Off to Amalfi!

Skipped a few Rome post but whatever. We're leaving for the Amalfi Coast (Ravello) today. This is probably the end of the blog-era for us until we do a final update when we return to Canada on Friday. Cheers.

Rome by Night

After a long day touring the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's square we headed over check-in to hotel #2. After check-in we hit up a nearby pizzeria for some quick grub then over to Trevi fountain. Even around midnight the fountain is packed with tourists and even a wedding party. I couldn't imagine being in this city during prime tourist season. With gelato in hand we observed the throngs of people, seemingly from all backgrounds, snap photos and throw coins into the fountain.

Note: you can click on the photos above for a larger version.

Day 2 has us doing the "Caesar Shuffle" according to Rick Steves. Sounds like another long day, especially when all sights are much more dramatic at night and therefore require double duty.

Musei Vaticani | Basilica di San Pietro | Piazza San Pietro

Today we're tackling the motherload. The vatican museum, St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's square. St. Peter's Basilica is the "homebase" of Catholicism and St. Peter's square is where the Pope gives his weekly blessings.

The vatican museum holds treasures from every era and is by no means solely a religious museum. The Egyptian sections were fascinating, if not a bit interesting how/why the church would acquire such pieces. Nothing can compare to the grand frescoes adorning the walls and ceilings, the massive tapestries and of course the grand finale, the Sistine Chapel -- which isn't part of the museums but you need to go through the museums to reach the Sistine Chapel. Each room is equally as impressive as the treasures it holds. The frescoed ceiling is said to be more than an entire football field worth of painting, almost all completed by Michelangelo himself. This is where the conclave occurs (when they need to select a new pope). Tip: book your tickets online in advance, around 1pm, which provides lots of time and less crowds. Also use the free Rick Steve's podcast.

The basilica holds more than 60,000 standing visitors and it's grandeur can only be appreciated by walking it's vast corridors. You don't need to have any religious affiliation to appreciate the scale and monumental task of building such a structure. We wandered about listening to the Rick Steve's audio guide on our iPods (great money saver and probably less boring) and even sat in on a mass in Italiano. This church differs greatly from the gothic style we saw in Paris/Barcelona and the extensive use of marble, of every colour, and goldleaf is amazing. Quick tip on avoiding the queues for St. Peter's. There's no entrance fee but a long security line. We visited the museum at 1pm on Friday then went to the basilica after. The lines were half what they were when we passed by at noon going to the museum. Later in the day is definitely best, unless it's a special occasion at the basilica.

St. Peter's square is massive in size and impossible to capture on 'film', at least from the ground. Most people have seen this square, at least in Tom Hanks recent film, and to see it filled with pilgrims would be quite the sight. Luckily it wasn't and our lines at the sights within Vatican city were reasonable.

We made it, Rome.

So we arrived in Roma after a pleasant drive through Tuscany, specifically Montepulciano. The weather has been great with nothing but sun and mid to high 20s. We're doing a bit of a in/out in Rome as we're checking into the Crowne Plaza for the first night, since it's near the Vatican and has free parking, then moving over to the St. Regis for a handful of other nights. Leaving our car at the Crowne Plaza will save us over 100 € in parking and the fees charged to non-residents who drive downtown. Anyway, driving in Rome has seemed not unlike Paris, a bit more unorganized which is sometimes is of benefit. The general rule is, don't hit the person in front of you. Therefore you don't need to worry about who's behind you, cut over when needed, do so quickly and the person behind you *should* stop. It's working so far. Squeezing through any open space is highly recommended. After getting settled we headed to Osteria dell'Angelo which offers traditional Roman dishes. Finding parking was like the other big cities -- if there's a space without a car in it, then it's a parking spot. The resto offers a fixed menu which included toasted bread with the best olive oil we've had, chorizo (or similar), something that looked like humus but wasn't and a bean variety. Then you get a choice of 4 pasta dishes, I chose gnocchi and Julie spaghetti. Probably the best pastas to date. For the main meal I had oxtail and Julie opted for what we understood as rolled beef with cheese and bacon inside. Sounded like a heart-stopper so she went for it. We've been eating at less touristy spots (or no tourists) for the majority of the trip and have seen our fair share of waiters who speak only a few words of English, we're keeping it authentic. Food was great and topped off with some cookies, sweet red wine -- which actually was good. We hiked over to the Vatican city and hungout with the few other dozen people checking out St. Peter's square. You can't enter the square at night, but St. Peter's Basilica and the other buildings are all lit up. Off to bed and an early morning will put us at breakfast with the Pope.

