When in Paris, Google Translate to the Rescue

     After saying goodbye to Amsterdam, we took the early morning Thalys train from Schipol to Paris Gare Nord. It was a relaxing three hour trip, while chatting with a Dutch lady about her former work as a painter in a Delft Blue factory. I was hoping we could still grab some Belgian chocolates in the Brussels station but it was too short a stop that we counted Belgium as another place to go back to sometime in the near future.

     We got to Paris mid morning, eager to start our short stay up and running...but it was not meant to be. I had this "it could never happen to me" moment in the Metro when I was pick pocketed by two girls who already alighted on the first stop after which I realized that my purse was open, with my wallet, sandwiched between our passports and the envelops containing our pocket money, gone. It was not about the money (I had 40Euros and $11) but the hassle of losing my cards (good thing I had photocopies of them), my driver's license and above all, my lost sense of security that rattled me. So instead of proceeding to the Louvre, it was le poste de police we ended up in. On a Saturday, there were only a few of them there and none of them spoke any English at all. I filled up my complaint form and waited to be interviewed. After what seemed like an eternity, I was called in by a lady who was supposed to ascertain that what I described on paper was exactly what happened to me. She asked me: "parlez vous Francais?" "No" was the simple answer. The problem? She, too, doesn't speak any English! At that point in time, I was asking myself, why couldn't this have been Spain, where at least, somehow, I can understand words and some phrases? So...Google Translate to the rescue!

     The problem with that, to me at least, was: it translated words, not phrases which would have, in one way or another, made sense to me. I felt sorry for the lady for I knew that she was frustrated in typing the whole report to me but even if it was in English, some things still were lost in translation. Why didn't I take up my uncle in suggesting to me to study German and French in college before? Oh well, that was that and there was nothing I can do anymore. I could have allowed it to dampen the whole experience but this was Paris! And Laduree was waiting for moi!

     So after, arranging stuff with the credit card companies, we hit the streets of Paris, first agenda: Cathedrale Notre Dame - the quintessential French Gothic architecture known the whole world over. Not to take away from the picturesque facade and the impressive interior, I was after all just a normal Roman Catholic girl rearing to light a candle and say my petition to Our Lady! I promised myself that the next time, I would hear an entire mass there - yes, even if it is all said in French!

     Next stop? Avenue des Champs-Elysees - for my Laduree fix! Ranie was so funny when he was kinda hesitant to try the macarons but guess what, he was the one who finished it - relishing every flavor there was in his small box :)

     While licking his fingers to savor the last few crumbs of the macarons, en route to the Arc di Triomphe, he saw the ultimate destination for a chez like him -  Joel Robuchon's! He was dying to go in but we were not appropriately dressed for the occasion. This was Paris, after all! So there goes again that next time adage!

     And another thing that caught our attention...well, I'll let the picture tell the story:

     I wish I were her - sans the stiletto heels :)

     We took a few pics by the Arc di Triomphe then visited Gustav Eiffel's wrought iron masterpiece. We passed by the Louvre and my heart skipped a beat but I had to remind myself that Paris really was not a destination but just a short layover so I was appeased with the thought that more and better things were to come.

     Missing rice, instead of feasting on French food, we had Thai instead, with oh so many Filipino staff. Food was great and yes, we got what we paid for.

     We had an early night...too exhausted from all the ebbs and flows of this one eventful day...besides, another early train ride to Luzern, Switzerland awaited for us in the morning so it was time to say: "Au revoir, Paris!"

Of Tulips, Windmills and Holland

     This has been long overdue but nevertheless, here I am with whatever I can recall regarding our European Sojourn Part Deux...

     After working 12 hours the night before, we went straight to the airport, boarded our flight to Philly, en route to Schipol Airport. Hoping for at least a short nap in the plane was too tall an order for my adrenaline has already taken my mind and my heart to Amsterdam way ahead of our flight.

     Springtime in Holland - only one thing to do - see the tulips! Knowing that they are my favorite flowers in the whole world, we made sure that we scheduled our arrival in Amsterdam during the time that Keukenhof was still open. While we were kinda concerned that we were arriving late in the season, Keukenhof was a sight to behold. Words could never do justice as to how beautiful this garden is. I love tulips - what more can I say? Ranie's downside? Eating the raw herring (which is one of the staples in the Netherlands). He kinda had a short Andrew Zimmern moment but recovered quickly enough to continue our search to see a real windmill.

