Day 2: Nothing Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum

Treacherous

The recent snowfall made things treacherous in Rome. Since they don't have snow removal equipment or salt, everything was slippery, so the monuments were closed. We didn't mind too much since we were able to walk around the peripheral of the Coliseum. It as closed due to the snow but it made for some fantastic pictures through the arches. And we just saved ourselves e12. The Via Sacra around the Forum was open up to Palatine Hill so we climbed that.... It was rather like scaling an ice mountain. Again, this city knows nothing of salting or sanding pavement, so today I made my second fall on ice of the trip, but the camera and iPad are safe. It was a slow journey up and down as everyone was carefully navigating the icy cobblestone. We saw a few falls and one head injury.

The Via Imperiali was closed to traffic as usual on a Sunday so as pedestrians we were able to stroll alongside the Forum, since the Forum was also closed due the weather. Apparently marble and ice do not a pleasant mix make. At then end of the Via Imperiali was the Vittorino monument with the tomb of the unknown soldier and honor guards. We were on our way toward the Pantheon at this point when we passed a small garment shop with a coat on a form outside the door. It stopped me in my tracks so I went in. After browsing, we left. I took a picture of the coat. Thirty seconds later I turned around, announced the I was going back to try on the coat and walked back in. As the saleswoman slipped it on me, it was like slipping into a custom glove. A leather wrap belt was tied around the waist and I fell in love. Italy has sale seasons only twice a year. Right now is one of those times. Every store is having a sale. Killer sales. Tax either included or not even paid. I love that sale prices are posted in the windows! It makes window shopping so much easier. At any rate, the coat's sale price was a steal and I couldn't leave without it. Spring, winter, or fall, this coat would get plenty of use. It was pure love. I needn't buy anything else in Rome, I was set.

Palatine Hill

Happy, we left and moved on to the Pantheon, which was also closed due to the snow, but we were able to peek through the door crack. Our day of sightseeing was essentially complete, so we stopped for a late lunch at a little restaurant and must have spent at least a couple hours there. Hey, we ordered a liter of wine, no one was going anywhere until it was gone. What I've come to love about Rome is that servers don't bother us. We're not interrupted by their inquiries. We order enough wine, enough water, and just raise our hand when we need something. It is so nice to sit in leisure and not be rushed to turn a table over or handed our check when we don't need it. Everyone is friendly and we even took a stab at ordering in Italian a few times, successfully. At the Piazza Navona we popped into an enoteca and sampled some limoncello. We haven't purchased any yet, but are sure to before we leave Rome. None of it was as good as the stuff we had last night at the restaurant. I just may compare every limoncello to that one.

The daytime sun seemed to have melted a good portion of snow on the sidewalks for walking was much easier today. More traffic was on the streets and there was far less slush to navigate. We returned to the hotel before the sidewalks iced up. On the way back from dinner, we crossed a bridge by our hotel and saw the dome of a magnificent basilica in the distance. Could it be? Maybe? Possibly? For certain, it was St. Peter's in the Vatican, with the sun setting behind it, and from where we were standing on the bridge, was reflecting on the Tiber River. It was too picturesque not to stop for pictures, which other people had the same idea.

As we rounded Piazza Cavour near our hotel, we scouted a couple cafes to ensure we could stop for some cappuccino and cornetto on Tuesday morning on the way to the Vatican. Right now, we're sitting in the lounge of our hotel about to order some cheese and maybe tea and cocoa to finish the evening, as tomorrow we have to catch a 6:38am train to Naples for Pompeii. I'm miserably allergic to something in our hotel room, and despite talking to the desk about a hypoallergenic room, I don't think that came to fruition. Someone should put me in a lab experiment because I sneeze entire time we're in there. Luckily Carrie is being a champ and camping out in the lobby with me. I already hit the Benadryl and will crash fairly soon.

Day 1: Turning Lemons into Limoncello

Surprise!

It began easily enough with two uneventful plane trips and a stopover in Philly. It was an overnight flight to Rome from there. We chatted away for half of the flight until we decided it may be a good idea to get some shut-eye. That is, as much as you can on a plane. There was enough space to spread out a bit across our rows and I caught a few Zs, although not very soundly. When I wake about an hour before landing, I looked outside to see daybreak and... The snow-covered Alps. We must have been over France at this point.

We heard it snowed in Tuscany, and the area around the airport was dusted with snow. Little did we realize that by the time we got into central Rome, there were a few inches on the ground. It must have just fallen the night before because the locals were in the parks building snowmen and having snowball fights. We heard this was the first snow Rome has seen in 15 years, and the most in 26 years. We passed the Forum and Coliseum, with it's arches and surrounding cypress trees dusted in snow. I've never seen this in pictures and thought that we were really lucky to be here to see something that is so very rare. Our pictures will be fabulous. So despite the weather, when given lemons, make limoncello.

Spanish Steps

Given that, nothing was plowed or shoveled. Unfortunately our express bus from the airport wasn't making the stop by our hotel so we were dumped at frantic Termini station. With suitcases in hand, we hopped on the Metro across town. At street level no sidewalks were shoveled, so we dragged our luggage through snow and slush. At this point we just laughed. It was the day of an historic snowfall in Rome and we arrived just in time. We were famished and exhausted so after dropping our luggage off and freshening up, we headed north in search of a little restaurant called Cacio e Pepe. We found it easily enough and were seated. When the waiter came to take our order I asked if he spoke English. "No. Espanol?" Yes! So he recited the menu in Spanish, I ordered for the both of us, and the food was fabulous. Who knew I'd be using Spanish as a backup here. Carrie had the carbonara and I the cacio e pepe. The bacon was out of this world. Can I bring home and entire cured baby pig in my suitcase??

