tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50819788962998042632024-03-13T09:57:38.690-07:00Robinson Adventures 2013Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-63576456485439039562013-10-24T05:49:00.001-07:002013-10-24T05:49:45.609-07:00A Week in Rome Leaves One Weak - Our Last Post of this Adventure
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A Week in Rome Leaves One Weak</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Friday, October 18, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today was a quiet and
uneventful day. We left Pompeii bright and early, gazed at Vesuvius one final
time, and enjoyed a smooth trip all the way to the Rome Airport. We checked
into our hotel (which turned out to be a lovely one bedroom apartment) and
spent the balance of the day organizing our luggage and planning for our days
in Rome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I know it is said that you
can do Rome in a day but that seems like an impossible dream at the moment. We
have 5 full days in Rome and a list that of things we want to do that will far
exceed that time. <br />
<br />
We have tickets for the Vatican and Borghese Gallery. We have a plan about how
to best see the Forum, Coliseum and the Palatine Hill. And we have a wonderful
night walk across Rome all planned for one lovely evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Markets, piazzas, bus tours,
churches and galleries all call our name. And so does exploring the
neighbourhood in which we will be staying, Termini. How to fit it all in will
be the puzzle of the next several days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We will see what we will see.
Our Rome adventure is about to begin!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Rome – More Than We Could Ever Have Expected</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Saturday, October 19, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our bags are packed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We’re ready to go,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Standing here beside our car,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">All we have to do is drop it
off …..</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And then hop on the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>nonstop train from Fumi to Rome. Simone’s
Suite awaits our arrival and with any luck we will be able to explore the local
market before noon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The train provided a smooth
and quiet ride. Simone’s directions to our new ‘home’ were excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our apartment is very close to Termini
Station. Even pulling luggage, it was only a 10 – 15 minute walk</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We immediately knew we were
going to be very happy with what we had rented. The apartment is compact,
efficient, clean, well equipped, and has a window and a door that open,
allowing the fresh air in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a Laundromat, a
patisserie, a milk bar, a restaurant and a daily fruit and veg market right
outside our door. An a supermarket just around the corner. Perfect!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Simone, our landlord, had
mentioned that there was to be a labour demonstration later in the day near
Termini Station. As we walked along the nearby streets, we began to notice
things that caused us to wonder just how big this demonstration was going to
be. Businesses that would normally be open on a Saturday were closed up tighter
than a drum. Of particular note was the large Conad Supermarket that had all
its shutters closed and fencing all around the building. We stopped for a bite
to eat at a corner restaurant and were told we could have a drink but no food
as they were closing for the day in about 15 minutes. Hmm … Then we began to
see the large presence of police on every street we walked on. Police with
machine guns at the ready. There was even a sniper on the top of a large
government building. Police tape had been installed to limit access to certain
areas and some roads were closed to traffic. We did begin to wonder whether our
plans for the rest of the day made any sense at all, given that we were now
beginning to understand the scope of what this demonstration was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We found a delightful
restaurant quite close to our apartment that was still open and filled with
diners. Was that because it was the only establishment that was still open or was
it because it was highly acclaimed for its food and service? Only one way to
find out so we ventured in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We immediately saw an option
for lunch that we had not encountered anywhere else in Italy. This restaurant,
Famiglia by name, had a very large selection of antipasto dishes and salads
available as a buffet. Jim and I both decided this would be a good way to
sample some foods that we had not yet tried, or perhaps that we did not even
know existed. Jim, very artfully filled two plates with a wide range of tasty
morsels and we taste tested every one. Some seafood, some vegetables, some
meat, some rice, some pasta …. All very good. It was a great choice and we
fully enjoyed our meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we left the restaurant,
the streets were eerily quiet. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon,
siesta time, there was a quiet around us that was uncanny. We decided it would
be prudent to head back to our apartment rather than exploring the
neighbourhood more fully. What a good choice!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Before long, a parade was underway
passing by the end of our street. An estimated 250,000 demonstrators were
participating, chanting, waving flags, singing solidarity songs. We had a great
view from the window at the front of our apartment. Needless to say, it took a
very long time for the parade to pass by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All the while, police were visible and a police helicopter kept close
watch from the sky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Fortunately we had picked up
some bread, cheese, fruit and vegetables at local shops earlier so we were able
to muster a tasty but small meal without leaving home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can explore tomorrow with a greater degree
of confidence.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunday, October 20, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And explore we did!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were out bright on early
to ride on the Hop On Hop Off bus. We managed to get the front seats upstairs
and rode around the entire route. We had our first glimpse of the Coliseum, St.
Peter’s Basilica, thousands of people heading into the Vatican for the Pope’s
Sunday morning blessing, the River Tiber. The commentated tour of Rome helped
us get oriented to the city. There is so much packed into a small space. Where
should we begin?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our first impressions of Rome
are that it is a clean, compact, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
accessible on foot. It is also busy with oh so many tourists (I cannot imagine
what it would be like in the summer). We heard all sorts of languages being
spoken. Rome is a cosmopolitan city, people from all over the world live here
and there are restaurants to support many cultures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After one full tour on the Hop
On Hop Off bus, we travelled as far as Stop 3 on the next round. Stop 3 is the Paletine
Hill and where we joined the line with all the other tourists who had been
advised that this is the best place to enter a trio of high demand attractions
(Paletine Hill, the Roman Forum, and the Coliseum). The line was shorter than
lines we had seen at other places as we passed by on the bus. It gave us a
head’s up about the need to stand patiently in lines in Rome. Jim and I will
need to gird our loins for the lines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It did not take long for us
to reach the front of the line (40 minutes) and we purchased our 2 day pass
which will enable us to enter all three attractions with no waiting. (Good
advice, Jane!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were astounded by what
awaited us on Paletine Hill. I have to admit we knew very little about this
particular site. It is an enormous and diverse area that was originally a
private residence for the Roman Emporer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was opulent and it was large. Some rooms were
over 1000 square feet. High on a hill, the Palentine buildings overlooked the
Forum and the Coliseum. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incredible
gardens, exquisitely designed, enhanced the landscaping. The aqueduct and
cisterns ensured an ongoing supply of water. Even in the early days in Rome,
engineers had developed a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>well
established water supply and distribution system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Of course, the buildings were
in ruins but the parts that remained standing gave great insight into size,
quality of construction, value of design, balance of public and private spaces.
We were more than a little awed by Paletine Hill’s scope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We then followed advice of others
and walked directly from Paletine Hill to the Roman Forum. Less seems to be
known about what was actually in the Forum. The range of buildings, most still
being excavated suggest that there were places of business, worship, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and gathering. What fascinated us is that such
an enormous area of ruinous buildings has been left intact for so many years. Why
has this are never been ‘bulldozed’ in the name of progress. This reflects a
deeply held value about the culture and history in this country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One temple in the Forum area
included several pillars of marble imported from Egypt. At some point, there
was an attempt made to dismantle the pillars, to take them down. But the effort
failed due to the strength of construction and weight of the pillars. There is clear
evidence through marks on the pillars about the efforts to remove this temple –
yet there it stands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left the Forum and finally
took our first break of the day. We stopped for coffee amid a street fair. The
street was busy with families and people of all ages. Buskers, musicians and games
for children and adults provided entertainment and created a lively, colourful atmosphere.
This street fair served as a great diversion from the intense history lesson we
had just had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After a brief respite from touring,
we headed to our next destination, was Piazza Campo Doglio positioned high
above the Forum ( it was quite a walk up the long hill to the top). This piazza
was designed by Michelangelo. There we were surrounded by three amazing
buildings and larger than life sculptures created by the master, himself. It
was awesome to see Michaelangelo’s sculptures on pedestals in the open air. Piazza
Campo Doglio was graceful and beautiful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the Piazza high above the Forum, it
provided wonderful views across Rome – St. Peter’s Dome, the Coliseum, the
Tiber River, the inner city and the suburbs stretched out before our eyes. The
café at the very top caught our attention (we can never resist another coffee) and
we enjoyed a beverage while drinking in the views of Rome. Breathtaking!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We walked down and down and
down the steps and returned to the Hop On Hop Off bus one more time and headed
back to Termini. We stopped at a local restaurant for dinner and then we were in
for the evening. We had been on the road by bus and on foot for 12 hours. It
was time to relax!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Monday, October 21, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our morning started early as
the market vendors for the Montebello Street market set up for the day.
Clothing, fruit, vegetables, flowers,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>purses, shoes and all manner of other goods were available right outside
our door. We spent some time looking at food items we could not identify, in
particular, puntarella, a leafy green vegetable we saw growing in southern
Italy. It was abundant in the fields and we were curious how it was prepared.
It turns out you can use it raw in salads or cooked as a companion for meat. We
might have a chance to try it ourselves before we leave Rome later this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once again, this morning we were
out on the trail before 9 am. Back on the Hop On Hop Off bus but only as far as
the Coliseum this time. Each time we travel on this bus we learn something new
from the commentary and we see something new as we travel through Rome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we saw enough interesting places to
shop that we already have tomorrow planned. But I must not get ahead of myself
…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today we are visiting the
Coliseum. It is an enormous structure with a similar amount of history. We
arranged to have a guided tour. Our guide was an archeologist who had vast
knowledge of the history of the Coliseum, insight into the current excavation
projects and a few stories to tell as well. We were very happy with the pace
and content of the tour and what we learned from her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After we were finished at the
Coliseum, we reboarded our favourite bus one more time. This time our
destination was the Vatican. And we had several plans of how to spend our time
while there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">First, we lined up at St.
Peter’s Basilica. The line was very long but moved quickly and within 15
minutes we found ourselves going through the security check and then we were
in. It was one of those ‘pinch me’ moments in life. Am I really at the Vatican?
In St. Peter’s Basilica? Wow!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We have all seen photos and
TV coverage of events in the Basilica but nothing from those media prepared me
for the size, the beauty, the opulence and the aura of the real thing! Such a
treasury of faith, of art (Michelangelo’s only signed sculpture is there), of
politics, of history and of personal stories. From the moment we entered to the
moment we left, we were in awe!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">From the Basilica, we walked
along the Vatican wall to the Vatican Museum. We used Rick Stebe’s guide to
help us navigate this enormous place. He has a tongue in cheek approach to
viewing art in overwhelming circumstances. With his book to help us, we were
able to find and enjoy sculptures and paintings by Michelangelo, Salvadore
Dali, Rodin, Raphael and many more. What we were really doing was slowly but
surely making our way toward the Sistine Chapel. And we were trying to preserve
our energy to take in the breathtaking beauty we were about to witness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Indeed, the Sistine Chapel
was absolutely amazing!!! Michelangelo was a master in his design and
paintings. What a treasure is held therein. We felt so privileged to be able to
spend some time really looking at and studying the murals he created. We were
also grateful to have found seats in the standing room only crowd to rest our
tired tootsies before we headed on our way once again. Being in the Chapel and
reflecting on all the times we have seen or waited for history to take place
here … Another absolutely awesome experience for both of us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left the Chapel and
realized that we had not eaten since breakfast. We knew of a highly recommended
Pizza Restaurant close by. We headed there on foot. It was further than we
expected and once again we were pretty tired by the time we arrived. And then
we discovered …. It is a take-out place only. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Plan B …. We had passed a
Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks earlier so we made a quick decision to go
there instead. Yes, Chinese food in Italy! Actually it was pretty good, very
similar to Chinese food we might get at home. We enjoyed the meal, rested our
feet again and felt nourished. And, we decided to take a taxi home ….. it had
been another long day!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tuesday, October 22, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We had a slower start today.
One of the benefits was that we actually prepared breakfast in our apartment
rather than carrying a picnic with us to eat along the way. It felt good to do
some cooking. Scrambled eggs, fresh bread from the bakery next door, a medley
of rocket, sweet red pepper and fennel, and grilled tomatoes. Mmmm …. Did we
ever enjoy this meal!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And then, walking shoes on,
we headed out the door to explore more of Rome. Today, the focus was on
churches and other public buildings that housed significant works of art.
Several friends as well as published sources had provided quite detailed
information on where we could find sculptures, paintings and stained glass
windows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Elefanto (Bernini), Our first
stop was at Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva where, in the courtyard in
front of the church stood the obelisk and sculpture by Bernini. It was called
Elefanto and, not surprisingly, featured a beautifully carved, well
proportioned elephant. Rising high above the elephant was an Egyptian obelisk,
imported from Egypt many centuries ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra
Minerva is the only gothic style church in Rome. This is significant since
other churches that had gothic characteristics have been renovated or modified
to remove or cover them. Inside this same church, we were able to get close
enough to touch Michelangelo’s sculpture, Christo Risorto (Christ Bearing the
Cross), carved in 1520.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine …. Close
enough to touch. Simply sitting on its pedestal at the front of the sanctuary
with no protective case or security system. Amazing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We walked from there to the
Pantheon. As we entered, both Jim and I realized that this structure and its
interior were absolutely remarkable. It was nothing like we expected and
nothing like anything we have seen in Rome to date. The Pantheon has been in
continuous use for about 2000 years. Built in 27 BC, it has been through many
incarnations. Hadrian made a major renovation to the building in 1120 AD. Much
later (608 AD), the building was converted to a Christian church. This change
likely is the primary reason that the Pantheon has been so well maintained and
fallen into ruin like so many of the other historical sites in Rome. Raphael,
considered one of the three great masters of the high renaissance, contributed
significant paintings in the Vatican Palace. He<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>is buried in the Pantheon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We paused for a light lunch
after we exited the Pantheon. We chose a delightful outdoor café and enjoyed
bruschetta (me) and tomato soup (Jim). From our table we could admire the Egyptian
Obelisk built by Rameses II. It was subsequently removed from Egypt by the
Romans about 2000 years ago. It was put up but later disappeared and was
ultimately found under Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in 1374. It was then
erected near the Pantheon. But its days of travel were not over because in
1711, the Pope decided to build a fountain in a piazza in front of the Pantheon
and moved the obelisk to the middle of the fountain. It remains there today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As we continued on our
walking tour through old Rome, we came upon Sant'Eustachio Café in the Piazza with
the same name. This café is considered by some to be the best cup of coffee in
all of Rome. Of course we had to have some in spite of the fact that we had
just finished lunch. Jim and I do not necessarily agree with the opinion of
this café’s greatness but we did enjoy a break from walking on cobblestone. It
was a place for great people watching.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Piazza di Sant'Eustachio
is a very lively place with several cafes to choose from and a great number of
men in suits who work nearby. We were predicting that there must be some
government offices in the area …but more about that later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A unique church was located in the Piazza di
Sant’Eustachio and bore the same name. it had a rather unusual cross on its
roof and a strange story to go with it. The cross on the top of the church was
lodged between the antlers of a stag. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According
to legend, Placidus, a Roman general, was out hunting one day and saw a stag
and had a vision of a crucifix lodged between the stag's antlers. He
immediately became a Christian, had his family baptised and changed his name to
Sant'Eustachio. And thus, the head of the stag sits high above the street with
a cross between his antlers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our next stop was Chiesa di
Sant'Ivo alla Sepienza which featured a very unusual spiraling steeple. It was
quite beautiful and certainly distinguished itself from other nearby churches.
Unfortunately the church was closed when we arrived so we were not able to
visit the interior. Saint Ives is the Patron Saint of Jurists. I think it is no
coincidence that this church is located extremely close to the Senate building.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Piazza Navona was next. What
a lively place it was! Buskers and artists and street vendors and cafes and
restaurants lined this large oval shaped plaza. And it was absolutely full of
people just like us who were strolling around Rome on a gloriously warm autumn
day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the middle of the piazza
was a very large fountain, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, created by Bernini in
1651. It is a remarkable sculpture featuring human representations of four
rivers from around the world. Each figure is designed to express feelings about
the other rivers. Amazing how such a story can be told through the artist’s
tools as he shapes the marble into characters. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Also in Piazza Navona was a
very large church façade, Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone. And yet, upon entry,
it was surprisingly small but incredibly ornate. The paintings were exquisite,
the marble carvings and pillars were spectacular in design and colour. And
silence was maintained by the visitors. The space had a reverence to it that
made the visit peaceful and very special.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We had missed a visit to a
significant church earlier in the day so we retraced some of our steps so as
not to miss out on seeing Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi. The interior was
breathtaking – painted ceilings, ornate and guilded to add beauty, a dome with
a magnificent pattern therein. We were very happy we had chosen to come back.
But the primary reason we returned was to see one of Carvaggio’s most
significant paintings. In fact, it is a series of three paintings, created in
1599-1600. The middle painting is the Inspiration of St. Matthew. It is flanked
by two other Carvaggio’s - The Calling of St. Matthew and The Martyrdom of St.
Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were the works that
defined Carvaggio as a significant artist and led to his fame. Once again, this
art was on view for the public to enjoy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At this point, we needed a
change of pace and we found just that. We were on our way to the Leonardo da
Vinci Museum. We had different purposes in mind, I must say. Jim was looking
forward to exploring the exhibits. I was solely interested in the gift shop. I
have not done any serious shopping for days and the time is running out. We
were both very happy with our visit to this museum. Jim had time to enhance his
knowledge of Da Vinci and I had a chance to make some purchases for our family
that will make da Vinci and household word.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It was then that we headed
for Campo de' Fiori, another wonderful piazza. By day, it attracts local
residents to its substantial market. In the late afternoon, there is a
transformation in the Campo when the market is all cleaned up and tables and
umbrellas spill forth and transform the area into a mecca of choices for happy
hour and for dinner. As dark descended on the piazza and the lights began to
twinkle, the transformation was complete.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were there for happy hour
and enjoyed sipping a beer/wine and watching the various activities that were
necessary to change the area from day time use to night time use.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we had finished our
drinks we continued on our way. Our day was not quite over yet. Nearby there is
an area of Rome that has historically been occupied by the Jewish community.
During World War II of course, this was not a happy place to be and a couple of
thousand Jews were removed from their homes and never returned. Nonetheless,
the area has thrived. The streets are filled with small workshops of various
artisans (furniture makers, print makers, dressmakers, leather shops, philatelic
shops, ceramics studios … and so on). It was fascinating to see the artists at
work as we passed by their doors in the early evening.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I have to admit that by this
time (7:30 pm), I was running out of steam so we returned to Campo Di Fiori for
dinner. Chicken for me and rabbit for Jim. But we also ordered two vegetables
that we had seen growing in the fields as we travelled through the countryside
but had never tasted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Puntarella is a leafy green
vegetable that grows in great abundance in south Italy. It has a central thin
core and many layers of leaves. It can be served cooked or raw but requires
some preparation if it is not going to be cooked. On the menu tonight it was a
raw vegetable, served a bit like a salad and seasoned with olive oil and
sardines. It was a bit like celery …. It had a crunchy texture and was quite
refreshing but really had no significant flavour.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jim ordered chicory. It was
cooked and looked a lot like spinach except stringier when it arrived at our
table. We both sampled it and quite liked the flavour. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Over dinner, we discussed how
we were going to see the last few places on our list as the day really had now
passed us by. We decided to hire a taxi to take us to a couple of places that
were described as very beautiful in the evenings. Happily, the taxi driver we
connected with liked the idea and was very patient as he waited for us while we
visited the illuminated Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Trevi Fountain absolutely
took our breath away! Such beauty and grandeur … and yes, we did toss our coins
into the fountain. Hopefully we will be back one day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wednesday, October 23, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today was our last full day
to explore Rome. After 6 weeks in Italy, it seems hard to believe that our time
here is almost over. We still had quite a list of places we wanted to visit and
things we wanted to do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One of the major things on
the ‘yet to do’ list was to go shopping. I have been so patient as we have
travelled around by bus, taxi and on foot to see the wonderful sights of Rome.
There has been virtually no time for shopping and there are a few things I
would like to check out. Some are gifts for folks at home but, frankly, some
items are just for me!! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For example, there is a Desigual
store in Rome. In fact, there are two of them, both within walking distance of
the apartment we are in. Today was the day!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jim had already been out in
our own small community taking photos of the street market, the patisserie, the
coffee bar, the gelato shop, the local restaurant and so much more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And so we set off walking. Of
course, there were stops for photos along the way. The streets of Rome offer so
much life. Archeological digs that are around every corner, interesting people
along the way, fountains, churches, architecture, doorways …. The list goes on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Desigual is a brand that is
not well promoted in Canada. The only way I know to access their products is to
go online or to find a distributor in the US. But here in Rome, there are two
entire stores of clothing, bags and scarves within easy walking distance. It
did not take me very long to conquer the store! The bright colours and vibrant
designs were so appealing. Yes …. I purchased more than one item and left the
store swinging my Desigual bag happily on my arm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were walking down Via
Nationale which is one of the main shopping districts in town. Many brand name
stores are located there along with a large number of uniquely Italian shops
with wonderful products. We were in the market for some leather goods, shoes,
jewellery, glass … just about anything that caught our eye. We enjoyed the
search … and ended up deciding not to purchase anything more. It was just fun
to stroll and windowshop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As we got closer to the “Old
City”, we did venture into some typical tourists shops looking for something
special for our little boys at home. We did find a couple of cute items to add
to their pile. I think they will be happy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At this point we had about 4
hours to fill before our ticket time at the Borghese Gallery. We decided that
strolling the streets and laneways of Old Rome would be a good way to use that
time. Again, what a treat it was to turn this corner or that without a specific
destination or walking tour to follow. We were were just meandering. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We noticed that the crowd was
growing larger as we headed down one street. We followed in the same direction
as the hoards and found ourselves once again at the Trevi Fountain. It had been
so beautiful last night under the soft lights of the evening. And with a
manageable crowd. But today …. It was truly overwhelming for all the wrong
reasons. It was hardly possible to move among all the people and it was
certainly not possible to take the iconic photo of the Trevi Fountain without
the tourists. We managed to find ourselves places to sit on the steps in front
of the fountain and watched the crowd as they manoeuvred to be front and centre
in front of the fountain to get that photo. And then …. So did we. I threw the
coin and Jim took the photo. Except the first one did not turn out very well
(someone walked in front of the camera) so we did it again. But this time I was
not throwing a coin. I was faking it. After a few tries, we got it just
right<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but we will always know that it is
a photo of me in front of Trevi Fountain pretending to throw a coin. I bet many
others have the same photo but may or may not ‘fess up to it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We wandered on a found a
lovely little restaurant with outdoor seating where we paused for lunch. Jim
had Tuscan soup and I have pasta with black pepper and sheep cheese. Both were
delicious but what enjoyed along with those dishes was the artichoke salad.
Neither of us can recall ever having raw artichoke before and it was fantastic!
A salad to remember …. If only we could get high quality, fresh artichokes at
home. We might just have to come back to Rome.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After lunch we wandered on
and again encountered quite a crowd. What was the attraction this time? Well,
it was the Spanish steps, another iconic location in Rome. But we wondered why.
