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Europe 2017
  • Laurie Best

Europe 2017

A 24-day adventure by Laurie Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 16, 2017
  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    We made it!

    September 16, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Arrived safely in Lisbon! Our adventure was delayed by about an hour while we headed to lost and found to see if they could retrieve Barry's Timberland jacket he forgot in the plane 😲! Luckily it was found and delivered to us and off we went ! We took the metro to Bairro which is a bohemian area full of shops and restaurants. We walked around until our Air bnb apartment was ready. After much difficulty and up a very steep hill we found our place ! A very cute apartment within walking distance of most things . We did snooze for a bit , we are definitely feeling the time change and hadn't slept in over 24 hours. We are heading back out soon to get some food and explore this beautiful city. Heading to either Belem or Sintra tomorrow. 💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Pasteis de nata !

    September 17, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Today we took the bus to Belem , city where the original pasteis de nata are made. They are the most delicious custard tarts in the world ! We went in to the bakery where they can seat 400 people at any time. We sat and enjoyed our pastries and coffee and of course I bought 6 to take with us ! In Belem we also visited Jeronimos monastery and walked down to the Bejem tower. Walking down by the water is so pretty in this city . We took the bus back to Lisbon picked up some groceries fir breakfast and headed back to the apartment. For dinner we headed back downhill and found a cute little restaurant and ate some amazing Piri piri chicken. Back at the apartment and will. E up early for another day if exploring tomorrow 😊Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Sintra

    September 18, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    What a great day ! We headed out by train to Sintra. It is a gorgeous city where the Portuguese rich and famous built their summer homes to be closer to royalty . We visit Quinta de la Regaleira the summer residence of the Carvahlo Monteiro family built in 1697. It is enormous with a palatial house , gardens and a chapel on the grounds. There are also two wells you can climb 27 metres into the ground and wander around underground caves and grottos. It's incredible. We easily spent 3 hours exploring before walking back to the centre of Suntra where we ate at a fantastic little restaurant which served pasteis de bacalhau , fish cakes made with cid and mashed potato and cooked til crisp . OMG!! The owner was awesome. Because we wAited a while for our food he gave us a glass of Portugals cherry liqueur called ginjinha. So good. After we grabbed the train back to Lisbon and took the famous tram 28 , an electric cable car all the way up the hill to our apartment . Soon we are off in search for supper . Tomorrow we grab our knapsacks and get the train to Porto in the afternoon.Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Good bye Lisbon , hello Porto !

    September 19, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    We slept in s bit then packed up and went to do some last minute exploring of Lisbon. We went one last time to the lookout near our apartment to see the view of Lisbon .We started walking towards the train station and discovered a huge outdoor flea market where we wandered around a little bit. We ended up in the Amalfa neighbourhood a part which we had not seen yet. We arrived at Santa Apolonia train station which is right next to where all the cruise ships dock . We sat in the sun and people watched until it was time to get out train. Other than witnessing a pigeon being run over right in front of our faces it was a nice way to spend some time ! 😂. We took our train to Porto and our air bnb was a short 10 min walk from there. Our studio apartment is so amazing. Literally smack in the middle of city centre ! We met our host , got some info from her then we headed out to get groceries for breakfast and then had the best pork sandwiches for supper! Back at the studio , nice tea and ate our last pasteis de Belem. Up early to book a boat tour and see some of the Porto wineries.Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    Porto you have won my heart !

    September 20, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    What a perfect day! Our feet are exhausted from all our walking today 😂. We started our day strolling around at palacio de cristal a huge and beautiful garden a little north of city centre. From there we walked along the water and stopped in the historic centre of Porto and took a river cruise past the 6 bridges on the Douro River. The river separates Porto from Vila de Gaia the area where porto is produced. The cruise was awesome! We then walked along the waterfront and crossed over the Douro River on the Dom Luis bridge. We walked along the lower level first then on the other side in Porto we climbed the hill and walked back to Gaia on the upper level of the bridge. The bridge is 279 feet over the river. On the upper level pedestrians can walk along even as the trains are passing about 5 feet away from you 😲. Once back on solid ground in Vila de Gaia we went for lunch at this charming restaurant where they sat us on the second floor by our own little balcony overlooking the Douro River. The food was great and the Portuguese wine was wonderful. 🍷. After lunch we walked to the Calem port cellars and did a guided tour with a port tasting at the end. We tasted a white and a tawny port. Good but a little too strong for my taste 😜. We then walked back over the upper level of the bridge and explored more of Porto and found a great place with a fantastic view of the city. After a full day of walking we decided to call it a night and headed back to our studio to rest our feet ! Now relaxing and planning our day tomorrow 💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    Last day in Porto

