Rome is LOST

or Rick is lost (Rickey to me) or something. anyway, we can't find our Rick Steves' Rome book, and as we are now officially in Rome, it's something of a bad thing. We didn't realize we were missing it until we were packing this morning, but then suddenly, it wasn't there with the other books. I have no idea where it went (I'm pretty sure it left home with us), but it's no longer with us. Thank goodness we brought our Let's Go Italy book, which we totally intended to leave at home. But, it's no Rick. In fact, it doesn't even mention the Sistine Chapel. Um, hello? Kind of a big deal, but no mention.Guess those Harvard kids who research and write the books have no need for one of the greatest works of art ever. No matter, we have Google at our finger tips, and in the time it took me to type the last couple of sentences, Chris already found the desired info. Take that Harvardites!

So, we started out today in the Cinque Terre. Had to wake Rina (that's what everyone calls her) up so we could pay and get Chris' passport back before making the 6:35 train to La Spezia and then make the next train to Pisa. I felt bad waking her up, she was in her nightgown with her hair all askew, but I think she liked us, and she totally loved my hair, so it was OK. So, off we went. We have yet to be on an Italian train since arriving some other day (I'm pretty clueless about that stuff right now - as long as I know where I'm going tomorrow, I'm good) that is on time. We got to Pisa like 45 minutes late. Then, after RUNNING to the tower because I needed a WC like nobodies business and it was about to get bad, and roaming around the "Field of Miracles" taking the cheesey hold the Tower up pics (yes, they actually worked), walking through the Duomo (cathedral) and the Baptistry (where they baptized people), we were trying our darndest to make the 11:54 train to Florenece. We'd left our bags in the baggage check and after picking them up, we ran for the train just to get there in time for Chris to put his hand on the door just as it was pulling away. The only time any darned train leaves on time, and of course, we're not on it. Typical!

The tower was pretty cool. I had been disappointed that we wouldn't be able to climb it (have to make reservations 16 days in advance and we tried 1 week out), but after being there, it just seemed like a waste of stairs, and we climbed over 400 in Florence, so really, it was okay. Plus, there wasn't really anything to see. It's not like you can see the tower from the tower, KWIM? I hadn't been in any of the buildings before, and it was really nice to get to see what's inside of them (we did have Ricky for that) even though the place was lousy with tourists. I know, I know, I was one of them, but we're talking 50 person tour groups here. Oh, it was aweful. They were everywhere, both inside and out. It's nearly impossible to get a picure of anything around the without a throng in it. Yuck!

Finally, we were on our way in Florence with a whopping 3.5 hours. Not enough time to do a whole lot, but we did walk to the Duomo (the main cathedral). We oogled the doors on the baptistry along with all of the other 3 bajillion tourists and thought about going in the Duomo, but the line was literally a couple of hundred people long. So, we climbed up the campanile, the bell tower next to the Duomo.Hello! Over 400 steps (the Italians said 414, but we each counted 405). Yeah, it was a great view, but I was in serious need of gelato afterwards!. We walked to the big piazza with the former Medici palace in it (did you know they got their name b/c they started out as medics and eventually moved into banking?) and looked at all of the statues there. We strolled through the Uffizi courtyard (at 4:00 there was still a HUGE line for the Uffizi) and then over the Ponte Vecchio. Oh wow! The bridge itself if beautiful and is lined with jewlery shops. Wow! pretty sparkly things. But, nothing we could afford. Sorry Bob! I'm still working on it!

We made it back to the train station just in time to get our baggage from the check room and pick up a snack, and then we noticed the train was in ritardo. Just great! Finally, we got on, but it was the 1st class section of the train, and here we come with our sack of Mickey D's and boy, we donàt look like the regular 1st class Italian train traveler, but we paid for our first class ticket, so by gosh, weàre gonna use them! When we finally got to the train station, it was late....after 7, and we tried to get a reservation for tomorrow night's night train to Venice. Of course, the guy who worked in the ticket office didn't speak English. So, he got another gal to help us, and she told us sleeper reservations would be 53 Euros on top of our Eurail. Um, yeah, not so much! So, we reserved seats only. Who needs a sleeper. It's only 7 hours! I'm hoping we can at least get a compartment and stretch out. Our hotel is darling. It's on the 2nd story of this apartment type of building right by the Spanish Steps. We the lovely guy working there where to go for dinner, and he sent us to the place just next door. The food was AWESOME!!! And their wine selection? Fabulous! We once again, had house white, and it was outstanding. I've become a little conessouir over here! So, the wine has put me under, and Iàm just about falling asleep at this computer! I'd better head out, seeing as we're going to the Sistine chapel and the Roman Forum.

