Spa-mma Mia (Kami Spa, Rome)

Rome is filled with history and decaying beauty on every street corner. It's noisy and chaotic and full of modern life and rubbish on the streets. Romans race through cobblestone streets to have chimney-puffing smoke breaks and speak in rapid, angry bursts (when they may truly be saying sweet words to each other; it's a example of how the medium is the message). The food is heavy and delicious and cheesy and meaty. To say there is a lot of humanity, in all its forms (good, bad, ugly, beautiful, loud, brutal, pushy, funny, etc.) is an understatement.

On our first day, Raf and I took a walk around our apartment. We turned the first corner, onto a small alleyway, and as we passed an unassuming door, I noticed a familiar smell, like lemongrass and eucalyptus. 

A spa?

I stopped and stared into the calm void of basalt floors and sandstone walls. Sure enough, there was a highly rated ("Voted Rome's best day spa!") spa sandwiched between a ratty garage and a tiny wash-n-dry. 

A few days ago, I decided to finish off my Roman holiday with a massage and I must admit it was one of the very best souvenirs I could have gotten.

You don't realize - or maybe you do - that being gone from your regular routine can take a big toll on you. I don't speak Italian very well and we have stayed close to the more "touristy" sections of Rome, so there is a gruffness to the way we've been treated by the tourist-jaded Romans who inhabit those areas. No one has been outright mean or rude - I don't mean that at all - but there has been a lack of genuine sweetness and connection, except by our fabulous guide Grazie. 

Anyway, I didn't realize how much I needed to release the tensions of Rome until they were being knocked out of me via a blend of Oriental massage techniques. 

The actual spa was not what I'm used to. I've been to spas in Vegas and LA. I love the gritty Korean day spas where they scrub you within an inch of your life, until your skin glows. And most of all, I love the fragrant, luxurious Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, where you could spend an entire day and not remember there's a "real" world outside its Moroccan-tiled walls. In all of these places, the spa facilities are a sanctuary unto themselves, with steam rooms and saunas and beautiful baths and pools and jacuzzis and showers and fragrant amenities. There's usually tea and cool cucumber water and fresh fruit and cut flowers and a bevy of spa attendants and freshly laundered towels.

Kami Spa is not like that. For 30 Euro (the add-on cost to use the "facilities" if you have a treatment), there is a tepid pool (why?) and a steam room that smelled a little moldy. The showers are in that "facility" area, not near the lockers, and you have to walk through the lobby (where other clients are sitting and which faces the street) to get to the facilities and back. Weird. I was the only one in the "facility" area, too, which was odd, and they had to pull a curtain over the window that overlooks the lobby so I'd have some privacy. 

Okay, whatever. It's Rome, nothing is "usual." I'm game.

I took a quick dip in the not-warm pool and then went into the steam room. Once I got past the faint smell of mold, I found myself drifting away, my muscles relaxing into the warmth of the steam. The stress of the vacation literally melted away (you may laugh, but if you think about it, a vacation can be super stressful; this trip, I've been concerned about everyone getting enough to eat and having a good time and getting the right souvenirs and staying out of the busy streets of Rome so they don't get killed by a guy on a scooter who's smoking and talking on his mobile phone). I didn't want to leave.

Finally, it was time for my massage. The therapist (Nok) escorted me via elevator to her treatment room, which was beautiful and calm. For an hour, she kneaded my muscles and chased the stress away. I truly felt like a new person. An old, familiar feeling of calm contentedness came back... and I hadn't noticed its absence until it returned. 

*Sigh.* 

Spahhhhhhhh....

So what if the facilities weren't up to snuff. The massage was the best I'd ever had - firm, thorough, muscle-relaxing... and exactly what the ring leader of this traveling circus needed.

The Art of What Is - Villa Borghese in Rome

Before we left, I remembered to buy tickets for the Borghese Gallery in Rome. It's an interesting ticket process: at least a week (or a few days) in advance, you reserve and pay for your 2-hour timeslot online (you can only go at 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm or 5pm); a half hour before your time, you line up in the ticket office with the print-out of your reservation, hoping you're in the right line and wondering if the clerk (who's on his phone the whole time) even knows you're there; and then, tickets in hand, you have two hours to explore one of the world's most beautiful art galleries. 

