The Acropolis: Hiking Up to the Holiest Rock We are up early to make the most of our last morning in Athens. Breakfast at the hotel is pathetic, but then, nothing at the Best Western has impressed so far. We head out toward the main street that leads directly to the Acropolis, briskly walking for 20 minutes until we hit the foot of the hill. There, we wonder which way to go, as there aren’t any clear signs, and the few that do exist are covered in graffiti. On the way, we pass at least three sites with ruins encased in [View Full Entry]

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Milos, Mykonos, Santorini, Aegina, Patmos??? Our clock is all wrong now. We went to bed at 6am and, although Leroy gets up a little earlier, we’re not ready to face the world until about 2pm. The Acropolis closes at 7:30pm and the Best Western concierge encourages us to walk there. It’ll take an hour, he says, so we must leave enough time. But our need for a bed and our empty stomachs win over. We have to find a place to stay tomorrow night and the night after. Thursday night should not be a problem since most of the soccer fans [View Full Entry]

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Au Revoir It is late morning and we trudge downstairs with our luggage. Goodbyes at the door with Maman and Lotus are bittersweet. She tells me that I will always have a home in Paris, and I can’t thank her enough for her hospitality, kindness, and amazing culinary abilities. She has an uncanny ability to make one feel at home, and I really did feel at home at Malesherbes. And to think, I’m usually quite afraid of dogs, but Lotus is such a sweetheart that I am sad to leave her as well. I can only imagine how hard the goodbye [View Full Entry]

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Looking for some macaroons to put out there We rush over to Rue Claude Pouillet to see Mom and Bob off. They are leaving a day earlier than the rest of us, and by 8:45am, they are in a cab and off to CDG. Au revoir! Though tempted to just stay in the apartment and relax on our last day in Paris, we have a lot of stuff to do. We simply must find LaDurée and try the secret recipe macaroons, and I’m also looking for a pair of good walking shoes. We jump on the Metro and exit near Rue [View Full Entry]

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Anne Frank Huis: First Attempt Having not set the alarm, we all get up late. Our plan for today is Anne Frank’s House and the Heineken Brewery. That should mean that everyone got to see their first choice (Van Gogh Museum) and their second as well (bike tour, Heineken, and Anne Frank). While getting ready, we got a quick lesson in Dutch cosmetics from a TV commercial advertising the benefits of “Schnail Schlime” (snail slime) as a beautifying agent. Your skin will shine with Schnail Schlime! We try to find a nice, happy spot to have another English breakfast, but we [View Full Entry]

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Bettina comes through again. Leroy and I are about to post the Amsterdam blogs from Spain, but we’ve been lagging because we need to download photos from Bett’s memory stick. We don’t have the cable, so we have to find one of those Kodak Photo CD centers. Being so behind in uploading photos, we appreciate Bett’s super guest blogging track record (Yes, I’m calling OG and Xandra out again, but all in jest). We miss you and your cappuccinos, Bett. I hope San Fran is treating you well. A Proper English Breakfast and the Cappuccino Indulgence Begins I t [View Full Entry]

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We’re all gonna put it out there at Bistrot 52 With the late night festivities and the need to organize and send some stuff home with my mom and Bob, the day was off to quite a late start. We have guide books from Vietnam, clothes that we have never used, and random paperwork that can be sent to California. We pack up one of the big red bags and load it with maybe 40 pounds worth of our stuff. It’ll be great to not have to lug this stuff around Greece, Spain, and Canada. We also have to pack for [View Full Entry]

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How to *Do* Modern Art Today I get to be the guide. That promises a lot of circular walking. I’m good at maps, I just don’t always know in real life which way I’m facing. I suppose if I put the map on the floor like Joey from “Friends,” I’d do better. I kiss Leroy goodbye and wish him a wonderful free day in Paris, and off I go to meet the rest of the crew at Metro Villiers. I hit up the ticket machine for a carnet (10-trip pack) since my 5-day Paris Visite pass has expired. We ascend from [View Full Entry]

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F-in Bahlee It’s moving day. Mom, Bob, and Bett are switching apartments to the one they originally wanted (but was not available) on Rue Claude Pouillet. This new one is bigger, with a full kitchen and adjoining breakfast room, a foyer, a real living room, a larger bedroom with a queen-sized bed, and a bathroom with a combination washer/dryer. The new spot is only two blocks away from their Rue de Levis apartment, but our move is delayed by three hours. Hmm, three hours to kill with five of us in a “miniscule” (say with French accent) apartment. I pop “Bil [View Full Entry]

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La Tour Eiffel and the fastest TGV ever Giverny and Ave Maria must have pooped us out, because we got off to a terribly late start. Our Paris days have somewhat of a routine - Leroy and I get up and get ready, then walk from Maman’s on Boulevard Malesherbes, up Rue Legendre, and left at Rue de Levis. After the lavender-colored storefront, we punch in the door code, walk up one flight up the warped wooden stairs, and ring the doorbell. After some bonjours, we all leave the place for a new adventure. Today, we go to one of our [View Full Entry]

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