Ten Foot Square Western Europe

Successfully travelling with a baby requires two key elements: patience and fore planning. I recently bought tickets for the TGV and the Eurostar and was surprised by their policy on children’s tickets.

TGV Policy:
Children under 3 years old can travel for free on your lap. If you want a seat for them, you can pay a ‘Forfait Babim’, which is reduced price. All train routes offer this pricing. I’m travelling with so much baby stuff that frankly I can’t handle her on my lap, plus all the luggage, without some extra room, so I opted for the reduced second seat.

As of the age of 4, all children are required to have a ticket. 4-11 year olds are in one price bracket and 12-25 is the next one, both offering reduced pricing.

Eurostar Policy:
Kids under 4 travel for free, without a seat. I was surprised by this because I assumed that children would need some sort of ticket, even if it free, since the Eurostar is crossing international borders. Apparently not. You don’t even have the option of buying a ticket for an under 4 year old and if you absolutely must have a seat for them, you will need to buy the 4-11 year old tickets.

My experience with babies and Eurostar has been good so far, which is why I’m not too nervous about the no-ticket policy. When I was pregnant and travelling on an overbooked train, I found that a family of three, including a new born, had taken my families seats. They had been told to sit in any free seat and they hadn’t noticed they were in reserved seats. I was very impressed with how Eurostar staff dealt with the situation. They quickly realized that moving the new baby and family would be more upsetting than just helping me and my family find other seats. That may not seem that amazing, but I’m always surprised about how unsympathetic some staff and fellow travelers can be. So when I see moments of empathy and understanding from travel industry staff, I’m always impressed.

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France is an organization that brings together 151 villages throughout France. The whole idea started out as a book by Charles Ceyrac, who at the time was Mayor of Collonges-la-Rouge. He wanted to bring together a list of villages that were neglected or ignored. However, his goal was very specific in that he wanted to restore and preserve the patrimony to the villages. He didn’t want to turn them into touristy, soulless locations.

The list, whose website is available in French or English, contains 151 locales. The site is very comprehensive: regions are broken up into departments and each site has a contact number or website so you can find out more information. Tourist websites in France are pretty hit or miss, so I was pleasantly surprised how much this one provided. I would have liked to have seen more photos of the villages, especially since the descriptions of them are limited to a couple of sentences. You can obviously find out more about each individual village by doing a quick Google search. It would have really made this site complete if they provided more substantial information.

I looked at the two regions that I’m most familiar with and was surprised that I had never even heard of the places they had listed. In Burgundy, they suggested Semur-en-Brionnais, a small hamlet, listed for its château and Roman church. For Poitou-Charentes, Angles-sur-l’Anglin was listed for its artisan reputation, specifically its lace embroidery, handmade for the last 150 years.

So how are villages chosen to be on the list? They have to meet a number of strict criteria, such as having less than 2,000 inhabitants and at least two historical registered or listed sites. The rigorous selection process enables the organization to influence how villages are marketed to tourists. Although being on the list obviously helps villages bring in visitors, inclusion on the list requires municipal councils to promote the village in local development. This ensures that the acclaim of being part of the list benefits the department as a whole.

Visiting the whole list, or at least a good portion, is a great idea to plan your way around France. The villages are scattered all over the country and vary greatly in terms of what has put them on the list, ensuring that you don’t just end up visiting 151 picturesque Provincial villages.