Trevi Fountain

We returned to the hotel for a much-needed disco nap. Rested, we set out in the evening to find some dinner and maybe try to find the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. Success! The Via del Corso was close for pedestrian promenade and overhung with red, green, and white lights for as far as you could see in either direction. Couples were walking arm-in-arm on the streets and shopping. The Spanish Steps were lovely, and since covered with snow, no one was sitting on them. This way we got some excellent photos without lots of people in our view. Next we found our way down to Trevi Fountain. It was evening, so the fountain was illuminated with beautiful lighting and covered in snow. Gorgeous. We're realizing that one of the advantages of being here in the dead of winter is that we've only run into a scattering of tourists. Everyone else is Italian. And there was barely a crowd at the fountain. We had plenty of pictures with no one in our views.

Roman Forum in the snow

Finally we settled in to a very warm and cozy trattoria near the fountain with some chianti, pizza, prosciutto, and bruschetta. Heaven. With our check they brought us complimentary limoncello. As I had been saying all day, when given lemons, make limoncello. And here it is! Nectar from the gods. Not a drop remained. We decided to walk back to the hotel since navigating the streets proved easier than expected. Back past the Trevi and Spanish Steps and by 10pm, no one was there. We took a few more pictures since we had the advantage of no one being in the streets and headed back to the hotel. We're settling down for the evening about to watch Bridesmaids on the iPad, and get ready for tomorrow. The plan is to visit the Coliseum, Forum, and Pantheon.

For not really sleeping in the plane, for the exhaustion, for the non-stop headaches, we have fared quite well our first day. We went into this knowing we would be pushing ourselves, but with some rest, food, and wine, we'll be fine. Just make sure there's limoncello at the end of each day.

Romantic Parisian Notions

Last night I watched two Samantha Brown episodes about Paris.  This morning as my alarm clock sounded, I dreamed that I was awaking in Paris.  I'm coming to find that once it gets under your skin, it's tough to get Paris back out.  And I've never been there.

While we were planning the Italy trip, we were vying for a side trip outside Rome and Naples.  Malta was a strong contender until we discovered logistically it wasn't possible this time around.  Carrie threw Paris out into the universe as a possibility, and before I could blink, it was confirmed.  I won't say I never had plans to visit Paris, but it wasn't at the top of my list.  I'm an archaeological girl.  I like ancient ruins.  But hey, when someone taps me on the shoulder and says I'm headed to Paris in a few months, I'm not turning down the opportunity.  It certainly came out of left field.  I had been in a Rome-state-of-mind up to that point.  Paris?  I hadn't done any research.  I knew nothing.  Eiffel Tower, Louvre, cheese.

Luxor's missing obelisk on the right,
now in Place de Concorde, Paris

Next was the research.  I had to find something in Paris that wasn't ancient but still stirred my soul.  I had to search for a new meaning and passion in Paris.  I soon discovered that not only does the Louvre house a remarkable Ancient Egyptian collection, but it's also the home to the Hammurabi Code of Laws stele.  We're off to a good start.  Of course there's also the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Napoleon's Apartments.  Soon a plan started to emerge... This was getting exciting.  I read a fascinating book years ago - Measure of All Things - which was the true story of two Parisian scientists that set out to measure the exact length of the meter.  The history of the modern Western world owed so much to Paris.  The Place de Concorde holds an Egyptian obelisk that used to rest outside the Temple of Luxor, where I visited a few years ago.  I now feel like I'm on an international treasure hunt.  Napoleon's expedition to Egypt was a ground-breaking journey and the dawn of modern Egyptology.  In his failed conquest, he brought with him scientists, botanists, artists, geologists, astronomers, and together they chronicled the first thorough written catalog of Egypt, the Description de l'Egypt.  This massive volume set stirred the imaginations of explorers and travelers, including that of Jean-Francois Champollion, the man who deciphered the Rosetta Stone.  Napoleon's army discovered the stele in Rosetta, Egypt, but when the British overwhelmed France in North Africa, the final settlement agreement was to surrender the Rosetta Stone to the British, which is how it ended up in the British Museum in London.

When I was growing up in Rhode Island, we'd spend nearly every summer touring the mansions in Newport.  I'll always have fond memories of running around the ocean-facing lawn in front of the Breakers, and marveling at the extravagance of that estate.  To the Vanderbilts, that was merely a summer "cottage".  So seeing Versailles would be a sentimental journey.  I grew up visiting the "palaces" of Industrial American royalty; it would be equally as exciting to compare it to the ultimate example of opulence.  Luckily, I believe this will happen.  The way we've configured our few days in Paris, by knocking off the Louvre on the first evening, we'll have 3 full days of sightseeing, of which we could probably easily spend a morning at Versailles.  Some of my family grew up in France and have highly recommended visiting Versailles, often comparing it to Newport, and then some.

