Preparing for Charlotte

If memory serves, this is the 12^th time I have packed up to head to an ITEA (ITEEA!) Conference and I swear, each year it gets a little more hectic. Perhaps because the first time I went, we sent about 7 staffers and now we're sending 4. The odds seem a bit more stacked somehow. And I think that's what has me feeling so scattered – that we're all wearing so many hats while we're there and I just don't see how we're going to keep all those balls in the air at once.

The bright side will be traveling with Mo, Tamara, and Sam. Nothing like jumping into the volcano with people you really like. And I can't think of any people I'd rather be in the trenches with. The OTHER bright side is that a week from now this will all just be a horrible memory.

I am now mostly packed and shocked at what percentage of the things I now bring have to do with computers, cameras, chargers, and the like. Clothes? Am I supposed to remember clothes, too? Sam has already told me that she doesn't really need a suitcase, so she should make quite an impression in Registration. The one thing I really enjoyed packing was Flat Stanley – who just arrived from a very young cousin in Florida. I know he'll have some friends in Charlotte and it will be fun for me to try to arrange some adventures for him. I mean, I already have a camera in my hand – I just have to keep it clean since he'll be sharing his adventures with a first-grade class in Florida.

Stay tuned, we are bound to have our usual share of fun, frenzy, and really sore feet.

Paris and London: The Aftermath

When we left off, our merry travelers were contemplating their last morning in London as well as the long trip home. Here's how that day (yesterday) went:

Enjoyed our usual complimentary breakfast at the hotel (London is so expensive, it is always best to stuff oneself when food is free) before setting out for Hyde Park. We took the Tube to the opposite side of the Park and figured we would meander our way back towards the hotel. It is walkable, but a long walk - but hey, we're nothing if not seasoned walkers at this juncture.

The Tube was PACKED with morning commuters (we always manage to ride during rush hour) and literally had to cram ourselves onto the train. It gets incredibly hot and more than a little uncomfortable to be THAT close to perfect strangers. Plus, when it's that crowded, I can't sneak peeks at the ridiculous newspaper headlines about Michael Jackson's love child with Brittney Spears or whatever the gossip du jour happens to be. Those newspapers are EVERYwhere. There are usually multiple newspaper people in front of every Tube stop just handing them out to passersby and the Londoners LOVE them. 

Anyhoo, we hopped off the Tube and walked into the lovely world of Hyde Park. I intentionally wanted to enter from the northeast end so that I could get a glimpse of Speakers' Corner - though there was sadly, no one orating as it wasn't Sunday. People are encouraged to bring a ladder and whatever is on their mind to share with the crowds that gather on Sundays. In any case, the Park is just beautiful and Londoners are lucky to have it.

Walked to the lower end of the Park and exited to take a quick side trip down to Harrod's. Do not ask me what possessed me to think that I, an avowed "non shopper" (unless it's shoes and purses) would be able to appreciate the shopping circus atmosphere that is Harrod's. Seven floors of merchandise with countless "salons" per floor. I truly got claustrophobic the minute I entered and felt more than a little anxious until I got the hell out. We did manage to briefly ride the Egyptian staircase and see the memorial to Diana and Dodi Fayed - more than just a little weird - why on earth does Dodi's statue have his shirt unbuttoned? Eesh. 

Walked back towards the Park and entered at about the juncture of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Wanted to pop back in long enough to see the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. It was lovely and we just sat and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere for a spell. Loved the circular design of the fountain.

We still had a bit more time on our hands before we needed to head to the airport, so we made a quick stop at the Natural History Museum. It's another phenomenal free museum - London is full of them. Worked our way through the Blue Zone, which was chockablock with dinosaurs and mammals. A really cool "working" T-rex made one poor little boy inconsolable. (Scared me just a little, too.) 

When we entered the museum the weather was quite nice, but upon our departure, it was raining steadily. No surprise there. Popped open my umbrella and went on my way - just like all the locals. Had our final walk back to the hotel, gathered our luggage and began the trek to Heathrow. Our hotel was right on the way to the airport, so we jumped back onto the now familiar Piccadilly Line and were there in no time. 

