02/25/15- Italy bound once again with two friends Miza and Caroline. Leaving April 3rd going to see Rome, Naples, Herculaneum, Positano, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, Padova, Venice and a one day layover in Moscow, Russia. Five more weeks to go.
04/03/15- Leaving for Italy day. Got about 6 hours sleep and made it to LAX airport around 1:30pm, not before picking up Caroline from her house. I left Sharece teary eyed as she dropped us off. Going to miss my honey for the next two and a half weeks for sure.
Our flight wasn’t set to leave until 4:25pm with Aeroflot and it has been known to be delayed, so we had plenty of time before our flight to roam around the redesigned LAX Thomas Bradley terminal. Quite a bit of a change from the last time I was there about two years ago. They actually had mall type shops, artwork and changing screens. Very nice touch.
Our flight did leave late (shortly after 5pm), but take off was great and absolutely no issues on the plane what-so-ever throughout the whole flight. I was very impressed with how smooth the ride was, especially for being a pure 12 hour flight to Moscow (which was our layover destination). The only issue I can see is the guy behind me kept wrapping his arms around the top of my seat to sleep. At one point he started tapping my head and almost caressing it. I wasn’t expecting the flight to include a free scalp massage of any kind so I had to put an end to that right away by waking his butt up. At least I HOPE he was really sleeping.
04/04/15- Arrived in Moscow with fresh snow on the ground. The first leg of the trip was complete and now had to wait the few hours before taking the next plane to Rome. At first it was confusing because the time on the plane stating we arrived at 4pm Moscow time, however the display in the terminal stated 3pm. Apparently they just changed their time zone to an hour back a few months back and the airlines haven’t received that notification. Either case, we made our layover with ease (although dead from zero sleep). The flight to Rome was normal as well until we prepared for landing and got hit with pouring rain causing turbulence here and there. But nothing to be worried about. Again very happy with Aeroflot.
Finally, after 15 ½ hours of total flight time, 6 hours at the airport and adding in customs and taxi to the hotel time, we made it to Roma Central B&B around 11pm. It took a moment to locate the building and found we had to call the person for him to come down since it was after hours, but luckily I had my international phone (which worked like a charm). Settled in and hit the beds for some much needed rest.
04/05/15- Went to bed at 2am and woke up wide awake at 6:30am. I know I will be tired after today but my body and mind are ready to get this trip started. The only problem is the rain is coming down pretty steady. Not deterred, we get our umbrellas and warm clothes out and leave our room by 9:30am. Our hotel normally has free breakfast, however, since it’s Easter they are closed. We began by trying to find a place to eat close by and found a McDonalds. Hey, when it’s pouring that’s what is going to happen. Did order a McToast with bacon which I never had before, so it was all for the best.
After breakfast, we planned our first destination to be the Fountain of Trevi, but made a few detours along the way. With it being the first Sunday of the month most museums were free, so as we saw Palazzo Barberini (National Gallery of Art) on our path we had to stop by and check it out. So nice to see paintings from so long ago as it always seems to help put the world into perspective.
Continuing on we venture down the road to the Spanish steps. What a fantastic view as we saw it initially from the top side looking down at the city below. The rain was still going so it was a bit of a hassle to hold the umbrella while maneuvering my camera around, but manageable. We walked down the steps and found it pretty bare as the plants that normally line the area were missing. Not sure if it was the rain or just not in season. Continuing on we walk the few more blocks to get to the Trevi Fountain which unfortunately was under construction. The only part visible was the middle section as the rest was scaffolded over with the water completely drained. At least we were able to walk closer to the fountain due to a makeshift walkway and see it in a different way. I luckily was able to see this several year earlier and I already knew coming in it was being worked on so not so bummed myself.
From the fountain we walk the maze like back streets for a bit until we hit our next destination of the Pantheon (but before that we stumbled upon the church Santa Maria sopra Minerva). We had no idea from the outside what kind of church we would be walking in but immediately upon entering we see the gothic cathedral like ceilings and knew we found a gem. Fast forward to the Pantheon, it was overly crowded as the rain kept coming down, but still interesting to see again no less. We stayed for maybe 10 minutes and then headed to Piazza Navona area before finding our way to another free museum, Museo Nazionale Romano. This place housed many excellent sculptures, statues and other artifacts found throughout Rome from the ancient world.
Needing a lunch break we found a pizzeria nearby and rested for a spell. The pizza there was very thin and not as good as I would have liked but it did hit the spot for a moment. That was good because now we were needing to trek down the road a bit to get to Piazza del Campidoglio (which was near the Roman Forum). Since that area was set for tomorrow’s agenda we just walked around a short bit and headed across the street to the Imperial Forum to get a view of the Trajan Markets up close. The cost of this place was quite steep at 14 Euros per person, but it was interesting enough to have a walk through and lucky enough the rain had stopped. Besides, we saved quite a bit on the free museums anyhow and virtually had done everything up to this point for free as well. Around the Forum there were modern nouveaux-like sculptures scattered around the place and the museum there wasn’t much, although there were a few cool interactive things to see and do.
Finally, after a full ten hours of walking and sight seeing, we make it back to our hotel around 7:30pm. With legs extremely sore and eyes tired we quickly call it a night. By the way, our hotel is quite a nice place. The owner has been extremely polite about everything and the rooms have a sweet little charm to them. The view from our hotel is also very nice. I’m so glad we decided to stay closer to the heart of Rome just a few blocks from the Colosseum (which by the way we will be seeing tomorrow morning so need to get some sleep).
04/06/15- Refreshed from a full nights sleep I was ready to take on another day. We used our free breakfast voucher at a nearby place and got a vanilla filled donut with a cappuccino. Just perfect enough for me to get a decent start. We then walk our way to the metro and take it one stop straight to the Colosseum. This is in my opinion one of the best ways to first view this colossal beast as once you go up the stairs from the metro stop you are immediately greeted by the massive force that is the Colosseum. Our timed ticket said 9:20am and we arrived with about 5 minutes to spare thinking we could just skip the line and walk straight in. Unfortunately we were told that the waiting line for people WITH prepaid tickets was about a 20 minute wait. We walked towards the front of the line and explained that our Underground tour pass started right then, however we were told to go back to the back of the line and perhaps they will give us another tour time. This shocked me a bit as the ticket never stated anything about waiting in line at all. It’s called a skip-the-line ticket for a reason. I wasn’t too worried however, as a fellow line waiter allowed us to get in front of them knowing our situation. Once inside we went straight for the ticket redemption window (small wait) to get our tour passes and even though we were about 10 minutes late we were still able to get to it with no problem. One of the people personally brought us through the locked gates to meet our tour that just started. It almost felt like we had VIP passes.
