Sunday, June 6, 2010
Spello - morning of June 6, 2010
Crack of Dawn - The alarm goes off at 4 a.m. - insanely early given our previous long day and late night. The powdered cappuccino (Nescafe) we bought last night at the COOP supermarket is a reasonable beverage to help get us going. We are out the door at 5 a.m. Antonio, who has the night shift at the Palazzo, stumbles out of the staff room, "You are up very early!" There is no easy way out of the heavy front door and involves unlocking things in a specific way. We tell him we are off to Spello and he tells us to have a good time - in perfect English. Later, we find out that Antonio grew up in New Jersey and has since come back to his roots - thus explaining both his accent and English.
The scenic route through Umbria on the 4-lane SS675 autostrada to Spello is a good road with no traffic. The blue-green hills of Umbria's heartland are reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest in that there are forested hills on either side of the road. Sometimes the view breaks into open rolling farmland similar to the Willamette Valley. As we meander toward Spello, the road still is reasonable but goes down to two lanes on the S3 complete with all the normal bumps and ruts of the standard Italian pavement. Spello is an easy exit right off the road and we quickly find convenient parking on a side street. Nevertheless, at 7 a.m., the streets are filling up with cars.
The Meaning of Le'Infiorate Corpus Domini - Luckily, we are very close to the entrance of town and walk right up to where floral mosaics are being crafted in celebration of Corpus Domini. Not being Catholic (and thus, hopefully forgiven by gracious Catholics) , as near as I can tell, Le'Infiorata di Spello (the flower festival of Spello) is an exercise/reminder about tangible goods or beauty. The moral of the story is that these are temporary "earthly objects" (in the form of floral mosaics) are temporary but God and spirituality is forever. In the case of the floral carpets - over which people have labored for 24 straight hours - the priests walk through the middle of them in a ceremony at 11 a.m., damaging the creations. (Apologies to all Catholics for my clumsy explanation.)
Paint-by-Number with Flowers - What I remember most is stumbling up and down the narrow streets of Spello, drunk with the perfume of thousands of flowers. The whole town was carpeted in flowers. We could scarcely believe our eyes. How could those Kandinsky-esque abstracts and vast allegorical tapestries a la Giotto be painted with nothing but petals? When we arrive, most of the mosaic teams are still working on the mural creations.
It has been a long back-breaking, knee-knashing time for the artist-volunteers who are carefully placing a riot of colored flower petals according to a complex pattern that is outlined on a full size sheet of paper. Work began early Saturday morning and continues up until about 9 a.m. on Sunday. Long, curved, white vinyl tents are erected to keep any elements (wind, rain, sun) off the "paint by number" teams. The curved awnings have side flaps that are open for onlookers like us to view the progress.
Design, Composition and Materials - A colored paper version of the design is displayed on an easel adjacent to the project. The designs are complex, detailed, and likely took months to complete prior to this day. There are contests for different age groups. Most of them have religious or humankind symbolic messages. Topics such as the holy family, the crucifixion, good vs. evil, and children are popular, but many simply have pretty patterns.
The flower petals are fresh, having been recently been plucked from the stem and sorted into containers by color. The design nuances created by the variety of flowers and petal colors are amazing. No paints or nonvegetable materials are allowed, no chemical treatments; even dried flowers are frowned upon. The judges place the highest value on fresh-picked blooms. The petals must be plucked off by hand. The floral carpets are kept moist via water misters throughout the morning by other volunteers.
Up, Down, All Over Town - As the tents come down around 9 a.m., it's amazing that these mosaics, which wind throughout the streets of the hill town, don't get trampled. Some have ropes around them, but many do not. Pictures galore are being snapped and some of the murals have ladders at the end of them for people to climb up on and cantilever out for a birds-eye, full-scale perspective. Sometimes the line for these is long and for others, only a few minutes wait. It depends how long some annoying photographer spends up there taking more than their fair share of time. The crowds - brought in by countless tour buses parking outside town - are continuously building. We're glad we got there early in order to get a sense of the town when it was quieter.
Good Consumers - At the festival headquarters and Bob gives in to my pleas to buy a commemorative baseball hat. It is very colorful and he is reluctant to buy one as "it's not my kind of hat." Gamely, he wears it throughout the festival. The only food available was from the local bars and trattorias. It makes perfect sense that these businesses get the benefit of the additional customers. So we stop for a cappuccino and pastry to fortify ourselves.
Assault of the Senses - Residents have also decorated their windows, side streets, balconies, and mini piazzas - just about anything that will hold a pot of flowers. It truly adds up to an adorable, colorful, historic, cobblestoned town. Even the elderly are out hobbling around with their canes. How they negotiate the hills is something to behold. Most of them do so with the help of family.
As the morning wears on, we're sure we've seen every design at least once and our senses feel almost numb after being hit with an onslaught of colorful overstimulation. We wonder when the priests will begin their ceremonial walk and which way they will walk. I find a program and determine that they will head out at 11 a.m. from a specific church, but we still don't know which direction they will come. We want to be at the beginning for this so that we can finally head out and on to Assisi.
Priestly Procession - The bells of Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore proclaim the start of the solemn procession. Bob is the designated the photographer of the ceremony because the crowds are so thick and he has a couple of inches and bulk over Kay. He tries to position himself in a couple of opportune spots only to be told to move. At last! We hear music in the distance, and the ropes are coming down from around the mosaic where we are hanging out. What luck - or blessing! We have chosen correctly which way the priests will proceed - us and a million other people.
We hold fast to our positions despite the jostling and Bob plants himself at the top end of the mosaic. His timing is perfect as he captures photos of the procession leaders - lots of special people (we're not sure if they belong to religious orders or are simply VIP members of the church) in uniforms carrying banners. Musicians playing a mournful-sounding religious piece file through. They all walk on the side of the floral carpet. At last appears the priest carrying the "Host" shaded by a gold-embroidered canopy. He is accompanied likely by the most important people next to himself. Bob hops out of the way at the last moment and gets chided by a signora (lady) volunteer who, besides rapid Italian, cries out, "mamma mia!" What she is really saying - in so many words is: "get the blank out of the way you blanket blank tourist! Show a little respect!"
The musicians are followed by a contingent of priests, one of which is the head honcho who tromps through the middle of the mosaic. Thus, the lesson that "things" can be taken; faith remains. We later observe that the priests actually walk carefully and lightly through the mosaics so that they hold up a little longer during the day for viewing pleasure.
Back to the Car - The streets are so narrow and so packed with people that we are actually stuck and immobile for a good 10 minutes. The majority of people are headed down the hill out of the town but there are a few crazies still trying to head up the hill. We squished by so many bodies and strollers it was no wonder that it took forever to move just one step. Finally, we pop out, browse by a few vendor tents selling pots of lavender, orchids, and some tacky crafts for which we have no desire.
We can almost recapture Le' Infiorate by looking at our pictures. But it is the fragrance of thousands of flowers, the snap of carnations and sweetness of rose petals and swoon of jasmine that will stay with us. We quickly find the car and gratefully sit for the 20-minute drive to our next adventure in Assisi.
The scenic route through Umbria on the 4-lane SS675 autostrada to Spello is a good road with no traffic. The blue-green hills of Umbria's heartland are reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest in that there are forested hills on either side of the road. Sometimes the view breaks into open rolling farmland similar to the Willamette Valley. As we meander toward Spello, the road still is reasonable but goes down to two lanes on the S3 complete with all the normal bumps and ruts of the standard Italian pavement. Spello is an easy exit right off the road and we quickly find convenient parking on a side street. Nevertheless, at 7 a.m., the streets are filling up with cars.
The Meaning of Le'Infiorate Corpus Domini - Luckily, we are very close to the entrance of town and walk right up to where floral mosaics are being crafted in celebration of Corpus Domini. Not being Catholic (and thus, hopefully forgiven by gracious Catholics) , as near as I can tell, Le'Infiorata di Spello (the flower festival of Spello) is an exercise/reminder about tangible goods or beauty. The moral of the story is that these are temporary "earthly objects" (in the form of floral mosaics) are temporary but God and spirituality is forever. In the case of the floral carpets - over which people have labored for 24 straight hours - the priests walk through the middle of them in a ceremony at 11 a.m., damaging the creations. (Apologies to all Catholics for my clumsy explanation.)
Paint-by-Number with Flowers - What I remember most is stumbling up and down the narrow streets of Spello, drunk with the perfume of thousands of flowers. The whole town was carpeted in flowers. We could scarcely believe our eyes. How could those Kandinsky-esque abstracts and vast allegorical tapestries a la Giotto be painted with nothing but petals? When we arrive, most of the mosaic teams are still working on the mural creations.
It has been a long back-breaking, knee-knashing time for the artist-volunteers who are carefully placing a riot of colored flower petals according to a complex pattern that is outlined on a full size sheet of paper. Work began early Saturday morning and continues up until about 9 a.m. on Sunday. Long, curved, white vinyl tents are erected to keep any elements (wind, rain, sun) off the "paint by number" teams. The curved awnings have side flaps that are open for onlookers like us to view the progress.
Design, Composition and Materials - A colored paper version of the design is displayed on an easel adjacent to the project. The designs are complex, detailed, and likely took months to complete prior to this day. There are contests for different age groups. Most of them have religious or humankind symbolic messages. Topics such as the holy family, the crucifixion, good vs. evil, and children are popular, but many simply have pretty patterns.
The flower petals are fresh, having been recently been plucked from the stem and sorted into containers by color. The design nuances created by the variety of flowers and petal colors are amazing. No paints or nonvegetable materials are allowed, no chemical treatments; even dried flowers are frowned upon. The judges place the highest value on fresh-picked blooms. The petals must be plucked off by hand. The floral carpets are kept moist via water misters throughout the morning by other volunteers.
Up, Down, All Over Town - As the tents come down around 9 a.m., it's amazing that these mosaics, which wind throughout the streets of the hill town, don't get trampled. Some have ropes around them, but many do not. Pictures galore are being snapped and some of the murals have ladders at the end of them for people to climb up on and cantilever out for a birds-eye, full-scale perspective. Sometimes the line for these is long and for others, only a few minutes wait. It depends how long some annoying photographer spends up there taking more than their fair share of time. The crowds - brought in by countless tour buses parking outside town - are continuously building. We're glad we got there early in order to get a sense of the town when it was quieter.
Good Consumers - At the festival headquarters and Bob gives in to my pleas to buy a commemorative baseball hat. It is very colorful and he is reluctant to buy one as "it's not my kind of hat." Gamely, he wears it throughout the festival. The only food available was from the local bars and trattorias. It makes perfect sense that these businesses get the benefit of the additional customers. So we stop for a cappuccino and pastry to fortify ourselves.
Assault of the Senses - Residents have also decorated their windows, side streets, balconies, and mini piazzas - just about anything that will hold a pot of flowers. It truly adds up to an adorable, colorful, historic, cobblestoned town. Even the elderly are out hobbling around with their canes. How they negotiate the hills is something to behold. Most of them do so with the help of family.
As the morning wears on, we're sure we've seen every design at least once and our senses feel almost numb after being hit with an onslaught of colorful overstimulation. We wonder when the priests will begin their ceremonial walk and which way they will walk. I find a program and determine that they will head out at 11 a.m. from a specific church, but we still don't know which direction they will come. We want to be at the beginning for this so that we can finally head out and on to Assisi.
Priestly Procession - The bells of Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore proclaim the start of the solemn procession. Bob is the designated the photographer of the ceremony because the crowds are so thick and he has a couple of inches and bulk over Kay. He tries to position himself in a couple of opportune spots only to be told to move. At last! We hear music in the distance, and the ropes are coming down from around the mosaic where we are hanging out. What luck - or blessing! We have chosen correctly which way the priests will proceed - us and a million other people.
We hold fast to our positions despite the jostling and Bob plants himself at the top end of the mosaic. His timing is perfect as he captures photos of the procession leaders - lots of special people (we're not sure if they belong to religious orders or are simply VIP members of the church) in uniforms carrying banners. Musicians playing a mournful-sounding religious piece file through. They all walk on the side of the floral carpet. At last appears the priest carrying the "Host" shaded by a gold-embroidered canopy. He is accompanied likely by the most important people next to himself. Bob hops out of the way at the last moment and gets chided by a signora (lady) volunteer who, besides rapid Italian, cries out, "mamma mia!" What she is really saying - in so many words is: "get the blank out of the way you blanket blank tourist! Show a little respect!"
The musicians are followed by a contingent of priests, one of which is the head honcho who tromps through the middle of the mosaic. Thus, the lesson that "things" can be taken; faith remains. We later observe that the priests actually walk carefully and lightly through the mosaics so that they hold up a little longer during the day for viewing pleasure.
Back to the Car - The streets are so narrow and so packed with people that we are actually stuck and immobile for a good 10 minutes. The majority of people are headed down the hill out of the town but there are a few crazies still trying to head up the hill. We squished by so many bodies and strollers it was no wonder that it took forever to move just one step. Finally, we pop out, browse by a few vendor tents selling pots of lavender, orchids, and some tacky crafts for which we have no desire.
We can almost recapture Le' Infiorate by looking at our pictures. But it is the fragrance of thousands of flowers, the snap of carnations and sweetness of rose petals and swoon of jasmine that will stay with us. We quickly find the car and gratefully sit for the 20-minute drive to our next adventure in Assisi.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
LaSpezia to Volterra to Soriano nel Cimino - June 5, 2010
Goodbye, Cinque Terre - There's always a bit of anxiety in the mornings when trying to meet a schedule. We need to catch a certain regional train to La Spezia in order to pick up the Hertz rental car. Maurizio has given us some instant cappuccino to make in the special machine downstairs in the lobby so at least we get a hit of caffeine before leaving the room. It's hard to say goodbye to this beautiful place and we wish we'd had more time to just sit and enjoy the patio. But we always had places to go and other wonderful sites to see. We stopped for one last cappuccino in the little café in Manarola. We're off in good time to catch the 9:30 a.m. train to La Spezia.
Hello, LaSpezia - About 30 minutes later, after a quick train stop in Riomaggiore, we're in La Spezia searching for a taxi. By following the taxi signs through the train station, we easily hook up with one for the $10E ride. Given the location of Hertz, one would not have walked this distance, which is something we had pondered back home.
Hertz gave us a good price AND they were open on Saturday. Check-in goes smoothly, especially since we have reserved over the internet. There are no additional sales pitches to buy insurance coverage. Our car is a little yellow Fiat Panda, manual drive (as most are) with A/C but no radio (not a big deal). Bob will be the driver so he orients himself to the car's operation and gets the GPS set up. He has an international driver's permit but, throughout our trip, he never has to show it. There was much discussion on the Rick Steves travel forums whether these are necessary or not. Later in the journey, our Rome guide, Justin, tells us they are required by Italian law. If we were ever stopped, it is better to be safe than sorry, especially since all it requires is a visit to AAA, a passport photo (which AAA can take) and $15. I wonder how it works if a person simply rents a car for a day trip and has no international license.
Navigating Italian Roads and Drivers - Getting on to the autostrada from Hertz is super easy. Shortly, we are directed to exit and pick up a ticket at a large toll station. For drivers exiting the autostrada there are lanes with automated systems for vehicles with passes, as well as those for various payment options (cash, credit card, etc.). We pull over to puzzle through the system and finally select the correct lane to pick up a biglietto (ticket). The ticket automatically pops out when we pull up. We grab it, the gate raises, and off we head to the A12 also known as the E80 or S1, and more commonly called the Aurelia autostrada entrance. (The Aurelia was recommended by Palazzo Catalani as a beautiful drive. In the end, it was also slower than the scenery warranted.)
The autostrada has two lanes: one is for driving (right lane) and one for passing (left lane). One does not cruise in the left lane (unlike the U.S.) as you will find an Italian tailgating you at 80 mph, which doesn't feel safe. There seems to be a very low minimum speed in the right lane, so we become adept at passing. Traffic seldom feels heavy during the times we're on the road. While the roads are all hard surfaced (asphalt, concrete), they are often in need of repair and very rough (but not nearly as bad as in Costa Rica!). In the dinkymobile with the narrow wheelbase, zero suspension, and small tires, we feel every crevice. It makes for a tiring ride.
