6 Search Results for "cloisters"

• Adventures in cheap NYC travel

  • From: fridaymine
  • Description:

    One August day, on a whim, I decided to check the Megabus website to see if there were any cheap bus trips to NYC in the future, as I had had a great experience with that once before. While checking the few dates that I had open in my schedule, I noticed a tiny little box at the top of the screen with a deal promotion. Lo and behold, a few minutes later I had rountrip tickets for myself and my husband from Syracuse to NYC for the bargain price of $4.50. Total, including the reservation fee. At that price, I figured we'd sort out the details later and if we couldn't go, I'd just give the tickets away.

    The husband said yes, and got the necessary vacation days, as we were scheduled to leave on a Friday and return Monday night. Next mission - cheap accomodations in Manhattan. In October. Not a problem, I thought. I quickly found out that there are not a lot of screaming hotel deals in October. Then I remembered that some people in NYC rent out their apartments for short vacation stays. if we could get a place with a kitchen, we'd save a bundle over eating out all meals. A bit of time cuddled up to internet search engines, and I had several websites that show the listings for these vacation rentals. Sublet.com looked promising, until I realized I had to pay a $59 subscription fee just to make inquiries for most of their listings. Moving on, I found some interesting places on VRBO.com and homeway.com, but the posted rates tended to show the off-season costs and the fine print at the bottom of most listings showed a much higher cost for dates in October, which was double or even triple the rates advertised, as well as all sorts of added cleaning fees and deposits. AirBnB.com and roomarama.com seemed the best, as far as their search abilities, variety of affordable listings and information given for each listing.

    So I spent a lot of time looking at the various listings, eliminating the ones that were too expensive and trying to pick a neghborhood we liked. Both Roomorama and Airbnb let you search by your dates, and airbnb has a calendar you can look at for each listing to see whether it is available or not. So I picked a few of places that were lovely and in neighborhoods I liked and within my budget and sent formal inquiries to the hosts.  Some hosts did not respond at all and the ones that did simply said the place was not available after all. Uhoh. This was going to be much harder than it looked. A lot more looking, a lot more inquiries and with each unsuccessful round increased the amount I was willing to spend and included more parts of Manhattan in my search. Finally, after about two weeks, I found a place on Roomorama that I liked, that I could afford, and, miraculously, was even available. I booked the apartment and started looking for fun things to do while we were in town.

    Of course, that was too simple. I sent several emails  to the host after the booking was confirmed to find out how I went about checking in to the apartment once I got to NYC. Two weeks later, I finally got a response, but no information, just a request for my flight information and arrival time. I responded with my arrival time, stated I was arriving by bus, and again inquired as to the procedure. No response. A few days later, I was looking at the listing and noticed that this host, who has multiple listings, had some recent "feedback" left by another guest. I read the feedback, and was horrified. This person had arrived in NYC, the booked apartment was not available, the host had found another place for them, but they had to pay the new host even more money and were kicked out in the morning as the rental was only good for one night. They ended up staying with friends for the rest of their trip, but were out the money they had paid and were seeking reimbursement (and perhaps an apology). They had left this tale of woe as feedback, as the host had refused to speak to them about these issues. Yikes!I emailed the host, explaining that I understood there are two sides to every story, but I was seeking reassurance that I would indeed have a place to stay when I arrived in NYC, three days from now. No response. After waiting 24 hours, I looked up the host's telephone number, and discovered that there were numerous complaints about this host, who has operated under various business names, all telling similar stories of being stranded in NYC without a place to stay and not being able to get their money back. Now I was truly scared.

    I immediately contacted Roomorama with this information and asked to cancel the booking. They were very accomodating and immediately refunded my money, including their service charge, and assured me that they were going to look into the matter and offered to assist me in finding another place to stay. While I understand that they simply provide a listing service and do not represent any of the hosts, I was a bit skittish. On the other hand, I cannot say enough good things about how promptly they responded and I was very pleased with their service level. I looked at the listing on Airbnb, but with the short period of time, I had much less to choose from. And even though each listing has an availability calendar, those calendars don't seem to have any bearing on whether a property is actually available. I was able to find a place, after a few inquiries and a few hours of panic. A bit more than I had hoped to spend, but still within my budget. The new host was responsive, and as I write this, the day before I leave on the trip, I am all set. The apartment is a lovely little studio just north of Times Square. Still cheaper than most hotel rooms at this time, and we can cook meals and save a bit of money to spend on fun stuff.