Fiorentina 2 - 0 Sampdoria

Our good friend Bruno, who has the Serie A schedule memorized, put us on notice of a match that would occur while we're in Florence. Perfect. So while we're leaving dinner and could hear the sirens from the polizia rolling down the street we thought nothing of it, until we noticed the bus loads of away supporters following them. Football factories here we come.

After having to show our passports to even get into the area surrounding the stadium we knew we were in for the real deal. It took us a few attempts to find our proper entrance to the stadium as the staffs English was limited to pointing, which including 2 stewards pointing to each others gate. A friendly match-goer set us straight. Absolutely everyone was in their seats. There's no messing about. Our section was full of middle aged men, a few women, and lots of cigars. No one talked except to yell at the referee or players. It's entirely about the game. We didn't see anyone drinking beer in the stands and the only thing being sold in the stands was none other than gelato. At half we decided to wander the stadium and the biggest line was at the espresso and gelato stands. As Julie exited the washroom we noticed that the entire concession area had emptied. People did not linger and certainly did not miss a minute of the match. The Sampdoria fans had their own section bordered by a completely empty section on each side and a staff member sitting in each row of the empty sections to ensure no one got near one another. Throughout the match the away fans were signifanctly louder, at least from our vantage point, except when an 'incorrect' call was made -- then the home team let their unified voice be heard. After the match, a 2-0 victory for the home team, the away fans stayed for at least 20 mins after the match, chanting and waving their dozen flags. As we were likely the last souls to leave the stadium, we weren't in a rush as we didn't know how to get home, the away fans were still doing their chants, even as we walked down the road away from the stadium. There's a video posted on the right.

All in all a great experience and a dramatic contrast to the social event that Toronto sporting events are. I'm sure there was some colourful commentary throughout the match, of which we could only understand; 'Madonna' 'Dio' and 'Momma Mia'. These fans truly bled Viola.

Cinque Terre and Pisa

Yesterday we packed our agenda with visiting Cinque Terre and stopping in to Pisa to eye the tower for two seconds (at Julie's request). Cinque Terre is a set of 5 villages clinging to cliffs or on the water that are only accessible by foot paths or train. In actuality there are roads that lead to each now, but some are only available to residents. We arrived in Monterosso after a crazy route provided by our GPS (video soon). Sometimes the fastest route isn't the most logical, as the GPS doesn't consider if the road is 7' wide or 3' wide. Monterosso is on the water and felt like a resort town with a packed beach and tonnes of shops. Many Canadians, Americans and Germans in these villages. Making the hike to the next village, Vernazza meant hiking narrow paths (see photo -- this was the widest at some sections) clinging to the cliffs among vineyards and rows of olive groves all with stunning views of the ocean. The elavation changes were deadly and the 30+ C weather didn't help. The views were similiar to the Cabot trail in Eastern Canada although the view of the pastel villages was like nothing we've ever seen. Vernazza in a hidden cover was the most beautiful of the villages, in our opinion. Continuing on to Corniglia, a village set atop cliffs, with barely any tourist or shops we decided that after about 3.5 hours of hiking up over a kilometer of elevation change that we would take the 7 min train ride back to Monterosso and drive off to Pisa. Our 1 hour stay in Pisa included dinner and about 12 seconds of looking at a tower that, from some angles, looked liked it was leaning (it obviously was). Not sure how this ever became a tourist destination.

