October 26, 2011: The storm had passed Genova and the sun barely came out of the still gloomy skies. We woke up early on this cold Wednesday morning thinking to halt our trip to Tuscany. But my friend Doreen just doesn't want to waste one of our day and she wants to gamble our fate by continuing our iterinary rather than staying in Genova.
Our host also had told us that it was flooding in Spieza and all the bridges there were been closed. The forecast in Tuscany says it will gonna be sunny during that day so Doreen decided to take our chances by going to the train station and ask for another route to go to Florence, Italy.
When we got to the train station we immediately inquired and fortunately they gave us some list of the train stations we must be transferring in order to get to Florence through getting re-routed and suffer the long hours of traveling.
We decided to take our chances because we could not just left our hotel reservation in Florence because it was already charged in my credit card. We immediately texted Maricelle, Doreen's cousin who is our Genova host, that we are pushing through on our trip to Florence and we will be back on Friday afternoon.
The trip lasted for seven house re-routing ourselves in the mountains passing some long and endless tunnels and terrains. It was a very tiring trip which ate up most of our day. I actually slept three times in the train. It was a very boring trip. We arrived in Florence already at dusk time. The sun is setting out from the horizon and the crimson skies is already evident from the west.
Florence is a very interestng place. A city I really fall in love because of it's richness in history and culture and also because of it's architectural and art history. We looked for our hotel and we checked in our backpacks.
We were so tired and exhausted from the whole day's trip so we decided to take a nap first for an hour then toured the nearby place near the hotel. After the nap we went to the hotel's rooftop and see the whole night view of Florence which can be seen from there. We snapped some pictures also for our online albums.
We then went down and stroll on the nearby Duomo and the nearby piazza trying to feel the city's essence. We dine out at the local restaurant which served local food and luckily Doreen had fulfilled her wish to eat Osso Bucco. The food was great and we enjoyed it a lot.
After the dinner we strolled back at the hotel and then we call it a day willing to continue to visit the whole of Florence the next day. The whole day trip has rendered us tired and fatigued so we retired early to bed.
Well, at least our decision to not waste any time because of the bad weather and the flood in Spieza did not deter us to stop. Now we were in Florence soon to enjoy the beauty it will give us as we woke up the next morning. I did not regret taking the chance to take the re-route to get to our destination.
Sometimes it happens in our life, too. We have to re-route ourselves to achieve our goals. Anyway, it's the same goal we are aiming for, though the way is longer, yet it's the same goal. Never falter if there's another way, take courage to take a chance.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Milan: Fashion Capital Of Italy
October 25, 2011: We'll we woke up late on this chilly and drizzly Tuesday morning. Next agenda was to go to Milan, Italy. Doreen checked the weather forecast the night before and it says it will gonna be raining. We left Genova at 0800H and it was drizzling and the chilly winds emanates in the atmosphere.
We arrived at the Genova Platform Principe still raining, bought our ticket to Milan and left off with the train in platform 14. The trip lasted for two-and-a-half hours and it was smooth and uneventful. We still exchanged ideas about what we read from Wikipedia the previous nights and we were so excited on what to see there despite of the wet weather.
We arrived at their train station which is so huge. It has three floors and there were shopping stalls located within the station. Various designer stalls like Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, Armani, and other famous Italian Designers. Milan really stood with it's known name as the fashion capital of Italy. My friend Doreen was really excited about the shopping part.
Since it was raining and it's close to 1200H we decided to take the hop and ride bus to see some of the city's highlights as well as to avoided straining Doreen's fracture which made her limp in walking. We get in the bus after we grabbed some food and drank coffee from the nearby McDonald's at around 1230H.
The bus took us to different famous sites around Milan like the churches, museums, parks, architectural structures and buildings, etc. But the one that really left indelibly in my mind is the Milan's Duomo and the Shopping Center adjacent to it. The facade of the Duomo was very catchy and beautiful adorned with statues in every corners and spires of the roof. It hit me in awe and made me wonder how they built it. No wonder it was a UNICEF World Heritage Site because of the intricacy and meticulous process it was built.
Milan also has a rich history. Being the second largest city in Italy, Milan has a lot of promise to Italians considering that it was the number seat of fashion in the country and the second form Paris in Europe. The fashion industry had made it so famous and the city was teeming with beautiful and gorgeous models in the heart of the city.
There were also a lot of Filipinos in the place. Everywhere we go we saw and identify one. At the McDonald's where we ate earlier almost all the crew were Filipinos. It was really funny and fascinating.
The rain was still pouring but we still managed to browse the biggest shopping center adjacent to the Duomo. The Prada and Armani at the center of the building were facing at each other trying to probably denote to us about their extreme competition at each other.
We also tried some of their famous foods and pastas. My friend Doreen was been craving of the Osso Bucco but apparently on the restaurant that we went in they have no Osso Bucco. Too bad, but hopefully on our next stop my friend.
Despite of the rainy weather we still managed to eat ice cream and shivered underneath the rain. It was funny and amusing. We were kinda wet after we were done touring the whole city. The place was so huge but everywhere you go you can see a lot of designer stalls in each corners of the city.
I also noticed that the place was so diversified when it comes to a lot of things. There were different people of a lotof color and I conclude that Milan is also a melting pot of the country's employment because a lot of people all over Italy migrated to this place because of a lot of job promises and offers plus the lure of the fashion industry.
We finished our tour at 1700H and we walked towards the train station and waited for our trip back to Genova. The rain was still pouring but our itenirary is still in progress. Rain or shine there were no days left unwasted. It was tiring yet enjoyable and fun as well as unforgettable and full of memories.
Our Milan trip was just a short trip but we still learned a lot from it. From the rich history of their Duomo and how it evolved as the fashion capital. Another knowledge we acquired from traveling and it was so helpful though.
We arrived at Genova very tired and exhausted. The rain had stopped but we were so out of it. It seems that I am brewing some cold but I am crossing my fingers that I will be okay. Another day spent in the rain yet it was a very rewarding day. Hopefully more to come despite of the forecast about the storm hitting the Tuscanian region where we were focus our next few trips.
They say life will always go on rain or shine and that's what happened to our agenda today. Although we got wet yet we still made it. It was indeed a great experience to have done it despite some minor setback. Thank you Lord for making it realized.
We arrived at the Genova Platform Principe still raining, bought our ticket to Milan and left off with the train in platform 14. The trip lasted for two-and-a-half hours and it was smooth and uneventful. We still exchanged ideas about what we read from Wikipedia the previous nights and we were so excited on what to see there despite of the wet weather.
We arrived at their train station which is so huge. It has three floors and there were shopping stalls located within the station. Various designer stalls like Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, Armani, and other famous Italian Designers. Milan really stood with it's known name as the fashion capital of Italy. My friend Doreen was really excited about the shopping part.
Since it was raining and it's close to 1200H we decided to take the hop and ride bus to see some of the city's highlights as well as to avoided straining Doreen's fracture which made her limp in walking. We get in the bus after we grabbed some food and drank coffee from the nearby McDonald's at around 1230H.
The bus took us to different famous sites around Milan like the churches, museums, parks, architectural structures and buildings, etc. But the one that really left indelibly in my mind is the Milan's Duomo and the Shopping Center adjacent to it. The facade of the Duomo was very catchy and beautiful adorned with statues in every corners and spires of the roof. It hit me in awe and made me wonder how they built it. No wonder it was a UNICEF World Heritage Site because of the intricacy and meticulous process it was built.
Milan also has a rich history. Being the second largest city in Italy, Milan has a lot of promise to Italians considering that it was the number seat of fashion in the country and the second form Paris in Europe. The fashion industry had made it so famous and the city was teeming with beautiful and gorgeous models in the heart of the city.
There were also a lot of Filipinos in the place. Everywhere we go we saw and identify one. At the McDonald's where we ate earlier almost all the crew were Filipinos. It was really funny and fascinating.
The rain was still pouring but we still managed to browse the biggest shopping center adjacent to the Duomo. The Prada and Armani at the center of the building were facing at each other trying to probably denote to us about their extreme competition at each other.
We also tried some of their famous foods and pastas. My friend Doreen was been craving of the Osso Bucco but apparently on the restaurant that we went in they have no Osso Bucco. Too bad, but hopefully on our next stop my friend.
Despite of the rainy weather we still managed to eat ice cream and shivered underneath the rain. It was funny and amusing. We were kinda wet after we were done touring the whole city. The place was so huge but everywhere you go you can see a lot of designer stalls in each corners of the city.
I also noticed that the place was so diversified when it comes to a lot of things. There were different people of a lotof color and I conclude that Milan is also a melting pot of the country's employment because a lot of people all over Italy migrated to this place because of a lot of job promises and offers plus the lure of the fashion industry.
We finished our tour at 1700H and we walked towards the train station and waited for our trip back to Genova. The rain was still pouring but our itenirary is still in progress. Rain or shine there were no days left unwasted. It was tiring yet enjoyable and fun as well as unforgettable and full of memories.
Our Milan trip was just a short trip but we still learned a lot from it. From the rich history of their Duomo and how it evolved as the fashion capital. Another knowledge we acquired from traveling and it was so helpful though.
We arrived at Genova very tired and exhausted. The rain had stopped but we were so out of it. It seems that I am brewing some cold but I am crossing my fingers that I will be okay. Another day spent in the rain yet it was a very rewarding day. Hopefully more to come despite of the forecast about the storm hitting the Tuscanian region where we were focus our next few trips.
They say life will always go on rain or shine and that's what happened to our agenda today. Although we got wet yet we still made it. It was indeed a great experience to have done it despite some minor setback. Thank you Lord for making it realized.
Pilgrimage To Torino, Italy
October 24, 2011: The next day we decided to go to Torino, Italy located in the northeastern part of the country near the Alps. The night before Doreen checked the times of the trains going there and also the weather on that day.
The forecast said it will rain there so we brought a folding umbrella just in case. It was very chilly on this early Monday morning and the rush of of the traffic in Genova is very hectic with people pacing doubly even though the weather is cold.
My friend Doreen and I left Genova early in the morning at 0630H because the train ride going to Torino last about four hours. Upon receiving our tickets and determining which platform we are to embark we boarded the train and setled for the long train ride.
On the train we discussed what we have read at Wikipedia the previous night because we always have to read in advance what to expect and what to see on a certain place we wanted to visit. We both knew that Torino is the safe for the Holy Shroud which was thought to be the white cloth wrapped with Jesus when he was burried in the seppulchre.