What do I mean by “travel French”? A basic level of French that will enable you to communicate simple questions and needs (where is the metro?, how much is this?, etc.) but also start you off on the right foot for learning French more comprehensively. The language of a country is obviously a major part of its culture. While you may not be able to learn a whole new language every time you set foot in a foreign country, it doesn’t take too much effort to prepare yourself with the minimum “tourist” vocabulary. The following books should help:

1. Larousse Pocket Dictionary: French/English is not so small that you can put it in your pocket, but it will fit in your backpack or purse. Larousse is the French equivalent to Webster’s and is pretty thorough in keeping it short but sweet. Pocket dictionaries often fall short by editing out too many words.
2. French: Lonely Planet Phrasebook should be bought before you get on the plane. It has a quick break down of French sounds and all phrases are written out phonetically to help you work on your pronunciation.
3. Pimsleur Conversational French is learnt by audio, with no guiding reference book. I’m a big fan of Pimsleur, as is the FBI apparently. The lack of a reference book is perfect if you want to learn French while driving on your commute or generally listening to your iPod or other media player. Listen to the lessons daily for a few weeks before you travel to France, and you should have absorbed some of it naturally.
4. Bescherelle Complete Guide to Conjugating is a must for anyone who is serious about learning more than travel French. All French students carry this book around (the French version obviously) throughout their education, which indicates how useful it is. Mastering the art of French conjugation may seem like an never ending struggle, but it is possible to get the hang of it. I recommend getting this book even if you’re just starting out because it’s easier if you get the hang of conjugating early. You don’t want to end up only being able to speak in the present tense.
5. French Phrases for Dummies is a good alternative to carrying a pocket size dictionary. If you have to choose between a phrase book and a dictionary for your bag or pack, I would choose the latter book for short trips and the former for more long-term travel.

Like many travelers to Ireland, I assumed that 600-year old Blarney Castle was nothing more than a silly tourist trap and was not worth the visit. I almost neglected to go, but was on my way to nearby County Cork so I decided to give it a go. It’s a good thing I did, as it became the highlight of my trip to Ireland. Here’s 5 cool things about Blarney, and why it’s worth the visit:

1. The Property: The land around where Blarney Castle sits is truly spectacular. There are beautiful naturalized park and garden areas that offer a breathtaking opportunity for photographs. If you enjoy walking, there are numerous winding walking trails and an interesting arboretum to wander through. In the spring, flowers are popping with color wherever you look, and there’s quite the variety of interesting trees and plants.

2. Blarney House: During the summer months, you have the opportunity to check out this restored family house near the castle. It provides a peek into how a wealthy family in the 1870’s lived in Ireland. I must say, it’s quite the spread.

3. The Lake: Go early in the morning when the water is covered in mist, and the vision is pure Ireland.

4. The Castle Structure: Exploring the castle itself is a great treat. There are interesting corridors, towers and a dungeon. Most of the building is nothing more than ruined stone, so don’t expect to see some fancy digs with curtains and doors. This is a castle that suffered quite a bit of damage as it was attacked repeatedly over the centuries. Still, it is fascinating to imagine how people could have possibly lived here. The staircases are narrow, the doorways are low and the walls are several feet thick. Kids will love exploring the place.

5. Blarney Stone: We all seem to have a vision of what this stone is. I incorrectly assumed it was simply a rock in the ground that everyone bent over to kiss. I was quite surprised to find out that it is actually one of the stones that makes up the castle structure itself. The trick here, is actually getting to it. You need to climb the castle stairs all the way to the top. If you have a fear of heights, or if you have weak lungs, you may just have to sit this one out. But when you arrive at the top, you sit down within a small opening in the castle wall and you bend over backwards to kiss the rock that is tucked under one of the castle eaves. If you are standing above the area, you don’t actually see the stone–so you basically have to do this bit of acrobatics to see the little rock up close. Luckily, there’s a kind gentleman to help you with this unusual maneuver. Legend says that whoever kisses this stone will have the gift of eloquence — simply put, it gives you the gift of gab.

Exploring a city through blogs is a great way to find new locations, twists and turns that may not be in your guide books and also a good way to get a feel for a city, if it’s your first time visiting.

I read a number of Parisian blogs by expats. Why expats? Why not read French blogs? Well, I often find that expats who start blogging tend to do so because they love their new adopted homes. There is also the odd situation of being the outsider, which you forever are as an expat and which inevitably means you are continuously coming across new traditions or cultural nuances. Suffice to say, even if not intended to be travel blogs, expat blogs often contain information that travelers will enjoy.

