5th November Paris

This morning we met our local guide Gabrielle who took us to take a few pictures of the Eiffel Tower from the Champs de Mars before we went up. The Eiffel Tower whose nickname 'La dame de fer', the Iron Lady, was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. It is now a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It was erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair and it is hard to believe that they were then going to take it down. It was only after they found a use for it...as an antenna, that it got its repreive and they decided to keep it. The tower stands 320 metres tall and has three levels for visitors. We took the lift up to the second level and were then given the option of going up to the top level...there was no chance I was going to miss this! Our lift operator was a young woman who serenaded us to the top with French songs...it was awesome, best lift ride ever!!! The views from up there were amazing, you could see all parts of Paris. We just had enough time to walk around and take in the view, take a few pictures and then make our descent down. We took the lift down to the second level and then walked down the stairs...about 600 steps...much better down than up!!! 

Next stop the Louvre. We dropped off the people from the group who weren't going and then the rest of us went inside through the underground carpark. First we were sent off to get some lunch, they have quite a good food court at the Louvre, and we were then told to meet back at the inverted pyramid at 12:15pm.

The Musee du Louvre is one of the world's largest and most visited museums and it is also a historic monument. It holds and exhibits around 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace which began as a fortress in the 12th century. In the basement of the Louvre we were able to see the remnants of that original fortress. The building has been extended over time to create what is now the Louvre Palace. In 1682 King Louis XIV left the Louvre and moved his household to Versailles, using the Louvre to then display the royal collection. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. The museum was then opened on the 10th August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings. The iconic glass pyramid was built in 1989 and is the main enterance to the Louvre. Today the Louvre is divided into eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings. Our group was divided into two and then off we went for a "highlights" tour of the Louvre. We first saw the Psyche and Cupid sculpture by A. Canova and then saw the 'Captive' by Michelangelo, we had seen the others from this collection in Florence. After that we saw the Delacroix painting called Liberty Leading the People...the boy holding a gun up is thought to be an inspiration of the Gavroche character in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Miserables. Then it was on to see probably the most visited...and copied image in the world...the Mona Lisa. She has her very own wall!!! We then went and saw Aphrodite, known as the 'Venus de Milo' sculpture and 'The Winged Victory of Samothrace'. It was then time to head back to the hotel and ge ready for our big night out to the Moulin Rouge! The Moulin Rouge is a cabaret show in Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy (red light district). You know its the Moulin Rouge by the red windmill on the roof. It is best known as the birthplace of the can-can dance which was originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site. Today it offers musical dance entertainment for visitors from all around the world...and they absolutely cram in those visitors!!! You pretty much sit on top of the person next to you! The meal was OK and so was the entertainment. Was it the best show I've ever seen...no...but hey...its the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Can I tell you about the entertainment...I wouldn't want to spoil the show for you in case you go one day...but I can say the dancing was good and the costumes were spectacular. Would I go again? Probably not but if you haven't been I would suggest you go and see it...just so you can say you have been to the "Moulin Rouge". After the show we headed back to the hotel where some people said their goodbyes as they planned to sleep in tomorrow...I can't believe the tour has come to an end!!!

4th November Paris - Versailles & Farewell Dinner

Our first stop today was the beautiful Versailles. Today is the first Sunday of the month and on the first Sunday of the month groups cannot book into Versailles because it is free to the public which means there are no guided tours inside the palace. The line up to get inside was long and we didn't have time to line up, so Patrick gave us a quick orientation and pointed us in the direction of the gardens. The skies were a beautiful blue for our walk around the gardens and in the sun it was warm. We wandered down towards the Grand Canal, taking lots of pictures on the way. The statues along the walkway have been covered in preparation for winter because they get damaged in the cold and snow. Many people had hired boats and were sailing on the Grand Canal...it was a beautiful day to be on the water there, and if we had more time, I would have been in one. It was time to go so we headed back to the bus where we were bombarded by African men trying to sell us scarves, eiffel towers etc. 

Next stop...Paris!