    I will say that I found the experience of finding and securing a place to stay using this method to be very frustrating and time consuming. I learned a little bit of how they work, and would be willing to try it again, however. I'm not sure if the apartments I inquired about were truly unavailable and the hosts simply never bothered to update their listing calendars, or if my profile turned them off. My husband and I are in our early 40s and, while we have good jobs, they are not glamorous. We are not globetrotting 20-somethings coming in to the Big Apple from far-off lands. I would be more inclined to rent someone's personal apartment, than deal with a host who had multiple listings, after this experience. I suspect that there is a lot more what-you-see-is-what-you-get that way.

    So far the total for two people is:  Roundtrip bus tickets $4.50  (yes, really!), Three nights in a studio apartment $637.00, plus $60 cleaning fee (I found out about after booking, only complaint) = $703.50.

    We haven't planned a lot of activities, preferring to have a pretty unstructured vacation. We are going to see a comedy show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Friday night ($5/each), and attend the Medieval Fair at the Cloisters Museum on Sunday (free). I'll let you know what we discovered on our trip next week.

     

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 209

• If the Ruins Could Talk

  • From: janicet1
  • Description:

    During a weeklong vacation on Paradise Island, Nassau,in the Bahamas I spent each morning jogging around the island.  I would always run to the top of the island and through the maze of the Cloisters.  On this morning, it had just finished raining.  The stone of the Cloisters was wet and glistening and the ruins had a sort of glow to them.  It made we wonder about what stories these stone pillars would tell if they could—how many wedding vows had been exchanged here?  How many teens had been sneaking midnight kisses here?  I was glad I brought my camera on this run to capture the moment.

  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 144
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• The Cloisters

  • From: jdiakon
  • Description:
    The Cloisters, Washington Heights, New York City
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 589
  • Not yet rated

• Mom on the Run: Provence

  • From: LTBergren
  • Description:

    Okay, so if you’ve read my other BT journals, you know I’ve had some pretty terrific trips. But part of traveling is learning how to negotiate challenges and finding your way through difficulty, even when things don’t fall together exactly as you had envisioned. I call it Travel Head. With TH, you don’t get mired in frustration and disappointment; you look for the next best option to help keep you moving forward. Without TH, you might find yourself in a bad situation, or even a completely ruined holiday, because you can’t see the good among the bad.

    Granted, by the time I reached French soil, I was fried. Mentally, I’d just taken care of pretty much every administrative detail in leading my three children, spouse and parents through Rome, Tuscany and Venice for twelve days. The day before, my four-year-old threw up on a vaparetto in Venice and was obviously suffering from a bout of stomach flu. Emotionally, I was worn out from being the anchor point for six unique personalities, and stressed and suffering from SMG (Severe Mom Guilt), certain that I’d just committed my husband to the international equivalent of a gulag: a seventeen hour flight home as a “single parent,” with three children (4, 9, and 12) who might all have the flu by this time. In my darkest visionings, Tim even had it. Ugh.

    But I had gotten as far as Italy, and had some research to do in a neighbor to her north, Provence, for a medieval trilogy I was writing. And in my era, the pope wasn’t home in Roma, he was in Avignon. I simply had to get there if I was to do a half-decent job of writing the book. So with my hubby’s blessing and air kisses to all my family (I didn't want to get sick either!), off I went. But I didn't get very far. There was a strike at the airport in Venice so I was bussed two hours away to catch another puddle jumper flight to Marseilles. I had no idea what was transpiring with my folks, heading back to CA, or my immediate family, heading home to CO. My international cell phone suddenly wasn’t working. And after all that intense time together, I was suddenly feeling very, very alone. Cut off.
    

