Travel With Betsy

Indecision is a terrible thing…and, sometimes really inconvenient. But, there are also some pleasant surprises when changes are made. Here’s my story.

When we were doing our initial planning for the trip, Mike and I decided that we would arrive in Berlin on October 1. We purchased our airline tickets (with frequent flyer miles) and made hotel arrangements to reflect this time frame.

Then, the opportunity came for Mike to leave a little early to spend some time with his friend in Italy, so, he changed his ticket. Then, I decided that I would go business class, which meant that I needed to change my ticket and come earlier than planned, as well. This meant that instead of arriving in Berlin on October 1, as originally planned, we would be here on September 30. Now the dilemma…..what to do about the hotel for the first 2 nights. Seemed like an easy solution to me….just book another 2 nights at the same hotel. Easier said than done, I discovered….

When I plan a trip, I use a variety of search engines to look for the best hotels at the cheapest rate. (You may remember from earlier blogs that we are all about the deal!) So, I do the due diligence in order to get the best rate. The deal that I got on the hotel for Berlin was one of my best efforts! Very proud! If there were an academy award for getting the best deal, I would surely have gotten it on this one! A 5 star hotel for the price of a 3 star! Can’t beat that!

When the itinerary changes came up, I figured that I could get the same rate (or at least a comparable rate) for the 2 nights that I had to front load. Should be a snap. Well, when I really got into the swing of the search, the best deal I could get was about $100 per night more than the nights of my great deal. HMMMM……as Mike says, “c’est tout fille”…”too much”. This is a long sojourn. Why spend all of our budget on the first leg of the trip?! So, I booked the Marriott Courtyard for the first 2 nights. Again, great deal….got the senior rate, one of the few benefits of aging! What that meant, however, is that we would have to pack up and move to another hotel in the same city after the second night. Not ideal, but definitely doable.

So, on Monday, we moved from the Marriott to our new hotel for the next 4 nights. Spent a good part of the day doing it, too. It was worth it, though. Definitely a move up!

Our reward is a truly great 5 star hotel with every perk you can think of…not for free, of course, but still available. There is fee WiFi, though! YIPPEE!! This is the best hotel we will have on the whole trip, I’m certain. Our location is quite different, as well. We are now in the west side of Berlin, as opposed to the central area, which was in earlier times, part of east Berlin. (Who’s on first?!)

As you know, the whole story of Berlin revolves around the fact that it was a divided city for a very long time. After WWII, it was divided into 4 sections and then into 2. The western allies controlled the west side of Berlin and the Russians controlled the east side. There was no movement from side to side allowed, which was not a problem for the West Berliners. No one wanted to go to the east side, anyway. But, people who were near the dividing line couldn’t speak to their neighbors across the street because they were on different sides. People were so desperate to escape this oppression, that they frequently tried to escape over the line, sometimes successfully. The economy on the east side began to suffer, so the Russians, literally overnight, built the Berlin wall as a physical divider. Silly, really, but quite effective. Now some people couldn’t even see their neighbors across the street. People still tried to escape, but it was much more difficult and most were killed as they did so. There are many monuments in the city that remember those who were killed trying to escape. Over time, as you might guess, the east side of Berlin lost ground economically. The west side was much more vital.

After the wall came down, an effort was made to revitalize east Berlin. These days, east Berlin is the area that is noted as the place to be and be seen. It’s really developing with new shops, restaurants, etc. and has a vibrant, “new” feel. Until recently, there has been less attention on West Berlin, making this area now feel a little dated and tired. In the last years, however, West Berlin has been coming back into its own. Our hotel and the surrounding area definitely reflect this.

We are right outside of the K’damm, which is a street somewhat like the Champs d’Elysee in Paris. All kinds of upscale shopping and eating opportunities. We have spent lots of time there window shopping. What a great section! There is even a BMW storefront that is showcasing the new electric BMW. In addition to his train fetish, Mike also has a strong interest in cars. So, we, of course, have already visited the BMW store. The friendly people there treated us to coffee and a cookie. It was free….all we had to do was fill out a survey. We can do this! Anything for a free treat!

Yesterday, Gene and Carrie, our travel buddies, arrived. We are very excited to have them join us! After we got them fed yesterday, we headed out to the U bahn station to get our train passes validated and to purchase some tickets for travel on the public transportation here in the city. Now, we are ready to do some serious exploration of the area! Fun times!

We have a busy itinerary for today, which includes a concert this evening in the Kulturforum, which is touted as one of the best venues, acoustically, in the world. The Berliner Philharmonic will be playing, also world renowned. Really looking forward to this!

I’ll give you a full report tomorrow. Moving right along….in West Berlin!

Cheers!

Before I left for my trip, a friend of mine asked me, “What’s the one thing that stands out for you when you travel? Is there one thing that you enjoy the most?”

I had to give this some thought. There are so many things that make travel meaningful for me, that it would be hard to pick just one thing. But, as I review my experiences, there is a common thread that bubbles up to the top. “It’s the food.” Some of my fondest memories of trips revolve around eating….or not, the locations of places that I have eaten, the experiences I have had while eating, the people I have met at restaurants, the food itself, and sometimes all of these things together. I like to “connect” with people and places and fully immerse myself in the culture of the areas that I visit. Food is such a big part of the local culture that it acts as a “connector” in many ways. It helps one understand the lifestyles of the local people and their history and, many times, reflects the forward progress of the local area through the variety of restaurants and foods that area available. Food can tell you a lot about an area…..and is just plain fun!

On the first days of the trip here in Berlin, I have already made some connections through food. Berlin, as it turns out, has a wide variety of restaurants available. In the last years since the wall was taken down, Berlin has evolved as a real culinary center. Every type of ethnic food that you can imagine is available and there are several Michelin rated restaurants now. In fact, Mike thinks there are more Michelin rated restaurants here than in any other city. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but it’s quite an impressive collection. Berlin is making positive forward progress in food while managing to keep its traditional roots in place as well. Kudos!

Last night, we went to a typical German restaurant, a pub really, for our first dinner of the trip. I had forgotten how hearty the German food is…..and the beer. We both had a mound of spectacular “comfort” food, each of which was enough to feed a family of 4 and still have leftovers. I had one of those dark beers that the Germans are famous for. Tasty stuff! This was some of the best German food I have had, and I have had a lot……and cooked some as well. YUM!!

