| Hi, Did you hear the news? On Tuesday, May 26, the California Supreme Court will announce whether it will overturn or uphold Proposition 8. I just signed up to get an email the moment the decision is announced and thought you might be interested in getting one as well. Click here to join me and sign-up for an alert from the Courage Campaign: http://www.couragecampaign.org/DecisionDay Thanks! |
Friday, May 22, 2009
Supreme Court ruling on Prop 8
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Will President Obama keep his promise?
| Hi, Did you know that the military is still discharging soldiers for being openly gay? One of these soldiers is California's own Lt. Dan Choi. In March he went on Rachel Maddow's show and spoke honestly about his sexual orientation. As a result in April the Army sent him a letter of discharge. Lt. Choi is fighting the discharge and fighting the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. I just signed a petition from the Courage Campaign to President Obama, urging him to do the right thing by stopping the discharge of Lt. Dan Choi and other LGBT soldiers, and asking President Obama to uphold his promise to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." They are going to deliver it to the president and it's important that as many people as possible speak out right now. Will you join me in signing and urge your friends to do the same?: http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontFireDan Thanks! |
Sunday, July 13, 2008
J'aime la France!
Day 21: July 8
THREE WEEKS!
We woke up late and Sylvain made us bacon and eggs before leaving for Paris to pick up Jill and Ben from the airport (Tim's stepmother and youngest brother). After breakfast we folded our laundry and packed our bags before going on a walk through the fields. It's been absolutely fabulous to be away from the city!
After our walk we had a relatively small lunch and then helped with the dishes. Then it was time to work! Pascal showed Tim how to operate the "sit on" lawn mower and I helped pull weeds in the garden. It was great being outside.
After several hours Sylvain returned with Jill and Ben and this is when we left La Martinière and headed to Tim's papy's cottage in Avaray. I love Tim's family! They have been extremely hospitable and are lovely and kind people.
From left to right: Vincent, Sylvain, Jill, Tim, Ben and Pascal
We had a great dinner with Tim's papy and his wife, Cecily before showering and hitting the hay! Oh, and by the way - registering for classes from another country is no bueno!
Day 22: July 9
When we woke up we had tea, toast and eggs with Papy and Cecily before going on a walk through the village of Avaray. Sylvain, Jill and Ben showed up midmorning and dropped Ben off for a bike ride.
Tim, Ben, Cecily and I rode to another village called Saint Dyé (san-dee-ay) where we had a picnic lunch next to the Loire River and wandered through the village. Jill and Sylvain picked us up a bit later and we went to Chateau de Chambord - a beautiful castle built by François le Premier and used as a hunting lodge in the 16th century.
Once there we saw a horse show that sucked horse balls (no offense, Sylvain) and then we wandered through the 77 staircases and 426 rooms. Insane!
After our visit to the castle we had dinner with the woman whom Sylvain, Jill and Ben are staying with - her name is Rebecca. The dinner was delicious and afterwards we went to the Chateau de Blois to see a son et lumiere (sound and light) show.
The show took place in the castle's courtyard and told stories of Joan of Arc and the Marquis de Guise - he was murdered in the castle by men of King Henry III. It was a great story and the lights were spectacular. By the end we were exhausted and had a great night's sleep.
Day 23: July 10
Today was Sylvain's birthday so after breakfast we went kayaking on the Loire River for most of the afternoon. The river is flowing very quickly so we expected an easy ride but it was terribly windy so when we weren't rowing we didn't move at all.
It was a great time! We lost Papa at one point and I peed my pants after we ran into the bank of this island 4 times in an attempt to get back to open water. Awesome!
After 3 hours on the river we rounded up and got ready for Sylvain's birthday celebration picnic. People from the neighborhood came and we ate and drank all night. It was great! I really love being here =)
Day 24: July 11
Happy birthday Laura and Aunt Jeanie!
When we woke up today it was raining and quite cold outside =( After breakfast with Papy and Cecily we decided to visit the Chateau de Blois again with Sylvain, Jill and Ben, but this time we went inside. I love this castle because there's so much history behind it!
After our tour of the castle we went back to Papy and Cecily's to have lunch. I finally had some authentice French crèpes! They were delicious! We had a quick bit of coffee and took some group photos before going to the train station in Mer. Our next stop was Tim's aunt Caroline's home in Tours to see his cousin Nathalie and her newborn baby, Antoine.
Ben, Tim, Sylvain, Jill, Papy et Cecily
When we arrived in Tours Caroline (care-oh-lean) picked us up from the station and took us to her home. I met all the family and then we took a walk in an attempt to calm the baby down. We walked through theis gorgeous public park/zoo. It was beautiful!