I love Italy!

Another email copied! Hope you don't mind

We
did figure out the vomit problem....I got it on my pants, probably in
the port-a-potty (which, incidentally was scarily full) and then it
transferred to a lot of my stuff. I have everything cleaned up now, but
my bags still have that lingering aroma!

We made our train last night after getting our first hot (or even warm,
for that matter) shower in days in the train station. We paid 7 Euros a
piece plus a 7 Euro deposit for our showers in this place in the train
station called McClean. It was hysterical - .60 for men to use the
urinal (trough), 1.10 for both men and women to use an actual stall,
and 7.00 for the shower. AND, the shower had a toilet in with it. I
went three times while I was in there so I didn't have to pay anyone
extra! Amazing how priorities change so quickly, isn't it? I've found
myself drinking less water than usual even though I need more b/c the
.50 here and the 1 Euro there really add up! Before our showers, we
went to the Easy Internet Cafe. It's part of the EasyJet company (think
Airline UK on A&E). They had over 400 computers there! We wanted to
call home, but didn't have enough time!

So, now we are in Italy and loving it. Tonight and tommorow night, we
are in the Cinque Terra, Vernazza to be exact. We've had a couple of
traveling mishaps, but nothing that really made a difference in the
end, and we knew it when they happened. Just chalked them up to
learning experiences - got on the milk train in  Modena, Italy
because it was there when we should have waited for the faster train;
lost our paper that the German guy who finally helped us gave us with
our 4 connections on it. Not to worry, though, we somehow ended up on
the right train to La Spezia and I was able to remember/look at the map
& figure out the last 3 connections we needed to make (and we found
the paper in our daypack where someone who shall remain nameless -
Chris - put it).

We got on the wrong train in La Spezia, and it didn't stop in Vernazza,
but no worries. The towns are like 5 mins. apart by train and we just
hopped on the next one. The train conductor was totally nice, making
sure we knew exactly where to get off and which train to get on next.
Speaking the Espanol seriously helps with understanding the Italiano. I
don't really understand alot, but the more I hear, the more it makes
sense and I can figure out the gist of things!

As we ascended from the train station, we were looking at the pages we
ripped out of Rick Steves' Italy trying to figure out where we were
going to say when this older woman came up to us. Her name is Marina
and she speaks not a word of English, but she had a room to rent
and  recognized the pages and guessed that we were american and
told us to come with her. We said, "Why not?" and followed her. We are
in an adorable little room with a full bathroom for 60 Euros per night.
Less than we had expected without the bathroom in the room! And, Marina
is a lovely woman. "No problema con Marina." She told us this over and
over. And she's right, no problems so far. We even did some laundry in
the sink and hung it out to dry on the line below her window. Too cool.
Vernazza is built in the hills and everyone has a line out their window
and always has something on it. Look, we fit in!

After having lunch on a terrace out over the ocean (there aren't words
to describe it properly, you'll have to see the pictures) with the most
amazing food we've ever had in our lives (pasta with seafood), we
explored the town and then hiked to one of the other 5 Cinque Terre
towns. It was a brutal hike, but we got some great views and we hung
out at the beach for a little while in that town before finding a place
for a 4 cheese calzone and then wasting an hour waiting for the train
back to Vernazza with Gelato and the town drunk singing the same song
over and over. When we finally got back, we had dinner at one of the
restaurants on the harbor. An appetizer of tons of different seafood
stuff from stuffed muscles and anchovies to calamari and then meals of
pesto and spaghetti with muscles and the most amazing house wine ever.
So light and perfect, we drank 2 carafes (albeit small ones) of it.
Tomorrow, we go to the other 3 towns. We LOVE it here and already know
we'll be coming back!

Well, the gal who runs the internet cafe is ready to close. More tomorrow hopefully!

