Rome is so unique I feel like it’s one big archaeological site. The amazing thing is that they find new sites all the time just by doing new construction or renovations.
It’s so great to walk around you will always run into some cool fountain or new piazza you’ve seen for the first time.
We also have family there so anytime we are in Rome we meet for lunch or dinner or both. It’s always nice to see our relatives. Another favorite thing we love to do is eating lunch across from the Pantheon it has become a tradition for us. The more we come to Rome the more comfortable we become walking around and exploring this fabulous city.
This visit they were clearing the Trevi fountain, and it was blocked by scaffolding so we can’t wait to come back and see it nice and clean.
We arrived in Olbia and had a rental car to drive around the island, but once we realized our cousin, Francesco was going to drive us around we decided to return the rental car. As most people do when visiting family, we stayed at my uncle’s house.
His house is in Nuoro it’s a beautiful little town. Once we settled in, we went to a local restaurant for dinner where we had brick oven pizza. What we found that was cool was they had their love of pizza with seafood toppings on it. After a filling lunch, we walked through the neighborhood and met a few of my uncle’s friends. We also had the chance to eat this homemade candy called Toroni which was made by my uncle’s friend.
The next day we drove around the city to see the sites there were a lot of tunnels through the mountains which were wild, and we even got a chance to see a new one being bored out the machine they were using was huge. Francesco also took us to visit the first family member also named the same as our last name which was exciting because I have never met another family member with the same last name outside the United States. It was an emotional experience for both myself and my new family member.
The next day Francesco took us took a great beach which was very popular it was full of locals we stayed there for a couple of hours and bathed in the clear blue beautiful water. Spending time at the beach made us hungry, so we decided to get a bite to eat at a local place which was delicious. One good thing is that my cousin loved food and wine, so he knew where to eat and what to drink.
At night my uncle invited us to his cabin that he built by himself which is in a wooded/forest area. It was amazing I loved it and told him that when we come back, we are going to spend a night there. It’s called Pineto there is a photo of it down below. Uncle Simone cooked us a mouth-watering roasted pig dinner. He was preparing for hours turning the meat until it was cooked to perfection. We felt like we were eating back in the Roman times on wood plates, a wood table and wooden chairs which were all made by hand using the local wood just like the whole place was built. It was like going back in time John and I both agree that it was one of the best experiences we have ever had and we are still dreaming about it, and we can’t wait to go back for round two.
The following day Francesco rented a boat for the four of us Myself and John and his brother Severino. We drove the boat along the shoreline, and we had such a great time we saw the bluest water ever. We decided to beach the boat and explore the caves that were on the beach, and we also spent some time swimming and just enjoying the beautiful beach and water.
The last few days Francesco took us to his apartment which is in Cagliari another great town. He took us to the local fish market it was cool they decorate all their little booths with the fishtail or the heads in such a unique way. It was great we purchased some fish, and he cooked us a Sardinian meal it was the perfect end to a great trip.
Going to Paris is always great because it is one of our favorite cities. During the summer though some of the restaurants are closed it’s a big vacation time for Parisians. One positive thing about summers in Paris is that it is not as busy as the wintertime.
This trip to Paris was extraordinary because we were meeting our good friends Adrian and Irene. They live in London which is a hop skip and a jump away from France. They’ve been to Paris many times which was good because that meant we had excellent tour guides.
They took us for a ride on the Metro to see other parts of the city. The first place they took us to was the Centre Pompidou we didn’t go inside, but the outside was strange. There are hundreds of pipes lining the entire exterior of the building.
We visited some of our favorite sites for the second time which was great. We spent half the day at the Louvre Museum which was not enough time. It is a huge museum.
One thing interesting that we saw at nighttime was a lot of young couples and groups of friends meet on the Seine river and play music or just have a bottle of wine. They look happy and are freely having a good time.
Eiffel TowerMaria & JohnCool boat on the Seine RiverMaria & John at the Arc de TriompheOur good friends Adrian & Irene at the Arc de TriompheNotre-Dame de ParisCentre Georges PompidouCentre Georges PompidouThe Roue de ParisThe Roue de ParisEiffel TowerEiffel Tower at Night with a blue background
Musee du LouvreLouvre PyramidThe Mona LisaCool buildingMy favorite brand HermesStone Statues And Quadriga On The Arc De Triomphe Du CarrouselMariaFresh prosciuttoChamps-ÉlyséesFontaines de la ConcordeTourists having fun on the Seine RiverLocals having fun on the Seine RiverPont des Arts Pedestrian BridgeLocks on the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge
Man made beach on the Seine River
Seine River
The mascarons, stone masks on the Pont Neuf BridgeThe mascarons, stone masks on the Pont Neuf BridgeThe mascarons, stone masks on the Pont Neuf BridgeThe mascarons, stone masks on the Pont Neuf Bridge
Today we flew with another couple to Costa Rica for our friends 60th birthday. We met Ben and Nancy at JFK airport at 6am to catch our flight. After a 5 hour flight we arrived at the airport and rented a car. We stayed at the JW Marriott Guanacaste in Tamarindo.
