Today was largely a travel day, with one three-hour train ride to the Cinque Terre (Five Lands), a collection of wonderful little villages on the coast of Italy.
On our walk back to Milano Centrale, we stopped by a bank to use the ATM (bancomat). This was our first time ever using a foreign ATM, so the whole time we had our fingers crossed that we wouldn’t run into an issue. All went well and while we got enough cash to last the rest of the trip, we were surprised to get a pair of 50s in the mix. Hopefully, one of our hotels can break them for us.
We stopped at a cafe in the station and grabbed a muffin (muffin in Italian is muffin) and a couple of frolles (like donuts with apples inside) for the rails. We’re getting to be old hands at train travel by this point, so all was going pretty smoothly.
That is until it was time to board. Talk about a fiasco! First of all, the cars were ordered in reverse. Usually, the higher the number, the further down the platform you go. But this time the higher numbered cars were closer. Second, every car had a big #2 on the side. The actual number was on a little tiny sign stuck behind the door window.
Because of this, dozens people got on the wrong car and either got in the wrong seat, or couldn’t find their seats. This was especially for challenging for all the Asian tourists who didn’t speak much English or Italian. Our car was chock full of confused people blocking the aisles. It took me forever to get through and make it to our seats.
Marsha had just managed to squeeze through before I got stuck, but was having trouble getting her suitcase into the overhead. Fortunately, she got some help from a fellow passenger, a semi-retired Argentinian professor who was traveling Europe with his wife.
Eventually, people figured out where they were supposed to be and I finally made it to my seat. Because of the seating assignments I’ve mentioned previously, Marsha and I were supposed to sit across from each other, with a table in between. But so were the Argentinian couple, so we just swapped so that both couples could sit side-by-side.
I’d planned to get caught up on my blog (why I’m so far behind), but we enjoyed their company so much we spent the whole three hours talking about children, grandchildren, and most especially, travel! They’d just returned from Istanbul and were now touring more of Italy. Once again, we compared notes about where we were going and where we’d been. They also told us all about Argentina and showed us some incredible places to visit. Have to say, it’s definitely on our list now.
The other tricky thing about this train ride was finding our stop. Normally, there’s a video screen and/or announcements (in English and Italian) telling which station you’re approaching. But this train had nothing. And for some reason, the GPS on my phone wasn’t getting a signal. And from where we were sitting, we couldn’t see any of the station signs until after we left.
Luckily, our companions could. Plus, they were getting off exactly one stop before us. After they disembarked, my GPS started working again. And I’d watched the time, so I was reasonably certain that we were at the right station when we hopped off in Monterosso al Mare.
Our train misadventures for the day continued when the platform (and even the stairs) was so full of people we could barely get out. Had no idea why there was so many people everywhere, but it was all we could do to shove our way through and find our way downstairs and out of the station.
Once we made it to the street, we found ourselves in yet another paradise! We were right on the beach, which though small, was full of sunbathers, swimmers, umbrellas, and little cabanas. And cafes. Lots of cafes.
The hike to the hotel was mostly flat and easy-going except for all the pedestrians (still, nothing like the station) and the occasional taxi. Here again, you think there’s no cars here until one comes honking behind you.
All was good until we reached the driveway (which looked more like a path) to our hotel, the Royal Victoria. To say there was a slight incline would be a gross understatement. It just kept going up and up and up. And it curves around the side of the mountain. And just when you think you’ve reached the peak, it keeps going up some more.
And it was still hot. Not as hot as it had been, but still hot nonetheless.
We’d made it up about a quarter of the way, dragging our suitcases, and were starting to slow down. I suggested that we stop for a minute and Marsha readily agreed. At this point, we still didn’t know just how bad the climb was.
Fortunately, some fellow hotel guests were right behind us and one of them helpfully informed us that, back down at the bottom of the hill, there’s an intercom to call the front desk. They’ll send a shuttle down to get you. He even went back down with us and made the call himself. This man is a Saint!
Marsha and I figured the van must be coming via some back route, and kept looking back towards town for the van. But instead, a little tiny van came flying (and honking) down the twisting driveway. Our wonderful driver (who spoke little English) grabbed our bags and drove us back up. I worried he wouldn’t have enough speed to make it as he honked and slowed down for the pedestrians, but he did. And he carried our bags up to the lobby. Another Saint!
Our room is tiny, but slightly bigger than the one on Lake Como. We’re on the third floor and have a huge balcony (which I’m convinced is bigger than our actual room) overlooking the Ligurian Sea. And let me tell you that once again, the view is absolutely breathtaking!
Monaco and France (Canne, Nice) are directly across from us on the other side, but there’s no sign of land whatsoever. Thought we might at least get a glimpse, but no such luck. The Ligurian is much bigger than I expected.
After we got settled and relaxed a while on our ginormous balcony (did I mention the view is incredible?), it was time to head out for some dinner. The places closest to our hotel (including the restaurant in our hotel), seemed a little dressy. We found something more casual down by the beach with tables overlooking the water. The food wasn’t the best (Marsha didn’t even like the dessert) and our server was nonexistent. Which was a shame, because the server who’s section was next to use was working like a Trojan. Wish we’d gotten her instead.
I needed some change for the tip. Usually, service is included in Italy, but not always. And when you do tip, you have to do it in cash. I’d been trying to figure out how to ask for change in Italian, so I went to the bar to change a five. I’d gotten the verb wrong, but the bartender was nice enough to correct me. So when I try break one of my 50s, I’ll be better prepared. It’s a learning experience.
After dinner, Marsha got some gelato (again, not great, but better than our dessert) and we made the moonlit hike back up to the hotel. Much easier without luggage!
We spent the evening sitting on the balcony, listening to a band down on the beach. They played both Italian songs (none of which I recognized) and popular American songs, alternating the lyrics in both Italian and English. It was just like being in Epcot. Except the view was a whole lot better!
Ciao!
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Day 13: Double Bucket List Day
You ever have one of those perfect days? Where everything just falls into place and gets better and better as the day goes on? Well, I’m here to tell you that today was just such a day.
First off, we slept in. Didn’t leave the room until noon, which felt great! Both of us needed the rest. And by the way, it feels odd doing the remainder of the trip without Madison (now home safely in LA), but we’re still enjoying the daylights out of it.
Since Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and Marsha loves fashion (after getting hooked on Project Runway), we wanted to do something fashion-oriented (her bucket list item). Every Internet search came up with two things: the Museo Morando, which has a couple of exhibits on fashion (but isn’t exclusively dedicated to it), and the shopping area where all the major stores are: Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Jimmo Choo, and every other high-end label.
But Marsha kept searching and finally found one other good candidate: the Armani museum. Plus, we had dinner reservations on the ATMosfera trolley, and had to make sure we ended up there. So we debated on which order to do them and how to get around (subway or cab). The Armani museum (Armani Silos) is a little far out, but not as far from the Museo Morando and the shopping district, which were close together. In the end, we decided to just walk it all because we really wanted to take in the city.
We started with the Museo Morando, which was the perfect first choice. It’s in an old palace and has lots of paintings, statues, and other objects. Which we mostly skipped because Marsha was there for the clothes. They had two really good special exhibits. The first was a huge collection of garments that incorporated writing into the design. Some of these were a little bizarre and reminded us of the unconventional materials challenges on Project Runway. But others were really elegant. In the end, we went through it twice.
The second exhibit was upstairs and my favorite of the two. Italian actress Rosanna Schiaffino, whose career spanned from 1956-1977 (the clothes went all the way into the 90s), donated her entire wardrobe to the museum. It was fascinating to see the progression of styles from the various designers she favored over the decades. And how she actually used fashion to manipulate her image (being seen as more than a sex symbol) with regards to the Italian press. Plus, in addition to the actual clothes, they had many photos from when she’d worn them decades ago. It inspired me to want to seek out some of her films.
From there we toured the shopping district, which is called the “golden triangle” (and is actually rectangular) and went past many of the high-end stores. The only one we actually went into was Jimmy Choo. I would have waited outside, but the last time I did that (in Beverly Hills), I missed seeing Bo Derek (but mainly because I was too busy looking at my phone). No celebrity sightings this time, though the young salesgirl who greeted us was right behind us every time we turned around. Even when we went downstairs. Since no one followed the teenagers who were also in the store, I assume it was because she was hoping to make a sale.
Next we popped into the Disney Store (but of course!) and almost bought a couple of things, but the line at the register was too long. This one was more like a US Disney Store. Aside from the signs and music in Italian, there wasn’t anything uniquely Italian about it, unlike the previous two. I also noticed that all the Mickey merchandise actually said “Mickey” and not Topolino, his original name in Italy.
We realized that we were close to the Duomo. We could actually see it in the distance from where we were standing, so we headed over there to take a gander.
We still had a long walk ahead of us to the Armani Museum, so we didn’t attempt to go inside. We did take in the piazza, though, which was full of pigeons. These birds were fearless. They would constantly fly past your head or just wander in your path. It’s a miracle that we never stepped on one.
Then we made the hike to the Armani Museum. I didn’t shell out the ten bucks for Internet, so I used my phone’s GPS (one of the best travel hacks I’ve learned) to guide us there. Only missed one turn, which put us on the wrong side of the railroad tracks. In not a great-looking neighborhood. But Marsha had shelled out for Internet, so she got us back on track (no pun intended). A few streets later we found ourselves in a much, much nicer area with a million motorcycles parked on the sidewalk (parking on the sidewalk seems to be very big in Milan, even for cars).
Marsha and I were both very glad that we’d done the Museo Morando first. Because as much as we enjoyed it, it definitely would’ve been a let-down compared to Armani. This was EXACTLY what she wanted to see on our visit to Milan (bucket list item #1, not including Italy, which was a bucket list item by itself). Three floors of Armani clothes, arranged according to theme, and spanning three decades (80s until the near-present).
We also got the audio tour, which came on a little handheld device with audio, pictures, and a map. This was great, except for a couple of little details. The numbering on the audio tour didn’t match the numbering of the exhibits (took us a few minutes to realize they were independent) and the lighting on the photos (very bright) didn’t match the exhibits (very dark), so some of the garments looked completely different. But that was all very minor (and made it a bit of a game), because Marsha was in Fashion Heaven! Literally!
Some of the clothes were incredible, and it really helped that we’ve seen so much Project Runway (and Devil Wears Prada) to better understand the artistry involved. We also loved the space (very industrial) and especially the minimalist mannequins (several of which had been customized) so that the emphasis was solely on the garments themselves. And we appreciated that Armani designs for both men and women, sometimes creating clothes that go together.
After we’d done the first two floors, we headed upstairs to the last floor, which was the one to which I was most looking forward: Stars. These were clothes that Armani had designed for celebrities. I was really hoping that there’d be at least a couple of the suits he’d designed for The Untouchables (in my top two of movies, along with The Godfather).
But when we got upstairs, there was some other kind of exhibit. There was another woman we’d seen repeatedly throughout the museum, and she was wandering lost, too. The three of of asked a staff member where to go, and he explained that the Stars section had been removed for a temporary exhibit.
Well that was a bummer. So then the three of us compared notes about where we’d been and where we were going next in Italy (a lot of the same places, different order). And for the first time Marsha and I felt like the traveling class, just wandering around the country, enjoying the best that Europe has to offer. Surely a glimpse into our future.
Even though we didn’t get to see the Stars section, the Armani Museum was everything that Marsha had hoped it would be. We even went back to the two previous floors so that she could look at some of the garments again and take more pictures. LOTS of pictures. The fact that she loved it so much was the best part of all.
I’d noticed on the map that Armani was close to the river, which looked like a really cool area. And Marsha LOVES walking by a river. Unfortunately, when we left, we were so excited about the museum that I completely forgot about the river. So we made the long hike towards Sforzesco Castle, outside of which we were to meet our dinner trolley in a few hours.