    For all the time I’d put into planning our multi-gen trip to Italy, I had little more than a small guide book, car and hotel reservation for my five days in Provence. Oh, and did I mention, Je ne comprends pas Francais? (Probably lame French right there…pieced together from back of guide book.) Not the most auspicious of beginnings. But, I thought, I am a confident woman who has traveled solo before…the world is becoming flat…I can get pretty far with a smile and pleasant attitude. So, having made it to the airport bordering the arid, white-washed, rugged rocks of the Cote d’Azur, and with the help of a businessman who spoke great English and made me purchase a Michelin map, I motored out of the airport parking lot and onto my next adventure.

    NOTE: I made a critical mistake in not spending one more minute checking out the car before I pulled out; they had brought the car to the front of the office for me. Mirrors, instruments all seemed in order. But it wasn’t until I was entering the medieval city of Avignon—picture narrow, winding, walled, cobblestone streets and tons of people—that I realized I couldn’t put the car in reverse. My husband and father had been driving in Italy; I knew they had to choke up on the clutch in some way that was new to both of them, and it hadn’t been easy. But that wasn’t working. (Worse, I knew the address of my hotel, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to get to it or where I was supposed to park—great info to nab before YOU go.)

    At Last…Avignon

    I drove around the city a couple of times, then, taking a deep breath, plunged inward, praying I wouldn’t end up entering a one-way street, going the wrong way, with no way to reverse, and a bunch of people yelling in French at me. I'm a fiction writer, so yeah, I could just see the whole thing playing out, which made it all the worse. I decided to park underneath the Palais des Papes, leave my luggage behind and scout out the small city on foot. A kindly man in the parking garage showed me how to find the button and choke up to get the car in reverse, and suddenly I was breathing much more easily. I’m sure he walked away muttering about the stupid, blond American behind him, but I didn’t care…Capability of placing my car in reverse meant a special kind of freedom.

    My hotel, the lovely 19^th C. Hotel de l’Horloge (http://en.federal-hotel.com/hotel-information_hotel-de-l-horloge_4122.htm) two blocks from the Palais des Papes, and perched on the edge of the picturesque, 15^th Century Place de L’Horloge, popped into view. Happy my luck seemed to be changing, I checked in and then went back to the garage to retrieve my bag. (Apparently, you can park nearby, but I wasn’t moving my rental if I could help it.) I asked the friendly man at the front desk where I could grab a simple meal—“All I need is a bowl of soup and glass of wine,”—suddenly having difficulty imagining anything but a long, hot soak in the tub.

    He directed me to the simple, touristy restaurant next door, which I wouldn't recommend but was perfect for me that night. And in a cool, traveler’s luck moment, I ended up sitting next to a couple from the U.S.;  the middle-aged man was a writer, researching the letters of some medieval noble, having gained amazing access to them for the week. Fluent in French, he was all set to begin transcribing in a dark, musty room while his wife tooled about. Wishing him luck, and fired up over my own research, I moved back upstairs to my third floor hotel room, ran a hot bath and fell to sleep, blissfully happy to be settled and secure for the night.

    Fort? Palace?…Umm…We’ll Call it the “Fortace,” Palais des Papes

    The first item on my research list was to spend time, ad nauseum—you really don’t want to hang with me when I’m on a research bent--in the gothic Palais des Papes (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/avignon-palais-des-papes.htm), a colossal structure built 1334-1352. I spent six hours there, but a couple hours would give you a good sense of it. I rented the audio guide—something I’d do with kids, should I ever return with my own. It allows people to explore at their own pace, repeat information they might not have heard the first time, and skip what they find disinteresting. But this is a massively interesting building and of my Top Three stops in Provence. Majestic, barrel-vaulted rooms, 14^th century frescoes, quiet cloisters, idyllic courtyards, crisp meeting halls, and fearsome crenellations that make it as much a fortress as a castle. Here in Avignon, the papacy was housed, when Rome proved too politically dangerous—and France proved her political pull. The papacy eventually returned to Rome, but in the meantime, this ancient city exploded with growth.