In fact, for us, this site was a supreme disappointment. Run down steps with no
art or colour, filled with hundreds (maybe thousands) of people sitting on
them. And where did they lead? Far up the hill to a church that was also
amazingly run down. Hmmm …. What was the attraction?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We decided it was time to use
public transit to get to our next destination. There was a Metro Station close
at hand and we headed in that direction. It turns out that the Metro does not
go in the direction that we needed and we were directed to use the elevator to
go up to the next level to get a bus. We followed the directions given and
ended up, where else?, at the top of the Spanish Steps. They did not look any
more appealing from that vantage point and the crowds were, if anything, even
larger. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We once again asked for
directions and with the steep hills and narrow streets of Rome, we learned that
the nearest bus stop was about a kilometer away … and quite uphill. So off we
went in search of the elusive bus. Finally, we found the correct street and
even a bus stop but the traffic was so horrendous that nary a vehicle was
moving. Now what? Once again we sought advice, this time from a doorman at a
very classy hotel. Perhaps he was biased in his response but he told us where
the nearest taxi stand was and suggested we go there. He had no idea when or
whether a bus would make it through the traffic and arrive at the stop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Hot, tired, a bit frustrated,
we took this man’s advice and found the taxi stand. Within minutes we were in a
comfortable vehicle with a driver who knew where he was going. Very soon, we
were at the beautiful park that surrounded the Borghese Gallery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The heat of the day melted
away as we entered the park. Tall, mature trees grew along the promenade and
indeed throughout the park. Although it was just a short walk to the gallery,
our mood had lightened by the time we arrived. First stop was the café where we
both enjoyed a cappuccino and an ice cream bar. We were now ready for another
venture into the world of art.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Borghese Gallery is a
former villa owned by the Borghese Family. Within that family were many members
who were very high ranking persona in the Catholic Church, including Pope Paul
V in 1605.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The villa was very large and
beautifully designed, ideal for collecting and displaying art in all forms.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
And that is exactly what the family did. There is some speculation that some of
the funds for this massive collection may have come from the church coffers and
the art preserved in the private home of the Borgheses. At this point, what is
more important is the breadth of the collection and the amazing job of
displaying and preserving all of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">From the moment you proceed
into the grand entry hall, you can tell that this is going to be the experience
of a lifetime. Ancient mosaics installed on the floors (no walking there); marble
sculptures by famous and infamous artists tastefully displayed in every room;
paintings from the smallest to the largest, carefully arranged on the walls;
frescoes on every ceiling; marble columns, floors, table tops and pedestals
representing many different kinds of marble that come from all over the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Even for those of us who know
very little about art, this was an amazing place to spend some time (2 hours
maximum as that is all your ticket allows). We had a printed guide highlighting
some particular works to examine and it was very useful to our novice eye. To
try to take in every piece would have been both impossible and overwhelming in
the attempt. Suffice it to say that we appreciated the work of Bernini (Two
Babies Milking a Goat – age 11, Apollo and Daphne, and Bust of Pope Paul V);
Carvaggio (Bacchus and David with Head of Goliath); Raphael (Deposition of
Christ – 1507). We also paused to absorb the beauty or power of several other
pieces as we passed through each room. The collection and the setting were both
astounding. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Upon leaving the gallery,
there was a taxi waiting at the gate. We hopped in and headed home. Our last
full day in Rome, complete. We ate dinner in our comfortable apartment and
relaxed by catching up on photos and this diary and generally turning our focus
to travelling home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We have thoroughly enjoyed
our tour of Italy. But, we are also ready to go home. A perfect time to head to
the airport.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow, we fly!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-55088768057903396012013-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:002013-10-18T09:57:37.842-07:00Eating our Way through Calabria: From Crotone back to Salerno and on to Pompeii
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b>Eating our Way through Calabria: From Crotone back to Salerno and on to Pompeii</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Thursday, October 10, 2013</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We began the day in Crotone with a tasty
breakfast overlooking the Ionian Sea. Soon we were on our way along a coastal
road. Our journey today was less than 100 kilometers so we were really able to
take our time and stop along the road to take a closer look at anything that
interested us. We soon found a side road that led us right into the heart of
some market gardening countryside. Hundreds of acres were planted with
fledgling plants with very fernlike leaves. We were curious what the plant was
since their seemed to be an inordinate number of them growing. They had mostly
been newly planted although some seemed to be a little more mature. We surmised
that in this climate there might be several plantings so as to always have
fresh food on hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Not far down the road we
encountered a team of people who were busily planting the fields. A tractor was
pulling a planting device on which there were three apertures to plant three
rows at a time. A person sat behind each aperture loading it with tiny plants
which were pressed into the soil at regular intervals. And, the plants all had
ferny leaves. We approached the driver of a truck loaded with palates of the
tiny plants and asked. Fennogia he told us. Hmmm ….. Later when we googled
translated we confirmed our suspicions that it was indeed fennel that was being
planted in such abundance. Does the fennel we buy at Zehrs come from Italy? It
must be exported because the people of Italy could not possible consume the
amount of fennel being grown here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were travelling high on a
plateau for several kilometres. From there, we were able to see green valleys,
all neatly planted with fenochia (fennel) and other vegetables. One the
hillsides were amazing groves of olive trees. And on the plateau itself there
were freshly ploughed fields that most likely had produced grain and corn crops
during the summer months. This is a great location to graze sheep and goats
before the fields are ploughed. And indeed, there they were, a substantial
mixed herd, the goats all wearing bells and clanging their arrival at the edge
of the road. But they did not stop there. The shepherd and the dog that were
with the herd guided them across the road. We are glad that we had already stopped
the car and were taking in the landscape. We happily watched as each animal
crossed the road, except for a couple which the shepherd went back to collect
(as every good shepherd should). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We drove along some pretty
little roads and admired the wonderfully straight rows of a variety of crops
that were in various stages of development. Something we noticed was the
interplanting of broccoli (we think) and lettuce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lettuce will mature much more quickly
than the broccoli and when harvested will give the broccoli enough space to
expand as needed. A great way to utilize the same land twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">All the while that we were
exploring the agriculture in the area, the glistening blue/green waters of the
Ionian Sea were within our sight. At times we were at sea level on wide plains
where crops were planted and at other times the road rose into the mountains
and clung to the edges as it weaved its way across the landscape. All the while
the sea was there. At one point, even today, we travelled through a lengthy tunnel
and when we emerged, the sea was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Like a magnet, the Ionian Sea
finally drew us to its shore. We found an entry to a long sand beach where the
water lapped the shores and was easily accessible with a short walk to paddle
in the water and feel the strength of the surf on our feet and legs. Jim
remained fully dressed, hat and shoes included, and waited for the wave action
to bring the water to him. It finally happened and he was able to get his hand
in and feel the temperature of the water. I was somewhat braver and kicked off
my shoes and chased the receding waves down a shallow embankment to a place
where the new waves would break and immerse me feet and legs in the water. It
felt delightful. I love the sensation of the water receding, feeling the pull
of the tide and the current as it flows back toward the sea. The water was
remarkably warm and certainly worthy of a swim. Maybe tomorrow if the sun
cooperates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We drove into a coastal town
and were amazed to find a large market in operation. Sadly, we were just a bit
late and by the time we parked the car, many of the vendors were packing up
their wares. We wandered along the market stalls long enough to realize that it
was primarily a merchandise market and not a food market. Food markets are far
more interesting and colourful from our perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did happen upon a little deli where we
were able to buy some delightful meat, cheese and bread for lunch. Sandwiches
made on a park bench by the seashore have a flavour all of their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We continued along the road
toward our destination enjoying the landscape. We reached our hotel in Soverato
about 3 pm and settled into another new room. The hotel was clean, friendly and
the internet worked well. All the important components taken care of!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And now all we had to do was
wait until 4:30 when the town would wake up again after its afternoon siesta.
In the meantime, we enjoyed a beautiful sea view from our window and sat out on
our balcony and watched life in the village unfold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Much later, we headed out for
dinner in a highly acclaimed restaurant. Tuna carpaccio to start, followed by
sea bream for me and white fish in a tomato sauce for Jim. A wonderful bottle
of local red wine washed everything down. A delightful meal all round.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Friday, October 11, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our room affords a wonderful
view of the sea so when we awoke this morning, we were quick to move to the
shuttered window and open it wide. Imagine our surprise that an enormous market
with hundreds of vendors was underway right below our hotel. It was not long
before we had joined the throngs of people who were examining the products on
offer from various vendors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The market nearest our hotel
was a goods market similar to the one we had encountered yesterday. In fact, we
wondered if some of the vendors were the same ones at both markets. This market
seemed much larger though and extended along several blocks on several streets.
We walked and walked and walked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And then, by chance, we came
upon the food market. It was also very large, several more blocks of stalls displaying
the broadest range of local foods that we have seen at any market anywhere.
Fruits and vegetables were in great abundance as the harvest season is in full
swing. Everything from artichokes to zucchini were on offer. Nuts – filberts,
walnuts, chestnuts – were displayed in large baskets. Olives of every variety
imaginable. Mushrooms galore, many of which were new varieties to us. Fish –
fresh, salted, brined, preserved in oil. Sardines were particularly common,
available by the kilo from the open cans at the fish stalls. All sorts of deli
meats and cheeses were on display, often hung on strings from the awnings of
the stalls. Sun dried tomatoes and all manner of other tomatoes were available
from large bins. Hard fruits (apples, pears), soft fruits (Peaches, plums, nectarines),
citrus fruit (oranges, lemons) and, of course, several kinds of grapes were all
available and all grown locally. Zucchini flowers and cactus flowers were
available as were all sorts of bedding plants for those who wanted to plant
their own gardens. It did seem odd that these gardens would be planted in the
fall season instead of spring but the climate here remains mild all through the
winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice it to say that we spent
much time at this market and did not leave empty handed! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Following the market, we took
a drive into the countryside with no particular destination in mind, simply a
drive. It was a lovely day and we thoroughly enjoyed meandering along new
roads. Much of the time we were either travelling up a mountain slope or down a
mountain slope. If not up or down, then we were on a road that was clinging to
the edge of a mountain and closely following its contour as we made every bend
and twist. Only occasionally did we see another vehicle on the road. It was a
very pleasant drive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Along the way, we passed
through some wonderful country villages with their churches perched on the
highest point and the bell towers reaching far into the sky. Some of the
villages had roadways that would only allow cars in one direction to pass
through at a time. Traffic signals controlled which direction cars could travel
at any given time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">School dismissed as we passed
through one town and we observed a universal phenomenon. Parents in cars were
lined up on both sides of the road as well as side streets to pick up their
children from school. Amazing!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We stopped for lunch in a
tiny children’s park in one village. We had packed a picnic of items purchased
at the market earlier and we enjoyed the meat, cheese, bread and fruit that was
in our bag. It was pleasant to sit under the trees and enjoy the fresh air and
the view across a valley. What luxury to have time and opportunity to relax in
this way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We made our way back to Soverato
just in time for me to go and have a manicure. The aesthetician spoke only
Italian so it was pretty quiet as she worked on my nails. We communicated when
necessary but otherwise we were both lost in our private thoughts. A happy
smile and a gratuity at the end was enough for both of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Just after I returned to our
hotel a big thunderstorm passed through. The wind blew and the rain fell. It
was pretty wild for a while. We simply remained in our room and watched from
the door onto our balcony. It was quite dramatic and fun (as long as we were inside
and dry). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It was still raining when we
went for dinner. We chose a nearby restaurant, Don Pedro, because it served
seafood. I had a mixed seafood grill that included swordfish, large prawns,
crab and calamari. Delicious, especially the crab! Jim ordered a seafood soup
which turned out to be a rich tomato based broth filled to the brim with
calamari. He said it was also delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And now here we are preparing
to leave here tomorrow morning and head around the bottom of the ‘toes’ to
Reggio Calabria and then a bit further north to a resort town, Pizzo, where we
will spend the next two nights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Saturday, October 12, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left Soverato right after
breakfast and enjoyed a leisurely and beautiful drive along the waterfront all
the way to Pizzo where we arrived several hours later. This route took us from
the ball of the foot, around the toes and onto the top of the foot by the time
we reached our destination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Along the way, we were
charmed by the towns we passed through. How quiet they are early Saturday
morning. Shops do not seem to open until at least 10 and only then do the
streets become a little more active. It appears that errands are mostly done by
women and men occupy benches and café tables all along the street fronts. It
rained intermittently this morning and it was comical to see small groups of
men gathered in doorways and under awnings for protection from the passing
showers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the town of Roccella
Ionica, we came upon two sites that became highlights of our journey. The first
was the vision of a medieval castle and an ancient church, Mother Church of
Saint Nicholas of Bari, rising high above the landscape on a very, very steep
precipice. It held court over all the land from its position of prominence. A
bit incongruous was the crane that rose beside the ancient building. It seems
the restoration of the castle is underway. The entire area was identified as an
historical site and the gates were locked so we were not able to explore more
fully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What we did have a chance to
explore, also in Roccella Ionica, was a community cemetery. Due to the
proximity to the sea, all burials were above ground in a structure resembling a
sarcophagus. These tombs are engraved with the name of the person along with
the dates of birth and death. Most graves also had a framed photo of the person
who was interred there. Often fresh flowers were placed in vases on top of the
grave as well as other momentoes of the person’s life, even years after death.
As with cemeteries in Canada, sometimes these fresh flowers are not changed
often enough and dry out in the vases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Something that we found quite
interesting was that, as the land gets used up in the cemetery, new multistory
family plots are available. We were fascinated by the design of these
structures, often house-like in appearance with several layers of graves
enclosed in each one, often up to 18 – 20 graves. Each structure had a ‘house
like’ appearance and several designs were available in each cemetery.
Truthfully, the collection of buildings took on the appearance of a community
of miniature homes with a variety of landscaping, colour, roof lines and
overall design. It was also a statement of cultural expectations that families
over several generations would all be buried together in one location. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We have noticed that many
businesses here in Italy are family affairs, whether it be a shop, a hotel, a
restaurant etc. Often generations of the same family fulfill various roles
within the business. Thus, families do seem to remain in close proximity over a
long period of time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What was most beautiful about
the route we travelled today was the proximity to unspoiled stretches of
waterfront. Calabria, the area of Italy right at the toe of the country, has
not yet fallen prey to commercialized tourism. That may change over the next
few years as attributes such as beautiful seasides, wonderful landscapes and
delicious cuisine are more aggressively marketed within Italy and indeed, the
travelling world. But for today, Calabria remains an undiscovered gem. Long
expanses of beautiful beaches were unoccupied. We travelled along mile after
mile of aquamarine water, unsullied by condos, hotels, restaurants, theme parks
or any other element of tourism. An undiscovered gem! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We stopped for a coffee just
outside of Reggio di Calabria and were delighted to have happened upon an
incredible patisserie where the array of sweet morsels to tempt us was amazing.
We each had a cappuccino and a single cookie. But before we left the shop, we
had relented and purchased a few more for the road ahead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Early in the afternoon, we
arrived in the larger city of Reggio di Calabria. Because it was siesta time,
there was very little traffic and we enjoyed our drive through the centre of
town and down to the port area with very little worry about traffic. Siesta
really means that you are not open for business and you are not on the streets.
We are still not sure where everyone goes. We parked the car along the
promenade on the waterfront and munched on a picnic lunch of Calabrian salami
and cheese while we enjoyed the view of Sicily across the narrow straight
separating the mainland from the island. So close, but Sicily does not fit into
our plans this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left the coastal highway
and took the autostrade the rest of the way to Pizzo. What we expected to be a
rather mundane trip turned out to be another part of our Italian adventure as
the road climbed higher and higher into the mountains and we passed through a
myriad of tunnels along the way. The longest tunnel was more than 2.5
kilometres in length. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Something that has surprised
us about Italy is just how much of the terrain is actual mountains. I think I
have mentioned this before but it continues to astound us. Tall rugged
mountains make up most of the landscape from the north all the way to the
south. We have encountered very little land that would be considered flat (a
few coastal plains) and very little land that would be considered gently
rolling valleys. For the most part, the landscape is rugged, the valleys deep
and steep and the seaside is peppered with sheer cliffs falling to the shore.
Agriculture in all areas is eked out on whatever bits of land are arable with
the potential of cultivation, often by hand. No wonder Italians pride
themselves on their food and its production. It is a very challenging task to
grow food successfully in Italy. Calabria is a place of great variety and and
great success in agriculture and the range of foods available is a testament to
this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We arrived at the Marinella
Hotel in Pizzo in the late afternoon. We were warmly greeted by the staff and
settled into our very comfortable room. One of the mundane tasks that lie ahead
of us here was to do laundry. Jim approached the man at the reception desk to
inquire about a nearby Laundromat. Jim was told to put his money away … that
the man would put our clothing into the hotel washing machine and do the
laundry in house. We were surprised at the offer and only offered up our
laundry bag after the man came and knocked on our door to ask for it. We went
to have dinner at the hotel restaurant and by the time we returned to our room,
our laundry was washed, dried, folded and back in our room! You talk about
amazing service. We had heard that about this hotel but that was over the top!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunday, October 13, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Breakfast and then into the
car. We were taking a drive today on some of the byroads of Calabria along the
eastern coast. We thoroughly enjoyed our drive south to Tropea, a town set high
up on a cliff overlooking the sea. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We had not been on the road
long when we encountered our first event of the day. It happened that today in
Pizzo, there was a reenactment of a battle based on Napoleonic history and we
were able to see a sailing ship being readied for battle by sailors and
soldiers alike who were all dressed for battle in period costume. Great crowds
of onlookers had gathered for the event and, nestled into the castle turret
high above the town square, was a guardsman equipped with bayonet ensuring that
the crowd remained orderly and well behaved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A short time later, we drove from
Pizzo along the coastal road to Tropea. It was a lovely drive, mostly at sea
level although no drive in Italy is entirely flat. You can always expect some
up and down along the way. Tropea is a popular tourist destination that has
several lovely sand beaches, well used even in the middle of October. The main
part of Tropea is nestled high on the cliff that overlooks the sea. From far
below, the railing and the umbrellas that are a part of the main piazza entice
the traveller to climb the cliffside and join the throng of people in the
village. The choice is a long slow walk to the top or, in our case, a long
winding drive up narrow streets often on precipitous cliffs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once we arrived in the centre
of Tropea, we parked the car and meandered among the myriad of tourists who had
reached this destination before us. Shops were open and offered all the
trinkets you would expect to find in a beach/tourist town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of this was of much interest to us. What
we did want was a cappuccino at a table under an umbrella overlooking the beach
far below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We found a shady spot with a
wonderful view and were served a very good cappuccino. Standing nearby was
another couple speaking English. We engaged in a conversation with them (they
live less than an hour away from us in Canada) and spent the next hour
comparing notes of our experiences in Italy. All of us were very happy to be
speaking English for a short while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We finally parted ways just
in time to see a wedding parade come through town. Several cars filled with
happy and jubilant wedding guests followed the bride and groom as they honked
their way up streets and down, inviting others to acknowledge and celebrate
their special day with them. It was quite fun to see them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And now, back into the car to
continue our tour of the backroads of Calabria. I must say that on this leg of
the journey, Jim did manage to find some very, very backroads!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were exploring some points
of view, some lookouts high on the cliffs. In order to get to each one, it was
necessary to wind our way up and down the mountainsides along roads that would
not be considered main thoroughfares by anyone’s standards. There was also a
train line that passed through this landscape and we needed to cross it several
times. Sometimes there was a level crossing; sometimes there was an overpass.
But on one occasion, we needed to drive through a short tunnel that was only
inches higher than the car (a truck could not have used this road) and only
inches wider. We stopped to take a photo because it seemed so unbelievable.
Little did we know what was ahead for us on the rest of this journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There were times that we were
on roads so narrow that we could not have passed by another vehicle if we had
encountered one. Happily, no one else was crazy enough to be on these roads as
they climbed higher and higher into the mountains with no end in sight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One road was so steep that we
could hardly get out of first gear. There was no place to turn around but we
truly did not know where we were going to end up or even if the road would
reach an intersection at the other end. And then, we ran upon the boulder that
had fallen from the cliff above us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was no way to tell if it had fallen today or a month ago. Either
way, it was blocking our path and causing some concern lest another boulder
come tumbling down. Jim tried to move the boulder to no avail. It was huge! And
since we could not turn around, we had no choice but to create an off road
trail that would enable us to get past the boulder and carry on our way. It was
an adventure to be sure! My biggest fear, other than another boulder coming
down, was that the road would have no exit and we would have to reverse our
course and pass by the boulder again! There was a happy ending when we finally
came to an intersection with another small road …. But by contrast the second
road looked like a major highway and we gladly turned the corner and carried
on. That we successfully found our way back to the hotel goes without saying
because here I am writing about the tale. Whew!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once I had recovered from
driving on that road, I delivered an ultimatum that went something like, “Take
me back to the hotel!” And so we found the coastal road again and had a very
pleasant drive down, a long way down, to the seashore again, enjoying the wide
range of agricultural land and crops along the way and looking forward to being
back in Pizzo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we arrived in Pizzo, we
followed the instructions on the GPS (Garmin) to take us back to our hotel. We
did not expect Garmin to find a shortcut that took us down a steep cliff road,
through a bus parking lot, up a steep narrow passageway that was filled with
pedestrians headed to the busses, and then onto a narrow one way road system
that led us right into the main piazza of the town. Nonetheless we made it
through this entire obstacle course and happily found our hotel again. What a
maze!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Before long though, we headed
out again, this time in search of a reward. Pizzo is the town where tartufo
(rich chocolate ice cream infused with a decadent chocolate sauce) was invented
and we were on our way to the best gelateria in town to enjoy this tasty treat.
We found our way … only to learn that our destination was in the very piazza
that we had passed through only an hour earlier. We decided this time to park
elsewhere and walk to the café. What a great idea! The piazza was crowded with
people enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the sun and sea air. We joined
the throng and were soon enjoying a delicious, decadent dish of tartufo. It was
wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We finished out the day on a
beach near our hotel watching the sun set over the </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gulf of Santa Eufemia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Monday, October 14, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy Thanksgiving from Scalea, everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Immediately following
breakfast, we left our hotel in Pizzo and headed to Statti, the headquarters of
this family owned company that produces both olive oil and world class wine.
Under ordinary circumstances, tours are not available for independent
travellers but today there was a Swedish tour bus booked to visit the
facilities and Katia, the local tour coordinator invited us to join them.
Happily, the tour was to be conducted in English.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The tour began in a grove of
ancient olive trees, many of them more than one hundred years old. Their
gnarled trunks and widespread branches surely held many tales of times past.
They still produce an abundant crop of very large olives which would be
harvested within the next three weeks. <br />
<br />
For harvesting, nets are spread under the olive trees and a machine gently
shakes each tree so that the olives fall to the ground. The olives are then
gathered in the nets as quickly as possible and taken to the production
facility where they are put through an olive press to extract the oil within a
very few hours from falling from the tree. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Katia, our guide, assured us that this is how
to ensure that the olive oil is very fresh virgin oil of high quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We continued our walk to the
winery about a kilometer down a lovely farm lane. From the winery, which is
perched on the edge of a hill, we were able to see much of the estate owned by
this family business. Over 1200 acres, much of it filled with olive groves,
citrus groves and vineyards stretched as far as the eye could see. Fields where
corn, grain and hay are produced were ploughed and cultivated ready for the
planting of next season’s crop. The harvests from these fields are used to feed
the large milking herd of cattle that lives on the farm. The cattle produce 6600
litres of milk each day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We entered the wine
production facility and the process of labeling and packing the bottles was
well underway. The grapes are harvested in late August and put through a grape
press from which the resulting liquid is placed in large tanks where the
fermentation process begins. After several days, the fluid is transferred to
wooden barrels made from French oak where it is aged for a number of months (up
to 18) depending on the type of wine that is being produced. Interesting to
note that each oak barrel can be used three times for wine production and then
must be retired and sold for other purposes. Each barrel costs approximately
$1000.00 when it is new. That is quite an investment in barrels over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When it has reached the
appropriate maturity, the wine is bottled and then passed through an automated
labeling machine which attaches two identifying labels to each bottle. The
bottles are then hand packed in boxes of twelve and packaged together on
pallets ready for shipping. <br />
<br />
It was great to learn that several wines from Statti, this producer, are
available in Ontario at our local liquor stores. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At the end of the tour, we
were offered the opportunity to taste three varieties of wines produced in
house. Of course, we enjoyed each of them. What we also enjoyed was the lunch
that was served with the wine – Calabrian cheese, meats, bread and olive oil
accompanied by a lovely rice salad. What a treat!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After we left the winery, we
headed along the coastal road on our way to Scalia, a bit further north along
the west coast of Italy. The road was good, the traffic light and the views of
the sea were magnificent!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We arrived in Scalea about 3
pm and checked into our hotel. Another great find, Jim! With a sea view room
and close to the pool. We skyped with our family and then it was not long until
we were in our suits and on our way to the beach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The beach here is a pebble
beach, the rocks well worn by the wind and waves. It was surprisingly easy to
walk on. The water was as smooth as glass and so clear that the every pebble on
the bottom of the ocean floor was visible. We gingerly entered the water which
was actually surprisingly warm. The seafloor close to the shore had a gradual
slope but then it dropped off much more quickly. We were floating! The salt
water certainly helped to support Jim! And we stayed in for a long time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We watched with fascination
as a boat was launched at a nearby marina. The boats here are all stored on dry
land. When one needs to be launched, a crane moves into position and lifts the
boat from its ‘parking spot’ with two large canvas straps and carries it to the
water’s edge. The boat is lowered to the ground and the passengers climb on
board. Then the crane lifts the boat again and extends its arm out over the
water. The boat is gently lowered to the water’s surface with the motor on the
deeper side. The straps are loosened and the boat gently manouevers free and
heads out to the deep blue sea. When the boat returns to shore, the reverse
process occurs and before very long, the boat is safely back in its original
‘parking space’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We reluctantly left the sea
just as the sun was beginning to set in the western sky. A brief stop at the
pool completed our water journey for the day. (The pool water was somewhat
warmer than the sea water.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Back to our room to watch the
sunset (quite obscured by clouds today) and to get ready for dinner. We planned
to go to a local restaurant, La Rondinella, that was highly acclaimed in Trip
Advisor. We were very happy that we chose this place. The service was
wonderful; the food amazing (all local Calabrian dishes) and we learned that
this family run restaurant actually owns a farm just outside of Scalea where
they grow most of the foods used in the restaurant and even raise the animals
there as well. It is open to the public so guess where we are going tomorrow
morning!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tuesday, October 15, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Breakfast and then into
Scalea to have a look around. It was a very quiet town, clearly attuned to
tourists with a café at every turn. Although they were all open, there were not
many customers as tourist season is well and truly over in this part of Italy.
