Lost Ladies Return

Well, we are heading home... after three glorious weeks and a ton of laughs. We love London and half thought about staying but it is just a little pricy to live here!!

We arrived on Friday after the exciting Chunnel ride. Alicia was happy to hear she fell asleep through the part underwater. Not much to see of course but it was making her a bit nervous to know we were under the water. She was like a 5 year old every time she woke up "Are we there yet, are we there yet?? Have we gone under the water yet??" It was a very nice train ride, smooth, comfortable, a nice smelly-free train!! The underwater part lasted about 20 minutes and was pretty uneventful. Not too bad for our last train ride of the trip.

Arriving in London we treated ourself to our first real meal in a while... imagine this... we had Italian!! WHAT!!?? Aren't we done with that stuff yet?? But it was a wonderful, pricey and tasty meal!! We thought we deserved it!! We have to say... it is so great to be in a place that speaks our language... where we can read the menu's, transportation is easy, and communicating can be done with words and not sign language. We are so spoiled!!

Oh and did we mention our hotel?? We were in Paris, went to book our place in London and found that all the hostels were booked up. Much to our dismay at the time we had to shell out the extra 10 pounds a night for a Best Western in Paddington. Upon arrival.... we were like children in a toy store!! We found a very posh hotel room, nice beds, plasma screen TV, fridge and microwave, and a BATHTUB!!! We each took a nice long soak, got ready, and went out to enjoy a bit of the London nightlife. Did I say a bit??..... more like a few bits. We spent yesterday "enjoying" the comforts of our room a little closer, sleeping and watching TV. I am a bit of a loaf when I have too much to drink, sorry Alicia. The only thing we had planned for the day was to see Westminster Abbey and to have High Tea. Guess we'll have to do that next time.

So, we make this our last entry. After three wonderful weeks filled with:
16 train rides
18 out of 21 days eating bread
9 towers climbed
2 episodes of very SMELLY brie
3 long hikes totaling 8km (not to mention all the other walking)
6 meals of pizza
8 nights in crappy hostels
5000 stairs that we can count
12 showers in water closets, 11 of them cold showers
10-12 bottles of wine (remember they drink it with virtually every meal)
20 cappaccino's each
10 croissants
31 tourist attractions (that we can think of)
1 new pair of shoes
7 new shirts
5 encounters with homeless people, or gypsies
6 new pashminas
1 new skirt (yes Ron, for Erin!!)
1 new pair of shorts
a few other souveniers
14 blog entries
0 fights
and amazingly NO complaining!! We're serious!!

Check back in a couple days, we'll try to add some final pics for your enjoyment. We're off to the airport in a few hours to endure the 9 hour, swelling inducing, elephant leg flight in really small seats jammed inbetween some more smelly travelers. Full circle I guess!! See you all soon.

Erin & Alicia

Leaving Paris....:(

Ok, today is the day of departure out of this wonderful city. We thought we would stop and give you a laugh before we carry our now 50 lb bags on the train system...sure there will be more funny stories from this adventure.

So, yesterday we decided to see more sights, but did more shopping than sightseeing. Much needed. I have decided I am out of clothing and just NEEDED more clothes. Erin, has become the shopper I always thought she would be! She likes to try on clothes and spend money more than me. AMAZING!! (IT'S ALL A LIE!!! Alicia won't let me at the keyboard for more than a second.) Alicia is the worst friend ever!!! She makes me try on clothes so she doesn't have to and encourages me to buy EVERYTHING I try on!!!!

Anyway, Erin shops! I had no idea! She says it is all with momentum, but we'll see about that when we get home. She is becoming a fashion diva.

Sights were good. I chickened out though and couldn't go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Maybe next time with a strong brave man at my side. Erin, take Ron. It sure is a beautiful city though. We have learned the train system...actually, Erin the master has learned the train system. I still...am very lost! HA!

Funny story before more sights.....we were sitting on the train system waiting for our stop and out of nowhere Erin starts smacking (not in the face) herself. I never knew Erin had Tourette's...apparently yes. People were snickering, laughing and staring. At least in my mind. You can imagine my surprise I was just waiting for the explatives to start. Apparently, or what she told me was that there was a mysterious mosquito flying around the underground train trying to attack her that she was swatting at. Hmmm...looked suspicious. But very funny at the same time. She just found the bite on her leg from the train to help prove the theory of this story.

