We woke up late and headed into town around 10:30. Finland seemed clean and beautiful, but town was too far away to walk. We had to take the shuttle into the station and then began our walk to the Senate Square. The day is sunny and for Finland very warm. Usually it only gets this hot in mid July -- we are told. It is a comfortable 70+ degrees. Near the water was an open market where Finns were selling the wares. Lots of hand knit items, woven pieces, felted items, leather and fur was on sale. Soumi is the Finnish name for Finland and that word is everywhere.
A beautiful park runs for blocks down the center of the street to the market area. It slopes ever so slowly down toward the water. Slight inclines are easiest whether you are going up or downhill. There is a bike lane which is where I am pushing Kathy's chair, since it is nice and smooth and there are no cobblestones. I noticed that the strollers, and other equipment in Europe have much wider wheels than Kathy's chair. This is an obvious concession to the fact that everywhere in Europe are cobblestones!
We stopped and had coffee at a Finnish cafe. It was self-service and had little tables in the shade on one side. Most Finns selected tables in the sun. I imagine that if you spend the better part of the year in darkness with overcast skies you learn to take every opportunity for sun. Unfortunately, I did not find Internet cafes and it is frustrating to use the shipboard Internet. I think it may be that this area of Helsinki is too wealthy for such mundane things. The shops that we saw as we walked along were very upscale. Down one side street there is the University and on the hill at the very end of the street is the Cathedral. It is a red structure that stands out against the other architecture.
Once back aboard we relaxed a bit and then had a late lunch. I am a bit weary today, but have no excuse for it. I went up to the crows nest in the late afternoon as we left for Stockholm to watch the ship depart the harbor. Last night when we left St. Petersburg I was watching as a ship pulled up alongside. At that time I didn't know what purpose this served, but today I learned that this is a routine event. A pilot joins the ships officers to guide the ship safely through the channel and out to sea. When his job is completed the pilot's ship pulls up next to our ship and he descends a ladder and jumps onto his pilot ship. A somewhat exciting maneuver for those of us who are not seaworthy.
There were many little sailboats in the harbor as we left, and many islands to navigate around. The seagulls seemed to be escorting us out to sea as well, and flew very near the boat, perhaps hoping for some treats from passengers who were assembled on the observation deck. The sea is deep blue unlike the brown-green near St. Petersburg.
This ship is far more luxurious than the Royal Caribbean cruise we took in the Mediterranean, but there are some things that seem to be done better by the poorer cruise... 1) Attentive staff -- we never had to ask for anyone to clean our suite because the RC folks kept track of our whereabouts--- 2) Also we noticed that the RC folks were always posted so that you had to use hand sanitizer whenever you entered the cantina. No one insists that you do that anywhere on deck...which makes me nervous whenever I go to eat in the main cafeteria..
Tomorrow is Stockholm and we got another hour back tonight as we head back toward the west.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Cathedrals of St. Petersburg
We slept in this morning since the tour was not scheduled until the afternoon. I went up for breakfast and worked on the blog. I had two glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice....I am getting spoiled. The day is cloudy and not as warm as yesterday so even though it is Saturday there were no people on the beach as we passed. We arrived at the first Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Issac. It is the largest of the Cathedrals we saw today. The beautiful chandeliers were electrified from the beginning --apparently St. Petersburg was electrified in 1839! But I didn't think electric lights had been invented until 1870 something.....hmmmm....could it be Russian bravado?
Because St. Petersburg is built on so many islands - you must cross many bridges. The bridges on the Neve (the main river in Petersburg) were raised (they are all draw bridges) at 4:45 in the afternoon because of a race that was being held This fact made our bus driver and tour guide mindful of the hour and time. If we did not cross over the Neve in time, we would miss our sailing time. It was also Youth Day -- which meant that students could enter any of the museums and venues for free -- so there were many young people on the streets. Perhaps more than usual for a Saturday. Traffic was better than the first day, but according to our guide that was because most people leave the city on the weekend for their dachas. When pressed about how it was possible to afford dachas when the apartments here were so expensive, she said that many people have very modest dachas indeed, but some of these have been in families for a long time. When the communists were in power you could eventually get an apartment in town for free. That meant that when the Soviet Union broke up -- the people in those apartments were grandfathered in (so to speak) and owned their own places. Her parents for example got their apartment this way. She inherited her grandparents apartment. She admitted that young people are not so lucky and even apartments in the rundown pre-Soviet brake-up apartments are extremely expensive. Just like at home, people here are very proud to be Russian and so we do not here any complaint or criticism from her.
The streets are lined with young women dressed in blue and white holding flags. I asked what the flags said, Nadya explained that the big soviet oil company is sponsoring the race and these girls are advertising for them.
The Russian Cathedrals are nothing like those in the rest of Europe. Most European Cathedrals were built during the middle ages, and these edifices share little with those except size. Only one of the Cathedrals of St. Petersburg has the characteristic onion domes, however. If anything was built by Katherine or Peter it was built by Italians. Interestingly enough these Cathedrals do not contain icons--except as an afterthought. Since they were built so much later than the typical Cathedrals, they also employ more modern innovations -- such as electricity. The Cathedral of St. Isaac for example was not completed until the 19th century. There are small chapels in each of the Cathedrals reserved for worship. The majority of each building is a museum filled with tourists like me. Interestingly enough, this church has a beautiful stained glass panel ( Russian Orthodox churches do not have stained glass) in the alter area.
St. Isaac's is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. It was designed in 1818 and completed 40 years later. It was designed by an unknown architect at the time --- Montferrand. Since the ground is very marshy --- wooden pilings were placed in the bottom to support the weight of the building which has 48 solid red granite columns. The doors are interesting -- with three dimensional biblical characters (quite large) -- made of cast bronze. Our guide mentioned that the scenes to one side were old testament. I didn't have the heart to correct her--last time I checked Christ was considered a new testament character......but I assume that most Russians are a bit like the Chinese when it comes to knowing anything about religion. If there are of a certain age --- they would be tabula rosa---
Some other interesting features are that from the time of the Revolution (1917) the Cathedrals were closed. Some were torn down or at least partially demolished. The Cathedral on the Spilled Blood was used only by the nobility and was especially vulnerable to the animosity that was generated by the revolution. Most of the Cathedrals here in St. Petersburg were used for storage and a part of the Cathedral of St. Isaac was used as an anti-religious museum. A pendulum was hung in the center from the great dome and apparently scientists used the space during part of this time. Each of the Cathedrals has a miracle story about surviving the seige of Lenningrad during WWII -- The Cathedral of the Spilled Blood was directly hit by a bomb that did not explode! The Cathedral of St. Isaac survived because German pilots used it as a landmark for bombing military sites.
Another major difference between Russian and European Cathedrals is the use of mosaics EVERYWHERE! Our guide explained that the weather in St. Peterburg is bad for paintings --- so the original paintings were done and then artisans created tiles to match and these were then placed on the walls and ceilings. From a distance -- you cannot tell that these are mosaics. There were pieces set at ground level so you could appreciate the work of the mosaic artists up close. To be able to duplicate the color of the artists with such precision on a ceramic tile piece is really remarkable.....I cannot even imagine how to do that after learning how to mix the color on a palette. There are no seats in a Russian Orthodox church, even for the emperor. All must stand before God equally! The services often last up to three hours. I asked the guide about people with disabilities, and she said that they were allowed to be seated --- but only those with disabilities.
People in Europe are generally more fit than we Americans -- at least in part because they walk everywhere (or bike) and our cities are designed for automobiles! I think also that they may be more used to standing --- we would find it impossible to stand for that long without passing out.
These cathedrals were utterly beautiful, but my favorite was the Church on the Spilled Blood. The color inside was so vibrant, so unlike any other church --- turquoise, rose, red, greens, cobalt, and of course much gold everywhere picking up and reflecting the light --- gave the interior such depth and warmth. Malachite columns, Lapis lazuli columns and the ever present gold leaf make every inch of this church nothing short of spectacular. Where there are not religious pictures there are symbolic designs running the length of the supporting columns. Perhaps it was because of the constant darkness and overcast that color was so important, but for whatever reason these churches have a warmth --- a palpable warmth that even St. Peters in Rome lacks!
When we reached the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, the last stop on the tour, many buses were dumping people onto the square. Young naval cadets in full dress, teams in the race, young women that look like cheerleaders, are all excitedly gathering. This cathedral is the oldest of the ones we have seen having been built in 1712.
The church is of Baroque (it was designed by Trezzinni) design. Peter the great wanted nothing to do with traditional Russian architecture. A problem of all these churches is that the ground was marshy and therefore it can sink. The bell tower was completed first to test the foundation and it also provided Peter a good spot to survey the building. Peter recognized the value of the sea port since he was a sailor......and loved the sea. The small building just outside the church was designed to house his personal boat.
This church has become the burial spot for all Russian emperors (including those whose remains were found in the 1990s and confirmed through DNA testing to be the last Romanovs...including the servants who died with them in 1918. While the sarcophagi of the tsars are above ground --- their bodies rest 2 meters beneath these according to the Russian Orthodox tradition.
Once back aboard ship we left almost immediately and happily set the clock back one hour to regain some of the sleep we lost as we sailed toward Russia.
Because St. Petersburg is built on so many islands - you must cross many bridges. The bridges on the Neve (the main river in Petersburg) were raised (they are all draw bridges) at 4:45 in the afternoon because of a race that was being held This fact made our bus driver and tour guide mindful of the hour and time. If we did not cross over the Neve in time, we would miss our sailing time. It was also Youth Day -- which meant that students could enter any of the museums and venues for free -- so there were many young people on the streets. Perhaps more than usual for a Saturday. Traffic was better than the first day, but according to our guide that was because most people leave the city on the weekend for their dachas. When pressed about how it was possible to afford dachas when the apartments here were so expensive, she said that many people have very modest dachas indeed, but some of these have been in families for a long time. When the communists were in power you could eventually get an apartment in town for free. That meant that when the Soviet Union broke up -- the people in those apartments were grandfathered in (so to speak) and owned their own places. Her parents for example got their apartment this way. She inherited her grandparents apartment. She admitted that young people are not so lucky and even apartments in the rundown pre-Soviet brake-up apartments are extremely expensive. Just like at home, people here are very proud to be Russian and so we do not here any complaint or criticism from her.
The streets are lined with young women dressed in blue and white holding flags. I asked what the flags said, Nadya explained that the big soviet oil company is sponsoring the race and these girls are advertising for them.
The Russian Cathedrals are nothing like those in the rest of Europe. Most European Cathedrals were built during the middle ages, and these edifices share little with those except size. Only one of the Cathedrals of St. Petersburg has the characteristic onion domes, however. If anything was built by Katherine or Peter it was built by Italians. Interestingly enough these Cathedrals do not contain icons--except as an afterthought. Since they were built so much later than the typical Cathedrals, they also employ more modern innovations -- such as electricity. The Cathedral of St. Isaac for example was not completed until the 19th century. There are small chapels in each of the Cathedrals reserved for worship. The majority of each building is a museum filled with tourists like me. Interestingly enough, this church has a beautiful stained glass panel ( Russian Orthodox churches do not have stained glass) in the alter area.
St. Isaac's is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. It was designed in 1818 and completed 40 years later. It was designed by an unknown architect at the time --- Montferrand. Since the ground is very marshy --- wooden pilings were placed in the bottom to support the weight of the building which has 48 solid red granite columns. The doors are interesting -- with three dimensional biblical characters (quite large) -- made of cast bronze. Our guide mentioned that the scenes to one side were old testament. I didn't have the heart to correct her--last time I checked Christ was considered a new testament character......but I assume that most Russians are a bit like the Chinese when it comes to knowing anything about religion. If there are of a certain age --- they would be tabula rosa---
Some other interesting features are that from the time of the Revolution (1917) the Cathedrals were closed. Some were torn down or at least partially demolished. The Cathedral on the Spilled Blood was used only by the nobility and was especially vulnerable to the animosity that was generated by the revolution. Most of the Cathedrals here in St. Petersburg were used for storage and a part of the Cathedral of St. Isaac was used as an anti-religious museum. A pendulum was hung in the center from the great dome and apparently scientists used the space during part of this time. Each of the Cathedrals has a miracle story about surviving the seige of Lenningrad during WWII -- The Cathedral of the Spilled Blood was directly hit by a bomb that did not explode! The Cathedral of St. Isaac survived because German pilots used it as a landmark for bombing military sites.
Another major difference between Russian and European Cathedrals is the use of mosaics EVERYWHERE! Our guide explained that the weather in St. Peterburg is bad for paintings --- so the original paintings were done and then artisans created tiles to match and these were then placed on the walls and ceilings. From a distance -- you cannot tell that these are mosaics. There were pieces set at ground level so you could appreciate the work of the mosaic artists up close. To be able to duplicate the color of the artists with such precision on a ceramic tile piece is really remarkable.....I cannot even imagine how to do that after learning how to mix the color on a palette. There are no seats in a Russian Orthodox church, even for the emperor. All must stand before God equally! The services often last up to three hours. I asked the guide about people with disabilities, and she said that they were allowed to be seated --- but only those with disabilities.
People in Europe are generally more fit than we Americans -- at least in part because they walk everywhere (or bike) and our cities are designed for automobiles! I think also that they may be more used to standing --- we would find it impossible to stand for that long without passing out.
These cathedrals were utterly beautiful, but my favorite was the Church on the Spilled Blood. The color inside was so vibrant, so unlike any other church --- turquoise, rose, red, greens, cobalt, and of course much gold everywhere picking up and reflecting the light --- gave the interior such depth and warmth. Malachite columns, Lapis lazuli columns and the ever present gold leaf make every inch of this church nothing short of spectacular. Where there are not religious pictures there are symbolic designs running the length of the supporting columns. Perhaps it was because of the constant darkness and overcast that color was so important, but for whatever reason these churches have a warmth --- a palpable warmth that even St. Peters in Rome lacks!
When we reached the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, the last stop on the tour, many buses were dumping people onto the square. Young naval cadets in full dress, teams in the race, young women that look like cheerleaders, are all excitedly gathering. This cathedral is the oldest of the ones we have seen having been built in 1712.
The church is of Baroque (it was designed by Trezzinni) design. Peter the great wanted nothing to do with traditional Russian architecture. A problem of all these churches is that the ground was marshy and therefore it can sink. The bell tower was completed first to test the foundation and it also provided Peter a good spot to survey the building. Peter recognized the value of the sea port since he was a sailor......and loved the sea. The small building just outside the church was designed to house his personal boat.
This church has become the burial spot for all Russian emperors (including those whose remains were found in the 1990s and confirmed through DNA testing to be the last Romanovs...including the servants who died with them in 1918. While the sarcophagi of the tsars are above ground --- their bodies rest 2 meters beneath these according to the Russian Orthodox tradition.
Once back aboard ship we left almost immediately and happily set the clock back one hour to regain some of the sleep we lost as we sailed toward Russia.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Hermitage - St. Petersburg
We arrived in the middle of the night...how apropos for a spy novel. How would snoopy begin...."It was a dark Moscow night." Of course it is not night here at this time of year....in St. Peterburg - formally Lenningrad. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be here! The local people call these the white-white days.....meaning that it is never truly dark. The sun dropped below the sea at 11:30 but even at 2:00 a.m. it was twilight. Then at about 3:30 the sun rose above the the sea again.
It was a beautiful sunny day, another rarity, according to our guide. She is a student at Pushkin University in languages. She says that there are only 60 sunny days a year here, and we should be thankful that we are here on such a day as this one. Such a warm day was apparently a rarity for St. Petersburg. The guide said that this was St. Petersburg's summer --- referring to this one day as the whole of summer. Many people are out on the banks of the rivers sunning themselves. I took a sweater, never knowing what to expect in these northern climes, but I did not need it today --- I actually got a bit too warm.