We were really glad we opted to do so much walking. Yes, it was a long way, but it allowed us to take in the real Milan. Once we got out of the area where we’re staying, we got to see more of the Old World Italy we were expecting. The buildings were just beautiful, especially all of the plants on the outside.
We also popped by Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. It was getting towards the end of the day and we were really hoping we might be able to see it. They only let in a limited number of people a day and it books out way in advance. When I tried to book it two months out, it was already sold out. No luck on that, but at least we got to see the outside of the church.
When we got to the castle, we thought about going in, but instead opted to just sit in the courtyard. There was a band practicing for their evening show and they were pretty good. Right as we left to get a photo of a nearby arch outside the castle grounds, they closed all the gates and kicked everyone out.
Which was just fine for us, because as soon as we walked back around to the front of the castle to look for our trolley, it pulled right up!
During the same season of The Amazing Race where they went to Lake Como, they first went to Milan. It was during this leg that teams had to ride the ATMmosfera dinner trolley and look for three particular signs, all while dining on a three-course meal. As soon as we decided to add Milan to our trip, this was top of our list! Plus, one of my bucket list items has been to eat dinner on a train. Technically, we’d done that already in Pennsylvania, but the food was only okay and the route went past a bunch of cow farms after they’d spread manure. This, on the other hand, was the perfect experience. Bucket list item #2!
This was, without a doubt, one of the greatest experiences we’ve ever had. They have three menus from which to choose, which you select on booking: meat, fish, or vegetable. The meat menu had tartare and rabbit, so I went with the fish (hoped they wouldn’t change it out on me at the last minute and throw in octopus). Marsha had vegetable. Our biggest concern was that the experience would be better than the food (like in PA). We needn’t have worried. The food was absolutely incredible! And there was plenty of it. And then some!
Once they got everyone on board, we were off. Our meal was actually four courses (dessert being the fourth), but started with a selection of finger foods, rolls, and Prosecco. We had one server who took care of everyone (in addition to one chef in the tiny kitchen and the driver) and she was fantastic. She described every dish in English for Marsha and Italian for me. And they were all incredible! We’d wondered if the food wouldn’t live up to the experience, but it easily surpassed our expectations. Even Marsha’s vegetable dishes were amazing. And along with all the amazing food was an endless supply of wine.
The route took us all around Milan and, fortunately, past some sights that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Like the river! After the first hour, we came full circle back to where we started. They steered us into a nearby side street where we stopped for a break. Here we got to meet the driver and chef, and stretch our legs for a few minutes before heading out for the remaining courses.
The second route duplicated some of the first, but also took us through some different areas. It was also great seeing the city as the sun went down. One of the best parts was seeing the reactions of people on the street as we passed by and stopped at intersections. Many took pictures and some even took video.
We eventually made it back to the castle again where our incredible journey had begun. We were stuffed to the gills, but many of our fellow diners were still opening bottles of wine. The meal was a little pricey, but considering the experience, the food, and the endless supply of wine, easily well worth it.
We gave our server an extra tip, which meant that we didn’t have enough cash for cab fare. Before we leave town tomorrow, we’ve got to stop by an ATM and get some more. We weren’t sure about getting back on the metro, so we just opted to walk back. My battery was getting low and I hadn’t sprung for Internet, but I managed to steer us back to the Duomo and the shopping district just fine. From there it was an easy trek back to the hotel, with only a couple of blocks that looked a little sketchy. It was quite the relief once we’d made it back to the room.
Ciao!
First off, we slept in. Didn’t leave the room until noon, which felt great! Both of us needed the rest. And by the way, it feels odd doing the remainder of the trip without Madison (now home safely in LA), but we’re still enjoying the daylights out of it.
Since Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and Marsha loves fashion (after getting hooked on Project Runway), we wanted to do something fashion-oriented (her bucket list item). Every Internet search came up with two things: the Museo Morando, which has a couple of exhibits on fashion (but isn’t exclusively dedicated to it), and the shopping area where all the major stores are: Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Jimmo Choo, and every other high-end label.
But Marsha kept searching and finally found one other good candidate: the Armani museum. Plus, we had dinner reservations on the ATMosfera trolley, and had to make sure we ended up there. So we debated on which order to do them and how to get around (subway or cab). The Armani museum (Armani Silos) is a little far out, but not as far from the Museo Morando and the shopping district, which were close together. In the end, we decided to just walk it all because we really wanted to take in the city.
We started with the Museo Morando, which was the perfect first choice. It’s in an old palace and has lots of paintings, statues, and other objects. Which we mostly skipped because Marsha was there for the clothes. They had two really good special exhibits. The first was a huge collection of garments that incorporated writing into the design. Some of these were a little bizarre and reminded us of the unconventional materials challenges on Project Runway. But others were really elegant. In the end, we went through it twice.
The second exhibit was upstairs and my favorite of the two. Italian actress Rosanna Schiaffino, whose career spanned from 1956-1977 (the clothes went all the way into the 90s), donated her entire wardrobe to the museum. It was fascinating to see the progression of styles from the various designers she favored over the decades. And how she actually used fashion to manipulate her image (being seen as more than a sex symbol) with regards to the Italian press. Plus, in addition to the actual clothes, they had many photos from when she’d worn them decades ago. It inspired me to want to seek out some of her films.
From there we toured the shopping district, which is called the “golden triangle” (and is actually rectangular) and went past many of the high-end stores. The only one we actually went into was Jimmy Choo. I would have waited outside, but the last time I did that (in Beverly Hills), I missed seeing Bo Derek (but mainly because I was too busy looking at my phone). No celebrity sightings this time, though the young salesgirl who greeted us was right behind us every time we turned around. Even when we went downstairs. Since no one followed the teenagers who were also in the store, I assume it was because she was hoping to make a sale.
Next we popped into the Disney Store (but of course!) and almost bought a couple of things, but the line at the register was too long. This one was more like a US Disney Store. Aside from the signs and music in Italian, there wasn’t anything uniquely Italian about it, unlike the previous two. I also noticed that all the Mickey merchandise actually said “Mickey” and not Topolino, his original name in Italy.
We realized that we were close to the Duomo. We could actually see it in the distance from where we were standing, so we headed over there to take a gander.
We still had a long walk ahead of us to the Armani Museum, so we didn’t attempt to go inside. We did take in the piazza, though, which was full of pigeons. These birds were fearless. They would constantly fly past your head or just wander in your path. It’s a miracle that we never stepped on one.
Then we made the hike to the Armani Museum. I didn’t shell out the ten bucks for Internet, so I used my phone’s GPS (one of the best travel hacks I’ve learned) to guide us there. Only missed one turn, which put us on the wrong side of the railroad tracks. In not a great-looking neighborhood. But Marsha had shelled out for Internet, so she got us back on track (no pun intended). A few streets later we found ourselves in a much, much nicer area with a million motorcycles parked on the sidewalk (parking on the sidewalk seems to be very big in Milan, even for cars).
Marsha and I were both very glad that we’d done the Museo Morando first. Because as much as we enjoyed it, it definitely would’ve been a let-down compared to Armani. This was EXACTLY what she wanted to see on our visit to Milan (bucket list item #1, not including Italy, which was a bucket list item by itself). Three floors of Armani clothes, arranged according to theme, and spanning three decades (80s until the near-present).
We also got the audio tour, which came on a little handheld device with audio, pictures, and a map. This was great, except for a couple of little details. The numbering on the audio tour didn’t match the numbering of the exhibits (took us a few minutes to realize they were independent) and the lighting on the photos (very bright) didn’t match the exhibits (very dark), so some of the garments looked completely different. But that was all very minor (and made it a bit of a game), because Marsha was in Fashion Heaven! Literally!
Some of the clothes were incredible, and it really helped that we’ve seen so much Project Runway (and Devil Wears Prada) to better understand the artistry involved. We also loved the space (very industrial) and especially the minimalist mannequins (several of which had been customized) so that the emphasis was solely on the garments themselves. And we appreciated that Armani designs for both men and women, sometimes creating clothes that go together.
After we’d done the first two floors, we headed upstairs to the last floor, which was the one to which I was most looking forward: Stars. These were clothes that Armani had designed for celebrities. I was really hoping that there’d be at least a couple of the suits he’d designed for The Untouchables (in my top two of movies, along with The Godfather).
But when we got upstairs, there was some other kind of exhibit. There was another woman we’d seen repeatedly throughout the museum, and she was wandering lost, too. The three of of asked a staff member where to go, and he explained that the Stars section had been removed for a temporary exhibit.
Well that was a bummer. So then the three of us compared notes about where we’d been and where we were going next in Italy (a lot of the same places, different order). And for the first time Marsha and I felt like the traveling class, just wandering around the country, enjoying the best that Europe has to offer. Surely a glimpse into our future.
Even though we didn’t get to see the Stars section, the Armani Museum was everything that Marsha had hoped it would be. We even went back to the two previous floors so that she could look at some of the garments again and take more pictures. LOTS of pictures. The fact that she loved it so much was the best part of all.
I’d noticed on the map that Armani was close to the river, which looked like a really cool area. And Marsha LOVES walking by a river. Unfortunately, when we left, we were so excited about the museum that I completely forgot about the river. So we made the long hike towards Sforzesco Castle, outside of which we were to meet our dinner trolley in a few hours.
We were really glad we opted to do so much walking. Yes, it was a long way, but it allowed us to take in the real Milan. Once we got out of the area where we’re staying, we got to see more of the Old World Italy we were expecting. The buildings were just beautiful, especially all of the plants on the outside.
We also popped by Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. It was getting towards the end of the day and we were really hoping we might be able to see it. They only let in a limited number of people a day and it books out way in advance. When I tried to book it two months out, it was already sold out. No luck on that, but at least we got to see the outside of the church.
When we got to the castle, we thought about going in, but instead opted to just sit in the courtyard. There was a band practicing for their evening show and they were pretty good. Right as we left to get a photo of a nearby arch outside the castle grounds, they closed all the gates and kicked everyone out.
Which was just fine for us, because as soon as we walked back around to the front of the castle to look for our trolley, it pulled right up!
During the same season of The Amazing Race where they went to Lake Como, they first went to Milan. It was during this leg that teams had to ride the ATMmosfera dinner trolley and look for three particular signs, all while dining on a three-course meal. As soon as we decided to add Milan to our trip, this was top of our list! Plus, one of my bucket list items has been to eat dinner on a train. Technically, we’d done that already in Pennsylvania, but the food was only okay and the route went past a bunch of cow farms after they’d spread manure. This, on the other hand, was the perfect experience. Bucket list item #2!
This was, without a doubt, one of the greatest experiences we’ve ever had. They have three menus from which to choose, which you select on booking: meat, fish, or vegetable. The meat menu had tartare and rabbit, so I went with the fish (hoped they wouldn’t change it out on me at the last minute and throw in octopus). Marsha had vegetable. Our biggest concern was that the experience would be better than the food (like in PA). We needn’t have worried. The food was absolutely incredible! And there was plenty of it. And then some!
Once they got everyone on board, we were off. Our meal was actually four courses (dessert being the fourth), but started with a selection of finger foods, rolls, and Prosecco. We had one server who took care of everyone (in addition to one chef in the tiny kitchen and the driver) and she was fantastic. She described every dish in English for Marsha and Italian for me. And they were all incredible! We’d wondered if the food wouldn’t live up to the experience, but it easily surpassed our expectations. Even Marsha’s vegetable dishes were amazing. And along with all the amazing food was an endless supply of wine.
The route took us all around Milan and, fortunately, past some sights that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Like the river! After the first hour, we came full circle back to where we started. They steered us into a nearby side street where we stopped for a break. Here we got to meet the driver and chef, and stretch our legs for a few minutes before heading out for the remaining courses.
