Day 1

We left Charlotte at 7:30 pm last night, and arrived in Paris at Noon today. There was a little bit of drama as Julie's flight into D.C. (where we met up) was delayed, but she and Joey made it onto the plane -- barely. Alas... her luggage did NOT. The next 10 hours (years?!) are a blur to me since I had a seat in the exit row which did not recline -- and which, I am quite sure, was designed by Machiavelli's Prince as a torture device (#UnitedAirlines). All was forgiven though as we approached Paris and I looked out the window to see the beautiful country-side. I had not anticipated such a view, and was truly speechless at the majesty.

From the the airport, we taxied into our apartment for the week. Located at 18 rue du Regarde (in the St. Germaine section), this location is absolutely perfect for walking/taking the metro to all of the sites on my list. Here is a link to the listing for future travels:

http://www.vrbo.com/3908852ha

After unpacking and a quick rest, Keith and I spend an hour wandering around St. Germaine, buying some groceries at cute markets, and scoping out the restaurants. Then we came back to the apartment to retrieve Julie for dinner at a sidewalk cafe called Le Nemrod. Joey and Bonnie were dead asleep and Connor had already headed out for adventures of his own :)

It has been a beautiful day of settling in, and tomorrow we begin our adventures with an e-bike tour of the city. Happy summer!!

Day 2

Following the tip of my friend Jennifer, we scheduled an electric bike tour with Paris by Martin. This tour was quite possibly the most exhaustive historical tour I've ever taken -- and worth every penny. We toured all through arrondissiments 1-6 of the city, with periodic stops/historical talks. We did NOT see the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, etc.; instead, we were led through medieval streets, past the remnants of Roman walls, into royal squares, across bridges, etc... on an an unbelievably clear, cool, beautiful day. Our guide referenced books (PERFUME, by Suskind), authors (Victor Hugo, Ernest Hemingway), mathematicians (Descartes), and scientists (Curie and others). The tour is very much intellectual entertainment in a city that still values intellect.

After the e-bike tour, we hopped on the metro to come back near the apartment to grab some lunch and rest.

Then Joey, Bonnie and I headed out to Pere Lachaise Cemetery -- the most beautiful cemetery I've ever seen. We were searching for the graves of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde, but we arrived at 5:30 and the cemetery closed at 6. So, we'll have to go back.

From there, we took the Metro (I LOVE big cities and their great civic transportation #taxdollarsatwork) to the Arc de Triomphe. Unfortunately, I looked at the Metro map and thought that the "Grande Arche" was the Arc de Triomphe. So we took the Metro a few stops too far and ended up at a shopping mall with a huge, modern arch (see pictures). Anyway, the kids were troopers and laughed with me at the missteps. We finally ended at a restaurant near the Arc (Le Bistrot d'Arsene), met Keith, and enjoyed a great burger and cheese platter.

Once the kids were fully energized after a good meal, we headed over to the Arc de Triomphe and climbed the 200+ stairs to the top. Totally worth the effort. The sun was close to setting (thanks to Hilary for the tip) and we enjoyed the beautiful view of the city of Paris.

All-in-all, it was a wonderful day and we are exhausted and ready for bed :).

Day 3

We started the day right with quiche and croissants from the corner patisserie, then we headed to the Musee d'Orsay. My favorite work of art was the actual building, but within the structure my favorite work of art was "Raboteurs de Parquet" by Gustave Caillebotte. All of this beauty, though, was nearly upstaged by people taking pictures of the art... with their iPads. Seriously, don't do that.

From there, Julie and I came back to the flat to get Joey and Bonnie for a tour of Notre Dame. On the way we had to change trains at the Citè Metro station, and what a delight! Julie and I both loved the steampunk feel of the aluminum/riveting on the walls (hopefully seen in the photos).

Notre Dame was everything I had hoped -- architecturally stunning and a reminder of the struggles of the past. The line was too long to climb to the top, so we're going to try to get back there before we leave to make our way to the top and see the gargoyles up close.

[Which leads me to a tangential note: Many people wait until they retire to travel, and I understand the financial need that might dictate that plan of action. HOWEVER, if at all possible, you need to travel to the older, historically rich cities (London, Edinburgh, Paris) as soon as you can for this simple reason: STEPS. We have already climbed more than 1,000 steps in 2 days -- with much, much more exploring to do. So, if you want to explore these sites to their fullest, travel ASAP.]

