Italy Day Five

March 10

A day of incredible lows and highs. Woke up to an 8 am phone call. It was Hayley. She was extremely sick and had tried to get ahold of us at the hotel during the night, but since we both snore and the walls in europe are thin, Ann and I both had ear plugs in. If you've ever travelled with family, you know what a catastrophe sleep deprivation can be. (snarky but true.) Anyway, we were glad there hadn't been a fire, or we'd be toast.

So back to the story. Apparently, Hayley got food poisoning at Dantes. Gah-ross. She had a lot of stomach problems, I'll let you fill in the blank. It was bad. She had chills and it just all around sucked. I felt so terrible. I could get over the fact that I was actually in the same town, across the globe, when Hayley needed me and I didn't respond. Guilt-feelings. Hayley was still pretty sick, but her stomach had settled enough so she could sleep so, she told us she'd rather not have us disturb her and to go do something and she'd call us later when she was awake.

Ann and I both felt really bad and the sad feelings were making me homesick. We decided to split up for the morning. Ann went to the Uffizi museum, a very famous gallery in Florence.

I wandered around the city and bought a few souvenirs. I found a great little music shop and bought TC (my son) something, but I don't want to say because I'm certain he's totally following this blog.

Ann and I hooked up at the hotel and decided to go the the Accedamia and see Michelangelo's David. It was fantastic! I was in awe by this piece and it was displayed to perfection in this somewhat small museum. Sort of in a rounded central area with high, high cathedral ceilings, which let in a lot of natural light through some kind of skylight type things. David is like 17-feet tall and is standing on a giant marble cylinder. There are curved benches along the back side of the statue so folks can sit, relax and gaze at David in all his splendor. The detail and life-like quality of this piece is worth the visit. The detail work: the veins and muscles, the ethereal look on David's face. It was all perfect. Highly recommend, people!

After the Accedamia, Ann and I headed to Hayley's apartment and had lunch at a cute little restaurant along the way. Do you see the theme here??


Anyhoo, Hayley was feeling pretty good, but still very tired. I cleaned up a little bit around the apartment and did some laundry for my bubby. Then Ann and I found a little grocery store where I got a few things for Hayley. Then we went back and made her some eggs and toast, which she ate. We stayed for a bit, but Hayley was pretty tired and wanted to go back to sleep.

We took the bus back and walked to my wine shop from the day before as well as a little meat and cheese shop to pick up dinner. I wish I would have video'd it. It was very cute and the woman was so sweet.

We had a little picnic in the room and enjoyed our wine. Ann broke a wine glass that the hotel loaned us and felt really badly about it. Just the perfect ending to the day.

Italy Day Four

March 9

Woke up a little later -- around 9 -- and went down to breakfast. Of course, I had my chocolate again! Took my time getting dressed, went online for bit and watied for Hayley. She come to the hotel around 11.

The city centre of Florence is usually pretty busy, with lots of tourists and Florentines going about the business of their day. The Duomo (which I cannot pronounce correctly, as you will hear in the video) is a specatcular church, similar to that which is found in most tuscan cities, towns and villages. Many took decades to build. The Duomo was traditionally supposed to be the tallest structure in a town, "viewable" from any place in the city and from afar. Florence's Duomo is magnificent with green and terra cotta colored marble and intricate scroll and sculpture work adorning nearly every facet, crevice and plane of the strucutre.



We did a bit of site seeing and shopping. Ann bought two pairs of boots: one green and one purple! I got some glass bottle stoppers and hand-made stick pins at a cute glass and bead shop Hayley took us to. For lunch we went to the Yellow Bar. As Rachel Ray would say, Yumo! It was really fun to see all the shops, designer and otherwise. We crossed the famous bridge, the Ponte Vechio. It is very old and one of the only Flornece bridges the Nazi's did not destroy during WWII. It is lined with jewelers and the views are as fantastic as they are famous. It was really cool.




Nearby the Ponte Vechio is Hayley's favorite gelateria, so we stopped for a refreshing treat and to rest our tired dawgs.