My husband had warned me, and he was right, that Heathrow is a very odd airport. I absolutely HATE that they won't let you near the appropriate gate until just before the flight is boarded. They basically keep everyone herded together in a central area - albeit with shopping and dining options available. I was just a tad anxious since Sam and I hadn't been able to procure seat assignments in the online check in process NOR at the ticket counter. We were told to get our seats at the gate - presumably along with far too many other people - all attempting to stay away from the "hot potato seats" - those in the middle of the row of 5. 

So, when the magic board posted our gate information, we literally ran-walked the entire way. We were feeling pretty positive until we were randomly selected for "additional security screening" - thus nullifying much of our lead on our seat competitors. In any case, we finally made our way to the gate staff and got our assignments - in the next-to-last row of the airplane. Any later and I suspect we would have been assigned seats on the wing. I was just glad to be heading home - and to be able to actually sit for more than a ten-minute rest. 

Flight home was uneventful - always a big plus for me. Being in the back row, we were nearly the last passengers off the plane. Apparently we were the final international flight of the day, and they didn't want to drag over any more "mobile lounges" - so we were crammed into just one - and I mean ridiculously crammed. While we waited - standing, sweating, those in charge were milling about waiting for stragglers. Turned out there was one other bus, which a few smart people had gotten on. Finally our driver climbs aboard (over people, over luggage, etc.) and lowers the vehicle. Then...nothing. It wouldn't go into gear. He tries several more times and then has to radio to the other driver to wait because our bus "wasn't going anywhere." So...we all had to trundle off bus #1 and then get on bus #2 - only add a few MORE people. Fortunately, bus #2 had (shocking!) working ac, which made the quick trip positively pleasurable.

Immigration and customs were a breeze and before we knew it, Sam and I walked out of the international arrivals area to...no one. We had been texting Tony to keep him apprised of our status. He had taken Joe and the girls to Cinnabon to wait and we managed to get through customs before they got back. I went off to look for them, and in the meantime, they appeared. It was fantastic to see their faces - even though it had only been a week I missed them all terribly. Claire, true to form, kissed me, hugged me, told me she loved me and missed me, and then asked what I had brought her. 

And THAT ends the final chapter of our saga. I am hoping to do one additional post, sort of a listing of "what I'll miss" and "what I WON'T miss" about Paris and London. Sam and I were working on it yesterday, but it still needs a little time to percolate. Also hope to have a link to pics in the next day or two.

Ciao! (oh wait, that's the NEXT trip...)

Day 7 - London Blitzkrieg Part Deux - Last Night Abroad

Here's the rundown on today...

Left our hotel and headed off for the Soho District. Sam wanted to check out some of London's 'bohemia' since we did the same in Paris. Apparently, bohemians don't get up too early, because Soho does not exactly rock at 9 am. Shoulda figured that one out on our own. Next stop: Picadilly Circus. I knew it was much ado about nothing, but you have to at last give it a good gawk while you're here. We did - and then moved on down towards lower Westminster.

It was quite windy today - though the weather had improved quite a bit otherwise. Some clouds, but some sun as well. Not a drop of rain - a relief after dodging rain all day yesterday. We made our way down to St. James and Buckingham Palaces. As impressive as I could have imagined. Didn't spend too much time -- just did one of our flybys.

We stopped for another look at Westminster Abbey and then decided to come back later in the day - the Abbey was open late this evening and we thought it would be a better use of time NOT to stand in line and let the crowds thin out. So we continued across Westminster Bridge to take a look around Southwark. Walked right up to the London Eye, but already knew it wasn't something we wanted to do. Trying to spend out pounds as wisely as possible - the exchange rate still makes my head spin.

No day on this trip would be complete without some unnecessary walking and today was no exception. Our PLAN was to walk over to Shakespeare's Globe, but we managed to take a few wrong turns along the way. We did make it - but there were definitely a few moments when I doubted we ever would. LOVED the Globe and actually did the full tour. I know it's not the original structure, but it was darned cool nonetheless.

After our visit with the Bard, we walked across the Millennial Bridge and were met with the incredible views of St. Paul's. Found a nice cafe for lunch that offered a commanding view of the cathedral. If my husband is really nice, he'll insert that picture right about here. You can even see the writing on the glass of the cafe as you look at St. Paul's. Didn't tour St. Paul's since we knew we would be doing Westminster Abbey later.