    September 21, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Today we decided to get away from the touristy spots and take the metro to parque da Cidade a beautiful, big greenspace outside of Porto. We walked around this beautiful park for about 1 1/2 hours . We saw roosters, and a huge group of really loud geese that weren't too impressed with us ! We had packed a lunch and some beer and Somersby ciders for a picnic. On the north side of the park is Motosinhos beach . We ate our lunch and watched the surfers. There were a few surf schools where you could take lessons too. We sat in the sand , ok maybe we laid in the sand lol, and enjoyed the waves and the sun. Eventually we made our way back to the metro , grabbed a few more groceries and went back to the studio. We changed and headed out for dinner and one last look around Porto at night. We went to Santiago Cafe which is known for its Francesinha sandwiches. Francesinha is a Portuguese sandwich originally from Porto, made with bread, wet-cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage like chipolata, steak or roast meat and covered with melted cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce with an egg on top served with french fries. This is also known as a heart attack on a plate. 😂. Barry had this for supper , I did taste it and it was pretty good. I opted for a steak sandwich and salad. From there we went back and crossed both the upper and lower decks of the DomLuis bridge which overlooks Porto. It is absolutely gorgeous at night with all the lights along the Douro river. Before coming back for the night we stopped and had a cappuccino and a last taste of pasteis de nata pastries. Omg so good 💕. Tomorrow we check out of our air bnb at noon and we catch a flight to Madrid at 8:30 pm so that leaves us a few hours to wander around Porto before leaving this beautiful city . Someday we will be back , this I'm sure 💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Good bye to Portugal , next stop Madrid

    September 22, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Checked out of our fantastic air bnb around noon and took one last look around. We went back into Sao Bento train station, easily the most gorgeous train station ever. Beautiful tile mosaics on the walls and high arched ceilings. We bought a sandwich and some fruit and walked back over the bridge to Gaia and sat in the park overlooking the Douro river with Porto on the other side. Such a beautiful sunny day. We brought along our 2 unfinished bottles of wine and ate our lunch in the park. Drinking wine right out of the bottle is perfectly acceptable and we were hardly alone . 😊 What a fantastic way to end our stay in Portugal. Sadly we made our way to the airport by metro and are awaiting our plane to our next stop ... Madrid Spain 🇪🇸Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    Madrid, so different from Portugal

    September 24, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Our first full day in Madrid is done. We arrived late last night after a delay in our flight of an hour leaving Porto. We scrambled a bit knowing our hosts were waiting for us to check-in in Madrid. We took the express airport bus as far as we could then jumped in a cab to our air bnb. No answer when we rang the bell. Freaked out slightly. 😜 We we into a Bar/ resto that was shutting down for the night. They were kind enough to let us use their cell phone to contact our hosts. By now it is 1:00am! No problem , they would be there in 5 min to meet us. Sure enough they came in their pyjamas lol😂. Sweetest young couple ! They checked us in and gave us info we needed for their great apartment. Needless to say we passed out not long after 😴. Today we explored Madrid. Such a contrast from the cities we visited in Portugal. Portugal had such an old world charm, hardly any fast food places at all. Madrid is much more cosmopolitan , Starbucks , McDos , fast food etc... it does however still have a very historic side to it with beautiful monuments , palaces and the most gorgeous city centre square , Plaza Major. We ate churrios dipped in melted chocolate At Chocolateria San Gines! Highly recommended by Taylor from when she visited Madrid. Tonight we ate paella and sangria. 😊. We watched a beautiful dance show in Plaza Major before coming back to our apartment. Tomorrow... there are a few sites left to see. Cheers to another fantastic day in our European adventure 🍷💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    A bear and a strawberry tree...

