Just Ken and Steven!

Courtney Love and Horse Meat......our last night in Venice

2011-06-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

So I had to blog one last time......first. Always, always, and I do mean always ask what is being served in the executive lounge of any hotel. Today, I made my way to the executive loung for a small snack and soda. I noticed from very nice sandwiches just being placed into the serving area. I decided to take a few....tomatoes, cheese, mayonnaise etc....then the very lovely looking roast beef cuts. I ate away. After eating most of the small cuts, a British couple that we have been interacting with throughout our stay in Venice entered the lounge. The lady is very upfront and has insisted on a couple of days that new food be brought out when Steven, her, her husband, or I have not liked what was being served. She has been polite, but always gets her way. Well come to find out she spends a lot of time in this hotel and has an apartment in Rome. Her husband retired last week. In short....very lovely couple that we have enjoyed talking with in the lounge.

Well she walks up to the sandwiches and immediately ask the hotel staff what kind of sandwich. Of which he replied back "meat of the horse." I catch this out of the corner of my ear and then hear her state loudly " are you saying horse meat." I look at my plate, look at her, look at the server and notice there is a partially eaten what I thought to be "roast beef" sandwich on my plate. The nice lady grabed her mouth and let out a yell, I jumped up and said "oh lord did you say horse meat" and handed the server my plate and asked him to get it away. The husband then stated "poor horse." it was a comedy at best.

The final story of Venice....we went to get gelato one final and I do mean final time. After ordering, Steven comes running over and said Cortney Love was the lady behind us and is ordering now. We walk back up and sure enough, bare feet and standing there ordering her gelato was Courtney Love.

One Bottle of Wine, One Pizza, Lasagna, and Spaghetti = ONE DINNER

2011-06-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

We are miserable. First to think we have to leave this great country and Venice. Second, we cannot stop the madness. We are continuing to eat, and eat, and eat. The day was overcast, the first such day on our trip. We hung out at the hotel during the day and relaxed. Venice really is a city in which you enjoy the nights better. So, we made our way out to the city around 5pm. First on the stop today was a gondola ride. Yes, before you ask, we did have the serenade. It was so nice to wind down the canals of Venice with the music and just take in this wonderful city. We passed by the Opera House and the house of Mozart. There were four or five gondolas with the group and a guy was serenading the group. It was wonderful.

After the gondola ride, we made our way walking through the city and took in some small shopping for gifts. Needless to say, you can spend a small fortune here. Then off to dinner. This is where the night turned bad.

We ordered a pizza for an appetizer, a bottle of white wine (I love wine now), lasagna for me, and spaghetti for Steven. The pizza came and once again I made fool out of myself. I did not realize a lady from the next table was watching. Obviously they had just arrived in Venice and had not tried pizza yet. Steven and I cut a piece and as I took a bite, I once again let out this sigh and professed to the taste of the pizza. It was the BEST pizza we have eaten since being here. We were right on the Grand Canal and having dinner. Who could ask for more? The lady busted out laughing and therefore I noticed her. Of course, I could not help but talk to her and tell her how wonderful the pizza was. After a short conversation we found out her husband and her are from Nova Scotia. A very nice couple...so how do we prove to them the Pizza was wonderful....we cut of a quarter (using clean utensils of course) and send it over to their table. The waiter was laughing about sharing the food. We made our way through the wine, lasagna, and spaghetti. Walked our swollen bodies to the water bus and back to the hotel....only to enter the executive lounge and have dessert and sodas. Someone please ship some insulin. WE ARE IN NEED.

Tomorrow is our last day in Venice and we are sad. What a wonderful trip this has turned out to be. Great people, great tours, site seeing, and more importantly a time that Steven and I enjoyed each other. With Steven and I living apart, it really has been nice to get past everyday life and just spend several days together. To appreciate all the things that made us fall in love and continue to hold us together. It is not doubt that I have an amazing person in my life. I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life together with him and hopefully one day sitting beside him on a bench old as dirt and with white hair and having the honor of telling him how much I love him.

With that being said, tomorrow we will spend the time just wondering around Venice and enjoying each other. Friday we are off to Rome and then home. I do not anticipate blogging over the next couple of days. So to our parents and Aunt B...don't worry we are fine and we are taking care of each other. We love you!!!

The Train Ride to Venice

2011-06-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

I know we are a couple of days behind on the blog, but we have enjoyed Venice so much we just have not turned on the computer. We started our Tuesday morning by making out way to the train station in Florence. I must admit, we were a little sad to be leaving Florence and wondering if Venice could even come close to how much we liked Florence. After finding the train we settled in for the approximate three hour train ride. The couple sitting by us was from Singapore, so much of the ride was spent trading travel stories. They were heading to Venice and then to Switzerland. I tell you about this couple for a reason (yes...there is a story there). So as we made a couple of stops on the train, Steven and I noticed that there were actually two stops in Venice, one being a greater distance from where we needed to be. It seems that in the booking of the train tickets I made a tactical error. I was unaware that Venice had two stops and booked the wrong stop, which was 15 minutes outside Venice proper. So after discovering this (thanks to Steven's keen eye) I became a little worried about how to handle the situation at hand. Well as with any tourist in an unknown world we did the logical thing....we became stowaways. Yes I am telling the truth. As the train approached our stop, the nice couple from Singapore and Steven made the executive decision we would stay on the train and hope for the best. Me, I was ready to get off the train and find a driver. I just saw this going very bad. So we sat there for the remainder of the ride waiting and looking for the attendant to make his/her way to check the tickets (as they did at every stop). Every time the door opened, I was looking for the red uniform and the words "ticket please." I can report, with much luck the train attendant never made it to our train car and yes....we can now say we have jumped a train (well in theory) without having a ticket.
The arrival in Venice was amazing to say the least. To walk out of the train station and be right on the water then to find a water bus to take us to the hotel we as so much fun. However, I must admit it is nice that the Hilton has it's own private water bus for its guest. This makes things a lot easier for us to get to different areas of Venice. After arriving at the hotel, we spent a couple of hours relaxing and then made out way to the Piazza San Marco. We did nothing more than walk around and enjoy the city. Looking at the shops, buildings and just enjoying the sites.

