“GREECE” IS THE WORD!

Idalis: What a pleasant surprise! After spending two wonderful weeks with Kevin's parents in Italy, we were looking forward to our next destination, Greece. But, we had read about Athens, considered a dirty, polluted city by both people who had visited, and our guidebook.

Well, we love it! Yesterday, our first day here in Athens, was great! Our flight from Rome to Athens was smooth (and included a meal and sweets – Agean Airlines gives you a candy as soon as you sit down!). We got a little lost arriving at our hostel, having confused the metro and train lines, but eventually found our way to Hotel Zorbas. Our hostel is neat and tidy, with no-frills accommodations and the required musty smell in the bathroom, but includes free internet access, has a friendly staff, and is in walking distance to the famous ruins. We rested for a few hours once arriving, but then got hungry. After talking to Yanis, the hostel desk clerk, we decided to go to the Psiri district of Athens for dinner. I will never forget walking down Athinas Street at night and having come to the end of the main drag, looking up and seeing the Acropolis lit up at night. We had finally arrived in Greece!

After walking through this quaint little section of town, filled with about 40 tavernas (!), and consulting our now well-worn guidebook, we decided on Taverna tou Psiri. What a joy to the senses! Kevin and I shared a Greek salad with finger-licking feta, stuffed eggplant (OMG!!!), and moussaka (a heavenly Greek casserole with eggplant, ground meat, and bechamel sauce). We sopped it all up with grilled bread sprinkled with olive oil and oregano, and washed it down with cold glasses of Mythos on tap. It was a memorable meal, included great service (thank you Athenal!), and cost about half of a meal in Italy! The gods DO reside here!

This morning, we headed towards the ruins. Too many to mention, I'll just say this: Hiking to the top of the Acropolis has been one of the great highlights of this trip. Although many of the monuments have scaffolding and tourists (what a bummer – both are everywhere we've been!), neither can take away from the sheer beauty of these ancient ruins. I loved the Parthenon, with its graceful columns. My favorite part of today was touching the old, cool marble carvings, feeling the grooves the old Greek etchings made, and thinking of how many hundreds of thousands of others before me have placed their fingers in the same spot. Ancient Greece seems to be filled with layers of history, just like an onion with its many skins.

Kevin
Monday, September29th at 13:03

Dear Athens,
I am afraid that we owe you an apology. You see, we entered with preconceived notions and impressions. Everything that we read and everything that we heard made us to believe that you were a dirty city, choked with pollution and traffic congestion, that your people were not hospitable and that the language barrier was a challenge. Well, I must stand and vehemently deny these allegations. I have found you to be a marvelous place. Your ruins have amazed and awe inspired us, your food has entranced us and your people have embraced us. In fact, we were so pleasantly surprised that the contradiction in what we heard and what we experienced was as vast as your historical prowess. In ending, I would like to say thank you!
Our second full day in Athens was even better than the first. It was a Sunday, it was slightly overcast and the temperature was hovering perfectly between not too cold and not too warm. We started our day by entering the metro station. We paid for our tickets and they did not print. Witnessing our dilema, a Greek woman standing beside us walked us over to the attendant and negotiated, in Greek, to get us replacement tickets. We failed to get her name, but whoever she was, we would like to thank her again for being so kind. Upon exiting the metro at our stop, Sindagma, we noticed an information booth. So, with the intent to simply ask one question concerning a bus route we would need for our next location, we approached the young couple attending the booth. Much to our surprise, not only did they answer our question, in perfect English, but they also gave us a copy of a map of Greece and the islands that we had scoured every book store for and could not find, they also gave us an English to Greek translation book, which we left in the hostel for use by others, information about the city of Athens “green” initiative and a touristic map of the city with all the sites easily locatable and recognizable. We offered our sincerest thanks and proceeded to cross the street. We coincidentally ended up directly in front of the Parliament building, and perhaps more importantly, the 'Tomb of the Unknown soldier'. Furthermore, we arrived right at the changing of the guards, which was an incredible and moving sight to behold. The precision and discipline involved in this ceremony is truly humbling. I took note of one of the soldiers trembling to hold the rigid and precise in one of the transitional movements. I am not a huge fan of military, because it usual correlates with war, and even worse killing. However, when you are witness to such an incredible display of honor and integrity, you cannot help but to be moved. So, we then meandered into the 'National Gardens', where we proceeded to get lost and passed the same W/C three times before we were able to find the Zappeion, where we decided to sit and research our next move while catching some rest.

While reading the free literature we got from the friendly couple in the information booth, we noticed a photo of a sculpture in a public park that we decided we wanted to see live. So, we were off. First in line, however, was the 'Temple of Olympian Zeus, where fifteen columns remain that stand 17meters high and one column that was toppled by a violent storm in the 1800's. Originally there were a total of 104 columns. I can only imagine how impressive the total structure must have been seeing as the remaining columns were enough to impose their massive size and presence on you while standing adjacent to them. Immediately adjacent is Hadrian's Arch, the guy who is pretty much responsible for completing all the existing monuments. Interesting is the opposing sides of the arch with contradictory etchings that read the following: west side “This is Athens, the City of Theseus.”, east side “This is the city of Hadrian, not Theseus”. Next stop was the Olympic Stadium constructed for the 2004 summer Olympics. Made entirely of marble and towering over the track below, Idalis and I wondered what it would have been like to have competed with all those people either yelling for you or against you. We wanted to run a lap, but sadly, it was locked and inaccessible. We pressed on towards the intersection of Vassileos Sofias and Vassileos Kanstandinou where we were overcome by the massive and quite humorous “Dromeas” statue. It towers approximately 30' high and is made entirely of sheets of glass and resembles a running man in motion. Well worth the hike into the outskirts of the ancient city center. Not feeling up to a long walk and starting to grow a bit weary, we jumped on the metro at the Evangelismos station and exited at Thissio, where we had just enough energy to explore the Ancient Greek Agora. In these ruins we were privy to one of the most well preserved monuments of the ancient world, the Temple of Hephaestus, dating back to about 400BC, the Church of the Holy Apostles, a church modified numerous times, most recently by the Christians in the 11th century and then the Stoa of Attalos, which included a reconstructed and refurbished building that was completed by an American architect in the 50's, twentieth century, that is. It is here that we quite possibly walked on the same path, sat on the same bench and gazed at the same vistas as Socrates. Dare I say that we even felt slightly more intelligent and intuitive.

By this time we were completely exhausted and could not stand the thought of trudging through yet another ruin. So, feeling that we had really seen an amazing amount of Athens, we pressed on to Psiri, the part of town where we had enjoyed our first meal upon arriving in Athens, and treated ourselves to a great “sit down” meal consisting of homemade hummus, tabouli salad and a mix grill, which included, lamb, chicken, steak and minced meat. On the way back to the hostel, we bought a bottle of Greek wine and were treated to free samples of candy from the shopkeeper. We drank our bottle, got on line to accomplish a few things and fell asleep for what would be our last night in Athens, for tomorrow we wake up and head to the Peloponnese Island where we have reservations in a small bungalow, for at least three days, in the town of Nafplio, where we hope to rest, relax and score some quality beach time. Until then, 'sas efharisto' to our readers, sas efharisto to Athens, and most importantly, sas efharisto to the Gods for making this such a wonderful trip!

THAT'S A WRAP

Pop-A-Long (Dad)

What can I say? This two week adventure with Kevin and Idalis was indeed that, an adventure. I felt that Kevin had taken upon himself responsibility for Carmela and I, but he really didn't have to feel that way. Well, anyway, we are coming to the end of this two week journey and his responsibility will return to just himself and Idalis.