Munich

We're leaving Munich in about an hour, and while I LOVE this citz and the Germans, I'm readz for the slower pace of Italz. The following is an email I sent mz mom in response to some questions we asked. (actuallz, it's 2 emails)I hope zou don't mind, but I don't have time to retzpe everzthing!

Sorrz about the crummz spelling. i'm using a whacked out German kezboard, and thez kezs are in the wrong place. so, zou get zzzzzs where there should be ys.

Oh my god, the tent in the soccer stadium....well, let's just say i'm glad we're not stayint there anymore. how about this.......we went to octoberfest and then the hofbrauhaus (big, famous beer hall) last night and drank WAY too much. So, we got back to our tent, and somewhere between when we got back and when I packed everzthing this morning, i got puke all over a bunch of mz stuff. the worst part of it is that it's not mz puke. i didn't drink THAT much! although, I was feeling it todaz. and, i don't have anzwaz to wash it until tomorrow. but, we've had a wonderful anniversarz. we did the castles todaz, and although we missed our first train, we still made it (barelz) in time for our reserved tours. it was absolutelz beautiful. the perfect daz to be traipsing about the alps.

we had a hell of a time getting here. missed our connection in paris, and there were NO seats anztime on anzthing getting in to munich. So, we went to Frankfurt and took the train. But, our first flight was cancelled, and then thez delazed the flight we finallz got on. Air France refused to reimburse us for the train fare b/c the plane was ontime landing in paris, so it was our fault we were late. HA!!! let me tell zou. we had to disembark onto a bus and take that over to the terminal. no biggie, except the bus ride took 30 minutes (we had an hour lazover) and then there was no markin anzwhere about where we should get off for what airlines/flights, so we had to RUN, and I mean RUN to our terminal.....2 terminals awaz. We got there with 15 minutes to spare, and thez wouldn't let us on. Damn French. Anz desire we had to go there just went right out the door. Reallz, thez people weren't that bad, but the longer we were there, the more we realiyed we were getting the run around. Thez just tell zou whatever thez feel like telling zou.

I had a momentarz breakdown this evening. Upon our return from the castles (did I mention.....awesome!), we went to reserve seats for our night train. The crayz I-don't-

okaz, sorrz about that, i was having kezboard issues, so I went ahead and sent it. Anzwaz, this crayz german ladz working in the ticket office told us there were no seats available to go to Italz. I started crzing a little. I just reallz wanted to get out of here. Don't get me wrong, I've loved being here, but zou can onlz take so much of drunk, stupid bozs (italian, german, etc. etc.) running into zou, singing at the top of their lungs late into the night, and what not. iäve been working with a 'never give up' attitude, so after a couple of tears, I suddenlz thought, what about salyburg? Mazbe we could go there and then get to Italz from there. We went to a totallz different place that was just for reservations, and guz was like, "zeah, sure, zou can do that" and gave us reservations. We even got couchettes. I'm not sure we're together, though. It'll be okaz. Sleep is reallz all that matters. 

The tent camp was close to nightmarish. See, we actuallz wanted to sleep, unlike some of the other folks there. Imagine that! We didn't get there till 12:45ish the first night (dam french) and didn't get to bed till nearlz three, so we slept in till 11:45. Where upon, I was rudelz awakened with an ice cold shower. It was like being back at church camp. I took 3 showers in one 24-hour period, and not one of them included an ounce of hot water. This morning at 5 am, I almost cried when it was still ice cold. I brilliantlz trid the cold water, and there was literallz about 1 ounce of warm water that came out. it was dirtz and dustz and blech. and it was freaking cold. last night, i slept with a t-shirt, 2-long-sleeved shirts, and mz jacket on plus mz fleece stocking cap and glooves. No good, I was still freeying. Plus, I had wet hair. it rozallz sucked! We onlz got a couple of hours of sleep last night and we are seriouslz dragging right now. It's about 10:30ish here, and our train leaves for italz at 11:40.