We passed through customs without incident. We had to present our passports, a form that the Russian government required, and our ticket to whatever event we were to attend to prove we were going where we said we were. The woman who took the passport was all business -- no smile, But then Kathy told me that in Russia it is considered inappropriate to smile when first meeting. That the local people sometimes consider it a false friendliness.
One we boarded the bus the tour guides began immediately to tell us about the city. The port is brand new and will not be finished for another two to three years. It is being built on reclaimed land and extends out a great distance from the city proper. The intent is to create this port for tourist traffic leaving the old port for freighters and the like. This would make leaving the ship and pushing a wheelchair utterly impossible. A Royal Caribbean ship is directly behind us and others are moored in front of us as well, so leaving the port in haste would be impossible. We are, I suppose in some sort of queue, poised to step onto the dance floor at just the right moment. We passed through another checkpoint at the entrance of the port, and then were on Russian soil!
The first thing we passed by was an apartment building that would have conformed to my preconceived notions of a communist country (gray--utilitarian) but soon we were passing buildings that were built most likely in the 19th century. While they were in somewhat poor condition in some ways, they were outstanding in others. The windows all seem to need a good wash, but there is not much litter on the ground. The streets were broad thoroughfares with lots of new cars competing for space with our bus.
We were issued receivers and earphones and divided into groups of 15 people. Many of the folks on this ship were older with limited mobility. That made the Hermitage a great challenge. In the morning sun the spires of many buildings glint golden against the blue of the sky. The city itself looks golden in the distance (later I learned that yellow is the favorite color of St. Petersburg). There are the characteristic onion domes that we think of when we think of Russia. They are the spires of the Cathedral on the Spilled Blood where Alexander the II was killed. Even though he freed the serfs -- it was not enough. Landless surfs are unhappy serfs! His son decided to erect a Cathedral on the spot where he was killed. The guide used the word "terrorist" to describe his murderers. (and we think of terrorists as a uniquely American problem -- how silly we are) This beautiful cathedral is the only church in St. Petersburg with the traditional onion domes. Peter wanted this city (which he named after his patron saint - Peter) to be the Venice of the north and he eschewed the traditional Russian architecture! Katherine the Great, as we know was German and did not fancy the traditional Russian architecture either. This explains the palaces which have Italian designers, architects and and style!
We arrived at the Hermitage and the square in St. Petersburg where the Russian Revolution began in 1918. The squire is directly in front of the Hermitage with a stunning column in its center commemorating a victory over the (the Swedes -- I think -- I will have to check my facts later since Internet connections are poor). I had planned to use the Internet to educate myself about some of these locations --since carrying books was unappealing for obvious reasons ---but we have had such expensive and poor access that I cannot recommend this method to anyone -- bring the Rick Steve's guides with you).
The moment you enter the Hermitage you will feel the presence of the structure. It is a rabbits warren --- like the Louvre -- unfortunately we didn't get a map and we are not able to do anything but stay with the tour. Ordinarily, I would not have hesitated to tell the leader that I would meet the tour at a particular point at a particular time, but this is different the little babushka ladies seated in each room to keep you for destroying anything speak no English--and it would be difficult to find someone to help you ---- and if you got lost-----there are the stories about staying in Russia that make you just fearful enough to stay with the guide, and sometimes the crowds are so fierce that you must be rude to keep up with your guide. We entered the Hermitage together and immediately climbed a great staircase. We turned to look back on an ornately decorated hall. Apparently this was the staircase used by ambassadors from many countries, and it made an impressive display of Russian wealth and power.
Having said all of that -- I cannot even begin to describe the beauty of the Hermitage! The floors we walked over need protection from so many feet, but they were incredible. Mirror images of the ceilings above which had raised gilt designs. The floors have the same intricate patterns in beautiful woods - so elegantly done that they almost look as though they were painted. The columns in the rooms are either stunning marble, granite or they too have gold leaf on them. This palace would rival Versailles if it were fully restored and kept up as nicely. A woman behind me was desperate. She had paid the fee to use her camera in the Hermitage and now didn't know how to turn off her flash, and of course there is no use of camera without turning off the flash. I took the camera and found the setting for which she seemed very grateful. Turned out it was a brand new camera and when I asked if she had the booklet that went with it -- she said no.....I can't figure things out without directions ---- I even brought the booklet on my new little computer!!
Once in the gallery there were many pieces from the earliest times in the form of Icons and other religious art works. These interested me, but of course for modern eyes works in two dimension are not fulfilling. The paintings I would choose to spend time with are, of course Rembrandt, the Impressionists and the Dutch painters! There was a vast collection of immense vases. Some appeared to be of malachite. Our guide pointed out that these are not made of solid Malacite, rather the craftsmen employed the traditional Russian mosaic art and cut pieces of the stone matching the pattern so perfectly that it is difficult to see them as anything but whole pieces. Other urns were made of granite and are probably actually massive pieces.
Next we walked through many galleries and down a number of flights of stairs to the Gold Room to keep our appointment there. Apparently many visitors find this to be the most impressive part of the Hermitage. The fact that we were taken in 15 at a time -- signed in and out---and the gold is behind glass -- humidity and temperature controlled all speak to this!!! It was also interesting that we had a special tour guide who spoke only Russian guide us through the exhibit and our guide then interpreted what she said. I asked the guide why she just didn't do the talk since it would have gone much faster --- she laughed and said --- the presentation is always different depending on the Russian guide.
We then retraced our steps through gallery after gallery and picked up where we left off. There are outstanding collections of ceramics and some statues.
When we reached the gallery of Rembrandt the room was really crowded, and I couldn't enjoy the Prodigal --too many people in front of it, and we were too hurried for me to take the time to get up close enough to survey it completely. I can only imagine what joy it would have been to pull one of the red velvet covered stools or chairs into position and at an uncrowded time to sit in front of it and see fully the play of light on canvas. It is so much larger than I had thought...as much larger, in fact, than the Mona Lisa was smaller than expected. There are several of his self-portraits here as well, and the painting of the old man in the red robe -- that if I remember correctly he used an elderly rabbi as model. Heart-broken I am wrenched away from Rembrandt and we moved into the Impressionism - to modern section of the gallery. We were give 20 minutes here to view the worlds largest collection of Matisse --- and to see a number of works I am totally unfamiliar with.
Then down the stairs and out to a shopping spot and finally back to the bus. I was quite dehydrated (we couldn't take our water with us into the museum) and most weary by the time we got back to the ship at 6:00 p.m. I hurried to get a bit to eat before we headed out at 7:15 to see the Folkloric Program. As we headed back out through the customs we did not need so much documentation. They simply looked at out stamped passports and waived us on. Many of our shipmates were dressed for an evening of ballet or opera....but we chose the more casual program. (partly because we have no formal clothes --- partly because it suits our temperament to be comfortable after such a grueling day.
I was so sleepy that I nodded off on the bus. The guide for this presentation was not only knowledgeable, but also was very helpful getting the wheelchair taken care of and accommodating Kathy. She said it was the law that wheel chairs should be accommodated and apologized for the fact that we did not take Kathy into the Hermitage. If only she had been there to help us navigate! We arrived in front of a large hall. Certainly it was pre-capitalist since there was no air conditioning and the stage lights were on a pole on the main floor, perched in a way that would have been unacceptable because of potential injury and lawsuit in the U.S. My expectations for this performance were low as I assumed that these would be second tier performers at best. What a stunning surprise awaited us.
The costumes were studding, the dancing was superb, the singing was reminiscent of sacred harp singing with open fifth harmonies. They sang with deep conviction. Each piece was cleverly tied to the next with sight gags, and humor....the leader of the group was a diminutive fellow (he was the choreographer it turned out) who has a passion for Russian folk music traditions and is trying to revive this throughout Russia. He has dreams, and his troop responded to the warmth of the audience by dancing and singing their hearts out. They came back for more than one curtain call! Each curtain call brought forth more complex and daring dance moves -- as if they save this greatest material only for those who showed true appreciation. It was an exhilarating end to a tiring day, and I found that I was so charged --- it took a bit of time to unwind once we got back aboard. However, when I hit the sack, I was asleep upon the instant!
Now for the problems with St. Petersburg--things to avoid next time.
1) Because the Hermitage is actually 5 buildings, and because the guides feel compelled for us to visit it all --- we constantly move -- this means no time to spend with favorite paintings.
2) Crowds --- since the museum is only open from 10-5 p.m. everyone is in the building at the same time---so often my favorite paintings are covered up with people--- This is true for the Prodigal Son --- It is much larger than I expected, and there was a huge crowd around it --- I could not get far enough away to see it and the crowd obliterated much of the painting --
3) PEOPLE ARE BREATHING ALL OVER THE PAINTINGS -- THERE IS NO CONTROL OF HUMIDITY OR TEMPERATURE --- THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN LETTING IN THE AIR POLLUTION TO DAMAGE THE PAINTINGS --- They can get right up and touch them --- the little babouska ladies often are asleep! I am stressed by this --- thinking we should have UNESCO declare this a world site and then raise the money to not only put these paintings in the atmosphere they need. Heck, even a donation box for this purpose would probably bring in a great deal of money --- I an many other lovers of art would contribute!!!
4)The tour guides think that the Gold Room is the most important treasure in the building ---- this is evidenced by the amount of time we spent there --- the fact that we had to be taken in 15 at a time -- signed in and out---and the gold is behind glass -- humidity and temperature controlled!!! It was also interesting that a Russian spoke Russian about the exhibit and the guide then interpreted. I asked the guide why she just didn't do the talk since it would have gone much faster --- she laughed and said --- the presentation is always different depending on the Russian guide. I got the idea that what she meant perhaps to some degree questioned the validity of the presentation by the little Russian lady guide.
5) The guide speaks very good English, but she is not an Art historian -- unlike the countries where the guides must go to school for three years and take a test before they become guides -- the only requirement of these guides is that they speak English. She does the best she can, but I am thinking --- I probably in some parts of the museum could have presented better information about the art ---than she did.....sad .......I am wishing for guides of the calibre we had in Egypt and Greece!!! I must remember not to compare. Russia has only been at the tourist business for about 20 years!
6) The other problem with the Hermitage tour is that we march back and forth through the building, up and down the same stairs several times --- rather than having a direct tour -- I imagine this is to keep us moving and also to adjust to the numbers of other tours that are in the building at the same time --- but in terms of time usage -- and for those folks who are really struggling to walk it is frustrating. In fact, there should be times where people sit and hear the discussion before we go into a gallery -- The Turkish guide was particularly good at this --- finding a shady spot and a place to sit -- then telling everyone what to expect next -- then walking us through the hot sunny ruin to the next spot of shade!! Genius!!!
6)NEEDED--Elevators and proper access for the disabled (Kathy tells me I should be calling it Disabled access -- not handicapped access---I find this somewhat peevish --- since we keep going through all these PC corrections --- i.e. colored, negro, black, now African American--I ask what could possibly be wrong with handicapped -- it seems less than disabled to me.....she says it is the origin of the word handicapped --- which comes from hand to cap as in begging.....I say how many people would even know that reference --- but ah well --- I will try to change long held habits and called it disabled access from now on!!!)
It was a beautiful sunny day, another rarity, according to our guide. She is a student at Pushkin University in languages. She says that there are only 60 sunny days a year here, and we should be thankful that we are here on such a day as this one. Such a warm day was apparently a rarity for St. Petersburg. The guide said that this was St. Petersburg's summer --- referring to this one day as the whole of summer. Many people are out on the banks of the rivers sunning themselves. I took a sweater, never knowing what to expect in these northern climes, but I did not need it today --- I actually got a bit too warm.
We passed through customs without incident. We had to present our passports, a form that the Russian government required, and our ticket to whatever event we were to attend to prove we were going where we said we were. The woman who took the passport was all business -- no smile, But then Kathy told me that in Russia it is considered inappropriate to smile when first meeting. That the local people sometimes consider it a false friendliness.
One we boarded the bus the tour guides began immediately to tell us about the city. The port is brand new and will not be finished for another two to three years. It is being built on reclaimed land and extends out a great distance from the city proper. The intent is to create this port for tourist traffic leaving the old port for freighters and the like. This would make leaving the ship and pushing a wheelchair utterly impossible. A Royal Caribbean ship is directly behind us and others are moored in front of us as well, so leaving the port in haste would be impossible. We are, I suppose in some sort of queue, poised to step onto the dance floor at just the right moment. We passed through another checkpoint at the entrance of the port, and then were on Russian soil!
The first thing we passed by was an apartment building that would have conformed to my preconceived notions of a communist country (gray--utilitarian) but soon we were passing buildings that were built most likely in the 19th century. While they were in somewhat poor condition in some ways, they were outstanding in others. The windows all seem to need a good wash, but there is not much litter on the ground. The streets were broad thoroughfares with lots of new cars competing for space with our bus.
We were issued receivers and earphones and divided into groups of 15 people. Many of the folks on this ship were older with limited mobility. That made the Hermitage a great challenge. In the morning sun the spires of many buildings glint golden against the blue of the sky. The city itself looks golden in the distance (later I learned that yellow is the favorite color of St. Petersburg). There are the characteristic onion domes that we think of when we think of Russia. They are the spires of the Cathedral on the Spilled Blood where Alexander the II was killed. Even though he freed the serfs -- it was not enough. Landless surfs are unhappy serfs! His son decided to erect a Cathedral on the spot where he was killed. The guide used the word "terrorist" to describe his murderers. (and we think of terrorists as a uniquely American problem -- how silly we are) This beautiful cathedral is the only church in St. Petersburg with the traditional onion domes. Peter wanted this city (which he named after his patron saint - Peter) to be the Venice of the north and he eschewed the traditional Russian architecture! Katherine the Great, as we know was German and did not fancy the traditional Russian architecture either. This explains the palaces which have Italian designers, architects and and style!
We arrived at the Hermitage and the square in St. Petersburg where the Russian Revolution began in 1918. The squire is directly in front of the Hermitage with a stunning column in its center commemorating a victory over the (the Swedes -- I think -- I will have to check my facts later since Internet connections are poor). I had planned to use the Internet to educate myself about some of these locations --since carrying books was unappealing for obvious reasons ---but we have had such expensive and poor access that I cannot recommend this method to anyone -- bring the Rick Steve's guides with you).
The moment you enter the Hermitage you will feel the presence of the structure. It is a rabbits warren --- like the Louvre -- unfortunately we didn't get a map and we are not able to do anything but stay with the tour. Ordinarily, I would not have hesitated to tell the leader that I would meet the tour at a particular point at a particular time, but this is different the little babushka ladies seated in each room to keep you for destroying anything speak no English--and it would be difficult to find someone to help you ---- and if you got lost-----there are the stories about staying in Russia that make you just fearful enough to stay with the guide, and sometimes the crowds are so fierce that you must be rude to keep up with your guide. We entered the Hermitage together and immediately climbed a great staircase. We turned to look back on an ornately decorated hall. Apparently this was the staircase used by ambassadors from many countries, and it made an impressive display of Russian wealth and power.
Having said all of that -- I cannot even begin to describe the beauty of the Hermitage! The floors we walked over need protection from so many feet, but they were incredible. Mirror images of the ceilings above which had raised gilt designs. The floors have the same intricate patterns in beautiful woods - so elegantly done that they almost look as though they were painted. The columns in the rooms are either stunning marble, granite or they too have gold leaf on them. This palace would rival Versailles if it were fully restored and kept up as nicely. A woman behind me was desperate. She had paid the fee to use her camera in the Hermitage and now didn't know how to turn off her flash, and of course there is no use of camera without turning off the flash. I took the camera and found the setting for which she seemed very grateful. Turned out it was a brand new camera and when I asked if she had the booklet that went with it -- she said no.....I can't figure things out without directions ---- I even brought the booklet on my new little computer!!
