OT: Back home~very long!

BarbMazz · 02-22-2008, 11:02 AM

We arrived home last night from Rome. Phew, I'm tired! After the first day of flight cancellations the travel went smoothly and was mostly on time.

Barcelona is the most beautiful, clean city! We had one day there for sight-seeing which is not enough by a long shot. There were long, long lines to get into the places I wanted to see. The line at Gaudi's Sagrada Familia were three hours long, and were two hours long each at two other buildings of his I had wanted to see. I had to settle for photographs of the outsides.

We were able to see the Cathedral, which is amazing and lots of it is in desperate need of renovation. Walked the De las Ramplas and enjoyed the street perfomers. Had a wonderful lunch of paella at an outside cafe at the port. Also visited Picasso's museum, which was okay. I would have preferred to see Dali's museum but our host seemed more set on visiting Picasso! Maybe "next time".

Our business was in Olot, which is in Girona about two hours north of Barcelona. Our business partner put us up in an agroturisme hotel just outside of Olot in the small village of Joanetes. If you have some time look at the hotel website MAS LES COMELLES. It's a slow-moving slideshow of a website, but the pictures do capture just how beautiful it is. The food served there is all raised and produced on the farm; eggs, cheese, meats, juices, yoghurt, vegetables. It was the best food of the trip for sure!

The day of walking in Barcelona did my back in, and my activities were curtailed quite a bit after that. I learned to take a lot of drugs in the morning, see sights or do the business I needed to do, then rest in the afternoon so I could go out and have a nice dinner in the evening. It was a bit disappointing, but I made the most of it and did see the top things on my list.

We flew from Girona to Pisa on Sunday night, late, and I stayed at the hotel on Monday to rest the back while John did the marble business we were there for. The rest helped a lot, and we went to a very nice dinner with our hosts on Monday night. Tues morning we took the train from Pisa to Rome, which traveled along the coast, so we enjoyed the sea views from the train.

In Rome, we stayed at Residenza Paolo VI: Vaticano Hotel - Official Website - Hotel Piazza San Pietro - Rome, which is literally 20 steps from St Peter's Square. On Tuesday afternoon we walked through the Cathedral, which is not describable with words. The pictures will not do it justice either! It is mind boggling that this structure was built when it was. The artwork is breath-taking! After that we had a traditional Italian lunch and took a long nap. John came down with a bad cold at this point, so neither of us was feeling very good! For dinner that night we stayed in the hotel and snacked on wine, cheese, parma ham, salami, melon, bread... YUMMY! I was determined to see the Sistine Chapel, so Weds morning we headed over there after breakfast. It was a VERY long hike, and once in the Vatican Museums we had to traipse all through the museum before coming to the Chapel. The amount of stairs I climbed that day, and the amount of Hydrocodone I took are equally amazing!

But, I accomplished the goal. I have some great pictures from the museum walk, but pictures in the Chapel are not allowed. Once we were finished with the museums we went back to the hotel to meet our business associate. My back was finito, so I said hello and went to lay down. John went around town with our associate, and climbed the 320 stairs to the top of St Peter's Cathedral Dome. Yikes!

Weds night we went to dinner at a restaurant that I can't name because it is racially offensive

here in the States, but evidently not in Rome! Despite the name, the food was excellent, and served in traditional Roman style. First, about a dozen dishes of appetizers were brought out and stacked all around the table. Salmon, Calamari, cheeses, dried tomatoes, prawns, salamis, parma ham, artichoke hearts, anchovies... I can't remember it all! Then came a serving of pasta with mussels, a fungi dish with pasta, truffles and wine sauce, then a veal steak, then a salad course with flavored oils. Dessert included three different liquores... grappa, limoncello, and a blueberry aperitif, with a napolean, and a bunch of different fruits. We had four different types of wine through dinner depending on what was being served. It was very good and the waiters were a lot of fun... teasing us, and they gave me a bouquets of flowers.