Here’s the part about “connecting”. Yesterday, Berlin hosted the Berlin Marathon. Runners and bikers from all over the world converged here to participate in this race. The numbers were impressive. While I was waiting for Mike to arrive and for my hotel room to be ready, I walked to the Unter Den Linden, the main drag here in Berlin, to get a lay of the land and view some of the race. I did more than view the race. I became part of the community of people who were cheering on the runners. I found myself clapping and cheering as the fatigued participants passed by. There were some interesting people in the race. Most people were running, but there were some people on bycycles as well. I saw two men with no legs on specially made bycycles pedaling to the finish with their hands and arms. It was easy to get swept up in the excitement! I was standing near the end of the race. There was music playing, a group of cheerleaders with pompons calling words of encouragement, someone from a local radio station with a microphone calling out words of encouragement, and lots of clapping as participants moved forward. It was very moving.

When we went to dinner last night, some of the runners were in the restaurant having dinner. They continued to carry on the enthusiasm of the day….singing and laughing. Every now and then one of the men would break into a loud chant. The others would follow suit and laugh. I found myself cheering them on, congratulating them and encouraging them to celebrate their success. The people next to us, who were close enough to touch, were also engaged. The German pub atmosphere promotes this kind of raucous celebration that pulls people in. That’s what I mean about food and connecting. I felt like I was a part of the celebration. Fun times!

Today, we spent some time walking the city of Berlin. We visited checkpoint Charlie, the checkpoint of movement between east and west Berlin. We viewed many monuments to the people who were persecuted by the Nazis and read stories of people who were killed trying to escape from communist East Berlin. We walked past pieces of the Berlin wall that were still standing. There were also pieces of the wall on view that had been given to artists around the world to use as a canvas to share their thoughts about the past and the future of Berlin and the world. We walked past the Reichstag. All very moving. We will learn more about the history of Berlin as we tour this week, and I have a feeling that we will be moved in ways we can’t even imagine right now. But, it’s more than the memorials and buildings. There is a feeling here of a place that has taken a tumultuous past and is using it to move forward in a positive direction. This also pulls you in, but in a different way.

So, in answer to my friend’s question about what stands out for me…..I still like the food answer. But, maybe it’s something else, too. And, maybe it’s different in each place. I’ll be thinking about this as we travel on. I’ll let you know if I change my mind.

Well, here I am, ready for another great adventure!

Thanks to years of traveling for work and accumulating frequent flyer miles, I was able to start this leg of the trip in Business Class. I have to say, it beats the heck out of sitting in coach. I also have to say that I have now exhausted all of my American Airlines points, so this will be the last time I can do this with American (or Air Berlin, with whom I am traveling to Berlin), unless, of course, I get another job that requires travel. Could happen….probably not.

As you might guess, I am taking advantage of all of the benefits and amenities afforded one with Business Class status. As such, I am at the airport in Miami and sitting in the “club” reserved for Business Class customers and other important people. I’m having a beer and some snacks and really feeling pretty darn good!

Here’s a brief run down of our travels for the next few weeks. Mike actually left last week to meet his good friend in Italy…said he needed some male bonding time before spending the next few weeks with the likes of me…..Hey, what’s up with that?!!

Anyway, I am on my way to our first destination in Berlin to meet Mike. I’m still having some trouble with my back, so I decided (along with the schedulers at American airlines) that I would break up the trip with an overnight stop in Miami. Again, thanks to the Marriott boys for having dependable and consistent hotels in every location. I’m racking up points as we speak! YIPPEE! There are a few free hotel stays in my horizon.

I’m happy to report that I did not need to visit Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami on this trip, as I did on the January adventure. No men, and I really didn’t have enough time to get into any real trouble….(but, wait, the trip is just beginning).

I will say that I did encounter a family of 7 this morning at the Marriott that were traveling with more luggage than I have ever seen in my life. I have 1 bag and a carry on for about 1.5 months of travel with varying weather and levels of formality. People really need to learn to pack better.

But, I digress…back to the actual trip. On Monday, Gene and Carrie (that you met in a prior trip) will be joining us for a time. Together, we will visit Berlin, Hamburg, Prague, Vienna, Bolzano and the Dolomite region in Italy, and Venice. Mike and I will stay on to see Rome and then hop on a ship where we will see the Canary Islands, St. Kitts and St. Martin before heading back to Miami and then home.

WHEW!! I’m exhausted already, but in a good way…

As it turns out, I was the primary party planner for this trip. Surprise! What a job! First, there’s the overall plan…where do you want to go and when. Then, there is the task of filling in the holes. There is so much to do in all of these locations, but of course, one can’t do everything. So, choices must be made, then hotels arranged and reservations for fun activities completed. It’s really a lot of work. With this level of activity, I really don’t need to seek out employment. I can just plan trips into eternity! One thing I can say is that this type of trip requires all of the skills I have gathered in my years of working…organization, common sense, a sense of humor…..definitely a sense of humor….HA!

Gene and I were still making hotel reservations and car rental arrangements at 5:00 pm on Thursday, the day before I left. Finally, I talked to Gene and said that I just really need to be done now. He made the final reservation. OOPS…..I heard from Gene this morning in my Marriott hotel room. He’s still working on the car. Can’t do any more right now. I’m sure he has it well in hand! Thanks, Gene.

In the short time I have been away, I have already heard the stories of about 3 people. I don’t know if I have mentioned this before, but everyone talks to me…..perfect strangers sit down next to me on planes, shuttles, etc. and tell me about the most intimate details of their lives…..just pour their hearts out. I must look very friendly…..or very dumb. Maybe they think I am deaf and I won’t hear them. Whatever, I still hear the stories. Truth be told, I enjoy it unless I need sleep…

On the way to our destination on the last trip, I sat next to a Syrian woman who literally talked to me for the entire 5 hours trip about how horrible Obama is and what a great country she lives in. She showed me pictures, introduced me to her family, gave me her first born…..

On our way back, I sat next to a young Pakistani man. When I sat down next to him, he looked at me and said, “My life is really messed up.” Oh boy…..he had just gotten married to a Pakistani woman a few years older than him. It was an arranged marriage. He had met her twice. He wanted to know if I thought it would be OK. I told him I didn’t know, but it could certainly work out just fine. I felt sorry for him. Poor guy.

So, on my shuttle ride from Santa Maria to LAX yesterday I met a few more people. No real sad stories this time, just stories. By the way, for those of you who live in the central coast, the shuttle is the way to go. Door to door service in about 3.5 hours…great!

First, there was a woman who was traveling to Rouen to take french lessons. She will meet her friends there and will stay with a french woman who speaks no english while she attends classes….real immersion. I have wanted to do this for years, and I now have the information to make this happen! Very exciting! As we were talking, the woman in the seat behind us piped in to tell us that she was a high school and junior college teacher of french and spanish. She is fluent. I think this is a sign that I should be doing a french immersion…..on my list for next year!