After touring Notre Dame, we grabbed some crepes and gelato as a snack and made our way to the Eiffel Tower. We had reserved a "skip the line" reservation with Blue Fox tours, and it was quite nice to go straight to the second level without waiting in the snaking line out front. From there, though, we still ended up waiting a total of about an hour for the elevator rides to/from the summit. In my opinion, the Eiffel Tower is a "once-and-done" attraction. I'm glad we did it -- but we'll never do it again.

Finally, we ended the day at a restaurant called Il Sorrentino, a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower -- impeccable service and amazing food. The perfect ending to an exhausting, but fun day.

Day 4

Although I know it reeks of tourism, I like to take a hop on/hop off bus tour during my first visit to a big city. We actually do NOT hop off, but just sit the whole tour listening to the history and descriptions of the buildings and city. These tours are a nice overview -- and save me time. For example, the Champs Elyees was completely underwhelming. Just high-end shops and tourists. I would only want to be there during a parade. #timesaved

After our tour, we headed back to Notre Dame to climb the towers. The kids haven't asked for much, but they really wanted to do that.

In my opinion, most tourist attractions fall into the once-and-done category. Some for being disappointing, others because I never want to ruin the memory of my first visit. The Cathedral of Notre Dame falls into the latter category. The line to tour inside is long, but moves quickly -- and the audio tour explains the history of the cathedral. The line to climb to the top of the towers is long and slow-moving* (we waited about an hour), but the 387-step climb is TOTALLY worth the wait and effort -- especially if you have an affinity for Victor Hugo's novel, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. I highly recommend the visit!

[*Have one person wait in line while the rest of your group enjoys crepes made right in front of you while keeping an eye on the person in line.]

From Notre Dame, Keith and I took the Metro to the Abbesses station in Montmartre and began our walking journey to Moulin Rouge. The line was way out the door, and the look of the place was quite disappointing (see pics), so we headed up to Sacre Coeur, a cathedral at the top of the hill -- the tour and views of which were well worth the effort. Leaving there we walked back down the hill, strolling through rambling streets, to meet Connor near the Abbesses station for dinner. We filled ourselves on wine, cheese, and the joy of being together.

Back at the apartment now for a good night's sleep in preparation of a Louvre-filled day tomorrow.

Day 5

Keith and I began our day at the Musee de l'Orangerie -- and what a charming surprise! The main attractions are the ovoid rooms with landscapes of Monet's water lilies. He created them especially for this space and they are breath-taking to behold. However, the cachet of impressionist artists downstairs, along with an exhibition of Wildt's sculptures, were amazing.

We left l'Orangerie and continued through the Tuileries towards the Palais Royal, stopping for espresso and people-watching along the way.

Since it is now just government offices and high-end boutiques, the most impressive part of the Palais Royal is the art installment in the courtyard: Les Deux Plateaux

We met up with Julie, Joey and Bonnie for lunch at a cafe near the Palais Royal, then walked across the street to the Louvre. I had read a tip about a "secret entrance" to the Louvre that was never congested -- but since I read it on the internet, I assumed it too would have the long entrance lines of the main entrances at the pyramid and below level at the shopping/metro/inverted pyramid level. Very long lines. HOWEVER, not a single person was using the "secret entrance" and we walked right in. Again, NO ONE was using this entrance. So, I'm sharing it with my friends (this is not a "public" note) -- the secret entrance is at the Porte des Lions. The tip was in this blog -- but Google it for other views. Or just ask security for the location.

The Louvre is completely overwhelming. There is no way to see it all in a single day, so we hit the highlights (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo) and enjoyed the Egyptian antiquities. Then we strolled through quite a bit more. With Bonnie and Joey with us, we tried to make it fun by "renaming" some of the works of art (see the pictures). Please note that I did NOT take pictures of the art -- I was there to enjoy the art, a feat which cannot be done through a camera lens. So the pictures of the art in my photo album were downloaded from the internet :)

We ended our night with dinner at Le Laurier - a recommendation of my friend Hilary -- and it was delightful. A truly local place (only heard French being spoken), with live music and a lively crowd.

Tomorrow, Keith and Julie are taking the kids to Disney Paris and I will be roaming the city on my own, exploring the places that only I wanted to see.

P.S. Seriously, without any hyperbole I announce that we will climb at least 10,000 steps before the week is over. #TravelYoung

Day 6

Keith and Julie took Bonnie and Joey to Disney Paris, so Connor and I set out to explore. We headed to the Paris Catacombs first, but the line was ridiculously long -- and we can do that in Rome.**

So we hopped on the Metro (have I mentioned how much I love public transportation?!) and went to Père Lachaise - the amazing cemetery where Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and a multitude of other celebrities are buried. I enjoyed walking around with Connor -- taking my time in this amazing cemetery.