When I booked online - over a week ago, in California - I couldn't decide on the "best" time slot for our family of five. Would they wake up early enough for the 11 am slot, knowing we'd have to be there at 10:30 and thus would have to leave the apartment at 10 am (the girls are not early risers on a "regular" schedule, so vacation mornings are even more of a challenge)? Would 1 pm hit us right at lunchtime? Would 3 pm be too late because we'd be out exploring the city and perhaps reluctant to go and see art?

I had *thought* I'd booked 11 am, so we rallied the girls - not easy with an ice cold shower that never warmed up - and walked up Via Veneto past the chi-chi sidewalk cafes and stood in line behind a gaggle of American college-age girls and got our tickets.

At the ticket window, the clerk finally stopped his conversation with his co-worker and turned to me with my tickets in his hand, "These are for 3 pm. Next!"

The good part? We had hours to ride bikes and a surrey around the gardens again, caught a gorgeous view of Rome from above the Piazza del Popolo and had a nice lunch at a cafe within the garden (Marlowe had another minestrone soup and I had my first non-cheese, non-pizza, non-pasta meal since we arrived: spinach and white beans).

The bad part? We're back at the apartment and I think two of the girls are staging a mutiny. 

Chances are, it will just be a museum trip for me and Emme, which is fine, too. My expectation was to show my whole family this museum that I love so much, the place where I fell for Caravaggio and Bernini in a big way, but it appears that I have to let go of that expectation and practice the art of being with what *is* rather than what I expected.   I'll leave in about 20 minutes to hike back up to the Villa, but for now, here are some pictures:

The girls love these stands all around the Villa Borghese;
Emme ate two huge panini the other day and we've also had
cold water, Gatorade, Nestea, Oreos, gelati... It's awesome!
Sure beats a dilapidated ice cream truck in the Valley. 

A 4-person pedal-powered surrey. It goes way faster than you'd expect
(though still not as fast as a regular bike. So there's that...)

Serena overlooking Rome.

Emme and me above the Piazza del Popolo.
Yes, she's taller than me.

Marlowe, continuing her culinary tour of Rome, ordered a
strawberry granita with whipped cream at lunch.
Soo yummy!

Travel Tips - Erin's European Life Savers

Now that we've been living out of suitcases in Europe for over a week, I feel comfortable sharing a few of the things that have made our lives and traveling with the kids much, much easier. 

1 - laptop - Having a laptop has made it easy to look up various destinations and maps. I love typing as opposed to tapping on my phone or iPad (although we brought those, too, and have used them extensively). The kids like looking up YouTube videos of their fave shows, too, when they're tired and need to veg out. Some people might balk at that - they're in Italy, for god's sake! But honestly, I think they've earned it since they've been cool with walking all over Barcelona and Rome with us. It's a treat... and it keeps us just as happy (no fighting = good, quiet siesta times).

2 - dropbox - About a month ago, I signed up for Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) so that I could upload and store all of my pictures and music in "the cloud" and access them from any computer or device at any time. I had no idea how awesome it would be for traveling! Of course, I can access my travel docs on my phone and iPad and laptop, etc., but I can also upload the pictures from my phone and my regular digital camera onto my computer and Dropbox will automatically upload them to "the cloud" so they are safe and sound. No more worrying about losing my camera or deleting pictures before I get home. My memories are safely and digitally preserved.

3 - tour guide - I've said it before, but I'm a big believer in paying for a private local guide to help you get oriented in a city, especially if you have kids. Some people (and I used to be one of them) love planning a trip and taking out their maps and guidebooks while walking around a city, but now I prefer walking and talking with a guide whose job it is to answer my questions and customize a tour around my family's needs and interests. If we want to stop for gelato, we stop. If we have a question about the ruins, it's answered. If we need transportation, they arrange it. Bing, bam, boom. Even a 3-hour tour once during the trip is enough to get familiar with a local's-eye view of a city and glimpse into the life of someone who lives here. Because of our tours, we've been able to see cities from the inside out, learning about specialty foods and customs and festivals. Often, we'll find ourselves far from the crowds, in spots where the views are spectacular and there are no other tourists in sight. It also ensures that we don't wander in circles trying to find a landmark or a Metro station or a taxi when the kids are tired, which is worth its weight in gold!