We did pause to indulge our penchant for cappuccino and stopped for a few
minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And then, into the car and
out of town, on our way to find La Rondinella, the farm! Very soon, we met with
success and drove down the long farm laneway until we reached the parking area
and the home of the owners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">La Rondinella is a working
farm that is part of the growing agri-tourism business that is being developed
in Calabria. Food and food production is a major element of the culture in this
part of Italy, in large part because the climate is so conducive to a wide wide
range of crop production. Everything from citrus fruits (oranges, lemons,
mandarins, limoncedro (large green fruit tasting something like a lime but
about 8 times the size) ) to fruits found in more temperate climates (apples,
pears, peaches, strawberries, melons, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates);
vegetables galore, many of which thrive in all seasons (beans, tomatoes, corn,
peppers of all kinds, onions, potatoes, fennel, eggplant, squash, zucchini,
cucumbers, licorice and herbs of all kinds); animals of many varieties (pigs,
cattle, rabbits, chickens, fish (especially swordfish), wild boar); breads and
rolls in many shapes and flavours, rice, corn for polenta; nuts (hazelnuts,
peanuts, walnuts, almonds). You get the picture. Food is plentiful and
delicious and local recipes have been developed to use the fresh produce in
many tasty and unique ways. Some of these recipes have evolved into alcoholic
beverages, especially wines and liqueurs. Many households have their own house
brands of these precious liquids. Many restaurants also serve locally made
wine, grappa, limoncello and vecchio amaro del capo (a rich licorice liqueur).
No LCBO here!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now, back to La Rondinella.
We were invited to go on a lovely walk among the vineyards, the olive groves,
the citrus orchards and the vegetable gardens, all of which were in high
production. We were also given a tour of the animal compound where we saw
chickens, newly born piglets, rabbits, and geese. As well, we were allowed a
peek into the building where the array of preserves is kept. An amazing feast
of colour and containers appeared before our eyes – melons hung from the
ceiling, peppers clinging in bunches from hooks on the walls, jars and jars of
preserved fruits and vegetables, as pesto, as jellies, as salsa, as relishes,
and, of course, the large barrels of house wine and other fruit ‘juices’. It
was a sight to behold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Set high on a hilltop, this
farm offers stunning views of the countryside and the sea in every direction.
High mountains rise to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea glistens in the west.
Steep valleys provide texture to the surrounding terrain and the red roofs of
Scalea cascade down the distant hillsides to the sea. It is truly an exquisite
setting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Following our delightful
exploration of the gardens and orchards of La Rondinella, we were invited to be
seated at a table in the covered patio area where our lunch would be served. It
was a dining extravaganza, to say the least. I am still not sure how we managed
to consume so much food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We started with the house red
wine (vino rosso) and a basket of home made bread. Soon dish after dish of
beautifully prepared foods began to arrive. First came the </span><span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">tempura zucchini. Roasted and filled
eggplant <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was followed closely by an
eggplant and pepper dish. Then came potatoes mixed with tomato and herbs and a
delicious dish of zucchini greens with peppers and grated parmesan. At this
point we indicated that we had had enough to eat and would be happy just to
nibble on the bread. A look of surprise and disappointment came over the face
of the young woman serving us and she asked us if we would prefer not to have
the antipasto platter they had prepared for us. What could we say? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An
amazing platter of antipasto (</span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">parma
ham, dried green tomatoes, pickled onion, black olives, salami, fresh ricotta
cheese, peccorino cheese) <span class="hascaption">arrived at the table and we
ate every bit of it! Were we finished yet? We certainly hoped so …. But they
had picked some tomatoes from the garden (we actually saw this happen) and
prepared them specially for us. So the tomato dish arrived – tomatoes seasoned
with fresh herbs and garnished with salted and herbed sardines. Once again, we
suggested that we were totally satisfied (truly stuffed to the gills) but were
again overridden because the freshly made pasta and sauce was already prepared
and in dishes to be served. So, we indulged in fresh homemade pasta with tomato
sauce accompanied by an array of garden fresh peppers (picante) and fresh
grated parmesan cheese. Truly amazing!!! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Would
we care for some fruit now? Yes!!! A sensible dessert!! And a platter of apple,
melon, mandarins and persimmon was delivered to us. Delicious! But wait …. That
was not dessert. No …. Another dish had been prepared in the kitchen, just a
teeny-tiny portion. We demurred and out came full servings of delicate sponge
cake with strawberry cream topped with fresh currants. Surely we were finished
now. Well, yes, in a way …. But the limoncedro (not to be confused with
limoncello) was brought to the table, clearly straight from the freezer with
two very cold glasses. We were left with the bottle and the glasses and
encouraged to indulge … which, of course, we did. Jim did have more than I since
I was driving. And finally, the coffee. Two excellent cappucini (plural of
cappuccino) truly finished the meal!! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now
you may be wondering what a meal such as this would cost …. And so were we!! We
had not seen a menu and had simply accepted whatever they offered us, knowing
that is would be high quality and extremely tasty. We were not disappointed
with any of the dishes we devoured. And the total bill? Including wine, liqueur,
appetizers galore, pasta, fruit, dessert and coffee? It was 50 Euros (about $70.00).
We were astounded at how reasonable the price was considering that all the food
was fresh and prepared at the time in the kitchen. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
copious thanks and praise, we waddled back to the car and simply sat for a few
minutes before we had the energy even to turn the engine on. We already knew
there would be no dinner tonight!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
continuation of our country drive took us to the village of Santa Domenica
Talao , high in the mountains to the east of Scalea. When the roads began to
get a bit treacherous as they narrowed and steepened, we decided it was time to
turn the car back toward Scalea and head for our hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sadly,
the weather today was not the best so swimming was not very appealing this
afternoon. I am really happy we took advantage of the perfect conditions
yesterday. Maybe tomorrow ….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
In the meantime, we are happily settled in our room, organizing photos, writing
this diary, catching up on email and generally relaxing. No worries about where
to have dinner tonight. Our small bag of fruit was more than enough to satisfy
us. Not even the thought of gelato could entice us out of the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tomorrow
will be a new day!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wednesday, October 16, 2013.</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, the weather did not
improve overnight. The view from our balcony was beautiful nonetheless with the
Tyrranean Sea stretching as far as the eye could see. But the sky was grey and
the air felt like rain was not far away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today was a travel day for
us. Scalea to Salerno along the coast road for much of it. We deliberately
chose that route rather than the freeway so that we could be close to the sea
and meander through all the small towns along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The road along the coast
turned out to be spectacular! One of the best we have driven so far. I might
even say that this coastline rivaled the Amalfi coast for beauty and
breathtaking moments as the road twisted and turned high above the water,
descended and ascended at eye-opening angles with only a small retaining wall
separating the car from disaster. At one point, we passed a sign that indicated
we would be descending on a 12% grade. Yikes, that is steep! The thing that
made this road more fun than Amalfi was the absolute lack of traffic. Being
free of other vehicles along the road allowed us to savour the scene and soak
in the beauty of what we were experiencing. We stopped at each pull out along
the road, took photos and drew our breath in in awe of the scene. The dark
clouds in the sky overhead and on the horizon only made the scene more
dramatic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We finally reached the end of
the ‘good road’ along the coast. Once again, we chose the local road over the
freeway but for the next stretch of the road we would be travelling through the
coastal mountain range. It was just as dramatic as the coast road was. We
climbed higher and higher, travelling along mountain edges looking down into
steep and deep valleys below. Occasional villages appeared and the road
narrowed as we made our way along tiny passages between age old buildings. In
some cases, traffic signals were used to effectively create an alternating one
way road system through these mountain towns. That the towns stretched out
along a single road was testament to how steep the mountain slopes were. There
was simply no space to build a second road. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As we climbed higher and
higher, we finally reached the low lying clouds. Hmmm …. Driving through the
clouds feels a lot like driving through fog! Not much visibility on this very
precarious road punctuated with sharp corners and astounding changes in
elevation. The trip was a lot less fun at the moment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And then the rain came!! Not
just a little rain …. Torrential rain!! Sufficient that we actually pulled off
the road for a short while so that it might pass. What we realized though was
that the rain was unlikely to stop while we remained at such a high elevation
and were surrounded by clouds so we gingerly continued along our way. After
what seemed like a very long way, we had descended enough that we were at least
out of the clouds and the rain abated somewhat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But there was a new
phenomenon along the road now. Chestnuts! Yes …. Chestnuts!! This climatic zone
clearly supported the growth of chestnut trees – hundreds and hundreds of them.
And that was just what we could see from the road. Who knows what the rest of
the forest held? And, it is autumn so the chestnuts were maturing and falling
from the trees. Large fuzzy burrs that protected the cherished nuts. The road
surface was littered with thousands of these burrs, making it a bit slippery to
drive on and noisy as well. As we passed through the chestnut area, the tired
crunched on the burrs and made the sound that is familiar to those of us
familiar with driving along newly graded gravel roads. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So …. Clouds, rain and now
chestnuts. All unexpected components of this road trip. Yet they all added to
the texture of the day as we made our way through the mountains. Amazing
scenery …. And lots of chestnuts to be collected by the local residents and
presumably, roasted by the open fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At long last, we made it back
down to sea level and stopped in a charming seaside village for a much needed
coffee. And then pressed on toward Salerno in somewhat improved weather and
greatly improved road conditions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We planned to make a stop at
Paestum, a town close to our destination. Paestum is worth a visit because it
has three of the best preserved Greek temples anywhere in the world. Prior to
Roman rule, there was a large Greek presence in the south of Italy. These
temples were built in approximately 500 BC. 2500 years later they are still
standing. Remarkable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In fact, there was a very
large Greek town here, most of which remains buried under the current town of
Paestum. What has been excavated is now in a protected site that covers many
acres of land. Along with the three amazing temples, there are the outlines of
several streets and the buildings that lined them along with an amphitheatre
and other public gathering places. It must have been a lively place in its day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We completed our drive to
Salerno along the coast at sea level, once again enjoying the views of the
vivid blue/green water. The weather had improved by this point and we were enjoying
sunshine once again. (Salerno is described as Italy’s sunniest city.) The wind
was strong though and the water in the sea was restless. Whitecaps were
churning on the surface and boats in the water were bobbing with the rise and
fall of the waves. We were happy to be on terra firma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In Salerno, we returned to
the same hotel we had enjoyed the first time we were there. We were even given
the same room with the same wonderful sea view. Pizza for dinner and our day
was complete.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Thursday, October 17, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We spent the morning in the
old section of Salerno, enjoying meandering along the old cobbled streets and
admiring the displays in the store windows. We were actually headed for two
museums that hold precious works of art. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The first was the Museo
Pinacoteca Provinciale di Salerno. It was there that we were able to view a piece
of art, among the earliest created by Andrea Sabatini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was in the form of a polyptych, a panel of
painting consisting of three or more sections that are hinged together and can
be folded up for storage or to be moved from one place to another. Painted in
1512, this work featured Madonna and Saints. We sat for a long while on a bench
soaking in the beauty of this painting. The entire work seemed cloaked in a
gold hue which added to the aura of the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We then moved onto the Museo
Archeologico Provinciale di Salerno. This museum is housed in an ancient
monastery which creates a wonderful sense of history simply by entering into
it. The museum is filled with artifacts from the earliest days of life in the
area. Many of these have been retrieved from burial crypts, personal objects of
value buried with the person who died. The museum was well organized,
manageable in size and the displays provided insight into life in the area over
a long period of time. It was a delight to spend time in this museum. One of
the most important pieces in the museum is the bronze sculpture of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the head of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apollo. This sculpture was retrieved from the Gulf of Salerno in 1930,
caught in fishing nets, where it is estimated to have been for almost 2500
years. The sculpture itself has remarkable detail including beautiful facial
and hair features. It is amazingly well preserved. It does cause one to wonder
where it came from and how it had avoided being found over all those years.
Astonishing!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And now it was time for us to
leave Salerno, a city we have come to enjoy very much. It is geographically
beautiful and wonderfully hospitable. It offers a range of points of interest,
everything from natural habitat, to historical settings to wonderful art. This
city will remain a favourite for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next stop – Pompeii! We said
farewell to the sea for the last time as we headed inland. It was a fairly
short distance to Pompeii from Salerno and we made the trip without getting
lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jim once again found a
terrific hotel, not far from the Scavi di Pompeii. We checked in and proceeded
directly to the ruins of Pompeii. One is immediately overwhelmed by the size of
the vacant city. And it is said that only a small portion of it has been
uncovered, that most of the original city of Pompeii remains buried under the
city that now exists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We meandered along the
streets and entered the buildings that were open for visitors. We were
astounded by what we saw in each one. Life in Pompeii in the first century AD
was very sophisticated. Homes were mostly 2 stories tall with several rooms
within for specific purposes. Homes were designed around central courtyards,
many of them made from marble. Frescoes remained visible, though, faint, on the
walls in many places and the original paint colours of red, orange and blue
were visible on many walls. Some of the painting even had decorative effects embedded
in the colour (eg white stripes used as a border effect along some walls).
Columns were a design feature in many households and the plaster was applied in
decorative and artistic ways. Gargoyles resided on the edges of roofs and
decorative flowers and other designs adorned the top of the columns. Design was
also evident in the layout of the homes; the central courtyard often lined up
with windows overlooking the garden. Light flooded in and the beauty of the
garden was visible from many angles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Roads and streets were well
laid out and, in many cases, ‘paved’ with stones. Sidewalks paralleled the main
streets, somewhat higher than the road surface to enable people to embark or
alight from carriages that were travelling through the city. Large stones,
strategically placed across the streets provided level crosswalks for
pedestrians. The flat stones were positioned in such a way that the wheels of
the carriages could pass between them and make their way along the streets
without impediment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Public services were
available at various places throughout this lively community. Snackbars were
common along the main streets, set up and run by the families in the homes
where they existed. Ovens and large ceramic pots for hot dishes were embedded
into countertops, often decorated with ceramic tile. Public baths were
available. The facility we visited was amazing in it beauty and size. Laundry
facilities were centrally available. It was considered unsavoury to do your own
laundry in your home due to the fact that urine was the primary stain removal
agent of the day. Large tubs and running water were all built into the laundry
area, operated by the lower class members of this community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A large central square for
public events was located in what might have been the centre of town at one
time. Columns rose along the edges to the sky; a stage dominated one end where
one could imagine opera and other presentations occurring. The east side of the
square was a large market area and the west side was a granary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The buildings that have been
uncovered are in various conditions. Some, other than the roofs, escaped the
disaster relatively intact. Details in the homes such as storage areas, layout
of rooms, kitchen organization and decorative features were as they had been 2000
years ago. Gardens have been recreated in some locations, using the same holes
for the plants as were used in the original city. Archeologists have managed to
map these gardens using cement pucks to mark where each plant had grown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The entire ancient city of
Pompeii is astounding in so many ways. And yet, disaster struck. It was almost
incomprehensible to imagine the fear, the bewilderment and ultimately the
suffering of the entire population of this city as the Mount Vesuvius erupted
and its ash fell with such force that it buried the city and everything in it
alive. An entire city snuffed out in a few short hours. To ponder the strength
of this event, the volume of ash, the impact of the poisonous gasses causes
deep sadness and, I have to admit, a little fear. What an astounding event in
history!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Vesuvius rises above the city
even today, looking benign in its presence and its beauty. Its power is awesome
to imagine. And, although it last erupted in 1944, it is still considered a
highly volatile and active volcano. When …. And what if?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This finishes our road trip
through Italy. Tomorrow we head for Rome where we will spend our final week. We
will return the car to the rental agency and be on our feet or public transit
for the next seven days. When in Rome ……<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-68331503011541484602013-10-10T08:31:00.001-07:002013-10-10T08:31:16.837-07:00On to Sorrento and Beyond
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On to Sorrento and Beyond</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Thursday, October 3,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Friday, October 4, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I have grouped these days
together because they both involved substantial driving on various roads in
various conditions. We began our day on Thursday on the Isle of Elba and
finished Friday afternoon in Sorrento, many miles to the south. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We had a lovely breakfast on
Thursday morning and left our hotel on Elba in plenty of time to catch the 9:15
ferry back to the mainland. It was a beautiful day. The sun’s early rays
sparkled on the water and lightened the hillsides, making our drive to the port
very enjoyable, indeed. After just a couple of days driving the coastal roads -
curves and hills and precipices – the roads had become much more familiar and I
was more comfortable at the wheel. We actually made good time all the way to
Portoferrio. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What we had not counted on
was the ferry being sold out!! We were given tickets for a later ferry but
placed in a queue for the first ferry just in case. Well, we almost got to the
front of the line when the ferry was declared loaded. Only 8 cars back in a very
long line, and we had to wait … and wait! This is Italy so things seem to
happen spontaneously. The next ferry, scheduled for 10 am was not going to be
running due to a strike. A strike!!! For only one ferry during the entire day!
And it was the one we now wanted to be on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So we waited some more, passing the time enjoying the sun and reading a
book; Jim wandered some shops and bought a new hat. (He lost his other one
yesterday.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Finally the appointed time of
11:15 am arrived and we were directed to drive onto the upper deck of the
ferry. It was a tricky drive for sure with lots of tight corners to manouevre.
We were glad that our mirrors folded in. Although we were among the very first
vehicles onto the ferry, we knew that our location in the ship would detract
from “first on, first off”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hour
long ride across the serene and glistening water was a delight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once on land again, we headed
for the autostrade in the direction of Napoli (Naples). Our plan was to get as
far south as Formia today and spend the night there with the idea of exploring
the town in the morning. Our drive was wonderful, again passing through a
variety of landscapes ranging from rocky mountains with long tunnels bored
through them, to coastal plains of rich agricultural land, and pristeen
seacoast dotted with coastal towns and villages. We were on the road for about
6 hours and fully enjoyed them all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, there was at least one
hour that was less pleasant when we were driving on the ring road around Rome
…. But more about that later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What amazed us most about
this day of driving was the number of very long raised roads that crossed miles
of fields of market gardening and other crops. It was astounding to think of
the cost of construction for each one of these roadways. Again, each one of the
several we travelled across was many miles in length. The only explanation that
we could think was reasonable was that the land below was actually flood plain,
close to the mouths of rivers that carried waters from high in the mountains to
the sea. There must be a lot of water at certain times of the year. October is
a dry month so it was more common for us to see dry streams, canals and slowly
flowing rivers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The range of crops was
remarkable. Of course, there were thousands of vineyards <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and olive groves along our way. But a great
deal of land was also given over to market gardening. The fields were divided
into long narrow strips for planting. Fall crops of corn, melons and squash
were being harvested and the fruits of the labour were proudly displayed in
small stands along the roadside. Peaches, pears and nectarines are also in
season and are so sweet to the taste. Grapes of all kinds are being harvested
as well. Most are for wine-making but some are also for the table and we have
been amply indulging in them as healthy snacks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Even though it is autumn, the
climate here will support plant life all through the winter months.
Consequently, simultaneous with the autumn harvest, planting of new crops is
occurring. The bright green shoots of new growth are appearing in crisp
straight rows in fields all through the area. Various types of lettuce, beans,
peas and onions are among the new crops. There are also hundreds of greenhouses
in farms in this area. We have yet to determine what is being grown in such a
protected environment. We will keep looking until we find out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We arrived in Formia quite
late in the day and were warmly greeted by several members of the family who
run the local hotel where we were staying. It was clean, modest and comfortable.
We quite liked it! We enjoyed seeing the members of three generations of the
extended family interacting in the public spaces of the hotel. While we had
dinner, the five children from two of the families played together, watched
television together, got into mischief together and even had a tiff or two. It
was good to note that children behave the same way and parents in all countries
face the same challenges and try their best to help their children grow into
responsible and caring adults. A particular treat with this family was seeing
and holding the newborn baby girl, Allegra. She was just ten days old. Oh my,
babies are tiny when they are new. She was absolutely beautiful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On Friday morning, we spent
some time in Formia looking at a church, San Giovanni Battista e Lorenzo, that
had been originally constructed in 400 AD. It has been rebuilt and refurbished
many times since then, most recently following a bombing attack in World War
II. Even though the original church building no longer exists, it was very
special to be in a place that has continuously been at worship for over 1500
years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next we maneuvered our way
through some narrow cobbled streets to the top of a very steep hill in search
of a Roman built cistern. It was a challenging drive but I was managing quite
well in tiny spaces until, at the top of the very steep street, we found a dead
end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With some wailing and gnashing of
teeth on my part, we got the car turned around and travelled back down the hill
but it was an experience I will not soon forget.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We travelled a bit out of
town to find Cicero’s tomb. Yes, the Cicero of your university philosophy
class! He is actually buried right here in Formia. He has been cited throughout
the years as a brilliant thinker. Even Roosevelt attributed some of the
attributes of the Declaration of Independence to the writings of Cicero.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By the time we travelled back
into town, the traffic seemed to have increased a hundred fold. My goodness,
driving in Italy is an interesting and hair raising adventure.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Some of you have commented
over the years about my skill and confidence as a driver. Let me assure you
that I have had to put all that and more to the test in the last few days as we
have made our way along autostrades, around the rugged coast of Elba, through
crowded towns with narrow and cobbled streets, through rush hour traffic in
Rome, albeit on the freeway ring road. That made driving the 401 at home seem
like child’s play. Today we navigated into the heart of Naples and out again
and along the coast road from Castellammare to Sorrento.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In each of these
circumstances, sharing the road was a major component of the excitement. The
road community includes bicyclists, motorbikes, pedestrians, small busses,
large touring busses, small trucks, large load-hauling trucks, cars (ranging in
size from Smart cars to full on Range Rovers), camper vans, golf-cart sized
vehicles, electric wheelchairs, and tractors with or without wagons. In most
cases outside the city, the roads are wide enough for any two of these vehicles
to meet and pass one another safely. Often, there are dual carriageways in
busier areas with two lanes going in each direction. What that actually means
is that the right hand lane is deemed a lane and a half with slower vehicles
driving quite close to the edge so faster vehicles can pass them. The left lane
is reserved for vehicles (mostly larger and expensive cars) to pass all
vehicles in the right hand lane at breakneck speed. If you happen to be in the
left lane when one of these speedsters comes up behind you, you can expect
lights to flash, horns to honk, hands to wave with just enough space between
you and the car behind to pass a piece of tissue between the two vehicles. And,
most likely the speedster will be talking on the phone all the while.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now add in motorbikes for
which there do not seem to be any rules. They pass on the left, they pass on
the right, they drive into oncoming traffic which often has to swerve to miss
the motorbike passing vehicles in its own lane. The only good thing about
motorbikes is that they are all quite noisy so it is difficult for them to
sneak up on you unawares. But not impossible!! And did I mention that there are
no helmet laws here? Many drivers wear helmets but by no means all of them. It
is downright scary to watch them pass a vehicle that is already travelling 120+
km/hr. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And the speed limits are
incomprehensible. In town the speed limit seems to be 50 Km/hr. Pretty
familiar. But … no one travels at that speed. It is either so congested that it
is not possible to even approach that speed, or the traffic is light which
means you can make up time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>80 km/hr or
even more is not uncommon on city streets. Pedestrians risk their lives
crossing the street.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But let me tell you about
pedestrians. There are marked pedestrian crossings which occasionally are
honoured by motorists. Not because pedestrians are waiting patiently on the
side of the street beside the pedestrian crossing sign. No! It is because the
pedestrians have joined the traffic on the street and are dodging among the
vehicles, baby stroller or doddering grandma in toe. And vehicles make every
effort to avoid the pedestrians without slowing their speed. Lots of swerving
and dodging and acceleration to ensure that they get where they want to be. And
then you add in the motorbikes which are ruthless in squeezing through tiny
spaces!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Roundabouts work reasonably
well but both stop signs and yield signs are signals to edge your way into
traffic as appropriate even if the traffic travelling on the crossroad needs to
stop because your nose is out a little too far. Swell, at least you got to make
your turn or to cross the street.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And so today, we passed
through Naples crisscrossing the inner city on all manner of streets and
laneways. We were in search of the perfect pizza as described in the Lonely
Planet Guide as well as on Trip Advisor. Pizza is said to have been invented in
Naples and there are only two remaining shops that make it in the original way.
