We actually had the opportunity to have a little lie in (sleep in) on our last day in Rome - breakfast was at 8:00 and we didn't need to fight Italian tourists and Spanish students for the croissants!! We left for Leonardo Da Vinci airport around 9:30 for a 1:30 flight and had not trouble checking in or clearing security. We had time for a bite of lunch in an airport Auto Grille and a chance to spend our last Euros on chocolate for friends at home. Our flight was smooth and we landed at Heathrow slightly ahead of schedule.
We had to go through security again at Heathrow and, as usual, I set off alarm bells; this time for liquids in my carry-on. The security guard give me the old 'yeah, sure' look when I said that I didn't have any and then was surprised when he found none. We think it was those extra chocolate bars stacked one behind the other. Mr. Bittante also set off the metal detectors, who knows why, and one of our students had forgotten to pack the large sizes of liquids in his checked luggage. Not bad, eh?
We found time to spend those leftover pounds before boarding our flight. It was relatively uneventful except for the turbulence over Iceland - did I hear some prayers? They fed a decent evening meal, supplied us with oodles of water and juices, plus a sandwich served just before landing.
YVR looked great! The airport looks so welcoming. We checked our groups again before going through Immigration and Customs and then had the long, long baggage carousel wait. Thankfully there were no problems, no damaged suitcases and no one sent in to pay! The last bottle neck was going through the single exit to get to YOU. It was delightful to see everyone waiting on the other side of the railing.
So . . . Merci, grazie, thank you! Bye to London, au revoir to Paris, ciao and arrividerci to Venicia, Pisa, Firenze, Assissi and Roma!
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Rome
At the Roman forum
By the collosseum & triumphal arch.
Getting instructions
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
By the collosseum & triumphal arch.
Getting instructions
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
A day in Paris
Gathering at the Louvre
Climbing the stairs to Montmartre
Basilique Sacre Coeur
Grocery shopping in Paris
Climbing the stairs to Montmartre
Basilique Sacre Coeur
Grocery shopping in Paris
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
From Mind the Gap to Don't Leave Gaps!
Thank you to our local guides: Mark (London), Jenny (Paris), Andrea (Venice), Ricardo (Pisa), Nicco (Florence), and Cristina (Rome).
Thank you to our drivers: Ali in Paris and Danilo in Italy.
Thank you to our friendly hotel staffs at Hotel de Bepe in Venice and at Hotel Cordova in Florence.
Thank you Tom for:
- making travel in Europe easier,
- helping us Mind the Gap in London, ensuring that we didn't get lost in the Tube, keeping right except to pass on the escalators,
- sharing bathroom euphemisms: spend a penny, see a man about a dog, pluck a rose (or maybe a small bouquet), use the WC, go to the loo, go to the potty, use the facilities
- helping us to find Westminster Cathedral and be on time for Mass,
- sharing your delightful vocabulary,
- singing snippets of operas,
- waxing poetic over all things Italian, even strange victuels,
- reminding us to look to the right when crossing the street in London and look left everywhere else,
- warning us about the bracelet bandits,
- finding great gelaterias,
- helping us to cross the roads safely in Rome, which was no mean feat, don't leave gaps!
- making fun of the way some of us say herbs . . . so now you need to watch My Fair Lady!
I'm sure everyone will remind me of more.
Thank you to everyone for your cooperation, smiles, promptness, enthusiasm, and . . .
Thank you to our drivers: Ali in Paris and Danilo in Italy.
Thank you to our friendly hotel staffs at Hotel de Bepe in Venice and at Hotel Cordova in Florence.
Thank you Tom for:
- making travel in Europe easier,
- helping us Mind the Gap in London, ensuring that we didn't get lost in the Tube, keeping right except to pass on the escalators,
- sharing bathroom euphemisms: spend a penny, see a man about a dog, pluck a rose (or maybe a small bouquet), use the WC, go to the loo, go to the potty, use the facilities
- helping us to find Westminster Cathedral and be on time for Mass,
- sharing your delightful vocabulary,
- singing snippets of operas,
- waxing poetic over all things Italian, even strange victuels,
- reminding us to look to the right when crossing the street in London and look left everywhere else,
- warning us about the bracelet bandits,
- finding great gelaterias,
- helping us to cross the roads safely in Rome, which was no mean feat, don't leave gaps!
- making fun of the way some of us say herbs . . . so now you need to watch My Fair Lady!
I'm sure everyone will remind me of more.
Thank you to everyone for your cooperation, smiles, promptness, enthusiasm, and . . .
Are those beans or pajata?
Our last dinner in Europe was at a small trattoria that specializes in local dishes. We had been talking for days about a dish we imagined was a figment of Tom's fertile imagination; a pasta dish called pajata. When Mr. Bittante asked the server if she had ever heard of pajata, she described it and then, as a joke on us, changed Mr. Bittante's, Ms. Calendino's and Mr. Risi's dinners to pajata. So, I imagine you are wondering what exactly this is. When a suckling veal calf is butchered, they remove the intestine and cook it with the contents intact. The milk cooks like a soft sweet ricotta cheese forming the basis of the pasta sauce. Hmmm . . . When the three plates arrived, Ms. Calendino thought it was regular penne with a few beans but NO! Tom, Mr. Bittante, Erick and Brendan shared these 'wonderful' dishes while the rest of us had a quick taste - it's not quite as bad as liver! If you hear us say "It's better than a plate of pajata." you will know what we mean.
Danilo drove us back to our hotel and we bit him a fond farewell. He made our visit to Italy much easier and we were very thankful for his help!
We have just finished room checks and most people have finished packing for tomorrow. We will leave the hotel around 9:30 giving us plenty of time for our 1:30 flight.
Danilo drove us back to our hotel and we bit him a fond farewell. He made our visit to Italy much easier and we were very thankful for his help!