The second route duplicated some of the first, but also took us through some different areas. It was also great seeing the city as the sun went down. One of the best parts was seeing the reactions of people on the street as we passed by and stopped at intersections. Many took pictures and some even took video.
We eventually made it back to the castle again where our incredible journey had begun. We were stuffed to the gills, but many of our fellow diners were still opening bottles of wine. The meal was a little pricey, but considering the experience, the food, and the endless supply of wine, easily well worth it.
We gave our server an extra tip, which meant that we didn’t have enough cash for cab fare. Before we leave town tomorrow, we’ve got to stop by an ATM and get some more. We weren’t sure about getting back on the metro, so we just opted to walk back. My battery was getting low and I hadn’t sprung for Internet, but I managed to steer us back to the Duomo and the shopping district just fine. From there it was an easy trek back to the hotel, with only a couple of blocks that looked a little sketchy. It was quite the relief once we’d made it back to the room.
Ciao!
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Day 12: GTL (Garden, Train, Laundry)
Despite having to check out of our hotel at the surprising time of 10:30am (so glad I noticed, or they would’ve had to chase us out), this has been probably our most stress-free day yet. I had no idea checkout was so early when I booked our train at 1:37pm, so after we stowed our bags, we had plenty of time to relax before hitting the rails again.
Went back down to Bar Il Moro for their advertised breakfast and enjoyed their spectacular view once again. We both had eggs (Marsha’s scrambled, mine fried) bacon (which was more like prosciutto again), toast, and a tiny salad. We find that the longer we’re here, we both are hungry for American food again. But don’t get me wrong, most of the food here is amazing.
Afterwards we strolled one last time along the lakeshore and took more pictures. We’re really going to miss this place. I’m absolutely certain we’ll be back some day.
The hotel next door, The Hotel Villa Cipressi (same owners) has a garden on property. When we checked in, we were given free passes to go in. Since we still had a few hours before our train, this was the perfect opportunity. We took our time strolling down the trails and taking in all of its tranquil beauty. When we reached the Royal Bridge (which marked the edge of the garden), we realized where we were: right back at the garden bar of our own hotel. The tickets weren’t necessary at all. In fact, we’d almost wandered into it by accident on our very first night.
Afterwards, we picked up our luggage and made the hike back to the train station. We didn’t have to walk uphill as much going back, which was great, until we reached the final turn and from there it was uphill quite a bit. When we finally reached the parking lot, we realized that we’d left in such a hurry two days earlier, we hadn’t really paid any attention to our surroundings. We saw a building that looked like the train station (it wasn’t), then the real thing hidden behind a bunch of trees.
Despite taking our time since checkout, we were still an hour early. In fact, the 12:37 train to Milan was just pulling out. Had I known previously what I know now, we could have bought our tickets for an earlier time and had a six hour window in which to use them. Or just jumped aboard anyway, because no one ever checked our tickets.
Getting back to the station was a bit of a surprise. It’s really tiny, like an Italian Petticoat Junction. They had a nice little cafe, only two tracks, and helpful signs pointing the ways to Milan and Torino. No need to watch the departure board to figure out which track was ours.
At first we were the only ones waiting, but eventually a small crowd began to fill the platform. I overheard one Dad mention they were waiting for the same train we were. When one train (which had nothing to indicate to number) arrived close to our departure time, we immediately noticed that it was heading in the wrong direction. And that no one else made any attempt to board.
Our train finally arrived a good 10 minutes late, Marsha and I decided to play it smart. Remembering how crowded our train there was, and knowing that we were boarding in the middle of its route, we dashed right to one of the front cars while everyone else dashed left. Our chief concerns were not only finding seats, but finding a spot to stow our luggage.
We needn’t have worried. Our car was nearly empty, and only picked up a couple of more people on the entire run. I guess the train lines are are much less busy in the middle of the week. Even better, we had a giant window all to ourselves to get our last spectacular views of the lake as we left.
It seemed like no time before we were back at Milano Centrale, and this time we were happy to see the rest of the station. It’s absolutely beautiful and reminded me even more of Grand Central.
And when we stepped outside, we finally got our first views of Milan itself. Which didn’t look all that different from any other big city. We’d heard that Milan was more modern, which certainly seemed to be the case. Our hotel wasn’t too far, so we opted to walk it (thank goodness the heat has been subsiding). We passed by numerous stores and cafes that looked great, but could have been in any large city. I suspect that will change, though, as we venture out tomorrow.
Got checked into our hotel, the Westin Palace, just fine, which is great. But after we relaxed for a spell, we noticed that the AC wasn’t making the room any cooler (we ended up switching). We were ready to find something to eat, but first order of business was to do some laundry! I only had enough clean shirts for one more day, so it was do or die time! We considered doing it in the room, but did a quick Google search and found a self-serve laundromat a few blocks away.
This turned out to be a perfect solution and a great experience. The laundromat was tiny, and run by a sweet little older lady who didn’t speak much English (if any), but who knew exactly what we needed, so we just followed her lead. Plus there was a nice British woman who told us not to worry about the instructions (in three languages, which specifically mentioned coins and to get change) and just listen to the older woman. And an older gentleman who I first mistook for a customer (he rarely left his seat, while the older woman was all over the place), but was really good at pointing. The whole time we were there, the place was a constant flurry of people coming in to do their laundry or to pick it up.
In less than an hour, we had everything washed, dried, folded, packed up and ready to go. We’d calculated the cost (that sign was in English and Italian) and was pretty sure that it was enough. I asked her in Italian and had no idea what she mumbled back. But she took my 10 euros and brought the change I expected. So I immediately gave it back and told her to keep it (in Italian), which got me a wonderful smile.
After we dropped off our newly clean clothes (and got our room switched), we headed out for dinner. We’ve both been itching for a burger lately, so we did another quick Google search (plus Yelp). Didn’t find anything nearby, so we just hit the streets and headed back towards the train station.
We were torn between two restaurants, which both looked good: Metropolis and Nhero. We opted for Metropolis and were seated right away. When we tried to order though, the waiter explained that they were doing this happy hour thing where the food is free to if you keep ordering drinks. Sounded like a good deal, but not really what we wanted. So it was back to Nhero, which was an excellent choice. We shared a cheeseburger and pizza, and both were really good. And just what we’d been craving. And our waitress was very complimentary on my limited Italian.
Another language note: It’s proper to always greet people with “buongiorno” in the day and “buona sera” in the evening or at night. We’ve noticed a lot of people respond to buona sera with just “sera” (the equivalent of just saying “evening”). This is one of the many helpful details you pick up in country. Like when we went to France, and lots of people would say “merci, au revoir” like it was just one word. Madison and I still use that one at Epcot.
Afterwards, it was back to the room where we finally got to watch our Italy episodes of The Amazing Race. It was so cool seeing where we’d just been in Venice and Varenna, and where we were about to go in Milan.
Ciao!
Went back down to Bar Il Moro for their advertised breakfast and enjoyed their spectacular view once again. We both had eggs (Marsha’s scrambled, mine fried) bacon (which was more like prosciutto again), toast, and a tiny salad. We find that the longer we’re here, we both are hungry for American food again. But don’t get me wrong, most of the food here is amazing.
Afterwards we strolled one last time along the lakeshore and took more pictures. We’re really going to miss this place. I’m absolutely certain we’ll be back some day.
The hotel next door, The Hotel Villa Cipressi (same owners) has a garden on property. When we checked in, we were given free passes to go in. Since we still had a few hours before our train, this was the perfect opportunity. We took our time strolling down the trails and taking in all of its tranquil beauty. When we reached the Royal Bridge (which marked the edge of the garden), we realized where we were: right back at the garden bar of our own hotel. The tickets weren’t necessary at all. In fact, we’d almost wandered into it by accident on our very first night.
Afterwards, we picked up our luggage and made the hike back to the train station. We didn’t have to walk uphill as much going back, which was great, until we reached the final turn and from there it was uphill quite a bit. When we finally reached the parking lot, we realized that we’d left in such a hurry two days earlier, we hadn’t really paid any attention to our surroundings. We saw a building that looked like the train station (it wasn’t), then the real thing hidden behind a bunch of trees.
Despite taking our time since checkout, we were still an hour early. In fact, the 12:37 train to Milan was just pulling out. Had I known previously what I know now, we could have bought our tickets for an earlier time and had a six hour window in which to use them. Or just jumped aboard anyway, because no one ever checked our tickets.
Getting back to the station was a bit of a surprise. It’s really tiny, like an Italian Petticoat Junction. They had a nice little cafe, only two tracks, and helpful signs pointing the ways to Milan and Torino. No need to watch the departure board to figure out which track was ours.
At first we were the only ones waiting, but eventually a small crowd began to fill the platform. I overheard one Dad mention they were waiting for the same train we were. When one train (which had nothing to indicate to number) arrived close to our departure time, we immediately noticed that it was heading in the wrong direction. And that no one else made any attempt to board.
Our train finally arrived a good 10 minutes late, Marsha and I decided to play it smart. Remembering how crowded our train there was, and knowing that we were boarding in the middle of its route, we dashed right to one of the front cars while everyone else dashed left. Our chief concerns were not only finding seats, but finding a spot to stow our luggage.
We needn’t have worried. Our car was nearly empty, and only picked up a couple of more people on the entire run. I guess the train lines are are much less busy in the middle of the week. Even better, we had a giant window all to ourselves to get our last spectacular views of the lake as we left.
It seemed like no time before we were back at Milano Centrale, and this time we were happy to see the rest of the station. It’s absolutely beautiful and reminded me even more of Grand Central.
And when we stepped outside, we finally got our first views of Milan itself. Which didn’t look all that different from any other big city. We’d heard that Milan was more modern, which certainly seemed to be the case. Our hotel wasn’t too far, so we opted to walk it (thank goodness the heat has been subsiding). We passed by numerous stores and cafes that looked great, but could have been in any large city. I suspect that will change, though, as we venture out tomorrow.
Got checked into our hotel, the Westin Palace, just fine, which is great. But after we relaxed for a spell, we noticed that the AC wasn’t making the room any cooler (we ended up switching). We were ready to find something to eat, but first order of business was to do some laundry! I only had enough clean shirts for one more day, so it was do or die time! We considered doing it in the room, but did a quick Google search and found a self-serve laundromat a few blocks away.
This turned out to be a perfect solution and a great experience. The laundromat was tiny, and run by a sweet little older lady who didn’t speak much English (if any), but who knew exactly what we needed, so we just followed her lead. Plus there was a nice British woman who told us not to worry about the instructions (in three languages, which specifically mentioned coins and to get change) and just listen to the older woman. And an older gentleman who I first mistook for a customer (he rarely left his seat, while the older woman was all over the place), but was really good at pointing. The whole time we were there, the place was a constant flurry of people coming in to do their laundry or to pick it up.
In less than an hour, we had everything washed, dried, folded, packed up and ready to go. We’d calculated the cost (that sign was in English and Italian) and was pretty sure that it was enough. I asked her in Italian and had no idea what she mumbled back. But she took my 10 euros and brought the change I expected. So I immediately gave it back and told her to keep it (in Italian), which got me a wonderful smile.
After we dropped off our newly clean clothes (and got our room switched), we headed out for dinner. We’ve both been itching for a burger lately, so we did another quick Google search (plus Yelp). Didn’t find anything nearby, so we just hit the streets and headed back towards the train station.
We were torn between two restaurants, which both looked good: Metropolis and Nhero. We opted for Metropolis and were seated right away. When we tried to order though, the waiter explained that they were doing this happy hour thing where the food is free to if you keep ordering drinks. Sounded like a good deal, but not really what we wanted. So it was back to Nhero, which was an excellent choice. We shared a cheeseburger and pizza, and both were really good. And just what we’d been craving. And our waitress was very complimentary on my limited Italian.
