Sisterhood, Party of Five for Pick Up?!?

This morning at 7:40, we were greeted outside our hotel by a full size Mercedes coach.  We thought watching tiny smart cars and Fiats negotiate these roads was wild?  Now try it in a gigantic bus!!

We saw an incredible amount of history today and learned a ton about Athens and Greece, listening to our sweet guide as we traveled between amazing sights like the Acropolis, Hadrian's Arch, the Olympic Stadium, Zeus' Palace, the Parthenon and the Plaka, a shopping and eating area at the heart of Athens, laying in the shadow of the Acropolis. 

Olympic Stadium

Hadrian's Arch

The Parthenon at the Acropolis

Temple of Zeus

Three things I learned today:

1 - the word PANIC has its roots right here in Athens. There were a few fierce battles between the Athenians and the Persians over control of Greece, and during one battle in particular the Athenians were losing miserably. There was a cave in the rocks above the battlefield and the Greek god Pan (half man, half horse) resided therein. He was a lesser god - the god of shepards and flocks - but he saw the Athenians struggling and descended from his cave. His appearance and actions startled the Persians and during the ensuing panic, the Athenians were able to overthrow them, securing their control.

2 - following this victory, the Athenians sent a messenger to share the news of the win with the city officials. The plains of Marathon, where the battle had occurred, were located 26 miles, or 42 kilometers, from the city stadium where people had gathered awaiting word. The messenger ran the entire distance, and following his announcement of victory, promptly collapsed and died from exhaustion.  Each year, all around the world, many races of the same length are run by millions of people trying to achieve personal victory. 

3 -  after learning that Athena was born out of her father's head, I've decided that the relationships between parent and child are all the same in their basic elements, no matter how powerful you are, where you live or what century it is.

Following a tryst that left him nervous about his lover becoming pregnant, Zeus promptly ate the woman whole.  It was too late though, as she was already expectant. Many months later, after forgetting about the whole thing, Zeus developed a horrific headache and eventually the pain became too much for him to bear.  His head was cleaved open and out emerged Athena, ready to battle her father over this horrid injustice. Zeus, however, quickly acquiesced and declared her his favorite daughter (naming her Athena for her great strength and wisdom) in order that there might be some peace. 

So, here's how I heard it ... Parent gets splitting headache caused by child. Child throws massive fit. Parent gives in so that they can get a little peace and quiet. Splitting headache dissipates. Is that about right??

It was another fabulous day but we're wiped and the ferry comes early tomorrow morning. 

And so, from the Sisterhood I say, "καληνύχτα". 

Good night. 

Ciao Italia! Yia sou, Greece!

On our last day in Italy we visited the colosseum and the Roman forum. As we walked toward the colosseum, we met a lovely Italian woman who explained to us the significance of the forum and many of the surrounding buildings. It was a friendly lesson in history - very cool, indeed.

The colosseum is an enormous monument and we basked in its stature and cooled in its shadows for quite some time before making our way back to our hotel district. We visited a local coffee shop and sampled some Italian soda. Or that's what we ordered at least!  What we received was a very expensive glass of tonic!  I kid you not - Schweppes Tonic over ice with a slice of lemon. The only thing missing was the gin!

We ended up picking up some cheap carryon bags as our shopping had gone beyond our packs. Too many damn Birkenstocks!  Hopefully the bags make it home in one piece!  We just need to get them through 3 flights!  Move over Birks - more room for olive oil!

We indulged in an al fresco ristorante for supper and enjoyed yet another tasty Italian wine. We had calamari and fried zucchini flowers (a local delicacy) and then sampled some Napolian pastas. A very nice last supper in Italy.

Today we flew from Rome to Athens. What a great flight!  Marjorie and I agree that there are some recommendations to be made after these first weeks:

1)  Home Away - the company through which we found our French apartment.  But more specifically, Decothentics, the actual apartments.  The place was perfectly suited to us, the location was fun and peaceful all in one and the people were fantastic. Riquewihr was a great place to stay and the girls were able to get out on their own in the town.

2)  Hotel Berna - the pensione we stayed at in Florence, Italy.  Amazing people, especially Emanuela, who was a sheer delight from start to finish, helping us get around, booking reservations for tours and sharing stories of her family and country. It felt like home and we would both recommend this place in a heartbeat.

3)  Aegean Airlines - service was superbe, from boarding to disembarking. Inflight service was excellent, seats were plenty roomy for a short hop flight (even though many write ups say to expect tiny spaces) and although Nichola was a touch under the weather, the flight was a piece of cake. She even came out of it feeling better. We might be a bit biased because they are a Star Aliance member, but for the 16 Euro more that we paid to travel with them, it was worth every cent!

The people of Athens have been very welcoming.  We are looking forward to a 5 hour tour tomorrow of the Ancient Athens highlights. It starts at 8:30 so as to beat as much of the midday heat as possible.  With temps up into the 40s, that's not a bad thing at all!  Whew, that's hot!!!