We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott in the 16th arrondissment...apparently the well off area of Paris...or so we were told. We checked in and then got ourselves ready for dinner as tonight we were having or farewell dinner. We ate at a restaurant called Brasserie Lorraine and the meal was beautiful. After dinner we were taken to Bateaux Mouches for a night time river cruise on the Seine. Definitely a night for puffy coat and my new leather gloves from Florence. The Siene is a 776km long river with 37 bridges spanning the river in Paris. My favourite is the Pont Alexandre II bridge, I think because it is so grand but the oldest bridge Pont Neuf which dates back to 1607 also has charm. Just as we boarded the boat the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle...it does this for about 5 minutes on the hour. Then along the Seine we went, where we sailed under many of the bridges and were told about the important sights along the river like the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay and Notre Dame. When the cruise was over we were taken up to the Trocadero for another look at the Eiffel Tower...which again began to sparkle...it is not hard to admire this beautiful structure. I am so looking forward to going up to the top tomorrow.

3rd November Avignon & Beaune

A few people from the group have been struck by a tummy bug...luckily so far it has missed me! 

Today we sadly left Nice (I really liked it here) and headed north through the scenic countryside to Avignon, an ancient town surrounded by its medieval ramparts. We were late getting here but were able to get a glimpse of the Papal Palace, an impressive monument which was home to many popes during the Middle Ages. We wandered down the street and bought ourselves a baguette for lunch (smoked salmon for me) and an eclair ;), it was one of the nicest I have had. Then it was time to go back to the bus. We stopped at the public toilets first...usually pay 50 euro cents (whatever they call them) for a toilet. The man here taking our money was so impressed with my French that he thought I was from Quebec. He was even more excited when he found out I was from Australia and particularly Sydney. Just before we jumped on the bus Phil (my new mad photo/camera buddy) and I raced off to get a few pictures of the St Benezet Bridgethe, the famous Pont d'Avignon, a famous medieval bridge. It originally spanned the Rhone River and was built between 1171 and 1185. It was 900m long but suffered frequent collapses during floods and had to be reconstructed several times. The bridge had great strategic importance as the only fixed river crossing between Lyon and the Mediterranean Sea. Only part of the bridge now remains and it is very picturesque. It was then time to head to Beaune.

Beaune, pronounced 'bone' is the wine capital of Burgundy. It was just on sunset when we arrived and after we dropped our bags at the hotel we were taken into the town centre to walk around and have a look. Beaune is a walled city and it has about half of the battlements, ramparts and moat which have survived and the "old town" is extensive. Around the central square there is a "traditional" shopping area with a focus on gourmet food, fashion and wine. There were lots of shops selling wine in the town centre and quite a few patisseries. We stopped at one and bought some macaroons, a mixed box so that we could all share...we sent Phil in to buy them and as we were watching through the window we could see him tell the lady not worry about gift wrapping them, but she did, and we were all laughing when he came out of the shop with this lovely gift wrapped box of macaroons that were about to be devoured by us. I'm not sure how I feel about macaroons...a bit too sweet for me, which is saying something, but I've never eaten one where I've thought wow I have to have another! It was a pretty little town lit up at night and we could see the christmas lights had been put up but were not on yet, I would have liked to have seen that. We then went back to the hotel for dinner...Tomorrow Paris!!!

2nd November Nice & St Paul De Vence

This morning we had free time. I decided against doing some washing as I think I can survive till Paris when I get my apartment as it has a washing machine, so my first stop was the post office to post back a few things I have bought and to make some room in my bag. It only cost 46 euro to send a 7kg box which was much cheaper than it was to send my 4kg box from London. Then I headed up to a shop called fnac to buy some new memory cards for my camera and then I thought I would head to the beach. I got a little distracted on the way past the shops and felt myself drawn in...LOL! I went to a department store called C&A and bought 3 new shirts...only 19 euro each which I thought was fabulous. Then I saw a pair of boots in a shop called Mirelli (made in Italy) that I liked so I tried them on and bought them. They have a higher heel than I would normally have for everyday wear and they are ankle length, but I hope they will be OK. I hope to find a longer pair maybe in Paris, London or Scotland that have a lower heel. Then I went down to the beach. It was a glorious day in Nice today, the sky was a beautiful blue and the colour of the water takes your breath away. I know as Australians we love our sandy beaches but I could totally look past the pebbly beach out to that aqua blue water! I loved the smell of the sea, the way the waves crashed against the pebbles and the way the white foam sprayed into the air. I had a lemon ice tea at McDonalds so I could use the internet but it wasn't working so I headed back to the hotel as our meeting time was 1pm as we were heading out for the afternoon to St Paul De Vence. It is one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera and is well known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries. This little village was so beautiful and we would have loved to have spent more time in the shops. We did stop at a gift shop which had the most beautiful coloured vases...if I could have got one home you would have had one Mum...and maybe if I hadn't blown the budget at Morano glass in Venice!!! I did however buy a plate which has Gustav Klimt's 'The Kiss' on it. He is an Austrian artist and I first saw this image in Vienna on a scarf which I loved but didn't buy. Then I saw it again in Venice, but I still didn't buy it. So today, when I saw it again for the third time, I knew I had to have it. It represents the feeling I have about this 21 day trip of Europe...it has really been like a 'first kiss'. I then wandered up to have a look at the small church and I lit a candle for all my family & friends back home and because it was All Souls Day. On the way back to the bus we stopped for my new favourite flavoured gelato Stracciatella.