Another language note: It’s proper to always greet people with “buongiorno” in the day and “buona sera” in the evening or at night. We’ve noticed a lot of people respond to buona sera with just “sera” (the equivalent of just saying “evening”). This is one of the many helpful details you pick up in country. Like when we went to France, and lots of people would say “merci, au revoir” like it was just one word. Madison and I still use that one at Epcot.
Afterwards, it was back to the room where we finally got to watch our Italy episodes of The Amazing Race. It was so cool seeing where we’d just been in Venice and Varenna, and where we were about to go in Milan.
Ciao!
Day 11: Ghosts of The Amazing Race
One of our favorite shows is The Amazing Race, which we love to watch for the locations (travel porn). It doesn’t happen often, but we get really excited to watch and see places that we’ve been. For example, much of the most recent season finale covered the area of London (Kensington) where we stayed on our trip a few years ago.
And, of course, it also helps us learn about places we want to go one day. In Season 29, they went to Milan, Venice, and Lake Como. We just left Venice yesterday and are leaving for Milan tomorrow. But today we went to Castello di Vezio, which was featured heavily in the show.
Because I hadn’t felt well the night before (let’s just leave it at that), we got off to a really slow start this morning. More like this afternoon. It was after 1:00 before we finally left the hotel, and both of us needed the extra rest. We’d planned to take a boat ride down to Como (the town) and ride the giant funicular, but due to the lateness of the hour and our lack of research, we opted to skip it.
Instead, we really wanted to walk up to the Castello di Vezio, which we’d seen on The Amazing Race (S29: E6). It was just luck that we’d ended up in the right town. It wasn’t until Marsha booked the hotel that either of us realized the castle was nearby.
We got directions from the hotel and started our walk, which was supposed to be around 40 minutes. When I’d originally looked at it on Google, I thought the castle was only a ten-minute stroll at best. That’s because I didn’t realize that our hotel was at the bottom of a mountain, and the castle was up at the very top.
We asked at the front desk how to get up there and the wonderful desk clerk gave us a (not too detailed) map to follow and instructed us to look for the signs. The first part of the journey was paved roads going uphill, until we eventually chanced upon a sign that led us to a path. I’m not sure if this is the path she was referencing, but it was basically a steep, narrow, rocky trail that wasn’t the easiest to climb in sandals.
Eventually, we made it to the top and I recognized the entrance gate from The Amazing Race. We got our tickets and followed the walkway to the castle, which was lined with a series of wooden sculptures by a local artist.
Soon we made it to an overlook with an awesome view of the lake. And a few creepy visitors who were just hanging around. Between the mountains and the ghosts, we couldn’t get enough pictures.
From there we ventured into the castle itself. It’s not huge, but still pretty darn cool. The layout is square, with high walls and a couple of lookout points. But the big draw is the giant tower near the entry gate. Even better is that you have to climb up to the second level and cross a drawbridge to get inside.
The interior is like the bell tower in Tim Burton’s Batman. You just keep climbing up from level to level (which felt a bit rickety) until you reach the trap door to the roof. Naturally, the views up there were just breathtaking. But what was even more breathtaking was the giant storm approaching. It looked just like the Nothing from The NeverEnding Story (we’re full of 80s movie references today).
Because we had to hike back down (hopefully on a better path), we opted to stay put instead of leaving. We’d known it was supposed to rain, but not for a few more hours, so we hadn’t brought our raincoats. At that point we thought it would be better to wait it out until after the rain had stopped. And we tried saving the “dungeon” for when the bottom dropped out.
Which sort of worked out, at first. Only the dungeon wasn’t very big and had no place to sit. It was basically a hiding place for when the Germans attacked. Not built for style or comfort.
When the rain let up a bit, we thought about going back to the tower, but opted instead for the entrance building where we stood under the awning. What we should have done was head on back, but since we were unsure of the trail (plus worried about the extremely loud thunder), we still opted to ride it out.
Eventually, the bottom dropped out and the castle was forced to close early. The sweet young woman operating the ticket counter said we could stick around a little longer, but we’d have to leave when she did. She even gave us her umbrella.
Before long, a few more stragglers came down the path and braved the downpour to leave. And luckily, the rain (and thunder) let up enough for us to do the same. We gave the girl her umbrella back and Marsha gave her a hug, too. When we left the gate, we took the opposite path, hoping it would be significantly better.
Aside from being wet and a little slippery, it was a huge improvement! The cobblestone path led all the way down. Much of it was covered by trees, so we didn’t get too soaked. The only tricky part is that most of the pathways in Varenna are like sloped staircases, and this one was no different. By the time we reached the village at the bottom, the rain had stopped and the sun peeked out again. So, we strolled around the lakefront for a bit and then headed back to the room to freshen up and change clothes.
Dinner was at Osteria Quatro Pass, which was everything our first cafe wasn’t. I’d booked it online before leaving home based on their great reviews, and it exceeded expectations! They’d reserved us a table inside, but for some reason, Marsha wanted to eat outside at one of the few tables on the sidewalk. Apparently, she’d already forgotten about the huge downpour that just a short time earlier had us trapped on the mountain.
The food was amazing and the service even more so. Marsha had a creamy lasagna which seemed very popular. I had a lobster and pasta dish which, after they brought out the tools and bib, had me wondering what I’d gotten myself into. But the lobster was already split in half, and the tools were just for the claw. The bib sure came in handy for the pomodoro sauce, though.
Just about the time we finished eating, it started to rain again. The restaurant is rather small, so I wasn’t sure where they would put us. That’s when they really impressed us: they still had our inside table reserved! We shared an apple torte for dessert which was, again, everything the first one wasn’t. Topped with gelato, cream, honey, raspberries, and a thin almond crisp. And it was amazing! We both agreed that whenever we make back there, Quatro Pass is top on our list.
Afterwards, we went back to the room with plans to rewatch the Lake Como episode of The Amazing Race on my iPad. But unfortunately, I hadn’t already downloaded it, and the hotel WiFi was just too slow (our only quibble about staying there). So, that’ll be tomorrow night’s entertainment when we get to Milan.
Ciao!
And, of course, it also helps us learn about places we want to go one day. In Season 29, they went to Milan, Venice, and Lake Como. We just left Venice yesterday and are leaving for Milan tomorrow. But today we went to Castello di Vezio, which was featured heavily in the show.
Because I hadn’t felt well the night before (let’s just leave it at that), we got off to a really slow start this morning. More like this afternoon. It was after 1:00 before we finally left the hotel, and both of us needed the extra rest. We’d planned to take a boat ride down to Como (the town) and ride the giant funicular, but due to the lateness of the hour and our lack of research, we opted to skip it.
Instead, we really wanted to walk up to the Castello di Vezio, which we’d seen on The Amazing Race (S29: E6). It was just luck that we’d ended up in the right town. It wasn’t until Marsha booked the hotel that either of us realized the castle was nearby.
We got directions from the hotel and started our walk, which was supposed to be around 40 minutes. When I’d originally looked at it on Google, I thought the castle was only a ten-minute stroll at best. That’s because I didn’t realize that our hotel was at the bottom of a mountain, and the castle was up at the very top.
We asked at the front desk how to get up there and the wonderful desk clerk gave us a (not too detailed) map to follow and instructed us to look for the signs. The first part of the journey was paved roads going uphill, until we eventually chanced upon a sign that led us to a path. I’m not sure if this is the path she was referencing, but it was basically a steep, narrow, rocky trail that wasn’t the easiest to climb in sandals.
Eventually, we made it to the top and I recognized the entrance gate from The Amazing Race. We got our tickets and followed the walkway to the castle, which was lined with a series of wooden sculptures by a local artist.
Soon we made it to an overlook with an awesome view of the lake. And a few creepy visitors who were just hanging around. Between the mountains and the ghosts, we couldn’t get enough pictures.
From there we ventured into the castle itself. It’s not huge, but still pretty darn cool. The layout is square, with high walls and a couple of lookout points. But the big draw is the giant tower near the entry gate. Even better is that you have to climb up to the second level and cross a drawbridge to get inside.
The interior is like the bell tower in Tim Burton’s Batman. You just keep climbing up from level to level (which felt a bit rickety) until you reach the trap door to the roof. Naturally, the views up there were just breathtaking. But what was even more breathtaking was the giant storm approaching. It looked just like the Nothing from The NeverEnding Story (we’re full of 80s movie references today).
Because we had to hike back down (hopefully on a better path), we opted to stay put instead of leaving. We’d known it was supposed to rain, but not for a few more hours, so we hadn’t brought our raincoats. At that point we thought it would be better to wait it out until after the rain had stopped. And we tried saving the “dungeon” for when the bottom dropped out.
Which sort of worked out, at first. Only the dungeon wasn’t very big and had no place to sit. It was basically a hiding place for when the Germans attacked. Not built for style or comfort.
When the rain let up a bit, we thought about going back to the tower, but opted instead for the entrance building where we stood under the awning. What we should have done was head on back, but since we were unsure of the trail (plus worried about the extremely loud thunder), we still opted to ride it out.
Eventually, the bottom dropped out and the castle was forced to close early. The sweet young woman operating the ticket counter said we could stick around a little longer, but we’d have to leave when she did. She even gave us her umbrella.
Before long, a few more stragglers came down the path and braved the downpour to leave. And luckily, the rain (and thunder) let up enough for us to do the same. We gave the girl her umbrella back and Marsha gave her a hug, too. When we left the gate, we took the opposite path, hoping it would be significantly better.
Aside from being wet and a little slippery, it was a huge improvement! The cobblestone path led all the way down. Much of it was covered by trees, so we didn’t get too soaked. The only tricky part is that most of the pathways in Varenna are like sloped staircases, and this one was no different. By the time we reached the village at the bottom, the rain had stopped and the sun peeked out again. So, we strolled around the lakefront for a bit and then headed back to the room to freshen up and change clothes.
Dinner was at Osteria Quatro Pass, which was everything our first cafe wasn’t. I’d booked it online before leaving home based on their great reviews, and it exceeded expectations! They’d reserved us a table inside, but for some reason, Marsha wanted to eat outside at one of the few tables on the sidewalk. Apparently, she’d already forgotten about the huge downpour that just a short time earlier had us trapped on the mountain.
The food was amazing and the service even more so. Marsha had a creamy lasagna which seemed very popular. I had a lobster and pasta dish which, after they brought out the tools and bib, had me wondering what I’d gotten myself into. But the lobster was already split in half, and the tools were just for the claw. The bib sure came in handy for the pomodoro sauce, though.
Just about the time we finished eating, it started to rain again. The restaurant is rather small, so I wasn’t sure where they would put us. That’s when they really impressed us: they still had our inside table reserved! We shared an apple torte for dessert which was, again, everything the first one wasn’t. Topped with gelato, cream, honey, raspberries, and a thin almond crisp. And it was amazing! We both agreed that whenever we make back there, Quatro Pass is top on our list.
Afterwards, we went back to the room with plans to rewatch the Lake Como episode of The Amazing Race on my iPad. But unfortunately, I hadn’t already downloaded it, and the hotel WiFi was just too slow (our only quibble about staying there). So, that’ll be tomorrow night’s entertainment when we get to Milan.
Ciao!
Monday, July 8, 2019
Day 10: From One Fantasyland to Another
Sad to say goodbye to Venice this morning, but our journey out went as smoothly as possible. We got our vaporetto tickets (only hiccup: their credit card machine was broken and we had to pay cash). Our boat came pretty quickly and we made the scenic voyage back to the train station. And this time we stowed our bags inside the cabin, where they had a chart of the route. So we always knew exactly where we were. And the best part? We’d allowed plenty of time, so we weren’t in any rush.
I’ll say again, sure was hard to say goodbye to Venice. Would have loved to stay longer. Marsha wants to move there. During the whole voyage (as I did the whole stay), I marveled at how every building on a canal has a dock and everything is built around the water. Seriously, it’s just like being in Disney World. Only better because it’s real.