Just like the Sisterhood ... after a day in the Roman sun...

The Ketchup Post

There was once a mother tomato who had a baby tomato. They used to go walking a lot but the tiny tomato was very pokey.  He dawdled everywhere he went and soon fell far behind his mum. She would only allow him to fall about half a block behind before stomping her foot and shouting, "C'mon Silly!  Ketchup!!"

And after missing the blog for a couple of days, that is precisely what I intend to do.

July 17

What???  More walking???
Welcome to Italy, Folks!

This morning we hopped a bus to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, both vast and full of twisting paths. In the gardens, we were privy to both natural and man-made delights as we walked through the trees, bushes and flora, interspersed with statuary, fountains and sculptures, as well as a pond surrounded by shady benches and tiny lemon trees.  The Pitti Palace is now a museum of fashion and modern art. It was interesting to walk through the palace and compare it to the castles we had visited in Germany and France - here are the sweeping marble staircases. The clothing was quite a neat display of antique and modern haut couture.  Plus, they had really good air conditioners. :)

From the Pitti Palace, we walked around Florence and made our way to the Duomo, where we learned that you frequently cannot enter a church in Italy with bare knees or shoulders. We were allowed to view the chapel from the entry way but the girls and I could not enter the church to get an up close look. Marjorie and Nichola faired better, with Nichola donning a poncho to cover her shoulders. They spent some time admiring the features of the Duomo from the inside, while the girls and I checked out the outside views and meandered back to hotel.

July 18

On to Rome We Go!

After a painfully fast train ride between Florence and Rome, we checked in at our new place and headed out to explore the city. I say painfully fast because that is accurate to a T. The train was traveling so fast that our ears were popping the entire time!

We walked around, familiarizing ourselves with the streets (code for trying to read a map made to be used with a magnifying glass and translator) and found our way to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Both were incredibly popular (code for crowded beyond belief) and incredibly cool (no code required)!  The Trevi Fountain is not done justice in movies and media. It is enormous and the detail in the sculptures simply can't be captured by a camera. We tossed our coins, each hoping for one more trip to Rome.  It's proven to work for Marjorie and me, so we're hopeful for the girls too!  The Spanish Steps are a thing of legendary popularity and there was no doubting that when we finally found them. The girls played a little game of "Where's Waldo?" before we set out once more through the markets, piazzas, and tiny cobbled streets, to find our way home.

Trevi Fountain

Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti - The Spanish Steps

July 19

The Smallest Nation in the World

St. Peter's Basillica - Vatican City

Today we boarded the overstuffed subway and visited the Vatican - the world's smallest sovereign nation, with a population of fewer than 500 people. We toured the city, visited St. Peter's Square and the Basilica, (The Basilica is profound in both stature and beauty, presenting many more amazing artworks, including Michaelangelo's Pieta - so beautiful that words escape me) and witnessed the awe inspiring beauty of the Sistine Chapel.  It was truly amazing and both Marjorie and I were able to witness the restoration that has taken place since we had last visited.  The ceiling is without comment as no words can adequately convey the feeling you get looking up at the at the essentially horizontal 134 x 43 feet of ceiling that became a plaster canvas to a then 33 year old Michaelangelo, who took a scant 4 years to finish the project, with a few assistants only to help with mixing paints and moving the scaffolding that he himself had designed in order to make the job easier. Contrary to the movies, Michaelangelo did not paint lying on his back, but bent over backward - worse, I suspect.

Contraband photo of the Cappella Sistina

We grabbed a bus to Piazza Espagna and walked the length of the Corso, occasionally stopping to do more than window shop. Eventually, we arrived, tired and sore, back the hotel where, after the quickest of pauses, we headed out for some local cuisine. Eating dessert before a meal has become commonplace as we navigate from one gelateria to the next in constant pursuit of our next fix.

And now here it is, 12:20 pm in Italy, 5:20 pm back home, as I bid you a fond farewell, Friends and Family.

Peace be with you.
And also with The Sisterhood...

And We Walked...

And walked ... And walked ...

We walked to do our laundry.  In Firenze.
We walked back to the pensione.
We walked the eight flight of stairs to our rooms.

We walked to the Duomo.
We walked to the Galleria Academia.
We walked IN the Galleria Academia.
We walked to the Uffizi Gallery.
We walked IN the Uffizi Gallery.
We walked to the Ponte Vecchio.
We did not walk ON the Ponte Vecchio.  It was very crowded and we were very tired. We will walk on it tomorrow.
We walked to a restaurant for supper.
We walked to a gelato place for dessert.
We walked back to the pensione.
We walked the eight flight of stairs to our rooms. In Firenze. (Just barely.)

Buonasera from the 10 tired feet of the Sisterhood...

PS - The museums were remarkable. The masterpieces were incredible. The David was nothing short of spectacular.