Florenc'ing

We arrived in Florence under monsoon conditions. Eerily we made our way through the crowded streets of Florence. Cars were parked in every conceivable space but there wasn't a person to be seen. Strange. Once we checked into the Grand Hotel we did a quick lap around to get oriented. It was dark, wet and seemed sketchy. We retreated to the hotel. These old hotels are interesting and display grandeur of former years but we mostly find that the rooms need severe updating. The hotel features a beautiful lobby and great views of the Arno river and bridges. The next morning, with the weather now pushing high 20s and without a plan for Florence we pulled out a map and headed to Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge spared during the second world war. Gold and silversmiths line the entire bridge to form a makeshift shopping plaza. Hordes of tourist flock here and make their way upto the Uffizi or the Duomo, the world's largest dome. Since the Uffizi was closed we visited the Duomo, and did a bit more shopping. We're hearing a lot of English spoken here and there seems to be lots of young internationals. Florence is ideally situated between mountains with villages scattered throughout the rolling hills. I don't find Florence itself to be particularly beautiful, somewhat the opposite, but if you keep your eyes fixated on the surroundings it truly is captivating.

Side note: After walking around we saw a lady ironing through the back door of a shop. She was likely in her 80s. We asked if she spoke English and she called for, presumably, her daughter whospoke 5 English words; "dryclean" "wash" "iron" "dry" and "hi". After some difficult conversation on our needs we left her a heap of clothes in the hopes that it'll come back in one piece.

Venezia, land of a million tour groups

So we're in Venice and the weather is holding. Lots of sun, lots of gondolas, and more tour groups then you can imagine. At least it's easy to lose yourself in the back alleyways, away from the madness. We wandered around aimlessly, like it seemed everyone else was doing -- looking at maps then deciding not to look at the map. We've been in Italy now for about 24 hours and every meal we've had has included prosciutto. We're on a roll. Venice is pretty small and our time here is about over. We're heading to Florence and visiting surrounding areas like Lucca, Pisa, Cinque Terre and of course the wine regions over the next few days.

Chateau Eza Mini-Review

So en route to Monaco we visited Chateau Eza in the Village of Eze for lunch. The restaurant/hotel is the former residence of a Swedish prince. After changing our minds countless times on whether we should visit or not due to the torrential downpours, we decided to go for it. Little did we realize that the Chateau is at the top of a hill that you must actually walk up, including the slippery cobble stone steps and pathways. To add to this disaster, the water runs directly down the center of the pathways making the walk like a day at the splashpad. After finally reaching the summit we were not disappointed, except by perhaps the sunless view. The food was fantastic, the presentation amazing, and the service perfect. Julie ordered a la carte opting for a salad and her general safe option, chicken (see photo). I opted for the fixed menu consisting of a pumpkin soup, calamari + lasagna noodles + veggies and some crazy dessert (see photo). Everything was great. We were even the last guests to leave the lunch service and were able to go out on the terrace since the rain had subsided (see photo). The Village of Eze is beautiful and there's another great hotel/restaurant called Chateau de la Chevre D'or if you're looking to spend some serious money (two Bentleys and Mercedes SLR were in the parking lot).

Forza Azzurri!

A crazy week hopscotching across the French coast and now into Italy. The trip is winding down and we're happy to slow the pace on traveling and pick up the pace on R&R. Remaining, 4 leisurely nights in Tuscany, 4 touristy nights in Rome, and 3 lazy hazy nights in Ravello (Amalfi) before a final night in Rome, departing the next day for YYZ.

The rain chased us across the Cote d'Azur but we're hoping for sunny skies in the home stretch.

Monte Carlo here we come.

So our short lived stay in Cannes is over and we're hopping down the coast about 1 hour to Monte Carlo, Monaco. Monaco is the world's most densely populated country due to its size only being 2 square kilometers. On average it supposedly takes 56 mins to walk the entire country. I'll be sure to test that theory. It also is the home one of the world's most luxurious casinos and a Formula 1 Grand Prix. We're unfortunately missing a regatta that starts in a few days here in Cannes. They've already begun preparations and it looks like quite the party. Last night we dined at Mocca on the strip which had great food (see photo) and this great looking girl even joined me (see photo). The crowd here is very international with many Brits and Eastern Europeans. If it's any indication, our television receives approximately 10 English channels, about 40 Arabic channels -- although we haven't seen any Arabians, and about 6 other languages. Definitely more than anywhere else we've been. After some early morning pictures from the balcony (above) and a jog down the coast to see some massive yachts, the rain clouds started to roll in. After a very quick dip in the frigid Mediterranean it was time to pack up and hit the road. We're having lunch at Chateau Eza, a restaurant that overlooks the entire coast, although with the cloud coverage we're likely to see as little as our trip up Mont Ventoux. It will be our first Michelin starred meal after canceling at the Jules Verne in Paris. Time to see what these stars, determined by a company who manufactures tires (?), are all about.