Blessings and Bleeps of the GPS - Meanwhile, the GPS is bleating out directions pronouncing Italian street names badly and unintelligibly. We usually have to look at the screen to figure out what it is saying. Even then, it doesn't matter whether we have the street name or not as Italian roads are signed about five percent of the time. Most of that time, the GPS and Italy don't agree on the name. The GPS will give the official name while the sign might list the colloquial/local name (which happens in the U.S., too). We have brought a detailed Michelin map #563 (central Italy) with us and, most of the time, we use the print map along with the GPS. Many times we look at the map to select a different way point other than what the GPS is selecting in order to take the best route. Bob has pre-set many of our destinations prior to leaving the states, which helps a lot. He has also printed out Google street maps, especially for some of the small communities. Gaining entry to the hill towns along the charming - but narrow and winding - roads, plus accessing parking areas, can be quite confusing and frustrating.
The GPS has also been downloaded with the speed control camera locations and it emits a constant series of bell-dongs that warn us of upcoming cameras. Even though we have a hard time spotting these things, we've heard they're supposed to be very obvious and visible. The Italian drivers seem to ignore them completely as they pass us in supersonic mode. I'm sure we're being ultra cautious and perhaps a bit slow as we try to go the speed limit - about 130 kph on the autostrada. Sometimes the speed slows for no logical reason, going down to 90 up to 120 down to 80 up to 110 within the span of a couple of miles on a straightaway. We seem to be the only ones who adhere to them.
Roadside Autogrills - One of the conveniences along the Italian road is the frequency of big gas station centers with snack/food service or restaurants called autogrills. There is almost always a road sign announcing them. Most have decent food as well as the usual soda and snack options. The toilette facilities are usually clean and stocked with paper and typically missing the toilet seats. Apparently, Italians don't consider them hygienic but I find them awkward to use. On occasion, we've run into the trough-in-the-floor model. I avoid these altogether although Bob says that's all there is in China. Ick. I guess I need a manual for using these things.
Field Trip to Volterra - We've decided to visit one Tuscan town on the way to the timeshare. Volterra is about 25 miles east of the Aurelia. The drive on the two-lane country-ish road is stunning as we go through the Tuscan countryside. We come to learn that it takes much longer to travel these roads than it would in the U.S. as the speed averages about 35 mph. It takes us an hour or so as we wind through little bergs, negotiate roundabouts, and snail along behind a tractor or slowpoke. Or, we are the slowpoke and all of a sudden an Italian noses our rear zipping around us just before a curve.
Finally, encircled by impressive walls and topped by a fortress, Volterra looms into sight from its hilly location high above rich farmland. Between the GPS, Rick Steves' map, and a Google street map printout, we come into some areas that are noted for parking with a standardized royal blue P. One must be careful to note whether the parking is free or paid and whether you can park for more than an hour (some parking is strictly short term). There isn't any ticket dispenser but I spot a woman sitting at a card table down the hill. When asked, she is the person from whom we buy the parking ticket - about $4E.
Visiting Volterra - We head in through a massive city gate hoping that we're going in the right direction. Sometimes it's hard to tell because there are so few street signs. But, wandering is the name of the game of this vacation and we work our way through the streets pondering our lunch stop since it is about 2:30 p.m. and many restaurants might be closing. We tried to find one of the Rick Steves restaurants but got lost. Instead, we selected a nice outdoor lunch spot in a park setting where we each ordered a salad ($3E ea) and a sausage/gorgonzola pizza to share ($7E). Because the pizzas are on a very thin crust with thin toppings, a single pizza really could be eaten by one person. They aren't nearly as bulky and filling as any American style pizza would be. We also ordered a half liter of sparking white wine ($6E) that was quite nice for the warm afternoon.
Fortified by lunch, we wander the town stopping to gaze down at a Roman amphitheater. There are lots of craft shops selling items (lamps, candle holders, chimes, etc.) made out of alabaster. It is beautiful work but any item would be heavy to haul around or take home. We part with many euros in one shop that makes glass dishes that are colorful with gold leaf on them for some gifts. We really liked this low-key, attractive and quaint, non touristy town (after visiting Montepulciano and Pienza later on, we would come back to Volterra).
Home Stretch to Palazzo Catalani - After the slow and scenic drive from Volterra back to the Aurelia, we get serious about heading to the timeshare. Unfortunately, the speedy A12 dwindles down to what is now probably the E80 (a two-lane highway) that has a low speed limit and passes by or through lots of small towns where the speed limit drops even more. Still, there isn't much traffic.
Daylight is running out and the stores are soon closing. I know we'll need a grocery store stop; the stores typically close at 8 p.m. We turn off at Tarquinia and happen to stumble into a COOP (not as in co-op) supermarket with only 10 minutes to run around in a strange store grabbing whatever we can find. We rescue a couple of pieces of takeout pizza - just before it gets dumped in the trash - for our dinner plus some wine, fruit, yogurt, muesli, crackers, cheese, and instant cappuccino mix. We were the last customers out of the store. Whew!
Back on the E80 and we're pondering the location and choice for the right exit. We have directions from Angelo at Palazzo Catalani that seem straightforward, but we discover they aren't as specific as we need them to be, and we never saw a sign with Viterbo on it. (Palazzo: In regards to your request, take the Aurelia and exit after Tarquinia, heading towards Monte Romano.)
Luckily, we hit the correct turnoff and head east on the road to Soriano nel Cimino, traveling adjacent to an ancient Roman aqueduct that is turning golden in the sunset. Sure wish we could pull over for a photo opp but road shoulders are hard to find and we need to keep going while it is still light. Alas, we get to Viterbo, the largest city before Soriano in the dark. Our road ends and the directions to get on the autostrada baffle us. We get lost...and worried....
(Palazzo: Go thru the town of Monte Romano and keep going straight, follow the signs that indicate Vetralla and Viterbo. The road you will be on ends at the SS2 Cassia, so that's where you need to turn left and continue towards Viterbo. At a certain point on the Cassia as you are following the road you will get on the expressway which will say ORTE, get on the expressway headed towards ORTE and get off at the SORIANO-CHIA exit.)
We wander all through the town of Viterbo having missed the turnoff to the autostrada. After a tour of town, the GPS gratefully gets us out of there and onto the autostrada.
Credit Card Hijack - Bob wants to make sure we have enough gas for tomorrow morning as we will be heading out for Spello about 5 a.m. He pulls into a closed and unattended gas station. However, it is common to be able to get gas using your credit card even if a station is closed. Unfortunately, the machine grabbed our credit card and wouldn't release it back to us. We could see just the edge of it and, once again, we are grateful that the answer appeared to use my tweezers to get it out. Whew! We didn't know what we would do as we couldn't leave it there and there was no one we could call.
Last Leg to Soriano - Getting the credit card back in hand felt like the best thing that ever happened to us the relief was so huge. Next, however, was traveling the maze of roads to get to Palazzo Catalani, our timeshare home for the next two weeks. We were afraid of missing an exit and there was a sign that pointed to Soriano nel Cimino so we took it. Plus, the hilltop castle was lighted up like a beacon in the night and all we wanted to do was head for it. It turns out we should have taken the next exit as this one was the back way in along a dark, bumpy and winding road. It felt like we were going through an evil forest where a tree was going to reach out and snag us.
Of course, since we didn't take the correct exit, none of the directions into town matched up. We wound our way slowly up into town seemingly on one-lane streets they were so clogged with parked cars and people walking all over the cobblestoned road through town. There was no parking available in front of the Municipio were we had been directed to park. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on and parking was at a premium.
(Palazzo: After you exit, follow the signs for Soriano. The road will take you right into Soriano, as you enter the city limits you will be driving uphill, follow the road until you come to a big square, there is a Total gas station on the right. Go around the turnabout to the left and continue driving uphill until you reach the main square, you'll see a church on your right and a pastry shop on your left. Further on in the main square on your right you'll see Caffè Centrale, turn right and drive uphill until you see the Municipio (City Hall). Park your car temporarily in front of the Municipio and walk up Via Montecavallo and you've arrived at the resort.)
Hunting for Palazzo Catalani - We found a parking spot and weren't sure it was legal but shoehorned ourselves in (in the Italian way). A young couple was walking by so I tried asking if "car ok?" The fellow replied in pretty good English, "Is ok until 9 a.m. in the morning. Then police give ticket." Oh, boy, not exactly comforting. But we don't even know if we're close to the Palazzo so decide to try and find it on foot. We're almost ready to give up when I ask a lady where it is. Naturally, Bob finds a sign simultaneously. We later discover that EVERYBODY knows where the Palazzo is. And now, we do, too.
It's tucked steeply up around two tight and tiny corners, nearly as bad as the hike to Aria di Mare, our room in Manarola but not as long. We stumble into the lobby where we're greeted by GianPaolo (JohnPaul - like the Pope, he says). Now we have to trudge back and retrieve our luggage from the car. Although it isn't that far to go, we're tired and the hills are steep. We also decide to leave the car where it is instead of finding the correct parking lot as we suspect it would be full anyway. Besides, we will be leaving at 5 a.m. so the police won't even be out of bed, much less handing out tickets. Eventually, we are safely in our room, eating the cheap pizza we bought at the COOP in Tarquinia. We have cut the evening way too close, for tomorrow is an early day to L'Infiorata in Spello.
Hello, LaSpezia - About 30 minutes later, after a quick train stop in Riomaggiore, we're in La Spezia searching for a taxi. By following the taxi signs through the train station, we easily hook up with one for the $10E ride. Given the location of Hertz, one would not have walked this distance, which is something we had pondered back home.
Hertz gave us a good price AND they were open on Saturday. Check-in goes smoothly, especially since we have reserved over the internet. There are no additional sales pitches to buy insurance coverage. Our car is a little yellow Fiat Panda, manual drive (as most are) with A/C but no radio (not a big deal). Bob will be the driver so he orients himself to the car's operation and gets the GPS set up. He has an international driver's permit but, throughout our trip, he never has to show it. There was much discussion on the Rick Steves travel forums whether these are necessary or not. Later in the journey, our Rome guide, Justin, tells us they are required by Italian law. If we were ever stopped, it is better to be safe than sorry, especially since all it requires is a visit to AAA, a passport photo (which AAA can take) and $15. I wonder how it works if a person simply rents a car for a day trip and has no international license.
Navigating Italian Roads and Drivers - Getting on to the autostrada from Hertz is super easy. Shortly, we are directed to exit and pick up a ticket at a large toll station. For drivers exiting the autostrada there are lanes with automated systems for vehicles with passes, as well as those for various payment options (cash, credit card, etc.). We pull over to puzzle through the system and finally select the correct lane to pick up a biglietto (ticket). The ticket automatically pops out when we pull up. We grab it, the gate raises, and off we head to the A12 also known as the E80 or S1, and more commonly called the Aurelia autostrada entrance. (The Aurelia was recommended by Palazzo Catalani as a beautiful drive. In the end, it was also slower than the scenery warranted.)
The autostrada has two lanes: one is for driving (right lane) and one for passing (left lane). One does not cruise in the left lane (unlike the U.S.) as you will find an Italian tailgating you at 80 mph, which doesn't feel safe. There seems to be a very low minimum speed in the right lane, so we become adept at passing. Traffic seldom feels heavy during the times we're on the road. While the roads are all hard surfaced (asphalt, concrete), they are often in need of repair and very rough (but not nearly as bad as in Costa Rica!). In the dinkymobile with the narrow wheelbase, zero suspension, and small tires, we feel every crevice. It makes for a tiring ride.
Blessings and Bleeps of the GPS - Meanwhile, the GPS is bleating out directions pronouncing Italian street names badly and unintelligibly. We usually have to look at the screen to figure out what it is saying. Even then, it doesn't matter whether we have the street name or not as Italian roads are signed about five percent of the time. Most of that time, the GPS and Italy don't agree on the name. The GPS will give the official name while the sign might list the colloquial/local name (which happens in the U.S., too). We have brought a detailed Michelin map #563 (central Italy) with us and, most of the time, we use the print map along with the GPS. Many times we look at the map to select a different way point other than what the GPS is selecting in order to take the best route. Bob has pre-set many of our destinations prior to leaving the states, which helps a lot. He has also printed out Google street maps, especially for some of the small communities. Gaining entry to the hill towns along the charming - but narrow and winding - roads, plus accessing parking areas, can be quite confusing and frustrating.
The GPS has also been downloaded with the speed control camera locations and it emits a constant series of bell-dongs that warn us of upcoming cameras. Even though we have a hard time spotting these things, we've heard they're supposed to be very obvious and visible. The Italian drivers seem to ignore them completely as they pass us in supersonic mode. I'm sure we're being ultra cautious and perhaps a bit slow as we try to go the speed limit - about 130 kph on the autostrada. Sometimes the speed slows for no logical reason, going down to 90 up to 120 down to 80 up to 110 within the span of a couple of miles on a straightaway. We seem to be the only ones who adhere to them.
Roadside Autogrills - One of the conveniences along the Italian road is the frequency of big gas station centers with snack/food service or restaurants called autogrills. There is almost always a road sign announcing them. Most have decent food as well as the usual soda and snack options. The toilette facilities are usually clean and stocked with paper and typically missing the toilet seats. Apparently, Italians don't consider them hygienic but I find them awkward to use. On occasion, we've run into the trough-in-the-floor model. I avoid these altogether although Bob says that's all there is in China. Ick. I guess I need a manual for using these things.
Field Trip to Volterra - We've decided to visit one Tuscan town on the way to the timeshare. Volterra is about 25 miles east of the Aurelia. The drive on the two-lane country-ish road is stunning as we go through the Tuscan countryside. We come to learn that it takes much longer to travel these roads than it would in the U.S. as the speed averages about 35 mph. It takes us an hour or so as we wind through little bergs, negotiate roundabouts, and snail along behind a tractor or slowpoke. Or, we are the slowpoke and all of a sudden an Italian noses our rear zipping around us just before a curve.
Finally, encircled by impressive walls and topped by a fortress, Volterra looms into sight from its hilly location high above rich farmland. Between the GPS, Rick Steves' map, and a Google street map printout, we come into some areas that are noted for parking with a standardized royal blue P. One must be careful to note whether the parking is free or paid and whether you can park for more than an hour (some parking is strictly short term). There isn't any ticket dispenser but I spot a woman sitting at a card table down the hill. When asked, she is the person from whom we buy the parking ticket - about $4E.
Visiting Volterra - We head in through a massive city gate hoping that we're going in the right direction. Sometimes it's hard to tell because there are so few street signs. But, wandering is the name of the game of this vacation and we work our way through the streets pondering our lunch stop since it is about 2:30 p.m. and many restaurants might be closing. We tried to find one of the Rick Steves restaurants but got lost. Instead, we selected a nice outdoor lunch spot in a park setting where we each ordered a salad ($3E ea) and a sausage/gorgonzola pizza to share ($7E). Because the pizzas are on a very thin crust with thin toppings, a single pizza really could be eaten by one person. They aren't nearly as bulky and filling as any American style pizza would be. We also ordered a half liter of sparking white wine ($6E) that was quite nice for the warm afternoon.
Fortified by lunch, we wander the town stopping to gaze down at a Roman amphitheater. There are lots of craft shops selling items (lamps, candle holders, chimes, etc.) made out of alabaster. It is beautiful work but any item would be heavy to haul around or take home. We part with many euros in one shop that makes glass dishes that are colorful with gold leaf on them for some gifts. We really liked this low-key, attractive and quaint, non touristy town (after visiting Montepulciano and Pienza later on, we would come back to Volterra).
Home Stretch to Palazzo Catalani - After the slow and scenic drive from Volterra back to the Aurelia, we get serious about heading to the timeshare. Unfortunately, the speedy A12 dwindles down to what is now probably the E80 (a two-lane highway) that has a low speed limit and passes by or through lots of small towns where the speed limit drops even more. Still, there isn't much traffic.