4 - adaptors - Buy your adaptors on Amazon for a few bucks before you leave for your trip. We got three adaptors this time and they have been invaluable for keeping our phones, camera, laptop, kindles and hair straightener working. We're lucky that most modern US appliances can convert to both 110 and 220 electrical outlets, so all you need is the right adaptor. When my family moved to Naples, Italy, when I was a teenager (about 25 years ago), we had to have a small converter that plugged into the wall, and then we could plug our appliances into that... but still, we fried our fair share of hair dryers... Needless to say, I'm glad it's so easy nowadays!

5 - go grocery shopping - Even if we stay in a hotel, I like to go to local grocery stores to check out snacks and get bottled water, fruit and picnic items. We've learned that you have to weigh your own produce at most European markets and the machine will give you a sticker to put on the bag (and if you don't do this, you'll get a stink eye from the cashier and the long line of locals behind you!), and you often are required to bag your own items in your own bag. Plus, I love the brand names of foreign products (case in point: Horniman's teas... hmmm...) and it's reason enough not to bring your own shampoo to try something new.

6 - rent an apartment - Sure, you won't have a concierge downstairs, but you'll be able to feel more "at home" in a foreign city if you have your own space. The drawbacks are that you can't call downstairs if you run out of toilet paper or garbage bags, but it's nice to have your own entrance and exit, and to spread out a little bit more than in a tiny hotel room. 

7 - make yourself comfortable - We often find ourselves spending less on touristy activities and a little extra on the things that make our trip more comfortable or enjoyable. In Barcelona, we bought inexpensive beach towels, which we gave to the cleaning lady when we left; it may not seem like a big deal, but we used them over and over throughout the week! In Rome we've had mild weather, but even so, our apartment's A/Cs limp along. When I left the windows open at night, though, we got bitten by mosquitoes. The solution was to buy two cheap fans from an old guy in a little shop around the corner. We'll bequeath them to the apartment and to all the lucky travelers who rent it during the sweltering summer months, but the fans have made our trip that much better! And when I think about it, I'd much rather have a good night's sleep than a suitcase filled with cheap replicas of the Vatican or key chains.

8 - splurge-worthy souvenirs - Before I take a trip, I really think about the item(s) I'd love to bring home to remember my trip, besides pictures and these blog posts. In Barcelona, I took Emme and Serena to Lluis Manuel in the Gothic Quarter for espadrilles. In Rome, I found a beautiful leather purse and Raf bought a wallet. Emme and Serena asked to buy some make-up at Sephora, which they can buy in the US, but they wanted something they'd used every day that would remind them of Rome, so I said yes. Marlowe has gotten several toys and laser-lights to use at night. I also have my eye out for a gold ring to commemorate our 15th wedding anniversary. If it's a nice item that I will use all the time and makes an ordinary day feel special (like the purse I bought or Emme's new mascara), then it's worth the splurge to me. Boxer shorts emblazoned with the image of a marble statue's penis? Not so much.

9 - ziploc bags - I like to grab a handful of various sizes before I leave and tuck them into my suitcase. You never know what you'll need them for: protecting phones if it's rainy, holding the second half of a sandwich for later, carrying Euro coins, separating snacks, etc., etc. 

10 - get into it - If all else fails, just "get into it," one of our favorite lines from "The Darjeeling Limited." Raf and I say this when we don't quite know where we're going or what we're gonna do, but we want to get out and enjoy the city. The line from Darjeeling is from a scene in which the oldest brother (Owen Wilson) is getting a shoe shine and the kid steals his shoe. He hobbles after the boy, then stops and says something like, "I nearly died, Jack's heart has been broken and Rubby's having a child. Let's get into it!" as a sort of battle cry, like there's nothing left to lose. It seems to cover everything. 

Just get into it!

Three Coins in the Fountain

Trevi Fountain is interesting to me because it is both much bigger than I expected... and much smaller... I didn't know that you could just wander through the historic city center of Rome and then BAM! Sandwiched between three streets ("tre via" = Trevi), gelato shops, pizzerias, souvenir shacks, illegal toy peddlers and legions of tourists, the beautiful Trevi is a testament to the wishes and dreams of every visitor to Rome.

