as most of you know rachael is leaving for washington in less than two weeks. well... it turns out i am going with her to stay with family for a while. we decided it was high time we made one of our long talked about dreams come true, which is to travel europe together. we are going to try to hit germany, italy and maybe spain aside from france. we have two and a half months to plan and would love input on the places to see, stay, eat, avoid... from those of you who have been there or are there right now. orchard meet up in paris anyone???

we can't tell our family because i'm planning to surprise them when we drive home at the end of the month and we are just bursting to tell someone so of course you guys in the orchard were our first thought!
just had to share this with you guys...we are SO excited!!!

Name: LARSON/STEPHANIE
Name: LARSON/RACHAEL



ITINERARY

October 17 2005
American Airlines 268
Depart: Seattle, WA at 8:05 AM
Arrive: New York-Kennedy, NY at 4:17 PM
Seats: Will be assigned at airport


October 17 2005
American Airlines 44
Depart: New York-Kennedy, NY at 6:05 PM (TERMINAL 8)
Arrive: Paris, France at 7:20 AM
Seats: Will be assigned at airport


November 18 2005
American Airlines 45
Depart: Paris, France at 12:00 PM (AEROGARE 2 TERMINAL A)
Arrive: New York-Kennedy, NY at 2:20 PM
Seats: Will be assigned at airport


November 18 2005
American Airlines 269
Depart: New York-Kennedy, NY at 5:45 PM (TERMINAL 9)
Arrive: Seattle, WA at 8:58 PM
Seats: Will be assigned at airport

That's great...congrats you two. I hope you have a great time and take lots of pictures (and share them with us!)

Tres bon. Mais qui please do.

Sorry, I don't know how to do the vowel thingies.

Cher

That sounds wonderful, Steph! I have no advice for you and Rach I'm afraid, only my kids can afford to go to Europe.

You guys have a great time!

Since you're going to be in Paris anyway, you might as well go to Switzerland...a lovely place if there ever was one! Geneva is a great city, but there is so much more to the country...the cable cars up the mountains, ancient churchbells ringing over endless meadows on Sunday, hiking, etc... if I had been older when I was there, I'd be able to recommend more specific locations...

Have fun!! I'm going to live precariously through you, so we'd better hear tale of adventure!!

Best things to do in Italy: GRAPPA!

Is that Freudian slip of some kind? "Precariously?"

I think I need caffeine. I just read that as GRAMPA!

Whatever thrills ya kid! (I should be a grampa in a couple of weeks ... I could be a lot of fun in Italy)

in italy, you have to get gelato, or ice cream. it's amazing! and try to find a pizza place that weighs your piece to charge you...instead of cutting all pieces the same, you tell them how much you want (depending on how hungry you are...it's awesome!)

watch out for the men in the italian markets in florence...even if you appear to be there with another man, they will still try to sleep with you.

visit chateau de versailles and the gardens...they are amazing. plan to have all day to walk through the gardens...we only had an hour or so, and were quite disappointed.

bad tolz is the best kept german secret, and norcia is the best kept italian secret. little cities, absolutely beautiful. norcia actually has a wall around it, and i think we only saw three cars the entire time we were there. incredible. so pretty...

visiting the louvre was the best 8 euros i've ever spent.

and if i give you some money, will you get me a new pair of birkenstocks? they are *so* much cheaper in germany!

that's all i have for now...it's been two years since i toured europe, and i would love to go back. i actually spent a couple of months trying to figure out how i could move to france, that's how much i liked it. *sigh*

absolutely. eat it everyday that you're in italy. also...ask the price before they scoop it. they'll take no pity on charging you whatever they fell once it's already put together. oh, and eat pastries there too. they're delish.

i've only hit up italy on your list.

just so you know...pisa is little more than a leaning tower. if you go there, don't plan on spending much time.

whatever time you're planning on spending in rome is not enough, but that's okay. you can only do so much.

if you're seeing the vatican (which you MUST do if you're in rome), make sure that there is not a big event there on the day of your visit.

if you go to florence, and you go to the medici chapel, ask the curator to see the Michelangelo sketches in the basement. it's free, but you have to ask.

buy leather in florence and glass in venice.

watch out for motor scooters. they're like gnats. they just swarm all around you.

i really enjoyed pompeii. i'm not sure where you're going, but if you get a chance to go that way, it's well worth it.

i don't think you'll have a choice, but if you're going by train get first class. the difference is astounding.

there are lots of good hostels, and i always like staying at those so you can meet other travellers to see where they've been.

i think that's all that i can think of right now. i'm so excited for you! that will be a blast. take tons of pictures.

Though it sounds way creepy (and sorta is) I have to recommend the Paris Catacombs. It's awe-inspiring. I still get tingles thinking about it. The bones of seven million Parisians what was once the Plaster of Paris mines. The priests who made the skulls stack into perfect little crosses and hearts over two hundred years ago had quite a sense of patience and humor.
Paris is covered in Museums not to be missed (though you could easily spend three days just walking through the Louvre. Also, try to hit a farmer's/flea market. It's very fun and and insightful into the local culture. Be sure to buy yourself some fresh flowers and a baguette to walk around with!
~m
ps. Be careful if you go up the Eiffel Tower when it's rainy! Those metal steps to the elevator are slippery!!! My back still suffers from a fall I had.
And watch out for Merde! Dog poo is everywhere!

yes, rome was amazing. be prepared to hack up a couple of lungs, though...it's a dirty dirty city. beautiful, but all of the sog...ick. i remember singing in concerts there, and i think it took me a good week being home to breathe normally again.

as for the vatican, the vatican is amazing...also, you have to see the sistine chapel. pictures do it no justice. none whatsoever. i think the most wonderful thing about the chapel, though, is the silence...the reverence would probably be lost with many groups who wander in. luckily there are guards who command respect.

hi everyone. just wanted to drop in to say we are here and we are having so much fun. check out our blog when you have a chance. we will check in again when we get home to tell you all about it! love steph and rach.

ps...we went "over the rhine" for the first time today.

blog

Hey,
It's great to hear from you guys.
Keep the photos coming.
Is that a bed in the bathroom or a sink in your bedroom? So Euro....oooh.
Have more fun.
T xo

Hey Steph and Rach,
I love all the new photos! I'm so jealous of you two... It's also good to see Cecily again. Is that a shot of her parents? The man looks like her dad, but the woman seems much older than I remember her mother... Are you aware that you are both wearing hats in every single picture? Thanks for the blog!

Steve

Edited to say I'm a total dork and just now read the PS where you mention that you visited Cecily's grandparents...