Oh no Rome...

We took a 3hr bus trip back to Athens from nafplio and then a further hour bus ride to the airport. Next was a 2hr flight and a metro ride and we were at our hostel in Rome! Travel took up pretty much the whole first day.. It was about 6 on arrival so after talking to our host about local sites we went out for a meal at an Italian restaurant he recommended. I got some amazing pasta with strong sheeps cheese and black pepper (the guy warned me the cheese was strong but I liked it!) and a side of expensive fried mushrooms! Daniel got a roulade of pork.

The next day we went straight for one of the main attractions - the Vatican. The line wasn't too bad for St. Peter's basilica so we went there first. It was huge. Not much stained glass but impressive ceilings and michaelangelos only signed work (a sculpture). Also a couple of embalmed popes which was slightly scary. We got a pizza for lunch and then made our way to the Vatican queue. It was about an hour which wasn't too bad. It wasn't raining and the sun wasn't blazing hot so I suppose that was ideal. Once inside I was quite surprised. I didn't really expect the museums to be laid out as they were. Room after elaborate room unfortunately packed with people (shoulder to shoulder in many areas) shuffling along towards the Sistine chapel. You kind of just follow a one way route so the anxiety was super high. There is no turning around or stopping for a break as its packed. It's one way or... Well, that's it. Had a panic attack but got though it and got into the chapel. That too was not as I expected. A lot smaller and no stained glass, only paintings, but they are magnificent. It was shoulder to shoulder in there as well and you're not allowed to stop. Guards kept yelling "shhh" and when that didn't work clapping loudly which definitely ruined it. The Vatican gardens were nice but you can't see much without buying a tour which we didn't. After the Vatican we walked towards castle st Angelo but it was near close so we just got some dinner and went back to our hostel. 

The next day we decided to go to Villa Borghese, an old estate which is now a park with museums in it. The weather was good and it was very crowded being a Sunday. We first hit up a small art gallery that had a Warhol in it (my highlight) and then decided to go to the zoo. After a long and confusing walk we found the zoo, and it's 12€ price tag (each!) and decided against it. There was however a butterfly house temporary exhibit on that we decided we would return to later as it did late nights. After a panini from a cart in the park (remember this panini...) we went to the main museum of the park, the villa Borghese museum, only to discover tickets were sold out for the next 4 days unless you'd pre bought one! Daniel was disappointed as he'd missed out last time and really wanted to go. I mentioned that technically we had pre-bought tickets as we had a museum pass. We went inside to see how this would fly and it unfortunately the lady said it didn't work like that BUT she had just had two tickets returned from a group that we could buy for full price if we wanted, so we did and we got in!! The museum had lots of elaborate rooms with classical paintings and sculptures on the bottom story and  renaissance paintings and sculptures on the second. 

After the villa Borghese we headed back to castle st Angelo which we'd missed the previous day. It's a papal castle that was built out of a masoleum to emperor Hadrian from 132AD. It was gradually extended by each pope and even includes a sneaky pope tunnel that meant they could get from the Vatican to the safety of the castle without being seen. It's 6 stories in total and was very confusing to navigate even with an audio guide! The view from the roof terrace is 360' though and was awesome. 

In the late evening following dinner we went back to the zoo to see the butterfly exhibition. As we were admiring a pure white preying mantis sitting on a matching white orchid a staff member casually came over with a huge stick insect for us to hold. Eeeek! I "patted" it and Daniel decided he'd pass, the man just handed it to him anyway though and he did very well. I certainly didn't want it crawling up my arm like that! The butterflies were beautiful and we left the exhibit at about 9pm and made our way back to the hostel. 

That night, I awoke at about midnight and was very badly sick. I knew it pretty much straight away - I had food poisoning for the first time ever. I do not want it again! Damn that cart panini!!! I was up most of the night and so the following day stayed in bed to sleep. I couldn't eat or drink. Daniel stayed at the hostel with me all day :) At around 6pm I started on crackers and was keeping down sips of water. Thank goodness! 

The next day Daniel decided he'd visit the modern art museum while I took the morning in bed to rest up a bit more. Once he got back we decided we would just squeeze in the coliseum as I wasn't feeling 100%, still nauseous and only eating crackers and plain croissants. On our walk there I felt a bit sick so we sat down for a break. Upon standing up Daniel pulled a muscle in his back! Rome really hates us. We could see the coliseum so just decided to walk up to it, take a photo and go back to the hostel. Daniel didn't think he could do all the steps and I wasn't feeling well. Will have to be next time. 

Today we woke up, ready to catch the train to Florence! I was feeling almost 100% and Daniels back was much better but he'd caught the food poisoning! (Told you Rome hated us!). The poor lad endured a bumpy taxi ride and 1.5hr train to Florence. Once here we rested up all day and he seems better now. Thankfully he didn't have it as badly as me and even had a proper dinner. 