    September 24, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    On our last full day in Madrid , we set out after breakfast in our apartment and once again headed out to see more sights. Our location is perfect , we are within walking distance of everything. Lots and lots of walking but it is the best way to see everything and get a true experience of this city. One if our first stops was Palacio Real , the national palace. A magnificent 18 th century palace which is the official residence of the royal family but is only used for state ceremonies. Right beside the palace was Cathedral de la Almudena. It is a Catholic Church and it is the seat of the Archdiocese of Madrid. We were there when the bells rang at noon! Talk about loud ! We were determined to get to Puerta del Sol. It is a city square , the exact center of Madrid , kilometre 0. The spot is marked by a statue of a bear and a strawberry tree, which is the official symbol of the city!! From there we left and headed to the complete opposite side of the city to one of the most beautiful parks I've been in, parque De El Retiro. It's an expansive park that belonged to the Spanish monarchy until it was given to the public in the 19th century. It's known as the green heart of the city. It is 350 acres , with flowers , fountains , a man made lake where you can rent rowboats , and monuments. Palacio de Cristal is a gorgeous glass building in the middle of the park. We had bought a picnic lunch on our way. A sandwich of traditional cured Serrano ham on a baguette bun , a beer and an orange 😊. We ate in the park and being Sunday it was full of families spending a nice sunny hot day in the park. We headed back to our place. We had decided to cook dinner ourselves so we bought groceries to make pasta and dessert. After supper we walked back out to get coffee. We catch a train at 8:30 tomorrow morning to go to Barcelona. Luckily the train station station is just a 10 minute walk from our place! Madrid it's been real 😊Read more

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    Las Ramblas ramble

    September 26, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Arrived safe and sound to Barcelona . We travelled in comfort by high speed train. Once here we found our air bnb and our host was home to let us in. It's a little different this time as we share his apartment and have a room. This place has the teeny tiniest bathroom we have ever seen 😂. And we share it with him!! He is lovely and very friendly. He works during the day so we may not see much if him . We started our day here walking down Las Ramblas. Such a cool street but bittersweet when we saw the memorial set up for those who were run down during a terrorist attack not that long ago. We walked all the way down to the marina and saw the Columbus monument. We had some lunch and in the way back we stopped at one of the literally hundreds of terrasses and had the largest glass of sangria ever. Barry had red and I had the cava. Sooo good ! Earlier our host Anthony let us know today was a holiday and the city is celebrating the end of summer and the beginning of fall. It is called LaMerce. At Placa D'Espanya one of the city's squares with the Magic Fountains , they had fireworks like we had never seen before . We found a great place to sit and watch . Right before they started they played Imagjne by John Lennon as a tribute to those who lost their lives on Las Ramblas. Everyone lit sparklers and two ladies sitting by us gave us a couple. When we looked around we couldn't believe how many people were there , easily 500,000 or more ! It was an amazing sight to see ! The fireworks were awesome. After they were done we slowly made our way to the apartment and are tired from another day of travelling and waking. Another full day awaits us tomorrow 😊💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    Tapas , where have you been all my life

    September 26, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    One if the things I have been looking forward to this vacation happened today. We went to La Sagrada Familia a church built with the phenomenal ideas of the architect Antoni Gaudi known as God's architect. It is still unfinished 130 years after the building began. With donations from the Catalan people the work continues and should be completed I. 2026. Honestly it is the most spectacular building I have ever seen. With the stained glass and the unbelievable architecture your eyes don't know where to look first. It's amazing. From there we went to Parc Guell. A park also designed by Gaudi . Beautiful! We took the metro back and went to the Boqueria market. Rows and rows of fish , poultry and fresh produce. We bought fresh pressed juice that is sold by the vendors. After that we went back to our apartment and chilled for a few hours. Around 8:30 pm we went out and had tapas. At a tapas bar you order your drink and they give you a plate. Lined along the bar there are plates of tasty hors d'oeuvres and you just reach in and tsk what you want. You are then charged by each tapas you choose , they count your bill by the number of toothpicks on your plate. We went to two different places. So good and surprisingly filling. We headed back to our flat and plan on getting up and heading to Barceloneta beach tomorrow!Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Chilling by the Mediterranean Sea

