Eiffel Tower

3/23/2010

Waking up in Paris, at The Ritz Hotel, nothing like it! We ventured out into the streets of find a little cafe around the corner serving brunch. We sat down still shaken by my last french restaurant frustrating I was a little overwhelmed. The waiter came by with the menu in English! and he was surprisingly super friendly. Eggs, toast, beacon and a cappuccino and then on to explore Paris. It was a bit chilly out but the sun was forcing itself out the clouds.

J and I decided it was a good day to go visit the Eiffel Tower. We took a taxi over and he dropped us off at the foot of the tower. I couldn't but help but look up and think I knew it was big but this was huge! I mean the legs of the place was bigger then the buildings in the city of Paris. Which I later found all had to be built under a certain six stories high, there was a law of some sort. Any who we walked under the tower to find a crowded queue to go up. Not to mention the first organized queue Iv'e seen since europe. I seriously think if we have waited in that line we would've been there for at least minimal four hours. With patience as little as mine I wouldn't have lasted 15 minutes. J went up front to check out the scene. The sound of metal clinging together by merchants with Eiffel tower figures walked up and down selling shit. J returned with good news the line was only to go up on the elevators. A line on the right side with no more then dozen people was to walk up the 300+ steps to the first level. I couldn't help but notice my anxiety level grow with the flight of stairs I traveled upwards. We reached the first level which was more packed then most. I was a nice view of the ground level and the city. We decided to keep venturing our way up the the midlevel. On my way up I started shaking, my knees felt weak, legs started to wobble. The view going up in the legs of the tower is just steel, construction looks nets and the view of height. It left the mind racing of the thought of plugging to your death. Well for me. Finally getting to the midsection I was a hot mess. The view however was great. You could see the whole city. The views of the garden. The sun was shining and I just felt a scene of happiness. Its just I would have never thought last year Id be here and all of this would be happening. We took pictures and admired the view. Stopped at the gift shop and outside where the elevator to continue up to the tip top. I thought to myself I should but I didn't wanna pass out. We passed and headed back to the stairwell. I can not stress enough how I almost had a heart attack which passing out and falling down a flight of stairs in a corner! I turned the conner on the stairwell having already been frighten but the movement of the elevator passing under and a dummy of a man was hanging out the outside of the steel in mid air. I gasped loudly and had a raise in blood pressure and held on tightly to the handle to stop myself from losing my grip. It was so random, so unfairly placed to turn into. OMG! I needed a moment to pause and breath. The rest of the way down I held onto the railing hand by hand. We relaxed on the park benches nearby. What next? Shopping of course! Hello its PARIS!

After some crazy shopping into the evening we decided to head back and freshen up... (to be continued)

Addio Rome, Bonjour Paris

Paris, said to be one of thee most beautiful places in the world. The Ritz the best hotel in the world. Theres nothing unforgettable about this trip.

I have never been to Paris, France up until this point in my 20 years. Coming I must say I had high expectations and having been here its surpassed that. So bare with me as I take you from my last day in Rome (which I have yet to write) to this very day.

We where packing our things and the bell boy took our bags downstairs at The St. Regis, Rome's finest hotel to date (Amex) I have to say in addition to that. The space was breathtaking. As we took the corky old school elevator down I thought to myself, Oh no! I didn't get a Italian Vogue to take home. So J and I ran out to peruse the book shop to grab one. Unfortunately they didn't carry magazines, luckily there was a stand nearby. Foreign Elle….Cosmo….AH HA VOUGE! As I paid I couldn't help but notice the man wearing the same sweater as I. The tourist Roma University one. Of course I suddenly felt gross. Now off to Paris. If I haven't mentioned before I will again. As an american use to direction, lines, organization I have to stress the europeans are SO unorganized including at the airport. As we passed the duty free eyeing the Chanel I couldn't help but notice the hundreds of people all over the terminal which in fact looked like a bus terminal. Because that what is was! In italy there are no group boarding numbers or ramps. You have a flight called, a rush of people all over the place and into a hot sweaty packed bus to drive you about. I pushed my way into line and passed the asians and onto a gross bus we went. Arriving to a stairway onto our flight. J and I played cards and watch movies to past the time.