I will keep my entry short as to document a period of two weeks and all the experiences taken in would just take up an enormous amount of space on the blog. So, I will just highlight some of my favorite ones and I will start with my favorite spots. If you ever go to Italy, you need to come to the Cinque Terre and give yourself a full day to walk the trail of the five towns. One of my most memorable experiences was when we walked along the “Via del Amore”, or the Walk of Love, between Riomaggiore and Monarolla. Part way through this walk you come upon a place where you can fasten a pad lock to the railing to declare your love for eternity to your special love. Kevin brought two pad locks. One for him and Idalis and one for Carmela and I. When Kevin surprised Idalis with this special event in time, I was especially touched to see Idalis' emotions kick in when she got all choked up and cried. The love that these two have for each other was very obvious at this moment. What you do is put each name on each side of the pad lock, lock it on the rail, and then throw the key over the side of the cliff into the ocean. Oh, by the way, Carmela and I did the same thing. We stayed in a beautiful resort by the name of La Francesca. This was a very pleasant experience.

My next favorite area of Italy was the city of Verona. I'd call this a city of love. Visiting the balcony of Romeo and Juliette was quite special. We wrote our names on pieces of paper to express our love for each other and stuck them to a wall where thousands of other love notes are placed. This was quite unique and fun. This area is full of young, vibrant adults and just an overall nice place to visit. When you are my age and visit a place like Verona, the smiling faces and atmosphere just make one feel young again.

By far, the best experience was being with my son and his special love. Spending prime time with family in a special place like Italy is the best!

Vagamom (Mom)

Ciao Italia!

I hardly know where to begin as write this blog entry. But let's begin at the beginning. Arriving in Rome was exciting and knowing that we would soon meet up with Kevin and Idalis for two weeks here was the best part of our trip.

We spent three days exploring all or as many of the sights as we could, each one more magnificent than the last. here we stayed on a condo on the third floor of a beautiful building. It had high ceilings, and art work on all the walls. We had a kitchen and enjoyed shopping at the local market and preparing our own meals.

Then we were off to the Cinque Terre. This proved to be a favorite spot for us all. We stayed in a mountainside cabin in La Francesca. Again, we had a kitchen and cooked breakfast and dinner together. We ate our meals on the balcony with an unobstructed view of the sky and sea. At breakfast, we were bathed in sunlight. And ate dinner under a full moon and star lit sky. The Cinque Terre area was breathtakingly beautiful, lots of walking and steps to climb! We spent a day at the beach in Bonoassola, with beautiful crystal clear water and smooth stones of every size, shape and color. I couldn't help but think that Jeremy would love collecting rocks here!

From there on to Verona, another one of our favorite spots. This bustling city, a mix of old and new, was incredible. If I were to move to Italy tomorrow, this is where I would want to live. Maybe, in an apartment in a beautiful old building overlooking a piazza filled with life. (But not traffic!)

We also saw the Tower of Pisa, again beautiful!

Finally on to Florence. This was a city in constant motion. It seemed almost impossible to find a quiet, empty spot, and yet a city filled with beautiful architecture, churches and museums. I think we all were so happy to spend the afternoon in Boboli Gardens. It was the perfect spot to see the city below, which seemed more beautiful from above.

I forgot to mention Venice. Again, this was an incredible place to see. We visited Murano the afternoon we arrived and saw a glass blowing demonstration by a Maestro. He truly made it look simple.

We are now preparing to fly out in the morning for our return flight home. My heart is filled with mixed emotions. The thought of returning to ur family and friends, our home, is a happy one. Yet, thinking of leaving Kevin and Idalis as they continue on their way is difficult, as we will again be back to missing them.

But go home we must, and continue they must. So goodbye to beautiful Italy and to our precious Idalis and Kevin.

Idalis

THAT'S AMORE!

So far, more than any other place we've visited, Italy has taught me about love. Love for family and friends, and for your companion in life.

While visiting the Cinque Terre, I experienced the most beautiful display of affection ever! While hiking between two of the cities (Riomaggiore to Monarolla), we took the famous “Via dell Amore.” I wondered why this was called the “Walkway of Love” and just assumed, when I saw the poetic, romantic graffiti gracing its tunnel, that this was the reason why. I soon learned I was only partly right. We came upon a bench (overlooking the azure Ligurian sea) that had hundreds of padlocks chained behind it. What was the significance of this? I soon found out! Couples, from all over the world, write their names on padlocks, lock them, and then throw the key into the sea to signify their undying, eternal love for each other. Unbeknown to me, Kevin had carried two heavy padlocks all the way from Miami for this romantic moment – one for the two of us, and one for his parents. When I realized what was happening, I was overcome with emotion (what a surprise!). I was shocked, touched, and felt extremely overwhelmed – all in a good way! So much so, that I cried all the way to our next city!

In Verona, where the story of Romeo and Juliet comes from, Kevin and I, as well as Gary and Carmela, stuck our love notes (with chewing gum!) to a graffiti and post-it note filled wall, where thousands of others have professed their love for each other.

I think the greatest love experienced these two weeks was the love of family. I've always liked Kevin's parents, from the first day I met them. But on this trip, I grew to love and appreciate them in a much deeper sense. There were some hectic moments (driving in Italy can be both confusing and nail-biting!), but what a great experience we all had together. Amor: thank you for being such a great driver and tour guide. Gary: thank you for keeping us laughing with your renamed Italian monuments (Bowl of Salad for Bona Solla, Pizza for Pisa, etc!) and your impromptu midnight laugh-fest! Carmela: no matter what, you always looked at the positive and had nothing but nice things to say, even in Hotel A-crap-olis!

Thank you Gary and Carmela. Your son is a gem. Kevin is the nicest, most noble person I've ever met. Now I'm completely sure of where he inherited his wonderful qualities from.


Kevin

I will try to sum up my impressions and memories of Italy in this list and in no particular order...
Autostrada, shiny shoes, upturned collars, tapered jeans, mopeds, noise, ruins, fashion, food, wine, cathedrals, narrow sidewalks, gelato, W/C (bathroom) fees, Murano glass, sparkling water, expensive, confusing street signs, menu touristico, limoncello, Birra Moretti, mozzarella, traffic, admission fees, Chinese entrepreneurs, long lines, twisty roads, cypress trees, tolls, Autogrill, wine (oops, I said that already), kiwis (go figure), self serve produce, American reject music, FB I shirts, expensive (oops, I said that already too), cappuccino, pointy shoes, cigarettes, small showers, small elevators, Armani, citrus trees, line cutters, and handbags.

All kidding aside, two weeks in Italy has changed my life. I had the opportunity to visit a country that is part of my heritage. I learned about the people of Italy, which intern taught me more about myself. Italians are robust, proud and courageous. I have acquired a sense of pride for who I am and from where I come. I also got to spend two weeks with three of the most important people in my life, my Mom, my Dad and my beloved Idalis. I also learned more about each of them than I knew before. I learned how important love is. I learned how much family means. And, I learned that as different as we all may be, we are more alike. I am so grateful for this experience and my time in Italy has given me memories that I will cherish for a life time. Mom, Dad and Idalis, I love you more than you will ever know!

VERONA, VENICE, AND FLORENCE

NOTE: SORRY FOR THE DELAY, HOPE WE DID NOT LOSE ANY OF YOU!





