France : Paris, Tours, Loire Valley, Bayeux, Mont St Michel, Normandy, Lyon, Marseille, Avignon, Carcassonne, Versailles
Italy : Rome, Vatican
Winter 2015
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Sailing away to the South of France at Marseille
(Feb-2015) |
Journal Entry... So I find myself back in French territory after seven years... with the traveling hubby. Unlike that first visit, we were no longer intimidated to venture out of capital Paris. Now at ease to public transport, exploring the rest of France was the most logical thing to do on a return. Here's a toast to one city, or rather... "One country at a time!"
9-feb: Touchdown, Paris...
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"Pointe Zero"
at Notre-Dame |
MalaysiaAirlinesA380 made its touchdown on Charles de Gaulle runway, after breakfast service. Knowing better now, hubby and I breezed through the Walkalator and past Immigration, without needing an Immigration form. Arriving on the same Monday morning and expecting weekday traffic, we opted for the Roissy-bus, than taxi, for a fixed fare at Euro-11, per person.
Link to>>> Journal Entry: A Parisian Flair #france #paris #winter2008
Roissy bus terminates at Opera in city center, which was conveniently walking distance to the rental apartment in Rue San Agustin. By the bus stop was a Lindt shop/cafe, which interested the hubby. He told me to buy a bagful of assorted chocolate balls, which were sold by the gram, for sugar high. As if our excitement setting foot in Paris the second time was not enough for adrenaline rush.
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Paris's star attraction -
Eiffel Tower |
Check-in: #RueSanAgustinApartment. After settling down in the apartment, hubby had me accompany him to #TravelWifi's Bastille office to get the pocket wi-fi; Travel Wifi is run by youthful-looking Frenchmen. Last 2008, hubby and I had gotten the Navigo Card, and not forgetting to bring it, we had it re-charged with credit to access public transport.
Nearing midnight, hubby and I found our way to Champ de Mars, in the 7th arrondisement, to not miss Paris's star attraction, Eiffel Tower, on our arrival date. Like a Cinderella moment, Eiffel Tower greeted us with sparkling white lights at the stroke of midnight. And that was how I capped my first night, back in the City of Light...
Link to >>> Journal Entry: Le Tour Eiffel #france #paris #winter2008
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| Engineer Gustave's Eiffel tower at Champ de Mars |
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| Eiffel Tower from Trocadero area, in black & white |
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| I.M. Pei's glass pyramid outside the Louvre museum at sunset |
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| Whimsical art display outside the Musee National d'Art Moderne doubles as water fountain |
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| Place des Vosges in the Marais district |
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| Old Paris up a hill in Montmartre |
14-feb: A Valentine affair in Loire Valley...
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Da Vinci's home
in Amboise |
Hubby and I had (already) abandoned the Loire Valley itinerary for thinking it was out of the way. But the reliable hubby found a way to put it back on the drawing board, finding a tour operator online. Ready for Chateau hunting, we hopped on the hour-long train ride to Loire Valley, from Paris's Montparnasse station.
Loire Valley is known for having a concentration of fortified chateaus. Visiting four chateaus, in one day: Chateau Clos Luce; Chateau d' Amboise; Chateau de Chambord; and Chateau de Chenonceau (in that order), was made possible by #TourEvasion. It was more of an excursion than tour, because the group was left to a self-guided tour at every stop. Bound by no rules, only a leaflet past every entrance turnstile, I found it better that way. I had leisurely time to indulge in photo-op over some tour guide's tour monologue.
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| French-style houses fill up an area of Loire Valley, in Amboise |
Just like the plot twist in Da Vinci Code (American film, 2003), and while everyone's attention was on Mona Lisa encased in glass at the Louvre museum, I found the master Leonardo da Vinci underneath the Chapel floor in the grounds of Chateau d'Amboise - where he finally rested "after a glittering career in Florence, Milan, Mantua, Venice, Rome and Bologna, and crossing the Alps on the back of a mule at the age of 64 in the autumn of 1516," and bringing with him his favorite painting of a Florentine lady (now on display at the Louvre museum).
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| 1st stop: Chateau Clos Luce |
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| 2nd stop: Chateau d' Amboise |
Shuttle driver reminded the group getting off the shuttle van, hubby and I included, to take our lunch after visiting the first two chateaus, and before his 1:45PM pick-up time. Tip: When in Amboise, do stray away from the main road for #l'Horloge (Boulangerie & Patisserie); walk straight up to the clock tower, and past it on the right is where it is located. Foodie verdict: "Best tasting canard parmentiere, ham & cheese croissant, and quiche, which I paired with cafe latte, for less than Euro-2o." The French people do take pride in their pastry.
