Hey there! This is Murray, hacking into Mitzi's Blog. Mitzi, if you can read this post then the problem you mentioned in your email must be something local there in Italy. Keep trying. Maybe it will work next time. I'm looking forward to an update on your current adventure!
Best to ya,
--Murray
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Primero Visit to the Colosseum!
This post was written in Rome by both of us but the computer never posted it and I was never able to get back on the blog, and luckily it was saved, so with a little adaptation, here is the original post from Rome...
Done! We have seen the Colosseum! And the Forum! In nice cool, rainy weather! We have learned a lot! We have had a challenging time with the Italians we have met. For example, we saw men dressed up in gladiator costumes at the colosseum and they said that we could take pictures with them for a tip. Well after 2 pictures they informed us the "tip" was going to be €20! We were stunned and settled on €10, the most expensive pictures we have taken on any of our trips! But I am sure they are real gladiators for that much money! We have to be careful and César brushed up on his Italian to communicate better and keep us from being taken advantage of. When in Rome be careful and agree on prices for things like this before you begin them. We thought we had done that, not knowing that there would be a specific price for the tip!
A thought...everyone, at least once in their life needs to stay at a 5* hotel! And we think it should be in Europe and have a nice location with a good view. The luxury is quite easy to adapt to and one might find themselves tempted to never leave the room! At least that is what we are finding here in Roma. HOWEVER there is a down side to the luxury hotels, everything is priced accordingly. For example the water in the mini bar is €6 for a small bottle and we found giant bottles of water at the local store for 75cents. Two small pieces of Italian chocolate candy, which we can buy in Colorado, is €12! Breakfast comes with our room rate and was served in an elegance I have never seen before. The displays were amazing, lighted counters where the food was served, designs with the actual placement of the food that delighted the eye and delicious food to equal the sights. Long, flowing chandeliers light the room and sparkle from the light. The restaurant truly makes one sure they are in a luxury hotel! Our balcony overlooking Via Veneto completed this five star experience. The door even had a doorbell!
We are resting now and will be taking a night tour of Rome this evening and then will return to the hotel for a snack for dinner, a picnic in the room. Rome is beautiful and although we have not met the nicest people, we are loving our time in the city, and in the luxury hotel!
Tomorrow morning we will start at the Vatican and see the sights there and will visit the Borghese Villa Museum in the afternoon. In the evening we will be going to our first Italian opera experience. We have chosen to go to a church to hear an assortment of opera arias and that will be our sample of Italian culture.
The weather has been cold, sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy, but this isn't that different than our time in Paris in March, just a little colder.
Well, we have to get ready to see Roma at night! Mitzi and César
Done! We have seen the Colosseum! And the Forum! In nice cool, rainy weather! We have learned a lot! We have had a challenging time with the Italians we have met. For example, we saw men dressed up in gladiator costumes at the colosseum and they said that we could take pictures with them for a tip. Well after 2 pictures they informed us the "tip" was going to be €20! We were stunned and settled on €10, the most expensive pictures we have taken on any of our trips! But I am sure they are real gladiators for that much money! We have to be careful and César brushed up on his Italian to communicate better and keep us from being taken advantage of. When in Rome be careful and agree on prices for things like this before you begin them. We thought we had done that, not knowing that there would be a specific price for the tip!
A thought...everyone, at least once in their life needs to stay at a 5* hotel! And we think it should be in Europe and have a nice location with a good view. The luxury is quite easy to adapt to and one might find themselves tempted to never leave the room! At least that is what we are finding here in Roma. HOWEVER there is a down side to the luxury hotels, everything is priced accordingly. For example the water in the mini bar is €6 for a small bottle and we found giant bottles of water at the local store for 75cents. Two small pieces of Italian chocolate candy, which we can buy in Colorado, is €12! Breakfast comes with our room rate and was served in an elegance I have never seen before. The displays were amazing, lighted counters where the food was served, designs with the actual placement of the food that delighted the eye and delicious food to equal the sights. Long, flowing chandeliers light the room and sparkle from the light. The restaurant truly makes one sure they are in a luxury hotel! Our balcony overlooking Via Veneto completed this five star experience. The door even had a doorbell!