Tuscany, Wine, and Pisa....In that Order

2011-05-29T14:56:00.001-07:00

Let me start out by saying Steven and I have five days left in Italy. Both of us are reaching the sad state of mind about having to leave the country. We had the same reaction before leaving Greece. We made our way into Tuscany today. Visiting Siena and San Gimignano before making our way to Pisa and back to Florence. Each city was amazing in its own way. As we entered Siena, we were told about a long tradition in which there is a horse race in the main square in August and July. This is a BIG event. Each district in the city has its own flag and symbol and the people of Siena associate themselves with their district throughout their lives. As a point of interest, of which I did not know, Italy has only been unified for 150 years. Before the unification, the country was a series of "city states." This in theory would make the USA older than the country of Italy. Due to the geopolitical makeup Italians associate themselves with their city more so than Italy. In Siena the people have a deeper rooted association to their district. As we entered the city the "Dragon District" was walking around Siena in preparation for the horse race in July. Each Sunday until July and August a district will take each Sunday for walking around the city with their flags and drums getting the locals ready for the horse race. Another fact...Siena has the most beautiful square in all of Tuscany if not Italy. After Siena we made our way to a winery (organic winery at that). Here is where the fun began. We had a WONDERFUL lunch - pasta, bread, salad, cheese, etc. And the bottles of wine just kept coming. We met people from Hawaii that we had a blast with. By the end of lunch I was unable to tie my shoe or touch my nose, whichever you need to do for a sobriety test. I failed. We had white wines, red wines, and a dessert wine. I swear Steven kept filling my glasses, but he insists he only gave me one glass of each wine. However, it appears I kept pouring myself more wine. Upon getting to San Gimignano, I was feeling good. hahahahaha. As many of you know I get very friendly when I am drinking....so we made new friends. One couple we met came to Europe for the first time on this trip. They came over with no hotel rooms booked and no idea what they were going to do when they got here. It was amazing to hear how they worked their way through Europe. Back to San Gimignano, also known as the Medieval Manhattan. This city was our favorite stop. Everyone should visit here. We made our way from San Gimignano to Pisa. Here comes the story of the day. So we decided we would climb to the top of the leaning tower. First let me say, it was unreal to drive up and see the leaning tower. Once again I remember being in 9th grade and hearing my teachers talk about being at the tower. I was so excited to finally make a trip to Pisa. So we ascend up the tower steps....it was very odd because you could feel the slant of the tower. However, the oddest part...as we got to the first stop a security guard made us stop instead of going on up. We were told we need to rest (at least that is what I understood). After about 10 minutes they let us head up the remaining steps. As we started up, I noticed the steps were wet and called out to Steven and our new friends to be careful that there is pigeon pee all over the steps. They all laughed, but agreed the birds had urinated on the steps. OHHHHHH no....come to find out, someone had an accident on the top of the tower. The top was covered in blood and they were trying to clean it off. After walking to the top, Steven and others saw the steps covered in blood. The guard stated to Steven it was a blood bath as there had been two accidents, and then compared it to a horror film. All I know, when I got to the top of the tower.....I froze. It was so odd to feel the slant of the tower and see the height. I held on for dear life as I made my way around the rail. On the way out of Pisa, Steven was so excited. He proclaimed to me..."look honey, there is another leaning tower. Remember the guide said there is more than just the main one." I looked and did not exactly know how to handle the situation. Our new friends, were sitting in front of us. I looked at Steven and stated "ummm honey that IS the leaning tower of Pisa." He busted out laughing and tried to hide his head. Everyone thought it was so funny. Steven simply stated "pretty is a great characteristic to have sometimes." Tomorrow....we are on the train to Venice.

Santa Croce & Uffizi - A Day of Art

2011-05-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

We had a great day starting out at the Baregello Museum where we saw several Michelangelo sculptures then made out way to the Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross)which is the burial place of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Rossini (see picture of Michelangelo's tomb). The three sculptures on the tomb represent painting, sculpture, and architecture. All the sculptures were weeping at the loss of Michelangelo. I know it sounds odd, but you really could feel the pain in their eyes.
A beautiful church, but more importantly to walk around and see some of the greatest artist and thinkers of Italy buried in one place was mind blowing. It reminded me of Westminster Abbey, just a lot less "famous people" entombed. As we walked around the church, Steven stated he saw the "Statue of Liberty." Well sure enough, the statue Steven pointed to was the statue that was used as a reference point for the Statue of Liberty. The literature referred to the Statue of Liberty as "the sister" statue.

After spending about 2 hours in Santa Croce, we made our way to lunch...guess what we had...wait, wait, almost there....you may get it...PIZZA. I mean we have eaten our way through Rome. Steven and I have weighed. He has gained 6 pounds and two ton Tilda (me) has now gained 10lbs. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Stop the madness. There is one true statement "it really is okay to push the plate away."

After Pizza, we made our way to the Uffizi. We were a little early, so we sat and watched all the tourist and Italian's in the piazza. We actually saw the first piazza in Italy. It is at the center of the Baregello Museum. We listed to our podcast by Rick Steve's that took us around the Uffizi and pointed out all the major paintings and other forms of art (for example the Birth of Venus and works by Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael). How do you keep saying "amazing, beautiful, etc?" I will say multiple people approached us about our iPads and the podcast we were using. It really is a great way to travel. The audio tours were free and covered the great works in the museum.

We finished out or day with....gelato (now doesn't that just make you want to hurl? I went from two ton Tilda to three tone Tilda). It is all fun and games until someone has a blocked artery.

Tomorrow we are on our way for a day in Tuscany and Pisa. We are excited, but are very apprehensive as we continue to hear about getting your pockets picked near Pisa. The guard is up.

Ciao.

A night in Florence...Cast of Jersey Shores

2011-05-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

We had a really relaxing day. We stayed at the hotel, after much debate, until around 6p. Then we made our way out and walked around Florence to take in some of the night life. It was beautiful to walk around the city and hear the music and see the sites.

As we walked down one street a camera crew rounded a corner and here here came some of the cast members of Jersey Shores. It was funny to see. However, we just took in a glance and headed to dinner. We had pizza, wine, and ended the night with gelato.

Although this is a short post, it was a perfect evening. Tomorrow we will go to the Uffizi Gallery and the Church of Santa Croce to see the graves of Michelangelo and Galileo.

Three blisters, Two cuts, One bum toe, One raw heel and One lost voice

2011-05-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

As the title might suggest that is the sum total of the battle wounds from this trip to date. We have been walking so much and today, with the hike at Cinque Terre....you can imagine the scars of our travels continue. In all actuality, the trip today was beautiful. It was nice to find out that the total time included travel time from Florence to Cinque Terre...so we only hiked and walked for 8 of the 12 hours. Somehow, I think due to the smog in Rome, I have lost my voice....Steven must be loving the fact I can't talk as much (hahahaha). The blisters are shared among both of us and Steven has the bum toe.

We met some great people on the bus, had lunch with a couple from India, and hiked the foot paths from one village to the next. We tasted some of the best gelato we have had thus far in Italy. After hours of hiking and roaming the villages, Steven and I broke from the group for about an hour and walked up (yes I mean up to the top of a cliff) to the Monastery of the Capuchin Friars while the group went for wine. We sat in the monastery and listened to the monks chant. We could have sat there for hours and just listened. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. We made our way from the monastery down to the Mediterranean Sea, took our shoes of (well I did) and just sat on a dock with feet hanging in the water. The water was so clear. See the picture with this post.

After meeting back with the group, we boarded a boat and went along the coast off all the small villages. Since we saw the villages on land, it was so nice to get a different view from the boat. However, while on the boat there were some very loud Germans really being disruptive. It did not take Steven long before he broke out in German and telling them to shut up. Hehehehe. I was impressed with his command of the German language. I mean I was minding my own business and taking pictures and the next thing I know I hear Steven spouting German. He is such a smart man. I will say it again....I am lucky guy!

It is now just past midnight, Steven is showering and we are heading to bed. Tomorrow we are heading out in Florence to see some more sites. Let me say one more time....we are loving this trip. Italy is much like Greece, you hate the thoughts of leaving and know you want to come back.

On a final note, we did find out the Italian government is offering two hectors of land in Cinque Terre for free. They will provide the land to you for up to 20 years with the understanding you agree to work the land and grow the current crop. usually olives, grapes, or lemons. However a house is not provided....you have to buy a house.

We ARE in Italy!

2011-05-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

Steven and I have enjoyed every moment of this trip, however we have been waiting for that moment to hit us that lets us know we are in Italy. Today, just that happened. Florence by far is our favorite city so far. Florence truly is all the things everyone thinks about Italy. We moved past ancient Rome and found we are in the romantic/artisan life of Italy. To walk through the squares in Florence and see all the artisans painting brought it all around.