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| 3rd stop: Chateau de Chambord |
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| Chambord rooftop |
Got around to the third chateau in the afternoon. Chateau de Chambord exuded Harry Potter's Hogwarts school vibe... With a total of 426 rooms... 77 staircases... 282 fireplaces... and 2 concentric spiral flights of stairs that two people can climb up without seeing each other... had sent me and the hubby off to a chase. From the rooftop, sky above had turned to grey, and nimbus clouds hovered, as if warning You-Know-Who was coming. Such was the Chambord setting that role playing was inevitable. I must have overheard voices in one of the rooms: "Incendio!" said Mr. Weasley, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him. Flames rose at once in the fireplace, cracking merrily as though they had been burning for hours." [Excerpts, Harry Potter] It got colder in late afternoon in the now bare chateau; the chateau had been ransacked during the French revolution. Except for the voices, no, I did not imagine those flames. The chateau did have real wood burning fireplaces to complete a winter experience.
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"Grand Hallway"
at Chateau de Chenonceau |
No sooner later when rain started to fall... first in droplets, then down to a heavy downpour; thankfully, we were already inside the shuttle van when it rained. There's still a fourth (and the last) chateau to visit. Angels must be listening, because the winds blew the rain clouds the opposite direction to where we were headed. Only, time was running out as the Chateau de Chenonceau was closing its doors at 5PM. Group had thirty minutes to spare to run the soiled pathway to the chateau's front door, from the gate. I managed a photo-op at the "Grand Hallway", on those black-and-white tiles, before the chateau staff closed the door to the Grand Hallway shut to visitors. Staff nonetheless waited until I got myself a photo so as not to put my entrance fee to waste. Trivia: Chateau de Chenonceau, called the "Ladies' Chateau", was once home to Henry II's mistress, Diane de Poitiers, until she got kicked out by Henry II's wife, Catherine de Medici, in exchange for a lesser chateau. Chateau de Chenonceau is the second most visited castle in France, next to the Chateau de Versailles.
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| 4th stop: Chateau de Chenonceau |
4-chateaus... 1-day... 0-speeding ticket... "Manong Driver" drove the group back to Tours, without a scratch. Check-in: #HotelColbert. When we arrived that morning, hubby had dropped the overnight backpack at hotel's Front Desk. We returned to the hotel in the evening, after the chateau excursion, for check-in proper. We'd be catching the train to Paris in the morning...
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| "The Ladies' Chateau" |
Hearts aflutter everywhere on Valentine's day, even in Hotel Colbert. Monsieur Olivier (man-in-charge) turned out to be as cheesy as Cupid. Olivier's room surprise had me confusing Valentines for April Fools. Hubby and I were given the "Red Room"; it was painted red all over it was blinding to the eyes. Olivier's hotel came with colorful rooms, and that Valentine's Day, Olivier assigned us to the Red Room. In the breakfast nook, Olivier had Cactus Love - a uniquely heart-shaped cactus plant in a red pot - that Olivier put to decorate every table. My first time seeing a heart-shaped cactus had amazed me, I wanted one to bring home. During the breakfast service, I did half-expect the croissants Olivier brought out to be heart-shaped, too.
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Photo-op with Olivier
& Spaniel dog |
Olivier happens to be the owner of two lovable, and overly affectionate, Cavalier King Charles spaniels (dog), that were on duty with him at the hotel. There's (just) one thing I hope Olivier had gotten over with-- the shock when he found out, when hubby ringed him up from Paris's Montparnasse station, that Room Key no. 25 to the Red Room had gone AWOL, to Paris. I was the culprit... Right when our train had arrived in Paris, I discovered the key lurking inside the side pocket of my handbag, which key I thought was with hubby who had returned it to Front Desk, because I saw a similar key at the Front Desk on my way out... and my attention got diverted to the dogs, as well as the photo-op with Olivier. Hubby recounted Olivier had exclaimed something unclear, in French, over the phone. Hubby had devised a way to return the key to Oliver, ASAP-- Dear Olivier, Delinquent Room Key no. 25 had gone postal back to Tours. Sincerely, Two Peas*wink;)
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| Postcard Bayeux - the first French commune liberated on D-Day |
It was drizzling out when hubby and I got off the train, in Bayeux. Other arriving passengers were walking to town, with luggage in tow, because there was no available taxi at the taxi stand; we decided to follow suit. Walking to the hotel in the rain was sort of a Normandy landing experience.
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Old town scene
at Bayeux |
Drenched in rainwater, hubby and I arrived to what we thought was a closed hotel. Cleaning guy was out hosing a mat, who can't say anything clear due to his limited English. Hubby and I circled around the block to locate the hotel's formal entrance... which was also closed. Walked back to where the cleaning guy was, but he was gone. I was starting to get irritated by the situation... When the hotel owner came out to receive us at the gate, after the hubby had phoned him we were outside his hotel. He apologized profusely, explaining the hotel's reopening for the season was that day; hubby and I were his first two guests. Housekeeping, he said, was still in progress, as we had seen the cleaning guy doing earlier.
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| Eric Pean's Photocard |
Check-in: #ChurchillHotel. Hotel owner, Eric Pean, turned out to be a former professional football player of FC Bordeaux. I'm not a fan of any sports, however, and I had to Google him, thanks to #TravelWifi. I remember going down to the hotel lobby, pointing out to Eric his "Before & After" photos on the internet. Eric's face perked up seeing his photos. Eric excused himself and went back to his office, and when he came back, he was holding a Photo Card of a youthful-looking Eric Pean in an FC Bordeaux jersey. When you're not a sports fan, but an autograph from Eric Pean himself will not hurt*wink;) I had Eric sign his Photo Card, to which he added a short message for me, as well. What a cool guy, Eric's eyes lit up every time hubby and I greeted him with the magic word, "Football!" Hubby and I had a photo-op with Eric in the hotel lobby.