Side note: the menu from the table I'm sitting at in the Carlton Cannes has a bunch of handwritten notes from stars who have stayed here including Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney, who writes "Thanks for letting us stay at your place". This would be an interesting place during the film festival.

Not in Kansas Anymore

After the quick Avignon (ah-vig-non, as the GPS says) sight-seeing this morning we decided to take advantage of the sun and race down to the Cote d'Azur and on to the beaches of Cannes. Speeding past the exit signs for lusty St. Tropez we made the executive decision to try and log as much beach time as the sun permitted (which according for the forecast is only today). As we drove our Fiat Qubo (see photo) up to the voiturier at the Carlton Cannes we had a good chuckle. Looking at the line of cars behind us to check-in were a Masserati Grand Turismo, Bentley GT and this crappy Ferrari (see photo). I bet they were all using points to stay as well. After sweet talking the front desk to upgrade us twice over to a ocean front room, we hit the beach which was beautiful although a strong wind was blowing off the sea -- which made suntanning (ugh) more bareable. Speaking of bareable, there's no doubt this is the French riviera.

Ah-vig-non

We're back after a few days hiatus due to an incompatible adapter and the resulting dead laptop battery. Our trip from Espana to France included some great scenery, Julie almost getting us arrested for taking photos of the border crossing, and us consuming some local eats while driving (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3). We spent our rain soaked days in and around Avignon searching for castles, driving up Mont Ventoux of the Tour de France fame, checking out the Papal Palace from the 14th century and generally just getting lost in vineyards of the Chateauneuf du Pape region. Spotting a few castles from the road we would take detours and generally find a few walls left of an abandoned castle or a church that looked like a castle from the highway. We eventually did find Barroux castle and were able to tour the inside. Note to self; we need a castle. This morning we toured the Papal Palace, where for a century Christendom called home. Apparently Rome wasn't too happy during this period with the Pope's decision to move. Mont Ventoux, which due to its intense winds claims to normally have unobstructed views was clouded many times over and raining on and off, depending on our elevation. Regardless, there was throngs of dedicated cyclists venturing up the mountain to the 1910m summit. I believe the actual route is approximately 30km and takes 5 hours+ to climb. We even met a group from Michigan who had just reached the summit. The wind is very intense at the top. We posted a brief video.

.. Back to France

Another rainy day in Barca, seems appropriate that we're leaving.

Our tentative travel plans, minus the small stops along the way, can be seen by clicking below.

Click here.

Or here.

Even here.

Ok you get the point. Adios.

Travel Videos

Ps. we added a section called 'Travel Videos' below the 'Travel Photos' section. Not much there yet but some funny videos to come I'm sure.

Sight seeing

Since we haven't woken up before 11am in Barcelona we decided to hit up la boqueria again for "breakfast" due to its proximity and diversity of fresh goods. Today was our first day of strong rains on and off all day. We decided to take the car up to the main shopping strip which spans, supposedly, over 5km. Avoiding our Parisian 'errors' of buying items that are priced higher in euro than in Canadian back home we bought some clothes from local designers. They have some pretty funky stuff here, think of MC Hammer pants but that taper from the knee to the foot. Yup, wet diaper look in the bottom is what you get. Very popular here. After we visited la Sagrada Familia and Guell Park. Antonio Gaudi's architecture is very interesting and needless to say Toronto would be much more appealing if they took a little less of the sharp angle approach and a bit more Gaudi-ness. After some Googling of 'best paella Barcelona' we were headed to Pitarra Cuina courtesy of the Paella Professor for some authentic Valencian paella. The paella was excellent and the price was even better. The daily menu which they conveniently didn't hand out when we entered was 15 EUR, including entree (appy), main course, dessert, bread and a bottle of wine (well the bottle was labelled wine). Definitely made it worth the walk down the back alleys of Hostel-land past the Rasta’s peddling their wares along with the Indians hocking theirs. Tonight we pack up and prepare to say adios to Barcelona and venture back up to France and traverse the French Rivera.