Next stop: The London Museum. Really liked it - and the free admission. They do a good job of relating the history of London and it's so cool that the Museum itself is set in a part of the city with remains of the Roman-built wall around it. I cannot get enough of the Roman ruins - both here and in Paris. Warning to husband - trip to Rome needs to be in our future.

After the museum, we did another little side jaunt to a few markets - one was Petticoat and now I have forgotten the name of the other one - but it's near Brick Lane. Sam was really excited to see some LPs and disappointed that it would be too tricky to drag a few home. She bought a gift for a friend, which I won't mention here, because rumor has it he has been 'creeping' on my blog. (Hi Alan!)

After the markets, we broke down and got on the Tube back to Westminster - keep in mind that everything has been walking up to this point. Got there a little earlier than we intended, so we stopped for drinks and relaxed in the park area in front of the Abbey and read for a bit. Finally entered at about 5:30. It was a great time to visit - not crowded at all.

My impressions of Westminster Abbey: it's gorgeous. Beautifully constructed and engineered so long ago that it makes my head hurt. But at the same time - all the tombs and crypts and such were just a little bit creepy. I mean, half the time you're walking over burial spots. Whose idea was it to just toss so many dead people in there? Who wants to be coronated with all those guys (and girls) looking on? And while I was a little creeped out by the NUMBER of dead people there, it was staggering to stand next to, say, the burial sites of Elizabeth I and her sister Mary, for one. How is it possible that an ordinary person can be be literally two feet away from the remains of a former Queen of England? Discuss amongst yourselves. Also really dug the Geoffrey Chaucer tomb. No pun intended, I assure you.

After the Abbey, we tubed back to a stop near our hotel and then wandered off to yet another pub (Sam's request) for dinner. I think she wanted to experience being able to order a beer one more time before returning to the land of 'over 21.' She got carded for the first time and I think she really enjoyed whipping out that I.D. Had a nice dinner - stopped by Sainsbury's for an ice cream cone (Sam) and some candy bars that Sam remembered loving while she was in Australia (for Claire and Syd - oh, and an extra one for Sam).

Tomorrow we hope to hit Hyde Park and do a better job with Kensington Park. Then, around 1 or so, we will have to head off to Heathrow for the flight home. So hard to believe it's our last night - though the thought of sleeping in my own bed tomorrow night sounds pretty darned appealing. We have genuinely made the most of our time in Paris and London and I feel truly privileged to have had the opportunity to see and experience the things we have.

With luck, the next post will be from home sweet home.

Day 6 - The London Blitzkrieg

The bad weather gods finally caught up with us today. We woke to light rain. By the time we finished our lovely free breakfast (not Paris pastries, but we have to move on) and walked outside, it had mostly stopped - but I chose to play it safe by purchasing a new umbrella to replace my lost one. (Still no clue what happened to that thing.) Sam and I bought Oyster cards for the Tube and then headed off to the Westminster stop. Naturally, we were following one of Rick Steves' walking tours. YES - Rick also has a book and plenty of advice that pertains to London. (I could do a testimonial, really.) As we emerged from the Tube stop, it was raining pretty steadily. A bummer as that was our first view of Parliament, Big Ben, etc. We began the Westminster walking tour - towards Trafalgar Square and by the time we got there, the rain had stopped. At this point, we really began to enjoy the walk.

We walked EVERYWHERE - Covent Garden, Soho, and just AROUND - before finding ourselves at the British Museum. We LOVED it there and spent quite a bit of time. The pieces are amazing - saw so many lovely pieces of artwork from around the world and throughout history. Particularly enjoyed the Asian art. Barely got a glimpse of the Rosetta Stone with so many people jockeying for a view (but it was still darned cool).

After the British Museum we stopped for lunch in a place that served baguettes (okay, we are still in denial about leaving Paris). Nice place, good food. Afterwards, we took about a 15-minute walk to the British Library. It is a book-lovers paradise and a big thrill for me. Saw the Magna Carta, some of Shakespeare's earliest works, and even some original pages by Jane Austen, just to name a few. It's an amazing place and I sure wish I could visit it on a regular basis.

