travelbynatasha

First Day of Diving in Fiji

Posted on February 14, 2017 by travelbynatasha

Fiji Diving. Photo ©Zaide Scheib.

After a big breakfast, it is time for diving Fiji style. Unfortunately it looks like we will have rain all week, but that does not stop the diving. It is always better with full sun for illumination purposes, but unless there is a storm or the surface is so choppy that it is impossible to get everyone off or back on the boat, we can still dive. The sound of the rain on the water is actually quite nice from below the surface.

Photo ©Zaide Scheib. The sky may be cloudy, but this is what you want after surfacing from a dive, nice calm seas.

Everything takes a little longer the first day as we are getting situated on the dive boat. It is also when we check out our equipment or get used to rented equipment, so the dive master will generally pick easier dives. Before the first dive, I noticed that one of my fin straps was torn-something to watch out for. Underwater I realized by back up computer, that I had just serviced and gotten a new battery for, was set in metric. My extra fin strap and computer manual were two of the things that got left at home due to weight concerns.

The purple and orange fish were everywhere in underwater Fiji and a nice contrast to the coral. Photo ©Zaide Scheib.

I had forgotten how beautiful Fiji diving is. The fish and coral or plentiful with just a few patches of dead coral where the typhoon went through. Purple and orange are certainly the theme colors and there was every variety of angelfish you can think of. We started at Nuku (sand) reef with an hour dive; it was easy diving to settle in. Near the end I felt my fin go loose and reached down and grabbed it before I lost it. The strap had ripped through completely.

Giant Clam spotted on just our second dive in Fiji. The sides look like stacked Lays potato chips. Photo ©Zaide Scheib.

Two of my dive buddies have replacement straps back at the room, but that won’t help me right now. Zaide took colorful tie wraps from Jane and secured the fin. In the process we realized that the other one was in the same shape and secured that one too. Z also went down with me and helped put the fins on and off on the second dive so we could treat them delicately. We had a great second dive with a sea turtle, a shark, and giant clam. The sides of these giant clams reminded me of stacked Lays potato chips.

After the first dive, we were taken to what we have dubbed “Pee Pee Beach”. There is no head (toilet) on the boat so the water off of Pee Pee Beach became our bathroom. While the staff changed our cylinders on the boat, we took advantage of “the facilities” and enjoyed cookies and coffee or hot tea on the beach. Just wish there were chairs and maybe a tent or umbrella. We returned to the Beach for lunch after our second dive. Unfortunately, it was raining. It was the first time in my life I ever stood in the rain eating my lunch.

Fiji Diving. Photo ©Zaide Scheib.

We take an hour surface interval between dives to “off gas”. After our second surface interval and lunch at the Beach, we went out for our third and final dive of the day. With the exception of Randall, who is being certified and doing his first open water dives, the rest of us are pretty experienced divers. In fact, all of us have at least Master Diver status. In reference to my comments, the significance of that is that we are able to stay under longer on a single tank. The more you dive, the more control you gain over your breathing and hence your air consumption. Most of our dives were an hour long. A new diver is lucky to get in 20-30 minutes on a tank. We were coming up after roughly an hour; I often still had 1/3 or more of my tank full of air. You come up when you, your buddy, or the first member of your group (if all surfacing together) reaches a air pressure point where you have about 15-20% of the air still left in your tank (500-700 psi). We also take a 3 to 5 minute “safety stop” between 15 and 20 feet below the surface. The safety stop is a precautionary measure to prevent decompression sickness done on the final assent. It is mandatory for deep dives.

A surface interval at “Pee Pee Island” photo ©Zaide Scheib.

I jumped in for my third dive. Z was again willing to help me with those “repaired” fin straps. Unfortunately, what worked for the second dive, didn’t work for the third. The fin straps broke when we tried to put them on. Without the spare gear, I had to go back to the boat and wait this one out. I stayed with the boat captain, enjoyed the scenery, and watched for bubbles (which is how the captain tells where the divers are).

Back at the resort, I hunted down spare fin straps for tomorrow’s diving and worked on my log book, recording the names of the dive sites and what I had seen. The log book is also a good place to record things like air consumption, water conditions, and the amount of weight used. The logs are useful as a resource for future dives and as a record of progress.

Interior of Cottage 3, Sau Bay Resort, Fiji. ©Jean Janssen

The cabins at Sau Bay are designed to collect the sea breeze. Air conditioning is optional and comes at a fee. It is a little warm to hang around in the cottages during the afternoon so most of us hang out in the Lounge where the breeze is at a premium. I am usually worn out after a day of diving, but hiking and kayaking are also available. There are some wonderful hammocks too.

Each room at Sau Bay Resort includes a porch with a table and chairs. There are also lounge chairs for each room. ©Jean Janssen

The resort actually features 3 kinds of accommodations. The original structure, now modified and closest to the lounge, has a large porch and two connecting rooms that can be separated. Each features its own bathroom. Next to that structure (with foliage in-between rooms to give some measure of privacy) are three cottages with twins or beds that can be put together for a couple. Each has its own porch, dressing area, bar area, and full bathroom. There is also an outdoor shower with a secondary entrance. I am staying in one of these cabins and love the outdoor shower!

Each night mosquito netting was put over our beds. Sau Bay Resort, Fiji ©Jean Janssen

One of the owners is from South Africa and the third accommodate type is reminiscent of the luxury safari tents of that region. Susan is staying in the large tent and she gave me an afternoon tour. It has a huge bathroom and sunken tub, sleeping area, and living area. It also has a fabulous porch. Unlike the other accommodations, the tent can not be air conditioned but sits up higher to collect even more breeze. It is reached by a staircase near the spa.

Underwater Fiji. Photo ©Zaide Scheib.

I look forward to tomorrow’s diving with fin straps and an upcoming tour of a neighboring island. Greetings from Fiji.

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Fiji for Diving

Posted on February 13, 2017 by travelbynatasha

Fiji ©Zaide Scheib

I am headed to the South Pacific for scuba diving in Fiji. This is my second visit to this beautiful series of Islands. Both visits have included land and underwater excursions organized by Oceanic Ventures, Inc. Boris joined me on the first visit when we were based on Taveuni Island. Our location on that island was better suited for non-diver activities than the remote resort we are staying at. Boris loved his hikes to area villages and meeting their chiefs. These were definitely the highlight of his trip.

Fiji Link plane to Taveuni, Fiji. ©Jean Janssen

Getting to our resort on Vanua Levu Island (which means “big land”), the second largest island in Fiji, includes three plane rides and boat. Although there is an airport in Savusavu on Vanua Levu, we are flying into Taveuni, the third largest island. It is closer to our resort to fly in there and take a boat to our resort at Sau Bay. The resort is not reachable over land. There are over 700 islands in Fiji, including three large islands where most of the population lives. In fact, 75% of Fiji’s population lives on the coast of its largest island, Vito Levu. Most of the large resorts, the capital and major cruise port of Suva, and the international airport at Nadi are also located on Vito Levu.

Natasha the diver in Fiji showing her Sand Dollar find. ©Saide Scheib

It has been a year and a half since my last dive trip; I generally like to dive at least twice a year to keep my skills up (and because I love it). This trip is also special because we are celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the first diving family I met. Rocky and their daughter Stevlana took Scuba Rangers together. Scuba Rangers is a pre-certification class for children to introduce them to scuba diving. Since then, all of us have been certified and have dove together on several occasions.

The Anniversary couple, Igor and Jane. ©Jean Janssen

Jane and Igor (the anniversary couple) picked me up for the drive to the airport. We will fly United to LAX, meet up with the rest of our group, and then take the long flight over the Pacific to Nadi, Fiji. I am used to my three 70-pound bag international limitation on United and wasn’t prepared when I found out just a few days ago that I had to pack all my dive equipment and clothing in one 50-pound bag. They also weigh the carry-ons, so I can’t really hide anything there. The hardest part of packing was figuring what to eliminate.

Sau Bay Dive Shop, Vitalevu Island, Fiji ©Jean Janssen

For ease and safety reasons, I take and dive with all my own equipment except for weights and cylinders. I also like having a new swimsuit each day. That is not going to happen, so I guess I will be doing some washing while there. The Sau Bay Resort is small and our group will be using all the rooms so I really don’t need to be particular with what I wear. You really can’t look worse than you do when you come up after a dive so these people will see me in that far less than glamorous state. Even marginal effort will have me looking better at dinner.

Fiji Diving ©Zaide Scheib

After landing in Los Angeles, we had to transfer to the International Terminal. We had a snack while waiting for the Fiji Air flight check-in to open. Since there is only one flight a day, we didn’t want to risk a miss and came in early. Most of group is traveling together from Houston, but we have two additional divers joining us at LAX. One is Susan who now lives in New Hampshire, but who caught the diving bug while living in Houston. She was happy to leave the snow behind and join us. The other diver is Randall who is flying in from Chicago. He is the father of one of our Houston divers. (You will see the photography of his daughter, Zaide Scheib, all taken on this trip, throughout these Fiji trip posts. I didn’t take my underwater camera for weight reasons.) At 75, Randall is just now getting certified and will complete his open water dives for certification in Fiji. What a fabulous gesture on his part to go through this process to share something his daughter loves.

Our newest diver at 75, Randall Scheib with his daughter Zaide at Sau Bay. ©Jean Janssen

After check-in, and with everyone now together, we stopped at a Steak restaurant beyond security for a nice final meal before boarding. I actually had a fancy burger, something I know I will miss while abroad. I really don’t like airline food and am happy to be full and skip the meals on board the plane. I was happy to take a pill and sleep about 5 of the 10+ hours of the flight. I can’t sleep on a plane without that sort of assistance.

A view into the cockpit from my seat in the small Fiji Link plane. ©Jean Janssen

After landing in Nadi, we had to clear immigration and customs and make a quick move over to the domestic terminal for our third flight to Matei, Taveuni. They weigh you with your carry-on bag to determine weight distribution on the plane and give you a seating assignment. Fortunately, the ticket agent just writes down your weight and doesn’t say it out loud. We have the first morning flight out of Nadi for Taveuni and were all but three of the passengers on the plane.

The plane, with its unpressurized cabin, gives you a fabulous view of the island with its low flight pattern. We arrived in Matei to learn that all the luggage did not make the plane due to weight limitations; this doesn’t bode well for our afternoon checkout dive. They told us the remaining luggage would all be on the next flight. I wasn’t too surprised. We went through this the last time we came to Tavenui.

Arriving at the Matei Airport on Tavenui Island, Fiji. ©Jean Janssen

The “airport” at Matei is little more than a crude shelter. However, there was a small gift counter if you wanted a snack or last minute souvenir. After sorting out the luggage situation, we boarded two vans. One van had the bags that made the flight in it; the other van carried the passengers. From the small airport, we took the 30+ minute ride to the dock and waited for the resort boat. It must have been a “Kava Night” last night because the guys were a little late to get us.

