Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Rhode Island

Greetings,

I just returned from a trip to Providence, RI and there are a few things I’d like to share.

As you probably know, Cathy and Kathleen drove to Providence to get Kathleen settled into her new apartment as she begins her first semester at Brown University. We prepared for the trip as all parents and students prepare for such trips. We packed clothes, lamps, shelves and even a bike. We also prepared for the drive by visiting our library and selecting a number of audio books. Cathy and Kathleen’s trip went well and Cathy flew home.

I flew out to spend time with Kathleen and drive the car home. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to prepare for the flight. Even though it was only a three hour flight, it was probably one of the longest flights ever. While others around me read books, listened to their ipods and watched movies on the laptops, I sat there with my hands folded on my lap and waited like a dog at feeding time for the flight attendant to offer me a bag of pretzels. I had purchased a Time magazine – which I had already read. Lesson learned: Prepare for the flight.

I easily found the car at the airport and drove to Kathleen’s apartment using only a GPS! Lesson Learned: The inventor of the GPS should win a Nobel Prize.

Kathleen’s roommates had not yet moved in so she and I went to a hotel that Cathy had found for us. As we checked in, it became evident that the person checking us in was not accustomed to people getting a room for the whole night. Lesson learned: check out the hotel in advance.

Providence is known as the “Renaissance City”. It should be called the city of one way streets. Its motto seemed to be, “Do not enter”.

The Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line is only about 15 minutes away, so we went out to Martha’s Vineyard. It was a beautiful, yet warm day. We had been there years ago as a family and have fond memories of a 22 mile bike ride to various towns on the island. That time we left the island exhausted, sore and sunburned. This time we discovered that there is an all-day bus pass for $7 per day. This time Kathleen and I left the island tanned, rejuvenated and relaxed. Utilizing the bus even allowed us time for a trip to the beach for a swim. We decided to catch an ice cream cone before returning to the mainland. Proving that it truly is a small world, we saw the paint guy from Fish Creek’s Nelson Hardware store. Turns out his parents live in Massachusetts.

A runner up in the “It’s a small world” category is our story about a Greek restaurant on Thayer Street in Providence (think State Street in Madison). Kathleen and I were eating outside feeling very happy about the fact we were not participating in the dorm move-in parade, when what to our wondering eyes did appear, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins!! All but Tim Robbins got close-ups the very next
night at the Emmys. I guess Tim probably had to drive the mini-van back to California.

During our time in Providence we also took a trolley ride of the city and went to an event downtown called “Water Fire”. Downtown Providence has a narrow river running through it and several times a year they light a series of about 50 large bonfires in the middle of the river while gondolas row up and down the river. There are speakers built into the banks of the river and on this particular night they were playing opera music. At various spots along the river a man would periodically light a torch and under the torch a woman would stand and sing along to the opera music. Off to the side there were vendors selling food and beverages. Two of Kathleen’s roommates, Corona and Lena accompanied us. What a great night.

If you ever get to the Providence area, a side trip to Newport is recommended. There are a number of mansions (they call them cottages) that are open for tours. Our cottage (including the garage) would fit into the Vanderbilt’s foyer and they’d still have room for a few marble statues.

Brown University is a beautiful campus steeped in history and traditions. Among the traditions is that new students enter the campus for convocation in a procession through the VanWikle gates. It is considered bad luck for Brown students to walk through that main gate again until their graduation when the gates swing out allowing the same students to process out to the Baptist Church where their degrees are conferred. Remembering not to pass through those gates is easier than you would think as after the opening procession they are locked and are not unlocked until graduation.

My 1200 mile ride home was wonderfully uneventful. As always thanks for reading about this trip. It gave me a chance to relive it.
Best wishes,
Ken KBlaney55@hotmail.com
Kathleen Kathleen.Blaney@gmail.com

Monday, March 1, 2010

Uscita and Gratzie

All over Italy you see the signs reading
"Uscita". It means exit. It's very
simple, very succint and very easy to
follow, except when it came to leaving
Italy.


After walking out of the hotel at 5:30
am with 12 euros in our pockets, we
were met with flight delays in Rome
and Frankfurt and a missed last flight
in Chicago. We were facing a 14 hour
night in the airport with no cash, no
credit card, no ATM card, no drivers
license and had been traveling for 24
hours already. Our "adventure" was
heading South. But with some
cooperation from Amer.u Airlines, a
helpful hotelier and most importantly
the use of Jon & Mary Jo's credit card
(remember we had cancelled ours), we
got a room, a hot shower, breakfast
and a 9:30 flight home.


To anyone who might actually be
reading this blog, Cathy and I would
like to "publicly" thank my brother
John for his guidance for this once in a
lifetime trip.


John pointed out the highlights of each
city, how to get to them, hotels in
each city and tips, insights and pitfalls
to be avoided. For these and his
overall guidance, we are very grateful.
Gratzie.


Thanks too, to Cindy Bell for her advice
and travel books. In the Bell family
spirit of "paying it forward", we have
been furiously taking notes for Jon &
Mary Jo as they prepare for their
visit to Italy.


Ciao and thanks for reading and
allowing us to share this adventure.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

A Funny Thing Happened...

A Funny Thing Happened On the way
to the .........Borgheese Gallery actually.
I got pick-pocketed. Roman subways
and buses are noted for their pick-
pockets. I accused a woman, the
authorities got us off the subway and
we spent some time in a police sub-
station but being a good pick pocket,
she had already passed my wallet to a
colleague. I lost the wallet, a liitle
Amer. Cash, 2 credit cards, an ATM
card, drivers license and a little respect
for the Italian police, who seemed to
think that I made the whole thing up
just to inconvience them.