The second person was going to Hawaii to visit her grand daughter and help her to celebrate her 1st birthday. As you have all probably heard by now, we have just had our 2nd grandchild. So, there was lots to talk about.

The third person was a an older man that rode on the shuttle with me. He actually found me at my check in gate. He was going out of an adjacent gate and thought he would sit down to chat with me. Nice guy…and interesting. He has done a lot of work with the space program and was involved with the space museum that was supposed to go up at Vandenburg. Heard all about that. He is also recovering from lung cancer that was treated this year, which has cramped his style. He’s still not feeling like himself. But, he’s still out there doing things. I give him a lot of credit.

This last one gave me pause for thought. You never know when you will not be able to do the things you love because of health, money, circumstances, etc. So, when you get the chance to do what you love, you really need to take the opportunity to do it. You just never know.

So, from the airport in Miami….”Following My Bliss”…

See you in Berlin…..

We headed out to our new-found cafe for our morning cafe au lait and croissant this morning. The owner of the restaurant remembered us and had a table waiting! The cafe is on the lower floor of what looks like a high rise that is divided into condos. As we observed the people both yesterday and today, we realized that this is the local spot where those living in the area come for breakfast and lunch. The owner was so cute this morning. She and her helper kept running back and forth to the Patissier (baker) to get fresh croissants as people came into the restaurant. I guess she didn’t expect so many people this morning. She kept looking at us and apologizing (I think). We did’t care. We had our croissant! Delightful!

We are staying in a section of Nice that is more residential than touristy. Most tourists stay near the bustling old town section because of the proximity to the water and cheaper restaurants We opted to stay in this area because of the convenience of the train station, which is only about 4 blocks away. We didn’t realize that we wold be in a section where there are actually residents of Nice. It’s been great! The streets are lined with old buildings that have been converted to the above mentioned condos. I have been trying to figure out what the style of architecture is. Mike says it’s Art Deco, but not like the Art Deco that we saw in Miami with the neon lights. In front of the condos, the streets are lined with Sycamore trees, similar to the ones I saw on the Mirabeau in Aix en Provence. It’s really a lovely area. And, we love that the woman who owns the cafe remembers us and is happy to see us each morning. It makes us feel like part of the local scene.

Today, on our last day, we decided that we would take the bus to Antibes, another of the bustling sea front rivera towns here on the Cote d’Azur. We got directions from our favorite front desk person last night and are ready to go! I am becoming a expert at figuring out the public transportation system everywhere I travel. I like order, and it’s comforting to me to know that there is a schedule and you can count on the bus coming and going in time with the schedule. Still, though, when we reached the specified bus stop, we checked in with our other bus traveling companions to be sure that we were heading in the right direction. As it turns out, we were! One glitch, we missed our stop and ended up in Juan les Pins again. It’s easy to do and these towns are so close together that it isn’t a real hardship. Just a disappointment that we failed to figure out the system. I hate that!

But, Mike was OK with being in Juan Les Pins again, as it was his favorite place on this trip behind Monaco. We contemplated just staying there. But, I really wanted to see Antibes. So, we crossed the street and took the same bus in the other direction and got off in Antibes. We were coached by a very nice Scottsman, who jokingly said he only spoke a little English…the Scottish one. What a comedian!

The tour books talked about how extensive the bus system is in the Cote d’Azur area. They weren’t kidding!. I don’t think I have seen so many buses going our of Nice to neighboring locations. We could have taken the bus instead of the train to any of the locations we visited in the time we were here. And, to top is off, the bus is only 1 Euro per way. You could go to the end of the line and only pay 1 Euro. YOu could even make a vehicle change and still only pay 1 Euro. WOW! this is great!

The downside is that it takes a long time to get where you are going in a really hot bus! This is another of Mike’s pet peeves. He gets a little grumpy when he is too hot. The other downside is that in the afternoon, the bus is really crowded. As we were coming back, I elbowed my way into the only seats that were available, which is not something I would normally do. But, we had a 45 minute plus ride ahead of us and I wasn’t going to stand. The ride back was about twice as long as the ride there because of traffic. And, the bus was jam packed with people. WOW! Glad to have been tucked away in a seat! All in all, though, the bus is the conservative alternative…and, not too unpleasant.

We loved Antibes!

We stopped at the handy Tourist Information Center that was near where we got off the bus in Antibes for some direction. They were at lunch. So, we decided to take a lunch break, too. We stopped at a sidewalk cafe and took a seat. Truth be told, we needed a little R & R after the bus ride. Mike is always in search of the perfect club sandwich and this place had one! Who knew! I had a warm goat cheese salad. I had this a few times when in Paris…love it! Mike also had a giant beer. It rivaled the size of the beers we at at the Hoffbraugh House a number of years ago in Germany….1 liter, but he managed to get it down.

I went to the bathroom and when I came out, Mike informed me that the chair he was sitting on broke while I was gone and he fell heels over head backward onto the sidewalk. The nice man sitting next to us helped him up. I can’t take him anywhere! YIKES!!

We walked through the old part of the city towards the water front. What a beautiful city! We wandered around on the narrow, winding streets looking at the shops and looking for photo ops. There were plenty. My favorite, was one that Mike found, an elderly woman sitting in a window above a shop. She was looking out over the city with a dreamy smile on her face. We both wondered what she was thinking of…..and, we both took her picture.

We walked to the water and viewed a lot of yachts…surprise, surprise… and some very colorful sailboats. The boats set along the azure blue water with the beach and town in the background was breathtaking.

The town also has a daily market and even has a covered space dedicated to the market. We were there too late to see this for today. Too bad.

Antibes is the home of a small Picasso Museum, which we also visited. The museum was the home of Grimaldi at one point. At some point, Grimaldi suggested to Picasso that he use part of the home for a studio. He ended up living and working there. There are numberous photos showing him working in the space…very interesting. I enjoyed looking at the different works. But, I have to say, I don’t really “get” his work as much as I did some of the art I saw on my last trip. As you probably know, Picasso’s style, as a rule, is quite abstract and cube-like. Human (and non-human) figures are generally disconnected with eyes positioned vertically instead of horizontally and heads disconnected from bodies. (I have seen more than my fair share of disconnected heads and bodies on this trip!) Picasso has a unique perspective on the things he paints. I will need to study up on his work before viewing more of his works. I visited the Picasso Museum in Paris a number of years ago, which was much more extensive. I liked the intimacy of the Antibes Museum.

Antibes s quite different than some of the other Cote d’Azur towns we have visited. They have a beach and a port area. But, the beach for sunbathers is minimal with the focus on the old town. All the way around a wonderful day!