Although the validity of the cloth was been questioned by a lot of experts and scholars the carbon study of the cloth says that it was during the times when Jesus was burried. So many people around the globe made a pilgrimage to go to Torino every year to visit the famous Holy Shroud.
The train ride was very smooth and uneventful and we arrived in Torino in a safe condition. The sun was out but the weather is still chilly. We were garbed with think layers of clothing and a scarf to adorn ourselves.
When we got out of the train we immediately located the Tourism Office and asked what is the best way to tour around Torino. They advised us to walk the streets in order to appreciate the beauty of Torino because Torino is just a small place and we can finished browsing it n one day.
First stop was Piazza Giancarlo which is located at the heart of the town and this will determine us whether we have to go east and west of north and south. We decided to continue south first because we already came from the train station located on the north side of the town. At the center of the piazza is a bronze statue of a man strided on a horse.
As I can remember Torino was the sight of the 2006 Winter Olympics and I was watching it on TV last time and they showed very nice locations and sceneries on TV. I remember they showed on NBC the Piazza Giancarlo which was the seat of the old republic in Torino. In the courtyard was seen the Church of Saint John the Baptist which originally housed the Holy Shroud when it was moved to the town's Duomo in the 1900's.
As we continued going south we also located another plaza called Piazza Reale which also housed the Palazzo Realle and a small castle as well as a big fountain on the rotunda. It was located at the southeast side of the town.
We then continued going east and saw the ruins of the Pallestine gate which they made as a park and the Torino Duomo which now housed the famous Holy Shroud. We inquired inside the information center and asked if where they are exhibiting the holy cloth but they were saddened to tell us that the Holy Shroud was been placed in a crypt and is only being opened every ten years to preserve the cloth and protect it from the wear and tear of the whether. Instead they showed us a video footage of how they acquired and protect the holy cloth.
From the Duomo we went to the Cinema Museum which has the revolving watch tower on top of the dome but apparently the building was closed on a Monday. We then continued walking east towards the hillside and went to the monastery on top of the hill and also got to see the aerial view of the town. We also took a lot of pictures of the whole town.
We felt we did a good browsing of the town and it was already 1800H and we still have another four hours train trip back to Genova. Good thing the weather was cooperating with us and the trip went smoothly and uneventful.
We arrived at Genova close to 2300H and we were so tired from the whole day walking. The day was very productive and we have enjoyed our sighseeing of the whole town of Torino but our goal to see the shroud was not realized yet at least we get to see another fabulous place we haven't been before.
Everytime we are on this kind of journey we always see fabulous structures and places and we feast our eyes until we get tired of it.
The forecast said it will rain there so we brought a folding umbrella just in case. It was very chilly on this early Monday morning and the rush of of the traffic in Genova is very hectic with people pacing doubly even though the weather is cold.
My friend Doreen and I left Genova early in the morning at 0630H because the train ride going to Torino last about four hours. Upon receiving our tickets and determining which platform we are to embark we boarded the train and setled for the long train ride.
On the train we discussed what we have read at Wikipedia the previous night because we always have to read in advance what to expect and what to see on a certain place we wanted to visit. We both knew that Torino is the safe for the Holy Shroud which was thought to be the white cloth wrapped with Jesus when he was burried in the seppulchre.
Although the validity of the cloth was been questioned by a lot of experts and scholars the carbon study of the cloth says that it was during the times when Jesus was burried. So many people around the globe made a pilgrimage to go to Torino every year to visit the famous Holy Shroud.
The train ride was very smooth and uneventful and we arrived in Torino in a safe condition. The sun was out but the weather is still chilly. We were garbed with think layers of clothing and a scarf to adorn ourselves.
When we got out of the train we immediately located the Tourism Office and asked what is the best way to tour around Torino. They advised us to walk the streets in order to appreciate the beauty of Torino because Torino is just a small place and we can finished browsing it n one day.
First stop was Piazza Giancarlo which is located at the heart of the town and this will determine us whether we have to go east and west of north and south. We decided to continue south first because we already came from the train station located on the north side of the town. At the center of the piazza is a bronze statue of a man strided on a horse.
As I can remember Torino was the sight of the 2006 Winter Olympics and I was watching it on TV last time and they showed very nice locations and sceneries on TV. I remember they showed on NBC the Piazza Giancarlo which was the seat of the old republic in Torino. In the courtyard was seen the Church of Saint John the Baptist which originally housed the Holy Shroud when it was moved to the town's Duomo in the 1900's.
As we continued going south we also located another plaza called Piazza Reale which also housed the Palazzo Realle and a small castle as well as a big fountain on the rotunda. It was located at the southeast side of the town.
We then continued going east and saw the ruins of the Pallestine gate which they made as a park and the Torino Duomo which now housed the famous Holy Shroud. We inquired inside the information center and asked if where they are exhibiting the holy cloth but they were saddened to tell us that the Holy Shroud was been placed in a crypt and is only being opened every ten years to preserve the cloth and protect it from the wear and tear of the whether. Instead they showed us a video footage of how they acquired and protect the holy cloth.
From the Duomo we went to the Cinema Museum which has the revolving watch tower on top of the dome but apparently the building was closed on a Monday. We then continued walking east towards the hillside and went to the monastery on top of the hill and also got to see the aerial view of the town. We also took a lot of pictures of the whole town.
We felt we did a good browsing of the town and it was already 1800H and we still have another four hours train trip back to Genova. Good thing the weather was cooperating with us and the trip went smoothly and uneventful.
We arrived at Genova close to 2300H and we were so tired from the whole day walking. The day was very productive and we have enjoyed our sighseeing of the whole town of Torino but our goal to see the shroud was not realized yet at least we get to see another fabulous place we haven't been before.
Everytime we are on this kind of journey we always see fabulous structures and places and we feast our eyes until we get tired of it.
A Day In Genova, Italy
October 23, 2011: After a day of our arrival in Genova, Italy we started roaming the city together with Doreen's cousin Maricelle along with her husband and daughter. It was a sunny and windy Sunday morning and the couple were both off from their respective jobs. It was an apt time to to show us around Genova.
Genova is located in the northern part of Italy and is famous for it's huge port. The portside appears very crowded on this Sunday morning because all the people goes there to spend time with their families. The place is very accesible with a bus or a train and everything can be seen around there.
We first stopped at the Ferrari fountain, took some pictures then went to their replica of the Arch de Triomphe in Paris. We also took several pictures there and then walked back to the Ferrari fountain and roamed around the market place passing the Genova Cathedral.
We then exited towards the port and walked towards the boardwalk and took more pictures of the seaside sceneries with big ships and cruise liners. We took a ride on the lift which catapulted us slowly to the top of the pole to let us see the whole aerial view of the city in 360 degrees. We took more pictures.
We then took our lunch at their ultra modern market place with restaurants inside. We've enjoyed sme pasta and pizza dishes unique to the place. Then we went down and kept strolling the boardwalk. The couple also supplied us with information about Genova and some historical background about it.
They also brought us to Christopher Columbus' house where we took again several pictures. Eventually the walk has tired us up so we decided to go hime by taking the bus.
I was so eager to see the lighthouse built in the 1400 which was the symbol of Genova but unfortunately we didn't get the chance to see it because it was located in the other part of the city.
Our first day in Italy was quite spent recognizing Genova because this will be our home base during our one week stay here in Italy. I told Doreen to know what bus or train to take because we will be seeing a lot of laces all over Italy.
Language is the big barrier here but I wasn't too wary abut it because some younger people knows how to speak Enlish as well as the professionals. Better than France..... hehehe. In my observation people dressed in a freestyle manner compared to France's stylish garbs. This place is a cool place.
We then went home at Maricelle's apartment and Melchor cooked for our dinner. We were so lucky to have stayed with Doreen's cousin because they are very hospitable and they really catered us well. I was fortunate to have met some good people and good friends in all of the places I've been through. I was so blessed.
In general, Genova is also one of the nicest places I've visited and I was so grateful that I made an effort to see this place through my very best friend Doreen who really insisted for us to go here and dumped our plans to cruise to Greece.
We were lucky we did not pursue it or else we will be affected by the earthquake that struck Turkey a day before. I still consider my self fortunate to change our plans at the last minute. God is always good.
Genova is located in the northern part of Italy and is famous for it's huge port. The portside appears very crowded on this Sunday morning because all the people goes there to spend time with their families. The place is very accesible with a bus or a train and everything can be seen around there.
We first stopped at the Ferrari fountain, took some pictures then went to their replica of the Arch de Triomphe in Paris. We also took several pictures there and then walked back to the Ferrari fountain and roamed around the market place passing the Genova Cathedral.
We then exited towards the port and walked towards the boardwalk and took more pictures of the seaside sceneries with big ships and cruise liners. We took a ride on the lift which catapulted us slowly to the top of the pole to let us see the whole aerial view of the city in 360 degrees. We took more pictures.
We then took our lunch at their ultra modern market place with restaurants inside. We've enjoyed sme pasta and pizza dishes unique to the place. Then we went down and kept strolling the boardwalk. The couple also supplied us with information about Genova and some historical background about it.
They also brought us to Christopher Columbus' house where we took again several pictures. Eventually the walk has tired us up so we decided to go hime by taking the bus.
I was so eager to see the lighthouse built in the 1400 which was the symbol of Genova but unfortunately we didn't get the chance to see it because it was located in the other part of the city.
Our first day in Italy was quite spent recognizing Genova because this will be our home base during our one week stay here in Italy. I told Doreen to know what bus or train to take because we will be seeing a lot of laces all over Italy.
Language is the big barrier here but I wasn't too wary abut it because some younger people knows how to speak Enlish as well as the professionals. Better than France..... hehehe. In my observation people dressed in a freestyle manner compared to France's stylish garbs. This place is a cool place.
We then went home at Maricelle's apartment and Melchor cooked for our dinner. We were so lucky to have stayed with Doreen's cousin because they are very hospitable and they really catered us well. I was fortunate to have met some good people and good friends in all of the places I've been through. I was so blessed.
In general, Genova is also one of the nicest places I've visited and I was so grateful that I made an effort to see this place through my very best friend Doreen who really insisted for us to go here and dumped our plans to cruise to Greece.
We were lucky we did not pursue it or else we will be affected by the earthquake that struck Turkey a day before. I still consider my self fortunate to change our plans at the last minute. God is always good.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Crossing The French And Italian Border
October 22, 2011: Me and Doreen woke up late on this lazy Saturday morning because my dear friend was very tired from doing household chores yesterday at Shelley's. We are supposed to be leaving early morning today but it seems that Doreen was still in pain from that biopsy done on her last Monday.
