Day 246 April 7 2015 Vinci Italy

Observatory of Galileo Galilei in Padua

Prato Della Valle in Padua Italy

running around the largest square in Italy

making a wish on a wish flower

St. Anthony of Padua basilica

Day 246  April 7  2015  Vinci Italy

We went to see the Prato della Valle which is a 90 000 m^2 “oval” square in Padua that is surrounded by 78 statues.  It is also close to the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua.   We went to look at the basilica and were impressed with the beautiful marble carvings that were on the walls.  The religious paintings in Italy look happy and there seems to be happiness in them.  It is a stark contrast to the dark paintings portraying suffering that seem to dominate religious art that came from Spain.  There was a fairly long line of people waiting to touch the coffin of St. Anthony but the kids just walked in and took the space of somebody that had just left.   After visiting the basilica we drove to our farm hotel in Vinci.  It is located in an olive orchard and has a great view of the surrounding country side as it is on top of some hills.

Day 245 April 6 2015 Padua Italy

waiting to catch the train to Venice

in front of the train station in Venice

typical canal

eating pizza margherita in Venice

another typical canal

Day 245  April 6  2015  Padua Italy

We walked from the hotel to the train station at Ponte di Brenta and caught the train to Venice.  The train that was scheduled for the time we got to the station did not show up, so we had to wait 45 minutes till the next one came.  It was packed and we had to push our way into the train.  As we got closer to Venice the more crowded the train got as to the point of it being hard to turn around as you were crushed up against someone else.  When we got to Venice it was also crowed.  There were so many people that “traffic” jams were forming on the bridges and the police were directing people to try to get things moving again.  We did see Piazza San Marco and some of the churches of Venice but the tickets to the Doge’s Palace were sold out.  The trains to return to our hotel were also not running on schedule and when we finally did board a train we were not sure if it was going where we wanted.  I guess the schedule was different due to the national holiday on Easter Monday.  I would never go to Venice on a national holiday again as it was so crowded it was difficult to enjoy what the city had to offer.

Day 244 April 5 2015 Padua Italy

The Easter Bunny strikes again

Day 244  April 5  2015  Padua Italy

When we woke up we discovered that the Easter Bunny had tracked us down in Milan and left a bunch of chocolate in the room.  Once we got going we drove from Milan to Padua.  When we got to Padua we discovered we could only check into the hotel after 4 pm as it was Sunday.  Since we had 2 hours to kill we went to the train station to buy tickets to Venice.  We returned to the hotel at 4 but the reception was still not open and the door to the building was locked.  When another client opened the door we followed him into the building.  After looking over the reception desk we discovered a key card to our room.  I pulled myself over the desk enough to be able to grab the card.  We then went to the room and started to move ourselves in.  When we were going to the car for some luggage we found that the reception was open so we got check in officially. 

Day 243 April 4 2015 Milan Italy

Isabel and David with My Aunt Berenice and Uncle Daniel Boucly

another picture with my Aunt and Uncle

My cousin Jean Pierre with his wife at the sea side restaurant

in-front of the restaurant with my cousin Jean Pierre

Day 243  April 4  2015  Milan Italy

We stopped in at my Aunts house in La Crau France to say high and for the kids to meet some of my dad’s family.  This was only the second time in my life that I have seen my Aunt and Uncle and they were very friendly considering that they had no idea that we were going to drop in.  My cousin Jean Pierre and his wife took us out to lunch at a sea side restaurant.  It was very nice of him as it was the first time I had met him in my life.  We left La Crau at 4 pm and stopped at a grocery store before beginning the drive to Milan. We passed through the country of Monaco on the way to Italy so we can now say we have been in 24 countries on this trip.   We arrived in Milan around 11 pm.

Day 242 April 3 2015 Brignoles France

first course is served

the second trees she has climbed in her life and she gets served lunch!

one of the waiters (or possible a servant)

the other waiter serving a satisfied customer

Day 242  April 3  2015  Brignoles France

Today was another driving day as we drove from Barcelona Spain to Brignoles France.  The traffic was extremely heavy in parts of Spain as it was Good Friday.  The highlight of the day was stopping at a roadside stop for a picnic.  The kids climbed up a cork tree and Evy and I served them lunch in the tree complete with drinks and desert.

Day 241 April 2 2015 Barcelona Spain

at the aquarium in Barcelona

close to the aquarium

Ciutadella Park

balance contest with Isabel

A good climbing tree in the Ciutadella Park

Day 241  April 2  2015  Barcelona  Spain

The highlight of the day was going to the aquarium.  It was ok but nothing compared to the Atlanta or Toronto aquariums.  What was impressive is the number of super yachts docked in the harbour next to the aquarium.  After the aquarium we walked to the Ciutadella park so we could walk around it.  Isabel played at the playground for a while then we returned to the Apartment for supper.

Day 240 April 1 2015 Barcelona Spain

finally eating paella in Spain

Day 240  April 1  2015  Barcelona  Spain

We drove from Casa de los Pinos to Barcelona Spain with a stop in Valencia for paella.  We ate at a restaurant in the center of the city and the food was OK but not fantastic. We had booked a hostal to stay at in Barcelona.  The hostal had good reviews and we had reserved a room with two bunk  beds and a private bathroom.  When we got to our room there were 4 very short cots set up in what looked like common room.  The door to the room did not even have a number on it and there was no bathroom.  We imediatly returned to reception only to be told that there was a problem and they did not have the room available.  We got our money back and found a nice apartment hotel complete with a washing  machine 1 block from Plaza Espana for the same money.  We did have to pay an extra 15 euros for parking a night but it was well worth it.