Paris and Amsterdam

We have been back for a week now, but I wanted to include a quick post about the last 2 stops on our trip (for memories sake). Paris was AMAZING. I absolutely loved our little apartment in the midst of everything. We stayed a block away from the Notre Dame, and we could hear the bells ring each morning. The apartment was definitely small, but it was neat to live in the same building as Parisians, even if only for 4 days :) 

We spent our days walking around the city, stopping for lunch in different parks, or ice cream by the river. We loved how much green space Paris has, and it seems like the residents take full advantage of being outside to read, eat or just visit.

The trek out to the Eiffel Tower made me a little grumpy, so it wasn't my favorite spot, but the Seine River at night was magical.

We took the Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam and had two full days to see the city. We stayed in another apartment which was totally IKEA'd out, but really beautiful. It had a back patio off the bedroom complete with a neighbor cat who came by!

The other great thing about our apartment was having the Albert Cuyp Market across the street. It was really fun to wander through in the afternoons and eat food from the vendors. I also bought some great pants.

The best part of Amsterdam was the awesome biking mentality! We had free bikes with our apartment, but the idea of biking in those crowded lanes intimidated us a bit, so we just watched from the sidewalk. It was weird to see full families commuting to work and school with the kids strapped all over the bikes or sitting in a little wagon type contraption. I even saw one mom with 3 kids on her bike! It kind of made us realize why Americans are overweight when we drive our kids in mini-vans a mile up the road to school.

It's back to reality for us and a trip to Mass this weekend to find an apartment! I'm sure there will be times in the year ahead we will look back on our 3 weeks in Europe with nostalgia.

Rome

Rome was incredible in a historical context and it was also incredibly over-stimulating. The city was huge and bustling with tourists and thousands of citizens. Paris is obviously also a large city, but walking around all day and night here has been a breathe of fresh air. It's busy, but not as crowded as Rome. With that said, Rome was beautiful and wowing in its own way. Chase and I were constantly looking up and stopping to take photos (while also trying to avoid being run over by smart cars). My absolute favorite sites were the Colosseum and Palatine Hill ruins, because I couldn't stop reminding myself how old they were to still be standing. It was pretty mind blowing to look around at Twenty-First century life surrounded by First century structures.

Rome also had a way of making us feel like bumbling Americans. Perhaps our first 3 Italian stops were more tolerant of tourists, but in Rome there was little faking it. We stayed at a small B&B in the outskirts of Rome. It was about a 20 minute tram ride into the city center, but it felt like we were the only tourists on the tram every morning. The B&B is run by a husband and wife who live in the apartment opposite the B&B on the same floor. The B&B has two rooms, a common area, patio and kitchen. The other room was occupied by a German mother and daughter who knew less English than we did Italian.

The entire time we were there, we felt like we were in a sitcom. When we checked in, Daniella walked us around the apartment and gave us appetizers and drinks on the patio. Our room was still being cleaned because we were early, so we awkwardly chatted the best we could for about hour and she brought out a huge map to show us where everything was in Rome. We ended up getting confused about where the tram was and had to walk back to the B&B to get more directions before finally leaving for the day. The other awkward situations only continued, and I'll list them below:

In the morning, we came out for breakfast and the table was set with many different plates, bowls, utensils, etc. in a way that wasn't overly fancy, but it also wasn't American. We were confused, so silently decided to stick to the croissants which were self explanatory, instead of the weird meats and crazy looking toaster. Everything was delicious and made by Daniella, and every time we ate something, she would bring out something else to offer. I eventually had to turn down food, because I was so full! We were planning to go on a bike ride that day, so Chase had longer shorts on, and the German lady burst out laughing pointing at Chase's knees in a mutual joke with her daughter. We didn't know why she was laughing so we laughed along, and then I felt the need to explain in a miming bike rider motion that we were exercising today, so that's why my silly American husband had shorts on (it was 80 degrees out). 