The greeting at Sau Bay Resort, Fiji. ©Jean Janssen

After boarding the dive boat from the resort, we rode over to the Sau Bay Resort on Vanua Levu. We were greeted in song by the resort staff on the beach and were handed a coconut with a welcome drink inside. The resort has no dock because of the vast difference in the water line due to the shifting dives. We had a “wet landing” meaning you rolled up your pant legs, put on your flip-flops, and stepped into the water to reach the resort. Staff brought all the bags ashore.

Porch off the Lounge at Sau Bay Resort, Fiji. ©Jean Janssen

We had a orientation in the lounge area, were shown our cabins, and then returned to the lounge/dining area for a wonderful breakfast. Since most of our dive gear wasn’t expected to be here until sometime after 3 pm and the seas were really choppy, the group decided to forego the checkout dive and just nap and relax in the afternoon.

Entrance to the spa at Sau Bay, Fiji. ©Jean Janssen

I grabbed a shower and only after shampooing my hair did I realize that my comb was packed in my checked bag that had not yet arrived. Woops. I had to just clip my hair up for lunch. In the afternoon, I took the opportunity to get a 90-minute massage. The spa is open-air and you enjoy the sound of waves, the wind blowing across your body, and the best body oil you have ever smelled. Bera eased by travel stiffness and helped the swelling in my feet. At the end of the massage, she braided and arranged my hair. The rat’s nest on the top of my head was tamed.

Sunset at Sau Bay Resort, Fiji ©Jean Janssen

We had a lovely candlelit dinner to end our day. Tomorrow is an early start for our first day of diving.

Posted in international, Scuba diving | Tagged Fiji, Oceanic Ventures, Sau Bay, scuba diving | Leave a comment

Not skiing in Ruidoso, New Mexico

Posted on January 12, 2017 by travelbynatasha

©JTK

I have traveled to Ruidoso, New Mexico with one of my book clubs. This time of year, the area is famous for Ski Apache, the Lincoln National Forest, Sierra Blanca in the Rocky Mountain Range, the Mescalero Apache Reservation, and the Inn of the Mountains Gods. They have not had much snow, so no one came anticipating skiing. (I am not a skier to begin with.) However, we woke up the morning of our first full day in town to find snow on the ground. As we started breakfast, snow began falling again. It was just lovely. After breakfast, Debbie led us in morning yoga. By 10 am the snowfall had stopped and the sun was out in time for a morning hike.

Joanne, Debbie, and Mary on the snow hike.

A snow hike.

Round three on the morning exercise schedule was tubing. We all dressed up for the cold and headed out to our two SUVs. Our SUV got out relatively easily. The other SUV did not have 4-wheel or all-wheel drive and didn’t fare too well. There was no way (even) eight gals from hot, humid Houston with little to no “ice driving” experience were getting that vehicle up the driveway incline and out onto the street. We were down to one vehicle and traveling in shifts.

Ruidoso Winter Park tubing

Sheryl and Eyrn ready to tube.

Maria, Debbie, and Pam ready to head down on their tubes at Ruidoso Winter Park.

Determined to enjoy the snow, our group eventually made it to Ruidoso Winter Park for tubing. You don’t even have to walk up; there is a conveyor system. It was thrilling with the soft morning snow. There are routes of differing degrees. Sheryl did jump the track and ended up in another lane, experiencing two routes in one run. In the case of no snowfall, they use manmade snow. During the Christmas holidays, they offer twilight tubing. By early afternoon, the crowds began to develop and the wait to go down got a lot longer. After four runs, the group headed home.

Remember that tequila bottle that was belted in in yesterday’s post? Today Debbie put it to good use in her Snow Angel original drink. ©JTK

Tonight we are staying in and a chef is coming to the house. By the time the group was back from tubing, he was already at the house with his assistant in full-blown preparation mode. The afternoon was our time for showers and games. Debbie decided the snow would make a wonderful base for her snow angel drink with tequila, topo chico, lime, and snow. I was a little hesitant having seen deer wandering around in that snow but she assured me she would use only clean snow that was within our fenced patio with no possibility that a “deer gift” may have been left behind in this virgin snow.

The assistant chef Orlando doing prep work for the night’s in-home Asian meal. ©JTK

The problem with having a chief working in the open concept room with kitchen and den is that we all experienced the aromas of food prep while we were hanging out. By 4:30, we were asking when our 7 pm dinner would be ready. So Mashon changed his game plan and began making a course and then serving it to us with time in between. We grazed from about 5:30 to 8:30. Fabulous.

©JTK

Our chef Mashon is on an Asian kick and one member of our group eats no red meat, so we had a lot of seafood. We closed the evening with more eating, drinking, and games. Another round of yoga is scheduled for the morning.

Roaming in our neighborhood. ©JTK

The view from my bedroom window in Ruidoso, New Mexico. ©JTK

For our second full day in Ruidoso, we will have to split up. One group will enjoy in-home massages from one of two masseuses while the other group gets to check out the shopping in Ruidoso. I started my day by getting to enjoy a therapeutic massage. I then had time to get in a shower and dress while the second round of massages took place. When the four of us were done, we took the car that the other group had returned to the house and went into Ruidoso. You can park along the main street and walk up and down enjoying the shops.

At Grill Caliente with Joanne (of JTK fame) in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

We started by enjoying lunch at the Grill Caliente, all of us ordering red meat after last night’s seafood. The sun was out and some of the snow had melted and then had refrozen making it a little treacherous walking on the shady side of the street. We also learned that snow plows don’t have the best brakes when one of them almost ran Mary down by driving too fast and not braking soon enough. I felt like I had witnessed a near death experience, but the snowplow driver just shrugged and drove on.

Natasha outside Casa Decor in Ruidoso, New Mexico with Mary and Joanne. Oh wait, I meant at the ski lifts…

We are fortunate to be here when the post-holiday January sales are going on. Our group’s favorite shops included Michelle’s with higher-end western clothing and accessories, J Roberts also with clothing and accessories at a slightly cheaper price point, and White Mountain Pottery with crafts from many artisans. We also stopped at Casa Decor to see their rustic Mexican furniture and home accessories and captured a photo with an outdated gondola which was out front.

Driving through our neighborhood. ©JTK

Fountain at the entrance to Inn of the Mountain Gods in Ruidoso, New Mexico. ©Jean Janssen

Tonight is our excursion to the Inn of the Mountain Gods. This resort on the Mescalero Reservation has a beautiful setting overlooking the lake and mountains. It is not directly attached to the Ski Apache lifts. I was here many years ago with Boris and Rocky. The highlight of that trip for me was the horseback riding leaving from the resort stables. Horseback riding is available April-October, weather permitting, except during hunting seasons.

From the top Mary, Pam, Eryn, Sheryl, and Maria (in heels) at Inn of the Mountain Gods, Ruidoso, New Mexico. ©Jean Janssen

We have a driver and van from the Hotel so none of us have to navigate the icy mountain roads at night. We had a hard enough time getting out of the driveway since most of us were not in snow boots; Maria was actually in heels. We walked on either side of her to make sure she didn’t lose it in the driveway. The Inn has undergone a renovation since I was last there. Unfortunately we missed the sunset, even though we had early dinner reservations at 6 pm.

Mary and Pam at a Blackjack table at Inn of the Mountain Gods.

We started our resort evening at Wendell’s Steak and Seafood for dinner. Afterwards, some headed to the casino, others to the bar. In what I thought was an odd move, the casino permits smoking, but not drinking, while you are gambling. Mary and Pam hit the blackjack tables; Joanne and Debbie did slots. I stayed for a while to watch, but the smoke drove me crazy.

ROBC massage gloves on the first night.

Debbie and I in our age-defying facial masks. Me Tiger Now.

We were all tired and have to vacate the house early tomorrow to make our afternoon flight, so we didn’t make it a late evening out. Back at the house, we did a little packing and then enjoyed facial masks purchased in town that day. Pam supplied the cupcakes. We did hand massage gloves the first night. After Maria broke out and her hand swelled up, Debbie admitted they were from the dollar store. Given that history, we went for the $3 a piece facial masks. I choose the anti-aging variety which ended up looking like a tiger mask.

ROBC at Rock Bottom in the El Paso airport.

Morning meant quick showers, additional packing, and breakfast with whatever we had left. I highly recommend our rental home, Casa Encanto de Alto, to anyone who wants an upscale experience at a reasonable price. We left on time and made it to the airport early, only to find our flight was delayed. Since we were not in a hurry we decided to have lunch at a restaurant before security. We had all talked about starting “Dry January” (no alcoholic beverages) today. Then Mary reminded us that we started the trip with a margarita and suggested that maybe we should end with one too. It was an easy sell and we decided to hit Rock Bottom before starting Dry January.

I got to sit with our two ROBC birthday girls on the flight back with Joanne by the window and Debbie in the middle seat. ©Jean Janssen

We flew back to Houston from El Paso on a completely full flight. The margaritas made it easy for us all to get in a nap. Ruidoso was fun and ROBC made it special. No skiing necessary for a good time!

©JTK

Posted in domestic travel | Tagged Casa Decor, Casa Encanto de Alto, Grill Caliente, Inn of the Mountain Gods, Mescalero Apache Reservation, New Mexico, Ruidoso, Ruidoso Winter Park, Sierra Blanca | Leave a comment

Mesilla, New Mexico

Posted on January 11, 2017 by travelbynatasha

©JTK

One of my book clubs is traveling to Ruidoso, New Mexico for a four-day weekend. No snow on the ground, so no one in our group is planning to ski although we might try out tubing on the man-made snow. Our group name is ROBC, the Reading Optional Book Club, where we read ten books a year but you are always welcome to attend even if you didn’t have a chance to read that month. This particular group has been together for 15 years. We have an annual dinner in the kitchen at Brennan’s and are well known to the chef and his staff; he even sends us Christmas cards. We have also traveled together to lake houses and New Orleans. This year in celebration of the 50^th birthdays of two of our members we have rented a house in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

ROBC, Reading Optional Book Club, short two members, on our arrival into El Paso, Texas.

The eight members of ROBC that could make the trip flew together from Houston to El Paso where we rented two SUVs and headed straight to Costco to stock up on beverages. We passed a Wienerschnitzel, part of the world’s largest hotdog chain with 320 outlets including a restaurant in my hometown of Victoria. I always eat at one if I can find it. There is even one in the Guam airport. Back in High School when I got one dollar for lunch, I could go to Der Wienerschnitzel (as it was called back then) and get two chili cheese dogs, fries, and a drink for 99 cents. My sister Emma sent me an article that says they are coming to Houston sometime this year. It’s about time.

This is a real drive-through. The original design of Wienerschnitzel with a drive-through right in the middle of the building.

My sister Emma looks for a Wienerschnitzel eatery wherever she goes.

Safety first on the highway, even for the newly-purchased tequila.

I was fortunate to be in Sheryl’s car. She grew up in El Paso and pointed out the landmarks along the highway. Near downtown, we passed right by the USA/Mexico border; you could see Mexico on the opposite mountain range. Rather than heading straight to Ruidoso, we stayed on Interstate 10 to Las Cruces and visited the historic village of Mesilla. This traditional stagecoach stop is perfectly charming. Although we never had the opportunity to visit together, my mother-in-law Shirley loved Mesilla. We went first to La Posta a restaurant serving Mexican fare since 1939. They still had their Christmas decorations up and as a result the colorful restaurant was even more delightful.