To back track some, this morning we made our way via train from Rome to Florence. We had a wonderful ride sitting beside two ladies from Australia. We traded travel war stories. During these war stories we all learned what to avoid. Their advice to us:
1. Make sure you validate your train ticket in the "little yellow machine" before you get on the train. Even if you have purchased them in advance and the company mailed you a physical ticket (of which that is what we did). Result of not validating your ticket in the "little yellow machine" = a fifty euro fine for not having the stamp. Needless to say we got this advice after leaving the station. However, we avoided the fine.
2. When eating outside make sure you eat under a covering. So Steven and I were shaking our heads on this one, as there have been rain showers for brief parts of the day throughout the week. OH NO, when eating outside one of the ladies learned that bird poo finds its way out of the sky right on your plate. And that is exactly what happened one night while she was eating.
Our advice to them:
1. DO NOT use the pay phones. So...remember the driver at the airport never showed to pick Steven and I up. Well I found the nearest pay phone and saw I could use my card to place a call for 0.60c a minute. PERFECT, right? I made two talking to the company about the driver not showing. Cost per call as per the charge on the credit card as of now = $53.84 per call. Yes that would be over $100 for a total of 4 or 5 minutes trying to reach the driver. I knew to arrange for a cell phone.

As you can tell, they won the war with story number two. However, it was a blast talking to them throughout the ride. I am sure they are somewhere back in Rome now having a beer laughing.

Sites of the day:
David at the Galleria dell Academia. No need to say much about seeing David by Michelangelo. Bonnie you are correct...the best seats are in the back. I need not say anymore.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore where we walked to the top of the Dome and saw the most amazing view of the city. To make it well know of the effort for this to happen, there are no lifts and there are 463 steps that you wind your way up to the top. See one of the posted pics for the view.

Ponte Vecchio, or old bridge. This is the picture of the day with the post. We loved walking over the bridge and just taking in the scenes.

Tomorrow we are off to Cinque Terre to hike the five villages. Uhhhh who thought of this? 12 hours hiking.

Vatican and Villa Borghese

2011-05-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you that know me, you know that I am not a religious person. At least I do not prescribe to organized religion. However, I must admit the experience at the Vatican today was amazing in all aspects of the word. Out of respect for the arts alone, the Vatican was worth every second spent roaming the halls. We climbed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, and although the view was obscured by smog, just knowing that Michelangelo designed the dome was enough to make anyone want to see. The picture with this post is taken from the top of the dome.

Now, I know many of you may have already been to the Vatican....but for a first timer I have to just spill how much I enjoyed the tour. I would recommend taking either a private or semi-private tour if you are planning on coming to Rome. We skipped all of the lines, went straight in, and had a guide educated in Christian Science. Tim, gave us more information than we could absorb, but tied in all of the great stories we have all heard (i.e., the "fig" leaf Pope, etc.). As we walked through the Vatican we walked on the floors from the Roman baths we visited just a couple days ago. No matter one's religious preference and thoughts about the way in which the Vatican Museum acquired art....there is one thing that remains true....the Catholic church has provided the means to securing and preserving great art.

I could go on and on about, but let me say...Raphael's rooms and of course the Sistine Chapel were the crème de la crème of the visit. All I kept thinking about was reading about these great works of art and artist in school. Now Steven and I were able to experience them together.

Okay....I will stop now. Ouch, one more thing Villa Borghese is a must see. The Bernini sculptures were beyond belief.

So guess what we had for dinner tonight....wait.....wait for it....you know the answer....come on you got it....SPAGHETTI.....We loved it again.

Story of the day: So Steven and I went out last night for a night cap and to have a couple of drinks. We just wanted to see the local life. So after a couple of drinks we headed to the hotel. It was rather late at night, but as we approached our hotel...which is on one of the "nicest" streets of Rome...we were asked by an older guy if he could show us the "local life" and i quote "show us the women." He kept saying "show you the women, show you the women." Steven and I simply looked at each other, feeling butch that obviously this guy could not tell the obvious.....When we walked in the hotel, I looked at Steven and stated "he can show us the women, but all we know how to do is dress them up and make them pretty." Pfffftt...then we did not feel so butch.

I mean just two days ago Steven and I were walking down the streets of Rome and I hear "oh my god honey." Of course, I jumped and turned to Steven because he said it very loud and I thought he was hurt, or someone was trying to steal his manpurse. Come to find out, he spotted a women wearing a white dress that she did not put a slip under....he was taken back that he could see all of her glory. Like I said, we can tell them how to dress.

Now I know some of you are laughing at this one...

We are off to Florence tomorrow. Pictures taken so far 850+. I know, I know....if I see a pile of dirt I am taking pictures thinking Ceasar walked on that dirt.

We just got our Tongues SMACKED!

2011-05-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

Due to being in a carbohydrate induced coma I am using the iPad for the post tonight. Let me be direct.......Steven and I just had a smack down....the score Italian food 2, Ken and Steven 0. We stopped at this small cafe just down the street form our hotel. We proceeded to order the spaghetti and a pizza with the intent of splitting each between the two of us. We topped the dinner off with a half bottle of white wine. Here is the script of how things went down:

Spaghetti arrives at the table. Steven and I split the portion. Ken takes a bite of spaghetti, and let it be known I NEVER eat spaghetti. I proceeded to almost fall out of my chair. I let out a sigh and proclaimed to Steven this was the best spaghetti I have ever had in my life. I am sure the entire cafe heard me. I mean with every bite, I was trying to make it last. You know that entree that is so good you are afraid you will eat it to fast and not taste every flavor. My tongue had officially been smacked down.

Pizza arrives. Prosciutto and funghi. Although I was surprised to not care that much for prosciutto on pizza, I must admit the pizza was good.

Total cost for dinner 35 euros. I tell you this for a reason.

We stopped short of having dessert only to walk down the street and find a gelato place. We immediately have a seat and order a banana split with gelato and five scoops of gelato in a Sunday fashion. We topped it off with a coke for me and cappuccino for Steven. I ordered a large glass of ice. For those of you that have traveled to Europe you know ice is worth its weight in gold. The drinks arrive and my ice arrives. I made an absolute fool of myself. I was eating the ice like an idiot. Steven was busting out laughing, but the ice was my best friend. The gelato was excellent and the servers were so nice.

Total cost for gelato 38,50 euros. Now you know exactly why I tell you the cost. We spent more on gelato than dinner. But hey.....both were worth every single absolute penny, euro, rupee, or whatever currency you had to exchange to get the meal we had tonight.

Tomorrow..........private tour of the Vatican.

Hop on Hop Off - A Day on the Open Bus

2011-05-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

Today was a relaxing day. We got up around 0800 and made our way to breakfast. We had breakfast on the top floor of the hotel, outside on the balcony overlooking the city of Rome.

Due to the sites we visited today, we were not able to take a lot of pictures. We started the day at Capuchin Church which has the Capuchin Chapels. I must say it was a little odd walking around all the human remains that were practically made into art work on the walls. I never imagined scapulas being used for art. However, the Capuchin Chapels really are worth seeing.

Keeping with the theme we boarded the hop on hop off bus and made our way out of the city to the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus. After descending into the catacombs the first stop is the tomb of nine Popes entombed in the third century. Then we made our way by tombs of early Romans. The structure was amazing. We found out that the bones were removed about 10 years ago due to tourist taking pieces of the remains. Come on...REALLY?! I must admit it has been hot here in Rome....so the cool air in the catacombs was very nice as well (hahaha).

We ended the day at the Baths of Caracalla. This is my second favorite site in Rome. The baths were huge - history indicates they could host 2,000 bathers and there was a gymnasium and two libraries in the baths. Although the baths were in ruins, you could see the size (see picture with this post). This site made me want the visit Bath, England again. The Roman baths there are in working order and were amazing to see.

Tomorrow we will relax some in the morning and start out day late. We are taking the hop on hop off bus around the city at night.