Undaunted, I cancelled the card and
rejoined Cathy and Erin at the ancient
Pantheon (pictured above), now a
Catholic church. After a gellato, we
went on a church visiting spree. We
"hit", St Ignacio, Gesu and Santa Maria
Sopra Minerva before sitting down at
an outdoor cafe for an Itallian dinner.


After dinner Erin brought us back to
her place, The John Felice Rome Cener
operated by Loyola of Chicago. It's old,
nice, safe and small, probably about
250 students. While there, were able
to Skype (video call using the internet)
with Kathleen, Jon & Mary Jo. After
saying goodbye to Erin and borrowing
a little money, Cathy and I made our
way back to our hotel to eagerly await
our 5:15 wakeup call.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Rome from the Bottom Up

Today we took the tour that we had asked for months ago, the Scavi
Tour. In brief, the Scavi tour is an underground tour of Ancient
Rome's necropolis (literal translation - city of death). The ancient
Roman cemetery/mausoleum was covered by the emperor, Constantine. The
current St Peters Bascillica was built upon the site with the main
altar directly above the grave of St Peter.

Erin had to return to school for midterms while Cathy and I spent the
day visiting the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Cappuccin
crypt (which is another long story) and St. John Lateran which was
home to the Popes for about 1,000 years! All the Popes had been
"crowned" there up until 1870.

Our last stop of the day was at the Holy Stairs (Santa Scala), brought
from the Holy Land in 326. The steps were from Pontius Pilate,
meaning they are the steps walked by Christ on the day he was
crucified. People still climb these stone steps today - but only on
their knees.

More touring in Rome Tomorrow!

Ciao!

Assisi to Rome

On Thursday, we became pilgrims (religious, not funny hatted
Thanksgining characters) walking the hilly cobblestone streets of
Assisi, seeking to pray at the grave of St. Francis. Other stops in
Assisi included St. Chiara (St Clare), St. Stephano and St Rufino.
All these churches have something for the mind that wants to be
educated and the soul that wants to be fed.

We returned to Rome in time to spend the evening with Erin, making
memories on the famous Spanish Steps and throwing coins into the Trevi
Fountain. Last night's dinner consisted of pizza & gellato at the
Trevi Fountain.

The weather has been warm and my traveling companions have been
wonderful!
Ciao, Ken

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

See Assisi? Si.

We are in Assisi which is spectacular. It is also spectacularly hilly.

We are only here for a night and internet is sketchy so I will make this as succinct as possible. Being in Assisi is like living in Kasters religious goods store....but with hills. The beauty is exceptional but the internet is not, so..... ciao.

Photo is of St. Clare Basilica.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Art, Art, Everywhere Art

Buongiorno!

Today was another good day in
Florence! It started out with a tour of
the Medici "chapel" of San Lorenzo.
They have just about enough Saint
relics to make themselves one full
saint.

The chapel itself is a testimony to
opulance. The "new" sacristy was
done by a friend of the family,
Michaelangelo. He was architect
builder & sculptor.

Next stop was to the Academia to
See Michaelangelo's "David". The
statue "David" should be on the top of
this page. If not, I'll use it on a later
post and call it "A Self Portrait and
how I lost so much weight by walking
in Florence" by Ken Blaney.

We then walked to the Uffizi Gallery,
probably the most prominent art
gallery in the world, which we toured
with our Rick Steves audio guide.
Unbelievable.

Our last church of the day was Santa
Croche, the final resting place of
Michaelangelo, Galileo & others.

We head for Assisi tomorrow.

Ciao
Ken & Cathy

Monday, February 22, 2010

Florence

Florence - Home of the Renaissance.
After saying arrivederci to Erin (she
does have classes to attend), we took a 1.5 hour train trip to
Florence. The
first thing we learned about Florence
was Florence is Firenze. This is a very
helpful fact when you are looking for
something on a map. I actually found
Firenze on the map a long time ago!

We've toured the Baptistry, the
Duomo and the Duomo museum. We
also walked the Ponte Vecchio.

Stupid thing of the day:
ASK THE PRICE before ordering gelato!
Ciao for now.
Ken and Cathy

Sunday's To Do List

Sunday's to do list:
See the Pope....check
Mass @ St Peter Bascillica......check
Tour the Bascillica...... check
See body of Pope John xxxIII.....check
See Michaelangelo's Pieta.... check
See tomb of pope John Paul II....check
Get view from atop Bascillica.... check
Try Rome's best Gellato (Erin).. check
See St. Peter's @ night... check
Today's funny incident:
While atteding Mass @ St Peter's bascillica, we went up to receive
Communion. For some some reason the usher sommoned me (& only me) to
come to the center aisle to receive. Beimg God's humble servant I
hesitated. He then motioned to me again and I obeyed. While I was
humbled by this honor, I know that the center line just finished first
and the usher was trying to finish the communion distribution as fast
as possible. But hey, it's my blog and I can write what ever I want.
Today' stupid incident:
Let's just say there is a difference between St Peter's Musem and the
Vatican museum. We saw St Peter's Musem.
All in all - a great day!
Ken, Cathy & Erin

Saturday, February 20, 2010

We are in Rome

Greetings from the Eternal City of Roma!

We arrived in Rome tired but excited to see this city and even more
excited to see Erin!

Today we visited the colosseum and the Forum. The colosseum sat
50,000 people which is almost the size of Lambeau Field until A few
years ago! Also we learned that Rome was a city of one million people
- 2,000 years ago.

We also toured St. Mary Major which is near our hotel & a huge
Bascillca, st Paul outside the Wall.

His holiness says hi!
Ciao
Ken Cathy & Erin