La Posta, Mesilla, NM

At La Posta, the house enchilada is not rolled (although you can get it that way), but flat with an egg on top. I am used to TexMex, but this was “New Mexican” cuisine. The queso was served with warm corn tortillas (so much more flavorful than flour) and was a mix of half cheese, half green chilies. Their guacamole was wonderful, as were the sopapillas. If you are so inclined, there is also a two-page assortment of margaritas to choose from as you start your festivities. We were all tempted to take a nap after indulging in all the restaurant’s tasty treats.

The Dona Ana Courthouse in Mesilla, New Mexico where Billy the Kid was sentenced to hang. ©Jean Janssen

To stay awake, we wandered around the town after lunch,catching the After-Christmas sales and enjoying this charming community. On the corner is the historic Dona Ana Courthouse where Billy The Kid was tried and sentenced to hang. The building dates from 1850 and once served as the Capitol of Arizona and New Mexico. It is now a souvenir shop, currently with a nativity scene on the roof. Also on the square is the peaceful Basilica of San Albino, with both an outdoor and indoor nativity scene still set up. In the middle of the square sits the bandstand.

Basilica of San Albino in Mesilla, New Mexico. ©Jean Janssen

On the grounds of the Basilica of San Albino on the Square in Mesilla, New Mexico. ©Jean Janssen

This is a stop on the Butterfield Overland Trail, the stage mail route from St. Louis to San Francisco that predated the Pony Express. La Posta is the only remaining station on the Butterfield Trail. For more than a century and three quarters, La Posta’s “adobe walls have withstood the attack of the elements and men and have sheltered such personalities as Billy the Kid, Kit Carson, and Pancho Villa.”

On the road from Mesilla to Ruidoso, New Mexico. ©JTK

All too soon we were on the road again so we could make Ruidoso before dark. This part of the country is very different from the humid climate I live in in Houston. This is dry dessert terrain. We were skirting the large Fort Bliss and even went through a border control checkpoint. We passed the White Sands National Monument and got a passing glance at the white dessert dunes.

Natasha at the World’s Largest Pistachio at McGinn’s Tree Farm outside Alamogordo, New Mexico

As we came into Alamogorda we saw the fields of pistachios and even made a stop at McGinn’s Tree Farm where we sampled the many flavored varieties of pistachios and other nuts. The highlight however was outside, the world’s largest pistachio. We all had to take a picture, trying to outdo the one before. The photos do show increasing creativity; I was at the beginning. During the drive, we viewed a cluster of mountains where very low cloud cover ringed the summit. Sheryl confirmed that we were looking at Sierra Blanca, our destination.

Our destination, Sierra Blanca, with storm (snow) clouds gathering above it. ©Jean Janssen

Elk along the highway in Mescalero, the Apache Reservation near Ruidoso, New Mexico. ©JTK

We entered the Lincoln National Forest and the Mescalero Reservation for the Apache Tribe as we started the mountain climb. We saw the Tribal Headquarters. On the right side of the road, the shaded part of the mountain had captured and retained snow. Elk scavengered in the flat ground. We are due for a snow shower overnight. We reached Ruidoso just as the sun was setting. Sheryl took us the back way to the house through one of the canyons. Here, the locals refer to many of their roads by the canyon name.

A beautiful sunset just as we arrived in Ruidoso, New Mexico. ©JTK

The exterior of our rental home is in true adobe style with thoroughly modern décor and amenities inside. The property is named Casa Encanto de Alto and is available through VRBO or by contacting casaencantodealto@hotmail.com. It is in a lovely residential section. We unloaded our luggage and beverages and started chilling champagne. We had dinner at the club for the subdivision residents. We were all pretty exhausted and went to bed relatively early in anticipation of snow.

La Posta in Mesilla, New Mexico ©Jean Janssen

©JTK

Posted in domestic travel | Tagged Apache Tribe, Basilica of San Albino, Billy the Kid, Butterfield Overland Trail, Dona Ana Courthouse, Elk, La Posta, McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch, Mescalero Reservation, Mesilla, New Mexico, Ruidoso, Wienerschnitzel | 3 Comments

Harry Potter: Warner Brothers Studio, London

Posted on August 3, 2016 by travelbynatasha

©Jean Janssen. Set for the Gryffindor Common Room at Hogwarts from the Harry Potter films at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

Today I am taking an early tour out to the Warner Brothers Studio where all the Harry Potter films were shot. You can tour original sets, see original costumes and props, and treat yourself to Butterbeer ice cream. From London, you can drive out or take the train. From the train station there is a shuttle to the studios. Because I was traveling alone and wanted the earliest access available, which was already sold out for the day of my visit, I booked a tour. It really wasn’t a tour so much as a bus ride from Central London right to the door and a tour ticket for a specific time. A nice touch was that they showed the first film on the way out and back to/from Leavesden.

©Jean Janssen. Set from the Harry Potter films at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

Emma and Maggie have been to the studios and recommended going when they first open as the crowds only get larger the later you go; some of the exhibits are rather small so you need to be able to get up close. In some places it was almost impossible to get pictures. On Saturdays, the facilities open at 9 am, 10am on weekdays. The studios are in Leavesden, England about an hour to a hour and a half outside of London by bus, depending on traffic.

©Jean Janssen. Even our double-decker bus out to the studios was decorated.

I needed to be at the bus depot near Victoria station at 7:15 am for a 7:30 tour. I walked over. There was a lot of construction near Victoria station and I almost made a wrong turn. I arrived about 7:10 and promptly at 7:15 they loaded the bus. I was one of the last people to arrive. By 7:30 we were on our way. Our tickets were for admission between 9 and 9:30 am. We have to be back at the bus by 12:15. Warner Brothers recommends about 3 hours for the tour.

©Jean Janssen. St. Margaret’s Church at Westminster Abbey, London. Captured on a Saturday morning before the crowds.

This was probably the only time I crossed Westminster Bridge that it was not packed with people. I was too early for a regular breakfast at the hotel, but once again I grabbed some sliced meats and a roll to enjoy on the bus. Passing by St. Margaret’s Church at Westminster Abbey before 7 am on a Saturday, there wasn’t a soul there. Great time for photographs, but I was in a hurry.

©Jean Janssen. The magic of the movies at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

Filming wrapped on the final film in the Harry Potter series in 2010 and in March 2012, tours began being offered in two of the Sound Stages and a backlot. The facilities in Leavesden were originally an aircraft factory. They were used for the filming of the Harry Potter movies for over 10 years. We arrived about 8:40 am and the queue wasn’t open yet, so I made a convenience stop. When I came out of the toilet, the line was forming and I ended up being in the second group to get in. Of course, the gift shop was open when we arrived.

©Jean Janssen. Display of original costumes in the Great Hall at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

In the lobby area, you can access a cafe, the gift shop, and toilets. You can check packages or coats free of charge (two girls in our group had their suitcases) or purchase an audio guide. Souvenir programs are available in the gift shop. Ticket sales are outside and you go through a bag check to be admitted to the lobby. Our bus stop was very close to the lobby door.

©Jean Janssen. Costume for the Gray Ghost, one of the oldest costumes from the Harry Potter films on display in the Great Hall at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

There are large wall size posters of some the actors from the films in the lobby. The only set in this area is the cupboard under the stairs, the smallest of all the film sets. They let the first group into the holding area (after the queue) at about 8:56. Once in the holding area, you are given the rules on the tour and have the opportunity to movie posters from the films from all over the world. From this holding area, you move into an auditorium screening room where you get an additional introduction. At the end of that presentation, the screen lifts up and you find yourself at the entrance to the Great Hall at Hogwarts. If you want to be one of the first people in the hall when the doors open (I wish I had been), sit near the end of the rows around the center section of the auditorium.

©Jean Janssen. Set for the Great Hall at Hogwarts at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

The opening of the Great Hall is meant to be dramatic. It is an impressive set with lots of the costumes on display there. The sorting hat prop is also prominently displayed. You are limited in the amount of time you can spend in this room as they want each group to have the feel for what it is like when the door are opened into an empty room. Although you are not allowed to go backwards on the tour, after you leave the great hall, the amount of time you spend in each area is not limited.

©Jean Janssen. The sorting hat from the Harry Potter films on display in the Great Hall at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Original costume display in the Great Hall at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. One last look at the Great Hall set at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

The next area is where you want to spend most of your time. You are led to believe that the snack stop and outdoor area is halfway and perhaps geographically it is, but you don’t need to save half your time for that area. This next sound stage was where most of the sets, costumes, and props are on display. You can easily spend hours in this room. There are also a few interactive displays with queues (a good reason to go early). I got in a short line to try having my broom come to me on demand.

©Jean Janssen. Wigs and hair pieces from the Harry Potter films at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Set for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Door to the Chamber of Secrets and Gringotts Vault Door from the Harry Potter films at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Set for Dumbledore’s Office at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

They have some great demonstrations on how special effects are done, particularly those involving the actors. Perhaps the most fun (which comes at an additional cost) is the opportunity to work with a green scene, costumes, and props to make a short film of you riding a broom. They also take some still shots of you in the flying car and on the broom. A word of warning for American visitors, the DVD won’t work on your system at home. They will give you a USB of your flight. I knew about the DVD, but the USB is not working on my Mac either. I am determined to convert or otherwise figure it out.

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Natasha flies at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. One of my favorite sets, the Gryffindor Boy’s Dorm at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

I think the thing that most struck me was that the sets were so small and that the actors were also small as indicated by the small size of the costumes (even the adult costumes).

©Jean Janssen. The Hogwarts Express at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Scene recreation from the first film at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

You move from this soundstage to Platform 9 3/4 and chance to see the Hogwarts Express. You can tour inside and see the cars, one set up for each of movies in which the train was featured. You can also have your picture taken in a train car or pushing a cart into the wall at the platform. I was concerned about having enough time so I moved pretty quickly through this area. It was not necessary. There were very few people in front of me. If you are not on a schedule, take your time. You can not go backwards.

©Jean Janssen. In the backlot area of Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Inside the Privet Drive set at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

After the train, you come to the snack area where you can try a butter beer or the new butter beer ice cream, which I can recommend. In the adjacent outdoor area, the Night Bus, Hogwarts Bridge, Chess Pieces, and Privet Drive set are on display. You can go inside the house and cross the bridge.

©Jean Janssen. Hogwarts Bridge at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. At Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. Diagon Alley set at Warner Brothesr Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

The next building tour begins with the creature creation and the makeup used to make human actors appear as characters from the movies. From here you move to the Diagon Alley set, a bit anticlimactic for anyone that has been to Universal Studios Parks in Florida. That is followed by the illistrations used as a starting place for the films, followed by the small scale models of the various sets.

©Jean Janssen. The large scale model of Hogwarts at Warner Brothers Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

©Jean Janssen. The wand room at Warner Brother Studios, Leavesden, England outside of London.