With the help of maps and our GPS we found one of them where there was a line
of over 70 people waiting to have pizza. About two hours later, we were seated
at a table and served some wonderfully delicious pizza, limited to 3
ingredients on a delectable thin yet chewy crust. Pizza is food for simple
tastes, we are told, so additional toppings are simply not available.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I had forgotten that in the
book, <u>Eat, Pray, Love</u> by Elizabeth Gilbert, she had described the pizza
we ate today as food from the gods. I am not sure it was that good but we were
not disappointed in spite of the wait.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We are now just outside of
Sorrento, staying in a small cabin in a lovely campground. It is clean,
comfortable, modestly priced and the view from our front window is the Sorrento
Harbour and the Mediterranean Sea. We can do our own food prep here which is a
pleasant change from eating in restaurants all the time. Jim is out doing the
laundry and I have made dinner and am patiently awaiting his return to uncork the
red wine that will be my reward for all the driving in the last two days.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow, we are planning to
go on cruise to the Isle of Capri, weather permitting. The car will remain
parked at the campground all day long!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Saturday, October 5, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sounds in the night …..
fireworks exploding and lighting the sky over a distant peak; olives falling
onto the roof of our little cabin from the abundant trees that surround us;
branches sweeping the roof as the winds grew stronger; rain, at times gentle
and at times torrential; water drops falling onto the roof, also from the olive
trees, even when it was not raining; thunder and its silent partner, lightning;
rivulets running from our roof down the side of the cabin onto the ground. Some
people would be able to sleep though all of that, but I was awakened many times
and worrying about how we were going to pack our luggage and transport it to
the car in this continuing wet weather. So here I sit in the early, early
morning hours writing our diary and listening to the continuing rain outside.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, as predicted, the car
did remain parked at the campsite for the full day on Saturday and we did go to
the Isle of Capri, but the day did not flow as smoothly as we had thought it
might.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We arose early in the morning
to take an 8 am small boat tour to Capri. We arrived at the appointed location
only to learn that the seas were too high today for the small boat to go. We
were surprised as, although the sky was overcast, the sea looked calm and there
was no wind. Alas, the small boat was not going.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We made a quick decision to
take a local bus into the centre of Sorrento and explore what other options
were available for the day. We were joined at the bus stop by another retired
traveller from Winnipeg who had clearly used the local bus service and knew the
ropes. He was very helpful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once in Sorrento, we
immediately located a comfortable intercity bus that was travelling along the
Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Amalfi. It had been recommended by many people
that we not drive the Amalfi coast because of its overwhelming traffic and
narrow, winding roads. This bus seemed to be a reasonable alternative. We were
even lucky enough to get two seats on the right hand side of the bus so we
would be overlooking the sea views and cliff edges at close hand. Done! On we
got!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We could tell immediately
that it would have been far less fun, especially for the driver, to have driven
this road in our own vehicle. The road was narrow, traffic was steady, the
turns were tight, cars were parked on both sides of the road, and there was
only a small brick wall separating each vehicle from the long sheer drop into
the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But from the vantage point of
a reasonably clean bus window, it was possible to look in many directions, to
absorb the breathtaking beauty and danger, to take innumerable photographs, and
to generally relax and enjoy the fact that an experienced and capable driver
was at the wheel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We oohed and ahhed at the
beauty of the landscape. We climbed high along mountain roads only to descend
steep slopes into the next village. We passed by amazing homes and hotels
(there is money buried deep in these hills) which cling to the precipitous
cliff faces, causing us to reflect on the engineering feats that must have
occurred in the design and construction. We were able to see the path of the
road ahead of us as it wound around the sides of the mountains far above the
Mediterranean. We were able to look back and see the many layers of the Amalfi
Coast undulating behind us as we travelled further and further along the road.
Villages stretched from high on the mountain face all the way to the sea.
Steep, steep driveways and innumerable staircases connected the levels of these
villages from top to bottom. Fissures in the mountainsides created small coves
at the water’s edge where boats of all types were moored. From the height of
the road, even the large fishing boats and private yachts looked small. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were also able to
appreciate the skill of the bus driver as he navigated the many tight turns and
narrow passages along this famous drive. Many times, traffic had to stop and
adjust position for the bus to make its way forward. When two busses met on the
road, it was an exercise in extreme spatial awareness that enabled them to
creep past one another in spaces that seemed impossible. Cars, trucks,
motorbikes and pedestrians also shared the roadway causing amazing congestion,
especially in the villages. We were very glad to have taken the bus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were almost sad to reach
the town of Amalfi, knowing that one of the world’s beauteous areas now was a
part of our past. Anticipation is a wonderful thing and, while Amalfi lived up
to everything we had expected, we could no longer look forward to going because
we had already been there. (Does that make any sense to anyone else?)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We quickly moved on to the
next adventure of the day, taking a boat to the Isle of Capri, albeit a larger
boat than the one we had intended to take earlier this morning. There was an
amazing array of options and we used expediency to help make our decision. We
booked tickets for the next boat leaving for Capri. Just enough time to get a
cappuccino to go and find our way to the correct location on the dock.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">While we waited, many other
boats came and went. Each boat was filled with passengers travelling to or from
a range of destinations – Sorrento, Salerno, Positano, and of course, Capri.
Local travellers were easily distinguished from tourists. Tourists were the
ones with large suitcases rolling across the cobblestones behind them.
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack. Tourists were also the people most likely to be
speaking another language. What a range we heard. But the most common was
English – British English, American English, New Zealand English, Australian
English, Indian English and yes, Canadian English. We met several Canadians in
our travels today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">While we waited for the
ferry, something else happened. The weather changed. The overcast weather of
earlier transformed into inclement weather and as we stood under cover on the
dock, the first few drops of rain transformed into a steady downpour. The sky
closed in, visibility diminished and the sea became choppy. But, alas, we
carried on, boarding the ferry when it arrived and optimistically choosing
seats that afforded the best views as we travelled over the water back along
the Amalfi Coast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We did enjoy seeing the cliff
faces from the water. The colourful villages clung to the steep slopes in
almost vertical fashion. The road we had just travelled could be seen high
above the water with ever increasing traffic. The contour of the mountains
clearly showed why the road was as winding as it was. The hairpin turns
embraced the edges of the fissures in the landscape. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But as we travelled, the rain
intensified and soon we were not afforded a view of anything other than
slanting torrential rain. Enterprising marketeers appeared on the ferry with
“ponches’ for sale. Three euros. Having left our rain jackets in our car, now
far away, we promptly acquired “ponches” and made good use of them when we
arrived on Capri. We were especially careful to keep our camera dry, having had
a disastrous camera experience in Tahiti last year due to a torrential
rainfall.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To say that our visit to
Capri was less than we would have hoped for is an enormous understatement. We
walked from the dock to the closest restaurant, happily one with heaters
outside. We nestled in close to the flame and ordered a glass of wine,
pondering how to spend our time on Capri in the rain. Well, we could take a
local bus around the island and hope that the rain would stop so we could later
ride the funicular. We could inquire about trips to the Blue Grotto and be
ready should the rain cease. We could spend some time in the shops and wait out
the weather system. In the end, we decided the best option was to order lunch
(a fantastic bruschetta) and take the next ferry back to Sorrento. In the end,
it was a good option as the rain has not yet stopped a full 18 hours later. So
much for our experience on Capri!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we got back to Sorrento,
there was a short break in the weather and we were able to explore the main
square in the town and determine how to get the bus back to our accommodation.
We stopped into a supermarket to get some food for dinner and headed ‘home’.
Which is where we spent the balance of the day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I will say, it was nice to
have some time to read and I finished the book <u>Olive Kitteridge</u> by
Elizabeth Strout. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and was disappointed when it
was over. I wanted to hear more of the story.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Since the rain is continuing,
I imagine I will have more time tomorrow (or is it now today) to read. For now
though, I am heading back to bed to see if I too can sleep while the sounds of
the night continue.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunday, October 6, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It rained again most of the
day. Jim and I moved from our campsite mini-cabin to a mucher nicer hotel room.
We settled in and spent much of the day in the room. I had quite a bit of
catching up to do on our photo books so it was nice to sit by a window with a
seaview (even in the rain, the Mediterranean is a beautiful blue) and work away
on a project that gives me great pleasure in the preparation and both of us
great pleasure and a treasure trove of memories when it is completed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I seem to have fallen behind
in both the diary and photo management at times because the Italian practice of
eating dinner at 8 pm does not lend itself to being very productive in the
short evening that follows dinner. We spend our days out and about exploring
communities, landscapes, museums, shops etc. and do not build in time for
personal projects. Then, by the time dinner is over and a nice glass or two of
wine have been consumed, there is no appetite or energy for working on writing
or organizing. So we have found the best solution is to take a few hours on
occasion to get caught up. And a rainy day in Sorrento with a view of the sea
was a perfect day to do so.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next ….. Salerno</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Monday, October 7, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">How lovely! The sun was
shining this morning when we got up. A bright clear day lay ahead of us. We
were on the move today, travelling from Sorrento a bit further south along the
west coast of Italy to Salerno. Salerno is described as the sunniest city in
Italy. What a great day to be going there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The drive from Sorrento to
Salerno was straightforward but slow due to the volume of traffic inching along
a narrow two lane highway. There was no faster way to make the trip so we just
got in line with all the other vehicles and mustered up our patience. Actually,
when travelling through towns and villages at this speed, there is ample
opportunity to look at the buildings, the vegetation, the shops and the people.
Quite fun in some ways.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Eventually, we made it out
onto a main road and headed directly to Salerno. When I say directly, that is
exactly what I mean. In spite of the high and rugged mountains in our path,
rather than going over or around, the road went straight through the mountains.
Several tunnels had been built, a couple of them over a kilometer long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very smooth trip from that point
forward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we arrived in Salerno,
we travelled to the centre of town. We found a lovely promenade that followed
the waterfront for several miles. We parked the car and set out on foot. The
sun was warm, the air clear, the sea beautiful so we walked and walked. We
stopped for a coffee at a café on the promenade and then continued on our way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We watched a freighter being
piloted into the port at the far end of the seafront. What skill those tugboat
operators have to manoeuvre such a large vessel safely into a small space. We
stopped to watch some fish swimming close to shore. We explored trees and
blossoms that we did not recognize. By the time we were hungry for lunch we
were a very long way from the car. We found a lovely little restaurant part way
back and enjoyed a very fresh Greek salad. Yum!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One we got back to the car,
we headed out to find both the duomo (cathedral) and the castle that is
associated with Salerno. It seems that every town all along the coast has been
fortified over the years. We tried to follow the signs but missed a turn and
ended high up on a hillside right above the port area. There was the ship that
had just arrived, laden down with containers ready to be unloaded. Far below
us, there was also a very large parking lot filled with cars that had arrived
by sea and were awaiting further shipping within Italy. Trucks were lined up to
be loaded with vehicles to be transported to destinations all over the country.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We did not meet our goal of
finding either the duomo or the castle but we did stand and watch the shipyard
for an extended period of time. Tomorrow we will achieve the rest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We headed to our hotel, again
with a lovely seaview room. We are here for two days so we do not need to move
our things again for a while. We strolled along the sea wall early this evening
and then went for dinner and ate an absolutely delicious pizza. We may got back
to the same place tomorrow night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tuesday, October 8, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What a comfortable place we
are staying and what great service from the staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tourist season in this area, as in most of
Italy, has come to an end and the people who run this hotel are happy to have
any guests. They have rolled out the red carpet for us and made us feel very
welcome and comfortable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Following breakfast this
morning, we headed out into the city of Salerno, determined today to locate the
museums and the cathedral we could not find yesterday. We hit a gold mine and
found everything and more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">First, a stroll along the
waterfront promenade with all the men. There was nary a woman in sight! Old
men, young men, middle-aged men and all other men, strolling together, chatting
amiably on benches, fishing along the rail at the water, riding bikes, talking
on the phone, having coffee in nearby cafes, even pushing strollers. It is
clearly a great public space for men. But where are the women?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We wandered from the
promenade into the “Centro”, the old part of town where traffic is restricted
and most streets are pedestrian thoroughfares. What a pleasant change from
playing chicken with the traffic to get across a street. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The shops were all open when
we arrived. Many upscale clothing stores, the usual assortment of
souvenir/trinket stores, several lovely children’s clothing stores, many shoe
stores (shoes really are a big thing in Italy), a music store and a myriad of
cafes. We meandered past them all, not really looking for anything in
particular, simply enjoying the browse. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">An interesting looking
building came into our view. It was white with some lovely ceramic tile
decoration. And it was titled “Virtual Museum – Museum of the Medical School of
Salerno”. This was one of the places we wanted to visit. As we bought the
tickets, a museum guide approached us to ensure we understood that this was a
virtual museum with no specific displays or artifacts. What was available was a
series of videos about medicine in the 11<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup>
centuries. Hmmm …. Unusual, to say the least, but we went in. What we did know
is that the first recorded female surgeon anywhere in the world trained in Salerno
in the 11<sup>th</sup> century and she wrote three books on women’s
medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A woman ahead of her time, I
believe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The videos were quite
interesting and at least they were subtitled in English. We were the only two
people in the museum and took our time in viewing at least 8 videos. Medical
training, instruments of the profession, herbal medicines, anaesthesia,
surgical techniques, women’s medicine, and treatment of freckles (yes, you read
that correctly) were among the topics explored. It was actually pretty
fascinating and, at times, gruesome.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By the time we were finished
our viewing, it became clear that the museum staff wanted to close for the
midday break. So we graciously took our leave and continued to meander.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Something we have not adapted
well to anywhere in Italy is the concept of a midday break. Stores close,
museums close, even some restaurants and cafes close for 2 to 3 hours in the
middle of the day. Just about the time we hit our stride in terms of how we
will spend the day, the shops close and everyone disappears from the very
places we want to spend our time. We have not learned yet that it is truly rest
time and that most shops and public buildings will reopen later in the
afternoon. Today was another of those days that we wandered the streets of
Salerno gazing longingly at locked doors and closed shutters (big metal
shutters that resemble garage doors and are pulled down fully in front of the
shops.) We could not even window shop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Fortunately, about this time,
we happened upon the Duomo, Salerno’s Cathedral. It is a very modest place but
filled with history. This cathedral building was first consecrated in 1085 AD
and has been in continuous use since then. Some parts of the original building
still exist, particularly the Norman style bell tower, and other parts have
been rebuilt, restored and refurbished over the centuries. Most recently, the
cathedral was seriously damaged in an earthquake in 1980 and has been restored
since then. Some of the original frescoes remain intact and many of the graves
that are inside the cathedral date back many hundreds of years. Most notably,
the remains of St. Mark are said to be buried in this cathedral. This places it
in very high regard within the Catholic church.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the restoration, some of
the original (or at least very old) brickwork and columns were exposed for
viewing by the public. It is good to be able to see how the building has
evolved over more than a century of existence. We are humbled by the depth of
history here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Lunch followed at a lovely
balcony restaurant, fortunately under cover from the bright sun, and then the
unexpected, sudden and short-lived <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>downpour of rain. By the time we had finished
our lunch the sun was out again and we were able to continue our meander
through the town.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our first stop, ironically,
was a lovely little deli that sold many specialty foods from the area. We
stocked up on some local cold meat, some lovely cheese and crusty bread with
the intent of preparing our own dinner tonight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We then enjoyed continuing to
meander along many of the narrow alleyways that seem to be a part of the core
of the old section of Italian cities. Large doors open into unknown spaces on
either side of each alley. On occasion, a door will open allowing a rare view
into the interior. Sometimes, all we see is a set of stairs leading up to
apartments on the floors above. Sometimes, there will be a lovely courtyard
filled with potted plants and seating areas. Sometimes there will be a parking
lot with a remarkable number of vehicles squeezed into a very small space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we walk past, it is fun to imagine what
lies behind these old doors. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We happened upon the other
museum we wanted to visit to see some Italian paintings but, sadly, it is under
renovation for the next two days and is not open to the public. Rats, foiled
again!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Something that was happening
in Salerno today was the installation of elaborate decorations along one or two
key passageways. Yes, indeed, they were installing Christmas decorations complete
with twinkling white lights. I guess that is what happens in places that do not
celebrate Halloween. Even to this Christmas lover, it seemed a bit early to be
putting up Christmas trimmings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We finally arrived back at
the waterfront promenade and stopped for a coffee overlooking the water. In
truth, we also needed to use a toilet (yes, another toilet story coming … I
promise to make this the last one!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes establishments charge a small fee (50 cents) to use the
toilet. We have also found that if we order a coffee or a cold drink, the fee
is waived. So, instead of 50 cents, the toilet visit actually costs us 3 or 4
euros! In any event, the toilet in this café was very clean and, well,
interesting to use. It was without a doubt the smallest toilet cubicle that I
have ever seen. A very narrow double swinging door gained entry into a tiny
space where the sink was located. A second set of swinging doors allowed the
user to pass into the actual toilet stall. The toilet, very low to the ground,
took up about 75% of the space in this little room. There was barely enough
space available to place your feet in front of the toilet bowl when standing.
Manoeuvering clothing in this space was nigh onto impossible. I will spare you
the specific details. Once down, there was no place to put a bag or purse or
anything else you might be carrying. Truly, the only option was to hold it on
your lap. And, once finished on the toilet, rising to a standing position and
reclothing oneself required the dexterity and flexibility of a gymnast. I was
almost laughing aloud by the time the process was complete. In need or not, I
sent Jim in to see the facility. It was worth the price of the coffee to have
the experience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left the café and managed
to locate the parking garage where we had deposited the car on our first try.
We glided up the ramp and back onto the street and headed in the general
direction of our hotel. By now, the afternoon had waned and it was time to
return to our seaview room to enjoy the late day sun and light over the
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We discovered that we had access
from our room directly onto a large deck that afforded wonderful views of the
sea and the streets. This is where we spent much of our time. In fact, we did
prepare our own dinner in due course and ate it out on the deck as well. How
lovely it was to be able to sit outside all evening.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Except for the French Horn.
Yes, the French Horn! Someone in a room very close to ours was practising the
French Horn. Scales, no less. It would have been much better if there had been
a melody or two to charm our eardrums (I actually really like the French Horn)
but all we heard for a couple of hours were scales and arpeggios. At least, the
musician played them well. And at 9:30 pm, the music stopped. We were willing
to wait until 10 before taking some action. But no need to approach the desk
clerk and attempt to explain the problem of the musician and the French Horn. The
subsequent silence was quite lovely, I must say.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Southwest we go to Crotone</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wednesday, October 9, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We ate breakfast and said
farewell to the staff at our Salerno hotel. It was time to head further south
and a bit west to Crotone on the east coast of the southern peninsula. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We started out by stopping to
purchase stamps for two postcards. Everything in Italy takes more time than we
would expect and purchasing stamps was no exception. Three stores later, we
finally had stamps but no one including the salesperson was sure they were the
correct stamps for mail to Canada. And, no one seemed to know exactly where a
mailbox was located. So we carried on with the postcards and stamps in hand.
We’ll deal with it later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We headed along the coast
road enjoying the views of the sea but also looking for a Frutteria we had seen
a few days earlier. Our supply was depleted and we enjoy having fresh fruit as
snacks on driving days. After a few kilometers we did find it and made some
selections. Then we turned inland and began our journey toward to the west.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For the first several
kilometers, we travelled on local roads feasting our eyes on the rich
agricultural land that stretched out on both sides of the road. Market
gardening was the main agricultural industry here and there were fresh produce
stands at regular intervals along the road, mainly selling whatever the local
crops seemed to be. Watermelons at one stand – 3 euros each. Mushrooms at
another. Lettuce and other greens at a third stand. And so on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Crops at all stages of
development were flourishing in the fields, some familiar to us and others
quite unidentifiable. And then there were those greenhouse. We still could not
figure out what was growing inside them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We passed through three towns
along the way. Long, busy towns with the main street lined with shops and many,
many apartment buildings. Driving was very slow through these urban areas. In
the third town, we did spot a post office and Jim took our postcards in to
confirm that the stamps were correct and then mail them. Again, all things in
Italy take time. First, there was a long line of customers. And not enough
staff. Then, when it was finally Jim’s turn, there was a further discussion
among the postal staff about whether the stamps were correct or not. They
finally called upon their supervisor to make a final determination. She said
they were fine and so Jim mailed the postcards. I sure hope they make it to
Canada!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It was at this point that we
looked at the map and noted the short distance we had travelled this morning.
Time to put on the turbo props if we were actually going to make it to Crotone
in daylight hours. We dispensed with the local roads and once again hopped on
the southbound autostrade. What a good decision! The road was in good repair,
there was very little traffic and the terrain was rugged to say the least. We
travelled across several mountains, sometimes clinging to the edges on a road
that was built on a narrow ledge. At times, we disappeared for long periods of
time into tunnels only to emerge on the other side of a mountain or back on the
narrow road on the edge of the mountain. There were times that we could look
far ahead and see exactly where the road was going to lead us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The landscape was
spectacular. Craggy peaks, hilltop towns, precipitous cliffs, plunging valleys.
There was not a flat space to be found in the middle part of southern Italy.
Jim and I were really quite unprepared for the ruggedness of this entire
country. We finally crested the last mountain and began our long descent. It
was a relief to be on the way down (and out of the construction zones …. And
the fog that existed when we were high enough to be among the clouds). We
stopped at an Autogrille service centre for lunch. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a unique practice in
Italy when it comes to eating food in restaurants. If you want to sit at a
table, often you are required to pay a ‘coperta’, a cover charge for the use of
the table and the dishes on it. Bread is also usually a part of the coperta
charge. The coperta varies from one to three euros depending on where we are.
However, if you are willing to stand at the counter to drink your coffee or eat
your sandwich, there is no coperta. You pay only the base cost of the menu item
you order. So, today, having been seated in the car for a few hours at this
point, we decided to forgo the use of a table and stretch our legs at the
counter while we are our paninis. And, no coperta to pay either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A few kilometres later, we
reached the bottom of the mountain and once again left the autostrade. We were
once again travelling along a local road through extremely productive agricultural
land. This area though was a wide flat plain and the main product in the area
was fruit. Apple trees, vineyards, and groves of citrus fruit stretched as far
as the eye could see. Irrigation systems were in place in many of the orchards
to ensure a steady water supply for the thousands and thousands of fruit trees
in the area. We also noted that there was netting placed over the trees as the
fruit matures, presumably to discourage the birds from eating or damaging the
crop. We also saw some sheep, goats and dairy cattle along the way. What a
contrast to the market gardening of earlier in the day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It was not long until we could
see another body of water in the distance. We were very close to the Golfo di
Taranto which further south spills into the Mar Ionio (Ionian Sea). Yet another
body of water to out my toes into. I must say though, it is hard to distinguish
between the Mediterranean Sea on the west coast of Italy and south of Sicily,
the Adriatic Sea is on the east coast of Italy and the Ionian Sea is at the
very south of the east coast of Italy and lies between the Adriatic and the
Mediterranean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confused? Yes, so are we.
In the end it seems that the water all runs together and the boundaries between
these bodies of water are pretty arbitrary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We travelled along a coastal
highway down the east coast of the foot of Italy (not the heel) to reach
Crotone. We had booked a lovely apartment where we will spend the next couple
of days exploring the town, enjoying the sea (the water is apparently still
warm enough to go swimming) and reveling in the views from our multiple
balconies. Oh … and did I mention there is a heated pool, a spa and a massage
therapist available in the facility where we are staying. We may never leave!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I will leave you with this.
The sun is setting in the west behind the mountains, its constantly changing
colours reflecting on the billowing white clouds over the turquoise water of
the sea, shimmering in the last of the sun’s rays. As darkness conquers
daylight, lightening begins to flash in the clouds over the water. A veritable
light show flashes before our eyes. Nature’s beauty and power intertwined.</span></div>
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-5416535738085568962013-10-03T12:53:00.001-07:002013-10-03T12:53:46.874-07:00Let the Road Trip Begin<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20.0pt;">Let the Road Trip Begin</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Saturday, September 28, 2013.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We said an early farewell to
Deb and Bill this morning, a bittersweet occasion as it marked the end of a
fabulous week at La Ripa, our rural apartment and our shared Tuscan adventure.
We were all on the road by 9 am with great plans for the day. Deb and Bill were
on their way to Venice and we were in the first day of the next part of our
journey, a three week road trip to the south of Italy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, we did not get far
before we made our first stop. Along the laneway from La Ripa to the main road,
we encountered a grape harvester at work in the vineyard. We simply had to stop
and watch the process. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The harvester travels down a
row of vines with a part of the machine on each side of the row. The middle of
the machine sits quite high as it needs to travel along the row above the
grapevines while the components on each side of the vines harvest the grapes.
The grapes are harvested by actually removing them from their stems, one by
one. After the machine passes by the grapes are in the harvester and the stems
and empty bunches remain on the vines. Amazing!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once the harvester has
travelled along two sets of vines, it raises its collection bins one at a time
and pours the grapes into a large metal container on a wagon behind a tractor.
There are two collection bins to empty, one from each side of the grape vines.