Day Two - we battled a Roman Gladiator (really)

2011-05-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

After getting up at 0630 and getting our day started we hopped on the metro and headed to the Colosseum. It was amazing to walk out of the metro and see the Colosseum the very second we exited. Considering we were so early, the area around the structure was not crowded and we were able to enjoy walking around and getting some great pics. As a part of the visit we had prebooked a private tour that allowed us access to the upper and lower levels that have only been open for a total of three months. For anyone coming to Italy, access to these areas are an absolute must. You must pre-book and groups are limited to ten individuals. The tickets can be very hard to get, but very well worth the work. It was interesting hearing about the history of the Colosseum. I was a little distressed at the fact the Pope took all of the marble out of the Colosseum for use in the Vatican. Can I just leave it by saying that is just wrong.

After spending some time inside the Colosseum, we made our way to the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and The Imperial Forum. To be walking in the same area as Caesar was mind blowing to say the least. Notice one of the pictures is the cremation site of Caesar (the picture with flowers).

Other sites included, the Circus Maximus, Mouth of Truth, Temple of Hercules, and the Pyramid that is part of the old city wall.

Story of the day:

As we were leaving the Imperial Forum a gladiator approached and quickly wanted to know where we were from. Now you know as well as I do, this was in every sense of the word to get us to take pictures. After trying to ignore and get past him, the gladiator had me taking pictures of him with Steven. Steven got pictures of me with him and then he took some pictures of Steven and I together. The entire time I was asking how much is this going to cost us, of which he replied "no worries" in Italian. YEAH right. When he was talking pictures of Steven and I we were ready to run him down and tackle him if he tried to bolt with the camera. So after all was said and done.....he pointed to Steven and then to me and said 5 euro, 5 euro each. Now having already been taken for a ride, and I mean literally, by the driver......I blew a gasket. I proceeded to tell him no way. Now anyone that knows Steven, he was ready to throw up the white flag and surrender as he reached in his pocket for the 10 euros. I went to battle.......telling the guy that was ridiculous and we would pay him one euro and no more. after a little exchange of words we negotiated a peace at 5 euros. Now I must say the pictures were fun and well worth 5 euros.

After the battle, Steven was laughing and saying.....we went to battle with a gladiator. Then he quickly determined I went to battle and he surrendered. However as with many great wars, a truce and therefore peace were negotiated. Pfffffft 10 euros my ass. Forget that.

We finished the day having pasta at the Piazza Navone outside right in front of the Four Rivers Fountain and gelato.

Tomorrow we are off to the Roman baths.

Day One- arrival in Rome

2011-05-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

So we are having to do two post in one day due to being exhausted last night and not posting. We arrived in Rome without any issues, the flights were great. However the arrival at the airport was met with some obstacles. Prior to us coming to Rome, Steven was a little afraid we would have to take the metro from the airport to the hotel and deal with the luggage. In my attempt to surprise him, I booked a driver with an E class Mercedes to take us to the hotel. The driver never showed. Now don't worry, anytime something goes wrong, Steven is always there to make it all better. By the time I found a pay phone (yes they still have those here) and called the booking agent, he had found a driver and arranged for us to be taken to the hotel. Instead of the Mercedes we got a Jag.....and I was so stressed out over the driver not showing as we headed to the hotel. However, the driver must have sensed my stress and started playing Michael Jackson's "Heal the World.". Now all that know me know I LOVE MJ....so I calmed down and the vacation started as it should. Upon arrival, it became apparent Steven had not negotiated price prior to getting the driver......he charged us double what I had booked......I was ready to hear MJ again after finding that out. Hahahahaha.

After arriving at the hotel, we quickly showered and hit the streets of Rome. We made our way to the Fontana di Trevi. Absolutely amazing. It was so crowded, but that is part of the great thing about being in Rome....so many people enjoying the city and sites. See picture of the day of the Fontana di Trevi.

Next we made our way to the Pantheon. After seeing the Pantheon, it is clear modern civilization has achieved very little related to architecture. This is also the site for Raphael's tomb. Once spending some time looking at the best preserved ancient Rome structures, we made our way to Piazza Novone to see the Fountain of Neptune and the Fountain of Four Rivers.

We enjoyed a pizza at a restaurant just beyond the square and finished the day at the Spanish Steps.

Needless to say we were exhausted.

Up and running

2011-05-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Steven and I are off to the ancient ruins today....look for a better blog detailing the events of yesterday and today a little later. It is 0630 here and we had a great nights rest. Italy knew exactly how to greet me......our driver from the airport played Michael Jackson music when he picked us up, but......there's a story there.

One quick note....Steven gets up this morning and we have our first major issue, according to him at least. The hotel has NOT provided an iron. He has torn the room apart looking for an iron. YES let it be known that Steven will be going to see the Roman sites today without his shirt and shorts being ironed. For all of you that know Steven, you realize he never leaves the house without ironing. No worries, he has made prompt provisions for an iron to be in our room upon our return.

Ciao.

Chocolate and luggage.....start of a perfect trip

2011-05-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

As with the start of any of our trips, we like to give a brief itinerary....so here is how we will spend the next two weeks.

May 20th- arrival in Rome. Make our way to the Grand Hotel Flora. We will walk around the city some and see the Pantheon. Steven insist on gelato upon arrival in Rome as well.

May 21- Rome sites: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trjan's Forum

May 22- Baths of Caracalla, Circus Maximus, Roman Aqueducts, Mouth of Truth, etc.

May 23- Roman catacombs, Fountains, Spanish Steps

May 24- Private tour of Vatican, Villa Borghese

May 25- train to Florence, Galleria del Academia

May 26- full day hiking Cinque Terre

May 27- Giotta's Bell Tower, Duomo, Church of Santa Croce

May 28- Museo del Bargello, Galleria degli Uffizi

May 29- day trip to Tuscany and Pisa

May 30- train to Venice, walk around enjoy the city

May 31- Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Square, Rialto Bridge

June 1- Boat to Murano, gondola ride

June 2- either rest at the pool which is on top of the Hilton Molino Stucky OR take the train to the fair land of Verona. Steven is insisting on the pool. I am sure he will win.

June 3 - train to Rome. Walk around Rome.

June 4- travel home.

We have 3 large bags of luggage, one for Steven's shoes ( as you should have guessed) and raided the duty free store in Boston. We now have three 17.5 oz bags of chocolate and a very very large chocolate almond bar. To be precise 14oz bar. By the time we land we will be so wired on chocolate, have a belly ache, and since our mom's are not around to clean our face we will look like a 2 year old that just ate his dessert with half of it left on his face. Sounds like the perfect start.

Please forgive the errors above, typing on an iPad is not my first language or best skill set.

Italy....here we come

2011-05-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Steven arrived in Boston today. After dinner with friends, we are ready to start our vacation in Italy. As usual, we will try our best to post daily blogs with a picture of the day.

Ciao

And there we have it BEARS.......

2010-09-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Well just as Steven and I thought we would never see a bear, it seems today was the day. Although we had seen some bears in the far distance (so far they were just brown spots), we had all but given up on any "close" encounters. As we were making our way out of Yellowstone on the West side in the early morning....it seems all the wildlife were out. River otters, bears, wolves, bison, etc.... We came up on a long line of cars and then noticed a momma grizzly with her cubs right off the road. It was the perfect way to end the trip. Here is momma and her cubs. Next couple of days Steven and I are going to relax and spend time at the cabin before heading home.