Our next stop was the Tower of London - which required a quick trip on the Tube. Of course, just about the time we arrived, the rain resumed (it has been on and off all day). Somehow, though, it seemed appropriate to tour the Tower in dreary weather. Despite the somber tone of the history involved, it was fascinating. I kept harking back to the "Tudors" TV show on Showtime.

Wrapped up our tour around 5:30 and then walked through fairly significant rain to a nearby pub - where I got some fish and chips and a Foster's. Life is good. Jumped on the Tube and returned to the hotel fairly early. We just couldn't think of any evening activities that didn't involve getting wet - and it's also gotten quite cool as well. Plus, we're both pretty tired at this point. All the walking is starting to take a toll on me for sure. Just about the time my body adjusts to all the walking will be when it's time to go home.

I do like London - the people are friendly, there's lots of history to explore, everyone loves books, and THEY HAVE SEPARATE MENS and WOMENS ROOMS! (Rarely the case in Paris.) But I have to say that there was just something magical about Paris. It already feels like it was a dream.

Hoping tomorrow is a bit nicer weather-wise as it will be our last full day to explore this city. Hard to believe that we walked all the way from Westminster to St. Pancras, with LOTS of meandering in between - and then more around the Tower. A typical day for us. We have dubbed ourselves, "the queens of unnecessary walking" since we so often find ourselves backtracking.

Signing off for today. Cheers to all!

Day 5 - Transition: From Crepes to Fish and Chips

Woke up in Paris to a delightfully sunny day for a change. A perfect day to explore the Montparnasse area as well as the Latin Quarter - which is even more nearby than we thought. We started in Jardins de Luxembourg, which was gorgeous and only a few short blocks away. There is a palace, built for Marie de Medici and now used by the French Senate, I think. The grounds are extensive and meticulously manicured. There are even palm trees all around and a huge pond in the center of the park - complete with rentable toy sailboats.

Our next stop was the Pantheon - a magnificent structure and home of Foucault's Pendulum. It's other big claim to fame is being the final resting place of such literary greats as Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo. There are actually dozens of 'folks' interred in the crypt - halls and halls of them. And quite a few noteworthy - like Marie Curie. Sam and I have no earthly idea why someone would ever want to end up in a cold, dark crypt that doubles as a tourist attraction. Scatter me on a beach any day. (Well, not ANY day...)

Next we explored some more side streets throughout the Latin Quarter - again passing the Sorbonne and the St. Michel area. (By the way, the ONLY thing I bought for myself in Paris was a Sorbonne t-shirt - finally did find one). Some people leave with Versace or Louis Vuitton - not me - give me collegiate wear any day. (Yes, truly ANY day.)

We stopped for baguettes and then found ourselves just across from Notre Dame. We were so close that I had to give the old girl a decent farewell. So we parked ourselves in front of her and enjoyed the sunshine and her magnificence one more time. Had fun people watching in the square. We get such a kick out of the truly fashionable and those who just think they are, but are failing miserably. Others of us know better than to even try.

We walked back up to Luxembourg Gardens and relaxed in the sunshine until it was time to pack up and go. Sam sketched while I listened to music by the pond. Lots of people wandering about during the lunchtime hour. Had a little drama when a backpacker was, for some reason, asked by a gendarme to leave the park. He refused, kept going, and the two soon got into a shoving match. Very quickly, three more gendarmes appeared. They were having a LOOONG discussion with the backpacker. Soon, about five more gendarmes showed up and they talked even more. No resolution by the time I had to leave - about half an hour later. I took pictures, which are quite comical - showing more and more policemen showing up.

We headed back to the hotel around 1 pm, checked out and then clambored aboard the Metro for the last time. :( We hopped off at Gare du Nord and quickly found the station for the high-speed Eurostar train to London. Took us a while to get checked in, and then go through passport control and customs, but before long it was time to board. We LOVED the train. Spacious, comfortable, fabulous service, and a full meal - all during a two-hour trip. Sam actually turned to me at one point and said, 'I LOVE this train!' And she has been on more than a few.

