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We had breakfast at our dreadful hotel, then, after requesting a refund from Travelocity and finding a new hotel a bit further out, in Vincennes, drove there. Locating it was harder than you might imagine because when the GPS said we had arrived it was nowhere in sight. So I went into the only building that was open to inquire. The response? “Yes, that is us.” Low-key is an understatement. I think it is primarily geared toward students, but it had a parking garage and a kitchenette, so it suited us. We checked in (the room, surprisingly, was ready), parked the car, unloaded the luggage and asked for information on getting into the city. Then we headed to Paris, on the RER A train, which, happily, took the subway tickets that I had purchased the day before.
The new hotel was near a new skate park, which provided some amusement.
Skate parkRER A train
We stayed just one night at the Comfort Hotel Paris Porte d-Ivry. The breakfast was good but not great. The room was awful. 2 out of 10. There was no “comfort” in this hotel.
We are still waiting on the hotel refund.
We met Benjie and Junko at Maison Peret for a light and very leisurely lunch, then wandered the city for a bit. Marlene did some window shopping and we wandered the Montparnasse Cemetery, taking photos along the way.
Goofing in ParisGoofing in the cemeteryFlowers in the cemetery
We boarded the subway to go to Notre Dame. Benjie left us to go home to edit his photos while Junko escorted us to Notre Dame. We got some nice photos outside, then waited nearly 30 minutes to be allowed inside. We entered just as 6pm Saturday mass was commencing. We got to tour the cathedral to the music of the mass. Very cool!
Us with Notre DameKilling time in the plazaA different perspectiveThe organRose windowWaiting for massStained glassOne of many statuesMass beginsMassFrieze?
There was some kind of religious procession outside when we exited. Got a photo of that and, later, a wonderful photo of Notre Dame as the setting sun poked through the clouds.
ProcessionProcession shrineNotre Dame in sun
We then walked to Benjie and Junko’s neighborhood and had some mulled wine in the local cafe. Then we walked to dinner at La Pie Noir, a little family restaurant. We all had razor clams (never heard of them but they were terrific) and Marlene and I followed that with some delicious salmon. We shared profiterole for dessert.
Our serverRazor clamsSalmonAll four of us, with server
We were sad to leave our home for 3 days in Ange, Le Clos des Epinettes. We had the basement in-law apartment which suited us perfectly. Full kitchen, comfortable bed, clean bathroom. The hosts, Michel and Didier, were wonderful too. The only complaint we had was the size of the bath towels – too small. But otherwise simply wonderful. 9 out of 10.
We drove from Ange to Chartres, stopping along the way at a supermarket for bread and gas. Then we visited the Chartres Cathedral, a wonderful medieval cathedral. Arguably the most impressive and beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. I had been there before, many years ago, and after seeing the wonderful cathedral in Tours I was worried that it would be a disappointment. It wasn’t. Amazing detail both outside and inside.
It was chilly but sunny. A nice break from the dreary weather of the past few days.
We once again took the no-toll route. That meant that we encountered many more traffic circles / rotaries / roundabouts. I think we have seen about a thousand now.
Chartres, frontChartres, sideChartres, other sideAlterStained glassRose windowFrieze?Frieze?
We then drove to Paris and checked into our hotel – Comfort Hotel Paris Porte d’Ivry. We were disappointed in the room, to say the least. NO amenities whatsoever – no refrigerator, no microwave, no coffee. And it smelled. We had to stay that night as we had plans to go to a jazz club in Paris, but we resolved to find another place.
We walked 10 minutes to a Metro station, got tickets and made our way into Paris. We were to meet my friends, Benjie and Junko, at Cafe Beaubourg for a drink, then on to Le Duc des Lombards where we listened to some good jazz by an American jazz band.
The weather did not cooperate today – it was cold, windy and rained intermittently all day. Not a fun day for sightseeing. But, after breakfast in our suite, we ventured out to see the sights of Blois.
The main goal was to see the Blois Cathedral. We achieved that goal by parking the car about a half mile away and walking there through a bitterly cold, cutting wind, only to find parking available near the door to the cathedral. But it was dry and relatively warm inside. And quite impressive.
