Two evenings ago I spent some spectacular time on our roof, reading, watching the sunset. We have a generous view of the city from up top. There is a cathedral on the rear end of the building, on the right is an extensive view of the 40 chimney's per house on our row, and the left you view what i like to call : modern london (the glass domes, skyscrapers and such). and the sunset was too lovely for words.
some interesting experiences in this city- i will admit. yesterday we saw rats- as big as possums (eeek!). and last weekend after my exhausting day at (ahem, cough, cough, gag) starbucks i went to oxford street to buy a new uniform (long story) where- lo and behold- the exhibitionist bicycle rally/parade was taking place. naked men and women as far as the eye could see...on bikes! ow. i laughed so hard i cried. also on the roster is another mooning! that's right, again- stacy, casie, and i were mooned. this time- at a pub. he was homeless and shook his tush for all sorts of laughter from the pub goers. so let's see- rats? check. thousands naked? check. homeless naked? check, check. Yes this has been an interesting trip thus far ;-)
I think i am going to a concert this friday at a theatre called (of all things) Water Rats. The band- The Elected (love love love them). It's only £7 to go and I think well worth it.
As for sights of this city go here is my list so far. Click on any that link and discover them for yourselves. Also please add any other places that you wish for me to go (by adding a comment) and hopefully i will wind up there:
London:
Tate Modern ...check!
British
National
and Victoria and Albert Museums
The Home of Charles Dickens
Globe Theatre
Abbey Road (I will also go to liverpool for penny lane)
Camden and Portobello Markets (to do with some quid) ...half check!
Hampton Court Palace and Maze Convent Garden
Windsor Castle
22 Hyde Park Gate (which, seriously is right where I live- I just can't seem to find the place) -where Virginia Woolf grew up ....check!
The Docks
Greenwich
SoHo
Keats House
Convent Gardens
outside of london, in england:
stonehenge ...check!
bath
cambridge
oxford
stratford upon avon (shakespears home, it may be fun to go here, but time permiting)
york
then of course i think we should travel to:
Ireland
Scotland
Amsterdam (Casie insists ;-) )
Greece
Italy
and France.
its good to have lists like this. it is likely i will forget things that i want to see or have already forgotten them andmight have to come back and edit this list. :-)
love you all.
m.
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Megan- Brad and I highly recommend a side trip to Paris…
more info: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/france/paris
for obvious reasons, but really it is just a perfectly lovely, moody city, and Parisians are "just disdainful enough" toward the Ugly Americans- only the Ugly ones, so no need to worry.
In addition to the well known landmarks like:
Arc de Triomphe (constructed in honor of Napoleon's imperial victories and his troops, without whom France would not have nearly so many pillaged artworks)- see this sometime at sundown or around 6:30pm when the flame that commemorates the Unknown Soldier and those who die in battle, is re-lit each evening;
There is the Eiffel Tower,
the fountains at the Jardins du Tuileries, and along the Champs-Elysees (truely one of the most beautiful streets in the world), and Notre Dame Cathedral (YES- A MUST SEE constructed from 1163 through to 1345... Joan of Arc's memorial "tomb" is there (as there are no remains to speak of), and it is just a must- plus there is also the Sainte Chapelle, right near Notre Dame, built in the 13th century by Louis IX to house the Crown of Thorns (yes, purportedly Christ’s) and other religious artifacts pillaged from the Holy Land...: address: 4, boulevard du Palais Paris, 75001), Basilique du Sacre-Coeur address: Pl. du Parvis-du-Sacre-Coeur +33 1 53 41 89 00 (great to visit in the evening- top of the dome offers an awesome view of the city and interior has GORGEOUS mosaics...) there's:
the Musee Rodin (fantastic sculptural gardens and intimate indoor museum, features Rodin's personal art collection and his own sculptures incl. his famous bronze doors- the Gates of Hell- a perfect balance to those that reside in Florence at the Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), designed by Ghiberti and referred to as the Gates of Paradise by Michelangelo (where was Dante was baptized- more about Florence later...) Musee Rodin: 77 Rue de Varenne Paris France 75007 +33 1 44 18 61 10),
Musee National Picasso (if you're a Picasso fan, this is another small intimate museum that really gives you a feel for his body of work: engravings, drawings, paintings, and sculptures- and features pieces from his own collection, including Matisse and Cezanne paintings Address: 5 rue de Thorigny, Paris 75003),
Centre Pompidou (a wonderful modern art and architecture museum built in the mid 1970's housing it's most famous collection of 20th cent. art from the National Museum of Modern Art- two whole floors- plus a fabulous rooftop cafe featuring panoramic views of the city- Place Georges-Pompidou Paris 75004 +33 1 44 78 12 33 ),
