Now it is time to say Goodbye

Day 26

Today it really was sinking in that the party was almost over. Six of our group went home today from Paris. The other 25 of us are taking the Eurostar back to London where we head home tomorrow.

We arrived back in London and I headed over to the British Museum which was something I was very upset about not getting to see the first time in London. It was a very impressive museum. Most of the sculptures and art was very old. Most of the Chinese art was from the 7th century Ming Dynasty. Lots of the Roman and Egyptian art was much older. There was a Mesopotamian section which had much of the collection dating back to 500 BC. It was a very impressive collection. The Mummies and Egyptian sculptures are something I will never forget.

For dinner we went to an English pub. The food was very good with most getting the fish and chips. I had a pasta putenesca which was very good.

Day 27

This was a very sad day that consisted of breakfast and lots of hugging. By 8:30 we had all said our goodbyes. 3 of us went to Gatwick together and by 9:45 we were all on our way separately.

It was a great trip and I will always have great memories of my trip.

Bora from AUS
Celeste from AUS
Jorge and Rose from PA
Louie and Joan from PA
Jenny and Bill from PA
Jim and Joanne from PA
Shelby and Ruth from VA
Roberto and Petra from CA
Jim and Joanne from WA
Peter and Alice from AUS
Geoff and Deidre from AUS
Pat and Stan from AUS
Hisako from WA
Hiroshi and Sisako from JAP
Won and Lynne from CA
Milton and Lorna From CAN
Bryce from PA




Some memories I will always have and will only make sense to me or to the group

My Globus friend from Michigan
Evelyn our waitress in Switzerland
The hat and wine museum in Austria
The Brasserie Lipp restaurant
Bill’s sex talk on top of Mt. Pilatus.
Joan's infamous question on the bus: So, did you guys go to a ...
Pat, Stan, and the magazine
Bora and Jim on stage
All the local restaurants we found.
The long walks
All the walking in Venice and Rome
Getting to see almost everything in Rome
The Balsamic Vinegars
Winning in Monte Carlo
Our €23.45 bill for two Coke Lights
Speaking Spanish in France
Peaches
Yogurt
Peter’s Pink underwear
The excursion to the Toledo jail
The Blue light
What 2 peaches and a t-shirt can buy in Madrid. (AKA The Madrid Negotiations)
The phrase, “Rome sucks, Spain is great”
The pools of Rome, Barcelona, and Paris that I never saw.
Peter and Alice signing the adoption papers.
All the bent chairs on the bus from the rocker
The family all rocking along with Bryce at the train station
The look on the waitresses face in Rhineland when Bryce asked for seconds, priceless
The Smart Car
The scooters of Rome
The bicycles of Amsterdam
Did I mention Evelyn our waitress at the Swiss House. :)
And last but not least, the spaghetti dinner in Bordeaux.

If you notice one day missing it is because I forgot to start with Day one on the day I left Orlando. :)

Lipp Service

Day 24

Today we boarded the TGV high-speed train to Paris. We went on a tour of Paris with the very attractive Isabelle. We stopped for a tour of the Eiffel Tower, which was very beautiful. The panoramic views were amazing.

We went to the La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret where we had a very nice French dinner and a wonderful show. We even had two of our group up on stage. Jim did a fantastic job helping the comedian and Bora did a great job winning the dance contest and some affection from the star of the show.

Day 25

We started the day at the Louvre, which was the best museum I have ever been in. I could have spent days in there. I saw so many beautiful paintings and sculptures. The Mona Lisa was fantastic, but much smaller than I thought. It was so crowded and no one was allowed to get close since it was roped off, making it almost impossible to see those eyes follow me. The Venus De Milo was much more impressive than I imagined. I really enjoyed the Egyptian section with the mummies. My Aussie friend and myself broke off to try and see a lot more of the Louvre, but could not see it all.

We then walked to the Obelisk, and then walked the Champs Elysees, which was nice. We finally made it to the Arc De Triomphe, which did not seem to far since it was so big. However, we found out later it was a little more than 3 miles from the Louvre. Unfortunately today we had a light rain. I guess we cannot complain since it was the first time we had to walk in the rain on our entire trip.

We then went to Notre Dame, which was something I could not leave Paris without seeing. It was a very impressive church. The architecture was amazing and the flying buttress was very impressive.

We then went to Monmarte, which had spectacular views of the city. We went into the Sacre Cour, which was beautiful. The Stations of the Cross were the most beautiful I have ever seen at any church. The statue of the Sacre Cour (Sacred Heart) was beautiful. We stopped at the small palace and the grand palace. We also stopped at the Invalides, which was where Napoleon was buried. It was a very beautiful area. The US Embassy was right near here.

