Lights out!

The trouble with an evening flight is that one usually has to check out of their lodging in the morning. Being in a short-term rental apartment complicated this even further because there is no place to store luggage.Fortunately for us, the Musee d'Orsay in Paris does. If your luggage is not too sizable, they will store it in their cloak room!
After our exhausting few days in Paris, coupled with jet lag, it felt good to sit still on an airplane! The flight was about three and a half hours, part of which was over the beautiful Alps.

We were really surprised at the lack of security at the extremely small Pisa airport. We grabbed our bags and headed out to find the bus. The driver was a dear man who stopped a block from our hotel and gave us directions.

Hotel Bologna is a stylish hotel in the historical area of the city. We were happy to arrive and have some time to relax. It's roomy and quiet, complete with Wi-fi access (for a daily fee) and a free full breakfast.

We were happy with the room until the lights went out!

We groped around in the dark and found a flashlight. Using it to explore our room, we finally found a slot in the wall near the door. We inserted the key card and voila! Let there be light!

Apparently, electricity is very expensive in Europe. A lot of establishments have features that force the inhabitants to conserve electricity. This would not be our last experience of this nature!

A most memorable meal

One of the draws of Italy is the food. Really good food.

A friend recommended one which far exceeded our expectations: Da I'Conte Diladdarno. It is owned by Luca, who after finding out that we had a mutual friend insisted that we not order and that he would cook for us. We were not disappointed.

We started with crostini con bruschertta and crostini con carabaccia.

Next up was zuppa di ci polls Medicea, a white bean soup, Medici style. Beans and I don't always get along, but Kevin said it was good!

It was followed by Pappa Pomodoro, a tomato stew that was out of this world.


After appetizers and soups, we could easily have walked out happy, but this wasn't to happen. Luca was having a wonderful time in the kitchen!

And we were glad. Luca emerged from the kitchen with a rice dish with provolone cheese and radicchio. My mouth waters even now as I remember it! We ate half of it before I remembered to document it for you....
Luca's assistant wrote down all the dish names for us, but I'm having difficulty translating, so I'll make a guess at the names.
By this time, we were really getting full, but it's difficult to relate this to a wonderful Italian chef. But we endured. ;)
I don't recall ever having wild boar before that day and it wasn't what I expected at all. It was tasty, but I wish I hadn't been so full already!

We're almost finished! Our last main dish was Turkey Medallions with lemon and mint. This is melt-in-your-mouth turkey and I highly recommend it! Again, we consumed half of it before I remembered to photograph it!

Luca was anxious to make another dish for us and his face fell when we told him we didn't want anything else. But it came back to life when we told him, "Va bene! Tutto bene!", which loosely translated means "I like it! All is good!"

But he was not to be stopped.

Out came biscotti and dessert wine, which turned out to be the perfect complement to a huge meal. And a meal is not complete in Italy if you haven't tried grappa, a brandy with assorted flavorings added to it: cinnamon, basil, peppers being among them. We each tried a couple.


I do not like alcohol. And I still don't. I got to practice my very useful Italian phrase, "Mi dispiacci, ma non va bene."

"I'm sorry. I don't like it."

Luca got a good laugh out of that and informed me that grappa is "only for men." Or something along those lines!

It was a two-hour meal that will be one of my fondest memories of Italy for the rest of my life.
I think Luca enjoyed it, also!

One day in Florence

After a wonderful day in Pisa with our home school friend Tracy, we took the train to Florence. Italian trains are convenient and comfortable. Unlike Roman buses, which I'll discuss later.

Our accommodations in Firenze (Florence) were at Relais Cavalcanti. It's nestled among various restaurants, shops, and outdoor markets. The lovely owners, Anna and Francesca, were the most gracious hosts, available to help in any they could .

Relais Cavalcanti is located on the fourth floor of an old historic building built in the 13th century It was owned by the noble Cavalcanti family, whose name the esablishment adopted.

Since the 13th century did not use elevators, modern builders did their best to cram one into the building, which means that it is diminutive. First there was a door which one opened with a key, revealing the elevator gate. The three of us barely fit inside. The picture at right is not a display of affection between my husband and son....that's just how close we had to stand to fit!

Luggage had to be lugged up the stairs. I guess that's why it is called luggage! At least this task only had to be performed once!

The proprietors, Anna and Francesa, are two of the friendliest woman you'd ever want to meet. They bent over backwards to help us with tours, restaurants, directions, transportation. They claim not to serve breakfast, whichI suppose is technically true; however, their breakfast room is always laid out with Italian delights. My favorite was palmine, a flaky glazed pastry that quickly became my breakfast each day.

Our room was spacious and had a view of the side street on which Relais Cavalcanti resides.