We opted out of dinner tonight. I can’t believe it, but I am “fooded” out for now. I say for now, because tomorrow morning, I will probably be ready to eat the curtians in the room. But, I just can’t do it tonight. We finished up a bottle of wine from our wine tour that we had opened and ate some junk food that we had in the room. This will do for now.

Tomorrow we will leave France to go home, so this will be my last post until I get home and do my final wrap up. We will be up at 6:30 to prepare for our journey back. I hope I am able to sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day!

Well, do you remember the “poo” story from a few days ago? As I said, we have one on every trip, and this time we had two. Again, I won’t go into detail here, but sometime when you are visiting our home and we have had some wine, I’ll fill you in. Maybe we are eating too much…that could definitely be the case. Suffice to say that we decided to hang around Nice today……just in case…..

We cautiously headed out this morning to find some coffee, a croissant and an ATM machine around 11:00. The front desk people directed to the street behind our hotel. Surprise….we have been here for a full week and have never walked on the street behind the hotel. We found the ATM and then a very nice cafe where we could sit out and enjoy our cafe au lait. Very nice!

We decided that the plan for the day would be to wander through Nice again. I would have liked to have viewed the museums today, but they are closed on Tuesday. Too bad! But, there were some shops I wanted to see again and I wanted to get another look at the old town. I really loved the street where the market was on Sunday. The street was very lively….lined with restaurants and cafes. On Sunday there were some people playing music, an accordionist and a small combo playing jazz. Maybe we will find some more music….we’ll see!

Last night when we were heading out to our carb fiesta, we passed a hat store and looked in the window. They had a very nice selection of hats, and I thought it would be fun to go back and look at some of them.

Some of you may know this, but Mike has a collection of Panama hats. I bought him the first one for Christmas many years ago when we were still living in McLean. I wanted a “real” Panama that was hand weaved in the traditional way. I researched on the internet and found a man whose job was shaping the hats. I got in touch with him and he advised me as to how to approach this. As it tuns out, he was one of the few craftsmen in the country who was skilled in shaping hats. Imagine that!

At his direction, I purchased the shell of the hat at a store in Georgetown. Then, I went to his home and viewed the different styles that he could make. In the end, we decided that I should wait to select the shape and style until he could see Mike and make some recommendations. And, so we went on. I bought the shell and gave it to Mike for Christmas and then had it shaped and sized to his head. It was quite an experience for both of us. Now, Mike has 3 Panama hats of varying styles, and we sometimes look for these as we travel so as to add to the collection.

I also now find that I like the hats, too. Mine is a collection of one, that is, until today.

I steered us to the hat store so we could take a look. I tried on several fun hats and then asked the sales person if we could see one of the Panamas in the window for Mike. He tried on the hat, I tried on the same hat in a smaller size and we both tried them again (they are unisex, these Panama hats). In the end, the sales person said if we bought both hats, she would give us a discount. Negotiation…..I love this! So, needless to say, we now have matching hats and got a discount! It made my day…and, I think Mike’s too, although one can never tell with him.

After the hat purchase we walked on to “Vieux Nice” (old Nice) and did some window shopping, had an ice cream and then had some coffee. It was a nice, relaxing afternoon. The weather was sunny and clear with just a little breeze off the sea. This is liven’. By the time we walked back to the hotel, Mike could barely move his feet and needed a nap before we could go to dinner. But, as we were walking to dinner, he was refreshed and complimented me on my insistence that we walk. In his own words, he feels……and looks….better. A revelation! Exercise is good for you!

You may recall from our last trip, that Mike is not really a lover of walking. Usually, there is a negotiation on taking a bus, taxi, or walking. But, not on this trip. He has done great on this trip! Lots of walking and only a little complaining. Not bad! Kudos to Cramer!

We opted for another Italian meal….mostly because it is directly across the street from the hotel. It was really great and a totally different experience from last night. No large plates of carbohydrate. I had the equivalent of a French Cassoulet….only Sicilian. I have never really had a cassoulet, so I suspect that this one was exactly the same as the French. But, it was YUMMY! The highlight, though, was a chocolate, vanilla and pistachio layered Panna Cotta with a tart fruit sauce and Chantilly Cream. What a treat! Again, fat and happy….but, in a good way.

Mike has been taking a business card from each restaurant we try to the man at the front desk in the evening. He has been the most helpful and most friendly of all the desk people. When we came back this evening, he was waiting for our review and a card. He seems surprised that we are enjoying our food experiences. Again, I am surprised that others don’t enjoy this as much as we do. It’s the most important thing, after all! But, I guess we all have our priorities. Ours is definitely food and wine!

Tomorrow, on our last day, we are going to tackle the bus and visit Antibes. I didn’t mention that the French train personnel are on strike today and probably tomorrow. This is common in both France and Italy. There is really no rhyme or reason to it. They just arbitrarily decide that they will strike and so none of the trains run. I’m not sure what they are trying to accomplish. Puzzling…. It’s a good thing that we did our training early in the trip.

Buses tend to put you in touch with the local color, if you know what I mean. It should be a great adventure. I’ll let you know.

I have just eaten the most insane amount of food at an Italian restaurant here in Nice. I am struggling to stay awake….you know how pasta works. Pasta turns to sugar, pops the glucose level in your body and then drops it in about a minute. Thus, lethargy and sleepiness. I’m there. But, I wanted to be sure that you had an update on our activities for today.

I may have mentioned this in a earlier post. Nice is very close to the Italian border. So, there are some things in the city that seem French and some things that seem Italian. This is reflected in the food choices. Last night, we definitely went French…tonight, definitely Italian. We have had a very varied diet while in Nice including our Franco Japonais meal that I told you about a few days ago. By the way, that meal was spectacular too. We had spring rolls, chicken with sesame sauce and a pork dish made in a Japponais style. For dessert, Mike had a lavender rice pudding and I had a ginger creme brûlée. What an interesting mix of cultures. It was delicious.

Because Nice is so close to the Italian border, we decided we would cross into Italy today to check out San Remo, probably the largest city on the Italian Riviera. Honestly, this was not my favorite day. It was expensive to go by train and when we got there, it began to rain. So, we spend a lot of time in a cafe waiting for the rain to stop. We really didn’t see much of what was there. From what I have read, San Remo is a bustling sea front town. I’m guessing that the waterfront area is very similar to that of Nice. We observed that as we looked out of the train windows on our way to and fro. There is also a Casino, which brings in a lot of people from other areas like Monte Carlo does. However, the scale is much smaller. There is also a central town where there is a lot of upscale shopping supported by those who are coming to gamble.