We were surprised to see how the grapes retain their shape and their juice
during the harvesting process. The tractor then transports the grapes to the wine-making
site and the processing the grapes into wine begins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It was great to see this
harvesting on the day we were leaving Tuscany. We have been fortunate in our
timing as we have seen fields of sunflowers on the brink of harvest and
vineyards laden with grapes – purple, red, green and white – ready to be
harvested as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Finally, we got back in the
car and headed toward Firenze (Florence). It was to be our main stop for the
day before spending a few hours on the highway. It took less than an hour to drive
there and we were pleased to find that the traffic was not nearly as bad as had
been described to us. We drove right into the centre of the city and parked at
the railway station parking lot. It was fascinating. Cars were parked on two
levels; the cars on the top level were mechanically lifted so that each parking
space was actually doubled, something like a two tier cake dish. Parking lot
attendants were swift and efficient. Cars vanished from the pull-in area in a
matter of one or two minutes and were returned to us just as swiftly when we
came back later in the day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Florence is another of many
walled cities in this area of Italy. We are not accustomed to seeing buildings
that are up to 800 years old. It was all quite breathtaking as we wandered along
cobbled streets and narrow alleyways. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Florence has a wonderful
cathedral in the core of the city with the fourth largest dome in the world. It
was a must see! As we approached the cathedral, the enormity of it became a
reality. It was not possible to capture the entire building in a single
photograph. And the beauty of the outside of the building was astounding,
rivaling the cathedral in Siena in the ornate patterns and beautiful colours in
the marble used to construct this edifice. The inside of the cathedral was much
simpler than Siena, but not less beautiful, with inlaid marble floors,
beautiful stained glass windows and enormous paintings and carvings depicting
biblical scenes. Magnificent ….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only
word that begins to describe this cathedral.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left the cathedral and
explored the central area within the city walls. Statues were installed
everywhere!! Some of them were over 600 years old and mounted on open air
pedestals with no protection from weather or people. How different from the way
we preserve and protect works of art.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We especially wanted to see
the statues of David (by Donatello) and Bacchus (by Michelangelo) and were
enthralled by both. We also tried to get tickets to see David by Michelangelo
but none were available so we had to settle for the replica of the original
statue which stands outside the city hall (Palazzo Vecchio) in the Piazza della
Signoria.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">From here, we made our way to
the Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge across the Arno River that survived German
destruction during the Second World War. We knew we were heading in the right
direction because the streets kept getting more and more crowded. By the time
we reached the bridge itself, it was wall to wall people. Amazing how people
throng to this location. We took photos of course and made our way off the
bridge as quickly as we could!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But not fast enough ….. The
World Cycling Championship is taking place in Florence this week and one of the
women’s races was underway. We were not able to pass across the street that
would take us back to the train station. So, if you cannot beat ‘em, join ‘em.
We stood with our camera at the ready as the bicycle racers sped around the
corner and flashed past us in their pursuit of an international championship.
It was definitely fun to see them first hand, the power of their bodies, the
speed of their movements and the intensity on their faces. Wow!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Soon after the cyclists
passed this point, the gates opened and we were able to continue our walk
through Venice and eventually end up where we began … the Railway Station
Parking garage. We got in our car and made our way out of town. Our anticipated
2 hour visit to Venice had extended to almost five hours. It was worth every
moment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once on the open road, we
turned our attention to the ever-changing landscape. We had left the gentle
rolling hills and fertile valleys of Tuscany and were now ascending a mountain
range along steep hills, multiple tunnels and expertly engineered bridges that
crossed deep and rugged valleys. It was a beautiful and exciting journey with a
speed limit of 130 Km/hour. It was just safer to stay out of the fast lane.
That’s all I have to say about that!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Just after 6 pm, we arrived
in Parma. We stayed in Parma for a few days between Venice and Cinque Terre but
I was ill and thus, we did not get to do a couple of things we had set as
priorities. So we are here again in a comfortable hotel, looking forward to a
relaxing Sunday when we will plan our itinerary for the next three weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will be busy on Monday with Parma
activities and then head south along the west coast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">More about that later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunday, September 29, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Happy Anniversary, David and Karen.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, we slept in today. What
a treat. We are staying in a hotel which is part of the Italian chain called My
One Hotel. It is lovely<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- large clean
rooms, an enormous and delicious western and European breakfast, and terrific
internet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We took today off from
travelling. It was raining all day long and it just seemed to be a good day to
catch up on some reading, some planning, some diary-writing, some photo
organization, an afternoon nap and conversations with Karen, David and family, and
with Iain and Jim’s mom.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We skipped lunch and had a
wonderful dinner in the hotel dining room and went to bed early in anticipation
of a busy day tomorrow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Monday, September 30, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This morning started early as
we headed out of Parma to a small nearby town to observe the daily production
process of parmesan cheese. We were invited by the owner to visit a small
family run business. They make about 5000 wheels of cheese each year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The entire cheese operation
takes place in a restored monastery and its out buildings. That, by itself, was
fascinating. Part of the monastery was used for cheese storage and part was
used for accommodation (perhaps for the family. We are not absolutely sure.) It
was a beautiful building, charming in its preservation and its architecture.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By the time we arrived, the
cheese production was well underway. Seven enormous stainless steel vats were
filled with milk that was heated and stirred. Through some chemical process,
there was a separation of liquids and solids in each vat. A thin pale yellow
liquid was left as the cheese, being heavier, settled to the bottom of each
vat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The liquid was partially
drained from each vat (It is sent off to Parma area pig farms as feed for pigs.
It is the only food allowed for pigs that will be used for authentic Parma
Ham.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Using a heavy, wet fabric, cheese
is then lifted from the bottom of each vat by two strong men who hang it from a
crossbar over the vat like a turkey in a sling. The cheese drains some of the extraneous
liquid at this point.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In due course, the cheese from
each vat is cut into two large pieces, each of which is shaped and wrapped in
cheesecloth and hung again from the cross bar. The vats are then drained of all
remaining liquid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A little while later, each ‘sack
‘ of cheese is moved by a mechanical arm and inserted into a round cheese mold
and fully wrapped in cheesecloth which will remain its cover during the aging
process. A heavy marble lid is placed on each cheese round to press it into the
round shape that is familiar in Parmesan cheese.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Later in the day, each cheese
round is transferred to a stainless steel ring for 1 day. It is then immersed
on its side in heavily salted water for 4 to 5 days. The water is stirred
regularly and the cheese turned regularly in order to retain its round shape. Additional
water is added as evaporation occurs. The salt enters cheese by osmosis.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After 5 days, the cheese is
removed from the water and placed on shelving units to age. The minimum aging
is 12 months although cheese can be aged for up to 4 years. Of course, the
longer the aging process, the more valuable the cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it is ready to sell, each cheese round
is inspected and approved by a local cheese consortium. It is stamped and dated
for purchasers to see. Local producers also add their own individual label.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were able to visit the
cheese storage area in this facility and were awed by the sight of so much
cheese in one location. The odor was wonderful!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">From here, we travelled back
through Parma where we had a light lunch before heading on to the village of
Modena, known for its production of balsamic vinegar. Or so we thought!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We visited a beautiful manor
house, Villa San Donnino, the home of a family who produces traditional
balsamic vinegar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, there is
amazing history in the manor house itself. It is several hundred years old,
originally owned by generations of a Jewish family who were ultimately forced
to leave the property and move to Rome during World War II. During the war, the
house was occupied by German military officers who virtually destroyed the
interior. The original family chose not to return to Modena and the property
was offered for sale. The current owners purchased the property and have restored
it. It is now protected as a historic property under Italian legislation that
names it as a piece of valued architecture. It is indeed a beautiful dwelling
and property.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now …. Onto the vinegar tour
….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The production of Traditional
Modena Balsamic Vinegar is, at minimum, a 12 year process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Families that produce
traditional balsamic vinegar typically have a vineyard where the grapes are
grown. The grapes are picked in the autumn <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and cooked for over 20 hours to create grape
must (the name of the substance that exists at the end of the cooking process).This
must is then placed in wooden barrels. The vinegar maker chooses which woods to
use for barrels as different kinds of wood influence flavours of finished
product. Each producer is able to create a unique product based on the wood
that is used in the barrels.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tradional balsamic vinegar is
produced in sets of barrels, called a battery. Each battery has a minimum of
five barrels, ranging in size from large to small. The smallest barrel has to
have a capacity between 15 and 25 litres. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The barrel batteries that were in the villa we
visited contained 10 barrels each. In all, there were hundreds of barrels in
production here, all stored neatly on racks of ten barrels, from largest to
smallest on each rack. Each battery was clearly labeled with the year the
production began.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The barrels are left on their
sides with an open hole covered with a cotton cloth on the top side of the
barrel. The grape must needs to interact with oxygen in order to transform into
vinegar. Thus some evaporation occurs, about 10 % per year. The oldest and
smallest vat is topped up once a year with liquid from the next oldest barrel and
so on down the line. The youngest and largest barrel is then filled once more
with fresh must and the process begins again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After 12 years, the balsamic vinegar
in the smallest barrel is taken to a consortium for bottling and labeling. The
consortium keeps track of all the traditional vinegar produced with such
precision that producers must provide maps of their barrel storage so that each
barrel can be accounted for.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Traditional balsamic vinegar
is often aged for longer than 12 years, sometimes twice that long.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We learned that the word
Modena is not protected. Thus, commercial enterprises around the world are able
to produce Modena vinegar through mass production. (Check on the balsamic
vinegar bottles in your own cupboards.) It is the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">traditional </i>that differentiates the vinegar produced in Modena.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Traditional balsamic vinegar
is such a valued product that each time a child is born, the family starts a batch
of vinegar for each child (10 barrels) which are given to the child, usually as
a wedding gift. Historically, this vinegar has been a dowry for brides and a
source of income for grooms.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were provided with samples
of traditional balsamic vinegars of a range of ages. A six year product called Nerone is sold. We also sampled 12 and 18 year vinegar. It is beautiful in
flavour and used sparingly on pasta, fish, fruit and even ice cream. I must say
it was delicious on gelato. Of course, we bought some to bring home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Following our vinegar tour,
we left Modena and travelled on the autostrade to Bologna where we once again
spent a night in My One Hotel. It was very comfortable and we are truly sorry
that we will not encounter any more hotels in this chain as we travel further
south.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">An added story of the day …..
Since today’s account has largely been about food, this seems to be a good time
to chat about ceramic tile and alcohol though …. As it happened AGAIN!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We have fallen into the habit
of carrying some bottles with us, sometimes wine, sometimes beer, so that we
can indulge in a drink once we are settled into our hotel room for the night.
What we have learned is that bottles of lovely tasting fluids and floors made
from ceramic tile do not get along well when the bottle rolls off a surface,
even a surface just a couple of inches above the floor, and falls on the
ceramic tile.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our first experience with
this phenomenon was in Levanto in Cinque Terre. A small bottle of champagne
rolled from the fridge in our room onto the floor …. And smashed into a 1000
pieces. All we could do was inhale the vapours and clean up the mess.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our second experience was in
Tuscany at La Ripa, our lovely countryside accommodation. We were carrying our
bags into the apartment and I placed a bag of groceries onto the floor, gently
or so I thought. The next thing I knew a bottle of beer exploded and poured out
onto the floor. We had not been there five minutes before we made a mess. Our
landlord arrived with pail and a mop and helped us clean it up. Sadly, no beer
for the guys that night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And again tonight …. As I was
placing some food items into the small hotel room fridge, another bottle of
Jim’s precious beer rolled from the bottom shelf and dropped about 4 inches to
the floor. Again, it exploded and glass flew everywhere as the golden brew
flowed out across the floor. Cleaning up is becoming less fun with each event.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So, my new plan is that
henceforth Jim can handle all breakable alcoholic drinks. I think there is a
better chance we might be able to sip them rather than just inhale the fumes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Good plan?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tuesday, October 1, 2013</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today we set out to travel
from Bologna to Vinci, the hometown of Leonardo Da Vinci. We anticipated a
smooth drive through mountainous and beautiful terrain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The car, however, had a
different idea. Part way along the very busy and very fast mountainous
autostrade, a message appeared on the control panel of the car. “Engine
malfunction” it said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Service
immediately.” A little tough to do as we sped along with the traffic at
120km/hour with no where to pull off and no exits within sight. As the car
seemed to be performing well, we decided to locate a Ford dealership near Vinci,
our destination. Thankfully we did not encounter any problems before we arrived
there and the staff were extremely helpful to us. One woman even google
translated a message she wanted to share with us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made many calls to Hertz on our behalf,
all with the same outcome. We need to talk to the original Hertz office in
Venice to determine a course of action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And, the people in Venice told us that if we needed a tow, they would
send a truck and tow the car to a place of their choice for service. It did not
seem to matter that we were already at a Ford dealership! In the end, the
mechanic at the dealership assured us the car was functional and we drove on to
Vinci with no specific plan in mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Vinci is a wonderful rural
town in beautiful rolling landscape. The surrounding area is both agricultural
and heavily forested. Olive groves and vineyards created geometrical patterns
across hillsides. There were also many, many tree farms in the area, growing
everything from seedlings to mature trees, tropical, evergreen and deciduous,
both decorative and traditional. We drove along roads flanked by thousands of
trees, all destined for parks or gardens. It was interesting to see a variety
of vehicles with newly purchased trees rising high above their roofs travelling
along the road taking trees to some destination somewhere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Of course, in Vinci, we
visited the Museo Leonardiano. It was a remarkable place, high on a hillside in
an old castle, beside the church where Leonardo da Vinci himself was baptized.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The museum held displays of da
Vinci’s designs and ideas as well as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>replicas of machines. These served as a reminder of his brilliance and
breadth of scientific knowledge – weather, anatomy, astronomy, flight, physics,
pulleys and gears and so much more. Sadly, it is not known which of his designs
ever made it to the production stage. There is no<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>photographic record, of course, nor any written
accounts of what happened to his ideas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We drove on and as easily as
it had appeared the engine light on car went off. But we made a decision to go
to Hertz office at Pisa airport, close by our route. We did not want to travel
with the worry that something might go wrong. What a great decision that was! With
no muss or fuss, we are now driving a new car, upgraded, peppier and no worry
about engine problems. A good investment of 45 minutes!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We continued along gentler
roads for another 90 minutes to Piombino to take BluNavy ferry to the Island of
Elba. The one hour crossing was smooth and beautiful on calm seas. Elba was
visible in the distance and as we drew closer and closer we were able to see
the rugged coastline, forested hillsides, small villages in coves and small,
beautiful beaches. We look forward to exploring all of those tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once off the ferry, we drove directly
to Fetovaia and our hotel, Montemerlo. It is a small resort in a beautiful
setting. We felt like pinching ourselves. Here we were on an island in an
Italian national park surrounded by Mediterranean Sea. A first for us!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dinner was served at 8 pm and
then early to bed. A lovely end to a very pleasant day</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wednesday, October 2, 2013.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We set out today to explore
the Isle of Elba. The island is 35 miles long and 14 miles wide with varying
elevations, its peak rising above 1000 metres. There is a paved road that
circumnavigates most of the circumference, twisting and turning on the edge of
the mountains and then plunging to the seacoast only to rise again when it
leaves each small coastal village. It is a delight to drive, especially when
there is very little traffic. Elba is a popular summer destination and I
suspect it would not be nearly as much fun to drive at that time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The entire island is a
National Park. There is wildlife, wonderful vegetation, natural habitats and
landforms to see at every turn. It is beautiful at this time of year as summer
gives way to autumn and the colours of the landscape take on the orange and red
hues of the changing season. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The vegetation on Elba must
be noted for its diversity. Bamboo and palm trees punctuate the landscape. The
bamboo especially is prolific and seems to take over wherever there is a patch
of fresh water. In contrast, cactus grows wildly high on the mountainsides,
with flower buds that are just about to burst into blossom. Fruit trees are
abundant – date palms, orange and lemon, pomegranate to name a few. And olive
trees are everywhere, some cultivated for crop production and others simply
growing wild on the hillsides.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Small household gardens are
seen all around the island, sometimes high on the mountainsides, wherever there
is a patch of arable land. In one community, there were actually paths carved
through the underbrush and people crept through the resulting tunnels to reach
their gardens. Tomatoes, grapes and corn seemed to the most abundant crops.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Vineyards have been
established on many hillsides and in valleys for wine production. The Isle of
Elba has produced several varieties of high quality wine, mostly red, which we
have enjoyed with our meals here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Mediterranean Sea
surrounds the island. The vivid blue waters are mesmerizing in the sun and the
heat. Many coastal villages have beaches. Some are easily accessible and others
can only be reached by walking down long paths (up to 500 metres) to finally
get to the water. Beaches are categorized by their terrain. There are a very
few sand beaches (our resort has access to one of them). Most are pebble
beaches, some grey and some white, as is common along the Mediterranean shore.
Others are rock beaches where the mountainsides plunge deep into the sea. The
sea water on October 2 remained quite warm and many, many people were in swimming.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Isle of Elba lays claim
to being Napoleon’s home for 300 days after he was banished from the mainland.
The home where he lived remains on the island and there is a nondescript museum
which houses temporary exhibits related to Napoleon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Having spent much of the day
exploring, we returned to our hotel late in the afternoon, looking forward to
relaxing in the hot tub. To our dismay, bees had taken over the decking around
the tub so there was no relaxing there for us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A before dinner drink had to suffice.
Dinner was served at 8 as usual with swordfish being the main event tonight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow we ferry back to the
mainland and continue our journey south.</span></div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-23585775974839499742013-09-28T14:40:00.000-07:002013-09-28T14:44:55.477-07:00On the Way to Tuscany
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the Way to Tuscany</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sunday, September 22, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was time to say good bye to our Australian friends and to Cinque Terre. It was
amazing how quickly four days had passed, how much time we had spent together
in that time and yet, how fleeting the connections seemed to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As always, Jim and I were welcomed as part of
the group, as pseudo-Aussies, and that is what makes it so difficult to leave
this group, knowing we will see them all again, yet not knowing when. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We waved goodbye to the group and got
back into our car which had been sitting idle for four days. We were on our way
to Tuscany by way of Portofino and Pisa. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the way north to Portofino, we
soaked in stunning views of both mountains and sea coast. The freeway
paralleled the coastline and tunneled through mountains. We lost track counting
after 20 tunnels, some of which were almost 2 kilometres long. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villages dotted the hillsides on both
sides of the highway. We wondered why they were built in such rugged and remote
locations. Often a bell tower soared into the sky well above the other
buildings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We left highway and travelled on a local
road around the peninsula coast to Portofino. We passed through Ragalio and
Santa Margherita in Ligure along the way. There is only one road into the
peninsula and the same road back out to the main highway. As pretty as it was
to be driving within metres of the sea, we tried to imagine what this place
would be like at the height of tourist season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally we reached Portofino, parked
the car and walked the short distance to the main square on the waterfront.
Although it was still mid morning, it was already hot and it was crowded!!
Shops and cafes were all bustling. We sought a table in the shade and ordered a
cappuccino. FIVE Euros ($7.00) each!! Portofino lived up to its reputation of
being an expensive place. After finishing our cappuccino and our people
watching, we strolled down toward the water to look at the yachts that were
crowded into the small port area. Wow! Breathtaking! Jim took my photo in front
of the town clock, sponsored by Rolex. I think that says something about the
town in and of itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We had had enough of Portofino by this
point and began to wander back toward the car. We popped into a very busy
bakery to pick up some bread for lunch. We purchased 2 small panettones, one
for lunch and one for breakfast tomorrow. Our jaws dropped when the server
handed us a ribbon-wrapped package and said, “26 Euros, please.” That was
almost $35.00 for two small loaves of bread. Add on eleven more euros for
parking and this was likely the most expensive hour of our entire trip!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We did enjoy the lovely coastal drive
back out to the highway. And then we headed south, back through the tunnels,
eventually passing the Levanto exit where we had started this morning</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The landscape along our route was
constantly changing. Mountains got higher with multiple ranges visible in the
distance. Some were quite white on some slopes. The white areas almost looked
like glaciers but were actually marble quarries. In this area some of the
world’s finest marble is harvested. We noticed many marble factories along the
sides of the highways with massive slabs of marble awaiting processing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The land flattened as we drove further
south. Agriculture abounded – corn, tomatoes, horses, vineyards and the iconic
sunflowers of Tuscany. Sadly the blooms were slightly past their prime. No
beautiful sunflower photos for us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pisa was amazing. Yes, there is a tower
there that leans … and I gasped audibly when I saw it. I have held this image
in my mind for probably 50 years and there it was for real. The tower was much
larger around than I expected. We walked around it, gazed at the top, studied
the lean and did our best to take a photo of me holding up the tower. We did
not get it quite right but it was fun trying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We also visited the Baptistry, a
beautiful yet gentle </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8 sided </span>building with very little in it other than a
pulpit and a large central baptismal font. Galileo was baptized here. One of
the significant features of this bapstistry is the quality of the acoustics.
Periodically throughout the day, a chanter will come in and sing three notes.
As he lets go of one note, the sounds hangs in the air of the space. As he
produces the second note, the two notes blend in harmony and when he produces
the third note, this man has effectively created a three part harmony sound all
by himself. What an amazing sound it was. The people in the baptistry were
respectfully silent until the last note seeped away. We were awed by the
experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Pisa Cathedral was large and
elegant. It featured a huge, ornate, gold leaf ceiling, beautiful stained glass
windows, and detailed carvings on original pulpit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the original pulpit left in place, a new
pulpit and sacrament table were recently<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>installed. They are much more contemporary in style although very
tasteful and beautiful. Not surprisingly, this decision created much
controversy within the congregation. One can only imagine the tenor of the
committee meetings leading to this decision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How much marble does it take to built a
cathedral or a Baptistry or<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a tower? How
was that marble quarried and transported to the building site? How many skilled
marble workers were on site creating the magnificent buildings that now command
our attention? There seems to be a trend to create broad black and white marble
stripes in the facades of many of these buildings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To achieve such a pattern would certainly
require substantial skill and much precision in the work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally it was time to move on, to head
for Tuscany and the countryside apartment we will be sharing with friends, Deb
and Bill, for the next 6 days. We left the main highway and travelled on more
local roads, passing through wonderful agricultural land and crossing hills in
and out of valleys. Our destination, La Ripa near Ulugnano, was a bit difficult
to find but its setting and facilities made it all worthwhile. The view of the
hilltop village from the window is perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So was the pasta and pesto from Portovenere
that we enjoyed for dinner and the long, quiet pleasant evening we spent engaged
in conversation with good friends.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Monday, September 23, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We were up early in the
morning, eager to get on with the day’s adventure. Breakfast consisted of panettone
from Portofino and parmesan cheese from Parma. It was a great way to begin an
exciting day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Deb, Bill , Jim and I all
hopped into the car and headed for the village of San Gimignano, visible from
our rural apartment but still several kilometres away. San Gimignano is a
village that was initially constructed many hundreds of years ago (1200’s). It
was walled city with a myriad of main streets, side alleyways and public
plazas. As the village grew, newcomers built homes along the roadways. There
were many different styles of stone, brick and other materials used in the
construction. One thing was consistent though. You could almost say that this
is the place that ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’ got started. As new homes were
built, each builder strived to make the new one taller than any other building
in town. The result is that this town has a unique skyline punctuated by up to
14 towers which rise above the homes of the initial wealthy landowners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today, San Gimignano is a
haven for tourists. The street level of most buildings is filled with shops –
leather, specialized food items, tourist trinkets, ceramics, linens, wine,
chocolate, cafés, shoes ….. The upper levels are either homes and apartments
owned by permanent or holiday residents. Many others are holiday rentals. I can
only imagine what the rental rates would be to live inside the walls of San
Gimignano. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In spite of the crowds, we
thoroughly enjoyed our day. What was anticipated as a fairly short visit
extended into a several hour excursion including lunch. I must say that Deb and
I enjoyed the shops more than Bill and Jim and, in the end, they were very
patient about waiting at the gate through which we would exit the village. It’s
a good thing there was a café nearby.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">From San Gimignano, we
travelled on several beautiful roads surrounded by the patterned and rolling
landscape of Tuscany. Olive groves and vineyards dominated this part of the
countryside. More than once, each of us was heard to say, “Pinch me. Am I
really in Tuscany?” It is truly more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We finally arrived at
Poggibonsi, the home of the closest supermarket. It was time to stock up on
some food for the week as we had facilities to prepare our own meals. PAM was
the supermarket that was suggested to us. It was large, well lit, and well
organized. Yet, at the beginning of our shopping expedition, it all felt a
little overwhelming. Familiar foods with unfamiliar customs for purchasing them
…. Or unfamiliar foods with labels in Italian. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We had prepared a list and
slowly made our way through the items we needed. Fresh fruit and vegetables
were abundant. Each item needed to be bagged, weighed and labeled in order to
be ready for the check-out. Staples such a cereal and crackers were easy to
find but the brands were generally unfamiliar. Fewer options seemed to be
available than we have at home. Cheese and other dairy products were
challenging since we could not read the language and, even if we could, we were
not familiar with the kinds of cheese that are readily available in Italy. We
found bread, eggs and meat. But we searched and searched for milk. We finally
discerned that fresh milk was generally not available anywhere and we thought
we would have to purchase UHT milk. Finally, Jim found a small quantity of
fresh milk at the front of the store. Our shopping experience had ended with success.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> We loaded our groceries into
the car and headed home. Deb and I were looking forward to preparing a home
made meal in our Italian kitchen. It was well equipped although there was no
microwave.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dinner consisted of pasta,
sauce, fresh salad and fruit. A healthy and tasty alternative to the restaurant
meals we have been having. Many more nutritious and tasty meals with good
company lie ahead of us this week.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tuesday, September 23, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A new day dawned and new
adventures awaited. Deb and Bill were off early to catch the train to Florence.