From there we went to the Latin Quarter -- so named because in the 1200s students from all over used the common language of Latin to communicate with each other. We had lunch at a Greek restaurant, then wandered over to the St. Genevieve Library, which was listed as one of the top 10 libraries in the world. Meh. The library above the Book of Kells in Dublin and the reading room of the New York Library in NYC are more beautiful. But it's okay.

We left there and began our journey to Shakespeare & Co., a bookstore in the shadow of Notre Dame where famed authors of old congregated: James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, etc. It is absolutely charming (if a little claustrophobic) -- like I would imagine the Weasley's house -- or a hobbit furrow.

Connor and I came back to the apartment to regroup, then I went back out to see the Vel d' Hiv -- the velodrome at which French police rounded up Jews and sent them to Auschwitz (as told in the novel, SARAH'S KEY. The velodrome has been demolished, but a statute was placed nearby to commemorate the Jews that died at the hands of both French police and the Nazis (see my photos).

Finally, I met up with Keith and we purchased bread, charcuterie, and cheese for an evening dinner at the apartment. All-in-all, it was a wonderful day for all and we are ready to explore Versailles tomorrow.

**Notes on Disney Paris: It's just like Disneyland except less crowded (hardly any waits for the rides) and much better food such as Beef Bourguinon, pate, etc.

Day 7

There are very few books that I've read more than once (so many books; so little time), but one of my favorite historical novels is set in Versailles around the courts of Louis XIV - XVI: TO DANCE WITH KINGS, by Rosalind Laker. I've actually bought this out-of-print book 4 different times in my life to give away, and am now happy to see that it is available on Kindle. Because of this book, I was so excited to finally tour the Chateau de Versailles. What beauty! There are simply no words; and while I took a few pictures, they do not portray the glory of the palace and gardens. It is worth a trip to library just to thumb through picture books of the place.

As the picture attached to this note shows, we probably shouldn't have toured on a Saturday. But even the crowds did not dampen my enthusiasm. The best part? Now Bonnie wants to read TO DANCE WITH KINGS. #makesmehappy

After touring the Palace, we walked a few meters into the small town of Versailles and sat outside at a cafe talking, laughing, and having fun as a family. The perfect way to end our stay in Paris. Next stop.... Milan!

Days 8 & 9

Day 8 - Paris to Milan

We left Paris this morning via the TGV high-speed train headed to Milan. We arrived early enough to check-in to our apartment before dinner. This is our first experience with AirBnB -- and what a nice surprise! Federico is the liaison for this apartment, but he and his parents own the whole building. They greeted us with amazing hospitality, showed us around the top-floor apartment, made dinner reservations for us -- and drove us there! We won't have long to explore Milan, but the friendliness of the these locals has already made a wonderful impression on us. Viva l'Italia!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4876194

Day 9 - Milan

The kids were absolutely exhausted, so we let them sleep in and relax today. Keith and Connor went to the fashion district, then Julie and I met up with them and explored Duomo - the Milan Cathedral.

We brought pizza back to the apartment around 3 pm for lunch, then relaxed (read books, played cards, took naps). At 8:30 we headed out for dinner in a driving rain -- and while there was some grumbling about it, once we were seated in the restaurant and tucking into our fantastic pasta, there was a lot of laughter. A nice, relaxing day in all.

Day 10

With only 2 nights in Milan, I scheduled a 1/2 day tour so that we could see DaVinci's THE LAST SUPPER. Unfortunately, the tour lasted too long and we would have missed our train. Under normal circumstances, we would have just rescheduled the train, but the rail workers were on strike (for some lines) and we were worried that we wouldn't be able to make it to Venice. So... we left the tour early without seeing THE LAST SUPPER. However, as Connor quickly noted, we've seen so much DaVinci already that we'll be fine. I doubt we'll catch it "the next time" because Milan is not some place I want to go twice.

Venice, on the other hand.... Every single person who has been here gave us this advice: "Only stay 1 night." For me, that was bad advice. Unlike Milan, where I only one night was necessary, you must DEFINITELY spend more time in Venice. I love the tiny alleys (streets?) and twisty turns. It is truly enchanting and charming.

Our apartment in Venice is beautiful and I highly recommend it:

http://www.vrbo.com/6645878ha

Day 11

What a beautiful city!! We let the kids sleep in a little today and headed out for exploring around 10 am. First we took a gondola ride... because that's what you do in Venice. We had fun and quite a few laughs at Connor's expense (motion sick). Everyone should do the gondola ride. HOWEVER, after that we walked from one side of the island to the other to tour the Doges Palace -- winding through charming, enchanting, and beautiful alleys (see pictures).

