Tuscany, Itlay - March 2012

This is my 2^nd trip with AWBS – we are visiting the region of Tuscany in Italy.  The places we planned to go were Florence, San Gimignano, Lucca & Chianti.

It’s the 2^nd time I’ve been to Florence and I fell in love with it this time. March is much colder but there are not as many people.  We started with a walking tour – the duomo (Santa Maria Del Fiore) is gorgeous!  The Bronze Baptistery doors are really cool!  We visited the Uffizi Gallery & Accademia. They have tons of Renaissance art & of course, the David. My favorite statues were of the unfinished slaves. Michelangelo used to go up into the mountains to pick out the marble, he said the marble spoke to him & he was letting out whatever was in there.  This piece he never finished (hence the slaves..because they were not free).  It was cool – it really looked like they were trying to escape.).  We saw Ospedale degli Innocenti (Hospital of the Innocents')--a place where moms could drop off their unwanted babies by putting them on a secret wheel in the opening of the wall. It dates from the 1400's, in the 1600’s bars were put in place so that only newborns would fit through and be left because too many babies were being abandoned this way.  Florence is beautiful & it has lovely bridges.  We walked across Ponte Vecciho (a bridge that dates back to 996) – it still hosts lots of merchants (high end now).  The food in Florence is amazing – I didn’t have one bad meal.  I did try rabbit, hare & ossobuco – I liked the ossobuco, the rabbit & hare were okay.   I have to mention that Italians drink wine with dinner & espresso after.  I ordered diet coke with dinner & hot tea after.  Which do you think is cheaper??  Wine/coffee – 5.00 and Diet coke/hot tea – 15.00. Every time I ordered the diet coke - the waiter would just shake his head in disappointment.        

San Gimignano is a small walled medieval town. I loved this place!  We had lunch in the center of town; in an outdoor café (gelato was amazing!). We climbed the stairs of the church tower – what a great view of the countryside from up there. There is good shopping with lots of pottery shops – wish I would have had more time here.

Lucca – is a walled city.  We were there over the weekend & there were lots of people out running, riding bikes & having picnics on the wall.  We climbed the Guinigi tower – there are lots of trees & a small garden at the top.  Again it was worth the hike – the views were gorgeous!  We saw Volto Santo di Lucca (The Holy Face of Lucca), it’s a corpus of a crucifix, located in the cathedral of San Martino. Medieval legends stated that it had been sculpted by Nicodemus (who assisted Joseph in depositing Christ in the tomb) and brought to Lucca in AD 742.  Puccini is from Lucca – they have statues & museums of him.  Some of the restaurants are named after his operas.  Also, Napoleon’s sister lived in Lucca – we saw the palace she lived in.

Chianti – is a wine region in Tuscany, the views are beautiful.  Rolling hills with vineyards everywhere – unfortunately rolling, windy roads in a bus, not so great – I would say half of the bus had motion sickness by the time we arrived.  I thankfully sat in the front seat ;)  We stopped at Castello D’Albola winery.  1^st we did a tour, saw the property, the cellar & how the wine was made. Then we had a wine tasting with lots of prosciutto & bread in between.  Mmm – great way to end a trip!

Dubai, February 2012

After being in London for 8 months, I desperately needed to go someplace warm & sunny (that wasn’t more than a 7 hour plane ride away).   Evidently – Dubai was that place, so I packed up the family & off we went.  We stayed at the Atlantis on Palm Island.  The Palm Islands are artificial – they drew up a plan, they brought in rock & sand and voila a palm tree shaped island.   It’s very clean & very beautiful but you can feel that it’s not quite authentic.  The hotel is great (similar to the Atlantis in Bahamas, a little smaller & no casino) they have lots of restaurants & shops, an aquarium & a water park (not to mention a beach & pool).  Our favorite restaurant was Yogurt berry – where you could get a huge cup of fruit, topped with frozen yogurt (we had that for lunch a couple of times).  The aquarium is amazing – we went at different times throughout the week (some fish will only come out at night). We also did a back door tour – where they show you how everything is run & then let you feed the eels. Amber & John swam with the dolphins – one of them kissed Amber on the cheek.  John danced with another one. The waterpark is busy but fun - the kids wanted to go to every day. They have all sorts of slides, rides & wave pools.  The craziest slide is a 7 story slide that is pretty much straight down – John & the girls did it quite a few times but I passed (I did it once in the Bahamas when I was younger & once was enough for me). 