Daylight is running out and the stores are soon closing. I know we'll need a grocery store stop; the stores typically close at 8 p.m. We turn off at Tarquinia and happen to stumble into a COOP (not as in co-op) supermarket with only 10 minutes to run around in a strange store grabbing whatever we can find. We rescue a couple of pieces of takeout pizza - just before it gets dumped in the trash - for our dinner plus some wine, fruit, yogurt, muesli, crackers, cheese, and instant cappuccino mix. We were the last customers out of the store. Whew!
Back on the E80 and we're pondering the location and choice for the right exit. We have directions from Angelo at Palazzo Catalani that seem straightforward, but we discover they aren't as specific as we need them to be, and we never saw a sign with Viterbo on it. (Palazzo: In regards to your request, take the Aurelia and exit after Tarquinia, heading towards Monte Romano.)
Luckily, we hit the correct turnoff and head east on the road to Soriano nel Cimino, traveling adjacent to an ancient Roman aqueduct that is turning golden in the sunset. Sure wish we could pull over for a photo opp but road shoulders are hard to find and we need to keep going while it is still light. Alas, we get to Viterbo, the largest city before Soriano in the dark. Our road ends and the directions to get on the autostrada baffle us. We get lost...and worried....
(Palazzo: Go thru the town of Monte Romano and keep going straight, follow the signs that indicate Vetralla and Viterbo. The road you will be on ends at the SS2 Cassia, so that's where you need to turn left and continue towards Viterbo. At a certain point on the Cassia as you are following the road you will get on the expressway which will say ORTE, get on the expressway headed towards ORTE and get off at the SORIANO-CHIA exit.)
We wander all through the town of Viterbo having missed the turnoff to the autostrada. After a tour of town, the GPS gratefully gets us out of there and onto the autostrada.
Credit Card Hijack - Bob wants to make sure we have enough gas for tomorrow morning as we will be heading out for Spello about 5 a.m. He pulls into a closed and unattended gas station. However, it is common to be able to get gas using your credit card even if a station is closed. Unfortunately, the machine grabbed our credit card and wouldn't release it back to us. We could see just the edge of it and, once again, we are grateful that the answer appeared to use my tweezers to get it out. Whew! We didn't know what we would do as we couldn't leave it there and there was no one we could call.
Last Leg to Soriano - Getting the credit card back in hand felt like the best thing that ever happened to us the relief was so huge. Next, however, was traveling the maze of roads to get to Palazzo Catalani, our timeshare home for the next two weeks. We were afraid of missing an exit and there was a sign that pointed to Soriano nel Cimino so we took it. Plus, the hilltop castle was lighted up like a beacon in the night and all we wanted to do was head for it. It turns out we should have taken the next exit as this one was the back way in along a dark, bumpy and winding road. It felt like we were going through an evil forest where a tree was going to reach out and snag us.
Of course, since we didn't take the correct exit, none of the directions into town matched up. We wound our way slowly up into town seemingly on one-lane streets they were so clogged with parked cars and people walking all over the cobblestoned road through town. There was no parking available in front of the Municipio were we had been directed to park. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on and parking was at a premium.
(Palazzo: After you exit, follow the signs for Soriano. The road will take you right into Soriano, as you enter the city limits you will be driving uphill, follow the road until you come to a big square, there is a Total gas station on the right. Go around the turnabout to the left and continue driving uphill until you reach the main square, you'll see a church on your right and a pastry shop on your left. Further on in the main square on your right you'll see Caffè Centrale, turn right and drive uphill until you see the Municipio (City Hall). Park your car temporarily in front of the Municipio and walk up Via Montecavallo and you've arrived at the resort.)
Hunting for Palazzo Catalani - We found a parking spot and weren't sure it was legal but shoehorned ourselves in (in the Italian way). A young couple was walking by so I tried asking if "car ok?" The fellow replied in pretty good English, "Is ok until 9 a.m. in the morning. Then police give ticket." Oh, boy, not exactly comforting. But we don't even know if we're close to the Palazzo so decide to try and find it on foot. We're almost ready to give up when I ask a lady where it is. Naturally, Bob finds a sign simultaneously. We later discover that EVERYBODY knows where the Palazzo is. And now, we do, too.
It's tucked steeply up around two tight and tiny corners, nearly as bad as the hike to Aria di Mare, our room in Manarola but not as long. We stumble into the lobby where we're greeted by GianPaolo (JohnPaul - like the Pope, he says). Now we have to trudge back and retrieve our luggage from the car. Although it isn't that far to go, we're tired and the hills are steep. We also decide to leave the car where it is instead of finding the correct parking lot as we suspect it would be full anyway. Besides, we will be leaving at 5 a.m. so the police won't even be out of bed, much less handing out tickets. Eventually, we are safely in our room, eating the cheap pizza we bought at the COOP in Tarquinia. We have cut the evening way too close, for tomorrow is an early day to L'Infiorata in Spello.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Hiking the Cinque Terre & Taking the Ferry Back - June 4, 2010
Morning Cappuccino - We're up about 8 a.m. and I immediately go out to capture scenics as the sun moves over the hills of beautiful Manarola. Today, we plan to hike between the various towns of the Cinque Terre. We would desperately like a cup of coffee to wake up with but there is none in the room so we must wait until we are ready to find a bar (which is what coffee shops are called).
Thanks to my Italian class, I know what to expect when ordering a cappuccino although, instead of standing up at the bar, we select a table along with a croissant and a spinach/mozzarella pastry. Cappuccinos aren't very large so we order another.
Hiking to Corniglia - Adequately fortified, we head off on the trail to the first town, Corniglia. The trail isn't difficult and the views are stunning of the water and cliffs. About an hour later, the trail dribbles into the train station at Corniglia. We still need to get up to the town, which sits high above both the water and the station. One route is up the unbelievably steep and long set of stairs that seem to go for at least a mile up to the town. Our second option is to take a shuttle which typically goes when the train comes - who knows when it will arrive? There's no way we want to tackle the stairs. Luckily, the shuttle comes reasonably quickly and is definitely the wise choice by all of us packed on the bus. We take time to explore Corniglia, a charming little town with the typical narrow streets, tiny shops, and eateries. Our target lunch spot is in Vernazza so we make do with a gelato snack.
North to Vernazza - This portion of the trail moves inland a bit so there are more trees along the trails and fewer vistas of the water. Still, the views are spectacular and there is plenty of opportunity for photos. This trail is considerably more rugged with a lot of rough-hewn, tall steps to negotiate. We're glad we have shoes for this as people with flimsy sandals and strappy Tevas are not having an easy time of it. We finally reach the top - as we are told by some American hikers who have come up from the northern end. The hike has been difficult and hot and I took a tumble on the loose rock.
At this point, we are not all enthused about tackling the final section from Vernazza to Monterosso which is supposed to be even more rugged and precipitous. We meet up with some hardy younger Americans who said it definitely was not fun nor particularly rewarding. I comment that that I doubt that I will feel like doing it and an outspoken American gal - who reminds me of a couple of friends - strongly declares, "And you don't have to!" At this point in life, neither of us have a big drive to complete for completion's sake but rather to enjoy the journey along the way to its fullest. As we hike the downhill portion to Vernazza, I'm glad I polled people on the Rick Steves' site as to which was the preferable direction to hike - south to north or north to south. I can now agree that south to north is less arduous and more picturesque. Close to Vernazza, there were folks older than us heading up the steep slope already looking weary. As tempting as it was to advise about what lay ahead, I kept my mouth shut.
Snazzy Vernazza - It is with a huge relief that Vernazza revealed itself, thus signaling the end to our hot, dusty, and sweaty ordeal. The views coming into Vernazza are worth the hike. They are really beautiful and the camera gets a workout. Vernazza is lovely, touristy, and well worth the visit. It has a stunning protected waterfront for water play and sunning. Restaurants ring the area. Most restaurants shut down for lunch at 3 p.m. and, as it is 2:40 p.m., we quickly select a restaurant for its shady umbrellas and water views rather than try to locate a Steves' recommended restaurant. As it turns out, Gambero Rosso is listed in his book as a venerable, snooty, and slightly more expensive. Bob gets seafood pasta with clams (in shell) and I opt for pasta troffie with pesto sauce (the Ligurian area is known for troffie pasta and pesto). We share a salad, order a bottle of aqua frizzante and two ice cold beers which we quickly gulp down. The bill comes to about $55E which includes the cost of the basket of bread and surcharge for sitting outside. Restaurant meals aren't cheap.
The views of Vernazza just up the trail to Monterosso are supposed to be terrific so we work off our lunch a bit by heading uphill in that direction. For the second time, we run into the American woman who decided to switch careers from marketing to design, and is in Italy for 6 months taking art courses. We chat and take pictures of each other. She regales us with a story about getting an extension on her Visa. The government worker who was helping her gets up in the middle of business and says he's taking his break now and will be back in 20 minutes. Customer service and efficiency is not at the top of the list in Italy. Otherwise, Italians are very nice and typically friendly.
Water bound return - We're taking the boat back from Vernazza in order to get waterside views of the Cinque Terre, so we buy boat tickets ($6E/ea) in the harbor and enjoy the relaxing wait for the boat. Soon, we're on board and enjoying new views of the little towns. We get off in Riomaggiore (the southern-most town) in order to explore it and to walk the Via del'Amore portion of the trail again.
The hunt for Maurizio and our passports - Before hiking up to our room, we stop at the COOP grocery store for purchases of peaches and yogurt for breakfast, plus a large bottle of cold beer for under the stars on our patio. We also drop by Trattoria dal Billy's to see if we can hunt down Maurizio. We know that the Trattoria is owned by family members and wonder if Maurizio might be hanging out there.
Where in the world is Maurizio? - We inquire about Maurizio from the first person we encounter. The 30-something Italian says in heavy Ligurian accent, "I am his brudda. Maurizio no here. He no work. Is allergic to work." We suspect he is jesting but it is said seriously. We decide to make a reservation for dinner at Billy's since it is supposed to be very good. We are given a choice of tables and a reserved sign is placed on a tiny table outside on a narrow walkway between the kitchen and a dining room. Apparently, we'll get it all night if we want - it doesn't matter what time you show up or leave. I ask again about getting hold of Maurizio and the waiter brother says he will call him and he will meet us at the restaurant at 8 p.m. "But, he no like to work," he says again. I quip that maybe we won't have to pay him either if he doesn't show up, but we need our passports back for sure.
There's no time to shower before our reservation so we change from our sweaty clothes quickly into something more presentable.
Lo and behold, Maurizio shows up with our passports. We pay him for the two nights and mention that we're going for dinner at Billy's. Maurizio says, "My brudda work there. He has a big belly (and gestures with his hand to outline the belly). Great big belly. He eat too much and don't work hard." I said back to him, "Yeah, he said nice things about you, too!" "Oh. Good," replied Maurizio in the most serious of tones. Teasing through insults is apparently the Italian way among family and friends, as my Italian teacher has mentioned.
Dinner at Billy's - Off to Trattoria Billy's we head where Billy himself waits on us. He is Mama Franca's brother and thus, uncle of Maurizio and his waiter brother. He, too, is a bit gruff and I suspect that this personality trait is both familial and cultural for the Ligurian area as I've experienced it several times by now. Our table is located adjacent to the kitchen and it is as noisy as can be with the cooks and dishes clattering. We're also in the spot where Billy and the other waiters zip by into the dining room or down the narrow steep stone steps to another dining space carved into the mountainside.
We order water and a half liter of house wine (which is usually decent and inexpensive). We select a primi to share of homemade trofie pasta with pesto sauce. For secondi, I go for the beef medallions (whatever those are) in lemon sauce. Bob decides to get a grilled fish and selects one from the platter of fresh fish that Billy offers. Billy warns, "That fish small!" But Bob sticks with it. We select grilled vegetables for a contorni. When the fish comes, it is complete with head and tail, and definitely short on meat. That's all that's on the plate - just the fish. My beef is actually veal, pounded tenderly thin and covered with an incredible lemon sauce that isn't creamy but definitely pungent, fragrant and delicious. The grilled veggies include eggplant, zucchini, and red pepper. They are served cold and drizzled with olive oil. Even cold, they are delicious. We share a tiramisu for dessert. Our bill was about $55E.
We're tired and it's too late to enjoy our beer on the patio. We must pack, hit the hay, and be up early to head into La Spezia to pick up the rental car by about 10 a.m.
Thanks to my Italian class, I know what to expect when ordering a cappuccino although, instead of standing up at the bar, we select a table along with a croissant and a spinach/mozzarella pastry. Cappuccinos aren't very large so we order another.
Hiking to Corniglia - Adequately fortified, we head off on the trail to the first town, Corniglia. The trail isn't difficult and the views are stunning of the water and cliffs. About an hour later, the trail dribbles into the train station at Corniglia. We still need to get up to the town, which sits high above both the water and the station. One route is up the unbelievably steep and long set of stairs that seem to go for at least a mile up to the town. Our second option is to take a shuttle which typically goes when the train comes - who knows when it will arrive? There's no way we want to tackle the stairs. Luckily, the shuttle comes reasonably quickly and is definitely the wise choice by all of us packed on the bus. We take time to explore Corniglia, a charming little town with the typical narrow streets, tiny shops, and eateries. Our target lunch spot is in Vernazza so we make do with a gelato snack.
North to Vernazza - This portion of the trail moves inland a bit so there are more trees along the trails and fewer vistas of the water. Still, the views are spectacular and there is plenty of opportunity for photos. This trail is considerably more rugged with a lot of rough-hewn, tall steps to negotiate. We're glad we have shoes for this as people with flimsy sandals and strappy Tevas are not having an easy time of it. We finally reach the top - as we are told by some American hikers who have come up from the northern end. The hike has been difficult and hot and I took a tumble on the loose rock.
At this point, we are not all enthused about tackling the final section from Vernazza to Monterosso which is supposed to be even more rugged and precipitous. We meet up with some hardy younger Americans who said it definitely was not fun nor particularly rewarding. I comment that that I doubt that I will feel like doing it and an outspoken American gal - who reminds me of a couple of friends - strongly declares, "And you don't have to!" At this point in life, neither of us have a big drive to complete for completion's sake but rather to enjoy the journey along the way to its fullest. As we hike the downhill portion to Vernazza, I'm glad I polled people on the Rick Steves' site as to which was the preferable direction to hike - south to north or north to south. I can now agree that south to north is less arduous and more picturesque. Close to Vernazza, there were folks older than us heading up the steep slope already looking weary. As tempting as it was to advise about what lay ahead, I kept my mouth shut.
Snazzy Vernazza - It is with a huge relief that Vernazza revealed itself, thus signaling the end to our hot, dusty, and sweaty ordeal. The views coming into Vernazza are worth the hike. They are really beautiful and the camera gets a workout. Vernazza is lovely, touristy, and well worth the visit. It has a stunning protected waterfront for water play and sunning. Restaurants ring the area. Most restaurants shut down for lunch at 3 p.m. and, as it is 2:40 p.m., we quickly select a restaurant for its shady umbrellas and water views rather than try to locate a Steves' recommended restaurant. As it turns out, Gambero Rosso is listed in his book as a venerable, snooty, and slightly more expensive. Bob gets seafood pasta with clams (in shell) and I opt for pasta troffie with pesto sauce (the Ligurian area is known for troffie pasta and pesto). We share a salad, order a bottle of aqua frizzante and two ice cold beers which we quickly gulp down. The bill comes to about $55E which includes the cost of the basket of bread and surcharge for sitting outside. Restaurant meals aren't cheap.
The views of Vernazza just up the trail to Monterosso are supposed to be terrific so we work off our lunch a bit by heading uphill in that direction. For the second time, we run into the American woman who decided to switch careers from marketing to design, and is in Italy for 6 months taking art courses. We chat and take pictures of each other. She regales us with a story about getting an extension on her Visa. The government worker who was helping her gets up in the middle of business and says he's taking his break now and will be back in 20 minutes. Customer service and efficiency is not at the top of the list in Italy. Otherwise, Italians are very nice and typically friendly.
