TravelStream™ news feed for member pimpernel66 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/pimpernel66 en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Wed, 30 Nov 2005 16:13:12 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1130270400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1130270400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1130270400/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 16:13:12 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Athens, Greece

"Tourists don't know where they've been, travellers don't know where they're going." -Paul Theroux

Ahhhhh. Back to Athens. I am home. God, I love this place. Horns-blaring amidst horrendous traffic, smog and pollution, construction around every corner, stray cats and dogs rummaging through garbage. What's not to love? Seriously. I really do love this place. All of the above is true, but the there is such a sense of belonging here for me. Something about seeing the Acropolis set majestically above all the chaos and feeling as if I'm home. I love the Athenians. And the food. Ohhhh. The food. I love walking down the pediastrian streets lined with cafes and bursting with shoppers laden with Zara and Bershka bags. I must have been Greek in a past life. I must have been an Athenian in a past life.

I have returned to discover that my much anticipated and awaited bungee jump into the Corinth Canal has been cancelled...permanently. Apparently, those in charge have decided that they no longer wish to awaken on Saturday mornings until the sun comes out again on a long term basis. Basically, come back in March. Okay, then, damnit. I will.

So, I have come back for just a few days before I must leave this glorious country that has held me hostage for almost 2 months now. I imagine I will simply hang around the hostel and say my good-byes. So many people to whom I must bid adieu. Connie and her daughter Zoe, Addi, at the corner stand, the guys at Athens Backpackers and Katie and Eva. I will be sad to leave this place, but I know in my heart that someday I shall return.

Good-bye one last time, Athens. Good-bye Greece!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121614200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121614200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121614200/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:50:50 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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London, United Kingdom

The Journey Begins
I have made it to Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, UK! What a journey, though. I haven't slept in over 30 hours! I hopped on a plane from Memphis to Chicago, then on to Heathrow. It took me 3 hours to get from Heathrow to Paddington Train Station as the Heathrow Express Train was shut down (due to technical difficulties) and I was forced to take the tube. I was not fearful, however, because of the locations of the bombings, Paddington is hard to achieve. I changed trains about 40 times. Once I got to Paddington, I was informed that the train to Stratford-Upon-Avon no longer runs due to a tunnel collapse. Okay, then. On to Reading, changed trains to Oxford and Leamington Spa where I caught a bus to Stratford. And here I am. Exhausted. Plus, I realized as I was trying to find clean clothes that I've brought 3 jackets and no pajamas. Mmmmmm.... Oh well.

I am going to make this first entry short as I am exhausted (and, therefore can't be held responsible for what I write here!). Tomorrow I tour Stratford, which is very touristy, by the way. Tomorrow night I will see A Comedy of Errors at the Royal Shakepeare Theatre. I'm very excited. However, it I don't get some sleep soon, I won't be watching anything tomorrow night.

So that's all for now. Take care all!

Scarlet
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122533820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122533820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122533820/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:50:26 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Kyleakin, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

Isle of Skye: My favorite place so far. The train ride was incredible! Beautiful lochs, mountains, sheep paddocks, inlets to the sea. Wow and more wow! I definitely would like to come back here. I visited the Eileen Donan Castle on the Isle of Skye. Very picturesque and romantic. It's still privately owned by the McCrea Family. Must be nice....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122360900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122360900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122360900/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:49:59 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Inverness, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

Inverness: Lovely city. Good base for Castle Urquhart (pronounced "Erkirk") and Loch Ness. No monsters in sight, but it's summer and it seems like EVERYONE is on vacation, so why not Nessie?
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122187980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122187980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122187980/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:49:28 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

Edinburgh: Pronounced "Edinboro". Don't ask. I gave up about halfway through the country. DEFINITELY didn't have enough time here and I plan a return trip. Plus, it didn't help that I came here to pay homage to Mary, Queen of Scots but couldn't get in her main residence, Holyrood Palace, due to current Queen's Garden Party. Of all the nerve! Edinburgh Castle was SUPERB, however. But, in the infamous words of ARNOLD, "I'll be back"!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122015000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122015000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1122015000/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:49:04 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Berrick-Upon-Tweed, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

Berwick-Upon-Tweed: Pronounced "barrick" which would have been nice to know. Of course, not one person here corrected me. They would just look at me funny for a minute, then proceed with the conversation. Loved it here. It's right on the border between England and Scotland and on the coast of the North Sea. People were very friendly and I enjoyed many long walks along the old Elizabethan walls that surround the town. Loudest seagulls in the world, however.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121959800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121959800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121959800/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:47:21 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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York, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