BEWARE – of the lazy river!  Picture this - Lauren & I are on a double raft.  John & Amber are on a double raft (in front of us).  We are lazily drifting down the river, every once in a while there will be a small rapid.  We are having fun, enjoying the sun –when we hit a rapid, no problem except at the bottom of the slide, right smack in the middle is a man, COMPLETELY stopped!  Nothing I could do – we hit him (BAM!), he went flying.  I went under his raft – and all I could think about was “oh my word, where is Lauren”.  I come up from under the raft like a roaring maniac – the raft goes flying, my sunglasses go flying.  The only thing I care about it finding my daughter.  I locate her – thankfully, a lady saw what happened & helped her get to John.  I hear the life guard yelling – I think he’s telling me where my sunglasses are (he keeps motioning down).  NOPE – he’s telling me I’ve fallen out of my top!  With as much dignity as a can muster (not much at this point) – I fix my top, grab my raft & swim over to my family.  Where John is laughing so hard he can barely talk. His words between gasps were “only you honey, only you”.

The weather was only bad for 1 day – when we had a sandstorm.  It was interesting – it looked like fog. We decided to go to the mall that day – they claim the largest in the world.  There is a skating rink, an aquarium, a movie theatre; sega is there with rides, tons of shops & restaurants.  We didn’t get to see it all – there were lots of American shops, we found Justice for girls & were in there for over 3 hours.

I had just watched Mission Impossible a couple months earlier - where Tom Cruise scales the outside of Burj Khalifa.  So we had to stop & see that – it’s currently the tallest building in the world.  The outside was impressive – we didn’t go to the top (we wouldn’t see much with the sandstorm).

The other big excursion we did was called Arabian nights.  We met up with 3 other couples we knew, they had kids the same age – so it was very fun for the girls!  We are driven out to the desert in big 4 X 4 vehicles.  We stop & take pictures with the camels & we see a falcon show.  We get back into the vehicle & do a little dune bashing – by dune bashing I mean racing up one side of a dune – pretty much jumping the top (you have to go pretty fast or you’ll get stuck on top – which happened to friends) & then fly down the other side – fish tailing & sliding. Oh my word – I was screaming!  The more I yelled, the more the driver laughed & the faster he went.  We are now in the middle of the desert, surrounded by sand dunes.  We stop & take pictures – it is like nothing I’ve ever seen.  I can’t even describe it – it’s so beautiful.  The kids are running up the dunes & sliding/tumbling down.  We watch the sunset – it’s magical!  From there we head out to a Bedouin camp – where the kids & John ride camels, hold falcons & climb more dunes.  The girls & I get henna tattoos - (which I think are like the ones in Hawaii that wash off after a week, when in reality – I will be sporting it at the formal event I’m attending in 3 weeks). The food is amazing – tapa’s 1^st, then the main meal.  The kids loved the food too!  Following dinner there is a belly dancing show – I was not impressed (I like the hula dancers in Hawaii way more).  Then they turned out all the lights in camp – we could see all the stars & constellations (again – amazing!) It’s 10:00 pm & time to go back to the hotel – as we are walking to the vehicle, the driver looks concerned – we have a flat tire.  As everyone else leaves & we are standing in the middle of the desert, all alone – I get a tad nervous but our driver patches it up & we make it back.

The rest of the time we lay by the pool, went to the water park, played at the beach & just relaxed!  It was an amazing family vacation.  The girls have already requested to go back next year.