What a special treat this was, to actually go underground and see the Colosseum from the ground floor up. The view from the top of the Colosseum (third ring) was also amazing as we could see the whole (almost aerial) view and the Roman Forum next door. We spent around 2 hours here before exiting to the Forum and were amazed by the hoards of people lining the entrance like it was a parade. We walked with a group tour on the left side all the way to the front, had our bags checked, tickets scanned and went right in. I saw some people in line with a printout and wondered if they knew they didn’t have to stand in that 2 hour waiting hell. What’s stranger is the Colosseum ticket doubled as the Forum ticket, so why the line anyhow.
Funny how things seem differently the second time around. Last time I was in here was 2007. I remember the sights but not the exact layout so it was almost like seeing it for the first time again. After walking around every nook we could, and getting a picture of me acting like a statue, we make our way up to Palantine Hill. I look around for a ticket booth and realize there is none, you just walk straight into the area. Looks like they changed that in the last 8 years. The area is more of a park setting now with people chilling out in the grass and relaxing on the benches.
Famished from the day we started to look for the exit, but not before finding a nice little spot where very few people were to take some great photos of us in front of the Colosseum. After leaving, we made our way back to the hotel stopping a few times for kabobs, pizza and gelato (oh how I love gelato).
After resting for several hours we decided to make our way back out to the Colosseum to see it lit up at night. The weather was now pretty cold and the wind was blowing pretty good, but we were able to make it there and back somehow. With that, Day #2 is now complete.
04/07/15- The morning was pretty much a repeat of the day before. Woke up early, used the breakfast voucher next door for donuts and cappuccino and was off to the metro stop by 9am. Our timed ticket for the Vatican wasn’t until 10am so we had plenty of time to get there. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize how bad rush hour traffic was on the metro because as the first train came through it was completely packed with people. I was able to push my way on but Caroline and Miza were stuck outside. Knowing we all wouldn’t make it I attempt to leave the train only to get caught by the double doors as they were closing. Luckily it opened back up again as I stepped off safely. As I looked back into the train I see this elder lady staring at me intently and saying something in Italian. I don’t think she was pleased nor said anything pleasant towards my direction.
The next train arrived and same situation, however this time we all were able to fit. Over the course of the next five stops we were smashed by more and more people trying to come on, including a family with a baby stroller. “Sardines” is even too loose of a term to describe this bout of craziness we experienced. All said we did make it to our stop okay. As we walk towards the Museum entrance we see the line of people outside stretching around two corners. Fortunate for us we had skip the line tickets (which actually meant skip the line this time) and walked right past everyone getting right in, even though it was still early.
Once inside we were free to roam around at our leisure. We followed the signs for the Sistine Chapel while taking several detour routes through the other parts of the museum. Once inside the dimly lit room we noticed the guards seemingly on edge trying to control the vast amount of people there. We made our way towards the middle of the room and just took in the masterpieces before us. Even though I did this same thing three years back it still feels awesome and almost unimaginable. As we were walking out we saw a guard sternly talk with a person taking photographs and asked the guy to delete his photos before being escorted out.
We roamed around the museums a bit more before exiting and walking around the large complex to the other side to see Saint Peter’s Basilica (not before doing some quick souvenir shopping and grabbing some pizza to eat). We get to Saint Pietro and notice the line stretching all the way around the columns that surrounded the place. Turned out to be a three to three and a half hour long line. Realizing how ridiculous that sounded I was able to befriend a person in line which shortened our wait to only an hour before going through security and walking right in. Again, we were greeted by a massive cathedral that was almost too much to completely comprehend. We stayed for about an hour just staring at the high ceilings totally in awe.
Last on our list for today was Castel Saint Angelo, which happened to be close by. We make it there and find it closed for today without any explanation other than stating they would be open again tomorrow. Since we will be leaving tomorrow morning we knew that wasn’t going to happen this trip. And with weary legs we walk the several blocks back to the metro station for the ride back to the hotel.
Even though this was my third trip to Rome, I still found new and exciting things to do and see. But I am ready to move on tomorrow and check out Naples. Hopefully Naples is not as windy as Rome has been. Today would have been a perfect day if it weren't for the constant chill being thrown our way. I don't think I have ever had my nose sunburnt and frozen in the same day before.
04/08/15- 6am wakeup call for our early train to Naples. We were packed and ready to go by 6:45am, went to get our free breakfast (with to-go cappuccinos) and jumped in a taxi arriving at the train station around 7:05am. As we had assigned seats the train ride turned out to be very smooth and easy and only took a little over an hour. I love seeing the lush green country side of Italy. During the ride I was able to check the location of our upcoming hotel (Grant Hotel Europa) using their free train wi-fi and found it to be right next to the train station. Maneuvering around the non luggage-friendly streets we arrive at our hotel and surprisingly were able to check in early, which was perfect because we were ready to take on the day in Naples. We drop off our luggage, spend about 30 minutes to rest and get our bearings straight, then take off down the road to the metro station to get our day passes and get started. First place on our agenda is Castel Nuovo.
The surroundings were under construction but once inside it was very quiet and peaceful. It exhibits a museum for 6 Euros to check out and stretched up to three total floors. The top floor had a truly nice view of Mount Vesuvius and the bay. Here, I saw a worker smoking indoors around the paintings that were being displayed, and right above him was a “No Smoking” sign. It amazes me how much of that still goes on in the world. We then walk around towards the Palacio Reale and find it completely under construction. We locate a guard and ask if it is still open and he said “not today… tomorrow”. Unsure why it would be closed on a Wednesday but what are you going to do. Continuing on we venture down the road for the metro and stumble upon an awesome array of back streets and shops that make you feel like one of the locals. With people everywhere and vespas zooming by it was quite a crazy experience but fun to be a part of.
We take the metro (which the station was decorated quite nicely on the inside by the way) one stop down to see Santa Chiara. Took a bit to find the place since the street it was on was not a major one and the graffiti on the outside of the church area started to make me think twice about what was inside. But as soon as we entered our doubts were quickly dissipated. We were immediately taken away from the street noise and chilly wind and transported to a nice courtyard garden area. Inside the complex we see current archeological excavations going on and old wooden statues of various people throughout. A nice little change from what we’ve seen so far. Upon exited we travel down the same small street the church was on and realize how populated it is. Shops of all kinds line each side of the narrow passageway as people (tourist and local) stroll around enjoying their day. I’ve noticed several streets like this in Naples now and it just adds to the charm for me. After about twenty minutes we reach theDuomo and again were disappointed with yet another site under reconstruction. At least the middle half and ceilings were still there to see, but the rest of it was hidden through scaffolding.