    Conveniently situated on the edge of the Rhone, and built atop Roman ruins, Avignon had always been a major trade center, and with the pope and his court ensconced here, it became a major pilgrimage/political stop. It is estimated that over 100,000 people moved in, because of the commerce the court generated. Consequently, the city became unbearable (imagine 100K people and no appropriate sewage system…ahem) and most of the nobles moved across the 11^th century Pont St. Benezet bridge (still partially there!), to the sweeter-smelling Villeneuve-les –Avignon. From this side of the Rhone, you can gain an amazing view of the towering Rocher des Domes (the cliff face that abuts the palais; outstanding gardens and views from up there too), as well as the palace.

    My hotel offered a fantastic, broad-spectrum breakfast, served until 10am (a real boon for families—also, the hotel has a “family room” that can accommodate families traveling together; ask about it). And I had gnoshed on French bread and cheese as a snack, but as the afternoon drew to a close and they booted me out of the Palais des Papes (only open until 5ish in the spring), I scouted for a nice, cozy place to grab dinner, off the touristy plazas. Gambling on one with five tables and no visible sign, I settled in, and managed to order a small dinner salad with figs and loup au fenouil—sea bass cooked in white wine and fennel. Two men sitting next to me struck up a conversation in halting English, obviously intrigued that I was out on my own, told me the three “must-sees” of the area, and afterward, directed me to an Internet café down the street.

    I wandered the warmly lit, cobblestone street and found my Internet café, where I would frequent twice a day afterward, hungry for news of my family and of home. Turned out, my family had made it, safe and sound, with no further flu repercussions. I sighed audibly enough to draw the attention of the guy at the next computer, officially relieved of SMG. He gave me a puzzled smile and then returned to his own cybertalk. I returned to my hotel for another hot bath, and a glass of spicy Chateauneuf-du-Pape. (But of course…the pope had his own vineyards! Curiously, the vines grow out of the rockiest soil you’ve ever seen but produce a special grape.)

    Zee Pont du Gard

    The next day, I headed out to the Pont du Gard. Irritatingly, Disney uses this bridge as an example of their new family trips (seen that pic of the cute kid in the kayak beside an ancient Roman aqueduct? I’d wager that’s here.) It irritates me because it was my discovery first. Okay, not really my discovery first—it’s been here for 2000 years, but you know what I mean. I want real travelers to experience this place—not just another massive tourist group. The Pont du Gard was one #2 of my Top Three favorite stops; not only is it fun to wander the ancient, mortarless, limestone structure (later made into a bridge) and see the pretty hillsides and river, it has a pretty fantastic museum (kid-friendly with some interactive exhibits). The aqueduct’s remains can be seen in many places throughout the Bouches-des-Rhone, but here, it’s most spectacular. Once, this aqueduct carried 4.4 million gallons daily, across 31 miles, to quench the thirst of Nimes. Guess those Roman dudes knew a thing or two. Spending some time there, studying the engineering feat, brings home the brilliance of that once-great society.

    Les Baux: Land of Dante’s Inferno

    I left the Pont and found D986, heading to Les Baux-de-Provence, another Top Three stop. Provence was drier than I expected after the lush spring green of Tuscany; more arid, feeling sun-baked and wind-swept everywhere I went. Les Baux, an incredible castle carved out of a rocky spur in the climbing Alpilles, above the beautiful Valley Fontaine, has views that reach across to the Camargue—the wetlands to the south. This place gets TONS of tourists in the summertime, so be sure to go early if that’s when you’re in the vicinity. But do stop and wander her streets, and don’t get so distracted by the shopping (Provence has better pottery than Tuscany!) or the crepes (served by uptight, rude waitresses apparently sick to death of tourists) that you miss the citadel. Not much remains of the castle, beyond carved dovecotes and the half-domes of ancient, grand, 10^th century rooms, but you can imagine the Lords of Les Baux, fierce warriors, as well as the originators of the Courts of Love—think troubadours, poets, singing. They have life-size models of medieval warfare weaponry all about, which would be great for kids to see, but from what I could gather, no docents/anyone to explain them unless you come during Tourist Hell Season. Speaking of hell, across from Les Baux, the eerie, white-washed caves are said to have inspired the visiting Dante to write his tale of impurity, sin and damnation. I’ll admit it…I stared at them and shivered. But maybe it was the 50 MPH winds on a 45 degree day.