Musee d' Orsay (housed in a former rail station- works include sculptures on loan from Musee Rodin, among others, and pieces by Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Manet and Degas...62, rue de Lille Paris France 75343 +33 1 40 49 48 14),
Musee du Louvre (free on the first Sunday of each month, save holidays, BUT GET THERE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, because it is NUTS, but the line moves fast. Also, make a bee-line for the biggies- ie: the Mona Lisa, 'cause it is small, and the room fills up VERY FAST!) ALSO- do schedule at least two days to see it. You'll never get it all in one, as there are more than 30,000 displayed artworks- and, the Etruscan and Roman Antiquities Rooms and Egyptian wings are to DIE for! Address: Paris 75001 +33 1 40 20 53 17) Speaking of....,
the Catacombes is a strange must see, too (Address: 1 Place Denfert-Rochereau Paris 75014 +33 1 43 22 47 63). It is divided into galleries and is "home" to the remains of 5-6 million people whose bones form the walls of the tunnels. There are mosaics and other artwork on the walls throughout... pretty morbidly amazing... while on the morbid, there's also:
Cimetière du Père Lachaise- where Oscar Wilde, Seurat, Chopin, Moliere, Proust and Jim Morrison, to name a few, are buried... you can get a 2 hour guided tour in English departing from the Conservation Office, or just start exploring on your own with an available map, from any of the 5 entrances (+33 1 40 71 75 60 ). Try http://www.conciergerie.com/main.htm?O=PO for discounted passes for 2- 4 days in the city- they can deliver to your hotel/pensione... there are others, but all of my Paris on a dime and "Lonely Planet"/"Rough Guides" are in boxes in our storage shed.... try those for good inside info and bargains though, if you haven't already. Rick Steeves has some pretty good guides as well- worth a trip to a bookstore in London with a pen and paper to write down the best inside info (without shelling out £20 or more for the books themselves...)
Also.... you've got to see two cities, if nothing else, in Italy- Firenze and Roma.
For more info on Rome: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/italy OR http://www.romexplorer.com/
Once you reach Italy, don't expect ANYTHING to run on time. We found it a refreshing change from most of Europe (mostly because we’re never on time), though the graffiti going into the cities was much worse in 1999 (my last visit) than it was in 1982 (when I first visited)- drugs and gangs have become prevalent in Rome- DO NOT go anywhere alone, try to stick to main paths at night- don't want to scare you, but BE CAREFUL as Rome is a city plagued by a huge disparity in wealth and poverty- this was the first city I remember seeing amputees begging street side back in '82....it can be quite shocking at times, but it was also the city I met and heard Mother Theresa speak in during the International Youth Jubilee (1982), along with Pope John Paul- and it is still truly a magical place. The Colosseum and Palatine Museum: (http://musei.travelante.com/bigphp/mus.php?skin=bler&mus=colosseo) , Roman Aquiducts, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica (oooooh- the Pieta and the Creation and the Last Judgement were all being restored when I was first there!!!) St. Peter's Square- also, if you can, crash a Roman Catholic wedding at any of the small churches in and around the city- they are BEAUTIFUL- but duck when the wedding guests cheer the couple as they exit the church (Italians throw coins, not rice). When I stayed in Rome (many years ago) I stayed in the Forum Hotel, which at the time was quite reasonably priced. Don’t know what it runs per night these days, but my suggestion is a pensione, as they tend to be a bit nicer and sometimes safer than your basic no frills hostel, though still relatively inexpensive when shared. There are a number of nice hostels and pensiones listed at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/italy/rome/sleep?poiLoc=&poiPrice=Budget&poiType=
In Florence: for more info, incl. admission tickets, visit: http://www.firenze.net/dynamic/index.wbs?lingua=ENG or see location maps at: http://www.weekendafirenze.com/museidet/mappa.htm, for accommodations, try:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/italy/florence/sleep
The Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo)- the East doors are copies of gorgeous gilded bronze doors (the originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo there in Florence, also) designed by Ghiberti and referred to as the Gates of Paradise by Michelangelo. The Duomo also houses a baptisimal font in which Dante (who authored the “Inferno”) was baptized, as well as statues by Michelangelo; while the chapels inside and nearby house works by Bernini, Donatello, Ghiberti, and Pisano. Be sure to look down at the incredible labyrinth floor- you might even be able to see the catacombs beneath the chapel through the grates in the floor!