Finished for the day we find a Burger King nearby to grab a bite. We’ve eaten so much pizza and local food the last few days I just want a filling burger for a moment, and we took the metro back. Before going to our hotel we stopped at the central train station again to inquire about our tickets for tomorrow. We went to two different ticket booths before realizing we had to go downstairs for the local train tickets (as those were only for the fast train). Still not finding it we asked a security person and was shown the ticket office to be in one of the shops. I guess it’s a fast way to buy these type of tickets without having to mess with too much else. We went ahead and bought our passes for the train as they were open-ended and made it back to our hotel to rest for the day.
On a side note, the internet has been the worst. So far out of the two places it seems to be extremely tough to get a signal without getting constantly kicked off. Right now I want to post this blog and the internet just went down. Ugh!
04/09/15- Got a chance to sleep in for a bit and grab the free hotel breakfast. Meats, croissants, cereal, fruit, coffee among other things were on the buffet style menu. It was much needed as today will be a crazy journey.
We get to the train station, with our tickets in hand bought the night before, and wait for the train to Herculaneum for the first part of our day trip. As it flies by, the train apparently is shorter than expected and we had to walk with the crowd further down the platform leaving us one of the last few on the train, thus having to push our way in as it was fully loaded to the doors. Talk about craziness! We felt this in Rome during rush-hour but that was on the metro. I had no idea the same would be for a train ending up in Sorrento (about an hour away).
Luckily our stop is only nine away and took about 20 minutes. Upon exiting we see a run down looking area decorated like a graffiti museum. Not sure of where to go to get to the ruins I just followed the crowd with backpacks down the street and found the entrance within ten minutes. We pay our 11 Euros for the entrance fee and walk right in. As we head down the ramp we see the entire preserved town of Herculaneum before us. The city is so much lower than the modern street level and at one angle you can see the old city, new city and Mount Vesuvius in the background. Very eerie feeling. We begin walking through the old houses and instantly I am transported back in time. I can’t believe how some of the wall fixtures are still visible. There are baths houses, kitchens, upstairs and frescos scattered throughout. Amazing as it all was, after about an hour it started to become redundant, so we found our way back to the train station to prepare for the second half of our day trip to Positano. Unfortunately, there are limited options of getting there as we have to take the regional train again to Sorrento (which is about an hour) and then change to the bus (which is another hour). I checked on a taxi but they were wanting 40 Euros per person which was well over the amount we would spend doing it on our own. We did have to wait about 30 minutes at Herculaneum as we must have just missed the previous one, but twenty-five stops later we are in Sorrento. At least we found seats this time.
We exited the Sorrento train station to find the buses parked outside. I approached one which was a sightseeing tour bus and was quoted 10 Euros leaving in ten minutes. We quickly paid and waited. When it started to go we realized we were the only ones on the bus. I think most people took the regular city bus which was cheaper but this was way better as we felt we had our own private driver. The ride took 40 minutes and most of the way through we were jumping from one side to the other checking out the coast views. It was AWESOME!
Getting there around 3:30pm we quickly start down the road looking at the view before us. It is simply breathtaking. The buildings and their colors were so vivid and awe inspiring that I couldn’t wait to get a closer look. We tried to find any nook and ledge to get more photos however the sun was facing the opposite direction. After exhausting my camera we continued down the street to explore the area. We located a gift shop (which apparently is hard to find around here) and made our way down to the lower parts of town where everyone seemed to be. We stumble upon a church and go inside noticing a wedding was going on. I was able to take a few quiet pictures from the back before I was stopped and shown a sign about no photos. The funny part is the sign didn’t even say “no photo”. As we left the church we see the sun hitting the other side of the town perfectly, so we travel up the stairs to get a picture worthy shot. Little did we know that the stairs continued around for quite some time and took a toll on our legs, however, when we reached the top and turned around we quickly realized how worth it that was. The view was simply breathtaking. We were able to take all the shots and selfies we wanted to satisfy our cravings for this site-seeing paradise. Hungry now, we work our way around the curves of the narrow road (trying to avoid the cars driving by) and find a nice small restaurant. I ordered the personal size margarita pizza and a cannoli and was good to go. The food was excellent and the price was reasonable.
Shortly down the road we found another spot to take photos where the sun was hitting our faces just right for a great shot, then traveled back down another set of steps to head into town again, this time actually going to the beach. By the time we got there the sun had already made its way down and we were feeling very fortunate that we got the shots we did already. Finally, our time was done and we were ready to head back to the hotel. The bad news is we had to do that bus/train combination back.
We walk back to the bus stop where we were originally dropped off and find the regular SITA bus already there. Figuring it would be cheaper we decided to hop on board only to find that we were needing to buy tickets in advance from a shop down the road (as they don’t accept payment on the bus). I think the driver felt bad for our situation because he let us on anyhow. Unfortunately it was standing room only as the whole bus was filled to the brim. Combining this with an hour long ride back to Sorrento on a winding road made my stomach turn a bit, but we made it none-of-the-less. We purchase our return tickets back to Naples and have to again wait thirty minutes for the next train. This time (as this was the beginning of the train journey) we were able to find empty sleeps and catch some sleep for the last hour.
Arriving back at our hotel around 9:15pm we were extremely tired and ready for some much needed sleep. But even though it was a long travel day the views of both places were definitely worth it.
04/10/15- Early, early morning as our train to Florence leaves at 7am. Got up at 5:30am and strolled our bags almost across the street to the train station, getting breakfast and a cappuccino. Our train leaves on time without a hitch. Again, very thankful for assigned seating. The internet was spotty at times on the train so I have to wait even longer now as Naples internet was also crap. We arrive in Florence just before 10am and take a taxi to our hotel (which is actually just a few blocks away in the city center). Upon entering we realize quickly that this hotel is a far better place then what we have experienced so far. The halls were palace like, the seating areas were large and art was decked out. Unfortunately our room wasn’t ready as of yet so we had them store our bags while we hit the city. For the first time on this trip the weather was a nice, warm 70 degrees with hardly any wind. Just what we were hoping for.