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| Bayeux cathedral |
WWII memorabilia, consisting of photos and objects from the battlefield, dotted the hotel walls and corridors. Those WWII memorabilia were donated personally by family members for display in the hotel, Eric said. But those photos gave me goosebumps when walking to the hotel room which happened to be located in the far end of the corridor at the second floor, especially at night.
But there's no time to rest on a travel-- a traveler's struggle. After hotel check-in, hubby and I went back out to the cold and rainy outdoors to begin exploring Bayeux. Because it was raining, we took cover in a museum, which also happens to contain the museum's best attraction: the Bayeux Tapestry - a tapestry of cloth and thread, 70 meters in length and 50 centimeters in height, and weighing 350 kilos, featuring the story of the "Norman Conquest of England by William the Conqueror". In a darkened room in the museum, the tapestry had been laid out in a glass case running the entire length of the room, in fluorescent lighting. I managed a photo-op, where flash photography was not allowed. When in Bayeux, must-see the Bayeux tapestry. Bear in mind, of course, there's two sides to every story.
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| Absorbing a 70-meter tapestry of English history at the Bayeux Museum |
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| A French meal |
Across the hotel was #LeBistrotdelaGalette, this quaint cafe alongside other formal dining places; hubby and I opted for bistro dining. An aged couple operated the bistro, where the wife cooked the meals and the husband waited on tables. Foodie verdict: "Got a taste of French home-cooked meal at the bistro-- a delicious and hearty serving of entrecote and duck confit. For dessert, I bought Bayeux's delicacy, called le Saint Eve - a double biscuit macaron meringue, from #Ordioni next door, which hubby paired with hotel's complimentary drink of Bayeux's apple brandy, called Calvados.
17-feb: Day trip to Mont Saint-Michel...
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2.5 km-causeway
to the Abbey |
I've been long wanting to see the Abbey at Mont Saint-Michel. Hubby readied his International Driver's License for the planned road trip ahead. However, he could not find an acceptable car rental in Bayeux, except in Caen, which is the town before Bayeux. The idea of taking a train to Caen to rent a car to start the road trip from there, and returning the car to Caen after the road trip and taking the train back to Bayeux, seemed to be a hassle of an exercise. Luckily, hubby had learned from Eric that the hotel has an affiliated shuttle service to Mont Saint-Michel, when hubby asked Eric how to get there from Bayeux.
By 8AM, the group consisting of seven day trippers, hubby and I included, gathered in front of the hotel, which was the meeting place. Because of the early morning road trip, as well as winter weather, hubby fell asleep inside the van en route to Mont Saint-Michel. Good thing, hubby was not behind the wheel driving, lol.
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| An Abbey built atop the island of Mont Saint-Michel is easily spotted from the causeway |
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Two Peas in
Mont Saint-Michel |
Three hours on the road later, the island of Mont Saint-Michel by the Normandy coast came to sight. It got bigger and bigger, as we got nearer to the causeway - bridge connecting mainland to the island. There are two ways to reach the island: on foot, or hopping aboard a shuttle (free-of-charge) to cross the 2.5 km causeway above the sea bed, one-way. Because the group was only given three more hours to tour the island, hubby and I immediately lined for the arriving shuttle. Sun on my face... wind in my hair... salt-sea permeating the air... eyes squinting 'cause I left my shades... was how I looked against the backdrop of an imposing Abbey. Tip: Never underestimate the wind chill around Normandy coast in winter; be in heat-tech garment and bring your fave shades.
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| Abbey's west terrace |
Trivia: Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, had a sanctuary built in honour of the Archangel, in 708, which became a pilgrimage site; in the 10th century, Benedictine monks settled in the Abbey, where a village grew around the walls. Pinnacle of my day trip to Mont Saint-Michel was getting to the topmost part of the rock, upon which the Abbey was built on a platform 80 meters long, 80 meters above sea level. No, I was not surprised there's an entrance fee to get past the entrance turnstile to a medieval stretch leading up to the Abbey. Mont Saint-Michel is a tourist destination, after all.
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| Like Saint Michael looking down on the Earth below from the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel |
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Medieval village
in Mont Saint-Michel |
Leaflet read: 1) Cross the Guard Room, the fortified entrance to the abbey; 2) Climb the stairs, the Grand Degre, to the Saut-Gaultier terrace. 3) Enter the Church... where a Statue of Saint Michael, depicted holding a sword and a set of scales, is at the parvis. Trivia: Saint Michael, head of the heavenly militia, appears in the Book of Revelation, fighting and defeating a dragon.
Leaflet continued to read: 4) Side door inside the Abbey opens up to the West Terrace... where I went to embrace the world, as one gets a sweeping vista of the bay, and aloud, "To infinity... and beyond!" Up the Neogothic spire of the church tower was the copper statue of Saint Michael.