MA MA MA MY VERONA

Sunday, September 21 @ 22:10

The city of Verona, inspiration for William Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet”, or “Giulietta y Romeo” when in Italian, was based on the real life Della Scala family. A city engulfed in romance, with a dash of posh and pinch of glam. Known as little Rome, we found Verona to be much cleaner and more orderly. Like Rome, Verona also has a Colosseum, or arena as they call it. Unlike Rome, Verona['s colosseum is still in use today. Despite being constructed in 1 AD, this arena hosts concerts, events and operas. In fact, the city of Verona hosts a summer opera series that is hard to beat. In addition to opera, they also host a showing of “Aida” every year. While visiting the Arena on our Verona Card pass, we were privy to the set up and practice of a concert for an Italian pop star. Though we were only in Verona for a day and a half, I believe we all fell in love with this city.

Amongst the sites we saw, perhaps the most interesting was Juliet's house, where you can actually walk on to the very balcony where she was courted by her beloved Romeo. The entrance to her house is through a portico which is covered with generations of graffiti and messages from admirers and star crossed lovers alike. Not to be undone, we peeled away a blank corner of one of our maps in order to draft love letters, for both us and our parents, which in a moment of improvisation we stuck to the wall with a piece of slightly used chewing gum. Another point of interest was the Piazza Erbe. We were lucky enough to have arrived in time to spend a full Saturday roaming the city. This gave us the opportunity to enjoy the market in the piazza. There were several vendors selling Murano glass pieces, spices, fruits, Pinocchio dolls in every form and fashion, shirts and jackets with the Italian name or logo emblazoned upon them, gelato and even big, fuzzy stars and stripes Uncle Sam hats (?). After a long day of wandering around and getting lost in a shroud of romance, we decided to conclude our day with a climb up 368 steps to the top of the “Torre Fiore”. From the top of the bell tower, you had an incredible view of the entire city of Verona, nestled in a lush little valley in the northeastern corner of Italy.

Upon arriving in Verona we did not have a reservation for lodging. Being so awe inspired by the Cinque Terre region, we had extended our original two day stay to four days, which in turn completely modified our entire Italy tour. We had originally only secured lodging for the first half of our trip which we hoped would allow us flexibility, once here, to stay wherever we felt inspired. It kind of worked. We were lucky enough to find a small hotel, EuroHotel, in Verona to spend the first night. However, we did not have lodging for the second night, which would be our transition into Venice. So, we used the hotel's free internet service to book a hotel behind a restaurant in a small little town known as Ronco all'Adige. On the map, it appeared to be only fifteen or so minutes away from downtown Verona, was located in the country, and at a price of only 100 Euros for four people, we could not resist. Knowing we had such a secure reservation and it was only a few minutes away, we decided to stay in Verona and enjoy this delightful little city for as long as possible. By the time we were ready to leave, it was growing dark and we caught the last bus to the hotel. Upon arriving, we studied our maps, researched the internet, asked everyone and their mother for directions, and set off for our next stop. I really do not want to get into the details of our “fifteen” minute trip from Verona to Ronco all'Adige, but let's just say that it took us two and one half hours, exhausted all of our cell phone minutes, and frazzled every one of our nerves! We have all decided to just pretend that night never happened and never, ever talk about it again. After making it to Hotel Tolin, at almost 11:00PM, we unpacked, settled in, celebrated with a night cap and slipped into our beds and off to sleep. We awoke the next morning after a much needed sleep and found ourselves in the gracious and hospitable hands of Alberto and his fifth generation farm, restaurant and hotel. We enjoyed a conversation with Alberto that meandered somewhere between Italian and Spanish as we relished the free breakfast comprised of fresh fruits and juices produced right in the farm behind the hotel. It was a very pleasant treat and I think we all wished we had a little more time to linger in that small town. However, we had a date with Venice.





TAKING IT EASY IN VENEZIA

Friday, September 26 @ 17:30

We arrived in Mestre, the largest city outside of Venice and the location of our hotel, around noon. The sky was overcast and gray and the air was cold and crisp. Having had a much better experience driving into Venice, we were anxious to exploit what remained of our day and immediately started to plan our attack. After a very insightful and enjoyable conversation with Maruizio, the hotel clerk, we decided to take him up on his offer of a private car ride to the dock, a private boat ride to the island of Murano, and a tour of a local glass blowing factory, all for ten Euros each. We set off bundled in warm clothes and were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the private dock of the furnaceria. We were whisked inside and treated to the creation of a hollow glass vase and a solid glass horse by a glass blowing master. On the way into the factory I noticed the sound of clanking against the outside of the building every time a wave would crash. As it turned out, it was a pile of old brilliant shiny pieces of glass that must have been tossed out through the adjacent window as refuse. Begrudgingly, I was unable to get down to the area it had compiled to grab a handful. As expected, once the display of glass blowing prowess was completed, we were again whisked into the adjoining gallery where we were witness to both amazing, and gaudy, pieces of authentic Murano glass. You may ask how I know it was authentic. Well, it was not because we were in the actual factory, but rather because I noticed the prices. Our host, a dapper middle aged Italian man in a linen suit did not seem all too disappointed, or surprised, that we walked out empty handed. Good thing too. As it turns out, the prices of authentic Murano glass very greatly. And as we notice, the further away from Murano you were, the cheaper the glass became. We bought ours in Verona!

The visit to the island of Murano was interesting. We noticed that there did not seem to be many people living on the island and every single store, which occupied virtually every space at ground level, was full of every different Murano glass impressions and objects that you could imagine. They ranged from elaborate chandeliers to Bart Simpson. Idalis and I felt a strong similarity to the city of Porto, in Portugal. There seemed to only be tourists on the streets, most of the buildings were crumbling and in disrepair, and the overall feeling was slightly gloomy. Some of that feeling may have been a result of the weather, but still a somewhat peculiar place that seemed to exist solely to attract the almighty tourist dollar. A quick, and free (as we could not figure out how to purchase tickets) jaunt on the vapporeti and we were on the island of Venice. We used the remainder of this day to scout out the island, visit the Ponte Rialto, and get a bite to eat at a local, and somewhat out of the way, restaurant. We sampled the local wine known as Frizzante, which my parents grew to appreciate! We took the local bus back to our hotel and retired for the evening.

The next morning we awoke bright and refreshed and ready to spend an entire day exploring Venice. Much like Murano, the island of Venice appears to subsist on tourism. However, there seemed to be a lot of locals and people actually seemed to live on the island. Again, lots of Murano glass and Italian regalia, of all sorts. The redeeming value of Venice is the incredible and picturesque vistas around every corner. In some cases, it is breathtaking. Like a lot of Italy, Venice is incredibly romantic. There always seems to be the sound of glasses and cups gently clanking, a soundtrack assisted by the various musicians playing every kind of instrument imaginable and the sweet smell of home cooking. A full day in Venice was enough to afford us time at each of the major sites, Ponte Rialto, Ponte di Accademia and Piazza San Marco, visits to several different piazzas, stoops, churches and bridges, and ware us out completely. The floating city of Venice was certainly a sight to behold and a stop that I am glad that we were able to make.





A “FRENZY”IN FIRENZE

Friday, September 26 @ 18:16

Another typical awakening where we each take turns in the restroom, try to be dressed and ready before the hotel stops serving breakfast and then return to the room to empty out one last time before the next leg of the journey begins. This time, it was taking us to Firenze, or Florence. Florence is part of the Italy trilogy that also includes Rome and Venice. Not originally on our list of destinations, it was added when we decided to stay in the area north of Rome and abandoned our plans to drive down to the Amalfi Coast. Florence is, in one word, crazy! Narrow streets and even narrower sidewalks, hundreds of bikes and mopeds buzzing everywhere and lots of people. A city inhabited with hundreds of, what appeared to be, young, American students, probably studying art. We stayed in a really cute little bed and breakfast, or bed and bed as it was called. The two separate rooms that we occupied appeared to be recently renovated. Each room had its own bathroom and it was conveniently located close to the historic center of the city. We had reserved the rooms because the internet advertised them as having parking. Unfortunately, the parking was in the street and cost one Euro per hour, Miami Beach rates!