We pre-purchased tickets to see the Uffizi museum around 5pm, so we had plenty of time before then to start off at the Duomo. As we made our way through the beautifully laid out streets we see Duomo and the tower right in front of us just how I remember it a few years back. We walk around in circles to see where the entrance to the dome is and see the line stretching for what seemed like several hours long. A bit discouraged we decide to go inside and see the dome from within. As we were exiting I notice they also had an underground museum and for 10 Euros you had entry to the museum, the tower and the dome. After checking out the museum for a bit we venture back outside to decide if we should go to the top of the tower (Which had a simi-short line) or to the top of the dome (which was more appealing but a huge long line). Feeling a bit sneaky I decided to walk towards the front of the line right between two large groups and start taking photos. Gradually I worked my way into the line as if I was there the whole time. The guy behind me eventually looked my way with a very puzzled face before being told by his friend what just happened and they talked amongst themselves pretty impressed with how well I pulled that off. Now, I’m not saying I’m one hundred percent proud of this feat, but it knocked off several hours for us which was much needed. We still had to wait about thirty minutes before we were finally ushered in and immediately we were met by a ton of stairs. Since I’ve done this before I knew what to expect but poor Caroline and Miza were exhausted not knowing how many more steps there were going to be (which turns out to be 463 to the top). Half way through we were in the actual dome part suspended over the inside of the Duomo by super thin walkway. The fresco paintings were just above us as we ducked back into the stairwell. Finally, we manage to make it to the top and the payoff was simply priceless. Uniform rooftops cover the city like it was a military parade, and the mountains in the background were a perfect match as the sunlight shined brightly exposing their true colors. It was brilliantly awesome.
We spend perhaps half an hour before making our way back down to the base. I mentioned to the other two about going up the tower (as it’s another 400+ steps to take in) and they uniformly stated “NO!” Instead we found a cheap (and not so tasty) pizza place nearby and made it back to our hotel around 2:30pm to finish our check-in. Upon entering our room we were even more pleasantly surprised. It was not only huge with two good size rooms, but well decked out with a bit of old fashioned charm. There was a king size bed in one room and two twin beds in the other. I quickly spoke up and told the other two that I am taking the king. I have given up my seats on trains, allowed them to have all the window seats they wanted, but when it comes to this room I am taking the bigger bed… that’s all I ask on this trip. They reluctantly agreed and I am a happy camper.
An hour later (once settled) we take to the streets once more and head straight for Pont Vecchio. This is impressive due to it looking just like a street full of shops but halfway down it opens up and you realize you are actually on a bridge the whole time. We then make our way towards the Uffizi checking in our printout to gather our actual tickets for both today and tomorrow (the Academia). Since we still had over an hour before our time slot we looked at the statues and courtyard around Palazzo Vecchio, got some gelato (the mango was awesome) and made it to the entrance to the museum around 5pm.
Honestly, I am not sure exactly what I was expecting but there was a ton of paintings and sculptures in the Uffizi by some very well known artists that I was unaware of. We easily spend an hour and a half there just taking in all that we could before they ended up closing. Hungry for dinner we walk around to grab some food and once again make it back to our hotel. I can’t tell you how much I love this place being so central to everything. It really takes a load off our legs when we need it. We wait a bit until it gets dark and venture out one last time to see the city at night. We pass by the Duomo, the palazzo and the bridge once more just following the night crowd and enjoying the ambiance that is simply Florence. This night didn’t go without incident, however. As we were standing on the bridge watching a musician begin to perform for a crowd of people, an elder lady came barreling through pushing others forcefully as she passed. I just so happen to turn my head when I saw Caroline come flying towards me. We screamed at her about the situation and she just went along her way. Not satisfied I followed her down the bridge to find out what the hell she was thinking and she starts in on me by calling me names (like I did something to HER). So I waited a moment to see where she was going and once I saw her stop to talk with her friend she was with I calmly approached her and “accidentally” fell into her with my should knocking her forward. She lunged ahead like she was shot, but as she turned around and saw it was me she gained nasty snarl on her face. I sarcastically said, “Sorry” as I shrugged my shoulders and went along my way. Now, I know she was an old fart who probably hated the world for whatever reason, but even they need to be put in check once in awhile. Besides, it gave me a reason to knock #132 off my bucket list in life “push an angry old lady”. CHECK!
04/11/15- Ate the free breakfast from the hotel and it was amazing: Eggs, bacon, breads, coffee, fruit, cereal, etc. They even had jelly filled croissants that were excellent. Needless to say our morning was started off just perfectly. We maneuver down the streets a ways to the Accademia and find that we still have to wait in line (even though we had a timed ticket for 9:30am). The wait wasn’t very long, however, and we were soon inside going through security. I was a little concerned as I remembered from last time that they disallowed any kind of photography (especially around Michelangelo’s David statue) and were very strict about it, so I brought three different cameras with me: main, small backup and my cell phone. But upon entering we see a sign that just says “No Flash”. Feeling more confident we venture through the corridors and right there in front we see DAVID. Wow! People were taking pictures left and right and there was no sign saying otherwise. Feeling fortunate I was able to take all the photos from all the angles I wanted. Funny enough we enter the next room around the corner and I was immediately told that no photos were allowed in there. So apparently they have lessened their rules on the main statue but are still strict with the rest of the museum, which suited me just fine.
Afterwards, we made our way back towards the city center and stopped by San Lorenzo to check that out. We waited in line for a bit and when we got to the front we decided we really didn’t need to pay to see another basilica and left. Just down the road we found a local grocery store and were able to get some dirt cheap stuff which we took back to our hotel as well as found me a nice looking Italian belt. The size was about 2 notches to big, but the store owner fixed it right there cutting it down to fit me exactly. I never had a tailored belt before, it felt pretty cool.
After a short break at the hotel we take off to Palazzo Vecchio. I saw the night before how that seemed like the perfect vantage point to get a good picture of the Duomo and tower and I was not disappointed. We could have spent an extra 4 Euros for the museum and palace, however, the tower is all that I was interested in to get that shot. The view turned out spectacular and didn’t mind the 10 Euro price and 300+ steps to reach the top. We had a full 360 degree view of the city. After about ten minutes we make our way back down to the bottom and walked back to our hotel. On the way we did see a few restaurants that interested us for tonight and figured today would be a perfect time to take advantage of sitting down instead of just eating on the go.
We stayed at the hotel for a few hours resting for a bit before walking to the train station to pick up our train tickets to Pisa tomorrow morning. We then eat at one of the restaurants near our hotel and was happy with our choice. They were very friendly and the food was excellent. I ordered the spaghetti with garlic and spice with a glass of Chianti wine and finished off with a large piece of tiramisu. Somehow I was able to pile it all away before calling it a night.
04/12/15- Breakfast at the hotel. Again, I am so glad I booked this place, Hotel Pendini. We walk to the train station and catch the 9:28am train to Pisa; arriving an hour later. Immediately upon exiting we find the bus stop to take us to the leaning tower, but have to wait about 20 minutes for it to arrive. Once there we walk through the walls and see row after row of people reaching out their hands to the sky as if they were holding up the tower themselves. Of course we join in on the fun and snap a few shots ourselves before entering the museum to purchase our tickets. We decided to pay 8 Euros for several of the main attractions. The museum was a bit strange with large, half face statues and “angel and demon”-like creatures. I wasn’t quite sure if this was modern art or recovered art. In either case it was a brief tour and before we knew it were already outside again taking a few more tower pictures.