We grabbed a couple of donuts while we waited patiently for our train. We had two trains today: a high-speed train to Milan, then a local train to Varenna on Lake Como (George and Amal said hey).
Talk about two different worlds. For the high-speed train, I booked Premium Class. We had a table, lots of room, entertainment, and an attendant who came by with newspapers, magazines, snacks, and drinks. I didn’t realize that the snacks were included, otherwise I would have gotten some chips. The only downside was that we had to sit across from each other. I’d actually tried to select seats side-by-side, but the system wouldn’t let me.
The trip to Milan was just great . The terrain was similar to what we’d already seen, plus we were on the inside row, so it was hard to look out the window. I had a clear view of the destination screen, so there was no problem knowing where we were at any given point or missing our stop (the train kept going after Milan). So we just relaxed, I read and worked on my blog, while Marsha watched Gladiator on the iPad.
The Milan train station (Milano Centrale) was smaller than expected, but beautiful and very art-deco. We arrived a little behind schedule, so we just wandered around and took in the details. The wait wasn’t that long before it was time to board our next train to Varenna.
I didn’t see anything that determined which cars were second class, so we just picked one and went with it. I asked a fellow passenger (an Englishman, after he’d asked me about arrival time) and he thought it was. So we found some seats and got comfortable. Any doubts I had were quickly put to rest as people kept piling in and some had to stand. The fellow in front of us offered his seat to a mother with a baby, who then popped open her shirt and started breastfeeding. I was about to offer my seat to her daughter (who was standing with Dad), but a young man beat me to it. I was glad for them when they all got seats together after the next stop.
About halfway into journey, we started seeing mountains. And they were incredibly beautiful! The towns below were a little run-down. Eventually, we started seeing the Lake and couldn’t stop watching. So much breathtaking beauty! And so glad we’d made the effort to come here.
Once we got off the train, we had to find our way to the hotel. I saw a couple of cabs, but knew that it was only a fifteen minute walk. Which seemed to be what everyone else was doing. So, we followed the crowd and drug our suitcases down a tiny uphill road. It was a chore, but once we made it to the top, it was fairly easy from then on. And the brief glimpses of the lake between the buildings were just beautiful!
Our hotel, the Royal Victoria, is just beautiful. Marsha outdid herself on hotel choices. Our lake view room is snug, but just fine for the two of us. The porter was really nice and very enthusiastic to show us the room. The more I responded in Italian, the more he spoke it, so I’m not sure how much Marsha understood.
Once we’d gotten settled, we were ready to explore and get something to eat. We went down to the garden bar overlooking the lake, and all I can say is WOW! How incredible! There are just no words. Later we debated which was more beautiful, this or Venice? It’s a tough call. Though Varenna has more natural beauty. God gets most of the credit here.
We tried to eat at the garden bar, but they didn’t open until 7:30. So we ventured out and checked out the little cafes across the street. We picked the one with the better menu, which turned out to be not great after all. Marsha didn’t like her sausage dish (I thought it tasted good) and just ate her fries. My dish was pasta with dried and salted fish, which (the fish) looked to be specific to the area. It tasted good, but the fish smell was overwhelming, and the fish itself was all ground up into tiny bits. Dessert wasn’t much of an improvement. My apple torte was okay but basic, but Marsha was really disappointed in her profiteroles (one of her favorites), which was mostly pastry balls covered in chocolate icing. So we switched. End result: I didn’t feel well later and will happily spare you the details.
After dinner, we followed the path down towards the lake and found several places that would have been much better. That’s what we got for not venturing out further. The steady stream of people ordering take-out pizza should have tipped us off.
But the village is amazing! Tiny little stone paths, stone steps, and the lake! Everywhere you turn it looks like a storybook! We both felt like Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: “I want THIS!” No wonder George Clooney has a place here.
After we were finished exploring, we went back to the hotel to relax and call it a night. We found a TV channel that was showing re-runs of the new Hawaii 5-0, which we used to watch for the first couple of seasons. At first we watched in dubbed in Italian, but then Marsha figured out how to switch it to English with Italian subtitles. It looked like a good show to help with my Italian studies, since the dialogue isn’t too complicated.
The slower pace for this half of the trip is already helping. We’d contemplated trying to cut things short by a few days and go home early. But getting here had changed our minds. Thankfully, we have nothing scheduled tomorrow except dinner reservations. And that is a lot in which to look forward.
Ciao!
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Day 9: Islands in the Storm
Got up really, really early this morning to take Madison to the airport. We boarded the boat around 7:30, for what was supposed to be a near 90 minute boat ride to Marco Polo Airport. But because we were out so early, most of the stops were empty. So we just slowed down and cruised right by. In the end, we made it to the airport about 20 minutes ahead of schedule.
We used a different boat line to get there, and were surprised when we had to validate our boat tickets getting off as well. The others just want you to validate getting on. Or maybe that was just our trip. We’ve also found that the busier they get, the less they check tickets. But I’m told the fines are very steep if you try to cheat the system.
We did the check-in kiosk as soon as we get in, but then needed to find out where to check her bag. Which ended up being the same line as people who didn’t use the kiosk. What’s more, they (Air France), wouldn’t let her check her bag early. She was told to come back at 9:50, about 40 minutes later.
So, we popped into a nearby airport cafe for donuts. At 8:49, Madison was in line and got her suitcase checked and on its way. She still had plenty of time to get through security (which only took about five minutes) and get to her gate. It was time to say our goodbyes (the hardest part) and send her off to Paris. She and an old friend are spending two days together in Disneyland Paris before she flies back to LA on her own. Our little baby growing up.
On our boat ride back to the main island, Marsha and I got the idea to hop off at the island of Murano, which is famous for glass-making. We asked if we had to buy another ticket to leave, and the answer was yes. Marsha thought it should be hop on-hop off until you reach your destination. I told her that it’s more like the Subway: you can go one stop or 50, it doesn’t matter. Once you leave the station, your journey is over. Since we were there, we decided to do it.
We texted Michael to see if he could join us and then went exploring. We found an old church that we just loved. It looked like the one where Michael Corleone got married. It was built in the 1100s and restored in the 1500s. Couldn’t get enough of it.
Past the church, towards the tip of the island, were a few quaint little houses. An artist lived in one and had a strange glass box with images on each side mounted in the yard. Next door was an old lady who was raking the grass in her courtyard. After those was a collection of very old apartment buildings that had clearly seen their better day. Some residents had their laundry out to dry, which was something we could use.
The island is like a mini-Venice with one main (but much smaller) canal, and a couple of narrow canals that branch off. With just enough bridges to get back and forth.
We visited a glass-maker and watched as he expertly blew hot glass, then expertly pinched it with his tongs to make a horse in less than five minutes. It took me back to my childhood, where we used to marvel at the glassmakers in Jamestown, VA. Except they just made glasses, cups, and bowls. Marsha bought a couple of little pieces (and even got a discount by hesitating on the price): a goldfish in a plastic bag and a gondolier. These are sold much cheaper around the island, but we both agreed that our gondolier looks much better.
By that time Michael had joined us, so we had a great lunch at a little cafe, where I finally got shrimp again. About the time we’d finished, the skies turned dark and the wind started picking up. The waiters packed up everything that wasn’t nailed down. Clearly, it was time to get back to the main island before the bottom dropped out. The skies behind us were dark, but the skies ahead were still blue. The only problem was, Marsha and I didn’t have tickets to get back.
We checked several stops, but none of them had a ticket machine. So then we went in search of the main docks (where Michael had come in) to find a way off. By that point, the storm was catching up to us and everyone was scrambling like rats to get off the island. We suggested that Michael head on to the airport (he’s flying back to the UK tonight), but he wouldn’t hear of it.
When we finally managed to get tickets from a machine, it had started to rain and didn’t look like the best time to get on a boat. So we turned back and found a little pizzeria/gelateria to ride out the rain (if you’re going to get stuck, a gelateria is the place to be). We didn’t want to be stuck there for hours and hoped that it wouldn’t last too long.
Which was exactly what happened. The rain stopped, the sky cleared up, and it was all over in an instant. What’s more, when we went back to the dock, we found an express boat that took us straight back to St. Mark’s. Everything was working out even better than we’d planned!
Language Update: I’ve been ordering just about every meal in Italian now, and the repetition has been a big help. Certainly making me more confident. I’m learning from my mistakes, because when I realize I did something wrong, I’ve got another opportunity a few hours later. And the consequences (ordering the wrong gelato) are fairly minimal.
Once we’d finally made it safely back to the hotel, it was time to say goodbye to Michael. We hoped he wouldn’t have any problems getting home and wished him a safe journey (this is foreshadowing). We also got final confirmation that Madison had made it safely to Disneyland and was in the park enjoying the rides and much cooler temperatures.
Marsha and I went back to the room for a few minutes for a short break, and ended up taking a nap. We heard the storm roll in about the time we fell asleep (more foreshadowing).
When we woke up about 90 minutes later, it was really quiet outside. No sound of boats or crowds. We looked out the window and the sidewalks were mostly empty. Yep, it had most definitely rained.
It was when we went out for dinner that we realized just how bad. There were tree branches down and a giant banner on a nearby building had been torn almost completely off. We found out later that Michael’s flight had been delayed two hours. It was around 1:45 in the morning before he made it home. Which is not great, because he’s covering for me at work!
Marsha and I took the opportunity (and fantastic temperatures) to explore the other direction from our hotel. At first it looked pretty sparse until we found a wide street full of bars and people. We also found a few parks, including one with a crazy art installation. Plus more and more buildings and canals that look like something out of Disney World.
On our way back, we passed a couple of yachts parked not too far from our hotel. Including one owned by American multi-billionaire John W. Henry. Which was huge and very nice.
But that was nothing compared to the Norwegian cruise ship that we then saw being tugged out of the Canal. That thing was ginormous! Everyone on the walkway stopped to take pictures.
It was getting late, so we went back to St. Mark’s to grab a sandwich at one of the outdoor cafes. This time, we opted to try the one (Cafe Quadri) where they’d played the entire soundtrack to Grease. The sandwich was good, the tortilla chips from a bag not so much. But the best parts are the location (spectacular) and the music (fantastic).
There’s another cafe just down the plaza from this one, which also has a little band. We soon noticed that one band would play about three songs and then, when they were finished, the other band would do about three songs. The selections ranged from classical, to Broadway, to popular music. All instrumentals, of course. And when they began playing, people in the piazza would gather around to listen.
Let me tell you, our band really brought down the house when they did Bohemian Rhapsody! The whole song! The soprano sax did most of the Freddie Mercury parts, constantly going back and forth with the violin and the accordion. It was fantastic! We happened to glance back and noticed that the entire piazza full of people had stopped to watch and video them on their phones.
Perfect way to end our trip to Venice. We most definitely want to come back one day. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface.
Ciao!
We used a different boat line to get there, and were surprised when we had to validate our boat tickets getting off as well. The others just want you to validate getting on. Or maybe that was just our trip. We’ve also found that the busier they get, the less they check tickets. But I’m told the fines are very steep if you try to cheat the system.
We did the check-in kiosk as soon as we get in, but then needed to find out where to check her bag. Which ended up being the same line as people who didn’t use the kiosk. What’s more, they (Air France), wouldn’t let her check her bag early. She was told to come back at 9:50, about 40 minutes later.
So, we popped into a nearby airport cafe for donuts. At 8:49, Madison was in line and got her suitcase checked and on its way. She still had plenty of time to get through security (which only took about five minutes) and get to her gate. It was time to say our goodbyes (the hardest part) and send her off to Paris. She and an old friend are spending two days together in Disneyland Paris before she flies back to LA on her own. Our little baby growing up.