The Palace and St. Mark's basilica form a square that appears to be the meeting point of everyone in Venice at some point. Luckily, we arrived at Noon -- just as all of the bells began tolling -- some hidden inside of bell towers; others in the open with gods and goddesses of lore striking them. What a sight to behold! After some lunch, we toured the Doges Palace. I took some pictures, but suffice it to say that you should really click on this link to learn about the history of treachery juxtaposed against the beauty of the ceilings.

Two things that stood out to me in the ceilings were (1) sculptures (on the ceiling!!) and black-and-white murals mixed in with the colorful ones. I tried to capture these in photos, but if you love art, try to see better photos :)

After our tour we took a water taxi back up the Grand Canal to catch our train to Florence. All-in-all, I absolutely adore Venice and was surprised by that. Keith said it best... "I expected to like Venice; I did NOT expect to love it." It is, as Julie said, "A feast for the eyes."

Day 12

Our apartment in Florence simply could NOT be in a better location. It is on the 2nd floor and faces the Piazza di San Lorenzo -- right across the street from the Medici Chapel and Basilica San Lorenzo; 1 block from the Duomo; and within a 1/2 mile of nearly everything to see and do in Florence. It has special sound-proof windows that block out the "street" noise (in quotation marks because it is hard to call these cobblestone alleys "streets"), 20' ceilings, exquisite furniture, and a balcony overlooking the piazza. Best apartment of the trip so far:

After we arrived last night, the kids just wanted to chill in the apartment, so the adults went out for a great meal and drinks. There is a very festive atmosphere in this section of the city and we truly relaxed and had a great time.

This morning, Keith, Julie and I toured the Medici Chapel right across the street. I'll post some pictures, but they will simply not capture the grandeur of the space. Marble walls, inlaid with designs, were reminiscent of the workmanship we saw at the Taj Mahal, and the crypt was filled with specially designed reliquaries for fragments of bones of the saints.

Afterwards we came back to take the kids to the Duomo. With 463 steps to the cupola, this would be our greatest climb of the trip so far -- and it was completely daunting. Not physically -- but psychologically. After climbing hundreds of feet up the stairways, we were directed to a ledge around the inside of the cathedral (about 250 feet above the tourists in the cathedral below). There was fencing, of course, but it was scary enough that Bonnie was crying and I was close to hyperventilating. From there were climbed the last 100 feet to the very top outside of the cupola. The marble flooring of the top slanted down a little (by either design or time), so we took our pictures quickly and got back down to Earth as fast as possible.

Our final adventure of the day was a wine tasting tour -- one like I've never been on before. Our host walked us all over the city, recounting the rich history behind the palaces and palazzos that we passed. At the first wine shop, we sat at the sidewalk cafe and leisurely enjoyed the tasting with appetizers. At the next cafe we took our wine and appetizers to-go (no open container laws) and walked around the corner to the Duomo where we sat on a bench and enjoyed the sight and history of the cathedral at night.

Day 13

We left Florence this morning by train, and arrived in Rome less than 2 hours later. After checking into the apartment, we we looked for a lunch spot (none -- everything closes around 3 pm, then reopens for dinner sometime after 8 pm), then stopped by a market to pick up some groceries. Keith and I finally headed out around 7 pm to walk from the Prati area (where we're staying) to the Spanish Steps and the Trevi fountain.

We knew that the fountain was under renovation, but had no idea that it is TOTALLY under renovation. The entire fountain area is walled off with plexiglass -- so the picture that I took is not any good. Keith and I love getting lost in a city, and Rome (with its enchanting alley) is good for that.

We ended the evening with pasta at a cafe near the apartment and gelato afterwards.

With the exception of exhaustive personal libraries, the other apartments have been completely free of any personalization -- like staged houses. This apartment, though, is very lived-in with a hodgepodge styles and amenities. Not my favorite, but in a great neighborhood.

Day 14

Our tour of the Vatican did not start until 2:30 pm, so we had a nice, leisurely morning. Connor made us another amazing breakfast, then we read, relaxed, and strolled around the neighborhood. Bonnie and I explored the area around the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Bridge of Angels, and the Italian Supreme Court; while Keith and Connor enjoyed coffee and window shopping.