    September 27, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    After days of walking around much of Barcelona we decided to take a day off and go relax by the sea at Barceloneta beach. We got there in the morning and just relaxed in the sand until about 4:00 . Barry did go in for a swim while I just dipped my feet in and looked for sea glass on the shore. So many vendors selling everything from beach blankets / pareos to fresh mojitos, sangria and icy cold beer to massages of your neck and feet lol. 😂!!! We decided to go back to La Boqueria market to grab something quick for supper. We had empanadas , fresh pressed raspberry/coconut juice and a big container of cut up fresh fruit. We went back to our place to get ready for our travel day tomorrow. Headed to the Amalfi Coast! While we were walking back from dinner the other night and now tonight from our window we could hear lots of people banging pots and pans out their windows. We googled it and found that it is because the Catalonia people here in Barcelona want to become an independent state from the rest of Spain. The government of Madrid is resisting their wishes for a referendum , the vote takes place in November. This is their way of protesting. We have also noticed many flags and peaceful protests around the city. Up early tomorrow to get the airport bus to get our flight. Stay tuned💕😘✈️Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Can you say , crazy travel day?!

    September 28, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Sooo what a day of travel it was ! Started off leaving our host Anthony in Barcelona at 6:00am. We needed to be at the airport for a flight to Naples at noon but because of heightened security at the airport we had to be there 3 hours early. Our flight was smooth , except for those RyanAir landings! So rough ! We then needed to buy bus tickets to get to Salerno our next leg of the voyage. No problem we had 45 minutes before our bus left. Great! We verified with not only the person who sold us the ticket but also with the people working at the info booth inside the airport where we should go to get to the bus stop . We followed their directions and waited. Well don't we look up and see our bus going by us further out in the street. 😳. Plan B ... try to get to the train which meant a bus to the train station then who knows ...or wait 2 1/2 hours for the next bus. We decided to wait. Our bus tickets were still good for that bus too. Once again verified the bus stop only for the lady at the info counter to tell us , the busses stop right outside the main door 😡. I was stressed knowing the 4pm bus was the last one to Salerno for the day. Thankfully it came and away we went. We arrived in Salerno and got tickets for our next bus trip to Amalfi. Ok great ! From Amalfi we had a 5 minute window to get the bus to Scala. Well the roads are crazy ! Narrow and twisty and turny with nothing but a guard rail between you and the coast. Up and up we went ! The scenery is amazing and it is unbelievable how these bus drivers do it. Here we thought the road to Hana in Hawaii was tricky ! 😫. We made it finally to Amalfi but had to wait for the next bus to Scala. Our B&b owner was picking us up in her car to bring us to her place. Katia is lovely and kind. She stopped by a pizzeria do we could get something to take out. She also helped plan our 3 full days here ! This place is unbelievable Our part of the place is like a small home. We have our own patio looking our over Amalfi and Ravelo . We can't believe it! It made the long long travel day so worth it !!! That and the delicious wood fired oven pizza we ate. Can't wait to get up, have breakfast made by Katia's mom , on the main patio area. Katia will drive us down to Ravello and drop us off. We will look around for a few hours then take a bus to Amalfi and spend the evening there ! 💕😊Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Pictures will not capture the beauty ...