There is a lot to see in Florence, but just wandering around and absorbing Italian culture is a highlight not to be missed. It is easy to get around. In fact, I recommend walking - you'll need to after you experience Italian cuisine! I'll focus on that in a later post.

A gem of Florence is the Uffizi Gallery, built in 1581 to house the offices of the powerful Medici family. Over time, it evolved into a display for the many works of arts collected by the Medici. One of the more famous works is The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli.

But the highlight for us was The David. The original is housed at Galleria dell'Accadamia...don't settle for the copy! But beware of the scam artists (pun intended) who display their reproductions on the sidewalk in front of the Accademia - literally on the sidewalk like a throw rug. Tourists are intent on getting in the door and don't pay attention to where their feet are being placed.

Yes, I am talking about myself.

After placing said feet on reproductions just waiting for an oblivious tourist, Italian men surrounded me. I can only assume they wanted me to pay for damages done. I muttered an apology and proceeded to the gallery entrance. Kevin, the conscientious person that he is, stayed behind. I asked a security guard inside if I should pay and he emphatically (as only an Italian can do) declared, "No! No pay!"

I went back outside to find Kevin with a print rolled under his arm and called to him, "Don't! Do not pay them!" He handed the print back to the vendor and followed us in, leaving behind one disgusted Italian scam artist.

Don't get me wrong, We absolutely fell in love with the Italian people; however, Italy has its share of scammers and thieves. Beware!

One could spend hours wandering through either of these galleries, so don't waste your time standing in line to get in. Pay the nominal extra fee to obtain a reservation. Arrive early to ensure your entry.

More to come...

Fat Tires, Wide Paths, and Tons of History

It could take a lifetime to see any of the European capital cities. Seeing just one in a matter of days takes some careful planning and really comfortable walking shoes! Unless, of course, you are on a bicycle. It's a terrific way to see the major sights of the city with a knowledgeable guide who speaks English! You can see a whole lot more with less effort. Only one company is licensed to run bike tours in Paris: Fat Tire Bike Tours.

Our guide, Seth, related an informative history of the Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) as we waited for our group to gather and for any onlookers to join us. We were comprised of mostly Americans from all regions of the U.S., but with a couple of things in common - the ability to ride a bike and a somewhat adventurous spirit.

We visited the Ecole Militaire (Royal Military Academy), which was founded by Louis XV in 1751. Its objective was to make poor gentlemen into military men. Napoleon Bonaparte was trained here in 1784.

Not all of Paris is busy roads filled with micro cars. There are plenty of wide pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as weekly open markets.

On this particular day, we got a taste of the French proclivity for protests. Unfortunately, we couldn't read the French banners or understand the French chants. Judging by their attire, we guessed they were medical personnel.




Our next stop was Napoleon's Tomb at the Dome Church, built in 1715. The dome is actually double, a fact unknown to the Germans of World War II. Hitler visited and stayed for three hours, apparently communing with Napoleon. At the same time, two Allied servicemen were hiding in the dome, waiting to be smuggled out of the city with intelligence information. Neither knew the other was there!

Next up was Hôtel des Invalides, founded by

Louis XIV to shelter 7000 aged or crippled

former soldiers. A small portion is still used as a hospital. Napoleon's cannons line the front.

After passing over the Alexander Bridge, we arrived at Place de la Concorde, the largest public square in Paris, which is flanked by Champs-Élysées to the west and the Tuileries Gardens to the east.

We made a delightful stop at an open cafe in the Gardens, La Terrasse de Pomone. I ordered a

cheese crepe and hot chocolate. Unfortunately, someone spilled their wine and thoroughly soaked my crepe, so I cannot tell you if was as good as the ones from the crepe stand in Le Marais or not.

Our final stop was the Louvre art museum. I posted about it here. I will add this one amazing fact: if you were to spend one minute with each work of art and did this 24 hours a day, it would take nine months to see everything! It is a true treasure and you should go if you have the chance.

This bike tour was one of the highlights of our trip. We saw so much in four hours!

A treasury of art - Paris!

Paris is a city that contains too much art to see in five days, but we sure did try!

Not only is it in the famous museums, but it is also in the numerous places of worship. Notre Dame is one such place, full of beauty in the form of stained glass, great sculptures and paintings. It is an awe-inspiring place and made me pause and ponder the beauty and majesty of my God.


One of the lesser known museums is Musee de Cluny, a wonderful display of medieval art. One of my favorite rooms was a chapel full of stained glass.


There was another huge room full of altar pieces, all intricately carved from wood.


Trying to cram as much as we could into one day, in between museums we stopped at a sidewalk cafe for a quick lunch and had (gasp) pizza. I'm a people watcher and these cafes are a wonderful location for doing so.


One thing we noticed about Paris is that there are police officers everywhere and that they are never seen solo. The officers are extremely well-armed and protected. They carry a firearm and baton. They are protected by bullet-proof vests and armor on their shoulders and upper arms.
Personally, I like their cute little hats.