Once in the gallery there were many pieces from the earliest times in the form of Icons and other religious art works. These interested me, but of course for modern eyes works in two dimension are not fulfilling. The paintings I would choose to spend time with are, of course Rembrandt, the Impressionists and the Dutch painters! There was a vast collection of immense vases. Some appeared to be of malachite. Our guide pointed out that these are not made of solid Malacite, rather the craftsmen employed the traditional Russian mosaic art and cut pieces of the stone matching the pattern so perfectly that it is difficult to see them as anything but whole pieces. Other urns were made of granite and are probably actually massive pieces.
Next we walked through many galleries and down a number of flights of stairs to the Gold Room to keep our appointment there. Apparently many visitors find this to be the most impressive part of the Hermitage. The fact that we were taken in 15 at a time -- signed in and out---and the gold is behind glass -- humidity and temperature controlled all speak to this!!! It was also interesting that we had a special tour guide who spoke only Russian guide us through the exhibit and our guide then interpreted what she said. I asked the guide why she just didn't do the talk since it would have gone much faster --- she laughed and said --- the presentation is always different depending on the Russian guide.
We then retraced our steps through gallery after gallery and picked up where we left off. There are outstanding collections of ceramics and some statues.
When we reached the gallery of Rembrandt the room was really crowded, and I couldn't enjoy the Prodigal --too many people in front of it, and we were too hurried for me to take the time to get up close enough to survey it completely. I can only imagine what joy it would have been to pull one of the red velvet covered stools or chairs into position and at an uncrowded time to sit in front of it and see fully the play of light on canvas. It is so much larger than I had thought...as much larger, in fact, than the Mona Lisa was smaller than expected. There are several of his self-portraits here as well, and the painting of the old man in the red robe -- that if I remember correctly he used an elderly rabbi as model. Heart-broken I am wrenched away from Rembrandt and we moved into the Impressionism - to modern section of the gallery. We were give 20 minutes here to view the worlds largest collection of Matisse --- and to see a number of works I am totally unfamiliar with.
Then down the stairs and out to a shopping spot and finally back to the bus. I was quite dehydrated (we couldn't take our water with us into the museum) and most weary by the time we got back to the ship at 6:00 p.m. I hurried to get a bit to eat before we headed out at 7:15 to see the Folkloric Program. As we headed back out through the customs we did not need so much documentation. They simply looked at out stamped passports and waived us on. Many of our shipmates were dressed for an evening of ballet or opera....but we chose the more casual program. (partly because we have no formal clothes --- partly because it suits our temperament to be comfortable after such a grueling day.
I was so sleepy that I nodded off on the bus. The guide for this presentation was not only knowledgeable, but also was very helpful getting the wheelchair taken care of and accommodating Kathy. She said it was the law that wheel chairs should be accommodated and apologized for the fact that we did not take Kathy into the Hermitage. If only she had been there to help us navigate! We arrived in front of a large hall. Certainly it was pre-capitalist since there was no air conditioning and the stage lights were on a pole on the main floor, perched in a way that would have been unacceptable because of potential injury and lawsuit in the U.S. My expectations for this performance were low as I assumed that these would be second tier performers at best. What a stunning surprise awaited us.
The costumes were studding, the dancing was superb, the singing was reminiscent of sacred harp singing with open fifth harmonies. They sang with deep conviction. Each piece was cleverly tied to the next with sight gags, and humor....the leader of the group was a diminutive fellow (he was the choreographer it turned out) who has a passion for Russian folk music traditions and is trying to revive this throughout Russia. He has dreams, and his troop responded to the warmth of the audience by dancing and singing their hearts out. They came back for more than one curtain call! Each curtain call brought forth more complex and daring dance moves -- as if they save this greatest material only for those who showed true appreciation. It was an exhilarating end to a tiring day, and I found that I was so charged --- it took a bit of time to unwind once we got back aboard. However, when I hit the sack, I was asleep upon the instant!
Now for the problems with St. Petersburg--things to avoid next time.
1) Because the Hermitage is actually 5 buildings, and because the guides feel compelled for us to visit it all --- we constantly move -- this means no time to spend with favorite paintings.
2) Crowds --- since the museum is only open from 10-5 p.m. everyone is in the building at the same time---so often my favorite paintings are covered up with people--- This is true for the Prodigal Son --- It is much larger than I expected, and there was a huge crowd around it --- I could not get far enough away to see it and the crowd obliterated much of the painting --
3) PEOPLE ARE BREATHING ALL OVER THE PAINTINGS -- THERE IS NO CONTROL OF HUMIDITY OR TEMPERATURE --- THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN LETTING IN THE AIR POLLUTION TO DAMAGE THE PAINTINGS --- They can get right up and touch them --- the little babouska ladies often are asleep! I am stressed by this --- thinking we should have UNESCO declare this a world site and then raise the money to not only put these paintings in the atmosphere they need. Heck, even a donation box for this purpose would probably bring in a great deal of money --- I an many other lovers of art would contribute!!!
4)The tour guides think that the Gold Room is the most important treasure in the building ---- this is evidenced by the amount of time we spent there --- the fact that we had to be taken in 15 at a time -- signed in and out---and the gold is behind glass -- humidity and temperature controlled!!! It was also interesting that a Russian spoke Russian about the exhibit and the guide then interpreted. I asked the guide why she just didn't do the talk since it would have gone much faster --- she laughed and said --- the presentation is always different depending on the Russian guide. I got the idea that what she meant perhaps to some degree questioned the validity of the presentation by the little Russian lady guide.
5) The guide speaks very good English, but she is not an Art historian -- unlike the countries where the guides must go to school for three years and take a test before they become guides -- the only requirement of these guides is that they speak English. She does the best she can, but I am thinking --- I probably in some parts of the museum could have presented better information about the art ---than she did.....sad .......I am wishing for guides of the calibre we had in Egypt and Greece!!! I must remember not to compare. Russia has only been at the tourist business for about 20 years!
6) The other problem with the Hermitage tour is that we march back and forth through the building, up and down the same stairs several times --- rather than having a direct tour -- I imagine this is to keep us moving and also to adjust to the numbers of other tours that are in the building at the same time --- but in terms of time usage -- and for those folks who are really struggling to walk it is frustrating. In fact, there should be times where people sit and hear the discussion before we go into a gallery -- The Turkish guide was particularly good at this --- finding a shady spot and a place to sit -- then telling everyone what to expect next -- then walking us through the hot sunny ruin to the next spot of shade!! Genius!!!
6)NEEDED--Elevators and proper access for the disabled (Kathy tells me I should be calling it Disabled access -- not handicapped access---I find this somewhat peevish --- since we keep going through all these PC corrections --- i.e. colored, negro, black, now African American--I ask what could possibly be wrong with handicapped -- it seems less than disabled to me.....she says it is the origin of the word handicapped --- which comes from hand to cap as in begging.....I say how many people would even know that reference --- but ah well --- I will try to change long held habits and called it disabled access from now on!!!)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tallinn Estonia
A liesurely morning. I awoke at 8:00 a.m. and showered and headed to breakfast. I left Kathy sleeping and went to breakfast first ......COFFEE and FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE were really enticing me. Then up to the Internet/Library to try to straighten out the situation....complex and irritating! I also checked out John Dean's new book -- Broken Government -- to read while we are at sea. We headed into town after lunch. We caught a taxi - It was 20 euro. I decided to try walking back to the ship....It is difficult to believe that we are in Estonia --- When I was growing up this could not have happened since this was part of the communist block. The old town - center is a Unesco sight because of its exceptional preservation. It has not been rebuilt--it actually exists as a 14th century city. We walked around the city center took in several of the handicraft stores. There are lots of hand knit items that are very expensive, then their are items that are hand knit machine items that are more moderately priced. There is a lot of Amber, several glassworks blow glass and there are cut glass artists working as well. The air is cool especially as the wind comes in off the sea. There is a modern port town next tot his old medieval city. Some of the streets have some cement between the cobbles --- some are left in their original state which makes access very difficult. One street had a great black slate sidewalk down the center which made pushing the chair a dream. Certainly UNESCO should make all these heritage sites accessible. One of the real issues for Kathy is that though she was told accommodation would be made (and onboard ship that is surely true) there is little or no accommodation for the wheelchair. Why would there be prohibitions against wheelchairs in the castles, and why there is no access in the Hermitage even though there are elevators. This should be investigated and answers need to be forthcoming for others who might come to St. Petersburg to see the palaces and the art, only to be disappointed.
At Sea in the Baltic
This ship is much nicer than the one in the Mediterranean. Perhaps it is newer, Not that the other wasn't nice --- it was great, and the people were very attentive. One of the best things is having a big window to the outside world. Even though our view is of the lifeboat we can have natural light and we can see the condition of the sea. The cabin is a bit larger and the bathroom is luxurious in comparison to the one on the other ship.
Tomorrow we will make landfall in Estonia....so for today we cruise. Surprises abound.
1. It is pretty cold here. It makes sense. This is very far north and the water is no doubt fed from the ice caps.
2. This cruise has a lot of older folks aboard. Most probably in their 70s or 80s. There are the standard groups of families taking a family vacation together, and there are few people who are younger as well.
3. Russia must be a difficult place to travel --- that changes the rules with some frequency. Today we were told to bring our passports and have them copied because we would be required to have the copy of the passport, the pasport, and a special pass issued by the tour line as well.
4. Food on this ship is a bit more elegant -- today there was a high tea at 3:00 p.m. in addition to the regular offerings in the main cafeteria.
5. There are more people with mobility limitations on this ship than on the last.
6. The swells are a bit higher than in the Mediterranean where the seas often resembled glass, still the rocking is very gentle and not a problem at all.
7. There is a detail of officers that go through checking public areas for dust or streaks --they called the cleaning crew over when they found some dust and ordered it cleaned up --- things must be spotless.
8. The crew seems mostly Asian -- many are from Indonesia-- on RC there seemed to be many Indians and some Asians.
9. Fresh SQUEEZED orange juice!! EVERY morning.
10. Most of the crew seem eager to please -- but may not be as experienced or trained as the RC crew was.
10 Sunset here is at 11:30 p.m. and id is not really dark all night-- just sort of twilight.
I took a long nap after yesterday's exercise and missed lunch entirely (not that I needed lunch and certainly tea sufficed!) Kathy went to tea also at a different time. I think she napped as well, but since I was a asleep, she may have been out having adventures during the afternoon. I went to the library and found a very comfortable chair and checked with the Internet person about the slowness of the connection. Apparently I need to try to connect very early in the morning and maybe it will be O.K. or very late at night! The explanation for the high cost is that this is satellite, but then there are fairly inexpensive satellite connections in U.S. Also it is not advised to take my computer into Estonia or Russia. Chances are that there would be no connections and additionally there would be the probability that it would be stolen....
When I tried to post yesterday -- it took nearly 5 minutes just to get to the blog! The post failed --- I spent 20 minutes on line without succeeding in posting. I did check my email so that was good --- but it is not a happy Internet connection --- and the thought that I could do research on each place we visited is just really outrageous. The ship offers free instruction in most Microsoft applications which seems like a great deal for folks who need some instruction! But the cost of Internet is horrible --- since it takes a long time to connect --- eating up money at $.55 per minute!
Early to bed! Tomorrow - Estonia
Tomorrow we will make landfall in Estonia....so for today we cruise. Surprises abound.
1. It is pretty cold here. It makes sense. This is very far north and the water is no doubt fed from the ice caps.
2. This cruise has a lot of older folks aboard. Most probably in their 70s or 80s. There are the standard groups of families taking a family vacation together, and there are few people who are younger as well.
3. Russia must be a difficult place to travel --- that changes the rules with some frequency. Today we were told to bring our passports and have them copied because we would be required to have the copy of the passport, the pasport, and a special pass issued by the tour line as well.
4. Food on this ship is a bit more elegant -- today there was a high tea at 3:00 p.m. in addition to the regular offerings in the main cafeteria.
5. There are more people with mobility limitations on this ship than on the last.
6. The swells are a bit higher than in the Mediterranean where the seas often resembled glass, still the rocking is very gentle and not a problem at all.
7. There is a detail of officers that go through checking public areas for dust or streaks --they called the cleaning crew over when they found some dust and ordered it cleaned up --- things must be spotless.
8. The crew seems mostly Asian -- many are from Indonesia-- on RC there seemed to be many Indians and some Asians.
9. Fresh SQUEEZED orange juice!! EVERY morning.
10. Most of the crew seem eager to please -- but may not be as experienced or trained as the RC crew was.
10 Sunset here is at 11:30 p.m. and id is not really dark all night-- just sort of twilight.
I took a long nap after yesterday's exercise and missed lunch entirely (not that I needed lunch and certainly tea sufficed!) Kathy went to tea also at a different time. I think she napped as well, but since I was a asleep, she may have been out having adventures during the afternoon. I went to the library and found a very comfortable chair and checked with the Internet person about the slowness of the connection. Apparently I need to try to connect very early in the morning and maybe it will be O.K. or very late at night! The explanation for the high cost is that this is satellite, but then there are fairly inexpensive satellite connections in U.S. Also it is not advised to take my computer into Estonia or Russia. Chances are that there would be no connections and additionally there would be the probability that it would be stolen....
When I tried to post yesterday -- it took nearly 5 minutes just to get to the blog! The post failed --- I spent 20 minutes on line without succeeding in posting. I did check my email so that was good --- but it is not a happy Internet connection --- and the thought that I could do research on each place we visited is just really outrageous. The ship offers free instruction in most Microsoft applications which seems like a great deal for folks who need some instruction! But the cost of Internet is horrible --- since it takes a long time to connect --- eating up money at $.55 per minute!
Early to bed! Tomorrow - Estonia
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Copenhagen to Berlin--out of order!! Should come before the last post
We went down for breakfast in a traditional Danish dining room with warm woods all around us. There were real scrambled eggs not the kind we have been getting, but the kind that the chef breaks into a pan and cooks. It is strawberry season in Denmark and there were delicious berries and melons waiting along with strong Danish Coffee. This hotel was perfect -- only a couple of blocks from the train station headed away from the seedy section. It was older but all was clean and delightfully Danish--even down to the carpet which was Danish Modern Stripes!
We walked to the city center and caught a hop-on-hop-off bus at city hall so that we could see the major sites of Copenhagen. We got off at one of the castles where we watched the royal guards. I have a picture of Jens Einer in his Guard uniform when he and Anita were first dating. We went to see the little mermaid. Jens Einer said the original mermaid is visiting China at present so the one we photographed is not the real thing --- but most tourists are none the wiser.We hopped off again at the canal tour spot where we had an interesting combination of Danish specialties. I ate the fish and Kathy the pork and beef. The platter was enough to feed three or four and was beautiful for the eye to behold. I ate my first pickled herring. It has always looked absolutely repulsive to me, but it was in fact quite tasty. It was served with capers. Then I tackled the caviar, shrimp and smoked salmon which were piled up attractively with a white sauce that resembled tarter sauce, but tasted nothing like it. There was also a batter fried fish with a very light sauce that was very tasty and not at all greasy.
We caught the bus back to City Hall and then walked back to our hotel, picked up our bags and caught a taxi to the port. Once at the port we boarded the ship (there were long long lines --- but because Kathy is in a wheelchair they had us by pass all that.) Once on board we stood in a long line so that Kathy could verify our arrangements to disembark at Kiel, and then we stood in a long line so that she could arrange the shore excursions. It sounds as though St. Petersburg and the Hermitage will be a challenge and none of the palaces permit wheelchair access.....so this was a great disappointment.