For dinner we went to the Brasserie Lipp, which was highly recommended. Our experience could have been a Seinfeld episode. We walk in and were told to go stand over there. We stood there feeling like we were in the way. Finally a man who kept looking at us came over and asked smoking or non-smoking. We said, non. He said in a commanding manner, “Go upstairs!” We went upstairs and again felt like we were standing in no man’s land. A waiter looked at us like, what do you want. I told him the gentleman downstairs told us to come up. Without saying anything he nodded for us to sit at a table he was moving. He gave us French menus. I asked for English menus which was not an odd request so far on our trip. He said, “No!” I said, “You do not have English menus,” in a shocked voice. He said, “No, this is a pure French restaurant.” The couple next to us stopped speaking English and now only spoke French. So after choosing escargot and filet de beef, he wanted to know how I wanted my steak. I said medium well. He asked, “Red or pink.” I conceded defeat and just agreed on pink. He then asked my buddy how he wanted it. He said well. I cringed, knowing this would not make the waiter happy. He replied with a stern NO! My friend said, “No?” in a shocked voice. He said no again and then looked at me and made a gesture as to say, is this guy serious? I just shrugged and looked at him. The waiter said, “Medium?” He agreed reluctantly. I asked for a coke light, he replied with his favorite word, “NO!” He then said, “Orange juice or water.” I ordered still water. I received my appetizer and I had some issues with two of my snails and was ready to give up. My buddy reminded me that I may insult the chef and we may get scolded some more. :) I worked and finally got the last two snails out. After dinner we ordered dessert and I asked for chocolate mousse. He looked at me as if I was speaking Tagalog. Again, I said in a questioning manner, “Chocolate mousse?” He again looked at me in a puzzled stare. I then said, “Mousse de Chocolat?” He gave me an approving, “Ah.” I really think they just were giving us a difficult time and enjoyed a long laugh about it at the end of the night. After paying the bill, I asked if they could call us a taxi. Can you guess what his answer was? He said, “NO,” and then pointed to the window. I was not sure if he was telling me the taxis were out front or get the hell out. The taxi stand was across the street from the restaurant. I have submitted my comedy script to NBC titled A Hell Of a Dinner in Paris!

The end is near

I still need to post my day in Paris and back to England.

I remember saying, wow, we still have three weeks to go, then it was, wow, we still have two weeks to go. Then it was, only one week left, 4 days left, etc. I still cannot believe it is over.

Check back by Monday for the final version.

Have a great 24...Al

Speaking Spanish in France

Day 20

Today we rode to Madrid, stopping off in Saragossa for lunch at the Plaza del Pilar. The church in the square was beautiful.

We ate dinner at a tapas bar which was excellent! It was also our least expensive meal of the trip. With each drink we got a sampling of mini tomato empanadas which were very good. We watched Barcelona score in the last minute to tie in the Champion League. We then walked the entire city which was beautiful at night.


Day 21

We toured Madrid this morning which was very nice and a lot of what we saw last night was explained. Some of the highlights were the Cervantes statue and the palace where King Alfonso XIII was the last to live. It is now a museum and for royal parties.

We went to the Prado museum which was very impressive. . We got to see many works of El Greco, Velasquez, Rubens, Carvaggio, and Goya. Of course there were many others. There were over 100 works of Goya which was very impressive. There was an exhibition which was amazing. The exhibit revealed hidden drawings on some paintings of Bosch, Raphael, and Berruguete. It was amazing, you would see the painting, then through infra-red technology you would see the drawings underneath, it was unbelievable.

We went to Toledo in the afternoon, which was beautifully scenic. We went to a sword shop which was very impressive and so inexpensive compared to the states. I bought two beautiful swords which had the inscription of King Alfonso X. Alfonso was the name of my Dad and the Italian version of my first name, Alfonse. I’ll have to find a place to hang them. We saw a few fascinating churches and an impressive synagogue. They synagogue was built by Muslims and had a mosque like structure. The Jewish people were driven out by the Christians in the 1400’s. When I walked in I was wondering why there was art of Jesus and Mary. There was one pillar which still had the Star of David. We also went into a beautiful church called the Santo Tome which housed the The Burial of the Count of Orgaz by El Greco which was very beuatiful.

For dinner we went to another local tapas bar which was very good. After dinner they came by with a pinkish looking drink. I asked what it was and it was some sort of frozen raspberry concoction with no alcohol, which was fabulous. They then came by with a green drink which my friend had. His eyes looked as though they were going to pop out of his head. We were told after that it was 70% alcohol and 140 proof. I guess that was why. They brought us another shot of the frozen raspberry concoction, all which were gratis.

