Paris

Paris holds the key to your heart…

When we woke up the next morning and had showered off the grime of travel, it was time to explore. Wandering the streets we passed lines of brasseries and around every corner was a quaint courtyard. The streets reminded me very much of Rome with the shambled cobblestones, and the way the buildings rise up on either side of you. The air was damp and chilled you to the bone. We had a very limited time to see Paris, so Joe and Coryell decided it would be best to take a bus tour (after a night of chaotic traveling, a leisurely bus ride seemed like a very good idea). We found the stop and climbed on a “Big Yellow Bus” for our tour. I forced myself to endure the freezing air up in the open roof seating to get the best view. As we started driving, Paris began to parade by. Everyone who was walking on the streets was bundled in dark colors, moving quickly with their briefcase or purse to catch a cab or maneuver the crowd. The whole atmosphere felt… well… French. It’s amazing how the mood in the air can feel so foreign. I have a slight obsession for the beauty of buildings and my eyes were kept busy trying to look at each one from the tiniest shop to the grand Opera house.

Here are some highlights of the tour:

The Louvre: It still pricks my heart to think that we didn’t have time to go in. Alas… I guess I’ll just have to go back. The giant glass pyramid was elegant, and the building itself was regal. It was used as a palace before Louis IVX constructed Versailles in the 17^th Century. 

Museum de Orsay: Coryell has a deep love for Impressionism and so we went to go in and take a quick turn. But, once again we had to be disappointed because apparently they don’t open on Mondays. It used to be a trainstation, but was converted to a museum in 1970.

"Morning in Paris, the city awakes
To the bells of Notre Dame
The fisherman fishes, the bakerman bakes
To the bells of Notre Dame
To the big bells as loud as the thunder 
TO the little bells soft as a psalm
And some say the soul of the city's 
The toll of the bells
The bells of Notre Dame"
-Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

Notre Dame: This magnificent cathedral will always hold a sense of mystery for me. Iconic for its French Gothic Architecture, Notre Dame is one of the first buildings to ever use the technology of the flying buttress. The flying buttress is a type of arch that distributes the load of the wall and roof away from the building to a seperate column. I think it pulls it off in a very classy way too. Since we approached the cathedral from behind, I did not recognize it, having only seen pictures of the famous facade. Personally I thought the view from behind was even more grand and beautiful. 

 

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrusel is a smaller version of the Arc de. Built by Napoleon I to model the Arch of Constantine in Rome, it depicts quadriga showing peace riding in a triumphal chariot led by Victories on both sides. It commemorates the Restoration of the Bourbons to power after Napoleon’s fall.

The Tour Eiffel: One of my favorite structures of all time. It wasn’t exactly exuding romance, but I couldn’t help feeling a little fanciful as it towered over us. We got off the bus for a few moments to get the full experience. I’ve seen skyscrapers before, but standing underneath such a massive structure offers an even greater element of the sublime. It was built for the 1889 World Science Fair and is named after its designer and engineer, Monsieur Gustave Eiffel. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest structure at 1,063 feet. It’s interesting to note that originally it was rejected as an obstruction to the view and the plan was to remove it following the fair. But, as we see today, we have all fallen in love with it and now it is the icon of France. 

Next we entered the modernized portion of Paris. We traveled down the Champs de Ellis: the longest road in Paris. It is surrounded by the most prominent shopping boutiques and it was difficult for me to imagine ever feeling comfortable in such a high society setting. It seemed like there was an Armani, Dior, Chanel, or Louie Vuitton around each corner. The trees that bordered the street were adorned with elegant lights. Tucked away behind the street was a lovely little outdoor market that was calling my name, but had to be enjoyed from a distance. We also passed the elegant department store, Printemps. It was beautifully lit and ready for the Christmas season.

