Just couldn't wait

So, instead of posting one photo each day, I changed the slideshow (at the right of the posts) to point to my "best of Italy" flickr slideshow. You can either view the thumbnails there, or you can click on it to view the slideshow at larger resolutions. I took all of these on my DSLR in RAW mode, so these JPEG files won't have all the depth of the original photos, but I think they're fun anyway.

Home Again

We're back from Italy, but it's changed our hearts. We will always have a bit of Italy in us, and we are making plans to return. For now, we'll have to make due with our photographs and the few trinkets we bought while there. I'm going to post a favorite photograph from our trip here until I run out of good ones. So, here is the first. This was sunset in Rome as we were walking to the bus one evening.

The last supper...

For our final dinner in Italy we're eating at a beautiful restaurant called I'll Drapo. Sardenian cuisine. Mmmmm.
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Lessons learned

1. Forono means good food cheap. Yes, I know it means oven, but besides bread and cookies, you can also get fresh pizza and turkey roulade and oven roasted potatoes and other veggies. All the locals go there for their quick lunch.
2. Buy five or more dolci. You get them at a much reduced price (like donuts are cheaper by the dozen). If you're buying for breakfast the next day this works well... Or just for later ;)
3. Bring washcloths. Clean towells and sheets are provided, you won't regret this.
4. Always ask a local where to eat. Ask the waiters what is beast to eat. They know AND they'll help you feel right at home.
5. Plead ignorance. If you mix up something, you' get sympathy and help.
6. transportation: Milan-subway, Venice-boats, Florence-walk, Rome- busses.
7. Be flexible. The church you wanted to see is closed? Eat a gilato and come back later. Bus beraks? Get out and walk to the next stop and catch another.
8. People watch.
9. The journey, not the destination, is the vacation.

We love you Italy.
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Roman baths

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Ancient Rome

Built to keep the masses entertained, it worked until Rome fell to the Barbarians. Kind of like TV today...
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Monday night in Rome

Trevi fountain. Nuff said.
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All roads lead to...

St. Peter's square in Rome.
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Ponte Vecchio on the river Arno in Firenza

It rained today. This afternoon, the sun came out and illuminated the scenery.
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View from on top

This is one of the amazing views from the top of the Duomo in Fiorenza.
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Fierenza

Second day in Florence. We're waiting in front of the Duomo for it to open at 10:00. this picture is of one relief by the front door. There are probably 5000 or more of these adorning the church.
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You can' immagine how huge this thing is!

The Duomo of Florence.
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Sparklies!

This photo was taken just before our salesguide explained that we couldn't take photos in the showroom. They had many items here for the new season and didn't want their competitors. To get a preview.
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Murano

Besides being the capital of Italian glass, Murano is a lovely, residedential island with working-class people. It is far more serene than bustling Venice.
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Glass artisan in murano

The things they make here boggle your immagination.
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St. Mark's Square

A view of the Doge's palace, the execution columns, clock tower and St. Mark's cathedral in venice from our water taxi on the way to Murano (where they make the glass).
We took a water taxi ride to murano to visit one of the the glass works. There are many here on the island.
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Venice in the rain

It was an overcast day, slight drizzle. Yellow and orange houses against a grey sky. But it was Venice, and beautiful.
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Venice street

There are about a thousand streets like this in venice.
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View of the lake

The day was amazing.
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Venice

No words
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Time for something sweet

Gotta love snack time
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A venice boatride

We just arrived in venice. This place is magical. Our apartment is tiny, but cute and functional. First thing tomorrow we explore.

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Milan...Darling

Long day today. We overshot our jetlag compensation and couldn't sleep past 5. That's ok, we got up and took an early morning walking tour towards the Duomo. It was fun to see the city waking up on a saturday morning. Milan is a juxtiposition of old and new - of sacred and profane.
After walking past the opera theater (and this statue of DaVinci we went through the Galleria; a big covered mall with Gucci, Prada, and other names you'd recognise (including McDonalds!) To the Duomo. Amazing in scope and grandure and details. We also saw the old Duomo; St. Ambrogio, the technology museum, the ENORMOUS castle Sforzescon and the Palazzo di Brera art museum and art preservation school before taking the metro back to the hotel.
The transportation system here seems to work very efficiently. They have a good metro (subway) for getting from one part of the city to another, a surface light-rail system that is more extensive as well as busses. All of these are used extensively. The busses send their information ahead to the bus stops indicating where they are going and when they will arrive! Very cool.
So much more to say, the food is amazing! But I'll save it for later.
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In flight update

We've got a few minutes in Amsterdam. Flying here from Portland, we never saw true darkness, just a long combined sunset/sunrise. We were up in the arctic circle and 500 miles north of the only city we saw on the map in Greenland. You can see in the pictures where we were. Just a few hours to go til Milan. I hope we can see the Alps, it is cloudy here.
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Boarding passes in hand

We can fly; we can fly; we can fly!
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Bags all packed and ready to go

Here we are! Only one carry-on and one personal item each for our entire trip. I hope we haven't forgotten anything.
Another couple of last minute things to think about... Temporary custody papers for each of our children, and permission to operate motor vehicles for Grandma Sherry.
Next stop... Portland.
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Last Minute Preparations

We leave this week! Panic sets in... What did I forget?

There are probably better lists, but here is the list of things that we've gone over to make sure that we didn't forget something.

1. Call your cell phone company. If you're bringing a cell phone, and want it to work, you need to make sure that the phone company sets up your GSM service in Europe before you leave.


2. Pack early. We packed in earnest on Friday, a whole week before we leave (okay, we just can't wait, but it sounds like a good excuse). With our combined lists from one bag and other sources, we started packing our carry-ons. We checked off items as we went, and realized that there were a few items we didn't have, nothing that a quick trip to a local Target or Wal-mart can't fix. One of the items we'd completely spaced was a clothesline. We got some of those 3m adhesive anchors (the ones that don't leave any marks but hold 30-40 lbs.) in case we can't find a good place in the rooms to tie up the clothesline. I know that they recommend suction cups... we'll see if these work better.


3. Call your banks and credit cards. All of them want to know that you'll be using your cards overseas (or even in a different area of the United States), and you don't want to have any charges declined while you're gone. Kudos to CapitalOne for being the only one that allowed me to give them all my travel information via an automated line 24 hours a day. Everyone else had interminable waiting (okay about 15 minutes) and really bad 80's oldies music played alternately too loud and too soft.


4. Copy all your documents. We're taking multiple copies of all our important documents. Airplane boarding passes - two copies; hotel reservations and google maps - two copies each; will-call tickets to the opera - two copies; passport first page - 6 copies; telephone numbers (not the toll free ones) for every debit and credit card - two copies. And an extra copy of everything in a password secured location on the internet (gmail or google apps works well for this).


5. Other items: local maps, sewing kit, antacids, ibuprofin (you probably aren't used to all the walking you'll be doing), water purification tablets or filter, universal sink stopper, door wedge; Did you remember extra batteries for the camera(s)?

Oh, and one more thing, a big thank you for all the well-wishers and friends that we wish were all coming with us. You've been more help than you know to help this dream become a reality.

Ok, I think...maybe we might be ready to go, oh yes... one more thing: PICK UP MOM FROM THE AIRPORT!