Back to the leaflet: 5) Continue to the Abbey cloister, a place of prayer and meditation... where a double row of small columns, and slightly out of line, created a trick on the eyes. On one side were glass-covered arched openings with the most surreal view, like being Saint Michael, the archangel, looking down on the Earth below. Continuing with the leaflet: 6) Side stairway leads up to the Guests' Hall... as well as other dark areas in the Abbey, where I hurried to get past it and down the stairway to see another sculpture of Saint Michael, slaying a dragon, up on a wall; 7) Down to the Almonry below the Guests' Hall, where the Benedictine monks received the poor and pilgrims alike; and finally, 8) Down the stone spiral stairway to the Abbey exit... where the Abbey's gift shop is.
And then, those 3 hours of allotted time for Mont Saint-Michel was down to zero; no extension. Hubby and I timely caught up with the departing shuttle and made it to regrouping at the parking lot by 2:30PM, for the ride back to the hotel, in Bayeux.
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | FRANCE feat. Day Trip Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel
18-feb: Normandy sightseeing... Hubby had arranged for D-Day landings tour with #NormandySightseeingTours c/o Churchill Hotel, and I accompanied him. Interestingly enough, familiar faces from the Mont Saint-Michel day trip were on that Normandy sightseeing tour. No wonder we were all billeted in the same hotel. David, the French tour guide, kept his eyes on the road as he fed us trivia and secrets about the Normandy landings. A real pro, David can be occasionally funny. I must have distracted David a couple of times as I wandered off taking photos throughout the tour. My apologies, David:)
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| Normandy landings, in Omaha beach |
Proceeding with the Normandy sightseeing tour:
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| Group at Saint-Mere-Eglise |
First stop, Saint-Mere-Eglise. David pointed up a Church tower, where I spotted the figure of the American paratrooper who got himself stuck up there, unable to parachute down on the village on D-Day (and which actually saved his life avoiding the exchange of fires on the ground.) Across church was the Airborne Museum, which we entered. David said, I can go buy myself a "Cricket" from the souvenir shop, but I don't get to click it, until end of the tour. Me: "Sir, yes sir!"
Second stop, Utah Beach. En route to Utah Beach, David drove on a backroad, where I spotted a familiar scene from "Band of Brothers" (HBO Series) - a farm depot sans military trucks and men in uniform. At Utah Beach, David pointed to the "Hedgehog" randomly scattered around the grassy area. Trivia: Utah Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France during the Normandy landings - June 1944. While David did his walking tour, I fell behind for my photo-op and video recording; sorry again, David :) Shoeprints in the sand looked for their way home... Utah Beach looked deserted at first, until I spotted three others standing near the shoreline... and then, a runaway horse dragging a carriage, while the horse owner ran after the horse. One is never alone in the world, I thought.
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Two Peas
at Pointe du Hoc |
Third stop, Pointe du Hoc. David led us to the "Cliff Line". Trivia: Rangers had climbed the 100-foot cliffs under enemy fire, using ladders, rope ladders, or ropes with grappling hooks, or only bayonets and knives to aid their ascent. Pointe du Hoc had commanding views of Omaha and Utah beaches significant to D-Day landings, as well as the remains of bomb craters and military bunkers and the Pointe du Hoc monument to commemorate D-Day. Fourth, and last stop, Omaha Beach, where David also concluded his sightseeing tour. Dropping us off at the hotel in Bayeux later, David gave me the go-ahead to click away that "Cricket" souvenir from Airborne Museum. Me: Cricket! Cricket! Cricket! Trivia: The "Cricket" is a brass clicker the U.S. Paratroopers used in the field as a means of communication during the D-Day landings, in France.
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | FRANCE feat. Normandy Landings Tour
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| At Bayeux station |
19-feb: Train to Lyon... Station clock time was 8:30AM. Hubby and I were headed to our next destination city: Lyon.
As train approached Paris's Gare Saint-Lazare station, train slowed down to a halt; there was a security issue down the station. Because we (still) had to connect to another station - Paris's Gare de Lyon, train delay to Paris, from Bayeux, shortened our window of opportunity. Hubby was planning to take the bus to Gare de Lyon, from Gare Saint Lazare, but the train delay had him changing his mind in favor of the Metro which would be quicker, because the connection is within the station itself. Hubby and I caught up immediately with the departing Metro as its doors were closing, and managed to jump in with our luggage. Meanwhile, in Gare de Lyon, the station escalator going up the track for the train to Lyon, and which hubby had located after doing an earlier recon at the station, was out of order of all days, whilst hubby failed to do a recon on the station elevators. Time was counting down, and hubby forced himself to carry our heavy luggage up the non-moving escalator. Train doors closed right when we boarded it.