Daniella made reservations for us at a nice local restaurant the first night, but it was very clear after arriving we were going to be the only tourists and we stuck out in a big way. 4 waiters came over to help us at different times. I ordered what I thought was a glass of wine because it was only 10euro, but it was actually an entire bottle because wine is so cheap over there. Due to the wine, I had to use the bathroom, but wandered around for 10 minutes until a nice waiter asked me: "You leave? You toilette?"

The second morning, we felt more confident at breakfast, and I reached into the center of the table for the only bowl to use for the granola she had out. After I ate my cereal, Daniella returned with a new clean bowl and put it in the middle again. She said to us, "the bowl is for garbage." Chase and I looked confused, so she demonstrated and put my yogurt cup in the empty bowl. Chase then started unloading his whole plate (plum pits, crusty bread, banana peel) into the bowl and Daniella became agitated and said, "no, no-stop!" The whole situation was so perplexing, as soon as we got back to our rooms we burst into laughter and couldn't stop. Why were we so clueless about so many things?!

In the city, we became hungry around 6:30pm, but restaurants don't actually open for dinner until 9, so we struggled to find someone that would serve us pizza, or something beyond chips and nuts. One cafe type place pointed to a small table inside and said it was okay for us to sit and he would make us pizza. We ate them quickly and then realized we had no idea how to pay because we never actually had a waiter. Chase walked up to the counter to ask, but the coffee bars are more for people to stand around and converse, so the tender naturally thought Chase wanted to chat, while Chase worked up the courage to ask for a bill. This song and dance went on for 20 minutes while he asked Chase what he thought of Swartzenneger, Mel Gibson, and Julia Roberts. Eventually the questions became more general like, "what is your surname?" "do you like New York?" etc. Chase finally said, "uh, so I want to pay?" and the guys laughed, "the register!" and pointed across the restaurant. We paid and laughed the whole way to the tram.

On the last day, I woke up feeling kind of crummy and after breakfast we decided to take naps before going out. The cleaning lady normally comes in around that time, but we figured she would knock. Instead, she barged into the room with the key so quickly, Chase barely  had time to jump up. The lady screamed and acted like she was being attacked by a serial killer. We were both yelling, "Sorry! Sorry!" and she ran out of the room. We later heard her telling someone what happened (we assume) in Italian. It was all very animated and dramatic.

The B&B was lovely and our room was incredible with a view of the city and delcious food. Daniella and her husband were the sweetest and friendliest people we met in Italy. They reserved our room, a car to the airport, and hugged and kissed us when we left. Daniella even bought us special treats and a painting for a souvenir. Our experiences were probably heightened due to our awareness of being awkward, but we assume we stuck out in that neighborhood, because we probably did!

I will close my long winded post with some more touristy pics.

Basilica

Vatican City

This moment below would have been more spiritual for me if Chase didn't realize his Ray Bans had been stolen and I was forced to shush him from repeating the F word while people were being blessed with holy water

Not sure what bridge this was, but it made for a nice photo op. Couldn't quite photoshop out my knobby knees.

Florence

Florence was amazing and we had an incredible little apartment right in the heart of the city. I enjoy the hospitality associated with B&B's, but it was refreshing to feel like we were free to relax and make our own food, sleep late, etc. in our private apartment. We cooked dinner every night with food from a market across the street. The apartment was loft style with three levels and a balcony that we used for coffee in the morning and wine at night.

I loved being able to walk around Florence and duck back into the apartment when we wanted a break. Chase and I aren't big city people, but Florence wasn't too overwhelming because it was incredibly walkable.

