesque city, is a series of islands connected by bridges and land filled lagoons. The narrow, stone streets, the bridges over the canals, the muted colors and buildings while in disrepair have a historic and romantic feel to them. When we arrived and got outside of the train station, we were immediately struck by the quaint beauty.

The temperature was much cooler than Rome and it was raining lightly which is not unusual for Venice. While the cooler air was a welcome change after the extreme heat of Rome, we weren't prepared with what we had packed if the thermometer dropped too much. We had left our warm clothes back in Zaragoza and each only brought a sweater or sweatshirt. Upon on our arrival, we walked to our hotel, Locanda Herion (no cars in Venice) which was not far from the train station.

Beside the temperature, we were also struck by the tourist-filled streets ('tis the vacation season). Venice felt crowded which was exacerbated by the narrow streets. At times, we felt overwhelmed by the mass of people.



In Venice, we took a reprieve from checking off must-see tourist sites and kept our agenda open; we wandered the streets with the goal of eventually ending up in San Marco square, one of the most famous spots in Venice. We took the water-bus past San Marco to Giardini Park, what seemed to be one of the only parks and semi-open spaces in Venice. The colors in the evening were beautiful, putting a glow on the water and buildings. Stopping for a drink and appetizers at Paradisio Cafe, we had planned to order olives, cheese and a few yummies but to our surprise, we were served a pizza with artichokes instead (our Italian isn't that great either). We then wandered around the narrow streets for several hours and stumbled on a local joint (read dive) comparable to Remi's in Concord where we watched a soccer game. The guys were thrilled to get a sports fix.

Our guide book recommended to 'get lost' while in Venice and we inadvertently followed that advice. To explore the city, we roamed the less touristy streets, escaped the crowds and got lost in the process. It's very easy to not really know where you're located in Venice ---the myriad of closed-in avenues start to look the same and can be confusing. A few family grumbles and moments of panic all turned into another 'traveling adventure' in the end. We had to remember that Venice is an island so how lost could we get?!?



Our second day started out sunny and glorious but by early afternoon, the skies turned ominous and we were caught in intermittent rain throughout the afternoon and evening that caused tourists to scurry for cover. Much of day, we explored the shops and looked at the beautiful and locally created Murano Glass (a big selling point in Venice). Kelsey and Celia bought two lovely pieces, a necklace and bracelet respectively, and, of course, mothers and daughters can share jewelry.




In the afternoon, a gondolier by the name of Luca took us for a ride through the Canals. Parker noted that the gondolas are the limousines of Venice water transportation. The boats are plush, polished and accented with gold.



Luca, our gondolier explained that his trade took either 14 or 40 (he told us both numbers) years to learn to safely navigate the waves and other boats. During the off tourist season, gondoliers change trades and become fisherman.

We all agreed the gelato was much better in Venice than in Rome although gelato is still pretty darn good no matter where it is, and should be added as an important major food group.

Ancient Rome (500 B.C.- A.D. 500)

August 12
Today, was ancient Rome day. Ancient Rome was one of city's highlights -- all the history and symbols that demonstrate it is a central part of the foundation of our current day, Western society.

After breakfast, we walked from our hotel to Palatine Hill, one of seven hills in Rome and the birth of the original Rome. Palatine is rooted in the word 'palace' and is where palaces of old once stood including the home of Caesar Augustus.



Palatine flows into the Roman Forum, the main square and civic center of ancient Rome with ruins and grand archs.



Nearby is the Colosseum, a 2,000 year old stadium and classic example of Roman engineering, the site where gladiators, criminals, and wild animals fought to their death.




Like most big cities, we walked many miles and climbed many stairs by the day's end, crowning it with a climb up the renowned Spanish Steps, a busy, tourist spot filled with street vendors selling trinkets, college and young folk carousing with friends and romantic interests.


Built in front of the Spanish Embassy over 300 years ago (reason for its namesake), the Spanish Steps has been home to many famous writers and poets including Keats (was also the place of his death).