But, there was to be another issue inside the train, which was finding a luggage spot. Our reserved seats were on the second deck that we had to leave our luggage behind, by the train door. When the train halted at the next stop, I told the hubby to check on the luggage. Good thing, hubby did as I told him, even he went on muttering they were fine. Hubby later told me that alighting passengers had pushed our luggage out to the platform, as it might have blocked their way out. He recalled that a passenger was trying to lift the luggage back to the train, from the platform, and he rushed over to secure the luggage. Imagine how we must have dealt with arriving in Lyon without our luggage... Dang! Must I also forget about the lady passenger, who sat at our reserved seats looking innocent, for which reason I got confused finding our reserved seats, like crazily going up and down the bi-level train locating those reserved seats, asking fellow passengers who could barely speak English; the lady passenger got booted off our reserved seats; end of story.
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| Find Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "Little Prince" at Place Bellecour, in Lyon |
Check-in: #PlaceBellecour apartment. Apartment had a view of the renaissance district of Lyon, Vieux Lyon, on one side. While the apartment was ultra modern, it retained a period fireplace. One night I talked aloud in the apartment arguing about the trains with the hubby, when the electricity tripped off; the electricity had tripped off three times, in the three times I talked aloud, leaving the apartment in total darkness in the night. On a third time, hubby scared me from talking anymore; using an iPhone app, hubby had translated a "verbal apology", in French, which the iPhone voiced out. And guess what? Electricity did not trip after that... and because I also stopped talking aloud. #ghoststory
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Guignol world
at Place de la Trinite |
When in Lyon, must-see the Guignol puppet show. Located where the Theater la Maison de Guignol is, and over at Place de la Trinite in the old town was Guignol world. Theater staff suggested Guignol's musical Wednesday which, they said, we'd better understand consisting mostly of singing, than dialogues. Truly, action speaks louder than words. Hubby and I returned that Wednesday for the musical edition of the puppet show... like a silent film, and taking cue from the children's laughter when to clap my hands, while the hubby happily took a nap inside the darkened theater. [Cue in song: Je suis Joe l'escargot... Lalala la la!] At the end of the show, one puppeteer came out - Madame Madelon, who allowed the children to interact with the lady character puppet on her hand.
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Little Prince
at Place Bellecour |
When in Lyon, must-search Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince, his last whereabouts was at Place Bellecour. Off to one side of the square were the bronze statues of the Little Prince, and his creator, atop a monument. Always remember, "..what is essential is invisible to the eye."
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| Traboule 54 |
When in Lyon, must-walk the Traboule - Lyon's not-so-secret doorway/shortcut passageways. Thumbs up to us for finally locating one of the Traboule routes, and after several failed attempts at opening doors. Good thing, hubby and I were not held for trespassing. Tip: Traboule is between 54 Rue Saint-Jean and 27 Rue du Boeuf; enter and exit either way. Thanks, Samantha Brown for the Traboule experience tip!
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| Two Peas in Lyon |
One does not do away with Church tradition on every travel. There's always a time for prayer at the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere up on a hill, and Cathedrale Saint Jean-Baptiste in city ground level. Walked uphill to the Basilica, and took the funicular downhill. On the way uphill, like time travel, out popped the Roman theater-- by far the best seat in Lyon. At the Basilica was the Lady - a golden statue of the Virgin Mary atop the belfry dome, and watching over Lyon. Riding the funicular down to the renaissance district, there was Disney's Pluto-shaped tree branch, in a pot. And while in Lyon, still, must-jump the red suspension bridge to Passerelle du Palais de Justice, too, to cap the Lyon experience!
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | FRANCE feat. VIEUX LYON
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| Vatican, in 2015 |
23-feb: Roman holiday... Four years ago, I recall, I threw a coin over my shoulder that landed in the Trevi fountain, silently wishing for the Roman legend of ensuring me a return ticket to Rome to come true. To make it effective, I used my country's currency... no harm there. Link to>>> Journal Entry: Streets to Rome #italy #rome #winter2011
What do you know, my wish on Trevi Fountain was granted. Flying to Rome was not supposed to be part of the travel, for 2015, which was all about France. How hubby and I ended in Rome? Because of Pope Francis, who had gone to Manila as we were planning the France itinerary. [Flashback: hubby and I had the opportunity of attending Pope Benedict XVI's General Audience at the Vatican auditorium, in 2011. Link to>>> Journal Entry: Crossing Over to the Holy See #italy #vatican #winter2011]
So, I floated the idea of dropping by Rome, and going to the Vatican to see the new Pope (Francis) sans the crowd, which hubby said was doable; flight from Lyon to Rome was not expensive. And like Vatican is to Rome, so is Italy to France-- a stone's throw away, right?
Hubby and I took the Rhone Express to Lyon airport to catch the early morning outbound flight to Rome. The Bombardier CRJ700's sign read: "HOP by #AirFrance"; it was truly a "hop on, hop off" plane ride to Italy, from France. One flight hour later, hubby and I arrived in Rome, and back a second time.
Check in: #CampodeFioriApartment. Everything now looked familiar on a second visit. When twilight descended, hubby and I did the la dolce vita stroll to romantic scenes and sights in Rome, now playing on repeat. Ended sitting on Marker 365, up Spanish Steps, my feet on the balustrade. My lucky coin thrown in Trevi fountain did the trick!