At the end of the bus route, we boarded a boat for the Bridge Tour upon the Seine River. Each bridge had a unique heritage and story that was fascinating to hear. Only one stands out in my memory. The tour guide told how one bridge had been completely constructed by women while all the men had been at war during one of the world wars. Unfortunately that is all I can remember, and I still have yet to find that story, so it could be made-up…  Actually looking through my journal now, I am finding that lots of things our educated tour guides shared are slightly off… 

Right as we neared the dock to unload, the Eiffel Tower began to glimmer with lights. It was then that I understood the full glamour and beauty of The Eiffel Tower Brilliant lights sparkled up and down as if it were a prolonged and silent firework. We made our way back to the bus station and drove back along the Arc de Triomphe. All the lights that had been woven through the trees were breathtaking in the night. The City of Lights is a fitting name that does not disappoint. 

Tumultuous Travel

December 20, 2009
We are on our second day in the train station. They aren't letting any trains out because 6 have gotten stuck in the chunnel. We are in the same cafe as yesterday, and the manager is very kind to us. I can't help thinking of the day we were supposed to have touring Versailles, the Louvre Palace/Museum, and the Eiffel Tower... we may have to cancel those plans, because it looks like we are only going to have half a day there to explore. But what an adventure we are having! I am wishing and hoping and praying that we can somehow get there with time to tour Paris. We have to get to Paris in order to fly home, and We transfer at Washington DC, which is under record snowfall right now. AH! Wish us luck!! PLEASE!

LATER:
We spent the majority of the day in the same cafe, and every time I went out, I had to bundle up in gloves, hat, and coats. The temperature of the train station was freezing, but after awhile, I had to get up and walk around. Out in the center, I got to know many interesting people from many different places. Two that I especially enjoyed talking to with Joe included a man from London trying to get to Paris to visit family, and a woman from Paris trying to get home from Christmas. We chatted about all sorts of different things like the difference in the places in which we lived, the funny accents (this woman's french accent was beautiful; very elegant and precise). Something that I learned was that although we come from vastly different cultures and societies, we are all people. We go through the same feelings, we hope for the same things, we all think in just about the same way. Of course different people have different opinions, but it was still fun to compare each other's thoughts. I really enjoyed going through the different shops. There were shops that ranged from toys, to chocolate, to CLOTHES! While browsing through Fossil, I met one of there employees; a woman living in London. I told her about my travels, predicament, and worries, and in turn she told me about London, and its great night life. She then asked me my age, expecting me to be around hers of 22. My reply was "uhh, 14." Which was surprising to her. hahaha. Anyway, some news reporters showed up in the afternoon and it was kind of entertaining listening to them, and also fill in on what was happening in the outside world. A brass band showed up and played beloved Christmas carols which seemed to lighten the darkened mood.

While I was waiting out with Joe, we heard a Eurostar representative come out and explain to everyone the plan. We would be loaded onto trains to be taken to Dover, an English city on the southern tip, and then loaded on a ferry, then buses to get to Paris. People madly rushed to board these trains, and after alerting Coryell, we grabbed our trolleys, the kids, and anything else that was ours, and literally ran to the train. That was extremely nerve racking to have so many children and so much luggage and running to a train that will leave in two minutes. We threw all the bags in and then relaxed while the train took us to Dover. The view outside was picturesque with freshly fallen snow reflecting the sun over birch trees and forests. The homes we passed were all authentic brick, and reminded me of Mary Poppins. We finally made it to the train station, and even caught a glimpse of the White Cliffs of Dover. A sight I'm sure would have been much more pleasant in any other circumstance.



Well, the next few hours would be the toughest, coldest, and most trying of any other journey I had endured. We each grabbed and lugged two big bags, and then made our way to the buses. After waiting with hundreds of other people, we were tired.



Since no one had fully explained how we'd get on the ferry or if these buses would take us all the way to Paris, or if we'd be loaded into different ones. So, Joe, trying to make us the most comfortable, called a cab to take us down to the ferry. The cab driver drove us the quick 5 minute drive, and then when he got an offer from someone else, he ripped us off and dumped us on the curb. Joe tried to find someone from Eurostar in the huge crowds, but we soon realized, the buses we just left were our only ticket to Paris. So, we loaded back onto a cab, and then drove back to the buses to wait in line. We found another French man and his wife and son in the same predicament. With them, we waited in line until dark when the buses were slowly being filled in freezing conditions lugging two bags, and comforting the younger ones who were doing very well. The gravel made it very difficult to wheel these bags, but with a few prayers, we did it.