Water bound return - We're taking the boat back from Vernazza in order to get waterside views of the Cinque Terre, so we buy boat tickets ($6E/ea) in the harbor and enjoy the relaxing wait for the boat. Soon, we're on board and enjoying new views of the little towns. We get off in Riomaggiore (the southern-most town) in order to explore it and to walk the Via del'Amore portion of the trail again.
The hunt for Maurizio and our passports - Before hiking up to our room, we stop at the COOP grocery store for purchases of peaches and yogurt for breakfast, plus a large bottle of cold beer for under the stars on our patio. We also drop by Trattoria dal Billy's to see if we can hunt down Maurizio. We know that the Trattoria is owned by family members and wonder if Maurizio might be hanging out there.
Where in the world is Maurizio? - We inquire about Maurizio from the first person we encounter. The 30-something Italian says in heavy Ligurian accent, "I am his brudda. Maurizio no here. He no work. Is allergic to work." We suspect he is jesting but it is said seriously. We decide to make a reservation for dinner at Billy's since it is supposed to be very good. We are given a choice of tables and a reserved sign is placed on a tiny table outside on a narrow walkway between the kitchen and a dining room. Apparently, we'll get it all night if we want - it doesn't matter what time you show up or leave. I ask again about getting hold of Maurizio and the waiter brother says he will call him and he will meet us at the restaurant at 8 p.m. "But, he no like to work," he says again. I quip that maybe we won't have to pay him either if he doesn't show up, but we need our passports back for sure.
There's no time to shower before our reservation so we change from our sweaty clothes quickly into something more presentable.
Lo and behold, Maurizio shows up with our passports. We pay him for the two nights and mention that we're going for dinner at Billy's. Maurizio says, "My brudda work there. He has a big belly (and gestures with his hand to outline the belly). Great big belly. He eat too much and don't work hard." I said back to him, "Yeah, he said nice things about you, too!" "Oh. Good," replied Maurizio in the most serious of tones. Teasing through insults is apparently the Italian way among family and friends, as my Italian teacher has mentioned.
Dinner at Billy's - Off to Trattoria Billy's we head where Billy himself waits on us. He is Mama Franca's brother and thus, uncle of Maurizio and his waiter brother. He, too, is a bit gruff and I suspect that this personality trait is both familial and cultural for the Ligurian area as I've experienced it several times by now. Our table is located adjacent to the kitchen and it is as noisy as can be with the cooks and dishes clattering. We're also in the spot where Billy and the other waiters zip by into the dining room or down the narrow steep stone steps to another dining space carved into the mountainside.
We order water and a half liter of house wine (which is usually decent and inexpensive). We select a primi to share of homemade trofie pasta with pesto sauce. For secondi, I go for the beef medallions (whatever those are) in lemon sauce. Bob decides to get a grilled fish and selects one from the platter of fresh fish that Billy offers. Billy warns, "That fish small!" But Bob sticks with it. We select grilled vegetables for a contorni. When the fish comes, it is complete with head and tail, and definitely short on meat. That's all that's on the plate - just the fish. My beef is actually veal, pounded tenderly thin and covered with an incredible lemon sauce that isn't creamy but definitely pungent, fragrant and delicious. The grilled veggies include eggplant, zucchini, and red pepper. They are served cold and drizzled with olive oil. Even cold, they are delicious. We share a tiramisu for dessert. Our bill was about $55E.
We're tired and it's too late to enjoy our beer on the patio. We must pack, hit the hay, and be up early to head into La Spezia to pick up the rental car by about 10 a.m.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Manarola/Cinque Terre - June 3, 2010
On to Cinque Terre - We buy our tickets to La Spezia/Manarola and go off to wait for the train which comes 10 minutes late. This, of course, puts us late for the regional train to Manarola from LaSpezia but that’s Italy! Once the train gets rolling, it takes about 10 minutes to get to Riomaggiore, the first stop, and about another 10 minutes or less to get to Manarola. There is a handy office to buy our tickets for the trails right away and I talk them into a half-price ticket for the evening walk we plan to take as soon as we check into our room.
Trek to our room - We trudge through the tunnel from the train station and up (and up and up and up) the cobblestone street in the direction of our room at Aria di Mare. Pulling the suitcase over the cobblestones and up the steep incline proves to be quite a challenge. Bob gets tired of waiting for me and finally takes all the luggage. You’d think with all the stair climbing workouts I do that going up the street wouldn’t be a problem – but it was. I was slow as a slug. Plus, my feet hurt.
Mama Franca & Aria di Mare - We arrive at the top the same time as another couple and there she is (as promised in Steves book). It’s Mama Franca with her big toothy smile waiting for us at Trattoria Billy’s. “Aria di Mare?” she asks. We all nod and off she leads us through a narrow, dark cobblestone street. I don’t know how the elderly folks manage to negotiate these hills and uneven surfaces! We come to – yikes! – a narrow and super steep stone staircase which is nearly impossible to get a small suitcase up. And yet, up clambers Mama Franca.
While Mama gets the Italian couple into their room, we wait outside and marvel at the incredible view of the sea and town. Then it is our turn to go to our room. Oh, my! It is fabulous! It is quite new and beautifully decorated in bright colors. There are a comfortable queen bed with small side tables and lamps, a desk, chair, and refrigerator. The bathroom is thoroughly modern and tiled in turquoise. Stunning! I reserved these rooms via email with Maurizio and his sparse English. He did not take a deposit, which was worrisome (would he give them away?) and he wants cash payment. However, I emailed him a couple of times to confirm the reservation and all seemed to be fine.
Even more stunning than the room is our own private patio with table and striped lounge chairs. We are surrounded by grape vines, a garden, a couple of cats who enjoy the treats I give them, and those incredible views. Mama Franca lifts her arms and dramatically gestures to the sea, “Aria di Mare!” she exclaims. She then goes on to explain everything in rapid Italian – none of which we get and hope that we can figure everything out eventually. She asks for our passports and we hear the explanation involving the word “polizia,” but we know that taking our passports is to be expected.
Via dell’Amore - Mama Franca also indicates that Maurizio, the owner with whom I emailed for reservations will be here in 30 minutes. But the evening is coming and we want to stroll the Via dell’Amore portion of the Cinque Terre trail between Manarola and Riomaggiore (to the south). The walk is breathtaking on the paved level path. Along the way I take pictures of flowers, cliffs, water, and the ever-present locks that lovers have placed along the way on the chain link fencing announcing their devotion to each other.
The Edge of Paradise - At the Riomaggiore trailhead we pop into Bar & Vini a Pie de Ma. We head for an outside seat and gradually, as people leave, work our way to the best table for two with a jaw-dropping vista of clear aqua sea, the pastel buildings of Riomaggiore tumbling down the hill to the water colored by several glasses of white Ligurian (somewhat like Pinot Grigio) wine, a complimentary dish of salted peanuts for munching, and a piece of spinach quiche. At dusk, we reluctantly, we leave our seaside seat high on the edge of the cliff to wander back along the scenic walkway back to Manarola.
Nightcap - The torturous hike up to our lovely room somehow seems less difficult to accomplish. I think we're getting used to hills. We sit out on our terrace to sip our way through another bottle of red wine from Montalcino and munch on olives, crackers, and cheese while the sky descends into pinks, purples, and finally, the black of night. Tomorrow is our one full day for hiking to the other Cinque Terre towns so we crawl into our clean, comfortable bed while soft cool sea breezes caress us into slumber.
Trek to our room - We trudge through the tunnel from the train station and up (and up and up and up) the cobblestone street in the direction of our room at Aria di Mare. Pulling the suitcase over the cobblestones and up the steep incline proves to be quite a challenge. Bob gets tired of waiting for me and finally takes all the luggage. You’d think with all the stair climbing workouts I do that going up the street wouldn’t be a problem – but it was. I was slow as a slug. Plus, my feet hurt.
Mama Franca & Aria di Mare - We arrive at the top the same time as another couple and there she is (as promised in Steves book). It’s Mama Franca with her big toothy smile waiting for us at Trattoria Billy’s. “Aria di Mare?” she asks. We all nod and off she leads us through a narrow, dark cobblestone street. I don’t know how the elderly folks manage to negotiate these hills and uneven surfaces! We come to – yikes! – a narrow and super steep stone staircase which is nearly impossible to get a small suitcase up. And yet, up clambers Mama Franca.
While Mama gets the Italian couple into their room, we wait outside and marvel at the incredible view of the sea and town. Then it is our turn to go to our room. Oh, my! It is fabulous! It is quite new and beautifully decorated in bright colors. There are a comfortable queen bed with small side tables and lamps, a desk, chair, and refrigerator. The bathroom is thoroughly modern and tiled in turquoise. Stunning! I reserved these rooms via email with Maurizio and his sparse English. He did not take a deposit, which was worrisome (would he give them away?) and he wants cash payment. However, I emailed him a couple of times to confirm the reservation and all seemed to be fine.
Even more stunning than the room is our own private patio with table and striped lounge chairs. We are surrounded by grape vines, a garden, a couple of cats who enjoy the treats I give them, and those incredible views. Mama Franca lifts her arms and dramatically gestures to the sea, “Aria di Mare!” she exclaims. She then goes on to explain everything in rapid Italian – none of which we get and hope that we can figure everything out eventually. She asks for our passports and we hear the explanation involving the word “polizia,” but we know that taking our passports is to be expected.
Via dell’Amore - Mama Franca also indicates that Maurizio, the owner with whom I emailed for reservations will be here in 30 minutes. But the evening is coming and we want to stroll the Via dell’Amore portion of the Cinque Terre trail between Manarola and Riomaggiore (to the south). The walk is breathtaking on the paved level path. Along the way I take pictures of flowers, cliffs, water, and the ever-present locks that lovers have placed along the way on the chain link fencing announcing their devotion to each other.
The Edge of Paradise - At the Riomaggiore trailhead we pop into Bar & Vini a Pie de Ma. We head for an outside seat and gradually, as people leave, work our way to the best table for two with a jaw-dropping vista of clear aqua sea, the pastel buildings of Riomaggiore tumbling down the hill to the water colored by several glasses of white Ligurian (somewhat like Pinot Grigio) wine, a complimentary dish of salted peanuts for munching, and a piece of spinach quiche. At dusk, we reluctantly, we leave our seaside seat high on the edge of the cliff to wander back along the scenic walkway back to Manarola.
Nightcap - The torturous hike up to our lovely room somehow seems less difficult to accomplish. I think we're getting used to hills. We sit out on our terrace to sip our way through another bottle of red wine from Montalcino and munch on olives, crackers, and cheese while the sky descends into pinks, purples, and finally, the black of night. Tomorrow is our one full day for hiking to the other Cinque Terre towns so we crawl into our clean, comfortable bed while soft cool sea breezes caress us into slumber.
Pisa - June 3, 2010
Leaving Florence – The day begins with the standard and nicely adequate breakfast at Hotel Nuova Italia complete with all the cappuccinos you can drink. The walk to train station takes very little time and there is no problem finding the track and car for the 9:30 am train. Our seats are not reserved and this works fine.
Stowing Baggage - In the Pisa train station we park our bags in the secure storage check - including our computer and extra camera gear. Perhaps this takes a leap of faith, but we have been assured by many travelers that it is safe. We head out on Rick Steves recommended walk through the city under gray but warm skies. The walk heads over the Arno River (the same one as in Florence?) is wonderful on narrow, picturesque streets that are pedestrian dominated (closed to thru traffic) and filled lots of little shops and restaurants hugging the stone streets. I can’t imagine taking a bus when the walk is so easy – about 30 minutes max.
Finding the Field of Miracles - We miss one of the turns on the Steves map and end up going in a different entrance to the Field of Miracles. No problem. We buy our tickets to the cathedral for $2E each and pop in for a quick visit. It’s another big cathedral loaded with monstrously stunning painted art murals, tombs, gold mosaic ceilings, fanciful pulpits, etc. All of the buildings have a frosted gingerbread look to them that is unique and pretty.
We opt not to walk up the leaning tower or enter anything else but merely wander around watching people in funny photo poses holding up the tower – Bob takes a couple of me doing the same, although I refuse to stand on my head like others do. We wander past the plethora of tourist shops and find a souvenir shirt for Sage. We grab a cheap panini to share ($2.50E) and a coke ($2E) for a lunch on the walk back to the train.
Errands along the Way Back to the Train Station - We get a little lost on our way back into town and end up taking a side street that doesn't get us where we think we should be. Instead we see apartments where students and Pisians(?) live. But no shortcut to town. We backtrack and eventually get headed in the right direction through the walking areas of the main town. Kay can't resist looking at more scarves/table runners and negotiates for a couple with a vendor. These woven bits of fabric continue to be a draw throughout the trip - more of an obsession, actually. Ten of them really are enough for anyone but - oh! - they are so intricate and colorful it is hard not to buy more.
We have determined that we should buy a can of shaving cream as we are about out. As we walk through town, we stop at a pharmacy shop. I ask for "shaving cream" which nets me a blank stare by the pharmacist. So I go through the motions of pointing to Bob and pantomining the act of shaving. They get it - and in reasonably good English tell us to get it at a Tabacchi Shop. Really? Tobacco shop? Sure enough, the tobacco shop - which actually carries all sorts of sundries in addition to cigarettes and newspapers - has some expensive cans of Gillette (about $4E or $6 U.S.).
Shaving cream and table runners stuffed in the backpacks, we go off to collect our baggage and catch the next train for the trip to La Spezia - and subsequently, the train to Manarola.
Stowing Baggage - In the Pisa train station we park our bags in the secure storage check - including our computer and extra camera gear. Perhaps this takes a leap of faith, but we have been assured by many travelers that it is safe. We head out on Rick Steves recommended walk through the city under gray but warm skies. The walk heads over the Arno River (the same one as in Florence?) is wonderful on narrow, picturesque streets that are pedestrian dominated (closed to thru traffic) and filled lots of little shops and restaurants hugging the stone streets. I can’t imagine taking a bus when the walk is so easy – about 30 minutes max.
Finding the Field of Miracles - We miss one of the turns on the Steves map and end up going in a different entrance to the Field of Miracles. No problem. We buy our tickets to the cathedral for $2E each and pop in for a quick visit. It’s another big cathedral loaded with monstrously stunning painted art murals, tombs, gold mosaic ceilings, fanciful pulpits, etc. All of the buildings have a frosted gingerbread look to them that is unique and pretty.
We opt not to walk up the leaning tower or enter anything else but merely wander around watching people in funny photo poses holding up the tower – Bob takes a couple of me doing the same, although I refuse to stand on my head like others do. We wander past the plethora of tourist shops and find a souvenir shirt for Sage. We grab a cheap panini to share ($2.50E) and a coke ($2E) for a lunch on the walk back to the train.
Errands along the Way Back to the Train Station - We get a little lost on our way back into town and end up taking a side street that doesn't get us where we think we should be. Instead we see apartments where students and Pisians(?) live. But no shortcut to town. We backtrack and eventually get headed in the right direction through the walking areas of the main town. Kay can't resist looking at more scarves/table runners and negotiates for a couple with a vendor. These woven bits of fabric continue to be a draw throughout the trip - more of an obsession, actually. Ten of them really are enough for anyone but - oh! - they are so intricate and colorful it is hard not to buy more.
We have determined that we should buy a can of shaving cream as we are about out. As we walk through town, we stop at a pharmacy shop. I ask for "shaving cream" which nets me a blank stare by the pharmacist. So I go through the motions of pointing to Bob and pantomining the act of shaving. They get it - and in reasonably good English tell us to get it at a Tabacchi Shop. Really? Tobacco shop? Sure enough, the tobacco shop - which actually carries all sorts of sundries in addition to cigarettes and newspapers - has some expensive cans of Gillette (about $4E or $6 U.S.).
Shaving cream and table runners stuffed in the backpacks, we go off to collect our baggage and catch the next train for the trip to La Spezia - and subsequently, the train to Manarola.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Florence - Day 2 - June 2, 2010
The Day Begins with a Birk Hunt - Breakfast at Hotel Nuova Italia is wonderful with yogurt, muesli, bananas, plus one frothy cappuchino followed by a chaser of one Americano nero (black coffee). Kay again spends some time on the internet, determined to get the blog and Picasa photos uploaded. Bob is irritated at having to sit inside and wait. Who can blame him? Florence awaits! I had a major sore foot problem yesterday and now I'm determined to buy some Birkenstocks I saw in a nearby shoe store. We tromp there and, oh no! The shoe store is closed - after all, it's Wednesday.