I was thinking about it today, as I watched hundreds and hundreds of tourists traipse through the Coliseum and Forum. We all want the same things when we come to Rome, don't we? To walk in the footsteps of emperors and gladiators, to imagine the world before iPhones and computers and cars and airplanes and TVs and working 9 to 5 and trying to keep up with the Joneses... We want to imagine that we are the ruling class of Rome, the men and women in white togas with slaves who will build travertine columns to the sky and erect statues in our images; or maybe we're the rich art patrons who employ the likes of Bernini or Michelangelo or Caravaggio to adorn our palaces with frescoes of angels... 

Rome is still unfolding to me, releasing its charms bit by bit. Every day, I feel as though I capture a little more of its magic, somewhere between its cramped "parking lots" (i.e., streets and sidewalks) and ochre and sepia buildings and lush "palm pines" that reach into its inky blue night sky with their lacy silhouettes. 

But it takes time to learn a city. To ensure the girls will be back, we gave each of them a coin...

Here's hoping for the ultimate return on those three Euros, in the form of three wishes fulfilled and three future trips to Rome.

When in Rome

Coming from Barcelona, our first impressions of Rome were about noise and chaos, ancient streets and an impassioned machismo in the air. It's a 180-degree turn from the laid-back Spanish lifestyle.

But... that also includes food.

As I may have mentioned, we aren't huge fans of Spanish food - that may change as we spend more time there, so I'm not ruling it out just yet. 

But Rome is a FEAST for the palate. Every single little bar/trattoria/pizzeria/enoteca/caffeteria/hole in the wall seems to be as good or better than the last one. Even "touristy" spots have given us reasonably priced meals that are incredible near the Trevi fountain and Campo di Fiori and even just below our apartment.

I'm the first to admit I've raised three picky eaters, and yet each of them has been in food heaven here in Rome. It's particularly fun to watch Marlowe (the pickiest one of all) try new foods... and ask for seconds. Raf is trying to decide whether or not Paris is still his favorite city to eat in, but each new pizzeria makes his decision even harder. 

Me, I'm content to live meal to meal, although my stomach can't match my desire to eat!

Again, a photo tour of our gastronomy:

Fried ricotta with walnuts and honey on arugula (I know, right?)

Marlowe finishing up Serena's spaghetti with meatballs

Pretty fruit tarte at the Borghese Gardens

wine with a prosciutto/arugula/parmesan pizza

Marlowe loved the lunch buffet at this tony Via Veneto
restaurant so much, she's asked to go back every day 

Cheers!

Marlowe's mini torte at CineCaffe
in the Borghese Gardens

Quality Time, Barcelona Edition

In the constant rush of daily life, especially during the past month or so as we raced to finish up school projects and pack for this trip, I sometimes feel a longing for an intangible something else from my relationship with my kids and Raf. Like I'm missing something, some piece of the larger puzzle of life. 

Quality time.

I say this because we spend a lot of time together as a family. We're super lucky; Raf and I work at home and take the kids to and from school. We're all home for dinner and homework. We go a lot of places together. But when we're rushed or there are too many things to do, that "missing" feeling creeps up on me and I long for quality time.

There is nothing quite like living in a small space in a foreign city to bind a family together. I'm not saying I don't hear But Mom! She's *touching* me! Make her stop!! forty times a day. And I'm not saying I don't escape to the balcony a few times a day to get some "peace and quiet" from the traffic below (which is more soothing to me than the laugh track on "Friends," which is one of our only DVDs that works on the Euro DVD player). But it's been so good to reconnect like this, with hours upon hours and days upon days to just be together, wrestling and arguing and laughing and eating together. 

Barcelona B&B (Beach & Bikes)

There are no mistakes. That goes for life, as well as traveling. You want to plan, but you can't get too caught up in the idea of the end result; for one thing, you may never even get there, and for another, your desires may change and you may find yourself changing course anyway.

(note: Marlowe is trying out weird faces;
it's a rite of passage as an 8-year-old)

The first time we came to Europe as a family, three years ago, I was aching to see Versailles again. I wanted to show the girls the real palace where Marie Antoinette lived and the "movie set" of Sofia Coppola's gorgeous film. Decadence, luxury, style and royal living at its sumptuous, excessive best. 

This is it! I was going to say to them, arms wide enough to envelop Versailles and its grounds as a whole. This is it!

Well. 

That didn't quite work out the way I'd planned. The grounds were crowded and the lines for the palace (and even the women's bathroom) were deplorably long. The Metro ride back to Paris was at least 45 minutes (after a 15-minute walk to the train station). What to do? 