We then walked around Madrid for a couple of hours. We had been told constantly about how dangerous Spain was, especially Madrid. At one point we were walking down a fairly crowded street. I became aware of someone behind us and turned around and saw two guys walking. A little further down the street I felt a bit uncomfortable that they were too close. I stepped off the curb appearing to pass the two older people in front of me and then stopped and turned and looked directly at them. I did not realize, but my friend also realized that they were getting too close and also stopped and turned on the other side of the sidewalk. There were actually three guys who stopped and then looked like they were going to walk into a restaurant, then turned araound and walked away. It was weird because we had no wallets in our back pocket, no bags, nothing obvious. When I told the tour guide the strory, he said it sounded like they were going to pull out knives and demand money. He said that is very common in Madrid. It pays to be aware and follow gut instincts.

Day 22

We left Madrid on our way to Vitoria. We stopped at the Valley of the Fallen which had a huge cross in the mountain to honor the victims of the Spanish Civil War. The church was very big and beautiful. I am still not sick of seeing churches.

We then saw the Alcazar, which was a school, church, and museum. The church was fascinating, but we could not walk around because there was a mass going on. The art, murals, and architecture of the museum was quite impressive. The crypt rooms were unbelievable. One of the crypt rooms was for the kings, and their families which was very ornate.

We stopped at a functioning aqueduct in Segovia on the way to Vitoria.

We had dinner in the hotel which was very good. We had wild duck which I never had before. It had the consistentcy and color of corned beef. It was very good!

We then walked around with a group of about 12 people Vitoria was a very nice city, very busy, and very family oriented. It was a Friday night and many families were out and about in the walking areas of the city. We caught the end of some kind of performance art which included people climbing, dancing, and doing acrobatics on these stacks of freight containers. The music was very loud techno music. It was very good, what we saw. We then walked around for awhile until we found our hotel.


Day 23

Toay we rode from Vitoria to Barritz, to Bordeaux. It was a day of riding in the bus and not much else.

We had lunch in Barritz and we walked into a restaurant and I asked the man hablo ingles and he said si. He brought English menus and I said gracias. The man asked me if I wanted a Spanish menu or an english menu. I apologized for forgetting I was back in France and switchd back to Bonjour, Sil Vous Plait, Oui, and Merci. :)

Almost There

Ok, I am catching up. :) I should get the rest of my trip updated by the end of the weekend.

I am home and doing well. I could have gone for another couple of weeks. Although I may not have had a job then. I am not experiencing any jet lag. I am used to manipulating my sleep patterns with my crazy work schedules.

I am back to work tonight due to one of the guys taking some time off. I have not golfed in 5 weeks, unbelievable!

Check back soon for the final updates.

Have a great 24...Al

Ole Ole

Day 15

We left Rome today for Florence. Rome was definitely my favorite place so far. In Florence we stopped at a beautiful cathedral. It was very odd to see the star of David on a cathedral. It was explained that the letters inside of the star represented Jesus. I believe it was JSS, It represented the Christians and Jewish people coming together.

We then went to the Academy of Fine Arts which was very impressive. We saw the David, another version of the Pieta and many other sculptures. The David was amazing! The size of these sculptures is unbelievable. There was also lots of beautiful art.

We walked to the Piazza Della Signoria which was also very impressive. It was a square full of incredible sculptures including a copy of the David, where the original once stood. The fountain of Neptune was great! The square was basically an open air museum. We unfortunately did not have time for the Uffizi Gallery.

We went to a leather store where I bought a couple of nice belts. We then went to a shop that sold olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and spreads. They had a setup of different pressed olive oils, different ages of balsamic vinegar, olive spreads, and pesto spreads. They had bread to try them all. They even gave people wine and some of us water. :) It was amazing. Anyone that knows me well, knows I love a good, aged balsamic vinegar. I can eat a salad with just the vinegar. I bought some very good 12 year old vinegar and some pesto spread.

We went onto our hotel and went to a nice local restaurant for a very good Italian dinner. I had one of the best plates of spaghetti I have ever had. I am not a big fan of spaghetti, but this was impressive. Many times we had 3 or 4 courses; the pancetta for dessert was incredible!

After dinner we walked around the city for awhile. We saw many sculptures including Hercules fighting a lion.

Day 16

These 6AM days are getting old, fortunately we can nap on the bus. We traveled to Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower. It was very nice, however, we did not have enough time to get a ticket and climb to the top. Oh well, next time.

We drove towards Nice, following the Italian and French Riviera which were beautiful.

We stopped at a Perfume factory before Nice which was interesting. I have a friend who used to work for L’Oreal as a chemist, so the process interested me.