Later, I ventured out to a local wine store, where there was very little English spoken, and got a bottle of wine. An older woman in the wine shop, via hand gestures and inventive communication between the two of us, pointed me to a tiny grocery story two doors down, where I found some "salt from the sea" for Ann, which she had been looking for. It was a taste of Florentine culture and I felt like I was getting a tiny feel for how the locals live.

That night, we went to Dante's for dinner, per Hayley's suggestion. It was so cute. And they played the best music: cheesey remakes of American pop new and old. Loads o' fun. The food was so delicious. Yet another remarkable Tuscan meal.


Ann and I said good-bye to Hayley and Dante's and walked to a bus stop by another bridge and took the #11 home. Chatted with Marco at the front desk for a bit before retiring to our room.

Italy Day Three

March 8

Got up and had breakfast at the hotel. I had chocolate again. Uber-wonderful. Ann and I met Hayley and her friend, Kelly, at the train station and headed to Cinque Terra, about a three hour train ride northeast. It is a chain of five fishing villages on the coast. They are connected via trains, boats and hiking trails. Many people from around the globe come here to hike the rocky, yet beautiful terrain. This is said to be some of the most beautiful coastline in Italy and we were not disappointed.


The views were absolutely amazing. The way the villagers have literally carved their homes and lives out of the sea-side cliffs is awe-inspiring. So much of nature's beauty is left undisturbed and pristine. I have never seen anything like it. I found myself trying to imagine what it would be like to live and work in this dichotomy of paradise and hardship.


I had not slept well the previous night and was extremely tired. I was afraid that I was dragging the group down, but I did my best. We stopped for lunch in one of the villages and dined outdoors. The owner was the cutest little Italian man, who was quite taken with our blond Kelly and her mastery of the italian language. Lunch was relaxing and fun. Then we headed for the next village.

We ended up seeing four of the five villages. Hayley had to get back for a mandatory viewing of the "Vagina Monologues" for one of her classes, so we were a bit pressed for time. We took off for Florence around 4 or so. The train was packed and Hayley, Kelly and I ended up giving up our seats for some older Italian women. Luckily, quite a few people exited over the next few stops and we got to sit for the remainder of the ride.

When we arrived in Florence, Hayley dashed off to the performance while Kelly helped Ann and I obtain some snacks and catch the bus back. Her host family lives very near our hotel, so that worked out well. After a bedtime snack of wine, cheese, crackers and pringles, Ann and I hit the hay.

Italy Day Two

March 7

Had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Met an American mother and daughter there. The daughter, Sara, had broken her finger in a soccer game and had had surgery the day before. It looked so painful. Poor lil ting.

Hayley had to study, so Ann and I explored our Florence neighborhood. We walked north quite a ways and through a fresh foods market where many Florentines were buying their day's groceries. I bought a bunch of tulips for Manuela at the hotel from a dad and son selling flowers from a truck. I wished I would have taped it. They were italio-cute. Stopped for a bit in a little piaza.


Hayley met us at the hotel around lunch time and we walked to a pizzeria Roberto from the hotel had recommended but it was closed. That is one thing about europe that is different from the states. Businesses don't seem to have regular hours. We ended up at a little cafe not too far from the hotel and ate al fresco.


Then we headed to the open air market where we bought souvenirs. I inadvertently made one of the vendors angry by stating that I thought I would go back and get one of the scarves at another booth (is that not my perogative??) and he kept shouting after me, "You cheap woman!" I felt kind of bad, but Ann figured he was just p. o.'d because he hadn't sold anything yet that day. I reckon she is correct about that, but still it was unfair of him to yell at me. Oh well, he didn't deserve my business and I ended up buying about ten scarves from an old woman with a band-aid on her face who had to keep going to her husband for change. Purty cute.



When we got back to the hotel, we shared a bottle of wine in the breakfast room by the window. Then we took a taxi to an authentic pizzeria Elizabeth from the hotel recommended. It is where she and her family go when they want pizza. It was really cute and fun. Super busy! Lots of locals. We were the only tourist in the joint, which was cool. Ann and I each had four-cheese pizza and I never thought I would O.D. on cheese, but I actually did and ended up with a achy tum.