There's also Napoleon's tomb, Louis Pasteur's laboratory, Chanel's atelier, charcuterie, unpasteurized cheese, inexpensive wine, the Catacombs, and Pere-Lachaise Cemetary, the eternal home of famous artists, musicians, and writers.  Throw in some ice skating, cafes, possible Segway tours at night through a twinkling city, and then there's the food... Hotel Ritz, home of Auguste Escoffier, and more Michelin stars in town than I have fingers on which to count.  We promptly attacked the Top 50 list and managed reservations at #19.

I've traveled to many countries in which I haven't been able to speak the language.  Before I travel I try to get the basics down, like "please", "thank you", "hello" and "goodbye".  However, I'm a freaking out a little bit about Paris.  Will I remember my 5th grade French?  I could care less about learning much Italian.  That is, I can cram for some in-flight Italian on the way there.  It's not a far departure from Spanish and comprehension hasn't been difficult.  But Paris?  As Rex Harrison said in My Fair Lady, "The French don't care what you say, actually, as long as you pronounce it properly."  Egad!  And manners, let's talk about French etiquette.  I'm terrified of sticking out like an American tourist, and/or offending someone such as a shopkeep or a waiter.  I feel like I'm cramming for a test.  French movies, French music, travel programs, language lessons on the iPad, to name a few.  Fortunately many friends have visited Paris and have given me some great advice.

Granted, Paris in the springtime would be beautifully ideal... if other tourists didn't also agree.  But I'm also very glad we're going in the dead of winter.  A seriously low season in the tourism industry, fewer crowds, season-ending sales, shorter lines, and warming up in a cafe over wine or coffee, a hot croissant, and some beautifully gooey brie.  These are my romantic notions of Paris.  Will it live up to what I've constructed in my imagination?  I'll be blogging once again from Rome and Paris (on my own iPad this time!), and will keep you posted.  I'm sure lovely Paris won't fail to disappoint.

A Pre-Vacation Checklist

In a few days I'm headed to Mexico, and I'm going through my usual pre-trip ritual.  Dragging the suitcases out, throwing random items into them as I think of them (then I'll arrange and properly pack later), and making my to-do list.  I write down what I need to do and what to pack, then I'll email it to myself.  Everytime I complete an item, or think of something new, I'll resend the message to myself with the old items taken off and the new items added.  It'll continue to evolve as I check things off and think of new things.  Someone asked me the other day if I'm ready for vacation (of course!) and some noted how I always seem to be so prepared - for the trip, and for the unknown.  So I thought I'd write down some of the things I do the last couple weeks before departure as a help for any of you that might wait until the last minute, aren't frequent travelers, or would like a more comprehensive list of how to plan ahead.

• Double-check transit logistics: If you're flying, check on any road construction that might delay you if you're driving to the airport.  If you're like me and taking public transit, check the transit times to find out what time you have to leave.  Transit schedules tend to run less frequently in non-rush hours so you may need to allow more time in your schedule.
• Print all travel documents: Make a copy of your passport and put 1 copy in each suitcase and carry-on.  Print out your itinerary, plane confirmations, hotel confirmations, and travel insurance policy.  Travel apps on your smartphone may be nice, but sometimes batteries run down, wifi or cell service isn't available, or you'll just need a paper copy to toss around and mark up.
• Print local destination info: Rail system, mass transit, bus routes, directions, general map
• Confirm everything: Call travel agent, check plane reservations, flight status, call hotel personally if you used a travel agent.  Never assume everything is in order until you have confirmed it at least twice with each travel partner.  This is one of the tips I learned from a few travel magazines.  Sometimes readers book a vacation, arrive at their destination, and the hotel doesn't have the reservation, has the incorrect info, or charges a higher rate.  Usually the expert advice is to not only call the travel agent to confirm, but to also call the hotel or resort directly to make sure the agent made your reservation, forwarded your details, or that the hotel hasn't deleted your reservation.
• Check cell phone: Do you need an international calling plan activated?  Don't be surprised by coming home to a $200,000 phone bill because you didn't have proper international coverage and used your phone.  Unless you are expecting a call, switch your cell service off and just use the wifi feature.
• Re-check country visa status and State Department travel advisories.  The latest warnings and advisories can be found on this blog.
• Don't forget to register in the STEP program if you're going abroad
• Send copy of your travel itinerary and contact info to an emergency contact at home
• Update your luggage tags: Put a luggage tag on every bag before you leave the house to save you time at the check-in counter at the airport.  I put my destination info when I'm going and write in my home info when I'm returning.
• Check airline baggage allowances (checked and carry-on).  Most airlines don't charge to check your first bag if you're flying internationally.  Some airlines allow 1 carry-on, and some allow 1 carry-on plus 1 personal item.  They differ by airline so check ahead of time before you start packing so you know how to allocate your clothes.
• Weigh your luggage.  A luggage scale is inexpensive, and packs away easily into a carry-on.  I use this especially when I'm done packing to find out how much more room I have available for souvenirs.   Be sure to check your airline's baggage weight allowance or you'll be charged extra at check-in (this isn't pleasant when you are already paying to check a bag).  Don't assume all airlines have similar weight allowances.  On the Southeast Asia trip, one of my airlines had a lower allowance and I had to pay extra.  This was a low-cost carrier and was more strict about allowances.  Luckily I only had to pay once, and my other air carriers allowed more weight.
• Currency: Note currency conversion and jot down some common numbers (ie, What is $20 equal to?).  Practice some quick conversions at home before you leave so you get a feel for doing the math on the fly and what you're spending.  Find out the average cost of taxis to/from the airport at your destination, and some taxi guidelines.  For instance, know if you should be haggling for the cost of a fare or if it's a flat rate.  Some airports have a designated taxi stand where you should go, especially if you're in a foreign country where you don't speak the language.  The taxi stand managers can help translate to the drivers for you.  As a general rule of thumb, don't accept an unsolicited taxi ride.  Go with the taxi stand.
• Notify your call credit card companies if you'll be using those cards outside your home country, else your cards may be useless once you're away.  You can call them or sometimes send an email from your account online.
• Prepare to be stranded: You never know when you might have to spend the night in an airport.  I travel with an inflatable travel pillow, a small blanket or throw, disposable toothbrush, and a change of undergarments in my carry-on.  Sometimes I even carry some granola bars in case convenience stores or restaurants are closed in the middle of the night.
• Food: When you return home, you might be exhausted, jet-lagged, and hungry.  Buy a frozen pizza or quick-prep food for my freezer so when you return there's something quick and easy to heat up.  Cooking can wait another day.