(Imagine the voice of a superhero TV show narrator) Just then, the Shachory family spied a sign at the edge of the fountain... "Rent bikes here!"... Thus changing the course of family vacations FOREVER...)

And so, a family tradition was born.

A few days ago, we rented bikes by Barceloneta Beach and rode north, helmet-free and unencumbered by anything but a backpack, picnic food and a few beach towels, along the sun-sparkling beaches of Barcelona. Past nude beaches and party beaches, naval installments and tourist traps, picnic benches and tapas bars, surf shops and structures built for the 1992 Olympics. 

It only takes a minute or two on a beach cruiser to change your attitude. The world seems better with the sun on your back. I found myself staying at the back of our group, watching my girls in their sundresses weaving in and out of pedestrians, laughing with their heads thrown back, hair flowing in ropy beach waves behind them, the tinkling sounds of their bike bells on the sea breeze. 

At the northern end of Barceloneta, Raf stopped short, eyes on the black-clad surfers lined up in the waves. 

"Surfers?" I asked, lightbulbs popping in my mind.

He didn't speak, a smile on his lips. 

It was a game changer. In other words, if we loved Barcelona before, now that he knew there was surfing, it was all over. Suddenly, the "... but there's no real surfing..." consideration was gone. Suddenly, Barcelona transformed into a viable, livable city for him.

Who knows? 

After two hours, we returned the bikes and grabbed tapas on the beach, served by a blonde girl from Palos Verdes who visited Barcelona four years ago and never left. Then we wandered up to Olimpica Beach and splashed a while and fell asleep on the hot sand, daydreaming about Barcelona and inhabiting all it has to offer. 

Photo for Five / "The Holiday Card Shot"

Sagrada Familia

Before you decide to have three kids and become an official family of five, there are things you can't quite consider, like:

* At some point, you will have to wait for a shower; sometimes, this will feel like forever as you patiently allow each member of your house to go before you.

* Finding a table for five at a busy restaurant is tricky.

* You'll have to separate for plane rides, finding seats either beside or behind each other... or in entirely different sections...

* You can't get a taxi for five people in most cabs; you either have to split up or call ahead for a larger cab

* If you ask, "Where should we eat?" you'll get four or five different answers... and someone is always irritated by the decision

Park Guell

* When you're traveling, you will likely only get pictures with up to four of you in them because someone has to take the photo. 

We usually get around this last one by setting up a self-timed picture, which is great because it takes a few rounds to get the best photo... and the "bloopers" sometimes say more about us as a family than the posed shots (She's in my way... No, on this side, on this side... It's flashing, Mom,come on!!").

On this trip, however, we've had two great tours with guides who have accommodated my desire for shots of our complete family. Don't be surprised if you see one of these on our holiday cards.

 

La Boqueria

Travel Day

Travel days are tough. Planning a trip is so much fun, I tend to forget the sacrifice of hours of packing, getting to the airport, then getting through security and customs so that we can be packed into a tin vessel miles above the earth for half a day. And that when we finally land, we're in a different time zone and we're motion woozy and hungry and have to pee and can't read the signs all at the same time, and when someone speaks to us in a foreign language, we want to admit that we can barely form our own names, much less conjugate French/Spanish/Italian/Catalan/East Texan...

I'm writing this on the second hop of our journey to Barcelona. On the first flight, I watched the final Twilight movie, played solitaire with Emme, and got chewed out by the pilot (don't ask). Thank god for the French, though - Charles de Gaulle has it's fair share of amazing "fast" food (picture of my bulgar and salt-cured tuna salad below). 

This flight is far shorter, which is great because we are far less energetic than when we left California. Emme is passed out next to me, sprawled on the tray table and her stuffed penguin; she was an ashy green color as we waited for this flight on our layover in Paris and I'm surprised she even made it onto the plane. Serena and Marlowe are laying across Raf, who is trying to catch some Zs in the small seat between them. I've slept a bunch today/yesterday... or am I now in tomorrow?... and I'm too out of it to get excited about being 30 minutes from Barcelona...

But... I have a feeling we'll get there.... And we won't want to leave...

