It's Friday the 13th!

TGIF!  Friday the 13th always spooks me a bit, but recapping my trip to Italy back in August always makes me feel better.  I think for me, traveling is a way to experience a new world that I haven't been exposed to before.  Although this was my 2nd time in Italy, I visited different cities/ towns than I did before.  I have a broader view on Italians and their life style, and truly appreciate my visit there this time around. 
The weather in Italy was HOT!!  It was finally the weekend and my friend reminded me of the BIG PARTY finale later on.  Now that I got some good sleep, we figured we'll stay close by so we can have time to get back and get ready for the fiesta.  I was down for anything, especially since I knew we were going to have a long night. 
We had breakfast and got ready to head to a nearby town.  The weather was scorching.  It was hard to pack for this trip because the temperature was different in both Paris and Italy.  I did bring more day dresses than last time.  I wanted to blend in more with the locals.  My friend explained to me that Italians don't wear much shorts and that's pretty much what I wore last time.  lol.
We headed off to Monte Sant'Angelo and walked around for a bit.  It was a pretty town with adorable shops for pasta and bread.  My friend bought the local bread for us to have later on.  Usually every town is known to make bread differently, along with pastries and pasta dishes.  I love being able to try different things, so I was looking forward to it.  We did a tour of the Sanctuary there and decided we should have pranzo here before we drive back.  Usually our drives were no less than an hour long, and after all the walking we did, we got hungry. 
We found a beautiful outdoor restaurant and made friends with the chef.  He was eager to please, so we chatted up a storm about wine and food.  Everything was great!  I was walking on air.  It was nice to finally relax a bit.  The chef wanted to show us his bed and breakfast on the corner.  We figured we should do a quick tour since he was so hospitable.  He was super excited about having us "like" his page on Facebook.  I guess not many Chicagoans travel out here...

Aren't their shops adorable?

Il Sanctuary di Monte Sant' Angelo

No more photos past this point.  Too bad because it was beautiful...

It was siesta time when we were here...

My shift dress of the day!

Pranzo at Li Jalantunnmene...

Insalata with figs and cheese!  YUMMY!!

Happy chef! 

Did a quick tour of his bed & breakfast...

Loved the décor!

We had a great time at Monte Sant' Angelo!

We got TURBULENCE! Part 2

After a 2 hour flight, I landed in Bari airport in Italy.  It was an hour away from the town where my friend lived.  AGAIN no working wifi.  What's up with these airports?  Regardless, I was super groggy as I walked over to claim my luggage.  I had a knot in my stomach praying it would be there since I went through that crazy ordeal at Beauvais airport.  I sighed a sense of relief when I saw my suitcase.  I waited outside for my friend.  She was late, which was fine because it gave me some time to people watch.  Now that I was in Italy, I noticed the interactions within Italians.  They are much more animated than French people.  I almost forgot how they were since I've been away.   
My friend was excited to see me.  Me?  I was trying my best to stay awake.  I still had the antidepressants and melatonin in my system.  My friend drove to nearby Trani so we could have dinner, but I couldn't keep my eyes open.  "Let's walk around and find a restaurant.  You need to eat."  That made things worse.  I was dizzy and felt we were walking around in circles.  She really wanted to go to Le Lampare Al Fortino; a $$$$ restaurant located by the harbor.  It was beautiful, but I had no appetite whatsoever.  She wanted me to experience fine dining at it's best, yet I was useless.  I just wanted to sleep.  I felt bad because she mentioned she hasn't been out in months, and here I was ruining things for us on our 1st night together.  We settled for Il vecchio E Il Mare next door; a cute bar overlooking the sea.  Some light bites will do for me.  In typical Italian fashion, we ordered a glass of wine and that was it!  I was knocking out at the table.  My friend knew she couldn't save this night even if she wanted to.  She drove us back home while I slept the whole way.  I didn't even change out of my clothes.  I headed for the guest room and it was lights out for me. 

Too bad I didn't have an appetite for Le Lampare Al Fortino.  It's breath taking!