Happy traveling!

Italy: It's About Time

I'm finally going to continental Europe.  What took me so damn long?  I was in England in 2007-2008.  I don't count that.  It's an island.  They don't use the euro.  They speak English.  C'mon...

But this coming February Carrie and I are finally headed to Europe.  For Pete's sake, I've never been to Rome, Paris, Berlin, Zurich, or Madrid. Friends have tales and tales about their trips around Europe, and I got nuttin'.  If you know me well, you know I'm an archaeology nut.  Pyramids, Tut's Tomb, Stonehenge, Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu, Easter Island, but  how could I have never yet set foot in Italy, let alone the Coliseum?  That problem is about to be solved.

As for Rome, the research is basic.  The hotel is being arranged for us so at least this time we won't spend weeks pouring through resources to investigate neighborhoods, hotels vs B&Bs, who has free breakfast and wifi and who doesn't, etc.  When we finally know where we're staying, that's when we can begin to find out more about where we'll be centrally located and work from there.  This time it's nice to have that decision made for us.  The rest of the Rome research is mostly going to evolve around two things: 1) a map, and 2) local details.  First, we have a few must-sees: the Coliseum, the Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and the Vatican (one of the reasons for going off-season and before the Lent/Easter holidays).  Secondly, local details.  These will include how to figure out our dinner check.  Navigating the subway system.  Ordering a meal.  Cultural do's and don'ts.  Studying city maps, getting oriented, mentally situating sites.  Researching museum and site hours and admission (we're going in February during off-season so these details might be handy). Finding the train station to get to Naples.

In Naples, our basic plan is to eat plenty of pizza, tour Pompeii, and climb Vesuvius (although I'm researching if it's best to approach through Pompeii or Herculeneum).  From there we may take in an opera if it's in season, and I hear the museum houses most of the magnificent artifacts from Pompeii.  Our trip planning will be much more extensive for Naples since this is more of a side-trip from the Rome arrangements.  We have to investigate neighborhoods, select lodging, as well as the typical navigational logistics.

As far as food in Rome and Naples is concerned, we'll probably wing it.  There aren't many must-eat places on my list in either city.  I figure it's Italy, the land of pizza, pasta, wine, cheese, and great meats.  As far as I'm concerned, we can't go wrong.  If the weather cooperates some days we may picnic.  Or take something back to our hotel.  Gelato will probably be consumed.  And then there's the issue of wine.  Drinking, yes, but also purchasing and getting it back to the US.  Will it survive in checked baggage?  Maybe I'll need hard-sided luggage?  It won't be allowed in the carry-on, so otherwise do I have to ship it back separately?  Logistics.  I can't go to Italy and not return with a few bottles.

We definitely want to climb Vesuvius.  Ever since we climbed Huayna Picchu, we relished in the physical challenge and the joy of overcoming a monumental obstacle.  We bitched and moaned in the process, but knew that we'd remember those kinds of moments for life, and they really did enrich our trips (see also: Inauguration).  As we like to say, "We may be miserable now, but one day we'll look back on this and really appreciate it."  Why do we do this to ourselves?  To challenge us mentally and physically?  Do we not know what we're getting into?  It usually amounts to, "That'd be a great idea, I don't know anyone else who's done it!"  Then get into it, realize why we don't know anyone else as slightly insane in the membrane, then laugh it off later in shared physical misery.  But all these experiences really do enrich our travels.  It was great to see Machu Picchu, but even better to have another side adventure that accompanied it.  It'll be fantastic to wander Pompeii, then to climb the volcano that subsequently destroyed it.  I've had this little itch in the back of my mind for years to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.  And maybe one day Mt. Fuji.  You won't get me up Everest (the risk of death thing kind of impedes my sense of adventure), but these more medium-sized excursions off the well-worn tourist paths have paid off in dividends.

Ooohhh... Mexico...

I'll be honest, I've been to Mexico twice, but I'm not sure how much it really counts.  That's about to change.