    
     After spending a little over half of our first day in Keukenhof, it was time to explore the rest of Amsterdam. We took the train from Schipol to Amsterdam Centraal where we took a canal cruise to enjoy the sights and neighborhoods of this liberal city. I loved taking pictures of bicycles parked by the bridges that bypassed the countless canals we went through. For me - that was the epitome of Amsterdam; the Amsterdam I used to see in pictures! As for Ranie, he had two things in mind - an authentic Dutch meal and the Red Light District!

     Lucky for us, one of my closest friends in college lives in Netherlands and she was able to show us around, describing Amsterdam from a local's point of view. Of course, it didn't hurt that she spoke fluent Dutch so there goes that language barrier - although Dutch people are very fluent in English, maybe because UK is close by?

     The next day was spent with another family friend, this time the destination was Noord Holland - in desperate search for whatever was left of the tulip fields - all for moi! While we found what we were looking for, I found another thing I loved about Holland - Goat's cheese salad with baby spinach, walnuts and honey dressing! Hmmm, just thinking about it makes me drool!

     As if it were not enough, we were treated to another surprise - Kastel de Haar in Utrecht. Too bad, it was already closed but nevertheless, the lady was kind enough to let us in the grounds to appreciate a real Medieval castle from the outside.

     Surely, two days was not enough to enjoy everything about Amsterdam and the Netherlands (haven't even started on Van Goghs, Rembrandts and Anne Frank!) but as what Ranie said: "then, there's a reason for us to go back." Amen!

Pure Michigan

     Ranie and I agreed that we needed a short break from the usual humdrum of our daily life. We wanted to go to Orlando so badly but considering that he only has a few days off to enjoy, we opted to explore somewhere closer. But where to go was the big question? I was thinking Lake Geneva, considered the Newport of the West and is only 2 hours away but he said: "let's go somewhere where we've never been to yet!"

     So the browsing of places near enough to explore ensued. Then one day, he opened his computer and saw some pictures of Mackinac Island which I've viewed earlier and he said: "that's it! Book that hotel and we're going there!" I informed him that staying in the Grand Hotel will cost him $300+/night but I'll keep looking. He's like: "Bakit ang mahal?" So I told him that it has always been a retreat of the rich and famous in the olden days (circa 1800's) but that I can find a cheaper place. We settled on staying in Mackinaw City and do a day trip to Mackinac Island! The next question was, courtside or lakeside? Of course he wanted the lakeside! Kinda hesitant but I agreed! Yay, all set now, aren't we?

     I had to take the first shift driving as Ranie worked the night before. Of course the last minute unforeseen things happened once least expected! For one, my phone didn't alarm as it went dead the night before. Thank God, I'm going on a vacay, otherwise...

     I was in downtown Chicago by 5am, and in 30 minutes or so, he came out and asked me if the drinks are cold enough! When I opened the trunk of my car, he has a cooler full of water bottles, Cokes, Gatorades and Starbucks! He also has a big bag full of Baked Lays, Hawaiian bread, Nagaraya nuts, Boy Bawang...This guy's fully prepared for this road trip! After I got my fruit and walnut oatmeal at McDonald's by the Indiana Skyway, the adventure began!

     It has been a while since I last drove for more than 2 hours! I was thinking, maybe, I'll do the first 3 1/2 or 4 hours then he can finish the rest of the way off. Since we had everything we wanted in the car, we only had to make bathroom stops. I've been telling him to go to sleep early as I really didn't have any plans of driving all the way but it took him a good hour or so before he finally slept.

     When he finally woke up, I already have driven about 300 miles or so (or about 5 hours). It was when we noticed that the temperature was continually falling into the low 40's, even high 30's! As prepared as we were, we didn't bring thick jackets as the temperature forecast was supposed to be in the 60's. Just as a precaution though, we quickly passed by a strip mall and got ourselves some thicker jackets.

     Asked for directions, the local said: "oh, you're not that far. Maybe a little over an hour and you're already there. Just make sure you don't cross the bridge anymore!"

     Ranie asked if I needed to be relieved from driving but I told him that I'll try to finish the whole way, if I could. And so further north we went! When we got to the place, we were so dumbfounded as to how beautiful it was! The 7hour drive was well worth it, and yes, the $10 difference in choosing the lakeview room was well worth it, as well.

     Since we were really so exhausted, we just had a dinner and called it an early night! No My Binondo Girl to watch, that's why :)

     We woke up early that day, said my rosary to this view

     Wow! That set the mood for a very exciting day! We went to breakfast early and boarded our ferry for a 16minute boat ride to the island! So excited were we that we didn't mind the cold and windy air blowing on our faces!

     Of course, first things first, we went on to downtown and located our starting point for the Carriage Tour! Meanwhile, Ranie got himself a venti Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks (the only chain store found in the island) which proved to be a lifesaver during that cold early morning! I loved the beautiful place but I hated the stink of the horses!