I can’t end this without telling you about our return home.  We were scheduled to leave at 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon.  On Saturday night, about 11:00 pm – John & the girls are planning out their last morning at the waterpark.  John is sitting at the computer (checking email) – the girls & I are snuggling in for the night WHEN……….John says “Honey- I think our flight leaves in a couple hours”.  WHAT – our flight is at 2pm Sunday – NOPE, it’s 2:00 am not 2:00 pm (evidently, they use military time – 2:00 is 2am, 2:00pm would be 14:00 - opps!)  We called the airline, all other flights are full – okay, don’t panic…..we can still make it.  We have 2 ½ hours before our international flight leaves – all we have to do is change out of our jammies, pack, check out & drive to the airport.  Of course we are late & they don’t want to let us check in BUT thankful John is a fabulous sales person & gold with British Airways and they finally let us board.   We didn’t get our last morning at the waterpark & we didn’t get much sleep that night but John & the girls were good sports and we ended up with a free Sunday to catch up with everything.

Alsace Christmas Markets - December 2011

Christmas Markets – here we come!  This is my 1^st time to the Christmas markets & I can’t wait! Also my 1st trip with AWBS (American Women Berkshire & Surrey).

Day 1 - We flew into Basel, Switzerland which is located at the meeting point of France & Germany (you can see all 3 countries at the same time).  Our 1^st stop was Kayserberg, a small Alsatian town with timber framed buildings.  They were all decked out with Christmas decorations.  One interesting thing is that they have storks nesting on top of their buildings.  We spent most of the time shopping but did stop for lunch.  I went for the Flammekueche  - the menu wasn’t in English, so I kept my fingers crossed. I was rewarded with something that looked like pizza with no sauce.    I wish we would have had more time in Kayserberg – I would definitely go back.  Our next stop was Riquewihr, another tiny village with a 16^th century vintner’s house.  I guess this region is known for its Riesling wine – we did a little wine tasting & a little shopping.  I bought some glass ornaments that were etched while I watched & waited – very cool!  After a long day, we jumped in the bus to head to Strasbourg, where we would be staying.  We had 7:30 pm reservations for dinner – unfortunately, we didn’t make those reservations. We are driving down the highway on the bus, having a good time – talking about all the goodies we just bought.  When all of a sudden the bus comes to a screeching halt – we had taken an exit & were going through an underpass BUT the bus did not fit!  The screeching noise was the hood of the bus getting jammed under the concrete bridge.  The bus driver yells “everyone out – don’t grab anything, just go!”, the top of the bus has the air conditioning unit & wiring – he was afraid it would start on fire.  So – out we go, into the very cold, very dark night and of course, it starts raining.   At 1^st it was exciting – something to write about in our blogs but after 45 minutes of huddling together under the bridge, we decided this was lame.  Thankfully, after another 30 minutes another bus arrives to pick us up & take us to our hotel.   At this point, we had missed our dinner reservation.  Some of the ladies walked into town & grabbed a sandwich – I just called it a night.

Day 2 – We started with a walking tour of Strasbourg.  It’s an interesting place; it was French & then German & then French again.  So there are influences from both countries.  It was beautifully decorated, they even had Baccarat crystal chandeliers hanging between the streets.   We saw a Romanesque Gothic Cathedral built during the 12^th – 15^th centuries.  It’s pretty amazing! We stopped in to hear the choir sing – there are beautiful tapestries hanging along the walls.  It’s very cold inside & we don’t stay long.  Gutenberg lived in Strasbourg for some time, so there are some statues of him.  We stood in the courtyard of the Palace Rohan & heard about all the scandals that went on.    We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping – I bought gingerbread that was beautifully decorated & porcelain candle holders (dome shaped with Christmas scenes) & some Christmas tree napkin rings.  That night we went to dinner – I have no idea where.  They said it was a French restaurant but the person next to me had a plate of meat with a side of meat – looked German (just saying).  My favorite thing – Pretzel bread!  Oh my word – I could just eat that, it was so good!!  How have I never had this before – loved it!  I would go back just to eat this again J

Day 3 – We spend most of the morning in Colmar, it’s a beautiful place with picturesque houses & bridges.  Lots of shopping & food - I found a tea shop!  There is a gothic church there (St Martin’s) – it was built in the 1200’s.  I spent a lot of time wandering around & people watching – eating pretzels (that are so good!)  Our last stop before we left was Obernai – which sits at the foot of Mount Ste-Odile, it’s an old imperial city.  They had a live nativity set.  David our guide took a couple of us to the town hall where we got to taste a lot of different things.  It was a nice way to end our trip.