On our last day, Chase and I wanted to escape to the country. We looked at a bike tour that takes you into the Tuscan Vineyards, but we woke up in the morning and it was raining and we were lackluster. We sat around the apartment all morning feeling a little run down and not much like touring the city. I googled day trips from Florence and saw there was a little town called Fiesole that looked cute and it was only $2 for the bus. We bought our tickets, managed to get on the right bus, and then things went downhill. I felt a little anxious on the bus because we were the only foreignors and it was super crowded and confusing with a million stops. We take crowded buses all the time in Philadelphia, so it wasn't too out of the norm, but something felt wrong. At one point as we wound up into the Tuscan hills, 2 police type people got on the bus and immediately demanded Chase show them our tickets. He did, and the man in uniform told us we owed a "penalty" and seemed angry and offended. Chase stumbled around with English/Italian that no one understood. After about 15 minutes of yelling, someone on the bus that knew about 5 words of English explained to Chasen that he punched the ticket wrong at the main door (even though we paid the correct amount), and our stamps were in the wrong spot. We went back and forth with the officials explaining that, "No, we don't have passports" and "No, we don't have 50euro." We thought getting off at our stop would elude them, but they followed us and threatened to call policia. Eventually we had no choice but to give them the euro (about $65 usd) and as soon as we did, they both walked away. Chase was upset and I felt bad, but I tried to tell him we hadn't eaten out in Florence, so we needed to forget it and try to make the best of the day. Fiesole was a quaint village set in the moutains overlooking Florence with picturesque hills, farms and villas. We walked around for about an hour and then decided to find a coffee shop to ask about our tickets home so we didn't make the same mistake twice.

We again did the back and forth saying, "THIS OK? TO FLORENCE? " Chase got flustered again, and I told him we should just leave. As we were turning to exit, a little blonde woman jumped in and explained to us in perfect English why we were fined and where we should punch the card on the way back. She asked where in the US we were from and said her daughters lived in NYC and San Fran. She bought us coffees and pastries and insisted we stay for a bit. After we finished the expressos, she asked if we wanted to join her back at her home. We learned she is from Finland but her husband is an American attorney and they live in a Medici Villa. She gave us a tour of the home which had a million bedrooms and bathrooms--I lost count! Her husband had photos with Bill Clinton on the wall and what not, so we realized he was a big shot. We stayed for a few hours and had some wine in her garden. Chase took her business card and promised her we would meet her this summer in NYC, because she also has an apartment in Manhattan. It was so cool to get a tour of a home that was built in the 1400's, and the experience was well worth our brush with the authorities!

The 2 chairs below show where we sat to drink our wine--incredible view!

We leave Rome for Paris tomorrow morning, and Rome had taken a lot out of us (first world problems). Yesterday alone, I think we walked 15 miles. I've learned Chase and I aren't exactly city people, even though I've told myself  in the past that I am. I think wherever we end up for the long term will need a city close by, but to be at my happiest, nature must be a walk away. My favorite experiences so far have been from the beach at Cinque Terre and the quiet town of Fiesole outside of Florence! We have another apartment in Paris, so we plan to go slow and enjoy the city a bit at a time.

Venice and Cinque Terre

We had an amazing time in Venice and the Cinque Terre. I’m kicking myself for not booking an extra night in Riomaggiore, because I think it will probably be our favorite place from the whole trip. The Cinque Terre has 5 towns set up on the cliffs surrounding the ocean, and the views are endless.

Unfortunately they had some mudslides in October, so we couldn’t do the 5 hour/5 town walk along the ocean, but we hiked to the top of Riomaggiore instead. It took a couple hours and we probably went up hundreds (thousands?) of stairs. The view at the top was breathtaking!

The food here is incredible. I finally know what pesto is meant to taste like! Our town had a little center in between the beach and the cliffs, and there were several store fronts with little old ladies cooking pizza, pasta, foccacia, gelato, selling wine and fruit, etc. Twice we went to a place where you choose what type of pasta you want out of about 10 and then choose which sauce (pesto, meat, etc.) and she boils the water and cooks the pasta and sauce on the spot- then puts it all in a to-go container for €5. We think it would be a hit in the US! We also went to some restaurants in Venice recommended by our host Lorenzo, and the meals here are so long and thought out with several courses. We spent about 3 hours at one place our first night because they give you lots of free extra drinks throughout the meal (prosecco, different wines, etc.) and by the end the waiter walked out with homeade limoncello-about 3 shots each, and I thought I was going to have to drag myself home!

Chase and I want to spend a week in Cinque Terre if we come back to Europe some summer because we decided it has everything we want in a vacation, and there would be no need to visit any other locations or cities. The best part is that our room with the unbelievable view and breakfast was €100/night, which is probably equivalent to a Howard Johnson in the Midwest. (It should also be noted that everyone has cats here!)

