Across the Miles to Italy and France

View of Rome from the Rooftop of Our Hotel

We're back from a fantastic trip to Italy and France.  We left Chicago on August 31st which happens to be our 43rd wedding anniversary and returned to Macomb on September 20th still speaking to each other so I guess the marriage will last.  Our return preceded our luggage by two days but that was a minor inconvenience.  I won't go into great detail but rather will touch on a few highlights.  We flew on Iberia Airlines from Chicago to Madrid and then onto Rome.  It was our first visit to the Eternal City, and we were not disappointed.  A quick point of interest:  Diane planned and coordinated EVERYTHING--plane tickets, tours, trains, hotels, and the like.  My only responsibility was to provide adequate Euros and a large number of Marriott points to secure lodging.  As Diane says after my "c" experience, "Gord, you can't take them with you so let's use them!"  And by golly we did. 

The Coliseum

Rome:  We hired a guide to take us for 3 hours to the Coliseum/Ancient Rome, and the next day to the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, and Vatican Museum.  These were expensive endeavors but we both felt it was money well spent; we would do it again.  We also took the Scavi Tour which is of the catacombs which was terrific as long as you are not claustrophobic.  The rest of our time was spent doing the usual sights like the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Spanish Steps. 

After five days in Rome, it was off to...

Florence:  Diane purchased train tickets in advance which was helpful and the ride was about two hours in duration on a very fast train!  Michelangelo's David is truly breathtaking and that visit was improved by the fact that Diane had secured tickets in advance thus saving a two to three hour wait in line.  The remainder of our time in Florence was spent with me following Diane dispensing Euros to various and sundry merchants.  Florence is a very walkable and doable city with emphasis on the walking. 

Florence

Our last day in Florence was spent on a "walk-about tour" to Cinque Terre which was a two-hour bus ride to the coast and then a five-hour hike, train and boat rides between the five villages.  One aspect of the tour includes lots of difficult uphill walking on both stairs and rugged trails.  This is not for the out of shape individual. 

Onr of the Cinque Terre Villages:  Vernazza

The sojourn from Florence to Cannes, France, was something else.  We had to take three trains and the last one was two hours packed in to a regional commuter that was hot and made more difficult by the fact that I had to ride in the entry way to guard our two huge suitcases. 

Cannes, France:  Another fabulous room this time overlooking the La Croisette which is the main boulevard through the city running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea.  We walked, spent a day at the beach, relaxed at our hotel, and took a trip to Saint Paul de Vence via train and taxi.  This is one of those out of the way places in Provence that is worth the visit as it is both quaint and scenic.  It was necessary to spend some time at a laundromat as we were in dire need of clean clothes.  It was pretty funny watching us figure out how to use their machines and pay for washing and drying but we did it.  Off to the City of Lights!

Saint Paul de Vence in the Provence Area of France

Cannes, France

Paris:  We took the TGV (bullet train) at 160 MPH and arrived in 5 1/2 hours--unbelievable!!  Our hotel had been previewed by Diane, and it featured a beautiful courtyard that we enjoyed.  I need to make a brief disclaimer here:  we have had the good fortune to visit Paris on numerous occasions so there was little need to spend copious time at the usual sights and sounds of the city.  We made the rounds to the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Ellyses, Tulieries, Sacre Couer, Eiffel Tower, Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame, and Musee d'Orsay.  What was different this time was that we didn't need to spend a lot of time at any particular place but rather take in the ambiance of the city.  We sat at cafes, and I actually was patient and just sat there soaking up all that is Paris.  One of our highlights was sitting on a park bench and doing just that--sitting there.  Diane figured out the Metro system and that made travel around the city both fun and efficient. 

Gordy and the Eiffel Tower

You've probably noticed I haven't mentioned the weather, food, or my health.  As for the weather, it was simply perfect.  We couldn't have ordered anything better.  The food offerings were delicious and Diane enjoyed the culinary choices especially in Italy.  Sometimes I could taste things and sometimes not so much, so I think I set an international record by having French Onion Soup no fewer than 6 times.  My lack of appetite was not a big thing but I probably lost 5 pounds on the trip so I am in the process of trying to get my weight back.  It seems funny.  People my age seem to battle the weight issue and here I am working desperately to put pounds on.  I knew I had a problem when Diane and I went to a movie yesterday in Macomb and I thought my jeans would literally fall to my ankles.  I did have one bout of the "creeping crud" which is a respiratory problem I've been getting twice a year for the past 20 years.  It saps my energy and I cough a lot.  It's more of a nuisance than anything else. 

Sitting on a Paris Park Bench

Kudos to Diane, the weather, and Marriott.