We have just finished room checks and most people have finished packing for tomorrow. We will leave the hotel around 9:30 giving us plenty of time for our 1:30 flight.
St. Peter's Basilica
We went from the Sistene Chapel to the doors of St. Peter's and visited the Pieta (Michelangelo used his Mother's face as the model for Mary), the statue of St. Peter which aha been kissed so many times that his toes have disappeared, the Pope's altar, the dove window, the 5 foot high letters on the wall, the mosaics and finally we had some free time and we decided, as a group, that we would like to see John Paul II's tomb. Cristina accompanied us to the crypt and identified most of the tombs. Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II have very simple plain tombs. Pope John XXIII is considered to be an incorruptible and his glass tomb is the basilica.
No trip to the Vatican would be complete without a visit to the Vatican store. Many crosses, rosaries, and medals made the trip across the square to be blessed by the Pope!
We left the Vatican by way of Castelangelo and the bridge across the Tiber. We walked from there to the Pantheon. It was an ancient temple converted to a Catholic church. The central oculus is the only source of light in the church and, although the church looks huge from the outside, it actually has a fairly small interior. Then we had a few minutes for those last items that we so desperately need before we headed off for our last supper in Europe.
We visited the Pantheon, one of the oldest complete Roman sites. It evolved from a Roman temple to a Catholic Church in the 600s. Raffaele, Victor Emmanuel and other royals are bured in the church. The Pantheon is located on the Piazza della Rotunda and we walked from there to the Piazza Navona which is eliptical in shape as it mirrors the putline of an ancient track. Then we did our last Tom tag-a-long back to the coach.
No trip to the Vatican would be complete without a visit to the Vatican store. Many crosses, rosaries, and medals made the trip across the square to be blessed by the Pope!
We left the Vatican by way of Castelangelo and the bridge across the Tiber. We walked from there to the Pantheon. It was an ancient temple converted to a Catholic church. The central oculus is the only source of light in the church and, although the church looks huge from the outside, it actually has a fairly small interior. Then we had a few minutes for those last items that we so desperately need before we headed off for our last supper in Europe.
We visited the Pantheon, one of the oldest complete Roman sites. It evolved from a Roman temple to a Catholic Church in the 600s. Raffaele, Victor Emmanuel and other royals are bured in the church. The Pantheon is located on the Piazza della Rotunda and we walked from there to the Piazza Navona which is eliptical in shape as it mirrors the putline of an ancient track. Then we did our last Tom tag-a-long back to the coach.
Vatican City
We arrived in Vatican City just before lunch for our appointment at the Vatican Museum. The year 2000 renovations to the Vatican included a new entrance to the museum, a new staircase, new restaurants and cafeterias AND new bathrooms! We had an hour for lunch before we started our tour with Cristina. We walked through an exhibit of Roman sculpture, another of tromp l'oiel paintings, tapestry Bible scenes, very old maps of Italy and eventually ended up in the Sistene Chapel. Cristina did an excellent job of describing the process of painting the chapel. Since the main focus is on the altar, Michelangelo started at the back and worked towards the piece de resistance at the front. She told us that Michelangelo caused quite a stir when he painted 'God creating man' since no one had ever dared to represent God in the form of a man. She showed us his signature on the ceiling in the form of self-portrait in one of the vignettes. Contrary to popular belief, Michelangelo did not lie on his back when he painted the ceiling. There was a gap between the painting of the ceiling and the wall behind that altar. He painted the 'Last Judgement' as a much older man. He was influenced by Dante in his portrayal of Heaven, Pergatory and Hell. One of the Cardinals in the Vatican had been very insulting about the quality of his painting so the cardinal is presented as one of the gatekeepers of Hell. Sometimes the guards in the Sistene Chapel turn a blind eye to stealth camera action but today we had Mr. Grumpy Guts who spend his time looking foul, shushing and keeping an eye open for any subtle camera moves. I dis see some students manage a quick photo but don't tell Mr. GG!
Rome: the Coliseum and the Forum
Breakfast was a challenge this morning. We arrived in the breakfast room at the same time as hoards of Italian tourists. There seems to be no such thing as a queue; jump in when and where you want! But the early morning wake up call and the challenges of breakfast were worth the effort in order to be at the coliseum well before the crowds. In fact, the coliseum was almost empty when we arrived. Our local guide Cristina explained things is detail. Did you know that spectators in the coliseum used tickets made of wood, that there tickets had section numbers that corresponded to the numbers on the doors, people had seasons tickets, it was covered in light colored marble, there were statues in the arches, there were three walls, and the statues were painted bright colours? Neither did I! There used to be a retractable canvas roof that was hoisted to different heights by professional sailors - maybe we can get BC Place to look into the possibility. The 'back stage' was actually under the surface of the coliseum and currently it is exposed but the group who manages the facility is covering up one end with a cement and wood platform to show how it looked years ago.
We walked to the Forum and found that the original sites are now two or three stories below our current gowned level. Archiologists have excavated swaths of 2000 year old artifacts. Ten years ago they began digging up a bus loop to find more ruins. We saw the altar of Ceasar where Julius Ceasar was cremated after that incident on the Ides of March, the Senate, the home of the vestal virgins whose job it was to keep the fire burning in Rome, and much, much more!
Just when we thought our brains were full, Danilo brought the coach back and we made our way to Vatican City.
We walked to the Forum and found that the original sites are now two or three stories below our current gowned level. Archiologists have excavated swaths of 2000 year old artifacts. Ten years ago they began digging up a bus loop to find more ruins. We saw the altar of Ceasar where Julius Ceasar was cremated after that incident on the Ides of March, the Senate, the home of the vestal virgins whose job it was to keep the fire burning in Rome, and much, much more!
Just when we thought our brains were full, Danilo brought the coach back and we made our way to Vatican City.