She says that the pain was intermittently numbing and aching but when she takes the Ibuprofen it seems that it was been wiped out. She took some pills this morning and told me that if she feels better we will be leaving in the afternoon.
I started packing my clothes and tried to pack enough clothes for the whole week. I wanted to carry light so I only filled my backpack with shirts and pants as well as one jacket just in case the weather will change.
At 1100H, Doreen told me that we will be leaving at 1500H so we have to catch the bus from her place at 1230H. We then took the bus at the Centervikke going to the SNCF TGV train station. We bought two tickets going to Ventimiglia, France and will exchange with TrenItalia from there going to Genova, Italy.
At least Doreen felt better from the Ibuprofen pills she took this morning and now she was feeling better. The limping was quite lessened and the grimacing was all gone. Now she is ready for the whole week's trip and adventure with me in Italy.
The SNCF TGV train ride was very smooth and uneventful. We left Aix-en-Provence at almost 1500H passing a lot of towns and cities going to north-west of France. We passed by Marseille, Touton, Antibes, Cannes, Monaco, Nice, etc. The train followed the coastal way going up to the mountains of Monaco and ends up in Ventimiglia. The beautiful French countryside coloured and painted our trip with beautiful sceneries. It was very lovely to see from the train.
Doreen and I had fun reminiscing our college days and experiences and laugh at them in a silly manner. We remembered a lot of unfortabble and fun experiences from college. We had alot of fun. Our seriius neighbors near our seats were probably wondering what we were laughing at. I myself did the loudest and embarrassing laugh. We had so much fun at the train talking and observing some passengers and poking fun at them. We were being silly at that time and it was fun.
When we arrived at Ventimiglia it was already 1900H and we exchanged platform to take the TrenItalia going the the Italian border. We crossed the border safely without even asked or searched for passports or other paperworks. The train appears old and looks unclean but it was good enogh to transport us to iur destination. The passengers dressed in a freestyle way compared to the stylish outfits of the French people. Italians are more talkative compared to the French and are more charming and polite compared to their French counterparts.
I couldn't appreciate the Italian countryside at that time because the dusk had already set in and it was already dark during that time. The train ride was about two hours and we arrived in Genova, Italy at 2120H. Doreen's cousin was waiting for us at the train station with her little daughter. Such a warm welcome made for us at the train station.
We went out from the station and took bus #20 going to Doreen's cousin apartment. The weather in Genova is kinda windy and cold and good thing I had my jacket on. It's quite a big city at the base of the miuntain and there is a big port with a shipyards near the sea ports. It was quite captivating to see it at night.
The lighthouse from the distant appeared as a beacon for tge seafarer and guide them towards the shore of Genova. The people in the bus appears very careless about life compared to the serious people in France. I guess Italians are more fun loving compared to the French.
We were so tired when we arrived at Doreen's cousin's apartment and we call it a nught after the dinner and the short talk. I had my few shots of wine to calm qand warm me down then I retired early hoping for a good day for the next day.
Crossing the border of France and Italy had given me a chance to experience the mingling of the two cultures and the two nationalities. They have their own distinct way to attribute and differentiate themselves from each other and it had made me quite observant about it.
Although I witnessed kthe intermingling of the two cultures yet I used myself to bridge the gap and fully understand how to interact with them so that I cannot offend one from the other. This travel had made me a connoisseur of cuktures and people's behavior. It was a struggle but it was fun, and I liked it.
She says that the pain was intermittently numbing and aching but when she takes the Ibuprofen it seems that it was been wiped out. She took some pills this morning and told me that if she feels better we will be leaving in the afternoon.
I started packing my clothes and tried to pack enough clothes for the whole week. I wanted to carry light so I only filled my backpack with shirts and pants as well as one jacket just in case the weather will change.
At 1100H, Doreen told me that we will be leaving at 1500H so we have to catch the bus from her place at 1230H. We then took the bus at the Centervikke going to the SNCF TGV train station. We bought two tickets going to Ventimiglia, France and will exchange with TrenItalia from there going to Genova, Italy.
At least Doreen felt better from the Ibuprofen pills she took this morning and now she was feeling better. The limping was quite lessened and the grimacing was all gone. Now she is ready for the whole week's trip and adventure with me in Italy.
The SNCF TGV train ride was very smooth and uneventful. We left Aix-en-Provence at almost 1500H passing a lot of towns and cities going to north-west of France. We passed by Marseille, Touton, Antibes, Cannes, Monaco, Nice, etc. The train followed the coastal way going up to the mountains of Monaco and ends up in Ventimiglia. The beautiful French countryside coloured and painted our trip with beautiful sceneries. It was very lovely to see from the train.
Doreen and I had fun reminiscing our college days and experiences and laugh at them in a silly manner. We remembered a lot of unfortabble and fun experiences from college. We had alot of fun. Our seriius neighbors near our seats were probably wondering what we were laughing at. I myself did the loudest and embarrassing laugh. We had so much fun at the train talking and observing some passengers and poking fun at them. We were being silly at that time and it was fun.
When we arrived at Ventimiglia it was already 1900H and we exchanged platform to take the TrenItalia going the the Italian border. We crossed the border safely without even asked or searched for passports or other paperworks. The train appears old and looks unclean but it was good enogh to transport us to iur destination. The passengers dressed in a freestyle way compared to the stylish outfits of the French people. Italians are more talkative compared to the French and are more charming and polite compared to their French counterparts.
I couldn't appreciate the Italian countryside at that time because the dusk had already set in and it was already dark during that time. The train ride was about two hours and we arrived in Genova, Italy at 2120H. Doreen's cousin was waiting for us at the train station with her little daughter. Such a warm welcome made for us at the train station.
We went out from the station and took bus #20 going to Doreen's cousin apartment. The weather in Genova is kinda windy and cold and good thing I had my jacket on. It's quite a big city at the base of the miuntain and there is a big port with a shipyards near the sea ports. It was quite captivating to see it at night.
The lighthouse from the distant appeared as a beacon for tge seafarer and guide them towards the shore of Genova. The people in the bus appears very careless about life compared to the serious people in France. I guess Italians are more fun loving compared to the French.
We were so tired when we arrived at Doreen's cousin's apartment and we call it a nught after the dinner and the short talk. I had my few shots of wine to calm qand warm me down then I retired early hoping for a good day for the next day.
Crossing the border of France and Italy had given me a chance to experience the mingling of the two cultures and the two nationalities. They have their own distinct way to attribute and differentiate themselves from each other and it had made me quite observant about it.
Although I witnessed kthe intermingling of the two cultures yet I used myself to bridge the gap and fully understand how to interact with them so that I cannot offend one from the other. This travel had made me a connoisseur of cuktures and people's behavior. It was a struggle but it was fun, and I liked it.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Dinner With Shelley And Michael
October 21, 2011: The day started late because I woke up late on this average Friday morning. Rosalie came early to help Doreen clean Shelley's house. I was stuck at Doreen's apartment doing nothing so I decided to cook both of them lunch.
I sauteed some chicken with garlic and onion and boiled it until it becomes tender then added some potatoes and carrots and topped it with cabbage. I also heated the chicken estofado I did couple days ago and cooked some rice. At lunch time we shared the food and exchanged jokes. Then the two continued what they were doing, doing some housekeeping job.
Since I have a lot of time, I decided to make some blogs for my blog site and I can't believe I made three long blogs about my journey to France. I think I was so inspired to chronicle what I had experienced the previous weeks. Well, at least I have something to look into when I grow old and remember or reminisce all I did during that certain trip. Quite convenient huh.
At 1800H Shelley went to the apartment and out of the blue told Doreen that we will go out to eat dinner for Michael's advance birthday celebration because we will be leaving tomorrow and we will not be seeing them when we come back because they will also travel somewhere in Italy.
It was just a spur of the moment decision so Doreen told me to change because we will be eating out with her boss. Michael drove the Mercedes car towards this very sleek fondue restaurant called "La Table a Fromages". At first the restaurant looks empty with few people inside but when the night gets deeper the restaurant eventually gets packed.
We ordered a very fine and good white wine and a spicy fondue dip and a raclete. The food was very nice and the fondue taste awesome. I just had a raclete so I was kind of adamant to try it but eventually I got to try it because it really taste good.
The raclete uses a stand with an electric burner vertically inclined and a round white cheese cut in half was then spiked across the burner horizontally so that when the cheese melted down the plate it is ready to be eaten and mixed with some bread, processed meats, or veggies. The white cheese was so creamy and not very salty compensating the bland taste of the food.
Whereas the fondue was mixed with three different cheeses spices, and ham. It was very salty yet tasty. We dipped some bread to make it more palatable. It was quite challenging to eat and also messy because the melted cheese became stringy and webby when hauled by the forks towards our respective paltes. It was interesting though.
We talked while eating and it seems that we enjoyed the night judging with our conversation. Michael appears very intellectual and Shelley is more adept on the humor part although Michael also injected some good humor in between the conversation. My friend Doreen was very vocal, too, and laughs the loudest. I was a bit shy joining them in the conversation but eventually I got to contribute some of my experiences in the teaching profession. They're both very intelligent and nice to talk at.
I felt so stuffed with all the food I ate so I declined the dessert part. Actually no one ordered dessert because everyone is tired and eager to go home right away. Michael paid the tab and then we headed home.
The dinner went so well and I got to know Doreen's employer well. They were two gorgeous couple who are very smart and mature as well as professional. I was fortunate enough to have met them and had a very interacting yet intelligent or witty conversation. It's quite a rare opportunity to have a date like this with some famous people in Aix-en-Provence of all places.
We arrived home safe and sound and at last I got to blog this beautiful experience despite of a very dragging day. Tomorrow, we will start another leg of our journey and I can't wait to have it done. Yay!
I sauteed some chicken with garlic and onion and boiled it until it becomes tender then added some potatoes and carrots and topped it with cabbage. I also heated the chicken estofado I did couple days ago and cooked some rice. At lunch time we shared the food and exchanged jokes. Then the two continued what they were doing, doing some housekeeping job.
Since I have a lot of time, I decided to make some blogs for my blog site and I can't believe I made three long blogs about my journey to France. I think I was so inspired to chronicle what I had experienced the previous weeks. Well, at least I have something to look into when I grow old and remember or reminisce all I did during that certain trip. Quite convenient huh.