To the Pitti Palace - We head on down toward the major sites past the Duomo. Hordes of tourists are out and it is impossible to tell the difference between Americans, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, etc. Many times throughout the trip we were asked by other Americans or Brits whether we spoke English. It's not that we looked different from Americans, it's just that you really can't stereotype cultures or ethnicities.
I take a picture of a shoe store called "Pusateri's" for a Vancouver friend with that last name. Across the way, it looked like there might be a wedding happening at a church; we hang out in case a bride appears but get tired of waiting. We wander through the huge Piazza Signoria where groups of tourists are thronging and gazing at the fake David and the mammoth Neptune fountain in front of the Palazzo Vecchia, adjacent to the Uffizi Museum. An orchestra is playing a classical piece in the Loggia that adds to the atmosphere. But, we really need to head to the Pitti Palace where the plan is to view art and the palace.
Over Ponte Vecchio and Up to Pitti - Over the Ponte Vecchio we tromp. The much photographed bridge is crammed with stores selling gold, gold, and more gold. Jewelry isn't our thing so we barely give them a glance. A few minutes later and we're at the Pitti. The line isn't long to buy tickets and we are quickly inside and viewing a special Caravaggio exhibit. After that, we proceed through room after room of art - some by people we're familiar with (Rubens) and others who painted incredible stuff during the Renaissance period (I manage to sneak in a photo or two when the guard is either asleep or talking to another guard. What a boring job they have). We also look at room after room of incredible furniture and wall and ceiling décor. They painted everything in those days - and very well, I might add. It was a profitable time in which to be an artist. Every single cathedral and palace is painted, adorned with plaster figures, and gold leafed from top to bottom. In this, they are nearly all the same with degrees of subject matter and ornateness. It is truly breathtaking.
A Bit Drippy - It was a little overcast but too warm for coats when we left in the morning. It sure didn't feel like rain. But, while we were there in the Pitti, oh my, did it pour and thunder. Oh, dear. I'm in Birk sandals and neither of us brought our raincoats. An hour later, it seems to have lessened so we only get a little wet as we leave the Pitti and go back over the Ponte Vecchio. And then the buckets dumped. Crowds of plastic pastel coated tourists pass us. How we wish we could find a plastic poncho for ourselves. A vendor tries to sell us a couple of umbrellas coming down from $10E for two to $2. I've heard that these things are worthless so we refused the bargain. Another vendor finds us and I negotiate two raincoats for $9E. They bring great relief as the rain is now coming down with a vengeance. In my Birk sandals, I try to find the high spots on the cobblestones to avoid puddles.
Fratelli Lunch Stop - We managed to find our way to the infamous Fratelli brothers for $3.50E simple sandwiches (a slice of meat and soft cream cheese) and glasses of wine, munching them while standing in the street under our ponchos. When finished with our wine, we place the glasses (yes, real ones) on the shelves hanging up for collecting them. Again, there is lots of crunchy bread to feed the ever-present pigeons.
We are able to stay under cover for awhile as we head toward Santa Croce Cathedral to kill some time before our Uffizi Gallery reservation at 4 p.m. We pay our fee to enter Santa Croce (about $6E each) and wander around looking at tons of fancy tombs and murals on all the surfaces. It's still raining but we must head to the Uffizi.
Uffuzi Art Gallery - First, we claim our ticket reservation, then we go stand in line to get in. We pick up our tickets and head to door #2 entry. In less than 5 minutes we are hoofing it up two flights of stairs (not a place for the other abled). We pop in our Rick Steves podcast to guide us through the place, which is organized chronologically beginning with the early one-dimensional religious stuff up to the recent art of 300 years ago (Rembrandts, Rubens, and other guys). Lots of marble sculptures, too, by Michelangelo, Bernini, etc.). I tried to take a photo of the beautiful ceiling in the outer corridor hallways and got caught by the photo police. Guy was right behind me and scared the heck out of me. My feet have had it and I move through a lot faster than Bob, who savors all the art along the way. I arrange to meet him in the gift shop where a guard takes pity on me and insists that I sit in her chair.
On the Trail of Dinner and Birks - Voila! The sun has come out while we were inside. So nice not to be dodging mud puddles. We decide to head out for Trattoria Sabatino, a restaurant recommended by both Steves and Jack, an email pal who I corresponded with for travel hints about Italy. This is supposed to be an inexpensive and strictly local hangout in the Oltrarno area, across the Arno River from all main tourist sites.
Off we go heading toward Ponte Vecchio. Oh, but wait! There's a store with the Birks I wanted on display. Rein in the horses! As it turns out, they have my size, they fit, and the price is less than what I would pay stateside. With new Birks in hand, off we go to Trattoria Sabatino.
The sun is getting lower in the sky casting a golden glow on the Arno and Ponte Vecchio so we stop - along with locals and other tourists - to take memorable photos from bridges further down the river. Finally, after winding through neighborhoods and feeling conspicuous as the only tourists in sight, we find the Trattoria. Obviously, since the place is recommended by Rick Steves, the owners are used to seeing clumpy tourists appear on their doorstep. One outspoken young woman/cammamiere (waitress) interprets a couple of selections from the sparse menu. We both end up with noodles (spaghetti and tagliatelle - flat egg noodles) with ragu (meat sauce), insalata misto (mixed salad), a half liter of red (rosso vino de la casa) house wine, and a dolce (dessert) to share that is delicious. The total is about our cheapest meal (except for those we skip) of $12E. Besides the hearty food, we have been entertained by the Italian families who have come in for their own dinner. What a charming experience!
Buona Notte - On the way back to Hotel Nuova we hit up Gelateria Carrozze for a Steves-recommended gelato stop. [Honestly, except for Gelateria Grom and Bridge Town in Rome (which I will describe later), all the gelaterias seem to be the same. You get 2 to 3 flavors in a medium size cup for $2.30 to $3 E.]
Once again, I try to upload items to the blog, download the day's photos, and hit the sack long after Bob is deep into sleep.
To the Pitti Palace - We head on down toward the major sites past the Duomo. Hordes of tourists are out and it is impossible to tell the difference between Americans, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, etc. Many times throughout the trip we were asked by other Americans or Brits whether we spoke English. It's not that we looked different from Americans, it's just that you really can't stereotype cultures or ethnicities.
I take a picture of a shoe store called "Pusateri's" for a Vancouver friend with that last name. Across the way, it looked like there might be a wedding happening at a church; we hang out in case a bride appears but get tired of waiting. We wander through the huge Piazza Signoria where groups of tourists are thronging and gazing at the fake David and the mammoth Neptune fountain in front of the Palazzo Vecchia, adjacent to the Uffizi Museum. An orchestra is playing a classical piece in the Loggia that adds to the atmosphere. But, we really need to head to the Pitti Palace where the plan is to view art and the palace.
Over Ponte Vecchio and Up to Pitti - Over the Ponte Vecchio we tromp. The much photographed bridge is crammed with stores selling gold, gold, and more gold. Jewelry isn't our thing so we barely give them a glance. A few minutes later and we're at the Pitti. The line isn't long to buy tickets and we are quickly inside and viewing a special Caravaggio exhibit. After that, we proceed through room after room of art - some by people we're familiar with (Rubens) and others who painted incredible stuff during the Renaissance period (I manage to sneak in a photo or two when the guard is either asleep or talking to another guard. What a boring job they have). We also look at room after room of incredible furniture and wall and ceiling décor. They painted everything in those days - and very well, I might add. It was a profitable time in which to be an artist. Every single cathedral and palace is painted, adorned with plaster figures, and gold leafed from top to bottom. In this, they are nearly all the same with degrees of subject matter and ornateness. It is truly breathtaking.
A Bit Drippy - It was a little overcast but too warm for coats when we left in the morning. It sure didn't feel like rain. But, while we were there in the Pitti, oh my, did it pour and thunder. Oh, dear. I'm in Birk sandals and neither of us brought our raincoats. An hour later, it seems to have lessened so we only get a little wet as we leave the Pitti and go back over the Ponte Vecchio. And then the buckets dumped. Crowds of plastic pastel coated tourists pass us. How we wish we could find a plastic poncho for ourselves. A vendor tries to sell us a couple of umbrellas coming down from $10E for two to $2. I've heard that these things are worthless so we refused the bargain. Another vendor finds us and I negotiate two raincoats for $9E. They bring great relief as the rain is now coming down with a vengeance. In my Birk sandals, I try to find the high spots on the cobblestones to avoid puddles.
Fratelli Lunch Stop - We managed to find our way to the infamous Fratelli brothers for $3.50E simple sandwiches (a slice of meat and soft cream cheese) and glasses of wine, munching them while standing in the street under our ponchos. When finished with our wine, we place the glasses (yes, real ones) on the shelves hanging up for collecting them. Again, there is lots of crunchy bread to feed the ever-present pigeons.
We are able to stay under cover for awhile as we head toward Santa Croce Cathedral to kill some time before our Uffizi Gallery reservation at 4 p.m. We pay our fee to enter Santa Croce (about $6E each) and wander around looking at tons of fancy tombs and murals on all the surfaces. It's still raining but we must head to the Uffizi.
Uffuzi Art Gallery - First, we claim our ticket reservation, then we go stand in line to get in. We pick up our tickets and head to door #2 entry. In less than 5 minutes we are hoofing it up two flights of stairs (not a place for the other abled). We pop in our Rick Steves podcast to guide us through the place, which is organized chronologically beginning with the early one-dimensional religious stuff up to the recent art of 300 years ago (Rembrandts, Rubens, and other guys). Lots of marble sculptures, too, by Michelangelo, Bernini, etc.). I tried to take a photo of the beautiful ceiling in the outer corridor hallways and got caught by the photo police. Guy was right behind me and scared the heck out of me. My feet have had it and I move through a lot faster than Bob, who savors all the art along the way. I arrange to meet him in the gift shop where a guard takes pity on me and insists that I sit in her chair.
On the Trail of Dinner and Birks - Voila! The sun has come out while we were inside. So nice not to be dodging mud puddles. We decide to head out for Trattoria Sabatino, a restaurant recommended by both Steves and Jack, an email pal who I corresponded with for travel hints about Italy. This is supposed to be an inexpensive and strictly local hangout in the Oltrarno area, across the Arno River from all main tourist sites.
Off we go heading toward Ponte Vecchio. Oh, but wait! There's a store with the Birks I wanted on display. Rein in the horses! As it turns out, they have my size, they fit, and the price is less than what I would pay stateside. With new Birks in hand, off we go to Trattoria Sabatino.
The sun is getting lower in the sky casting a golden glow on the Arno and Ponte Vecchio so we stop - along with locals and other tourists - to take memorable photos from bridges further down the river. Finally, after winding through neighborhoods and feeling conspicuous as the only tourists in sight, we find the Trattoria. Obviously, since the place is recommended by Rick Steves, the owners are used to seeing clumpy tourists appear on their doorstep. One outspoken young woman/cammamiere (waitress) interprets a couple of selections from the sparse menu. We both end up with noodles (spaghetti and tagliatelle - flat egg noodles) with ragu (meat sauce), insalata misto (mixed salad), a half liter of red (rosso vino de la casa) house wine, and a dolce (dessert) to share that is delicious. The total is about our cheapest meal (except for those we skip) of $12E. Besides the hearty food, we have been entertained by the Italian families who have come in for their own dinner. What a charming experience!
Buona Notte - On the way back to Hotel Nuova we hit up Gelateria Carrozze for a Steves-recommended gelato stop. [Honestly, except for Gelateria Grom and Bridge Town in Rome (which I will describe later), all the gelaterias seem to be the same. You get 2 to 3 flavors in a medium size cup for $2.30 to $3 E.]
Once again, I try to upload items to the blog, download the day's photos, and hit the sack long after Bob is deep into sleep.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Florence - Day 1 - June 1, 2010
Travel to Florence - We're up about 6 a.m., which was an early start for an evening that ended late with the misadventure to the cute and colorful island of Burano. We rushed through breakfast at Al Campaniel and hot-footed it off to the train station where we easily find our train and seats, thanks to Bob?s study of the system (a challenge in Italy - systems). It is crowded with lots of tourists - mostly young Americans around us - and a couple of young Japanese gals who have absurdly huge suitcases that Bob muscled around for them. The train ride to Florence is smooth through green country with the Dolomites in the distance ? nothing unusual and not dissimilar to the Willamette Valley except for the square white, gold, gray, and peach-colored plaster houses with their terracotta roofs. I use the time to write about our Venice adventures.
Arrival in Florence - We arrive in Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence within about two smooth hours (about 11:30 am) and promptly buy our tickets for Pisa. I am anxious to get out of there for fear of gypsies. The tunnel to the street has me most worried and, from the descriptions in guidebooks, it sounds like one must dash through a gauntlet of pickpockets just lying in wait to snag valuables off tourists. Only one harmless gypsy came up muttering something to me and moved quickly along as I deliberately turned my back to her. Other than that, no one jostled or bumped us, no one looked like a bum, a drunk, or a pickpocket in disguise as a tourist or businessperson. I felt completely safe. We didn't quite come out of the right tunnel but eventually - and easily with a map - made it to our 2-star hotel, Nuova Italia. There are throngs of tourists and people everywhere and we do not stand out as weirdo, American baboons - another fear of mine.
Hotel Check in - Our reservations at Nuova Italia have all been handled via email about six months ago and reconfirmed at least a couple of times. At Nuova Italia, Daniella spoke perfect English and quickly checked us into room 16, which is located up two flights of concrete steps. As usual, it is good to have light luggage as there is no elevator and we must haul everything up the stairs. The room is reasonably nice with decent beds (1 queen + 1 twin), armoire, clean bath w/large shower tiled in red, and a desk. The windows face a narrow and busy walking street which is noisy all day and night (as we soon later discover). We keep our windows (double paned to shut out noise) shut. At night, we discover we can request A/C (later, when meeting up with Justin, our friend and guide in Rome, we learn that the hotels pay quite a surcharge for using A/C - for clothes driers, people pay a 100% use tax - which is why no one has a dryer and everyone hangs their clothes on lines affixed to their buildings) and we also are able to access wireless internet - yaay!
Exploring Florence - We dump off our suitcases and, with not a minute to waste, we're off for the afternoon. We are very close to the mercato (market) and outdoor vendors with scarves, sunglasses, leather goods and the like, so we stroll through there on our way to the large domed Medici Chapel. Once inside we look at lots of antiquities - mostly of the religious variety. There's a beautiful chapel to see (murals, paintings, statuary, gilded surfaces) and then we head upstairs to the tomb of the Medici family all designed by Michelangelo. He had his hand in all art and carvings there. Like all Renaissance tombs in churches and chapels, these are massive. They're constructed of granite, marble, and draped with plaster angels, etc. We don't linger too long as we are off to the Medici-Riccardi Palace. Like most palaces, the exterior is nothing much to rave about (which is why I seldom take an exterior picture) as all the money is spent on the interior for the enjoyment of the residents - including an interior, grassy courtyard. After tromping up a couple of flights of interior stone staircases, we view Renaissance art of all types.
What's for lunch? - We head to the indoor mercato where there are supposed to be places to buy sandwiches and picnic items. We really weren't prepared for a picnic and we end up fumbling our way through ordering sandwiches from Perini, a deli recommended by Rick Steves. My few Italian words haven't kicked in yet and I couldn't even remember the word for sandwich (panini). The guy helping us spoke a few and he said, "you want sandwiches (nod - si)? What kind? (oh dear, what to say) Something of everything?? (whew - he guessed right). He hands one to me and says, "Here. Bite." We end up with two beautiful and very crunchy panini filled with fatty meat (proschiutto), parmagiano doused in balsalmic, and marinated dried tomatoes. We head off to a nearby piazza, sit in the sun and munch away feeding an awful lot of the crunchy bread to the eager pigeons. We down the panini with water from our bottles having refused to pay $8E for a small bottle of Coke (Whaaat? $10 for a 16 oz. Coke? What dummy pays that??)