Joe and this man spoke to a Eurostar personnel who gave us priority boarding since we had children. I was unbelievably relieved to have our well-being secured, and be seated in a warm bus with all the luggage stored below. The bus ride onto the ferry went smoothly and although I couldn't sleep, I did relax. There was a nice Asian woman from France whom we talked to, telling her about America, and how beautiful it was. She didn't quite believe us, but it was still fun to chat. We finally made it to Paris! *sigh* what an adventure it had been. The time was about 3 am, and we found a cab that took us to our hotel we had previously booked. My first glimpse of Paris surprised me. It was much like Rome in many aspects, like the cobblestone streets, tall stone buildings, and shops, but it had its own personality. I couldn't wait till morning...

Staying Sane; Awaiting the Train

December 19, 2009
Right now I'm sitting at a cafe in the train station and have been for 6 hours. Due to weather (-4*C!)Some of the trains got stuck in the Chunnel, so we are camped here in hope that it gets fixed. I'll give more details later, we met some nice people who live about 25 min. away who've offered their spare room if it doesn't come. Needless to say, we were all a little dazed after waking up at 3 am, so some hot chocolate and some fun Christmas Crackers brightened our spirits. Co and I were feeling a little... well.. tired to say the least so we had a little fun goofing off and trying to stay awake. We have camped out at this little cafe ordering things as the day goes to have a warm place to sit. It has been an adventure!


I hope we get to go to Paris soon. There is so much to see there! I bet it is gorgeous in the snow. We just have to pack on the layers! Pictures will come later with a more detailed account. Wish us luck!
Hanna

Later:
The rest of the day was spent sitting in that cafe. Eventually a train did come in, so we grabbed our bags and our tickets, and rushed to check in. Of course we weren't the only ones, so there was a mad rush. While holding hands and lugging two trolleys each, we eventually got our tickets stamped and waited in the lobby with some other two hundred people.

I had never seen so many desperate people before. They all just rushed together and it was all we could do to keep track of everyone.

They then started loading up, and the train filled so fast, we had to go back to the ticket booth, and get knew stamps to get on the next train that came in just after the other. So once again we waited in the lobby for about two hours, and were told that the train had been cancelled due to the weather. However, we had just waited all day in the train station, so we didn't leave by chance they would let the train out later on as they did with the other. So slowly people left little by little, until us and about fifty others were left. We were then ordered out by the police, and with heavy heads, we trudged out with four exhausted little ones, and not to mention three older ones too. We grabbed a cab, it being about 10:00 pm now, and found a hotel in downtown London that Joe's employer could pay for. We waited in the lobby about half an hour with a glazed look over our eyes, until the hotel manager finally got all the information he needed. After a warm meal and cleaning up, I was ready for that bed, even though I couldn't help being disappointed about it not being in Paris. But, we had high hopes for the next day.

My Roundabout Walk

December 17, 2009
This afternoon I took a walk to the horses, and ended up walking to Cernywick, South Cerney, and around my favorite lake. Its funny how you can start in one directon and end up giong in the opposite. I was able to visit all my favorite places at one time. I'm going to miss the walks here, so I tried to spend as much time as possible enjoying the scenery. It was freezing outside, and even started snowing. I explored almost every footpath I came across, and ALMOST the whole time knew where I was going. Its kinda fun knowing your way around a little village in England. One of the best parts was that I found out that all are somehow interconnected, so I went on a huge loop. I'm going to take another walk tomorrow if the weather permits. I can't believe that there is only 2 days till Paris, 5 days till we get home, and 8 till Christmas! YAY! So many wonderful things at once!


I saw this "house" while exploring. I couldn't help taking a picture, it is amazing! I would buy it any day. The vines, the water mill, the wicker hut in the back... Adorable!

I'm going to miss the lovely stone walls, the squishy trails, and the peace of walking.