Monday, 28 March 2011
Florence, Assissi and Rome
On the way back from dinner Sunday evening it started to rain. Monday morning saw a trail of Holy Cross students walking their luggage down the street to the coach through the pouring rain. It was the first rain since our arrival at Heathrow.
We made a slight diversion on our way to Rome; why stop for lunch at an Auto Grille when we could go to Assissi, one of the top pilgrimage sites in Europe? We had contacted Mr. Blesch about the change and he thought the extra permits and gas charges were worth it.
I should mention that Assissi is a hill town so we arrived in Assissi through the lower part of the village and walked (climbed) up our personal Grouse Grind to the lower church. There are two churches in the monastry built one upon the other. The lower, older church contains the entrance to St. Francesco's tomb but unfortunately it was closed due to 'emergency repairs'. The lower church is a little somber and it is covered with beautiful frescos - no cameras permitted. A stairway leads outside to the cloisters and then a few more stairs lead to the upper, newer church. It is ironic that a man who embraced simplicity would be honored with two enormous churches. I suppose the simplicity is reflected in the lack of gold and large windows.
The frescos in the upper church were done by Giotto. He represents a turning point in art as he showed depth and perspective in his paintings. The frescos follow the life of St. Francis starting with his early acts of charity, his conversion, death and ended with his miracles. I think all our students were impressed and pleased that we changed our plans slightly. We then had a rather lovely lunch together that included things like truffle bruschetta, stuffed gnocchi, pesto gnocchi, delicious pizzas and more. As we walked through the upper gate to the village, the rain stopped bucketing and we had a smooth ride to Rome.
Danilo drove us to the Trevi fountain in northern Rome and we had the opportunity to toss one, two or three coins in. We went to the Spanish Steps before heading to the Rouge et Noir Hotel.
We made a slight diversion on our way to Rome; why stop for lunch at an Auto Grille when we could go to Assissi, one of the top pilgrimage sites in Europe? We had contacted Mr. Blesch about the change and he thought the extra permits and gas charges were worth it.
I should mention that Assissi is a hill town so we arrived in Assissi through the lower part of the village and walked (climbed) up our personal Grouse Grind to the lower church. There are two churches in the monastry built one upon the other. The lower, older church contains the entrance to St. Francesco's tomb but unfortunately it was closed due to 'emergency repairs'. The lower church is a little somber and it is covered with beautiful frescos - no cameras permitted. A stairway leads outside to the cloisters and then a few more stairs lead to the upper, newer church. It is ironic that a man who embraced simplicity would be honored with two enormous churches. I suppose the simplicity is reflected in the lack of gold and large windows.
The frescos in the upper church were done by Giotto. He represents a turning point in art as he showed depth and perspective in his paintings. The frescos follow the life of St. Francis starting with his early acts of charity, his conversion, death and ended with his miracles. I think all our students were impressed and pleased that we changed our plans slightly. We then had a rather lovely lunch together that included things like truffle bruschetta, stuffed gnocchi, pesto gnocchi, delicious pizzas and more. As we walked through the upper gate to the village, the rain stopped bucketing and we had a smooth ride to Rome.
Danilo drove us to the Trevi fountain in northern Rome and we had the opportunity to toss one, two or three coins in. We went to the Spanish Steps before heading to the Rouge et Noir Hotel.
Florence (Firenze)
The symbol for the Medici family is a red fleur-de-lis; a flower and hence the name Florence. We met our guide bright and early Sunday morning while only the street cleaners were out and about. Later on in the day we were extremely grateful that we were able to see Florence without the throngs of people. Our guide Nicco started our tour at the Palazza Vecchio, the centre of the Medici government before they developed the Uffici and moved across the Arno River to the Pitti Palace. He showed us the copy of Michelangelo's David which is located on the spot where the real statue stood. The original is in the Academia but the copy is almost identical - same size, same shape, same marble, same spot.
We walked through the narrow streets to the Duomo and looked at the architecture of the Duomo and the baptistry. The baptistry originally had beautiful doors that were divided into 8 panels showing Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Isaac in brass plated with gold. In the 1960s the doors were taken off to be repaired and the powers that be (were?) decided to make copies. Again the copies are magnificent and the originals are in the Duomo museum. The church itself has decorations around the outside including the red fleur-de-lis. From there we walked to the church of Santa Croce- Holy Cross!!! We saw the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffici and more before meeting Tom for a tour of a leather factory.
We had free time for lunch and shopping. Some of us crossed the river to see where Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived and died, the Church of the Holy Spirit with it's wonderful Michelangelo crucifix and had a great lunch in a small cafe.
I almost forgot, last night we went to hear "Carmen" presented in the English Church. It was amazing how many songs the students actually knew. Perhaps that is due to the number of times cartoon shows, like Bugs Bunny, used the music. The setting was interesting: a French opera (Bizet), set in Spain, performed in an English church in an Italian city. Unfortunately the singer playing Carmen was a little long in the tooth and could have used a more flattering costume!
After our shopping spree, we returned to the hotel, dressed up and went to Santa Croce for the 6:00 mass. Even though we rushed, we arrived 5 minutes late. The mass was in Italian but we followed along easily. The front of the church was being renovated and there seemed to be little heat. On Saturday night the clocks sprang forward so maybe they turn off the heat in the spring!!
We had dinner near the Duomo and Tom (and Explorica) paid for ice cream from the most best gelateria in Florence. It was a nice ending to a long day.
We walked through the narrow streets to the Duomo and looked at the architecture of the Duomo and the baptistry. The baptistry originally had beautiful doors that were divided into 8 panels showing Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Isaac in brass plated with gold. In the 1960s the doors were taken off to be repaired and the powers that be (were?) decided to make copies. Again the copies are magnificent and the originals are in the Duomo museum. The church itself has decorations around the outside including the red fleur-de-lis. From there we walked to the church of Santa Croce- Holy Cross!!! We saw the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffici and more before meeting Tom for a tour of a leather factory.