Post-lunch wandering - After lunch we wander down a few blocks to the Santa Maria del Fiore gothic cathedral (aka Duomo). It's about 3 p.m. and, although there were huge crowds in the piazza, there was no line for the Duomo and we walk in for a free visit. As Bob put it, the designer put all the money into the lacy and frothy green-colored exterior - which is usually the opposite of that the designers do. This translates to a cavernous - but basic - interior with the first dome built since ancient Roman times. "del Fiore" means "of the flower" so the exterior fits the name.
It's gelato time and Florence is filled with seemingly hundreds of gelato places. But we are after one recommended by both Rick Steves and Bob's colleague who recently passed through Florence. At last, we stumble onto Grom which is supposed serve only organic gelato. Yeah, ok, sounds like a PR ploy to me. I guess the cows aren't fed hormones. Other than that, there's not much to gelato that isn't natural.
Accademia and Mr. D - We contemplate climbing the Duomo but my feet hurt and it's time to head to the Accademia for our reserved time of 4:45 pm. We had requested the Hotel Nuova Italia to reserve tickets for us for the Accademia and Uffizi which eliminates waiting in any lines. We paid for the tickets (in cash) when we checked into the hotel at a cost of $14E per person per ticket.
Once inside the Accademia, we popped on our Rick Steves podcast which brought everything to life and gave our visit some focus. These narrated tours are extremely helpful (along with his guidebooks and maps). The first site we take in is himself, Signore David. There he is in all his naked glory under a windowed dome that casts a glowing light on him. Oh my, the crowds and tour groups abound and there is no quiet reflection or admiration to be had. Nevertheless, we get to sit up close and personal.
I noticed a couple of people successfully snapping a quick photo and a few more hapless souls who get caught by the bellowing NO PHOTO!!!! guard. As soon as she is off chasing them, I sneak behind a column and grab my own quick shots. I bump up the ISO to 1600 and set the light meter so that I can do so with no flash. There's really no reason one can't take a photo other than it would get out of hand with tons of flashes going off and there would be fewer postcards sold in the bookstore. The rest of the Accademia is filled with statutes, sculptures, Renaissance painting by famous people, and a musical instrument museum. We pay our due respects and exit.
We head back toward the outside market vendors and I browse some large scarves (which I use on tables at home) similar to those Bob brought home from China. But, oh, the colors! And reasonable at $5E each. Quite different and lovely. I want, I want. But not yet.
Dinner time - We find a corner wine bar and sit on the sidewalk to have a couple of glasses. Next, we decide to search out a Rick Steves restaurant in the Mercato area and thus, stumble into Trattoria Za Za. We're one of the early birds - which is a good thing as we get a quick table per due per favore (for 2, please) outside under the large tent awnings. We order a half carafe of house red and out it comes with a basket of very chewy - but not flavorful - bread (we request some of the oil and balsamic vinegar that we notice others getting for dunking the bread). In addition, we order for $12E a large plate of antipasti of meats, cheese, olives, dried tomatoes, and artichoke. We nosh on that before the main order comes. I feel safest with pizza so end up with one that has ham, mushrooms, pesto, and a truffle sauce that is yummy! Bob orders a large salad and both come at the same time so that we can share them. Obviously, ZaZa's is on the tourist map as many Americans, Brits, Germans, etc. show up. Although ZaZa's is touted as a local hangout, there's no way a local would be caught dead here!
Bob is dying for a carbonated beverage and we ask the hostess for a market location. She is surprised that we're looking for something open - "at this hour," she says (It's about 7:30 pm.). But, she directs us to a nearby supermercado that is also in Steves book. It's a busy little place with women shopping for dinner.
Like a rabbit warren, the sections wind through the bottom of a large, old building. Obviously, they expand into spaces wherever they can acquire it. Bob finds some cold diet Coke for $.77E and is pleased with the price. We each get one and gulp it down like we?ve been stranded on an island for a week. Aaaah! Cold drinks!
At the end of the day - Back to Nuova Italia. Bob nods off while I toil away on the internet and get to bed later than I should. (At the time of this writing, we are actually on the train to Pisa. With long days will with sightseeing and church/museum hopping, there is little time for writing during the days where we're touring.)
Arrival in Florence - We arrive in Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence within about two smooth hours (about 11:30 am) and promptly buy our tickets for Pisa. I am anxious to get out of there for fear of gypsies. The tunnel to the street has me most worried and, from the descriptions in guidebooks, it sounds like one must dash through a gauntlet of pickpockets just lying in wait to snag valuables off tourists. Only one harmless gypsy came up muttering something to me and moved quickly along as I deliberately turned my back to her. Other than that, no one jostled or bumped us, no one looked like a bum, a drunk, or a pickpocket in disguise as a tourist or businessperson. I felt completely safe. We didn't quite come out of the right tunnel but eventually - and easily with a map - made it to our 2-star hotel, Nuova Italia. There are throngs of tourists and people everywhere and we do not stand out as weirdo, American baboons - another fear of mine.
Hotel Check in - Our reservations at Nuova Italia have all been handled via email about six months ago and reconfirmed at least a couple of times. At Nuova Italia, Daniella spoke perfect English and quickly checked us into room 16, which is located up two flights of concrete steps. As usual, it is good to have light luggage as there is no elevator and we must haul everything up the stairs. The room is reasonably nice with decent beds (1 queen + 1 twin), armoire, clean bath w/large shower tiled in red, and a desk. The windows face a narrow and busy walking street which is noisy all day and night (as we soon later discover). We keep our windows (double paned to shut out noise) shut. At night, we discover we can request A/C (later, when meeting up with Justin, our friend and guide in Rome, we learn that the hotels pay quite a surcharge for using A/C - for clothes driers, people pay a 100% use tax - which is why no one has a dryer and everyone hangs their clothes on lines affixed to their buildings) and we also are able to access wireless internet - yaay!
Exploring Florence - We dump off our suitcases and, with not a minute to waste, we're off for the afternoon. We are very close to the mercato (market) and outdoor vendors with scarves, sunglasses, leather goods and the like, so we stroll through there on our way to the large domed Medici Chapel. Once inside we look at lots of antiquities - mostly of the religious variety. There's a beautiful chapel to see (murals, paintings, statuary, gilded surfaces) and then we head upstairs to the tomb of the Medici family all designed by Michelangelo. He had his hand in all art and carvings there. Like all Renaissance tombs in churches and chapels, these are massive. They're constructed of granite, marble, and draped with plaster angels, etc. We don't linger too long as we are off to the Medici-Riccardi Palace. Like most palaces, the exterior is nothing much to rave about (which is why I seldom take an exterior picture) as all the money is spent on the interior for the enjoyment of the residents - including an interior, grassy courtyard. After tromping up a couple of flights of interior stone staircases, we view Renaissance art of all types.
What's for lunch? - We head to the indoor mercato where there are supposed to be places to buy sandwiches and picnic items. We really weren't prepared for a picnic and we end up fumbling our way through ordering sandwiches from Perini, a deli recommended by Rick Steves. My few Italian words haven't kicked in yet and I couldn't even remember the word for sandwich (panini). The guy helping us spoke a few and he said, "you want sandwiches (nod - si)? What kind? (oh dear, what to say) Something of everything?? (whew - he guessed right). He hands one to me and says, "Here. Bite." We end up with two beautiful and very crunchy panini filled with fatty meat (proschiutto), parmagiano doused in balsalmic, and marinated dried tomatoes. We head off to a nearby piazza, sit in the sun and munch away feeding an awful lot of the crunchy bread to the eager pigeons. We down the panini with water from our bottles having refused to pay $8E for a small bottle of Coke (Whaaat? $10 for a 16 oz. Coke? What dummy pays that??)
Post-lunch wandering - After lunch we wander down a few blocks to the Santa Maria del Fiore gothic cathedral (aka Duomo). It's about 3 p.m. and, although there were huge crowds in the piazza, there was no line for the Duomo and we walk in for a free visit. As Bob put it, the designer put all the money into the lacy and frothy green-colored exterior - which is usually the opposite of that the designers do. This translates to a cavernous - but basic - interior with the first dome built since ancient Roman times. "del Fiore" means "of the flower" so the exterior fits the name.
It's gelato time and Florence is filled with seemingly hundreds of gelato places. But we are after one recommended by both Rick Steves and Bob's colleague who recently passed through Florence. At last, we stumble onto Grom which is supposed serve only organic gelato. Yeah, ok, sounds like a PR ploy to me. I guess the cows aren't fed hormones. Other than that, there's not much to gelato that isn't natural.
Accademia and Mr. D - We contemplate climbing the Duomo but my feet hurt and it's time to head to the Accademia for our reserved time of 4:45 pm. We had requested the Hotel Nuova Italia to reserve tickets for us for the Accademia and Uffizi which eliminates waiting in any lines. We paid for the tickets (in cash) when we checked into the hotel at a cost of $14E per person per ticket.
Once inside the Accademia, we popped on our Rick Steves podcast which brought everything to life and gave our visit some focus. These narrated tours are extremely helpful (along with his guidebooks and maps). The first site we take in is himself, Signore David. There he is in all his naked glory under a windowed dome that casts a glowing light on him. Oh my, the crowds and tour groups abound and there is no quiet reflection or admiration to be had. Nevertheless, we get to sit up close and personal.
I noticed a couple of people successfully snapping a quick photo and a few more hapless souls who get caught by the bellowing NO PHOTO!!!! guard. As soon as she is off chasing them, I sneak behind a column and grab my own quick shots. I bump up the ISO to 1600 and set the light meter so that I can do so with no flash. There's really no reason one can't take a photo other than it would get out of hand with tons of flashes going off and there would be fewer postcards sold in the bookstore. The rest of the Accademia is filled with statutes, sculptures, Renaissance painting by famous people, and a musical instrument museum. We pay our due respects and exit.
We head back toward the outside market vendors and I browse some large scarves (which I use on tables at home) similar to those Bob brought home from China. But, oh, the colors! And reasonable at $5E each. Quite different and lovely. I want, I want. But not yet.
Dinner time - We find a corner wine bar and sit on the sidewalk to have a couple of glasses. Next, we decide to search out a Rick Steves restaurant in the Mercato area and thus, stumble into Trattoria Za Za. We're one of the early birds - which is a good thing as we get a quick table per due per favore (for 2, please) outside under the large tent awnings. We order a half carafe of house red and out it comes with a basket of very chewy - but not flavorful - bread (we request some of the oil and balsamic vinegar that we notice others getting for dunking the bread). In addition, we order for $12E a large plate of antipasti of meats, cheese, olives, dried tomatoes, and artichoke. We nosh on that before the main order comes. I feel safest with pizza so end up with one that has ham, mushrooms, pesto, and a truffle sauce that is yummy! Bob orders a large salad and both come at the same time so that we can share them. Obviously, ZaZa's is on the tourist map as many Americans, Brits, Germans, etc. show up. Although ZaZa's is touted as a local hangout, there's no way a local would be caught dead here!
Bob is dying for a carbonated beverage and we ask the hostess for a market location. She is surprised that we're looking for something open - "at this hour," she says (It's about 7:30 pm.). But, she directs us to a nearby supermercado that is also in Steves book. It's a busy little place with women shopping for dinner.
Like a rabbit warren, the sections wind through the bottom of a large, old building. Obviously, they expand into spaces wherever they can acquire it. Bob finds some cold diet Coke for $.77E and is pleased with the price. We each get one and gulp it down like we?ve been stranded on an island for a week. Aaaah! Cold drinks!
At the end of the day - Back to Nuova Italia. Bob nods off while I toil away on the internet and get to bed later than I should. (At the time of this writing, we are actually on the train to Pisa. With long days will with sightseeing and church/museum hopping, there is little time for writing during the days where we're touring.)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Venice-Day 2 - May 31, 2010
We’re ready about 8:30 to have breakfast in the B&B with Marco. I emailed back and forth several times with Marco to set up the reservation so it is fun to meet him. He is a tall, reserved fellow who definitely has this B&B business under control. The operation is obviously well managed and the rooms are clean.
We head up to the third floor for breakfast. Marco asks if we would like orange juice but I think the adjoining table has grapefruit. We discover the orange juice is made from blood oranges. Yum! There is a bowl of cornflakes accompanied with cappuchino, marmalade-filled croissants, a slice of ham and cheese. Plenty of fuel for the morning.
Frari Church – part 1 – We have enough time to visit Frari Church using our San Marco pass before heading over to San Marco square. Unfortunately, they are not open for tours as a funeral has been held. We are in time to see the casket covered in pink roses carried out to a waiting boat hearse. Attendees are gathered in the square comforting each other. I spot a 40-ish man with red eyes receiving lots of hugs and a young woman in her 20s. Oh, dear. I’m guessing his wife and her mother might have passed away. And here they are, sharing their grief with the tourists – me snapping documentary photos and a group of students who are sketching the church. A sad thing to witness.
Secret Itineraries - We have just enough time to check in at the Doges Palace to pick up our ticket for a tour we booked online called, “Secret Itineraries.” It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the Doges Palace and some of the accompanying gossip. It is all very interesting and we see the jail cell where the intrepid Casanova spent time and escaped from. After 90 minutes, we are released to wander about the primary rooms of the palace gazing once again on magnificent ceilings and walls adorned with paintings by Titian and some of his colleagues, framed in gaudy gilt and rococo. Lots of marble and granite everywhere. It is truly magnificent and overwhelming. The art, goodness, the art. Most of it is from the Renaissance period so there the paintings are filled with people, angels, wars, and allegories that, well, you had to be there at the time to “get it.”
Lunch by the water – We’re hungry and it is high time to refuel. After crossing the Rialto Bridge to the other side of the water, we decide to grab a spot at one of the touristy restaurants. They advertised pizza but only handed us the “expensive” menus. When I asked for pizza, they begrudgingly brought that menu over. We shared a salad and pizza accompanied by nice white wine and views of gondolas and boats jostling for space to pass under the Rialto. Obviously, we paid a premium for our spot as the bill was about $50E. We’ve got to bring down the price on these meals!
Ca’ Rezzonico – OMG! Look at the time! We’ve got two more places to see that are included in our San Marco Pass and only about two hours of time until they close. We trot off the alleyways to find Ca’ Rezzonico (Ca’ stands for casa = really big house just short of a palace variety). We steer ourselves wrong multiple times down deadends and over wrong bridges, but finally get there. Wouldn’t you know? It’s another grand palace filled with tons of art and murals and gold stuff. The best part is on the top floor where there is an actual art gallery but best of all, a peekaboo view at a picture perfect scene. Now that’s exciting! But, no time to linger longer. One more sight to see.
Frari Church – part 2 – We hoof it off to Frari Church, which is actually in the B&B neighborhood so we don’t take quite as many wrong turns. The church is fabulous. Really different. We have Rick Steves’ podcasts to listen to so these provide a lot of historical facts and explanations about the art – which makes the whole experience more memorable. The church is typical Catholic with lots of ornate tombs lining the walls; they are glorious pieces of art but I have to question how the grandeur of these tombs fits with the St. Francis of Assisi’s beliefs about simplicity. They seem a wee bit self serving to me. The piece de resistance is a spectacular work by Titian – The Assumption of Mary. Actually, the entire church is really quite wonderful and its simplicity makes it grand. It is tabbed the Franciscan “Church of the Brothers” and was built as a place for commoners to gather and worship. I light a candle and said a blessing for all those who have come before me and all those who will come after me – may their journeys be a testament to the glory of all that is kind, good, and righteous.
The Grand Canal Tour – Another Rick Steves’ must is to take the Grand Canal tour from top to bottom – for which he provides a wonderful narration. We fast track it to the ferrovia (train station) and the first vaporetto stop. After buying a 12-hour pass (I have another adventure in mind), we leap onto the vaporetto and another dream comes true! We get to sit on the very front of the boat on the left side; the optimum spot according the Steves. Indeed, I am in seventh heaven with my trusty camera. There’s a thingy in my way on the boat so I decide to stand up for a better view. Uh oh. Busted. The captain raps on the window at me and there, in plain sight is the sign that says not to stand up. On Steves tape, he jokes about standing up to see what the captain will do – but says, no, better not. Unfortunately, I did stood up before that part on the tape. I took so many photos I ran out of card space and had to switch to another 8 gig. It was a heavenly ride. The weather was stunning. Not too hot, clear blue sky and, at this time of day, the sun is getting lower and casting a golden glow on the buildings.
The Burano Adventure – I convince Bob to maximize our vaporetto pass and grab a boat to Murano because a buddy has insisted it is just a stunning place to visit and to do so late in the day when everything else is closed. Bob is not convinced that this is a good use of time and that the sun is setting faster than the boat will get us there. As we get to Murano, on the boat hops a young man who I ask about getting off at the Faro vaporetto stop. Young man says in perfect English, “Why go to Murano when Burano is the best place to go.” Well, Rick Steves likes it better there, too. I’m game but Bob is very worried about vaporetto schedules and getting stuck out there all night. But, the young fellow and I confirm schedules that the boats run 24 hours and no problem. But hmmmm, as we head on the LN boat to Burano, the sun is truly setting and this boat isn’t exactly speedy.
We get to Burano and Bob confirms schedules. We either get the next boat in 10 minutes or 30 minutes or 60 minutes. We speed walk into the doll-like town where houses are small and painted brilliant colors. Oh, my! Beautiful! Even in the low light I manage to catch a few snaps. And there is definitely a wild cat population on Burano so that adds to my delight. But, boy oh boy, the sidewalks have rolled up and there is hardly a peep to be heard. And it’s getting dark. We get back in time to wait for the 30-minute boat and the night descends into black. Oh, geeze. Finally, the boat comes and it’s now about 9:30. Back to the Faro stop where we have to wait for the 51 boat – we’ve been told by the burly, barely English-speaking guy who throws the rope from the boat to the dock. And wait, and worry. At last it comes and it’s now about 10:45. It’s seems like a long ride back to the San Marco square stop, especially because the route this boat takes is around a different side of Venice - which, of course, has us worried about where we’ll end up. We’re very glad to get off that boat.
Walking through San Marco Square we see some of the night action and the “dueling” orchestras, but the crowds are definitely thin and people have headed off to bed. By this time, not many restaurants are open and Bob has definitely lost his appetite for dinner. We get back to the B&B by 11:30. Dinner is 3 pieces of cheese, 2 crackers, and a baggie of dried fruit we snagged at the Sky Lounge (be prepared is our motto and it’s good to have a stock of food for emergencies like this). Bob can drop off to sleep immediately, but I have to read myself to sleep. And it wasn’t very good at that. I was really regretting the unfortunate end to our last day in Venice.
We head up to the third floor for breakfast. Marco asks if we would like orange juice but I think the adjoining table has grapefruit. We discover the orange juice is made from blood oranges. Yum! There is a bowl of cornflakes accompanied with cappuchino, marmalade-filled croissants, a slice of ham and cheese. Plenty of fuel for the morning.
Frari Church – part 1 – We have enough time to visit Frari Church using our San Marco pass before heading over to San Marco square. Unfortunately, they are not open for tours as a funeral has been held. We are in time to see the casket covered in pink roses carried out to a waiting boat hearse. Attendees are gathered in the square comforting each other. I spot a 40-ish man with red eyes receiving lots of hugs and a young woman in her 20s. Oh, dear. I’m guessing his wife and her mother might have passed away. And here they are, sharing their grief with the tourists – me snapping documentary photos and a group of students who are sketching the church. A sad thing to witness.
Secret Itineraries - We have just enough time to check in at the Doges Palace to pick up our ticket for a tour we booked online called, “Secret Itineraries.” It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the Doges Palace and some of the accompanying gossip. It is all very interesting and we see the jail cell where the intrepid Casanova spent time and escaped from. After 90 minutes, we are released to wander about the primary rooms of the palace gazing once again on magnificent ceilings and walls adorned with paintings by Titian and some of his colleagues, framed in gaudy gilt and rococo. Lots of marble and granite everywhere. It is truly magnificent and overwhelming. The art, goodness, the art. Most of it is from the Renaissance period so there the paintings are filled with people, angels, wars, and allegories that, well, you had to be there at the time to “get it.”
Lunch by the water – We’re hungry and it is high time to refuel. After crossing the Rialto Bridge to the other side of the water, we decide to grab a spot at one of the touristy restaurants. They advertised pizza but only handed us the “expensive” menus. When I asked for pizza, they begrudgingly brought that menu over. We shared a salad and pizza accompanied by nice white wine and views of gondolas and boats jostling for space to pass under the Rialto. Obviously, we paid a premium for our spot as the bill was about $50E. We’ve got to bring down the price on these meals!
Ca’ Rezzonico – OMG! Look at the time! We’ve got two more places to see that are included in our San Marco Pass and only about two hours of time until they close. We trot off the alleyways to find Ca’ Rezzonico (Ca’ stands for casa = really big house just short of a palace variety). We steer ourselves wrong multiple times down deadends and over wrong bridges, but finally get there. Wouldn’t you know? It’s another grand palace filled with tons of art and murals and gold stuff. The best part is on the top floor where there is an actual art gallery but best of all, a peekaboo view at a picture perfect scene. Now that’s exciting! But, no time to linger longer. One more sight to see.
Frari Church – part 2 – We hoof it off to Frari Church, which is actually in the B&B neighborhood so we don’t take quite as many wrong turns. The church is fabulous. Really different. We have Rick Steves’ podcasts to listen to so these provide a lot of historical facts and explanations about the art – which makes the whole experience more memorable. The church is typical Catholic with lots of ornate tombs lining the walls; they are glorious pieces of art but I have to question how the grandeur of these tombs fits with the St. Francis of Assisi’s beliefs about simplicity. They seem a wee bit self serving to me. The piece de resistance is a spectacular work by Titian – The Assumption of Mary. Actually, the entire church is really quite wonderful and its simplicity makes it grand. It is tabbed the Franciscan “Church of the Brothers” and was built as a place for commoners to gather and worship. I light a candle and said a blessing for all those who have come before me and all those who will come after me – may their journeys be a testament to the glory of all that is kind, good, and righteous.
The Grand Canal Tour – Another Rick Steves’ must is to take the Grand Canal tour from top to bottom – for which he provides a wonderful narration. We fast track it to the ferrovia (train station) and the first vaporetto stop. After buying a 12-hour pass (I have another adventure in mind), we leap onto the vaporetto and another dream comes true! We get to sit on the very front of the boat on the left side; the optimum spot according the Steves. Indeed, I am in seventh heaven with my trusty camera. There’s a thingy in my way on the boat so I decide to stand up for a better view. Uh oh. Busted. The captain raps on the window at me and there, in plain sight is the sign that says not to stand up. On Steves tape, he jokes about standing up to see what the captain will do – but says, no, better not. Unfortunately, I did stood up before that part on the tape. I took so many photos I ran out of card space and had to switch to another 8 gig. It was a heavenly ride. The weather was stunning. Not too hot, clear blue sky and, at this time of day, the sun is getting lower and casting a golden glow on the buildings.
The Burano Adventure – I convince Bob to maximize our vaporetto pass and grab a boat to Murano because a buddy has insisted it is just a stunning place to visit and to do so late in the day when everything else is closed. Bob is not convinced that this is a good use of time and that the sun is setting faster than the boat will get us there. As we get to Murano, on the boat hops a young man who I ask about getting off at the Faro vaporetto stop. Young man says in perfect English, “Why go to Murano when Burano is the best place to go.” Well, Rick Steves likes it better there, too. I’m game but Bob is very worried about vaporetto schedules and getting stuck out there all night. But, the young fellow and I confirm schedules that the boats run 24 hours and no problem. But hmmmm, as we head on the LN boat to Burano, the sun is truly setting and this boat isn’t exactly speedy.
We get to Burano and Bob confirms schedules. We either get the next boat in 10 minutes or 30 minutes or 60 minutes. We speed walk into the doll-like town where houses are small and painted brilliant colors. Oh, my! Beautiful! Even in the low light I manage to catch a few snaps. And there is definitely a wild cat population on Burano so that adds to my delight. But, boy oh boy, the sidewalks have rolled up and there is hardly a peep to be heard. And it’s getting dark. We get back in time to wait for the 30-minute boat and the night descends into black. Oh, geeze. Finally, the boat comes and it’s now about 9:30. Back to the Faro stop where we have to wait for the 51 boat – we’ve been told by the burly, barely English-speaking guy who throws the rope from the boat to the dock. And wait, and worry. At last it comes and it’s now about 10:45. It’s seems like a long ride back to the San Marco square stop, especially because the route this boat takes is around a different side of Venice - which, of course, has us worried about where we’ll end up. We’re very glad to get off that boat.
Walking through San Marco Square we see some of the night action and the “dueling” orchestras, but the crowds are definitely thin and people have headed off to bed. By this time, not many restaurants are open and Bob has definitely lost his appetite for dinner. We get back to the B&B by 11:30. Dinner is 3 pieces of cheese, 2 crackers, and a baggie of dried fruit we snagged at the Sky Lounge (be prepared is our motto and it’s good to have a stock of food for emergencies like this). Bob can drop off to sleep immediately, but I have to read myself to sleep. And it wasn’t very good at that. I was really regretting the unfortunate end to our last day in Venice.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Venice - Day 1 - May 30, 2010
Arrival at Marco Polo Airport - After a smooth flight, we landed in Venice at about 9 a.m. Interesting to see the area from the air. There are a lot of waterways down there so it is understandable how Venice came to be built on a series of islands (to allow residents to more easily defend from marauders). The airport is clean and modern. We find our way easily to the information booth to buy 2 ATVO blue bus tickets to take us into Piazzale Roma at $3E each.
Cashing In - We decided to do what everyone suggests and play the airport ATM machine for euros. Unfortunately, no machine (we tried two) would accept either of our cards. We had called the credit card companies to tell them we were traveling in Italy. What is going on?? Thankfully, we had purchased euros stateside so we had some money but we were very worried about getting more. We tried to call one company collect and somehow that didn’t work.
ATVO to Venice - It’s time to hop on the bus and head to Venice. The bus is good, the ride is fine, and when we crossed the long waterway over to Venice, we knew we were almost there – anticipating what it would look like. The major bus transport area is adjacent to the train station. We had looked at area web cams at home and knew we would need to cross over a long arching bridge to the train station. Because we had both slept on the plane, we were quite fresh and ready to tackle purchasing our train tickets for the trip to Florence. No problem with that one and we were able to use a credit for the charge.
To the B&B - Off to find Al Campaniel B&B. Off down the narrow, twisting, winding stone streets. Up and over a couple of bridges over canals. The thing to keep in mind is that all the bridges are a series of stairs – totally incompatible with rolling suitcases. Thankfully, we had limited ourselves to one carry-on suitcase and a small backpack each. Mine was a roll-on and Bob’s was a backpack suitcase. We purposely planned it that way so that Bob could heave Kay’s suitcase as necessary. It was a good plan.
Although we could have taken a vaporetto to the San Toma stop near the B&B, it would have taken longer and the walk was both faster and closer. We had also looked at webcams for the location of the B&B, so we knew what the street would look like and the entrance to the B&B – across from a chocolate shop. We ring the bell on the nondescript door and voila! it opens to reveal a friendly face in small entry. We are able to get into our room immediately and heave our suitcases up the stairs. The room is very nice. Not huge but not teensy. It is clean, two windows, armoire, desk w/chair, 2 good sitting chairs clean bathroom with decent shower. We are one floor up from the street and overlook the chocolate shop.
Wired to Heaven - Blissfully, the B&B has wireless so Bob hops right onto Skype with the netbook to call the credit card companies and, long story (rather long) short, we are able to use one of the cards to get cash. Yaay! Huge relief. Moral of that story is to always try your cards stateside before taking any trip (Note: we’ve never had this problem before and it was unexpected.).
First Impressions - Wow! Venice is ever so charming. Through the narrow winding streets, bridge after bridge over tiny canals, past monstrous former palaces now occupied by tiny shops on the street level with living quarters above. Boats are parked much like cars on the tiny waterways. Water laps at the base of the large stone and brick buildings that rim the canals with zero clearance between them. The architecture definitely has a Byzantine, gothic, renaissance combo look with lots of the red tile roofs. Laundry hangs out to dry. Flower boxes drip with ivy, purple petunias, and red and pink geraniums. The scent of jasmine filters through the air. Birds sing their happy songs and pigeons coo. Since it is Sunday, people are out walking a wide assortment of dogs and children on their tiny bikes. We notice an absence of cats and later learn that wild cats don’t exist in Venice any more. The waterways, which are reputed to stink, don’t. A few drops of rain fall but not enough for an umbrella or even a coat as it is warm. Soon, the drops disappear and the sky is blue and beautiful with weather in the high 60s/low 70s.
Traghetto Trip - To reach San Marco square – the biggie for tourist attractions, we decide to hop a traghetto for $1E, which is a gondola that crosses the Grand Canal. The traghetto rowers are baudy and noisy as they grunt, bellow at each other, and row their passengers across – kind of an Italian style Laurel and Hardy show. It takes maybe 5 minutes and we are hoofing our way to hopefully run into San Marco Square.
Hunt for Lunch - We watch the corners of buildings for the painted arrows that point to San Marco. Lunch is a good idea but it seems daunting to order. Nevertheless, we stop at one of many sandwich places where Kay points to a couple of pre-mades which are thrown on a grill (Panini, I’m sure) to toast them up. Of course, we must have wine and, even though there is a menu, I feel the press of the crowds in line behind and order 2 pino grigio. I have no idea how much all this will be but I understand the amount and fork over $20E. Not exactly cheap but it’s ok. The shop owner asks if we want to sit at a table and shoos off a couple of gondoliers. Maybe we paid extra for this privilege – I’m not sure. Zero atmosphere but at least we were fortified for afternoon adventures. An Italian gentleman apologized for having his back to us. He was being friendly and he told us that he and his wife are from Genoa. All the months of taking Italian lessons and listening to tapes don’t seem to have implanted the language in my brain. I am basically speechless for the lack of words to express myself but we wear our friendly smiles.
Buying San Marco Pass - We make it to St. Mark’s Square and try to orient ourselves using the handy Rick Steves’ guidebook. We’re looking for the Correr Museum which is the recommended place - no line - for purchasing the “San Marco Pass.” This will give us admission to several museums including the ones on our hot list - the Correr, Doge Palace, Frari Church, and Ca’ Rezzonico. After orienteering ourselves, we discover that the Correr is actually right up the stairs where there is no line at all.
Tick Tock - We are helped by a fellow who has a major tick – as in flicking his head quickly and randomly. At first I thought he was just being silly and almost opened my mouth to say something stupid. He had his glasses hanging off one ear and every time he ticked (which was constantly), they would swing around in front of his face. You’d think the guy would know it looked pretty silly but then – maybe it was simply part of his cachet. Glad I kept my mouth shut and figured out the poor fellow couldn’t help himself.
Correr Museum - We wandered through a special art exhibit of a contemporary Romanian artist, Safet Zec. Wow. We loved everything he did. I sneaked a couple of photos when the guard left the room pumping up the ISO to 1600 so no flash was needed. That worked so well, I tried a photo in another room. The guard yelled at me so loud – NO PHOTO! I swear I hit the 50’ tall ceiling I jumped so high. We visit the other rooms and exhibits and palace rooms which are filled with artworks by Titian, Caraveggio and many other Renaissance artists. After awhile, all that fabulous art becomes a blur.
The rooms are sumptuous with ceiling murals, often framed in heavy gold along with angels, demons, busts, other things of plaster adorning the ceiling. I try to imagine what it would be like to live in this place swishing around in elegant skirts, but it is hard to identify. Besides, I’d probably be a scullery maid. We pass through other magnificent rooms filled with the usual assortment of medieval weaponry and armor and statuary. After a good 70 minutes, we feel we have paid our respect to history and head off to perhaps see how long the line to St. Mark’s Basilica will be.