Finally we landed in Paris. A man dressed in a suite holding a "HotelRItz" in big script letters met us at the end of the jetway. We followed him throughout the airport and escorted us to a Mercedes waiting for us. Off to the hotel we went. I could see sparkles in my eyes reflecting off the window as the car pulled into The Ritz. It was everything and more and as beautiful as the pictures. Everyone was so nice and not in that fake sort of way. Everything was decorated with Royal Blue, Flowers, Comfort with class. We received a mini tour of the hotel which included one of my favorites rooms. The shopping gallery, which was a long hallway (around 150 ft.) of brightly light items from Chanel Prada and etc. Our room was amazing. An old school palace room with a beautiful tapestry overlooking the bed. A patio that opened out towards the garden and pink towels, bathrobes and slippers! Everything is better with a touch of pink! After a nice refreshing shower we got dress for dinner. We walked out the hotel that night and decided to roam around a bit. The first and one of the best little personal touches I saw was the spotlight on top the Eiffel Tower circling up down and around the city. It was a sight, loved it would be an understatement. I looked forward to each night after to see the light come on! The city lights where up and statues and moments shone so bright. It was overwhelming to see a city so well kept and just out for the night. Like a girl getting ready for a night on the town.

Later we found our way to one of the restaurants on our little list of places to go. I was bright, lots of people crowded the place in a communal table setting. I received the menu in French. I could not pull apart any of the menu. It was just a huge long list not broken up into groups (appetizers, main, dessert) so I couldn't even tell what was anything. I suddenly got frustrated mainly out of hunger and couldn't help but think to myself mind as well give me a dart and the menu on a dartboard! This would set a uneasy mood of course for the rest of the night. (side note the rest of my time in france other places where nice enough to underline everything in english,why couldn't this place!) We ordered and there was a moment when the waiter serving did something so random and rude I was in shock. In mid conversation with J i saw in the reflection of the mirror him bending down to look at the side of my face. It took me a minute to register he was doing it to me! Then he did a lough throat-clearing noise to get my attention! UGH, i couldn't believe it. OK, now looking back I know its not like a big deal but I was in shock. The food was alright nothing worth going back for again. We returned to the hotel after because I was just to exhausted to go on and off to sleep I was.

Overall I would say that first night was a brief moment of disappointment which would be made up for later int he trip.

Vatican Museum

Sat March 20 2010

This morning we awoke with the very emphasis of having to get to the Vatican Museum before one pm, because thats when it closes said our Rome book. It was a cloudy day in the city with a light breeze.I took my grey cardigan along it was light but enough to get by. On our way in the taxi we noticed something along 5 blocks of people lining up against the museum. The thought of having to stand in that really bothered me.I honestly don't think we would have gotten in. Luckily as the we were getting out the cab we saw a women who was pass by and mouthing something about tickets and tours directly inside. We quickly followed her back to a small office around the conner. After purchasing our tickets we decided to venture onto the streets to find breakfast. Everything seemed to be still closes so we stumbled into a small cafe. Settling for some kinda cheese-less pizza it was and water. Not my first choice but had to do.

We returned back to the small business as people started gathering for the tour. The group was a lot larger then we expected and then dismissed into sections. The women who would be giving our tour was a frizzed headed ,not so good with the english older women. (Who later would into a italian fight for a board expelling the sistine chapel with another native) We followed her in to a mess of line among lines into a chaotic craze of a mess in the museums entrance. I don't think the europeans have a sense of organizational skills like us americans. We finally came to a point in the courtyard of the museum where we w ere finally about to relax and ease into the whole experience.

The museum itself was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life, There was no inch untouched of beauty and art. Sculptures laid everywhere from humans, angels, animals, prophets and roman mythology. It was beautiful! I think my favorite part was the detailing of the ceiling. The colors the stories, the detail was just so fine. I found it amusing that inside the halls itself where tons of tour guides- scratch that throughout the city of Rome tour guides would hold up different types of I'm not to sure what you call them, but some looked like sticks with handkerchiefs or cloths hanging from them. Our tour guides was cute a blue lacy scarf with a hint of tan ribbon and a flower. I thought it looked like a fairy's wings. (which she would randomly hit a person with here and there throughout the time) We wondered though the crowed museums taking pictures, admiring the works of arts and half listening to the explanations of one while being mesmerized by another one near by. I particularly liked the braze Hercules, The Animal room, The tapestry room,(Which was interesting yet scary, some pictures depicted children being killed and stabbed.) The maps room and of course the last judgment where I swore I saw me getting pushed off the boats into hell.

So the best part was approaching thee Sistine Chapel. We where told many times absolutely no photos, no talking in the chapel. Feeling a need to rebel i put my iphone on video and flipped the screen towards my tour book. We walked down a narrow hallway into the Chapel. We walked into the Chapel with our backs against last judgement. It was HUGE a cover the entire wall. I thought to myself the Chapel itself was a lot smaller and everyone was talking. It was huge mess and people where taking pictures! The guard where shouting for everyone to be quite but it would last for no longer then 3 seconds. I really liked the paintings seeing the story coming to life. I quickly snapped a photo even though your no suppose too. I had to! One painting in particular caught my eye. It was along the right wall, second to last. By Botticelly it was of the banishment of some men.