Old Faithful

2010-09-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Steven and I actually took some time and slept in a little today. We were staying at the Mammoth Hot Springs Inn, and must I say it was noisy. However, Steven could not get over the shower...he loved it. With that being said, we were on our way around 083o this morning to have breakfast at the Grill. We drove to the Madison and Old Faithful areas of the park arriving just in time to see Old Faithful erupt. Some of the best pools and geysers are in the Old Faithful area (also known as the ring of fire). Remember when we were in Ireland and I blogged about Steven's aunt telling me he was high maintenance.....well he really isn't, he just likes his shoes to match what he is wearing.....today...HIKING all around Yellowstone....he wore black suede shoes just so they would match what he was wearing. I have laughed all day....but I must say Mr. Steven made it throughout the day without ONE bit of dust on his shoes. Now that is working some shoes. As for me, I came up with the bright idea to buy running shoes and bring them on the trip.....I now have two very large blisters on each of feet and a sunburn to boot. See....he is the smarter of the two. Anyway....it was a great day and we have really enjoyed this time just relaxing and seeing the wonders of nature. OH one more story, Steven rescued a lady in distress. We happen to be at a restroom near the Morning Glory Pool and a lady was in real need of a biological break. She walked in and immediately walked out after discovering there was no tissue paper. Steven is always ready for any emergency...he dug in his bag and handed her the needed supplies. Of course the lady was in love with him at this point.

Snow, Yellowstone, and Bison Oh My!

2010-09-01T20:45:00.001-07:00

Well how shall we start tonight's blog. Steven and I got up early this morning and made our way to Yellowstone. Prior to leaving the house we packed all things needed for a few nites stay in Yellowstone. We departed the house at 0730. Why do I feel the need to tell this.....THIS is the perfect time for SNOW on Beartooth Highway (some elevations of Beartooth are 10k feet above sea level). The road winds and turns up the mountain and down the other side. The snow started as we got half way up the mountain and by that time we could not turn back. We kept trying to pull off, but was afraid that we would get caught on the mountain if the storm did not stop. Please see picture attached to this blog to note what Steven and I encountered as we got to the top of Beartooth. West Point is the highest peak. There were near white out conditions as we got to the top and the road was covered......Aunt B and Steven's mom warned us about possiblity of snow. WE GOT IT. After spending an hour trying to get up the mountain and to the other side where the snow was not as bad....the trip got a LOT better. We entered Yellowstone and spent the day at Mammoth Springs and Norris Geyser Basin. Please see picture of the day for one of the photo's of some trees on the Main Terrace at Mammoth. We finished out the day having dinner and ice cream at the cafe in Mammoth Springs. Wildlife - Bison and elk. I am in the search for BEARS. Yes, Yes, and Yes Momma Bonnie and Aunt B we have pepper spray. Steven has advise me that any bear watching will be in the confines of a car....I am trying to find a way around this....but he has put his foot down....

Big Horn Canyon

2010-08-31T20:17:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day. Steven and I travelled around Montana to Big Horn Canyon (see blog picture), the Medicine Wheel in Big Horn National Forest, and on to Yellowtail Dam. We were able to see more animals...including the Big Horn Sheep (see picture of the day). Well to round out the trip, Steven turned on the GPS to make the three hour trip back home. We ended up on a gravel road and all of the sudden signs started popping up saying "road for tribe members only." Well....come to find out, the GPS had taken us down an unmarked road into the Crow Reservation. Obviously on a road on which we were not allowed. After turning around, we did drive through the reservation. Absolutely beautiful.

Beartooth Highway

2010-08-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Steven and I stopped at one of the lookover spots for Beartooth and all of the sudden all these chipmunks started running up to us. Come to find out they are use to being fed by the tourist. They kept following us....at one point one even followed us to the car. So needless to say we had to find a way to get peanuts during the trip and come back 3 hours later to feed them. Once again...they came running up and one even got on my arm demanding food. Here we are feeding the little critters. HIGHLIGHT of the day.

Day in Montana

2010-08-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

So today was great we drove the Beartooth Highway. The Beartooths are home to the largest contiguous land area in the U.S. of over 10,000 feet. So in short....I was scarred driving the highway but we made it just fine. We ended the night having dinner at a steakhouse in which you walk to the back of the steakhouse and out the door....and yes there you have it...THE PIG RACES. Steven had me rolling on the ground. He was hollering for the pigs and in true fashion always picked the underpig and cheered him/her one. On the next couple of post, I will include the pictures from the day.

Montana - Here we are

2010-08-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well as you can imagine the trip to Montana has started out much like all of our other trips. I stayed out of Steven's way and he packed. Sum luggage two bags, two shoulder bags, and one computer bag. Total weight of bag being checked....49lbs. When we checked into Delta, they laughed and told us that we could not have even accomplished 49lbs if we tried again. Fortunate thing for all you travelers......if you have a Delta Skymiles American Express Gold or Platinum card...NO baggage fees for your first checked bag. This is a new benefit that we learned about. PRICELESS. On the flight from St. Paul to Billings I watched Alice in Wonderland and Steven conducted social camp with the lady sitting next to us. They talked the entire way to Billings. I loved watching him on the flight talk and laugh. He won my heart again.

2010-07-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

Okay...so we are going to do better about posting our trips and fun things on this blog. Look for our next trip to Montana coming at the end of August.

September 16, 2009 - Catching Up

2009-09-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well over the past few days we have not been able to blog. The castle that we stayed at had internet access for 1 euro a minute (which equates to $1.50 a minute). So for those of you who know me, I am NOT paying that much for internet. If it is not buy one get one free, or half price...well forget it we do not need it LOL.

The castles, however, continue to be wonderful. The most recent castle had a most interesting attraction...Authur an Irish wolfhound. He appeared to be the mascot for the castle. Although rather large, it was very gentle. He had full run of the castle and the guest loved him.

Upon leaving the castle, we were flagged down by an older (60ish) Irish women and her family (son and grandson as it would appear). They simply stated - "a part of the bumper is hanging down." We seem to have knocked the lower bumper off the car some how. Easy enough, it is snap on so Steven gets out and snaps it on. Well as the story would end, the lady declared we should simply remove it and put it in the "boot" and started laughing. Then her son stated "mom the Americans call it the trunk." She corrected herself and said, oh yes...the trunk. Then readily declared "and you know you guys have that one wrong right?" Of which I simply pointed out to the lady...of course we realize that we are wrong, as we are younger. She loved it. Americans ONE...Ireland ZERO. The Irish are very friendly people.

Steven and I drove to Dingle, the country side continues to be beautiful....but I have to be honest, there are only so many lakes, oceans, and mountains one can see....so now we have committed to passing the rest of the time to shopping for local artist and items from Ireland.

Major things to know over the past few days:
We experienced an Ireland traffic jam (picture of the day)
We decided to eat some American food, pizza hut. It seems eating American food here is a luxury. By the time the four of us had some pasta and a pizza the bill came to 109 euros (about $150.00). In short, if we are going to eat at those prices we will continue to eat at nicer places.

Steven and I made our way up the Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. Well we are not sure which will regret the decision more....kissing the stone gives you the gift of gab. A fast note here - Queen Elizabeth used the term blarney and introduced it into the English language. Back to the story, Steven kissing the stone brings up a great story of when Steven and I first met. We were on our way to Greece and I flew to Jersey to meet his mom and aunt. We were sitting at lunch and I asked both of them...."is there anything I should know about Steven." Their reply:

- HIGH maintenance (remember what I said about a suitcase for shoes)
- Never ask him about a movie. He will tell you the first word of the movie all the way to the last word of the movie. (so him kissing the stone might be the bigger issue) hahahaha. Either way, I kind of like him.....so I will keep him.

I digress, we did find a gallery for local artist...we got a very nice painting. We pretty much will be able to pay for the rooms with the tax returns that we will get at the airport. Between all of us, we will have to take on a second job.

Mom and Dave continue to be troopers on the trip....they have both declared Ireland to be their favorite country of all the ones they have traveled (and once again that is an extensive list).

