Back to London

Hi folks,

I'll have to make this very quick as I only have 30 mins on this machine. Paris was great - after exploring the Latin Quarter including the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company (hang out of Hemmingway, the Beats, etc. - Burroughs actually wrote Naked Lunch in this building) we walked right into the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa, the statue of Venus (if memory serves??) among others. Up then next day (yesterday) for coffee and croissants (of course) and Monmartre and Sacre-Coeur (crepe chocolate-bannane - enough said!). Then last night we had the ultimate "date night" - back to the Latin Quarter for three course dinner, rented bikes and rode to the Eiffel Tower arriving at midnight; the only unfortunate thing was that we missed the last ride up the Tower :(but we won't complain); Meteo back to home base (which was Place de Clichy, fyi) and a brief night cap. This morning we locked up our backpacks at Gare du Nord before venturing off to try our luck on the Tower again. This time the line-ups looked a little daunting for the three hours that we had to play with, so we hiked up to Tiuliere (sp?) and rode the ferris wheel instead. Good times, for sure.

Managed to get the right train out and are now safe at the Youth Hostel right across from St. Paul's Cathedral in London actually anxiously awaiting our journey back home tomorrow (leave at noon, arrive at 2:35 - gotta like it).

So wanna see the pics? Well we can't seem to find the USB cord for the camera--it's either upstairs in a locked away bag, or back in Place de Clichy. So, pics will follow shortly after we arrive back home.

That's it I guess, thanks so much for reading and commenting. If you haven't commented yet, it's not too late, we'd love to hear from you. Definitely look forward to sharing more with family and friends when we get back.

Things we're gonna miss: gelato (number 1), crepes, cheap (great!) wine, the constant change of scenary.

Things that we're looking forward to: Steve Earle (!!!!!!!!!! Can't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!), watching the Olympics, Chester Race Week, Soccer playoffs, relaxing on Hyson Point.

Thanks again.

S & S
PS Wish the IWOM (Gina) luck as we try to salvage the Tour pic. If she's successful, dinner's on me and we'll post the pic on the blog ASAP.

Not Freezin' in Florence

Hey all!

First an addendum to the last post - I forgot to mention that we spent the last of the three days with the car touring Il Chanti, home to Hannibal Lecter's pick of the reds, as it were. Lots of way back roads, a couple of tastes, and one purchase. From there we made our way north to Florence fighting traffic, frustrating maps and Hertz's closing time. In the end, we made it with 20 mins to spare, and the shady Hertz dude only soaked us for 70 extra Euros - not bad for Italy, I guess.

Well, Florence, what can I say. High concentrations of Renaissance Art must make places hot. If Joff's out there reading, dude, it was like Cape Hatteras hot, and without the escape of the A/C of Dad's Blazer. Crazy!

That said, we fit everything that you're supposed to do in Florence in the three days that we had. Climbed the 467 steps up to the Duamo's Dome, Piazza della Signora, Pont Verricho, Galleria del'Academia (Michelangelo's David), and the Galleria d'Uffizi (Da Vinci's Birth of Venus)...pictures to follow but boring!!!! Well boring compared to the First Division European Premiereship soccer game between visting Barcelona and hometown Fiorentina that we went to. Actually got into this baby for the low low price of 24 Euros (not each btw, total!). The video says it all:

Il Duomo (we climbed the dome which is actually higher then the bell tower in foreground)

View of Florence from the top of Il Duomo

A David knock-off in the Piazza della Signora (original location of the statue). PS illegal to take pics of the real thing in the Academia.

Ponte Vecchio - the only bridge over the Arno River that was spared during WWII. The two theories are first that the order came down from Hilter himself not to bomb the bridge, or alternatively that the order in fact came down but that the general in charge of the operation refused to carry it out...

Our digs in Florence at Hotel Orchidea (Orchid)

So, we've arrived safely in gay Paris - yesterday, actually - and are taking in what we can while actually looking forward to getting back to NS with all of our treasures and experiences. One more sleep here, one more in London, then one in Mahone Bay before taking in Steve freakin' Earle in Hali, BABY!!!! Looking forward to seeing you all soon; will try to make one more post of the Paris stuff tomorrow night in London.

Onward,

S 'n' S