On our boat ride back to the main island, Marsha and I got the idea to hop off at the island of Murano, which is famous for glass-making. We asked if we had to buy another ticket to leave, and the answer was yes. Marsha thought it should be hop on-hop off until you reach your destination. I told her that it’s more like the Subway: you can go one stop or 50, it doesn’t matter. Once you leave the station, your journey is over. Since we were there, we decided to do it.
We texted Michael to see if he could join us and then went exploring. We found an old church that we just loved. It looked like the one where Michael Corleone got married. It was built in the 1100s and restored in the 1500s. Couldn’t get enough of it.
Past the church, towards the tip of the island, were a few quaint little houses. An artist lived in one and had a strange glass box with images on each side mounted in the yard. Next door was an old lady who was raking the grass in her courtyard. After those was a collection of very old apartment buildings that had clearly seen their better day. Some residents had their laundry out to dry, which was something we could use.
The island is like a mini-Venice with one main (but much smaller) canal, and a couple of narrow canals that branch off. With just enough bridges to get back and forth.
We visited a glass-maker and watched as he expertly blew hot glass, then expertly pinched it with his tongs to make a horse in less than five minutes. It took me back to my childhood, where we used to marvel at the glassmakers in Jamestown, VA. Except they just made glasses, cups, and bowls. Marsha bought a couple of little pieces (and even got a discount by hesitating on the price): a goldfish in a plastic bag and a gondolier. These are sold much cheaper around the island, but we both agreed that our gondolier looks much better.
By that time Michael had joined us, so we had a great lunch at a little cafe, where I finally got shrimp again. About the time we’d finished, the skies turned dark and the wind started picking up. The waiters packed up everything that wasn’t nailed down. Clearly, it was time to get back to the main island before the bottom dropped out. The skies behind us were dark, but the skies ahead were still blue. The only problem was, Marsha and I didn’t have tickets to get back.
We checked several stops, but none of them had a ticket machine. So then we went in search of the main docks (where Michael had come in) to find a way off. By that point, the storm was catching up to us and everyone was scrambling like rats to get off the island. We suggested that Michael head on to the airport (he’s flying back to the UK tonight), but he wouldn’t hear of it.
When we finally managed to get tickets from a machine, it had started to rain and didn’t look like the best time to get on a boat. So we turned back and found a little pizzeria/gelateria to ride out the rain (if you’re going to get stuck, a gelateria is the place to be). We didn’t want to be stuck there for hours and hoped that it wouldn’t last too long.
Which was exactly what happened. The rain stopped, the sky cleared up, and it was all over in an instant. What’s more, when we went back to the dock, we found an express boat that took us straight back to St. Mark’s. Everything was working out even better than we’d planned!
Language Update: I’ve been ordering just about every meal in Italian now, and the repetition has been a big help. Certainly making me more confident. I’m learning from my mistakes, because when I realize I did something wrong, I’ve got another opportunity a few hours later. And the consequences (ordering the wrong gelato) are fairly minimal.
Once we’d finally made it safely back to the hotel, it was time to say goodbye to Michael. We hoped he wouldn’t have any problems getting home and wished him a safe journey (this is foreshadowing). We also got final confirmation that Madison had made it safely to Disneyland and was in the park enjoying the rides and much cooler temperatures.
Marsha and I went back to the room for a few minutes for a short break, and ended up taking a nap. We heard the storm roll in about the time we fell asleep (more foreshadowing).
When we woke up about 90 minutes later, it was really quiet outside. No sound of boats or crowds. We looked out the window and the sidewalks were mostly empty. Yep, it had most definitely rained.
It was when we went out for dinner that we realized just how bad. There were tree branches down and a giant banner on a nearby building had been torn almost completely off. We found out later that Michael’s flight had been delayed two hours. It was around 1:45 in the morning before he made it home. Which is not great, because he’s covering for me at work!
Marsha and I took the opportunity (and fantastic temperatures) to explore the other direction from our hotel. At first it looked pretty sparse until we found a wide street full of bars and people. We also found a few parks, including one with a crazy art installation. Plus more and more buildings and canals that look like something out of Disney World.
On our way back, we passed a couple of yachts parked not too far from our hotel. Including one owned by American multi-billionaire John W. Henry. Which was huge and very nice.
But that was nothing compared to the Norwegian cruise ship that we then saw being tugged out of the Canal. That thing was ginormous! Everyone on the walkway stopped to take pictures.
It was getting late, so we went back to St. Mark’s to grab a sandwich at one of the outdoor cafes. This time, we opted to try the one (Cafe Quadri) where they’d played the entire soundtrack to Grease. The sandwich was good, the tortilla chips from a bag not so much. But the best parts are the location (spectacular) and the music (fantastic).
There’s another cafe just down the plaza from this one, which also has a little band. We soon noticed that one band would play about three songs and then, when they were finished, the other band would do about three songs. The selections ranged from classical, to Broadway, to popular music. All instrumentals, of course. And when they began playing, people in the piazza would gather around to listen.
Let me tell you, our band really brought down the house when they did Bohemian Rhapsody! The whole song! The soprano sax did most of the Freddie Mercury parts, constantly going back and forth with the violin and the accordion. It was fantastic! We happened to glance back and noticed that the entire piazza full of people had stopped to watch and video them on their phones.
Perfect way to end our trip to Venice. We most definitely want to come back one day. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface.
Ciao!
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Day 8: Dungeons and Gondoliers
Yep, today was my special day, and pretty much the most amazing birthday ever. First of all, we’re in Venice. And we checked all the boxes.
Once again, getting up was a little tough. We had a tour of the Doge’s Palace scheduled at 11:35, and again I heard the question: “How much did we pay?” But it’s my birthday and that was the last English-speaking tour for the day, so we put it in high gear. We ran in right on the minute and managed to find our group (thank goodness they gave us stickers and we knew what to look for) just as the tour got underway.
This was the Secret Itineraries Tour, which takes you to areas the general public doesn’t get to see. In fact, someone tried to follow when our guide opened the iron gate, and she had to shoo himoff.
First she explained that the Palace of the Doge (head of power in 16th-Century Venice) was built around the prison. Which seems kind of odd. The Tower of London was built the same way, and we thought that was odd, too.
First stop was going down to the cells, which were tiny and cramped, built of stone, with no fresh air or sunlight, and no lavatory. Pretty disgusting place. What’s more, the cell doors are tiny so that prisoners would have to stoop way down to enter or exit. Each was labeled with a Roman numeral carved upside down in order to confuse anyone who tried to escape.
Then we went upstairs into the secret rooms that were only accessed by the Inquisitors and Judges under the Doge. We saw their wood-paneled offices, which could also be accessed via secret doors from inside the Palace.
Of particular interest was the torture room (executions were held outside in public), where prisoners were strung up with their arms behind their backs until they confessed. This was done at night, with other prisoners moved to nearby waiting cells so that they could hear the screams. Like several rooms in the prison, it was specifically designed for intimidation. Windows were arranged so that the victim was illuminated in moonlight, but the three judges were obscured in shadow.
If the prisoner confessed early, he was treated with a massage, a good meal, and wine. And then back to torture again soon enough. A doctor examined them to see who was fit for torture and who wasn’t. The unfit got to listen.
The highlight of the tour were the upstairs cells (and nicer part of the prison) once occupied by the Palace’s most famous guest, Casanova, who was arrested for spying for the French. He spent a year in one cell digging through the wooden floor under his bed (prisoners had to supply their own furniture) in an attempt to escape. He’d just about dug his way through when he was moved to another cell for “good behavior.” He almost got in trouble when his guard discovered the hole,until Casanova pointed out the he’d done it for ayear without being noticed. Which didn’t reflect well on his lazy guard.
He eventually escaped from his second cell with the help of a renegade priest who was in the next cell. They dug through the ceiling, climbed into the Palace from the roof, took a nap, and cleaned themselves up with some better clothes. When the guarda opened the gates the next morning, they claimed to be a couple of noblemen locked inside and strolled right out the front gate the next morning posing as noblemen who’d accidentally been locked in for the night.
Once we finished the tour, we were free to do the general admission part, which was self-guidedand led you through the rest of the Palace, another part of the prison, and across the Bridge of Sighs. We were planning to meet up with Michael afterwards, but he surprised us by joining us inside the palace. We saw one palatial room after another, their Supreme Court, displays of swords and armor (including two early machine guns), and more. All filled with beautiful paintings and incredible architecture.
Last stop was the Bridge of Sighs, which crosses over a canal and joins the Palace to the Prison.It was so named because its small window provided the convicted their last look at freedom on their way to incarceration.
On that happy note, we headed back to St. Mark’s Plaza for lunch at one of the tiny cafes. We’d heard this was ridiculously expensive (location, location, location), but it wasn’t that bad. The drinks were, but the sandwiches were reasonable. A dadgum seagull stole half my sandwich as thewaiter was handing it to me, then got into a fightwith some more gulls over who got to eat it. Michael had to go wash up, so our waiter provided a net-like cloche to keep it protected.
Afterwards, we headed off down the narrow streets in search of a gondola. I’d read that even though there’s an official price, the gondoliers tend to charge more in the busy season and that we might have to pay more. So we went searching forone well off the Grand Canal. I’m thinking now that that this may no longer be true (or we just got lucky) because our guy quoted the standard price.
Let me tell you, those things are not very stable and it was tricky to get in and out. Yes, it’s a very touristy thing to do, but you’re in Venice! How can you not? And yes, it was a fantastic experience! We marveled at how well our gondolier (who’d been doing it for ten years, from a line of gondoliers) controlled the boat, maneuvering through the canals, shouting to the other gondoliers when turning a corner, and passing under bridges with barely an inch to spare. Definitely a magicalexperience. We loved every second of it.
Back on land, it was time for some gelato. So we went right back to the same shop we went to last night. Got the same flavors, too. And yes, it was quite delicious!
We still had a few hours for dinner, so it was time for exploring. After researching Venice in preparation for our trip, I’d found a few interesting sights to see. The challenge was finding them. Venice is like a big, wonderful maze, full of canals, bridges, and dead ends. The GPS on our phones helped (we put Michael in charge), but sometimesthe streets are so narrow and close together youcan easily be on the wrong one.
After trekking for a good while (sometimes in thewrong direction), we found our way to stop #1, which was the Acqua Alta Libreria (High Water Bookshop). Many of their book displays are built from boats, bathtubs, and other floating vessels. They even have a gondola full of books in the middle of the store. In the back is s staircase madeof books, where people lined up to snap photos.
Next stop was a clothing store that caught our eyes as we passed. Not just because the clothes were cool (and made in Italy), but because everything was 15 euros or less. Every one of us came out with something.
Then we had to backtrack a bit to find the Ponte dei Conzafelzi bridge. It’s another favorite spot for photos because you have the perfect view of canals on either side of an old building. Looks just like a calendar photo. It’s really hard to take a bad picture here.
From there we went to the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo Corteo, which is yet another favorite spot for photos due to the ornate circular staircase that runs up the outside of the building. They offer tours, but we’d gotten there ten minutes after closing. Some youngwomen in the courtyard we’re promoting a little concert there for tomorrow night. Not sure we’ll make it, but we took a brochure anyway.
Our last stop just before dinner (aside from the Venice Disney Store) was the Rialto Bridge. We’d seen it from the boat while coming in, of course, but was glad we finally made it over to see it up close. I hadn’t realized it had shops just like the Ponte Vecchio, but was a little smaller and more upscale.
We celebrated my birthday dinner at Da Mamo, which was down a narrow side street from the Disney Store. Had to wait for them to actually open, but they had our table reserved in the back. With my name on a table tent that also read “Happy Birthday.” I’d been dying for some shrimp, so I ordered some prawn meatballs as an appetizer, which were pretty good. Also had the Carbonar, which was good, but not as good as Luciano in Rome (no gold fork, either).
