[EUROBOUT CONTINENTAL CAROUSEL - 1984] DAY 15

Travel Notes

August 25, 1984 - Day 25

FRANCE

Nice

Ma and I had a marvelous morning up and down Avenue Jean Medecin peering into all the shops.  I ended up with a new dress and a shawl for our night out at Monaco-Monte Carlo, which makes me feel very much a lady.  The shawl was from the Nice Galeries Lafayette, ditto for new black stockings, *and* another travel bag (!) from the shop three doors down.

We had lunch at the Nice Etoile before heading back to the hotel.  Then I left Ma to rest in the room and went to walk with Gene, Evelyn, Frank and Co. on the Promenade des Anglais.  Earl earlier mentioned he'd be soaking up some sun on the beach, which prompted sly grins from many among the group.

We split up at the promenade after we met Grandfather Basil and Grandmother Rita and the McFarlanes.  Gene, Evelyn and I headed for McDonald's, then back to the hotel for a nap.  Sad news arrived for Shirley, and she had to leave us at this point, needing to fly to San Francisco for personal reasons

Eze

Ma and I were the first down in the lobby at 1800H sharp and I received my first compliments on the new ensemble. Quite the ego-boost there!

We were a little late setting off for the perfume factory at Eze : an "eagle's nest" town perched on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. The perfumery is that of Fragonard : Ma visited the main factory in Grasse five years ago, and I was allowed to treat myself to a small but respectable selection of perfume. It goes without saying that the bus smelled really good on the way home!

Monaco

Monaco is lovely, but shadowed by the tragic manner of Grace Kelly's death.  Grandfather gave me a short lecture on artillery while we lingered at the cannon on the city ramparts.  We were lucky to catch the tail end of the changing of the guard as we were lingering in the square. 

Earl pointed out various signs on the way up to the palace and was caught not knowing who the patron of the Cathedral was.

"I always call it the church where they (Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly) got married."

Monte Carlo

Arriving at Monte Carlo, Ma thinks Casino clientele has degenerated into a scruffy lot : high-rollers, maybe, but scruffy all the same.  It's no longer as elegant as four years ago -- the even have slot machines in the grand salle now, a Las Vegas touch that seems out of place in that pretty building.

To my surprise, I won when I played the slots!  Bart acted as cashier, changing the franc coins into notes for me. Poor Grandfather was discovered standing in the one spot where Joe and Maria left him, waiting patiently for a rescue. Grandmother and I located them in the lounge with Frank and Co. and we towed Grandfather to them like a tugboat.

It was the usual "chicken dance" soundtrck on the way home, just as I finished lulling Sylvia with "Little Star".  The view out of the bus windows was a perfect romantic atmosphere : soft night air, sparkling lights in the harbor and Promenade.

Nice

From romance to harsh reality with a bump upon arrival in Nice -  someone parked bang in the middle of Bart's space!  With the hotel so tantalizingly close, we decided to  unload in the middle of the road, risking getting caught by the gendarmes, in a display of the true Monte Carlo gambling spirit.

Alas, we got caught; or rather, half the bus got caught, so the bus had to go once round the block and unload at the front of the hotel.

I sneaked a look from the balcony just before turning in, and watched our faithful duo close shop for the day.  It's become quite a habit to check on the guys if the view lets me - it gives a feeling of closure to the day.

[EUROBOUT CONTINENTAL CAROUSEL - 1984] DAY 14

Travel Notes

August 24, 1984 - Day 24

ITALY - FRANCE

Florence - Pisa, en route

Maybe the lack of wake-up call when Earl asked for one at 0630H was an omen of things to come? It's raining today, for one thing.  Since Earl has never overslept before, the fault had to be the front desk.  So for the first time during the entire tour, Earl was last on the bus!

Turned out, he'd been up late last night worrying about all the details of recording expenses and arrangements for the optional tours.  He had put his papers aside, planning to get back to them early the next day...famous last words!

The porter knocked him up at 0800H and it took him fully three seconds to realize the time, of which there was just enough to throw his things together and his clothes on - no breakfast!

Bart had been trying to reach his room from the front desk at the same time Earl was chiding the desk clerk from his room, which added to the delay.

Pisa

It's cold here!

Seeing the Leaning Tower and entering the Cathedral is worth the rain, though.  Earl took us into the Baptistry and had a man sing out to demonstrate the acoustics.  What a fantastic echo effect!  I felt my skin prickle with the organ effect, totally unique!