I did manage to make some observations about the town and people (I always do). Here’s what I saw.

There are no traffic lights in San Remo. Each time we crossed the street, we took our lives in our hands. There were the usual markings alerting the drivers that pedestrians may be crossing. However, the cars just kept moving along despite our best efforts to cross. On our last crossing as we watched the cars speed by, Mike looked at me and said, “I am going to be bold and cross now. But, you need to stay right with me. If you don’t, you will get hit and I will leave you behind.” Very harsh….We made it across, but by the skin of our teeth. WOW! I am grateful to be alive!

There were numerous traffic circles where we spent some time watching the Italian drivers chasing each other round and round and round the circles. There was lots of horn blowing and hand gesturing, which was unrecognizable to me. I’m assuming these gestures hold the same weight as profanities or the chin flip that you sometimes see in Italy. Almost witnessed a crash, too. I’m really not sure. But, it was pretty comical! Apparently, there are no rules in the traffic circle.

The Italian trains have a different type of ambiance than the French trains. Neither can even touch the Swiss and German trains in terms of comfort and cleanliness. But, the French trains have the edge over the Italian ones. The seats on the Italian trains were molded out of plastic rather than the cloth covered seats of France. The molded plastic was sending my sciatica and back issue into a tail spin. It was actually easier for me to stand than sit on the seats! Mike expressed his opinion that the seats were probably designed by Quasi Moto. He would be the only one that would be comfortable. Who knows!

The Italian trains also have a very interesting display of local artwork on board in the way of graffiti. On the way back, we struggled to find a window that we could actually look out of.

I, of course didn’t bring an umbrella with me. When we left the hotel, it was pretty sunny. I figured I was golden. I was wrong. About 45 minutes in to our visit, it started to rain….hard. As soon as it started to rain, some middle eastern men came out of nowhere with collections of umbrellas for sale. Of course, they approached me. I resisted at first. But, as the rain continued, I changed my tune and began to negotiate for the best price. The man that finally made the sale lowered his price from $6.00 Euros to $2.50 Euros. SOLD! I am quite the negotiator. Once I made the purchase, though, they continued to solicit me to buy more umbrellas. They wouldn’t take no for an answer. After some discussion and reassurance that, no, I was not going to buy any more umbrellas, they gave up and walked away. Mike and I had quite a discussion about this. His theory was that they had identified me as a “mark” and figured that I would buy another umbrella for him. Ha! Fooled them!

One other oddity of the day….we happened into a yacht club and had a cup of coffee. I turned and looked behind me and there was a ceramic woman right next to me. (Remember the ceramic girl and ceramic heads from the Negresco Hotel?) She was very elegant…all covered in gold paint. The strange thing about this woman, though, is that she didn’t have a head. Instead, she had a lamp shade where the head should be. I’m still trying to figure out the point of this. Is there some symbolism that I am missing? Don’t know… I’m wondering if the head is hanging on the bathroom door of the Negresco? It’s a troubling thought….

Around 4:00, I had had all the fun I could take and we went back to the train station and headed back. We got back to the hotel around 7:00….and, we were starving as we hadn’t really eaten meal all day. So, the friendly man at the front desk of the hotel gave us a recommendation for a restaurant. Apparently, in this part of France as well as where I was in Provence in January, most of the restaurants are closed on Mondays. Most were closed on Sunday, too. What is it with the French? They must not get hungry on these days.

Anyway, we took the recommendation of the desk clerk and had what I would describe as the biggest bowl of carbohydrates and fat I have ever seen. It was tasty though, which is usually the case with food that is bad for you.

So, here we are. Back a the hotel, fat and happy. I will need to leave you here for today. I need to sleep off the carb hangover. ZZZZZZZzzzzzz………….

Don’t you just love meeting people? It’s one of my favorite things about travel. It doesn’t matter where I go, I always meet interesting…and sometimes not so interesting…people. Ever since my first work-related travel experience, I seem to attract people who just NEED to tell me their stories. Back then, it wasn’t my favorite thing. Tired from work and hearing all the stories (and excuses) from those I worked with, I had little room for any other stories. Now that I travel for fun, though, I just love it. Everyone has a story to tell.

On the first day, we learned the stories of our wine tour guide and our wine tasting buddies. Last evening, we learned about a young couple in the restaurant where we had dinner. We ended up in a very touristy place, which is surprising for us. Hey, it happens. The young woman of the couple was so disappointed in her meal, that she leaned over and told me that we should go somewhere else. “Really”, she said, “this is a horrible place to eat.”

After we established that we were too far in to leave, we had a very pleasant chat. after they left, we met an Egyptian psychiatrist living in the UK, who was attending an international congress on psychiatry. After he analyzed us, we analyzed him. He shared a lot of information about himself and the healthcare system in England. What a mess that is! The government subsidizes all of the healthcare expenses for the citizens, and they are running out of money. The government there is very generous. Some people have never worked, yet receive free healthcare and are given an average of 24,000 pounds for living expenses. WOW! No wonder they are in dire finanacial straights!

After this psychiatris left, two more from the US showed up and talked to us about some very random things. They were also here for the ocngress, but had decided not to attend the sessions. They were there to party! Very fun!

Today, we met a woman in line as we were buying tickets for the train to Monaco. She was from Chicago, but has lived in London for the last three years with her husband and two children. We met the children as well. Very precocious kids. I think they were happy to have some Americans to talk to. Later today, we took one of those hop on hop off tours in Monaco and Mike made friends with the bus driver, which led us to a very nice lunch with the working class locals of Monaco. I just love people!

Our study of people today included a tour through Monaco and a look at the people who live there and visit there. What an interesting mix. There were a fair amount of people there who were just like us…common folks who were taking in the sights. Then, there were the working class citizens that we had lunch with who ran the tours and worked in the concessions. There were also some citizens who were clearly part of the local upper crust social set.

Then, there were the tourists who come to take their chances at the Casino. Some of them come in on their yachts and some of them come in by other means and stay at the five star hotels so they can spend money at the Nonte Carlo Casino and the other high end shops that surround the casino. Mike calls them the “moneyed set”. I don’t know if you have seen the ads for Patek Phillipe watches. This ad is geared to the “moneyed set” and is particuarly troubling to Mike. The ads suggest that the men buy these expensive watches so that they can be passed down through the generations. As Mike says, his Timex watch keeps time just the same as the Patek Phillipe. Why do these people need watches such as these? It’s a mystery, but this is the target group for the Monte Carlo. You get the idea.