At 1800H Shelley went to the apartment and out of the blue told Doreen that we will go out to eat dinner for Michael's advance birthday celebration because we will be leaving tomorrow and we will not be seeing them when we come back because they will also travel somewhere in Italy.
It was just a spur of the moment decision so Doreen told me to change because we will be eating out with her boss. Michael drove the Mercedes car towards this very sleek fondue restaurant called "La Table a Fromages". At first the restaurant looks empty with few people inside but when the night gets deeper the restaurant eventually gets packed.
We ordered a very fine and good white wine and a spicy fondue dip and a raclete. The food was very nice and the fondue taste awesome. I just had a raclete so I was kind of adamant to try it but eventually I got to try it because it really taste good.
The raclete uses a stand with an electric burner vertically inclined and a round white cheese cut in half was then spiked across the burner horizontally so that when the cheese melted down the plate it is ready to be eaten and mixed with some bread, processed meats, or veggies. The white cheese was so creamy and not very salty compensating the bland taste of the food.
Whereas the fondue was mixed with three different cheeses spices, and ham. It was very salty yet tasty. We dipped some bread to make it more palatable. It was quite challenging to eat and also messy because the melted cheese became stringy and webby when hauled by the forks towards our respective paltes. It was interesting though.
We talked while eating and it seems that we enjoyed the night judging with our conversation. Michael appears very intellectual and Shelley is more adept on the humor part although Michael also injected some good humor in between the conversation. My friend Doreen was very vocal, too, and laughs the loudest. I was a bit shy joining them in the conversation but eventually I got to contribute some of my experiences in the teaching profession. They're both very intelligent and nice to talk at.
I felt so stuffed with all the food I ate so I declined the dessert part. Actually no one ordered dessert because everyone is tired and eager to go home right away. Michael paid the tab and then we headed home.
The dinner went so well and I got to know Doreen's employer well. They were two gorgeous couple who are very smart and mature as well as professional. I was fortunate enough to have met them and had a very interacting yet intelligent or witty conversation. It's quite a rare opportunity to have a date like this with some famous people in Aix-en-Provence of all places.
We arrived home safe and sound and at last I got to blog this beautiful experience despite of a very dragging day. Tomorrow, we will start another leg of our journey and I can't wait to have it done. Yay!
Strolling Around Aix-en-Provence
October 20, 2011: Today, we woke up late because we don't have any agenda except that Doreen has a rendezvous with her personal physician at 1100H. This Thursday morning was kinda gloomy and nippy. There were guys busy hauling some shattered ceramic tiles from Shelley's kitchen. This is the day that the construction will start.
We changed immediately to catch for the bus outside the street but we missed it with quite a few minutes. We took the next bus but we didn't realized Doreen was late on her appointment. When we arrived at the marketplace there were stalls arranged for the market day. Doreen went up to her doctor's office while I opted to stay on the streets and decided to make this necessary stroll.
I decided to grab some coffee and croissants at the Paul Bakery but I was greeted with this unfriendly young French shopkeeper and was hurrying me up to make an order. It's kind of offending because there were three people lining up after me. My days was almost ruined but I still managed to be polite despite the offensive greeting.
In my irritation I looked at him fiercely and demandingly ordered a cafe americano and three petit croissants. I paid him for what it's worth and continued to look for a counter against the wall and sip some hot coffee while playing my billiards game in my iPhone waiting to pass the time while waiting for Doreen to finish.
When I finished sipping coffee I went to the flea market and enjoyed watching the wide array of flowers sold there, as well as see some buildings with intricate mouldings and ornaments which I've already seen last year when I came here. I just have to commune with my previous memories I've had here last year.
I also went to the marketplace and browsed some organic vegetables and fruits they are selling, different kitchen spices, flavoured and spiced bar of soaps, homemade jams and jellies scribed in French, and many many more. There were quite a lot of people taking advantage of the market day as well as sale and marked down items they can offer.
I continued perusing the streets, inns, alleys, and corners I can see. When I found out I was very far from Doreen's doctor's office I decided to go back and went in the nearby Orange Store browsing the new iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. As I was feeling the iPad2 I didn't even realized that Rosalie was beside me along with her little tot.
I ask her what she's doing there, she told me that Doreen had called her to bring her to work. We went out of the store and went to the doctor's office to check on Doreen but still she was not seen yet by the doctor because she came in late. I asked Rosalie if we can grab some coffee and she said yes.
When Doreen was finished with her appointment at 1300H she decided not to drop Rosalie at work because it was already very late. We then just decided to ate lunch at this very sleek and petit resto at the mouth of the Centerville ordering steaks and salad as well as sipping red wine. They both decided to call their friends and decided to meet them at the restaurant. An hour later there were two ladies who joined us and I met them halfway. We talked and laughed a lot then I paid for the food.
We then got out of the resto and strolled around Aix still laughing and talking at each other. Near the big fountain at the rotonda there was a guy surrounded by young high school students doing some interview and shooting, sitting and talking with the kids. My new friends recognized him as one of the Aix rugby players. When the shooting was done he was passing at our side so Doreen approached him if I can have one pic of him because I just came from the US. He was very kind and nice to stand on my side and smiled at the camera. He was tall and huge with those piercing green eyes.
After that we then disbanded and me and Doreen decided to pass by at Pacita's place. When we get to Pacita's, she's still not there so we waited at Beverly's house until she came at 1830H. She was very happy to see me and we talked a lot while she was preparing something for us for dinner. While cutting the chicken for the adobo Pacita accidentally sliced one of her finger so I decided to continue cooking the adobo while Doreen attended to her wound.
When the adobo was cooked we said grace and enjoyed the food heartily sipping wine and talking at each other. It was a very good dinner and we all enjoyed it. Pascal (Pacita's boyfriend) was very funny as well as Pacita and Doreen. The group was very roudy and crazy and we all laughed and laughed until we cried with so much fun.
At 2200H Pascal dropped us off at Doreen's apartment and we call it a day. Before going inside the apartment we pushed the trash near the street and went inside the apartment. Our day was great because we did it effortlessly to make it great. I got to see some good old friends and we had some anxious-free fun and great enjoyable humor. That's the way how to spice up life!
We changed immediately to catch for the bus outside the street but we missed it with quite a few minutes. We took the next bus but we didn't realized Doreen was late on her appointment. When we arrived at the marketplace there were stalls arranged for the market day. Doreen went up to her doctor's office while I opted to stay on the streets and decided to make this necessary stroll.
I decided to grab some coffee and croissants at the Paul Bakery but I was greeted with this unfriendly young French shopkeeper and was hurrying me up to make an order. It's kind of offending because there were three people lining up after me. My days was almost ruined but I still managed to be polite despite the offensive greeting.
In my irritation I looked at him fiercely and demandingly ordered a cafe americano and three petit croissants. I paid him for what it's worth and continued to look for a counter against the wall and sip some hot coffee while playing my billiards game in my iPhone waiting to pass the time while waiting for Doreen to finish.
When I finished sipping coffee I went to the flea market and enjoyed watching the wide array of flowers sold there, as well as see some buildings with intricate mouldings and ornaments which I've already seen last year when I came here. I just have to commune with my previous memories I've had here last year.
I also went to the marketplace and browsed some organic vegetables and fruits they are selling, different kitchen spices, flavoured and spiced bar of soaps, homemade jams and jellies scribed in French, and many many more. There were quite a lot of people taking advantage of the market day as well as sale and marked down items they can offer.
I continued perusing the streets, inns, alleys, and corners I can see. When I found out I was very far from Doreen's doctor's office I decided to go back and went in the nearby Orange Store browsing the new iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. As I was feeling the iPad2 I didn't even realized that Rosalie was beside me along with her little tot.
I ask her what she's doing there, she told me that Doreen had called her to bring her to work. We went out of the store and went to the doctor's office to check on Doreen but still she was not seen yet by the doctor because she came in late. I asked Rosalie if we can grab some coffee and she said yes.
When Doreen was finished with her appointment at 1300H she decided not to drop Rosalie at work because it was already very late. We then just decided to ate lunch at this very sleek and petit resto at the mouth of the Centerville ordering steaks and salad as well as sipping red wine. They both decided to call their friends and decided to meet them at the restaurant. An hour later there were two ladies who joined us and I met them halfway. We talked and laughed a lot then I paid for the food.
We then got out of the resto and strolled around Aix still laughing and talking at each other. Near the big fountain at the rotonda there was a guy surrounded by young high school students doing some interview and shooting, sitting and talking with the kids. My new friends recognized him as one of the Aix rugby players. When the shooting was done he was passing at our side so Doreen approached him if I can have one pic of him because I just came from the US. He was very kind and nice to stand on my side and smiled at the camera. He was tall and huge with those piercing green eyes.
After that we then disbanded and me and Doreen decided to pass by at Pacita's place. When we get to Pacita's, she's still not there so we waited at Beverly's house until she came at 1830H. She was very happy to see me and we talked a lot while she was preparing something for us for dinner. While cutting the chicken for the adobo Pacita accidentally sliced one of her finger so I decided to continue cooking the adobo while Doreen attended to her wound.
When the adobo was cooked we said grace and enjoyed the food heartily sipping wine and talking at each other. It was a very good dinner and we all enjoyed it. Pascal (Pacita's boyfriend) was very funny as well as Pacita and Doreen. The group was very roudy and crazy and we all laughed and laughed until we cried with so much fun.
At 2200H Pascal dropped us off at Doreen's apartment and we call it a day. Before going inside the apartment we pushed the trash near the street and went inside the apartment. Our day was great because we did it effortlessly to make it great. I got to see some good old friends and we had some anxious-free fun and great enjoyable humor. That's the way how to spice up life!
Marseille Trip
October 19, 2011: Well, I woke up quite shaken on a Wednesday morning in Aix after a days rest from my very hectic vacation in Paris and Barcelona. Finally I was in Aix resting up my sore feet for a day and picked up my emails as well as responded to them. I also posted some few blogs in my blog site which I did not entered since June and also posted some pics of my adventures in Facebook. Got the time to update everything after a week's absence.
I also watched some on my favorite Filipino telenovelas. The one that I am eagerly trying to see and follow is the "100 Days To Heaven" which is almost close to it's end. I got to see a glimpse of it in a few minutes because the signal at Doreen's apartment is very bad. At least I get to know the jist of the novela which I will surely see in marathon when I get back to Los Angeles.