A night out in Barca

So we hit up CDLC at 1030pm for dinner after some spanglish with the cabbie to get us to the restaurant. The vibe and ambience at the restaurant was great. Dinner tables and lounge chairs, couches, etc. The dimly lit room was decorated in Asian themes. We had a 3 course Asian inspired meal and all was great after a bottle of cava. Then things started to get weird. The largest lounge area, probably for 40, had about 10 Indian men all cuddled in a space
for about 5, even though the area was massive. Weird (see photo). Ok it got worse much worse than this shows. We ordered a carafe of sangria and opted for the wine not champagne version, which we thought was more authentic. After 3 glasses each of what seemed thick enough to be cough syrup we had to bail on that drink. It was worth a try but not our cup of tea. Tables had been cleared and dancing started. The vibe was good but the scene was horrible. Not sure we could have expected more for a Sunday night. If you're ever in BCN, visit CDLC at Olympic Port. I'm sure it'd be a riot. We were invited to return for the big Thurs bash but unfortunately we'll be gone. Also, our server came out after his shift in his street close and personally shook both of our hands and thanked us. Interesting. Deciding to walk off the big meal Julie destroyed one of her heals in the cobble stone streets.

¿Platja Barceloneta? Oh, platja = playa = beach. Perfect.

Yesterday I took a late evening jog down La Ramblas to find the beach scene. I quickly ran into a vibrant area full of street performers, air open concerts and more bars/restaurants then one could imagine. Moving into Barceloneta the beaches opened up and the 1992 Olympic village, now converted to residential appartments, came into sight. I took note of some great beach side restaurants and we'll definitely be back tomorrow. Later in the night We hit up a tapas bar for some local grub and both agreed that tapas are one of the best culinary inventions.

Ok, so it's now "tomorrow" and Julie and I did some wandering about and stumbled onto the Catedral where many seemingly random groups of locals were dancing to an orchestra playing on the steps of the Catedral. Having visited two major cities it's interesting to compare the architecture. We tried entering and after an initial rejection from Julie baring her shoulders, we tried again after a quick 1 euro fix. At this point we encountered a second problem, the church was now closed. Added to the list for tomorrow. After checking out the surrounding areas, including a fort wall from the 9th century we headed back down to the beach area. While the weather was pleasant, about 27 C, there wasn't anyone in the water but plenty of beach-goers. Back at the hotel we had the concierge make us some reservations at the beach front hotel, CDLC - Carpe Diem Lounge Club. Looks happening.

La Ramblas = Los Locos

Arriving at night and staying on the Ramblas at the Meridien was quite an adventure. This street packed with tourist from across the globe and every type of street performer known to man is a sight to see. After a quick walk around and some pizza cuatro estaciones y vegetales we were ready for bed. This morning we decided to take it easy and orient ourselves. We walked La Ramblas again stopping for some falafels before stumbling on La Boquiera, a food market. This has been the gem of our stay so far with vendors selling fruits, meats, cheeses and seafood. It's an overwhelming display of colours and odours. We headed down to the port and took in the scenery as well as visited a few Gaudi works. Barcelona is a dramatic contrast to Paris with its urban concrete jungle feel compared to Paris' open park like feel. Parks that we've seen here are concrete and there is little greenspace although adequate trees line the boulevards. The squares we've seen are nice although the shops lining them are usually touristy or even boarded up. Another stark contrast to Paris. We've got some research to do before planning our next few days ..

España ... por favor

En route to San Sebastian we dialed up Starwood to book into the Maria Cristina hotel on SPG points. Luckily because we were only staying one night and it was a weeknight, they were able to upgrade us to the Picasso suite (rack rate of 1,850 EUR). Yikes! All the rooms combined must have been over a thousand square feet. We cruised the streets of SS until about 2AM checking out the crazy scene down at the beach with hordes of people just making their way to the bars. The next morning we checked out the pedestrian areas of the city, the beach again, and climbed up the to view the old fort and have a panoramic of the la Concha Bay. I may have promised Julie that there was a cool bar at the top of the hill with the best view ever. The bar tables were still there but so was the scalfolding from the renos. Oops. Another breakfast/lunch after 2pm. Around 4pm we hit the road for Barcelona where we can settle in for the next 4 nights.