We are completing our final day in Ireland (tomorrow) by driving from Cork to Dublin. So far the stats for the trip:

Total Moving Time: 54 hours 40 minutes

Moving Average Speed: 51.6 km/h

Max Speed: 134 km/h

Total km: 2822.3

Total Miles: 1753.7

September 12, 2009- Cliffs of Moher

2009-09-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

Today was a relaxing day. We drove to the Cliffs of Moher and took a boat out to see the cliffs (picture of the day). While waiting on the boat, we met some really nice people from Maryland and another couple from Atlanta. The cliffs were amazing....one of the main sites that people come to see in Ireland. I often times like to be adventurous and the associated picture with this blog note will show such. I decided to walk over the rocks to the ocean....well a big wave came crashing in and drenched me. Steven insisted on taking pictures the entire time I was at the ocean and simply stated "I knew it was going to happen."

Prior to going to the Cliffs of Moher we did drive through the Burren, a national park, and found the portal tomb that was used as a tomb for 33 individuals (all dating back to 3000BC) in the neolithic era. There was a child buried outside the tomb about 10000 years later. Of course the tomb dates prior to the pyramids in Egypt.

Once completing the above, we made out way to the central part of Ireland and visited Clonmacnoise. This is one of the holiest sites in England (not that it impacts Steven and I), and is a site for annual pilgrimages (of which was this week). We were able to appreciate the archetecture of the high crosses (main reason for visit) and the historical impact that the community had on the Ireland.

We made our way to the Turoe Stone....The stone has been placed inside a temprary structure, so we did not get the best view, but it was a nice.

The plans for tomorrow...sleep in until about 0830 and then walk the grounds of the castle we are staying at before we check out. After checking out we will make our way to the Galway for shopping (Galway crystal and local artist will be our main focus). After a few hours of shopping, we will make our way to Tralee just on the pass to Dingle peninsula. We will be staying at a castle there as we tour the Dingle peninsula, Lakes of Killarney, and Ring of Kerry over the next two days.

September 11, 2009 - Aran Island and Ballynahinch Castle

2009-09-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today we started our travels off by driving through Connemara National Park from Westport. After about an hour of driving we were at the port town of Rossaveel to catch our ferry to Inishmore (the largest of the Aran Islands). We took the ferry for about 50 minutes to reach the island. After hiring a driver, we started on our way. There were several interesting facts that we found out as we toured the island, first it has a primary layer of limestone which covers the majority of the island. After centuries of the locals placing seaweed and sand on "patches" of land, there are now spots that have soil and can grow grass. The majority of the island has rock walls that, on average, date back to 1000 years. With that being said, the island is estimated to contain 4000 miles of rock walls. Within the last 30 or so years, the average drop out rate for school was about 80% and many of the males would "go fishing" after dropping out (tourism and fishing are the primary industry). Population of the island is 800 people. OH one fast fact to know....if a fence were to "fall" since the fences often times serve as property lines, the way of determining who should fix the fence....if the rock falls on your side...you fix it. The major crime of the island, drunk and disorderly. Number of police for the island....ONE for the week.....two to three for the weekend.

Major sites of the days...

SEAL -there is a seal colony on Inishmore. We were able to see three or four and then one greeted the ferry as we pulled into the mainland.

SWAN - Other nice folklore, you are not able to kill swans in Ireland. The King of Lir loved his children so much that his wife became jealous. She took the children to the waters of Ireland and turned them to swans. Due to her guilt she bestowed on them the gift of song and the king decreed that no swan in Ireland should be killed.

Cottages with thatch roofing - located on the Aran Island. One was 300 years old and had remained in the family.

Leprechaun houses - they dot the Aran island....you are driving along and you spot a small house in which a leprechaun lives.

Steven continues to want to just eat things on the side of the road. He is obsessed with raspberries and has for some reason got it in his head every red berry that is on the side of the road is a raspberry. I have taken to slapping his hands, as I am sure his mother had to do when he was doing something he should not have....my biggest fear....he will eat a wild berry that is poisonous. After many lectures and agreeing to paying him with hugs...he has decided he will not eat the wild berries....OH one more fact about this...they are actually unripe blackberries, but he insist they are raspberries.

Driving to the hotel, another castle located in Connemara....we have discovered something new....not only on this side of Ireland are the roads bumpy....the roads have been turned over to not only the sheep, but also HUGE cows. I mean you are driving along and...SMACK right there in the road is a cow....the cow simply chews his grass and looks up at you and declares "where did you come from." Then simply moves at its own pace. Your role in this whole thing....sit, sit, sit, sit, wait, wait, wait, cow off road....hit gas.

We had the most excellent dinner at the castle tonight....rule of thumb for dinning here....if they do not have it on the menu and your order it...they make it. The is the castle to be at.

September 10, 2009 - Amazing Sites Continue

2009-09-10T14:01:00.001-07:00

We woke up around 0715 and started getting ready for breakfast. The castle ended up being a great overnight stay....when we woke up there was a light fog that covered most of the grounds....once again it was a beautiful site.

After having breakfast, we drove about 2 hours to the island of Achill, this is the largest of the irish islands and has a population of about 2700 (down from 6,000). To enter the island we crossed over a small bridge and took the Atlantic Coast drive. First stop, a small graveyard at Kildavnet. The graveyard contained plots with multiple individuals in each plot. Sites included a burial site of 31 individuals that drown in Clew Bay and ruins of a small church. Just past the graveyard was the Tower of Kildavnet, which was the house known locally as Grace O'Malley's Castle (a legendary pirate queen). We made our way along the coast to breath taking views and of course more sheep. As we drove around the island, the sheep must have know we were passive....they simply stepped in front of our car and had a scratch....we waited.

After completing the drive through Achill Island, we drove about an hour to Kylemore Abbey (picture of the day). This required us to drive through the Connemara National Park (an absolute must for anyone visiting Ireland). The drive was tedious, but the views were astonishing. To top it off, nestled back at the base of a mountain in the woods was Kylemore Abby. This castle was built by the Henrys and was later passed to the Manchesters (who allowed the abbey to fall in desrepair). After the Manchesters, Benedictine nuns occupied the abbey after being forced to leave Belgium during WWI. My mother loved this place. As we were leaving the abbey a nun passed us in her Saab.

We then made out way to Croagh Patrick, where it is said St. Patrick threw a silver bell off the mountain knocking the she demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland. It is said that St. Patrick fasted on the holy mountain for 40 days. Just know if you approach Croagh Patrick from the south the GPS will take you down narrow road number 557 (surely the last of all the roads with grass growing down the middle).

Lesson from today...Dave made the declaration that he "cannot wait" until we got off the road to and from Achill Island. This is simply because the bumps almost made us go airborne.....so what is the lesson for the day, be happy with the one you are with....it could be a whole lot worse (as we have experienced in our travels on the roads here, they can get worse than the one you are on).

Now we are sitting in our nest hotel (Carlton Atlantic Coast) - of which Steven and I somehow ended up with the honeymoon suite. It is very nice, large bathroom, the only room with a private balcony, and a third room for a sitting area. More importantly....the live band is playing folk music in the Bistro and locals are dancing what appears to be traditional Irish dances.

September 09, 2009 - Sheep, backroads, and stalled cars OH MY!

2009-09-09T14:26:00.001-07:00

Well things have turned to a sunny spot...we have found our way to the first of the castles that we are staying it. The drive into the grounds was absolutely lovely (mate). We are now sitting in the lobby after a day of travels from Northern Ireland just to the upper southwest portion. A town called Sligo is where we find our accommodations for the night. The lobby is very decadent with a grand wood staircase and a large fireplace. Just off the lobby are two sitting areas and an ornate dinning area. Our room overlooks the grounds. Mom is reading an Irish newspaper (and she declared "these newspapers are wide"), Dave is working on his email, and Steven is playing with his Blackberry. I can hear the hint of Prince music coming from the dinning area as the workers clean up from tonight's dinner.