Now it's 10pm and we have tomorrow and the following day in Florence. We were originally going to spend one of the three days taking a day trip to Pisa but we've flagged that as we lost today. 

Hopefully there is no more illness!!

Cee.

Today's pic: coffee face. 

3 Castles in 3 days!

We traveled from Athens, down into the Peloponnese. Away from the dereliction and homeless of the city the smaller country town seem to be doing better.

We first took a coach down to 'new' Corinth and I made the mistake of thinking a bus bound for Corinth would terminate there and we didn't get off there! Luckily the bus to Ancient Corinth also stops there so crisis averted we got off there and with the help of a local managed to get the right bus! (The Greek character set can be a bit hard to read!)

After Checkin we strolled into the village center and visited the Ancient Corinth archeological site, something I've always wanted to do. Little remains of the original Greek settlement, most of the remains are from later Roman occupation . Afterwards we took a taxi up the hill to the Arco Corinth, the Ancient Greek/Roman/Byzantine/Frankish/Venetian fortress on top of a mountain that was extended by each successive conquerer and so is consequently MASSIVE. Most of the buildings have been destroyed so only the walls and gates remain. We walked over the top of the mountain (besieged by literally hundreds of locusts and grasshoppers) and climbed into the remains of an underground Byzantine cistern that was built around a mountain spring.

 

The next day we took a bus to Nafplio in the Argolic Gulf, a town that used to be (breifly anyway) the capital of Greece.

The old town in Nafplio is largely made of of 16th - 17th century Venetian villas with bougainvillea cascading down the sides. It's a really beautiful place with a homey country town feel. There are LOTS of castles and fortifacations as each invading force fortified it a little more. The town has been controlled by the  Byzantines, the Ottomans, the Franks, the Venetians and now the Greeks!

The first day we visited the Archeological museum and saw some 32,000 year old clay hearths used by early setters in the region - the oldest thing we have seen yet! (Along with your standard collections of Bronze Age, classical and Hellenistic artifacts). They were also showing video about the Neolithic finds in the area which was interesting - not something you see very often. Later that day we visited Bourtizi fortress in the harbor - a cute little baby castle in the harbour built by the Venetians that was also used as a boutique hotel between 1930 - 1970 (till the government took it back - now it's derelict....)

On the second day we visited another castle, Palamidi - the big daddy castle on top of the hill. We cunningly took a taxi up to the back of the castle to avoid the 1000 odd steps to get there from the town (we did walk down em though!) the views were great, could see both sides of the peninsula. We spied a great looking swimming beach but by the time we got to it the tide had come in and the people were crammed into a tiny 2x10m space (plus the water was cold...) so we did a spot of shopping.

Athens photos

Again just from the iPhone. Sorry! Real pics coming soon. 

Athens! - Ruins, ruins, ruins! (Including the economy :/)

First day in Athens - man I thought the dozens of half constructed buildings we saw in Santorini were a bad sign of the Greek economy but there are so many abandoned buildings, closed businesses and homeless people it beggars belief. We walked down the main shopping street and there were three closed shops and two burnt out buildings in the same block.  Cee has a big heart and she feels the weight of it, it's been hard on her at times. We have been giving change to the homeless (amputees in particular),

I have been really looking forward to coming to Greece, the history here is incredible and also abundant! As soon as the Greeks try and dig anywhere or build anything they encounter ruins or artifacts. We saw some bronze statues that were found 2m down where they were trying to fix some plumbing, we went into a gift shop that had to have a glass floor because it was built on ruins, numerous subway stations have archeological displays of things found in construction and when they tried to build a new museum for the artifacts from the Acropolis they found a whole ruined city block under the site - so they built it on stilts so you can see the site and the museum!

Now for the breakdown:

We arrived Friday afternoon and decided not to pull punches and headed straight for the Acropolis and spent the afternoon exploring the ruins in the blazing heat.

On Saturday we explored the Monastiraki flea markets, went to the Roman Agora, the Agora Museum (actually inside a rebuilt Greek Stoa),  Philopappos hill, Pnyx and the Acropolis Museum (busy day - back at 10!)

On Sunday we watched the changing of the guards at parliament, went to the National Archeological museum and saw the parts of the Antikythera (and three working reproductions!) then climbed Lycabettus hill for views of the city (ok we cheated and took a funicular half way!)

Today we had a lazy sleep in (we are on holiday!), went on a mission to the laundromat with practically all our washing (it cost €20!) and had a stroll about the National Gardens (which also has ruins haphazardly strewn about it).

Tomorrow we head for Corinth and even more ruins.

Oh and a bird pooped on Celia's hat and left a stain - it's ruined!