     I was fascinated by the tour but moreso by the absence of any motor vehicle (except for snowmobiles in winter) on the island! I just can't imagine living here! But did I mention that it was oh so pretty a place?
And then we passed by the infamous Grand Hotel! Too bad we were not stopping there for now but it was highly recommended to have lunch there. At $40/pp? Glad I still had time to think things over. As usual, it was a no for me but Ranie said: "we're going! Isn't it that we're going for the experience of how it is to live in the high life...even just for lunch?" I guess, we're going then! But for now...butterflies, and a lot of them, too!

     Then we went through the Michigan State Park, making a stop at the Arch Rock, a natural phenomenon Science is unable to explain. Of course since it was conducive for napping, my seatmate just dozed off. The only thing I was thankful for was that he didn't snore, although the rest of the tour group noticed it. I guess, even Oreo (our three horses pulling the carriage, so named because 2 black horses sandwich the big white one in the middle) did too! He woke up however, when we were at our last stop - Fort Mackinac - the old fort used to defend the island from the British forces during the 19th century! That was where we enjoyed the best view of the island and the Mackinac Strait (where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron)! Of course, it was capped by a cannon firing demo by a couple of soldiers dressed in the military uniform circa 1880's!

     Since the carriage tour ended at Fort Mackinac, we opted to go back to the Grand Hotel on foot, instead of waiting for another carriage that may take us there. That 1/2 mile walk seemed longer with the unpredictable terrain and confusing map we had. Nevertheless, we made it there! Hungry as we were, we went straight to the buffet. Surprise! surprise! The lady at the door was a Filipina so we talked for a while, since there was no queue anyway. When Ranie asked her from where she was, she said Davao and upon knowing that he is a Bisaya, too, she said: "hidlaw na gud ko mag bisaya oi!" And just like that, she added: "sige, bigyan ko na lang kayo ng discount $10." Yay, instead of $40, we're just paying $30/pp. Good deal! "Hindi, $10/pp na lang inyong bayran!" Best deal! What can I say? Ranie's charm never fails when it's needed!
Wasn't too impressed with the food but for $10 who am I to complain?

     At that very moment though, I was silently hoping that I was sitting at the chair used by Jane Seymour during the filming of Somewhere in Time! Then after lunch, we sat at the famous rocking chairs by the longest covered porch in the whole world and watched the time go by, Ranie sipping his drink that cost him more that lunch did!

     He wanted to complete the experience by biking around the perimeter of the island (8miles) but I said that I don't know how to bike. I added that I think I can handle walking the distance but he said that we'll just have a leisurely stroll towards downtown for some fudge shopping, of which the island is famous for. Good thing though that prior to buying we had a taste test for we almost vomited it in front of the saleslady as it was way over sweet to our liking. So we just admired the Victorian houses that abound the area then, did a little souvenir shopping then waited for our ferry for the mainland by the dock.

     Tired from the whole day's activities, we again called it an early night! Hoping for an easier paced day in the morrow - NOT! Actually, the plan was to just explore the sites in Mackinaw City but Ranie had other things in mind and since he's the driver, he took us crossing to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We drove up to Sault Ste. Marie to see the Soo Locks (like Panama and Suez Canals) facilitating the passage of vessels to and from the Atlantic into the Great Lakes via Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Little did we know that it was also there where the International Bridge is located. Had we brought our passports with us, I'm pretty sure, we would have ended up in Ontario, Canada, as well. So after seeing a freighter pass through the locks (pretty rare, by the way), we opted to eat at the Antlers, where I enjoyed my newest favorite seafood - white fish! We liked the ambience but loved the food!

     And as if it was not enough driving for the day, he still inquired as to what other things to see in the area. The verdict: Tahquamenon Falls - in some secluded place, only accessible by rough roads, with minimal traffic. I was getting impatient but glad that his 4G wasn't working in the wilderness so we had some serious bonding moment, just talking like normal adults do. After the seemingly endless drive, we were directed to the Lower Falls. Pretty! It has its own charm, as long as I don't compare it to the Great Falls in Virginia or the epitome Niagara Falls in Ontario. And then 4 long miles further is the Upper Falls! Also picturesque in its own right!

     He still wanted to see some grizzly bear cubs but it would be so far out of the way that we opted to go home instead. So we drove back to Mackinaw City and took a million photographs, laughing, climbing trees and just having fun! We then set for dinner, of course consuming my fave again and called it a night! Was kinda sad that the adventure was ending but then again, there are still others to look forward too, for with Ranie everyday is always an adventure!