We needed reservations but I think they could have accommodated us...

Until next time!  Definitely on my bucket list!

Next door at Il Vecchio E II Mare.  Olive oil and tomatoes bruschetta..

Octopus bruschetta...

We got TURBULENCE!

I rushed out of Paris quickly to catch a train to Beauvais Airport.  My anxiety was getting the best of me again.  I was so nervous about taking this train out of Gare du Nord that I took a cab instead of riding the Metro.  I spent about 15 euros.  Not bad I thought.  The cab driver only spoke French.  I was praying he was taking me to the right station.  It's scary putting your life in the hands of someone who doesn't speak your language.  He seemed harmless though.  Once I was inside the station, I knew I was able to ask one of the attendants which train to take.  Again, they speak multiple languages, so I felt positive I was heading towards the right direction.  My train ride was over an hour long.  I relaxed a bit. 
When I got to Beauvais, I had to find the airport.  Anxiety strikes again.  I asked an attendant at the train station where do I go.  He only spoke French, but I managed to make out that I had to take a bus.  I was getting nervous again.  I walked along with other confused travelers to a bus stop.  I didn't know how far the airport was.  I ran back to the station (it was down the street) and asked again, just to make sure, and he clarified once more that there is a bus there that will take us all to the airport.  I wasn't sure how much this was going to cost.  A fellow French passenger assured me that it should not be no more than 1 euro.  I felt so alone.  I had some change with me (euros come in change too).  I prayed I had enough to take this bus.
It turned out to be 4 euros but I had the money.  Another word of caution.  I went through my cash quickly in Europe.  I wouldn't advise taking a large sum with you, but not every place has access to credit cards like we do here in the States. 
The bus left us at a small airport.  Anxiety strikes again.  I booked this flight out of Ryan Air and I had trouble printing out my boarding pass.  I followed the rest of the crowd inside.  My flight didn't leave out for another 4 hours.  I had plenty of time to relax and check in.  Or so I thought.  Here's where my French fears came to life.  I wasn't in Paris anymore.  I was somewhere an hour away.  I was in the heart of France, which we've all heard, isn't a friendly one.  I waited in line for "customer service".  I wanted them to printout my boarding pass.  The man behind the glass was expressionless.  He explained to me that I had to print out my pass.  I told him that I tried but with no such luck.  He motioned me to the left that the airport had computers towards the back and to print them out there.  I walked over to the kiosk and of course, the computers were out of order.  I asked around where can I print out my boarding pass and people advised me to go back to the "customer service" line.  UGH!  My anxiety was getting me to the verge of tears.  Not to mention, I was having trouble logging on the wifi at the airport.  I wanted to let my friend in Italy know what was going on.  She was going to pick me up once I landed. 
I had no choice but to take my antidepressants.  I couldn't calm down anymore.  I needed to talk to that horrible man again, and I knew already he was not going to be helpful.  I started to feel relaxed.  I ate a sandwich and worked up the nerve to stand back in that line.  It seemed that everyone was having a problem with something.  When it was finally my turn (after a 30 min wait with 4 people ahead of me) I explained that that the kiosk were out of order.  He looked at me expressionless again and then said, "If you would like I can print them out for you."
By this time I was too drugged up to respond.  I managed to say, "Thank You.  I would appreciate that."  He wanted me to pull up my information off my phone but I told him I couldn't because I was having trouble logging on to the wifi.  "It's not working today," he said.  No wonder!  Now he looked annoyed that he volunteered to "help me".  He had to look up my information.  He brought out my boarding pass and I tried to pay him 6 euros (which is what it would have cost me to printout the pass at the kiosk).  He refused to take the money, but then added that "you were suppose to do this."
Whatever!  I was so relieved I got my boarding pass.  Now it was time to check my suitcase.  I knew I had to pay for my luggage.  That AGAIN turned out to be another ordeal.  I had to wait in another line to check my luggage.  Then I had to GO BACK to the "customer service" line to pay that fee.  I didn't care because I  was prepared to do that in the first place.  There was another customer that was having a hard time at the airport.  She was being directed to different lines as well.  She ended up losing her cool at the "customer service" line.  She began to throw things at the window.  She couldn't help it.  I felt her pain.  They push you over the edge.  But losing your cool at the hands of their mercy is NOT GOING TO GET YOU ON THE PLANE.  That's the harsh reality.  A security woman came over to calm her down (or more like intimidate her with her size).  I finally paid my luggage fee and moved on to the security clearance line. 
I PRAYED that they wouldn't stop me for something, but I made it through.  I was almost on my flight!  A sign of relief came over me but then fear set in.  I had to get on a plane again.  A much smaller one.  Once we started to board I took 2 melatonin.  I closed my eyes and off we went...  