The Libreria Piccolomini is painted with frescos by Pinturicchio, and it contains ancient illuminated codes.
There are the Medici Chapels, (the Medici patronized all of the great artists, philosophers, scientists and thinkers of the Renaissance era, and their chapels house great works of art!) These chapels have odd hours, so check before heading out.
The Museum we loved the most, and an absolute MUST SEE was the Galleria degli Uffizi (Uffizi Gallery, built by Francesco I de’ Medici). The view from the cafe on top of the roof is quintessentially Tuscan and best viewed late in the afternoon when you can enjoy an espresso and the entire city turns a buttery golden-bronze color... it is utterly breathtaking and it WILL make you cry! The gallery itself houses Botticelli's "Birth of Venus", Leonardo DaVinci’s “L'Adorazione dei Magi”…plus works from Raffaello, Sarto, Diego Velasquez, Rubens, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt- and these are just the highlights! It is closed on Mondays.
GALLERIA DELL'ACCADEMIA houses Michaelangelo’s “David”- my Lord, is he impressive- and he really sneaks up on you because of the hallway that leads up to him… you’ll see what I mean, and Michaelangelo’s “Prisoners” the series of incomplete sculptures breaking free of their stone confines. In addition, there are MANY famous Florentine artists whose work you will recognize- it is well worth the visit if only to see the David. This museum is closed on Mondays.
The Museo de San Marco houses the largest collection of sacred art in Florence and some absolutely beautiful frescos including works by Fra Angelico- this is worth seeing if you have the time and inclination. Piazza San Marco, Florence, 50121 Italy. +39 55 238 8608 / +39 55 238 8704. Check times and hours before going- it’s another odd one.
Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza is a Science and Technology museum with “5000 original pieces that are divided in two groups the collection of machines and scientific instruments that the Medici family start to collect from the time of Cosimo del Vecchio - from 1583 to the mid 17th century visible at the Uffizi - and the collection of instruments and objects for teaching and experimentation that in 1775 Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena founded”*, which sounds a little dry, but is actually utterly fascinating- you’ll find one of the first mechanical calculators, “the objective lens framed in ivory from which Galileo Galilei observed the four satellites of Jupiter, the famous Medicean planets, the imperfections of the lunar surface and the phases of Venus, the precious sphere constructed by Antonio Santocchi delle Pomarance, and many other important and curious instruments like the hand that writes and the clock perpetually in motion.”*
(* www.firenze.net). Overall, you’ll find that you come away from viewing the collection realizing it was truly a time of celebrated enlightenment and amazing human developments… is located in the Palazzo Castellani, in the heart of historic Florence.
you will find CENACOLO VINCIANO - LEONARDO'S LAST SUPPER in the refectory of the 15th century Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and a number of other famous frescoes all over the insides of nearly every church you walk into in Florence. Plus, most of them are completely free to visit. Also, check out San Marco, nearly right across the street from the train station. There is a nice little restaurant kitty corner from the rail station as well, but be on SHARP lookout for pickpockets, esp. near and in the train station, and for vendors who may try to overcharge you right when you arrive in town. We stayed in a little pensione located right on top of a noisy little bar in the heart of the city, and just a block or two off from the rail station. It was relatively inexpensive, clean, though the shower and toilet were open in one small room…. Nice thing was that you could pee while showering and not violate any social/health codes. Overall, Florence is one of my most favorite cities in Italy- there is great culture there, it is a very old city and one that elevates the artist well beyond a crafter- many artists are sanctioned by the state and only certain artists, those professionally and classically trained for many years (most of them take limited medical classes to study cadavers in order to truly understand the human form) are allowed to paint and draw in the central town square and sell their works. It is pretty impressive to be in a city- a country really, where writers, artists, scientists and thinkers are celebrated with such reverence. You will love it there, Megan. Plus, (added bonus) the shopping is pretty great. Brad and I want to move to Italy within the next five years for Brad to complete his post doc and for me to do some apprenticing (in particular, in lampworking Murano glass with a particular artist whose work I am very fond of.) We’ll see….. I’m sure you’ve already researched most of this on your own, but I hope you find a little valuable info here…Love to you from the three of us- have fun and put us on your email list, ok? We’re looking forward to seeing Jake in a few days and rocking out at Pearl Jam. It will be Gracie’s first rock concert, though she’s attended a number of jazz show….
Cousin Christine, Brad and Gracie Lord-Leutwyler
glasschick@cox.net
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