    September 29, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌫 13 °C

    We set our alarm to watch the sunrise over Scala from our bedroom window and it was beautiful! We got ready and went out to the main terrace to have breakfast. Katia was up and ready for her guests. We had bread, prosciutto and cheese with tomatoes from Katia's mama Mena's garden. The. We had a sweet croissant with jam or Nutella and a nice cappuccino and espresso. Heaven! At 10 am Katia came to get us and two other guests and drove us down to the next town of Ravello. We walked around the town and decided to do the well known walk from Ravello to Amalfi. Down narrow staircases and winding roads that took us along a scenic tour of the coast. We discovered a beach and of course we had to go down and put our feet in the crystal clear blue water! Once we made it to Amalfi we wandered around and decided to take a well deserved break and found a terrasse along the water and ordered a bottle of Chianti and some antipasto. Sooo good ! Our waitress was so funny ! We stayed a few hours longer and window shopped. Got a few beer along the way just because you can walk around with it lol 😂 . We got the bus back to Scala which only goes so far. We knew there were stairs that would take us up to our place , it was so dark and the endless stairs up pretty terrifying ! We finally came out onto a road and when we were trying to figure out which way to go a car passed then backed up and asked us if we were going to B&B Olivia , which we said yes and in Italian he said ok get in and drove us another 5 minutes straight up and dropped us off at our place. No idea who he was but he was a God send. Would have taken us another 15 min to walk and not being sure where we were going !! The people here are so friendly 😘Amalfi area is just too beautiful to describe and the pictures we take are nothing like being right here. 😊. Every time you walk around a corner or up some stairs the view is just breathtaking! Happy we have two more days here 💕🍷Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Isle of Capri then time for pasta!

    October 1, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Capri was on our agenda today ! We had to get the ferry in Amalfi at 9:30. We went for breakfast at 8 and Katia said she would get us to the bus at 8:30. She drove at warp speed reminding us seat belts were entirely unnecessary, "no policia " here she said. We just missed the bus at that stop so she drove around slowed down at the grocery store where they sell the tickets. Asked the owner for 2 tickets , he handed them to her through the window . She said we would pay later. Took off again and headed the bus off and honked til he stopped and we ran to get on. She is literally the best host we have ever met. 💕. Got to the ferry on time and off we sailed. The coast line of Amalfi is unbelievable. We stopped briefly in Positano and headed for Capri. Capri is def for the rich and famous, mostly high end shops , Prada , Rolex, Chanel , etc.. We opted to grab a map and do one of the walking tours away from the touristy area. It took us along the coast line , passed some grottos with the most beautiful Azur water . We passed gorgeous villas and amazing landscapes. So many stairs , up and down. We are getting our workouts this vacation for sure! The ferry back was at 5pm so we got some gelato on a fresh made cone and relaxed. Once back to Amalfi we decided to head back to Scala and get dinner at the Restaurant where we got the pizza our first night. It is a family run business. What a meal!!!! Salad and grilled vegetables to start then pasta and gnocchi for dinner. We had tiramisu and a black cherry cake for dessert. The mother waits tables , the father makes the pizzas in the oven and the other family help out. When we got there the place was pretty empty but not long after it was packed . So loud and perfect 😊. We walked up and up to our place and booked our next train. To Rome. Tomorrow Katia's papa will drop us off in Ravello and we will do the walk to Minori with hopes to get to the beach. So tired. Night 😴💕🍷Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    Look up perfect in the dictionary: today