Jim and I had a slightly more leisurely start. Our goal for the day was to
simply roam and explore the Tuscan landscape. The sun shone gloriously and
beckoned us out onto the roads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We left our town, Ulugnano,
and headed back toward Poggibonsi on a different road than the one travelled
yesterday. We were excited when we saw PAM, the supermarket again, and felt
like we knew where we were. <br />
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The roads in Tuscany follow the contour of the hillsides and rise to the tops
of the hills and tumble back into the valleys, sometimes rising or descending
in a gentle manner and sometimes using a more straight-line approach to descend
or ascend a hill. The hillsides and valley floors are filled with vineyards and
olive groves planted in straight lines at varying angles. The result is
beautiful patchwork quilt effect stretching for as far as the eye can see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tuscan homes, built from
yellow or red stone, dot the landscape and at the top of many hills, church
bell towers rise to meet the sky. We passed through several quiet villages
throughout this day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Two specific villages caught
our attention and invited us to linger. Panzano was the first one. It was
perched high on a hill overlooking a vast valley. We drove to the upper town
and enjoyed simply sitting on a park bench admiring the countryside that
stretched for miles below. Such precision, such beauty, such colour … Pinch me!
Am I really in Tuscany?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We strolled along the ancient
streets of Panzano, stopping at the foot of the steps leading to the stunning
church perched atop the hill. Flowers baskets adorned each step as we made our
way up to the door. Once inside, we were touched by the simplicity of what we
saw. This was a very modest church, starkly contrasting with the cathedrals and
basilicas we have visited recently. It was quiet and cool, elegant yet peaceful.
The nave was adorned with ancient and well worn frescoes and the large front
doors featured beautiful bronze carvings of well known stories. This church is
a treasure in Tuscany.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">From the church we proceeded
to the lower town where we were seeking a particular butcher shop, Antica
Macelloria Cecchini's Butcher Shop. This butcher is known for his incredible
skill, the flavour of his meats (beef and pork) and his amazing marketing
skills. From the instant you enter his shop, you know you are going to have a
unique experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Classical music fills the
tiny shop as the staff offer special focaccia, salami and pork butter on bread
to all who enter. Red wine is poured into glasses and a party atmosphere
permeates the space. Behind the counter stands Antica, carving meat, preparing
packages, arranging the display case, serving customers. Antica is known far
and wide for the quality of his meat and claims that he is in the business of
selling meat and will use all techniques available to achieve this goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One strategy that has proven
to be very successful for him is to open first one, then two and now four
restaurants that feature his meat on the menu. No vegetarian options in these
places. Jim and I decided to have lunch in the open air rooftop restaurant located
above the butcher shop. We were escorted up the stairs and shown to seats at a
very long table. We were joined, coincidentally, by 4 other Canadians as well
as a German couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lively
conversation accompanied out meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As the menu is prix fixe, it
was simple to select our lunches. Jim and I each had a succulent quarter pound
burger (no bun) accompanied by crudités, special olive oil, Tuscan soup, Tuscan
beans, fried potatoes, grilled onions, red wine and later, coffee and cake. The
fare …. 15 Euros (about $20.00) To complete the experience, in the butcher
shop, we purchased some roast pork to share with Deb and Bill for dinner. It
looked as delicious as the burgers had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We walked back to the car,
exclaiming over and over how good lunch had been. The food was delectable, the
company was great and the setting absolutely beautiful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We spent much of the
afternoon exploring more roadways, stopping to admire views and take
photographs whenever traffic and road conditions allowed (the roads are very
narrow and winding). We visited another small village named Gaiole, reported to
be the prettiest village in all of Tuscany. A small river ran alongside the
main road through town and flower beds and pots adorned the roadway, public
spaces, and private homes. It was indeed a delightful place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Unfortunately, we arrived in
Gaiole during the traditional afternoon siesta time (approximately 2 – 5 pm)
when most shops and many cafes and restaurants are closed. We were sorry that
we did not have the opportunity to explore Gaiole to the extent we would have
enjoyed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Heading back home, we
realized that we were on several roads that we had seen earlier in the day.
Landmarks were becoming familiar and we felt we knew where we were. I am not
ready yet to head out without benefit of a map or GPS though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I went for a swim when we
arrived ‘home’. The day was hot and the water refreshing. In fact, it was
downright cold!! Although the days are still hot, the nights are quite cool
(wonderful for sleeping) and the water is settling into its fall temperature.
Nonetheless, it was refreshing and washed away the heat of the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Another homemade meal
completed the day, and we all whiled the evening away catching up on email,
diaries, blogs and photographs. What a comfortable place to be with good
friends.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wednesday, September 24, 2013</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jim and Bill headed off for a
truffle hunting expedition this morning, complete with dogs sniffing and
digging the truffles they found. After collecting the truffles, the men then
participated in the preparation of food using the truffles they had dug and
enjoyed a large lunch with truffles on most things along with some very good
red wine. They were completely sated when they arrived back at our apartment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Deb and I had a totally
different kind of morning. First, we tried to do the laundry and learned that
the machine was broken. Our landlord immediately called a repairperson and also
took our laundry with him to do the washing in his machine. Other than knowing
he was handling our ‘delicates’, we were quite content to await his return with
our clean laundry. We hung it out on the line under the Tuscan sun and headed
off into the nearby village of Ulugnano.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ulugnano is a small village
that has basically one main street that runs from the bottom of a long hill all
the way to the top, a couple of kilometres in total. We had hoped to find a
café, a grocery store, a bakery … almost anything in the village that would be
of some interest. We were sorely disappointed with our exploration. Other than
several older men sitting on benches along the road, there was virtually
nothing of interest in this village. One shop, a combination bar/café was open
for business but was singularly uninviting. We went in and asked where we might
find a bakery and were told in very clear English, “Not in Ulugnano.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So we got back into the car
and drove the short distance to Poggibonci where we parked and wandered around
the central area of the town. Poggibonci is predominantly an industrial town
with virtually no tourist attractions at all. We did find a lovely church in
the middle of town, a number of apartment blocks with laundry hanging out the
windows,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>some stylish clothing stores
and a few white linen restaurants. It was almost noon and the streets were
almost empty of people. Shops were closing as siesta time began. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We happened upon a modest
patisseria that offered cappuccino or espresso for one euro and sweet items
also for one euro. It was a great find!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Following our coffee, we
headed along the main street of town and realized that there were many more
shops than we had encountered in the town square. Overall, it was a humble
town, one where real people seemed to live and work. Quite a contrast to many
of the tourist meccas we have been in in previous days.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our final stop in Poggibonci
was at PAM, the supermarket. We needed a few items for our enjoyable homecooked
meals. It was easier to find them all in the store this time. We were at least
slightly familiar with its organization.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We arrived home just after
Jim and Bill and spent the balance of the afternoon chatting, reading, using
the internet and sleeping. It was a luxuriously relaxing day for all of us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dinner consisted of pasta
with home made sauce and a tossed salad. It was delicious!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Thursday, September 25, 2013</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today was a day for Donna and
Deb to have an adventure. Early this morning we headed off to Certaldo to
attend a Tuscan cooking class at La Cucina di Guiseppina (Josephine’s
Kitchen).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were a bit early for the
class so our day began with a stroll through part of the upper town in
Certaldo, a medieval walled city. There were very few people on the streets and
the town was quiet. We walked along inner streets, through alleyways, into
courtyards and along the outer walls. It was a beautiful place and has been
well preserved. Archways, towers and elaborate brickwork punctuate every
street. What a great way to begin our day.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At 10:30, Deb and I proceeded
to La Cucina and donned our red aprons. It was clear that we were going to
learn a lot, indulge in much delicious food and wine and have a good time doing
it. Guiseppina and her daughter-in-law were working together to prepare for and
instruct this class. Both women spoke good English and were eager to engage in
conversations on many topics, especially related to food. It was evident right
from the start that Guiseppina was passionate about food, passionate about
teaching about food, and passionate about creating a successful business
enterprise with food as the central component.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The menu for the day was
shared with us – bruschetta with cannelloni beans, antipasto, fettucini
DonnaMaria, chicken with vegetables and finally, tiramisu. <br />
<br />
We made the tiramisu first, beginning by beating one egg and adding sugar.
Biscotti was dipped in espresso coffee and laid in the bottom of a dish.
Marscoponi cream was blended with the egg mixture and placed on top of the
biscotti. Chocolate was sprinkled on top and it was placed in the fridge.
Presto … as easy as that!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Then we moved on to the
chicken dish which had to cook for the longest time. Garlic and sage along with
the chicken, including the skin and bones, was placed in a fry pan with olive
oil. Over medium heat, the chicken was coated and turned over several times as
it cooked through. When the oil was absorbed into the chicken a healthy portion
of white wine was poured into the pan to provide additional moisture.
Meanwhile, the vegetables were being prepared – onion, zucchini, red pepper and
tomatoes were cleaned and chopped. When they were ready they were added to the
chicken along with another healthy portion of white wine. A cover was placed on
the pan, the heat turned down and the dish was left to simmer.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next came the bruschetta.
Thick crusty bread was lightly toasted while more tomatoes, basil, garlic and
cannelloni beans were prepared. When the bread was ready, the beans/tomato
mixture was generously placed atop the bread. Deb and I were offered Chianti to
sip and escorted out to the Certaldo wall where we ate the bruschetta and
sipped wine while looking out over the Tuscan countryside. The sun shone
brightly and the day was glorious.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We also nibbled on our
antipasto course – hard cheese, salami and onion marmalade. One of Certaldo’s
main agricultural products is sweet red onions. The marmalade was a delicious
complement to the foods before us.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Soon enough though, we were
invited back into the kitchen where we learned to make pasta in the traditional
way. A portion of flour was placed on a wooden board and a well was created in
the middle. One beaten egg was poured into the well and our task was to mix the
flour with the egg until the dough no longer stuck to our hands. Just the right
moment … Then we kneaded the dough until it was spongy to touch and it was set
to rest under a cotton towel for 10 minutes. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">No rest for us though …. Now
we needed to make the sauce, a simple combination of fresh tomatoes (have I
mentioned how delicious the tomatoes are here?), basil, garlic and onion. We
prepared the vegetables and set them aside until the pasta was completed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Back to the pasta …. We cut
the pasta into small sections and began to put it through the pasta machine. I
had no idea that in order to make thin pasta, the dough had to pass through the
machine as many as 8 times, each time pressing it thinner and thinner. Great
exercise for the upper arms, I assure you. Finally, the pasta was appropriately
thin and we could pass it through the fettucine setting. A little flour to dust
it and a pot of boiling water to cook it came next. While the water was
boiling, we cooked the vegetables for the sauce. Only slightly cooked them to
blend the flavours but not lose the shapes. The fettucine was placed in the
water and only allowed to boil for about 3 minutes. Then the fettucine was
placed into the sauce on the stove and stirred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Presto … onto the plates and another course for lunch was served. If I
do say so myself, it was superb! Probably among the best pasta I have ever
eaten. Yum!!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next came the completed
chicken dish, equally delicious … along with more wine. Chianti, of course,
made by Guiseppina’s family. Deb and I were beginning to fade a little – so
much food, so much wine and it was only noon. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Yet, we managed to save space
for the tiramisu, another culinary triumph!! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We virtually waddled away
after lunch and met up with Jim and Bill who took us home (La Ripa) in nearby
Ulugnano where we relaxed for the balance of the afternoon. It would be fair to
say that dinner was a meager affair this night.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Friday, September 27, 2013</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today began early as we all
headed off together to visit the city of Siena. We left early so that we would
be ahead of most tourists. The traffic was a challenge en route and it took us
longer to travel there than we had anticipated. Bill did a great job driving
under arduous circumstances. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once we were there, we were
very glad that we had come early. It was clear by the number of people already
in the upper town that it was going to be very crowded as the day went on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The climb from the parking
lot to the upper town looked daunting, that is, until we discovered the 5
escalators that had been installed to transport people to the upper level. Each escalator was en extension of the one below it. It was a long way to the top!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Siena is another walled city
and has been superbly preserved over time. The buildings are in good repair.
Narrow streets and alleys crisscross throughout the town and roadways follow
the contour of the land with steep slopes whether going up or down. Overall, it
was a beautiful and interesting place to spend a couple of hours.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We had two specific
destinations in mind when we came. The first was the duomo, the cathedral which
is the focal point of the entire city. The bell tower rises far above the walls
and buildings,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>built with black and
white marble in the 11<sup>th</sup> century.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The exterior of the cathedral
was magnificent, built entirely of marble in many different hues – pink, white,
grey, black. Columns punctuated the exterior of the cathedral and each column
was beautifully carved in a unique pattern. Although very detailed, it was not
ostentatious in any way. The overall effect was tasteful and beautiful.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Inside the cathedral was
equally stunning. Tall columns of marble supported the ceilings and the central
dome. Chapels along the side also had smaller domes. The pipe organ was
magnificent, three consuls of pipes, including a section of horns that extended
out from the pipes. The walls of the cathedral were covered with large
paintings and murals. Of particular note was the library where there were 16<sup>th</sup>
century frescoes that looked like they had been painted last year. The colours
were so vivid and fresh that it was difficult to believe they were already 5oo
years old!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But the feature of the Siena
Cathedral that sets it apart is the marble artwork on the floors. Inlaid marble
is found everywhere in many intricate and beautiful patterns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fifty-six marble murals depicting scenes from
biblical stories cover most of the floor of the cathedral. For 9 months of the
year, these murals are covered so as to preserve the murals. We were fortunate
to be here during the period of time that the murals were visible to the
public. Red ropes cordoned them off so that no one would walk on them. Visitors
quietly moved from one to the next to admire the truly exquisite work of the
artists who created them. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After exploring the
cathedral, we headed for the Piazzo Publica, a large open plaza built in the
shape of a large seashell. It is of such a size that the ring around the
exterior is used for horse races. The crowd that gathers fills the central area
during the races. It is described as a spectacle to behold. It was still early
in the day when we were there and, although the crowd was growing, it was
difficult to imagine how many people it would take to fill the entire square.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We walked along streets and
through alleys, under arches and past sculptures until we reached the escalators
that had carried us to the top. I walked down the stairs while Jim rode along
in comfort. I wish I had counted how many stairs there were, several<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hundred to be sure.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We met Deb and Bill at the
bottom and headed back to the car to make our way to our next destination. Deb
especially was curious about the butcher shop we had visited in Panzano earlier
in the week so we were returning there for lunch today. Once again, Bill did an
outstanding job of driving along the winding hilly roads through the Tuscan
landscape. It does not really seem fair that, while the passengers oooh and
ahhh and the views from the car, the driver has little time to enjoy any of it,
lest he miss a turn in the road.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The butcher shop was busy
when we arrived but it did not take long for us to be seated in one of the
restaurants and offered a delicious beef burger meal. We were hungry, the food
came promptly and we were sated easily. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next stop was Greve, a nearby
village with a unique approach to wine-tasting. They had over 140 wines on
offer. One needed to purchase a ticket and proceed to taste the wines of
choice, deducting a fee from the card for each wine tasted. The prices varied
with the age of the wine and the size of the sample. Jim was especially
interested in some $100+/bottle wine which he knew he would never have the
opportunity to taste in any other setting. It was fun to sample such wines
without having to buy a whole bottle.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The afternoon was wearing on
and it was time to head back to La Ripa for our last evening there. Beautiful
sunshine, stunning landscape and great company was all part of this final
journey together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow morning, we will all
take our leave and head in different directions for the balance of our Italian
experience. It has been a wonderful week together, a week of fun, relaxation,
exploration and conversation. When we will meet again is not known at the
moment but we have some great memories to carry us through until our paths
cross once more.</span></div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-52173584007602002402013-09-25T06:42:00.000-07:002013-09-25T06:49:52.420-07:00Cinque Terre, Here We Come<style>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Cinque Terre , Here We Come</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wednesday, September
18, 2013</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Happy Birthday,
Karen!!</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it has been four days since I have typed a single word
in this diary. And it is the entire four days that we have been in Cinque
Terre. I wonder if meeting up with our 14 Australian friends has changed the
balance in our time??</div>
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We travelled from Parma to Levanto by car on Wednesday
morning. I was still a tad under the weather so Jim drove most of the way and I
slept some more. I have to say I am looking forward to the return trip so that
I can enjoy some of the mountain scenery that Jim described to me later.</div>
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Once we arrived at the Hotel Carla we began to encounter
friends. We had brought some Parmesan cheese, some prosciutto and some bread
from Parma so we were able to put out a spread of local delicacies which were
consumed with wine and much conversation. The hotel has a fine covered deck
with comfortable chairs which made a great gathering place for catching up on
news.</div>
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The last of our party of 16 arrived just before dinner and
once their bags were inside, we headed out onto the streets of Levanto to find
a place to enjoy a meal together. Levanto and the other Cinque Terre towns are
all coastal towns so there is abundant seafood on all menus. We ended up in a
restaurant on the main town square that featured seafood as a mainstay of its
menu. Jim and I both had spaghetti with a seafood sauce which was absolutely
delicious.</div>
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Then it was home to bed in order to be well rested for the
lengthy and arduous walk that was scheduled for the next day.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thursday, September
19, 2013</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Right after breakfast we headed to the train station for the
4 minute ride to the next town, Montessero. From there the 15 hikers prepared
themselves for a several hour walk that would take them up 300 metres in altitude
and along a 10 km track which would descend back into Levanto. </div>
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The plan that Jim and I had made was that he would join the
walking group when he felt inclined and I would occupy myself by exploring the
various towns in which the walks began or ended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Today my focus was Montessero. This town had two distinctive
areas. The first was most obvious from the train station. The beach and the
sparkling beauty of the Mediterranean Sea spread before one’s eyes. Along with
the beach came all the anticipated beach activities, shops and cafes. Of
course, cappuccino was readily available to the early morning crowd. Other
shops featuring beachwear, beach toys, paddle board rentals, beach chair
rentals, towel shops and all manner of other shops lined the long, narrow strip
of land that ran between the beach and the mountain.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But there was another total section of Montessero to be
explored and, frankly, it was of far more interest. It was actually hidden from
the sea by a rather steep and high hill. A tunnel had been bored through the
hill to enable pedestrians and vehicles alike to be able to access the main
village from the seaside. </div>
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Upon emerging from the tunnel, it became apparent that this
was market day. Fruit, meat, cheese and merchandise stalls were set up in the
underpasses created by the railway line that travelled through the town. It was
fun to explore the products at each stall. Leather and wooden goods were
especially popular with tourists (or should I say visitors to the town?). </div>
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Beyond the market, the town extended up a slope. Narrow
roads and alleys were lined with colourful buildings that generally had a
business at street level and housing on the second floor and higher. Pink,
green, blue painted buildings created a wonderful sense of life and energy in
this town. Merchandise in the stores was beautifully displayed. </div>
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I visited a rather unique church in Monteserro. It was
painted with wide black and white stripes on the outside and displayed the
label, ‘Mortis e Orationis’, meaning Death and Prayers. Unusual to say the
least. But there was more to come. Inside the church, the sanctuary featured
various carvings around the walls just where they joined the ceilings. In this
case, the carvings were of cherubs and skeletons. Yikes. I do not think it was
by design, but there was even a dead plant on one of the side tables in the
church. I did not stay in that church very long.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I walked further up the hill, there were fewer and fewer
shops and more and more residential properties. Laundry billowed from lines on
many balconies, flowers adorned the balcony railings, occasionally chairs and a
table were set up on the balconies. It was here that I felt that I had left the
tourist area far behind and I was meandering among the real residents of
Monteserro.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A coffee and a bottle of water quenched my thirst and just
after noon, I began to make the trek back through the tunnel and down the hill
to the train station. It was time to head back to Levanto.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I attempted unsuccessfully to purchase a ticket for the short
trip at one of the automatic machines. No ticket emerged so I made my way to
the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ticket booth where there was a
person who would be able to help. The line was long and the conversations
interesting, in many different languages. I listened in to the ones I could
understand and was fascinated by the long list of destinations for which ticket
would be required.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, it was my turn at the counter and when I began to
request my ticket, I realized that the name of the town which was my
destination had totally flown out of my head. I truly did not know where I was
going.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I need a train ticket, please.”<br />
“Where are you going?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I think I am going to Livorno.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Are you sure?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No. Can you please tell me the name of the town that is the
next station?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Where are you staying?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I cannot remember.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Woman now shaking her head in disbelief …..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Can you please name the five villages that are a part of
Cinque Terre?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Levanto?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, that’s it! Levanto!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Are you sure?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I think so.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And thus I purchased my train ticket back to Levanto which
is, in fact, the town we are staying in. The woman in the booth was
flabbergasted and I was too embarrassed to look at the people around me. I just
took the ticket and hurried out onto the platform, willing the train to come soon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once back in Levanto, I walked to the hotel (only making one
wrong turn), got my book and continued on to the main square in town to have
some lunch and quietly read for a while. It was lovely to be in a shaded area
with a wonderful focaccia in front of me and a great book in my hand.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later in the afternoon, the walkers arrived back at our
hotel. We gathered to tell the stories of the day. It turned out that the walk
had been much ore arduous than many had anticipated. But there was a sense of
satisfaction for having completed it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After before dinner drinks on the hotel deck, we once again
headed to the centre of town for our evening meal. Two restaurants were chosen
and a group went to each one. We always order a salad mista (mixed salad) which
is invariably fresh and delicious. I also had a wonderful swordfish steak and
Jim had an amazing seafood chowder which had an enormous amount of seafood and
only a little broth. It looked fabulous and Jim raved about it..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Friday, September 20,
2013</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following another delicious breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt
and pastries at the Carla Hotel, we set out for the train station where we met
Francesca, a guide from ICNOS, the company with whom we have booked this
adventure. Francesca was young, knowledgeable, energetic and optimistic. So
optimistic, in fact, that she totally missed the fact that she would be
spending the day with 16 people, all of whom were at least 35 years older than
she and certainly had a full range of fitness levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh… to be so young and fit!! Was I ever??</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so we set off at a fast pace and boarded the first train
to another Cinque Terre village, Manarola, this time. From the station, the
village stretched high up on the mountainside. Colourful homes and dazzling
views made this village very special. So did the steep incline that took us
higher and higher … all at a pace that was beyond what I could maintain. Before
long, I began to follow my own path as the rest of the group reached for the
sky. I climbed the slope that was the main street in town, stopping to admire
homes, shops, views and gardens. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
gardens were particularly fascinating. Properties were terraced and every
square inch of space was used to grow edible plants. Tomatoes were abundant,
salad greens prominent, even a little corn poked its head toward the sun. But
it was the basil that caught my attention. Row after row after row of bright
green basil, quivering in the breeze under the bright light of the day. Rustic
garden tools sat along fence lines along with woven baskets ready to harvest
the ripened vegetables and the fresh herbs that were a part of every
garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One garden, in particular, was
nestled in a hard to reach location – up a steep drive, along a stone wall, up
an old metal ladder and finally into a tiny patch of land that was filled with
delicious crops. The entire garden patch was likely less than 2 square metres.
Every morsel of available land was in use!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every once in a while, I was able to catch sight of the
other walkers who were high up on a ridge at this point, looking down over the
town and the sea. Later we discussed the very different perspectives we each
had of this town. And yet we all reached the same conclusions – a bustling
community, a service town filled with tourists; a challenging place to live because
of the steep slopes on all the surfaces.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The street I spend most of my time on was the main
thoroughfare from the top of the mountain down to the sea. It was clearly a
popular tourist track, a steep, yet walkable, slope, filled to the brim at times
with bus loads of visitors making their way from top to bottom, following the
bobbing umbrella, or the ribbons on sticks held high in the breeze. Literally
several hundreds of people travelled down the slope in this manner. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sadly, for the community, all the people who arrived by bus
at the top of the hill were hurried to the pier at the bottom in such fashion
that there was no time to visit the shops and cafes along the way.
Consequently, the local town folk gained little benefit from the parade of visitors
who passed through Manarola each day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the bottom of the hill was the pier where a ferry took
passengers along the coast to view all 5 Cinque Terre villages from the water
(more about that tomorrow).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I reconnected with our larger group in a café near the pier.
