Our last day in foggy London town

Our last day of vacation!

The last day has come. It feels like we havebeen gone for months! This trip has brought us closer than ever and I'm so happy I got to take this trip with my best friend and now fiancé. Ryan is very excited to go home to start planning this wedding and so am I.

Around 11 am we had our East London private walking tour which took us to many places around London with hidden history and stories. We got to see the place where Lady Jane Grey was tried before taken to London Tower. we saw the church where "Amazing Grace" was written and first performed. The pastor wrote it after his separation from the slave trade and how he saw the error of is ways. The London fire of 1666 was so fascinating, we were told all about it while standing by the Monument and looking over Pudding Lane. The coolest thing was learning about the Blitz and seeing this shell of a church that survived. The walls are still standing and where the inside would be is this beautiful garden with a small fountain and gold colored ivy climbing the walls. With all of the stories we heard about London, they all had one thing in common: London keeps going. "keep calm and carry on" was actually true. Even during the daily bombing from Germany, people kept going to work and school. In fact, there was a huge baby boom in that time. It goes to show the human spirit will rise to the occasion.

Now, what better way to end our time in London other than seeing a show? We saw the Lion King which was incredible! Ryan and I were sitting on the edge of our seats the entire time. The singing was dead on, the sets were enchanting and the best part, the British accents! Haha. This trip was so amazing. I am so happy to have a story I can tell my grandkids about the time we got engaged and got to travel around Europe. I feel like we have gotten even closer, if that's possible!

Day 2 in Paris

Day 2 in Paris

After eating a breakfast of the most amazing croissants we have ever had (super cheap too!) we took the metro to the Trocadero exit which has the most amazing view of the Eiffel tower. I made Ryan close his eyes til we saw it. We walked past our engagement spot and then made our way to the south end of the tower to find out bike tour group. The group was only about 25 people and we all had cruiser bikes. The tour guide was fantastic and told us all about King Louise the 14 th, Napoleon, and the French Revolution. It's so amazing that this city is built on so much history.

One of the bridges we were standing on was made from the bricks from the Bastille prison that the revolutioners tore down. I just think it's so unreal that anywhere you walk in Paris contributed to history and the present. We got some great pictures, had crepes in the Jardin Des Tuileries which is the giant garden outside of the louvre. After the tour was over, we wandered into the Latin quarter by Notre Dame and even got to go inside while a service was going. That church is like Sacred Heart on steroids! It's actually having it's 850th birthday next year.

After we strolled past the Luxembourg gardens and bought some pastries at Dallyou which was on my list of places to try. And this point we're so tired we can not even figure out where our hotel is. Totally frustrating and after our outrageous cab ride, we were back and drugged ourselves with Tylenol pm haha. 12 hours later here we are about to go to the Louvre! More tomorrow!

2 last minute purchases

So on our last Sunday before we leave, we were left with doing a lot of errands including buying new walking shoes and a new giant purse to use as a carry on with a zipper closure. I was so excited to get these errands over with that I completely forgot to write about the thing I'm excited for! Today is dedicated to the Vatican!

(Destination 360)

In a week from today, we will be in Rome and one thing I thought was so important was that we take enough time to actually see all there is to see. Since there is so much, we have a group tour of the Vatican for a couple of hours with a second tour of the Necropolis after. I can't wait to see all of the things I missed the first time!

8 Days to go! Ben, here we come!

ALLO GAVNAH! Did you miss me, Ben? Cuz I sure have been missin you! When Bobbye Jo and I first arrived in London in 2008, the first thing besides showering was of course to get a few beers at a pub. After our naps, we decided to explore a little. Not really being familiar with the tube, we got off of what we thought was the wrong stop and walked smack dapped into this:

That dear old chap took my breath away! Since I haven't posted much about London, here are a few of my other favorite pics:

Abbey Road

Good ol Bobby!

London Bridge

Tea and cucumber sandwiches

I am obsessed with the movie "Hook" and I swear this took all day to find in Kensington Gardens but we were so happy when we did!

And with that very mature pic, I will leave you for today! I have loads of work to do plus some sorting of clothes to pack! More tomorrow for the ONE WEEK COUNTDOWN!

Day 11 - Oh my, Versailles!

For an anniversary gift, I bought Ryan a day trip to Versailles with viator.com. The day that we leave is also the same day we need to check out of our hotel and catch our train to Rome at 6pm. The day tour only goes til 12, so we should manage just fine. I'm so excited and I heard it's just incredible.

I'm really excited to see the gardens and the hall of mirrors.

If you're planning a trip soon, I would highly recommend using Viator. They have just about every tour and activity you can think of and if you're going to a new place, it's a great way to get acquainted without feeling so intimidated. 

Day 12 - SHOT-SKI!

I am so excited to go out while in London! I think Halloween night we're planning on doing our own pub crawl to some really cool places. One of them being the Ice bar in London!