    October 1, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Change of plans today after a discussion with Katia over breakfast. Prosciutto , cheese , bread , olives , garden tomatoes , sweet croissants and lemon bread with a cappuccino never gets old. Perfect start to the day! She suggested Positano and we agreed . Getting to Amalfi and not going to Positano didn't make sense 😊. As we are eating breakfast on the terrasse we see a helicopter fly by. Katia says it's Kevin Spacey in his private helicopter as filming wrapped up yesterday. 😀. So Alfonso , Katia's papa drove us down to Amalfi to get the bus to Positano. We wandered around Positano for a little over an hour and decided enough with the shops, let's find the secluded beach just outside of Amalfi in Atrani we came across the other day. We jumped on the bus and drove back through all the crazy hair -raising hair pin turns back to Amalfi. You honestly cannot describe the utter craziness of these bus rides until you experience them yourselves 😜. This beach has azure blue water right on a cliff. It's so beautiful! We swam and sat on the beach until it was time to get back to B&B Oliva to get changed for dinner and start packing. We walked back down all those steps to go back to Il Pingouin the resto we went to last night. Tonight we got the wood fired oven pizza again. Life changing!!! The family that owns and runs it is so freaking awesome. We got pics with the parents and the friend who cooks all the pizzas ! They gave us a shot of limoncello , which Amalfi is famous for. Lemons as big as your out stretched hands!! We also noticed Alfonso come into the resto , he ordered a beer and let us know that when we were finished he was there to drive us back up to our place! These hosts are so unbelievably amazing! Where else would you find such kindness. If you saw the stairs involved in getting back to our B&b you would know why Scala translates into the word steps! When we returned we settled our bill with Katia and said ciao with pictures and hugs ! She even gave us a bottle of limoncello to bring g home. She let us know Alfonso would knock on our door at 7 and drive us into Amalfi to catch our bus ! This family is so wonderful, Barry and I are overwhelmed with their kindness 💕 We agree that Amalfi was perfectly placed in our 3 week long adventure, we slowed down our pace (slightly) and saw more country with less monuments and big city. A perfect contrast to the rest of our trip so far. Tomorrow we say goodbye to this beautiful place that will always be special in our hearts and move into our second city Italy, Roma!Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Next stop Rome !

    October 2, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Up early and Alfonso drive us all the way in to Amalfi to catch our bus to Salerno. In Salerno we got the train to Rome. So much less stressful getting out of Amalfi than trying to get there a few days ago 😊. After a 3 hour ride we arrived at Termini station. Our hotel was a 15 minute walk from the station. We are very happy that most of our places have been within walking distance. We decided to walk and see where it was even though check in wasn't until 4 pm. We found in with no problem so we walked around the neighbourhood a bit then grabbed some lunch. Pesto for Barry and lasagna for me and a Perino beer 🍻. It's an Italian beer and very good. At 4 we checked in. You have to take one of those old fashioned elevators where you open the metal gate door yourself get in and close it behind you . Kinda cool. Roberta , the property manager, checked us in. She's lovely and so welcoming. She made sure we had everything we needed , gave us some directions and resto suggestions and then we arranged to have our breakfast around 8 am. There is also a rooftop patio that we can use. You go up a wrought iron spiral staircase inside the hotel to get to it. She also left s bottle of wine in our room as a welcome gift. We will definitely enjoy it in the patio one night and take advantage of our view over Rome . We headed out to the tourist info booth back at the train station area , got some maps and realized we are within walking distance of everything !!! On the way back we grabbed some sandwiches to have in the room and decided to stay in and start fresh in the morning. We booked our tickets to the Coliseum, Forum and Palantine which we will do tomorrow. Now we are just chilling in our room with the window wide open listening to the sounds of Rome including the tram that runs right out front of our place 😂😊. We have had no problems sleeping after our very full days. Looking forward to tomorrow's adventure. Stay tuned 💕💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best
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    I ate me weight in buffalo mozzarella !

    October 3, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    First full day in Rome and after breakfast at our hotel we hit the streets full speed. We walked to the Coliseum. It was like walking in a regular neighbourhood then you turn the corner and there it is ! The Coliseum, no big deal 😂! We walked the 2 levels and looked at the exhibit on display. Such incredible history. So hard to believe what went on in there with the gladiator battles and the people being thrown to the beasts just for pure entertainment 😳. We saw where the lions and other animals and where the slaves and gladiators would have been held until it was their turn to be brought up by "elevators" to the main arena. From the Coliseum we visited the Forum and Palantine , more Roman history and ruins. Those grounds are so expansive it took us a few hours to see it all . From there we took a pit stop for lunch and then headed to the Trevi fountain. It's just like you see in the movies! We threw a coin over our left shoulders to hope for a return trip back some day. So many people and it really was one of those moments that you think "Wow . I am really and truly in Rome ! 💕". We then walked further to the Spanish steps and walk up to the Trinity del Monti church at the top. We visited the church , knelt and said a few prayers and went back out and sat onthe steps with the hundreds of others and people watched for awhile. We left to get back to our place and get ready for dinner. I had found a great place to go eat pizza (again !). Resto Al Grottino was about 15 minutes walk from our hotel. We got an outside table , met the owner and ordered. We had supli as a starter , it is like a deep fried rice croquette , stuffed with mozzarella and tomato sauce , omg!!! Then we ordered our pizzas. Barry tried one they are known for... bacon and thinly sliced oranges. Yes... oranges. Kind of sweet with salty mix. He love it , so different. Of course we ordered wine which by the way is almost cheaper than a bottle of water ! 😊🍷. We walked back to our place , stuffed and exhausted. So much walking today its incredible. And between the Caprese salad I had for lunch and my pizza , I think I have eaten my weight in buffalo mozzarella 😂😂. Good night ! 😘Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Rome , the Eternal City ....