The Casino is the most important feature and revenue producer in Monaco. It basically supports those who live in Monaco by subsidizing anything they would pay in taxes. So, the people of Monaco are basically tax free thanks to the Casino and the “moneyed set” who use it. Citizens of Monaco are not allowed, by law, to gamble in the casino. So, they rely on those outsiders who gamble to provide for them. What a deal!

Back in the day, somewhere in the 1800s, the prince of Monaco, who would be about Prince Rainier’s great grandfather, realized that Monaco was broke. Business man that he was, he went about trying to figure out how to create a revenue stream for the country. He knew about a successful German casino, contacted the owner for advice, hired the same architect to develop a casino for Monaco and then created a marketing strategy to bring this “moneyed set” in to gamble. It worked and “voila” Monaco lives as one of the most high profile casinos in the world! A really amazing succcess story when you get right down to it!

The casino is fabulous and very upscale as you might imaging. Only the ritziest of the ritz can even enter the casino. That may not be entirely true, but Mike and I were not allowed to go in because I had a cell phone, he had a camera and I was wearing my neon white gym shoes. Mike did not have a sport jacket with him, which is also a rule for entering. How silly….we may have had some money to spend. But, they don’t care unless you are dressed properly and are unable to take pictures of the dignitaries that are there with their mistresses. Oh well….we saw enough. The campus was like the castle at the Magic Kingdom in Disneyland com[lete with a garden and a play ground for the “moneyed” children. I can honestly say that I have never seen so many well-coiffed people and expensive cars in one place at one time. The only cars we saw were in the ranks of Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes, Ferrarri, etc. Quite something. There was also a large collection of very large yachts at the port. I’m guessing that at least some of those belonged to the gamblers.

Interesting dichotomy to tell you about, though. We had one of the least expensive and best cups of coffee there that we have had on the trip. Go figure!

In addition to the casino, we also viewed the palace and heard the fairy tale story of how Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier, fell in love, married him and became Princess Grace. There are many things in the country that are named for Grace….a very nice tribute. The palace was, as you might guess, palatial. It looked like an old fashioned castle with turrets. There are guards at the doors and a changing of the guard ceremony is conducted daily at noon. We missed this because I had to have 15 minutes more sleep this morning and we got a late start. But, the children we met with their mother this morning had seen it and said it wasn’t as good as the one at Buckingham Palace. That made me feel a litte better.

We traveled from sight to sight today on the hop on hop off bus, which was a great way to see the country. It is small, but a little more walking up steep inclines than I could manage. So, we let the bus take us and talk to us about the country. It really was fasciniating and beautiful. The views from the palace and the port were just spectacular and, of course, the stories were terrific.

All in all a great day. I highly recommend that you visit if you get the chance. It was well worth the time.

I would post some pictures of our visit here, but I still can’t figure out how to do it. I should be able to use iCloud to download from my phone. But, I’ll be darned if I can figure it out. So, if you want to see pictures, I will be posting some on Facebook. Check in there from time to time. If we aren’t connected send me an invite and I’ll loop you in.

We are off to dinner now to meet some more people…and to have a French/Japponais meal… I’m guessing there will be few tourists there, as the restaurant is far from the crowds and a bit of an unusual combination.

Bon Appetite!

As I mentioned in my recent email, I am already distracted and have gotten behind on my posts. I’ll catch you all up and try to keep up going forward. Also, this is my third attempt at saving this blog post…technical difficulties. Again, I am amazed at the internet service in established countries. If I were in Panama, I would be able to get right in…anyway, here we go!

We left for Los Angeles early on Tuesday morning to catch our flight to Nice. There are many things we love about San Luis Obispo, but international travel from there is not one of them. We have a small airport, a little bigger than the one in Johnstown, for those of you who are familiar with that, and flights are limited. It is very difficult to find a flight that is convenient and reasonably priced from there. Every now and again, we luck out, but not for this trip. So, we headed out for Los Angeles. Because we are adventurous….and frugal….we opted for the cheapest flight, which took us through Minneapolis and then Amsterdam. Quite a long day for us. It took until today, Friday, for me (and my back) to recover from all of the sitting and then the walking through the airports. But, I am limbered up now and ready to explore the cote d’Azur!

I have to mention this little incident about our movement through airport security because I am always amazed at the sound judgment of our TSA decision makers. You all probably know this, but I, as usual, was not paying attention to the news. Apparently, there are some new TSA rules. As you know, Mike just celebrated a milestone birthday. I still won’t mention which one, but you can probably guess as you are reading this. As we were in line at security, Mike said to me that he was now of age and didn’t need to take his shoes off as he went through security. Mike frequently makes jokes to lighten stressful situations, so I thought he was kidding. I told him he was nuts….everyone takes their shoes off as they go through security. Sure enough, when the TSA agent checked his passport and age, he informed Mike that he didn’t need to take his shoes off to go through security. The new rules say that when you hit the “golden” age you don’t need to take your shoes off. Interesting new benefit of aging….TSP no longer considers that you could be a subversive bringing a bomb or other such bad things through security in your shoes. I would be interested in knowing who the genius was who came up with that little gem and his rationale, although I’m sure I still wouldn’t understand it. We can all think about that one for awhile. HMMM…….Anyway, we made it through security and if Mike was carrying anything in his shoes, it wasn’t discovered. I’m glad. What a hassle!

We arrived in Nice on Wednesday afternoon at about 4:30 and took the bus in to town. We were told that that a taxi would cost us about 55 Euro, so we opted for the bus for 4 Euro. Quite a savings and quite an adventure. We really didn’t know where we were going. So, we engaged the tourist technique of tapping people on the shoulder to see if they spoke English and if they knew where we should get of. By some miracle, I looked out the window and saw a sign pointing to our hotel. What are the chances. So, we got off and moseyed on with our entourage of suitcases. Fun times!

We are staying at a 3 star hotel several blocks from the Promenade Anglais. The Promenade is a very lovely boardwalk-like path that runs along the Mediterranean in Nice. The Brits, who have been the primary visitors to Nice for years, built this to ensure that they would have a place to walk along the water and away from the riffraff. They were successful. No riffraff on the Promenade.

The hotel where we are staying was recommended by Rick Steves and his gang of travel writers. It doesn’t meet our usual level of sophistication, but is very clean and functional. It’s also centrally located between the train station and the Promenade. A good location for what we want to do while we are here. So, we are happy.

One of our rules when jet lag is a factor is that we try to stay awake on the first day until a reasonable bed time. Otherwise, you never get adjusted to the time difference. So, we decided to head out to dinner to kill some time until we went to bed. One of the hotel staff suggested that we go to the bistro at the Hotel Negresco. This is a 5 star hotel that we wanted to look at anyway. We considered staying there. But, at about $500 Euro a pop per night, we decided the 3 star would work just fine. Dinner would be a good compromise.