1) Nogales, 1993.  18 years ago I walked through a turnstile across the border and went shopping in little markets without a care in the world.  I had rudimentary Spanish skills, and got my first taste of haggling.  I still cuddle up with my "Mexico blanket" that I bought, and just last year the bag I purchased there and brought along on so many subsequent trips went belly-up in Bangkok.  RIP Mexico bag (although I could fix it by sewing on new straps).  These days I wouldn't be caught dead in Nogales.  Correction: I would be caught dead in Nogales.  The US-Mexico border isn't a place you can leisurely peruse for a day trip.  The narco wars have killed about 34,000 people (!) in the past 5 years, notably along the border.  US State Department travel warnings are in effect for nearly the entire border, including Nogales.  At the time it was a lovely day trip from Tucson with a little detour past San Xavier del Bac mission.  How times have changed, but I do hope times will change again for the better along our border.  Fortunately, Puerto Vallarta and most other resort towns are not included in this warning (but still exercise caution).

2) Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum 2005. This was also a one-day pit stop on a cruise.  Honestly, I only picked this particular cruise itinerary so I could visit the Mayan ruins at Tulum - which would be the very first ancient ruins I would visit until I went to Egypt.  Archaeology, pyramids... hey, Mexico was good enough.  From Cozumel we took a ferry to Playa, then another hour-long bus ride to Tulum (with a touristy pit-stop halfway in).  If you know me well, you know I love the heat and next to never complain about it, but wow, this is the hottest place I've ever been to.  Ever.  I was pouring bottles of water over me, and after a few minutes I wasn't sure if I was still wet from the water, or sweat.  I was pooling sweat in places I didn't know I had pores.  And where I learned that even eyeballs and forearms could sweat.  But Tulum was beautiful, picturesquely perched on a cliff over the Caribbean Sea.

3) Puerto Vallarta 2011.  Nette and I just booked it!  I can consider this the first official Mexican vacation.  Granted, we set out to take a beach vacation anywhere, really.  Our only requirements were peace, quiet, sand, water, all-inclusive, and CHEAP (aka, inexpensive, not backpacker).  At first we ruled out Mexico because it seemed too easy, too close to the US, and heck, I'd already been there.  But a friend pointed out that if all we wanted was sun, sand, and water, then it's really all the same, it didn't matter where we went if we weren't out for a sightseeing vacation.  Point made.  As much as I have been bitten by the travel bug, Cancun was ruled out.  Zero desire.  Nada.  Okay, so maybe I've never been but I have illusions about it and none of them appeal to me.  As we were researching inexpensive all-inclusive hotel/air packages, Puerto Vallarta kept popping up in the search results.  We happened upon a steal at a 5-star resort, and since we're vacationing in early November, it's the end of hurricane season (does that affect the Pacific coast?) and certainly an off-season for tourism.  I'm all about traveling during shoulder times, it saves money and we tourists aren't tripping over each other.  Plus we hit the jackpot with an upgraded ocean view suite.  Just a couple of gals making like beached whales for 4 days.  I'm all over it.

Nette and I have been discussing taking a vacation together ever since we returned from Thailand.  And honestly, Puerto Vallarta turned out to be far cheaper for hotel, air, and an all-inclusive package than the cost of just the airfare for a Florida vacation destination that was a possibility, but had to be ruled out for budget reasons (who knew parts of Florida could be so expensive??).

Now I'm not sure what our plans will be once we get there besides just laying on the beach, but what I did notice is that we'll be in PV during one of Mexico's largest festivals, Dia de los Muertos.  Ever since I started taking Spanish classes in high school - where I first learned about the holiday and we'd "celebrate" in class - I've wanted to visit a Latin country during this festival.  Coinciding with All Soul's and All Saint's Day, don't be put off by the images of skeletons, skulls, and celebrations in cemeteries.  This isn't about Halloween, but a celebration of a family's ancestors and keeping their memories alive.  I love this idea.  How many times do Americans spend time picnicking by a relative's grave?  Many people want to keep the legacies alive and this is a wonderful way to do it.  Cultures around the world have similar traditions.  I'm not sure if we'll venture off the resort or not, or if the hotel will have it's own little party, or really what we'll encounter, but I wouldn't mind one evening venturing into town and picking up a skull sugar cookie and exploring.  Just for a couple hours.  Then it's back to the beach.  I know, Mexico has so much to offer, but this trip is really about some R&R.  It's just the little adventurer in me that keeps the curiosity alive.

For now, I leave you with James Taylor...

Eating Abroad: It's a Crapshoot

I traveled, I ate, I got home, I got sick.

Let's back up... There are more than a few "been there" dots on my travel map.  My first big trip abroad was to Egypt.  I thought I knew The Rules of eating abroad, but I wasn't experienced enough to really think them through.  The rules are: Cook, Boil, Peel, Seal.  Don't eat any meat that isn't COOKED, don't drink water unless it's BOILED, don't eat any fruits or veggies that you can't PEEL, and don't drink any beverages that aren't in a SEALED bottle.  Easy enough, but when you live in the US and you're used to eating almost anything in sight, you take that ease for granted.  I was staying at the Four Seasons so I figured I was going to be fine.  One evening I ordered up some hummus.  In hindsight: mistake.  Hummus isn't cooked, it's made with rinsed chickpeas.  I'm sure I may have eaten something else in the meantime, but a couple days later I was cursed with Mummy Tummy.  I felt so sick that day that I didn't want to eat anything heavy, so I ordered a salad.  D'oh!  Salad is raw, and the contents are rinsed in water.  And I had soda with ice.  Made with local water.  Let's say I learned my lesson after that trip.  I was well enough to work through my itinerary, but I was so bloated for 2 weeks I looked like I could birth a baboon.