Rocamadour'ing

Yesterday we awoke at the Lion d'Or hotel to find that the Gramat market was held that day. After perusing the wares and observing the locals we set sail for Rocamadour, a short 10 mins drive. The church and protecting fort were built into the side of a cliff in the 13th century. We walked the village and climbed the pilgrim steps to the church. The architecture and feat of building into the stone is amazing. We later stopped for lunch while we waited for some shops to open after their customary lunch closing, the first we observed in France. On a terrace overlooking the Dordogne valley, famous for its foie gras, I decided now was the time to indulge in this delicacy. I've had foie gras with other dishes but never on its own. Needless to say 20 euro doesn't get you a whole lot of foie gras, but the surroundings more than made up for it. And when the waitress brought a bottle instead of glasss of wine, I surely couldn't correct her. After Rocamadour we punched San Sebastian in to Sally, our GPS, and decided to Usain Bolt right out of France and over to Spain.

Where the heck is Gramat, France?

After battling Paris traffic we were finally able to make it on the autoroute and enjoy the 130 km/h posted speed limit. Our GPS began working and we headed South. After logging some hours on the road we found ourselves in Gramat in the Midi-Pyrenees. After taking some spy photos of the Micheline guide at the gas station, we had a hotel picked out and were ready to settle in for the night. We plan to visit Rocamadour in the morning before heading to our yet to be determined destination. Maybe Bordeaux, perhaps San Sebastian/Bilboa in Spain -- our original destination. Lesson learned today; don't be dependent on the GPS unit for the speed limit and when the speed cameras are about to approach. During a moment of weakness I looked left at the village clinging to the hillside, the GPS unit died, the speed dropped to 110 km/h and voila, a speed camera. Likely my first, but not last, speeding ticket. At least the guide selected hotel offers free wifi ... unfortunately I lost my plug adapter .. monitor dimming quickly ... a la prochaine.

Au revoir, cher Paris

We're leaving Paris in moments. After picking up the ugliest rental we navigated the Charles De Galle traffic circle (aka Arc de Triomphe) and about 3 others before reaching our hotel. The fact that there is no lanes is actually helpful. What is not helpful is a) our GPS hasn't found a satelite yet b) we have no maps c) we have no destination until Barcelona on Friday. So this will likely be our last post until we reach Spain, if we ever reach Spain. Au revoir, cher Paris.

While we've seen the Eiffel tower from a distance and I did a quick run-by on a morning jog, we decided to get up close and personal. The structure takes on another personality from up close. Whether it is the hordes of locals and tourists lounging on every piece of grass and under every cover of shade, we weren't sure -- but it is a sight to see. Avoiding the queues and not being dressed for the hike up the stairs we continued along to Trocadero for a wide open view of the tower. Here we found people playing in a huge fountain and many entertainers. The weather was perfect and it seemed like the entire city was on vacation or at a beach party, sans-beach. Opting to go shopping rather than eating at a high-end restaurant, we found ourselves back on the Champs Elysee where Julie picked up a Parisien handbag and I grabbed a pair of much needed jeans for the trip. After yet another long walk down the Champs, why we never took the Metro evades me, we reached the hotel to shower up and head out for a another late dinner at 10pm. We settled into a small bistro in a square under the cover of trees. I finally made the plunge and ordered steak tartare. If you're not sure what that is, feel free to Google it. Needless to say if you have an issue with texture, I'd equate it to wet cat food, then you probably want to avoid the tartare. The flavour was good but the texture is a mental obstacle.