Our cabin was quite luxurious more spacious and modern than the one on Royal Caribbean. We have a large window looking out on the lifeboats. But through the boats I could view the ocean, and the cabin is flooded with natural light. To me this was a big plus since it allowed us to wake up with natural light. The twin beds are quite comfortable and we have been supplied with large absorbent robes. The ship is much larger than the one we were on in the Mediterranean. As soon as we did some unpacking we went on up to deck 11 to meet with "Ian" the tour guide expert. He is like a concierge of touring. If you are are traveling on your own and not taking one of the excursions he could be especially helpful in helping you choose what trains and return times as well as where you might want to explore and what might not be so safe.
While Kathy talked to Ian, I met an interesting woman who was an amelioration judge in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her husband had died only one year ago just one day before their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a pleasant chat, and when Kathy was finished we went to dinner in the Lido. This lounge is somewhat of a buffet--but you choose your entree and accompaniments and the chef arranges your plate in a decorative way. The food is also perhaps just a wee bit better than on the RC cruise.
We retired to our cabin and it was already 9:30. There were a large variety of television stations and there is a DVD player with the flat screen T.V. We both had trouble falling asleep, perhaps partly because it stays light so late here, but also no doubt because of all the excitement of the day. It certainly was not because I wasn't tired. We did a lot of walking today, but Denmark is flat and walking is a pleasure. Sometime during the night I awakened to see a big beautiful bridge which we were passing under. I wondered if this is the bridge Anita was telling me about the is maybe 20 kilometers long between Sweden and Denmark. Back to sleep the morning would come all to soon.
We went down for breakfast in a traditional Danish dining room with warm woods all around us. There were real scrambled eggs not the kind we have been getting, but the kind that the chef breaks into a pan and cooks. It is strawberry season in Denmark and there were delicious berries and melons waiting along with strong Danish Coffee. This hotel was perfect -- only a couple of blocks from the train station headed away from the seedy section. It was older but all was clean and delightfully Danish--even down to the carpet which was Danish Modern Stripes!
We walked to the city center and caught a hop-on-hop-off bus at city hall so that we could see the major sites of Copenhagen. We got off at one of the castles where we watched the royal guards. I have a picture of Jens Einer in his Guard uniform when he and Anita were first dating. We went to see the little mermaid. Jens Einer said the original mermaid is visiting China at present so the one we photographed is not the real thing --- but most tourists are none the wiser.We hopped off again at the canal tour spot where we had an interesting combination of Danish specialties. I ate the fish and Kathy the pork and beef. The platter was enough to feed three or four and was beautiful for the eye to behold. I ate my first pickled herring. It has always looked absolutely repulsive to me, but it was in fact quite tasty. It was served with capers. Then I tackled the caviar, shrimp and smoked salmon which were piled up attractively with a white sauce that resembled tarter sauce, but tasted nothing like it. There was also a batter fried fish with a very light sauce that was very tasty and not at all greasy.
We caught the bus back to City Hall and then walked back to our hotel, picked up our bags and caught a taxi to the port. Once at the port we boarded the ship (there were long long lines --- but because Kathy is in a wheelchair they had us by pass all that.) Once on board we stood in a long line so that Kathy could verify our arrangements to disembark at Kiel, and then we stood in a long line so that she could arrange the shore excursions. It sounds as though St. Petersburg and the Hermitage will be a challenge and none of the palaces permit wheelchair access.....so this was a great disappointment.
Our cabin was quite luxurious more spacious and modern than the one on Royal Caribbean. We have a large window looking out on the lifeboats. But through the boats I could view the ocean, and the cabin is flooded with natural light. To me this was a big plus since it allowed us to wake up with natural light. The twin beds are quite comfortable and we have been supplied with large absorbent robes. The ship is much larger than the one we were on in the Mediterranean. As soon as we did some unpacking we went on up to deck 11 to meet with "Ian" the tour guide expert. He is like a concierge of touring. If you are are traveling on your own and not taking one of the excursions he could be especially helpful in helping you choose what trains and return times as well as where you might want to explore and what might not be so safe.
While Kathy talked to Ian, I met an interesting woman who was an amelioration judge in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her husband had died only one year ago just one day before their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a pleasant chat, and when Kathy was finished we went to dinner in the Lido. This lounge is somewhat of a buffet--but you choose your entree and accompaniments and the chef arranges your plate in a decorative way. The food is also perhaps just a wee bit better than on the RC cruise.
We retired to our cabin and it was already 9:30. There were a large variety of television stations and there is a DVD player with the flat screen T.V. We both had trouble falling asleep, perhaps partly because it stays light so late here, but also no doubt because of all the excitement of the day. It certainly was not because I wasn't tired. We did a lot of walking today, but Denmark is flat and walking is a pleasure. Sometime during the night I awakened to see a big beautiful bridge which we were passing under. I wondered if this is the bridge Anita was telling me about the is maybe 20 kilometers long between Sweden and Denmark. Back to sleep the morning would come all to soon.
We walked to the city center and caught a hop-on-hop-off bus at city hall so that we could see the major sites of Copenhagen. We got off at one of the castles where we watched the royal guards. I have a picture of Jens Einer in his Guard uniform when he and Anita were first dating. We went to see the little mermaid. Jens Einer said the original mermaid is visiting China at present so the one we photographed is not the real thing --- but most tourists are none the wiser.We hopped off again at the canal tour spot where we had an interesting combination of Danish specialties. I ate the fish and Kathy the pork and beef. The platter was enough to feed three or four and was beautiful for the eye to behold. I ate my first pickled herring. It has always looked absolutely repulsive to me, but it was in fact quite tasty. It was served with capers. Then I tackled the caviar, shrimp and smoked salmon which were piled up attractively with a white sauce that resembled tarter sauce, but tasted nothing like it. There was also a batter fried fish with a very light sauce that was very tasty and not at all greasy.
We caught the bus back to City Hall and then walked back to our hotel, picked up our bags and caught a taxi to the port. Once at the port we boarded the ship (there were long long lines --- but because Kathy is in a wheelchair they had us by pass all that.) Once on board we stood in a long line so that Kathy could verify our arrangements to disembark at Kiel, and then we stood in a long line so that she could arrange the shore excursions. It sounds as though St. Petersburg and the Hermitage will be a challenge and none of the palaces permit wheelchair access.....so this was a great disappointment.
Our cabin was quite luxurious more spacious and modern than the one on Royal Caribbean. We have a large window looking out on the lifeboats. But through the boats I could view the ocean, and the cabin is flooded with natural light. To me this was a big plus since it allowed us to wake up with natural light. The twin beds are quite comfortable and we have been supplied with large absorbent robes. The ship is much larger than the one we were on in the Mediterranean. As soon as we did some unpacking we went on up to deck 11 to meet with "Ian" the tour guide expert. He is like a concierge of touring. If you are are traveling on your own and not taking one of the excursions he could be especially helpful in helping you choose what trains and return times as well as where you might want to explore and what might not be so safe.
While Kathy talked to Ian, I met an interesting woman who was an amelioration judge in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her husband had died only one year ago just one day before their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a pleasant chat, and when Kathy was finished we went to dinner in the Lido. This lounge is somewhat of a buffet--but you choose your entree and accompaniments and the chef arranges your plate in a decorative way. The food is also perhaps just a wee bit better than on the RC cruise.
We retired to our cabin and it was already 9:30. There were a large variety of television stations and there is a DVD player with the flat screen T.V. We both had trouble falling asleep, perhaps partly because it stays light so late here, but also no doubt because of all the excitement of the day. It certainly was not because I wasn't tired. We did a lot of walking today, but Denmark is flat and walking is a pleasure. Sometime during the night I awakened to see a big beautiful bridge which we were passing under. I wondered if this is the bridge Anita was telling me about the is maybe 20 kilometers long between Sweden and Denmark. Back to sleep the morning would come all to soon.
We went down for breakfast in a traditional Danish dining room with warm woods all around us. There were real scrambled eggs not the kind we have been getting, but the kind that the chef breaks into a pan and cooks. It is strawberry season in Denmark and there were delicious berries and melons waiting along with strong Danish Coffee. This hotel was perfect -- only a couple of blocks from the train station headed away from the seedy section. It was older but all was clean and delightfully Danish--even down to the carpet which was Danish Modern Stripes!
We walked to the city center and caught a hop-on-hop-off bus at city hall so that we could see the major sites of Copenhagen. We got off at one of the castles where we watched the royal guards. I have a picture of Jens Einer in his Guard uniform when he and Anita were first dating. We went to see the little mermaid. Jens Einer said the original mermaid is visiting China at present so the one we photographed is not the real thing --- but most tourists are none the wiser.We hopped off again at the canal tour spot where we had an interesting combination of Danish specialties. I ate the fish and Kathy the pork and beef. The platter was enough to feed three or four and was beautiful for the eye to behold. I ate my first pickled herring. It has always looked absolutely repulsive to me, but it was in fact quite tasty. It was served with capers. Then I tackled the caviar, shrimp and smoked salmon which were piled up attractively with a white sauce that resembled tarter sauce, but tasted nothing like it. There was also a batter fried fish with a very light sauce that was very tasty and not at all greasy.
We caught the bus back to City Hall and then walked back to our hotel, picked up our bags and caught a taxi to the port. Once at the port we boarded the ship (there were long long lines --- but because Kathy is in a wheelchair they had us by pass all that.) Once on board we stood in a long line so that Kathy could verify our arrangements to disembark at Kiel, and then we stood in a long line so that she could arrange the shore excursions. It sounds as though St. Petersburg and the Hermitage will be a challenge and none of the palaces permit wheelchair access.....so this was a great disappointment.
Our cabin was quite luxurious more spacious and modern than the one on Royal Caribbean. We have a large window looking out on the lifeboats. But through the boats I could view the ocean, and the cabin is flooded with natural light. To me this was a big plus since it allowed us to wake up with natural light. The twin beds are quite comfortable and we have been supplied with large absorbent robes. The ship is much larger than the one we were on in the Mediterranean. As soon as we did some unpacking we went on up to deck 11 to meet with "Ian" the tour guide expert. He is like a concierge of touring. If you are are traveling on your own and not taking one of the excursions he could be especially helpful in helping you choose what trains and return times as well as where you might want to explore and what might not be so safe.
While Kathy talked to Ian, I met an interesting woman who was an amelioration judge in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her husband had died only one year ago just one day before their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a pleasant chat, and when Kathy was finished we went to dinner in the Lido. This lounge is somewhat of a buffet--but you choose your entree and accompaniments and the chef arranges your plate in a decorative way. The food is also perhaps just a wee bit better than on the RC cruise.
We retired to our cabin and it was already 9:30. There were a large variety of television stations and there is a DVD player with the flat screen T.V. We both had trouble falling asleep, perhaps partly because it stays light so late here, but also no doubt because of all the excitement of the day. It certainly was not because I wasn't tired. We did a lot of walking today, but Denmark is flat and walking is a pleasure. Sometime during the night I awakened to see a big beautiful bridge which we were passing under. I wondered if this is the bridge Anita was telling me about the is maybe 20 kilometers long between Sweden and Denmark. Back to sleep the morning would come all to soon.
Leaving Berlin
5:45 came early and I was grogy from the night of restless sleep. A hurried trip to the breakfast buffet and then off board to find the ICE to Berlin. The ticket booth was not open, but the tarin captain allowed us to get on. Soon we were flying past magnificent farming countryside in what used to be East Germany. It is difficult to think that just 20 years ago we could not have traveled here. Wheat and other grains carry the eye to the horizon, and occassionally thre is a little pond with ducks swiming about or a farm house, or a field of holstein cows. The scenery is also punctuated by large stands of trees. Poppies grow along in the fields as well, and now and again we pass little towns in the distance.
At stations along the way old friends hug and say goodbyes. Old ones know that life is fragile and sometimes weep a bit as they part, young ones are too excited to think past the present moment filled with hopes.
The homes look quite nice near the tracks so perhaps east Germany at least in rural areas is doing fine. As the land becomes more hilly there are more forest areas. All along the track are homes with gardens growing food. This has been true everywhere in Europe whether north or south -- people in Europe grow locally. Restuarants have misshapen apples that taste fabulous and tomatoes that are not a standardized variety. The train was moving quickly and a sign on a flat screen announced the speed at 119 kilometers. As we move along the tracks I am listening to Cat Stevens new recording -- I love the simplicity and words. I know that when he speaks of God he is thinking of Allah and the prophet Mohammad, but I cannot help but think that God includes all --- weather Muslim, Christian, or Jew. It is very peaceful music.
We reached Berlin on time and found Suzanne waiting on the platform. She is of course older but is very much unchaged, except that she was not wearing her cowboy boots. Her husband is an ENT in the University Hospital in Berlin and does research relating to cancer. He was home during the day --- and should have been sleeping, but instead was stuck getting a door put into the kitchen Suzzane had designed and had redone more than six months ago.....this last door was still not complete, and she was looking forward to at last having that in place. Unfortunately --- the carpenter choose the same day that we were to be in Berlin, so her husband had to stay up for that. Suzanne needed to be home by 5:00 to pick up Frederich from kindergarten, so we had the most of the day to see some of Berlin through her eyes. Kindergarten here does not refer to school for 5 year olds, but rather to pre-school. Frederich is only 6 months old and is teething.
We started out crossing the river in front of the Hauptbanhoff and heading toward the Richstag builidng. It was adorned with a new very modern looking glass dome! We found our way up to the top to the restaurant there where we had coffee and rolls. Suzanne is pregnant and needs to eat very regularly or she gets morning sickness. We relaxed and caught up a bit in the beautiful space. Black marble, startrched white table linen, and massed orchads make a dramatic statement. There are also bringht purple carnations at each table. There is a white ceramic tray with square condiment holders in it. Square salt, pepper, sugar (a special sugar container with crystals of sugar) and a cream container fit together in the tray perfectly making a lovely design in itself.
After we finished we walked around and took pictures of major landmarks in Berlin from the top of the Richstag. Then we came back down and headed for the Brandenberg Gate. This was just a short distance away. There was a big park on one side of the Richstag, the Tiergarden which means animal garden and was the place that the Kaiser hunted. We crossed through the gate and found ourselves in what was once East Germany. The American embassy was just completed and sits right next to the gate.
We spent the rest of the day walking among the buildings of what was East Germany following WWII. In fact it is a city with wide avenues and many very new buildings next to very old ones. Perhaps it was the fact that so much was destroyed in WWII that makes this city willing to tear down buildings to replace them. Suzaane pointed out the old parliment building from East Germany that sat on the spot where a castle had been before had recently been torn down and now there is a dispute about whether to "reconstruct the older castle." Seeing the city through her eyes is like seeing through an architects eyes. IT is about the design of the buildings and who designed them that impresses Suzanne.
It was a very long walk, and we stopped at about 2:30 for lunch. Kathy ordered Sauerbrauten which was quite beautifully served on a bed of red cabbage and green. It was a recommended spot by one of Andreas' collegues, and the food was exceptional. Following lunch we walked back to the train station. In fact we walked from about 9:50 until 5:30 (except for tea and lunch time) and then I stood waiting for the train until nearly 6:00 p.m. so I was very tired by the time we climbed back on the train. I was very glad that tis ws not at the beginning of our travels or I would have been dead! One big disappointment was in finding any internet cafes. I carried my computer hoping that we would locate one. In the Mediterranean we had found them, and in Copenhagen we had free access with the hotel, but the ship's very cheapest rate was $55 for 100 minutes and the connection was so slow the other day --- it took me 5 minutes just to get logged in to post my blog. Things here are much more expensive. a latte at McDonalds is 2.30 Euro -- or about $3.30!