At 2:30 pm we met our Vatican guide. Because there is so much to see, I seriously recommend a guide if you ever want to visit Vatican city. Wow. Mario was a student of the arts and was able to walk through all of the galleries describing the art we were seeing. Additionally, he was obviously a student of history as well. We learned so much! What an amazing day.

Afterwards, based on Mario's recommendation, we went to L'Isola della Pizza . Since no *real* Italian eats dinner before 9 pm, we were concerned about arriving at the restaurant at 7 pm. They don't actually accept clients until 7:30, but they offered to bring us drinks and appetizers until 7:30... and what a treat! They brought out a variety of fresh cheeses, vegetables, breads, etc., and kept us sated until the dinner hour began.

All-in-all, it was a beautiful day exploring both the Vatican and good food :)

Day 15 - Pompeii & Naples

Our day began bright and early at 7:30 when our driver arrived at the flat to drive us to Pompeii. The 2.5 hour drive was quiet and uneventful -- filled with studying the beautiful countryside. [A brief encounter with a dense wall of pollution enforced my appreciation of the EPA and our government :)]

Upon arrival in Pompeii, we met our guide and began our 3-hour tour. 3 hours?!! How can seeing a couple of mosaics and plasters of dead people take 3 hours?! Well, the city is HUGE -- and we only walked a part of it. Between 12,000 - 20,000 people lived in Pompeii in 79 AD, and they lived in a well-planned city. We walked up streets, through homes and shops, around the amphitheaters, etc. What a beautiful archaeological site! We had a guide, but Bonnie worked in tandem with her, telling us all about the history, the eruption, the people, etc. Mr. Fellers (her Latin teacher) would have been proud :)

I normally loathe posting photos without people in them -- after all, you can find the photos of Pompeii online. However, it was such a beautiful day and the city is so stunning that I took quite a few pictures of just the site.

After Pompeii, we drove to Naples and had lunch by the Mediterranean Sea. Our guide then picked up the tour there and we learned a bit about Naples before enjoying gelato and picking up pastries for tomorrow's breakfast.

We are happily exhausted.

Day 16

The day started out with a golf cart tour of the city -- back alleys (always enchanting in Europe), piazzas, and cultural sites. From the Borghesi family to the Borgias; from popes to emperors... the history of this city is enthralling.

We finished our tour at the Coliseum-Palantine Hill-Roman Forum complex. Before we explored those places, we enjoyed lunch at a lovely cafe a few blocks off the beaten path: Al Cardello.

We finally made it to the Coliseum complex, and it was more impressive in real life than I anticipated. After 2 hours in the Rome heat, though, we were exhausted and satisfied with our tour of the entire complex.

Back at the apartment, we showered, ate a small dinner and packed up our luggage.

Exhausted and happy.

Final Notes

This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip that was absolutely delightful, and for which I am grateful. As always though, it is so good to be home. Before I jump back into the river of my normal life, here are some final notes (mainly for future planning) on traveling in Europe.

1. Dinner is LATE. As our guide in Florence noted, "If you see someone eating dinner at 7 pm, they are NOT Italian. A real dinner does not begin before 9 pm." We found that most restaurants close between 2 - 7 pm. Additionally, nothing opens early. I set out at 8 am to find some groceries and the markets didn't open until after 9 am. Essentially, our entire day was shifted by 3-4 hours.

2. Hire guides - Seriously. The guides in Italy are certified and very well trained in the arts and history. We learned so much.

3. We found that the stereotype of rude Parisians was simply not true. They are not overtly friendly, but they were helpful when asked -- and one time a business man actually stopped to offer me his help in finding the landmark (I was studying the map on my phone). Enjoy Paris!

4. All of our tours in Rome were planned by Liana at Italiana Travel. She was recommended to us by the apartment owner, and she was fantastic! We didn't have enough time to do everything she wanted to arrange (private classical music performances in a castle; cooking lessons in the home of an Italian chef; etc), but we loved everything she DID arrange. If you are going to Europe anytime soon, here is her information:

Liana Campanella

www.italianatravel.com

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianaTravel

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItalianaTravel

@ItalianaTravel #italydesignedforyou

Cell (Italy): +39 324 591 3737

Cell (USA): +1 443 377 3507

Whatsapp: +1 443 504 3400

5. Bring rain ponchos.

6. Jump in and try to speak the language -- even though the residents absolutely never understood a thing I was trying to say. Together you will eventually communicate :)

7. Google translate does NOT work. Every time I tried to use it, the resident would get a perplexed look on their face. Maybe I was trying to translate too much at once?

8. Most of all remember this: One doesn't plan to fail, they fail to plan. So start planning your next trip! :))