    October 4, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Let me start off by saying that after today our feet are aching! We haven't used the bus or tram once while here , just walking and discovering Rome's streets. We waked about 75 minutes this morning to the Vatican City. Hard to believe it is it's own country , the smallest in the world , entirely within the city of Rome. We started our tour in the Vatican museum which is incredible. It took us about 2 hours and we didn't even stop and look at probably half of the exhibits. There is just so many collections. Once you have toured there you enter the Sistine Chapel. It is a place of silence. They ask you to stand in the middle of the room to get the best view of the masterpieces that cover the ceilings and walls . Photos are not allowed. Words cannot describe what we saw and it is a memory I will never forget. From there we lined up to go into St Peter's Basilica. Our timing was perfect. We waited about 20 min and when we looked back before we passed through the metal detectors the line was snaked around the grounds of the square. Easily a 90min to 2 hour wait in the hot sun. Inside the Basilica it will take your breath away. It is beyond words. The detail , the sculptures, the ceilings.. honestly you must see it in your lifetime. It's beyond anything I can explain or describe. Your eyes don't know where to look and there are so many alcoves and separate chapels. We lined up to pass by the bronze statue of St Peter . The right foot has been worn down by centuries of people who traditionally touch the feet of the statue. Being inside the Basilica, I have changed my mind and can say I have never been in a more beautiful place! From the Vatican we headed back to cover a few sights we hadn't seen. We went to Castel Sant Angelo , crossed the bridge and went to Piazza Navona. From there we went to see the Pantheon. It was well passed lunch time so we decided hmmm we are in Rome let's just get some gelato 🍧!😊. We stopped to briefly rest our tired feet then made our way back to our place. We took our bottle of wine from our host and headed up the spiral staircase to the rooftop patio and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset view💕. Exhausted is an understatement today. Early-ish to bed. Our last full day in Rome will be spent walking(!) areas we haven't seen yet and our plan is to end the day back at the Trevi fountain so we can experience it at night.Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Mama needs a new pair of shoes!!!

    October 5, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    In each of the cities we have visited, we have tried to take at least a half day and get away from the touristy parts of town and have some quieter , relaxing time. On our last day in Rome we decided to walk to Villa Borghese , a beautiful park full of fountains , monuments and paths leading forever. We sat on a park bench by a lake and listened to a man playing Italian music on his acoustic guitar. Just what we needed to take a breath from all the sightseeing we have done over the last few days. From there we headed towards the Spanish steps. We bought some lunch at the Co-op supermarket and of course a quart of Peroni to share and sat in the gorgeous sun on the steps and just people watched. That is where the mission of the shoes sort of started. Anyone who knows me , knows that I am notorious for seeing something I like in a store but always saying I'll come back later if I don't find something else I like. Well ... yesterday I saw a very cute pair of Italian leather shoes that I liked but wasn't sure about the colour. So of course I didn't get them. Today I mentioned it to Barry and he tried to remember where I had seen them over the almost 20 km we had walked around Rome yesterday lol. We back tracked all over the city , until lo and behold we found the little shoe store !!! Thank goodness for Barry and his incredible sense of direction , patience and pretty much doing anything for me , knowing how much I really wanted these shoes after all 💕💕💕 Every time i wear them I will remember our fantastic trip. I was over the moon excited and we went to have a nice cocktail beside the Trevi fountain before dinner. We are so happy we got to see the fountain at night as well. So pretty, especially holding a bag with my beloved shoes in them😂! We headed back towards our place , ate some spaghetti bolognese and are once again ready to pass out from another full day. Up early tomorrow to catch our train to Venice! 💕Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Venice , unique , romantic and confusing