We arrived at about 8:30 at Waremude which was the port where our ship was docked. We had to climb down and up stairs at this station. When we began the descent an older gentleman insisted on carrying the chair. "You know you are in a former communist country?" Yes, I said, It is remarkable how wonderful everything looks. "Well, it is because the West German government has poured so much into this side of the country. You should have come 20 years ago. Then you would have seen the results of communism." He and his companions struck up quite a conversation with us and were so solicitous of Kathy. The gentleman who carried the chair apolgized profusely for the fact that there was no access. He said he would go home to Bonn (where this group was from) and write a ltter to the editor about this. It is rediculous, he said, "that a port of call for tourists has no access. Afterall there must be many people with disabilities abaord." They are a very fit group --- mostly in their 70s probably, they bike everywhere. They carry their bkes on the train and then take them off and tour in the cities they wish to visit. They are proud of this behavior---and so they should be.
Though access is better than 2003, there is still not much access. In fact, this was a real problem for Russia and the Hermitage. We are hoping that the guide will make some accommodation so that Kathy can go along on every floor. There are lifts --- but no arrangements to accommodate. The saddest thing is that the castles do not permit wheelchairs period. "
We grabbed a bite as soon as we returned poolside. There was a local band which played German music and we had more sausage, cabbage and traditional German dishes. I went to bed a bit late--- because I watched a movie. They had a lot more entertainmnet opportunities than we had on the RC cruise, including DVDs from the ships library.
At stations along the way old friends hug and say goodbyes. Old ones know that life is fragile and sometimes weep a bit as they part, young ones are too excited to think past the present moment filled with hopes.
The homes look quite nice near the tracks so perhaps east Germany at least in rural areas is doing fine. As the land becomes more hilly there are more forest areas. All along the track are homes with gardens growing food. This has been true everywhere in Europe whether north or south -- people in Europe grow locally. Restuarants have misshapen apples that taste fabulous and tomatoes that are not a standardized variety. The train was moving quickly and a sign on a flat screen announced the speed at 119 kilometers. As we move along the tracks I am listening to Cat Stevens new recording -- I love the simplicity and words. I know that when he speaks of God he is thinking of Allah and the prophet Mohammad, but I cannot help but think that God includes all --- weather Muslim, Christian, or Jew. It is very peaceful music.
We reached Berlin on time and found Suzanne waiting on the platform. She is of course older but is very much unchaged, except that she was not wearing her cowboy boots. Her husband is an ENT in the University Hospital in Berlin and does research relating to cancer. He was home during the day --- and should have been sleeping, but instead was stuck getting a door put into the kitchen Suzzane had designed and had redone more than six months ago.....this last door was still not complete, and she was looking forward to at last having that in place. Unfortunately --- the carpenter choose the same day that we were to be in Berlin, so her husband had to stay up for that. Suzanne needed to be home by 5:00 to pick up Frederich from kindergarten, so we had the most of the day to see some of Berlin through her eyes. Kindergarten here does not refer to school for 5 year olds, but rather to pre-school. Frederich is only 6 months old and is teething.
We started out crossing the river in front of the Hauptbanhoff and heading toward the Richstag builidng. It was adorned with a new very modern looking glass dome! We found our way up to the top to the restaurant there where we had coffee and rolls. Suzanne is pregnant and needs to eat very regularly or she gets morning sickness. We relaxed and caught up a bit in the beautiful space. Black marble, startrched white table linen, and massed orchads make a dramatic statement. There are also bringht purple carnations at each table. There is a white ceramic tray with square condiment holders in it. Square salt, pepper, sugar (a special sugar container with crystals of sugar) and a cream container fit together in the tray perfectly making a lovely design in itself.
After we finished we walked around and took pictures of major landmarks in Berlin from the top of the Richstag. Then we came back down and headed for the Brandenberg Gate. This was just a short distance away. There was a big park on one side of the Richstag, the Tiergarden which means animal garden and was the place that the Kaiser hunted. We crossed through the gate and found ourselves in what was once East Germany. The American embassy was just completed and sits right next to the gate.
We spent the rest of the day walking among the buildings of what was East Germany following WWII. In fact it is a city with wide avenues and many very new buildings next to very old ones. Perhaps it was the fact that so much was destroyed in WWII that makes this city willing to tear down buildings to replace them. Suzaane pointed out the old parliment building from East Germany that sat on the spot where a castle had been before had recently been torn down and now there is a dispute about whether to "reconstruct the older castle." Seeing the city through her eyes is like seeing through an architects eyes. IT is about the design of the buildings and who designed them that impresses Suzanne.
It was a very long walk, and we stopped at about 2:30 for lunch. Kathy ordered Sauerbrauten which was quite beautifully served on a bed of red cabbage and green. It was a recommended spot by one of Andreas' collegues, and the food was exceptional. Following lunch we walked back to the train station. In fact we walked from about 9:50 until 5:30 (except for tea and lunch time) and then I stood waiting for the train until nearly 6:00 p.m. so I was very tired by the time we climbed back on the train. I was very glad that tis ws not at the beginning of our travels or I would have been dead! One big disappointment was in finding any internet cafes. I carried my computer hoping that we would locate one. In the Mediterranean we had found them, and in Copenhagen we had free access with the hotel, but the ship's very cheapest rate was $55 for 100 minutes and the connection was so slow the other day --- it took me 5 minutes just to get logged in to post my blog. Things here are much more expensive. a latte at McDonalds is 2.30 Euro -- or about $3.30!
We arrived at about 8:30 at Waremude which was the port where our ship was docked. We had to climb down and up stairs at this station. When we began the descent an older gentleman insisted on carrying the chair. "You know you are in a former communist country?" Yes, I said, It is remarkable how wonderful everything looks. "Well, it is because the West German government has poured so much into this side of the country. You should have come 20 years ago. Then you would have seen the results of communism." He and his companions struck up quite a conversation with us and were so solicitous of Kathy. The gentleman who carried the chair apolgized profusely for the fact that there was no access. He said he would go home to Bonn (where this group was from) and write a ltter to the editor about this. It is rediculous, he said, "that a port of call for tourists has no access. Afterall there must be many people with disabilities abaord." They are a very fit group --- mostly in their 70s probably, they bike everywhere. They carry their bkes on the train and then take them off and tour in the cities they wish to visit. They are proud of this behavior---and so they should be.
Though access is better than 2003, there is still not much access. In fact, this was a real problem for Russia and the Hermitage. We are hoping that the guide will make some accommodation so that Kathy can go along on every floor. There are lifts --- but no arrangements to accommodate. The saddest thing is that the castles do not permit wheelchairs period. "
We grabbed a bite as soon as we returned poolside. There was a local band which played German music and we had more sausage, cabbage and traditional German dishes. I went to bed a bit late--- because I watched a movie. They had a lot more entertainmnet opportunities than we had on the RC cruise, including DVDs from the ships library.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Saying Goodbye in Frankfurt
We awakened early this morning and went down to breakfast. We wanted to have Matt at the airport in plenty of time--in case there was a problem. Ibis, even though it is only a 2 star hotel is really as nice or nicer than some of our 3 star accommodations have been. It is mostly a hotel chain that caters to tourists, tour buses and business people. Breakfast included the American classic (scrambled eggs), hard-boiled eggs, fruits, cheeses, meats, breads, cereal, yogurt, fruit and coffee.
I tried toasting a piece of bread -- things that seem so straightforward are so different. I dropped my toast into the toaster and set the number to 2 expecting this to indicate the darkness of the result. I am not sure what it meant since it only toasted the bread on one side! I was waiting for the toast to pop up, when a man next to me indicated I needed to lift an arm on the side to make the toast come up. There is Nutella on the table and rhubarb jam along with homemade warm bread to be sliced. After breakfast we headed to the Airport. The cab cost 21 Euro---and the airport was large. While Matt stood in line to check his bags, I went to reconnoiter and find an ATM machine, a post office, and a place to buy some coffee. Once we got a cup of coffee we sat until 9:30, walked to the security area and said our goodbyes and watched Matt disappear into the terminal.
Kathy and I stopped at a shop where I bought a magnifying glass, a converter to use in northern Europe -- the one Cathy had burned out my battery charger last night. I was really glad not to have the computer plugged into it! I also bought a smaller battery charger to replace the one that was burned up (this one only does 2 batteries at a time). Then we went to seek out a post office. In the afternoon I explored part of the city on the tram which was very near the hotel. A Tageskarte(day pass) cost 5.50 Euro.
It is a bit unnerving to ride a tram when you are really are not sure where you are going. The tram I took brought me to the HauptBanhoff (main train station). I began exploring outward from it. There were a variety of shops and eateries. There was an expensive Spanish tapas bar, but there was also a Starbucks and some stores that reminded me of Dollar stores, and lots of shops that are run by immigrants. There were men on the street in the afternoon drinking lots of beer and some were drinking harder liquor and were clearly under the influence. I decided that this would not be a good place to come to eat dinner in the evening.
Frankfurt in many ways feels like any American city with many skyscrapers and broad avenues. The city is ringed by Autobahn -- I assume it is autobahn because the cab drivers were driving at 120-130 kilometers when we went to the airport. Perhaps much of the city was destroyed in WWII, because much of what I have seen is modern construction. This is a vast change from the ancient buildings and narrow streets from the middle ages in Italy and the Mediterranean.
I went back to the Train station where I found a little grocery and bought some mustard in the tube for Kathy (It looks just like toothpaste) some Pringles, and some Leibniz (biscuits with chocolate on one side). On the way back to the Ibis there was a place that looked like a mall with several visible eateries so that may be an option. When I got back to the hotel, I cleared out my email box. At a little after 5:00 I went up to see if Kathy wanted to go out and grab a bite.
The only draw back to this hotel is that there is nowhere nearby to eat. There are businesses and a lot of apartments that are probably for middle class workers. These are not luxurious, but they are clean and neat and have very little graffiti. We took the tram in to see what we could find, but when we got off at the stop with the restaurants --things were closing. We got back on the tram and found an Irish Pub. We have had so much Italian food, Mediterranean food and German food, that I actually got a hamburger. It has been pretty cool all day, and a couple of times it spit rain. I imagine that the high was around 68 today. What a difference a day makes. Even Switzerland was very warm and humid, but I have warn my warm-up jacket all day.
The windows in this hotel (as with all of the hotels where we have stayed, open letting in the fresh-- cool air. I watched as the sun set and the lights of the city twinkled into existence one by one. There was a sports stadium very nearby, and there must have been a really exciting game going on, because I could hear the crowd roaring frequently--I crawled into the shower and finished packing up for tomorrows early start!
I tried toasting a piece of bread -- things that seem so straightforward are so different. I dropped my toast into the toaster and set the number to 2 expecting this to indicate the darkness of the result. I am not sure what it meant since it only toasted the bread on one side! I was waiting for the toast to pop up, when a man next to me indicated I needed to lift an arm on the side to make the toast come up. There is Nutella on the table and rhubarb jam along with homemade warm bread to be sliced. After breakfast we headed to the Airport. The cab cost 21 Euro---and the airport was large. While Matt stood in line to check his bags, I went to reconnoiter and find an ATM machine, a post office, and a place to buy some coffee. Once we got a cup of coffee we sat until 9:30, walked to the security area and said our goodbyes and watched Matt disappear into the terminal.
Kathy and I stopped at a shop where I bought a magnifying glass, a converter to use in northern Europe -- the one Cathy had burned out my battery charger last night. I was really glad not to have the computer plugged into it! I also bought a smaller battery charger to replace the one that was burned up (this one only does 2 batteries at a time). Then we went to seek out a post office. In the afternoon I explored part of the city on the tram which was very near the hotel. A Tageskarte(day pass) cost 5.50 Euro.
It is a bit unnerving to ride a tram when you are really are not sure where you are going. The tram I took brought me to the HauptBanhoff (main train station). I began exploring outward from it. There were a variety of shops and eateries. There was an expensive Spanish tapas bar, but there was also a Starbucks and some stores that reminded me of Dollar stores, and lots of shops that are run by immigrants. There were men on the street in the afternoon drinking lots of beer and some were drinking harder liquor and were clearly under the influence. I decided that this would not be a good place to come to eat dinner in the evening.
Frankfurt in many ways feels like any American city with many skyscrapers and broad avenues. The city is ringed by Autobahn -- I assume it is autobahn because the cab drivers were driving at 120-130 kilometers when we went to the airport. Perhaps much of the city was destroyed in WWII, because much of what I have seen is modern construction. This is a vast change from the ancient buildings and narrow streets from the middle ages in Italy and the Mediterranean.
I went back to the Train station where I found a little grocery and bought some mustard in the tube for Kathy (It looks just like toothpaste) some Pringles, and some Leibniz (biscuits with chocolate on one side). On the way back to the Ibis there was a place that looked like a mall with several visible eateries so that may be an option. When I got back to the hotel, I cleared out my email box. At a little after 5:00 I went up to see if Kathy wanted to go out and grab a bite.
The only draw back to this hotel is that there is nowhere nearby to eat. There are businesses and a lot of apartments that are probably for middle class workers. These are not luxurious, but they are clean and neat and have very little graffiti. We took the tram in to see what we could find, but when we got off at the stop with the restaurants --things were closing. We got back on the tram and found an Irish Pub. We have had so much Italian food, Mediterranean food and German food, that I actually got a hamburger. It has been pretty cool all day, and a couple of times it spit rain. I imagine that the high was around 68 today. What a difference a day makes. Even Switzerland was very warm and humid, but I have warn my warm-up jacket all day.
The windows in this hotel (as with all of the hotels where we have stayed, open letting in the fresh-- cool air. I watched as the sun set and the lights of the city twinkled into existence one by one. There was a sports stadium very nearby, and there must have been a really exciting game going on, because I could hear the crowd roaring frequently--I crawled into the shower and finished packing up for tomorrows early start!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Interlaken to Frankfurt
Kathy was in bed last night by 9:30 so she was chipper and ready to go this morning at 6:00. She thought it was later than it was so I jumped up and finished getting packed and ready for the day. When we got down stairs it was only 6:30 -- Sometimes it is almost like she can run circles around me. At 6:45 they opened the breakfast room early for us....and we had our standard meal. Headed for the train station --It was a nice cool walk after the rains of the evening. It had cooled off very well. When we arrived at Interlaken East we learned that we should have gone to Interlaken West -- so there was a bit of confusion, but it was all right since the train also comes to this station. However, we had made arrangements for assistance at the other station---so they called and we rearranged things.
The train is really nicer than the Eurostar -- these Germans know how to do things! It is spacious and in first class the seats are leather with space between. The trains here have a place to hang your coat and plenty of room for luggage. People here use the trains like we use cars and the trains produce less pollution because they are electric. I would love to be able to use trains for travel rather than having to drive back to Texas or Fly --- There are not nearly as many tourists this year probably because of the economic situation. And we have encountered fewer Americans and Australians. There are still lots of Japanese, Arab, and English traveling.
We crossed the boarder into Germany around 10:00 and it rained off and on throughout the early morning. The clouds persisted as we journeyed past countryside of rich farm fields low hills and towns. It was easy to see why our ancestors chose to live in parts of the United states based on the familiarity of the geography. It is also easy to see how they brought the farming practices with them to the U.S. This part of the German countryside could very easily be Illinois or Iowa. The train began in Interlaken almost empty but by the time we were nearing our destination the cars filled up with people. There are plug-ins for computers at each seat so even if your battery were dead you could use your computer. The train attendants look very much like airline attendants and the whole experience is as good as air travel. No wonder people use the trains in Europe. An older couple sat behind us and saw my computer. We had a discussion about technology-- they were probably ten years older than I and were extremely technology aware.
It seemed like a long trip but certainly pleasant enough. When we pulled into the station we were able to get off pretty well and then found the place to reserve our next leg of the journey with assistance. Next we found the cab and then headed for the Ibis Hotel which it turned out is on the edge of the city. It is a bit more like an American hotel. It is still on a much smaller scale, but very modern and clean. The bathroom is of interesting design. It is almost like a cabin set down into the corner of our room.