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| Tre Scalin's tartufo |
When you've got the food drill like clockwork, in Rome... First stop: #TreScalini's "tartufo" (chocolate ice cream) at Piazza Navona. Missed it last 2011, because Tre Scalini was closed for renovation, now back in operation in 2015. Thanks, Rick Steves for the travel foodie tip:) Tagged Rick on my Instagram photo holding out a tartufo, to which he commented, "Looks delicious. Glad you enjoyed. Happy travels!"
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| Pizzare's pizza |
Second stop: #PizzaRe's "forno pizza" (brick oven pizza) at Piazza del Popolo. What can (really) go wrong with a smokin' hot pizza straight out of the forno? Hands down, authentic Italian pizzas will always be the real deal in my foodie list. But, when you can only eat a slice or two, and Italian culture expects you to have a whole pizza all to yourself... I remember the waiter getting concerned about our two half-eaten pizzas, and asking if there was a problem. Hubby and I reasoned out, "We're full from the pizza!" So, there goes our leftover pizza in a takeaway box... Third stop: #Giolitti's "gelato" (Italian style ice cream) near the Pantheon. Not so sweet, not so creamy, frozen right for the taste buds... like I last remember it; sweet dessert to cap my return trip to Rome.
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| Giolitti's gelato |
Knowing I was going back to Rome, I (again) brought a coin in my country's currency to throw in Trevi fountain. Who knows, I wished, it might secure me a third return trip to Rome. Turning a corner down the Trevi fountain, my smile turned to frown... finding the Trevi fountain with scaffoldings, a glass fence, and an empty basin. An elevated walkway running both ends was the only thing enabling the visitors to get near Trevi Fountain for coin throwing; I was not even sure if coin throwing can be done in the fountain's current state. What the heck, I thought. I went closer to the glass fence, and turned my back on Trevi fountain preparing to throw my coin... "Will my second coin thrown in Trevi Fountain ensure me a third return trip to Rome?" Que sera sera. Hubby reminded me not to hit the glass fence with a coin, lol.
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | ITALY feat. ROMAN HOLIDAY
When in Rome, remember to keep on walking, and going. 'Cause Rome is best explored on foot, and no other way.
25-feb: Wednesday at the Vatican...
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| Two Peas in Vatican |
Every Wednesday must be reserved for the Vatican. A bridge away from Rome at Pointe Vittorio Emanuele, hubby and I crossed the bridge to Vatican... to be holy. No matter how many times one has gone to the Vatican, it gives the goosebumps every time. That Wednesday, visitors lining up to enter the Basilica had reached the other end of Bernini's collonades. Unfortunately, Pope Francis was not around in the Vatican, hence there was no General Audience, sigh; a photo-op will suffice then.
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| A lesser crowd at Trastevere area, in Rome |
Rome has several minor basilicas... Hubby and I walked to Trastevere, from Vatican, and entered the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere for prayer. After that, we crossed the bridge over Tiber river and walked to the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, where there was a long line of people. One superficial reason why people lined up to the Basilica di Santa Maria is because of the 1953 film, "Roman Holiday", where Joe tricks Princess Ann into believing his hand would be eaten up by the ancient manhole cover - the Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth). Might as well test the myth while there, and for Bocca's sake. Before that, I reached to open the church door for a prayer inside, and Bocca after. Greeted Bocca just for kicks, "I'm back, great to see you again! How many hands have you snapped on today?"
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French Embassy
in Rome |
By sheer coincidence, hubby and I passed the French Embassy in Rome, on the way back to Campo de'Fiore. The French Embassy beckoned us to get on with the Tour de France, and on that note-- Ciao Roma!
26-feb: Alitalia to Marseille...
Question: What do you get when you are running late to an early morning flight out of Rome?
Answer: One nerve-wracking commute !!!
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| Arrivederci Roma... |
Got a habit when packing things for a travel, I turn OC up to the last minute. And for some reason, it is in those last minutes when time speeds up, whilst the order of things go... in slow... motion... Such as the bus commute to Roma Termini, from Campo de'Fiori, which was rolling in turtle pace.
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| Bonjour Marseille! |
Next was #Leonardo Express to Fiumicino Airport, from Roma Termini, which halted down a couple of times on its track. Hubby was definitely muttering aloud about the delay, while I prayed silently we'd make it to the #Alitalia flight check-in, with our luggage. Prayers worked; the Rome-Marseille Alitalia outbound flight got delayed; hubby smiled, while I was grinning from ear to ear.
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| Azure blue color out at the Mediterranean sea, in Marseille |
Back to our Tour de France... From Marseille Provence airport, hubby and I hopped on the shuttle bus to the city. From where the bus terminated, we still had to take the Metro to get down to the old port- Vieux Port.
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Chateau d'If
in Marseille |
Check-in: #LaResidence. Hotel room had a lifestyle balcony on its topmost floor, one fit for the Count of Monte Cristo. I had to be dragged away from that view every morning, I was madly fixated to it, call it love at first sight.
