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Europe » Italy » Veneto » Venice June 2nd 2005

We started out the day with the classic European breakfast in our hotel - prociutto, cheeses, cappuccino, croissants and nutella, in honor of Chad who loves his nutella and croissants. From there, we hopped in a water taxi ala James Bond - right out a secret door in our hotel. Once again following Suzy Gershman’s advice, we were off to a Murano glass factory tour arranged by our hotel concierge. The taxi was great fun and free (ha, if you believe that, I’ve got some land in Venice I’d like to sell you). This factory actually sends a taxi for you and takes you right into a dock where they demonstrate glass blowing performed by artisans who have passed this skill down from generation to generation. Each family is assigned a beautiful and fast talking Italian ... read more
View of the Rialto
Lighthouse on Murano
Slick Italian Glass Salesman

Europe » United Kingdom » England June 2nd 2005

18km - Kirky Stephen to Keld - Nothing like a full English breakfast to get motivated and it stopped raining! Ying is back, though not completely convinced she has taken the right decision... until I sink in a bog up to my knees and crawl back out on all fours, she wouldn't have missed that for all the tea in China ;-) After Nine Standard Riggs with its 9 raised cairns, very atmospheric in the fog , we head for Ravenseat, make good progress and are in Keld shortly after 2pm. I am in such a state, the field where to camp doesn't look like much and anyway Keld is MID WAY between the Irish Sea and the North Sea, so let's celebrate! We book into East View, a very cosy B&B, where Margaret makes us ... read more


Ce qu'il advient demain, dans tous les cas, on ne le sait que demain. Parfois, on ne reussit à "comprendre" le signe que lorsque nous voyons l'évènement qui aurait été évité si nous l'avions compris avant, si simplement notre esprit avait été assez ouvert. J'essaie de mon mieux à ce que mon esprit ne se ferme pas, et je suis tres vigilant quand je m'entends penser qu'une chose est définitive ! Rien ne l'est, c'est la premiere verite des bouddhistes : ***l'Impermanence de toutes choses*** En ce moment, les signes sont là, mais ils le sont toujours, en réalité, c'est simplement nous qui sommes plus ou moins ouvert. La plupart du temps, notre vie n'exige pas de nous qu'on se retrouve dans une impasse, confronté a des choix douloureux, et là, que l'on s'ouvre (ou pas), ... read more
Et sa "fontaine moussue"...
Les colinnes...
Montpellier, ou j'ai habite 1 an...

Europe » Hungary » Budapest June 2nd 2005

O ponto positivo da balada ter miado foi que acabamos acordando mais cedo no dia seguinte pra explorar BUDAPESTE. Entramos num mercadinho na rua do albergue (a localização desse albergue era muito boa!) e compramos algumas coisas pra tomarmos um café da manhã rápido. Comemos ali mesmo, na frente do mercado, já que a rua era bem tranqüila. Começamos, então, o nosso passeio por Budapeste. A primeira parada foi na belíssima Catedral de São Estevão (ou Szent István, em húngaro), que fica numa praça não muito grande, com o mesmo nome. No interior da catedral, o maior tesouro á mão direita mumificada de São Estevão. Continuamos a caminhada, passando pela Ópera. Tiramos algumas fotos e seguimos até o Parlamento, às margens do Rio Danúbio, um dos cartões postais de Budapeste, que muito lembra o prédio do ... read more

Europe » Slovakia » Presov Region » High Tatras June 2nd 2005

I couldn’t follow the Carpathians into the Ukraine because of visa requirements, so I dodged back into Hungary, then made a quick lunge to the north into Slovakia to rejoin the Carpathians. The High Tatras are the highest peaks in the Carpathian range. This part of the Carpathians is a national park in Slovakia, as well as in neighboring Poland. Unfortunately, the weather still hadn’t improved much, so I didn’t have the opportunity to take any good pictures of the High Tatras. I had one little incident with a Slovakian bus and a mud hole. There was a section of road that had been flooded by recent rains. Off to the side they had constructed a makeshift bypass. The bypass was also muddy from the rains. I had just about finished negotiating my way across the ... read more
Slovakian Mountain Roads

Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Tarragona June 2nd 2005

Whilst staying in Salou, We Took a day trip to tarragona which is one of the biggest Spanish cities on the Cost Daurada and has a mini version of Barcelona's Ramblas. The city boasts many ancient ruins.... read more
Tarragona Amphitheater alternate view
Narrow Street leading up to Tarragona Cathedral
Enterance to Tarragona Cathedral

Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London » London City June 2nd 2005

After our brush with (minor) celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue at the Atlantic Bar and Grill in Soho we thought we'd aim our sights a bit higher and head to Jamie Oliver's London restaurant Fifteen for lunch. Actually we were lucky enough to be given a voucher to Fifteen by two of Andrew's clients in Adelaide to thank him for being their personal trainer. It was a very generous and thoughtful gift and we felt extremely privileged. Fifteen is housed in an old warehouse at the end of a small and quiet street in the east central area of London, an up-and coming area that appears pretty dull and drab until you scratch the surface. Not somewhere you'd expect a world-famous restaurant to be housed, but in a way that adds to the charm. After watching the ... read more

Europe » Italy » Sicily » Marsala June 2nd 2005

Today is a holiday, the day when Italy celebrates the country’s unification in 1871. Earlier in the week, I had noticed posters advertising special events in Marsala today, so I decided to go see what was happening. Marsala was founded as a Carthaginian colony in 379 BC, and is probably most famous for the cooking and dessert wine which bears the same name. I find street parking a couple of blocks from the Piazza della Repubblica, which is the main center of town. On one side of the piazza is the Palazzo Senatorio, and adjacent to that is the cathedral dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury. Earlier in the week I discovered that the steps in front of the Palazzo were perfect for perching on and people-watching. I knew the piazza would once again be the ... read more
Palazzo Senatorio
Inside the dome of the cathedral
Column detail on a small church

Europe » Czech Republic » Prague June 2nd 2005

We were walking beside the St. Vitus Cathedral's Golden Entrance. I walked up close to the iron gates and noticed for the first time two mosaics on either side of the entrance.... read more
Redemption

Europe » Italy » Campania » Pompei June 2nd 2005

Hello Everybody, Hope that everyone that shares this journal with me is doing well. Our trip is already more than 1/2 over. Today we are spending the entire day at sea on our way to Naples. In yesterday's journal entry I said that we were on our way to Rome, but that was a mistake; Rome is coming soon though! I spent the day resting because I didn't feel too great this morning, but I'm fine now. We have a great itinerary planned for tomorrow, Friday. We are going to have a private van, driver and guide, so we will have the opportunity to see and learn a lot since there is so much to see in the region we'll be in. I'm really looking forward to seeing Pompeii since mom has told me so much ... read more




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