Today,me and Doreen woke up late at 0900H to go to Marseille because my friend will be having a bone biopsy. I am so worried with her because of her state of condition although she says she's okay. I am here to give her a moral support whatever it will become. That's all I can offer for her for now because I think she just doesn't to get me worried. Honestly, I am very worried about her.
We left Aix at 1000H because her appointment will be at 1130H. We took the Metro from her place going to Centerville then walked a little bit to the bus station going to Marseille. The ride to Marseille was about less than twenty minutes and it was uneventful.
Wwe got to Marseille early so we still have time to take pictures at the Central Bus Station and at the streets and subways of Marseille as well as the sceneries nearby. We took a subway going to the hospital and we came out near the La Concepcion Hospital.
We then went to locate the Radiology and Imaging Department then register for Doreen's appointment. She was then helped and prepared for the biopsy at the scanner room and I waited patiently outside the room. It was a boring and long wait yet my apprehensions and worries were surmounting for my beloved friend. I was wishing and hoping to all the saints that I've known seeking and pleading help for her wellness. I wished I could be at her side at that moment yet nobody is allowed to be there except for the patient.
The procedure lasted almost like two hours and when she got out of the room it was almost 1400H. She was quite limping and grimacing slyly when she got out of the scanner room trying to hide her pain with her impish smile. I was quite worried about her so I asked her if she's ok or did she had her last pain injection before she got out of the room, or does she need to rest for a while, or was she hungry. I was the one worried for her like a wrecked and disoriented psycho.
I asked her about the procedure if it was painful. She then blurted into a loud laugh and told me that it was ticklish. I told her if she had an idea how big the needle it was used because I know it's as big as a pencil although she'll get an anesthesia yet it looks gruellingly painful for me. She was just smiling and balling at my apprehensions.
In a few minutes, her French friend Catherine came to pick us up. She'll be heading to Aix so she volunteered to gave us a ride to prevent Doreen to walk so much after the biopsy procedure. The drive back to Aix was fast and uneventful with Doreen talking and entertaining Catherine while she was driving. I listened to them talking in French and I was so fascinated with the accent they are exchanging. It was just a classical music to my ears.
When we got to Aix's Centerville, we went down the car and thanked Catherine greatly for the nice and smooth drive. We then walked up a little bit around the place and looked for something to eat. We went to "The Cupcake Place" and ordered a salad and bagel sandwich stuffed with veggies and roast beef. After we stuffed ourselves we then went to the supermarket and bought some ingredients for the chopsuey which we will intend to cook for dinner.
We hurriedly shopped for those ingredients because Shelley will pick us up at the supermarket because she was on her way to pick up her car at the Mercedes dealership after it was ready for some minor repairs.
At the car, Shelley was asking Doreen about the biopsy looking so apprehensive like me. Then there were the two of us worried about her. She says and assured us that she was okay although she has quite a little pain felt because the pain medicine she took earlier was weaning down.
When we arrived at her appartment I made sure she was rested well while I do the cooking. I made sure she took her medicine and made her settled but she still kept yacking and talking at me. She told me that the pain was very imminent now and I told her that it's like that because of the boring process they did to her pelvic bone to take the specimen. It will probably take a day or two for the pain to go away.
After I finished cooking the chopsuey we then have dinner and talked a little bit more then I advised her to get some rest while I do some uploading of my pics in Facebook.
It was quite a very anxious trip because of Doreen's fragile condition yet I am hoping the result will be promising when it will be revealed in ten days. Another challenging day for us yet we got to face it and managed to make some intelligent humor to it. That's quite a brave way of facing challenges in life and it was effective after all.
I also watched some on my favorite Filipino telenovelas. The one that I am eagerly trying to see and follow is the "100 Days To Heaven" which is almost close to it's end. I got to see a glimpse of it in a few minutes because the signal at Doreen's apartment is very bad. At least I get to know the jist of the novela which I will surely see in marathon when I get back to Los Angeles.
Today,me and Doreen woke up late at 0900H to go to Marseille because my friend will be having a bone biopsy. I am so worried with her because of her state of condition although she says she's okay. I am here to give her a moral support whatever it will become. That's all I can offer for her for now because I think she just doesn't to get me worried. Honestly, I am very worried about her.
We left Aix at 1000H because her appointment will be at 1130H. We took the Metro from her place going to Centerville then walked a little bit to the bus station going to Marseille. The ride to Marseille was about less than twenty minutes and it was uneventful.
Wwe got to Marseille early so we still have time to take pictures at the Central Bus Station and at the streets and subways of Marseille as well as the sceneries nearby. We took a subway going to the hospital and we came out near the La Concepcion Hospital.
We then went to locate the Radiology and Imaging Department then register for Doreen's appointment. She was then helped and prepared for the biopsy at the scanner room and I waited patiently outside the room. It was a boring and long wait yet my apprehensions and worries were surmounting for my beloved friend. I was wishing and hoping to all the saints that I've known seeking and pleading help for her wellness. I wished I could be at her side at that moment yet nobody is allowed to be there except for the patient.
The procedure lasted almost like two hours and when she got out of the room it was almost 1400H. She was quite limping and grimacing slyly when she got out of the scanner room trying to hide her pain with her impish smile. I was quite worried about her so I asked her if she's ok or did she had her last pain injection before she got out of the room, or does she need to rest for a while, or was she hungry. I was the one worried for her like a wrecked and disoriented psycho.
I asked her about the procedure if it was painful. She then blurted into a loud laugh and told me that it was ticklish. I told her if she had an idea how big the needle it was used because I know it's as big as a pencil although she'll get an anesthesia yet it looks gruellingly painful for me. She was just smiling and balling at my apprehensions.
In a few minutes, her French friend Catherine came to pick us up. She'll be heading to Aix so she volunteered to gave us a ride to prevent Doreen to walk so much after the biopsy procedure. The drive back to Aix was fast and uneventful with Doreen talking and entertaining Catherine while she was driving. I listened to them talking in French and I was so fascinated with the accent they are exchanging. It was just a classical music to my ears.
When we got to Aix's Centerville, we went down the car and thanked Catherine greatly for the nice and smooth drive. We then walked up a little bit around the place and looked for something to eat. We went to "The Cupcake Place" and ordered a salad and bagel sandwich stuffed with veggies and roast beef. After we stuffed ourselves we then went to the supermarket and bought some ingredients for the chopsuey which we will intend to cook for dinner.
We hurriedly shopped for those ingredients because Shelley will pick us up at the supermarket because she was on her way to pick up her car at the Mercedes dealership after it was ready for some minor repairs.
At the car, Shelley was asking Doreen about the biopsy looking so apprehensive like me. Then there were the two of us worried about her. She says and assured us that she was okay although she has quite a little pain felt because the pain medicine she took earlier was weaning down.
When we arrived at her appartment I made sure she was rested well while I do the cooking. I made sure she took her medicine and made her settled but she still kept yacking and talking at me. She told me that the pain was very imminent now and I told her that it's like that because of the boring process they did to her pelvic bone to take the specimen. It will probably take a day or two for the pain to go away.
After I finished cooking the chopsuey we then have dinner and talked a little bit more then I advised her to get some rest while I do some uploading of my pics in Facebook.
It was quite a very anxious trip because of Doreen's fragile condition yet I am hoping the result will be promising when it will be revealed in ten days. Another challenging day for us yet we got to face it and managed to make some intelligent humor to it. That's quite a brave way of facing challenges in life and it was effective after all.
Back To Aix-en-Provence
October 17, 2011: It was a chilly and quite foggy Monday morning in Paris when I woke up at Arno's apartment readying myself for the trip back to Aix-en-Provence. I missed this place a lot, the seat of my memories during my vacation last year missing the marketplace and the Centerville as well as the gorgeous people it has. Can't wait to see it again!
Arno drove us at the train station and helped us pushing with our luggages at the subway. He was very patient to help us with our luggages despite he had a meeting to attend that morning. I really admire his tenacity to join us at the last minute. He's a rare French person whom I know with a very kind heart, professional attitude and personality, quiet yet witty conversations, and has a lot of sense of humor which is the best I've seen so far with him. Surely, I will miss his camarederie and friendship.
We separated at the Gare Lyon Station subway and we bade our thank you's and good bye's with mixed emotions that we will be seeing each other again. Oh... I really hate saying good byes. We exchanges hugs and kisses then we disbanded because he has a meeting to catch which he was already late. We waved at each other for the last time. Doreen appears lonely when he left and I presume he is, too. They look cute with each other.
We then went up and came out at the street level locating the train station and the ticket booth to buy the ticket to Aix-en-Provence. Our companion at the elevator appears lost like us. Hahahaha. The emotional turmoil of missing and leaving Arno in Paris that time was been shaken by my excitement to go back to the southern part of France.
When we got the ticket we hurried to look for our train which was about to leave at that moment. We settled our luggages at the entrance then look for our assigned seats. We have a somewhat forty-ish looking neighbor at the booth and across were a young couple with their todller daughter. They were not smiling at us. It seems that they are not very friendly at all. Well, at least we tried to be very friendly with them by smiling but we got an unfriendly gesture. We just slept off our fatigue and woke up hungry.
We went up to the second level and looked for the cafeteria and grabbed something to gooble at. When we were back to our seats the old guy were laying house plans and notes about architecture on the table. I presumed he is an architect judging with what he is busy doing right now. On the other side the baby was been settled with her bottle and both parents were doodling on their respective phones.
Three hours after, the train stopped at Avignon and some people alighted and eagerly met their families at the platform. The family and the architect on our booth also went down at Avignon Station leaving me and Doreen all alone on our own, free to do and talk stuff that we could understand as well as view the beautiful French countryside.
After less than an hour we also alighted at Aix-en-Provence. I was so giddy to go home and met Shelley. We then waited for the bus to come and settled our luggages and head to the center of Aix. We went down at the Centerville and took the taxi going to Shelley's mansion. At last we came back home safe and sound in AIx-en-Provence.
When we arrived Shelley welcomed us with big hugs and kisses as well as prepared some coffee and we then sipped some at the garden and talked about our happenings in Paris and Barcelona. Doreen did the talking because I felt so shy to open up about everything but eventually I started talking and contributing to the conversation.
After the coffee break we then helped Michael took off the Venetian black crystal chandelier at the dining room in preparation for the kitchen renovations and constructions which will start the next day. We took careful planning to remove the expensive Venetian glass chandelier but when we're about to lay it down on the floor I felt something popped on my right palm where I was holding and cupping the big black bowl. Because of the weight of the whole thing the bowl gave way and shattered on my palms to bits at the base.