After the walk we had a great dinner - Chinese food a la Daniel (Caroline's husband). After dinner we played Wii for a couple hours before going to sleep.
Nathalie, Sebastien, Me, Steve, Fanny, Vincent et Tim
Day 25: July 12
Today we woke up really early and grabbed a cab to the train station. Today we go to Paris! It was the fastest train ride and soon we were at Tim's uncle Vincent's apartment - only after taking one subway and then discovering the one we needed to change to was under construction so we had to take a taxi the rest of the way.
After resting a couple hours we got some lunch and met Vincent and his girlfriend, Valerie for ice cream and a walk on the Seine River (sen). We said goodbye to Valerie and Vincent - they were leaving for holiday - and saw the Notre Dame cathedral and the Sainte Chapelle (where the most stained glass is).
From there we headed over to the Eiffel Tower to take photos and go on an underground tour of the tower. Simply amazing! We learned so much about the history and we got to see secret passageways and the old underground barracks of Champ de Mars - the field in front of the tower.
After the tour we embarked on a tour of Paris by boat. Boring, but we got to see the sites! After the boat tour we were starving and unfortunately we lost ourselves in the rich area of town and couldn't find a place even with appetizers under 20€. Luckily we found a cheap Chinese restaurant and had a nice meal before heading back to the apartment for some much needed sleep.
Yes, we took this picture.
Day 26: July 13
Happy birthday Ellen!!!
Today we rolled out of bed pretty late and went to a buffet brunch near by before going to the Louvre. That place is MASSIVE!!! We walked around forever and of course saw the Mona Lisa among other famous pieces. It was very interesting, but hard on the feet.
From there we went to Montmarte to see the basilica of Sacré Coeur. It was beautiful inside and the view from there was great. We even caught the nuns singing during a service being that it's Sunday.
Now we're waiting for Sylvain, Jill and Ben to arrive in Paris and we plan to have a nice dinner out and then get to sleep early to prepare for the Bastille Day festivities happening tomorrow.
I'm having a fabulous time, but I can't wait to be home! I miss everyone so much!
THREE WEEKS!
We woke up late and Sylvain made us bacon and eggs before leaving for Paris to pick up Jill and Ben from the airport (Tim's stepmother and youngest brother). After breakfast we folded our laundry and packed our bags before going on a walk through the fields. It's been absolutely fabulous to be away from the city!
After our walk we had a relatively small lunch and then helped with the dishes. Then it was time to work! Pascal showed Tim how to operate the "sit on" lawn mower and I helped pull weeds in the garden. It was great being outside.
After several hours Sylvain returned with Jill and Ben and this is when we left La Martinière and headed to Tim's papy's cottage in Avaray. I love Tim's family! They have been extremely hospitable and are lovely and kind people.
From left to right: Vincent, Sylvain, Jill, Tim, Ben and Pascal
We had a great dinner with Tim's papy and his wife, Cecily before showering and hitting the hay! Oh, and by the way - registering for classes from another country is no bueno!
Day 22: July 9
When we woke up we had tea, toast and eggs with Papy and Cecily before going on a walk through the village of Avaray. Sylvain, Jill and Ben showed up midmorning and dropped Ben off for a bike ride.
Tim, Ben, Cecily and I rode to another village called Saint Dyé (san-dee-ay) where we had a picnic lunch next to the Loire River and wandered through the village. Jill and Sylvain picked us up a bit later and we went to Chateau de Chambord - a beautiful castle built by François le Premier and used as a hunting lodge in the 16th century.
Once there we saw a horse show that sucked horse balls (no offense, Sylvain) and then we wandered through the 77 staircases and 426 rooms. Insane!
After our visit to the castle we had dinner with the woman whom Sylvain, Jill and Ben are staying with - her name is Rebecca. The dinner was delicious and afterwards we went to the Chateau de Blois to see a son et lumiere (sound and light) show.
The show took place in the castle's courtyard and told stories of Joan of Arc and the Marquis de Guise - he was murdered in the castle by men of King Henry III. It was a great story and the lights were spectacular. By the end we were exhausted and had a great night's sleep.
Day 23: July 10
Today was Sylvain's birthday so after breakfast we went kayaking on the Loire River for most of the afternoon. The river is flowing very quickly so we expected an easy ride but it was terribly windy so when we weren't rowing we didn't move at all.
It was a great time! We lost Papa at one point and I peed my pants after we ran into the bank of this island 4 times in an attempt to get back to open water. Awesome!