For the other attractions, we began by roaming around Campo Santo, which contains a cemetery within its walls. Quite a beautifully laid out site. We then make our way to the Baptistry and are amazed by the acoustic sounds inside. With us still needing to go to the city of Lucca we decided to forgo the Duomo as we’ve seen them a ton throughout our trip already.
I pull out my sheet of paper showing where the bus was supposed to be to take us to Lucca, however I am completely lost. Luckily, I had a backup plan already in mind as Pisa has a second (much smaller) train station within a ten minute walk. As we approach the train station we realize we are stuck on the other side of the tracks. With our train due in within 8 minutes we decide to just jump the tracks to the other side and head right for the pay station. There is not an attendant anywhere around and the machines apparently won’t accept my American credit card. I tried to pay in cash but the one I was at was credit card only. Quickly I change to a cash machine and was able to get the tickets. Then, as I try to validate them I kept getting an error message. Not wanting to waste time we decide to head back over to the platform to wait for our train.
It took roughly 25 minutes for it to take us to Lucca and we were just outside the city walls, which made it extremely convenient. Much faster than the bus would have been. We also found seats on the train right away, sitting together. Before we enter the city walls we spot a bike rental shop. After a bit of haggling for a decent price we finally ride away with a four wheeler, four pedaled bike. What an experience this was! I’m not sure how but we managed to maneuver this bike across the street (through traffic) and into the city walls; all while not hitting any pedestrians. We spent some time around the city center before making our way onto the surrounding wall where there is a path all the way around. There were definitely some difficult parts that almost tore our legs to shreds but mostly it was very smooth and easy to break. Before our three hours were up we ventured back into the city, grabbed some souvenirs and made it back to the rental place with fifteen minutes to spare. Before leaving we went back through the walls on foot to explore a bit, take photos and get some food. There was an awesome sandwich place there that had around 32 different sandwiches to choose from. It was made right then and so very good.
Now for the trip back to Florence. We purchased our return train ticket already (open-ended) so with nothing else to do we decided to catch the 6:31pm train. After the train arrived we noticed the last two cars were closed so everyone barreled their way to the next one and were almost pushing and shoving trying to get in. The doors even started to close at one point which was quite strange. Luckily we were able to find seats again- which was awesome due to this being about an hour and twenty minute long ride. About 45 minutes in we noticed that many people were getting off the train and very few were left remaining. This struck me oddly due to us going to a major city like Florence, but thought nothing of it. Then we started to go through dark tunnels that blackened out the train to pitch black for about ten to twenty seconds at a time. At first we were having a little fun with it but soon I was starting to get concerned. My fears turned to worse when I looked at the next station name and decided to match it up with my guide book and sure enough we entered the wrong train. Instead of Florence (going east from Pisa) we were now one hour north. I was wondering why this train left 2 minutes earlier from Lucca station. Quickly we jump out of our seats at the next town (Castelnuovo di Garfagnana) and exit. As we looked around we realized the stop was completely deserted. I contemplated going back onto the train for at least one more stop (mainly because the train decided to wait an extra minute wondering if we had made a mistake by leaving as well). One of the people on the train even stuck his head out looking at us as if we were crazy. Figuring, another train going back towards Lucca was on its way I decided to take my chances.
After the train had left I quickly found a schedule board and saw the next train going through was in about forty minutes. This quickly eased my mind well enough to explore my surroundings. I walked around the train stop to the other side to see one car sitting in the parking lot, but as I checked all the doors they were all locked shut. Turning around I see a small village down the street. Then I see the mountains in the background and the awesome view of the sun as it was starting to set. My worries all but dissipated, however I was still anxious to make sure the next train was indeed going to come by. After all it is Sunday and we are in the middle of Buttf*ck, Italy. With about fifteen minutes remaining we hear a voice over the loud speaker stating in Italian that the next train to Lucca was going to be late by five minutes. Relief hit as I was now assured one would arrive and sure enough around 8:15pm it did. Good thing too because this was the last train coming this way. If not for this we would have had to go into town and probably try to find accommodations for the night.
We board the train and immediately are happy with how well lit and clean it is (unlike the train that got us to that point). There was also a display on the wall that showed every stop. The conductor came out to collect money and check everyone’s tickets but bypassed us completely. I think he realized by our location of boarding the train that we made a wrong turn somewhere and were backtracking.
It took another hour before arriving back at Lucca station around 9:18pm and we waited for the 9:31pm train to arrive but it doesn’t. I check the main board and find that the next train is at 10:31pm instead. With an hour to kill we leave the station (which is deserted by employees by the way) and find the whole town is about dead. Hardly any lights are on and of course nothing is open. We did find one pub close by but that was it. Bored we decided to wait at the station just in case something changed in the schedule. Fortunately the train did arrive on time and we were finally on our way back to Florence (arriving at our hotel past midnight), exhausted, wired and feeling fortunate of finally being back.
04/13/15- Still tired from the previous night I decided to sleep in an extra hour. It was much needed as I had planned a rental car for the day to drive through Tuscany. After eating we take a taxi from our hotel to the airport where we picked up the rental car. We had to do it this way due to the zoning laws forbidding people without permits to drive within the city center. We get to the counter and were told they couldn’t find our prepaid reservation through rentalcars.com. Luckily I had my international phone on me where I called them up and soon found out they changed the rental car company from Thrifty to Sicily by Car. We then head over to that counter and quickly were on our way. I also paid the extra 5 Euros for navigation as I know the streets would be a pain to follow without one.
It took only a few seconds to get use to a stick shift again, but we were soon on our way. We set the GPS for San Gimignano and were there in about an hour. On our way we passed by some extraordinary views of the wine vineyards and hillsides. Of course we had to stop our car more than once to take in the scenery. Once there we had to park outside the city walls and walk into the city on foot. There really isn’t much to this old medieval town, just several ancient towers that still remain from years past. We walked for about an hour and a half before going to our next destination of Siena. Even though it was about 25 miles away our GPS told us almost an hour. I think it was set for shortest distance instead of time, however, I could not find an option on how to change it. Regardless, we enjoyed the views so much that we just went along with it. Once in Siena it took us a bit to find the right parking spot close enough to the city center to walk. We found on just outside at a parking garage and made our way into town. The city is perched on top of a large hill and there were rows of escalators that we had to take to reach the pinnacle. After finding our way through the maze like streets we reach the church and cathedral. Again, a very nice site to behold but nothing we haven’t seen before on this trip (so we didn’t even attempt to buy a ticket to go in). We sat down to have some pizza and continue on to the main piazza. This area was gigantic. It felt like a crater parked itself in the middle of town leaving a huge empty space in its wake. Not to mention there were hundreds of people in this small town enjoying the sun, walking around or simply taking in a bite to eat. Another excellent find of a city on this trip that I am happy to have seen. But like the other places, it didn’t take long to walk through the main parts and come 4:30pm we were ready to drive back to Florence.