We really didn’t do much on this trip it was more of a relaxing by the pool vacation. There was only one day that we decided to drive to the rain forest after a four hour drive we finally got to the rain forest and it was closed due to too much rain. You can’t make this stuff up!
The next day John went horseback riding he said it was the best riding he has ever done. The horses were in great shape, and he was able to run and run not just walking ride.
JohnMaria & JohnPretty Church
Arenal VolcanoA local taking a napJohn horseback riding
Today we left Florence and rode the train to Rome. Once again an enjoyable train ride full of beautiful scenery the only difference is that this time we got on the correct car thank goodness. We checked into our hotel The Excelsior was opened in 1906. The hotel is located in a great spot, and the building’s architecture is beautiful we were lucky enough to have a corner suite.
After settling in, we did what we usually do take a quick walk around the city to get familiar with it. After a few hours of walking around, we decided to get back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
The next day we were happy to walk around and get familiar with this great city. The first thing we did was walk to the Trevi Fountain. It truly is amazing. I can’t believe that the water just continuously runs and never ends. The fountain is breathtaking it’s a must see in person.
We visited Vatican City. From the outside to the inside it was fabulous. We even saw the window that the pope addresses the people in the square. Another cool thing that was there was the Swiss guards outside of the Vatican. Their outfits are cool mostly because I love anything with stripes.
The next stop on our walking tour was the Colosseum. Once again a jaw-dropping experience. This building was truly something spectacular we saw where they kept the animals and where the spectators sat.
We also love the Pantheon. The great thing is that there are a few restaurants in that square so every day we would have lunch with our relatives facing the Pantheon. It was the best view you could have while eating Italian food. There’s nothing like spending some time eating and catching up with family luckily we have relatives who live in Rome, and we ate lunch and dinner with them almost every day.
The Trevi FountainThe Trevi FountainExcelsior HotelOur suite in the Excelsior HotelMaria & John at The VaticanSwiss Guards outside of the VaticanMaria & John at The ColosseumThe inside of the ColosseumThe inside of the ColosseumThe inside of the ColosseumThe inside of the ColosseumThe PantheonThe PantheonMaria & John – with our aunt who lives in Rome GiovaninaJohn with our cousins who live in Rome Gloria, Laura & Alessandra
The train ride from Venice to Florence, Italy began on a bad foot. Remember all the luggage I told you we had well we didn’t realize that the tickets had assigned seats, so our seats were in car 6, and we got on car 1. John had to carry one bag at a time to get them to car 6 while I stayed with the luggage on car 1 . After a stressful beginning, we were looking forward to the scenery for the remaining six-hour ride. I loved riding the train; it reminded of being in Greece. When I was younger, that’s how we traveled from Athens to my mom’s town Kalo Nero, Kyparissia.
We checked into the Four Seasons Hotel, and after getting settled in, we decided to take a walk to get familiar with the city. We had dinner plans at Enoteca Pinchiorri which was a very impressive restaurant. We had a packed schedule for the next day, so we made it an early night.
The next morning we started on our walking tour of the city, and the first stop was the breathtaking Il Duomo di Firenze. Pictures do not do it justice! After taking a million pictures, we then moved onto The Ponte Vecchio which is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River.
We then decided to start the museum tours we visited the Uffizi Gallery which was nice and then we visited the Galleria dell Accademia to see Michelangelo sculptures, including the impressive statue of The David.
Maria & JohnPonte VecchioLocks by The Ponte Vecchio BridgeUffizi GalleryUffizi GalleryUffizi GalleryUffizi GalleryMichelangelo’s Statue The DavidVending machine that sells thong panties
Today we have to travel once again from Paris to Venice, Italy. I have to say flying from France to Italy was, of course, annoying because I pack like I’m never coming home and the extra weight is expensive, but it is what it is. We finally arrive in Venice, and this lovely wooden boat picked us up and took us to our beautiful hotel Luna Baglioni. This hotel was fantastic it’s very European. The room was decorated so beautifully, and the key had a tassel attached to it that you hand to the front desk coming in and out of the hotel it was something really cool which I had never experienced before.
To this day the shower in that hotel has been the best John, and I have ever experienced. It was unbelievable it was like a monsoon rain shower, and we both loved it.
That night and the next day we just spent a lot of time walking around and shopping, and we went to St. Mark’s square and walked through Saint Mark’s Basilica. Beautiful inside and out and the original Horses of Saint Mark were inside. There is one thing we learned, and that is that the best thing to do is get lost in Venice. We took a very entertaining gondola ride.
One day we took a boat ride to the Murano hand-blown glass factory and purchased a gorgeous chandelier.
