Two Cities, One Week

Rouen and Nantes, France

Well, that was the quickest unpack and pack ever!  Thank goodness too because there wasn’t much room to actually unpack anything.  We were basically living in a sardine can for two and a half days.  At least we were able to get a little light in to open up the room with the smallest window ever in Rouen. 

Nothing says “Welcome to France!” like getting to the hotel after a long travel day and opening up the hotel room door to literally find yourself one step in the room and already at the other side…

So, it’s no wonder we needed an escape.  It was time to put those running shoes back on.  We managed to stumble upon a few parks and a few lesser traveled paths above the city.  It was nice to be removed for a little while.   

But not too long because in the blink of an eye we were back on the bus again.  However, it was a short travel day with a much happier ending when it came to dismounting the bus in Nantes.  We had apartment-style rooms this week! 

So, not only did we basically have different beds or pull out couches to sleep on instead of twin size beds literally on top of each other, but we more or less even had our own rooms!  But, that wasn’t all, we had a separate toilet and shower and a kitchenette area!  Yay!  It was the first time that I was able to cook again this tour! 

Now we wished we were here longer, especially with the country roads not too far in the distance, but it was time to get a move on.  We will be home soon!  Only about two and half weeks left!

Off to Bordeaux we go!

The City of Seven Hills

Lisbon, Portugal

No flat ground or smooth surfaces here that’s for sure.  Just walking around for a short time in this city and you would be sure to burn a lot of calories hiking up the streets just to stroll down and hike up on the other side.  It did however, make for some pretty amazing views though. 

With a little help from some cast mates, we were able to find a beautiful park that was located above the city center that not only overlooked the central roundabout, but also all the way out to the sea.  It was a nice escape from all the cars and taxis into a more tranquil environment slightly removed from the inner city. 

And unlike the traditional cities that are modern in construction or all made of concrete and stone, the buildings here were made of different color and patterned tiles.  Most had unique railings to accompany the shades of pink, coral, yellow, and mint green.  This was a city that was not dull in the least and made the buildings glow even more when the sun shone upon them. 

Yes, this week was another amazing week for temperatures!  To be able to sleep with the windows open at night was a blessing and will definitely be hard to move forward into cooler temperatures for the conclusion of the tour. 

However, for now we definitely were able to soak it all in whether at the hotel or the arena, which was located along the sea.  With a bridge extending out as far as we could see, a boardwalk that stretched as far as we could walk in both directions, and small parks and garden areas in close reach, we wished there was more time to enjoy them. 

It’s no wonder why people are so friendly here; they live a beautiful place and are very lackadaisical with timeliness; the same can be said of the Brazilians.  This is because the Portuguese actually founded Brazil thinking that they founded India, just as Christopher Columbus set out to find India, but instead founded present day North America.  So the cultures and language are quite similar.

The language actually is comparable to Spanish in a sense that a majority of the words are the same.  However, the dialect and pronunciation differ slightly.

To be honest, I never in a million years thought I would be this far away from home and experiencing all these different cultures and languages.  It has been an experience of a lifetime and I am very thankful to be able to do this. 

Off to the last and final country of the Western Europe tour; France. 

A Little Adventure

Rome and Venice, Italy

It was finally here.  We finally made it to this point.  I had been wanting to go to Italy since I found out the tour was going to take us to Europe this year.  Yes, all of the other countries have been amazing and will be, but there are just some that I have always wanted to go to and Italy just happened to be one of them.

I can’t believe the wait was over now!

It was going to be a long day ahead with a 3 AM wake up to leave at 4 AM for a 6 AM flight and night train later, but we had all of Rome to cover in the next nine hours.  Luckily, we had a member of the cast who makes a great tour guide and lets us in on his secrets and it all worked perfectly.  A huge thank you goes to Mario Castro! 

We set our sights to the Coliseum first and in order to just get in the stadium you must have a tour guide, but once you are in you do not have to stay with them.  It is totally worth it and you must go inside to get the full experience. 