Another thing, we are now enjoying the bread tremendously. We stopped for lunch at a cute organic soup place. Ordered what we thought was broccoli and a type of lentil soup. Mine...brown baby food, tasted like black bean soup. Erin's broccoli with maybe pomegranate...anyway, very good. (Where's the cran-a-granate juice??) Then, to our surpise, NO BREAD!! What?? A meal with no bread? We searched and searched the menu and couldn't find how to order bread. So, we survived without. AND, then we just had a baguette for dinnner. We sure will miss the bread in Europe.

We stopped at the famous Moulin Rouge, but dinner and a show is between 140-180 euros so we decided to forgo at this time. Maybe next time either of us is in Paris. It looks like fun!

We forgot to tell you how the Louvre was! It was amazing!!!! Although, there are a lot of Madonna's. All with different stories, but all very similar. If you didn't know art, you'd think they were painted by the same person. AND, there is a STARBUCKS THERE!!!!! We enjoyed our first mocha's and latte's of the trip there. It was a great night.

We saw the Arc de Triomphe and climbed more stairs. We will have buns of steel when we get home...if it wasn't for all the bread.

Off to the train station for the underwater ride...hmmm....talk to you soon!!!

Bye, bye.

Aaahhhh Paris at last!!

Well, we made it to Paris... and our adventure started way back in Nice. First, let us clarify one thing. We are having the time of our lives on this trip. We have read your comment and re-read our blogs and sometimes get the impression that it sounds as though we are complaining. OOPS!! We find the funniest times are the unexpected mishaps we have, when something goes wrong or when we are presented with a new challenge. And so... we begin...

From Nice we scheduled ourselves on the overnight train to Paris. We thought "Hey, we'll save money since we won't have to book a hostel/hotel". Yeah right!! The night train is VERY expensive but it is all inclusive (by the way, what does that mean). Let us remind you of a few things we have learned about train travel.
1) You need to fight for the seat closest to the air control, so it's not too hot or cold.
2) If possible, make sure this seat is also close to the door so you aren't locked in with stinky people.
3) Trains leave quickly so you better get on fast!! "Alicia, just get on the train!!"
4) Bring food, there isn't much to offer on the train.

This brings us to the night train. We thought by now we were savvy travelers. Let me ask you... Have you ever had the misfortune of waking up next to someone with bad breath?? Now, have you ever had the misfortune of waking up to the bad breath of six people closed up in a warm, non-ventilated train car?? Plus, sleeping on the top bunks of triple stacked bunk beds makes the ride extra rocky and getting down a challenge, not to mention that you can't sit up and the ladder only hangs by one hook. This was our night!! We got on the train at 9pm hoping to sit and have some wine, brie, and yes... more bread, only to be disappointed by no place to sit and our roommates going directly to sleep. But we were in control of the lights and the heat.... HAHAHAHA

Neither of us have been daring enough to use the toilets on the train but did notice a sign that says "It is forbidden to use the toilets when the train is stopped in the station". We didn't really understand this at first. However, what is the first thing YOU do when you wake from a long nights sleep?? EXACTLY... use the restroom. We were slightly disturbed when we entered the wash closets and went to use the toilet to look down and see the train tracks wizzing by!! Apparently you pee (and others) directly onto the tracks!!! Note to self: DO NOT DRINK THE TAP WATER!!! We were even more surprised when we got off the train and paid closer attention to the tracks in the station. Not everyone follows the rules, and there were no dogs near by!! We got a little grossed out and had to laugh!!!

So, we arrived in Paris!! Our beautifully photographed hotel that we found on line turned out to be just that... beautifully photographed. Back to bunkbeds, wash closets, and sleep sacks for us. No worries, it's kind of charming right?? Our roommate last night was from Japan. Apparently in Japan, they have deviated septums because we were kept awake by snorting, NOT snoring, STORTING all night. For gosh sakes, just get up and blow your nose!!! That and the neighbors who apparently feel the romance of Paris a little to early in the morning... made for a bit of a sleepless night.

Yesterday, we did some exploring and shopping!! We couldn't put it off any more, and with all the fashion in Paris, we needed some retail therapy!! Plus, all of our clothes are getting a little dirty and the clean ones are shoved in a bag with the dirty ones!! We definitely will enjoy a good long HOT shower, a real washer and dryer, a meal of more than bread, cheese, tomatoes, pasta, and a night in our own beds when we get home.

