Stirring the travel bug ..

A famous quote says: “ The journey is lived three times: when you dream it, when you live it and when you remember it” but for me was already very intense living this dream once!

It seems yesterday that I was actually writing my first article daydreaming about the challenging trip that was just getting closer and closer, and now here I am thinking about the months that have gone and all the memories that will always accompany me!

I must admit that when I accepted Charles offer (and we all know it did not take much at all), I could just think about Pros but at the end of the trip, well I could only see Pros! As soon as I got back from this journey, I met with my mother and while having a coffee she started listing all the innumerable things that could have gone wrong by travelling around Europe on a wheelchair for 7 weeks, I interrupted her and roughly said : “ Why you did not tell that to me?” and she not even needed to say anything else because her look was talking more than 1000 words and was kindly saying: “Would you really wanted me to have told you that?”. No thank you and I am glad I actually never had a moment during these weeks where we actually panic and could not face a problem! I guess we were “lucky” or just very flexible which is essential!

Going back to the “normal” life has been quite difficult. I did not expect to experience all these conflicting emotions, because this trip is very hard to explain emotionally. I think that while you travel you have the unique opportunity to see your life with different eyes, from a different point of view, more detached as if you are stepping back, as if you are watching your existence as a spectator and these days have brought up many and many different emotions. Because each of us travel for different reasons: you can do it just as a tourist or to learn new cultures and traditions or languages, you can travel to meet your Family, your loved ones or you can do it also to relax yourself. It could be for work, to find a better future, to celebrate, but you can also travel to escape from something or you could do it for your need of “rebirth”. No matter what is the real reason why you travel, when you will return to the place that you call Home, there is only one certainty, you are going to be nostalgic and you will need to reflect on it and accept it. How you will cope with it?

Keep yourself busy, write a list of the 5 most important things you need to do in the next 2 weeks and crossed them every time you accomplished one goal! Go out with your Family and Loved ones and enjoy a cup of coffee with a Friend (had way too much alcohol during this holiday so I need to recover). You could also start a new course and dedicate yourself to an activity/hobby that you always wanted to do but “you never had the time to” or subscribe to some app where you can actually meet or host other traveler. After all that we have eaten we should actually try to go back to the gym, but come on there is time for that!

But also try to rest, getting your thoughts organized again, find time to listen to yourself as you have not done while strolling around from one city to another. Last but not least, accept also your nostalgic thoughts, and try to develop gratitude for the irrevocability of the past, acceptance for the present and excitement to change the future, because yes it is now time to concentrate on your next trip and this time you will be stronger than before, more confident and you will know exactly where to start from, because yes you have successfully done it already!

Tutte le strade portano a Roma

If you are not yet fluent in Italian like Jessie and Charles, the translation of the title which is a proverb with medieval origin is:“All roads lead to Rome” and here we are at the end of this journey after more than 6000km, crossing the finish line and ending this trip in this amazing city!

I was very surprised how wheelchair friendly was Rome, if you have a FreeWheel, otherwise is it still possible to stroll around, if you love the risk! Cobblestones could compete with the one in Prague, with the only difference that their size would vary from “smooth” to huge from one road to another. Infact, I truly believe that renting a “FreeWheel” could be your ticket to Freedom, although having a friend next to you, who will assist you with stability could help (as long as he/she is sober!) IMG_20190730_164620

Apart from this after one day in Rome we soon find out that rolling in the street was actually a great idea! Italians are crazy drivers (and not only) but they have “rules” in their chaotic streets; the best advice that I can give you is: “as long as you keep walking straight with a confident face and forgetting that what you are doing is actually veeeery unprofessional, everything will be good”. Dealing with cobblestones was not the only issue while getting around, also avoiding broken bottles was a real adventure and unfortunately I was really surprised from how degraded the city was. However, the Hop on-Hop off bus service was once again a great way of visiting the city and from what I have seen also public buses, but you certainly can not rely on the subway because many stations do not have a lift.

Attractions that we were able to visit without standing in line, booking or paying:

Colosseum, where the staff directed us to the lift and once in, is accessible and impressive
Roman forum, amazing but be aware that it can be very hot and personally in some spot I am glad there were people willing to help and push because a couple of time I thought we needed a tow truck!
St.Peter’s Basilica
Vatican museum where there is a specific line just for VIP wheelchair users and one companion, who do not pay,however if you are traveling with more than one person you should buy an advance ticket
Pantheon and Trevi fountain
Castel Sant’Angelo
A MUST SEE is the “Altare della patria” you will need to get to the side entrance which is a bit hidden but then you will be able to access the outside lift that will take you 80meters high, with a breathtaking 360° view of Rome.

However, do not push it too much, the buildings and attractions are amazing and it feels like you are living in another millennium but also having a drink in a beautiful square and having one of the best meal I have had in a loooong time by visiting “Trattoria La Fortunata” it is worth the visit!

Well what can I say, we finally arrived at the end of this challenging journey and I need to thank everyone for being so supportive during this trip, I can not thank you all enough! But actually all the languages in the world would not be sufficient to express how proud I am of you, Charles, because no matter how scary was to decide to do this trip, how overwhelming was organizing it, the obstacles we met, the fears we faced in an unfamiliar environment, you made it Charles! You crossed “the finish line” and from now on, you will have a huge strength “the knowledge that IT WAS REAL , YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DONE SOMETHING AMAZING,INSPIRING THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT DO IN A LIFETIME; I am also sure of one thing: now that you have started travelling, it is going to be hard to walk behind you! Was an honor sharing these days with you, you have been such an inspiration and I just wish you to find all the pieces missing of your puzzle and start living the life that has been taken away from you, because there is so much to enjoy outside waiting just for you! Go strong, always, and may you be the “Muse” to someone Special as you are!

FIRENZE-HOME SWEET HOME

Although I have studied to become a nurse, I have to say that before I started to work in Australia and became passionate about sharing the daily life with a person with spinal cord injury, I was not aware of all the obstacles that someone on a wheelchair has to face. But sharing this journey has opened my mind and my way of seeing things; and has given me the possibility to be more aware of what surrounds me.

So after the period spent in Australia, when I came back to my hometown, Florence, I was watching everything with new eyes and with a different awareness. I must admit that luckily in the last years I have noticed that things have started to change and what in the past had to be sadly accepted, like not being able to catch a bus because not accessible, today is inadmissible and people will speak loud for their rights to be respected.

However, considering that the city’s streets and the buildings in the historical center are at least hundreds of years old, we managed quite well to get around the city; I was also surprised with all the adaptations made in order to allow anyone with a physical disability to access all the attractions without too many problem.

Well, there are so many things you can actually do in Florence but there are a few accessible one that you can’t miss:

visit the Uffizi for example (I waited 32 years in order to visit this Museum but was worth it strolling around with someone who actually knew more stuff than Wikipedia, THANKS CHARLES)
visit the Academy Gallery, Piazza Duomo and the cathedral, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Santa Croce, Palazzo Pitti, Boboli garden and I could actually keep on writing for hours
having a drink and almost touching the Cupola by going to the “Rinascente” shop located in Piazza della Repubblica and visiting the rooftop bar
visit the Mercato Centrale and have lunch or dinner in the food court area and hopefully being braver than Charles who did not want to try the Panino al Lampredotto (please do not search what it is or you might not want to taste it too!)
admiring Florence from the panoramic Piazzale Michelangelo and from Fiesole a small city just 9KM from Florence that you can easily access by catching the Hop On-Hop Off bus.

Moreover, I think that to tick all the boxes, if visiting Florence, you should try a good Bistecca alla Fiorentina which is a must-to-eat and if you are eating it in the “right” place and ask the steak to be cooked “medium or well-done”they should definitely refuse themselves!

What else can I say? “Firenze is Firenze” and I think if you are planning a trip somewhere in Italy, this should be one of your first choices (just make sure I am not around or you will be forced to see me!)

Time to move to our last stop, or I should actually say MY last stop, because “culi rotti” Jessie and Charles are going to Dubai too!

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BOLOGNA, ANOTHER GREAT ACCESSIBLE CITY AND SURPRISE

When I found out that we were going to visit Bologna and spend 3 nights here, I thought: “I wonder what there is to see in this small city” but as soon as we got here, I must admit I was positively surprised.

To begin with, I was shocked because for the “first time” Charles was that relaxed and chilled about this journey that he almost took us to the wrong hotel, but unfortunately Jessie and I were not enough masochist to catch a bus and walk under the sun for 10 minutes with all the suitcases and we actually had to point our hotel standing just in front of the train station! Apart from this, Bologna was a great little city to visit and spend a couple of days in, also all the churches we have visited, were accessible and there was a lot to see. Unfortunately we could not get on top of the towers “Garisenda and Asinelli” because not accessible but hopefully next time that would be possible!

Moreover, another activity worth doing apart from strolling around the city and trying all different type of Tortellini with Bolognese sauce, munch couple of pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and eating schiacchiata with Mortadella, is visiting the Ducati Museum and the factory. The tour is totally accessible and amazing if you are passionate about the two wheels and we really enjoyed it, especially walking around the staff’s parking and see that there was not even a Non-Ducati motorcycle! I am sure if I would start working there I would have to leave my Honda outside!

If you do have time also the Ferrari Museum would certainly be worth to visit but unfortunately when you are always drunk, time goes even faster or maybe it takes 3 times the usual time needed to get in places by zig-zagging rather than going straight!

Last but not least be aware that when ordering in a Restaurant a Gluten FREE Pizza, you must be very specific, because you might end up with this: a “typical square Lasagna-Pizza served in a plastic tray”(trust me I do not have a dog but I am sure if I had one and tried to feed him with that, he would have left it there!)

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Image of a proper HOMEMADE Gluten Free Pizza served in a Pizzeria

So it is now time to move to Florence, my hometown! Really excited about this but also anxious because I feel the pressure!!

Milan l’è sempre Milan

Before writing an article, I always check on the internet in order to get some more accurate information and also make comparisons between what I have learned and other people experiences. I find internet fascinating and stimulating if used properly! However, when I “asked Google” tips for visiting Milan on a wheelchair, the first 3 results that came out were: “Arrested the famous wheelchair user who was always punching tourists” well, please do not stress and please calm down, Charles is fine and he is actually with us!

Apart from this, Milan was another great surprise and it ended up being another very accessible city. It was amazing to stroll around and see how so many different people would walk in the middle of the streets as if we were to a fashion show, but this was part of the experience, however I still can’t understand why male wear pants to their ankles! My Nonna, would have just proudly sewed a couple of inches of fabric and maybe ruined a 200$ pair of jeans, but if you wanted to go out from her house that would have been the only option!

So if we focus on the matter “accessibility”, pretty much all the subway’ stations have got lift, some line, like the yellow one has all accessible stops and if you arrive to the Central Train Station, you might want to exit outside the station where Piazza 4 Novembre is and take the outside lift that will take you directly to the underground subway! If you want, you will then be able to stop just under the Duomo! It is always shocking getting out at the Duomo stop and finding yourself in the middle of the Main Square where the cathedral dominates!

However, if you are looking for some accessible activities to do, you should consider:

Visiting the Duomo Cathedral and catching the lift in order to have a great view from the top of the first terrace
Eating an ice-cream at “Cracco” (you might need to apply for a mortgage but it is worth it!)
Visiting the Brera Gallery (Pinacoteca di Brera)
Visiting the stunning “Castello Sforzesco” with all his different museums and temporary exhibitions
Going to the Scala theatre
Shopping around the city for great fashion designers clothes
Strolling around the “Navigli” and trying every bar
Strolling around the city and watching people, while drinking a great cocktail in the city home of one of the most famous “aperitivo” in the world

These are some examples of things to do in this very busy city in just a short period of time because unfortunately it is already time to travel to Bologna and try all the different varieties of pasta!

The General and a view from “the rear” of the Brera Gallery

BUDA AND PEST.. DAYS IN CONTRASTS

The first day in Budapest was full of contrasts, when we arrived at the train station the taxi drivers would still try to rip us off asking an astronomic price for the transfer to the hotel so we decided to take the subway. We got the only “working” lift that took almost 15 minutes to take us in the lower level while we were actually holding the doors together and as soon as we got underground it stopped working! The subway did not have a lift so basically Jessie had to hold Charles on the escalator which was never ending and super steep! (PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME).

So the beginning was a bit traumatic and worrying but after that, as soon as we got out from the subway, the atmosphere just changed, because this capital is just an open-air Museum!

Infact, strolling around the two parts of the city: Buda and Pest, was a great experience and everything was pretty much accessible if you are on a manual wheelchair, however if you are using an electric chair you might consider to carry a small foldable ramp, because you might have some issues.

Discovering the historic city centre and getting lost just by staring at the spectacular views of the Danube river by crossing the many pedestrian bridges is already worth the trip but there is soooo much else to do! If you are not willing to stroll around, the low-floor buses are a great way of visiting the city or also the Hop-on Hop-off buses. There was a beer bus offering a tour with unlimited beer but unfortunately they said we could not get on it, not sure if it was because the bus was not accessible or because they were afraid we would finished all the alcohol.

Accessible places we have visited in our 3 days staying: (please be advised that we can not list all the bars we have been to for a problem of space)

St. Stephen’s Basilica which offers wheelchair-accessible amenties, but a companion has to go up the stairs to inform the staff to open the elevator. (You will then have an exclusive view of the secret crypt located underground, that the others will not see and the access is free, yeah there is alaways something positive!)

Visiting the Parliament House or just watching it from the outside it is just shocking not only for his size, it is the 3^rd largest Parliament building in the world, but it is a magnificent building.

Margaret Island’s parkland is great to recharge your lungs

River cruises are a wonderful way to appreciate both Buda and Pest from the water and if you have a Hop-on Hop-off ticket this activity is included in your tour (and yes they do sell alcohol on board, great especially when it becomes a bit windy and the sun goes down)

A great activity that I really recommend is catching the the “Budavári Sikló” which is the funicular that takes you on Buda Castle Hill. This is all accessible and will allow you to stand for hours on top of the city and admiring the view for as much as you want. We went also inside Matthias Church which was just one of the most unique churches I have ever visited.

The House of Terror Museum is a very interesting tour if you have a couple of spare hours, but not definitely relaxing! It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist regimes in 20^th Century in Hungary and it is also a memorial to the victims. Once you are there the Heroes’ Square is a great spot for amazing photos and also worth the visit.

To sum up, although the initial obstacles, I had to change my mind about Budapest, definitely a stunning and quite accessible city, a bit more challenging if you are using an electric wheelchair but great if you are planning another trip after Vienna!

V for VERONICARE’S or VIENNA’S ACCESS CITY AWARD

I have never been in Vienna before but after 3 days here I can confidently say that Vienna was definetely the most accessible city we have visited so far. It was really well organized, kerbs are commonly ramped and cobblestones are really rare, but after our trip to Prague we made sure that every time we saw one, we would just cross it over and over back and forth because Charles missed them sooo much! Pretty much every train station and subway stations had lift access, trams and buses are low-level, often with raised street platforms, sometimes you might need to wait for the second tram for it to be accessible but it will not take a long waiting time. Just check the display at each tram stop showing a blinking wheelchair symbol indicating how many minutes until an accessible low-floor tram will depart. Another great surprise that needed to be mentioned is the amazing intercity train that we caught from Prague to Vienna and then from Vienna to Budapest which comes equipped with a foldaway ramp right next to the door!

dav — Foldaway ramp on the train to and from Vienna! VIP service!

PANORAMIC ROLL THAT YOU SHOULD NOT MISS:

You should not miss a tour of Stephens Cathedral and the main square in the heart of Vienna (there is also a small lift that can take you up to the top of one of the tower but it is quite narrow and we were not able to fit in). Moreover, if you want to have great views there are some amazing rooftop bars all around the city. We were staying at the “Sofitel Hotel” so the view was stunning just from the room but anyone can access the bar situated on the 18^th floor to have a drink and an amazing panorama, great for taking photos! Also the FERRIS WHEEL – Riesenrad is a great accessible way to have a good panorama of the city from 65 meters into the sky!

ACTIVITIES FOR NERDS:

Since Vienna is one of the most accessible destinations we have visited, all the most popular Museum I can think about came with a lift, however since there was too much to see and I am not a Nerd, I have visited only the BELVEDERE PALACE MUSEUM comprising the Upper Palace with the world’s largest collection of Gustav Klimt’s paintings, worth to visit and the Lower Palace! Also the Garden that connects the two palaces it is worth for a walk around and some great photos!

SOME OF THE ACCESSIBLE ACTIVITIES WORTH DOING:

Go to the Opera House to watch a performance or attend a concert and later on have an Austrian cheese sausage on the street just in front of the Albertina Museum at the “Bitzinger Wurstelstand”.

Watching a live performance of the world-renowned Lipizzaner stallions at their home base in Vienna. The Spanish riding school is a unique experience that I think is a must do and you can purchase wheelchair seats over the phone or via email.

WHERE TO EAT:

Visit the Café Sacher just in front of the Albertina Museum where the Original Sacher-Torte, one of Vienna’s best known symbol, can be found (Charles did not let me have one because he said I am getting toooo fat and he can not afford another airlplane ticket)

Naschmarkt popular market full of great restaurants was a culinary adventure also for me that I am Italian ( with flea-market on every Saturday), however you can find great restaurants everywhere and the fun part is also getting lost in the city and find the perfect spot in one of those small streets where you would never have stopped if you would have known where you were going and try an oily Wiener Schnitzel!

So how could I end this article? Well if you are thinking to plan your first trip and looking for an accessible city to start from, half of the job is done already, now it is time to just start from searching a flight or a train to Vienna!

IMG-20190704-WA0075 — Panoramic view from 18th floor of the Sofitel hotel before we got drunk!

Happy 136th Birthday Franz

For me writing this blog is like having a dream while I am still awake and hopefully if you are reading these stories and not thinking is a nightmare, this whole experience will be a triumph.

Today is the 3rd of July, a special date for me, not only because I am in Prague to celebrate the birthday of one of my favourite and most enigmatic local writers, but also because “Veronicare” turns one month old! Only 30 days since the day I have decided to begin and share this journey and I am sure if “Franz” could have the opportunity to express his feelings he would certainly comment this post like this:”Veronica, you need a good psychiatric, let me put you in contact with mine!” Well, I would certainly accept his offer in a veeeery cynical way but I would follow his advice!

However, after 12 articles written and a decrease worldwide of the prescription of sleeping pills, and after so much support received not only from my Mother but also from a lot of amazing people who really care about this, I am very proud of continuing this itinerary with you! It is amazing to check the statistics on this website and noticing how many people from different country press the wrong button and finally end in this blog, but it is still exciting and just motivates me even more!

So after these 4 nights in this amazing capital which is one of the most impressive city I have visited so far, it is now time to move to Vienna! Unfortunately Prague is a great place to visit but cobblestones are a real pain in the ass if you are travelling on a wheelchair (and this is not a way of saying but it is literally so!) and for our next trip we might need to come up with a solution which could be an idea for the next article!

So if you are still reading the conclusions, you might need to take a sleeping pill but thank you so much for sharing this dream with me and supporting me. Lastly, if you are in a wheelchair and when you started to read this blog the answer to the question: “would you like to travel somewhere?” was a firm “No” hopefully by now I am starting to convince you that this is possible and your answer is becoming “NOT TODAY“ and at this point “Your Metamorphosis” has started!

Aufwiedersehen Deutschland!

During our approximately 750 KM in Germany while travelling from Frankfurt to Berlin, stopping 3 nights in Cologne, we have noticed soooo many differences between this country and Spain and it was very interesting to do this comparison, although we are still at the beginning of this journey and we still have so much to learn!