Family Travel Tips for a Whirlwind European Vacation

London Calling: Mia stepping out in stylish accessories

  NOTE: In anticipation of my upcoming family vacation in Europe, this is a "guest" blog about my friend Mia's recent trip. I wanted to pick her brain about traveling with her family to four European cities in three countries over the course of 11 days... with only carry-on luggage! Here's what I learned...

My friend Mia is a stylish fashion blogger and well-traveled woman who puts my wanderlust to shame. Given the glorious combination of a few vacation days and incredible airfare and accommodation deals, she can assemble a whirlwind trip for her family of four (which includes husband Iñaki, son Lukas, 14, and daughter Noa, 11) on a reasonable budget.

Her latest trip, taken over Spring Break, spanned four cities in three countries over the course of 11 short days (not including travel time) for seven people (they traveled with Iñaki’s sister and her two kids). They visited London, Venice, Rome, Athens and Santorini…

Did I mention it was only 11 days?

And not only that, but they didn’t check any baggage!

In less than a month, we'll be embarking on our next European family vacation - BarceRoma 2013 - so I was dying to learn the secrets of her travel success, and Mia was more than willing to share.

First of all, she said they chose Spring Break because both airfare and lodging are less expensive at that time of year than in summer. Her family has been to Europe before and this was meant as a sort of “sampler” for the kids – choosing places they can revisit when they’re older, giving them just a taste of new cities. 

Noa and Lukas

 The Starting Point: Easter in Rome
It has been a lifelong dream of Mia’s to spend Easter at the Vatican, so that was the first destination on their list and Mia planned everything else around that event.  While researching flights, Mia found that it was cheaper to fly through London than to go straight to Rome, so she added two nights in London to the start of the trip. Rome is a quick train ride from Venice… and the kids had never been there… so clever Mia decided they should fly there to begin their Italian holiday and take the train to Rome the next day.

Next, because Lukas is an ancient history buff and Iñaki is an architect, Athens was a must-see. And since it’s not that far from the Greek isles… well, you know Mia had to sneak in some relaxation in Santorini before returning home to Southern California.

The Plan: 4 cities/3 countries/11 days

Gelati counts as a meal, right?

So the final trip looked like this:

London - 2 nights, then fly to...
Venice - 1 night, then train to...
Rome - 2 nights, then fly to...
Athens - 1 night, then fly to...
Santorini - 3 nights, then back to...
Athens - 1 night, then fly home

WHEW! Anyone else's head spinning?

The Secrets: Mia's Tips for Traveling with Kids
#1 - Carry-on luggage - "It's so liberating! Everyone carries their own bag and even on the plane, everything you need is in the overhead bin. You literally walk off the plane and into your destination. You will never want to wait for luggage again and whatever you forgot, you can buy there. If there's a language barrier, then it becomes part of the adventure." She also suggests buying the extra large ziploc bags to store clothes in and pushing out air to minimize the space they take up.

#2 - Black clothes - "I took all black clothes to make it easy, then changed up my look for pictures by adding scarves and a little bit of jewelry. I left my jeans at home because they're too heavy and I was traveling light!" At the last minute, she grabbed her down parka, and was grateful - they encountered a range of weather and London was downright cold! Packing lighter with her regular layers enabled her to bring along a bigger jacket.

#3 - Be open to unique accommodations - Mia chose various lodging options, including hotels (and an upgrade to a very posh suite in Venice), family-run pensiones and a B&B in Rome. This last one seemed questionable to me - it was a shared apartment with four large rooms with a common kitchen/living area and the "breakfast" was a sort of help-yourself-to-the fridge thing (meaning yogurt, cereal, fruit, etc.). While that doesn't appeal to me, Mia said her family liked the way they "lived" with different people from other cultures for a few days. Also, since they spent at least 10 hours a day touring the city, they only used the room for sleeping. If that's your M.O. - spending your time out in the city versus spending a lot of time at the hotel - this could be a good option.

#4 - Scan your documents and email them to yourself - Mia scanned their passports and the front and backs of credit cards, then emailed them to herself. It's a smart way to use the "cloud" to your advantage, just in case you lose them and need the info. She also advises using a money pouch - a thin pouch that fastens around your waist, inside your clothes, and holds passports, money and important tickets - to discourage pickpockets. She's never had any trouble with theft, but she says she's always watchful. As she says, "Not paranoid, but aware."