Blois CathedralInsideReliquary
We bought some bread on our way back to the car, but rather than doing the sensible thing by getting in and driving home, we deposited the bread in the car and walked up to the Chateau of Blois. We didn’t go in as it was pricey, but got a shot of the courtyard. And Marlene posed next to the merry-go-round in the plaza. We also took the photo at the top of the post.
We then got in the car, but on our way out of town spotted yet another interesting cathedral. So we found a parking spot and walked to it. But it was closed as it was being extensively renovated. Marlene snuck one interior shot but otherwise we were left to admire the outside. It was a huge, very impressive building. But the name escapes me at this moment.
Chateau courtyardBeing a kid againClosed cathedralInterior scaffoldingExteriorCold, wet street
Marlene found a thrift shop and bought a couple of cold-weather items. Then we went home. We had dinner and played cards. Of course she won.
Another rainy day. It did dry out some in the afternoon, though, so it wasn’t a complete washout.
After breakfast in our kitchen we drove to Tours, about 50 minutes away, with the intention of viewing the Tours Cathedral. We did do that, eventually, but it was hosting a funeral when we arrived, so we wandered around in the area for about 30 minutes, mostly on the grounds of the nearby art museum.
Art museumTree on the grounds of the art museum
The Tours Cathedral is one impressive structure. It is old, being built between the 12th and 16th centuries. Its stained glass windows are spectacular with each telling a different story. Amazing place.
EdificeOrganStained glassMore stained glassGalleryMarlene at the impressive entrance
We then wandered the streets of Tours for a bit, buying some bread (always a nice snack while walking) and visiting a second-hand clothing shop (nothing purchased).
We left Tours and drove to the Chateau de Chenonceau, a beautiful and historic 16th century residence on the Cher River. In approaching the structure we paused at the maze. It was muddy and I was wearing shoes so I didn’t go far in. But Marlene wasn’t deterred; she found the center of the maze in no time.
ToursMarlene in the mazeUs at Chenonceau
Marlene complained that the 16-euro price was too high and she may be right. I think the mansions in Newport RI are more impressive. But this chateau has a lot of history. Many French kings visited here and at least one lived here for a time. The place is filled with 16th century tapestries and other ancient artifacts.
GardensTapestryGalleryKitchen prep areaKing’s bedroomKitchenFlowers in the funeral roomQueen’s bedroomView from the balconyOn our way to the car
We did some food shopping on the way back to our residence. Food seems to be relatively inexpensive in France – especially the delicious fresh-baked breads. A loaf costs less than $2. We got some snacks, sugar, coffee and soup mix for under $10. We had soup with bread and cheese for dinner. Coffee too.
We had breakfast at the hotel, packed, said fond farewells to the staff and left on a long (almost 8 hours door-to-door) trip to Ange in the Loire Valley.
The hotel in Chambery – Ibis Budget Hotel Sud Chambery Challes-les-Eaux. We loved this place! Booking it was a bit of a risk. It was inexpensive – about $60 per night (the two nights were cheaper than the one night in Genoa) but it had good reviews. No elevator, but we left the suitcases in the car and just took our backpacks up one floor. The room was basic, but had everything we needed, including a table where I could blog.
The breakfast buffet was excellent – not as good as breakfast in Genoa but very, very good. And the staff was incredible. Ronald, the main guy, bent over backward to accommodate us. He even insisted that we take a bag of croissants with us when we left.
9 out of 10. If this hotel had an elevator I would have given it a 10.
Our ibis roomRonald and me at breakfast
I expected the road out of Chambery to be flat and boring. It was pretty flat, but not boring. We drove through a valley with rocky hills on either side. There were two tunnels. Pretty dramatic. It got boring after an hour or so.
Rock wallsCliffs everywhereRocky hills overlooking a small town
Marlene spotted a church in a small town and we stopped to see it. We took the opportunity to buy a baguette that we munched on as we drove.
We stopped again later to do more food shopping (we had booked a place with a microwave) and to get fuel. We found yet another small church but didn’t go inside.
First churchMe, shoppingSecond church
We got lost in minor ways several times. The worst one was, I think, the GPS’s fault. It said “take the third exit in the roundabout to D982.” Which I did. But it rerouted. Marlene, who was navigating, said I should have taken the first exit. Annoyed, I said that I distinctly heard it say “third exit.” We turned around and this time did the first exit, onto D982 the opposite direction. Again, “rerouting.” The third try was to the second exit which wasn’t even D982, but it was the correct choice. I guess the GPS is not infallible.
