Legally Blonde's Proceedings

I'm certainly no expert, but when people inquire about how I plan my trips, they always seem shocked that I do all the planning myself.  I don't book the trips through an organized tour, and I don't use a travel agent.  I do enjoy planning trips, and I know everyone doesn't, but it doesn't always require hours and hours of planning, and I think it is easy for everyone to do. I've written before about some tools I use for planning trips, so if you want to check that post out, you can click HERE . Where are you going? First step, is figuring out where you want to go.  This also will require figuring out how long you can be gone.  I always have a running list of vacation itineraries in my head, but if you don't, then a good place to start is by looking at a map.  I also will google train travel times from one location to the next to figure out destinations.  I think this is also where guidebooks and pinterest can come in handy...you can find gr...

I have blogged many posts about my travels, and for ease, I'm putting links to the the various trips here in case you want to access them (just click on each "day"): Italy (2016-2017) Milan (Day 1) Florence (Day 2) Florence- Siena, San Gimignano, & Chianti (Day 3)  Florence (Day 4) Venice (Day 5) Venice (Day 6) Venice-Milan (Day 7) London, Prague, Vienna, Budapest (2015) London Day 1 in Prague  Day 2 in Prague Vienna  Day 1 in Budapest  Day 2 in Budapest  Montreal & Quebec City (2016) Montreal (Day 1) Montreal (Day 2) Ile D'Orleans (Day 3) Quebec City (Day 4) Quebec City (Day 5 & 6) London & Brussels (2014) Day 1- Harrods, Earl's Court, Hotel Information Day 2, part 1- Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market Day 2,part 2- Millennium Bridge, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye Day 3- Highclere Castle (aka: Downton Abbey), Natural History Museum Day 4- Brussels, Belgium Day 5-Portobel...

The last full day of my vacation was on January 5th.   I spent a few hours in Venice before my 10:50 train out of Venezia San Lucia to Milano Centrale.  I went to St. Mark's Square first thing just to take in the sights of Venice one last time without crowds... A classic Venice scene... The day before I made sure I could find the taxi dock where I arrived, and I even walked down there to make sure taxis were available.  The day before there were 4 or 5 docked there.   That morning when I needed one, there were none.  Of course! I went to the end of the dock and tried to flag down some that I saw driving by.  I guess they don't do that?  Because they all looked at me like I was deranged.   I yelled over at some Gondoliers and asked how to get a taxi.  They suggested I walk to San Mark's Square dock.  I could do that, but I had luggage, and the streets are not great for rolling luggage, plus you factor in all the ...

On Day 6 of my trip, I woke up to a beautiful sunny day in Venice.  First thing I did was make my way St. Mark's Square for a tour of the Basilica.  The line had been long on the previous day, so I figured if I got there when it opened I could miss the line.  This strategy worked.  The mosaics outside the Basilica tell stories, specifically of the theft of St. Mark's body from Alexandria, Egypt in A.D. 828.  The detail everywhere is amazing.  They don't allow photos inside, but the gold mosaic is unlike any other Basilica you will see.  Google "St. Mark's Basilica Photos Interior" and just browse the pics if you are interested.  It's stunning and worth a look.  The Clock Tower in St. Mark's Square (Torre dell'Orologio)  San Marco Column  San Marco Column on left, San Theodore Column on right  La Fenice Opera House that was next door to my hotel Built in 1792, it has seen the first performance ...