Contraband Photo of Michaelangelo's David

Venezia e Firenze

We spent a full morning in Venice before heading toward Firenze. Took the vaporetto to the railway station and vegged a bit before catching the speed train to Florence. After trying to get up from the floor where we were sitting, Teagan fell victim to our first backpack turtle ... Not fun for her but soooooooo funny for us!!

The speed trains of Italy are definitely the new way to go. They are fast and comfortably air conditioned with nice big reclining seats. We were actually alone in our carriage for over half of our trip. Lovely!  We'll take another one between here and Rome in a couple of days.

Our pensione is nice and close to the railway station and is about 6 or 7 minutes walking from the Duomo. Emanuela, the woman who works the reception desk, is absolutely lovely and has been so welcoming. She reminded us of the wait times for things like the Uffizi and Galleria Academia, and even booked us reservations so we could avoid long lines.

After a check in and cool down, we got the Firenze lowdown from Emanuela, who pointed us in the direction of good food, good gelato, good shopping and some nice places to visit that are not typical tourist stops. We wandered around and found some shops where the girls bought some cute dresses that will be nice and cool now that we have entered the warmer part of the trip.  Marjorie and I have seen so many cute sundresses since we have been here.  Must be so much cooler!  And very trendy and IN!

That's about it for the day, Friends.

Sisterhood, out.

Venice ... City of Canals

Following a fast and furious drive from Salzburg, Austria, to Venice, Italy, we dropped off our dear Lisl, bid a fond farewell to her in the rentacar lot and went forth on foot into the 30 plus degree heat of Venice - packs on our backs, water bottles at the ready.

Marjorie and I are wondering how driving at home will ever be the same.  Every drive on the autobahn was a new adventure, a new test in navigation, a new ... speed.  When you consider that our average driving speed has been 140 km per hour, given that it is 50 in the small towns and the top speed for either of us on the autobahn was 170kph, it is hard to think that the measly 100 we're "allowed" to do on the perimeter will ever really be enough. It should be noted that even at 170, we were being passed by vehicles at speeds well over 200kph. But worry not, there is no speed limit on the autobahn and in a heavy car like our Lisl, going 150 felt like a float down the lazy river. Ahhhh, European engineering ... never has my appreciation been greater.

Once we made our way by bus from the aeroporto into the city, we took a vaporetto (water bus) from the main port to San Marco Square and made our way through the very narrow, and very smelly, alleyways of Venice, being directed on a small wild goose chase by the good natured and helpful Italians. The canals may look romantic and the photos will do them no justice, but the aroma leaves much to be desired by both heart and olfactory senses. The gondolas are very neat and the drivers in their striped shirts are seen everywhere. 

San Marco Square is under some renovation right now and there is a Taipei Arts Festival on here too so there were a variety of scaffolds and live installations in the square. The vendors of Murano glass and Italian leather abound and we managed to find some of both to carry home. The glass work is stunning, the colours remarkable. We saw some amazing blown glass art pieces costing as much as $5000. Tempting but ... No, grazie. Por occhi solo.  (For eyes only.)

 

After a meal of margherita pizza, pasta, and bellinis ... followed by some delicious Italian gelato, of course ... we took another tour of the area, wandered along the Grand Canal and browsed a few more shops. We have another early morning tomorrow as we move on to Florence in the afternoon and want to make the most of our short time in Venice. 

Buonanotte dalla sorellanza...

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music

We had our Sound of Music tour this afternoon and it was a full three hours of history, movie trivia and sing alongs. We learned a ton about the history of Salzburg and Austria, and about the filming of The Sound of Music.  The film is like a patchwork of various sites around the Salzburg area. Different shots were filmed in different areas, some of which were pointed out and some of which we visited today. We saw the Mirabell Gardens and the Pegasus fountain, where the multiple scenes are filmed during "Do Re Mi"; Leopoldskron Palace which was used as the back of the manor for scenes on the balcony and the water; Nonnberg Abbey which is where the real Maria stayed until going to work for Captain von Trapp and where the Abbey scenes were filmed; and Hellbrunn Castle where the girls skipped down the lane with Confidence and where the famous "16 Going on 17" gazebo sits, locked up tight after a lawsuit involving a leaping elderly woman and a broken hip. 
Then we drove about an half an hour out of town to visit the Lakes District and Mondsee Church, which was originally Gothic until a Baroque facade was built around the front (who knew?) - it was chosen because it had the best filming angles for the aisle shots. Just like the children and Maria, we also visited Braun's cafe, where we had some fabulous apple strudel with warm vanilla sauce and cool vanilla ice cream. Delicious!!

We are heading to Venice tomorrow, where we let go of Lisl the Diesel, our trusty Volvo station wagon. It has been great to have a car and driving here has been as easy as driving at home (only WAY faster!), especially with the help of NeverLost to navigate us through the tricky parts ... you know, like busy intersections, or mountain passes, or farmer's fields.  We will be sorry to see her go indeed, and from Venice on we'll be on foot and train while in Italy.

Thinking of you.
Do, Re, Mi ... and the rest of the Sisterhood ...