After a delicious dinner that we miraculously managed to complete by 8:30pm, we ended our fine, long day at the beautiful but bustling Trevi Fountain. We wished we could have vacated the vast number of tourists to make some of these sites more enjoyable.



As called for by tradition, we each took a coin and threw it over our shoulders while simultaneously making a wish.




Here, Colin had his first experience negotiating with a street vendor who attempted to sell him a dollar-store type lighted pen for 20 Euro (or about $30); Colin offered him 2 Euros but he didn't bite.

Vatican City and Rome Night Stroll

August 11
Today, we ventured to Vatican City including the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. We had received mixed advice on the best time of day to go to avoid long lines into the Museum but went with our Rick Steve's guide book and landed there just after lunch. We were fortunate to be able to walk right into the museum and start the tour. We weren't aware that they funnel you through whole Vatican Museum before the Sistine Chapel grand finale.



We then spent almost 2 hours in the Chapel alone, taking in the extraordinary frescoes from Michelangelo, Botticelli, and many other famous Italian artists. Sistine Chapel is the sacred space where Popes are elected (4 elections a day –2 in the morning and 2 at night until a 2/3 +1 vote agree on a final pick). Black smoke means no winner; white smoke means a new Pope has been chosen. Parker and Kelsey's favorite was Michelangelo's Last Judgment which appears as if in 3D. Michelangelo's famous ceiling paintings depict the Bible from the creation of man to original sin to the flood to Noah's death. Juxtaposed on the long side walls are the stories of Jesus vs. Moses demonstrating the parallel between Old and New Testament. It's a fascinating place and one where we took the opportunity to teach Colin and Kelsey about Christian stories.



After the 4 hour tour through the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, we rejuvenated in the courtyard with a picnic-on-the-sly and quenched our thirst with the cold water from the aqueduct fountain. These fountains are scattered throughout Rome and are powered by a fresh water aqueduct under the city that was built hundreds of years ago. They provided a welcome reprieve from the oppressive summer Roman heat. Colin may have been the biggest fan and regularly sought out the aqueducts to refill water bottles, rinse hands, or drench a whole t-shirt in the cool water.

Don't mess with these tigers guarding the Vatican; their stripes will get you


Following our break, we meandered over to St. Peter's Basilica which demonstrates the extreme wealth of the Church and Popes throughout the centuries.










Can you hear the angels singing?










It's a magnificent, lavish, gold laden site and home to Michelangelo's Pieta (sits behind bulletproof glass). The ornamental cherubs in the church would dwarf a small man.

Sweet children after 5 hours in the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Church





Since we were only spending 2 full days in Rome, we wanted to make the most of our days and decided to replenish our blood sugar with a little gelato (notice a recurring theme here) and then we took on a walking tour recommended by our tour book. We started at Campo di Fiori marked by the statue of Giordano Bruno, an intellectual heretic who was burned on the spot in 1600. Fiori is one of many piazzas or plazas that epitomizes Italy in the American mind with an open, stone street center surrounded by cafes and colorful, old buildings.

We continued our stroll to Piazza de Navona which was filled with artists, a lively social scene, musicians and activities. After much deliberation, we commissioned two of the local sketch artists to do a caricature of Colin and a portrait of Kelsey.




Other than the eyes, Kelsey's picture had a strong likeness while Colin's looked nothing like him (I was asked not to post the finished product).




August 11, 2010 – from Colin

Today we went to the Sistine Chapel. It was amazing. We also ate some yummy gelato. We went around exploring the city before a good dinner. Before the Sistine Chapel, we went through the Vatican Museum and had an audio tour, which was very helpful and gave us some interesting information on all the things we were seeing. It was cool how they fixed all the broken pieces of the sculptures and the difference between the new pieces and the original parts. There was a huge difference! Tomorrow, we are probably going to the Coliseum!



From Kelsey
Hi! We were at the Sistine Chapel. It was pretty cool although very crowded and remarkably quiet. Before the Chapel, we saw many statues of the Vatican Museum (or Museo).