If Celia had a pet donkey she would call it Mr HeeHaw

After a wonderful evening at a 5 star bench in Athens airport we arrived in Santorini on Wednesday morning. Stepping off the plane to a cold spring day on the islands (28 degrees). We were confronted with the islands unusual architecture, striking white houses with barrel rooves. 

After check-in we grabbed a €2 Souvlaki and explored the main village Fira. We walked down the cliff path to the old port where passengers were returning to cruise liners by boat and grabbed a beer on the edge of the water. With some Dutch courage, we rode back up the cliff path on the backs of donkeys - who didn't seem to want to follow instructions but luckily seemed to know the way!

Afterwards we popped back to the hotel for a swim and a quick power nap - that stretched out to 3 hours! But we managed to force ourselves to go out and get dinner and explore the cliff side by night and enjoy the view.

On our second day we traveled to Akrotiri archeological site on the south of the island, a former town from the late Cycladic period that was covered in silt and ash when the islands volcano exploded 4700 odd years ago (like Pompeii but different volcano).

It's amazing hour much still remains and how little they have excavated so far (about four out of 35 buildings!) but they have only been digging for forty years, they estimate it will take another 200!

Later we tried to get to another site on top of a mountain but it was closed due to high wind so we decided to explore the beaches. The bus goes on 'Island Time' and was taking forever so we hitchhiked to the beach, we got picked up by the local Maths teacher who was really nice, he wouldn't take money for gas and gave US a present for riding with him! So we had a few cocktails and a souvlaki on the beach before heading to Oia on the northern tip of the island. Oia turned out to be even more beautiful the Fira! So after dinner we caught the sunset over the Aegean and went back to start packing. 

Our flight out was delayed due to high winds, could have really done with another day in Santorini and nearly got one! But it managed to land (just) after an hour.

The thing that sticks with me the most is the hospitality of the islanders, they are really nice, like really really nice, like nicer than the Danish nice ( and without that whole 'secretly taking over the world' vibe). Even when they were trying to sell things being nice was still more important!

And now on to the mainland!

Celia is making me blog

So we are sitting in an airport in Paris, waiting for our 3 hour flight to take us to Athens airport where we get to schlemp around for 9 hours waiting for out flight to Santorini! Well at least Greece should be warmer, Paris has been wet and cold.

In the last couple of days we visited the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame cathedral, the Archeological Crypt underneath Notre Dame square and returned to Versailles to view the palace (we ran out of time and got drenched on Sunday!).

All in all returning to Paris has been fun but I wish the weather was like last time!

For Tarrentino fans, went to McDonalds and ordered a Royal with Cheese. Didn't order a beer though, it was 11am!

Edit: as it turns out some loony shot himself in front of the altar at Notre Dame as a protest about gay marriage the day after our visit, lucky we missed it!

Week in Paris

Bonjour! It's been a couple of days since the last post. I find that we're doing so much I need to post frequently or I forget what we did and when! 

On Friday we slept in and then made our way to saint chapelle, a famous church with 360 stained glass windows. We took a couple of videos to show you all once we're back. It was beautiful and not too overcast so there was a fair bit of light coming through. Next we went to the prison where Marie Antoinette was held. That had an art exhibition going on at the same time so some of the cells had artworks in them. It was a weird combo but it was only 4E so it was okay haha. 

We then walked to the louvre gardens and had a very late lunch that we'd pre bought to save money (from the supermarket). I had a really disappointing tuna sandwich :(

Following that we explored the mall under the louvre a bit and experienced toilets that charge you 1.5E to use (about $2.60). They weren't that great. Clean I guess. We then met up with a small tour group of 3 others (plus the guide) that we were recommended. Fortunately this meant we got to skip the line which was handy! Our guide took us around all the main artworks including Venus, Mona Lisa and Nike. Mona Lisa wasn't that impressive but I can now say I've seen her. I really liked Nike (the sculpture of the goddess) and one called 'the young martyr" the most. 

Yesterday we went to the musee d'orsay and l'orangerie museums. We saw some of monet's waterlillies, some cool art nouveau furniture, some Renoir and other famous impressionists. We got an early night in. 

Today we took a tour of the gardens of Versailles! Since its a Sunday the fountains all came on at 3pm-5pm and all the groves were open (except a few for renovation). Normally most of the 20 groves are shut bar sat/sun. It was forcast to rain but held off until 5pm when we got soaked despite our umbrella! We saw a wonderful musical fountain and lots of topiaries and paterres. We didn't get time to see the palace as well so that's on tomorrow's agenda along with notre dame. We then have Tuesday to throw in the Eiffel Tower before we leave at 9pm for santorini!!!

Au revoir, C xx

Today's photo is a frank Lloyd wright door that Daniel liked. Sorry you haven't had any actual photos from the camera yet, only cellphone ones. They're on their way!