It is circular and you must step up into the unit. There was nothing nearby to get a sandwich so we got "snacks" at our hotel -- This was not snacks as we think of them --out of a machine. These were snacks like soup-- and bread. We got the Goulash which was a little like Dinty Moore Stew. Then got a recommendation on an authentic German restaurant. We took a Taxi after cleaning up to Gasthaus Am Eisernen Steg, and it was well worth the trip. I had the Pork Knuckle with cabbage which was interesting (this is a very traditional meal in Bavaria). I would struggle with the pork that seems ever-present on the menu here. The cabbage was like sauerkraut only sweeter. Kathy had Grilled Rib -- which was nothing like Bar-B-Que at home. This slice was like a steak. Her meal was accompanied by a mashed potato. Matt had the Frankfurter with German Potato Salad. Of course, he ended up having Pork Knuckle and cabbage, Grilled Rib, and his own Franfurter! I will miss Matt who manages to clean everyones plate including his own. Kathy and I will have to order just one meal and split it so our variety will come to an end when Matt goes home tomorrow!
We concluded our meal with Applestruedel and caffee. Strudel here just can't be topped! The strudel comes with a dip of rich ice cream and whipped cream. The apples are not to sweet and they also are in abundance inside the flaky pastry. Even the whipped Cream isn't sweet...but that seems to amplify the the flavor. The restaurateur had pictures from the late 1800s on his wall. The family looked much like my Great Grandparents. I asked if this was his Grosse Mutter -- he said yes --- then showed his mother's baby picture and told us where she was from in Germany. Then he asked where we were from -- and I said my family originally came from Landesbergen -- Kathy's family was from Borkum and Lubeck somewhere else but of course we are now from America.
All of this communication was through a combination of some German, some English, and gesturing. One is never completely sure if you have understood the communication or not. But I report here -- what I think he said. Funny isn't it that we struggle to understand one another even when we speak the same language!
We returned to the Ibis and finished packing, and went to bed early. It was still light outside although it was around 10:00 p.m. Just two more days until the Equinox and the longest day of the year!
The train is really nicer than the Eurostar -- these Germans know how to do things! It is spacious and in first class the seats are leather with space between. The trains here have a place to hang your coat and plenty of room for luggage. People here use the trains like we use cars and the trains produce less pollution because they are electric. I would love to be able to use trains for travel rather than having to drive back to Texas or Fly --- There are not nearly as many tourists this year probably because of the economic situation. And we have encountered fewer Americans and Australians. There are still lots of Japanese, Arab, and English traveling.
We crossed the boarder into Germany around 10:00 and it rained off and on throughout the early morning. The clouds persisted as we journeyed past countryside of rich farm fields low hills and towns. It was easy to see why our ancestors chose to live in parts of the United states based on the familiarity of the geography. It is also easy to see how they brought the farming practices with them to the U.S. This part of the German countryside could very easily be Illinois or Iowa. The train began in Interlaken almost empty but by the time we were nearing our destination the cars filled up with people. There are plug-ins for computers at each seat so even if your battery were dead you could use your computer. The train attendants look very much like airline attendants and the whole experience is as good as air travel. No wonder people use the trains in Europe. An older couple sat behind us and saw my computer. We had a discussion about technology-- they were probably ten years older than I and were extremely technology aware.
It seemed like a long trip but certainly pleasant enough. When we pulled into the station we were able to get off pretty well and then found the place to reserve our next leg of the journey with assistance. Next we found the cab and then headed for the Ibis Hotel which it turned out is on the edge of the city. It is a bit more like an American hotel. It is still on a much smaller scale, but very modern and clean. The bathroom is of interesting design. It is almost like a cabin set down into the corner of our room.
It is circular and you must step up into the unit. There was nothing nearby to get a sandwich so we got "snacks" at our hotel -- This was not snacks as we think of them --out of a machine. These were snacks like soup-- and bread. We got the Goulash which was a little like Dinty Moore Stew. Then got a recommendation on an authentic German restaurant. We took a Taxi after cleaning up to Gasthaus Am Eisernen Steg, and it was well worth the trip. I had the Pork Knuckle with cabbage which was interesting (this is a very traditional meal in Bavaria). I would struggle with the pork that seems ever-present on the menu here. The cabbage was like sauerkraut only sweeter. Kathy had Grilled Rib -- which was nothing like Bar-B-Que at home. This slice was like a steak. Her meal was accompanied by a mashed potato. Matt had the Frankfurter with German Potato Salad. Of course, he ended up having Pork Knuckle and cabbage, Grilled Rib, and his own Franfurter! I will miss Matt who manages to clean everyones plate including his own. Kathy and I will have to order just one meal and split it so our variety will come to an end when Matt goes home tomorrow!
We concluded our meal with Applestruedel and caffee. Strudel here just can't be topped! The strudel comes with a dip of rich ice cream and whipped cream. The apples are not to sweet and they also are in abundance inside the flaky pastry. Even the whipped Cream isn't sweet...but that seems to amplify the the flavor. The restaurateur had pictures from the late 1800s on his wall. The family looked much like my Great Grandparents. I asked if this was his Grosse Mutter -- he said yes --- then showed his mother's baby picture and told us where she was from in Germany. Then he asked where we were from -- and I said my family originally came from Landesbergen -- Kathy's family was from Borkum and Lubeck somewhere else but of course we are now from America.
All of this communication was through a combination of some German, some English, and gesturing. One is never completely sure if you have understood the communication or not. But I report here -- what I think he said. Funny isn't it that we struggle to understand one another even when we speak the same language!
We returned to the Ibis and finished packing, and went to bed early. It was still light outside although it was around 10:00 p.m. Just two more days until the Equinox and the longest day of the year!
To the top of Europe
This day began in an easy way and ended being a bit stressful trying to make the multiple changes. You must reserve handicapped help 24 hours in advance, and of course when you change borders -- the reservation goes away. BUT you no longer know how to contact that handicapped access people. Therefore when we arrived at Brig we lost all the wonderful help. The good news is that in Switzerland there are long ramps to go down in addition to the stairs which have been horrible for Kathy.
We walked to the hotel -- which was a fair distance, but the temperature was much cooler making the walking more pleasant. The Hotel Kreuz is an old Swiss hotel---the floors creak and the doors have to be locked from the inside leaving the key in the lock. When you leave in the morning --- you trade your key for a small one -- which admits you if you return after they have closed at night. The room is comfortable with feather beds and down pillows. The bathroom is crisp blue and white tile and the bidets which were everywhere in southern Europe are no where to be seen again in the North.
Matt went down and got us pizza (which is nothing like the pizza in Italy) and salad which was wonderful --probably because they make everything from local ingredients -- the lettuce was fresh and delightful and I have consistently made my own dressing from the olive oil and balsamic vinegar which is everywhere. I organized my photos into folders (542 of them) switched batteries in my camera and recharged my laptop. These simple tasks are somewhat problematic because the current in Europe is different from that in the states. There are a variety of different looking switch plates - some with three round prongs, some with three large flat prongs, many with just two round prongs. I am glad I bought the expensive converter from the young Egyptian at Best Buy -- his recommendation has worked everywhere even Egypt! Apparently one of the converters that Kathy's sister had burned up a couple of appliances -- a fate I would certainly not want for my new little laptop! The windows of our room open and have no screens so Kathy wants them closed just in case someone should decide to join us for the night. Since it is cooler this won't be unbearable -- but we got a fan from the main desk and set it up. This was probably a good idea since the noise of the fan helped block out the sounds from the revelers on the street below. When I finally turned in at about 12:15 I closed the windows and fell asleep upon the moment.
We were up at 6:30 and headed down for breakfast. This hotel apparently has lots of Japanese visitors since there were breakfasts set out for English, Japanese, and Swiss. I like Sushi --- but the idea of eating raw fish for breakfast -- almost made me want to skip breakfast. The British eat wieners and beans for breakfast and bacon, but the bacon they choose is never crisp -- always greasy--I guess they like it that way. The Swiss like Muesli and granola. The coffee is really good -- I am not sure how they make it --- but they also always heat the milk so that when you put it in your coffee it doesn't cool off! (Smart people these Europeans).
The journey up to the Jungfreau included squealing children who got off at Lauterbrunnen for a walkabout in Muren. I chatted with their teacher who spoke English. School is on holiday but the children have this special field trip each summer when they hike about the mountains for several hours learning some history and nature. Each village sets its own calendar for school but students must attend 39 weeks per year. The children in this part of Switzerland speak a dialect of German so in kindergarten they begin to learn standard German. Then in 3rd grade they begin instruction in French since that is another language spoken in a major part of their country, and in 5th year they may choose between Italian and English instruction So Swiss children are at least tri-lingual and the teacher indicated that many of the children are immigrants so they even speak another language at home. 95% of Swiss children attend public school. I asked about citizenship and she said that you must wait 10 years before you can gain citizenship. BUT if you marry someone you only have to wait five years. The children are so excited . The teacher tells them about our little school mascot dragon and they have a picture with him. They asked about school in America and I shared a bit about how it is very similar but also very different.
Matt and I changed trains several times to reach the Jungfrau. It is the tallest point in Europe and the weather is perfect for seeing great distances. It was not as cold as I expected it to be, but the sun shone brightly and the wind was not strong or constant. The summit is a little over 13,000 feet. Not particularly high by American standards, but in this northern lattitude it was always enough to keep the glacier. It is clear with Global warming that this is not going to be the case. I wonder what will happen to all these wonderful little Swiss town when the streams dry up. There are running water spigots for people to fill water bottles from the water from these streams--- wash up-- or cool off. They run all the time. Even the water in our hotel is very cold (as though it had ice in it). All water here comes from the glacier and snow pack. There are magnificent waterfalls everywhere and the streams rush down the mountain creating deafening sounds as the water crashes over the rocks. It is filled with mineral content and is milky white as it passes beneath the train. There are many plants on the meadows that I recognize. Azaleas grow wild here, but they are smaller than at home.There were bees and butterflies all over the Alpine meadows. I wonder what the local honey tastes like. There are patches of the glacier left disconnected from the rest which are covered with brown dirt and soot.
There were ferns in sections where it was shady, but everywhere were plants covering the exposed earth. I did not see any bare spots at all.
We stopped to let another train go past and I heard that wonderful sound of cowbells. It was so musical, just like I remember it from Garmisch. Other than the sound of the train it is quiet and entirely peaceful -- just the sound of the breeze in the leaves, no buses, cars, no rush.
When we reached the top I noticed that it was difficult to get your breath if you moved very quickly at all. I wonder if that is because I have been living at sea level for nearly a decade now. When I lived in New Mexico (4500 feet elevation) I did not remember this problem when we traveled in Colorado---of course I was much younger then as well. Matt and I put on our warm clothes and climbed outside to the top of the plateau observation spot. It was very slippery and snowy, but the sun was brilliant and made it seem (even though I was wearing sunglasses as though I had forgotten to put them on.) It is easier to use the viewfinder in the camera in this intense light, and I am not sure how the pictures taken with Kathy's HD camera will turn out since you could not see in the viewer what you were taking -- the sunlight was just too intense.
We took photos and turned around and headed back down the mountain. The trip takes over an hour, and we found Kathy waiting patiently for us by the cable car to Murren in Lauterbrunnen. The trip up the side of the mountain took about five minutes and then we were back in Murren. This was one of my favorite spots six years ago, and it was sad to see that it is growing in popularity among tourists. Before we had to take a cogwheel railway and there were NO vehicles in Murren itself. Now there were many and it was not the quiet spot I remembered. We had lunch at about 2:00. A lovely tomato soup and we split a ham sandwich. Sandwiches here are beautiful with lettuce, cucumber, tomato and local cheese all on a local bread ---Matt had what he always has Spaghetti! After a walk around Murren we went down the mountain and back to Interlaken for the night. We had Fondue in a local restaurant and split a salad and a fruit salad. We were quite stuffed by the time we finished. We sat outside and watched the world go by. It began to rain a little and the restaurant rolled out a canaopy so we did not have to go inside. There were horse drawn cart going by and it was interesting to see how they accommodated the horses by having pooper scoopers attached or easily at hand where the driver could catch the falling debris--keeping the streeet clean. In fact the streets here are pristine. Shopkeepers pick up everything --- even the cigarette butts left behind by rude tourists.
Almost from the moment you cross from Italy into Switzerland there is a marked difference in how tings look. Train tracks no longer have weeds knee high. The workers who pick up the trash are diligent while in Italy -- they pick up some but leave other stuff behind. The Swiss pick it all up --- diligently. I wonder if it is because the Swiss are paid a living wage while the Italians are probably paid minimum wage and do not even earn enough to live on.....of course it is also possible that these things are just cultural differences as well. The Swiss and Germans both are precise. It is a bit easier to figure out if you are on the right train. Many places the destination is displayed prominently --- while in Italy you are always guessing....and trains even change tracks. They do not leave on time-- but in the north --- they leave precisely on time! Some one comes and check your tickets -- in Italy sometimes they check, sometimes they do not.
We walked to our hotel in the humidity between rain showers--repacked our things and prepared for the trip to Frankfurt. I am sending my big bag home with Matt --- it is already damaged and difficult to manage and I bought a smaller one in Florence at the train station which I can hang from the back of Kathy's wheelchair. Tomorrow we will travel to Frankfurt in the morning and perhaps Matt and Kathy will take a little Rhine tour to see the castles.
We walked to the hotel -- which was a fair distance, but the temperature was much cooler making the walking more pleasant. The Hotel Kreuz is an old Swiss hotel---the floors creak and the doors have to be locked from the inside leaving the key in the lock. When you leave in the morning --- you trade your key for a small one -- which admits you if you return after they have closed at night. The room is comfortable with feather beds and down pillows. The bathroom is crisp blue and white tile and the bidets which were everywhere in southern Europe are no where to be seen again in the North.
Matt went down and got us pizza (which is nothing like the pizza in Italy) and salad which was wonderful --probably because they make everything from local ingredients -- the lettuce was fresh and delightful and I have consistently made my own dressing from the olive oil and balsamic vinegar which is everywhere. I organized my photos into folders (542 of them) switched batteries in my camera and recharged my laptop. These simple tasks are somewhat problematic because the current in Europe is different from that in the states. There are a variety of different looking switch plates - some with three round prongs, some with three large flat prongs, many with just two round prongs. I am glad I bought the expensive converter from the young Egyptian at Best Buy -- his recommendation has worked everywhere even Egypt! Apparently one of the converters that Kathy's sister had burned up a couple of appliances -- a fate I would certainly not want for my new little laptop! The windows of our room open and have no screens so Kathy wants them closed just in case someone should decide to join us for the night. Since it is cooler this won't be unbearable -- but we got a fan from the main desk and set it up. This was probably a good idea since the noise of the fan helped block out the sounds from the revelers on the street below. When I finally turned in at about 12:15 I closed the windows and fell asleep upon the moment.
We were up at 6:30 and headed down for breakfast. This hotel apparently has lots of Japanese visitors since there were breakfasts set out for English, Japanese, and Swiss. I like Sushi --- but the idea of eating raw fish for breakfast -- almost made me want to skip breakfast. The British eat wieners and beans for breakfast and bacon, but the bacon they choose is never crisp -- always greasy--I guess they like it that way. The Swiss like Muesli and granola. The coffee is really good -- I am not sure how they make it --- but they also always heat the milk so that when you put it in your coffee it doesn't cool off! (Smart people these Europeans).
The journey up to the Jungfreau included squealing children who got off at Lauterbrunnen for a walkabout in Muren. I chatted with their teacher who spoke English. School is on holiday but the children have this special field trip each summer when they hike about the mountains for several hours learning some history and nature. Each village sets its own calendar for school but students must attend 39 weeks per year. The children in this part of Switzerland speak a dialect of German so in kindergarten they begin to learn standard German. Then in 3rd grade they begin instruction in French since that is another language spoken in a major part of their country, and in 5th year they may choose between Italian and English instruction So Swiss children are at least tri-lingual and the teacher indicated that many of the children are immigrants so they even speak another language at home. 95% of Swiss children attend public school. I asked about citizenship and she said that you must wait 10 years before you can gain citizenship. BUT if you marry someone you only have to wait five years. The children are so excited . The teacher tells them about our little school mascot dragon and they have a picture with him. They asked about school in America and I shared a bit about how it is very similar but also very different.