After 3 hours on the river we rounded up and got ready for Sylvain's birthday celebration picnic. People from the neighborhood came and we ate and drank all night. It was great! I really love being here =)
Day 24: July 11
Happy birthday Laura and Aunt Jeanie!
When we woke up today it was raining and quite cold outside =( After breakfast with Papy and Cecily we decided to visit the Chateau de Blois again with Sylvain, Jill and Ben, but this time we went inside. I love this castle because there's so much history behind it!
After our tour of the castle we went back to Papy and Cecily's to have lunch. I finally had some authentice French crèpes! They were delicious! We had a quick bit of coffee and took some group photos before going to the train station in Mer. Our next stop was Tim's aunt Caroline's home in Tours to see his cousin Nathalie and her newborn baby, Antoine.
Ben, Tim, Sylvain, Jill, Papy et Cecily
When we arrived in Tours Caroline (care-oh-lean) picked us up from the station and took us to her home. I met all the family and then we took a walk in an attempt to calm the baby down. We walked through theis gorgeous public park/zoo. It was beautiful!
After the walk we had a great dinner - Chinese food a la Daniel (Caroline's husband). After dinner we played Wii for a couple hours before going to sleep.
Nathalie, Sebastien, Me, Steve, Fanny, Vincent et Tim
Day 25: July 12
Today we woke up really early and grabbed a cab to the train station. Today we go to Paris! It was the fastest train ride and soon we were at Tim's uncle Vincent's apartment - only after taking one subway and then discovering the one we needed to change to was under construction so we had to take a taxi the rest of the way.
After resting a couple hours we got some lunch and met Vincent and his girlfriend, Valerie for ice cream and a walk on the Seine River (sen). We said goodbye to Valerie and Vincent - they were leaving for holiday - and saw the Notre Dame cathedral and the Sainte Chapelle (where the most stained glass is).
From there we headed over to the Eiffel Tower to take photos and go on an underground tour of the tower. Simply amazing! We learned so much about the history and we got to see secret passageways and the old underground barracks of Champ de Mars - the field in front of the tower.
After the tour we embarked on a tour of Paris by boat. Boring, but we got to see the sites! After the boat tour we were starving and unfortunately we lost ourselves in the rich area of town and couldn't find a place even with appetizers under 20€. Luckily we found a cheap Chinese restaurant and had a nice meal before heading back to the apartment for some much needed sleep.
Yes, we took this picture.
Day 26: July 13
Happy birthday Ellen!!!
Today we rolled out of bed pretty late and went to a buffet brunch near by before going to the Louvre. That place is MASSIVE!!! We walked around forever and of course saw the Mona Lisa among other famous pieces. It was very interesting, but hard on the feet.
From there we went to Montmarte to see the basilica of Sacré Coeur. It was beautiful inside and the view from there was great. We even caught the nuns singing during a service being that it's Sunday.
Now we're waiting for Sylvain, Jill and Ben to arrive in Paris and we plan to have a nice dinner out and then get to sleep early to prepare for the Bastille Day festivities happening tomorrow.
I'm having a fabulous time, but I can't wait to be home! I miss everyone so much!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Vénise, c'est finie, maintenant pour la France
This is going to be a long one and I'm going to time how long it takes me to type on this French keyboard.
And we're off!
Day 14: July 1 cont'd...
After resting a while we got some pizza and sangria at a piano bar and grabbed some gelato before heading back to the hotel to shower again and go to sleep.
Day 15: July 2
Today we woke up really early and had breakfast at our hotel, but by the canal. I never thought I'd say this Brittany, but if I ever see another piece of bread I might die! That's all we have for breakfast here: bread, rolls, toast, blah, blah, blah. I want some huevos rancheros!!!
After breakfast we caught the vaporetto (water bus) to Piazza San Marco. The vaporetti are really the only way to get around and they're great because they come often but they're pretty much floating hot boxes. I never thought I could sweat so much until we came to Italy. Greece was hot, but damn!
When we got to San Marco I couldn't believe the sites: Palazzo Ducale, Basilica and the Campanile - we went to the top of this tower to see the square. The Basilica was unreal and the Palazzo Ducale was breathtaking. I wish I could of taken photos of the insides, but Tim doesn't think I could have captured the beauty anyway.
The Basilica:
The Campanile:
Palazzo Ducale:
Inside the Palazzo Ducale with the Campanile in the background:
We were at San Marco for most of the morning before heading back to the hotel. We were both so hot and extremely sweaty. Tim grabbed some lunch for us while I passed out on the bed. After we ate I slept for a good 3 hours - I know we nap a lot, but the heat here sucks the life out of you!