Located at 31-33 Heddon street, you can find a bar made completly of ice!

We can be Eskimos for Halloween!

Day 13 - coffee in Rome

If any of you know me well, you know I love my coffee. Noramlly, i don't really drink it for taste but for ritual. Unless of course, it's Christmas morning at my mom's and she has that french vanilla creamer I'm addicted to but won't ever let myself buy. When I went to Italy in 2008, I couldn't get over the hot and creamy cups they'd serve like it was just nothing out of the ordinary. They come in small white cups filled to the brim of the best coffee I have ever had. Bobbye Jo and I couldn't get enough. I think I still have some of the sweetener packages in a drawer to remember them by, just like a long lost friend...sigh.

The first thing that you should know is that the only thing Italy and Starbucks have in common is some of the names for the types or sizes of coffee. It ends there. Don't expect to get up to the counter and order a skinny vanilla soy latte. It won't happen. In fact, you'll be lucky to get a side of milk. That said, I urge you to just taste waht they have and enjoy it. Who wants fake sugar and nonfat milk on vacation anyway?

Here are the 5 most famous cafes in Rome:

- Caffe Grecco - Via Condotti 86
This is more historic over being the "best" in Rome, and if you sit down to order, you will be charged extra.

- Caffe S. Eustachio - Piazza S. Eustachio 82
The espresso and gran caffe speciale is known to be to die for! You will find this place by the Pantheon.

- Caffe della Pace - Piazza delle Pace 4
After you wander around the Piazza Navona, turn the corner and you'll find it!- Caffe Doney - Via V. Veneto 145
Cute little piano bar.

- Caffe Rosati - Piazza del Popolo 5A
Try a cappucino and one of their famous sandwiches!
(addresses taken from yourguidetoitaly.com)

(Dan Schneider)

 

THE TWO WEEK MARK! - The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay

When I was in Paris the first time with my Contiki tour, we barley had time to do much besides walk the beautiful streets and gaze at the Eiffel Tower.

This is right around where my Forever 21 sandals broke leaving me to buy a 20 euro pair of leather ones from a market. Arg.

Pont Alexandre III bridge, my favorite. I love the detail.

We mostly spent our afternoon doing this, so sleepy and our feet were killing us!

The first time I saw it, I'm pretty sure I screamed like a little kid.

After we reached the top!

Today is dedicated to two places I didn't get to experience. I did see it from the outside, but I didn't get a chance to go in and wander around. I think this was one of the purchases I made when we started planning, I bought two tickets to the Louvre and have tried to figure out how to do this whole thing in a reasonable amount of time. Here is a list I have of things I must see (minus the obvious - the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo). There are three wings: the Denon, Sully, and Richelieu. Both the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo are located in the Denon.

The Dying Gladiator by Pierre Julian
Christ on the Cross by El Greco
The Raft of Medusa and The Woman with Gambling Mania by Géricault
Art from Iran
The Egyptain wing (Sully wing)
The Winged Victory of Samothrace (Denon wing)
the Salle des Caryatides
The Galerie d'Apollon - also check out the collection of crown jewels

The Musee d'Orsay, some say, is better than the Louvre. Less hype and more beautiful works of impressionism.

Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, Montmartre - Renoir
La Gare St-Lazare - Monet
Church at Auvers-sur-Oise - Van Gogh
Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe
 Félix Nadar's portrait of Charles Baudelaire

Obviously there is a lot more to see than what I have but unless I plan on moving there (OH! good idea!) I will have to just see the highlights.

Day 17, Jardin du Luxembourg

Located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris you will find Paris' second largest park, Luxembourg gardens. Luxembourg palace was built in 1611 for Marie de Medicis the widow to Henry the 4th. The gardens itself have terraces, orchards, statues of former queens and saints, fountains and is a perfect romantic place for a picnic.

After running around and site seeing all day, it's a nice place to relax in the calm of the trees and fountains. A place to really just be in Paris. With plently of places to stop and eat nearby, it's the perfect place to people watch. Just be sure to leave at sunset, there is a closing time!

I haven't told Ryan much about this place, mostly because I want him to be surprised when we get there at the amazing things Paris has to offer. All he's asked for months now, is for a place to picnic. I can't think of a better place!

If you find yourself around the area, here are some great places to stop by to eat or pick up a meal to eat there:

Les Papilles which is on Rue Gay Lussac - No menu! They serve what the special is of the day.

Dalloyau - across from the entrance.

If you're going more the market route, here are some options:

KAYSER boulangerie at 10 r de l'Ancienne Comédie

PAUL'S boulangerie at 77 r de Seine....

CHAMPION supermarché at 79 r de Seine

La FROMAGERIE 31 at 64 r de Seine (all near r de Buci).

Le DERNIÉRE GOUTTE, round the corner at 6 r de Bourbon-Le-Château & r de l' Echaude.