We did A LOT of walking. There really is no functioning metro system and it appeared as if the city was constructing a new lite rail system that was not yet completed. The only true form of transportation was the bus lines, that were a bit confusing, and taxis, that were a bit expensive. So, we decided to walk everywhere. Had you seen any of us, you might have agreed that we were approaching our threshold for sightseeing. As a result of timing, I think that Florence was the city that will hold the dubious honor of doing this group in! Unfortunately, we did not really have the time or energy that is required to really peel away the layers of Florence.

Florence is a city that is surrounded by, comprised of and known for art. It is everywhere, in the parks, the plazas and even the streets. Any street that you walk down or any corner that you turn is bound to have a statue, a fountain or a sculpture. Unfortunately, I am not up on my art history and we lost the pages for Florence from our guide book. However, suffice it to say that there are incredible pieces of art by incredible artists on display in Florence, as well as the largest collection of marbleized male genitalia known to man (please notice “italia” in “genitalia”!?) Of all the things that we did see, and we saw a lot, the highlights were being able to cross the “Ponte Vecchio”, behold the cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, otherwise known as Il Duomo, and gaze down upon the city of Florence from the beautiful Boboli Gardens.

With the conclusion of our visit to Florence, so concluded our trip to Italy and two glorious weeks with my parents. We drove back to Rome, without incident, and were lucky enough to find the hotel and return the rental car all during rush hour traffic in a town that is nearly impossible to navigate. We checked into our worst hotel yet, the “Hotel Acropoli”, or “Hotel Acrapoli” as we called it, and laid our heads down on the four mangled and uncomfortable single beds that crowded the room. I do not think that anybody slept very well. My Mom and Idalis stayed up talking, my Dad fell asleep fast but woke up really early (2:30AM, I think), and I got only a couple hours of sleep due to all the noise outside and my new earring that was killing me. I would also imagine that everyone's minds were full of all the amazing places we had been and things we had seen. We also knew that with the breaking of the new day we would be separating, yet again, and bidding each other farewell. This time was a little harder as it would be more than a month before we would see each other again. The departure was anticlimactic and our terminals were located so far apart we didn't even get to enjoy the final breakfast together that we were so looking forward to. We said good bye to my parents at the shuttle stop for their terminal, T5, and stood waving as they drove away. We were full of emotion, as I am sure they were, but also excited to move forward, as I am sure they were. It was an enchanting two weeks and we can only hope that we helped to make my parents stay a comfortable and enjoyable one. We love you both very much and will always cherish this time we had together!

LEFT AT SALAD BOWL . . .

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 8:40 PM

Pop-a-long here,

Wait! Turn left there at the salad bowl. Oops! Turn right at that spaghetti type intersection. Golly! I'm confused what intersection was that, lasagna I think. Gee! I feel like a real meat head, ah, I mean meat ball. How do you speak this language.

Normally when I open this blog it's to catch up on the adventures of Idalis and Kevin. But this time Carmela and I are a part of the adventure.

As I type in this blog the four of us are in Bonassola Italy at a quaint little community of villas called La Francesca in a villa named Margarita. Yes! each villa has it's own name. What can I say; the beauty and topography of this area is absolutely astounding. One of the first things we did was to take a hike through and around the cliffs of this area. Now let me tell you these paths are very narrow, very steep. very rugged, some of the areas have railings and other areas are without railings. When I say narrow I mean narrow straight up on one side and straight down on the other side one slip and you will be singing hallelujahs in a place called heaven or Hell for some of you. You will have to ask Kevin to show you some of the photographs and digital movies he took. Maybe he will put some shots on this blog. The scenery in this place reminds me of a the rugged coast of California in a town called Carmel Calif. The shoreline is very rugged with jagged rocks and boulders and many protrusions of rocks and boulders breaking the water off shore. The hills are accented with foliage of pine trees and other types of local vegetation that is very dense, exceptionally green and breath taken. When you take in a breath of air you can smell a sweet and pure aroma of the surrounding flowers and vegetation that is pleasing to the senses The towns and villages are spread throughout the mountains and nuzzled in the many coves along the coastline. The buildings are festive with multi-colored buildings with a flare of their own, the locals are friendly, and the streets are narrow and full of very narrow and very tight curving streets. If you have ever ridden in a car with Kevin driving in Miami, then you have experienced what kind of driver Kevin is. Well, take that experience and put Kevin in a rented six speed stick shift diesal Fiat, add some hills, tight curves, steep grades and Kevin becomes a Tazmanian devil in overdrive.

Now let me share with you a little side excursion we took, (because I learned something about my son Kevin I didn't know), When it comes down to knowing East from West he seems to have difficulty identifying which direction is which. After picking up the rental car it was decided that we would take route A-12 to Bonasolla which follows the coast going North, however getting out of Rome was a big challenge we had not counted on. There is an autostrada that circles the city of Rome. This needed to be found so that we could exit the city, guess what?, this in itself from my perspective seemed to be impossible to find even when using a map. Well to make a long story short, somehow we found the autostrada, but were no where near route A-12. So we ended up going on route A-1 which goes North up the center of Italy on toward Florence. After accomplishing this Idalis, Keven, Carmela and I breathed a sigh of relief. Now we had to find another route to Bonosolla. This route was to be route E-80 West. When Kevin spotted route 80 he immediately made an exit and we were on our way to our planned destination. After cruising for about an hour we noticed that none of the cities we were supposed to be traveling past were cities as posted on the map. It turned out that we were traveling East instead of West. Sooooo, we turned around and started heading back. We did see a lot of pretty Italian country side. After this little excursion we managed to find the highway we were supposed to exit at for our ride to our destination. Now this provided us with another challenge because it was getting dark fast and noting the challenges we already had during daylight hours we could only imagine what challenges lie ahead. We all wanted to stop in Pisa Italy to see the leaning tower of Pisa before the sun went down. Guess what? We found it without much difficult. Let me tell you what a beautiful (Bello), site to see, you have got to experience this at least once in your life time. The rest of the trip to our destination (even though the sun had gone down) had not presented us with any problems that we weren't able to work out. So goes one day in the journey of Idailis and kevin traveling with mom and dad in Italy.

HOW WE SPENT OUR FIRST DAY IN ITALY

(NOTE: Two posts entered - see also below)

Saturday, September 14th - 9:00PM

Carmela (Vagamom)