Across the Atlantic

     The year 2007 started with us celebrating the new year apart - I was busy at work in a hospital in Chicago while Ranie was admiring the majestic flowing of the lava from Mount Kilauea, while also working aboard the Pride of Hawaii of the Norwegian Cruise Line. When his contract was over, I wanted to badly pick him up and maybe soak up some sun in Waikiki Beach but he had other plans. Cruising? Yes! Hawaii? No! Where to, then?

      He wanted to fulfill his promise of taking me to Europe! At first, I was kinda hesitant because spending one day in cities like Rome wouldn't afford me enough time to visit all the Renaissance arts I so wanted to behold. But then again, it came with another promise: this is just a preview! There will be another chance in the future to come back and just immerse myself in all the arts I could take until I say enough! Sounded like a fair promise, if I may say so!

     And so the planning began! Our cruise tag at $500.00 per person was a bargain, thanks to Ranie's employee discount. Our plane fare wasn't as cheap though, $1100.00 but it was all worth it!

     Our sojourn to the Old World started with a whirlwind layover in the City of Lights! Paris! So beautiful. Our flight was delayed so instead of having a five-hour chance to see Ile de France, we only had about an hour and a half. I was getting hopeless in exploring at least a part of the city but my well-determined husband really pushed for it. We don't understand the Parisians talking to us in Francais but that didn't deter us from at least admiring the infamous Eiffel Tower. It was so surreal seeing the landmark up close and personal and as an added bonus, Ranie had his taste of the best hotdog ever by the carousel in front of the tower, by the smelly Seine River.

      That opportunity almost cost us our flight to Barcelona but thank God we still made it with 2 minutes to spare. Spanish people were hands down cooler and friendlier than the French. We were able to locate our hotel with whatever was left of my college freshman Spanish lessons and the locals' enthusiastic help in giving us directions. We just strolled along Las Ramblas and had tapas at Txirimiri then called it a night.

      The next day was spent exploring the best of Barcelona aboard Barcelona Bus Turistic. From Placa Catalunya to MNAC to Montjuic, Placa Espanya, then along Passeig de Gracia where Casa Mila and Casa Battlo interspersed with high end shopping stores. We also stopped by the Barcelona Cathedral and had lunch at a Spanish restraurant owned by Filipinos in Barri Gothic. Then we continued our tour to the north side of the city, with Sagrada Familia as the highlight, along with Tibidabo and the front of Parc Guell, among others. Prior to dinner, we obtained our cruise necessities at El Corte Ingles then shawarma dinner while enjoying the eve of the feast of St. John (called Nit de Sant Joan) with gypsies dancing along Las Ramblas. Ranie also got his henna tattoo that night.

     Sunday started right with hearing a Tagalog mass in Barri Gothic, then we were pleasantly surprised when they started singing in Catalan, so we understood just half of the mass. After lunch, we boarded Norwegian Jewel for the journey of a lifetime.

     We partied the night away to 80's music, with the bigwigs of the ship. I instantly loved the smooth sailing cruising of our ship. First day was spent at sea so we just explored everything to do inside the ship. They have a gym, specialty restaurants (Italian, Spanish, Asian), mini casino, theater, the buffet, cigar club, bars, club and spa. They also have a business center and an art gallery. A feast for all the senses!

     Our first stop was the port in Messina, Sicily, Italy. I didn't really plan on doing anything there, just to enjoy by the port but Ranie had other options so we took the cab and went to Taormina, the vacation place of the rich Sicilian people in the olden days. It is where the Roman-Greek Theater where plays were and still are being held. It is situated atop a hill, with the blue Mediterranean Sea as its backdrop. It was then when I understood where Bella Italia came from!

      Back in Messina, we observed the largest astronomical clock in the cathedral came to life at noon depicting the spiritual life and history of the city. We went to lunch at a local trattoria where I had the best pasta dish, with quattro formaggi ever.

     The next day was spent looking back at the place immortalized in time, AD 79, to be exact. It only meant one thing - Pompei! We took the train to Sorrento and got off on Scavi Pompei. The citrus produced in Sorrento were amazing - lemons, oranges, huge ones! Of course, we couldn't leave without taking home with us some authentic Limoncello.

      Pompei was beyond words. We could not fathom how advanced these people were at that time, in terms of engineering, infrastructure and their overall way of life. But alas, it was not meant to last for it bore the wrath of Mount Vesuvius that one faithful afternoon. Homes, temples, bathing squares, ampitheaters - all destroyed by the overflowing lapilli from the volcano. Ranie was fascinated by the plaster molded from the spaces left of the departed ones - men, women, children, even pets. I found them haunting! So eerie!