The final room on the tour is the large scale model of Hogwarts that depicted the school from every angle and was used for the shots of the school in the movie. It was extremely impressive. Leaving the model behind, you pass through the wand room into the gift shop. If you purchased a DVD or USB they are available for pick up here. The wand room features the wand boxes with the handwritten names of all of those-cast and crew-that worked on the movies.

©Jean Janssen. Westminster Catholic Church, London

©Jean Janssen. Interior of Westminster Catholic Church, London.

I ended up having plenty of time to visit the gift shop and grab a drink in the cafe before the return bus ride home. Back at bus depot in London, the next group was ready to head out. I walked back to the hotel, stopping for a light lunch along the way. I had seen Westminster Church, the Catholic Cathedral, on my way over and stopped in on the return walk to the hotel.

©Jean Janssen. Between my hotel and Victoria Station I spotted this traditional pub still standing amidst the new buildings and new construction in the City of Westminster, London.

©Jean Janssen. Saturday afternoon crowds at Westminster Abbey, London.

I was tired and headed back to the hotel for a break before dinner and my last London show. I certainly would have stopped to shop if I had seen anything that caught my eye along the way. I did noticed that there were a lot more people at Westminster Abbey than there were this morning.

©Jean Janssen. The Admiralty, a Fuller Pub near Trafalgar Square, London.

©Jean Janssen. My beef and mushroom pie with salad, chips, and gravy at the Admiralty Pub, London.

I had made reservations at one of the Fuller Pubs, the Admiralty near Traffalgar Square, just around the corner from the theater on Whitehall. I sat on the upper level looking down on the pub crowd. I had some wonderful cider and although I was tempted by the fish and chips, I went for the beef and mushroom pie. It was wonderful. Then I had my second cider. I considered dessert, but I held out for ice cream at the theater.

©Jean Janssen. Interior of the Admiralty Pub near Trafalgar Square, London.

©Jean Janssen. Set for The Spoils in London.

The play, The Spoils was very good. It was a drama with comedic moments. Written and staring Jesse Eisenberg, it also features Kunal Nayyar from the Big Bang Theory. It was definitely geared to the 20-30 something crowd who made up most of the audience. The play was sold out. I had bought my ticket before leaving on the trip. I experienced great theater while I was in London-a musical, a comedy, and a dramatic play. Love the smaller venues in London too.

©Jean Janssen. The theater on Whitehall, London

It has been a great trip. Tomorrow after breakfast, which I will hopefully not miss, Boris and I go to Heathrow for the return flight to Houston.

©Jean Janssen. Big Ben from Westminster Bridge just outside our hotel in London.

Posted in international, Uncategorized | Tagged Harry Potter, Leavesden, London, The Admiralty, The Spoils, Warner Brothers Studios, Warner Brothers Studios London, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Church | Leave a comment

London: Churchill War Rooms, Tea, and the West End

Posted on August 2, 2016 by travelbynatasha

©Jean Janssen. Big Ben and the London Eye, London, England.

From Paris Gare Du Nord, we took the Eurostar to London. Taking the train was so much easier than a flight. It was a short cab ride to the station (or metro if you don’t have as much luggage as we have) and security was quick. When we arrived in London two hours and 15 minutes later, we were already in the heart of the city. The London part of the trip is all work for Boris, so he dumped me in a cab and I took all the luggage to the hotel while he headed out to a speaking engagement. Fortunately, the hotel bellman Jack, in hat and tails, was most helpful.

©Jean Janssen. St. James Park in the heart of London, England.

Our room wasn’t ready so I pulled out what I needed-money and a camera-and headed across Westminster bridge in route to Leicester Square and discount tickets to a show in the West End. We are staying in a modern Park Plaza hotel near the London Eye and across the Thames from Big Ben. I actually met some friends from Houston on the bridge. It was quite difficult to cross because it was clogged with tourists trying to take pictures.

©Jean Janssen. This is London so there is always a parade or changing of the guard even if you are not looking for one. Buckingham Palace is in the background. This military unit was headed to St. James Palace.

I was happy to hear that there are weekday matinees at many of the London theaters. I should be out shopping since Brexit has made my US dollar stronger against the British Pound, but honestly I would rather see a show. There was no direct tube (underground) route so I walked it. Its hot again and I had left my hat at the hotel. Darn it. In Leicester Square there is a booth for theater ticket sales, most sold at a discount. It was far less crowded than its equivalent in Times Square, New York. I got a ticket to see a musical, Showboat, and dashed over to the theater which unfortunately was one of the more remote theater locations. I made it in time.

©Jean Janssen. Ice Cream is sold inside the theater auditorium during intermission in London.

It was a great show and I was happy to see that they have kept the tradition of selling ice cream inside the seating area during intermission. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so I decided to hold out for fish and chips at a pub on the way back to the hotel rather than have dessert first. The set up at the Silver Cross pub required you to find a seat, order and pay at the bar giving them your seat number and then return to that seat, a little tough to do on your own. The fish and chips were fabulous.

©Jean Janssen. The Silver Cross Pub on Whitehall in the City of Westminster, London.

Next to me an Australian woman told the story of her current love life to a young couple. When I needed another large cider, I asked them to watch my place and I heard them remark that I was getting an earful with her story. That was all I needed. Upon my return, I thanked them for watching my things and told the woman she deserved better and to get rid of the man. The young woman, who turned out to be her niece, looked at me thankful and hopeful. Then I had to hear the rest of the story. Forty-five minutes later, the woman thanked me repeatedly for my advice. The young man, who was a friend of the niece that he had met on a previous visit to London, was just there to see his friend again. He looked like he wanted to leave with me. Natasha’s counseling services are available worldwide.

©Jean Janssen. The London Eye by night as viewed from the Westminster Bridge, London.

She wore me out so I headed back to the hotel to collect our luggage. Turns out Boris had already been there and gotten it. If the shows hadn’t already started, I would have headed back to Leicester Square and gotten a ticket to an evening performance. The room was very modern and the AC worked great. I cranked it up, made the room really cold, and watched the London Eye lit up in red outside the window. Boris got back really late.

©Jean Janssen. Entrance to the underground Churchill War Rooms, London.

Boris didn’t wake me in the morning so I almost didn’t get up in time to shower before my tour of the Churchill War Rooms the next morning. I did miss breakfast. The facility is right across the bridge and I was there for the opening at 9:30. I had pre-purchased my ticket at home. There is a single line for security as you enter and then it breaks into two lines for those that have tickets and those that are buying on site. Only a few people are let into the facility at a time. The tour is self-guided with the use of an electronic device. You are not limited as to the amount of time you can stay in this underground facility.

©Jean Janssen. Meeting space in the Cabinet War Rooms.

©jean Janssen. Cartoon of Hitler drawn on one of the maps in the Cabinet War Rooms, London.

The cabinet war rooms, built in 1938 and in use through the Second World War, were first opened to visitors in 1984. After a major redevelopment and the addition of the Churchill museum, the facility reopened in 2005. This was my first visit.

©Jean Janssen. One of the larger apartments in the underground Cabinet War Rooms, London. Note the chamber pot under the bed.

©Jean Janssen. Signs told those below ground in the Cabinet War Rooms what the weather was like outside. Churchill War Rooms, London

You are first given some orientation to the signage in this underground facility where some people lived full time and rarely saw the light of day. In fact, one sign told the residents what the weather was like outside. After seeing some of the meeting spaces you come to the relatively new Churchill Museum; through interactive exhibits you can explore the life of Winston Churchill. After leaving the museum, you see the living quarters for some of the residents. A cafe is available should you want a snack.

©Jean Janssen. Map room in the Cabinet War Room, London.

©Jean Janssen. Map Key, Churchill War Rooms

I found the map rooms the most interesting. Here maps, yarn, and pins outline the troop movements along the various fronts. In the command center, wax figures depict the use of the room. Phones of various colors line the countertop, each color for a different branch of the military. Tubes for passing of messages filled the room. Next door was Churchill’s bed and desk.

©Jean Janssen. Churchill War Room. Different Color phones for different branches of the military.

©Jean Janssen. Churchill’s room in the Cabinet War Rooms, London.

I spent two and half hours underground; the museums were fascinating. The headset recording included radio tapes and testimonials from individuals that worked in these facilities, enhancing your tour experience. If you have the London Pass, the Churchill War Rooms are included. I was glad I went first thing in the morning. When I came out the wait looked to be about three hours long.

©Jean Janssen. View of Buckingham Palace from the bridge in St. James’ Park, London.

I had reservations for tea in Mayfair, so I decided to wander that direction and perhaps do a little shopping along the way. I hadn’t had time for breakfast, but I had grabbed a roll and sliced meat off the breakfast buffet at the hotel on my way out so I sat down in St. James Park and enjoyed my sandwich and a bottle of sparkling water. It was hot, but a lovely clear day. I crossed the bridge in the park and enjoyed a view of Buckingham Palace. There are public toliets available in the park but you will need coins to use them.

©Jean Janssen. Changing of the guard at St. James Palace, London.

There was a military parade on the way to a changing of the guard at St. James Palace, so I enjoyed an unexpected treat. After I passed the Palace, I saw the store on St. James Street where Boris likes to buy his special hats, Locke and Co. Hatters. This is the oldest hat store in the world, started in 1676 and at its present location since 1765. The bowler hat has its origin at Locke and Co.

©Jean Janssen. Natasha dons a fascinator at Locke and Co. London, England.

Looking in the windows I was pleasantly surprised to find they sold women’s hats. In fact the second floor is devoted to the women’s millinery. I didn’t look like their typical customer, so I got to look around for a while before someone came to wait on me. I love hats, but have never really tried a fascinator before. This is an alternative to a hat. It is a decorative headpiece attached to a band or a clip. I found one I just loved in a neutral color. I got lucky and it was on sale. Natasha now owns a fascinator.

©Jean Janssen. Shopping in Mayfair, London.

Along Piccadilly, there were some familiar and some regional shops. Prices just got steeper as I headed north. I somehow felt more like a Mayfair shopper carrying around my hat box. Mayfair was at one time more residential, but has become mostly commercial and has some of the highest rents in the city. More 5-star hotels are in Mayfair than in any other part of London. The US Embassy is in Mayfair. The real question is why is Natasha here?

©Jean Janssen. For Natasha, High Tea in Mayfair at Sketch starts with a rose champagne.

Before leaving on our trip I researched the most highly rated teas in London and selected one with a little different look, but without sacrificing the tasty treats and wonderful tea. Including champagne was a nice touch too. I chose Sketch in Mayfair. The establishment is more club at night but serves a very popular tea during the day. They have several different types of rooms, but tea is served in the large domed facility with its pink velvet banquettes and chairs with pink velvet pillows. The walls are painted an even lighter pink and covered with framed sketches featuring a play on words. Room accents are in copper.

©Jean Janssen. Tea service for one at Sketch in Mayfair, London.