After my nap we got ready for dinner. We went to a trattoria and had some caprese, gnocchi and frito misto (fried seafood) along with some rather large beers - yum! After dinner we headed to San Vidal church where we attended a concerti featuring pieces from Vivaldi - beautiful!
We left there and headed back to the hotel. We were still feeling those huge beers, so we just passed out.
Day 16: July 3
We slept in today and had breakfast in our room. We packed and checked out before heading out to see one more site - Torcello. It's a small island outside of Venice where the oldest church in the lagoon can be found (c. 637 AD). It was very quiet on the island which was nice. We got some lunch - yummy pasta - then saw the church.
Magnificent! I'm running out of words to describe everything I've seen. This church had one of the largest mosaics I've ever seen! It depicted DoomsDay and was covered in gold. There were also relics and bodies buried within the church - creepy!
We left the island and headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags and then went to the train station. Tonight we travel to Nice - it's going to be a long night!
Saw this guy fishing in the canal on the way back - ick!
On the train to Milan we met a Scottish couple and talking with them made the ride go quicker. When we arrived in Milan we had to run to catch the next train because even if our train had been on time we still wouldn't have had much leeway. We literally jumped on the first car and had to move all the way to the back through all the cars to get to our seats while the train was leaving the station - insane!
This ride to Ventimiglia was a bit longer. We tried to sleep with very little success, but we planned on catching some zZzZzZ at the next train station - we'd have to wait 4 hours for the next train to Nice.
When we arrived in Ventimiglia we made our way to the next platform and as we ascended the stairs Tim's papa and his cousin Thierry surprised us! I couldn't have been happier and Tim was relieved. We relinquished ourselves to their care and groggily sat in the back seat for the short drive to Nice.
We gratefully took showers and passed out.
Day 17: July 4
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ALL YOU SILLY AMERICANS!!!
Today we unfortunately woke up around 9am after going to sleep at 2:30am =( We had a quiet breakfast and prepared for a busy day of sightseeing.
Our first stop was Monaco - France's own Beverly Hills where everyone's rich and they still have a prince! Tim's papa, Sylvain showed us where he lived as a child and where he went to school and to church - very cool!
The palace in Monaco:
The cathedral where Sylvain went as a child:
Thierry, Sylvain and Timothée:
We had a quick lunch with my favorite - Orangina! After we ate we headed to Eze - a quiet village perched on a rock. We left Eze after a short visit and headed back to Thierry's apartment where his girlfriend - Sandra - was preparing dinner.
Tim and I had a quick dip in their pool and got ready for dinner. Thierry's sister, Annie (ah-knee), and her girlfriend, Patricia (pah-tree-see-uh) joined us for the best dinner we've had so far. My first homecooked French meal! Très bon!
After dinner we showed them our pictures of Greece and Italy. By this time it was midnight and Annie and Patricia left and we all went to sleep - faire dodo!
Day 18: July 5
Today was a lazy day. Tim and I didn't wake up until 10:30am. We had another quiet breakfast and then Thierry showed us all the work he's been doing on the Frémaux family tree. Incroyable! He's found ancestors dating as far back as 1767. The people he finds that far back don't have pictures, but he's able to get their signature and sometimes a copy of their birth certificate.
After that awesome piece of history we went to Annie and Patricia's house for lunch. They said it would be an American lunch, meaning it would be casual. Now since when does hours d'oeuvres, wine, tons of food, cheese with a new wine and dessert = casual? It was epic, but oh so delicious!
From left to right: Patricia, Annie, Sylvain, Timothée, Sandra et Thierry
When we finished lunch Tim, Sylvain and I went to the beach for a while before going back to Thierry and Sandra's aparment. Once there we all showered and then left for dinner! Already?! I so wasn't hungry, but Tim assured me we wouldn't be eating for a while.
We all met at another village called San Paul de Vance where King François le Premier built one of many fortresses. It was a cute fortress and we found a great place for dinner. It was the day before Annie's birthday so when they brought our her tiramisu it had a sparkler in it =)
After dinner we went our separate ways and went to sleep.
Day 19: July 6
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jérémie!!!
We had a super early start today in order to get on the road to the Vallée de la Loire where we'd be staying with Tim's uncle, Pascal for a few days.
It was hard to say goodbye to Thierry and Sandra. They're such lovely people and they were extremely hospitable.
ROAD TRIP!
We got on the road around 6:30am and I quickly fell asleep in the backseat. We planned to take a more scenic route and our first stop was a small village called Arles where we happened upon a festival where everyone was dressed in period clothing. We thought they were Amish at first, but it was a parade for some kind of pageant.