1. Maitresse is written by PhD candidate Lauren Elkin, who has lived in Paris off and on since 1999. Her blog is a great mix of French cultural exploration, literary commentary and her life in Paris.

2. The Paris Blog is a group blog about… Paris. It’s a good mix of art, fashion, expat living and general musings on Paris living.
3. The Bold Soul, a blog by writer Lisa Taylor Huff. Lisa’s enthusiasm about Paris and French living seeps through and is interspersed with information about her own life. She also writes about being a single woman and what that means in one of the most romantic cities in the world.
4. Eye Prefer Paris is written by an ex-New Yorker, Richard Nahem. He also has started doing Eye Prefer Paris walking tours, which are 3-hour walks, guided by Richard himself. The tours take you to several of the locations he has written about on his blog.
5. Ms. Glaze’s Pommes d’Amour is a food blog that varies between great recipes and what’s its like to be a female cook in a 3-star Parisian restaurant.

Paris has many famous burial sites. One is the Catacombs, a network of tunnels and chambers located underneath Paris, which are used as a mass burial site.

A Bit of History

Previously used as Roman limestone quarries, the underground network started being used as a tomb in the late 18^th century. The official name is “les carriers de Paris”, the quarries of Paris.

In 1786, Les Halles, an area in the middle of Paris, was infected with disease, caused by contamination from the mass graves in the area, especially from the Saints Innocents Cemetery. It was decided that the bones should be moved to the abandoned quarries. The transfer of all the bones from various cemeteries took fifteen years. Bodies from the riots in 1788 were also placed in the quarry.

Visiting the Catacombs

Only a small portion of the Catacombs is open to the public. The network of tunnels is estimated to span more than 186 miles and although there is only one entrance open to the public, there are an estimated 300 entries around the city. Unofficial visits to the tunnels are illegal, and people that venture alone are at risk of getting lost. Nevertheless, parties and gatherings often occur.

The Catacombs are not for the weak-hearted. Walls are built out of stacked bones, neatly divided with rows of skulls, sometimes arranged in simple patterns. The maintenance of the accessible part of the tunnels is not done for to rope in the tourists. The lighting is dim and water drips from the ceiling in some parts. You’ll also see moss and mould growing in some areas, on bones and walls. Some people are uncomfortable with the fact that a burial site is now being exploited for tourism.

Ingenious Uses

The Catacombs have been host to more than just bones. Throughout the past 200 years, the Catacombs have been used for a number of political acts. In 1871, a group of monarchists were killed in a chamber by communards. The French Resistance used the underground tunnels and at the same time German soldiers built a bunker in the tunnels in the 6éme arrondissement.

More recently, the Catacombs have been in the media because of The Mexican Perforation, a French artistic movement that uses underground spaces. In 2004, a hidden chamber was discovered in the Catacombs by the French police. The chamber was being used as an underground movie theatre, with a functioning bar, movie screen and telephone line. When the police returned to complete their investigation, all the equipment had been removed and the chamber was empty.

Florence, Italy always reminds me of Sandra Bullock’s movie While You Were Sleeping. Since I’ve never been there (and this post is more out of jealousy than anything else), I’m imagining which cathedrals to see when I’m in Florence. My online search for beautiful cathedrals in Florence gave me these results:

1. Duomo
Construction of the Duomo began in 1296 and was designed in Gothic style with a main nave, two side aisles, and an apse in the back. The cathedral holds many works of art like the Last Judgment by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari; the Last Supper by Giovanni Balducci and Luca Della Robbia; the mosaic over the main entrance by Gaddo Gaddi; and the stained glass windows designed by Andrea del Castagno, Paolo Uccello and Donatello.