Today so far we have spent a couple hours at the Musee d' Orsay and the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral. We are in the Latin Quarter just exploring and plan to see the Louvre tonight. Tomorrow will be complete with the Eifel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Pantheon. Add in a little more shopping and some more of that good French wine and we are ready for London!!

Merci and je t'aime!!

French Riviera....

WE MADE IT!!!!!! Yes we are here safe and sound with out too many gliches again!!! Amazing. First, we have to appologize for the grammatical errors that may show up in this blog. The French have wierd keyboards. It is not a new language :)

Nice is great: The weather is wonderful and much needed. We took the 4-5 hour train ride through the countryside and then got off in Nice. We were expecting that the hotel would be closer to the train station, but it usually doesn't work that way for us :) We started walking....I would say hiking, but I now have a new appreciation for what that really means. Walking and walking and we notice in the first 20 minutes we have been here we have gotten more attention than in Italy the whole time. We have decided we love France!! Me (Alicia) being the worry-wart, was nervous about the hotel I booked because it was so far away from the train station. We round the bend in the road....thanks again to Erin and her navigating skills....I would have been terribly lost and stressed out....we arrive upon...a COMFORT INN!!! I told Erin someone was watching over us when I booked the hotel because I had no idea it would be so nice! We take our wonderful long HOT showers and perk up after our long day of travelling.

Now, out to dinner we headed. We looked gorgeous and kind of are starting to fit in. It must be the pashminas! Everyone has been talking to us in French first and then they figure out we don't understand much by the blank stares they receive. We are trying to learn the phrase to tell people we don't understand...Maybe by the time we are in Paris.

So about the French...in Nice at least. The guys are very friendly and love to flirt, the women still find us annoying as in Italy, and the food seems more diverse and better. The guys love to tease and play jokes on us...maybe because we humor them and laugh or maybe because they are making fun of us. We haven't quite figured it out yet. The women, no matter what age or size love to be topless at the beach. The beach is not like California. It is stones, not pebbles. Not quite a hot-stone massage either, but it worked. We both got some color today.

We are spending the afternoon walking around, enjoying the sun and shopping. Tonight we take the overnight train to paris. That should be another adventure! We are VERY excited to see the beautiful city of Paris and will write more soon!!

Au revoir!!

SALVATION!!!!!

This will be another quick one...

We got very lucky this morning... so far anyway. We heard rumors that the Italian regional trains between Cinque Terre were going on strike for 24 hours starting last night. We already have tickets to Nice booked from Monterosso for 11:00am this morning. PROBLEM: We are not in Monterosso... we are in Vernazza. 3 km over a friggin mountain. So we got up early this morning after a sleepless night. We worried about the hike all morning, since we did it yesterday and it kicked our butts. Add 35lb back packs to the trip and you have the makings of two very grumpy and tired travelers. We went to the train station on a whim this morning and were jumping for joy when a train showed up at 7:30 heading for Monterosso. NO HIKE!!!

So we are waiting for our train for Nice... let's hope it comes. We also hear the French are on strike till Tuesday!! Keep your fingers crossed. We just want to make it to Paris!! One more week... two weeks with no gliches, I guess we were due!!!

Till then....
GET US OUT OF HERE!!!

Vernazza...rained in with a phantom maid!!

Hey all... well it is raining again in Cinque Terre.

We have moved to Vernazza. What a cute town. We have the cutest room, so homey and private. Two catches... 1) It is next to the clock tower that chimes every 30 minutes from the hours of 7am-10pm. Our lovely little house maid Maria, asked us if we needed a wake up call.... UMMMM, I don't think so. The huge @$$ bell should do the trick!!

Catch number 2.... we have a visitor EVERY time we leave. We don't think Maria has a job, or maybe it is to torture us. We feel like the messiest house guests EVER. We leave, we come back to our things rearranged and our towels hung outside. We are sure she is only trying to be a nice housekeeper but it is a little uncomfortable knowing a stranger has messed with your "unmentionables".

Do to the weather, we went out for a little bit, did some shopping and then came back to rest all day. We read, ate dinner in our room and tried to keep ourselves occupied. Then we decided to come spend a few hours on the computer. As you may have noticed we have added some pics for your added entertainment. This in itself has been quite a task due to the fact that all the internet pages are in Italian. But by the time we leave this country we should be pretty fluent.

The internet cafe is closing now so we will try to add more tomorrow if it rains again or if we have a chance. Till then... ciao!!!