#5 - Buy a local SIM card or cell phone - They're available at any cell phone store in Europe and can save you a bundle on roaming fees if you're calling local numbers.

#6 - Rick Steves - Mia and I agree that Rick Steves' guidebooks are invaluable when traveling in Europe. His "Europe through the Back Door" approach offers easy advice for every location, as well as tours of most landmarks and museums. Mia downloaded several of Rick Steves' free audio tours before they left and felt like she had guided tours of the major sights. She also suggests printing out his maps to help you navigate the museums. (NOTE: I just downloaded his Rome guidebook for $9.99 on eBooks for my iPad; hard to believe it was only a few years ago that I had to rip pages out of his guidebook so I wouldn't have to carry an armload of books!)

The Notebook / London

The Notebook
Mia's best tip - I saved it for last - is her notebook. Small enough to fit in a purse, her "logistical notebook" holds their entire itinerary. It includes: 

* dates
* hotel info/phone number/address
* directions to sights and hotels
* transportation tips
* a hand-drawn calendar listing sights to see on each date
* admission hours of major sights and landmarks

She relies on it so much, as soon as her family landed in a new city, they would turn to her so she could guide them to the hotel and each sight. I asked why she didn't make it hi-tech and use a phone app, and she explained that everything is right there, when she needs it, no batteries or WiFi necessary. And when kids are tired and it's late and you're walking around Venice in the rain looking for a teeny tiny hotel, that's essential!

The Recap

Noa and Inaki in Santorini, enjoying the Aegean Sea

As with any trip, there were highlights as well as a few areas where Mia would have made adjustments. Spending Easter in Rome, within days of a new Pope being named, was an experience Mia said she would never forget. Even though it was cold, London charmed her more on this trip than it had in the past, too, with its funky street style and the ease of the iconic hop-on/hop-off double decker bus. Santorini, at the tail end of the trip, was a highlight because it was simply three days of relaxing, swimming in the gorgeous Aegean Sea and eating plates full of gyros, tzatziki and yogurt.  However, Venice was a disappointment this time, a result of the cold weather, rain, late night arrival and early departure the very next day. She said an extra day would have been nicer, but that'll be for another trip!

Thanks so much to Mia Villarin for her tips and tricks! Look for my next installments of The Traveling Circus in mid-June, coming from Barcelona and Rome!

Geocaching in Ojai

When I began writing my novel (a young adult adventure set in Italy, with mythological themes; I promise I will give more details when it's complete... which will hopefully be sooner than later!), I created a character who loves geocaching. 

Had I gone geocaching before? Heavens, no. 

And so I wrote this character and I imagined what geocaching would be like... and for the most part, I think I got it right. Geocaching is an elaborate game of hide and seek, in which 'cachers hide tiny treasures and logbooks in plain sight and list their locations by longitude and latitude so that other 'cachers can find them. 

But still I wondered... what's it like?

Finally, I got my chance to try it out with an experienced geocaching guide in Ojai in December. Jimmy Harvey (whose Geocaching.com handle is badfeet) is a longtime geocacher who offers customized geocaching adventures in the Ojai Valley through the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. Jimmy is an affable, easy-to-like guy who proves the old adage You're only as young as you feel. And with his youthful spirit and enthusiasm for nature, Jimmy could easily be an adventurous 8-year-old trapped in a gray-haired guy's body. Not only that, but Jimmy is a former Navy SeaBee and was stationed in Bermuda in the 80s - which is only one of the things we had in common (my dad was NAS Bermuda's crash captain in the mid-80s). I won't digress, but it was truly a joy to reminisce about Bermuda as well as learn a new hobby.

Geocaching can be done anywhere in the world - I can imagine that clever 'cachers can find niches and hiding spots in urban areas as easily as in the woods - but I loved being in nature and hiking among the ancient oaks and citrus trees of Ojai. Using Jimmy's sophisticated GPS to find geocaches along our hike, we found dozens of tiny and not-so-tiny caches hidden on the trail. They were in trees and bushes and under rocks and hanging from trees! Some merely required standing still and looking at a usual sight with a new perspective. Jimmy kept saying, "Okay, Erin, now stop thinking and use your geocacher's instinct." Which meant, "If you were going to hide something cleverly, where would you hide it?" Often, it meant hiding the geocache in plain sight. Several times, I was STARING AT IT and couldn't see it.