We dropped some of the group back into Nice before our optional extra tour along the Riviera Corniche Roads. We made several stops along the way to take in the spectacular views along what is probably the most beautiful coast in Europe. We drove on the Grand Corniche, the stunning coastal highway which snakes along the cliffs above Nice to Monaco and saw the road where Grace Kelly suffered a stroke and tragically crashed her car in 1982. We then continued to our retaurant for yet another geat meal shared with wonderful new friends...some of us were even brave enough to try the snails!!! After being dropped back at the hotel, some of us went to the Casino at Nice...but weren't allowed in because we didn't have our passports. The bouncer on the door then took us around the corner to another bar which we completely took over...a fun night...LOTS of laughs...the girls were trying to teach me to 'pick up'!!!

1st November Pisa & Monaco

This morning we went to the city of Pisa to see the Leaning Tower in the Cathedral square. Again before we got there we watched a DVD which explained the construction of the tower and the steps they have taken over the centuries to prevent the tower from collapsing. The current method was to remove some of the soil from under the north side of the tower, which meant that the tower actually moved back about half a metre, it currently has a lean of 4.5 metres. We tried to take the usual photos of holding up the tower...attempted to anyway...and some of the group took the option to climb the tower and take in the view from the top. I didn't, instead I took in the views from the ground...seemed to become the 'group photographer' and snap everyone else holding up the tower and then I headed for a quick look inside the cathedral where Mass was being said as it was All Saints Day today. The meeting time back at the train was 10:00 o'clock and we were told that the road train would leave at exactly that time, and it would not wait. We have an older couple on the tour, Rob and Thea, who we have all kept an eye on (Thea has early dementia) just to make sure they make it back. Well today, I think we were all so concerned making sure we got back on time, that no-one kept an eye on them today...we figured that out when at 10:05 Patrick says to us all on the train, "has anyone seen Rob and Thea?" A couple of them ran back to see if they could find them, and thankfully they did...they had lost track of the time. So we ended up being a bit later to depart Pisa than expected! Another complication in our travels today was the fact that it was All Saints Day. It is a holiday in France and Italy and when the holiday falls on a Thursday the French and Italians take off the Friday and extend their weekend, this then meant more traffic on the road. Traffic problems have been a regular occurrence, so much so that once Patrick says that his GPS indicates no traffic problems we all moan...because within seconds of him saying that we have hit a traffic jam. 