Looking at the GPS I see that it wants me to take the backroads again. Hoping to cut some time, and not wanting to revisit the same scenery I saw on the way there, I decided to stay on the freeway and follow the signs for Florence. Little did I know that it was going to not be as simple as that. As I arrive in Florence I am ushered through the town and the craziness of rush hour traffic. Good thing for me is that I felt right at home with this type of weaving in and out driving. My main concern was accidently going through one of the city zones in which I could get fined in. As I continue through the streets and dodging traffic through the round-a-bouts, I spot a gas station to fill up my car. The first odd thing I notice is the rental car makes me use my car key to open the gas cap. After doing this I try to fill up the tank but it’s a no go. I ask an attendant and he points to a machine to prepay. Unsure of how much I need to refill the tank I tried to use my credit card (but again it doesn’t take it). I decide to leave and found another down the street. Pulling in I see the same thing but this time no attendant to talk with or pay directly too. Being five miles away from the airport for the drop off I thought I would just find one closer.
A few more miles down the road I am again rushed right into the middle of traffic. There was some honking involved, but I manage to follow the GPS close enough to again avoid the zones. I finally decide to pull into another gas station with the same result as before. Biting the bullet I put in 20 Euros and was actually able to fill the tank completely full with it. Inching closer to the airport I see the GPS wants me to take a left down a certain street, however the street sign says to go straight. I decide to trust my navigation and over the course of the next five minutes start to feel a little nervous that I’ve gone the wrong way. Mainly because none of the signs around mentioned the airport anymore. Three miles, then two, then one I continue to drive before finally seeing the airport in front of me. I turn a few corners and my oasis of a car rental awaits me. Extremely happy that I didn’t get turned around and made it through that massacre of cars, I park my car and kiss the ground.
We returned the keys and navigation to the counter and wait for either a taxi to take us to our hotel or a shuttle to bring us free to the airport so we could grab a taxi there. After twenty minutes one finally shows up, but lets us know due to traffic it would take an hour for it to arrive at the airport. He then points down the road and says we could walk. So that’s what we did and funny enough we were at the taxi stand by the airport within five minutes. Little did we know how close it actually was.
Once back at our hotel we call it a day. After the past few days of craziness we thought best we relax a bit before our early morning train to Bologna tomorrow.
04/14/15- We made our train time of 9am and a short 35 minutes later we were in Bologna. As we exited the train it took forever it seemed to go up all the escalators to the street level. I never knew how huge this station really was. I made my way through Bologna once before but only in passing. Grabbed a taxi to our hotel (Bed & Breakfast Parigi) and was able to check in early. The room is spacious with a large closet, however there is a weird mildew smell coming from the bathroom. I miss our hotel in Florence already. At least it’s only for one night.
Walking around to see the sights we notice all of the streets lined with cable wires overhead. It didn’t appear that the buses used them so my only assumption being it was for the street lights that hung overhead. Either way I thought it drastically took away from the buildings around. We spent a few hours just walking the town and ducking into churches every now and then. Before heading back we stopped for pizza and was quite surprised it was only 1.60 Euro for the slice. Prices here seem to be extremely reasonable compared to other cities we’ve been to. After a brief stint at our hotel (and dropping an orange peel in the bathroom trash to freshen up the place) we walked around again hoping to find a place where we could get a good view of the whole city. Hopping from one tower to another we found all to be either closed (open only on Friday or Saturdays) or completely boarded up. We did find the church here to be quite impressive. Only thing is they asked for 2 Euros to take photos (which I didn’t mind at all). Also, we went back to the same pizza place before to grab another slice as it was really good and cheap.
Finishing the night off we took a few photos after dark. The weather was perfect (not too hot or too cold). I really hope Venice is just like this over the next few days.
04/15/15- Before going to the train station we went down the street for our free breakfast. It’s funny how many of these Bed and Breakfast places give you vouchers for nearby shops. I get a cappuccino and a croissant, but the lady seemed a bit disturbed with us having a voucher. She was talking fast and telling us what we COULDN’T get instead of just what we COULD get. After eating we went down the road with our luggage to the taxi stand but there were no taxis waiting. We asked a police guard and he gave us the number to call to have one here. Within about five minutes it showed up but he charged us five extra Euros for the call. I don’t really understand why we were charged extra as we were AT the taxi stand to begin with but it was definitely cheaper than missing our train entirely.
With twenty minutes to spare we arrive and look for our platform and lucky enough it was close by (no going down all those steps or taking an escalator). Our train leaves on time and before we know it we are in Venice at 10:35am. We leave the station and are transported to an island world completely foreign to us. The canal, the colorful buildings, everything was just way too much to take in all at once. We locate the water bus (which runs much like a metro but on water) buy our one way ticket for 7 Euros each and board. It took about 40 minutes but we didn’t mind as the views coming in were amazing. It took a moment to find our hotel (Hotel Paganelli) and accidentally went the wrong way once dragging our bags across a stair bridge when it was not needed. And when we arrived our room was not ready yet, so we left our luggage and started our journey. We immediately found a gondola area and paid the 80 Euros total for all three of us to ride. We thought this would be a great first introduction to the city. Over the next thirty minutes we were taken through canal after canal, taking all the photos we could muster. This was truly a magical experience and one that shouldn’t be missed when visiting Venice.
Seeing it was 1pm we decide to check back with the hotel and after a twenty minute wait were told that our room was finally ready. The room is spacious enough and has a really nice bathroom area. We didn’t get a canal view but it’s still very good all the same. After a short break we decided to roam around the inside streets (as the weather seemed quite hot near the water) and searched for souvenirs. We continued on towards the Rialto bridge and found half of it covered due to restoration (which seems to be the theme of our trip here in Italy). We were still able to get some nice photos from the bridge of the grand canal. A little further down was a good sized street with many markets. We sampled some blended sangria which was fantastic and ordered a Spritz drink (which is a cocktail of wine and other stuff). We were almost ready to turn back around when we found that the train station was only a 10 minute walk from there and I remembered from last time seeing a very nice view of the grand canal. So we dragged our legs and the view did not disappoint.
Satisfied with the days work we took a short cut through the Santa Croce area and stumbled upon a beautiful pizza Campo San Polo. The leaves were falling from the trees as the wind was hitting them just right and the red benches illuminated the area like it was straight out of a painting. We stopped and ate at a restaurant there and order another Spritz drink as well as Spaghetti with Clams. And when I say clams I mean it had 35 of them layered on top of the noodles. I love Italy!
Famished we walked back to our hotel, taking in Venice as it turned dark.
