Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Davinie will be so proud






When I went to Australia, Davinie encouraged me to take along a blank book, and fill it with receipts and ticket stubs and all sorts of memorabilia and notes about my trip. I took a book along, and filled out maybe 3 pages. Didn't really follow through.

This time, with my Europe trip, I am doing a different variation of this same idea. I bought a lovely blank, lined page book with a magnetically closing flap. Pretty and green (of course). I have it separated into four sections (Germany, Amsterdam, Paris and Rome), and each section is filled with shrunken down hotel confirmation emails, train tickets, flight information, and maps. I got maps both from google and also by copying them out of my Rick Steves books (I have them for Amsterdam, Paris and Rome). He has maps of key areas, suggested walking itineraries, etc, etc.

I made lists of absolutely everything I wanted to do in Rome and Paris, the figured out which things were located close to each other. Then I put together an itinerary for the days that I am there, taking into consideration things like days museums are closed in Paris, busiest days/times of the week at the Vatican, etc. I posted these on tripadvisor.com, and got some good feedback. I tweaked things around after that, then started gluing everything into my book. In order. (actually, I started gluing *before* I went on tripadvisor, so my Rome itinerary is not quite in order). I even have which exact metro line I need to take to each area in Paris, along with the station name and any transfers I need. I *love* planning!!

So I have Rome-Day 1 (Tuesday), with maps and info about what I want to do that day, followed by Rome-Day 2 (Wednesday). I left about 15 empty pages (at least) after each city/area, so I have more space to attach stubs, etc, and also to journal. When I get home, I will find some flat scrappiness to add for embellishment and interestingness, and in the end I will have an awesome keepsake.

While on my journey, this saves me from having to carry around guidebooks (except for info sections that I am going to rip out and take with me to some museums), and has all my info in one place. Can I tell you how excited I am about this?? I am having lots of fun. I know that my Paris and Rome itineraries are vary ambitious, and we will likely have to cut some things out--but I would rather know all my options at a glance, and be able to decide on the day if I am in the mood or have the energy to do something, rather than getting home and realizing that I was a block away from something very cool, and totally missed it because I didn't know it was there. Make sense??

One place I am excited about seeing is the Largo Argentina ruins in Rome. There are cool ruins, but also a cat sanctuary and hospice that takes in sick and injured cats and houses them for life. They also have a robust spay/neuter program, and they foster and adopt out as many cats as they can. Even internationally. We are NOT coming home with a cat, but I am going to try to fit a box or two of gloves into my luggage--they are requesting these, as well as monetary donations. Rome is known for having cats everywhere amongst the ruins, and these people are the only agency actually HELPING these cats. You know we have a soft spot for cats..

We have lots of cool churches on our list as well, and some museums in Paris. We ar not going to the Louvre (shocking, isn't it?), but we will see the Cluny and Orangerie, as well as the Army Museum/Napoleon's tomb and the Rodin Museum. We are getting Museum passes, so we won't feel bad about only stopping in to see the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries in the Cluny Museum, or other small, quick stops. One price, all the museums we want to see in 2 days. Works for us.

2 comments:

Davinie Fiero said...

Type A? MUCH.
BUT. Davinie is happy.
YOU will be happy, while you are there, because you won't forget to do anything.
AND your album will be something that you treasure. Forever. I'm not kidding.
Nicely done, my sister.

alyca said...

That is the funny thing--I am soooo not type A. But I LOOOOVE to organize things (but I am also very messy), and I LOOOOOVE to plan things (but I don't always have very good attention to details.

I already love this album. I take it to work with me and force my coworkers to look at it with me, and critique my plans.