We arrived at approximately 7:15 am Rome time. We took the monorail to the main terminal, passed through passport control and had our passports stamped. Yippee!
Then picked up our suitcase and were on our way, wandering through the terminal looking for info on buying train tickets only to find out that we had to go back to the terminal we started out in. We bought our tickets and were on our way to Termini. Then, in Termini spent much time walking to find the Metro to take us to the Vittorio Emanuele Station, a short walk to our condo.
We are staying in a very quaint, charming and comfortable place at 10 Principe Eugenio on the third floor. The building has an elevator that is operated with a key and is so small that you must suck in your tummy to fit more than two. We usually take the stairs (although, if left to me we'd go the lazy woman's way!). The large windows open to the street below, so full of life, noise and motion. It's incredible. I love looking out over the activity on the street.
ReAnne, you would be proud of me..I actually have hung out the window to look down!
The first thing we did was use the bathroom and take a nap. Shortly after we woke up Idalis and Kevin were ringing the bell.
It was wonderful to finally see them! After catching-up and sharing our stories of wacky experiences we set off for the Colosseum and the ruins of the Palatine Hills . They are incredible. It is amazing that after two thousand years the Colosseum still stands. It is hard to imagine how such a structure was even built so long ago, without the help of cranes and heavy machinery. We have done much walking..up and down steps. It seems to be a part of everything we've done...Thats why I love the afore mentioned elevator.
Afterwards, we had a delicious and authentic Italian meal. Kevin and Idalis had in mind to go to a little out of the way restaurant called Sora Margherita. It was located in the Jewish Ghetto, just a little hole in the wall with a curtain of thick red cord over the open door. There was no name on the outside and it was at a different number than we thought. We ate an appetizer of fried artichoke...a first for all of us! Yummy!
I suppose that the craziest experience of the day was trying to leave the restaurant. As we reached the only exit we could see that it was absolutely pouring down rain, thunder, lightning and all. The street was flooded up to the step into the restaurant and as cars went by water and leaves flooded the floor. The people closest to the door just continued on with their meal as a little old lady feverishly swept the water out. Just inside the door was a bathroom and since we weren't going anywhere Idalis and I decided to seize the moment.
As she came out, I went in. I shut the door, got “settled” and it occurred to me that the electric could go out. The storm was that bad...not to worry...ha-ha! It did. I survived quite nicely and am not afraid of the bathroom, much.
We were finally on our way to the Metro, walking in a slight drizzle, and fortunately for us Kevin had a great shortcut. It only added a half hour to our journey. (But this is supposed to be the last time I mention it.) In the end we made it home...wet, tired but very happy.
ReAnne and Jeremy, we miss you. Gampie and I think of you with a smile every time we see or hear a little one. ReAnne, you would have loved the market where bought the groceries we needed for our dinner tonight/Saturday. Hello and much love Michael and Amail. Hello family and friends.
Arrivederci from beautiful Italy. Vagamom :)

J'AIME PARIS!

Idalis: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 7:56 PM

When I was a little girl, I remember seeing commercials on television for Virginia, with the slogan “Virginia is for Lovers.” Well, I think they got it wrong. Virginia is not for lovers, PARIS is for lovers! When we started this trip, Kevin and I started a new tradition of taking “Kissalong” pictures in front of the historic monuments we visit (we promise to make these a series and a separate post when we have some time to work it out). We have taken our dutiful “kiss” pictures in front of plazas, cathedrals, parks, and many fountains. But here, they seem to L . . . I . . . N . . . G . . . E . . . R. You can't help but do so, as this is a very romantic city. Here, it almost seems like when Kevin and I are walking down the street holding hands, we can hear the enchanting accordion music playing in the background, or the soundtrack for this city: Edith Piaf's “La Vie en Rose.” I've often wondered: Does anyone here work? It seems like the whole city is sitting at a cafe, smoking a cigarette, or drinking a coffee. How could you not fall in love with (or in) this city?

Kevin and I arrived in Paris after an overnight train from Hendaya on Tuesday morning at around 7:45 AM. We were a bit worried about our accommodations, since the hostel we had originally booked with sent us an e-mail the day before telling us that our reservation had been canceled. They had reserved for us, in anticipation, a room at a place called “Prelude Hotel” and told us they would take care of the difference, as this hotel was more expensive than our original accommodations. We've become experts at using the metro, and easily found our way from the train station to the Anvers metro stop, where our new hotel was to be. With trepidation, we made our way there. When we arrived, we got confused. The place looked so nice we thought we were at the tourist information office! It is definitely an upgrade! We could not check into our rooms (too early) so they kindly took our bags and Kevin and I decided to go and explore the city. Although many times we are very tired after an overnight train (you can never sleep well and they always arrive before you can get into your room), Kevin and I have learned that this is the best time to view a city: as it is rising from sleep. This is how we first saw Paris.

After reading my last post, I realized that I spent just as much time, if not more, describing the food in detail as I did the sights that we saw. I'm sorry to say, Paris will be no exception. This place is FOOD HEAVEN! We made our way to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur, which was the closest sight in our neighborhood of Montmartre. We stopped at a little patisserie and got some breakfast. Kevin and I sat in front of the basilica, which sits at the top of Montmartre Hill and ate our breakfast of cafe au laite and pastries. I have to say, these are the BEST pastries I've had so far. It resembled a croissant, but it was flakier, and had powdered sugar on top. The middle included a surprise: a light cream and little drops of dark chocolate. I will never, as long as I live, forget the sensation of biting into that center: flaky on the outside, but balanced by a cool, sweet cream and little nuggets of slightly bitter chocolate on the inside. If I could bottle the sensation I felt at that moment, I would, and sell it for 10 euros a pop!

We walked up the steps to Sacre Coeur, dodging the vendors trying sell you braiding your hair, and walked into the church. We walked around, marveled at the rainbow patterns made by the stained glass that bounced through the window, and sat down to reflect and give thanks. Before we left, Kevin told me that, again, he gave thanks for this trip. But, in addition, he gave thanks for the beauty God has given us, and for the inspiration he has given man to also create beauty. Sitting in Sacre Coeur, I believe it was a fitting moment of gratitude.

Afterwards, Kevin wanted to see a nearby cemetery, Cimetiere de Montmartre, to walk around and take some black and white photos. Although this may sound dreary, it was actually a nice experience. We roamed through the sepulchres, shrines to those who have passed, some of which were hundreds of years old. We were surprised to note that the cemetery, in the heart of the city, had a bridge built right over part of it! Some of the monuments' crosses even brushed up against the bottom of the bridge!

Although it was a great breakfast, all of this walking had made us hungry! We stopped into a supermarket, and were flabbergasted by the amazing food you could buy there! I just kept walking down the aisles, oohing and aahing at all of the food, trying to imagine how much more everything would've cost at Epicure Market on South Beach. After making our purchase, Kevin and I found a park, Parc de Monceau, and sat to have our picnic lunch. Many other Parisians seemed to have the same idea! People were everywhere, laying out on the grass, reading a book, or enjoying a meal with coworkers, friends, or family members. Kevin and I feasted on: fromage de chevre (goat cheese), saucisson sec (chorizo with nuts), mousse de foie, baguette (of course!), taboule, fresh pears, and a bottle of red wine: all for 8 euros! In an expensive city like this, picnics are definitely the way to go. After an 1 ½ hour lunch (and that bottle of wine!), we were quite tired, and came back to the hotel to check in, relax, and take a nap. We would need our energy, as our plan was to go see the Eiffel Tower at night.

Seeing (and climbing to the top of) the Eiffel Tower has been one of the highlights of this trip so far. Although the line was long (45 minutes!) expensive (12 euros each!) and very touristy, you can't come to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Our friend, Laurent, later explained to us that it was lit up blue at night in commemoration of the Olympics. We made our way to the top, and then slowly came down the two other levels. You can see so much of Paris lit up at night! We found Sacre Coeur, Hotel des Invalides, and Jardins du Trocadero, all from the view at the top of the tower. How incredibly romantic, even though we didn't buy the tiny champagne flutes for 12 euros each! Despite my perpetual vertigo, I accompanied Kevin down the stairs from the second to first level, instead of taking the elevator. Although I felt that I would tip over at any second, I have to say that it was a good idea. We walked down the skeleton of the tower, shining blue, and the view of Paris from the winding, metal staircase was even better than the prescribed lookout points.