Things we have learned about Germany:

-Pretty much everyone speaks English and is willing to help (not valid for mostly hop on-hop off buses drivers, for the first time I had to be the calm one while Charles was losing it and trust me that was an experience)

-They are much better organized, however also in Germany, lifts and aircon can be out of order!

–Public transports are pretty much all accessible, however not all the subway stations do have lift so you better plan your trip in advance or hope to meet two muscly women like Jessie and her twin sister just in front of the stairs

-It was still difficult to get an accessible taxi but again we managed well to get everywhere with public transport

-The Hop on- Hop off buses are a great way to visit the city especially if you are on a wheelchair, however there are many company that provide this service so better buy the ticket directly at the vendor place and discuss with them your needs. Moreover, some company have more modern vehicle than others and not all the old one have a ramp so better check directly on the spot. Finally, check carefully when the last trip is available or at 4PM you might end up losing all the fats that you were carefully an proudly saving!

–Beer is cheaper than water which is great for the environmet if you want to save water but a bit less for your liver!

-If you spent too much money at the casino, a great way to have another income is standing in front of a crowded event with a trolley and collect plastic bottles! Yes, you do not only help the planet by recycling but you earn 0,25 € for each bottle that you deposit in special machine. However this fee is added to the final cost of your plastic bottle when purchaising it.

-Germany had the record for the longest word in the world: “Rindfleischetikettierungsueberwachungsaufgabenuebertragungsgesetz” which in English becomes “law delegating beef label monitoring” ! If you can pronounce it in one go you are certainly not a smoker!

-The Opera house in Berlin has available a service that allows you to read subtitles just in the back of the seat in front of you if you are planning to go to see a performance and it is in German !

So now lets get ready for Czeck Republik which is the first country where I will actually not be able to communicate at all using the native language so maybe better download some swear words that hopefully we will never going to use! Not sure why but from my last visit to Prague there is only a useful word that I can remember which is “Pivo!” Not the best start ever but certainly I will never die of thirst!

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Ich bin ein Berliner!

The 26th of June 1963, John F.Kennedy during one of his most famous speech, pronounced this 4 words “Ich bin ein Berliner” and you might find it a strange coincidence, but I do not think that our Trip Manager Charles leaves anything to chance. So where could we arrive 56 years after this well-known and eternal JFK‘s quote, if not in Berlin?! However, there is a whidespread that the 35th President of the United States of America did an embarassing mistake by saying “Ich bin ein Berliner” and by not omitting the indefinite article “ein” he changed the meaning of the sentence from the intended “I am a citizen of Berlin” to “I am a Berliner” which is a type of German pastry similar to a jelly doughnut! Well, this hilarious story made me simpathize with the famous President even more, not only because due to my terrible knowledge of languages I often say things that have crazy meaning and are mostly incomprehensible for a mother tongue person, but most of all because I love doughnut and I always dreamt to have the shape of a pastry! But maybe this is not a great idea because I do not think I would survive long to myself!

However, Germany so far has been very kind to us, although I think it is still a bit early to draw some conclusions about this very different country. At the moment this city is one of the stops I was more excited about, because this is my first visit to this amazing city and I was looking forward to it. Today we also received a warm welcome from the metropolis not only for the historical reason written in the introduction, but also because there were 37°C!

Well, we managed to get to the hotel somehow and go for dinner to a typical local “Vietnamese restaurant” because this is what I am expecting from this Amazing city: a melting pot of cultures and free people, with countless historical places to visit and what is evenmore fascinating is the recentness of all these important events in history! So what can I say lets cut it short otherwise I will not be on time to publish this article before the end of the day and yes maybe it will be even less meaningful of what already is!!

Please find attached a really impressive photo of our top models Nun Charles and Jessie, while Charles was overheating due to a problem with the aircon in Germany (if this is the first class in Germany I am getting a bit worried of what will happen in the 4th class in Italy!) Stay tuned!

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