Y'all know what they say, "The view is much better at the top!" Rode the bus to Notre Dame de la Garde up on a hill. There, brace yourself against strong winds... no kidding. When the wind blows, don't lose it. Me: Le shriek! Atop the belfry of the Basilica is La Bonne Mere ("Good Mother") - the statue of the Virgin Mary & Child amidst heavenly skies and clouds. Meanwhile, somewhere off the coast in the island of If... the Count awaited for a sidekick willing to role play. Last ferry ride back to Marseille is at 17:45H... don't mess up; no second calls; set alarm. No one stays behind in the Chateau, not even the chateau staff did. Hubby had overheard a tour guide telling a story about a group of students who came on a field trip to the island, and one of the students got left behind; the misfit had to spend the night in the chateau, all by himself.
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| Vieux Port - night in Marseille |
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A medieval castle
in Carcassonne |
28-feb: Day trip to Carcassonne... I was an early riser, because hubby and I only had a day to Carcassonne. Hopped on the train from Gare de Marseille St-Charles.
Carcassonne is known for it imposing medieval citadel. on an uphill location, citadel gave out the effect of looking into the past, present, and future, by that one view from a bridge that connected from the old and modern parts of town, to the medieval citadel.
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| Past, present and future in Carcassonne |
2-mar: Day trip to Avignon... There's a children's song which goes in French: "Sur le pont d'Avignon, On y danse, On y danse, Sur le pont d'Avignon, On y danse tous en rond... The song was about the Bridge of Avignon. Off the hubby and I went to Avignon for another day trip, from Marseille.
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | FRANCE feat. Sur le pont d'Avignon
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| Half-crossed bridge over the river Rhone, in Avignon |
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| Bridge over Rhone river |
Dare someone to cross the bridge, because you might (just) be on your way to winning that pot of gold*wink;) Trivia: Pont d'Avignon (bridge), is also known as Pont Saint-Benezet in the namesake of Saint Benezet. Benezet had a Divine encounter with the Lord, who told him to build a bridge crossing the river Rhone. But, strong currents constantly eroded the bridge, and rebuilding the lost arches was costly, and the bridge was abandoned. Fast forward to present day, the bridge remains with one of four remaining arches briefly ending in the middle of the river, no longer crossing to the other side.
Paid a fee to walk on the half-crossed bridge... Under the remaining arch of the bridge was Saint Benezet's Chapel, and a balcony fronting the chapel that felt like being in a bow of the ship sailing on the Rhone river.
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| Papal Palace rooftop |
Avignon, most importantly, is home to the Pales de Papes ("Palace of the Popes"), which, in turn, became home to Sovereign Pontiffs. The Papal Palace has a treasure chamber underground, which at the time of our visit contained a few Chinese yuan bills and Euro coins thrown into the chamber, by tourists; it is said that the real treasures it once contained had been wiped out clean. Hmmm... Only a few are able to locate the secret passageway to the Palace rooftop, and I've convinced the hubby I had found the way up there... and we did. Up in the Palace rooftop, the illusion of a "Christian Cross" is carved out of every stone wall opening - a symbolic detail of the religious faith. Looking out to the city through the Christian Cross from the Palace rooftop evoked a moving perspective on life in general, I was silenced by it for a moment.
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| Two Peas in Avignon |
Papal palace also included ceremonial rooms, cloister, private papal apartments with priceless frescoes, and a counterpart to Vatican's Sistine Chapel, where no photography was allowed inside. But, who's going to stop a persistent photographer, huh?
3-mar: Last day in Marseille... I would almost forget about Marseille's delicacy of the Navettes, which were sold from a bakery near Abbey of Saint Victor up the hill. As I had a daily view of the hill from the hotel balcony, I suddenly remembered it on the last day. Thanks, Samantha Brown, for the traveling foodie tip!
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Four de Navettes
in Marseille |
Trivia: The navette is a cylindrical sweet-pastry with a citrusy smell. It is baked in the shape of a boat, hence called "navette" - oval shape, 7-8 centimeter long. The navette commemorates the arrival of St. Lazarus and the "two Marys" - Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Martha, in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in France. Hubby and I walked uphill to the Abbey, and searched nearby for the Four de Navettes named bakery, where I bought the smallest bag portion containing the navettes; the navettes reminded me of the "puto-seko" (from the Philippines), except the latter lacked that citrusy flavor. Accordingly, it is said that the navette is one of Marseille's rare biscuits made without a yeast, thus it can be kept all year round without spoiling.
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Le Souk fix -
Moroccan meal |
Hubby and I capped our last day in Marseille with a #LeSouk fix - Moroccan restaurant fronting the old port and a stone's throw from the hotel. A Moroccan meal for the road... and hubby and I ate it all up!
4-mar: Train to Paris... TGV (high speed train) brought us back to where we started with the France travel: Paris. Check-in: #PullmanHotel, in Avenue de Suffren and replacing the Hilton Hotel. Room came with a balcony view of Eiffel Tower, which can be best described as SPECTACULAR! As I've said, one can only truly feel Paris when Eiffel Tower is around... Seven years ago, I was up another balcony at the Suffren apartment, right beside Hilton Hotel still at that time, facing Eiffel Tower. Life is sweet!
