Around the Baggage Carousel

Airport

We definitely thought we’d sleep on the overnight flight from L.A. to Paris.

Flight

But we were mistaken.

Instead, we arrived at Paris-Charles De Gaulle airport in an exceptionally groggy state with an hour to get through the passport line, collect and re-check our baggage, and catch our connecting flight.

Air France plane

But we were misinformed.

Our bags wouldn’t be coming down the luggage conveyor we were watching so intently. By the time we realized they were booked through and already on the plane for Madrid, we almost didn’t make the flight, arriving breathless at the gate as final boarding calls were announced.

Paris airport shuttle

The plane took off, and we could see the Seine below us through breaks in the clouds.

Seine from the plane

A couple hours later in Madrid, we found ourselves once again staring down a baggage carousel, so we could switch airlines for our last flight.

Plane

It was around 11pm when that flight landed in Rome, and we went – one more time – to wait for our bags.

Baggage claim

And that is how you tour three European capitals’ baggage claim areas in one day.

Madrid airport: buen viaje




 

Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space

A Hike in Le Marche

Le Marche countryside

At about the halfway point in our Italy trip, we took a break from museums and city streets and headed to the country.

Le Marche Road

We went to Le Marche, a region east of Tuscany that stretches to the Adriatic Sea.

hike in Le Marche - berries

Le Marche Hillside

One morning, we hiked up a hillside to some ruins of a city that had been abandoned there hundreds of years ago.

Le Marche Ruins

Le Marche Ruins

Coming over one ridge, we spotted a pair of horses grazing. One had a bell around its neck (like a cowbell – apparently it keeps porcupines away).

They seemed as curious about us as we were about them, both parties making our way cautiously toward each other bit by bit.

image

We stared at each other awhile until, finally, Phillip and I turned to scramble up the next hill to see the crumbling stone houses there. The horses continued to mosey down their path.

Le Marche Hike




 

Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space