The hotel has a one star Michelin rated restaurant. But, this was a little more than we wanted to eat….or spend. So, we decided the bistro would be just fine. This was a unique place. The restaurant has a Carousel theme. You know the ones I’m talking about. All the ceramic horses in a circle that move up and down as the Carousel moves to a rinky dink kind of tune. This was the theme. There were ceramic horses that were arranged in the restaurant in a sort of circle in between the outer seating. Our booth, complete with pink velour seats, was fixed between two of the horses. IN fact, I took a picture of Mike and it looked like the horse was sitting on his head. Next to our table was a ceramic girl (who was missing a thumb, by the way) who was cranking a music box. The handle on the crank of the box was a bicycle pedal, which gave us a chuckle. At regular intervals, the girl would start to crank the box and a rinky dink tune would play. The horses would move up and down with the music. Then, the girl and the horses would stop and the regular musical programming would continue.

It reminded us of a hotel and restaurant called the Madonna Inn that is near our home in San Luis Obispo that is on our regular tour route for visitors. The restaurant in the Madonna has a similar theme. It’s not a carousel, but is filled with cherubs, dolls on swings and pink velour seats. It’s quite a site. The Madonna also has a waterfall in the men’s bathroom that serves as the urinal. Mike and I checked out the men’s bathroom of Negresco before we left, just to see. But, there was no waterfall. Just a cutout of a man on the door. He had a ceramic head. The women’s room had that, too….but, with a ceramic head of a woman of course. Those folks love their ceramics.

Anyway, the food was good and the hotel was interesting to look at. The hotel is a little bit above our price point, so I doubt that we would ever stay there. But, it was very nice, and I’m sure the rooms are lovely. One point about the place haunts me, though. You would think that a hotel of this stature could afford to fix the ceramic girl’s thumb. One could get nightmares from that!

We tumbled into bed late on Wednesday leaving a wake up call for 6:30 on Thursday. We were going on a tour of Provencal wine country. Don’t want to miss that!

Much to my surprise, we made it out of bed at the allotted time on Thursday. The wine tour is always a highlight for me. As many of you know, I work part time at a winery in Paso Robles near where we live. So, when I travel, I like to check out the wines that are in the area. You may remember that I did a tour while in Paris and had a great time. I had high hopes for another fun day! I wasn’t disappointed.

We went out with Raphael. Raphael, who looks to be about 12 hears old, owns and operates this small business. He is very knowledgable about wine, wine production and the area and kept us laughing with his anecdotes about the area and the people who live here. We traveled with 2 young women from Ireland and a young couple from Washington, DC. They were a lot of fun! We got a great education on rose wines, which are the principle wine of the area, about 90% of all wines produced. They were quite nice. Apparently, the ticket on the roses is to make them as complex as possible, while keeping them as light in color as possible. This is no small feat, as much of the complexity of the wine comes from the contact with the skin, which gives the wine color. We had some spectacular examples of award winning wines from 4 different vineyards.

We also had a very nice lunch in ChateauDouble, which is know for their goat cheese. According to Raphael, one of the common dishes at Easter is young goat. The restaurant happened to have this on the menu, so I tried it. I thought it was great! I’m not thinking about the baby goat that gave its life so I could eat it. I can’t dwell on it. The goat had a cream sauce with morel mushrooms. Mike says the secret to French cooking is the sauce. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t like the goat. He may be right, but it was tasty, no matter what the winning factor was. YUM! For dessert, I had a wedge of the local goat cheese that was drenched in 2 kinds local honey. What a treat! Great meal and very unique. One of the Irish women had escargot for the first time. She did quite well with the instrument that is used to hold the shell while the meat is picked out. I told her I would blog her success. Here’s to the Irish!

When doing these wine tours, I always mention that I work at a winery. Sometimes it gets me a little extra. On my tour out of Paris, I met the mayor of Sancerre because of my affiliation. Not this time, though. I think it just intimidated Raphael. But, he did a great job! In the end, he said it was nice to have someone who knows about wine. Keeps him from telling the group “rubbish” that isn’t true. HA!! Good man.

Again, we stumbled back to the hotel fairly late and went to bed. The jet lag is hard to overcome as you get older. But, we managed.

Today, Friday, we headed on the train to Juan les Pans, a pretty little coastal town on the Mediterranean. One of my friends at the winery who knows the area well sent me on a mission to find the restaurant where he had a great lunch about 15 years ago. We didn’t find it, but it was still a great day.

Tomorrow we are heading to Monaco to meet the prince. I’ll be sure to give him your regards. We are hoping for good weather. Today was beautiful, but Thursday was rainy and cold all day. The weather report is scattered. So, we are hoping for warm and sunny again tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted.

Au revoir!

Betsy

This is my last post on the January mega trip. I meant to post earlier, but frankly, I didn’t want to think of the trip at an end. I had such a great time…. met all kinds of interesting and fun people, saw some extraordinary sites, and ate and drank my way from one side of North America to the other side of France! Why end this adventure?! But, as usual, things…even good ones…..come to an end. And, so it is with my trip. Thus, I waited a week until the dust settled and I was back in some kind of life swing….still trying to figure out what that will be….to write the final post for this trip.

As I mentioned in one of my posts, Mike and I have been traveling together for at least 15 years. The first time we went to Europe, my mother (who has now passed) was beside herself. She told me that everyone she knew who had ever traveled to Europe died there. She was sure that I would be abducted and killed. Could happen…less likely with two people traveling together, but OK. Thankfully, this didn’t deter me from continuing on with the trip. (In those days, I was much less bold than I am now.) But, I really wanted to make sense of her concerns and so thought about this at length. I came up with two things.

First, most of the people she knew who had traveled to Europe did so during World War II. So, I guess that many of the people she knew who had traveled to Europe did die, were possibly abducted or had been hurt in some way. OK. Reasonable, in an off-beat sort of way.

Second, there was an issue of communication. At the time of my first European adventure, there were very few means for quickly communicating with people to let them know you were alive and well. Basically, there were post cards, very expensive phone calls and, later on, phone cards, most of which required you to understand 10 languages in order to decipher the instructions for use. None of these options were cheap, easy or fast. They were definitely not two way. So, I think this was her other concern. How would either of us know if there was important information to share. OK. Reasonable…more so than the World War II theory.

Travel has changed very quickly over the time that I have been traveling. So much so, that it’s almost like someone can be sitting in his own living room and still be on the trip with you! This blog is a fine example. You got all of the low down….and then some…in real time. In some cases, probably more than you wanted to have. But, there it was….for your reading pleasure!