Paris is Always a Good Idea Part 4

After my nap I quickly got dressed again and headed back out to find the Champs Elysees.  I loved seeing pictures of the arch all over Instagram and Pinterest.  I knew I had to see it for myself.  But for some reason, my print out map wasn't helping much this time around.  I'm glad I opted for my flat ankle lace up sandals instead of my heels.  There's no way that would be possible. 
I took the metro again and walked up and down the Senna River.  It was frustrating because I knew something was off.  Of course the inevitable happened.  It started to rain.  Hard.  I took cover at a bus stop.  I waited, and waited, and WAITED for the rain to stop.  It wasn't.  I was getting frustrated and hungry.  I was looking for the arch for over an hour before it started to rain.  Now I was waiting for over an hour for it to stop.  I will say this.  Parisians walked around as if nothing was happening.  I barely saw umbrellas too.  It does rain a lot in Paris and I think the people are use to it.  I stopped a couple who were roller blading and asked for directions.  They were very helpful.  But they continued on in the rain with their blades.  I was impressed.  I finally worked up the nerve to get moving because I feared I'll be stuck at that corner the whole night if I didn't.  If Parisians don't mind the rain, neither will I!  Of course I walked under a lot of trees first for cover.  lol. 
I made my way across a bridge and FINALLY saw an itty bitty sign with the name Champs Elysees pointing this way!  I was super excited.    But of course, I'm in Paris, and I couldn't find the avenue.  A word of advice, YOU WILL GET LOST IN PARIS.  It's a matter of fact.  The streets are short and end abruptly.  It's impossible unless you know where you're going in the first place.  But it's a beautiful city, and trust me, I didn't mind one bit. 
Except this time.  lol.  I was starving!!!  It was near 10pm and I had not had dinner.  My girlfriend in Italy who I messaged earlier at the hotel told me not to leave Paris without having some French cuisine.  I knew she was right.  It would be a pity not to.
I kept walking back and forth to where the sign cut off hoping I could see another sign pointing out which direction the Champs Elysees was.  But again, no such luck.  I stopped a pretty young woman who was super helpful as well.  She spoke French but asked if I knew Spanish.  (I did).  Another word of advice.  I did not encounter many Americans out there in Paris.  But if you need help with translation, look for hotels, restaurants, etc.  Any service industry should know multiple languages.  Yes it's true if you do know some simple phrases in French it may help but the problem is understanding the dialect from the locales.  If you don't hear French back in the States, you will have a hard time understanding them here as well. 
I walked over a couple of blocks and saw a busy street.  And there it was.  The Champs Elysees Avenue.  It houses retail, restaurants, nightclubs and bars.  It kind of reminded me of Washington Avenue in South Beach.  There was so much action going on!  I got my second wind and ran down the avenue and headed to the arch. 


 

IT'S GORGEOUS!!!

Of course I had to take a selfie!  I look tired here.  lol

By this time it FINALLY stopped raining.  My feet were done.  I sat at a bench and people watched for half an hour.  I was hungry but I couldn't move.  I slowly made my way back down the avenue.  I spotted a nightclub I wanted to check out, too. along the way.  I'm glad I knew where I was going later on.  I was hoping I didn't have to go through another ordeal looking for that.