Michael was a bit frustrated about it but Shelley cooled him down and assured him that it's only a damn expensive glass but replaceable. I felt bad about it, too, but it was an accident. I can't blame Michael to be upset because it was really a very expensive chandelier. He said he should have planned it well before transferring the thing or at least dismantled everything before taking it off from the ceiling. But it was too late already and the damage was already done.
Oh well, so much of the bad stuff. Life is always like that. Bad stuff and good stuff intermingle to make it a lot meaningful. It would be boring if it's always good stuff or just bad stuff. Life must be weighed in all the time.
At least we're here in Aix-en-Provence in good hands and spirits. More adventure awaiting for us. At least we get to prepare ourselves for what's in store. I'm still excited to be here and enjoying as well as expecting that my vacation will be adventure-filled and fun!
Arno drove us at the train station and helped us pushing with our luggages at the subway. He was very patient to help us with our luggages despite he had a meeting to attend that morning. I really admire his tenacity to join us at the last minute. He's a rare French person whom I know with a very kind heart, professional attitude and personality, quiet yet witty conversations, and has a lot of sense of humor which is the best I've seen so far with him. Surely, I will miss his camarederie and friendship.
We separated at the Gare Lyon Station subway and we bade our thank you's and good bye's with mixed emotions that we will be seeing each other again. Oh... I really hate saying good byes. We exchanges hugs and kisses then we disbanded because he has a meeting to catch which he was already late. We waved at each other for the last time. Doreen appears lonely when he left and I presume he is, too. They look cute with each other.
We then went up and came out at the street level locating the train station and the ticket booth to buy the ticket to Aix-en-Provence. Our companion at the elevator appears lost like us. Hahahaha. The emotional turmoil of missing and leaving Arno in Paris that time was been shaken by my excitement to go back to the southern part of France.
When we got the ticket we hurried to look for our train which was about to leave at that moment. We settled our luggages at the entrance then look for our assigned seats. We have a somewhat forty-ish looking neighbor at the booth and across were a young couple with their todller daughter. They were not smiling at us. It seems that they are not very friendly at all. Well, at least we tried to be very friendly with them by smiling but we got an unfriendly gesture. We just slept off our fatigue and woke up hungry.
We went up to the second level and looked for the cafeteria and grabbed something to gooble at. When we were back to our seats the old guy were laying house plans and notes about architecture on the table. I presumed he is an architect judging with what he is busy doing right now. On the other side the baby was been settled with her bottle and both parents were doodling on their respective phones.
Three hours after, the train stopped at Avignon and some people alighted and eagerly met their families at the platform. The family and the architect on our booth also went down at Avignon Station leaving me and Doreen all alone on our own, free to do and talk stuff that we could understand as well as view the beautiful French countryside.
After less than an hour we also alighted at Aix-en-Provence. I was so giddy to go home and met Shelley. We then waited for the bus to come and settled our luggages and head to the center of Aix. We went down at the Centerville and took the taxi going to Shelley's mansion. At last we came back home safe and sound in AIx-en-Provence.
When we arrived Shelley welcomed us with big hugs and kisses as well as prepared some coffee and we then sipped some at the garden and talked about our happenings in Paris and Barcelona. Doreen did the talking because I felt so shy to open up about everything but eventually I started talking and contributing to the conversation.
After the coffee break we then helped Michael took off the Venetian black crystal chandelier at the dining room in preparation for the kitchen renovations and constructions which will start the next day. We took careful planning to remove the expensive Venetian glass chandelier but when we're about to lay it down on the floor I felt something popped on my right palm where I was holding and cupping the big black bowl. Because of the weight of the whole thing the bowl gave way and shattered on my palms to bits at the base.
Michael was a bit frustrated about it but Shelley cooled him down and assured him that it's only a damn expensive glass but replaceable. I felt bad about it, too, but it was an accident. I can't blame Michael to be upset because it was really a very expensive chandelier. He said he should have planned it well before transferring the thing or at least dismantled everything before taking it off from the ceiling. But it was too late already and the damage was already done.
Oh well, so much of the bad stuff. Life is always like that. Bad stuff and good stuff intermingle to make it a lot meaningful. It would be boring if it's always good stuff or just bad stuff. Life must be weighed in all the time.
At least we're here in Aix-en-Provence in good hands and spirits. More adventure awaiting for us. At least we get to prepare ourselves for what's in store. I'm still excited to be here and enjoying as well as expecting that my vacation will be adventure-filled and fun!
Monday, October 17, 2011
My Last Day In Barcelona
October 16, 2011: My last day in Barcelona was started by a gloomy Sunday morning. I woke up with my two legs extremely sore at the calf and feet and tense from too much walking from yesterday's sightseeing and with a slight hang-over from too much drinking of the ever palatable yet addicting sangria just made with a Barcelona twist.
I got up of my soft hotel bed and filled the tub with warm water thinking that it will vasodilate my tight muscles and increase the circulation to that area. I soaked myself in the bubbled tub for almost one hour and then voila.... it's magical to feel that the warm tub bath had helped relieved my aches and pains slightly. As if I am new and whole again ready to rumble and face what is in store for me today.
I went down at the hotel lobby to check my emails as well as my Facebook account which was been lagged down for almost a week now. My email was been full of messages and I started to weed out the unimportant ones and tagged them as a spam.
We checked out at the hotel before 1200H then we headed to Mt. Montjuic with our travel light backpacks. We took the Metro and came out at the hub near Plaza Espanyol and there we peruse a lot of places that we haven't been for the past two days.
The sun had eventually came out on this quite balmy midday but the cool breeze of the Catalonian air quite compensated the sunny weather. We roam around the Plaza Espanyol area and took some of the last batches of pictures of the famous buildings and historic edifices as well as some of the interesting places around the area.
The highlight of our visit was the "Poble Espanyol" which was a very famous tourist spot in Barcelona. "Poble Espanyol" was a gaudy place in the area depicting the old time "puebla" in a Spanish language. It depicts a small town equipped with a plaza, church, parks, marketplace, and restaurants. I took a lot of pictures of it for my online album.
We decided to have lunch there for the last time. Since Arno decided to order a local white wine I opted to order a charcoal grilled chicken menu which was good. Then we were so giddy and anxious after that because we were about one-hour-and-a-half hour more for our plane departure and we were still somewhere in Barcelona far from the airport.
We cheerfully asked the guard at the exit of the poble what's the fastest way to get to the airport then we hastily walked towards the Plaza Espanyol Centerville and took the light blue bus as instructed by the guard at poble to drop us off at the airport in a nick of time.
We arrived at the airport just barely one hour before our flight. We then lined up to the check in area and have us inspected at the security check line and then I got caught with my BB&B lotion inside my backpack which they had eventually confiscated. I eventually accepted and resigned to leave the lotion for me to catch up the plain on time but my feelings was been touched of losing the lotion that I really liked. I then decided to just buy a small lotion at the Occitaine when we get to Aix-en-Provence.
The trip back to Paris via a RyanAir flight to Beauvais was an uneventful one. We arrived in Beauvais safe and sound. It was already 1930H when we arrived there and the weather was still nippy contrasting the humid weather we left in Barcelona.
When we located Arno's car at the airport's parking lot we then headed back to Paris taking the 80 miles trip back. It was quite a long trip back to Paris because of the thick and heavy Sunday traffic along the way. I think Arno had missed some few exits that's why it took us a few hours drive on the road.
We arrived at Arno's place at almost 2100H and we all look tired and fatigued. Though this weekend escapade was full of fun and everlasting memories and unforgettable moments I couldn't forget with my friends, I am so happy we have decided to go there in the first place. My heart was filled with unexplainable joy spending time with Arno and Doreen and I will always treasure this experience and memory.
Although I was extremely tired I can still vividly recall what had happened on my weekend trip to Barcelona with my close knit friends. All I can say is that nothing can even change and erase my experiences there. It was a fabulous yet a very educational escapade. An experience nobody can buy, equal, or fathom. Oh how I love to be back there again if given another good opportunity.
The people, the places, the Spanish ambiance is quite apart from the atmosphere in Paris. Both places have different meaning in my heart yet left a big mark in my soul. Thank God I had the opportunity to visit these two place and enjoyed what it has to offer. There I proved my point. Good night guys!
I got up of my soft hotel bed and filled the tub with warm water thinking that it will vasodilate my tight muscles and increase the circulation to that area. I soaked myself in the bubbled tub for almost one hour and then voila.... it's magical to feel that the warm tub bath had helped relieved my aches and pains slightly. As if I am new and whole again ready to rumble and face what is in store for me today.
I went down at the hotel lobby to check my emails as well as my Facebook account which was been lagged down for almost a week now. My email was been full of messages and I started to weed out the unimportant ones and tagged them as a spam.
We checked out at the hotel before 1200H then we headed to Mt. Montjuic with our travel light backpacks. We took the Metro and came out at the hub near Plaza Espanyol and there we peruse a lot of places that we haven't been for the past two days.
The sun had eventually came out on this quite balmy midday but the cool breeze of the Catalonian air quite compensated the sunny weather. We roam around the Plaza Espanyol area and took some of the last batches of pictures of the famous buildings and historic edifices as well as some of the interesting places around the area.
The highlight of our visit was the "Poble Espanyol" which was a very famous tourist spot in Barcelona. "Poble Espanyol" was a gaudy place in the area depicting the old time "puebla" in a Spanish language. It depicts a small town equipped with a plaza, church, parks, marketplace, and restaurants. I took a lot of pictures of it for my online album.
We decided to have lunch there for the last time. Since Arno decided to order a local white wine I opted to order a charcoal grilled chicken menu which was good. Then we were so giddy and anxious after that because we were about one-hour-and-a-half hour more for our plane departure and we were still somewhere in Barcelona far from the airport.
We cheerfully asked the guard at the exit of the poble what's the fastest way to get to the airport then we hastily walked towards the Plaza Espanyol Centerville and took the light blue bus as instructed by the guard at poble to drop us off at the airport in a nick of time.
We arrived at the airport just barely one hour before our flight. We then lined up to the check in area and have us inspected at the security check line and then I got caught with my BB&B lotion inside my backpack which they had eventually confiscated. I eventually accepted and resigned to leave the lotion for me to catch up the plain on time but my feelings was been touched of losing the lotion that I really liked. I then decided to just buy a small lotion at the Occitaine when we get to Aix-en-Provence.