Then, there’s the cell phone and texting. I was able to call Mike (and selected others) whenever I felt like talking. Of course, everyone was waiting for my call with baited breath! HA! But, still, I could call. I also texted a few people from time to time. Not cheap, but with the European phone packages, not too bad.

I could also email, which I did frequently as well. I was able to keep up with my work schedule at the winery and let them know that no, I wasn’t coming back from France to work at the winery in mid-January. I could also keep up with what my friends were doing, the pet sitter, the house sitter. my flights, etc. Not only that, I could make reservations for the wine tour that I could’t decide on at the very last minute in the comfort of my own little hotel room. Amazing!

Then, there’s Facebook. I was posting where I was each day, what I was doing and pictures of the hot spots for all to see. And, people were sending me notes and thumbs up at the exciting things I was doing! What more could you want? Actually…not much.

This was the third solo adventure I have taken for fun! My first adventure was a trip to Italy after attending the wedding of one of Mike’s (and now my) friends in Spain. I was between jobs (seems like that happens to me a lot! YIKES!!). Everyone else had to go back to work….not me. I went on and spent a good 3 weeks in Italy and then came across on a ship from Lisbon to Miami before heading back home. The second adventure was to Norway where I attended a conference and then stayed on for about 2 weeks to view the fjords, which, by the way, are well worth it if you get a chance.

I had a great time all around. But, I have to say that the modern conveniences of communication made this one a lot easier, less stressful and, in some ways, more fun. They almost make foreign travel a “no-brainer”, even if you don’t have a travel companion. Honestly, at times, I thought you all were right there with me having the same experience.

But, with or without the improved means of communication, there is no doubt that travel opens one up to a world that can’t be experienced by sitting in one’s living room watching the antics of the Kardashians. (I’m still not sure who they are and what they have to offer!) So, I hope my tales have inspired you to at least think about doing some travel. If not, I hope you have enjoyed my stories. I had a lot fun writing them. And, honestly, you all kept me company on the journey. I thank you for that!

So, this last trip is at at end. Sad news….boo…… But, the good news is that this end will lead to the beginning of another fun trip! We’re planning one as I write this. After all, once it’s in your blood, the adventure must go on….right?!!

So, stay tuned. I’ll be in touch!

Well, here I am back in the good old USA (in Paris) and eating a hamburger and french fries thanks to those great Marriott boys. I have an early flight out tomorrow morning….7:30 am to be exact, so I booked myself in at the Marriott Charles de Gualle. No surprises, no language barriers, no winding staircases to negotiate with my luggage….HA!! I will need to be up at about 4:00 am to begin my long journey back to the “real” USA. As I mentioned in another post, I signed up for Business Class, thanks to years of traveling for work and accumulating a mass of frequent flyer miles. I will go home in luxury….or at least with wine, some decent food, and most important…leg room! I see a full day of sleeping in my immediate airplane future!

Again, today was another exciting travel day. I told you about my train ticket purchasing encounter with the ticket agent…real communication issues. Despite that, he did a pretty good job. One thing I wasn’t expecting was that I would be taking my fist 45 minute leg on a bus, not a train. As I reviewed my ticket with the hotel staff, we realized that I was on a bus headed to Nimes and then to Charles de Gualle airport from there. This is OK. Hey, after all of my transportation adventures, I KNOW I can figure this out. The only downside is that If the bus is late, I will definitely miss the train. But, there will be a solution….there always is. Turns out, things worked like clockwork again. YIPPEE!! Made the bus, made the train and found the Marriott shuttle at the airport, thanks to the helpful woman at the airport information station. I love these people!….and, they speak English!

I am now a pro at deciphering the train tickets…found the right compartment, found the right seat and found peace. The first leg of my train ride was so peaceful. Again, it wasn’t crowded and I thought I was in heaven with my own row of seats and leg room. At about the 3rd stop, people started to pour into my compartment….you notice how I am now very possessive of the compartment. It’s mine. Anyway, about 20 very tall young women began to file in, all wearing work out sweats. Most of them spoke English and, of course chatter that I am, I had to ask them what was happening. Turns out they were part of 2 French women’s basketball teams heading for a game in L’Ille. The husband of one of the ladies was from Memphis…small world. I have never…and I mean never…seen such tall women. Some of their heads almost hit the ceiling. WOW! Big girls. It was Interesting, but they filled “my” compartment and I was no longer at peace. So, I buried myself in my book…Anna Karenina.

I started reading this book in Paris. Almost every time I do a solo trip, I pick a classic book to read. Somehow, I escaped this type of reading in my high school and college education. I really can’t believe it. But, we were never required to read the classics. So, I started at a late age. It’s actually better reading them as an older person. I think you have a much better appreciation of the plot and characters. For the most part, what I have found is that they are just really great stories. I have enjoyed my journey through the classics over the last 15 years or so. Anna Karenina, if you don’t know the story, is about happiness, adultery and deception, at least so far. It’s intriguing. It’s also been made into a movie lately, which is one of the reasons I chose it. I’m deciding on whether to see the movie….I’m thinking yes….so far..

I had some time on the train to think about my extensive trip and the things I did. What a diverse group of activities. I had fancy meals. I had cheese and baguettes. I visited museums and historical spots. I saw some beautiful vistas. I walked, and walked and walked, and walked and walked…I saw people selling their wares at markets all across the trip. I saw poverty and wealth…sometimes in the same place. I used every possible means of transportation available to get where I wanted to go. I made friends of all types and of all ages. I became part of a neighborhood. I learned to find the best strengths of the people I encountered in order to make my way and find the best opportunities to connect with the towns and the wonderful things they had to offer.

I have to say that a trip like this makes you stop and think about a lot of things. First, it’s a real confidence booster to be able to figure the whole thing out and come out unscathed. Pretty cool! But, more than that, it’s a way to connect with yourself. I don’t always want to travel alone. But, I do like it. It gives you time to think about what is important to you…what you really want. You are not moving along someone else’s agenda. You are moving along your own…doing things that are important to YOU. I think everyone should have an opportunity to do this now and then. We get so caught up in the day to day, taking care of business and taking care of others, that we lose sight of ourselves sometimes. As Cezanne points out, finding your own perspective is an important part of success.

Tomorrow, I will be back home…I say tomorrow, but it might be Sunday if there’s a glitch of any type. But, I hope that I can keep this perspective I have found on this trip as I move into the next phase of my life…..retirement…semi…. What does that mean exactly? As I get older, I find that it’s important to make the most of my time and feel good about the things I choose to do and consider them important, relevant and meaningful. I think that’s what I’ll shoot for now….one could do worse.