We also saw one of the biggest coliseums in the world there - Les Arènes d'Arles. It was in great condition with portions restored and it was fitted to still be used today for bull races and fighting.
After some sightseeing, potty break and a quick bite to eat we hit the road again. I fell asleep in the backseat again. Our next stop was for lunch in another small village called Le Vigan. We got some sandwiches on fresh baguettes - yum!
We quickly got on the road again and I fell asleep yet again! I woke up to take a few pictures of the tallest bridge in the world - Le Viaduc de Millau - and stayed awake for a short while before falling asleep - again!
At our next stop I decided to get some café with Sylvain and stayed awake for the rest of the journey.
We finally arrived at La Martinière just before 9:30pm. I was so happy to be out of the car after 15 hours. We did some laundry and had a late supper with Sylvain's youngest brother, Vincent, and went to sleep.
Day 20: July 7
Today = do nothing day! It's raining off and on outside so I plan on eating and sleeping some more =)
This took exactly an hour - whew!
And we're off!
Day 14: July 1 cont'd...
After resting a while we got some pizza and sangria at a piano bar and grabbed some gelato before heading back to the hotel to shower again and go to sleep.
Day 15: July 2
Today we woke up really early and had breakfast at our hotel, but by the canal. I never thought I'd say this Brittany, but if I ever see another piece of bread I might die! That's all we have for breakfast here: bread, rolls, toast, blah, blah, blah. I want some huevos rancheros!!!
After breakfast we caught the vaporetto (water bus) to Piazza San Marco. The vaporetti are really the only way to get around and they're great because they come often but they're pretty much floating hot boxes. I never thought I could sweat so much until we came to Italy. Greece was hot, but damn!
When we got to San Marco I couldn't believe the sites: Palazzo Ducale, Basilica and the Campanile - we went to the top of this tower to see the square. The Basilica was unreal and the Palazzo Ducale was breathtaking. I wish I could of taken photos of the insides, but Tim doesn't think I could have captured the beauty anyway.
The Basilica:
The Campanile:
Palazzo Ducale:
Inside the Palazzo Ducale with the Campanile in the background:
We were at San Marco for most of the morning before heading back to the hotel. We were both so hot and extremely sweaty. Tim grabbed some lunch for us while I passed out on the bed. After we ate I slept for a good 3 hours - I know we nap a lot, but the heat here sucks the life out of you!
After my nap we got ready for dinner. We went to a trattoria and had some caprese, gnocchi and frito misto (fried seafood) along with some rather large beers - yum! After dinner we headed to San Vidal church where we attended a concerti featuring pieces from Vivaldi - beautiful!
We left there and headed back to the hotel. We were still feeling those huge beers, so we just passed out.
Day 16: July 3
We slept in today and had breakfast in our room. We packed and checked out before heading out to see one more site - Torcello. It's a small island outside of Venice where the oldest church in the lagoon can be found (c. 637 AD). It was very quiet on the island which was nice. We got some lunch - yummy pasta - then saw the church.
Magnificent! I'm running out of words to describe everything I've seen. This church had one of the largest mosaics I've ever seen! It depicted DoomsDay and was covered in gold. There were also relics and bodies buried within the church - creepy!
We left the island and headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags and then went to the train station. Tonight we travel to Nice - it's going to be a long night!
Saw this guy fishing in the canal on the way back - ick!
On the train to Milan we met a Scottish couple and talking with them made the ride go quicker. When we arrived in Milan we had to run to catch the next train because even if our train had been on time we still wouldn't have had much leeway. We literally jumped on the first car and had to move all the way to the back through all the cars to get to our seats while the train was leaving the station - insane!
This ride to Ventimiglia was a bit longer. We tried to sleep with very little success, but we planned on catching some zZzZzZ at the next train station - we'd have to wait 4 hours for the next train to Nice.
When we arrived in Ventimiglia we made our way to the next platform and as we ascended the stairs Tim's papa and his cousin Thierry surprised us! I couldn't have been happier and Tim was relieved. We relinquished ourselves to their care and groggily sat in the back seat for the short drive to Nice.
We gratefully took showers and passed out.
Day 17: July 4
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ALL YOU SILLY AMERICANS!!!
Today we unfortunately woke up around 9am after going to sleep at 2:30am =( We had a quiet breakfast and prepared for a busy day of sightseeing.
Our first stop was Monaco - France's own Beverly Hills where everyone's rich and they still have a prince! Tim's papa, Sylvain showed us where he lived as a child and where he went to school and to church - very cool!