The sandwiches, sweets, champagne, and tea were all wonderful. The service was spotty. In spite of my specific reservation, it took them a while to realize that I was alone. I don’t eat chocolate so the service took longer to appear, I assume for that reason. I was seated for an hour and 15 minutes before my treats arrived. Many patrons were served much quicker, others were not. You can have seconds on any of the food that you would like. It was very good and I do recommend the tea, but you might need to be a little more insistent than I was regarding service.

©Jean Janssen. The bathroom at Sketch in Mayfair, London.

The biggest surprise at Sketch has nothing to do with the tea, but is the bathroom. You go up the all white stairs, one direction for men, another for women. The open room is done completely in white. Inside are large pods that resemble eggs, but are larger than any person. Individual toilets are inside the eggs. The community sinks are against the wall. Looking in the opposite direction, you see the men’s “eggs”. While you are inside the egg you hear piped-in dialogue which almost sounds like a “take off” recording from NASA. Bizarre. I actually went back to my seat to get the camera. I didn’t think anyone would believe me without the photo.

©Jean Janssen. The Criterion Theater at Piccadilly Circus, London. The theater is underground.

Fortunately, I missed the rain while I was inside. Rather than carry my packages all the way back, I took a cab to the hotel and saw my friendly bellman Jack who wanted to see my hat. Jack approved. I dropped everything off and hung around about an hour before I headed out to catch my show at the Criterion Theater at Piccadilly Circus. A Comedy About a Bank Robbery is a new production and is like Airplane on stage. It has incredibly clever dialogue, physical comedy, and staging that defies gravity. I can highly recommend it.

©Jean Janssen. PIccadilly Circus, London.

The theater is actually underground. It is small, old and very charming. Of course, there is ice cream at intermission. Coming out after the show I noted that Piccadilly Circus was like a mini Times Square with big light boards and people milling around late into the night.

©Jean Janssen. Big Ben at night.

I walked back to the hotel among the crowds, feeling exceptionally safe. I enjoyed the wonderful nighttime views of the London Eye and Big Ben. I have an early morning tomorrow for a tour just outside the city. Sweet Dreams from London.

Posted in international, Uncategorized | Tagged A Comedy About a Bank Robbery, Big Ben, Cabinet War Rooms, Churchill War Rooms, Criterion Theater, fascinator, High Tea, Leicester Square, Locke and Co., London, Mayfair, Piccadilly Circus, Showboat, Silver Cross Pub, Sketch, St. James Park, west end, Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, Winston Churchill | Leave a comment

The Paris Opera House, Place des Vosges, and the Big Splurge, La Tour d’Argent

Posted on August 1, 2016 by travelbynatasha

©Jean Janssen. The Grand Staircase of the Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House.

Today is our only full day in Paris. Boris and I have both been to Paris before and I was determined to see something new. Although I have seen the exterior before, I have never been inside the Paris Opera House, Palais Garnier. Boris was not very excited about the visit, but he arranged tickets for us for the 11 am English Language Tour anyway. Our hotel is equal distance between two Metro stops and one of them was a direct line to the Opera. You walk up the stairs out of the Metro station and come out facing the front facade of the Opera House. We gave ourselves more time today and arrived timely for the tour, accessed from one of the side entrances.

©Jean Janssen. Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House.

Besides the staff and performers’ entrance, Palais Garnier was designed with three entrances so as not to mix the classes of patrons. Most patrons entered from the front steps; there are numerous doors and the interior has more decoration than the other two entrances. Of course, you were exposed to the elements. The second entrance, smaller and simpler, was on the side for the higher ranking patrons. This entrance allowed for a carriage to pull up directly to the door. The third entrance was for Napoleon III who started the construction of this Opera House after an attempt at his life at another opera house. This entrance has almost no decoration as Napoleon III had died in exile by the time Palais Garnier was completed and funds (for any project associated with the empire) had been severely restricted by that time. Construction lasted from 1861 to 1875.

©Jean Janssen Headed toward the Grand Staircase from the lower level of Palais Garnier, Paris

©Jean Janssen. Interior of the Palais Garnier theater, Paris

The first stop on our tour was the 1,979-seat auditorium. During the later part of the summer when it is hot and people leave the city (as it is now), there are no performances here. With the opening of the larger Opera Bastille in 1989, Opera National de Paris does most of their performances in that venue. While some operas are still staged at Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, is now used primarily for ballet.

©Jean Janssen. The Paris Opera House’s choice seats at the time of its construction were the box seats so the patron could be seen by the other attendees. However, these boxes often afforded a very poor view of the stage. The Phantom’s box is featured in this photograph.

Our guide used the time while we were seated in the auditorium to give us some history about the construction of the opera house and its features. Palais Garnier was designed primarily with “being seen” in mind. It was much less about the view from your particular seat. The best seat by today’s standard would be on the first row of the second tier, but at the time of its opening Napoleon’s box above the stage was the choice seat. For one there to enjoy the performance, it is also the worst seat in the opera house. In many older theaters this location, the box overlooking the stage, is now only used for performance lighting.

©Jean Janssen. The best seats in the Opera House for enjoying a performance are the first row of seats behind the wood railing shown in the center of the photograph. Those would not have been the choice seats at the time the Opera House was built.

The guide addressed the story of the Phantom of the Opera based originally on a serial by Gaston Leroux. The story, published in serial form from September 1909 to January 1910, was further popularized by the 1925 Lon Chaney film and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical of the same name. The story fictionalized actual events to weave the tale we know today. There is no underground lake beneath the opera house, but there is a water storage container used to stabilize the facility. (Garnier actually pumped water out of this swampy site chosen for the opera house for eight months before construction could begin. As a result, wells in the area ran dry for two years.)

©Jean Janssen. The ceiling painting in the auditorium of Palais Garnier by Marc Chagall done in 1964 in a style reflective of the time of its installation.

Unlike in Phantom of the Opera, the chandelier did not fall during one of the performances. It is designed to be raised and lowered, originally to light the fixture and to clean it. However, one of the chandelier counterweights did fall and kill a patron who was seated on an upper level. The guest had received a free ticket to the opera performance. Today the chandelier is highlighted by a colorful ceiling painting by Marc Chagall.

©Jean Janssen. The design of the original ceiling painting in the auditorium of Palais Garnier by Jules Eugène Lenepveu.

Marc Chagall was quite old at the time the ceiling was updated in 1964. He actually did a smaller version which was then copied to canvases to be mounted on the ceiling. After he had completed the painting, Chagall was told it was too wide so the painted canvases were cut. At installation it was determined that the painting was too narrow by exactly the amount it had been cut. As a result, a frame had to be added to the Chagall masterpiece. It does stand out as being of a different style than the rest of facilities’ decoration. In the museum is a copy of the original painting which is still under Chagall’s work.

©Jean Janssen. Palais Garnier, Paris.

Our next “stop” was to walk the three routes by which the patrons enter the opera house. The classes never mixed. They had different staircases and different lounge areas. It was also significant which night you attended. There were different nights for wives (Mondays) than for mistresses (Fridays).

©Jean Janssen. From the Grand Staircase you look up to the beautiful painted ceiling of Palais Garnier, Paris.

©Jean Janssen. The balconies of the grand entryway Palais Garnier, Paris.

We made our way up the grand staircase. The guide pointed out a chip in the stairs where a dancer had landed after roller skating on the roof and falling through to the stairs many stories below. From the next layer of balconies you looked down to the staircase. This was the real focus of attending an opera performance and what Garnier kept in mind when designing the opera house. People came to see and see seen in this grand entryway. By its very design, the entry space was a theater itself, with the opera patrons as the performers.

©Jean Janssen. Palais Garnier, Paris

©Jean Janssen. Balcony ceiling, Palais Garnier, Paris

The ceiling and decoration of these upper hallways, where men and women looked to see the other patrons entering below, was just as beautiful. From this level we also accessed the library, museum entrance, and the unadorned entrance that was to serve Napoleon III’s box.

©Jean Janssen. The Grand Foyer, Palais Garnier, Paris.

©Jean Janssen. Ceiling detail in the Grand Foyer, Palais Garnier, Paris.

Our next stop was the Grand Foyer. This drawing room was originally only for men. Woman had to stay in their seats/boxes which was a real challenge because performances could last up to seven hours. Then came the occasion when a woman of visiting royalty entered the Grand Foyer to admire the furnishings; no one felt comfortable approaching her about being in the room. After that, woman began enjoying the opulence of this incredible foyer that was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles.

©Jean Janssen. A view of Paris from the balcony of the Palais Garnier.

©Jean Janssen. Outside balcony Palais Garnier, Paris

©Jean Janssen. Ceiling of the outside balcony of Palais Garnier, Paris.

It is from the Grand Foyer that you access the outside balcony with incredible views of the city in the design planned by Napoleon III. Even the ceiling of this outside structure was frescoed.

©Jean Janssen. Painted ceiling and “menu” panels in the original dining room of the Palais Garnier, Paris.

©Jean Janssen. Ceiling decoration in the original dining room of the Paris Opera House.

We went on to see many additional smaller spaces and the lovely circular dining room, its frescoed panels indicating the menu of fruits, breads, tea, etc. The most expensive item on the menu in the time of no refrigeration was the ice cream. This was one of the last rooms of the Opera House to be completed.

©Jean Janssen. View of the stage from one of the boxes in the Palais Garnier, Paris. The box originally designed for Napoleon III is on the left side of the stage.

We ended the tour outside of one of the boxes that was open so you could go in a see the view of the stage. During this time of year when there are no performances going on, if you have a tour ticket you are allowed to stay in the building as long as you like. You can go back and take pictures in the various public spaces and tour the museum. After we finished, we made a stop in the gift shop and picked up a few items. Boris also decided I needed a fancy Parisian umbrella.

©Jean Janssen. Palais Garnier, Paris.

After we left the opera house, we went on the hunt for one of Boris’s favorite places in Paris that happens to be near the Opera House. (Perhaps the reason he was willing to purchase the tour tickets?) It took a while, but just about the time the rain started, we found Harry’s New York Bar.

©Jean Janssen. Boris’ favorite bar in the world, Harry’s New York Bar in Paris.

Harry’s has been around since 1911 and in the same family since 1923. It is the birthplace of the Bloody Mary and French 75 (made with champagne and wonderful, so partake if you haven’t tried one before). It was a friend’s birthday and she loves French 75s and introduced me to them, so even though it was the middle of the day we had to have a few.

©Jean Janssen. Harry’s New York Bar in Paris.

The bar is popular with the expats, particularly on election night. It was next to empty in the early afternoon, but fills at night. Covering the walls are pennants from US colleges and universities; some of the pennants have clearly been there a while. The bar keep said they get new ones in the mail every day.

©Jean Janssen. I came all the way to Paris for a chili dog? Harry’s New York Bar, Paris, France.

Boris decided that we needed a snack. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary tonight (even though it was last October) with a special dinner, so we don’t want to fill up during the day. Boris ordered us each a chili dog, each of them costing 15 euros. Ridiculous, but it made Boris smile, that, or the three French 75s he drank there.