We had an interesting conversation (if zou can call it that) over our anniversarz piyya hut dinner with some Iraqi Christians who left the cuntrz zears ago under Sadaam. Thez were nice bozs who wanted to practice their english with people who were willing to listen and actuallz have a conversation. There was a man with a Home Depot shirt on trzing to talk with them when we walked up, and he reallz wanted to know what thez thought of us being there and Sadaam being gone. He was reallz frustrated with them b/c thez weren't telling him what thez thought. He wanted them to go back to Iraq to help rebuild it. He asked if I spoke english hoping I could help, I guess. He kept going on and on asking them the same thing, trzing to get someone to translate. I said something to him, and he asked, "don't zou want to know what thez think?" Zes, but if thez don't speak English, thez can't verz well tell zou. He said he thought thez spoke more English and were avoiding him, so I told him that zes, I wanted to know, but if thez didn't want to tell, that was their business. I think thez reallz liked that (zes thez did speak a little english) b/c as soon as he left them alone for a minute, thez turned around and started talking to us. Turns out, thez left because of religious persecution under Sadaam. Duh! Hello, of course thez're glad to see him go! One said to me, "For 25 zears, under Sadaam, much bad, much problems." I think that prettz much sums it up.

Well, I'd better go. There's a place called MacClean in the trainstation where we're hoping to mazbe get a warm shower before the train. We will see!!! BTW, we keep forgetting to put on deoderant. Prettz soon, we're going to smell like Germans!

Up, Up & Away

We're off to see the Germans, the crazy Germans of Munich (think we're off to see the wizard). We are so stinkin' excited, I just can't tell you. I think we both have a bit of nervous due to our excitement! Here's a funny note.....months and months ago, we made a reservation for our last night in Munich. Some random hotel somewhere in the city has a reservation for us. Problem is, we don't know which one. I know I did it online and then printed out the info, but I can't find an email about it, I can't remember which online service I used, and I can't find the print out. So, for our last night in Munich, which coincidentally just so happens to be the last night of Oktoberfest, we have no room. It should be an adventure, to say the very least!

Chris and I are keeping journals of our journey. I'm a pretty crummy journaler (great the first two days, and by the end I'm lucky if I have even a timeline of what we did), and Chris has never kept one before, so this should be interesting! I did make us journals, though. Maybe this will aid in the actual journaling process. You know, I went to all the trouble of making it, so I'd darn well better use it! Here's a pic of mine. His isn't quite done yet. Okay, truthfully, it hasn't gotten started yet. Oh well. It'll get done! Our plane takes off in less than 5 hours and we said we were leaving for my mom's in an hour and 15 minutes. Holy Crap! I'd better get a move on!

Can Hardly Stand the Wait!

It's a scant 48 hours until we leave (okay, a little more, but close enough).  By this time on Friday, we'll be in Paris and almost on our way to Munich, and I'm so darned excited, I just want to jump up and down! Last night, we visited our favorite store, Target, and  stocked up on the last minute small items: aspirin,  Shout wipes, travel lock, travel lint brush, mini deoderant, toothbrush for Chris, Kleenex packs (for those WCs w/crepe paper for toilet paper), emergency blankets (the silver space blankets that they give marathoners at the end of the race), ponchos, a fold-into-itself tote, books, and various and sundry other little items. Chris has been running around a lunch picking up last minute stuff, a toiletry kit, a compression pillow for me, a mini flashlight, and a collapsible cup. The cup has proven the hardest to find. He finally had to go to the Army Surplus store. It's amazing the things you find there!

Here's our updated list:

Things To Do (Buy)

• Make reservations for Mad Ludwig's castles



• Rick Steves' Backpacks (2)



• Travel Towels (2)



• Clothesline



• Travel Books
  1. Germany/Austria
  
  
  
  2. Italy
  
  
  
  3. Florence/Tuscany
  
  
  
  4. Venice
  
  
  
  5. Rome



• Money Belt



• Compression Pillow



• Luggage Lock



• Travel Wash



• Sleep Sack (2)



• Picnic Ware (2)



• Wide Angle Lens



• Camera Bag



• Toiletries Bag



• Aveda Mens' Hair & Body Shampoo



• Chris' iPod



• Shoes - Jamie



• Shoes - Chris



• Quick Drying Clothes



• Hotel Resrvations
  1. Florence
  
  
  
  2. Rome
  
  
  
  3. Venice

We've got everything done and then some! Holy cow, I can't believe it!!!