As I gazed ahead to what used to be one of the largest fighting scenes there ever was that could seat over hundreds of thousands of people I literally got goosebumps.  Thinking about all the movies like 300 and Gladiator and TV shows like Spartacus that take place in the arena or ones like it and knowing all the pain and glory that these walls have seen is just unreal.  EEK!

Looking out from the famous arches of the historical landmark, you could see the ruins of other roman buildings including an arch (Archo de Constantina) that was said to be filled with treasures and statues. 

Just walking along the cobblestone streets, Via de Fori Imperiali to be precise, and taking in all the sights, there wasn’t a place that you would look that wasn’t the perfect photo opportunity. 

The Trevi Fountain was just breath taking with the turquoise water glistening in the sun as it spilled from the large marble statuesque scene from behind. 

By this point we had walked quiet a distance, but it didn’t feel that far.  The sun was shining from above which warmed the ground and it was nice to shed some layers.  Making a stop for lunch, we indulged in one of Italy’s famous dishes; pasta right in front of the Pantheon, which to this day has the largest dome in the world. 

As we made our way to the Vatican City, we wound around some small streets with places to eat and little boutiques.  Then, before our eyes we were greeted by the Castel Sant Angelo that was at the end of the Ponte Sant Angelo lined with angel statues.  Once we crossed the bridge into the smallest country in the world, we wandered around for a little and devoured some gelato before it was time for our tour, another recommendation from the infamous Mario Castro.  It was more than worth it to take the tour.  Yes, it cost a little, but you had a guide to explain all the history that was in front of you and you were also excused from all the lines.  Yes, that meant you didn’t have to wait for four hours to get into the Vatican or Sistine Chapel.    

To be honest, the hallway ceiling that is painted leading up to the Sistine Chapel, I thought was more stunning than the Chapel itself.  There were gold embellishes, brighter colors, and more attention to detail, but that it just me. Michael Angelo’s work was still stunning, but there is no way to remember what it looks like in detail other than replicas because the public is not permitted to take pictures of the works.  Also, no matter the temperature make sure that your shoulders and knees are covered within this religious building. 

Leaving here, it was almost as if the buildings just kept coming; from rooms filled with statues, to memorials in honor of Hercules, to mosaics and tapestries, each room was filled with another surprise before leading out to the Basilica San Pietro, where the Holy Door is located and where the Pope makes his famous sermons. 

By the end, we were all walked out.  Our feet hurt and our legs ached.  It was time to sit down and catch up on a little sleep on our three-hour train ride to Venice through the night. Upon arriving, we made our way to a nice, quant Air B&B to settle in for the nice. 

Rising decently early with the rays of sunshine coming in and the excitement of being in Venice, we were off again. 

Unlike Rome that was bustling with people and cars and busses, Venice was quite the contrary.  There weren’t any streets for cars to speed by on, the sidewalks were narrow and right against the canals, and the loudest noise you heard in the morning was the rolling of a suitcase or dolly over the cobble stones. 

Of course it is a tourist town, however it was more relaxed and tranquil.  It has surprised me over the last two days how many people actually do speak English here, which made it nice, but I will admit hearing Italian here was pretty impressive.  And did I mention the views and the Murano Glass!  You would not believe the beauty.

We wondered down every little ally there possibly was, including ones that were no wider than the width of one person, we saw the Piazza San Marco and the Basilica San Marco, the Grand Canal, the famous Venice Bridge, and even went on a gondola ride!  And of course who could forget about the pizza and gelato!

The only thing that was a little hairy was getting back to the airport.  With no taxis or busses around and a train that doesn’t run directly there, a private water taxi that cost 110 euros for a 30-minute ride, and public water taxis that don’t all sell tickets from their port, it made for a bit of a run-around.  However, we made it.

I definitely didn’t want to leave and the time always goes so fast when you are away.  I hope to make it back to Italy one day and explore all the other cities and the countryside that it has to offer. 

Arrivederci!  Next stop, Portugal.