Musée du Louvre

Today we decided to conquer one of the great, if not greatest, museums of the world. The almighty Louvre. We had walked past it countless times and its daunting size is reminiscent of Buckingham palace. As we walked past I.M. Pei's controversial pyramid, made infamous by the Da Vinci Code, we were happy to encounter very short lines with no wait to enter (thank you Museum Pass). Within a single room we viewed almost every renaissance painting known to those who acquire their lacklustre art knowledge through movies. The museum itself is a piece of art with ornate frescoes adorning many ceilings. You can spend a lifetime in the Louvre but we limited it to a few hours. Stay tuned for some photos.

Paris comes alive

Yesterday the weather finally took a turn for the better. The city really came alive with images of Parisen life holding true. Everywhere we looked there were couples, young and old, sharing in intimate moments. Public spaces were overrun with locals laying in the grass, sitting on bridges and covering the banks of the Seine. We decided to log some tourist hours at the Musee d'Orsee, which as a converted train station has a great design. The museum holds within its collection most world renown impressionist paintings -- at least for those who learned about art from movies, like us. Afterwards we swung by the Notre Dame cathedral originally built in 1163. After bumping into people of every nationality we decided to act like locals and take to the banks of the Seine. A quick stop at a cheese shop, bakery, wine shop and variety store (apparently inquiring at the wine shop if they sold plastic cups was funny to the proprietor) we were off to be locals. Sitting on the banks behind the Notre Dame provided great views up and down the river, of ile de la Cite and the back of Notre Dame. A bottle, wedge and baguette later we hotel bound for a nap but not before obversing what seemed like half of Paris laying on the grass in the Louver and Tuilleries garden. As our short nap ended (around 11pm) we took the streets again covering the Champs Elysee. This grand boulevard is truly a sight to be seen. The sidewalk would make any road back home seem narrow. Littered with shops, cafes and just about everything else, including car manufacturers concept stores, it invites the imagery of old Paris in all its grandeur. At the end stands of one Napoleon's commissioned works, the Arc de Triomphe. Situated in the middle of a crazy round a bout is a massive commemorative arc to fallen soldiers. After a late dinner around 1am we decided to head back and rest up for tackling the tourist grand-daddy of them all, the Louvre.

Nos Amis Parisiens

Saturday we met up with our Parisien friends, Kelli and Steve. As seasoned Paris travelers they brought us around the city leading us to Jim Morrison's grave, where Steve shed a tear, then up Montmartre to l'eglise Sacre Coeur, where Kelli shed a tear as the restaurant with a view and des moules just didn't exist. We did happen to find a quaint authentic restaurant with no tourists and both patrons and servers speaking only French. Perfect. After 'a few' bottles of wine at Kelli and Steve's apartment we appropriately selected Mon Vieil Ami for dinner and took the last time slot available at 1030pm. With supplies running low, Steve wisely suggested the nearby wine shop, frommagerie, and boulangerie to provide some much needed time killers. Notes from today; if you rent a bike from a self-serve station be sure to check for flat tires. Sorry Julie, at least it was only 3km -- get buried in Paris, they know how to build serious mausoleums -- the Paris metro is the greatest public transit in the world -- and no hour is too late to begin dinner, as long as you continue to eat/drink between all meals.

Quintessential Tourist

So our first post from abroad can only be of a famous landmark. This shot is from our room overlooking the Tuillerie gardens with the tour Eifel in the background. If the leaves changing colours wasn't indication enough of the weather, it's damn cold. We made it to the hotel via train/metro without any issues and hit the beat for a while until our room was ready. During that time we were approached briskly by two police in riot gear, I mean full head to toe body armour and serious weapons, pointing at us as we were apparently on the wrong side of the sidewalk while a VIP was being escorted by half the Paris police force. I also tried on a pair of jeans that only cost 377 EUR and found perhaps the only deal in the first arrondisement, 3 chocolate croissants for 2,50 EUR. Cheaper than the martinis at the hotel. Which by the way only cost 20 EUR. A la prochaine!

Chillin' at YYZ

Off we go. We made it to the airport even within the required timeline. Now to kill an hour. Good thing for lounges with open bar and hot buffet.

Euro 2009

The gauntlet is set; we're Europe bound in less than 30 days. Our travels will take us from Paris down to Barcelona, back to France across the Côte d'Azur and over to Venice before heading south through the vineyards of Tuscany onto the ruins of Rome and ending on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast.