View up via Sistina from our hotel
I'm attempting to write a travelogue for a trip I went on 23 years ago when I was 18 and in high school. I did keep a travel diary at the time but its been many years and several moves and they've been long lost. So, with my memories and a little help from my photos (few of which are probably scannable but I may give it a try), I will be able to recount most of the trip, if not the details. Still, its surprising how much I do remember in bits and pieces, scenes that flash through my memory. Just remember, though, I'm now writing this from the point of view of a 40 year old rather than the impressions of an 18 year old!
March 11 through 21, 1977
We flew in and out of Rome so we got a day or so there. The rest of the itinerary consisted of an overnight train
trip to Paris, three days in Paris, another overnight train to Nice and
four days in Nice. Back to Rome over night and the flight home in the morning.
I see that I have a few receipts in my photo album so Ill include prices
for comparison! The school used a tour company but I have no idea what
it was. I seem to remember the total cost of the tour including airfare
was under $500 CAD and I paid for it myself with my part time job earnings.
Oh look, I found the baggage ticket and plane boarding pass and it says
on it the cost of the flight was $299.46! My parents supplied some of the
spending money and my travelers cheque record shows that I cashed
$170 worth and they were U.S. funds but back then the Canadian dollar was
about par with the American. We were under the impression it was better
to take U.S. for ease of cashing and the exchange rate at one Bureau De
Change was 4.9 francs to the dollar. (not so different, its about 4 to
the Canadian dollar now) Doesn't sound like much by today's standards.
It's possible I had a bit more, but I doubt I had more than $200 total.
Every year the French department sponsored a tour that would always include
Paris and as I had always wanted to travel, I saved my pennies and signed
up. That year the school was trying to organize another tour to the U.S.S.R.
but that tour fell through due to visa problems I think so some of those
students were offered a spot on our tour. This was great because my cousin
Stuart was one of them. Stuart and I were always good pals! Our chaperones
were two of the French teachers on staff at Dartmouth High School, Mme.
Boudreau and Sister Joan of Arc. We were a little dubious about being watched
over by a nun but Sister turned out to be pretty cool!
I remember boarding the 747 Alitalia jet at Halifax International Airport.
We had to walk across the tarmac because there were no gates large enough
to accommodate the plane. Just like in the movies! We actually left on
the night of March 10, overnight. Typically, I was quite calm in the days
leading up to the trip but started bouncing in the car on the way to the
airport! I don't remember if I slept on the overnight flight to Rome.
Rome We arrived at the Grand Hotel De La Ville in Rome on via Sistina. It was just down from the top of the Spanish Steps but I don't think we realized it at the time. After settling in to our rooms, we headed out for a walk in the neighbourhood. I had two roomies in Rome but only one in Paris and Nice. Now here it gets a little fuzzy. The hotel had high ceilings and dark wood doors and a staircase you could look down through. There are dark pictures of the view from our balcony looking suspiciously like the
That night, we signed up for an optional night tour to see the buildings of Rome lit up. There's a photo of us tossing coins over our shoulders into what I assume was the Trevi fountain though it was dark and you can only see us as far as the camera flash illuminated. I only had a Kodak pocket 110 camera with flash bulbs. I can't remember the Trevi fountain as I saw it then, as my more recent trip to Rome and the Trevi at night has replaced the image. It IS lovely lit up though and there are always tourists around it. It's sunken down below street level with a bank of stairs around it in an arc leading down to the pavement and marble knee-high walls surrounding the pool of water.