Matt and I changed trains several times to reach the Jungfrau. It is the tallest point in Europe and the weather is perfect for seeing great distances. It was not as cold as I expected it to be, but the sun shone brightly and the wind was not strong or constant. The summit is a little over 13,000 feet. Not particularly high by American standards, but in this northern lattitude it was always enough to keep the glacier. It is clear with Global warming that this is not going to be the case. I wonder what will happen to all these wonderful little Swiss town when the streams dry up. There are running water spigots for people to fill water bottles from the water from these streams--- wash up-- or cool off. They run all the time. Even the water in our hotel is very cold (as though it had ice in it). All water here comes from the glacier and snow pack. There are magnificent waterfalls everywhere and the streams rush down the mountain creating deafening sounds as the water crashes over the rocks. It is filled with mineral content and is milky white as it passes beneath the train. There are many plants on the meadows that I recognize. Azaleas grow wild here, but they are smaller than at home.There were bees and butterflies all over the Alpine meadows. I wonder what the local honey tastes like. There are patches of the glacier left disconnected from the rest which are covered with brown dirt and soot.
There were ferns in sections where it was shady, but everywhere were plants covering the exposed earth. I did not see any bare spots at all.
We stopped to let another train go past and I heard that wonderful sound of cowbells. It was so musical, just like I remember it from Garmisch. Other than the sound of the train it is quiet and entirely peaceful -- just the sound of the breeze in the leaves, no buses, cars, no rush.
When we reached the top I noticed that it was difficult to get your breath if you moved very quickly at all. I wonder if that is because I have been living at sea level for nearly a decade now. When I lived in New Mexico (4500 feet elevation) I did not remember this problem when we traveled in Colorado---of course I was much younger then as well. Matt and I put on our warm clothes and climbed outside to the top of the plateau observation spot. It was very slippery and snowy, but the sun was brilliant and made it seem (even though I was wearing sunglasses as though I had forgotten to put them on.) It is easier to use the viewfinder in the camera in this intense light, and I am not sure how the pictures taken with Kathy's HD camera will turn out since you could not see in the viewer what you were taking -- the sunlight was just too intense.
We took photos and turned around and headed back down the mountain. The trip takes over an hour, and we found Kathy waiting patiently for us by the cable car to Murren in Lauterbrunnen. The trip up the side of the mountain took about five minutes and then we were back in Murren. This was one of my favorite spots six years ago, and it was sad to see that it is growing in popularity among tourists. Before we had to take a cogwheel railway and there were NO vehicles in Murren itself. Now there were many and it was not the quiet spot I remembered. We had lunch at about 2:00. A lovely tomato soup and we split a ham sandwich. Sandwiches here are beautiful with lettuce, cucumber, tomato and local cheese all on a local bread ---Matt had what he always has Spaghetti! After a walk around Murren we went down the mountain and back to Interlaken for the night. We had Fondue in a local restaurant and split a salad and a fruit salad. We were quite stuffed by the time we finished. We sat outside and watched the world go by. It began to rain a little and the restaurant rolled out a canaopy so we did not have to go inside. There were horse drawn cart going by and it was interesting to see how they accommodated the horses by having pooper scoopers attached or easily at hand where the driver could catch the falling debris--keeping the streeet clean. In fact the streets here are pristine. Shopkeepers pick up everything --- even the cigarette butts left behind by rude tourists.
Almost from the moment you cross from Italy into Switzerland there is a marked difference in how tings look. Train tracks no longer have weeds knee high. The workers who pick up the trash are diligent while in Italy -- they pick up some but leave other stuff behind. The Swiss pick it all up --- diligently. I wonder if it is because the Swiss are paid a living wage while the Italians are probably paid minimum wage and do not even earn enough to live on.....of course it is also possible that these things are just cultural differences as well. The Swiss and Germans both are precise. It is a bit easier to figure out if you are on the right train. Many places the destination is displayed prominently --- while in Italy you are always guessing....and trains even change tracks. They do not leave on time-- but in the north --- they leave precisely on time! Some one comes and check your tickets -- in Italy sometimes they check, sometimes they do not.
We walked to our hotel in the humidity between rain showers--repacked our things and prepared for the trip to Frankfurt. I am sending my big bag home with Matt --- it is already damaged and difficult to manage and I bought a smaller one in Florence at the train station which I can hang from the back of Kathy's wheelchair. Tomorrow we will travel to Frankfurt in the morning and perhaps Matt and Kathy will take a little Rhine tour to see the castles.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
A walk in the sky - Tuscany
We slept in a bit and Kathy and Matt went to see David. I stayed and emptied my mailbox, checked my Face Book Page, and posted the blog while they were gone in the morning. I met them in the Piazza San Marco where I found them having coffee and coke at the little outdoor cafe. We caught a taxi to the train station (standard fee from our hotel to train station is 7-10 Euro)and then a tour through Chianti to Castellano and Greve, both small villages. The winery we visited was an old villa-estate from the 11th century which was fortified and survived the rivalry between Sienna and Firenze.
We reached the fortress at San Donato in Poggio which is now a restaurant where we had a typical Firenze meal. The bus was comfortable and the scenery was truly just as beautiful as it is in the paintings of Monet or Van Gogh. As we climbed out of Florence we crossed the Arno and could look toward the Ponto Vecchio Bridge then we began a winding ascent into the hills where we were surrounded by vineyards and olive orchards.
Perhaps the most strikingly beautiful vista for me was the neat rows of multiple shades of green from the shimmering silver olive to the deep almost terre vert of the cypress trees that tower skyward marching in lines to the horizons. The rows of grapes and dark earth make a beautiful pattern against the blue sky. It has been sunny and very warm, but as evening comes on the temperatures drop and the breeze picks up making it especially inviting to sit outside. In the little hill town of there are older Italian men sitting out talking animatedly around one of the look-out points where a thin haze was beginning to form over the distant hills. As we walked along the sidewalk toward the bus I glanced up and a really elderly man who looked to be in his 80s with no teeth was watching us make our way along the stones below. I wanted to take his picture in the worst way, but feared it would be an invasion of privacy so I restrained myself. We arrived back at the spot where we would catch our bus and sat on rocks looking over the valley. Wildflowers were everywhere poppies, blue bells, and several varieties that I do not recognize push their way up through the rich soil. The only sounds are the birds and the occasional scooter. There are not too many cars up here probably because the roads are so narrow. At the winery there was really only room for two very small cars or one bus on the road at a time. The bus driver honks his horn five or six times as he comes to places where he cannot clearly see ahead to warn oncoming traffic that a large vehicle is coming.
As soon as we left the bus the a wonderful fragrance overwhelmed our senses. It was a mixture of star jasmine, magnolia, broom and scents that seem herbal. I couldn't identify them clearly, but perhaps rosemary and lavender --since I could see these plants in evidence everywhere! Still there was something else--perhaps a pine of some kind --- maybe it is the cypress trees. Whatever it was I think this is how heaven will smell! The scent was present everywhere in the hills of Tuscany. Not so much in Firenze. Florence had its own scent. I remembered it from before as being very distinctive. If I were mixing it at a perfumery I think it might be a combination of tannery, hundreds of years of cobblestone, urine, internal combustion engine, wonderful expensive cologne, some old fashioned garlic, and body odor tossed in.
When we arrived at the winery which was also an ancient villa established in the 1400s when Firenze and Sienna were warring city states, we found a quiet and idyllic setting. The family had two chapels. One was within the villa itself and one sat some distance away in the vineyard. We walked through the central courtyard and saw some of the art that still resides there, but the original masterworks had long ago been donated by the family to national galleries. Then we went down into the cellar where the wine is housed. Chianti is chianti because of the location of the grapes not the kind of grade. The cellar was cool and filled with large barrels. These barrels could be used for up to 4 years. One of the largest was reserved to simply show us and was no longer in use anymore. The capacity of each barrel was posted on the exterior and the guide explained that some wines are utilized when they are young -- only 6 months old but the standard Chianti must age three years in the vat and one year average in the bottle.These barrels when they expire are used to make balsamic vinegar and ultimately sold as scrap.
Then we walked up to the garden for our wine tasting. We traveled past chickens, rabbits. A cat was lying still and allowing a chicken to peck at his head.. Next to the wall was a long planting of lavender in full bloom. The tables had linen on them and with each wine they brought something to accompany it. a peccarino cheese with the Chianti, a Bhusetta and cotto salami with the super Chianti and a pepper jelly, a fine desert wine with a biscuit -- which was very like our biscotti. This was dipped in the heavy desert wine which was rather like creme sherry. Our guide Sylvia is a native of Firenze. Kathy asked her how she surveys. She told Kathy and she and her boyfriend are hoping to purchase an apartment and the cheapest they can hope for is around 200,000 Euro! Sylvia also suggested that people who are native do not use taxis or eat sitting down EVER -- If you want to save money eating in Italy you must not sit outside a restaurant ever. AND you should look for a Trattoria or pizzeria and then eat inside only or carry out your food.
We next drove onto Grieve the main village in this part of Chianti. During the middle ages there were five villages that formed the alliance of the black roster of which Grieve was the main village. We walked along the square (which is actually a triangle in this case. Shops indicated a dependence on tourism. But the appeal to live in a place like this is clear. Peace and community were evident everywhere as we saw people cheerfully engaged in conversation in the pleasant evening!
We arrived at about 7:30 in the hill town where dinner was scheduled in an old medieval castle. The barrel-vaulted ceiling overhead magnified the conversation which grew more animated with with each additional glass of wine. AND since Kathy, Matt and I were not drinking we were very popular with our table mates since it mean that there was much more wine for each of them....Everyone was allotted 3 glasses with the meal. The dinner consisted of a first course of two different kinds of pasta. One a penne with a spicy meat sauce and one with another flat pasta with a cheesier sauce. There was the most wonderful Parmesan cheese to scatter over your pasta and of course the ever present bread and olive oil. The next course consisted of beans and sausages -- which Kathy couldn't eat because of her allergy to beans so they brought her a salad. They also had a pork of some kind that was served---it was roasted, and finally they served Tiramisu and coffee. By the time we left he sun had set and the lights across the valley were twinkling on. We returned to the train station in Firenze across the River Arno where the Ponto Vecchio Bridge mirrored itself in the water -- the kind of photograph that makes people want to come to the city in a travel brochure.
We caught a taxi to the hotel and retired for teh night at about midnight.
We reached the fortress at San Donato in Poggio which is now a restaurant where we had a typical Firenze meal. The bus was comfortable and the scenery was truly just as beautiful as it is in the paintings of Monet or Van Gogh. As we climbed out of Florence we crossed the Arno and could look toward the Ponto Vecchio Bridge then we began a winding ascent into the hills where we were surrounded by vineyards and olive orchards.
Perhaps the most strikingly beautiful vista for me was the neat rows of multiple shades of green from the shimmering silver olive to the deep almost terre vert of the cypress trees that tower skyward marching in lines to the horizons. The rows of grapes and dark earth make a beautiful pattern against the blue sky. It has been sunny and very warm, but as evening comes on the temperatures drop and the breeze picks up making it especially inviting to sit outside. In the little hill town of there are older Italian men sitting out talking animatedly around one of the look-out points where a thin haze was beginning to form over the distant hills. As we walked along the sidewalk toward the bus I glanced up and a really elderly man who looked to be in his 80s with no teeth was watching us make our way along the stones below. I wanted to take his picture in the worst way, but feared it would be an invasion of privacy so I restrained myself. We arrived back at the spot where we would catch our bus and sat on rocks looking over the valley. Wildflowers were everywhere poppies, blue bells, and several varieties that I do not recognize push their way up through the rich soil. The only sounds are the birds and the occasional scooter. There are not too many cars up here probably because the roads are so narrow. At the winery there was really only room for two very small cars or one bus on the road at a time. The bus driver honks his horn five or six times as he comes to places where he cannot clearly see ahead to warn oncoming traffic that a large vehicle is coming.
As soon as we left the bus the a wonderful fragrance overwhelmed our senses. It was a mixture of star jasmine, magnolia, broom and scents that seem herbal. I couldn't identify them clearly, but perhaps rosemary and lavender --since I could see these plants in evidence everywhere! Still there was something else--perhaps a pine of some kind --- maybe it is the cypress trees. Whatever it was I think this is how heaven will smell! The scent was present everywhere in the hills of Tuscany. Not so much in Firenze. Florence had its own scent. I remembered it from before as being very distinctive. If I were mixing it at a perfumery I think it might be a combination of tannery, hundreds of years of cobblestone, urine, internal combustion engine, wonderful expensive cologne, some old fashioned garlic, and body odor tossed in.
When we arrived at the winery which was also an ancient villa established in the 1400s when Firenze and Sienna were warring city states, we found a quiet and idyllic setting. The family had two chapels. One was within the villa itself and one sat some distance away in the vineyard. We walked through the central courtyard and saw some of the art that still resides there, but the original masterworks had long ago been donated by the family to national galleries. Then we went down into the cellar where the wine is housed. Chianti is chianti because of the location of the grapes not the kind of grade. The cellar was cool and filled with large barrels. These barrels could be used for up to 4 years. One of the largest was reserved to simply show us and was no longer in use anymore. The capacity of each barrel was posted on the exterior and the guide explained that some wines are utilized when they are young -- only 6 months old but the standard Chianti must age three years in the vat and one year average in the bottle.These barrels when they expire are used to make balsamic vinegar and ultimately sold as scrap.
Then we walked up to the garden for our wine tasting. We traveled past chickens, rabbits. A cat was lying still and allowing a chicken to peck at his head.. Next to the wall was a long planting of lavender in full bloom. The tables had linen on them and with each wine they brought something to accompany it. a peccarino cheese with the Chianti, a Bhusetta and cotto salami with the super Chianti and a pepper jelly, a fine desert wine with a biscuit -- which was very like our biscotti. This was dipped in the heavy desert wine which was rather like creme sherry. Our guide Sylvia is a native of Firenze. Kathy asked her how she surveys. She told Kathy and she and her boyfriend are hoping to purchase an apartment and the cheapest they can hope for is around 200,000 Euro! Sylvia also suggested that people who are native do not use taxis or eat sitting down EVER -- If you want to save money eating in Italy you must not sit outside a restaurant ever. AND you should look for a Trattoria or pizzeria and then eat inside only or carry out your food.
We next drove onto Grieve the main village in this part of Chianti. During the middle ages there were five villages that formed the alliance of the black roster of which Grieve was the main village. We walked along the square (which is actually a triangle in this case. Shops indicated a dependence on tourism. But the appeal to live in a place like this is clear. Peace and community were evident everywhere as we saw people cheerfully engaged in conversation in the pleasant evening!
We arrived at about 7:30 in the hill town where dinner was scheduled in an old medieval castle. The barrel-vaulted ceiling overhead magnified the conversation which grew more animated with with each additional glass of wine. AND since Kathy, Matt and I were not drinking we were very popular with our table mates since it mean that there was much more wine for each of them....Everyone was allotted 3 glasses with the meal. The dinner consisted of a first course of two different kinds of pasta. One a penne with a spicy meat sauce and one with another flat pasta with a cheesier sauce. There was the most wonderful Parmesan cheese to scatter over your pasta and of course the ever present bread and olive oil. The next course consisted of beans and sausages -- which Kathy couldn't eat because of her allergy to beans so they brought her a salad. They also had a pork of some kind that was served---it was roasted, and finally they served Tiramisu and coffee. By the time we left he sun had set and the lights across the valley were twinkling on. We returned to the train station in Firenze across the River Arno where the Ponto Vecchio Bridge mirrored itself in the water -- the kind of photograph that makes people want to come to the city in a travel brochure.