York: Very quick visit to Yorkminster which was FABULOUS! Walked more here than anywhere else as my hostel was 2 miles from the center (hell, even the edge) of town. Must ask the next English person to please define "short walk"!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121785200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121785200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121785200/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:46:58 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Stow-On-The-Wold, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

Stow-On-The-Wold: Middle of the Cotswolds which is a landscape recumbent with rolling hills, small (and I MEAN small) villages, footpaths (a.k.a. "trails") and paddocks full of sheep. One of the most beautiful and peaceful places I've ever been. Don't try to buy a house here unless your name is Bill Gates, however.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121583000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121583000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1121583000/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:45:44 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Stratford-Upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Mind the Gap!
I have arrived back in London after a whirlwind trip of England and Scotland that included the following: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stow-On-The-Wold, York, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye! I would summarize my trip as follows:

Stratford-Upon-Avon: Paid homage to Shakespeare, Shakespeare's wife, Anne, his mother, Mary, his children, grandchildren, butcher, etc., paying £10 pounds per site. It's nice to know that the USA doesn't have a monopoly on the "tourist trap"! Actually, it's a really nice, well-layed out town. I also enjoyed one of the best plays I've ever seen. "A Comedy of Errors" performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Worth every pence!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1124262960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1124262960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pimpernel66/rtw__2005-2006/1124262960/tpod.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:44:53 -0500 This is my journey around the world beginning July 17, 2005. It begins in London, England and nothing of the ending is known.

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Roma, Italy

Rome
Hello Tutti, Todo, Tout, All!

I am in Rome, where I have received the first review of my "blog". Let us say that it was not as positive as it could have been, so I have decided to revamp my plan. Apparently, there are some people who are actually INTERESTED in what I am doing. Or maybe they just want to feel like I have some OBLIGATIONS as I flit around the world and they continue nose to the grindstone! You know who you are!

As for my travels...where did I leave you people hanging? I have not idea. So I will just start in Rome and work my way backwards. Rome has been wonderful. Mainly because I got to stay in ONE place for more than 2 days. I have been here 6 lovely days. Today is the last. Marlene (a co-worker from Fairfax County Public Schools) has been travelling with me. She leaves me tomorrow and I will be alone and lonely again.

As for what I have seen in Rome...we started with St. Peters Basilica. We saw Michelangos Pieta. (Warning: I will not be using apostrophes as I do not have an good ole American keyboard and I have no idea how to find the apostrophe. So I now write without possessives and contractions. It is rather odd. I will probably start speaking this way soon!) I especially enjoyed a statue of one of the MANY popes (do not ask me which one) that has the Pope surrounded by Charity, Justice, and Truth with Death (a skeleton with an hour glass) coming up from under them all. It is hard to miss. I invited myself into a little tour group at the statue because I found it so interesting. It turns out that Truth has her foot on the world and there is a rather large thorn in her big toe. The thorn is coming out of England due to the schism of the Protestant and Catholic Church. You see this a lot around here...all the Protestants being dragged into heaven my half-human/half-beast creatures and the Catholics being lifted on the wings of angels to heaven. It is a definite theme!

Okay. What else. Oh, so much, that I do not know where to begin. We have done A LOT of walking. We have seen Piazza Navona and the Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi (The Fountain of the Four Rivers), the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain. We also took a tour of the Colisseum which was very cool. Big place the Colisseum. Just though you ought to know.

I also walked through the Palatine and the Forum. It was very cool, especially after I bought one those books with the before and after overlays. I was having a really hard time imagining how everything looked. Mainly because I was thinking too small. I was standing in a field with an huge octagonal foundation in the middle of it and trying to figure out what the book was describing. It was the Domus Flavius and I just could not see what they were describing. Turns out I was trying to fit the whole palace in the foundations of the fountain off the breakfast nook. Yeah. My scale was WAY OFF!

Today we walk on. We will be going back to Vatican, where I will be mailing a fortunate few some postcards with VATICAN STAMPS. You will know who you are. Those who do not receive these postcards, blame it on the Pope! After that, back to the Trevi Fountain for a photo opportunity. Then on for a walk through the Borghese Gardens (I do not know how to say "garden" in Italian) and then to the second-hand shops somewhere in Trastevere.

I will stop here as Marlene is anxiously awaiting me. I PROMISE to do better with the blog thing. I think my only choice is to sit down for a little each day and try to catch you up. The things I do for my friends and family!

Good-bye All, Tout, Todo, Tutti!
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