The next morning we had a bus tour around Rome in the daylight. I remember seeing the Pantheon and the hole in the ceiling inside and my pictures show that we did go past the Spanish Steps from the lower end as well as the Capitoline hill and St. Peter's square. We had an inside visit to St. Peter's and I made sure I had a kerchief to tie on as you couldn't go into churches like that in those days without your head covered if you were female. We were not allowed to go to the Sistine chapel however as the restoration had begun but we were taken down underneath to the crypts. Sister Joan was thrilled to bits to see the tombs of Saint Peter and Pope John XXIII. The thing that made the most impact on me was Michelangelo’s Pieta!! It's behind bulletproof glass, having been restored after a nutter smashed it with a sledgehammer so I couldn't take a picture of it as the flash would have reflected off the glass. But I was entranced! I still am! It's the most amazing piece of sculpture I have ever seen. It was the first piece I had seen at that time and the folds in Mary's dress and the muscles and veins in the body of Jesus were so well crafted that you almost though it was real people!! We had a chance to souvenir shop and I bought a small figurine of the Pieta along with some postcards, one of which that I sent to my family made its way back to me!
We also had an inside visit to the Coliseum. I was shocked to see there was no floor on it and all the
We had lunch in a cafeteria style restaurant which was probably near the Termini as we were scheduled for a late afternoon departure on the overnight train to Paris. I remember walking around after lunch in the area and seeing movie posters on billboards, one that I took a photo of was for the remake of A Star Is Born with Barbara Streisand and Chris Kristofferson.
We boarded the train and I remember seeing how “junky” the scenery looked as we passed through the outskirts of Rome… factories and buildings with broken windows and graffiti, abandoned cars in empty lots. Many highrise apartment blocks in the distance. We were six to a compartment of couchettes which were like bunk beds that folded down out of the walls for sleeping. We visited up and down the car where our friends were and I have pictures of kids fooling around and heads in doorways. I don't remember what the scenery was like and probably, since it was March, it was dark within a couple of hours after we left. I remember that there was a young American man who shared our compartment for awhile, probably a backpacker. He had many stamps in his passport including one for Bethlehem at Christmas. One of our chaperones probably packed him off when it came closer to bedtime. What we did for food I have no idea. It's possible that what I remember as lunch in that restaurant was supper, I suppose. I do remember that night being a wakeful one. I believe I was on a bottom bunk and one of the bunks in our car wouldn't unfold so one of us had to sleep on the floor. I also remember being woken up in the middle of the night to be asked for our passports at the French border
Paris
Sunday
Mid morning arrival in Paris and our hotel rooms weren't ready for occupancy yet. We were staying in the Hotel Hamilton, 49 Rue Lafayette according to a card I've kept. It's still there but its now the Mercure Opera LaFayette and from the look of the website I found, its had a renovation and appears to be much nicer than it was in 1977. It isn't too far from the Gare du Nord. I also remember three of us in a café by the gare and trying to make the person behind the counter understand what a hotdog was! LOL! I think we got something like a sausage in a bun and Sister Joan rescued us by explaining that we were Canadian students. The demeanor of the frustrated cook changed to one of a more pleasant nature after that. I have a memory of wide streets and a view of the Moulin Rouge on the way to the hotel which was a smallish place but had en suite facilities and the most garish wall paper I have ever seen. It would knock your eyes out, all brown and white large swirls and dots and stylized flowers the size of dinner plates!
The first thing we did was head out and try to find a McDonald’s as
it was around lunchtime. Well we WERE 18 and used to that sort of food!
We must have had a map from the hotel indicating where to go because we
found one a few blocks away. It was not freestanding, but part of a larger
building and I remember the restaurant being two floors. I also remember
that it was the worse Big Mac I had ever had!!! But we were hungry so we
ate! The evening meal was included and we were taken to … of all things,
a German restaurant where we were served saurkraut and sausages!!! In Paris!!!
ICK!
Monday
The next day we were on the bus again for a city tour. We saw all the usual sights including an inside visit to Notre Dame (The photo is just the main entrance door! Gives you an idea how big a cathedral is!), the Basilica of Monmarte and the Louvre. Notre Dame was so large and cavernous and dark with the light streaming in through the stained glass windows and the lovely large Rose window. Inside the Louvre, we headed for the Mona Lisa, probably with a tour guide though I don't remember. I was astonished that the most famous painting in the world was painted on wood and was so small! It's only about the size of an 11x13 portrait from my memory. If it was larger, it wasn't much. It too is behind glass and there were no photographs allowed. I also remember being impressed by the Winged Victory of the Samothrace with her dress pressed against her by the wind. Or so it looked. You could imagine her on the prow of a ship. There are pictures of us in the Place De la Concorde with the obelisks in the background and we made our way up the Champs Elysee. The traffic was thick and manic especially around the Arc de Triomphe. According to a note in my photo album we did make a stop at the Eiffel tower but only long enough to buy souvenirs at a vendor's booth nearby.
Another note in the photo album says we had a party in the Hotel lounge that night after our dinner, again in the same restaurant and probably again German cuisine. I know that we did take advantage of the younger legal drinking age to stock up on beer bought at a corner store across the street. I also remember 6 or 8 of us in someone's hotel room laughing. We heard later, there were quite a few in another room, lying around the room, with beer in evidence when Sister Joan came a calling. Everyone froze, fearing an explosion but apparently she just counted heads and warned everyone not to stay up too late. I told you she was pretty cool! :)
Tuesday
We had the day to ourselves and a group of us went exploring, traveling on the Metro. At one point during the trip we lost two of our group when they missed the train. We walked to the Opera Garnier, a beautiful building and paid a half a franc to tour a little room that was focused on the history of the building. But I can't remember what I saw. And to tell you the truth, I may have the day confused and this might have happened on the Sunday we arrived after our McDonald’s lunch. However… We did end up near the Arc de Triomphe which was closed on Tuesdays so we couldn't go up to the top.
We took the metro from there to Monmarte where we did some shopping in the little boutiques in the narrow streets along the way. One of the girls bought a rabbit fur coat for 100 FF and wore it the rest of the day. We climbed the steps up to the Basilica and noticed an old man sitting to one side, surrounded by the pigeons he was feeding. The view was wonderful if a bit hazy. We did find an artist to sketch our portraits. My mother still has mine framed and on the wall. I didn't like the likeness at the time, didn't think it looked like me but she said she thought it looked like what I would look like in about 10 years and you know something? It does! Very much like me as a more mature adult judging from what I have seen in the mirror since then.
We walked back down Monmarte, passing an old cemetery on the way. Dinner was at 6 as we had a train to catch and had to leave at 7:30. My notes say the name of the restaurant tonight (well, ok, all three nights I guess) was Chope d’Alsace and I think because we complained, we had real French food tonight, Beef Bourgingon. We left for the train station and it seems to have taken over 12 hours overnight, couchettes again. I believe there were some couchettes where there were parties happening. Did I attend? Beats me!
French Riviera
Wednesday
Once we were sorted out we got together a group and headed for the beach which wasn't too far from the hotel, down the street and through an alley to the Promenade des Anglais, a wide avenue with a walkway along the beach. We were shocked, yes, truly surprised to see that the beach was all rocks!!! Small smooth stones to be sure, but NO SAND!!! But it was warm and we shed our jackets and rolled up the legs on our jeans and most of us actually got a bit of a tan on our faces and arms, fleeting though it was. A couple of the boys took a pit stop and brought beer to the beach and we relaxed and enjoyed the sunshine.(that's me under the red arrow!)
Each night we ate dinner in a little café called La Cote d’Azur. The cook and waiter were very friendly and acted the fool every night, making us laugh with their jokes and antics and songs. The third night we were there was one of our group’s birthday and the cook even made a cupcake with a candle for her! It was in Nice that we started playing poker in the hotel lounge in the evenings while Sister scared up a chess board from somewhere and found a partner or two among the students to challenge. The weather was mild and I do remember horsing around in a playground on the walk back from either the beach or from the restaurant. I also remember having pizza in a restaurant at lunch and that might have been on our first day or our third which was also a free day I believe.
Thursday
Our second day in Nice found us on the bus heading towards Monaco and the Italian border. We followed the high Cornish road along the base of the mountains, with a photo stop at Belvedere lookoff. We stopped in the Exotic Gardens which overlooks Monaco. Lots of cactuses I remember. I also have a picture of Sister Joan in a robin egg blue suit and wearing sunglasses. This was taken because she normally wore a navy blue habit with the headdress. Not a long skirt but a knee length. I don't remember if she wore civilian dress the whole trip though I'm sure she wore her habit in Rome.
The view from the gardens over Monaco revealed a city built at the base of
a mountain. There was nowhere for the city to expand but straight up and
we could see tennis courts and soccer fields on top of tall buildings.
There are lots of yachts in the harbour and the city is surrounded by hills
and cliffs. We went down into the town and must have had a bit of a drive
around because I seem to remember driving on a street that is used as part
of the route in the annual Formula One Grand Prix race. I remember about
a half dozen of us went into the old Casino. Well, not in the casino itself
because we were too young as you had to be 21. But we went into the coffee
shop and I have a receipt for 18 francs for three very small glasses of Coke! In 1977 prices that was VERY expensive by Halifax standards! We eventually
found ourselves in a little open square behind (according to the photo
album) the Cousteau museum. I don't remember now but we may have been inside
it on a visit. The girls sat in the sun while the boys started playing
soccer with some school boys in the area and of course we cheered our lads
on to victory. (or is that just the optimism of memories 20 odd years later
LOL
I also have photos taken in a square in Menton, one of the last French towns before the Italian border where we waited for the bus. I think there was a market there because I can see canopies and goods in stalls so we must have had our lunch break there and a wander. I cannot recall the rest of the evening which would have included more fun and games with our favourite waiter and cook. I do remember a bar around the corner from the hotel where I went at least one night. They had a jukebox there and the song that brings back memories of Nice is Abba’s Dancing Queen. I think one night they let us move the tables so we could dance as well.
Every morning we had breakfast brought to the room, I believe we ordered what we wanted the night before but it was only a Continental breakfast with rolls and croissants, coffee, tea or the best hot chocolate in the world, or so it seemed. I remember the long sticks of French bread we ate in the restaurant and I remember driving my poor mother spare when I got home in the quest for a similar stick but it just didn't taste the same! Does it ever?
Friday
Unfortunately I have no memory of what we did on Friday, our other free day. There doesn't seem to be any photos for the day other than one in the restaurant that night. I expect we must have went to the beach and I seem to remember a visit to the exchange to cash travelers cheques at some point. Friday night was the birthday party in the restaurant and I was mistaken, it wasn't a cupcake.
Saturday
Saturday was another excursion day and I had woken up with a very sore throat and head cold. I remember this because I was reduced to begging little Kleenex packets from my roomie. Today we toured east of Nice, to a perfume factory in Grasse and a visit to St. Paul de Vence high up in the mountains. I remember little narrow cobbled streets, doves, and pottery in shops. We also visited a candy factory in what looks like “Tourrettes S. Loup”? I do remember buying hard candy there in hopes that it might soothe my throat a bit. We drove back to Nice passing by the Cannes harbour with all the boats docked there. On our last night at the restaurant there was another birthday party for one of the boys. We wore paper hats including the cook and waiter! I have a picture of this!!
Sunday
Sunday was a traveling day and we were
bused to the train station in Monaco, boarded a commuter train to Vingtmille
and boarded a train for Rome. We spent the whole day on the train,
arriving at a hotel in around 9:30 at night. We ate in the hotel
quite late, around 11:30 which is nothing to the Romans and I remember
sitting in the hotel bar later and having a vodka and orange juice but
the juice was red! Blood oranges! Yummy! The hotel was the Midas Palace
though heaven knows if its still the same name now.
Monday
An early start for the bus which we shared with another group of students who were also returning to Halifax. On the plane 2:30 Rome time and arrived in Halifax 6 p.m. AST. which was an 8 and a half hour flight I think, and my first trip abroad is done! I have two small albums of dark foggy pictures with notes written in the margins. I have some distant memories. But it was an adventure just the same. I've been back to Rome though it took 20 years and I plan to return to Paris. I need better pictures and I know I want to focus on the architecture and art and I want to go up in the Eiffel tower this time.
Go to the Photo Album for this trip