We are resting now and will be taking a night tour of Rome this evening and then will return to the hotel for a snack for dinner, a picnic in the room. Rome is beautiful and although we have not met the nicest people, we are loving our time in the city, and in the luxury hotel!
Tomorrow morning we will start at the Vatican and see the sights there and will visit the Borghese Villa Museum in the afternoon. In the evening we will be going to our first Italian opera experience. We have chosen to go to a church to hear an assortment of opera arias and that will be our sample of Italian culture.
The weather has been cold, sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy, but this isn't that different than our time in Paris in March, just a little colder.
Well, we have to get ready to see Roma at night! Mitzi and César
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Roma at last!
I am here, had a nap and am waiting for Cesar to return from his adventure so we can go out tonight and do as the Romans do!
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Adventure Begins!
Well, first step of the journey has been accomplished! I am safely in Virginia, at a hotel near Dulles Airport. There is always so much to learn, I thought I was going to be in D.C. but I'm not. I'm about an hour away from all of the famous landmarks so I am not sure that I will be visitng the Smithsonian tomorrow as I had hoped. I don't like to stray too far from the airport when I am getting a plane out, just in case...and so I'll stick close to here, visit a small town nearby in the morning and be at the airport in plenty of time to get my plane for Rome.
Flying here was a new experience. I was on a new United plane, one in which the seats in business class lie almost flat and you have your own 17 in. monitor to watch anything you want. On other United planes they run movies all starting at the same time so you have to wait until they are all over before any start again and there is no starting and stopping them. I was told that they have an ipod docking station too, but I didn't find that. It's always interesting to see who you end up sitting next to on the flights. When I sat down today there was an empty cup between our seats and it was filled with paper from cold meds and alieve! I wasn't too thrilled to be next to someone who was so sick, but he had no desire to chat so at least he wasn't looking at me. Hope I don't catch his cough anytime soon. Usually I sit next to friendly people so this was the exception to that, but it was fine. I was happy to be in my nice cushy seat, leaning back watching "Swing Vote". I think it will be a very nice way to head across the ocean to Rome in this comfort.
Arriving at the airport was also an interesting experience. There were two ladies near me, not together, on the shuttle in the airport, and I asked how exciting D.C. had been the last few days. They both started in and I was sorry I ever said a thing. Both ladies were Republican (I'm guessing) and couldn't say enough bad about Obama, criticisms I never would have even thought of! There was a pilot standing near us and we just smiled at each other, boy did I unknowingly open a can of worms! So no more idle chit chat about that here! I rode to the hotel with a nice pilot in the shuttle and that was a pleasant ride, short though. I've decided not to leave tonight to explore anything, I've been so sick that staying in the room sounds just right for tonight. I may venture out to the nearby town tomorrow morning if I am feeling okay, but rest is okay so that I can save my strength for the Italian adventure that awaits!
César will arrive in Rome before I leave here so I will be sure that my escort, protector, European tour guide is waiting to meet me when I arrive. The weather here is beautiful so there should be no delays and Sunday morning, which will be Saturday night here, I will be in beautiful Roma!
Flying here was a new experience. I was on a new United plane, one in which the seats in business class lie almost flat and you have your own 17 in. monitor to watch anything you want. On other United planes they run movies all starting at the same time so you have to wait until they are all over before any start again and there is no starting and stopping them. I was told that they have an ipod docking station too, but I didn't find that. It's always interesting to see who you end up sitting next to on the flights. When I sat down today there was an empty cup between our seats and it was filled with paper from cold meds and alieve! I wasn't too thrilled to be next to someone who was so sick, but he had no desire to chat so at least he wasn't looking at me. Hope I don't catch his cough anytime soon. Usually I sit next to friendly people so this was the exception to that, but it was fine. I was happy to be in my nice cushy seat, leaning back watching "Swing Vote". I think it will be a very nice way to head across the ocean to Rome in this comfort.