    I returned to Avignon for some sort of beef and red wine dish, with a touch of orange peel and lots of onions (oo la la!) and landed a small van tour to St. Remy-de-Provence the next day. Two women I had met up with had told me they had just spent three days in Marseilles, unwinding a terrible robbery incident that had left one with a knife wound on her arm and face, and I decided to stick with a small group.

    WARNING: I guess this is a common scheme. The women were bird-watching near La Camargue; amazing flamingoes there! A man approached them, told them they had a flat tire and offered to help them change it (they later figured out he had slashed it himself). He changed the tire, threw the slashed tire into the trunk, then before they could quite believe it, moved to the driver’s seat and took off. That’s where it would end for most people, but one of these women jumped in with him, determined to not let him get away with passport, purse, keys, luggage, rental car, everything! She was very lucky to not have been hurt worse. After slashing her arm and face, he pushed her out of the car, and they still ended up trying to figure it all out in Marseilles. A terrible way to spend precious vacation days and money…always be aware of those who might be preying upon you! I’m not saying you want to always be looking over your shoulder and miss what’s ahead; I’m saying just be smart. Aware. Read up on what the specialty of thieves is ahead of you—some things remain the same, country to country (pickpockets) but many countries develop their own special brand of crime.

    The Stars of St. Remy
    

    Our group wasn’t a tourist group per se—you already know how I feel about that—more seven travelers (2 Brits, 2 Americans plus me, 2 French) who were heading in the same direction…and didn’t care to drive. The driver stopped in several small towns, then returned for us a couple hours later. It was a great way to scout out a few more stops! But St. Remy, birthplace of 16^th c. Nostradamus (which I happened to wander by—outer wall of the avenue Hoche), 1889 recovery retreat for Vincent Van Gogh (after he mutilated his ear; and this was where he painted “Starry Night”), is special. This is a village known for her spices and arts. I had the driver drop me in Glanum, the 400-10 BC. Greco-Roman ruins about a mile outside the city (there’s an especially cool triumphal arch memorializing Caesar’s conquest of the Greeks and Gaul and a mausoleum), and then made my way inward, stopping for a croissant and coffee and watching a bunch of old men in berets play some sort of leather ball and pin game. I stumbled into a photographer’s studio, one I recognized from some US publishers’ book covers; turns out he was a Romanian ex-pat now living in St. Remy “because of the air, the light, the people.” I wanted to buy one of the ethereal prints in his dusty, lonely studio, but couldn’t justify the $1500 price tag at the end of a seventeen day, sucky Euro-to-USD-exchange rate trip. But I still think about “Man Under Big Blue Sky” and muse over contacting him, seeing if it’s still hanging on the wall, just waiting for me.

    But this girl had just about gotten what she needed from Provence this time ‘round. After another night in the charming hotel, a walk around the entire city wall of Avignon, and a few museum stops, I had collected enough details of the history, visuals and general feel of the place. I was ready to head home and reunite with my family. And get started on that novel…

    I’ll look forward to returning to Provence in the future and seeing some sights I missed this time—I’d love to go in the spring and see the fields of purple lavender—or  take in Orange, with her Roman ruin treasures. I met several moms from Atlanta, traveling with their preteen daughters, who had taken the speed train from Paris down to Provence for a few days, a lovely option for those wishing to expand their understanding of this country. Maybe I’ll do that with my own daughters someday soon.