Adventures in Cinque Terre...or getting there.

Ok...here goes! Are you wearing your depends??

Put on your imagination caps....

By the way, we're laughing already. Ok, when we last wrote, we were heading to Cinque Terre after a night in a mosquito repellant hotel room. And, it worked. Only a bite or two to add to the mess. We got up early. Had the standard bread and cocoa breakfast. Yes, just bread and cocoa. Or some orange drink that is sad representation of orange juice. i'm not sure it is actually made from oranges. We saw a dirty bucket one day with an orange ring around the top while someone was filling the drink station. I think it is Tang with more water than Tang.

We decided to get our own breakfast for the road....more bread. It was good though. Very sweet and crumbly. We hiked our butts to the train station (1 mile about) and easily got on the train to Pisa. Uh, trains are late in Europe most of the time. We had a 25 minute layover in Pisa. You can only imagine what is coming next....

Side note: What we have learned with all European travel...you get on and off as quickly as possible because the drivers will leave with your leg hanging out and the door barely shutting. You can see how this poses a problem with water travel in Venice :) So, train late=short layover. Ha! Not just short. Extremely short. 4 minutes to find what track we were leaving from and get down stairs and up stairs to the other side with 30 pound packs and VERY slow people meandering in front of us. You'd like to help them along or act like a New Yorker, but seems slightly innappropriate to push someone down 25 stairs. So, we found ourselves swearing in our heads and running with bags that sway from side to side...hmmm...not easy.

So, we run to our bin/track only to find our train is not there. We should have known!!!! AHHHHH!!! Trains are always late. How did we forget?

So, we wait. and wait, and wait. Here it comes. We are in car 319 and hoping that one stops right in front of us. When the first train car rolls by (#301) we realize that we are probably in the last car and have about 30 seconds to get on. You see how this may be funny. We start running again. Stupids americans running again. Backpacks side to side, up and down...30 freaking pounds. 18 cars to go. Alicia in the front leading the pack...not thinking, just get on. JUST GET ON! I could have got on and walked through the train. That would have been easy. After about 10 cars of running and people getting panicked, especially us. Erin starts yelling. What does she start yelling you ask?? "Alicia, just get on the train. Alicia, just get on the train." Oh, why didn't I think of that? So, got on the train just in time and the doors shut and we started moving. Ha! We laughed for a long time about that on the train. And actually, this is pretty funny as we write this now.

So, here we are. Made it to Monterosso and didn't have a hotel. Another adventure. Steve and Megan told us we could just walk around asking...not so much in Monterosso. There were no signs and the hotels were very EXPENSIVE! 100 euros a night...about 150 dollars a night. We are very cheap at the middle of our trip and so we kept looking. We again consulted the trusty "Lets go Europe" book...and found a reasonable hotel. Hotel Souvenier. Another mosquito infested place with no smelly air freshener. We should have stollen it like Erin suggested. Live on the edge ALICIA! So, we made do and covered up head to toe. Wait til you see the pictures. :) It was nice, but sunny the first day so we explored and tried to relax for once on this trip. We sat at nice cafe's and drank coffee and ate cheese and bread again.

Today, a little different. We got our final train tickets to Nice and Paris and went to the other towns in Cinque Terre. We were going to hike, but we awoke to thunder and lightening. Ever the smart girls, we knew the path might be a little trecherous. We decided to take the train through most of the cities. There are smaller towns with few restaurants and shops and larger ones, 5 in total. The weather started to clear and the paths were safe, enough. We then hiked 4 km in 1 hour through the hills and cliffs. It has amazing views, but can be scary at times. Don't worry, we keep track of each other and were as safe as possible.

Made it to Vernazza where we found our lodging for fri and sat. We are very excited to stay there because there is a normal toilet and shower attached to our room and we don't have to share. Sergio helped us find it, a nice 65 year old made in Vernazza.

After our long hike we really needed to use the facilities. We looked everywhere for a WC (bathroom)...hard to find in Europe. Apparently we were looking for the wrong thing. There are multiple types: Toilets with seats, toilets with no seats, toilets that resemble..no are...just holes in the ground. And that was at the train station!! We declined and held it longer. Thank god we are nurses...we are used to it.

We treated ourselves to a nice dinner after such a long day and are ready for hopefully nice weather tomorrow. Right now...raining again. :)

Love, us.