We paused for a coffee and then headed to the train station to visit another
village, Corniglia.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Corniglia is only accessible on foot (or so we were told)
and it involved climbing 400 hundred steps. Francesca, the guide, spoke very
clearly about the level of difficulty of these steps and ultimately intimidated
me into believing I could not possibly make it to the top. Unfortunately, not
once did she mention that there was a bus available for those who preferred not
to climb the steps.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided not to stop in Corniglia and continued on the
train to Monterosso, a village I had enjoyed earlier in this experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within moments of the train leaving the
station, my fellow travellers discovered the bus but it was too late to alert
me and so I was not able to come back and visit Corniglia with them. (I must
say I was pretty annoyed at the guide who could have at least mentioned the bus
once in all her descriptions of this community. Alas, I remind myself … she was
young and fit and oblivious to how age and fitness level might affect one’s
ability to get around.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I enjoyed a lunch of focaccia in Monterosso, delicious fresh
tomatoes and basil on toasted bread, while sitting on a bench overlooking the
sparkling waters of the Mediterranean Sea. I was sitting in the direct sunlight
which felt wonderful for a while but eventually it got to hot so I moved into
the shade. Unfortunately, I was no longer able to see the sea but engaged in
people watching as an alternative. There were people from all over the world,
strolling the paths and going in and out of the train station. Many languages
can be heard in Cinque Terre and all ages, shapes, sizes and colours of people
converge in the area. What a universal destination this is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile the walkers in the group had divided into two
groups. They all met for lunch in Corniglia. Following lunch several in our
group continued to walk along the coast and enjoy the views from on high as
well as the challenge of the walk itself. Others had decided that it was too hot
to continue walking and it was time to return to Levanto by train. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It does get remarkably hot here in the afternoon, despite
the fact that it is almost the end of September. Almost daily, the temperature
hits 30C as the sun shines brightly in a cloudless sky. It is difficult to
imagine what it must be like at the height of tourist season in July and
August. The heat and the crowds would make it unbearable. At this time of year,
thankfully, the evenings are cool and clear and provide wonderful relief from
the heat of the day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a lovely evening with our friends, Deb and Bill, at a
very popular restaurant off the beaten track in Levanto. The food was
delicious!! Jim’s seabass was very delicate and my ravioli was filled with fish
and coated in a splendid seafood sauce. We indulged in dessert as well, a rare
event. I had profiteroles covered in chocolate sauce and Jim enjoyed tiramisu.
A delightful meal overall.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Saturday, September
21, 2013</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This would be our last full day in Cinque Terre and for Jim
and I, it seemed we had saved the best for last. This morning, we would board a
ferry in Levanto and sail south to Portovenero. En route, we would pass by all
five Cinque Terre villages and fully embrace the landscape from the sea.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sea was calm, the sun was bright and spirits aboard the
boat were high. A spectacular landscape passed before our eyes as we sailed.
High rugged mountains that plunged into the water permeated the entire view.
Villages nestled into coves, protecting themselves from the water by extending
far up onto the mountain slopes. Home and buildings of many hues peppered the
green and grey landscape with splashes of colour – pink, yellow, green,
blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside the seasides towns, there
were homes that clung precipitously to rockfaces halfway up or halfway down the
mountain. One of the homes had 1500 steps rise above it, the only way in or out
of this place. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first village we passed was Monterosso, a village I had
visited several times. Its beach area extended along the shoreline to the
north, a thin slip of land bounded by sea and mountain. The larger town rose
behind a rock face on the right and the train station stood proudly in the
middle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next came Vernazza, peppered with coloured houses hugging
closely to one another at the entrance to the town. Other homes spread out
along cliffs and hilltops in both directions. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Corniglia was next, perched high up on the mountainside.
Four hundred steps were its connection to the sea and to the train line. Only
the brave and the hardy would venture to make the trip to the centre of this
town.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The town of Manarola rose gently from the sea. The harbor
was created from mountain rock and protected the lower part of the town from
the power of the sea. Yet, the people of this town still chose to live high on
the hillside. The roofs of tall narrow buildings created a path for the eye to
follow all the way to the bell tower (previously a lighthouse) and to the
terraced farmland which produced tomatoes, basil, beans and more. A shining
statue of Jesus drew one’s eye to the trails at the very top.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rio Maggiore is the fifth of the Cinque Terre villages. It
is one of only 2 towns in this group to have a small beach on the water. Yet it
also has a precipitous harbor in which the ferry had to approach the land bow
first and passengers scrambled over ladders from the bow to the land to embark
and disembark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steep stairs led up to a
narrow rock wall and then plunged down onto a flatter area at the entrance to
the town. Small shops and cafes lined the steep slope of the main street, yet
the town is quite inhospitable in its terrain. The train station sits well
above the sea far to the north of the main town, accessed only through a
tunnel, many hundreds of meters in length.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soon after we passed by Rio Maggiore, we began to see some
of the battlement ruins of Portovenero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is clear that over time historically, this site was considered a
significant defense point on the west coast of Italy. Ruins of various
fortifications are<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>visible from the sea.
As well, other islands nearby were also a part of the defense system and stone forts,
walls and other signs of military installations remain as a testament to a
rugged history in the area.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Portovenero has a beautiful harbor, naturally protected from
the open sea water. Ferries ply its waters, travelling in every direction to
the small islands that lie offshore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pleasure craft abound, both large and small. Private fishing vessels
were coming and going, or simply anchored slightly offshore while patient
fishermen put their lines in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a busy port.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We opted for a second ‘Mediterranean cruise’, this one
taking us around three nearby islands. Each island told a story of a part of
Italy’s military, religious or economic history. Fortifications, stone walls,
religious grottos and a marble quarry were all highlights of the commentary.
The dazzling sun, sparkling water, the clear blue sky and the bustle of the
harbor also enhanced the overall experience. If only the man in the orange
pants had occasionally remained in his seat, we would have had many more
beautiful photos to share!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once back to Portovenere, we disembarked and strolled slowly
toward the town. Slowly, I say, in part due to the weekend crowds and in part
to an obstacle that was in our path. Yes, the man with the orange pants was
directly ahead of us, veritably blocking our way from making forward progress.
We could neither pass him on the left or on the right, once again limited by
his speed and choice of direction. I am feeling a certain dislike of men in
orange trousers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We finally reached our destination and the man in the orange
pants disappeared into the crowd. We were planning to enjoy a simple lunch on
an upstairs deck looking out over the harbor. It must have seemed odd to anyone
watching us to see us line our chairs up all along one side of our table so
that no one had their back to the sea. The food was delicious (focaccia and
caprese salad), the company was wonderful and the view of the busy harbor an
absolute delight. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After lunch, we strolled along a quaint street replete with
little shops selling all manner og things nautical and/or Italian. Jim and I
would soon have cooking facilities at our disposal so we purchased some
specialty food items to enjoy over the next several days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a couple of hours in Portovenere, we reboarded the
ferry and travelled by water back to Rio Maggiore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an interesting landing and we joined
the throngs of tourists disembarking across the bow of the boat. Up the stairs
we went … and down again …. And up …. And up …. And up again. Then the steep
street lie ahead. A cappuccino called our names and soon after a glass of fresh
orange juice. The shops did not seem to hold much interest for us (Portovenere
had more variety) so soon we headed to the train station and took our final
Cinque Terre train back to Levanto.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over the next couple of hours our group
of 16 gathered together on the deck of Hotel Clara, sharing stories, laughter
and beverages. When the last walkers arrived back from their trek, it was time
to head out for dinner as a group one final time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happily we found a restaurant that could
accommodate all 16 of us, and, as a bonus, it served wonderful seafood. My sea
bass and fresh figs were absolutely delicious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A late night limoncello back on the deck of our hotel completed our Cinque Terre experience. What a delight it has been.</span></div>
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-17928722823716378252013-09-19T06:24:00.000-07:002013-09-19T06:24:05.955-07:00And now to Verona and Parma ...
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And Now …. To Verona and
Parma</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Monday, September 16,
2013</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We managed to be out of our Venice hotel, following breakfast, at
8:30 am and boarded our final vaporetto on our way to the Hertz dealership
where we would pick up our car, our transportation for the next 4 weeks. We met
David and Heather Bailey at the Hertz office to transport one of their suitcases until
we meet again in a few days. Then we were whisked away in a van (my goodness!!
A vehicle on wheels!) to the outer reaches of the city where our car was
parked. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Along the way, we saw trains, people-movers, all manner of
wheeled vehicles and crossed over a several kilometer causeway that connects
the City of Venice to the mainland.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We quickly loaded our luggage into our little Ford Fiesta,
powered up the GPS and headed out onto the highway to begin our drive to Parma,
approximately 2 hours away. It did not take long to acclimatize to the traffic
and soon we were discussing optional side trips on the way to Parma. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We decided to go to Verona, of Romeo and Juliette fame. In
fact, Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is fiction and thus Romeo and Juliette were
not real characters and therefore did not live or love in Verona. That does not
stop the townspeople from playing on a theme though. There are streets, cafes,
hotels and all manner of other things names after many characters in the play.
There is even a house that claims to be Juliette’s home, complete with the
infamous balcony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This element of Verona
was very entertaining to us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What actually drew us to Verona, though, is the enormous
Roman arena that was built there during the first century AD and is so well
preserved that it is still used today for musical and theatrical concerts. It
seats 30,000 people in an open air round theatre. Many seats are the original
granite seats that were installed almost 2000 years ago. Some new seats have
been installed, no doubt commanding higher ticket prices for the added comfort.
In fact, a rock concert was scheduled for this evening and we were there during
their sound check. The acoustics were great as far as we could tell. Earplugs,
please.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The entire structure was impressive to say the least. Both
its size and its beauty, the artistry in the placing of the stone in the walls
and on the surrounding walkway were all breathtaking. This arena is described
as the best preserved Roman monument in Italy. We were glad to have made the
detour to visit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had lunch in a small café that served a range of pasta
dishes. Of course, we made use of the bathroom while there which leads to me to
introduce a whole new topic. Toilets!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, let’s talk about toilets. Jim and I have travelled many
different places and have used many different styles of toilets over the years.
But Italy has offered yet something new in the style of toilets. I must say
that we were fully expecting the toilets here to be as they are at home. Full
seated, raised, reasonably comfortable toilets. And, in fairness, many are. So
we were quite surprised to encounter a style of toilet that even Jim, with all
his toilet research, has never encountered. This style is quite common,
especially in public establishments such as museums and restaurants. And often
unisex. I describe them as the hover style.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These toilets sit close to the ground, have a porcelain
bowl, no seat and are very suitable for a 2 year old boy who is learning to
direct his flow accurately into a bowl. However ….. for an aging and out of
shape woman, this hover toilet is less than comfortable! Does one sit? Or
hover? Or crouch? Or what? And once down, how in the world are creaky knees
supposed to get one back to an upright position? Various systems have been used
– the doorknob on the stall is particularly useful as a lever as is the purse
shelf or the toilet paper dispenser. Fortunately, Jim and I have never been
permanently separated due to a toileting malfunction. But we are here for 5
more weeks so time will tell. I will not even begin to describe the experience
that occurred in the lovely café in Verona that had a fully Asian style squat
toilet!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so we left Verona behind and headed out onto the
Austrade (freeway again). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an
experience to behold. I had forgotten about the inflated speed of traffic and
the need always to be in the right hand lane except for passing that we had
encountered many years ago in Germany. It only took a couple of bright
headlights in our rearview mirror to let me know that 120Km / hour in the left
hand lane was not an acceptable speed. So I moved over to join the long line of
slower moving trucks to let the faster cars pass by. And, they were all faster.
A short distance later, we encountered a large over the road sign that read,
”Respect the speed limit. 130 km / hour”. No wonder we were the slowest vehicle
in the fast lane!</div>
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We travelled through some rich agricultural land en route.
Olives, grapes, corn and hay were growing abundantly in fields along the
roadway. As autumn is close at hand, there was a range of equipment in the
fields beginning the harvest, particularly of corn and hay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the kind of travel Jim and I enjoy and
we look forward to more of the same but on the local roads, not the autostrade.</div>
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We arrived in Parma mid afternoon and made our way to our
B&B on San Rosa Street. It was deep in the labyrinth that is at the core of
this ancient city. Add to the confusion that visitors are only allowed to bring
their cars into the core with a permit to drop off luggage and then find
parking at the edge of Centro. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happily
the proprietor of our B&B was at home when we arrived and assisted us in
removing luggage from the car and into the house. We then drove along a myriad
of narrow one way streets to exit the Centro and find the parking structure
that had been suggested to us. The car will remain their until we leave on
Wednesday morning.</div>
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One of the decisions Jim and I made as a basic tenet of
travel is that we will always stay in our selected accommodation for at least
two nights. In the case of this B&B, it was a very good decision. Our
elegant room is on the first floor of this refurbished old home and filled with
beautiful furniture and amenities. There is a glass elevator that travels
silently up the wall of a courtyard and delivers us just steps from our room
and the equally elegant dining room. The bathroom is well equipped, decorated
in white and absolutely gorgeous. We settled in very happily and soon found
ourselves out exploring the town.</div>
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We first explored the area near the car park. We found there
a fish shop that featured over 200 varieties of frozen fish, all flash frozen
and gleaming in their bins awaiting selection by hungry patrons. There were
certainly many types of fish from all over the world that we had never heard
of. Of course, we left empty handed as we had no way to prepare any of the
fish, no matter how good it looked.</div>
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We headed back toward Centro and instantly were aware of the
contrast between the outer area of Parma and the centre of the city. While
Parma outside the centro had appeared a bit woebegotten, the core is filled
with large ancient buildings, mostly Roman, which have been refurbished. A
cathedral, a multitude of churches and museums, an 8 sided building with a
cupola, a convent, stately homes, and a main shopping area lined with high end
shops and enticing restaurants, bars and gelateries. We wandered somewhat
aimlessly, taking photos and enjoying the sites. Of course, streets meandered
in every direction and we had to check the map frequently to ensure we were en
route to the restaurant suggested by our hostess. She made a reservation for us
because it would lead to better service. Except for a short stop in a Desigual
shop which I will return to tomorrow, we kept moving and finally turned into a
small alley and found our destination, Trattoria del ________ .</div>
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The Trattoria was everything our hostess had described. The
service was wonderful, the menu varied and the food delicious. Jim order a
primo platter that featured three of the house specialties including baked
parmesan cheese. I ordered a mixed salad with horsemeat – yes, horsemeat, a
local specialty. It was served as medium rare steak on a plate of vegetables
and it was actually very nice tasting. It was a bit tough to chew and I later
learned that most people prefer it ground and raw, more like steak tartare. I
am not sure that I am brave enough for that but I am happy to have tasted it
and enjoyed the whole piece of meat. Rather than dessert, we chose to order
some fried bread and a plate of parmesan cheese. What a great choice!! Delicious!!
And such a mainstay of the local cuisine.</div>
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We had a little difficulty finding our way back home.
Everything looks so different after dark. Meandering streets looked oh so
familiar until we realized we had never been on them before. After getting
totally turned around, a kind lady pointed us in the right direction and we
successfully found our way home. En route, we encountered the beautiful voices
of a choir practicing high in a building late in the evening (after 10 pm).
There was something ephemeral about their voices as they wafted across the late
night air. A lovely way to end our evening. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tuesday, September
17, 2013</b></div>
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Well, this day did not go according to our plan. We enjoyed
our breakfast at the large dining room table and had a somewhat slow start,
leaving our room about 11 am. I wanted to indulge myself with a manicure at a
nearby day spa. Happily, they were able to take me in as soon as we arrived.
Jim went out for a walk and I sat contentedly in the chair. The lady who was
providing the service spoke no English so it was a time of relaxation and quiet
contemplation for me. As she worked, I became more and more aware that I was
actually not feeling well. Chills, headache, goosebumps, fatigue …. As soon as
she was finished with me, we headed straight back to our B&B where I fell
into bed and slept the afternoon away. It was not part of our plan but, truly,
there was no choice.</div>
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Jim spent some of the time doing more research about things
that lie ahead of us and some of the time going out for a walk in Centro. He
even went to the Desigual Shop and bought the purse I had my eye on. How nice
is that!</div>
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We had arranged to go to a traditional Italian dinner at the
home of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>friends of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our B&B Hostess. As the afternoon wore
on, I began to feel slightly better and we decided we would still take in this
dinner. We are delighted that we did!</div>
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Before I describe the dinner in detail, I need to let you
know that not only is Parma the home of parmesan cheese, it is also the home of
prosciutto and all other things made from pork, or so it seems. This will
become abundantly clear as you read on.</div>
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We were welcomed warmly in to the home of our hosts, Ros and
Beppe. They were proud of their home and pointed out some features that were
very traditional in an Italian home (they clearly enjoy a prosperous
lifestyle.) They also have an exquisite country home that was featured in a
magazine this month. The photos of the building, the decor and the landscape
were breathtaking.</div>
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One of the challenges of the evening was that we speak no
Italian and they spoke very little English. Fortunately we all had passable
French and were able to communicate pretty effectively. When words failed us,
re relied on hand gestures and more wine!</div>
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The meal was delicious, consisting of several courses. First
we were served appetizers in the living room. Parmesan cheese, of course, and
some pastries with interesting toppings – ham and pesto. And our first variety
of wine.</div>
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Next we moved into the dining room where we feasted on
antipasto – two kinds of Parma ham and salami and, yes, another variety of
Italian wine. Ravioli followed this, the first filled with delicious pesto and
the second filled with pumpkin and slightly sweetened with a thin coating of
sugar. So far, everything was amazing.</div>
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Next came our secundi, a course of smoked ham and smooth
mashed potatoes. And yet another variety of wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say that by this time, I was having
difficulty eating another thing. I asked if they ate like this every night and
they just laughed and shook their heads. We also asked what time they typically
had breakfast and what they ate. Not surprisingly, breakfast is early but very
small, usually coffee and fruit or yogurt. That led into a conversation about
dining patterns in different countries and cultures.</div>
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Finally dessert was served – gelato and some sweet cookies.
I declined the cookies and only ate some of the gelato. Jim and I were both
fully sated! Three more varieties of wine, liqueurs actually, appeared and we
sampled them all. By this time it was 11:30 at night and it was time to go
home. Happily it was a very sort walk and I fell into bed and slept the night
through.</div>
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It had been a unique and wonderful evening. Our French
seemed to carry us through and we felt happy about the entire experience. What
lucky people we are!</div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-65631300878967119542013-09-15T13:53:00.001-07:002013-09-15T13:53:26.036-07:00Venice - A Place of Beauty and Fascination
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<b>Venice - A Place of Beauty and Fascination</b></h2>
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<b> </b></h2>
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<b>Tuesday September 10, 2013/Wednesday, September 11, 2013</b></div>
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We waited until grandson, Wesley, was installed happily
installed in his kindergarten class and had had his 4<sup>th</sup> birthday
(Sept. 9) and we felt free to head for new lands once again. Because we are
voracious air mile collectors, Jim had devised a route for us that would
maximize the number of air miles we would gather on this journey. Toronto to
Chicago (yes, heading west to go east), then Chicago to Dusseldorf and finally,
many, many hours later, Dusseldorf to Venice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a long journey to say the least but we did arrive in good form
and were ready to take on the city of Venice.</div>
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We left the airport with all our luggage and walked the
first 400 meters to the Vaporetto Station. The city of Venice has no motor
vehicles so that only way you can get around is by boat or on foot. The
Vaporetto system is similar to a wheeled transit system. There are many routes
with many stations and a map that resembles a Toronto subway map indicating
where each vessel travels. We bravely and confidently boarded our first boat
and sailed off toward the stop closest to our hotel. Conveniently, it was very
near the beginning of this particular route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Venice airport is quite a distance from the city so we had time to
observe the volume of vehicle traffic on the water. Passenger boats, both large
and small, populated the well marked channels. Private taxis, pleasure boats,
merchandise delivery vessels, and large ‘bus’ boats known as vaporettos. All
these made their way across the Laguna Venita and moved into the complex canal
system that has made Venice so famous.</div>
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The canal nearest our hotel is the Cannaregio Canal; our
stop on this trip was Guglie. We disembarked and began the walk to our hotel.
En route we had to cross the Cannaregio Canal by crossing quite a high arched
bridge (remember<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>… we are toting our
luggage at this point and we are both very tired) and then we had to cross two
smaller canals on smaller bridges. The pedestrian path on all bridges is a set
of low rise stairs both up and down the bridges. Not so difficult to navigate
without luggage or fatigue. <br />
<br />
We finally arrived at our hotel, Ca’ Fontanea, on a quiet courtyard a couple of
blocks from the canal. We were instantly delighted. The reception was warm;
English was spoken; our room was on the ground floor; the spaces were old, yet
elegant; and best of all, the bed was comfortable. We knew we were going to
enjoy staying in this place.</div>
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We refreshed ourselves and, before long, headed out to
explore the area near our hotel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
strolled along the walkway along the edge of the Cannaregio Canal and were
happy to find a variety of shops, the university, and an array of restaurants
enticing us to sample their menus. Our first stop involved a glass of wine
(vino rosso) at an outside table where we could observe the late afternoon
activities of locals and tourists alike. People walking their dogs; stopping to
pick up something at the bakery; opening their shutters and waving to
neighbours from their windows; parents walking with children; tourists taking
pictures (we were too!); and lights coming on in the buildings as the day faded
into darkness. After finishing our wine, we looked for another place to have dinner,
albeit early by Italian standards. </div>
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Along the way, we encountered a crowd of people gathered on
the edge of the canal. It was a curious crowd and we were puzzled by what might
have brought them all to this spot. Soon, we learned, as a boat pulled up to
the side of the canal and began to distribute large bags of mixed vegetables to
those who were there. It appeared that is was a cooperative designed for vegetable
distribution. Many happy people gathered their bags and headed away. An insight
into life in Venice.</div>
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We settled on a pizzeria and were seated indoors (the
weather was threatening rain outside). We ordered more wine and were amazed at
the array of pizza choices on the menu. We ordered varieties that we would not
likely find at home and settled in for a good meal. We were not disappointed
and ate every last morsel. We also met a couple from the UK who had spent
several days in Venice and were able to make some suggestions about places we
might like to visit. All very helpful! </div>
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It was about 9:30 when we headed back to our hotel and fell
into bed. We were amazed and happy that we had managed to stay up that long.
But we were ready for a long sleep!</div>
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<b>Thursday September 12, 2013</b></div>
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We slept long and with few interruptions and finally were
ready to enjoy breakfast just before 10 o’clock. I think if you embark on a
journey already tired and do not get much sleep en route, perhaps you are set
up well to avoid jet lag and simply deal with exhaustion. A good night’s sleep
had done us both a world of good and we were ready and eager to face a new day.