Kevin:

Wednesday morning we awoke at about 8:30, jumped up and showered in order to not miss the free breakfast included with the room. Missing a free meal in this town is a heinous crime. We returned to the room after a breakfast of, you guessed it, cafe au lait, croissants, baguette, honey, marmalade and orange juice. We gave our friend and ex-neighbor from Miami Beach, Laurent, a call to plan our day. Laurent was raised in Paris and was staying with his sister who still lives and works here. We decided to take advantage of the city's amazing bicycle program and rented three bikes to peddle around Paris on. We like to call this portion of our trip in Paris the “Laurent Speed Tour”. Laurent is an awesome guy and we really became great friends over the past couple of years. For those of you who know him, you know that he is all business and rips through his actions at lightning speed. So, once we get around to posting some pictures, you will recognize those from our bicycle tour of Paris as they will be the ones of fixed objects with streaks behind them. After a crazy and death defying bicycle tour of Laurent's old neighborhood and the Latin Quarter, it was time to stop for lunch and meet up with Laurent's friend, Zena Christine. We decided to eat lunch at this very non-descript, yet so very French bistro, where we dined on duck in a honey glaze and entrecote, both of which were served with a salad and potatoes au gratin. An amazing lunch with amazing company. We then decided to walk down the street to buy some Italian gelato. I had tiramesu and Idalis had pastachio, which was served on a cone and in the shape of a flower. Only in Paris. It was amazing. It was then off on foot this time around the corner to L'eglise Saint Sulpice, the location of a shot in the movie, The Divinci Code. Another amazing cathedral where we took time to participate in our tradition of giving thanks as someone wailed away on the pipe organ. Shortly after, we parted ways with Laurent and Christine and worked our way down Boulevard Saint Michel towards the famous Notre Dame cathedral. After standing in awe, taking a few photos and then wondering why the hell there we gargoyles on a church, we continued on to the Palais de Justice. This was then followed by a pass by of Hotel de Ville, a gander at Tour Saint Jacques, a jaunt by Saint Germain L'Auxerrios, and on to the famous Musee' Du Louvre. You must imagine that by this time we were hurting. This had been a rather long day and we had done a lot of walking. The last thing we could imagine was wandering through three floors and who knows how many thousands of square feet of classical art. Yes, it is probably a crime not to stand in line for two hours to get a ten second glimpse at the surprisingly small Mona Lisa. However, we decided to take our chances and just admire the beauty of the outside of this incredible structure, built originally as a fortress, Palais du Louvre, by Philippe-Auguste in the thirteenth century, which was turned into a museum in 1793. Also very interesting is the glass pyramid constructed in the Cour Napoleon. A short cut through the Jardin des Tuileries got us to the Tuileries metro station which brought us back to the Prelude Hotel for an early night in preparation for our next day.

Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:48 PM

Idalis: Kevin and I are spending our last night rather unromantically, but rather very practical: Packing for our next destination (Rome!). At least we are celebrating our last night in the City of Lights with a bottle of (cheap!) Beaujolais Nouveau as we roll up our underwear :)

We spent our last day visiting the museum Georges Pompidou, a modern art museum with an impressive building: it looks like its insides have been turned out! We wandered the halls, Kevin liked the red rhinoceros and the bamboo airplane made with the confiscated weapons of Rio. I liked the Dali paintings, Miro mobiles, and the view of Paris from the escalator!

We spent the rest of the afternoon having lunch and running errands (a necessity, even on a vacation): sending out postcards (you can buy stamps at a tobacco shop) and doing some much needed laundry (thank you to the little old lady who showed us how to use the confusing washing machine!). It has been an extremely enjoyable stay here (albeit way too short) and a place that you could definitely get lost in for a good, long time. Paris, je t'aime!

Kevin:

Just one last thing. To any of you who may have always been curious about or have wanted to visit France but thought, “awe, it's just too expansive”, “the French are rude”, “I do not speak the language”, “it is too far away”, “everybody smokes cigarettes”. Do not for a minute give it a second thought. Even if all those things were true, which they are not, this city and it's beauty and amazement far exceed any bad that your mind could conjure. The Parisians have been nothing but nice to us, struggling hard to speak in English to help us order food, find the metro or just to chat. They have incredible style and poise. They are proud and have every right to be as they have inherited a rich and colorful history of culture, art, architecture and cuisine. I have been blown away and humbled by a place that I previously never had the desire to visit. There will always be a place in my heart for Paris. This is truly the city of romance and a wonderful place to fall in love, all over again!!!

A "MAYOR" GOOD TIME!

Kevin: September 10, 2008 @ 12:59am

So, after leaving behind yet another incredible city, and a new wonderful friend (thanks Federico), we did our usual and caught yet another overnight train. However, this time we thought we would be a bit more clever. For one additional Euro, we were able to upgrade to “first class” which was sold as having fully reclining seats. Well, we have come to learn that the word “reclining” in Europe may not have the same connotation as it does back home in the states. We board the train with thoughts of big plush “reclining” lazy boy seats, only to find, essentially, the same “first class” seats we had on the train in Morocco, from Rabat to Marrakesh. However, yes, the seats died recline. But, in fully reclined position, there was nowhere left for one to place their legs between the seat in front of you. However, since Idalis and I had opposing seats, we fully reclined them and jammed in together, lying on our sides, to try and desperately accomplish our goal of sleeping on a train! It was a pretty uneventful ride. We shared our first class birth with two couples from northern Spain who had concluded their vacation in Barcelona and were headed home. They had been friends for thirty-three years. We talked about food, politics and immigration and then all settled in to our cramped quarters to try and get some rest.

The next morning we arrived in San Sebastian at about 8:00am. A beautiful little city in the northern Basque region of Spain. As we have become quite proficient in, we immediately grabbed a map, oriented ourselves and headed for the place rumored to hold baggage for a small fee. With a short walk, we arrived in the old town section of San Sebastian where we found “Cyber World”. Excited to drop off our backpacks and start some sightseeing, we headed for the door, only to find out they were closed and would not open until 11:00am. So, as we have also become proficient in, we did some sightseeing with our backpacks on and found a small cafe, “Two Italian Guys Cafe”, and enjoyed fresh croissants and cafe con leche. We also scoped out the local surf break in San Sebastian, know as Zurrolia Beach. With a short rest in front of a cute little cathedral and some reading, it finally became time for the internet cafe to open. We dropped off our bags, got a receipt and headed out the door. Free from the excess baggage, we headed back too Zurriola to get a better look at the surf and conditions. This beach is crowded, and I mean South Beach crowded. It appears as if all the locals, surfers from out of town and everyone getting surf lessons crowd into what is essentially a few hundred yards of beach break. There are people of all shape, size and color and even a few of which that were naked. All in all, a pretty cool place with some pretty decent surf. Putting the surfing aside and concentrating on the sightseeing, we headed to Mount Urgul. This is a small mount on the far end of an isthmus. The entire area is pretty much a park and comes complete with a castle, a fort, a marina, hiking trails, ruins, a bar some incredible vistas of the two crescent shaped beaches of San Sebastian and some of the strongest wind we have ever encountered. While at the top of the mountain, I get hit in the lip with a leaf that was charged by the wind. It felt like someone punched me! Nonetheless, this is a beautiful city. We explained to someone that it is the kind of place where you can point your camera in any direction and take a post card photo.

The main reason we decided to visit this area of Spain was to spend a few days with our friend, Javier, and his entire family, all of them. Javier and his family live in an even smaller town just outside of San Sebastian know as Hodarribia. It is an old fishing village that sits right on a river. On one side of the river is Javier's town, on the other is Hendaya, which is actually located in France. You can actually swim, rather easily, from Spain to France. Javier told us stories of how he used to paddle across the river to get to the beach at Hendaya to surf. And surf we did. After arriving in Hondarribia on Friday night, after our first day tour of San Sebastian, we awoke the next morning to go and surf in France. Hendaya is an amazing break. A long stretch of beach with tons of beautiful waves and lots of people. We surfed on a Saturday morning and as crowded as it was, it was incredibly calm, friendly and peaceful. French alongside Spanish and me thrown in for good measure. I had a great time and caught some really good waves on this old water logged surfboard that I borrowed and also happened to love. Thanks to Javier's brother Pedro for loaning it to me!

