Anniversary Vacation (March 22, 2016)

We arrived in Paris a 11:15 a few minutes late. We walked to the apartment via the place of the Bastille. We arrived at the apartment a little early, so we saw the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The Cathedral is open while mass is taking place, so if you go to mass there you are part of the tourist attraction. It was completed in 1345. We returned to the apartment at 23 Quai d' Anjou, île de St. Louis to see what we needed to buy for food, and made a shopping list. On the way to the store we went Sainte-Chapelle, which had the most beautiful stained glass. We walked across Ponte Nuef, the oldest bridge in Paris, then on to the Marais, one of the most medieval areas in Paris. We walk by a 15th century Archbishops house, and King Henry II's Wall which is a two block long piece of the 13th century wall that protected Paris.

Anniversary Vacation

Saturday and Sunday mornings we went to the local bar for a cappuccino and croissant. Monday morning we walked into the bar and the guy asked, "two cappuccini, and two croissants?" We felt like locals.

We checked out of the hotel and stored out luggage with the lady in lobby. Now we had 8 hours to kill before getting on the train to Paris. We walked around a bit until I remembered there were two more 'art' churches to see. We arrived at St. Stephen's just as a funeral was letting out. We saw the casket on a rolling platform in the middle of the campo. We waited a few minutes until we knew everyone has exited the church then we went in. The art was beautiful and it was free. Then we walked to St. Sebastian and saw the work of Paolo Caliari (Paolo Veronese), he did the whole place. 

Saint Sebastian Church

The Baptism of Jesus

From there we bought cheese and bread to add to the wine we had bought for the train to Paris. We picked up our luggage and took the boat on a 30-minute ride to the railway station. Near the station a restaurant found us, so we had dinner. At 19:00, we got on the train. 

In our stateroom on the night train to Paris

Our car wasn't labeled, so that took awhile to figure out. After we left the station at exactly 19:20, the porter came around to check our tickets and take our passports. The speaker in our  room was making a ticking noise, so I told the porter. That was a mistake. It started a comedy of a series of clueless employees trying to act like they were going to fix the noise which also kept us awake until 23:30. They never did fix it. If I had not said anything we would have been in bed two hours earlier.

At 5:00, the police came to our door to give us our passports. The people in the next room freaked out thinking they were being violated. By 6:00, the sun was up, so we got up, got our free breakfast, and watched the French scenery go by.

Anniversary Vacation

Today is Palm Sunday, so we started the day with 8:00 Mass at the Basilica San Marco. As we enter the church we followed the line of people getting olive branches, so we picked up one. We didn't do any processing with them, but it is what they do. We saw families around town carrying their branches.  I brought a copy of the readings and responses with us, so we could try and follow along. It was impossible to actually respond without knowing the language. We did pick up the Prayer of the Faith response, "Ascoltaci, o Signore," for, "Lord, hear our prayer." As we left Mass we noticed on a table were copies of the readings, in German, English, French, and Spanish. 

After Mass we went to Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. It is a church built as thanks for the city surviving the plague of 1630.

Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute

Then we went to see the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of art. We saw works my Dali, Picasso, and Pollack.

Developable Surface by Antoine Pevsner 1938

The last few day were starting to wear us down, so we stopped in the Camp San Polo, found a table in the sun, and ate a late but very slow lunch
.

Anniversary Vacation II (March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, Father's Day in Italy)

Our strategy to overcome jet lag is to arrive in Europe tired and no matter how long we may be away during the night, get up at eight. That eight am alarm was rough. It took us over an hour to drag ourselves out of the hotel. We had breakfast at Bar Al Campanile, the bar just down the street.

Breakfast at Bar Al Campanile

We strolled around the San Marco area until the start of the Secret Itinerary Tour of the Doge's Palace started. The tour took an interesting look into the power structure of the palace and the prison. 

The Bridge of Sighs at seen from the Grand Canal

The Grand Canal as seen from the Bridge of Sighs

The meeting hall of the Grand Council is one of the largest rooms in Europe

After lunch, we went to the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. It has some great art in it also.

We rested over some drinks and then made our way to San Zaccaria another great art Church. Then it was time for a gondola ride. We went under the bridge of sighs and past Casanova's house.

We finished the day at Un Mondo diVino for cicchetti and wine.

Anniversary Vacation I

Before we left, I was curious how our passports would be checked. We had never checked-in online for an international flight, or transited a Schengen Area country before a final destination. I had also read about the horrors of transiting Charles de Gaule airport and to be prepared for an hour long transit. Our experience was pretty smooth. We had our passports checked in Spokane, and every time we got on a plane. Our transit through Charles de Gaule was too easy; there was nobody in line but us. We got a entry into the Schengen Area in Paris and just walked right into Italy like we were landing in Spokane.

We upgraded our ticket to Delta Comfort Plus, which gave us four more inches of legroom, free wine, our recline in our seats, and power to charge our phones with. It was great. 

I had a Catholic crisis of conscious during our flight to Paris. It is Lent, so no eating meat on Friday. We left Seattle on Thursday and at 4:00 am Friday Paris time and 8:00pm Thursday Seattle time I was given and ate a small roll with beef in it. Was it REALLY Friday? 

On the way to Venice we flew over the Alps.

Flying over the Alps

After landed at the Venice airport, we a took water bus to the city. We got of the bus at the Fondamente Nove stop and walked to the Basilica of Saints John and Paul also called Zanipolo. Then we walked to Santa Maria die Miracoli. They both had great art. From there we walk to San Marcos to check into our hotel; Hotel ai do Mori. It is just yards from Piazza San Marco. We did some grocery shopping and then went to dinner. We had a nice dinner at Ristorante Marciana. It was great and the service was excellent. The excellent service might have been because we were the only ones there. So far, traveling in the off season is great.

Water Bus from airport in Venice

Anniversary Vacation

About 21 months ago, Cindy thought we should go somewhere for our 40th Wedding Anniversary; like Hawaii. We massaged that idea into this plan:

March 17, We fly Delta Airlines out of Spokane at 9:15 to Seattle. Depart Seattle at 14:14 for Paris.

March 18, Arrive in Paris at 8:35 local time (00:35 pst) Depart Paris at 10:15 local time (02:15 pst) for Venice. Arrive in Venice at 11:55 local time (03:55pst)

March 19, We take the Secret Itinerary Tour of the Doge’s Palace

March 20, Palm Sunday Mass at San Marco

March 21, We take the night train to Paris

March 22, We arrive in Paris at 09:55 (01:55 pst) Wander around Paris (Towers and Churches)

March 23, Wander around Paris (Louvre, Catacombs, etc.)

March 24, Day trip to the Palace of Versailles

March 25, Day trip to Chartres

March 26, Day trip to Loire Valley

March 27, Easter Mass at Notre Dame

March 28, Depart Paris at 10:30 local time (01:30pst) for Seattle. 

Arrive in Seattle at 11:58. Depart Seattle at 14:45 and arrive in Spokane at 15:47