</div>
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With transit passes in hand, we headed off to the vaporetto
stop and boarded the first of many boats today. We were on the Venetian
equivalent of a hop on hop off bus with an English commentary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We enjoyed the journey immensely, both
because it gave us a sense of the layout of the city, and also because we were
able to identify and photograph many of the significant landmarks, museums and
churches from the waters of the canals. Not many heads could get in the way in
these photos …. but a lot of boats did!!</div>
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Once we had made the tour from beginning to end, we returned
to a nearby church called Chiaesa di san Giorgio Maggiore. It was a delightful
church, painted bright white with columns flanking the entry, an old monastery
along the side and a bell tower that offered stunning views. It was a glorious
day and we thoroughly enjoyed the views from the top of the tower, overlooking
the waters all around the city as well as a variety of other domes and towers
that dotted the landscape. Of particular note, was St. Mark’s Basilica and Bell
Tower that were directly across the water. One of the primary differences
between the two locations was that Chiaesa di san Giorgio Maggiore was
virtually deserted and we did not have to deal with crowds of people or long
lines. As well, we encountered an interesting art exhibition along the outer
edges of the church site. It featured all manner of seashells sculpted in metal
and coated with gold. They were each set on a bed of pea stone and were taller
than us. Very impressive in detail and texture, as well as shining brightly in
the mid day sun.</div>
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We paused for a beverage (coke and coffee) at a café behind
the church before we actually went into the sanctuary. It was lovely watching the
watercraft make their way in all directions around and across St. Mark’s Basin,
where the Grand Canal opens out into a much larger body of water. We also spent
some time admiring the many, many sailboats that were moored in the adjacent
sailing club. Wow is all we could say about some of them!</div>
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Upon entering the church, we were struck by its simplicity,
its plain white painted walls and its clear glass windows. One wonders if the
impact of the Second World War is still being felt in this church today. There
were hints in a few places that it had, at one time, been a much grander place.</div>
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We left Chiaesa di san Giorgio Maggiore and headed across
the water to the Doge Palace (the home of the government of Venice in its early
days) and St. Mark’s Basilica. Disembarking from the vaporetto, we immediately
felt we had plunged into the madding crowd! It was difficult to move along the
walkways without risking being bowled over by all the foot traffic. And what
wasn’t covered with people was covered with stalls selling all sorts of tourist
trinkets – masks, scarves, pasta bibs, shirts, purses … and did I mention
purses? There were even purses set up on display on the steps of the very
narrow bridges crossing the canals en route to St. Mark’s Square. And everyone had
to crowd to one side or the other to avoid stepping on them. Of course, the
vendors were aggressive in selling their wares and the tourist/photographers
stopped wherever they pleased to take just the perfect picture! (Yes, I was one
of them!) It collectively made moving forward more than a little bit
challenging.</div>
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But we finally arrived at the Doge Palace and were
pleasantly surprised to find that, in spite of the crowd outside, there was no
line up for entry to the palace. We bought our tickets and proceeded on a
self-guided tour. Directional arrows were good and there was printed
information in each room that we visited. The size of the palace was amazing
and the collection of art that it contains is breathtaking. It would take days
and days to fully appreciate the murals and paintings on the walls and
ceilings. Collectively, they tell the story of the evolution of the government
of Venice, an institution that for many centuries was held up as a model for
other cities and states. In one room, there is a painted portrait of each Doge
(mayor) with a painted scroll outlining his major accomplishments while in
office. The other notable feature in the Palace was the amount of gold that was
lavished on ceilings in various staircases. It was astounding to see the wealth
in this place and how well preserved it is. The final place we visited was the
prison cells housed deep in the lower sections of the palace. In order to
access them, one had to cross a bridge over a narrow canal. The bridge was
appropriately named The Bridge of Sighs. Not a happy place for the visitors of
the day.</div>
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Following our visit to the Palace, we walked a short
distance and entered St. Mark’s Square. Once again we were engulfed by crowds
of people moving in every which way and attempting to take photos of their
loved ones against various backdrops, most of which I would not even
contemplate. I just shook my head as Jim and I joined a short line that we
hoped would gain us access to St. Mark’s Basilica. In less than ten minutes, we
were entering through the arched doorway and we immediately awed by the
profound beauty of this church. The rich wood, the elegant paintings, the
polished mosaic tiles on the floors. All in honour of St. Mark whose body, as
the story is told, was stolen by Napoleon from its gravesite in Egypt and
transported to Italy in a barrel of pork fat to dissuade the Muslims in Egypt
from checking the contents of the barrel too closely. The Vatican had
reportedly refused the construction of a basilica in Venice. But with the arrival
of St. Mark’s remains, there seemed to be little choice. And so this wonderful
structure was erected. (There was a fire in the 1500’s and St. Mark’s body was
burned,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>no longer buried in the
basilica.)</div>
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The area in front of the Basilica is an enormous square, St.
Mark’s Square, which was filled with people and lined with shops, restaurants
and at least one ATM machine. Whew!! Did we need that!</div>
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Armed with money for food, we paused to have a sandwich at a
café across from the water and enjoyed watching the many people pass by as we
ate. </div>
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Then, it was back onto the vaporetto to continue our journey
along the Venetian waterways. This part of the trip took us to the famous
Rialto Bridge! It was just as elegant as we expected it to be … and just as
crowded!! We took photos and quickly turned our attention away from the bridge
as we meandered along the streets and alleyways that took us away from the edge
of the canal. Shops galore featuring jewellery, purses, beautiful glass, masks
and a myriad of other products that might capture the interest of a tourist.</div>
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Jim had to run an errand to arrange for a SIM card for a
cell phone and I waited on a small bridge crossing a very narrow canal. The
main boat traffic on this canal was privately booked gondolas with drivers that
guided the gondolas along using the long oars that are so familiar in movies
and photos. The drivers were also all wearing either blue and white or red and
white striped nautical shirts with jaunty hats upon their heads. It was a scene
right out of a movie!</div>
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Jim returned with an Italian cell phone card and we
continued our meandering. I will admit that fatigue was setting in … and hunger
as well. It was 7 pm and it felt like time for dinner. We landed upon a café
right beside The Canada Hotel (nothing Canadian about it however) and settled
in for a light dinner. A half litre of red wine, a seafood salad for me and
some tasty liver and onions for Jim. It was just what the doctor ordered!</div>
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Following our meal, we headed back to the canal and once
more boarded the vaporetto to make our journey back to our hotel. It had been a
very full day and we were both amazed that we had lasted as long as we had
without giving in to jetlag. Time to relax and unwind … and label photographs
and write a diary entry and plan for tomorrow.</div>
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It has been a terrific day and we look forward to many more
just like it!! Pinch me … am I really in Venice?</div>
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<b>
</b><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Friday, September 13, 2013</b></div>
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We had made our plan for today based on recommendations we
had receivedfrom others. First, a coffee in a nearby café touted by Tripadvisor
as the finest coffee shop in Venice, then a visit to the Guggenheim Museum on
the Grand Canal followed by some exploration in the neighbourhood around Garibaldi
Street. Simple and straightforward, or so we thought.</div>
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We made our way to Guglie, a nearby vaporetto station, and found a delightful local
market featuring fish stalls as well as a myriad of fruit and vegetables. Of
course, we took some time to meander among the people and admire the array of
products available. We were definitely among local people doing their
marketing. Almost every person was pulling a bundle buggy behind them and many,
many were also leading small dogs on leashes. It was a tangle of wheels and
legs, long and short.</div>
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We found the café we were seeking and were aromatically
delighted as we stepped inside. The aroma of coffee filled the air and the
array of choices rivaled Starbucks. I chose a cappuccino and Jim selected a
granite con panna, a thick iced coffee slushy topped with whipping cream. Both
were delicious. There were no seats or tables in this café. We are learning
that in many places the Italian culture is to stand at the counter, drink your
coffee quickly and be on your way. We have also seen several lunch counters
operating in the same way.</div>
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And now, onto the adventure of the day. And it was an
adventure. In the interest of getting a good viewing position on the boat, we
boarded the 4.1 vaporetto which the map suggested would take us two stops to
the end of our canal (Cannareggio) and turn around and retrace its route and
take us to the train station (a major transfer point).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we reached the end of our canal, we
realized that perhaps we had misread the route map. We were heading out over
the open waters of Laguna Venita to a station that was far in the distance. We
checked the route map again and found that this vaporetto actually travelled to
an island that we wanted to visit on another day. Thus, our plan for this day
took an abrupt change.</div>
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Murano Island became our new destination, an island famous
for its glass production. We enjoyed the ride across the breadth of the lagoon,
viewing the main city of Venice from far out on the water. Several minutes
later, we landed on Murano Island and joined the throngs of people moving
toward the main street with another delightful canal. Along our way, we stopped
to admire the glass art that was displayed in every shop window. Beautiful,
elaborate, colourful, delicate, sophisticated, detailed, pieces of art. </div>
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We entered one shop to admire the work of these glass
artists more closely and we scooped up by an extremely eager salesperson for a
tour of the shop/gallery. We knew we were in for some visual treats and a
forceful sales presentation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
worth our time and patience to be able to see such an array of glorious glasswork.
Sculptures, vases, plates, glasses, bowls, platters, jewellery, photo frames,
chandeliers, character pieces (clowns, animals, nativity scenes) – all
spectacular in their design, colour and texture. Much to the chagrin of our
‘guide’, we managed to resist temptation (it was tough) and left the gallery
empty handed. He did give us his card, printed on newsprint with a promise that
if we returned he would give us a real cardboard card when we purchased a
piece.</div>
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We enjoyed strolling through many more shops/galleries and
admired the glass art on display. Happily, we did not encounter any more high
pressure sales and could meander at our leisure. Of course, by the end of our
visit to Murano Island, we had accumulated a few packages of small glass pieces
…. And one that was not so small., a beautiful aquarium-like piece of blue and
green with coral reef and tropical fish swimming inside. Absolutely gorgeous!!
And well wrapped for travel too.</div>
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I will say that I enjoyed the glass necklace I purchased, a
string of hand painted red beads, each with a unique picture or design. I
immediately put the beads around my neck and happily wore them for the rest of
the day. It was fun to note how many other women strolling along the streets were
wearing glass jewellery in various colours and forms.</div>
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We stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the canal. It was
a hot, sunny day and we were glad to be seated under an umbrella at a table
right on the edge of the canal. We thoroughly enjoyed the ‘menu fixte’, an
appetizer, a main course and a salad for 15 euros. Seafood lasagna – mmm!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calamari – mmm! But perhaps best of all, a
beautiful fresh salad!!</div>
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It was from this vantage point that we were able to truly
observe life on the canal. This canal was too small to have vaporettos and too
far from Venice itself for gondolas. But it was teaming with craft! Private
boats with local Venetians meandered the waterway, occasionally docking to do
some shopping or have lunch. Small delivery boats carrying an array of boxes
transported goods to various destinations. Many of these boats ‘double-parked’
along the crowded canal walls and leapt from one boat to another to reach the
sidewalk. Clearly, they have much practice and much success using this method
of disembarking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Occasionally a much larger boat carrying heavier goods would
make its way along the canal. One such vessel tied up across from our lunch
stop. Construction materials were being delivered – long pieces of lumber and
heavy roof sheeting was on board. The crane on the boat was not a helpful
device in offloading the materials due to their size and shape. So four men
wearing protective gloves lifted each piece of material and carried along the
crowded sidewalk, maneuvered it through a narrow doorway into a long narrow
corridor and transported it manually to its courtyard destination deep in the
middle of the building. It was a long and arduous process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile the canal had only a very narrow
thoroughfare for other boats to travel through. They were not deterred and
there was a steady stream of boats of all colours and sizes making their way in
both directions along the canal. Fascinating!!</div>
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Following lunch, we made some purchases and meandered along
the sidewalk past the shop windows one last time. What a delightful place to have
spent several hours on this perfect day!</div>
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Boarding the vaporetto again, we had a better idea where it
was going to take us. In fact, this very vessel would transport us on a long
journey right to our own stop, Crea. En route we circumnavigated the entire of
Murano Island and had an opportunity to understand the geography of Venice. A
series of outer islands create<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>barrier
from the sea and the water flows into the vast Laguna Venita. As we travelled
around Murano, we were able to see several glass factories and gain a deeper
awareness of the magnitude of the glass industry on this island. We also passed
a beautiful tall white lighthouse.</div>
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The vaporetto then crossed Laguna Venita and we travelled
along the outer rim of the city of Venice. In places high walls had been
constructed to protect properties from flooding. We encountered the hospital
emergency station and several ambulance boats all ready for action. We passed
by countless bell towers and domes of the many, many churches that have been
built in Venice. We travelled past Chiaesa di san Giorgio Maggiore again as
well as the docks at St. Mark’s Square and the Doge Palace (I wonder if the
crowds ever diminish?). We then entered a waterway new to us that took us
through a substantial residential area, mainly apartment buildings and adjacent
parkland, local shops along the canal and several street entertainers with
small crowds gathered round. We passed by several cruise ships moored along the
shore, through a ship repair area and drydocks as well as the back waters of
the port of Venice. We actually saw cars and motorbikes parked there. Clearly
we were outside the vehicle free zone.</div>
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And finally we floated under a high arched brick bridge,
marking our return to the Grand Canal. Bustling canal walkways and café tables
along the edges were once again the trademarks of this canalled city. Soon we
were viewing familiar sights as we passed the train station, famous hotels and
finally made the turn into our own canal, Cannareggio. It had been a long and
interesting journey and we were ready to disembark when we arrived at the Crea
stop.</div>
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But the day was not yet over. We dropped into our local pub
for a drink on our way back to the hotel. Spritz was what it was called, bright
orange in colour and served in large wine glasses adorned with a large green
olive. It is actually not unlike a white wine spritzer at home, a mixture of
soda and wine or soda and prosecco. What differentiates a spritz from a
spritzer is the use of bitters. Mine tasted a bit like a pseudo martini and
Jim’s was simply sweet! Although inexpensive and therefore popular among
students and seniors (so they say), we are not likely to indulge in many
spritzes along our way.</div>
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A quick turn around at the hotel and we were off for dinner
at Dalla Marisa, a nearby restaurant with a unique approach to cuisine. It only
opens for dinner on 4 days of the week. It is so popular that reservations are
absolutely necessary. Yet each night only one meal is available and you are
told when you reserve that it will be meat or fish. We knew we were having
fish.</div>
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We arrived to find a large number of tables set up along the
canal, no tablecloths or other adornments visible. We chose a table right on
the edge of the canal and waited. Soon, a server offered us wine and/or water
and told us our meal would be coming soon. First course was to be a variety of
fish dishes. Well … what arrived was amazing!! Baked mussels, marinated in oil,
tomato sauce and spices,; marinated seabass with spices and arugula; fish salad
(fairly strong in flavour); all served with warm polenta. What an array of
beautiful food and that was just the beginning.</div>
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While we were enjoying our meal, four people were seated
beside us. We said hello and the conversation took off from there. They were
from St. Thomas and St. Mary’s, Ontario, only one hour away from Waterloo.
After we laughed about the coincidence, we toasted the occasion with our wine
and thoroughly enjoyed spending the balance of the evening sharing
conversation, laughter and excellent food.</div>
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The next course that was served was fish lasagna (we had had
this at lunch as well) which was also delicious. Such a delicate balance of
sauce, soft pasta and seafood flavours. Magnifico!! Next came another large
platter of seafood – calamari, shrimp and dried fish. Again, wonderful ….but I
have to admit we were getting full! But save room for dessert, a coconut cream
mixture served with delicate ginger biscuits. </div>
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Coffee followed …. For some of us the coffee tasted
remarkably like limoncello! And we said farewell to our dinner companions and
waddled the short distance back to our hotel and fell into bed. </div>
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Another great day in Venice and surrounds had come to a
close!</div>
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<b>Saturday, September 14, 2013</b></div>
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It dawned another bright and beautiful day! The weather so far
has been glorious. We spent some time in the morning in our room to get
organized for the next few days. Then, once again, we headed out on the
vaporetto, with the purpose of once again enjoying the comfortable and narrated
ride on the VA, the Hop on Hop Off version of the vaporetto system. It begins
at the train station and travels along the Grand Canal all the way to the
Biennale stop at the opposite end. It is scenic; the architecture is beautiful,
varied and interesting; the boat life on the Grand Canal is fascinating. And
photo opps abound.</div>
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We disembarked at the Arsenale station and walked a short distance to Garibaldi
Street (thanks Jim Rodger for the suggestion).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Having not eaten breakfast, we were very hungry by this stage. We
stopped for a snack at the first available café on Garibaldi Street and noticed
that we were sitting right across from the home of John Cabot. Cabot was born
in Genoa but moved to Venice at a young age and lived here for many years. The
house was nondescript except for two plaques that recognized his contribution
to the English and European settling of Canada. I have always associated John
Cabot with England and was not aware of his Italian heritage.</div>
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Garibaldi Street is a wide residential street, the widest
street in Venice. It is built on top of a filled-in canal in the style that we
are more frequently seeing in modern housing developments around home. That is,
there were businesses at street level and apartments in the several floors
above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One feature that differentiates
these buildings from any new building at home is the absence of elevators. We
commented often on the challenge of living on the top floor of a building
(often 4 or 5 levels) and having to transport oneself and all one’s goods to
the top level at least once or more each day. </div>
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We enjoyed meandering along with people who clearly lived in
the area and were out doing their Saturday errands or enjoying a coffee or
other beverage at the local cafes. Bakeries, green grocers, toy stores, shoe
stores, a butcher, a pharmacy, a couple of variety stores and two supermarkets
flanked the wide cobbled street. We spent some time in one of the supermarkets
examining the array of food items that were available. Some were familiar to us
and others were totally new. What we noticed about all of them was that the
packages were generally small and, other than Kellogg’s, very few North
American brands were in evidence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, we were not surprised to find a large number of pasta products –
noodles and sauces. And quite a number of unusual cookies as well. It was fun
to browse for a while. I will say, though, that the aisles were extremely
narrow and we were very much in the way at times.</div>
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We strolled along until we reached the end of the street,
the place where a delightful canal took its place. There was a wonderful café
there with a most helpful server who spoke impeccable English. We were able to
discuss the various menu items and learn more about food vocabulary and the
taste and texture of items we did not know. He was terrific and so was the food
he brought us. There was one item, a fish pate, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that neither of us enjoyed. Our server was
kind enough to take it right off our bill. While we sat, we were able to
observe the people in the street – shoppers pulling bundle buggies; people,
young and old, walking dogs; groups of men enjoying some wine; tourists with
their cameras; children riding bikes and playing on the street. No cars to
worry about here!</div>
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Finally, we left the café and wandered through a delightful
park en route back to the St. Mark’s Basin and the Grand Canal. The park was an
oasis of green in a very hard-surface city. It featured a promenade flanked by
tall trees that provided a shaded walk to the water’s edge. Along each side
were playgrounds and benches, all in full use by the residents of the area. The
park was full of life!!</div>
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We passed into a second park, the large green area where The
Biennale is headquartered. The Biennale is a large festival of art in all forms
– painting, sculpture, dance, music – which is held in Venice each year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are concerts, exhibitions, international
pavilions, public sculpture, special museum displays, a veritable myriad of
things to see and do. We have taken in only a few of the offerings, notably a
Music Museum, a display of Sculpture, the pavilion from the Maldives and a
display of various dress styles. We could be here for months and not see it
all.</div>
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We reboarded the vaporetto and set sail for home. Just then Jim’s
phone rang. It was our friends, Heather and David Bailey, from Australia. They
had just arrived in Venice and we were only 3 stations from their current
location. It took less than 15 minutes to make our way there and enjoy a
celebratory greeting with hugs and exclamations about being in Venice at the
same time!! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it was dinnertime, the
search was on for an outdoor setting where we could catch up with one another
and enjoy a great meal together. After a couple of false starts and some
rambling along the alleys and corridors of central Venice, we happened upon a
wonderful setting in St. Steven’s Square. Wine, pasta, pannacotta, coffee and
more wine sated all of us. Even our server joined in the fun and frivolity!!
Laughter and stories filled the air until it was time to head home (we were
almost the last ones remaining in the bistro)! We agreed to meet in the morning
and head off for a new adventure together. Little did Jim and I know that we
had yet one more adventure awaiting us tonight.</div>
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Let me start by saying, the transit system here (the boats)
operate on a different schedule on the weekends. We were not aware of this. So,
Jim and I walked leisurely back to the Grand Canal and waited patiently for the
next vaporetto that would take us to the train station where we would transfer
to our now familiar Number 4.2 and carry on toward our hotel. We did note that
the vaporetto that arrived was extremely full and travelling very slowly. But
we settled in to enjoy the ride. The Grand Canal at night with all the city
lights reflected in the water is a beautiful sight. When we finally arrived at
the train station, we walked along the street to our own stop and checked the
timetable to determine when our next ride would arrive. That is when we found
out! There were no more 4.2’s on Saturday night. In fact, they had stopped running
about 90 minutes earlier! It was now approximately midnight and we were about 2
kilometres from our hotel and we really were unsure of the route. You see,
those small canals that meander throughout the city and are so charming by day
are real impediments to pedestrians as they do not have very many bridges.
Alas, we had no choice but to follow our noses and refer to the map (not always
helpful) and to begin our midnight trek. We were walking in totally new
territory through residential areas where all the lights were out and sensible
people were getting their beauty sleep. We made a couple of wrong turns and had
to retrace our steps. We felt that we were making reasonable progress and
happened upon a young man who was putting his garbage outside. Fortunately he
spoke English and responded to our request for directions by sending us most of
the way back from whence we had come, to follow a path along the opposite side
of a narrow canal. That was not what we wanted to hear at 12:45 am! But, we
followed his instructions (what choice did we have?) and sooner rather than
later we were on a familiar path and knew the way back to our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was after 1 am when we arrived – both
relieved and exhausted. It was the first night since arriving that both of slept
the whole night through!!</div>
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<b>Sunday, September 15, 2013</b></div>
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In spite of our late night, we were up bright and early to
meet Heather and David at the train station to begin today’s adventure. We were
travelling together to Burano Island, a place famous for its brightly coloured
buildings and for the production of exquisite lace. It was quite a long trip
that involved a couple of extended rides on vaporettos. After about 90 minutes
en route, we finally arrived at Burano. And we were not disappointed<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by what we found there. </div>
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First stop was for coffee (not the greatest in the world but
at least wet and warm). From there we headed into the village …. But not far!
Heather and I were immediately sidetracked by a specialty store selling lace.
The array of products was wonderful – everything from doilies and table clothes
to baby clothes, scarves and beautiful garments for women. It was hard to
resist the blue/green lace cardigan that was calling my name.</div>
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Not only were the products beautiful but they were also
entirely hand stitched. And to our delight there was a woman in the shop today
demonstrating how to make lace. It is a painstaking endeavor that is slow and
exacting. But the results were amazing!</div>
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By the time we finished looking and watching and left the
shop, Jim and David were no where to be found! We spent a brief time looking
for them (very brief) and then Heather and I headed off on our own quest to
explore the island and other shops we might find along the way. It is hard to
describe how colourful this island is. Each home is brightly painted using all
the primary colours and then some. Vivid reds, blues, yellows, oranges and
greens line the streets in every direction. Painted shutters adorn the windows
and gaily blooming flowers sit outside many doorways. Most windows have
venetian blind covering them on the outside!! I really caused laughter for a
man passing us by when he heard me exclaim, “So this is an authentic Venetian
blind!” I guess it did sound a bit funny!</div>
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Narrow canals ran between the homes and boats lined their
edges, for the most part also painted in bright colours. All in all, even
though the sun was not shining, the town was as bright as a button!</div>
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Along the way, Heather and I took many photos and meandered
into many shops. Of course, there were more lace shops. There were also
bakeries, delis and shops filled with theatrical minstrel masks. We each made a
couple of modest purchases and I am proud to announce that I did continue to
resist the sweater that I had so dearly loved.</div>
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Finally, Jim and David tracked us down and suggested it was
time for lunch. They had already identified a nearby pub that offered nice food
and beverages of choice. We each ate some tasty morsels and while Heather and I
stuck to water and soda, the men indulged in a couple of local drinks, namely
Spritz’s and Gingerino. They were well priced and interesting but also
apparently packed a punch! Both David and Jim had a snooze on the boat back to
Venice.</div>
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Jim and I returned to Venice. Heather and David got off the
vaporetto at Murano Island to look at the glass. We made plans to meet again
for dinner but those plans were foiled once more by the weekend schedule of the
transit system. So Jim and I enjoyed pizza and some delicious seafood soup at a
restaurant near the train station. We made sure tonight that we had more than
enough time to catch the last ferry home.</div>
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Tomorrow morning we will meet Heather and David for a coffee
and then pick up our rental car and bid farewell to Venice. Next stop – Parma.
Parmesan cheese, anone?</div>
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081978896299804263.post-5738722047110739052013-09-10T23:58:00.001-07:002013-09-10T23:58:40.786-07:00En Route - Canada to Italy via ChicagoWelcome to all our loyal readers ... and the occasional readers as well. I love keeping a diary about our adventures in various parts of the world and am happy to share them with other interested people - travellers, vicarious travellers and anyone else who cares to read our blog.<br />
This adventure will take us to Italy for 6 weeks. We will land in Venice where we will spend a few days (admittedly not enough time). Then we will rent a car and move west to Parma (home of parmesan cheese) en route to Cinque Terre on the northwest coast of Italy. In Cinque Terre, we will meet 14 friends from Australia!! We are very excited about that. Cinque Terre will be followed by a week in Tuscany, cooking courses and truffle hunting included. After Tuscany, we will spend almost 3 weeks exploring the west coast of Italy by car. We will drive as far south as time and activity allows us before heading back to Rome for a final week in Italy. <br />
Currently, we are sitting in a comfortable airport lounge in Dusseldorf, Germany, waiting for our flight to Venice, the final leg of the journey. Our route includes three legs - Toronto - Chicago, Chicago - Dusseldorf and Dusseldorf - Venice. Yes, a bit unorthodox but all in the name of maximizing the number of airmiles we collect so that we can take another journey soon.<br />
We felt good about leaving Canada. Life seemed well under control. We are confident the students living in our house will take good care of it. Wesley, Karen and David have all settled into a new school year with ease and excitement. Edward is happy spending time with Grandma Wilson while Karen is working. And, after quite a saga of dysfunction and loss, Jim's brand new hearing aid was delivered to our hotel in Toronto at 8 pm the night before we flew. (A short version of this story is that the hearing aid malfunctioned last week; Jim took it to the local company that supplies them; unable to repair it, they shipped it by courier to the manufacturer in Toronto; it was lost en route; the manufacturer recognized the urgency of the situation and created a brand new hearing aid on Monday afternoon and a rep from the company delivered it to our hotel! Starkey's provides outstanding service in our view.)<br />
And so we are all ready for our Italian adventure! Stay tuned!<br />
<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981750452429951389noreply@blogger.com1