We had free time for lunch and shopping. Some of us crossed the river to see where Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived and died, the Church of the Holy Spirit with it's wonderful Michelangelo crucifix and had a great lunch in a small cafe.
I almost forgot, last night we went to hear "Carmen" presented in the English Church. It was amazing how many songs the students actually knew. Perhaps that is due to the number of times cartoon shows, like Bugs Bunny, used the music. The setting was interesting: a French opera (Bizet), set in Spain, performed in an English church in an Italian city. Unfortunately the singer playing Carmen was a little long in the tooth and could have used a more flattering costume!
After our shopping spree, we returned to the hotel, dressed up and went to Santa Croce for the 6:00 mass. Even though we rushed, we arrived 5 minutes late. The mass was in Italian but we followed along easily. The front of the church was being renovated and there seemed to be little heat. On Saturday night the clocks sprang forward so maybe they turn off the heat in the spring!!
We had dinner near the Duomo and Tom (and Explorica) paid for ice cream from the most best gelateria in Florence. It was a nice ending to a long day.
More Pisa to Rome
So . . . More about Pisa. We saw the other Pisano's pulpit in the basilica. I know that they are father and son and that one is Giovanni and one is Niccolo but, which is which? The pulpit in the basilica has 8 pillars, four of which are made from different types of marble from various places in Tuscany. There are two lions: one over a horse representing domination and the other over an antelope representing the passion, but don't quote me on this!
Finally we went over to the bell tower - the leaning tower. Our guide Ricardo told us about all the attempts made to straighten it and that all had failed or made it worse. The bottom line is that the tower is too heavy for its small base and the poor soil.
We headed off to Firenze (Florence) and the Hotel Cordova and quickly checked in and deposited our suitcases before heading out again. The hotel has one tiny elevator and the lobby is on the third floor so we had a bit of a struggle getting all the suitcases up the stairs. The hotel may be old and a bit primitive but it is only a 20 minute walk from the Duomo and the centre of the old town. We had dinner in town and then returned 'home' for the evening.
Finally we went over to the bell tower - the leaning tower. Our guide Ricardo told us about all the attempts made to straighten it and that all had failed or made it worse. The bottom line is that the tower is too heavy for its small base and the poor soil.
We headed off to Firenze (Florence) and the Hotel Cordova and quickly checked in and deposited our suitcases before heading out again. The hotel has one tiny elevator and the lobby is on the third floor so we had a bit of a struggle getting all the suitcases up the stairs. The hotel may be old and a bit primitive but it is only a 20 minute walk from the Duomo and the centre of the old town. We had dinner in town and then returned 'home' for the evening.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Venice to Pisa to Florence
We had a long drive from Venice to Pisa but nutella spread and two auto grille stops sustained us. When we arrived in Piza we were again surrounded by the "Hi Lady" persistent vendors and some incredibly obvious gypsy women. They do distract from the beauty of the place, but . . .
Can you imagine Stanley Park with 'vendors' approaching every person getting out of a car or bus with handfuls of Lion's Gate Bridge trinkets and fake totem poles? OK, enough of my rant.
We started our tour with our local guide Ricardo. Our first stop was the baptistry. In the early days of the church, people could not enter the church without being baptized; they could not even enter the church to be baptized! The baptismal font was in a separate building. Originally this building had an open top, or oculus, that permitted rain water to fall through the roof into the font. After seveal years, the people realized that with a good rain, the baptistry flooded and they got good things like Mosquitoes populating the place. They filled in the hole and placed a statue of St. John the Baptist on top and, lo and behold, the whole baptistry turned into an echo chamber! Inside the baptistry there is a wonderful pulpit designed by Niccolo Pisano (or his Papa) with 7 pillars and 3 lions. The pillars represent all those 7s we read Bout in the Bible and the Lions represent the Holy Trinity.
We walked from there to the basilica and saw another pulpit; this one designed by the other Pisano. I will have to lookmupmthe details.
More later . . . We are loading the coach for Rome!
Can you imagine Stanley Park with 'vendors' approaching every person getting out of a car or bus with handfuls of Lion's Gate Bridge trinkets and fake totem poles? OK, enough of my rant.
We started our tour with our local guide Ricardo. Our first stop was the baptistry. In the early days of the church, people could not enter the church without being baptized; they could not even enter the church to be baptized! The baptismal font was in a separate building. Originally this building had an open top, or oculus, that permitted rain water to fall through the roof into the font. After seveal years, the people realized that with a good rain, the baptistry flooded and they got good things like Mosquitoes populating the place. They filled in the hole and placed a statue of St. John the Baptist on top and, lo and behold, the whole baptistry turned into an echo chamber! Inside the baptistry there is a wonderful pulpit designed by Niccolo Pisano (or his Papa) with 7 pillars and 3 lions. The pillars represent all those 7s we read Bout in the Bible and the Lions represent the Holy Trinity.
We walked from there to the basilica and saw another pulpit; this one designed by the other Pisano. I will have to lookmupmthe details.
More later . . . We are loading the coach for Rome!
Venice, encore
Our hotel was in the Lido de Jesoli - Hotel de Bepe. On our way in, someone bumped a corner and a tile fell off but we apologized and offered to pay, the proprietor quickly told us that it would be easy to fix and not to worry. Dinner was served in the hotel: the 1st plate was pasta (lasagna) and the 2nd was prk, fries and green beans.
We continued to use our door opening passwords (Snooky and Grenades) even though we were the only ones in the hotel. The owners were very friendly and they tried to help us figure out the ingredients of 'pasta pajama'. We thought this dish was a figment of Tom's imagination but it seems that some people near Rome actually do eat the entrails from a suckling calf and claim that the half-digested milk in them tastes like a sweet ricotta. Hmmmm?!