All good things must come to an end after being in Venice for two days we took our water taxi back to the had to the train station to get to Florence which I heard is also amazing.
Rialto BridgeGondola parkingGondola trafficWindow shopping by gondolaJohn in the water taxiMaria in the water taxiSanta Maria della SaluteInside of Luna BaglioniLuna Baglioni hotel key on a tassel keychainSaint Mark’s BasilicaInside of Saint Mark’s BasilicaStaircase inside of Saint Mark’s BasilicaHorses of Saint MarkHand made mask we purchasedHand made mask we purchasedHand made mask we purchased held by the man who makes them
Today we arrived in Paris from an unbelievable trip to Cairo, Egypt. Click on the link to read the crazy trip. I was so happy to be in Paris for two reasons, the first being safety from the craziness that we were involved in the past 72 hours and the second reason is….I’m in Paris!!!!!! Need I say more. I love Paris I’ve always wanted to visit. It’s the city of love, and I fell in love the second my feet touched down.
Paris is something else the architecture, the food, the language it’s unique and special. We didn’t pack for a grand European vacation, but I will make do with what I have.
Today we decided to walk around and take in all the beautiful buildings and visit a few museums. There is no way you can ever say you’re bored while in Paris.
Tonight we had tickets to Moulin Rouge that included dinner, unfortunately, John and I both got deathly ill from either at lunch or the dinner at the show but either way, it wasn’t the way we wanted to spend two days, sick in bed!
Our next stop is Venice, Italy. I’ve heard a lot about Venice both good and bad, so I don’t know what to expect.
L’Hôtel national des InvalidesRoue de ParisNotre-Dame de ParisNotre-Dame de ParisInside of Notre-Dame de ParisInside of Notre-Dame de ParisInside of Notre-Dame de ParisInside of Notre-Dame de ParisLocal restaurantA cool building by the hotelMoulin RougeJohn having lunch on Champs ElyseesMaria having lunch on Champs ElyseesGiant Thumb
The days leading up to our trip the news was filled with images of the unrest in Egypt. Egyptians were trying to overthrow Mubarak. We were on the fence whether we were going to go on the trip or cancel it. We decided that we should continue with our plan.
The day finally arrived for our flight, we were excited, and when we reached the airport, of course, there was a huge snow storm, so that caused a lot of flight delays. We boarded the plane, so we thought that we were going but as we were sitting waiting to take off the ice was forming on the wings they tried several times to get us going but were unsuccessful. Finally, around midnight they canceled our flight and told us to come back the next day. We should’ve taken that as a sign but we didn’t.
The next day we were back at the airport waiting for the flight while watching the news it looked like Egypt was not a safe place to travel to. We decided to call our tour company Abercrombie and Kent, they told us not to worry, and they would never put us in harm’s way this happens all the time, and it would be over in a day or two.
This time the flight took off. Finally, after 11 hours we arrived. We were met by a representative from the tour company, and he told us we could not get to our scheduled hotel because it was too dangerous so they took us to an emergency hotel which made us nervous. Upon arrival at the Fairmont hotel, the security gave us a hard time getting in which didn’t help the bad situation we were already in. After about five minutes of back and forth, they finally allowed us entry. We checked in an decided to settle in and get ready for a quick bite to eat since it was late. As soon as we turned the Television on Secretary of state, Hillary Clinton was on, and she said: “I urge all US citizens not to travel abroad to Egypt.”
John and I looked at each other and said “WOW that’s great” We decided at that moment that we needed to get out of there as soon as possible. John called our American Express representative, and she scheduled the flight out the very next morning. Other people that were on the same tour with us decided that they were going to wait a few days to see if the issues were resolved.
The next day we headed back to the airport along the way we could see the military all over with guns and bayonets attached and heavy weapons. There were massive amounts of traffic, so I thought we would never make it to the airport. Once at the airport it was a zoo, a total nightmare we had to pay $5,000 to buy new tickets. At that point, if they cost $10, 000 I would’ve paid. The chaos was nerve wracking we didn’t speak the language people are yelling, and you have no idea what they are saying. We decided since we were already that far from home we should change our plans and head to Europe so off to Paris, France.
John at the Fairmont Hotel in CairoMilitary presence in the streets of CairoTraffic heading to the airportAn advertisement showing us the only pyramids we will see for many years
Today we drove from Kruger National Park to Nelspruit (White River) to stay at my friend Tina’s house for a couple of days. The area she lives in is very private and gated. It was another short stop we were only going to be here for two days.
The next morning we had an exciting visit to this elephant sanctuary called Elephant Whispers. We learned so much about elephants that we never knew before this visit. We also had the pleasure of riding an elephant which was fun.
Six dozen roses that Tina bought for her homeMaria at Elephant WhispersJohn at Elephant WhispersMaria & John – Young Elephant at Elephant WhispersMaria & John – Elephant ride at Elephant WhispersMaria & John – Elephant Whispers