About halfway through the meal, they started playing “Happy Birthday,” but it was for someone else. Then a waiter checked my tabletent, so when they played it again, I knew it was for me.
We were worried about finding our way back since Michael’s phone battery was running low. Butthen I noticed some little yellow signs on every street that pointed the way to Saint Mark’s. We got back much quicker than it took to get there.
We stopped in the Piazza for a bit to enjoy the sights and listen to the music from the cafe bands. One of them did the entire soundtrack for Grease (instrumental, of course), which was a real crowd pleaser.
Had to call it a night earlier than usual because we have to get up early and take Madison to the airport. Sad to see her go, but she’s heading to Disneyland Paris to spend a couple of days with a friend before flying home to LA.
Ciao!
Our last stop just before dinner (aside from the Venice Disney Store) was the Rialto Bridge. We’d seen it from the boat while coming in, of course, but was glad we finally made it over to see it up close. I hadn’t realized it had shops just like the Ponte Vecchio, but was a little smaller and more upscale.
We celebrated my birthday dinner at Da Mamo, which was down a narrow side street from the Disney Store. Had to wait for them to actually open, but they had our table reserved in the back. With my name on a table tent that also read “Happy Birthday.” I’d been dying for some shrimp, so I ordered some prawn meatballs as an appetizer, which were pretty good. Also had the Carbonar, which was good, but not as good as Luciano in Rome (no gold fork, either).
About halfway through the meal, they started playing “Happy Birthday,” but it was for someone else. Then a waiter checked my tabletent, so when they played it again, I knew it was for me.
We were worried about finding our way back since Michael’s phone battery was running low. Butthen I noticed some little yellow signs on every street that pointed the way to Saint Mark’s. We got back much quicker than it took to get there.
We stopped in the Piazza for a bit to enjoy the sights and listen to the music from the cafe bands. One of them did the entire soundtrack for Grease (instrumental, of course), which was a real crowd pleaser.
Had to call it a night earlier than usual because we have to get up early and take Madison to the airport. Sad to see her go, but she’s heading to Disneyland Paris to spend a couple of days with a friend before flying home to LA.
Ciao!
More photos to come...
Friday, July 5, 2019
Day 7: Ah, Venice!
We were a little behind getting up this morning (my fault), but still managed to make it to the train station in plenty of time. We were going to pop into a McDonalds for breakfast (I did check one out in Florence, but unlike France, the menu wasn’t all that different), but opted instead for a pattiseria (pastry shop). And despite being a little rushed, we still got to the platform before our train did. Though Marsha was so anxious, she almost boarded the wrong one.
Once again the seating arrangements were off kilter, with me a row off again. But at least this time Marsha and Madison were seated together. The only hiccup was trying to get into our seats by maneuvering around one particular family who must’ve had all of their worldly possessions in giant suitcases for which they couldn’t find any room (they eventually succeeded after our first stop in Bologna). Otherwise, the trip was smooth sailing. Lots of tunnels at first, then wide open countryside.
There are actually two stations for Venice (Venezia): one on the mainland (where a surprising number of people disembarked), and one at the top end of the islands. This was the last stop for the line.
We’d decided that as soon as we got there, we’d go ahead and book Madison’s train to the airport. But when we tried to book it on the kiosk, we couldn’t find the airport. So we stopped and asked someone at the transportation booth. She explained that there is no train to Marco Polo airport. Well, that explained that. So we bought “bus tickets” (found out later they meant water bus) instead, which still required some figuring out.
Ah, Venice! As soon as we stepped out of the train station, the views were amazing! Right on the Grand Canal, boats going everywhere. Took a minute to figure out which vaporetto (another water bus) but all it really took was checking a sign. In the movies (like Spider-Man: Far From Home, currently playing at a theatre near you), they always show people going by water taxis (speed boats, for which our hotel has a private dock), but that’s seriously expensive. So we took the vaporetto, which is much cheaper, but took forever because it pulls up to every single stop on the Canal. Gives you a good tour of the city, except for the hordes of people getting on an off and all the shuffling that comes with that.
Our hotel, Hotel Danieli, is amazing! Right on the Grand Canal and right behind our vaporetto stop. It was built in the 1400s (like Rome and Florence, everything here is quite old) and looks like a palace. Which it probably was. I tried to do the check-in speaking Italian, but explaining the extra bed situation (Madison is only staying two out of the three nights) was too much for me. Next time!
Our very nice check-in person led us up to the room and showed us all the amenities. We even had a welcome card, a bottle of wine, and a box of cookies waiting. The room is spectacular and overlooks the Canal. Couldn’t ask for anything better.
By this time, we were getting hungry, so we tried the Terrace restaurant at the hotel, which offers amazing views of the city. They explained that the kitchen was currently closed and all they had was the limited bar menu, so we just ordered some sandwiches. They were rather pricey for a bar menu, but did I mention the view? And the portions were surprisingly huge. Madison’s was the only one small enough to finish. Mine was a giant club sandwich with trianglular pieces arranged to make a well full of french fries. Very creative!
We were going to do a gondola ride afterwards, but Marsha and Madison were just too tired, so they opted to take a well-needed nap. I would’ve done the same, but our friend Michael from London flew in to visit. So we spent a couple hours wandering around and catching up.
Marsha and Madison joined us later, so then we spent several more hours exploring and catching up. Everywhere you turn, there’s another cool street, a little bridge, or intriguing piazza. We saw plenty of Gondoliers paddling their way down the canals, sometimes even singing. Ah, Venice!
We found we all kept taking pictures of the same things. And every now and then, you reach a dead end that stops at the water. We tried to visit one of the few parks, but found it was under renovation. But as I said, there was plenty to keep our interest. And you just can’t take a bad picture anywhere.
By dinner time, because of our giant lunch, we still weren’t hungry (except for Michael), so we stopped for gelato while Michael grabbed some pizza. We ended up on a bridge crossing the Canal that actually looked fairly new. With the sun down, we marveled at a nearby building with a gondola parked outside and a tiny cafe at the bottom of the bridge. It looked like Disney World. Some passing teenagers saidit looked very “Pirates of the Caribbean,” which was exactly right. Except it was REAL.
Ciao!
Ciao!
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Day 6: Sometimes It Really is the Climb
Happy Independence Day, America!
Today was an absolute topsy-turvy day in Florence, where we completely threw our schedule out the window. And it turned out to be one of our best so far. We had an 11:00 entry time to visit the Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi), the top museum in Florence. Last night, however, Marsha and Madison both inquired about just skipping it, even though we’d already paid for tickets. Truth be told, the heat and the pace (especially the heat), was really getting to us. The time difference wasn’t helping, either. Particularly for Madison, who’s another three hours off from us.
Today was an absolute topsy-turvy day in Florence, where we completely threw our schedule out the window. And it turned out to be one of our best so far. We had an 11:00 entry time to visit the Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi), the top museum in Florence. Last night, however, Marsha and Madison both inquired about just skipping it, even though we’d already paid for tickets. Truth be told, the heat and the pace (especially the heat), was really getting to us. The time difference wasn’t helping, either. Particularly for Madison, who’s another three hours off from us.
So, when my alarm went off this morning, I didn’t have the heart to wake them up. So, I just shut it off and went back to sleep. By the time I woke again, it was already 11:30. And after 12:30 before either of them stirred. I didn’t feel sorry one bit for missing our entry.
It was around 2:30 before we finally left the room and just what the doctor ordered. We felt great! It was still hot out, but with Florence’s narrow streets we managed to stay in the shade, plus it was fairly breezy today. We found a great little cafe for lunch (Casa del Vin Santo) where we stopped for pizza, which was terrific. By then it was way too late to even try the Uffizi (assuming they would let us in) and still a little early for our tickets to the Duomo, so we just strolled around a bit.
We chanced upon a Disney Store, so of course we had to stop. On the surface, it looked a lot like ones we have in the US, but the artwork all had an Italian flavor (the Fab Five as historic Italian figures). Our favorite part was listening to the Disney songs in Italian.
It was finally time for our entry to the Duomo. There was a long line to enter the Cathedral (which is free), and a shorter, timed entry (every 30 minutes) to climb the dome (not free). At 4:30 they opened the doors again and let us in. We got a brief glimpse of the Cathedral before we went through a doorway and started our way upstairs. The first staircase (notice I said “first”) was the usual kind: rectangular steps up to a landing, then another flight, another landing, and so on. There were just an awful LOT of them (463 in total, which we didn’t know at the time). We finally got winded and had to stop. But whe we continued, we found we were only one landing from a room with several statues.
The first stop was inside the Dome, on a tiny walkway that went all the way around and overlooked the Cathedral. Then we went through a tiny door and the climb got more and more challenging the higher we went: tight, narrow staircases made of stone (only designed for maintenance workers), circular staircases that are so long and tight you get dizzy reaching the top. And the real challenge is that unless you’ve done it before, there’s just no way to know how far you have left to climb.
The final section was the most challenging. Very tight corridors with narrow staircases that you also have to share with people coming down. At times we’d reach a bunching up point where several of us would have to squeeze off to the side to let others go down before we could go up. Plus, it was so hot and stuffy, we were gasping and sweating like crazy. Thank goodness we’d gotten some water before going in.
When we reached what I hoped was the final landing, Marsha and Madison were just about ready to give up. But we’d come that far already, so I wasn’t about to. But then when I turned the corner to climb the (Dear God, please!) last staircase, I actually exclaimed out loud, “Oh, crap!” I think a lot of people had the exact same reaction.
The steps went up the outside curve of the dome, so when I looked it, it appeared as though the old lady ahead of me was actually laying down as she climbed. I desperately needed fresh air (asthmatic), so I charged ahead. And much to my relief, when I reached the top, there was just one more narrow staircase before we reached the outside.
Oh, my Lord, it was glorious! Not only was there fresh air and a cool breeze, but you could see all of Florence in every direction! Just breathtaking! We could see the train station, hilltop fortresses, and the beauty of Florence for miles. Absolutely incredible! The only catch was that the floor was made of marble, which felt very slippery. Between that and the wind, we were extra careful getting close to the edge, even with the iron railing.
The climb back down was also challenging, but with the added difference that this time we had some idea of where we were. And gravity working in our favor. We passed one old lady who stopped halfway on the narrow, circular staircase, clinging for dear life. For all I know, she may still be there.
When we reached the bottom, we got another brief glimpse of the Cathedral, which appeared to be closed for the day. By that point, though, we’d definitely seen enough.
Afterwards, we grabbed some iced cappuccino before heading over to the Uffizi, with the hopes they’d still let us in. It was only an hour before closing, so we felt that wouldn’t be a problem and we were right. And let me tell you, that was the way to see the Uffizi! We practically had the whole place to ourselves and the temperature inside was great. First thing we had to do was climb stairs to the top floor, but then we were free to rush through Ferris Bueller-style.
Marsha wanted to see Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, which was amazing. We saw lots of statues and paintings by Da Vinci (much bigger than the Mona Lisa) and Michelangelo. Marsha and I both marveled (again) at his technique that makes his paintings seem three-dimensional. And this time we could see it up close (as opposed to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel).
After we rushed through the remaining floors (the museum was closing), we managed to get to the Ponte Vecchio before the shops (mostly jewelry) closed. It was really cool getting to see it in all its glory.
Our last stop for the night was dinner. We’d seen several outdoor cafes at the Piazza della Signoria (which I previously misidentified as Piazza Vecchio, because I confused it with Palazzo Vecchio), so that was an easy choice. We loved the misters built into the railings, so from s distance it looks like people are smoking like crazy.
We had dinner at Ristorante Orcagna, which was pretty good. But the best part was the location. It’s our favorite Piazza in Florence, there was a good breeze, and musicians playing. Couldn’t have asked for a better ending to our time here in Florence.