We continued to use our door opening passwords (Snooky and Grenades) even though we were the only ones in the hotel. The owners were very friendly and they tried to help us figure out the ingredients of 'pasta pajama'. We thought this dish was a figment of Tom's imagination but it seems that some people near Rome actually do eat the entrails from a suckling calf and claim that the half-digested milk in them tastes like a sweet ricotta. Hmmmm?!
Venice
Venice - we arrived at 9:30 am after an uneventful night on the train.most of the students slept well but I can't say as much for the teachers. The train car, with 49 of us and others, had two toilets and two small rooms with sinks, so needless to say, we were not the best groomed group to arrive at the embarcadero that morning. We met our new driver, Danilo, who will be with us until we leave Rome.
Everywhere we have been there have been vendors and most of their wares have been tatty to say the least. Venice was no exception with the displays of unusual underwear.
We had a boat reserved for our ride to Venice by way of Murano. Our first stop was a glass factory and it was a real factory. We watched while three artisans worked on the project for the day - Murano glass bulls. The factory shop had wonderful displays of vases, chandeliers, and beautiful trays of jewellery. We resisted the big pieces but the small ones found their way into our suitcases!
The boat took us to Venice, docking near the Piazzo San Marco. The students had free time to find lunch and a gelato before our 2:00 tour of the Doge's Palace. The Doge was an elected official who governed the city state. The rooms we saw were mainly official meeting rooms but they were opulent. We crossed the Bridge of Sighs and then had the opportunity to explore and look for more "Gallant sun glasses", Italia jackets, masks, jewelly, ferrari stuff, postcards and more gelati!
We returned by boat to the Lido de Jesoli.
Everywhere we have been there have been vendors and most of their wares have been tatty to say the least. Venice was no exception with the displays of unusual underwear.
We had a boat reserved for our ride to Venice by way of Murano. Our first stop was a glass factory and it was a real factory. We watched while three artisans worked on the project for the day - Murano glass bulls. The factory shop had wonderful displays of vases, chandeliers, and beautiful trays of jewellery. We resisted the big pieces but the small ones found their way into our suitcases!
The boat took us to Venice, docking near the Piazzo San Marco. The students had free time to find lunch and a gelato before our 2:00 tour of the Doge's Palace. The Doge was an elected official who governed the city state. The rooms we saw were mainly official meeting rooms but they were opulent. We crossed the Bridge of Sighs and then had the opportunity to explore and look for more "Gallant sun glasses", Italia jackets, masks, jewelly, ferrari stuff, postcards and more gelati!
We returned by boat to the Lido de Jesoli.
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Paris to Venice to Pisa to Firenze
Finally, we have wireless Internet! I will try to catch up.
For our last day in Paris, we were up at 8:00, loading our valises into the baggage room and then off on the Metro to the Louvre. When we arrived, the hoards were still absent and we had time to gather and find our way in. Students under 18 are free but they have to show the if passports. We told them to enter in groups of four so that we would not have the hassle of touring in 'lockstep' but some of the security people wanted them with teacher. Why? Who knows. Eventually, after experiencing French bureaucracy, they all had the chance to see the Mona Lisa, 'Winged Victory', David's painting of Napoleon's coronation, the Venus de Milo, the Wedding Feast at Cana,by Veronaise, and St. Michel defeating the devil. The patisserie under the pyramid is pretty good too!
We took the Metro to the Abbesse station and the an elevator (it held 50 people) up to Montmartre and THEN we had to climb nearly 200 steps up to the basilica of Sacre Coeur. We had lunch in an art deco, cafe just off the Place de Tertre. The square is filled with artisans, both good and bad, plus cafes and souvenir shops. We had a chance to tour the basilica but unfortunately, the walkway up, and around the outside was closed. After several enjoyable
hours, we returned to the hotel by way of the Auchon supermarche to stock up on food and water
for our overnight train to Venice.
The train cars are called couchettes and the seats fold down to make 6 beds. Try to imagine 6 people, 6 suitcases, 6 carry-ons and bags of food in closet the size of a bathroom, and not a palatial bathroom. The trip was 13 hours long and relatively uneventful people rolling off their bunks and rather warm cabins. Everyone learned how to lock the doors and answer our ridiculous knocks with silly passwords before letting the teachers into the couchettes. M
We are off for a walking tour of Florence - Firenze. More to come!
For our last day in Paris, we were up at 8:00, loading our valises into the baggage room and then off on the Metro to the Louvre. When we arrived, the hoards were still absent and we had time to gather and find our way in. Students under 18 are free but they have to show the if passports. We told them to enter in groups of four so that we would not have the hassle of touring in 'lockstep' but some of the security people wanted them with teacher. Why? Who knows. Eventually, after experiencing French bureaucracy, they all had the chance to see the Mona Lisa, 'Winged Victory', David's painting of Napoleon's coronation, the Venus de Milo, the Wedding Feast at Cana,by Veronaise, and St. Michel defeating the devil. The patisserie under the pyramid is pretty good too!
We took the Metro to the Abbesse station and the an elevator (it held 50 people) up to Montmartre and THEN we had to climb nearly 200 steps up to the basilica of Sacre Coeur. We had lunch in an art deco, cafe just off the Place de Tertre. The square is filled with artisans, both good and bad, plus cafes and souvenir shops. We had a chance to tour the basilica but unfortunately, the walkway up, and around the outside was closed. After several enjoyable
hours, we returned to the hotel by way of the Auchon supermarche to stock up on food and water
for our overnight train to Venice.
The train cars are called couchettes and the seats fold down to make 6 beds. Try to imagine 6 people, 6 suitcases, 6 carry-ons and bags of food in closet the size of a bathroom, and not a palatial bathroom. The trip was 13 hours long and relatively uneventful people rolling off their bunks and rather warm cabins. Everyone learned how to lock the doors and answer our ridiculous knocks with silly passwords before letting the teachers into the couchettes. M
We are off for a walking tour of Florence - Firenze. More to come!