    October 6, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We said arrivederci to Roma this morning and took a 3 1/2 hour train ride into Venice. Our first sight of this city was ...wow there really are no roads , just waterways to get around ! Our hotel was a 20 minutes walk from the train station through narrow streets , alleys and over bridges. We spent the afternoon touring around the Rialto bridge , Doge's palace and watching the hundreds of gondolas taking tourists on the typical boat ride , just like you imagine when you think of Venice. We went in to St Mark's Basilica and one of the very crabby men who worked there told me I had to cover my legs because I had shorts on. With some quick thinking I wrapped my coat around my waist and did the zipper up - instant skirt to my knees lol. Problem solved ! Such a different cathedral from those in Rome. It was kept very dark and it seemed like there were no windows. Barry and I would also like to know who turned the heat off in Venice. This is the first time in 3 weeks we have had to think about pulling out our long pants. And we had jackets on during the day ! It is very chilly here 😬. We ate some dinner and picked up a few things for breakfast and called it a night. We only have one full day here tomorrow and want to be up early. 😊Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Buanosera Venezia !

    October 7, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We actually cheated and slept in a tiny bit today. Barry was awake a few times in the night by this poor lady who has some "issues" and is known to randomly scream at all times of the day and night as per the girl who checked us in 😳. She apparently lives next door to where we are staying 😬. We took the vaporetto #1 (waterbus) from Piazza San Marco all the way along the Grand Canal to the end at Piazzale Roma . Such a great way to see Venice from the water. We walked back through the streets and alleys and along the water back to the Rialto bridge area. After lunch we walked to the point at Punta Della Dogana. We sat in the sun with our feet dangling off the wall of the canal enjoying the view. It is away from most of the tourist area so it was a really nice area just to relax and people watch. We had dinner reservations for 7:30 pm so we decided to go get a drink at an English pub across from the restaurant . Of course Barry had a Guinness in Italy. Why not 😂. While eating dinner we started talking to the couple sitting next to us from Utah. It was their last night too and we were comparing travel stories. Turns out she too counts her steps and was wearing the identical Fitbit as mine and she is an ICU nurse in paediatrics ! We chatted for a while longer over tiramisu then wished them safe travels . We decided to go for a walk to see the Rialto bridge and Venice at night and to walk off our dinner. 😊 before heading back to the hotel to get organized to leave in the morning . This will be our last time to pack up our knapsacks this trip . We will walk along the canal all the way to the bus station to get our bus to the airport and board our plane for home. Happy to be heading home to see the girls and Charlie but not looking forward to the 9 hour flight 😢😊!Read more

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017Laurie Best

    Home sweet home

    October 8, 2017 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    This morning we took the bus to the airport and boarded the plane for our return flight home. Such a long flight 9 1/2 hours to be exact ! We took the time to look over all the photos we took along the way. Seems like so long ago since we took the first ones in the Montreal airport. We saw and experienced so many amazing things along the way. We feel very fortunate that we were able to do this trip that we have been talking about for awhile now . We travelled carrying our knapsacks from city to city and found it a great way to do it. We are grateful to our daughters Kaylee and Taylor for helping us plan our itinerary, book our transportation and our places to stay. Their own personal experiences helped us a lot. Each place we stayed whether it was an Air bnb , guesthouse or hotel was unique and each host was welcoming and helpful. We were very lucky with all the places we chose. We saw some magnificent sights , monuments , churches, squares and parks . It was a fantastic trip and we have memories that we will never forget. We are happy to be home but can't wait to start thinking about our next adventure . 💕 Portugal 🇵🇹- Spain 🇪🇸- Italy 🇮🇹 2017Read more

    Trip end
    October 9, 2017
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