Our day of travels started with two hour voyage to the western portion of Ireland. The first stop, Slieve League, the highest cliffs in Europe. To make this trip, you must drive up a winding narrow road that will only allow one car either way. The view is spectacular. Folklore would have if that the rocks at the bottom of the small ball of cliffs are call the Devil's chair and table. Mom learned of this while talking to one of the locals. Steven and I walked up a portion of the trail to take in additional scenes....you will see this as the picture of the day. The locals also informed us that when the clouds were low, they would cover a potion of the cliffs and hikers would get lost. As with anything on this vacation, there is a story here....well we got LOST. The GPS could not even find this place. So we decided to play it safe and ask locals as to the exact location....after the second stop, two old ladies watching a wooden boat being moved down the small road in which we were on informed us...."oh no the cliffs are not this way, you must go to the big white building up the road and make a left....once you get there go up the road and there will be lambs, just open the gate and make your way to the cliffs, but close the gate back so the lambs will not get out." First....when did lambs become landmarks, and how would one tell when a lamb has passed the age and becomes a sheep. Lord knows we would have turned on the road with sheep and not lambs.
After completing our visit to Slieve League, we made out way to Belleek to the Belleek Pottery plant. I must say, handmade means handmade at Belleek. We toured the plant and saw the workers painting the pottery. Each individual flower is handmade (often times requiring a lick from the tongue to get the petals to stick together, no jokes here we witnessed it). Anyone that likes Belleek, the time that it takes to make the ornate pieces is not reflected in their prices as far as I am concerned. It was short of amazing. Of course, we had to walk out with at least a piece of pottery (mom bought one also).
Next we were off to the nightly lodging, as you can imagine from the first paragraph, Markree Castle is well worth a stay.
Oh but here we go, we decided to make one last stop for the night....Carrowkeel Cemetery. This is located about 10km from Sligo and are irish passage tombs located at a top of a mountain. So we drive down narrow road number 554 on this trip and turned on to narrow road number 555, of which the GPS just went blank. We had officially came to the end of the earth and the GPS simply stated "stop because I will have anything else to do with this trip you bloody idiots." Oh no, did we listen, not at all....we simply looked at the sign that stated "the roads to the cemetery are narrow, bumpy, and windy and not to be traversed by coach." We all look at each other, awww we are in a car....it did not say not to be traversed by car....we can make it. So off we go...may I say we have not seen such holes, rocks, and sheep crossings in our life. We attempted to stay on grass, but the sheep just kept getting in front of the car. We made our way over the river rock hills and finally ended about 1km at the foot of the mountain. I cannot describe the effort it took to get to this location. The bottom of the car was dragging, and mom and Dave volunteered to get out and ride on the hood in attempt to redistribute weight. Luck would have it that we all made it in the car. Sad part of the story...Steven and I made out way up the hill to the cemetery....5 minutes to walk up the hill....to come down it 20 minutes....and you ask why....never send two guys (one from New Jersey and one from Nashville) up the hills of Ireland....both will get lost (and we did). It took us 20 minutes to find our way out of a 5 minute walk in...we had to follow a family from India to get the right path back.

It turns out getting lost was the least of our troubles....it seems that on the way in gravity was working on our side....on the way out...gravity appeared to not work on our side. The car kicked, sputtered, and came to multiple abrupt stops as I attempted to make our way back up the hills. Finally we had to roll back down the steep hill and give it a running start...upon reaching the summit of the hill I had to push the gas hard....we are not sure if it was the burning of the motor or the tires that we smelled, all we know is we spun and leaped over the hill throwing gravels. The next puddle served as cooling for the car. - THIS is no joke!

This is turning out the be a great trip, the land is beautiful and we have learned to just take what comes. In the end, it will all work out and we are reminded of the saying from the islands "no worries man" and irish luck is with us.

8:45 pm September 08, 2009 - Causway Coast

2009-09-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Our day started out at 0730 - the wind was strong and there was a light rain. We spent the night with the window open and listened to the ocean. We had hoped to take the ferry over to Causeway Coast, but the wind caused the ferries to close. We decided to drive and just enjoy the sites along the way. First, the Causeway Coast is in the northern part of Ireland and contains some of the most visited sites of northern Ireland. Notes to future travelers: once crossing over to Northern Ireland, the Euro is rarely accepted, American credit cards are even accepted on a rare basis....carry the British pound with you.

First stop - Mussenden Temple. This site was absolutely beautiful. Right on the edge of a cliff was this temple that was once used by the Earl of Bristol for a library. As visiting this site, you are able to walk the grounds that contain the ruins of the elaborate home of which the Earl of Bristol built. The temple is the oldest structure (dating to 1785) along the Londonderry coast. After walking to the top of the pasture, and I do mean pasture....mom declared "this was worth the entire trip." She was amazed at the view...on one side you could look and see the ocean and then simply turn and overlook the valley.

We made our way to Giant's Causeway next....this is the site in which lava through a slow cooling process formed columns of rock on the coastline. Legend would have it that the giant, Fin MacCool laid the causeway to provide a path across the sea. the tour guide showed us some amazing rock formations that included the camel that Fin MacCool use to ride (according to legend he called the camel Humphry). We also saw a rock formation that appeared to be an elderly lady making her way up a hill. Legend would state this was a "granny" making her way to the top of the hill to have Bushmill (beer). After the third night of drinking and making much noise, the family turned her to stone - so the legend would have it, if you drink Irish Bushmill you "get stoned."

Final site of the day included the 13th century ruins of Dunlace Castle. The history of the rise and fall of this castle that was perched on the edge of the cliff was nothing short of amazing. The story was told by a family member of the original clan that use to own the castle. Much blood and lives were lost in the multiple times that the castle exchanged hands. Today it is a site of ruins that is absolutely beautiful.

Of course no day would be complete without stopping at a local "pub" to have fish and chips. Yummmm.

Day one - Completed

2009-09-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well today was a great day. We got an early start to the day and made our way to the airport to get a GPS, which has been a life saver. With that being said, our issues with driving continue. First, to the great sites.

First we drove to the Hill of Tara - this was considered the seat of the Celtic Kings. It was amazing, sitting right behind a small church was large rings as if a spacecraft had made them. As we walked, a statue of St. Patrick was there to welcome us into the Hill of Tara. Sheep were grazing throughout the pasture. Everything was green and beautiful. The Mound of Hostages was literally a mound that appeared to hold prisoners. We made our way to the Stone of Destiny (Liath Fail) and through the old church grave. Locals were very nice and stopped to talk to us. They told us this past weekend a wedding was held at the Hill of Tara. This required the couple to go through a ritual called "holding of hands," meaning the couple took a year and one day to decide if they wanted to get married. They will return to the Hill of Tara in one year. If the wife is pregnant, the man must provide her with sheep and cattle.

Next we drove to Newgrange and Knowth, these were ancient structures that were used for burial rituals. Absolutely amazing. But there is a story here....on the way to Newgrange, the GPS took us the wrong direction. Leading down narrow roads that instead of a white line to separate the lanes of traffic, it was simply a narrow strip of green grass. Once reaching the site, we attempted to park, this required me to back up....WELL issue number one....NEVER back up on a small road....one rock ancient wall almost taken to the ground (car unharmed).....while pulling into the parking space at the site- one pole taken out. I mean we have a car of steal that can not be broken.....WELL we thought. We continued down the road to find the visitor center....just so happens there is another site in Ireland of which all the locals know and all visitors should make a point of avoiding - the locals call it THE HOLE....yes that is right...the city council refuses to fix bad feeder roads....so THE HOLE is a rather large pot hole on the road leading to the visitor center.....ONE back tire- GONE- the rim was bent and immediate flat. Please know Steven and I have never changed a tire....we looked for the On Star button, but one did not exist in our rental.....so we are proud to say....WE changed a tire. Yes, yes...Steven and I change a tire. A local saw us and walked up and simply stated "are you guys okay, do you need some help" and then proceeded to say "ahhhh THE HOLE." As if we should have know about this tourist trap.