Packing List for 3 Long Weeks

If you have no interest in seeing exactly what went into my bag for our 3 week trip (and wish to not be bored to tears), this post might not be for you. A month ago when my crazy self began worrying about what to pack for April in Europe, I did some research and google was absolutely NO HELP. I landed on a few TripAdvisor links that warned me to "Pack sturdy walking shoes!" and "Always have a waterproof parka!" Motivated to not be the girl walking through Paris in hiking boots and a North Face, I turned to blogs for help. 

Herpackinglist.com is an okay site for tips, but I don't find packing lists to be helpful, because I need photos for inspiration on combinations and colors. The best post I found was this one and I decided to base my choices on her suggestions.

1. I packed a simple cross-body bag for our day trips. Fits the necessities--doesn't weigh me down.

2. I bought this awesome backpack almost a year ago and will be using it as my second carry-on item.

3. My ONA camera insert fits all three of my cameras and can be popped into any bag for our day touring. If you have a DSLR, this is the perfect solution.

4. For Luggage I went with the LeSportsac Weekender because it was the lightest and most "expandable" option. I realize bags with wheels are awesome for lots of walking, but they also weigh you down and aren't the best on old cobblestone streets or stairs. I found the red version of the LeSportsac for $25 (compare at $138!) at TJ Maxx, and while it isn't the most fashionable bag ever, I fit EVERYTHING and it's half the size of an International carry-on rolling bag. Chase has one in black.

1. This skirt isn't exactly like the one I packed, but it's similar. I found it for $10 on the Anthro sale rack 2 years ago, and it's light and cotton and can be paired with virtually any solid top.

2. I found this grey dress on clearance at Piperlime, and I think it will work nicely for day and night.

3. The red dress was a gift, but I noticed Cup of Jo put it up on her blog recently, and it immediately sold out. Mine was in the clearance section back in January--it amazes me how influential her endorsements are! Anyways, I think the day to night concept again applies.

4. Striped H&M dress. Takes up no room and is very neutral.

5. I also snuck in a nice silk dress in the hopes I can wear it to a fancy dinner (not pictured).

1. Black high waisted jeans.
2. White jeans (not easy to keep clean, but I love them)
3. Black leggings for under skirts/dresses, long train rides, and pajamas
4. Jean jeans-because they are dark, skinny and go with everything

1. Black tee
2. Striped tee for sleeping and travel
3. JCrew white ballet tee for layering
4. A scarf to add some color to neutrals

1. Thin purple jcrew cardigan for a pop of color
2. Gap sweatshirt for layering and probably sleeping
3. My favorite Cashmere cardigan
4. An old faithful Michael Kors raincoat-via TJMaxx for $20 (I'm the ultimate Fashionista)

I  picked 5 tops that I could mix and match easily--2 silk shirts, a dressy white top, my H&M chambray and a cotton/silk plain blend navy top.

Shoes were the toughest to decide on, because they are heavy, but I hate not having options.

1. Lucky flats- TJ Maxx
2. The most comfortable wedges ever. No brainer for dinners out. (I have to admit, I did first see these on Cup of Jo before trying them on at a Nordstrom.)
3. Hinge boots I wear often and know will be comfortable for the majority of my walking.
4. I debated on bringing my Keds because we will be hiking in Cinque Terre and I wanted to have comfortable shoes, but they are about 5 years old and not in the best shape. Instead, I found these Bensimon's on a Zulily sale (allow approximately 3 years for shipping) and they are cute and light enough to squeeze in my bag.

Some other essentials I decided could fit are a travel blow dryer (my thick hair would never dry naturally on a cold day) and a travel iron.  Chase laughed out loud when he saw the iron because it looks like it belongs in a Monopoly game. I refuse to walk around with wrinkles!

The final piece of advice I have for packing is to invest in packing cubes. We each used a set with our LeSportsacs and everything fit wonderfully. I think it will also be easy to stay organized and separate clean from dirty as we go. I'll report back after the trip, but I'm hoping this post will help aid the cyber world when they turn to google before deciding on key items.