We left Rome yesterday morning, and here I am! When I logged on last night, I had over 2,000 new posts from threads I was subscribed to! I did read here while I was gone, but my data plan is kind of expensive so I didn't post. I'm going to try to read a lot today!

sasquatch · 02-22-2008, 11:04 AM

Welcome back Barb! glad you had a nice trip, now get busy huh

Woodstock · 02-22-2008, 11:07 AM

What a fun trip!! Welcome home Barb!!

boozeman · 02-22-2008, 11:07 AM

WB ... I'm looking foward to the pics

BigAl07 · 02-22-2008, 11:15 AM

Welcome back

AQTCJAK · 02-22-2008, 11:16 AM

Welcome back no pictures you are lagging. Oh wait what am I doing up it is to early for me!

Dentoid · 02-22-2008, 11:26 AM

Welcome back Barb! That trip sounds dreamy! Glad you had a nice trip.

BarbMazz · 02-22-2008, 11:33 AM

Thanks, everyone... I really missed you nice people! I'm working on getting pictures up right now.

goldenmean · 02-22-2008, 11:34 AM

Welcome back Barb!
You know I LOCE Barcelona! What a city!
You need to go back and spend some more time there.
I know I cant wait to go back!

BarbMazz · 02-22-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenmean

Welcome back Barb!
You know I LOCE Barcelona! What a city!
You need to go back and spend some more time there.
I know I cant wait to go back!

I sure do need to go back! I really liked the people in Spain.. from what I saw and who I met I felt they were very genuinely friendly people. Very open. I liked that they maintain close eye contact when talking. I had a better feeling about people there than I do in Italy (other than the people I already know there).

If you go back, please look into staying at an agroturisme hotel! It was the BEST experience. Evidently, many Spanish farms have turned to this to make a living. When the European Union was formed, each country was told what it could "do" to earn a living. Spain is not allowed to farm much anymore, evidently, as tourism is what their official industry is in the EU. So lots of farmers have turned to the agro tourism thing to make a living.

tbittner · 02-23-2008, 12:04 AM

Welcome back Barb! We missed you!

Sounds like a great visit AND a great place to visit.

kathywithbirds · 02-23-2008, 12:35 AM

Wow, sound like a great trip!! Welcome back, take lots of drugs, rest, then post pics!!

BarbMazz · 02-23-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbittner

Welcome back Barb! We missed you!

Sounds like a great visit AND a great place to visit.

Aw, thanks, Terry! I really missed everyone here. I was reading a bit, but it's just not the same on a phone!

BarbMazz · 02-23-2008, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathywithbirds

Wow, sound like a great trip!! Welcome back, take lots of drugs, rest, then post pics!!

Thanks, Kathy.. it was really wonderful. I just love traveling!

I've already posted pictures in a different thread. I hope you found them.

I have been taking lots of drugs, but I really need to get back in to the doc this week.