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Vimy Ridge and the Tour Eiffel
What could be more different than Vimy Ridge and the Tour Eiffel?
We headed out around 8:00 for a two to two and a half hour drive from Paris to Vimy Ridge in Normandy. We drove through lovely farm land, a small town and then saw the signs for the Canadian Monument. Our first stop was for a tour of the trenches, bunkers, tunnels and observation posts. We decended under ground into the tunnels that were carved into the chalky rock. The Canadian Army used real miners to dig through the rock which seems to have been advantageous compared to the German trenches that appeared to be mere metres away. They were quite intact, except that the wooden supports and the sandbags were replaced with cement when the site became a monument. Even though the tunnels are not that deep, the change in pressure From the tunnels to the surface is enough to make one feel weak when returning to ground level. The areas around the trenches are protected with electric fences, thus protecting us from possible unexploded mortars. The surface is pitted with craters from mortars, shells and mines. Some of the craters were the result of sappers digging underneath a German tunnel and then blowing it up.
We walked a very short distance to the German side before walking up the hill to the highest point in the area - Vimy Ridge. As we walked towards it we could see the two spires of the monument reaching up to the heavens. The monument was built in the 1930s to commemorate the
dead. It focuses on the sorrow associated with war rather than celebrating a victory. On the far side there is a statue of a woman, representing Canada, holding a laurel branch down by her side and looking down on a tomb. It was incredibly moving. All around the white marble monument, the names of the men missing and presumed dead are carved. It is said that Hitler was in the area near Vimy Ridge during WWI and that he returned during WWII. Since the monument focuses on the sorrow of so many lives lost and not on the victory over the Germans, he left it intact.
We walked over to a Commonwealth cemetery. All the these cemeteries were designed the same way with identical white marble graves stones for everyone from privates to majors. If they new the regiment, it's crest was carved into the stone. Most of the graves stones had the phrase "known only unto God" and unfortunately there were 6000 of them.
We returned to Paris, stopping a rest stop for lunch. We arrived back in Paris around 4:00 and thought it would be brilliant to visit the Fragonard Perfume Museum. The free visit cost some of us some money as we could not resist the perfumes. We had rotisserie chicken for dinner and then our faithful driver Ali drove us to the Eiffel Tour. Can you believe it, it took us as long to wait in the queue for the Eiffel Tour as it did to drive to Vimy Ridge? Anyway, it was a lovely night and we got back to the hotel around 11:30.
Tomorrow: the Louvre, Montmartre and the night train to Venice.
We may not be able to post tomorrow. It will depend on Internet access.
We headed out around 8:00 for a two to two and a half hour drive from Paris to Vimy Ridge in Normandy. We drove through lovely farm land, a small town and then saw the signs for the Canadian Monument. Our first stop was for a tour of the trenches, bunkers, tunnels and observation posts. We decended under ground into the tunnels that were carved into the chalky rock. The Canadian Army used real miners to dig through the rock which seems to have been advantageous compared to the German trenches that appeared to be mere metres away. They were quite intact, except that the wooden supports and the sandbags were replaced with cement when the site became a monument. Even though the tunnels are not that deep, the change in pressure From the tunnels to the surface is enough to make one feel weak when returning to ground level. The areas around the trenches are protected with electric fences, thus protecting us from possible unexploded mortars. The surface is pitted with craters from mortars, shells and mines. Some of the craters were the result of sappers digging underneath a German tunnel and then blowing it up.
We walked a very short distance to the German side before walking up the hill to the highest point in the area - Vimy Ridge. As we walked towards it we could see the two spires of the monument reaching up to the heavens. The monument was built in the 1930s to commemorate the
dead. It focuses on the sorrow associated with war rather than celebrating a victory. On the far side there is a statue of a woman, representing Canada, holding a laurel branch down by her side and looking down on a tomb. It was incredibly moving. All around the white marble monument, the names of the men missing and presumed dead are carved. It is said that Hitler was in the area near Vimy Ridge during WWI and that he returned during WWII. Since the monument focuses on the sorrow of so many lives lost and not on the victory over the Germans, he left it intact.
We walked over to a Commonwealth cemetery. All the these cemeteries were designed the same way with identical white marble graves stones for everyone from privates to majors. If they new the regiment, it's crest was carved into the stone. Most of the graves stones had the phrase "known only unto God" and unfortunately there were 6000 of them.
We returned to Paris, stopping a rest stop for lunch. We arrived back in Paris around 4:00 and thought it would be brilliant to visit the Fragonard Perfume Museum. The free visit cost some of us some money as we could not resist the perfumes. We had rotisserie chicken for dinner and then our faithful driver Ali drove us to the Eiffel Tour. Can you believe it, it took us as long to wait in the queue for the Eiffel Tour as it did to drive to Vimy Ridge? Anyway, it was a lovely night and we got back to the hotel around 11:30.
Tomorrow: the Louvre, Montmartre and the night train to Venice.
We may not be able to post tomorrow. It will depend on Internet access.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
So Where did we go today? Right . . .
We started off our first whole day in Paris with a coach tour with our local guide Jenny.We met her at the new opera house which, by the way, was designed by a Canadian architect. It is located at the site of the Bastille. Jenny called it one of the most famous buildings that does not exist. When the revolutionaries stormed the Bastille it was already falling down and housed about a dozen prisoners. We drove through the Marais which is now one of Paris' posh districts even though it used to be the marsh. We passed by the Hotel de Ville (City Hall for all the arrondissements of Paris), Notre Dame, the Palais du Justice, Opera Garnier, Boulevard St. Michel, Blvd. St. Germaine, the Pantheon, the Sorbonne, the Hotel Dieu (hospital), the Conciergerie ( the prison that held Marie Antoinette), the Place de la Concorde wher Marie and Louis lost their heads, the Orangerie (home of Monet's Water Lily series), the Musee D'Orsay, the Louvre, the Elysee Palace (home of the French president), the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais, the Arc de Triomphe, and more. We stopped in order to go through the the Hotel des Invalides - a former facility for retired army which is now a museum that houses military artifacts but is better known for it's golden dome and the five layer sarcophagus that contains Napoleon Bonaparte's remains.