We arrived at St. Pancras in London around 4 pm local time. That station is a bit of a zoo, but it wasn't too difficult to find our way to the Underground and the Picadilly Line. I was shocked at the price of a single Tube fare - 4 pounds (about 8 dollars) as opposed to about 1.25 euros (about 2 dollars) in Paris. We will need to buy a combination pass tomorrow, as we plan to be on and off the system quite a bit. It was a fairly long ride - literally across the city - to Earl's Court - the area in which our hotel is located. We quickly checked in and then headed out to stretch our weary legs. Ended up taking a LOOONG walk to Kensington Gardens. Very busy place. Took a quick peek at the palace, but we weren't really in sightseer mode - just trying to get some fresh air.

On our way back, we stopped at a pub and Sam got some fish and chips. I ended up with just a jacket (baked potato) since I was still fairly full from the train fare. Next we stopped at a grocery store to get my morning Diet Coke and a big bottle of water to last for a while. It was fun being in a grocery store and seeing the 'regular' people. It just feels so different here. I actually really miss the French signs and French language. It was comfortable - even though I didn't understand all of it. It is nice to be able to understand what people are saying, though. Yet on the other hand, London is such an international city that we don't understand half of the conversations anyway.

Tomorrow we're planning to do the 'major' tourist attractions - since the weather is supposed to be nice and we don't have much time here.

Cheers for now!

Day 4 - Beignets in Montparnasse

Today definitely began on a more low-key note. First of all, I didn't even wake up until 7:45. While I was showering, Sam did her usual breakfast run. My girl has always enjoyed her alone time on a trip - exploring new places on her own - and when it's safe, I like to let her do it. So off she went for pain chocolate and coffee (for her) and an "escargot" (raisin pastry) for me.

We got a bit of a late start but made it for our return trip to the Louvre by about 9:45. This time we visited the less hectic Richlieu and Sully wings. We really enjoyed it, particularly the Egyptian and Assyrian antiquities. We even saw the original tablet of Hammurabi's Code

After finishing up at the Louvre around 11:30, we began our long trek up thru the Tuileries and then the entire length of the Champs-Elysees. As usual, the weather looked threatening the entire time and, as usual, we felt not a single drop of rain. We have been so lucky. It has been cool though - only mid 60s and usually a stiff breeze and no sun. But we came prepares with layers and all the hiking around ensures that we stay fairly warm.

We stopped at a tiny cafe in the Tuileries for some tomato and fresh mozzarella on baguettes (so good) before the serious walking began.

There was tons of construction and other impediments, but we did our best to stay on course. We were less than impresses with all the high-end shops near the Arc de Triomphe and gave them a wide berth (hope my husband is reading this part).

Finally arrived at the Arc and were delighted to find 1) no lines to climb to the top and 2) that our Museum Passes covered the admission. It was a long climb up about a bazillion steps (on very sore and tired feet and legs) but so worthwhile. We loved being at the top and having a commanding view of this city that we both already love.

Our next stop, we decided on the spur of the moment, would be Montmartre. Since one of our favorite activities tends to be exploring interesting areas of the city, it seemed a logical choice.

And it WAS a good choice. We wandered every inch of Montmartre,including Sacre Coeur (arg! More stairs!) and the bohemian little artist area nearby. A wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

We had a long Metro ride "home" but feel very comfortable with our ability to get around the city now. Sam laughed her head off when we arrived at our stop and I popped up to unlatch the door - trying to be the seasoned professional. Suddenly the train gave a final lurch and I literally flew into the wall - while trying to maintain my dignity. Not an easy task when your 18 year old is laughing at you. And speaking of Sam, she has been very well received in Paris. Not just the guys - who have blown kisses at her and shouted "I love you!" across the street, but the average Paisienne, who just appreciates the fact that this American teenager actually bothered to learn French.

We came back to the hotel early and had a little coffee (Sam again) and wine in our hotel's "lounge" area while I read and Sam sketched a little. Later we went out to dinner at one of the creperies on what we have come to call "Crepe Row" - the street adjacent to ours on which we have actually counted 10 separate creperies.

Hard to believe it's already our final night in Paris - we leave for London via train tomorrow afternoon. I have to say that we took Paris by storm and have seen a LOT - with tomorrow morning still to go.

So far, so amazing.

Day 3 - Slow Bus to Versailles

I was proud of myself this morning for getting up at 7 - while trying hard to forget it was actually 1am at home. My goal was to make it to Versailles when it opened at 9 - as per Travel God Rick Steves' advice. (side note: we see SO many people lugging Rick's book around. We realize now we should be taking photos of all of them.)