Without any premeditation and by pure coincidence alone, we arrived on what was the best weekend possible to visit Hondarribia. You see, this town has an incredible history. As I mentioned before, it was pretty much a town whose soul existence relied upon the ocean. Three hundred and seventy years ago, the French (funny that I should be writing this in our hotel room in Paris right now) invaded Hondarribia in an attempt to expand their frontiers. Well, the hearty fisherman of Hondarribia said a prayer to the Virgin Guadaplpe asking her for the strength to stave off the French invasion. Well, not only did they stave the invasion, but they sent the French home packing! As a promise to Guadalupe for aiding in their victory, they decided to honor the victory every year in what is know as “Alarde de Hondarribia”. I guess the simplest way to describe this celebration/festival is to say that it is a weeks worth of partying, drinking and eating, followed by a massive parade of “companies”, comprised of the willing volunteers of this small Basque community, and then more partying, drinking and eating. It does not stop. For one week, thank God we were only there for three days, the people of Hondarribia, and visitors from as far as, well, Miami, Florida, get together to wear red and white and play flutes, bang drums, fire cannons, ride horses, shoot shotguns and, did I say, party, drink and eat!? It was amazing! Never before have I been part of something so historical, monumental and positive. For all the drinking that was taking place and the throngs of participants and onlookers, I did not see or notice one single negative incident. This is a festival that includes the whole family. Streets are closed, business shut down and everyone congregates and socializes right out in the street in front of any number of the bars that line Calle (Kalea in Basque or Euskara as it is known locally) San Pedro. We enjoyed the Basque version of tapas, known as pinxtos, and any number of drinks, such as Txakoli, Cidra and Chorimoso. All in all, one amazing experience and one incredibly wonderful place!

Probably the most incredible part of our four days in the Basque country was the opportunity to stay with Javier's family, the Mayors. This is one group of incredibly gracious, loving, and might I say, beautiful people! We would like to take this opportunity to thank Javier, his mother Terese, or Tere for short, who is an absolute incredible woman who can party all night and then cook the most amazing meals the next day. We would also like to thank her children in order of arrival. Eldest sister Theresa, with husband Eduardo, and children Ander and Unai. Thanks for providing all the details and technical information regarding the history of Hondarribia and the history of your family. Thanks to Maria and her children, Antonio, Maria and Jose. Maria always has a smile on her face and is absolutely beautiful. Also Jose and Linda. Thanks to Linda for all the insider information. To Inego, the tour guide and Professor. Carlos and Sonia and their pets Nicolas and Wind. A huge thank you to Sonia's mother Elena, who allowed us to stay in the appointed basement of her incredibly beautiful early nineteenth century home. To Elena's mother, Pilar, other daughter, Liliana, her friend, Esther and finally to Zeus, we hope you feel better. To Pedro for letting me use his surf board and for serving up the best Mahou's in Spain! And finally, to youngest sister Ana and her boyfriend Borja, for the Basque/Euskara lessons. This was a great experience and an incredible family. This short visit reminded us just how important, and entertaining, family can be. Javier, we owe you big time. Just remember, you always have a place to stay on the Beach!!!

Agur and Eskerrik Asko!

OH MY GAUDI!

Idalis: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 8:34 PM

We have finally arrived at my favorite city in Europe! Barcelona is such a wonderful place. I've instinctively wandered to many a real-estate window, perusing pictures of apartments and calculating how many US dollars it translates into, and wonder: Would it be that hard to learn Catalan? This city, so vibrant, eclectic, and full of life, has completely put me under its spell.

We flew from Marrakesh to Barcelona via Ryan Air, finding a flight that was cheaper (and much shorter) than having to take an overnight train to Tangier, ferry to Malaga, and then overnight train again from Malaga to Barcelona. When Kevin and I realized we could do the long trip in less than two hours by plane, we happily cashed in our frequent flyer miles that we had been saving for exactly this purpose.

We arrived in Girona, Spain at 11:15 PM on Sunday night, but still had an hour bus drive to the center of Barcelona. Our host in this city, a great Portuguese guy named Federico, welcomed us into his home by way of Joao, our fabulous host in Lisbon. Federico was extremely generous (and patient), as we didn't arrive at his home until about 1:00 AM. He let us in, showed us his nice apartment, and immediately made us feel welcomed. Everyone crashed soon after, and Kevin and I had a restful sleep on a surprisingly comfortable air mattress. Adrian and Ivan: I'll make sure and take down the brand. Maybe mom can invest in an upgrade for the next time you guys come down. Your feet don't elevate with this one at all :)

After a glorious night of sleep, Kevin and I got up, showered, and found a great little bakery right around the corner from Federico's apartment to have what has become our traditional breakfast: cafe con leche and a delicious bollo (pastry). Fueled with some caffeine, Kevin and I set out to explore this stylish, contemporary city. People from Barcelona, and the region of Catalunya in general, are very proud of their rich culture, amazing food, and own language, Catalan. And they have every right to feel that sense of pride!

After a short metro ride (conveniently located around the corner from Federico's apartment), Kevin and I arrived in Placa de Catalunya, located in the heart of the city. We made our way down Las Ramblas, probably the most famous street in all of Spain, and definitely one of the most entertaining. It's a great place to people watch. It's lined with street vendors selling flowers, postcards, and 20 different kinds of birds! Street artists perform daily, and we got to see a silver-plaited angel, a copper-painted goddess, and a magician from New Orleans, Louisiana. Only in Barcelona! At the end of Las Ramblas, Kevin and I admired the Monument a Colom, a statue of Christopher Columbus that sits atop a high pedestal.

The end of Las Ramblas leads to the waterfront. We walked through Port Vell (Old Port) and gazed at the hundreds of beautiful, breezy sailboats docked there. We then made our way to the fisherman's quarter, La Barceloneta, a slightly scruffier part of town, but a beautiful one nonetheless. After spending a week in “dry” territory, we were feeling quite thirsty, and enjoyed a cold, crisp Estrella beer while staring out at the Mediterranean Sea at Platja Barceloneta. Later that evening, we met up with our new friend, Federico, who showed us around Barri Gotic, and brought us into an elegant, peaceful church, Esglesia de Santa Maria del Mar, the backdrop for the book “The Cathedral of the Sea” by Catalan author Idelfonso Falcones (Andres: It sounds a bit like “Pillars of the Earth,” so I'm hoping to read it next). Federico took us to a local, lively bar, where we shared delicious tapas (pan con tomate, jamon, butifarra sausages, and chicken with couscous) and sampled the local wine. We sat hunched over our glasses, and talked into the wee hours of the night about everything under the sun: traveling, literature, Barrack Obama, Spanish vs. Portuguese culture, and the awkwardness of bathing at a Muslim beach. It was a night filled with great conversation and hearty laughter. Federico, thank you for your insights (and warm smile).

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 11:07 PM

Tonight, I sit in front of the computer for a little while, giving words to my thoughts, while Kevin and our wonderful host, Federico, sit outside on his cool, spacious balcony which overlooks the lit Torre Agbar, a colorful cucumber of a building! I can hear Kevin and Federico talking outside, as they slowly sip a Bock Damm and listen to nuevo flamenco. We've just gotten back from another great dive bar called MyKasa, where we dined outside on tasty tapas: lacon (the best jam ever!), patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), anchoas (anchovies), pan con tomate (bread with tomato), chipirones (fried baby squid), and pinchos murones (a type of grilled pork shishkebob). Dinner was excellent, as usual, and much cheaper (and more colorful) at this locals' neighborhood hangout than Kevin and I could ever find on our own. Not to mention the wonderful conversation, where the three of us ruminate over immigrants, gypsies, and satellite television. All tapas are shared, sopped up with bread, and washed down with a cold cerveza or vino tinto. Have I told you how much I love this place?