Provance, France May 2012

This was my 3^rd trip with my AWBS friends.  We visited the region of Provence in France.  Our agenda included Aix, Arles, Le Baux, St Remy, Cassis, Avignon & Nimes.

Day 1 - We drove directly from the airport to Aix-en-Provence.  We did a guided walking tour, a little shopping (there was a market on the main street) & then had lunch (a quick gelato).  It’s a quaint place – with fountains & outdoor cafes.  Cezanne was born in Aix – there was a statue of him in the center of town.    Next we headed to Arles; we stayed at the Jules Cesar Hotel.  At one time it was a convent; our room was located in the cloister.  The rooms were clean & it’s in a good location.  We had dinner at the hotel restaurant – it was okay, they didn’t have mint tea L

Day 2 - We started with a tour of Arles – stopped at the Coliseum (which is still used today for bull fights); an old Roman theatre (which they still use); Eglise St Trophim – 1^st we toured the old cloister, which was really cool - the pillars told a story.  Then we toured the church, which was a little creepy & dark.  They had an actual skull & bones and they also had lots of carved skull & bones.  We stopped by L’ Espace - the hospital Van Gogh was taken to after he cut off his ear (this is where he painted the courtyard of the hospital).   We also stopped by Café Van Gogh (where he painted the yellow café).  Then we drove to Les Baux – a dramatic fortress site (one of the 3 wise men, King Balthazar is claimed to have come from here).  I love Les Baux & would have liked to have spent more time here – I would definitely go back.  We toured the castle ruins – which are amazing! They had a catapult demonstration (with water balloons) – which was fun.  The views were breathtaking.  There were lots of shops; I found some really great pottery.  We had gelato again for lunch!  From here we stopped at St. Remy where we toured the psychiatric hospital that Van Gogh spent some time in.  We saw his room (very small & ugly with bars on the windows.  A disturbing & dark portrait of himself hung on his wall – he was a very disturbed person).  You could see the poppies he painted out his window.  The gardens were beautiful!  After a long day, we went back to Arles just in time for our 8:00 pm dinner reservation at  La Fee Gourmande. The restaurant is small & decorated with fairies but the food was very good!  My friend got a big bull steak – I tried it but wasn’t impressed. 

Day 3 – We spent a little time at the farmers market outside our hotel.  Then we drive to Nimes – to visit another Coliseum (which they still use for bull fights) & Maison Carree (one of the best preserved Roman Temples in the region).  From there we drove to Pont Du Gard (an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge).  This is beautiful & worth the stop – we hiked to the top for some great pictures!  Off again, we drove to Avignon to see Pont St Benezet (a famous bridge that people used to sing & dance under).  We sang – cheesy I know but we did.  We also toured the Palais du Papes (a medieval gothic palace the Popes used to live in).  Normally it’s empty but they were having a flower show while we were there – so there were roses everywhere & crazy dresses made of roses.  We had lunch (pizza) at a little outdoor café where it was warm & sunny.  After another long day we headed back to Arles to make our 8:00 pm dinner reservations at Chez Caro – the restaurant is small, the service & food are good.

Day 4 – We are supposed to drive to Cassis (a small picturesque fishing port) & take a boat cruise but the weather wasn’t cooperating – so instead we stopped at E Bodin winery (outside of Cassis) & did a wine tasting.  We met the owner & tasted lots of different wines.  I don’t love wine but it was fun to taste them & then spit it into a bucket!  Finally, we drove down to Cassis – did a quick walking tour & grabbed a sandwich before heading to the airport.  Cassis is very small but beautiful – it could be a set from a movie.