Saying Goodbyes

December 16, 2009
Yesterday was my last day in youth group. I can't believe that we are leaving for Paris on Saturday morning. It was hard to say goodbye to all the friends I've made here, but I can't help being completely excited to come home. We said goodbye to Kristi yesterday as well since they left this morning to spend Christmas in the States. I got pictures and emails, so I'm covered. It's kinda cool having friends from England. These next few days I'm going to enjoy England as much as possible and enjoy it to the full. Yesterday I ate about 5 crumpets. We heard yesterday that the train line we are taking through the chunnel to France is going on strike this weekend. Fortunately they have enough staff to continue running it. I told my aunt, if they aren't going to run it, we better start walking. Merry Christmas!

Bourton-on-the-Water

December 15, 2009
Today we decided to go souvenir shopping in Bourton-on-the-Water with our friend Kristi who is from Tennessee and lives across the street from us. We are leaving this Saturday for Paris, so we really don't have much time left. B on the Water is one of my favorite local villages because even with the rain today, it's friendly and quaint. We just roamed the streets going in and out of the shops. Today it was 1* C, and we even got a minute of snow! Hopefully the storms hold off till we are safe at home. I don't want to spend Christmas in France or at the airport. We had some hot chocolate, and then headed home. This week I've been using every excuse I get to eat crumpets, sticky pudding, and even leeks. There are lots of things I'm going to miss, but I am getting really excited to come home. Merry Christmas!

Just Another Stroll

December 13, 2009

Stratford-upon-Avon

December 12, 2009
Yesterday we visited Stratford-upon-Avon, which is the birthplace of William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway. Some of you may have heard of him.... Well, we only were there for a short time, and we had heard that the best place to visit was Anne Hathaway's cottage, where she grew up, and was courted by young William. The cottage still has a thatched roof, and had been added onto, but was still neat to go through. There was also a walk through the woods you could go on that was very pretty. It was incredible to think that we were in some of the same rooms that Shakespeare had been in. They had gotten a special marriage licence (40 pounds which was a 2 year salary of a teacher) and then Anne moved into the Shakespeare home. Soon after, Shakespeare disappeared to London where he was an actor, and wrote his plays. He came back to Anne and his children later, and bought the second largest house in the village. He would've been a millionaire in today's standards. It was a cute little cottage. Afterwards, we roamed the streets for awhile, and it was mostly just a shopping center. The kids had McDonalds, and later that night, Jo, Coryell and I went to a pub called the Wild Duck in Ewen. I love eating at the pubs. They seem to embody much of the British culture. It was very delicious, and of course we had sticky pudding that was to die for. If you go to England, definitely go to pubs, because the environment is really authentic and they usually have good British food.

Anne's Cottage

These are the candles used at The Wild Duck...

This is my class at church, I'm going to miss them.

We took a walk to the horses tonigh, and there was a beautiful sunset. Its hard to capture those perfect pictures.

Marlborough and Lacock

On the 6th, we spent our afternoon on a walk through Marlborough. They had put up Christmas lights, and we had fun roaming the streets and following the footpaths around homes and through an old church built in the 12 hundreds! There is an art college there that the Queen's granddaughter supposedly goes. After spending a couple hours there, we went home and spent the time playing card games. When dinner time came, we went to a pub Joe had been to before, and had dinner. The pub had been functioning since the 1500s, and was very authentic and old English style. I had a delicious meal of chicken and potatoes and then chose, of course, sticky toffee pudding for dessert. That is the best sticky pudding I've had. I am going through my head trying to figure out how to make it so when I get home, I won't go through withdrawals!

Monday was spent in Lacock; a historic village that was used in Pride and Prejudice, and who's Abbey was used in Harry Potter. Sadly, the abbey was closed at that time, and we weren't able to roam the halls of Hogwarts. We did roam the streets though, and found a pub that was built in 1361 and still functions. There was also a cute little bakery where we got some old recipes and nougat, which is like fudge. After wandering, we finally had to leave to pick Ande up from preschool. The history and authenticity of this village is trying to be saved, so those who live there can't put up dish satellites or show any technology. However, there were still cars there. The village itself was really small, but was the place where the man who invented negative/positive photography lived. That night, we had our neighbors, Kristi and her son Justin, over for dinner. To bring the Christmas spirit, we decided to put up a tree. Unfortunately, we didn't want to get a fake one since we are leaving in 2 weeks, so we made one from tissue paper, and quilted ornaments that our grandma showed us how to make. 