There were also three barricaded roads. France seems to have no compunction about simple shutting a road down for whatever reason. We found our way around each of them, but encountering a closed road can be pretty annoying.
We made it to our lodging just before 7pm. I call it “lodging” rather than hotel because it was a private home. No breakfast so I can’t call it a “bed-and-breakfast” but it had a full kitchen with stove (which we didn’t plan to use), a microwave, dishwasher, dishes and utensils and both a teapot and a single-serve coffee machine. It will suit our needs very nicely. And the cost? $66 per night.
The hosts were Michel and Didier, a very friendly married gay couple who were very proud to show us around their entire property. In addition to the “in-law” suite in the basement (which is where we would be staying) they also rented, in warm weather, several gypsy wagons in the side yard. Really an amazing place. I am pretty sure we are going to love it. And the location is convenient to the places I plan to take Marlene in the Loire Valley.
The weather in Europe has been quite nice. Right up until that white-knuckle trip over the fog-shrouded pass from Italy to France. Since then it has been dreary: cold with intermittent showers. Almost no sun. And the forecast for the entire week in France is not promising.
Walking by the shuttered castle
It rained nearly all day the one day we were in Chambery. Nevertheless we ventured out, to see a local cathedral and the Chateau des ducs de Savoie, the local medieval fortress. But it was Monday, a day when many things in France are closed and this fortress was one of them. It started raining harder so we ducked into a store selling cheap jewelry. About 90 minutes later we exited with some new earrings for Marlene’s collection. We stopped at a pub for a beer and a hot dog (advertised on a board outside) but got only the beer. The excuse for no hot dog started with “it is too late” as they served lunch only until 1:30. But it was 1:25 so that didn’t fly. Eventually the excuse morphed into “we ran out of hot dogs.” But it was Monday and no one was in the place. I can’t imagine that they sold more than a handful. Whatever. I was happy with a beer.
We went back to the hotel but Marlene was still itching for a trip to a thrift store so we got a recommendation from the desk lady at the hotel and ventured back out. But that store was more like a cheap Walmart (is that redundant?) than a thrift store so we returned empty-handed.
We played cards (Marlene won both games, as usual), then I spent quite a bit of time blogging. Dinner was bread and butter with a chocolate croissant for dessert. Dinner on the cheap.
I will explain the story behind the picture at the top in a minute. But I will start at the Best Western CHC Genova Airport Hotel – the expensive one-nighter. We felt considerably more positively toward it after breakfast which was simply one of the finest breakfasts I have had anywhere. Perhaps the finest free breakfast I have ever experienced. Juices, fresh coffee, fruits, nuts, scrambled eggs (real, not powdered), delicious bacon, sausage, deli meats, cheeses and an extravagant selection of mouth-watering breads and croissants. And fresh honey, straight from a huge honeycomb! All served in a very elegant breakfast room. Gotta rate this hotel at least a 9 out of 10.
Fresh breadPastriesFruits and nutsMy breakfast
We had spent a lot on tolls getting to Genoa and I resolved to get to Chambery toll-free. I also expected the toll-free route to be more interesting And it was. Perhaps TOO interesting.
The first thing we did after finding our way out of central Genoa was to get gas. That was an adventure as it was Sunday and in Genoa – and maybe all of Italy – most gas stations are closed on Sunday. But even in a closed gas station the pumps remain open. I just had to figure out how to use one.
The pump is separate from the payment kiosk. I figured out how to do it with assistance from an Italian woman who was fueling up at the adjacent pump. You enter the credit card and indicate the pump you are at, then go to the pump and fill the tank (I also had to figure out which type of fuel to use). Then go back to the kiosk to complete the transaction and get the receipt. The total for about 9 gallons? Over $60 – more than $6 a gallon! Sure hope I get good mileage.
Shortly after gassing up the GPS had me take a right turn onto a small road that immediately started to climb. We climbed for over 20 minutes, into the mountains surrounding Genoa. The road was narrow and winding but not as scary as the road to Cinque Terre.
After we leveled out we encountered Voltaggio, a cute little town on a small river. It looked interesting and we needed a break, so we stopped. Very cute, quaint town! A memorable hour.