There was all kinds of restaurants up and down the strip, but one caught my eye.  My friend in Italy recommended I have seafood in Paris, especially oysters.  But I'm not a fan.  I DO however, LOVE mussels, and one particular restaurant tempted my taste buds.  Luckily I got seated right away.  The best part was the restaurant had WIFI!!  I messaged my friend in Italy that I was safe and told her my plans about heading to the nightclub later on.  I also sent her a picture of the glass of champagne I ordered.  She approved.  (She is a sommelier in Italy).  I HATE bubbles, but she insisted I have champagne as well.  The waiter looked confused when I asked for it with my mussels but then corrected me by asking if I wanted pink champagne instead.  Sure, why not?

Well I must say, that it was the BEST GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!  And yes, the mussels were delish too.  I finished that whole bowl.  It was getting close to midnight and I figured I'll walk over to the nightclub to check out the scene for a bit before I head back to the hotel.  I had to check out in the morning to catch a train to another airport.  From there I was flying to a smaller airport in Italy where my friend was going to meet me.

I knew I couldn't stay out late.  That's why I only ordered one glass of champagne.  I really couldn't drink.  When I got to Queen Nightclub, I was a little frustrated because it looked empty.  Great, I thought.  It's a late night spot.  UGH!!  As the night went on, the club got busy.  I stuck around because the music was awesome!  Being from Chicago, I LOVE house music.  Everyone was dancing up a storm in there.  I also noticed that they're wasn't much action at the bar.  I think we Americans LOVE to drink, so the French definitely are not the heavy drinking types.  I had a great time by myself.  I made my way back to the hotel accomplishing everything I wanted to do in Paris!  It was time to say goodbye and I had no hard feelings about it. 

The Louis Vuitton flagship store on Champs Elysees avenue...

Mussels and Pink Champagne at L'Alsace

My one and only glass and it was delish!!

Good times at Queen Nightclub!  Parisians love to dance!

I had a blast!  Until next time...

Queen Nightclub is owned by international DJ David Guetta

Paris is Always a Good Idea Part 3

I spent my first day getting to know Paris from the outside.  Now I wanted to get to know the Louvre Museum from the inside!  I wanted to get up early to head down there to avoid the long lines, but again, jet lag kept me sleeping til 11am!!  HERE WE GO AGAIN!  I quickly got ready and made my way back to the metro to get to the Louvre.  Once I got to the entrance, I was feeling much better.  I didn't wait too long.  I have a feeling as the day got later the lines looked longer.  Maybe tourists sleep in late like me?  Regardless, I was overwhelmed of the size of the museum.  It was a bit chaotic as well.  I personally feel the Vatican Museums in Rome where much more organized, but here there were people everywhere.  A word of caution if you don't like crowds. 
Once I found the area where the infamous Mona Lisa was, it began another cat-and-mouse game to find out where exactly it is.  I love looking at art, and was discouraged when I didn't get a chance to see as much when I was in Rome last summer.  Here, it was just me, and it felt liberating to observe these priceless works of art.  I felt privileged to be there.  Everything was beautiful!  I  spent a couple of hours there wandering about. 

Line not so long on this beautiful sunny day!

Inside the infamous triangle entrance!

Is it me or does it look like he's taking a selfie?

The Winged Victory of Samothrace

MONA LISA!!

Had to take a selfie of course!

Grande Odalisque

The Death of Sardanapalus

Venus di Milo!!

Hermaphrodite

Outside the louvre where I decided to rest but then had to leave abruptly...



Had some macrons to hold me over til dinner...