Tomorrow, it’s back to the train station to head to Venice (Venezia). Have to get up at a decent time, but thankfully, we better know what we’re doing this time and the station is only three blocks away.
Ciao!
Ciao!
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Day 5: Arrivederci, Roma. Ciao, Firenze!
Sad to say goodbye to Rome this morning. We managed to get all packed up and actually left the hotel early. Took a cab to Roma Termini Stazione and then tried to figure out what we were doing amid the giant mass of people. We don’t have much experience in rail travel (that’s about to change); just riding the Eurostar from London to Paris. We found our train on the departure board easily enough, but learned that they don’t post the track until about 15-20 minutes before leaving. I bought these tickets months ago and was surprised to find that Marsha and Madison were on one row across from each other, but I was in the row behind them. Next trip I'll pay more attention to seating. It’s a learning experience.
Afterwards, we walked down to the river (one of Marsh’s favorite pastimes) to stroll into the city. This is when I started to succumb to Florence’s charms. We crossed the Ponte Vecchio, which is famous for having shops on the bridge. Sadly, all of the shops were closed, but we’re heading back that way tomorrow.
Next we moved on to Piazza della Signoria, which completely won me over. This was much more grand, with columned buildings and a large assortment of statues. The originals of which we’d just seen earlier in the Accademia! Chief of which wasMichelangelo’s David, which used to stand outside, but was moved indoors years ago to prevent wear and tear.
From there we moved on to the Duomo, which we’re also seeing tomorrow. Naturally, it was closed at that hour, but there were no crowds and it was an excellent opportunity to see it up close beforehand. First of all, it’s much larger than any of us expected. I mean really huge. Then after you take in the enormity of it, you start to notice the level of detail, which is just incredible.
The train ride to Florence (Firenze in Italian) was awesome. Perfectly smooth and fast. We cruised at 200 kmh for a bit, then got up to 250 (155 mph). The Italian countryside was just beautiful. I was fascinated by all farmland (again, more hay in giant rolls). But most especially all the old towns perched on hilltops. Some of which looked like fortresses.
The one thing that didn’t quite work out was eating. Originally, I’d planned to get something around the train station, but we didn’t have enough time. We could’ve gotten something on the train, but didn’t really figure that out until we were almost to Florence.
Fortunately, the ride was only 90 minutes, so it was only 1:15 when we arrived. Even better was that our hotel (Sina Villa Medici) was only three blocks away. And in case you’re wondering, it’s still ridiculously hot.
We got checked in just fine and, of course, or room wasn’t yet ready. So we checked our bags and hit the streets. We had just over an hour before our timed entry (and skipping the line) to the Galleria dell’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. So we stopped by the food court in the Mercato Centrale and grabbed a panino (in Italian, panini is plural). The food and selections were great, but they could really use some AC.
Suffice it to say, it was “unpleasantly warm” in the Accademia. They even gave out paper fans. Some rooms had AC and were, thankfully, a little cooler. Otherwise, seeing Michelangelo’s David was impressive. That is one huge statue. And it’s the centerpiece of the museum.
There were also many rooms with triptychs. There was another room that was full of statues, but it was roped off for some reason. Fortunately, we were still able to get a glimpse.
The final room we visited (for which we had to backtrack all the way to the entrance) contained musical instruments from a once larger private collection. It even contained two Stradivarius violins, which was pretty impressive.
Afterwards, we popped by a nearby bookstore where I was very excited to pick up the last two Mortina books (Ghoulia in the US), the final of which was just released. I’ve been reading them as part of my Italian studies and was happy to conduct my purchase mostly in Italian.
We also stopped at a little shop for drinks, where I spotted some Coke cans with another of my favorite pop stars, Annalisa. I’ve learned quite a few words listening to her songs.
Then we went back to the hotel to relax and cool down. We decided to check out the TV and found a channel that shows movies in English with Italian subtitles. We got hooked on Gambit (1966), starring a very young Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine.
For dinner we went to La Spada, which was great and had excellent service. And it was nearly our first meal where we didn’t have pasta or pizza (though Marsha did have lasagna). I was able to order the whole meal in Italian, with much encouragement from our waiter. He even chastised me later (and deservedly so) when I asked him something in English.
Afterwards, we walked down to the river (one of Marsh’s favorite pastimes) to stroll into the city. This is when I started to succumb to Florence’s charms. We crossed the Ponte Vecchio, which is famous for having shops on the bridge. Sadly, all of the shops were closed, but we’re heading back that way tomorrow.
From there we moved on to the Duomo, which we’re also seeing tomorrow. Naturally, it was closed at that hour, but there were no crowds and it was an excellent opportunity to see it up close beforehand. First of all, it’s much larger than any of us expected. I mean really huge. Then after you take in the enormity of it, you start to notice the level of detail, which is just incredible.
Our final stop for the night was a gelato shop onthe way back to the hotel. Once again, perfect way to end the evening. The weather report for tomorrow says 40% chance ofrain in the afternoon. Here’s hoping!
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Day 4: The Pope and Anthony Bourdain
For our final full day in Rome, we decided to play it a little smarter. Instead of walking back to the Vatican again, we took a cab so we’d be on time and refreshed. Fortunately, we’d pre-purchased our tickets online and got to go right into the Vatican Museums.
As soon as we walked into the Visitor’s Center, we were greeted with the thing we most wanted to experience: air conditioning! Such a blessed relief from the rising heat outside! But after we grabbed a quick bite in the cafeteria and started on our tour, we noticed it getting gradually... warmer. Because when we got to the main part of the museum, the doors were wide open.
Our first stop was the Egyptian section, which was both fascinating and sweltering. They had two actual mummies and a ton of Egyptian artifacts. I’ll try not to go on and on about the heat, but we’re really hoping that the museums in Florence have AC. And that we skipped through some sections because they were just too hot and crowded (tour groups).
Our next major section, and probably my favorite, was an enormous collection of marble statues. The first collection were marble copies of Greek originals. I’m always amazed at how the sculptors are able to smooth the marble and not have a single chisel mark.
Eventually we made it into another hall full of Roman originals. This was definitely my favorite. On so many, the garments looked light and flowing. If the sculpture were to turn just a bit, you’d expect the material to flow with them. I’m also impressed by all the tiny details. And wonder how they were actually carved from stone.
From there we went to the tapestry gallery (where we had to quote Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). Very impressive, but hard to appreciate because it was so crowded. We had to keep moving along with the flow of tour groups. I realizedthat yesterday, we were the tour group, but we spent most of our time away from the general public. Which was the whole point of our tour.
My other favorite room was the Map Gallery, and not just because it was cool and had a good breeze. One of the earlier Popes had commissioned a series of maps of the entirety of Italy. The maps were awesome and reminded me of Tolkein’s maps in Lord of the Rings.
After passing through an incredible room dedicated to the Virgin Mary, we moved on to the Borgia apartments. Was hoping that these were like the Napoleon apartments in the Louvre, but nope. They’d long been stripped of their history and just used as galleries. Though we did get to see a rare Van Gogh and a couple of Dali paintings.
Next up was the Sistine Chapel, the high point of a visit to the Museum. It was extremely crowded, with a steady flow of people coming in, not all of them obeying the rule to be quiet. It was difficult to stand in one spot to take it all in, but let me say it was absolutely breathtaking. They won’t let you take photos inside, so I snapped a photo of a photo on our way out. We were really glad we’d seen the show the other night, but were completely unprepared for how dimensional the real thing was. Due to Michelangelo’s use of shading, it looked like the figures were stepping out of the ceiling. Just incredible.
After a brief respite in the cafeteria, we left the museums and went around the block to see St. Peter’s Bassilica. We were immediately taken aback by the courtyard, which was easily the largest we’d seen in Rome. But that was nothing compared to the Bassilica itself.
All three of us were just astonished at the enormity of it all. It seems bigger than both Notre Dame and Westminster Abbey, but I wonder if that’s because the other two are more divided, whereas St. Peter’s is more open.
There was a mass going on while we were there,which made me wonder how our minister would like to have tourists wandering through during the service. They kept that section roped off and well-guarded, which made sense. We also saw that they’re more strict about the dress code than the Pantheon. We saw several women with large scarves wrapped around their shoulders and waists. Which was why none of us wore shorts today.
Our incident at dinner last night had been nibbling at my conscience. Yes, the woman was aggressive, but I could have given her something (assuming that’s what she wanted). So I made sure to offer handouts to a few of the people begging outside of St. Peter’s. I wonder sometimes if they’re truly in need, but that’s not for me to decide.
Finally, it was time to make the trek to Trastevere and dinner. It’s one of the oldest (and more popular) sections in Rome. It had been on our schedule for Sunday, but we’d obviously nixed those plans. We’d also wanted to visit the Mouth of Truth (made famous in Roman Holiday), but it was already closed. We made it to dinner a little early, so we took a few minutes to explore while we waited for them to open.
Dinner was Marsha’s top request, so I had to shuffle some things around to book it (they’re closed on Sundays during the summer). The restaurant is Roma Sparita, and they’re famous for their cacio e pepe, which they serve in a bowl made of cheese. They’re even more famous for being featured in an episode of No Reservations (2:26 in) back in 2010, in which Anthony Bourdain declared the dish so good, he refused to name the restaurant. Ever since, people have been flocking there (hint: people figured it out) to eat it. Which was just what he feared.
And yes, it was excellent. Our waiter, who was fantastic, also talked us into appetizers of prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, and fried zucchini blossoms, which we’ve seen on Food Network a lot. The former was excellent, the latter was interesting. We can now say that we’ve eaten it. I’ve seen some reviews that say they’re not always friendly to tourists, but that was not our case at all. As I said, our waiter was fantastic! Best service we’ve had in Rome. The one thing I thought was odd was when they brought my dish (Amatriciana) out first and left Marsha and Madison waiting. But then they brought out like eight dishes of cacio e pepe at once and distributed them to various tables.
What was endlessly fascinating, though, was the hostess. We were seated outside right at the entrance, so we got to watch her the whole time. And we could never figure out her system. People would walk up and if they didn’t have a reservation, she’d shake her head and flip through her notepad. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Some she’d turn away, saying they were booked until 10. But for others, she’d relent and say, “You can sit over there.” She turned away an English couple who couldn’t be out after 10 (when their hostel locked the doors), but then seated the next couple that walked up. It was like watching a skit on SNL.
Update: After reading some reviews on Yelp and mulling this over, I've stumbled upon a theory that makes sense. I wish my memory was better so that I could verify, but I think this is correct. Whether or not walk-ups got a table depended on how they were dressed. I do remember one couple that got a table was well-dressed. And the British couple above were wearing shorts and backpacks. Thankfully, we had a reservation, but I'm still glad we'd dressed up that day for our visit to the Vatican.
Update: After reading some reviews on Yelp and mulling this over, I've stumbled upon a theory that makes sense. I wish my memory was better so that I could verify, but I think this is correct. Whether or not walk-ups got a table depended on how they were dressed. I do remember one couple that got a table was well-dressed. And the British couple above were wearing shorts and backpacks. Thankfully, we had a reservation, but I'm still glad we'd dressed up that day for our visit to the Vatican.
Afterwards, we took a final stroll through our favorite Piazza (Navona), where we stopped for some gelato (our first for the trip). Then we made the long, uphill trek (Rome is very hilly) back to the hotel. Passed by Trevi Fountain one last time, too, which was still just as crowded.
Tomorrow we take the train (the first of several this trip) to Florence, which means at least two hours of AC! Sad to say goodbye to Rome, though. We all agreed, it ranks right up there with Paris in terms of beautiful cities. I could definitely come back for an extended trip in the future. Just when it’s cooler.
My final impressions: you can get by in Rome just fine not speaking a word of Italian. Everyone defaults to English for the tourists. And we absolutely love the water fountains! Don’t know how we would have survived without them!
Ciao!
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