Walking into townVoltaggio CathedralBridge and old mill
Shopping in Turin
We didn’t stop again until we reached Turin/Torino and then stopped at a mall to use the bathroom and do some shopping – first for a snack (fresh bread) and then for clothes. Marlene, despite her best efforts, did not find anything to buy. She did, however, lose her phone. Being without a phone would, needless to say, be a disaster. We couldn’t leave until it was found, which it was, after only 20 minutes of searching. But that 20 minutes meant, to me, that I would be navigating the Alps in near-darkness. That prospect did not please me.
The sensible thing at that point would have been to get on the toll road which would have been much safer in the dark. But I didn’t, thinking that I could still make it through the mountains before darkness set in. But then we encountered the closed road and detour. At that point we were committed. But had we known just how scary the detour would be I might have turned around.
The detour took us into a small town and down a road that looked like someone’s driveway. It then started climbing. It was very narrow for about 2 km – not wide enough for two cars. I was terrified that I would encounter a car coming at me after the next hairpin turn. And no guard rails. Running off the road would have killed us.
Fortunately that road terminated at a slightly larger road. Passing cars were no longer a problem, but then the fog set in. We drove for nearly 30 minutes through some of the densest fog I have ever seen. My visibility was maybe 40 feet. And it was getting darker. At one point Marlene said “should we stop?” To which I replied “and do what – wait for night?” We kept going, across the border into France. Eventually the road started going down and the fog lifted. The reward for this terrifying ordeal was the beautiful photo at the top.
We made it to our destination – our hotel in Chambery – around 8pm, in total darkness. We had “dinner” of the bread we had bought in Turin and then went to sleep, exhausted.
Our two nights in Rome were at the Grand Olympic Hotel. We hated that the hotel was being renovated and weren’t impressed with the renovated room, but we loved the breakfast buffet and, for us, the price was right. 4 out of 10.
After breakfast I had to find my way to the Budget rental car office by bus. This was difficult because the Rome buses don’t accept cash. So I had to figure out how to buy a ticket online. I purchased a pair of tickets for 7 euros, downloaded the necessary app and loaded the tickets into the app. However, I could not figure out how to actually get the ticket for use on the bus so, after walking 10 minutes to the bus/subway station, I had to find someone to explain it to me. I finally figured out how to activate it just as the bus arrived. But once on board I still couldn’t figure out what to do with it. The bus has machines for, I think, scanning the QR code on the ticket but I couldn’t figure out how to scan mine. Oh, well. I figured if anyone challenged me I could at least prove that I held a valid ticket. And, while riding on the bus, I saw NO ONE actually scan anything using those machines. I think the system trusts that riders have tickets and maybe they are checked only occasionally. Don’t know. What I know is that I got to the rental car office exactly when I planned: 9am.
After the usual paperwork I was handed the keys to a Suzuki. I have never driven a Suzuki, but there didn’t seem to be anything tricky about it other than the engine stopped whenever the car stopped and automatically restarted when the foot came off the brake. Never had a car that did that but I am sure I will get used to it.
I found my way back to the hotel and collected both the luggage and Marlene. Then we set the GPS for Pisa and departed. We had some difficulty getting out of Rome – not because of traffic but because the GPS instructions were often confusing. We passed one point not far from the hotel 3 times before we figured out where to go.
We took toll roads to Pisa – almost 4 hours from Rome. They were expensive (over $25 total) but were necessary as we hoped to get to Genoa by evening (5.5 hours on toll roads, over 9 hours on non-toll roads).
Yahoo-filled buses
As we neared Pisa we – and all other cars on the road – were stopped by police. They were waiting for something or someone to pass by. I thought it might be a presidential motorcade. Nope. It was a caravan of about 12 buses filled with screaming yahoos. I think they were fans headed to a soccer match. I have no idea why it was necessary to stop traffic for them.
We found a no-cost parking spot not far from the Leaning Tower of Pisa – no small feat in a town crawling with tourists – and walked there, weaving through dozens of souvenir vendors. My first thought when passing through the wall into the compound where the tower is located: what are all those OTHER buildings. I had the impression that the tower stood alone but that is not the case; it is one of about 6 large and very impressive buildings in a walled compound.