This afternoon we left Italy behind and crossed the French border to the magnificent Riviera and the Principality of Monaco. We saw the extravagant yachts moored in the harbour and walked up the hill, passed the hair pin bend that is part of the Monaco Grand Prix, and up to the Monte Carlo Cassino. At the top of the hill we were given some free time to take a few pictures and explore the Casino. A couple of us went inside and put some money in the pokie machines...just to say we had! Then we headed back down the hill taking the scenic view past the yachts. Our meeting time was 5:15 at the carpark. We thought we knew the way back and were pretty confident, but as we got closer to 5:15 we started to worry that we had taken a wrong turn so we started to jog! There was about 8 of us so we weren't too worried as we were all going to be late together. The deal with the meeting time on tour is if you are going to be late, just ring Patrick and let him know...which we almost did but right on 5:15 we saw the carpark...we had made it! BUT...as we got to Patrick, he asked us if we had seen Susie and Bob (a mother with her son who is on the Autism spectrum)...we hadn't...Mr Trafalgar was starting to worry. We had a booking at the perfumary and the bus really needed to go to make it. It was a problem because we weren't sure if they were lost or if they were just late, Patrick tried to call them but it went to their message bank...BIG problem!!! Patrick couldn't send anyone to look for them in case they got lost and he needed to stay at the meeting point if they came back and he was keen for the bus to get to the perfumary. He was ready to send the bus off and he was going to stay behind and wait. Time for strategic thinking...not hard if your a woman, but apparently harder if your a man...so I suggested that I wait at the meeting point in case they return, he go back up the hill and see if they were lost up there and the bus be sent to the perfumary. Genius idea to a man...common sense to a woman. I had had no intention of going in the perfumary anyway as after Jess had been there I knew they use Jasmine in a lot of their perfumes and I didn't want to risk an allergic reaction. So the bus was sent to the perfumary, I waited at the meeting point and Patrick headed back up the hill. The deal was that if they came back to me, I would ring him and let him know, and if he found them he would get a taxi and they would come and pick me up. Well after quite a while Susie and Bob did in fact return to the meeting point, very apologetic but also relieved to see a familiar face. Next job was to ring Patrick and let him know that I had secured the escapees. Only problem was that when I called it went to his message bank...and we had found out in Venice that Vodafone texts won't go through to O2 UK phones but he could text me...then my phone lost service all together...what a crazy day this was turning out to be!!! I asked Bob if he had a phone and he said yes...but it wasn't turned on and he was worried using it because it was on roaming...in my best Assistant Principal voice I gave the orders to turn on the phone and call Patrick. We finally got through to Patrick and he was relieved that they had turned up. After a few more texts and phone calls Patrick managed to get a taxi, came and collected us and we headed to the perfumary to meet up with the bus. He did tell us that he had been and reported them missing to the police...standard Trafalgar procedure! After the perfumary we then went into Nice and to a restaurant for dinner...definately 'wine o'clock'! What a day!!!! We get a sleep in tomorrow which is very much needed by many members of the group! I went for a walk tonight around Nice, just to get my bearings and be able to use my free time tomorrow efficiently. I am glad I have a good sense of direction and there is a certain amount of liberation in being able to find your way around in a strange city on your own...I'm doing pretty well I think!

31st October Rome & Florence

Today the weather forecast said rain...and they did not get it wrong. We went from the Lazio region, through Umbria and into the picturesque Tuscany. We arrived at the lookout overlooking Florence, luckily the rain held off, I bought another umbrella just in case, this one has the 'Creation of Man' depicted on it...lets hope it gets to see more than two rain showers, which seems to be my umbrella average! We took a few photo's of the beautiful city with its terracotta coloured rooves and then headed into town to meet our guide. 

I picked the optional extra of seeing Michelangelo's "David" at the Accademia, I mean how could you not want to see one of the most magnificent specimens of man!! This masterpiece was begun by Michelangelo in 1501 and represents the biblical figure of David, who killed the giant Goliath with a stone from his slingshot. We learnt that David was fashioned from a piece of poor quality marble that another artist had started but given up. We heard of all dramas surrounding this statue including when in 1527 during an uprising, someone threw a chair out of a window in Palazzo Vecchio breaking David's left arm in three places and the restoration work and preservation attempts that they have tried to ensure the survival of this magnificent sculpture. David was moved to the Accademia in 1872, it took 3 days to move him. After seeing David we went to Signoria Square and saw the Medici palaces. The Medici family were bankers for the Pope and liked to display their wealth and power for all to see!After that we walked up to see the Vecchio Bridge. The current Ponte Vecchio was built in the 14th century and it is the only bridge in the city to have survived World War II intact. It is the first example in the western world of a bridge using segmental arches (arches less than a semi-circle) to reduce both span-to-rise ratio and the number of pillars to allow lesser encumberance in the riverbed. Next we briefly stopped outside the marble Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, so we could establish our meeting point, and then we headed to the leather factory. There, they demonstrated how they emboss their leather with gold leaf and then they let us loose in the leather shop. I tried on a pair of boots but they were too narrow, I checked out the handbags, but nothing caught my eye (sorry Mum), I thought about some leather belts but wasn't sure of size (sorry Brenton and Dad)...BUT...I did buy myself a pair of leather gloves, I've always wanted a pair of leather gloves, so these should keep me warm with my puffy coat in Scotland and New York. I could have been in the shop for longer but I was keen to get to the Basilica and see where Michelangelo and Galileo are buried. We were also told to try the best 'Stracciatella' gelato in Florence, it's a vanilla ice-cream with fine shavings of chocolate integrated into the gelato (very fine chocolate chip), now normally I would ALWAYS buy chocolate, but I may have just been converted...it was sublime! Then Mary (my sister from another mother) and I headed for the Basilica to view the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, among others. After standing waiting in the rain for all the group to return we finally headed to the hotel for dinner. I think given more time and better weather, I probably would have loved Florence, but after a day of rain, we just wanted to get to the hotel!