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She's BACK!!

After Geocities went down, so did my award-winning website: Europe Through The Back Door 2000. But wait!! There's still life in her left!

Please stay tuned while I transfer ALL the PHOTOS and ALL the JOURNALS from the original website.

Email me with any questions and check back often to see the site come back to life!

Ciao,

Jenn

St. Petersburg, Tallinn & Helsinki Tour

The trip was awesome - blogs and photos on the way!!
First, our group photo at Peter the Great's statue at St. Peterburgs!

Going on my 3rd ETBD Tour this summer!!!

I took advantage last year to sign up for another Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door trip! There are specials for return tour members and discounted prices for booking before October 2008 - so I took advantage.

I'll be heading out to Tallin-Estonia, Helsinki-Finland and to St. Petersburg this summer and I am sooooooooo excited! As always, I will visit my best friend and Goddaughter in Paris and see my friend in London as well.

I'll post here for updates and pictures once I post!

Talk to you soon!

Pretty in Pink!

My new pink bluetooth rocks!!! I love it!!! Does that officially make me one of the Borg? Oh no... not until I get my crackberry!

Dinner with Connie

Wow! It's been almost six years since I've seen her! Connie and I were on Rick Steve's Best of Europe Tour 2000 - July 1-21 tour. Since I am working in Portland, she said we should have dinner! I didn't realize she lived her... and my client is her company. It's a small world!

We had dinner at Lovely Hula Hands - a totally adorable, renovated pink house in the middle...of nowhere. It was crowded for a Tuesday Night, we were seated in the upstairs Parlor. It was simply charming and although two of the entrees were already out, what was left was still fantastic. I opted for the Chicken with caramelized marsala sauce and she, the Cuban Rice with chile green beans.

We talked about what transpired in the last 6 months. Both our travels. Her son's travels. My health issues a few years back. Updates on several members of our group, Katy's marriage to Tom, Jeff's new child and Dave's upcoming summer wedding in Thailand. We miss so many of you folks!

I took out my Video iPod and promptly called up the photos from our trip. She couldn't believe I had it all in that little device. Thank God for the emergence of nano-technology! I had a slideshow going while we ate our Frangelico Creme Brulee. It was so fun to stroll down memory lane. We laughed about little stories - at least the two of us never shared until last night.

Portland is growing on me and I am glad to have an old travel buddy in the city. I look forward to many more dinners and get-togethers. I wish all of you the same!

Italy: Arrival in Venice

Even though we spend two nights in most of these hotels, it never fails to sadden me a little when we have to leave. I really enjoyed the hotel in Austria. I hope one day to return.

A good part of today was spent on the road. In fact, close to eight hours. Great for watching the beautiful scenery - lots of windy roads - or catching up on your travel journals. I donated my Vonda Sheppard CD to be played on the bus, much to other people's dismay and to Jeff's delight.

The Italian Alps or Dolomites reminded me so much of Yosemite or places in Utah. We had time to change our German Marks into Italian Lire. All this colorful money and different coins are fun and at the same time, confusing. We finally arrived at Venice's main station and boarded a Vaparetto - Venice's version of a water bus. It was really hot and crowded... which were prime spawning grounds for one of my first Italian experiences: being gently tickled and fondled by locals, young and old alike. Even though we were aptly told about this, you're still not truly ever prepared for it. So, when it finally happened to me (three times on the same Vaparetto ride), I jumped a little, but didn't scream. I learned fast to take these "gestures" as compliments.

No matter how crowded, hot, stuffy the Vaporettos got, it couldn't deter me from the breathtaking views on the Canal Grande. The 8-Stop ride to Alla Accademia was an excellent start to this wonderous city! I couldn't contain my excitement! I got to see Venice - in all its glory: busy, crowds everywhere, Europeans, Italians and hordes of Americans on vacation.

I admit, that my pack is getting way too heavy to lug around and my knee still ached from the fall. Dave came up from behind and took my bag. What a guy! We crossed the beautiful wooden bridge at Ponte dell Accademia to get to our hotel. Katy and I shared what I thought was the best room on the tour. It had a loft, tall windows with beautiful Roman draperies. (I'll post the name of the hotel, if I can find it.)

Before dinner there was a little time to self-tour this island. A group of us just started walking the narrow calli (streets). The little shops selling gellato and paninis were irristable - especially before dinner. It started to rain, we headed back and joined the group as we headed out to a neighborhood tratorria. We sat at tables under green awnings as it started to thunder and storm. The lighting just seemed to accentuate Venice's splendor. Rolls of lightning seem to trace the Venitian city scape. I've never experience anything so surreal.

We ordered individual pizzas and shared carafes of wine and beer. The meal was so delicious! We were all in high spirits, despite the downpour. After dinner, Jeff led us to San Marco Square. Wow. WOW!! Wowee!!! Just absolutely incredible! No words can describe the largest Piazza on Venice. He and Katy surprised everyone with a champagne toast at sunset!! We were all taking pictured of the Basilica, of each other, of everything!

After a while, the group started to split up. I was following Molly, Tina and Cathy with Dennis, Geni and Dave trailing behind me. While walking around San Marco on our way to the Rialto Bridge, I got sidetracked. A 6-member band was playing the theme from the movie, The Godfather. Well, that stopped me in my tracks and then they followed up with "Strangers In The Night." I had to sit on one of the steps and listen. The music was memerizing- all these bands consisted of two violins, a piano and an accordion. (always a plus!) Some had bass and flute compliments.

By the time this band took a break, I looked up and saw the the square was empty. There was now a steady rain, lots of lighting and loud thunder. I had lost both my parties. I was a little scared. I was alone again in a new city, but it was still early - about 9:30pm. Like Jeff said, how lost can you get on an island. I started heading off to the Rialto Bridge, hoping to catch up with the others. Well, either my sense of direction was totally or I just didn't see any of the signs. Before I knew it, I ended back up near our hotel.

The storm was getting worse. I wanted to stop off at the 24-Hour Cybernetico Kaffe, but needed to get my jacket. Once in my room, I freshened up and took out this journal and started writing. After a few minutes there was a knock on the door, Dave suggested we do a Venetian Pub Crawl, as described in Rick's book. When we got out, the wind and rain had picked up and he recanted. I told him that I still wanted to check my email, so he offered to walk me to the Cyber Cafe.

When we entered the dark rooms, he followed. Britney Spears was grinding on the wide screen TV - a dozen Italian teenage kids had their eyes glued to it. I turned back to him with an evil grin and said, "Welcome... to my world." He chuckled and shook his head. I wonder what the 15th century Venetians revelers would think about my 21st century electronic frivolities.