We had a nice Italian dinner in Monaco. I was expecting a nice French dinner. The dinners that were part of the tour rarely followed a theme of the country. The sight from the top of Monte Carlo was very impressive. The Palaces of Monaco were very nice. The casinos of Monte Carlo were not as glitzy or glamorous as I expected. I was the only one wearing a white tuxedo. I’m only kidding, but I was one of the few wearing a jacket. We only had an hour and twenty minutes to gamble. They felt that was enough, are they serious?? :) After losing over €150 in the first fifteen minutes I felt the time limit might not be a bad idea. A Japanese guy on the tour, Hiroshi came up to the table and started watching me and my luck seemed to change. A friend had asked me to play number 17; unfortunately it did not come out at all. 29, 15, 14, and 15 again were my €140 wins. That along with some other smaller €35 and €70 wins I walked away with €450 for a €250 profit or a $320 profit. For every euro we have to pay approximately $1.25. I was very happy and it almost made up for my loss in Atlantic City in May. :)

Day 17

We did not have anything scheduled until noon today and could sleep in. Did I? Of course not, I got up at 7:15 and toured Nice with the Aussies. We drove on one of the city buses, it was a bit cloudy, but was one of the most beautiful cities so far. The French Riviera is so beautiful and serene. We went to the Matisse and Chagall museums. Matisse’s was very good, Chagall’s was great. I really enjoy Chagall a lot. There were many beautiful paintings and sculptures. He also had a beautiful mosaic on an outside wall.

We then joined the group at noon for a beautiful ride along the Cote d’ Azur. We stopped in Cannes which was interesting We then went to St. Paul’s church and village. The views were very beautiful. They had a copy of Rodin’s The Thinker. It made me think of Dobie Gillis. I am not sure where the original Thinker is, possibly the Louvre?

We went to dinner at a very nice French restaurant, Flo. It was excellent! I had escargot and Chateau Briand, One of my snail shells almost slipped out of the holder. I did not want a reenactment of the scene in Pretty Woman when she was eating escargot. The dinner was excellent. I swore before getting to France I would not have crème brulee since it is so readily available in the US and also that we were served it at least twice prior on this trip. I had an excellent chocolate soufflé.

Day 18

It is a very rainy day on our way to Barcelona. We rode and rode all day.

We stopped in Arles where we were there just long enough to see the Roman Amphitheatre and grab a quick bite to eat for lunch.

We had dinner in the hotel which was OK.

Day 19

We started off the day at the Cathedral of St. Eulalia which was very beautiful. No, I still am not tired of visiting churches yet. The architecture and statues were beautiful.

We then went to see the Segradia Familia which was a giant temple that has been under construction since 1882 and will not be finished until sometime later this century depending on funding. It is an amazing building designed by Gaudi.

We stopped where the Olympic Stadium and venues were. The view of Barcelona was beautiful from up top.

The group was then going back to the hotel so my Aussie friend and I left the group and went to the Joan Miro museum which was quite impressive. There were some exhibits which were quite interesting. Most of his works were very good. There was one sculpture which was a fountain of mercury. It flowed with the consistency of water or at least appeared that way.

We then went to the National Museum of Art of Catalonia. It was a very fascinating museum, I really loved it. There was an exhibit of Roman murals that was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. It was all from the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. It was murals, panel painting, and wood carvings. Again, it was one of the most fascinating collections I have ever seen.

Also in the museum was a collection of Catalonian Art bequested by Francesco Cambio. It was a Romanesque collection that was superb. It was all so beautifully done. There was another section of baroque art which was beautiful. One sculpture and painting after another, the next more beautiful than the last. It was truly an amazing collection. There was a version of the Pieta that was very interesting. There also was a very interesting painting that depicted Mary as a queen holding Jesus who looked like a prince; it was very interesting, very different, but done very well. I can really go on and on about the paintings and sculptures here.

We then went on to the Picasso museum which chronologically pieced his works together. It also had many interesting bios of his life. It was a huge and fascinating collection.

We then went to see the Christopher Columbus statue which was very impressive. We then walked over the bridge to the harbor which was very nice. We walked up the famous Ramblas St., where we stopped at a nice outdoor café where I had an €11 Coke Light. There is no such thing as a Diet Coke in Europe, except England. It was approximately $13.75, in all fairness it was a rather large mug. :) Coke Light is actually on the bottles and cans.

We got back to our hotel, showered, changed, and were off to dinner. We had a very nice Spanish dinner which consisted of paella, and chicken and rice. It was all very good Spanish cuisine, unlike last night’s salmon and crème brulee. :)

After dinner we saw a Flamenco show which was fantastic! It was the most intense and dramatic singing and dancing I have ever seen.

I am tired, we have been on the go all day!