alanamadeleine

I attempted to spend a few days in the Cinque Terre and on the beaches of the Italian Riviera. It would take a couple train changes to get there and I was careful about writing them down when I bought the tickets. The morning I left I checked the time table on the Italy's train website and wrote them down again, just in case I lost one copy. So I boarded my train from Florence to Pisa no problem. In Pisa i was to switch to a train to Spezia. I am especially careful about boarding trains in Italy because it can be more confusing than other countries...often they don't tell you the ultimate destination of the train when you buy the ticket, but that is what is listed at the platform... usually they can't ... read more

I flew into Rome from Paris a few days ago. The first afternoon I was a bit tired having gotten up around 4:45 in the morning to get the metro to get the bus to get the plane. It all went pretty smoothly although travelling alone I am constantly asked to switch seats...twice on the bus and once on the plane. I just must look like an accomodating person. But really once I would just like to sit where I want to sit. Kind of irritating. Anyway, the first afternoon I walked around the Roman Forum and then went to the Spanish steps (a bit overrated) and the Piazza del Popolo in the evening. Wednesday I went to the Vatican. In the morning I toured the musuems and saw the Sistine Chapel, which of course ... read more

Yesterday I enjoyed a day trip to Chartre to see the cathedral. It was good whether and I enjoyed seeing what was one of my favorite cathedral's from art history. Like all cathedrals here it was a bit dark, dank and cold....but better to see the stained glass illuminated I suppose. Not much else to report but see the nice pictures attached. I am on my way to Vezelay in the region of Burgundy today. ... read more

I am inexplicably happy in Paris. Exhausted, but happy. I think I have been out no less than ten hours a day. My hostel is in Montmartre a little north of Sacre Couer, and an easy metro ride anywhere in the city. I spent one day making the trip up to the Monet gardens. They were very impressive, but much smaller, and therefore much more crowded, than I had expected. Lots of things in bloom though, and I was also able to tour Monets house. He apparently had a thing for Japanese art...and some interesting floor to ceiling tile work in the kitchen. That evening I went to the Eiffel tour, though it was a bit to cold to stay more than a few minutes. I spent on day in the Louvre, which was actually ... read more

I arrived in Dublin yesterday afternoon from London. It's a very nice very european city...in that most of it's residents/tourists seem to be from other european countries besides Ireland. At least in the center. The Irish-ness seemed to increase outside of city center. But I had to walk quite a ways to find the local thrift store and a real butcher. My hostel has a nice kitchen, so I've been economically recreating things I read on Irish menus. I'm just back from the Evensong service at St. Patrick's cathedral. It was probably one of the highlights of the day. It featured the musical talent of the St. Patrick's choir, who were great, and it was free. I can't ask for much more. If you don't go to a service you have to pay something like ... read more