July 13-15: Madrid

Madrid is a wonderful city! It feels like one big small town of 4 million people. There is a warm, hospitable energy to the city. The city is well suited for walking, shopping, and people watching. You can safely walk about the streets after midnight with the many people still out and about. There is also an expansive and modern subway system making it easy to get around. Like Toledo, our hotel was near a "Puerta del Sol"... this time, however, this refers to a central Plaza of the city were some main streets intersect:

We were also near the Plaza Mayor, a place that charmed Ernest Hemingway:

On our first full day we visited the Reina Sofia museum of modern art. It has a great collection of Picasso, including his famous Guernica masterpiece. But mostly this visit affirmed our lack of enthusiasm for modern art.

We also visited Retrio Park:

Our second day we visited the Royal Palace, the residence of the Spanish monarchy. (Currently the King and Queen live elsewhere, but use this palace ceremonially.)

The rooms are exceedingly ornate, each unique. Here is the throne room (this picture is a bit blurry because of the time exposure).

The down side was the hot spell while we were in Madrid, with temps pushing 100 degrees! Jamie cooled off in a fountain near the Palace:

On our final night, we enjoyed a visit to a "meson", which are some cave-like taverns near Plaza Mayor featuring tapas and cheesy live music.

The next morning, after our usual morning stop at a nearby cafe for some Cafe con Leche (a Latte) and pastry, and doing our laundry, we were off to our final country, Britian!

July 11-12: Toledo

Since the 2nd class tickets were sold out, we sat first-class on our train ride to Toledo (tranfering in Madrid). We spent an evening and a day in Toledo, a walled city on a hill and the former capital of Spain. There were lots of narrow, zig-zagging streets reminding us of Venice. in Our hotel sat near one of the old gates to the city, the Puerta del Sol:

The most spectaular site in the city is the Cathedral. While not as big a St. Peters, the inside is more detailed and fascinating -- you can spend a couple of hours seeing everything. Lots of stained glass windows and different rooms, and a unique skylight cut into the ceiling to light the front of the church.

While there are masses held, and area devoted for people to come pray, it is sad to note that many churches like this in Europe are more tourists sites now than places of worhsip.

We also took a forty-minute "train" ride around the city. While this seems a bit cheesy, the train took us around the river gorge which surrounds three sides of the city, offering spectacular views.

Toledo is known for its sword making (Scott bought one here during his visit in 1989), and marzipan candies (yum). After our short stay in Toledo, we boarded a train for Madrid!

July 9-10: Valencia

A word about European low-fare carriers: we are traveling between countries by airplane rather than train. I actually only costs about $50 a person! Of course, it's rather uncomfortable, with about 190 passengers crammed into a 737 in seats that don't recline. Flying must be a rather new phenomenon for some Europeans, as the whole cabin spontoneously burst into applause when we landed, as if to say, "It's a miracle we're still alive, good job!" On Saturday morning, we arrive in Valencia, Spain. In Spain, especially a more ordinary town such as Valencia, there are less tourists than Italy. Upon exploring the vast local market, it was strange, yet more authentic, to actually be mingling with the locals! Also, less English is spoken here, so it's good Scott knows enough Spanish to get us by.

We stayed at a nice hostel near the Plaza de la Reina. The cathedral there had very interesting achitechure with a series of domes down either side. The cathedral claims to hold the chalice used by Christ during the Last Supper.

The first day we also walked a ways down a long park (made out of a dried up river) to the huge and futuristic City of Arts and Sciences:

The evening was capped off with a variety of tapas ("little foods") and churros con chocolate in the Plaza de la Reina.

Sunday was a day to soak in the sun and warm waters of the Mediterrainian!

That night we had a dinner of paella Valenciana and sangria! We arrived at the restaurant at 9:00, and it looked like they were closing. But they were actually just opening for dinner! Things happen quite late here in Spain.

Next, off to Toledo!

July 6-8: Rome

After a 3 hour stop in the Florence, the birthplace of the Renessaince, we are in Rome! Take the tourists of Venice, and add over 2 million people who live here, hot weather, continuous sirens, and cars zipping around with no particular order, and you´ve got Rome!

Our first day we visit the ruins of anceint Rome: the Colessum and the Roman Forum. It is truly awesome to see with our own eyes the roots of Western Civilization! Walking through the ruins, you can imagine what it would have looked like then to the Roman citizens, senators, and emperor walking about.

Inside the Colesseum (we want to go home and watch Gladiator again!):

Looking over the Roman Forum, a plaza for ancient Romans to shop, meet, and worship their various gods:

On our second day in Rome, we visit Vatican city. St. Peter´s Basilica, the biggest church in the world, is truly amazing. Inside, the "small" letters at the top are actually 12 feet high! We also visit the huge Vatican museum, with four miles of artifacts and Michealangelo´s Sistene Chapel.

On the 8th, we escape the chaos of Rome with a visit to the Villa D'Este gardens in Tivoli, a hillside city outside Rome.

We are also enjoying the Roman nights. People are out late and everything is lit up. Italian food is great: pizza, pasta, caprese, and GELATO!

Early on the 9th, we fly to Valencia, Spain!

July 2-5: Venice

We arrived in Venice on Saturday afternoon. On the way to our hotel, we run into Scott's parents on the vaparetto (waterbus)! His parents had been in Italy for a week already with friends, and we planned to be with them in Venice.

Venice is a unique city. Most who live here surely own a boat rather than a car. And it is a town full of tourists (without them there would be no Venice!). Our hotel is on the intersection of two canals, along a popular gondola route:

On our first full day (3rd), we travel to the glass working island of Murano and textile making island of Burano:

That night we go out to dinner for Jamie's birthday near the famous Rialto bridge:

The next day (the 4th) we visit San Marco cathedral and also take a gondola ride (not cheap, but we have to say we did it!)

St. Mark's Square and Cathedral

On the 5th, we visit the Doge's palace (the Doge was the ruler of Venice). After parting with Scott's parents, we board a train for Rome!