2. Santa Croce
The Santa Croce or the Basilica of the Holy Cross also follows a Gothic style of architecture and like the Duomo, holds many works of art and masterpieces like the S. Luigi di Toulouse by Donatello; the Santi Giovanni e Francesco by Domenico Veneziano; and the Resurrezione by Santi di Tito.

The cathedral is also home to several sepulchers of personalities like Leon Battista Alberti, Dante Alighieri, Galileo Galilei, and Niccolo Machiavelli, to name a few. The Santa Croce is also host to several private ancient chapels, namely:

• The Cappella dei Pazzi
• The Cappella dei Medici
• The Cappella dei Bardi
• The Cappella dei Bardi di Vernio
• The Cappella dei Baroncelli
• The Cappella dei Castellani
• The Cappella dei Peruzzi
• The Cappella dei Rinuccini.

3. Santa Maria Novella
The cathedral of Santa Maria Novella is 100 m long and is also Gothic in architecture. The vaulted ceiling is comprised of four diagonal stumps which are black and white in color.

Like the Duomo and the Santa Croce, the Santa Maria Novella is home to many works of art from the 14th-16th century like the Tomba della Beata Villana, the sepulcher of the Patriarch of Constatinople and of the Bishop of Fiesole, and other works of art.

I’ll take another virtual tour in Florence and follow this post with one about museums and galleries in the following days.

Monkeys may not outnumber the human residents in Gibraltar, but they are certainly what the tourists come to see in this English sovereignty that hangs off the southern tip of Spain. The macaques are allowed to roam free throughout the peninsula, and have been known to both pester and delight tourists alike. Though they are considered wild, and should be thought of as dangerous, they have become accustomed to visitors and the food treats that tourists share. These daring creatures will pretty much do whatever it takes to steal your snack if you are unaware, so do be cautious.

The magnificent remains of a moorish fortress built in 711 sits at the top of Gibraltar, and you are welcome to go in and out of the few remaining tunnels left. As you view the waters around the rock, you will see ships sporting all sorts of sonar and detecting equipment from various British intelligentsia since Gibraltar is a strategic entrance to boats that must enter the area.

The famous Strait of Gibraltar separates the rock from Africa, and on a clear day you can see that continent quite easily. It is also at the place where the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet.

Shopping at Gibraltar is a destination for many, since there is no VAT tax — tobacco, spirits, perfume and electronics are some of the cheapest in all of Europe. One shop has a big sign that claims it is the “last shop in Europe,” and by geographical standards it is actually accurate since the ocean to Africa is right next door.

Gibraltar can easily be a day trip if you are doing a jaunt around Spain, but if you plan to stay overnight, you should consider the Rock Hotel, as the views of the bay are spectacular and the food is terrific. The suites are comfortable and have all the amenities one could want in a hotel stay. If you can afford it, ask for one of the few rooms with a balcony as then you will inevitably be treated to a spectacular sunset.

The roads are windy and quite steep as you climb Gibraltar, and there are many spots to pull over your rental car and see the views. This is where the monkeys usually go, as they know they’ll inevitably hit upon a tourist. They have been known to jump on cars and tear at windshield wipers or antennae if they are in a bad mood. And I’ve seen them hop on the back of an unsuspecting tourist to grab at a soft drink or even a piece of candy. These macaques often hang out and sun themselves on the very edges of the road walls, and visitors can often be seen getting close to them so that they can snap a photograph. Again, these are not domesticated animals, and you should be careful.

Getting in and out of Gibraltar is actually a bit of a pain, even if you’re driving. You have to stop, have your passport reviewed, and be questioned about the contents of your auto and the reason you are there. Oftentimes, the lines and wait for this process can be quite long which might make you wonder if the trip was worth it at all. But most people will agree that having that photograph of you standing next to a wild monkey makes it totally worthwhile.