boozeman · 02-23-2008, 10:43 AM

hey...there aren't any pics of the Elos warehouse

02-22-2008, 11:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 3,357 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	OT: Back home~very long! We arrived home last night from Rome. Phew, I'm tired! After the first day of flight cancellations the travel went smoothly and was mostly on time. Barcelona is the most beautiful, clean city! We had one day there for sight-seeing which is not enough by a long shot. There were long, long lines to get into the places I wanted to see. The line at Gaudi's Sagrada Familia were three hours long, and were two hours long each at two other buildings of his I had wanted to see. I had to settle for photographs of the outsides. We were able to see the Cathedral, which is amazing and lots of it is in desperate need of renovation. Walked the De las Ramplas and enjoyed the street perfomers. Had a wonderful lunch of paella at an outside cafe at the port. Also visited Picasso's museum, which was okay. I would have preferred to see Dali's museum but our host seemed more set on visiting Picasso! Maybe "next time". Our business was in Olot, which is in Girona about two hours north of Barcelona. Our business partner put us up in an agroturisme hotel just outside of Olot in the small village of Joanetes. If you have some time look at the hotel website MAS LES COMELLES. It's a slow-moving slideshow of a website, but the pictures do capture just how beautiful it is. The food served there is all raised and produced on the farm; eggs, cheese, meats, juices, yoghurt, vegetables. It was the best food of the trip for sure! The day of walking in Barcelona did my back in, and my activities were curtailed quite a bit after that. I learned to take a lot of drugs in the morning, see sights or do the business I needed to do, then rest in the afternoon so I could go out and have a nice dinner in the evening. It was a bit disappointing, but I made the most of it and did see the top things on my list. We flew from Girona to Pisa on Sunday night, late, and I stayed at the hotel on Monday to rest the back while John did the marble business we were there for. The rest helped a lot, and we went to a very nice dinner with our hosts on Monday night. Tues morning we took the train from Pisa to Rome, which traveled along the coast, so we enjoyed the sea views from the train. In Rome, we stayed at Residenza Paolo VI: Vaticano Hotel - Official Website - Hotel Piazza San Pietro - Rome, which is literally 20 steps from St Peter's Square. On Tuesday afternoon we walked through the Cathedral, which is not describable with words. The pictures will not do it justice either! It is mind boggling that this structure was built when it was. The artwork is breath-taking! After that we had a traditional Italian lunch and took a long nap. John came down with a bad cold at this point, so neither of us was feeling very good! For dinner that night we stayed in the hotel and snacked on wine, cheese, parma ham, salami, melon, bread... YUMMY! I was determined to see the Sistine Chapel, so Weds morning we headed over there after breakfast. It was a VERY long hike, and once in the Vatican Museums we had to traipse all through the museum before coming to the Chapel. The amount of stairs I climbed that day, and the amount of Hydrocodone I took are equally amazing! But, I accomplished the goal. I have some great pictures from the museum walk, but pictures in the Chapel are not allowed. Once we were finished with the museums we went back to the hotel to meet our business associate. My back was finito, so I said hello and went to lay down. John went around town with our associate, and climbed the 320 stairs to the top of St Peter's Cathedral Dome. Yikes! Weds night we went to dinner at a restaurant that I can't name because it is racially offensive here in the States, but evidently not in Rome! Despite the name, the food was excellent, and served in traditional Roman style. First, about a dozen dishes of appetizers were brought out and stacked all around the table. Salmon, Calamari, cheeses, dried tomatoes, prawns, salamis, parma ham, artichoke hearts, anchovies... I can't remember it all! Then came a serving of pasta with mussels, a fungi dish with pasta, truffles and wine sauce, then a veal steak, then a salad course with flavored oils. Dessert included three different liquores... grappa, limoncello, and a blueberry aperitif, with a napolean, and a bunch of different fruits. We had four different types of wine through dinner depending on what was being served. It was very good and the waiters were a lot of fun... teasing us, and they gave me a bouquets of flowers. We left Rome yesterday morning, and here I am! When I logged on last night, I had over 2,000 new posts from threads I was subscribed to! I did read here while I was gone, but my data plan is kind of expensive so I didn't post. I'm going to try to read a lot today! __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

02-22-2008, 11:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Welcome back Barb! glad you had a nice trip, now get busy huh

02-22-2008, 11:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 24,023 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! What a fun trip!! Welcome home Barb!! __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

02-22-2008, 11:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! WB ... I'm looking foward to the pics __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

02-22-2008, 11:16 AM	#6 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 7,261 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Welcome back no pictures you are lagging. Oh wait what am I doing up it is to early for me! __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

02-22-2008, 11:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,597 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Welcome back Barb! That trip sounds dreamy! Glad you had a nice trip. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

02-22-2008, 11:33 AM	#8 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 3,357 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Thanks, everyone... I really missed you nice people! I'm working on getting pictures up right now. __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

02-22-2008, 11:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,338 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Welcome back Barb! You know I LOCE Barcelona! What a city! You need to go back and spend some more time there. I know I cant wait to go back! __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My 2nd QT-Picasso Clowns My 2nd-QT-Wrasse My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

02-23-2008, 12:04 AM	#11 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,562 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Welcome back Barb! We missed you! Sounds like a great visit AND a great place to visit. __________________ Terry 150g predator tank full of killers. Soon to be upgraded to a 360g. 450g reef 300g sump.

02-23-2008, 12:35 AM	#12 (permalink)
kathywithbirds Social Darwinism victim Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Hood, NJ Posts: 5,836 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: OT: Back home~very long! Wow, sound like a great trip!! Welcome back, take lots of drugs, rest, then post pics!! __________________ (\_/) (\__/) ( . .) (^.^) (")(") (> <) Bunny and Bunnina have worked things out. Bunny was mistaken after all, Bunnina was not having an affair. "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." ~Lin Yutang

02-23-2008, 10:43 AM	#15 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Back home~very long! hey...there aren't any pics of the Elos warehouse __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

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