04/16/15- Got to sleep in for the first time on this trip. We went downstairs for breakfast around 10:02am and found it just ended, however they were nice enough to still give us some free croissants and cappuccino. Shortly after roaming around the streets I find my camera acting funny as it kept giving me error messages and shutting down. Concerned I doubled back to the hotel to grab my backup camera just in case. As I was taking more photos I noticed it happening more often and worry went through my mind that my camera processor might be going out on me. Interesting enough, after a few more tries of messing with it I find it was my new camera lens that was causing the error. Apparently the sensor in it is malfunctioning. I will have to sort this out when I get back home, but for now at least I can manage.
Started off going back to the Rialto bridge and on the other side was the Rialto Markets. As we turned the corner heading in we saw a few souvenir vendors around then fruit stands. Continuing further we smelled fish. But it didn’t stop there. It stretched on for quite awhile and featured anything you could think of (squid, octopus, large clams, oysters, fish, etc). We walk through central Venice again (like our shortcut yesterday) and make our way to Dorsoduro (south part of Venice) to capture some awesome views of the canal there before making our way back to San Marco. Noticing that the Basilica is free we venture our way in and immediately notice several no photo signs. However nobody seems to be watching out and people are taking pictures left and right so I figured when in Rome (or Venice). We finish off by going up the Campanile tower for 8 Euros (no credit card unfortunately) and took in some amazing views of the whole city of Venice from high above. There were no steps involved this time as an elevator took you straight up to the top.
Taking a breather, we hit our hotel room for a few hours to recuperate. As we go back out we see all of the cruise ship people swarming around us trying to get back onto the ferries that bring them back to their ship. We literally stand on one of the bridges and on one side it is full of people covering almost every square inch of the place and on the other it is almost deserted. We walk a little further and find a restaurant with me getting a glass of red wine and the seafood spaghetti (which came with octopus, very interesting). The restaurant also had free wi-fi service, so we were able to log in and check a few things with a fast connection (since our hotel stinks in that department). We also see a cruise ship pass by us. It was so large that it took up the entire street from left to right and almost looked like it was going to ram into us. A very weird sight indeed.
After dinner we roamed around a bit exploring new parts of Venice as we headed back to our hotel. Craving dessert I found a place that served apple pie, however when they tried to ring up my credit card it wouldn’t go through. Apparently their system only allows credit cards with a pin (the European kind) and they didn’t know how to bypass it. So we left and decided to get dessert from our hotel. The tiramisu was pretty good and they let us take it onto the rooftop to enjoy the night view.
Continued: I realized that my black Scotland jacket was missing and remembered the last time I had it was when I left it with my luggage yesterday before we could check in. I asked the front desk about it but he could not find it and suggested I ask the manager tomorrow morning to see if they put it somewhere. I know I had it with my stuff and either it fell off as I was bringing my luggage to the room or someone else took it beforehand. Either way I’m hoping I find it.
04/17/15- We made it to breakfast on time today and were surprised by the selection. Eggs, ham, sandwiches, croissants and more. Unfortunately it was raining as we left outside and the hotel never did find my jacket, so we looked around at the shops to find some gloves. The first few places we went to were high end stores and wanted anywhere from 65 to 120 Euros for leather ones. That was not going to happen, so we continued towards the Rialto Bridge and found a stand outside that was just setting up. I was able to get a good price for a real nice pair of Italian gloves (after I haggled a bit).
By this time the weather was starting to cooperate and the rain has all but stopped. On the way back we found an opera house and thought a look was appropriate for today. It did cost 9 Euros plus 3 Euros to take photos but it definitely was something different. Later we also saw a music museum (free of charge) and wondered around a bit looking at all the classical instruments from hundreds of years past. We thought about going to Doge’s Palace, however, there are no photos allowed and I’ve already seen it once before. Instead we checked the times to take a tour to the island of Torcello for tomorrow. We were thinking of hitting the 2:30pm tour today, however we got turned around and completely lost for a time. I wanted to get a certain souvenir and tried to take a shortcut but ended up completely on the north side of the island. As we made our way back down and west towards the Rialto Bridge somehow we ended up going east (back to where we were last night in the old neighborhood area). I was completely turned around and couldn’t find any of the streets in my book. Finally, I was able to recognize a landmark from previous and was able to get us back on track. We didn’t make the tour time for today but we did discover another area of Venice that we wouldn’t have otherwise AND got the souvenir I was after.
We stayed at the hotel to rest our feet for several hours as the day had taken a toll on them already. Two weeks into this trip already, and can’t believe we have only two days left. Around 7pm we took off to find a restaurant and found many of them way overpriced. We walked towards the Realto and of course found the same thing. We decided to walk across the bridge and inland a bit before finding a nice place tucked away with good food and prices. I had another pasta dinner with a glass of Vin Santo wine. On the way back it was already dark out. The Realto Bridge was still lit up nicely even though half of it was under restoration. We also bought our airport water bus ticket for tomorrow. The pickup is just outside our hotel for 15 Euros each and takes about an hour, but well worth not having to drag our luggage over bridges.
04/18/15- It's cloudy again. We started the day eating breakfast from the hotel as usual then bought our Island tour tickets for 20 Euros each. Since it doesn’t start until 12pm we decided to head back to our hotel and relax until checkout at 11am (where they stored our bags for us). After taking a few pictures with the fog in the background we boarder the boat and off we were. It took about 35 minutes to get to the first island Murano. Immediately after disembarking we were ushered into a building where they presented how they blow glass. Murano apparently is a huge supplier of glass blown items for all of Venice. When the presentation was over (which was pretty cool by the way) we were taken into a glass wear gift shop. Normally I don’t buy anything from places like this but there was one in particular that I really liked and had to get it. With about fifteen minutes left before our boat was to leave we walked down the street to see the island and noticed how nice it all looked around the canals.
Our second stop was to Burano. This island is home to extremely colorful homes lining every which way. I was completely taken in by the beauty of it all (even though the wind was starting to get stronger creating a really cold chill). Luckily I purchased the gloves yesterday otherwise my hands would have been frozen. Our last stop was to Torcello which wasn’t much to look at. It took about ten minutes to walk up to the church and tower with the wind almost blowing us backwards. I was not very impressed with this place at all and we ended up going back early to the boat. As soon as we left to go back to the main island of Venice it started raining. We sought after to find some food and found a restaurant that had pizza for only 8 Euros, however, we were not aware that they charged 3 Euros per person for a sitting fee (cover charge) on top of the 15 percent tip. We ordered it for take away to avoid all of that and took it back to our hotel. Satisfied with our time in Venice, and not wanted to brave the rain and cold any longer, we spent the next few hours in the lobby waiting for our water bus to take us straight to the airport.