Anyway, all went well until we attempted to transfer from the Metro to the RER - which serves the outlying areas. We didn't discover until later that a large section of RER is out of service, so we couldn't understand why we couldn't seem to get where we wanted to go.

We foolishly took the advice of a Metro employee who literally sent us miles in the wrong direction. We ended up in the town of Boulogne - a lovely town - but not Versailles. We emerged from the Metro with no earthly idea of how to get where we needed to go. It would be like ending up in Silver Spring when you need to be in Vienna.

Fortunately Boulogne has one hotel with an intelligent desk clerk who explained how to get to a bus station. After a LONG walk (I estimate 2 miles) we found it and were thrilled to find a bus that was actually going to Versailles - which we actually reached - half an hour and about 20 stops later. I actually enjoyed the bus ride as it gave me an opportunity to see "regular" French people in a town just going about their day. In any case, we arrived, albeit more than an hour behind our intended time.

There is just no possible way to prepare yourself for your first sight of Versailles. It is overwhelming in size, grandiosity, and GOLD. The weather was another of those cloudy/sunny/cloudy days and as we crested the hill, the sun seemed to be shining just on the palace. Can't wait to download those pics.

Despite our late arrival there were no lines to speak of (thanks to Rick and the Museum Pass). The lines grew throughout the day and by the time we left around 4 there were hundreds of people queued up in the two lines they would have to get thru.

Unfortunately inside the Chateau was already packed. At some points we would reach human gridlock. Despite the complete lack of personal space the tour was absolutely incredible. Sam again read thru Rick's book (at one point we heard another Rickophile reading the exact same passage) as we toured the various salons and chambers and breathtaking hallways. Took many photos.

After completing the Chateau tour we walked down the hill to the actual town of Versailles for a quick lunch before starting out on the tour of the Versailles gardens. It would turn out that we would soon need all the energy we could get.

You know you read these darned guidebooks but sometimes you just cannot wrap your brain around the scope of what you are about to see. The Versailles Gardens are a good example. I expected a leisurely stroll thru some pretty flower beds. Uh...no. The gardens are simply massive - on a scale I don't think I have ever seen. They go on forever in every direction with perfectly pruned trees and bushes and flowers as far as you can see. There is even a Grand Canal for Pete's sake and they actually imported real gondoliers from Venice to work them!Our next stop (which required another ridiculously long walk) was the Trianon area where the kings and queens would go to lead more simple life. Yeah, right. A series of mini mansions with yet more opulent furnishings and grounds. They said that they would completely change all the flowers in the garden each day to suit the king's mood.

Our last stop, which we got partially lost trying to find (today there was only one direction for us and it was wrong) was the little village that was created for Marie Antoinette. Absolutely wonderful little houses with farmland and livestock all around. (The smell of cows always brings me right back to Frederick!).

Finally we started the long walk back to the Chateau. There is a convenient little tram don't you know - but they charge you 3.50 Euros for the privilege - so it would have been about 10 dollars for the two of us. We walked on principle. The train ride all the way back to Paris was cheaper!
Speaking of the train, we did finally find it and made it back to city. However, it dumped us off several stops short of our actual destination, which is how we finally figured out the RER issue.

Made the most of our premature exit and wandered to St Germain Des Pres, near the Orsay for dinner at a cafe. I had a wonderful Quiche Lorraine. Then a walk to another Metro stop and a very crowded trip back to the hotel. Sam and I took our books downstairs and read for a while. She wandered out to get herself some coffee too. I had the brilliant idea of using the computer in the hotel lobby and was so excited not to have to use my iPhone for yet another epic update. Not so fast! I quickly realized that the keyboard, presumably a French version, has all the keys in different places! WTH? I was crushed when I understood that this keyboard would be even slower. Arg! Then, after beginning this entry (via email to my dear husband who is posting on my behalf) twice, my phone froze up and I lost it all. I ended up sending it to him in smaller pieces. Thanks, Honey!

Tomorrow we hope to finish up the Louvre and then explore the Champs-Elysees area and see the Arc de Triomphe. Fortunately we will not need any buses or RER trains to get there!

Bonne nuit from Paris.