We drove out of Paris by way of the Bois de Bolougne on our way to Versaille. It was the home of most of the French aristocracy and it's last royal occupants were Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. While one group walked around the extensive ( what an understatement) gardens with it's numerous fountains, man-made lake and grand canal, the other group toured the palace. In the gardens, On one side of the Grand Canal is 'le petit hamault' a psuedo village constructed to keep Marie Antoinette amused. The tour of the palace was overwhelming. The opulence was unbelievable. Some outstanding features included the Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versaille was sighned at the end of WWI. It's mirrors were the first to be produced in France and they reflected the light from dozens of enormous chandeliers. The other highlight was Marie Antoinette's bedroom which actually contains the original embroidered silk bedspread. Our guide informed us that in those days royal births were very public. I suppose this was to ensure the whole country knew the parentage of royal offspring.
We returned to Paris and stopped at the Trocadero to take photos of the Tour Eiffel. Of course we also had to take many group photos. Finally our driver Ali dropped us off near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysee and we had free time until dinner. The Swarovski store had crystals embedded in their stairs, the Sephora store was huge, the Gap store had cute Paris t-shirts, and the Mercedes Benz store was there. We met for dinner by the Disney store and afterwards walked down near the Seine to get a bateau mouche for a short cruise on the river. We continued our tour of the Parisienne Metro system and got back to the hotel around 10:30.
Tomorrow- Vimy Ridge and the Tour Eiffel.
Bon nuit!
We drove out of Paris by way of the Bois de Bolougne on our way to Versaille. It was the home of most of the French aristocracy and it's last royal occupants were Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. While one group walked around the extensive ( what an understatement) gardens with it's numerous fountains, man-made lake and grand canal, the other group toured the palace. In the gardens, On one side of the Grand Canal is 'le petit hamault' a psuedo village constructed to keep Marie Antoinette amused. The tour of the palace was overwhelming. The opulence was unbelievable. Some outstanding features included the Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versaille was sighned at the end of WWI. It's mirrors were the first to be produced in France and they reflected the light from dozens of enormous chandeliers. The other highlight was Marie Antoinette's bedroom which actually contains the original embroidered silk bedspread. Our guide informed us that in those days royal births were very public. I suppose this was to ensure the whole country knew the parentage of royal offspring.
We returned to Paris and stopped at the Trocadero to take photos of the Tour Eiffel. Of course we also had to take many group photos. Finally our driver Ali dropped us off near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysee and we had free time until dinner. The Swarovski store had crystals embedded in their stairs, the Sephora store was huge, the Gap store had cute Paris t-shirts, and the Mercedes Benz store was there. We met for dinner by the Disney store and afterwards walked down near the Seine to get a bateau mouche for a short cruise on the river. We continued our tour of the Parisienne Metro system and got back to the hotel around 10:30.
Tomorrow- Vimy Ridge and the Tour Eiffel.
Bon nuit!
The Eiffel tower
Our first clear view of the tower from the Trocadero.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, 21 March 2011
Notre Dame de Paris
In front of one of Paris' most famous landmarks, at sunset.
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Opera Garnier
Ceiling of the opera, where The Phantom of the Opera is set.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Eurostar to Paris!
Once again we were up at the crack of dawn! We had breakfast at the hotel and boarded the coach BEFORE 7:00! We had to be at St. Pancras Station by 9:00 in order to check in, go through security and get our luggage on board, which we did with time to spare. We had almost a whole train car to ourselves - pity the poor 'outsiders.' Mr. Bittante kept many people amused with a rousing game of 'Mafia' and quite frankly, I didn't even notice when we went under La Manche. Suddenly there was French countryside and announcements that we would be arriving in Paris shortly.
A coach picked us up outside the Gare du Nord and delivered us to the Hotel Mercure Val du Fontenay which is located just outside of Paris proper. It took less than an hour for us to go into central Paris arriving at Opera Station an hour before our scheduled tour time. This gave us a few minutes to check out the wonderful department store Galeries Lafayette.at 4:00 we started our tour of Opera Garnier which is the old opera house and also the setting of Phantom of the Opera. it seems that some of the phantom story is true: the building lay empty for several years during the Franco-Prussian War and during that time there were squatters living in the basement ( there are five floors below the stage), there was flooding in the basement but not a lake, there was a problem with the chandelier but it was the counterweight that fell not the chandelier. It seems that for years, the opera companies kept a box (loge) empty for the phantom so that they did not annoy him. The interior was incredibly ornate with oodles of gold leaf and red velvet but the central ceiling that was replaced in the 1960s(?)seemed at a odds with everything else. The painting on the new ceiling was done by Marc Chagall.
We took the Metro to the Pont Neuf, which is actually around 1000 years old, walked to Notre Dame, admired the sun setting behind the Tour Eiffel and had dinner on the rive guache (left bank)before returning to Val de Fontenay for a relatively early evening.
Tomorrow: a coach tour of Paris, a visit to Versaille, a ride in a bateau mouche on the River Seine . . .
A coach picked us up outside the Gare du Nord and delivered us to the Hotel Mercure Val du Fontenay which is located just outside of Paris proper. It took less than an hour for us to go into central Paris arriving at Opera Station an hour before our scheduled tour time. This gave us a few minutes to check out the wonderful department store Galeries Lafayette.at 4:00 we started our tour of Opera Garnier which is the old opera house and also the setting of Phantom of the Opera. it seems that some of the phantom story is true: the building lay empty for several years during the Franco-Prussian War and during that time there were squatters living in the basement ( there are five floors below the stage), there was flooding in the basement but not a lake, there was a problem with the chandelier but it was the counterweight that fell not the chandelier. It seems that for years, the opera companies kept a box (loge) empty for the phantom so that they did not annoy him. The interior was incredibly ornate with oodles of gold leaf and red velvet but the central ceiling that was replaced in the 1960s(?)seemed at a odds with everything else. The painting on the new ceiling was done by Marc Chagall.