©Jean Janssen. Harry’s New York Bar, Paris, France

Harry’s is a Bond site, mentioned by the character in From a View to a Kill. Our son Rocky has as one of his life’s goals to visit all of the Bond sites so he will have to come here. George Gershwin composed An American in Paris at the keys in Harry’s. It was a hangout of F. Scott Fitzgerald (my favorite American author), Humphrey Bogart, and Earnest Hemingway. Coco Channel and the Duke of Windsor were also among the patrons.

©Jean Janssen. Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House, France.

After we left the bar, we walked back to the metro station. Along the way we got an even better view of the Opera House and its domed ceiling. We are headed to the Bastille metro station near the site of the infamous Bastille. The ruins can be seen from metro line 5. We were on line 8. This metro stop is near our next destination, the Place des Vosges, which Boris said is “the most beautiful spot in Paris”.

©Jean Janssen. Place des Vosges, Paris.

The Place des Vosges was known formerly as Palace Royale. Palace Royale was built on the site of Hotel de Tournelles and its gardens. In a tie-in to our visit to Chenonceau yesterday, the royal residence Tournelles tournament grounds is where Henry II was pierced in the eye, the wound he would die from several agonizing days later in 1559. After his death his wife, Catherine de Medicis, had the gothic structure demolished. Palace Royale was built on this site by Henry IV between 1605 and 1612.

©Jean Janssen. Place des Vosges, Paris, France.

At the time it was built what was new about Palace Royale was that the square consisted of buildings all of the same design and constructed of the same materials in the same colors. It served as a model for similar squares in Paris and all over the world. With the revolution came the name change. The name flipped back and forth, but has been Place des Vosges since 1848. Cardinal Richelieu and Victor Hugo are among its celebrated residents.

©Jean Janssen. Place des Vosges, Paris, France

©Jean Janssen. Dessert Crepe in the Marais at La Place Royal at Place des Vosges, Paris.

There were lots of Parisians enjoying the benches and lounging on the grass. Boris decided his hotdog hadn’t been enough so we added a dessert crepe enjoyed at the cafe overlooking the square appropriately named La Place Royal.

©Jean Janssen. In the Marais, Paris, France

©Jean Janssen. In the Marais, Paris, France.

Place des Vosges is on the edge of the Marais. Originally the aristocratic area of the city, it was also at one time home to a large Jewish population. Today there are many museums and art galleries; it is also a center for the LGBT community. We wandered back through on our way to the hotel enjoying the historic buildings and wonderful shops. Boris was crimping my style, but I did get to pick up a cute fringed bag and some unique jewelry.

©Jean Janssen. Entrance to La Tour d’Argent along the Seine, Paris.

Today is our big splurge at La Tour d’Argent (translates to the Silver Tower in English). The claim by this historic restaurant is that there has been a dining establishment on this site since 1582 when it was frequented by Henry IV. The Restaurant sits near the Seine and has unparalleled views of Notre Dame while dining. It took a great deal of restraint for me to not take pictures as we enjoyed the view and later the sunset. (But I pulled some pictures from the internet so you could see the view and reproduced those below.)

©Jean Janssen. We passed the Louvre in the cab. Paris, France.

Since Boris was in a suit and I was in a long silk dress and heels, we took a cab. The driver took the most difficult route. Tonight the Louvre is open late so the traffic in the area was even worse than normal. Deciding he could not get to the restaurant easily, after 45 minutes the driver left us off blocks away from the restaurant and pointed us in the direction we needed to go. This was not the romantic walk along the Seine one would have hoped for. We were a little late for our reservation, but all was well once we arrived.

View from the dining room of La Tour d’Argent, Paris

La Tour d’Argent, Paris, France

Never in my life have I enjoyed such service. The preparation was incredible. They put together ingredients I would never thought would be compatible, but everything was perfection. It was by far the best meal of my life. Their specialty is the duck, which is what Boris ordered. Wonderful. In addition to the many set courses, I added an course with frog legs and another with sole. The most expensive meal Boris and I ever had was at Harry’s in Venice twenty years ago on our honeymoon; this one topped it, although surprisingly not by much. Happy Anniversary Boris.

©Jean Janssen. Crossing the Seine at dusk. Paris, France

©Jean Janssen. Paris at dusk.

Posted in international, Uncategorized | Tagged France, Harry's New York Bar, La Tour d'Argent, Palais Garnier, Paris, Paris Opera House, Place des Vosges | Leave a comment

Loire Valley Castles, France

Posted on July 28, 2016 by travelbynatasha

©Jean Janssen Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France.

Today Boris and I are going to tour two of the loveliest castles in the Loire Valley, near Paris. We will also have the opportunity for lunch and a wine tasting at one of the smaller chateaus. We had planned a river cruise through this region for October, but schedules and finances do not permit it, so we are taking this tour based out of Paris.

©Jean Janssen. Our Paris hotel, 123 Sebastopol and its movie theme.

Yesterday, we left behind Italy and our lovely villa, malapino’s tower in Concamarise. After a return drive to Venice, returning the rental car, and a flight to Paris, we checked into our Parisian hotel in the Marais 123 Sebastapol on the Avenue of the same name. The theme is French movies and the check-in desk looks like a movie house concession stand. The theme is followed throughout the hotel. Each floor has its own movie-related concept. The theme for our room is music from the movies with a desk that looks like a small piano and nightstands made from snare drums. It is all very clever.

©Jean Janssen Our hotel room desk.

©Jean Janssen. Our hotel room nightstands.

Our tour leaves at 7:30 am and we have a 7:15 check-in south of the Seine, so we thought we would miss the 7 am breakfast at the hotel, but things were out early. What a spread with hot and cold foods and multiple beverage options. The room set up as a bar last night now is in full breakfast mode.

©Jean Janssen. The double circular staircase in Chambord, Loire Valley, France.

Our hotel is just one and half blocks from the metro stop on the same line as the tour pickup location just outside the catacombs. After breakfast, we figured out the tickets and waited for the metro, but we had spent a little too much time at breakfast. Our exit point may have been on the same line, but was 9 stops away and it just took more time than we anticipated to get there. No way we would make the 7:15 check-in; we were just hoping to be there by 7:30.

©Jean Janssen. Looking up from the ground floor through the center of the double circular staircase in Chambord, Loire Valley, France.

We bolted out of the metro station and saw our group just across the street. Boris took off to check us in; I actually waited for the walk signal. I was about 7:25 or a little later. Only after we started to breathe again did we wonder why the bus wasn’t already there and loaded. It ended up we had quite a while to wait. The original bus and driver were no shows and they had to call someone in from their day off. We didn’t leave until 9 am, a hour and a half late. We were not a happy crowd.

©Jean Janssen. Beautiful tapestries from Belgium are found throughout the castles in the Loire Valley, France. These works of art are decorative and provide warmth.

(Just a tip for your future Paris touring…I can tell you, since we were there to see it develop, that people line up very early to see the catacombs.) Of course the delay was not our guides’ fault and they did their best to get us refocused on the special activities of the day. They gave us their own background-both young. One was an American student who had followed her French boyfriend to Paris and was getting her master’s degree (Kate) and the other had lived in many European cities and worked as a tour guide (Dan). Dan had grown up in Ireland with an Irish mother and an American father and had both accents in his speech.

©Jean Janssen. Chambord viewed from one of the exterior spiral staircases.

The ride out included beautiful views of the French countryside. We made a convenience stop and checked out all the interesting snack options available. We won’t have lunch until early afternoon, perhaps made even later by our delayed departure, so Boris and I got a few things. The Loire valley is a prime growing region for many different types of produce, including those wonderful grapes used in wine making.

©Jean Janssen. Chambord Castle, Loire Valley, France.

The French king Francois I did not have a permanent home for his court when he left Paris. His preferred destination was the Loire Valley, Val de Loire, with more than 100 chateaux. He would take his entire entourage and all his furnishings-clothing, furniture, rugs, dishes, etc. you get the idea-as he moved from place to place. Sometimes he imposed on the owners hospitality, sometimes he found a way to bring a particular location into the holdings of the crown. Francois I also dreamed of erecting his own new palaces to perpetuate the glory of his reign. From 1515-1575, the last five Valois kings lived in this fashion.

©Jean Janssen Chambord, Loire Valley, France

Our first destination was Chambord. (Yes, that wonderful raspberry liquor that is such a fabulous addition to champagne, is named for this castle. It is made nearby, but not at this estate.) The castle sits on the site of the hunting lodge of the Counts of Blois. Francois annexed the well stocked hunting grounds, knocked down the residence there, and built this extraordinary structure our guides affectionately referred to as “the bachelor pad”.

©Jean Janssen A sampling of the chimneys of Chambord, Loire Valley, France

Work began on Chambord in 1518 and was not complete until 1543. In total, Francois I spent only 17 days here. The main structure is designed to the identical plan of St. Peter’s in Rome. Chambord has 440 rooms, 365 chimneys, 800 cornices, and 15 staircases, far outshining in size and grandeur the other castles of the Loire. It was here at Chambord that Francois entertained his former enemy, Charles V of Spain.

©Jean Janssen. Bedroom of Francois I in Chambord, Loire Valley, France. Note the hidden door on the left side used only by his confessor and his mistress. At the time, the color pink (or red) was associated with men, while blue was the color of women.

It was an incredibly hot day. From the estate parking lot we made the 10-15 minute walk to the castle, colossal in size. Inside things were cooler. Our guides told us that many visitors are surprised that the castle is not furnished (except for a few rooms), but this is the way Francois would have left it after all this furnishings were packed up and moved to the next location.

©Jean Janssen. Marks of Francois I on the ceiling of Chambord, Loire Valley, France. Note the “F” and the salamander, Franois’ emblem.

Upon entering, the first thing you notice is the double winding staircase. Looking up, you see Francois’ mark is everywhere, the “F” in the ceiling and the salamander, his symbol. (In the folklore of the Renaissance, the salamander had an association with fire and was considered a source of protection during a time when many structures were lost to fire.) Francois was a enthusiastic supporter of the arts, including Leonardo di Vinci who brought the Mona Lisa to France where it was known as La Joconde. Many speculate that Leonardo da Vinci was the architect of Chambord.

©Jean Janssen. A children’s tour of Chambord featuring a guide dressed as a monk. They are in the queen’s bedroom, identified by the blue furnishings.

Our guides gave us a tour of particular rooms of the castle and then time to wander around on our own. I found the chapel, Francois’ original apartments, a trophy hall, and fabulous circular staircases in my private touring. There was a guide dressed as a monk preforming a children’s play in French. Essentially he was guiding the families through parts of the castle with a presentation geared to entertaining the young. I met up with them in several rooms. The children were enjoying themselves immensely and I found myself wishing I spoke French so I could join in the fun.

©Jean Janssen One of the winding staircases I climbed at Chambord Castle, Loire Valley, France.

Boris wasn’t up to some of the climbing I did, so we split up. I left no time for snacks (apparently there are some wonderful free cookie samples) or gift shops. Chambord is a photographer’s dream.

©Jean Janssen. Castle gate for Chateau de Nitray in Loire Valley, France.

