Highlights and plans

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

 I hope everyone has had a lovely festive period and enjoyable New Year celebrations.

As I've been looking around blog land the past few days, I've noticed that many people in 2013 are focusing on being grateful and what is making them happy.  Some are posting once a week about four things that have/are making them happy.  Others are writing little notes about good things that happen and putting them in a jar to read at the end of the year.  Both of these ideas are lovely and my aim is to incorporate both of them into my life this year.

I suppose the end of the year and the beginning of a new one is a good time to look back and reflect, to look forward and plan.  There were three highlights in 2012 for me.  Our two month trip to Europe, turning 50 (yes it was a highlight) and our 25th wedding anniversary.

Traveling to Europe was fantastic...something I've always wanted to do and it didn't disappoint.  People ask me where was my favourite place or what was my favourite thing about our trip and I can honestly say that it was all good.  There were frustrating moments like when we received a parking fine in La Colle-sur-Loup and I had to wade my way through French bureaucracy, me with no French, them with no English.

 
There were scary moments, our first time driving in Paris,

finding ourselves on roads that were more like goat tracks than roads thanks to our GPS,

and some days when hubby and I were unwell,

Full of a head cold in Venice

  but we managed to get through those days without too much disruption to our plans.  I loved France, I loved Italy, although I found Rome overwhelming.  And I certainly loved Cornwall and Staffordshire.  A huge part of our experience was enjoying meeting people whether they were hosts at our accommodation or interacting with people in shops and restaurants.  But best of all was meeting Louise and Dave in Staffordshire, what a weekend we had with them!  We also were able to stay with relatives in Shrewsbury which was awesome.  Our favourite French person was Sami who was a night man at our accommodation in Paris.  We sat up at night for hours talking to him about language, politics and culture.

Turning 50, I guess that's a bit of a milestone and it's the best.  At 50 I know where I belong in the world, I'm  not the slightest bit bothered what other people think of me and I'm still young enough to have FUN!!  My kids think I'm crazy.

A 25th Wedding Anniversary...WOW!  Where have those years gone, the good, the stressful when I was sick with post natal depression and other bouts of depression, the raising of two beautiful girls who are now gorgeous young women.  I wouldn't change it for the world, perhaps I would give the depression a miss, but that in itself has shaped me to become (hopefully) a more compassionate and understanding person.

So what's ahead in 2013?  I wish for love, peace, happiness and good health.  I wish for the strength to cope with and support my family in what will possibly be a difficult year with my elderly Father's ailing health.

I plan for 2013 to be the year of walking the talk, to complete unfinished projects.   The hand pieced 20 year old quilt would be a good start.  Add to that the granny square rug for my bed,

and this painting.

This year I'd like to start hiking, become a better swimmer, improve my garden, learn more crochet skills, make all my own cards, sew something that actually fits me and paint, paint, paint.

I hope the year 2013 is a good one for you.  Let's all have a fabulous year together and last but not least, welcome to my new followers.  Thank you for taking an interest in my world.

Have a fabulous weekend,

Anne  xx

Rome

Hello everyone, how are you?  My overall view of Rome as a city....big, chaotic, dirty and mad, mad drivers, the worst I’ve ever seen.  Driving into Rome early on a Friday afternoon was crazy, the GPS was thankfully helpful this time and despite some of the scary incidents along the way, we arrived at our accommodation in one piece.  Our host Alfredo was so friendly, utterly charming and our room was modern and clean, a little jewel in the outer suburbs of Rome.

The bathroom was to die for.

 The things I enjoyed about Rome the most were seeing the historical sites we specifically wanted to see.   As soon as we had dropped our bags off at our accommodation, we took the train to the stop closest to the Vatican Museum so we could visit the Museum, the Sistene Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.  It is difficult to describe the scale of these buildings, they are ornate, I hope some of my photos give you an idea.

 

A section of mosaic floor.  The floors in these buildings were incredible either marble or travatine.

Some of the corridors in the Vatican Museum wore enormous.

 The Vatican Museum had a display of Egyptian antiquities which was very interesting.

Inside St. Peter's Basilica

 The main attraction for me in St. Peter's Basilica was Michelangelo's Pieta which is a beautiful sculpture and much more delicate than David.  It was behind glass and this was the best photo we took.  Michelangelo was only 23 when he was commissioned to sculpt the work.  So much talent for one so very young. 

Vatican guards in fancy dress!!

We were pleased to have seen what we did in an afternoon and found somewhere to eat that evening in one of the little streets that open up at night with cafes everywhere.  It is the tradition for the restaurateurs to accost you and encourage you to eat at their premises.  The bill usually includes a cover charge for sitting at a table so we were not impressed when we went to pay, the proprietor was cheeky enough to ask for a tip. 

The next day on our list of things to see were the The Colosseum, The Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.  The Colosseum is huge, which I knew but to stand next to this enormous and very old structure was quite something.  Here are some of our photos.

Looking through one of the arches to the inside.

The Pantheon was most impressive from outside, the interior was amazing.  I would have liked to have seen it as it was as a pagan temple before the Catholic church took it over as one of their churches.

I have a little confession to make here.  Normally I am very respectful of the requests asked of visitors and in this case we were to be silent because we were in a holy place.  There was general murmuring you would expect from a large crowd trying to be quiet but as I figured it was a pagan temple originally, and was sure the acoustics would be wonderful, I thought a little (big sneeze) would test out my theory.  I was correct, the acoustics in the Pantheon are wonderful.  Hubby was not impressed and still cannot believe I sneezed on purpose.  Ha, ha, it was one of those little things that are normally bubbling inside bursting to get out that I usually suppress.  Not this time!  :)

The Trevi Fountain is beautiful.  I could have stayed there much longer than we had time for.  I threw in a Euro and made a wish as you do.  These are my favourite photos.

 Our last stop was the Spanish Steps which were crowded with people sitting on them so it was quite hard to see them very well.

This was a relatively quiet time.

 This young lady obviously thought it was an appropriate and comfortable place for a nap.

After visiting the Spanish Steps, we wandered around looking in the shops and watching what the Romans do on a Saturday afternoon.  It was very interesting people watching.

 We saw this DJ in a shop window.  Only in Rome!!

 

We have noticed in the Italian cities of Venice, Florence, Sienna and Rome that there are many Indians and African men selling either fake posh handbags, sunglasses, umbrellas or other gimmicky things that most tourists would not be interested in.  As soon as a police car is in site, they duck off only to return when the police have gone.

Catherine you were asking about the food.  My impression of eating in Italy is one of limitations.  I’m sure home cooking would have more variety but eating out is at times frustrating.  Pasta, pizza and occasionally Risotto are on most menus and Panini a white bread flat roll most often has ham and cheese or just ham for lunch.  It’s quite hard to find just a salad sandwich and I’ve only seen wholemeal bread once so far in Italy.  We try to order a salad with our pizza or pasta but vegetables are few and far between.

Breakfast is definitely not what we are use to.  Italians have a lot of sweet pastries at breakfast which I find quite hard to eat first thing in the morning.  Let me say here that I’m not complaining about the food, rather noting and appreciating the differences.  Eating differently is all a part of the traveling experience after all.  It also makes me appreciate the variety and the different cultural influences our Australian diet includes.  The bananas in Italy are imported from Costa Rica, whereas in Australia we have enough climactic changes to be able to grow tropical fruits.  The coffee is much stronger here even in a cappuccino and I’ve had to add just a little sugar to make it more palatable, something I don’t do at home.

My next post will be all about our stay in the Cinque Terre area on the west coast of Italy.  It is another stunningly beautiful part of the world.

Bye for now,

Anne  xx