The palace in Monaco:
The cathedral where Sylvain went as a child:
Thierry, Sylvain and Timothée:
We had a quick lunch with my favorite - Orangina! After we ate we headed to Eze - a quiet village perched on a rock. We left Eze after a short visit and headed back to Thierry's apartment where his girlfriend - Sandra - was preparing dinner.
Tim and I had a quick dip in their pool and got ready for dinner. Thierry's sister, Annie (ah-knee), and her girlfriend, Patricia (pah-tree-see-uh) joined us for the best dinner we've had so far. My first homecooked French meal! Très bon!
After dinner we showed them our pictures of Greece and Italy. By this time it was midnight and Annie and Patricia left and we all went to sleep - faire dodo!
Day 18: July 5
Today was a lazy day. Tim and I didn't wake up until 10:30am. We had another quiet breakfast and then Thierry showed us all the work he's been doing on the Frémaux family tree. Incroyable! He's found ancestors dating as far back as 1767. The people he finds that far back don't have pictures, but he's able to get their signature and sometimes a copy of their birth certificate.
After that awesome piece of history we went to Annie and Patricia's house for lunch. They said it would be an American lunch, meaning it would be casual. Now since when does hours d'oeuvres, wine, tons of food, cheese with a new wine and dessert = casual? It was epic, but oh so delicious!
From left to right: Patricia, Annie, Sylvain, Timothée, Sandra et Thierry
When we finished lunch Tim, Sylvain and I went to the beach for a while before going back to Thierry and Sandra's aparment. Once there we all showered and then left for dinner! Already?! I so wasn't hungry, but Tim assured me we wouldn't be eating for a while.
We all met at another village called San Paul de Vance where King François le Premier built one of many fortresses. It was a cute fortress and we found a great place for dinner. It was the day before Annie's birthday so when they brought our her tiramisu it had a sparkler in it =)
After dinner we went our separate ways and went to sleep.
Day 19: July 6
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jérémie!!!
We had a super early start today in order to get on the road to the Vallée de la Loire where we'd be staying with Tim's uncle, Pascal for a few days.
It was hard to say goodbye to Thierry and Sandra. They're such lovely people and they were extremely hospitable.
ROAD TRIP!
We got on the road around 6:30am and I quickly fell asleep in the backseat. We planned to take a more scenic route and our first stop was a small village called Arles where we happened upon a festival where everyone was dressed in period clothing. We thought they were Amish at first, but it was a parade for some kind of pageant.
We also saw one of the biggest coliseums in the world there - Les Arènes d'Arles. It was in great condition with portions restored and it was fitted to still be used today for bull races and fighting.
After some sightseeing, potty break and a quick bite to eat we hit the road again. I fell asleep in the backseat again. Our next stop was for lunch in another small village called Le Vigan. We got some sandwiches on fresh baguettes - yum!
We quickly got on the road again and I fell asleep yet again! I woke up to take a few pictures of the tallest bridge in the world - Le Viaduc de Millau - and stayed awake for a short while before falling asleep - again!
At our next stop I decided to get some café with Sylvain and stayed awake for the rest of the journey.
We finally arrived at La Martinière just before 9:30pm. I was so happy to be out of the car after 15 hours. We did some laundry and had a late supper with Sylvain's youngest brother, Vincent, and went to sleep.
Day 20: July 7
Today = do nothing day! It's raining off and on outside so I plan on eating and sleeping some more =)
This took exactly an hour - whew!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Nightmare in Venice
Day 12: June 29 cont'd...We ended up having dinner in the hotel and watched the game on their big screen. We some awesome chicken and lamb "in the oven" with mythos and the signature Raki after the meal. Tim wasn't feeling like drinking Raki so I had his share and slept like a baby that night.
Oh, and Spain won! So I guess our friend from Matala doesn't have his mustache anymore =(
Day 13: June 30
Today we had breakfast at the hotel before checking out and heading to the airport. Our flight plan today was Chania - Athens - Rome - Venice.
The flight from Chania to Athens was super short, it was leaving Athens that was difficult. We didn't start boarding until our departure time, but the plane was practically empty so Tim and I each had our own row. Nap time!
On the flight I thought about all the things I loved about Greece and tried to compile a list:
1. The beaches - they were indescribably beautiful!
2. Mythos - best beer I've had in a long time
3. People like Costas, Nikos and Nikos
4. Feta! I love cheese!
5. Lamb - it was always tender in Greece
6. Olives - with the pit of course!
7. Raki - like I said, it burns like tequila and tastes like vodka' don't toy with it!
8. The bed at Atrion - I'll invest in one when I'm uberrich!
9. Energy efficiency - the tiny cars, at each hotel you have to insert your key into a slot in order to turn on any lights or the A/C so there's no way you can leave it on; however, all thought the Europeans have energy efficiency down they litter a lot and I've seen smoggier cities than LA here.