Back on the bus we quickly realized why this bus was originally not scheduled to be in service. The air was blowing only faintly and it was not cool. Strike two for this tour company.

Our next stop was a small chateaux on a wine-producing estate. Here we had a wonderful lunch with roasted chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, cheese, bread, salad, and warm apple tart. We got to try several of their wine varieties. I usually gravitate to the red (if there is no sparkling), but on this hot day the cool white was particularly refreshing. Most of the other bus patrons were American. We even sat next to two couples from Pearland, near Houston. Other countries represented included India, Brazil, and Scotland.

@Jean Janssen. Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France.

After lunch we moved on to the more fairytale-like castle of Chenonceau. On the grounds, we stopped first to see the donkeys who were all huddled in the shade structure out of the sun and then went on to the wine cellar. The company had instructed the guides to offer this second wine tasting to appease us for the late start. The wine was good and the cellar cool, but I think most of us were anxious to see the castle.

We passed by the formally laid gardens before crossing two bridges to enter the castle. I suspect these were both originally drawbridges. Of course there was a moat, but the castle sits right on the river Cher. In fact, the long, more narrow back section was added later and spans the river connecting the two sides of the Cher. There is a small draw bridge on that side of the Cher as well.

Viewing this extraordinary castle was made even more interesting by the stories of the major players who had lived here and how their lives were intertwined. Our guides filled us in during the tour and during our time of the bus. Construction of the property began in 1512 and Francois gave permission for a bridge to be built over the Cher. The chapel was consecrated in 1521. In 1533, the property came into the possession of the crown.

Francois I had been imprisoned in Spain and in exchange for his release, his two young sons were sent in exchange. When finally released, the boys came home much changed, no longer speaking French, but the crude Spanish of their jailers. The dauphin (the eldest son and heir presumptive) adjusted to the return, but the younger brother Henry struggled. A young widow of the court, Diane de Poitiers, took young Henry under her wing. As he grew older, Henry fell in love with Diane. Although she was 19 years his senior, Diane eventually became his mistress. Henry had also become the dauphin upon the death of his older brother.

In 1547, Francois I died, with his son Henry taking the crown. Henry’s wife was Catherine de Medicis of the wealthy Florentine banking family. But it was to his mistress Diane that Henry II gave Chenonceau. As government property, Chenonceau could not be given way, but Henry got around this by stating in the donation deed that the property was granted to the widow for the services of her late husband Louis de Breze. In addition to the Chenonceau, Henry gave Diane diamonds and crown pearls, and large sums of money. Catherine hated Diane, her husband’s mistress, and coveted Chenonceau.

It was Diane who established the lavish gardens and commissioned the (earlier approved) bridge linking the lavish home with the opposite bank of the Cher. To maintain her beauty Diane rose early and swam daily in the freezing cold water; she followed this with a horse ride. She then returned to bed and slept until noon. In addition to exercise (unusual for women of this time) she ate what we would consider today a very healthy diet including lots of fruit and vegetables (unlike most members of the court who ate mostly fat and starch). When she died at the age of 66, she was said to be “as beautiful as ever”.

©Jean Janssen. Tile on the floor of Diane de Poitiers’ chamber in Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France showing the entwined D and H for Henry and Diane. When Henry’s wife Catherine complained about the symbols, found all over Chenonceau, Henry said the D stood for dauphin, his title before becoming king.

©Jean Janssen. Portrait of Catherine de Medicis hung at Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France, ironically in Diane’s bedchamber.

In 1559, Henry II died as a result of a jousting accident, receiving a lance through his eye. Upon his death, Catherine took over as regent for her young son. From Diane, Catherine demanded the return of the crown jewels and the surrender of Chenonceau to the crown under the threat of armed forces. Diane was given Chaumont in exchange, but she preferred to retire to her castle at Anet where she later died.

©Jean Janssen. At the far end of the Gallery is another entrance and small drawbridge connecting the castle with the opposite bank of the Cher at Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France.

It was Catherine who commissioned the two-floor gallery built over the arches of the bridge spanning the Cher. It was Queen Catherine who ruled on behalf of her sons Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. Before Catherine’s death, she entrusted Chenonceau to Louise of Vaudemont, her daughter-in-law as wife of her youngest son Henry III. Shortly thereafter, Henry was murdered.

©Jean Janssen. In the widow’s bedchamber with its black walls adorned with silver tears and black bedding at Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France.

©Jean Janssen. The dark walls and draperies of the widow’s bedchamber of Louise of Vaudemont at Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France.

Six months after her husband’s death, the pious widow Queen Catherine shut herself away at Chenonceau rarely leaving her room. Her chamber at the castle is painted in all black with silver tears adorning the ceiling and woodwork. There is little there except for her bed, kneeler for prayer, and a portrait of her beloved Henry. She was know to be generous to the poor and it have mourned in white. She is known today as The “White Lady of Chenonceau”.

©Jean Janssen. The floors at Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France are richly detailed. The photo shows how some of the decoration has been lost over time.

Like the other chateau, our guides took us to particular rooms and pointed out the significant details before giving us time to walk around on our own. One of the most interesting details about the castle was the different flooring as you moved from room to room. At one time it was even more richly decorated than it appears today.

A selfie, Natasha and Boris do castles

After Chenonceau, we made our way back to the hot bus. Our guides once again felt very bad for the heat we were experiencing. They too had a day that lasted a hour and a half longer than they had bargained for were experiencing the heat in the bus. At the comfort stop, they purchased everyone on the bus the drink of their choice. Sparking water, the big bottle, worked for me.

Arriving back in Paris, Boris and I chose to have dinner near the drop off point since it was already after 9 pm. The restaurant specialized in escargot, one of our favorites. I am used to having it served outside the shells so had to work with the pinchers in hold it steady to draw out the snail. Our guide had told us that they needed to offer some resistance or they were not Burgundy snails, but a cheaper variety that had been placed in the Burgundy shells. We got the real deal. After dinner we made our way back on the metro. It was hot and longer day than we anticipated, but enjoyed three good meals and three fabulous chateaux. Merci.

Posted in international, Uncategorized | Tagged Catherine de Medicis, Chambord, Chateau de Nitray, Chenonceau, Diane de Poitiers, France, Francois I, Henry II, Loire Valley | 1 Comment

Vicenza, Italy

Posted on July 26, 2016 by travelbynatasha

This is our last touring day in Italy. Tommorrow Boris will head out to look at WWII battle sites and I will take a “staycation”and enjoy our villa for the day (mostly the pool). We lost a day with the plane delay and there was some debate over what to visit today. I had picked Lake Garda for yesterday so I really wanted Boris to choose the day’s adventure. Although he had been to Vicenza on the train before, he thought I would love it and he wanted to see a few things he had missed so Vicenza was his selection.

The drive to the A4 (autostrada) was good practice for our return trip to Venice. When on the autostrada, don’t even think of driving in the left lane unless you intend to go fast-I mean very fast. With three lanes of traffic in each direction on the autostrada, European motorists are very good about only using the left lane for passing. There are also no trucks in this lane.

I thought we were going to the historical center so was a bit confused with the directions SURI and Boris were giving me. In Italian cities, follow the black and white signs with “CENTRO” and a target on them to reach the historical center of town. Boris had another idea for our first stop, a beautiful hilltop church with an adjoining plaza with sweeping views of the city. We missed the plaza on the way up-it is on the right just across from the front door to the church. There is plenty of parking in the plaza; we just didn’t realize that until we passed it and came back up.

On his previous visit to the city, Boris had not ventured up here since he was without a car. It would have been quite a climb on foot. I bet there are plenty of buses that would get you up here if you traveling without a car. Vicenza is on the main train line so it is an easy place to visit without a car.

@Jean Janssen. The altar at the Santuary of Monte Berico, Vicenza, Italy.

We went inside. There were a few tourists in the church, but most of the patrons were there for confession. It is Saturday. The church was gorgeous inside. I loved all the hanging lanterns and the small heart shaped plaques on the church walls. I learned later in the gift shop where the plaques are sold, that this is a pilgrimage site and the people present the plaques and make a special request of our Lady. There are also several famous paintings in the church, but I didn’t want to disturb the faithful at prayer by taking photographs in those areas.

@Jean Janssen. Italian countryside viewed from the Convento dei Padri Serviti, Vicenza, Italy.

Leaving the sanctuary, you can walk through the Convento dei Padri Serviti. In the refectory is the restored Cena di S. Gregorio Magno, a painting stolen by French soldiers and later cut it into 32 pieces by Austrian mercenaries. The painting was later restored and placed in its present location in 1858. Leaving the refectory, you can wander through the cloisters with the original architecture and the lovely garden area seeing more of the mounted sacred medals. The gift shop with religious items is in this area and there are also views of the countryside from this side.

©Jean Janssen. One of the three identical facade of the Basilica di Monte Berico (in white), the bell tower, and the exterior entrance to the cloister, Vicenza, Italy.

Leaving the convent, we viewed the exterior of the Basilica which has three identical facades and staircases leading to each one. During our visit, the front facade and the railing of the Piazzale delia Vittoria were under restoration. This new Basilica was finished in 1703. The first church on this site was built after the Virgin Mary appeared to Vincenza Pasini in 1426 and 1428 while the plague was raging through the town and promised to rid them of the plaque if a church was built on the top of the hill. The church was completed in three months. The present Basilica is on the site of that church.

To reach the Basilica, you travel up the Viale X Giugno. On your right side is the portico that makes the climb a little easier in poor weather and adds to the beauty of the site. The covered walkway, completed in 1746, is almost a half mile long. There are 150 arches in groups of ten symbolizing the 15 mysteries and 150 Hail Mary prayers of the rosary.

Our final stop before heading down to the center of the city was the huge Piazzale della Vittoria. The piazza’s cement guardrail protecting the balcony was under restoration. A small area had been left accessible and we were able to walk up and get a bird’s eye view of the city of Vicenza. The Piazzale is used as a parking lot.

SURI was unable to give us directions back into the city so we just had to wing it. We drove back the way we came and followed the signs to Centro. The walls of the ancient city are still in place. Unfortunately the signs directed us to a wall opening that was closed to traffic. We blew off the technology at our disposal and drove around until I found an entrance through the city walls.

©Jean Janssen. Chiesa dei Carmini, Vicenza, Italy. Would have been great if that car hadn’t been in the picture. Can’t complain too much because it is our rental.

It was a quiet day in the city and we pushed our luck in hopes of finding parking inside. We were lucky and parked next to a beautiful neogothic church, Chiesa dei Carmini not far inside the wall, just down the Corso Fogazzaro from the center of town. There is a small piazza and the former Carmelite Convent (also on the piazza) is now a school for small children.

©Jean Janssen. More than once when we were touring Vicenza, we would find a lovely church sandwiched between two palaces. Vicenza, Italy.

We walked into the center of town, passing the Tempio di S. Lorenzo and the Palazzo Reta, now a bank. Reaching the main artery, the Corso A Palladio, we turned and saw the dome of the Cathedral down a side street before turning again to find the main square and the Basilica, now the symbol of Vicenza.