The trip back to Paris via a RyanAir flight to Beauvais was an uneventful one. We arrived in Beauvais safe and sound. It was already 1930H when we arrived there and the weather was still nippy contrasting the humid weather we left in Barcelona.
When we located Arno's car at the airport's parking lot we then headed back to Paris taking the 80 miles trip back. It was quite a long trip back to Paris because of the thick and heavy Sunday traffic along the way. I think Arno had missed some few exits that's why it took us a few hours drive on the road.
We arrived at Arno's place at almost 2100H and we all look tired and fatigued. Though this weekend escapade was full of fun and everlasting memories and unforgettable moments I couldn't forget with my friends, I am so happy we have decided to go there in the first place. My heart was filled with unexplainable joy spending time with Arno and Doreen and I will always treasure this experience and memory.
Although I was extremely tired I can still vividly recall what had happened on my weekend trip to Barcelona with my close knit friends. All I can say is that nothing can even change and erase my experiences there. It was a fabulous yet a very educational escapade. An experience nobody can buy, equal, or fathom. Oh how I love to be back there again if given another good opportunity.
The people, the places, the Spanish ambiance is quite apart from the atmosphere in Paris. Both places have different meaning in my heart yet left a big mark in my soul. Thank God I had the opportunity to visit these two place and enjoyed what it has to offer. There I proved my point. Good night guys!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Weekend In Barcelona
October 14 - 16, 2011: As I'm trying to get rid of my jet lag for three days I am ready for another adventure. After roaming Paris for three days we finally decided to leave Paris and have a bright sunny weekend in Barcelona.
My friend's friend Arno had arranged for this trip keeping in mind that my trip will be full of adventure and fun. Thanks Arno for this kind gesture. And your hospitality is over the top for a French guy like you. Hehehe. I greatly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I will not forget this experience that you have shared with me and my friend Doreen. I would gladly like to return the favor if ever you wanted to visit United States.
On a rush-hour Paris traffic of a Thursday afternoon, Arno drove his blue Peugeot sedan to a nearby town of Beauvais where we will board a local airplane called RyanAir. Beauvais is about 80 miles from the busy highways of Paris. All I can remember is the long tunnel we passed by which took Arno to drive for about 12 minutes. The French countryside from Paris to Beauvais was also fascinating with rows of plowed farms and small brick houses.
We left Beauvais at 1930H and was been suspended on air for about one-and-a-half hours going to the city of Barcelona. When we left the weather in France was kind of nippy so I have to wear a jacket and a scarf but when we got to the city of Barcelona the warm and humid air of the city greeted us fiercely with eagerness.
It was already almost midnight when we arrived in Barcelona. Our hotel was still far from the airport so we have to do a lot of searching and walking until we located the Metro which was very convenient for us to use. We stayed at a very nice and contemporary hotel called Rafael Hoteles. It was a very plush hotel and it was very comfortable to stay at. We stayed overnight to rest preparing for another adventure the next day.
The next morning, which is a Friday, we're all charged up and we're all ready to browse the city of Barcelona. We decided to go to La Sagrada Familia Cathedral first. Right after we got out of the Metro a wonderful sight had greeted us peeping from the early morning sunshine of the clear blue skies.
The church was a very fascinating site from the Metro exit and awesomely wonderful to look at. The artistic impressions it presents to the tourists and the locals from afar was very unique from a different period of time. I can sense that the artist himself was weird in his style but left an indelible perspective on the eyes of the audience and passersby. It was quite impressive!
We lined up the long standing line until we got to the innards of the church trying to browse the different arts, paintings, sculptures, reliefs, and structures of the church. We get to know how Antoni Gaudi came up with the idea of putting Gothic and Baroque arts in the realm of artistic science. Unique and magnificent yet pleasing to the naked eye!
After we got tired of roaming the church we went to the Diagonal District to see "The Pedreras" which is another edifice put up by Antoni Gaudi. The building was very intricate yet another unique structure definitive of Gaudi's stylistic and artistic architectural prowess. Because we're in a hurry we didn't got the chance to go up the rooftop because the line was long.
From there we went around the Diagonal District and saw some more structural buildings famous around Barcelona. We then decided to just walk around and continued down the Catalunya Area and trekking the "The Ramblas". We kept trodding the "The Ramblas" towards the beach and we decided to eat from there first because our stomach was been growling already. We chewed on some tapas, which is famous in Barcelona, and drunk some good beer. It was quite a good and tasteful lunch for us.
After the chowdown we then continued walking towards the beach and I took more pictures along the way. We passed by the Barcelona Cathedral and I've took more pictures of the church. After that we decided to go to Playa Barceloneta and enjoyed the windy and salty breeze of the beach. Arno couldn't control and resist his excitement and he stripped and plunged himself into the inviting clear blue cold water.
We also strolled around the beach until we got tired. We didn't even realized it was already 2100H so we decided to look for a place to eat and drink. We finally found a good and affordable place so we helped ourselves settled in. We ordered the best seafood paella I ever tasted and the best sangria in town that could blow your mind away and forget ourself that we are on a wonderful vacation. The paella and the sangria were the bomb combination! We finished three pitchers of sangria which got us too tipsy to go home especially me.
The night ended when we went back to the hotel almost close to midnight still talking and laughing about our day while we rode on the Metro going to Badalona where our hotel was located. Another day had passed and another day in the morning awaits. We slept off our fatigue but keeping the memories of the day as we succumb to a very refreshing slumber not minding what will be waiting for us the next day.
Day two of our weekend escape in Barcelona, a Saturday, we started our day with a brunch at the hotel at 1100H. Then after that we took the Metro and headed to Park Gruel, another artistic creation of Gaudi. Upon exiting the Metro we trekked a long way going up the hill until we located the famous Barcelona park.
The park was huge and there were alot of sculptural structures found with intricate trimmings definitive of Gaudi styles alone. Barcelona was been saturated by Gaudi's artworks which even lured millions of tourist around the globe. Thanks to this very quiet but quite impressive artist which catapulted Barcelona in the realm of art and architecture around the world and was been a subject in various books of arts.
After we strolled the park Arno decided to go back to Playa Barceloneta to swim and plunge himself on the inviting beach because he feels this will be the last part of the year that he can enjoy the waters of Barcelona. I decided to separate with them and strolled the city on my own while they headed to the beach.
I decided to go back to "The Pedreras" to see the well-known sculptures on the rooftop that made the edifice famous and also was made as a UNESCO cultural and historic structure. I bought a ticket for the entrance and had browsed the building trying to quench my thirst and filling my eyes to a brim of satisfaction. It was a very intimate and magical moment for me trying to commune with my impressions about the different kinds of arts I found at that rooftop. It made me a freeman and a connoiseur of arts. Can't really complain.
When I got out of the building the streets of Diagonal District until the Catalunya Area were packed with demonstrators for a labor union rally. I then continued to walk around and located the building of Battlo and Armentia and took several pictures then I headed to the University of Barcelona in the Universitat District. From there I strolled down to Catalunya Area and went to get the Metro because the streets were packed of the rallyists.
I exited the Arc de Triumph outlet and continued walking around taking pictures and trek the road heading to the Playa Barceloneta to meet Doreen and Arno where they went swimming at the beach.
It was already close to 2000H when we met and we decided to go back to the "The Ramblas" and look for a restaurant to gobble and terminate our hunger. We found this authentic tapas restaurant and ordered tapas and drinks. After the dinner we decided to look for a tavern and listen for a live jazz show. We ordered more drinks and satisfactorily listened to a blues band playing inside the pub.
When we got out there we were very tired, drunk, and sore. We still managed to walk a little more farther to take the Metro going to Badalona District and walked few more blocks towards the hotel.
The day ended very good despite of my sore feet, shin, calf, and thighs. I really think I need a good massage. I then decided to fill up my tub with warm water and soaked myself until I fell asleep. When I woke up at 0200H I felt very relieved of extreme muscle pain and soreness and fell asleep trying to savor what had happened today whether a bad or good situation happened.
All in all, I am all satisfied with the results of our roaming around Barcelona. Tomorrow will be another promising day I think. Can't wait to see what will happen but meanwhile I just wanted to retire and nurse myself with a very gratifying and satisfying sleep. Buenas noches mi amigos!
My friend's friend Arno had arranged for this trip keeping in mind that my trip will be full of adventure and fun. Thanks Arno for this kind gesture. And your hospitality is over the top for a French guy like you. Hehehe. I greatly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I will not forget this experience that you have shared with me and my friend Doreen. I would gladly like to return the favor if ever you wanted to visit United States.
On a rush-hour Paris traffic of a Thursday afternoon, Arno drove his blue Peugeot sedan to a nearby town of Beauvais where we will board a local airplane called RyanAir. Beauvais is about 80 miles from the busy highways of Paris. All I can remember is the long tunnel we passed by which took Arno to drive for about 12 minutes. The French countryside from Paris to Beauvais was also fascinating with rows of plowed farms and small brick houses.
We left Beauvais at 1930H and was been suspended on air for about one-and-a-half hours going to the city of Barcelona. When we left the weather in France was kind of nippy so I have to wear a jacket and a scarf but when we got to the city of Barcelona the warm and humid air of the city greeted us fiercely with eagerness.
It was already almost midnight when we arrived in Barcelona. Our hotel was still far from the airport so we have to do a lot of searching and walking until we located the Metro which was very convenient for us to use. We stayed at a very nice and contemporary hotel called Rafael Hoteles. It was a very plush hotel and it was very comfortable to stay at. We stayed overnight to rest preparing for another adventure the next day.
The next morning, which is a Friday, we're all charged up and we're all ready to browse the city of Barcelona. We decided to go to La Sagrada Familia Cathedral first. Right after we got out of the Metro a wonderful sight had greeted us peeping from the early morning sunshine of the clear blue skies.
The church was a very fascinating site from the Metro exit and awesomely wonderful to look at. The artistic impressions it presents to the tourists and the locals from afar was very unique from a different period of time. I can sense that the artist himself was weird in his style but left an indelible perspective on the eyes of the audience and passersby. It was quite impressive!
We lined up the long standing line until we got to the innards of the church trying to browse the different arts, paintings, sculptures, reliefs, and structures of the church. We get to know how Antoni Gaudi came up with the idea of putting Gothic and Baroque arts in the realm of artistic science. Unique and magnificent yet pleasing to the naked eye!