10. Mousaka - a Greek rendition of lasagna with minced meat, eggplant and potato - effing delicious!
It's a short list, but I know I'll think of more later.
The flight to Rome was a bit longer, but smooth. I searched for the Coliseum out the plane window, but couldn't find it. Next we waited for what seemed like forever to board the next flight. It seems that it's not just Greece, but probably all of Europe that delays and/or cancels without any reason given.We finally took off about 45 minutes late. I'll be glad when this day of hellish transit is over! Waiting for buses to take you to the plane and then waiting for all the slow people to board and deboard the plane. Traveling in Europe in general is an experience for sure!
When we landed in Venice another bus took us from the plane to the airport terminal and then we waited for our luggage - this is where the nightmare began! Along with half our plane we waited while luggage with the flight number 6360 went round the carousel - our flight number was 6362. We all migrated to the lost and found counter and waited for what seemed like forever (again) for someone to tell us to call back in the morning. Word to the wise, along with never using internet on islands don't EVER FLY AIR ONE!!!!
Tim and I couldn't have been more furious. He was trying to stay calm while I sobbed on his shoulder. We caught a bus to the island of Venice and then a water bus to our hotel. Luckily our hotel is great and very comfortable. The receptionist, Daniele, is very kind and reassured us that our luggage would be found.
We went to our room and showered and then put our nasty clothes back on so we could get something to eat. We went to a restaurant that was the largest I've seen here and had some pasta. The nightmare continued when it started to rain on us during our meal.After dinner we went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
Day 14: July 1
TWO WEEKS!
So far we loved Greece and were hating Italy - not only was our luggage lost by an Italian airlinek, but when we woke up today it was storming outside. That ruined our day! We were supposed to take a secret itineraries tour of Palazzo Ducale, but because of the rain we couldn't. Tim had even washed our clothes in the bidet and dried them with a hairdryer with the hopes that we could wear them on the tour.
We had our breakfast brought to the room and got dressed in clothes we'd been wearing for nearly 48 hours and went to the train station. It was pouring still and the station was packed. We were trying to get tickets for the overnight train to Nice, France. Well, yet again Italy thwarts our plans - they had just stopped running those trains so our only option was to leave Venice at 17:51 on 3 July and arrive in Milano at 20:55, leave Milano at 21:10 and arrive in Ventimiglia at 1:13 on 4 July where we can wait 4 hours for the next train to Nice which is only 20 minutes away or ask Tim's papa to pick us up at that awful hour.At this point we're hating Italy. We trudge back to the hotel and try to call the lost and found to see if they found our bags. Our first piece of good news came from an automated message claiming that our bags could be found at their offices. Instead of waiting for them to deliver them, Daniele said it would be quicker to get them ourselves so we took his advice. We got a water taxi straight to the airport (only 12 euro) and ran to the lost and found office. I've never been so happy to see my luggage! HALLELUJAH!
We took the bus and then the water bus back to the hotel - it all took about two hours and 24 euro, but it was worth it. We decided to start over from there - we each took a second shower, changed our clothes and grabbed some lunch. I forgot to mention that on the way to the airport terminal the sky slowly started to clear and by the time we showered, changed and left for lunch it was bright and sunny!The day was getting better =) After a quick lunch we took the water bus to the Galleria Accademia and saw some awesome artwork. We walked back to the hotel and hung around for the latter part of the afternoon. It's hot here and humid from all the water which also attracts thousands of mosquitos =(
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Creta - Where Raki Flows Like Water
Day 8: June 25 cont’d…
We got some lunch before catching the bus to port. The tavern we found wasn’t that great, but we were hot and it was nice to escape the heat for a while. After lunch we went to get our bags from the villa reception and then waited for the bus for a half hour. Everything in Greece is slow, late and/or cancelled. The bus was completely packed and really hot. It was scary driving through the mountain to get to Fira, but we made it. We planned to catch a bus from Fira to port, but when we got to the square we found out the next bus wasn’t for an hour!
At this point we were both extremely agitated because we had to be at the port really soon. We decided to grab a taxi which took a while, but we made it to port on time and the woman who shared the cab with us paid our share. Awesome! She was from Ohio and was the housing director at Ohio State University and she spoke Greek fluently
because she was born here on one of the islands – very cool!When we got to port we went to a café and got some ice cream to cool off. We ended up waiting a long while because as usual the ferry was running late. The ferry to Crete was smooth and short. We picked up our roomy rental car – Hyundai Accent – and headed to the hotel we’d be staying at for the night.