Lacock

The Abbey

The George Inn. est. 1361

These were at the Woolen Center and were called Hanna Caps.... COOL!

This morning, we were invited to go with Ande's preschool out caroling around the army base where it is held. They were all so cute singing with there English accents and carrying around money buckets for donations.

This was in the middle of a roundabout.

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree, Thy leaves are really unchanging...

Italy

November 30th: My grandparents offered to take my cousin and I to Italy from the 30th to the 4th of December. The day of our flight went terribly slowly, and by the time it finally came to go to the airport, I was ecstatic. The flight to the Ciampino airport was only two hours, and was pretty comfortable. I love looking at the lights and cities below. When we landed, we found a cab, that ended up dropping us off three blocks from our hotel in the dark, and charging us 10 euros more than he had said before hand.... Our adventure begins. We finally found it after asking five policemen, and one young couple. It makes things much more difficult when they speak little English. After dropping off our bags, we went searching for a place to eat. We found a little Ristorante and ate some delicious pizza, and I had some custard dessert. It was delicious, and a nice start to our trip. The hotel was called Relais Palace Hotel and was in a great location; just west of the Piazza Navona. The hotel itself was a small, quaint building and had a little elevator that took us to our very own floor where Tyanin and I shared a room across from my grandparents. Our room looked out to an alleyway where you could hear a myriad of noises including opera singing, chatter, wind and never ending ambulance sirens. The bathroom was made up of porcelain and included a bidet... I had to ask my grandma what it was. With the new sounds, new surroundings, and new adventure I could hardly sleep that night but the next day came soon enough.

December 1st, we took a private tour around the city of Rome with a man named Franco. it was sometimes hard to understand his accent, but it was amazing to see the buildings. We saw the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, White Monument, Palatine Hill, The Roman Capital/Forum, just to name a few. It was a great way to see the major cites and become acquainted with the city. I loved how every piazza had its own fountain and character, and there were beautiful sculptures and buildings on every corner. After the tour, we had some pizza and then toured the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. The tour guide in the Colosseum was a little difficult to understand and usually was just making jokes so I spent the time looking around and imagining what it must have looked like in its prime. What an architectural feat! They say that besides the typical gladiator and animal fights that were held inside, they even filled it with water to show a naval battle.

We then walked to the hill and were met by a Scottish man who gave us a great tour, and told us much of the mythology of Rome and the history of many traditions. He told us the story of Romulus and Remus who were raised by a she-wolf, the kidnapping of the Sabine women, and the 7 hills of Rome. The weather was a little dreary, but didn't rain too badly. That night, we found an authentic little pizzeria called Da Lorreto. While most of the places around the Colosseum and in downtown felt like tourist attractions, this little place was small, simple, and smelt of olive oil and fresh herbs. I had delicious homemade raviolli with a limone tarte (lemon) for dessert. We roamed around the alleys, enjoying the calm atmosphere, as we digested both the food and the long day.

The Capital-Statues in the back by Michealangelo
Pantheon

Fountain of Trevi- if you toss in a coin behind your left shoulder, you'll return to Rome. I tossed 4 just for good measure. Built just for the beauty of the city and 