SacristyTowerCathedralSacristy and sculpturesDon’t know but it is HUGE
We had not booked a hotel in Genoa so we grabbed a cup of coffee (and a bio break) at the McDonald’s outside the wall and discussed our options. We decided to go next to Cinque Terre – a seaside town that was recommended and consider staying there if we could find a place or, more likely, move on another 90 minutes to Genoa.
I was under the impression that Cinque Terre was a town we could drive through on our way to Genoa, but I was mistaken. Cinque Terre is accessible by one very narrow, winding, scary road – about 30 minutes from the expressway. We were able to get there at dusk. It is a pretty town, but it is basically a beach town. Probably one of very few beaches on this rugged stretch of Italian coast.
Looking south from Cinque TerreThe Cinque Terre beach
We were there for a very colorful sunset.
Dusk falls on the beachBeautiful sunset
We had no interest in traversing the rather scary Cinque Terre road in the dark so we scooted before night fell. We got to Genoa around 9pm, still with no hotel reservation. We found a parking spot in central Genoa and started surfing the web. It was a frustrating experience. Marlene and I found the same hotels, but with different prices. And it was difficult determining which had free parking, free WiFi, refrigerators in the room, a microwave and a low price – all things which we deemed important. After getting very frustrated I settled on a Best Western for about $150 – more than I wanted to spend (I wanted to average under $100 on this trip) – but available and not far. It was getting late.
I vowed to never again wait until the last minute to book lodgings.
The frustrations weren’t done because once we got there we couldn’t figure out where to park. I had to go inside and ask. Fortunately the night clerk spoke English and explained it well – we had to take the car to an underground garage. We did that but as we were entering the hotel we encountered a sign that the parking was 20 euros per night – another $25! It appeared that I would be paying $175 for the one night in Genoa. But the hotel – perhaps sensing my frustration – gave me free parking.
A long day of driving and sightseeing on top of the massive amount of walking the previous day. We slept well.
This was a BIG sightseeing day. Arguably the biggest sightseeing day ever and a very successful one. But it started poorly. We both woke up with raging headaches, presumably from a severe caffeine deficit. So, at 6:30am Rome time (and who knows what time our bodies thought it was as we were very jet-lagged), we went down to the breakfast room to seek coffee. But breakfast begins at 7 we were told. Using our best hang-dog puppy faces we begged for a cup. No dice. The two workers were adamant: 7am.
The problem with waiting until 7am was that we had been advised to get to the Vatican early if we wanted to avoid long lines. So we headed to the Vatican, heads throbbing, and passed about 6 cafes along the way that opened at 7. But we finally found an open cafe near St Peter’s Square that was open. We ordered two Americano coffees which were served promptly. We consumed them voraciously. And got refills, then got in line for St Peter’s Basilica where we met a lovely couple from the Ukraine. We only had to wait about 20 minutes and by the time we entered our headaches were nearly gone.
St Peter’s SquareBasilica entranceLooking out
It is a good thing our heads were clear because St Peter’s was mind-boggling. What a place! Huge, beauty everywhere we turned with countless pieces of magnificent art. Just incredible. More amazing than either Marlene or I expected. Very much worth the wait.
Papal guardCeilingMonumentCeilingNaveAltar
While we were wandering about the basilica we encountered a large group of very well-dressed Africans, accompanied by a number of African priests. We learned later that a couple from Nigeria was married in a small chapel.
African weddingTranscept
I was fascinated by the architecture. The paintings and sculptures are fine, but I think the ceiling, arches and floors don’t get the attention they deserve. Everything everywhere is beautiful.
CeilingArchesFloor
We left St Peter’s after touring for a little over an hour and headed back to the hotel for breakfast. Which turned out to be excellent. Then we headed back out.
First stop: thrift store where Marlene was tempted by a green gown but passed. She will be doing a lot of looking at clothes from now until the end of the trip as we are no longer constrained by the 50-pound airline luggage limit.
Houseboats on the TiberPiazza del PopoloUs at fountainPiazza del PopoloSpanish Steps
Next we headed toward the Trevi Fountain and along the way discovered the Basilica of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte which was yet another beautiful cathedral in Rome. We also stopped for coffee at McDonald’s – one of the few places in Rome that serves more than a 4-ounce cup of coffee. We didn’t get a front view of the Trevi Fountain because the entire space was filled with about 10,000 gawkers. But no big deal – we have seen it in the movies.