St. Mark’s Square - We wander through the huge square where children chase pigeons, tourists feed them and allow them to alight on their arms, all the while hoping to escape a poop bomb. I am prepared - if bombed - to resist wiping it out of my hair immediately. Steves said to let it dry and then it will flake out. Oh, gross! It is my biggest fear to end up with wet poop in my hair. Restaurants line the square with tables and chairs set out in anticipation of diners. After winding our way past souvenir stands and taking never ending photos, we decide to give the Basilica line a try. After all, it is the Steves’ recommended late afternoon timeframe and, indeed, the line seems to move rather quickly.
Into the Basilica - The Basilica is truly amazing. On our I-pods, we listen to the downloaded Rick Steves’ podcast descriptions of the place. They really add to the knowledge and enjoyment of everything. Mosaics are everywhere – glittering gold lining the ceilings and domes, shades of gray, marble, and terracotta patterns line the uneven, rolling floor. There is so much to absorb and look at. It is all inspiring, especially given the age of the place – circa 1300-1400 – depending also on renovations, fires, etc.
Up on the Loggia - We don’t pay extra to see the golden altarpiece or the treasury. I don’t know how much more overwhelmedness I can handle. We pay extra to hike upstairs to the loggia, San Marco museum and view the original bronze horses from the 4th century B.C. (they have been replaced by replicas on the exterior). Once again, I risk my life to take photos along the way of interior sights. Since I don’t use a flash, I’m not caught. We go outside to enjoy the loggia and view of St. Mark’s Square. We’re chilling out and listening to Steves’ podcast when it becomes apparent that the place is closing and we need to vamoose before they lock us inside. A couple of tourists to take photos of us while we return the favor. We wandered off onto the waterfront. As we wind through the back streets, we pop into a small church, Santa Maria Formosa, that was lovely and filled with art.
Rialto & Gelato – It’s after 5 p.m. so many tourist sites and museums are closed. We head for the freebies like Rialto Bridge. But first, it is high time for gelato, a long-anticipated treat at a Steves’ recommended place, La Boutique del Gelato. We limit ourselves each to a 2-scoop serving for $2E. The scoops are small and we’re not quite satisfied so we get another two scoops to share from a different place a few doors down that is just as good as La Boutique. Sigh – hazelnut, vanilla, coffee, strawberry, coconut, pistachio - can’t say a bad thing about any of them. The Rialto Bridge is perfect for watching the boat traffic on the Grand Canal. How can all these different boats exist and get anywhere? But they do. Gondolas thread their way dangerously through small motorboats, boat taxis, the ever-present vaporettos (which are like city buses only waterborne), construction boats filled with tools and boards, delivery boats with refrigerators and other appliances, and so on. All of them are out there jockeying for position on the swampy, gunk-filled waterways.
We head back to the room for a little R&R. Bob snoozes and Kay downloads pictures and fusses with the blog which she is dismayed to find has been shut down for some unknown violation. After more time trying to get things up and running, we wander out in search of dinner. While we could have looked for a recommended Steves’ place, we bag it and just wander since we’re tired of trying to find streets and locations. After much perusing, we end up at a Restaurant San Toma in a small square close to the B&B. The tables are outside with lighting around them, several people are there already, and we hope it is a good bet. Restaurants are not my favorite thing to deal with but the waiter speaks a little English and the menu is translated so that feels comfortable.
On the trail of Commissario Brunnetti - Before the trip, we had read several books by Donna Leon, all of which are set in Venice with the protagonist, Commissario Brunnetti. We are fans of the books and Brunnetti favors an evening grappa with his wife, Paola. We see his favorite flower shop, Biancat; and the police headquarters with boats. I tried a grappa and Bob orders a half bottle of house red along with lasagna al forno. I order a pizza with smoked cheese, sausage, and arugula, and we share everything. The bill comes to about $50E which seems like a lot of money for dinner. We never spend that kind of money back home. I guess that’s why we do it on our travels.
It’s about 10:00 and we’re tired. I decided to deal with the blog and internet another day.
Cashing In - We decided to do what everyone suggests and play the airport ATM machine for euros. Unfortunately, no machine (we tried two) would accept either of our cards. We had called the credit card companies to tell them we were traveling in Italy. What is going on?? Thankfully, we had purchased euros stateside so we had some money but we were very worried about getting more. We tried to call one company collect and somehow that didn’t work.
ATVO to Venice - It’s time to hop on the bus and head to Venice. The bus is good, the ride is fine, and when we crossed the long waterway over to Venice, we knew we were almost there – anticipating what it would look like. The major bus transport area is adjacent to the train station. We had looked at area web cams at home and knew we would need to cross over a long arching bridge to the train station. Because we had both slept on the plane, we were quite fresh and ready to tackle purchasing our train tickets for the trip to Florence. No problem with that one and we were able to use a credit for the charge.
To the B&B - Off to find Al Campaniel B&B. Off down the narrow, twisting, winding stone streets. Up and over a couple of bridges over canals. The thing to keep in mind is that all the bridges are a series of stairs – totally incompatible with rolling suitcases. Thankfully, we had limited ourselves to one carry-on suitcase and a small backpack each. Mine was a roll-on and Bob’s was a backpack suitcase. We purposely planned it that way so that Bob could heave Kay’s suitcase as necessary. It was a good plan.
Although we could have taken a vaporetto to the San Toma stop near the B&B, it would have taken longer and the walk was both faster and closer. We had also looked at webcams for the location of the B&B, so we knew what the street would look like and the entrance to the B&B – across from a chocolate shop. We ring the bell on the nondescript door and voila! it opens to reveal a friendly face in small entry. We are able to get into our room immediately and heave our suitcases up the stairs. The room is very nice. Not huge but not teensy. It is clean, two windows, armoire, desk w/chair, 2 good sitting chairs clean bathroom with decent shower. We are one floor up from the street and overlook the chocolate shop.
Wired to Heaven - Blissfully, the B&B has wireless so Bob hops right onto Skype with the netbook to call the credit card companies and, long story (rather long) short, we are able to use one of the cards to get cash. Yaay! Huge relief. Moral of that story is to always try your cards stateside before taking any trip (Note: we’ve never had this problem before and it was unexpected.).
First Impressions - Wow! Venice is ever so charming. Through the narrow winding streets, bridge after bridge over tiny canals, past monstrous former palaces now occupied by tiny shops on the street level with living quarters above. Boats are parked much like cars on the tiny waterways. Water laps at the base of the large stone and brick buildings that rim the canals with zero clearance between them. The architecture definitely has a Byzantine, gothic, renaissance combo look with lots of the red tile roofs. Laundry hangs out to dry. Flower boxes drip with ivy, purple petunias, and red and pink geraniums. The scent of jasmine filters through the air. Birds sing their happy songs and pigeons coo. Since it is Sunday, people are out walking a wide assortment of dogs and children on their tiny bikes. We notice an absence of cats and later learn that wild cats don’t exist in Venice any more. The waterways, which are reputed to stink, don’t. A few drops of rain fall but not enough for an umbrella or even a coat as it is warm. Soon, the drops disappear and the sky is blue and beautiful with weather in the high 60s/low 70s.
Traghetto Trip - To reach San Marco square – the biggie for tourist attractions, we decide to hop a traghetto for $1E, which is a gondola that crosses the Grand Canal. The traghetto rowers are baudy and noisy as they grunt, bellow at each other, and row their passengers across – kind of an Italian style Laurel and Hardy show. It takes maybe 5 minutes and we are hoofing our way to hopefully run into San Marco Square.
Hunt for Lunch - We watch the corners of buildings for the painted arrows that point to San Marco. Lunch is a good idea but it seems daunting to order. Nevertheless, we stop at one of many sandwich places where Kay points to a couple of pre-mades which are thrown on a grill (Panini, I’m sure) to toast them up. Of course, we must have wine and, even though there is a menu, I feel the press of the crowds in line behind and order 2 pino grigio. I have no idea how much all this will be but I understand the amount and fork over $20E. Not exactly cheap but it’s ok. The shop owner asks if we want to sit at a table and shoos off a couple of gondoliers. Maybe we paid extra for this privilege – I’m not sure. Zero atmosphere but at least we were fortified for afternoon adventures. An Italian gentleman apologized for having his back to us. He was being friendly and he told us that he and his wife are from Genoa. All the months of taking Italian lessons and listening to tapes don’t seem to have implanted the language in my brain. I am basically speechless for the lack of words to express myself but we wear our friendly smiles.
Buying San Marco Pass - We make it to St. Mark’s Square and try to orient ourselves using the handy Rick Steves’ guidebook. We’re looking for the Correr Museum which is the recommended place - no line - for purchasing the “San Marco Pass.” This will give us admission to several museums including the ones on our hot list - the Correr, Doge Palace, Frari Church, and Ca’ Rezzonico. After orienteering ourselves, we discover that the Correr is actually right up the stairs where there is no line at all.
Tick Tock - We are helped by a fellow who has a major tick – as in flicking his head quickly and randomly. At first I thought he was just being silly and almost opened my mouth to say something stupid. He had his glasses hanging off one ear and every time he ticked (which was constantly), they would swing around in front of his face. You’d think the guy would know it looked pretty silly but then – maybe it was simply part of his cachet. Glad I kept my mouth shut and figured out the poor fellow couldn’t help himself.
Correr Museum - We wandered through a special art exhibit of a contemporary Romanian artist, Safet Zec. Wow. We loved everything he did. I sneaked a couple of photos when the guard left the room pumping up the ISO to 1600 so no flash was needed. That worked so well, I tried a photo in another room. The guard yelled at me so loud – NO PHOTO! I swear I hit the 50’ tall ceiling I jumped so high. We visit the other rooms and exhibits and palace rooms which are filled with artworks by Titian, Caraveggio and many other Renaissance artists. After awhile, all that fabulous art becomes a blur.
The rooms are sumptuous with ceiling murals, often framed in heavy gold along with angels, demons, busts, other things of plaster adorning the ceiling. I try to imagine what it would be like to live in this place swishing around in elegant skirts, but it is hard to identify. Besides, I’d probably be a scullery maid. We pass through other magnificent rooms filled with the usual assortment of medieval weaponry and armor and statuary. After a good 70 minutes, we feel we have paid our respect to history and head off to perhaps see how long the line to St. Mark’s Basilica will be.
St. Mark’s Square - We wander through the huge square where children chase pigeons, tourists feed them and allow them to alight on their arms, all the while hoping to escape a poop bomb. I am prepared - if bombed - to resist wiping it out of my hair immediately. Steves said to let it dry and then it will flake out. Oh, gross! It is my biggest fear to end up with wet poop in my hair. Restaurants line the square with tables and chairs set out in anticipation of diners. After winding our way past souvenir stands and taking never ending photos, we decide to give the Basilica line a try. After all, it is the Steves’ recommended late afternoon timeframe and, indeed, the line seems to move rather quickly.
Into the Basilica - The Basilica is truly amazing. On our I-pods, we listen to the downloaded Rick Steves’ podcast descriptions of the place. They really add to the knowledge and enjoyment of everything. Mosaics are everywhere – glittering gold lining the ceilings and domes, shades of gray, marble, and terracotta patterns line the uneven, rolling floor. There is so much to absorb and look at. It is all inspiring, especially given the age of the place – circa 1300-1400 – depending also on renovations, fires, etc.
Up on the Loggia - We don’t pay extra to see the golden altarpiece or the treasury. I don’t know how much more overwhelmedness I can handle. We pay extra to hike upstairs to the loggia, San Marco museum and view the original bronze horses from the 4th century B.C. (they have been replaced by replicas on the exterior). Once again, I risk my life to take photos along the way of interior sights. Since I don’t use a flash, I’m not caught. We go outside to enjoy the loggia and view of St. Mark’s Square. We’re chilling out and listening to Steves’ podcast when it becomes apparent that the place is closing and we need to vamoose before they lock us inside. A couple of tourists to take photos of us while we return the favor. We wandered off onto the waterfront. As we wind through the back streets, we pop into a small church, Santa Maria Formosa, that was lovely and filled with art.
Rialto & Gelato – It’s after 5 p.m. so many tourist sites and museums are closed. We head for the freebies like Rialto Bridge. But first, it is high time for gelato, a long-anticipated treat at a Steves’ recommended place, La Boutique del Gelato. We limit ourselves each to a 2-scoop serving for $2E. The scoops are small and we’re not quite satisfied so we get another two scoops to share from a different place a few doors down that is just as good as La Boutique. Sigh – hazelnut, vanilla, coffee, strawberry, coconut, pistachio - can’t say a bad thing about any of them. The Rialto Bridge is perfect for watching the boat traffic on the Grand Canal. How can all these different boats exist and get anywhere? But they do. Gondolas thread their way dangerously through small motorboats, boat taxis, the ever-present vaporettos (which are like city buses only waterborne), construction boats filled with tools and boards, delivery boats with refrigerators and other appliances, and so on. All of them are out there jockeying for position on the swampy, gunk-filled waterways.
We head back to the room for a little R&R. Bob snoozes and Kay downloads pictures and fusses with the blog which she is dismayed to find has been shut down for some unknown violation. After more time trying to get things up and running, we wander out in search of dinner. While we could have looked for a recommended Steves’ place, we bag it and just wander since we’re tired of trying to find streets and locations. After much perusing, we end up at a Restaurant San Toma in a small square close to the B&B. The tables are outside with lighting around them, several people are there already, and we hope it is a good bet. Restaurants are not my favorite thing to deal with but the waiter speaks a little English and the menu is translated so that feels comfortable.
On the trail of Commissario Brunnetti - Before the trip, we had read several books by Donna Leon, all of which are set in Venice with the protagonist, Commissario Brunnetti. We are fans of the books and Brunnetti favors an evening grappa with his wife, Paola. We see his favorite flower shop, Biancat; and the police headquarters with boats. I tried a grappa and Bob orders a half bottle of house red along with lasagna al forno. I order a pizza with smoked cheese, sausage, and arugula, and we share everything. The bill comes to about $50E which seems like a lot of money for dinner. We never spend that kind of money back home. I guess that’s why we do it on our travels.
It’s about 10:00 and we’re tired. I decided to deal with the blog and internet another day.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
First Leg to Venice - May 29, 2010
We got up at o'dark 30 this morning - that's 2:45 a.m. Unfortunately, there was so much to be done to get ready that we didn't hit the sack until about 11 p.m. Pretty hard to catch any winks. The airport shuttle was, unfortunately, 10 minutes early and we had planned to be ready right at 4 a.m., the pick up time. So he had to wait a bit as we made final collections and buttoned up the house and the cats. Gallagher was spoiled with an early morning breakfast. Wonder if he will beg another from Joyce when she comes over.
We snoozed a lot on the 5-hour Delta trip to Atlanta - smooth sailing all the way. I would have signed onto the internet through the plane's wifi but couldn't quite justify the $13 fee. Because of Bob's membership in the platinum club, we got to hang out in the airport in the Sky Club with complimentary refreshments and snacks. Certainly quite a privilege and treat - not one I ever expected to experience. All those trips to China came with a nice bonus.
So that's all to report so far. Waiting for the boarding to Venice at 5 p.m. for the 10-hour flight to Venice. Sleeping is the plan so we can be fresh and ready to hit the cobblestones for a full day of site-seeing and work off the snacks we're enjoying!
Not sure when I'll be on next. Internet access could be illusory!
Buona Sera!
We snoozed a lot on the 5-hour Delta trip to Atlanta - smooth sailing all the way. I would have signed onto the internet through the plane's wifi but couldn't quite justify the $13 fee. Because of Bob's membership in the platinum club, we got to hang out in the airport in the Sky Club with complimentary refreshments and snacks. Certainly quite a privilege and treat - not one I ever expected to experience. All those trips to China came with a nice bonus.
So that's all to report so far. Waiting for the boarding to Venice at 5 p.m. for the 10-hour flight to Venice. Sleeping is the plan so we can be fresh and ready to hit the cobblestones for a full day of site-seeing and work off the snacks we're enjoying!
Not sure when I'll be on next. Internet access could be illusory!
Buona Sera!
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