After dinner we walked Hayley to her apartment and met one of her roomies, Roxie. She was very sweet. Then Ann and I took the bus back to the hotel. Attempted to skype R, but it didn't work. Took my homesick-self off to bed.

Italy Day One

March 6

Got up at 7 and had breakfast at the hotel. Very pleasant. Marco, the hotel owner, drove Ann and me to the National Library, where we met Hayley and the other people in our group for a Tuscan Wine Tour with Rebecca. http://www.tuscan-wine-tours.com/index.htm It was fantastic fun! Cannot say enough about it. We enjoyed ourselves beyond. We had a great group and started out at a little chocolatier for a tasting. We also had a blasamic vinegar tasting and stopped at a couple of vineyards for wine. We had a delicious Tuscan meal at a safron and olive oil farm. We also stopped at two tiny medival type villages. So unline anything I've ever experineced. The scenery and colors were amazing. Just as one would imagine. And the wine and food were beyond compare. It was a magical, marvolous day. We felt like we made new, dear friends and hated to leave them at day's end.


After the tour, we returned to the hotel briefly and then headed to Hayley's apartment via bus. Hayley made us dinner. So cute! And very tastey!

Took the bus back to the hotel, washed out some pinkies and went to bed.

Making our Way to Italy - And: Bonus Country!

March 5

What a day! Up at 5 and to the airport shuttle via the metro by 6:15. The shuttle to Beavouis took about an hour. That's when the trouble began.

The airport got fogged in. But then they called us to board, so that was weird. We were herded down the aisle like a bunch of sheep. I was catching bits and pieces of French from the crew in the airport... Did someone say "Belgium"?? They were handing out instruction sheets and when Ann reached for one, she was "poo-poohed." Like, "don't bother, you stupid American, this is in French."

Behind us in the crowd, I found a nice gentleman who spoke English. He explained that since this airport was fogged in, they were bussing us to Belgium, where we would be flown to Rome.


Well, after a two-hour bus ride and a three-hour wait in the Belgium airport, we boarded a flight for Rome. Two hours later we reached the holy city, about eight hours behind schedule.


It was dark and raining, so we just went directly to the train station and got on the next train to Florence. Arrived in our our hotel room around 10:30 pm.

Paris Day Four

March 4

Hayley's 21st birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got up around 9:30. Stopped by a new pasterie on our way to tour the Opera House. The lady there was uber snootie. Actually, so was the tour guide for the Opera House. The structure itself, however, did not disappoint. I never realized the thought process that the archetects of that period put into their buildings. It was very ornate and very deliberate down to the last detail. The entry way was filled with mirrors and had blaconies that mimicked the auditorium because the audience were the real actors and actresses. The background and size of the rooms were made to show off the women's gowns to the best advantage. The interior positively dripped with red velvet and gold. Totally amazing.



After the tour, we walked a few blocks off the main drag and found a creperie and dined on the most delicious concoctions imaginable.

Took the metro to the Louvre. Pretty amazing. Ginormous. I didn't care for the crowds, but was willing to deal in order to see the Mona Lisa. Sorry to say, I was a tad disappointed. It was really tiny. There's all these huge posters pointing the way and a ton of huge oil paintings to see as you stroll the halls. Like wall size scenes. Then you get to the room with the Mona Lisa and there are stantions set up about 20 feet away from a glassed in wall where the painting is displayed. I'm sorry, but maybe it's the atmosphere, but I can't really figure out what makes that piece so exceeptional when compared to the other pieces. Blasphomy...

Also saw the Venus Di Milo, which, I felt was better presented. Then we went to another wing and saw Napolean's apartments. Aparently he just decided he wanted to live in the Louvre, so he did. Weird. And excessive much???




Took the metro back to the hotel and rested for a bit. Then Hayley and I went and got some pasteries for breakfast the next day and a bottle of wine. Had dinner at a little cafe called Le Select and hit the hay early to get ready for our big journey to Rome in the morning!