Sant’Andrea delle FratteAltarTrevi Fountain from the side
We next went in search of thrift stores. We didn’t find any good ones but did discover other interesting things, including the presidential mansion, some government building, Roman ruins and friendly police. We also popped into yet another cathedral (the name escapes me) and passed near the Pantheon but didn’t stop as my ankle was hurting. We walked (well, Marlene walked while I limped) back to the hotel. We passed the Castel Sant’Angelo and, once again, did not go in.
Dwarfed by Presidential GuardsWith friendly copMe with police station statueRoman ruinsCathedralChapelCathedral organCastel Sant’Angelo
We rested a bit then went out to dinner. Nothing fancy, but quite good: we split a large take-out plate of fresh spaghetti with pesto sauce. Yum!
Crossing the TiberWaiting for dinnerWaiting for dinner
Total for the day: over 20,000 steps. That is about 10 miles. We slept well.
Another 11-hour flight, another night with virtually no sleep. I didn’t expect that the flights from Sydney to Rome would be fun and I was right. We were both very, very tired by the time we landed. But thrilled to have made it to Rome. We arrived at 7:30am, Rome time. But our bodies were totally out of sync. We were basically in a daze. Marlene had a headache, undoubtedly due to lack of caffeine. I had a full bladder, having avoided the bathroom on the plane for a full 11 hours. We were both very happy that the customs process at Rome was quick and painless. And that a bathroom was available before we got to customs.
A word on the route taken from Chengdu to Rome by Sichuan Airlines: we avoided the Ukraine. The shortest route would have taken us right over Odessa. But when the plane got to western Kazakhstan it turned south. We went south of the Black Sea, over Turkey. I was happy for that detour.
I had booked a shuttle from the airport into the city. So our first task was finding the shuttle meeting place. We had to haul our luggage to the next terminal, but found the spot. And found the guy organizing the transport. I paid him for the 10am trip (it was not quite 9am then) and he told me to be back at 9:45. I found Marlene, just a short distance away, and we were killing time when, at 9:20am, I got a phone call from a Rome number. Since phone calls cost 25 cents per minute for me while in Italy and I didn’t know anyone in Rome, I ignored the call. But the same number immediately called again. It was the shuttle guy, demanding to know where I was. The shuttle was waiting for me! I told him I had a 10am shuttle. He got quite angry, insisting that I had booked an earlier shuttle. I didn’t argue. We hustled down to the meeting spot and he escorted us to the shuttle van.
In 30 minutes we were deposited at the door of our hotel, which was a pleasant surprise since the shuttle service had advertised “door-to-door service at an additional cost.” But that pleasant surprise was immediately followed by a very unpleasant surprise: the hotel was undergoing renovations. Memories of our unpleasant hotel experience in April in Anchorage came flooding back. Marlene wanted to walk out without even seeing the room. I didn’t see that we had much choice as the hotel was included in the flight/hotel package and was already paid for. We were both jet-lagged, very tired and could easily have had a nasty fight. But we didn’t. Instead we walked to Vatican City.
Along the way I found my shuttle reservation email. 10am. The shuttle guy had no right to be angry with me.
Vatican City. Unbeknownst to us, 2025 is a “Jubilee year” for practicing Catholics. I am not quite sure what that means to them, but what it means to me is that the roads to St Peter’s Square were packed with pilgrims. Tens of thousands of pilgrims. Probably over 50,000. We got close enough to see into the square, but were unable to get closer. Instead we walked to the Tiber River. Along the way we found a church (the Parish of Transpontina) that was one of the finest we have ever seen. But in Rome, a city filled with magnificent churches, this one barely rated honorable mention.
Our first glimpse of Vatican CityThrongs of pilgrimsLooking in at St Pete’s SquareInside Parish of Transpontina
Marlene at Castel Sant’Angelo
We took some photos of Castel Sant’Angelo at the river but didn’t go in. Then we walked back to the hotel to check in. The good news was that the room had been recently renovated and was clean. The bad news was that it had no microwave and no coffee machine. And the hotel had no coffee in the lobby. We were both in need of caffeine. But we were more in need of sleep. We slept.
I woke around 6pm, planning to go out for a bite to eat and some coffee. I was unable to interest Marlene in either. I went back to bed and we both woke up around 5am with raging caffeine (and jet-lag) headaches.
