http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/CathyMarie/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from CathyMarie en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:47:28 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:47:28 +0000 Now to begin you think I would be better at directions given I am my dads daughter NOPE And I wasn't smart enough to print out or really look anything up. Eventually I did find where to go. I am telling you....Lake Michigan should be everywhere I am.I found the Hotel Au Trianon Palace. I was able to change from jeans and tennis shoes to my skirt and heels. I had a drink while waiting....It was http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Versailles/blog-364672.html france was really getting to me. Very frustrated I managed to get calmed down by Jon. I just needed to vent. I need Kath here to explore One of us needs the map and the other navigates and this is just for walking aroundSo I am still a little in a mood after all this so I get Starbucks. That lifts my spirits. Things are expensive here but it was worth it SO I am almost back to the hotel and I http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-364325.html Today uneventful so far. I ate breakfast and napped. I have dinner reservations in Versailles at 7 don't want to get to Versailles too early then I will be tired by dinner SO after emailing then I will take the metro there. Super excited This morning it was raining which was actually nice and peaceful given i am at the top floor. I love the sound of rain. Tomorrow not too much planned....I c http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-364324.html I made it to Paris....now they just need to move the letters on the keyboard back to where they belong and I could type WAY faster Bus tour today versailles tomorrow and Sunday explore I know people have recomended a lot but I dont have a lot of time here. Oh well. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-363960.html I have my new love...Antoni Gaudi. He is the man. SO I decided to head out to Park Guell and the Museum of Gaudi. I took the metro to the place it told me to get off and I had a little bit of a problem finding this 15 hectacre park. Eventually I found it and was like hmm this is nice but why did I really want to see it Then I ran into why I did....all the distinctly Gaudi stuff going on There we http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-363087.html My evening continued with a walk down the Historica Rambla. I guess its historic...I didnt hear of until I got to Barcelona BUT apparently a lot of people know about it. I did some walking down that. Its pretty cool. Think about Fountain Park in Sheboygan with all the vendors then add some mimes and other people doing stuff like someone dressed as Edward Scissorhands. This is like the middle a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-363086.html Today was a fun day I have my Barcelona card and with that I get to use the metro which saves on some walking. Today was my day of Gaudi. This dude is awesome If he were alive he would so be building my house.The first stop was Casa Batllo. This was an awesome house. There were only a few spots he used straight lines...the rest all curves. It was designed almost to be underwater. There were ton http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-362770.html I have three days left in Spain I leave Wednesday night for Paris. I have been thinking about some of the things I have been observing and wanted to share them with you. I know that I havent been everywhere so these are probably generalizations BUT they are things that I have notice.Bathrooms In public bathrooms there arent many that have paper towel. It is those electric ones. WHICH for some http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/blog-362322.html SO I definitely did too much yesterday....Or it also has something to do with the damp air rainy and then sunny. Today I am back under the weather. SO I am pushing off using my Barcelona Card BUT I have three days to use it....so Monday Tuesday and Wednesday are perfect I am really going to take it easy today. Only going out to eat something. I did have lots of juice and water with breakfast th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-362321.html So yesterday not so good. I went out to get some lunch and that was goodFour cheese risotto meatballs with a tomato sauce tiramisu for dessert. You notice a pattern here. If a place has tiramisu I get it. It was SO good. The best. It was soaked in espresso. Like I used the spoon to slice off a piece and the espresso oozed out. Then it was covered in milk chocolate shavings THE WHOLE PLATE Yu http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-362014.html Not too much to talk about today. I am sick cold fever. Luckily I have some DayQuil I took. I was resting all morning and felt the need to get out for a little bit to at least get some lunch and pick up some stuff to have on hand like crackers or juice. EHH At least nothing major on the docket today.Tomorrow I am going on a bus tour of Barcelona. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-361771.html I am so glad I was on the train that was two hours less. My back still hurt after that and I even took my pillow out to be comfy. Barb was the best when she got those 039plastic air bagthings for me. I can put my pillow in the bag roll it and the air goes out and its awesome I love my pillow. I got to the hotel at about midnight. Whats nice is that the city is active I took a metro to the h http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-361556.html I have been enjoying Bilbao. I slept in yeterday the 6th as those ladies kept me up all night. I eventually got up and went to the Guggenheim museum. It was pretty neat....its one of those places you just cant keep walking by and not go into it. The first floor was cool. It had some huge instalations. The second floor had stuff by this dude name Cy Twombly. He is like 80 and still doing art. Yo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Basque-Country/Bilbao/blog-361045.html SO...I have been a little tired lately. Maybe a little worn out so I took most of the day easy. I did go out walking for a while. Did some exploring napping all that good stuff. Where I am staying they were going to have a dinner SO what the heck rightFirst I was trying to nap before getting ready... there was a lot of noise outside. I knew they were setting stuff outside this town hall the ni http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Basque-Country/Bilbao/blog-360682.html So I thought I would share what a typical day is for me when I dont have any plans. Some days there are museums to go to or I have passes to go places or tours.In Bilbao I dont have a set schedule. Tomorrow I decided I am going to the Guggenheim though. When I finally get up in the morning have breakfast get ready and then venture out. During the day time I go down any road that intrigues me http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Basque-Country/Bilbao/blog-360334.html I arrived in Leon very late...almost 10. I was glad the streets were labeled and got to the hotel very quickly. I did not sleep very well as the hotel was not that sound proofed. Probably at 400 AM some drunks were walking through the street. When I finally got going Saturday 3rd morning I had no real plans...just exploring. I passed some very neat cathedrals and churches. I walked and walked http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Castile-Leon/Le-n/blog-359940.html SO nothing to really talk about. The train from Porto to Vigo was good. Then went from Vigo to Leon. The daytime was more exciting because at least you could look out and see things. There are some neat mountains etc.I am trying to figure out what a middle distance train is....five hours on one train does not seem middle distance to me http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-359615.html Hey everyoneSo apparently I was in a bad mood when I got to Porto. Then the streets were poorly labeled. So what should have been like a five minute walk was like 30 minutes at least. What sucked is the place has TONS of big hills. Its crazy. SO I was hot and tired when I got to the hotel.I decided to relax take a shower lie down have a cup of coffee. I was still frustrated so I decided to go http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Portugal/Northern/Porto/blog-359613.html Today I got an early start and went to the Puerta de Sol I am near La Puerta de Toledo. Its a big shopping area. I spent a few bucks on gifts for close friends. I also got my brother his birthday gift. Corey will love it I saw something awesome for dad...But I couldnt see the size. It was a Caterpillar train set it didnt say if it it was Oor not. Oh well. Next time.Its 1245ish here...my http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/District-of-Madrid/Madrid/blog-356336.html So Grandma is worried about what I am eating and I thought Id share with all of you.First I am being very good about saving on food. I eat a big breakfast before I leave. I mentioned to Kath that I try one new thing a day. I usually have eggs a piece of bacon a piece of some kind of bread a yogurt plain and then I add honey then a churro yummy deep fried goodness and fruit. It switches b http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/District-of-Madrid/Madrid/blog-356119.html