    What’s to hold me back? Next time, I’ll even be able to put my car rental in reverse…from the start. :-)

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 1176

• Cloisters at Mont St. Michel

  • From: gmaso
  • Description:
    The Cloisters at Mont St. Michel are probably the prettiest part of the island; especially in late Spring. Taking this shot was a real pain in that the tourists are so numerous and are looking around at everything except someone who may be trying to take a photo. But if you wait long enough you get a break. Mont St. Michel is an amazing place. One of those places where you just wonder how it was built given the technology and tools of the time. The lower levels along the main "street" are packed with tourists and therefore tourist aka junk shops but if you visit in the late afternoon or evenings, crowds are sparse or non-existent. And you can always wander around the various alleyways and along the walls for views of the surrounding bay and the fascinating architecture.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 1170

• A couple of day in Lisbon

  • From: karlyad
  • Description:

     

    Day 1|

    I began my journey through Lisbon by tram. Spent day to tour in tram 28 (Martim Moniz-Campo de Ourique). I bought a daily pass (www.carris.pt) so I can explore all by myself and to treat myself to some astonishing places and sights.

     

    Some places in Lisbon that you have to visit: S. Vicente de Fora, take a look at the Church, particularly the tiles which are based on some La Fontaine tales. Visit Feira da Ladra (Flea Market), where you can buy really cheap second-hand clothes, cd's or books, only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. A street above, you’ll find Panteão Nacional (National Pantheon) take a strole on the terrace, it will offer you a beautiful sight of Tagus River. Castelo de S. Jorge (St. George Castle), Miradouro de Santa Luzia (Santa Luzia belvedere) with its garden and a fabulous views over Alfama. Constructed after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, in the Pombaline Lower Town you’ll find a nice place to go shopping or keep going to the next stop and have a “bica” near Fernando Pessoa (he doesn’t mind if you take a photo with him).

     

    It’s already getting dark, I’ve decided to have dinner at “ A Severa ” (www.asevera.com), a restaurant and house of Fados where Amália Rodrigues used to eat portuguese tapas. Outside Bairro Alto’s nightlife is starting. Thanks to a free guide I have found in my hotel “ Tips Guide Lisboa ” (www.tipsguidelisboa.com), I have found a place to end the night, I chose a small disco in the Bairro Alto called “Bedroom”....nice place!

     

     

    Day 2 |

    Early morning and here I am, ready to discover new worlds. Arriving in Belém, we go back to 1500, to the Age of Discoveries.

    First Palácio de Belém, the official residence of the President of Portugal then had my morning coffee in the famous Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém ( www.pasteisdebelem.pt ).

    Then finally arrived to a magnificent monastery, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos , it was from here that Vasco da Gama sailed to India.

    This building is the most successful achievement of Manueline architecture; the motifs are mainly the armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe) and the cross of the Order of Christ, you can find these in the church, in the cloisters and in the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Camões.

     

    Just a few meters away is the Centro Cultural de Belém (www.ccb.pt), a modern building that hosts cultural events and is also a conference centre. I ate a light meal at Quadrante, located in Jardim das Oliveiras.

     

    If you turn to the other side of the road in direction to Padrão de Descobrimentos take a ride up by elevator because from the top you can get the best view of the gigantic compass rose on the pavement. It has a diameter of 50 meters and the central map shows the sea routes of the Portuguese Discoverers during the XV and XVI centuries. There’s a funny joke about this monument, some people say that the character at the back is screaming "don't push in the queue!"

     

    It you take a walk close to the river soon you will see the so-called square tower, World Heritage by Unesco, Torre de Belém. This ancient fortress is unique, above all for its distinctive sharply outlined shape.

    I am getting hungry. I went to Cervejaria Portugália ( www.portugalia.pt ), I also recommend the original restaurant/beer house at Almirante Reis Avenue. As a starter I decided to take caldo verde, a typical Portuguese vegetable soup and after that the very famous steak submerged in a special sauce. Its always served with a fried egg on top, French Fries and bread. I couldn’t imagine myself picking any other drink than a cold blond beer.

     

    Ok..that was my short but intense experience in Lisbon.

    If you don't have much time to organize your trip I recommend these three links to help you:

     

    Low-cost flights (www.bravofly.co.uk)

    This website is very good, you can easily find low cost flights to Lisbon and also for other destinations.

     

    Tips Guide Lisboa (www.tipsguidelisboa.com)

    Has a daily calendar with concerts, nightlife and expositions. You can download it for free directly from the website

     

    Hotel Booking (www.booking.com)

    I use always this website to find cheap hotels.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 637