What we haven't gotten done yet:

• Make reservations for David



• Small Wallet



• Reservations for Leaning Tower of Pisa

Homebody

It’s official, I am no longer a mobile scrapper. I’m at ScrapHappy’s annual retreat at the Fin and Feather, and while packing up to come down here, I quickly came to this conclusion…..mobile scrapping is not for me. I have way too much crap and a certain knack for failing to plan. There’s just always one too many things to get done before I have to leave and I never get around to it. I wish I did. I’m super-duper productive when I do. Maybe someday. I think being more organized would help. I’m already pretty darned organized when it comes to the SB stuff, but there’s so many little things, and what to do with those and still have them easy to find? Oh, the trials and tribulations of an obsessed scrapbooker. You should have seen the car on the way down here. It was seriously full! Not to the rafters, but still full. And some how I’ve still managed to buy things. Go figure.

But, if I didn’t get a single thing done, not one thing accomplished, it wouldn’t matter because I’m having an awesome time. Bob and I are really enjoying this (even though for the first day we shared one 6-foot table and we’re sitting right next to the bathroom). We’ve had lots of time to enjoy friends (mostly standing in line waiting for the buffet), to get reacquainted with old friends and to meet lots of new folks. It couldn’t be better if I tried to plan it. The one draw back is the allergy situation. I (we) am 100% allergic to this place, especially our room. Oh my, our room. I’m especially allergic to my pillow. Yeah, my pillow. Stinks. Literally. Last night I fell asleep with my nose in my shirt so I wouldn’t have to smell my pillow. But, it’s not enough to dampen the awesome time we’re having here. One of my projects is a secret…maybe some day I’ll share it with the world! (man, that sounds like I’m important, doesn’t it?)

Crazy!

I am just crazy right now. I almost don't know what to do with myself. I was in Kansas City last week with a bunch of crazy, screaming scrapbook ladies and now I'm off to Fin and Feather tomorrow for a local scrapbook retreat. Then, we leave on Thursday for Europe. Can you believe it? Thursday already. I can't! It seems like just yesterday we were starting to plan, and that was way back in February! Plus, I taught Monday, Wednesday, and today, and I have a half day Monday and a full day Tuesday. Yikes! My allergies are crazy bad - I'm miserable, and the puppies have to go to the vet before they go to the groomer's tomorrow to get all prettied up for their vacation at Bob's house while we're gone. Plus, I really wanted to enter Arctic Frog's design team contest, but it's due by midnight the 17th and Cactus Pink's which is the 17th (and don't even think I've started wither yet). Sometime I have get us packed and make sure we've purchased all of our last minute doo dads. I really wanted to get Chris' iPod before we leave, but it may not happen. Did I mention OH MY?

None of it really matters, though. In one week, seven little days, Chris and I are going to be heading off on a European adventure and we're going to love it. We're going to drink beer from liter mugs served by barmaids in traditional Bavarian dress and taste wine along the cliffs of the Italian riviera and stand in the shadow of David in Florenece and dream of what it was like to live alongside Caesar in Rome and be all romantic and lovey-dovey as we're paddled down the Grand Canal by a gondolier in Venice. I can not wait. Not one minute. Every day is counted as a day closer to leaving. I think Chris just doesn't think about it because he might explode from excitement. We are so very blessed. Not a few hours drive away, there are people with nothing. No earthly possessions, and here we are getting ready for our trip to Europe. I almost feel guilty that we're spending so much money on this trip when there are so many with nothing. But, we can't not go. So, the excitement grows!

I don't know what to say

I don't know what to day. I'm just brokenhearted for the victims of Katrina. I'm finding the whole thing truly unbelievable. Being the news junkie that I am, I've seen/heard a lot of coverage, and it just makes me so sad. So many different things making me sad all at once. The people who couldn't get out, those who thought it'd be like Dennis, no big deal; the flooding victims AFTER the fact; the victims of looting and violence, and now we hear even rape. What is going on? How does anyone think attacking the people there to help is the right thing? And attacking children? What in someone's head says that's okay? I keep hearing people say they're mad that more hasn't been done. I would be too. But, by the same token, who could've known? Who could've known that a day later New Orleans would flood and the situation would detriorate faster than imaginable? Who could have known that people would take pop-shots at the rescue helicopters?

Now, I'm hearing people say maybe shouldn't rebuild. What? Not rebuild? Why would they say such a thing? Would we not rebuild other cities? Isn't that what we do here? Take our licks and keep on ticking? If we get knocked down, we come back stronger. It'll be a tough, long road ahead, rebuilding is the only option.