We exited and the tour guide brought us outside into Peter Sq. We said our goodbye and off she went. Then we went into another chapel to see glorious and huge statues of Popes, Angels and so on. Exited out the square to pass the river of the Castle St Angelo where angels starred down the bridge. Later we saw the spanish steps and purrused some shops like Gucci, Prada and Fay. Ate at a classic restaurant, where we where offered "fruit from the forest". An unmemorable place if you'd ask me. Followed by a taxi ride back to the hotel but an Italian women. I sank back into the seats wondering had she sprayed her seats to smell of perfumed flowers for her patron.

After my two days here in Rome I think one of the greatest parts of the city is the fact every corner you turn there is a beautiful historic fountain or figure. A square natives gathering and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. No one bothered by the tourist. A picture is worth a thousand words but an experience is a lifetime. Its so beautiful to feel apart of a something like the world when it seems like you've seen it all.

Ciao Rome!

I was packed and ready to go. I had my white Armani tracksuit on, felt entirely comfortable and cute, two words that usually never go together. The driver showed up outside the loft building right on time. We made our way into the airport 4 hours early. Picked up our tickets to Paris, through security and up to the Admirals club. Then J and I played cheesy board games to past the time. Cheap ones that where obviously a contribution and not for children. We boarded the flight, this flight would be especially a whole new experience. I have flown first class a dozen times before but never international. It was a lot better then what I expected and the trip seemed to fly by and not drag with personal TV's filled with current movies. A nap here and next thing I know we are landing into Paris.

First thing I notice is all the terminals looked like oval pods. Exposed exterior and English was the Spanish in America. I was now the foreign person which I later would find to be frustrating and difficult. A short time in Paris without having been lead to a flight on Alitalia to Rome. We boarded the flight and two things hit me and hard. A) This plane was dark green head to toe, from the seats to the eyeshadow of the flight attendants. B) There was a 400 pound Italian man sitting in our row. FUCK! The J being the best opted to sit next to him. God bless him. The ride over was blah, the fat man who I renamed Big Papa kept falling asleep and snoring loud only to be awoken when food or drinks where being served. The flight was short and next thing I knew we where landing and exiting onto the runway and onto a bus to the terminal. It was interesting seeing a huge diversity off people. After walking out with our bags of course some Italian officer calls out to me asking me something. I replied of course "Im sorry I don't speak that language." He asked me where I was from. I didn't want to sound all Miss America and say the United States Of America so I said "The States" He touched my suitcase and let me go. The driver picked us up and we loaded into the back of his car. Now I knew Rome and Vespas had a connection but I couldn't begin to imagine how many people drove them. There where hundreds of them flying passed all over the place. I thought how scary would it be because cars and scooters where just all over the road. The native was nice he gave us an unofficial tour once we entered the actually city. He pointed out important Rome spots and told us a thing or too. We reached the hotel and the outside impression wasn't so great it was on the conner and heavily bust street.

Once inside the OH's and AH's began we checked into one of thee most beautiful hotels Rome offers. The St Regis Grand. The interior was vintage. From the huge chandlers to the cool iron gate elevators. Scattered throughout the halls vintage pieces of furniture and pictures huge up. The inside was a lot more cleaned and polished then the outside. We where told we had to wait an hour because our suite wasn't ready yet. This would be totally worth it after eating lunch. At lunch I was beyond exhausted staying awake was now becoming a effort. It was Thursday for Rome but for me it was still Wed night, I hadn't slept long on the flight down. Hour later exhaustion was kicking into overdrive and staying awake was now a fight. We where lead up to the room which was in the end of a hallway. Walking in I thought to myself this is by far the nicest hotel room Ive ever seen. From that point on no hotel room had impressed me they just don't do it for me. But this was beautiful. The sun shine in through the white curtains, The chandelier eliminated the walls which had white bold moldings of shapes. The furniture where pieces of art. The bedroom was amazing! A huge Kartell like chandler stood away the bed. The bed was half the room. Overlooking a huge work of art leaning onto it. The bed was calling out to me. I couldn't resisted and insanely I was taking a nap.

That night we woke up and roamed a bit of Rome. The Castle St Angelo, The Trivi Fountain and The Vatican (things we would revisit the next day in daylight) Then we retired to our hotel bed and where off to sleep.