After we got tired of roaming the church we went to the Diagonal District to see "The Pedreras" which is another edifice put up by Antoni Gaudi. The building was very intricate yet another unique structure definitive of Gaudi's stylistic and artistic architectural prowess. Because we're in a hurry we didn't got the chance to go up the rooftop because the line was long.
From there we went around the Diagonal District and saw some more structural buildings famous around Barcelona. We then decided to just walk around and continued down the Catalunya Area and trekking the "The Ramblas". We kept trodding the "The Ramblas" towards the beach and we decided to eat from there first because our stomach was been growling already. We chewed on some tapas, which is famous in Barcelona, and drunk some good beer. It was quite a good and tasteful lunch for us.
After the chowdown we then continued walking towards the beach and I took more pictures along the way. We passed by the Barcelona Cathedral and I've took more pictures of the church. After that we decided to go to Playa Barceloneta and enjoyed the windy and salty breeze of the beach. Arno couldn't control and resist his excitement and he stripped and plunged himself into the inviting clear blue cold water.
We also strolled around the beach until we got tired. We didn't even realized it was already 2100H so we decided to look for a place to eat and drink. We finally found a good and affordable place so we helped ourselves settled in. We ordered the best seafood paella I ever tasted and the best sangria in town that could blow your mind away and forget ourself that we are on a wonderful vacation. The paella and the sangria were the bomb combination! We finished three pitchers of sangria which got us too tipsy to go home especially me.
The night ended when we went back to the hotel almost close to midnight still talking and laughing about our day while we rode on the Metro going to Badalona where our hotel was located. Another day had passed and another day in the morning awaits. We slept off our fatigue but keeping the memories of the day as we succumb to a very refreshing slumber not minding what will be waiting for us the next day.
Day two of our weekend escape in Barcelona, a Saturday, we started our day with a brunch at the hotel at 1100H. Then after that we took the Metro and headed to Park Gruel, another artistic creation of Gaudi. Upon exiting the Metro we trekked a long way going up the hill until we located the famous Barcelona park.
The park was huge and there were alot of sculptural structures found with intricate trimmings definitive of Gaudi styles alone. Barcelona was been saturated by Gaudi's artworks which even lured millions of tourist around the globe. Thanks to this very quiet but quite impressive artist which catapulted Barcelona in the realm of art and architecture around the world and was been a subject in various books of arts.
After we strolled the park Arno decided to go back to Playa Barceloneta to swim and plunge himself on the inviting beach because he feels this will be the last part of the year that he can enjoy the waters of Barcelona. I decided to separate with them and strolled the city on my own while they headed to the beach.
I decided to go back to "The Pedreras" to see the well-known sculptures on the rooftop that made the edifice famous and also was made as a UNESCO cultural and historic structure. I bought a ticket for the entrance and had browsed the building trying to quench my thirst and filling my eyes to a brim of satisfaction. It was a very intimate and magical moment for me trying to commune with my impressions about the different kinds of arts I found at that rooftop. It made me a freeman and a connoiseur of arts. Can't really complain.
When I got out of the building the streets of Diagonal District until the Catalunya Area were packed with demonstrators for a labor union rally. I then continued to walk around and located the building of Battlo and Armentia and took several pictures then I headed to the University of Barcelona in the Universitat District. From there I strolled down to Catalunya Area and went to get the Metro because the streets were packed of the rallyists.
I exited the Arc de Triumph outlet and continued walking around taking pictures and trek the road heading to the Playa Barceloneta to meet Doreen and Arno where they went swimming at the beach.
It was already close to 2000H when we met and we decided to go back to the "The Ramblas" and look for a restaurant to gobble and terminate our hunger. We found this authentic tapas restaurant and ordered tapas and drinks. After the dinner we decided to look for a tavern and listen for a live jazz show. We ordered more drinks and satisfactorily listened to a blues band playing inside the pub.
When we got out there we were very tired, drunk, and sore. We still managed to walk a little more farther to take the Metro going to Badalona District and walked few more blocks towards the hotel.
The day ended very good despite of my sore feet, shin, calf, and thighs. I really think I need a good massage. I then decided to fill up my tub with warm water and soaked myself until I fell asleep. When I woke up at 0200H I felt very relieved of extreme muscle pain and soreness and fell asleep trying to savor what had happened today whether a bad or good situation happened.
All in all, I am all satisfied with the results of our roaming around Barcelona. Tomorrow will be another promising day I think. Can't wait to see what will happen but meanwhile I just wanted to retire and nurse myself with a very gratifying and satisfying sleep. Buenas noches mi amigos!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Trip Back to Paris
October 10, 2011: Hi guys! It's been a long time that I haven't blog here. My apologies for that. No offense but I am always busy with work juggling two jobs at a time. I don't know why I am killing myself. May be I was just saving for the rainy days. Hope you'll understand.
But anyway, I am back here and I am on my three weeks sojourn to Europe. So I hope I can have so much time blogging off my adventures here just like before. And I hope I will enjoy it, away from the worries of work and the harsh realities of life in Los Angeles living alone away from the family.
I embarked on my journey on a cold morning of October 10, 2011 in Los Angeles International Airport settling my luggages and myself at the United Airlines check-in counter bound for a three hour flight to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. I waited for an hour lay-over in Chicago and boarded a Continental Airlines 747 plane bound for an almost eight hour flight going to Charles De Gaul International Airport in Paris, France.
My excitement was mixed with apprehensions because right before I left Los Angeles I received a bad news that my big sister had a very messy and bitter divorce and she needed my help badly especially the financial help. I promised to help her but it seems that it was a bad timing because I was all set up for my long vacation. But even though I'm still worried about her and my nieces' and nephew's situation.
Despite of this big problem awaiting for me when I come back to Los Angeles I am still eager to make a very memorable and unforgettable adventure. I don't know where am I going in Paris but one thing for sure, me and my dear friend Doreen will go to Greece. So Greece here I come, Greece honey!
On the plane to Paris my seat was far at the back which even aggravated my apprehension because I hate sitting at the tail of the plane. I was about to complain at the flight attendant but when I saw my blue-eyed blonde young seat mate I immediately brushed off the idea.
I sheepishly located my seat and say hi to my handsome seat mate which he replied with a gorgeous warm smile, winking ice-blue-eyes, and a nice baritone "Hello!" Deep inside, I was melting and giggling but I still managed to act professionally and not to be too obvious. The flight went smoothly while we occasionally talked about work and other things related to life.
When we get to Paris we said our goodbyes and I thanked him for being so nice and a good conversationalist and glib talker. He told and hinted me what places to see in Paris and he occasionally talked to me in French which sounds like a sweet chirping nightingale to my ears.
I then claimed my luggages at the baggage claim area and then headed outside to wait for Doreen who is apparently on her way from Aix-en-Provence. I waited there for almost an hour and then she finally showed up looking so harassed from brushing her elbows trying to beat the traffic. She told me that her train got derailed because one of the train cables got damaged. I told her not to worry about it.
We then headed to take the train out of the airport and got out at Clamart where Arnou is waiting to pick us up. It was a very happy reunion. Arnou took us to his apartment after some welcome hugs and kisses and drop us off there while he went back to work. At last I was back to Paris in good hands and met my good friends Doreen and Arnou for the second time.
I was happy to be back here at this very romantic and illuminating city famous for it's bright lights and lovable people. I can't wait to venture again on it's busy streets and enjoy this cold gloomy weather.
Where else in the world I should be? Paris..... here I am the second time around. Oh how I wish I could live here permanently to escape the busy and harsh reality of my Los Angeles life. Can't complain because I am here now. Who knows what's in store for me here in three weeks. I am ready for what ever it is and what ever it takes. Let the journey begin my dear friends!
But anyway, I am back here and I am on my three weeks sojourn to Europe. So I hope I can have so much time blogging off my adventures here just like before. And I hope I will enjoy it, away from the worries of work and the harsh realities of life in Los Angeles living alone away from the family.
I embarked on my journey on a cold morning of October 10, 2011 in Los Angeles International Airport settling my luggages and myself at the United Airlines check-in counter bound for a three hour flight to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. I waited for an hour lay-over in Chicago and boarded a Continental Airlines 747 plane bound for an almost eight hour flight going to Charles De Gaul International Airport in Paris, France.
My excitement was mixed with apprehensions because right before I left Los Angeles I received a bad news that my big sister had a very messy and bitter divorce and she needed my help badly especially the financial help. I promised to help her but it seems that it was a bad timing because I was all set up for my long vacation. But even though I'm still worried about her and my nieces' and nephew's situation.
Despite of this big problem awaiting for me when I come back to Los Angeles I am still eager to make a very memorable and unforgettable adventure. I don't know where am I going in Paris but one thing for sure, me and my dear friend Doreen will go to Greece. So Greece here I come, Greece honey!
On the plane to Paris my seat was far at the back which even aggravated my apprehension because I hate sitting at the tail of the plane. I was about to complain at the flight attendant but when I saw my blue-eyed blonde young seat mate I immediately brushed off the idea.
I sheepishly located my seat and say hi to my handsome seat mate which he replied with a gorgeous warm smile, winking ice-blue-eyes, and a nice baritone "Hello!" Deep inside, I was melting and giggling but I still managed to act professionally and not to be too obvious. The flight went smoothly while we occasionally talked about work and other things related to life.
When we get to Paris we said our goodbyes and I thanked him for being so nice and a good conversationalist and glib talker. He told and hinted me what places to see in Paris and he occasionally talked to me in French which sounds like a sweet chirping nightingale to my ears.
I then claimed my luggages at the baggage claim area and then headed outside to wait for Doreen who is apparently on her way from Aix-en-Provence. I waited there for almost an hour and then she finally showed up looking so harassed from brushing her elbows trying to beat the traffic. She told me that her train got derailed because one of the train cables got damaged. I told her not to worry about it.
We then headed to take the train out of the airport and got out at Clamart where Arnou is waiting to pick us up. It was a very happy reunion. Arnou took us to his apartment after some welcome hugs and kisses and drop us off there while he went back to work. At last I was back to Paris in good hands and met my good friends Doreen and Arnou for the second time.
I was happy to be back here at this very romantic and illuminating city famous for it's bright lights and lovable people. I can't wait to venture again on it's busy streets and enjoy this cold gloomy weather.
Where else in the world I should be? Paris..... here I am the second time around. Oh how I wish I could live here permanently to escape the busy and harsh reality of my Los Angeles life. Can't complain because I am here now. Who knows what's in store for me here in three weeks. I am ready for what ever it is and what ever it takes. Let the journey begin my dear friends!
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