A year later I was in England.  I drank bottled water, and I think I followed the 4 rules, but I didn't worry too much more about the food because we were staying in someone's home, and eating across the street at the pub.  Yummy, delicious, savory British pub food.  Nom nom nom... I digress.  Unfortunately my visit was timed with the worst outbreak of Norovirus that country had ever seen, and the entire village was sick before I even got there.  Needless today, I got it, too.  Not from food, but just from the air and a houseful of people.  It happens.  You see it every day in the winter, riding mass transit, sending the kids to school, or being in public.  Unless you're quarantined, you're likely going to get sick, too.  It was bad.  Not send-me-to-the-hospital bad, but bad.  Quick, though, just 36 hours turnaround and I was back to steak and ale pie in no time.

Insert Southeast Asia 2010.  How can you go to Thailand and NOT eat street food?  I went nuts.  Pad thai, street meat, grilled this, stir fry that... I ate nearly 3 meals a day on a sidewalk.  Literally popping a squat on a curb with a bent fork and a beat-up plastic plate that was washed in a bucket of suds.  Two weeks of street food in Thailand and Cambodia and I was in heaven.  Still, I followed the rules.  I could see the meat being grilled, the noodles were cooked, the water I purchased in bottles and checked the caps, the mangoes were peeled, the tea was piping hot.  And you know what?  Not a hint of any problems.  The rules worked.  I'm not sure I could have gotten away with much more, but I wasn't about to test it.  Success!

Next up: South American Adventure 2011, Peru and Easter Island.  The plan was the same: follow the rules, wash hands, but have fun.  And so we did.  We had alpaca, guinea pig, mystery street meat in Easter Island cooked out of a makeshift grill, ate at small family establishments, and the #42 best restaurant in the world.  Eating "different" food doesn't mean you'll get sick, it just means it's different.  As long as it's cooked, boiled, peeled, or sealed, I don't much care what it is.

When I returned to home, the very next day my stomach was a hot mess.  It went on for a couple weeks until I visited my doctor, she wrote out a Rx, and I thought I was all cured a couple weeks later.  Until last Monday when all hell broke loose and the illness made a mean resurgence.  I'll spare the gory details, but I was in the ER for 8 hours on an IV, pain meds, and anti-nausea meds until they deemed it safe to release me into the wild.  Turns out that the Peruvian stowaway in my stomach could have been from water (but see explanation below), or some jerk in a restaurant didn't wash their hands before handling my food (sez my doc).  Turns out that's the most likely explanation.

Carrie and I recounted where we ate and when.  That mystery street meat in Easter Island?  We both ate it, and she's fine.  Heck, she's BEEN fine this whole time.  We both brushed our teeth with the same tap water.  We shared entrees.  Ordered a lot of the same food.  The only occasions I can think of is a couple times when I ordered some pasta from a couple different restaurants.  After all, who handles spaghetti bolognese with their bare hands?  It was cooked, Rule #1.  I should be covered. 

The point is, you can follow all the rules, but sometimes there are other factors involved.  Hell, I'd be MORE prone to eat street meat next time because at least I can see it being prepared, cooked, handled, and straight into my mouth.  Get in my belly!  It turns out that what I had/have is pretty common and can be picked up easily in the US as well, although I was one of the special ones to be rewarded with doting at the hands of some handsome doctors. We know not what lurks on the hands of humanity and if it was smeared all over your delicious sandwich.  Or spaghetti. 

Was it worth it?  Hell yes.  I'd do it all again.  Pass the salt.

Peru and Easter Island Pictures

A few pictures.

Gastronomy in Lima: The Real Man vs Food

So many plane rides.  So many hours on buses.  By the time we returned to Lima, we were beat.  South America wins.  UNCLE!  We had two full days in Lima before returning to Chicago, so we decided not to make many plans.  Monday we walked up to the Miraflores district to look around and shop.  We had dinner reservations for the next day, so we scouted out the place first so we'd remember where it was and not be late.  From Barranco we walked up Avenida Larco to the ovalo, back east to Parque de Amor, then south along the coast to shop at Larco Mar.  This was a great oceanfront outdoor shopping mall.  I found some cute things here that I brought home, including a fabulous blouse.  Earlier we had stopped for lunch at a sandwich place, where I had a baguette of freshly-made chorizo, and fresh-squeezed orange juice.  From South America, it's possible I may miss the fresh juices most often.  OJ and guava from Easter Island.  *sigh*  I don't eat fruit often, but I do appreciate a good juice so perhaps I may look for these most often in Chicago, and start getting some of my vitamins properly.

That evening we were checking our email in the lobby of our hotel, and met a two friends from Seattle who quit their jobs and were traveling until their money ran out.  We decided to take the conversation on the road and went around the corner to La 73, a place we visited 2 weeks ago that was very comfortable with some unique food on the menu, great wines, and most importantly: not playing and folk music.  It was nice to spend a dinner learning about other people's adventures and swapping our best crazy stories of our travels.  I realized this point in Dubai when I dined with a few other travelers.  I appreciate that we may all be on our own journeys, but when our paths cross for just a few hours and you share something almost familiar and intimate with perfect strangers ("Where are you from?  Why are you traveling?  You paid how much for airfare??") it was as though - for that moment - we were all on the same journey. 