At the end of the piazza are two marble columns in the Venician style, one of the symbol of St. Mark and one of the Redeemer. This is the part of the plaza that was the old cereal market. There is also a huge bell tower and the unique domed Basilica designed by Andrea Palladio. ” The dome itself is in the shape of an upturned ship’s hull, and is of copper sheeting over wooden supports, and the balustrade is decorated with statues of mythological figures.” The Basilica was completed in 1617, 37 years after Palladio’s death. Unfortunately, the Basilica was not open for visitors during our visit. Ah, it must be siesta time.

©Jean Janssen. Also on the Piazza and of the same designer as the Basilica, Andrea Palladio, is the Palace of the Captain, also known as the Loggia del Capitano or Loggia Bernardo. Currently it is the home of the city council.

I wasn’t sure if it was just the time of day or the heat, but there were really very few tourists about. It was quiet. We decided to have lunch and chose a cafe on a side street off the Piazza del Signori near the Duomo. Boris had the carne tartar, raw meat in three different varieties. (Yes, one of them was horse.) We followed that with something more humane, risotto with champagne and black truffle shavings prepared table side. Actually the risotto is prepared and then brought to the table where the champagne is added and the chef shaves the truffles as you salivate. (I have every intention of trying to replicate this at home.)

The presentation of Boris’ carne tartar was attractive. I particularly liked the mustard in the shape of a leaf. Al Paradiso, Vicenza, Italy.

©Jean Janssen. At Al Paradiso, a ristorante in Vicenza, Italy, established in 1980, we ordered the champagne risotto prepared table side by the chef. Here he shaves the black truffles on top. Yes, it was excellent. I was very strategic in eating this dish, making sure all of the champagne was absorbed by the rice. Natasha loves her champagne.

There was a large group of Italian Americans at the next table; they were in Vicenza for a wedding. They enjoyed switching back and forth between the two languages. I asked the server about the city, remarking on how quiet it was. He said that it was particularly quiet that day, but that the city is usually not that busy or loud. The walled city is large and well able to accommodate large crowds. There is ample parking in and just outside the city walls. I suspect the heat had kept some people away.

I had used my time at lunch to identify what I still wanted to see and Boris had spotted a pet store he wanted to go in. When we finished lunch the store was set to open in 15 minutes, so I wandered down to photograph the Duomo (Cathedral). The front facade is difficult to photograph as it sits right up against a narrow street. It was not open to visitors at the time.

Boris was getting tired; a carafe of wine, champagne in your risotto, and several beers can do that to you. It was also another really hot day with no cloud cover. The only thing left on my list that I didn’t want to miss was the Teatro Olimpica so we headed down that way.

You pass through a small sculpture gardens before entering the building. There is really no tour, just access to the seating area of the theater. You can stay as long as you like within the restricted area. You can not access the stage.

The theater was built between 1580 and 1584. It is one of only three Renaissance theaters still in existence. Teatro Olimpica is the oldest and the model for the other two. Like so much of this ancient city, the theater was designed by Andrea PalIadio.

In 1585, Vincenzo Scarmozzi added the stage set, the five streets of Thebes, for the first production held in the theater, Oedipus Rex. The stage set, meant to resemble long streets fading into the distance, is the oldest surviving set in the world. It is beautiful and absolutely fascinating. There are still productions held in the theater.

My selection of a section of the Adoration of the Magi by Paolo Veronese in the St. Joseph’s Chapel of Santa Corona in Vicenza, Italy.

©Jean Janssen. The Garzadori Altar featuring the Baptism of Christ by Giovanni Bellini in Santa Corona in Vicenza, Italy.

Leaving the theater, we made a stop at Tempio di Santa Corona the on our way back to the car. Construction on this beautiful church began in 1261 and the many renovations were obvious when you view the church from the outside. There are several famous works of art in Santa Corona. Palladio is buried in this church.

The central altar itself is a work of art with stories told in the marble inlays. The altar is lovely viewed from the front or the back. I was thrilled that I was able to get close to the choir stalls in back of the altar. The 51 stalls are set in two rows and feature buildings and still life paintings.

©Jean Janssen. So many stain glass windows are stationary. It is wonderful when you see one that actually opens. Santa Corona, Vicenza, Italy.

Boris was tired and sat in the church enjoying the views of all the wonderful altars added over time. After touring the inside and the crypt, I went out to the right side door where you could see where the chapels, all of slightly different design, had been added over time.

After Santa Corona, we walked back to the car, passing several beautiful palazzos. When we got back to Chiesa dei Carmini, the church was open so I went inside and was surprised by the beauty and the fabulous blue ceiling of this church. Returning to the car, my biggest concern was getting out of the walled city. However, by following the one-way and detour signs we made it out. Retracing our steps, we also made it back to the A4. Vicenza was the perfect place to end our Italian touring.

Posted in international, Uncategorized | Tagged Al Paradiso, Andrea Palladio, Basilica Monte Berico, Centro, Chiesa dei Carmini, Convento dei Padri Serviti, Italy, Loggai del Capitanio, Loggia Bernardo, Monte Berico, Olympic Theater, Piazza dei Signori, Piazzale delia Vittoria, Santa Corona, Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza, Vincenzo Scarmozzi | Leave a comment

Lake Garda, Italy

Posted on July 23, 2016 by travelbynatasha

Today we are going to do something a little different. Rather than a medieval city, we are going to visit Lake Garda, the largest of the Italian lakes and perhaps an hour and a half north of our villa in Concamarise. I had to talk Boris into it as he wasn’t very excited about the possibilities; he hadn’t been there before. However, that was the idea; at times, Boris needs a little encouragement to spread his wings.

We had to navigate the traffic around Verona which is really tricky, but didn’t have heavy traffic until we got near the lake where cars were bumper to bumper. We reached the shoreline at Lazise, drove through a few villages including Bardolino, and stopped in the town of Garda with an ample public parking lot (pay), at least if you arrive in the morning.

We had heard from Guido’s cousin that you could drive around the lake near the shore in about 3 hours on a weekday in the summer. Apparently, we were experiencing weekend traffic on a weekday morning. We thought it more prudent to get out and look around. At least with Lake Garda you are driving relatively close to the water and can see the lake most of the time. When we stayed at Lake Como and drove around the lake there, most of the water view was obstructed. You also drove on some of the narrowest roads I have ever been on with buildings that ended inches (yes inches) from the road.

©Jean Janssen. One of the few views not obstructed by white vans and tents on this market morning in Garda, Italy on Lake Garda

Garda was exceptionally busy on this day as there was a market in town. When we came around the ridge it looked like there were a hundred campers parked along the waterfront. However, it was just white vans and tents set up with their goodies. I would have liked to look around, the market definitely had items that were of better quality than we saw in Ceara, but I had talked Boris into a boat ride and we wanted to get started.

©Jean Janssen Ferry service on Lake Garda can be regular or rapid. The price varies depending on the speed chosen. Rapid routes are more limited.

We didn’t see an option for just a lake tour. As an alternative, we chose a city on the ferry route and made our way to Sirmione on the southern end of the lake. Lake Garda is wide at the southern end and then becomes long and narrow north of Garda. Our route gave us a view of the eastern side of the wide section of the lake. Essentially, we had reversed our driving route so we had the water perspective of the cities we had driven through.

Our first stop was Bardolino. On the pier waiting for the ferry, we had met a friendly Scottish couple who were staying in Bardolino. They have come to Lake Garda annually for the last 23 years and were staying for two weeks on this visit. They said it is a short flat 3-mile walk between Garda and Bardolino. They have a favorite coffee shop in Garda so they walked down. Since it was really hot, they were taking the ferry back.

The wonderful thing about the ferry is that you get the best view-the water approach-to these charming cities. This is clearly the way you are meant to arrive in these communities. From the ferry, we caught a glimpse of the Church of San Severo in Bardolino. The church is of old Romanesque construction from the 11^th century. Earlier in the morning when we drove through Bardolino, we saw the other significant site in this city, the Church of Santa Maria. Santa Maria was built around 915 on the site of a pagan temple. The church’s beautiful stone is what had caught my eye as we drove through the city earlier in the day.

Our next stop was Lazise, a walled city on the lake with a beautiful shipyard. Lazise was the point where the highway we were on met the road that circled the lake. The highway takes you directly to the city walls. At the roundabout, you see the Zeno Gate with the town name carved into the stone and a mosaic of the saint next to the opening in the wall.

Our ferry left the dock late from Garda and when we arrived in Lazise we had to wait for another ferry to leave before we pulled up. Fortunately the view was fabulous. As we pulled away, we got a better view of the walled castle with its water gate.

Our ferry had been hugging the shore for a while, but now we headed across the lake on our way to Sirmione. The sun was just beating down on us, but fortunately I had my hat and used the time when the ferry was stopped to apply sunscreen. Once the ferry moved, the cool breeze made the ride very comfortable. There are different style ferry boats, but all offer indoor and outdoor seating.

As we approached the peninsula of Sirmione, we saw people in boats of all kinds and a lone fisherman a ways off shore. There was a sailing club of sunfish boats and sunbathers on the beach at the Roman ruins. The Grottoes of Catullus were formed from the ruins of an ancient Roman palace and are probably best viewed from the water. You can explore the ruins while on shore.

It was time for lunch when we made it to Sirmione so we headed stairght in to the Piazza Carducci and picked a trattoria with a water view to enjoy the food and drink. After lunch we wandered the streets of Sirmione and went for a tour of Scaligero Castle. The castle has a cool split drawbridge, one side the width of a car or truck and the other a pedestrian width.

©Jean Janssen. The drawbridge at the CastleScaligero in Sirmione in Lake Garda, Italy. Note the two widths, one for vehicles, one for pedestrians.

The best part of touring the castle is walking around the battlements accessed by a couple of different staircases. The castle also has a water gate which is on the opposite side of the peninsula from the ferry dock.

There are great views from the high battlement walls and the castle has a nice new wide staircase to access them. It is a bit of climb for those with mobility issues. Boris was wise not to tackle them with his injured foot. An additional staircase takes you to the top of the tall center tower offering spectacular views.

After the castle we stopped in a the church and prayer garden and stumbled upon a public beach. Sirmione is a wonderful city to just wander around the streets and check out the little shops. I am sure visiting is somewhat seasonal here. I noticed that with only a few exceptions, the shop owners stayed open during the traditional siesta period.

Sirmione was very crowded, in fact the narrow streets got rather clogged with people at times. We saw a lot of families at Lake Garda, particularly at Sirmione. It is worth noting that Italy’s largest amusement park, Gardaland, is located just off the lake in Garda which probably contributed to the larger number of families visiting in the area.

It was really hot and we decided to get a gelato to enjoy while waiting for the ferry to return to Garda. Boris’ eyes were bigger than his appetite. After the relaxing return ride, we walked around Garda a little and were shocked by how quiet the town was and how different it looked without the trucks and market tents. After a gas stop, I drove back to Concamarise arriving in time to see a beautiful sunset.

Posted in international, Uncategorized | Tagged Bardolino, Garda, Italy, Lake Garda, Lazise, Sirmione | Leave a comment

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