The Atrion Hotel was beautiful. We had the same room number (603) from Athens and they upgraded us to a suite (sweet!) for free. We
grabbed some dinner at a great seafood restaurant and watched the football match between Germany and Turkey. It’s been fun being in Europe during Euro 2008. Oh, and when we asked for the logariazmo (check) they brought us a dessert platter and Raki – a local liquor made from the skins of grapes; it burns like tequila and tastes like vodka.Finally we got the ridiculously cheap bill and went back to the hotel to sleep. Our beds were awesome! Tempurpedic and they had controls to raise and lower the top and bottom halves. I slept like a baby that night.
Day 9: June 26We woke up later than usual and had a delicious breakfast in the hotel. We packed, check out and headed for Knossos – the ruins where King Minos once ruled.
It was hot and crowded with 90% tour groups – I hate tour groups! We weren’t very impressed with this site. It was cool but lackluster because it was all reconstructed by Sir Arthur Evans – the guy who discovered it at the turn of the century.
We left after a quick hour and drove to our next
spot – Matala. It’s an adventure driving in Greece and we’ve gotten lost a few times. The signage is poor and the lanes are barely discernable.We spent 20 minutes looking for our hotel and when we found it we were disappointed. The photos and description online were deceiving – walk to beach = hike, we got separate beds and the bathroom was dirty. I described this as Riches to Rags, but as long as we’re together I’m happy.
We grabbed some lunch in town and hit the beach
We didn’t wake up until 9:30pm and it was so hard to get out of bed but we had to get dinner otherwise we’d starve. We found a cute taverna and watched the semifinal between Espania and Russia and actually stayed long enough to see the end. Viva Espania!
Day 10: June 27
This time Tim slept like a baby while I was up tossing and turning. We got an early start because we wanted to get to Festos before the hoards and the heat. We got there right at opening and were the only ones for the half hour we were there. This location is the site of a Minoan palace. There’s not much left but it’s better to leave it to the imagination.From there we drove to our next location – Chania where we’d be staying three nights. Our room wasn’t quite ready so we took our laundry to the cleaners and lay by the pool for a couple hours. We got some lunch in the hotel’s café and
when our room was ready; we took a nap and hit the beach.The hotel is great! The staff is friendly and really helpful. It’s right on the beach so we’ve got our own access to it and the pool is right there so if you want to hear the waves but not get sandy the pool is a good choice.
After the beach, we got ready to have dinner at the Well of the Turk – a Turkish restaurant that’s supposed to be really delicious. The owner of the hotel, Nikos gave us some great recommendations for what to order and also told
us about a club to visit afterwards.Dinner was delicious! Service was slow but we weren’t really in a rush. From there we went back to the hotel because it was only 11pm and Nikos said the club doesn’t get busy until 1am. I played around on the free internet for awhile and then we headed to Destijl.
Awesome club! Half indoor and half outdoor with awesome decorations – palm trees, Moroccan lighting and colorful chairs, tables and beds. We got a few drinks and then hit the dance floor. It was a lot of fun and I’m proud of us for lasting
until after 3am.Day 11: June 28
Late start – I was a bit hungover and we were both exhausted. We ordered room service and laid in bed until it was time to pick up our laundry. When we got our laundry from the cleaners we headed to Falasarna beach. It’s on the far west side of the island and was a short drive from the hotel.
It was absolutely beautiful! The water was turquoise, aquamarine, blue, navy and teal.
Completely clear all the way to your toes. It was a lot of fun. After we relaxed for a few hours we headed back to the hotel, changed and grabbed some inexpensive dinner at a place called Nikos recommended by Nikos. Yummy! And we’ve come to realize that in Crete they serve Raki and a dessert after every dinner whether you want it or not. Woo hoo!After dinner we passed out.
Day 12: June 29
Our last day in Greece =( We leave for Italy
We saved the best for last – Elafonisi beach. Gorgeous as well, but more crowded than Falasarna. The water was freezing, but it felt great after lying out in the sun for a few hours. After the beach we drove back to the hotel and went to the beach there and then rinsed off in the pool before taking showers and hopping on the internet to write this blog =)
Tonight is the final between Germany and Spain. It’s going to be crazy! We met a guy in Matala who said that if Germany wins then he gets to shave his friend’s hair off, but if Spain wins then his friend gets to shave his mustache off (which he’s had for 25 years!).
I can’t wait to drink some Mythos and be among the locals!
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