We were staying in the Barranco neighborhood, known for its cafes, night clubs, and artists.  Around the corner from our hotel was a building that my friend Nancy recommended, then later recommended by the hotel.  It was called Delado, a artisan marketplace that was housed in an old mansion where each room hosted the works and wares of a single artist.  We should have brought more suitcases and  fatter wallets.  Not that anything was very expensive, but that we wanted everything we saw.  There were housewares, plates, tea sets, sculpture, paintings, jewelry, books, furniture, clothing, and all number of accessories.  It was an artistic candy store and were the little kids.  We practiced some restraint: Carrie bought 1 shirt and I bought a necklace and ring.  She did have to talk me out of a number of other things I had already mentally purchased.

On Tuesday we had 1 more thing we decided we HAD to do: eat chicken.  There is a church and a KFC on every block in this town.  If it's not KFC, it's Roky's, Norkey's, or some other fried chicken chain.  Why all the chicken? we wondered.  In every town, on every street there was a polleria.  We had to find out what all the hype was, so Tuesday would be our final day to run errands, have a light lunch, and dinner at Astrid y Gaston.  At any rate, we stopped at Roky's thinking it was like a McDonald's or KFC.  Walk in, order, pay, wait, sit or leave.  Here, when we looked at the menu up front, a gentleman led us to an inner large dining room.  He put down a paper placemat, some utensils, and took our order.  So in a way, it was more like a Denny's or other chain diner.  We ordered a meal for 1 since we'd just share it, as we discovered that dishes in Peru are alarmingly large.  Oh boy was that good chicken.  Some of the best rotisserie chicken I've ever had.  Salty and juicy.  Now I know what all the fuss was about.

Sadly I never had an opportunity to go salsa dancing.  But our scheduling was also off, as were never in Lima on a weekend, and in Cusco we were too beat and too far out of the center of town to wander about.  Perhaps one of these days I can salsa in a Latin country.  We still had our opportunity to dress up for dinner, so I donned some nice jeans, heels, and the new cute blouse I bought the day before, and headed to Miraflores.  It felt good to dress up again, wear jeans, and feel close to normal and not like a frumpy traveler.  I felt as though I were back in Chicago.

We stepped in and immediately let it be known to our waiter that we wanted the tasting menu - regardless of what's on it - with wine pairing.  He picked a good red and a white that we alternated throughout the meal, which paired well with the degustation.  I won't detail all the food we ate since Carrie covered it thoroughly in her blog, but I will comment with some brief thoughts.  I was crazy about the ceviche, as I was an immediate fan since we ate at El Muelle two weeks prior (two weeks!).  The ceviche and other dishes incorporated citrus and other fruits from the jungle, and we appreciated how special it was that we may never eat these ingredients again, since we're dining at a place between the ocean and the jungle.  Fruits from deep within the Amazon were enchanting us.  I had sea urchin once before but this one came in a shot glass and was accompanied by black noodles and a soft-boiled quail egg.  This was the dish in which I had to exercise mind over matter.  At this point, we were also getting very, very full and we were only just past the halfway point.  What was 12 courses on the menu was 17 in reality.  I really don't think you need desert 4-5 times at the end of a meal, but maybe that's because I'm not a dessert person.  But that's a bit excessive.  If I liked desert, this may have been great (Carrie caught her second wind at desert, however), but I'm not complaining about the restaurant's quality of food at all.  It was simply fantastic.  I loved their use of local ingredients that were twists on traditional cultural dishes.  I especially enjoyed that we got to relive cuy again but in a different form: this was a bit on a crepe with sauce.

This gastronomic journey was an delicious but tough ride.  THIS was the real Man vs Food, not just a show about Americans over-stuffing their gullets on greasy food.  This was the meal that challenged what we'd eat (octopus, guinea pig, sea urchin, squid, and indigenous animals).  Paired with sweet potatoes and quinoa in all forms, we were delighted, and although 17 courses was a difficult push for our stomachs, we relished in the idea that we may never eat these types of foods again.  We had to push through, finish every bite (or close), and rejoice at the end that we just completed the 3.5 hour tasting menu at the 42nd-best restaurant in the world, Astrid y Gaston.  We may have gone on a lot of physical-grueling and geographic adventures, this night was just as challenging an adventure as any we've had.

Our trip back to Chicago was on Spirit Airlines, and, well, you get what you pay for.  $400 round trip to Peru should have been the tip-off, but we went with it anyway.  Heck, it got us there.  But I've never been on a set of more cramped or dirty planes before.  The worst was the 5.5 hour, broken middle seat from Lima to Ft Lauderdale.  Lord help me, not even medication kept me out long enough.  I'm exploring fares for a trip later this year, and I'm leaning to pay for the decent airlines and not the ones subcontracted through Panama.  Note to self.

Dennis and Allison picked me up from the airport, which is exactly what I needed: two smiling, familiar faces I hadn't seen in a while, and the comfort that I'll be transported home in quite luxury of their backseat and not battling public transit and wait times at midnight, let alone finding a cab.  It's the simple things to come home to that mean the world.  I opened my front door to find Jude, pleased as anything to see me, and has been joined to my hip for the past 4 days.  I saw some more great friends, went to a street festival, and had every intention of writing this entry poolside today, but it's too chilly.