Genoa

Augh! We were lost at least two hours and got ravenously hungry.  The heavy rains caused landslide six kilometers out of Genoa! Fortunately no one was hurt, but someone will be missing his garden until spring, that's for sure.

This is where we discovered that the bus leaks!  Spare rags were liberally employed and a trash bucket pressed into double duty as bailing implement. We certainly couldn't wait to get out from under that weather!

French/Italian border - Menton

The omen given in Florence came to pass at Menton, with a potential visa snag for various people.  Ma and I were meant to have a multiple entry visa for France, but were only given a double-entry visa in Manila! However, we actually enter France three times : Dunkerque, Menton, and from Barcelona. Fortunately, since no one stamped our passports at Dunkerque, we still had double-entry privileges.

But to play safe, everyone with double-entry visas were seated at the rear of the bus, while the Americans were moved up front.  Bart also detoured from the main entry checkpoint to a side border crossing where hopefully the guards wouldn't be too finicky.

Naturally,there was traffic. The suspense was excruciating -- Hitchcock couldn't have done better!  We were extremely lucky that Grandfather Basil led us in one round of singing after another, which kept all of us looking relaxed (including Earl, the poor man).

Finally we pulled over at the checkpoint.  Earl got out.  The guard gave the American passports a cursory glance and waved us through.  Breaths were held - and the passports didn't get stamped here, either!  Joe Silveira took up the cudgels from Grandfather Basil and led us in admiring (quite vocally) the nondescript architecture of a building tilll we were safely inside the border.  Once well into France, Bart put on the "chicken dance" music to much applause - our all-purpose victory hymn!

At the rest stop, it was washrooms and moneychangers for the group,  hot coffee for Earl and cold beer for Bart before proceeding to Nice.

France - Nice, French Riviera - Hotel Vendome

I love this hotel : must have been here since 1935 if a day. Certainly it looks antebellum! Our room has a balcony overlooking the gateway and the street, with shutters where we can hang the laundry to dry.  Ma and I settled for a  late dinner at of all places, a McDonald's!  It's just one block down from the church we'll be visiting tomorrow morning - what a  good thing I remember my elementary French!

On the way back from dinner we met Frank and company (Bertha, Lois, and Angie), who asked if the burgers were all right.  Ma and I  offered noncommittal opinions, and returned to hotel to find a crisis brewing...

Grandfather gave me a recap after the fuss had died down - it started when Diana's bag found its way into Choy's room.   Diana was obviously frantic, and when Earl and Bart returned from dinner, she rounded on the driver.  To their credit, the men managed to stay calm while she went on with her tirade.  Bart knew the bag was in the hotel, and Earl sat calmly (or a clear approximation thereof) reading the evening paper, sure that the bag would surface.  To be sure, even Diana admitted seeing the bag in the lobby!  Once Choy and Eddy returned the case resolved  itself.

NB : Lucerne doesn't have the smallest elevator (good only for four) -- it's this hotel that beats it out by one.  Its official capacity here is four people, but they only let three go up at a time!

[EUROBOUT CONTINENTAL CAROUSEL - 1984] DAY 13

Travel Notes

August 23, 1984 - Day 23

ITALY

Rome - Florence

Aloura, another long drive up the autostrada! We stopped at the same PAVESI we used on our way down from Vienna - it was built on both sides of the freeway, with a bridgeway between the two units.

While there, we restocked on munchies and soft drinks.  Sometimes I share the drinks with Bart and Earl using "thistle" glasses,  which are liqueur-sized tulip glasses that look absolutely charming.

Florence - Motel Agip

Pulled into Florence at around 1400H.  Earl proposed group shot at Michelangelo Square, but the group scattered for souvenir shopping and picture-taking before he could get official photographer!

I now could see the value of early morning walks in Rome with Grandfather Basil.  The bus couldn't enter Florence proper (left it by the river) and we had to hike to Piazza Santa Croce.  On those picture-pretty cobblestones that are murder on shoes.  The first stop : a mosaic workshop.  The pieces are lovely, but are big and weigh a lot!

Next was a leather shop where we scored two evening bags, one belt for Dad, and an all-around bag for Ma.  This meant that at the gold shop all we could do was window shop, and ditto at the jewelry shop where there were lovely accessories at lovelier prices!  Francy modelled a lovely leather trench coat that she said was for her boyfriend, which statement drew a lot of ooohs from the men.

On Piazza Santa Croce, where Michelangelo is buried in the Cathedral. We  hiked again to Piazza San Giovanni to see the Duomo, and then more shopping! Ma and I went off for gelato. then  found a place near the Square to sit watch the people - very Italian, si!