Arriving at the airport was also an interesting experience. There were two ladies near me, not together, on the shuttle in the airport, and I asked how exciting D.C. had been the last few days. They both started in and I was sorry I ever said a thing. Both ladies were Republican (I'm guessing) and couldn't say enough bad about Obama, criticisms I never would have even thought of! There was a pilot standing near us and we just smiled at each other, boy did I unknowingly open a can of worms! So no more idle chit chat about that here! I rode to the hotel with a nice pilot in the shuttle and that was a pleasant ride, short though. I've decided not to leave tonight to explore anything, I've been so sick that staying in the room sounds just right for tonight. I may venture out to the nearby town tomorrow morning if I am feeling okay, but rest is okay so that I can save my strength for the Italian adventure that awaits!
César will arrive in Rome before I leave here so I will be sure that my escort, protector, European tour guide is waiting to meet me when I arrive. The weather here is beautiful so there should be no delays and Sunday morning, which will be Saturday night here, I will be in beautiful Roma!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Heading Out
It's late...the lists are many and long...don't forget to pay that bill, remember to pack that, don't forget this, and on and on and on. You know how it is when you are preparing to take a vacation, seems like it all will never get done. Yes, I am preparing to leave the country again! Rome is waiting! This is a trip that almost didn't happen. I have been so sick that I was pretty sure I wouldn't be going anywhere and was too sick to care. But I'm better and I'm sure Rome is calling my name, so I am putting days of preparation into half the time, making and following lists and I'm sure I will be on the plane to D.C. and then to Rome.
This time my adventure is on land, no cruise planned! I will fly into Rome where César will already be there waiting for me and we will spend 5 days playing in Rome and the surrounding areas. We will take a train to Florence and Pisa too. There are so many wonderful things to see and my one day in Rome on my last trip just wasn't enough, so I decided to go back one more time. César is on his official holidays so this is a more relaxing time for us compared to our short and rushed previous trips. And although it is very cold in Europe these days, we will make the most of our time and not let it hamper our fun. There are advantages to traveling this time of year...the lines won't be nearly as long for the sights and we were able to get an amazing deal on a 5 star hotel, so it will remind me of the luxury of Lucerne.
I'm excited, as always when I'm meeting up with my Portuguese friend, however my reluctance is still present. Funny how some habits are just hard to break! I'm nervous, the weather could cause havoc anywhere along the way to Rome or home again. And then we have the recent plane crashes to think about. So as I am thinking of the reasons for my reluctance I came across an envelope and had no idea what was inside. I opened the envelope and had to smile. Timing in the universe is truly perfect! Inside was a little sheet of paper that created a sense of calm.
When I was on the Marco Polo, headed for Antarctica, I was my usual nervous self at the anticipation of all that was to come. Each day I would get up and honestly think, "What the hell am I doing here!" The captain of that ship was quite interesting and each day he read a quote over the intercom when we were at sea. One day I loved the quote and had someone at the reception desk ask him for a copy. It was exactly what I needed to get me to relax in that situation. I have no idea who originally said the quote, but Captain Goran Blomqvist shared it.
The quote..."If you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured, it may never arrive. Mountains will not be climbed, races won, or lasting happiness achieved."
And so, at the perfect moment that small piece of paper with the quote showed up and reminded me to relax and enjoy the adventure, even if the timing doesn't seem to be perfect to be traveling to Rome.
What 'coincidences' occur in our lives! And so, to Rome I head soon, for another wonderful adventure!
Once again the 'adventuress' overcomes the 'reluctant'.