I've learned a lot of things on this trip, but I am taking away one gem in particular: that South America is closer than I had thought, easier to get to, and is an entire continent full of the same language (Portuguese is close enough).  If I had relative ease moving around Peru, I want to try Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Equador, and while we're at it, let's check out Central America, all Spanish-speaking as well!  I feel as though we're so close to this untapped gem.  While it seems so many Americans are headed west to Europe, this extraordinary continent is just south of us and full of precious experiences.  South America is calling me back.  Me encanta.  Stay tuned. 

Easter Island: Once in a Lifetime

Inside the Gran Hotel Bolivar

We checked into the Gran Hotel Bolivar in Lima Centro. It's like a cross between the Palmer House Hilton and the lodge in The Shining.  It was so old I was giddy with picture-taking.  Although old, it was silent, and exactly what I needed for a full night's sleep.  Yesterday we explored the catacombs of San Francisco church.  It was gorgeous, but it made me uncomfortable to see all the silver and gold go to waste in altars and crosses for the illusion of wealth and power.  But the catacombs were neat. We caught the tour in Spanish - no idea when the English tour was - so I was able to translate some, but Carrie was great in catching the gist of things and reading some English translations.  She's done an awesome job of picking up some Spanish here, if even understanding.

Iglesia San Francisco

Our next flight was to Easter Island with an overnight layover in Santiago. I managed to catch a few Z's here, but hell, it's a cold airport.  And it's winter. Luckily Easter Island is more tropical so we stepped off the plane to sunshine and warm weather. It's a small airport, with no gates, just the tarmac and a small terminal with a grass parking area.  After checking in to our hotel and some lunch, we a rented a little Jeep. There is on town on the island, and it has a frontier feel, very sleepy. It also has a Polynesian feel, with some locals  sporting island features, native clothes, and we overheard some rapa nui language.

Driving. Best idea ever.  And I love to drive, so this would be fun.  On Saturday, our full day of sightseeing, we were able to stay ahead of the tour groups and be independent.  We got up and out early and started at the nearest volcano to own.  Volano! It was dormant, but at the top was the ancient ceremonial village of Orongo, and the rocky outcrop offshore where men would lie in wait each year to claim the first bird's egg. This was the birdman ceremony.

Next we skirted the southern coast, stopping at select Moai, and definitely pictures of the ocean crashing against the rocky black shoreline. We only had the jeep until 4pm so we had to be selective in what we saw, but we knew what the "must see" places were, so we had a plan. At Ranu Raraku we stopped to see Moai in varying state of quarry, and it's the image you see most often of the heads nestled into a grassy hillside.

As we rounded a turn, we saw the 15 Moai lined up at the site known as Ahu Tongariki. When we drove up and stepped out, we realized we were the only ones there! They were toppled in the 17th century, then in 1960, a tsunami triggered by an earthquake in Chile pushed them further inland. When a Japanese businessman saw the administrator of the island say they'd restore the monuments if they had a crane, the businessman organized a team to lead the restoration.  Now they stand majestic, 15 in a row with the ocean to their backs.

 Further up the road was Anakena beach.  Tall palm trees, green grass, bring blue ocean, black volcanic rocks, and fine white sand.  Postcard picture perfect with a row of Moai and some wild horses.  This had to be the most remote beach on the most remote island on Earth.  I wish we had another day to lie on the beach and relax.

Lastly we began our final drive into town. The windows were down, sun shining, and we were slowly dodging cattle and wild horses that were lingering on the roads. In some cases, those roads were just dirt paths.  Cruising along in 4th gear, approach a gulley, downshift quickly, and attempt to navigate around craters and trenches. I was really a lot of fun despite the jolting. It felt more like an adventure, even when we were the only ones in sight on those roads... Er, cow paths. We saw beautiful vistas of the expansive sea, and hillsides covered in purple and yellow flowers, and eucalyptus trees with that minty aroma.  It was perfect.

Sadly we had to return our trusty jeep. Afterward we explored an area of the village we hadn't visited yet, and we heard was the hub of local activity.  Near the harbor was a soccer game with the obligatory hecklers on the sidelines.  At the harbor, children were climbing on fishing boats and the mooring ropes. We bought some street food from two ladies that were grilling up some meat and veggies on a skewer our of a makeshift 55 gallon drum turned into a grill.  And old man nearby commented that it was delicious, especially with a beer.  We held off on the beer, but when the meat was done, we sat on a curb facing the harbor and the lady handed us a large skewer, a plate, tore off some chunks of bread, and gave us a bowl of sauce/salsa for dipping. We tore into it with our fingers, watching the kids play, an team prepare their outrigger canoes, and the soccer game across the street.  It was marvelous in its simplicity, as one of the ladies shoo'd away dogs waiting for our scraps. We completed our snack by stopping for some ice cream (Carrie) and fresh squeezed guava juice (me).

We walked to a nearby playground where we sat on a bench by the water and watched the sun set and the surfers offshore.  A perfect end to a perfect day. Our flights back to Lima would be the next day.  As I complete this entry, we're between Santiago and Lima, leaving Easter Island behind. I can't wait to sleep in, send out some laundry, find some more ceviche for lunch, and perhaps more street food for dinner. Two more days in Lima to relax, recover, shop, explore, and eat before heading home.