We also noticed that their vehicles for the busy areas of the city are vans and usually have five officers in them. I just can't imagine the Parisians getting that out of control! They drive and park wherever they need to. It's a good thing, because in order to park on the street one's car must be this size


This car is basically square - as wide as it is long! They can actually park perpendicular to the sidewalk and still fit.


I am an ice cream fanatic. I freely admit it. Finding good ice cream is one of my favorite travel activities, so after lunch, we sought out an ice cream parlor which I had discovered from my jaunts through the Fodors Travel forum. And, yes, it was good!


You are probably familiar with The Louvre, home to the "Mona Lisa" and thousands of other great works of the masters. You could spend days in this museum. We spent hours and only caught the highlights.


It is an amazing place full of priceless art....thus a plethora of guards. This picture looks like it is of me, but it's really of the guards in the background. Don't mess with their art!

Familiar food, please

I'm going to jump ahead in time here and tell you a story about Spain.

We had been in Europe almost three weeks by this time and had had a wide variety of gastronomic experiences. In Spain, this was mostly a search for the perfect paella, which is a dish mostly comprised of rice, saffron, and various meats: shellfish, chicken, and/or rabbit. The resort at which we stayed had a cooking demonstration at the beginning of our stay and served it. My mouth waters now as I remember it. It takes at least forty-five minutes to prepare properly and is well worth the wait.

We visited three other restaurants in the area and it just didn't compare to the paella served at the resort. I don't really remember what else we ate during our stay in Spain, except this one other day....

So one day we traveled up to Granada to see La Alhambra. It was a hot day and we were exhausted by the end of it. We decided to go for something familiar for dinner: Burger King! I can read Spanish pretty well and figured it would be a breeze to order. Besides, there are pictures on the menu board!

So we sauntered up to the counter, made our choices - in Spanish - and honestly, were quite pleased with ourselves.

While we waited for our order, I went in search of the condiment stand to find ketchup. No stand to be found anywhere!

Fast food in Spain is not as fast as fast food in the United States, so I sat down and perused my Spanish phrase book, looking for the Spanish word for ketchup. Not in the shopping section. Not in the restaurant section. Not in the miniature dictionary in the back, either.

So we started brainstorming. Daniel and I had read the Ralph Moody series of books and had often recalled the story of the wrangler who was trampled by a horse. A boy had found him and reported back to the ranch, "Completamente aplastada!" Completely squashed.

Okay. Tomato aplastada might do it.

Satisfied that we could communicate our need to the order taker, we went up to the counter to retrieve our food. The clerk slid the tray across the counter and said, "Ketchup?"

No wonder they revolted

After our transportation mishap, we arrived at Versailles in the very late afternoon. Fortunately, we had purchased the Paris Museum Pass, so didn't worry about paying so much for so little time.

We stopped at the information desk to inquire about what we could see in the hour and a half we had until closing. When asked which language guide pamphlet we would like, I responded, "English! I've been trying to speak French all day."

"Would you like to practice right now?"

What a dear man he was. The French have gained a reputation for being snooty, but I just didn't see it in anyone we met. He was willing to put up with my attempts to speak his language, but I very politely told him, "No, thank you. My brain is very tired." He chuckled, handed us our pamphlets, and off we went in search of the Hall of Mirrors, one of the most famous rooms in the world. This is where the treaty of Versailles was signed in 1918 at the close of World War I.

One could spend hours just in this hall. The paintings, the sculptures, the chandeliers, the window latches are all just breathtakingly beautiful.

Window latches? Yes! I've never seen such an ornate latch. And of course the view out the window is just as beautiful!

The gardens are extensive and would take hours to explore. I found myself wishing for a bicycle. You can see in the photo how far they stretch.

We got some stares as we tried to do a self-portrait in the mirror. You know how it is. One member of the family is usually the one behind the camera. I'm that person and Kevin was behind the video camera.

Beyond the Hall of Mirrors are various other chambers, salons, waiting rooms. libraries - all fixed with sumptuous furnishings and art. This photo is part of the Queen's Chamber - just the top of her bed!

The site began as Louis XIII’s hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682. (You can bet they weren't all too happy about that!) Each of the three French kings who lived there until the French Revolution added improvements to make it more beautiful.

The opulence is astounding. I found myself thinking more than once,"No wonder the French revolted!" Louis XIV built it as a symbol of royal absolutism. Unfortunately, the people disagreed. According to the Chateau de Versailles web site, "The château lost its standing as the official seat of power in 1789." Quite an understatement, I think.

The kings of France placed their treasures in possessions. I won't presume to know their spiritual status - let God be their Judge - but they definitely had earthly riches. So I find myself thinking about where my treasure lies. And I'm going to continue to do some soul searching to be sure they lie in heaven.