We board the boat with no problem and we were the only ones on it. I guess most people don’t fly out at midnight from Venice. It took about an hour as we stopped at several docking stations on the way. One of them we actually saw a car on the island which we haven’t seen in 4 days. Venice is definitely a different kind of world. Once we arrived we had to maneuver our luggage for about seven to ten minutes outside to reach the departures terminal. Thankfully it had stopped raining completely but still a bit cold. We check in, go through security, get out passports stamped with Venezia on it and await our 11:55pm flight time. Moscow bound!!!
04/19/15- Flight was comfortable for the three hours. I actually was able to get some sleep and they fed us which is always nice. Only one little bump to report that woke me up. Went through customs in Moscow and since it was 4am we breezed right through. After grabbing our luggage we went outside to find a taxi. There was a line of taxis but no real order with them as one of them in the middle approached me. I told him where our hotel was (Holiday Inn – Lesnaya) while asking how much and he called another guy over to go over the rates. Once we agreed on a price he chauffeured me back inside the airport to go through security again. Feeling a bit uneasy I asked the security lady if this was standard procedure for getting a taxi and she assured me it was. I walked to the main desk and paid by credit card in advance. I don’t think I’ve ever had to do that for a taxi before.
On our way we passed by numerous businesses we have in America like IKEA, McDonalds, Toyota and all were written in Russian which was a trip. Then we get to the stop lights and I swear I saw it go from red to YELLOW before turning green. Finally we hit an intersection where it is all in flashing YELLOW lights (not red). So traffic both ways was going and you had to frogger your way across. Definitely a different world so far. During that stop the driver asked us if we were here for sport. It took a moment for me to understand what he was saying then realized we were all wearing our matching Italia jackets. We get to the hotel and find that we are WAY early for our check in, however, they said we can do early check in paying full price now or wait until 6am and pay only half price (which was around $65). We decided to do the half price option so we can at least get a few more hours sleep before we tackle our one day at the Red Square.
After a few hours sleep we decide it’s time to see what Moscow has to offer. We walk down the road to the metro stop (which is at one of the main train stations) and were happy with how close it was to our hotel, especially since it was ass-cold degrees outside. We buy our tickets (using Rubles from the ATM nearby) and walk through the gate and immediately are lost on where to go next. The metro station map is completely in Russian (with no English written anywhere on it). I had the destination written down in English and Russian and knew I had to go to the Green Line but I was stuck in the Circle Line station and couldn’t figure out where to go from there. I asked an attendant who knew little English and she directed me to the Circle Line train and take it one stop. Confused I asked someone else and they stated similar. So we boarded, however the next stop down was definitely not where we wanted to be. Miraculously, we look down on the ground and see the line colors with an arrow and realize this much have been the same for the other station. So we board taking it back one stop and sure enough there it was on the ground (Green Line with an arrow pointing to the correct direction). Turns out the attendants weren’t telling me to get on the Circle Line but to take the stairs BY the Circle Line. The Green Line comes by and we are in the heart of the city within three stops.
We step outside the metro and instantly are hit with the bitter cold. It is -1 Celsius and you can actually see the snow flurries falling down around you. I looked at my phone to confirm the weather and I swore it told me to just “GO BACK INSIDE”. We follow the crowd figuring they knew where they were going, and ended up right next to the Red Square, however it was gated. I noticed a few people walking around in there so I asked the guard and he told me in broken English that it was closed. Now I’m confused. I can understand a building being closed but THE ENTIRE SQUARE! We decide to walk around the building to see the other side and take a shortcut through the mall and thankful we did, because it was very nicely heated. It was huge and looked like an old train station with the glass rounded ceiling. Once on the other side we exit back out into the bitter cold and again find the section blocked off. We were able to go on the other side of St Basil’s Cathedral to get some cool photos however. Feeling a bit defeated we went back inside the mall to warm up and find some food; locating a cafeteria with decent prices. We revisited the tour book and decided to walk on the other side of the Red Square to try our luck there. As we pass one of the gates we see a guard letting a few people inside. Unsure if it was a tour group I slip my way in with them like I knew where I was going. Suddenly I am in the Red Square. I look down at my watch and see it is 4pm and notice the guards letting a few more people in, so I guess we just had to wait until a certain time to visit. Either way I was skipping.
We immediately make our way to St Basil’s Cathedral before the on-slot of people does and get some excellent photos. I am in complete awe over how Disney like it appears and even though my hands are literally frozen, I keep clicking away with my camera as much as I could. With nothing more to do we hit the metro again for our return trip back to our hotel. This time we don’t get turned around at all.
Later that evening around 9pm I get brave enough to take on the cold weather once more to get some night shots of the Kremlin. Feeling like a pro now it takes me about an hour to get there and back with some gorgeous photos. Today was so worth the hassle of the Russian Visa months ago and the one day layover in Moscow. Sadly, this journey is about to end as I retired my camera for the way home. Have an early wakeup call tomorrow morning.
04/20/15- Time to fly back home. Woke up at 7:30am and was out of the hotel by 8:15am. We walked to the train station down the street and waited for our transport to the hotel. We were going to hit the 9am, however we got there sooner and was able to make an earlier one. The train was a smooth 35 minute ride and I actually fell back asleep for a spell. At the airport, we had to walk a little ways to get to Terminal D and stood in line to check in. When we got to the front the lady said we had pre-boarded already and needed to print our boarding passes and wait in the drop off luggage line. This puzzled me because they were printing off tickets and accepting luggage from other customers. I believe she could have printed off our tickets herself and checked us in but she just wanted to be a bitch about it. Either case we went to the kiosk, printed our boarding passes, stood in the other line for a bit and dropped off our luggage. Finally we were good to go. Feeling hungry due to no free breakfast at the hotel we spotted a Burger King, however, they were only serving hamburgers so we decided to push on and wait. We get to our boarding gate and find another place to eat and sat down as we still had almost an hour before boarding the flight. I went to the restroom and it wreaked of cigarette smoke with a butt in the toilet. Despite constant signs and announcements stating “NO SMOKING”! My thought is if you want to kill yourself then please be my guest, but to be an asshole about it in a public place like this is just stupid.
Moving forward: The flight itself was very comfortable but long. Twelve and half hours is just too crazy sometimes but luckily it was a direct flight to LAX. Tried to get some sleep but couldn’t and ended up watching about 4 movies and the first ever episode of Game of Thrones. I may have to watch more of this series now. Arrived at LAX at 2:45pm and went through customs, which now features a kiosk for US citizens for faster processing. Sharece was waiting for me outside and made it home in less than an hour. FINALLY this long trip is complete. I loved every moment of it but am glad to be back in my comfort zone. Planes, trains, cars, bikes and boats were all on the menu and it is a memory I will truly never forget.
END OF BLOG