(And wow, isn't that a great metaphor for life??)

I won't divulge the secret spots - it's too much fun to find them on your own and this is a fabulous activity for kids and families - but now that I've finally tried it, I'm hooked. I cannot wait to hide a few items on my trip to Europe this summer and maybe find a few surprises, too.

On Jimmy Harvey's business card, his official title is "Retired Guy" and it says, "Nothing to do and all day to do it..." Don't ya love him already? To reach him: 1badfeet@sbcglobal.net . 

Healthy Travel Tips via Kris Carr

I love Kris Carr. If you're not familiar with this saucy green goddess, do yourself a favor and follow the hyperlink (just click on her name, why don't ya?) to her incredible website and revolution. You will thank me later, I promise you. 

Anyway, this morning I trolled her site to see what she's up to and I found a GREAT video with her tips for staying healthy while traveling.  Watch it here. In it, she talks about the healthy snack mix she takes with her on road and plane trips, essential oils, and other great tips to keep you healthy and strong when you're away from home.

I haven't been posting here as frequently as I'd like, which doesn't mean I'm not traveling, but many of my trips lately have been retreads - to San Diego and to Ojai twice and back to the magical land of Texas. However, we have a big family trip coming up in June (Barcelona and Rome), so I am gearing up with travel tips and packing how-to's. One of my very good friends recently took a whirlwind (and when I say that, I mean 3 countries, 4 cities and lots of museums and sights in a week!) spring break trek with her family and I'm dying to ask for her advice, which I'll post here.

In the meantime, what are your plans? Let me know where you're going this summer and what travel tips have worked for you!

Riding the Rails, SoCal Style

The long and winding tracks...

For years, I've wanted to ride the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from LA to San Diego, but there's never been a reason. With three kids, strollers, car seats, luggage, frequent snack and potty breaks, weird schedules, etc., it seemed as though taking my well-stocked Suburban (our family "train") was a better choice. Now that the girls are older (ages 8 to 12), our traveling has changed to include other options.

For example, Raf has been wanting/needing some time alone to surf, sit on the waves and not talk (a rare thing in our household). When we discussed taking our kids to San Diego for Thanksgiving, it made perfect sense for him to go a day ahead with his truck and get some well-deserved surfing in.

"And," I mentioned casually, "the girls and I can take the train down and meet you..."

Waiting for our train

This turned out to be much, much easier than I expected. For one thing, with a AAA discount, the fares were super reasonable - I bought the e-tickets online for about $100 for the four of us (as I understood it - and I could be wrong - I had to buy an adult ticket for my oldest child because you can only purchase 2 child fares with 1 adult). This is about the same price as a tank and a half of gas for my Suburban, so I felt like it was a great deal. I printed out our ticket and tucked it in my purse with my wallet and was good to go. 

The train station in Ventura County was super clean, with lots of safe, free parking (but no restrooms). Our train was running about 10 minutes behind, but it was a beautiful, sunny morning on a holiday week, so everyone at the platform was in pretty decent spirits. When the train arrived, the conductor greeted us cheerfully and directed us to a 4-seater area right at the top of the stairs. The next time I go, I'll be sure to grab a seat on the EAST/NORTH side of the train in Ventura County because, after the train links up to the other cars at Union Station, it goes BACKWARDS out of L.A. and then you'll wind up on the WEST side (make sense?). 

And then, my friends, you'll have a perfect view of the gorgeous beach real estate of South Orange County, including my favorite beach town of all time: San Clemente. Surfers, swimmers, beachcombers, families BBQ-ing and picnicking under the pier-adjacent palapas... It was the next best thing to being right there on the beach... 

And all without the stress of traffic and driving. I read my Kindle, laughed with the girls, and just stared out the window. I drive so much, I'd all but forgotten the simple joys of just watching the world go by as a passenger.

I lived in Italy as a teenager and train travel is a way of life there. But in our car-obsessed society, I found a joy in traveling on the Pacific Surfliner that reminded me of the glee of riding on "California Soaring" at Disney's California Adventure. It celebrates the beauty and scenery of our state.  Truly, there is no place like home, and the Pacific Surfliner is the train equivalent of Dorothy's sparkling ruby slippers.

My girls crowding the window to take pictures of surfers at Trestles.