We took the Metro to the Pont Neuf, which is actually around 1000 years old, walked to Notre Dame, admired the sun setting behind the Tour Eiffel and had dinner on the rive guache (left bank)before returning to Val de Fontenay for a relatively early evening.
Tomorrow: a coach tour of Paris, a visit to Versaille, a ride in a bateau mouche on the River Seine . . .
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Tower of London, Crown Jewels and more.
we started our day off very early again! We took the tube to Victoria Station and walked to Westminster Cathedral in time for the 9:00 Mass. The cathedral is byzantine in style and has many lovely mosaics. The church was very nearly full but the priest took the time to welcome us and introduce Holy Cross to the congregation. He also asked everyone to pray for Tessa. There was no singing but we did feel at home when he asked to sit down while he made parish announcement!
We walked from Westminster past Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliametn, 10 Downing Street, the courts before arriving at Covent Garden for lunch and some free time. At 1:00 we headed back to the tube station and traveled to TowerHill for our guided tour of the Tour of London and the Crown Jewels. There is a moving walkway that a goes past the jewels so that no one can occupy the space in front for too long. We were at the Tower until 4:00 before 'tubing' to Temple for dinner. We finished our traditional English trilogy: Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash and finally Cottage Pie and Chips.
We ended our day with the Michael Jackson Show "Thriller." It is amazing that we can sleep through such a volume. The row in front of me nodded off and, I must confess, I missed several of the songs. We arrived back at the hotel at 11:15. Tomorrow is another early start - 5:30 wake-up call and then a coach ride to St. Pancras Station to catch the Channel train.
We walked from Westminster past Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliametn, 10 Downing Street, the courts before arriving at Covent Garden for lunch and some free time. At 1:00 we headed back to the tube station and traveled to TowerHill for our guided tour of the Tour of London and the Crown Jewels. There is a moving walkway that a goes past the jewels so that no one can occupy the space in front for too long. We were at the Tower until 4:00 before 'tubing' to Temple for dinner. We finished our traditional English trilogy: Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash and finally Cottage Pie and Chips.
We ended our day with the Michael Jackson Show "Thriller." It is amazing that we can sleep through such a volume. The row in front of me nodded off and, I must confess, I missed several of the songs. We arrived back at the hotel at 11:15. Tomorrow is another early start - 5:30 wake-up call and then a coach ride to St. Pancras Station to catch the Channel train.
Tower of London
Listening to a guide at the memorial for those executed at the tower.
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Saturday, 19 March 2011
Windsor Castle, London Eye and another busy day
We slept well, if briefly. After a decent breakfast we took the coach into London and met our local guide Mark. He showed use various sights around London including Gordon Ramsey's dock side restaurant, Richard Branson's digs, the tallest building in the UK (The Shard), and The Albert Memorial before we stopped at St. Paul's Cathedral and then walked towards Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards. Luckily, we had a beautiful day to stroll through the park, admire the daffodils and pansies, and watched hoards of people watching the guards!
Our guides took us to Windsor for a quick lunch and a tour of Windsor Castle. The Royal Standard was flying but the Queen did not come out to see us. Surely she heard we were visiting. We looked at Queen Mary's Dollhouse - actually a 1:12 scale model of a palace. We walked through the State Apartments and saw royal bedroom, royal wardrobe, royal dressing room, royal dining rooms . . . And finally St. George's Hall which burned during the Queen's "annus horribilus." It really was spectacular. Then we walked through St. George's Chapel to see many royal tombs. Oops, almost forget, we saw wonderful displays of armor including one of Henry VIII which definitely showed that he was a BIG man.
We met back in the coach park around 4:00 to head back in to London, had a few moments in Leicestershire Square before walking to Soho for bangers and mash for dinner. We rushed through Picadilly, Trafalgar Square and across the Thames in time for our scheduled flight on The London Eye. Finally, we caught the Northern Line at Waterloo Station, transferred to the Circle Line at Tottenham Court Station and headed back to Newbury Park.
We had another long busy day but no one was grouch! We met Mr. Risi at the restaurant after his long circuitous trip from Vancouver.
Tomorrow we will be up early and planning to attend the 9:00 Mass at Westminster Cathedral before going to the Tower of London.
Ciao.
Our guides took us to Windsor for a quick lunch and a tour of Windsor Castle. The Royal Standard was flying but the Queen did not come out to see us. Surely she heard we were visiting. We looked at Queen Mary's Dollhouse - actually a 1:12 scale model of a palace. We walked through the State Apartments and saw royal bedroom, royal wardrobe, royal dressing room, royal dining rooms . . . And finally St. George's Hall which burned during the Queen's "annus horribilus." It really was spectacular. Then we walked through St. George's Chapel to see many royal tombs. Oops, almost forget, we saw wonderful displays of armor including one of Henry VIII which definitely showed that he was a BIG man.
We met back in the coach park around 4:00 to head back in to London, had a few moments in Leicestershire Square before walking to Soho for bangers and mash for dinner. We rushed through Picadilly, Trafalgar Square and across the Thames in time for our scheduled flight on The London Eye. Finally, we caught the Northern Line at Waterloo Station, transferred to the Circle Line at Tottenham Court Station and headed back to Newbury Park.
We had another long busy day but no one was grouch! We met Mr. Risi at the restaurant after his long circuitous trip from Vancouver.
Tomorrow we will be up early and planning to attend the 9:00 Mass at Westminster Cathedral before going to the Tower of London.
Ciao.
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