Colesseum
Inside of the Colesseum
Palatine Hill- origin of Rome

The next day, we started by getting up and taking a walk across a bridge and along the Tiber River. It was a beautiful morning, and I enjoyed the casually wandering. We glimpsed St. Peter's Basilica, and passed the Castel Santa Angelo. I never heard of it before, and it was magnificent. We then went across another bridge back to the hotel. Let me tell you, the Italians know how to do breakfast! They had six different cakes, eggs, rolls, bacon, yogurt, etc. After resting a little, we met our tour guide who took us to the Vatican for a tour. The Vatican is its own political entity separate from Italy, and has its own currency and policemen run by the pope. Within the Vatican museum I was in awe as I saw with my own eyes so many masterpieces that I had read about and heard of. I can't even begin to describe the beauty and the feeling. There was Rafael's School of Athens, Perseus with the Head of the Gorgon, Sarcophagus of Constantia, tapestries, Egyptian artifacts, etc. It was a little overwhelming trying to take it all in so quickly. Since we wanted to spend lots of time in the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's, we didn't spend much time there. In between the descriptions of the artwork, our guide tried to convince Tyanin and I to convert to Catholicism.

The next work of art was the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo must have been a genius. Every corner of the broad ceiling was intricately painted: each image having a depth of symbolism. We spent an hour there, and yet didn't feel satisfied. Afterwards, we went through the Basilica which is the largest church in the world, and the tallest building in Rome. It was huge! WOW! Michelangelo's Pieta was there, and it was absolutely breathtaking. Mary's dress was so gracefully carved to take on the appearance of flowing fabric. It was the place where Charlemagne was crowned, and where Peter was crucified.The building itself was magnificent. The size was overwhelming!

After our tour, we went to dinner at De Luigi's and I had lamb for the first time served with potatoes and strawberries. Again, everything was fabulous! 

Castel of Santa Angelo

 St Peter's Basilica 

Even the little side chapters in the side streets have works of art hidden inside.

I love these little 3 wheeled trucks!

The Pieta

De Luigi

December 3rd: We started the day's adventures by rushing through breakfast and meeting our tour guide Sal at the door. He drove us two hours south to Pompei, where we wandered the city's abandoned streets. We became a little lost as we walked, but eventually figured out where we were, and enjoyed wandering along the way. It amazed me how very similar the people's lifestyles seemed to ours. While they did not have cars or electricity, their lives took on the same patterns of family, work, recreation, etc. Within the exhibits there were plastered castes of bodies that still had bones carefully preserved. It was a little eerie. After our time ran out, our driver took us farther south to Sorrento. It was a quaint little village on the coast famous for lemons. There I had my favorite pizze yet! A thin yet chewy crust filled with melted Gorgonzola cheese and seasoned to perfection with an Italian blend of herbs. The cheese was dripping all over the place and I had to put up with the teasing of Sal. He was fun to talk to and told us about his granddaughters. After getting some postcards, we kept driving to a tiny village on the Amalfi Coast called Positano. It was by far my favorite. Quaint, beautiful, and on the cliffs, the sea was gorgeous, and we wandered the streets awhile and explored the shops.  There was a little fruit/oil/spice stand on the road where we bought some spices, and were given some clementines. The south is famous for there lemons, oranges, and olives, and those were super juicy. From the top of the cliff, I looked out over the city and made the commitment to one day go back and really experience Positano. We had to leave pretty quickly though, and reluctantly left around 3:30. After the long drive home, I was grateful to have a bed to relax in, even if the TV only had 2 English channels.

Pompei

Man plastered with teeth... EW
Sorrento

Mt. Vesuvius behind Pompeii

Positano

While I didn't understand exactly what was being said, I think they told us that they were setting up a nativity scene in the rock.
 Teach me to use all these delicious things!

Eventually, the last day had to come, and we spent it eating LOTS of gelato at the Trevi Fountain, and souvenir shopping. We also go to ride the bus. That was quite the experience. People crammed in and were shoulder to shoulder. I was paranoid about pick pockets, but was never touched. It was fun to see the city more, and review. I found a nice scarf, and some things for my family at home. I had a wonderful time, and won't ever forget it.

WE stay -- our hearts together
in Positano on the Amalfi coast
on top a precious hill
we can see Le Galli islands

pastel colored houses smile
and flowers dance our songs
the stars in the evening sing

Positano beneath my feet 
on the coast clear waters 
lay under the sun pebbles and sand

I say we stay and live 
among the cliffs of Positano
enjoying lunch at la Cambusa 

-From "Positano" by Ernest Robles