We caught a taxi to the hotel and retired for teh night at about midnight.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Mea Culpa and Handicapped Access
The hotel was beautiful and we had an excellent breakfast. HOWEVER, we learned when we got to the train station that we should have made our reservations to get across the track 24-hours in advance. I plead, quite truthfully, ignorance and the same woman who was so helpful yesterday relented and helped out. I got her name and hope to be able to write a thank you letter to her supervisor.
The problem is one of communication. When she said we needed to arrange ahead --- we did so for Venice. But when we got back to the Maestre station the office was closed --- so we came in the morning --- missed our train connection and caused her real trouble in making arrangements all because I didn't understand the "24-hours prior-to" part. Certainly none of what we had done had ever been 24 hours in advance --- until we got to this station we didn't even know about the "Assistenze cliente!"(customer service). It makes good sense. She began an Italian harangue by saying, "As I told-a you yesterday you must make-a your reservation 24 hours in advance!" --- but my mea culpa and throwing myself on her mercy was enough.
She arranged for the same little man who pushed the chair on our arrival to help out again. The lady was still giving us a hard time when we arrived at the baggage section to pick him up. Kathy was quite amused to watch the body language and vocal interchange between them-- this guy started grabbing our bags to put them on a cart since he was carrying bags for another stupid American elderly couple already. She tried to stop him so that I would be forced to carry them as I pushed the chair --- The woman had already made Matt take two of the bags and tote them down the stairs and back up to track 2 rather than accompany us across the tracks.
This little guy was just a happy-go-lucky fellow who looked at her as if to say, "give it a rest, lady. These are just poor ignorant tourists." He took my bags and put them on his cart and walked with us to the appointed spot. By the time we reached the track she was in better humor and even said she would send a man to check to be sure we got on the right train car. Once on she said I would have to find the Train Captain -- this is the guy who walks through to collect your tickets -- and throw myself on his mercy and he would find a place for us. This short little guy was good at maneuvering the wheel chair - so no more carnival rides for Kathy. We waited on the right track close to where the correct car would arrive. I guess if you travelled a lot you would know the arrangement of the cars -- but for us this is just another Italian mystery, and there is often not enough time to find the right car for fear of not getting all the luggage and us on the car before the train starts to pull out of the station. This keeps your blood pumping!
I think we finally get how to arrange for Assistanze Cliente --- now that we are within a couple of days of leaving for Switzerland! I do not want you to think that Italian people are rude -- If you watch the way they talk to each other --- it is this demonstrative -- assertive way of talking -- almost scolding tone seems normal. Once they get past the scolding -- they are actually quite warm and helpful!
After such a rough start it was a comfortable morning -- partly cloudy so the wait was comfortable, but it is set to get quite warm later. However, there always seems to be a breeze which is cooling if you can find a spot of shade. The Italians are geniuses at finding shade. I saw a woman using a telephone and another using a newspaper for shade just steps away from us. They sent a customer service representative to make sure we got on the wheelchair coach as well so we definitely need to write and thank the supervisor of the woman for her help. She went the extra mile to make sure we got on the train, so I did thank her profusely and tell her I hoped the rest of her day would be filled only with intelligent tourists!
This is the first time we have experienced wheelchair trains. The one last night back to Maestre actually had a ramp inside -- of course you had to get into it via steps -- but apparently if you had to have someone lift you into the train they provide this service as well ---but this was the first time in our travels that we learned this. Part of the problem is that rail Europe made all the arrangements -- perhaps if you make your own arrangements you would have this information....but "its always something" as Rosanne Rosanadana said.
Each station is a little different and some of them actually have Assensores (lifts or elevators if you are American), but you never know until you arrive what the situation is.....so from now on we will to to the Assistenze Cliente office and reserve help ahead!
On the way to Florence we passed through beautiful vineyards and lovely landscapes. Most every back yard had a well tended gardens. The farms used the old watering method of a sprinkler which shoots water out a great distance and swings back and forth. We have so much work to do in conserving water around the world. In West Texas farmers who are able are putting in drip irrigation buried in the soil which drips slowly encouraging the roots to go deeper instead of staying near the surface where they burn if it is very hot and dry. (unfortunately the water still comes from the aquifer).
Speaking of water -- I am not drinking enough because I HATE to use the restrooms on the trains or in the train stations -- Though the Eurostar trains may be different. These trains have attendants who go through like those on an airline and offer coffee and drinks and give you a biscuit to eat. There was also an attendant with newspapers -- unfortunately none of them were in English. The car is quite comfortable and is even equipped with an electrical outlet (alas I left the converter in my luggage) for your electronic appliances, a table in front of the seat which folds up or down, and comfortable head rests. The interior was clean and the windows were the first clean ones we had seen in some time.
There was a dining car and a first class section which had leather seats and was an actual compartment -- like those you see in old movies from the 1930-40s.
We arrived in Florence at 1:30 and found the Assistance office to make our arrangements for departure. This was wonderful --- if only I had realized sooner our journeys would have been easier!! They were even able to tell us how much we should have to pay for a taxi and they provided us with a map marking our hotel location! We got to the hotel just a few blocks from Piazza San Marco. You could see the duomo from here and the Academia where David's statue resides was just one block from that.
We got to our rooms and it was obvious that the building was old. The elevator was a shaft in the center and barely accommodated two. When it stopped on our floor (the top) it didn't rise fully to the floor --so you must step UP out of it into a very narrow hall. The room itself was like what I image a garret apartment in Paris might be -- there is a sky light or clerestory window -- but no window to look out. Two twin beds are pushed together and there was room to just get around them. At one end of the room was a ledge on which cushions had been placed Bohemian style there was a lamp and a table of sorts there and on the other side of the "sofa" a refrigerator and on top of the fridge was a t.v. Europeans are good at using every cranny. To get to the bathroom you must climb three steep steps. It has a window to the outside high above the shower. Having said all that it is a lovely clean room and quite comfortable!
We deposited our bags and immediately went to the square to find something to eat. There was a cafeteria -- with excellent Italian foods --where Kathy and I shared a tomato and mozzarella salad (the fresh vegetables and even the mozzarella are no doubt local -- because the quality is high, and cannelloni which they of course did Florentine --with the spinach stuffing. She is obviously back to normal now! Matt had his favorite --- Spaghetti! Then we hailed a cab for the Duomo since it was the heat of the day.
We did not get to go in last time - maybe the church was closed or maybe the lines were too long....but now they have handicapped access and we got right in --without any wait and had to pay no fee! The exterior of this building (which is huge) is stunning green, white and pink marble-- Unfortunately, I can not get far enough away to get a good photo! I can only get small sections. The organ is mostly hidden -- so only a few pipes show. It is clear that a service was held yesterday since there are beautiful flowers on the alter. I asked about mass --- it is celebrated every morning at 7:30. We did not climb to the top but rather remained on the main floor. The dome itself is beautifully painted. The painting would have been dangerous and difficult for it is very high above the ground.
Next we went to Santa Croce where Michelangelo, Dante and Galileo are all buried. It, like the Duomo, has pink, green and white marble in intricate patterns. Everywhere your eye pauses there is beauty, and it was quite exciting to see a genuine handicapped ramp.
When we were here in 2003 their were no arrangements for handicapped at either of these churches! So these are improvements. While I think this is great-- I notice that there are other changes which make the place less Italian. For example, there was never butter, toast, cereal, eggs or bacon for breakfast -- and now almost every hotel where we stayed has these choices at breakfast. That was my only criticism of the cruise. It was almost like being at home and just stepping into the country you were visiting briefly for the day --- then returning to the U.S. at night.
Kathy took Matt shopping for Christmas gifts for his Mother and Aunt Cindy and also purchased his gift, a beautiful leather jacket with his initials on the inside at a shop nearby. We then caught a Taxi to the Academia to see David -- but when we arrived it was closed (many things are closed on Monday) so we went to the square where we had gellato and purchased take out from the same little cafeteria where we had lunch to take back to our hotel where we could eat later. All in all it was a grand day!
Tomorrow it is David and a tour of Tuscany concluding in a villa with dinner in the vineyards.
The problem is one of communication. When she said we needed to arrange ahead --- we did so for Venice. But when we got back to the Maestre station the office was closed --- so we came in the morning --- missed our train connection and caused her real trouble in making arrangements all because I didn't understand the "24-hours prior-to" part. Certainly none of what we had done had ever been 24 hours in advance --- until we got to this station we didn't even know about the "Assistenze cliente!"(customer service). It makes good sense. She began an Italian harangue by saying, "As I told-a you yesterday you must make-a your reservation 24 hours in advance!" --- but my mea culpa and throwing myself on her mercy was enough.
She arranged for the same little man who pushed the chair on our arrival to help out again. The lady was still giving us a hard time when we arrived at the baggage section to pick him up. Kathy was quite amused to watch the body language and vocal interchange between them-- this guy started grabbing our bags to put them on a cart since he was carrying bags for another stupid American elderly couple already. She tried to stop him so that I would be forced to carry them as I pushed the chair --- The woman had already made Matt take two of the bags and tote them down the stairs and back up to track 2 rather than accompany us across the tracks.
This little guy was just a happy-go-lucky fellow who looked at her as if to say, "give it a rest, lady. These are just poor ignorant tourists." He took my bags and put them on his cart and walked with us to the appointed spot. By the time we reached the track she was in better humor and even said she would send a man to check to be sure we got on the right train car. Once on she said I would have to find the Train Captain -- this is the guy who walks through to collect your tickets -- and throw myself on his mercy and he would find a place for us. This short little guy was good at maneuvering the wheel chair - so no more carnival rides for Kathy. We waited on the right track close to where the correct car would arrive. I guess if you travelled a lot you would know the arrangement of the cars -- but for us this is just another Italian mystery, and there is often not enough time to find the right car for fear of not getting all the luggage and us on the car before the train starts to pull out of the station. This keeps your blood pumping!
I think we finally get how to arrange for Assistanze Cliente --- now that we are within a couple of days of leaving for Switzerland! I do not want you to think that Italian people are rude -- If you watch the way they talk to each other --- it is this demonstrative -- assertive way of talking -- almost scolding tone seems normal. Once they get past the scolding -- they are actually quite warm and helpful!
After such a rough start it was a comfortable morning -- partly cloudy so the wait was comfortable, but it is set to get quite warm later. However, there always seems to be a breeze which is cooling if you can find a spot of shade. The Italians are geniuses at finding shade. I saw a woman using a telephone and another using a newspaper for shade just steps away from us. They sent a customer service representative to make sure we got on the wheelchair coach as well so we definitely need to write and thank the supervisor of the woman for her help. She went the extra mile to make sure we got on the train, so I did thank her profusely and tell her I hoped the rest of her day would be filled only with intelligent tourists!
This is the first time we have experienced wheelchair trains. The one last night back to Maestre actually had a ramp inside -- of course you had to get into it via steps -- but apparently if you had to have someone lift you into the train they provide this service as well ---but this was the first time in our travels that we learned this. Part of the problem is that rail Europe made all the arrangements -- perhaps if you make your own arrangements you would have this information....but "its always something" as Rosanne Rosanadana said.
Each station is a little different and some of them actually have Assensores (lifts or elevators if you are American), but you never know until you arrive what the situation is.....so from now on we will to to the Assistenze Cliente office and reserve help ahead!
On the way to Florence we passed through beautiful vineyards and lovely landscapes. Most every back yard had a well tended gardens. The farms used the old watering method of a sprinkler which shoots water out a great distance and swings back and forth. We have so much work to do in conserving water around the world. In West Texas farmers who are able are putting in drip irrigation buried in the soil which drips slowly encouraging the roots to go deeper instead of staying near the surface where they burn if it is very hot and dry. (unfortunately the water still comes from the aquifer).
Speaking of water -- I am not drinking enough because I HATE to use the restrooms on the trains or in the train stations -- Though the Eurostar trains may be different. These trains have attendants who go through like those on an airline and offer coffee and drinks and give you a biscuit to eat. There was also an attendant with newspapers -- unfortunately none of them were in English. The car is quite comfortable and is even equipped with an electrical outlet (alas I left the converter in my luggage) for your electronic appliances, a table in front of the seat which folds up or down, and comfortable head rests. The interior was clean and the windows were the first clean ones we had seen in some time.
There was a dining car and a first class section which had leather seats and was an actual compartment -- like those you see in old movies from the 1930-40s.
We arrived in Florence at 1:30 and found the Assistance office to make our arrangements for departure. This was wonderful --- if only I had realized sooner our journeys would have been easier!! They were even able to tell us how much we should have to pay for a taxi and they provided us with a map marking our hotel location! We got to the hotel just a few blocks from Piazza San Marco. You could see the duomo from here and the Academia where David's statue resides was just one block from that.
We got to our rooms and it was obvious that the building was old. The elevator was a shaft in the center and barely accommodated two. When it stopped on our floor (the top) it didn't rise fully to the floor --so you must step UP out of it into a very narrow hall. The room itself was like what I image a garret apartment in Paris might be -- there is a sky light or clerestory window -- but no window to look out. Two twin beds are pushed together and there was room to just get around them. At one end of the room was a ledge on which cushions had been placed Bohemian style there was a lamp and a table of sorts there and on the other side of the "sofa" a refrigerator and on top of the fridge was a t.v. Europeans are good at using every cranny. To get to the bathroom you must climb three steep steps. It has a window to the outside high above the shower. Having said all that it is a lovely clean room and quite comfortable!
We deposited our bags and immediately went to the square to find something to eat. There was a cafeteria -- with excellent Italian foods --where Kathy and I shared a tomato and mozzarella salad (the fresh vegetables and even the mozzarella are no doubt local -- because the quality is high, and cannelloni which they of course did Florentine --with the spinach stuffing. She is obviously back to normal now! Matt had his favorite --- Spaghetti! Then we hailed a cab for the Duomo since it was the heat of the day.
We did not get to go in last time - maybe the church was closed or maybe the lines were too long....but now they have handicapped access and we got right in --without any wait and had to pay no fee! The exterior of this building (which is huge) is stunning green, white and pink marble-- Unfortunately, I can not get far enough away to get a good photo! I can only get small sections. The organ is mostly hidden -- so only a few pipes show. It is clear that a service was held yesterday since there are beautiful flowers on the alter. I asked about mass --- it is celebrated every morning at 7:30. We did not climb to the top but rather remained on the main floor. The dome itself is beautifully painted. The painting would have been dangerous and difficult for it is very high above the ground.
Next we went to Santa Croce where Michelangelo, Dante and Galileo are all buried. It, like the Duomo, has pink, green and white marble in intricate patterns. Everywhere your eye pauses there is beauty, and it was quite exciting to see a genuine handicapped ramp.
When we were here in 2003 their were no arrangements for handicapped at either of these churches! So these are improvements. While I think this is great-- I notice that there are other changes which make the place less Italian. For example, there was never butter, toast, cereal, eggs or bacon for breakfast -- and now almost every hotel where we stayed has these choices at breakfast. That was my only criticism of the cruise. It was almost like being at home and just stepping into the country you were visiting briefly for the day --- then returning to the U.S. at night.
Kathy took Matt shopping for Christmas gifts for his Mother and Aunt Cindy and also purchased his gift, a beautiful leather jacket with his initials on the inside at a shop nearby. We then caught a Taxi to the Academia to see David -- but when we arrived it was closed (many things are closed on Monday) so we went to the square where we had gellato and purchased take out from the same little cafeteria where we had lunch to take back to our hotel where we could eat later. All in all it was a grand day!
Tomorrow it is David and a tour of Tuscany concluding in a villa with dinner in the vineyards.
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