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Europe 2017

September - October 2017
A 24-day adventure by Laurie Read more
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  • Laurie BestEurope 2017
    Day 9

    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

  • Laurie BestEurope 2017
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    Day 11

    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 2017
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    Day 11

    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 2017
    Day 12

    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 2017
    Day 13

    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 2017
    Day 14

    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 2017
    Day 16

    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 2017
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    Day 16

    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 2017
    Day 17

    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 2017
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    Day 18

    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

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