Getting out of the Louvre was a challenge too, since now the museum was packed with tourists.  I stepped outside and wanted to rest for a bit.  I saw people laying out at a park at the Louvre.  I figured I should do the same thing.  I wanted to find the Champs Elysees to knock that off my bucket list, but my feet were killing me.  I laid out my jean jacket and plopped on top of it.  I had my sunglasses on and was slowly resting when I saw something in the corner of my eye.  A man was peaking from out of the hedges and was looking at me.  I think he was checking to see if I was sleeping or not.  Here we go again with the pick-pocketing!  My purse was next to me but I know this man was up to no good.  I quickly got out of there and he scurried away.  How frustrating!  I needed to rest badly and this man messed this up for me.  I headed back to the hotel for a nap.  Now my plans have changed a bit, but I figured I'll look for the Champs Elysees and then go out to dinner for some French cuisine!  I also wanted to go out for a bit and check out the night life.  Unfortunately, I had to get up in the morning to catch my train to the airport, so I knew I wasn't going to be out late.  My nap helped out a lot, but my feet were still killing me.  The weather the 1st day in Paris was in the 60s, but this day got close to 80 degrees.  I was hot!  Now that's it's later, I decided to wear a long sleeved mini dress and accessorize it with my Alexander McQueen leopard scarf.  I wanted to bring my heels with, but I couldn't think about wearing them out at all.  I opted for my lace up flat sandals and hoped I didn't look too casual out in the town. 

I rode back on the metro to finish my bucket list!



Paris is Always a Good Idea Part 2

After my UNPLANNED NAP I jumped out of bed and rushed to take a shower.  I did not expect to sleep so long.  I only have 2 days in Paris and now I messed that up.  I got ready and headed back to the metra train station.  According to my research, I was suppose to get off the next 2 stops at Norte Dame.  I planned my trip very carefully, especially since I knew I was going to use public transportation a lot.  I printed up the Paris Metro map and used the same Line B that got me out of the airport.  My stop for my hotel was in Luxembourg.  The hotels around the strip were pretty pricey, so I figured if I stayed outside the strip I could save more money and make my way over there on my own.  Luckily I got there in no time.  The metro map seems easy enough.  Here in Chicago we have a pretty good transportation system as well, so I wasn't worried at all about getting lost at this point.

I got this map off the blog MaNouvelleMode...

Line B is what I used to get out of the airport and to get to my hotel.  I stayed off Luxembourg stop.

Since I was getting off at Saint-Michae-Notre-Dame I was hoping I was going to see the cathedral right away.  Umm, not so fast.  I was overwhelmed on what direction to take so I headed over to Starbucks to use the wifi hot spot and look for info on my phone.  That's another thing that can be frustrating when traveling.  Not being able to use the internet.  I did buy an international package for my cell phone use, but the data was very low.  Buying data is very expensive, but my cell phone representative advised me to take advantage of the hotspots all over Paris.  Starbucks and McDonalds were the most recognizable ones so I always looked for those two when wandering about. 

Once I located the river Seine, there it was!  Notre Dame!!  It was beautiful!  It was surreal!!  It was also closing!!  NOOOOOO!!!  By now it was 6pm and there were not letting anyone enter the cathedral.  I took my tourist pics and kept on going. 

I got this off tourist-destinations.com.  I used it as my guide line for sight-seeing...

IT"S GORGEOUS FROM THE OUTSIDE AS WELL!

Not the original love-locks bridge but they're everywhere!

A cute French restaurant...

musee d'Orsay

I had trouble finding the Eiffel Tower.  It wasn't near the river, but according to the map it was nearby.  I looked over the horizon and saw something peaking over some trees.  I knew I was looking at the tip of the tower.  I ran like a mad woman and made my way over there!  I was getting excited!! 

FINALLY!!!

Of course I had to take a selfie!  By the way, it started to rain right here...

By now I was starving!  I ended up having a French baguette sandwich. 

I ate underneath the Tower.  It was surreal to be there.  My feet were killing me at this point.  I decided to slowly head back when I realized it was getting dark.  That's when something wonderful happened!

The tower lit up!!!

Walking back from the Eiffel Tower, I ran across the Assemblee Nationale.  The city looks completely different at night.  So pretty!!  You have to check it out again

The bridges look magical!!

I looked back one more time and by now the Eiffel Tower was twinkling!!  I wish I had stayed out there longer, but I didn't want to walk back in the dark.  By now it was 9pm.  Day one accomplished!!