You would think this was our first time traveling, when in fact...Between Steven and I we have traveled most of Europe, Russia, South America, the West Indies, etc...it just seems to be our trip of follies.

After seeing the above sites, we made our way 2 hours north to Northern Ireland where we are now relaxing in a beautiful ocean view suite.

Tomorrow we will take the car on a ferry to the north coast (lord knows with our luck, the ferry shall sink).

Monday September 07, 0630 - Reporting in for duty

2009-09-06T22:36:00.000-07:00

Well it is Monday and we are ready to get our vacation started. Today we will be driving, YES driving, from Dublin to the the Hill of Tara, Newgrange, and Redcastle.

Hill of Tara, translated into Irish would mean the "Hill of the Kings" and is an archeological complex containing ancient monuments and is considered the seat of the High King of Ireland.

Newgrage, was constructed around 3200 BC and is an ancient burial chamber.

Other sites today include the high crosses of Ireland, the Stone of Destiny, and Scrabo Tower. If memory serves me well, we will also go pass the port in which the Titanic was commissioned (more reading required here).

This is going to be great (minus any international diplomatic rows we may cause due to my driving).

Good day.

Driving on the "wrong" side of the road and lost agenda

2009-09-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

Okay let's get this straight, in general Steven and I travel very well together, but today would not have been a fine example of that. We are step synch with each other, if the other one does not think about it...the other one will. So today we landed, to be exact 1.5 hours earlier than scheduled. Steven met a nice man that insisted on talking to him the entire time we were getting our multiple bags of luggage. Of course, when he proceeded to ask Steven "so what is a nice man like you doing in Nashville," it was very evident that he would wink at Steven as we walk away. I can't take him anywhere. Okay okay back to the trip.

The entire time I am getting the car rental, my mother and Steven are insisting we get a GPS device. HOLD UP, what happen to the good ole days when you go on an adventure and use the trusted map - a decision I would all to soon regret.

So important facts to know about driving in Ireland. It actually takes a co-pilot (two to be precise). The primary co-pilot sits besides the pilot and shifts the gears when the pilot pushes the clutch to ensure that all the pilot has to do is stay focused on the road and the second co-pilot ensures that we stay on the "wrong" side of the road. So take the above and apply it to our travels. Ken, me, serving as the pilot (of which having two co-pilots is not easy), my stepdad sitting beside me shifting the gears and performing that task nicely, then Steven sitting in the back saying "wrong" side of the road which really meant the right side of the road (with my mother's help) as we make our way to Center City Dublin. End result of navigating the car with this proven technique - only ONE wrong turn down the "right" way into oncoming traffic, hitting four curbs, and being honked at three times. Overall a great success I would say. I encourage anyone to try it sometime. Oh did I mention we did all of this on the very day there was a football match in the city - and the Irish love their football, seems not a one of them stayed at home.

One problem, in putting all our things in the shuttle at the airport....the trusted notebook (more of a bible) that has all the details of our trip, including reservations....left in the airport buggy. We had to have it, so back to the airport we go. By the time we reached the airport, the notebook, which is very well put together I should say, was in the hands of security and was being admired in their break room. Steven walked in the break room and everyone looked at him in utter awe and stated "you do not have kids do you."

Back on the road to Center City- remember with out a GPS. Total hours to find the Hilton (the correct one) in Dublin - FOUR. I say correct, because we walked into two Hiltons asking for help to get us to our Hilton. I am sure by the time we arrived at the correct Hilton the front desk was thinking "ahhh so here are the Americans." I mean there are no roads marked. We about ended up with a nice police escort (they did escort us down two roads).

So here I sit in the dark typing this blog, Steven is sleeping (as I am sure he is worn out) and I am excited for what the next day holds. I am not sure mom and Dave will come out of their hotel room and meet us tomorrow. Mom did walk in the hotel and said "I am not leaving."

Oh by the way - did you know it takes three toothbrushes for a two week trip. That is exactly what Steven packed. So now take that and multiply it by clothes. If we would have wrecked, there would have been clothes all over the streets of Dublin.

2009-09-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

Mission critical. Well it is 0630 and we have not packed. Steven and I decided we would go to bed and get a good nights rest and pack this morning. As any good story would have it, I am sure that we will forget something. As far as I am concerned the only things needed: passport, international driving permit, US drivers license, a good book for the flight and credit cards. I tend to be a very relaxed traveler when on vacation. If we forget it, we buy it kind of deal. Everything else is a bonus.

Steven happens to think a lot differently than I. For him items of absolute necessity: shoes (and I mean a lot of them) and no telling how many changes of clothes. The first time we traveled together Steven had an entire suitcase dedicated to shoes. By the time we leave, there will be not one shirt left in this house. We will have packed all our personal belongings as if we were moving and never coming back. This goes directly back to momma diva's #3 concern.....the car being big enough to hold the luggage. She is aware of how Steven packs. But, we love him so we deal. He has list upon list with check marks, diagrams, and hidden messages on items of value for this trip that must make it into the packing ritual.

Ireland- Land of the leprechauns - Here we come

2009-09-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

After much delay in actually taking a holiday, Steven and I are off to Ireland for two weeks. Of note, my mother - diva momma- and my stepdad will be joining us for this trip. Follow us as we drive around the island and experience the land of the redheads.

Momma diva's concern - #1. Driving on the "wrong" side of the road, of which they have done many times in their travels around the world. #2. I like to have her pay for everything (she is retired, but went back to work for one week to bring the bucks to Ireland hehehe). #3. Ensuring that the car is big enough for all the luggage.

Schedule of events include:

Day One - Dublin to Londonderry via Belfast.
Sites: Hill of Tara, Newgrange, Monasterboice, Scrabo Tower, Lough Neaugh

Day Two - Explore Northern Ireland.
Sites: Mussenden Temple, Giant Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge.

Day Three - Londonderry to Sligo.
Sites: Slieve Leauge, Donegal, Belleek.

Day Four - Sligo to Westport.
Sites: Achill Island, Croagh Patrick, Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park.

Day Five - Westport to Galway
Sites: Aran Island, Spanish Arch.

Day Six- Galway
Sites: The Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Clonfert, Clonmacnoise, Tureo Stone

Day Seven - Galway to Killarney
Sites: Beehive huts of Fahan, Dingle

Day Eight- Explore Killarney
Sites: Lakes of Killarney, Ring of Kerry

Day Nine - Killarney to Cork
Sites: Blarney Stone and other sites of surrounding area.

Day Ten - Explore Cork
Sites: Drombeg Stone Circle, Baltimore, Mizen Head.

Day Eleven - Cork to Dublin
Sites: Waterford, Browne’s Hill Dolmen

Day Twelve - Fly Home.

So hold on to your wigs, false eyelashes, and enjoy the ride. We start at 1055 tomorrow. Come join us. We will post as technology access allows.

Maith an lá

The King of Pop laid to rest.

2009-09-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Michael was one of my childhood icons that had a significant impact on my life. Throughout the years, I have always been impressed with his kidness and desire to just make the world a better place. No matter the controversy that surrounded him, his contribution to society as an artist will be long lived.

Michael, I hope you realized that although you did not have a childhood, your music and soul was embedded in the childhood of millions. You made us dance, dream, and imagine through your artistry. RIP.