There’s no lovelier surprise than stumbling upon a little gem of a restaurant while on your travels through Spain. Las Escobas’ (Calle Alvarez Quintero), claim to fame is that it is the longest continuously running restaurant in the same spot in all of Spain. Escobas translates to “broom” in English, and the story goes that a broom-maker began serving food to patrons back in 1386 and suddenly found that he made more money feeding people instead of making brooms. It has been an eatery in Sevilla ever since.

The good news is that it is favored by the locals, and is not a tourist trap considering it’s location right near the Sevilla cathedral. Las Escobas boasts some of the tastiest sangria in Sevilla, and it doesn’t hurt that it is at a rock bottom price. This fruit and wine concoction is a refreshing beverage to relax with after a hot day of sightseeing. I suggest you order by the pitcher as it ends up being cheaper — especially since it’s quite hard to stop at just one small glass. The stuff is delicious!

The best seats are right out front on the sidewalk, as it offers the best people-watching. You will see a number of changing specials on a board right outside the building. I suggest you do not hesitate to take up one of these offers as they provide a number of courses for two people at a very reasonable price. If you are seeking paella, this is the place to order it; and gazpacho soup is also a chilled delight on a summer day. Ox-tail stew is also a specialty here, so if you have adventurous taste buds, you should not hesitate to give it a try. However, ignore the salads on the menu as they are a bit uninteresting.

During lunch time, you will find it busy with local workers, so be sure to get there early. In the early evening, tapas are the hot item on the menu and there are often quite a few specials. The cheapest specials do not allow you to select your tapas, but provide you with a mixed array of the little appetizers that should satisfy most any palate. You can be offered anything from sardinas (sardines), aceitunas (olives), anchoas (anchovies) or even jamon serrano (ham).

In addition to making sure you check out a flamenco show while you are in Sevilla, you won’t regret putting Las Escobas on your itinerary, too.

The Basilica of St. Peter, commonly called St. Peter’s Basilica or Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano in Italian, is the most prominent building in Vatican City and covers an area of 5.7 acres and has a capacity of over 60,000 people.

There are over one hundred tombs located within St. Peter’s Basilica, and this is also the burial site of St. Peter, one of the apostles and considered the first Pope. Following tradition, other Popes are also buried below the Basilica.

Although St. Peter’s Basilica is not the Pope’s official seat, most Papal ceremonies are held at the Basilica for obvious reasons: size, accessibility to the Papal residence, and location within Vatican City.

The Dome

The Basilica’s dome, initially designed by Michaelangelo and completed by Giacomo della Porta, is one of the notable details of the Basilica. Tourists can choose from taking the elevator (costs 5 Euros) or the stairs (costs 4 Euros). Once there, the dome provides an excellent view of Vatican City and St. Peter’s Square. Some of the architectural details of the basilica are:

The Holy Door
The Holy Door is a bronze door made by the artist Vico Consorti and is decorated with scenes in the themes of sins and forgiveness. Shut from the inside, this door is only opened during Jubilee Years.

The Filarete Door
Designed by Antonio Averulino, the Filarete Door was preserved from the old basilica. Since it was too small for its new space, six panels were added at the top and bottom that depict Jesus and Mary enthroned; St. Paul with the sword; St. Peter giving the keys to the kneeling Pope Eugene IV; St. Paul sentenced by Nero; martyrdom of St. Paul; martyrdom of St. Peter on Vatican Hill; St. Paul appearing to Plautilla, to give her back the veil she had lent him to blindfold his eyes.

The Door of Death
The Door of Death got its name from its use as the exit for funeral processions. Sculpted by Giacomo Manzu in 1961-1964, this door features panels depicting the deaths of Jesus, Mary, Abel, Joseph, Pope John XXII, the martyr Stephen, Gregory VII, and other scenes of death.

A more detailed description of the interior and exterior details of St. Peter’s Basilica can be found at the Miracle of the Rosary Mission, and tourist info can be found at Stpetersbasilica.org. Here you can find operating hours, mass schedules, and the dress code inside the basilica which is strictly implemented.