This time my adventure is on land, no cruise planned! I will fly into Rome where César will already be there waiting for me and we will spend 5 days playing in Rome and the surrounding areas. We will take a train to Florence and Pisa too. There are so many wonderful things to see and my one day in Rome on my last trip just wasn't enough, so I decided to go back one more time. César is on his official holidays so this is a more relaxing time for us compared to our short and rushed previous trips. And although it is very cold in Europe these days, we will make the most of our time and not let it hamper our fun. There are advantages to traveling this time of year...the lines won't be nearly as long for the sights and we were able to get an amazing deal on a 5 star hotel, so it will remind me of the luxury of Lucerne.
I'm excited, as always when I'm meeting up with my Portuguese friend, however my reluctance is still present. Funny how some habits are just hard to break! I'm nervous, the weather could cause havoc anywhere along the way to Rome or home again. And then we have the recent plane crashes to think about. So as I am thinking of the reasons for my reluctance I came across an envelope and had no idea what was inside. I opened the envelope and had to smile. Timing in the universe is truly perfect! Inside was a little sheet of paper that created a sense of calm.
When I was on the Marco Polo, headed for Antarctica, I was my usual nervous self at the anticipation of all that was to come. Each day I would get up and honestly think, "What the hell am I doing here!" The captain of that ship was quite interesting and each day he read a quote over the intercom when we were at sea. One day I loved the quote and had someone at the reception desk ask him for a copy. It was exactly what I needed to get me to relax in that situation. I have no idea who originally said the quote, but Captain Goran Blomqvist shared it.
The quote..."If you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured, it may never arrive. Mountains will not be climbed, races won, or lasting happiness achieved."
And so, at the perfect moment that small piece of paper with the quote showed up and reminded me to relax and enjoy the adventure, even if the timing doesn't seem to be perfect to be traveling to Rome.
What 'coincidences' occur in our lives! And so, to Rome I head soon, for another wonderful adventure!
Once again the 'adventuress' overcomes the 'reluctant'.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Happy New Year!
The new year has started and with it, my desire (actually my need) to start organizing my home and all of the new things I have added over the last year and a half. How does one integrate memories of world travels into my existing world in Aurora, Colorado? A challenge which I am totally enjoying!
My first major step was to browse through almost 20,000 pictures (maybe more) and choose some of my favorites. I had two 3 dimensional collage picture frames which I decided to display with pictures of my trips. I wanted to display pictures I have taken around the world of flowers and sunrises/sunsets. I've thought about it for a while and finally spent many hours collecting and editing the pictures. Now on one side of my new tv there are pictures of flowers from around the world and on the other side, pictures of skyscapes. The frames are quite interesting, each picture is in a black wood frame that accentuates the colors of the picture and the smaller frames are connected to make a large 8 picture collage frame. The smaller frames are in both landscape and portrait directions and are truly 3 dimensional, not flat. So some of the pictures stand out from the frame. Interesting and definitely add intrigue and interest to the pictures.
The pictures were many, the frames smaller than I thought so I've purchased 2 more and look forward to filling them too! So many beautiful sights I have seen! So many beautiful memories to fill my head and heart!
The flowers that are displayed right now are all deep pink or red and look lovely. There is the pink poppy from Monet's garden in Giverny, France. Next to it is the most beautiful deep pink rose from the mountain village outside of Kusadasi, Turkey. Under that is the most unusual pink flower from Mazatlan, Mexico and next to that is a beautiful picture of deep pink flower taken from a balcony with the town of Mijas, Spain in the background. Under those two are some pinkish/red tulips from the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and a deep pink 'something' from our walk through the Swiss Alps. The final row has flowers that contain a range of pinks and are from the gardens of the Benedictine Monastery and distillery in Fecamp, France. The picture next to that one is of a poinsettia tree in front of the castle of Rhodes, Greece. Truly beautiful flowers from around the world! I am now excited to put the other frame together with a variety of colors and blooms from other places around the world!