Every place we visit definitely has a soundtrack attached to it. In Morocco, it was the call to prayer at 5:00 AM. In Portugal, it's the heart-filled, sad fado. And in Spain, it's the clinking of cups. Every morning, Kevin and I seek out a new cafe or bar in search of our simple breakfast: cafe con leche and bollo (pastry). In the morning is when I've noticed Spain's dawn chorus. As the day is still just getting started, every bar and cafe we stroll by is either serving or removing diminutive cups, accompanied by the clinking of glasses, as the bartender or waiter shuffles around the tables. And oh my! The pastries in the windows! They're prettier (and tastier) than any Macy's window display I've ever seen. In the evenings, it's the meeting of glasses filled with cerveza, vino, or cidra that produces this harmonious sound. Although it will never be sold as part of a flamenco compilation, this melody will always be the sound and music I associate with this amazing country.

Yesterday, Kevin and I became Gaudi groupies. Antonio Gaudi, a famous Catalan architect, reshaped the Barcelonian landscape, and was at the forefront of the Modernist movement. His buildings, scattered around this city, draw millions of people from around the world to admire, us included! We first visited Gaudi's Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, an unfinished tall cathedral that was his life's work. Kevin and I have visited many churches on this trip, but none can compare to the sheer magnitude of the Sagrada Familia. Started by Gaudi in the 1880's, it's expected to be completed in 2025. Although still a work in progress with cranes everywhere, Kevin and I walked around and through the cathedral utterly speechless, admiring the spiral staircases, colorful stained glass, nature-inspired sculptures, and soaring towers. Although I am not a religious person, I can respect the beauty in his apparent noble cause. Gaudi, a devout Catholic, really seemed to find his life's purpose in praising and honoring God through the work he built. Kevin and I have decided to come back when construction is done (in about 17 years!) to celebrate with people from Barcelona the completion of this long-awaited project. It's sure to be a big party, and Sunday mass will never be so much fun!

After setting our agape jaws back into place, Kevin and I took the metro to Avinguda Diagonal, where our plan was to quickly find two of Gaudi's other buildings and take some pictures before heading back to Las Ramblas for lunch. Fortunately, we got lost, and got to see some amazing architecture along the way. We kept expecting to see this and that apartment building noted in our guidebooks, but no, these are just homes people live in that also happen to be beautiful works of art. Intricate, gothic architecture sits side by side with ultra modern glass buildings. We finally found La Pedrera, Gaudi's wavy, melting rock apartment building, and Casa Batllo, a mosaic tile extravaganza! We made our way to Las Ramblas to my FAVORITE thing in this city: Mercat de la Boqueria. Yes, the architecture is amazing, and the sights are astounding. But I love this quirky, colorful fresh market. You can buy (in no particular order): fresh-squeezed kiwi juice, a million types of ham, congealed blood (I'll pass), fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, wine from every region of Spain, cheese, nuts, and tapas as far as the eye can see. I loved just walking down all the aisles, peering into the stalls, and trying to figure out what some of the food was (Did you know that tripe looks like honey combs?). I was in food heaven!!!! We found a little tasca (tapas bar) tucked away in the back corner where patrons had orgasmic looks on their faces after biting into their orders. Kevin and I pulled up two stools and said, “We'll have what they're having.” No menus, no prices, just pointing and ordering what you like, since the offers change daily. We feasted on mini chorizo (pork has never tasted so good!), spinach sauteed with pine nuts and raisins, calamari, and bread to soak up EVERY last drop! It was one of the most memorable meals we've had, and the coconut and chocolate gelato we got on the way out only guilded the lilly!

This morning, we continued our Gaudi pilgrimage and visited Parc Guell, a trippy, cartoonish park in the Gracia district of Barcelona. It was originally designed to be a self-contained community for the rich. Lucky for us, the project flopped, and it became one of Spain's most visited public (and free!) parks. It's filled with colorful tile mosaics, Candy Land-looking structures, and many Italian tourists. Kevin and I hiked up to the cross and (despite my vertigo) looked over the skyline of Barcelona, pointing out the two highest structures we recognized: Torre Agbar and Sagrada Familia. We spent the rest of the afternoon running errands and buying our train tickets to our next destination: San Sebastian. We did so a bit half-hearted, as we really feel that we could stay in this area of Spain for a long time and explore the whole region of Catalunya. There's so much we didn't get to see. We feel that we've been rushing through much of our itinerary, in an effort to “fill it all in,” and this is a place we definitely want to come back to. Spain, you haven't seen the end of us yet! Tomorrow we plan on spending the day doing as little as possible and reserving our energy in preparation for our overnight train to San Sebastian. We will go to the beach and stare at the Mediterranean Sea. Kevin will swim in the ocean, and I will sit on the shore, read my book, and savor the hot sun on my back.

Post script: Thursday, September 4, 2008 7:38 PM

We have about 20 minutes before Kevin and I leave to take the metro to the train station, where we will take an overnight train (first class – yay!) to San Sebastian. We are excited to be meeting up with our friend Javier, but are a little sad to be leaving Barcelona. It is a vibrant, sexy city, one that we definitely see ourselves coming back to and exploring, the next time with greater leisure.

Our host here, Federico, has been wonderful. He accepted us into his home late (on a work night), on an evening he wasn't even expecting us, simply on the recommendation of an old colleague. He has treated us so well. We've slept like babies, one night even taking the air mattress out to the balcony to sleep under the stars (good idea, Amor!). He has given us access to his home, our own set of keys to come and go as we please. His place is very well situated in Barcelona, around the block from a convenient metro station. We love his neighborhood, sprinkled with markets, little bars and cafes, grandparents walking their grandchildren, and the bustle of people running their daily errands. But most of all, we just love Federico! He is a very intelligent person, wise beyond his years, and knowledgeable about many different subjects. We have so enjoyed spending time with him, gaining his perspective, sharing stories and glasses of cold Estrella beer, on these long, moonlit nights. Our conversations on his balcony go on for hours, and although he has to be up early in the morning to go to work, will always answer that one last question or tell us another amusing story. Federico, thank you for your generosity and hospitality. We hope to be able to repay you someday!

During one of these long talks, the question came up, “How are Americans different from Europeans?” It's a question that has come up several times, including with our new Lisbon friends, but Kevin and I haven't been able to answer it very well. When it came up last night, though, I think I finally had an answer. We were sitting outside at a bar on a Wednesday night, surrounded by couples and families, kids chasing each other, even though it was already after 10:00 PM. I think this is something we would not see too much of back home. Kids out on a school night? Grown, working adults having a drink the evening before a big presentation? This is what I think is different about the two cultures. We, in America, tend to delay our happiness. We wait until the weekend to meet up with friends, or save up all of our vacation time for one measly week in the Caribbean somewhere. Europeans, on the other hand, seize the day! They will meet up with friends and family, even on a work night, because it's important to them to do so. They will take many holidays during the year, exploring their rich continent, or another. We, on the other hand, seem to frown upon this type of gratification and instead, value a Puritan ethic: Save for a rainy day, work hard now and you will be compensated later. I think this attitude has served us well, but I think it may also serve us well to look at our neighbors across the Atlantic and learn a lesson from them: Do not put your happiness on hold, as tomorrow is never a guarantee. Find pleasure in today, however small, and enjoy the moment.