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| Hotel balcony with a view - Eiffel Tower at night |
5-mar: Day trip to Versailles... Question, what is a Train Court? Flashback to 2008... Woke up early for a day trip to Versailles. At Bir Hakeim station, I bought RER tickets that said: "Train Court". Hubby and I could very well catch the scheduled 10AM train court soon arriving at the station... and stood on the platform.
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| Step on "Train court" |
Train court comes in, and slows down to a halt... But, the train's rear ended only as far as that first half stretch of the platform, completely missing hubby and I standing on the second half of it. Like a slap to our senses, hubby and I made a mad dash for the train court, hoping against hope to make that leap on the train. Running in 20 meters... 10 meters... while the doors to the Train court was closing... Dang! Train court resumed course, leaving us behind on the platform panting... and dismayed... and shaking our heads. Hubby and I had no choice but to wait for the next Train Court set to arrive an hour later. [End of Flashback]
So, what's a Train Court? Answer: Train Court is French for "short train", or half the length of a regular commuter train. Learning a lesson from last time, hubby and I made sure we were now standing by the "Train Court" sign at the Bir Hakeim station, to not miss the arriving 10AM Train court to Versailles.
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| A charming sunny day in winter fit for a picnic, in Versailles |
Surely on a third visit, I must know my way around the grounds in Versailles - one hour from Paris by train. My Tour de France would not have ran a full circle, until a revisit to Versailles. The grounds are open, and free-of-charge. It was a charming sunny day, in winter, fit for a picnic in the gardens of Versailles overlooking the estate, that day.
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Photo with Swan
in Grand Canal |
Entering the Chateaus was no longer in our agenda-- one time visit is enough and there's a check to that already. Hubby and I spent the day strolling the open gardens, as well as feeding the ducks afloat in the Grand Canal. Until one stunner of a Swan competed for attention with my camera. Every time I'd angle the camera for my selfie, the Swan would hover behind me also swaying its head to a pose; no Swan-whisperer trick there, promise. Swan, by the way, finished off my baguette sandwich; hubby had to stop me, saying the Swan might choke on hard bread.
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | FRANCE feat. A Day in Versailles
Time check: 6:56PM, back in Paris, from Versailles. Hubby and I had our minds set for early dinner at #leRelaisdel'Entrecote, in Montparnasse, to beat the line to the restaurant by its 7PM opening. We were second in line, arriving at the restaurant before 7PM; hubby and I got seats on mere walk-in. 'Cause Paris experience ain't done without those succulent Parisian steaks-and-frites! At Le Relais del'Entrecote, those steaks and fries come smothered with a heavenly secret sauce...
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Steak dinner
at Le Relais del'Entrecote |
What's the steak drill: On the first serving, consume it in under ten minutes, and call for a second serving; On a second serving, consume it again in under ten minutes, and before the leptin in your system signals your brain to stop eating; Don't expect a third serving, the steak-and-frites combo is not on an eat-all-you-can special (as hubby mistakenly thought it was, lol, eyeing the Japanese lady's plate at the next table who had refused a second serving, that he would have gladly accepted from the waitress for his third serving.) Bon appetit!
For dessert, I have wanted to order everything on the list, until hubby's piercing eyes from across the table told me I can't. Bestseller at le Relais, the waitress said, is the choux a la creme (profiterole), which is what I got. Yum!
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Chapel for the Virgin Mary
at Rue de Bac |
6-mar: Visita Iglesia to Lady of Miraculous Medal... Last day in Paris is best spent strolling down Champ de Mars where the iconic Eiffel tower is. Seven years later... I find myself standing on that same spot at Champ de Mars for another photo-op with Eiffel Tower. All smiles:)
Remembering the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, it was a must-visit on a second travel to the city, for a prayer. Trivia: In the Chapel, the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Saint Catherine Laboure in 1830. It is a pilgrimage site, located in 140 Rue du Bac.
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| Au revoir, Eiffel! |
7-mar: Au revoir, Paris... Paris, 1AM. I was out in the balcony to bid Eiffel Tower a good night. Eiffel Tower flashed its encore white lights back. "Bonne nuit mon cher... Until I see you again, Eiffel!"
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels | FRANCE feat. TOUR EIFFEL
I pulled on my trusty ol' Samsonite - that first ever spinner luggage I brought to Paris in 2008, now completing a circle returning to Paris in 2015 - I stepped out of the hotel at check-out, mixed emotions halting me by the curb. Always the hardest part of traveling is knowing the end part of it. Hubby nudged me to keep walking to the Suffren bus stop, where we took the bus to Opera and there, the Roissy bus to CDG airport.
Transit CDG-KL-MNL... Cheers to safe travels*wink #MalaysiaAirlines;)
oOo
PHOTOSTITCH
#France #Paris #winter2015
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| Flying Business on Malaysia Airlines... |
#France #Loire Valley #winter2015
#France #Mont Saint-Michel #winter2015
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| Photo with shuttle driver |
#France #Bayeux #winter2015
#France #Normandy #winter2015
#France #Lyon #winter2015
#France #Carcassonne #winter2015
#France #Marseille #winter2015