The sunrise/sunset collage is just as interesting! The top two frames hold pictures of the midnight sun in the arctic circle from my cruise to Norway on my birthday and the midnight sun on my Antarctic cruise on Christmas eve. Quite stunning! The next row is a picture of sunset on the beach at Puerto Vallarta, complete with palm trees and a torch. Next to that is the most amazing picture of them all, the incredibly beautiful sunrise over Lisbon with a faint view of the 29th of April bridge, the bridge that is exactly like the Golden Gate bridge. Beneath those two is the frigid Arctic landscape near Churchill, Manitoba at sunset from my helicopter ride there. And it is next to the beautiful view of a sunset from César's backyard in Sintra, Portugal. The famous palace there is not quite visible in that picture, but remains in my memory. The bottom row of that frame is the picture of the sunset over Istanbul, with a faint outline of the city and a picture of a 'pre' sunset in Paris. That picture is almost black and white due to the overcast day, with just a bit of sun peeking out from the clouds with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The colors cover the range of the spectrum and the pictures, a true sampling of my world travels. So much more to do and yet, I just want to sit and admire the beauty on the wall!
As I continue to organize my home, I will be sharing the memories and experiences that my new 'decor' reminds me of. For now, I am back to the mundane task of organizing. But what things I get to organize!
My first major step was to browse through almost 20,000 pictures (maybe more) and choose some of my favorites. I had two 3 dimensional collage picture frames which I decided to display with pictures of my trips. I wanted to display pictures I have taken around the world of flowers and sunrises/sunsets. I've thought about it for a while and finally spent many hours collecting and editing the pictures. Now on one side of my new tv there are pictures of flowers from around the world and on the other side, pictures of skyscapes. The frames are quite interesting, each picture is in a black wood frame that accentuates the colors of the picture and the smaller frames are connected to make a large 8 picture collage frame. The smaller frames are in both landscape and portrait directions and are truly 3 dimensional, not flat. So some of the pictures stand out from the frame. Interesting and definitely add intrigue and interest to the pictures.
The pictures were many, the frames smaller than I thought so I've purchased 2 more and look forward to filling them too! So many beautiful sights I have seen! So many beautiful memories to fill my head and heart!
The flowers that are displayed right now are all deep pink or red and look lovely. There is the pink poppy from Monet's garden in Giverny, France. Next to it is the most beautiful deep pink rose from the mountain village outside of Kusadasi, Turkey. Under that is the most unusual pink flower from Mazatlan, Mexico and next to that is a beautiful picture of deep pink flower taken from a balcony with the town of Mijas, Spain in the background. Under those two are some pinkish/red tulips from the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and a deep pink 'something' from our walk through the Swiss Alps. The final row has flowers that contain a range of pinks and are from the gardens of the Benedictine Monastery and distillery in Fecamp, France. The picture next to that one is of a poinsettia tree in front of the castle of Rhodes, Greece. Truly beautiful flowers from around the world! I am now excited to put the other frame together with a variety of colors and blooms from other places around the world!
The sunrise/sunset collage is just as interesting! The top two frames hold pictures of the midnight sun in the arctic circle from my cruise to Norway on my birthday and the midnight sun on my Antarctic cruise on Christmas eve. Quite stunning! The next row is a picture of sunset on the beach at Puerto Vallarta, complete with palm trees and a torch. Next to that is the most amazing picture of them all, the incredibly beautiful sunrise over Lisbon with a faint view of the 29th of April bridge, the bridge that is exactly like the Golden Gate bridge. Beneath those two is the frigid Arctic landscape near Churchill, Manitoba at sunset from my helicopter ride there. And it is next to the beautiful view of a sunset from César's backyard in Sintra, Portugal. The famous palace there is not quite visible in that picture, but remains in my memory. The bottom row of that frame is the picture of the sunset over Istanbul, with a faint outline of the city and a picture of a 'pre' sunset in Paris. That picture is almost black and white due to the overcast day, with just a bit of sun peeking out from the clouds with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The colors cover the range of the spectrum and the pictures, a true sampling of my world travels. So much more to do and yet, I just want to sit and admire the beauty on the wall!
As I continue to organize my home, I will be sharing the memories and experiences that my new 'decor' reminds me of. For now, I am back to the mundane task of organizing. But what things I get to organize!
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