The group re-assembled at 1700H - this time we almost left Gremy, which seemed to surprise no one at all.  Grandmother Rita and I led the vanguard to the bus when it was time to get moving.  Halfway there my knees were screaming for mercy, but I doggedly kept walking.  I managed to collapse only when inside the bus, with apologies to Grandfather for not rising to pipe him aboard properly.

The hotel turned out to be half an hour from Firenze.  It's modern and up-to-date!

[EUROBOUT CONTINENTAL CAROUSEL - 1984] DAY 12

Travel Notes
August 22, 1984 - Day 22
ITALY

Rome - City Tour

We saw in daylight all the sights of last night; and it has confirmed my initial reaction that the night view is a much better way to meet Rome for the first time. Daylight has a certain edge, a harshness that throws the defects into sharper focus.

We were able to walk into the Colosseum, and when one thinks of all the years it's been standing there...it boggles the mind.

At the Vatican City, Ma and I visited interior of St. Peter's, where I saw my first saint under glass, Pope Pius X. He looks like he just fell asleep, and for some reason his face is black.

There is a major reason to be in St. Peter's by day - while the piazza view awesome at night, the Basilica interior by day is beyond words. To view works of Michelangelo and Bernini in their natural settings is to know a dream come to life! All those magnificent marble figures are breath-taking, in the most literal way, if only because of the angle at which one has to crane one's neck to view them!

At the Sistine Chapel, getting a stiff neck a distinct probability, if one has not developed one after St. Peter's. I never realized till the guide mentioned it, the challenge of getting the perspective and proportions right. In fresco painting, the painters work about two to four feet from the surface of the ceiling. However, frescoes are meant to be viewed from the floor - which is a very long way down, which naturally alters prespective and point of view. Somehow, Michelangelo made it all work out : but then again, his Pieta was a master work accomplished at age 25!

On to the Vatican Museum, where the sensory overload from the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's is nothing to what is in here. The operative phrase would be "antiquities galore", no wonder Rome has always been a "must" for every traveler doing the Grand Tour since the 1700s.

Dinner was a proper dinner in an authentic (they claim) Italian trattoria: a buffet of cold cuts, salad, tuna, omelet, bell peppers in sauce, and watermelon, with vino bianco. We were distributed along two tables on the terrace, lighted up with candles - once some enterprising body found the switch, the electric lights went out and improved the ambiance provided by the light Italian melodies.

Being both young and hungry, I took second helpings of the omelet and watermelon. Basil set the pace and soon the atmosphere was crackling with bonhomie so that by the time the pasta arrived, I managed to tuck away into that with gusto; ditto for the veal scallopine, though others had cried a halt.

That night I made a name for myself as a gourmet/gourmand of the first water. To be fair, the pauses between each course were quite long, so there was enough time to properly digest one's food. Between courses there was music, singing, and good-natured repartee.

Bart came out to check on us and the musicians began "the chicken dance"! Carmen and Yolande dragged him down the steps and made him show us how it was done, thus providing us with several moments of hilarity.
There must have been something in the dessert...because between that and the coffee, Yolande lost her usual restraint and pulled Earl out of his seat for some few bars of slow dancing. Which gave our biddies a lot to cackle gleefully about!

Bart, who had taken a seat at Carmen's table, said it took "13 days, 7 hours, 2 minutes and 15 seconds" for the dam to break. Certainly anyone with any heat sense would have felt the warmth in Earl's face!  It was rather encouraging to see that he's definitely a man so in love with his wife, that he can't dance with another woman without blushing, even in the line of duty : after ten years of marriage, mind!

Bart came to visit our table and Basil remarked on my food intake. In keeping with our running gag, Bart claimed the tire over which I was sitting was going flat because of my weight. In response I claimed I didn't know him at all and feigned righteous indignation at his allegation. I made him work to get back into my good graces with"forgiveness" granted over a glass of wine. Then I went and hid the keys to the bus under the table napkin as a parting shot.

Arriving at the hotel, decided to take the merriment to the limit and bussed Earl on the cheek, by way of thanks for a delightful evening. Fortunately, it was well taken. I suspect Earl is used to such "under the influence" actions. Basil remarked that any man who comes to call on me should have his resume and prospects sent to Trinidad for evaluation and approval...this comment was brought on by how Carmen and Jun were matchmaking me to Gene's son. The lad seems personable enough, but it was a very Miles Standish-Priscilla Mullens sort of wooing.

So in keeping with Filipino custom, I "threatened" to make them my wedding sponsors (ha!) and take them for everything they had as wedding gifts.