      After such an exhausting but informative walk under the 100degree F summer day in Southern Italy, we felt we deserved a nice lunch and what better lunch could there be than pizza in its birthplace - Napoli! So Margherite pizza it was!

      After a couple of bites, I asked myself: "so if this is the real pizza, what have we been eating for the last 35 years?" Of course, that's the same question I asked myself when I compared ice cream and gelato. Gelato, hands down!

     Our third stop was undeniably the most anticipated one - Roma! My mind was spinning on what to do and where to go first. We took the train from Civitavechia for an hour get to the heart of Rome. Our chosen stop was of course Citta Vaticani! Seeing Piazza San Pietro for the first time was so overwhelming! My joy was so immense that I was unable to speak. "Finally," I thought to myself! Getting inside the basilica was a surreal experience, beholding a Michelangelo original - La Pieta - at the first chapel. The art works were Renaissance at its finest! The baldachinno was indescribable! The Swiss Army were strict. The two most memorable things we did there though were normal things a true Catholic does - hear confession and pray inside the Blessed Sacrament chapel. Going down to the Vatican grottoes, we were teary eyed upon praying in front of the tomb of the now Blessed Pope John Paul 2, which was en route to the tomb of St. Peter himself.

     After realizing that the queue to Musei Vaticani was too long, we decided to explore the secular Rome, instead! We visited the Pantheon (the only remaining intact structure of ancient Rome), Fontana di Trevi, Piazza di Spagna, Foro Romano and the Coloseo. Needless to say, we were eating gelato after gelato since it was really hot that day. Then off again to Citta Vaticani to meet up with one of our priest-friends who showed us the inner workings of the city/state.

      Livorno was our stop the next day, which was the gateway to Pisa and Firenze (Florence). We again took Tren Italia and immersed ourselves in the birthplace of Renaissance! The duomo of Sta. Maria del Fiori was first and foremost in our agenda. There I had the chance to light a candle for our petitions. Then we admired the baptistery door adjacent to the church. They were done by Ghiberti and believed to have ushered in the Renaissance period.

     We walked towards the Piazza della Signoria where a replica of Michelangelo's David stands proud! A few steps towards the Arno river, we passed by Galleria degli Uffizi. Ah, time,why can't you be my friend?
We just had enough time to grab a quick bite of pizza by the kilo before we crossed Ponte Vecchio, the most beautiful and only bridge left standing during World War 2. Our destination? Piazzale Michelangelo - one of the most amazing vistas I've ever set eyes on.

     On our way to the train station, Ranie enganged a lady in a haggling exercise which resulted to his purchase of a large back pack costing him $18 (they agreed to $20 since she's Chinese and he's Filipino, with their countries right next to each other but he finally pleaded that he only has $18 in his pocket). Then on to Pisa to check out Campo Miracoli where the Leaning Tower was situated. We took tons of pictures there enough to make us almost miss our ship. I was so dead worried since we didn't have our passports with us and the ship's next stop is in Villefranche Sur Mer, France. Long story short, we made it to the port with barely a minute to spare. They were pulling up the anchor when we got to Livorno.

      I was still shaking when we got to the boat that it was an early night for me - so determined not to have a repeat of that day since after France, the next stop was back in Barcelona. Still that didn't dampen our happy spirit, eagerly anticipating our visit to Monaco!

     Monaco was all I imagined it to be and more - in a word, grand! Rodeo Drive style shopping, Casino Monte Carlo, Palais du Prince and above all the most delectable gelato ever - Creme Brulee gelato, my new favorite! We also visited San Nicolas de Tolentino Church, the final resting place of the Prince and Princess Grace! I love Monaco!

     Alas, some good things never last, as our cruise ended the next day but there's still more Spanish adventures to tend to. Coming back to Barcelona, we again boarded the train and went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat atop the mountains of Catalunya, Spain. It was a heart stopping 5 minute cable car ride, by the side of the mountain ranges. We missed the choir but not the opportunity of praying to the virgin and also visiting the homes of the hermits on the mountain tops.

     Our last day was just spent enjoying the best Barcelona has to offer. We visited the Museu Picasso but since it was a Monday so it was close! We walked our way thru the Las Ramblas, had lunch at Mercat de Sant Josep, where Ranie had the opportunity to eat all the Jamon Iberico he wanted. And it was not cheap at all at 65 euros per pound at that time.

     Upon reaching Port Vell, we took the bus and visited the imposing Sagrada Familia. Gaudi was a genius far advanced during his time.

     Then it was time to go back to reality of life - back to the other side of the pond but we'll always have the memories to treasure that trip by!